[¢яє∂ιтѕ тσ тнє ¢яєαтσя'ѕ αят ωσяк]

"ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɢʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜs ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴsᴇǫᴜᴇɴᴄᴇs ᴏғ ᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ɪᴛ."

- мαя¢υѕ αυяєℓιυѕ

🥀.

             Zooming through the air, my back slams into the ferry's barrier, and at my touch it completely shatters. I hear a distant call out for my name from Finn as I fly into the forest. I claw the air begging it to stop pulling me away. The twinkling lights of the ferry start to diminish. Shadows wash over making the deep murk become thick fast. The ferry is overun by fog almost claimed by the darkness the farther I travel away. Almost pleading, I reach my arm out. The immediate pinch that shocks through my arm notifying me of a new strained arm makes me flinch, and I almost pull back. But I keep my arm out, "Ah!" I yelp.

           A slick vine wacks curling around my wrist like an untamed snake sinking its pointy teeth into my skin. I squint at the acute needle-liked pain that stabs through my veins. The tense vine pulls back decreasing my speed dramatically. The vine then tugs fiercely forward launching me like a missile back towards the barely lit ferry. The vine sucks out a few drops of black goo from my veins before it completely snaps off. I wave my arms commanding my body to flip in the air once. My feet are pointed out in front of me ready to bounce back barefooted first into the ferry's wall again. I notice a large silhouette wobble far in the distance. It's Iron. The large spot light flickers above illuminating the deck. I can see Bill, and Finn's outlines reaching out of the deck to look for me. I hear them call out something, but I can't tell what it is. The swishing noises of leaves, and branches slapping me as I fly back to the ferry act like a barrier. A void to no noise.

          Maybe I should chop them away.

           I slap away my coat, and reach for my machete. A guest of wind blows as I tap my belt. Oh wait . . . .

           I roll my eyes, how oblivious of me.

           Plan B.

          Wasting no time, I reach out, and wave off the incoming branches that wait for me in front. The wind howls as I watch patiently an empty path of air open up amidst the dark trees. Branches sway to the side, trees curve away, and leaves tear off their stems to make way for me. They bow as if I was royalty, shifting aside while I soar past. The fierce breeze blows next to me. It takes me a bit off course from the path to the ferry.

          With a flick of my wrist I point at the mob of incoming trees. Multiple thick branches come to my aid, and brush me politely to the side. Their acts are careful, and precise aiming me like a dart at the large silhouette, Iron. My eyes act like a telescope, they zoom in on the target in the dark. Just a bit more.

           I can't help, but listen to the nagging sense of irresistible temptation to look at ' Cipher ', and the so-called ' King ' . Their titles make me curious. No doubt were they downright intriguing, what have they done to deserve such titles? They've told me their stories. I'm not ignorant, they left quite a few holes here and there. One is a demon no doubt, and the other is some meek royal. They are crippled in ways young children like them shouldn't be. Bill is a nut case, did something cause him to misplace his sanity? The boy isn't right in the head. If you ask me he has too many one too many screws loose. And Finn? He's whiney, a submissive brat. I can't help, but wonder as well if something like Bill had cause him to be this way? Why he follows the path of a coward. And where did he get that kind of power that I saw back at the pond? Yes, they are intriguing, but what if it's all for the wrong cases? The wrong choices? If so what kind did they make in order to turn up here? In the Unknown? If my theory that they're . . . . dead is correct then what have they done that led them to a punishment that severe? Did they kill? Nah, I can see Bill doing that, but Finn? Not a chance. Unlike me he doesn't possess a sense of calm. He's always fidgety like Bill. If we all landed here dead then there must be some common cause. Or maybe we're not dead. Maybe it's just my crazy mind slowly being paranoid by The Beast's poison inside me.

           I wonder when will it wake up, and eat me whole.

