Summary: Many magical strains.
Terra gazed at the massive structure running rampant through the Isles. "... And you can't do a thing?" She asked Mason.
"Look, I'm good at what I do, but against the Rainbow Devil? That's a level of construction magic no Coven Head can compete with." The coward crossed his arms. "This lady has been around for over a hundred years and can smelt the ground into metal instantly. And I don't even want to know how she managed to mine titan bone by herself."
"It's still one big tacky machine." Adrien commented. "Can't we just trip it up and send it to the ground?"
"Why don't I see how that one goes?" Terra suggested as she wrapped a couple of trees around it's joints to remove its momentum.
The thing tugged for a moment … then proceeded to send forth multiple smaller machines, which blasted the trees with a variety of colored lasers. " Obstacle eliminated. Feeble attempts of retaliation dealt with. Proceed to mock. Ha. Ha. HA. Ha." Now that was just plain rude and uncalled for.
"I'd almost forgotten just how sassy the devil woman could be." Darius growled. "Alright, Ebber, me and you will sneak into it and…"
"Umm, guys?" Raine spoke up. "Those laser spikes that can decimate small parts of the titan?" They pointed … as all those glowing spikes were now aimed at the eight of them.
The Golden Guard moved forward, using that fancy staff of his to bring forth a barrier of multiple elements, reinforced with raw energy. "Add whatever you can, I don't think this will hold!"
"Orsan, blast whatever offensive spells you have, Raine, use that viola!" Darius ordered.
"This will not end well, but these actions must be taken." The old coven head sighed as he sent a blast of purple energy that blended with Raine's bard spell.
FWOOP
Before the energy became zilch, blasted under the rainbow lights that enveloped the area, which burned away at the Golden Boy's barrier that kept them all from being incinerated to ash like every tree that cried out in agony.
"AAAAGGGGH! ORSAN, YOU PEICE OF SHIT!" Mason yelled. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THIS WOULD HAPPEN!?"
"We..we..we…would've…been….hit….no…matter….what." The old man spoke.
The burning energy was finally stopped, only for them to be hit with a devastating sound that made it fell like their heads were about to burst. "It's … too much …" Raine spoke as their viola began to crack. "I can't … counter …"
"Yo, Coven puppets!" A voice announced amidst the agonizing sound. "I have a proposition for you that you better take, or else I'm ending you all right here, right now."
"We … don't deal … with criminals." The Golden Boy spoke, looking more winded than all of them as that staff of his sputtered.
"I only have two targets. The Manticore Menace, and the Emperor who sits on his throne all day. Bring me one of them, or I'll obliterate you completely on the spot… and for the record? That was a warning shot." The noise increased, making blood bleed out of their ears. "I won't be so kind next time."
The sound finally stopped, and every one of them stood up in a daze, dizzy and disoriented from the sheer level of power that was laid on them "Grr." Ebberwolf was right, they were completely outclassed at the moment, even if this thing was bluffing about the warning shot.
"I guess we have no choice then." Darius growled. "You have a deal, Rainbow Devil. We'll have the Manticore menace at your doorstep by the end of the day."
"You have two hours."
Well, it's not like they were short on reasons to kill the little brat. "Alright boys, you heard the lady." Terra smirked. "Let's bag us the Clawthorne brat once and for all."
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Eden walked over to Lilith. "Here's your tea."
"Thank you …" She groaned, drinking it all up. "Thank you so much …"
It was a bit of a shock opening up the door to all of them so beaten up and nearly unconscious. Not to mention with a Crystal Devil! She tried to save them, but that human girl just got in the way. "I'm so happy your safe and sound, we can be together again, it'll be different this time I promise." Said girl caressed the creature like it was a pet.
" Krkrkr." The creature responded, cuddling up to the creature like it was happy, likely trying to lower the girl's defenses so it could eat her easier.
"I really should've drawn the line somewhere earlier." Shalisha sighed as she handed Edalyn an orange elixir. "Here, this is all I could make at the moment, use it wisely."
"Thanks." The woman sighed, sipping it. "Don't want to risk Lucci straining himself while he's recovering." She turned to the boy, who was resting on the couch as Boscha cuddled up next to him.
