Cera's paper wings flapped as he held Shiro and Roya. "The only way we're actually going to be able to get into Deeper Averune is by flight. I don't think they allow people to enter on a regular. We'll be safer this way." He said as his wings grew even larger, encompassing both Roya and Shiro in paper as he soared through the sky within seconds. To his right, he saw Shiro completely unconscious once again, trying not to laugh as he focused on flying in the empty sky.
"Cera, what do you think about the Nullum..? Do you think it could be responsible..?" Roya asked, holding her shades as Cera glanced over at her. He thought about it for a second, then his mind started filling with ideas.
"Well, we can't exactly theorize that. We'd have to see the Nullum up close for an actual analysis. Sure, we had Lord Eryx's words and all, but he's...Lord Eryx. He's not exactly all legible when it comes to his sources and information." Cera rambled on, Roya nodding as she listened attentively. She disliked Lord Eryx just as much, if not, more than he did. She stared out at the distance, noticing that the sky had slowly started to lose its color. They were getting closer to Deeper Averune. Cera made sure to reinforce the energy around him, making sure they'd be able to land safely.
As soon as he entered through the barrier, he sped as far as he could before he started to glide across the sky, landing in a large area that seemed empty. Everything was dark. The sky, the grass, the trees and the bushes, everything. There was not an ounce of color visible except for the three of them. Cera's paper wings slowly flapped as they disappeared, Shiro laying on the ground as he re-entered his consciousness, trying to focus as he murmured,
"I'm....up...." Shiro muttered, looking at the grass he had just landed on. It was completely black...then he looked up...then he looked back at Cera and Roya.
"I can see why it's Deeper Averune. It's like some kind of cursed lair, isn't it!!" Shiro exclaimed, the fatigue wiping off his body as the other two simply looked at him, then looked at each other before glancing back at him.
"You know, I forgot what this place was called..." Roya joked as she started walking, expecting the two of them to follow, and they did. For her acts, she seemed fearless, but she was just as confused as the other two. Shiro looked around, seeing pairs of eyes staring at him. Even though Cera and Roya were both capable of protecting him, he still felt a strong sense of fear. In Deeper Averune, there weren't just the Nullum. There existed more evil forces that had taken a countless amount of lives. Those forces stared at all 3 of them, miniature growls circling them in the shadows of the trees.
The three of them quickly came to a stop as the growling got louder, quickly focusing on each side of the forest. They were completely cornered. Shiro, for one, was the one most scared. He had no idea how his powers worked OR how to use them, and he was already in such a fight like this. Cera noticed the panic brewing on his face, summoning a blade made of paper, handing it to Shiro.
"You need this more than me. Take this as a lesson from us to you. Roya, if you don't mind." Cera smirked as Shiro anxiously stared at the blade., holding it as he started twirling it around. Cera then tapped him on the back, killing the fear in him. Shiro held the blade, taking a deep breath as he entered a state of focus. Roya looked back at him, smiling as she started to speak.
"With the energy of Vara, you're able to imprint items with it. This could be anything, a kettle, a blow-dryer, or even a weapon like the one you're holding right now. You've got a lot to learn, but for right now, I just want you to close your eyes, and focus on the hand you're holding the weapon in." Roya spoke, pointing at Shiro's hand that the blade was in. He slowly closed his eyes as a slow river of energy flowed through his arm, reaching through his fingers, clenching as he held the blade tightly.
"Come on, Shiro...You can do this..." Cera glared at his arm, watching the energy slowly flow from the fingertips into the blade. Shiro's eyes opened, fractures of energy forming around his head for a splitsecond before disappearing. His energy sparked through his arm, causing a surge of energy as the beasts all suddenly came launching out of the shadows. Roya quickly held Cera's hand as he used his wings to propel them both into the air. However, there was a problem. Not with them, but with Shiro. The energy he was charging seemed to pause for a large amount of time. The beasts ran at him, feral and overrun with the desire to devour. All the light disappeared from the blade and his arm, all redirecting itself back to his chest, creating a surge of energy that struck through each feral beast, causing them all to explode.
Cera and Roya both looked at this display of energy with amazement. Just yesterday when they found him, he could barely even walk, now he was able to create rampaged surges of energy. Although, this isn't what they wanted. They quickly descended once the sparks of energy had dissipated, looking at the paper blade that Shiro still held, Cera unwrapping it as it disappeared.
"I'm confused on how you managed to do that, but at least you managed it..." Roya sighed as she watched Shiro. Sensing something was different, she quickly sniffed him, then glared directly into his eyes before stepping back. She quickly grabbed Cera, then watched Shiro.
"Cera, it's the smell from before." Roya whispered before she felt an even stronger scent coming near. It reeked of pure disgust. Shiro looked in confusion before he looked at Cera and Roya, smiling before a fist clashed into his head, sending him soaring onto the ground, causing him to immediately pass out. Cera and Roya didn't even have enough time to react before seeing the trail of blood follow the trajectory of Shiro's body. Their eyes both widened as they looked at the figure.