Chapter 3

Not only were Aiozra and Drew adventuring alone but they didn't even know where to go they didn't have anything with them that would point them in the right direction and even though Aizora knew she had a compass she didn't need it due to the sun that stood blazing down on them. " Where do you think they could've gone? How long has it been? " Drew had been getting on her nerves for the longest time and even though she didn't want to hurt him she understood why Achylis really couldn't stand him in general when all he seemed to do was talk. Though he was annoying he proved he cared by trying to improve their situation by telling jokes and even though most of them weren't funny she still tried to be nice about it even though she was getting tired of walking. " is it just me or do you smell something?" 

Aizora wanted to knock him upside his head for putting the thought of food in her mind but when she smelled it her mouth watered instantly. " it smells good." They didn't know what else to do but follow the smell as it led them towards handfuls of other people who didn't know even get to understand who they were as they seemed to blend in with the crowds of people. Aizora wasn't the one to talk to Drew as if he were a friend but considering it seemed very odd to just stumble across a lot of people in the middle of nowhere she was going to count it as demonic but she wasn't sure they didn't at all seem depressed or creeped out if anything they were all smiles and joyful. Not once did she hear anything too negative or even too positive. Nothing seemed to scare her enough to want to do anything harmful to the people around her. Was she seeing and hearing things again? She only questioned it as Drew seemed very confused as they were pushed by the people before seeing a row of black-covered tables and food of every kind of all the tables. 

" Can't wait to meet you? " She heard it several times as she stared at the people around her she suddenly felt casterphobic before everything seemed to weigh down on her. Drew wasn't exactly mindful of the situation even though she felt like she was going to blackout she knew he saw everything as well as hearing all the commotion. It was too loud to talk over as she needed to sit down. She felt as if she couldn't breathe before she grabbed her chest wanting something to drink before her eyes almost rolled to the back of her head. There were too many people and not enough space for comfort. 

Why was there so many people in the first place? She knew they weren't anywhere near Marie and Nathan but what terrified her the most was AIozra coming back or Drew getting them both killed. Did he not understand there was a fine line between joking and being serious? Most of the time it was just obnoxious then again she didn't talk a lot. Thankfully her father raised her in school and studying was the only thing that kept her quiet. 

They found a mansion in the middle of nowhere but the sounds that came from it didn't just sound haunted but scary. The house and the glassed windows made it more terrifying as they stared at it. A fence ran right along the sides of the house that ran as far as the eye could see. " Weird. Does that creep you out? Maybe I'm going insane and I'm dead. " Drew paused as Aizora gave him the disgusted look like always only when he kept talking she picture herself punching him which only made her happier before she walked past him as the gate seemed to open by itself. " I'm dead and this is hell." Aizora rolled her eyes as the music only became louder with every step. Once inside the massive mansion, Drew was holding himself as Aizora's memory of him and her meeting in her shop so long ago came to mind. He was that scaredy cat who looked like he had peed himself. It only made her want to laugh. 

Drew and Aizora both heard the wailing noise before everything around them seemed to move inwardly. Aizora didn't care too much as her mind wavered briefly as Drew didn't like confined spaces. " No, No!" Aizora couldn't think not with everything going on. She was surprised she wasn't screaming just like Drew if anything she could simply suddenly agree this must be hell. All the wailing only made her think it was screaming she was hearing only what it was only appearing to really be coming from the door to her left. " Drew." She could barely speak as she was too terrified to do anything. She jerked Drew towards her as if it were going to do anything before opening the door as it felt like her soul had left her body as well as Drew's. " 

A black smokey figure stood or at least that's what she thought as Drew only pointed before he blacked out landing and smacking his head on the floor. She heard the noise as it seemed to only make the figure just stare. She wasn't sure if it was even looking at her or past her but she wasn't about to look as she was already frozen in fear. " who are you?" Aizora was only surprised she could even say anything with her heart beating out of her chest. Why did this remind her so much of Achylis? " What am I? Who is still controlling you? " The darkness laughed before Aizora really couldn't think straight. Controlling? The look on her face only made her feel abandoned like she still wasn't herself. She only questioned who she was before Drew groaned coming out of the spell he was in. 

