Flustered, I cleared my throat and tried to steady my voice. My fingers involuntarily tightened around his freezing hand.
"Vincent... Can you hear me?" I murmured, leaning closer to him.
Still, Vincent did not respond. He kept staring up at the small window, motionless as a statue, seemingly forever frozen in his waking dream. From outside the cell, Byron Flynn circled, huffing softly as if telling me to hurry. We were lucky there weren't any guards on our way here. It made me suspicious. But no one was complaining so far. We might not get lucky on our way back so we had to hurry, though.
"Vincent!" I hissed in panic, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. "Wake up... Please wake up!"
He hadn't heard me. Had I lost him? Was I too late?
No way. I couldn't accept that. Not now that I had come this far, that I had finally found him. Or else, all the sacrifices everyone had made, everything that used to matter would lose all meaning.
Mindlessly, I cupped his face in my hands, forcing him to face me. Then I looked hard into his opaque eyes, trying to search for the long lost Transference Link between us. He wasn't wearing the Diviner's Amulet but I was hoping that maybe he would hear me.
Struggling to keep my focus, I let my consciousness drift slowly. I let it flow through him and as if in total darkness I began looking for him. The link was so weak it was almost faltering; a severed tie that was nearly impossible to fix. In his mind, all I could sense was an endless night. There was nothing to see, nothing to feel. His thoughts were so quiet I wasn't even sure if he was still in there.
When searching proved to be futile, I tried calling for him but no sound came out when I opened my mouth. It seemed that he had already shut his mind from everything, including me.
Again, I pushed forward, trying to break the walls he had created to isolate himself from the rest of the world. No matter what I did, the defenses wouldn't cave in. I clenched my teeth and kept pressing on. My head was already throbbing with the struggle.
"Vincent," my mind cried out, almost like a plea. "I'm here. Come back... Please come back to me." The words reverberated in the empty space of Vincent's consciousness. "Please. Please. Please..."
I let go of his face and let my hands fall to my side. The lump in my throat kept rising up and I didn't know if could hold it back any longer. It was no use.
Weakly, I turned to Byron Flynn for some answer, for the help that I knew wasn't coming. The over-sized dog just sat there, staring back intently at me as if waiting for something to happen.
"He's not listening, boy..." I murmured miserably. "Maybe we should just take him with us and let Vlad-"
I almost swallowed my tongue when I turned my attention back to Vincent. My heart almost stopped when I saw his intense gaze fix on me that it was almost like they were boring holes through my skull. For a short while, his eyes stayed that way-very still nonetheless hateful like an animal's, like he was about to eat me whole. At first they made me terrified. There was no getting used to a Reaper's glare, I guess. Then I remembered that this was Vincent. I trusted him to do me no harm. Trusted him with my life even.
"You," he growled through his teeth, his whole body shaking with what appeared to me as wrath.
I had no idea what he was so mad about. But then, Vincent was always angry about everything. Nothing I could do about that.
Abruptly, he grabbed me by the arms, his fingers digging into my flesh. He breathed in and out sharply, his eyes widening like a fish being brought out of water. Then his gaze slowly mellowed, shifting from corner to corner before finally focusing on my face with some hint of recognition.
"You," he said again, this time barely a whisper.
I suppressed the urge to tell him that I do have a name and it's not You. Instead, I just tried to loosen his grip from my shoulder.
"Are you out of your mind? Get out of here. Get out of here while you still can..." He sounded as if he was almost pleading. That was new.
"No," I replied firmly. "Not without you."
Vincent's face hardened as he leaned his head back onto the wall and closed his eyes. Before I knew it, he was already laughing silently to himself like a drunk man who realized that he was too broke to get a taxi on his way home.
"What's so funny?" I demanded. As if he hadn't heard me, he didn't move.
For the second time, he let out a throaty snigger. "Is this even real? Is this even possible? I practically threw you out of this place. You can't possibly-"
In frustration, I gave him an ineffectual whack on the side of the head. I all but wanted to yell at him, point out that I had been through hell and back just to get to him. But the lump in my throat prevented me from doing so. I was afraid I would end up blubbering in front of him and I didn't want to go there. No freaking way.
"Get up!" I scrambled to my feet and snatched his arm, slinging it over my shoulder.
He didn't push me away but he didn't make an effort to stand up either. Thanks for the help, Vince!
