A Plea Yet Unknown Warriors

[Ecto stands still, observing the group as they struggle to recover. His eyes narrow as he notices the immense effort Bapo made to save Aqua. A faint smirk appears on his face.]

ECTO: That was a splendid move to save her, kid. I'll give you that much.

[Illegal Hound and Saifur, still shaken, stare at Bapo lying on the ground. Bapo's body twitches in pain, the deep scar etched into his side pulsing faintly. Blood continues to seep into the grass, staining the vibrant green a deep, ominous red. Saifur's hands tremble as he moves toward him, his expression a mix of fear and desperation.]

SAIFUR: Aqua! Heal him! Quick! Before he loses too much blood!

[Aqua hesitates, her hands hovering over Bapo's wound. Her breathing is shallow, and her eyes dart between her cousin's pain and the guilt consuming her.]

AQUA: W-was it... because of me? I... I did this?

[Her voice cracks as tears begin to flow. She channels her power, desperately trying to heal Bapo, but the wound resists her magic. The edges hiss and flicker as the process slowly closes the gash, but it's not enough. Aqua sways, her strength draining rapidly. She collapses beside Bapo, unconscious.]

[Hound's heart pounds in his chest as he watches the scene unfold. His mind races, Tackler's words haunting him.]

ILLEGAL HOUND (in thought): This place... This isn't a joke. Tackler was right. I should have kept them safe. Bapo... Aqua...

[Saifur kneels beside Bapo, gripping his hand tightly. His eyes dart to Aqua's lifeless form, then back to Ecto, whose calm demeanor only fuels Saifur's anger. He stands, his voice shaking but resolute.]

SAIFUR: We need to do this, Hound. If we don't... we'll all die.

[Saifur's hand rests on Hound's shoulder, but the slight tremor betrays his fear.]

SAIFUR: I can feel it... this urge... I need to kill this guy.

[Hound looks into Saifur's eyes and sees a mixture of fear, anger, and determination. He nods hesitantly.]

ILLEGAL HOUND: ...Right.

[Ecto claps mockingly, his voice dripping with disdain.]

ECTO: You guys done? Come on, then. Let's get this over with. I've got all day.

[Frustrated and enraged, Saifur charges toward Ecto.]

SAIFUR: YOU PIECE OF SHIT!

[Saifur vanishes mid-charge, disappearing into thin air. Ecto's eyes dart around, searching for him.]

ECTO: Another trick, huh?

[Saifur reappears from Ecto's blind spot, striking at him with razor-sharp wind pressure. Ecto dodges effortlessly, countering with a gravity shift that sends Saifur hurtling toward Bapo's motionless form. Saifur reacts quickly, using wind pressure to steady himself and land safely.]

SAIFUR: Damn it!

[Meanwhile, Hound focuses his energy. The poison coursing through his veins glows faintly, pulsing with an ominous blue hue. He tightens his grip on his sword, determination etched into his face.]

ILLEGAL HOUND: Get... away... from my cousins!

[Ecto watches Hound intently, noticing the fear and hesitation in his expression.]

ECTO (in thought): This one... He's the weakest mentally. I can finish this easily if I target him first.

[Ecto flicks his finger, sending a powerful gravity wave toward Hound. The force propels him backward at breakneck speed, hurtling toward a massive boulder. Hound drags his ice sword along the ground, trying to slow his momentum, but the blade shatters under the strain.]

[As Hound prepares for impact, Saifur appears out of nowhere, pushing him to safety at the last second. They tumble to the ground as the boulder shatters into pieces behind them, & Saifur scolds him for giving his life up easily]

SAIFUR: Don't just GIVE UP THAT EASILY!

[Hound's breath is ragged as he stares at Saifur in shock. He nods weakly.]

ILLEGAL HOUND: ...I won't.