"I'ma pe- pe- pechy do rry." He responded brokenly.
"Come on, there has to be something." Eda was flipping through multiple of their books. "So much Vitimir research and not one about how to fix a cracked Crystal Devil?"
"That's the thing , no one wants an intact crystal devil around." Eden said. "No offense to present company."
" Krkrk." Eden was going to sleep in the bunker tonight.
"It's okay Centi, we'll find someplace to keep you around. And maybe work on snatching the Golden Guard to feed to you. Doesn't that sound good?" The human questioned as she scratched the thing.
"Your really need to get your priorities in order." Boscha scoffed as she continued to hold onto Lucci.
The girl rolled her eyes. "Lucci has a healing factor. Even if it's serious he'll be fine as long as he's not strained. I choose to have faith in my friends capabilities, thank you very much … honestly I'm more concerned about Lilith's spine and Hooty's organs."
"Organs are for the weak!" The strange…bird thing … yelled from the little house it was placed in, bandages wrapped all over its body.
"And I feel better already." Lilith noted weakly. "I guess we have a healing factor to."
"Then how come I never got it?" Eda questioned.
"Stre ss mIg ht b- b-b- Be AN is s ue ." Lucci tried to speak.
"Sssshh, quiet my crystal, don't speak, your angel's here to take care of you." Boscha hushed the boy, planting a kiss on his head. So adorable. "You'll be better as long as I'm around."
" S o much better." He responded as a bright pink glow overcame his body, and the sound of rocks morphing over his stomach. "..Okay, even I didn't expect that to work."
"Guess he just needed a moral boost." The human deadpanned.
"Lucci, you're okay!" The tiny fuzzy thing jumped on the boy.
"Yeah, I guess I am." He looked over his stomach, his gemstone now completely crack free. "Guess all my powers are all emphatic somehow."
"Oh thank Titan." Eda sighed in relief, dropping the books as she fell on the couch.
"I get that he's your god and all, but a little hypocritical when that's the reason he got cracked to begin with." The human pointed out. "So does anyone actually know how to harm Titan Bone?"
"A long process of gathering an immense level of magic into a destructive and shattering point, and constantly hitting a spot over the course of a hundred years." Shalisha answered. "It's basically high level erosion."
"And Bismuth is a gem, so she's had a hundred years to mine it." The human growled. "Centi though was able to melt through her armor."
"Wait, she melted the most durable substance on the planet, but fails to kill Hooty?" The fuzzy thing asked. "What kind of logic is that?"
"I thought it was decided that Hooty exists outside of normal logic." Lilth spoke up.
"Reality can't bring me down! I laugh in the face of the universe, and spit in its eyes!" How was this thing more disturbing than the crystal devil?
"So what exactly is the plan?" Lucci questioned.
"Hide out until it runs out of power." Eda explained. "The Coven Heads will deal with it since the thing is so damn big and destructive. For once, they'll do the fighting for us."
"Uh,..I wouldn't be too sure about that." The little fuzzy child pointed to the crystal ball, which had began playing by itself, showing off Terra Snapdrsgon and the other Coven heads."
"Citizens of the Isles." Terra spoke. "By now you're painfully aware of the devastation falling before us. The Rainbow devil has began an assault."
"So you'll get off your butts and do something about it, right?" Bosha asked.
"Unfortunately, even the combined might of us all failed to scratch the destructive force she weilds." Mason continued. "However, we have struck an agreement with her to lower the casualties. The Manticote menace is to be turned into by any and all costs."
"Whaaaaaat?!" The Clawthorne family shouted:
"Please, help us lower the damage, and turn him in if you see him." Adrian spoke up. "If we do not, the rampage shall not stop, and even more lives will be lost."
"... Well if the Boiling Isles didn't want you for the money, they sure as heck want you now." Shalisha deadpanned.
"Eda… " The Bard head looked downwards. " I'm sorry, but this is how it had to be. You have one hour to turn him in."
The crystal ball went static as everyone stayed silent for a full minute. "Okay, new plan." Eda spoke up. "We get off the Boiling Isles and live on King's island."
"Mom, even you know that's not going to do anything." Lucifer said. "I doubt even a sea boiling water is going to damage on that fortress."
