44 Malicious Ambition (1/2)

Chapter 44: Malicious Ambition

Deeper into the belly of the unknown, Ashewyn had been leading Miles and Adam through the underground maze. Suddenly, the red haired Amygdala halted in his tracks with the look of panic in his eyes. The others stopped, confused by his sudden stop, with a view of bodies from a deceased horde of monsters not trailing too far behind their path. Ahead of them was a deep pit of darkness with only a single rickety old wooden suspension bridge, held together by stumps of wood lodged in the ground, that joined the two ends of the underground valley.

”Hey Red, what's the problem?” Miles looked to Ashewyn in confusion.

Ashewyn lowered his head, casting shadows over his eyes as he grimaced. ”...The rain stopped.” He spoke up.

”Huh? You didn't say anything about rain before...Then someone-?” Miles gawked, seeming conflicted about the sudden mention.

”I thought it was the fiends at first, but...” His head shifted to glance back to the bodies behind them. ”...It only just stopped.”

Adam coyly stepped closer to the two of them, gazing over to Ashewyn gently. ”... This might not be my place to say, but didn't miss Nye separate us to avoid worry?”

Ashewyn bit his lip, as he turned away. ”She did, but that doesn't stop me from being paranoid. I got this bad feeling...”

Miles sighed, crossing his arms as he quirked a brow. ”You got a whole lot more to beparanoid about rather then someone dying. Besides. The others are fighting too.”

”That's what worries me.” Ashewyn grunted, before taking another step forward onto the bridge.

Footsteps approached ahead of them suddenly, emerging from the shadows casting over the far end of the bridge. ”Well, ain't this the surprise.” A familiar female voice spoke, drawing Ashewyn's attention to her.

”Looks likes we found them~.” Sing-songed a second female voice.

Standing there was Darkness, the horned purple skinned fiend that Ashewyn remembered all too well. She wasn't alone however, a couple other fiends accompanied her. One appeared to be a androgynous specter with flaming head and body with a tail like a monkey's, then the other was a red and black haired woman with what seemed to be a massive mouth at the end of her ponytail; drooling acid from it's fangs like some beast.

”You. It's been a long time now, but I definitely remember you. You're that wandering trader who informed me about Vex taking off. Vex even mentioned your name when he tried to kill me.” Ashewyn gripped to his sword.

”Pfft, if you know my name, then say it! You don't remember, do you? You're as stupid as ever, ain't ya? It's Darkness.” She snorted in agitation. ”I'm sure you've figured out what my job really is.”

”Don't care. Where's my brother?” Ashewyn sneered.

”Oh, he'll be around. Just wait and see.” Darkness scoffed.

”Hold on a sec! You're not seriously looking to fight him again, are you!?” Miles gasped, urgently looking to Ashewyn.

”Depends what happens when we cross paths. We got other problems now.” Ashewyn replied, eyeing down the trio ahead of them.

Both parties readied themselves for combat, before clashing in the center of the bridge into an all out brawl. The red haired lady fiend snapped her hair at Adam, trying to sink her venomous fangs into his mutated arm. He wasn't too keen on fighting her, mostly trying to evade her continuous snapping motions. Miles took on the fire fiend, clashing his sword with the enemy fiend's sickle. Ashewyn formed his dragon armor from flames, engaging Darkness with his sword. Flames whirled around, but her forging hammer countered the blade without hindrance. The fire didn't even seem to phase her, as she fought back with a great force. Ashewyn tried to parry her attacks by shoving his blade against her hammer, only to be met by a horned headbutt to his skull.

Ashewyn staggered, holding his head as he was plummeted back to the bridge by the force of Darkness' hammer. This caused the suspension bridge to rumble, swaying violently and accidentally thrusting the flame fiend off the bridge into the dark bottomless pit below. The others had managed to hang on for dear life. Now Only two opponents remained, both closing in on the three like wolves to their prey. Neither even seemed to care that their ally fell to his doom, seeing they were still on the attack.

”Your ally just fell to their death, and you don't even care!?” Miles snapped.

”Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good. We are a cult after all.” Smirked the red head.

”Ain't like these dolts understand. Waste of time, explainin', Raz. ” Darkness scoffed, gripping tightly to her hammer.