I was slightly taken aback noticing how much weight he lost but I didn't let anything show on my face. His arms were limp and scraggy. The blood-stained shirt he was wearing looked like it was two sizes bigger. All in all, he was a mess.
"I don't care if I have to carry your stupid ass all the way back to the Gate," I muttered, standing up with some effort. I planted my feet apart and pulled him to my side so that it would be easier for me to support his weight. "You're coming with me."
Blankly, he just closed his eyes and sighed. "Do what you want. I'll wake up soon enough."
As we stepped toward the cell gate, I noticed something bulky tucked inside his shirt. It was rectangular, its corner sticking out of the bottom of his neckline. Mechanically, he put a hand on his chest as if making sure that the thing was still there. For an added measure of safety, he kept a hand on his chest so that whatever he was hiding under his shirt wouldn't fall out.
"You're already awake, Vincent," I answered, my exasperation building up as I trained my eyes on the corridor ahead. "Some cooperation would be much appreciated."
Byron Flynn trotted past us and barked. As far as I could see, there wasn't anyone but the three of us in this level. Wasting no time, the dog led the way back up, this time, slower because I had to literally drag Vincent along with me. He wasn't that heavy. My inhuman strength was more than enough to do the hard work. What made it more difficult was when Vincent's injuries started to heal spontaneously. Through the Transfer Link, I could feel him drawing off some of my life-force in the process. And at the rate he was doing it, I could not imagine how much he would need.
I paused, already out of breath as we reached the top of the stairs. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead and my head felt like it was floating in water. Beside me, Vincent was so still, his face almost serene. His wounds were almost fully healed now, yet, I could sense that he was struggling hard to not allow himself to squirm in pain.
"Ungh..." he moaned, suddenly clutching on his chest, falling to his knees.
A few snapping sounds came from his ribs. I knew exactly what that was-broken bones realigning.
Vincent ground his teeth to prevent himself from screaming. Awkwardly, I patted his back. I didn't know what to do to make it better. Comforting wasn't one of my very few talents. But it was as if I could almost feel his pain.
Distracted, I looked around. Byron Flynn was already halfway through the hallway. The strange thing this time was that the prisoners weren't trying to snatch him as he was passing by their cells. It was eerily quiet. Odd.
Except for Vincent's muffled moans, there was nothing to hear but a disturbing static like a dead radio signal turning to a shrill microphone feedback. Our feet made loud hammering noises against the rusty metal floor. Somewhere, an open cell door kept creaking, making my eye twitch.
With my Dad being a huge horror fan, I had maybe watched too many ghost movies for my own good. Enough to know that sound effects like those didn't usually lead to a happy let's-go-to-the-park-and-eat-some-pie scene. That was usually the run-for-your-life part where the monsters would come out real soon.
"We have to get moving," I whispered to Vincent, helping him up.
He didn't protest but I knew that he was in a lot of pain. I would just have to apologize for that later if... when we make it out of here.
We shuffled to where Byron Flynn waited for us. The prisoners stayed put in the dark corners of their cells where they couldn't easily be seen. Through levels eight to one, no one bothered us. There were no guards either, just like before.
It was when we reached the small door leading to the ground floor of the castle that Byron Flynn stopped and growled ominously. The brick-red fur on the back of his neck bristled as he bared his fangs. He doubled back, pushing me toward the rear with his large snout.
"There are guards in there, aren't there?" I said in a subdued tone.
He gave me a soft whine. I took that as a yes.
Of course it had to be a trap. Death basically let us in here without any guards so, in turn, he could capture us on our way up. It was a prison. The only way in and out must be this door and only this door or else the prisoners would be able to escape. Now why didn't I think of that before throwing myself in here?
I set Vincent against a wall and took a deep breath. There wasn't room for panic. I had to think of a way to get out of this mess and fast. Combat was a no-no without my scythe. If all turned out for the worse, I could always use my Cataclyst. Although, it might be suicide. Or worse, Alessandra might succeed in taking over my body.
Just then, I felt the faint cold of the Helcium inside my pocket. When I took it out, it was glowing brightly. It had never done that before. It was like screaming "Use me! Use me, stupid!" to my face.
"Come, boy," I called Byron Flynn, resting my palms on my hips as I tried to sort my thoughts.
With his large head down, the dog padded toward me. I scratched his ears and looked at Vincent, who was still, at the moment, pretending to sleep like we weren't just about to become two lovely portions of immortal dead meat.
"Do you think you can carry Vincent on your back?" I asked, stroking the dog's fur.
