{ { Moments later } }
Fenry kept leading them to who knows where
Everyone were already tired enough
It was obvious that they can't run any longer with how many were stumbling, but forced themselves to run
They're legs felt like they would break along with their arms
Sweat formed on their entire body
Many were out of breath
"Just a bit longer everyone... we are there almost!" Fenry said, as he too was out of breath
They all had reached a cliff where a giant door was seen
"We have arrived" Fenry announced
Many stopped as they were all panting heavily
Fenry put Dahlia down on ground, "Can you still move?" he asked
"I can..." Dahlia winced slightly as she rubbed her already cracked jaw
It had swollen badly along with her head
Jeon also put Xinhua down
The two goes towards where Dahlia and Fenry is, "Is this place it?" Jeon asked him
Fenry nods in response, "Yeah, this is the place. Good thing there are no ghouls here..."
Fenry's eyes soon narrowed as he looked down, "But... we can't waste anymore time cause they can arrive at any time... we have to be quick..." he added on
"Right... then... so... everyone hold hands of one another" Dahlia instructed as she flinched slightly from talking, cause of her jaw
She wiped off the blood from her mouth
Suddenly Hunji goes towards the large door, which Fenry noticed
Hunji's eyes widened at where they all were standing at
This place was all too familiar
As this was the place where Xen had gotten eaten by those ghouls
Hunji's hands trembled slightly as his breathing quickened more
Flashes of Xen's horrifying death came before his eyes
Fenry patted Xinhua's shoulder, "I am sorry for choosing this place... but... then again... this was the only place I could think off" he said as he comforted Hunji
Hunji looks over at Fenry then at everyone who had gathered around, holding each other's hand
"It's alright... it's all in the past now..." Hunji said to Fenry
Fenry smiled at him
But he couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart, "They all are gonna leave... without me..." he thought internally as he closed his eyes briefly
"...I wish I could go with them..." He felt tears well up in his eyes as he quickly looked away, not letting anyone see it
But Hunji saw it all
He stared blankly at Fenry for a few moments
"Come on, Hunji brother" Xinhua called out as he extended his hand to Hunji
Hunji turns his head as he only stares blankly at the hand, then looks back at Fenry
Before taking his hand, instead of Xinhua's
Fenry's eyes widened as he looked over with teary eyes, his tears also had turned black cause of his transformation
"I will stay here with him" Hunji suddenly said as everyone's eyes widened except Dahlia's and Jeon's
"Wait- what?! Why?!" Xinhua asked
"It's simple... I don't wanna leave my friend-..." Hunji paused briefly as his eyes softened, he kept staring at Fenry
"Let me correct myself... my brother..." Hunji smiles at Fenry
Fenry's eyes widened more
He felt a flutter in his heart as his hand on Hunji's tighten slightly
"And... I can't just leave my brother behind, can I?" Hunji closed eyes before he opened it and looked at Dahlia
"Lady Dahlia... you know what to do now... as the time is ticking by..." Hunji said as he saw the ghouls approaching
He prepared his hammer even though his arms were trembling but his resolve was still strong, "We both will hold them off to create time" he smirked as he looks at Fenry
"You... idiot..." Fenry groaned as he wiped his tears
Fenry was about to push Hunji to where everyone were at, so Hunji can go with them
But as if on cue, Hunji pulled away and charged at the ghouls straight on. "Beat me to it" Hunji grinned at Fenry
Fenry huffed in defeat as he followed after Hunji. "Fine... you gave me no other choice..."
"What- we should-" "Xinhua... forget them... we don't have much time" Dahlia cut Xinhua off in the middle
"Wait- but-" "Xinhua Hunts" Dahlia warned Xinhua as he tensed up
Xinhua bit his lower lip as he held hands with one of the children, forming a circle with everyone
"You all know the rules so..." she took out a dagger as she cuts her palm like last time, letting the blood trickle out and letting it fall on ground
Everyone closed their eyes tightly including Jeon, Dahlia and Xinhua
"It's okay... of letting the two go... when I succeed in making a way for us all to go back..." Dahlia thought internally
"I will bring the two back... before the ghouls can get a chance to capture them..." Her brows furrowed
"With just a slight use of my powers..." She brought her other hand to the locket she is wearing as she gripped it tightly
"I will only use it once... no more than that..." She reminded herself as her hand trembled slightly
Meanwhile more mist formed everywhere
And they could hear the whisperings
Even though they all have done this before, it was still terrifying
Soon... someone's footsteps was heard
{ { { Thump } } }
{ { { Thump } } }
{ { { Thump } } }
{ { { Thump } } }
.
