Chapter 149: B4 — 21. Two Steps From Hell

AuthorSME

Author Note:  Well, I'm back!  Thanks for allowing me to take my first break in almost three years.  I had a blast with my family and actually got to play some D2 Resurrected with my brother and cousin.

Thanks for being patient!  ^_^7

PoV:

1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)

Recap:  Oh, boy!  We got Relica here again, and she be as witchy as ever!  Now, it's time to see exactly what our girls are walking into with this demonic barrier ... It's about to get intense.  I hope you're ready because I wasn't for what is about to go down here—giving them 3 weeks was more than I planned and given their personality ... They made use of it.

I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:

Puffy, Flaranor, The1bman, Thriarsis, Hpez, Dangling_Participles, Jeff, Stuart Dye, and my other Patrons!

Rachel stretched out across Scarlet’s blood bed; it formed around her with her movements before she scratched the base of her left ear and swung her legs off the side.

Scarlet was still out like a light, sleeping on her own small blood bed nearby; it was impressive she could keep it formed while unconscious, but it did act on its own to protect her.  The twins were fast asleep, but Fiona, Grace, and Benedict were up and whispering in the corner of the cave.

Nia’s tired voice grumbled in her mind.  “Aww … mmh.  That hits the spot … Morning … Can I get some morning fabric … I’m feeling … bleh…”

Did … you fall asleep?

“Duh!  Geez, you know how long I’ve been awake?  I worked my little butt off recently … Slave driver.  Oh!  I should contact one of those Union thingamabobbers!  Heh, no, I should start one!  Yeah!  That’ll be fun!”

I … don’t think you know what that means.  Anyway, good morning.

“You said it!  Oh, tell everyone else ‘morning’, too!”

I’m getting there; slow down, little cowgirl.

Nia gasped, eyes illusionary beginning to sparkle.  “We could match Grace!  Yes, we should become cowgirls!  Two verses one!  We win!”

I didn’t even say no?

“You always say no!”

Not … okay, I do say it pretty often, and that’s … I’m not entirely against it, to be honest.    In time, maybe.  Mom will probably love it.

“MOM!!  We must return to Mom!  Why are you wasting time!  Go!  Go!  Go!”

Hmm … I don’t think a morning cloth coffee meal will be good for you.

“What?!  No, it totally is!  I ‘need’ it, Rachel!  NEED!”

Mhm … ready to go say hi?

“Oh, yes, yes!  Let me compose myself … gotta look shiny,” she mumbled as the earring on her left ear burned a little; her ripped tights and revealing corset adjusted a little before Nia took a deep breath as if going to school for the first time.  “Okay—how do I look?”

The same as always … I think?

“Rude!  I totally fixed myself up!  Look at the tights!  Look at them!”

A low grunt rumbled in Rachel’s throat as she leaned left and right; the three noticed her and gave her a smiling wave.

No, you’re totally right!  You look stunning.

The girl’s chest puffed up with pride.  “You’re so blind sometimes but I forgive you!”

Thank you, your holiness.

“Mua-ha-ha-ha!  The Supreme Leader is so generous!”

Returning the group’s greeting, Rachel walked over to sit on one of the rocks they were using; Fiona seemed to have created the items because they weren’t there the night before.  “Morning … How was the night?”  she yawned, allowing Nia to detail her own experience in private.

Fiona shrugged.  “Fine, but did you notice how Scarlet’s blood ripples up and down … Heh, kind of threw me for a loop trying to get to sleep.”

“I noticed it, too,” Benedict mumbled, seemingly still a bit tired.

Grace leaned back, supporting herself while giving them a small smirk.  “I slept like a babe; can’t say I’ve shut my eyes in a cave before but now I can!  So, eh, yeah … I decided to go in on the whole bullet salvaging skill thing—seems it’ll help.”

“Nice!”  Fiona flashed her teeth with a thumbs up.  “Yeah, should be good.  I’m just waiting for Scarlet to get up so we can go get Maria; she’s waiting up there right now.”

“Good choice, Grace; for the record, I didn’t feel anything like what you were describing, Fiona—blood ripples?”

“Probably a little-person issue then; I wanted to sleep floating but didn’t want to make Scarlet feel bad so I let her make a bed for me in the end,” Fiona sighed, brushing back her glowing green hair.

Benedict chuckled.  “Same.  She’s pretty sweet.”

Rachel twisted to level a look at the sleeping Vespertine Reaper.  “Hmm … She probably didn’t fall asleep for a while—Relica really gets under her skin.”

“Yuck … That woman,” Fiona’s arms folded with a grimace.  “Yeah, I can confirm she was still awake when I was drifting off, and I can’t blame her.”

Benedict lifted an eyebrow, scratching his temple as he floated beside the Fairy, cross-legged.  “Eh, what’s up with that lady anyway—you have some history?”

“That’s an understatement,” Fiona grumbled.  “She’s basically a sorceress-slash-witch that is a psychopath and … yeah, you saw how creepy she is.”