Byron Flynn seemed reluctant at first, pawing on the ground as if to think about it. After a short while, he puffed his chest, snorted and lifted his head proudly like the ginormous fox-dog hybrid he was.
"Good. Good," I whispered, managing a small smile of encouragement as I stroke his fur. "Now, Byron Flynn, when I tell you to run, you should run as fast as you can. And never stop for anything until you see anyone from our cabal or reach the entrance, whichever happens first. Do you understand?"
Whining, he nestled his head under my hands.
"I know..." I said, looking into his big yellow eyes. "I'm going to be just fine. I promise I'll catch up, okay?"
It felt a little silly talking to a dog in a situation like this. I wasn't even sure that he could understand me. Even then, I knew in my gut that he wouldn't fail me.
Right away, I helped Vincent up the abnormally large dog's back. He finally opened his eyes wide this time, seemingly surprised.
"What the-" he started grumbling before I shushed him.
"I'll hold on tight if I were you," I told Vincent while patting Byron Flynn on the back.
Breathing in deeply, I stepped toward the door and pulled the handle. It swung in with a loud creak, the metal chains on the locks clinking as I did.
Just a few steps from the door, about ten familiars stood waiting, their Cataclysts ready. Good. Cataclysts are always a better sign than scythes. It meant that they were aiming to capture not to kill. Judging by their assortment of clothes, I couldn't tell from what cabal they were from.
"Hi, guys," I waved a hand to them and smiled tentatively. None of them smiled back. No chance for negotiation then. I guess it was a bad time for small talk. "Long time no see-"
I didn't even have time to deliver my long prepared greeting before they started advancing toward us. One of them lunged at me. I pivoted backward on my left leg and ducked. He swiped the air above my head with his Cataclyst before it collided with the doorframe. Acting faster than I could think, I pushed the steel door close, hitting him right in the face. He stumbled back yelling obscene curses at me.
If there was anything that could get my angry nerve working, it would be cussing. Especially, if it was unreasonable cussing. I smashed his face like, one time! One time and he went on dragging my mom's name in it.
"Shut up! Will you?!" I shouted at the familiar.
Rolling my eyes, I started kicking the door off its corroded hinges. Once it came off, I flung it to the bad-mouthed familiar. The rusty slab of metal hit him on the face again and pinned him flat on the floor.
Quickly, I turned to Byron Flynn and gave him a slap on the back. "Run!" I said, tensing my legs before draughting straight into the group of familiars in front of me.
On the way, I picked the steel door up and place-kicked the familiar lying underneath it. With the broken door as my makeshift shield, I watched Byron Flynn lope out of the dungeon in the corner of my eye. When some of the familiars tried to follow them, I threw the door with everything I got. It flew off a sort of curved way, like a boomerang, making the enemies scatter and break their super cool formation before it hit the marble wall with a loud crash.
None of them was hurt, unluckily. On the plus side, Byron Flynn and Vincent were getting away. Hurrah!
Now my only problem was how to get out of here. And that was exactly what I was trying to figure out as the familiars stepped toward me. They didn't look to me like the type of people who believe in human rights.
"Uh... It was an accident?" I said to them, stepping back with my hands behind me. "What's with the scary faces? Look. I'll pay for all the damages and..."-I winced, seeing the guy I hit with the door get up-"Err... later!"
I began running back down the dungeons as fast as my legs could carry me. The enemies were too many. I couldn't just disappear and sneak out of here. For sure, they would go after Byron Flynn and Vincent. I needed a diversion and that was when I realized that all the prison cells weren't locked. The strange thing was that the prisoners weren't trying to escape or anything. Maybe it was what Vince said before: no one can escape Death. So no one tried.
An idea suddenly popped into my head. The prisoners wouldn't be able to escape but that didn't mean that they couldn't have a little revenge.
As I streaked the length of the first level cells, I opened some of the doors and rapped my hands against the steel bars, screaming, "Familiars! Pilgrim Reaper's familiars are coming! They'll torture us all if we don't do something!"
My voice echoed again and again. I could also hear that the enemies were approaching. Even so, I kept opening cell gates. At first, none of the prisoners were coming out. But eventually, a scrawny shirtless old man hobbled out of his cell as he was coiling thick chains around his fists.
