Mobile Legends: The Untold Story

by Arcturus420

"Are you ready, hero?" The Heroes of Old and New converge to fulfill the ancient prophecy... millennia in the making. Will the Light prevail? Or has Darkness enveloped the universe for good? Watch as they fight for honor, peace and love in this unsung tale of the Land of Dawn, and how their stories forged the most popular mobile MOBA game up to date. (Original Concept)

25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Mark of Gladness

Argh, these goddamn delays…

Oh, hey guys! I hope you did well back in the la-

Wait a second… What in the name of-

Okay, okay, hold up! Don't tell me that two transmissions came up back there! Hmph, fine. Nothing I can do about it. And yes, the 4th wasn't really filled to the brim with action.

I mean, c'mon, I may be writing long chapters, but I'm not the best for shedding light in these stories…

Anyway, I hope that I'll make things up with this chapter. After all, it's the 5th day now.

Things… are about to get… um, nasty. Really nasty.

(And no, not that kind of perverted nasty that you're thinking about. When I say nasty, it's really bad… But only one death will be written here. You should be delighted.)

Now, are you ready, dear reader?

Wait a minute! Hold up just a minute!

Have you experienced this moment when your imagination goes hyperactive and you just imagine whatever stuff is in your vision?

For me, it's different. I ALWAYS ZONE OUT.

It happens when I recall something worth or listen to an appropriate song. And suddenly, I lock in place and I imagine some really awesome and deep things.

For example, I am standing on the glass panels of an airport, awaiting departure, when suddenly, I began to think of an epic fight scene that includes our renowned heroes and villains, crashing through the planes and vehicles, massive explosions, the whole kazoo!

Or when I overthink in bed, I see a couple consoling each other as they try and mend their feelings for each other. (Which I hope doesn't end up into one unexpected Rated M intercourse scene that I will have to omit whenever I write… *cough*)

It's basically how I think up of scenes in my story. That wholesome Hayagura scene? It took me days to perfectly cook it up as I lay on my bed. Alucard's awakening of his powers? I had to listen to a rock song, look out the window of a moving car and close my eyes just to fully visualize it.

It's just nuts, though. I often end up losing focus or attention, which often leads to bad stuff. Don't try it at home unless you're alone or you have nothing to do. But I recommend you try. It's a unique brainstorming method.

Anyway…

"Lolita, take a break."

Chou switch positions with Lolita, who has been spending a few hours at night fending off some stray demons. The outpour of demons at night have increased, which led the army to worry and grow tired. Estes has clocked routinely check-ups of their second tier of defenses, because he knew that all five of the Dark Lord's henchmen would come out anytime on the 5th day.

"You sure you got this, Chou?"

"Hey, you're the one who needs sleep. Seems like that hammer of yours is growing a wee bit too heavy. We'll call the others for replacements. C'mon, you've been here for a long while."

Lolita nods with a sigh, and retreats back into the town. She eyes a few of the residents growing weary due to worrying, the sound of ballistics filling the dark atmosphere. A prominent, but calm wind swayed her hair to one side as she went inside her designated residential home.

She knocked on the door (but with barely any effort). "Hey, anyone there?"

The door opened and she was greeted by Bruno's cheeky grin. "Yo, who- Oh, hey sis! Damn, you look sleepy." He reached for Lolita's hammer and let it rest on the frame of the door, escorting the elf inside. Lolita sees Layla rest on one couch, a thin blanket wrapping her.

"Oh, if you're wondering, Layla is knocked out cold. Don't bother waking her up."

"I just can't get myself to sleep, Bruno… My mind is egging me on."

"Yo, if it's about what's gonna happen in the next couple of hours, then don't mind. All of us are pressured. We just need to hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

"Why aren't you out? Shouldn't be-"

"I had to keep watch over Layla. Alucard is with Ruby who took the routine with Roger until midnight. Same goes with Hayabusa to Zhao and Akai. Yi and his buddies are on the walls right now, replacing Clint's men."

A siren's noise suddenly grew as a fire truck raced into the streets.

"A fire?" Lolita asks.

"Yeah, unfortunately. A few demons are now sneaking in, but they won't be able to get close enough to hurt us a lot. Yet, the Land of Dawn is breathing through a straw from all this."

The door suddenly bursts open as Alucard and Clint poured in.

"Guys?" Clint began. "Estes needs us in an hour. Something big is cooking up!"

"Leviathan?" Lolita asks.

"Nah, we fight that thing tomorrow, remember? It's just that the good old fu- I mean… five are going to go tackle us head on. Best we try and push them off when they do."

"Good gracious, you don't know how good their synergy is," Bruno grumbles. "Anyone can charge in and will still be left without a scratch. There are only a few weapons that can make them hurt!"

"Actually, Estes has put up some runes on some of our weapons. It may not do much, but it will slow down their regeneration," Alucard assures.

Bruno eyes out the growth on Alucard's arm, which has now grown to reach the base of his neck.

"Alucard, did you use your powers again?"

"I couldn't help it. A few hundred troops were pinned by enhanced Wretches. Argus and Estes couldn't intervene at that time..."

"Ugh, we're really going to use ourselves as freaking human shields to just keep you alive, huh?" the gunslinger joked. "Anyway, where's Layla?"

Bruno pointed to the couch Layla was sleeping on. "She's out cold. Don't wake her up."

"Sure thing, just had to make sure. I'll be going now while Alucard stays here. Adios!" In a rush, Clint closed the door behind him, but didn't slam it, fortunately. Alucard leaned on the wall.

"How's the others holding up?" Lolita asked. "No injuries?"

"Zhao's wounds were healed in a jiffy. Usually, the wounds would last. Moskov was acting back there," the Demon Hunter replied. "Still, we really can't trust Moskov. The others are taking a break. As I've heard, Rafaela will now be with the Gem when we clash. Argus and I will be on hold. Everyone else joins the fray."

"Moskov was the one that betrayed his clan, right?" Bruno asked him. "Or am I wrong?"

"Well, the others wouldn't say he betrayed them. As I can recall, he was forced. He had to save his own life. He wanted revenge, but I know he is sane enough to consider avoid going with the Abyss..."

Bruno nodded, but was in doubt. "There are still more we can ask help from, right? Other than Lunox, Uranus and Kaja?"

"They're either non-existent or dead, Bruno," Alucard answers. "You still know about the legend of Pharsa, right?"

"Oh, you mean that woman who failed to kill Alice by her lonesome? The one that got blinded and has a bird for eyes?"

"But she was close to killing Alice, right?" Lolita adds. "I mean, it was just bad luck that Alice got ahold of Verri during the fight… That's kinda awful. Pharsa would be a really good ally to have right now. Hayabusa and Kagura's clans are gone, too. They were two of the first to be targeted. Gord's apprentice, Valir, died because he sacrificed himself to protect Gord… Claude, Clint's cousin, is also dead after an encounter with Helcurt… But without his journals, we wouldn't find the Twilight Orb. And Harith, he's missing in action. Most likely dead, an end of a one-man marathon. Too late picking them up from the off-worlds… Just us and them."

"A lot of wasted potential right there," Alucard sighs. "I still can't consider Lunox as an ally, and she's been egging me on ever since we knew about her. She keeps appearing in my peripheral vision, often distracting me."

"She wouldn't do that," Bruno said. "I mean, sure, she'll walk around like a ghost, but she doesn't really intend on driving you nuts, Alu. She might be trying to tell you something."

"I wish-"

The door burst open.

"Alucard!"

"Yinsen!" Alucard says, surprised. "Something wrong?"

"Ruby… s-she's having another episode."

"Crap." Alucard immediately stands up. "Bruno, don't follow me. Stay and watch over Layla and Lolita. This will take a while."

"Alright, be careful! And please, don't kill her!"

Alucard closes the door forcefully and races with his friend, scoffing. "Where is she?"

"She's in one of the storage depots. I can't remember which one. All I know is that Cyclops and Natalia have already responded. She was struggling to maintain her composure, but she just can't hold it in that long. I don't know how bad it is right now."

Alucard spots Johnson driving through the street, escorting one of Franco's men, whose leg was torn clean off the knee joint. (Don't worry, it's healed. Just imagine if it wasn't and it was spewing a lot of- Oh wait, sorry. Let's go back to the subject. XD)

"Hey, need a ride? I'mma have to drop off this dude on my back to the med bays!" the cyborg greets.

"Storage depots, Johnson. Ruby's gone insane again," Yinsen replies. "Fastest route?"

"Oh, lucky you, I was about to go there too! Hop in."

Alucard took the shotgun seat while Yinsen took the back with the wounded soldier, who was growing sleepy.

"How urgent do you need to go there, Alucard?" Johnson asks. "The wounded can last here long enough for-"

"No, let him go first. Just try and be careful along the way."

Johnson slowly accelerated, hoping to optimize his travel. Alucard and Yinsen eyes the Land of Dawn, a bleak sunrise beginning on the corrupted peaks around them. Yet, its glare didn't approach, though there was barely any cover.

"The sun is in full view now, even though it's just sunrise," Alucard pointed out. "However-"

"There's no sunlight striking us," Yinsen continued. "Yeah, the others noticed it too. This is a rare occurrence. We can blame the corruption for it, but if it points out anything, something bad is going to happen today. A bad premonition. I don't assume it's concerning Ruby, though. You're gonna bring her back, I assure you."

"Yeah… I hope."

"Hey, have confidence. You don't want Victor chasing you pants-less to yell at you to man up."

The Demon Hunter smirked. "Good one…"

Johnson arrived in the med bays. Luckily, it was only half full, a few wounded going in and out of the place. Yinsen sees a truck go past them, letting off a horrid stench.

"It goes to bury the dead, Yinsen. That's the 58th departure for four straight days, and that's not counting the deceased on the walls of the Land of Dawn. Approximately 89% of the army is still intact, but Saber doubts that even 1% would make it through the 6th."

Suddenly, a shadow appears beside the car door, and Hayabusa emerged from it. He was no longer wearing his traditional uniform. He wore a mechanical suit, with dark orange highlights. Denim-colored padded fabric wrapped around his body, and a pouch of kunai rested on the side of his right leg. The only thing that hasn't changed is his katana, however, the scabbard was to match the outfit. His spiky, swept blond hair didn't move with the wind. In a flash, he opened the car door, teleported to make the wounded soldier sit on the wheelchair, and got back to Johnson, sitting next to Yinsen.

"How's the suit, Haya? Saber thought you'd need a bit of an upgrade," Johnson began as he drove again.

"Even Kagura approves," Hayabusa replies. "Oh, hi guys. I heard that Ruby is going mental again. I'll go. I'm done helping in the med bays anyway."

"Saber made you a new suit?" Alucard asked. "That's actually sick, dude."

"Yeah, well, we thought of giving it to everybody whom we can provide, so yeah," the cyborg says.

Hayabusa added, "Not only that, there's also something strange happening. As the 7th day closes in, we're changing in multiple aspects. My new suit is an exception, sure, but some of us have different looks and all. Zhao, Freya and Miya are also feeling it too, a slow, yet prominent flow of energy growing around us."

"I've been feeling funny, too," Alucard admits. "What could've caused this?"

"Estes speculates that Lunox has something to do with this," Yinsen answers. "Rafaela and Argus feels it too, most especially Argus. The Blade of Despair is reacting differently. Usually, when it senses power, it leeches it, but now, it's responding as if it wants to change."

"Argus' sword was neutral, right?" Hayabusa asked. "So, if there is a dark side, then there should be a light side, too! But that's kind of overthinking… Anyway, Johnson, are we close?"

"Almost- LOOK OUT!"

Johnson frantically veers to the side and screeches to a halt, nearly crashing to a nearby dumpster. Alucard, Yinsen and Hayabusa walk out as Johnson transforms back to his normal form. Johnson looks for the lobbed object, which was a metal crate filled with fruits. It survived the fall with only a large dent on the edge.

"That came from Storage 11," he speculates. "Wait, did you hear that?"

Hayabusa's eyebrows scrunched, but that was before he heard a bloodcurdling cry.

"That's her." Hayabusa dashes with his shadows, leaving Alucard and Yinsen to run. The two Demon Hunters ran behind Johnson, who was already raising his shield.

"Ruby… What's happening to you? I didn't think you'd be like this…"

As they came next to the open garage door (which is massive, I tell you), Hayabusa held up his arm, stopping them.