Grace popped her tongue, lifting a hand to wave stiff fingers in front of her throat.  “Mmh … She had that, ‘I’ll molest you while laughing’ vibe—if ya catch my meanin’.”

“Not wrong,” Rachel sighed as Fiona pointed at cowgirl with a fervent nod.  “So … Fiona, you can just follow this path to our right to get to the entrance,” she pointed out, mapping out the exit with the resounding sounds echoing throughout the cave.

“Oh?”  Fiona’s expression brightened.  “That’s cool.  I’ll go get Maria.  You want to come, Ben?”

Nia gasped.  “The Binding Threads of the Abyss ensure!  Did you hear that, Rachel?  Did you hear?!”

Yeah, nickname level.

“He’s totally in!  It’s a date!  Nia’s the greatest Living Denier matchmaker in history!”

Mmh … slow the boat there, girl; let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  She’s probably testing the waters.

“He’s in!  I know these things, Rachel!  Believe in the Abyssal Threads of FATE!  The darkness has spoken!”  Her imaginary arms folded.  “I rest my case.”

Okay, Fate Judge Nia, Rachel laughed, practically seeing her smug, childish grin.

“He-he-he!  Anthony’s waiting back home, too—more smooches!”

Girl … I’m starting to wonder if I’m becoming a bad influence on you.

Nia drew in a sharp breath.  “No!  What are you doing to poor, innocent Nia?!  Rachel needs to go to child danger jail.  He-he-he.  Nia must be protected!  Start the petition, innocent Scarlet!  We demand justice!”

Rachel hung her head.  Noted … Nia doesn’t get fabric morning coffee—you’re hyped up as it is when waking up.

“Booo!  Child abuse!  FBI friends!  Save Nia!  She needs choco-textile-morning-Joe!”

Fiona, Benedict, and Grace watched her with a hint of amusement at her expressions.

“Nia?”  Fiona asked with a small smile.

“Help me, Fiona!”

“Nia…”  Rachel sighed, ending it with a chuckle.  “She’s pretty hyper after waking up.”

“She sleeps, huh?”  Grace hummed.  “When do we meet the lass—can we?”

“Yes!  Rachel!  Give me a voice!  Give me life or give me death!”

It’s … liberty or death.

“That!  Give me that!  Liberatuit … how do you do that word?!  Liba … burton ...erty … gah!  I give up…”

Rachel released a low groan as Fiona floated up, getting ready to go.  “Umm … I mean, honestly, I don’t know.  She can only communicate inside the person’s head.”

Fiona’s expression brightening, hand darting into the air with a cute smile.  “I’ve got it!  Why don’t you try to get an ability that allows her to fight alongside you for a bit—like some of those games or anime Scarlet was telling me about a while ago.  They can make like a shadow person or something that comes out to attack with them—that would be cool.”

Oh, no…

Nia’s mouth was wide open in stunned silence; her mind was spinning with the possibilities.  “I … Me … move on—on my own … my own little body … help fight with … Rachel … Rachel … I’m getting dizzy—is it hot or—or am I just burning up?  Can we do that?!”

Rachel’s head tilted to the side with a thoughtful crease to her full lips; honestly, it might be better than having Nia take over her body—it would be the little rabbit girl embarrassing herself.  However, after thinking about it for a moment, everyone would think she was more adorable than being embarrassed, and she’d probably get her Secret Society of Denier to grow.

“Hmm … I mean, it’s probably possible—I suppose it would be good for her, in the long run, to be able to express herself.”

“Yo-You really mean it?”  Nia asked, tears welling up in her eyes and her voice thickening.  She tightened around Rachel’s body while choking up.  “Nia, can … I can have my own little body to help fight with you?”

A singular thought made her ears stand on end and a big smile to lift her cheeks.  “Yeah … Yeah, let’s do that!  It’s the next thing I’ll be working toward.”  She glanced over at her sleeping pets, each snuggled next to each other, beside her bed.  “Nia will be the Commander of the Rabbit Gang, featuring Gisele.”

“I … I get to be the Supreme Leader?!”  Nia whispered in astonishment.  “Y-You’d do that for me?”

Of course, Rachel chimed, but it will also pull your consciousness away from the outfit part, which will give me private time with Anthony.  Rachel said with a short evil laugh.  You’ll be able to have personal time with everyone else, and I’ll have my own private time.

“Hmm … nicely played, Lunar Abyss,” Nia slowly nodded with a smug tone.  “Nicely played … Nia accepts!  Does—does that mean I get to see what human food tastes like?!  Oh!  Oh!  What if I can eat clothing—I could go to a store and eat everything!  YES!  YES!  YES!”  She cheered, jumping around in circles.

“Alright … time to get to work,” Rachel smiled, happy to start the day out on a positive note because she knew it would get dark fast.

“Right!  We’re off to get Maria,” Fiona said, giving Nia a big grin and thumbs up.  “Fightin’ for ya, girl!  We’ll have fun together!”

