'Attachment' AU (Maya And The Three)

Chapter 6: "Pineapples are in my Head"

Soar hummed noticing the cravings on the ceiling ahead, her blue eyes analyzing the perimeter as she looked over her shoulder only to see Ike missing. Stopping in her tracks as she looked around for the small demon, hearing Mictlan scoff as he rolled his eyes. "Good riddance, that rodent was about to get on my nerves. All I need is-"

Mictlan said, leaning against the stone wall before it seemed he fell through some sort of illusion. Soar quickly looked back to where he was previously standing.

Soar's sharp eyes flicked back to the spot where Mictlan had vanished, her breath catching as she realized it was more than just an illusion—there was something hidden beyond the wall. Her instincts kicked in, and she cautiously approached the stone surface, running her fingers along it, searching for any clue as to how Mictlan could have simply disappeared.

“Mictlan?” she called out, her voice echoing slightly in the dim chamber. She took another step closer, narrowing her eyes at the strange markings that appeared where Mictlan had leaned. The carvings on the ceiling above pulsed faintly as if reacting to the disturbance.

She glanced down the corridor once more, noting Ike’s absence. “Great, now I’ve lost both of them,” she muttered under her breath, feeling a pang of worry twist in her chest.

As she studied the illusionary wall, a soft breeze brushed past her, accompanied by a faint whisper—too faint to make out the words. But Soar had been through enough traps and mysteries to recognize a hidden passage when she saw one. With one final glance behind her, she pressed her hand firmly against the stone.

With a low rumble, the wall shifted, revealing a narrow passage that twisted into the darkness beyond. Soar hesitated for just a moment before taking a deep breath and stepping through, the hidden entrance sliding shut behind her with an ominous thud.

She only hoped that Ike and Mictlan hadn’t wandered too far, or that she wasn't walking directly into another trap. The air inside the hidden passage felt heavier, tinged with something ancient and malevolent. Soar’s fingers tightened around the hilt of her weapon as she moved forward, every sense on high alert.

"Where are you two?" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else, her voice swallowed by the silence ahead.

...................................................................................

Ike rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the disorientation as he struggled to steady himself. The mist clung to him like damp silk, swirling around his legs as he took in his surroundings. The grand hall he found himself in was nothing like the gloomy corridors he remembered from earlier. Instead, it was lavish and dazzling, with ornate golden pillars, glittering chandeliers, and walls lined with mirrors that seemed far too pristine for a place this eerie.

“Hello? Soar? Mictlan?” Ike’s voice wavered slightly as it echoed through the expansive space. The only reply was the soft clinking of crystal, like laughter echoing from distant rooms. He shivered, more unnerved than he wanted to admit.

He tried to focus on where he was, but every time he turned a corner, the palace seemed to shift. The mirrors that lined the walls were unsettling, reflecting back his anxious expression with an almost disdainful edge. It was as if his reflections were staring not at him, but *through* him, as if they were sizing him up for something.

“Okay, this is weird,” Ike mumbled to himself, running a hand through his hair. He stopped in front of one particularly large mirror, hoping to get some sense of direction. But as he looked closer, the reflection didn’t match his movements. He lifted a hand, but the Ike in the mirror didn’t follow—his reflection stood still, glaring back at him with a cold, unblinking gaze.