//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: The Crawling Dead // Story: Shy and Aggressive: Book 2 // by Johng117 //------------------------------// The faint call of animals was in the air, but they were haunting under the darkness of the gnarly trees. Kong led Angirasu, Junior and Rodan through the dark forest, vigilant as ever. They passed by the skeletal remains of a large creature. It looked to be that of a ground sloth, having been picked clean. The bones bore many bite marks that ran along its surface and some even bore deep puncture marks. "Daayum," said Rodan with an unnerved look. "I'd say it's safe to assume what killed this poor bastard," said Junior as he poked his club against the remains. "It's completely silent out here. We must be getting close," said Kong. "Oh good," said Rodan sarcastically. The fact that it was quiet didn't sit well. With the bones here and that statement implied that the creatures they pursued had pretty much eaten anything they could get their hands on out here. He dreaded the thought of them being next. The group continued on over across an incline of land, moving up to a hill that was coated with bushes. Kong motioned for them to follow as he crouched low. The boys followed along, crouching as well. They proceeded to stalk up the hill and began to crawl on their bellies, passing the dark bushes around them. Once they reached the end of the hill, they found themselves at a steep drop that led around ten feet down. There was a steep slope that led to the bottom, where the greater swamp lied. Ahead, they found the darkness to be illuminated by torches that lit a path and large, dark, twisted trees, standing tall. Wooden huts were built around the trees and on the ground below. They appeared old, having water damage. There was also moss and fungus growing off of the structures. As old as they looked, they were not abandoned, as clearly seen by the windows bearing lights from within, and the lanterns hanging outside. "Whoa. You think that..." Junior turned to Kong, who had a hard expression. "Take heed. There are people who perform abominable acts down there. Witches that dwell in this unholy forest to escape the kings from their land," said Kong. "Witches? You mean actual witches?" asked Rodan in shock. "You know, if you told me a year ago that I'd be friends with magic users and fight actual witches, I wouldn't have believed you," said Junior. "Someone's coming!" said Kong as he and the boys hid themselves under the leaves of the bushes. They found that a woman with a hood walked along the wooden deck that was over the swamp water. She turned as a horse towed along a large wooden cart, filled with contents obscured by a large dirty sheet that covered it. The woman made her way to one of the huts on the ground and began to knock. The mutants listened in, their heightened sense of hearing picking up the sounds. The door opened, where an elderly woman in a dark hood was revealed. "Ah. Rachel. So you've returned," said the elder, her voice rasped and harsh. "I have, Mother Ingrid. We should commence with the ritual soon," said the hooded younger woman. "I shall summon the others," said the elder, making her way over to a string that hung from the wall of her home. She began to tug at it, which began to ring bells that were dangling from the trees from all around this dark settlement. From the other huts, more and more women emerged. Some appeared young, with skin pale as though they had been deprived of sunlight. They were lovely women, but were clad in dark Gothic-like clothing. Other women that emerged were old, but they weren't like common old women. These elders looked sickly, carrying faded tattoos along their pruned up flesh. These were almost what the boys would expect out of a stereotypical witch with some different traits, though Ingrid appeared almost skeletal under that hood of hers. There were dozens of these witches, all gathering together in the center of their village where the cart stood. The elder made her way over to the cart and yanked off the sheet. Revealed under the sheet were corpses of men and women piled on top of each other. It was a horrible sight to behold, as some corpses bore ghastly wounds over their bodies. "Where have you come across these ones?" asked one of the witches. "From a destroyed village not too far from the jungle. Courtesy of her Highness," responded Rachel. Ingrid grumbled before spitting to the ground. "Set them down on the ground. The rest of you, prepare for the ritual," said Ingrid as she tapped her cane on the ground. "No..." Kong muttered to himself. The witches began to remove the corpses from the wagon and set them down onto the dirt. Some began to paint symbols around the pile of corpses, appearing as pentagrams and other mysterious runes. Candles were passed around to each witch, which was all lit up. One witch took drums and sat on the ground nearby. Ingrid arrived, carrying a glass bottle filled with a crimson fluid. As witches stood around the circle, carrying the candles, some began to chant in a foreign tongue. Some swayed in a hypnotic motion, while one witch banged on the drums in a slow manner. Ingrid began to speak in a foreign tongue as she held up the vial as she approached the corpses. Her eyes rolled back as she continued to chant. The candles seemed to glow brighter as the rest of the withes chanted alongside her. The drum beats grew more intense. Ingrid poured the red fluid over each corpse, making sure it made clear contact with their skin and wounds. "This is getting freaky," whispered Junior. He then noticed the roar of thunder. The mutants looked up, finding that the forest seemed to have gotten darker. As the witches chanted more intensely, the fluid began to seep into the flesh of the corpses. Wounds began to regenerate. Their eyes shot wide open, bloodshot. The bodies twitched and thrashed, giving inhuman gurgles. The mutants watched from the sidelines in horror as the bodies rose up, snarling like beasts. The witches ceased their ritual, as the corpses stood, all twitching, groaning and panting. Their eyes darted around, some even began to vomit to the ground. They sprouted sharp teeth that made their gums bleed. "Jesus fucking Christ," said Junior with wide eyes. "He had nothing to do with this," said Rodan, warily. "Another batch ready for her Majesty," said Ingrid. She turned to one of the other witches. "Take them to the others. And perhaps send them off to feed," said Ingrid. As a witch led the creatures away, the rest of the witches began to disperse. Rachel approached Ingrid. "See if you can procure any of the live prisoners that were taken. Malicia has enough slaves already," said Ingrid with a cackle. "What of the Iwi?" asked Rachel. "More trouble than they're worth. We lost too many Skull Walkers in just trying to capture more subjects to convert," said Ingrid. Kong furrowed his brows as he clenched his fists. "Just leave them be for now. Now that our tests have been a success, we can send them off to wherever she desires," said Ingrid as she and Rachel parted ways. The mutants heard a low trumpet-like sound in the air. It was too familiar. "Looks like we know where they came from," said Junior. "Those monsters. They did that to the Iwi that were taken," said Angirasu, clenching his fists. "Yeah, but now they don't plan on messing with the village anymore," said Rodan. "For now. They're still gonna turn them loose on anyone they want. We have to do something," said Angirasu. "How? We don't know how many of them are there or what these witches are capable of," said Junior. "Then it is times like these that the beast must attack," said Kong as he rose up. "What are you doing?" asked Junior. "Defending my home. Stay here, if you're