"Haya, why are you stopping?!" Yinsen complains, growing agitated. "We need to-"

Hayabusa hugs the wall with his back as a barrel from inside the depot breaks into splinters, nearly cutting the ninja like cheese.

"Oh… Kay. Things are going awful," Alucard whispered.

They began to hear voices from inside.

"Nat, we need to think of something!"

"Keep firing at her, Cyclops!"

"I can't keep up! Cyclops is tired! She's gonna catch us any second!"

Alucard couldn't wait anymore. "Alright, that does it!" The others nodded as they revealed themselves. They saw Natalia and Cyclops running to them through the dim space, the assassin's arm bleeding.

"Johnson, get Natalia! I'll get Cyclops!" Yinsen orders. The cyborg follows suit and sprints to shield Natalia. In the nick of time, he saves her from a flying crate that splits into numerous splinters. Johnson could feel the force transferred to him, nearly making him lose balance.

"She's strong," he said. "Natalia, how bad is your wound?"

"I can last, but Cyclops expended himself too much. Attend to him first!"

Yinsen picks up the mage and lets him rest to the wall outside. Cyclops' eye wasn't focusing well, and he was terribly exhausted. The hourglass behind him was still intact, fortunately.

"Cyclops, what's happening there?" Hayabusa asked. "Why did she-"

"I don't know! Cyclops doesn't know! All I know is that I came around the corner and she was looking at me with red eyes! I swear!" Cyclops squeaked, hyperventilating. "I had no choice but to attack her because she was charging to me like a demon! Please, trust me!"

"Calm down, Cyclops," Alucard comforts. "Where are your friends?"

"Resting… I need to snooze… but she's coming for us!"

Yinsen attends to Cyclops as Alucard, Johnson and Hayabusa stared at the dark area in front of them. A couple of crates and barrels lined and stacked on the walls and shelves, leaving a wide corridor for trucks and forklifts, which were parked for the time being.

"Ruby?!" Alucard called out. "Ruby? Are you there?"

There was no response.

"Alucard?" Hayabusa asked, worried. "I don't think-"

"This is the only way, Haya. We don't know-"

"Alucard?"

The group jumped as they heard the echo. Cyclops was already shivering in fright.

"No, no, no, no, no, don't go there, don't go there!"

"Ruby?" Alucard asked. "Please, come out."

Yinsen screeched (literally), "ALUCARD WHAT IN THE-"

"Yinsen, you know that we have to do this!"

"N-no…," the echo replied. "I… d-don't wanna…"

"Alu, we can't just lure her out of there," Johnson warns. "Who knows what she's undergoing right now!"

Alucard took note of what the cyborg said. "Sigh… Ruby, please, listen to me. It's alright."

"N-no… I… I don't want to… hurt you again, Alucard…"

"Don't say that. I know you're still good inside, Ruby. Don't drown on your own pain."

Alucard could see Ruby's silhouette emerging from the dark. However, something was definitely odd. Ruby looked like she was slowly limping, and she was dragging the scythe with her right hand, the edge carving the concrete floor.

"Ruby…"

"I'm s-sorry… Ha-ha… hahah…"

"Ruby?"

"She's not here… she's not here… heheh… She won't be…"

Alucard brandished his greatsword, and the others behind him followed suit. "What have you done to her?"

Ruby began to cackle in a devilish manner. "Why do you care for someone as putrid… as corrupt as her? You are deformed, but your soul… too pure for someone like her… a foul, miserable wretch!"

Alucard's eyes flared. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!"

She smiled at them as she beckoned them to get closer to her with her index finger. "Why don't you come here and find out, my darling?"

The Demon Hunter's sword ignited and threw it at Ruby. Her figure suddenly dissipated into shade, and she was gone. Alucard notices the corridor growing darker towards them. The greatsword returns to his hand.

"Johnson, we're gonna need some light!"

"Overriding light systems in 3… 2… 1!"

The place whirred as the lights began to turn on one by one, starting from the other end of the depot. Natalia watched in terror as she feels the presence growing stronger.

Alucard walked forward.

"Alucard?" Hayabusa asked. "Dude!"

"Who are you, and what have you done to Ruby?" Alucard interrogates, but there was no reply. "Fine then."

The lamps were nearing them…

Alucard pointed his greatsword to the ground and yelled, "STEP INTO THE LIGHT!" He struck the ground, unleashing a blinding wave of light. What he and the others saw astounded him.

Ruby was standing right in front of him, her eyes completely black. A dark aura enveloped her and was beginning to develop around Alucard. Behind her was a malevolent spirit baring its teeth.

"What are you waiting for? KILL," it commanded as it disappeared. Ruby abruptly pounces at Alucard and begins to claw at him. Alucard blocked her assault with his arms and grabbed her by the neck. He slammed her down to the ground. Hayabusa teleports next to him and clamps Ruby's arm. Another shadow aids Hayabusa in restraining the girl.

Alucard channels his greatsword back to him. He points it to Ruby, whose feral face didn't change. "I didn't come here to play with you. Where is Ruby, and what have you done to her?!"

Ruby laughed, but it wasn't her voice. It sounded as if it was distorted, as if the speaker was wheezing. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH… relax, kiddo… she i-is… with me, and w-we're gonna have so much fun together! Isn't that right, my lovely?"

Suddenly, Ruby's eyes reverted back to normal, and she stopped struggling. Tears flowed. "Alucard! P-Please, h-help me, h-he-"

She was immediately replaced with the evil spirit again. "Tsk tsk tsk… A party crasher!"

Ruby let out a wave of dark energy around her, throwing off Hayabusa and Alucard. Johnson had to shield himself as he clamped his feet to the ground. After the blast, he charged towards Ruby, who already stood upright. She willed the scythe back to her and swung, hitting Johnson's shield.

But instead of deflecting the attack, the scythe carved on it, leaving a nasty mark. Johnson charged again and made contact with Ruby, and he stopped in his tracks, his feet skidding on the floor.

And remember, folks. Johnson is pretty bulky, and no one just stops him instantly. Ruby was basically pushing him off normally, and he was STRUGGLING.

"Argh, need some help!" Johnson said under his breath as Ruby was gaining the upper hand. Hayabusa appeared behind her and slammed the butt of his sword to her temple, but she took the force and didn't even flinch. The ninja was astounded, long enough for a counter-attack. The dark spirit went out of Ruby and began to charge at him, and Hayabusa had no choice but to teleport at random locations within the depot.

"Haya, escape! It seeks you!" Johnson warns.

"You may have killed your nemeses, the traitor, but the demon lingers, Shadow," the spirit taunts. "You think you know the real power of darkness and use it for good… then you know not what you possess!"

As Hayabusa blinked back to Johnson, the spirit caught up with him and forced him to a wall. His face hit the wall first, causing a mild concussion. The spirit backed up to slam him again, but Hayabusa teleports just in time, confusing the spirit. As it looked behind him, he was met with Alucard, his clothes and weapon morphed, as his aura bursts into flames. The spirit veers to try and dodge it, but the aura was too strong. In a desperate attempt to throw the Hunter off…

Johnson was surprised to see Ruby vanish within plain sight, and sees her in front of Alucard, backed into the wall.

"Let her go! I won't ask you twice!" Alucard demanded, raising his blade. "Who are you?!"

"We were once the legion that commanded legions… Now, only two of us remain… the seventy have perished…," the voice narrated. "We are everywhere, yet inconceivable by your feeble, fickle minds, you incompetent children!"

"That's not enough. Who are you? Why did you choose to possess her?!"

"D-d-d-don't you see, Alucard? Hehehehe… I've been with her all along, ever since that fateful night… Oh, I've loved to see her go rampant once again, but you! You hinder my progress. You would even choose to hurt her to put her out of her misery!"

"I'm not talking to Ruby. If you are in control, then you are the one feeling pain, not her. I guess the joke's on you." Alucard forcibly stabs Ruby's body, impaling her to the wall.

"ALUCARD WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Hayabusa shouts, not knowing that what he did wasn't even life-threatening to Ruby at all.

"Agh, of course… now I know, spawn of the devil!" the spirit spat, Ruby's grin growing wicked. "The two of you are all the same, tainted in the past, yet you choose to defy fate, thinking you can change the future!"

Ruby suddenly transforms into a beautiful woman with flowing brown hair, sporting black eyes and an innocent smile.

"Alucard… my son, it's me!"

He was dumbfounded. "M-m-mom? I… it's you! I…"

"Why would you hurt me? Why?!"

"Because… t-that isn't you!"

Suddenly, the woman morphed back into Ruby's image. "Hahaha, now I know your weakness… it's your loyalty to these friends and family of yours! You will only bring despair on them as the sun rises on the 7th… the ninja will be left scarred, along with his love, who carries offspring… and you, Alucard, will watch as I take control of this rancid whore and let her-"

Alucard grabbed Ruby by the neck, but he knew what he was doing. The spirit cried out in agony as the flames choked it.

"Listen here. I don't care if you're going to talk like that to me. I know what I'm meant to do. And if you think about laying a hair on my family or on her without my consent, you'll get more than what you deserve to get. And at that point, I'll make sure you're just going to be another batch of fecal matter to be thrown to the creek."

"And what? Torture me, as these demons did to you?"

His eyes burned with seething fury, and Ruby's face contorted into one of fear.

"Don't make me put my tolerance to the test, scumbag."

Alucard let go and pulled out the sword, letting Ruby's body drop. The spirit took long to recuperate, and it did leave her body, its strength waning.

"This is inevitable, Hunter… You know nothing about me and my kin… Mark my words, one day, she herself will let me take over… and nothing will ever be the same to her! The remnants will not go quietly into the night!" And in a flash, the spirit disappeared.

The lights inside the depot flickered for a short moment before returning back to normal. Alucard assumed his normal form and cradled Ruby's body. The wounds he inflicted have dissipated.

"Physically, she will be alright, Alucard," Johnson assures. "Your hunch was right, about the spirit feeling pain. But who was that? It knows you and Ruby. It also said that… it has been with her ever since she has gone insane."

"Alucard… That demon… Does it ring a bell?" Hayabusa asks, panting. "Again, it's all too familiar. A legion that commanded legions?"

"AH! WHO GOES THERE?!"

The three turn around and see Cyclops, awake and hyperventilating. "Oh, um… Hi, is t-the spirit gone?"

"He won't bother us for the meantime," Natalia answers. "We will need to-"

"Alucard," a voice calls out. Estes appears from a conjured makeshift portal. "I heard that Ruby was having another episode. Is she alright?"

"For the meantime," Hayabusa says to the king. "The possession took a toll on her. Estes, do you know something about the 'legion that commanded legions?'" Assuming I got that right…

"What about… No."

Alucard took note. "Estes. What is it?"

"They are forgotten demons with forgotten names of the old age… The most vile and bizarre of them all, rivalling our own enemies… But their power has faded over time. Even my own kind would be troubled in terms of recognizing and or identifying them.

"So, they've been here ever since the Old War and the Creation?" Yinsen asks. "Silence means yes."

Estes sees Ruby gaining consciousness. "Alucard, attend to her. Hayabusa, Johnson, escort Cyclops, Yinsen and Natalia to the med bays. Discreetly discuss to the others about this. I will deal with the rest."

Natalia nods in response. Johnson, without a word, transforms back into a car and lets the others ride. Alucard, still holding Ruby, follows Estes into the makeshift portal, and they get transported to the library inside the citadel.

"I assume that you've caused quite a commotion when the two of you were… 'missing.'"

Alucard blushed hard. Of course, he wouldn't even forget about that event where they got caught by Alpha…

"Anyway, about them, your ancestors have strived hard to keep them in check. It is undoubtedly exasperating to monitor the actions of a few dozen catastrophe-inducing entities. Not all of them, however, can be deemed as evil. Some teach and grant wishes, while others recklessly create havoc throughout the Land of Dawn. It is disheartening that we had to vanquish them in the Old War."

Alucard laid Ruby on the table. Estes summons a pillow and a blanket for Ruby and wrapped it around her. Ruby's eyes fluttered.

"A-Alu…"

"Shh. It's okay, I'm here. You need to rest…"

"Alucard, I… I'm scared… Help m-me…" Hot tears began to stream down her face. "I d-don't want to hurt you…"

"You're not hurting me, I swear, I will find a way to help you, I promise."

Estes slowly applies a drowsiness enchantment on Ruby to help her doze.

