Ch.140: Threads of Fate Untangle! A Desperate Climb to the Top!

First, it was the palpable presence of two overwhelming forces standing in the same vicinity of each other. Both trickling with energy and nerves, itching for the first move. Then, a tension brewed and amped up the presence, giving it a tangibility that could crush stone. The feeling of walking through a dense fog made of molasses as it constantly beat down you, dragging you further and further to your knees until there was nothing left to give.

Finally, within that dense fog, a spark erupted.

Flashes of purple and wisps of black danced within the bottom chamber of the maze, each clash tearing down the walls and ceiling as collateral. Threads of string swayed gracefully through the darkness before tightening and whipping through the air like blades. Jet black flames pierced the darkness like a spear, incinerating stone down to the dullest of ash.

Morgan and Apollo flew through the air, trading glares with what could be assumed as relaxed composures. Morgan maintained cool confidence with his steadfast expression and hands sitting comfortably inside his pockets. Apollo kept his arms crossed, letting the red glow of his eyes do the talking.

Attacks sprung from their bodies like a dance of rotating blades. Strings and shadow tendrils whipped and struck each other, slicing apart even the dust that scattered in their carnage. Attacks came close to bare skin only to be narrowly deflected without the slightest flinch. Two stone cold killers battling it out, focused on a single objective.

Apollo let loose a pulse of magic and knocked Morgan back. Morgan tethered himself to the ceiling and swung into a wall, pressing the soles of his feet against it. He kicked off, boosted with the assisted pull of his string, and came spinning with a hard axe kick. Apollo blocked with both arms, infused with shadow, and kicked at Morgan's neck. A Grid Wall caught the leg and bounced Apollo into the floor.

Apollo landed, unharmed, and fired an array of shadow needles upward. Morgan flew around the collapsing chamber, deflecting needles and scanning the ground. He flickered out of the sky and appeared behind Apollo before swiftly kicking his back. Apollo endured and extended a shadow from his back, pinning Morgana against a wall.

"Final Nightfall." Apollo turned and fired a powerful, black magic beam from both hands.

Morgan sliced the shadow pinning him apart and narrowly dodged, grimacing at the energy radiating in his face. He kicked off the floor and practically teleported in front of Apollo. He pulled his hand from his pocket and swiped all five fingers. Apollo ducked and barely avoided the five strings slashing over him.

Apollo flickered in front of Morgan, like he was vibrating in place, and blindsided him with a right hook. Morgan endured the punch, digging his heel down, and backhanded Apollo across the cheek, knocking them both away from each other.

Morgan waved his hand and commented, "You've had plenty of time to perfect Alex's Tenuem Style."

Apollo raised his stance and hardened his glare. "Years of waiting in silence."

Morgan pulled his other hand out and stretched his fingers. "Too bad I know how it works." He rushed Apollo while weaving string between his fingers. "Compression Thread!" He flicked his fingers and fired compressed shots of string.

"Specter Defense." Apollo rotated his hands in circular motions and deflected the shots. He extended his hand and stopped Morgan's lunging kick before tossing him over his shoulder.

Morgan backflipped and caught onto the walls. Apollo turned and flicked his fingers up, cutting the section of wall out and knocking it forward. Morgan jumped before it collapsed on top of him. Apollo watched the assassin swing across the chamber and fired on him with Soul Piercer. Morgan deflected the shots one after another, then flung himself at high speeds.

"Compression Volley!" Morgan flexed all five fingers and fired five string shots into Apollo.

Apollo wrapped a veil of darkness over himself and absorbed the shots. Morgan landed and punched through the veil, but the dark king ducked the punch and threw an uppercut into Morgan's chin.

He pressed the tip of his finger against Morgan's throat as he fell back. "Soul Piercer."

Morgan instantly leaned back, narrowly avoiding an impromptu tracheostomy. He spun on his hands and fired string slashes from his feet. Apollo raised a wall of darkness and blocked them.

Morgan leaped off his hand and pulled on a bundle of string. "Puppet Style: Thread Knight."

A string clone of Morgan appeared behind the dark king and slashed his back. A shield of darkness absorbed the hit, allowing Apollo to turn and incinerate the puppet with Final Nightfall. Morgan tightened the string and slingshot himself through Apollo's wall, landing a solid dropkick against him.

Apollo flew back, digging his feet down, and staggered to a stop. He turned, glared, and fired Final Nightfall once more. Morgan collected a bundle of string and fired them off as a cyclone, clashing with the powerful shadow spell.

The two forces clashed intensely with each other, shattering the rock around them and tearing more of the chamber down on them. The attacks reached their limit, and a blinding flash followed with a resounding explosion flooded the chamber.

What was once a maze now became an open space with the remnants of tunnels embedded in what little wall was left. The cause of this spacious redecoration was the repeated clashes of Leroy and Aeternus.

"Kehehehehe! Dance, fool, dance!" Aeternus laughed, firing particle shots down on Leroy while he hovered in the air.

Leroy activated Quick Step and dodged the repeated shots as he scaled the destroyed walls. The rumbling below nearly threw him off balance. He grimaced. I haven't been able to sense anything other than the mime's magic down here. But this pressure coming below…what madness is transpiring down there?

Leroy kicked off the walls and crossed his seamitars. "Flash Splitter." Both shells electrified. He swung them into Aeternus.

Aeternus snapped his fingers and stopped them with a pale yellow wall. He smirked at the frustration on Leroy's face. "It has been roughly a few minutes of this, yet you bore me. Your son is much more entertaining. He actually banters instead of scowling in silence."

Leroy narrowed his eyes. "You will pay for your crimes."

"And you have a one-track mind." Aeternus struck the barrier with his palm and pushed Leroy into the earth walls with it. He pressed his palms together, then thrusted them forward. "Particle Eraser!" A giant, pale yellow beam erupted forth.

"Light Speed." Leroy spun, digging himself into the wall until he was unpinned from the barrier, and dashed out right as the beam struck. He circled around the cavern at lightning speed, then careened down on Aeternus, grabbing him by the neck.

"WAH!" Aeternus yelped before getting a face full of dirt.

Leroy pinned both arms down and pressed the tip of his horn to the back of Aeternus' head. "Make any sudden movements and I'll blow your brains out."

Aeternus smirked. "Yeesh. At least buy me dinner first." He pressed his fingers down and applied his magic through the ground. "Matter Shift: Destabilize."

The ground suddenly lost solidity, instantly turning to dust. Leroy lost his footing, which allowed Aeternus to kick off him and fly back into the air.

He clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Return to Form!"

A bright flash occurred within the crater, then the ground suddenly returned to its original state with Leroy trapped underground. Aeternus hovered over and snickered behind his hand.