“Thanks, Big Sis Fi!  Or, he-he-he, Lil’ Sis Fi!”

Definitely Big Sis.

“Yay!  I’ll get my own little body!  When?!  When, Rachel?!  Oh.  My.  Goodness!  I’ll get to wear my own cute outfit!”  She drooped.  “Shh!  Shh!  Rachel, I need to think about what I’ll make it look like … Oh … Oh, it’ll be cute and edgy and awesome and…”

Don’t ruin the surprise!  Rachel snickered, causing the bunny girl to zip her lips.

“Oh!  Yes, you’ll be so dazzled!  I’ll be the cutest edge-lord, the amazing hyper-galaxy bunny villainess of the multi-systems!”

So what … Goth Lolita?  You do you!

“I can do me!  I’m so excited!  Thank you, Rachel … This is the best gift ever, super villainous hare friend—partners in villainy unite!”

Rachel waved Fiona off as Nia continued to fantasize about her future endeavors as a support for her.  It wouldn’t likely happen that soon, but given the scope of what they were going into, the Skill Points they were looking at earning might be enough.

Grace sucked on her lower lip with a small frown upon their departure, glancing back at the twins and Scarlet.  “So … eh, is this the norm for y’all—fightin’ hell and all?”

“Heh, no, but we do tend to get into trouble,” Rachel mused, looking up at the ceiling.  “I’m not complaining.  I rather enjoy this kind of life; to be honest … I get to push and test myself.  What about you … What’s it like to be Calamity Jane?”

A slow puff of air shot through the girl’s cheeks, and Rachel realized they were the same age; the Legend grunted while reaching up to scratch her shoulder.  “Eh … I mean, it sucks to be sober—my eyes are kind of fuzzy right now, and I’ve got this heat in my chest,” she mumbled, pounding her breast, “but, uh, yeah, it’s not bad.”

Rachel’s lips pulled together.  “Ah, yeah … sorry, I actually completely forgot about that—heh, not like you need it to live,” she added with a forced smile.  “My bad.”

“Meh, it’s fine,” she snickered, setting her hat to the side to brush out her shoulder-length brown hair.  “I mean, not like ya know me that well—I’m just a useful gun.  Cahira said she’d get me some booze.”

“Mmh,” Rachel slowly nodded, “Cahira … Yeah, she’ll set you up.  Also, if you don’t have a place to go, you’re welcome to stick around.  You’re strong enough to hang around if you need work, and we’ve got a lot of hook-ups—we could always use another long-ranged support, too.”

A small smile lifted her lips as she scratched her neck and glanced at the twins again.  “Huh—that's a mighty kind of ya ta offer.  I’ll take it into consideration.  God’s truth, all I seem ta do is bring trouble places—kind of disheartening … ya know?  Thinkin’ what trouble be followin’ me to this next place, but … I gotta keep movin’, or it just gets worse.”

Rachel’s expression fell a bit.  “Is … that why you ran away from home?”  She couldn’t imagine just leaving everything she’d worked for with her family—it was impossible for her to even consider.

The Legend nibbled at her bottom lip with a low chuckle.  “Hmm … yeah, I suppose you could see it in that way—always was somewhat of a screw-up, cousin’ problems for them and everybody else.  Just felt better bein’ on my own … not havin’ to hurt those around me.”

It sounded lonely, but it wasn’t like she could talk, having isolated herself from friends and relationships through her teenage years; in fact, seeing how her mother took the death of her cousin in the car accident, she wondered if that had played a part in her solitude.

“I … can relate a bit—not in the same way, but I never really got close to someone until … Well, I think Zoe was the first person I ever really drew a small attachment to—then Scarlet came into the picture.”

Her frown deepened as she studied the Legendkin from her downcast vision, watching her melancholy expression from the corner of her eye; it felt a bit natural talking to Grace as if sharing stories around a campfire was a matter-of-course.

“Hmm…”  she nodded, putting her hat back on.  “Must be nice—it’s easy enough to become acquaintances with people—I don’t know, maybe I’m just scared to settle down in a place … heh, I think I forgot how!  I just end up hittin’ the road and starting things anew.  Crazy, huh … Just my muse walkin’ me through a dizzy, drunken dream…”

Rachel sighed.  “Well … if you do want to try and stay a bit, then it shouldn’t be a problem.  You seem like a solid person to have my back so far.”

A half-smile brightened Grace’s cheeks with a soft hum.  “Huh … Thanks, Rach—if it’s cool to call you that!”

“Sure,” Rachel shrugged.

“Cool.  Cool.  Hmm … maybe I’ll stay for a bit and give these two girls some shooting lessons—by God, they need it,” she snickered.  “And they’re even helpin’ each other aim!”

“Huh … What’s going on?”  Scarlet mumbled, throwing out her arms with a low groan while slowly rising to sit at the side of her blood bed.  “Is Grace joining us?”

Grace gave her a sly wink.  “Can’t get enough of that BDSM!”

“Wha?!”  Scarlet’s eyes snapped open.  “I-I’m not into t-that stuff!”