.
.
{ { { Thump } } }
"We meet again, miss" That same familiar voice was heard
All the children tensed up in hearing the voice
They all trembled slightly as their breathing hitched
But none dared to speak nor look
While Dahlia's grip on her dagger tightened slightly, as her other hand let go off the locket
"I believe your more prepared now, then last time" The entity chuckled
Dahlia only stayed silent
Rummaging through her bag for sometime, before she finally took out the mana gem
"I am offering this as sacrifice, now... let us return to our world" Dahlia said firmly as she extended the gem to the entity
The entity's eyes narrowed as it observed the gem
It licked it's lips, before taking the gem from her
"Hmm... this gem is ok..." It purred darkly
"Very well, you all may pass" It hummed as it snapped it's finger
When it snapped it's fingers, the air around shifted
Like something was pulling them in towards one specific direction, but the force was gentle
A whirl was seen on a specific spot before, a reddish pink portal took shape
Wind seemed to go inwards towards the hole
Inside the portal, the end wasn't seen
"You sure it is safe? Or is it a trap?" Dahlia growled at the entity as she clenched her teeth
The entity blinked, as it stared at Dahlia for a long while
It soon started to laugh
"Oh my, your fierce. I like that, really like that" The entity said in between it's laugh
"Just answer the question" Dahlia warned as all the children were taken a back of her talking this way with the powerful entity
Even Jeon and Xinhua were surprised
The entity hummed only, "It is safe. But you have to go inside straight, without stopping. Unless you wanna be lost to another dimension to who knows where"
"And that is all, see ya" The entity said as it disappeared
The mist also faded slightly but some remained, as everyone opened their eyes
Before they're eyes land to the portal
Tears forming on their eyes
"After all the fighting... and running..." They all thought in unison
Flash backs appeared before their eyes
Them being terrified by the ghouls when they were being targetted
3 days of suffering and trying to escape them from their world
Before finally, when the 3 days were up. The ghouls drag them here, where all the hellish tortures they endured
How many times they begged and cried for mercy
But the ghouls didn't seemed to care and made fun of their sufferings. And feasted on their both fear and pain
The despair they felt when Dahlia's earlier actions in taking them home failed
The doubt, anger and pain they felt and the hatred they felt towards Dahlia
But seeing her suffering, they felt regret built up and guilt
Now, the second time in trying to escape together
They all fought together as one
The injuries they acquired from it
The chase they took that costed them everything
Now before their eyes, their all hard works seemed to pay off
"We can finally go home-" "Not so fast!" One the children was suddenly grabbed by one of the ghouls
Everyone gasped as they saw that both Hunji and Fenry were injured badly and were tied up
There were like 50 ghouls in total that surrounded them all
"What are we gonna do?" Jeon asked Dahlia
"Do we just jump in the portal after somehow taking the ghoul down?" One of the children asked
"But I don't have any shards..." Unimoshi replied to them lowly
"I ran out of clothe and stone..." Nene also added on
"Then we can just fight them all with our fists" Poroki said as he tried attacking one of the ghouls that was holding of their group members captive
Until a net was thrown at him, causing him to fall on ground with a ugly thud
"No- Poroki!!!!" Nene cried out as more nets fell on everyone
Even Jeon, Dahlia and Xinhua were not left
Everyone was held captive under the nets
They all tried to squirm away from the nets, but it was no use
"You all caused a lot of trouble to us..." Soon the earlier female ghoul who had yellow patterns came forward, from the swarm of ghouls
Fenry and Hunji were thrown at where everyone is
"Especially, you... the audacity in almost breaking my leg..." the ghoul then harshly stepped on Hunji's hand
{ { { Crunch } } }
Hunji yelped in pain as he screamed
Many ghouls shivered in pleasure as they fed off from his pain
"Such delicious little things" The ghoul chuckled as she looked at the portal
"Hah... knowing how to open a portal with a help... your something else..." The ghoul stepped away from Hunji as she goes toward where Dahlia is
"No mortals knows on how to even do that... it takes them years to find out how... yet..." she grabbed Dahlia by her collar
"You know it from the very beginning and at such young age..." She huffed as she observed how Dahlia reacts
Dahlia only gritted her teeth, she held back her pain while glaring at the ghoul
The ghoul soon held Dahlia's face closer to hers
"I am sure his majesties would be pleased in meeting you and who knows... I might be one of their favorites" She snickered darkly
Dahlia doesn't say anything as she keeps her glare fixated on the ghoul
"What should I do...? I am so close to saving everyone..." Dahlia thought as she looks over at the portal