It wasn't every day that Aizora could come face to face with a demon and yet it only reminded her again of the horror she had to face. She had to constantly tell herself she was fine and even though she said it she tried to believe it. " You couldn't become who you." She felt that go down her spine into her feet as the tingling feeling went back up into her head. She felt her face turn red and she wasn't sure whether or not she should even listen to someone she didn't even know. " I don't know many things but this room isn't scary at all." Drew stared at the musical instruments before he pushed against one that was in a motion with his hands before a strange loud down mode a noise that didn't even sound like a drum. " That's not even music." The only thing Aizora could think of was the horror that would soon follow if they even touched anything. She didn't want to find out so she ran towards the end of the room as Drew yelled after her. 

More instruments lined up against the wall in their places but if anything she wasn't even sure of what use they were if they didn't even bring out the necessary sound. " Aizora. where are you going?" She wasn't sure she only saw the door suddenly appear out of nothing at the same time the demon disappeared. She wasn't intrigued she wasn't sure why or what became of her as she ran through the open darkness that enveloped her whole as everything she once knew became only a sudden memory. At first, she didn't hear anything before a scream was heard only she couldn't tell if it was her own or if she had imagined it. She couldn't see anything not even her hand in front of her and although she couldn't hear her thoughts she wasn't sure of what to think as she didn't know what was right in front of her. 

Drew however couldn't fathom what was going on or where they were. It still creeped him out thinking of the complete worst of what was going to happen even though he jumped at everything. He walked around with a long cane he only saw as a weapon at every door he worked at it only to look and sound terrifying but if anything on the inside he was screaming in fear as his body was filled with dread. Not only did he seem more scared by every room he went into but he didn't seem to understand how the mansion itself seemed to be endless. 

Aizora screamed feeling the coldness as it wrapped around her thankfully she didn't see anything but that wasn't what made her keep going. It sounded like scrapping from behind her but with all the darkness she couldn't tell what was what before her eyes widened and although she was frightened and surged forward as best she could she couldn't help the breath that left her as well as her heart that stayed in the dark room above her. Screaming she slid down the tub towards the unknown and without questioning anything she screamed louder hoping someone would help her. 

Another minute went by before sudden light and a confused and scared Drew stood in front of her with a cane. He held it out in front of him but she only slammed into the side of him as something from the corner of her eyes opened. She whimpered before softly saying his name before she thought for sure they were going to die but if anything they were back outside. Laying halfway on the soft grass and halfway on Drew she was questioning everything not just out loud but in her head. " I'm so confused right now." She got up looking around them as if it weren't just impossible but very confused as to what had happened in the first place. " She came out of the wall. That's not normal." Drew said it to himself but she heard him plainly before looking at him with a look as he looked over at her with the sudden flushed face.

" Where did you take us?" She hadn't done anything at least not that she knew of. " I didn't do this. I don't even know where we're at. " Looking over at him as he looked at everything including the tree that they so happened to land at she questioned him. " Do you?" He looked very confused at her as if it were a stupid question to begin with. However, while they didn't know where to begin a storm was brewing with the temptation to kill. Aizora only found the need to want to punch him in his gullible face and as she walked towards the town that didn't surprisingly seem far of a walk. The church that stood in the middle of the town with the huge bell towering over the building didn't seem too weird but she seemed antsy with every step into the town. 

She felt like she was being watched and not just because everyone seemed to stare at her or someone behind her. " Freaking nuggets and crawfish. " The goat behind Drew nipped at his pants as if it were a snack. " This Goat." He muttered curses under his breath before Aizora gave him a look as she jerked him by his collar as if it were his fault. AIzora wasn't sure if it were but she was on the Goats side of things. Kids ran around with an old soccer ball as they yelled about passing it. One of the kids seemed very confident before kicking as the goalie only had it slammed in her side. She wished she had a better childhood. one with memories to look upon. 