“Hey!”  Grace lifted her arms as Rachel chuckled at her jokes; she certainly knew how to press Scarlet’s buttons and loved to lighten the mood.  “I’m just sayin’!  I’m just sayin’!  I’ve been gagged, choked, squeezed, and threatened with more—ahem, intense activities if I don’t submit.  So, eh—what else are we gonna call it, Ms. Master Vamp?”  She snickered.  “I know I got a good rack, but geez, let up a little!”

“One time!  Y-You were our—c’mon, cut it out!”  She groaned, cheeks more than a little flushed.

“Ah, got it, got it,” she slowly nodded with an understanding smile.  “It’s acceptable ta cop-A-feel an enemy.  Noted!  Noted!  I see how ya play.”

“BDSM?”  Nia asked.

Bad Demeanor Super Moron

“Oh, that’s not good,” Nia mumbled.  “We need to fix Scarlet Abyss, asap!”

There’s no fix.

“No … Is … Is it…”

She’ll live, but … we just need to be there for her.

Nia sniffed back tears.  “I’ll help you, Scarlet Abyss!  We’ll find a cure!  Even if we have to search the heavens and underworlds!”

Scarlet hid her tightly wound hands behind her back, putting on a forced smile.  “So … uh, where did Fiona and Benedict go?  Heh, they didn’t sneak off; am I right?”

“Changing the subject?”  Rachel mused.

“What subject?”

Grace flashed her teeth.  “The extra tight kind!  Heh, I’ll stop!  I’ll stop!  They went to get Maria from some sky turtle or something.”

Isabel and Edelira moaned, stretching out on the bed they shared; Edelira brushing her sister’s hair out of her face while yawning.  “W-What’s going on?”

Her younger twin got off on the opposite side, popping her back with a low grunt.  “Yeah … ugh, that’s it—what’s up with Ben?”

Grace crossed her legs the opposite way, putting her finger to her lips with a devious smile.  “The Fairy and the Pixie went on a little trip together to get the Unicorn!  Wonder what chemistry is sparking in the heavens there, huh?  What a mix!”

“The dark star in the skies collides into a dazzling supernova!”  Nia cheered.

Mmh … probably not.

“They’re not making those big firework exploding thingys?  Aww … I wanna see some.  Oh, maybe Fiona will take me when I can move around!”

That’d be nice, Rachel smiled.

“C’mon!”  A low grunt hissed through Scarlet’s nose, crossing her arms while recalling her blood.  “You’re as bad as Maëlle and Cahira.”

Rachel’s braid tilted to the side as her head tilted to the side, and her left eyebrow lifted.  “Mmh … I’d disagree.  I much prefer Grace’s personality.”

“Cheers!”  Grace grinned, holding up her hand as a flask appeared in it.  “Or, heh, I’d say that if I had anything to drink, but we’ll put that swig on hold!  So,” she leaned back to look at the twins, “Edelira asked me to help the two of ya practice shots.  I hear there’s a way out just down this tunnel,” she said, jabbing her thumb behind her.  “We got time to do a few lessons, Rach?”

Everyone’s gaze locked on her as a hiss passed through her teeth, her ears shifting a little to the tunnel exit.  “So, while we’ve been asleep, Araceli and Al have made their way to the barrier.  Al’s handling the beasts, but they’re not having much luck finding a way inside—eventually, they’ll probably be overwhelmed.”

Isabel’s lips and brow tightened, and her focus fell to the floor.  “Oh … Are they in trouble?  I mean, she’s kind of a bitch, but … but she was kind of nice to us when we were growing up.”

Edelira rubbed her twin’s back.  “Mhm … She made sure a lot of the younger girls were somewhat safe in the community.  Is … are they okay, or do they need help?”

Rachel held her hands behind her neck, twisting to look at the pair.  “I get it, but the woman made her own decision, and so did Al.  The best we can do is offer them a way inside, but I seriously believe it’s suicide—it is their decision to do that, but it’s ours to aid them or not in that direction.”

“True,” Grace nodded, stretching her arms high into the air while getting to her feet.  “I mean, I’m neutral and all, but if it were me, I’d probably go jump into certain death to avenge someone I loved—just sayin’, I’d be a hypocrite to say otherwise.”

Scarlet and the twins silently mirrored the Legend, looking at the dusty cave floor.

Rachel crossed her arms.  “Hmm … I hear you, Grace, and … I can’t disagree.  So, are we fine with opening a path for them to get her revenge, even if it’s beyond slim she achieves it?”

“Eh … I can’t really put in my hat,” Grace held up her hands while looking away.  “I’m the one that … Yeah, it’s not really that fair.”

Isabel looked at her sister and took a deep breath before letting it out in a slow stream.  “I think we’re for it.”

“Me, too,” Scarlet hesitantly added her voice.  “I’m with Grace—on this one,” she said with a slight glare at the cowgirl’s strained smile.  “I’d go after anyone that hurt m-my new family,” she whispered with an embarrassed glance at Rachel.  “My sister.”

