Chapter 48 In a place no one wants

'We been going up so many stair cases, just how many floor did we fall down?' I think as this was the third flight we went up and it just wont stop. There haven't been any monster trying to kill us either which is actually adding to my anxiety. I'd forget to ask what floor were on but everyone else is on edge as well. Especially Blood Stalk, who's left hand is shaking so much that if they herd any noise at all they would punch it without a second thought.

As we walk along up I see the number two and snake we drew and new we were leaving the second now. Which means we are almost out of this place. Just a few more set and well be out of this place. I know will have to come back eventually but right now I want to make sure that Blood Stalk is ok and try to figure out why we keep getting into these horrible situations. I don't want to get chased by a punch of people every time we go anywhere.

"Finally, we did it. Were out." Alcazar said as I was lost in thought. I look over and see that he was on the verge of tears looking up at the sky.

"Were not done yet. We still have to go up babel tower." Azure said while looking up at the structure behind us.

"Yeah but they at least have an elevator that we can use."Strixs said with a joyous grin feeling happy about something.

I guess we were down their all day since the sun was setting. I look back at the entrance and think about why I was hunted town for.

If I'm honest with myself, I still want to continue searching for my Alex down their. But I need to get these guys off our backs and treat Blood Stalks injuries, They seem fine now but they could be the type that doesn't show how hurt they actually are. After we settle all we should get them something to eat since we've skipped breakfast and lunch. I haven't noticed it yet but I haven't felt any hunger even though its been days since I last ate anything. A then we'll go back to that monster pit.

Just as I finished my thought, out of nowhere a leg kicked us in the side of our head and we get sent flying down the stairs onto the ground, it happened so fast that I didn't even realize we were attacked until we hit the ground. The other three looked to where I was in shock before they all got hit the same, falling next to us. I look at the and they all appear unconscious from whatever that attacker did. 

Looking up to where we were I see the figure of our attacker was none other than Allen who looked at us with a face filled with contentment. Not only that but he seemed to have some minor injuries across his body except for his face. Another change was that he had some kind of cloth flowing behind him now. After I recognized him we got back on our feet to look at him stair us down from the steps. In an instant, he disappeared from my sight and punched us in the stomach sending us into a stand. 

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Allen swiped at us once more and we get sent flying onto another two stand behind. Our head breaking through the tarp like cloth. We try to move but the tarp has us trapped with crates pinning us down. Blood Stalk cut the tarp a little feeing us from the debris. The tarp still wrapped around us was now torn up to our legs, making it look like a worn out poncho around our neck. Allen tried to punch us but we trip backwards avoiding it. We jump out of the way and back into an alleyway that was behind the destroyed stand, trying to get as far as possible from him. 

All of a sudden, I got a terrible feeling like something scratching on the back of my head. Something that felt like death is walking behind us. I turn around and see a spear heading right for our head. I couldn't move our head fast enough so I tried to block it with the gun, the spear grazes it as it hit our helmet, stabbing through our to where our forehead is. A bunch of static appears in my eyes as every where I look, there were cracks forming over my vision. Then a horrible alarm started to blare in my ears with a red warning sign flashing in front of me. I see is our body start to spark with electricity and fire before I hear a loud explosion. Everything went black like a camera feed being cut off.

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I was in complete darkness as I felt a gentle wind passes by me. My eyes open to a dark and stormy sky as I scramble up. "Ah ah. Where are we -?" I said in confusion looking around frantically before realizing something. My voice is back to normal. I grabbed my throat in surprise feeling the warmth from my hands. I could see that my hair was blocking by sight a little was back to it's usual color of black with red dyed tips. 

I then looked down and saw that I had the same Charismas pajamas on with reindeer and snowman designed all across my clothes. Feeling the cloth for the first time in a while I feel a sense of comfort that I didn't realized I'd miss. "Hun, was that all a dream?" I said looking down at my body while touching the clothes. The soft fabric that creased in my hands was a sensation that felt so nice. 

"That hole thing felt too real for it to all be a-" I started to look around before freezing in place. I was on top of a cliff high up on a mountain. I look out and see a would of utter chaos. I see flying train crashing into each other, buildings slanted with smoke exiting the windows like a giant power plant, some floating rocks with cardboard cut outs of people I've never seen before spinning slowly, and strange purple cracks growing along the ground and into the surrounding areas. In the middle of it all was what looked like a small read building that I recognize as the Tokyo Tower.

