Reaper's Purgatory-Chapter 30: Maze Demon Dragerd!

From a far off cliffside within the dunes of purgatory that overlook a city sized stone maze, a woman with pitch black hair and a mark just under her black eyes, watched.

She saw as a group of reapers made it to the top, and how the maze walls were shifting ever so slightly. She growled watching as the event continued to unfold before her. "How am I supposed to get Cider back if Dragerd uses most of his body to trap him!? And now all these reapers will make it hard for me to get in unnoticed..."

The ash around Annabelle shifted around creating a seat made purely of ash. "I suppose I should wait for Dragerd to kill them all... I doubt they'd last another hour there."

She now watched as several of the reapers jumped into the maze. "It's only a matter of time now before he eats them all, anyways."

********

Laid before Megumi and Kailey was a single narrow pathway. The once long path started to close in on the two.

"D-Dino what do we do!? The walls are closing in." Megumi echoed.

"Are you trapped like us?"

"N-no. There's a path in front of us. I think he wants us to follow it." Megumi glanced over to Kailey who looked, just as unsure as she was. "I-I don't think we have much of a choice..."

"Alright. But keep your guard up. Who knows what this Dragerd demon is planning." Dino echoed.

"I guess we have no choice but to keep going," Kailey said. She looked at the encroaching walls sharply.

Kailey's eyes widened as the walls unexpectedly became much slimier. "W-what the hell..." Kailey uttered. Even Megumi began to take notice of this change. They came much closer to each other, and back away from these walls. They entered into the narrow path to escape this mysterious occurance.

"U-u-uh, Dino..."

"What's going on? Did something happen?" he asked.

Slimy arms ripped out from the slimy walls. Seconds later, demons pulled themselves from the very walls just outside the narrow path. Their faces oozed and dripped with the strange red and yellow slime.

Screeches from the demons arose one by one. Just then, more arms ripped from the wall from Megumi' and Kailey's side.

Kailey attempted to conjure her barrier only for it to immediately dissipate. "C-crap! I can't use my barrier's!"

"Wait! What do you mean!?" Megumi turned to Kailey, Shocked by this news

More arms and demons erupted from the walls, forcing the two women closer together. Kailey bit her teeth hard. "Do I have to spell it out girly... That last barrier I used to protect myself against you expended all my energy. If I try to force myself to use my barrier, I'll just revert to a core for these demons to eat."

"That could happen!?"

Kailey gazed back sharply at a bewildered Megumi. "Don't tell me you thought I could use my barrier's forever. I could only use them so long before they completely drain me just like you."

The slimy demons charged straight at them, screeching as they did. Kailey quickly and reflexively kicked the first demon. "Run!"

On that order Megumi ran with Kailey close behind. The demons chased after them with their large number that only continued to grow.

"Megumi! What's going on!?" Dino called.

Megumi glanced up, seeing that the ceiling above was starting to close. "Demons are coming from the walls! Slimy demons!"

"What!? Whatever you do, Stay away from them! If they touch, they'll eat away at your body!"

********

Liang was leading the way out for the other escorts. He just watched as the other grimm's arrived from above. "Ah. Finally..."

"Liang, there's a problem!" Dino echoed.

Liang became more alert, quickly responding back. "Did something happen?"

"Dragerd's leading Megumi and another woman straight to the center of the maze and me and Cider are being boxed in!"

Screaming suddenly erupted as slimy demons erupted from all around Liang also. A boy with a train conductors' hat, moved fast to conjure a huge cartoon dog that slammed its bat onto the first demon, splattering it everywhere. Soon after the demons began to multiple from the very slime on the ground.

"Demons of gluttony, and some old ones at that." Arnold shouted. He conjured a new cartoon with his crayon. This time he created a big fly swatter with eyes and mouth to use for himself.

Arnold moved to swat away the slimy demons as another cowboy-looking grimm brought forth his pistol shooting up the demons. A third conjured an axe using it to cut up the demons. Even more of the grimms were forced to join in on the fight seeing the number of demons growing.

