AN: I am back!
Thanks to Night Vanguard's comment, I was able to listen to some Suicide Silence, specifically their song "You Can't Stop Me", which really helped in the writing of this chapter; so thanks man!
What we're seeing in this Arc is what I'd call a turning point for our main characters in major ways, so get ready for a wild ride...especially the end of the Arc; cause things will get really interesting!
Anyways, blegh! Can't spoil too much, should I? Let's get on with it!
Leaves comments! It's takes a while for me to answer them, due to work; but I love readin' them!
ENJOY!
Arc Four: A Time to Rise
Chapter 18: Generous and Gleeful Deaths
Setting the documents down, Emilia nervously faced her compatriot, seeing Ram's face, even though as her soft lips quivered for a moment, she had to ask.
"Ram...what is this?"
"It's exactly what it looks like, isn't it? Barusu, and those members of his, have been keeping these plans of there's a secret this whole time!
"There...There has to be a logical explanation. A meaningful reasoning!"
"And oh there is!"
Ram slammed her hands down on the very table where those plans laid, making two teacups spill their content.
"Barusu and those monsters of his, have no actual intention of helping us! They've been only been using all of us, to further their own selfish goals!"
"But these plans...they're aimed at my o-opponents in the Royal Selection. M-Maybe these are just like the name says, just plans held for an emergency."
"I wish I could believe such a hopeful examination of this...BUT HAS EMILIA-SAMA FORGOTTEN WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO FREDERICA?!"
"...I…"
"Not just her, everyone Barusu and his crownies have come into contact with...the damage they've caused! How can you stand there and defend these animals?!"
Now it was Rem's turn, as she practically jumped out of her chair.
"Nee-sama! Please refrain from calling Subaru-kun such a thing!"
"Here we go...my darling little sister, BRAINWASHED BY THAT ENDEARING LOVE OF HERS!"
"Huh? What are-"
"-Oh it's obvious you have feelings for him, ever since that Ma-Beast Incident! Rem, can't you see he's been doing this to get us just to comply with his own machinations!"
"He-He...HE...NO..NO! Subaru-kun isn't evil! He cares about us so much!"
"Then why keep this from us?! No just this, but all those secretive meetings he has with the Ma-Beast and Ovidius! They are planning something! Something more than the Watchtower, maybe more than this country! I am...I am personally scared about what he's plotting."
"...But Subaru-kun is not plotting anything."
"THEN WHAT IS THIS?!"
She picked up the papers and slammed them onto the table again, startling Emilia and Rem.
"All of these inquire about every single detail in assassinating the Karsten and Hoshin factions! And you'd say that he-"
"-YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
"...?!"
Ram was taken aback when Rem raised her voice, even calling her without the usual honorific.
"Subaru-kun does have love for us, Rem is sure of it! But he holds nothing but contempt for the other candidates, save for Felt-sama. None of you were there, none of you saw how desperate he was, how much he was hurting, how they humiliated him and treated him like a lesser being! And yet he still panicked trying to find a way to save us."
Emilia...couldn't agree more.
"Subaru made a bad first impression on all of them, and so they thought nothing of him. It must have been so painful trying to ask them for help when the Witch's Cult was going to attack. Even he's told me how the Hoshin Camp has been attempting to spy on us, only for them to be driven off."
She held her chest, as she contemplated further.
"He's not stupid or blind to how these sort of political races work, even I was gullible enough to believe that everyone would be honorable in their approach...but the war against Priscilla proved otherwise. He's acting on our best interest, I know it to be true! So why is it, that you can't trust him!?"
Ram moved her hair, showing the very burnt area around her eye, hidden by her very hairstyle in the first place.
"How can I trust him, when he allowed Beatrice-sama and that Ma-Beast to attack me and Roswaal-sama?! My master is missing his arm and the Sanctuary has fallen under their control! I can...I can…"
She finally let loose her bottled up emotions.
"I CAN NEVER TRUST THAT MAN AGAIN!"
"Ram…"
"I hate him with every fiber and being in my body, but I cannot even act upon it, or I'd suffer the same fate as Frederica, or worse! He's a conniving man, whose allowed that Red Ring of his, to give him such an ego that he hardly cares who gets in the way of his schemes! My face, Roswaal-sama's arm and Garfiel's life; all of it was the price for the Sanctuary's conquest!"
"..."
"You two can go ahead and be fooled all you want by that man! I won't be stupid enough to let his slimey grasp get ahold of me! I'm going to find a way to get the Ring off of him, so I can avenge Garfiel and put an end to his wretched, unsympathetic, excuse of a li-"
Then she felt a presence behind her, which made Ram quickly turn around.
Only to receive a harsh slap across the face. She quickly tumbled to the floor, holding the cheek that was now hot red.
Pacing by her, was the person who leapt into the air and struck Ram.
"You should mind yourself, before you run your mouth like that, I suppose."
"Beatrice-sama?!"
Beatrice ignored her and walked over to get a hold of all the documents, not even saying a word, or uttering a noise, she focused the mana in her hands and the papers evaporated into nothing.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
"Relax Ram, Betty knows her teammates well."
She tapped her forehead, closing an eye as accompanied by that action.
"Ovidius has a photographic memory, he has all these strategies all in his head, I suppose."
"A better question is, you know what will happen when they hear about this right?"
"I'll be killed."
"Nonsense, it's thinking like that, that'll make you paranoid! You'll grow wrinkles at an early age, I suppose."
"...And what did you come here for? Other than to be rid of those documents?!"
"Not really, Subaru said that once a plan was to be taken out, we had to memorize it and then immediately destroy it, to prevent countermeasures should a spy get a good look at it, I suppose."
"Well I'm no spy."
"But you aren't a hundred percent trustworthy, either."
"Err."
"Now then, Betty can see the topic of discussion is whether to trust to Subaru and his Corps? Betty simply trusts them wholeheartedly, even if she is kept in the dark about some things."
"Then-!"
"But only some, I suppose. There are things Betty knows of, that you three and Roswaal know nothing of. And I feel that to test your loyalty, it's come to this, I suppose."
Rem, Emilia and Ram stared confused at Beatrice, as her face grew more and more stark serious.
"Come with Betty to the Sanctuary, I suppose. There is something she has to show you."
Splitting into three teams, Anastasia and her group headed east to see the commotion that was reported earlier. Crusch's team headed west, going straight for the city hall and Felt made her team go for the docks of the city.
"Everyone, try and keep out of sight from the Red Lanterns! We don't know how they act in a fight!"
"Crusch-sama is right, as always of course! Ferri-chyan has heard a rumor that they go berserk when they battle and will attack anything that gets close to them!"
"I truly hope, it is just an exaggerated rumor."
Before Wilhelm could say anything to comfort or ease the tension...several buildings, yards away, were straight in half.
"That's-!"
"-It's where Reinhard and his team headed, but...just what is happening over there?!"
