The Beats Go On

Chapter 82: A Haven Unbeknownst

🐉Chapter 82: A Haven Unbeknownst

The group was currently standing in front of the portal now.

"Are we missing anything? Is there anything we should prepare for? Should we go back and do something?" Coco kept asking, nervous for what was most likely their final fight.

"We no tell our ship bye bye..." Ari said sadly.

"It's okay, he said he had to get away so corrupted beasts wouldn't see him and attack," Coco replied.

"Oh..."

"So, other than that, are we ready to do this?" Cas asked.

"I suppose so..." Digo muttered.

"I can't think of anything else to do," Ina shrugged.

"I'm ready!" El exclaimed.

"Alright then. Let's go," Ami said.

So with that, they entered the portal without further hesitation. They each followed in after another, trying not to think about turning back now. As they waited on the other side of the realm, they were surprised to find Sese and Racu with them as well. Sese had simply told them it was because he knew his way around the place and that the group would waste time otherwise...but the group personally believed he'd wanted to help. So they let him in, and off they went.

This realm was...definitely different than anything the group had seen before. It was corrupted, yes, but...it had more of a professional and neater look in comparison to something wild or zombie-like. Of course, this was coming from the corruption beast that had started this all, so perhaps there was more to it than the group originally thought. The group figured they shouldn't touch anything while they were there, for that could possibly get them corrupted too. With no other choice, really, they all started down the one path that was in front of them.

It felt like a trek through a corrupted forest, but...it was almost more like a garden? Sese wasn't bothering to speak up on what was what, or if they were even going the right direction. However, the group found that he didn't have to, because as the trees lessened around them, they could see the building ahead. In front of them was a massive palace, all corrupted but still well-structured. It branched off in many different directions and had many different entrances...but all were heavily guarded by corrupted shapes and monsters of all sizes. One wrong move could possibly have the whole corrupted army on the group.

So the next option was stealth, but as the group discussed their plan, they noticed Sese slithering up to a certain tree nearby. He traced along the bark with his tail before making some kind of symbol and then rapping on the tree rhythmically. Everyone quietly gasped as the tree opened up to reveal a secret passageway, though Cas and El seemed thrilled and ready to go down it. Sese rolled his eyes before nodding at Racu, who flew off into the sky. Sese himselfthen went down the tree, and the group assumed it was okay to follow?

If touching the tree hadn't corrupted Sese, maybe it wouldn't have too much of an effect on them. One by one, they all slid down...but Ari found he couldn't fit. Coco, who was the only other person who hadn't gone, sighed.

"You can stay here and keep a lookout, okay?" he said.

"Awwww....but me wanna go...."

"I'm sure you'll help us out one way or another," Coco reassured. "Now stay, please."

Ari whimpered like a scolded dog, but moved aside anyway to let Coco through. Coco gave Ari one last pat on the head before sliding down after the others. Once he reached the bottom, he found they were already walking down a path, as this place seemed to resemble sewers of sorts. Perhaps it was the underground of this realm? As Coco caught up, he could see Sese leading the group without a word, and that everyone else was also remaining quiet...until Digo noticed him.

"Bro, where were you?" the square asked.

"Ari had to wait outside of the tree and watch."

"Isn't that dangerous though? He could get caught or corrupted again!"

"Not if we hurry up and get this done with!"

Sighing, Digo turned back around to walk with the others. With the silence going on for so long, Coco was surprised when the group came to a halt at a large hall off to the side of the path they were on.

"This is Lord Agen'sss room. Unfortunately, I know of no other way in, ssso you can't sssneak in or anything. There'll be a lot of guardsss, and even though you've been wanted for trying to stop the cottuption'sss ssspread...I'm sssure he'll fight you sssimilarly to your other foesss...." Sese explained.

"Have you guys been tracking us?" Ina asked.

"It'sss not important right now, but technically yesss."

"Oh."

"Well crew? I say we head in!" Cas announced.

"Hey, who made you the leader?" Ami growled.

"Nobody asked for your opinion!" 

Coco and Digo sighed as they approached the door. They briefly looked back at the arguing group before pushing open the doors...which surprisingly gave away to the throne room in front of them. They could see all the guards Sese was talking about, and there in the backmost area sat a large corrupted lizard...dragon like monster on a throne. Said throne also had what looked like a red, pulsating treeangle engraved into it. The monster seemed to take immediate notice of the duo, as well as all of the guards.

"WELL, WELL...WHAT MIGHT WE HAVE HERE...?" their loud voice boomed throughout the room.

The group behind Coco and Digo froze, but the duo held their ground as the hundreds of guards in the room surrounded them. They also ushered the rest of the group in, though it seemed like Sese had made a quick escape before they found him.

"The lord has asked you a question!" a guard barked. "Answer or prepare to meet your doom!"

"We're here to fight you," Coco stated as loudly as he could. "So that we can get that treeangle piece back and stop this mess!"

The lizard monster looked at the group for a moment before bursting into a deep, roaring laughter.

"You dare challenge me, The Lord Agen, ruler of the corruption and soon to be ruler of the world? Hah! Pitiful and pathetic fools like you stand no chance!" Agen exclaimed. "You might as well be a waste of my time!"

"Oh yeah? We'll just see about that!" Ami spat. "We'll prove to you we can fight!"

"Yeah, bring it on!" Digo yelled. "If you lose, your treeangle is ours!"

"We're tired of your corruption and monsters causing nothing but pain to this world, so we're gonna do something about it!" Cas shouted.

Agen simply looked pleased with himself.

"Alright then, if you insist on being annihilated in battle and obliterated to smithereens..."

He spread his large wings as a wide, confident grin spread across his face.

"THEN I WILL GLADLY GRANT YOUR WISH!"