Pantheon of the Dark

Guardians of the Realm and Keepers of the Balance

On and on, it stretched, the path seemed endless. Yet, still they ran. Unaware, of how much time had passed or exactly where they were going. Their only means of guidance being the compass that Celeste held on to, tightly. Jumping over fallen branches and twisted roots, they bolted down the dark pathway.

Snagging their clothing on occasion, in the haste to outrun the diggers. The little monsters' laughter echoing off the trees of the Essex, as they steadily decreased the distance between them and their targets.

They were trying to stick together but, in the darkness, it was hard to tell if they were all accounted for. They pressed forward, trying their best not to look behind them. Celeste clutched tightly to the compass as it was, for the most part, their only source of light. It shimmered in the darkness like a silvery beacon of hope. Guiding their way to the elusive guardian.

She tightened her grip on Clemence's hand, eyes briefly flashing green among the stygian woodland. She would do so every now and then, to gauge the younger girl's fatigue. If she felt her cousin's body beginning to tire, she would send a gentle pulse of her own power to give the girl strength.

Swiftly, the group continued to move. In the distance, they could see an enormous tree in the middle of the path. It had a hollowed-out center, almost tunnel like in appearance. It loomed ahead forebodingly; roughly twenty-five feet in front of them.

Its gnarled roots splayed out, covering all of what was left of the pathway, leading into the dense bramble. Tangling within the shrubbery of the forest floor to become nearly wall-like.

It was obvious, there would be no going around it. They had no choice but to go through. As they approached the giant tree, they could make out a thin red film shimmering over the tunnel. It gleamed, pulsing rhythmically as they neared.

Hesitating for only a second, they crossed over the trees entrance and into the dark of the excavated trunk. Thumping behind them, caused Yoongi to turn around. He could make out the forms of the diggers, as they beat onto the translucent red film that covered the tunnel's entryway.

"They can't get in," he whispered. Seeing that he had stopped, JungKook immediately turned around, intent on encouraging him to keep moving. However, his eyes took in the sight of the diggers clawing futilely at the entrance, unable to get through.

"Hey, guys look," he yelled, gaining the others attention as he pointed them to the scene.

One by one, they stopped running. All turning to face the little hellions that had been chasing them non-stop through the woodlands. They watched as the diggers tried in vain to get through the film. Banging their tiny sickles and raking their sharp talons against it, but nothing worked. One even tried to run full force at it, only to be repelled ten feet back. Bouncing off it, like he was made of rubber.

"I think it's some sort of barrier," Jimin said gasping for air now that they've stopped running. Lifting his arms up, he placed his hands behind his head, to aide in regaining his breath. The fight or flight adrenaline, ebbing away in the face of this new development.

"It kind of looks like a blood barrier." Added NamJoon. He didn't really know for sure, having never actually seen one but from what he'd read, it did fit the description perfectly.

"I think we should keep going." Urged Hoseok, already heading in the direction of the light at the end of the tunnel. "We don't really have time to waste trying to figure this out. We still have to find this Maynaude' chick and get to the supreme voodoo queen."

Everyone nodded in agreement and continued forth through the tunnel. Now that they weren't being chased, they looked around a bit. Trying to see as much as they could of the passageway and what laid beyond it. It was very dark and, aside from their own breathing, silent.