Zipping through windows, Genau dodged every single air slice attack sent his way, but even he was caught off guard, when Regulus appeared in front of him in an instant. Still he steeled his will as he created ram horn constructs and had them used in a headbutt. Regulus used his leg to block the hit, resulting in a massive shockwave, bending some of the sides of buildings flat. His constructs were destroyed, but he spun in the air and shot out a construct of a shield that pushed Regulus back and into the street below. Just as quickly, he flashed into high speed and ran up the sides of walls tossing at incredible velocity stone rubble, which fired out like bullets. Genau flew downward at his own speed and dodged them, making them blast through buildings, the giant walls, trees, mountainsides, before they finally crash landed miles away from the city.
Regulus then zipped off a building's walls, causing it to crumble into rubble. Genau summoned praying mantis arm constructs that traded some blows with Regulus, before he sliced them into bits...only to get tackled away by a construct of a magic cannon. Once it crashed on top of him, it fired twice, before being cut into pieces. Genau wasted no time, and used his ring to levitate a house up high and smashed it right on top of Regulus. He then flew up into the sky, at ridiculous speeds.
Regulus walked through the building, as it crumbled around him, without a scratch anywhere on his being..
As he furiously scratched his hair, clearly annoyed by his opponent...only to notice the area get darker around him. He quickly looked up; seeing a gigantic meteorite barreling right at him.
"How ridiculously desperate can you get-?!"
He was crushed under the falling meteorite, causing the entire block to simply sink into the lake the city was built on top of. Reinhard saw the devastation, as he shielded his comrades from the resulting shockwave, which shattered every window in a ten miles radius, and cracked the very streets they all stood on.
"H-Holy crap."
Seeing the large plume of reddish grey smoke rise high into the air, Reinhard...for the first time she ever saw, was truly angry.
"What in...GOD'S NAME ARE THEY DOING?!"
The smoke rose above the clouds, and it could be seen from miles away, even being barely made out by citizens all the way in the Capital.
Regulus stepped out of the massive crater which began filling up with lake water.
"Are you insane?! No, you are insane! An absolutely psychotic beast that-"
Genau jumped out of the smoke behind him and drop kicked him with armor covering his back legs. Regulus got tossed and hit his back against a wall of one of the few remaining buildings left standing. Once that finished and he landed back on his feet, Genau followed it up with two giant sledgehammer constructs which slammed him through the wall.
Regulus dashed at him, not a speck of dirt, a scratch even a wrinkle on his suit anywhere to be seen. Genau floated in the air, and they soon used their speeds to appear as nothing more than streaks of light bouncing around and destroying anything that wasn't flattened in the initial attack. Until finally, Genau took a slice to his side, opening him up.
"GAHH!"
"Miserable beast! Prepare to-!"
Genau hurled out his viscous blood out at Regulus and he was flung back and through a rooftop. Genau panted and heaved as blood trickled down his side.
He then focused as he sent down different weapon constructs to shoot down into the building, making it collapse in on itself. Still, Genau knew Regulus wasn't done in yet.
Regulus crawled out of the very street pavement, as he cracked his neck muscles. The Sin Archbishop now also realized that they were outside the area where they were originally at, seeing these buildings and such were not damaged whatsoever.
Genau quickly landed on the street, and growled at Regulus. But before the young looking man could act, or even go on a drawn out tangent again, he was shot in the back three times by beams of light. He turned his head and saw that the Lewes Clone had not only survived, but was once again, sniping him from a rooftop at least half a mile away. He dashed at her, but when he swung his arm, all he hit was a shield construct which broke instantly, but it gave the Lewes Clone a chance to duck out of the way. She used her two smaller rods to blast two massive beams right under Regulus's chin. He stumbled and got shot in the back with a massive red beam. It shot through two buildings, but did nothing to Regulus, not even his clothes were singed. He spun around and sliced at the air, Genau put up four shield constructs in front of himself, two broke apart instantly in the attack, but once it was about to reach him, he back flipped himself into a blood portal, just in time to escape the strike.
Regulus raised his brows sensing something above him, just before being rammed on both sides by brick wall construction. Then it was slabs of steel constructs, then it was boulder constructs and finally two large fist constructs. Even though it seemed to do absolutely nothing to Regulus, it made a massive crater under his feet. Regulus grew fed up with the constant attacks and began swinging his arms around rapidly, sending several slices to cut up buildings, trees and even the ground. Genau wrapped him up in chain constructs, which he easily broke through...but was enough of a chance for him to zip down and hurl a massive stream of his blood down at the back of his head. Genau had now activated his Revenga Art 1: Overkill.
With the large curved blade in his fangs he rocketed forward and sent Regulus flying through a tree and to skid across the floor. He got to his feet and faced another hit by Genau before the Wolgarm skidded his feet across the broken pavement. Regulus at this point was being humiliated by a mere animal, and he was not having it. He prepared himself, before even he was stunned by Genau dissipating his constructs.
"You're tough Regulussss, sssso I'll let you be the firssst to ssssee it."
His eyes shined brightly dark red aura surrounded his body, coming off like a mist of vileness. He then foamed at the mouth, the spikes on his tail growing larger. In fact, he was slowly quickly bigger, as the ground began giving way to his size.
Even Regulus was quite surprised to being able to see...this…
Several miles away, Ovidius dodged several chain attacks by Sirius, she howled at him, as he flew past all of her strikes, cutting up the rooftop they were battling on. He then made it to her and drop kicked her on the chest, backflipping back into position to create brass knuckle constructs and sock her across the face twice before creating a bo staff construct and hitting her in the sides, clearly cracking a few ribs.
"UGH!"
Ovidius stopped his attack, once he felt his own ribs crack due to the nature of her Authority. Sensing the returning chains, he zipped out of there, floating in the air, while putting a hand on his side.
"Shit, I'll have to find a way around-"
Both combatants were now distracted by a strange sound in the distance, with both of them at a good elevation they saw the destruction that was going on in the adjacent battle, but both were genuinely surprised when they were seeing something move in that battle. Hearing loud stomps. Louder stomps. Until finally they both saw it.
"Oh my god, Genau...you…"
Even the intellectual he was, Ovidius was stunned by the sight.
"You're a Juggernaut Wolgarm?"
"GROOOOOAAAAAARRRRR!"
Genau stood there, so massive and gigantic that he was almost as tall as the buildings near them. His roar sent a massive pressure out, which cracked windows and sent any birds that were left to fly away in fear. Here it was revealed, that Genau was the same class of Wolgarm that Subaru had to contend with all that time ago, when he won Rem's affection.
Regulus snickered at the sight, seeing nothing to fear, just because his enemy got bigger. So he began to retort.
"Now-"
He was slammed into a shop by a giant morningstar construct, followed by Genau clawing at the air and shooting out a gigantic claw mark construct which destroyed the building. He tilted his head, allowing Sagittarius to bombard the rubble with more beams from her Metia rods. Once finished Genau took in a huge breath of air, and-
"BWARRRGGGGGHHHH!"
