A sudden wave of nausea crashed over Asura, his breath hitching in his throat. His vision blurred for a moment, his body trembling as if something inside him had broken loose. Deep within his mind, the embers of madness, long buried but never truly extinguished, flickered hungrily, waiting for weakness to seize him once more. What was that?
The thought barely formed as the fog in his mind began to clear. Yet, in its place, only a single chilling echo remained from the depths of his brief descent into insanity. I must kill. I will purge the vile weeds that plague the garden. The words were not his own, yet they pulsed through his veins like a curse, an ancient venom that had always lurked at the edges of his consciousness. It felt old, something banished and forgotten, yet never truly gone. A shadow from the past that had always waited for the right moment to resurface.
Then, the voices came. They whispered, they shouted, they clawed at his sanity, their words twisting through his mind like thorns. Kill them… Kill them all. Do you think the humans will not betray you? They only use you for their plans. Slaughter them. Every last one. Why spare them? Why show mercy now? Do not be a fool. They will never accept you.
Asura jerked his head from side to side, his breath ragged. His white eyes, once sharp with focus, now darted wildly as if searching for something unseen. A deep panic overtook him. His muscles tensed, his hands clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles went white. Lydia's stomach twisted as she watched him, her instincts screaming at her to act. Something was wrong. Asura no longer looked like himself. He looked like an animal, trapped, desperate, and cornered.
Then, he roared, his voice laced with agony. "Shut up! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" The sound was raw, shaking the very air around them. He wasn't looking at Jormungandr anymore. Something else had taken hold of him. Something the others couldn't see. Wain tried to reason with him, but Asura lunged, his hands reaching for Wain's throat. Lydia reacted instantly, tackling the ogre and pinning him to the ground. "Focus!" she yelled, her voice sharp.
Asura thrashed, his jaws snapping, his four arms flailing as he tried to break free. Lydia, remembering their sparring session, anticipated his moves, dodging his attacks with practiced ease. She raised her fist, channeling her mana into a concentrated burst of power. Wain, seeing the determination in Lydia's eyes, cried out, "Wait! WAIT!" But Rose and Mel held him back, their grips firm.
Lydia's fist crashed into Asura's chest like a thunder strike, sending a shockwave rippling through the air. A bolt of lightning erupted from the ground, arcing skyward as the sheer force of the impact made the earth quake beneath them. "Snap out of it!" she shouted, her voice sharp with urgency. "Get yourself together!" Asura staggered, the madness in his eyes flickering, but there was no time to see if he had regained control.
Above them, Jormungandr's monstrous jaws slammed shut with a bone-rattling clap. The air trembled as the beast coiled once more, its throat swelling, preparing to unleash another devastating blast. Wain's heart pounded in his chest as he frantically dug through his bag. The lack of mana present in his body left him feeling powerless, with no way to provide aid. But there has to be something. His fingers fumbled through vials and scrolls, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. Where is it…? He shoved his hand into his backpack's pocket, sifting through the clutter, paper scraps, broken chalk, and useless junk, until his fingers brushed against something small. A purple label. His pulse spiked.
Lydia's mind raced, desperately trying to form a plan, but the overwhelming mana radiating from Jormungandr sent a sharp, searing pain through her skull. Every thought felt like it was being torn apart, but she forced herself to focus. "Rose," she gritted out, her voice strained, "protect everyone. I'll get close and build up enough marks to summon an angel strong enough to strike it down."
Rose hesitated for only a second before nodding, determination flashing in her eyes. "Kane, Mel," Lydia continued, her breath coming hard and fast, "you two come up with a backup plan. I'll buy us time." Asura's voice cut through the chaos, barely audible above the crackling energy building around them.
"Can't you interrupt it?" he shouted. "Shoot its jaw with something big!" Lydia whipped her head down to see Asura staring at Mel, his expression finally clearing as his mind settled. The madness that had consumed him moments ago had lifted. Mel adjusted her stance, the weight of the rocket-propelled grenade launcher steady against her shoulder. Her fingers trembled slightly as she aimed, pouring a large amount of mana into the round. She didn't know if it would be enough, but she had to try.