"Well, I say we've buried the hatchet on this altercation. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some children to turn into corpses." Aeternus turned and playfully pointed around. "Now, which way did they go—"

He paused, picking up a crackling sound below. He turned down and saw the earth cracking open with lighting shooting out. The surface bubbled with an intense blue light before exploded skyward. Aeternus casted a barrier to stop the debris, but Leroy appeared behind and threw a heavy punch into the back of Aeternus' head.

Aeternus shot into the walls, now resting in a small crater. He rubbed his aching head and looked up in mild annoyance. "You. Are. Rude—" Leroy sped into him and jammed his horn through his chest. Aeternus gurgled blood, then tried to grab Leroy's head.

"Lightning Shot: Overdrive Cannon."

A piercing light exploded out of Aeternus' chest, followed with a powerful electrical beam shooting through the wall behind him. Aeternus screamed at the top of his lungs, feeling every cell of his body burning with electricity. He felt his eyeballs smoke from the heat.

"As you are a danger to the world, I have no qualms with killing you," Leroy explained as he turned up the power.

Aeternus bared his teeth and curled his lips into an angry smirk. "You really are irritating me now." He thrusted his hand in Leroy's face. "Particle Incinerator!"

Leroy took a blank point surge of matter destroying flame to the face. He unpinned Aeternus and flew out of the blast with residual flames burning his aura.

Aeternus sat up and deployed his darkness to repair his chest and body. "You really are nothing like your son. You're actually pretty freakin' boring to play with! Would it kill you to smile—"

Leroy zipped behind him with Light Speed, then swung his seamitars down. Aeternus formed a barrier and stopped them. He bent his head back and sneered at the Samurott in disgust.

"Stop. Interrupting. My monologues!" He flicked his fingers and knocked the mage aside with a rock pillar. He waved his hands and sent a wave of pillars after him.

Leroy readjusted himself and casted Nebula Rider before he hit the ground. He flew around the collapsing cavern, dodging pillars and firing off Lighting Shot from his horn. Aeternus blocked them with barriers and summoned numerous pillars from below, tipped with spikes. Leroy dove into them, then spiraled around them with his blades, tearing them to pieces instantly. He turned and fired Lightning Shot: Lotus Bullet from his horn.

Aeternus casted a wide barrier and stopped the shots. He flew into the center of the cavern and lit up the tips of his fingers. "Particle Beam: Ten Light Fiesta!" He spun and released ten separate Particle Beams, cutting into the cavern walls and dancing like disco lights.

Leroy sped through the beams with Light Speed, though a few managed to burn him under some tight maneuvers. He pulled up on his storm cloud and aimed for Aeternus again. He whipped out his seamitar, activated Flash Splitter, and swung once in range.

Aeternus suddenly stopped and stopped him with a barrier, catching Leroy off guard. "I've gotten use to your son's speed. Your Light Speed is nothing more than a pretty parlor trick." He raised his leg and slammed it down on Leroy's head, kicking him back into the ground. "Particle Eraser!" He fired down on him.

Leroy quickly recovered and dodged as the ground dematerialized under him. More pillars shot out of the ground and pummeled against him. He struck two with his bare fists and shattered them, then sliced one in half with his shell blade.

Aeternus floated upside-down, snickering. "Kehehehehe. My, my, you're strong, mister~! I guess you do have some uniqueness compared to your son. Sadly, I'm too far into the game to back out of recruiting him, otherwise I would've extended the offer to you."

"Flash Splitter." With a sense of déjà vu, Aeternus once again stopped an electrified blade with a barrier.

Aeternus snarled. "Will you at least humor me with some insults, you single-minded brute?! It's like talking to a brick wall…with a boring personality!"

Leroy pushed against the barrier. "You will not go anywhere near my son or my family ever again."

Aeternus smirked. "Like you cared? I may not know much about you, but I can tell there was resentment in Tony's eyes when he saw you. I'd be doing them favors compared to your shitty parenting tactics. I could've offered them sanctuary from this cruel, cruel world. Protection for Tony's services. I could've made their biggest dreams come true." Aeternus' smirk widened to manic levels of crazy. "What do you have to offer, you emotionless ocean mutt?!"

Leroy bared his teeth. "Even if I have to draw upon my last breath, nothing will stop me from protecting them. I will keep fighting like always until the world is safe from scum like you. That is my promise as a warrior."

Aeternus laughed. "Cute sob story. He takes after that idealistic crap from you, eh?" Aeternus pushed him off the barrier, then blasted him into the wall. "Family holds you back. They hold you back from reaching your true potential, suppressing your evolving genius for some stupid sense of honor. Who needs crap like honor when I have power? Forget a badge of honor! I want a badge of absolute power! That's the only thing that makes the world go around!"

Leroy pulled him up and wiped blood off his lip. "Your eyes…I've seen eyes like those before. Those aren't the eyes of a trauma victim or a misunderstood beggar. You truly are, without a shadow of a doubt, pure evil."

Aeternus snickered. "Stop it, you're making me blush."

"I didn't think it was possible for someone to anger me more than the Shadow King. For someone who is the embodiment of negativity and darkness to be outclassed by a maniac like you…" Leroy growled. "You make me sick."

"Were you that compelled by my offer?" the clown joked.

Leroy gripped his blades and flew back into Aeternus. "Scum like you must be eliminated."

"I've already had this dance!" Aeternus snapped his fingers and fired off more pillars into the Samurott.

Leroy navigated around them at lightning speed, then swung his blades at Aeternus. He predictably casted a barrier in front of himself, but Leroy sped around him and swung across his back. Streaks of electricity erupted from Aeternus' back, tearing his suit and cloak off. Aeternus wreathed with pain. He deployed a shadow arm and batted Leroy into the ground while repairing his back.

Leroy landed safely and glared up at the clown. Once the repairs were completely, Leroy got a good look at the signature tattoo brandished on his back. It shined with direct eye contact. He could see Aeternus drawing heavy breaths, cracking his bones, and stretching his limbs.

Aeternus casted an irritable glare over his shoulder. "Congratulations, mister. You've exceeded the limitations of my merriment." Pale yellow magic blazed from the palms of his hands. "I'm going to disassemble you molecule by molecule, then reconstruct your discarded body into a new throne to rest my rear upon."

Leroy raised his seamitar. "As long as I can protect my family, I won't rest."

Aeternus smirked. "He really does get that behavior from you. I wonder just how far he will go for his friends and family."

Leroy glared suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come now, mister~. You didn't really think I would waste my time with you if I didn't have a failsafe in mind for their escape." Aeternus beamed with sadistic joy. "Let's test your little theory and see what this strength through family truly is when I take something precious to him away."

Leroy tightened his grip. "I won't let you take my—"

"—wife and daughter? Been there, done that. Kehehehe. No, not quite that personal, but it might as well be." Aeternus raised his fist. "After all, true love is also strength for heroes, right?"

Leroy's eyes widened. Oh no…

Rico leaped ahead and smashed the rocks falling from above to pieces. Indigo helped Tony along, shielding her face from the rubble. She bared her teeth worriedly. "How much farther?"