"-Dream. No, This looks way more like a dream." I said if fright backing away from the chaos before my back hit something. I reach behind my had and feel the object behind me and it felt like something scaly and furry at the same time.

"WELL LOOK WHO'S TARDY TO THE PARTY!" A familiar sounding voice yelled really close into my ear as I look up and see two long red eyes looming over me with a green smile poking up from behind its mask.

"Sine?" I said jumping away from the demon in surprise. I looked back and the devil moved closer getting closer. He looked pretty much the same except for a foot print that looked like a dent on a car was now printed on his chest.

"the two and only. As You Can See I'm Living Life To The Fullest. " Sine said pointing backwards with its thumbs. I look around him and see a barley standing house with broken pieces of burnt wood propping it up and what looked like a farm to the side. As soon as the demon finished speaking a piece of wood snapped

"make your self at home. I can get us some fresh veggies if you want any." The demon said ignoring the deterioration of its house and assuring me along.

"This place has character." I said trying to be as nice as possible while looking at this barely standing hut. I look up and noticed that there was no roof to block any rain.

"Just say it's a trash heap. I hate this place so much. The house keeps breaking, there's no meat, I don't even like vegetables but that's all they you can get if you don't have connections. you had no idea how happy I was to escape this horrid place, only to be brought back after a few short minuets. Truly evil this place is. The worst part is that there's nothing to do." Sine said complaining about how hard his life was. 

"I guess I can understand now." I said after a few moments of silence. I guess the demon wanted to vent and I just unleashed it all at once. It is helping me so I should go along for now.

"Few, I feel so much better. you want to eat something or watch some. I only have two channels so don't be too picky." Sine said while holding up two of his fingers like nothing happened. I can't keep up with this things constant mood flips." No, I'm fine." I said while looking around the broken house that had a wooden box that resembled a T.V. that was probably just for show.

After we sat down on some wobbly chairs "Let ME Guess, You were so distraught at my heroic sacrifice that you bravely fought with all your might and won. My supposed death must have left you in tears leaving you no choice but to try and bring me back." The demon said reminiscing on things that happened a hours ago like they were in ancient times.

"Not really, we lost that fight, and I honestly didn't have time to think about you after that." I said correcting him on all his statements.

"you know honesty hurts, can't you have a bit more Empathy?" Sine said fainting disappointment and hurt feelings with a fake sounding tone.

"I barley even know you." I said back which caused the devil to frown. I spoke without even thinking for some reason and I'm not sure why I'm being so brutally honest. Is something wrong with me?

"It doesn't matter how long you know someone. What matters is if the other person felt the same as You at some point. That's all it takes to make you empathetic. You don't hear me complaining about you voice being all weird. That's cause its best left unsaid." Sine said with his chest out.

"This is my normal voice." I said feeling a little hurt by that.

"Yeah, and it sounds weird. i liked it better when you sounded like Tetsuo Kanao." Sine said imitating his own rendition of evolts voice actor with his own distorted filter over it.

"Where are we?" I said ignoring his antics and attempts to confusing/infuriating me. I need to

"Good Question, THIS is where all of us monsters are born, probably. either that were inside of some kind of in-between limbo, OH -or maybe its the rider system 'as you call it' itself. " Sine said with a carefree attitude while presenting this mish matched world before me with wide open arms. So the answer is that he doesn't know.

"How did I-" I was about to ask my numerous questions before getting interrupted.

"Get here, probably died. IT All THAT EVER HAPPENS DOWN HERE. Every Monster Down Here Has Died At Least Once. Look, there a hole group dying down there as we speak." Sine said while grabbing a wooden remote with scratched in buttons and pointed to the wooden T.V. When the devil put its thumb on it the T.V. started to buzz and then suddenly lit up like a real one would, on the screen were various kijin from Tokusatu fighting each other in an open quarry, having a bloody battle to the death. Even though it was on a tiny screen it felt like I was right in the middle of that war zone. Body parts flying everywhere as screams echoed into my ears like I was causing it. I try and cover them but the sound still managed to get through.

