[hr][center][h3][color=ed1c24][b]World's End Strait[/b][/color][/h3][/center][hr]The battle at the ruins was going well and fine for the cadets. Even if the scouting party didn't even touch the old ruins, the former cative knights found a way to free themselves and bring the battle back to their captors. The scouts would soon notice a great disarray among their targets.

The soldiers' attention shifted to damage control. Their leader shouted orders for the small part of his squad that still stood after the rebellion. After taking advantage of his high perch to single the one who seemed to have initiated the escape, the leader said, "Stupid brats, we were going to go easy on you, after our business was done for but no... you had to make it hard for us. Let's see what you think of the taste of hot lead, first thing in the morning!" and opened fired on Morgan, giving him no quarter.

However, something unexpected, even to the soldiers, happened just as the leader pulled the trigger.

Instead of the the typical gun crack one would expect, a [url=https://freesound.org/people/jhumbucker/sounds/250543/]loud scream[/url] reverberated through the ruins as if coming from the atmosphere itself. It was loud enough to be heard clearly all the way back to the camp of where the remainder of the Cadets wait and even the river where Esther bathed herself innocently.
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/i6fLcHF.png[/img][/center][color=0072bc]"What the—!"[/color] Viola nearly jumped out of her skin. The scream snapped her attention which was focused on the ruins and the team they sent to explore it. It's not hard to imagine that she would have been taken by surprise in such a case.

Meanwhile, [color=9966cc]"Ghh!"[/color] Ires fell to her knees, clutching her head as if she were having a head splitting headache. [color=9966cc]"I—I feel as if something really bad is about to happen,"[/color] she managed to say while reeling painfully. [color=9966cc]"We... need to go help the other, or..."[/color] Ires never did finish her phrase, instead she fell flatly against the ground. Whatever ailment got over the Princess, it certainly struck her hard as was evident in the way she passed out, her body covered in cold sweat and labored breathing.

Viola dashed to Ires' side and lifted the Princess in a bridal carry, helping the distressed girl back to her tent. A moment later, she looked at Gradon, their appointed leader and asked, [color=0072bc]"What do we do now? I don't know what's happening, but I have I very bad feeling about this."[/color] While she waited for Gradon's answer, Viola began to relieve Ires of her armor and wipe the sweat off with a wet towel.
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/i6fLcHF.png[/img][/center]Back at the ruins, the scream was heard once more. This time its location was distinguishable. It came from right where the leader of the soldiers stood. In fact, it came right from him. Or better, it came from the mysterious tattoo in his neck as the man was wrapped in a layer of darkness as if a great serpent coiled itself around him. Soon enough, the sickening sound of bones being crushed, living flesh ground as well as the soldier's wails of agony were added to the last instance of the sinister scream.
[center][img]https://images.khinsider.com/Kingdom%20Hearts%20II/Renders/Heartless/Heartless06%20-%20Dark%20Thorn.png[/img][/center]A moment later, something stood from a poodle of gore and what seemed to be liquid darkness. The beast, which was nearly thrice as tall as Tzi, was made of the same stuff from which it seemed to have materialized from. It stared around aimless, an expression of shock and pain was briefly visible in its face, before nothing but rage took over it.

The other soldiers quickly fell into total chaos, running to save their lives as the creature targeted all, friend or foes, without any regard. No attack they tried seemed to hurt it. It was as if they were trying to shoot or slash at blood and shadows. No normal weapon could do anything against it. Soon enough, most of those who were not smart enough to run found themselves dead.

A moment later, the creature turned around, as if remembering the last target on his former human mind.

With a mighty leap, it pounced on Morgan, effortlessly crashing through the walls of the building as it attempted to destroy its prey at all costs.
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