Chapter 20: Water and Fire II
Marli/Ignis' Hubris
At first, it seeped out black steam from the body.
Wave's armor of a full-length dark blue armor with a pair of white feathery wings began to warp. The mask tore itself open to reveal a row of sharp fangs, the once pure blue eyes gained an X-shaped pupil, the body contorted and elongated as the onlookers looked on with confusion or horror.
Marli and Ignis were especially frightened.
Leone watched the transformation with a grimace, still restrained by the corals summoned by Marli. She knew that Wave had the same power as Tatsumi, but she knew it came with the same risks as Tatsumi's. But the fact it caused the user to turn into such a monster as a Trump Card wasn't something she was expecting.
Whoever designed this, what the hell were they thinking?, she thought.
Najasho wished he still had his Shingu or Meihou to help and Poney grimaced over her inability to do anything. Kurome looked with concern for her lover.
The form solidified into a berserk, demonic form with elongated arms, a serpentine neck, sharp teeth, X-shaped pupils in feral eyes, a long tail ending with a whale fin, sharp claws, dinosaur-like legs, and a saurian bipedal stance.
It twitched and shook as if it barely had any control left, the power surging through its veins like a tempest in a bottle. The creature's eyes darted around, the irises glowing with a fiery intensity. The area's temperature plummeted, and a frosty mist coated the floor as the creature's breath condensed in the air. The sound of crackling ice filled the space, and the walls began to frost over.
Dolphy and Lord O'War had barely time to react.
With a feral roar, the creature that was once Wave lunged at Dolphy. Its elongated arms, now thick with muscle and covered in scales, ripped off her right leg with a sickening crunch of bone and tear of flesh. Dolphy screamed, a mix of pain and terror as the limb was torn from her body. The creature raised the limb, now a gruesome weapon, and brought it down upon her skull with brutal force. The impact was like a sledgehammer, each hit sending a spray of crimson and bone splinters across the room. The sickening sound of crushing bone and splattering blood echoed through the chamber as Dolphy's head caved in, only to regenerate moments later, the pain seemingly endless.
Leone had seen some sickening acts, but this was outright demonic.
Dolphy, now a headless torso, managed to drag herself away from the monstrosity that had been her victim moments before. Her arms flailed wildly, her legs kicked, and the stump of her neck spurted blood as she attempted to escape the horror that had once been Wave. Despite her condition, she somehow found the strength to scream, the sound of a gurgling, wet sob that made the others' hearts clench in their chests.
Lord O'War's eyes widened in horror as he watched Dolphy's fate unfold. He turned to Marli, the hope of salvation and sanity in his gaze. But what he saw in Marli's eyes was not the valor of a king ready to lead them to victory, but the cold, calculating gaze of a strategist willing to sacrifice his own pawn. The realization hit him like a wave of ice water, and he knew that he was next.
With a grim determination for self-preservation, he summoned his tentacles, each one crackling with electricity as they shot out toward the creature that had been Wave. The tentacles wrapped around the beast's limbs, the electricity surging through them in a desperate attempt to subdue it. The creature roared in pain, its body convulsing violently as the current surged through its new form. For a brief moment, it seemed as if the creature might falter, but the power within it was too great.
The creature, fueled by an unbridled rage and the power of the demon, began to rip out Lord O'War's tentacles one by one. The sound of sizzling flesh and the stench of burning meat filled the air as the tentacles were torn from their sockets. Each pull was met with a fresh burst of electricity, but the creature's endurance was seemingly limitless. It didn't care about the pain; it was a force of nature, unstoppable and unforgiving. Lord O'War gritted his nonexistent teeth, his face a mask of agony as his tentacles were torn away.
The others could do nothing but watch in horror as the creature's power grew with each passing moment. It was clear that the demon within Wave had taken over, and the once kind-hearted young man was lost to them. The space grew colder, the air thick with a sense of dread as the creature's breath crystallized into razor-sharp shards of ice metaphorically.
Leone's gaze flickered to Lord O'War, now a mass of writhing, electrified tentacles. His body was a testament to the horrors of the deep, a siphonophore, a colony organism whose individual components had been twisted into a singular, malevolent force. The creature's tentacles, normally a source of control and power, were now a twisted parody of their former selves, tearing and ripping at the very fabric of the area in its rage when it wasn't attacking its enemy.
Wave emitted a powerful blue blast that completely vaporized Lord O'War. He then turned his attention to Yomihime's three enemies- one made of tar, the one made of wax, and the one made of ash.
The blue beam shot forth from the creature's eyes, a concentrated burst of cold energy that could have frozen the very air around it. Lord O'War had no time to react as the blast engulfed him, his tentacles snapping and crackling in the intense chill. His body convulsed and then went still, the light of life extinguished from his eyes. His form was now ashes.