"You didn't remove the demon out of her body, Alucard. A remnant of it always lives within her. She's a living manifestation of it. I have a speculation…"

Estes pulls out a book from a shelf. It had a leather strap with a brass button, and the title was engraved on it. Its title was rubbed off the cover. He ran through the pages, searching for a probable result. Alucard was able to catch images of indoctrination, pentagrams and gory sacrifice.

"This is no book for the faint-hearted," Estes says. "Graphic scenes aren't shied away from by this book. Anyways, the spirit you spoke to was not wrong. The demons exist… and they are such in other worlds, but they serve different purposes in the existing timelines. Again, in here, these demons uphold the ways of darkness, but not all of them can be considered purely evil. Such is the Yin and Yang, and the ever-misleading doctrine of balance, purity and taboo. Combine them all, and they will create the manifestation that we now call the 'Dark Lord'. We were able to vanquish their spirits, but it is a shame that they have to be destroyed rather than merely silenced. Some, we had to put within the Dreadmare Chest. We have banished more than half, but I didn't expect that only two will remain, one of them residing within Ruby herself."

"Is there a way to get it out?" Alucard asks.

"No. An individual demon is strong enough to cling to the host until death, but the one inside her is different. It seems to intensify Ruby's homicidal tendencies rather than make her do its bidding… as if it is encouraging her. Only one demon can do that."

Estes flipped through the pages of the book and stopped midway. Alucard eyed the portrait of a maniacally-looking dog with crazed eyes and a pair of wings.

"His name, scratched off the list, but this was one of his interpretations from the off-worlds.

"Makes sense. His profile fits Ruby's behavior whenever she goes in a slaughtering spree… And he controls nearly thirty legions, according to the unnamed book. Strange, they seem too familiar…"

"Don't worry now, Alucard. We killed all of the legions that the demons commanded in the Old War. The ones we are fighting are new, but reckless. This specific also incites affection towards friend and foe, which is confusing, but then again, like I told you, not all of the things these demons do are entirely evil… But the way I see it, you do not love Ruby just because of this demon… The feeling is mutual and pure, just like all the others. If that was the case, then he is weak."

Alucard sighs and nods in agreement. "That's good to hear… But who is the other one? It's the Dark Lord, I assume?"

"True. However, such a demon shouldn't be that powerful enough without external help. This demon must've possessed the qualities of its fallen, which is a bad sign. It will tip the scales of balance. However… who among them would even survive?"

"There's no point scouring for the name," Alucard suggests. "Heck, I don't think I would want to."

"Sounds about right, but if I have time, I will check on the list to find a proper candidate." Estes closes the book and returns it to the shelf. Alucard looks at his left and sees the door, open, with a girl peeking on the frame. As soon as he saw her, the figure turns around.

"Estes?"

"Yes?" Estes turns around and sees the door. "Alucard…"

"Estes, I need to-"

"Wait! I need to see her for myself as well."

The two race for the door and exited the library, looking around frantically. The girl was nowhere in sight.

"Damn, she vanished," Alucard mumbles to himself. As the two go back to the door, Lunox was in view, standing right near the other side of the door.

"GOD- Why do you have to give us a fright every ti-"

Lunox said nothing, but held her index finger to her lips, indicating her need for silence. Estes prepares his runes.

"Lunox? Is it really you?" the king asks. "Try and answer us."

She slowly walked up to Alucard, outstretching her right arm…

"She's slightly shorter than Ruby…"

"Alucard? What are you-"

As her gloved hand touches Alucard's temple, the Demon Hunter gets jarred into a vision.

"W-WAIT!"

He opens his eyes and sees the battlefield in front of him, but there was no one… except for Zhao, who was kneeling down, crying.

"Zhao? What happened?" Alucard moves around and sees his friend cradle a purple body, blood oozing out of its side.

"W-why?! WHY?!"

"Zhao, I'm-"

"H-how could they… How could you?!"

"Zhao, lis-"

Suddenly, his perception warped, and in an instant, Yun was already grabbing Alucard by the neck, possessing a strained face. "I TRUSTED YOU! WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE HIS PLACE?!"

"Zhao, s-stop-"

"WHY WOULD I?! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S LIKE TO LOSE SOMEONE, DO YOU?! OF COURSE YOU DON'T!"

The vision changes, and Alucard was let go. He struggled to breathe as he tries to stand up. When he regains footing, he sees Lancelot and Odette, holding hands… but they seem… changed. They were pure white in Alucard's eyes, and blue lines emphasized their shape…

"My love… I'm sorry… I wasn't-"

"Shhh… at least… we gave them all the time they needed… Bring me along to the stars, okay?" She looks at Alucard. "Hey… make our sacrifice worthwhile."

Lancelot looks at Alucard. "Make it all worthwhile, Alucard."

Alucard gets sent out of the dream, finding himself sitting on the wall of the hallway, Estes helping him up. Lunox was still there, but her left hand was outstretched…

"Alucard! Are you hurt?"

He paid no attention as he stood up quickly, pacing towards Lunox. "WHAT DID YOU SHOW ME?! TELL ME!"

She replied, "Only the inevitable." And just like that, she disappeared, phasing out.

Alucard hyperventilated. In frustration, he punches the wall, making a dent. "Damn it!"

"Alucard-"

"Estes… She… she showed me…"

"What?"

"We have to warn Zhao, now."

"But what about-"

"Take care of her, Estes. If she wakes, bring her to me, stat."

Meanwhile…

"No sign of them?"

"Nope, not at all."

Miya stopped aiming with her bow and sat down next to Karina. "I'm troubled…"

The two of them were sitting down on the traversable top of the main walls, their backs resting on the walls of the ledges. (By the way, it's still a shock to know that even the main wall is top notch in terms of decoration. Seriously, gold linings and accents?!)

Karina looks at the archer. "That's something I wouldn't expect to hear from you. Is there something bothering you?"

"This doesn't seem right… The five of them will be out in the field… Shouldn't Helcurt and Moskov be absent?"

"You mean to say that they could be targeting specific people to lower our momentum?"

"Something along those lines, Karina. They wouldn't be attacking Zhao, they could be-"

"Don't think that, c'mon! If that is what will happen, we are going to have each other's backs. No one gets in the way. If someone will die today, let's just hope they wouldn't die in vain. Makes me worry as well… Hey, where's Zhao?"

"He's taking a break with Haya. We will be going out soon enough, and we are expecting a lot more casualties."

"We're still 13,000,000 strong, right?"

"Correction. 12,000,000 and some spare hundred-thousands," a synthesized voice said. Alpha and Saber was in front of them. "We can last… but the numbers are still increasing from the other side. Estes' information was right… The Reservoir is really the source of all the outpouring demons. Saber has also catalogued new foes with Grock's help."

Saber's antennae slowly whirred. "Enemy Analysis #32, recorded one hour ago. New enemies, namely Shadowbringers, Goblins, Enhanced Ravagers. Numerical Estimation: Amounting to thousands only. Conclusion: Dark Lord's last batch of units, before Leviathan."

"Wait, Shadowbringers?!" Karina exclaimed in shock.

"Shadowbringer Army Analysis: Possesses dampened speed and agility when compared to Helcurt. Stingers do not contain toxin nor tranquilizer. Cannot swallow light. Synthesis: Geneticized. Source: Reservoir."

"These Shadowbringers are basically degenerates from the Reservoir. They won't be much of a hassle," a new voice started.

"Ah, Chou. I thought-"

"Nah, I wasn't planning to take a break. And besides, the battleground is basically soulless right now. The units in the field have also noticed the apparent disintegration of the bodies of the fallen demons… At least we won't have to worry about epidemics and crap. The med bays have a lot to fix right now. By the way, where are the others?"

"Prepping," Miya replies. "Have you seen Zhao, Chou?"

"Nope, but I did see him in the evacuation centers, sending some speedy deliver- Wait, Karina, did you just get a makeover?"

Chou thought he was dreaming, but he wasn't. Karina really did change. Her skin was that of a normal human's, and even her elf ears had armor. Heck, her armor looked futuristic, with black scales and turquoise highlights.

"Sorry, Saber's idea."

Chou looked at Saber. "Dude, elaborate."

Alpha barged. "You see, Saber thought it would be a good idea to give everybody enhancements and such. Also, there's this-"

"I KNOW, BUT WHY DIDN'T YOU THINK ABOUT GIVING ME ONE?!"

Saber tells Chou, "My logistics suggested to not give you one, considering that your power is mostly spiritual and based on your-"

"Argh, fine… But a new suit would look cool, honestly…"

The alarm blares again, and the five stand in attention.

"Here we go." Saber immediately unfurls his mechanical wings and boosts up high in the air, leaving the others in the dust.

"Chou, go get your friends. Karina, get Estes and the others. I'll scout," Miya commands. "Alpha, join the army. Wait for Estes."

"Sure thing."

Miya nocks a light arrow with her bow and zooms in with her enhanced sight. She sees Zhask slowly walk forward in the field with his Kastiyans with their weapons out. Alice and Vexana were hovering, while Moskov and Helcurt were waiting from the back, along with the Dark Lord.

Miya catches the words of the Dark Lord to Moskov.

"You know what should be done. Never be afraid to kill someone you love for the sake of this world. It's what you wanted, right? Peace? Then go forth and do as I command."

Moskov simply grimaces and leaves, walking forward with a dark expression on his face.

The archer thought to herself, "This isn't going to be good."

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[DATA EXPUNGED]

[DATA EXPUNGED]

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[DATA EXPUNGED]

[DATA EXPUNGED]

[DATA EXPUNGED]

[DATA EXPUNGED]

[DATA EXPUNGED]

[DATA EXPUNGED]

Viral intrusion resolved. Threat eliminated.

Incoming Transmission!

(The following is an audio log taken from an unknown [DATA EXPUNGED] phone model. No record date can be identified.)

"Arc?"

"Y-yeah?"

"I know this is hard for you to take in, but…"

"I know… You don't have to remind me."

"The [DATA REDACTED] is-"

"Yeah… it hurts like a [DATA REDACTED]."

"Hey… it's okay. You can take chemo or surgery, or other forms of treatment. The doctors are letting you choose."

"I'd settle with taking painkillers. Chemo is too risky… I don't think surgery will do the trick as well…"

"Arc… just remember, we're all here for you."

"I know… I just need some time to think, that's all."

END OF TRANSMISSION.

ALERT! INCOMING MESSAGE!

Don't believe too much, alright?

"You ready, bro?"

"Yup. Sure, Haya."

Zhao and Hayabusa were in the fray, awaiting the go signal along with the others. All of the marksman and mages were at the back.

"Where's Kagura?" the spearman asked.

"She is going to come out later. She's also undergoing the… 'change.'"

"It's really weird, seeing ourselves change into something else, it's completely surreal… for me, that is. I also heard Ruby had-"

"Yep," Hayabusa sighed. "Another issue to tackle. Alucard and Estes discussed something about… nevermind."

Zhao asked for assurance. "Let me guess. You found what's giving her the impulse.

"Hmm… back in the Old War, our ancestors had to fight against all of those demons, I assume?"

"And all of them make up the Dark Lord."

"Bingo! I knew it. I can see how the manifestation was able to deceive Vexana and Alice. The edgelord's IQ must be pretty damn high."

"But he's more likely pissed this time around, now that a couple of them are gone. From what I heard, there are like… 5 left?"

"Two," someone corrected. Alucard barged in. "And one of them got ahold of Ruby."

"Two?" Zhao asked. "Oh, damn. So, the other one is the Dark Lord?"

"Yes, who most likely absorbed the power of the other fallen. Sounds like Argus, but it can't be him. Like Estes said, 'forgotten demons with forgotten names.'"

"Which demon, Alucard? If I am correct, they can completely possess a host or something. Ruby is still-"

"I know, but Ruby seems to be the one in charge of the spirit, she must have mishandled it back in the depots when she attacked Cyclops."

"If that's the case, then who's the other one? I know it's the Dark Lord, and that the spirit gains the strength of its fallen brethren, but who could it be?"

"Estes is trying to find out too, but something tells me he already knows the name. Anyway, we should get going. The showdown's about to start."

"Do you see Moskov?" Zhao asked Alucard. "I see him, and he's less enthusiastic now."

"Maybe the Dark Lord gave him a warning. I hope not. Zhao, no matter what the case, if necessary, never hesitate to end him," Hayabusa suggests. "It's the best possible course of action if he doesn't change."

