Ruins (Part 3) - Fate's Cruel Hold
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
—Martin Luther King Jr.
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(With Ryogaku...)
The dim light of the dungeon cast eerie shadows on the walls as a horde of goblins rushed towards a green-haired man.
This man was holding three swords, one in each of his hands, and one in his mouth.
The man's muscles bulged as he leapt towards the goblins, slicing them without any difficulty.
However, the sheer number of monsters was overwhelming him, his movements started getting more sluggish my the moment.
Suddenly, from around the corner, came out a person.
This person was Ryogaku.
"Need a hand?" Ryogaku said, jumping into the battle without waiting for answer.
"If you can keep up," the green-haired man said, his voice strained yet confident, a smirk on his face.
Ryogaku drew his sword and together, they dispatched the goblins in a one sided massacre.
When the body of the last goblin fell to the floor, the two students stood panting, eyes locked in mutual respect.
"I'm Ryogaku," he said, extending a hand for a handshake. "Nice moves you have there."
"Rozo," the green-haired man said. "Second-year."
They paused for a bit, assessing their surroundings.
"I've been separated from my group," Ryogaku said. "You?"
"Same here," said Rozo. "We should stick together, safety in numbers."
Ryogaku nodded, walking towards a wall and sitting down.
"Done already?" Rozo mused, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he sat next to Ryogaku.
Ryogaku just smiled in return.
"It's been a long time since someone kept up with my three sword style," Rozo said, grinning.
"I've got to admit, Rozo, the style is impressive. How did you come up with it?"
Rozo chuckled, leaning back on the wall. "It's a family tradition, my old man taught me."
Ryogaku smiled in return.
Rozo, seeing his new friend silent, extended a fist towards him. "Why so gloomy? Let's get going, we gotta get out of here, don't we."
Ryogaku paused for a second, before smiling and fist bumping Rozo.
"Well, let's go then," Ryogaku said, pushing himself up.
With determination, they continued their journey through the ruins, unaware that their bond would soon be tested.
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(Around a day later...)
Currently, both Rozo and Ryogaku are running, being chased by a spider-like monster.
It was a monstrous spider with a frightening size. Its obsidian-black body spanning about 2 meters in diameter, its eight legs covered in black, chitinous armor that glowed in the dim light of the ruins.
Its legs end in sharp claws that produce an eerie clicking sound every time it moves, echoing in the stone corridors as if doom itself were moving.
The spider's eyes, a cluster of 8 shining orbs, burning with an unsettling bloodthirst, are capable of seeing in the dark, allowing the creature to stalk its prey with precision, leaving no place to escape.
It had two mouths, each containing razor-sharp teeth that looked as if they could dig through anything. Each teeth dripped with a venomous liquid that could paralyze any man within moments, leaving him to the mercy of the creature.
From its mouths, it created threads, stronger than steel yet thin as a hair, which it uses to trap anyone and everyone that it decides its prey.
Its abdomen is marked with an intricate pattern, resembling an ancient, cursed rune, which glows brightly every time it attacks.
The rune is a remnant of the dark magic that birthed it, imbuing the creature with a sinister aura that chills the hearts of even the bravest ones who dare to stand in its presence.
The two running away from this monster, Ryogaku and Rozo, were ignorant enough to disturb the sleep of this frightening existence, who had now vowed to kill them no matter what.
Ryogaku had scraped its teeth once, which was enough to make him lose feeling in his own arm. He decided to cut off his whole left arm to stop the poison from spreading.
Even though Rozo admired Ryogaku for this act, this caused him to become a liability, as fighting with just one hand was much less effective.
They had been running for 10 minutes, still seeing no route for escape, Rozo steeled his resolve to perform a great sin.
He grabbed Ryogaku's shoulder and pulled him back, making him fall and roll on the floor, as he, himself, kept running.
Ryogaku looked at Rozo's receding figure with sadness, muttering. "Why?"
They had become quite good friends in the little time they spent together, Ryogaku felt that he could trust him.
But that trust was immediately broken as he got thrown onto the ground.
The spider looked at this and immediately fired a web towards Ryogaku intending to kill him with this single strike.
His eyes threatened to tear up, but he steeled his resolve, his eyes burning with determination.
"I HAVEN'T LOST YET!" He screamed, pushing himself off the ground and landing on his two feet.
