(Kathrine's P.O.V.)

"C is for corrupt, just like the people there! L is for loser, just like the people there! O is for oblivious just like the people there! C is for cool just like us going there! K is for killed just like people there!" I happily sang and made up lyrics on the spot as I skipped towards the Clock Tower. "Welcome to the Clock Tower!"
"That song just makes me not wanna go." Percy grumbled. "Seriously, are you a little kid? Either way, just shut the hell up."
"Oh c'mon! Sing along! C is for corr-" I stopped when I heard I scowl behind me. I turned with a pout to discover that the scowl came from none other than the grumpy cat.
"Dear lord, just listen to Percy." She rolled her eyes, smacking me lightly on the head with the edge of her staff.
"Owie..." I complained, shutting up. But as I did, someone hummed the song behind me. I looked back again and saw Clair winked at me. I grinned, humming along. Secret, Individual Operation: Piss Astrid and Percy the Hell Off.
"Kill me." Percy and Astrid muttered in unison.

~

Finally we reached the Clock Tower, Astrid and Percy looking exhausted after 'enduring' (I really think they were just enjoying a lot) my gorgeous song. We looked up at the gigantic structure, and found a door at the back of the tower.

"How convenient." Astrid states, carefully swinging it open. It was tiny and we needed to bend down to get through.
"Woah...!" I brushed off a cockroach that fell on my shoulder. I freaked out a bit but I wasn't afraid of them all too much. Plus, they were the usual cockroach I see (and kill) so I was used to them. But the situation was different for Astrid- she ran back and let out a high pitched scream.
"Hey! Stop causing a commotion over there!" Percy whispered. "We better keep quiet, idiot."

Astrid muttered some inaudible words. We walked through the door with the order: me, Astrid, Clair, then Percy. After getting through the tiny door, I bent up the staircase wasn't very grand. Sure, they were huge, spanning so wide that five people can fit on one step (maybe even more) but they were dusty. I mean, DUSTY. They were supposedly dark oak wood of the sort but they were practically white and gray with dust. Cobwebs practically lined and covered the edges and the underside of the stairs. I held back coughs- thankfully, none of us were allergic to dust. You see, that'd be the end of the world, ladies and gents.

"Ok- we all know to be careful right?" Percy silently asked, walking up the stairs. "Make sure to stay on guard. Once we get there, we must surround whoever's there. I'll be front, Clair'll heal, Astrid will do the long magic and Kathrine will do either advanced or easy magic, depending on the situation. If the guy's a player, no killing him. We need information."
"Why is it that once we found out your name's Percy James Ashton, you suddenly became some super-mind commander of some sort?" Astrid wondered.
"Uh huh- he went all 'wise ol' man' mode with a bit of alien." I giggled. Clair let out a little snort while Astrid held back a laugh with a smile. He glared at us.
"Be quiet." He warned.

~

We eventually reached the top of the stairs, some of us completely out of energy. Astrid and Clair were the least athletic of the bunch, panting heavily. I was breathing a bit loudly but I was otherwise fine. I could do that a couple more times. We weren't running for our lives. But Percy, being the inhuman species he is, was completely fine and looked like he could run 10 marathons and climb up the stair a million more times. And I'm not exaggerating. Anyways, the last few steps narrowed down so much as they went up so much that it could only fit one person at a time. A door lied right in front of us, just waiting to be opened.

"Prepare for a fight that should've happened chapters ago." Percy announced.
"Chapters ago?" Astrid questioned.
"If this was a book, wouldn't this fight be very delayed?" Percy asked.
"Hey, readers! If this is book, you better love us cuz' we're risking our lives for this! Thanks." I muttered to no one in particular. "This would be breaking the fourth-wall, right?"
"Mhm." Astrid agreed.
"Don't treat it seriously. It might actually become a book for people entertainment." Percy sighed.
"You believe in those stuff?" Clair poked in. "Are you superstitious or something?"
"No!" Percy growled.
"Whatever- we're doing this." I said. "Will I be cool or be boring?"
"Cool." Clair answered.
"Boring." Astrid and Percy replied.
"I vote cool, so we win." I stated, getting into a stance. Astrid just stared at me while Percy went 'what-the-hell' with his face. "3...2...1..."