cowardly,"" said Kong as he slid down the slope. Junior furrowed his brows in annoyance, while Angirasu slid down after Kong. "Cocky son of a bitch," said Junior as he slid down, followed by Rodan. Once the mutants reached down to the bottom, Kong began to make his way to a torch and yanked it from the post. "Let none escape! Burn the houses and kill any of the abominations that appear!" said Kong as he torched the vines and decaying wood that surrounded a hut. It quickly caught fire and began to spread. "Nothing like a good ol' fashion witch burning," said Junior with a grimace, hearing frantic cries from the hut. As Kong continued to drag the lit torch along every flammable surface that he could find. From the huts, the witches burst out. "Invaders!!" An old witch gave a shrill cry, pointing to the mutants. Kong threw the torch aside as he gave a war cry. He hurled his axe to the witch, who fell back with the weapon embedded into her chest. "Oh shit!" The boys exclaimed in shock. The witches began to shriek as they scattered. Kong rushed to the body of the one he killed and yanked out the axe. "I told you not to let them escape!" shouted Kong as he lunged for another witch. "This wasn't part of the plan!" said Rodan. Angirasu merely gave chase for one of the fleeing witches. "Stop right there!" shouted Angirasu. The witch suddenly turned, her hand glowing green. A bolt of magic shot from her palm and struck him in the chest. Aang fell over in pain as the magic burned him. It impacted him like a baseball that was pitched and struck him with five times the force. "Aang!" cried Rodan as he and Junior rushed over, but they found a couple more witches to be appearing, firing off bolts of magic from their hands. The boys took cover behind the cart that was left behind. Each bolt chipped away at the cart, while Angirasu struggled to stand. "Vile wretch!" The witch that had attacked him proceeded to draw out a magic tendril from her palm. She came from behind the teen and pulled the magic tendril against his neck, strangling Angirasu. Angirasu began to use his own strength as his adrenaline spiked in a desperate attempt to preserve his own life. He stood as the woman continued to strangle him. Angirasu suddenly jumped back and landed on the ground with the witch, crushing her under his own weight. Her hold loosened, allowing Angirasu to remove himself from her. Before she could retaliate, Angirasu quickly struck her in the jaw, knocking her out cold. "Sorry, miss," said Angirasu as he quickly got up, finding Junior and Rodan pinned down behind the cart. Meanwhile, Kong was giving chase to fleeing witches, his axe bloody. "Ah we're screwed! The only upside is that some of these witches are sexy!" cried Rodan, eyeing one of the women from cover. One wearing a tight dark dress, who nearly struck his head with a magic bolt. "Now's not the time, Rodan!" scolded Junior. Angirasu suddenly rushed from behind the witches. He rammed into the closest one, causing her to tumble to the ground. He then swung his club at the legs of another witch with the shaft, sweeping her off of her feet. This allowed Junior and Rodan to run away from cover, causing the witches in the area to become confused and disorderly. They couldn't focus on one target since they were attacked and now they had scattered. As Angirasu raced to another witch, he rammed into her and knocked her to the ground. The rest were fleeing. As the teens gave chase, they heard a loud shriek in the air. Above, they found several giant raven birds to be descending. Each raven bore a plume crest that stood tall, and bore long dark talons. They sported saddles and reigns, which allowed the fleeing witches to climb on the horse sized birds. Some of the ravens raced over, picking up those that were injured, leaving only those who were unfortunate to face Kong's wrath. "Damn!" cursed Angirasu as the witches flew off. There was a sudden call of a familiar trumpet, causing the boys to grow wary. "Well, shit," said Junior. Kong snarled as he watched as the remaining witches were carried off by the ravens, his shoulders bearing burns from their magic. He had just registered the trumpet in the air, prompting him to tighten his grip on his axe. "We make our stand here!" shouted Kong. Angirasu snarled as he dropped onto all fours, beginning to change form. Junior and Rodan stepped back, while Kong changed as well. Junior grimaced as he heard the distant howls of the abominations, dubbed 'Skull-walkers'. Junior winced as he attempted to change, but hesitated. He kept recalling the past experience of changing form and having a lack of control. He tightened the hold on his club as be saw the shadows of dozens of humanoids rushing through the forest. The morning sun was hanging higher over Elsinore. Lord Salem was reading through piles of parchment. He had an analytical look as he sat in the dining room, his wife at one end of the table. Twilight and the gang were seated, awaiting Salem's thoughts. "You think he likes it?" whispered Pinkie. "Hush for now," whispered Applejack Salem hummed as his eyes continued to scan the parchment. "I must say, this is an intriguing pitch," said Salem. "We would've gone for a full blown script, but we thought we'd give you an idea of what we'd like to put together," yawned Twilight, rubbing her eyes. If she had begun to put a script together, she wouldn't have gotten any sleep. "Well we can handle that once we run this with the theater. With your creative control and ironing out of this project, this may prove to be a stupendous show," said Salem with a nod. "So when do we start?" asked Rainbow. "Right after breakfast. We'll run down to the theater house, and recruit any talent that may contribute to assets. From set, costumes..." Salem began to stack the parchments, while Rarity smiled brightly. "I might know someone who can help with costume design," said Rarity. The group began to converse, adding on for the plans of this production. Twilight was looking forward to be able to share the tale that she and her friends had. There was silence. The huts of the dark forest were charred and smoking. Remnants of ember stuck to the wood, softly glowing in the darkness. The bodies of the now dead Skull-walkers lied. Either crushed or mangled. They were piled over each other, as though they were dolls left scattered. Junior panted as he held his club tightly. It was soaked in blood from the horde that had attacked prior. His clothes were torn from the pants and to the shirt. Scratches and bite marks were left along his skin. Rodan was on the ground, vomiting on the ground. "Oh God!" coughed Rodan, his nerves rattled. Angirasu and Kong scanned the area, still in their beast forms. There was no sign of life, Kong grunted before stomping off to where they had come from. Angirasu followed. "You good?" asked Junior as he patted Rodan's back. "No! Ugh!" Rodan retched but was unable to vomit, from his stomach being empty. "Come on buddy, we gotta go," said Junior. Later that morning, the group had returned to the Iwi village. Kong stood on the wall, gazing out to the forest beyond. His eyes firm and his muscles relaxed. This was the most relaxed he's been in a while. "You haven't told us what happened." Kong turned to find Ann climbing up the ladder. He held out his hand, prompting a smile out of her as she took it. "I thought the boys would tell you," said Kong. "Well, I rather hear it from you yourself," said Ann as she was helped onto the platform. Kong merely turned his sights back to the horizon. "We found the origins of the abominations. In the dark forest, there was a tribe of witches hiding. They were responsible for creating them from the dead," said Kong. "The dead?" asked Ann incredulously. "As I said, you may ask the