OH Nuuuu... Y'all gonna hate me for dis.

And that's my rough sketch of David. I'm still pretty much tweaking with how he's suppose to ACTUALLY look like.

••••••••••

'Help...'

'H-Help...'

'KRIS!'

Kris awoke to the feeling of being shaken. His body swayed from side to side, and his eyes started to open, blinking because of the blaring flames in front of him and behind a figure. That figure held a piercing blue gaze as the scaly claws buried itself on Kris' shoulder.

Groaning, Kris finally rose because of the pain. His eyes fully open and once they were, he wished that he never opened them.

There, stood a tall monster that Kris had become of angered of-- Though that ire was merely because of Susie's influence that he is indeed a red flag-- The monster had his gaze set on Kris and still shook and shook him desperately.

Once David knew that he was awake he sighed and wasted no time in interrogating, "Where's my daughter?" He spoke in a growling voice, filled to the brim with ferocity.

"I don't know." Kris removed David's hands easily despite being a bit groggy.

"How do you not know?!" David shouted, "I know you've seen all this happen!" He cried out, "You could've stopped this!" David's eyes were pricked with tears, he really didn't want to see his daughter burnt into ashes, into dust, he couldn't take that, and especially when he could've done something to prevent it.

Kris remained quiet, unmoving. This made David's fury, along with his worry, skyrocket. "Answer, you brat!"

Kris gritted his teeth, "Don't you think I'm worried, too?!" He screamed, causing David to flinch. David was about to retort but Kris continued with more dominance, "You've treated Susie like dirt on your shoes! Why in the hell should you care?!" Kris breathed deeply, but inhaled nothing but smoke causing him to cough and sputter, although, still remaining his stance.

"Why you-!"

Footsteps, heavy footsteps, were slowly approaching. Kris gulped, and both stopped their bickering. Taking a glance behind him, David almost fainted from utter shock and relief all at once. It was Susie!

"Susie!" David ran up to her, ran with all his might, and tried to embrace her figure. Susie, merely stepped aside, sending David to the floor.

"You brat..." David groaned in pain and sighed, "Glad you're still the same."

Susie, oddly, just grinned. Not her usual sly one, no. It was that eerie one that Kris knew well.

David hesitated if he should move or not. That thick eerie tension in the air was making him shake, unknowing of what his next move should be.

Suddenly shaking her head, Susie, without a word slammed her foot on David's back. David reacted and tried to evade, but his reflexes were no match to the seemingly, newly acquired speed of Susie.

Being the now courageous one, Kris tried to approach Susie, only to be met with Susie raising her finger, "Uh uh uh. Move, he dies. Simple." The words slithered out of her mouth.

Kris paused and stood as still as a statue. He didn't wish for another soul to be taken, not again. Even if that soul was as sickly as David's.

Susie giggled and that was enough to prove that they were in control now.

"Told ya." She hummed to herself as she added more weight onto her foot, pressing down firmly. The only thing David could do was struggle. "Not this time."

"Let go of Susie!" Kris shouted, "Or I swear-!" Kris gasped as the fire slowly surrounded his feet. One more step, and he will be burning in flames.

"Or what?" They proudly taunted, knowing they had the upper hand.

David couldn't stop shaking. This was his daughter. Sure he had hit her a couple times but that was all so that she could learn. That the world is cruel to unprivileged, to those who have no power.

No ferocity.

David shook under his daughter the foot of his daughter. Trembled in utter fear.

Stop shaking.

A voice echoed in his ear.

Stop shaking, David.

This caused tears to fall down his scaly cheeks. He sobbed, and never thought that he'd hear this heavenly voice again.

You promised me you'd keep our daughter safe. You promised me she'll be strong enough to overcome anything!

"I know, I know..." He sobbed quietly. He knew that this was his mind again, reminding him of the ache that came with losing his wife.

