The Seed of Hope

Chapter 12: Malphas

It was dark and a bit humid and their footsteps echoed throughout the walls.
-"Logan, what were you thinking?"- Kate's whispering voice still echoed around them. -"We can't just barge in here like some kind of a theme park!"-
-"I need to tell you something..."- Logan interrupted Kate's rant and she was surprised by his words. Logan sighs and turns to her. -"The same dreams you have had, I have too..."-
Kate's eyes widened as he looked at him.
-"Not entirely like yours but, still the same place. I've dreamt of these walls."- Logan snapped his fingers and flame appeared from his fingers, lighting up the walls around them.
Just like Kate's dream, the insects, the moisture, and the eerie screams of tortured souls. Kate gasped.
-"It's real, It's all real!!"- She whispered.
-"After a few of those nightmares happened, I started to notice that this opening would appear, this portal into Bassilisk's lair. So I decided to explore..."-
Kate stayed silent, listening to his words.
-"Glad I'm not the only one...but, what are we doing here?"- Kate asked.
-"Remember when I told you about the Seven Fallen?"- Logan turned to Kate and she nodded.
-"They live in these corridors, each one has its specific room."-

Kate looked at him, still confused.
-"What I mean is, we are here to kill Malphas...you are getting your revenge."-
Kate choked. -"I can't kill Malphas! I'm still recovering from fighting him!!"-
-"But you have me now..."- Logan whispered, looking deeply into Kate's eyes. Kate blushed intensely as her heart skipped a beat.
-"Now, let's find him..."- He started walking through a corridor, leaving a stunned Kate behind.
-"H-How...why..."- Kate whispered to herself.

Along the long and dark corridors, Kate walked behind Logan, wanting to ask him questions and start a conversation. He was quiet and had a scary face as if he was angry.

-"U-um..."- Kate started. -"So, did you spy on these Fallen guys?"- She asked.
-"You can say that. I just really wanted to see where these lead, so I just kept going, eventually finding them here."-
-"Do they know who you are? Have they seen you--"-
Kate tripped on a rock, causing her to grab onto Logan's shoulder.
-"I'm so sorry!"- She panicked. Logan didn't say anything, he just helped Kate regain her balance.
Logan was always so cold, but he had a caring side to him that rarely was seen.
-"Not that I know of..."- He answered.
Kate took a deep breath.
-"Were you here...when the tsunami happened?"- Kate asked almost in a whisper. Logan stayed quiet.
-"There was a huge explosion out in the sea, I didn't know what it was but rumors around town say it was a secret terrorist attack against our capital."-
Logan remained silent.
-"I know now that it wasn't but if I tell anyone that the disaster happened because the Fallen were looking for me, they would banish me for endangering the island!"- Kate sighed and remained quiet for a couple of seconds.
-"But those eyes that were in the water were...traumatizing."- Kate took a deep breath. -"They were all looking at me."- She flicked her eyes toward Logan as he sighed.
-"I was there, I saw everything."- He said.
Kate's eyebrows raised. -"So you saw Yen-...er, The Celestian come down to us and everything?"-
Logan nodded.
-"So for all this time you have  just been hiding in that building?"-
-"You know this..."-
Suddenly, Logan shot his arm up to stop Kate from walking further and shushed her.
Footsteps and crunching noises were heard a little ahead of them and Logan quickly extinguished his flame by closing his fist. Words were being spoken but most were muffled and drowned by their echoes.
-"Bassilisk will----head if you fail again---this."-

Logan grabbed Kate's wrist and walked slowly toward the voices.
Kate flinched at his grab but still walked with him. It was pitch black and every tunnel looked the same, but Logan walked them as if it was no trouble.
-"Just leave me alone Empusa!"- The voices were getting closer and Logan stopped walking. Kate felt something was right in front of them.
-"There's something there..."- Kate whispered. The footsteps faded away along with the voices.
-"Can I have some light please?"- Kate asked.
Logan snapped his fingers and the flame revealed an enormous door with collapsed chains on its sides. Kate gasped. -"I know this!"- Kate's hand started to burn as she reached to touch the door. Kate hissed and looked at her hand. Logan side-eyed her hand.
-It has to be...- she thought.
-"You dreamt of this place?"- Logan asked opening the door with ease. Kate nodded and she took a peek inside.
-"This is Elyon's room!"- Kate said as she noticed the bed, candles, and chains.
-"Who is Elyon?"- Logan asked.
-"It was a woman I met in my dream, she was beautiful...Bassilisk had her as a prisoner. It was so sad, she was crying because Bassilisk took her baby."-
Logan stood silent as he peeked inside the room too.
The room was different however, it was in ruins. Everything was bleak and gray, the candles were off and the cinnamon scent Kate remembered was gone.
-"It...It wasn't like this...she was in here! Everything was beautiful except for her chains."- Kate was disappointed. She wanted to help Elyon escape.
Kate glanced at her hand, palm open.
-"Your hand okay?"- Logan asked.
-"It's...it's just that, in my dream, Bassilisk forced my hand to touch Elyon, and she vanished. When I woke up, there was a sigil on my palm and it burns from time to time."-
-"Maybe he locked her in there, we should cut off your hand and set her free!"- Logan playfully grabbed Kate's hand.
-"What!!?"- Kate panicked and tugged her hand.
-"I'm kidding..."- Logan let go of her and walked away down the corridor. Kate looked at him, holding her burning hand. He was so unfazed by this. -"It was just a dream." He said with a slight echo, taking the light source.
-"Maybe...that's what they did...but why?"- Kate whispered. She remembered Bassilisk's words.
~"You have two things I want...And I just know how to get both. Two Birds, One Seed."~

