"All of you stay here! If possible, try to clean this place up!" Isabella said as we both readied our weapons.
"Yes! And please...save our world. The world these people love. And if possible...don't leave us all here!" One of the Isabella androids said.
We nodded and immediately ran out of the tomb.
When we saw Rune and Jallah, they were already on edge.
"What the hell was that damn noise!? And this feeling...it's like..." Jallah mumbled.
"The Corruption!" I shouted.
Jallah and Rune looked over at me and their expressions turned grim.
"Already!? Seriously!? DAMMIT!!!" Jallah shouted.
I could already feel a truly malevolent rage rising within me...
For some reason...it felt like Vengeance was reacting to it differently than normal. Like it was devouring my anger and growing in power.
We quickly ran out of the temple and I saw a lone figure standing while wearing a dark armored robe.
He was a tall man with medium-length blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Damn...one hell of a magic world, huh? Why couldn't you have put me somewhere easier, Valtheim? Well...I guess it's good to get these out of the way... I'm predicting...maybe twenty years for a world this dense? Maybe closer to thirty... Fuck, this is a dense world... Ah well. Best get to work then. Uhh...why do those statues look so familiar...?" He said.
I knew for a fact that it wasn't really Difar.
This was one of his clones. A false source.
He looked exactly like the one who kicked me put of my house years ago...
Just seeing his face was enough to nearly drive me mad with rage. I felt like I was being consumed by it... Like I needed to obliterate everything around me to kill him.
My status menu began turning red and violently glitching as I looked at him.
{Kill them all...burn it down... Kill them all...burn it down...}
Kill them all...burn it down...KILL THEM ALL!!! BURN IT DOWN!!!
I started breathing heavily as I felt Vengeance heat up in my hand.
It was almost like the sword itself was also becoming heavier...
"CAIN DIFAR!!! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!!" I screamed in rage.
He immediately turned towards me and gave me a look of utter confusion.
"Y-you!? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!? IS THIS ACTUALLY WHERE VALTHEIM SENT YOU!? DAMMIT!!! I'm gonna need backup... And I have to have a talk with her... No, Lord Difar will. This was a terrible choice..."
My status menu began to violently glitch.
{DEATH!!! BRING DESTRUCTION!!! DESTROY EVERYTHING!!!}
Destroy...I'll destroy everything...
At that moment, I started clutching my head. Meanwhile, my mind began feeling as if it were eroding from the incredible malice I felt.
"M-mizik!? Are you okay!?" Isabella said worriedly.
"Damn...this isn't good... Uhh...how is that curse treating you, buddy?" Cain said.
I dropped to my knees as I felt Vengeance grow even heavier.
[I WILL TAKE YOUR ANGER!!! YOUR WRATH!!! TOGETHER WE WILL DESTROY THIS INSOLENT FOOL FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE!!!]
{ThE sWoRd!!! LiStEn To It!!! FeEd ItS RAGE!!! LISTEN TO ME!!! KILL THEM ALL!!! BURN IT DOWN!!! DESTROY!!!}
"GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! YOU LOOK SO PATHETIC RIGHT NOW, MIZIK!!! KNEELING LIKE A DOG TO ME!? HOW FITTING!!!" Cain mocked.
With each word that came out of his mouth, I felt myself fading further and further...
"Kill...I'll kill you... I'll tear you apart...gah... Kill them all...burn it down..." I managed to say.
Isabella was trying to calm me while both Jallah and Rune readied themselves for battle.
Then...I felt something snap.
"YOU...WILL DIE HERE!!! JUST LIKE IN LORELEI!!!" I screamed in rage.
"Oh...you're talking about how you killed me when you were younger? Don't make me laugh. Lord Difar had to tone down my real power so you would actually stand a chance. So that we didn't have to reset every few months. But now? I can fight for real!!! I'M GOING TO PUT YOU IN A CELL SO YOU CAN'T CAUSE ANY MORE PROBLEMS! GOT IT, YOU LITTLE SHIT!?!?"
Ha...hahahaha...I see you! I'll...I'll...
Kill them all!
{Kill them all!}
Burn it down!
{Burn it down!}
And at that very moment...I blacked out.
* * *
Isabella wasn't sure what she was looking at here.
Cain arriving on Delvandal right now was quite possibly one of the worst things that could have happened.
Everyone still had very little knowledge about this world and had no way of properly mounting a real defense...
But Mizik was losing his mind.
Isabella watched in horror as Vengeance warped and a strange black armor began to creep its way up Mizik's arm. Several wires connecting his arm to the sword also appeared and transferred a crimson, malevolent energy to the blade.
Eventually, the armor crept up to his shoulder and part of his neck. That was where it stopped.
"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Mizik screamed in agonizing rage.
"Eh...is he okay? Just calm down, man. I was only joking... Although, I didn't know his sword could do that..." Cain said.
