'No, no, no!'
This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
In Nico's mind, he still had the glorious final act left.
The climax of the whole show, and a time when he would put his all into one last, adamant strike.
Unfortunately, reality differed from his imagined fantasy.
Quickly standing up, Nico bolted towards the scuttling figure of the Dungeon Boss.
He consoled himself that the pain and suffering would soon all go away.
All he had to was catch up with the large arachnid and prevent it from killing Oliver's brother.
Simple, right?
Regrettably, life was never so.
Oliver and Leon both chased after him, the half-blood a half-step behind the elf who had an anxious and desperate look plastered on his face.
The speed of the Dungeon Boss was incongruous with its size.
Then again, spiders were known to be nimble, so Nico supposed it wasn't that big of a surprise for him to find it being very swift.
Still, that only meant more work for them and their beyond-battered bodies.
Nico roared internally, trying to strain himself one last time.
At the rate their feet pounded on the floor, compared to the swift scuttling of the overlord, they would eventually catch up.
The only problem with that was by then it'd have most likely been too late.
They needed something to stall the Dungeon Boss.
…And fast.
Isaac continued to run, fueled by anger, regret and helplessness. Being acutely aware of the rapidly approaching danger did nothing to ease the maelstrom of chaotic emotions pressing on his chest.
The air around his ears shimmered, shining like a long-forgotten mirage.
…A sign of his waning control over his soul energy, but also a glaring sign of his exhaustion.
As the young he-elf passed the cloaked figure who was leisurely standing to the side, beside the wall, he cursed his obnoxious teammate.
An ember of rage and hatred sparked within his heart.
The hooded individual was the reason he would probably lose his brother's life and that of his own.
Isaac knew the thought was slightly irrational, however, there was no denying the cloaked figure was strong.
Strong enough to at least help.
And while it may not have made a difference in the end, they could have continued to prolong their miserable existences for a short while longer.
As it was though, he couldn't change the past. So, the elf gave it his all, his lungs burning as he ran.
Occasionally he would glance at the map out of the corner of his eye to note how far he had left until he reached the crimson dome.
A crashing sound echoed behind him, rattling his nerves.
Isaac paid it no heed, afraid that if he looked back, he wouldn't have the energy to run anymore.
Further back, Nico couldn't believe what his eyes for showing him.
…The cloaked figure had stalled the Dungeon Boss himself.
And while it was only for a split-second - Nico thought he saw the cloaked figure throw an object beneath it which caused its legs to tangle - it served to hamper the arachnid so that it lost both its stride and accumulated momentum.
Why their disagreeable peer decided to act now, he did not know, and frankly did not care to find out.
Seizing the miraculous lifeline given to them by their unruly teammate, the vanguard desperately ran.
The Dungeon Boss unleashed a furious shriek, turning its many eyes onto the bored form of the cloaked figure.
Something suddenly clicked in its mind. Based on that lingering scent, this was indeed the person who had forcibly taken over its mind.
Glaring at the cloaked figure so hard that if looks could kill, he would have died a hundred times over, the arachnid lashed out at the hateful fellow.
The hooded individual suddenly moved, evading the strike with moderate ease.
He briefly surveyed the abomination, before chuckling darkly, "Don't worry, you'll get a taste of me real soon." The cloaked figure then nodded his head at the approaching vanguard, "First, you have to play with them though."
As the resolute forms of Nico, Leon and Oliver neared, they lunged at the stationary abomination.
The spear, sword and sledgehammer flashed in the misty gloom.
What followed was the slight shuddering of the demonic abomination and a maddened high-pitch gurgle.
Shaking off the lingering confusion cast by the strange hooded gnat, the Dungeon Boss prepared to finish off its prey once and for all.
It had been putting that off for too long.
A bloodthirsty hunger took root in its heart, and the only way to appease the gnawing sensation was through the sacrifice of these weak, pathetic ants.
"Oliver, go catch up with Isaac. Leon, help him get past the Dungeon Boss. After that, the choice is yours whether you wish to remain or leave. However, I suggest you flee. One of us has to make it out alive, and I prefer you do." Nico spoke quickly and urgently.
Oliver hesitated, obviously reluctant to leave the brown-haired boy behind, but also reluctant to refuse the way out his peer had given him.
A second later, Nico continued, giving the elf a knowing look. "You have a duty to your brother to keep him safe. Go! I will distract it with all my might."
Nodding his head in silent resignation, the charming green-haired youth sighed.
This brown-haired teammate of his would rank among the finest humans he would ever get to meet. Of that, Oliver was sure. He resolved to honour the boy's sacrifice by spreading the tales of his intrepid deeds all over the Empire.
Leon's grip on his sledgehammer tightened, his brows furrowing at Nico's attempt to sacrifice himself.
"Why?" he growled. "You're more important to me than my own life. You stood up for me at my lowest point, so why in Hesphaetus's name should I leave you to die on your own?!"
The half-blood's voice turned frantic the more and more he spoke.
"Because I'm tired. My soul has grown too weary. I'm tired of this blasted life and all its suffering." The brown-haired boy replied with a sigh.
In a way, death could also count as a form of freedom from this world…
Leon gritted his teeth and clenched his weapon tightly. "Is that a reason to go and sacrifice yourself?! What about Lottie, your mother, father and Aunt? Wouldn't they be heartbroken at the news?"
Nico winced, looking away, an ashamed expression forming on his face. "Because I'm a useless coward, Leon. I wasn't able to save two of the most important people to me when it counted most… so please, let me be selfish this once. I don't want you to die for my sake."
The half-blood's body trembled in pure rage.
Rarely had the brown-haired boy ever seen his friend so angry.
