DE Ch.9: Dangers From the Deep

~Chapter 9: Dangers of the Deep~

~Sky~

Sky hadn't been on the ship of the Dead Army for long but he had already decapitated more squids than he could even care to count. Yet he had not seen his friend, and commander of the Dead Army, Deadlox at all. He scanned the hallway he was in and called, "Deadlox!"

It didn't bring his friend but it did bring more squids. He sighed, raised his sword, and charged in for more decapitation.

~Miki~

Miki was lucky that squids hadn't yet evolved to have thumbs and because of this small blessing she could pick them off while her friends Annie and Darren could protect her back. The squids would try to shoot back but all they did was supply her with arrows, not that she needed them with her Infinity bow. Darren said, "Shouldn't there be less than this? I've counted at least thirty kills for myself!"

Miki frowned as she released another arrow, which buried itself into a squid. She responded, "I don't know! I hope anyone else is fine!"

The trio heard a whistling shot. A crimson bolt of energy streaked past them, incinerating a squid that was trying to sneak up on them. The shooter revealed himself from behind the corner, mining laser in hand. The shooter was no other than Duncan, clad in his quantum armor which he had gone to get before they set off to the Dead Army's ship which the inhabitants had called fondly,"Dragonsong". Duncan waved at them and whirled around, nabbing a squid at close range. He, then sprinted to the three recruits, commenting, "I think your army is onto something with these squids! Who would have thought that squids could hold up such a fight!"

Darren, bringing his sword upon a squid who had come too close, called," It's not the individual squids that are a problem but the fact there's so many of them! Have you seen Sky by any chance?"

Duncan shook his head and commented, "Nor Rythian or his brother."

Darren took a last look at the surroundings and told the scientist, "We're gonna move away from here! It seems empty of squids plus I want to find some more recruits!"

Duncan nodded and ran from where he came.

~Bain~

The closest group of recruits was a group of six being led by a silver-haired teen. He brushed back his hair, out of his eyes while one of his companions, an engineer called, "Squid on your left, Bain!"

Bain swiveled to the left, lashing out with one of his daggers, catching it off-balance where another one of his friends, an archer finished it with a butter-tipped arrow. He commented, "Nice shot,Danna!"

The female archer nodded and continued to loose arrows at the incoming squids. His friend, the engineer was teamed up with another engineer, slicing squids with their swords. The medic picked any who had penetrated these two defenses with his pistol. Opposite him was a blacksmith, beating down any squids with her hammer. At the center of this group was Bain, silver-haired, with two colored eyes of crimson and gold. He called to the others, becoming a leader of sorts. He directed his attention to the two engineers, James and Alex. On their end, no squids got through but Danna was being overwhelmed. He yelled to the medic, Famuel, "Go join Danna with your pistol!"

He nodded and sprinted over to the archer, shooting down a squid who threatened to break their defenses. The next order came to the blacksmith, whose name was Hal, "Come over here with me so we can beat down any who get through!"

The girl stood with him, back to back, brandishing her hammer. Bain adjusted his glasses. They were irritating in battle at times but he got used to them. He didn't know how he had started giving his friends guidance during this battle, it just happened. Maybe it was because his dedication. An arrow, not one of Danna's, whistled past him and took down a squid. Bain looked up to see a fellow recruit; a girl with crazy long hair and a cloak. Following her was a girl and a boy; the girl was a redhead with glasses and the brown-haired boy wore a green kerchief. The long-haired girl walked up to them and asked, "No sign of Commander Sky?"

Bain shook his head. "How about the mage or Reece?"

Bain shook his head again and Miki said, "Okay, we're trying to look for them."

Bain said, "It looks like here is clear so we're moving on too."

~Rythian~

Rythian stalked in his usual way, slashing any squids he came across into ribbons. His brother, a mere shadow it seemed, dogged his steps, finishing off any stragglers. He spied one, a lone wolf. He grinned as he prepared to strike it...when a laser took it down. He looked down the hallway to his left to see Duncan blowing the smoke off his mining laser and grinning, good-naturedly, at Rythian. Rythian held his yell of irritation but he knew the scientist could see that he was annoyed. He walked forward, pretending that the scientist hadn't started following him as well. He was tempted to tell Reece to run him off but he didn't. Instead he asked, "What are you doing here, Duncan? Planning to steal my kills?"