           Have Bill or Finn ever felt that? The odd fear of feeling like you're being eaten alive with every breath you take, every cell in your body that moves, and with every tear that marks in your muscles every time you move. . . . have they themselves ever experience such frightful fear?

          What kind of awful choices did they commit in order to show up here? I've never asked this many questions about a couple of meaningless individuals. Are they in some way. . . . meaningful to me?

          ---Ah what am I thinking of course it's not. Maybe it's because we are similar? Too similar it seems.

              Damn never have I ever expressed such insecurity to such meaningless individuals. What's wrong with me?

              "WIRT!", Finn's quivering voice shatters my thoughts. His vibe isn't one of fear it's of worry. Bill then follows repeating my name. Not the nickname he gave me, but my name.

              Trees that used to expand their size now coward in my presence as the forest grows thinner. I'm almost out of the murky woods.

              Where have I also felt this familiar feeling of hopeful? Whose voice did I hear that spread such great words?

               I prepare for landing, stretching my feet out straight like an arrow.

               Here I come.

               You don't have to wait any longer.

            " G̴̢̮̫̲̺̳̗̙͇̼̅̓̅̂̑͂͒͛̓̎̔͑̈́͆͊̂̿̕͘̕͝ͅr̵̡̰̮͍̰̼̭̻͙̖̩̍̉͆ͅḙ̵̡̯͖̭̜̖͇̪͓̎́́̋̅̑̀̊̊g̷̥̝̳̦̰͛̔͌̊̈̌̃̾̃͝ọ̴̢̧̡̢̢̪͈̤͕͚͎̪͎̖̫̪̳̠͈̟͋͗̈́̎͑̑̍̐̓͜͝r̷̢̨̫̦͓̙̝̲̩͓̙͌̀͑́͒ͅy̵̢͓̬͖̮̗̟͇̠͙̞͌̃ͅ "

               The line of trees vanish exposing me to the mild warmth of the large spotlight that hangs above the area surrounding the ferry. I soar over the wooden railing, brushing shoulders between troubled Bill, and perturbed Finn. Before I completely pass them I take a quick peek at the demon's full reaction. He also takes the risk, and sneaks his shocked gaze to me. Once we meet his lips slowly close, and the tips of his mouth turn upward exposing a smile. I zoom past him, and straight like a bullet I fly into Iron. The tips of my feet pound against his chest just above the hole that was previously engraved by my branch. He grunts back trying to supress a painful groan. He succeeds, but fails at keeping the filthy blood from spraying out of his mouth. Drops of dark red splatter everywhere, the taste of sin grazing my cheeks. The wrenched smell washed over me as well. A knot tied it all together in my stomach. Only two words popped in my mind. Disrespect. Foul. Disgusted, I kick the side of the general's head, and land on the ground gracefully my feet glad to be on the wooden deck.

                "D̵̖̏i̵͕̘̩̭̭͕̣̜̺̹̱̐͊͑̃͂̋̍̕̚͜s̵̡̤̮̫̖͔̼̦̪̲͍͊̈́̆̂͌̒͊̒́̒͂̈́̔͝ģ̴̛̭̫̹͙̭̺͇͈̤̲͕̗̠̬̟̮͇̿̂͜usting."

               Iron wobbles back catching himself againts the wooden railing. His other hand clasp over the critically injured hole located at the center of his chest. The three medals glazed over with primary colors as their uniform clink softly side to side above his heart. The sound of them squabbling and tapping over each other to get enough space sounds like laughter. It's as if they're almost mocking the weak general. I join them.

