Falling straight through the gap in the giant lantern, Tang landed on the cushioned fabric ground, living yet another day due to his luck, "I'm aliiiiiiivve—!!" He yelled out, but the sudden glow of a certain relic grabbed his attention immediately.
And there is was. The third ring of Samadhi.
Sitting in the center of two twisted twin dragons that pillared through the center of the lantern, "There it is...! The ring!"
A sudden veil of indigo purple enveloped the entire room, darkening Tang's vision momentarily.
Sliding out of the side of the pillar, stood a giggling cloaked figure, "Not gonna lie. Totally thought you were gonna fall to your death." He pulled his hood back with a maniacal grin splitting his face, "Tang? Nerdy guy of the group, right?" He fell down making Tang jump and think he was going to splat on the floor.
But as soon as he blinked, Ren appeared behind him with his back pressed against his, "Smart guy? People with glasses tend to be smart, right?"
Tang whipped around to not see anyone, but a low chuckle erupted in his ear, startling the poor chap. The scared man gasped and rushed forward. He tried rushing for the ring but he was then tossed out of the ceiling, landing farther away from the relic than he previously was.
"But very slow on the reflexes... Not a main fighter, I presume?" Ren shifted out of the outer wooden bands surrounding the room, "Must be sad being put in the back... Never given a chance in the spotlight~!" Ren reappeared beside the pillar, his hands only inches from the ring when Tang shouted.
"S-Stop—! The Samadhi Fire is humanity's last chance to fight against the Lady Bone Demon...!!"
Ren sneered and glared over his shoulder, "Humanity is just gonna have to find another way then...! As this is my only chance to escape her! Freeing my little sister...!" He slammed a fist into the side of the dragon pillar, spitefully.
"Little sister....?" Tang stumbled up weakly, "If that's true... Then even you can see that standing together..." He trailed off at the sound of Ren's childish laughter.
"You really think that the Lady Bone Demon is gonna give me that chance!? When she still holds the slave contract over my head!? While she still holds my little sister as hostage??" Ren turned slightly, his eyes glowing a menacing purple, "I may be a child physically... But the things I've been through have matured me over hundreds of years mentally."
Tang listened with a saddened frown.
"And what do you offer? Only being the shortened straw of the group.. The black sheep! I have yet to see you be a shred useful to the cause of getting the rings. Friends and Family? They'll only leave you behind if you continue to act this way. You need to push that all aside and learn to step out of your little safety bubble." Ren snarled, "Or else your just gonna be used as another chess piece in the Lady Bone Demon's game."
Tang clenched his hands, a picture drawing that MK had made a few hours prior, crumpled in his grip, "Your wrong... If what you said is true... Then I don't think you would've been here. Jinhua and Macaque would never allow such thing to happen. They have trained and almost raised the kids to be loyal and hard working... I've seen they're progress.. They fight everyday on this journey, for you." He pointed a finger at the stiff demonic child, "They fight for you, they train for you, and they do it because they want they're brother back! And I might not understand how Macaque or the rising anger in Jinhua... But they are fighting against the Lady Bone Demon not just to save the world, but because they want to save you!" His hands glowed a mystical gold.
Ren listened with baited breathe, his menacing figure cracked as he stared with wide eyes, "To save me..."
"Doing things alone will never end well for you, kid." Tang rose his hands, a massive surge of power coursed through him, "I might not be as powerful and expandable as the rest of them... But that doesn't mean that I can't provide support when they need it."
Ren grabbed a falling piece of paper that glided near him, his eyes widened when he saw himself in the hugging group drawing, a cheerful smile drawn on all of them. Gritting his teeth he watched Tang switch into a casting position, "Why you....!" His hissed and sprinted forward, twirling his umbrella that formed in his hand.
Tang clamped his palms together and muttered a small incantation under his breathe, his eyes glowed a mystifying gold. A golden orb surrounded him just in time to block Ren's umbrella jab.
A sudden ring of loud singing blasted through the air, amplifying the sound waves into creating destructive forces against its surroundings.
The room rocked heavily, sending both people flying in the lantern. Electricity started to crackle around the twin dragon pillars, startling both people inside. Tang rocketed against the wall, using his ball shaped shield to his advantage. His eyes narrowed with determination as he bounced off the walls to catapult him forward like a ping pong machine. He was sent flying straight through the twin dragon pillar, succeeding in snatching the ring first, "I GOT IT—!!"
"No—!" Ren reached out desperately, his hand spread out. But really without the scholar noticing, he helped amplify the bounciness in the shield, allowing him to fly out of the lantern as quickly as possible.
A stray electric current struck him in his hands, shocking him momentarily as he was left in the lantern by itself as it practically blew up, "This was not in the plan—!!" He shrieked in the massive eruption of smoke.
'Are you okay—!? Ren??'
"Yeah... Just dandy..." He settled down with his chest spasming in small shocks. But the air around him suddenly caused a chill down his spine. His eyes trailed over to the thin see-through fabric that covered the lantern. The lights from outside started to flicker. It began to slowly dim all around him, causing his stomach to churn in unease. The moonlight that filtered above the pillars fell upon him in a illuminating way.
Little sparks of blue dust began to fall slowly around him. But as it fell into the palm of his hand and left an icy coldness.
He realized it was snow.
"I gave you a task..." A distant whisper filtered his flickering ears. He whipped around in a frightful manner, his eyes wide in horror, "An order." A shiver fell down his spine.