"Judex Divinum strengthens those who follow the light. Through Hephestine, the dullest blades sharpen!" she whispered, her voice laced with both fear and faith. Lydia glanced at Asura again, frustration flickering in her eyes. "We already know this isn't going to work?"
"Yes," Asura admitted, his gaze locked on the sky where the serpent loomed. "but if you can push his jaw up into the sky, what the fuck is going to get hit?" With a grunt, he launched himself to his feet, his focus sharpening as if his body had finally caught up with his mind. Lydia narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Never better," Asura muttered, rolling his shoulders. Then—click. Mel pulled the trigger. The missile erupted from the launcher with a deafening roar, slicing through the air toward Jormungandr's gaping maw. The instant it left the barrel, it ignited, engulfed in a holy amber fire. It blazed like a fallen star, streaking toward its target.
"Please, God..." Mel whispered under her breath. Her hands trembled, sweat rolling down her temple. The process was agonizingly slow. The larger the bullet, the longer it took to form. If she were using a smaller weapon, she could create ammunition in seconds. But this? This massive explosive required moments they didn't have. Seconds that could cost them everything. The missile struck.
A thunderous explosion ripped through the air as it collided with Jormungandr's jaw. Fire and smoke engulfed the serpent's face in a violent inferno, swallowing the sky in a blinding blaze. For a single, breathless second, there was hope. Then the smoke began to clear.
Rose's heart pounded as she searched for any sign of damage. As the black smoke thinned, a deep, pulsing purple light flickered from the other side. Her stomach dropped. Jormungandr was untouched. The blast had done nothing. The great serpent hadn't even flinched. Lydia's blood ran cold. Then, she gave a commanding scream. "PUT UP A WALL, ASH!"
Panic twisted through her chest as she imagined the devastating force about to rain down on them. There wasn't a Paladin alive who could conjure a barrier strong enough to withstand such an onslaught. But Ash had proven to be a prodigy, far ahead of others with Michael's incantations.
"JUDEX DIVINUM IS MY PROTECTOR AND SHIELD. THROUGH MICHAEL, THE WALLS OF HEAVEN WILL NOT FALL!" Ash's voice rang out like a battle cry, and the golden wall surged to life. Lydia, Rose, and Kane didn't hesitate. They poured their mana into him, each knowing the risk. They were shoving far too much power into his body, beyond any natural limit. It could kill him. It would kill him. But there was no other choice.
Ash's muscles spasmed, his skin searing as holy energy flooded his veins. He gritted his teeth, forcing his body to endure, to hold. Even if it meant losing his life. Cracks spiderwebbed across his skin, glowing with raw power as the golden wall continued to rise. His body started to heat to an intolerable temperature, burning him from the inside out. The group could only watch as Purity Burn began to take hold, its relentless fire creeping toward Ash's heart.
Layer upon layer, the barrier formed before them. A magnificent, holy fortress. But as the structure grew, so did the tension. With every layer added, the same thought crept into all their minds. Would it be enough? Or had they just delayed the inevitable? Asura looked to the humans beside him, searching their faces for any glimmer of hope, but all he found was the shadow of despair. None of them believed they would survive this.
Jormungandr's jaws shot open, the pressure reaching its peak. A blinding beam of fire shot forth from within, punching into the earth. The flames poured over the battlefield like a molten tide, devouring everything in their path, reducing the world around them to nothing but ash. Yet, the golden wall stood, shaking, splintering, but holding. For now.
Ash wavered, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to maintain consciousness. The overwhelming heat pressed down on them, sweat pouring from every pore as the air itself burned. It felt like they were being cooked alive. Asura's gaze flickered to the wall, watching in horror as the cracks deepened, spreading like jagged veins through its golden surface.
He then looked at Ash, his body was breaking apart. The holy energy surged through him, carving glowing fractures into his arms, his face, his very being. The light was consuming him. Lydia and Rose desperately summoned their own barriers to reinforce the crumbling wall, but their attempts shattered the moment they formed. It was all up to Ash.
