Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The ride was nauseatingly long. Your stomach churned in fear as you could do nothing but think. You were gagged and blindfolded… feeling every bump and pothole then what had to be absolute dirt or gravel terrain.

There were others. You could hear the whimper and groans of them in the back of what you knew to be a van. It was the last thing you remember from stupidly getting lost to your tunes and not paying attention to your surroundings. Grabbed kicking and screaming with a burlap sack thrown over your head. It was so quickly done there would be no one to help you. Knocked out and tossed in with a bunch of others considering how cramped it was.

Blaming yourself over and over in your mind raced on what was going to happen to you. You could feel someone thrashing about until they gave up. How long has it been? Your bladder had given up at some point. Way past dehydrated as you couldn’t cry anymore.

From the smell of things you weren’t the only one to have let your body have some relief.

It was hot in the back of the roaring van. It didn’t help with your mental and physical state.

It’s when the van comes to a stop that you feel the tremors of your fear. The wait is over and now you wish more than anything that you were still on the agonizing journey.

It’s not a pitstop. You know this because you can hear the back doors open and the harsh warmth of sunlight on your skin.

The arid dry heat hits you full force. You didn’t have to see to know you were out in the desert. From the location you were taken… this had to be Ebbott. A wasteland that was once an impressive flourishing mountain many years ago… Then suddenly the land dried up. Miners took down the once impressive mountain making the very terrain unstable. Nothing grows here. Just as the miners had robbed the land… the land robbed them of every resource needed to live.

The last mining village relied on supplies heavily. Then one day the supplies came and there was no one there to take them. No one knew what became of the people of the town of Ebbott. Only reason you know that is because it’s quite a popular vanishing point for youtubers and tiktok investigators. Anyone that goes to stay the night doesn’t come back. Searches find their equipment but all video that had been left recording showed them frantically trying to defend themselves or run… but from what? The world may never know. Any research in the matter came to a grinding halt when government officials disappeared as well as people desperate to find their loved ones. It was a favorite research topic of yours, as you felt the need to know more about Ebbott after hearing certain stories.

You were hooked on the spooky and the scary. Yet you only liked to hear about it… not experience it for yourself. BIG difference. Speaking of spooky. Skulls, skeletons, and bones were your jam for decorations. With that thought….

You could feel your mood ring still on your ring finger. Probably the only thing they didn’t take off your person because it was a cheap novelty ring. It was your favorite though as it was a mood flip ring. A skull ring that you could see the mood color through the sockets. Or flip it up on its hinge to reveal the full mood ring below. It brought you some relief to feel it there.

A gift from friends who found it at a thrift shop.

You wish you were with them right now as you are hauled out the back and thrown on the hot grit and rock of the arid wasteland. Your blindfold ripped off you could see the group that were bound like you and your kidnappers gleeful faces.

“Look at’em. They’ve all soiled themselves and it’s not even the start of the show.” Laughing at your traumatized faces. There are a good lot of them. Several vans, some bringing more victims and the others cameras and equipment. When the vans unloaded it seemed the victims outnumbered everyone… so it would seem. You see someone climb on top of the van with a megaphone… as it seemed the number was easily near a hundred of scared poor souls gathered around.

“You are all going to be famous! You should be honored to be a part of the biggest high definition snuff film to be made.” Says a sleazy man with slicked back blonde hair. Cigar hanging from his lips… his yellowed tobacco stained teeth. His piercing icy blue eyes screamed no soul in this heartless bastard.

“If you don’t know where ya are… Well you are in the deadly ghost town of Ebbott. The very one and the same, responsible for many vanishings. There is no help for miles, no signal, no phone lines… nothing. The perfect spot to have a little bit of fun.” He grins as you feel someone putting a thick collar on your neck. The slight jerk you respond with is held by another person as they tighten it. Then you were released from the rope binding your arms.

“Generators are powering an electric invisible fence around the town. Only place it doesn’t reach is the old mine…” He starts to kackle as he sees people ripping out their gags to plead only to have guns enter their vision… any complaint quickly dies.

“Of course it’s more dangerous than we are and that’s sayin’ something. Those collars will keep you from passing as well as the cameras will let us know where you are at all times. Bets have been placed on who will survive the longest so please do try to fight back. It’s not as interesting otherwise. An armored team of camera men will be scattered as well as fixed cameras. Touch them and you will be shocked. Plead all you want, they will not help you. Daylight is fleeting, enjoy what you can. Once the sun goes down you are fair game for my hunters.” His grin is pure evil.

One of the male hostages tried to punch the person removing his restraints only to be shocked by his collar. Another hostage, a woman, screeched as she had tried to remove it only to be shocked as well. Letting you know just how active those collars are… and where you will find yourself if you try to remove it yourself.

“Oh and the last one to make it may just survive. Maybe sacrificing one of your own might help you win.” With that you are all rounded up and taken deeper into the ghost town. The dust and heat burning your skin and lungs. None of you were going to last long without water. Your pants were uncomfortable from your earlier accident. A few of the others were having that issue as well.

The men left you there to discover what you can do to survive or take each other out before they come back to finish the job. You can see the unease in everyone's eyes as they gazed mistrustfully at one another.

You absentmindedly rub your mood ring.

Was this the reason why people vanished now? A popular place to kill people for entertainment? Still doesn’t account for the disappearances from a long time ago.

There was just a feeling in the air. The eerie hair raising feeling you were being watched by something other than cameras and sadists. Looking down at your mood ring… you were shocked. The sockets of the skull had turned red.

Everyone knows that mood rings including vintage were just thermal readings of your body temperature to change color. Yours would always be blue which meant calm. Which you knew to be a lie more often than nought.

Red meant fear….

How surprisingly accurate. You flip up the skull to check out the stone to see if it might be affected by the climate due to cracks.

No cracks in the crystal to signify the arrid heat could affect the thermal properties within. Taking the ring off goes back to neutral color eventually. Putting it back on it immediately goes back to Red.

“Hey! Moron! Instead of fiddling with your ring, how's about trying to find something to arm yourself with?” Some guy yelled and you noticed you were the only one still standing in the middle of the ancient street.

Fleeing towards the back of the town you end up seeing the mine in the distance. Tripping over something sticking out of the dirt. Looking back at what you had tripped over and nearly screamed. A skull… not just any skull… one that looked human save for the unnaturally sharp and gnarled teeth. It’s voided stare unsettled you. A gaping obvious head wound made you gulp.

Feeling bad for the dead, you slide the skull the way the sand impression showed it had been.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to kick you.” Smoothing a hand gently over the skull and avoiding the splintered opening. Your mood ring has changed again. You flip up the skull to see the edges were black but a red pointed star was in the middle. You run a finger down the ring watching it turn dark blue as it usually did for you… then it reverted back to the star… only this time it was a lighter green. That was absolutely puzzling as that meant mixed emotions. Out of your peripheral vision you could have sworn you saw a red star lit in the dark socket of the skull.

Pulling back with a gasp only to find it’s in fact a black void as it had been. Sighing, you gently pat the skull. It’s weird that being in its presence has a strange feeling of calm washing over you… as if you were safe… you were back at home.

“Again, I’m sorry I disturbed you.” Then you were back on a quest to hide or find left over equipment that you can somehow use as a radio. Surely one of the missing search teams had left behind one… and hopefully it still worked. Not giving a glance back at the skull that has a lone sharp red star trained on your gradually distancing form.

You find an old storage shed and know you could probably find something as a weapon inside… that hopefully hasn’t dry rotted from the heat and age. Opening up you are blasted by dust that has collected on the eaves. Jared from you forcefully opening the door. Coughing, you take a look around. Squinting with what little light you had from the sun.

A glimmer on your hand distracts you… your mood ring has lit up? It’s… Orange? Or was it more Blood orange? How was it lighting up? It never did that before…

Red means fear and Orange means nervousness. Then you look up and there’s another skull sitting on the highest shelf… It seemed human but still way too big to be human… It’s poor crooked teeth jutting in awkward positions. Your life is already fucked so why not talk to the dead? Especially when you start to feel that calmness that you had felt earlier while in its presence.

“Sorry to disturb you. I came in here to look for something to defend myself. Some really mean people kidnapped me and brought me and a bunch of others against our will. I… well sorry…” Looking down disheartened. Who knows… maybe your skull would be part of the decor as it was steadily looking not to be in your favor of surviving. Good to be on good terms with neighbors… it was best to respect the dead.

Jumping when you hear a shift. A small alcove you’ve overlooked seemed to have a can fall inside. Making a rattling noise as it hits what might be stairs as it continues to fall. It would be a great hiding spot but your collar would tell them otherwise where you were.

Looking up at the skull to see it was turned slightly… as if looking at you to make a decision. Spooky? yes. Out of options with no likely chance for survival? Yes. For some odd reason your heart is thundering by all of this but that calm blanket feeling is making it hard to react. Talking and thinking the skulls you meet were unfortunate souls who met the same fate as you… no matter how inhuman they seem… was comforting in a strange way.

“Thank you,They will find me thanks to this stupid collar…” You shriek as you tugged a little too hard and received a jolt. You look down seeing your ring glow… Yellow?

“Loveable? Man my ring has been on the fritz… It’s not supposed to glow but it is supposed to change colors… but typically not like this?” You mutter to yourself as you flip the skull part open to reveal a true yellow underneath.

“For one it’s going to get you caught if it keeps glowing like that.” There’s a girl behind you.

“They must’ve set up camera’s all morning. I’ve been looking for a blind spot but this shed has a couple cameras at a vantage point. No use hiding either. They’ll find you because of the stupid collar.” She huffs as she rubs her neck and you can see the scorched skin where she had tried to remove it herself.

She glances up and narrows her eyes.

“That’s another skull… We’ve been finding them in the oddest of places. Up close they don’t look human either… far away you’d think they were. We found two with gold fangs… One of them, the fang was so massive it covered over a broken place on the lower jaw. The other had rows of shark teeth with one gold one on top.”

You were reminded of the one you tripped over.

“Yeah, just out there near the old saloon I tripped over one. It had rows of shark teeth but there wasn’t a gold one.” You say as her eyes widen.

“Show me. I came that way and I swear I didn’t see it. Show me.” She says urgently. You quickly lead the way out of the shed. Not realizing your mood ring was now black as night.

You lead her to the spot only to find a long deep hole in the ground.

“I-I don’t understand… I swear I tripped over a skull right here.” You look at your mood ring and it’s once again your usual blue.

“I believe you… there was always something strange about this place. My group is seeking refuge at the bank for now if you want to join.” She looks at you.

Part of you wanted to but part of you wanted to go back to the skull in the shed. Seeing your hesitance she smiles.

“I get it. You want to make sure all avenues are explored. Here, I have an extra protein bar. They didn’t raid my fanny pack from my hiking trip. So I had enough to go around for everyone.” She hands you the bar.

“I'm Jewels by the way… if you want to scope things out then come back to the bank go for it. Just don't space out and make sure that ring doesn't give you away, okay?" You can tell she is being earnest.

“Thanks, I just want to look around while daylight allows it. I’ll keep the bank in mind.” She smiles and points out its location. You both wave and she quickly scurries looking high and low for others you assume.

Turning to go back to the shed… and maybe shed a little light on this awkward thing with the skulls… you jump.

There in the ground is that very skull you and tripped over… only it has a friend…

This grinning skull shook you. It didn’t have fangs, was round, a giant open gash similar to the one you tripped over. That grin was unnaturally big.

“Um… hi?” Was your shocked response until your brain could keep up with what was happening. Something was definitely off here but that would mean something spooky. You doubt that your captors had added elaborate scares other than the camera angles for the brutal bloodbath that this was to become.

It could be the dehydration, could be the lingering fact that you would never make it out alive no matter how hard you tried… but you found yourself more perplexed by this mystery. It was truly otherworldly.

“Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you did I?” You kneel down and gently rub the skull of the one you had tripped over.

It felt weird but natural. It was strangely comforting to be here now that you thought about it. All your curiosity about this place and the odd chance you were finally brought here. It was the oddest feeling. You were going to die but something deep down inside you seemed to not care. You were where you were meant to be.

The skulls were spooky at first but you felt… oddly comforted by the presence…. Perhaps you were more delirious than you thought.

“I’m really sorry about that.” You notice your ring light up. Pausing to check your ring. Again the outer edges were black but now you had two shapes. A giant dark blue circle with a very dark green star inside of it… Dark blue meant pure happiness… dark green meant… romance?... maybe even passion?

You are blushing without realizing it. Where would this even apply? Not realizing there is a round red eye light from a solitary socket focused on you. The other skull’s sockets have closed in contentment from your actions.

