Don't Let Them Catch You

40• Purpose

{Authors note: Apologies, I published this chapter too soon forgetting to include something super important. Even if you think you've already read this, read it again 🤍}

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Once she was able to see beyond his wings, Aura understood the rage simmering behind his silver gaze. Yet— her resolve didn't crumble. Her stomach dropped, if that were worth noting... and she couldn't help but wonder vaguely if she stood a chance at making it out alive. Perhaps her epiphany had made her suicidal due to the simple fact that she was presented with an impossible enemy and it didn't make her hands tremble.

The world of hell was shrouded in a certain type of mystery where one was only taught enough to survive a face off against most of its children. However... there were beasts briefly mentioned with little to no information about them except for their appearance— noted in passing— and sometimes —if they had one— a job occupation.

Ironic isn't it.

And still... knowing all of this there was no denying what stood before them.

Fur so dark It absorbed colour, almost meticulously groomed, covered the body of the seven foot tall beast.... Saliva hung from the lips of three dark snouts like ropes of goo. Red beady eyes burned as bright as what she imagined the very pits of hell. The sight alone was enough to make even seasoned warriors shake with undiluted fear. Each of those six eyes seemed to stare straight through to her core as though seeing the very essence of her soul. Three heads on a single body, attached at the shoulders.

With every detail she picked up her heart sank to her ass.

Hellhound.

Hell's sentry had come to pay them a visit.

Dark leathery lips on the middle head pulled back into a tight grin, and it emphasised the largest canines Aura had ever seen—each one about the length of her forearm. Intrusive thoughts pushed the image of those teeth tearing her in two with a single bite.

She almost shivered.

It hummed. A smug, cynical sound as it continued to eye her.

Amos bristled beside her. His tongue forked and eyes darkened to obsidian.

"None of that now brother... I'm just here to talk." It spoke with a crispy clear accent.

The canine stretched on its haunches and yawned. "I've had a terribly long journey, pardon me."

It were as though it were trying to ease her with acts that seemed terribly mundane.

"What do you want." She bit, fighting her nerves.

Three pairs of eyes watched her lazily... she didn't stop the shivers that crawled up her body this time.

A paw inched forward. In response the swoosh of a drawn sword rung through her ears. Amos had reclined his sword arm in position to strike, his eyes promising violence.

Each head of the three headed dog seeming to have a mind of its own and reacted differently to the weapon. One was amused, one was sombre, the middle was unfazed. It was the middle that continued to address him, "I am not here for you."

Then it turned its beady attention to Aura.

Suddenly, there was an intruder in her mind.

It felt as though a pair of hands had yanked her consciousness when a voice whispered, You're a difficult one aren't you?

~

The world went dark.

A type of dark that made you instinctively strain your eyes to catch whispers of light but to no avail. The type that made you feel blind and panicked, that would have her heart racing had she not been trained to fight without sight.