            "H̶̫̘͂͘o̷͍̻̓͝ͅw̷̖̋ ̷̦̦͇̥̓d̵̰̅̔i̷̡̫͉̊̐̚ḑ̷̧͌ ̴̝̮̥͌̐̑̎y̴̥͚̙̔͐o̶̱̻͆̃ủ̶̪͍͘ deserve such honors? If you can barely go againts a ḫ̵̔ṷ̵͝m̵̟̾a̶̩̋n̵̲̐ ̶͉̕w̵̭̿i̶͍͗t̵̨̐h̶̦̕ ̵͌͜s̸̼̄h̴͈̿o̸̡̐r̴̥͝t̵̠͐ ̸̺͘s̴̹̊t̵̺̒a̸̯̐t̸̮͛u̶͝ͅs̵͕͂ such as myself do you really ẗ̸̙ĥ̷̻i̸̡̊n̸̨̒k̴͚͑ ̴̢̃ỹ̸̬ó̶̹ŭ̸͈ ̴̳̀ḏ̴̚e̸͉͑s̴̓͜ê̴͍r̵̮̀v̶̠̌e̷̘͊ ̷͇̀t̴̗͆ḣ̸̟o̸̯͂s̸͓̓e̵͍͒ ̸̯͐m̴̹̈́ḙ̶̑t̶̻͘a̸͖͌l̷̻͂s̵̮͝ metals? What r̴̲̉į̵̄d̴̩̎i̶̠̓c̷̼̊u̷͎̐l̷̪̓ő̸̧u̴̯̍s̴͇̀ honorsmenship did you have to go through to receive such a ṕ̶̖e̸̦̋t̷̪͝t̸̳̓ŷ̷̪ gift?"

             Suddenly a tickling sensation starts to trail up from my spine to my right shoulder. I keep my eye on the general letting whatever is tickling me to come to view. A petite hand walks on two fingers elegantly over the hill, and stops turning to me. I hear a desperate sigh overcome by a delightful giggle behind me. Bill. The demon then comes to view beside me giving me a gentle squeeze on my shoulder followed by a light pat, "Aye go easy on him~"

              I swat his hand away keeping my heavy glare on Iron. Bill chuckles, "Give the guy a break he just got stabbed."

              . . .

             "Then again you don't really know what that's like since on the contrary you like to do the stabbing on the pig's blatter to finish the great meal. Oh a very great meal that would be~"

             My eyebrow twitches, and my nose tickles. I turn to the grinning demon, and yank his collar back sweeping my barefoot under his heel making him trip. He yelp and in instinct grabs Finn's shoulder down. Finn holds him up startled. He turns to me about up say something, but I turn away before he gets the chance to open his mouth. I sense that he was going to probably say something sentimental to me, maybe I made him worried.

             My gaze returns to Iron. I better finish him now.

           "How did you get past the field?" Iron croaks like the idiot he is, and spills a few more drops of blood.

             Branches sprout out of the wooden deck, and shake coiling around the air demented. They wave laughing, snickering to one another. I can hear their delighted cackles traveling into my ear. They squirm as the giggling continues coming from their stems. The high pitch laughter is starting to drive me nuts.

            Remember how much you always wanted to get rid of them Wirt? The laughter always eats you alive~ The Beast's voice echoes through the caverns in my head, and bounce on ever corner. My vision returns fuzzy. I wince at the sharp needle like pain that injects itself through my veins. It gives me a headache. Why are they still with you~!

             I slice my hand through the thick air, and point at Iron,

             "S̸̲̼̦̋͑̾̓͛͘͠͝h̶̺̳̘̮̹͆̋͌̿̇̔̚ȕ̷̺̖͛͊̾̓̆́̒ṯ̴̨̧̜̺͔͔̔̈ ̶͕̝̮̓̽̓͊̓͜i̵̢̻̜̠̟̩̞͕̠̘̰̟̽̋̉͊̈́̑̇̎͒͗̚͘̕͝ͅͅt̸̰̣̜̖̾͋̀͂́̍͋̈́̐͂͠"

           The branches curve back like tentacles then dive head first towards the general. Kill him ~

           I will.

         "You said you'd never listen to me Wirt. You promised. It was one of the few promises you said that would stay between us before you ran away. Why do you listen to me now~"

           I jump a bit. A familiar haunting voice tickles my ear. It's coming from the forest, behind me.

