"Enough talk! Let this battle commence!" Asamona bellowed and flew toward Pandora at high speeds.
Pandora blocked her attack then pushed Asamona back and slashed at her. Asamona deflected her attack then palmed the air, producing a shockwave at Pandora. Pandora grunted as she was blown away. Pandora crashed through a mountain and groaned softly.
"Mei." Ruination said.
Pandora sat up slowly and licked her lips. "I can't let my darling Ashen have the eyes on him all the time."
"Then let's get serious, partner." Ruination said.
Asamona scoffed as she noticed Pandora not coming back and flew toward Reinhein. "Reinhein the target is neutralized! Let's wrap this up!"
"Right." Reinhein nodded.
An explosion sounded off in the middle of the battlefield. Ashen looked in that direction and felt a power level near his. A grin stretched across his face and he began to laugh.
"What is this power..?" Silas asked and braced himself.
"Be on your guard!" Cipi commanded.
"By the Gods...who could this be..?" Hime asked.
The smoke cleared and Pandora was revealed. A dark aura surged powerfully around the area. She began laughing and licked her lips.
"Asamona!!" Pandora roared.
Asamona looked at Pandora then landed on the ground. She glared and got into her battle stance. "Come at me."
Pandora lunged herself toward Asamona and generated a shockwave behind her stride. The shockwave caused the ground to shatter and create a crater. She roared and feinted her first attack, catching Asamona off guard. Pandora bellowed and struck Asamona with a fatal body blow. Asamona coughed blood then was sent flying.
Pandora let out a triumphant cry and laughed. She looked around then smirked. "Let the Ruination begin.."
Ashen walked toward Pandora and perfectly dodged Asamona's trident. She landed on the ground and warped behind Ashen.
"Useless." Ashen perfectly dodged Asamona's sneak attack. He struck her with a Burst Strike and the strike slightly corrupted her.
Asamona grunted and coughed blood. "W-What the hell...is that..?"
"I've been working up on my techniques. Your forces are just merely training for us. You just got a feel of my Force of Corruption." Ashen explained. "Now any other villain wouldn't be stupid enough to tell his plans and abilities to heroes such as yourself...but I'm different. The moment Xovia set sights on Aestrea...they already lost."
Pandora smiled at Ashen, keeping her composure. However, she was being a huge fangirl of Ashen on the inside.
"Force of Corruption...a fusion between Burst Strike and Corruption Touch. Each and every hit corrupts you and because of the effects of Burst Strike, you can't block it. And you can't dodge it either...well you can't dodge me either." Ashen said.
"I can dodge-" Asamona started then her eyes widened when she sensed Ashen behind her.
Ashen grabbed her shoulder then placed his hand on her back. "Reveal.."
Asamona groaned then black flames erupted from her body. A monster symbol shined brightly on her chest. It took shape of a Kraken.
"She's a...monster..?" Reinhein said in complete shock.
'The Curse of the Infernal Demon. The Corrupt Embers are becoming active again..' Soca thought to himself.
Ashen let Asamona go then she fell to her knees in her normal state. He made a collar with a chain attached to it appear around Asamona's neck. "I am taking her prisoner. I am sure, most of you have high respect for her. Despite being a monster...who will come and stop me from torturing her for countless days...making her slowly lose sanity then corrupting her against her will?"
Ashen looked around then chuckled when no one took a step. That was until Reinhein stepped up, but he wasn't alone. The Knight in white armor also stepped up. Ashen stared at the knight then noticed the faint glow of the Courage Symbol on his gauntlets.
"Cipi, come get the prisoner. I think things just got more interesting." Ashen said then handed the chain leash to Cipi.
"Prince Ashen...A Monster hiding in human skin." The Knight said.
"Archibald. Our fated rematch starts..." Ashen said then a terrifying aura began to ooze out onto the battlefield from his cloak. "While everyone was fighting. I was busy perfecting this one attack."
Archibald looked confused then sensed an apocalyptic presence. "There's no possible way..."
"Behold! Death's Nature!" Ashen bellowed and snapped his fingers then all enemies who weren't immune to corruption were killed then resurrected as ruined units. All allies were healed completely and granted the ability to use Dark Elemental Attacks and gained a boost in dark based abilities and techniques.
"He just..." Reinhein said in total shock and devastation. "My brothers and sisters...my friends and cousins...my girlfriend..."
"How does it feel to lose those you loved and cherished most..? How would you like to watch it forever...every last moment.." Ashen said then snapped his fingers, putting Reinhein in a hallucination. "Devil's Vision. I can make you revisit and relive your most traumatic experiences. Man it must really suck for you now huh, Archibald."
"Do you ever shut the fuck up?" Archibald asked.
"No. And do you see who's winning this pathetic war? My entire army deserves to speak unjustly to your disgrace of an army." Ashen said.
