The Poleman

Sounds of heavy breathing and sweat dripping filled the air. Sine and Ariet both lay on a mat, exhausted after a few hours of sparring, their muscles burning and aching.

"Gahhh... everything hurrrtssssss!" Sine complained, rolling over and picking himself up.

"It's... weird..." Ariet said in between breaths. "I thought... height... would make... a much more... difference in... fighting..." He coughed and sat up, looking at Sine.

"Or maybe, I'm just him!" He grinned and limped towards the hallway. "Hey come on I want more coffee."

"Careful, you'll get addicted." Ariet said as he stood up and slowly walked towards Sine.

"I already am so stop lecturing." Sine turned the corner.

WHAM!

Sine smacked right into somebody, sending him faltering back for a second. "Ow..." Sine looked up to see a massive guy, probably about 6'7"? Sine's guess anyway. He had aqua blue hair and sharp, deadly eyes. He wore a tight, black long-sleeve shirt with a white cloth-thingy that draped over his shoulders. 

Sine looked up at him, and had a strange thought.

'This guy probably drinks black coffee.'

"Sorry about that." The man said, bowing a little.

"Oh no that's my fault I turned the corner a little too fast." Sine responded.

"Where you boys heading?" He said as he chuckled under his breath, which was kinda creepy but whatever.

"Down to drink some coffee, we just got done doing some training so we're pretty parched" Sine said.

"Why'd you say parched like that" Ariet interrupted.

"I dunno felt like it." Sine shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah I thought that was kinda weird." The man said.

"Had the same thought I wont lie that was weird." Ariet agreed.

"Woah okay man sorry my bad!" Sine stepped back, raising his hands. "I'm just thirsty and want some coffee!"

The tall guy laughed before speaking. "Sorry to trouble you, my names Jell, but please, call me Jellyfish."

"Yeah no I think I'm gonna call you Jell." Sine responded with a disgusted look. "I'm Sine."

"Yeah I agree on that one I don't think I'ma call you Jellyfish." Ariet nodded. "I'm Ariet."

"Well, Ariet, Sine, I'll see you boys later! Maybe... probably not. Maybe though, you guys have a safe trip!" Jell's voice echoed throughout the mechanical halls as he continued his walk.

"Bye!" Sine waved.

Ariet and Sine continued on their way down the corridors, until they found themselves in the previous lounge they rested in. Sine, of course, ordered coffee, extra sweet, with a little water on the side to actually quench his thirst.

Ariet just ordered water and sat down, like the boring man he is.

"Hey you know where we're at right now?" Sine asked after taking a sip of his coffee.

"Uh, no. I've been train- how would I know are you dumb?" Ariet side-eyed Sine.

"Actually I'm extremely intelligent" Sine pridefully remarked, his eyes beaming with intellect.

"Okay so what's 10 divided by 2?" Ariet smirked.

"Uh like 8 duh who wouldn't know that?" Sine had a triumphant look on his face.

Ariet gave Sine a strange expression before shrugging and drinking his water. Then suddenly, Sine felt something strange. Like... a feeling? A premonition?

"Get down." Sine said, kneeling down and watching his surroundings. The peaceful sounds of the waiting room filled the air, the scent of creamer eased everyone's minds. But Ariet got down anyway despite everything.

And he was glad. In a flash, grinding and screaming metal screeched through the environment, and a sudden gust of wind hit them. Their bodies became light as the part of the aircraft they were in had been torn from the top of the aircraft. Sine's ears were ringing from the screeching metal, he looked to his right in terror to see a living mountain floating in the air, its midnight and crimson scales gleaming against the glistening sunset.

'That sound... shouldn't exist...'

Despite his ears being torn apart by the explosion of tearing metal, he could hear it. A wail, something he has never heard before, filled his soul with absolute dread. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the mountain as it breathed in the souls of everything it just eradicated. It's form started to become shapeless as it started to shape into a thin puddle, then a rushing river with cries and shrieks that came from within it.

But just then, a massive jellyfish took flight from the aircraft, it's aqua bioluminescent color fighting off the raging sunset, a thin, almost see through cloth that was lined with gold that wrapped around its head like a halo as it floated forward towards the mountainous-abomination. 

And that's all the time Sine had to see what was happening, for he had his own problems to worry about.

He was plunging to his death.

"Ariet!" Sine screamed at the top of his lungs hoping the rushing air wouldn't catch his voice.

Ariet turned to Sine in a fearful manner, and looked at him with wide eyes. Sine tried to maneuver to Ariet, but it was difficult.

Luckily, he's a fast learner.

He glided over to Ariet almost treading through the wind, and grabbed hold of him from behind.

"Use your fire to stop the fall!!" Sine yelled, but not so loud that it hurt his eardrums.

"What!! How!!" Ariet turned his head slightly.

"I don't freaking know how your Aether Engine works! I think blasting your flames below us will slow us down, it's pretty simple stuff!!" Sine yelled back.

Ariet clenched his teeth and looked back, they were slowly approaching the ground, thick red vines and crimson trees littered the place, in other places black splotches of leaves and grass started to get clearer and clearer. 

The sound of an engine revving started in Sine's ear, and sparks started to appear all around them. Only about 10 seconds before they hit the ground, a column of azure flames enveloped them, slowing down their fall tremendously.

"Oof!" They both grunted as they smacked the forest floor, burnt leaves scattering around them and blue embers dying out. A sapphire glow illuminated the world for a moment, and Sine turned to see the source.

The jellyfish creature exploded with light as it fought the formless mountain of black and red, whirlpools drowning out the scream of the damned the mountain emanated. 

"Well Ariet..." Sine chuckled to himself as he observed his surroundings. "I think we're screwed!"

'Because this...'

Sine got up and studied the bark-formations on the black and red trees. Of course, one could tell where they were just by the colors, but he had to make sure. And he was now sure.

"Is the land of the Sin of Wrath."