Once we arrived at the port, we went through the city towards the guild.
As we walked, I couldn't help but feel like we were being watched by a large number of people.
"Be ready for anything. I won't be surprised if Akari has already come up with some absurd story about us," I said.
"Just say the word. We can switch in combat to modify tactics as well," Isabella said.
"If I say switch, then do it. When you're in control, I'll fight normally. When Cassandra is in control, I'll fight from range."
Isabella nodded and we reached the front doors of the guild.
We went inside and quietly made our way forward.
The activity in the guild ceased as soon as they saw us.
Then I saw Akari in bandages at the center of a group. She looked like she was crying.
"THERE!!! IT'S THEM! NO DOUBT TRYING TO FINISH ME OFF!!!" She shouted.
"You damn fox! YOU TRIED TO KILL ME IN MY SLEEP!" I said angrily.
"How can you say that!?" Gearo said as he stepped forward. "You scoundrel...you dog! I should have known you would hurt our Akari!" Gearo said.
"It was self-defense! That evil woman tried to steal from us!" Isabella said angrily.
The other guild members unsheathed and readied their weapons. We readied ours as well.
"Did that self-defense...DID THAT MEAN YOU HAD TO RAPE ME AS WELL!?" Akari shouted with tears in her eyes.
I was stunned. To think she would say something like that...
"Why the hell would I want to rape a filthy animal like you? My wife is far prettier and she's willing!" I said angrily.
I caught a slight smile on Isabella's face at my comment.
"LIAR!!! YOU VIOLATED ME WHEN I WAS JUST TRYING TO SLEEP! YOU DID NOTHING BUT BEAT AND TORTURE ME FOR WEEKS! YOU MONSTER!!!" Akari said.
I could see a very slight look of satisfaction in her face as the other guild members got riled up.
They looked ready to tear us apart.
Suddenly, the doors opened and the city guards, along with many other adventurers stood with their weapons ready.
"You're not getting out of this one, Mizik. Say...how about I let the guys take turns with your wife? She's an ugly dog compared to Akari, but she has a nice body. Yeah...maybe you'll understand the pain you've caused us once something like that happens to your beloved!" Gearo said angrily.
It was like something snapped within me at that moment.
As if I felt so angry at hearing his words that I was now calm again.
Akari had them so perfectly convinced of her story...and that she would go to such lengths to get revenge on us for reacting to something that SHE did...
It was enough to nearly drive me mad with rage.
I realized I could have had Cassandra dispel the charm magic darkening their minds, but since they decided to threaten Isabella, all bets were off.
I changed Vengeance into a pair of bladed shotguns as I tried to calm myself. I was starting to realize that this curse made it easier to end the lives of others.
Good.
[I demand her blood.]
You will have it...AND EVERYONE ELSE'S!!!
I was about to paint the streets red.
"Isabella...don't try to stop me..." I growled.
"Understood. I'll support you in any way I can. Do as you wish," she said in a low tone.
I could tell she was extremely pissed.
After all, they called her a dog and threatened to violate her...on top of insulting me.
The guild members stepped forward and prepared to attack.
"A MASSACRE IT IS, THEN!!!" I shouted in rage.
At once, they all charged and Isabella raised her shield.
A barrier formed all around us and I activated several skills.
"FLAMES OF RAGE!!! WRATH!!!" I shouted.
"Omni support! Enrage!" Isabella said.
At once, I felt a pulse radiate from her. I felt far stronger with her at my side. Meanwhile, everyone turned their attention to Isabella. And the people hitting her barrier suddenly looked afraid...like mice standing before a roaring lion.
Good...I'll kill you all. EVERY LAST ONE!!!
"FUSILLADE!!! BLAST BARRAGE!!!"
I began firing all around myself as Isabella remained in place. My attacks had no effect on her because of Vengeance.
"FULL MOON SLASH!!!" I shouted.
I began rapidly spinning my bladed shotguns and slicing through people while firing rapidly.
Blood exploded all around us and I turned to the area where Akari had been sitting.
"EXTERMINATUS!!!"
I unleashed a barrage of strikes while firing rapidly and obliterated most of the guild members with ease.
"SUNLIGHT BLADE! BLAST NOVA!!" Isabella shouted.
She extended her sword and sliced through several people before raising her shield and damn-near blowing half of the guild to pieces.
Gearo shot forward with a long rapier in his hand.
A strange magic radiated from it and he slammed into the barrier.
"COWARDS!!! YOU MONSTERS!!! HIDING BEHIND THAT BARRIER AND KILLING OUR PRECIOUS GUILD MEMBERS!!!" He yelled.
I just raised my shotgun and blew his head off.
He fell to the ground dead and the survivors looked on in fear.
"THAT'S FOR SCREWING UP MY NAME, YOU DUMBASS!!!" I roared.
There was so much blood on the ground...so many human body parts, organs, shards of bone, and bits of brain.
It looked like a nightmare.
But there were still more people left alive...
"SWITCH!" I shouted.
Cassandra switched in and turned to face the attackers at our back. The barrier went down and I changed Vengeance into a pair of submachine guns.
Everyone suddenly had their courage back...for a moment.
Then a dense fog fell over everyone's minds and they looked on in horror at whatever abominable thing Cassandra manifested.
"FLAMES OF RAGE!" I shouted again as I pulled both triggers and unleashed a wave of explosive emerald flames.
At the same time, a dark green haze fell over the people and shadows rose from the ground.
People started being impaled by shadowy spikes and daggers as others fell to the ground screaming because their flesh was corroding away.
"So much blood...so much death! ALL FOR MY DARLING MIZIK!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!" Cassandra cackled.
She disappeared and huge numbers of people fell to the ground missing their heads...