boys," said Kong, glancing back at the woman. Ann smiled in amusement. "I honestly might not have believed it, unless you told me." Ann stood at Kong's side, sharing the view of the horizon. "So... What did you do?" asked Ann, a bit hesitant. Kong said nothing. The woman didn't have to think too hard. "Did the boys..." "No. It was just me. Besides, the rest had fled, leaving us to destroy their abominations. Hmph. Skull-Walkers. If only I was able to learn how they managed such a ritual." Kong furrowed his brows. He knew that the name was not only on the nose, but also a giveaway to the nature of the monsters. They were somehow linked to those damned serpents. "So what now?" asked Ann. "Now we move on. Their creations are destroyed, and they have been chased farther away from our land. We can rest easier now," said Kong. Ann nodded. "If you say so," said Ann, glancing at Kong. She watched as he continued to stare off, his hair blowing in the wind. Ann lightly flushed as she looked on ahead. Meanwhile, Rodan and Junior were seated at their camp site. Each were getting their wounds treated. Fluttershy cleaned Junior's bite marks and scratches, while Sunset did the same for Rodan. "You sure have a habit of getting into the thick of trouble," sighed Mosura. "Well, what can I say? I'm an adrenaline seeker," said Junior sarcastically. "No, but I'm sure Aang is," said Rodan. He winced and hissed in pain. "Sorry about that," said Sunset as she dabbed a wet cloth on Rodan's back. "I hope those things didn't give me a flesh eating bacteria," said Rodan. "You might become one when they bite you," said Junior with a smirk. "Don't even joke like that," said Rodan in dismay. "So what happened?" asked Adagio. "Turns out witches are real and were responsible for the fucking things," said Junior as Fluttershy wrapped a cloth around his forearm. "They did some kind of voodoo ritual or something and reanimated corpses." "Oh God," said Sunset with an unnerved look. "When Kong found out that they made the Iwi they captured into those things, he went ape shit," said Junior. "Really?" deadpanned Aria. "It's a figure of speech, not a pun," said Junior with a sigh. "The witches got away. But we might have killed all of the Skull-Walkers that they made," said Rodan. "More like Aang and Kong did. We were trying not to get killed," said Junior. "Dude, you won't even let me be cool in front of the girls!" complained Rodan, much to the amusement of the girls. "Well, I think you're cool since you survived," said Sunset reassuringly. "Thanks, I guess," pouted Rodan. He noticed Angirasu to be walking over, with Dwan trailing after him. "And look who's relatively unscathed," said Rodan. Angirasu smirked. "Hey, it's not my fault that you two suck at transforming at will," said Angirasu teasingly. "Yeah, yeah." Junior rolled his eyes. He winced as he stood. "So, what's the plan?" asked Junior. "What's that?" asked Angirasu in confusion. "The plan. Those witches got away. Aren't we gonna go after them?" asked Junior. "Why would you do that?" asked Sunset incredulously. "Because they're the ones making those things! Who knows how long it'll take until-" "That won't happen." The teens turned their heads, finding Kong arriving with Ann. A calm, neutral look was on the man's face. Junior furrowed his brows. "What are you, an idiot?" asked Junior. Angirasu glared at him, while the teens winced. Kong didn't so much as flinch. "We just burned their settlement down and took out their creatures. Why wouldn't we assume that they'd be back for revenge?" questioned Junior. "Because we've demonstrated the forces that they have trifled with. They'd be fools to invoke my wrath again," said Kong. "OK, well what about, 'Her Majesty?' Someone named Malicia is backing them. Someone that's obviously royalty and had a plan for those things. Shouldn't that be cause for concern?" asked Junior. "Royalty? You never mentioned anything about that," said Ann, turning to Kong. "It didn't matter," said Kong. "Are you kidding? We just screwed with servants of the crown that were creating killing machines! In fact, I bet this 'Malicia' is that Empress that the Prince was talking about!" said Junior. "You could be right," said Angirasu, his eyes growing wide. "We messed up. We messed up big time," said Rodan in alarm. "Yeah! All the more reason to find and catch them!" said Junior. "There is no possible way for that. You saw those ravens. We have no chance of finding them," said Kong. "Another thing. Even if they do inform their empress, she will not dare to retaliate." "You don't know that!" said Junior. Kong merely narrowed his eyes. He gestured to beyond the walls. "These jungles are vast and treacherous. Soldiers risk death traveling here. She would be unwise to send an army here just to destroy a single tribe that keeps to itself. Especially if she wishes to win her wars," said Kong. Junior merely furrowed his brows. While he hated to admit it, Kong had a point. It was almost impossible to navigate through this jungle, given its size, and the dangerous creatures that lurked. "Still, they could be out there making more of those things," said Junior. "They're away from my territory. Therefore, not my concern. Even if we did find them, what would you do?" asked Kong. "What do you mean?" asked Junior. "Would you be willing to do what is necessary?" asked Kong, his tone low. Junior didn't have to ask what Kong meant. "I-I mean..." Junior briefly glanced away. Kong scoffed. "Actions speak louder than words," said Kong as he turned to walk off. "No one pursues the witches." Junior merely gave a defeated sigh. He hoped that they'd find the rest of their friends soon. He wouldn't want to be here should trouble brew. Sunset lied down, sleeping soundly. She winced as she began to toss and turn, muttering to herself. She began to sweat, her wincing growing. It was cold. Sunset found herself standing in the middle of barren wasteland. She shivered as she felt the chills from the air. Sunset looked around, finding no sign of life. Be it flora or fauna. But, she heard the distant cry of haunting animal calls. Sunset gulped as she began to cautiously walk back, her eyes scanning the area. She found dead trees to be littered across this wasteland. The wind howled, blowing through Sunset's hair. She gasped as a cloud of sand came rushing towards her. The girl began to flee from the approaching cloud, which crackled with thunder. Everything the storm touched was buried in more sand. The stones and dead trees were all consumed. Sunset cried out as the sand storm enveloped her. She shielded her face as the sand beat against her clothes and skin. When she thought she was doomed, the winds stopped. The sand fell from her body and the air cleared. Sunset looked around, confused. But everything was still buried. The gloomy grey atmosphere had Sunset's stomach in knots. But then she noticed something in the distance. Just miles away, among the dead decaying land, there was the faint sight of a grand structure that stood tall. The top had a spire. Smaller but also grand structures surrounded the tallest. Suddenly, Sunset felt her ankle grabbed. She screamed in fright as a hand had grabbed her, attempting to pull her under. The girl began to pull back, pulling along the one that held onto her. As she freed herself, Sunset gasped as the arm thrashed, reaching out for her. It was calling to her for her help. While frightened, Sunset couldn't stand watch. She got on her knees and began to pull on the arm. Something in her told her that it specifically wanted her help. Sunset strained as she pulled with all of her might. The sand began to pull her in as well. Sunset didn't give in. She instead pulled harder, mustering all the strength that she could. From the sand, a