"Of course not, the point is that the place is so remote she'll never find us." She explained. "Because now we have EVRYONE against us and that first assault proved the all of us could do nothing to stop that. We only got away because of surprise and the fact she was alone!"
"..Then we make sure she is alone." The human grinned. "Centi can melt her armor, so me, her, and a few others sneak onto that fortress and melt it from the inside. Meanwhile, Lucci distracts the Covens Heads away from Bismuth with the help of our friends."
"Luz." The boy spoke up. "Me, Mom, and Hooty are the strongest ones here in terms of raw strength, and she treated us like rag dolls. How do you plan on keeping up with her?"
"I was the one that sent her flying back. That magic repulsion with her armor works both ways." The human responded. "I can get the jump on her, Centi melts her armor, and I poof her with the sword!"
"And meanwhile, I guess I'm bringing in …" Lucci trailed off. "I definitely need fusion against Coven Heads, but I don't know which one would be best. Orchid against Terra proved they beat up straight and simple upgrades." He questioned. "Pudding can't be hurt easily, but with Darius's upgrade, he can equalize them.."
"You heard Luz, you need a lot of people, so we're all going." Boscha stated. "Everyone useful we can gather will join up. And plus, Hettie and Vitimir are still out of commission, so we already have an upper hand agains them."
"That's one plus." The small fuzzy one deadpanned.
"Boscha, while I am fine with you going out, fighting against that and every coven head is something that I will have to put my foot down against." Shalisha stated.
"It's either that or we sit back and watch the boiling isles burn to the ground, because I am not going to turn Lucci in. So either agree with me, or we all die in this house as fire consumes everyone, and you die, still being less successful than Oldalia Blight." Boscha countered.
"… Teenage rebellion." Her wife sighed. "So proud yet so furious …"
"Tell me about it." Eda rolled her eyes. "Just let her go and ground her when the whole thing is over. That's how I roll."
"Krkrkrk."
"Seriously, was bringing that into my house necessary?" Shalisha groaned. "It's melting holes into the carpet."
"If Centi is bubbled for the actions of someone else instead of the mild case of her going insane, I will retaliate." The human stated with a dark look in their eye.
"Deal with that mess later, we have less than an hour to cover our bases." Her daughter's boyfriend moaned. "Time to welcome the pain."
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"Hexide, I should've known this is where the brat would've been hiding." Raine heard Terra cackle as they gathered together to collect their target. "So many memories…I wish I could burn them all away."
"I thought she went to Glandus?" They whispered to Adrian.
"Why do you think she's so intent on burning them to the ground?" Fair point. "If Hettie was here, then the whole place would be turned to ash by now."
"Well if the Healing Coven coming here a few weeks ago was any indication, she already tried." Mason pointed out. "On the plus side, I get to rebuild the place from the bones up after it's over … just like the last Coven Head did."
"Won't the grom curse be unleashed with the school demolished?" Raine asked, silently pondering what their next move was going to be. None of them trusted the Rainbow devil, Darius especially, but as it stood, they were their best chance at taking out Belos. But the casualties that lead to this paint were too drastically high, and the last thing Raine wanted to do was put Eda's…put their kid's life on the line.
"I believe that Orsan could solve the curse of the dead." Terra looked over to the man.
"If it's to happen, then it will be so."
"Grrrr." Yeah, sometimes it did feel like Orsan used oracle magic as a free excuse to be a jerk.
"I also predict some wood will fall on you."
Ebberwolf looked up to see a loose branch, moving back as it missed them. "Kakaka." They cackled … before a tree fell on the Coven Head. Honestly that was more in favor of Ebber's point.
"So what exactly are we doing here?" Darius asked. "It's not like we can take on an entire school."
"It won't be the whole school. If they think this thing can take on Belos, plenty of students won't want to be on the receiving end of it." Terra cackled. "No one in their right minds would stay to get stuck between the Coven heads and the Rainbow Devil."
"Wanna bet ?" A voice called out from above them as several vials were thrown down, creating a thick fog that coveted the area.
"Then again, we may have overestimated their sanity." Adrian noted, rolling his eyes as he twirled his fingers, clearing the air and revealing Eda's kid, along with a few other Hexide kids from different tracks going by the uniforms they were wearing. "If there's any consolation, the target actually came to us."