Mizik slowly stood up as an aura of explosive crimson energy flared outward.
His eyes had gone from emerald green to blood red as he looked on at Cain.
"Bow...TO YOUR NEW GOD!!! I AM THE OVERSEER!!! I. AM. VENGEANCE!!!" Mizk roared.
Isabella, Jallah, and Rune had to step back...
And as soon as they did...
"DESTROY!!!"
Mizik slamed his foot into the ground and shot towards Cain. The impact shattered the ground as he hit Cain in the arm.
"WOAH!!! THAT'S NOT NORMAL!!!" Cain shouted.
"DIE DIE DIE!!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!! YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! KILL THEM ALL!!! BURN IT DOWN!!!!" Mizik screamed.
Cain's arms shifted into two blades and he tried desperately to defend against the rapid onslaught of Mizik's attacks.
Mizik's sword suddenly shifted and armor appeared on his other arm as a second sword manifested.
Crimson flames exploded all around him and he began rapidly slashing at Cain. Each strike sent a shockwave that reverberated outward.
He activated Lethal Strikes and suddenly began manifesting large amounts of magic to attack Cain.
He started summoning magic swords that shot towards Cain and violently exploded.
"HOLD ON A DAMN SECOND, YOU BLOODY PSYCHOPATH!! I CAN'T-"
Mizik changed the shape of one of his swords into a mace and slammed Cain in the chest with it.
He was launched at blinding speed straight into the distance.
Mizik crouched down as wind swirled around him and launched himself into the air...cratering the ground in the process.
Then he flew...actually flew straight forward after Cain.
"MIZIK!!!" Isabella shouted as she and the other two ran as hard as they could after him.
As they ran, they heard an enormous explosion and the entire mountain shook violently.
"TH-THE WARMAGE CAN FUCKING FLY!?!? WHAT THE HELL HAS GOTTEN INTO HIM!?!?" Jallah shouted.
"JUST FOCUS ON GETTING TO HIM!!! COME ON!!!" Isabella shouted.
* * *
A few minutes later, after running at full speed and jumping, they had descended below the clouds and saw something truly shocking.
Mizik was flying around and violently attacking Cain from the air and ground. Switching rapidly between the two styles like it was nothing.
"That probably isn't Mizik fighting... It reminds me of when he used Wrath Possession..." Isabella thought to herself.
"It's amazing! I had no idea he could do that!" Cassandra said.
"Not the time, sister!!!"
Isabella watched in awe as Mizik brought down a barrage of black lightning bolts, black fireballs, and black icicles. All of which violently exploded upon hitting the area Cain was standing.
Suddenly Mizik clutched his head as several purple energy blasts sailed towards him and exploded.
He was knocked out of the air and fell straight to the ground.
Isabella felt a rising panic in her chest and then...
He opened his eyes.
He righted himself and shot straight towards Cain again.
The impact caused the forest where he landed to explode with crimson energy.
"QUICKLY!!! WE HAVE TO REACH HIM RIGHT NOW!!!" Isabella shouted.
She started jumping larger distances to reach areas deeper down and Jallah picked up Rune in his arms.
"I'M GONNA GO GET BACKUP!!! YOU PROTECT MIZIK!!!" Jallah shouted.
Isabella turned to Jallah in mid fall and nodded.
After that, she continued downward.
"Sister, I'm faster than you. Please, let me take over! I want to help Mizik!!!"
"Fine! Do whatever you have to do!"
Cassandra switched over and started moving at an extremely quick pace to reach Mizik.
As she rapidly jumped down the different sections of the mountain, she ignored the people shouting out to her.
Eventually, she made a path of solid illusions to run straight towards the location in mid air.
Cassandra used her incredible speed to dart straight to the location and jumped off directly over where Mizik was.
Then Isabella took over in mid fall.
"I don't want Difar to know that I survived. Please...save Mizik, sister!!!"
"I'll protect him! Just like I promised!!!"
Isabella assumed her full armor and slammed into the ground with a thunderous crash.
She saw Mizik and Cain locked in battle.
Cain looked fairly unsure of himself at this point.
"ARE YOU SOME KIND OF DEMON OR SOMETHING!? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?!?" Cain shouted as he manifested several Corrupted behemoths.
Mizik utterly obliterated them with his swords and went straight back to Cain.
"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! DIE!!! RRRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!!" Mizik screamed in rage.
He unleashed a flaming explosion from his swords that consumed Cain and completely incinerated several trees.
Flames of rage had gone back to its normal form. A bloody crimson.
If anything, it was also far more potent than before.
Isabella knew how it worked... Flames slowly built up as the user's own anger increased. They could be released at any level, but the maximum amount of fire could prove lethal to any enemy caught in it.
Every single strike from Mizik right now held the maximum amount of fire.