As they all fought, the axe wielding grimm was splattered with the goop that burnt through his entire arm, leaving a gaping hollow hole.

Despite the well fought resistance it was clear that they needed Liangs help too.

"As much as I want to help, I don't think I have that Luxury." Liang echoed to Dino.

"What do you mean? This is urgent!"

"So is this." "Liang pulled his sword out, Defending himself from the first demon. Seeing another demon attack on one of their escorts, Liang moved swiftly, taking out the demon.

"You and the demon kid need to find a way to get to Megumi and that other person out fast! I have no doubt that Dragerd will plans to devouring Megumi once he gets his hands on her! It's all up to you two."

********

"Tch!"

Dino narrowed his eyes, scanning all around for an exit.

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"What happened?" Cider questioned.

"The demon that's after Megumi is forcing her to the center of the maze. If we don't get to her, he'll probably eat her. Or worse."

Alarmed Cider Looked around too. "Then we have to find a way out fast!"

"You don't think I know that!?" Dino retorted. He then growled as he looked up into the sky. "There's only one way out now..."

"Oh yeah!" Cider understanding What Dino meant, glanced up to. He sprinted over to the closest wall and dug his with his blackened clawed hands.

"Hey! Wait!" Dino called.

"We can't wait! We have to help Megumi!"

Dino rushed over to Cider. "No, That's not what I mean!"

Just then, as Cider finished climbing up a few feet, the walls of the maze contorted and shifted around like a big wall of gelatin.

"What the–"

Before he could realize it, Cider was whipped off the wall itself, sending him crashing back to the ground.

"O-ow..."

"I tried to warn you..." Dino said. He quickly helped Cider to his feet and glanced back to the wall. "This just proves me right... This maze is the demon. If we stay here, he'll probably devour anyone that's not a demon."

Dino glanced back at Cider. "Lucky for you Demon's eating other demons is practically impossible without destroying themselves. So I wouldn't be surprised if the other demons here end up getting enslaved by this bastard once he spits you all out."

"But how are we supposed to get out now? We're trapped."

"To be honest I don't think that even my crystal tower can reach the top... But I think I have an idea." Dino said.

"You do? What is it?" Cider asked.

Dino turned to Cider to explain the plan.

********

"CRYSTAL TOWER!"

"It all hinges on my crystal tower. But in order to escape one of us will likely stay behind."

A black crystal spike erected from the ground hurtling into the sky like a comet. Cider held on strong with Dion balancing himself at the very top of the spike.

"Damn! This maze is tall!" Dino exclaimed.

As they shot up fast, he noticed as the walls contorted and bent to someone's invisible will. The walls converged to their location trying to prevent them from leaving.

Dino clenched his teeth, frustrated. "I knew it would do something like this. he's trying to keep us from escaping." Dino looked back down to Cider. "Are you sure you don't want to go by yourself?"

"Of course I do. But I want Megumi to be safe and I don't know if I can find her in time If I go by myself. So, I'm counting on you Dino." Cider stuck his tongue out in defiance. "But you're still a dumbhead!"

Dino paid not mind to Cider's last statement, instead he focused on the only exit before them. "Alright, We're almost there, Cider. Are you ready? We only have one chance at this."

"Ready!" Cider affirmed.

Slowly the wall came ever closer to stopping their ascension. The black crystal spike suddenly stopped, launching both Cider and Dino into the sky even further up.

As they flew higher into the sky, Cider held onto Dino's one hand with both of his. His two arms wrapped around his body like a roll of yarn and in the same instant the arms unwound like a propeller.

"ALRIGHT! HERE GOES NOTHING!!" Cider spun, faster and faster, pushing against the force of the wind itself. Eventually as his arms completely unfurled and launched Dino up, ripping through the sky and out of the maze itself.

As Dino hurdled back down to the enclosing maze wall, he gazed back in time to see Cider being trapped by the maze walls along with many of the other maze paths. Not long after he landed hard on the top of the maze

"Don't worry Cider. I won't let this Dragerd bastard get his grubby little hands-on Megumi." Dino turned to a large spire in the far-off distance, narrowing his eyes. "And I'll repay my debt to her too."

