Chapter 68: Pet of Despair

Zap!

The creature tailing and observing Aayn spazzes out, returning to its owner.

Charlotte struggles, crying out as her existence spazzes out again in a glitch-like manner and the servant she is controlling lashes out, screeching.

Pink flowers bloom around her yet again and Neo's sword drifts closer to her as if concerned.

Charlotte lifts her blurry gaze, seeing a figure in white, flowy clothing at a distance from her.

After regaining control, she pants in exhaustion and distress, she looks in the same direction again and the figure is gone.

. . . what is happening? . . . just as I am on the horizon of discovery . . . more piles on . . . when will this end?

. . .

"Stop!" commands Xzina, and Neo freezes, stopping himself from heading towards Charlotte.

"What?" he questions.

"She seems to be fine for now. So, first of all, I need this addressed,"

". . . that being?"

"Don't play coy with me. Whatever it is, it's affecting me as I am in control of half of your body. As your partner, I am involved in all of this till our deal is seen through. So, I deserve an explanation of everything regarding this so I know what I am getting myself into!"

. . .

Xzina takes a deep breath, "What is it?" she questions again, gentling her tone.

. . .

"Fine. Do as you wish," she concedes, her tone low as she guides them towards the ceiling. Traveling under the ceiling, she inspects it as Neo remains quiet.

Her eye catches something falling down one of the upside-down pillars and she drifts towards it gently, placing her sharp finger under its tip.

Drip.

Neo looks at the drop slowly falling on her finger, as she looks at it in interest.

She inspects it as Neo remains quiet.

. . .

"I am not sure . . ." he starts quietly.

Xzina sighs, ". . . that's fine. Trying is the first step. Try to say it to me, I'll listen,"

Neo gulps, looking at her in uncertainty, "It's as if . . . as if I am split? Broken?" he says, feeling his heart in his throat.

"Fractured," remarks Habil.

"I think that maybe describes it the closest," agrees Neo, "It's not just some of his memories that I got back . . . sensations . . . patterns . . . ideas . . . attitudes . . . feelings . . . all foggy . . . nonclear . . . I feel them seeping through . . ."

Xzina hums.

Another drop catches her attention and she gently drifts them towards it.

"At first, I fought them . . . yet now I decided to accept them . . . and the more I do . . . the more I fear that I am . . . " he sucks in a breath, "The more I fear that I am . . . dying?"

. . .

"I see . . . you know, should you allow it, I am able to do something about it,"

"Really?"

"Yes,"

"Hmm . . . that's not all," Neo murmurs, looking at Charlotte, "I . . . I don't want to–"

"Shhh," Xzina shushes, "Something . . . is coming,"

. . .

Charlotte turns her head around quickly, staring into the dark void around the rope. Her sadness for friend overwhelmed her with a sudden sense of . . . danger . . . but it wasn't from her.

A faint buzzing fills the air around her as the darkness covering her body starts to spike out, spazzing out slightly.

Something is approaching.

Swoosh!

Something passes by her, and her servant detects it . . . no . . . a part of it.

Charlotte moves her head instantly to look in the direction of where her servant thinks it saw it for a second and then looks at Neo and Xzina.

"Neo, get back down quickly!" she screams with the darkness around her magnifying the sound and making it travel faster through the dark.

Hearing her voice, Neo looks down at her.

ROAR!

A loud ear-rupturing sound travels through the dark. All of them cover their ears throughout and then look into the void.

Charlotte's eyes open wide, and her heart races as the dark servant she controls shows her . . . the creature's massive head as it enters the servant's dark vision range.

Its horrifying claws around its face and its sharp teeth . . . and terrifying face.

Massive . . . massive beyond belief . . . dangerous . . . Charlotte's servant erupts instinctively.

She listens to her servant's instincts and turns, running towards the mouth of the cave.

"Run!" she screams as she runs.

"Run? What is it? Can we not kill–"

Swoosh!

"Woah! Xzina, what are you doing?! We can just fight and kill whatever–"

"Shut it and help us get there!" snaps Xzina to Habil and all of them head towards the opening on the rope.

Honing in on Charlotte, the creature starts to open its massive jaws, readying for the tiny appetizers and like a vacuum, everything in front of its open mouth begins to get sucked in with a strong force, making everyone struggle in reaching inside the walls.

Faster, faster, faster!

Charlotte struggles, cursing at the fact that she can't control the servant any better.

Why is it not responding now? Did she lack experience?

Thinking of the reason deems impossible when her mind is crowded with escaping the creature.

She must run faster!

As the creature draws closer, she finds it even more difficult to escape the pull. She can see more and more of the creature as it gets closer to her . . . and as it does . . . she only just started to begin to comprehend how big it is . . . it can wrap around the Castle easily!

Her feet start to lift as the force of the pull drags her backwards into the open mouth of the flying beast.

Habil and Xzina pass by her, and of the tails picks her up.

"I got her! Go!" they use their tails, digging them into the ground like hooks and head straight for the opening as fast as possible.

. . . we won't make it!

Charlotte looks around, feeling as if time is slowing around her . . . she turns her head, thinking of anything she can do . . . just to buy them a few seconds.

Habil controls the sword flying next to them and points back with it, unleashing flames in the direction of the beast and the flames go straight into its mouth.

Charlotte puts her hands up, facing each other and tries her best. She directs all her focus on it despite the servant's attitude and attempts to clap them together . . . it works and in correspondence, two large hands in the dark clamp down on the beast in an attempt to slow it down. The dark hands are large, yet they can't even wrap around the snake-like body of the beast, nor have they slowed it by any significant amount.

And it seems to be handling the intense flames just fine. It's moving as if it's unbothered that it's eating the eternal flames of Haco.

Damn it!

Charlotte struggles, her nose starting to bleed as she tries her best to slow down the beast.

Xzina and Habil keep going, pushing their tails into the ground and doing whatever they can to fight against the powerful pull of the beast, they are almost there!

Yet, the beast draws near.

We are not going to make it!

The sword stops unleashing its flames and Habil glances at it in wonder.

Why?

Questions Charlotte as she struggles.

Squish!

The next time Xzina will put her tail down, it will be at the outer side of the teeth of the beast as its jaws pass them from above and below . . . they are practically inside its mouth right now.

"Not again!" exclaims Neo.

Swoop!

Suddenly, the strong force pulling them back stops . . . however, the beast's jaws are still open. Xzina takes the chance and launches them full speed, unhindered by the drag to the opening.

Flying there, Charlotte is still looking at the beast . . . sees someone!

They are fully covered in a beautifully designed white dress, that ends in a long trail.

The figure she saw before!

The figure is floating in front of the beast . . . it is as if the beast stopped because of it. It turns around, looking right at Charlotte and it smiles.

The instant it does, it disappears, making the beast go back to the chase. Agitated at the idea of losing its prey, the beast pulls at full force.

But it's too late as the three make it safely inside the hole.

They look behind them as the beast crashes into the wall but cannot break through.

. . .

They see its slithering body cover the hole entirely . . .

. . .

Until its head is at the wall . . . eyelid open . . . looking at them through the hole.

After looking at it, Neo looks around in concern. His eyes roam around, scouting every tail . . . yet he can't find her . . . where . . . where is Charlotte?