She suddenly felt an unnerving presence behind her.
An intense growl was heard along with breathing down her neck. Kate choked and quickly turned around. A pair of glowing red and purple eyes glared at her. She screamed and ran toward Logan who also turned around.
-"Why do you make it so easy for me!!?"- The voice laughed.
-"Logan! There's someone behind me!!"- Kate hid behind Logan
-"I'm going to kill you!!"- The voice erupted from the darkness.
Logan used his flame and blew on it, creating a flamethrower that ignited the entire corridor toward the voice.
Then they saw him, Malphas, partially transformed into a demonic beast.
Kate's body turned weak ad held on to Logan for support.
-"I can't!! I can't! Not again!!"- She cried.
-"Snap out of it, damn it!!"- Logan was being dragged down by Kate. Malphas dodged the flames and swiftly attacked Logan, forcing him to grab Kate and jump out of the way. Debris from the walls and ground fell over them.
-"Who...was?"- Malphas whispered as he turned his head to see Logan trying to peel Kate off of him. Malphas suddenly became frightened and attacked them again by sending his snake-like vines from his arms.
Logan dodged again with Kate still clinging onto him.
-"You're making this way more difficult than it should be!!"- Logan yelled at Kate.
-"Why did you bring me here!! I can't fight him again!"- She yelled back.
-"You have to!! Don't make me regret bringing you down here!!"- Logan grabbed Kate by her shoulders and shook her. Kate's tear-filled eyes widened at Logan's reaction.
-"You see how fucked up you are because of him!!? Use that!!"- Logan pushed Kate in front of him to face Malphas. The vines grew into the snake creature that Kate fought back against in her school. She hesitated and she was hit by the snake and forced upward through the roof, Malphas followed Kate, giving Logan a dirty look before disappearing into the hole.
Logan clicked his tongue and followed them up.
Kate opened her eyes as her body was being crushed between the snake and the dirt crusts. She regained composure and began to stab the snake's snout with her sword. The snake screeched as it broke into the surface above ground level. Kate plummeted toward the ground but Logan caught her mid-air. They noticed their surroundings, it looked like the middle of nowhere, with lush green grass, and the night sky. Kate didn't recognize the place. Logan landed them on their feet.
-"I will murder him!!"- Kate ground her teeth as she bled from her head.
Malphas stood before them, noticeably trembling. Then started to cackle.
-"Do you think that by bringing him you could win, seed?"-
Malphas lunged toward Kate extending his vines. Kate gripped her sword tightly and took a deep breath.
She dodged his vines and slashed them lengthwise, splitting them into halves. Malphas screamed in pain and with his other arm, he grabbed Kate by her neck.
-"You little bitch!"- Malphas tightly squeezed her neck making her cough and wheeze.
Logan suddenly jumped in and slashed his arm off with his manifested cutlass. Malphas gasped and jumped back, away from them.
-"You...how dare you!"- Malphas roared at Logan as he transformed into the giant snake creature, this one was bigger than the last and it was accompanied by two other big snakes.
-"Shit..."- Kate cursed under her breath.
Logan stood by her side and prepared his cutlass. -"I'll be right behind you."- He whispered to Kate.
Kate began admiring Logan for his fearlessness and his care toward her even though he was cold and dismissive. Kate felt that he wanted her to learn and fend for herself.
Malphas charged toward them, and Logan leaped toward one of the side snakes and began slashing its body. The main snake opened its mouth and tried to eat Kate but she ducked and slid underneath its jaw, stabbing it. Malphas roared and lifted its head, swinging Kate with him. Kate tried to pull out the sword but it was stuck in its jawbone.