Duncan shrugged and shot a squid that was coming from his right. Rythian growled, "Whatever." and continued on, his companions being his arch-enemy and his brother.

About a length or so Rythian stopped suddenly, his blue eyes stretched in surprise and was that...fear? He whispered, "I feel her. She's here. But where?"

Reece asked, "Who, brother?"

Duncan asked, "Zoey?"

Rythian turned around, locked his eyes with Duncan's and said, "I wish it was Zoey. Everyone will wish it wasn't HER."

~Sky~

Sky was nearing the commander's room. He bit his lip and hoped Deadlox was here. As he got closer to the said room, the squids got less and less frequent. He cracked open the door to see Deadlox. He cried out in joy but Deadlox warned, "N-no Sky!"

Suddenly one of the horrible tentacles pulled him back, coiled around his throat snugly. The owner of the tentacle was a humanoid squid wearing the same ensemble as Sky but had four tentacles sprouting from his back. Sky growled, "SQUID."

The squid said, "That's COMMANDER Squid to you. Now if you don't want to see Deadlox hurt, drop your weapon."

Sky eyed his weapon, a butter sword enchanted. It wasn't the same one that Rythian had snapped but it was just as good. He next looked at Deadlox, shaking his head frantically. Sky whimpered, "I'm sorry, Deadlox."

He let his sword drop, with a clang, onto the floor. He stared at the ground, a smile playing upon his lips. Don't ever go anywhere with just one weapon. He took a step forward and said to the squid commander, "A deal is a deal. Let Deadlox go and take me instead."

The squid purred, "Yes. Any last words?"

Sky stepped before the squid who finally let Deadlox go. Deadlox whispered, "Why Sky?"

Sky responded to his friend, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Plus, Deadlox...you know what they said back in Miner School."

Deadlox mouthed the words: Don't ever go anywhere with just one weapon. Sky nodded, placing his hand in his pocket. The squid didn't notice this and just thought it a final exchange. He raised a tentacle, ready to drag off Sky to the depths of the Squid Empire. Suddenly a short butter blade was buried in his chest. He almost smiled. So he wanted to play this way. With lightning fast speed he coiled his tentacle around Deadlox's gasped in surprise. Sky whimpered, pulling the blade out of the squid's chest, "No, NO! I...I...let him go! I'll go! I promise on butter!"

The squid growled, with rage, "No, Commander. It's too late now! I'm gonna take someone down with me tonight."

Sky grabbed his blade from the ground, taking note of how blue Deadlox was getting. He raised his blade for the killing strike as the Squid tightening its grip, causing Deadlox to go limp. Sky howled, bringing down the blade with terrifying speed and force. The squid hissed as it was slashed, one, two, three times. He collapsed, Deadlox still in his grasp. Sky stood over him, face red and tear streaks flowing from behind his glasses. He hissed, "I hope you NEVER come back. You deserve a nice lava pool with a ghast in the Nether. May Herobrine NOT have mercy on your soul."

He dug his blade into the squid, finally killing it. He collapsed onto the ground, working to pry the tentacle from Deadlox's throat. He whispered a mantra of, "Please be okay." over and over to himself. When he finally freed Deadlox he felt his neck. Nothing was beating there, Frantic, he tried the wrist. Still nothing. He whimpered, "No."

Ryan walked in, hearing the commotion. At first he was confused, looking over the scene. A dead humanoid squid in the background, Sky's blade protruding from it. Sky bent over his friend, shaking. Deadlox, unnaturally still and white. He swallowed and said, "Sky. It's no use. He's gone."

Sky looked up, his glasses obscuring his eyes which were no doubt, red. He stood up, picking Deadlox up. He finally said, "We need a proper funeral. I need Jason here too. The Dead Army needs to be told and...".

He eyed the headset. He took it off gingerly and handed it to Ryan. He finished, "And this kept safe. I want him to have it until the end."

Ryan echoed, "The end."

Farther away, but not too far, Rythian looked at the ceiling and said, "She's gone. So is someone else. She's gone back to the End."

Somewhere, very far away, in fact a different dimension from the Overworld, a high elegant voice purred, "The end."

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A/N: *walks out onto a stage nervous*

So tell me what you thought. This isn't the end. Don't let them deceive you.