Chapter 3, Page 1
Hate to say I told you so
Chara and Asriel dragged Viktor's half conscious body into the living room making sure to not exasperate his already traumatic injuries as Joseph came to see what all the commotion was about, upon spying Viktor he merely groaned in irritation while Asriel tried to calm down a near hysterical Chara in the kitchen while at the same time shooting Joseph pleas to do something about the near dead saiyan currently occupying their couch as Joseph gently pressed down on Viktor trying to assess what injuries were minor and exactly how extensive the major injuries went but from what he could tell it was as if Viktors entire body had nearly disintegrated itself as various muscles were either torn irreparably or barley hanging to their respective bone fragments of which there were many from cracked ribs to a dislocated jaw and finally a punctured lung, honestly Joseph had no idea how Vik had managed to survive the fight with Osiris let alone fly himself back to the house in his condition. Joseph went to work resetting the bones that he could having to re break others to accomplish the monumental feat before allowing his healing orb of Apollo to do the rest while he went over into the kitchen to help Asriel with Chara.
Chara: Joey…...is he going to be okay?
Joseph: Of course he will I've reset a few bones and healed what I could but he'll be out cold for at least a day or two while the orb does it's work, honestly I don't see how he even managed to survive let alone fly all the way back here as saiyan or not he should be dead by all accounts right now. But while he's unconscious I think it's best if I look into that Roman burial temple and see if there's any merit in it i'll only be gone two days at best by the time Vik wakes up I should be back but if he happens to wake up before then just teleport to me via Asriel.
Asriel: Wait Joey why not let me go with you on this one? We don't know if this temple is rigged to the teeth with booby trap or magic curses and plus well I've missed our time together.
Joseph gave Asriel a sympathetic look at those words as while it was true they hadn't exactly spent much time together especially when Osiris seemed hell bent on breaking his mind at every possible instance but the truth of the matter is he needed Asriel to stay behind incase something went wrong during Viktors healing process seeing as Chara wasn't anywhere near the level required to do even the most basic of magic let alone the magic required to treat the injuries Viktor had sustained tonight, but the other reason Joseph didn't want Asriel coming along was in part do to the inherent danger surrounding the tomb itself as not only could it be unstable but the mere fact that Osiris was the one who supplied the information didn't help his nerves in the slightest.
Joseph: I would love but it's simply too dangerous for me to allow you to come in good conscious plus I need you to look after Viktor incase something goes awry because as much as I trust nothing will happen I simply wouldn't want to put that type of pressure on Chara who simply doesn't have the skill or knowledge necessary in the unfortunate occurrence that something were to happen in our absence.
Chara went over towards Viktor and sat beside him on the floor watching as the small green orb zipped around him slowly healing the various injuries he'd sustained from his fight with Osiris, the color was slowly returning to his skin as the various bruises the covered his body began to slowly fade first turning from a deep blackish purple to a less unsightly light purple before fading into a ill yellow as they continued to fade while bones and muscle ligaments began repairing themselves little by little all the while Chara watched in fascination at the degree in which his body took to the healing spell as by the time midnight struck Viktor looked almost normal aside from the sickly yellow bruises and slight clicking of bones being reattached to muscles. Joseph meanwhile had began packing his suitcase making sure to pack various items from candles designed to ward off magical creatures to his trusty sword which he had improved since it had been shattered during the fight with Gallock who remained offworld doing whatever it was that he did in his spare time not that Joseph cared either way as he admired the craftsmanship of the sword that had been forged by by his father during the Spanish-American war of 1898 by a supposed spanish mystic or as his father always told him when he was a boy growing up "A spanish cheat who swindled me out of good money." Joseph hadn't noticed Asriel had entered the room until he felt the familiar soft nibbling on his ear as he placed the sword and it's identical companion that he had forged some many years prior into their respective holders before turning around and placing a gentle kiss upon Asriel's forehead neither spoke using words instead relying upon the special magic that flowed through them via Asriels special Dreemurr mark that he'd placed upon Joseph during their first night of true and passionate love making many months prior.
Joseph: I do miss our many nights together love, honestly It's been too long since we've had a moment alone don't you agree?
Asriel: i do though we are currently alone and I can think of many ways we can spend this moment Joey.
Asriel kissed Joseph passionately savoring the the taste of his lover as they both enjoyed the intimacy of the moment but Joseph kept himself composed in the heat of the moment as he slowly eased from the kiss much to Asriel's apparent dismay as he gave a mock pout before Joseph zipped up his bag and slung his swords criss crossing across his back before he picked up Asriel into his arms who snuggled into his neck as they walked downstairs noticing Chara still sitting next to Viktor who looked a thousand times better than when he'd been brought in hours earlier, Joseph walked over towards the two gently setting Asriel on the corresponding couch before focusing his attention back on Chara and Viktor.
Joseph: He seems to be doing well by the looks of things he should be awake earlier than I predicted Chara.
Chara: Yes it's honestly fascinating how quickly this orb is working it's done nothing but continuously zip around healing and rehealing the various wounds he sustained but Joseph i'm curious what he could be thinking right now and I know you and Asriel can communicate telepathically but is that something you can do outside of marking you two share?
Joseph: Honestly I never tried it before but I would assume that it's possible though I'd rather not his personal privacy like this.
Chara: Please Joey?
