Spike shifted around uncomfortably.

“Not well, I've kinda been busy raising kids to study that,” Spike said.

“Well, then you'll be ill-prepared for this next one, you most likely haven't heard of the cult of the Red Fin have you?” Verak said.

“Of course I haven't,” Spike said.

Verak gave a puff of his cigar before continuing “They're this stupid cult known for blood sacrifice, eating the flesh of their enemies, and praising a giant fish. Their group got their start making a deal with me but now they're late on their payments go and take their contract,” Verak ordered.

“You're asking me to take on a bloodthirsty cult?” Spike said fearfully but Varek just gave him a look “ok ok,” Spike said.

“One more thing, seeing as the stakes are raised and your survival against the Chipper Rippers has me interested I will grant you an ability,” Verak said.

“An ability?” Spike said in shock.

“Yes,” Verak waved his hand and a magic glow occurred “You now possess temporary invisibility,” he said.

“Wow, how do I -” Spike asked.

“Just say vanish,” Verak said “Now get moving I'm getting impatient,” Verak said eating some more popcorn.

“Hmmm…” Spike grumbled as he turned and walked through the doorway into the next portal.

Sink or swim

Spike exited the portal and found himself in what seemed to be a dark partially flooded tunnel

“Ugh,” Spike looked down at the calf-level water and he sloshed through the tunnel.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Spike said.

“So does everything you humans don’t understand,” Verak said.

“Where do I go?” Spike asked as he came to a fork in the path.

“Right,” Verak said.

Spike moved on down that way and eventually, the water got deeper, making it tougher to move around quickly.

Spike moved on down the tunnel and eventually as he was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to find the exit he suddenly heard something.

“Huh?” Spike got up against the wall to take cover and he looked down the tunnel and saw figures walking around a corner.

There were three of them and they had something sticking out of their backs.

“What the?” Spike whispered.

Suddenly the one in the back paused and turned around.

“Eep!” Spike hid by crouching in the dark.

The hooded figure looked around before leaving.

“Whew,” Spike said before he followed them they made their way down a path until Spike could see a light at the end of the tunnel.

As Spike saw them go down a set of stairs and vanish he decided to follow and as he reached the edge of the tunnel he saw what looked like a stereotypical cult room, he saw a bunch of hooded figures all praying and muttering.

And the one at an altar reading from a book seemed like the leader.

“Harken! We see into the eyes of our leader! But when he looks back! He looks into your soul!” the apparent bishop declared.

“Odd,” Spike said.

“And now we raise our heads, and growl so that our-... someone's here,” The bishop said as he looked around before pulling his hood back.

And Spike's eyes widened upon seeing a hammerhead shark head on the bishop.

“H-huh?” Spike said.

“What is it Dalso?” Another pulled their hood down, revealing a mako shark.

“We have an intruder….. THERE!” The one called Dalso pointed at Spike and the other shark cultists turned around.

“Ulp,” Spike gulped.

“What business does an unmarked human have to interrupt our sacred ceremony?” Dalso demanded as the other sharks growled.

“I-I-I come in peace! I have a message,” Spike said as he hesitantly made his way down the path to Dalso.

“Hnngh, no bowing? Filthy human,” Dalso said.

“S-sorry,” Spike bowed a little and continued walking up to him as he stopped in front of him he stared into Dalso’s eyes.

“Well? What is this important message?” Dalso asked with a suspicious glare.

“Th-the time is up on the contract, Varek wants it now,” Spike asked.

“.....You interrupt our sacred ceremony to kick us out of our church?! I have half a mind to-”

“I’m just the messenger, tell Varek your issues,” Spike said hands up.

“You then go on to order the bishop of the Red Fin around?! You simple ape, give me one good reason not to make chum out of you,” Dalso growled.

“....I have a family?” Spike meeped.

“Then they’ll miss you- hold on…” Dalso paused and sniffed him.

“Huh?” Spike said.

“Your time isn’t up yet…. Did Verak bring you here directly from the mortal world?” Dalso asked.

“Yes?” Spike said.

“Shouldn’t have told him that…” Verak audibly facepalmed.

“....Hahahahaha! What a fool, does he not know the rules here?” Dalso laughed.

