Underworld calamity

The pain receded, replaced by a pronounced coolness that touched his soul like a wet blanket.

The transformation had been harrowing.

Blake expected the visible signs of someone who had undergone a transformation like muscularity and maybe... a strange power, but looking at his current state, it didn't seem as though something at all happened.

'what a freaking liar.'

Was the orthodox playing a crucial joke on him?

Blake felt petrified for a while.

Been granted these powers are akin to been given a second chance to life but still...

what was he able to gain out of all these?

'Oh shoot!'

Immediately, he turned towards the other end of the cave...

This was were the entrance was sealed from even gods themselves..

Powers or no powers, the Underworld Groove was being penetrated.

Blake could only think of one person who's greed strongly holds meaning towards the creatures of the Underworld Groove, and that person is none other than Duke Ferilando.

That man is a swine...

If only there was a way to get out right now.

'Also, where the heck is Tera? These witches ditched me.'

It was as though they read his mind and instantly, both Tera and Evie materialised within, staring at the poor Blake in apology.

Blake couldn't help but scoff at them, still not realising the obvious fact that he was trapped in for all eternity.

But lucky him... the Orthodox crane had decided to bless him with powers. Was it his first kill that had granted him the powers? Energies had their own special entities which lies beforehand with the emerging gods.

The emerging gods known as the higher gods...

Blake would never understand these logics. His mind wasn't fully developed to take in such knowledge.

Each gods was bestowed with an enormous peripheral of dark unseen powers which some were able to be converted into bad and good energies.

Orthodox crane was not only a power entity. It also depicts a creature of the underworld groove which happens to surpass all other creatures and then, earning it's tittle, engulfing hidden attributes... which emanated from the origin of it's reign akin to a dark god.

Every part of it was exhilarating.

He remembered something that instantly flashed past his mind like Oblivion.

Dread washed over him for a while as he caught a glimpse of some strange mark... The Orthodox Crane must have made mention of such...

Oblivion suddenly overwhelmed him.

He forgot. Blake felt as though he had forgotten something so vital, anyways the gods are always Supreme in their actions.

Blake still remained upset with the ladies who just showed up...

His face simply glowed with absolute irony. Mirth was also evident and he commented on their sudden appearance.

'Traitors!'

Tera didn't feel scared walking towards him but the overall fear kick-started when she was supposed to look into his eyes and begin with an explaination.

"Actually Blake, your life is... uh... should I call it ruined?"

Blake's eyes turned bloodshot at her remark.

"What do you mean?"

His question came out crisp and short.

Meanwhile, Evie who remained indifferent at the scene that was unfolding spurted out,

"we forgot that you are not a witch. Only witches enters the underworld groove and leaves. And if you are not one then you are trapped for the rest of your life."

Evie was quite straight forward which seem to bother her any less. The only person brimming with concern at the moment was Tera.

Blake's eyes widened in realization.

No wonder they had disapparated without him.

Plus he guessed that their magic must have enveloped him but... the Underworld Groove did not allow the magic on his own side to take effect which means, only the girls disappeared... not him.

If his theory is right then really... his life is ruined.

Plus there was no longer any way for him to rescue Jotham from the impending doom of the battling Heirlocks.

Within his thoughts, invisible question marks started dropping one after another.

"Sorry Blake, we did not know that you were the invisible one under the rain."

Tera said realising Evies reluctance in speaking up. Plus the way in which she had non-chalantly opened the truth was enough to put one into a trance.

"Now what should I do here, battle deadly creatures all day?"

Blake roared out of anger and Evie still feeling calm tskked before remotely replying in two words.

'I guess.'

Blake peeled his face away from both girls. They had caused nothing but pain for him.

Running away from an insidous Heirlock wasn't bad enough and now this.

Trapped in an Underworld with no direct way out of its treachery.

What a fate had befallen him. The only good thing now was that he was blessed by the crane gods which had given him a mark.

That mark had actually fallen into Oblivion. He didn't remember it.

The last time he heard the Crane's undulating voice was when he was wailing in agony of the transformation but he didn't get the information too well.

"Something about being marked by the gods.. and then being the only generation of a vile gods of the earth.

A terrible premonition hits him like a hurricane. He seemed to remember, but then it all went back to Oblivion.

Well, he would find out soon but not when these two witches still remained in here.

Immediately, Tera cuts in to remind him that they were still here with him. And that was after witnessing him zone out.

"Listen, uh... we would be by your side during this time. At least this would be our compensation for causing this to you."

Evie cocked her head to the side.

"We would?"

She asked not sure but they ignored her question.

"The Underworld Groove varies in comparison to it's current state right now. A cave isn't actually what depicts the underworld... it is the various world's outside of it. Creatures would keep emerging from the other end of this cave and we would have to fend it off eventually.

Killing that one Vampire has been enough work already.

What if they come in their numbers? Would you both be able to keep your words or probably chicken out like last time?"

Blake was flashing an acussing stare at them.

Both girls thought for a while before going to respond positively about being able to stand when danger comes.

"Perhaps, if we continue from here, there might be a way out that no one has ever been able to discover.

Probably... a gate that was hidden awy from existence, which may act as a projectile to bring us back to the real world without needing to make eventual appearance." Tera said.

Blake thought for a while, the girl was right though.

Who knows, there might be an entrance hidden from the eyes of all creatures which if carefully searched for... would be found.

"Shall we?"

