Chapter 22: Water and Fire IV


Malis/Ignis' Hubris

The beach was now a battleground of water and fire, a clash of elemental forces that seemed to dance in a macabre ballet of destruction. Ignis summoned fire tornadoes that whipped around him like fiery serpents, their maws gaping as they sought to swallow Murasaki whole. Yet she remained unyielding, her eyes never leaving the demon's face as she sliced through the flaming vortices with the razor-sharp precision of her Teigu, the sword Murasame summoned alongside Esdeath's rapier, the tattoo marking on her chest that allowed her to manipulate ice, and the blood of the Tyrant Dragon- Incursio to push through. The heat was intense, the air shimmering with the power of his fiery onslaught, but she felt only the cold, hard edge of her anger.

Her fist connected with Ignis' jaw with the force of a thousand storms, her rage manifesting in a blow that sent his eyes bulging out of their sockets, his skull contorting into a grotesque crescent shape. The sound of bone breaking echoed through the air, a symphony of pain that seemed to fuel her determination. The demon stumbled back, his laughter cut short by the sheer power of her punch. The ground beneath them cracked and splintered as the waves of the sea crashed against the shore, a testament to the chaos their battle had unleashed.

Ignis' eyes narrowed, his grin twisting into a snarl. He knew he had underestimated her, and that was a mistake he would not make again. The flames around him grew taller, swirling into a fiery tornado that spun with the fury of a thousand suns. Yet, Murasaki was undeterred, her eyes glowing with the icy resolve of her Teigu. She knew that within her grasp lay the power to end this here and now, but she was driven by something more than just victory. It was a need to honor Leone's sacrifice, to ensure that her friend's final moments had not been in vain.

As the battle raged on, the sky above grew darker, the clouds swirling with a malicious intent that matched the turmoil below. The sea retreated, revealing the jagged rocks that lay beneath, the water seemingly repulsed by the dark energy emanating from the demon. The sand grew hot, the air thick with the smell of burning flesh and brimstone. Yet Murasaki pressed on, her every movement calculated, her every strike a declaration of war against the corruption that had claimed countless lives including her comrades.

The tone of the fight shifted as a terrifying sense of bloodlust emanated from Ignis. His laughter had turned to snarls, his eyes burning with a hunger that seemed to consume him from within. His aura grew darker, the flames around him morphing into a writhing mass of shadow and fire that danced and coiled like a living beast. It was a sight that would have sent lesser souls running in terror, but Murasaki felt only a cold, determined rage.

The pause was palpable, a heartbeat of silence that seemed to stretch on forever, each second weighing heavier than the last. The flaming tornadoes around Ignis stilled, the air itself holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come. It was as if the very fabric of the beach realm was bracing itself for the climax of their battle, the calm before the storm that would determine the fate of all who stood upon it.

Ignis's eyes burned with an intensity that seemed to pierce through Murasaki's very soul, his anger palpable as the flames around him began to shift. From the fiery red that had surrounded him, they began to morph into a deep, cerulean blue. The change was gradual, the color transitioning like the sky at dusk, until the entire area was bathed in an eerie blue light that seemed to suck the warmth from the air.

The blue flames grew brighter, their intensity increasing until they were almost blinding. Yet, as the color began to shift once more, a new hue emerged, one that sent a chill down Murasaki's spine. The flames grew pure and white, their heat a stark contrast to the coldness that emanated from them. The sand around her began to vaporize, leaving only a blackened glassy surface that mirrored the rage in her heart.

The flames vanished as Ignis turned into a charred body for a few moments. But suddenly, he exploded in a torrent of flames that reached the heavens.

His eyes had sharp orifices of a steep inward slant; from which emerge small, round red eyes without sclera and a jagged maw for a mouth.

"Gula: Helios!"

Ignis' form had transformed into something monstrous and divine, his body now a living embodiment of unbridled fire and rage. His eyes, once human, had morphed into twin pools of molten lava, his smile a gaping maw filled with jagged teeth that looked as though they could devour the very essence of his enemies. The air around him grew suffocating, the heat becoming so intense that it was a miracle the beach didn't simply catch ablaze.

