Garden Of The Abyss

"Now, hold on."

Jae-Seong halted the group before they could traverse further down the corridor. The Lucrauvian woman didn't look pleased to be stopped, turning back to face her curly-haired companion with an icy glare.

"What is it? Every second matters right now, Jae-Seong, I'm sure even you can grasp the gravity of that."

"I do, I do. I just think we're missing a really important piece of the puzzle here, is all."

Jae-Seong raised his hands as if trying to show he wasn't coming off as hostile, but Yuri didn't seem very open for a debate in such nebulous times. Not intercepting the conversation between the two comrades, the quiet assassin leaned against the wall without any care that his back was pressed against the grimy substance coating the surface.

"...Spit it out already."

Yuri narrowed her eyes as if already knowing what the otherworlder was going to say, though Ren was left perplexed.

"We're not the only ones who have to evacuate. There are others still inside of this place right now. I don't know about you, but I'm not really up for just tucking my tail between my legs and running while others are trapped in here."

"Improbable...no, impossible. For once, think, Jae-Seong; our senses are dulled, the enemy is all around us, they're only gaining more control of the building by the second--we're practically walking around with our heads served on a silver platter for them."

Yuri stepped closer to the man who stood well over a head taller than herself, though she held an aura much more imposing through that glacial glare that inhabited her azure irises.

"What's the difference? We're walking around blind as is, the exits are probably sealed--if not guarded by who knows what. If we can find others, our numbers will grow, and more numbers equals a better chance at survival. Ren, you agree, don't you?"

Letting his shades slide down a bit, Jae-Seong spoke whilst replying to the woman's glare with his dazzling, golden eyes that didn't retreat behind her pragmatic notions.

"Don't bring him into this."

"I most certainly will give our trusted, reliable ally a vote here. That's what a fair, equal group does, Yuri. Ren?"

Now, all eyes were on the white-haired young man as he was more focused on not being torn limb from limb by the horrific fiends.

Why do I feel like a child stuck between a marriage dispute? He thought.

"I--"

Before Ren could say anything, Sicarius interjected with a heavy, drawn out sigh as he coaxed all eyes to himself.

"You needn't worry about your allies; Hongse, Valerie, Iris, Macheo, and Aiko, correct?"

"How did you…?"

"Killing isn't all I'm good at. Anyway, like I've told Ren here before--the others will be fine. I didn't come here alone on this mission."

Hearing this from Sicarius, Jae-Seong and Yuri were noticeably taken aback by this information finally reeled from the assassin's taut lips.

Of course, the louder, less tact of the two spoke up first, "Mission? You knew about this?"

Yuri added in as both her and Jae-Seong stepped closer to the salt-and-pepper assassin, "Tell us what you know. And who you really are."

A glance was shared between Sicarius and Ren; it was clear from that small look that while he was annoyed, Sicarius knew the quickest, most practical solution was to finally let them be privy to some information.

"I'm part of a group called "Osmanthus". Our group's purpose is to gather information, hunt, and put a stop to Belmon. That's all you need to know."

Just as the word "Belmon" rolled off of Sicarius' tongue, both Jae-Seong and Yuri flinched as the white of their eyes grew prominent.

"You're saying…Belmon is behind this attack?"

Yuri placed her lithe fingers against her chin, quickly reclining into thought.

Holding the same, curious glint in his eyes, Jae-Seong shook his head, "Belmon? That forgotten kingdom place? I thought that was just some myth they told to kids…what do they have to do with this?"

Standing blankly, feeling left out, Ren blinked a few times before finally adding his own input:

"What the hell is Belmon?"

—It seemed like an obvious question, but the two from Lucrauv looked at him as if he was crazy for not knowing.

"It's not like I really know anything about it, but the name of Belmon is a known legend. None of the Outlanders mentioned it to you?"

Jae-Seong asked, receiving only a shake of the head from Ren.

Before any further explanation could come, the assassin placed his foot down.

"I think we've wasted enough time. We'd best move out."

"…Wait, so this "Osmanthus" group of yours…there are others here? And they're escorting the others?"

Jae-Seong stopped the man before he could continue down the corridor again, which drew a perturbed sigh from Sicarius.

"Yeah, that's what I said, didn't I? I'd like to regroup with them—as I'm sure you would as well. So let's get the hell out of this place."

"I agree; we've compromised our own positions enough as it is. I'll hold the rear; Jae-Seong, Sicarius, you two handle the front."

Yuri gave her orders, which were quickly accepted by the other two as Jae-Seong did a playful salute before taking the vanguard alongside the quiet assassin.