"There's a lot of yapping going on, but not enough action. It's time we stop the small talk and start fighting!" Archibald said then got into his battle stance.
"Babe, allow me." Pandora said then stopped beside Ashen to kiss his lips.
"Really?" Ragnarok asked.
"Yes really." Pandora said then walked forward and got into her battle stance. "Now...You and me, Archibald."
...
"Kinona!" Zyre roared.
The sound of Zyre's angry voice, spooked both Kinona and Kagura. She turned back and noticed Zyre walking toward them. She held Kagura behind her, protecting her. Kagura looked at Zyre and looked nervous.
"What do you want? Can't you see I'm with my friend?" Kinona asked.
Zyre held his hand out and generated a force of energy that sent Kagura flying through a wall. "Now you're not. Now you have some explaining to do..."
"What could you possibly want out of me that you haven't heard before..?" Kinona asked.
"The truth about OUR son." Zyre said.
"Our? Pfft. You're talking about the brat across the globe or MY son? Plus I don't even claim that devil of your son as MY child. I might've given birth to him, but I am not his mother." Kinona said.
"My soldiers told me...Ashen is a monster. Is that true?" Zyre asked.
On the inside, Kinona was panicking. She knew if she answered wrong, her miracle was gone. She kept a stern face on the outside and looked at Zyre seriously. "He's not, he just has a very high amount of killing intent. We both know he wants to kill you even if it means killing your allies in the process. You're a homewrecker remember? He hated you from the moment you appeared and banished Aldrag from HIS home."
Zyre chuckled and crossed his arms. He charged at her and gripped her neck then raised her off the ground. "Do not lie to me you worthless waste of space. I can tell you're lying. Just for that...I will punish you and your little friend."
"Leave...Kagura alone..!" Kinona grunted and gripped his wrist. "You...will not hurt her..."
"Oh but I will...your only hope is gone. The Guardian is gone. Who's gonna stop me from torturing you into oblivion?" Zyre said with a menacing smirk.
Kinona struggled to escape his iron grip that he had on her neck. "He'll...be back...! He'll come back...and kill you...my people will be liberated from your kind..!"
Zyre tightened his grip on her neck, making Kinona gasp for air. He grunted as he threw Kinona across the room at full force. Kinona groaned as she crashed through Ashen's closet door. He noticed a distinct smell coming from Ashen's closet...the smell of rotten corpses. He walked toward the closet and kicked Kinona aside then noticed a staircase leading down.
"Well...well. The boy has a secret lair huh." He walked down the stairs and noticed the smell was getting stronger and stronger. He made it to the final step and noticed the corpses of his soldiers on the ground. "So...it's true. There's over 100 bodies in this lair. This confirms he is a monster and that he needs to die."
He walked to one of the corpses and noticed scars and scratches all over their body. One of the corpses had their eyes gouged out and another had their entire face ripped off.
"This is no ordinary killings...They were tortured each and every one of them. Some look like they even took their own lives." Zyre's eyes shined and he turned back around and made his way back upstairs. He noticed Kinona and Kagura were gone. "You're not getting away from me."
"Where...where are we going?!" Kagura asked and she had a tight grip on Kinona's hand, running.
"Anywhere that isn't this kingdom! We can not return here until Ashen gets back..!" Kinona said and transformed into a dragon.
Kagura mounted Kinona then Kinona flew off at high speeds. Zyre noticed Kinona and Kagura had retreated and didn't bother to chase after them. He walked back to the castle and prepared to take rule of Exithia for good.
.....
Archibald dashed toward Pandora and went for an jump slash, but she blocked it with her sword then smirked.
"The voices in my head...screaming! They're screaming!" Pandora laughed then knocked Archibald off his balance then palmed his stomach.
Archibald groaned then his armor cracked slightly. Pandora blew him away with an aura pulse then flew after him. She rushed him with attacks then grabbed his neck and spun around then threw him to the ground. She pointed her sword at him then a sword beam struck him and an explosion happened.
"She's so strong...Has sis been holding back this entire time..?" Silas asked in shock.
"This doesn't even come close to her full power. Our battle last time...she's much more stronger than this. What you're seeing is merely her Dark Mystic Form." Ashen said as he watched with his arms crossed.
Archibald flew out the smoke and bellowed. His eyes shined beneath his helmet then he dodged Pandora's attack then landed a slash on her. Pandora groaned as her stomach was cut. He began to rapidly slash at her then his sword shined brightly.
"Valor Slash!" He bellowed and slashed one more time, sending Pandora crashing down to the ground.
Pandora recovered and landed on her feet then dodged his stomp and deflected his cutting wave. "He's getting stronger by the second.."
