"You said we needed a bomb crafted with mana, right?" Lydia asked, not daring to look back. Asura nodded, racing after Lydia, who was gaining distance. "Yeah, but getting through his bones is gonna take a lot. That bastard's built like… whatever that metal is in those old cartoons. Vibrationium? Ah, whatever—"
"Focus, Asura! Our lives and the city's fate are on the line!" Wain snapped, his palm connecting sharply with the side of the ogre's head. The ogre barely reacted, his head remaining as still as a statue. Asura remained unmoved, his head as rigid as carved stone. Yet, Wain recoiled, a wince twisting his features as a jolt of pain radiated through his hand. "Usually, Mel's the one smacking me," Asura rumbled, a hint of mocking sorrow in his voice. "Never thought you'd turn on me too."
Wain scoffed, his voice tight. "Dude. A huge ass snake is trying to kill us!" He gestured sharply behind them, a wince contorting his features as he pulled his arm back. "What did you expect?" He asked, knowing the ogre would show indifference. "Whoa, the holy man's cursing now." Asura pushed further, a devilish curl on the sides of his lips. Wain clenched his fist, desiring nothing more than to make Asura feel the dread that gnawed at his heart through his fist. "I swear—"
"Calm yourself, asswad." Asura's face laxed. "The snake moved, but it won't recover for at least fifteen minutes." His mouth burst into flames, spewing like foam from the corner of his lips. "How do you know so much about the Apocalypse?" Lydia asked.
"I told you," Asura retorted, a clear edge of irritation in his voice. "I fought that asshole before. He invaded the ogre realm long ago." Wain lurched forward, belching blood from his stomach. "Agh! Gross. What the hell's wrong with you?" The ogre shifted Wain but held firm.
"I…" Wain paused, dry heaving between his words. "I used too many herbs. My body's rejecting the pure mana." In Lydia's arms, Mel watched, her eyes dark as dark cracks weaved their way along Wain's skin. "We're wasting time with this conversation..." She bluntly stated.
Lydia glanced back. Wain slumped forward, gripping onto Asura weakly. His face was tense, his body shivering slightly. Feverish. She turned away, scanning ahead. "I agree. Asura, Wain. This fighting is pointless. We need a plan to sever Jormungandr's head or buy enough time for an Archknight to return."
"I doubt an Archknight is coming," Asura muttered. Lydia's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?" He rolled his eyes. "Think about it. No preparation. No warnings. No communication. The cathedral collapsed without resistance." He returned the same glare Lydia cast at him. "Sure, we were caught off guard, but this? It's too convenient. Where were the priest's corpses?" He asked.
"Are you accusing us?" Lydia snapped. Asura shook his head. "No, not you, Lydia. Just think for a moment without all the adrenaline pumping into your skull. Someone's fucking with communication, or the temple became really shit at responding to attacks." He let the silence hang for a moment before adding, "The humans are awfully unprepared nowadays for shitty situations."
"You don't know anything, demon!" Mel said, her voice flaring with anger. "All your kind does is murder and eat humans. This all started when you showed up—"
"Mel, stop it!" Wain gasped, cutting her off. But as he spoke, pain shot through his skull. He clutched his head, wincing, struggling to breathe. His eyes flickered. A flash of purplish-pink that shimmered in his eyes. A faint, oddly sweet scent of mana filled the air.
"Wain!" Asura exclaimed as his friend bit down onto his shoulder, an attempt to ground himself. Lydia spun around. "We need to heal him now!"
"I am!" Asura barked. His defensive tone rattled Lydia. "Me and Mel can help—" she began, but Asura's sharp voice cut her off. "And do what? Wait for Jormungandr to whoop our asses?" Asura asked. He wanted nothing more than to ease his friend's pain, but stopping now would be their death sentence. "I'm already healing him! It doesn't feel like he's dying. Whatever just hit him—it's not lethal…" I hope. Asura gritted his teeth.
"We can't just leave him—" Lydia said, her brows curving up. Yet, Asura held firm, his voice stronger than before. "We've been running for about five minutes now, we take another five, and we have five to deal with shithead McGee back there without Ash or Rose."
"Earlier, you mentioned that we needed a crafted bomb of mana," Asura said. "Well, I assume you have an idea of one, by the way you asked. So let's fucking go there, then help Wain. He's dead anyway if we can't deal with Jormy."