“Huh?” Spike said.

“Let me make this clear to you, did he not tell you the dangers of a living mortal dying in hell?” Dalso said.

“No,” Spike said.

“You die here, your soul fades to oblivion, simple as that,” Dalso said.

“....What?” Spike said in shock.

“Indeed, you’ve been played,” Dalso said.

“Varek is this true?” Spike asked.

“Yeah, so what?” Varek asked.

“....This just got worse,” Spike said.

“Indeed,” Dalso grinned showing his sharp teeth.

“J-just, please give me the contract and I’ll leave you to you-” Spike was suddenly grabbed by the neck by Dalso.

“You think I’ll let you leave after the disrespect you have shown us?! On the contrary, oblivion might be the best teacher for you,” Dalso said before throwing Spike to the ground and the other shark cultists began surrounding him.

“It's against schedule but I’ll allow it, feeding time,” Dalso said with a laugh.

“Crap!” Spike said as he got up and saw the mako sharks surrounding him, looking hungry.

“I’m gonna die,” Spike said.

“Vanish, remember?” Varek boredly said.

“...Oh yeah!” Spike said before he suddenly shouted, “VANISH!” Spike said before he disappeared before their eyes.

“Huh!?” A shark gasped.

“Where did he go?” Another said.

“Spread out and find him!” Dalso ordered and the sharks did so.

Spike hurriedly ran down a chamber and saw he was on a catwalk over a giant pool of water.

“Huh?” Spike said before he saw a massive shape moving around in the water.

“Nope!” Spike ran on before his invisibility wore off.

As Spike made his way into the next room he found himself in a damp series of corridors with soul shards around the area.

And all the areas were flooded to waist level.

“Oh great,” Spike said before he made his way in and he stepped into the waist-deep cold water and began sloshing his way around, collecting shards gradually.

Spike seemed to have a headstart but it wasn’t long until he heard splashing around nearby.

“Huh?” Spike said as he turned and saw a shape moving in the water.

“Not good,” Spike hurriedly made his way down the path as the shape moved after him.

He made his way into another chamber and ran around collecting shards, as he made his way into the next hallway with more shards he heard splashing and turned to see a mako moving towards him, diving in and out of the water like a champion swimmer.

“DINNER TIME!” The mako laughed.

“I’m not going to be fish food!” Spike yelled as he hurriedly pressed through the water as the creature swam after him.

Spike saw some floating boxes up ahead and he jumped onto one and leaped to the next one as the shark jumped out of the water and chomped at his feet.

“Yikes!” Spike cried as he jumped back into the water and made his way through the flooded hallways collecting more shards, thankfully he saw unflooded floors in the distance.

“Thank goodness!” Spike said as he made his way to the land and he turned to see the shark peeking out of the water.

Spike thought he was safe when he suddenly was turned around by another mako grabbing him and roaring in his face before biting him.

3 lives left “So long 'old chum', hahahaha,” Verak taunted.

Spike woke up floating in the water and he quickly got up.

“Ugh, dangit,” Spike said.

“Not very careful are you?” Verak taunted.

“Shut up,” Spike said before he went on splashing down the pathway he didn’t take and he made it to semi-dry land soon and was running at normal speed.

As he ran he encountered a mako turning a corner.

“There he is!” he said.

“Vanish!” Spike said as he disappeared as the shark lunged and tried to bite him.

“Huh?!” He looked around and saw splashes going away in the puddles.

“There he is!” The mako said as another one that was with him aided in pursuit.

“Not good not good!” Spike said as he ran up some stairs and into another chamber full of books.

He didn’t sightsee as he made his way onto a bridge and ran across it collecting more soul shards.

As Spike collected another few in the hallways on the other side of the bridge he glanced back and saw that he lost the sharks.

“Whew,” Spike ran around a corner and found more water and he climbed in carefully.

As he made his way through the water he kept an eye out for anything moving.

And he saw that more were sneaking around.

Two makos coming from different hallways began splashing in the water as they came after him.

“Why me!?” Spike said as he ran as fast as the water would allow him “Vanish!” Spike said disappearing to lose them but the sharks were still on him.

“What? How-” Spike looked down and saw he was moving around the water and it was giving him away.

