Book 1 - Puppets

XXX - Bloody Kidnapping

The night is quiet, but Russia feels something pulling him toward the mine.

'I have to go in.'

Russia shakes his head.

'No, I can't leave the states out here alone. Especially not Texas.'

Currently, Texas is sleeping, curled up on the ground in front of the fire like a cat, having moved when the sun began to set.

But what concerns Russia the most is that he also catches Canada shooting longing glances into the mine.

"We should not want to go in there," Russia comments, looking at the cave.

"It's affecting y'all too?" Louisiana asks, cautious.

Russia nods, and Massachusetts lets out a low sigh.

"It's persuasion magic," Massachusetts explains, "we're definitely in the right place if it's here."

"Oh, it's definitely here, Sett. Can't you feel it?" Louisiana asks.

Massachusetts nods, "We're best off ignoring it for now," he suggests.

Russia nods in agreement but feels the need to sink into the gaping abyss of the opening, growing stronger as a result. He tries to ignore it, but his thoughts become muddled. He slowly stands, feeling as though he's half-asleep. His legs move him toward the opening.

He can hear someone speaking, but he doesn't understand the words.

'I need to be...over there...now.'

Someone grabs him, his mind fills with intense anxiety, and he jerks away.

'No! No. I need to go.'

Soon, he is standing at the base of the opening, and the urge to go inside is unbearable. Logically, he knows he should be running back to the fire, but logic is drowned out by static. Then, he hears a familiar hissing sound from the shadows. His gaze slowly moves to look around, and he sees his own face staring back at him.

Suddenly, the world snaps back into place. Russia panics and stumbles back. His mind is racing.

'What was that?!'

The thing slinks out of the darkness. It had friends that follow it out.

Their faces swap between mimicking the flags of Russia and Canada, mimicking America, or just going blank. Russia races back to the fire, where the others stand with weapons drawn. Even Texas is up with a gun in hand.

His face is still a little pale, but his stance is steady.

"There's three of 'em?!" Louisiana asks incredulously.

"Look's like. There may be even more. Stay close," Texas replies, his eyes narrow and trained on the monsters stalking toward them.

Massachusetts summons bullets, more refined than they had been, and Russia arms himself with his hatchet. Texas shoots, but cries out in pain immediately after. The monsters are left unharmed.

"Texas!" Louisiana shouts.

"Damn thing is bulletproof!" Texas yells, holding his right shoulder in pain

"Goddamned motherfuckers must have some kind of fucking magic shield," Massachusetts remarks.

"I don't recognize it. Do you?" Louisiana asks, backing up.

"No," Massachusetts bites back, readying himself to shoot off some of the bullets.

"Projectiles aren't a good idea, eh?" Canada says, laughing nervously.

Texas stands back up, his club in his left hand, and his shirt sleeve is soaked with bright red blood. One of the monsters rushes up and grabs Texas. Another does the same to Russia; its dead hands grab his arms. Russia can taste the sewage radiating off of it.

Russia wriggles around, trying to strike it, but he only has enough mobility to swing low at its legs. The hatchet comes flying back, almost striking Russia.

Then Russia hears a shriek, and his head swivels around to see a monster, its flag an amalgamation of Massachusetts and Canada, sticking one of its fingers into Texas' wound. Texas writhes in agony as it digs around in his shoulder.

'No!'

Russia struggles even harder, but to avail. Even with the strength that comes with being a personification, its hands don't loosen. Canada shouts from behind him, and Russia can only assume it's because the third of the monsters had grabbed him.

Russia sees green glowing as Massachusetts frantically tries casting magic, only for it to fizzle at his feet. The teen tries throwing the bullets that fizzle out as soon as they are launched. Louisiana is trying to use her phone, but she doesn't seem successful. She shouts.

Then, giving up on summoning weapons, Massachusetts begins trying to form a flat, misty circle.

What it's for, Russia isn't sure, and he doesn't have enough time to watch and find out. He kicks violently at the creature's legs. The monster doesn't appreciate this and tightens its grip on his arms. Russia shouts in pain.

'Any tighter and my arms are as good as broken.'

The monster that's holding Texas digs around in Texas' shoulder, and Texas lets out a deafening scream. Louisiana jumps and throws her phone into the dirt. She pulls out her knife and rushes at the creature torturing her brother. She strikes at it, but her knife bounces off of its arm. The attack did, however, get its attention.

It pulls its bloody fingers out of Texas' arm and snatches Louisiana's arm. Louisiana shrieks in anger and squirms away from it, twisting her arm out of its grip. It begins to chase her, grasping for her.

Massachusetts continues trying to shoot the creatures with magic, but the monsters don't even stumble when hit. Magic bullets that survive being summoned and shot light up the sky in bright green, resembling a light show more than a barrage of attacks. Massachusetts backs up further and shouts profanity.

One hand is summoning more bullets in a faint hope that they would work and the other trying desperately to summon the circle.

Finally, one of these disks stays corporal. It's shaky and unstable, but it lasts after Massachusetts finishes the hand motion. The second Massachusetts realizes that it survived; he begins shouting into it.

"Dixie! Someone! Please, I hope this is going through. There is so much magic interference. We found an entrance, but we're being forced inside. Phones aren't working. HELP!" Massachusetts screams into a green magic haze before it dissolves completely.

Texas hangs limp in the monster's arm, and his hat hits the ground with a soft thump. The demon holding Texas stops chasing Louisiana and shrieks to the mine. Two other creatures emerge soon after and grab Louisiana and Massachusetts. Massachusetts thrashes around, trying in vain to escape. Russia tries again to swipe at the creature with his limited mobility and only manages to knick himself in the leg.

Russia yelps in pain, and his pant leg begins feeling wet and very warm. The creature stops and begins to smell his leg. Terrified, Russia kicks at it wildly.

The thing throws Russia to the ground and places a hand on his chest. It's flag swirls and changes to resemble America's. It leans over and sticks its tongue out to lick the blood. Russia kicks it. It uses its other arm to steady him. Its breath smells of death, and Russia tries to kick it away.

Just before it makes contact, its head shoots up, and it freezes. The other monsters do the same. They stay frozen for a few moments before they rise together and walk toward the mineshaft. The monster picks Russia up and dragged him into the unknown. Russia writhes and squirms, but the creature doesn't give in, eventually deciding to slam Russia into the ground.

The world goes dark.