Edelira pumped her arm with a fervent nod.  “Well said!”

Rachel stretched her arms out, pausing a moment to consider the direction that this could lead; the things in her mind weren’t pretty, but it was what it was.  “We’re in favor then.  And Grace, yeah, you three can go chill; it’s not quite sundown yet, and Maria should be back here in the next ten minutes or so—Fiona’s pretty fast.”

“Sweet!”  Grace put her hands behind her back and nudged her head toward the cave exit.  “Let’s go make some noise—eh, I assume that’s cool?”

“No one’s nearby,” Rachel replied.  “Make as much as you want.”

“Sweet!  I’ve got some things I wanted to run past the gun-gals; heh, what do you two think?”  she asked, leading them out of the cave.  “I was thinkin’ the three musketeers, but then I was like, naw, too cringy.  Gun-gals, though!  Anyone cringin’ we can cringe back and be like, ya haters and bigots!  Heh, am I right?!”

“I … don’t follow,” Edelira mumbled, adding a confused chuckle.  “But … I suppose it works.  We’re guns … and gals.”

“Right!  It’s perfect!  Now, let’s talk Skills and skills, if ya catch my drift!”

“I … think I do?”  Isabel whispered.

Scarlet stood beside her while watching them go.  “Man,” she grumbled, scratching her neck, “what is up with all the girls we meet?”

Rachel turned to give her a lifted eyebrow.

“You tell her, Lunar Abyss!”

“W-Well … Okay, my mind’s been in the gutter a bit—at times,” she forced a laugh while playing with her fingers, “but, eh, c’mon!  They’re at it like twenty-four-seven, and why are they always latching onto me?!  Is it—am I just an easy target?”

Nia winced at her question.  “Are you going to tell her?”

You are reading story The Oscillation at novel35.com

Nope.

“Oof … Poor innocent Scarlet Abyss.”

Rachel shrugged.  “Who knows.  So … How are you feeling?”

“Goo—not really,” she sighed, leaning over to rest her head against her shoulder.  “... What am I going to do if my—What if my Mom’s here?”

She reached around her shoulders to pull her into a hug, pressing her head against her collarbone as a sharp shiver ran down her sister’s frame.  “We’ll deal with it when it comes up.  You’re not alone, though.  We’re going to get through this, and…”

“Umm … get ice cream?”  she asked with a short giggle.  “Blood ice cream?”

“Go where?”

Scarlet’s tone softened.  “Go home … to Mom, Dad, and my new brother and sister-in-law.”

“Watch stupid anime?”

“It’s not stupid,” Scarlet huffed, pulling away a little to brush back her bangs and give her a dirty look.  “Alexa and I have some awesome planning sessions about my abilities and other cool things!  Mom was making blood dishes with me e-every night!  She was so—I was so happy, and your dad…”

“Our dad.”

“Heh … our dad,” she whispered, “he … I overheard him tell Mom to make sure I had everything a vampire girl would need—to take me shopping to get new stuff.”

“So sweet,” Nia cried.  “Mom’s the best!  Oh!  Scarlet and Mom are Mom!  Both of you are the best!”

“Yeah … they really are the best,” Rachel soothed, drawing nearer to hug her again.  “You’ve got a family, and we all care for you.”

“I … I can’t thank you enough, Rachel,” Scarlet’s chest fluttered against her ribcage.  “I was so lost … broken when we met, but—but you took me in—shared your family with me … I don’t feel worth it…”

Rachel squeezed her tighter.  “Don’t say that.”

“Yeah, First Mom!  Don’t say that!  We’re super villains!  We …  d-don’t cry … Rachel, do super villains cry—because I’m crying!”

Rubbing Scarlet’s back, Rachel chuckled.  “I know you’re scared of the unknown—you don’t want to be alone, and you aren’t.  Try to think of positive thoughts—what we’re going back to.  I love you.”

“I love you, too…”  Scarlet whispered, tightening her grip.  “Thank you, Rachel.”

“Thank you, Scarlet.”

She pulled away a little, wet blue eyes staring up at her.  “For?”

“You’re my first real friend … and now, my sister.  You know … to be honest, you’re kind of the bridging link between Alexa and me, so … yeah, isn’t that a good thing because—the two of us have nothing in common besides you.”

Scarlet’s eyes widened.  “I … never thought about that—that’s … the sweetest thing anyone’s ever told me.”

“Heh, don’t go getting a big head,” Rachel winked.  “So, we ready to take this place on?”

“Yeah!”

Rachel jabbed her thumb to the exit with a small smile, watching her four pets slowly waking up.  “Good because Maria’s chilling outside with Fiona and Benedict.”

“Watching the gun practice?”

“Mhm.”

“Cool, umm … heh, mind if I clean myself up a little?”  she asked, blood tears returning to her body.

“No!  You gotta go out there and show them you’re a total baby!”  Rachel teased, causing Scarlet to laugh.  “Alright, let’s get our game faces on—remember the High Rolls pictures?”

