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Rien Village, 9:26 PM

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Jace and Anthony bolted down the street, making their way back to Zane and Shay as Anthony carried the unconscious Vince on his back.

“How much further is it?” Asked Anthony breathlessly.

“It’s the next left then a right and we’re there.” Replied Jace as he held his slit shoulder.

The two continued to dash dangerously through the moist mist that surrounded them, the moonlight shone down through the fog leaving a white light lingering around them as they continued to sprint towards Shay and Zane, swallowing the damp air with each breath until they finally approached Zane who was lying on the ground holding his stomach.

“Zane!” Yelled Jace as he accelerated his pace to assist him.

Jace stopped next to Zane and crouched down to check his pulse as Anthony quickly followed up behind him and sat Vince on the ground to his side.

“He’s alive.” Said Jace gleefully.

Anthony put his hand on Jace’s shoulder and nudged him out of the way. “I’ll try my best to heal him.” He said as he begun using healing magic to seal Zane’s wounds.

“How long will it take?” Asked Jace as he nervously checked over his shoulder every other second.

“To stop the blood, it will take around 5 minutes but to fully heal him it will take me around an hour of straight work.” Replied Anthony.

Jace sighed as he checked over his shoulder again to see to hoard slowly approaching.

“Shit.” Muttered Jace as he stared at the impending arrival of the mob.

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Purgatory

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Blood splattered to the ground as my stomach ruptured and caved in itself, I felt my internal organs being squished by the weight of themselves, my senses ran wild as I desperately peered around my dark, dingy surroundings into the dark abyss. It felt like time around me was speeding up and I was held in place. I knew I had to do something, but I couldn’t, it felt like my moment to act passed by me infinitely as I was beaten endlessly by this unknown entity.

I lay helplessly on the ground in a pile of my own sliced up organs and blood that were leaking out of my torso. I faced straight down to the ground, trying to look around but I didn’t have the strength for it. All was silent until I heard a giggle behind me.

The giggle of a women, I tried to turn to face her but I didn’t have it in me, the more I tried to move the more I felt my organs slip out of me onto the cold hard ground beneath me.

“Aren’t you going to face me?” She asked in a light sympathetic tone.

This odd taunt of hers angered me as I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees, my organs flopped out onto the ground, I screamed in agony but not giving up as I continued to force myself around. In an enraged roar I threw myself up onto my feet, I was hunched over, and my hands stayed on my knees to help support myself, I panted excruciatingly as her voice taunted my once again.

. . .

“What are you waiting for?” . . . “Is something the matter?”

I slowly pulled myself up and turned steadily to face her. As I did, the dark foggy entity that was tormenting me fluttered idly and faced straight at me. It was a different atmosphere compared to before, everything felt still now compared to the immense pain I felt earlier. Although I was still on edge, I stared passively into the dark entities fluttering body until it began shifting shape.

I took a step back and as I did I noticed I had once again been completely healed, quickly directing my attention back to the entity however, I saw that it had begun to take the shape of a women, she elegantly stepped in front of me out of the dark mist that once stood there. Her long white hair flew all the way down her back as the underside of her hair spouted a dark velvet red colour. Her dark grape coloured eyes stared straight through me as her black dress fluttered around her.

The aroma around me swiftly switched to a fruit like fragrance as she approached me one step at a time as her high heeled boots clipped and clopped along the stone ground.

I tried to speak however, to no avail as each time I opened my mouth I felt myself gasping for air. I put my hand on my neck as I felt myself being crushed by the pressure around me.

I peered up at the women who just stared back down at me, I returned her gaze and as our eyes met I felt my whole body stiffen, I saw through into her soul, seeing hell itself, I watched myself and my friends die hundreds of times over. I watched Zane perish in my arms as the scene of me stabbing him repeated over and over.

“Make it stop!” I screamed finally before releasing an unrelenting cry, screaming my lungs out as I was surrounded by darkness, the cold caved in on me as my whole body felt weak. I couldn’t do anything; I felt empty inside as I my whole body stood stiff with cold, imagining death in my head over until I felt a sudden warmth envelop me. I opened my eyes to see the floor of the world I was in before. I sat on my knees as the girl from before wrapped her arms around me as tears dripped endlessly from my eyes.

