Needless Carnage - Strangers

[Gildarts]

Gildarts extended a hand toward Behemoth as soon as she was out of sight, the spare mask! his eyes spoke with urgency as the last of the air in his mouth turned to bubbles and erupted from his lips.

Behemoth offered it to him from his pocket and spoke aloud, “On your last breath eh? Would hate to have had that last for another round, or you’d be chokin’ on your own words.”

The pair of prisoners were still very far from the surface and could battle anything on their journey to escape the Empire’s clutches, however it was at this moment Behemoth seemed to be getting the jitters. Every few feet they progressed in the water the estranged secondary kept glimpsing over his shoulder. Some people had personality attributes that caused them to act funny, so Gildarts didn’t really pay attention. His legs continued to swat at the chilly water and he held onto his magical power so it wouldn’t drift into the ocean.

Ursula was a sea demon, of that he new, but there was great probability that she was one of Diablo’s elite forces, left here after the Black Gate closed. Anything was possible and she seemed to really hate humans. Vaguely Gildarts realized that Behemoth was the one who had transformed her into a shark but even that was an idea that was more of a shot in the dark. If there were monsters in this world that wouldn’t think twice about killing people, maybe Gildarts’ presence was really needed here. Even so, his heart longed for home.

Behemoth finally stopped as the water suddenly became frosted with an undeniable chill. Gildarts glanced around for the source of his ally’s agitation but could find no detectable source.

“It’s no use, you won’t see them,” Behemoth said to the observant Gildarts who responded to the strange remark with the hints of a curious expression. “We’re in the Graveyard. The Graveyard of Souls.”

“Huh? Why don’t we keep going?” he said as the many bubbles muffled his voice.

“We can’t run from them, its best we rest here and wait.” Behemoth spoke with a sadness that haunted his eyes. Gildarts wondered if something was chasing them and still could see nothing in the thick, murky ocean water. Maybe Ursula wanted another punch, or maybe it was another sea beast he could defeat.

Behemoth gasped as he saw the flicker of a dark cape, it was not the one that was flaking with paint and attached to his ally’s neck. Gildarts followed with his eyes and traced their vast surroundings. There seemed to be nothing there, save ocean water and stagnant fish skeletons littering the distance. His eyes widened, there was no life. There was always life in every vibrant ocean, even in the sickest seas that were layered with poison, there was always some species that thrived under the unnatural circumstances. There wasn’t even the speckled photo plankton lingering in this part of the ocean; Gildarts could see why they called it a graveyard. It a place that emphasized solitude; it was stagnant, empty, and soundless. He readied his fist to face an adversary, the enemy that Behemoth feared and the same one that he suspected kept the life from growing here. The daunting chill disturbed the silence of his mind and surrounded him with a strangely empty energy that tasted like eternal darkness.

Suspense crawled in his cold joints that ached with the motion that weight and swimming had imposed on him. The Prime wasn't the kind of man to complain (until he was dead) but as far as he knew, this place -his next adversary- would be a feat of life or death. In the wake of the calm before the storm, Behemoth’s sanity wavered with his resolve and he let out small bouts of whimpering noises that cascaded with released air bubbles.

“I’m afraid I wasn’t entirely honest with you. There’s another reason no one attempts to leave Impel Down, Gildarts.” Behemoth began in an agony filled voice, “There are creatures that dwell here... Creatures of the night. Some even say that they are of Diablo himself. If I don’t make it, I’m ever so sorry. A man would prefer a death of drowning than to die facing these creatures.”

“Don’t start getting sentimental with me now.” Gildarts rumbled with confidence and felt his eyebrows edge downward in determination.

“They’re phantom creatures... They steal happiness from your soul... They are... DEMENTORS!” Behemoth shouted as he saw one. He was quick to point at the ghost as his entire body shuddered with horror and the hooded being rode in on a silent wave and leapt for him.

A shadow of darkness was cast by the creatures skeletal and deathly persona. Wisps of despair trailed in its tracks as it sought the tortured Behemoth as its next prey. There were many now, an ominous feeling of sorrow crept into the immortal’s bones. Gildarts struggled to make his way up to his companion but was too slow as they had drifted apart, he could only watch as he saw the Dementor suck the joy from Behemoth’s soul in a strange warp of color. Even the Prime was paralyzed for a moment by the shock and awe of such a powerful creature. They steal happiness? He charged a ranged attack but had two clumpy creatures of his own flank him from behind.