"I don't know," Rico admitted. "But we must be closer to the top now."

Tony pulled himself up and rotated his shoulders. "If we're closer to the top, we don't have to worry as much about bringing the place down." He rubbed his hands together, creating sparks. "One blast should carve a hole for the rest of the way."

Indigo touched his shoulder. "You're still injured. You can barely stand and see."

Tony grimaced as the pain in his right eye (or lack thereof) flared up again. He touched the bandaged wound despite the stinging reaction. "Getting you two out of here is much more important."

"Us?" Rico gasped. "What about you?"

"I'm not leaving until I know my friends are safe."

Indigo shook her head. "No, absolutely not! You wouldn't survive down here—" She staggered as another tremor shook the maze. "S-See?!"

Tony bared his teeth. "It's stupid, I know, but I won't live with myself if they're buried alive. Those tremors are exactly why I can't leave. The fighting is getting worse. You can feel that pressure coming below us, can't you?"

Indigo frowned. "Of course I can, but that isn't an excuse to risk your health more than it already is."

"I can handle it." Tony got a consistent spark going and formed the orb of electricity. "Now, stand back. This has some kick to it." He turned his hands upwards.

Rico and Indigo backed away. Indigo, still concerned for the Dewott, failed to notice something rising out from within her shadow.

Tony took a deep breath. "Okay, let's bust ourselves out of here. Tempest Impes—"

"AAAHHH!" Tony and Rico gasped as a shadow popped out of the floor and grappled Indigo. "Guys!" she screamed while fighting against the shadow's hold.

"Indigo!" Rico cried.

Tony growled. "Let her go!" He turned the spell on the shadow, but staggered with another tremor. He lost his footing and concentration, falling onto his hands and knees. "C-Crap."

"Take this!" Rico lunged and bashed his leg into the shadow, but it phased through like mist. "Huh?!" The shadow grew a third arm, grabbed his ankle, and threw him into Tony.

"AAHH!" Tony screamed, feeling his chest wound flaring up now.

"No!" Indigo cried. She turned herself around and pulled an arrow out. "Let me go!" She jabbed it into the shadow's eye, triggering an explosion. She assumed it would blow its head off, but was taken by surprise when the explosion simply vented out of its eyes and jagged grin.

The shadow laughed and morphed itself into a portal, binding Indigo's limbs together. She gulped as it dragged her through.

Tony pushed Rico off and lunged. "Oh no you don't!" He reached within the bindings and pulled Indigo's metal claw free. He dug his heels in and pulled on the Sneasel, fighting against the suction force.

The shadow screeched and increased the pull. Indigo shrieked through gritted teeth, but endured the pain. "Don't. Let. Go!" she yelled.

"I'm trying!" Tony yelled back, fighting against his own pain. "Rico, give me a hand!"

"Uh, I have my own problems over here!" Tony turned his head a bit and saw Rico fending off a group of shadows popping out of the cracks. They laughed at the lone Scrafty as he battered them away with swift, spinning kicks. "These things feel stronger than normal!"

Tony glared. "The bastard clown…" He could feel that strength as the portal shadow fought against him. "Indigo, please hold on for as long as you can! I'll save you!"

"Sooner than later would be nice!" she cried trying to wiggle her other arm free.

Callista started off her assault by sending out dozens of shadow arms towards Griffin and Gwyn. They jumped back with Griffin firing off Exosus Release to keep the hands at bay. Voss raced through the smoke and swung his sword. Griffin blocked it, but flew back without any traction to the ground.

Gwyn ducked under the Grovyle, then lunged at the armored titan. Still in her Informis form, she shaped her arm into a club and punched Voss in the face. The blow did little to stagger him. He grabbed the Mew's morphed arm and swung her into the ground. The ground cracked under her face. He raised his foot to stomp on her, but she catapulted herself backwards with roots.

"Man, he's tough!" Gwyn exclaimed.

"Welcome to my world." Griffin dashed past her and slashed across Voss' armored chest.

Voss staggered a bit, but held up and punched across Griffin's face, knocking him into the wall. He turned his sword on him, but roots grew out of the ground and caught his wrist.

"Make like a potted plant and get rooted!" Gwyn swung her arms down, pulling Voss' arm into the ground.

Griffin rubbed his head and glared at her. "Get rooted?"

"I'm still working on the trash talk, alright?!"

Callista hissed. "Salbon, shoot her!" The spider archer pulled back on his bow and fired hellfire arrows at the Mew.

Griffin kicked off the wall and blocked the arrows with Endless Regret, nullifying their magic. "Whether it be demonic or otherworldly, I'll negate your magic."

Callista glared. "How nice. A sword made with anti-magic properties."

"Not just anti-magic." Griffin aimed the sword and lit it up in his aura. "Exosus Release!" He erupted the tunnel straight in front of him with blood red wildfire.

Voss ripped his arm out of the ground and swung into the wild magic. His sword met resistance against the magic, but he managed to cut down the middle and safely split it around himself and Callista. "Callista, now."

"Salbon!" Callista called out again. The spider archer rapid-fired arrows through the Exosus Release.

Griffin sensed their approach and dodged them, feeling one barely graze his cheek. He traded Endless Regret for Absolute Zero and slashed the tunnel with a thick sheet of ice. The tunnel walls froze instantly, freezing Voss, Callista, and Salbon's legs in place.

Gwyn shoved seeds into the ground. "Frenzy Trap Fields!" Monstrous, flesh-eating plants popped out of the ground and extended towards the heralds.

Three sunk their teeth into Voss' armor while Salbon shot down the rest to protect Callista. One snuck through and bit off one of Salbon's arms. He hissed angrily, pulled out a knife from his waist, and drove it into the plant monster's head.

Griffin put Absolute Zero away. "One For All!" He reached into the portal, but didn't feel the sword eject from it. "Wait…" His eyes widened. "Crap, the pirates. We got separated from them." He instead pulled out Infinity Breaker and extended it straight into Voss.

The polearm's blade grinded against Voss' chest while he continued to fight off the plant monsters. He held his sword in a reverse grip and swung his arms around. "Fallen Reversal!" A black whirlwind whipped up around him, shattering the ice at his feet and shredding the monsters to fertilizer. He raised his sword and fired projectile slashes.

Griffin raised his arms defensively, but Mack's Eclipse whipped around and slapped the attacks off course. The three-section staff retracted back to the Sudowoodo, who was still holding Flint and Ambrosine. "I don't know where they ended up! The bloodlust distracted me!"

Holly raised her fan. "I think they're safe. They fell through some openings while we were falling."

Griffin growled. "Holly, go and find them!"

"You sure?"

"I have Gwyn to back me up! Just go!"

Holly relented and ran off through the hole they burst from. Mack staggered back and yelled, "Hey, so, what should I be doing?"