"My favorite is those love birds down there having their usual scuffle. we should have a double date some time, or would that be a triple?" Sine said pointing towards a lake of black water with Japanese symbols crashing into another blue lake made of zeros and ones. The two substances slamming into all of the other monsters to flee in terror. I am so nauseous from looking at it the scenes in front of me. I could even smell the blood through the screen which I could while I was with Blood Stalk.

"I'm gona puke." I said feeling sick to my stomach just looking at tall of this. Looking at all of this was somehow so much worse than when I was killing monsters myself.

"If your gona hurl, do it over the cliff or on the farm, I'm trying to grow the biggest zucchini's anybody's ever seen." Sine said with little care as if this wasn't its fault.

"Turn it off!" I yelled while trying to look away. Even thought I couldn't see it I could still smell it though my noise which made even less sense.

"RELAX. No Buddy Stays Dead Down Here, SEE See." The devil said pointing my head to the T.V. again and I see the monsters reformed themselves and start to fight each other all over again. As the monsters on screen continued to battle, one of the liquid creatures turned and seemed like it could feel us watching. The devil finally turned off the wooden device and the metallic smell went away instantly. 

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"I get your nervous about all of this BUT HEY, The first death is always the scariest. But After The Tenth or so you'll get use to it. All Monsters Do." Sine said thinking about how Mark would die in the most entertaining ways possible while faking any sense of reassurance.

"Absolutely not! I'm not even a monster." I said shaking at the thought. Getting brutally murdered in horrific ways, only to come back to life to die again seemingly infinitely. Just thinking about it is making me feel weak again. Does that mean I died and this is really the afterlife? That can't be the end. The devil simply shrugged its shoulders while sighing a little.

"Is Blood Stalk here?" I asked since even though I just wished for them I didn't actually want them here. After everything we went through, after finally achieving one of our goals to find the city of monsters. We just died in some back ally for no reason.

"Oh, I surprised it took you that long to think of that poor little No Name." Sine said with a little mockery in its tone. When they called them No Name I got even more pissed off at this devil. Why are they being so annoying about answering some of my questions?

"Well, are they here?" I said not getting an answer after they talked and they staid silent for a while longer, I felt my blood pressure start to rise at this monster not

"fine fine they aren't here. There still in the land of the living unfortunately." Sine said with reluctance, Like they wanted me to be flustered and angry which what working.

"Oh thank god. One of us made it." I said feeling relief but also a bit sad that they weren't with me. A paradox of emotions wanting one thing but also the opposite at the same time.

"AW, your not sad that your dead but sad that No Name didn't join you, hehehe Now That's Funny." Sine said with a big smile like it could read my thoughts like a book. They seemed to know just the right buttons to push for me to get angry.

"If You Want To, i guess i could help you out. IF You Give Me Just Two Small Things." Sine said with a wicked grin, like it was expecting this from the start. This monster has been dragging me around by the neck and is only now starting to get serious.

"What do you want?" I said curious but hesitant to whatever this guy had to offer. I don't know if anything this thing says is true but I don't know what else I could do.

"First one will be easy for you. When you get back, the first thing you'll do is write up my contract so I can escape too. If you say no to that than you can forget any help from me." Sine said with a lade back tone before turning serious.

"I think that's fine. What's the other." I said not seeing a down side to that. Maybe I misjudged Sine and it has a good heart but a foul mouth.

"As For The Other Thing I Need. Give me a piece of the pie." Sine said wile twirling a tooth pick between its fingers before using it to clean their sharp teeth.

"I'm sorry?" I said confused about what it meant. They set the tooth pick on fire and flicked it past my ear as they came closer to my face.

"I mean, let me have some control over the main body 'No body'." The demon said that last part with an demonic filtered voice that felt almost malicious. Like they were unleashing some built up hatred directed strait for me. It took me completely by surprise so I almost said yes in a reflexive fear. I opened my mouth ready to just say yes to anything this thing said. Forget it having a heart, its just a monster looking for something to play with.

"No." I said in defiance. "I'm sorry but its not my body to give." I said faking as much confidence as I can. I won't drag someone else down just to put myself up, even if I end up dyeing because of it. It my choice so I should be the one to take any repercussions. We were then left staring at each other unblinking for what felt like an eternity.

"Eh, Worth A Shoot. Ok forget i said anything. Let shake on it." The demon said while shrugging their shoulders and reaching out their hand in a friendly way.