The berserk creature took a moment to survey the room, the X-shaped pupils narrowing as it focused on the trio of adversaries before it. The one made of tar was the first to react, its body shifting and contorting as it tried to evade the inevitable. But the speed of the blast fired from Wave was too much, and it was caught in the wild embrace, reducing its sticky bile to hardened earth. With a flick of the creature's tail, it shattered into a hundred jagged pieces, the sound of breaking glass piercing the silence that had descended upon the beach.
The waxen figure attempted to stand firm, its features contorted into a sneer of defiance. But as the icy beam struck, the wax melted away, revealing a core of pure fire that had been held at bay by the solid form. The heat and cold collided in a burst of steam and light, the two opposing elements dancing in a fiery ballet of destruction. The figure grew and grew, the fire swelling until it looked like a giant bonfire ready to consume all in its path. But Wave's power was unrelenting, the sheer pressure overwhelming the fire until it was nothing but a small, flickering ember, snuffed out by the bestial touch of the creature's breath.
Yomihime didn't even attempt to argue about him stealing her kill, she was more concerned about whether she could survive the encounter with this new savage enemy.
The ash creature, sensing its imminent demise, made a desperate leap towards Ignis. Perhaps it saw the fire god as its boss, a beacon of hope in the face of the relentless savage monster that was Wave. But Ignis had no intention of playing savior. He had been watching the carnage unfold with a mix of fear and cold pragmatism, his own pride bruised by the sheer power that Wave had unleashed.
With a swift, almost casual motion, Ignis kicked the ash creature away from him, sending it hurtling through the air toward the creature that was going to kill him. The ash creature's eyes widened in betrayal, but it had no time to react before the berserk Wave caught it in a vice-like grip. The creature's jaws snapped shut around the ash, grinding it into a fine dust that mixed with the salty sea air.
In a desperate bid for survival, the ash creature absorbed the remnants of its fallen comrades. The room was filled with the sickening sounds of bones cracking and flesh tearing as the tar and wax beings were drawn into the ash creature's form. Its body grew, bulging and stretching as it assimilated the power of its defeated allies. The once-human figure was now a monstrous hybrid, a chimera of ash, tar, and wax, each component twisted and contorted into a new form that bore little resemblance to its original state.
As it emitted an Ira Blast, a wave of negative energy, Wave easily slashed it and the creature in half, exploding it to nothing.
Wave then lunged at Kurome, but halted as his form collapsed from the pressure it had endured from taking in such power.
Marli and Ignis looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. They had unintentionally created this monster via their actions causing him to be this desperate, and now they had to deal with it.
"He's too dangerous," Marli murmured, his fish-like eyes cold and uncaring.
"I thought you wanted him.," Ignis remarked.
Marli's gaze remained on the trembling, power-drained form of Wave.
"I did. But not like this. I like young men I can break, but not one that can bite off my head if my back's turned," he said, his voice a mix of disappointment and casual disregard. "I prefer to be on top and not the bottom."
Ignis chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with a sadistic delight. "I can see that. Well, I suppose we can't have everything we want, can we?"
He looked over at the unconscious Wave, whose body was still in its berserk state.
"But fear not, my dear Marli. I can always acquire the pretty boy for you to fuck the corpse afterward and you can get the other pretty boy, Najasho or Nahashu. Whatever,." he noted.
He nodded towards the disgusted Leone. "And the rest of them... well, I'm sure they'll be quite the entertainment. And I'll do the Kurome girl first so the dying man can suffer in his agony with his failure."
Suddenly, just as Yomihime is about to attack her vile father, Ignis, the space cracks and Murasaki arrives, which causes
"So you're here..."Uncle".," said the woman.
"Esdeath's part of your little fusion whatever.," Ignis notes.
If she managed to defeat Solar-Flor, then I'm screwed. How to sacrifice him so I can escape?, thought both Marli and Ignis at the same time, sharing the same self-preservation mindset.
Murasaki's arrival filled hope even if half of her was the dreaded Esdeath. She cut the coral restraints much to their relief.
Wave gets to his feet and his form begins to change.
"There's no way a dying man can alter his fate!," Marli gloated, but Ignis was ironically less hot-headed, lunging to stop what was going to happen before Murasaki stopped him.
Wave's Mind Space
Wave was in the middle of his hometown.
The cobblestone streets were filled with the cacophony of merchants haggling, ships' rigging creaking, and the salty scent of the ocean. The brightly colored sails of various vessels billowed in the brisk breeze, casting playful shadows on the ground. It was a stark contrast to the hellish scene he had just left behind. The buildings around him looked just as they had before he left to join the Jaegaers with their familiar wooden facades and the comforting scent of saltwater in the air. The sight was so real, so vivid, that for a moment, Wave thought he had been transported back in time.
"What has thou done?," asked a demonic voice making Wave turn around to see a massive black aquatic dragon with blue eyes with x-shaped pupils. It had a pair of six eyes- three on the sides of its face.