”Guess you're right, Kness.” Raz, the red haired fiend giggled, raising the mouth of her hair over them, as it drooled through soft growling.

”Sheesh, you broads aren't even tryin', are ya?” A male voice came from the far end of the bridge, drawing the attention of Ashewyn's crew. Standing there, was Pythagoras, with each foot planted onto the stumps of wood holding the bridge onto the edge of the cliff. ”Now that I got your attention, I wanna know which one of ya killed Hase.”

Adam flinched a bit, recalling the name of that wolf fiend he encountered in the desert. The very thought of it made him uneasy. Miles and Ashewyn were also feeling it upon seeing another enemy appear, the very one who killed Molliana. It made Ashewyn angry.

”Why am I not surprised, Pyth? Get lost already, this fight is mine. Besides, chances are it ain't them, probably was one of the others. I mean, look at 'em! The only fiend amongst them is trembling like a leaf, not some powerful mutant who would be able to fend off, let alone kill, Hase.”

”Mutant, eh?” Pythagoras shifted his attention to Adam, making deliberate eye contact with the timid fiend. ”So sure it ain't him?” He asked, growing more focused on Adam.

”Shove off already!” Darkness demanded.

”Yeah Pyth, it's our turn to play!” Raz added, with a hiss.

Pythagoras leapt to his feet, taking steps closer to the battle on standby. ”Ya see, I'm pretty fuckin' sure I remember stating' to you softies that the fuck who killed Hase was MINE. You broads are gettin' IN MY WAY!!!!!” Pythagoras snarled, as he charged across the bridge like a missile.

”Look out!” Ashewyn instructed, forcing Miles out of the way as he hurried to his feet. His eyes quickly shifted to Adam, who was no longer within reach.

Pythagorascame at them roughly, knocking passed the lot of them to reach his target. Adam was in his sights, being quickly slammed apart from the group in a wild rage. The motion of them lunging to the other end of the bridge however, caused the ropes to begin tearing.

Pythagoras crashed himself through the wooden floor boards, dragging Adam with him, as they fell rapidly down into the darkness of the pit below.

”Oh shit!” Miles yelped, as the ropes holding the bridge up suddenly snapped.

Both parties gripped to the bridge tightly, as it slammed into the rocky wall of the other end of the cavern. Miles was struggling to hold on with his missing digits. He looked up to Ashewyn who was not far above him.

”Red!.... I... I think I'm gonna fall..!” Miles whimpered, his fingers slowly slipping from the hold.

”Hang on, Fluffy!” Ashewyn called, sliding down the torn rope to attempt reaching Miles.

”I...can't...” Miles sweated, just as his fingers lost their grip. ”Ahh!?” Miles gasped, as he felt himself slip down towards Darkness.

Darkness was holding on not far below the feline, but as he came her way, Miles grasped urgently to the rope. He had bumped into her, causing her hammer to slip from her hand. Her eyes grew wide, as she scrambled to grab it, but it fell too far and she couldn't reach it before it vanished into the dark pit below. This immediateshift though, also caused her to lose her grip on the rope, forcing her to grab Miles' by his long bushy tail since there was no longer any bridge to hold onto.

”AKKK!!?” Miles cried out, feeling her full weight hanging on solely by his tail.

”If I fall, I'm taking at least one of you with me!!” Darkness shouted, angrily.

Ashewyn took notice of this, quickly reaching them. He clasped onto Miles' good hand, before he could slip again. Forming his wings, Ashewyn took off into the air, while hanging onto Miles.

”Dude!” Miles snapped, getting the redhead's attention. He shifted his gaze to the fiend holding his tail.

Ashewyn realized Darkness wasn't letting go, and quickly decided he had to get her off them. With his boot, Ashewyn stomped at Darkness' horns, forcing her to release Miles' tail. The two were still airborne, watching the female fiend crash down to the pit below. Thoughts of Vex and her together sped through her mind, as she vanished from sight.

”Kness!?” Raz gasped in panic. She quickly ascended the broken bridge, attempting to flee.

”Hey, that other one's getting away!” Miles exclaimed.

