29 Curve of Sanity

In what appeared to be a desert city, Zyron had shrouded himself with a cloak to blend in with the other folks of the town. In the distance, was what seemed to be a desert harbor, with several waterfalls falling from the clouds.

He took a moment to take in the scent around him, before progressing towards the ships that docked in the western styled city. Many people seemed to be wearing cowboy getups and other similar styles of western clothing, and some even had horses, like a true wild west.

"(I must be crazy doing this... She could be anywhere out there.)" Zyron grimaced, walking up to a kiosk.

"Welcome to the Flamsmarth shipyard, where ya headin', stranger?" The woman inquired, from behind the counter. She was a tanned brunette, wearing a red corset, and a tan colored skirt. She somewhat resembled one of those woman you'd see in a saloon.

"I need to get to the other island, which town's dock is the cheapest?" Zyron kept his hood overhead, hoping to avoid conflict with non-Leashed.

"Which one? There's a few." The lady giggled.

"The large one." Zyron looked to her in annoyance.

"Ah, well, I reckon that the coast depot would be it. Only seventy Zircon, due to no folks or town, friend. Take you real close to them waterfalls too." She explained, leaning forward on the counter, some of her cleavage showing, in what seemed to be a flirting manner.

Zyron didn't seem to care however, simply taking out the coin purse to hand to the woman. "When do we depart?" He asked, as he received his ferry ticket from the sultry woman.

"In a hurry? Oh, well don't let me keep you, Sug. The rig is right over yonder." She replied, twirling a strand on her hair with her finger.

Zyron took notice of the small boat, that she motioned to, with her dainty fingers. He decided to proceed over, passing by a few shops in the dusty town. He reach the harbor, where the boat was, giving the ticket to the ferry man. He seemed unusual to Zyron, appearing to have a fin and tail of a shark.

"Ahoy lad, ready to set sail across the Pandora sea?" He asked, in a cocky manner.

"Uh... Yeah." Zyron couldn't help but stare.

"What? Never seen a shark Terra before? Hurry it up, I don't have all day." The shark man scoffed, as Zyron quickly boarded the vessel.

The ferry man took the wheel, preparing to set sail to sea. Zyron hated this, but he wanted to make sure Solitaire was alright. So taking a seat, the boat was off. They traveled for some time along the deep blue Pandora sea. As the lady at the kiosk had said, there was many waterfalls coming from the clouds just under the floating Skyworld above them.

Zyron couldn't help but gaze up to the sight in astonishment, but a part of him wished Solitaire could see it's splendor as well. He pictured her sitting beside him, gazing up with a look of awe to the waters, before he glanced off to the horizon.

Eventually the small boat made it's way to land, not too far from Dragon's Keep tower. The stone walls seemed to reach far into the sky, so much that it was engulfed in clouds. The boat soon docked, and Zyron took a step onto solid ground. The ferry man shifted the gears, as he looked to Zyron.

"If ya want to go back, you'll have to hail a ship from Feirela's harbor. That's all the way west from here, lad. I ain't waitin' round all day for ya." The man stated coldly, before departing back to sea.

"Thanks." Zyron groaned, before trekking onward.

Back around Knothole, Miles was sitting at a table with his arms behind his head. He seemed rather bored, but his eyes caught Ashewyn sit across from him.

"Gonna fess up with what happened this morning? I saw how Goldy-locks snapped at you." Ashewyn spoke up, taking a drag from his cigarette, before placing it out in an ash tray.

"Don't look at me, he started it." Miles huffed, in a bratty tone.

"Just like how you chased goth boy out the other day?" Ashe raised a brow.

"Tsk!" Miles scoffed, crossing his arms, as he pursed his lips. "Don't even start, you don't like the guy either."

"Doesn't mean I'm gonna start pointless fights." Ashewyn replied, keeping his cool.

"Whatever. Nye would just keep bringing that raven haired jerk back anyway, seeing with how she was sucking face with him last night." Miles retorted, giving a sly look to Ashe; as if hoping to start conflict.

"You sound jealous. Didn't you get enough with that stunt you pulled in Pinkie's room? Oh yeah, I know all about it. Walls are pretty thin in here." Ashe replied in a smug demeanor, as he got to his feet, to walk over to Miles' side of the table.

"..." Miles ears shot back, as he glanced away. "Get over yourself, Red. Do you think anyone would actually care if you told them?" He scoffed, with his fangs flared. "If you're going to threaten me, at least TRY to make it good."

