Scarred By Insanity

[Dawnika Snow]

“Fuck, fuck, fuck-” The vigilante repeated over and over. The cave in was getting to her. Agoraphobia was completely true in her case. Locked in a cave with no way but forward. It could be worse though, she could be under the rubble or stuck within it. For now, she would have to just assuage her fear and march on.

The heat of the cave was getting even worse now. She was most likely shedding weight from sweating so much. The cave turned into a corner and nearly got her arm cleaved off. A room of swinging scythes. How cliché. They were moving much faster than in movies.

Whoosh-Whoosh

Steel sliced the air like butter and if she was not careful she would be butter just as well. The vigilante stepped close to the swinging scythe and readied herself, foot forward and wings folded in. She dove through the first one easily enough, but her wings almost got cut off. Kage screamed in anger.

Watch what you’re doing with my wings! Her demonic voice rang through the young woman’s head.

“Shut up! Jesus Christ your voice could break glass! I swear,” she said folding them in closer and running through the next steel slicer. “I’d rather listen to Claptrap sing opera!”

Just dismiss them so you don’t cut them off you idiot The vigilante stood there for a second and glanced back at her wings.

“You can do that? Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?” She said straining her back muscles. Now that Kage had told her, it seemed natural. The black feathered wings sank into her skin until they disappeared completely. She could balance much easier and run much faster now. With this new found speed she ran through the death traps quickly and without trouble. Safe at last past the swinging death, the vigilante trekked on.

This time she was more careful of turning corners abruptly. Last time she almost got herself sliced in half. At the end of the cave was a much more open room. Unfortunately that room had no floor and below was a giant ocean of lava. The vigilante stared down into the bubbling pool of liquid death.

“It’s never easy is it?” Fiery lava exploded from the pool in giant plumes afterward raining back down into the mix. “Shit.”

Burn my wings and I’ll make sure you burn in hell. Kage said.

“Suck my dick.” The vigilante strained her muscles again, sprouting the demonic wings. She backed up and ran at the ledge. “Time to test my flight skills!”

We’re going to die damn you!

“You’re going to die soon you piece of shit!” A loud ‘whoosh’ sounded as the young demon-woman’s wings spread into the air. She soared over the river, occasionally having to dodge fountains of lava springing up at her like a flyswatter. It was hardly as difficult as she thought it would be, seeing as how she made it across the lake of lava with no problem. Her wings almost clipped a plume of fire but Dawn was quick enough to evade it. This cult better be able to help her. If they could nothing to help her, it won’t end pretty for them.

The landing on the other side was a large open space. Cracks stretched all over the floor like little fissures. Markings sprawled across the ground with some kind of red colored paint, though it was hard to make out clearly because it looked rather old and the paint was a closely related shade to the color of the dirt and rocks. What should could make out was enough to tell her it was the work of the cult she was searching for. These were easily ‘godlike’ symbols they used to worship whatever the fuck it was they worshiped. Something that mimicked an alter jutted from the ground in the relative center too. Damn this was creepy.

You understand people like this worship my kind right?

“Yeah, thought I’d walk up to ‘em and say ‘Yo! I found your god! Go ahead and take her.’ How’s that sound.” Dawn said in a mocking tone as she looked over the altar.

You’re a fucking idiot.

“Said the stupid one.” The dusty altar was covered in cooled lava chunks, either some of the spewing lava got loose or it use to sit much higher than it does now. The vigilante rubbed her hand across the altar, revealing the long covered text underneath.

To understand the divine one must understand his flaws. Darkness shrouds those who hear these words for they will witness god with their own two eyes.

“Well, that’s a bit unsettling.” Dawn said. Though, now it was getting harder to think. Her brain was hurting, like someone was pressing a nail into the back of her skull. A black aura formed around the 20-year old’s body and she was brought to her knees. Black blood dripped from her mouth as she screamed in horrific pain. The dark blackness formed in front of her taking shape as a huge humanoid, at least 10ft tall. When it was complete, shades and hues formed giving it a much more defined appearance. A woman with dark violet hair and piercing red eyes stood before her. Finally, the pain of boiling blood stopped and Dawn was able to stand up again, albeit slowly.

“Kagetsume.” Dawn said in a much more serious tone. She could see where this was going.

Time to die human. You made a useful tool, and even better. You allowed me to recreate my demonic appearance from the time I was at full strength. This volcano used to be dormant. Many worshipped me here, but an earthquake caused the volcano to spontaneously erupt with lava. My precious servants died that day, and to protect my life, I remained in a weakened state in the void. You happened to be the lucky prime to come along as I regained my full strength. I thank you in any case, but you must die now.

The vigilante chuckled and grabbed her sniper from it’s holster. She pulled the bolt back, loading the next bullet into the chamber.

“If you think you scare me, you’re sorely mistaken. You weren’t a threat in my head, you aren’t a threat now that you’re twice my size.” She clicked a button on her headphones, music began to blare loudly. “Just try and kill me you piece of shit!”

Dawn charged in, and Kage followed suit, drawing her devilish claws. The two yelled out a battle cry as the charged. Only one of them would walk out of this volcano alive.