Madness

As Drake drove a knee into another vagabond he saw one's eyes flicker with red. And then displaced a mad grin from the pain. Drake then knocked him out with a punch. He looked at the others and they too had red eyes that flickered for only a second. 'What is happening?' He thought. He dodged a whip of a chain, grabbing it and wrapping it around his arm. He then ran at the man knocking him in the stomach. The man never stopped grinning and then laughing. Drake then saw more people coming down the street at them. Men, women, children all smiling. 'What the fuck?' He thought as he saw them all armed. He then saw Rachel among them holding a meat cleaver. 'Rachel?' He looked to the left , seeing a group on the roofs. His six members of the Smiling Demons all dawned in their masks. 'Ok! I'm out! This is beyond messed up. Why am I not affected by any of this?' He thought as he then began to run towards the tunnels. But he had to cut through town to do so. He dodged weapons and lunges as he ran. Using the chain. He merely dodged and then gave a hard shove to keep from hurting them. Arrows flew at him as he used his surroundings to flip, jump, and duck under. He kept moving, never stopping.

'Better use the bombs!' He thought reaching into his vest pulling out three small pebble-like balls. Then they grew to normal size and were bombs with fuses. He pulled out a match, came to a stop, flicked it, producing a flame. Two fuses ignited as he kept running. He then threw them behind him and a few seconds later rhet exploded into blinding light. He kept hold of one bomb. And jumped onto a roof. His cohort is chasing after shooting arrows. "DRAKE WE JUST WANT TO MAKE TO BLEED FOR EVERYTHING!" Quintin said laughing. Drake ignored it and kept running, igniting the last bomb, throwing it into the crowd before jumping back to the ground. He was two minutes from the tunnels.

A woman jumped on his back laughing. He then pulled her hair and then flung her off as he kept running. He dodged a knife strike by a child and trio them gently enough to merely slow him down. He finally made it to the tunnel. The pursuit didn't let up. He used the tunnel walls for defense and offense. When they attacked he let them hit the wall by quickly moving. He finally came to the ladder climbing up. He expanded his chi controlling the tunnel. It popped open and he jumped out slamming the lid closed and running into the forest. Warm blood he could feel was running down his back. He turned to see a knife in his shoulder. "Huh…well I didn't feel that?" He thought as he pulled it out and threw it down. He kept running till he finally ran into himself. His clone flew back, dropping the scythe.

Clone then splashed into a puddle of dust. Leaving Drake alone, 'what the fuck? Was that me? But I'm me?' He got up and ran only to stop as he saw four witches standing before him. They had black tears on their cheeks, glaring black eyes and angry expressions. All wielding their chain blades. 'Man…I cannot catch a break today?' He thought unsheathing his ax. "Did you kill Mistress Crow?" The youngest asked. Drake looked confused and his face indicated that. "Uh? No?" He said honestly. "LIAR!" One said as she threw her blades at him. He dodged and then controlled the chain to wrap around the handle pulling her in only to cut her head off. He then controlled the chain blade to wrap around another before driving a kick into her stomach. Two witches attacked at once. Middle aged girl and the youngest one. She fought with great speed as she used his slow attacks against him. The ax was heavy. 'Time to take it up a notch!' He thought of pouring his chi into an ax to make it lighter as he controlled the metal. The attacks then started to dominate the girl before a chain wrapped his neck pulling him to the ground. She was about to plunge her dagger into him when a sword protruded from her chest. It was red and then ignited, lighting the witch ablaze.

She was then pushed to the side Red Demon stood there with red glowing eyes. "Pardon the interruption?" He then asked plainly. "Would you be in need of assistance?" He asked Drake. He was unwrapping the chain around his neck. "Yes!" He said choking for breath.

"He killed our Mistress! He deserves to die! By order of the Witch King I.." her shout was cut short as a sword pierced her chest. The Red Demon was already in front of her. "So you work for the Witch King? Best I handle you now then" he said, jerking his sword free letting her fall to the ground. He wiped his sword of blood before it turned into red chi particles.

He relaxed his posture turning to the downed Drake. "We better leave now there is a mob heading this way from that field" he suggested. Drake had a pained look on his face turning towards the field. And saw the scythe on the ground. He picked it up, "Yes we should go" he said before running. Red Demon and him sprinted through the forest before seeking refuge deep in the thick part of the forest out of sight. Red Demon started a fire with his hands and sat down. Drake sat opposite, drinking from a canteen and pulling a piece of dried meat the size of a crayon before it enlarged to the size of his hand. He began chomping on it, staring at the flames. "Thanks for saving me," he said to Red Demon.

"You're welcome. So want to tell me what's going on or do you need a minute?" He asked. Drake shook his sitting up straight. "Names Drake. I'm a rank four cultivator from the underground settlement of Rabbit Hole. The mob that would be coming after us is the same people of that city. I would love to explain today but I can't. The whole city went mad and attacked me! ONLY ME! Made no since! I mean I get why they were angry at me before, but the whole city attacked me!" He paused, suppressing his shock. "Why would they be mad at you before?" Red Demon asked. Drake gave a sigh, "I started a revolt against the Witch King with my great friend. He died and why blamed me for it. I blame me for it" he ripped another piece of meat and kept eating.

"I assume you weren't successful? That's why you were being attacked by those…witches?" He asked. "No, now that I can explain! I ran into me and they were chasing me and then accused me of murder!" He said taking a swig of water.

Red Demon scowled in confusion. "Come again you ran into you?" He asked for clarification. Drake nodded, "I dunno I ran into a guy that looked just like me had my mask on and everything. Then turned to dust leaving me with the witches to take the wrap. Oddly enough the had this in his hands?" He said lifting the scythe up. "Is that significant?" Red Demon asked. Drake nodded, "belonged to my great friend. It was taken off his corpse the day he died by the Mistress Crow. The same witch I was accused of killing today! Which didn't happen! At least not by me personally. I trained all day and then was attacked! So been busy!" He said bluntly. "Well they seem to be under a different impression? Why would your clone have a mask?" He asked. "Oh!" He un clipped his mask from his belt. "This around here I'm known by another name. The Smiling Demon" he said, placing the mask upon his face.

Red Demon said nothing and nodded, "Interesting name. Tell me Drake why is it out of every here losing their minds over grief and mass insanity you seem unaffected by it?" Drake kind of chuckled. "I'm already crazy! That's why I'm called the Smiling Demon. I smile and make jokes about every bad situation. Must be a coping mechanism, but I dunno. I've seen some stuff and well my mind cracked!" Drake explained. "I see. Why's that?" Red Demon asked. "Long story" Drake stated plainly. "Didn't mean to pry" Red Demon said in surrender. He put his back against a tree and folder his arms under his cloak. "Say how are you not affected by the madness?" Drake asked. "Simple. My mind repels it. Whatever is happening here it does not affect me. Which is a good thing. I have something to do and best not let my wits betray me" he said closing his eyes laying his head against the trunk.

"Something to do? Who are you anyway?" Drake asked. "Depends. Are you working for the Witch King?" He asked, still keeping his eyes closed. Drake scoffed, "As if! I just said I started a revolt against her!" He said with great annoyance.

"Doesn't prove anything. You could have been a subordinate turned rogue for all I know?" Drake was speechless. "I guess. Well…alright. Well whoever you are thanks for saving me. Hopefully I can repay the kindness" he stated. "Oh I have a way you can be of assistance. We'll talk about that later. I'm gonna sleep, you get the first watch" he said drifting to sleep. Drake shrugged. He thought about home and the Allfather. Part of him worried about his safety.