She didn't understand what they were looking for before she saw a symbol right above the doorway before giving Drew a motion. Drew only followed as he felt weirded out by the looks given to him before running alongside Aizora and opening the door as it creaked. Once inside Aizora felt better like no one was watching her and it said a lot she felt it bore into the back of her head. She stared at where she thought it was coming from but the only thing she saw were books. Books were stacked upon each other on the counter as more were laid on the bookshelves. " Go figure. " Although she looked at the odd books laid out she wondered why the same symbol from the ancient book was laid out on top of the doorway. She felt as if it were a stupid thought as it seemed to be a bookstore, to begin with, maybe that ancient book was here before it became her dad's. 

She only hoped she was wrong as she ventured further into the bookstore and although she found it strange Drew however almost several times fell over. "Where the heck, Do they get business or is this whole store just filled to the brim?" Drew stumbled around until he found books lying on the ground in front of him picking up several he shrieked standing up straighter before feeling like he had been shot as one book clattered to the ground. A disfunctioning face stared at him and without blinking pointed at the wall as Aizora suddenly appeared out of nowhere. " Z! No. He; It. We gotta get out" He looked back still in shock as whatever 'it' was, was gone. She stared at him if anything as if he were a maniac. Not only had he scared the mess out of her but she was getting to the point where she wanted to kill him all over again. 

Did he do that on purpose? She wasn't sure but with how creeped out she felt she wanted nothing more than to leave. " Why are you so jumpy, calm yourself." She didn't see what he had seen but then again she was preoccupied. There were too many books to even wanna look at in the first place. She didn't know where to start and it said a lot most of the books on the bookshelves outlined the way they were. The blue gave the room a pop of color but the purple books with red didn't feel right or was it the weird feeling as if something were to happen, she wasn't too sure if she even liked this at all. "Looks as if it were supposed to be that way. kinda creepy if anything if you ask me. " She pressed herself palms out against the back of the wall. " But I never asked. " 

Aizora had humor she thought of herself as funny but sometimes she only thought of herself as the girl she was before the soul took over her. She still felt trapped in a way and not just that she wondered sometimes if this were hell. You couldn't blame her with the way her life seemed to be, she only wished her father were here to tell her otherwise. Drew huffed out grabbing out at his neck as his face scrunched up before he sighed loudly as it sounded more like a yell. " outrageous." Aizora bent picking up the book and putting it back where there was no dust before light streamed like a door suddenly opened just from the books like another portal. " Ay, dios Mio." Aizora only knew some Spanish because of Drew, he didn't teach her but she heard most of what he said. It made her wonder if she had cussed or worse cursed herself. 

Drew was next to her but with what she was even seeing she didn't even realize he was next to her. maybe she was hallucinating. 

She couldn't comprehend any of it. The atmosphere felt better and not toxic like she couldn't breathe before, maybe it was just that bookstore itself. She shrugged at the thought of it before looking back as she could've sworn she saw the glare just from the woman before it closed with a gust of wind that hit her in the face. " Goodness. " With a look on her face, she turned back towards the mysterious trees that surrounded her as well as the cave she could see even though it was further ahead than necessary.

" Ugh, why?" She dreaded it, every time.

_____________

Marie wasn't having much luck even when she found herself shaking her head constantly wondering why bothered her. She didn't want anything else bad to happen not when it only reminded her of Aizora. If you'll embrace it, you'll find out who you could've been a long time ago." It didn't sound like her and it said a lot, she wasn't sure if she was intrigued with any of it. Why?

" Not gonna lie. You might not like this part. " 

He stared as he lay on his stomach looking straight ahead of him into the empty nothing that only made shivers run up his spine. It didn't matter how many times he had been on a death adventure he was never aware of what lay ahead of him. " There's a hole in the ground right here but it leads further down. 

After escaping the weird man and noticing Marie had a backpack he wasn't sure what to think of her. She was amazing, yes, but he wasn't exactly sure of what to describe her as. She had something dark around her and he wasn't stupid but maybe it was just the thrill of it all that made her look even more real than anyone he'd ever met. He didn't need to have that in his mind but he still found himself looking at her wondering what went on in her head half the time. 

