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In the Swamp, No One Can Hear You Cry [Closed][M]

Started by Fukurou, August 10, 2016, 05:47:06 PM

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Fukurou

((OOC: M for gore))

The sound of footsteps echoed throughout the tiny tree house as the dim morning light streamed through the window. A small figure wrapped in blankets huddled on a cot in the corner of the room, breathing heavily as they slept. The door creaked open and a childish, ashen-gray head with stubby little horns poked into the room, bearing devious smile as his electric blue eyes landed on the sleeping figure. He tiptoed over to the cot and lowered his stance, raising his arms in a claw-like manner as he readied himself for an attack. As he lept into the air, he let out a grand roar and landed on top of the snoozing X'zyri boy.

"Wake up Rylzyr!" He shouted, pulling the covers off of the sleeping boy's head and ruffling his wavy, snow-white hair. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

The sleeping boy grumbled and opened his groggy ruby eyes, shielding the dim daylight with an arm. "Ugh... what time is it?"

"Already past morning! Everyone's already up, sleepy-head!" The boy with messy, silver hair crossed his arms as he sat on top of the other boy. "We gotta get goin'." He hopped out of the bed and scrambled to the the door. "Zaryn's already down by the bog," he said as he waited at the doorway.

"What for?" The young Rylzyr sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing the back of his neck as he yawned. "Where are we going?"

"I dunno. Just get dressed already!"

Rylzyr heaved himself off of the cot and crossed the room. He dressed himself in a plain tunic and
burlap pants that hung loosely over his frail body. He turned to the larger X'zyri boy and gave him a small nod while rubbing his sleepy eyes. The two of them made their way out of the house and crossed the docks. The old, rotting wood squeaked under their feet with every step they took and the smell of the bog wafted up from inky swamp below them. At the end of the doc stood another boy, his features hidden behind a thin layer of wispy fog. As they neared him, the fog receded, revealing a crooked smile and glistening electric blue eyes. He looked nearly identical to the other boy, save for his two missing front teeth.

"Oh hey," he said with his hands on his hips and mischief in his eyes. "You actually got Sleepy Head to join us, S'zardir. I'm impressed!"

S'zardir let out a chuckle and pointed a thumb at Rylzyr. "Wasn't that hard, Zaryn. Anyway, I'm ready!"

"Wait..." Rylzyr said as he nervously rubbed the skin around his stumpy horns. "Where are we going?"

"On an adventure!" Zaryn threw his hands in the air as he turned to walk towards the very edge of the dock. He jumped up to grab a loosely hanging vine and tugged on it a couple of times to make sure it would hold.

"I... don't know if that's a good idea..."

"Oh, don't be such a scaredy-'zyri!" Zaryn turned his head and gave his cousin a teasing smile. "Besides, some adventure should do you good! Plus, S'zar and I will be here to save you." He winked at his cousin before scaling the vine.

S'zardir nudged Rylzyr and said, "you go on before me. That way, if you fall I can catch ya!"

With a heavy sigh, Rylzyr following his cousin up the vine with S'zardir close behind. He reached up to grab a hold of the massive branch and pulled himself up, legs quivering as he he did his best to find his center of balance.

"Oh hey," Zaryn said, leaning against the the tree's mossy trunk. "You survived! Just, uh..." the young boy's eyes flicked down and back up to his cousin. "Don't look down."
With that being said, Rylzyr's eyes wandered from Zaryn to the scenery below. His stomach twisted into knots as he felt the world swirl around him. The planks sat atop the inky green surface of the swamp, supporting the tiny little ant people walking to and fro. The normally massive white mushrooms that grew from the side of the towering trees now appeared to be small enough to fit into the palm of his hands.

"Hey," S'zardir placed a hand on Rylzyr's shoulder, a warm yet cheeky smile decorating his face. "He said not to look down. 'Cmon, we don't got all day."

Rylzyr's posture deflated as he followed his cousins deeper into the swamplands. As they ventured farther out, the foliage grew thicker, veiling the sky in a dark green blanket of moss and leaves, letting very little light into the surrounding area. Massive dragonflies zig-zagged between the vibrant purple flowers, filling the air with a warm humming noise as their grand wings fluttered. Eventually, the trees separated around a giant mound of gray rocks. The three boys scrambled to the top of the mound, sending small pebbles tumbling down into the waters below. S'zardir picked a stick off from the ground and held it out in front of him, striking a valiant pose.

