"So the world your unaware of is called, "Yang side". And to return to our world, we don't just have to go to a gate and just say "I wanna return to my world"! It's not how it works in returning there..." Dahlia explained to Hunji, Xinhua and the many children
"Do you think I don't know that? There is no way out, we are stuck. Forever!" Hunji retorts as he crosses his arms over his chest
"No, there is a way..." Dahlia replied
"Then what is it?" Hunji asked, growing impatient and frustrated
"Let's just say... it's alot different... which..." Dahlia paused as she let out a long sigh
"But I can't say it" She soon leaned against the bars of the cell
Hunji quirked a eyebrow, "Why is that?"
Dahlia only stares at them for sometime
"I can't say it... but, you have to put your trust in me... all of you" She said calmly, trying to built in trust within everyone in the cell
"Well, sorry! You heard my story and know now that I can't trust anyone..." Hunji replied as he stood up from the floor
"I trusted once... and it was broken... I can't put my trust on anyone now... Your all on your own" He continued and goes to the corner, laying on ground on his side
His back facing everyone in the cell
Dahlia wasn't surprised hearing his reply, she looked at other children including Xinhua
Xinhua and every children had conflicted looks. They all stayed silent as they all just laid around on in the cell
None exchanged a word, everyone was in a complete daze. Trying to make up their mind in whether they put their trust in Dahlia or not
Dahlia also remained quiet, "I just have to let them have time... hope they all agrees... cause I want them to be free from this place..." she thought internally
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After around 5 hours passed
Xinhua soon stood up, he walks towards Dahlia. All the children's attention were on him, including Hunji's
Dahlia looked up, her gaze meeting Xinhua's
Xinhua gulped as he let out a soft sigh. "I am going with you..." He replied finally
"Do you know by trusting her, you are putting your life at risk here? How can you be sure that she is trustworthy?" Hunji asked in a cold tone
Dahlia stayed silent, not replying. She knew Hunji is just scared and traumatized so...
She didn't blame him tho... she waited what would Xinhua reply with
'"She is trustworthy... cause I see her as my older sister figure... and I know her long enough when I was more younger. She isn't the type who betrays someone... instead... the type to help someone..." Xinhua replied back, his tone firm. Not holding even a faintest doubt
Hunji and the children were taken aback by his reply
"Oh yeah? Then what if her plan in "returning to our world" fails? What then?" Hunji asked again, but his tone was more to himself than to Xinhua. Wrestling with his own past...
"If I die?" Xinhua asked as he looks straight at Hunji, directly in the eye
Hunji didn't said anything, crossing his arms over his chest as he was still was laid on ground
The other children waited in anticipation for his reply
"... If I die... then I die..." Xinhua said simply as he shifts his look back at Dahlia again
"I mean is... we all are gonna die anyways if we stayed in this cell forever... living in fear... but If I at least tried a way to escape... then..." He paused briefly
"Even if I died... I can tell myself that I tried something... to survive... and die in a manly way... It's pretty cool that way, isn't it?..." He continued as he chuckled slight, trying to lift up the mood
Dahlia can't help but chuckle too, she pats Xinhua
"You don't have to worry, we both won't die" She reassured and looked at other children
"Well? One agreed, so what about you all? Stay here or go out with me? I am asking this the final time, there won't be a second chance because I am not forcing you all to come with me..." She asked as she stood up, standing besides Xinhua while holding his hand
"Come with me if you will it to..." She said with finality
The children were looking more conflicted as they all started discussing, their whispers going louder
Hunji just watched how it all folds out... his expression blank but he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt
Soon
A little girl goes towards Dahlia, "I will come... all cause I wanna go to my daddy... he might be feeling lonely with me not being there..." the girl answered
Dahlia smiled more, "Sure, what is your name?" she asked as she patted her head
"My name is Ginger" The little girl replied
"It is a lovely name. I am happy you came along" Dahlia said
Suddenly, a boy goes towards them
"Do you really think there is a way out?" He asked, his tone held nervousness and doubt
Dahlia looks at the boy
"Yes... there is a way out" She replied with finality, her tone firm holding no senses of uncertainty
Hearing her final reply, all the children except Hunji goes towards her
Joining her hands in escaping this place
Finally all the children including Xinhua and Dahlia looked at Hunji, expectantly
Silence filled in
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Hunji sighed loudly as he finally stood up
He goes towards them all, "... There are a total of... 5000 children here... trapped..." he finally said it
Dahlia smiled more, her eyes holding determination
"Let's go and save them all. When there is no red moon" She commented
Before that red moon disappears for a while, Dahlia and the others decided in trying to gather more information of this world
"Gusterian~ Brother~ can't I play with that mortal girl?" Lusterian asked as Gusterian was guarding them
Xinhua tensed up hearing this and so were everyone
Dahlia pats Xinhua's back for him to calm down even tho, she herself was disturbed
Gusterian sighed deeply, annoyed, "Fine, play with her for sometime. But be back after 2 hours" he replied
Xinhua clenched his hands to fists as he was mad
Dahlia was tensed up more as she gripped her dress tightly to ground herself
Lusterian pouted as he poked his cheek, "C'mon brother~ Why 2 hours only? Why not 10 hours?"
