True Power

Michael's arrow blew through the air at nearly supersonic speed. It ripped through the spectrum and destroyed the path all the way to Marburg's chest. Marburg smiled and his body started to separate into his smoky and smog body. The deadly gases started to come apart turning Marburg into an invincible being once more. He was at his full-power now. It was ridiculous to think that Michael even stood a chance against him even if he did have that arrow. That arrow was definitely on a different level from his other ones, but Marburg was still looking down on them from his level. Or so he thought.

The arrow was definitely on another level from his others. Marburg had recognized that the instant he saw it, but now as he was watching it blasting towards him. He shook with fear as the blast shot into his chest. The glowing arrow somehow was ignoring the fact that Marbrug was splitting up, it didn't care that Marburg should be immune to it. It had a completely different agenda. Its sole goal was to destroy him. Marburg shook as he tried to catch himself. His body came back to its corporal real form. His hand went to his chest where the arrow had entered and exited through. He was lucky that he survived. Not real luck. Marburg had prepared for this moment for a long time, but he never thought a student of the DWMA would drag it out of him. He had prepared for it for his rematch with Lord Death, a second life of sorts. A secret weapon that a kid had dragged out of him. Marburg's eyes flashed with anger as he turned to his enemy. He was ready to exchange blows. The smog began leaking out of him again, but he quickly recoiled as he saw Michael going to draw another arrow.

If one arrow managed to drag his life down like this, he really shouldn't risk taking another one. If he was expecting it he could've came prepared. Secondly, Marburg had to make sure he got his past experiments out of here in safety. He needed to rescue them and take care of them. His goal was to take them back and continue his experiments. He had his past experiments at hand, he needed to continue his work, and thanks to these he could. The problem would be getting out of here with them in hand. His biggest obstacle was the archer standing in front of him. Flying away wouldn't even guarantee an escape; he had a long-ranged attack. Marburg was left with two very simple options. Fight or flight, the most basic of all animal actions. Either way he'd be risking another run-in with that arrow.

Who was he kidding? He was the god of plague and pestilence! Did he have any reasons to fear such a weak boy? More dark blue smoke oozed out of his body. "Let us finish this, boy!" The dark blue smoke oozed out and covered his right hand, taking the shape of a lance. Honestly Marburg preferred non-confrontational fighting to up-close and personal, but still he supposed more importantly than going with his strengths was going with his opponent's weaknesses. That large arrow couldn't be formed or fired if he pressed into Michael's chest. In other words, close-ranged combat meant Marburg would have all the power. He charged forward, aiming for Michael's chest with incredible speed.

Michael quickly and without thought created, loaded, and fired another arrow. It was unsure if it was due to him being rushed or if he just couldn't muster the strength again, but the superior demonic arrow didn't appear this time. A normal shining arrow burst forth. Marburg swatted it to the side and drove in deeper. He was immediately inside Michael's personal space, an arrow would be nearly impossible to shoot at this range. Marburg immediately brought his lance in, spiraling for Michael's exposed side. He had exchanged blows so many times with him once before, Vigrid had sparred with him as well, this man was a thorn in their side. A thorn in their perfect world view, it had to be trimmed to make the rose as beautiful as possible. That was Marburg's view on humanity. Marburg felt something clench down on his hand, preventing him from finishing the thrust.

"For shame, brother," mocked the new intruder, hidden within a white cloak. The face wasn't even revealed. "These are the people who had caused so much trouble to my two brothers. I want to meet them face-to-face." As he brought his sentence to an end, Michael immediately felt a surge of pressure. A whipping madness wavelength surrounded the area. Michael didn't felt driven to the brink of insanity, he felt empty. A gnawing emptiness that needed to be filled. He felt hungry, tired, worthless, all empty negative emotions surging up within him. All in that instant, the instant this man spoke. "If they are truly so bothersome as to do this to both of you, I wanted to meet them face-to-face…show them that I'm the true terror of the family." The cloaked man's hidden face turned over to Michael. His hand flashed out, showing his strewn-out flesh almost as if his skin had disappeared. He swatted the bow out of his hands. Michael muttered something and turned to try and catch May, but the man's two hands shot out and grasped Michael's face, pulling Michael's face up to his.

"Let go of him!" shouted Melody, stumbling to her own two feet and lashing out with Shi, who immediately issued a war cry as ze flew through the air at the latest evil person who showed up. The man chuckled, whipped his arm out and wrapped the flying yo-yo around his arm. His arm snapped down grabbing onto the yo-yo and pulling on it, sending Melody flying forward towards the man. He brought his arm back up and tightened his grip on Melody's face while keeping his other hand trained on Michael's face.

