Chapter 27: Six Winged Devil Bat

"He-He's going to die. All because of me our little, superstar Howard is going to die," Reece leaned her hand against the rock mine's soot covered wall, and felt the terrifying vibrations. Every time Howard moved, she could feel his will splintering through the distance between them, as the ground shook. "I-I can't do this. I got to go back,"

"Move it," Harley said, forcing her companions forward, trying to hide the anger in her voice. "Howard would have to hold back if we went back. Do you want to be the reason he dies?"

"You-you told me you like him." Reece said, wiping away her tears. "How-how can you be so heartless?"

"I do like him. I'll see him later." Harley pulled Reece further towards the exit, ignoring her pleas to run back towards the feelings of doom swirling in the tunnel. Kellen, after getting near the exit, and seeing the oasis's blue, dazzling waters and serpentine trees stopped before abruptly turning around.

Looking at Reece, breaking down into tears, Kellen smiled and touch the wall.

Swoosh!

Instantly, the exit to the cave closed, leaving Reece and Harley dumbfounded. Holding her hand outward, Reece prepared to blow the exit to smithereens, igniting a furious flaming pillar that spun in front of her.

"Don't! Do you want that thing to get out?" Harley's hand flew forward and struck Reece in the chest.

Boom!

A large pillar of water shot up into the air from Reece's body submerging into the oasis. Along with her sadness, she sunk to the bottom and just stared up, looking at the clouds through the flickering water, as her sadness grew more and more.

'I'm so useless. I should just stay here and die,' Reece saw her father leaving in the reflections of the water, as she heard another explosion shake the ground. Feeling a hand reaching around her neck, Reece closed her eyes, preparing to enter the darkness.

"Get out! Did that wake you up yet?" Harley tossed Reece onto the ground and pointed at the West Branch's main building. "Do you realize all this time you spent lamenting your weakness is time we lost planning? If that thing gets out, this entire branch will be destroyed!"

"Wha-what do you mean? How can you be so heartless," Reece laughed and stepped off the floor, crossing her arms as the air brushed against her damp jeans. "You knew Howard for weeks! What happened to you when you were a child? A fourteen year old is fighting a beast in there!"

"Yes, for us to survive," Harley slapped away Reece's hand and began to stride towards the main building. "Kellen is doing the same thing! She's trying to seal the exit so that thing doesn't get out! However, if it does, we should have a trap set up that will blow it to kingdom come!"

"I-I'm sorry. You're right. Let's take care of the problem once and for all," Reece pushed her hand gently into Harley's chest, and smiled, brushing back her hair. "Harley, I always liked you. Since we're all about to die, I might as well be honest."

"Move," Harley shoved passed Reece and began sprinting to the West Branch's main building.

Inside the cavern, Kellen once again laid eyes on Howard fighting against the large Six Winged Bat.

Boom!

A large explosion of flames caused the darkness to get consumed as Howard's bat like body sent out dozens of floating swords. Activating Fire Paths of the Nine Lord, Howard's figure turned in three directions, creating three phantoms, before he slashed into the blue wind blades heading towards him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Countless explosions shook the walls as the ripples from the bats wind attacks created a feeling of terror for Kellen. However, for some reason, she also felt a familiary in the Bat King. Stepping towards it, she smiled and pulled out a small bat hidden underneath her white hoodie.

"Hey there… Little cutie. Mind paying me back and getting that big guy to stop hurting my friend?" Kellen picked up the small bat towards her eyes and bit her lip, causing blood to flow from it. "Please, I'll give you all the blood you want."

"Reh?" The creature rubbed its eyes and yawned before turning to look behind it. Seeing the two figures fighting, the little bat flapped its wings into the air.

Its eyes soon disappeared in the darkness, landing on the walls as Kellen dropped to her knees.

"Really? I gave you my blood for two weeks and you can't even help me! Come on!"

Boom!

Howard lashed forward one last time before he felt something inside of him snap. Crashing into the large Six Winged Bat, Three phantoms slashed at its neck, head, and torso before a hand struck his throat.

Spinning once again in the air, Howard felt his eyes close before a pressure seemed to blast through his body. Getting slammed into the floor, Blood flew everywhere, like a pillar, before Howard's vision turned completely black.

"Stop it!" Keelen pushed back both her hands, and sent two gigantic pillars of stone into the large beast. "That's my friend, stop it!"

"REEEEHHHH!" A large forcefield appeared before the two pillars disappeared into dust. Stepping forward, the large bat appeared in front of Kellen, it's claws inches from her chest.

Bang!

Kellen looked forward in shock to see a little creature floating in front of her, holding back the large fist of the beast with eyes brighter than the stars. Holding out its hand, the little three winged bat smiled before a strange power emitted from its tiny fist.

Bang!

The large six winged bat shot against the wall, finding stalactite stabbing into its wrists as it turned left and right. A second later, a small man appeared floating in the air, with two wings on his meter tall body spreading well past his feet.

"Since you taste so good, consider this repayment," A large sword appeared in the small man's hand that flashed and caused a large head to fall to the ground. "You-you're my favorite blood type, and I didn't like this weakling very much."

The small man landed on the floor and walked over to Howard, picking him up on his shoulder as his toned body appeared in the remaining flames flickering in the cave. "Anyways, your friend here is strong for his age. What is his name?"

"You-you you're a man?" Kellen said, patting him on the shoulders. "Why didn't you do that earlier?"

"I like watching." The man winked, large teeth growing in his mouth. "Now, can I have some more blood please? Fighting makes me tired."