"I'm just saying, you should be careful how you act. Sooner or later, things catch up to people. Not as if anyone else heard that outburst from earlier, right?" Ashe replied, sarcastically with a smirk, as he patted Miles' shoulder, before walking off.

"......." Miles went silent, he couldn't help but uneasily ponder who else overheard him various conflicts. His eyes panned around the room, noticing Adam sitting alone, than Molliana with her father. Nikolai appeared to be cleaning as well, but Miles decided to peer up at the upper level, wondering if Nye knew.

Meanwhile, Zyron had begrudgingly reached the entrance Mystic woods, in hope of finding Solitaire. The wind blew by, as he took another whiff of the air. "She's close..." He spoke softly, as his eyes gazed upon the pathway inside the forest. He felt like his legs wouldn't budge. "(Why did it have to be here?... I hope I can find Solitaire before my old master finds us...)" He sighed, proceeding to transverse through the dank woodlands of his former homeland.

Zyron seemed to wander through those haunted woods for hours, seeing the sun already getting close to setting. He could feel the chilling presence of the afterlife looming around him. Spirits of the dead faded through his path, vanishing like smoke formed apparitions. He continued further, passing under a large weeping willow tree.

He came up to a section of the forest that he didn't recognize, eventually reaching what seemed to be a clearing. Zyron shrugged, as he kicked a rock out of his way. "I must be walking in circles... The scent's just not staying in one place." He grumbled.

His eyes then caught a rock formation near a spring, that had vines covering what seemed to be an entrance.

"The fuck...?" Zyron stared at it, with bewilderment, as he slowly approached it. Shifting the vines from the cave opening, he was able to inspect the area easier, it appeared to be an old bunker of sorts, possibly even a storage facility. He could see many glass jars holding different pickled body parts and spell ingredients. They were scattered around on old wooden shelves, like a witches cupboard, but there was a door in the back. "Why haven't I ever seen this place before? (Could this be a Wynorex entrance?)" He pondered, anxiously.

"Hmhmhm. Isn't it obvious, my little pup?" Chuckled the sultry voice from before.

Zyron whirled around, in panic, to immediately form his staff from the skull pauldron on his chest. From the air, red boots were placed to the ground, as the torch haired witch held the end of her broomstick.

"I'm surprised you couldn't detect the change in the magical barrier, the very one that prevented you from leaving my woods in the past. Only when you took my magic crystal, were you able to leave my domain. Don't think I didn't notice it last time we met. Hmhmhm." Inferna smiled to Zyron in a cunning manner, her plump lips gleaming in the sunset.

Zyron shifted with caution, as his eyes briefly glanced to the red stone on his belt; before quickly returning his gaze to the witch before him. There he recalled, a memory. He was in the middle of the woods, surrounded by dead trees and many yellow flowers. Positioned in front of him was a stone statue. It had a skull face with three eyes, and missing the lower jaw.

The skull was held up from a twisted root of a tree, that formed below it. Ancient carvings covered the exterior of the skull, with a red gem held in the middle eye socket. Zyron had came across it, still emotional from Inferna's rejection. He had decided to take it, placing it to his belt before hurrying off from the area.

He came back to reality, tensed up from Inferna's presence. Her eyes kept their focus on him, unphased by his staff that trembled in his grasp. "You have no idea what that even is, do you? Hmhmhm." She teased, phasing in front of him, like a flame fading into the wind.

The end of her broom was placed under Zyron's chin, to lift his head to her level. The hanging bones from it rattled, as they clanged together.

"It was used to ward off trespassers, by suppressing magical pressure in the air; as well as keeping them out, and you in. Since you stole the stone, it has been weakening your magic, despite allowing you to escape my forest." She explained, keeping her cold gaze upon him.

"It's an anti-magic crystal?" Zyron finally choked up, scrambling to remove the gem from his belt.

Inferna seemed pleased. "Perceptive as always. I placed it up after what happened many years ago in the past, when you were little more than a pup... It's much like a double-edged sword, but even without the stone's power, you would be no match against my new found alliance. Hmhmhm."

Zyron grimaced, seeming unnerved. "What? You of all people having an alliance? What made you change, Inferna?" Zyron was shocked, knowing how much Inferna hated others.

"Hmhmhm. Do you recall your childhood companion? Sherry?" Inferna's lips curled. "I think not. After all, I made you forget about her. Hmhmhm... Perhaps I should return the memories to you. That way you can remember why things changed." Her hand was outstretched, before Zyron's face, as if gripping the air around it.