Scarlet’s lips pulled in, taking a deep breath before nodding and taking on a more serious tone.  “New Mexico … Yeah—with the rituals—this isn’t going to be pretty.  Is it sundown?”

Rachel shook her head.  “No, but give it another twenty minutes, and it should be dark enough.”

“Okay…”

The gang soon entered after being introduced to the Unicorn; she wore a military outfit, complete with boots and a green beret cap.  “We ready for war, chicas!  Oh, and Pixie?”

Everyone gave a weak mumble or forced laugh, causing Maria to make a sound with her tongue.  “Tch, c’mon!  Get into it; we’re goin’ against hell and all…”  She shivered at her own statement, scratching her forehead.  “I’m getting goosebumps just sayin’ it, Rachel—damn, we’re seriously goin’ against hell…”

“Something like that,” Rachel shrugged.  “What about the Azure Frost?”

Maria grinned, pointing at her hair.  “The Clayman’s been testin’ my hair for two days now, and it holds the solar charge for forty hours, chica!  I’ve just gotta cut a few locks—it grows back right away,” she added upon seeing Grace’s horrified look, “and I’m good!”

Rachel hummed.  “So … that works, I suppose.  Okay, this is what I’ve thought…”  She paused, eyes closing and lower lip tucking under her teeth as she heard the ominous wind of Relica sweeping through the jungle at a swift pace; she’d learned the unique sound it made.

“Rachel?”  Fiona asked.

Maria leaned forward to study her face.  “Ya look like you’ve gotta go—whassup?”

“Relica’s on her way…”

“Shiet…”  Maria groaned, brushing back her hair.  “We jumpin’?”

“I wish,” Scarlet shivered, glaring at the cave entrance.  “Of course, she comes right when night falls.”

“I guess it’s a pretty telling time when we’d leave,” Fiona mumbled.  “What are we going to do, Rachel?”

“It depends … We can destroy her clone, but it will probably only piss her off, and we have enough to deal with right now.  She has her own goals; Relica is the only one that’s been inside the city and knows what we’re up against.”

Maria popped her tongue with disappointment.  “Damn … I wanted to bash her teeth in.”

“Ya might still get the chance, Ma’am!”  Grace chimed.  “So, chill until we’re not?”  she asked, putting her hand on her magnum at her hip.

“Yup, play it by ear,” Rachel mumbled, not expecting the giggle to come out of Fiona, Maria, Scarlet, and Grace.  “Wh … oh…”  she dully said, ears drooping a little.

“Good one!”  Maria snickered.  “Alright, where is the bitch?”

Rachel folded her arms with a sigh, following the whistling noise through the trees.  “Almost here…”

When the sorceress formed, she wore business attire with a black tie, gloves, tights, and a skirt; she clasped her hands behind her back to give them a devious smile.  “Hello, girls—oh, the succulent Mexican is here.”

“The what?”  Maria mumbled, mouthing the words in confusion.

Grace slowly nodded.  “On point with the creep levels tonight, Relica.  Nice!”

“Thank you!”  Relica laughed, the sarcasm passing right over her head.  “Well, well, well…”  Her frightening smile rose upon seeing the twins.  “You actually plan on taking them with you—after I told you about the players?  Bold.”

The twins took a step back, glancing at one another.  “W-What are you on about?”  Isabel asked, defensively moving in front of her older sister.

Rachel’s vision narrowed.  “You … didn’t tell us anything that would be concerning for twins, Relica.”

“No?”  She looked astonished, her hand flying to her mouth.  “Oh … Oh, well, you can’t blame me; I was so busy yesterday.  You have no idea how complicated it is projecting this far away.”

“What is it?”  Scarlet growled.

“Hmm?”  Relica’s grin returned.  “Oh, there are three prominent figures in Camagüey.  Asher, Armand, and … heh, Wolfgang, a German by descent—have you guessed it?”

Scarlet’s crossed arms tightened under her chest, but she shook her head.  “No—just tell us!”

Relica rolled her eyes with a sigh upon seeing everyone’s blank look.  “Come now … German … attached to the idea of twins … Mengele!  God!  I’m talking about the Legend of Josef Mengele!  What do they teach you kids in school?  The Nazi known as the ‘Angel of Death?’  He had quite the fascination with twins, experimentation, among … many other hobbies and areas of focus—stimulating fellow!”

“Aren’t … we going there to kill him?”  Edelira asked, hugging herself.  “Shouldn’t he be scared of us?”

The sorceress gave her a sympathetic look.  “Darling … Do you have any idea what it is you are walking into?  How do you suppose Armand has his little wolf army, or Asher could advance his demonic summoning to such degrees so quickly?  Wolfgang has been given full, unrestricted access to as many lives as he can possibly desire for his experimentation, and he is … good, and for me to say that…”

“We get it,” Rachel cut in.  “You don’t think we can protect them?”