"I won't be there to help you, sadly," Alucard groans. "It's too dangerous for me to get out there. Argus and a few others will keep an eye out for all of you. Rafaela is with the Gem to make some bombardments. Stage Two defenses are up. The terrain is going rough."

"Just make sure the shots land in a place where we aren't," Zhao says. "C'mon, Haya. Time to have another chat with Moskov." Before he could leave, Alucard grabs him by the shoulder.

"Zhao, listen to me… Lunox appeared again."

His eyes widened. "R-Really? Did she say anything?"

"Not much, but… She warned me that Moskov… He…"

Zhao knew what Alucard was trying to say. He did fear the probability of killing Moskov himself, but if that was necessary…

"Hey. I'll live carrying it with me if that happens. But if I do go nuts about it, please give me time."

"You said it yourself," Alucard grimaces. "Don't take back your words. Go and move."

Meanwhile…

"Careful!"

Sun was up front, holding back multiple Morphlings. Clint was behind him, throwing sand grenades and swiftly unloading his revolvers to their bodies. A Spitfire dives toward him, and Sun slams it to the ground with his cudgel before it could hit Clint. The two escape, Sun leaving a group of doppelgangers to confuse the demons.

"Let's halt for a while," Sun orders. "The replacements are coming."

Clint eyes three Wretches as he regains his breath, charging straight towards them. "Sun! We need to go!"

Before they could react properly, Hylos and his fellow centaurs ran towards the beasts along the pathway, driving them back. Hylos slams his staff towards their legs, breaking their bones and crippling them. One of his centaurs stabs through another Wretch's skull, killing it. The other two were pummeled with blunt force trauma.

"Sun, Clint, go back to the wall. You earned your break."

The two nod as they return in a hurry, the army's formation advancing. Alpha flew from behind them. Beta unleashed a storm of bullets towards the Ravagers. Alpha jumped off and aimed his spear at the ground. As he landed, the kinetic force from the spear spread outward on the ground, repelling multiple Morphlings.

"Saber, you reading this?"

"Yes," the fellow cyborg replies. "The waves gradually increase in force. The main five targets are not rushing into the scene. Grock, Fanny and I will keep watch. We'll descend if we need to. This won't be easy."

"Grock says same thing!" the titan bellows, trampling a Wretch and a dozen Shadowbringers with his foot. "Bad animals. Bad!"

A few more heroes poured out of the gates, running to the fray. Miya launches a cable arrow pointing to the ground. As it tethered, she flips and lands on the cable with both feet and slides, aiming and shooting whatever and whenever she can. She charges her bow, forcing her arrows to split and hit more targets, clearing the Ravagers and Morphlings easily. The army cheers as their best archer rallies alongside them. Miya helps a Bastion that was holding down three Stalkers. She jumps on the shield and launches a rain of arrows around her, impaling the demons to the ground. She aims for a Spitfire, but it suddenly turns into a fluffy cat. Said demon was knocked out cold by a familiar boomerang.

"Nana? You sure you're up for this?"

"I've faced worse, Miya. Let's do this!"

"Hey, wait!"

The two see Cyclops and Harley running towards them. "We'll help you out. Anything we need to do?"

"Yeah," Miya answers. "Let's take them out, and watch our backs."

Cyclops summons orbs of cosmic energy floating around him. A Ravager decides to get close to him, but fails as the orbs disintegrate the beast to ash. The mage shoots forth other conjured projectiles, the hourglass in use. Harley teleports with his hat and launches a deck of cards at the Morphlings that followed. Each card floated around like drones seeking their target, the nearest ones protecting Harley from any impending attack. Johnson drove past the four and crashed into a Wretch. As he transformed back to a human, Roger jumps out and turns into a werewolf, clawing and shredding the still conscious demon, ensuring the kill.

"Not enhanced," Roger breathed out. "Johnson, save your artillery for the tougher enemies. The demons aren't enhanced yet. We don't want to waste our resources."

"Agreed. You can clear them out alone, Roger?"

"Yes, but a bit of company will be good, too. Ah, speak of the devil."

Roger eyes Hayabusa, Kagura, Akai and Lesley coming forth.

"You know what to do, Akai," Hayabusa began. "Remember to-"

"Protect Kagura at all costs YES I KNOW THAT, JEEZ!" Akai grumbles, slamming his staff onto a Ravager, breaking its jaw. Lesley shoots the demon's skull.

"Goblins, dead ahead!" the sniper aims and scouts the scene. Sure enough, they had green skin and leather pauldrons (and insanely awful hygiene). They wielded rusty axes and machetes and charged with a faulty formation.

"Guys, get ready!"

Before they could begin their defense, Argus suddenly appears to the scene, hacking them down to bits. A Goblin manages to land a blow to Argus' exposed arm, but the wound that should've amputated the limb healed immediately. Argus looks back at the creature in silence. He grabs its neck and crushes its throat to a pulp before dropping the enemy.

"Pardon. I've had issues with creatures like these," the fallen angel said. "The five of you need to back off for now. If the five go into the fray, I would need to leave. I'll fend off the Goblins for the meantime. Help the others."

"You heard him!" Kagura starts. "C'mon!" The five flee as they see Argus flying further to the dangerous section of the battlefield, engaging by his lonesome.

Roger raises his head and sees the kingdom's built-in defenses activate. He watches as the bombs carpet the field behind them, creating pillars of fire that prevent other demons from getting through.

"We're like, far away from the flames, right?" Akai wonders. "The smoke isn't all bad, but it still stinks." The panda squints and catches something move through the fire. "Lesley?"

The sniper quickly looks through her scope. "It's them. We need to run, now!"

The five turn heads and sprint, Roger already on all fours. Hayabusa carries Kagura and switches places with his shadows, getting to the other side safely. Akai forcibly jumps high in the air as if he was catapulted, reaching the army faster than Roger.

But Lesley was left behind.

"Guys? Argh, this sucks."

"Wait!" Hayabusa began, looking around. "How about Lesley?"

Before he could finish the sentence and let Kagura stand, Gossen launches his dagger on a fleeing Wretch that was moving towards the marksman.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

Lesley crouches and tries to shoot down the Wretch, but it kept on charging. She eyes Gossen dashing towards them at supersonic speed. As he stops, he turns and the two faces the Wretch.

"Any way out of this one?" Lesley asks, also pointing at the Ravagers converging towards them.

"Easy."

Gossen launches five daggers, pushing the Wretch back, but not fazing it. Frustrated, he launches more and more daggers, sticking to the demon's tough hide.

"Lesley! Brace!" he shouts.

"Brace?"

Without warning, he hooks his arm to Lesley's waist and teleports behind the Wretch. With his free arm, Gossen launches his daggers two by two, slowing the Ravagers already climbing on the Wretch's body just to get the two of them. Gossen rolls, dragging Lesley along who was also shooting at anything that was the enemy. The assassin eyes Saber and throws his dagger to the cyborg in flight.

"You ready?"

"Gossen, w-wait! I don't-"

"Sorry."

Gossen goes into supersonic speed, recalling the 95 daggers that he conjured and threw, slicing through the Wretch and the Ravagers. (Yes, the files said there were 95 daggers. Precisely 95. Not joking.) As they flew high, the Spitfires were now zoning towards them. Lesley reloads her rifle and manages to neutralize three of them before Gossen reaches Saber.

Wait a minute.

Of course, the pair will fall. Saber can't reach them.

"Lesley!" Gossen throws another dagger and zooms to it again, and during the travels, he kept throwing the daggers downward to try and catch up to her. He immediately went to terminal velocity as the Spitfires also swooped down to nick them. As the two fell, Alpha and Beta flew up and sprayed the demons with bullets, and Alpha killed the survivors with his light spear. Gossen catches Lesley, and Grock laid his hand below the two, catching them before disaster.

"Two of you should play safe," Grock mutters, his face worried. "Hard to catch safely for Grock."

"Blame Gossen for it," Lesley heaved out, laughing. "That was fun."

"Yeah, let's not do that again," Gossen grumbles. He turns to Bruno. "Hey, you ready for this?"

"Yep. As always, the big guns stay back. Some are resting, so what's out here would suffice for the meantime." Bruno walks forward and hollers at the others. "HEY! YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO! DON'T THINK ABOUT KILLING THEM BECAUSE YOU CAN'T!"

"Bruno is right," Argus barges in, folding his wings. "If we try killing them, we'll just die tired. We can't cut through our way out of this situation."

"So simply, push them back!" Tigreal adds. "Let's make sure no one dies today!" He pulls out his sword and points at the villains. "For the Light!"

"FOR THE LIGHT!"

It's logical for the tanks to go first, right? It's a common rule in Mobile Legends, everyone knows that.

But I just can't accept the fact that Fanny always goes first. Here's how it went down.

Fanny launched herself through the field with her cables, and she gets propelled towards Zhask. Through instinct, she spins around mid-flight, managing to slice the alien into bits, but the wounds regenerated instantaneously.

"Agh! Flying pest!" Zhask spawns the Dominator, but Fanny was already flying out of the way and into Helcurt. Seeing that the Shadowbringer was in her way, she veered off by launching a cable to Grock's leg, diverting Helcurt's attention. Confused, Helcurt attempts to inject poison on Fanny, but misses, and was met by Hylos' staff. The Shadowbringer flew a few meters back, but regains footing by teleporting to Karrie, who dashed backwards in time for Irithel and Leo to pounce on Helcurt. He swallows the light around him, blinding half the heroes in the vicinity, but decides to retreat.

"Stay back," Alice commands Helcurt. "They grow fearful of you. Let me have my time with them!"

"F-F-Fine! I'll arrive l-l-l-later!"

Estes stays at the back with Rafaela (replaced by Gord, who now stays with the Gem), setting up traps and wards all around the field to lock the five in place. Zhask doesn't move from his position and stays with the Dominator. Yi Sun Shin charges his bow and shoots an arrow that blinds the Dominator (yet again), distorting its aim. He flips just in time as Zhask launches a deadly lightning bolt, making a small but prominent crater on where the general previously stood.

"Alice! Hold them off! I will advance!" the alien calls. "You need to grab their attention! Divide… and conquer."

She didn't say nothing, but she knew what Zhask wanted. Alice launches a blood orb and teleports to Miya, but Akai was blocking her way, so instead of phasing through to the archer, Alice got blown back by Akai's belly.

"Oops, didn't mean to do that!" the panda reacts sarcastically. As Alice tries to shake off her dizziness, Akai whacks her with his bamboo staff. "And also that, that, that, and most especially that! Kagura!"

The mage throws her umbrella, but keeps her distance, shooting pink holographic flowers at Alice. Irritated, she throws her blood orb and tries to snatch Kagura, but she teleports to the umbrella, unharmed. Confused, Alice didn't see Estes' newly conjured portal transport Gord's mystic projectile from the citadel and into her face, knocking her to the ground. Struggling, she flies off before Harley could throw his cards at her.

"That was awesome! We need to keep up the pace!" Harley switches places with his hat, dodging Vexana's ghostly hand. He throws a ring of fire at the necromancer, but Vexana has a shield around her, negating the spell immediately. Occupied, Vexana doesn't notice Freya's shield breaking her ward, sending her skidding on the ground.

"I thought you'd be dead!" Freya groans, banging her sword and shield. "The ocean's pressure should've killed you!"

"Fat chance, Freya." Vexana stretches her hand and makes the area around Freya explode, forcing the Valkyrie to jump off… directly onto the Dominator's beam, which Karina blocked with her blades. As the assassin turned, she slices down Vexana's body, spinning her weapons around.

"That's for my sisters, hag. In fact, you deserve more than that!" Karina stops and rushes Vexana with insane speed. The necromancer casts another ward, but Karina wasn't aiming for her, but for Moskov, who was busy pinning down Minotaur with his dark spears. Moskov dashes away and launches a dark spear, impaling Karina to a nearby rock for a few seconds. The spear dissipates, and Karina doesn't see any wound on her torso.

"Really intriguing, Moskov. You fight us, but you don't actually hurt us…"

Miya appears from her peripheral vision. "Hey! Duck!" Karina follows, and Miya shoots forth her light arrow towards a leaping Shadowbringer, killing it in mid-air. Karina retreats and helps the others in knocking down Moskov. Miya runs around, nocking and shooting her light arrows at Zhask, but the alien was merely annoyed.

