Panic! IV

The wind shifted his arrows dramatically, a tornado effect was in warning. Undyingsoul moved around La Thiene Plateau without a care in his mind. He was interested in one thing and one thing only, relieving pent up aggression, Go’Bhu was driving him mad. Everywhere he went he felt the Quaduv near him, just waiting to pounce when he wasn’t suspecting. His nerves were shook and he was on the borderline of hysterics. He enjoyed one hitting any creature that came across his path with his bow, sort of how Go’Bhu had one hit killed him, he thanks Altana that his wife was a White Mage, a medic as he called her. Giving the rules, if you are defeated for more than sixty minutes you die. She always managed to revive him before the reaper came, dressed in his black cloak and slick ivory sickle. Soul has had talks with him before, when his timer reached five minutes before death the reaper appeared. It was always the same, it seemed like he want Soul’s soul for good. He kept telling him your wife won’t always rescue you, but he had other options. He would take a raise from Tone when he jumped on Red Mage before he let himself slip into the reaper’s palms. But it was odd, the day Go’Bhu attacked, Soul saw the reaper. Standing overtop of him, counting down. “Fifty minutes Undyingsoul.” The reaper had spoke. He swore he heard him cursed when his wife brought him back to life. Soul has had to have been defeated two thousand times since he set off for his adventure with his wife, but every time he got himself a raise and it angered the reaper. He pushed it out of his mind, he felt that one person wanted him dead, and the other wanted his soul. He felt like a bright red bulls-eye was painted on his Hunter’s Jerkin. “Come get me.” He said as his arrow split a vulture in half. With the wind blowing into his face, he looked past the trees as the sun began to set. Sooner it would become dark, and then he knew his nightmares will come. Last night Volarion disappeared, and the night before that Bigby vanished without a trance. Every other linkshell member was okay, except for the ones who defeated Go’Bhu. He had even quit smoking since he killed the Quaduv, he figured he doesn’t need to be under the influence and that would just add to his paranoia. He felt deep inside of his mind that Go’Bhu was behind his friends’ disappearances, Chell had told him how she saw his last move, reaching to grab his sword, and he was not dead. With that he had made sure Chell had stayed close to someone at all times, and to never walk alone, ever. Night has made his into La Theine, and Soul was heading for home. He had let up all his rage and was deciding to return for the night, before the winds blow him into Valkurm Dunes. He stayed along the path, that way he knew for certain he wouldn’t get lost. It had grown darker than he suspected, he couldn’t tell where it is he was going. Stumbling past Orcs, he reached a sign in the road and decided now would be best to take a breather, he had been hiking for twenty minutes and his feet grew weary.

