'I don't want to die.'
'Not yet.'
'Not till I know everyone is safe.'
'I cant die till everyone is safe.'
'Live… Live… Live… Live…'
Pace opened his eyes, dragging himself through the rubble, smearing blood along the path— a pathetic struggle for a sliver of hope as if consumed by a single emotion.
The uttermost need to survive.
The monster was right on his tale, chasing after him like a wolf in the middle of a snowstorm. Its shadowy body twitching between multiple shapes and forms.
'I have survived through this over a hundred thousand times. Doesn't matter if I look pathetic, or if my body is in pieces. I will survive.'
"I HAVE TO SURVIVE GOD DAMN IT."
The creature behind him started to walk faster, as if it had recouped all its strength again.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster—as it broke into a full sprint. A few feet away Pace noticed, trying to pick himself up. Get back on his feet but his body gave in, crashing onto the wooden floor.
Pace turned around, barely in time to catch the glint of metal shining under the pale moonlight, as he squeezed his eyes shut preparing for the end.
For darkness to take over.
'Guess the life flashing before your eyes part was a lie.'
"Cease to exist." A strong, alluring voice echoed through the church. A voice that held a familiar aspect to it.
Opening his eyes, Pace was greeted with the sight of the Church's altar, half destroyed. A pew stood aloft, jutting out of rubble. Stained with crimson and black. Black butterflies flew around through the air, slowly dissolving into nothingness.
Pace let out a shaky breath unable to discern where the creature went. He blinked, once then twice. His nostrils filled with the putrid smell of death and decay. Heart thumping like a mad dog.
In a panicked state, he looked around, pulling himself back onto his feet. Slowly calming himself, he turned around only to see two familiar faces. One had long blonde hair, tied into a neat ponytail, her blue eyes showing a hint of both fear and concern as she held onto a silver cross.
In front of her was a man with a slender build, his cold lapis eyes scanning Pace, as he dragged his hand through his short brown hair.
It was Poet and Elvia.
Pace gasped. His chest loosening for the first time in what felt like hours. The fog in his mind thinned like smoke in the wind. After a while he cleared his throat before speaking with a gentle smile in his face.
"Thanks for saving me—but I could have handled him."
'I was so damn scared…' Pace added inwards, still maintaining his outer appearance.
The two might have been surprised, even in awe. Provided they hadn't just seen Pace scramble for his life like a pathetic roach mere moments ago.
Poet cocked a brow before turning around and walking towards the inner hall of the church, expressionless as always. Elvia on the other hand had a hint of relief in her eyes as she briskly walked over to Pace, gently picking up his right arm, checking up on his wounds.
"Does it hurt? Your body is covered in wounds, I would have treated them right away but perhaps we should look for a better place." She said nervously, turning her head back, pointing towards the shadowy creatures, feasting on the corpses of the dead officers.
'I am supposed to be a rather scary criminal here miss… not that I can call myself one after what just happened.' Pace smiled as he pulled his arm back falling Poets lead.
Elvia was quick on the pursuit, carefully placing each step, avoiding the blood and rubble like a cat in water.
Letting out an exhausted sigh Pace looked over to his side. The church had been completely destroyed with no signs of human life left. On one side were the bodies of countless officers and on the other were the bodies of six dead convicts.
'Such brutality' Pace thought, acknowledging the dead lives—even though he knew that they were mirror images created by the virus, tinkering with his brain.
Walking through the main hall, they skirted around the ruined pews and stepped through a narrow wooden door a few feet to the left of the altar, entering a hallway leading into the side building of the church.
The interior was again made of wood and branched into two paths, on the left were stairs that led onto the second floor, while the other went further into the building, toward what looked like the kitchen.
Pace, personally would have preferred going to the kitchen for a quick bite, considering his stomach was growling like a wild animals. And he probably would have done so, if only the hallway leading there wasn't covered in blood.
Ignoring his hunger pangs, Pace followed the other two up stairs into what looked like an attic. It was shaped like any other ancient storage room, a long triangular shaped ceiling rested at the top, a circular stained glass window embedded into the front wall.
Though the peculiar part about it was that save for a cylindrical barrel, a single mattress and a few stuffed toys the place was completely empty. As if it hadn't been in use for a long time. And strange yet, except for the few cobwebs here and there, it wasn't dirty.
Elvia was the last to step into the attic, scanning the high, triangular ceiling and the dustless floorboards. "This place looks safe enough, there is Urm—no trace of the 'eclipse wriaths' here." she murmured, voice echoing slightly under the slanted roof.
"And by no trace, you mean the lack of blood right?" Pace said in a stern manner.
"Uh… yes." Elvia replied after some contemplation, clearly looking uncomfortable.
Acting oblivious to the awkward situation he had created, groaning Pace plopped down onto the floor, right next to the wall. The numbness in his shoulder increasing by the second as his vision grew hazy, probably due to blood loss.
Leaning back he closed his eyes, enjoying his moment of peace for a minute, before finally opening his mouth and asking the one question that had been on his lips the entire walk.
"You are a Chain's Gate user aren't you?"