The loss of the Smoldering Chariot, his bloodied anatomy leaking gore from the insides of his flesh. The Emperor glared into the eyes of his friend's murderers, those horrific demons that'd dared to threaten the world he cherished. Radiating with the snowy aura that burned in the depths of his heart, 'Dark Determination' flaring with hatred as his stare pierced their souls. Before... his eyes widened, realizing the truth before his eyes. In the back of his mind, he saw a flame fizzling out to nothing. Digging his extremities into the center of his skull, crimson fluids emerging from the peak of his skeleton, Rivera screamed out in hatred. Not only for the murderers he'd been tormented by for what seemed like eons, but for everything he was tied by thanks to the vision he'd foreseen. Soul lit aflame with determination to eradicate not only that 'man' who'd murdered the friend he'd been with since the beginning of his journey when he was but a boy... but for the world as well. The world that existed beyond the clouds chaining them to this hellish planet filled with corruption, greed, murder. The Author would pay for the orchestration of these events, even if it meant destroying all those who got in his way.
Lucifer attempted to step around his seated posture, witnessing how weak he looked at the moment. This was the perfect moment to annihilate his friends without hesitation, twisting his wrist around so the Trident would soar over to his fingers, he readied to thrust the prongs of his weapon into the spine of his vampiric counterpart. The Superior widened his eyes, recognizing the 'Dark Determination' in the pupils of his younger self, extending out his hand to save his brother- he cried out,
"Jason-!"
SQUISH-BOOM! The heart was instantaneously destroyed by a dark azure fist driving through it, the spirit form of the Emperor breaking off from its master as the blood dissipated away from around the immaterial closed palm. Ripping out from his intestines, the oldest Rivera brother widened his eyes... as the guts were ripped out from the interior of the Demon King's hide of blood. And to add; his head was sliced in a horizontal line, the peak of his skull snapping off with the remainder of his skeleton. The Superior... he watched in horror as the only remnant, the final living remnant was slaughtered. And what could he do? Nothing but watch, not even attempt to attack- until it was too late,
"Do you realize how much it hurts? Seeing the very last thing that matters to you... be taken from you in less than a second. I'll ensure you feel it, over and over, continuously. So you suffer and feel the gradual pain enter your skin until the end of eternity, Benjamin Rivera..."
The snarl as he uttered his name with a disgusted cadence, the spirit fading away as Ben readied to begin a new battle with his Superior counterpart. As his head twisted around to glare at his younger Emperor version, all the Superior saw was no sense of humanity left in the center of his eyes. Hate and determination; were the main determinators for him to take another step forward, as Jason reached out a hand out with Madi following soon thereafter,
"Even if you die. Even after you die..."
BOOM!! Just like that, they'd vanished into the vastness of time and space, while Jason stood up ready to utilize his Ketsueki blade and spill blood. Eyes darting around, searching for an explanation on how things ended up this way, he gazed down at the deceased Henry in the arms of his best friends. Madi and Matt, the Magician tightening his grip around the Flipped Chariot... screaming out in anger as a chamber of ice erected from beneath his rear. SNAP! SNAP, SNAP SNAP! The tendrils aimed at his spine had cracked to the left and right, the Chaos' Son tilting his head and questioning in a confused manner,
"How...?"
Though it wasn't filled with anger or hatred for the superhuman who'd managed to block his long-range spears, Ashton still had that smug confident smug over his lips. The aura faded as he turned to stare at the incoming assault, raising a defense barrier of tendrils popping out from his feet. A simple quickened slash originating from the Hunter of Justice's blade as he zipped past his target's anatomy was all it took to destroy the barrier of Lovecraftian tendrils. The world seemed to slow as Ashton's feet spun across the roof of the structure they were stuck against, raising his arms in an X formation. Dabrowski scoffed at the feeble attempt, a tendril with a hardened fist at the end pushing against the chest of Jason as he was thrown back into the air from the way the tendril snuck up his chest and hit his chin. Cackling maniacally, Ashton threw his hands up so more tendrils would emerge from the pool of hardened Takyr energy toward the free-falling Swordsman. Body contorting so he could weave disturbingly, the Rivera Brother popped out several shadow tendrils that clashed with these otherworldly tentacles. Snarling in irritation, the cracks in his face became apparent as Ashton glared at the landed Rivera brother, the crackle of lightning in the air thundering in the clouds. The bolt dropping down the Thunderous Priestess, the air started to vibrate, her soles melting the boots hiding her skin. Fists tightening as the edges of her extremities sunk into the center of her palm, Ella sparked open her eyes so they'd spread with an audible KRAKOOM!