HE proceeded to Vomit out a ludicrous stream of his napalm blood out, atop of where Regulus was buried. Flames shot of the attack and engulfed large sections of the block in a furious blaze. Genau ceased his attack and tilted his head as if checking if the deed was done. Only for an air slice to blast through the flames, and cut the side of his neck. Realizing the danger he was in, he jumped back, but Regulus made it behind him. The Sin Archbishop grabbed a nearby steel pipe and swung it at him like one would a sword, forcing Genau to twirl in the air, his tail scraping across the side of buildings.
Regulus swung his pipe.
Genau made a giant construct of the twin sword belonging to Mathrafal.
Both weapons clashed and sent a massive spark between them, making the ground give out as water slowly began spilling into the street. But fragments of the initial attack cut up his skin.
Both got pushed back, but Genau's construct was broken apart, then Regulus sliced again, Genau barely jumped out of the way, now standing on the wall of an inn, even as his massive frame began crushing it. Genau grunted in pain, as his left front leg was sliced open, but he was lucky, a split second too late and the leg would have been lost. Regulus ran up the wall and met face to face with Genau, he launched another claw mark construct, but Regulus dashed by it. He got behind Genau and stabbed into his back.
"UGGGGGAAAHHH!
"This is your punishment for violating my rights!"
"FUCK OFF!"
He released a red shockwave which flung Regulus off his back, and straight into the air. Genau shook his head, before jumping into the air and slamming him down with armor constructs around his arms. Crash landing next to luxurious hotel, Regulus stood up, and glanced at the building….
"No. NO! How did we end up all the way over here?! Was I so mistaken in getting caught up in the fight I lost track of my surroundings?! Such a blunder! How can my unselfish self have made such a grave error?!"
Regulus tried to get his bearings, but was tail whipped into the hotel by Genau. The gigantic Ma-Beast glanced inside the hole where Regulus was sent flying. Now, he saw the sight of Regulus getting up, as a small group of women were there, looking as if they were not sure who to be afraid of more, Regulus or the giant monster glaring at them. He then put a hand out, aiming his palm at the women.
"Don't move! Dare to try anything, and they'll all be dead in an instant."
"HM?"
Regulus motioned his hand to them, ready to slice the air, and turn them, into bits of flesh.
"All of them are my dear beloved wives. Lovely princesses who cherish and are cherished by me. Could you bear to allow such innocents to die? Are you such a heartless beast to allow such a travesty?"
"..."
"It's not like I want them to die, or anything. Even so, if you still resist further and attack me fruitlessly again, I'll have no choice. I'll start at the beginning and go in order. Isn't forcing me to do something so awful just heartless?"
"..."
"Now stand there and-"
"-Do it then, kill them."
The words that left Genau's massive mouth, unnerved Regulus to some point.
"Well?"
"What are you saying? This is not what a person who despenses justice would allow to occur? Would it?! How does this inane-"
"-What are sssstalling for? Kill them and let'sss keep fighting."
The Sin Archbishop suddenly trembled, as he could see the hideous glimmer within those crimson blood eyes of his.
"Why the hell would I care if you killed a bunch of women, that I don't even know?"
"That's-"
"-Quit sssstalling! Kill them already!"
Now he was panicking, his plan had failed. With his vitaly important wives now at the threshold of death, his plot to utilize them in a killshot against Genau, was completely useless. The monster he was fighting, was a Red Lantern, he instantly recognized the error he made.
Even this Sin Archbishop knew that this group was infamous for causing untold collateral damage and turning a blind eye to the deaths of civilians, all for the single goal of victory over their enemies. And rapidly glancing around and seeing the completely grey skies and plumes of smoke all around them, he should have figured out that taking hostages was a foolish plan.
"Damn coward. Jusssst cause they're your women, you hesssitate? No. No. NO, there'ssss ssssomething more to thissss than that! What are they to-"
"-BE QUIET!"
Fearing that Genau would figure out the secret, he swung his hand and the slice shot out, making Genau leap down to the street below, his weight causing the pavement to give up and break apart. He was unable to sense Regulus who sliced open his back, but his ring's power saved him from his spine being damaged. Genau spun in the air and made beams of red energy blast him down to the ground. Genau then looked up and shifted his eyes, blinked several times and stuck his tongue out. Nodding to himself, he hurled out more of his napalm blood, and with his massive size, was once again like a waterfall's worth.
The attack made lake water shoot out like a geyser, which Regulus leapt out of, and launched a rock at him. Genau dodged it, and had a giant construct of a fist ,punch Regulus into the side of a building. Regulus caught himself and landed safely on the side of the building, outright defying gravity. Genau landed on the same area, his massive body causing the building to bend. Sensing the structure was giving way, they both charged at each other.
And so they swung and fired; constructs and air slices launched at one another. Regulus was hit, but no damage was made against him. Genau now had cuts all over his body, and the top of his snout was cut, almost hitting his horn. Using earth magic, a rock stalagmite grew out of the ground and rammed Regulus into the collapsing building, so Genau made a horn construct, similar to Rem's own Oni Horn, on his own forehead and used it to impale Regulus, but it didn't. Seeing his chance, he backlipped with Regulus stuck on his horn and flung him down smashing against the corner of a rooftop and straight through a glass window of a store front, destroying the interior of said store.
Regulus walked through the wall, as it crumbled against his untouchable body. He furrowed his brows...until he felt something wrong.
"What?"
He dashed forward...for about a few seconds, then felt a pain in his chest.
Suddenly, a sense of dread filled about in his very being. He dashed once again right into the room, where they were supposed to be.
Out of breath, clutching his chest...he saw it.
"Ah!"
His wives were dead. Riddled in holes, with smoke escaping them. There, the Lewes Clone, having been given the signals from Genau, executed her orders.
"Mission...Completed...Hmmm."
With no emotion in her face or voice, she admitted to her action, a speck of blood across her cheek. Now seething in rage, his eyes bloodshot red, he raised his palm to her.
"HOW DARE YOU-!"
"-DON'T TOUCH HER!"
Genau's tail swung and launched Regulus through the hotel and through a tree, dragging across the sidewalk. Shaking his head, Regulus felt something else. So he touched his head...and now his palm was wet.
He checked again.
Confirming his suspicions.
It was blood.
He was bleeding.
Genau landed a few yards away, sending rubble and dust into the air. Regulus now realized with the loss of his wives and no others nearby, he could only use his Authority for about five seconds at a time, or put his own heart at great risk.
He launched a massive slice at him...but only sliced through the cloud of debris. Genau shrunk back down to his normal size and after creating shoulder armor constructs, similar to Atrocitus, he tackled Regulus into the ground.
Noticing the blood Regulus had coughed out, Genau felt excited as the constructs dissipated.
"Bwahaha! I don't how killing your wivesss helped out, but I'M GLAD I DID IT!"