His right arm still intact, holding a sword that shone in the dim light of the hallways, he stood against the spider, whose gaze made him feel as a prey in front of a predator.
With a sudden, swift movement, the spider lunged, its legs clattering on the stone floor.
It thrust a leg, aimed at Ryogaku's face. Ryogaku rolled to the side, barely avoiding the lethal attack.
As he rose, his sword coated itself in a bright, red glow. He swung the flaming sword, slicing through one of the monster's legs. The spider shrieked, a sharp and eerie sound that echoed in the silent hallways.
Thick, black liquid oozed from the wound, flowing on the stone floor of the hallways. It retreated, though its fury did not.
It screeched, sending a volley of threads towards Ryogaku, who cut them with his flaming sword before they could trap him.
He jumped towards the spider, now aiming for its eyes, as he swung his flaming sword which went straight through one of the crimson orbs straight into the creature's head.
The remaining orbs glowed brighter in rage as a leg kicked him at lightning speed.
Intense pain struck Ryogaku, who grit his teeth before rolling away quickly. The creature's teeth snapped shut where his head was a few moments ago.
With a loud grunt, he stood up, blood coming out of his mouth and his arm trembling.
The spider walked towards him, its abdomen glowing with a bright rune. Ryogaku knew that he had only seconds to retaliate. He leaped towards the spider, screaming as the flames on his sword blazed hotter than ever.
The spider seeing this, screeched, its eyes glowing with a brighter glow as it readied itself for a devastating attack.
With his remaining strength, Ryogaku plunged the sword into the rune, the flames spreading inside the creature's body, burning it from the inside. The spider convulsed on the floor, the flames eating each part of its body.
Even though he hadn't hit the center of the rune, as his balance was off due to losing his arm, the attack had worked.
Ryogaku retreated, standing a little distance away, breathing heavily.
After a few seconds, the spider's movements halted, indicating that it had died.
A smile crept up on to Ryogaku face. As the adrenaline finally receded, his legs gave way as he fell onto the floor, blood collecting under his body.
A figure of Alexia passed through his mind, as a smile crept onto his face.
Somehow, every time he has been injured, ever since his childhood, Alexia had always found him and healed him to perfection.
It was as if fate itself guided her to him. He believed that this time, the same would happen.
He slowly lost consciousness and went into a deep sleep.
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(Outside the dungeon...)
Blaze was suffering with the fury of hundreds of family members of students who got sucked into the dungeon.
They all started a revolt, standing outside the Academy grounds, screaming to have their children returned to them. Some crying in despair, hoping for their kids to be safe and sound.
This Academy attracted students from the most prestigious and influential families. Many of these families were World Nobles, individuals with power and resources that could shake the foundations of countries.
As the days passed, the murmurs of discontent grew louder among them.
Several nobles had already begun to take action, working to have the Academy shut down permanently.
They were pulling strings and using their influence to build a case against Blaze, aiming to see him thrown into prison for life.
Blaze could not do anything for the situation except trying to comfort the parents of his students.
He knew that his days of fame and glory had passed, and he would soon be falling into ruin, but still, he was hoping for only one thing, the safety of his students.
Every night, as the angry shouts echoed in his ears, Blaze prayed that somewhere in the depths of the dungeon, his students were fighting to survive. He hoped that they would find their way back.
It was this hope that kept him going, that allowed him to face the wrath of the world nobles and the despair of the parents with a measure of calm and resolve.
Meanwhile, Aiden was also in a pinch.
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(With Aiden Sosuke...)
"Y'know, Zekuth," Aiden began, his voice laced with amusement, "I've received thousands of letters demanding we shut down the Academy. But doing that would mean losing control of all the students."
Zekuth, standing nearby with a concerned expression, replied, "Sir, I don't think the students matter anymore, not now that we've discovered another anomaly."
Aiden nodded thoughtfully. "You might be right, Zekuth, but there's one thing I want to do before anything else..."
Zekuth stayed silent, watching Aiden closely, waiting for him to finish his thought.
"...and that is to duel him," Aiden said, his expression unchanging, but his eyes glinting with excitement.
Zekuth's eyes widened in shock, his mind racing as he imagined the chaos that such a battle could unleash.
He could hardly believe what he was hearing. "But sir!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic, "You are–"
"An anomaly too," Aiden cut him off with a small, knowing smile, finishing Zekuth's sentence for him.
