Garden Of The Abyss

"It's time to wake up, missy."

A voice met her ears as she attempted to stay within the comforting realm of dreams, though as her shoulder began to be shaken, Iris reluctantly parted her eyelids.

"Wha…?"

Rubbing her eyes in an attempt to squash the exhaustion weighing down on them, she blinked a few times as the figure in front of her began to become clear.

Meeting her face-to-face was not one she expected or was familiar with; their head was as round as a ball with features that seemed a bit too small for their large canvas.

"Gah---!"

Iris screamed as she realized she was in the presence of a stranger--in close proximity, no less; quickly sitting up as the man pulled back just as quickly.

"Calm down, this guy's on our side!"

It was Valerie's words that brought Iris back into reality as she blinked a few times, looking around the room to see the relaxing sight of her comrades--as well as the new figure who was somehow even taller and rounder than the crimson panda.

His appearance nearly fell into the realm of absurd to her as his roundness seemed almost like he was more inflated with air than just purely fat, but his standout, lime-green uniform that matched his locks didn't help to obscure his large presence at all.

"Valerie, Hongse, Macheo, Aiko, and...where's Ren?"

Iris counted each person in the room that belonged to the Weltwanders, looking between them for an answer.

Staying silent for a moment in the presence of the question, the group looked to one another before looking at the big guy to give his answer.

"Right...I'm Augustus! Nice to meet ya!"

His chipper introduction wasn't exactly received well as it seemed the blue-haired girl was more so looking for answers that led to this situation.

"...It's so dark. What's going on? I don't understand…"

Clearing his throat, Augustus composed himself, "I understand your confusion. As I said before, I am Augustus, I am from a group called "Osmanthus". Let's see...how do I put this? Right now...Belmon has launched an on-going raid on Purgatory...or more precisely, this building."

"Belmon?!"

Iris' sudden yell in response started the large man as he raised his palms as if urging the young woman to calm down.

"That doesn't answer my question...Where's Ren?"

It seemed the conclusion she was already coming to didn't bode well for her own heart as her question was asked slowly--as if not wanting to hear the answer she asked for.

"...Rest assured, your companion is in good hands."

"He is?!"

Again, Iris' pitch was like glass to Augustus as he winced a bit before nodding his head, "A colleague of mine from Osmanthus already began escorting him out; they're likely already safe and sound! All that's left is the same for all of you!"

Augustus turned to face the rest of the group, who all already seemed up to speed on the situation.

Just how long was I asleep? Iris thought.

"I still don't understand much…"

Iris spoke quietly as she stood up, rubbing her own head as if trying to coax some answers from her brain.

"Sorry, I know it's all a bit too much to take in...but we need to move. You'll just have to take my word for it!"

Augustus placed his hands on her circular hips as Iris slowly nodded her head in agreement; taking just that subtle sign, the large man from Osmanthus quickly opened the door and cautiously entered the corridor.

Ushering for the rest to come out as if telling them "it's safe!" the others followed him into the dark corridor.

Immediately, Iris was greeted with a change in scenery she wasn't prepared for; the walls were coated in blood and chunks of meat she didn't wish to know their origin of. It was certainly fresh by the way it slid down the quartz walls it had stained, dripping down onto the floor.

"What's…"

"Keep it together, Iris. We have to get out of here."

Hongse comforted the girl, placing his paws on her shoulders as he helped her move forward while Augustus led the group.

As they quietly and cautiously traversed the corridor that smelled of death, the unnerving silence was quickly replaced by rapid footsteps coming from the direction they were headed.

"Do you hear that…?"

Valerie asked as the group came to a stop, tensing up as she prepared for the potential fight that could be heading their way.

"Yeah."

Macheo didn't hesitate to get ready either; seeing the golden-haired young man prepare, Aiko did the same as well.

However, what came down the hall wasn't a frightening monster, but frightened men who held pale faces.

"Run--!"

Pouring from the foremost man's lips, he was recognized as he grew closer--holding unmistakable, long ears paired with his purple irises.

"Fedrin?"

Aiko asked, looking at the high elf who didn't stop, only reiterating his warning, "Run, dammit!"

Following behind him were unrecognizable men, but likely were those who failed the qualifying round.

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.

