"HEY BARON AND MARX, WHO GAVE YOU GUYS THE TITLE AS CAPTAIN!"
Ahh, quit nagging y'all, you know that Marx and I are the most capable. I mean, have you guys ever fought a demon?
There was no response among the crowd of bounders.
That's what I thought all of combined have never even felt the pain of what it's like to come face to face with the devil, having it eat at your own soul.
"UGHHH don't overplay your experiences, Baron, from what we've heard, you were on the conquest against the devil of sight, but instead of battling with it, you and Marx stood in the back line, cowardly, staying safe."
Laughs could be heard from the crowd as each person made remarks about the two in front.
Yah yah just laugh it all up, let's see if you keep that attitude when we reach the Guild, speaking of it, heads up we're getting close.
The laughter dissipated as the air around the group began to feel heavy and still. As they walked, creeping closer to the Guild's front entrance, their joints and bones began to stiffen as if aging rapidly.
"My body is killing me, I feel like I'm an old man or something."
I know it must be the effects of the devil's prolonged exposure to humans, we need to get in there quickly and take that thing out, or else next Time we're this close, we'll be no more than dust.
Taking a deep breath, Baron and Marx led the crowd to the front entrance, now facing face to face with the large oak doors.
A muffled noise could be heard outside as the bounders' party listened fruitfully.
"TICK TOCK TICK ERKKK, SLICE AGHH"
Holy, what could possibly be causing all those noises, not to mention the smell?
A foul smell also crept out of the doors. The smell was similar to dried blood or maybe rotten meat. Bracing themselves, Baron and Marxist touched the doors and pushed.
HUMPH *CREEEK*
"GASP"
Opening the large doors, what stood before the party was a sight. It looked like thousands of bodies were piled up onto the floor, and LD spread all throughout the room, coating it. It was so foul that a few of the parties' highly experienced bounders became sick.
"GAUGH ACHH"
My God, what is this place? This is no battle, it's a massacre.
*RAHH*
The parties' attention was drawn to where that battle cry came from, and they were shocked to see that it was Thadius Siprel, the warlord, in battle with what looked to be followers. Examining the scene closer, the men could tell that the thousands of bodies piled up were all Thadius's.
Not stepping forward, the party simply watched as Thadius fought to the pile of his own bodies. As they watched slowly, Thadius's movements became sluggish until he was killed, and then seemingly reborn without remembering what had just occurred.
"Tick ERCKK"
"Baron, what's that noise? It sounds like a clock. Where's the devil that's supposed to be here?"
I don't know Marx, and I can't see it either, but there's something foul here, something unholy; it's pure malice.
Suddenly, right after the clock noise, a sound that echoed throughout the Guild, almost rupturing the party's eardrums, rang.
"AHHHH "
Almost all of the parties' knees gave out, from the sheer vibration of said noise, on the ground, they all began to wail around in pain, covering their ears, screaming the words.
"MAKE IT STOP!"
After about 4 minutes of this agony continuing, Baron and Marxist, the ones most capable in the battle with a devil, knew what they must do.
*BLAH SPR SPR*
The two had unsheathed the daggers they kept on their person, sticking them into the base of their ears, rupturing their own drums to silence the noise.
Taking a second to recoup, the two stood up, barely able to hear. They could still hear the ticking of the clock and the faint echoes of the noise, and there was no escape.
MARX, WHAT WAS THAT?
"I THINK IT WAS A BLOB OR SOMETHING I SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE GOOP SHOOTING IN THE AIR AND THEN THAT NOISE CAME."
GOOP?
Looking back at the Guild on the top floor, Baron could see what looked like a black blob, his eyes still shaking from the noise. Baron couldn't get a good look at the thing. Then it shot again.
"DINK"
AHHHH
The noise had returned, and with it, the majority of the party had passed out from the pain or had died. No matter what, it seemed this would have been the bounders' faithful end.
-SOUND-
How long has it been, how many years, how many bodies has Thadius piled? He seems so oblivious to the loop. No matter whether I tell him or I don't, the same thing occurs: he's killed and I'm reset.
I've gotten 4 hits on him after all this Time. I need help, I'm missing something, but what?
I wonder how Aoto's doing, look at me caring about my host, what a pain this devil is.
Sound's sense of Time had changed drastically for him. Years had gone by while everyone else was just watching the beginning of the battle start and being repeated, and even the devils were afraid.
AGHHHH
"Creek"
Oh? Have my prayers been answered? How kind of you, God.
The Bounders party had entered the Frey, but they had not yet been added to the loop, leaving them as the only ones who could make a change.
As the loop repeated, Sound could see that only a handful still stood while the others had seemingly been either killed or put out of commission from his clash with Time.
Let's see if I can distract this thing from myself.
Sound began his routine, rewinding his lungs, making his hands forceful, and leapt, but this Time slipping through its insectoid arms and straight towards the party's feet.
I would like a little help.