Lunar's POV

My phone ringing at 3:15 AM brought my attention away from a dream about Jax taking me on a terrifying roller coaster, jolting my body into a sitting position as I looked at it. Castian was calling but why so damn late? Rubbing my face, I brought my phone to my ear, mumbling, "H-Hmm?"

"You want to help me do some shit we probably shouldn't do?" He chimed excitedly through the phone. I could hear him panting as he was running around someplace and climbing things. As much as I was grateful to escape my dream... I wanted to go back to sleep.

His question had Mr. Lincoln turned over immediately as he cuddled into my pillow, not thrilled with the wake-up call as I yawned, "Where are you and what exactly are you trying to get me involved in at three in the morning?"

"Awe, is watchdog listening, hm?" Cast laughed into the mic, earning a roll of the eyes from Mr. Lincoln as he continued, "Grow a pair and meet me at the Spooks."

"Castian, I am--," He hung up as I groaned, worming my way out of Mr. Lincoln's grasp to hold me into bed and getting up, pulling on jeans and a hoodie before heading downstairs and grabbing my shoes. I knew better than to ignore Cast's invitation. When he said I was the only one he actively invited to things; I believed him.

Without missing a beat, Mr. Lincoln was right behind me, holding up a breathing mask and grabbing his keys, "Yeah, yeah, I know. I can't stop you so I might as well join you."

"I wish you could stop me but I'm not going to let Cast be stupid alone," I stretched, following him out the door and crawling into the Cadillac, "I just want to go back to bed."

He chortled, letting me manage just a bit more sleep as we drove to meet up with Ozora. When we arrived, he sat on the roof of the first building, the breeze blowing his hair and bandana as I put on my mask, coming over as he hollered, "Ah, you arrived!"

"This better be good or I'm killing you," I huffed as he jumped down and landed in front of me gracefully, my arms folded over my chest.

"Come, come, My Child," He bowed like Dracula, mocking Mr. Lincoln's species with ease, "Don't be such a fuss. I think you'll quite enjoy tonight."

"I will punch you," Mr. Lincoln called from the Cadillac, making Cast laugh as I started following him further into the Spooks, "I may be a Fang, but don't think I believe in all their methods. Sometimes violence can be the answer, it just depends upon the situation. I'm sure they'll understand a Mutt needs training."

"I'd like to see ya try, Old Timer. Rogues can't be trained, but I'm sure Fangs make great snacks," Castian narrowed his eyes, a playful snarl in the back of his throat. He backed up as he walked, drawing his focus back over to me as he pointed, "But, seriously, I think you're going to love this."

"I'd love to be back in bed, does that count?" I pouted as a male stepped towards us, he was wheeling a wire out from a house. The recognition of the house made my skin pale up, "Cast, no."

It was the same house with the tall man that had horns and wings. My hand involuntarily reached for my throat, my thoughts remembering how the burn marks formed. I had scars there that were in the shape of a hand. It took me weeks to stop having nightmares. I don't regret anything about that night, but I wished that part didn't happen.

"Lunar, yes," He grinned over at me, waving over to his friend, "Meet Aiden. Aiden is a good buddy of mine that has no hesitation in blowing shit up. He's very much agreed to piss things off tonight."

Aiden kind of looked like a more innocent version of Anthien. Both of them had dirty blonde hair, small cheekbones, and a slim-yet-fit build. Aiden's eyes were more of a hazel-pink color, sparkling under the lamps. He had a boyish smile, his bottom canines jutting over his top ones as Ozora's did. They seemed damaged, having steel fillers on the tops to keep them sharp. He wore stretchy jeans that stayed comfy during times of exercise, a short-sleeved shirt with a matching jean jacket, and worn-out sneakers. His shoes were all beat-up, you could tell he desperately needed a new pair, but I wouldn't doubt he had no money for that.

Though he looked similar to Anthien, he was the definition of a sweet guy. You could tell just by the way he perked up when Castian said his name. He acted like a puppy getting its name called by its owner, I'd have sworn he'd almost sauntered up like one. I believe he didn't because he's most likely aware of Mr. Lincoln, and knowing I'm with him.

"Only because you promised to help me get laid," Aiden chuckled, connecting the wire to a button in his hand as his voice drew my attention back to the world, "Now, I'm not exactly sure if this will be...safe. S-So --- uh --- in case this kills me, you may want to step back."

"Well, if it kills you how do I help you get laid?" Cast teased, "Looks like you'll just have to die a virgin, Pretty Boy."

"Fuck off and get ready to run," Aiden growled at him, I could tell he hated people being smartasses, "I'm not saving your ass."

"Why don't we make this more fun, huh?" Ozora pulled out a few grenades with the clips you have to hold onto, pulled the clip, and tossed it to Aiden, "Don't reach the timer. I'm not saving you!"

Distraught, Aiden dropped the button and caught the grenade, Castian getting me to laugh as he ran away dramatically. Aiden tossed the grenade at me, quickly catching the button and yelling, "Ozora --- Sweet Zulmat --- Are you trying to get us fucking killed?!"

