'Attachment' AU (MATT)

part 2

The rumbling grew louder, reverberating through the stone walls like the heartbeat of a slumbering beast. Dust fell from cracks in the ceiling, drifting down like ancient memories stirred awake. Soar narrowed her eyes, focusing on the source of the sound. It was hard to tell if it was mechanical, something living, or worse—something that was once living but wasn’t anymore.

Mictlan, always eager to unleash his aggression, tightened his grip on his sword. He hated this tension, the waiting, the unknown. Part of him relished the thought of something attacking—at least then, he could vent his fury. He wanted to be the first to tear into whatever emerged from the darkness.

Ike, visibly trembling, looked like he was regretting every decision that led him here. Still, he managed to steel himself, eyes darting around the chamber for potential escape routes, should things go south. The shadows lengthened as the light from Soar’s feathers brightened, creating a stark contrast that seemed to animate the carved figures on the walls, as if they were writhing in agony or warning.

Suddenly, a deafening crash echoed from deeper within the tower, followed by the clattering of stones. The source of the rumbling was close, and it was fast. A gust of stale, cold air rushed past them, rattling loose debris and sending a shiver through all three.

The tension snapped when a hulking figure emerged from the shadows. It was a construct—part stone, part metal, and brimming with magic. Its body was shaped like a monstrous spirit, runes glowing faintly along its limbs. It moved with a purpose, its heavy steps resonating with the tower’s ancient architecture, as if it belonged here, as if it was meant to guard something.

“So, that’s what was making the noise,” Soar muttered, taking a step back to gauge the threat. Her wings flared wider, illuminating the creature in greater detail. It was covered in stone, bones creeping over its form, but its core thrummed with a familiar power.

Mictlan’s eyes gleamed with a vicious grin. “Finally, something to tear apart.” He lunged forward without hesitation, sword raised high, ready to cleave through stone and metal alike.

But the beast was faster than it looked. With a speed that defied its bulk, it swung a massive arm, forcing Mictlan to dodge at the last second. The floor shook with the impact, sending cracks spiderwebbing through the wooden boards. Soar was about to leap into action before the beast flipped a lever, a large angelic cage falling onto her as Ike quickly squirmed away from the melee, ready to retreat as needed. Her eyes locked onto the runes—perhaps they were the key to dismantling this guardian, she looking around the cage she was trapped in...knowing fully well that a single touch could burn into her body with little to no effort.

Ike, meanwhile, skittered toward the edges of the chamber, desperately trying to stay out of the fray. He kept his eyes on Soar, hoping she had a plan that didn’t involve getting pulverized.

Mictlan let out a shout, his blade slashing across the creatures torso. Sparks flew, but the creature barely flinched. It retaliated with a crushing backhand that Mictlan barely blocked, the sheer force driving him back several steps. “You’ll have to hit harder than that!” he snarled, his frustration only fueling his strength.

Soar, still analyzing the situation, noticed how the creatures movements became sluggish whenever it neared the carved murals on the walls. An idea began to form. “Mictlan! Drive it toward the wall!”

"Do you really expect that to work?!-"

"Just trust me!"

The God shot her a glare but didn’t argue. He switched tactics, feinting and sidestepping to bait the creature closer to the mural. The creature lumbered forward, unaware of the trap being set.

As it neared the wall, the runes on its body flickered, and its movements became noticeably slower. Mictlan seized the opportunity, pouncing down and slashing at the glowing symbols with precision. His sword, sharp and crackling with dark energy, tore through the weakened stone, disrupting the runic patterns.

The golem let out a guttural sound—whether it was pain or rage was impossible to tell. But it staggered, swaying as if its core was destabilizing. Mictlan grinned wickedly, sensing victory. With a savage cry, he brought his sword down in a powerful arc, cleaving through the creature’s torso and splitting it nearly in two. The creature shuddered, then collapsed in a heap of rubble and twisted metal.

Silence returned to the chamber, broken only by the settling dust and the labored breaths of the three travelers. Ike peeked out from his hiding spot, eyes wide with both relief and lingering fear. “Is…is it over?” he squeaked.

Soar sighed, folding her wings as the glow from her feathers dimmed. “For now,” she replied, though her tone suggested they’d likely face worse ahead.

Mictlan sheathed his sword with a huff. “If this is the kind of obstacle we’ll face in this tower, I’d better not be wasting my time.”

Soar gave him a measured look. “You’re not. If there’s one, there could be others—and where there are creatures like this, there are things worth protecting. Knowledge, secrets…all within this place.”

The God's eyes gleamed with dark ambition, but he kept his thoughts to himself. For now, the uneasy alliance held, but it was clear to all of them that trust was as thin as the shadows in which they walked. Mictlan approached the cage that had ensnared Soar, his expression full of impatience. He was already irritated by how much effort it had taken to bring down the construct, and freeing Soar from a trap wasn’t exactly on his list of priorities.

Soar met his gaze, her eyes sharp and unwavering. “The cage—it’s designed to hold devine beings that hold holy properties and magic's, capable of burning the strongest of angels with a single touch. If you try brute force, it’ll backfire and amplify the barrier.”

Mictlan growled low in his throat, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. “Then what do you suggest? I’m not in the mood for riddles.”

“Simple,” Soar replied, her voice calm despite the situation. “There’s a pattern to the runes. If you disrupt it in the right sequence, the cage will dissolve.”

“Why didn’t you say that sooner?” he snapped.

“Because you’re more interested in your selfish gain” she shot back, unflinching.

Mictlan sneered but let the comment slide. He stepped closer, carefully studying the glowing symbols carved into the stone bars of the cage. They pulsed with a faint, eerie light that shifted as if reacting to his presence. “Just tell me where to strike.”

Soar’s eyes flicked from rune to rune, her mind quickly piecing together the correct order. “Start with the one at the base, near the left side. It’s holding the others in place.”

Mictlan followed her instructions, aiming his sword at the rune. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, then drove the blade into the exact center of the symbol. The rune shattered like fragile glass, and the glow around the cage flickered.

“Now the one on the top right,” Soar instructed, her voice a bit tenser. “Quickly, before it re-stabilizes.”

Mictlan didn’t need to be told twice. He brought his sword up and slashed at the second rune, causing more of the glowing barriers to dissolve. The energy holding the cage together was unraveling, but there was still one final piece to dismantle.

“The center. Strike it straight through,” Soar said, her eyes narrowing with focus.

Mictlan braced himself and swung his sword in a powerful, downward arc. The tip of his blade pierced the center rune, and with a crackling surge of energy, the entire cage shattered into nothingness, the remaining fragments dissipating like dust caught in a breeze.

Soar stepped free, shaking off the lingering traces of the spell’s hold. “Thank you,” she said, her tone businesslike, though her eyes softened slightly. She knew Mictlan had little patience for delicacy, but he’d held back just enough to free her without worsening the situation.

Mictlan sheathed his sword, raising a brow at her words. No one, has ever thanked him for anything....not in a melinia of his lifetime as a warlord....he never expected her to ever thank him. He expected a fear filled nod or even a snarky comment, but a singular 'Thank you'? From the very angel he was supposed to despise and discard....