Hell's Bane (COMPLETED)

Chapter Six: Food for Five

            Void.

Hugo found himself falling – though he was not sure where he was falling or which direction he was falling or whether there was even an end to the drop. But he was falling, and around him, darkness seemed to shatter into darkness, and purple wisps seemed to crawl from the sides.

Sides? Hugo blinked. There were no sides. Yet the wisps were crawling – from somewhere, and nowhere. The explorer shook his head. None of this makes any-

HUGO.

The voice of Morina returned, but this time at a thunderous roar. Hugo winced, reaching for his sword, only to realize it was not there.

HUGO.

The explorer frowned. What?

HUGO. LET ME COME BACK.

Hugo grimaced. Never.

YOU WILL, HUGO. YOU MUST.

Or else what?

OR ELSE YOU WILL DIE.

I get the feeling I'm already going to die.

Morina seemed to falter. YOU WILL FAIL, HUGO. THE SCAVENGER WILL REIGN IN THE END, AND DAVIS WILL BE NO MORE.

Hugo arched an eyebrow. You lie. And I don't see how this concerns you.

I CAN STOP IT.

At what price?

BRING ME BACK.

No.

WE WILL END ALL THIS TOGETHER. THIS IS YOUR SALVATION, HUGO. BRING ME BACK OR YOU WILL-

I refuse!

THEN YOU WILL DIE.

The darkness seemed to split in two, and above, a storm seemed to rumble. Glass and debris and the wisps of purple began to churn. Hugo shielded himself with his hands – though he wasn't sure from what.

I WILL RETURN EITHER WAY, HUGO. BUT BRING ME BACK, AND I WILL-

The darkness exploded into a ball of fire, and Hugo saw men and women dying. Dying horrible deaths, skin being scorched off and begging for mercy. The catastrophic scene enveloped him, but Hugo could only watch, trying to do something, but unable to.

THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, HUGO. THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE-

The sound of calamity turned into a roar, and seemed to unfold on itself.

And then the world exploded into white.

Hugo suddenly bolted awake, where he saw Davis and Susan towering over him, concerned expressions on their faces.

That was when the explorer sat up from his blanket and screamed.

"Davis... there's a knife in my gut!... there's a bloody knife in my gut!!! And I'm not dead!!!"

Hugo screamed again, looking at how one of Susan's glistening knives were half-sunken into his chest, yet no blood was coming out.

"Davis... Davis..."

"Calm down, Hugo," Davis said, taking the knife out of Hugo's chest with a tug that took quite a bit of effort. "There was a sorcerer that lived here long ago..."