The Monarch - Book 4

The Underworld

When he opens his eyes, he is in the familiar fog of the underworld. There is a soft voice from afar that sounds all too familiar. "P-papa? Alek? Anybody?"

Alek stands. His heart skips a beat. "Oh heavens! Bridgette!"

Through the fog, he can barely make out her figure in the distance, walking slowly and weakly.

"Bridgette!" He runs to her, hugging her tightly.

She gasps and looks at him shocked. "A-alek!" She cries and hugs him back tightly. "W-whats going on? I-im scared Alek!" She buries her face in his neck and cries.

Alek places a hand on her head, holding her to him. "...We're in the underworld..." Alek looks up, his mind scanning the fog for anyone else.

He spots no one, and Bridgette whimpers. "O-oh heavens.... I'm dead... y-youre dead! Oh my heavens we're dead!" She cries and holds tighter.

Alek pulls back, holding her face in his hands. "Shh shh, it will be okay I promise. Remember, I've died before, I came back." He looks into her eyes trying to comfort her. "But to get out we need to find two very important people and we can go see my friend Death again, okay?"

"D-death?" She looks into his eyes, shaking  and confused. Suddenly there is running footsteps nearby. "BUDDY!" Bridgette screams and points behind Alek, shoving away and stepping back as Death tackles Alek. "I though I told you NOT to come back! And when I said to send a beautiful nice lady down, I didn't mean Bridgette Ashtree." He laughs and winks.

Alek laughs. "Hey it was more than twenty four hours and for the record, Bridgette is mine."

Death chuckles "We'll let her decide." He laughs "Don't worry buddy. I'm just kidding. Except I'm a bit confused on why you're down here, the Ashtrees make sense... but you? Killing yourself? Alekar my heart is killing me because of you!" He stands up and dusts himself off. "And with all three Ashtrees dying, I already and suffering too much. This family is messed up man..."
Bridgette stares for a moment before screaming again and crying, curling up on the ground. Death walks over "Ohhh I'm sorry! Dont worry I don't wanna hurt ya!"
She just cries.

Alek bites his cheek. "Death, you're great, but she hadn't known.." Alek moves to Bridgette, kneeling by her side. He sets her head in his lap and tries to calm her down. "Bridgette, I've promised to make things right. I need you to stay strong for me... please?" He pets her hair.

She looks at him and whimpers, nodding and wipping her eyes. "B-but papa and mama are dead too! And I don't know where they are!" She cries more and Death shakes his head, bending beside them "No no Bridgette... I already found them! I sent them to Maxim already, and he sent them to the man who killed them because Melophiles is letting him have whatever he wants as long as he continues rule." Bridgette sobs and buries her face in Alek's chest.

Alek shoots Death a look of annoyance and tries a small smile. "Look, Bridgette, we know where they are! That means we can get to them."

"Sorry," Death hangs his head and Bridgette looks at Alek. "B-but what if they're getting hurt! A-and maxims down here! O-oh my heavens.... e-everyone I've ever known is down here..." her eyes widen with fear and Death looks at Alek "Shoot buddy... Some of them I haven't found yet, but others are there..."

"It's alright Pal." Alek says to Death. Alek stands, pulling Bridgette to her feet and into a hug. "Bridgette, whoever is down here, I will do my best to keep you safe, alright? As for your patents, the only way to help them is to get to them."

Death laughs and shakes his head "Oh you don't wanna go where they are... Bridgette's heading there anyway, but you? Bud you should go back home. This place just isn't for you!"

"Death." Alek looks to him, his face serious. "I'm not leaving without the Ashtrees."

"Well good luck getting to them. You interfere with their captor, you're a gonner." Bridgette looks at death and glares. She marches up to him  "Who has mama and papa!?!?"

"Bridgette be kind." Alek says, moving beside her and placing a steady hand on her shoulder.

She nods and looks down. Death smiles "Well, I'm sure you know about Nixxiom killing the Dark Lord. It's funny, because the Dark Lord was already dead. So when he died again, his essence was just spread across the realms and universes for a few hundred years until he came back together. Now he hunts Nixxiom's blood. Not only that, but all his slaves are gone too, meaning he is reallllyy mad at Nixxiom."

Alek nods. "Vengeance..." he paused a moment. "How was he killed last time?"

"Nixxiom and the last of his army shatter his essence. That's all I know. Who knows how or where his essence gets shattered, but I know it happened. Besides, Melophiles is not going to let it happen again. Dark Lord was his best right hand man, even better than Maxim." Bridgette whimpers and looks at Alek.

Alek puts an arm around her, his eyes on Death. "Well... I don't believe killing him would be the best option... he would just come back." Alek taps his chin with a finger. "But... maybe if we could trap him like the seven sins..."

Death hesitates "Perhaps... but doing that would be almost impossible, especially with Melophiles controlling who is trapped and who isn't. Anyway, you're holding my job. I have to get Bridgette to Maxim and the Dark Lord." He smiles "Follow me!"

Alek hesitates, wanting to keep Bridgette away from any possible danger.

She holds close to him and looks at Death who begins walking. "D-do I have to...?" He stops. Death turns and looks at her, walking over. "I'm sorry Bridgette. But you do."

Alek holds her hand, squeezing it. He began walking behind Death with a calm face, yet his chest ached with worry.

She trembles and shakes her head but stays silent. She whimpers and her ears lower. Death says nothing and walks in silence.

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A/N: AWWW DEATHHHH