"The Knight of Courage. His main thing is Willpower. That's why he's immune to even Ragnarok's corruption ability. Through sheer willpower he can make himself stronger and stronger in battle and outside battle." Ruination said.
"You say that as if that's gonna stop me." Pandora said then dashed toward Archibald.
She went for a punch, but he dodged it and countered with a Burst Strike. Pandora evaded the Burst Strike then punched his stomach, cracking his armor even more. She kicked him away then warped above him and slammed a large sphere of energy against him, causing another explosion. Archibald rolled backwards then rebounded onto his feet. He grunted and looked surprised as Pandora was already behind him. He slashed behind him, but his sword phased right through her body then he was blown away from a shockwave produced by Pandora's fingers.
"Let's see how you deal with my Ruin Wave!" Pandora laughed then began to fire waves of dark energy bullets from a magic circle she created.
Archibald deflected the first wave of bullets then blocked the beam attack Pandora unleashed. He grunted as he slid backwards. His helmet split in half from the force of the beam, but through sheer willpower he was able to deflect the beam back at Pandora. Pandora was hit by the beam and blown away.
"Mei!" Cecilia called out.
"Miss Pandora!" Mati said in shock.
"There's nothing special about Archibald other than he can Will anything to happen to his favor. That and he gains a boost of strength with each successful attack and he can drain one's willpower.." Ashen said.
Pandora grunted as she felt her Willpower being drained away by Archibald. He stood over her and held his sword over her. He prepared to deal the finishing blow then stopped when Pandora began laughing.
"Enjoying your final moments of life before I inevitably kill you..?" Archibald asked.
"Kill me..? Ha..! That's the funniest thing you've said this entire time.." Pandora said and grinned at Archibald.
"What do you hope to achieve by working with a Monster like Ashen? Someone who can and will destroy you at any given moment..?" Archibald asked.
"Well...for one he's my husband and for two...he isn't the only monster here." Pandora said and looked at the sky.
"What..?" Archibald asked then grunted as Pandora's aura blew him away. He landed on his feet and slid backwards. He looked at her and watched her stand. "I took away her willpower..! How is she moving?!"
Pandora's dark aura surged powerfully around her body then engulfed her. Red lightning crackled around her body then her aura disappeared revealing her 100% Monster Form. "I, too, am a Monster." Pandora grinned.
Everyone except Ashen and Ishia were surprised by this news. Pandora looked at Archibald and her demon wings emerged from her back.
Archibald held his hand out and tried to take her willpower away, but her aura deflected the attack. "What the-"
Pandora licked her lips and smirked. "Now you will see my true ultimate attack...Sui Generis."
A field of anti-energy stretched across the field and all other auras and energy other than hers and Ashen's were annihilated and erased.
Ishia grunted as she transformed into her normal form and even her dragon energy was erased. "What the.."
Sora experienced the same thing and looked at her hands. "My energy...I can't feel it anymore. It's gone.."
"What did you just do?!" Archibald yelled.
"I erased your energy. That means you can no longer use your Willpower abilities. Now it's time for you to die!" Pandora bellowed and conjured a massive ball of Ruin Energy. She began to absorb the field she set up and combine it with the ball of energy. "Oblivion Starfall."
Pandora tossed the ball of energy to the sky and it burst into tiny orbs of ruin energy and crashed down onto the battlefield. Archibald began dodging the orbs then was stuck in place by Ashen. He noticed his shadow was pinned, making him stuck in place.
"Now you die...Knight of Courage." Ashen smirked.
Archibald tried to escape and yelled then was struck with multiple orbs of ruin energy. Archibald yelled as his body began disintegrating. His screams of pain faded away and all there was left was the Core of Willpower. Pandora picked it up and walked over to Ashen. She smiled at him and handed it to him.
"Keep it. I already have Absolute Willpower." Ashen said.
Pandora nodded happily then absorbed the Core's power and gained the ability to control and manipulate Willpower. She reverted to her normal form and looked at everyone else. They were pretty afraid of Pandora now.
"With that, you can torture enemies easier and corrupt them with ease. Now that he's out the way, Xovia is literally a sitting duck." Ruination said.
Pandora nodded and walked forward. "There's nothing to fear. I am still the same Pandora you all know and love. Just like Ashen, I won't betray you all in any way or form. I will master my Sui Generis so you all won't be affected by it again."
Soca looked at Pandora then grunted as he felt his soul being chained up. "What-"
"But you, I fear you because I know you promised my husband you wouldn't attack him...but you can still attack me. The moment you have the intention of hurting me or Ashen before our alliance is finish, I will erase your soul, killing you instantly." Pandora said.
"There's no need for that. It's not like he can defeat us anyway." Ashen said then walked toward the Dragon Totem. "Not without the help of the Sacred Core. Now let's get these promotions done and head to Xovia to kill Xavier and destroy his kingdom!"