Inside the vault, Jenkins was almost through the translucent sphere which blocked him. Several cracks ran over it, while stacks of glass shards laid spread around his position.
'Come one now..'
Finally, the clock between his hands rang. Sending an incredible, yet unseen vibration out. And with that, the barrier gave in and shattered. Falling to the ground like snow.
Jenkins was sweating and heaving like a madman, feeling not only dissy from this outstretched task, but also because of the intense metal and paper stench constantly enveloping his body.
"This place smells like some burnt down museum.."
However, this was not something he delved on for too long. Only moving his eyes towards the flower which had been waiting here for the last hundred years.
Being exposed to the incredible life force shooting out from it's horns was like feeling a bunch of tiny needle stick against his skin, while also producing a sort of warmth.
"F**** YES!!!!!!"
His shout echoed throughout the treasury room. Hitting the other end and then traveling back.
He didn't hesitate for much longer, and quickly walked towards it while releasing a prideful aura of fulfillment.
Each step was light, yet heavy. Synchronizing his movement with the faint sparks the horned rose would occasionally shoot out.
'Finally..'
Jenkins, now standing before the alter, gently placed his hands down and scooped it up.
As the rose entered his palms, he could feel all the built up exhaustion mysteriously vanish into thin air.
"It even removed the strain that [Shock ticker] had on my body.."
Even though Jenkins had lived for many years, he had never once felt the power of pure divinity radiate into every pore.
His grip tightened as he remembered the day his physical body was sealed deep within a lowly tomb.
And with that image came a set of blurry sounds. They all emerged from the depths of his mind. Each seeming to belong to people he once knew.
.
"Jenkins, you are the biggest failure In this world. Begone from my sight!"
"You are not the man I once knew, Jenkins. You are not the one.."
"They are already dead, and not only do you still cultivate those dark arts, but you desecrate their bodies! No, that's not even the worst part..."
"For your accumulated crimes, and the actions consisting of .... and .... I, .... .... Bellioll the thousandth, sentence you to death by the red ring!"
.
Hearing the voices of those wretched traitors once again ignited his desire for vengeance. However, he did not let it seep out, and only concentrated on the flower in his embrace.
Out of a silver ring resting on his index finger came came a white porcelain jar which perfectly matched the flowers size. Several strange tattoos and engravings on it, but only Jenkins knew what they meant.
Seeing the glowing stick being sealed inside removed the depressed and tired luster from his eyes. Helping the man return back to the present.
"That is that...."
Now, with his mission complete, Jenkins sendt a signal for his doppelgangers to come back. And in no longer than a couple of seconds, he could see them running towards him.
As they arrived, both knelt before him and reached out their hand. Offering the silver ring resting inside their shadowy palm.
"Good shit you two. Get some rest."
The clones then dissipated, and he emptied the contents of their ring inside his own through a short moment of contact.
"Sweet, they took the best stuff available. Looks like we are done here then.."
Jenkins now looked back at the quiet silver and black vault door which was outlined by a green rectangle.
"Strange, did Michael perhaps use the thing I gave him? No, it would't give him that kind of power. But he would definitely be able take some hits for a while.... At least enough for me to get this done."
"Whatever, time to go..."
However, before he could take another step, an earthquake, millions of times more powerful than the ones he had previously felt traveled underneath his feet.
The entire treasury shook madly, and everything from the books resting on the building sized shelfs, to the mountains of gold and silver began to rapidly even themselvs all over the radiant floor.
"HEY WHAT THE F..."
But before Jenkins had another chance to say anything else, he saw the giant silver door behind him take on a dark red, no, a very light orange hue. As if someone was heating it up from the outside with a pool of jet fuel.
"No, don't tell me that crazy old man used that?!"
Too bad for Jenkins that he could not be more right.
The trembling continued to grow in power, and the ancient shelfs were ripped to shreds by the vibration. Letting the rest of the books rain down like pellets.
"You can't be seri..."
Jenkins was going to say one last thing, but the ground refused to allow him to utter another word, as it turned into a solid trampoline. Throwing his body around in the stacks of yellow and black like a ragdoll.
No, rather the whole room began to spin around like the insides of a washing machine. Blending and mixing togheter every single loose object.
As Jenkins was rolled around in this dusty mess, he felt several solid materials hit his body at an incredible speed. Causing some minor pain to jolt through his body.
"AH WHAT THE HELL?!!"
This continued on for who knows how long, until finally slowing down. Vanishing every light source present, and sinking the metal blender into darkness.
Now, within the bowl of rubble, a figure fought itself free from it's embrace. Pushing and kicking every single piece of trash away while cursing angrily.
"F*** Hell you damn s****! If you are not dead now, then after this then I, your father, no, this great lord, shall personally stuff his crown collection so far up your a*** that even your ancestors shall scream for their forefathers!"
Jenkins started to waddle blindly through the debris making up the floor. Feeling his way to the nearest wall where he then placed both hands and chanted.
"Dark Magic: Dark billow!"
