Parallel Novel Chapter 86: Girl in the Pit

ilfour,

Six Days Ago...

"What did you just say!?"

Hektor shrunk back from Lunette's terrible glare. There was nothing of the cute songstress he had beco accustod to. In her place was a fiery demon with cold glare that threatened to petrify him. "K-Kashi's been taken," Hektor repeated.

ilfour's Hopeful Maggots (with the exception of the orchestra) were gathered in Muko's underground cellar/eting room. Hektor and Jade stood across from Lunette and Shadow, separated by a table. Syèl and Shoko stood so ways off, silently monitoring the situation. Kira, anwhile, seed content to sleep near the stairs, apparently unperturbed.

"He's not a purse," Lunette pressed. "How exactly does soone get taken?"

"That would be a result of my actions," a voice answered. All eyes turned to the top of the stairs where Muko stood with two Chetahs and a Sphinx.

Kira montarily raised her head to commit their scents and faces to mory. Once done, she lay back down, her nonchalance as good an approval as any they would get to enter the chamber.

Asha warily glanced at the massive direwolf as she walked past. It seed the songs of Kashi and his demon hound weren't as farfetched as first assud. Diatte and Kaga flanked her on both sides as she approached the guild.

"That's far enough hon," Syèl called, finger raised. "Na and business."

A sadistic twinkle in his eye sent a shiver down Asha's spine. A single glance around the room confird her thoughts. Every living being in this room was a monster. Apart from herself, Diatte and Kaga, she had no doubt they would clear through her n with relative ease. Her hand clasped tightly around the sword they had so arrogantly let her co in with. "Asha," she answered. "My na is Asha, and these are Diatte and Kaga, my lieutenants."

"Nice to et you," Lunette greeted, trying to put her best smile on. She failed. It ended up coming off as a cold warning. "My na is Lunette Falsetto, and this is my brother, Shadow." She went on to introduce each Maggot. "Ms. Asha, could you elaborate on what you ant by this being a result of your actions?"

Asha raised a surprised brow. Of everybody in this room, she had least expected the songstress to take the mantle of interim leader. She looked the weakest of the lot. However, as those cold eyes suggested, there might be more to this girl than t the eye. Asha would have to be careful. "I have been searching for Kashi of the Dark Elves for a long ti."

"Why?"

"To kill hi—" A cold blade against her jugular froze the words in her mouth.

Shadow whispered into her ear, "Choose your next words carefully."

"You!" Diatte yelled as he made to pou— BAM! The ground shook as Hektor grabbed his face and slamd him against the floor.

A translucent flaming do encased Kaga before he could process the volatile situation. He looked across the room to Syèl's cocky grin. The blood mage wagged his finger in playful warning.

Despite the explosive chaos, Asha could not afford take her eyes off the greatest threat in the room at the mont: Lunette's asured gaze. It was a terrible, terrible sight. Once vibrant greenish-blue orbs now resembled the eye of a typhoon, cold and rciless.

Both won stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, then Lunette closed her eyes. When she reopened them, they had relaxed, losing most of that goring animosity. "On another day, I would ask for your reasons for wanting Kashi dead," Lunette revealed. "However, right now, ti is of the essence. So, if you know anything of his current whereabouts, please, speak."

Asha ntally released a sigh of relief as Shadow removed his blade and retreated. She couldn't shake the feeling she had just survived an execution. However, despite the clear threat to her life, she maintained her composure. "Just to be clear, I aid you only because I owe a life debt to the daeben. Imdiately this debt is fulfilled, I will return for all of you."

"Whoo," Syèl mockingly whistled. "Still think you stand a chance?"

"I have faced demons and n far stronger than you and lived." Asha's gaze challenged his. "You will be no different."

Syèl grinned. "You th--" Oof! Shoko's blow to his stomach knocked the air out of him.

"This is not the ti for your gas," Shoko chided. She fixed Asha with a hard glare. "Where is he?"

"He is most likely being taken to Second Under," Asha answered.

"Where's that?" Hektor asked as he released his grip on Diatte.

"A hard week's ride North-East," Asha replied. "It's the last surviving Dwarven settlent in this country."

Syèl playfully elbowed Shoko. "Hear that? We're gonna et dwarves."

"This is no joke," Asha rebuked. "If he is indeed on his way to Second Under, he has but a few weeks to live, if he is not imdiately executed on arrival."

"You seem to know a lot," Lunette observed. "Who exactly has Kashi and what's your affiliation to them?"

"They go by various nas," answered Asha. "We call them The Church. Before your guild invaded, I was the sole resistance they faced in this region. They wish

dead."

"Can you lead us there?" Lunette asked.