"Mmm... the wannabe Thunder Goddess, huh? What can you do-?"
BANG! A bullet flew straight through the rear of his skull, blowing out his brains through the front of his head so the matter would fly out into the air. Her feet moved at lightspeed, she was essentially riding on the air as she moved at a quickening pace. Usually, she'd create a regular streak of azure light following her, jumping off her shoulders, feet, legs, etc., though... this was different. She was just a simple blur, a bolt of lightning zapping his kneecaps so they'd crack and break as he fell to the ground. Ash snarled in annoyance as the tendrils around him obeyed his brain, manifesting a chamber of spikes around his body. Her counter was simple. CRAKOOM!!
The blow to the gut of her enemy had echoed out into the clouds, thunder erupting in the darkness of the sky, as the right part of his ribcage was broken. Shattering to pieces, Ashton foamed at the mouth with blood as he spat out the gore, pushing out his fingers for a tendril to crawl up his arm. The edge sharpening to an edge, the same as a steel blade, the Son of Chaos was stabbed through the throat, as Jason snarled in irritation and hatred for the man to his feet,
"You don't get to fight back..."
Jay whispered into his eardrum, and with a single slice from his fingernails edged to the point of registering as vampiric claws. Taking his boot off from the imprint of his spine, Rivera took a glance behind him to feel the lightning brush the hairs beneath his chin. CRAKOOM! Ashton's cranium fell as if it'd been knocked unconscious by an incoming fist, and as Ella's feet skid on the material of the Castle's roof- Jason growled,
"WROOOOAGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Hands moving at exponential speeds, the blade curving and meeting every end of Dabrowski's limbs, the Hunter became more and more bloody. Screaming louder and louder, exponentially getting faster as his scarlet lightning reached to a darker degree, aura radiating darker than the night sky and the thunderous clouds above. To a shade of black that sparked, tearing off his leather coat, not to mention the long-sleeved sweater-like shirt beneath it. Flesh and body crackling with electricity from the inner workings of his bloodstream moving throughout his body, Jason dropped his Ketsueki blade as it sparked away from this realm. Falling unconscious into the arms of his sister emerging from a Blanketed reality, Madi glared at their enemy's broken corpse as his soul allegedly drifted away from this plane of existence. Driving her fist through his rear so she could grab hold of his heart, the Thunderous Priestess whispered in his ear one more time with a cruel manner, disgusted by this creature for holding something of a human form. There was no doubt that this... 'thing' was nothing less than a monster,
"Show me your true form... demon,"
The cackles of a madman emerged from the intricacies of his throat, as Ashton's eyes widened, he grabbed hold of the blonde's throat- thumb pressed against her windpipe as she choked on her saliva. Phasing herself out from his grip, she ducked down as an arrow of plasma took out a chunk of his side, the piece of flesh and skin flying off the side of the roof. El coughing up inner fluids as she held her neck, she tilted her head to stare at the steam coming off from the palm of the Empress of Light. The bow fading as Madi's white hair seemed to disappear, brown locks overtaking the snowy coloration as Madisyn leaned to help her brother up. About to stab her as well, all it took was a leap off the peak of the Castle, dropping downward aimed toward the ground. The light realm unzipping itself thanks to her command, Garcia dropped with one foot of the edge so she'd be freefalling toward the field below her. Maybe she'd die, as she tilted her body and soared through the air, the wind causing her yellow blond locks to flow rapidly as it pushed through her skin- she caught a glimpse of their camp. Ben. Ryder. Henry... her dad. Closing her eyes once more, she readied to fall to her doom, hoping to finally reunite with the peace she'd once felt before this whole hellish experience. That was until she felt her ears pop once more- the lids reeling back to reveal the lightning spark in her pupils, Rosalyn had caught her falling 'mother.'
"Looked like you could use some help, 'Mom',"
In the arms of the teen, The Lovers' soles propelled sound to push her into the air, Azazel was seen throwing himself onto the roof as well. His black steel katana in one hand, the chain attached to the very top of this ginormous infrastructure, Karlo sent a hopeful smile to his adopted mother. Chuckling for a brief moment, just seeing the new smile he'd held... just to see his mother again, now having his best friend back with him. And now, a sister. This was her living, she couldn't just leave her son, this was the way to make up for everything she'd done wrong.