Wain gasped, sucking in air. His breathing steadied. "See? He's fine." Asura said, his voice trailing off. There was a lack of confidence in his words. "I—" Lydia hesitated but didn't argue. She kept moving, kept running. Why am I being so impatient? she thought, scanning the road. Far ahead, the largest sign on the block came into view. A tattered banner dangled from its side, with bold black letters reading: A Quick Way to Heaven.
At the intersection before them stood a movie theater, the meeting point with Rose and Ash. Its large billboards, displaying the latest films, loomed over the street, visible from the distance. "They're up ahead!" She called out. "We've got about seven minutes till that bastard wakes up," Asura grunted. "Where's the bomb?"
Lydia started to answer, but the words caught in her throat. At the end of the street, a silhouette of a woman stood, watching them. A strange haze fogged Lydia's mind. It was subtle, like a whisper in the wind, but enough for her to understand. The sickness that twisted her stomach worsened. "We're being manipulated... There's more than one enemy here." She whispered, loud enough for Asura to hear.
Asura followed her gaze, but all he saw was rubble. No people. There were only lifeless bodies scattered throughout the street. "Who's manipulating us?" He asked, concern plaguing his words.
"I—" Lydia blinked. The woman was gone. "I don't know, but—" Without hesitation, Lydia yanked her hand free from under Mel and pressed her palm to her head. "Lydia—what are you—?" Mel's words caught in her throat as she wrapped her arms around Lydia's neck.
Electricity shot through Lydia's skull, sending spasms through her muscles as her neck tensed involuntarily. Her vision went white. Her mind blanked. For a terrifying moment, her body tensed. Mel braced herself, expecting Lydia to collapse. But just before her brain had been paralyzed, she cut off the mana. The blindness faded. So did the fog. "Holy shit, that hurt," Lydia muttered, staggering with her steps.
Asura nodded. He approved of the reckless act. "I've seen dumber shit... Hell, I've done dumber shit." He raised his brow. "Why'd you do that?" He asked. With a shake of her head, she answered. "It cleared whatever that person did to me."
"Huh?" He looked out to where she claimed a woman stood. "Still don't know about this 'master manipulator,' but I'll believe you," Asura smirked. "Explains why Mel's a bitch. She must be made to be grumpy every day." The ogre let out a joyful laugh.
"I'll shoot you," Mel growled. "I don't care if it kills me, you stupid—" Wain's pained voice cut through her words. "Stop. The bombs are ahead of us." He wheezed with every spoken word. "Now we're talking." Asura grinned. "How big are these bombs?" The idea of a metal-cased ignition sent a thrill through Asura. He was finally going to witness a human bomb, just like in the movies.
"They're pieces of the cathedral's portal," Lydia answered. "The black stones are filled with mana stored within them to power the portals. One of us needs to activate it, but the thing should explode once ignited since the enchantment is broken." Her voice grew heavy, darkening with each word. The thought of leaving someone behind to activate the portal was nothing short of a death sentence. The mana would rip through them, forcing them to endure every agonizing second until their final breath.
"How'd you get them?" Asura asked. Wain's weak voice cut in. "How do you think…? We found them after the explosion." The four of them reached the front doors of the movie theater, their breaths heavy, bodies strained.
Lydia rushed ahead, and Asura followed close behind. Inside, the dimly lit lobby hummed with an eerie glow from two large black stones pulsing with unstable holy mana. Their bodies radiated intense heat. A blazing fire that could be felt from a distance. Each one throbbed erratically, as if barely contained, waiting for the slightest spark to ignite them.
"About time you showed up." Rose stood near the reception counter, arms crossed. Behind her, Ash sat slumped against the counter, his skin sickly pale, deep black lines coursing along his body. Kane knelt beside him, pressing his hands to Ash's head and ribs, his brows furrowed in concentration. "I've been healing him as best as I can," Kane said, voice tight with frustration. "But his condition isn't improving. The damage from the mana is severe. He'll need a Fourth Rank Paladin healer."
Lydia crouched beside Ash, studying the creeping mana laced through his veins. His breathing was shallow, strained. When he finally spoke, his words came out hoarse. "I'll be fine. Stop worrying about me." His gaze seemed to drift past her. "If you have to, leave me."
