A Dead Silent Pulse

She saw his form making its way up the mountain, passing the long, steep sides, and winding into the cave. Not long after, it was followed by a dark shape, carrying specks of purple.

***

Ocean trod deeper into the cave with his steps steady, carefully surveying the interior components of the dark cavern. Jagged rocks surrounded the path on three sides: left, right, and above. The trajectory he took twisted and turned every fifteen feet, like a giant serpent mimicking the shape of a cosine graph. It was quiet in there, for it was deprived of biological inhabitants. There was no sign of movement besides those of himself, except for the occasional trickling of melted snow seeping through the ceiling. He had gone well into the cave when suddenly he stopped, the tightening of his muscles visible beneath his clothing. He whipped around.

“Who’s there?”

A dragged out laugh responded to him. Behind a boulder, the black mass freckled with purple emerged, morphing into his human form. Moderate figure, darkly clothed and skinned, black hair and purple eyed, he looked in Ocean’s direction greedily with a sly grin. 

“Well hello there, Oceanus Scarlet,” he said as two blades flashed into existence in Ocean’s hands.

Ocean gave him an eyeroll. “Quit the greetings. Let’s get this over with.”

“Oh, wouldn’t you like some reasoning from me?” the dark figure questioned in a complacent manner, as though ascertained that the Capricorn host before him would listen to him with a hundred-percent probability. “I presume that you know of my brethen’s desire?”

“Look, if you’re gonna just keep talking then I’ll be on my way, okay?” said Ocean with a lack of interest, turning to leave.

“Of course not!” the human-form black hole hissed as there was a blur of his hand, coupled with a hazy but fast jet of purple in the air. Ocean cried out and recoiled as one of his knives clattered to the floor. Wide eyed, he looked up slowly at the black hole, fear and uncertainty reflected on his face.

“Your cause is doomed right from the beginning,” the black hole continued in declaration. “True, retrieval of the stars by the main host of the constellation it belongs to is the most direct method, but that does not mean we have no other means by acquiring them. Would you rather battle to death and have the star land in my hands anyways, or would you prefer willingly handing it over, and maybe I can spare your life?”

Ocean scoffed at these words that he had heard numerous times. “Yeah, right. And you’re just gonna let me walk away free, aren’t you?” He bent down and retrieved his fallen weapon. He then held it up, its tip pointed at his foe in a challenge.

His antagonist smirked. “It’s your choice.”

He raised a hand and a jet of purple shot out from it in less than a blink. The brilliant streak flew in a clear path through the air of the dark cavern, heading straight for its caster’s opponent, a millisecond away from striking him, when a sheet of black shot upwards between them and deflecting the blast. 

The black hole was shocked for a moment, gaping at the dark wall before him. But then his purple eyes narrowed. “Nice to have you to join us, Ashley Adams.”

There was no answer. On the other side of the screen of shadow, Ocean’s eyes widened as he took a step back. They darted around but found no other presence. 

“Hiding?” questioned the black hole, turning and looking around.

“Ocean, make haste,” came her voice from the shadows. 

Ocean looked doubtful, still trying to locate her. “But—”

“You don’t know how long it will remain there. Go.”

Irresolutely, he turned, venturing one last glance back, and broke off into a run.

There was a long silence after his figure disappeared into the depths of the cavern.

The purple eyes travelled in circles, studying every spot in his surroundings. “What are you waiting for, Scorpio girl? You do know that your power is limited; it shan’t be all wasted on that barrier you created, shall it?”

In a split moment, a pincer-shaped knife came hurling towards his breast in a swift move. Unfortunately, his fast reflexes allowed him to seize the handle right before the tip pierced his heart. Ashley glared up at him with annoyance with her intense dark eyes; then she released her weapon and vanished back into the darkness before an attempt was made to attack her.

The black hole turned just as an enormous sphere of clear water dropped on top of him and drenched him from head to toe, splattering on the ground. His hissed with pain and flung a bolt of purple forwards, narrowly missing Ashley’s face, who ducked down in time. Another jet of purple barrelled in her direction and she disappeared. 

For a while, there was no detectable movement except for the black hole shaking off the liquid covering his body like a dog gotten wet. Then, with a sound of metal slicing through the air, a blade resembling the shape of a vice spun towards the black hole. His hand shot out and grabbed it in mid-air by the handle, eyeing Ashley, who was standing in the corner next to him with frustration. 

“You think I will fall for that, Scorpio?” he demanded, thrusting the blade onto the floor, where it clattered, its tips glistening with traces of liquid. “I understand that poison is your speciality?”

He was met with that sizzling, heated gaze of the dark eyes up front.

***

Ocean dashed through the pathway, which curved upwards, going up somewhere within the mountain. He was panting, and it was evident that he was having trouble dragging his limbs, but he forged ahead. 

It was a few minutes before finally a rough engraving of a goat with a fishtail on the wall came into view. He hurried to it and came to a skidding stop, gasping for breath.