Then I heard a great explosion followed by a burst of divine power outside.
I turned to look and saw geysers of water filled with shards of metal obliterating crowds of people. There was fire and blood. I saw lightning as well.
I caught myself before I could smile...
Our allies seemed to have found us.
"Miziiiiik~!" Cassandra cooed.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Some familiar people are here. Should I let them help?" Cassandra asked.
I nodded and we began fighting our way towards the commotion.
Slaughtering city guards, common people, and adventurers along the way.
I blasted several nearby buildings and ignited everything in our wake.
The emerald flames danced and turned everything to cinders. They seemed directly linked to my own anger.
Eventually...I saw them.
Five people standing amidst the carnage.
Carlos, Leiso, Jallah, Rune, and Iris.
Iris didn't look happy at all.
"MIZIK! I SAID NOT TO END THE WORLD!" She shouted angrily as her Enforcers quickly dispatched more of the charmed townspeople.
"It wasn't on purpose! We were accused!" I said.
"Ugh...fine! We'll talk when this is over!" Iris said.
Leiso raised a wave of water filled with metal shards and washed it through the hundreds of people shouting angrily and crowding around us with weapons in their hands.
They were brutally torn apart as the water turned red with their blood...
We all fought for a few more minutes and finally, the remaining people ran away in terror.
"Mizik! Isabella! Thank goodness you're alive! Although...I've never seen that power from her before..." Leiso said as she looked at Cassandra.
Cassandra bowed her head low.
"I am sorry...I'm not Isabella. I am Cassandra, her sister... We share this body now..." She said.
"You're...that General... Kyriel, was it?" Jallah said.
Cassandra nodded.
"Relax, she's an ally...I guess... I suppose she unlocked her Aspects, right?" Iris said.
"Yes. The Assassin, and The Illusionist," I said.
"Wait...Kyriel is an Enforcer?" Leiso said.
"Her name is Cassandra. Kyriel was just the name Difar gave her. And she would technically be an unofficial Enforcer," I said.
Leiso seemed to understand somewhat.
"As much as I want to have a tearful reunion, I need to know what's going on here. The gods of this world want to know why two of my Enforcers are massacring their people," Iris said.
"It's a long story..." I said.
* * *
"So that's it? Revenge on this Akari woman? And also, you really managed to acquire one of the legendary stones so quickly? I'm impressed..." Iris said.
"I suppose the things you said also explain Kyriel's existence... Although, to have two beautiful ladies after you like that... Must get pretty exhausting. Still, Michael would probably joke about how it's every guy's dream to have a pair of hot twins. Even if they only share a body," Jallah said.
Rune narrowed her eyes at him and Jallah smiled nervously at her.
"Almost every guy's dream! Not me, haha! I'm already living the dream with you, Rune!" Jallah said quickly.
Rune seemed content at his words.
"Cassandra! My name is Cassandra! I hate the name that evil Difar gave me!"
"Ehm...right, sorry... And I meant to say three beautiful women after you..." Jallah said as he glanced at Leiso with a playful expression.
Rune hit him on the back of the head.
"Yeowch!" Jallah said clutching it.
"She's not after him, Jallah! Just mildly infatuated," Rune said.
"Thank you, Rune. I'll take the compliment on my looks, but I won't degrade myself by chasing him in such a way. Although, it is definitely more than mild infatuation... Besides, Isabella is my friend and I respect her," Leiso said.
"I would like to examine one of these stones, if it isn't too much trouble..." Carlos said.
"Well, I need to go speak to this world's idiotic gods. And a few other things... I'll return soon. Enforcers, take care of those two...ehm...three... I'll keep track of your location as best as I can. Don't wait for me," Iris said.
Then she disappeared in a flash and the four stepped over to us.
"Hey...I don't wanna be the guy to bring this up, but Iris told us about what Kyr-...I mean what Cassandra did. That isn't an easy thing to forgive. But I can understand her reasoning. I won't hold it against her," Jallah said.
Cassandra bowed her head low again.
She also began going down to her knees, but Jallah stopped her.
"The ground is filthy here. Don't worry about apologizing right now. Let's go check on that fox lady," Jallah said as he reached out and touched her shoulder.
With a nod, she stood up straight and Isabella took over.
She immediately ran around hugging everyone with a joyful expression.
"Everyone! We've missed you so much!!! Thank goodness you're alive!" Isabella said.
I started walking towards the guild and everyone followed as we chatted.
The four of them hadn't been doing much of anything for a while... Iris had just been dealing with all of the bureaucracy of the divine realm while making sure they had a place to stay.
Supposedly, they had planned to meet up with us later, but decided to come early because of the intense situation.
Another Divine Realm attempted to organize a coup and oust the Oracle. The attempt was thwarted and she was now trying to figure out who started it.
In the confusion, the Oracle didn't want the Enforcers to be in Excelsis while she searched for the one responsible.
Once again...Iris was suspected to have a part in it due to her recent problems. She wasn't currently on trial, but had been repeatedly brought in for questioning.
We arrived back in the guild and everyone was stunned by the gruesome carnage.
"That's the Warmage for you... Hardcore and as brutal as ever..." Jallah said.
It wasn't just me.
I dispersed the flames and we went in.
We stopped at the area where Akari was and I searched for any sign of her.
After an hour of looking, I determined that she had abandoned her comrades and went somewhere else...
That damn coward...
"Doesn't look like anything else is here... So...are we going to go find these other heart stones or what?" Jallah said.
I hated to just leave without killing Akari, but we had no other options. We needed to obtain the other stones quickly before the Mad Admiral came after us.
"I saw a ship on our way down into this world sitting in port. We might be able to take it out on the water with enough...convincing of the crew," Leiso said.
"Alright, let's go," I said.