“This power is terrible for here!” Spike complained.

“Be thankful I gave it mortal,” Verak said back.

Spike went into another solid ground area and ran from the sharks who followed him out of the water and chased him.

“We’ll string you up and eat your innards!” A mako growled.

“And feed what’s left to the master!” The other said.

As they chased him Spike noticed another coming around a corner and baring his teeth.

“One chance,” Spike said as he slid on the ground and avoided the sharkmans grab.

“Dang it!” The shark spun and tried to go after Spike who got up and ran into the room to his left.

As he went in there he saw it was a dead end.

“Crap!” Spike turned and saw the sharks blocking the only exit.

“Snack time boys,” One mako said.

“Not today!” Spike said and in desperation, he ran and jumped through a window.

“No!” The three ran to the window.

“Hah! I-” Spike taunted before hitting the ground hard.

“You really don’t like thinking things through, do you?” Varek asked Spike.

“Ugh,” Spike got up and found he was on another bridge and he got up and ran into the next set of hallways as he collected more shards he heard the makos in the distance and used vanish to hide against a wall as they walked past.

Afterward, he made his way into a stairwell and collected more shards going down it.

As he made his way to the bottom he found himself in the same giant pool room containing the giant fish.

Spike was terrified, what if it was waiting to get him?

“Hey! He’s down there!” Spike looked up and saw more makos on the catwalk and they jumped off and into the water and they began swimming towards him.

“Not good!” Spike said as he ran across the platform over the dark murky water the makos climbing on and chasing him as well.

As he made it halfway across he heard an echo go through the room.

Spike turned and saw the water parting as something big was rushing towards him!

“AAAHHH!” Spike screamed as he ran faster and he jumped just in time avoiding a colossal shark's jaws as they snapped for him, he panted fearfully as he saw the titan of a shark look at him with cold eyes as it slid back into the water, he saw the makos bowing as this happened, is this their ‘revered’ one?.

“I gotta leave,” Spike said honestly at the edge of his fear and he ran up another set of stairs.

As he ran up the stairs he was kicked by a mako going down the stairs.

“Got you!” He said before he closed in and attacked with a claw.

2 lives left “Hook line and sinker,” Verak said.

Spike got up and he was in the chamber he started in.

“You're running out of tries,” Verak said.

“Ok,” Spike said knowing he had to be more careful.

He made his way across the catwalk and over to the sacrificial chamber, using vanish to sneak past Dalso who was still there for some reason.

As he made his way to the other hall on the other side he found himself in a series of rooms with bookshelves and desks, but most importantly, there were shards.

Spike made his way through the library of sorts and began collecting shards.

As he ran down several rooms he heard clamoring and turned to see several sharks headed for him.

“Vanish!” Spike called and he disappeared as one lunged at him.

“Huh?” The shark looked around while he was picking himself off of the ground.

Spike hurried along the way, collecting more shards along the back of the library.

As he made his way across a bookshelf he heard growls and paused, hiding from the mako on the other side looking for him.

When the shark looked away Spike made his way forward, avoiding him.

“Whew,” Spike said as he finished collecting shards in this area “Did I find the last one?” Spike asked.

“Yes, the contract is in the sacrificial room, but there's a trap there,” Verak said.

“Good to know,” Spike said as he snuck back through the library area again and made it back to the hallway that leads back to the sacrificial room.

As Spike looked in.

Dalso was gone… not a good sign oddly enough…

As Spike used vanish to sneak through the area and get over to the altar, and behind it was a safe.

“Are they all in safes?” Spike asked.

“Yes,” Verak opened the safe for Spike and he leaned down and grabbed the contract before putting it in his pocket.

“Ok, now RUN!” Varek said.

“Ok ok!” Spike said as he turned to do just that… before the floor fell out from beneath him.

“That’s why,” Verak sighed.

“AAAAHHH!” Spike fell all the way down the slide and into freezing water.

“Agh!” Spike came up out of the water and looked around… where-

“RROOOOOAAAAR” A familiar echo sounded and Spike felt his blood freeze.

“No…. NOOO!” Spike hurriedly tried to swim away but he knew he’d never outswim the monster.