Logan killed the other snake by cutting it into pieces and he turned to check up on Kate.
Malphas was swinging her around and slamming her against the ground.
-"Geez, the girl can take a beating..."- He said.
-"Get off of me, you cunt!!"- Malphas said in a demonic voice. -"Die already!!!"-
Kate was all bloody but she felt different than before. Her pain tolerance, strength, and stamina were much higher than she had ever felt.
-"You will pay...for what you've done!!"- Kate lifted her lower body, planted her feet on Malphas's jaw, sword in between her feet. Kate pulled it with force and stabbed him again, this time in its neck. Malphas thrashed around trying to get Kate off. Kate opened the wound slightly and crawled into it.
Logan, with one slash, killed the third snake and observed how Kate's feet disappeared into the snake's gushing wound.
-"What is she doing...?"- Logan whispered confused at Kate's messiness.
Malphas's body was inside, merged with the snake's innards.
"There you are, son of a bitch!!"- Kate swung her sword and slashed Malphas's neck. The body of the snake began to disintegrate.
-"You dare...disrespect my body!!?"- Malphas spoke.
-"Impossible, I cut his head off!!"- Kate quickly cut the flesh to try and escape.
Suddenly, light hit Kate's eyes as Logan cut off the snake's head clean off. He grabbed Malphas's hair and ripped him out of the innards. Kate stood up and noticed that Malphas's head had reattached to his body.
Just like her first encounter with him, Malphas has been ripped to shreds by Yenziel and he still managed to not only live but to reattach. Logan threw Malphas's limp body on the ground and pointed at him with his cutlass.
-"Look at me..."- Logan said in a low voice.
Malphas opened his eyes and looked at Logan.
-"You disgust me..."- Logan whispered to him.
-"You will always be inferior, always...trash."- Malphas ground his teeth at Logan's words. -"He will never notice you, he will never love you..."-
At that moment, Malphas lunges his body at Logan and tries to choke him only to be met by Logan smacking Malphas's arms away and knocking him to the ground again with his legs. Logan pins Malphas face down on the dirt. Kate runs toward them. -"Logan! Let me handle him!!"-
Logan kneels and pulls Malphas's hair, lifting his head and forcing him to face Kate.
Malphas looked at Kate, she is so small and delicate, he could break her like a twig.
-"I must kill...her."- Malphas whimpered. -"You want her?"- Logan taunted, shaking Malphas's head.
Kate frowned at Logan's behavior.
-"Logan, stop it, let me just do it myself."-
Malphas started to slowly transform into the snake again and Logan quickly stomped his neck making Kate flinch.
Gurgling sounds escaped Malphas's mouth as he drowned in his blood because of his broken neck. The snake's body still tried to cover him.
-"Finish him off, Katerina."- Logan kicked Malphas's head one last time and walked behind Kate.
Malphas struggled to get up and cracking noises from his neck were heard making Kate shiver in disgust.

Malphas hyperventilated and yelled, sending an echo throughout the plain. -"Logan!!!"-
Kate was stunned asMalphass cried out Logan's name. -"H-Huh...?"-
Malphas lunged at Kate but she quickly slashed his entire body, splitting him in half then quickly turned around, palm facing his still falling body.
-"Divine Beam!!"- The familiar burst of white holy energy exploded from Kate's hand and engulfed Malphas's entire body. As he withered away, Malphas's eyes cried, tears falling slowly as he completely vanished.
-"He was..."- Kate was shocked as guilt began to creep up on her. These Fallen beings are living beings too. They suffer, they cry in pain, they have friends and family and Kate just killed one. She could feel relief and a sense of victory but instead faces feelings of guilt and regret.
Her adrenaline was at an all-time high and her wounds were healing faster than normal.
Kate looked at Logan who was staring at the floating particles as they vanished.
Malphas mentioned his name. He cried out his name before his final breath. Kate noticed Logan's words and fighting seemed rather personal as if he was getting revenge not for Kate but for himself.
-"Logan..."- Kate whispered.
Logan's eyes flicked to Kate's causing a faint shiver.
-"Did you know him? Like, personally?"-
Logan stayed silent and just stared at her.
-"We've encountered each other a couple of times..."-
Logan said not taking his eyes off Kate. They both stared at each other for a few seconds.
-"You said earlier that you haven't encountered any of them or that they know who you are..."- Kate raised her voice slightly as she stepped toward Logan.
-"Can we just stop talking about him!? He's dead!"- Logan snapped at Kate who flinched.
-"There's a village down the hill behind me, focus on that..."- Logan turned around.
Kate sighed angrily and stomped past him.
-"I didn't even see this village when I fell out here."- Kate's anger dissipated as she noticed a cute little sleeping village at the foot of the hill.
The village had streets adorned with lights and the buildings looked more like domes made out of white stone. Doors and windows were made of wood, giving the village a rustic and vintage appearance.
-"It's beautiful!"- Kate was wonderstruck, a small village that wasn't her own was a few steps away.
-"Let's go check it out!"- Kate began to descend the hill.
-"Why? I just wanted you to see it and leave."- Logan said dryly.
-"I wanna explore it! Also, we can ask where we are!"-Logan sighed. -"We can go back to your island from the tunnels the Fallen use, you know that, right?"-
Kate looked at Logan as if he spoke in another language.
-"Wait so, these Fallen people can teleport from one place to another just by using those scary tunnels?"-

Logan sighed, -"That's what I said...sort of."-
Kate stood silent for a few seconds before speaking.
-"Well, I still wanna see the village! Come with me!"- Kate playfully smiled at Logan as he slightly frowned.
-"Also, Logan...For someone who has amnesia, you sure know a ton about the Fallen and everything involving them!"- Kate turned around, hands behind her back as if playfully taunting him.
-"Just shut up and walk, the faster you see this place, the sooner we can get back!"-