//------------------------------// // The Abyss Part 5 // Story: A Hollow Tale // by DeathKing //------------------------------// Two large vessel clash with one another as a ring of smaller vessels formed them. As their nails grind against each other, the four horn vessel with a black cloak started to taunt the other vessel. "Is this all you can do, Val? Grind against your big sister. Such a pervert you are, little brother," giggled the black cloak vessel as she backs away from Val as he suddenly tried to grab her by her throat. "But that understandable, you are at that age after all." As she kept mocking him, the dark royal purple cloak vessel with one short horn on the left side of his head and a large one on the right with both horns facing inward calmly said, "Please, Umbra, as if I ever degrade myself by laying with you." "So you are willing to lay with your own siblings. For shame, Valiant, for shame," Umbra said as she leaps away from Valiant and started to walk along the edge of the ring of vessels surrounding them. "And here I thought you were suppose to be the Just and Honorable brother. Just when you thought you knew someone, but by the by, who's the lucky sib-WHOA!" yelled Umbra as Valiant lunged forward to impale her with his nail. Umbra quickly jumped over him and swing her nail at him, knocking him off-balance before kicking him to the ground. Valiant tried push himself up, but had to roll away instead when Umbra thrust her nail at him. She repeatedly did this until Valiant mange to get onto his feet again and went on the offensive, pushing Umbra back into a more defensive stance. "Your going so hard, brother. You must want to release so badly!" Umbra said in a sultry voice as Valiant tried to pound her into the ground. "I grow weary of your words, Umbra! Keep speaking about such things, and I see to it that you will never speak again!" Valiant said, finally snapping at his sister never ending taunts. "Ooh! I didn't you know were into that kind of play, Val," Umbra continue to mock him in her sultry voice. "But seeing how Fab acts most of the time, it all adds up!" "That's it!" roared Valiant as he tried to punch Umbra in her face. That was a mistake. Umbra ducked under the punch, dropping her nail in the process, and hit Valiant in the stomach with her elbow, stunning him. She then proceeded to grab Valiant by his horns and threw him into the ground before picking him back up again, by the horns, and throwing him out of the ring of vessels and into the closest wall. Dusting herself off, Umbra began speak to the vessels around her. "That my little siblings is what not to do if someone taunting, mocking or even insulting you and how to win a fight. Isn't that right, little brother?" Pulling himself free of the wall Val blankly said, "If words alone were all that are needed to stop ones foe than yes, but, life is rarely stop by mere words alone, Umbra." Huffing, Umbra glared at Valiant. "Oh please, Val. When have you ever won a fight against me? Hmm... None! Besides your just upset that you lost... again." Umbra said cheeky. "This is not about winning or losing. Words and deceits can only take you so far, Umbra. Rising my anger and testing my patience won't win you a true battle. Only assist," Valiant said coolly. "I thought you would had realized that after what happened last time." "Bite me! You off hor-Whoa!" Umbra yelled as she nearly fall to the floor as the cave that she and the other vessels were in began to shake and rumble for a few moments before suddenly stopping. Looking at each other, both Valiant and Umbra silently and quickly left the room they were in to investigate, leaving many of the younger vessels to pick themselves up. "Do you think it might be another cave-in?" Valiant asked Umbra as they moved through the many tunnels that they and many other vessels lived in. "Probably not," Umbra said as she turned down a side tunnel to check for any damage. "Since the last cave-in we reinforce the supports to prevent that from happening. Plus, we have more than enough room now, there's no need to risk a cave-in by digging for more." "Hmm... true. Then we should go and ask Nito what happen," Valiant said as he started to walk towards the cave main entrance. "Do we really have ask vision boy?" Umbra whined as she follows Valiant. "I mean everyone overlies on his sight already, instead of thinking for themselves!" "... True, but our other option is to explore aimlessly until we found the source of the quake ourselves," Valiant said as they enter a cave littered with stone craved faces. "And I rather found it sooner than rather suffer for it later." "Fine," Umbra groan. "But I swear, if he doesn't give us a straight answer. I crack his face!" "Duly noted," Valiant said dryly as he notices a large group of vessels gathering near the cave entrance. "It seems we weren't the only ones who choose to find Nito." "Yeah, real shocker there for ya," Umbra muttered as they push their way through the vessel mob and found Nito waiting at the cave main entrance. The three horn bush collar vessel just stood there silently staring at all the vessel before him like they weren't even there. When Valiant and Umbra walk out of the mob of vessels Nito said, "The White Dwarf has risen," before he turned around and walked out of the cave leaving many of the younger vessels confused and one older vessel screaming. "I'm cracking his face!" Sighing, Valiant slowly followed a screaming Umbra as she attempts to assault an uncaring Nito. "It's going to be an eventful day, isn't it?" he muttered while walking out on to the bridge where Valiant witnessed Umbra pulling her nail out swinging at Nito, only for him to easily sidestep it and grabbed Umbra by her wrist preventing further attacks. "...Done?" "Not on your life!" Umbra growled out as she struggled to pull her hand and nail free from Nito grasp. Shrugging at her response, Nito started walking again dragging a still struggling and cursing Umbra behind him and with Valiant walking behind her. "I take it that the White Dwarf was behind the quake from earlier?" Valiant asked. "... Yes." "And the glowing hole in the bridge?" Valiant said while eyeing said hole. "... Yes." "And the crater of burning corpses?" "... Yes." "I take it that the Dwarf is still down then?" "... Ye-" "Ahh! For all that is good can please say something beside 'Yes' already!" screamed Umbra as she continue to fail in her attempts to free herself. "... Yes." "I hate you!" Ignoring their sister screams, Nito and Valiant walked up to the edge of the bridge before looking down towards the pit of corpses, searching for any sign of the white dwarf whereabouts. "There," Valiant said while pointing just past the burning pit. "I see the light of a lantern down below." "... Good," said Nito as he jumps off the bridge with Valiant close behind him. Half-way down Nito let go of Umbra causing her crash headfirst into a pile of corpses. As Nito and Valiant landed, crushing the dead beneath their feet, they could also hear the muffled screams their sister. "I hate you!" "Was that necessary?" Valiant asked, while watching Umbra struggle to pull her head free of the corpses that it was buried in. Looking at Umbra struggling form all Nito said was, "... Yes," before walking towards the lantern light. *Sigh* "I'm surrounded by children," Valiant muttered while walking towards Umbra trying to pull her head free.