head and shoulders emerged, coughing. "Gojira!" Sunset cried in alarm. The person that was trapped was Junior. He was wheezing as the sand attempted to pull him back under. Sunset whimpered as she scrambled to pull him out. From the sand, a large spider emerged. A hiss was in the air as its long legs carried it over the sand. "Get back!" Sunset removed a hand from Junior and fired a bolt of fire. The spider recoiled and raised its front legs. It bared its fangs, dripping venom to the sand. She fired another shot at the spider again but missed. The arachnid raised its legs high, which caused the earth to rumbled. Sunset gasped as she looked around, finding that the earth was shaking more. Sunset heard a sudden scream. She turned to find Twilight before her on the ground, with the sleek and dark spider clinging to her. Sunset was about to rush to help Twilight, found more spiders to be rising out of the sand. Sunset stumbled back with a whimper. These spiders seemed to glisten, despite the grey atmosphere. Their carapace appeared harder and had smaller bodies, compared to the spider that had turned its attention to Twilight. That arachnid was bigger and had a round bulbous abdomen, with neon green marks. It reminded her of a black widow. These spiders before her must have been some kind of males. Sunset screamed as the smaller spiders lunged for her, digging the barbs at the tips of their legs into her flesh. Sunset cried out in pain as they pricked her arms and legs. One was climbing over her belly, clicking its fangs as it locked its dark orbed eyes with her own. Sunset screamed as she attempted to move, but couldn't. Twilight was screaming as well, as the female spider was about to sink its fangs into her. Suddenly, Junior gave an enraged cry as he began to thrash. He burst from the pit that he was in, stumbling over to Sunset. He kicked away the spider on her chest. Then he began to grab and throw the remaining spiders onto the ground, stomping them into paste. Sunset whimpered as she got up, clutching her stinging wounds. Junior then rushed to Twilight and grabbed the remaining spider by its leg, which snapped off. The spider then turned on the boy, lunging for his arm and bit him. "No!" Twilight and Sunset screamed. Junior cried out in agony as his arm swelled up. Sunset rushed over to the two but stopped as another quake came. From the earth, more and more spiders began to rise. The female scurried away behind the males, who raised their legs and bared their fangs, ready to give their lives for this one female. "Gojira!" cried Sunset. Junior began to gurgle as he foamed at the mouth. His eyes were blood shot as his face grew red with rage. It was though he had gone rabid. Sunset and Twilight looked on in horror as the boy ran to the spiders, smashing any in his path. The spiders scurried, slashing their legs at him. They even began to bite him. Still, Junior was still undeterred, waging his war with these arachnids. Sunset hated seeing this. It was irrational and frightening. There was no way that Junior was going to kill all of these things. He himself was just going to die. "Gojira, stop!" cried Sunset as she rushed to the boy. He suddenly turned and slashed his claws at her. Sunset cried out as fell back, feeling the sting of her arms being clawed. She gasped as the boy had turned his attention on her, his mouth full of sharp teeth. He stalked towards her, his limbs having swelled. His clothes began to disintegrate as he approached. Under his clothes, Sunset stared in horror as he began to decay before her very eyes. His limbs went from red to purple. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!" Twilight screamed as she dropped to her knees. Junior suddenly collapsed onto the ground. Sunset whimpered as she stared, unable to process everything that was happening. All she could focus on was Junior's veins growing dark. No longer was rage in his eyes as he looked into her own. He appeared to be in terrible pain. Not just physically. Sunset could feel the desperation and fear in his soul. The spiders all began to approach the boy, as he weakly reached for Sunset. The girl just stared, unable to move. "Save me." Junior whispered. Sunset suddenly lunged for Junior's hand and gripped it tightly, just as the spiders began to eyes went cold as the spider began to drag him under the sand. Sunset felt herself being pulled along as well. Twilight grabbed on to her waist as she attempted to keep them up, but Junior began to decay further. His hand snapped off. Sunset cried out in horror as it turned to ash in her hands. The two attempted to dig him out, but Junior was nowhere to be seen. He was gone. Twilight clutched her head, screaming to the top of her lungs as tears streamed down her face. Sunset began to bang her fist into the sand, cursing to the top of her lungs. "No! No!!" Sunset screamed. The earth began to quake again. From around the structures in the distance, massive spider-like legs began to rise, dwarfing even the tallest structure in the center. Sunset suddenly gasped sharply, her bloodshot eyes revealed from her lids. The girl's heart thumped in her chest, as her eyes darted around. She found Mosura and Fluttershy to be fast asleep in their spots in the hut. The red headed teen began to quietly move from her place, peeking through the covering of the hut. It was still dark outside, with only the stars and moon being the light sources. Sunset found Junior and Rodan to be sleeping in their respective sleeping bags, not too far from the hut. Sunset made her way over, her bare feet feeling the cold grass and dirt. She knelt next to Junior, a grimace on her face as she recalled her nightmare. She's been having it these last few nights now. But every dream had something new. First it was one spider, and then it was multiple. The quakes and Twilight were the latest differences. But the most consistent detail in every dream was that Junior was in it. Every time, he succumbed a gruesome fate. The nightmare felt similar to the one she had before, with all of her friends being corrupted by their own power, and the mutants wreaking havoc. She was convinced it was some kind of vision of a potential future. What happened with Sonata and Adagio was evidence of that. Amber never mentioned herself or Twilight having the ability to have premonitions. But if it was true, then she dreaded the meaning of this reoccurring nightmare. It came and went, like it was repeatedly warning her of a future she didn't know. At first she thought it was death. But now, she thought it was a sign of something more foreboding. Alternatively, Sunset thought she might have developed a phobia of spiders after one lunged on Junior's face, but she had to be sure. Taking a calming breath, Sunset gently brushed a hand over Junior's head. She sharply gasped as her eyes flashed white. "Why?" A familiar voice whispered. Junior spoke, yet he was sleeping. She heard the inner thoughts from his heart, felt the confusion and sadness. "Why am I gonna lose another?" The voice whispered. Sunset retracted her hand, blinking. She deeply frowned as she looked to her friend's sleeping face. She stood and began to walk off. She held her arm as she reflected on the feelings she sensed. It seemed that these days were becoming more stressful. Sunset stopped as she noticed Angirasu sitting outside of his personal hut, gazing up to the night sky. "Aang?" Sunset called in surprise. The mutant looked her way. "Oh. Good evening, Sunset," said Angirasu as the girl approached. "What are you doing up?" asked Sunset. "I don't know. Lately I've just been waking up around this time. So I've just been waiting for the sunrise," said Angirasu. He chuckled sheepishly. "Though I never know what time I actually wake up." "Heh. I'd