"There were two options I had, either run and have you endless follow me, or kick your butts and then run." Lucci smirked, cracking his neck as he responded.
"At least you don't have the decency to not doom the isles, devil." The Golden Guard raised forth their staff, which began sparking.
"Oooh, do I get to destroy yet another one of your fancy sticks? What does that make, three out of the ten that exist?" The child grinned. Great, they inherited Eda's stick for riling up enemies, because why not?
"Someone feels extra confident today, given your track record of facing both Coven Heads and groups." Snapdragon smirked. "In all honestly, this is probably the best option. We have a chance to grind you into mulch before watching the rain devil finish you off."
"You're sharing that like you're going to have a chance." The plant track student with glasses glared. "Last time we kicked your old weedy ass to the curb. I'll be more than happy to repeat history for you."
"Oh yes, the little sprout. So much potential … I can't wait to ruin it." The woman already began growing some snap flowers.
"So we're really doing this." The girl in the abomination uniform stated as she grew gauntlets into her first.
"Trust me, I hate listening to that woman's wims as much as you do." Darius began to cover himself in muck.
"Don't worry, I'll be sure to fill the air with something much sweeter sounding, like your screams of agony." Kataya's kid took out her viola. "I haven't forgotten what you did with my mom, Whispers. I'm aiming for your head."
"Oh great, another person wants me dead. What's new?" They responded, pulling out a lute. They'd have to get creative with this if they wanted this group to come out in one piece.
"Remind me why I'm here?" A hunched child questioned. "In fact, how did you even convince Celine to come here?"
"They used one of my predictions against me." The moon headed girl with one eye groaned. "Said that if I live to see... that day , then there's no reason why I shouldn't make it out of here alive."
"A child who's seen the terror." Osran sighed, summoning a three story specter behind him. "I'll be sure to make it quick."
"Please don't tell me I'm fighting that." The ghost next to the moon girl whimpered.
"I'm just happy to be involved." The bat kid said with a relaxed expression on his face. "Feels like forever since I've been a part of a group act."
"Grrrrrr." Raine would never describe the coven heads as a pack, other than a pack of deranged pyscoytic crazies.
"So yah, none of us are just going to let you take our friend without a fight." The illusionist kid narrowed his eyes. "We're ready to bring it."
"If you go against us now, it will mean that you go against the Emperor." Terra stated. "So please, give us permission."
"Just give me one second to say some final words." The bat kid cleared his throat. "Oh Boulder, it's time to come out and play!"
"... What kind of last words are-" Terra was cut off … on the account of the Rhino based CRYSTAL DEVIL that rammed her.
"What the-"
"And Crysta, there's a really feral man!"
Another one, more plant based with a single eye, wrapped around Ebberwolf. "GRR!?"
"It's just family man, I never got why people are so scared." The bat kid shrugged.
"Never change, Belfry, never change." Kataya's kid pecked the boy on the face, before turning to them. "Now let's see how long it takes for me to liquify your organs!"
"Hold up there, missy." Mason slammed his foot on the ground and created a giant wall. "We're on a time limit here, so let us not drag this out more than we should-"
A fireball crashed through the wall, slamming mason through the gut. "Aha! Perfect, outcast kid." The three eyed kill kicked small boulders made out of rock, dozens of them being shapped into Grudgby like balls by the construction track kid. "Keep the ammo coming and you might actually be halfway noticeable."
"As long as I don't have to fight these guys directly, they'll keep coming." The hunchback boy responded, making more and more stone balls.
Darrius responded by shooting multiple blobs of pink muck, which began glowing. "Oh no you don't!" The Blight girl absorbed the gunk and made it apart of her own arsenal, sending it right back at them. "I've worked with exploding abominations a whole lot longer than you, bub!"
"True, but it's not a part of your body, is it?" Darrius questioned as it froze in mid air, instantly flying back.
"Not all the time, but we have experience!" Lucci shot a shield at it, blocking the goo as it exploded, before glowing pink and lifting a hand, catching the golden guard's fists as he teleported. "Like I said before, your teleporting trick ain't going to work anymore."
"What if I add a spin on it myself?" The boy asked … before the two of them vanished.
