Chapter 217 - A Long Journey Ahead

"This is it, huh? After all of this damn time, this is it…"

Pinching his nose, Ren mumbled as he stood at the entrance of the secluded valley within the cavern. The threshold of the doorway leading to whatever sat inside the domain was formed of some sort of flesh, oozing out a putrid stench that had everyone in the group scrunching their noses. 

"Does anybody have some sort of spell to erase bad smells? A perfume spell at least?"

Looking back to ask the others behind and beside him, he only received head shakes if not complete silence. 

"If you think that's bad, I have an enhanced nose!"

Hongse complained as if trying to assure the group, keeping his nostrils shut tightly as he held a less than pleased expression. 

I've got a bad feeling, Ren thought. 

It was just something knotting up his stomach, a feeling he couldn't really pinpoint. Something past the horrid spell dipping out from the threshold of formed flesh and veins, a sinister, ominous aura that resided on the boundary of superstition and reality. Still, he decided not to stir up any ill feelings between the ground, taking the first step forward. 

"Onwards we go, right?..."

He muttered to himself as he scrunched his nose up from being thrown into the bowels of the wicked smell. Bringing the sole of his boot down upon the staircase that descending down the putrid lair, a squelch came beneath his step as a shiver ran over his skin. 

Looking down, even the stars themselves were formed, or at least, wrapped in the same reddish-pink, fleshy substance. 

"Not chickening out, are ya', Leader?"

Hands were placed on Ren's shoulders as Macheo's playful voice came from behind him. By watching him throughout their journey together thus far, he knew the boy wasn't averse to more gruesome sceneries, but his indifference to this terrain was somewhat surprising. All the same, it only made Ren feel a bit competitive. 

"Of course not! I am A-O-K!"

Putting on a smile that trembled beneath the sour, lukewarm smell of sewage and death, Ren marched down the staircase to hell. A chilly air inhabited the new domain, which helped him become further grateful for the thick gambeson coat and sable cloak that kept every inch of his body warm. 

"You okay, Iris?"

Looking back, Ren's eyes that became watery from the horrific smell shot back at Iris, who walked in the center of the group. Although her fair face had become twisted with an utter repulsion to the almost miasmic stench, she nodded her head fervently. 

"Yes!..."

They didn't exactly move in an orderly, organized fashion; almost squashed together, shoulder-by-shoulder, descending the stairs to the Butcher's Locker. Kept close together, Ren and Macheo were practically attached to the hip as they took the vanguard, looking down at the far distant goal waiting at the bottom of the towering flight of stairs. 

"Stop pushing!"

"...I'm not!"

As Ren retorted, he pressed his shoulder against the blonde youth's own, causing a bit of ruckus before eventually--their feet tripped over one another. 

"Ahh!--"

In unison, the two young men yelled out as they began to tumble down the stairs. It was a disgusting feeling; the skin of his cheek just grazing across the organic substance of the stairs made him want to puke. 

Reaching the flat bottom of the stairs, the two managed to expedite the process of traversing the sloped ladder altogether. 

"Damn, that smarts…"

"You alright?"

Asking this, Ren slowly stood himself up, extending his hand down towards Macheo. The crimson-eyed Lucrauvian stared at his glove for a moment before accepting the assistance, being hoisted up as the two turned their gazes towards the open section of the fleshy domain that led to the staircase. 

"Are you two alright?!"

"Yeah!"

Ren answered for the both of them in response to Valerie's call. However, just as his voice left his exasperated lips, the open space that connected the room which he and Macheo stood with the staircase suddenly closed off--the walls of flesh pulling together, sealing off the passageway completely. 

"Eh?"

"Eh?"

Sharing utter confusion between one another, both Ren and Macheo stared blankly at where the passageway should've been. 

"What the hell?!"

Immediately taking action, Ren burst over to the sealed-off wall, slamming his fist against it without any recognition of the disgusting substance he allowed his body to meet with. 

"Hey! Can you hear me?! Iris! Aiko!...If you're there, stand back!"

