Back to the Dungeon

O! Ashtine for your sanity and for the other girls, I must ask you guys to reframe from entering the cave for any reason. The thing of nightmare lies inside that cave, so if you wish to die then enter, but if not, please heed my warning. Also, if you hear any noise coming from inside the cave ignore it. I know that this might concern you but trust me all of you are safe around this cave.

But what if a strong monster attacks us? ask Ashtine.

Don't worry about that Ashtine, I have already taken care of all the strong monsters in this cave vicinity. On another note, the human mercenary that kidnaped you shouldn't have the man power to come take you or the girls back, in fact if anything they probably think your all dead but to be safe, when you girls are ready to leave I will have my subordinate escort you to the edge of the forest but after that you will be on your own.

Speaking about your subordinate Lanthios, some of the girls are getting suspicious about your "molten puppet".

O NO! Thought Lanthios, hopefully they haven't figure out that he was one of the men that imprisoned them.

Now, what do they find so suspicious about my puppet? Ask Lanthios through squinting eyes

Well, the girls pretty much figured out that you can bring back the dead and well that power of necromancy is not very look on favorably so... they are worried you might use thing in some sort of ritual or feed them to your undead minions. Also, they find it kind of odd that the puppet keeps apologizing for some reason, but they just choke that up to it being an undead quark.

That dumbass thought Lanthios. Umm... sigh... look just tell the girl they have nothing to worry about and that they are free to go with you, once you sign a permanent contract with me. Look, I know this is not very convincing but please keep them calm for a few hours until I get here. So, in the meantime just sit around the campfire and chat with the other girls about what they want after they leave here. I know I asked you to take them in and in truth I sincerely hope they take you up in that offer because those that don't... well then, their destiny is in their "own hands" …

As Lanthios finished that last sentence Ashtine felt a chill run down her spine as she looked at the rat squinting eyes.

Um... Now speaking about the cave, I haven't checked in on the girls for a while... I wonder how far they progressed, Thought Lanthios.

Several Hours earlier: Before the Brave five

Sister! Let's start with the sealed-up sword! said Aria with much excitement. Tanky on you, you only need to cut one of the ropes holding the sword down in the center of the pentagram. Alright fellow sister, here we go! Yelled Tanky as she cut the rope with the biggest talisman.

The second the rope snapped; a burst of shadowy white light burst forth that felt like it would engulf the whole world! When the light settled, the world that was full of color just moments ago suddenly turned black and white, like an old colorless television. And just like an old television a staticky creature of some kind stood hovering just above the sword. The creature that phase in and out of exists looked like a well tone young man that looked like half of him was made of white paper with a beautiful black wing to contrast the white half, with little black halos on the back. On the other hand, the other half looked like a burnt charcoal that was falling apart with a beautiful white wing that had little silver while halos hovering on the back of the wing. Each of the creature muscle toned arms carried four arms bands going up with contrasting colors, the arms band much like it half black and white skirt are covered in mystery ruins that glowed in contrast. Its half white and black head stayed floating above its body for it had no neck while its face was covered by a lion mask with horns that seemed like the creature was only wearing it as to insulting some thing or someone, and of course all in contrast black and white colors. In fact, the only time the colors of black and white mixed were in eyes, as they shined in a shadowy white color.

The girls stared on as the creature reached to pick up the sword in which it spawned form. The moment its finger even grazed the very tip of the hilt, the world shook in static, and they were both gone from where they stood. Tanky sensing the danger quickly swung her shield to cover Aria blind spot! With a loud bang! Loads of black and white feathery papers filled the air and with it the creature sword against Tanky shield with Aria shaken expression hidden behind the shield. With sword pressed against shield the creature looked on in confusing as to ask why its attack failed to hit it mark, but just as it was about to go in for another attack, Glaive pop out behind it with Oni in toe ready to deliver an attack of their own when the creature turned into static again and vanish without a trace. While cursing under their breath Aria asked Tanky, how did you know he was aiming for me? To which Tanky replied I didn't, I just figured it would go for the weakest looking person in the group first... really! Screamed Aria in destress and anger. However, while she was screaming in destress the creature didn't waste any time to appear again, but this time it didn't go for Aria. NO, it swung its sword right at Tanky blind spot this time! With barely enough time to block the sword swing with her own sword the heavy swing set her flying to the black part of the room. Now in the dark half of the room Tanky worrying about her sister yelled at Aria, sister! Toss me a light star over to this side, I can't see anything. For the darkness that surrounded Tanky was like the darkness of the void, so dark was this void even the very floor she stood on felt, like it was as if it wasn't even there. If it wasn't for the fact that she could feel the floor beneath her feet she could have sworn she was just floating in the pure emptiness of the void.

Hearing her sister cry for aid Aria quickly conjured a light star and sent it her way but as the star was about to reach the dark side a sliver white halo appeared and swallowed the star hold like a hungry whale and disappeared together in a flash of light. However, that flash of light created shadows out of the sister figures which allowed Aria to spot the creature in the light side of the room. Seeing this Aria yelled I think I figured out how it keeps hiding! But just as she was about to voice her newfound revelation, Aria felt a cold steel sensation pierce her chest!