His magic was deployed early and bombarded the closest creature to him with his characteristic net like pattern. The skeletal creature dissipated into a faded blob but was sure to return shortly. Sharp edges of his fist formed into a ball before it crashed into the other skeletal creature’s body, the creature seemed confused as it rolled its head to find a source of opposition, unsuspecting of its prey, and the specter suddenly fell from its current glide. The Prime had enough time to send over a wave of energy to his drowning friend, the energy crashed accurately into the wraith before freeing his petrified ally.

They came in waves, capes flickering in the massive army as their numbers multiplied. His own cloak flickered in the stagnant water as he faced them alone. What wretched creatures... These monsters could not be fought with his fist alone. They needed to escape, fast. Gildarts would not be able to hold them off forever, and certainly couldn’t defend their souls while his back was turned. How would he face this army of evil when there was no light?

“Oi, how do I stop them.” Gildarts said to Behemoth as the clumps of darkness approached by flying gently through the waves of water. “Behemoth!” But it was no use, his cowering ally remained in a distant world attempting to regain his old memories as he desperately clutched the joyful ones that remained.

The Prime couldn’t waste his time watching the distraught expression on his ally’s face and readied himself again, this time he thought about his plan and then a grin grew on his face. It was all or nothing. Just like at the bar. However this time, he could go all out.

He extended a hand toward the creatures and from his palm a white light appeared, a familiar net pattern extended into the water, this time, colliding with it. Erupting with a gush of surging water, air bubbles were created in the explosion. He had attempted to ‘cut’ through the water with his crash magic and though it wouldn’t go far in the very substance he targeted, it was enough of a distraction to gain a head start. He grabbed the pitiful prisoner’s ankle and dragged his whimpering being upwards. The swimming was heavier and slower, Gildarts knew the creatures were close behind, now would be a great time for Behemoth to pull a magical article out of his hat of tools so that they could escape in one piece. Dementors weren’t of this realm, it was impossible for him to attack if he couldn’t get close enough; he had few ranged attacks that would aid him in this situation and was running out of options.

They Dementors seemed to be drawn in by Behemoth’s squeals of pain, his dark hair swayed in the water and his eyes had closed into silent sobs. “My memories.. My memories... Give them back! Oh the irony."

Gildarts felt a chill cold enough to freeze the water around him and spun around quickly in the waveless water. A skeletal hand now clutched his jaw and Gildarts was frozen in place by the very water than surrounded him. His new cage immobilized him as though he were the stick of a Popsicle, he found it harder to move around the paralyzing energy cast by the deathly aura. The hooded figure leaned in as Gildarts attempted to break the ice around him, his magic would not be summoned when he beckoned it. Was this the end?

A thundering punch ruptured through the ice, powered by pure muscle as the icy bits chunked through the darkness and broke apart. "You're not getting my memories that easily." The momentum of his fist continued into the unsuspecting beast's abdomen as five more came from behind Gildarts.

Shards of light suddenly erupted through the midnight water, a great light beamed from his chest. The creatures cowered in fear and staggered back a few yards. "Huh?" Gildarts noticed their reaction and sought the source of what was glowing on him. From beneath his cloak shined a shimmering crystal. "This thing..?" His gaze swept the mass of creatures once more, the brightness was blinding even for the mage who had adapted his eyes to the night.

As he took the crystal in his hand and clutched it, it flowed with energy and the creatures of darkness were pushed from his sight. As they disappeared, Gildarts sighed a great breath of relief and then looked down at the stone that had saved him. "Mary's Jewel of the Sea," he spoke aloud as Behemoth came to his wits with the dispersed creatures.

"T-They're gone! They are really gone!" the secondary hesitated to jump to conclusions and maybe the joy of their escape would fill the void of the past he had lost.

They were gone but the ocean around them still reeked with death. Gildarts returned the rose-like crystal to his pocket and offered his companion a raised brow.