When your gaze hits them they have reverted to what they were before.

Eerie ghost town. Eerie inhuman skulls.

An entire populace and visitors going missing…

Well this is quite the mystery…

Unfortunately you need to at least try to save your skin.

With every second ticking by you are far more startled by the mystery of this place…

And why you feel like you were meant to be here.

Chapter Text

Sighing to yourself as you stand.

You are going to attempt to get back close to the shed. Your tormentors had said that the old mine didn’t have the invisible fence… it was far too dangerous on its own.

It would be with how unstable the terrain had been thanks to mining.

Waving awkwardly goodbye to the skulls you head off towards the mine. Repeatedly reminded of how exhausted and dehydrated you were as you have to stop and catch your breath.

Mouth dry as cotton.

Of course you all would be at a disadvantage. They didn’t say that the “hunters” would be armored, just the camera crew they were sending out into the thick of it. After all it wouldn’t be as thrilling without some fight. Not going to get it if the oppressors are way too defended plus if one of them dies it only up ramps the ante.

People are sick and twisted… even in their boredom.

In your haste you almost trip over another skull… it’s unnaturally yellowed bones almost blended perfectly with the dirt and gravel. This one was a grinning skull full of what you would say more “normal” teeth… as in more human friendly and not fanged. It had a lot of nicks and cuts scattering its surface. Some deep but otherwise you couldn’t tell from a distance.

Glowing sockets from your ring showed another color… Again the light green for mixed emotions.

“I’m sorry I don’t have time to talk to you. Life on the line and all.” You wave goodbye to the skull and turn only to get a step away and the ring glows yellow.

Nervous?

Looking back at the skull with the eerie feeling of being watched.

Back to light green.

When you turn to face the direction of the mine… back to yellow.

It’s when you take a few steps forward towards the mine does it change again.

Red.

Fear.

It’s hurting your head with how active your mood ring has become. As much as you want to solve this mystery… your very skin is at stake if you linger longer without protection, water, or a way to bypass the invisible fence… only to have miles separating you from any help.

Honestly? You would have better luck in the mine. Dark. From what you could tell no cameras. Strange skulls. Possible leftover equipment to defend yourself and maybe a way to exit this place safely.

From the deep dark abyss of a whole that you are now staring at. Remnants of boards from where people have tried to board it up. Only to be opened again by curious thrill seekers.

How bright it was from the sun beating down… you couldn’t see beyond the opening. The very real threat of the mine being even more unstable than the surrounding area… as it was the mine's fault it became that way.

Tremors had often shook the earth here. Even some of the buildings have been claimed to sinkholes.

Deep cracks and random holes showed how reckless the past miners had been. Hell this used to be a mountain… now it's a worn mound of earth. All secrets of its depths were excavated making it almost level.

Your feet brought you here while in thought. Perhaps your mood ring might want to share its thoughts. Looking down at the sockets you are surprised to see nothing there. Flipping the ring up.

Pitch black.

Stressed.

Way to underwhelm the cacophony of emotions swirling within you right now. Of course you were stressed, afraid, and above all else worried about the eerie calmness of it all. Almost like it hasn’t sunk in that you are dead. Or at least going to be.

It wasn’t going to be pretty either.

At least you had daylight on your side but it wasn’t going to be for much longer. Glancing back at your ring you are stunned to find a red ring in the middle of the black. Fear but what was with the shapes?

Mood rings were pretty much all in. Wherever there was a thermal reading is where it would show up. Being on your finger it should be a solid color.

Then that’s when you felt it… the hairs on the back of your neck raising… your skin rising in goosebumps at the sensation… of being watched.

Looking at the cave you are startled.

Two bright blue rings are lit in the cave… but that's the only light you can see…

Even weirder because they are rings… you felt that these were eyes. You felt a ripple sensation flow over you… As if someone poured water over you.

You would have thought it a shiver of fear had it not felt tangible. Reaching out to touch this sensation and finding a little resistance in the air around you.

So it wasn’t your imagination. Your hand in mid reach shows a color change in the ring on your finger.

Pulling back the skull once again to reveal the same ring… only the light green of mixed emotions once again.

Looking back to the mine entrance and no longer seeing those rings… wasn’t settling you in the least. If anything you were far more worried.

Your brain is screaming at you to run. Fight. Defend. Do something other than gawk and get yourself killed… either by what seems to be in the mine or the people who brought you here.

Deciding to take your chances back into the town and avoiding the old route you had taken… you really didn’t want to run across the skulls this time.

Even though they seemed to move on their own.

From what Jewels had said that there were two her group had encountered. You have encountered… four.

Plus something eerie lurking in the mine… of course you wouldn’t be surprised if your kidnappers had some sort of end game factor set up in the mine.

Time to get your butt into gear and actually listen to your brain and get a better game plan for your survival.

Spotting whatever cameras you can to make mental notes of potential blind areas later. As you run by what was a dilapidated town hall… something makes you grind to a screeching halt.

You know you are in shock from what you just saw…

Taking a couple steps back and looking in one of the shattered windows. You gulp.

Sitting on the other side of the window is a skull.

The other ones you had seen were far more tame than this one…

Sharp.

A deadly maw of spiked teeth jutting from its jaws. A clawed eye socket. Sharp rigid features that make it even less human looking than the others at least attempted to look like.

It was also massive.

There were also some major concerns with this one…

It appeared to have spiky vertebrae which were possibly attached to a body that you couldn’t see from your current position… not that you wanted to get close enough to tell.
Not only was this skull giving off that grinning vibe… it seemed smug doing so… with what appeared to be fresh blood dripping from its lower jaw.

To say you were spooked was an understatement. Your ring begins to glow.

You didn’t want to take your eyes off the skull but it’s shining a new color.

Purple?

Enchanted?

Or was it the other meaning?

Aroused.

Whatever was going on with your ring made the fear amp. This is definitely not what you are feeling. It was never accurate even before this… why was it all of a sudden doing this? Glancing at the voided stare in the window… the shiver up your spine as it seems it's staring at you.

You run as fast as your poor wobbly limbs will let you. Straight for the bank.

Jewels greets you cheerfully.

“The more we have the more our defenses will be.” She tells everyone… even though the guy who called you out for being more focused on your ring was scolding her.

Yet you still can’t catch your breath to tell Jewels what you saw.

Glancing at your ring… it's normal… it’s the same blue it always was as if it had never changed.

What the hell was going on with this ring?

Finally able to catch up to Jewels when you got your second wind. Taking note that only a small handful of the people captured were here… which meant the majority of the others sought refuge elsewhere. Jewels sees how frantic you are and is at least concerned. Encouraging you to say what you need to.

“Jewels! I saw… I saw…” That’s when you see it…

The blue rings from the mine…

Only briefly.

From a missing floorboard in the corner close to where the vault had been.

Seeing your frantic gaze shift drastically, Jewels looks where you do. Not seeing anything and then turns back to you.

“I… I saw another skull…” Was all that fell from your mouth and you heard people groan.

“For crying out loud! It’s a goddamn scare tactic! Ups the fear factor you idiot!” Says the man from earlier.

“Missing people, mysterious location, body parts, blood, gore, and of course anything that is symbolic of death are going to make this highly entertaining.” He mutters on.

“Seymore, shut up.” Jewels just boredly rolls her eyes at him.

“Now what about this skull, did it move like the one you had seen at the saloon?” Jewels did seem interested.

“About that… nevermind the one at the town hall was frightening! It had fresh blood coming from its jaws! Jaws that looked like a more spiked version of a bear trap!” You were desperate to tell her about that one in particular. Not the one you accidentally tripped over… it didn’t have fresh blood drizzling from its maw.

This definitely caught Jewels attention.

“Fresh blood? I thought the hunt wouldn’t be until sunfall…” Jewels contemplates.

“Maybe one of the others was successful in taking out one of the cameramen?” Another pipes up.

“Or maybe they’ve already started just to give us a false sense of hope.” Jewel's eyes widened in her panic.

“No! I’m telling you! It has to be something to do with those skulls!” You urgently tell her. Pointing to your ring.

“This stupid thing is just a common mood ring! Yet you saw for yourself that it started to glow! It never changes from whatever your thermal reading is, just like it is now.” You hold it up to show her. She inspects it on your finger.

Sure enough she doesn’t find any LED. When she touches it the color doesn’t even shift signifying you both have the same temp.

Taking it off it goes back to its neutral color. Jewels slips it back on and once again it's the same blue it has always been.

“Oh please, that stupid thing is what you are worried about!? You have your priorities twisted, I’ll tell you that!” Seymore yanks your hand out of Jewels and inspects it himself. Scowling when he does see that it is indeed a cheap novelty ring.

“Just because yours has a skull for a decorative piece doesn’t tell you what happened here. It doesn’t tell you what your future is. It sure as hell doesn’t make you the skull whisperer!” That made you blink instead of retort.

Skull whisperer?

What was your ring doing if it wasn’t reflecting your emotions?

You feel a sinister feeling crawling up your spine as you see the sun starting to set in the distance.

Was it reacting to the skulls?

Were those emotions it displayed…. Theirs?

“Lay off Seymore! Everyone is dealing with this in their own way! You can’t deny that there isn’t something going on with those damn skulls either!” Jewels marches him back away from you.

“We had two of them here! TWO. Where are they, Seymore?” That’s when he pales and looks around to two different spots.

When he doesn’t see what he’s looking for he grows paler.

“Who moved them!?” He screeches at the small crowd.

“Stop fucking with me! This is fucking serious! We are going to die if we don’t work together and you assholes are trying to play fucking games!?” Everyone seemed panicked and because of this Seymore stopped his tirade.

Every single person in the room went pale. Their gaze constantly looking in places those skulls could be… but aren’t.

It can only mean that they moved on their own… when no one was watching…

No one in this room had even dared to touch them.

It makes you go over to the missing floorboard… and you gasp. Making heads turn.

Hung on a nail below was a beaten flash light.

But that’s not what bothered you… you were supposed to see dirt below. Only a big deep cavernous hole.

You couldn’t even see how deep it went. Carefully you reach for the flash light. Jewels carefully edging up behind you.

As she stares in wonder at the abyss below the bank… you manage to grab the strap that held the flash light to the nail.

You hear a sharp intake of breath from Jewels. Looking back into the void you see the rings again. Your hand that now clutches the flashlight is shining a dark blue from the ring on your finger.

Leaving you both speechless.

As you both lean over to take a closer look… suddenly light envelopes the area, almost blinding everyone. Falling back as Jewels stumbles back shielding her eyes from the light pouring in from the windows…

Flood lights.

Of course you weren’t going to get to hide in the dark.

Both you and Jewels glance back into the hole and find nothing. You both share a look of fear as you both know what you had seen… wasn’t natural.

Chapter Text

The feeling that your location was not as safe as you had hoped as you can hear the jeers from the hunters around the perimeter of the town.

They are preparing for the hunt… meanwhile this town isn’t what it seems… is it possible your captors know and are using this as part of the action?

A piercing scream startles everyone. It came from the direction you had come. One of the other people in your unfortunate situation. Jewels quickly ran to a window as everyone skittishly crowds each other.

You approach to assist where needed but she shakes her head.

“It could be anything at this point… either they’ve started the hunt early or someone took our captors advice and wanted to thin numbers for a chance to be the remaining survivor.” Even as she said this though… you both shared a look then cast your gaze at the opening in the floor.

“What was down there Jewels? Both of you seemed scared when you looked down there but I couldn't see anything!” Seymour shouts as he looks down into the missing floorboards.

“Isn’t it startling enough that there isn’t any stable foundation? You can’t see how deep that pit goes, Seymour.” She says but with a look at you as if asking… do we tell and cause further panic in the huddled terrified group? Especially when we don’t know what it is that we saw.

Acting like you were joining her by the window you kept your voice low as a murmur began among the others.

“I saw those rings before at the mine entrance. Something isn’t right here.” She nods grimmley but looks at the flashlight you keep fidgeting with.

“Does it work?” She gestures to the found treasure.

You glance down and find the switch to find that it did only it was stuttering… perhaps the batteries were almost gone.

Guess you needed to use it sparingly.

The only other questions had been…. Was it a gift from whatever it was you saw from the mine? Did it somehow follow you while using some intricate tunnel system below? Also… why you?

Glancing out you could tell that the flood lights were only able to encircle part of the town. Anything closer to the mine was dark due to buildings blocking their light. Adds more to the thrill factor having darkness and well lit areas you assume. Especially if they have cameras that are set up with night vision.

Both of you start when a voice echoes over the town.

“Alright everyone! I hope you’re ready! Your hunters will be released as soon! I will announce it in 10 minutes when I release them!” You hear the man from earlier chuckling from a loudspeaker.