Regulus couldn't be his usual talkative self, as he knew he was in mortal danger. Regulus kicked at Genau, but the Ma-Beast flipped over him and actually used his own palm to slam him down. Then in a moment of clarity, Genau used chain constructs to capture him and in stupendous speed flew up into the air, with him in tow...up, and up, further and further...until they were in outer space. Now he tossed Regulus to crash into their final arena.
The surface of the moon.
Regulus sprung up, holding his throat.
"No...without Authority...can't breath…"
He also flet himself get colder as parts of his body were actually freezing in the zero temperature environment he found himself in. Trying to get his bearings, he was hit by a claw mark construct which made his body get manhandled across the rocky terrain. He slapped the attack away, but held his throat once again, as he could feel the ice slowly covering his body. But he couldn't wait another second to think, as Genau shot out a massive stream of his blood, which of course, burned even in outer space.
Typical of a Red Lantern.
Regulus used his ability to save himself, but once the torrent ended, he soon had to breath again, making more of his body freeze, and now had taken two paw hits by Genau, comboed with a large warhammer construct jab. He nearly got taken away by gravity, but once again used his Authority, to make his body instantly land back down to the ground. He soon jumped away and into a crater of the moon, trying to keep some distance...only to see at least twenty spear constructs launch towards him. Feeling his heart about to burst from overusing his Authority without his wives to compensate the strain it made on his heart, he used it to the best of his ability. He blocked the constructs, but gasped painfully as he had to breath again. More ice began covering his body, but yet again, Genau did not give him a chance to even consider his options. He shoulder tackled him, the ring on his tail fired and shot the struggling man through the shoulder.
"UGAHHH!"
But when he tried to counter...raising his hand...Genau chomped down on it and it broke apart like glass.
Regulus was too dumbfounded by the bloodless sight, seeing his stump was nothing more than red ice.
He swung again with his arm, but Genau dodged it, and the strike flew out, hitting nothing but rocks.
Seeing his chance, his veins about to pop, he grabbed a rock and chucked at Genau. This one was a success, it shot straight through his shoulder. The Wolgarm yelped out in pain, with Regulus grinning excitedly and kicked at him, slicing off a toe on his right paw...that excitement had soon faded. Genau had his eyes shine blood red and he roared out in fury.
He then released a flurry of short sword constructs at him, then hit him with a morningstar construct straight to the face, and finally followed it with his own horn extending as a construct that impaled him in the upper chest.
"AUGGGGH!"
Genau used his strength to lift him up and then toss him right back down.
As Regulus tried to get back, getting on one knee, supporting his exhausted freezing body, he felt something just, awful.
Looking to his other side.
He could see why.
The very flesh around his remaining arm was melting away, leaving nothing but crumbling bone as red as the slobbering mess his muscles and nerves became. Turning again, he saw Genau drooling the remainder of his bloody attack, that he launched with expert speed and precision.
"Miserable little-!"
Regulus dashed away from there at great speed, but soon felt himself losing to the pain in his heart. So he stopped his escape and panted quickly and heavily.
Soon he looked up and just let out an infuriated, disappointed and scathing groan.
As if everything went against his unselfish, complete wishes in life.
He was looking at a once again giant Genau, his mouth open wide, right above him.
"I-"
Genau had countless sword constructs strike him from all sides, forcing him to use up all of his remaining effort to save himself from the mind spiraling death that would have awaited him. Once the barrage ended, he took in a deep breath, having more inches of his body freeze.
But as time slowed to a crawl; the fangs began to close in on him.
He could feel his heart beat once, then twice.
Now, he felt it.
The underlying fear of something, that which he had not felt in hundred of years.
He saw the word scrape across his mind, like a rough sketch across a blackboard.
The word.
D-E-A-T-H
With the noise of metal clanging together, the fangs snapped shut, beheading Regulus before he could even make a sound.
But his body couldn't even float away, Genau would not let the chance slip, and with one more bite he ate the rest of his body. Two crunches and one slurp later, he swallowed his adversaries body in full delight.
Even with the injuries he sustained, he only licked his paw and gazed out to the world.
The sight, made himself, feel great pride within his core soul, finally to be let loose.
"GROOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRRRR!"
A massive roar.
One of complete victory.
Some exhaustion mixed in.
Once he finished, he floated up, the red energy swirling around his body and he flew off, leaving the clouds of debris and rocks to float away from their battlefield.
"Oh crap, this is...holy shit, this is bad."
Felt held her head as they arrived.
Her camp simply gazed around in horror, seeing the destruction that was brought on by the battle between Greed and the Red Lantern.
One of her members, Kon, flinched when he saw in the distance the dead water dragon, it's corpse atop the collapsed bridge.
Reinhard stopped his pace as he saw the geyser of water filling the streets, Felt carefully catching up.
"This is too much, I know Sin Archbishops are tough...but look at this."
Then the Lewes Clone leapt down from a window and walked over them, even if her feet were submerged in the flooding waters.
She then nodded as a shadow casted over them.
Turning around, they all saw Genau in his massive form float down, steam practically coming off of him and sparks of flames escaping his growling mouth.
Once landing, Genau frothed blood at the mouth and glanced down.
"Ah, Ssssister Felt and Brother Reinhard, nice of you to join."
"Genau! What have you done!?"
Reinhard was uncharacteristically, upset, to a point that he scared Felt and the others.
But Genau simply tilted his head.
"Whatever do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean! Look around you! The devastation here, was it necessary, whatsoever?!"
"I wasssss fighting a Ssssin Archbisssshop, obviousssly I can't be minding my sssssurroundings, now can I?"
"The people! Did it not occur to you, they'd be unable to get out of the way and to safety in time?!"
"...No. Nor did I care."
Reinhard was stunned by the coldness in his words.
"Reinhard, I sssshould let you know. I will do anything to protect my Red Lantern brethren, the pack that waitssss for me at home, and my own alliessss such as yoursssselves...everyone else is fodder."
"Do you hear yourself, the lack of humanity in your voice-"
"-I'm not human."
Everyone watched as Genau walked towards them, slowly decreasing in size, until finally he was back to normal as he stared up at Reinhard.
"I have a lack of compassssion for those I do not know. My pack and thosssse that have earned my compasssssion are a different sssstory. Assss a Red Lantern I will usssse my rage to crussssh, devour and ssssnuff out the life of those who ssstand in the way of Brother Ssssubaru. I am that indebted to him and Ssssister Beatrice, who extended their hand to a wolgarm like myself."
"...!"
"If I have to fight the whole world to keep them ssssafe and happy. Well, I'd ssstart immediately, and even before ssssomeone of your caliber sssstopped me...the amount of death and destruction I would unleasssh would instill absssolute fear into all your heartssss, making you think twice before messssing with the Red Lantern Corpssss. I am that commited."
Silence between them, was broken up by a sneeze from Genau, who used his bloody paw to pat his snout, which was dripping blood.