Continuing to pummel his fist against the wall of mutilated tissue, a mixture of repulsive fluids poured out from the pores of the wall as he desperately called out. 

"Macheo!"

Turning back to look at the golden-locked boy with him, the young man seemed to instantly understand what it was that Ren wanted from him. It was the obvious action to take, but the one most effective nonetheless. All it took was a single look at the fiery, passionate look in the eyes of the white-haired otherworlder to tell Macheo what was needed was "destruction." 

"Yeah."

Standing together, the two built up their mana, coalescing their mystical energy towards the blocked-off passageway. From Ren came a deathly aura, the culmination of potent, dark magical energy that thrived from his heated emotions, coiling itself around him as it wrapped around his extended arm. 

As the Lucrauvian prince stood close to the wielder of dark magic, his own magic took form as rampant, yet controlled water built from beneath his soles. 

"Araphel: Tyrant Lance!"

"Achelous: Atlantean Bore!"

Together, spells of a similar heritage manifested from both of the two mages. From Ren's form, the darkness shaped and solidified itself into that of a wicked relative of the lance, a tool which was born to drill through the world--a drill empowered by mana. 

The water from Macheo's own inner well of mana brought itself into a center in front of his extended palm, bending and contorting until a drill of water brought itself into reality. It was a spell weaved from watching Ren battle, magic born from closeted admiration and thirst for growth. 

Together, both companions held these modern spears of both the lively essence of the sea and the shadows which sat at the origin point of creation. 

Almost molding together in their loose forms, the two drills of differing elements crashed against the wall with a thunderous impact. The resounding collision of the two drills against the wall of flesh sent a tremor through the room which they occupied, continuing as an explosion of crimson and yellow liquid poured out from the heart of the wall. 

To their dismay, nothing seemed to make the seal of flesh budge, quickly reforming itself just as quickly as it had been destroyed. Seeing this, Macheo released his hold of the spell, turning to Ren in an attempt to reassure the young man. However, the blistering rage occupying the young man's eyes stopped any words from leaving Macheo's lips. 

"Dammit…! Not again!"

Yelling out with a voice that sounded as if it had to be squeezed through a reluctant throat, Ren dropped to his knees, slamming his fists down against the repugnant, crimson ground as a small tremor echoed through the floor. 

"I'm still so fucking weak!...Damn it all!" 

"Ren--"

Attempting to console the young man undergoing a spectrum of destructive emotions, Macheo's extended hand was pulled back as the white-haired companion of his stood himself back up. A deep inhale of air was sucked in through his barely parted lips, momentarily closing his eyes before revealing a clean slate over his hazel irises.

"I'm fine. Let's go."

All of that emotion simply tucked away in an instant. It was just as unnerving as witnessing the sheer sea of rage and regret plastered on his face; that stoic, quiet demeanor. Even if he wanted to say something, Macheo couldn't find the will to talk. 

"Are you sure you're okay?", "Maybe we should think this over for a bit.", these were the things Macheo wanted to say, but the aura around Ren felt almost suffocating. Begrudgingly, he followed behind the snow-crowned, black-cloak-wearing otherworlder. 

I need to keep an eye out for him. He might be a danger to himself. Just the slightest thing...The littlest change and he might set off, Macheo thought. 

"Have you been here?" 

Asking in a calm voice, even though Ren spoke like that, his eyes didn't match his tone at all. So wide as if staring into a light, it was a question if he would even blink. 

"No, I don't recognize this at all. Judging by how that section closed off, this place might shift itself around on its own."

"On its own? Are you sure about that?"

"Huh?" 

Having his conclusion questioned, Macheo watched as Ren slid the tip of his black-gloved index finger across the form of the sickeningly gross wall, the loose, slimy substance resembling skin peeling off as he touched it. 

"It sounds like you're implying this place is alive. I think it's not. Something is controlling these walls. The "Butcher", right?"

"...Right." 

"We have to find him. Before he finds them."

Clenching his glove tightly, a bit of harshness coiled itself around Ren's otherwise static tone.