Although it was hard to see in the now dark vault, the place where Jenkins rested his hands now had two dents in the form of handprints.
The dent started to grow deeper, until a grey mass formed the handshaped markings into claws. And as they manifested, the wall ripped itself apart. Creating an opening from where he could exit
Not hesitating once, he just walked out.
However, after Jenkins departed, he then found himself greeted by the burnt smell of earth and metal which forced its way through his nostrils.
But this was ignored, as he shockingly looked down at the scorched crater laying in front of him.
Smoke and steam oozed out of the heated ground, indefinitely scarring anyone who chose to blatantly walk on it.
He frowned at the sight, beginning to make his way towards the center while whispering something.
"Dark Magic: Death armor (boots)"
Out from the chant came a dark cloud which materialised itself in the air, gently flowing down his legs and turning into a pair of metallic shoes.
As he traversed the man-made canyon, he heard the fried dirt and stone sizzle wherever he stepped. Urging him to move faster.
Finally he made it to the middle of this mess where a torn human could be found laying peacefully.
Smoke continued to rise from the ruined body. Giving off nosies similar to hot coal being drenched in icy water.
It had no skin or hair. Only a layer of medium rare flesh bound over it's existence. Threatening to fall off at any moment.
The head was okay to a certain extent. And even though the nose, ears and lips were nowhere to be seen, the eyelids only left with some burns. Leaving this guy quite a distorted look.
He still had both arms attatched. Even the fingers looked to be fine. However the same could not be said for the legs.
One seems to have been forcefully torn off. Meanwhile, the other, altough still having the knee joint left, had completely turned into a freshly made steak. Much darker in color than the rest of his body.
Jenkins looked at this undercooked beef. Frowning even more when he saw that it still twitched from time to time.
"So you still survived Michael... Looks like my alchemy skills are pretty good, don't you think so too?"
Shockingly, after he finished speaking, Michael's eyelids slowly opened themselvs. Dragging the crusty skin over his bloodshot white eyeballs. Creating a small line of tears that ran down the burnt cheeks.
Altough he was temporarily blinded, he managed to register Jenkins's frame, and his body seemed to twitch even more. No, actually, it seemed to heal. Creating rough patches of skin over the torso, and small hair follicles on the head. Eventually changing his appearance from some bad meat, to a more humane undead.
Jenkins's facial featues morphed from a frown to one that expressed expectancy as he watched the boy fight back death's call.
"Here, good brother, let me help you out."
Jenkins knelt down and placed his hand on Michael's chest while chanting. But before doing anything, a hesitant look donned his face. Unsure which path to take. However, his mind eventually settled.
"Dark Magic: Dark heal"
Michael's body began to emit a dark light which rapidly accelerated his regeneration.
His head grew back it's lost features and long hair, while most of the skin which would cover his arms and chest returned alongside it. Even one of his legs grew back, but only the interior part consisting of muscle and bone. Leaving the one turned to ash as it was.
Feeling that his body had gained back some strength helped him calm down. And so he madly started to cough out blood like a madman.
"Damn..*Cough*...Where is that guy...?"
Jenkins heard what he said and looked around. But only managed to see a ripped piece of azure clothing laying not too far away from them.
"Who knows. But I got what we came here for, so lets go."
Jenkins bowed down and rustled Michael's arm around his neck. Helping the boy stand on the remaining leg. Michael felt someone drag his body, and assuming this was Jenkins. he tried asking something.
"J...Jenkins.."
The elf heard him. And replied swiftly.
"Yes?"
Michael barely heard him, yet still forced his head up. Letting the bloodshot gold eyes connected with two amber lanters. His vision had still not fully healed, but it was able to perceive other objects in a more shadowy form.
"Wha...What kind of pill did you give me?"
Jenkins started to smile, once again releasing a prideful aura as he spoke of his creation.
"It's a body enhancement pill I created. Raising the defensive properties of your body to match someone roughly at the higher emperor layer. Looks like it saved you, but there are some really bad side effects.."
Too bad Michael only managed to hear some parts of it. Quickly throwing his head down again due to the fatigue.
The elf only chuckled at his respons, further helping the guy retain his balance.
However, the moment was cut short as Jenkins noticed the vapor and steam around them turn into some sort of condensed smoke. Threatening to shoot out if they dared move another inch.
The shock on his face quickly turned into alarm as he moved his gaze up into the grey sky. Now also noticing that the wind which had just blown around completely freezed up. Not wishing to antagonize the unkown.
Right there, not event ten meters away from them, hovered a humanoid figure Jenkins was far too familiar with.
It's entire body was covered by a black smoke, much darker than the clouds above. And not only darker in color, but also much more toxic and corrosive. As it withered away any approaching dust or ash into nothing.
There, where it's head was speculated to be, rested two glowing bulbs of green. Eyeing down both himself and the injured boy. Releasing an invisible pressure over their bodies.
And as their eyes connected. It spoke. Releasing out a voice so murky and horrid it would send chills down your spine.
"You two are not going anywhere."