"We're not leaving you," Lydia said, firm. Ash turned his head slightly, his unfocused eyes settling on Kane's blindfold. "We're all dead if you don't stop Jormungandr." Lydia exhaled slowly, knowing he was right. "We need to place the portal pieces in two locations to sever Jormungandr's head. If we hit his spine directly, we can cut through the bone—"
"The bones aren't what matter," Asura interrupted. Lydia turned to find him, to ask, but watched as he propped Wain against the wall, steadying him as he struggled to stand. "Wain—" Lydia motioned for Kane's help.
"Don't," Wain rasped. "We both know I can't rest." He groaned as Asura poured mana on top of his skin. He was right. There is no time. A deafening roar split the air, shaking the very foundation of the building. The ground trembled violently. Light fixtures rattled and crashed from the ceiling. Arcade machines toppled, sending shards of glass skittering across the floor. The popcorn machine exploded in a burst of kernels. Dust filled the air as the theater groaned under the strain.
Wain staggered, nearly collapsing, but Asura held him steady, anchoring him through the chaos. Lydia shielded Mel with her body as the walls cracked, debris raining down. Kane's voice cut through the rumbling destruction, his hands raised in incantation. "Judex Divinum is my protector and my shield. Through Michael, the walls of heaven will not fall."
A shimmering barrier formed overhead just as a slab of the ceiling came crashing down. The rubble broke apart upon impact, sliding harmlessly down the translucent shield. The dust began to settle, revealing the wreckage around them. "Make that two minutes," Asura muttered. The quake subsided, leaving behind a fragile silence. "His entire head needs to be severed," Asura continued. "Once his spine is broken, we have to carve through the flesh. The bombs need to separate the spine from the skull—"
A metallic clatter echoed from outside. Asura turned, peering through the shattered glass doors. Two mechanical hounds approached from the street, their metal bodies reflecting the glow of distant fires. "Your dogs are back?" He asked. His words were slow, as if seeking an answer.
"They scouted nearby buildings," Kane replied. "There are two stable locations we can use to drop the bombs directly onto his spine." He swiftly refocused on his patient. "You were scouting for this the whole time?" Lydia asked. The dogs walked past, to his side. "No," Kane answered. "We were originally looking for structures to collapse on him to slow him down. But these spots are perfect for a direct hit."
Lydia wasted no time. She grabbed one of the massive black stones, heaving over her shoulder. "We can't be too high," she said. "We have to avoid the rocky spikes along his back that armor his spine. Kane, protect and heal Mel. I'll take this one. Asura, you take—"
"No," Wain cut in, pushing himself away from the wall. His steps were slow but deliberate. "Asura comes with me." Lydia narrowed her eyes. "Why?" She asked, taking note of his worsening complexion. "Before you argue, we don't have time." Wain's voice was sharp, urgent. "Mel will take the other."
"Mel's injured," Lydia snapped. "I'll do it." Mel's voice was stern. She pulled herself up, legs trembling beneath her, but she forced a smile. There was determination in her eyes, though the slight quiver in her lips betrayed her uncertainty. Lydia turned back to Wain. "Why do you need Asura?"
Wain hesitated, then exhaled. "Gabriel showed me everything we need to win. I can't explain. The more I talk, the more things change, and what I saw might not happen." He met her gaze, silent but pleading. "You'll have to trust me."
Lydia clenched her jaw. Then, she nodded. "We don't have time to argue." She repeated, to calm her conflicted heart. "Mel, take it." Kane gestured toward the hounds from Ash's side. "The dogs will lead the way since it'll take too long to explain."
Wain turned to Rose. His tone carried no room for discussion. "Go with Mel. Use your blessing to force Jormungandr's head up for a clean shot." Rose raised a brow at him, but Wain simply shook his head. "I can't say more." She studied him for a moment longer, then nodded. She would have to trust him. She spoke no words as she stepped to Mel's side.
Mel hoisted the heavy, mana-infused stone onto her shoulder, bracing herself. Lydia exhaled deeply, glancing at each of them before whispering what could be her final farewell. "May Judex Divinum be with us all." She gave her prayer. Then, the Paladin took off, following the mechanical hound into the ruins, toward a building that could very well become her tomb. Rose and Mel departed soon after, disappearing into the dust-choked streets.
Silence settled over the movie theater. Ash shifted, groaning as he pushed himself upright, but it was clear he was too weak. "Just leave me here," he muttered to Kane. Wain pulled an herb from his bag, lighting it with a small flicker of flame. He took a slow drag before exhaling. "We can't," he said, his voice eerily calm. "You're the bait."