Kris looked at the man with confusion, then to pity as he saw the tears that fell to the concrete floor.

"Weak." They mumbled to themselves as they unsheathed their knife.

"I'm sure your daughter won't mind you being gone, right?"  They laughed maniacally. The knife shone with red light, ready to strike at any moment.

Kris was glued to the ground, his courage was diminishing.

David's striking, blue eyes had lost their strong flare. The pupils became mere pinpricks, and his whole body trembled.

Stop shaking, David!

David's eyes shot wide. David tried shaking his head to block out that voice. The tears started pouring out faster. He hated it when someone saw how vulnerable he actually is.

Stop shaking!

He laid there, weak and afraid. Until a soft whisper escaped from Susie's mouth.

"H-help me, Dad." Susie whispered as a solitary tear escaped.

Stand up!

The voice grew louder.

Kris couldn't do anything but watch, only one step, one mere step could send another soul into dust.

He stood there and watched.

Nothing more.

He couldn't do anything.

He stood there, afraid.

Until that courage slowly began to disappear.

David was trapped in both his thoughts, his mind, his soul. Until one thing had him blown and awake-- Words that made him snap.

Stand up-

Stop Shaking-

For our Daughter!

For Susie!

In one swift movement, with inhuman speed. He managed to hastily pin down his daughter with a grunt. He was still trembling, still very afraid, but that wasn't enough to stop him.

"Let go, bastard!"

"You think that's enough for me to let you go? I thought you were smarter than that." He answered with such sly wit.

The Player struggled and struggled. David remained his position and held firm. He took a glance at Kris who was still trembling.

"Stop that, squirt." David spoke, "C'mere, I'm sure you know about this asshole more than me." David grunted as he held her down further.

The nickname snapped Kris back to reality as he evaded the dying flames. They seemed to have moved and gone to-

Kris shook.

"Watch out!"

The flames headed straight for David. He couldn't evade fast enough. The fire had reached him. He screamed in agony as the flames covered him, almost whole.

Jumping to their feet, The Player had the most psychotic, malevolent, sinister grin on their face.

"You moved! You lose the game!" They giggled, "Instead of killing you-" They pointed to David. The flames released him slowly, he was burnt and in critical condition. "I have an even better punishment!"

Kris raised a brow and tried to summon up as much courage and determination he could.

That is until.

The knife was pointed at Susie's body.

The whole room shook.

The Player laughed loudly- maniacally. Kris sprung into action and grabbed the knife trying to pull it away from them.

He tried with all his might, but without enough determination, he was weak.

This was all for Susie! How could he not have enough determination!

Kris' tears fell. No, he couldn't lose Susie. And with that thought, he fought and fought. Flames slithered to grasp his legs. Kris cried out in pain. Losing strength.

No, don't give out now.

The flames made it's way through his trousers and it sent a literal burning pain to spread throughout his body.

He became weaker and weaker.

Shook and shook in anger and pain.

Anger at himself.

Because he knew.

He couldn't hold out for long.

He lost his grip and fell.

And the knife landed in Susie's chest with a clean stab.

The Player laughed and laughed, stabbing it in Susie's chest, over and over.

All Kris could do was cry and scream, "No, no!" again and again.

Till only a lifeless body of Susie remained. Her eyes returned to their golden hue, and then they closed shut.

The flames died out and the room became nothing more than a broken memory of what used to be. Just like what she called her home not so long ago.

Kris wasted no time rushing to her side albeit the injuries and burns he had. As he reached her lifeless body he wept, burried his into her hair and sobbed. Her hair was still as soft as he last touched it.

David did his best to reach his daughter's side, holding her hand, tears fell as he knew that his wife, the one he had called a traitor, would be more than angered.

David shook.

Shook in mix with fear.

Sadness.

Regret.

Regret that he hadn't given his daughter a proper childhood.

Regret that he hadn't given her the love she wanted, no, needed.

