Of Monsters And Men | Discontinued |

Episode Twenty Four - Rescue Mission

The tunnels are dark, and the air is tense. Evren glances over. Matt can tell something is wrong, but she remains silent, even when he glances at her more often than not. They both pause at near-silent movements behind them. Metal swinging through the air. Evren turns, baring her teeth in a snarl. Matt twists, evading the hit meant for him, and they're thrown into quiet fighting.

Rot gains control within seconds, claws digging into ribs and through them, ripping organs out of chests, despite Matt's loud grunts in protest.

The fight ends far too fast for their twitching fingers and growl still tumbling from their chest. Matt's panting, staring towards them. Broken blades and bodies scatter the ground.

"What-" He takes in a deep breath. "What happened?"

Rot hisses, retreating back into Evren, who starts jogging down the tunnel. Matt sighs, but doesn't say anything else. She twists into a side room, glancing at the ladder for half of a second before moving to climb it. A steady grip on her shoulder stills her.

"Ev, what happened?"

She shrugs off his hand and keeps climbing, scowling. After a heartbeat, he follows, pausing when she does so she can open the door above her. It clatters to the floor. She pulls herself through, reaching back in to pull Matt out with more force than she wanted, nearly sending him stumbling forward. She scoffs to herself.

'Monster. Tch.'

Matt gets hit. Hard. A blade finds itself embedded in her stomach. Rot roars with her throat, yanking it free. Evren cries out, hands flying to the wound, but Rot is already crawling over her skin like thousands of insects- angry and swarming and stinging.

'Sorry, angel.' It mutters, healing her wound within a breath and lunging for the Hand soldiers that circle them. Biting, clawing, tearing through agonized screams, even Matt's own as he tries to calm the monster, until nothing is standing except them.

Rot twists, going to continue, but Matt stops them, standing before it, hand splayed on its stomach.

"Stop, just stop." He says, tiredly. Rot snarls. "What happened? You can't keep doing this. These are-"

'Undead. They're dead but breathe like they're alive. It doesn't matter.'

"What. Happened?" Matt questions, again, and Rot hangs its head back.

'Veronica did not approve of us helping Frank. Called us a monster. We left her. That is what happened. Now,' It pushes Matt's arm away from it. 'We need to go save the old man.' It snarls, continuing on its way.

Matt walks beside it an doesn't say anything.

"Only thing, gonna crack tonight, is your skull. Asshole." Stick rasps, from the chair. Sticks are shoved beneath his nails, the source of his agonized cries.

They strike at the same time. Rot dropping onto two Hand soldiers, while Matt flings one back. The old men in suits look back at them, eyes wide. One joins the fight, and another leans towards Stick, only to scream in agony instead of killing him.

Rot makes quick work of these men, too.

Matt scrambles to Stick, cutting at the ropes with some knife he procured from one of his pockets. Stick groans, leaning forward, wrenching the thin pieces of wood from beneath his finger nails.

"You okay?" Matt questions. Rot scoffs.

"I've been better."

"Come on." Matt waves over his shoulder. "Can you take him, Rot?" He knows the difference between Rot, them, and Evren well. Rot grumbles an answer, lumbering forward and scooping up the old man, not being too gentle. It feels as though Stick would complain at the sentimence.