[Saifur helps Hound to his feet. Ecto steps forward, his smirk growing wider. But as his foot touches the ground, he suddenly halts. A strange liquid spreads beneath him, its surface shimmering with a deadly aura. Ecto's body tenses as a sharp impulse jolts through him.]

ECTO: What the...?

[Hound grins, his plan finally taking effect. The liquid toxin he had secretly spread was a gamble, but it worked. He turns to Saifur, urgency in his voice.]

ILLEGAL HOUND: Saifur! Get me to him! Now!

[Without hesitation, Saifur grabs Hound and propels him toward Ecto at incredible speed. Hound's right hand, pulsing with blue poison, reaches for Ecto's chest. Ecto's breath catches as he senses the imminent danger.]

ECTO (in thought): This... could be the end.

[As Hound reaches Ecto, his toxin-laden hand inches from making contact, Saifur takes no chances. With sharp wind pressure forming at his fingertips, he slashes toward Ecto's neck in an attempt to ensure their victory.]

[The strike connects—or so it seems. Ecto's head jerks slightly, but before it fully separates, his body flickers unnaturally. A smirk spreads across Ecto's face as an eerie black aura engulfs him.]

ECTO: You almost had me. But I'm not done yet.

[In an instant, Ecto's form twists and contorts, the black aura expanding outward in a chaotic spiral. The swirling energy grabs Saifur mid-strike, pulling him toward Ecto.]

SAIFUR: What the—?!

[Saifur struggles against the pull, his wind pressure pushing against the vortex. But Ecto's grip on the reality around them grows stronger. He extends a hand toward Saifur, his voice calm yet sinister.]

ECTO: You've got potential, kid. Let's see how far it takes you... elsewhere.

[Before Saifur can react, Ecto's aura wraps around him completely. Saifur reaches out toward Hound one last time, his face a mix of anger and desperation.]

SAIFUR: HOUND! STAY ALIVE!

[The vortex contracts sharply, dragging both Ecto and Saifur into a void-like rift. The energy dissipates with a deafening crack, leaving behind nothing but scorched earth where they once stood. Hound stumbles forward, reaching out as if he could stop what just happened.]

ILLEGAL HOUND: Saifur! No... NO!

[To be Continued]

[Just Kidding, Let's carry on!]

[SCENE CUTS]

[A person was fighting off some monsters with an ice sword in a place that seemed like a dungeon. the air was chilly, and the dim torchlight cast long, flickering shadows across the craggy walls. the monsters looked like two-legged wolves, their eyes glowing like embers as they bared their yellowed teeth. they gripped massive axes in their clawed hands, the blades gleaming with fresh blood. the person showed no fear, yet his breath was heavy, and sweat poured down his face as if each movement caused him intense pain. the ice sword in his hands glimmered, leaving trails of cold vapor as it swung through the air.]

[The person managed to slay them & it collapsed with a final, wet snarl, leaving the dungeon silent once more.]

[His left arm was severed at the shoulder, a makeshift bandage wrapped tightly around the stump. Dark blood had seeped through the cloth, but he had applied Pyrodine, a strong antiseptic that left a bitter, chemical smell in the air.]

PERSON: [whimpering, his voice taut with pain] My arm… It hurts…

[Staggering, he made his way through the narrow corridor, the dungeon's walls seeming to close in around him until, the guttural cries of distant creatures echoed faintly, being wary of the noise, he approached an exit, he spotted a figure collapsed on the ground. the stranger's leg was badly scraped, and a bag beside him was stuffed with unknown items. the stranger's face was gaunt and pale, one of his eyes replaced with a dark, gleaming sphere that seemed out of place, & his hairs perfectly black.]

STRANGER: [weakly] Save me…

[The person halted, his eyes narrowing as he gripped the hilt of his broken ice sword. his breath clouding the air in the cold dungeon.]

PERSON: Are you… a human?

[The stranger paused for a moment, his good eye darting nervously.]

