Chapter 590 An Unexpected Ally

Keng cursed as the sounds of the building ripping caught his attention. He pushed himself up onto his feet, cursing as a small humanoid dot in the sky carried a tornado of items around.

"What the hell is she?" Keng questioned as he turned and started to run. Queenie came after him, struggling to see where he was. Her eyes moved around, picking out Keng as he glanced up at her.

"Found you!" Queenie growled. She flew forward, whipping a rough spear at Keng. The spear landed fifteen feet away from Keng as he turned away from it. Queenie's screams echoed loudly as Keng picked up speed. His shoulder burned as he forced himself forwards.

Spears flew at him, missing him by a narrowing margin. Keng groaned as he stutter-stepped to the side, dashing into the other direction. Queenie was getting awfully more accurate with each shot. A spear landed directly behind him as he looked at her.

"You're not getting away!" Queenie shouted. She lifted her hand up, the hospital building forming another rough spear as she glared at Keng.

'Can I teleport into Limbo?' Keng asked.

[You could teleport.]

'Does it use Energy?' Keng shouted in his head.

[No.]

'I walk upon the land of the living. I wish to enter the land of the de—'

"Argh!" Keng flew forwards as the spear shot straight through him. His eyes widened as the tornado whooshed closer to him. Keng fell onto the floor grunting as he tried his best to lift himself up. Another spear pinned itself on his leg. Another scream erupting form his lips.

'I wish… I wish to enter the land of the dea—'

"AHHH!" A spear flew into his other leg.

"Where should I hit next?" Queenie asked, clutching the spear. She was toying with im.

"I wish… to enter… the land… of the dead." Keng finished the chant.

"You wish to die? Fine, I'll give you a one way ticket there!" Queenie pulled the spear back and lobbed it straight for Keng's head. Keng's body flashed, disappearing as the spear embedded itself into the ground where Keng's head would be. "What? AGHHH!" Queenie shrieked as the building shot all around them.

Keng appeared in the exact spot as he bled out. He groaned in pain. His body wouldn't be able to heal all of these wounds fast enough.

"Someone… Help…" Keng called out. His eyes blurred as feet whooshed into existence.

"Huh." A familiar voice dragged out. "This one looks like him but isn't him… Lee Seng? Can you hear me?"

"H-help… me…" Keng reached out for the person in black. His vision turning black.

There is no pain.

There is no fear.

No emotions to hold you dear.

Do not cling onto death's door,

For you still much to offer for.

Keng's eyes fluttered opened. He was submerged in water. Bubbles escaped his lips, pulling him upwards. He let out a gasp, treading water with his arms and legs. He seemed to be in the middle of a cold barren lake. A pier stood behind him as Keng turned around.

"Awake, are we?" A crow masked woman asked. She tilted her head, looking at Keng as his teeth chattered.

"W-why am I in freezing water?" Keng stuttered.

"Why?" Crow tilted her head. "I wonder why? Maybe because you were dead. Maybe because you were asking for help." Keng swam over as the Crow masked woman motioned for the ladder.

"You know me?" Keng asked, climbing to the top of the pier. The Crow masked woman handed him a towel. Keng grabbed it, teeth chattering as he wiped the water off.

"I know of you." Crow replied.

"You know L—"

"Fox, yes. I know Fox. And it would seem you look exactly like him, too." Crow nodded. Black feathers poofed into existence as a set of new clothes appeared in her hand. A fox mask sat at the top. "Take it. We have much to discuss."

Keng dressed himself as Crow lit a fire on the pier. He wondered if the fire would burn the pier down, but it didn't.

"Come, come. Get warm near the fire, Fox." Crow motioned. Keng adjusted the mask as he walked over and sat down.

"Who are you? I've seen you before." Keng asked.

"I am Crow. Our mutual friend is how we know each other." Crow replied. "Tell me, Fox Spirit, why did you have such large holes in your body?"