The others froze. Wain spoke without hesitation, without regret. There was no malice, no emotion behind it. Just a cold, undeniable fact. Ash let out a bitter chuckle. "Guess you're getting your revenge today." His eyes searched Wain's face. "It's nothing personal." Wain took another drag. "Technically, we're all bait. If we die, we die together."
Kane fidgeted, rubbing his thumbs together, the chains on his wrists clinking softly. "Do we die?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper. Asura didn't look up. "Don't ask," he muttered. "You don't want to know." Wain studied Kane for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, Wain sighed, taking a deep breath of the smoldering herb. As he exhaled, the smoke twisted and coiled, condensing into a massive cheetah crafted from smoky mana. It let out a low hiss, lowering its body to the ground, ready to run.
"That's one big—" Wain shot Asura an irritated glare. "Cat." Wain didn't respond. Instead, he quickly leapt onto the back of the massive cheetah. "If you want to make amends with God... now's the time," Wain said. Asura watched as his friend stared down at them, his eyes shining with determination. He looked every bit the knight now, one willing to charge headfirst into battle.
Asura chuckled, then grabbed Ash. Before Ash could protest, the ogre tossed him up onto the cheetah's back, landing him behind Wain. The impact was soft, bouncing him upon the smoke. "Quit scaring everyone. It'll at least be one hell of a fight to go out with." Asura joked, a smirk on his face. Wain cracked a small, reassuring smile, his confidence bolstered by Asura's words.
Kane, too, jumped up, but not without a bit of assistance from Asura, who shoved him into place. "Does Rose die?" Kane softly asked. Wain met Kane's gaze, his expression hardening. "Don't ask. I can't say. Don't think either." They all knew that lingering on the thought of death would only lead to hesitation. Yet, Kane asked again. "Does she?"
"Kane—" Wain sighed. "Does she?" Kane insisted. "If I say, she might, Kane." Wain looked into Kane's eyes. "It changes nothing." The child's eyes softened as tears formed at the corners. "I need to know." Asura jumped up behind them, cutting the tension with his gruff voice. "Quit asking, Kane."
"I—" Asura grabbed Kane by the shoulders, spinning him around to face him. "Do you want our one and only chance to stop this fucker to slip by?" He growled, baring his teeth. "Quit being a fucking idiot and asking. What's wrong with you? We might all die." Asura's words were sharp, and with a sudden burst of holy fire from his mouth, he spat the flames onto the ground.
A flash of purple light filled the room before a thunderous explosion rippled through the city. "He's recovered." Asura's face tightened. Wain didn't flinch. He turned to look ahead. "Go."
The cheetah sprang into motion, leaping into the streets with the four riders clinging to its back. Above them, the sky churned like a violent ocean, black clouds clashing and swirling as bolts of purple lightning cracked through the air. The lightning rained down in a furious onslaught, each bolt splitting the sky like the wrathful hand of a vengeful god, hurling destruction upon the city below. Each strike left a shimmering afterimage, making it clear that one hit would be fatal. The lightning seemed to move with purpose, as if alive, seeking something or someone. "He's back and angrier than before. He's pissed, pissed." The ogre snorted.
A primal, blood-curdling roar shook the ground beneath them, sending a violent tremor through the air. Kane shuddered from the noise. It was the roar of a predator, one that would pursue its prey to the bitter end, no matter the cost. A creature whose hatred consumed all reason, its only drive to settle a grudge.
Ash watched, his eyes narrowing as the rain began to fall. It poured down in thick sheets as if a curtain had been ripped away to reveal the storm's full fury. The downpour quickly thickened into a dense fog, obscuring their vision. Wain cursed under his breath. The lightning was already a hazard, but now they had to navigate it blind.
A voice, venomous and mocking, slithered into their minds. "If the God of man is truly with you, why shall thee run? What is there to fear? Stand before thy evil." From within the mist, a massive, slit purple eye emerged, its shape slithering between the buildings, watching them.
"Proclaim your faith and strength before the wicked. To run and to hide is to let me devour thy people. Are you abandoning thy God? Have you no faith in what you believe?" The voice taunted. It scraped through their mind like a rusted knife through flesh. "Shall thee not walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Is not the Lord with you?" The voice roared with anger. "Cowards! Is not the God of man to be feared more than me? Can you stand before him after displaying thy lack of faith?"
Ash gripped Wain with one hand, his other hand wrapping tightly around the hilt of his sword. "HE'S COMING!" He shouted.