The ground trembled as he took a step forward, his newfound power resonating through the very earth beneath their feet. The sand sizzled and melted, forming a molten path that stretched out behind him like a fiery serpent. His once-human body was now a sculpture of fire, each movement a dance of destruction that sent waves of heat crashing against Murasaki. The air grew thick with the smell of burning oxygen, the very essence of life itself seemingly at his mercy.

Ignis' voice boomed out, a thunderous roar that seemed to shake the heavens themselves. "You stand before a god, heathen," he said, his archaic tone laced with contempt. "Your puny Teigu, your pitiful human strength, they are but fleeting shadows before the might of Helios. Bow before me, and perhaps I shall grant you a swift end to your misery."

Murasaki scowled at him before he kicked her, causing a massive explosion.

Ignis' fiery form grew even larger, his power threatening to overwhelm the very realm they stood upon. His eyes, those molten orbs of hatred, remained fixed on Murasaki, watching her with twisted amusement as she pushed herself to her feet, her determination unbroken. Her eyes searched his, looking for any sign of the man she had once known, but all she found was the all-consuming rage of a being that had long ago abandoned any semblance of humanity- or rather never had it to begin with.

Murasaki felt the weight of his gaze, a burden that seemed to crush her very soul. Yet, she refused to yield, her fists clenched at her sides as she summoned the full might of her Teigu. The air grew colder, the temperature plummeting as the ice began to form around her. Her skin crackled with frost, each breath a plume of white mist that danced in the air.

Those eyes...it's just like those geez up in the heavens.," he remarks internally.


Ignis' Past

3000 years ago

A younger Ignis had once been a Good Being wearing pure, undivided white robes, having angelic wings of fire. He and the other 13 original White Evil Beings had been what many considered angels back then.

Their purpose was to guide humanity and also to eliminate Evil Beings if they ever spotted them.

Ignis had been one of the most devoted among them, a fiery beacon of hope and justice. His wings, a majestic spectacle of white flames, fluttered gracefully as he soared through the heavens. His eyes, once gleaming with the light of pure goodness, surveyed the mortal realm with a sense of responsibility and protectiveness. He was known as the Flame of Righteousness, a symbol of the divine will to maintain order and peace.

The Good Golem King, Core, stared back at him, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks. The room grew eerily quiet as the gravity of Ignis' words settled like ash upon the air. The very fabric of their divine existence was based on the balance between good and evil, light and darkness. The idea of eradicating evil entirely was not just radical, it was heretical.

"Such a notion is...dangerous," Core stuttered, his tongue flicking out of his mouth in agitation. "You speak of a world without conflict, without challenge. A world where we, the embodiments of good, hold absolute power. Is that not what we fight against?"

Ignis' expression grew stern. "No, Core. I speak of a world where evil does not hold sway over the innocent. Where fear is not the currency of power. If we have the means to prevent the birth of darkness, should we not?"

Core's silence was deafening. The room around them seemed to pulse with the unspoken tension. His tongue remained still, wrapped around his teeth, as he contemplated the blasphemous words. The very concept was alien to their existence, a challenge to the delicate balance they had sworn to uphold.

Ignis, unfazed by the silence, continued to plead his case. "We are here to protect, to guide, and to vanquish the wicked. Yet, if we stand idly by and allow the seeds of evil to take root, are we truly fulfilling our purpose?" His voice echoed through the chamber, a fiery passion burning in his every syllable.

Core, the Good Golem King, remained stoic, his expression unreadable. His eyes searched the ceiling as if seeking guidance from the very stones that made up their sacred space. The silence grew heavier, each second feeling like an eternity. Finally, with a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the world, he spoke. "You speak of playing god, Ignis. To prevent the birth of darkness is to dictate the natural course of existence."

"We will discuss no further.," Core said as he flew away.

Ignis walked away not feeling disgusted, but disappointed as he walked to his fellow 13 who had the same ideals-

A younger Marli, Serpentine, Satanick, Boxer, Vlad, Cyber, Papillion, Nessus, Feline, and four others that were different from the current regime-

A tall, blue-eyed male humanoid with a smooth, almost flat face, a square nose, and a bald head.