"Aha…"

Miya, wary, backs off immediately as Zhask shoots another destructive lightning bolt. She sees Fanny charge towards Zhask again, doing the same tactic she did a while ago, but instead of focusing on another target, she hovers around the Dominator, attempting to throw off their attention. After a few seconds, she zooms and releases her cables, slashing down with her swords, but Zhask blocks it with his staff.

"You belong with the crows!" Zhask angrily says.

"But you belong with the bugs that we always crush." Fanny backflips away, making Saber charge freely and slice off Zhask's legs. The alien yelps in pain as Saber immediately follows it up with another downward slash. Fanny follows suit, and as every second passed, the two make mincemeat out of Zhask, which prevents the Dominator to operate. (This is because it requires Zhask's commands.)

"D-Damn you!" Zhask slams the butt of his staff to the ground, forcing them out. Saber and Fanny land on their feet and retreat as they see the other Kastiyans converging towards them. "Don't let them run!"

The Kastiyans aimed their ranged artillery, but Alpha and Beta flew above them and carpeted them with bombs. Alpha detached from Beta and dived towards the blast zone, discreetly stabbing and striking the remaining aliens.

"Saber, you good?"

"Watch your back. Helcurt is returning."

"Sure thing. Let's just keep ourselves- WOAH!"

Alpha caught the sight of a huge ice boulder dropping in front of him, generating a frozen wasteland three-hundred meters in diameter. The cyborg sees Aurora behind the fray, looking calmly at the scene with the army.

"Saber, you seeing this?"

"Only the big monsters will be able to pass through the ice. Keep calm and keep an eye out for enhanced Wretches. I'm picking up their signatures, but not their exact locations," Saber replies, flying towards Grock and the airborne ships.

Alpha turns tail and runs past the stunned Zhask, slowly but surely recovering from the sudden bombardment, his face suffering third-degree burns. He points his staff in the middle of the fight and spawns an enhanced Dominator.

"Pesky rats… Let my pet teach you some manners!"

"Heads up!" Hayabusa warned. He pushes Nana and Roger out of the Dominator's deadly beam. The spawn focuses on the ninja as he dashes to different places to rescue his friends. As Hayabusa stops, the Dominator immediately launches the laser at him. He luckily deflects it with his blade, but the laser kept intensifying.

"Argh… LITTLE HELP OVER HERE!" Hayabusa called out. Kagura responds by throwing the umbrella as a shield, protecting Hayabusa from the ray of death. The Dominator didn't hold back as it strengthened the laser again, somewhat penetrating Kagura's umbrella.

As it tore through the umbrella, Gatot stepped in front of the ninja and blocked the beam with his gauntlets, charging it with foreign but powerful energy. Hayabusa gets out of the sitch as Gatot laughs.

"You've messed with the wrong warrior." Gatot leaps high in the sky and with one punch, squishes the spawn to smithereens, scattering the chunks in multitudes of directions.

Johnson blocked the bluish blood and guts with his shield, hiding the eyes of Cyclops, Nana and Harley. "Yuck. Disgusting."

"Haya," Akai starts. "Kagura doesn't want to go out for now. She will have to wait for the umbrella to mend itself for a few minutes."

As the last word left his lips, Moskov appears and impales Akai and Chou with one spear, locking them down. Estes reacts by letting up one of his wide stasis wards, but Moskov retreats in haste, Alice replacing him. Before Alice could go into Drinking State, Zhao lunges at her and stabs her multiple times per second.

"No, not today, you-"

Zhao stopped speaking as an enhanced Wretch emerged from the ground below him. Zhao stabs its spine and pushes the spear deeper, and slides down the backbone, exposing the skeleton. The Wretch roars in pain as it was suddenly paralyzed. Hilda and Balmond sliced its legs and slammed their axes to its thick skull, finally killing it.

"Um… that was easy," Natalia mutters, cleaning her claw.

Alice shrieks, sending most of the heroes flying and skidding to the ground. They regain footing as she made a fit. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO SPAWN ONE OF THEM?!"

Meanwhile…

"Damn, can't join them. You know, it's boring, just waiting out in the open."

"Can relate, Alu," Victor says. "My butt is overworked. I'm drinking a bit to dull the pain." He takes a swig of whiskey. "You know, I'm sorry."

"About what? You didn't do anything wrong?"

"That's the point, kid. We didn't say anything to you."

Alucard remembered Argus' explanation, how the Demon Hunter clan found him in that forsaken forest…

"Hey. You didn't know. And besides, it was for my own good. You and Argus had a point, but if anything, I still trust you, Victor. I know you're a bit of an old man, but you're willing to make a change. Don't-"

"Now now, don't make me cry tears, because you can't," Victor replies. "I'm just doing this for my daughter."

Alucard's eyes widened. "I didn't know you had a-"

"I had one. Had. Got chewed up by a Ravager…"

"Oh… I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. At least she lives in the afterlife knowing that I still care for her, even after a couple of decades after that event… At least."

Alucard lowered his head, his morale beginning to sink. "What's her name?"

"Isabelle."

"Well, Victor. I can't think of a better name than that," he said, smiling weakly.

"Nah, don't compliment. Too late for that. We're all gonna go to hell because of you, boy."

"Heh, you bet."

A guard calls at Victor. "Hey. Your squadron is up."

"Right on time. See you on there, kid. Don't do anything funny while we're out here." Victor stands up and stretches his back as he whistles, calling a few of his men armed with cocktails and guns.

Alucard sighs. "That must be heavy for him to bear. Didn't know he was a father. There's just no more time to confess. I just hope they're all alright. I don't want them to die because of me."

Before he could relax on the seat, he spots two guards conversing. But what made him hold his attention was the familiar silhouette behind them, looking at Alucard.

He closes his eyes. "I swear, she's going to be the end of me…" He opens them again, and Lunox was gone.

Alucard grins. "I knew it. It's just- AH, MOTHER OF-"

Yes, the party was short-lived, because she was now sitting beside him on his right on the long seat propped against the main wall. But Lunox didn't look at him, but merely hung her head low, staring at the ground with her hands clasped. Calming down, Alucard noticed that Lunox was… dulling. Her outfit grew worn and grey, as if she was losing color and taste. A small but distinct crack could be seen on her cheek running to her left eye. She wasn't crying, but if she was, she remained silent.

Concerned, the Demon Hunter makes the move and outstretches his hand. Lunox saw this and slowly unclasped her hands, her left hand drifting toward his demonic arm. As they made contact, Alucard asked her.

"Moskov will die, won't he? Does the same go for Lance and Odette? You can't remain vague to me forever. The others are growing worried."

Lunox only blinked once, then slowly turned her head to face him… then gripped his hand. Slowly, Alucard's vision warped, but in a slow, soothing manner…

He finds himself in the dark, with only his breathing as the only thing that could be heard. He looked around to see if there was anything to be found, but there was none. Confused, he looked back and saw a man a couple of meters away from him. He wore a tidy lab coat and sharp-looking shoes. He sported a pair of half-framed glasses, a weary look prominent due to his dark eyebags. He looked at Alucard, adjusting his grey hair.

"My son…"

Alucard was conflicted. "D-Dad?"

"Don't feel bad, it was never your fault to begin with. This is as close as we can do in terms of conversation… I wish I had been there to see you grow… Don't let yourself down, okay?"

"Dad!"

"I'll come back for you. We always find a way!"

Before Alucard could run towards Rooney, the vision ends and he was back to facing Lunox, who stopped clutching his hand.

Lunox smiled at him. "There will still be light beyond the endless darkness, hero. What matters is that you find it in yourself, for it's what makes us strong… Hope."

"Alucard?"

Alucard looked up and saw Ruby racing towards him, reaching in for a hug. Panicked, he looks back at Lunox, but she was gone without a trace. Instinctively, he stood up and hugged Ruby.

"Hey, I thought-"

"Estes let me go now… I'm sorry for-"

"No need to say sorry. It was never your fault to begin with. And besides, we're here now. Nothing's gonna happen."

Ruby pulled away. "Hey, who were you talking to?"

Alucard turned around and looked back to where he sat, sighing. Ruby wasn't sure, but she had a hunch.

"It was her, right? Did she show anything?"

"Yeah… I saw my dad."

Ruby's eyes widened. "You mean… Rooney?"

"Yes, but that wasn't really my greatest concern, Ruby. Lunox… she's growing tired. She looked dull in my eyes... Not necessarily eyebags and all, but, it's as if she was-"

"Fading?"

"Mhm… That's still not a good sign. She doesn't want conflict, but the only way to resolve conflict…"

"Is through conflict," they answered in unison.

"Crap. All we can do is wait," Alucard grumbles. "Should be out there saving lives…"

"Well, while we're waiting here…" Ruby forced Alucard to sit down as she wraps her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. "Don't make me lose sight of you too early, okay?"

Meanwhile…

Alice unleashes her Drinking State, but everybody cleared the whole zone so that her power would backfire against her. She launches an orb towards Aurora, but the Queen of Ice spawns a frozen wall just in time, blocking Alice. Frustrated, Alice rears and charges straight through the ice and breaking it, only to be cut by the ice blade floating around Aurora. Alice attempts to capitalize and overwhelm Aurora, but the mage spawns more swords one at a time, poking and slicing Alice when she went too close. Miya, hiding beneath a rock, shoots a light arrow, hitting Alice's eye. Yelping in pain, Alice could do nothing as Aurora held back the opposition with a dozen irregularly shaped swords.

"I misjudged you," Alice said. "You're still strong."

"Stronger than yesterday, witch."

"Take that back!" Alice charges with another Blood Orb, but Aurora merges her hands, forcing the 12 swords to merge into one huge greatsword, and with one swing, slaps Alice flying into the air. Aurora blocks the Dominator's beam with the flat of the sword.

She unlocks one of the blades on the greatsword to intercept the Dominator's vision, but the Kastiyans shoot it down. Aurora disassembles her huge sword and uses the fragments to protect herself. The aliens advance but Natalia was already behind them, taking each one in a flash of bright slashes. The front sees her and screeches, signaling her presence. Before they could react properly, Tigreal pushed them back with his shield, killing a few with blunt force trauma. Confused, the Kastiyans shoot randomly in the air as Natalia and Tigreal finish them off.

"Where's Zhask?" Tigreal asks. Natalia points to the hill, where Zhask was trying to let the Dominator recover. Unfortunately, Miya was bombarding the two with her arrows, knowing that the spawn should not heal. Zhask already creates a shield around him with his staff's power and aims at Miya, shooting his lightning bolts. Miya launches an arrow to be sure, and the projectile deflects off of the field.

"Miya can't shoot as long as that shield is active!" Estes says. He goes into the frontlines, Hylos with him. As Zhask launches a lightning bolt, Estes creates a momentary shield in front of Miya, making the bolt ricochet to an unawares Vexana, stunning her.

"Curses! Why won't you die?!" Zhask yells as he keeps on shooting, but his own shield was starting to break as Roger shoots it down with his shells. Miya looks above as she runs and shoots, unleashing a rain of arrows on Zhask and the Dominator. Suffering from the pincer strategy, Zhask releases another spawn as Roger breaks the shield. The new Dominator lets out a beam behind Roger. The werewolf roars but maintains its focus on Zhask. Hilda charges from behind and slams the axe on Zhask's torso, but it lodged within.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Zhask spawns another Dominator, but before it could grow, Balmond already responds and cuts it off the base, killing it. Roger, Hilda and Balmond trades their blows to Zhask. Annoyed, Zhask slams his staff to the ground and repels the both of them, only for his vision to find Fanny charging at him with her blades. The alien enhances the two Dominators, making them grow in size and strength almost instantaneously. Surprised, Fanny releases her cables and shoots them toward the sky, hooking two Spitfires. She launches herself in the air, completely dodging the lasers. Zhask wastes no time for the flyer as he commands the two spawns to travel to the clashing.

Hylos notices the enhanced spawn pushing up the ground. "Estes!"

The Elven King responds with a stasis ward, greatly slowing down the spawn. Estes sees the other spawn that has already emerged, aiding Moskov.

"If we don't find a way to take those down, the others will be pinned," Estes says. "Hylos, how about your centaurs?"

"They've already went in, Estes. Wait, how about the Demon Hunters?"

"They've already responded. We must escort Miya first, I assume, then we deal with the threat."

Hylos nods and casts a pathway, speeding them up.