“Right, Capricorn, I’m, I’m getting the star now,” he said, his chest heaving, his hand reaching for the rock. He placed his palm on it and pushed.

Unexpectedly, vines from nowhere lashed out and wrapped around his arms like octopus tentacles. He started and watched in alarm as more dark ropes of plant began twisting around his legs too, restraining his limbs. He tugged forcefully on them, but they held him even more tightly. 

“SERIOUSLY?” he bellowed at the cavern roof. “Capricorn, I thought we were FRIENDS!”

***

A black sword was flung towards her. She managed to not get herself impaled, but it left a gash on her arm, having cut through her sleeve, causing her to jerk back upon impact. The black hole flung another battle axe at her, and she ducked down, though the heavy handle slid past her knuckles, which she seized in pain. A javelin came hurling towards her. She raised her other arm and a sheet of black rose in front of her as a shield. The javelin point struck it and bounced back, clattering on the stone floor. She flung her fingers forward and the umbra-aegis zoomed ahead and slammed the black hole on the wall.

***

Ocean struggled and pulled roughly in all manners, but the vines were interested only in trapping him further, making their way upwards his arms and legs.

You must give them life, echoed Capricorn’s voice. 

“Give them life? Are you crazy?” Ocean wondered aloud. Some of the vines have climbed up to his torso and neck. “They’re trying to strangle me, in case you haven’t noticed!” 

He looked back at the cable-like plantation in panic, which was winding around his throat, his breathing rapidly increasing. 

***

Ashley swung her hook at the black hole from behind, who grabbed it and pulled, using the momentum to fling her across the cave. She collided with the wall on the shoulder, partially squeezing into the hook’s chain. She released a groan and rolled aside as a jet of purple light headed for her, shattering a piece of rock. She threw herself out of the way again just as another jet attempted to strike her. Upon the third threat, she melted into the shadows.

***

You ought to prove yourself, said Capricorn. Show that you are the true main host of Capricorn. 

“Oh yeah?” Ocean yelled out loud at the ceiling, choking as the vines around his neck constricted. “Wha-agk, what if that only makes them stronger and--augk--let them kill me?”

Listen to me, urged Capricorn. You know you can’t allow your life to be snuffed out like this. 

Ocean looked down at the vines, not just the ones on his neck, but also the ones around his entire body below, which were beginning to squeeze him. He gasped and thrust outwards again, but to no avail. More strands of organic cords climbed up towards his face. He concentrated his gaze on them, making one last attempt. He sighed, closed his eyes, the plants covering his face, his head, the only parts remaining exposed just now. The vines tightened around their pillar of flesh, pulling it narrower, stiller. 

Then, between their gaps, peeped out a luminous glow in the shade of yellow-green.

***

The black hole grabbed her arm just as she emerged from behind him. 

“Really, Ashley Adams, don’t you think I would have expected this?”

Her nails darkened and lengthened, stretching toward him like jagged stingers.

“None of tha—”

But her other hand was on the handle of her knife, which had its tip buried into the black hole’s chest cavity, into the location where the heart would have been. The black hole froze, his entire form stifling, his gaze travelling downwards, realisation dawning his face.

“Ah, well,” he sighed in resignation. “You surprised me. Here is a parting gift.”

He exploded into small, fluttering, black forms, all heading towards Ashley as they flapped their wings. Ashley’s eyes widened with terror as the leathery black shapes closed in on her pale face. 

***

Ocean’s glow dimmed as vines, now healthily green, retracted away from him, fading into space unseen as they unlaced themselves from his body. He breathed heavily as he eyed them, ensuring that every single one of them had left before he dared to move a muscle. The stone engraved with Capricorn’s depiction fell open, revealing a glowing star within it. He reached out, his eyes scanning around, sensing for traps, and took it in his hand. He turned it over in his fingers. Then, he pocketed it and raced back the way he came.

***

“Ashley? Ashley!” he called out as he approached the place he left behind. He skidded to a stop and looked around frantically, searching from corner to corner, before his gaze found her crumpled on the ground. Her dark clothing blended so well with the cavern floor, her spread hair covering her face, which was facing downwards.

“Ashley!” he got down at her side. As mentioned earlier, her dark hair was loose, its broken hairband severed unevenly and lying nearby. Tiny holes appeared now and there over her body with dried blood, two evident ones on her neck when Ocean turned her over. Ashley had pale skin in the first place, but it was brought to an even more extreme degree, deathly alike the colour of the whitest bones. 

In a flurry, Ocean fumbled around and found her wrist. He pressed his thumb on it, searching. After a while, his expression of worry was replaced with dismay. His voice quivered, unwilling to accept his conclusion.

“Ashley. Ashley…”

***

“I don’t get why the black holes love it so much to target my head,” said Tesla, sitting on the bed beside Horton’s. “It’s like they’re trying to open up my mind or something.”

