The Jester was fast like he was gliding on air, but Natalia was on his trail. She was close- close enough so she could reach out and touch him, but even if she tried, she would be met with no victory. And so she continued to run, for that was all she could do as she stared ahead at his faster figure sprinting ahead.
'God, this is so infuriating, after that fight… I used up too much of my energy to regrow my limbs, I can't even do anything else right now. The only thing I have riding on this is the virus. I can feel it slowly eating away at him, I just have to keep chasing him until that time arrives!'
A little optimism at a time like this wasn't too bad. Eventually, Icarus turned to the right and made his way to the formerly-populated Entertainment District. Neon lights repeatedly flashing, the chatter of curious townspeople entered his ears, as the world shook around them, what passed them by was nothing more than two blurs. The second one lagged just barely as Natalia's eyes examined the regular bystanders, eating at restaurants with tables outside, whispering casually about the phenomenon they'd witnessed.
'Why are there still people outside?! Ugh, I have to be careful if I rejuvenate enough strength to halt his advance!'
Icarus was like a slithering snake that could shed his skin at any moment, and because of that, he was like a natural predator that could take the form of almost anything. After all, manipulating all facets of life did come with its advantages. Luckily for him, he didn't have to use any of Puppet Master for this maneuver, one he enacted not presently, but in the past.
While the Founder perched on the verge of a structure's roof with his Superior other-self behind him, the black eyes of a raven soared past that unforgettable sight. On one knee while gripping his breast, Naraku was but a hostage to Rivers' dominating vocalization, infected with raspy undertones.
"I am not going to oppress my people for the sake of your selfishness. I brought them to live, not to die for your gain."
And that was all he needed to know. However, even the greatest of plans were expected to derail at times, and with his, that variable that dared to intrude upon his genius was none other than that short-haired Myers. The sound of her footsteps next to null, the waves of her aura slipping from left to right, there she was, another nuisance to be rid of. Kim clasped her hands together, the Jester and her glaring with an accustomed hatred into the other's eyes.
"Yamato-no-Orochi!"
But the Serpent didn't pounce from the high ground she obtained, as he twisted his neck to stare ahead, there it was: twirling and slithering with shining fangs filled with poison begging to sink into his flesh. Despite this trial in his way, despite the innate irritation building up in his chest leaving a heavy heart behind the ribs, the Jester improvised. Jumping from where he was running, leaving Orochi to clash at Natalia, before Kima could release the technique, one fist slammed into her arms and sent her flying off the roof into the pavement.
With her there, that meant she was dealt with, right? The way she was now, standing there, momentarily motionless, her chest exposed, her eyes bearing witness to it all, as Icarus landed in front of her body, just beginning to rise, she pondered. Natalia was the one who infected him, the reasoning for his descent to darkness, where nothing remained, no atonement for his sins, only the black of an endless night, eternal suffering never seemed so mundane. She was the progenitor, the first responder, but Chrollo prioritized Kima over her. Maybe that was a luxury, a blessing in disguise, after all, Myers was taught by Hana, she had more expertise than she in the field of martial arts. Or rather, that's what she expected.
Kima didn't spend two months atop that mountain twiddling her thumbs like an oblivious child. Clasping her hands together once more, the Jester halted immediately in his advance, quirking a brow above his right eye.
"Kon!"
She summoned two werewolves, nearly identical, to her sides, left and right. But those puddles they'd emerged from them didn't submit to any darkness, in fact, it only grew to the darkness in her heart, and because of that, she was able to unveil her weapon from that blackened realm. The iridescent shine from the moonlight twinkled against her violet orbs, slithering ever deeper to reach its glow onto her newly-found blade. But this wasn't the start of their spat, rather, it was decided when she directed the sword the other way for the tip to be pointed downward... that her victory was arrogantly assured.
"Reverse grip, huh? Ain't that something? I still doubt you can win, but let's see you try, little girl," The center of the Jester's eyes carried a sense of craziness, sadistic smile painting his lips, the fabric of his aura marked its tear in reality as he spread his arms.
What she could do was blurt a gasp. So instinctive she barely recognized she did so, naturally covering her mouth with one hand, the canines whimpered in fear and cowered. The very essence of his being was nothing more than entirely demoniacal, the way he walked, even the way he carried himself; there was no mistaking it. Right now, what she stared at was none other than the manifestation of the Devil itself! With all his malice, with all that hostility, he was famishing to plunge his fangs into a victim worthy enough to be his prey!
To him, there was no doubt he considered her that specialty! Not even Natalia was that unique, not even she was that powerful, but now was not the time to bathe in the graces of being 'chosen.' Even as she did, however, she couldn't contain that widening grin plaguing her mouth. Icarus noticed this, but, he didn't say a word, instead, he readied a stance, and suppressed his aura. From then on, Natalia, still a mere audience member peering into the performance of the ongoing play before her, covered her face.