"We got things covered here!" Gwyn yelled. "You get Flint and Ambrosine out of here!"

Mack glared. "There's no way you two will be able to defeat them. Voss is invincible in that armor."

"Invincible is a poor man's way of saying something's unbreakable!" Griffin pulled out Echo Chamber, the tuning fork-like sword. "That's not a policy I live by!" He banged the sword against the walls, then rushed at Voss.

Mack shook his head. "Idiots. I'm coming back for you when things are safe!" He turned and booked it out of there.

Flint weakly lifted paw, eyes set worriedly on Gwyn. "No…I can't…leave her…"

"You're the vulnerable one, Romeo, not her!" Mack yelled. "Better to tell express you love alive than dead, right? Now hush up and let Uncle Mack handle the ride!"

Now with less people occupying the tunnel, Griffin felt ready to cut loose. "Gwyn, use your armor fruit and get ready to duck."

Gwyn reached into her bag. "Right."

Callista changed out Salbon for Berbar, the humanoid bat demon with a frantic eye in its mouth. He snapped his chain and whipped it straight at Griffin. Griffin swung Echo Chamber and shattered it with a controlled shockwave.

"Now!" Griffin dug the twin blades down and released a visible shockwave through the air. Gwyn popped the fruit and covered herself as the shockwave blew her back. The ice and ground shattered and obliterated the tunnel open.

The tunnel ripped open with a bottomless pit of darkness sitting below. Callista hopped aboard Berbar while Voss freefell into the darkness. Fortunately, it wasn't quite as bottomless as it looked, nothing more than a fifty foot drop. He landed and immediately fired projectile slashes at Griffin.

Gwyn lunged and blocked the attacks with her armored arms. She cringed as the attack broke off the outer coating. Ow, ow, ow!

Griffin pulled out Infinity Breaker and shot it into the remaining bit of tunnel behind him. He and Gwyn hung over the space by the polearm. "You good?" Griffin asked.

Gwyn panted a little, gripping tighter to the polearm. "Yeah. I should be—" A chain suddenly found her neck and ripped her off. "AAAHHH!"

Griffin gasped. "Gwyn!"

Berbar screeched incoherently and whipped Gwyn around with merciless frenzy. Gwyn gripped tightly to the chain in fear of having her neck snapped. She formed a shiv from the back of her wrist and jabbed into the chains. Berbar screeched and whipped Gwyn down into the ground with Voss.

Gwyn bounced off the ground on impact, then got a blast of black flames from the armored titan. She screamed out in agony as the flames melted off her armor and burned her fur and skin. Berbar pulled on the chain again and spun the flaming Mew around like a toy.

"Careful!" Callista scolded. "If she dies prematurely, I lose my contract!"

Griffin watched the Mew get swung around like a flaming Morningstar, feeling his brow furrow tightly. His limiter started to spread over his face, down to his neck and extending over his arms. He pulled out No Peace, then started swinging on Infinity Breaker.

"Hang on!" Griffin built up his momentum, spinning around on the polearm, before launching him at Berbar. He reared the war club back, then bashed it into Berbar's face. The insane power of the club shattered the bat demon's head and exploded it into black, bloody chunks.

"Berbar!" Callista cried.

The bat's corpse let go of the chain and sent Gwyn into the walls. She caught herself on a protruding rock, then threw a magican into her mouth before the flames burned it up. A strong blast of magical pressure blew the flames off. She panted heavily, shaking fiercely.

"Oh man, that sucked. Thanks Griff—" Gwyn ran her hand through her hair, then went cold. The hair that she grew out after years of maintaining it. What once was a mane of fur grown out from her head to partway down her back was burned off. All that remained of its former glory was a bush of uneven hairs sitting atop her head. "AAAHHH!"

Griffin sprung over and clung beside her to the wall. "What's wrong—"

"My hair! My beautiful hair!" she cried, pulling on the shortened strands. "Do you know how long it takes to grow this out?! I have short fur for Arceus' sake!"

Griffin glared. "Is this really the time to be fussing over that?" He looked back at the ground. "They're still kicking after all."

Callista managed to safely land despite Berbar's unfortunate clubbing. She sent his body away and dusted her cloak. "I'm this close to getting what I deserve. I've waited centuries for a chance like this."

Voss sheathed his sword. "We can't afford to keep them alive. They're too dangerous."

"Do what you wish to the Grovyle, but the Mew stays alive," Callista warned. "How am I going to complete my ritual without a Mew?"

"Your endeavors mean nothing to me."

"Your personal quest means nothing to me, either, yet you don't see me stealing your kills!"

As the two heralds lightly bickered, Griffin glanced at Gwyn as she kept fussing over her burnt hair. He glared stoically. "I can't beat Voss yet, and you're still gripping with tension against the witch."

Gwyn pulled her attention away from her personal dilemma for a moment. "Yeah?"

Griffin snapped his fingers and called Infinity Breaker back to his side. "Voss seems to be struggling against unorthodox opponents, and I'm quite familiar with using variety-based fighting styles." He glared at the Mew. "For now, let's focus our objective on winning and use that to our advantage. As much as I want Voss dead by my hand, the optimal strategy is obvious."

Gwyn blinked, then glared firmly. "Right!"

"Break!" Griffin summoned Justice Flyer and leaped off the walls.

Voss broke from his arguing with Callista and gripped his sword. "Back for more, Griffin? You won't break through this—" Griffin propelled himself onto Voss' head and kicked over him. "Huh?"

"Take this!" Griffin thrusted the rapier fiercely at Callista.

"What the—" Callista raised a shadow barrier and blocked his attacks.

Voss turned, still looking confused, then felt vines wrapping around his waist. "Huh?"

"This is for burning my hair, you jerk!" The vines tossed Voss into the air, where Gwyn met him with a massive wooden hammer, bashing him straight back to the ground.

Voss cushioned his fall with darkness and landed on his feet. He glared up, then fired projectile slashes at her. Gwyn fired vines into the walls and pulled herself around the cavern, dodging his slashes.

Callista jumped back scuttled away cautiously while Griffin caught his breath. The Ariados hissed. "I have no business with you."

Griffin glared. "Neither do I, but you're in my way."

"Then you better get lost." Callista summoned her giant blackbird demon now that spaced was freed up. "Kill him." The raven cried and fired sharp feathers down.

Griffin dodged and weaved through them and leaped at the raven. It flapped its wings hard and blew Griffin across the cavern, then continued firing feathers. Griffin caught himself on the wall and ran across it as the feathers followed him. He summoned Twins Storms and kicked off the wall, spinning into two separate tornadoes.

The raven demon beat its wings again, but the tornadoes proved tougher and pushed on through, drilling into the demon's chest. It squawked in pain before crashing against the wall. Griffin dispersed from one of the tornadoes and landed on the demon's head.

"Let me send you back to Hell." He pulled out Endless Regret and plunged it into the demon's skull. "Exosus Release!" The demon threw its head back as red magic exploded from its beak and eyes like wildfire.

