Chapter 27

What are you doing, being on the good side...?

Arestasia and Lupin were walking through a hallway, well lit from the hanging chandeliers. The velvet red carpet gave them a comfortable feel as they gazed at the jeweled walls. The floor made a slight creaking noise with every step they took. Soon, they had reached a golden door. 

"Are you sure we shouldn't wait for Dawn to catch up?" Lupin asked. 

"Listen to me. Every moment that passes, Glast is getting stronger. We cannot let him succeed. If Dawnni didn't survive, we would sit here, basically waiting for our own deaths." 

Lupin's eyes softened. He didn't know what to think of Dawnni anymore, knowing that his light magic can't be used without harming himself. He took a glimpse at Arestasia's  saddened face and knew she was thinking the same thing. 

"Come on, we have to stop him." 

Before they could open the door. Hundreds of jewels began to protrude through the door before moving and placing themselves in specific areas, forming a face. 

"What the-" Arestasia started.

The door began to speak. 

"Entering this door leads trial. After trial, comes triumph. Retrieve this triumph and you will face what you seek." It said. 

Arestasia and Lupin looked at each other and nodded before opening the door. The other end released a bright blue light. They both walked through it. When the light faded, Lupin was in a giant room. The jeweled walls were covered with vines and leaves. Each corner had a tall tree in it. The branches stretched all the way across the ceiling. Lupin walked towards the middle before noticing that Arestasia wasn't with him. 

"Welcome to my domain cutie." A woman-like voice said. 

"I guess no one likes to show their face before speaking..." Lupin thought. 

A figure walked out of the shadows of a tree. Her skin looked like solid purple crystal. She wore tight black shorts and a long sleeve black top that covered only her upper torso. Her black knee-high boots clacked as she walked. Her long black hair, tied in a ponytail, went down to here hips. She carried two daggers at her side and a crossbow was strapped to her arm. She stood in front of Lupin and placed her hands on her hips. She stared at him in slight amusement. 

"What do you think you're doing, being on the good side?" she said as she took a step closer. 

Lupin took one step back. 

"What do you mean? Why not be on the good side?" 

She took another step forward and Lupin took another step backward. 

"Because; being a part of the bad side lets you do whatever you want." she said calmly as she continued to walk as Lupin backed away. 

Lupin's back hit the wall. 

"No rules, basically." 

Her voice was seductive. She leaned forward toward's Lupin's ear as he felt her cold hand slide across the back of his neck. 

"My name is Amethyst." she whispered. 

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Lupin's face. 

"I thought I should at least tell you my name before I will have to kill you; since you won't join us." 

Amethyst raised her arm with the crossbow, arrow at the ready, and placed it right in front of Lupin's throat. Lupin suddenly kneed Amethyst in the stomach. She hunched over with a small grunt. The impact on her solid skin sent a painful shockwave from Lupin's knee to his whole body. 

"S**t! This isn't going to be easy..." he thought. 

Lupin quickly back flipped away several feet to gain some distance. Amethyst began to laugh calmly as she regained her posture. 

"Bad choice..." 

Amethyst leaped towards Lupin, quickly unsheathing here daggers. Lupin quickly encased himself in blood before Amethyst sliced at his neck, ending with him being unscathed. Lupin quickly grew blades from his arms and slashed at Amethyst with great force, knocking her on her back. Lupin punched into the ground.

"Blood Wasteland!"

Blood spikes burst through the ground, trailing toward his opponent. Amethyst quickly got up and directed her palm towards the trail.

"Merciless Shroud!"

A green cloud shrouded her. The spikes disintegrated as they reached her. Lupin quickly ran by the trail towards Amethyst soon after. When the cloud cleared, Lupin had reached his opponent. Lupin threw his fist at her, but Amethyst countered by grabbing his wrist and jerking it upward. Using her free hand, she swiftly grabbed a dagger and stabbed Lupin in the stomach. Wincing at the pain, Lupin's made his blood, fly out and reach for Amethyst. Lupin then grabbed his opponent and threw her into the air. He drew his sword. 

"I can't let you stop me!" 

His sword glowed a bright blue before he swung, releasing a sharp blue crescent at Amethyst. The opponent placed her hands together. 

"Viper's Kiss!" 

A purple fog quickly spewed from her palms that instantly disintegrated the crescent and continued downward towards Lupin. Lupin quickly jumped out of the way before the fog could engulf him. Suddenly, arrows began to fire at a rapid pace from the purple cloud. Lupin deflected each arrow that came his way. The pace of the arrows slowly grew quicker and quicker. Lupin jumped away from the flurry of projectiles and directed his palm towards the cloud. 

"I'll return the favor!" 

The blood that encased his skin grew around his arm before forming into a cannon. 

"Blood Missiles!" 

Small red missiles flew at a rapid speed towards the thick purple cloud. The cloud easily disintegrated the missiles as they contacted it. Lupin, astonished, ceased his fire. 

"What's going on?" Lupin thought. 

He suddenly felt a sharp pain in his side. The pain startled him as he looked at where he seemed to had been struck, but there was no wound. The purple cloud suddenly became thicker as it began to spread in the room. Lupin held out his right arm and spread out his fingers. His blood webbed in between them and instantly grew outward to appear like a fan. He then swung his arm, sending a big gust of wind towards the cloud, but it made no effect. 

"You can't be serious..." 

The cloud suddenly filled the entire room. The sweet aroma filled his nostrils. What seemed like a split second of pleasure, ended up turning worse. Lupin's eyes drastically began to water. His throat felt as if he had swallowed the sun. He fell to his knees, shouting in dreadful agony. The blood that encased his skin, slowly seeped back into his scars. 

"I have you now." Amethyst said from an unknown area. 

Her voice echoed throughout the room menacingly. Lupin suddenly felt his body get cut deeply in his back; then his side, and then his chest. Lupin grasped for his chest, but felt nothing. He began to overflow with frustration. 

"You're getting on my last nerve!" He screamed. 

His blood quickly encased him again. Blood wings sprouted from his back. The force of releasing his wings made his eyes open to see the room clearly and realize that the fog was an illusion. Amethyst stood several feet ahead of him. Lupin checked his body again, and noticed the blood gushing from his body. He stood there, in his own little puddle. He stared at it in ferocity. He then returned his gaze back at Amethyst. She placed a hand on her hip while she held a bloody dagger with the other. 

"I guess you finally woke up." She said. 

Amethyst smirked as she returned her dagger to its sheathe. Lupin's eyes flared. 

"Are you mad Hun?" 

The puddle of blood at Lupin's feet rose slowly. 

"You must not have heard me. You may not hinder my mission!" 

The blood wrapped Lupin's body. 

"Blood Demon!" 

The blood grew giant claws at the ends of his arms. A spiked, scaly tail protruded from Lupin's lower back. Lupin's eyes glowed a bright blue as large, vicious blood teeth grew in front of his mouth. 

"I'll give you one chance to let me pass." Lupin's voice sounded terribly distorted. 

"Hm...no." Amethyst said. 

"Then die!" 

"Bring it on sweetie."