"What has thou done?," asked a demonic voice making Wave turn around to see a massive black aquatic dragon with blue eyes with x-shaped pupils. It had a pair of six eyes- three on the sides of its face.
The dragon's head was crowned with two large, curving horns that looked like crescents, their tips sharp and gleaming like obsidian. Between them, a third horn grew, longer and more majestic, forming a crest that extended down the creature's back, merging seamlessly into a fin that ran the length of its spine and trailed off into its serpentine tail. The tail itself was tipped with a whale-fin-like structure, the edges of which were serrated like a shark's. The beast's pupils were a piercing blue, the same shade as the X-shaped pupils of the creature that had emerged from within Wave's body.
"A Sultan Dragon?!," Wave asked, remembering the Super-Class Danger Beast that lived in the Southern Part of the Empire's seas and the one that was used to make the Teigu, Grand Chariot.
"So thou art the latest whelp who art my host.," the creature remarked.
Wave felt the creature's power, a deep, ancient force that resonated within his very soul. He knew that this was the demon that had taken him over, the essence of the Sultan Dragon itself. He swallowed hard, his resolve as solid as the ice like his former leader, Esdeath.
"I'm not going to let you control me," he said firmly. "I will be the one to wield your power."
The Sultan Dragon waved its wings in an attempt to ward Wave away, but he stood firm.
The Sultan Dragon's six eyes narrowed, the pupils pulsing with an eerie light. "Thou hast the audacity to command me? A mere mortal such as thee?"
"And what would thoust know about that?" it replied, showing disinterest.
Wave took a deep breath, recalling the moments before his transformation. "I've seen them, the ones in white. They're humans or even formerly human. They're here to destroy my country, and they're planning to do more. I see it in their eyes. They're the ones who forced me to use your power more aggressively."
The Sultan Dragon's expression shifted, the six eyes studying Wave intently. It snickered, a sound that sent shivers down Wave's spine, yet it seemed to hold a hint of respect. "Ah, so thou hast seen the true face of the enemy lurking in darkness. I shall grant thee aid, but know this, I am not like that self-serving narcissist Tyrant Dragon. We share an enemy so we're allies for now till thou disappoint me."
"Understood.," Wave said as the space dissipated.
Marli/Ignis' Hubris
Wave underwent a metamorphosis-
The armor was more segmented, and had a more savage, reptilian-based shape with claws on the gauntlets and feet, as well as a secondary pair of eyes on the helmet. Unlike Tatsumi's variation, it had a more aquatic motif and was black in coloration. More importantly, it seemed like Wave had regained control.
Marli was especially terrified at the notion while Ignis gritted his teeth in frustration as flames billowed out of his mouth.
The mysterious voice echoed in Murasaki's mind, a presence that was both comforting and unsettling. It was the voice of a woman that both halves of Murasaki had met before- Tsurarahime, the mother of Esdeath.
"Wave boy has found his resolve. You don't have to worry about him anymore.," the voice whispered urgently. "He will handle Marli, the ugly long-nose. Focus on Ignis. He is the greater threat. You and Yomihime can take care of him till I arrive."
Murasaki then turned to Wave and nodded, the latter seemed confused, but happy that she was acknowledging him.
Kurome, Poney, and Najasho decided to wait on the sidelines while Leone joined Yomihme and Murasaki.
"You know too much and that information will spell the end of our shadow empire! So die you naked apes!," Marli shouted as he lunged for Kurome, hoping to use her as a hostage.
But Wave was already in motion. The power of the Sultan Dragon surged through him, granting him speed and agility that was unmatched. He moved like a bolt of lightning, his new form a blur of black and blue as he darted across the battlefield. With a roar that could have shattered icebergs, Wave slammed into Marli, his new clawed feet digging into the ground and propelling him with the force of a battering ram.
Ignis watched with eyes wide with shock as Wave tackled Marli, his formidable presence now a living weapon of destruction. The impact sent the two of them flying, crashing through the walls of the chamber and out into the open air. The sound of shattering rock and splintering wood filled the space, the dust from their collision billowing out like a mushroom cloud.
"Foolish child," Marli spat out, hissing in pain. "You dare to challenge me, the one who holds the power of the sea?"
Wave sneered, his eyes now fully in control of the Sultan Dragon's power. "I see nothing but an overgrown swordfish with a sick fetish that I'm all too familiar with." he retorted, his voice a mix of his own and the creature's demonic tones. The wind picked up around them, carrying the scent of the ocean as waves crashed against the cliffside below.
Marli's grip on Kurome tightened, his desperation palpable. "Ignis, help me! This isn't the time for your childish games! You brat" he screamed, his broken nose writhing in panic.