Callista flinched at the scene and immediately deployed her fog, sending the demon away. Griffin leaped off just before the demon dematerialized and dove down with Justice Flyer. Callista barely avoided the rapier and shot a web into the walls to pull herself farther away.

"I figured you were tough to take on Voss, but not this tough." She landed on the wall, scuttling up a few more feet. "But you have yet to deal with the worst of the elite. Ozaran, dinner time!" The fog exploded from her back and shot toward Griffin, taking the shape of the demonic reaper.

"Finally! Fresh souls!" He spun his double-bladed scythe and swiped at Griffin's neck.

Griffin immediately blocked with Endless Regret. He felt the tip of the sickle poking his neck and expelling a tiny leak of soul energy. "Damn, that's sharp." He pushed the weapon off and ran away.

Ozaran laughed and circled around. "Oi, oi! Where are you going, buster? I haven't had my fill yet!" He spun the double-bladed scythe and threw it like a boomerang.

Griffin blocked again with Endless Regret, but the scythe struck too hard and knocked him over. Ozaran caught his sword in the air and shot down. Griffin rolled back before the blade could decapitate him and kicked the gaseous reaper's head.

"Kid, that's not going to work on me! Watch those reflexes!" He swung with surprising speed and grazed Griffin's chest. Soul energy leaked out of his wound, which Ozaran scooped a tiny bit up into his hand and slurped on. "Mmm! Spicy!"

Griffin staggered a little, feeling a bit pale. He covered whatever else was leaking out of him. That's a bit of my lifespan I'm not getting back. Didn't look like much. He glared. So, he's one of the elite demons, eh? Callista must've paid a fortunate to acquire his services.

Ozaran finished his meal and pointed his dual-sided weapon at his meal ticket. "Nowhere near as appetizing as an immortal soul, but you truly are a delicacy."

Griffin smirked uneasily. "Careful. I've made a shadow scream for death after possessing me."

Ozaran laughed. "Your pitiful soul might incinerate paltry creatures, but I, a demon, am beyond such weakness."

"Good, that means I can try harder." Griffin slammed Endless Regret down and released an explosive wave of Exosus Release.

Ozaran took off into the air, avoiding the destruction. "Ha! What was that supposed to accomplish?"

"Getting you away!" Griffin turned on his heel and turned his sights on Callista. "I've been noticing a pattern with you. For someone who can summon demons, you sure don't abuse the power by summoning all of them. You can only summon one at a time, right?" He repeated his attack at the spider.

Callista gasped and covered herself in a shadow cocoon. The heat of the magic burned against the surface, heating up the inside. So hot!

Ozaran darted down with puffs of smoke from his lower body accelerating him. "Excellent deduction, genius! A mere zygote could figure that one out!" He spun his scythe, preparing for the kill. "Now stay right there so I can have my fill—"

"Did you know—" Griffin suddenly turned and caught the reaper's scythe by the pole, catching the demon off-guard with his strength. "—that I'm a bit of the weapon collector?" He stuck his sword in the ground and swung his arm, pulling No Peace out with him. He slammed it into the middle of the scythe, shattering it in half.

Ozaran flew back from the shockwave, gripping his weapon tightly. He shook his head, then gasped at the broken end of his scythe. "You bastard! No mere mortal can break a handcrafted weapon from Hell! How did you—"

SHING!

Ozaran staggered in horror and clutched his neck. Soul energy seeped out of him like vaporized blood. He craned his gaseous neck, watching Griffin spin the other half of the scythe in his hand.

"I don't care if it's made from adamantine or some other unbreakable metal. I've been clashing with unbreakable metal for a long time." He glared over his shoulder. "Do you honestly think I give a shit?"

Ozaran grounded his teeth together. "You little…!"

"Ozaran, don't get distracted!" Callista yelled.

Griffin pointed the broken scythe at its old owner. "I must say, though, I don't mind owning a weapon that can cut through souls. It'll make an interesting addition to my collection. I think I'll name it."

"Don't you dare disgrace the majesty of my Saz'Gakaas with your mortal branding!"

Griffin smirked. "Oh? I'm leaning more towards…Crescent Blight."

"You disrespectful shit!" Ozaran charged and swung, but Griffin deflected with his scythe. "Renaming another man's weapon is punishable by damnation!"

"Yeah, coming from the smoking humidifier." Griffin sidestepped a furious down slash and sliced his side. And that is how you trash talk, my green-furred friend.

Speaking of, Gwyn kept up with Voss' superior strength and speed. His projectile attacks proved more lethal than she anticipated, capable of carving meters into the walls. She swung around while wracking her brain for counterattacks.

Poison might work, but he might expect that from me. She dropped from the ceiling, dodging a much bigger slash, and kept up her escape on foot. Okay, what would Griffin do in this situation, aside from…the obvious. She pulled out another magican and winced. I already ate two of these. I'll be pushing it if I pop a third off. She shook her head. No, I need to slow him down first.

"I grow bored of this chase." Her eyes shrunk, feeling Voss' presence suddenly behind her. She turned to attack, but got backhanded into the floor. Voss raised his sword and ignited it. "Hell's Fallen Judgment." He fired an explosive wave after her.

Gwyn backflipped with a seed in her hand and grew it into a large tree, catapulting herself into the air. The tree caught fire and became engulfed in seconds. "Don't undermine me just because I can't break your stupid armor!" She shuffled through her bag. Do I have anything destructive on me? She grabbed a handful of seeds. "These should do!" She cupped her hands around them. One grew into a wooden basket while the rest grew into bundles of her explosive berries.

Voss glared up at her. "She's up to something." He twisted his wrist and fired multiple energy slashes at her.

Gwyn strapped the basket on with vines, then raised her left hand. "Cyclone Eradication!" She fired and propelled herself in the opposite direction, avoiding the energy slashes.

Voss charged after her falling form, demonstrating remarkable speed despite wearing a clunky set of armor. "Callista's ritual means nothing to me. I only seek a challenge, and you are not an honorable fighter."

Gwyn landed on her feet and plucked fives berries out of her basket. "Sorry to break it to you, but nature always wins!" She threw the berries in his face and snapped her fingers, causing them to explode. She threw some onto the ground and continued running. "Accelerated Growth!" The berries sunk into the ground and sprouted trees through their seeds.

Voss waved the smoke away and noticed the trees sprouting in front of him. More of the red berries grew from their branches. He opted against striking the tree and tried to run around it, but a root snatched his ankle and dragged him back. The berries plucked themselves off and dropped around the armored titan.

Gwyn snapped her fingers. "Explode!"

The berries detonated into a large, incendiary cloud. Gwyn raised one arm against the dust while another dug through her bag again. She grabbed a Spike Berry and popped it into her mouth. Her fur turned a lighter green and large, cactus needles extended out from the bush of hair remaining on her head. A temporary feature that wouldn't undo the loss, sadly.