With his new mission clear, Dino pressed on in the effort to reach the maze's center.

********

Both Megumi and Kailey ran down a long narrow labyrinth. The slime demons chased from behind, practically breathing down their necks.

Arms and goop splattered from all around and behind the two, becoming a constant reminder of this new nightmare, they found themselves in. The path ahead seemed to only become narrower by the second, like a mouth closing to consume them whole.

"Th-they're right behind us!" Megumi screamed.

"Just keep running girly!"

They turned the corner and found a bright light. But along with it, the squishing and slimy sounds became more violent, as if the walls themselves were trying to devour them.

"Don't look! Don't look! Don't look! Don't look! Don't look! Don't look!!!"

They shot out from the narrow path with the walls behind, completely closing in on themselves. All that was left of the path behind, was a singular hand that twitched before melting away.

Megumi and Kailey could only breathe out more heavily, "Th-that was close..." Megumi wheezed.

Kailey solemnly agreed before taking in their new surroundings.

Looking around they were now in some circular room and with skyscraper walls that were seemingly infinite. On the ground below them was a pattern that traced to the very center where a hideous looking demon resided.

The Demon was a pale white with his chest bare for all to see. On it, there were multiple slits on it, as if he was cut. His hair stuck up, and his right eye seemed to be too large for his own head. The other side of his face sagged and looked malformed like some unborn child.

Meanwhile his stature was tall and imposing as he stood with his eyes closed, showing the full extent of a black mark even bigger than what any other demons seemed to have. He opened his black eyes, and his mouth drool seeing the two women.

"Ah~. Welcome. I'm glad you've finally made it."

Megumi and Kailey went on guard. They could both understand who this demon might be.

The demon pointed to himself. "I am Dragerd. A demon general to the sin of rage. It's nice to finally meet you... Megumi Scorn,"

Dragerd lifted his leg, moving to approach Megumi and Kailey. As he did, each time he would lift his leg, the sound of something sticky became audible.

Kailey, sensing the danger this demon imposed, pushed Megumi behind her. Dragerd stopped, seeing this vain attempt to defend Megumi. He smirked. "And you're the lady with the barriers."

Dragerd lifted his hands up to his face, pointing his middle and index fingers to the sky. With a quick gesture of the hands a pillar of shot from the side, striking Kailey.

"Kailey!" Megumi could only watch on in shock and horror as she hurtled aver to the far side wall.

Kailey landed hard on the ground soon after and tried to wrestle herself up.

Dragerd wasted no time flicking his hands again, Sending pillar into her gut. Then again and again.

Megumi rushed in to stop him but was struck with a stone pillar too!

Dragerd Then captured Kailey within two of his stone pillars that were erected from opposite walls. He squeezed Kailey tight, letting her writhe in pain.

"L- Let her go!" Megumi yelled.

A stone pillar suddenly came from above, squeezing her down to the ground.

Dragerd Ignored Megumi, approaching Kailey. "You have a lot of potential too. But I think you're better suited as my snack."

Dragerd circled behind Kailey's back, stroking her chin gingerly. Kailey's eyes widened in utter shock. "Yes. A very good snack."

Kailey attempted to free herself more ferociously, she kicked and whacked at the demon who stood unflinching and more amused. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!!! LET ME GO!!"

The Dragerd Chest started opening up by the slits, revealing them to be big gap jaws that were set with rows of teeth and drool.

"N-no! Leave her alone!"

CHOMP

Dragerd's body crushed Kailey into his body in front of Megumi. But what she saw was something straight from a horror movie. Soon after the crushing ceased the only part left was a hand Kailey reached out with for help.

Dragerd picked this up too, putting it inside his body's mouth. He smiled more satisfied and moved to Megumi who stood pinned to the ground.

She tried to wiggle free, terrified of what he might do with her. He stepped hard on her hands and crouched close to her eye level. "Now. How about we talk... Megumi."