Of course that only answers one of the questions you and Jewels had… they hadn’t started the hunt early.

Turning back around you gasp.

No one had seen it but an arm… a skeletal arm was reaching slowly for a distracted Seymore. All heads turn to you as you suddenly run for Seymore.

“Seymore, get away!” He jumps at the sudden movement but your sudden actions cause the arm to slip away back into the darkness. Reaching Seymore you shove him away from the hole.

“The hell woman!?” As you whip around back at the hole to see if you could see anything.

“Y-you didn’t see?” Your eyes wide in fear but you weren’t the only one. Jewels had heard your startled reaction and looked to see what you were looking at.

She grabbed your flashlight and aimed it down the hole. It flickered to the point she smacked it a bit to get the light to stay on.

“The hell is going on!?” Seymore exclaimed at you both while the group began to huddle together.

“Something was reaching for you Seymore! From that hole!” You answer him still focused on Jewels.

But she looks back shaking her head. She didn’t see it.

“What do you mean by something?” Seymore asks worriedly. His gaze widened on the brink of terror.

“Exactly what something means. Something unspecified or unknown… it didn’t look human.” As sweat poured off your paled face. Seymore looks ready to snap at you but there is something in him to believe what you are saying.

The skulls might very well be alive… and they have bodies…

Everyone looks panicked but what could you do? It’s only now far more obvious that you and your captors aren’t the only ones here.

The only question now… is do your captors know? Or are they going to be putting themselves in a similar situation as yourselves? Only though they are armed and dangerous.

“Leave.” Seymore quivers.

Making you balk at his sudden demand.

“I won’t standby and just let you spout such nonsense! Get out of here! You’re scaring everyone and we’ve got worse things to worry about than your sick twisted mind!” So it looks like denial was going to win this fight in his mind.

Looking to Jewels… you hear the chant getting louder from the rest of the group for you to leave. She looks ready to defend you but you stop her.

Perhaps… you should find out just what is in store by following your ring.

“I’ll go. Maybe I can find a place that’s safer, that can be a backup in case things get bad on this end.” You smile sadly and as you try to make your way towards the door… Jewels stops you and hands you what looks to be an old rusted wrench.

“I’m not going to leave you defenseless. Use the flashlight for help…" You understand that she means well but the flashlight isn't powerful enough to signal. It barely stayed on as it was.

"No sweat, I got this. Stay safe." With your last say… you slip out.

A shiver in your spine as you know the clock is racing against all of you.

Bringing your ring up and it's dull and lifeless… not even a glow.

Checking back the sob in your throat.

You plead.

"I need you… please."

It begins to glow.

It's glowing your usual color of calmness. A nice blue.

Somehow…

It's what you needed…

As if it knows…

Taking a deep breath and steeling your nerves…

Because this night isn't over yet…

You take off into the darkness…

Trying to find a subtle shift in your rings glow.

….

…

A skeleton gazes up at the meager light coming from the hole above.

He was once short and rather chubby for a skeleton…

Now?

Well not that he can see the dramatic change that shifted his very bones… he can at least feel it.

He's definitely taller and more lanky. Nothing he wears will fit him properly. It hangs off his bones. Not that he minds.

He and his brethren aren't concerned about clothing. He reaches up and feels the back of his skull with his long clawed hand.

Spiderweb cracks covering the back of his skull.

The very reason as to why he is blind.

'Blight.'

He thinks to himself.

'That is my name.'

Funny how he never really cared after the famine. He knows it was different before then but why remember what the famine took from him and his brother's?

The skeleton clan are the only monster survivors from being trapped in Mount Ebbott. They did horrible things to make sure they survived.

…

He got off track again. As he remembered the screams of the miners that set them free…

Name.

That's right he was refreshing his memory for his name.

Using his magic to pulse around him in order to see.. see that you were no longer above him… and have left, from what he can sense is a building, and are lingering nearby.

He grins awkwardly wide as his eyelights stutter to life… or well blue rings in place of eyelights… he begins to walk to where he can sense you.

He couldn't wait to introduce himself to you.

Blight recalled having sensed you at the cave entrance… As he was on guard duty it wouldn’t have ended well but he wasn’t sure what he was seeing… or rather feeling.

It wasn’t until Blemish explained his haste to prevent possible bloodshed that Blight was thankful. Blemish had seen your approach as he was keeping lookout nearby. Funny how humans don’t really suspect skulls on the ground… not realizing the monsters they are attached to.

He was able to push his magic out to see you and hear your soul's siren call.

…

Provided he remembered how to speak… it’d be nice to converse with his newfound mate.

It's been so long and the long bouts of hibernation between food supplies… unsurprising that grunts, growls, and gestures make up their language as of late.

Time to make sure the others are fully aware.

Their soulmate has graced them with your presence.

Also… he doesn't like this Seymore person. He's been awfully rude to you.

Blight forgot himself and nearly was caught.

'This is why I am clean up.' He smirks to himself as he begins to use one of the many tunnels below.

'Demon is nearby… I'll tell him all about you, Seymore. Then you'll wish my soulmate hadn't saved you from me.'

As Blight makes his way he hears your plea.

He can't reach you from where he is. Hearing your desperation he sends his magic to comfort you.

He needs you to be calm…

Many of his brethren aren't as rational and will see you as prey before realizing your soul's sweet call.

Prey response will trigger the predatory response.

Blight hums in delight hearing your soul strengthen as you steel yourself. As he continues he runs into the eldest brother.

Axe.

Blight smells the delightful stench of fresh iron wafting from his brother. Blight is able to see by what he hears, smells, and what his magic feels.

It's rare to feel the elder brother…actually happy.

Axe deals with a lot and being the leader is hefty. The famine has damaged him irreparably… as well as he and his brothers.

Axe always smiles… but Blight could tell you now… Axe is hostile and unyielding.

It's good news that he is happy.

It means Axe not only has a lot of food for the family… Axe came across you as well.

Good.

Pleased, Blight makes a small titter of noise as he approaches.

A cheerful rumble comes from Axe in greeting. Not a word really needs to be said as intentions could be read like a book… even without sight.

Blight points up and the direction you happen to be heading in. Even though the tunnel has no light save from the eye lights in their sockets. Axe can see perfectly well in absolute darkness.

Comes with the territory of having been trapped below a mountain for centuries… then struggling to survive being the next reason.

They have all adapted very well.

Just not brave enough to leave the place they know so well.

Axe is grateful to his brother's insight. In return he taps the tunnel way Blight needs to find Demon. Funny how well you can communicate when you all get along like they do.

Axe turns and goes the way Blight had pointed. Hearing something else scurrying along the tunnel to them. Pause then follow after Axe after a chirp of greeting.

So Dire will be accompanying Axe. That is definitely wise. If not Nook, then Dire and Blemish are the ones he'd like to be present with Axe.

Not that Blight doesn't trust Axe with his very life… it's very hard to trust his kill drive for humans while you are nearby.

Nook, Dire, and Blemish are far more lenient and will be quick to reprimand should an unjust toe come out of line.

You will be well cared for in his absence. Now to find Demon and perhaps Fang and Wolf are with him… Blight smiles eerily.

Anyone that dares speak to their soulmate like Seymore did best watch themselves.

Axe may take some pleasure in being malicious but Demon, Fang, and Wolf? They live for it. The underground made them all ruthless but Demon, Fang, and Wolf found they excel in making things worse for their intended prey.

Axe? Blight is pretty sure that Axe likes knowing what his brothers do without him present… and allowing it to continue. Perhaps joining in on a threat or two. Axe likes to wield the fact that his word is final and that he will withhold telling his brothers no… if it means their prey suffers far more.

Blight smiles.

He doesn’t know how you know Seymore… or if you even wanted to… he just knows that there are a lot of humans above… and so far Seymore has pissed him off.

He deserves to be in the claws of his far more talented brothers.

As Blight makes his way in the direction Axe had told him… He begins to hear a squabble. It’s not often that an argument breaks out but… he can tell what it’s about.

Making his way into a bigger opening… He runs into his fierce brethren.

Demon is huffing and puffing at Wolf and Fang.

Wolf being the tallest of them all… didn’t seem to mind being squished in the confines of the opening. They all were in a way hunched and cramped… but being magical skeletons… born and raised underground… it wasn’t a big deal.

Demon turns his attention to his blind brother and makes an urgent noise.

Apparently, Demon had also run across you… and in his game of cat and mouse… pausing in order to lure those who were too curious for their own good to their deaths… Demon must have realized your soul.

Which relieves Blight that his more than ready to kill brother knows you are out there.

His urgency was him explaining to Wolf and Fang that you were out there… and they didn’t believe him.

Blight chuckles and smiles at his unimpressed brothers… who in turn seems startled when Blight makes a noise of confirmation.

You do indeed exist.

Blight can sense their surprise and then overall glee. Wolf and Fang were far more sexually charged and frustrated… to know that you are out there… might add fuel to that fire.

Smirking… he begins to tell his brothers about Seymore…

And delighted in the feeling of bloodlust enveloping his brethren.

The only thing that can save the souls above now?

Is Nook’s kindness.

What little he has left.

Chapter Text

You are desperately trying to get your ring to work… it had glowed so splendidly for you earlier but after running a bit… it stopped and it hasn’t picked up since.

You keep going and hoping for a sign.

The feeling of dread as you still can see thanks to the floodlights of your captors.

Though the light was creating massive shadows where the buildings obstructed their reach… making this place even more eerie than it would’ve been in the dark of night.

You see camera after camera and do your best to find their blind spots. Every now you can hear the whimpers and shadows of the others that were in the same mess as you. You can’t blame them for hiding… after all it is for the last one standing. Every now and then a blip of light from your ring and you trail after where it lights up. Chasing down what are hopefully answers to your questions. Getting more frustrated as you go as each time it lights up it disappears but you seem to be on the right trail.

You just want answers… why do you feel that this was meant to happen? Not the deadly game of course… but you were always meant to come here.

Why does your ring light up and not for your own emotions?

How many skulls are truly out there?

Before you knew it… you were standing in front of the dilapidated town hall building. You somehow in your journey and the twists and turns led you back.

Back to the place you had seen the skull with fresh blood dripping from its inhuman grin.

In the distance a buzzer echoes across the town.

“Ladies and Gents! It’s time!” You hear the cruel mocking tone over a loudspeaker. Panic sets in and you lunge for the door to get inside.

You are such an idiot. You are going to die here.

You aren’t safe.

Suddenly your ring glows… and it scares you.

A mixture of emotions but… if someone was feeling mixed emotions it would be just that shade of green… it’s morphing into all these different colors almost at war with itself… or it’s picking up on a multitude of singular emotions from different individuals.

Your fear has amped your ring… or maybe not your ring… but the individuals your ring is affected by.

Possibly because you weren’t just scared… you were terrified for your life.

Can they hear it? Your heart thundering in your chest? Or can they smell it?

Or do they feel it?

Turning around you are fully aware of no light in the building but the faded streams from the floodlights. Giving you a glimpse that something wasn’t right here… not that you hadn’t already known something was amiss when you spotted the skull in the window.

It was quiet here.

Everyplace you’ve gone to had some form of human presence of the other victims that had been brought here to die. Heavy breathing, whimpering, whispered prayers, shadowed movements, and awkward thumps and noises.

This place was eerily quiet.

Yet…

You weren’t alone.

The feeling of being watched makes your flesh break out into goosebumps and every hair stands on end. It was from the intensity of this feeling. It was taking in every movement and every breath.

Your ring was glowing but it was hard to tell as the color was black… as black and dark of the building you were in.

Inching forward you stumble over something. The ring flickers from stressed to a nervous yellow.

As you were focused on the ring… perhaps you found another skull?

Fumbling to get your flashlight you were unaware of three sets of eyelights gazing upon you from up near a judges stand and podiums near it. Two sets were red, the other a blood orange. Their light is very dim so as to not be noticeable.

You turn on the flashlight and have to give it a bit of a smack to get it back from stuttering. Only to sob as it flickers off. You’re about to throw it in your exasperated fury. Instead you collapse on your knees and cry your frustrations.

So much for a mystery… this is where you die.

For once ignoring the multitudes of glowing colors lighting up your ring. You hear a scream in the distance and it makes you shudder and hug yourself.

Unaware of the skeleton standing behind you. His orb like red eyelight wavering in confusion as more screams and laughter could be heard. The other eyelights have disappeared.

With a quiet sigh he pulls up his hood to cover his head. Pulling up a borrowed scarf to cover his face. It was too dark to notice the thick bones of his legs… they were thick enough to just be legs. Tucking his hands into the pockets of the hoodie he squares his shoulders then relaxes.