                Is The Beast on the ferry?   
  

               Should I turn back?

               No it's a trick!

           But what about Finn and Bill?

     
           Relictant, just as I'm about to turn, Iron points his finger at me. No-- wait he's not pointing at me, he's pointing behind!

           Bill and Finn.

           A blinding violet beam splits between the general's finger, and shoots straight out. The longer the distance the more white the beam becomes. It collides with multiple tentacles. The bright light fades through burning the vines in an instant. In instinct, I twist my heel, and leap in front of the duo behind me. I see Bill taking Finn's hand as they take a step back. I cast my hands in front, ignoring the pointy strain in my muscles, and order thick roots to spill out from under the deck. They waist no time to charge againts the beam.

               "Ģ̵̪̠̠͇̥͑̍̉̊̐̀̋̐͌ě̷̛̺͓̰̐̔͑̌̚͝t̴̨̻͚̻̝̬͓̯̋̈̍́̊ ̵͚͂̾̓̂̾͝d̸̛̟̯̒̀̽͐̇̈́̕͝ő̶̞͕͇̲̠̗ͅw̵̡̼͍͊̽̇͠n̵̛̳̠̿!̵̛̼̗̤̮̱̭̣̮̭͂͊̾̎̏͋̔̕ͅ"

           Once the beam strikes contact with the mob of thick roots, the bright of the blinding light explodes. The ferry rockets side to side washing water over to shore. A loud crackling errupts below the deck, it's the roots still fighting for ground. They're struggling. I can feel them pushing against the strong stone like force. I keep my hand up sensing the force pushing back. My hand starts to shake. I don't want to end up using both hands, that will be too destructive. Maybe I can counter it or something? Perhaps with more roots?

            Before I can act, I feel a draining tingle coming from my hands. I then sense my blood starting to swish from the tips of my fingers to my arm. I jerk back my hand back to my chest opposing such an uncomfortable feeling. The beam's light starts to deteriorate, and minimize in bright. It's suddenly gone. Once it's completely dead I'm met with a clear view on Iron who is still on the other side of the deck painting, and clutching his injured body part with both his hands. They're drenched in blood. The finger he used to make the beam seems burnt in deep purple.

            That ability he just used isn't. . . . could I have just imagined it? No if I did the whole boat would've not rocket like it did during that blast. It seems that beam killed the roots. That thing that just shot out of his finger. . . . it's an odd power to have if the general is a. . . .

           "I hope I still count as a human Wirt." Iron chuckles sitting straight and exposing a heartless quivering sigh. He's not alright.

           But he's not wrong he's still human. But a human can't have such an ability. That's completely out of our league. I may be an exception, but that's because of The Beast.

          "Has it ever occur to you three that without your powers you are nothing compared to an army of the future?" Iron lectures.

          "Ha, and even without any I'm still a threat to you!" Bill pops in behind me giving me a slight nod. He then tips his toes higher to get to my ear. He's still short.

         "I will shove an eyeball in your throat if you ever shove me behind you again. It will be contaminated with Finn hair strands!" He whispers to me.

         "Care to share Cipher?" Iron annoyingly raises a brow.

         "I said I was going to shove an eyeball in his throat with Finn's hairs on it!" Bill hollars clapping his hands to the side of his mouth to make his voice appear louder.

         "W-Why my ha-ha-hairs?!" Finn peeps in from the left side. His innocent blue eyes trail from Bill to me. I shake my head silently telling him to ignore Bill. He can't mind read and neither can I unfortunately so he just gives me an odd look. I'll leave it at that.

            Iron rolls his eyes at Bill, and scoffs.

          "Anyways you freak~!" Bill comes around and slides between Finn, and I. He wraps his arm around Finn, but hesitates on me. He decides to hover his arm around me barely making contact. That's correct stay the hell away from me.