Asura turned, spotting a ruined car just behind them. Without hesitation, he seized the large metal wreck and dragged it forward, wedging it against the wall as another layer of defense. He braced himself against it, pressing his back against it with his arms spread wide. I'll survive this… His eyes studied the faces of his friends, their eyes all on him. But they won't.
"Shit… what do we do?" he muttered, his mind racing. "Fuck! I need a weapon—where the hell can I get one? I can't… fuck!" He screamed in frustration, unable to find a way to save those he had befriended. Lydia and Rose moved beside him, each placing a hand on the vehicle. Their mana flared, swirling through the twisted steel as they chanted in unison.
"Judex Divinum provides us strength when we stand against evil! Through Hephestine, the armor of Judex Divinum is given!" The car glowed as holy runes spread across its surface, its structure reinforced with holy energy. "That should hold against the fire," Lydia said, panting. "It's a car!" Asura barked. "Of course, it isn't going to hold! Figure out another plan!"
The three pressed their backs against the metal, hoping, praying, that it would be enough. A strangled cough pulled Asura's attention to Ash. The paladin dropped to his knees, his body trembling as he vomited blood, the crimson liquid pooling beneath him. Beside him, Mel pressed a trembling hand to his chest, her healing magic flowing over him. But she didn't dare push mana inside. A drop could kill him instantly.
Behind them, Wain collapsed to the ground, coughing violently. His skin had gone pale, his lips cracked, his sunken eyes fluttering in and out of focus as his body convulsed. "WAIN!" Asura roared, his voice barely carrying over the hellish storm of fire behind him.
A sudden jolt sent a tremor through the car. Its weight increased tenfold. Asura's heart clenched. The wall had fallen, shattered, dissolving away into nothing. Only the metal car stood between them and annihilation. "SHIT! EVERYONE GET OFF THE CAR!" Asura screamed at those beside him.
Rose's head snapped toward him, her expression bewildered. "WHY?! WE CAN HELP!" Asura didn't waste another second. With two of his arms, he grabbed Lydia and Rose and hurled them toward the priests before him. "GET THE FUCK OFF!" he bellowed.
The car pulsed, the reinforced steel glowing an ominous red as unbearable heat coursed through it. Lydia watched in stunned silence, her breath catching as the scene unfolded. Asura gritted his teeth, his hands tightening around the melting metal. His skin began to char. "FAHHHHHHCKKK IT HURTS!" The sickening sizzle of burning flesh filled the air, the acrid stench making Ash gag as he vomited again.
Mel clenched her fists, fighting back the wave of nausea that surged through her. Asura's body twisted in agony as the searing metal folded around him, melding into his flesh. Rose, still frozen in disbelief, watched as the ogre stood unyielding against the purple sea of the inferno, protecting them from a fate worse than death. To think… a monster would go this far to protect humans… Rose thought, her heart holding onto a glimmer of hope.
Asura bit down hard on his lip, the coppery taste of blood flooding his mouth as he fought to stay conscious. His entire body trembled from the unbearable agony of his flesh being devoured by molten metal. Normally, fire posed little threat to him. But inside the ruined car, another battle raged, one not of steel and flame but of mana. The holy mana infused within the vehicle clashed violently against Jormungandr's quotidian mana, each force seeking to overpower the other.
The result was an ever-escalating heat that defied reason, an inferno so intense it was a miracle the car hadn't liquefied entirely. Seconds stretched into eternity. Then, at last, the fire ceased, Jormungandr's breath had ended. Asura gasped as the unbearable temperature began to subside. He let out a pained roar, his voice raw with desperation. "Get me out!" He struggled against the warped metal, but the car had fused around him, imprisoning him within its molten grasp.