"That it?" I said surprised at how the devil just gave up so easily. I am also more creeped out that they can change their demeanor at any moment which makes them unpredictable. I decide to take it while they weren't going to add anything else. 

"Well if you want me to add more to it, how about treating me with something good to eat. I'm sick of veggies." Sine said with a smile that looked genuine. "and maybe tell me what you really want someday." The devil finished talking as we drew closer.

"Fine that it right." I said almost touching his hand before the devil whispered something softly. " i can't wait to hear it." I didn't know what it was talking but as I flinched the demon came to closed and managed to grab my hand firmly.

"DEAL! ." Sine said grabbing my hand tightly, shaking it up and down very fast. As I was trying to let go of Sines hand, a green light started to glow and our hands got set on fire. I try to break free the devil brings me closer to the edge of the cliff. "Hey, put me down" I said freaking out at this sudden fire.

"looks like the others started to get wise, I thought they would be to buzzy fighting each other to notice us up here. SHAME." Sine said with an annoyed tone looking of to the side. No maybe depress is a better word.

I follow its line of sight and see a strange collection of beings. One set was the two liquids taking humanoid shapes, another was broken glass that when it moved it looked like a grey kaleidoscope, a third had orange DNA strands forming a spring like body, and the last was a white chimera with body parts that resembled a bird on fire, a stone snake, and some other crystal parts.

"our contract is already signed so NO TAKE BACKS." The demon said with a grin finally letting go of my hand and I start to fall off the cliff side. The fire on my hand starting to form around my palm and take the shape of sharp teeth with eyes inside the mouth. I looked back at the devil as the other unknown beings start tearing the demon to shreds until only its head remained.

"see you on the live side. VERY SOON HAHAHAHA." Was the last thing I hear as I get consumed in darkness again. The devils laughter slowly fading before a soft sobbing took its place.

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The next thing I see is a pair of hands blocking my eyes, I try to move them but they wouldn't budge. I continue trying to move it and slowly our right arm moved away letting me see.

"Mark..." I herd a raspy voice calling out to me as I looked past the fingers towards a broken mirror laying in front of me. I look into the refection and see a face I'd only seen a few times, but one so striking that I never forget for the rest of my life. The same strange hair, scars over the face, but now with a open wound on the left side of their head. Fresh blood still covering their mouth. The only other difference is that now I see some glowing black veins pulsing on the scared skin tissue. The right eye now had completely red iris with tears running down the face. 

I manage to move our right hand over their eye trying to wipe away their tears. "What's wrong?" when I spoke the red iris started to flash in time with my words. Their mouth moving as if my voice was there's, the sound I made was like a mix between my original voice and that of Evolt's. 

"Your... I thought that you- I thought." Blood Stalk said with more tears streaming down their eyes. I panic as they continued to to mutter things uncontrollably. They suddenly grabbed our right hand with our left and curled into a ball.

"Hey hey, I'm here. I'm ok." I said in a panic trying to comfort them the best I can. I guess they thought I was dead but, even if I was. Why were they crying this much? Am I really that important for them to cry about. 

"I'm not going anywhere." I said trying to reassure them but it didn't seem to help much. They eventually calmed down.

"So what happened after we got attacked." I said trying to get an idea on what happened while I was in that other place.

Blood Stalk looked down and was quiet for a few seconds before looking up to answer into the broken mirror. "I... ran." They said with a darkened expression. I could feel how much it hurt them to say that, because ever since I met them they always fought any challenge head on. So to say that they did that, it must have been really bad for them.

"I'll... kill him." Blood Stalk said while clenching their fist in anger. I guessed they are talking about Allen.

"You don't have to go that far. Were safe for now and that's what's important." I said fearing for their safety more than wanting to get revenge on Allen. As much as I hate him, if we go out of our way to fight him now. I know what might to happen.

"If... I can't kill... Then... why am I alive?" Blood Stalk said a strange question to me. One that I felt had more meaning to it than anything they've said before. It took me a few seconds to think of any meaning full words.

"I don't know what it means to be alive if that's what your asking. But, no mater what, I'll be with you to figure it out." I said as we stood up ready to go wherever we wanted to. A strong wind blows against us as the fabric waves upward an I accidentally see the lower parts of their body underneath the tarp. Apart from the numerous scars and burns I accidently see something that was very surprising.

"Your a GIRL!?"