Zyron's mind was forced back to that of his youth, when Inferna first brought him to her home, as a pup. Inside he met a small little girl, who was playing with a voodoo doll. She seemed lonely, sitting there on the ground. Inferna nudged Zyron forward, looking down to the pup with a soft gaze.

"You're to be my little one's friend, it's your job to take care of her. You'll learn to use magic, and protect this land. We'll be a family. Understand, little pup?" Inferna patted his head. "Now go on. Sherry's waiting."

The young Zyron lifted his head, seeing the excited eyes of the strange child looking over at him. She got up, hurrying over to greet the dog. "Mommy? You gots us a puppy?" Sherry giggled, with excitement. "He's so cute."

Inferna seemed pleased, watching her daughter pet the timid little leashed's face. The memory shattered, with a dark void of chaos. Zyron was a bit older now, following after his master's daughter in the endless woods. She was holding his hand, and dragging him through the forest.

"Sherry wants to show you something, Zy!" Sherry giggled, with her broken pattern of speech.

"I don't think this is a good idea, Sherry." He tried to object, but she kept tugging him along.

They suddenly halted, getting a brief glance at something laying in the grass, ahead of them. There was blood on the ground around the figure, but it seemed to be making a groaning sound. Sherry released his hand, getting closer.

"Look, look. It's still alive." She sing-songed.

Zyron then realized, that the thing laying in the grass was a wounded person. It seemed to be a human woman, wearing rather revealing purple robes. She was laying on her stomach, trying to move from the ground, but her body seemed to be shifting oddly. It was as if she was struggling to keep her form, phasing between the human and what appeared to be a succubus. It was Horrifica, before she got an eye patch.

"Hey! Get away from her!" Zyron called, trying to get to the girl's side.

Sherry turned, to look back at Zyron. However, behind her, Horrifica raised to her feet in a weakened state, her wings hanging low to the ground. She appeared to be holding her side, that was bleeding from some kind of wound.

Before Zyron could get anywhere remotely close, the claw of the succubus was used like a sword, impaling through the stomach of the child. Four of her ribs had been broken, sticking out through Sherry's abdomen. She stood there in panic, as the claw was pulled back out. Blood began to seep out, before the girl collapsed to the ground.

"Sherry!!" Zyron cried out, in horror.

Panicking, he tried to cast magic, sending a weak fire ball at the succubus. It connected with her left eye, causing her to flail back in pain. "Ahhhh!" She cried, holding her face, with bared fangs.

Before Horrifica could rush Zyron, a whirlwind of flames blasted her backwards. Zyron stood, taken by surprise, only to see Inferna warp to her daughter's side. She held her closely in a tight embrace, sobbing hysterically.

"Noooo.... M-My little girl... Sherry....Mommy's here...." Inferna's voice was trembling, as she whimpered, stroking her dead child's hair.

Horrifica laid at a slight distance, trying to get to her feet. This caught Inferna's attention, she placed her daughter back to the ground, approaching the child's murderer. Flames began to ignite around her like wildfire, spiraling a vortex of unsuppressed power from her flaming hair.

"I should have made sure you were dead!" Inferna screamed at the succubus.

The flames roared at Horrifica, like a tsunami of fire. However, the flames were dividing to either side of her, as a templar shield deflected the blast to defend the wounded succubus. As the fire settled, angel wings were visible behind the shield. As it was lowered, it revealed that it was none other than Aoba protecting Horrifica. Blood was dripping down from between her fingers, that covered her left eye.

"Are you alright, darlin'?" Aoba asked to Horrifica, his gaze on Inferna, with a magical sword drawn.

Zyron's memory ceased, hearing Inferna's voice speak further. "You're lucky I didn't leave you behind, after what happened with Sherry. However, thanks to true Queen, my daughter is alive and well. Hmhmhm. So you can see why I chose to side with them." Inferna grinned.

"Wait... The Cult? They have that power!?" Zyron was astonished.

"That and so much more. Now, you see what you're dealing with. Times change, and choices must be made. I would have done anything to bring back my little Sherry. Even with the magic I learned, I couldn't save her." Inferna cackled, with a demented grin.

Inferna began to raise her hands into the sky. "Souls of the damned, and the shadows who flow across the land. Thou who lived in years since past, I call thee from thine astral plain. I beckon thine will to manifest before me, surrender thine power!" She chanted.

Spiraling in from darkness, the spirits of the dead began to appear from the ground around them, like a black plague. They wailed, while circling around like a whirlwind of horror. The area felt like it was darkening around them, as the apparitions continued to circle closer.