Ignoring you... Ryder. I hope you're proud of the man your son has become, he's so much better than I could ever be. I'm sorry for committing such an unforgivable sin in the past, there truly is no way I could make up for it- but this son of yours? I'll make you proud; by giving him the love you never had. And hopefully... hopefully, that's enough for you to love me again.
Wounds already healed, Ash rubbing his neck from the stab wound, he turned a bit to the right to notice these incoming attackers. Rosalyn, Ella, Azazel. Phasing through a wave of tendrils hardened to seem like a barrier or wave to push enemies back, Ella threw an overhead lightning-infused kick to the summit of the Chaos Offspring's top. Tendrils emerged in a fist to punch her as they curved to uppercut her into the air, Ashton dodged a sideways slash coming from the Detective's blade. Spinning to the right, he rose his limb so it could absorb the blast from Rosa's kick infused with an ear-destroying sonic BOOMMM!
Ears bursting with blood, Dabrowski was momentarily left without footing before pushing Rose off the edge with a powerful slap to her chest. Azazel stepped back after his slash, he growled in anger as he sheathed his blade momentarily. Digging into his pocket to reveal spectacles, he pushed them over his eyes so they could shadow his crimson pupils. Crow gauntlets peeling over his fingers and hands, to the point where the tips of his extremities were claws, the helmet started to cover the bottom portion of his face. Cutting out Ash's throat while he was discombobulated, a barrage of quick kicks to the breast was exactly what sent him sliding against the ground- more of the Russian Lovecraftian's rib cage breaking. Though, he remained unbothered as he seamlessly regenerated from the damage dealt with him. Karlo dug what resembled his nails into his skin and flesh so gore and blood would streak down his face, as he screamed out in terror, fracturing his psyche beyond repair-
"NAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AHAHAHAHAHAHA! NAHAHAHAHAHaaa.... haaa... nnn..."
Ashton tapped the side of his head, patting his palm to the right of his skin-covered skull, he scoffed in annoyance while the Crow took a step forward. Growling like a rabid cur, the Fool Detective had once more transformed to the Psychotic Crow of Justice. And though it was invisible to those around him, like Ella hanging on by a thread to his left of the Castle's edge- he was smirking the same way he was when he and August battled in this same location years prior. Leaping upward, he scratched downward where his rival was once standing, a simple step to the side having weaved from Karlo's predictable attack. The gauntlet for his left hand had slid back into his watch, and unsheathing his katana, he spun it around so it'd drive into the chest of his Chaos-Obsessed assaulter. Blood squirting out as a result of this direct forward stab, The Crow then readied to his fists, though before that, his fingers stretched out from beneath his gauntlet. Claws slashing the skin from his flesh, only the epidermis layer of his skull would become visible, Ash's eyes widening in surprise, the thought echoing in his mind,
"He's... strong..."
"THE WORLD! OBEY MY COMMAND!!!!"
Time skid to a grinding halt, the gauntlet morphing back to another watched snapped around his wrist while he cracked his knuckles. Cackling as he circled his opponent's anatomy, a simple flat palm hand sliced off all his limbs, though thanks to the halted gravity of this reality- he remained as if he was still standing. Hopefully, they'd be able to capture this piece of shit before he kills any more of their allies. Taking a sharp inhale of air before crying out rapidly, throwing his tightened fists to meet the skeleton interior and bones of this annoying rival of his,
"MUDADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADAGH! WRYYAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! AHAHAHAHAAA!"
The final punch to his nostrils had sent him flying back as time resumed, bits of flesh and chunks of skin flying around as the blood-splattered onto his face. Bending over as he fell to his knees and scratched his face, Azazel cackled maniacally and screamed out in a blind-rage filled daze,
"I'LL... KILL YOU ALL!! I AM... FINALLY... AT PEACE!!!"