"Here I come!" She curled into a ball and rolled into the smoke cloud.

Voss sensed her movements and caught her between his palms. Her sharp needles grinded against the armored chest and hands. Her momentum made her difficult to keep still, but Voss endured against it. He spun around and deflected the rolling Mew into the ground, pushing down on her to dig her own hole.

Gwyn stopped spinning, but left herself open for a blank point blast of black flame. The flame spewed from the shallow hole, drowning Gwyn's cries of pain. Voss brought his sword down and cleaved into her shoulder. Gwyn lost the voice to scream, too overcome with pain.

"You are nothing more than a sorceress playing with nature. You have no raw power to call your own." He scoffed. "Are you really the daughter of a god? Maybe in appearance, but you have the determination of a mortal. And I've killed many, many mortals."

Gwyn clenched her teeth. "I'm not…a goddess. And this mortal doesn't give up…so easily!" She slapped the ground, causing a tremor beneath them.

The roots of the berry tree she grew early heeded her call and struck Voss from behind, grappling his waist. He turned and sliced the roots off swiftly, but it allowed Gwyn to pop another Naturae Fruit. The flames dispersed with the Mew vanishing from the hole.

"Sakura Berry!" Tiny, pink petals scattered around Voss and slashed his armor. He slashed at them, incinerating a few, but there were too many to cut down at once. Some tried invading his mask, but he exhaled black flames to keep them out.

Voss grunted. "You're embarrassing yourself." He extended shadows from his twin tails, shaping them into blades, and rapidly slashed the circumference of space around himself.

The petals escaped and retook Gwyn's pink, flowery form. The transformation sealed up her shoulder would, though a visible scar was left on it. She landed and slapped the ground, spawning sakura trees. "Spring Time Blizzard!" She clapped her hands and commanded the petals to attack into a twister shape.

Voss stuck out his hand, easily tanking the petals as they grinded to dust against his armor. "Fallen Hellfire." He ignited his sword and swung, releasing a massive wave of black flame. Gwyn dispersed into petals and fluttered away while her trees were reduced to ash. "Do you not wish to fight me?"

Gwyn collected herself on the walls, taking a short breath. "Not used to fighting unconventional opponents, huh?" She dropped some seeds from her hands, which grew into wooden golems. "I have plenty of ammunition at my beck and call. I just need to take those keys from you."

Voss tightened his grip. Steal the keys? He looked down at his feet and saw sprouts growing from the remaining plant matter that somehow survived incineration. Her magic was influencing all the plants in the cavern to grow bigger and stronger.

Mack was difficult due to the stealing potential of his Eclipse. This chick could mix spores in the air in a myriad of ways to suffocate me, or sprout vines inside my armor to snatch the bag. Weak in offensive power, definitely, but she has every other field covered. I can't fight her efficiently if I can't exterminate these plants.

Voss glared evenly at this realization, slicing up the vines that shot for his helmet. Spores released from the cut pieces. He covered his helmet and jumped back. I could easily kill her, but she has too many tricks to keep track of. He spun his sword, firing projectile slashes. What an absolute nuisance. I won't make promises about keeping her alive, Callista.

Mack stumbled through the falling debris, using his Timor Persona to knock away the boulders blocking their path. "How are you two holding up?" he asked the two passengers flailing off his shoulders.

"I'm going to be sick," Ambrosine groaned.

Flint winced as the jostling aggravated his injuries. "Mack, please be more careful!"

"No can do, compadre!" Mack flipped over a collapsing fissure in the ground and continued on his way. "The longer we stay down here, the more likely we'll be turned into pancakes!"

"There's no way Griffin and Gwyn can defeat Voss and Callista like this!" Flint yelled. "And what about the keys?"

"At this point, those are a lost cause. Voss has them tucked away in his armor, and none of us can crack the darn thing."

Ambrosine shook her head and asked, "But letting him get away with them is the better alternative? My crew and I nearly died protecting those things!"

Mack glared. "I don't like it either, but we don't have a choice!"

"So, that's it? We just lose the keys again?!" Flint yelled. "After the trouble we went through last time…!"

Mack tuned the Flareon out for a moment. Lose them? Lose them…lose them…get lost. We can't lose them if they lose them, too. His eyes widened. "That's it! I know how to get the keys away from the shadows!"

"Huh?" Flint and Ambrosine gasped.

"Crazy thought, I admit, but—" Before he finished, something stuck out of the shadows and tripped Mack. He threw his passengers off his shoulders and smacked down on his face.

Flint and Ambrosine tumbled over each other with the doctor landing on Flint's back. They groaned and rubbed their heads, then froze as a familiar aura appeared behind them.

"Ah, there you are." They turned their heads, eyes wide in fear as they stared back at the malicious Watchog. He smirked smugly. "You two have caused me enough trouble today."

"Zaros!" Flint gasped and shuffled away, keeping Ambrosine close. "Stay back, or else!"

Zaros tutted at him. "It seems I wasted too much time playing with my food. My fault. Let me rectify that mistake." He pressed his hand to the wall.

Flint and Ambrosine's eyes widened as the space around his hand withered and cracked, losing its color, before crumbling to dust.

"As an expert on Temporal magic with knowledge on Particle magic, you'll find I have some unique talents at my disposal."

Rico kickflipped into shadows left and right, bashing their heads into walls and dispersing them into wisps. He stumbled back and panted raggedly with the growing exhaustion hitting his lungs. No matter how many times he struck the inky blots of darkness, they would keep reforming themselves as if no damage was taken.

"These things…are strong," he growled, wiping the sweat off his brow. "Tony, how are things on your end?"

"You tell me!" Tony yelled, digging his feet further and further into the ground, fighting back against the vortex. He would get Indigo a few inches on his side before being dragged back in. The never ending loop weight on his stamina. He could feel his heart pumping blood on overdrive, sending his muscles and nerves to their limits. His body screamed, every fiber of his muscles wailing at the growing suction force.

Indigo kept hacking at the tendrils wrapped around her with a knife, but not only would they keep regenerating, the worst she managed was cutting her own thigh. She bared her teeth worriedly. "This isn't working—AGH!" A sudden jolt stretched her arm. The magical lock on her metal claw was the only thing keeping her anchored with Tony, though her arm would sooner rip from her shoulder than the claws.

Tony stomped his feet down, growling through the pain. "I know! Just hold on a bit longer! I won't…let you go!" He risked holding on with one hand and aimed his finger into the vortex. "Let her go!" He fired Lightning Shots into it, but they vanished inside like a black hole swallowing light. "Dammit, I can't touch it!"

"Using something stronger!" Rico yelled, kicking away more shadows.

"The only spell I have that could work requires both my hands, which is kind of not an option!" He resumed holding onto Indigo with both hands, tightening his grip. "Whatever, I won't let this thing take you away from me!"

