The Bird and the Garden 3: The Final Adventure

Chapter 52: Meltdown

Yin stared at the match flickering in the dark. He could see the flame, but the light barely reached his wrist. Vao furrowed his brow. "Isn't... Isn't fire supposed to be bright?"

"I think so," Sapphire giggled.

"Both of you lack common sense," Pyrrha muttered. Yin dropped the match, the flame snuffed out underneath his boot. It was growing darker; he fumbled almost blindly for a second match. But even after lighting the second one, the darkness didn't relent. "Stupid piece of shit," he muttered, fishing for another.

But for Salem and Ozpin, it clicked immediately. The darkness wasn't natural. "W-we need to get out of here," the princess stammered worriedly.

"Gimme a sec, gotta at least get a light," Yin replied. A third match, only this time a frigid breeze blew it out, sending a chill down their spines. Yin felt his heart drop when he heard the haunting, low rumble in the dark.

Grrrooooooowwwwwlllll...

The adventurers spun around, staring into the darkness. A single red flame was the only thing visible, and it was fast approaching. Yin scrambled to get out of the way, Jasper flying off his shoulder with a shriek. Two icy hands grabbed his chest, lifting him off the ground and throwing him backwards. Yin was immediately pinned to the ground, and not long after the burning agony seared into his arm when he tried to take a swing. His voice rose into a shrill scream, tears spilling from his eyes.

"Y-YIN!"

(("Behind you."))

The Darkness disappeared the instant Sasha took a blind swing, the elf staring with a hopeless sense of terror. The First Vao stared back, his Aura blazing in his eye socket like an inferno. His teeth were stained crimson, the bones in Yin's shoulder almost visible. The madman pulled her wrist forward and punched her in the chest, her ribs cracking to pieces as the force tore her arm out of the socket. The moment Salem loosened an arrow in a desperate attempt to hit him, he vanished in a cloud of ash, reappearing in front of them.

They had never seen a scarier sight. His skin was deathly white, his one eye wide with insanity, his lips curled into a hungry snarl. Past his lips, his bloodstained teeth were visible under the long strands of his black hair, parting in a horrible, bloodthirsty and murderous scream, the Darkness bursting from his back.

"Run! Don't slow down!" Tourmaline cried out. Tai scooped up Yin, his legs moving to keep pace with the others. Yin fumbled with his staff, trying to cast a miracle. But to his horror, the miracle didn't close the bite. The First Vao's Darkness was breaking it. He looked behind them, his blood freezing solid.

Darkness lashed out at them, tearing through the stone walls with the First Vao chasing after them, Grimm Demise and Misery in his hands.

The worst scenario had happened, the one they feared. The First Vao was having a psychotic meltdown. The Enemy growled, his eye homing in on his targets. Salem glanced back, her eyes wide and filled with horror.

They ducked and weaved as the cursed axe swung for their backs, cracking the stone walls around them. He was gaining ground, and fast. He had caught up with them easily, gaining ground in seconds. The adventures dove through a door, Sasha reeling her foot back and kicking the door shut. Vao and Ozpin were already pushing furniture in front of it when-

BANG, BANG, BANG!

The blockade shook and trembled as the First Vao slammed and beat against the door, the metallic chink of the knob being torn off echoing in their ears. They needed to hide. None of them could outrun him. Tourmaline and Jasper flew behind the books on a shelf, Sapphire and Yin diving under the bed with Ozpin and Pyrrha. Vao jumped into the closet, pulling Verde and Salem with him. Sasha and Tai jumped into a wardrobe, closing the door behind them and holding it in place.