Regret that he hadn't fixed the house when she asked to. He merely wanted it to be a memory of when her mother left- Left this world entirely. He just couldn't shake of the betrayal he felt until now.

He held her hand and wept and made up his mind.

Do the right thing, David.

He pulled out Susie soul and began reverting the life that was once in it before she could dust.

Magic was uncommon in this world, attainnable for only a few, and difficult to achieve.

He could've saved his wife with this magic, but he felt betrayed when he figured out that she wanted that to happen to her.

That she wanted to leave him.

But Susie didn't want this, didn't deserve this.

So with the last bits of magic he had-- The power that was keeping him alive-- He gave that all to Susie.

And once the color of Susie's soul returned, David colapsed to the floor.

Kris stared in shock as Susie gasped and sat up, panting.

Kris tackled the monster and cried, "Y-you're alive!"

Susie returned the embrace and cried, practically clawing at his back, "I'm alive, I'm alive..." She said breathlessly.

"I'm alive...?" Susie suddenly questioned and glanced at her side, seeing her father, losing breaths, laying on the floor.

She gently pushed Kris off of her and quickly went to her father's side.

"D-dad..? G-get up, you old oaf!" She slammed her fists on his chest making her father grunt, "You bitter old oaf!" She shouted, her eyes prickling with tears as she the severe burns.

David grunted again, "Geez, brat." He chuckled weakly.

"Why you-!" Susie buried her face into his chest and laughed sadly. She furiously wiped the tears that fell as she raised her head.

"I've always wanted to kill you myself..." Susie admitted as David smiled with melancholy, his body slowly dusting, bit by bit, "I've always imagined your death to be much bloodier." She tried to joke-- Though, partially, it was the truth.

Susie shook as the tears seemed to just flow out of her. Kris settled his hand on her shoulder for support and watched the scene unfold silently.

David smiled and held his daughter's cheek, "Stop shaking." He chortled, "That makes you look weak." His gaze softened.

Susie's lip trembled, "I don't care about that!" She spoke proudly, faking a grin as her heart ached.

David hummed, "You're so much like your mother..."

Susie's eyes widened, "No, David- DAD!" She shouted as his body dusted faster as if he completely gave up on preventing the inevitable, "Don't you frickin' dare!" She screamed.

"Or what?" His usual ferocity vanished, and was replaced with a calm, solemn, smile.

"Take care of Susie for me." He mouthed to Kris as he faded into mere dust.

Susie cried out as she clasped the dust in her hands.

Turns out in the end, she really did become the reason to her father's death.

Though not as she suspected.

She stood up with her golden eyes burning with ferocity.

Kris stood by her side, quiet, and still quite shaken, but his eyes were just as furious, his hue was bloodier, more determined.

The entire building shook and giggles floated in the air as everything started to fall apart.

Kris and Susie looked at each other, their cheeks stained, and nodded- Both knowing what the other was thinking--

That it was time to them take down.

And failure is not an option.

••••••••••

Haha, that was sad, but hey! (Please don't kill me.)

It was practically rushed! Kill me! ヽ(´▽｀)/ I'm so sloppy and crummy, and I don't think that is possible in a cookie (Lol I'm crazy (・∀・)

So I killed Susie. She's technically a zombie now XD JK! Just Kidding!

A little note: David's power is that he could return something to its original state. Weird power, I know XD It explains how the dummy was fixed over and over right? If you remember that chapter...

ANNOUNCEMENT: WE ARE EXACTLY 1 CHAPTER AND AN EPILOGUE AWAY FROM THE END OF THIS BOOK. I WILL HOLD A Q&A IN A COMIC FORM. SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, ASK AND I WILL NEED THE INFORMATION OF WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO LOOK LIKE IN THE Q&A COMIC.

(Well, that's only if I draw it well...)

That's all for today, the next chapter is going to be the most action packed! (I hope.)

Crummy Author-chan out!

~Aivianne