Chương 12: No! Not My Favourite Kitten!

Ba-dump¬Ba-dump!

"This is it…" The room trembled with anticipation as Mentos reached down to grasp Judgment Day.

"Wait!" Hao grabbed Mentos's hand, feeling the pulsing beat of his pulse. "Are you certain about this?"

Mentos wrenched his arm free, his breath hitched as he replied, "I'm fine." He returned to what he was doing, hands moving slowly towards their target.

Thud!

Just as Mentos was about to interact with the sword, a peculiar creature hopped onto the table, startling him. The creature had the head of a cat with sleek fur, whiskers twitching in curiosity, and the scaly tail of a lizard, flicking back and forth with agitation.

"Huh, Kitten, what are you doing? Don't tell me you're hungry already. It's not even midnight yet," Mentos admonished his pet.

"Meow." Kitten purred a bizarre melody of feline and reptilian tones, then braced itself against the hilt of Judgment Day, setting the stage for a diabolical revelation.

Boom!

Mentos and Hao's faces became a mix of confusion and worry in a split second. They watched as the hilt of Judgment Day began to pulse with a dark, sinister energy. It was as if the sword itself had come alive, and its intentions were far from benevolent. A mysterious force latched onto Kitten, holding it fast as it began to suck the life essence away.

"Meow! Meow! Meow!" Kitten's entire features portrayed agony, its body writhing and screaming, a haunting blend of cat-like yowls and lizard hisses.

The room permeated with a tangible dread as Kitten's once vibrant form grew thin, pale, and lifeless. Its fur and scales withered away, replaced by dark, swirling particles that seemed to be drawn into the sword. The horrifying process continued until Kitten was no more, its essence consumed by Judgment Day.

"The hell?" Mentos and Hao stumbled backwards from the table with their hearts pounding in terror.

"What just happened?" Their voices trembled in unison as they grappled with the unthinkable.

Mentos's mind sieved through memories of Kitten, the playful moments they shared, and the warmth of their bond. Tears trickled down his face, mingling with the cold sweat of fear. He grieved for his lost companion, but the terror that gripped him left no room for more than a whispered, "Why?"

Still in the midst of processing Kitten's death, Hao's curiosity got the best of him. His grip wavered around Vibe Edge, which dimmed his unique sight a bit. With a deep breath, he steeled his mettle and took a step towards the ominous sword.

Mentos saw what he was up to and warned him, "Don't go near it, Vee."

Hao, however, insisted on getting closer. "I have to."

Mentos, fearing for his friend's safety, lunged forward and grabbed Hao firmly from behind. "I won't let you commit suicide!"

"Hey! Let go of me, man!" Hao struggled to break free, but his flimsy muscles couldn't compare to Mentos's burly build. Amid the bout, their panicked movements caused Vibe Edge to slip from his grasp which further diminished his sight.

Bang! Bang!

In the commotion, they heard a sudden knock on the door that startled them. Hao instinctively grabbed the hilt of Judgment Day and quickly hid with Mentos behind a counter closer to the back of the abode.

"Who the hell is that outside?" Mentos questioned.

"I don't know. I dropped Vibe Edge." Hao Vee also wondered the same thing.

Their hearts pounded as they pressed themselves against the cold floor, barely daring to breathe. They were convinced that the authorities had found them, thus panic swirled through their minds as they tried to come up with a plan.

The silence was broken by a voice outside the door. "Hey, Mentos, you in there, man?"

"Huh, that voice…?" Mentos recognized the voice and relief washed over him. "Cog, is that you, mate?" It turned out to be one of his co-workers, and they felt more at ease knowing it wasn't the OSD.

Cog replied, "It's me, so ah… where is the Zirconium Detector you borrowed earlier? I kinda need it right about now."

Without opening the door, Mentos told him, "It's outside on a barrel. Look to your left."

"I see it." Cog picked it up. "Thanks, man," he said before heading back to work.

"That was a close call. I thought the OSD was about to bust in here. I was prepared to toss you to the wolves." Mentos was serious, he and Hao emerged from their hiding spot, no longer fearful of getting busted. However, Mentos became alert when he noticed Hao holding Judgment Day. Terror gripped him, and he stammered, "Vee, are you okay? Why aren't you turning into a dark mass like Kitten did?"

"I don't know." Both were puzzled.

"Hurry and toss it away before it absorbs you too!" Mentos warned.

"Alright," Hao agreed, but instead of tossing the sword, he gently placed it back on the table and picked up his Vibe Edge from where he dropped it earlier. His Vibe Edge shivered and he thought the feeling strange. Thus, he pushed it forward and began to analyse Judgment Day. His acute Vibe Sense couldn't penetrate the mysterious sword's scabbard, but he sensed strange lines coursing through it.

"Hmm…" From the side, Mentos watched Hao with a pale face, still haunted by the recent horror. He wondered what Hao was doing and whether it was safe for his friend to be so close to the sword.

"Damn, it won't budge," Hao cursed, trying to force the sword open again but to no avail. He later asked Mentos for a favour, "Can you fetch me a Disque Port? I'm going to try to brute force it."

A Disque Port was a small box-like device that could be attached to a sword to open its intricate Sword Details. Hao thought it might help reveal more about the mysterious Judgment Day and the strange lines he had sensed.

"Here it is, this is the last one I have in stock." Mentos handed Hao the Disque Port, then stared in apprehension as he attempted to unlock the secrets of Judgment Day.