“Eww. I never knew something this disgusting was built along the way to my beautiful city,” scoffed Othilia who carefully planned her steps through the mud and ooze.
“Maybe this still is the right way,” Emily said loud enough for everyone to hear.
“I'm sorry Eveline, but I have to ask you whether we really are on the right track.”
Everyone expected to quickly hear Eveline’s answer, yet only silence commenced. With baffled faces, they looked around and realized that Eveline had already vanished in the thick fog. Not even Balthasar, who was the last to join them, noticed anything suspicious.
“How can this be possible?” Willhelm asked..
Gieldan immediately build himself up before Emily, not letting his guard down.
“Olivia?” Emily asked her friend.
“Got it. Ansia, scout our surroundings and check out if there are any threats around.”
“Tz, I knew the influence of that whore would sooner or later be my downfall. Now she's giving the commands. Just you wait, you will get what you deserve,” she grunted quietly as she started to float off the ground, involuntarily moving out.
“Thanks, Olivia,” Emily smiled while her friend seemed to be relatively proud of herself. “Please gather around everyone. We should be extra careful from now on. Eveline has gone missing in the fog. Nobody seems to have seen anything, so please stay focused.” She went on to look everyone in the eye before she continued.
“No matter what happens, we stay together. Gieldan is our best protection. We will search for her together.”
“Just great. How are we supposed to look for someone in this ghost town?” Darius complained unsolicited.
“Y-yeah, he's right. She's the one who brought us here after all. And you were the one who believed her,” Ludwig nervously opposed her
“You accepted the route just as easily as everyone else you, big-mouth,” objected Marion.
Emily and Olivia were starting to exchange worried looks as the atmosphere began to heat up, and panic had taking its course.
“I knew it. Someone as disgraceful as her would never know a safe route to our paradise,” lamented Othilia.
“Stay calm everyone. We should asses our current situation before we start fighting each other,” said Balthasar who tried to de-escalate the situation with his gentle hand gestures.
“Emily, the fog doesn't seem to lift itself anytime soon,” Gieldan waited for her next command.
“No! Ansia hasn't returned. We need you here with us.”
Meanwhile, the different opinions ran rampant, and even Olivia was starting to get involved. “It doesn't do us any good to fight among ourselves.”
“Oh, we were so naive. I should've known better as one of Pride’s precious citizen,”. Othilia was still absorbed in her own world.
“Come on guys, where is your spirit? We have only lost one person so far. Playing the blame game won't bring us any closer in finding her,” Willhelm explained.
“My dear Willhelm, you just know how to handle your words,” Othilia swarmed around him.
It remained relatively peaceful in the group, even though their opinions were at odds with each other. Only Ludwig seemed like he was getting more irritated with every passing moment.
“Tsk, as if we could do anything in this fog,” said Darius followed up by the timid Ludwig.
“I-i have t-to agree as well. We should not be here any ll-longer. O-our own lives a-are aaa-at risk.”
“Hold up a minute! These old masonries may be scary, but we shouldn't let emotion triumph over our minds yet. Don't you think young man?” Balthasar intervened and followed it up with a smile, bringing back a sense of unity to the group.
“Come, Ludwig, we should be together. I'm sure we'll find her,” he tried to get a hold of the young man as the fog enveloped them from time to time, getting thicker and thicker. But just as Balthasar reached out to Ludwig, he had already disappeared.
“H-how can that be?! He is… gone?”
“DID YOU SEE ANYTHING GIELDAN?!” even Emily started to get scared.
“Nothing, not even the slightest. This fog is simply ridiculous. I don't think it's anything natural or that we're alone in this village.”
“Should we split up?” Willhelm asked into the round.
“Are you insane, you foolish human? That would be your death!” the aspect scolded him.
“Then what should we do instead? Err through this fog for all eternity?” nagged Othilia.
“AAARRRGGHHHHH!!”
“URHRGLAHGUGH!”