"Enough of that now. Reinhard help clear out the sssstreets, I can smell Witch Cultissssts nearby."
"...I would do that even if you hadn't asked."
"Exactly."
Reinhard now was conflicted, walking alongside Genau through the ravaged streets. He didnt even hear his own comrades or the conversation Genau had with the Lewes Clone. The thoughts swirled in his head, his was concerned about what the Red Lantern Corp was capable of, seeing how one alone caused so much destruction and apparently killed a Sin Archbishop.
He hoped the goodwill between his group and theirs, remained mutual...lest it-
"Hm? Children what are you doing?"
"...!"
Looking at the same direction he was, they noticed two children trembling in an alleyway.
"Children, young pupssss. What are you doing out here?"
"We-We just got away from that crazy lady from earlier. Um, your friend is fighting her right now."
"Sssso, Brother Ovidiussss is on tassssk with that. Alright, sssstay close. Maybe a sssshelter issss-"
Both Reinhard and Genau sensed danger, but Reinhard guarded the children in a flash as Genau jumped into the shadow of the alleyway. They heard crunching, snapping and finally a wet splash.
Genau walked out of that shadow, with the head of a Cultist, still in the hood, in his mouth.
His white fur was now dyed completely red, save for his tail. With two complete chomps he swallowed the head whole...before hurling out the hood onto the floor.
"Keep up your guard Brother Reinhard! They're coming!"
"Felt-sama, everyone keep close to Genau!"
The children were shocked as Genau used his body to guard them like a dog would its own puppies, circling his body around them. They huddled together.
"What are your namessss?"
"M-My name is Lusbel. This is my friend T-Tina."
The poor boy tried to put on a brave face, for his terrified friend. Tina trembled, tears in her eyes, her lovely dress covered in soot and dirt and her curly hair now a bit disheveled.
"Relax, you two will not die today."
Tina heard that and used both hands to grips Lisbel's.
"Wh-What makes you say that...um, Monster-san?"
"The name'ssss Genau."
"G-Genau-san. Can we trust you?"
"Ordinarily, no."
Both children got scared hear that.
"But...you two remind me of a child I know very well."
An image of a small girl wearing a bright red ribbon smiling back at him, the image made him put on a determined demeanor as he glanced back at them.
"It would leave a bad tasssste in my mouth if I let you two die. Plussss, Brother Ovidiussss risked hisss life to ssssave you two, I won't let hissss efforts go to wasssste."
"TH-Thank you."
Genau shook his head and stared back at the shadows, as Witch Cultists melted through these dark spots and emerged, ready to fight.
Lisbel hugged Tina, holding her tight. As everyone else got ready to fight.
"...Hurry up, Brother Ovidiussss."
Chained up still, the citizens below watched angrily, frothing at the mouth as the clashes continued.
Sirius hopped off a rooftop corner, sending her inflamed chains straight at Ovidius, who maneuvered around them expertly. He dashed forward and headbutted Sirius before shoulder bumping her, with spiked shoulder pad constructs, and then headbutting her again with the back of his head. She yelled out as the chains turned around to stab at him, but he flipped over her, grabbed her by the head, balancing himself on her head. He then used his body strength to flip, then fling her back to earth crashing through a water tower and to skid across another rooftop.
She then stood up straight and spun her chains at rapid speed, sending the literal saw like attacks at him. But he used a shield construct to block them, as sparks flew.
He then side rolled in air, away from his shield, closed the distance at great velocity and spun kicked her across the head. Then created two spiked club constructs ramming her to get stuck on the rooftop. He felt the pain she was receiving to him, but he clearly ignored it, as he changed the clubs into a single halberd construct. He plunged the sharp end of it right at her...noticing how she didn't even attempt to dodge, and quietly smiled at him, ever so creepily. So he made it stab into the ground inches away from her head, surprising Sirius.
He backflipped away, doing several cartwheels before setting the distance between them. And he began whispering to himself.
"So what was that all about? Why did she almost let herself die, not even using a shred of defense?"
He pondered for several seconds, tapping his helmet.
And then, just as quickly, the lenses in his goggles, twinkled.
"I got it."
"Blabbering to yourself, while a lady gives you the time of day. The attention you are so deprived of?! You are so deprived of love, that I pity you! I have condolences for you! Sympathy unrivaled! Yet I must show you the given gift of my wrath! I am truly sorry!"
He saw the chains, wrapped in pure flames and Ovidius jabbed his helmet, opening it in on its lower section, where the mouth would be. This was a new feature of his helmet, which only opened with enough force on the right spot.
He showed his teeth as he shouted wildly at her.
Letting his napalm blood hurl out of his mouth, clashing with her chains.
The struggle against each other heated, Sirius was frothing in the mouth and Ovidius clutched his hands into fists.
But as the rooftop gave way, they did not budge.
Then another level collapsed. They kept at it.
Another level. Kept going.
This kept happening until they went through seven levels and made it to ground level.
Finally, a moment.
The chains bursted from the heat, and Sirius lost her footing. Now with this chance, he ceased his projectile attack and did a front aerial to get right above her. He spun kicked her across the face, before swinging in an upper swinging motion with a sledgehammer construct, slamming her on the chin, making her lift up from the ground.
He then wasted no time and blocked a kick from her with a fist and kicked a pitchfork construct at her stomach.
The damage affected himself as well, as he coughed blood inside his helmet.
But he pushed through it, as he made a giant cube construct and slammed Sirius with it, causing her body to smash through the walls, and then two more before she crashed into a reception desk of an inn.
Panting from the pain, Ovidius aimed his fist, where the ring was and focused.
Now arriving at the Sanctuary, they noticed that things had calmed down significantly since the days of the Blood Stained Roses War, with people having spirit and determination again. Agriculture was now being introduced and a structure was built, referred to as a Greenhouse by Subaru and Ovidius.
Windmills now spread across the scenery and two magic cannons were aimed outward, on both ends of the energetic town.
But Emilia, Rem, Ram and Beatrice were not there to see that.
They were going downstairs, further and further down a spiral staircase. It was hidden in a brand new secret door in the very cabin where the original Lewes was housed in the crystal.
Now they reached the end of the staircase and kept going, a long hallway lit by magic stones which emitted light.
Emilia had Puck summoned, as she felt quite uneasy by the creepy atmosphere.
Rem held Ram's hand, which she obliged with, seeing that her sister was quite scared.
Then Beatrice, who was leading them along, stopped...she brushed her scarf as they all stopped with her.
They saw a Lewes Clone standing in their way.
"Prometheus, I suppose."
"..."
The Lewes Clone known as Prometheus, wore the same red version cloak as did the others, but she had crimson red shoulder armor, almost double her size, with yellow gems embedded artfully on it. In her hand was a round shield with a spike sticking out of it.
She took a step forward.
A nervous sense swept around them.
They could feel a fight was about to erupt.
But Beatrice let out a soft sigh.
"Very well, I suppose. Password: Ysmault."