El wiping the blood from her nostrils and chin, the Priestess bent down to lift him upwards. Now that Ashton had finally been incapacitated, they could take his body and head back to the Academy in Manhattan. Gradually rubbing his arm and pushing his head against her shoulder, the man's azure hue that once remained returned to his pupils, Karlo ripping off the gauntlets and plague mask. Sobbing into her collar as he held his mother, he widened his eyes and wiped his eyes, stating in a quiet, stunned, and worried tone of voice,
"Rosey-"
Zooming past her quick speed in stopped time, he emerged out of it as the sound of a BOOM echoed into the world from once he revealed himself. Bending down to see if he could find Rose's falling body, there was nothing to be seen- though weirdly enough as well; there wasn't a body that'd gone splat on the grass terrain below them. Hair lit aflame by fire and burning determination, Beau rose his head as he threw Rose into the arms of her brother so she'd be caught. Edmund bent downward, digging his flaming extremities to the skull of his father's murderer, pupils ACHING with hatred and grief. The Strength burnt through his bones, snarling as tears burnt away to steam
"You... fucking piece of SHIT! LIKE WE EVEN FUCKING NEED YOU TO SAVE THIS DISGUSTING PLANET!!"
Teeth gritted, the fiery crimson aura burnt around his body melting through his skin and bones, ready to ensure he goes through exponential torture. Ella sped toward her, taking hold of his limb so he'd stop, about to retaliate- the Detective slapped the back of his head with an annoyed look. Pushing Edmund away so he didn't do anything drastic, he buried himself in the chest of Ella's chest so he could sob and cry, Karlo bending down to glare upon his destroyed anatomy,
"Let's bring this disgusting peon back to Rivera,"
The Superior tumbled through the new landscape, flesh burning as molten rock seeped into his skin and lighting aflame his coat. Wiping away the fires, the Demon Prince glared deep into the snowy pupils of the Emperor. A look filled with disgust was given to this once-proud man, twisted by manipulation and everything. Leaping into the air so their fists would collide and create a shockwave to the air, the twisted doppelganger rose his ax so it'd dig into the shoulder of his freedom-seeking Headmaster. Holding no sense of emotion in his voice, no grunt or groan, Rivera's spirit discharged from his anatomy. Gifting the Superior with a blow to the balls so he'd hold his crotch, Ben used the miniature lasers to slice off the hand of the enemy demonic doppelganger. Screaming in anger, the Headmaster boomed through time, emerging from the Universe of stopped time. Shattering his shoulder bone, and then his collar, before reverting to his original position. Snowy hair swaying in the heated wind, embers floating from the molten ground entering the atmosphere as the Determined Emperor tightened his fist. Speeding forward so his hand could drive into the flaming platform to their soles, the Superior dodged out of the way with his wounds, yanking his hair up. Head throwing back, the Headmaster twisted around, taking the direct blow from his knuckles to the center of his face. Ben throwing his face back, the Twisted Prince skidding across the ground to the rear of his opponent, Rivera's fist tightened. Slamming his fist against the side belonging to his doppelganger's skull, spreading out his pupils; determination burning in the center of his eyes, not to mention his steady breathing,
"Absolute Concentration. Total Agony: Dark Determination,"
Sending his other self's consciousness through multiple instances through time and space, the Superior gasped in surprise as all the blood drove to the peak of his head. Stepping back, the Requiem Emperor simply pushed his opponent back with a flick to the chest for him to throw him back a few meters. Internalized organs destroyed by a car passing down the road once he got into the road, the Superior threw up his organs and gore from his throat. Spinning backward through time, weakly moving back as he held his skull in agony, his wrists were chained down to the arms of a metallic chair. Head threw back, aura dissipating to the inner machinations of his soul, the Prince's ears heard the Latin language around him,
"Sequantur Imperatoris,"
A cloth staying over his face, a bucket of water and fluids threw itself onto his face, sliding down his nostrils, his throat; this was the closest thing he'd ever felt. The experience of drowning as he slowly slipped away to death, screaming out in terror- and finally, clippers wrapped around his nails and the ends of his extremities. Blood dripped from his inner gut, a cut down on his left eyebrow, the dagger the soldier held around his hand bloodied at the edge. Stepping back, the symbol on angelic wings was visible in the blurred vision of the Superior; following that, complete anguish was thrown throughout his bloodstream and pain receptors. The soldier tightened his grip around the big toe of the Demon Prince, snowy pupils brighter than the rising sun shining onto his face. Bone disconnecting from the skeletal interior, blood squirting out from the wound as the extremity was yanked off his foot, the audio entering the whitened chamber dirtied by gore and crimson fluids.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Stepping back and tilting his posture, the other-self of the Emperor panted heavily, blood leaking from his lips. Everything that'd occurred to him during the vision, no doubt that it was real, Demonic Prince's Dark Determination visible in the center of his pupils. Fist tightening, his ivory energy around his anatomy brightening up the volcanic terrain as the molten rocks levitated upward. Ben seemed to have no sense of remorse in his body, ready to eradicate this enemy right then and there, the Superior threw himself forward. Ready to smash his head with both of his fists, about to destroy his skull so it'd crack and shatter to many pieces. BWOOM! Time had been erased in a different world, the Superior tumbling forward tripping over his footing as the rocks dug into his skin and clothing. Snapping his wrist to the right, a stream of lava burning the air around them had attached itself to the back of the Superior leading for him to scream and cry out in terror and pain. Seeping into his bones so his skeleton would result in bone ash, skin returning to steaming greyed smoke as Takyr energy emerged from his bloodstream. The burning sensation caused by the lava thrown onto his rear had been controlled to drive into the organ that controlled everything. Abilities going haywire, Ben's skin burnt away as he pushed his extremities onto the hair of the Superior's body slowly melting away.
