Mind Reality of Eclipse

Dread Among The Team ~ Chapter 20

Byleth dashed down the stairs to see the heroes all confused as to why Marianne was acting this way. The heroes had no idea what was going on but Marianne just appeared to be stressed and panicked.

"Marianne?! What happened to Mario?!" Byleth questioned. Marianne looked at him and then back down at herself. She was just afraid to tell any of the teammates what just happened.

Shez asked, "You yelled that something happened to Mario! He's the team leader and we have to know what happened!"

"I CAN'T TELL YOU! IT'S TOO HARD FOR ME TO EVEN THINK OF! I WANT TO TELL YOU BUT I CAN'T!" Marianne cried. Byleth looked around the team and back at Marianne. All of them were just really stressed out.

Alear said, "You told us that something happened to him! Come on and tell us! You have to get the courage Marianne! You have to!" Marianne looked at everyone as Byleth silently left the room. He dashed down the streets. He felt like something was going on. Something bad was happening, none of the communicators were working.

Byleth asked, "What did Marianne want to say?! What happened to Mario?!" Soon he saw the rest of the teammates follow him as Marianne followed after. "You guys trying to figure it out too?"

Alear replied, "We have to! Marianne is too afraid to tell and we can't check our communicators since they're all... broken!?"

"No matter how hard I try to fix them nothing will work..." Albedo muttered as he tried fixing the communicator. Byleth stood there in disbelief then he remembered the day. It was Kila 6th. Mario was supposed to be back three days ago.

Byleth explained, "Mario was supposed to be back on the third, but he's not back still. Something happened to him..."

"We know that but... WHAT?!" Eula replied. Suddenly in the distance they heard footsteps. In fact it was the footsteps of a horse. It was revealed to be Chrom, he was here three days earlier for some reason.

Alear asked, "CHROM!?"

"Shez texted me that something happened to Mario and I couldn't stand around at home anymore. What happened,"

"We don't know! That's the thing! We have no idea what happened to Mario and if we did I would've told you in the text!" Shez replied. Chrom looked at him with a stern look and searched the area. The heroes tried looking around as Marianne stood there idly. She was too afraid to tell them anything.

Alear pleaded, "Marianne! You have to tell us what happened to Mario! There's no way we're going to find out on our own!"

"I want to tell you but I can't! I can't get myself too!" Marianne replied as she looked down at herself. Byleth took a deep breath and searched the area. He dashed ahead of the heroes as they quickly followed him. Suddenly the citizens became worried.

Since all of them were together they were afraid. The weather was all too fitting for the moment, it was chilly but there was no stopping them. Something had happened to their team leader. They searched the area but nothing. Chrom, Byleth and Alear were together as they dashed around the town.

Byleth suggested, "There's one place we haven't checked. We need to check Mila pond."

"Mila pond?!"

Byleth explained, "Something tells me that because we haven't searched there, that has to be the place where the bad thing happened to Mario. I just have to pray he's not... harmed in any shape."

"Mila pond... that place is sacred though! How on Dawn is that supposed to be the place where something happened?! Are you certain it really is that place?" Chrom replied while shaking slightly. Byleth hesitated for a moment but nodded as he gulped.

Alear muttered, "Mario better be okay. This entire situation is worrying me sick and especially since our communicators are not working! This better not be some twisted prank because it IS NOT FUNNY!"

"I strongly agree, I left home just to check on this situation because I was afraid something happened to our beloved Team leader. If this is a joke both Marianne and Mario are in, it's not funny in the slightest. This has worried me to pieces and I will not tolerate it in the slightest IF IT IS A FUCKING JOKE!" Chrom replied in anger.

Byleth muttered, "I'm certain it isn't... Marianne wouldn't joke about a situation like this..." Then the three dashed ahead to find where Mila pond was. However, the wind breeze ended up taking a massive turn. The clouds were becoming stormy all of a sudden. They kept on running to Mila pond too afraid of what was going to happen.

Alear whispered, "I'm so terrified. I haven't been this terrified since the events of the war..." The two nodded as they continued running together. They finally came across Mila pond and were about to enter when the rest of the team members joined them.

Marianne asked, "Have you had any luck?"

"Marianne, this better not be a prank you're playing!" Chrom yelled. Marianne walked backward and shook her head while shaking.

Marianne replied, "You know I don't like playing pranks on my allies! I can't tell you how I feel no matter how hard I end up trying! I'm sorry but I just... CAN'T!"

"Sorry... I'm just so stressed out, afraid of finding out what happened to Mario..." Chrom replied as he hugged Marianne. Byleth looked into Mila pond and noticed the forest surrounding it was ominous.

Byleth muttered, "It has to be in there. It's the only place we haven't checked and I'm certain it's in there. I'm just... too afraid to figure out what is in there because... I know there had to be something that happened."

"Are you really sure it's in Mila pond?!"

"Yes..."

Elfilin suggested, "But we haven't checked everywhere! Are you sure!? I just don't think this would be the place for danger!" Byleth heard the teammates talking over him telling him to check somewhere else thinking this place was too sacred to be a place for danger.

However, Byleth didn't back down one bit. He walked ahead of the heroes and went into the forest. Each step he took more and more fear filled his body.

"YOU CAN TURN BACK!!" Kirby screamed as the heroes stood there shaking. Chrom shook his head and followed Byleth.

Chrom said, "You're not doing this alone. I'm here with you." Byleth looked at Chrom and smiled. Soon the fear returned to him. Both of them were afraid. They paused in front of the pond entrance and took a deep breath. "Are you ready?"

Byleth replied, "Always..." The heroes stood there in fear, shaking... They were dreading what was to come and the weather did not help in any shape or form. Then... the pairing walked into the forest. They were greeted by the darkness of the forest. The ominous aroma.

Chrom whispered, "What... is wrong with this pond..." Chrom looked around the area and suddenly his nose picked up a... strange odor. Byleth also picked up the odor. The two looked in the direction where the odor was coming from.

"There's... a scent..." Byleth gulped. Chrom nodded as the two stood there shaking. They walked to where the odor and braced themselves. Chrom took out his phone flashlight and flashed it in that direction. There was nothing but the shadows of the forest.

Chrom muttered, "Mila pond feels like something is bothering it... what exactly is it!? What is with the odor!? It smells like..." Suddenly fear struck Chrom as he looked down behind him. There was... dried up blood underneath him. "WHAT THE HELL?!" He jumped backward and looked into the forest.

Byleth asked, "What happened?!" Chrom took a deep breath and shined the flashlight in the area. They watched the trail of blood and then... horror came across them. Byleth trembled at the sight. Chrom was shaking at the sight too.

Mario... and his dead body...