tell you, but my phone died days ago," said Sunset. The two shared a chuckle. Sunset took a seat next to the boy, looking out to the evening sky. "What brings you here?" asked Angirasu. "Nightmare. I don't feel like going back to sleep," answered Sunset. Angirasu nodded in understanding. "Must've been scary," said Angirasu. Sunset frowned. "It was..." The two were briefly silent. Sunset glanced at the boy. "So... you're serious about staying in this world?" asked Sunset. "Of course. I've never felt so alive. Being here has allowed me to be myself," said Angirasu. "Yourself?" "Yeah. I don't have to be ashamed of what and who I am. Not only that, I can finally explore who I am. My mom always kept me on a tight leash. I couldn't rough house, I couldn't explore my surroundings. Here, I get to do that and more." Angirasu spoke with a growing smile. He looked like he had a heavy weight lifted off of his shoulders. "I think it's thanks to Kong, I have the confidence to take on whatever this world has to offer." "I guess I understand..." said Sunset. It pained her to hear that this boy, who seemed to rarely get brought down by life, felt that he had to hide more than his mutantism. "I just wished Gojira would. I mean, he always said that he wanted to be away. I thought he'd understand," said Angirasu, a frown growing. "Don't hold it against him. I mean, you have to look from his point of view. We already lost a few friends. The last thing he wants is to lose another," said Sunset. Angirasu sighed. "The feeling is mutual. I guess I can't blame him. He at least still has a life ahead of him in our world," said Angirasu. He looked to Sunset, his expression soft. "Sunset, do you really think there's a way back?" asked Angirasu. "If there's a way in, there's a way out. That's what I hope, at least," said Sunset. Her frown grew as she brought her knees close to herself. "But if we're really stuck here, I at least want us all together. You know?" Sunset muttered, growing a bit teary eyed. "We will be. I promise," said Angirasu. "In fact, I'll even work with Goji on finding the others." Sunset softly smiled at the boy. She began to scoot close to Angirasu and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Do you mind?" asked Sunset softly. "Not at all." Angirasu smiled as the girl began to relax. Her breathing soft and her eyes fluttering closed. She now felt peace of mind, as sleep began to take her. Elsinore... Today was quite busy. Twilight was reading through a refined script that was properly printed. She bore a satisfied smile as she looked to Lord Salem with a nod. The two found that there were several people that were standing in a room before a man dressed in formal attire. He analyzed them as each subject stood on stage, auditioning for the roles. He looked to Pinkie, who began to hold up paper cutouts of colored hair styles that resembled her friends. She held them up over each auditioning actor, imagining them in these roles. A smile grew on her face. It was surprising how fast casting had started, especially refining the script. But even still, Twilight wanted the script looked over one more time before everything was rehearsed. Meanwhile, Rarity was showing off sketches of costume designs that she had. The 'producers', or at least the equivalent of, were inspecting the designs with interest. In another room, Applejack found herself with carpenters. She showed them sketch designs for props and scenes. Eventually, they began to get to work, putting together the quickest props that could be assembled. Such as desks that reflected those from Ponyville High. Twilight shook hands with the 'Director' of this production. She was looking forward to its progress. Later that afternoon, the girls were all back in their room at the House of Salem. Rarity was sewing up a dress, while Applejack lied down on a sofa. Rainbow was lying down on a bed, while Pinkie was sitting next to Twilight as she went over a to-do list. "Hmm. Maybe we were a bit too rash to accept this quest," said Twilight. "Hmm?" asked Rainbow. "Well, putting something like this together could take weeks if not months. Maybe we should've just declined so we could find our friends," said Twilight. "Yeah, but where would we even begin? That jungle was a total deathtrap," said Rainbow. "But that does mean that we'll be in this world a lot longer than we would've liked. Especially away from the others," said Rarity, ceasing her sewing. The mood had suddenly grown gloomy. The girls were silent as they pondered. "What if..." Rainbow spoke up. Everyone had their attention on her. "What if I went out to look for them? I mean, I am pretty fast. If I get into a jam, I could get away lickity split," said Rainbow. "What if you get lost?" asked Twilight. "Then I'll just run around until I find my way. Twi, we'll never find them at this rate. Leave it to me and we can at least let each other know that we're OK," said Rainbow. She then shrugged. "I mean, I got nothing better to do. You guys are doing all of the work for the theater," said Rainbow. Twilight sighed in reluctance. "Well, I'll have some peace knowing that our friends are still out there. OK. Let's tell Salem," said Twilight. Later, the gang found themselves standing in an office-like room. Salem sat at his desk, a look of shock and alarm on his face. "You what?!" exclaimed Salem. Twilight bore a hesitant look. She was beginning to worry about this. "W-We just feel that the more time we spend here, the more worried our friends are. We intend to keep our end of the deal. We just want Rainbow to try and handle our primary objective," said Twilight, holding out a map. "Of course, but that region is a dangerous place! Besides, you inspire the Sacramentonians!" said Salem. "Yeah, I'm flattered and all, but never we intended to stick around. We agreed to do some 'chores' for a place to rest and plan to find our friends. I'll come back. I just need to try and find them," said Rainbow. Salem sighed as he rubbed his brows. "Very well. I will help you," said Salem as he stood and took the map. He spread it out and motioned for the girls to come closer. He began to take a quill and marked it. "These are the closest settlements near that region. And these are the Dogomite territories. Stay clear of them," said Salem. "Your friends might have stumbled onto one of these settlements or kingdoms." "What if they aren't there?" asked Pinkie. "Then they are either dead or they stumbled onto Dogomite territory, or they're here," said Salem as he pointed to a mountain depicted on the map in "The Roaring Jungle". "Hey, I think that mountain was where we were originally headed," said Twilight. "If so, then they more than likely came here. Though I fear for their fate," said Salem. "Why is that?" asked Rarity worriedly. "That is home to a savage tribe of natives, ruled by a Demi-Titan," said Salem warily. Rarity perked as she heard this. She heard of Titans, but not 'Demi-Titans'. "Really?" asked Rarity. "The hell is a Demi-Titan?" asked Rainbow. "It's been claimed that he is one, though I have not seen him before myself," said Salem. Rainbow grew annoyed as she was ignored. "Regardless, they may be with them. Possibly in danger," said Salem. Rainbow furrowed her brows. "Then say no more! Danger is my middle name! I'll find them. Even if I have to kick ass and take names!" said Rainbow as she took the map and began to spark. "Dash, wait!" exclaimed Twilight. Rainbow suddenly ran off, whizzing out the door and down the hall. Only he sound of the wind was heard. "Ugh. I hope she at least remembers to pack food," said Twilight with a grimace. She hoped that wherever her friends were, they were safe. It was sunset. Junior was looking through a map with Angirasu and Rodan. The three were