Chapter Four The Race After Ash

 

 

Sorry this took so long, this chapter meant a lot to me, and I had to make sure I got my feelings down and get in the right mindset for it. I poured a lot into this chapter.

 

 

 

Ash leaps off a mountain of rock as Vex digs her nails into his shoulder holding on for dear life. Ash runs off a flat cliff surface getting ahold of spikes and swinging his way over a lava valley. A small drop of sweat leaks down his forehead. 

Ash: "Maybe we should rest here."

Vex's fur was all erratic: "Agreed."

Ash leans against a pillar of rock as there is nothing to sit on that won't burn his ass. Taking a look around the barren wasteland of a place, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary just lots of lava spewing out of many orifices. Ash spotted a shadow go by in the corner of his eye. "Funny thing about blindfolds is they can't see if I am looking at them or not."

Ash slips a dagger out of his sleeve, kicking up one leg against a rock he leans his head in the opposite direction of the spy. In a flash, he slings the blade towards the spy, a yelp comes from that direction. Ash in no rush saunters his way over to a boy trying to pry the dagger from the rock.

Ash pulls the dagger out: "What are you doing here."

Chris chuckles shyly: "Heh uh, hey Ash, what are you doing here."

Ash leaned against the pillar of rocks: "Didn't I say I will go alone."

Chris: "Yeah but you have your familiar! Doesn't she count!"

Ash kneels, getting face to face: "Are you seriously saying that right now."

Ash sighs: "Look, kid, this is just a test, it might not even work, then I have to hike all the way back to the mansion just to come up with a plan of escape and come back once more. So if you want to come, I will take you on my second go."

Chris springs up: "What happened if you only need one time."

Ash turns back, ready to take off: "Trust me, I'm coming back."

Leaping off a rock he glides down, soaring through the air. "The warm air feels good, it is the only coolish air we are going to get."

Ash tries his magic: "No good, I'm really dead if I can't even use the most basic of spells."

Vex also gives it a shot: "Me either sir."

Ash pets her head as he is sprinting through the lava forest: "Thanks for trying."

Just as he exits the forest, dodging every single drop of lava, a fireball barrels by giving Ash a split second to move his head back. With a crack of his neck and a long tiresome sigh, he checks who threw the ball. 

Ash spent: "Alright. Who threw it!"

A succubus and her companions giggle to each other, gossiping about Ash as they sit on a giant stump.

Ash: "Just my luck, a succubus, and her posse. What do you want."

Succubus biting her lip: "Oh nothing, just a little loving."

Ash smirks: "That's rich. Your little love kills people."

Succubus wiggles her heart-pointed tail: "Not gods though."

Ash over just about everything: "Yeah whatever Lora, that was a long time ago."

Moving along full well knowing they are not going to stop pestering him: "I didn't know you three were the demons of pestering because you are bothering the hell out of me."

They fly around like scavengers to a carcass, Lora gets handsy, brushing his hair as she flies by. Whispering things they did in his ear, Vex swats at her getting a reaction out of the girls.

Ash mummers to Vex: "Ignore them Vex, they are always looking to see you riled up."

An idea seeps into his wicked mind: "Hey Lora, can you come down, please? I found a new position you would love."

The very thought of Ash coming up with an idea sends her zooming down.

She hops to him getting close: "What is it please tell me!"

Ash grabs her by the wrist, her reaction is lustful as you expect but Ash now has her in a headlock.

Lora pouts: "You tricked me!"

Ash smirks: "Sorry darling but I'm taken. Now, Lora, you are going to take me to the gate."

The other demons go for the takedown, Ash seeing the move coming from a mile away dodges to the left as they smash into each other.

Ash gives his charm: "Come on Lora, can you do your old fling a favor~"

He lets go giving her freedom, she sighs: "Fine Ash, you are so lucky I like you. Also all that time we spent helped too."

Vex looks up at Ash from his pocket: "What does she mean Ash?"

Lora tries to explain: "Oh we had really long amazing s-"

Ash bonks her on the head gently: "You will not be teaching my familiar any of my past."

Her fangs show as she gets ideas: "Moving on! Lora, where is the exit."

