Sky's dead body flew back as Cloud laughed. "Stupid traitor! Lady Kira only let me borrow you in hopes she could have you killed and make Juniper 2nd lieutenant... Seems, either way, you'll be dying here..."
Cloud grabbed Sky, looking at his cold dead eyes for a second before punching him in the face, simultaneously kneeing him in the solar plexus.
"Ugh... I hate traitors, they're always so silent when they realize their actions were stupid," Cloud said, punching Sky in the face again, knocking him back.
"Stupid." A kick. "Fucking." A punch. "Traitors!" Cloud ripped his hand into Sky's face, completely shattering the already dead Arcadian's skull as blood flowed down Cloud's body... Yet it wasn't his own.
"Ahh~!" Cloud yelled in pleasure, pinning the already dead body to the ground. He reached over, grabbing Sky by the leg, squeezing tight and crushing the bone "You stupid ass piece of shit," Cloud whispered, squeezing tighter and harder.
By the time Cloud was done, Sky's body was just a mess of blood, no solid piece of him was left, the Arcadian Sky Trotter ceased to exist.
Cloud breathed in, calming himself as he looked to the side, seeing the group looking for the door they'd originally came to Scotland in.
"Damn it! Where is that stupid portal!" Shen Yi yelled in frustration as she looked back, locking eyes with the white-haired murderer.
"Don't push it, I know you are feeling motivated due to my praise... But Cloud is beyond your capabilities," Theriault said, quickly catching her look of bravery when she had looked at Cloud.
"Oh?" The woman replied. "And how would you possibly know? You've never seen me genuinely try and kill someone, so what do you mean 'beyond' me!" She scoffed, crossing her arms in anger.
She knew he was right, which annoyed her even more.
Theriault let her complain, but he didn't have time to argue with her, he had an injured questmate on his shoulder and a murderous Arcadian behind them. He couldn't waste any time.
"There!" He suddenly yelled, seeing the broken and splintered wood in front of a passageway, clearly where people had tried to escape during an attack.
There was dried blood on the walls, and dozens upon dozens of bones scattering the floor, the sight of it almost made him sick... Almost.
"And so you run again Theriault!" He heard Cloud yell hoarsely.
'He's out of energy, clearly trying to recuperate, now's our chance,' Theriault thought, ignoring Cloud as he pushed Scthach and Shen Yi toward the door.
Sure enough, there was the well. It stood untouched despite the chaos that had happened around it. "Perfect."
Theriault directed Shen Yi toward the well first, handing Scathach Hunter.
"Theriault! Don't ignore me! How about we fight? Stop running away from your problems!" Cloud yelled as Shen Yi paused at the opening of the well.
"What is he talking about?" She asked.
"Holy shit! Shen Yi we don't have the time!" Theriault yelled angrily, pushed her toward the well as Cloud continued.
"What will you do when that crew fails as well? Or when they betray you, or when they are killed?! How much mental abuse can you handle Theriault! Everyone has a breaking point!"
Shen Yi fell down the well as Cloud continued. Theriault grabbed Hunter and threw him in as well.
"I believe this being will be helpful to ease my anger..." Scathach said. Theriault immediately noticed the change in her demeanor and tone, as if she could actually feel something.
"Hey, go down the well now," He said coldly, grabbing her by the wrist as his eyes glowed.
"Theriault! What about Kira! I thought you loved her! Or Marques! How can you betray your best friend!" Cloud yelled, his steps echoing down the hall, indicating he was now running toward the door.
Scathach jumped in the well just as Cloud reached the door, his smile wide as he rushed into the room.
Theriault jumped into the well, the energy beginning to envelop him.
*Snatch!*
Theriault flew to the side, missing the opening as Cloud smiled down on him.
"Is this familiar... Mate?" Cloud asked, his eyes full of excitement as Theriault stood up.
"Nope, I don't recall anything like this."
Theriault flashed forward, kicking Cloud in the face, palm striking his hip and spinning, sweeping Cloud's legs out from under him and sending the Arcadian crashing down.
"That's familiar though... Yo Cloud, quit it with that shit, you don't know me at all, as for Kira and Marques... Give them my warning..."