The Lewes Clone stopped in her tracks, bowed and moved aside.
The three ladies and grey cat were confused by the circumstances they found themselves in, but followed Beatrice further on the path.
As they pushed forward, deeper into the darkness of the tunnel...the Lewes Clone heard something. Turning her head, she nodded.
Now finding themselves in front of a large door. They could see that on this door, there were so many locks, that a person that was seeing it for the first time might shudder, there were with that many keys and a lot of locks were locked. Each set up to completely cover the entire right side of the door. A dizzying sight.
But Beatrice hovered up into the air.
She tapped the keyhole on the top right, then at the middle left, and finally tapped three times at the last bottom one towards the right side, before blowing mana into the one below the first one she touched.
Once that happened, she floated down. A clicking sound was made.
The door clinked and clanked until they heard a definite sound of the door unlocking.
Beatrice turned the doorknob and opened the door.
It creaked as metal shifted, letting light into the completely dark room, but it was noticeable that this was indeed a large space.
She then touched the inner wall, so all the magic lamps inside turned on.
...What stared back at them...nauseating.
"Help...me…."
A fox demi-human, member of the Fangs of Iron, a mercenary sent as a spy by Anastasia, chained to a wall, and his legs clearly blown off.
Not just that, but moren was to be seen.
Men chained up dead, arms connected to charred remains, a man literally fused to the wall, looking as if he only just recently died.
And the stench. Oh that awful stench of decomposition. Rotten.
"They didn't make room this time, I suppose."
Slowly, Emilia turned her head, scared out of her mind, disgusted down to her soul. Now she felt worse.
Charred remains, bits and pieces of humans, demi-humans and Witch Cultists, piled up at the very corner of the gigantic room, easily numbering in the fifties.
Rem held her mouth, avoiding the chance to puke.
Ram was trembling, memories of a traumatic experience racing in her head.
Beatrice walked over to a large, long metallica table. Picking up some pieces of paper.
"According to this, Ovidius last came here two days ago, I suppose. He really needs to clean his work area properly."
"Beatrice-sama, what the hell is this place?!"
"Ram, if you must know."
She set the papers down, setting her sights at the shell shocked group.
"This is Ovidius' experiment grounds."
"What?"
"Just as Betty said, I suppose. Hahhhh, Ovidius uses this secret hideout to test weapons and other tools on captured enemies. Mainly spies that get too close to any of our territories, bandits, Witch Cultists and anytime Subaru and Genau capture prisoners from jails."
"How, how long has this been going on for-"
"-Since two days after the war against Priscilla."
Ram trembled, her eyes practically turning white, face pale.
"They...THEY'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A YEAR?"
"Correct, with these notes and test trials, we've succeeded in creating many things, including an improved Stardust Flames and quite the amount of Metia Weapons."
"..."
"In the end, we had intentions of gently informing everyone on what we were doing here, but with Ram's hasty investigation, it fell onto Betty to inform you all, I suppose. No secrets."
She turned her entire body, narrowing her eyes sharply.
"Now that you know, what is your answer?"
"Answer?"
"Emilia...And you Rem."
Rem flinched when she heard her name called out in a serious manner.
"Will you trust Subaru, I suppose? I am his contracted spirit, so of course I trust him fully, I understand him and his intentions to the tee. And you? Where does your trust lie, I suppose?!"
Silence filled the room as Beatrice's question throughout across the room.
Puck looked at Emilia, concerned about all the information she was given.
Rem stared down to the floor, her eyes hidden by a shadow.
Ram gritted her teeth, feeling insulted that something of this magnitude was going on under her master's watch.
Just as things were getting tense...Emilia spoke.
Ovidius let his arm relax as the Blood Portal closed in front of him.
"Welcome Prometheus."
"..."
The Lewes Clone bowed politely to him and he did a quick nod.
"Help me with that one."
"..."
She turned her head, seeing a building break apart as Sirius charged forward, flames covering her arms and the pathetic length of chains she had left, her eyes white as saliva shot out of her mouth.
"We will use; the Last Solution."
"...Understood…"
As the distance was being quickly closed…
"If it hadn't been for that Authority of hers, I'd have killed her seven times by now. But it's too risky, this is the only way. Prometheus."
"Hm?"
He squatted down and brushed her hair...seeing a small tulip in her hair.
"...I am truly sorry."
"...?"
She only nodded, devoid of emotion.
Sirius finally made it to them, howling in a defiant crazed state.
Ovidius created a steel mask construct around her face, connected to chain constructs latched into his ring, grabbing the chains and slamming her into the ground. The Lewes Clones dashed forward, just as Sirius broke through the construct, the bandages covering her face, drenched in blood. She was then bear hugged by the Lewes Clone, startling her. Ovidius flew forward, leaving a red streak of light behind himself, his ring shined red. A Blood Portal opened behind Sirius and Ovidius obliged in her realization of what was happening.
He pushed her into the Blood Portal, and the Lewes Clone looked back at him.
"Passcode: Forever."
"..Wait...For you."
The Blood Portal closed.
Ovidius planted his feet down, clutched his head with a hand.
"Damn…"
And stood there, for a few seconds, silently.
The two flew back landing on a soft surface. Sirius glanced back and forth, seeing nothing but snow, and horrendous weather, like a blizzard.
She then noticed a light, just below her. It was the shoulder armor that the clone had on, which began to quickly shine rapidly.
"Ah! What?! What!? What?! What are you doing?! You emotionless little fool?!"
But seeing that as she bit her own tongue, though it did the same to the little enemy of hers...the girl slightly opened her mouth, which let copious amounts of blood flood out of her mouth.
Sirius...
Saw a smile.
A fake one.
But one made to be the last thing she saw.
"My L-"
The resulting blast of energy vaporized the two of them. The pillar like explosion raised high into the air, above the clouds. This blast was like nothing anyone had seen before.
This mountain in the Gusteko, looked as if it erupted from this light that shot up into the sky. Like a volcanic eruption had occurred, but it was merely dust and heat creating a cloud that barrelled down below.
In the two nearby towns, miles away...the villagers looked at it in disbelief.
An elderly chief of one town gazed up at it in dumbfoundment.
"What a sight! Oh, what-"
He instantly vaporized, and so did everyone in that village and so did everyone in the one just on the other side of the destroyed mountain.
Altogether, both the Lewes Meyer Clone, known as Prometheus and Sirius, the Sin Archbishop of Wrath...died.
Joining in the spectacle of death, was the population of two villages, too close to the ill fated mountain.
Four Hundred noncombatant lives lost, in the blink of an eye.
What sheer bad luck.
Ovidius then calmly dusted himself, facing to the sounds of more disturbances. Noticing that the civilians under the influence of her Authority, were now freed, he dissipated the constructs wrapping them and they were free to move. It was obvious they were all distressed from what happened.
"All of you! Head to the shelters! There are Cultists still around here, we Red Lanterns will snuff them out of the city, but you all need to get out of the way!"