Every movement sent fresh waves of agony through his body as the steel twisted with his frantic attempts to break free. Lydia grabbed onto his torso and pulled with all her strength. The metal groaned, reluctant to release him, but with one final heave, Asura tore free from his molten prison, collapsing onto the ground in a heap. He sucked in lungfuls of air, every breath ragged with exhaustion. "Dude... that sucked..." he muttered, barely able to form words.
Lydia stood over him, her wide eyes locked onto the remains of the vehicle. What little was left of it collapsed onto itself, a thin pool of molten metal slithering across the ground. If the fire had continued for even a few more moments, they all would have been lost. Wain, pale and unsteady, forced himself to his feet. His body swayed, his limbs trembling, but he stumbled forward and grabbed onto Asura's arms.
"I know... how to... win..." he choked out. Asura studied Wain's face, his complexion grave as if he were on the brink of death. Somehow, he had endured something even more harrowing than what the ogre had suffered. "What happened?" Asura asked, grabbing hold of his friend.
ain weakly shook his head, dismissing the question. His breath came in ragged gasps as he clutched onto Asura's arm, his grip feeble but insistent. "No... time... win... now..." Asura's brow furrowed in confusion. "How?" Wain's pale lips parted, his voice barely above a whisper. "A cup." Asura blinked. "A cup?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Yes! Cathedral… INSIDE… GO!" Summoning what little strength he had left, Wain shoved Asura toward the ruins. His desperate eyes locked onto the ogre's.
"STILL A ROOM! FIND CUP! DRINK!" His voice cracked, his body trembling, but his urgency was undeniable. Asura staggered back, his mind racing, but there was no time for doubt. Wain needed him to move. Now. Confusion clouded Asura's mind, but before he could demand an explanation, a deafening crash thundered through the battlefield. Jormungandr's colossal body slammed back into the earth, sending a violent shockwave rippling through the ground.
The force nearly sent Wain sprawling. Asura reached out to steady him, but the man violently fought him off. "GO! NO TIME!" Wain's rasping voice barely carried over the rumbling earth.
Then, Asura saw it, the opportunity Wain had been waiting for. The dust from the impact clouded the battlefield, momentarily obscuring Jormungandr's vision. The great serpent's massive eye darted through the haze, searching for its prey. Asura clenched his fists. This was his chance. Without hesitation, he sprinted past the priests, barreling toward the cathedral ruins.
The others, still reeling from the ogre's sudden retreat, gawked in disbelief. "Where are you going?!" Lydia shouted after him. "A CUP!" He yelled as he raced away. Reaching the base of the ruins, Asura skidded to a halt, scanning for an entrance. Nothing. Gathering his strength, he bent his knees and launched himself skyward, landing hard against Jormungandr's rugged hide.
Asura's breath exploded from his chest upon impact, but he didn't let the pain stop him. With grit and determination, he dragged himself across the jagged, mountainous scales of Jormungandr. The serpent shifted beneath him, its massive body writhing in resistance. Asura gritted his teeth, pushing himself higher, his four arms working in unison to pull his battered form forward. Every movement sent sharp stabs of agony through his raw, scorched flesh, the exposed skin screaming as it burned beneath the open air.
Finally, he reached the peak, the top of Jormungandr's body. With a grunt, he released his grip and let himself fall, rolling over to the other side. He tumbled off the beast, hitting the ground below with a heavy crash. Pain shot through him as he landed on one knee, panting. "I did it. Now what…?" He asked himself. His gaze darted across the wreckage, searching for anything that resembled a cup.
"A cup… what the hell does he mean? A kitchen? A dining hall? Some kind of relic?" His frustration bubbled over. "FUCK!" He lashed out, kicking a rock in sheer irritation. The small stone disappeared into the dust, clattering against something with a sharp, hollow thunk. Wood.
Asura's head snapped up. "Wait… a door?" He sprinted toward the sound, skidding to a stop before a tall, wooden door still miraculously standing amid the destruction. His four hands latched onto the handle. He pulled. Nothing. He braced his stance, throwing his full weight into it. The door didn't so much as budge. "Is it locked?" He growled under his breath, frustration mounting.