"Be glad I am giving you 2 hours with her. Otherwise I wouldn't give her up cause she too intrigued me" Gusterian laughed as he looked at Dahlia with that disturbing far stretched smile
As if he noticed her anxious state
Dahlia only glares at him
"Aww~ trying to be feisty? I love it~" Gusterian cooed as he chuckled
Lusterian only huffed as he opened the cell door, "C'mon out little mortal. We will have some fun before my brother changes his mind"
"NO! SHE IS NOT COMING WITH ANY OF YOU!!!!" Xinhua yelled out as he stood in front of Dahlia, protecting her with his body
"YEAH!!! YOU CAN'T TAKE HER!!!" Ginger also stood with Xinhua
More children came forward, they are protecting Dahlia
Dahlia was deeply touched by their protectiveness
Hunji who was also watching, decided to join everyone. "Yes, she just arrived. Let her at first get used to it" he said blankly
Lusterian raised a eyebrow seeing the protectiveness towards Dahlia
"Hmm? Little mortals playing the heroes? Do you wanna get punished badly like before~" Lusterian snickered
Xinhua froze up as his resolve slightly faltered along with other children except Hunji, but still stood in front of Dahlia
Dahlia noticed that Xinhua's body is shaking slightly
She stood up as she gone past them, "I am coming" she said blankly
Hunji, Xinhua and many others were shocked
"WHAT?!?!?! YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS?!?! THEY WILL HURT YOU!!!!" Xinhua exclaimed
"And if I don't go, they will harm you all. Which will be unfair that I remain unscathed while you all get injured..." Dahlia replied as she pats Xinhua on head
"I promise, I will be back" She smiled slightly as she soon got out from the cell
"Heheeheehe~ That was a good show~" Lusterian remarked as he closed the cell gate. He soon slammed the gate harshly to scare everyone in it
Which actually worked when everyone backed away except Hunji, he was used to all this now
While some ended up crying, especially those who were around 4 or 5 years old
"Let's go~" Lusterian extended his hand for Dahlia to take as he was enjoying feeding off from everyone's fears inside the cell
"Just guide" Dahlia said as she was ticked off
Lusterian snickered again as he soon snatched her hand roughly and started dragging her away, without any care
His claw like hands made her skin to be cut, causing blood to come out
Dahlia winced as she tried keeping calm
Her legs hurt in walking cause of how fast Lusterian was walking
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Finally they reached his private quarters, Dahlia froze when she saw many girls crying in the corners of the rooms
There were 7 of them... but heavily injured
And the room wasn't well maintained... it was dark, broken windows showing the red moon... dusts everywhere... along with dried and fresh blood covered the whole room
Chainsaw, chains, cuffs, knives, daggers, scissors laying around that was rusty, it seems it was recently used by him on the seven girls or... he had just ended someone here
Horrible stench filled the room like decaying smell with dried blood
Filled with many bugs but they weren't from earth
They were like... dark green cockroaches... purple centipedes but with red spots...