Deacon The Future first Divine King

A man with wavy, white hair dressed in white armor, having white avian wings on his back.

Porcelain The Future first Avian King

An effeminate man with a lavender man wearing a top hat and a stage magician-styled attire.

Alakazam The Future Sorcerer King.

And lastly, a venus-fly trap-headed entity with a rotund body with sundew-covered arms.

Solar-Droplet The Future Plant King.

The closed-eyed Nessus asks "They didn't take our suggestion did they?"

Ignis's gaze fell upon his fellow beings, his chest tightening with the burden of his thoughts. "No," he said solemnly, "but their resistance has only strengthened my resolve."

"If we don't have their permission. God forbid, it would be treason.," noted Alakazam.

"I say we do it anyway. Darn consequences.," Boxer boasted..

"Not so loud. We'd be suspected of treason.," Cyber noted.

"And I don't want to lose our place in the sun.," Feline complained.

"How can we do it in the most humane way possible?," asked Solar-Droplet.

"We could always utilize the forbidden technology of that fallen nation. Mustard gas they call it. We cave them in and suffocate them with toxins.," Serpentine remarked.

"What if we're exposed?," asked Porcelian.

"We can blame it on the more heinous humans.," said Marli.

Deacon was appalled by this suggestion.

"We can't involve them. We should trick the Evil Beings into a trap and then kill them with it.," he remarked.

"Trickery is a heinous crime. What a quandary. What to do. What to do.," Papillion remarked.

Vlad, being the less morally upright of the group, suggested-

"It all revolves around going behind the Elders' back as well as the Divine one. But, they've clearly shown their faults, haven't they? Why not take over, aren't they bound for retirement anyway? We're their successors, aren't we?

The other 13 looked at Ignis, their eyes widening at the audacity of his words. The room buzzed with sudden electricity, the air thick with the weight of his proposal. The very concept of challenging the established order was something they had never dared to consider, but the passion in Ignis' voice was contagious.

Vlad, the vampiric member of the group, stepped forward, a knowing smile playing upon his lips. "You know, 2000 years ago, the Divine One claimed victory over the Great One. Yet, he spared the heir, a child of immense power," he began, his eyes flicking around the room to gauge their reactions. "And tell me, where is the Divine One's lover who stood by him for eons? Vanished without a trace, leaving only whispers and legends in her wake. Doesn't that sound odd? It's been hush-hush since there is already an heir to the Divine One already, but there were rumors that there were originally twins."

The room grew colder as the gravity of his words sank in. The Divine One was revered as a beacon of purity and justice, the very antithesis of the Great One's tyranny. To suggest that his lover had an affair with the enemy was not just a scandal, it was a blasphemy that could shake the very foundations of their existence.

Deacon, his eyes wide with shock, found his voice. "Vlad, what are you implying?" His words were a whisper, but they carried the weight of a thunderclap. "That the Divine One's lover..." He couldn't bring himself to say it, the mere thought was too repugnant.

Vlad shrugged, his smile never wavering. "Implying? Merely stating the whispers that have echoed through the annals of time. It's not for us to judge the actions of our betters, but to learn from them. If they can bend the rules for their own ends, who's to say we can't do the same?"

Before he could continue, the sound of rustling feathers and shuffling footsteps interrupted their hushed conversation. The 14 original successors to the Divine One's commanders turned as one to the entrance of their secret chamber, where a group of winged soldiers, their eyes wide with horror and disbelief, had gathered. Their once-proud stances were now laced with fear and uncertainty, their wings trembling slightly in the still air.

Their commander, a stern-faced angel with a gleaming sword at his side, stepped forward. His gaze swept over the assembly, coming to rest on Ignis. "You have been found guilty of treason," he announced, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Your heretical thoughts and actions have tainted the very essence of our existence."

"You're the ones who have heresy built in your core. Did you know that the Divine One finding out about that little affair-," Vlad said before chains spontaneously appeared on him and his colleagues.

"You know nothing and the fact you came to an insidious conclusion shows that you must walk with mortal men to understand your folly. Hopefully, you can return with humbler mindsets in a thousand years.," the commander retorted.