She points to the cavern: "The gate was moved from its original spot because a lot of demons were escaping. It didn't really help any so a dragon now guards the exit."

Ash: "Hmm. Just my luck. Okay thanks, Lora I owe you one."

Lora still trying to get something out of it: "No kiss?"

Ash is concerned: "Are you okay Lora, you are usually more tamed than this."

Lora sniffles: "I need help."

Lora lets it all out: "Oh ASH it is terrible! I haven't been able to go to the overworld and get any life essence from anyone! I am getting weaker by the day!"

She cries in his arms: "There there Lora."

Bawling her eyes out: "I'm scared! I don't want to die! And it's all that stupid dragon's fault!"

Her white hair covers her face as she sniffles: "Please Ash, I don't want to go. We had a great thing going."

Ash breathes in deeply: "*Sigh* Look Lora, I can't anymore, that is a done deal. But our problems both have to deal with the dragon, I can help you with that. Not that I'm okay with what you are doing to live on. I just can't leave a friend in need."

She holds him tightly: "Thank you."

Ash hugs her back for a minute until she is the one that lets go.

Ash: "Alright Vex, ready to take down a dragon."

Vex holding her paw to her forehead: "Yes sir!"

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

Ash in a whisper: "Okay guys wait here."

Ash goes alone into an all too familiar cave: "This can't be. Hey Bonehead! Are you Longwei!"

The bones start to shake to life, fire burned in his eye sockets as he rose up.

A roar sends cool winds toward Ash which have little to no effect on him: "YOU! How come you bother me even after death?! Do you want a rematch!"

Ash holding onto his hip, his katana is missing: "No, I need you to move from here so we can cross to the overworld."

Longwei shocked, stomped his bone paw down sending dust everywhere: "How did you die! Your death dishonors me greatly! Tell me at once! WHO KILLED YOU!"

Ash still keeps his emotions in check: "I did, I killed myself to protect my friends."

Longwei blows wind from his nose still ticked off: "I guess it doesn't dishonor me that much. Why is it that you want to cross back."

Ash thought it was a no-brainer: "Well of course, to see my friends and family."

Longwei turns his head to stare into his soul: "Why go back, wouldn't you put your friends in danger again? Would it be better to stay and keep them safe from the underworld hmm?"

Ash holds onto the thought: "Why should I come back? I love them and want to see them, everything I did was selfish of me. I never weighed the good and bad of what I was doing. My god, I put everyone at risk for my petty revenge. I deserve to be here."

The thought never crossed his mind: "Maybe it's better that I'm dead, I won't be a burden to any of their lives."

Just as he felt that giving up was the right choice, Vex pawed at his pants: "Ash, don't forget about them. They miss you dearly. Do you know how much that will hurt them if you stayed here, rotting away?"

Lora stood in the doorway, wanting to say something but in the end she kept her tongue stowed away.

Vex kept using emotions to sway Ash: "Sophia has been waiting for soo long to show you how she has grown. And you are going to leave her, do you think Astrid will ever stop or Sam."

Deep voice: "Enough! Let your Master ponder the ideas."

The voice comes with a body, well more of a smoke figure. A giant lion paw steps from the shadows, his eyes bright red peering at him. 

Ash's heart dropped: "Vex? Buddy is that really you!?"

His heart was caught in his throat, it never occurred to him that he would see Vex ever again. Cold washed over him, catching his breath every time air came out. His heart raced, "Is this an illusion, is it real? What do I say? How could I say anything? What could I say?! There is nothing that can sum up all my feelings."

Vex stepped to him, coming face to face: "It has been a while master."

His giant face felt so loving and welcoming, a big pillow you could cuddle forever and never want to let go of. Something so surreal to see his whiskers and every tiny detail of his snout and nose; from his big canines to a little scar under his upper lip.

Ash grabbed ahold of him, squeezing tightly, it is real: "*Sobbing* I miss you bud. *His lip quivered* I miss you so much. Oh how much I went through and never stopped thinking about you. Please give me advice Vex, I am lost. So so lost." 

Vex lowers his head over his shoulder, hugging him back. 

Ash keeps his arms around his smokey mane, stroking his soft fur: "What do I do? Everyone relies on me to be strong an-and I feel like I keep on failing them. You were my anchor, I had no idea what to do once you left me alone in this cruel world. I just want to hide, I am scared of losing."

