giftrophytrophyKaivasita: Sons of Heaven 〖Chapter 15: "A fragile tomorrow"〗To say Ellie was feeling miserable would’ve been an understatement. It’d been hours, maybe more, and they weren’t any closer to leaving ingestion then when Albin contacted them.There was no rhyme or reason to the tunnels, and seemingly no exit either. Every time they thought they’d found a safe path downwards, or even just somewhere they could rest without fear of being eaten alive by their surroundings, they’d be proven wrong. The spot they’d found only moments ago- a partially destroyed bunker of sorts, seemed to be the only exception.She knew Hell would be bad, of course it’d be. But she never could’ve expected something quite this bad. The first few layers were manageable, but now she was convinced this entire place had to be alive somehow from just how brutal it’d gotten. Were they really in Hell, or had they just willingly walked into the mouth of something horrific?She wished desperately they could just go home already, but Ryan still persisted. She wished she could understand his sudden bravery, even this much was odd coming from him. She hated the idea of leaving Albin just as much as he did, but putting their own lives in danger as well was just not the answer. She was certain she would’ve went back home with Valerie if only she knew what she was in for.She glanced back over at Ryan, who was leaning against a wall on the other side of the room near the door, still refusing to look at her. Maybe, just maybe, this would’ve been at least tolerable if only he bothered to listen to her.Though, part of her had to be used to this by now. Lately had only been an exception to how her siblings usually treated her- it was oddly refreshing seeing their true colours again, as bitter as it felt. She shouldn’t of gotten her hopes up.Knowing exactly what would happen if she tried to talk to him, she started up a conversation with Raija instead. “So, when are Kyrie and Eleison going to be back?”“They’re still scoutin’ out the path ahead, so I’m unsure. I’d check, but I’m as blind as you two in a place complex as this.”She leaned back against the wall, and felt the thin sheet of aluminum it was made of lightly crumple behind her. How was this place still standing? “I hope they’re back soon, the smell of this place is making me sick...”Silence passed, or, rather, silence amongst the group as they waited for the two angels to return. The layer was anything but silent, being filled with the constant sounds of digestion, and the very occasional sound of something alive.And sometimes, whatever was alive, was crying out in pain, only to be silenced mere moments later.There was no question of what was causing it. Several times by now, she’d almost experienced it first hand. The entire layer was like a living, breathing organism without a purpose, and if you found yourself in the wrong spot, you’d be it’s next meal.She was thankful that Kyrie and Eleison had been down here hundreds of times before, and knew what to watch out for. If it wasn’t for them, she was sure she’d be dead by now.Speaking of, here they were now.Kyrie wiped blood from his face as he walked through the rusted door. It was pure, deep red with a golden tint, not purple and glittery, so it wasn’t his- not that his blood was actually blood, anyways.He looked exhausted, but far from hurt- Eleison looking similar. He shook the blood out of his wings, then stretched them. As he did, she could faintly see purple inside of them, underneath the ‘feathers’. Raija said something about their wings actually being membranous, and their feathers being part of said membrane as well.Ellie had always remembered Albin’s feathers feeling soft, but oddly rubbery whenever she felt them. Was that why it felt so weird? Were his wings like that too? ...What was Albin going to turn into if the angels were like this? She’d have to figure that out later.“Did ya’ find a safe way through?” asked Raija.“As safe as it can get, anyways…” said Kyrie. “It’s a bit rough going, for the Vestians, but they should be safe if you keep an eye on them.”“Ah, that’s no problem at all.”“Better get going, then.”Kyrie began walking out the door, but Eleison remained.“Wait,” Eleison looked around. “Where’s Ryan?”Ellie felt her heart skip a beat. She scanned the room and realized that Ryan was, in fact, gone. Nobody had even noticed him leave.Raija looked for him, but with similar results. “Shoot, I dunno. I rested my eyes for a bit, he must’ve slipped away on me. Lemme see if I can locate him real quick...”She closed her eyes, and stayed still for a long moment, a sure sign that she was looking for traces of his soul nearby. Ellie watched, growing tense.“Right, so he’s…” she went quiet again. “Somewhere close- hopefully safe, I’ll lead the way.”Raija walked past Kyrie and out the door, Ellie just behind her.Kyrie groaned. “The safe way through might not be safe if we wait any longer...”Raija took on that especially threatening tone she used a few nights earlier. “Then you’ll find another safe way through, understood?”Kyrie backed up towards Eleison, who looked just as scared.“That’s what I thought. Now follow me, or else.”Kyrie and Eleison glanced at eachother, then reluctantly followed, holding each other’s hands tightly.Ellie wanted to say something, but decided not to. Raija didn’t seem fond of any angels, especially not those two, and it took a lot of convincing just to stop her from killing them. The last thing she wanted to do was potentially make the situation worse by saying the wrong thing.Everyone was quiet and tense, but especially Ellie. She’d both seen and heard what this layer was capable of, and she’d also seen what situations Ryan was capable of getting himself into.This wasn’t somewhere he could afford to make a mistake like he did with Neowise earlier. Raija could fix broken bones and heal wounds, but she couldn’t turn a mess of half digested organs and bones back into a person.Thankfully, Ryan wasn’t far off after all. As they turned a corner, they found him rummaging through some nearby ruins, looking for something.“Now what did I tell you about wanderin’ off?” said Raija.Ryan jumped, caught off guard. Instead of responding however, he went back to digging through the rubble.