"To retrieve either Monkey King or Lady Jinhua with the protégé, naming himself, Monkie Kid. Yet... I see no progress after seeing you fail again and again..." Cold mist swirled around him mockingly. The wind whipped his curls into his face, slightly annoying him, "Failing to go down the path of destiny... Will give you consequences..." She whispered into his ear, seeming to sound right behind him.
He whipped around with pale skin, sweat starting to fall down his temple nervously, "Wait—!" He was cut off by the sudden appearance of chains rushing up from the ground and shackling him up in the air like a prisoner, "No—! W-Wait!! They have a-a uh weapon of sorts!!" He hollered out terrified, "Please! You have to believe me!" His eyes flickered in anxiety as he tried to think quickly, "They h-have the Samadhi Fire—!!" The chains loosened on his limbs, giving him some sort of comfort in feeling his limbs again. The tightness was literally cutting off his circulation and numbing them.
"Really?" She walked out of the cold mist, her eyes devoid of any playfulness, "It appears there is still time to correct your failures... But first, we must get rid of an annoying little pest..." Her eyes flashed a bright blue as a sudden coldness swept over the demonic child.
"W-WHA—!" His eyes widened as he saw chains erupt from the same magic circle and rushed straight into his chest. Pain raced across his limbs as he tugged or struggled in his position, "S-Stop it—!!!" He gasped out in agony. It felt like someone had just reached into your stomach and was searching for something, while also rearranging your organs. It was not pleasant in the least.
He let out a sigh of relief when it ended, but it was short lived as he realized who was captive in the chains in front of him, "BAI'HE—!!" He lunged in his chains, struggling to reach her.
Bai'he's wispy form was flickering in and out of existence, 'Ren—!!' She had also tried to reach out but the chains continued to restrict her in the air. Her eyes brimming with tears as she was terrified at the events happening, 'I... Get these off me—!! I don't like this at all!!' She squirmed fruitlessly in front of Ren as he watched horrified as the Lady Bone Demon floated up to their level.
"You have been a bad little boy... Rebeling against me... With my own host of all people... It surprised me how close you two had gotten..." A twisted grin appeared on the demoness' lips, "Allow me to show you exactly what happens when you don't follow my orders." Her hands slowly started to inch forward to the shaking wispy spirit.
Ren shook in dread as his mind was in scrambles, "Wha.. What are you doing...?" His voice cracked.
Her hand was only inches from Bai'he's face.
"S-stop—!" Ren stuttered with wide eyes, "Don't—!!"
But it was too late as only a bloodcurdling scream erupted from the spirit's lips as she felt a shear burning cold spread across her jaw and up her face, "P-PLEASE—!!" She cried out in wracking sobs. Her screams following suit as the pain erupted again.
"NOOO—!!" Ren squirmed in the chains, his tail lashing aggressively, "LET. HER. GO—!!" He screamed furiously, tears springing down his face at the torturous sight.
The Lady Bone Demon receded her hand back with an uninterested gaze on the spirit, "I think that'll be enough..." She rubbed her palms together, her eyes twisting in a dark way as she looked down on the glaring servant, "Afterall... I still need her for bit more.."
The two friends fell to the ground, chains unraveling from them and scrambling back into the ground.
Ren coughed, his throat sore from the yelling, his eyes quickly searched and saw Bai'he's form slowly start to dissolve away into little specks of snow, "Bai'he...!!" He tried scrambling over to her.
The wispy and flickering spirit rose her head slowly with a weak turn, her eyes crinkled into a sad expression, her smile even weaker, 'Don't worry about me... Focus.. On the.. Plan...' She all but whispered before he could reach her.
Her figure then was twisted into a cold wind, being absorbed by the demoness herself as she stared down at the trembling child.
"NO—!" He choked out, his claws digging into the fabric ground, his shoulders shook as he tried keeping his cries silent. Not wanting to give the bitch the satisfaction of breaking him down like this.
Lady Bone Demon held up a familiar scroll. One that sent a shiver over his entire core, "Seems I will have to use more force than I thought I keep you under control."
His slave contract.
Ren's eyes widened as he started to back away. But he was then kicked forward by another loyal servant of the bitch.
Mayor pinned the boy down by pressing his shoe down his back, "Can't have you running off now, can we?" He chuckled lowly.
Ren gritted his teeth, wishing, hoping he could do something, but he knew. He knew it was all fruitless. He was powerless against the Lady Bone Demon. He glared up at the demoness, his eyes distorted into one of pure fury and hatred. His teeth bared as he felt a low growl leave his lips, "I'll.. I'll kill you... I'll slaughter you!! FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!! YOU DESERVE TO BE PUT DOWN LIKE THE PARASITE YOU ARE—!!"
Mayor frowned at the words and gave a warning kick to the kid's back, "You better heed your words wisely the next time you decide to open that mouth of yours."
Lady Bone Demon ignored the entire thing, her mutters letting Ren know that she was fulfilling the contract. Using its abilities to the max to keep him at bay, "You will never be able to rebel against your master, ever again..."
Ren's head was pressed down to the ground, a sudden coldness wrapped around him, spreading up from his spine and up his head. He leaned against the fabric, the smoothness giving him the smallest of comforts against the frost. His eyes darkened into hopelessness as he finally caved in and let it course over him, "Can I... Really have a happy ending...?"
A single tear trailed down his cheek, "I'm sorry, Bai'he... Sorry Ma'...."