He coughs which startles you and you quickly get up.

“You okay buttercup?” His voice was rough and he kept coughing slightly as if clearing his throat.

“How am I supposed to answer that?” You ask defeatedly. Your lips trembling from the tears you were fighting back.

The man you hadn’t noticed before really scared you.

“Were you hiding here?” You watch as he ticks his head to the side as if questioning what you had said. Slowly you feel panic bubbling.

“Or are you one of them?” Your mind is screaming at you that you must’ve found a cameraman or someone part of the snuff film. To run or fight. Yet there is something about this man that… is oddly calming. You find yourself unconsciously relaxing near him despite your minds frantic urges to get you ready for a bloody fight.

“Sorry buttercup… I have bad memory loss and I find myself lost sometimes… this being one of those times.” You feel immensely bad for this person. He’s about to be murdered and has no clue.

“You don’t remember getting hauled out here?” He shakes his head to your question.

“Stress must’ve knocked me but I woke up here… not much goin’ on upstairs to help me out.” He shrugs with his hands still in his pockets… you find it odd that he has a hoodie on but in the desert it does drop in temp… maybe he was hauled in with it on?

“Well… we’re going to die.” You see him straighten and shoulders raise. Suddenly your ring lights up red and shifts to dark orange and back to red… you could only guess that it meant ‘Livid’. Oddly enough it’s in a perfect circle again… the edges of the rest of the stone black.

Not wanting to make him question due to his handicap…

“We were kidnapped and hauled off from our family and friends to this ghost town… to be apart of a snuff film.” You see your ring dilute to almost a teal blue… Confusion.

…. As you are guessing this weird conundrum of your ring… possibly reading his emotions…

“Snuff film?” His voice was deep and gravelly in tone… as if he hadn’t spoken in awhile but you chalk that up to him falling asleep in a dry desert area.

“Yeah… it’s an illegal filming of people killing people for sport. Sadly I’m playing the role of one victim of many.” You sigh tugging at your collar and you see him tick his head to the side once again.

“Don’t forget you have a shock collar on. We can’t leave the boundaries or we get shocked… can’t take it off without getting shocked either… and it’s a nasty one. It also tracks our movements and possibly our vitals to let them know if we’re alive.” You can’t help the chill you feel but you chalk that up to the drop in temperature.

“So… you… we’re just stuck here? A whole bunch of fo… us? Including the assholes coming in from the perimeter?” You almost feel that he seems delighted at this knowledge. He quickly shakes his head.

“Man that's… that's a lot to take in… Have they hurt you?” The sound of genuine worry and concern in his question actually flusters you a bit.

“They will eventually… aside from being bound, gagged, and left in a hot van for hours with no bathroom break… I’m not really doing good to tell you the truth. My mind hasn’t been all there. I feel like instead of worrying about my own life… I’ve been chasing a mystery that I feel might just be stress induced.” You sadly chuckle while looking down and sit back down. You don’t care if he’s a victim like you or someone posing to be your friend until he stabs you for the glory of the snuff film.

You see the ring swirl in the red and dark orange in simmering fiery anger.

You’ve run out of time… and let's be honest, there isn’t a place you can truly hide… just the cave.

You see a flash of red and hear a low growl. Looking back up at him… you see he is rigid and tense. Must be remembering a bit of how you guys got here.

“It’s funny… under different circumstances… it feels like I was always meant to come here… Guess I’ll never find out why.” You hug your legs and place your head into them. It’s still silent so you give him a moment to process everything.

It must be awful to suffer memory loss… especially when your life's on the line.

“Oh… I guess it would be nice to know each other's names… even if it is momentarily. My name’s…” You trail off as you look over and find that you are the only there. It makes you jump to your feet.

Did you imagine him?

Was this a hallucination?

“Hello?” You call out and find that you are now even more depressed. You thought you wouldn’t die alone but now…

You felt more alone without his comforting presence, whether it was real or not.

“Are you still here? Hello?” You ask the darkness again.

But nobody came.

Axe stormed through the tunnels, his magic crackling around him. Tossing back his hood and ripping down the scarf… the twisted snarl replaced his usually permanent smile.

He was on a mission.

The fact that they had an unusual surplus of food was a plus but there were things he needed to see… especially the people behind wanting to hurt his soulmate.

His gaping head wound down to his narrowed red eyelight made him even more frightening. His more human-like teeth makes this image of him far more intensely creepy. He hadn’t even noticed one of his brothers making a meal… until he chirped in greeting.

Dire, once night had fallen, succumbed to his need to feed and pulled the poor human through the floorboards. The very wood and nails cutting them up on the way down. Making it easier to… dig in… as they say.

Dire was in a similar situation as he too had a gaping head wound. However his deadly maw of gnarled shark teeth could make quick work of the body… if that didn’t work his claws could. A lone star eyelight shines over Axe’s serious face and Dire is startled to attention.

Axe contemplates then stomps over and yanks up the body his brother had been nomming on.

It nearly fell to pieces as the flesh twisted and bones cracked.

Axe spotted what he was after. Grinned slightly at procuring the collar from the unfortunate soul. Then marched away with it and Dire looked back at his discarded meal after Axe flung it aside with nasty squelch as it hit.

Axe would never waste… so that peaked Dire’s interest especially as even when furious he had never seen his brother without his smile. So needless to say Dire was immensely curious at what had his brother so furious.

As he followed after… he paused. Looking back in the direction his brother came and felt a sorrow that wasn’t his. It made him forget Axe momentarily as he increasingly became aware that it could be you. Did something happen to you?

His worry peaked at this thought but so did his worry at what his eldest brother was up to because of it.

Fretting as his concern for you rose… A gentle giant hand rendered him still as it placed itself on his shoulder. Nook leans over him despite the tightness of the tunnels. The main one was still big enough for those with a smaller height to walk unhindered. Nook, though tall, was never hindered by the enclosed space. His jutting blood stained teeth and sunken sockets made him eerie to anyone but the brethren.

Nook pushed Dire after Axe. Dire breathes a sigh of relief knowing that Nook would look after you. He was the most trusted after all.

Dire could hear his other brothers gleefully plotting after getting a chance to see you for themselves as he passed by hurriedly. Seeing Blemish’s body as his skull was scouting due to the recent uproar in activity.

Things were definitely different than the last thrill seekers they came across.

When he catches up to his brother… he's stumped. They are close to the parameters of the town. Yet there is a great clamor above and Axe is currently surveying.

Dire slowly and cautiously uses his magic to push the earth and sand to let his skull through.

He's stunned at what he's seeing.

Monitor stations showing gratuitous violence on humans by humans.

It's also a waste of fresh food the way they leave them.

He sees Axe grin wide at an unsuspecting victim getting too close. This one seemed more well equipped than the ones he spotted in town.

Axe rumbled a reply to his brother’s confusion. They were recording themselves slaying others? For FUN?

Dire saw slaughter as a necessity. Never for fun despite some of his other brothers getting a little too comfortable in it.

Axe has a gleam in his sockets as he lures this newcomer by using his magic. Making it seem that someone was trying to escape farther away from others. Close to a couple of posts Dire hadn't seen before.

He fell for it. Dire was even more startled when Axe raises up out of the ground and walks casually soundless towards the human.

Dire was only half out of the ground when Axe tapped the man in the shoulder… to Dire's fright. They would be found and these humans have weapons.

No sooner does the man turn around… Axe lunges forward and snags the man's mouth in his teeth. Quickly putting something around the man's neck as the man's muffled screams are eaten by Axe’s maw.

Then.. with sadistic glee Axe clamps his jaws and rips the man's bottom jaw away. The man can only gurgle in agony as blood gushes from the wound.

Swallowing the mouthful he had… he grins at the man in agony.

"Never kissed before a date… at least I got a good meal from ya afterwards." He chuckles at the fear and agony stricken human then shoves him between the posts.

Dire can feel the electricity in the air then suddenly the man is fried in front of them. Making Dire jump then tackle his brother to get them both underground before they were seen.

As chaos erupts above them… Dire can only glare at his elder.

Axe sums it up for him.

"Our mate was forcefully brought here to be killed. Those collars are keepin' her and others in the same boat from leaving… wanted to test it out." Axe grins at his poor brother. Knowing Dire hasn't heard him talk in many many years.

Even Dire felt a chill in his bones at the manic glee on his brother's face… and what it would mean not just for the victims of the humans above… but you.

They can't leave or risk their lives trying… but if they can't leave…

Neither can you.

As he thoroughly processes the thought… is it bad that he's smiling too?

Giving his brother a pleased trill both set their sights on the supply vans.

How many collars did they have left… and maybe cut a few cables to keep the vans stationary.

Using magic they've recovered from a new supply of food… they set to work.

…

As you sit in the dark, wondering if you had been visited by death. Just in a blue hoodie rather than a dark hooded cloak… A sudden noise startles you.

The only thing you have for a weapon is the flashlight. You raise it and ready to go down fighting as you hear someone pushing into the inner door chambers fast.

A group of people come clamoring in.

People you recognized. Seymore and Jewels following behind… with a bloody machete and flashlight. Seymore shines the flashlight on you as Jewels raises the machete.

She stops and seems relieved to see you.

“The bank has been infiltrated. Seymore managed to surprise them from behind and knock one out while I blinded another.” Jewels says to you running over. The urgency at knowing this location was no longer safe due to the proximity of the bank to here… has everyone on edge.

They figure a group is better than one… for now.

Seymore shines the flashlight around the courtroom you found yourself in… and everyone gasps.

There is blood near the podium. It’s not just a little either.

All eyes are on you.

“I didn’t know it was there… my flashlight won’t work right and I ran inside when I heard our time was up.” You defend but Jewels has your back as the light of the flashlight captures something… or some things that no one noticed at first.

There are several skulls arranged around the room. One happens to be in the corner and it scares you that you recognize it… from the storage shed that you had originally started out in. There are three more… two you don’t recognize but the group you're with do… two skulls one more round whereas the other more humanesque. Both wickedly hug with sharp teeth and both with one solitary gold fang. The rounder one had a gaping wound on it like some of the others you had met. The other one’s gold fang was a statement. A huge massive gold fang that seemed to hangover and cover up what looked to be a broken lower jaw.

Yet at the top of the judge's podium is a skull you had recognized. It was the one you had seen with blood dripping down its fierce maw of spiked teeth.

Everyone was still in fright. Even as your ring lit up with a multitude of colors… no one's gaze left the skulls.

Noise broke the silence and screams were echoing as the doors were being beaten in. Your heart hammering in your chest knowing that this was it.

Seymore ripped a plank of floorboard in his haste for a weapon and Jewels readied her machete.

Two men barreled in and took everyone in. Laughing at the group they found. Yet your group couldn’t fixate on what was more terrifying… the men brandishing their blunt weapons and clearly well armed with guns if need be… or the skulls.

“Looks like we found whoever took care of Rolph and Wendell.” The taller man snickers, eyeing the machete that Jewels was brandishing threateningly.

Both looked like they could contend in body building so strength was definitely in their favor.

The other scoffs as he begins to walk around the edge of your group… and the idiots let him. So now you were wedged between two threats.

“Would serve them right for goin’ in like it was Christmas.” He replies to his taller companion.

Your ring was lighting up like crazy and the taller man was suddenly in front of you.

“What’s this?” He questioned you while looking at your ring. Jumping back at his sudden presence only for him to follow closely after you.

“It’s a ring.” You answer stiffly but as you try to get away he snags your wrist. Jewels tries to bring the machete down but he was prepared… he kicked back landing a wicked blow to her hip and she went down in agony.

“I know that… Just exactly what kind of ring is it?” He growls.

“A mood ring.” Your reply startles him so much he rears back guffaws.

“A mood ring!? They make them light up now?” He shakes his head as the other replies.

“Yer a daft cunt ta be wearin’ sumthin’ like that right now… blimey a light up ring while people are tryin’ ta hunt ya fer sport. Where’s tha sport love?” He snickers at your defeated form.

“What’s my mood?” The tall man snorts back at his cohort.

“Dyin’!” The other imitates a girlish voice.

They both have another laugh at your expense… until only one is laughing. Everything stops when an unnatural gurgling erupts and a scream has the man holding you turning to his friend.

You wish you hadn’t turned to see as well.

A long skeletal arm has reached out from the podium and the long claw like phalanges had not only hoisted, with ease, the hunters body in the air but ripped through his throat and shoulder. You could hear the man gasping involuntarily for air until all movement ceases... As the light began to stutter from the flashlight Seymore had discarded for a plank… the monstrous skeleton emerged from behind the podium.