"Moskov, listen to me," Zhao began, dodging a strike. "You're saying nothing, but your eyes tell the truth. You hate doing this!"

He locks his sights on Moskov and charges straight through, slicing away the Ravagers and Wretches. Moskov constantly dashes away, but gets caught by Zhao in the process. He flips him around and kicks him towards his side. Moskov regains his footing but Clint shoots him at the cranium. Moskov was stunned, but he slowly looked back at Clint, the wound already healing.

"Oh, crap."

Moskov charges the spear in his hand. Zhao sees this and immediately kicks his arm, sending the Spear of Destruction flying. The said projectile zooms and nicks a couple of Spitfires and Wombats, while making a large hole on one of Bane's ships. It was better than losing 5% of the army, though.

"Okay, breathe easy… Kill when necessary, Zhao. Don't screw up. It's still your best bro. If he wanted it, I'd be shish-kebabbed already."

Zhao eyes Estes creating a deceptive visual hazard at Zhask. The alien commander sees this and abruptly drops the shield, fazed.

"W-What is this s-symbol?!"

"Got you."

Hylos charges with the pathway and knocks Zhask off the high ground with his scepter. Zhask, losing focus, accidentally points the three Dominators to himself. Miya focuses her arrows as the spawns hurt their own master. Zhask couldn't stand as they focused their lasers.

"I… command you to CEASE!" he yells, and the spawns explode into a gory mess, the force gales knocking him back. One of the spawn's lasers remained active and hit Moskov as the marksman was about to dash, incapacitating him.

Zhao begins to run straight towards Moskov, hoping to pin his shoulder to the ground with his spear. Before he could reach him, a wave of darkness began to cloud his vision. He grumbles in frustration and slashes the air behind him, actually making contact with Helcurt's chest.

"Argh! Brethren… Maul this foolish warrior with your claws!"

Zhao felt a small horde of Shadowbringers frantically racing to his location. He sighs, "Okay… Zhao, get ready to go cray!"

Without warning, he spins around his body with his spear, performing a randomized pattern of flurried slashes and strikes, disorienting the Shadowbringers' focus. He managed to pierce through a few bodies around, but the horde remained constant in their numbers. He felt the heavy air rush away as Miya jumped from Tigreal's shield and shot two arrows at a time, landing killing shots. The Shadowbringers flee as the archer lands, but Vexana was already there, and she caught Miya with the grip of her ghostly hands.

"No can do to save your boyfriend!" Vexana begins conjuring an incapacitating spell but Tigreal stabs her straight to her gut with his sword and pulled it out cleanly. Surprisingly, the Necromancer was barely fazed, but was taken aback nonetheless. She unleashed numerous ghouls and specters, crowding Tigreal and restricting his breathing room. Behind her, Natalia slowly crept unnoticed and cut deep grooves on Vexana's back, making her scream in pain as she loses control of her puppets.

Natalia jumps out as Alice teleports, apparently in her Drinking State. Alice immediately launches three Blood Orbs, but instead of fleeing, Natalia stays still and rams her claw to the middle orb, making contact with Alice who was about to materialize. (This was a good move because if Natalia jumped to the other orbs, she would be mince meat to the Ravagers and Stalkers that were stampeding.)

"Try harder!" Natalia mutters. She flips and slashes at the Apocalypse Queen, trying to disorient her. Alice grunts as her Drinking State is no longer active. Miya joins the fight as she uses her bow to engage in melee combat, whacking Alice. She somersaults, kicking Alice's chin and nocks two arrows and aims for her eyes. Unfortunately, a Spitfire clutches her shoulders in mid-air and Miya is forced to struggle. A Strider eliminates the airborne threat and jumps towards Miya, saving her from the three other Spitfires closing in by sacrificing himself. Miya grows frustrated as she shoots her nocked arrows, hitting Alice's eyes.

(You're probably thinking that Alice wouldn't care about getting her eyes poked. Of course she would care, how would she fight?)

"AAAAUUUGGHHHH! DAMN YOU!" Alice unleashes her Drinking State again but Chou kicks her as soon as she does, sending her flying to a spinning Akai.

"Nuh uh, not today! Not today, not today! You hear me?!" Chou yells as he continued his flurry of kicks as Akai kept on spinning, forcing Alice into their makeshift grinder. After a few seconds, he forces his flaming fist into Alice's torso and he punched right through her body, his fist sticking out from the other side.

"Gross… Eugh…" Akai mumbles as he grabs Alice and slams her to a nearby rock, the frog in his hat spitting at her. "She won't get up easily, so-"

Akai stops talking and suddenly falls as Helcurt stings him from the back, paralyzing him. The Shadowbringer grins mischievously as he locks eyes with Chou.

"You f-f-fight with fists? Heheh, y-y-you will not-"

Chou ignored Helcurt as he swiftly punches him, sending him flying to the nearby wall. "Quit monologuing. Like, dude, you could just kill me-"

He dodges as Helcurt teleports behind him and swings his claw, which was coated in a neurotoxin. "Okay, don't touch him. That simple. For the love of the Lords above, how will I deal with this bastard?"

Meanwhile…

"Where are the others?" Estes asks.

"PREOCCUPIED!" Gatot yells in frustration as he throws the corpse of a Wretch to the Ravagers. "They keep on coming!"

Miya shoots from a safe distance with a fellow Sharpshooter. "Where's Johnson and the kids?!"

"Busy taking out the hordes on the east with Rafaela!" Estes says. "They will not respond properly if we get downed here!" He casts two runes and heals a pair of wounded Bastions who successfully bashed an incoming Stalker with their shields, but a Wretch quickly gobbles them up. Estes floats in the air and set his palm on the Wretch's forehead, drawing a symbol. He immediately retreats as the Wretch vibrates and bursts into viscera, clouding his vision. He doesn't see Zhask's lightning bolt striking him to the ground.

"You're a king, just like me," Zhask says, three Dominators focusing their lasers at Estes, who conjures a stasis field around himself. "I did think of making you my ally, but you and the others are so thick-headed. Look at them. Foolish enough to help you win a war they can't."

Freya creeps up behind him but a Shadowbringer grabs the Valkyrie, forcing her out of the way. Zhask looks behind him and was surprised. "You really think you can just hide behind me and hope for something good?" Zhask points his staff at Freya to shoot a bolt of lightning, but Hylos blocks the strike with his scepter, hitting the Shadowbringer as well.

"Hayabusa!" Hylos calls. The ninja appears from the shadows, slashing at Zhask's body and distracting him. He slices upwards and throws shurikens at the alien. Upon landing, he slashes his torso and goes forward, eliminating the nearby Kastiyans that were going to respond. Zhask groans, trying to get up, but Hilda jumps and slams her foot into his chest, putting him to the ground. She runs and strikes Zhask's chest with her axe and proceeds to drag him around, but she trips as Zhask hits her legs with his staff. Hilda rolls towards Freya, Hylos and Hayabusa, now accompanied by Balmond as they notice that they were surrounded by Goblins.

"Saber, Alpha and Fanny?" Hayabusa asks, panting.

"Above," Freya says. "Lapu, Yi, Franco, Bane, above. Grock? Busy. Karina? With Zhao. Us? In terrible danger."

"Nice summary, let's chop our way out of here, shall we?" Hilda asks, charging to the nearest Goblin.

Meanwhile…

Tigreal pushes his way towards Vexana but Moskov teleports and kicks his shield, fazing the knight. He throws a dark spear which Tigreal easily blocked, but its power forces his back to a rock. The shield met with the rock by the spear, and Tigreal struggles to pull it out.

Rafaela intervenes and casts light projectiles on Vexana's puppets, extinguishing them. Karina weaves through the mass of enemies, executing them as she moves towards Vexana. Irithel goes from the side with Leo, launching explosive arrows from her crossbow to Vexana. Karrie races from the other side as she slams her lightwheels to the Necromancer, hoping to destroy the shield around her, but she gets caught in Vexana's grip as she sidesteps. Vexana was about to create an explosive spell but Irithel shoots her point blank on the face, breaking the shield.

"So, girl fight," Karina says, swinging her blades. "Any comments?" She speeds up to Vexana, who cast another grip, which she sliced easily. Rafaela casts a blinding light pulse so that Vexana would be dazed.

"Argh! Where are you?!" the Necromancer yelps, but Leo kicks the mage towards the rushing Karina as she angles her twin blades, slashing through Vexana, her body split. As her two halves tries to merge again, Karrie forcibly launches her lightwheels at the sinews, hoping to delay the regenerating process. (Like seriously, their weapons haven't been blessed with extra holy damage yet?)

"Faster, faster, faster… C'mon!"

Unfortunately, it failed as the sinews consumed almost no time in merging Vexana back into one piece. She shrieks, letting out a wave of dark energy, pushing the other heroes back. Each one now faced themselves against an enhanced Wretch.

At the other end, Zhao was now combatting Zhask to give Estes some time to regain consciousness. He feigns a poke and slashes upwards, nearly cutting Zhask in two. He spins his spear as the alien casts a lightning bolt. The charged projectile spins along with the spear and Zhao strikes the ground, knocking Zhask back.

"Phew… Now, where's Moskov?" Zhao eyes Moskov pinning Gatot to another rock with a dark spear. The marksman makes eye contact with Zhao and blinks out, appearing behind him. Zhao felt Moskov's presence and locked spears with him.

"Okay, seriously, stop pinning my friends to walls with your thumbtacks!" Zhao grunts as Moskov dodges his strikes. "You're losing!"

Roger appears next to Yun, shooting blunderbuss shells, but a Wretch whacks him to a different direction. Roger turns into a werewolf and leaps at the Wretch, clawing its hide. Ravagers began jumping towards Roger, snarling their teeth at him. The hunter wrestles one of them to the ground and turns the monster into puree.

Three Shadowbringers leaped at Zhao, clawing at him. The spearman grunts in pain as the wounds grew deeper. He shakes them off but Moskov shoots from above and pins Zhao's heel to the ground, rendering him immobile. Zhao howls, trying to remove the spear, but Moskov throws another one, pinning his arm. He could no longer move.

"Argh, goddamnit! Gord can't… Estes is still cold… Guys! Help!"

Moskov slowly walks towards Zhao, gripping his spear tightly. Vexana and Alice, who was now able to recover, appeared behind Moskov.

"Now's your chance, kill him!" Alice says in delight. "And let me drink his strong blood!"

Moskov slowly raises his spear, charging it. Zhao began to vocalize. "N-No! Moskov, don't! Is this what you wanted?! To kill me? It's much… Much more than that, I know! Y-Y-You won't kill-"

Vexana casts a grip on Zhao's mouth, silencing him. "Loudmouth. Don't waste time here, Moskov. Prolong and the enemy will fight back!"

Moskov was hesitant.

"No matter what happens… I will understand you," Zhao says, placing his hand at Moskov's shoulder. "If you are lost, let me help you."

"B-But-"

"No matter what happens, I'll always be your brother from another mother, Skov. You can tell me what you want, what you longed for. If things turn bad, just tell me. You don't need to do crazy things, but if you do, I'll be there with you and your clan. Why? Because I promised you and many others. I won't let you down."

"T-Thank you…"

"No need, I'm being a friend. Now, tell me, what do you want most in your life?"

"Do not just stand there! Kill him!" Alice eggs on. "Isn't this what you wanted? What you longed for?!"

Moskov sees Zhao, slowly tearing up. He remembers it all. The memories begin to clash. Zhao was his friend. What was he doing? What should he do? Should he kill him? It was all pointless. What they were doing was pointless. Moskov didn't want to fight anymore. All he wanted was one thing, and he wanted it badly. He'd rather die than lose it.

The spear was fully charged, and he spoke.

"I long for peace in my heart."

In a split second, he turns around and throws the Spear of Destruction at Alice and Vexana, throwing them to the other side of the battlefield. The projectile pierces through multiple demons, and a few were killed because of the force winds acting on the spear. The spear travels straight to the Dark Lord, but it shatters instantly.

"An absolute shame," the spirit says, shaking what would be his head. He points towards Moskov from afar. "Kill the traitor."

A Wretch looms to Moskov, but he sets his hand behind him, pulling the spears that pinned Zhao telepathically. Moskov then throws one of them to the Wretch's skull and charges the other one before shooting it. The second spear landed the killing blow as it pierced through the thick hide of the Wretch and into a few Ravagers before stopping.