"Well…" Keng's mind flashed. Queenie's maniacal laughs echoed in his head as the noises of spears piercing him made him squeeze his eyes shut. "I stupidly followed something I shouldn't have. I almost died because of it."

"Mmm." Crow nodded. "And why did you the stupid thing if you knew it was stupid?"

"I needed to be Le— our friend." Keng answered. Crow nodded and looked at the dark waters. It was oddly quiet. Keng didn't like the dread building within his chest.

"Tell me, Fox Spirit. Do you believe in Realms outside our own?" Crow asked out of the blue. Keng looked at the small woman. She seemed to still be looking at the water. Something about this Crow told Keng he could trust her.

"Mmm, I've literally traveled Realms before." Keng nodded.

"There's a Realm that's like Earth. It isn't corrupted with human touch, but wildlife and beauty. There the creatures fight amongst each other to survive. Nothing outside to hunt even the top… Just like that place, you could say Earth is the same. A hierarchy already disrupted once. What do you think would happen if someone or something were to… Disrupt it, again?" Crow looked at Keng.

"Wouldn't that be bad?" Keng answered with a question. Crow didn't answer right away. She allowed him to continue his thoughts. "If something were to suddenly be stronger than… The humans, wouldn't that cause an uproar? People picking sides, war happening and…"

"And loads of backstabbing." Crow sighed. "Yes, that is exactly what would happen to this perfect Realm if greedy humanoids decided to take it over. The system at hand would be uprooted. It would cause hell like it did with Earth and the humans twenty-five years ago…"

"You know about… that?" Keng asked.

"I do." Crow nodded. "I was in the middle of it. Many cities like the one I was in fell and became nothing. Cities like Capitol City rose because of their defense and unified. Humans have barely gotten back onto their feet. Little of the original world has been claimed since then… What od you think would happen if something more threatening than humans rose from the very places humans existed in?"

"It would be pure chaos." Keng whispered. Crow nodded as the Fox Spirit looked at her with intense eyes. "Are you saying something's going to happen? Th-that woman that attacked me is…"

"I don't know what I am saying." Crow shrugged. She brushed it off without a second thought as Keng's brain began to overload. "I simply hear too much chatter amongst the spirits. They've been whispering strange things… Strange enough that I think the Lords and Ladies of this Realm are actually believing it."

"The Lords and Ladies? There's people like that here?" Keng asked.

"Of course." Crow nodded. "Who do you think deals with all of the souls around here? Someone has to."

"True…" Keng whispered. "If the God King and his god children watch over Daros, who watches over Earth?"

"A question many generations will ask this question for many years to come." Crow whispered. The small woman stood up and looked at Keng. "Come, it is time for you to go."

"Back? What if I'm found?" Keng asked, standing.

"You won't be. I will take you as close to the city as I can get you." Crow told him. "After that, you're on your own. If you get found by one of the Lords and Ladies' many people, I cannot help you. I am to be as neutral as possible." Crow's warning was odd. He didn't think it was necessary to answer him like that, but if it was something he needed to hear, then he guessed it was fine…?

"Alright?" Keng answered. Crow nodded and summoned a feather. It was scrawled with many runes, covering the entire feather. "Runes? They exist here too?"

"Many things exist in many places." Crow took a step forward. "You just have to know where to look. Open." Keng watched as Crow tossed the feather. It began to circle round and round, creating a portal. Crow stepped in, not waiting for Keng to. Keng mumbled to himself as he jogged through the portal.

In an instant, Keng was very close to the city.

"Go before anyone notices." Crow motioned with her head. She let out a sigh as Keng moved towards her and stopped. He turned and gave her a bow. "You don't have to be polite. You and your friend are too much alike. Go before they find out I helped you."

"Thank you for your wisdom." Keng bowed, again.

"Enough! Go! Shoo!" Crow shooed him away. Keng jogged forward turning to see the small woman step into the portal. She turned, watching him wave goodbye as he smiled behind the mask. "They're way too much like each other… He's exactly like Fox said he was."