I easily kicked the door open more easily than expected.
"Awesome..." Clair mumbled.
"I know right." I rushed right through the room, followed by Astrid. There was a guy in a hoodie and jeans, his back turned at us..
"You're the messenger of hell, aren't you?" Astrid asked.
"That's what they call me." The man turned around. He wore a mask- a it was a fox but with those red lines designing it. He let out an evil laugh like those villains in stories.

"Spread out!" Percy commanded. He took out his dagger as he leapt over the man, reminding me of the 'surround-who's-ever-there' plan.
"Yes sir!" I saluted. I rushed to the west, Clair to the east. Astrid stood her ground. Now we got him surrounded north, south, east, and west. "No escape now, Mr. Messenger."
The guy just laughed. "Luckily my master left me prepared." He took out some crystal orb.
"Master? Send a message from me to him- 'your pawn is defeated.' " I taunted.
"Kathrine, be careful. That's a summoning orb." Astrid warned.
"Summonin-..."
"Wow. Your friend there knows better than to mess with this. Do you know what's in here?" He asked. He turned to me, his eyes narrowing. "Your death and my revenge. You'll repay for not saving her!"

Not...saving her? Saving who? Her? Who's her? Questioned drowned my brain. This dude had a reason for following his 'master'...and it's her. But why is it our fault? Who is his master? The voice? Before I spaced out and drifted into thoughts, the man threw the orb onto the ground. A huge cloud of smoke blocked my vision but not enough to block the view from a huge shadow, as large as me. In the shape of a dragon.

"You see this? It's my little pet! A little baby dragon! Don't be relaxed right now- once it kills you, you aren't reviving!" He laughed. The smoke parted revealing a red dragon with orange spikes. A 'baby' dragon around the size of me.
"An Αωοκεηεd βεαsτ." Percy stated the obvious.
"Awokened Beast or whatever, it's a dragon either way!" The man grinned like a maniac. "You'll never kill it! Dragon, please don't make too much of a mess; you wouldn't want to kill me too!"

The dragon did a little loud roar like its version of a salute. At least we wouldn't have to worry about the tower collapsing now. Yay...! Percy immediately lounged at the dragon, his Lucis Ruby dagger burning with a red flame and deathly aura. He slashed at the dragon but it barely scratched the skin, monster also almost bitting his hand off.

"It's a shame it doesn't breath fire." The man sighed. "And you know what? It's also a shame that you'll die so quick!"
"Don't use your Phoenix, Astrid!" Percy shouted across the room. Astrid nodded. "Distractions! Ignore the man!"

Silently agreeing, Astrid started summoning little water typhoons and demons. I was confused- it was obvious I couldn't snare the thing- my Vine Snare wouldn't work since we're so high up the ground and I had nothing else. Percy kept slashing and hacking at the dragon while Clair healed the few cuts he received and cast protection charms on us. Astrid also seemed dumbfounded, obviously in a panic, unknown to what spell to use. Spell...what spell? I didn't have a spell either. This game sure damn sucks. This game...game! Darkness Game!

"Buy me time!" I whispered to Astrid as I hid behind her.
"Hiding now? Huh? Whatever." The man waved me off. "I won't waste my time on a coward."
"You'll see." I mumbled. "I call upon the darkness of my soul, to play a game so unfair. Grant me a weapon of my demand, and let me fight whoever dare. Let them feel my demon's wrath, let them be my bloodbath. Let them play this game with me; let us see who'll be on one knee, begging for the slightest bit of mercy. Oh demon, who will my next victim be? Darkness' Game."

