Epics of Noche 3, Limbo

EON CH 09

SHAYLIN'S REVELATION.

1774, NOVEMBER 28th, MONDAY 11:59 am.

Shaylin yelped as the door slammed shut. She bumped into the onyx statue of Medusa as she shot up. Tak went over to the door and tried to pull it open, but the thing was wedged shut. Boots kicked at the door with enough force to break steel yet it still didn't budge.

"Somethings off," Boots said. "It doesn't feel like real metal."

"Given all we've seen it's probably a surreal door," Shaylin said. "It uses dream logic. How do you open a door that's locked in your dreams?"

"By pretending there's a monster you're trying to escape on the other side?" Mary said. "Doors always open slowly when there's a monster on the other side."

"Good answer! But I don't want to deal with monsters!" Shaylin smiled.

"M-Maybe Raven could use corruption on it?" Tak asked.

"Nope," the bird of death said. "Too dangerous. Try again."

"W-Why is it too dangerous?"

"Corruption takes my full concentration to use. If I lose control it will spread rampantly in all directions," Raven said. "This is why I didn't use it against Noche or Dreg. If used recklessly it would grow and grow until it devours the whole world. That's why I have to focus on keeping it in check."

"Bruh, that's terrifying. Now break down the down."

"You say bruh a lot. You know that, right?"

"Please. The door," Mary started hyperventilating. "It's getting hard to breathe in this dark, enclosed space."

Raven's shoulders slumped and he sighed.

"Ok... Just the door," he muttered.

The bird of death walked towards it as Shaylin leaned over the statue.

"I think this dream world reflects the real world. What we're seeing is an echo of reality," she muttered. "If my theory is correct, then Medusa is in trouble... Which would make Cross defenseless to DeathTech's secret army."

"That's not good," Mary muttered between breaths.

"Something needs to be done before Edward attacks," Shaylin continued. "We need to get out of here as fast as possible."

"Doors gone," Raven shouted. "But... so is the way we came."

Everyone turned to see the bottom of the asylum replaced with a desert. It was a place void of all life. No plants, no animals, no clouds, even the moon and stars weren't visible.

"Should we go this way?" Boots asked.

"Don't care, need air," Mary pushed past him.

The dark-skinned girl had her hands on her knees as she panted in fresh air. Alice walked up to her and patted her back as the group lingered out one by one.

"W-Where do we go now?"

"I think any direction would do," Raven said.

"Wish I'd brought snacks. Some trail mix would've been lovely for all this hiking," Shaylin giggled.

"You really are a strange one."

"What? You don't like a mouthful of nuts?"

"Thats inappropriate."

Shaylin winked.

"I-I like hot coco," Tak said.

The ginger placed both hands over her heart and smiled.