Kima sent her dogs forward, clawing at the ground they sprinted on, saliva dripping out their snouts' sides, in the core of his eye, there lit a spark that sent them to combust from the inside-out. Innards flying everywhere with the flash of black lightning contorting every which way, the destruction didn't stop Kima from clashing her sword to his wrist. But as she did, she flipped overhead, another spirit forming, this time, the Serpent slithering to chomp where he formerly stood. Dust forming from the impact, he ducked under another slash, hearing Kim's feet land, she spun around and stroked yet again, but, her quick movements were her downfall. She'd struck twice at the air, for he wasn't even standing tall the second time she threw the sword's edge.
As he rose, he kicked at her chest, sending her flying, reappearing behind in mid-air, hands on the edges of the doorframe he emerged from. Ascending his right arm, he chopped into her shoulder, slicing it in two, a splatter of blood, the bubbling of flesh, it all dirtied his face in a splash. With wide eyes and an inevitable cough, Kima dared to turn her head, but it was quickly snapped away with a Shaolin tiger fist sending her into a shock-like state hearing her neck violently CRACK.
She fell to the ground with a disconnected shoulder, with a literal hole in it, but even so, she continued to move forward, harnessing all remnants of her strength to summon another monster. The cliffs of the shadow realm were emptied with the way she called their names so regularly, the choreography of their battle so lackluster and wild that Natalia could feel her eyes hurting from squinting.
The way she swung her sword around so easily, flipping and jumping as she did, even with her cleaved shoulder, she flipped overhead, raising his arms to block a slash. As she landed, the sword was slapped out her hand amid another stroke, and she was repeatedly struck with rapid succession.
He didn't form a fist, he instead chopped at her bust with the force of his palms continuously, leaving her shivering and groaning perpetually, forming cracks in her skeleton, more blood spewing out her lips, in the end, it felt like an eternity for her as she suffered this abuse to the speed of which his hands morphed to smears. Finally, two more fists connected to her cheeks before she was eventually punched down the road and sent rolling. Just before she collapsed to the ground, Icarus began to sink into his very shadow, the heat of his hand expanding with light, then suddenly, a tightening grip grasped his shoulders.
The sight before him as he turned his head was unbelievable, for an ape-like Bigfoot creature had its paws attached to his frame, and though he was assuredly stronger than this random beast, nevertheless, he was launched into the air unwillingly. Baselessly flailing around arms and legs only momentarily before recapturing his balance, a gust of wind had suddenly discharged from a chimera's wings before he crashed into the ground. This time, not forming a crater beneath the original impact, but a splash of liquids he hadn't aware had formed.
Raising his fingers from the sea of ooze to drip out from between his fingers, Icarus curiously examined his whereabouts with darting eyes, another light enveloping his hand to wave away the darkness he was sinking into. Unfortunately, that motion was met to no avail, and the Jester was left to gasp, upraising his eyes to notice her descending feet. Her falling kick aimed at the top of his head reverberated a shockwave through the stream of dripping shadows, watching as he helplessly crashed, face-first, Kima landed into a crouched stance, hovering above her personal blackened river.
'What is this feeling?' The one who asked this was not the female, but of the recovering Jester, crawling out to now properly stand, 'I'm not sensing animosity from her in the slightest, but how? I tortured her lover, she should be pounding and destroying at my being now, but... it's almost like... she's enjoying this. Why is that?'
But enough was enough. His hands attached to the sides of her skull from behind, and her neck was immediately broken with but a twist of fate. Natalia had to be blind not to notice this. What transpired next was intended for the perpetrator, however...
She made a pact with herself.
'Paranormal Covenant: I will harness all my life energy into this one attack to kill Icarus Chrollo. If I fail, I will die.'
And just like that, it began. Once Kim collapsed to the floor instantly, the ground shook, like a giant had stabbed its foot into the foundation of the world, the buildings began to lose their shape as they reverted to their original form. Nothingness.
Icarus now raised from his previously knelt posture over Kima's body, revealing his aura yet again, but this time, as it opened over his frame, he examined the nearby shapes of skyscrapers as they started to crumble. Though he ran before, this time, he was locked, chained by the vows of a covenant slammed into oneself via oneself, he felt his very essence burn away to the depths of his Hell, embraced by the chill from the eternal damnation, his body fell numb as it returned to bones almost instantly.
But just as it did, the cry of a crow could be heard as it hovered above only to be hidden as its wings drove it above the clouds. The reckless thing about this attack that Natalia had unleashed, though, was that it didn't register anyone else as an ally, only Kima. And because of that, the tremors didn't stop, neither did that imaginary mass, tearing apart everything, ripping them to pieces, shadows of their former selves as only bones remained, even their entrails dared not to dirty the shattered floor.
Regularly it'd be so quick none of them could register it, but this time, their cries were like that of an innocent babe's screaming out in confusion, not at this new world's horrors, but the frivolities of a being much stronger than their weak selves.
The innocent cries of the confused citizens were drowned out by the ongoing disaster designed to rip them to shreds. When the dust settled and Natalia was left limping out the smoke with Kima over her shoulder, there remained no weak moaning from mutilated bodies. The ceaseless chatter accompanying populated areas had been extinguished, not by the hand of a benevolent individual, but by the malevolence of the devil crushing them beneath their heel. All that remained was she continued with the embers of her life perpetuating her movement was nothing but silence.
To Be Continued.