         "Me and the boys here haven't committed a single crime last time I checked--."

         "Go die Cipher that's incorrect." Iron spits.

         "Woah a menace!" Bill holds his hands up defensive, "It's too late for me to do such thing general, but if you insist then you're welcomed to time travel back to the age of no tommorow, and push me off a cliff!" The demon laughs.

         "I can't. Not when you and your buddies here have caused a Black Out. I need to kill the source of it in order to time travel." Iron lectures again this time pushing himself off the wooden railing.

         "About your liver." Bill points out at the hole in the general's stomach. "It doesn't look so patched anymore does it~?"

         Iron frowns,"Soon your chest won't be in good shape either if you keep spitting nonsense out of that mouth of yours."

           Iron points back at us. I can't let him win again.

           Suddenly, a slender thin branch burst through the dark wooden deck. The harmless long twig sticks through Iron's flesh spilling crimson pain once again on the floor. The arrogant general gasps seconds after witnessing the surprising event. Bill laughs.

          "Ha! Ha! You morron!"

          "It's only just a hand." Iron's wobbly smile disappears. In a flash he lifts his other hand and points at Bill.

           Chunk! The sound of crushed flesh makes Finn jump behind me. A long thin branch spikes through the halfwitted lieutenant's palm. Crimson dots taint, and scatter across the old nude wooden deck. A curling sensation tells me to pull back from the repulsive smell. The sensitive scent can drive a few mad, unfortunately I am one or those who it does. It's no surprise to see Bill's jolly smile creep up at the sight. Some of the few are drived in a different direction by the smell.

           Iron glances at his hand that's stretched out far, it seems he can't pull it back. His stricken palm is shivering while the red paint spills down the side curve on to the deck. Drip by drip the ink soon becomes a small puddle among many. It's rude. It's very rude Iron.

           The general looks up at me, his eyes widen a bit by the edges. He's alarmed, "You should've at least let me use my other hand Wirt. It's quite rude."

           I'll kill him here.

           Just then an anchor rains from the sky and splashes behind Iron deep into the bayou. Another former splash occurs behind me. I don't need to turn back if I already know what it is.

           "Another anchor?", Bill whines.

           They're going to send more men down. That's foolish. They'll be slaughtered.

           "And no less than a pair coming from the sky at the same time. Lucky number two~ I adore such number portraying twins." Bill continues shrugging without a care as he turns to see the anchor.

           "W-Wirt l-l-le-let's get ow-ow-out of here." Finn tugs on my torn coat. I'll need to consult the Tailor once I get out of here.

            I step in front, tugging my coat behind me. I raise my hand and mumble,

            "D̷̨̝̎ͅḯ̷͓̻̎͝ẽ̵̗̫̠̽."

            "If you're going to slack, using no effort to kill me, you'll dig your own grave eventually." Iron's toneless voice fills in for his silence.

              Calm down Wirt. . . .

            "Yoų̷̰̳͛'̶̢̙̭̐͑̅r̸͍̪̹̋͠ę̶̥̬̕ a mere hum̶̲̠̃̈́a̶͈͕͖͂̂̀n̵̦̟̑͠ there̸̘̪̯̔̔͝ i̵̙͒̽s̴̛̝͙͐̚ ň̶̼͐̿ͅo ef̷͎̰̗͛͆f̴͍̗͛͒ort in k̶̜̤͑ï̸̲̼͕͛ḷ̶̍̂͑l̵̺͙̜͂í̵̢n̴̛̫͕͐ǧ̴̱̻̲̒̕ bland blood or tearing useless f̵̻̞͂͒l̵̛̩̮̈́́ẻ̶̪̒s̵͔͝h̴͖̖̳̚͝." I declare.

              Kill him.

            "And yet here we are with a hole in my chest, and a branch sheared through my palm." He cuts his arm through the air, and points once again. A white beam unleashes through his skin, and spills out. I take a side step,