Two loud screams were piercing the thick air of the fog and spooked everyone at the same time.
Screams that were roaring through their whole body, not too far away from them
“Damnit! Follow me!” Emily shouted and started to run through the white wall of fog “The noise came from over there. Gieldan, be ready!”
“Understood,” he yelled back and whipped out his gold-red Daggers.
The rest of the group barely managed to run after them.
“Follow my voice. We have to stay together. There is not much time.”
Miraculously they managed to find their way, past rotten wooden barricades and demoralized exterior walls. Their feet stepped through the cold morass, through withered plants and shards of glass. Ever forward, getting closer to the determined voice of the woman that made their first escape possible.
Again and again, she shouted to guide them through the fog. Olivia felt as if her feet were starting to give in as she almost fell. Balthasar was having difficulties to keep up likewise. Strangely, Darius had been the only one to stop for a second rushing back to help the old man.
Together they dived after the rest of the group, but Emily's shouts abruptly stopped.
“What should we do?!” Olivia asked seized with panic.
“Clam down. She should be right in front of us. We should hurry, just in case something happened,” Darius answered and supported Balthasar with his shoulder as they went through the fog.
“STAY BACK!” another shout from Emily howled through the abandoned alleyway.
It was already too late. With a last spurt of speed, the three managed to reach their destination and immediately noticed the fog starting to disperse.
Their vision cleared up and they slowly took in what happened before them. They saw Emily in the middle, surrounded by the others. She held something in her arms, and a red liquid was spreading underneath her, seeping into the dried dirt.
“No… this can't be…”, Olivia said before her fingers covered her mouth.
“For heaven's sake…”, Balthasar gasped.
In shock Olivia, Balthasar and Darius were stepping in closer. Emily’s body was hunched over the lifeless body of Ludwig, whose throat had been slit open. He was almost not identifiable with all the blood that was spreading over his body. In grief, Emily pressed his head against her chest.
“H-how c-can th-this be?!” Darius scrambled to find any words to say.
With her shaking fingers, Olivia managed to grab his sleeve and pointed forward as he turned around. She wasn't able to speak anymore, as not only her fingers were quivering in fear.
Eventually even Darius seemed to realize that they weren't alone. Gieldan was already shielding Emily standing before the group while the fog dispersed further. Amid the events, he gazed upon further destroyed houses where on top of the broken roofs, he recognized a creature that was looking down on all of them.
“What the fuck is that?!” his eyes twitched, at that moment he was sure that he had already seen everything there was to see.
On top of the roofs sat a dreadful creature that arched itself like some sort of snake, entirely made up of bones. Its bony skull was embedded with horns as it felt like it was staring at Darius. Though, the most bizarre thing had yet to follow. On top of the monstrous skeleton sat a delicate woman that serenely crossed her legs. She was dressed in a fancy black dress, which was decorated with a dark black leather cor
set.
Long, dark blue and black hair fell down her small shoulders. Merely her right eye was visible, as the other seemed to have been removed through a gut-wrenching wound, leaving behind a scarred eye socket. It was grotesque enough for her to have it covered up by the strains of hair. On her chest was a red rose that had been chained to the corset. Dark gloves with quills and sleeves enclosed her delicate hands that were caressing across her soft looking legs.
Closing in on her from both sides, were two enormous beasts. Both were at least as tall as the abandoned houses beneath them. The creatures looked like they had no real skin or meat on their bones. It was more like rotten scraps that laid upon them like a garment. Their ribcage was clearly visible, while the salvia from their mouths dropped to the ground. Darius nervously locked onto their sharp fangs, and dead black eyes were threatening the group. Baring their teeth with loud growls, they built themselves up next to the woman.
No one knew what to do. The shock was still engraved deep into their conscious, as they were forced to realize once more, that this was no world where believing in your strengths would magically solve anything.