”Then we better catch her. If she gets to the other cult members, they'll catch onto our plan.” Ashewyn replied, flying after Raz with Miles. ”Let's just hope Adam is alright.”

Elsewhere, Zyron was pacing through the rocky tunnels of the underground with Nikolai floating not far behind him. The Vulpis seemed annoyed and anxious as he pressed onward seemingly alone. Jackyn was nowhere to be seen, albeit except the remains of bodies scattering the corridor with dust floating into the air. Zyron uncomfortably stepped over one, his eyes looking away from it in disgust.

”Dammit, Jackyn seriously means business. Where the hell did he run off to though?...” Zyron groaned, pressing his forehead into his palm with a sigh of unease. ”I can't believe I'm following a trail... of corpses... This is very unsettling.” He shuttered, lifting his head to gaze towards the deep darkness ahead of them. His staff was still in hand, as he nervously pondered to himself.

”Ignosce mihi, et moratus est in conspectu haud procul a nobis.” Nikolai floated around from behind him, with a concerned tone.

”I have no fucking idea what you're saying...” Zyron replied, anxiously peering passed the reaper, before continuing on the path.

”Non est periculum praemisit!” Nikolai exclaimed, hurrying after the canine

Zyron looked to Nikolai with irritation. ”I don't understand. How many fucking times do I have to explain that!?” Zyron stated, in a disgruntled tone.

”Periculum!” Nikolai persistently tried to explain, before being blasted back by a spell of fire.

”Nikolai!?” Zyron gasped, urgently looking around. His frantic eyes spun around the area but were unable to spot anything. ”The fuck....?!”

”Hmhmhm.” Chuckled a female voice, that echoed through the chamber. ”By the flame that burneth bright...” It trailed off, as Zyron's heart sank, his body halting in panic. ”...We call thy name into the night.” The voice continued to chant.

Zyron was frozen in fear, as his eyes met the illuminating red hair of his past master, and the eyes that belonged to her. Inferna had descended down from a crack from the upper cavern, by broomstick. Zyron felt like his body was paralyzed, her words only passing through his body. ”(Not again.)” He thought.

”Thee we invoke, by the moon-led sea, by the standing stone and the twisted tree.” Inferna continued, floating down before Zyron, her eyes linked to his. ”By moonlit meadow, on dusky hill, When the haunted wood is bushed and still.”

Zyron was trembling, his body unable to move even as he struggled to even shift his fingers. His eyes felt heavy, but he noticed something he hadn't during his last encounter with this spell. A large dark shadow was hovering over the area from behind Inferna, as if it was being drawn in by her evoking chant. It was most puzzling, shifting around like smoke that took the form of a monstrous marionette.

”Come to the charm of the chanted prayer, As the moon bewitches the midnight air...” Her words continued to breach her luscious red lips. The shadow mimicked her as she raised her hand out to Zyron, with a sharper gaze.

”(Why couldn't I see the spell before?... Was it because of that magic suppressing gem I had before?)” Zyron pondered, his body still paralyzed as his expression still the same.

”...In fiery flame by starlight pale, in shadowy host that rides the gale.” The witch spoke her incantation, with a curling smirk, and her voice faded from his ears into silence.

Zyron's vision dimmed into darkness, lost inside his mind as his body was under Inferna's spell once again. He felt himself standing in darkness, like rippling black ooze beneath his feet. He tried to run, his path seeming endless and unmoving as he exhausted himself without any likely progress. Zyron closed his eyes panting as he hunched forward to place his palms to his kness.

”I'm... getting nowhere... like this...” He struggled to say as he caught his breath. Lifting his head up, he examined his surroundings, seeing endless darkness. ”...Where the fuck am I? Is this place even real?” He asked himself, touching his chest to feel his pauldron resting there.

He then noticed the black ooze, giving off a reflection of his figure like a watery mirror. Zyron paused to stare at it for a moment, practically entranced. The reflection suddenly began to rumble, no longer mimicking his movements, asmurky black fingers began to pry it from the ooze into the form of a doppelgänger. Zyron urgently took several steps away from it, watching as the faceless shadow of himself stand up to face him.

”The fuck is that!?” Zyron cringed, quickly forming his staff once again from his pauldron.