I recited the spell silently, making sure not to bring attention to myself. I felt weaker, my mana probably lessening as I pictured my ideal weapon at the moment- a sword. My staff transformed into something a bit heavier. A beautifully designed sword with intricate designs on the handle. I knew I only had one shot with it so I couldn't be wasted. Astrid was draining out of mana, doing her best to distract the dragon. Percy was seemed tired but his skill did not falter- he continued to fight the dragon. Clair did her job perfectly (probably why Percy looked so alive) while having to run around the room, away from the dragon (although, she looked half-dead and traumatized). The fox guy was still in the middle, laughing weirdly. I'm excited to wipe of the grin off his face. Time for my contribution. I just had to slice the dragon through the skin, either enough to kill it or expose the skin so Percy can stab its insides (ew) with his dagger. One shot. Can't screw this up cuz' I'll get killed either by myself, the team, or that dragon.

"Astrid, bring it to me!" I ran from behind Astrid, holding the sword in my hand tightly. I rushed back to my original position at the west. The guy in mask was watching an amusement.
"Kay' ! Make sure your sure about this. Dem, over there!" She pointed towards me. A little hideous water demon flew towards me. I prepared to jump. The dragon fell right into my trap- my plan was in place. The beast flew right towards Astrid's summon, Dem, as Percy landed off it [the beast]. I pushed off the ground, sword raised, eyes targetting the red and seemed-to-be flaring skin of the mythical creature. Before it could react, my sword-staff already made contact with it, slicing through its skin. The sword cut through it easily, blood seeping out it huge cut. It roared grandly in an almost deafening manner and the water devil Astrid summoned deformed into a puddle of water.

"Jackson! Now!" I screamed. Percy, once more, leaped over the (now shocked in place) fox-mask man as I fell back onto the ground. The sword reverted back to my staff mid-air. I could've sworn I felt something pierce through my arm and pain take over but my adrenaline made me ignore it. I watched as Percy stabbed the dragon right in its open wound, thrusting it through as deep at it could go. That must've hit an organ. The dragon gave out a defeated roar as it fell on the ground with a loud thump and dissipated into a golden dust across the floor. Mr. Fox-face stood still in shock.

"Ho- how..." He was knocked out with a (not-so) 'light' hit on the head with the end of Astrid staff before finishing his sentence and doing more harm. A flood of relief came went over me. Finally we're sa-
"OWWWWWW!!!" I unconsciously screamed. A spike of pain in my arm made me collapse on the ground. The pain I once ignored hit me all at once. I looked at the right arm to see a huge cut, blood covering my arm. As oblivious as I am, I only realize this now.
"Kathrine!" Astrid rushed towards me, staring wide-eye at my cut. "Why are you so reckless!"
"Cuz' I'm a cool person." I smugly replied. Somehow, my voice didn't shake. I hid the excruciating pain like a boss, used to hiding how I really felt. It felt so bad...why didn't it hurt so much? Maybe I'm in the moment. Maybe I just didn't want to think about it. Maybe I was distracted. Not even myself knew the answer. The blood stained the ground...and my robe. "My clothes! My robe's all dirty now! This isn't cool anymore."
"Idiot! It never was. Percy, can you tie that guy up? Clair, can you heal her?" Astrid went back to commander mode.
"Yes, madam." Percy followed as she said but didn't have rope. "Don't have anything to tie him up with."
"Ugh..." She groaned. "Just make sure he doesn't go anywhere."
"K.O., am I right?" I laughed. The dragon was stubborn. It might be either Percy's long lost sibling. They're just like each other. Mean and stubborn. "I must've accidentally sliced myself at the dragon's spike. That dragon was mean."
"Not a time to laugh..." Astrid glared. "Clair!"
"Amazing..." Clair's jaw dropped. "Amazing! You killed a dragon!"
"Clair...?" Astrid seemed stress. My blood kept flowing out and out. The huge blob of blood on the ground just kept getting bigger.
"I'mma die from blood-loss." I begun. "That also sounds cool."
"No it does not!" Astrid said. "Clair, please!"
"Oh, uh, yeah!" Clair shook her head and held her staff. "Strong Healing Charm; Book of Healing- Chapter 5, Page 11."