“Come to me.” A voice had cried out, Soul looked and said “Nah, Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass.” Go’Bhu appeared, coming from behind the tree which he hid, he followed Soul all day, waiting on the right time to strike fear. Soul jumped to his feet and took aim with his bow. Go’Bhu roared and Soul found himself petrified. “Bring me Chell.” Go’Bhu called to him, “And I shall set you free.” “Fuck off.” Go’Bhu stood in front of Soul, his eyes peering through him, he showed no sign of fear in his heart. “You humans always are so difficult.” The NM snarled. Soul smelt the foul breath, his nose burned. He gagged on the inside but his face remained set in stone. “Enough games.” He told Soul. “Bastok Mines.” Go’Bhu called. “Falkinn’s Moghouse.” He added. “That is where she is.” He told Soul, he pushed him over and he fell flat on his back like a rock. “Time for blood.” He said as he left. Go’Bhu walked along to path to Valkurm Dunes, his next destination was the highlands and then the area of Gustaberg, and then after that, he will have what it was he was looking for. When Soul finally became able to move again, he raced as fast as he could towards the Dunes. His feet moved as fast a chocobo’s and he had to stop the NM, or distract it, his wife was in danger. “Soul.” A voice cried out to him. He turned his head and had his feet steady running, he wasn’t sure if he was just hearing voices. “Undy.” He stopped when he heard that name, only three people called him Undy. He stopped and scanned the area, and then he saw them. Big and Vol dashed towards him. “Where are you going?” Big had asked, catching his breath, his little Taru body was not meant for running. “That fucking bastard is going after Chell, he knows where she is.” Soul explained to them. “I’m going to try and cut him off.” They gasped, “We have to stop him.” Vol cried, as Big raised his dagger in unison. Soul smiled, it was good to see them again. “Let’s go.” He said as he began to take off, Big nodded to Vol who shook his head. As Soul began to take off, running at full speed again with Vol and Big behind him, his mind thought about his wife’s safety. He would blow up Zi’Tah if Go’Bhu harmed her. His thoughts were cut down as he felt a stinging sensation in his ankle. He fell to the ground and clutched it with his hand, blood spewing from the wound. Volarion wiped the blood off of his blade, he stared down at Soul. “Vol what the fuck…” he began before Volarion hacked at his other leg. “You… aren’t going anywhere.” He told him, he sensed something was wrong with him. Vol’s eyes turned a shade of red and Soul freaked out, before he knew it. Bigby tied his wrist behind his back, cutting his arms with his dagger. “Go’Bhu wants Chell… we obey Go’Bhu.” Big said in a trancelike voice, his eyes slighty red also. Before Soul knew it, they had him on their back, tied up and cuffed, then they vanished and took him with them. Chell had jumped out of her seat, her and Fal were enjoying a card game when she heard a loud bang on the other of the door. Fal sharpened her Kard before she even thought to open it, it was just one loud bang, not a noise followed after it. Fal put her ear to the door, trying to listen and see what it was, Chell had took her place in the corner, not breathing, she knew he was coming for her. Falkinn pressed her ear to the door, listening for a sound, a footstep, anything. She had a great hearing her being Mithran. As time passed she didn’t hear anything, not a breath on the other side of the door.

Dread clutched her heart and she can’t explain why she did what she did, but she glad she did. An inner alarm rung off inside of her and she pulled her head away from the door and rolled on the ground, just as the Great Sword came crashing through it, splintering the wood and left wood chips in her hair. Chell mustered a prayer, praying this was nightmare. Falkinns heartbeat thumped so hard she almost had a seizure. She peered over at Chell from her spot on the ground, Chell nodded she was okay, and Fal remained in her postion, waiting. A minute passed and nothing happened, the sword still jammed in the door. She pulled herself up, sighed and nodded to Chell to be ready to teleport them out of her if needed. Slowly, she put her hand on the handle, turned it, and opened the door. She jumped behind it as she opened it full tilt, waiting for whoever it was to appear and try to assault her. Nothing happened and Chell nodded to her that wasn’t anyone outside the door. Chell sighed, she recognized the sword. Fal removed it and read the note attached to it, she stared at it confused. “Who is Go’Bhu?” she asked her. Chell felt a piece of her die inside hearing the name. That’s when she told Fal the story, this was the first time anyone outside of the group heard about it, with the note clutched in her hand Fal fell to her bed. “Shit.” She swore. “Can you call a GM for a NM stalking you?” she tried to make Chell laugh to no avail. Chell grabbed the letter from her hand, she sat next to her on the bed, and she let her tears come full force as she read the nasty letter. I await your return Xchelly, you have something that I want, and I have something you want. Seeing as how you didn’t want to surrender yourself peacefully I have taken the liberty to gather your friends. Bigby, Volarion and most importantly your husband will die if you do not make your return. You have two hours to come into the Sanctuary of Zi’tah. Starting now, within the first hour if you don’t show up, your friends’ blood will soak the earth. You’re smart so you know they have a sixty minute timer, and that’s where your second hour ends. So if they died, they died on your hands because you failed to raise them. I hope you make the right decision, seeing as how Undyingsoul is the love of your life, you can either face your fear or go on the rest of your life without him. I have won Xchelly, you have no choice. The bleeding will start in an hour, I hope to see you soon. And note that if anyone else attempts to rescue them than you will have a higher body count on your hands.

Go’Bhu Bhascon