Now I was panicked, tightly holding onto the grenade as Aiden clasped the button to his chest, Cast calling out, "Inaction breeds doubt and fear."

I calculated the distance as he kept backing up from us, backing up a few steps and getting ready to toss the grenade, Aiden muttering, "There is no damn way you're going to make that, Kid."

"You underestimate me," I chucked the grenade like I was throwing a baseball, watching Cast's face grow alarmed and then start cackling as he caught it in his hands, "Mathis and I took baseball together. I was the best pitcher on the team."

"Alright, time to push this button," As soon as I was far enough away and following Castian, Aiden pushed the button, my arms clasping over my head and my eyes bug-eyed as I looked back at him. He started coughing at the chunks of bricks, wood, and dust flying around, walking out of it as if he didn't just fucking blow up a bunch of houses like a small nuclear bomb, "Too much TNT, again."

He shook the soil and ash from his hair, then shook his body like a dog with wet fur, making sure to clean himself off. I couldn't help the laugh that slipped from my throat, "You look like a dork."

"Why, thank you," He confirmed, "I try."

"IN COMING!" We looked at Ozora, his dumbass tossing the grenade into the air and swinging at it with a wooden bat.

Goddess Elysium, we are going to fucking die. Doesn't he know how likely those are to blow up when you hit them? Why is this secretly fun, though, Subconscious?

I watched Aiden leap and catch it, releasing the breath he had been holding. It only seemed to lock right back up as he froze, his eyes glued passed us, and drawing me to look where he was staring. I stiffened and froze.

Behind Castian was a massive fucking spider thing, its attention drawn from the explosion. Without hesitation, he ducked under it and started chortling, "One down more to draw out! I need a bunch of these. Come on!"

He had no remorse as he took more grenades and used the bat to hit them around in different directions as I covered my face with my hands, "He's going to get us killed."

Aiden shook his head and nudged me as he handed over the grenade, "A good friend once told me, 'Don't fear death, fear a life unlived. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.'"

The moment was ruined as a spiked claw slammed between us, getting me to run as I dropped the grenade, "Fuck that, I choose life!"

Aiden squealed like a child, sprinting from the grenade. Seconds after dropping it, it exploded, and the giant spider thing blew up, and its guts flew, landing all over us. My body was wretched as I looked away. The smell was awful. My throat locked up as my stomach churned and flipped. Aiden rubbed my back in comfort as he saw my face shrivel up, "I don't blame you for feeling sick. I did the first few times, but you'll get used to it... Hopefully."

Cast leaped over us, dropping another grenade into Aiden's hands, "I wouldn't stand around. We got some players entering the arena. Come on."

***

Castian's POV

Climbing onto a dark red building, I ascended to the top, holding onto a pipe and dangling out as I watched over the Spooks. Aiden and Lunar were unsuspecting as they followed the cruel little pattern I had made.

I admired the circle I'd created, double-checking that some of the pikes and sheets of metal remained in patterns I'd set up hours prior. All the grenades I had thrown around really cornered everything beautifully, my voice singing as I breathed, "Marvelous."

Grasping the pipe with both hands, I snarled as I yanked on it as hard as I could, pulling it from the wall of the building and smashing it into the pavement. Splitting it in a certain way made the concrete crack in a direction, so I grabbed a few more spikes and did the same thing, forming a giant pentagram and watching the tattoos dance and sparkle on my arm, my muscles tensing as I smiled, "Just a few more."

"Hey, Pretty Little Thing, would you care to dance?" Rising back up the building, my eyes were glued upon a rusty spiked pipe that oozed black mass and mucus, punching into the wall and breaking it from the cement and bricks. Landing on the ground and in the center of the pentagram, I took the sharp edge of the pipe and carved little markings into my wrists and up the tattoo. I growled at the rust and mucus morphing into it all and mixing with the blood. My voice was a hum as I swayed and stared up at the stars, "I call for the assistance of Goddess Elysium and her husband, God Apollyon. I bleed for your order, for your power. My ankles are weak with Sloth. My stomach and intestines spill with Gluttony..."

"My lungs are punctured with Pride. My arms and arteries bleed with Envy...," I raised my arms to the moons, taking a deep inhale as I sliced the pentagram tattoo on my chest, "My heart is shot with Wrath. My phallus is sliced with Lust..."

With closed eyes, I felt the wind rise and twirl with magic. My Aura brightened with the cracks in the stone, the song of the Gods singing within the breeze. Everything seemed to slow for me as my palm raised the pike. I began smashing the pipe repeatedly into my thigh, panting and dropping onto my knee as Aiden yelled from behind me, "Ozora, what the fuck are you doing?! Stop! Goddamnit, not again!!"

"And now...my throat sings the songs of Greed. Help me or Slay me. I grasp thy essence and devour it for I am no longer Thy student, but thy Master," I twisted the spike like a staff and brought it to my throat, cocking my head towards Aiden's direction. I couldn't fight the grin I had as I side-eyed him and Lunar, admiring the pulsed lights that shattered from the pentagram I was within. I winked at them as I slit my throat, "Seven."