But then he saw his saving grace, a platform in the middle of the water and he swam with all his strength.

He could tell it was closing in.

He managed to climb onto the platform in the center and scurry away from the edge as the massive shark lunged over the side and tried to eat him.

Spike made it to the middle and shivered fearfully as he saw it circling.

“Hahahaha! The master feeds tonight!” Dalso laughed from the catwalk with his followers all of them looked frenzied with red eyes.

“Please! Let me go!” Spike cried.

“No,” Dalso laughed again “How long can you survive?”

“Verak! Help me!” Spike pleaded.

“Hmm… such a bother,” Verak sighed.

“Help me please!” Spike begged as the shark fin breached the water.

“What’s in it for me?” Verak asked.

“Name it!” Spike cried as the shark leaped at him from the platform's edge, causing it to lean.

“Hmm… ok,” Verak said before audibly snapping his fingers and making the platform move, making the shark fall off.

“HUH?!” Dalso exclaimed.

“Survive until we get to safety,” Verak said.

“Thanks!” Spike said as he stood he looked around waiting for it to jump again and it did, leaping right at him.

“AH!” Spike hit the floor as the massive shark sailed overhead and splashed down.

“Nononoo! Varek you're not allowed to interfere with the masters feeding!” Dalso growled.

“AAAH!” Spike grabbed onto a divet in the platform as the shark bit the platform's edge and tilted it towards him.

“Fall fall!” The makos demanded.

Eventually, the shark let go and swam beneath the platform and rammed it from below to make Spike fall off.

“Crap!” Spike fell over but managed to stay on the platform.

“We’ve made it,” Verak said as the platform made it to the edge of the walkway next to the pool.

“Finally!” Spike jumped on and ran for it as the shark lunged out of the water again and missed.

“STOP HIM!” Dalso ordered as Spike made it back up into the entry to the catacombs and ran across the walkway.

“Vanish!” Spike disappeared and managed to slip by each of the mako’s who tried to grab him, making it to Dalso.

“You're going nowhere!” Dalso said.

Spike reared a kick and struck him between the legs.

“AAGH!” Dalso fell over and Spike ran past him “STOP HIM!” Dalso screeched.

Spike made it back into the sacrificial chamber and made it back into the tunnel and he pressed through the water while a dozen sharks pursued him.

He made his way to the fork in the tunnels and saw the portal.

“They're gonna get you,” Varek chuckled.

“No they aren’t Spike said as he managed to get to the lower water and he ran as the frenzied sharks poured from the other side of the fork after him.

“ALMOST THERE!” Spike said as he made it to the portal and a Shark lunged and bit down on his shoulder and at the same time Spike jumped through the portal.

YOU ESCAPED!

Spike tumbled through the portal with the shark and they tumbled to the ground.

“AAAGH!” Spike cried as the shark rolled him over and opened its mouth to eat him.

“Halt,” A voice said and the shark froze before looking up and seeing Verak.

“That is mine,” He said pointing at Spike.

“Y-you…grrrr….” The shark growled and got up before lunging at him “You won’t take our contract! DIE-” Verak reached his hand out quickly, grabbed the shark by the snout, and broke his neck and he dropped dead.

“Pest,” Verak sighed before picking up the shark and chucking it to his dogs who eagerly dug into it.

“Wow…” Spike realized Verak was clearly stronger than a normal demon.

Suddenly he felt his shoulder get healed and he was surprised.

“Get up, we have more work to do,” Verak said.

“C-can I have a moment,” Spike begged.

“Sure, while the clock ticks away towards your children ending up like that,” Verak gestured to the dogs eating the shark.

“Ok fine,” Spike got up and stood before him.

“Alright, let’s prep you, for the next one stands to be quite entertaining,” Verak said.

“Why?” Spike asked.

“...Do you have Coulrophobia?” Verak asked.

Next time: Amidst a red background a shadowy being with curly hair, spherical body segments, and long bendy almost rubber-like limbs with gloved hands at the end.

The music of a carnival is heard playing in the background as well as a strange ticking noise, giggling… and then suddenly, maniacal laughter.

Coming soon.

Author's Note

If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments.

And also tell me what you thought of the level.