A long breath shot through Relica’s nose as she maneuvered to one of the rocks Fiona had made to sit.  “How to say this … I learned many things about Blood Magic from Asher.  Cloning, fusing monster and man, among several other fields of occultic degrees, is what I worked with Wolfgang on.  He is a brilliant and cautious man that has duplicated himself to accelerate his work—something I am more … hesitant to pursue as I can see … possible issues I am not willing to tackle arising from it.”

“How many?”  Maria asked in a low tone.

“Who can say?  I haven’t seen him for a week, but it is probably something like  five, scattered across the city, pursuing their own specialized interests on—genetic purity, strengthening the physical form, the occult arts, and the such.”

“We’ll take our chances,” Isabel stated.  “If we get captured … It’s our own fault.”

Edelira didn’t look so confident but reluctantly agreed to stay with her sister.  “Grace helped us get a few new skills that should help … I hope.”

“Trust in yourselves!”  Grace encouraged.  “Just stay as a pack, and we’ll work through it as a team.”

“Yeah, what the cowgirl said,” Maria grinned.

Grace leveled a slight smirk at the Unicorn as she eyed her.  “I don’t know, ya seem like a pretty filled-in cowgirl where I’m sittin’!”

Maria looked down at herself with a passive nod.  “Meh, yeah, you could say that.”

“Maria!”  Fiona snickered.

“What?  I’ve got a body; she’s not wrong!”

Grace nodded with respect.  “I like her!  So, we shootin’ through demons to close these portals or somethin’?”

Fiona cleared her throat.  “Yup!  Tom filled me in; he’s preparing a full air raid and mobilizing a ground assault.  The moment we drop the barrier, they’re gonna send in the cavalry—it’ll take them a good two more hours to get everything here, but they’ll be ready.”

Rachel smiled.  “Then we’ve got a schedule to meet.  Let’s go … You aren’t joining us, are you, Relica?”

“Of course, my long-eared friend.  I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

“She’s after something!  Villain 101!  I know, I took the course!”

Scarlet’s eyes dulled.  “Right … You’ve just got something you want to retrieve inside.”

“Hmm … possibly,” Relica flashed her teeth.  “Still, you’ll need me to shield your entrance from prying eyes.  You wouldn’t want to have the whole armada raining down on your heads, would you, my lovelies?”

Maria’s lips curved into a big grin.  “Actually … I think I do.  You see, I haven’t been doin’ nothin’ while everyone else has been makin’ gains!  I’ve got a little surprise up my sleeve, and this is the moment to use it.”

“Oh?”  Rachel hummed.  “I’ll leave it to you then.”

Relica seemed interested, too, but was content to be thrilled.  “Invigorating … In any case, you’ll want time to set up.  Correct?”

Maria’s smile fell with a rumbling note in her throat.  “Mmh … I suppose.  I don’t like the thought of giving you what you want.”

“Such a tease!”  Relica giggled.  “Let’s stop hell on Earth!”

“That you helped create,” Fiona mumbled.

“Details!”  Relica dismissively waved.  “I suggest we start near the south-eastern point of the city; it should be the least guarded with the northwestern airstrip being the most—you are trying to save lives, are you not?  It will have the cattle farm.”

Grace’s expression tightened at the word and connotation.  “Bitch joke.”

“Oh?”  She grinned at the cowgirl.  “I thought it would perfectly describe its use; although, yes, I can be a bitch at times—heh, a classy bitch at that.”

“Let’s go,” Rachel growled, and Fiona lifted them into the sky—naturally, Relica wasn’t affected by the spell and used her own skill to follow.  Luckily, Al and Araceli were nearby.

The black-haired woman wasn’t happy to see them appear several meters away as Benedict brought her into the illusionary field.  “Ben, Edel, Izzy … What are you doing here … Trying to stop me?”

Benedict shook his head.  “No … If you want a way in, then we can help you.”

Isabel rubbed her wrist uncomfortably.  “Yeah … We haven’t forgotten what you did for us and our parents, Araceli … You can leave and go your own way when we get inside.”

Silence followed as the woman’s glare slid to Grace, trying not to make eye contact as she looked anywhere else.  Al broke it; the water buffalo Beastkin had several scars and a bandage covering the damage to his arm.  “Araceli … we can’t keep killing these things for days without end looking for a way inside.”

“I know,” she hissed, but Maria shut her up, speaking Spanish.

The woman’s grimace increased at the exchange; however, it changed when Maria’s horn appeared, and all of Al’s wounds were healed along with Rachel’s own.  Maria gave Rachel a questioning look but soon returned it to the Cuban.  “Don’t be an ass and take the help.  If you’re gonna go chargin’ in, then do it at your best, and don’t be an idiot—that’s not gonna help no one.”

“I … fine,” Araceli growled.  “We’re splitting up the moment we’re inside, though … I won’t help you … ever,” she stated, vision fixating on Grace again.

“Suit yourself,” Rachel replied, “and we won’t help you after this—don’t throw away your lives for nothing.”

Her face twisted with disgust.  “Avenging Máximo is not nothing!”