Vex lets out a small purr: "I'm sorry master, I am sorry I left you alone. I am sorry for not guiding you enough. I am sorry for not being there enough. I am sorry for not protecting you enough. I am sorry."

A wave of blue light smoked out of Ash's eyes, and ice started forming around the two of them causing Vex pain, he did nothing to stop it, he took it for his master, taking it as punishment for abandoning him in his darkest times. The ice spread up his legs, solidifying his form. Vex did nothing, nothing would bring greater dishonor than moving away from his master's hug.

Ash snuffled, hugging him for what seemed like days: "Please don't say that. I took you for granted. I am a bad master."

Vex: "You were never a bad master, you cared too much to give yourself a break. People make mistakes."

Ash dug his face into his mane: "You were the only one to say I was a person, just a human."

Ash's eyes returned to their normal state, and the heat melted away the ice quickly: "Master, never give up on your friends, I know they will never give up on you."

He slowly let go of Vex, patting him on the nose: "Thank you bud, I love you."

Vex rubbed his head against Ash's chest: "I love you too."

Vex lifted up his head, staring at little Vex who was gazing at them: "So daughter, how do you feel about Ash being your master."

She waddled to his paws, looking straight up at the ghastly lion not holding any ounce of fear: "He is my master who I will die for as many times as it takes to make him happy."

Vex lets out a roar: "Good! Then you are worthy of my power child."

Vex lays down, bopping the little Vex on the nose. 

Vex: "Goodbye master, I am always here for you."

Vex's body seeps into the little cub, she stretches out, and her claws pop out. Smoke covers the area pushing Ash back, she disappears in the black smoke. A roar comes from the smoke as white light starts sparking giving little glimpses as she grows and grows. A flash overtakes the smoke blinding them all. Ash turns back to see Vex, her body a solid white. Her tail swung around the white fire along with her paws, the tips of her ears had the white fire burning from them. She is a full-grown lioness. 

She stretched out, her massive claws came out: "Thanks father, I will repay your debt by taking care of our master"

Longwei sat in silence, he respected them: "I know what it feels to have a loved one taken away, I am truly sorry I was the one who took yours away."

He lowers his head, as a sign of submitting: "If it will bring you joy, you may end my life here."

Ash wipes the tears rolling down his cheek: "No, it's fine. I need you protecting this place."

Longwei sits up: "If that is your will, I will obey. You may pass Ash and friends."

Ash gives a warming smile to Vex: "You are exactly like your father."

Vex's voice grew smoother, almost royalty sounding, but her words were the contrary: "Hey master look! I am AWESOME~!"

The fire burst out sending a wave of heat through the cave: "You were always cool."

Longwei moved out of the way: "Come on Lora, you didn't think I have forgotten about you."

She flutters to him: "No, I know how selfless you are. You would have never stopped for anything for your friends."

The three stand at the grand doors: "This is it, the other side, you go first Lora. Go have fun."

Lora: "Thanks Ash, I will repay you someday I promise."

Ash: "I know."

She goes through the white door, looking back before completely going through. A long silence filled the air. 

Ash goes for the door: "Let's go Vex, it's time to see them again."

Vex shrinks down to her normal size: "Alright sir!"

With a heavy heave, Ash pushes through the liquid portal slowly sinking into it until completely eaten.

Longwei: "Good luck."

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

Ash: "*Haaahaa* It hurts."

He winces, the blades of destruction are still stuck in his body, and blood comes up, coughing it out.

Sin rushed to his aid, his voice rough as steel: "Master. Sit up."

Ash is wheezing loudly, each breath more painful than the last. His eyes getting harder to keep up, swaying back and forth as shivers run down his spine. 

Unable to get a clear picture of where he is, it is dark and freezing, and the floor is marble etched patterns on it. A throne fit for a dark one is seated at the end of the room. He laid on a bed of pure soft clouds, feeling like laying on the heavens. A lich encased in black steel looking down at him through small slits of his helmet. Jagged metal points out from his knees and shoulders giving a dangerous look. The edges of his armor turned white from wear and tear. Blue fire emanated from the slits giving a soul-staring feel to them.