"Yes I can," Asha said. "However, I would advise caution. A rescue mission in Second Under's mazes can turn bad, fast."

A dark, haunting laugh escaped the blood mage. "Rescue mission? Who said anything about a rescue mission?"

Shoko nodded. "This Church of yours crossed our guild. There can be only one logical response to that."

Asha's confused gaze travelled from the two, to the Interim leader. Her heart seized for a second at the steely glare Lunette regarded her with.

"We shall obliterate them," Lunette promised. "This is an execution."

Jade watched the tension-choked room from beside Kira's side. She patted the wolf as she whispered. "You know where he is, don't you? That's why you're not worried."

Don't Follow.

Kira replayed Kashi's instruction in her head. Sohow—how or why, she couldn't guess—the daeben desired this outco. He knew they would chase after him. As to whether the Chesch was part of his plan or not... who knew. But he definitely banked on Kira's ability to track him. If so...

Kira released a low contented growl in reply.

Jade grinned. "Guess it'll be our little secret. That crazy bastard must be up to sothing..."

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Present Ti,

Second Under

Perdition Pit.

That crazy bastard was up to sothing... Staying Alive!

Kashi sharply jumped back as the female daeben lunged for him, teeth bared. She landed on all fours, swiveled like a trained animal, then drove straight for his throat. Kashi hand shot up as he ducked under her charge. His arm grabbed onto her jaw as he twisted in place, then slamd her into the ground.

The little beast cushioned the blow with her arms, angling her head so her body swept to the ground with one fluid motion. Her hands propped up, and she swung with the continued motion so her leg shot up to Kashi's face.

Kashi winced, the blow sending him staggering away from her.

The little beast saw the opportunity and jumped on Kashi, locking her legs behind his back. She made to claw at his face, but he grabbed both hands. Their gazes locked in the darkness, a split-second before she struck down to bite his head off.

"You little!" BAM! The beast faltered for a second, brain rattled by the sudden headbutt. She did not release her grip around Kashi's waist though.

Kashi ran to the wall and slamd her back against it. Her mouth opened in a wordless cry, soon replaced by a snarl as she once again tried to bite Kashi's nose off. He released her left arm and pinned her neck to the wall with his elbow. "Cool down," he repeated in a soothing voice. "I'm not your enemy." Her eyes bulged, and drool soaked his arms as she relentlessly struggled to break free of his hold.

Kashi stifled a scream as fingers dug into his side. God, this girl's nails were sharp! He slamd her against the wall again, and this ti her leg-lock loosened a bit. Kashi grabbed the hem of her shirt. Teeth gritted, he pulled her above him, then down in a arc.

The girl's eyes went wide with shock as her back slamd against the floor. Before she could catch her breath, Kashi had turned her over and had her hands locked behind her with his knee pressed down against her spine. Frightened, and enraged she squird and fought against his hold, but he wouldn't budge.

Kashi's brows furrowed when the girl began to cry. He had thought this to be so sort of intense role-play. But judging from the way she was trembling beneath him, this girl was genuinely afraid of him. Attacking him had been by instinct, not choice. Put him with the other one. It should be happy after months without a friend. How long had this girl been down here?

The girl's struggles laxed after what felt like forever. Apart from an occasional half-baked tussle, she was deathly quiet.

"Have you cooled down?" Kashi asked.

"..."

"Sorry for the rough treatnt," Kashi continued. "I needed to talk to you, but you weren't very forthcoming." Still nothing. Kashi frowned as he realized a possibility he hadn't even considered. "Do you understand what I'm saying?" The girl still didn't move or say a word. "Okay, I'm going to release you now." Kashi gently released the pressure on her back, "I just want to talk," then let go of her hands.

The girl instantly sprung to life and rolled so she was on all fours. She resembled a cat the way her back arch upwards and head placed low to the ground, teeth snarling. Was this girl raised by tigers or sothing? The diamond above her head countered that argunt.

"What's your na?" Kashi asked, raising his hands so his palms faced her. When she only cocked her head to one side, he repeated, "Your. Na. What. Is. It?" Her stance relaxed sowhat, though she was still clearly tensed. ". Kashi," He pointed to himself. "You?" He gestured towards her, palm up.

The girl frowned, as if trying to process his words. She pointed at him. "Ka-shin." Her voice was tiny and timid, a direct contrast to the scary picture her thick dishevelled hair portrayed.

"Kashi," he corrected with a smile. One he knew she could see despite the total darkness.

"Ka-shi," she parroted. She then pointed at herself. "..." Her eyes closed for a second, lids squeezed in a worried frown. The strangest thing happened right after. A huge grin spread across her face as her eyes snapped open.