"Behold," S'zardir bellowed. "The great S'zardir! Captain of the guard."

"Psh!" Zaryn scooped up a stick of his own and brandished it at his twin. "Captain of the guard? More like latrine scrubber!"

"Whaddya say to me, sum?"

"I said that you're nothin but a washed up rravarzyn!"

"Why you--!"

S'zardir dove at his brother, slashing at his chest with the stick. Zaryn parried the attack and moved in closer for a jab in the ribs. Laughing, the two brothers continued their sword fight as Rylzyr watched on the sidelines, twiddling his thumbs nervously.

"Hey Ry," Zaryn shouted as he sidestepped an attack from S'zardir. "Don't be a buzzkill. Join us!"
Rylzyr inched towards his cousins, stepping tentatively on the rocks. A pit in his stomach formed as he felt the ground shift under his weight. He paused and looked at his cousins with panic in his wide, ruby eyes. "W-wait!"

"What's with the look," S'zardir asked as he turned to his cousin. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

"Whatever you do," Rylzyr said with panic cracking his voice. "Don't mo--"

"Kyaaa!" Zaryn pounced on his brother, sending them both to the ground. The rocks beneath them rumbled and caved in, sending all three of the boys plummeting down the into the dark pit. Rylzyr felt his ribs crack as he hit surface after surface on his way to the bottom of the chasm. He landed on the crunchy surface, body broken and head pounding. Every breath he took sent sharp pain shooting throughout his body as he laid motionless on a surface of bones and muck.
A pitiful cry rang out from the darkness of the cavern. "I... I can't feel my legs! Zaryn! Rylzyr! H-help!"

"S'zardir! S'zardir!" Zaryn's panicked voice sounded not far from where Rylzyr was lying. "I'm right here! I'm ri--" His voice cut out as he let out a soft cry.

Rylzyr looked up to see the two twins sitting face to face. S'zardir's legs bent in all directions as he held on to his brother. Zaryn's face twisted into a look of absolute horror as he gaped up into the dark distance. Rylzyr followed Zaryn's gaze. Looming in the darkness of the cavern crouched a colossus spider, it's eight beady eyes sizing up its prey as its silver, blade-like legs clicked against the floor of the nest. As the spider drew closer, Rylzyr and Zaryn sat frozen in terror, unable to move.

"W-what's wrong?" S'zardir pleaded as he watched his twin's face. "Zaryn, what's wro--" The boy gurgled as the spider's blade-like leg skewered him through the stomach. A blood-curdling scream escaped from Zaryn's lips as he witnessed the life fade from his brother's wide eyes. Rylzyr crawled up to his cousin's side, grimacing as he felt his ribs poke into his fleshy body. He held onto his his hysterical cousin, trying all he can to force Zaryn to back away, but he wouldn't budge. The spider flung S'zardir's dying body towards the back of of the hallway. Little black spiders spilled out from the crevices of the stones and crawled all over the boys, wrapping S'zardir's motionless body in their sticky silk.  As the behemoth spider raised its bloody leg to skewer their next victim, Rylzyr instinctively raised his hand above his head, releasing a flash of white light that sent all of the tiny spiders scrambling back into the crevices of the rocks. From the blinding white light, a great, misty fox sprang forth. Her nine tails lashed about ferociously and blue fire spilled from her mouth as she attacked the shrieking spider.

"Zaryn!" Rylzyr tugged on his cousin's shoulder, crying out to him desperately. "Zaryn we need to go!"

"S-S'zardir! S'zardir no!" His cousin remained frozen in place, howling uncontrollably at the scene in front of him.

With tears streaming down his his face, Rylzyr shook his cousin. "Zaryn please! We need to go!"
The two of them heaved themselves off of the ground and limped across the cavern. The scent of fire and the sound of shrieking filled their senses as they made their way to the light in the distance. Rylzyr held his side and he leaned against his cousin, feeling his bones and insides twist in protest as they inched their way out and into the dim light of the swamp. The two of them crumbled at the edge of the swamp water, holding each other in a tight grip as they shook in fear and pain. Rylzyr's heavy eyelids drooped as the throbbing pain in his head muffled the sound of Zaryn's wailing. His vision was slowly swallowed by darkness as he drifted off into unconsciousness.

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