Gloom hung heavily in the air as Kimberley blinked back her disorientation, her mind trying desperately to make sense of the nightmare before her. With her heart pounding wildly in her chest, she struggled to process the ghastly reality that met her gaze.
Next to her lay the lifeless, dismembered remains of Kenny. "What the fuck! Is that...Kenny?" Kimberley's voice was barely above a whisper, choked with grief and shock. A wave of nausea rolled over her, and she doubled over, the acidic taste of bile burning the back of her throat.
But amidst the overwhelming panic and horror, a haunting sound sent a new shiver down her spine: a cackle, distant yet piercing. It was a sound laced with malevolence and arrogance. Determined to find the source, Kimberley summoned what little strength she had left, moving stealthily toward the sound. Her footsteps felt heavy, but every ounce of her being screamed at her to move forward, to understand, to confront.
Turning the corner, the sinister figure that greeted her was all too familiar. The sight of Fiend Udo, the very name that evoked fear in so many, was now seared into her mind forever. His derisive smirk made her blood boil. "U-do...?" she whispered, her voice wavering with disbelief.
Fiend Udo, holding Captain Barclay's heart with an unsettling ease, turned to face Kimberley, his expression one of mild amusement. "Oh, you're awake?" he sneered. The casualness of his words only amplified the horror of the scene around her. Calvin, Stella...all reduced to lifeless husks in this theatre of death.
"Udo... what are you doing?" Kimberley managed, each word a desperate plea, trying to reconcile the monster before her with the tales she had heard of him.
He took a deep breath, his gaze never leaving Kimberley's eyes. "Kimberley, is it? I'm sorry you had to witness this. These are just the necessary sacrifices in our mission to cure the world. Dovanity has plagued us for far too long. The forces of Nether grow stronger while the Dove army weakens. Sooner or later, Joseph Abrams's bubble will burst, and humanity will be forced to face the strongest beasts Nether has to offer. What then? Will you surrender? Accept defeat? Wake up! Dovanity is dead! Merely being a 'good person' in the eyes of God won't save your world. Do you understand?"
A dense silence followed Fiend Udo's chilling monologue. Kimberley stood there, shattered and vulnerable, grappling with the horrifying reality and the weight of his words. The world as she knew it was collapsing around her, and she was the lone witness to its descent into chaos.
Kimberley was momentarily paralyzed, the weight of Fiend Udo's cold and manipulative words pressing down on her like a leaden blanket. The clarity she once had regarding the situation and the world she lived in had been muddied by his twisted truths. But suddenly, a rush of determination surged through her, pushing her forward. Her hands clasped together, "Kalo: Divine '19," she chanted, and as if summoned by her fierce resolve, a double-action revolver manifested in her hand.
Without a moment's hesitation, she locked her sights on the fiend before her. "Die!" The venom in her voice was palpable, each word dripping with disdain and hatred. Yet, Fiend Udo's reaction was nothing more than a disinterested sigh, displaying a chilling indifference to the clear and imminent threat.
In what seemed like an instant, the very fabric of space and time appeared to bend around him. Before Kimberley's finger could even twitch towards the trigger, Fiend Udo stood behind her. The air grew tense, a palpable feeling of dread hanging thickly as his hand raised, poised to deliver a fatal blow.
But just as swiftly as the tables had turned against her, an unexpected ally came to Kimberley's aid. Threads, pulsating with an uncanny energy, latched onto Fiend Udo's arm, binding him. They constricted with every passing second, digging into his skin and drawing thin trails of blood
"What's this?" Fiend Udo's voice was tinged with genuine surprise for the first time. As he glanced at the threads, his momentary alarm gave way to recognition. "Fiend Vibration?" His tone was one of deep contemplation, as though he was trying to place the familiar sensation.
Then, as he followed the threads to their source, his eyes met those of Kelly Grieves. Her countenance was a mix of intense fury and pain, eyes brimming with tears yet unwavering in their resolve. "Is that...the woman from earlier?" Fiend Udo muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.
With a surge of force that belied his lean frame, Fiend Udo launched Kelly through the air, sending her crashing to the ground with a sickening thud. Kimberley, seizing the brief moment of distraction, distanced herself from the unpredictable foe.
"When did he get behind me? I didn't even see him move!" Kimberley's mind raced, trying to comprehend the sheer speed and skill displayed by Fiend Udo.