“We found a way forwards, let’s get goin’.”“Give me a second.” said Ryan.“We don’t have a second.”Ryan ignored her.Ellie stepped forwards. “Hold on, I’ll try and deal with him… Ryan!”Ryan continued to look for whatever he was looking for. What was he even doing, anyways?She sighed and walked up to him, giving him a light shove. “RYAN.”He looked over his shoulder and scowled at her. “What do you want?”“You know exactly what, get up, let’s go.”He went back to what he was doing. “I don’t care, this is more important.”“How is garbage more important than our little brother? Aren’t you the dumbass who thought it was good idea to come down here in the first place?”“For god’s sake-” He aggressively put something down and got up. “I saw something I can use to get Neowise’s necklace without hurting my hands.”“Are you kidding me?! You’re still trying to kill him?!”“Who else is going to do it?!”“Not us, that’s for sure! I thought the plan was leaving our universe until he left?”“We both know he’ll never leave, Ellie. Someone has to do this, or he’ll kill everyone here.”“Us being alive is more important than him being dead! Come on, lets go!” She tugged at his shirt, hoping to pull him along.Ryan dug his heels. “For fucks sake! All you do is weigh me down! Let go of me!” He pushed her.She lost her balance and fell over, landing face first into the gross, uncomfortably wet ground. She slowly got up, and wiped off her face.“And stay out of my way!”Ellie slowly stood up, and clenched her hands into fists.He crossed his arms at her. “Now what?”She took a deep breath, then swung around and punched him in the nose as hard as she could.Ryan was immediately knocked backwards. Thankfully for him, he landed against the wall, and not on the sharp pile of debris he’d been digging through.“I’m sick and fucking tired of you, you know that?” Hollered Ellie.Ryan felt his face. A steady stream of blood was coming from his nose. Did… she really hit him that hard?He tried to get up, but for some reason couldn’t.She continued. “All you’ve done since they took Albin is walk all over me and I’m sick of it! You’d think the person who was always there for him would be nicer to me during a stressful situation, you’d think how much I’ve had your back lately would’ve changed something. But no, you’re still just the same ignorant, nasty piece of shit I’ve known since we were thirteen!”He tried to get up again, this time looking noticeably angry. No doubt he was preparing to fight now.She backed up a little pre-emptively. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you these days, but you know what? I don’t think it’s my problem anymore! You’re falling apart at the seams, and I want nothing to do with it, I’m done!”“I–” He tried to get up once again, visibly struggling to. What was up with him, were his arms not working anymore?“You know what? Maybe it’s time you were the person being ignored, how about that?”Ryan began to look somewhat scared. “I… I can’t…”Whatever she was saying must’ve been working. “How would you like it if I insulted you and pushed you around and treated you like shit? How would you like it if I purposefully ignored you at every given chance?” She raised her voice. “How would you like it if I left you to die in another universe? How would you like it if I abandoned you and tried to kick you out my life?”“E-Ellie, I… It’s…” Ryan began being pulled back by something.At first, she thought it was him pushing himself away from her, or maybe just a trick of the eye. But as he was pulled back more and more, it became apparent what was really happening to him.He wasn’t just being pulled back.He was being pulled into something.And he was already halfway inside.“S-Shit!” She reached for him, her heart suddenly racing.Raija rushed over to help. “Hang in there!”Ellie grabbed his hand with both of hers, and Raija grabbed onto his arm. They pulled as hard as they could, but even the strength of a goddess simply wasn’t enough to free Ryan.Ellie felt her feet slip on the floor, and she tumbled backwards, sending Raija down with her.In only a couple of seconds, Ryan vanished.Ellie got up again as fast as she could. “RYAN!”She pried at the opening he’d been pulled into, but it was already sealing itself, being replaced by a smooth layer of newly formed flesh.Until eventually, nothing but a smooth wall remained.She punched the wall as hard as she could, then slammed herself against it- but nothing changed. Exhausted, she fell to her knees, her head in her hands. “God damnit…”Kyrie and Eleison walked over, still looking nervous around Raija.“What happened…?” Asked Eleison.Raija sighed. “Ryan got pulled into that wall.”“Oh…”Ellie sniffled, tears now running down her face. Was her last interaction with Ryan really going to be another fight…? “H-He’s gone… isn’t he…?”“I… wouldn’t say so yet.” Said Kyrie. “I-It’s not always a digestive chamber people get pulled into, it… it could be somewhere else!”“But how will we ever find him…? Raija, can you tell where he is?”Raija went quiet. “Don’t think I can. It’s already taken him too far off.”Ellie rested her face in her hands, then wiped her eyes. “C-can… we even get him back?”Kyrie hesitated. “...Maybe. All the runoff from this layer goes to a place called The Sea of Nightmares. If he’s lucky, and he doesn’t find himself being digested or torn apart before he gets there, we can find him.”“Well have to go through there anyways.” Added Eleison. “It shouldn’t be too out of our way.”Raija gritted her teeth. “If he’s hurt again…”“I-I’m sorry…”Ellie decided to step in. “We’ll just get him, then just head home, ok? Albin’s found some good people, I’m sure he can find his way out on his own by now.”“Fine.” Raija just continued walking. “Let’s just get out of here. You two lead the way.”“O-Ok!” Kyrie nodded, and began to lead Raija and the others away from the rubble.Ellie trailed behind a little, still struggling to process everything. One dumb fight might’ve just separated her and her brother forever. Could Ryan even survive on his own in a place like this? Would he be smart enough to stay out of trouble?Would she lose both her brothers to this place?She sighed, and tried her best to catch up, praying- to anyone, that both her brothers were going to be alright.