Zekuth felt a chill run down his spine. The idea of two anomalies clashing was almost too much to comprehend.
"Aren't you curious to see what happens when two anomalies fight to the death?" Aiden asked, his voice steady and calm, yet carrying a little excitement.
Zekuth hesitated, as if reading his mind, Aiden said with a little smile, "I know," his gaze unwavering. "If we need to understand what we're dealing with, and there's no better way than facing it head-on."
Zekuth sighed, realizing there was no changing Aiden's mind. "Very well, sir. But please, be cautious."
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(POV: Johan Wolff)
As I slowly got up, supporting my body with my hands, a pained groan escaped my lips.
I felt around my body, and there were no injuries, as if the fall never happened.
"Was it a dream?" I muttered, dry tear marks still on my cheeks.
My eyes looked around, I was in a large hole, shrouded in complete darkness. But, for some unknown reason, I could still see as clearly as if I were in daylight.
Suddenly, my eyes caught sight of a figure that lay on the floor, blood pooling under it.
My eyes widened as I realized who that was, as I realized that everything wasn't a dream.
"Alexia!" I shouted, darting towards her body, which was sprawled on the ground.
My heart ached as I gazed upon her body, which was now reduced to a crumpled heap.
Her body was in a horrifying and grotesque state, limbs twisted at unnatural angles, bones shattered under immense pressure.
Her clothing was now torn and stained with a dark crimson color, the blood pooling around her.
Her face was barely recognizable, but I could figure out one thing.
She was smiling.
Even in her last moments, even during the unbearable pain she had walked through, she had been smiling.
The ground beneath her was scarred and dented.
My knees went shaky as I fell beside her, my pants soaking in her pooling blood. I shook her. No response.
"Alexia, can you hear me?" I shouted, my voice desperate as tears started to fall out of my eyes.
Deep down, I knew that she was dead, I knew that I...we...would never see her again.
I shook her by her shoulders again, but I felt no pulse, blood continued to flow out of her body.
My fingers were shaking under the horror and pain as I held her cold hand.
"You can't die now, Alexia," I muttered, my voice barely a whisper. My body started to feel weak, and my grip loosened.
I fell onto the floor, clutching my head as the whispers grew louder.
I had been able to hear demonic whispers, but only since the attack on the Academy have I been able to truly "understand" them.
The whispers have only ever said one thing.
"You are one of us, remember."
But now, it was different, the whispers became unintelligible again, growing louder and louder as time went on.
My grip on my head tightened as a black mist started emanating from my chest, slowly trying to swallow me whole.
My emotions of grief felt as if they were being suppressed by something, being buried deep into my heart.
The mist covered my whole body, being absorbed through the pores on my skin.
An unbearable burning sensation emanated from every nerve of my body, a sizzling sound echoing against the walls.
But, this pain was nothing compared to what I was feeling.
An intense urge surged through me as I looked at Alexia's body.
No matter how hard I tried to suppress this urge, it didn't recede, but grew stronger.
I slowly walked towards Alexia, limping as if I were a drunk zombie.
Her body seemed to be more beautiful than ever at this instant.
I didn't notice saliva falling out the corners of my mouth. My drooling intensified as I walked towards the body.
My right hand went to touch her, as if guided by instinct, not logic.
Suddenly, it was as if I was brought back from a dream. My left hand tightly clutched my right, stopping it from getting any closer to Alexia.
My body was fighting for control against itself.
The grip however, could not be held for long.
The urges started to take over again, my grip loosening as my mind was taken over by thoughts that were not mine.
Looking down on her body, my irises narrowed, as if turning into a slit.
Without a thought, I pounced on her, landing on top of her, drooling onto her dress.
As my hands went towards her neck, I caught sight of a reflection of myself in the pool of her blood.
My face looked horrifying, I looked unhuman, almost like a...monster.
A realization washed over me. I was no longer myself.
As my finger wrapped around her throat, I could see something in my own eyes...insatiable bloodlust.
What have I become?
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yay :D
What do you think of this chapter?
I tried character development, rate it :>
gimme POWER STONES :3
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"Character development isn't hard. There is no need for elaborate relationships and betrayals. Just kill their family, then their lover, then their friends, until you get the perfect character :>"
-Gege