Fiend Udo's focus returned to Kelly, a frown marring his usually composed face. "Who is this woman? And why does she possess Fiend Vibration?" He paused, seeming to recall a distant memory. "Oh... that's right. Kelly Grieves. The one other host I couldn't fully control."
The implications of that statement hung heavily in the air, promising a battle of wills, strength, and dark powers that none of them might escape from unscathed.
Amidst the ruins and remnants of a battle once fought, Fiend Udo's voice rang out, clear and chilling. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? You're one of us. You should be fighting with me, not against..."
Kelly, who had been gathering her strength, now faced him directly, tears streaming down her face, each droplet bearing the weight of unspeakable grief. Her voice trembled, but the fire behind her words was unmistakable. "You killed my boy. My only son. He was everything to me. You took away the last piece of my life. The reason I had to keep going."
Amidst her anguish, a bitter chuckle escaped her lips. Her hand moved instinctively to wipe away the tears that blurred her vision. "But ironically, you've given me a new reason to live."
The determination in her eyes was a stark contrast to her earlier desolation. They now held Fiend Udo with an intensity that was both challenging and vengeful. "Mark my words. I will use every ounce of my strength to stop you and your movement. As long as I'm alive, you better watch your fucking back!"
The sheer audacity of her defiance seemed to infuriate Fiend Udo. He glared, his facial muscles taut with barely suppressed rage. Then, in a sudden twist, his glare morphed into wild, unbridled laughter, echoing eerily around them. "Watch my back? For what? Do you honestly think you can stop me? Stop us? Wake up, Kelly. We are destined to conquer the world, and there's nothing anyone can do about it!"
Flexing his shoulders, Fiend Udo began to saunter towards Kelly, an air of malevolent confidence in his every step. "Normally, I'd give one of my own a second chance. But unfortunately..." he paused, his glare intensifying, "...I can't stand traitors."
Without warning, he lunged, closing the distance between them in mere moments. His hand shot out, poised to deliver a fatal blow. "Goodbye, Kelly," he whispered coldly.
However, fate had a different plan. As if held by some invisible force, he stopped mere millimetres from her face, his palm almost grazing her skin. He seemed perplexed, struggling against an unseen power. "What the... What's happening? I feel something restraining me... Wait, could it be... Udo?"
Then, a sharp pang of pain seemed to strike him. He clutched his head, his proud demeanour crumbling as his anguished screams filled the air. Whatever was happening, the tables were once again turning.
Fiend Udo's voice, filled with both rage and pain, echoed throughout the vicinity. "Arghhhh! You son of a bitch, Udo! What do you think you're doing!?" He was no longer the dominant force he once was. Instead, he was brought to his knees, his pride shattered by the overwhelming agony that consumed him.
His form, usually so tall and intimidating, was now writhing on the ground. "This fucking brat! Trust me, you piece of shit! I will win! Fiendity will win!" he howled, his voice dripping with pure malice.
From the chaos, another voice emerged—subdued but unwavering. "We...will...see...about...that..." Udo's words seemed to hang in the air, like the calm after a storm.
At the epicentre of this tumult stood Kelly, her gaze distant, her expression an amalgamation of sorrow and emptiness. The head of the very man whose voice had just emerged lay chillingly at her feet. A testament to the devastating reality they all just witnessed.
Kimberley, with a sense of purpose, approached the seemingly lifeless body of Udo. The revolver, an extension of her very hand, was reloaded, her fingers curling around it with a vengeance. But just as she was about to mete out her brand of justice, a soft touch surprised her. Kelly's hand gently rested on hers. "Don't. He's still in there."
Kimberley's gaze locked onto Kelly's, searching for an explanation. "But...but what if it--"
Kelly cut her off, her voice gentle yet firm. "It will only come out if Udo uses his Fiend vibration again. It doesn't mean he has to die."
Kimberley's steely resolve began to waver. "But if he can't use his Fiend vibration anymore, how is he supposed to fight--"
"He can't. He can't fight anymore. He needs to head home. His journey ends here," Kelly interrupted.
The weight of the situation settled upon Kimberley. She looked at Udo, lying defeated, and her frustration began to bubble up once more. A torrent of emotions danced across her face.
"Dammit."