"Lucci!" The three eyed girl yelled.
"He can take care of himself for the moment!" The plant girl shouted as she began wrapping bark covered vines around Terra. "We need to keep these psychos off him in the meantime!"
"Are you sure that's the best idea?" The woman asked as the vines broke apart, now forming around the plant girl. "You only one last time from a lucky shot followed by running."
"How's this for a lucky shot!" The illusionist kid pointed to a strange white pyrimid floating above him, which glowed and fired a laser at the woman's eyes.
"Aaaaa gggggghhh!" Snapdragged yelled in pain, an act that Raine had no regrets about enjoying. "Adrian, I believe that child is YOUR department!"
"A little busy at the moment!" He began running away as the rhino crystal devil began chasing him. "Osran, some assistance!"
The Coven Head in question was about to attack, only to dodge out of the way as something blue and blurry attempted to lunge at him from the sky. "It seems that another Clawthorne has grown their wings." He spoke in an uncaring tone.
"Of course you would've seen this coming." The figure spoke, sharing a resemblance to Eda's sister, except covered head to toe in feather in some sort of bird-witch hybrid. " This is why my family hates Oracles so much, they're never helpful!"
"I shall be occupied for the rest of this fight." He told the others bluntly. "Anubis, do your thing."
"Yes master." The massive ghost raised its arms, striking down at the bird woman.
"I guess this is where I make myself useful." The moon girl sighed as she sent her own ghost in. "Do your best, Casper."
" You can at least pretend that you're worried about me!"
"That leaves you alone with me!" Kataya kid began slinging music notes at them, grazing their face with sharp ends. "And I'm going to make this fight as slow and painful as possible for you, Whispers!"
Raine deflected the shots, moving back as if they actually hurt. This was probably the best they could do at the moment. If they actually took the edge, the other Coven heads would get more creative instead of just trying to attack multiple targets at once. They couldn't waste fighting the kids, they needed to take out the rainbow devil as quickly as possible.
=======================================================================
Centi carried the fuzzy thing as they moved on top of the metal fortress. It had been quite awhile since she's been out, and many things were still oh so confusing for her. She still felt the craving for chaps, but she put it aside for the moment. Her girl was in distress, so she would do what she could to relive that burden right now.
"Be on the lookout for anything that looks out of place. If she's technologically advanced enough to use the Spirit Scroll to power a suit of armor, then she probably lined up cameras all across this place." Her girl spoke up. "Which are basically crystal balls that can be viewed constantly."
" Sounds like a more invasive way to do a scrying spell. " The owl lady grumbled.
"Surprisingly accurate actually." The girl nodded. "King, I take it you still haven't figured out sonar?"
"Even if I did, the moment I scream she'll set off the wailing stone and scramble me." The fuzzy child responded. "She's fights dirty and she fights prepared, I'd give her that."
"She's always been like that, building things to trap others before taking their chained selves down with a few good swings." The Owl Lady went on as they moved about. "I don't doubt she was genuinely capable of taking on Belos if she's this showy now."
"Which would be amazing for us if she wasn't trying to kill Lucci too and killing who knows how many civilians to achieve that." Luz grunted. "How Is it that the Basilisk Invasion was less cruel by comparison? Triton at least kept everyone alive."
"Don't know, kiddo. Bismuth's never been one to half ass anything. Even if I had my magic back, I'd be hesitant to take her own just from her strength alone."
"So … Even with Centi on our side, we're not entirely certain we can win?" The fuzzy thing questioned.
"Probably not." The human nodded, turning to her. "Centi, you've been through enough. Once you melt the armor enough, run before you get poofed. I can take care of myself these days, alright?" Her girl gently rubbed her head.
"Krkrkr." The girl certainly smelled more confident and bold then the last time she saw her, but there was a small tinge of sadness in there too.
"I promise we'll catch you up on everything later. And I will get those chaps for you, no matter what." That would be a lovely cuddle session. "Now then, this hallway has a camera, so we'll just move around it and-"
"Intruder detected." … They all turned to the colored … thing (it wasn't a devil like her, but smelled similar) floating next to them.
"… Hey … She was in the Harmony Core temple, right?"
"Yes."