Joseph nodded as he looked over at Viktor who's breathing was shallow and even almost as if he was merely sleeping and the slightest touch could disturb that tranquility, Joseph concentrated as he placed a hand on Viktors shoulder as gently as he could as to not disrupt the healing process while he felt himself sink into Viktors subconscious noticing the cold nature of the emptiness that was the human subconsciousness before he felt himself finally touch a solid foundation, Josep began walking down the long corridor noticing the many doors the lead to various memories and before long he came to the door he was looking for opening it slightly before he was thrust into the memory of Viktors fight with Osiris as he witnesses the full unbridled power of Inviktos Imperium and the godly might of Osiris as the two fight all across the arctic ice with explosive power as Joseph watches as Viktor ups his power more and more to match up evenly with Osiris to the point of briefly overpowering him but Viktors body gives out allowing Osiris to narrowly defeat him just as he had Joseph during their encounter. Joseph was about to leave but stopped when he noticed the stone Viktor carried with him speaking though what it was saying he could not hear as The Eye of Inviktos carried Viktors mangled body back towards the house as Joseph was cast from the room with the ending of the memory.
Joseph opened his eyes to see Chara staring back at him having joined Asriel on the couch waiting in anticipation for Joseph to tell them what happened during his trip into Viks mind while Joseph wiped his forehead as the experience was something he wasn't used to outside of Asriel who had the assistance of their binding mark to levy the strain of the experience. Joseph looked back towards Chara and gave a grim smile while he recounted the battle that took pace from the new transformation Viktor was able to obtain via infusing the eye of Inviktos's power with his own to the way Osiris goaded Viktor past his bodies limits allowing the tyrant god to use the strain of the immense power to his advantage as he wore down Viktor during the fight's progression. Joseph also explained how Viktor had arrived on the doorstep like he did mentioning hearing the stone physically speak to Viktor though again he couldn't make out what was said before he was essentially carried all the way to their location.
Chara: So what do we do now Joseph? This Osiris guy is way more than either of you can handle even with viktor having The Eye of Inviktos in his possession he was still beaten half to death, I just don't think you risking something bad happening is worth retrieving the other stone.
Joseph: Chara it's the only chance we have currently and if it means that we have even the slightest shot of taking this bastard down then I say we take it.
Asriel: He's right Chara if Osiris is more powerful than Joey and Vik combined with that stone then maybe it would be beneficial to have Joseph retrieve it's twin as the two are clearly related somehow.
Joseph nodded before picking up his bag kissing Asriel and hugging Chara before he teleported to Rome admiring the city lights and sounds as the sun slowly crept up on the horizon while Joseph made his way towards the underground catacombs being careful to use the shadows to his advantage as the catacombs to this section weren't open to the public, Joseph summoned a small orb of light as he made his way towards the center of the crypt like structure finally coming to the tomb of former emperor of Rome Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. He notices the latin phrasing surrounding the burial casket warning of the dangerous curse that would be set upon whomever disturbed the sacred resting place of the crazed tyrant while Joseph used his magic to check if the warning had any legitimacy but to his dismay as an alchemist it did not, Joseph opens the casket admiring the various jewels adorning Nero but what catches his eye is the blood ruby jewel adorned in the eye of an immaculate dragon necklace that began to call out to him similar in the way Viktor had described to him earlier with The Eye of Inviktos but in a far more calming tone almost as if pleading with the Vampyre to free it from it's entombment in the dark and desolate chamber. Joseph gently took the necklace off of the dead emperors neck stashing it in his coat before sneaking his way back through the catacombs and emerging to the near blinding light of the afternoon sun noticing that it had been quite sometime since h had entered the catacombs of Rome before making his way to the famed Roman Colosseum noting the odd feeling of being the only one currently there all the while the necklace continued to whisper to him it's offerings of power in the arane arts. Joseph sat on the stands looking over the necklace noticing the strange mix of Egyptian seals mixed with Latin as the necklace pulsated with power fueling Joseph's magical aura to no end as he sat there transfixed by the new feeling of empowerment, The stone then began to telepathically speak to Joseph.
Nero: Vampyre of the city hidden within the rain
Joseph looked around not seeing anyone else in the immediate vicinity before looking down at the necklace.
Joseph: Are you speaking to me?
Nero: Yes I am Vampyre though I sense another's presence in your aura someone I know quite well
Joseph: And who would that be?...Wait do you mean
Nero: Yes I sense my brothers aura there's no mistaking the power of Inviktos radiating slightly through your aura but do tell me Vampyre why have you freed me from my resting pace?
Joseph: Because I need your power to stop Osiris from obliterating my home and everyone I hold dear
Nero: And what makes you think I'm inclined to help you Vampyre? During my time I slaughtered thousands of innocents and watched this city burn to the ground during my time as emperor the live of my people meant nothing to me as I conquered them one nation at a time, what makes you think I won't simply do it again?
Joseph: I'm well aware but I'm also aware of your betrayal at the hands of Osiris so I figured that we could strike a deal of sorts.
Nero mulled this over from his confined cage deep inside the crystal the very thought of being freed again appealed to him greatly but the curse Osiris had unknowingly placed on him clouded his inner Judgement as he began to involuntarily lie to Joseph in an attempt to seize control of the immortals body for his darker halfs nefarious means while his good side could only watch from behind the walls of Osiris's egyptian bindings as Joseph accepted the dark spirits tempting offer.
Nero: We have a deal Vampyre but on one singular condition, you allow me to inhabit your body from this necklace and in return I shall allow you the power in which you seek to destroy Osiris.
Joseph mulled over the offer as he got a text from Viktor that they were teleporting to his location shortly before slipping the white gold chain around his neck as the dark curse of Osiris's magic from the corrupted soul locked in the Eye of Nero filled him with overwhelming power causing Joseph to black out involuntarily, when he awoke he was no longer in Rome but locked behind a cage of Egyptian hieroglyphs while on the outside the darker half of Nero greeted Viktor having turned the normal golden Iris's of his host blood red and the cornea turning into a slit similar to that of a dragon.
Nero: It's been a long time Inviktos