"Goddammit..." Zyron swore, under his breath. He got to a distance, keeping his staff at ready. He knew his fire magic would be useless against Inferna.

"I detect there is another option for you. This shall be your final opportunity to return to your master. Your body and soul belong to me, Zyron. You know that. Hmhmhm. I'm sure that Sherry misses you as well." Inferna grinned again, to Zyron, with the souls hovering around them.

She began to float up with magic, her flames dancing in the ghostly vortex. The witch's eyes focused right on Zyron, like a hawk.

"I didn't forget my little promise to your friends either. I still plan to pick each of them apart, limb by limb. However, I shall forgive the previous strife on your part, if you bend to my will as you have before. The choice is yours." She went on.

"You have no power over me, Inferna. It doesn't matter what you say or show me. I am not your Vulpis!" Zyron bared his teeth. "Where's Solitaire!?" He demanded.

"Is that how it's going to be then? You'll choose the time traveler over the one who gave you a friend, and cared for you since youth? Is that really what you want? I can give you her, if she passes her trial, but only if you choose to obey me." Inferna grinned, playing with fire magic in her hand.

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Zyron sweated, tensing up further.

"You've always been an intelligent dog, aren't you aware that each and every one of your 'friends' are being appraised? THIS is your trial, and if you succeed, you won't have to endure further suffering." Inferna grinned like a snake, with her eyes narrowing slyly. "Can you really count on her to stay allied to a false Queen? Do you really want to risk that?"

"..." Zyron seemed unsure, trying to figure this out, and quick.

"The longer you postpone your decision, the quicker the sands of time will run out. You don't wish to meet with a dreadful fate, do you not?" Inferna's expression was like that of a demon, plotting Zyron's demise.

Zyron hesitated, as perspiration rolled down his cheek. "Solitaire cares too much, to betray her friends." His tone seemed unsure, like he was almost second guessing himself.

"Sherry will be so devastated." Inferna seemed disappointed, as she shook her head in a condescending manner. "It appears that I have a body to harvest then. I'll bring you back in pieces if I have to. HUHUHUHAHA!" She cackled, like a sadistic yandere that was ready to cut him apart.

The spirits began to grow restless, diving at Zyron like banshees in a storm. Zyron quickly guarded, holding his staff in a defending posture; as the ghosts flew through him like mist. Their ghoulish shrieks were so sharp and loud, that Zyron couldn't see them very clearly. His senses were losing focus, and the souls kept blasting passed him. The amount of forces didn't let up, and several began to stretch out elongated black arms with claws, slashing tears into Zyron's jacket sleeves.

He winced, squinting one eye shut as the cacophony of sirens kept up the heat. Some blood began to stain his clothes from the minor inflictions, dripping to the ground with every shift of his body. Zyron swung his staff, but it failed to ward them away. In desperation, he channeled ice magic from his staff, casting it out at that the attacking apparitions. The feeling of dismay sunk in, seeing that the specters were unaffected by his magic.

He knew he could do this though, changing his magic tactic. Decided to cast wind based spells, he blew through the ghosts, sending them scattering like flies. This caused the spirits let out a shrill cry, before they dispersed into the sky, and vanished off like dust in the wind.

Zyron gripped to his staff, changing his target to Inferna. He attempted to cast wind in her path as well, gusting up a tornado. However, with Inferna's precision and speed, it was easily evaded. The witch merely laughed, as she appeared in Zyron's face, sweeping her body backwards to a distance, with flames roaring from her hair.

Zyron hurried to cast an ice shield, deflecting the incoming flames. He wasn't strong enough however, resulting in the ice melting rapidly. The fire magic sent him flying back into a tree, singed from the intensity of Inferna's magic power.

This left an opening, as Inferna dove at Zyron, her hand outstretched, preparing to grab him. Then, from seemingly no where, a broad sword was flung in, like a boomerang. It impaled the ground in front of Zyron, forcing Inferna to clash with it.

To her surprise, Inferna's engulfing fire magic didn't appear to be ineffective against the weapon. She thrusts herself away to gaze upon a figure, that descended to the ground beside the blade. Red dragon wings folded behind the man's back, as this armored assassin pulled his blade from the rubble.

"A witch of the wilds. Isn't this a treat." The Terra turned to Inferna, his eyes locked onto her.

Inferna seemed annoyed. "Are the Templar truly such cowards, that they chose to send in their special task force Terra?"

"Something like that." The Terra spoke seriously, from behind a mouth guard.