Theriault got close to Cloud's face, his eyes glowing a bright gray. "Tell them if they don't fuck off I'll tear their entire kingdom to the ground..."
Theriault stood up, jumping into the well, whispering something as he did so.
The well collapsed as Theriault went through, breaking the opening and cutting off the magic.
"Haha... I'd love to see that...
***
Scathach landed next to the others, noticing Theriault standing above the still unconcious Hunter..
"You should probably help," She said softly, watching Theriault's lips twitching slightly as he looked at Shen Yi performing cpr on the boy.
Theriault glanced back then turned to her, his face blank.
"He doesn't need my help, he's died just a little, he'll be fine soon, quit with the chest compressions Shen Yi, we have places to be..." Theriault grabbed Hunter's body by the ankle yanking him in the air and slinging him over his shoulder.
"I must warn you Lady Scathach..." Theriault said as they began walking down the large mountain, the fresh air of Ireland filling their lungs. "The world is vastly different from what you remember."
"Well I am not surprised, the place I come from was far stranger than this," She responded quietly, pointing out they'd just been in an opposite world from earth.
"That's fair, but if it was opposite to this, then it will take some getting used too," Theriault said as Shen Yi spoke up.
"Yeah, and if you're joining us permanently, then you better get ready for no sleep, showers or comfortability," She grumbled, trying to distract herself from Hunter's body.
She'd felt it, he was dead. His heart didn't even have a faint beat, no it was completely still.
"You should stop being so worried," Theriault muttered after a few moments, looking back at Shen Yi. "He's different from you, as am I. You worry over nothing..."
"You always do that, if you're just going to be mysterious about everything don't bother warning me!" Shen Yi yelled suddenly, frustrated at Theriault's cryptic way of speaking.
"So emotional, all I'm saying is he's fine, he might feel dead... But I can tell he's fine..."
...
Meanwhile, in a land of fire and lava, a boy laid softly against the flame, his breathing slow before he opened his eyes, the irises glowing a crimson gold.
"Welcome young Voxlend, to your first rebirth," Fenghuang said, lightly kicking Hunter in the side, looking down on him as a giant Phoenix.
"Fenghuang... Where are we?" Hunter asked, sitting up and looking around at the fiery landscape. The first thing he noticed was his improved form, his body was much more muscular than he remembered. Then he noticed he was completely nude and covered himself quickly.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing!" He yelled at Fenghuang, who chuckled quietly. "Ahh Hunter, you are quite amusing... But now is not the time for jokes, you have quite a lot ahead of you to prepare your mortal body for your new self..."
"New self?" He asked.
Fenghuang's explanation was interrupted though by a loud crack.
A woman appeared in front of Hunter, her eyes blood red as she quickly looked him up and down, flashing to his side and lifting up his arm, then doing the same to the other side.
"How curious," She muttered as Hunter widened his eyes, snatching his arms away and covering his crotch.
"Who are you!" He yelled, looking at Fenghuang, who sighed and shrunk down, revealing a human form that looked like an older version of Hunter.
"This is Bennu... One of the many different pheonixes that we used to be..." Fenghuang said, looking distastefully at the woman.
"It's exciting seeing another reincarnation, I wonder how long will he last till he burns out and just becomes another one of us?" Bennu said, smiling at Hunter's nude form.
"Wait wait, back up," Hunter said, crossing his arms before realizing and covering himself once again. "What do you mean we? I'm a human not a pheonix..."
Fenghuang and Bennu both chuckled at this, looking at each other with a knowing expression.
"That's how we all start out, The Pheonix isn't a single legend, or a single person, we are a being, we are the immortal drive of power that was created to protect the mortal world from the dark times... When the pheonix goes through it's final breath, the power is passed on..."
Hunter looked at Fenghuang, a concerned look on his face.
"You mean..." He said as he understood what Fenghuang meant.
"That's right, with the catalyst of the key, you have become the next Pheonix, when Saberhagen locked me in it I didn't think the cycle would be halted... But it has, and now dark and dangerous beings are resurfacing... You met one for the first time... And died."
Hunter looked at Bennu, then back at Fenghuang.
"With that said young voxlend, are you prepared? The first reincarnation is always the hardest to go through, it is a painful process but... You'll live."