"And she wasn't there for the core, right?"
"Yep."
"So we never took into account she would be there for something else … like Gus's prism thing?"
"….Damn it!" The owl yelled. " I knew that leaving her be was going to bite me in the ass!"
"For what it's worse, it's still looking fine." A voice announced in the air. "Like these babies? Only Homeworld upper crust used to be able to own this light prisms. They're like fancy exotic pets/security system only rich people own."
"Wait, so are they artificial, or a species?" Her girl questioned.
"At that point you start to ask the same question about us Gems." The voice responded. " The answer is a bit of both. You'd be surprised just how many species back in our realm tread that line." The colorful shapes began to light up. "If you're still around and not completely brainwashed by that pink bitch, I'd be more than happy to show you."
"Can you really not comprehend that he's my brother!?" The fuzzy one shouted. "Lucci! Not Rose, or Pink, or whatever!"
"Oh, like that could really happen. Do you think the consciousness could just leave a gem, even when they still manifest after shattering?"
" Don't even bother king, she's clearly too far off the deep end to be reasoned with on that front. " Eda growled. " Bizy, even if your right; you're killing so many people! You're suppose to be a liberator!"
" I believe the expression is that you can't make an omelet without cracking griffon heads."
"I make omelets all the time without doing that! It's one of the only foods I can eat here!" Her girl shouted.
" Whatever, once the bitch dies, you'll see just how much better life will be." The shapes glowed brighter. "Or at least, if you survive the prisms. Forgot if I set them to stun or kill."
"Oh this is gonna hurt." The fuzzy one winced from Centi's head.
"Lady, you are cruel and unusual!" Her girl yelled as she began blocking lasers with her sword.
" No, what's cruel and usual is being stranded in a different dimension for four hundred years after being bubbled for thousands during a war, where I was betrayed and stabbed in the back by the one being I thought I could trust in the world above all else!" The voice yelled. "Stranded with no way home, without a single way to contact my friends, or even knowing if they're still alive! What am doing is mercy compared to that!"
"Krkrkrkr." Centi growled as she spat a blob of acid at one of the shapes. This voice was getting annoying.
")*U)U**@)*@(&#@)*@)*" The prism glitched in and out as it began to to melt in a goopy white and silvery mess.
"...Okay, did her acid get a boost since the last time she was out?" The fuzzy child questioned. "I feel like it's a lot stronger than before."
"Well I mean I didn't die when it hit my back, so … progress?" Her girl shrugged as more shapes fired. "Forget stealth, run down the halls!"
"Good, the subtlety approach was never my strong suit anyway." The owl flared their wings and began flying ahead.
Wake up after a long rest, immediately have her work cut out for her. Centi had very mixed feelings about this day.
=======================================================================
Hunter jumped back immediately after moving the devil. "No fusions, no friends, no miraculous interruptions." He stated, aiming the damaged staff at them. "Just one winner, one loser, end of story."
"Fine with me. If Willow was here, she might've given you a chance to leave. I'm not going to do that." The boy took out his Palisman. "I don't know what you were trying to pull with the Flyer derby stunt, but you're never going to get near my friends again."
"Your opinion isn't going to matter after you're gone." Hunter slammed the ground, sending forth spiky vines to impale the boy from under his own feet.
"Sharp, I've seen sharper." He grew a bubble around him, bursting the vines, before the pink bubble grew spikes, and rolled towards him at eye blinking speeds that he was barely able to dodge.
"So you improved." He noted, turning a bit of rubble into a sharp spear. "So have I." He concentrated … harder and harder … and then the weapon disappeared, and then popped up in the Devil's side. "Teleporting objects."
"Oooh, so fascinating. It almost tickles." The devil pulled it out and licked his palm, and slammed it on the ground. "I've managed to expand my repertoire with plant magic a little." Out of the ground, grass grew viciously and violently as it grew around Hunter, biting at him as it surrounded his body. "I can't stop it from coming to life, but I can direct it at a single target."
He growled, warping out of the situation and into the air, where he formed the clouds into large boulders of hail to rain down on the boy.