So to did the other skulls near the sharp one with its prey. One was as big as he was wide and it had the rounder skull. The other was a hulking lanky behemoth. The converged upon the group. You had almost forgotten the man that had you by the wrist.

Until you were yanked in front of him to be his meat shield.

The screams and panic as people jumped out the broken windows… including a panicked Seymore hefting a screaming Jewels.

As the two around the sharp skeleton approached closer to you and the hunter… wicked gleams in their sockets. The hunter reaches for his gun.

You wince as his grip tightens and he aims after ducking his frame to be covered by you.

That eerie calm was back despite your fear. You close your eyes expecting to be cleaved away by their claws.

Only to feel the hunter tense behind you. Looking over you almost scream… you had forgotten about the other skull in the corner.

Its massive hand smashing the man's grip so hard that you could hear his bones breaking. The skull leans in near the man’s ear and you see his eyes widen after what sounds to be a whisper from it.

Nook had lost his patience as you were clearly so afraid that it would wreak havoc on yourself. Taking matters into his own hands for once. He was determined to free and help his soulmate.

While he must admit… there is something pleasantly twisted in enjoying hearing the bones of others crushed under his grip… what really cinched this moment for him is when he got to say what he wanted to since they had been teasing you.

“It would seem your friend was correct at guessing your current mood.”

Chapter Text

“It would seem your friend was correct at guessing your current mood.”

Oh how Nook crooned with delight as he heard the man’s stuttering breath escaping hastily as his hand worked its way through the bone and sinew. The human had no chance to scream from the sudden stab from the skeleton. The pain was so sudden, he only had time to utter a gasp.

Released from your captor and finding yourself in an odd predicament. The skeletons were interested in the human in the tall lanky skeleton’s grasp.

They were heavily distracted as they converged upon him in horrific delight.

You find yourself edging away towards the window as the others seem enthralled by this man’s dying misery.

Rapt with horror and awe as you watch them enclose around him and rip away chunks as they devour him still barely alive. They started with his middle and worked their way out. They were so engrossed… surely you could make it out from this horrifying scene!

The one you weren’t paying attention to was the very sharp one… who had been eyeing you while he silently nommed his victim near the podium. You had forgotten he had never left his place as the others approached.

It’s when you try to make a break for it when he shrieks at you. The sound made your skin crawl with how shrill it was. You barely made eye contact with the skeleton to not notice his concern as you leap through the window for freedom.

You had to get out of this death trap.

Fuck this mystery, this hellhole, this fucking sick and twisted game that fate decided you should play.

Running and dodging shadows as you tried to find a place that made sense. All you could do was run and hope nothing caught you, whether it be man or beast.

Only to realize your folly.

You are exhausted.

You barely make it beyond sight of the dilapidated building before collapsing. Dehydrated, starving, and all the activity and adrenaline have robbed you of anything you had left.

Landing on your chest while it was heaving from the panic attack was brutal. The pain left you shocked and motionless as you tried to regain the breath the impact stole. Finally able to breath you look up to see another skull right in front of you… and it has orange eyelights.

You squeak but with no real energy to scurry away… you cry… paying no heed to the color of concern and worry lighting up your ring. Your heart is racing.

You recognize it as the yellowed and scarred skull that you encountered before the cave. You also notice how it starts to tower over you as the skeleton emerges slowly from the ground. Finding enough energy to crawl back into a sitting position away from it… it pauses. It starts to make slow deliberate movements as if to calm you but you were far from calm.

Your eyes hurt and your mouth tastes salty. You had no more tears to give.

You couldn't help the broken cry of helplessness. Even if the skeleton wasn't attacking you just yet.

You knew what it was capable of.

You try to stand and end up collapsing again and your crying gets more frantic.

It pauses again and then grunts at you. You see it trying to work its jaw. As if it was sore and hadn’t used it in a long time.

It then reaches out to you and you scream.

“I heard someone over there! Bring the camera!” A delighted voice came from elsewhere in what you now can hear… a symphony of terror. Screams, gun shots, grotesque squelching wet noises and thuds.

You were in a nightmare.

It was terrifying to know that it was here, you were going to die. So lost in your woe to realize the skeleton had never stopped reaching for you slowly.

That's when you happen to notice that something cool and rough brushes over your cheek. It’s the skeleton, and he is wiping away your tears. Or what you had been able to shed. Somehow his skull’s features twisting into that of obvious concern.

It steals your breath to find him leaning in so close.

You hear the thundering of feet getting closer in your direction. The skeleton launches himself over you and begins to drag you into the hole. You try desperately to struggle but you are too tired to fend him off.

It becomes dark as the ground seems to swallow you and you watch as his skull blocks out any light as he keeps it above ground. His arms keep you from escaping.

Yet you aren’t encumbered with earth. Finding it easy to breathe even. It however can’t silence the thundering of your heart as you hear the rapid footsteps pass over. Even hitting the skull of the skeleton in their laughing wake.

Do…. Do they not realize?

Has no one else come across the skeletons other than Jewel’s group?

Suddenly you see a light in the darkness. You can see that you are in somewhat of a tunnel that you can make out in the blue glow.

Then looking around for the light source… you regretted it.

The blue rings… lighting up an eerie grinning skull…. The rings from earlier…

You almost shriek had it not been for the skeleton reaching out and placing a firm hand on your mouth.

You can see in the low light… it raises a skeletal finger to its still grinning mouth with its other hand.

Terrified doesn’t even come close to how you are feeling right now… yet there is this calmness that keeps you from reacting to the terror within.

Your ring lights up and you can only stare blankly at the color of joy shining from your ring. Not even capable of trying to understand why at this point.

The hand slides from your mouth to cup your cheek. The rings grow fuzzy as they get closer to yours. His face is just a breadth away from yours. A rumble startles you emanating from the skeleton.

Flinching from the noise and the thumb that begins to stroke your cheek gently.

After processing the sound… it was a purr.

Despite the unsettling calm you felt… you wanted out of here. You started to squirm in the grip of the skeleton still looking out the hole.

It tries to keep you from getting out of his hold. The other seems stunned as you shake away from him. Blinking and causing complete darkness for a fraction of a second… it was too long for you.

Trying to find what energy you had to fight the hold and escape from the hole the skull was currently using.

A whimper of worry from the skeleton with blue rings for eyes. You feel the grip harshen and nearly crush you into the other’s rib cage.

Your struggling wasn’t for not. The skeleton who held you yanks his skull back through the hole to glance down at you.

You feel the adrenaline kick in and writhe in his grasp. Startled, he loosens his hold and you quickly use him to climb up and out of the hole. You quickly crawl a distance away panting and you see the skeleton emerge from the hole and try to grab at your legs. You manage to kick away and scramble to your feet.

Running blindly and luckily not into others.

From the screams around you and images running in your mind. The panic is flaring. You launch yourself into a familiar place.

The shed. What little light leaked in showed that others had chosen this place to hide as well… and they didn’t make it.

Only thing not here was the skull on the shelf.

Who knows where it was lurking now.

You choked from the tearless sobs wracking your body. So dry that you feel you could wither and crumble…

You hear a shift in the floorboard.

Remembering that it had been a hiding place that was offered before. Looking, you panic.

There was the skull that was on the shelf… but it's attached to a skeletal body. The same very skeleton that had your captor at his mercy.

He is stained with fresh blood and he would be dripping had it not been from the dirt that clung to his bones.

Collapsing in your exhaustion to the floor.

This was it.

This was all the energy you could muster. The last adrenaline kick your body could afford.

Being blessed to be awake to see your end was all your body could sustain. Only to feel the numbing tiredness seep through you.

Even your breathing can't keep up with your fear as it slowly evens out. Your writhing and whimpers become still and quiet.

To your horror…

Your body was shutting down.

The thundering in your chest could be heard in your own ears.

So focused on the skeleton now looming over you. Your vision is betraying you. As you try desperately to cling to consciousness…

“A-ARE YOU OKAY?”

The shock at hearing a rough yet genuinely concerned voice coming from the skeleton… it makes your mind glitch from trying to process.

Trying to understand the depth of the situation renders you unconscious. Your vision fails as your system is forced to shut down and rest.

The only thing you are still aware of is the feeling of being picked up gently…

And an odd sense of feeling safe.

It was the last thing you remembered as your body gave up consciousness.

You were back on the street. Listening to your tunes. You were so careless. Yet you see things a bit more clearly when you pay attention to the surroundings.

Was that Seymore you had passed by?

You hear the brakes of a car screech beside you. You had glanced in briefly before the sack came down and you were soon knocked out…

Was that Jewels driving?

Soon everything faded as you succumbed to a deeper slumber.

Finding yourself almost jostled awake and hearing hisses, growls, and an obvious argument taking place around you. You keep pretending to be asleep for now.

“BROTHER, I’M SAYING THAT THE UNDERGROUND WILL BE TOO MUCH OF A SHOCK TO HER SYSTEM! HUMANS NEED LIGHT AND THE SUN TO SURVIVE! SHE WOULD DIE OF FRIGHT WAKING UP IN COMPLETE DARKNESS.” You hear the voice of the person… or skeleton… holding you.

You can feel the squeeze as he clutches you to him defensively.

“There’s water and food…”

“Y-YYyoU CccCANn’Tt BBBe S-SERrrIOUS!!!” Another voice bellows at the one previously talking.

“Dire is right. I don’t think humans were meant to cannibalize their own.”

“Well, it’s all we fuckin’ got Blight. Unless ya scoured and found different things… she’s gonna need more ta survive down tha road.”

“For crying out loud! What we are presented with now isn’t limitless!!! If we can’t take care of her needs then we are truly a sorry bunch of bones! You included Fang!”

“No need ta get butt hurt, Blemish. Darlin’ will be fine until we can figure out some things I’m sure. Ain’t that right, Demon?”

“I HAVE TO AGREE. WOLF AND I WILL GET THE SO CALLED LEADER OF THIS KILL FOR ALL. I’M SURE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, AXE?”

“Oh, indeed I do. Might try to convince him to make this a continuous venture… after I remind him that she will be left out of anything he tries to pull again.”

“AXE…”

“Nook, we can’t help our habits. The only thing I can think of would be to force the rest of the captive humans to breed… But I don’t know the time involved in turning them into livestock. For now they can’t go anywhere as long as the invisible fence generators are running and the vans are stuck. Granted, it was thoughtless of me to not think of her needs… Seems like I will have to ask a question or two and hopefully get some honest answers.”

“We don’t even know if the human would dare to come back or tell others we are here!”

“Now now Blight. These humans are killing other humans for profit. If they are so money hungry to forgo the many lives they’ve slaughtered… I do believe we have a way of making them come back.”

“THE UNTOUCHED GOLD VEIN! NICE THINKING, AXE. THOSE DECEITFUL, GREEDY IDIOTS WILL FALL OVER FOR ANY CHUNK THEY CAN GET OF IT.” You hear the one called Demon reply to Axe.

“We have no use for it and unlike the miners before… We can easily harvest it. The vein is huge and could easily provide us with centuries worth of ventures… providing someone outlives him to see it through to the next provider. We ourselves won’t need many but the trick is finding what could be given as rations for her and how much will be needed to keep her healthy.”

As they went over the details… you felt your blood turn to ice.

They were going to use humans as livestock and keep this horrid thing going… they were going to keep you alive as well… probably until they needed to eat you. Yet there was something familiar to the one called Axes’ voice.

You were wondering how you ended up being “lucky” enough to be the emergency meal.

Getting the courage to try and peep through your lashes at the situation… you were under the bank… it had to be.

The light shining from the windows from the powerful lamps shone down to the broken floorboards above you.

You almost jerked when you felt something touch your lips. Nearly to blow your cover when you felt and tasted water passing over your lips. It took everything not to guzzle the refreshingly cool and very clean tasting water.

You were parched. Then you feel them raise you up more so more could go into your mouth. You were absolutely thankful to mouthfuls of the stuff and act like you were sluggishly drinking.

“POOR THING, SHE IS ABSOLUTELY DEHYDRATED. THE DESERT IS NO PLACE FOR A HUMAN UNLESS THEY HAVE THE ESSENTIALS.” You assume that it is the one called Nook that is holding you.

You find yourself rooting for Nook… until…

“SO IF WE DO DECIDE THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER TO KEEP HUMANS, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALL ACCOMMODATED AS WELL.”

You decide that no one is truly debating on helping humans…

“ARE YOU GOING TO QUESTION HER WHEN SHE WAKES?” Nook continues on.

“Depends if she wakes up soon. I can easily torture it out of the humans above for some info… funny how they don’t seem to even notice we’re a thing… yet.” Axe’s cruel chuckle has you involuntarily flinch.

