Myriad

Chapter 7

"I gather you've come here to ask even more of us. Well, we've done all we can and fulfilled the contract, so I'm under no obligation to accept anything". The man was sitting bolt upright at the very tip of an incredibly long table, and although his tone was defiant sweat was beginning to collect at his brow. "I wouldn't be so sure" the other person in the room replied. "It specifically states that you don't want any interaction between our family, and your little society. "And just a day ago, our children escaped the complex and are now god knows where!" he finished with a cry, but his voice was thick with malice, not concern. "What?!" the worried man replied, then continued. "Perhaps this will be a real issue...but you know, Colren, there's a limit to what we can do. They could be anywhere!". "True...but unlikely." Colren repiled. "Mr Chief, you do know of demonic awakenings, right?" A shiver shot down the Chief's spine. "It wasn't complete but we've definitely sensed energy very similar to one. Turns out the kiddies might still be battling the whims of the eternal forest. So, just search around there and you probably won't be disappointed." The chief tensed up. All his life he's had to deal with the demands of the Dendreda Clan, and all because of a deal his father had made so long ago. But he wasn't about to complain in front of the playful person whom he resented and feared so much. "Y-yes...we should be able to handle that." "Good man!" Colren replied cheerily. "Don't...fail us" he growled, then slinked out the door.

Chief Rescott breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was going to be fine.

The forest seemed at first glance normal, but then also most definitely changed. Locus and Charla were only conscious for a few moments after the surge, but in that instant they could have sworn seeing a ghostly vision. The last thing Charla noticed before falling was the scent of home...Unexplainably pleasant? But that was all.

The pair woke up in a warm and inviting area...beds, even, scented with a soothing lavender. Locus shot up immediately, paranoia surging through him. Had they been captured? Killed? Otherwise apprehended? Certainly He could not risk being arrested again. "That damn kid...what the hell kinda aura does that?" he whispered somewhat frantically as he got up. In the adjacent bed he noticed the girl, but not the monstrous boy anywhere. "Cer!" Charla screamed as she jolted awake. "Where...wha-I need to make sure he's okay..." then, as she turned to Locus cried "How could you? Why did you attack my brother? We need to find him now!" The anger in her voice was recognisable despite her immature age. "Look, don't blame me. The chances we escaped that forest were next to none anyway, and obviously, we're fine." Locus mumbled. "We? I stick with my brother and I'm not moving on without him!" Charla sprinted towards the door, not looking back. "Wait Goddamit!" Locus yelled.

Charla burst out of the building she was just in and found herself in some kind of village square, quaint and charming. But...absolutely, deadly...silent. The eerie silence nonetheless didn't stop Charla from looking back at the gloomy forest, heart pounding in her chest at the thought that serious harm had come to Cer. "Don't worry, brother!" she said as she continued her run back into the nest of hell. Locus, however after running down the stairs found himself unable to exit the building. "What the?" he cursed as a seemingly invisible barrier trapped him inside. "Is there anybody here? If you're there, come out! Remove this stupid barrier, I don't have the damn time!"

"I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE! OH, WE HAVEN'T HAD GUESTS IN FOREVER..."

The voice was hollow and haunting, distorted even. Locus snapped around and turned paper white as he beheld the apparition before him. It was an outline, a shadow of a human, sure, but completely devoid of any features. It was a shadow, almost two-dimensional, but its body was a swirling vortex of pain, of misery. The air around them was beginning to become very cold. "What the hell are you?" Locus asked, fear thick in his voice.

"THE OWNER OF THIS HOTEL, SILLY! IT SURE WAS NICE OF YOUR FRIEND TO RESURRECT ME SO I COULD GIVE YOU THIS HAPPY, HAPPY WELCOME!"