"So scary, a little hail, if only I could out run-oh wait." The devil glowed pink and disappeared in a pink flash, reappeared right behind him and slammed him into the ground, creating a created as a shield kept him pinned to the ground. "Just give up will you? You clearly haven't genuinely improved, and it's so one sided that this is pathetic."
"Belos made it clear." He clutched his staff. "This is my last opportunity. So if you're not going down, put me in the ground."
"You make it sound like some great tragedy." The devil groaned. "You were offered an out and you rejected it. This mess is on you."
"You want me to betray my family!?" He shouted. "Belos was there for me, when Wild Magic took away my parents, when it took away my ability to use magic. He has supported me through thick and thin!"
"And that's why you clearly don't have a palisman on you, you damn hypocrite." The devil glared. "I'm not going to reason with you, so let's just end this now!" The ball began to close with multiple spikes hitting Hunter's body.
"AGGGGGGH!" He shouted. "This is only proving Belos's point! You're nothing but a damned devil! All of this is happening because of you, because you exist!"
The boy scoffed. "I'm not going to apologize for living." The devil held his staff over his head, and crushed it. The shield began closing more and more, crushing his body.
Hunter couldn't speak, he couldn't use magic, he couldn't move … this was it … he truly failed …He…he had no one…
"CHIRP!" Flapjack flew into his palms and got into Staff mode.
"Ugggghhhhaaaaaagggh!" Using all the strength he had, he managed to slip out, blood leaking from his sides. "Flapjack….you….are….amazing."
"Chirp." Yes, he'll get you that back of bird seed tomorrow.
"Seriously Sugar, can't you talk any sense into them?" The Devil asked. "You know that as long as you work for Belos, you're just putting your Palisman in danger. You can't claim to hate wild magic while using wild magic."
Hunter took a breath, glaring at the boy. "No more talk." He warped a longer distance, trying to form an artillery strike of heated rock.
"Alright then." And suddenly the boy sped right to him, grazing Hunter as he warped, once more forcing him on the defensive as the moment he stopped teleporting the boy would break every bone in his body with a non stop assault. "No more talk it is."
All over the forest, they kept up at this pace, throwing every manner of weapon at each other while teleporting/dashing out of the way. This wasn't an assault that Hunter was going to win. He was still a novice using Flapjack for magic, and he was starting to get tired. The moment he let up, he'd lose. Even if the devil didn't kill him, Belos would most certainly do worse to him if he came back empty handed. What to do, what to-
KABOOOOOOOOOOOM
Both of them stopped their attacks on each other to see the massive wall of fire now surrounding them. "Tick Tock, Coven Puppets, Waiting until the last minute is only going to make it more painful for you." The fortress continued to scorch the field.
"Are you seriously working for her?" The devil asked.
"Not by choice." Hunter scoffed. "We already tried an assault and got maimed. None of the Coven Heads have any effect on that thing."
"Luz and Mom snuck inside. They have a crystal devil that's able to melt the armor Bismuth is wearing, but even then, their chances at beating her are slim to none." The devil noted. "But if the armor melts while someone with stronger magic was around…then maybe there'd be a way."
Hunter stared at the boy for a moment, before aiming Flapjack once more. "I don't want to take the risk, and we both know you wouldn't trust me as far as you could throw me."
"I can throw you from here to the Boiling sea."
"That kinda proves my point."
"Only because we both know you'd do the same thing." The devil groaned. "Look, I know for the fact my friends are strong enough to keep the coven heads on a level playing field, and you and I, well, if we could drag this fight out forever, we would just to keep the other from winning. But right now, both sides are at an impasse, all because that rainbow coated bitch is trying to make us do her dirty work. Tell me, do you trust her to actually let any of you live after you turn me in?"
"No, especially not when she admitted she'd take you or the Emperor." Hunter admitted.
"Then let's stop killing each other for the moment, and focus on killing that bitch." He said.
"Chirp." Belos said either Clawthorne or the rainbow devil…having one help you fight the other increased your chances.
"...Ugh, I can't believe I'm making a deal with you." Then again, friendly fire happened all the time, and if he impaled the brat while impaling the rainbow devil…then that would be a coincidence. "Fine, we stop the Rainbow Devil, then go back to fighting each other the second it's done with."
"Agreed." The boy nodded. "... And for the record, I was clearly winning."