That’s when you notice… Everyone is silent. You could hear a pin drop… unknowingly holding your breath to hear something… anything…

“Unless of course ya fibbin’ darlin’, how long ya been awake?”

Everything froze inside you.

You wanted very much to continue the ruse and snuffled a bit in Nook’s grip. Only to hear a chuckle.

“Oh darlin’... Blemish and I can spot a lie a mile away.”

Fuck. What do you do!? Do you try to run!? Fight!?

… The light!

You snap your eyes open and instead of focusing on the skeletons' sudden murmurs around you… you focus on your vision and that Nook is tall enough for you to reach the broken floorboard.

You had heard a few of them curious about the light emanating from your ring as you propel yourself up at a startled Nook. His poor squinting eye sockets widened in fright at your sudden burst.

Before he knew it… you had climbed up on his shoulders but had slipped on his bones… making you slip down to where your crotch was directly smothering his face. He freezes and it allows you to find a way to hoist yourself up and out onto the foundation boards of the bank. You see skeletal arms and hands desperately trying to reach you at this point but splinters be damned! You hoisted yourself out and away from their reach.

You try to run for the door only to pause as you hear the screams outside.

“WAIT!!!” You turn back to see Nook’s head cresting out over the broken floorboards.

“YOU’LL DIE IF YOU RUN INTO THEM!!!” He cries out genuinely and imploringly to listen to him.

“I’d rather die than become your livestock!!!” You growl at him, paying no heed to the ring that tries to show you his pain.

You open the door only to see a blue hooded figure. It’s the guy from before! Who suffers from memory loss! You need to get him out of here!

“Quick! We need to leave…” The figure grabs your wrist and pulls you inside with a growl.

You start smacking his arm to make him let you go. Crying as he pulls you closer to the floor with a curious Nook waiting.

Squirming, you manage to get out of his hold.

“What’s wrong with you!? Can’t you see there’s a literal living skeleton in the floor!? We need to leave!”

“Buttercup, this isn’t going to be easy for you is it?” You see the figure raise the hood and you see the skull that had appeared along with the skull you had initially tripped over… only it has a huge red eye light.

“How about you come along with us and we get to know each other better, eh?” He offers a very stiff grin not that he hadn’t been grinning before… it just became more stretched.

Make no mistake… this was the one called Axes’ voice…

“I heard your plans.” You growl as you try to edge along to a window.

“Look kiddo, there is a lot to explain…” He starts but you stamp your foot down on the creaky floorboards.

“I actually felt sorry for you… here in this mess with a bad memory and I tried to help you… not even realizing that you would profit from this shitty outcome by an entirely different means…” You bite back the urge to cry… but it’s in your voice.

Your ring lighting up in a flare of confusing colors… with no time or want to process it.

You see other skeletons begin to appear from the hole in the floor as well. You manage to evade a sudden grab and get near the window sill. Then bolt as you feel and hear the scramble of bones and claws on wood to get to you.

“BUT YOU AREN’T GOING TO BE LIVESTOCK!!!”

You hear Nook cry out as you flee. A bitter sting hits your chest as you run. Ignoring it for now as you desperately try to get away.

The ground at your feet was encrusted with blood, entrails, and gore. The thick smell of fresh iron hung in the air.

Screams and jovial banter were confusingly heard everywhere around you.

“Say cheese!” You hear, as a wooden bat came from out of nowhere and clotheslined you. It knocked you for a literal loop. You land on the ground… the air knocked out of you.

“Looky here! While everyone else is trying to find a good hiding spot, this one thinks she can get away by runnin’ around like a maniac!” A looming figure hovers over you as you try to refocus.

“Now let’s see… Last one I gutted… one before that was crippled then shot… the first was stabbed until I had enough… Haven’t gotten to do a fatality by nothing but a blunt object yet.” Your eyes widen as you see him raise the bat up in the air. His smile was so wide and crazy, it chilled you to know there was no mercy in his eyes.

“I’m going to love smashing that pretty skull of yours wide open and see all that precious gray matter splatter!”

You watch his manic eyes, with dark delight, begin to widen as he sees something else that has caught his attention.

The ground is thrumming as something gets closer and fast.

Then a skeleton lunges into your vision and snaps its gnarled shark-like teeth into the man's neck at breakneck speed. From the amount of dust and sand spraying from his claws… it had to have been running on all fours.

Blood rains down on your prone form on the ground

You watch in horror as the man’s head falls listlessly and hanging on by mere threads of sinew. The look of terror still expressed as the skeleton repeatedly snaps its jaws along vital points.

Suddenly, hands are on you and you are dragged from the scene before you. Frozen thinking it was another skeleton only to see Jewels face come into your vision.

She’s yelling something at you but you can’t make it out. Your vision is starting to blur… and turn red.

You feel like you're being unceremoniously hefted and can just make out the blurred face of Seymour.

As you succumb to unconsciousness, yet again… you are reminded of their faces from your dream.

Chapter Text

Nook gently carried you through the tunnels. He followed the calamity in the tunnels. Which led him under the building that was once the bank of the old human town.

There were growls and the snapping of jaws. An argument like no other. It was about how scared you were and whose fault it was.

Blemish was defending himself as Demon scowled down over him.

Nook lights up the cave they were all in below the ruins of the old town. Only slightly with orange bones and his grunt makes them only turn into a fuss over you in his arms.

Among the growls and fuss, Nook raises himself to dare them to take you. They don't.

Yet it doesn't stop the bickering… until of course Axe shows up.

“Stop this nonsense… if you could hear yourselves, you'd realize this is probably why she is scared. We've become feral beasts and that's not fair to her or us.” Axe growls at them.

There is an awkward pause as they seem to glance over at Dire.

Dire’s shoulders slump a little in defeat.

It had been easier this way for him to communicate. His old injuries forced him to stutter in a lengthy drawl. Bringing back painful memories of the times they were trapped in hell below.

It will take a bit of jaw work for the others to begin to find their words.

“It will be okay, Dire. I’m Sure she won’t think less of you… I would hardly call it fair if fate gifted us a soulmate and they were a terrible person… I believe after all of our suffering, this is a blessing.” Blight pats his brother's shoulder but his voice sounds gruff from the lack of use.

There were several grunts that cheerfully acknowledged that the others felt the same.

From what some have seen. You are in fact a sweetheart.

Dire himself got to witness it firsthand. He was also the first to notice you… after you tripped over him of course…

But from the way his frown begins to break into a soft smile… he knows how sweet you were to even take the time to “help” and apologize to the skull on the ground. Giving his skull a sweet and loving stroke even.

That's why he had to find Axe immediately so that they could make sure you would be safe. They were all so terribly hungry that he feared for your safety.

Dire's grin stretches wider when he feels Wolf nudge him. It's out of concern for Dire's feelings.

They all might be brothers but it's apparently obvious that they have one brother that is their best friend/ally.

Wolf is his. Their sibling ties are just a little stronger and during the wretched famine… they worked the best together and had each other's backs.

Same went for Nook with Axe, Blight and Blemish, Demon and Fang.

Though on a whole, all brothers were selfless for one another. They were family.

That was how the skeleton clan survived the horrid deadly famine… though greatly losing large parts of who they once were.

Funny how the ranks are as Nook is the youngest but second in charge. Yet no one questioned the ranks in the family. Everyone earned a place and there was no such thing as a last place either. Everyone's opinion was valued and taken into consideration.

Axe wasn't a fearsome leader. He was the joking/laid back eldest brother that worked odd jobs to help them. Though he wasn't around often due to his erratic work schedule. He was dependable and always kept his promises. Unspoken rule of thumb is to not make him mad, though hard to do, but Axe is a powerhouse.

Fang was the crude, lewd, but the funny one. He also took on a few jobs but his terrible mouth and attitude could cause problems. Deep down he was emotionally nurturing and encouraged them all to be themselves. Pretty powerful himself and he only regrettably challenged Axe once when he got too full of himself.

Blight was an in-charge overachiever. Sometimes taking on more than he could chew. Very kind and reasonable disposition. His bubbly personality made him very approachable and his genuine kindness made him a popular guardsmen. Though it wouldn't help him rise up in rank he was certainly more popular.

Dire was feared. He had risen to captain of the royal guard due to hard work and due diligence. He had a bad habit of letting logic interfere with his emotions and came off as a callous pompous bastard. Yet if anyone truly knew him, they'd know how much he protects those he loves and fiercely.

Blemish was a social oddball. He came off as this highly laid back smooth operator but he didn't like major social interactions. They stressed him out and he would lock himself away for days. He was great at working from home and very observant. One would almost consider him an empath as he takes everyone into consideration and almost seems to feel the entirety of a room he enters. So much so he can detect lies. It's overwhelming and Blight can sense when his brother has had enough.

Wolf is attached to Dire. He's a stoic wall of anxiety and likes how Dire manages things and even went and let Dire organize his day to day routines. Not to say he isn't his own person he has his likes and dislikes and he's very grateful his brother takes those into consideration. He became Dire’s assistant with his skills and became a well known name in the underground himself. He can be funny and quick to quip and his shared ability to pick up on lies like Blemish can do? Devastatingly useful to Dire.

Demon had looked up to Dire as he attempted to rise through the ranks of the guard. Hard to get his older brother's attention when Wolf is constantly there. Demon was loud and challenging in attitude and it rubbed a lot of monsters the wrong way. Fang was his go to when he loses his temper and causes Dire to be disappointed. Fang was always there to listen and somewhere down the line… Demon started to prefer Fang's company and when the famine hit their family hard, it was Fang that came to his rescue. After the famine he finds being eerily quiet speaks more in volumes now than being loud had ever been.

Nook is the youngest of them all but still has the uncanny ability to be highly respected by those around him. Even if he anxiously wasn’t sure of himself, he was able to hide it tremendously. Now he’s more sure than ever… a pity it took a famine to do it. Nook is able to make the most difficult decisions seem easy. Things that beforehand would have really rattled his bones are nothing to him. He saw it everyday. You get used to terror after being subjected to unimaginable horrors after a while. He always was a good voice of reason but now instead of that good intent in helping others… it is reserved for his family only. He’s the only one that will stand up to Axe if he feels a line has been crossed.

They all adjusted their jaws a bit more and murmured trying to find their voices once again. All of them coarse and gravely and some grinned sinisterly when they coughed up a bit of dust. It had been awhile.

Nook fussed over you a bit.

“Axe, will you get the old flask? She needs water.” Nook urgently looked to his eldest but was surprised when Blight held it up immediately.

Nook tries to position you to where he can try to get you to drink. Having no lips it is quite hard to try the human method of giving an unconscious person fluids. So he tries to run some water over your poor cracked lips.

He ends up wasting more but is happy that you do drink some. He saves the rest for later. Happy to have gotten you a little hydration in your system.

“How is she?” Axe asks him. Only now does Nook realize how silent the room is. The worry is palpable for their soulmate… and that odd ring of hers seems to be reflecting it.

“HIGHLY STRESSED AND EXHAUSTED. POOR THING COULD BARELY MOVE WHEN I REACHED HER.” Nook cradles you.

Now was the messy part. What are they going to do? About any and all of this?

You were their soulmate and there was no doubt that they’d care and provide whatever was necessary for your survival… but what do they do to help you survive? They are not leaving Ebbott. Comes from a place of security and they don’t know what else is out there.

So it boils down to how they need to get a grip on the situation above and find out how to not starve and keep their human soulmate alive.

So as they discussed more obvious things that would make sense to them as famine surviving monsters… Nook was relieved to know he wasn’t the only one of the brothers a little put off by what seemed agreed on. He merely asked questions to make sure his brothers knew what all would be involved if they decide upon… livestock.

Nook was able to give you more water, very happy that you seemed to be able to get more this go round.

The humans would starve to death long before they would with no supplies. The only thing the skeletons could provide is water.

Cavern pools were many deep down in the underground… a pity that water isn’t the only thing needed to live.

Nook hopes that with them thinking a bit more clearly about this so-called future endeavor by not sounding against it will reel them back in.

He knows he has his brother when he sees a curious flicker in his once expanse eyelight.

“ARE YOU GOING TO QUESTION HER WHEN SHE WAKES?” Nook feels you tense and then relax in his grip a bit. Poor thing must be having nightmares.

Nook knows that Axe is having to reevaluate some things and what better way than to ask their soulmate for advice.

Yet… he was a fool. He could have smacked himself for not sensing that your breathing was off before you had flinched at his brother’s chuckle.

Wolf and Blemish were the ones looking you over and Wolf was calling your bluff… you had heard so much… and yet nothing was set in stone.