STRANGER: [hesitant] A human? Yeah… yeah, I'm human…

[The person's gaze darkened at the obvious lie, his suspicion confirmed by the delay in the response.]

PERSON: [sternly] Now that seems like a lie. You're a monster…

[He raised his sword, the shard of ice reflecting the dim torchlight as he prepared to end the stranger's life. but something made him pause—the stranger's eye. it wasn't human, but it wasn't monstrous either. its unnatural gleam piqued his curiosity.]

PERSON: What's with your eye?

[The stranger, panicked and weak, seemed to clutch his face instinctively.]

STRANGER: [stammering] I… I don't know. It's been like this since the beginning.

[The person lowered his blade slightly but remained on guard. reaching into his bag, he pulled out a bandage and kneeled near the stranger, his movements cautious.]

PERSON: [gruffly] So… Who are you?

[The stranger winced as the bandage was wrapped around his wound.]

STRANGER: [pausing] Me? Uh… [another pause] I… I'm Hale. I've spent two years in this dungeon. What's your name?

[The person stopped mid-movement, surprised by the length of time hale claimed to have survived here.]

???: Two years? [hesitant] My name… It's Tackler.

[As soon as the name left his lips, Hale's face lit up with recognition.]

HALE: Tackler…

TACKLER: [warily] Yep, that's my name.

[Hale's voice took on a desperate tone, as if this meeting was his only chance.]

HALE: Would you take me with you? There's no one alive in this world…

[The request caught Tackler off guard, and he looked at HALE with a mixture of surprise and skepticism.]

TACKLER: What?

[HALE clutched at his bag, his voice trembling but determined.]

HALE: I know about this world. I can lead you anywhere you want… but please, take me with you…

[The plea hung in the air. tackler studied hale, the silence between them broken only by the distant drip of water from the dungeon ceiling.]

TACKLER: [bluntly] Let me think… No.

HALE: [pleading] Please… I'm really scared of this outside world… All I'm worth is my knowledge… Please, take me with you…

[Tackler didn't respond, simply standing there and listening. Hale's desperation seemed genuine, but Tackler had other priorities, he didn't want to hurt his feelings, so he gently turned him down]

TACKLER: [sighing] Look, I already have something to do. I don't want to waste time roaming around with you, please, try to understand.

[Tackler turned to walk away, but Hale's next words made him freeze.]

HALE: [suddenly] I know who you're looking for.

[Tackler turned back, his expression tightening.]

HALE: The person who killed this world… the people… everything.

[Tackler's eyes narrowed. he didn't think hale was talking about the one he was after, but the stranger's words still piqued his interest.]

TACKLER: [flatly] I'm not looking for him.

HALE: [smirking slightly] The Overpowered User… That's what they all say, huh?

[That name made TACKLER's breath catch. his eyes fixed on hale, searching for any sign of deception.]

TACKLER: [gruffly] You know where he is?

[HALE's smirk grew, his one good eye glinting with mischief.]

HALE: Only if you take me with you.

[tackler paused to think, his expression hardened with caution. the possibility of being deceived lingered in his mind, and he considered whether hale had an ulterior motive.]

TACKLER (in mind): Even if he tries to kill me, I can take him down easily. That's not a problem… Let's see where he leads me…

TACKLER: [gruffly] Okay… You can come with me.

[hale's face brightened in relief, a mix of gratitude and excitement evident in his voice.]

HALE: [smirking] First of all, you're going to need a proper sword to fight these monsters. That ice sword of yours? It's not gonna last much longer.

[TACKLER glanced down at his ice sword and realized hale was right. the blade was badly chipped, and cracks webbed through the ice, threatening to shatter it entirely.]

[HALE'S eyes drifted to tackler's left side, where his arm should have been. the sight of the severed stump, wrapped hastily in bandages, made him hesitate.]

[A silence settled between them, stretching for several minutes as they gathered their thoughts. finally, HALE broke the quiet.]

HALE: I know where we can find some swords.