Ash: "*Coughing* Sin, is that you."

Sin holds him by the hand kneeling beside him: "Yes sir, I am here."

Ash tried his hardest to get the information before dying once more: "Where-where are my friends."

Sin looked him dead in the eye: "They should be taken care of. Fair punishment for failing you."

Ash gripped Sin's shoulder guard, speaking in a raspy voice: "What! Sin what did you do!"

Ash fell back, tensing up as sweat raced down his forehead. 

Ash: "You, ne-need to stop-"

A silent gasp as his eyelids start to fall. He has died once again, in his pupil's arms.

Sin laid him down gently, standing, his hands stained with his blood as he started to shake, huffing audibly. White smoke blew out with every huff, staring at his hands. A metal screech sounds through his mansion as he roars out his sorrows, flames of blue flocked out of his neck plate flowing down his back, a cape. Kneeling before his king, his head bowed honoring him.

Metal clashed with his deep voice: "Phantom, summon the five deaths."

A nod from phantom before turning into smoke and seeping away through the hall. Sin kneeled quietly, hoping his king will come back to him.

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

The crew arrived at the Thunderous Kingdom battered and defeated, tired beyond compare. Everyone hits the shower and tries to wash off the taste of defeat just to feel gloomy from the lack of leads. But their failure only emboldens them to try harder. Jax tries his eye to see into the future only to see nothing, blank. 

Jax in the war room stresses: "What does that mean?! Do I die! *Pacing back and forth* Or does that mean Sin has a magic artifact, hell that must mean he had to take down the fates for that type of item!"

The women talk around the round table of the library looking for books that can track down Sin: "How many books have you gathered on Sin."

Sophia plopped down a stack of books on the table: "Six books Astrid, all labeled Five Deaths and their master."

Astrid turns to Isabel: "Good, what about you Isa, did they say of a location of an elder lich lives."

Isabel shakes her head: "It doesn't say besides one, but it's very cryptic to the point that it looks like a garbled mess."

Astrid: "Try your best to decipher it, Sam?"

Sam answers while feeding her baby: "Yes Astrid?"

Astrid goes with a softer approach: "Do you have any clue where Sin went after the faked death of Ash."

Sam nuzzled with her pride and joy: "Who is the next queen, oh you are!"

The baby giggles: "Sin was a lowly peon that blended within our ranks. The only reason I knew his name was because Ash mentioned it to me saying something like 'I and my new student are going to check out this mystical forest' and he looked adamant about his student. So I asked what his name was and he told me with a smile."

Astrid gives a reassuring smile: "Thanks Sam, I promise to bring back her father."

Sam lets a smile tug at the corners of her lips. 

Astrid moves her focus onto Sarah: "Okay Sarah, I need you to-"

Sarah already working on it: "Here is the list of mystical forests around the kingdom. But if I might add, I heard of a protector of the forest in the forest of Bloom. She was said to be connected to all forest."

Astrid: "Thank you Sarah that can be a great lead."

King on the other hand sits on the palace roof, weighing his options as he stargazed. A small "oof" alerts King sending him jolting upright. Cass tripped on her way getting up the palace roof. She dangled off the corner of the sculpture. King lends a hand helping her up.

Cass huffing: "Thanks."

King sits back down: "You're welcome."

Cass stands, looking over the beautifully lit kingdom, the sounds of haggling, cheering, and just plain happiness rings in Cass's ears.

Cass sits beside King: "So why are you up here."

King hums: "Was about to say the same thing."

They sit in the noise of the city, Cass says why she is up there: "It sounds nice to hear all of my people happy and content with their lives, it brings me joy just knowing I'm doing something right."

A hint of power quakes within her, King glances from the corner of his eye, his hands behind his head: "It don't matter how many happy people there are, there is always someone there to mess it up. Like me."

King raises a hand in the air: "At least I can atone for my sins, color blast level four."

A small orb of magic shot into the sky, about the size of a flare as it reached new heights. A small spark came from the magic ball and then vanished. 

King: "Wait for it."