The bitter reality forced itself upon them, as Ludwig bled to death in Emily's arms, who couldn't change anything, despite all her sadness. Fright had locked their hearts up. Hasty assumptions were crawling their way into their minds, letting them imagine the worst possible scenarios all at once. Out of all of them, it was Olivia who noticed the bloody mouth of one of the beasts.
“WHY DID YOU DO SUCH A TERRIBLE THING?” Under tears, her emotions were running wild as she screamed at the ominous woman.
“Hm?!” slowly the woman atop turned her gaze upon the group as if she had only just now realized that they were there.
“And who might you be?” she asked in a bored undertone and tilted her head in a questioning manner.
“EXPLAIN YOURSELF! RIGHT. NOW.” Olivia’s hysteria could not be stopped as Balthasar rushed to her side.
The beasts on top of the roofs were seemingly losing their temper and were growling even louder. Their massive paws were drilling through the rundown rooftops and were ready to strike at any moment.
“Huh?! Do you always scream when you meet someone? How irritating. You clearly have no manners. What a pain,” she sighed. “First I have to deal with these wretched lowlifes that are harassing my city, and now some random human whore doesn't know her place. What an exhausting day.” She held her hand before her mouth as she began to yawn.
“She knows we're human on first glance,” Darius noticed. “She is no ordinary threat,” he followed up clenching his teeth.
The mysterious woman continued in a tired manner. “Shouldn't you be more concerned about your friend? He doesn't look very healthy.” She pointed at Ludwig. “Or maybe you are into this sort of thing? Well, the city of that colorful pest isn't too far from here after all.” A sinister smile was forming on her lips.
“My time is precious and limited. I have no time for you, so if you would excuse me. I have no motivation to deal with any more insects than I have to,” she said and turned herself away.
“You think you can just walk away like that?!” yelled Othilia this time.
“Ho?! I'm not sure what you think I did.”
“You have robbed this young man of his life,” said Balthasar who supported Othilia. Rousing laughter resonated through the lifting fog.
“How naive are you, old man?” the woman laughed, “I really should've never allowed your kind to treat in these lands. Are you sure you should accuse me? Maybe I have a few more moments to rip you all to shreds after all.”
Her long fingers began to twitch wildly. “Should you regain your composure I will overlook your grave insolence in my immense gracefulness.”
The woman seemed to have an interest in Emily who was still kneeling, bent over Ludwig’s corpse.
“Unforgivable…” Emily mumbled to herself.
“Emily,” Olivia whispered after her.
“So what shall it be? I'm not particularly patient when it comes to waiting for someone else besides myself.”
“Ansia is still not back, Emily,” Gieldan threw in.
The beasts were screeching as the bony creature the lady sat upon simply giggled along. Emily closed her eyes as their screams were shaking through her whole body, and took a deep breath. Everyone's attention was on her, expecting her next command.
“WE WILL MOVE ON! PLEASE, EXCUSE OUR MISBEHAVIOR,” she yelled loud enough for everyone to hear.
To their surprise, Emily had given in. Uncertain how to react they calmed down a little. Only Emily looked up at the sinister lady. Tears were rolling down her cheeks that were still covered in blood, but her gaze remained strong and determined.
“Interesting,” the woman from above replied with a wide grin. “And here I thought all humans and Personas were incorrigible. Well, unlike a few bastards I know, I'm a woman of my word. We shall not meet again,” she said before the fog started to return and the four figures vanished right in front of their eyes behind a wall of fog. One last time they heard the screams of the beast howling through the air until everything was silent again.
“S-she really did it… She left.” Darius fell to his knees with relief. He couldn't grasp it, but it felt like he had escaped certain death a second time by a hair's width.
Othilia immediately rushed to Willhelm’s side, and Balthasar caught his breath as he sat down next to Emily.
“That was a wise decision, young lady,” he said thankfully before he hugged her. Emily responded with a nod and wiped the tears off her face.
“We should not let our guard down. There are too many questions remaining,” Gieldan argued, putting back his daggers. Cautiously Emily removed herself from Ludwig’s lifeless body and laid him down softly onto the ground, folding his hands on his chest.
