TAKEOVER!: CONTINUED

CHAPTER 34: Death on the Horizon

Conscience's eyes slowly opened. He looked around, yawning as his vision cleared. "He's awake", Pico quietly stated to Captain, who was standing close by. Members of the Gang were whispering to each other, worried and seeming distraught. Blockhead stood in front of him, crying and silently staring down until he noticed that he was awake. He looked up and wiped his tears so as to not alarm him, but he already sensed something was wrong. "Are you okay?", he empathetically and quietly asked. Blockhead tried to fake a smile and nodded, but he saw through it. "Hey... we can talk about it. What's wrong, kid?", he worriedly asked. "It's nothing..", he tried to deny. Pico knelt beside him. "Keeping stuff from him is only gonna stress him out... the changes are fueled by fear and stress, and...", Pico paused to look at Conscience. He was worried and confused, looking nervous. "Conscience doesn't need that right now... he needs to hear what we know about that horrible curse anyway", Pico finished, looking back at Blockhead. Conscience's eyes widened and his head felt cold. "What is he talking about? Blockhead, what did you find out!?", he worriedly asked. "ENA, I-I can't do it... It'll scare him!", Blockhead whimpered. ENA nodded, turned to Conscience and knelt down, empathetically stroking his head while looking him in the eyes. Conscience looked up, his anxiety lowering. "Conscience, listen... when you fell unconscious earlier, we'd noticed something. Curses like yours don't usually cause you to be easily drained, so yours isn't normal. When you fainted like that, it told us something horrible; your curse is...", they paused as his eyes widened in fear and anticipation. "There's a chance you could die... this curse is fatal, Conscience. Blockhead has the same draining hex entwined into his curse, so... I'm genuinely sorry, dearest chum...", ENA tried to sound calm and non-threatening, but he reacted in silent terror. "I'm... I'm going to... die...?", he whimpered. ENA solemnly realized their mistake and lowered their head, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry... you have to know... I had to tell you, Conscience, I had to... otherwise the fear and desire from before would have driven you closer...", they tried to restrain tears. Conscience understood, nodding while tears flowed. His initial fear faded, turning into sadness and hurt. He looked over to Blockhead, a solemn and broken look in his eyes. Blockhead suddenly burst into tears and ran over to him, hugging him tightly. Conscience slowly hugged back, closing his eyes and silently joining. 

Meanwhile, Lila and the Spooky Kids were on a walk through the woods to relieve some stress. Skid and Pump bounded playfully at Lila's heels, all the while chuckling and circling her. Lila only calmly watched them, looking around with a calm look in her eyes.  The two suddenly froze, hearing a sharp crack. Lila stopped and looked down at them as they slowly reeled back, hiding behind her.

 They instantly knew the sound and who made it.

"Kids... run!", Lila howled.

The three bolted as a fiery crack began to form in the ground beneath them. Skid stumbled as the crack quickly stretched and reached for them, but Pump was able to grab him before he fell in. "MOLOCH'S AFTER US!", Skid yelped. "WELL, WE DID SORTA TRICK HIM INTO BREAKING HIS OWN NECK!", Pump snapped in fear. "I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF IT WAS REALLY HIM!!", Skid rebutted. "Well, it was...", a deep, rumbling roar of a voice snarled from the drowning flames. The three yelped and tried to press on. "FASTER, KIDS, GO!! NOW!!", Lila yowled in terror as the flames drew closer and a large, clawed hand reached for them through the red, blood-colored, boiling-hot embers. 

Skid tried to break out of the demon's grasp, feeling his burning, sharp claws clink together around his body. Lila yelped and grabbed hold, followed by Pump. 

All three were being  slowly dragged into the flaming red void below.

Senpai rushed out after hearing their screams and cries echoing from the woods. He rushed in, and what he saw was horrifying.

He gasped, frozen and terrified as Pump tried to claw at the ground above him, trying to weave his way out of one of Moloch's clawed hands. "HEELPPP!!", Pump yowled.

"NO!"

 Senpai rushed forward and dove in after the three were pulled down. The four were dragged down, traveling underground and fading in-and-out of consciousness. "Mum... I-I'm scared...! What's he gonna do to us..?", Skid shakily whimpered. "I... I don't know, son... I'm sorry I got us into this mess..", Lila sobbed. Senpai's vision doubled and blurred. "Well... at least I tried... I'm sorry, kids... and I'm sorry, Lila... I was supposed to help protect everyone, and I failed... just like I failed to stand up to him...", he solemnly apologized. "Hey... don't be sorry.. you were helping.. you... didn't fail..", Skid comforted, half-asleep and in pain. 

The four passed out, pained and terrified of what was to come.

Moloch just continued traveling through the flaming tunnel with his unconscious, limp captives; three that were intentional, one that was simply a lucky catch.

He chuckled at the thought of how Senpai dove in after Lila and the kids, humored at the idea of someone diving in after someone or someones they felt connected to. "Weak...", he growled, chuckling and narrowing his eyes.