With his harsh words, the citizens made a run for it, seeing and hearing the frightening situation going around them.
Ovidius heard screams and blasts nearby, knowing full well it was Genau.
"Better check."
He soared in the air, going to aid his friend.
The two children who escaped one devastating battle, now witnessed the end of another one.
They trembled alongside Felt and the others, as they saw Reinhard and Genau...standing above a pile of twenty seven dead Witch Cultists. Reinhards hands and sleeves were covered in blood, as Genau was simply drenched in it, not a single white fur stuck out.
"Bastardsss sssstopped flooding in."
"They must be heading somewhere else."
"Brother Reinhard, keep ssssafe thessse kidssss and keep your guard up. I'm gonna be heading to city hall, you sssshould go to the pier if need be."
"I will keep my camp and the children safe, hopefully I can find a shelter to-"
"-Look around Reindhard, there issss no point in sssssearching for one."
Even the Sword Saint realized how, just, unsafe this city was at this point.
Ovidius landed nearby rushing to them.
"Brother Ovidiussss!"
"Ovidius-san!"
Rushing to him, they were given the info they needed, which was noticeable by Felt, seeing Genau slump his ears back and hearing of the sacrifice of the Lewes CLone. She petted him on the head, making him finally take a breather. Catch his bearings.
"Alright, me and Genau will head to the City Hall to aid Natsuki-san. The rest of you we-"
Sensing a Witch Cultist leaping out to kill him, he yanked out a metia rod that shot out pink colored flames, engulfing him into nothing. It disintegrated in his hands, and he shook off the dust from his hand.
"Now then, good luck."
The two red Lanterns flew off, leaving the rest of them to gaze up at the red streaks of light that shot through the dreary grey skies.
Reinhard led the others away, leaving behind the carnage they had committed.
Subaru dodged two slices, as those large blades could easily cut through steel, and the power behind them were unmatched. Stepping and jumping off of the corpses of several Cultists.
"Revenga Art 2: Hama Yumi!"
He then somehow dashed right onto the back of his large opponent and fired his assault rifle constructs away. Blasting through his chest, shoulders and even arm, Subaru howled as he fired with all his aggression in display.
His opponent pressured him off but not before Subaru chopped off his left arm with a buzzsaw construct, mid-flip. Now landing on his feet, he created a whip construct and wrapped his opponent's arm up, flipping three times in the air and barfing blood onto his right shoulder, melting most of it off...right before whacking him across the back of the head with a baseball bat construct.
Then again.
Again.
Again.
More.
Until after his rapid beating stopped, he mentally added nail constructs to his baseball bat construct and jabbed him twice and then swung three times across the face, with rapid speed. His construct broke apart so he bicycle kicked him, floating in the air as he did, over and over again. Finished, he backflipped to his feet and used an Unseen Hand to punch him in the face before creating a noose rope construct and wrapping it around his neck. Grabbing the need of it, he shot into the air, thinking it would break his neck.
With the large one armed Cultist simply kicking around his legs and trying to cut the construct with his large remaining blade.
Fuming mad, and blood escaping his mouth, he was ready to try something...the other Cultist tried to slice at him with her large sword...but he snickered at her.
Dashing into the air, with his currently trapped enemy, his other opponent tried jumping after him, but nothing occurred with her futile attempt. She landed to the ground, gracefully, watching the red dot fly further away.
Subaru was now in outer space with his Cultist in tow, seeing an asteroid floating nearby, he used his ring to slam him into it. Then another one, and another.
This continued until he used a bear trap construct to snap shut on his abdomen and he dragged him across several more asteroids. His body easily breaking apart with the zero degree temperature, which then slammed across floating rocks, he was beginning to shatter like glass.
Scraping across at least five huge asteroids, Subaru flung him back to their world. Thus, his body began burning up as he plunged into atmospheric reentry.
The Cultist tried to grab his sword, but it shattered in the vicious aerodynamic heating he was experiencing. His own cloak burned up, his skin was burning to a crisp.
And yet, Subaru wasn't finished.
His ring allowing him to travel in these outrageous circumstances, he got to face with the crumbling enemy, face to face, as his back burning in an arch shape. Subaru grinned as he vomited right at him, his napalm like blood, completely finishing him off.
His body burned into nothing, leaving only a few speck of dust to continue burning up as it passed through some clouds.
Subaru shot through the cloud as well, blasting through the grey skies and right past a giant plume of smoke.
Flying over the city which was now half destroyed, he dashed, leaving behind a sonic boom...right as he was above the City Hall. The Cutlist Female ran up the side of the building, as Subaru shot forward, hurling more of his blood at her. She zipped out of the way, but when she got behind him, a large tentacle construct slammed her through the building and into the lobby of the City Hall. She got herself up, leaning on her sword, but faced a red light, or shadow...coming towards her.
Was it an insult?
A mockery to the way it happened before?
Subaru, in fact, did not know the identity if this woman.
Pure coincidence.
A construct of the White Whale blasted right at her, it's roar echoing throughout the city.
Wilhelm and the others heard it as they were turning a street corner, right at the City Hall.
Just in time, to witness the construct slam through the buildings, pushing the Cultist as she blocked with her sword.
The Whale shook its body about, slamming its tail on top of carriages and scraping windows off of buildings, breaking walls and uprooting light posts.
Subaru flew behind her, and hurled out more of his signature blood. She dodged it with quick flip, spun as she tried to cut Subaru only for him to create a spartan shield construct, blocking it, before she landed on her feet and once again blocked the Demon Beast.
Subaru tossed the shield, and she kicked it away...right as Subaru created a long machete construct, swinging it quickly and cutting off her left leg cleanly.
It was quite impressive as she continued to block, even on one leg. Then the constructed beast disappeared, sensing the danger she tried to grab the sword only for a chain construct to close on her arm, which was connected to a gigantic wrecking ball, slowing her swing to a crawl. With his moment, Subaru created a long spear construct and ducked under her sword swing, pushing upright as the spear impaled her through the stomach. Subaru had his chance and kept at it.
He howled viciously as he dissipated the spear and had his armor grow more spike and his fists become adorned with three large blades sticking out, like a hero he saw when he was younger.
He went for it and sliced her rapidly, before shoulder tackling her to the ground, the spikes stabbing into her. She retaliated by bashing him on the head with her sword hilt and then side kicking him into a lamppost, bending it. As she got up, struggling against the damage she was inflicted. Subaru glided at her, dodging another sword slice, and readied himself, for a swinging uppercut.
"STOP!"
Subaru and his enemy both stopped their movement, but Subaru hopped away from her, just in case.
Reaching the battle torn streets they were in, Wilhelm, Crusch and Ferris walked over the rubble of an entire wall. Wilhelm making each step carefully, almost as if he was in a daze.
"It's you isn't it?"
The hooded figure spoke not a single word to him, making grit his teeth in sadness.
