Life's Return

Corruption

Warning: This chapter contains graphic scenes that may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.
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Amity's Pov:

"Gone? What dya mean she's gone?!" I was starting to freak out. Where could she have gone? She was acting so strange today and then she just up and disappears? The hell?!

"Shit. Ok, listen, Belos somehow came back from the dead, which he should be in hell that bastard-"

I had tuned out Eda the moment she said Belos. Emperor Belos? The one we had defeated before? How could he have come back, I thought we had killed him? My brain echoed with his name, taunting me as his evil laugh that I had heard before rang through my ears. I could feel my hands shaking from anger and fear while my eyes turned sharp and stared at the floor. If he had Luz, there's no telling if she was alive or... no, I wanted to believe she was still alive.

"We have to find her-" I hissed out, gaining everyone's attention. Eda and Willow glanced at each other with a knowing look, and caused my heart to ache. Eda came up and put a hand on my shoulder as she knelt down some to look me in the eye. She gave me a sympathetic yet sad smile.

"Hey, don't worry. We'll find her, ok? I promise." I looked into her eyes and sighed, giving a slight nod. I needed to stay positive or else everything would go to waste. For Luz's sake.

"Yea, especially since we have the depressed and stressed Hunter over here!" King cut in, making me look up as Hunter came in the room from upstairs, presumably having went to the bathroom. We both paused and stared at each other with wide eyes.

"YOU-!"
"YOU-!"

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I growled out, clenching my fists. Ever since I first met him back at the Knee I loathed him. He's the one who took the key when I tried to offer him a lending hand! I tried to get him away from Belos for Titan's sake! Coward wasn't even there when we fought him.

"Easy Blight, I'm on your side now, ok? What was said and done is in the past now, no harm done."

"No harm done? NO HARM DONE?! YOU GAVE THE KEY TO BELOS AND DIDN'T EVEN MUSTER UP THE COURAGE TO HELP US FIGHT? YOU'RE JUST A-"

"Woah, hey! Calm down, Kid. He's right, what's done is done. You can't keep drenching yourself in your past grudges, ok? He's here to help us now, and more heads put together to find Luz is better than none, right?" Eda cut in to calm me down, which weirdly worked. I dunno how she does it, but she has this motherly persona that says "everything will be ok". I looked back to Hunter with a slight glare before letting out a sigh.

"Fine. But you make one step backward. One slip up. Give me one reason to think you might hurt me or my friends, and you won't have to worry about your life anymore, because I'll make sure your life ends right then and there. Permanently." I was almost up to his face as I threatened him. He looked like he was sweating bullets from it. Good. It'll remind him not to mess with me. I let out a huff before turning away and walking out, slamming the door and leaving everyone inside shocked at my outburst.

I had to get away to cool off for a bit, both from Hunter and panicking about Luz.

Luz.. I really hope she's ok.

She's a strong girl, sure, but it took her plus all of us to defeat Belos the first time. There's no telling how hard it could be this time.

I just have to hope for the best.
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After about ten to fifteen minutes, I had gone back inside to go over the scouting plan to find Luz. Ms. Lilith, Boscha, and even Ed and Em came to help in the search. We were all this together. Eda, Lilith, and Hunter were to look across Forearm forest to the Mandible. Willow, Boscha, and Gus were to search from Bonesburough to Latissa. Then it just left me with my siblings to go search up on the Knee. We decided fo leave King and Hooty back at the house just in case Luz ever came back, but I doubt that would be the case.

As we flew on our staffs, I looked around worriedly for the human. My siblings took notice, turning to each other with concerned expressions before back at me.

"Hey sis, don't stress so much ok? We're going to find her, don't worry." Ed tried to cheer me up. It was a sweet gesture, but I couldn't help but worry.

As we searched the ground, something shiny caught my eye on the ground below. My brow rose in suspicion, instantly diving towards it and startling my siblings before they chased after me. "Mittens, slow down! What did you see?!" Ed shouted after me.

I jumped off my staff onto the snow once I was low enough, ignoring my siblings' calls to me. The shiny object was sticking up a little out of the snow, so I hesitantly bent down to try and grab it, only to find it was some sort of latch. What the hell kind of sick twisted person would have a trap door all the way out here?

Unless...

My adrenaline kicked in as I pried open the door, then stared wide eyed down into the dark abyss below. It wreaked of dried blood and rotten... whatever it was, I didn't wanna know.

"Eek- what died in here-?" Ed grabbed his nose, so did Em after smacking him upside the head.

"Well... there's only one way to find out.." I muttered before taking the first steps down. The other two followed close behind. I heard one of them slip on a step, but catch themself just in time. Probably Edric, but I was too focused on what was in front of my feet as we made our way down. Once at the bottom, I drew a spell circle to light a fire in my hand to see our surroundings. What we saw... wasn't pleasant.

There were dried blood stains along the walls along with deep claw marks, old chains, and what seemed like old bile. Gross.

"This place... it seemed like it was used for torture..." Emira quietly elaborated, taking in the gruesome sights with disgust in her eyes.

"Cmon, I think I see a light." I nodded towards the end of the large hall, to where a wooden door seemed creaked open. We carefully krepted towards it, hearing voices on the other side.

"She seems stable enough for now,  looks like we finally have our puppet." An all too familiar voice deeply chuckled, and I froze at those words. So this is where they were, all this time plotting their revenge. I slightly gasped as a hand placed on my shoulder from behind.

"Amity, we have to get the others, we can't take him by ourse-" Emira's words were cut off as the door swung open and all three of us froze at the sight.

There stood Belos with a sickly mark across his face, his eyes gleaming down at us with his devilish smirk. "Ah, so the heros finally arrive. Was wondering what was taking you all so long."

"W-Where is she?!" I blurted out with my staff in hand, ghost's eyes gleaming purple as I filled with rage.

"Ah bup bup. Not so fast now, your human is safe. Isn't that right, Luz the human?" He stepped back slightly and my face dropped in horror. Luz stood in the middle of the room with glowing green eyes and a wicked grin on her face.

Her voice was not her own.

"Hello, Amity~"

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Sorry for the short chapter, I wanted to get it out as soon as possible with how long it's been since I posted a new chapter. What better way than to leave off on a cliff hanger though, am I right?

I'll try to post more soon. Until then, enjoy!