With no other options, he pulled two of his arms back and let loose a powerful punch. The force tore the door from its hinges, sending it hurtling into the room beyond. It crashed against the back wall with a resounding thud before clattering to the floor. Asura stepped forward, his breath heavy. "If all else fails, use your head... or hand, in this situation."
As Asura stepped into the room, the air around him shifted with a heavy, ancient weight. The space stretched out like a grand museum, but instead of art, it was filled with weaponry. Dozens of gleaming blades, spears, and tools of war were encased in pristine glass, lining the center of the room. A faint dusting of age clung to the glass, preserving each weapon's pristine appearance. "Sweet! This is exactly what I need... but I can't use any of them..."
Asura's eyes darted across the displays, his mind searching for something, anything, that could help him. His gaze landed on a nearby case, a particularly interesting one. Pressing his hands against the glass, he peered inside. A spear. The weapon had a long hickory shaft, its silver point glinting under the dim light.
His knuckles tapped against the glass, then, with a grunt, he shattered it with a single punch. The shards of glass fell in a delicate shower as he snatched the weapon from its resting place. "They were liars!" Asura exclaimed with a grin, tightening his grip on the weapon.
The moment his fingers closed around the shaft, golden flames erupted from his hand. The searing heat shot up his arm, gnawing at his flesh with a brutal intensity, spreading like wildfire. His body locked up, unwilling to release the weapon despite the agony. In desperation, Asura hurled himself at another display, toppling it over, but managing to free his hand from the cursed weapon.
With gritted teeth, he flexed his fingers, trying to shake off the pain. "Okay... maybe no weapon. A cup it is," he muttered, his frustration mounting. He scanned the room, his mind racing. "If I were a cup, where would I be?" Time was ticking, and with each passing second, the weight of his failure grew heavier.
He couldn't afford to waste another moment. His eyes locked onto the glass cases around him, and in a fit of growing irritation, he began to punch them. The glass exploded with each strike, a storm of shards scattering across the floor. Then, something caught his eye. A faint white light reflected off the floor, shimmering between the broken glass. His heart skipped a beat. "The cup!"
Rushing toward the source of the light, Asura made his way through the debris and found the glowing object sitting innocently on a small table in the corner. He grabbed it eagerly, lifting it into his hands. The cup was plain, almost disappointingly so, a dull copper chalice with no adornments, no markings to signify its importance. His hands tightened around the cup. "A copper cup?" he muttered, eyeing it with suspicion.
The light was gone, leaving only the dull gleam of the copper beneath his grip. "This can't be it." But as he looked closer, he saw the liquid inside, dark red wine swirling around. His brow furrowed. It seemed... ordinary, too ordinary. He hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to trust it, but then, with a frustrated exhale, he decided to take the risk. "Ah, screw it... Bottoms up!"
He poured the wine into his mouth, grimacing as the bitter taste overwhelmed him. "Blegh... I hate wine," he muttered, fighting to keep it down. For a moment, he stood still, waiting for something, anything, to happen. But nothing did. His body felt exactly the same.
"Okay... now what?" he muttered under his breath. Still, nothing. He felt no change, no surge of power, no revelation. The cup had done nothing. He stared down at the empty chalice in his hand, his frustration bubbling over. "What was the point of this?" he grumbled, lifting it into a small beam of light that trickled through a crack in the wall. "What was it supposed to do?"
In a fit of rage, Asura hurled the cup across the room. "Fuckin' pointless shit!" It flew through the air, smashing into another display case with a resounding crash. Glass splintered everywhere as the chalice bounced across the floor, its purpose seemingly meaningless. Asura turned to storm off, but before he could take a step, his body betrayed him. A wave of weakness flooded his limbs, and his vision blurred.
His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the floor, unable to catch himself. Convulsions wracked his body, his muscles seizing uncontrollably as the world around him spun. "Is this it? Is this where I die? Alone..." he thought, his consciousness slipping away.
His final breath hitched in his chest, and a single tear fell from his right eye as he murmured the last words he would ever speak. "Anything but alone..."