studying the map intensely, as Ann and Dwan hovered over their shoulders. "OK, so I was thinking we could try to make our way to one of the closer settlements instead of traveling all the way to Elsinore," said Junior as he began to draw red marker on the map. "Why not just go all of the way?" asked Rodan. "That would take a few a days. I rather not be too far from the rest of our friends here for that long," said Junior. "We could always bring them along," said Angirasu. Junior grimaced. "I don't know," said Junior. "Look, we're less likely to get separated again if we're together. We at least know where the other is at all times," said Angirasu. "I guess you're right," said Junior. "OK, so why are we not going all the way there if we're just gonna bring everyone along?" asked Rodan in annoyance. "Oh right. Well, I was hoping that we could find whoever is in charge of the settlements and ask them to contact those at Elsinore for us. We can't risk a long journey in a world we don't know, especially in the middle of a war. We meet with someone with authority, we request a message to be sent, we head back and wait for a reply, and we come back to the town in a couple days," said Junior. "Or we could just stay in town for a couple days instead of going back and forth," deadpanned Rodan. "Rodan, unless you have money, then we're going to have to sleep out in the cold," said Junior in annoyance. "Bro, I'm just saying," said Rodan with a shrug. "Kong will let us back in when we return, right?" asked Junior, looking to Ann. "Unless you did something to prompt him not to, I don't see why not," answered Ann. "That's fine, I'll go with them to make sure he does," said Dwan. "Fuck no," said Junior bluntly. Dwan scoffed in offense. "Why not?" asked Dwan. "For one, I don't want you picking a fight with Adagio during the whole trip. I already have to make sure she gets along with Mosura and Sunset. I'm not adding a third to that list. Besides, you just want to get close to Aang," said Junior. "Is that so wrong?" asked Dwan. "Look, I'm totally useful! I'm a hell of a shot with a bow and arrow! I also know how to be persuasive!" said Dwan. Junior and Ann grimaced, while Rodan blushed as his imagination ran wild. "If you want to join us, then why not?" shrugged Angirasu. Junior sighed in dismay. "Thank you, Nice Aang~!" said Dwan sweetly. "I'm gonna go get packed! I'll let the others know too if they want to come!" Dwan sauntered out of the hut. Junior looked to Angirasu with a deadpanned look. "What?" asked Angirasu. "Aang, be honest with me good buddy. Are you fucking her?" asked Junior. Angirasu gave a confused and offended look. "No!" said Angirasu. "I don't know, dude. You seem too lenient with her," said Rodan with an unconvinced look. "Anyway! We should get ready! After all, we have a long journey ahead of us," said Angirasu as he stormed off. Junior and Rodan snickered as they glanced at each other. "Real mature, boys," deadpanned Ann. "Yeah, we're dicks. Come on, Ro," said Junior as he began to roll up the map. As the two left the hut, they began to prepare for the journey. From gathering supplies necessary, as well as setting up an inventory. Junior took the basket that was weaved by Rarity and began to look through it. He dug through the contents, finding some snacks that he had yet to eat, and a water bottle. He also took notice of a soda can. He forgot that he had this. This was from the soda that Pinkie had given him. He never drank it, wanting to save it. Junior's expression softened. "Hang on, Pinks," said Junior to himself. "Goji?" Sunset called. Junior turned and greeted her with a smile. "Hey, I was actually hoping to talk to you," said Junior. "Yeah, Aang mentioned that you had something you wanted to tell everyone. What's up?" asked Sunset. "Well, we're planning on venturing outside of the jungle to one of the settlements. Hopefully we can find a head of one of the towns who can contact someone in Elsinore. If our friends are there, then they'll know we're alright," said Junior. "Just you and Aang?" asked Sunset worriedly. "Well, it was just gonna be me and the guys. But Aang convinced me on giving the rest of you the option to join us," said Junior. Sunset smiled in relief. "Hey, tough guy. Even if you told me I couldn't come along, I'd still join you," said Sunset teasingly. "And I probably would've said whatever and let you come," said Junior, amused. Sunset softly chuckled. It was nice to banter with him. It was certainly a step up from the nightmares she's been having. She then gasped. "Oh my God, look out!" exclaimed Sunset, before yanking the basket away. "Hey! What-" Junior went slack jawed as Sunset threw the basket a few feet away. Junior just pointed to the basket as he looked at her incredulously. "What the hell was that?" asked Junior. "Sorry. There was a spider on your basket," said Sunset with a sigh of relief. "OK. Was it just a regular small spider or a big one, like the one that was humping my face?" asked Junior. Sunset stood silently, her cheeks growing crimson. "You know... Funny thing about that..." Sunset cleared her throat. She then began to run off. "I'll go get your basket." "Geez Louise," said Junior, scratching his head in confusion. Sunset scolded herself from reacting as she did. She thought that she might have developed some sort of fear of spiders after her dreams, at least for Junior's sake. She hoped that she wouldn't be this jumpy during the trip. It was the next morning. Junior stood at the gates of the Iwi village. It began to rise. The boy looked to his sides, finding those who had taken to join him on his journey. Angirasu Riku, Rodan Shou, Mosura Yasu, Sunset Shimmer, Adagio Dazzle, and Dwan. The rest of the Dazzlings, Fluttershy and Ann stood by the sidelines, as did the Iwi and Kong. "You kids be careful. Alright?" said Ann worriedly. "Don't worry, Ann. Big sis will watch the kids," said Dwan teasingly as she wrapped her arms around Junior and Angirasu's shoulders. "Someone call the FBI," muttered Junior. "Good luck on your journey. I hope it will prove fruitful," said Kong. "Just don't lock us out when we come back," chuckled Rodan. "Now, are the rest of you sure you don't want to come?" asked Junior. "I'll be waiting here. Besides, someone has to make sure that Jira is behaved," said Fluttershy. "Oh right. Forgot about that thing," said Junior with a grimace. "We're good. Just don't do anything to crazy," said Aria. "Alright, let's go," said Junior as he began to lead on. Angirasu turned to the Iwi, who bowed their heads to him. He smiled before bowing back. The group began to leave the village, with the gates closing behind them. "So, you guys wanna sing a song?" asked Dwan, looking to Adagio mischievously. "Uh..." Adagio noticed Mosura glaring daggers at her, prompting the pop star to sweat beads. "Dwan, what did I say last night?" asked Junior as he glared at her. Dwan sighed in annoyance. "OK, dad!" said Dwan. "I have a feeling that this will be a long trip," said Rodan. As Rodan said, time had passed by. It was almost noon and it seemed that the group still had a long way to go before reaching the end of the jungle. During this trip, conversations went on to help pass the time. "So yeah. That's how it went down. Adagio left, and I landed the role of the sexy daughter in Bloody Jungle," said Dwan. "Aang, wasn't the movie rated R? How the hell did you ever see it?" asked Junior. "I'm still wondering that myself. I can't believe it didn't get an X-rating with the stuff I saw," shuddered Angirasu. "Was it really that bad?" asked Mosura. "Oh yeah. A guy eating another guy's shaft, gratuitous sex scenes, girl on girl action" said Angirasu. "And above all. Plant Hentai." "Yet you stayed the whole time?" asked Sunset with an