With that, the 14 beings of light and fire plummeted from the heavens, their once gleaming wings now stained with the shadows of their newfound infamy. The world below grew larger with each terrifying second, the ground rushing up to meet them like a dark embrace. They descended into a barren wasteland, a stark contrast to the vibrant realms they had once called home. The earth was cracked and blackened, the sky above a swirl of malevolent purple and red, as if the very heavens had wept blood and soot.

They turned to see a currently obscured horned figure, the Great One's heir, who had waited there seemingly expecting them.

"He tossed you aside because it wasn't convenient right? He did the same with my mother and myself."

"Abandoned?" Ignis' eyes narrowed, his fists clenched. "You dare speak of abandonment? We were the ones cast out for daring to challenge the very fabric of our existence!"

The great One's heir revealed himself partially with crimson irises, 45 pointed horns, and hints of ornate armor.

"You speak of the Divine One's lover with such spite," the heir began, his voice a velvety purr that seemed to caress the very air around them. "But let me tell you the true story that has been buried beneath layers of deception."

"Indeed," the crimson-eyed heir continued, "the Great One saw an opportunity to sow discord within the very heart of the divine order. Or maybe he was acting out his obsession with her. Injecting his essence into her so one would become me."

"And the Akashic records that were stolen on that day?," asked Nessus.

The Great One heir pointed to his head.

"Compromises my brain, which is how I changed from a round fellow with a simple mindset to the magnanimous fellow you see before you. To help create the perfect leader, all I need to do is awaken my inner malice to become an Unholy Trinity entity."

Ignis' heart pounded in his chest as the reality of the situation dawned upon him. The Great One had indeed involved himself in divine affairs, but the extent of his manipulation was beyond their darkest imaginings. The very essence of the Divine One's lover had been corrupted, her purity tainted by the Great One's shadow.

"I'm not mad that he tossed me away. I was born evil. It was the fact, he tossed her away and kept the other kid. The Divine One doesn't like his reputation ruined? His inability to do anything properly pisses you guys right? So maybe we can work together?" the heir remarked, with his tone on his mother being more genuinely angry than his off-putting regal attitude had been so far before resuming it.

Ignis' eyes met the crimson gaze of the heir, a flicker of understanding passing between them. The Great One's heir had suffered a fate no less cruel than their own. The betrayal and manipulation had left its mark on them all.

"If we are to do this," Ignis began, his voice measured and calm despite the tempest of emotions raging within him, "we must gather others who share our beliefs. There must be good beings in the heavens who are dissatisfied with the current order."

The Great One's heir nodded, his eyes gleaming with a newfound cunning. "Indeed, I have amassed an army of shadows, loyal to me alone. But to challenge the divine regime, we need more than just numbers. We have to make small steps. 16 factions of human settlements in my homeland worship this being and I need your help to crush them."

Ignis studied the heir, his mind racing with the implications of such an alliance. "Why do you need us? What can we do that your own forces can't?"

"Lull them into a false sense of security with your angelic grace.," their heir replied.

Nessus, nodded and accepted the terms.

This was the beginning of the White Faction, wearing segmented white armor to differentiate themselves from the original Black Faction that wore bio-mechanical armor of pitch. The White Faction started off as wanting to infiltrate the Black Faction to kill their young to better the chances of their superiors prior to their fall and initially wanted to use them to usurp God. However, they gave into hedonism and depravity, leading to the brutal Black Faction turning to ironically the nobler of the two as the millennia went on.

Ignis spotted a blue-haired woman, an ice elemental named Tsurarahime and was instantly enamored with her. He attempted to woe her, but she found his pyromaniac antics disgusting.

And after the fall of the Great One, she seemingly vanished, only for him to discover she had a pair of twins with a human of all things.

He himself was not a paragon of loyalty as he had Yomihime for the purpose of eliminating the now-weakened Great One.

Everything had gone wrong...


Present

"Once I'm done with you. It'll be the first step to taking down the Heavens themselves.," Ignis said.

She then saw a red orb near her stomach, glowing with an eerie crimson light. It glowed and proceeded to explode much to her surprise. The impact, caused her to vomit a book- Rongo-Rongo.