Indigo's eyes welled with tears. "Tony…"

The vortex shadow grumbled with agitation. "You. You die. Die, die, die!"

"Put a sock in it, you stupid—" Tony shut his mouth as the suction force doubled instantly. He tried to form Nebula Rider under his feet, but the clouds got sucked in. He tried a Ventusphere, but that was broken apart by the stronger winds. If he so much as tried to pull out a scalchop, that would've got sucked up, too. "Indigo! I'm not giving up on you!"

"Tony, please! Don't let me—" Something splashed across Indigo's face, interrupting her. "Huh?" She felt something dribble down to her lips. She recognized the taste instantly and gasped in horror upon finding the source.

The winds reopened Tony's chest wound and drew out the blood in thin, red streams like someone was slurping it up through a straw. The blood vanished into the vortex with some splashing against Indigo.

"Tony, stop! It's trying to bleed you out!" Indigo cried.

Tony clenched his teeth. "I don't care! I'm not letting you go!"

"Tony, please! You'll die!" Tears freely fell from her eyes, which trickled off into the vortex. "Let me go!"

"What part of no don't you understand?!" Tony stomped his feet deep into the ground, sending cracks up his protective aura. "I won't die, and I won't let you go!"

"Don't be an idiot! Rico, do something! Help!"

"I can't!" Rico yelled back, spinning and knocking away shadows. He felt the suction force starting to drag him back, too.

Indigo panted frantically between the approaching vortex and the increasing volume of blood flowing out of Tony. Some of his less grievous wounds were beginning to open up and draw blood. At this rate, Tony will be dried up. On top of that, her arm felt close to being torn off. She couldn't hold out much longer herself.

It seemed the shadow was willing to wait an eternity until it took her away. It came after her and only her. It hid in her shadow with the intention of kidnapping her.

It's only after me.

Indigo narrowed her eyes in concern, then looked back at Tony's struggling face. "Tony…"

"Indigo, just hold on for a bit longer! I'm catching my second wind!"

Tears fell harder from Indigo's eyes. She clenched them shut, sniffling audibly. "Tony…you already saved me a long time ago. I owe you and your family a life debt. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay it. But…I can at least make sure you live."

Tony's eyes widened. "What are you saying?!"

She lifted her head and smiled sadly at him. "Please, don't throw your life away for me. I'll be fine."

Tony was starting to panic. "No, no, no, no! Indigo, there's no telling what they'll do to you! That mad clown wants something out of this! I can't let you—"

"I believe in you, Tony. Please, keep living for me. Fight for others…and fight for yourself." She moved her other arm against the vortex and reached for her prosthetic.

Tony's heart sank down to his stomach. "No, Indigo! What are you—" She tapped the wrist and, through tearful closed eyes, smiled brightly at him.

"I love you, Tony."

The claws popped off her arm, sending Indigo flying into the vortex. Tony fell onto his rear, then sprang at the portal as it started to close. "NO!" He grazed the darkness before it sealed itself up. The winds died. Tony flew onto the ground and tumbled onto his side.

Rico staggered from the commotion and turned. His eyes shrank. "No…NO!"

Tony sat on his knees and slammed his fists down. Tears pour out of his one eye while blood soaked into the bandana covering his injured one. "INDIGO! NNNNOOOO!" He punched the ground furiously until blood drew from his knuckles. "Bring her back! BRING HER BACK!" He fired Lightning Shots into the walls wildly. "YOU EFFING SHADOWS! BRING INDIGO BAAAAACK!"

Rico turned and ran to Tony, distracting him from the shadow that clawed into his back. He fell onto his face, growling through the pain while tears glistened his eyes. He looked over her shoulder at the looming number of shadows cackling at him.

Tony covered his head and pressed his forehead to the ground, convulsing in terrible dismay. "They…They took her. They took Indigo." He clenched his eye shut. "I'm so useless. I wasn't strong enough to protect her. After everything we went through, after everything she went through, I couldn't protect her. I'm pathetic…I tried as hard as I could, and I still failed." He clenched his teeth tightly. "Why wasn't I strong enough? I've taken on worse before. Why…Why is this the one time I fail where it matters?!" He sobbed into his eyes, screaming his lungs out.

"Tony!" His ears perked up as the shadows slammed Rico up against a wall. He turned his head a bit and saw one of them tracing their claw across his neck. He could see the tears running down his cheeks. Though he tried to stay strong, even his resolve crumbled.

For all their bickering ever since they got paired together, they both had a single goal in mind: protect Indigo. Though she was anything but helpless, they wanted to keep her safe more than anything. They both failed to carry out their wishes.

Tony clenched his teeth. "You…all of you…" He clutched Indigo's prosthetic tightly and shakily rose to his feet. "I'll kill…every last ONE OF YOU!"

The shadow taunting Rico swung its claws at his neck before suddenly exploding into wisps. The shadows gasped as Rico disappeared amid the flash. They followed the light shining down the tunnel and met the murderous gaze of the lightning thief, with Rico safely on his back.

Tony pressed his hands against his chest and screamed as he released a hot, electrical blast into them. He slid his hand down his chest and cauterized the wound shut. Burnt fur and flesh flooded his and Rico's noses. A dark sear sizzled off the Dewott. His legs shook weakly after administering the procedure, but something in him drove the pain away. Pure, unfiltered bloodlust.

"Screw tactics. I'm going to eviscerate you lightless phantoms until you're begging for Hell!"

The clash between Apollo and Morgan continued with both fighters matching each other blow for blow. Morgan swung around the chamber, firing off multiple Compression Volleys while Apollo fired back with Soul Piercers. Attacks collided and exploded into fireworks. Morgan swung onto the ground, dodging an array of beams, and sprinted at the possessed Scrafty.

Apollo blocked a kick and threw a punch at Morgan's stomach. Morgan pulled himself over Apollo with string and axe-kicked his red crest. Apollo endured and released a black pulse, breaking the ground and knocking Morgan away.

Morgan caught himself on the walls and sprinted up them. Apollo fired off black magic bolts, which tracked Morgan's movement. Morgan spun and flipped through the air, slashing up the attacks. One slip through and exploded in his face.

"Dying Sun!" Taking advantage of Morgan's stunned state, Apollo threw the black sun into the Hypno and incinerated him on contact. Apollo glared as Morgan's body burned up a little too easily. Burning strands of purple rained off. "String clone."

He made a snap turn and caught Morgan's wrist inches from jabbing his neck. The two foes traded glares with each other until Morgan pulled his wrist free and jumped back to get distance.

Apollo crossed his arms. "I believe that technique is called Shadow Stitching. My, my, I certainly don't want to deal with that."

Morgan scoffed and raised his guard. "Like that'll stop you."

"So, why bother? Have you exhausted your tricks?"

"I told you, I would gladly rip that body to shreds if it meant getting Alex back."