You do a cute little snuffle into him… it’s a shame that it was a ruse…

Wolf lets you know that you’ve failed and before Nook can even register… your beautiful eyes open and stare up at him. He finds himself a bit distracted by them… so much that when you vault up at him… he’s stunned.

When Nook finally gets a thought to keep you from obviously climbing him… you slip on part of his exposed shoulder… Making you slip down. Legs wrapped around his head… crotch in his face.

Nook is immobilized. Your smell was intoxicating… that and you were a bit overwhelming as your poor urine dried trousers were mashed up against his nasal bone.

Nook was surprising himself with his feral instincts to scent you. The animalistic ability to find his compatible other through scent markers. What urine? When he could smell all of you… his mate.

His haze made him unable to grasp where he even was now and what was happening. Until he saw his brothers frantically scurrying towards him as you leapt from his shoulders up and through the broken floorboards above.

Nook manages, with his height, to get up after you quickly. His pleas do nothing but anger you further. You must not have heard the full context of their meeting when it came to you.

He sighs in relief when you run into Axe just outside the door.

Yelling at him as he drags you back over to Nook’s skull in the hole in the floor.

Revealing something to you that was devastating. They could all hear your soul crying and it forced the others to ascend to help you.

You manage to dodge Axe trying to grab you and make it to the window… just as all the skeletons are able to peer out at you.

Scrambling they all get twisted in limbs and trip over themselves as you finally jump out… leaving Nook to cry after you as a last attempt to convince you.

He sees Dire leap out of the mess. He and Demon worked better on all fours. However, Demon’s height and length led him to be even more entangled with his brothers. Dire was able to slip free.

Without any hesitance Dire leaps through the window. If they can’t get you back with them, you are not safe. Your fear has made you sprint like a mad woman and that could get you killed.

Dire ran on all fours… Helps that his spine is hunched thanks to the damage and that his arms and phalanges are long formidable weapons.

If he had a heart it would be beating out of his chest at the sight of you flipping onto your back and a man stepping out to end you. Dire speeds at full to make it before the man can even bring the bat down.

Dire curses that the tips of his teeth aren’t the daggers they once were. Gnarled ends getting caught in the man's thick neck after a few bites. He ends up having to snap his teeth more in order to try and remove himself from the lifeless corpse.

Believing you were safe near him as no one had dared walk up to a revealed living skeleton in the past.

It’s when Dire hears another human screaming and the sound of someone lifting something heavy is he able to turn his attention.

His magic grows cold as he sees humans running off with you. As he tries even harder to pry the body off of himself. His sharp phalanges keep getting stuck in the holes they easily make.

Soon the body falls quickly from him, thanks to the helpful claws of someone else. Dire looks to see Demon standing by him with a look of urgency.

Dire points and runs in the direction he saw them take you with Demon right behind him.

Their presence is turning heads as their forms fly by. Kicking up dirt and dust in their wake. Searching for their soulmate.

From victim to hunter their knees buckled at the sight and sound of two vicious snarling monsters. Barrelling through the carnage on all fours.

Jewels was doing her best to weave in and out of trouble, leading Seymour in hopes of being out of harm's way.

The snarling keeping both on their toes and trying to keep out of sight from the rampaging skeletons.

“You picked a hell of a time to be fuckin’ noble Jewels!” Seymour growls at her as they do their best to keep ahead.

“As I see it Seymour, you and I got thrown into this mess and we fucked up and threw her in it as well!” Jewels threw back at him as they were full on sprinting and weaving between chaos and buildings.

Hearing those things getting close enough they duck into another dilapidated building and out the other side.

“Dammit Jewels! Those things seem to want her specifically! If ya hadn’t noticed they didn’t come out until she was in trouble!” Seymour yells and suddenly comes to a grinding halt as Jewels stops and pivots to face him.

“Just what are you saying? Let them have her?” Jewels growls low.

“You had to know that her chances of escaping while they were surrounding her was absolutely zero!” Seymour argues with you still slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

As Jewels starts to say something back, Seymour gets in her face and his expression is of pure fury.

“We are all fucked Jewels! Hell even without the skeleton monsters, what could you possibly save her from!? Fuckin’ hell! If I knew that even showing up with her and the others they’d still throw us in this fucking hell, I’d never done in the first place! Yet here we are Jewels! Can’t help her when we can’t even fucking help ourselves!!!” His fury pauses as he sees the tears streaming on his partner’s face.

“We were wrong to do this…I just want a chance to make it right.” Her voice quivers and he sighs.

“You could start by handing her over.” They are startled by the sudden voice in the darkness. Both of them shrink when a skeleton appears in a ratty blue hoodie and at his sides are two skeletons on all fours. One was the epitome of a demon. Every angle was sharp and… its long ribs were splayed wide and jointed… it was using them as additional legs as he crawled low to the ground… hissing from a spike lined maw of terror.

The other hunched on all fours but it’s gnarled teeth snapping at them. Long claws clenching the earth and debris underneath them. Ready to attack at a moment's notice.

Jewels raises herself up while Seymour is hesitant in his shock.

“It seems you want her safe, that is our goal as well.” Axe grins while his eye light zeros in on the both of them.

“Then that means the ball is in our court, monster!” Seymour hisses and Jewels turns to smack him. Leaving the agitated skeletons in a stunned peace for her explanation.

“I apologize for my brother… we made some mistakes… some I wished more than anything I could make right before… the end…” Jewels turns back to the skeletons.

“It’s our fault she ended up here…” Then she is startled as the skeletons happily murmur.

“So we have you to thank.” Axe’s calm smile chills Jewels even further. The consequences of their actions could mean anything.

Sarcasm? Truly thankful for the obvious food? Or thankful that this poor girl was brought to them?

“I don’t see why you’d be thankful for us signing her up against her will to die?” Jewels growls but they all cackle and chortle in delight. Making the siblings even more uneasy in their presence.

“Listen kiddo, we are thankful for any morsel being stupid enough to come here. It means we get to eat.” Axe’s smile turns so deadly serious and cruel.

Both Jewels and Seymour tense and ready themselves but Axe holds up his hands in a manner to calm them.

“I can be reasonable, it’s not like we are wild animals. Ya see we need food. This place finally livened up to get more than we’ve had in ages. Otherwise we’d have to hibernate until more curious people decided to venture close…”

“Why even wait here!?” Jewels yells at them. Seymour shifted his hold on you and reached out to calm his sister. She shrugs his hand off her shoulder and continues her rage. His recoil jostled you into slowly waking.

“There is plenty of food elsewhere! Why even stay in this desolate area when you just said you need food!?” Axe shrugs at her, making her quake with rage. Your ears hear everything as the headache keeps you from opening your eyes.

“Truth is, we don’t know anything beyond Ebbott. As monsters we were sealed away by humans and not only to suffer, as we were kept hoping that one day we would get to see the light of the sun again… we suffered more when human greed robbed us of our natural resources to survive. The gems they took held the essence we needed to grow food below. They stole crystals that kept the magic sustaining every monster in the underground. To the point we suffered a famine like no other…” Axe’s growl is vicious and even has the other two look at him in caution.

“The skeleton clan survived. Then the day the idiot miners broke through the barrier containing us below ground, we were finally free but in a wasteland. We are the only monsters left. I will not move my family where I can’t guarantee their safety… besides… humans have proven themselves too curious to resist coming here. We will always have something to tide us over… but we won’t have anything for her to eat.” Axe pointed at you and it took everything not to gasp.

“Why her?” Jewels growls at him.

“THAT RING OUGHT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, HUMAN.” Demon snarls at her. Creeping closer, his ribs walking him closer like an insect.

“CcRYStAL.” Dire huffs at them when they looked on in confusion… but you cracked an eye open to peer down at your hand. The ring indeed was still there and lit up in a beautiful array of colors. All of them signifying a lot of emotions gathering around.

“It’s one of the underground’s crystals. It would take thermal signatures and help regulate the magic accordingly. It was also prone to recognize resonances when someone held them. Which made them pretty enough to steal and cause us so much grief… the cave-ins… the mudslides… the avalanches… you assholes took out the only power source we had in the mountain itself! The core… the magma was forced to redirect away from where we were forced to stay! Thanks to that fuckin’ barrier!” Axe roars in his rage but you and most likely Jewels and Seymour have no idea what he is talking about.

“This is all news to me! We had no idea you guys even existed!!! All we knew is that this place turned into a ghost town and people disappeared when they came here! Which is why that rat bastard is able to even make such a huge production since no one will interfere here!” Axe pauses as he contemplates what she says.

“How long ago was this a town?” Axe questions.

“I dunno.. Late seventeen to early eighteen hundreds?” Jewels shrugs and Axe sighs.

“I have no correlation to time by your years.” He growls.

“Well we are in the two thousands now. That give you a hint?” His sockets widened then narrowed.

“You are being very rude whereas I’m being lenient, human. Especially when your brother has mistreated our soulmate.” Both of them stare in shock… and you couldn’t believe your ears.

“I want to know how to supply food here, or make you livestock… perhaps your ringleader may offer me much more with all the gold that has been left here.”

“Stop!” You wiggle and Seymour startles into letting you go. Dropping you immediately… it makes you stumble trying to catch yourself from completely falling on your face.

“If you are my soulmate then I won’t forgive you for hurting people!”

“Needs must, I’m afraid. I’m sure you will forgive us in time.” Axe says solemnly as he shrugs.

“What if I led you to food!? If I’m so important wouldn’t you trust me to do that for you!? Especially if I could save lives and yours as well!?” You are desperate for a positive outcome for not just yourself but the others sent here to die.

“The miners didn’t take kindly to us. I won’t let my brothers travel to where they would be judged and executed for being themselves.” Axe growls slightly at you.

“Do you think I would do that!?” You plead. You see the ring erupt into a cacophony of lights and swirling emotions.

The silence is deafening from them.

“Please… at least make it an option.” You beg of them.

You hear a few grunts and clicks exchanged.

You look to Axe as he seems to be the deciding factor.

All of you freeze when you hear someone on a bullhorn echo across the desert.

“Looks like we have some unexpected visitors participating. More money will be offered if you bring me their skulls. Or they bring me yours and I might be able to find something they might enjoy as reward for their efforts. The gorier my film the more I profit people… skeletons… Now I need a show!” The ringleader of this snuff film in all his glory has his voice blaring across shrilly.

His chuckling still echoing in the chill of the desert air.

Chapter Text

The silence was palpable.

Nothing made a move or even dared to stir.

Then before long you could hear it.

The rumbling growl emanating from Axe. All the skeletons looked in the direction they had heard the big guy in charge.

“Seems to think he’s the one calling the shots, doesn’t he?” Axe snarls at the man's audacity.

“LAST TIME I CHECKED, THIS WAS OUR TERRITORY! RIGHT BROTHER?” Demon growls and his bones shiver in almost excitement.

“Demon, send Wolf and Fang.” Axe turns to Demon, his smile stretched impossibly wide, yet sharp. You watch as Demon seems disappointed but Axe continues.

“See if they can chase them to the mines, where you and Blight will await them. Have Fang and Wolf keep Mr. Hotshot out. We got some things to discuss.” Demon cackles maniacally and burrows into the ground below as if it were nothing, like it was playground sand… then disappears.

“Dire, you and I will give our soulmate a chance to barter for her supposed new found friends' lives… I know you will keep me from… surprising our soulmate further.” Dire doesn’t seem convinced but nods… meanwhile the three of you are absolutely speechless.

“What do you mean, barter?” Seymour has that worried waver to his voice. Jewels has even tensed up hearing it.

“You said you had us to thank for this!” Seymour has tears running down his face.

“Doesn’t that mean anything!?” He sunk to his knees defeated as Jewels runs over to comfort her brother.

“Well… if you had actually somehow known that she was ours and purposely brought her to us. Then perhaps that would have kept you alive longer… seeing as I highly doubt that being the case. Regardless of the fact that you two were her actual kidnappers, she was sent here to die… and for?” Sans cocks his head for an answer but you couldn’t believe your ears.

Jewels… Seymour… your dream? It wasn’t a dream… was it?

Jewels had been so helpful to you when you had been delivered to the desolate wasteland… Seymour was a jerk but he always listened to Jewels… but if they were your kidnappers… why were they here suffering with you?

You turned your hurt gaze to Jewels and she couldn’t look you in the eyes.

“You… You both kidnapped me?” Jewels winced and Seymour shuddered in his crying.

“Why? I had nothing of worth, I wasn’t someone who could duke it out for survival, I was on a jog that was supposed to help improve my mood…” You can feel your lip quivering.

“Why me?” You choked back a sob.