Rachel ignored her comment, turning her head to Fiona.  “Let’s go.”

Nodding, Fiona lifted them up—except Araceli didn’t rise.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Relica made an annoyed sound in her throat before pointing at the woman and lifting her up.  “Can we go—I’m bored.  This is pointless.”

Araceli and Relica got into a heated Spanish discussion that devolved into Araceli’s tearful screams at the sorceress’s snide remarks.  When they reached the barrier’s edge, Scarlet pulled out her blood scythe with a small frown, looking back at the angry, tearful face of the vengeful woman.  “I’m .. This feels so…”

“What?”  Scarlet asked as her hands tightened around the pole of her weapon.

Relica hummed with a slow nod.  “Ah … Yes, this barrier is composed of living spirits—used as a fuel to stop all that would try to enter.  Scarlet is going to have to cut through them … reap … Isn’t it wonderful!”

Scarlet hissed, closing her eyes before readying herself.  “I … I don’t like it!”  Her mouth set in agony as she tried to lie to herself, and Rachel knew she was trying to resist the pleasure of the experience as her weapon pierced the red electricity, creating a split in the shield.

Rachel held out a hand to comfort her, causing her body to twitch.  “We’re here, Scarlet.”

“I—I’m holding the way open,” she whispered, body trembling with the wave of life force coursing inside her.  “F-Fiona, could you…”

“Got you!”  Fiona quickly replied, lifting her into the air and dragging her scythe higher to broaden the gap; Rachel’s hand slid down her back to fall to her side as the others hurried through, gasping at the sight within.  They’d entered through a major highway, still lined with cars that had tried to run the barrier through or were piled up on the side of the road.

Al and Araceli hesitated for a moment before rushing through.

“Hurry!”  Scarlet cried.  “It’s—there are so many people,” she cried, bloody tears falling down her cheeks.

Passing through, Rachel slowed to a stop beside Relica, and Fiona pulled Scarlet inside after floating the rest through.  No one moved as they looked at the stormy, illuminated heavens over the ruined, burning, and crumbling city.

Skeletons were hung on crosses nearby of children, dogs, cows, and even birds; searing demonic writing was carved across the wood and bone.  Broken skulls and fingers were deposited in small clumps with feet and femurs in another pile, burning with an orange flame.  Pelvises of what Rachel could only think of were women because the still wet uteruses draped across them were lining the road on blazing pyres that refused to burn the items—pulses of red energy crackled across their surface.

“T-This is evil … I don’t like it,” Nia shivered.

Rachel took in the entire sight, breath caught in her throat.  “... How could this happen in two weeks?”

Cars were burned like blackened charcoal, buildings crumbling in embers; demonic creatures hovered in the sky of the more significant buildings further into the city.  It looked like Hell on Earth with the massive globes of blood hovering at the barrier’s upper points overhead.

“Shit…”  Maria whispered.  “Is there anyone left to save?”

Relica spun in a slow circle, examining the place with a critical eye as tiny purple runes glowed around her, blocking them from detection and creating some kind of symbol in the road.  “Impressive … Asher has certainly been busy.  The pens should be nearby … eh, this way if I’m not mistaken!”  she laughed, pointing at a concrete facility several hundred meters to their left.

Araceli asked her a few things in Spanish, to which the sorceress pointed her finger toward the airstrip, and they set off.  “Fool,” she snickered.  “We will—very likely—see you soon, and not the same.”

She grunted something in return, but Rachel could hear the fear from her trembling muscles; this was not what she’d expected to trek.

Rachel took a deep breath.  “We’re inside … Maria?”

“Yeah … shit, umm … let me just … damn.  Give me a minute.”

Fiona sucked in a breath.  “Yeah, me, too … this is … we really are stopping demons, aren’t we?”

Grace took a deep breath before tightening her hat.  “Seems that way.”

Benedict and the twins were too overwhelmed to even speak, which could be expected since they hadn’t faced anything close to something of this scale.

Rachel nodded.  “We’ll collect ourselves and move forward—rescue who we can, and start taking out this barrier’s power source.”

“This is terrible,” Nia mumbled.

I know…

Relica’s smile was pure and innocent.  “I can help with that!”

“I’m sure you can,” Scarlet whispered, unsteady hands gripping her sides.  “I … don’t like the feeling here … Something’s—I feel something powerful at the airstrip … enough to make—to make her stir…”

Knowing Scarlet was talking about Twilight, Rachel hissed out a breath; she could hear mumbling in some infernal language that made her ears burn from hundreds of lips in sync.  “Oh ... Perfect.  Let’s be cautious then … Keep track of it.”

“Hard not to,” Scarlet shuddered.  “I think … I think we should hurry, though.”

Rachel tucked her lip under for a moment, scratching her arm.  “Right … Maria?”

“Yeah … Let’s, uh … Can we take down those … those things first?”  She asked, pointing at the pyres.  “The evil in this place is … Hell … This is Hell.”

“Oh, honey,” Relica smirked, “this is only the beginning.”

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