"The only Templar to ever give me a challenge, is your King. A mere armored dragon cannot stop such a powerful spell caster, like me." Inferna scoffs, rushing at him on her broom.

She shot off like a rocket, before spiraling into a flaming tornado. The Terra pulled Zyron out of the way, as Inferna came flying their way. The tornado curved, but the massive sword quickly deflects her attack, knocking away the tornado. Inferna crashed to the ground, rolling briefly.

Zyron was unnerved, seeing the Terra approaching his former master. Inferna was beyond angry now, rising up like a hell-bound demon. Her hair was now igniting with stronger flames of rage. The blazing fire casted at the masked man once again, but he quickly slashed them all in half, letting the debris crash to his sides.

Pulling down his mouth guard, the Terra was revealed to be Heath in his battle gear. He kept his grip on his mask, casting ice breath from his lungs. It struck Inferna hard, forcing her out of the sky, once again. Parts of her were frozen over with ice, and some blood was dripping from her mouth.

From behind where she laid, a red vortex of eyes emerged, with Sclera stepping through. She knelt down to pick up Inferna's injured body, with a menacingly deranged look in her eyes, as she gazed at Heath and Zyron.

"S-Sherry?" Zyron was stunned, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Sclera's eyes panned to him with a twisted grin stretched across her lips. "Our name is... Sclera... Ehehehehhe..." She chuckled with a jarring tone, before fleeing into the vortex and warping off.

"Wait!" Zyron scrambled to his feet, with his staff returning to the pauldron state. "Where's Solitaire!?" He demanded, in a panicked voice.

Heath placed his sword in the holster on his back, looking to Zyron. "If I may, who might this Solitaire be?" He inquired.

"She's..." Zyron's eyes were shaking as he tried to think quickly. "She's my master, alright!?" He snapped, harboring further anxiety about this encounter.

"Settle down, I mean no harm. If you want, I can help you find her. I'm Heath, and you are?" He tried to calm down Zyron.

Zyron crossed his arms, with a huff. He didn't even want to look at this guy. "Thanks for the assist, but no thanks. I don't fucking work with Templar." He was so tense, that he was not realizing how rude he was coming off.

Heath scratched his head, with a sigh. "You can relax. I'm no longer affiliated with the Templar. I was sent to investigate these woods, under the order of the Lady Spymaster. We're in the process of becoming a resistance group, to overthrow the Templar, and keep the People of Desdemuna safe. However, we need to keep Aoba from figuring out that we're turncoats. That is why I'm on this mission." Heath approached Zyron, looking to him. "How about you join us? You seem to have a good understanding of magic." He offered, seeming pretty serious.

"Not interested." Zyron scoffed, pushing passed Heath.

"Very well, but at least allow me to aid you in locating your master." Heath spoke up. As Zyron turned to look at the Terra; Heath had withdrawn some old technology, that appeared to be a communicator of sorts. It perplexed the dog, but he watched as Heath pulled the radio to his lips. "Rocky. How goes things on your end? I may need your help with something post-Mission related." He spoke.

The area transitioned to an island with a volcano in the background, surrounded by the ocean. There was a clearing at the base of it, where Heath's brother was.

Rocky took out his radio, replying to Heath. "Bit busy at the moment, bro. Real lady troubles, if ya know what I mean." He replied, with a snarky tone, dropping the radio to his feet.

"This is no time to be fooling around." Heath's voice came from the radio.

Rocky was facing off with what appeared to a very tall female fiend, who had blue skin. He had a pistol aimed at this prudery dressed, monstrous woman, who was holding a classy cigarette.

"You said your name was what again?" Rocky looked to her, with an unamused gaze.

"How many times must I reiterate? My name is Madam Coffin Nail." She snapped, as she exhaled smoke, with it forming into magic around her.

"Sounds more like a title, if you ask me." Rocky teased, crudely.

"Enough of this. No proper gentleman would keep an aristocratic lady waiting, good sir. Do hurry it up, will you." She retorted, in a pompous manner, casting out her smoke based magical power.

"That's cause I ain't, ya stuck up broad." Rocky provoked, beginning to fire off bullets in her path.

Rocky continued unloading rounds at the stagnant woman, as he was weaving to dodge the smoke magic that was rushing his way. The fiendish woman was swaying from bullets like a slippery snake, before slamming Rocky into the nearby water with a burst of magic. A splash was heard before the radio cut out, on Heath's end.

"Rocky? What's going on over there!? Respond!" Heath tried to get through, but the audio had went silent.