“I'm so, so sorry that I couldn't do anything for you. I should've reacted faster,” Emily whispered.
“My child, none of this was your fault,” Balthasar’s hand remained on her shoulder as he helped her to get up
“It is very courageous wanting to shoulder the sorrow of everyone, but we cannot protect all of them. Neither from the dangers of life, nor themselves. You will break if you start blaming yourself for everything,” he paused, as he realized what he just said.
“Ho ho… not that these words hold any meaning coming from someone like me, but I think that sometimes the best advice we can give is the one we are too weak to follow ourselves,” he chortled melancholy and made his way to Olivia who was still heartbroken.
Gieldan spoke to Emily in confidence. “So you noticed as well? Good job,” he murmured, while Emily responded with a silent nod.
“It was no beast that slew him. The cut of the wound implies that it was…”
“Enough, Gieldan! Please…” she brought forth with a sob.
“I understand,” he said with a calm and deep tone.
Still inside her own head, Emily didn't notice Gieldan had put something on her back. He took off his wine-red coat to cover her with it. It was the first time that she saw him without his coat.
Of course she knew of his black chest protector, but not that he was sleeveless underneath, covered in many scars himself, decorating his arms like tattoos in a kind of grotesque way of thinking. She tightly wrapped the coat around her, Ludwig’s blood already starting to dry on her clothes.
“Look! The fog seems to be almost completely gone,” Willhelm observed.
“So she was the cause after all?” Balthasar pondered.
“I-it s-seems that way,” Olivia responded before her name was called out from the skies, coming from a familiar voice.
“Have no fear, oh my dear, dear Olivia! I have returned.” Ansia flew to Oliva’s side and pressed her head against her chest. “Come here, this is your safe haven. I'm so happy that you're alright. That's what happens when you send me away because you want to impress that bloody whore,” she said with such an exuberant tonality, r
aising doubts in everyone.
The commotion calmed down and sadness, like despair, found its way back.
“What happened? I was only gone for a few moments,” Ansia said.
“We are safe for now. Thanks to Gieldan,”, Olivia admitted as she loosened Ansia’s hug.
“More importantly, what took you so long, you witch lookalike?” Darius teased her promptly afterward.
“Pah! I was looking for possible threats and an escape route, just like I was 'ordered' to.”
“So you don't even notice when your partner is in danger, huh?!” he answered fiercely.
“OF COURSE! As always you humans think you know it all. I was on my way back until the fog was getting too heavy, even for the likes of me.”
Gieldan stepped into the discussion. “That's enough. We’ve already lost someone. This fog, rather this woman, was indeed nothing we should've come into contact in the first place. I'm sure we would've been wiped out in mere seconds had we tried to fight her.”
“Tsk, serves you right,” Darius turned himself away.
“Is everything alright with you, Willhelm?” Othilia asked him, finding back to usual graceful self.
“Naturally. The first shock is always the greatest.”
With distrust, Gieldan watched Willhelm as he answered, who immediately looked back to Othilia as their eyes crossed.
“How does it look? Is there truly a way that leads to Pride’s City or have we been fooled completely?” he asked Ansia in conclusion.
“Tz, who do you think I am? A tracking dog? This vale of tears is surrounded by dead forests, dried out soils and disgusting swamps.” Just about then the aspect noticed Olivia’s hopeful glimmer coming from her eyes.
“Okay then,” Ansia sighed. “There actually are two ways leading out of this village. One is to the northwest leading to the disgusting swamps. The other one is to the south and seems to lead back to wide, green fields that we were told were near Magnus.”
“I can attest to that,” Othilia came forward. “Beautiful, dainty meadows and grasses surround our magnificent city. No scary woods, only the finest of the finest.” She wanted to inhale even deeper to keep on ranting, but Gieldan stopped her in time.
Death's Gambling Page 24