TACKLER: [raising an eyebrow] Do you? Where?

HALE: People from the past… they had incredible blacksmithing skills. Their swords were unmatched in durability. I know a place where we can find one.

[TACKLER'S guard remained up, but his interest was piqued.]

TACKLER: [curtly] If it's as good as you say, I definitely want one.

[As they began their journey toward the promised sword, tackler struggled to navigate the awkward silence. he was an introvert, unused to keeping up conversation with strangers.]

HALE: [casually] I'm starving… Aren't you hungry?

[For a moment, TACKLER considered telling him that he couldn't feel hunger here, but he hesitated, unsure if he should share that.]

TACKLER: [shaking his head] No, not right now.

HALE: [nodding] I see…

[Without warning, hale veered off the path and knelt down, picking a clump of weeds from the ground and starting to eat them. the sight left TACKLER stunned.]

TACKLER: [snapping] What are you eating?!

[HALE looked up at him, unfazed by the outburst.]

HALE: [chewing] This is what I've been eating for years.

[tackler stared for a moment, then shook his head and signaled to move on.]

TACKLER: [awkwardly] L-let's go…

HALE: [teasing] What? It's not normal for you?

[TACKLER DIDN'T RESPOND, FEELING AT A LOSS FOR WORDS.]

[As they continued, hale suddenly shouted, his voice filled with alarm.]

HALE: Watch out! Look at your feet!

[tackler looked down just in time to see a clawed hand, infused with a scythe-like blade, grabbing his leg. He leapt back instinctively with electrical speed and swung his sword, severing the hand. But the impact shattered his already weakened blade]

HALE: [running over] Are you okay?

[Tackler stood there, staring at the broken hilt in his hand. his expression darkened as memories of steller flooded his mind. The sword's breakage felt like a symbolic reminder of his failure.]

[Hale approached, His voice filled with concern.]

HALE: You're okay, right? Don't worry… This just means we need to get you that sword even faster.

[They resumed their journey, the grassy plains and sparse trees offering no hint of a destination.]

TACKLER: [grumbling] Where's the sword? All I see is grass and trees. No buildings.

HALE: [grinning] They say the objective is right in front of us. But me? I say it's down there… [he paused] Tinger.

TACKLER: [correcting him] It's TACKLER.

[Hale pulled out a map & a pen from his bag, ignoring the correction]

TACKLER: [raising an eyebrow] So, you're a cartographer?

HALE: Carto-what?

[TACKLER realized that HALE wasn't familiar with Earthly terms]

TACKLER: [sighing] Nothing. What are you doing with the map?

HALE: Just watch.

[After a moment, the map glowed brightly and elongated into the plains, forming a trapdoor about four meters in size.]

TACKLER: [staring in disbelief] What the…

HALE: Let's go.

TACKLER: Are you sure it's safe?

HALE: It's safe. I wouldn't open it if it wasn't.

[They descended the stairs, the walls lit by torches that ignited automatically as they moved deeper into the dungeon. at the bottom, they found a box and a cabinet. The cabinet contained medical supplies, which tackler quickly took, struggling to apply the bandages with his single hand. as he fumbled, the pyrodine nearly spilled.]

HALE: [hesitant] Want me to help you?

[At first, tackler refused, but after a moment, he nodded reluctantly. When hale saw the severed arm up close, he recoiled slightly.]

HALE: [shaken] How… How did you even lose that?

[TACKLER remained silent, his face tightening. HALE didn't press the matter and silently applied the bandages. TACKLER noted that the pain had lessened.]

HALE: Now, let's get those swords from the box.

[As they opened the box, they were shocked to find nothing but a symbol of a skull inside.]

HALE: [alarmed] Tinger… It's a trap. Be careful. The real box is hidden somewhere… And THEY won't let us leave until we kill them, or they kill us.

TACKLER: [grimly] THEY?

[TACKLER didn't have a good feeling about it]

[To be Continued]