A loud crack opens the sky wide, and a ray of red balls of light layers the sky. Every inch of the sky is covered in red, a awe comes from the city as everyone pauses to look and watch the beautiful lights. Cass is starstruck by the sight, her eyes reflecting the marvel in the sky. King left, hopping down to go to sleep.

 

 

 

 

Ash awakens in a bed, his body covered in sweat and his blindfold taken off. It lays on a chair across the room hanging off it. Ash tries to move but gets caught by shackles and a spell casted on his body. Trying his hardest to get free to no avail. The door opens, Hera stands in the doorframe growing a smile. 

Hera gave the best glad expression: "Oh good you are awake!"

Her golden toga wrapped around her tightly capturing her beauty in every way imaginable. Her hair was braided from the sides to the back of her head into a bun. To top it all off, a crown sat gently on her head. 

Hera cleaned his head with a rag: "You were out for what seemed like days in this accursed place."

Ash calmed down only for a little: "Where is my familiar?! Is she alright!"

Hera washes his body: "Yes she is fine. She is sleeping in the other room."

She pays no mind to his struggle as she slowly cleans the sweat off of him, Ash's eyes are not activated giving a calming feeling.

Ash: "Why are you here Hera, and why am I in chains."

Hera hums a song: "I am here to help you and for the chains, well."

She tilts her head towards a burnt piece of the room: "Your spells activated while you slept."

Hera got more touchy with cleaning Ash: "You know you have a nice body."

Ash cuts to the chase: "What do you want Hera."

She puts the rag back into the bowl on the dresser and leans into Ash's ear: "You."

Ash sighs: "No, I am taken, but you already knew that didn't you."

Hera boops him on the nose: "Correct! That is why I'll have to persuade you."

Ash rolls his eyes: "Please Hera, don't do this, it won't end well for you."

Hera asks: "And why is that?"

Ash looks her dead in the eye: "Because anything you do to me, I will find a way out of and once I'm free, not even Olympus will be free from my wraith."

Hera gets a chill of enjoyment: "Oh that look in your eye. No wonder why those two women fight over, the thing is, I have experience over them."

Ash huffs: "Don't you dare talk about them!"

He rustles the chains reaching for her, prompting her to jolt back and laugh.

Hera: "Oh I touched a nerve!"

Hera traced his abs: "See I know something you don't *She comes close whispering in his ear*."

Ash blew up, incandescent beyond anything, Hera gets up and leaves the room wearing a wicked smile: "I"LL KILL YOU! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER YOU HEAR ME! HERA!!"

Ash fumbles in the bed shaking violently, rubbing his wrists red against the shackles. A red spark flings out of his eyes as he is thrashing on the bed. 

Ash yells out: "VEX! VEX I NEED YOU!"

A rumble shakes the mansion, busting down the wall across from him a massive lion stands.

Vex worried: "Master what happened!"

Ash: "Quick break me out of here!"

Vex swipes at the chains, disrupting the spell and giving Ash his strength back. Ash rips the chains out of the wall leaving his blindfold and the upper half of his clothes. Exploding the wall with the window to the outside he spots Hera opening a portal. Ash completely vanished in a blink of an eye zipping to her but just short as the portal collapses behind her. Ash breathes hard through his nose, his muscles moving with his breathing. Vex lands beside him dropping his blindfold and clothes. 

His eyes flicker to life, he squeezes his eyes closed as Vex hands the blindfold with her mouth. 

Ash: "Thanks Vex."

She nods: "It is time we come up with a plan."

Ash nods his head in silence. 

Putting on his clothes and walking inside to no one there.

Ash: "Persephone must be visiting Olympus today."

Ash turns his head: "Hey Vex, fine me the boy."

She vanishes in a flash, returning in three seconds. She drops him as he vomits on the floor at speeds he would never think possible.

Ash talks to the boy without looking at him: "You will be learning under me."

Ash's eyes spark again: "Levina."

She burst down upon the mansion: "I'm here master."

Ash sighs out: "You and Vex go find me demon hearts, at all costs."

Both: "Understood master."

The two leave an afterimage behind as they already doing their task. 

Ash kneels beside him: "Got it all out. Good. You will be learning spells that you wouldn't believe imaginable. Prepare yourself."

Ash heads up the stairs leaving him to prepare himself for the deadly training he is about to be put through.