The Darkness

Chapter 24: A Mother's Love

After Armin had ran from the camp, everyone began searching for her. They all decided to go off in two's. Juvia and Matt went in one direction, while Gray, and Rogue went another, leaveing Greed with Pony and Reiner.

"She shouldn't have gotten far." Pony said as the three walked through the swamp, "Armin! It's me, Pony! I'm with Greed and Reiner!"

The three stood for a moment looking and listening for any sign of Armin, but none came. Instead a little light appeared from a far. The three looked at each other.

"Should we go check it out?" Greed asked.

"Yeah. It could be Armin, or someone living in this swamp, who may have seen her." Reiner said and Pony ran to the source of the light.

Reiner and Greed called out to Pony in surprise from his sudden movement and chased after him. As they got closer an old cabin began to come from out of the fog with a lit lantern in the window.

Pony walked up to the door and opened it. He called out for Armin, but nothing except for an old woman appearing from a room.

"Wh-who are you?" She asked slightly surprised from seeing Pony, "A-and come in."

"I am Pony, that's Greed and that's Reiner. We're searching for our friend. This tall with long brown hair and wearing glasses. She might be screaming about skeleton children." Pony told her.

At the mention of skeleton children the woman's eyes went wide and then she looked down at the ground.

"If your friend is seeing the children of the swamp, then she is gone. I'm sorry for your lost." The old woman said.

Greed let out a gasp and covered her mouth with her hands as tears welled up in her eyes.

"No! She is not dead!" Pony shouted and Reiner placed his hand on Pony's shoulder to calm him down.

"Pony, we will find her." Reiner said.

"The children have probably already taken her. There's nothing you can do. Mother won't let you." the old woman said and Pony threw Reiner's hand off of his shoulder and walked over to the woman.

"Who is this Mother, and why do those children want Armin!?" Pony asked as he tried to stay calm.

"Mother was a woman who had a child many many years ago. They lived in the swamp, almost in a cabin like this. One day the child went into the swamp and never came back out. Days went by as Mother waited for her child to return, but she never did. After waiting for weeks she went into the swamp and never returned. Soon children began to dissappeared. The swamp became darker and dangerous. Mother had placed a curse." The woman said, "And sometimes the children will come up to anyone who is motherly and take them to the depths of the swamp. I believe that is what happened to your friend."

"N-no." Pony said as he hung his head, "She isn't dead. You're wrong! She's still alive! She has to be! Parmin isn't cannon yet!"

Greed began to cry and Reiner comforted her. Tears began to form in Pony's eyes as he stood there. He could not believe any of it. He couldn't believe that Armin was dead!

Being in this game isn't so bad. I get to be with my friends and have a great adventure with them. She had once told him while the two explored a dungeon, And I know that one day this will all have to end, but that's okay, because we will still have the memories.

But what if you die? He had asked jokingly. He didn't really meant it.

I won't die, because I'll have you and the others to back me up.