Releasing another sigh, Nico smiled a little bitterly, "If you do decide to come back, you must escort Oliver to the Dungeon Core first. We can't leave poor Isaac without an older brother."
Seeing Leon calm down slightly, he continued. "On the very low chance you decide to keep living, then send my regards to my family for me. Tell them it was a pleasure, and that I'm sorry I couldn't face them properly. It's been an honour… brother."
Nico extended his hand in one final farewell.
The half-blood's frame shook.
He wanted to scream, to shout, to knock some sense into his insufferable companion, but all that faded away once he saw the sincere smile on his new brother's face.
A pure, radiant smile filled with so much innocence… it pierced Leon's heart like a hot knife.
That smile resembled the one a kid would make when they had got what they finally wished.
The half-blood blinked back the rapidly forming tears, even as his body moved on its own to shake his brother's hand.
Nico then turned away and inhaled a deep breath of crisp, chilly air.
The action sent a slight pang through his exhausted body.
Nonetheless, he persisted, for this was it.
These were the final moments he had strived so hard to create.
The stage was set for his departing act, and he'd be damned if he didn't go out in the way he wanted.
Gripping the spear so hard he thought his knuckles might crack, Nico bent his knees and tensed his body like a coiled spring.
Opposite him, the crimson flame of madness within the arachnid's eyes deepened, its bloodlust escaping from its ghastly figure in palpable waves.
Nico focused, envisioning the Dungeon Boss as the last hurdle he had to pierce before he was finally free.
As his mind quieted, turning into a still lake, the brown-haired boy dashed forward, his eyes the sharpest they had ever been.
'Are you watching dear audience? Henry, Charlotte, Cedric and everyone else, this strike is for you!'
In his mind's eye, he imagined himself in the lightless void where life ended and true darkness began.
Across from him, he faced the greatest barrier he had ever seen. A wall, so insurmountable that he didn't even know where it began or ended.
Nonetheless, in this space where the void reigned supreme, his will flared, igniting like a brilliant star.
The trident-like spear hummed in response to its master's desire to rend the wall asunder.
Yelling with all his might as he neared the Dungeon Boss, Nico sensed a tiny green spark dancing in the corner of his vision.
He briefly wondered where it had come from. His mind buzzed vaguely.
Alas, he would never get a chance to know as the verdant ember instantly disappeared.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl.
In this state of increased awareness, the brown-haired boy perceived a thumb-sized crack on the icy carapace of the large Demon. The small rift allowed him to gain a peek at the second layer of armour beneath.
Adjusting his body, Nico took a deep breath, before synchronising his exhalation with an explosion of motion.
In his mind, he neared the insurmountable wall and thrust.
An unknown strength filled his veins, his intent permeating every inch of the lightless void.
The ominous spear whipped forward and screeched, deathly sharp.
A half-step behind, Leon and Oliver watched in quiet awe, their hearts heavy.
The arachnid released a furious bellow.
An explosion of sound racked the misty passage.
The hazy fog roiled, and kicked up like a plume of dust. Numerous stalactites shattered from the noise, and a chilly wind blew in all directions.
A distinct crack resounded before the mist settled slightly, still dense and profuse.
Nico knelt on one knee, holding his midsection.
He panted heavily, his lips curling into a satisfied smirk as he surveyed the damage his strike had caused.
Like a cracked mirror, countless minuscule lines snaked across the overlord's carapace.
The point where his spear and the ice met had a gaping hole, exposing the second sheet of ice beneath for all to see.
'Not bad!' Nico consoled himself, fighting against the pain.
He lifted his hand and felt his fingers slick and wet. He squinted. Further inspection revealed it was indeed his blood.
Nico sighed, placing pressure on the wound.
He sensed movement up ahead and reasoned that Oliver and Leon must have been able to get through.
That was good.
Nico just hoped his burly friend wouldn't try to run back and save him.
'Live, Leon. I'll watch over you from above, just like Henry's doing to us right now…'
Nico groaned, his gut screaming as he slowly shifted to lay his back against the nearby wall. His body sagged against the jagged rocks, the extreme abuse he had put it through now coming back to haunt him with full force.
Sounds of clashing reverberated from afar.
Nico's head spun.
He continued to apply pressure to his wound.
He did not think of the strangeness of the sound as he slowly, tortuously waited for his suffering to end.
***
Walking up to the Dungeon Boss, the cloaked figure had a wide smile on his face.
Whether that was because he was about to receive a chance to release all his pent-up emotions, or because the brown-haired boy had received a critical injury, and the time for his grand reveal was inching ever closer, he wasn't quite sure.
Probably, a mixture of both… he thought idly to himself.
In any case, as he neared the Dungeon Boss, he studied the damage his team had dealt on the icy carapace of the overlord.
And when he did, he couldn't help but let out a low whistle.
Even he would be hard-pressed to match that… well, the version of him that had to hold back, at least.
Now, gifted with an opportunity to let loose on an overwhelming foe, the cloaked figure's grin stretched. Reaching for the countless bandages wrapped around his body, he muttered, "Never thought there'd be a day when these would come in handy."
Concentrating, he quickly and efficiently unfurled a vast majority of the white dressing, watching the Dungeon Boss out of the corner of his eye.
As he expected, the arachnid was staring at him with murderous hate in its many beady eyes.
It slowly scuttled forward, determined to get its vengeance on him, the person who had enslaved it.
Unfortunately for it, that desire would never come to pass.
For at that moment, a thick, viscous, bone-chilling aura of death erupted from the cloaked figure.
A tenebrous mist also rose, devouring some of the pale fog.
Chuckling darkly, he gazed at the Dungeon Boss, a well of madness brimming beneath the hood.
"Come, little spider. The time has come for your corpse to bow to the future Overlord of Death!"