The man screamed in a gravelly voice that sounded as if it hadn't been used for a thousand years. One by one, prisoners stepped out of their cells carrying improvised weapons of sorts from headboards to broken table legs. When I arrived at the stairs leading down to the second level, some men and women were already making their way up. They all looked helpless physically but the flames in their eyes were almost terrifying.
As they caught up, the group of familiars pursuing me halted abruptly, seeing the prisoners piling up in front of them. The two parties spent the next few seconds in a glaring contest as though they were waiting who would make the first move.
Stepping back and blending among the prisoners, I held the Helcium tightly in my hands. I knew the clash started when I heard several battle cries.
As I was about to wear the Helcium, I saw a brunette girl about my age trying to help an older lady to stand up after being shoved out of the way by raging prisoners. I ran to the old lady and lent her a hand. Once back on her feet, the woman took my hands and glanced urgently at the exit door.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
The old lady just kept looking at me, then to the door with that pressing expression.
"She wants you get out of here," said the brunette girl. "You don't belong here."
Her voice sounded of despair, of acceptance that there might not be another fate for them but these dungeons. There was no hiding from Death. Every soul on earth was tagged. But what if people hid in a place that wasn't on earth?
Before I stepped away, I said, "There's a clearing in the woods past the foot of the golden bridge. It's a safe place."
Both of them nodded reluctantly. The girl looked at me like I was crazy as they ducked their way out of the commotion, hugging the walls so they wouldn't get trampled on. I could understand if they would not see the possibility of living freely anymore. What I gave them was merely an option.
I nudged my way through the throng of prisoners, slipping the Helcium over my head as I did. Just like that, I didn't exist again, getting shoved and pushed as if I wasn't there at all. I had to dodge quite a lot of bent cell bars and whipping shackles before I got to the door. The prisoners outnumbered the familiars but when it came to strength, the familiars were winning.
After a second look, I made my way back to the main hallways. The path was clear, although the frequent tremors of the ground and the debris falling from the ceiling told me that the battle was just warming up.
And I was right. When I arrived at the main entrance, Mei was still fighting with three familiars. One of her enemies was on the floor with a gushing chest wound. The long needle-like talons of her Cataclyst was covered in blood. The black robe she was wearing was torn in so many places she had to rip a large part of the hem off so it wouldn't get on her way.
Just as I was about to head to her side and help her, Amyr appeared at the front door and charged like a raging lion while brandishing his broadsword. He easily struck one of the enemies just below the hip but it wasn't something fatal.
Following Amyr, Byron Flynn bounded up the steps leading to the front door with Vincent still slung stuporously over his back. Blood slightly soaked the dog's fur and I realized that it was coming from Vincent. I cringed, my insides revolting. Looked like the rib-aligning wasn't going so good.
I removed the Helcium off my neck as I jogged to Byron Flynn's side to check on Vincent. I winced as I lifted his shirt and saw the blue-red bruising on his side where the bone seemed to slightly poke from under the flesh.
"Amyr!" I shouted out. "Where's Vlad?!"
A relieved smile appeared on Amyr's face when he saw me. "With Alex! They're making sure Millie won't get to you," he yelled back as he jammed the pommel of his sword into an incoming familiar's stomach.
"You have to go! The Gate is closing!" Mei said, panting before she turned, leapt off the ground and kicked an attacking familiar on the jaw.
"I know!" I answered, torn between running away and turning back. "But what-"
"Don't worry about us!" Amyr cut me off almost angrily at me as he thrust his sword toward another enemy who dodged it easily and almost bashed him on the head with a Cataclyst. "Just go!"
I looked around, blinking my eyes rapidly to distract myself from the panic rising in me. From not too far, Max was wreaking havoc, bombing the right wing of the castle while his Elementals kept the enemies at bay. It seemed to me like Max was having a good time. Archie's gleaming silver rapier caught my attention as he stabbed and parried attacks from two familiars in white robes.
I can do this. Don't look back. I kept telling myself that everything would be alright but who was I kidding? As hard as reality was, I would just have to suck it in and live with it. As I turned away from them, I fixed my eyes forward.
"And Aramis," I heard Amyr call me. I didn't look back but I paused to hear what he was about to say. "We'll come after you and when we see each other again, I've got something important to say. Can you promise to wait for me 'til then?"
Nodding, I replied, "But don't take too long, okay?" still not looking back.
"Deal."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know it took too long to update but I hope it's worth the wait. We'll see more of Vince and Byron Flynn from now on. Where is this place they're about to go? Find out! xoxo ~shim :)