"So you are the two thorns in my brothers' sides," he chuckled to himself as he lifted them both of the ground. "I'm the third brother. I still haven't decided on who was right back in the day, Marburg or Lord Death, but I do know one thing. I love my brothers. And you are a nuisance to them…so I'm left with no choice, but to eliminate you." The man started to apply a constant, but almost idling pressure to both of their jaws. If he increased it by any more power than it was a fair guess to assume he could break their jaws with just his hands. However, suddenly the he completely loosened up, removing all the pressure and let them drop to the ground. "But now is not the time. Any good chef knows the key to a good prime steak is to let it marinate in its own juices. So, three weeks. In three weeks time I'll let you know where I am. Just follow the dead bodies. I'll be busy preparing the feast for you and any guests you choose to bring."

"What if we don't?" said Shi, with a mocking tone. Ze definitely had a problem with authority, although the best time to exercise such problems were not with a demonic monster ready to kill and based off of the words he was using consume them.

"I'll satisfy my hunger otherwise," he muttered turning around and looking towards the village. "I'm sure a couple thousand of souls would do it perfectly. You understand what I'm saying, right?" A creepy smile barely became visible beneath his cloak. Shi paused for a second. Ze was uncertain now. It seemed pretty much like the new monster had won this argument once again. "Are we all in agreement? Good. No need to RSVP, I'll prepare more than enough meals for you and a mountain of your friends. Be sure to bring as many as you can." He smirked as he turned around and started to leave. He paused for a second as if trying to think about something before leaving. Suddenly he turned around and faced Marburg, "sorry, brother, but you're not invited to this one. Maybe a later one." With that he vanished.

Marburg stayed still for a few more seconds as he processed the information. "I suggest you don't go," he muttered beneath his breath. Michael and Melody shared the same confused look on their faces. Wasn't this guy supposed to want to get rid of them? Or was it one of those 'I don't want my brother to destroy you, because I want to be the one to destroy you' thing. "I suggest you come and find me," he said turning his face away from them, "I will at least promise you a quick and painless death."

Michael paused for a second, watching Marburg as he began to leave. The man who did this to his own mother, he debated about rushing him. Michael's fists were composed of steel, surely, at close-range he could swing heavily enough to get a good hit in on him and with his fists it was possibly for him to cause brain damage. However, Michael couldn't do it. The new one, Marburg's latest brother, had sapped all strength from him. He felt tired, exhausted, void of anything. Happiness and even anger seemed to have seeped out of him. It was like the man had devoured everything that Michael had held inside himself. Once Marburg was gone, Michael stood there for a few more seconds before collapsing to the ground. His arms flopped down uselessly by his sides.

"We would've lost completely," Michael muttered. Melody was right besides him, nodded slowly. Both of those two were out of their league right now. Even a Death Scythe would have trouble taking care of one of them. However, there they were with both of them, staring down at them. They were in complete control for those seconds. She felt the same thing Michael did as she stared at Marburg's brother, her body emptying itself of everything. Mind, spirit, hunger, and all emotions seemed to vanish. And she wanted them all back, a depraved feeling that made her feel empty and a strong feeling to feel full that was what it felt like staring at that man's face. Melody shook her head, eager to get the image of the man and that feeling out of her head.

"Let's go," she said quickly jetting up to her feet. Michael stayed on the ground for a few more seconds as he looked up at her. "We got to go get Ash and Xander and then hurry to the DWMA. Lord Death needs to hear about this as quickly possible. We can't waste single minute." She bent down and picked up Shi. Shi looked a little out of it from being thrown like a rag doll in those two men's presence. He seemed sick and ill, but he'd make it. Besides it was his own fault for gorging himself on those pancakes and anything else Michael's dad made. He probably had an even bigger meal for dinner and then a large sundae for desert.

Michael nodded. He felt a little dizzy when he stood up, but he began walking quickly after that. They could get in touch with Lord Death through a million different ways, but the truth was they needed to go back to the DWMA to train. "Come on, May!" Michael shouted waving over to his weapon. She had been swatted pretty far out of his hands, so it would probably be for the best if Michael didn't have to walk over and pick her up and carry her back to the house. Not to mention there was no reason why he should. She could walk by herself and it would be faster this way. He stood there for a few more moments before he realized something was up. She wasn't responding to him at all, she wasn't changing back or anything. "MAY!" he quickly rushed forward over to his partner's side.

And finally he has emerged. The fourth and arguably most dangerous brother (in a way), power that is on level with Lord Death, a deadly intellect and stomach, and a strong vendetta. Is there a foe in the whole world who should elicit more fear then this man?