Her staff, which had a glittery pearl-crystal-ting at the end rather that a gem, lit up and gave off a light green light. The cut on my arm slowly disappeared but it was still slightly open. Blood was still, bit by bit, going out.

"Sorry...I'm not good enough to completely get rid of it." Clair apologized.
"Good enough!" I stood up again, still sorta weak but fine, stepping on my own puddle of blood. "Guess I won't be dying of blood-loss."
"Of course you wont." Astrid grumbled. "I'm on watch. You'll have to wash your robe and your wound."
"I don't wanna wash a blood stain." I sniffed the dirtied part of my robe. It smelled disgusting. "Eww..."
"Whatever. Thankfully, that dragon didn't have poison or something." Astrid gave a sigh of relief.
Clair nodded. "She might've died in that case."
"Take a chill pill." I recommended. "Investigation time!"
"What." Astrid stood dumbfounded.

Percy had already taken the mask off the man. I got a good look on him. He was very skinny and almost completely pale but he looked pretty young, maybe in his mid-twenties. He had eye bags even bigger than mine (and mine are pretty damn huge from gaming all night). No facial hair but he had black, messy hair to top it off. He wore a grey hoodie, and blue, denim jeans.

"We're already moving on from your little bloodbath over there?" Astrid asked. "If this was a book, that would be very rushed."
"If this was a book, that means the author loves me and is too lazy to write." I bragged. Astrid rolled her eyes for the millionth time.
"Whatever." She said. "Wipe away the blood that's dripping."
"Yes mom." I mockingly groaned.
"Hurry up, he's gonna get back to consciousness any time now." Percy impatiently said.
"Sorry, I just almost died helping you." I stated.
"I said: hurry up." He said again.
"How are we going to get the information out of him?" Clair asked, already standing where Percy dragged him. Right at the front of the room, the farthest point from the only exit (excluding the tinted glass).
"We're just gonna ask. He's probably gonna tell the truth now." Astrid explained. "I mean we defeate-"
"Nope! Bad plan!" I immediately disagreed. "You have to much faith in in this world and people."

Astrid held a confused face. "What do you mean?"
"I agree with her, grumpy cat." Percy nodded. "He might still lie."
"Uh huh." I agreed. "We need another idea..."
"Let's do a little thing called torture." Percy suggested.
"What...?!" Clair practically ran back. Astrid took a step forward, probably prepared to fight him. I stopped myself from moving, deciding to think instead. I fell deep into my thoughts, looking for the right way to deal with this situation.
"No! We're not the criminals here!" Astrid pointed out. I remained silent.
"We're not kidnapping people, are we?" Percy unsheathed his dagger. "Just a bit."
"Ashton!" Clair was slowly backing away, eyes widening, pupils dilating. She was half-way point of the room. I was still standing still, doing nothing.
"It won't hurt that much." Percy started. "It'll work, guaranteed. You guys can even help!"
"No...no way!" Clair looked horrified.
"C'mon." He pressed.
"Ashton. Stop." Astrid demanded.
"Why? C'mon...Astrid." Percy walked towards Astrid, standing at least 1 inch away from her. "You know it's best."
"Away." Astrid sternly said. She pushed him away with her staff. She turned to me. "You agree to this?"
"Yes and no." I replied. My eyes lit up with excitement as an idea sparked in my head. My silence had given me the time to figure out a plan. The right way. "I just think he's putting the term a bit too harsh."
"Is there any other way to say 'torture' that's not harsh?" Astrid questioned. Percy waited eagerly for me to agree.
"The right way to say it is that...we're doing it by force." I smirked, my little bright idea like a light bulb shining above my head. "But let's say we're not physically hurting him."

Everybody stared at me with confusion. Astrid opened her mouth but I begun. "I got a little spell called 'Nightmare's Dream', remember?"
Clair was dumbstruck as Percy kept back his dagger, accepting his plan was worse.
"That'd cause more pain than I could ever wish." He admitted.
Astrid smiled. "If this was a story, this would be way too convenient."