The Vativaths Aren't Beautiful

Red wasn't able to understand what the voices were talking about, but she easily understood that only one thing was sure.

They were enemies.

The way Archer had changed his demeanor in an instant hearing their conversation gave it away. The cat had also been pretty agitated ever since they arrived at the top of the stairs.

Crouching slowly and hiding at a corner, Red and Archer peeked into the lit hallway and saw whom the voices belonged to. They were women of insane proportions, fats bulging from every side of their body, hairs were patchy and their skin full of blisters and boils.

The women went on to continue with their conversation, their voices fading in the distance. When Archer was sure the coast was clear, he stepped onto the lit corridor with Red at his heels carefully treading enemy territories.

The walls were wooden with gnarly roots jutting here and there. There was a creepy sound of insects coming from the interiors which Red thought sounded like termites chewing into the tree.

Torches adorned the walls in an uncanny symmetry, glowing in a rich and warm tinge of golden yellow oranges. The ceilings were designed with hypnotic patterns of tree rings, encircling one area and another in irregular successions.

"What were those ugly creatures?" Red asked Archer whose eyes were staring intently towards the direction where the women had walked to.

"Vativaths." Archer answered, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled and exhaled in resentment. "Vengeful tree dwelling daemons. They use their hypnotic voices to lure humans and Faeys into an unsteady state of wake and slumber and eat them. They have a strange taste for elfens."

"Elfens?" Red said in shock. "Ari!"

"It's what I am afraid of. They were speaking in Silver-tongue, an ancient forgotten language of the Faeys. This isn't good Red; they had taken Ari and is preparing for a feast." He said grimly.

He looked so worried his forehead was full of veins popping out.

"Then we need to hurry." Red said with much conviction. "These daemons afraid of fire or what?"

They looked at the moon dust hovering above the pocket watch and observed as the two orbs that represented the women they saw, had joined the others at the corridor's end.

The whole level apparently wound up in circumferential design where at every end, a huge chamber with four orbs were present.

Seeing as all of them congregated in one area, Archer dispelled the moon dust and returned them inside the flask in Red's belt bag with a wave of his hand. Red clutched at her pocket watch and looked at Sir Arthur who was still in her arms. She saw a small hollow in the wall and talked to the cat.

"You stay here buddy; we'll take care of these daemons and save Ari." She lowered the fat feline and trusted the he understood her instructions to stay put where he would be safe.

Sir Arthur purred and slithered inside the crevice, seemingly intelligent to know the risks of him tagging along compared to hiding.

She stored the timepiece in her pockets and with a nod, both Red and Archer hurriedly ran after the women and without much ado, she summoned her fire magic to launch a full force wide range attack.

If this had been any other day of her ordinary life, she would have been too afraid to even take all these monsters to a fight. She wasn't a coward but she had always been unsure of herself and her capabilities.

But meeting the brothers, she was able to slowly gain enough confidence in herself. She had practiced enough the past days with Archer and Ari, and they taught her well.

She can't let all those efforts go to waste if she would remain indecisive and let her resolve waver.

Calling upon her innermost being, she drew magic and permitted it to flow outside her body. A stinging and tingling feeling rose from the pit of her stomach, creeping fast to the tips of her tiny manicured fingernails.

Willing her magic to take form, tiny flecks of sparks began to erupt in mid-air like pretty fiery flowers.

The sparks swirled and formed into balls of flame and with a flick of her hands, Red threw at the vativaths who were unaware of the attack that was about to strike them.

When her flames made contact with the assemblage, the women shrieked in horror and panic ensued. The vativaths weren't daemon fighters – they were sly hunters who trap their prey by hypnotic singings, luring their prey into believing they were beautiful women when in reality they were hideous and a disgrace to the beauty they pretend to be.

Their voices like drug, was what made Ari lose his guard.

Red saw how her flames engulfed the women in an instant, turning their giggles into a series of piercing wails and grinding of teeth.

Archer proceeded stealthily towards the huge door at the end, gracefully dodging and fighting off the frantic women who tried to attack him, hissing and baring sharp vampire-like fangs.

He moved in swift punches and kicks, slid and suddenly summoned twin sabers from thin air, carving the hideous flaming blubber masses incapacitated while some ran for their lives.

Red was left in awe, her mouth gaping at the extravagant movements Archer made. As he spun with poise to face her, he winked and there she saw the playful side back in his eyes.

He bowed down and gestured at the wooden door where they suspected Ari had been confined.

"Enbrazea." She chanted. Red felt the elation of the moment and in one magic spell, she set the door ablaze, instantly turning the ligneous material to ashes.

And just as they suspected, there they were at the middle of the room, all heads turning in shock at the intrusion.

"How's it going over there bruh? You looking kind of breezy." Archer said, the joker that he is as always.

"Eeek! What did I just saw?" Red shrieked as she saw Ari and Morgianna's positions, hiding behind Archer's tall and broad frame.

"It seems our future queen isn't quite fond of free porno I guess." He flippantly said, to which Red pinched him in irritation.

"Ow! I thought we were besties already?" he complained.

"You idiot." Was all Ari could say. Those were the last of his words before his breathing began to be laborious, the weight of Morgianna pressing down on him like gravity was pulling the whole of the world onto his stomach.

'Help me.' He mouthed.