Damnit., thought Najasho as did Poney, knowing full well that they couldn't hold a candle even before he transformed. And they lost Leone, one of the few fighters that could stand a chance. Once Murasaki lost, Ignis would join up with Marli in taking down Wave.

Seems like Ignis' got the ball rolling., thought the White Sea Life King as he continued to fight Wave, the transformed warrior keeping even with him. Suddenly, Marli stopped.

"Gula: Dorado.," Marli declared as he was enveloped in a sapphire orb before it cracked to reveal a torrent of water.

Marli appeared behind Wave, appearing now as a blue armored warrior with a marlin-shaped helmet.

"Gula is the true essence of an Evil Being. All of my attacks have been boosted 100% over 100%!," Marli explained as he flicked a water bubble into Wave, exploding and sending him backward.

Ignis' grin grew wider as he watched the display of power, the flames around him crackling with excitement. Murasaki clutched the Rongo-Rongo book to her chest, her eyes scanning the ancient text for any hint of a weakness she could exploit. Her thoughts raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of their enemy's newfound strength.

"Not sure how you got the book, but it's useless in the hands of a total airhead!," shouted Ignis as he generated a much larger red sphere grid over her.

"Big Boy Trump Card!," he declared before seeing the sphere freeze up.

He then turned around to see a familiar face.

Tsurarahime dressed in a blue crop top with baggy light blue pants.

"You've held up long enough, my half-daughter. Now let momma help you out.," said the woman.

"Not sure how you got the book, but it's useless in the hands of a total airhead!," shouted Ignis as he generated a much larger red sphere grid over her.

"Big Boy Trump Card!," he declared before seeing the sphere freeze up.

He then turned around to see a familiar face.

Tsurarahime is now dressed in a blue crop top with baggy light blue pants.

"You've held up long enough, my half-daughter. Now let momma help you out.," said the woman.

Murasaki's eyes widened in shock as she recognized the voice. The icy blast generated by her presence that followed sent Ignis hurtling into the sea, extinguishing his flaming form momentarily. Tsurarahime stood before her, her eyes a mix of fury and relief. The blue-haired ice elemental's arrival was like a breath of frigid air in the face of an inferno.

"Tsurarahime. That Black Faction Elemental King's little brat. She's definitely a deviant in engaging in bestiality.," Marli remarked before seeing Wave kick him, causing him to dodge in time.

Ignis' fiery form reemerged from the sea, his eyes narrowed into slits as he took in the unexpected turn of events.

"Tsurarahime, Even after how she failed you! You side with her over me?!" he roared, his voice a mix of rage and disbelief.

"You've had a idea of me that never existed, you stalker.," she said.

The air grew colder as Tsurarahime's ice began to form around her, creating a barrier between her and her stalker. The very sea began to freeze in her presence, the waves transforming into jagged, crystalline sculptures that reached out toward Ignis with a silent threat.

She then hugged Murasaki.

"You've finally done it. Becoming one with your lover is such a great thing.," she said, referring to how Murasaki is now a combination of Akame, Esdeath, and Tatsumi.

"But...it was all set up by him. My life was all prearranged.," Murasaki said in Esdeath's voice.

Ignis snarled, his fists clenched at his sides. "It doesn't matter! Your existence is a mockery of purity, a blasphemous amalgamation of two beings that should never have been allowed to merge! You were supposed to kill him and failed every chance you got! Now you're like that dead ember over there!"

"Oh really, because she's just been reignited.," Tsurarahime remarked as the seemingly previously dead Yomihime got up with her hole healed up.

"It seems bonding with her old man awoke her true calling as a Good Being.," the woman remarked.

Yomihime's dark hair became red as angelic phoenix wings grew behind her.

"What is this?," asked Yomihime.

"You have sins that you will carry, but doing what you believe in your heart is right will put you on the right path.," Tsurarahime said as she stood with Murasaki and Yomihime.


Next Chapter: Water and Fire V- The finale of the fight with a shocking development.

Author Notes: This chapter was mainly to explain the origins of the White Faction with Ignis being partially the focus character and revealing some of the nature of the current Great One.