At the same time, Isabella could tell that Cain was affected by the death curse. Somehow, it had gotten through.
He had been casting all of these skills without saying a word.
Perhaps he had been using the Archmage?
Isabella also had a darker conclusion...
That Vengeance had completely taken over Mizik and was operating on its own right now.
The Warlord granted Mizik with a mastery of battle. Combined with Mizik's own strength, knowledge, Vengeance, as well as The Archmage...
Mizik held the combat ability of a war god.
Whatever the case, Isabella unleashed hundreds of streams of holy light to obliterate Cain.
As he was hit, he screamed in agony.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! DAMN YOU, VILE WOMAN!!! JUST DIE ALREADY!!!!" Cain screamed.
He shot towards Isabella and...
Was grabbed by the throat by Mizik.
"LOOK AT ME, DAMN YOU!!! LOOK AT ME AND DIE!!!!" Mizik screamed.
He slammed Cain into the ground and hit him with a mace.
The impact sent out a shockwave that cratered the already decimated landscape.
Isabella stood for a moment as she watched the battle unfold.
She had never seen Mizik fight in such a way.
Cain jumped away from Mizik and several dragon heads emerged out of the ground to strike Mizik.
He dodged them effortlessly and obliterated them with his swords... He had been rapidly changing weapons throughout the fight.
For all his strength...he was still unable to truly wound Cain.
But Cain was struggling to fight back against Mizik.
None of his attacks would land. Every time he summoned something to attack for him, it was killed almost instantly. Cain was beginning to grow desperate.
"VALTHEIM!!! I NEED BACKUP, DAMMIT!!! SEND SOMEONE!!!" Cain shouted.
Suddenly an eye appeared behind Cain's shoulder and a black beam shot out of it.
It impacted a nearby fallen tree and erased it.
In its place, a portal appeared and a man stepped out holding a katana at his side.
"Valtheim said you need help, so here I am... What could possibly be giving you trouble!?" The man said.
He wasn't wearing a mask and Isabella recognized him immediately as they locked eyes.
It was Tyranus.
"I see. Unexpected, but understandble..." Tyranus said.
He looked over and saw the decimated landscape as well as Mizik and Cain.
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE, YOU DAMN RETARD!!! GET OVER HERE AND FUCKING HELP ME!!!! THIS BLOODY PSYCHOPATH IS GOING TO KILL ME IF YOU DON'T DO SOMTHING!!!" Cain shouted.
"I'LL ERASE YOU!!! I'LL KILL EVEYONE!!! DESTROY EVERYTHING!!!" Mizik roared.
Just before Tyranus could move, he was hit in the back by a wave of water and metal spears.
"WHAT THE HELL!? THE ENFORCERS ARE HERE, TOO!?" Tyranus shouted.
Isabella took her chance and blasted Tyranus with as much light and holy magic as she could conjure. At the same time, she cast omni-support and began radiating her Almighty Presence.
The shock waves from it caused a pressure to radiate throughout the entire area.
"AHHHHHH!!! DAMN YOU, YOU ALBATROSS FILTH!!!" Tyranus screamed.
Suddenly, Leiso, Carlos, and Jallah all arrived and went to Isabella's side.
"Dude...this is insane... Mizik is really still fighting like that!?!?" Jallah said.
"I've never seen such a thing... Is this his true power...?" Leiso said.
"No...I think part of it is his sword. It might be using Mizik's powers to enhance itself, but...there's definitely something more sinister going on here..." Jallah said.
Then Tyranus stood up.
"LORD CAIN! I'LL HANDLE THESE PEOPLE! YOU DEAL WITH MIZIK!" Tyranus shouted.
"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!! I CALLED YOU HERE TO HELP ME FIGHT MIZIK!!! THEY CAN WAIT!!!" Cain shouted angrily just before Mizik shot him point blank with a shotgun in his eye.
Part of his head exploded and he tried to get some distance... Unfortunately for him, Mizik had already planned for that.
Cain jumped right into a barrage of flaming spears that exploded and sent him flying towards Mizik.
Then he changed Vengeance into a... Battleax...
Just like Honor.
And swatted him to the ground.
Then he started rapidly slashing at Cain while he was down.
Tyranus gritted his teeth and tried to run towards Cain, but slammed into a barrier Isabella had made.
The other three Enforcers surrounded him as Isabella stepped forward.
"Looks like we owe you a few things for Ignitus," Jallah said as he cracked his knuckles.
"So many of my men and women died by your hand... I'll show you the vengeful fury of every single one..." Leiso said as she coated her arms in metal.
"All my research for nothing... You made a fool out of me. This time, I'll dissect and study you until we find a weakness," Carlos said as he formed claws of flaming blood on his hands.
"I'm going to protect Mizik at all costs. YOU WILL NOT HAVE HIM, TYRANUS!!!" Isabella said angrily.