--It was only when hearing the distant, but nearing footsteps that resounded through the halls like cannons being launched, did they begin to understand why the men were in such a hurry.

Enhancing his eyes with allocated reinforcement, Augustus peered deeper into the shadow-clad hall to inspect what was approaching.

Black, curved horns with a skull of the same shade...that size; barely able to fit into the corridor--that...they really brought it, didn't they?! Augustus thought.

"Hurry! Follow me!"

Taking the initiative, Augustus shouted as he placed his palms against the rightmost wall--causing a verdant glow to encircle the area he touched.

"The hell are you doing?"

Valerie asked impatiently; it was the same things the other felt--in the wake of the stomps that grew louder and louder, the urge to run intensified.

"...Screw this, I'm not waiting here just to be crushed by that monster…!"

One of the men dressed in beige leather yelled out before sprinting away, though Augustus tried to call out to him, he didn't listen as fear had taken hold of his rationality.

"Whatever you're doing, do it faster!"

Fedrin ordered with haste slurring from his throat; a roar resounding from the distance--making it all the more daunting to wait for the large man to finish whatever task he was doing.

"D-don't rush me! I-I can't handle pressure!"

The closed-eyed yell from the Osmanthus member destroyed whatever faith the other unknown man had as he gritted his teeth before scampering away without a word.

"...Just a few more seconds…"

Augustus muttered, though it was nearly impossible to hear his words under the growing, rapid stomps.

Not taking any chances, Hongse took to the front--prepared to use his body as a shield as he took in a large breath.

"Stay behind me! I'll guard you all…!"

Hongse resolved himself as an echoing roar made his fur stand up. Though they all experienced the same dread, they weren't ready to go down without a fight--as confused as she was, Iris felt this way too.

"Done!"

Augustus announced as the footsteps were now loud enough to be felt tangibly. Within the circular zone of verdancy, a hole was formed in the wall seamlessly as Augustus stepped aside, ushering the group to move in.

As Iris stepped inside, what waited within wasn't what should be on the other side of the wall, but a plain, large room shaped like a box.

"Huh? What is this?"

She looked around as the others who entered soon did the same with curious glints in their eyes. Stepping in last, the gateway closed behind Augustus as he clapped his hands, holding a proud smile as he placed his hands on his bulbous hips.

"This is my ability, "Secluded Castle"; I can create an entrance to it from any surface! Though the only way to exit is through the place of entrance!"

Explaining this with a smug smile of his own, Augustus twirled his curved, verdant mustache as if waiting for praise.

"Pretty handy."

Macheo sat down on the smooth surface of the Secluded Castle with the beige-haired girl seating herself directly next to him. Even in their situation, the close proximity still brought a pink to Macheo's cheeks while Aiko smiled at this reaction.

Those two are moving quickly, aren't they? Iris thought.

"So...we're safe in here? That's what you're saying, right? That's what this means?"

Fedrin's words came out rushed as he was still noticeably shaken up, even in the holds of the docile domain as he clutched his own chest.

"Yup! I can personally guarantee that! That's why I'm the safety specialist of Osmanthus, Augustus Luggs! All we have to do is wait until that beast passes by."

With such a simple task set for them, Hongse turned his beady gaze to the high-elf, who was visibly shaken from his encounter with the mysterious entity that prowled the corridor.

"...You saw it, didn't you? What was it?"

The question didn't sit well with Fedrin as his lip quivered at the fresh thoughts resurfacing, placing his face into his hands.

"I only saw it for a moment, but it was a bloodbath. It just...ran through them, stomping them out, crushing them, twisting their bodies...it was a true monster."

"What…?"

Iris muttered, seeing the shakiness present in Fedrin's eyes as he spoke of the recent memory engraved into his mind.

Shaking his head, the high elf seemed at his end for words as he fell silent, slumping down against the smooth, green walls that made up the Secluded Castle.

"I know what it was."

Augustus spoke up, fiddling with his prominent mustache as even as he sat down, he towered over most of the group.

"You know? Then what is that thing?"

Keeping her arms folded across her chest, the draconic knight asked without any tact, but the bulbous man answered all the same:

"One of the Beasts of Sin: Wrath."

--Augustus' words spoken in an ominous tone met most ears with little meaning, but two recognized their meaning.