"M-Moskov…" Zhao says, struggling to get up. "I knew it… L-Little bastard…"

"Stay still," Moskov replies, making Zhao sit down. "The spears weakened you. Shake it off."

Alucard, Estes, Saber and Miya arrives into the scene, looking at Moskov with their weapons drawn.

"We late for the party?" Alucard asked.

"Apparently," Zhao answers. "So, yeah, what we hoped for came true, but I've become one with the thumbtacks, so…"

Estes generates a healing link, making the spearman heal. "Alucard, Saber, Miya, go with Moskov. Help the others. We need to make one final push." The former three nods as Moskov began charging another Spear of Destruction, now aimed above toward the mass of Spitfires and Hellbats beginning to crowd Bane's ships.

"Moskov…" Estes began. "Why-"

"I was wrong," Moskov replied. "This war… has no meaning to me, because… I took the wrong side. I'm consumed with hate, but no one will stop me… from correcting myself." He launches the Spear. As it hit the mass of flying demons, the Spear exploded, shrouding them into dark smoke, suffocating them. Saber flies into the black cloud and releases his swords, flying randomly around the space as the unaware demons get chopped. Alpha flies overhead with Beta and lands multitudes of carpet bombs, transforming the black mass into a hazy inferno. Saber exits unscathed, recalling back his golden blades coated in demon blood.

Alucard sprints and throws his greatsword, lodging itself onto a Stalker. He teleports to the greatsword and flips with it, the body of the demon still stuck to the weapon. He lands, forcing off a crowd of Morphlings, losing their momentum. He eyes Helcurt crawling towards him, so Alucard throws his greatsword towards Minotaur, who grabs it and launches it somewhere else.

"Bye!" Alucard taunts as Helcurt blinks out to reach him, but the hunter was gone. Bruno slides on the ground and leaps, kicking Helcurt square on the face, sending him away. Chou arrives and sees Bruno.

"Yo, I thought-"

"That I was keeping watch on Lolita and Layla? They're awake, look." Bruno points to an area and Chou sees Lolita pounding the head of a Wretch with her hammer, Layla providing cover fire. Kagura appears from their side and activates the umbrella, causing dozens of purple links to tether with the Ravagers. As they were pulled instantly, Nana summons a huge Dragon Cat, sending the surviving enemies airborne. Gossen throws a dagger and dashes towards a Ravager and shredding the last few with five more blades.

The assassin throws a random dagger, hitting a Shadowbringer. He dashes and recalls the other swords, slicing the demon with ease. He teleports and ducks as a Kastiyan shoots a lightning bolt at him. He then threw another set of daggers and launched a dagger at the Kastiyan, making it bleed. He was about to dash but Zhask appeared next to the fellow Kastiyan, summoning a Dominator. Gossen pretended to retreat, which made Zhask shoot more lightning at him, but Gossen dashes along with Johnson who was attempting to crash into the aliens. Gossen makes good work of the demon he was aiming at while Johnson crashes into Zhask. The alien commander gets stuck on Johnson's front.

"I command you to stop this vehicle! Now!" Zhask grunts.

"Okay." Johnson swerves and begins to speed up head first into Estes. Estes casts a static wall and Johnson crashes into it, turning back into his normal form. Zhask, now released, lay on the ground, trying to get up.

"M-Moskov!" Zhask called out. "Help me here!"

Sure enough, Moskov did arrive, but as he teleported towards Zhask, he outstretched his legs and kicked Zhask, breaking the static wall before pinning him with a dark spear. The trio left Zhask to utter curses as they changed their focus.

"You on our side?" Johnson asked the marksman. "Good! Makes it all better."

Meanwhile…

Bruno begins to face Helcurt, who slowly stood up. "Oh, it's the cat again. Dude, you really need to like, trim those nails. Or is that armor for your claws? Damn. Either way, I suggest you… uhm… get a pedicure? Or is that called a manicure? God, this is so confusing-"

The Protector dodges Helcurt's swipe and kicks a ball towards him. "Hey! Don't be pissed, I was being honest!"

"SILENCE! You d-d-disrespect me… and my brothers in a-a-arms-"

Helcurt stopped talking as soon as Bruno began to sprint away. He snarls and proceeds to charge, swallowing the light around him.

"Okay, great, Bruno! You've just signed your goddamn death wish. Run for your life!"

Bruno begins making big strides, dodging and weaving throughout the messy battlefield. He grabs Karrie's hand and jumps over a Wretch. He lets go of Karrie and she lands alongside a few of the Alaghat marksmen, making work out of the swarming Morphlings. Bruno begins to slide as Aurora casts a floor of ice to help him speed up. The Queen of Ice spots Helcurt and she encloses him in a dome of ice. Helcurt growls, scratching and breaking out. Aurora uses the ice shards from the destroyed dome by making them hover around her, acting as a shield.

"Okay… Okay, where's Estes? Can't last much longer…"

Bruno then gets cut off by a Shadowbringer. He kicks it off of his way but he meets two more. Even more began to crowd around him and Helcurt began to approach.

"Nowhere to r-r-run."

"I don't know, man. You should've eyed the portal behind you." Bruno high jumps as Gord releases a wide death beam at the Shadowbringers. Helcurt is forced to flee, the ends of the cloth he was wearing catching tongues of fire. As Gord stopped his assault, a Shadowbringer recklessly enters the portal and goes into the citadel. Estes closes the portal too late as the Shadowbringer gets in easily.

It snarls ferociously before leaping towards Gord, but a Royal Guard swings his hammer and makes contact, crushing the demon to a pulp. "Nasty."

Helcurt, wounded, sees Moskov abetted with Zhao and a few other heroes.

"Traitor! Thinking h-h-he can turn his back to us without a s-s-second thought? I w-w-w-will show them!"

Meanwhile…

Fanny stops fighting in the air and descends below, spinning with her blades like a lethal top, shredding the grounded demons. She eyes a red orb floating towards Eudora. Fanny quickly launches her cables and zooms toward the orb and slashes at it. Alice materializes from the orb, her left arm missing. Before she could grow another one, Eudora electrocutes her, immobilizing Alice so that she could not heal properly.

"A waste of potential, Eudora!" Alice shrieks, trying to get up. "You could've done greater things!"

"I already have." Eudora creates another lightning bolt, which Alice easily blocks with her wings, but Fanny uses this opening and carves diagonally with her blades. She then begins to spin them vertically like a saw, constantly wounding Alice and applying pressure as Eudora prevents her from healing. Fanny slowly cries out in rage and makes a huge downward strike, severing Alice's other arm. Her left arm began reforming, and Fanny launched her cables and sliced Alice as she zoomed, landing on Vexana. Fanny regains balance mid-air, shoots her cables to the ground and stabs Vexana with her blades. She escapes before Vexana could launch another ghostly grip, and Fanny began making the same move again.

"How you like that?! Huh?! HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?!" Fanny growls. "I can do this all the time if I have to!" She sidesteps as Vexana lets out another wave of dark energy, but Freya uses her shield to bash Vexana from the back, pushing her. Fanny tethers to the ground and zooms forward, slicing Vexana again and striking Freya's shield, causing both her and Vexana to fly off. Fanny uses this momentum to slice her down to the ground one last time before going back up with Grock, barely escaping Alice.

Freya backs away as Vexana advances with Alice, blocking their spells and pushing them off. Alice begins to prepare a blood trap for Freya but Cyclops launches his hourglass with such force that it made Alice have a concussion. Vexana looks behind and gets whacked by Nana's umbrella.

"Stupid kids," Vexana grumbles. She raises her hands to cast an explosive spell but Harley arrives, confusing Vexana with his floating cards. He shoots a ring of fire and he cards burst aflame, beginning to hurt the Necromancer. The ring implodes and Vexana was scorched.

"Woohoo! I've wanted to do that for so long!" Harley cheers. "Hey, Cyclops! Want dibs on Alice?"

Cyclops responds by making small interstellar spheres that rotate around him. It sought Alice and they exploded onto her, pushing her down again. Freya leaps and brings her sword down, but Alice blocks it with her hands. The Valkyrie pulls up and brings it down again, the shield providing enough force to break Alice's arms and stab her. Alice enters her Drinking State once again. Freya jumps off and gives a wide opening for Zhao to stab Alice from above, as if he was pole vaulting, and kicks Vexana as he lands. He pulls out the spear and swings it around, protecting himself. He waits for Freya to escort Cyclops, Harley and Nana out of the way and he stabs Vexana without looking back. He slashes, cutting Vexana's abdomen and into Alice's face. Alice begins to leap on Zhao but Sun intervenes and slams his cudgel to her face, sending her off. She launches a Blood Orb as she goes in mid-air and teleports into Sun, ripping him apart without mercy. She is shocked as Sun disappeared in a cloud of white smoke, and the real Monkey King bashes her skull to the ground.

"Think twice." Sun launches a golden cudgel into Vexana, creating another doppelganger that began to combat the Necromancer. Alice screams in frustration and attacks Sun, but alas, it was just another doppelganger and the real Sun was now fighting Vexana. She blindly charges again and was intercepted by Moskov. She gets impaled by a dark spear jutting out of her shoulder.

"Traitor! Traitor! You will pay for this!" Alice shrieks. "By the time I have you, I will-"

Zhao slices Alice's face with his spear so that she couldn't talk. "Loudmouth."

Moskov teleports but Helcurt catches him with his claws, throwing him off. The marksman regains his footing and shoots aimlessly, nicking the Shadowbringer. Helcurt growls and sprints again, but Clint arrives, launching a steel trap and tying Helcurt's legs.

"Get outta here, man! I'll take care of these little critters!" Clint orders Moskov. "Hey, boys! Let's clear them out! One last push and we are gonna score the gravy!"

Moskov retreats, trying to find a good place to lay low in the battlefield, but everywhere around, the demons began to stop paying attention to the army and laid their sights on him, pouncing at Moskov. He dashes around and meets Alucard fighting a Wretch. He throws a dark spear and conjoins the Wretch's front legs with it, forcing it to roar in pain. Alucard slashes his greatsword inside the upper jaw of the demon, finally killing it.

"Thanks. It was enhanced, so it was an absolute pain," Alucard says to Moskov. The marksman stared at the growing spikes and scales on Alucard's right arm.

"You should… consider… knowing when to use it. I am willing to sacrifice lives, just so you can live for the 7th."

"W-What?" Alucard's instinct made him sense Helcurt leaping towards him. He ducks as Helcurt nearly clamped his jaws on Alucard's left arm. Instead, he clamped on Moskov's left leg.

"Moskov!" Alucard goes forward but Helcurt began to swallow the light, so he couldn't see. He felt multiple arms pulling him away from Moskov. Dozens of Shadowbringers and Wretches began to emerge around him. "Argh, don't you make me do this!" He spins, clearing a wave of Shadowbringers clamoring towards him. He jumps and lands on a Wretch and stabs his greatsword to its back, making him gain control of it. Alucard maneuvers, using his weapon like a joystick to make the Wretch plow through the demons. He was too far away from Moskov.

"Alu! Where's Moskov?!" Zhao shouts. Alucard points at the black area in front. "WHAT?! WAIT!"

Estes notices this and tries to conjure a portal toward Moskov, but Alice confronts him, hindering his travel.

"You will see what we do to those who betray us, Estes, so will they!"

"He didn't betray you. He did what he wished. He has no master but his soul!" Estes interjects. "He is not afraid to die for his own cause. Let him be!"

"Oh, I will, alright, but will they?!" Alice motions towards Zhask and Vexana already going towards Moskov. "I will show you!"

"No!" Estes encases Alice in a stasis ward and phases through it, trying to get to Moskov.

Zhao carries his bloody spear and sprints towards the black area but a wave of Morphlings began to flood towards him, and he was nearly buried in the mass.

"N-NO! M-MOSKOV! GET OUT OF THERE!" Zhao yells. "GET OUT!" Miya arrives and tries to shoot down the Morphlings putting Zhao down, but they were too many for her. Hylos casts a pathway, aided by his fellow Centaurs, but a Wretch blocks their path, forcing them to fight it.

All the other heroes were preoccupied.

Estes, knowing that he would be too far, conjures a portal from the citadel. Gord throws a projectile that splits into smaller, explosive projectiles upon hitting the ground. It was enough to provide a clear path, but the Ravagers responded immediately.

They were intent to kill Moskov.