Apollo glared. "You can't simply rip him free from the abyss. Though shadows in the past have been pushed out of their possessions, I shall remain one with my host. No mortal can separate my bond."

Morgan tugged on his glove. "Don't underestimate mortals." With a flick of the wrist, he deployed blades of string at the possessed Scrafty.

Apollo snapped his fingers and formed a wall of black fire, incinerating the string. Morgan lunged through the flames and swiped his leg into Apollo's head. The Scrafty grunted as he endured the impact, then forcibly whipped his head forward to throw Morgan off.

Morgan flipped off the ground, then sped circles around the king. "Compression Volley!" He rapid-fired his shots while Apollo deflected them. One exploded early and caught Apollo's wrist. "Got you!" Morgan stopped and pulled Apollo in.

The possessed Scrafty flew toward Morgan, who went for a Shadow Stinching-infused jab. Apollo torqued his body with shadow wings and narrowly avoided his attack. "Infinite Dark!" He kicked Morgan in the air and snapped his fingers. Orbs of darkness instantly covered the ceiling and fired into Morgan, exploding violently.

Strings fired into the ground and pulled Morgan down. He was protected within a Grid Wall bubble. Apollo jumped back as the bubble came crashing down. Morgan broke out and fired off more Compression Volleys. Apollo raised walls of fire and stopped the string bullets before levitating off the ground. "Spear of Darkness: Dusk Rain!" Dozens of shadow spears appeared behind him. With a snap of his fingers, they lit up in black flame. They rained down on the floor and sprayed flames all across the chamber.

Morgan hooked string to the wall and pulled himself off the ground. Apollo kicked off the walls and struck Morgan in midair. The Hypno barely blocked with his arms and returned with a swift upward kick. Apollo crashed into the ceiling on his feet, then beckoned Morgan up.

Morgan pulled himself onto the ceiling and stood upside-down with strings keeping him anchored. He reared his arms back, grappled collapsed columns from below, and flung them at Apollo.

Apollo charged Morgan while firing at the columns with Soul Piercer, blowing them up instantly. Morgan twitched his fingers and connected string onto the debris. He hurled a myriad of stone into Apollo once more.

Apollo tried firing on them, but too many came at once and pummeled him. He casted shadows to shield against them, then fired Soul Piercer through at Morgan. Morgan managed to weave through them with one getting a lucky graze off his arm. Vaporized blood spewed out, but was quickly mended by his darkness. Morgan clutched his wrist and fired off Compression Volley by the dozens.

String bullets pierced through the shadow shield and punctured Apollo's chest and neck. He grimaced as his shadows healed the wounds up, then fired Final Nightfall.

Morgan dodged as the beam vaporized an entire line through the ceiling. He clasped his hands and started weaving string together. "Puppet Style: Dance of the Dragon!" His string tangled and shaped into a serpent dragon. Upon landing, he swung his arms and commanded the dragon to attack.

Apollo fired Soul Piercer into the dragon, but the shots passed through the thin gaps of string. "Tsk. Abyssal Blade." Flame-like shadows burst from his closed fist and took the shape of a sword. He lunged at the dragon and swung. A shower of sparks rained between the collision.

Morgan twitched his fingers and reshaped some string into a second dragon head. The second head snapped its teeth down on Apollo, but he blew its head to shreds with Final Nightfall. Apollo put more weight into his swing and knocked the dragon puppet back.

Morgan clapped his hands and unfurled the string. "Gordian Trap."

String sprung out from all around, catching Apollo's limbs in a tight web. He tried to pull free, but the string tightened in response. "This won't hold me."

"Doesn't have to." Morgan weaved string between his hands and tugged. "Deadly Dance of the World!"

The string wrapped around Apollo like a cocoon and pulled him out of the trap. With string weaving itself into the cocoon, Morgan swung Apollo around like a yo-yo and slammed him repeatedly into the walls and floor. The string cocoon grew larger and larger into a massive, rotating ball, taking on more of a medieval flail than a yo-yo.

Morgan spun the string ball over his head, doing a bit of a showy dance, and flung the ball into the far wall. He clapped his hands once more and weaved in more string. "Say goodnight, Your Majesty." He folded his hands into an animal-like shape. "Puppet Style: Roar of the Tiger!"

String shot out of his body and weaved itself into a massive tiger. It charged with such speed that it tore up the ground in its wake. It crashed into the ball and pierced through with explosive force. Morgan snapped his fingers and finished it off with a fiery explosion of black flames.

The ceiling collapsed over the inferno and buried Apollo in burning rubble. Morgan detached the string and stepped back from the shockwave and dust. He glared past his arm, barely seeing the mountain of rock through the dust.

Morgan didn't sense anything under the rubble, which he wasn't sure if a good or bad sign. He glanced cautiously around the chamber, but saw and sensed nothing behind him.

Morgan sighed in relief. "Finally." He looked back as the dust cleared, then blinked. A perfectly cut hole with flames around the edge sat within the rubble. Morgan stepped back. "Wait—"

"Enough of this." Morgan felt a blinding pain dig into his right shoulder. Flames exploded across his face as Apollo chopped and burned through Morgan's arm. Morgan's arm exploded off his shoulder and sailed across the air, landing with a audible flop.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Morgan fell onto his knees and clutched the bleeding opening. His darkness instantly deployed around it, but scattered the second it touched the exposed tissue and flesh. It also worsened his pain. "AGH!"

Apollo walked out from around Morgan, gently waving the blood from his hand. "I gave you your power, Wendrake, and I can easily take it away." He turned and crossed his arms behind his back. "But I haven't had these kinds of thrills in ages. It'd be wrong to remove the strength and power I've handed to you, but I don't have all eternity to fight you."

Morgan tried to deploy his darkness again, but it shied away again after touching his wound. He bared his teeth tightly. "You bastard…"

"Hmph." Apollo extended his arm and beckoned Morgan forward. "So, what happened to that deterministic bravado you displayed? Didn't you say you were going to hack me to pieces?" He glared evenly. "You were once my greatest minion. We could've cured this world together and removed the ambition for magic. Instead, you abandoned your ways and decided to live as a mortal. Where's your pride?"

Morgan kept his head low, growling calmly despite the blood dripping from his wound. He clutched down tightly as he looked to his severed arm, the one sporting the fingerless glove. This hurts. This freakin' hurts. I haven't felt pain like this since…ever. I can't pass out…from the pain. This…This is nothing compared to the pain you've brought. He lifted one leg until his sole touched the ground. He remained on one knee as he tried to catch his breath.

You lost your way, Your Majesty. I can't say you knew where you were going from the start. Your message…I understand the weight of your words. Your fears. But you haven't seen the world like I have. So, don't underestimate mortals. Morgan chuckled weakly. You know something? I'm glad you shut off my healing factor. I truly am. He lifted his head and glared back. His red eyes flickered with intensity.

I can go through with Phase 2 without a safety net now.