Left in the center, Ren looked around a bit before pointing to himself, "I can't help but feel like I'm being, urr, underestimated here?"

"Naturally, you're the youngest out of all of us, so it's natural to safeguard you."

Without batting an eye, Yuri gave this answer to Ren that made him jerk his head back, looking at the girl who obviously looked younger than him.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but you look like you belong in--"

Before Ren could finish his statement, Jae-Seong's hand quickly covered his mouth as he turned Ren back around.

Leaning in close, the curly-haired man whispered words just between them, "Watch it! She's pretty damn sensitive about how young she looks."

"...How old is she then?"

As the white-haired young man asked this, Jae-Seong glanced back at Yuri as if making sure she couldn't hear him before returning his attention to Ren.

"Thirty-six."

"Wha--?!"

Jae-Seong was quick to guard Ren's mouth again before his loud reaction could reach its peak.

"Keep it down! We'll both have our asses handed to us!"

Nodding his head a few times, Ren complied as Jae-Seong removed his hand and moved back up to the vanguard, leading the way alongside Sicarius in the grimy hellscape.

You're amazing, Jae-Seong. Even in a situation like this, you're able to lighten it up somehow, Ren thought.

It was as he expected: the corridors attached to the building were incredibly lengthy, maintaining a repetitive pattern that made it impossible to distinguish one hall from the next.

"...Is it just me, or has it gotten really quiet suddenly?"

Ren asked, checking over his shoulder to look back at Yuri--just making sure the quiet woman was still present.

"I don't think conversation is particularly helpful in a situation like this."

"No, I don't mean that!...I mean, the footsteps, the scratches, everything...there's nothing now."

He was quick to correct Yuri's notion as he scanned the walls with his eyes, feeling an ominous aura creeping up on him as he shuddered.

"Perhaps they strengthened their Blackout spell."

"Yeah, but wouldn't our vision be affected too…?"

As Ren countered Yuri's potential answers, the cautious soldier gave him a look that seemed to understand his paranoia; Yuri began to look around, and there was indeed something amiss by this point.

"Hey, what's up with all of this gunk?"

Jae-Seong came to a stop, halting the others as well as they looked at the place he stepped; beneath the soles of his boots, sable grime coated the marble floor heavily.

It was the same for the walls now; the grimy substance stretched across all surfaces like the flesh of a rotting corpse buried within the holds of the world.

While they inspected the increase in the mysterious essence, something caught Ren's eye--though even that was wrong. It wasn't something he saw, but something he felt--a momentary dread that pulled his gaze up.

Beyond the end of the corridor was only darkness, leaving what came through a complete enigma. Even in the depths of the quiet, enigmatic darkness, he could feel a presence existing within its holds.

...What is that? He thought.

Reaching through the hall, enormous, blackened fingers scaled the walls before pressing against the foundation of the building--spreading the corridor apart with ease as it unraveled unnaturally into a new domain.

The still air was quickly replaced with something deathly; a dreadful cold that swept through without any care--that very chill held the group still as they witnessed a sight incomprehensible for a sane mind.

As the walls succumbed to the grip of the giant, scabbed fingers, the once quartz arena they traversed was now a territory formed of a hellscape of grime as all eyes fell on what existed before them, and what had dragged them into this realm. It was as large as a building itself, possessing a circular-rimmed head with a dozen eyes, shrouded by fleshy tendrils that wreathed in the air.

Squatting down, the colossal entity bore limbs wrapped and squeezed by charcoal chains; its abdomen was gaping with a hole that stretched from one end of its side to the other, possessing an uncountable number of teeth in its stomach-maw.

What is happening…? None of this makes sense. It doesn't make sense. Forget logic, how can something like this even exist? We were just in the halls, and now we're in...whatever this is...what is that thing? Ren thought.

Looking up, his gaze was returned by a colossal eyeball that was buried into the ceiling of sable flesh, looking down at him with its wide, shaking iris that held an abnormal shape resembling a turning cog. Replacing the silence that existed just moments before, a low, distorted siren filled the stomach-churning domain. As if existing as a lifeform of its own, the black, flesh-like walls pulsated, beating to the rhythm of a heart as squelches resounding with each pulsation.

All he could do was stand as his legs shook beneath the overwhelming winds of dread that sought to embrace him; the act of wrapping his fingers around the hilt of Belus signified that he was prepared to fight--but he didn't know if that was the truth.

"....It looks like the worst of the worst has happened…"