"Absolute Concentration. Universal Ties: Requiem Virus,"
In addition to the basalt destroying everything remaining in his body, the virus threw itself within the brain to clash with the watery fire-like substance. Moving to the side so he could stare at this sight and savor this beauty for himself, the Emperor smirked as his snowy pupils gazed into the liquified optics one last time of his twisted other-self. Warping back, shoving his hands into his pocket, a gateway in time opened to his rear as he spun around, whispering to his defeated enemy,
"Goodbye... Rivera,"
The Superior's soul was infected with a virus, not just his soul though, all similar souls to this version of Ben Rivera across the known Multiverse. The ability to displace yourself throughout a plethora of unknown realities was useless in this scenario as his persona dissolved to pure nothingness. Exploding in a ball of lava and purple mist, the volcano erupted with magma and basalt to shoot out with parts of Terra's debris from on its very feet. The Superior... along with Lucifer, had been exterminated.
Returning to the Castle's Throne Room, a katana drove into the boney curved spine of the fallen Demon King, Ben stepped around his body. Recognizing the blade for a moment and yanking it out of the monster's flesh, he threw it to his sister knowing her to be returning at this exact moment. Staring at one another for a brief moment, they knelt, with Ella returning as well, the brief silence interrupted by a flash of thunder in the sky. Matt's tears had been frozen shut with the walls replaced by frozen shields around him, holding his best friend in his arms. Comrade's blood had stained his shirt, the Empress of Light reached down to touch his shoulder for a moment, the tundra her ally had created melting away. All his tears had been turned to frost, there was no point in crying anymore. Though, as Ben reached down to brush his fingers across the features of his fallen Chariot companion, a spark had touched the tipped part of his limb,
"Everyone..."
Quietly stated the Fiery Fallen Warrior, his soul burning with the flames of his determination, the sacrifice he'd given form in an immaterial spirit. Widening their eyes collectively as they turned to stare at him, Miller reached out his hand, the same with the Emperor before they were grabbed by El and Madi. Gritting his teeth so saliva would throw itself out, Matt scoffed as the more tears flowed, they hardened to a chilly mineral. This seemed different from the way Ryder had passed all those years ago, the somber look of bittersweet freedom on his face, knowing the truth, continuously glancing at Ben in worry. Though, he was dead. Henry was gone. With his final remaining strength, he informed his life-long friends,
"There is no need to worry. The path ahead is long and dark, though it will be filled with darkness and despair; the light will help you. I'm sorry for leaving so soon, but, I'll keep watching you. Protect the peace, achieve freedom, ensure justice is served... devote your hearts. These past 50 years really were fun... weren't they? Goodbye... everyone,"
Though attempting to reach out for some sort of glimmer of hope, Matt was met with nothing but mist flying through his finger, the odd warmth of his soul drifting to whatever was in between driving him to tears. Ella squeezed his hand that sparked with determination for a better tomorrow, as Ben held his older sister in his arms, the cries of his relative driving him over the edge. Gritting his teeth, holding Madi's shoulder tightly, he pushed his head down and started to laugh, holding in the tears before they could stream down his face. Though, the effort was for naught. The future had flown exactly the way it'd been foretold, and unfortunately for the Protectors, Henry Colon was gone. Ashton Dabrowski, his murderer, still lived, breathing in and out locked in a secure vault beneath the unknown.
How could one demon live while the angel had perished... the flame of hope, had, unfortunately, been extinguished.
To Be Continued...