Crystal clear worms that was slightly glowing dimly, as if showcasing the horrendous insects living in there to scare them
Dahlia felt her body run cold, she bit her lower lip to ground herself
Lusterian soon pushed her down, making her fall on ground. He bent down to her eye level, "Show me your greatest fear~" he snickered as he soon took his claw like hands which soon wrapped it around her throat, chocking her
Dahlia gasped out air as she felt her eye's widening in fear as her breathing hitched
Her heart beat increased more than normal
Tears welled up as she grits her teeth to stay calm even on this situation, "Stay calm... stay calm... don't let this monster feed from your fears nor pain..." she thought internally
Finally she stared blankly at the Lusterian even with the tears streaming down her eyes as she was clenching her hands to fists to ground herself
Lusterian was confused but soon that confusion was gone, it smiled again widely. "Oh my~ Trying to act like it doesn't hurts you? Then I will show you what pain really is~" he snickered darkly
He lets go of Dahlia's throat, roughly
She collapsed on ground, gasping for air
Feeling relief finally
But that didn't lasted long
Before when Lusterian grabbed a bat and banged her head with it, but not hard enough that will crack her skull
Dahlia gasped as she held back her scream, "Don't do it... don't make any reaction when he does this..." she thought again internally while keeping a blank face as blood trickled down from her head cause of the impact
"Still not crying? Well~ we still have 2 hours so~" Lusterian laughed darkly
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Soon after 2 hours
Dahlia suffered a lot within those hours but she remained strong and didn't made any reactions during those tortures even tho it was painful
Lusterian groaned, annoyed
He soon threw the bat towards a Dahlia again but she dodged it in time
Frustrated Lusterian stormed off the room, "I will need a few mins of fresh air" he mumbled
Dahlia panted tired and in pain
The seven girls approached her
"Are you ok?" One of them asked
"I am fine... it's nothing compared to what you all endured..." Dahlia replied
She soon stood up, limping slightly as she started searching for some kind of something that will give her clues of this world
"What are you doing?" Another one asked suspiciously
"I am searching for something that will give me clues of something about this world... as I am returning back to my world... will you guys join me?" Dahlia asked as she doesn't finds anything so far
The seven girls were shocked and were hesitant
They looked around as cold sweat formed from their foreheads
Dahlia noticed their reactions but soon gave them a slight smile
"I know you guys are scared... but... you can trust me... I have a way to return back to our world... you have all the time and space, you need cause we will make a escape after 3 days... so think this through..." Dahlia reassured
"It's your choice in living in fear here... or escaping with me... no pressure... just the choice is to you guys... if you guys are in then tell others you know about it... that is the least you can do" Dahlia continued on
The girls were fidgeted with their dresses, their heartbeats increasing as they wondered on what decision to make... they didn't wanna stay here... but had to cause they have no choice... as they all have endured so much here
While Dahlia was searching for something...
She heard footsteps, she increased her speed in search
Growing anxious
Finally, she sees a old rusty book. She puts it in her bag but before she could do it... Lusterian arrived
Dahlia froze up, she felt dread slowly creep in sweat formed on her forhead...
But by the time she looked up, the girls surrounded her... completely concealing the book she is holding
Seeing this, she immediately put it back
Lusterian crooked his head to the side
"Huh? What are you mortals doing together? Already getting along with each other in those mins I was gone?" He sighed deeply in exasperation as he facepalmed
"I am not in a good mood so... lets bring you back before that brother of mine comes scolding me" He grabbed Dahlia and left with her
Dahlia gives one last glance at the girls, she saw them smiling...
She knew they are on the boat now...
Dahlia gives them a nod in assurance before she was dragged out from Lusterian's private quarters
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They arrived at the prison, Lusterian opens the cell gate and roughly pushes Dahlia in before harshly closing the gate
Gusterian noticed as he raised a eyebrow, "What is with the mood off?" he asked
"Urgh, nothing! This damn mortal just annoyed me! IT DIDN'T EVEN GAVE ME ANY REACTION OR LET ME FEED FROM IT'S FEAR OR PAIN!!!" Lusterian sneered
Gusterian was taken a back as he looks at Dahlia
"You really beat her up and no reaction?" He asked
"That is what I am saying!" Lusterian groaned
While they were talking, Dahlia was examined by many who were worried sick for her
"What did they... do you..." Xinhua exclaimed as tears welled up
"I am fine... just... can you all surround around me when those two are gone?" Dahlia requested keeping a blank face
"Why tho?" Hunji asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he raised a eyebrow
"I will tell you when you guys surround me... as if you all are scared and in fear... cowering in a corner..." Dahlia said
Everyone in the cell were confused but soon agreed on it
When Gusterian and Lusterian left the prison
Everyone surrounded Dahlia , they all acted as if they are in fear or something
Dahlia soon pulls out the book from her back, "I couldn't say how to return back... cause we all are being watched by that... eyeball on top of the prison gate..." she finally explained
Everyone tensed up as they all were about to look at it including Hunji
"Don't look directly... it will get us in great trouble..." Dahlia warned them
"How come you know this...?" Hunji asked as he was in this cell for so long that he never even noticed that
"Just felt that it was there... but anyways I found a book there...in that Ghouls quarters... Hope there is useful informations..." Dahlia said as she was about to open the book
Hunji was suspicious of her but didn't ask as he only just looked at the book
"Huh...?" Dahlia tried opening it with more strength
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"Why won't it not open...?" Dahlia groaned as she couldn't open it no matter whatever way she tried