Bounty Hunter Bash Sleep Lock Part Three

 The Temptation 

They all came to a cave. They looked left and right and saw that there was no end to the rock face. They looked up to see that there was no end at the top either. They looked at the mouth of the cave, with a sense of anger and dread.

“Well? What are you waiting for? Get in there!” Wolfox growled.

“But there’s no room for you!”

Wolfox roared.

“Yes, I know, girl! Clearly, Grasharlo does not want me interfering with this Dreamworld, or doing anything for that matter. So stop dawdling and get a move on!”

Cerpheres chuckled.

“Don’t like tight spaces, do we?”

“Oh, don’t you dare start, boy!”

Cerpheres chuckled and looked at him as if he was a cute animal.

“Alright!”

So the group walked in, leaving Wolfox behind. When they did, the first thing that Bash noticed was that the others had disappeared! The next thing that she noticed was her father standing in front of her in a room. In his arms was her baby brother. Her baby brother that she barely knew, the baby brother that barely knew life before he was cut down with her father.

Her eyes widened with shock as she looked at them in disbelief.

How? They’re dead! What is this?

That was when she saw a cat jump in front of her, almost out of nowhere. She looked down at the cat as the cat looked up at her with a knowing look.

“Hello, Bounty Hunter Bash or Princess Drew McDragonfree.”

“Grasharlo?” 

“Yes.”

She quickly dived at her and tried to catch her by the throat. She jumped up and out of the way. She jumped on her head. She tried to catch her again. Only for her to jump off her head. Suddenly, Bash fell down, like she had been hit in the head by a man. She then felt a paw on her head that was far too strong for her liking.

This was followed by the sound of a chuckle. She looked up at the cat form of Grasharlo, with anger and frustration.

“Don’t you know that this is my Dreamworld? I’m pretty certain that you should know that the one that creates this world has more dominance over it than those trapped here?”

“But that other witch…”

“Was weak and not a master of this spell, meanwhile I am!”

She narrowed her eyes. Then she looked up at her father and baby brother. The witch did too.

“Aahhh! Yes. You’re wondering what all of this is about. Well, I have a proposal for you.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“And what is that?”

“Simple. I want to resurrect them. Or, at least, one of them.”

Her eyes widened.

Is-is this a trick? Does she actually believe that I would fall for such a trick?

"I assure you, this is no trick. After all, I have died many times and have come back many times. So, do you honestly think that I couldn’t do the same with your father and baby brother? A brother that never had the chance of life and the only parent that ever wanted to know you and accepted you. Do you want them back?”

She could feel the tears forming.

Yes, I do.

“Come on! Say it!”

“Yes, I-I do.”

“And would you do anything just to see them again?”

She rubbed her eyes.

“Depends what it is.”

“Not fooling you into thinking that there’s no price, hur?”

She shook her head.

“Alright! If you want to see your father again, kill Chashathrophogh. If you want to see your baby brother again, kill Arielsa Zuvé or Dark Lady, Slayer, Assassin, Bounty Hunter, Strena Azlok.”

Bash nodded, keeping her emotions in check.

“And if I refuse?”

“Then you may continue, but I would like you to think how happy your mother would be if she saw that you were the one who brought her the head of the one that caused her so much sorrow and grief. You would be a hero! Even more so once you brought home her husband or baby brother. You never know, your mother might just accept who you really are at heart! And I might just put a good word into Gajellidor to take down his bounty on you.”

Bash rolled her eyes as she got to her feet.

“No.”

She put on a puzzled look.

“What?”

She rolled her eyes again.

“Look, if I wanted to be a hero, I would be, but no. I know what I am. If my father came back knowing both he and my baby brother were brought back by the blood of his brother-in-law and a child was the price, he would never forgive me.”

“He doesn’t need to find out.”

“But he will. If there is one thing that I know about my father is that was the only one who knew me. So he would know as he would be able to figure it out. Also, if I was concerned with my mother’s happiness, I would have gone to the Sky Kingdoms and got married off by now. No, I would have done anything that sje wanted at the expence of my real self.”

“But she was just worried about you.”

At this she felt anger rise within her and gave the cat-witch a look that could have killed millions.

“No. She just didn’t want me ending up like my uncle. So tell me where is the way out before I do something that I will regret.”

“The door over there.”

“Thank you.” She said.

Before she closed her eyes as she wanted to test something. She imagined that there was a bow and arrow in her hands. When she opened her eyes and spotted that there was a scarlet bow with a crimson string with a quiver of white arrows.

Before she gave her the warning she fired at the cat. The cat looked up and was struck before she had the time to dodge. Seeing that she did not wake up, she knew that that was not her dream avatar. 

So she walked to the door and left the room to find that she, along with everyone else, was on the other side of the cave. Bash looked at Chashathrophogh and he looked at Strena. She did too as it was quite clear that they all had the exact same temptations but none of them gave in. However together, they knew what they should do from now on.