Wilhelm drew his sword out, outfitted in his battle gear, swords adorning the sides. Six or seven in total.
"Natsuki Subaru! Please hear my request!"
"...?!"
Subaru raised his brows, surprised by Wilhelm, of all people, asking him for something.
"Please allow me the honor of battling this woman."
"...Who is she to you?"
Wilhelm paused, unsure of how to express his relationship to this person, who he had nothing but anger towards...still he tried, and with the closing of his eyes.
"She was the one I loved more than any other."
"...I see."
Subaru scratched his hair as the spikes around his armor inches away back to normal, and he floated in the air.
"Who am I to get involved with such a personal matter?"
"...Thank you. Thank you. I owe you a debt."
"..I KNOW YOU DO."
Subaru grinned maliciously at him, as he slowly flew to the main building. Wilhelm, charged as he clashed swords with the enemy he had the obligation of defeating.
It was his duty.
"Crusch-sama, stay back and let me handle this!"
"Very well! We will take the building back, before Natsuki Subaru gets more of this city destroyed!"
"NO! WAI-"
He couldn't even concentrate as he continued the ferocious battle against the Cultist.
Crusch used her own blade to slice the head of an attacking cultist before Ferris followed her into the building. They could see the interior walls were covered in cuts and breaks. In the distance, they both heard the metal slamming between Wilhelm and the female cultists blades.
Now in a larger room, they found Subaru floating in the air, watching as something crawled out of the shadows.
"And who are you, kid?"
"Somebody who seeks the most flavorful and decadent of foods! Scrumptious! Invigorating! Food! And our eyes have landed on all three of you!"
He had long dark brown hair, with red tips, that extended past his thighs. He wore a dirty rag like piece of cloth around his thin body which ahd on a skin tight purple pajama. Underneath his rag, in the visible areas, were many wounds ranging from various things such as whip marks and bite marks. His fang like teeth grinned eerily and his dark green eyes ominously peered at them.
"Aren't you Natsuki Subaru, by chance?"
"That's my name, sure. Confirming with a piece of shit like you though, that's not happening."
"My oh my! Such seething rage against us! It feels lovely, and exciting! We cannot wait to taste the rage of a Red Lantern! So! So! So! EXCITED!"
"Oh I'll give you a taste. Come here so I feed you a knuckle sandwich, ram it into your stomach and break your goddamn spine."
"Hey now...that sounds like fun."
A shape glimmer in their eyes, confirmed that they were about to fight.
Crusch readied her sword, not going unnoticed by the young man.
"Will Crusch Karsten also provide me with a meal?! And next ot her! The Blue himself?! This is fantastic! Our mouth is watering at the thought right now!"
"The only reward for you is death, Witch Cultist!"
"Maybe not. By the way, We are the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, Ley Batenkaitos! Pleased to meet you. NOW! LET'S EAT!"
Ley zipped across the room, making his blades, wrapped on his arms, clash with Subaru's chainsaw construct. The sparks erupted between their weapons, as Ley laughed creepily and Subaru roared in anger.
Ovidius and Genau landed on a rooftop watching as Ricardo, Tivey, Mimi Julius and even Joshua and Hetaro were struggling against a young man who had an oriental style clothing on, like one would assume Kararagi folks wore these days. Anastasia stayed back, holding onto her fox scarf.
With long, disheveled dark brown hair, along with eyes that have a poisonous glimmer to them, he was an obvious member of the Witch's Cult.
"Genau let's head down there and kill the little bastard."
"Right!"
"Also…"
He turned his head, making his goggles reflect only the image of a blood drenched Genau.
"Take advantage though, kill some of the Camp members, or just get them to be easier to kill by one of the Cultists."
"Got it."
"Make it count, this will be rewarding in the near future. We have to help thin out the other candidates."
"Exactly."
The two of them flew down, just as the young vile looking guy spun in the air dodging magic blasts by Julius. He then turned his attention to see the newly arriving Red Lanterns.
"Ah! We are so ecstatic to see such a fresh meals come to us!"
He clapped his hands wildly, all the while Ricardo rushed to be next to Anastasia, as she flinched in terror, the sight of Genau alone made her anxious.
But the Cutlist, decided to bow a bit, sticking out his tongue in crude manner.
"Member of the Witch's Cult, Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, representing Bizarre Eating! Roy Alphard."
"Hey there, I'm a member of the Red Lantern Corps, I'd say I'm the Engineer Agent, the names Ovidius Loman. Next to me is also another fellow Red Lantern, the agent of Reconnaissance, Genau."
"How intriguing! Our stomach churns and begs for you to become a fitting meal for us!"
"Insane prattle. I'm getting sick of you Sin Archbishops, go kill yourselves and save us the trouble."
"How uncaring! By the way, can you tell me if you know about the Artificial Spirit?"
"...!?"
Now both Red Lanterns were stunned, hearing this sort of demand from this cackling individual, mad ethem cautious but also curious.
"Whatever do you mean by that?"
"Our Gospel has stated that an Artificial Spirit we are in search of, will show up here, today! Seeing as how Ovidius seems to be quite smart, we'd like to know."
"...Don't know. Even if I did, I'd never tell."
"That makes...THINGS INTERESTING!"
He pulled out two twin short swords, as Genau sniffed the air and twiddled his ears.
"Hey."
"...There's one here, like another Beatrice?"
"Can't misssstake this ssssmell."
"...I'll distract him, take care of it."
"I'll ask Subaru, what to do."
"...Tsk. Fine, but be alert."
"Always!"
Genau flew to be right next to Ricardo and Anastasia, before anyone else could react appropriately, Roy dashed forward, being stopped by a brick wall construct. Of which, he kicked off of and met with Ovidius, who flew rapidly to meet face to face with him.
Julius readied his sword.
"I will protect Anastasia-sama, even at the cost of my life!"
"Mimi is here to do that too~! Let's go! Let's go!"
They charged forward...never noticing the grin Genau was making nor the hearing the chuckle Ovidius let out.
The citizens, huddled in the underground shelters, meant to protect them...could still hear the loud bangs and booms going on above. Children cried, old men groaned from the uncomfortable circumstances and some cried over the deaths they had witnessed.
Just then a young girl pointed to the very end of the shelter.
"Mama, Papa. Is that bad?"
Everyone glanced over.
Shuddering in terror.
There was a crack on the wall, and water was leaking in.
Stepping up to the large mechanism that would send out a broadcast throughout the city, the scantily dressed woman, with blonde hair, red eyes and a gross smile thrilled herself on.
"Time for the worthless meatbag scum, to hear the voice of their unflinching love!"
And the Sin Archbishop of Lust, with her wings fluttering, sloppily licked her fingers in excitement. Buzzing sounds echoing in the room. And a large black dragon flew over the piers of this crumbling city, roaring wildly as it did.
A dance of death, the destruction unparalleled to all, was to continue in this Watergate City...possibly until the color red was the only thing left remaining.
TO BE CONTINUED...