Evie asked brandishing her sword the Ghost Steel and Blake seeing her take the first move grinned at the wild burn of energy which flickered in her dark irisis.

And in an instant he approved.

"Sure."

Tera had her own sword with her which was a Gold Blade... it was dark and stark far from its name. Its handle betraying that it had gold. Freckles of dots lining the edges of the handle in an ever-changing manner.

They walked deeper into the cave.

Then, they saw the dead body of a deranged vampire laying stone cold on the marble floor... and the ladies turned to him with a stoic glare.

"You killed it?"

Their shock was evidently.

While Blake remained bitter in response.

"Should I let it kill me?"

Blake was staring back at the dead creature with an expression he never had on him before.

The trio had walked farther into the cave without bumping into any other creature dwelling within.

The Underworld Groove is a vestiges of what depicts true horror itself.

The creatures in there could be classified based on their ranks. There were ranks that Blake was able to kill.. but there are also ranks that Blake realised was able to kill him without batting an eye.

These ranks were Diseased, Potential, Dark, Fallen, Evil, Terror and Calamity.

The highest of them being the Calamity.

Right now, Blake can do away with the Diseased and can try to destroy the potential but the dark is above his class... or he probably has no class at all given that the blessings of the gods had not even kickstarted.

The Orthodox crane gives power according to class and right now, he was dormant.

These classes are, Dormant, Awakened Crestfallen, Awakened Bloodbane, Ascended Titan, Ascended Ancient and Transcendent Immortal.

The dormant, as he currently seem to be now is like, having the blood... or the lineage of the gods only that, the powers is not awakened.

Which means, he had to pass a certain set of trials to evolve his rank.

From dormant to an Awakened Crestfallen.

An awakened Crestfallen is like a legacy of new powers which becomes potent to an individual. It's a lower rank of power which needs a lot of training to will.

Not needing to elaborate further into those details which would come later, the trio continued to transverse deeper untill the sullen rays of a vintage moon peered through an exit.

'I guess this is where the cave ends'

They reached it's exit and paused only walk back in... as if a certain something was attached to the darkness only to discover that there was nothing.

Sighing, Tera spoke.

"You know, that bloodthirsty Duke came to Blackshire forest and enslaved numerous humans and some of our kinds."

She recieved a hostile stare from Blake.

"What did you do about it?" He asked.

"What else could we do, hide. Besides bodies and blood is being lithered around and seems like the massacre is still ongoing and in full swing!" Evie said getting a nod from Tera.

Blake exhales deeply.

"Have you guys thought about standing to fight?"

"Are you crazy? Get enslaved by enthralled Heirlocks. And asked to do forbidden things with our magic and then rewards are curses from the goddess of light, no way." Tera said.

The three continued to discuss not knowing that there was other beings stucked at the cave ending.

All of a sudden, something aimed at Blake in full speed and slammed him on the chest, throwing him back.

A whirlpool of energy descended and Blake felt a mighty suppression and then... He crashed unto the wall causing the cave to shudder and quake tremendously almost sending spikes down.

His body groaned in endless pain.

"Wait, what? Are these Mallocks?" Blake wondered because if they really are then, he stand no chance fighting against a domineering fiend.

Besides they were of the Evil rank three ranks above him.

Their resilence was ardous and mighty, with thick spikes and bone protrusions shooting out of their backs...

cladded in thick armor and dark moat to resist weapons penetrating through.

"What the actual fuck?"

Tera escaped from the snarl of one of these Evil by vanishing only to materialise right in front of Blake. She helped to him stand.

The Mallocks were actually hiding from something... and that was why they flocked the exit. This exit had a dark chamber. That was where they nested. Anyone who arrives would be blinded by that fact..

"Are you alright?" Tera asked staring behind in alert just incase they attacked.

"God am still in pain."

Blake hissed and stared at the mallocks which were advancing at them slowly. They were like hundreds of them which were already leaving the dark embrace of the shadows.

Blake couldn't help but wow that these mallocks had something to do with the [Shadows Affinity]

Several, seconds were turning into minutes and Tera turned to face him with a face full of shrewd.

"Blake, do we still have to stand and fight?" She asked and of course Blake was not stupid. He didn't want to end his life because of a common Legacy. So he sighed.

"Although, I believe in that Legacy, stand and fight, I also do not want to die, let me distract them while you and Evie find a place to camp. Please Evie, can I have your sword?" Blake demanded and she just shrugged before handing it down.

The blade Ghost Steel looked a lot lighter in his hands. Immediately a Mallock lunged at him, making both girls to vanish.

Blake had to use both the Ghost Steel and Night Tide to deflect all of the mallocks devastating blows.

But blades could not make up for the disparity in rank. Their strength was too massive for him.

The mallocks were coming in their numbers, madness danced in their eyes like wildfire which glared at Blake...

He had to mutter a curse loudly before dodging incoming blows in order to stay alive. The Legion Stale weaved itself in whirlwind of sparks into reality and was ebbed on his feet.

Now he was able to become faster and keep up to the Mallocks moves that made up for the difference in speed..

They really wanted to rip Blake apart which apparantly was their main goal for now.

Meanwhile the ghostly color of Evie's blade simmered endlessly.

Raw energy was kindled from it that even the void bent in an abnormal manner.

Still, the Mallocks refused to even die.

Their armory couldn't even be penetrated. This was exactly what Blake called fighting a losing battle.