The mountains were closer and not just that but it seemed to call out to him as if it were the next level of death that only awaited them. That's what led him to lay on his stomach to get a better view only it was just as dark and gloomy than where they were.

" Ugh. sleep, it's all I'd ask for." He had said that out loud when he didn't mean to, but hearing the echo of Marie's giggle made the situation seem bearable. " Here. " she grabbed the match from her jeans pocket lighting the torch on fire. Maybe even when he went first he'd see something that wouldn't scare him too bad. It was the only thing that went through her mind and even though it was rude she wasn't sure if she wanted to be the first to go down there. 

" Ladies first." 

Handing him the torch she only looked.

" Beast before burden." 

He only seemed to be in shock but only for that second as he looked back at the opening before climbing down into the darkness as the fire lit the ceiling of the cave. She could hear the trickle of the water that fell from the ceiling. " I could fall asleep at the noise." She walked into the watery cave every step they took only made the water splash everywhere. " Annoying if anything. "

" Yeah. And creepy." 

She didn't like the noise and neither did she like the fact that she couldn't hear anything else over the splashing water. It didn't just make her paranoid but she felt as if it were her breathing that was also too loud. She couldn't shake the sudden feeling off her before she found herself reaching out for comfort, only she pulled herself back when she saw the light stream in. She breathed out a shaking breath before Nathan helped her climb up the massive boulder that had collapsed over in the way. " can you find anything to help me get up there? " 

She stared out across from where they had come and she mentally beat herself up. Why was she so scared of nothing, seeing only the little bit of water she could've sworn she felt something but looking behind her she mentally wanted to slap herself, she was just going crazy; it was just the wind. " No, but hold on." She climbed out onto the other rocks trying to find anything for him but she sadly didn't find anything. " There's nothing here." 

" don't worry, I found-" She had toned him out as she stared at the trees and in between the massive waterfall with a view just beyond that. It looked like the weird Chinese homes from afar but she couldn't quite tell. If anything she felt like she was dreaming then again she was running on almost no sleep and all the walking and bending was killing her. 

" You're fine." 

Eyes closed she could only breathe out before she heard Nathan's voice. " What?" 

She jumped hard at the reaction as she turned fast. " Jeez Nathan. " She rolled her eyes thinking of 'accidentally' pushing him down what looked to be 50 feet before the trees would maybe break his fall. She only shook her head as she got onto herself for that and that wasn't the voice inside her talking it was HER. She felt like he could read her and she could only hope he couldn't.

" It calms me when I say that out loud." 

He only stared at her for another second but she only turned her head staring back at the beauty that only made her feel a little better. Having the thoughts of killing someone didn't exactly make her feel relaxed and she only regretted the thoughts as she could only hope she wouldn't ever do it. The image played out in her mind but if anything she tried to not show any emotion whatsoever because she knew if she did it would only give her away. " I think I strained myself when I tried to climb up. You must not have heard me calling for you, then again I was only thinking the worst when you didn't come to help. " He did a nervous laugh as she looked at him as her thoughts vanished. 

" What? You called for me? " 

" Yeah, maybe 3 times. I thought something must've gotten you, or worse." 

Nathan looked away from her with a nervous look as she could only hope he didn't just care but maybe he had feelings; even with the worry that was on his face when he looked back at her it only held something else and she wasn't sure what but she could only hope. 

Nathan's pov:

What had gotten into her? First she acts as if she's okay but don't we all? Marie wasn't just acting out but he had seen the behavor before and it wasn't fun. Having to climb with no help really did strain him but he could rest when he was dead. " We should've found something by now or ran into the others. This doesn't make any sense."

" Maybe everything is an illusion."

He only looked at her as she stated it staring out at the view but then looked just as hard when she pointed at the far away homes in the distance. 

We don't have any rope do we?"

She looked back down and then back towards where they had came before looking up at the rock of a landscape as gray clouds hovered in the sky. 

" Is it going to rain? don't answer that, I don't want to know." 

" Move back." 

Nathan threw the rope up towards the opening twice before it caught as he latched the rope around himself and then around her.