“It wasn’t about you personally… we had a quota.” Jewels finally turns to you but her gaze won’t rise from the ground.

“A quota? That’s it?” Jewels nods.

“Seymour and I… our dad had debts with the asshole on the megaphone. When he died… they became our debts or our lives. This would make back what was owed and we could go about our lives.” She whimpered.

“Only thing is, you know too much. No one’s gonna miss you when you’re gone because of the shady lives you had to lead. All it would take is a whistleblower to take away his fortune in an instant… am I right?” Axe smirks and looks to Dire for confirmation.

Dire nods his sentiments.

Both Jewels and Seymour bowed their heads at hearing his truth.

“Y/N… when we found ourselves in your shoes… we banded together in hopes of not only making it out alive… but to save your lives. Seymour is right, had we had known we would have never brought you here.”

“So if you got to live, it wouldn’t have mattered?” Jewels looked up at you in shock.

“That’s not what I meant! I had planned to speak with the police, once the vans hit the road, so that it would have been stopped… guess the jerk thought of that instantly and threw us both in… the main reason was to protect my brother, I didn’t care if the heat came back on me… I just wanted him to finally be safe.” She crumbles to the ground.

You don’t notice a look of awe on Dire’s face when he hears this.

Dire turns his skull to Axe…

“jJUsTICE.” He stutters a hiss to his fellow skeleton.

“Indeed.” Axe chuckles.

“Thought it very rare to find you on this spectrum… unless it was vigilante justice or revenge.” Axe grins but he makes a tsking noise.

“Sadly, whatever your plea is… you are here… and you are food.” The broad grin stretches insanely sharp.

That’s when you hear a rumble… then that rumble begins to thunder.

Shaking the very earth beneath your feet. Soon flashes of people running by and screaming as they run around you. Turning like oxen to avoid the obvious skeletal threats of where you were until the area is bypassed altogether. You catch glimpses of other skeletons among the throng of people here and there.

Herding them where they wanted them to go with ease.

“Seems like we are also corralling the remaining survivors as well, they are stampeding to the mine entrance as we speak.” He laughs but Dire doesn’t. Instantly a flash of light green and orange lights up your ring… Only this time it’s the sharp star with the blackened edges and the color within.

Looking at Dire’s affixed eyelight as he seems to be going over things as he looks at Jewels and Seymour… then to you.

It’s a star.

He’s uncertain and nervous… it’s easily in his expression though he tries to seem stoic.

These are his direct emotions.

Dire seems to be the reasonable one if your ring and intuition are right.

Then surely some of the others can be reasoned with.

“I don’t want this.” You state to Axe leaving him blinking and his eyelight to zero in at you.

Your ring lights up from the star to a circle briefly as a mix of orange and red… Anger. Then just like the black edges around it… darkens to a pure morbid black.

Stress is one of the reasons the color could mean… the other is far more nerve wracking…

Powerful.

“Kiddo, we need to eat. There’s no ifs ands or buts about it.” Axe grins maliciously.

“Just be thankful we won’t be eating you.” Axe croons as he saunters over, his eyelight bloating in a haze.

A blip of reddish purple… lust, passion, affection… then back to black.

“You will be loved and taken care of by all of us. We just have to figure out some form of trade and you will live here happily for the rest of our days.” You watch as Dire gives his brother a questioning glance.

It’s when you flinch back from Axe reaching for you that his eyelight snaps back into focus… and that smile looks more like a grimace.

“I don’t think you understand what your fear will do to us. We have a very high prey drive, after all. So don’t be shy…” You shift away from him as he reaches for you again.

“You just threatened me.” You state as he stands there with his arm outreached.

“I’m stating facts, whether you took it to be a threat is purely coincidental.” Axe hisses through his still very big fake grin.

“nNOoK.” Dire manages to gargle out.

“Nook, isn’t in charge… is he Dire?” Dire immediately bows himself lower to the ground.

“Oh, are you having an issue with how I’m speaking to our soulmate? How I’m warning her that if she ever turned tail and ran that she could end up like the others down below? How the very sense of fear seems so irresistible to some of us?” Axe berates Dire and in front of you… the skull you accidentally tripped over was Dire’s.

You had genuinely felt bad for having done so but to see how he’s being treated right now is a big issue to you.

“Leave him alone. He only wants a fair sided opinion and I believe if Nook is how we get it, then Nook should be here. As well as any other who could offer you more common sense.” You watch Jewels and Seymour flinch as Axe is suddenly in front of you.

Your ring sparks with many different emotions clashing.

His mass looming over you.

You try not to step back, to stand your ground.

Axe notices this and almost purrs in delight.

Dire is able to raise himself up and seems in almost awe. He nods his head then gestures in an upward motion with it as well.

He wants you to continue.

“I say before going forward with whatever the hell you’ve got in motion. It comes down to everyone. All the skeletons as well as I. Seeing as you plan on keeping me here, I should have some say right?” You raise yourself up despite your depleted energy and injury showing how wobbly you are.

Axe seems to contemplate with a head tilt with that eerie smile still in place.

You watch him begin to slouch into a more relaxed posture.

“I guess we can hold off on things until a true plan comes to mind… It’s just going to be hard with such a feast before us to contain ourselves…” He turns his skull slowly to Jewels and Seymour.

“We’ve been hungry for such a long time.” He huffed a laugh.

You could feel some justice for what they’ve put you through… but it’s not you. Jewels really did step in to help you. So you couldn’t take what she said that she had felt guilty and wanted to help, as a lie.

You don’t want any of this. You want all the carnage to stop.

“Dire?” You turn to the more willing one to listen to you.

He snaps his head towards you an instant. That sharp star lit completely in his socket.

“Will they be okay?” It was more of a plea than a question. Exhaustion was leaving you far more winded. Crumpling to the ground it alerted Axe and Dire of your terrible state. Awake but in a painful state as your body's condition finally breaches through the shock and adrenaline that has had your body pumping.

“She needs medical attention!” Jewels cries out and Axe hisses at her.

“For fucks sake! She was taken out by a bat to the head! Only reason her head isn’t busted open is because the guy didn’t take a full swing!” Seymour yelled back. Earning some confidence when concerning his sister.

“AXE? WHAT HAPPENED?” Jewels and Seymour freeze when they see this giant skeleton coming from the street nearby. His sunken sockets trained in your direction as he worried his hands.

Dire lets out a few clicks and grunts before Axe shushes him.

“Nevermind it Nook, we just have more to add to the growing stockpile.” Axe replies but Nook is worried seeing you collapsed and Dire seems distressed. You are unable to find the strength to talk but you can still listen.

“Nook?” Jewels questions with an epiphany.

The skeleton looks at her with his head tilted in question.

“Nook! You have to help us! You have to help her! She needs medical attention!” Jewels spews before the wind is knocked out of her and Seymour both. Slammed to the ground by an invisible force. Leaving them slightly mindless as their bodies twitch to recover.

“BROTHER?” Nook swiftly questions his brother.

“She’s fine, got a little roughed up. I’m sure whatever healing magic Blight can conjure will suffice.” Axe starts to gather you up but Dire is pleading with Nook through eye contact.

“SOMETHING TELLS ME YOU DIDN’T ASK, NOR DID YOU DO THINGS NICELY.” Nook grumbles at his brother as he lifts you up close to his chest, bridal style. From this position you are able to get a better view of him from your heavy lidded gaze.

“Drop it.” Axe’s tone drops a decibel.

“THIS IS OUR SOULMATE, AXE. HER HAPPINESS IS ALSO KEY TO OURS. WE ARE TO LISTEN TO HER NEEDS AND WANTS, JUST LIKE THE REST OF OUR FAMILY.” Nook says firmly. Dire nods in what Nook is asking of his brother.

You understood him now, what Nook had been asking back when he held you. He was trying to gain some understanding but also point out the flaws in Axe’s plans.

His willingness to be far more understanding had you appreciate the skeleton. You try with every fiber of your being to lift your arm. To reach for him. You barely lift it towards him before your arm falls and hangs almost lifelessly.

“The needs of our family greatly outweigh her wants right now.” Axe grumbles at his brother.

“Now hold on!” A yellowed skeleton with a ratty orange hoodie arrives.

“What in blazes is happening, Axe?” Blemish, you believe, is taking this all in.

“Why do we suddenly have a mass of humans in our dens? Wolf and Fang seem to workin’ some guy over nearby? What is the plan?” Blemish growls. Not understanding why the sudden influx.

“Not ta mention that Demon and Blight seem to be separating the humans and divesting them of all weapons… anyone that fights back, Demon and Blight have killed cruelly as examples.” Blemish didn’t like the fact that his brother, Blight, was delighted to be a part of the show as it were. Normally he had a calmer head on his shoulders than Demon.

Axe doesn’t say anything and merely shrugs.

“I also get the feelin’ that Nook and I weren’t supposed to be clued in, yeah?” That was a very brave assumption as Axe starts to growl low.

His gaze turns to your fuzzy one and an instant look of concern leaves you baffled. How could they instantly seem to know and like you? Soulmates were… weird… very weird.

“What happened to her?” Blemish steps forward and it actually makes Axe stiffen.

“What’s the matter, brother? Does the fact that I can sense lies bother you?” Blemish growls as he approaches full on to take you from him. Jewels, who seemed to be recouping faster from Axe’s blow, seemed to light up hearing this. Trying desperately to get Blemish’s attention.

“She… She needs medical… attention…” Jewels gasps out. Blemish looks over at them quickly, encouraging them to say more in his gaze.

“We… we know where…” Jewels is continuing for not only your sake, but for hers and Seymours.

“Struck in the head… Dangerous.” Seymour can finally spit out as he finally regains some of the oxygen he had lost. Both of them begin coughing and sputtering from the state the impact had left them.

Blemish’s sockets widen and he whips to face Axe.

“They are telling the truth, Axe!” Axe snarls back into Blemish’s face.

“Are you saying your brother couldn’t heal her!? Now that he’s had a good meal or two!? Or even Nook!?” Axe shoves his face towards Blemish with a twisted grin.

“HE’S SAYING THAT SHE IS A HUMAN, AXE! WE CAN’T HEAL EVERYTHING! SOME OF THE HUMANS THAT WERE BROUGHT IN ARE GREATLY DEPRIVED OF FOOD AND WATER, IF SHE IS ALSO THAT WEAK THEN HER CHANCES OF LIVING THROUGH THIS ARE ABSOLUTELY ABYSMAL!!!” Nook screeches and it makes Axe flinch back… his sockets wide.

That grin drops to a gaping maw of surprise.

He then shakes his skull fiercely.

“How many times do I have to tell you!? It’s not safe out there! If we leave, what are OUR chances of surviving!?” Axe seethes and clinches you a little too tightly against him.

“Also how do we not know if there is someone here that can administer care!? Surely one of those Assholes has medical knowledge being in the middle of nowhere with weapons!” Axe is very defensive and this time he’s nearly crushing you into him.

Your screech almost has you dropped from his grip. He looks down instantly with a look of bewildered concern for you.

“HAND HER OVER TO BLEMISH, AXE. I WILL TAKE THE TWO OVER HERE, AND WE WILL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. MEANWHILE YOU MAKE SURE THAT WOLF AND FANG DON’T GO OVERBOARD WITH THAT VILE MAN.” You feel Axe tense again but Nook crosses his arms and stands straight… making him even taller than before.

Blemish reaches out and reluctantly, Axe hands you over but at least he is gentle. You feel him reach up and rub your upper arm as Blemish adjusts you in his hold.

Axe then disappears in front of you all.

Nook seems to be gently lifting both Jewels and Seymour into his arms with ease.

“Dire?” Blemish calls out. You see Dire creep around on all fours… his head bowed low.

“I have you to thank for trying to reason with him. I know you like to follow his orders, it’s not easy for you to break them… Thank you.” Blemish is very kind to Dire and you see the poor skeleton raise up and hold himself a bit better.

“Thank you, Dire.” You say weakly, earning his starry socket attention.

“Thank you Nook, Blemish…” You trail off as the pounding of your head starts to take over.

“Don’t let her fall asleep!” Jewels cries out to the yellowed skeleton.

Blemish nods to her and then turns his attention to Dire.

“Dire, find Blight and help us find someone that can help her. I’m trusting you.”

The skeleton didn’t even confirm, his actions quickly took him under the ground immediately. Blemish smiled softly where Dire disappeared and that at least eased Jewels and Seymours concerns.

“NOW, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT YOU THINK SHE NEEDS.” Nook says to the humans he is carrying.

Blemish and Nook start walking, and Jewels and Seymour fill them in and answer every question that they have.

While Blemish has to occasionally pinch you awake.