“What’s happening?” I muttered as I was finally able to find my voice.

“A- am I dead?” I stumbled out nervously as the women lifted my head and I stared at her entrancing face. She smiled and locked her hands to mine, pointing her head down and looking up at me.

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions, but I can’t answer them for you right now.” She said softly while smiling at me.

I stared back at her pathetically with saddened, desperate eyes that asked a hundred questions and I’m sure she knew how I must have been feeling as she squeezed my hands tighter before moving closer to me and whispering in my ear: “I’ll answer everything for you next time, you’re needed elsewhere.”

And just like that I felt her warmth disappear and I was back in Rein village, I gasped for air aggressively as I checked my body to see all my wounds had been healed. Slowly standing up I surveyed my surroundings, I first picked up Vince’s sword and began walking through the thick white fog searching for Jace. Everything felt oddly silent as the only sound was the whistling of the wind. I felt the wind whirl around me however, I no longer felt cold. I stared down at my hand in mild confusion as I walked before hearing the clattering sounds of someone charging at me. I continued to stare down at my hand before suddenly I heard Jace’s voice coming from one of the neighbouring streets. I turned and ran towards the sound of his voice, after turning a corner I saw Jace and Anthony standing next to Zane’s body facing the hoard.

I quickly ran up to them screaming for them. As I did the hoard began moving faster. Then I remembered Vince’s weakness and quickly dropped his sword on the ground, as I did the hoard slowed down to a walking pace once again.

“Shay you’re okay?” Asked Jace who was surprised to see me up and running around.

“Uh, yeah. I’m not sure how exactly but I’m here and I’m okay.” I replied.

“Anyway, that’s not important.” I continued. “I needed to tell you Vince’s weakness.” The two both perked up at me as I continued to explain how his ability worked. “Since Vince is unconscious, he can’t give the people he has under his control any advanced commands and so they only protect him, and anything deemed as his belongings.” The two listened on as I continued to explain.

“They will also only move at a speed mildly faster than what Vince or one of his items is moving at. So, if they are still then the mob will only move at a walking pace and the most important rule, the hoard will completely ignore you if you aren’t interfering with Vince or his belongings.”

“Really? How do you know all this?” Asked Jace confusingly.

“I figured it out earlier when I dropped Vince’s sword on the ground, they all just started to ignore me and walked right by. It was complete luck.” I said.

“So, they will ignore us and Vince as long as no one is touching him? Is that right?” Asked Anthony.

“Yeah, they also shouldn’t be able to move any faster than what Vince is so if they did try taking him somewhere, we could catch up with no trouble.” I added as Jace and Anthony seemed taken aback by this new information.

“Okay.” Said Jace. “Let’s step back and see what they do. We can’t keep running for hours until Vince wakes up anyway.”

We all agreed and stood across the street from them, I helped Anthony carry Zane who started to heal his wounds best he could. Then shrunk down into my knees as we all watched as the hoard approached Vince who was lying unconscious still on the pavement.

And just like I thought, the hoard simply stood idly next to him. I let out a breath of fresh air as Anthony turned and patted my back. I let out a quick chuckle as Jace smiled as we watched on in wait of Vince’s awakening.

We sat across the street against the wall of one of the buildings. We watched Vince lay unconscious as his hypnotized followers stood passively around him.

“Hey, Shay. We’ll keep watch on him, go get Anthony something to eat and drink from the café around the corner, he’s working hard to save Zane.” Asked Jace as he continued to watch Vince intently.

“I’ll get everyone something small.” I said as Jace smiled and I stood up to make my way towards the café.

I turned the corner and almost as soon as I did, I heard the sound of someone drop down from above and land behind me. I turned quickly to face them and reached for my concealed throwing knife but before I could they already had a sword pushed against my throat.

“Hey, you, I want to talk.” Asked Ark, in a sinister tone.

. . .