Iris still sat crisscross in her cube while wearing her armor when Axel, Jayden, and Admin appeared on the scene. She was visibly struggling with something as her body kept twitching and jerking.
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
Jun was busy trying to talk to her from the outside since there was no actual door inside. Admin just created one whenever Iris entered/left. "Iris?? Iris, can you hear me?!"
"The whole cube is sound proof inside and out. She can't hear us." Admin informed him. "It's to prevent any distractions that may unbalance her mental state."
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
"Then where is all this obnoxious beeping coming from?!" Jayden yelled over it.
"It's a trigger alarm coming from the containment cell itself. It's set to go off if her mental stability drops below a certain percent." She moved closer to it and looked at Iris's bracelet. Her mental stability had dropped to 22%.
"This isn't good." She said plainly.
Axel walked up beside her to get a closer look. "What's going on with her? Looks like she's having a seizure."
"I wouldn't get too close. That goes for any of you. Her mental stability meter represents the degradation of her mental state while wearing the armor. That armor has had many wearers since it was crafted and almost all of them went mentally insane from the cursed energy woven into the armor. The one who first wore it still haunts it. It reflects its will upon you. Its wants. And it doesn't care what happens to you in the process of getting that."
Iris stood up from her seated position.
"If that percentage drops below 20%, I can't guarantee that I can keep her properly contained." While Admin kept her usual collected tone, she was starting to wonder if there was cause for concern at this point.
That armor is unpredictable, Admin thought. I really didn't think the toll it would take on her would be long lasting, but there appears to be a build up of strain on her body. Push comes to shove I may have to neutralize.
Iris walked up to the edge of the containment cell. All she could hear were the loud thoughts all speaking at once and about the same thing.
"Kill them all and devour their core." She repeated back in a vicious tone. The influence had gripped her tightly and she had become too weary to fight back.
< Mental Stability: 19% >
Iris reached back with her right arm and slung it forward, stabbing the wall of the containment cell with the attached blade on the forearm. It bounced right off at first, but that didn't stop Iris. She kept stabbing at the spot until a tiny crack finally appeared.
"What is she trying to do?" Jun asked as he took a step back.
"If it ever drops below 20%, the spirit of the original wearer buried deep within the confines of the armor will fully awaken. It'll take control of the host and actualize its own will. This is why the Armor of Corruption is named just that - it will corrupt your psyche and take everything."
Iris punched the crack yet again, causing it to spread across the cube.
"Then you're telling me..." Jun continued.
"Yes. That is no longer Iris."
Iris went for one final thrust and finally hit home as the blade pierced through and shattered the remaining surrounding glass. She stepped out from where the cell in the direction of the slayers.
You could hear the glass being crushed beneath her foot. No one was quite sure what to do yet as they didn't know what to even expect from her at the moment. Jayden was the first to take a step towards her.
"Iris? Is everything okay?"
She turned her head towards Jayden. "...."
"Can you hear me?"
A light wheezing can be heard coming from the armor. The air around them seemed to thicken ever since Iris emerged from the cell.
"Holy shit." Axel mumbled as he used his Celestial Vision to check out her energy levels - while it was impressive, what he most noticed was what was behind the energy. Buried within it. They could all feel something ancient and evil tied within that armor now.
Axel drew his blade and held it out in front of him. "Something tells me we may have to kill your friend here." Axel commented to the others.
"Nonsense! She's always been able to maintain control." Jun said, denying what was transpiring around him. "Iris! Answer me, are you okay?" He tried conversing with her again.
"This isn't like before, Jun." Admin stated.
Iris held out her hand towards Jun. "I will feast...on slayer flesh...NOW!" She yelled as she suddenly, without warning, released a beam of black energy from her outstretched hand. Axel dove out the way and Jayden whisked Admin out of the range of the blast.
Jun was the only one that remained close having quickly sidestepped at the last moment. "Iris, you have to listen! This armor isn't stronger or smarter than you. I know you! Just remember, I picked you for a reason. Remember?!"
Jun was desperate, but he also kept his hand ready to move to his blade. He knew he had to reach her somehow if he didn't want to take that next move.
As she took her next step, she buckled forward slightly. She immediately reached up and grabbed onto her head. "I...It hurts...so bAd! Jun..I cAn'T...k-k-keep it awaY...tHIs tiMe..." She managed to eek out.
She looked to Axel who stood with his sword at the ready. "PleASe...You haVe t-to kill Me bEFOre I do s-s-somEthInG teRRible..."