It was still open
"If... if I can just hold every ghouls down then-..." She thought until... something hit her
"Wait-... I can just-" "Put everyone to sleep and I will keep her in my possession" The ghoul orders, cutting Dahlia's thought in the middle
The ghouls that are around, nods obediently as 5 ghouls stepped forward
They all started to sing soothingly
Their voices enchanting... yet held the dark tone
"No... not again..." Jeon groaned as he kept punching himself to stay awake
"Urgh... Stay awake... everyone!!!" Hunji yelled out as he bite his arm harshly to try to stay awake
"I... feel... tired.... lady... Dahlia... I am... sorry..." Xinhua said as he finally blacked out
"No... wake up... Xinhua... you... can't" Nene tried to wake Xinhua up but her eyelids grew heavy
Poroki groaned only as he closed his eyes
"Stay... awake... you... idiot..." Unimoshi told himself that, but he also closed his eyes
"No... everyone..." Hunji groaned as he too slumped on floor
Everyone had fallen deep asleep except Fenry and Dahlia
Fenry was part of their world so the singing didn't effect him
While, the ghoul was blocking the powers so that Dahlia can't fall asleep. As she planned something sinister with the way she is smiling and staring down at Dahlia
The singing soon stopped as the ghoul that was carrying Dahlia, started to take her away
"No... Dahlia... Hunji... Jeon... anyone... wake up" Fenry coughed as he fell on ground
He squirmed with all his strength
He tried to fight, but his body was slowly turning weak
Patterns showed up in his body
But he still tried to reach out to Dahlia, in attempts to save her
Meanwhile, Dahlia looked at everyone asleep as the ghouls were preparing to take everyone away
She quickly reached out to the locket that is inside her dress, she gripped it tightly again
"Calm mind... focus... think of a butterfly..." She thought internally
She closed her eyes tightly as she imagined a butterfly going towards her and getting absorbed in the sapphire gem inside the locket
Suddenly a strong gust of wind came
The female ghoul was taken a back, along with the many ghouls who were about to take all the children away
"What-" The ghoul soon looked at Dahlia
Dahlia opened her eyes, it was no longer purple
But... sapphire colored
The ghoul's eyes widened
"... Bind..."
With one command, every single ghouls were binded by a chains that glowed in blue
All the ghouls screeched, as they all were binded
They squirmed and tried to break free from the binds
But the bind... seemed to burn their skin off
They all groaned in pain
The entire area was filled with sounds of hiss and the painful screech from the ghouls
Fenry's eyes widened, at what he just saw, "What... Dahlia... how...?" he mumbled
Dahlia was freed from the ghouls grip then, she stood on ground
She walked towards where all the children were deep asleep, except Fenry
She stared at Fenry for a long while before she grabbed him by his chin and pressed her already bleeding palm on his mouth
"Wait- what are you doing-" "Drink... you will turn back to being part of mortal realm, if you drink a person's blood who belongs there" she explained as she cut Fenry in the middle of his sentence
"I never even planned to let you nor Hunji brother to sacrifice yourselves... for us" She huffed
Fenry's breath hitched in hearing her
Dahlia made sure her blood fell on inside his mouth
His chest tightened from hearing her
More black tears trickle down before he started to drink her blood, softly
Dahlia lets him
"You... little mortal... how come you have so much power!!!" The ghoul hissed as she tried desperately to free herself
Dahlia looks over at her
"If I have power, what is your problem with?" She scoffed before turning back to Fenry who's body started returning to normal
His eyes returned back to being fully amber
His half body that was turned in black... returned back in color...
The patterns were gone completely
But... he was still missing an arm
"YOU WILL REGRET THIS!!! OUR KINGS WILL COME AFTER YOU AND TAKE OVER YOUR WORLD SOON ENOUGH!!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!" The ghoul yelled out in anger at Dahlia
Dahlia remained unfazed and with a gesture of her hand, the nets that was holding everyone down was thrown away
She soon lifted everyone in air
"Your tired... so rest with them..." She said as she looked at Fenry in the eyes
Her sapphire eyes glowed more as she used her powers
"What- no..." Fenry groaned as he tried to fight it
He gripped her hand tightly as he tried to stay conscious, "I can't-... not... when... I have... so... many... questions..." he thought inetrnally
But her powers were strong
His eyelids grew heavier
His grip on her arm loosened before it let go, completely
He soon slumped down as Dahlia had also lifted him up in air with the others. She takes everyone towards the portal
"This is it..." Dahlia thought before she let out a soft sigh before stepping inside the portal with everyone in air
The portal finally closed off when they all entered it