Harold taking notice of the changes in the Gladius armor quickly let out blasts from his hand to push himself backwards as he let out another stream of flames from his mouth at the Gladius who was rapidly approaching.
The Gladius sped past the stream of fire and leapt forward before firing a shot which left a hole in Harold's shoulder. The pain caused him to scream in pain as he tumbled and rolled around in the dirt, the Gladius on the other quickly got into position with one knee down and began to fire relentlessly.
Ritz who had managed to survive all this while remained hidden behind a crate watching the battle. His heart dropped to his stomach as he watched Harold, who had always been that jovial old man, roll around in the dirt.
Harold managed to send a burst of flame at the Gladius causing it to jump away and allowing for Harold to catch his breath. The Gladius though, being the relentless devil it was, was not willing to allow Harold a moment of rest.
He was stopped however by two large pieces of metal moving to smash him from both sides. The Gladius quick reflexes went into action as it twisted it's body jumping of the pieces to head above them as they crash into each other with a mighty *Clang*.
"Telekenisis" the Gladius muttered to himself before moving to avoid the flame constructs constantly launched at him in addition to the various objects which took flight randomly.
Ritz broke out in cheers at Harold's display but was soon overcome with confusion and concern as Harold began to bleed out from his all his ofrices.
"If I'm of to the netherworld, them I'm dragging you with me devil", the intensity of the attacks immediately picked up, but the Gladius constantly kept avoiding each and every attack in a manner that left all who viewed it in awe.
The Gladius changed it's running direction seemingly tired off avoiding the attacks, and heading straight for Harold. Harold screamed out as the Gladius got close causing a massive pillar of flames that seemed to pierce the heavens itself to consume the Gladius.
Ritz had a shit eating grin as he watched this, the old man did it, he actually defeated a Gladius... this thought however was broken as that deafening sound was heard once again *BAM*.
The force from the weapon alone dissipated the tower of flames whilst the strike took the head of Harold caused his headless body to drop to the ground with fragments of his brain and skull scattered around his corpse.
The Gladius fell to his feet with his rifle in one hand and pistol in another, smoking. He didn't spare Harold's corpse a single glance at he rushed into the building.
Seeing no one, he activated his heat vision and scanned the place once more before he began to sprint.
*******
In the tunnels;
Franky stopped and looked behind into the darkness they had just waded through and asked, "What was that? it felt like the tunnel might actually collapse".
"Probably the old timer going all out" another man with a short bow replied. "You think he can do it... you know... take out one of them?" Beatrice questioned.
There was silence at that as they all came to a halt with the sparks from the the torch being the only thing in their ears.
"Forget about such thoughts" Jeor broke the silence, "Harold and the others are sacrificing everything for us, and we can not, will not disappoint them."
The splash of water was heard once more as Jeor began to Wade his way through the waste water that tried to cling on to their ankles.
The others followed after him in silence but Franky stopped once more turning to look behind himself with narrowed eyes, "Oi you guys hea-".
He was cut off by a hole going through his throat. The blast ripping through his throat was the first of the many that came from the darkness behind them.
"GLADIUS!" Jeor screamed causing them all to enter their battle positions. The archers tried to return fire but were brought down as their weapons were no match for the devil's otherworldly weapons.
"Damnit" Jeor cursed as their numbers were soon brought down to a measly four who would soon join the others. Jeor passed the torch to Beatrice before drawing out his claymore.
Rushing to the front, Jeor managed to use the broadside of his weapon to actually block and deflect the attacks. Jeor grit his teeth struggling to hold his ground as each attack sent vibrations from the weapon to the rest of his body, making him almost drop the claymore.
"You have yet to master that weapon" Harold's words resounded in his mind at that moment.
Jeor screamed out and charged, "come get me!". The attacks focused on him as the intensity continued to escalate to the point were he could no longer handle it, allowing some attacks to break through and riddle him with holes.
The Gladius moved to side to avoid Jeor's sluggish swing before letting another into his leg causing the man to fall in the waste. Seeing he could no longer make it to his feet, the Gladius turned to the others who tried to rush to Jeor's aid and promptly dealt with them.
Jeor who lay face down in the muck could only let out a scream at his powerlessness, as he heard his companions fall to their deaths.
The memories he shared with each one, flashed through his mind as his tears mixed with the muck flowing below them.
Jeor felt his body move as he was flipped to face the devil, at that moment Jeor wanted to scream, he wanted to curse, he wanted to do and say so much but only one word left his lips.
"Why?"
"You were my target" *boom* the Gladius put a hole between Jeor's brows. [no vitals detected] he put his weapon away at that and spoke.
"Mission accomplished"