"Moskov! Get out of there or you will die!" Alucard yells. He loses control of the Wretch and he falls under its corpse. He grunts as he put his greatsword on his demonic arm. He easily carves through its body and shoots a large fission wave, toppling nearly a hundred demons. He throws his greatsword at a Wretch and teleports, racing towards the marksman.

"Goddamnit, I can't see Helcurt!" Miya exclaims. "Zhao, h-hold on!"

"M-MOSKOV! GET OUT OF THERE! G-G-" Zhao could no longer be heard as the Morphlings entirely covered him, muffling his voice. Minotaur appears but was being pushed away by a few Stalkers. He plows through them only to get stung by their neurotoxins. He slows and bellows in frustration.

Saber notices the scene below. "Franco! Bane! Shoot your cannonballs there. The situation has escalated!" A pirate angles the cannon towards the black zone, but a Spitfire dives and begins to claw at him. Saber jumps and takes it down, but the pirate was heavily wounded.

Moskov tries to dash out but he becomes surrounded. A Shadowbringer leaps on him and claws his arm, digging into his skin. He charges his spear with his free arm but Zhask blasts him with a lightning bolt, pushing him to the ground. Vexana creates another explosive trap which detonates on Moskov.

"Urgh… C-Can't… Mo-o-ove…" Moskov mutters. He tries to stand but the Dominator's laser pushes him back down. Helcurt pounces on him and hacks him mercilessly.

"Y-Y-Y-You are a disgrace t-t-t-to us! Y-Y-You side w-w-with them?!" The Shadowbringer uses his tail and injects Moskov with poison. And no, not just any poison.

It's the one that kills.

"I side… with… myself."

"Then you leave us no choice," Vexana answers. She casts an explosive spell as Helcurt stings Moskov even more.

"No matter what happens… I will understand you."

Meanwhile, the Morphling mass covering Zhao began to glow. Miya sees this and becomes worried. "Z-Zhao?!"

She frantically looks around. "H-Help! SOMEONE! ZHAO IS STUCK!"

"I will always be your brother from another mother, Skov."

"Balmond! Zhao is trapped!" Miya tells the orc. He swings his axe and tries to hack it down, but it was no use. The Morphlings appear faster than them killing the mass.

"I promised you and many others. I won't let you down."

Alice breaks free from the stasis ward and combats Estes, who brings Argus out from the citadel through a portal. The fallen angel flies towards Moskov but was surrounded by Spitfires and Hellbats. He slices through the demonic flock, hoping to reach it in time. The cerulean protodrake flies with him, coating the sky with black fire, giving more space.

"Z-Zhao… I'm s-s-sorry…"

"NO! MOSKOV!" Argus calls out. "DON'T YOU GIVE UP ON US! WE'RE COMING!" He could see Moskov being pummeled, Helcurt injecting more poison, surprised by the marksman's resilience.

"Moskov…"

Hylos could hear a cry from within the mass of Morphlings. A ray of light began to form above it.

"-OV! MOSKOV!"

"We are brothers in arms. And no one…

Can tell us otherwise."

The Morphlings exploded, turning into ash. Alucard sees a hologram of a dragon descending towards the mass as Zhao began to run with unparalleled speed, his whole body on fire. A trail of orange flames left by his feet scorched the demons trying to catch him. The dragon then merges with Yun Zhao, and his armor began to… grow.

Silver and gold bits of armor slowly formed, creating an overlapping pattern of intricate detail. The shoulderguards became larger, arcing into spikes similar to that of a claw. Zhao's helmet became bigger, following the same armor pattern, while his spear grew gold trimmings and accents, and bore a fiery aura that drove the demons away. But he doesn't seem to notice it as he ran desperately.

"DON'T… YOU DARE… TOUCH HIM!"

He jumps, angling himself to stab the unawares Alice. Zhao successfully pierces her abdomen and his spear bursts into flames. Alice screams in pain, flailing her arms, as if… the fire was actually hurting her. Zhao proceeds to carve through the Ravagers and Morphlings fixated on him, like a sickle to wheat. He didn't mind Alice's body that was flailing around on the tip of his spear. He encounters a Wretch that was stampeding at him. Zhao jumps at it and corkscrews through its mouth, and in a flash, bursts from the other end of the Wretch, the monster burning into ash. He slashes at a Stalker one last time before Alice could free herself from his spear, and her scarred body flies like a meteor through the black zone. Vexana, Zhask and Helcurt stops torturing Moskov and sees her body lying a few yards from them.

"V-V-V-VEXANAAAAA!" Alice wailed. "IT BURNS! IT BURNS! IT BURNS, HELP MEEEE!"

Vexana looked to the opposite direction and saw Zhao staring at them, his eyes literally burning.

"Moskov… what have they done to you?!"

He didn't say a word as he rushed through them. Zhask, panicking, summons a Dominator in front of him, which immediately shot its lightning bolt at Zhao. He deflects the beam by spinning his spear around, creating a shield. Zhask makes the Dominator grow larger, further focusing the beam. Zhao screams in rage as he stopped blocking and took the full force of the beam. He ran unimpeded to Zhask and swung his spear, whacking him to Vexana who was trying to create an entrapment spell. The end of the spear touched the ground and made golden sparks as Zhao set his eyes on Helcurt.

"This p-p-p-power… IMPOSSIBLE!"

Helcurt swallowed the light again and tries to escape, but Zhao throws his spear and impales Helcurt's shoulderblade to the ground. The demon howls, trying to use his free arm to get the spear off, but it was too late. Zhao pulls the spear (while dragging Helcurt with it, like barbecue) and forces it upward, splitting the Shadowbringer's top half into two. As the wound regenerated, Zhao stabs Helcurt's leg and nails it to the rocky ground. Helcurt screams in a garbled voice as Zhao punches his face to the ground with his flaming fists in quick succession, rivaling Chou.

"LISTEN HERE… SCUMBAG!" Zhao began, connecting his fist into Helcurt's chest, searing it. "DON'T… YOU DARE… HURT. MY. FRIENDS! YOU HEAR ME?!"

With every word was a strike. Zhao stands up and slams his pointed boot on Helcurt. He lifts his leg swiftly, pulling Helcurt along with it. The Shadowbringer tries to claw at Zhao's armor, but his arms began to char from the flames. The spearman pulls Helcurt's body off and chucks it to a rock. Before Helcurt could stand, Yun hurriedly grabs his spear and stabs the demon again, cracking the rock. He punches the Shadowbringer's face into a bloody pulp. Helcurt groans, weak and battered as Zhao continued on his assault.

"T-Too… S-S-S-Strong… M-My L-Lord…"

Zhao gets yanked by Vexana with her grip but he breaks free from the bonds almost instantaneously. He recalls the spear back to him as he swung it around. The necromancer tries to create a shield but it breaks immediately. The spearman cuts her legs off, and Vexana shrieks.

"NO! THIS IS NOT-"

Zhao didn't let her finish as he stomps her face before stabbing her right eye out. He yells in rage as he drags the spear, cutting the ground with Vexana in tow.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH THEM EVER AGAIN!" He throws her towards Helcurt and the two collided, collapsing to the ground. Zhask hastily summons another Dominator but Alpha arrives, shooting Zhask down with Beta. Argus kills the Dominator and anchors himself towards the alien commander. A few Kastiyans appear but Alucard jumps in and slays them before they could touch Zhao. Saber releases his swords to apply crowd control to the Ravagers and Hellhounds that were pouring in. Layla and Lolita began clearing the Spitfires from the air with Gossen. Franco was now able to control the skies above with Bane and Yi Sun Shin.

Meanwhile, Zhao then throws his spear and impales both Vexana and Helcurt. Alice teleports towards Zhao but he prepares a punch, knocking her to the ground. Alice tries to enter her Drinking State but Rafaela blinds her. Zhao grabs Alice and chucks her into the sky to an incoming mortar shell from the kingdom's walls. She falls to the ground, her body covered in soot and scars. She extends her tattered wings and soars away.

"Blind rage…" Alice mutters, wiping the blood trickling from her lips. "I didn't expect… this is harder than I thought."

Behind her, Zhao pulls off the spear, and Helcurt swallows the light around him, now being able to flee as a Wretch blocked Zhao's path. The spearman hacked its legs and stabbed it numerous times as Vexana tries to escape as well. Unfortunately, Hayabusa catches sight of her and teleports, slicing her down. Vexana doubles back with Zhask and begins to retreat, but Eudora electrocutes the two of them. Gatot leaps high into the air and punches them out of the sky, letting them go.

Zhao begins to calm down, the aura around him dissipating. His new armor and weapon slowly dematerialized back into his default clothes as his knees buckled.

"Y-Yun!" Hayabusa began, racing with Kagura to reach him. "Are you alright? Saber told me you're experiencing fatigue-"

"Skov… W-Where is Skov?" Zhao heaves out. "B-Bring me to M-Moskov…"

He looks behind him and sees Estes desperately trying to cast more healing runes.

"W-Why isn't he healing?! Those are advanced spells you're making-"

"There's too much poison," Estes tells Argus. "I can't drain them out. His heart could fail by the second."

"Maybe my blood can-"

"You can't, Argus! He's corrupted! What would your blood do? It could worsen him!"

Nana and Cyclops tries to take a peek at Moskov but they grew squeamish and looked away.

"SO WHAT? YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA?!" Miya exclaims. "CAN'T YOU JUST-"

"NO, I CANNOT USE ALL OF MY RUNES!" Estes answers. "His body can combust, for there would be too much magic working on him. This is the best I can do!" He enhances his spells when he hears Zhao.

"S-Skov?! Where's Moskov?" Akai asks around, pushing the other heroes off. "Where's- HOLY SWEET PUPPIES WHAT ON EARTH?!" Zhao pushes Akai and sees Moskov, and he gasps.

How can I further elaborate this? Moskov is like… should've been double dead up to this point.

Okay, try to imagine this. A body. Bleeding due to many holes on the body. The blood is of a different color because most of it is no longer blood. Your limbs starting to have gangrene due to the poison in your system. An eye of yours is virtually non-existent from its socket. You're missing a leg, and your body is charred.

Yep. That's Moskov. I could barely recognize him.

"Wait, you could barely recognize him?"

Yeah, I mean, there is a picture of him in the files, specifically in that condition, but I recommend you DON'T see it. Seriously. Almost made me hurl. Almost.

Anyway… Zhao kneels and cradles Moskov's body, the fluids drenching his clothes.

"M-Moskov? What in…"

"Z-Z-Zhao…"

"Hold still, Estes will-"

"N-No…"

Saber lands next to Zhao. "Blood lost: 91.3%. Gangrene accumulation: 29.8%. Body charring: 56.5%. Estimated time of expira-"

"NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Zhao yells at Saber. "L-Listen, Skov… Don't you die on me, you understand?! Don't you die-"

"I'm s-s-s-sorry-"

"NO! NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE! YOU'RE NOT…" Tears fell from his face. Zhao was shivering, tired. "N-No… P-Please… Don't… I don't want to let you go, please…"

Moskov smiles at him, his face strained. "T-Thank y-you… For understanding… I owe y-you… m-my…"

"M-M-Moskov?" Zhao asks. The other heroes around him were shocked, their hands covering their agape mouths. "What d-do you owe me? What? Moskov?"

Alucard, baffled, slowly approaches Zhao. "Yun-"

"NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! He's not dead, I know! H-He's not dead, he's not dead, he's not dead, I know! He can live, we can s-s-s-still-"

Miya races towards Zhao and hugs him. "Zhao… it's… it's alright."

"N-n-n-n-no! NO! M-M-Moskov, w-w-wake up! Don't you die on me… D-Don't you die on me, or else, I swear…"

Yun babbled incoherently as he collapsed in a crying heap, Miya trying to comfort him, but she was crying as well. Nearly half of the heroes around was teary-eyed, while the others who weren't hung their heads low.

"G-G-Goddamnit… Estes! D-DO SOMETHING!"

But the king couldn't answer. What would he tell Zhao? That he can do nothing? Estes tried everything. Rafaela was aiding him as well, but Moskov was just… gone. It was too much. They cannot resurrect people from the dead. They just can't. There were rules of nature to follow, only to be broken when the time comes.

Now wasn't the time.

"Damn it… S-Skov, please! PLEASE! W-w-whyyyy?! WHY?!"

He looks up at the bleak sky. And after so long, it began to rain.

"MOSKOOOOOOOOVVVVV!"