“Are you alright then?” asked Horton with an altruistic look, despite that his bandaged leg was held up with a strap and the evident severity in the injury. “Does it still hurt?”

Tesla placed a hand on the bandage on his wound in the forehead. “The doctors stitched it up the best they could. They say it should be fine if I rest for a few weeks. Plus getting check-ups and adjustments once every few days.”

“Good,” said Vincent, standing by the wall across the beds. “It wouldn’t be nice if I went through all that trouble to get you here only to find that your brain’s a goner.”

“Yeah, well, thanks,” said Tesla with a shrug as the door burst open and Ocean rushed in.

“Tes, are you okay?” he immediately asked. “I heard—”

“Well, as okay as a guy who just went through an apparently successful head surgery,” said Tesla, gesturing at his forehead. 

Ocean studied him, his chest heaving less wildly as time passed. Then, he sighed with relief. “Thank god.”

Vincent started and turned to Ocean. “Ocean, Ashley said that she went to look out for you at that hill where you found a star in. Did you see her?”

Ocean’s face clouded at this, his signs of relief disappearing.

“Um,” he paused, leaving a long silence before saying, “Yeah, I did.”

“Did you get it?”

He reached into his pocket slowly and held out the star, glowing in pristine condition.

Vincent studied him. “Why do you look so down, then? Also, where’s Ashley?”

Ocean did not answer. Vincent’s gaze travelled upwards, stopped for a moment, and being a skilled telepath he was, his eyes widened. Horton and Tesla gave him curious looks. Vincent turned to them, a message passing between them. Their eyes grew large in disbelief.

“How?” asked Horton, turning to Ocean. 

Ocean spread his hands gloomily. “I don’t know. I don’t know what the black hole did to her.”

***

Ocean watched the scene as he leant against the windowsill, his face clouded with the look of a person who had first beheld the effects of a nuclear bomb, in awe of its potential, but also struck with horror of the devastating consequences it may lead to. This was how he stared out warily as he recalled the events in the cavern.

*** 

In the dark cavern, the pale arm of her crumpled, loose-haired form stirred. Ocean’s eye caught this and immediately light returned to it. Her hand found the dark, solid floor, and her back rose as she moved to push herself up.

“Ashley!” Ocean cried in delight, his face cracking into a bright grin, backing slightly to give her space to rise. “You’re okay! God, I thought you were dead! Is that—”

He broke off upon catching her gaze. Halfway up, she had turned in his direction, her dark hair hanging down her face, in stark contrast of her bloodless, ivory skin. As she glanced sideways as him, her eyes, glaring through the gaps between her curtain of hair, were gleaming red, like a predator mad with thirst. Then she became a blur as a hand lunged. All was a flurry in the cavern before a loud thud echoed within the confines.

“W-ARGH!”

Ocean’s back slammed into the side of the cavern, his hands hitting into the rocks following the momentum of his arms, his face twisting into a grimace following his cry. He blinked ferociously, trying to allow his lens to adjust, and then his eyes caught sight of the arm, whose elbow pinned him firmly to the wall in the chest, whose white fingers were wrapped around his larynx. His optic receptors enlarged and stared at the ghost-like figure before him, its crimson irises fixed on him with the hostility of a carnivorous beast targeting a helpless prey, sharp as the fangs of a panther, edging towards his face, her jaw opened to reveal the razor-like dental components within, nearing inch by inch, threatening him with imaginations of digging into his skin. His limbs flailed wildly, his eyes wide with panic; his arteries were pulsing too violently, his pumping organ was beating too quickly, his body’s tremors vibrated through his body too powerfully, his blood gushing in their vessels too welcomingly; when that monstrous face almost came into contact, the vivid irises suggesting the bloodbath to come, the unthinkable agonies to come, he managed to scream with a rasp. 

“ASHLEY!”

It stopped, frozen in mid-action, as if anaesthetised. The magenta colour of her eyes dimmed, then darkened. Her fingers loosened and her muscles contracted beneath her ebony clothing. Ocean released a gasp after she removed her hold and redrew. He reached for his throat, which was, though not clearly seen in the dark cavern, tinted with red marks. He breathed heavily, trying to return the workings of his respiratory system back to normal, trying to recover from the shock of the ordeal, as he raised his gaze to meet the face of the main host of Scorpio. Ashley’s head was bowed, her long dark hair dangling down the sides of her face, which was covered in gloom, confusion, and indication of deep thought. Her half-opened eyes stared at the ground in the utmost contrite and remorseful manner for what she had done. Her lips, which had lost much of its abundance, parted by the smallest fraction, allowing one to perceive two pointed, white constituents of her dental cavity.

“Sorry.” Her voice was low, hardly audible, hardly capturable. Ocean, with traces of alarm remaining within his eyes, surveyed her with caution that had never been necessary before since the first he met her. He pushed himself away from the cavern wall, slowly approaching her as if nearing an untamed hippogriff.