Ignis, however, was in the midst of a fiery battle with Yomihime and Murasaki with Leone waiting for an opening. The room was a dance of fire and ice the two elements clashing in a symphony of destruction. He didn't even spare Marli a glance, his focus solely on the two powerful women who had dared to challenge him.
"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. This was supposed to be easy!," shouted Marli.
You got too complacent with your titles and got lazy as a result. Same deal with the Empire, but still, Wave's got better control of his Teigu than Tatsumi!, thought Leone.
"Go keep that fish's butt, Wave!," shouted Kurome.
Marli was in a panic, Wave's new form was clearly a force to be reckoned with. With a disgusting squelch, Marli's hand shot to his face and ripped out his own nose. It grew and elongated into a sharp, bony lance, the air around it crackling with dark energy. "You think you can beat me with mere brawn?!"
He clashed with Wave, who generated his own variation of Tatsumi's Neuntote to block the strikes.
Yomihime's Meihou generated its Trump Card- Phoenix Strike to hit Ignis, but it was just absorbed.
"Did you think fire could beat fire?," asked Ignis as his hair flickered like flame and his eyes briefly became pitch black.
The beach grew hotter, the air thick with the scent of brimstone and molten rock. The blue sky around them began to melt and bend as Ignis' power grew, his body transforming into a living inferno. The flames around him grew, enveloping his body until he looked like a man-shaped sun, the heat washing over Yomihime and Murasaki like a wave of lava.
"Yeesh, he looks like a demon now. What kinda human was he before?" Leone quipped, her voice a mix of amazement and horror.
"He IS a demon." Yomihime shot back, her eyes never leaving the fiery figure of Ignis. "A fallen angel, to be precise."
Leone couldn't help but chuckle, the tension of the moment giving way to a dark humor that she had cultivated over her many battles. "You know, back when I was fighting corrupt officials with their fancy Teigu toys, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be going up against a literal demon." She wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, the heat from the room searing her skin. "Guess if you live long enough, you'd be surprised at what you'd find!"
"Idiots everywhere I go.," the dark-skinned girl remarked as her now barely kept together blade shook.
Leone noticed this and said-
"What matters is that this dirtbag pays for what he did to you right?"
Yomihime blushes and turns her hair crimson red as she then goes in for a slash with rainbow-colored flame.
Her past with her mother gave her a chance to live, working for Tenrou despite its actions, and being spared by Hinowa gave her the chance to settle her demons. She could finally move on.
Light beamed into her eyes.
Murasaki and Leone could only see the aftermath.
Yomihime's body lay on the scorched sand, her eyes wide open, a lifeless doll with a crimson smile frozen on her lips. In the center of her chest, there was a gaping hole, a gruesome testament to the power of Ignis. The air was still, the heat from the battle now a fading memory as the chilling reality of her loss set in. The room was silent, save for the sound of their heavy breathing and the distant crash of waves.
Ignis looked down at the girl, his expression one that of boredom.
"Ah, the tragic heroine," he mused, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "So eager to die for a lost cause. You were all just mortals trying to oppose a god. Solar-Flor was but a mere shadow of the true power that lies beyond the veil."
Leone felt a surge of anger, her hand clenched to a fist.
"You bastard," she spat, her voice filled with venom. "You happy you got what you wanted with your no-good delinquent gone?"
Ignis looked down at her with a smug grin, the flames of his hair licking at the air around him. "You speak of her with such fondness, yet you knew so little of her purpose. She was but a tool, a means to an end. And she failed me. As did Esdeath. The daughter I should've had."
"But you didn't. Because she knew that this would be the result.," Murasaki noted.
Ignis glared at her, his eyes burning with a fiery rage that made even the flaming hair seem tame. "Tsurarahime had her choice, and she chose the weaker vessel," he hissed, the flames around him swirling in agitation. "The foolishness of love. Mort, a mere mortal, couldn't appreciate what she truly was. An ice goddess, reduced to a breeding machine for his mere tribe."
"You're a coward who couldn't take on my mother and father without backup.," Murasaki noted in Esdeath's voice.
"You're funny to talk about justice when you killed so many. Tortured so many. Betrayed so many.," Ignis remarked.
Leone decided to use the opportunity to kick his head off.
Ignis' smug smile vanished as Leone's boot connected with his face, the force of the kick sending him reeling backward. The room was a maelstrom of heat and fury, yet Ignis remained unfazed. His head reformed before their eyes, the flaming hair fluttering around his face like a fiery halo.
"This is gonna be a pain.," Leone noticed as Murasaki raised her blade.
Ignis suddenly stopped fighting.
"That fatass, Honest is more deeply connected to you than you realize.," he said.
Next Chapter: Water and Fire III- Ignis tells Leone about her connection to Honest.
Author Notes: This chapter was mainly to give Wave a well-deserved power-up. But also to hint at a potentially dark truth.
Yomihime may or may not be dead.