odd look. "Shaft?" Rodan cocked his head. "Sunset, it's one of those things that's so bad that you want to look away, but you can't. Like it's so terrible that you have to keep watching just to see if it could get worse just out of morbid curiosity," said Angirasu. "The movie sounds like it sucks," said Junior. "Hey!" Dwan exclaimed in offense. "I mean it could've been better," said Angirasu sheepishly. Dwan sighed. "No, he's right. The movie did suck. I'm pretty sure they wrote that girl on girl stuff specifically with Adagio in mind for the role," said Dwan. "Why do you say that?" asked Adagio. "Because no way I'd knowingly star in a film if I have to get with another chick. I want a hot dude, not a broad," said Dwan. "Picky," scoffed Adagio. "Can we change the subject?" asked Mosura. "Hey, who wants to see some penetration?" asked Dwan. "Dwan," Junior sighed. He suddenly notice the girl draw out her bow and fired an arrow up to a tree. A squirrel-like rodent suddenly dropped down to the ground, with an arrow impaled through it. "We're having some nice meat today!" said Dwan, running to the kill. "Impressive!" said Angirasu in amazement. "You went that far to make a dick joke?" deadpanned Sunset. "What? I just want some meat," said Dwan with a shrug. "That's what she said," said Rodan with a chuckle. "Don't you start too," said Junior with a glare. "Look! I think we're almost at the end of the jungle!" said Adagio. "Alright, let's pick up the pace!" said Junior. The teens began to jog the rest of the way. Once they passed the trees and bushes, they came across a view of the vast lush green land. The sun hung high, enveloping the land in its warmth. "Wow," said Adagio breathlessly. She had never been out of the jungle before. Seeing the hills and green fields was a welcome change of sight. Being a city girl, Adagio had never seen land this wide in space and this natural. Junior did a brief scan of the map he had. The closest settlement wasn't too far from here. "Let's go," said Junior. Elsinore... It was the late afternoon. While Applejack was assisting with constructing the sets, and with Rarity leading costume design, Twilight and Pinkie were overseeing the rehearsals. The cast has already been set. It was rather quick how the roles were settled and how things were going into production. Much more quick than Twilight had expected. "I can't believe we're already this far," said Twilight in surprise. "They are professionals, my dear. Theater is their life. Besides, your script tells quite a short story," said Salem, as he watched the rehearsals. He turned to her in curiosity. "Would you mind telling me more of your homeland?" asked Salem. "Well, it's a lot different compared to yours. We don't have 'dragons' running around, nor kings and queens," said Twilight. "We also use cars to get around. No one really uses horses anymore unless they're out from the country or something. Or Amish," said Pinkie. "Caaars?" Salem inquisitively asked, attempting to get the pronunciation correct. "Think of them as metal carriages that use an engine for locomotion," explained Twilight. Salem hummed to himself in thought. While he pondered, Twilight looked back to the rehearsal. She found a young woman to be on stage, acting out a scene among five other girls. Each performer wore colored wigs that was meant to reflect the Main 6 themselves. "How wonderful! To think I scoffed at the word, 'friendship' for all of these years! It is thanks to you all that I see things through a new lens!" the actress spoke, conveying a joyful tone. As Twilight watched, a sense of nostalgia grew on her face. It was evening. Junior and the gang had stopped at around the twilight. The teens started to set up sleeping bags, as a fire pit was constructed in the center. They still had a long way to go before reaching their destination. For now, they had to rest. As the fire was set, Dwan unfurled her sleeping bag. "Hey, nice Aang~. Wanna bunk with me tonight? I hope you don't mind. I kinda toss and turn," said Dwan with a seductive smile. "No thanks. I have my own sleeping bag," said Angirasu with a smile. Dwan slumped her shoulders at the boy's response. "Oh." Dwan didn't know whether he was actually oblivious or if he was just hiding embarrassment through being polite. Either way, her seduction failed. "No one's bunking with anyone," said Junior in annoyance. He then sighed. "OK, you know what? We're setting up sleeping arrangements. No one shares a sleeping bag. I don't care if it's two guys or two girls. Sleep in your own damn bag," said Junior. "Aw..." Adagio pouted in disappointment. "I'm fine with that," said Sunset. "OK, next rule. Guys and girls sleep separately. Here." Junior began to drag a stick through the dirt. "Boys on this side. Girls on the other. Stay on your sides. No funny business," said Junior. "This seems a bit much," said Mosura as she eyed the line. "What's next? Are we gonna start drinking from separate water fountains and use separate bathrooms?" asked Dwan. "We already use separate bathrooms," deadpanned Junior. He shook his head. "If the sleeping arrangements are a problem, you can always head back," said Junior. Dwan scoffed. "Oh, a'hm sorry, Massa! I'm gonna do what you say, now," said Dwan, sarcastically. Junior sighed in annoyance. "Fine. Do whatever. Just don't come near me," said Junior as he dug through his basket for food that he packed. Meanwhile, Dwan had begun to take out a small knife along with the rodent she had killed earlier. She made an incision into the skin of its belly and began to stick her finger through the cut. "Ew!" Adagio exclaimed in disgust as Dwan began to jab her finger more beneath the skin. "What? you don't want fur on your food, do you?" Dwan made another cut, this time at the chest cavity. She continued to loosen the skin of the animal before pulling it apart. She removed the skin almost like a sock off of a slab of meat. Adagio gagged as she covered her eyes, while Sunset and Mosura grimaced. "Neat. Could you teach me that sometime?" asked Rodan. "Sure! After all, skinning your own meal is a skill everyone should have," said Dwan. "Well, you're not wrong," sighed Junior before plopping a berry into his mouth. After Dwan had skinned the rodent and removed its entrails, she jabbed a stick through the dead creature and began to roast it over the fire. The teens took their seats around the warm flames. "If you told me a year ago that I'd be living in a jungle, eating giant squirrels, I'd think you were crazy," said Dwan. "So, what do you guys wanna do before bed?" "I was just gonna go to bed. As we all should," deadpanned Junior. "You're such a bore! You know what we should do? Sing camp fire songs," said Dwan, smirking at Adagio. The pop star noticed Mosura giving her the death glare. Adagio merely gulped as she held her quivering knees close to herself. "No. Just eat and go the fuck to sleep," said Junior. "So... What do you guys think of those witches? You think we'll hear from them again?" asked Rodan. "I don't doubt it," said Junior as he took a bite of dried meat from his basket. "Who knows. But we'll cross that bridge if we ever come to it," said Angirasu. Mosura sighed. "I can't believe this," said Mosura. "What?" asked Sunset. "All the stuff we've been through. Our school being attacked by the Purists, the alien invasion, mutant experiments, and now we're stuck in foreign world," said Mosura. She grimaced. "We're just kids. How can we go through this kind of Hell?" "Yeah. Life's strange," said Junior, though, he couldn't help but think back to those events. From what he remembered, he was an element for most of those conflicts. The shooting, the Purists might have been looking for him for all he knew since some people were still convinced that he was the one attacking people in alleys. The invasion, his DNA was used to restore the Millenians and was also their downfall. And the genetic hybrids were made from his DNA as well. "Hey, at least we got through it. We'll get through this one too," said Sunset. She looked Angirasu with a smile, who met her with a nod. "Yeah. We'll get through it," said Angirasu. Junior was silent, lightly rubbing the scales of his reptilian arm. It was midnight. A flock of giant black ravens soared through the night sky. The witches they carried bore witness to the grand towers that stood over a barren land. The ravens passed the towers, soaring over the stone city bellow. The Dogomite city was dark on this evening, save for the citadel that overlooked the city. It was a grand fortress, standing at the center of the city. Protective stone walls surrounded the structure, though not as tall as the walls that surrounded the entire city. The citadel was covered in dark bricks of stone, stacked high from the wide base. The base kept the structure stable, as the higher levels stood, with towers overlooking the city. But among these towers, a tall spire stood among them. The moon seemed to almost rest upon the tip of the spire, if one were to gaze upon it from below. The ravens landed in the courtyard, where several armored guards came rushing in. They drew their spears and held them at point at the witches. "Halt! Who goes there?!" demanded a guard. The witches stood still, not making any sudden movements. They knew better than to cause a scene. Instead, the head Witch, Ingrid, stepped forward. She held out her bony hand. On her pale wrinkly skin, there were foreign markings. The guard took a closer look, before nodding. "Stand down," said the guard. As ordered, the men stood at ease, holding up their spears. The witches soon found themselves escorted by the guards. They passed through the grand halls of the citadel. They noticed that a heavy door opened. A guard stepped out, as a line of prisoners bounded in heavy iron chains followed him. A guard flanked from behind. "Get moving," barked the guard, elbowing a prisoner in the back, causing him to stumble. The witches continued on until they were led to a pair of large double doors. The guards posted at the doors began to open them, causing a loud creak from their weight. The throne room bore more lights from the torches that hung from the walls. Malicia sat upon her throne, her long nails tapping on the arm rest as she glanced at the crystal ball beside her throne. She had a look of boredom as she sat slouched. "Your majesty." Ingrid and the witches knelt down before the ruler of the land. "The Hex Clan. I wasn't expecting you," said Malicia, sitting up on her throne. "Why are those prisoners being escorted out of the dungeon?" asked Rachel, pointing her thumb back. Ingrid sent her a look. "My new associate requires volunteers for his experiments. It's nothing you need concern yourself with," explained Malicia. She then turned her attention back to Ingrid. "Now, why have you come here?" asked Malicia. Ingrid was silent in a moment of hesitation. She gulped before steeling herself to speak. "I... I regret to inform you, your majesty. Our clan was attacked. By the Demi-Titan, called Kong," confessed Ingrid. Malicia bore a stoic look at this news. "I see." Malicia leaned back on her throne with a tired sigh. "Unfortunate. But I suppose it was only a matter of time before you were discovered. If not by my enemies, then surely the native populace of the jungles," said Malicia nonchalantly. The witches bore confused looks. "Your Majesty, if I may be blunt, I don't believe that you understand," said Ingrid. "We lost all of the Skull Walkers that we created for you. The Demi Titan and his disciples destroyed them, along with our home." "No, I understand completely. As I said, it's unfortunate, but I was expecting this setback to happen eventually," said Malicia. Ingrid's expression turned to fury. "Unfortunate? Setback?! We have just lost the assets! Our home! Why do you treat this news so lightly?!" demanded Ingrid. "Lower your tone, witch!" barked a guard. "Worry not, Captain. I'll explain myself," said Malicia. As if on cue, a section of the floor began to slide open. Ingrid gasped in shock at what she saw behind the trap door. Just ten feet below, there was a den full of a few Skull Walkers. The humanoids snarled as they fought over the clumps of flesh that littered the ground. "How is this possible? I never..." asked Ingrid in shock. "You never showed me the ritual. Yes, I know. My associate brought them to me," interrupted Malicia. "But how?" asked Ingrid. "Rather than your inefficient methods of conjuring dark spirits and alchemical transmutation to reanimate fresh corpses, my associate needs only the blood of Skull Crawlers and live subjects," said Malicia as she pointed down to the den. "These can produced much faster and in greater numbers. No witchcraft necessary for their creation. Only for control," said Malicia, a cold look in her eyes. The witches felt a sudden sense of dread as the empress spoke. "Unlike you, my associate has been quite generous in sharing his knowledge. More than I can say for you," said Malicia, her eyes narrowing. "Your majesty, have we not shared our knowledge? Have we not been generous to you?" asked Ingrid, stepping back. The witches noticed the guards beginning to shift in place, while tensing. Their grips on their weapons tightened. "You kept knowledge, the method of creating my own Skull Walkers, which made you a liability, from me. My associate on the other hand, he's teaching myself and my alchemists as we speak." Malicia gave a sinister smile, pointing to the witches. "The Hex clan is no longer needed for its services. You are hereby recognized as enemies of the crown and are hereby sentenced to execution." "What?!" The witches began to exclaim in shock and alarm. The guards suddenly pointed their weapons at the women as they approached. In an act of defiance, Ingrid swung her arm, sending a wave of magic at the approaching guards. The men slammed against the walls and scrambled back to their feet. "Oh for Rachna's sake," said Malicia, her tone that of mild annoyance. The witches made any attempt they could to resist. They cast magic beams and bolts, striking some of the guards. Some attempted to flee, but were beaten to the ground when caught up to. Ingrid began to chant a foreign tongue as she raised her hands. Malicia sighed as she stood. "Must I do everything?" asked Malicia, her hands beginning to glow. The witches all suddenly froze in place, unable to move. The empress than brought her hands down, forcing the witches all to their knees. "Be quick now! Bind their hands and gag their mouths! I don't want another spell cast from them!" commanded Malicia. As ordered, the guards bounded the hands of the witches, and took cloth and tied them around their mouths. As a guard approached Ingrid, Malicia raised a hand. "Not her. She stays with me," said Malicia, a smirk on her face. The guards began to haul the rest of the women to their feet, forcing them out of the throne room. They kicked and squirmed, while giving muffled screams as they were escorted to a room, where a guillotine stood. A basket rested in front of it, as dry splotches of red stained the stone floor and wooden frame. Back in the throne room, Malicia approached Ingrid. Much like the feeble old woman she was, the witch trembled as she remained on her hands and knees. The Empress giggled wickedly as she used her magic to close the doors. "I believe it's dinner time~," said Malicia. As the doors were closing, the screams of Ingrid echoed through the hall, followed by an inhuman screech. The doors slammed closed, leaving nothing but silence.