"I know your brain repairs when it's damaged, but clearly your memory isn't the same."
"Oh yeah, who's had his staff broken for the fourth time?" This day was already far too long then it needed to be.
=======================================================================
Bismuth watched as the Castle Stomper arrived at the school. Any second now, she would be able to shatter Rose, and then she'd move onto Belos. Centuries of work finally fulfilled. And after that … trying to get back home. She had no idea HOW to do that. Eda was known to collect human garbage and sell it. Maybe she had an idea how to do so. Plus that human was here too, she had to come here somehow.
… Then again, they were bonded with Rose, so that wasn't a feasible end … maybe once she got high enough in space she'd find an answer on where to go. That was future Bismuth's problem though, right now, it was time to greet the guests. Seeing as how they chose to waltz in, Bismuth made precautions on keeping that mentally broken gem from damaging the armor any more. It took WAY too long to build and it was not going to be destroyed in seconds. "So, do you like what I've done with the place? Make sure to give it a nice homey feeling. You can still smell the brimstone from the crafting."
"It's over Rainbow Devil." The human raised Rose's sword. "Once we poof you, Lucci will bubble you, and maybe we can confiscate this admittedly cool vehicle to take on Belos."
" You see, this is what I don't get. You're against Belos, I'm against Belos, Eda is, I assume that furry guy is too." Bismuth said. " We should be on the same side. We can't let any more tyrants uproot and destroy any more lives."
" As long as you're trying to kill Lucci, we're never going to be on the same side."Eda growled. "I can't forgive you for this."
She sighed, charging up her armor. "Can't argue with crazy." Before blurring forward, kicking the messed up centipettle gem and sending them into a wall. Now that they were away for a moment, they could focus on the next threat. On the off chance they managed to destroy the armor … "I can always make another." She sent a claw strike to the sword.
The girl managed to block it, but only by getting sent flying across the room. "You know, if this place is made with titan bone all over, then you got to be the best blacksmith ever.
"Okay, I'm good, but do you seriously think I could harvest enough Titan Bone for this entire place?" She asked. "The Crusher is a mix of metals, witches wool, and titan vein."
"Thank you for explaining, now I know what'll happen when I do this!" The human took out a couple pieces of paper and slammed them on the ground….which began decaying with black spots. "Decay glyph. Doesn't work on living things, and since this whole place ISN'T entirely made out of bone and vein, it works well enough.
"You'd think the Veins would be enough to count as living." Bismuth commented, before rushing forward and throwing out a kick, which was intercepted by Eda. Wrong target, but an enemy still went flying. "I suppose I'll have to fire off the cannons before this thing is obliterated."
"WHEEEEH! WHEEEEH! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!" The little hairy guy began to scream continuous at her, pressing her against a wall, and keeping her pinned. "WHEEEEH!WHEEEH!"
She activated the Wailing Stone, which immediately cut off the noise. "So that's going to be focusing on that." She grumbled, walking back to the human, only to be tackled by the bug gem. "And you're really in the mood to piss me off, aren't you!?" Bismuth charged up another punch, sending them into the ceiling.
"Ypu pissed us off first!" The human shouted, slashing her sword against her armor.
"Pathetic. But then again, the woman I made this sword form was a freaking manipulative psychopathic liar, so maybe it's about time I finally buried that part of myself." She slapped the sword out of the way. "What are you going to do now?"
" THIS!" Eda flew from behind and slapped a paper on her….and shook her entire being to the core as she was sent flying into a wall. " Bard glyph! Now what do you think, you big green bug!"
" KRRKRKRWWAAAAAAAASW ! A massive pile of that acid fell on top of bismuth, being to rust and corrode her armor from the backside.
"Oh that is it!" She rocked up to the gem, slamming them onto the ground, repeatedly hitting them over and over. "Stay down if you know what's good for you!"
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Another paper was shoved onto her back, sending Bismuth flying into a wall.
"AAAAGGGGGGGHH! " Okay, now they made her mad. "You know…the crystal gem's, the team I was a part of, made a vow, a long, long time ago. Never harm a human. But given the circumstances I'm working with, I think an exception needs to be made."
"You've given me a concussion at the Wailing Stone incident!" The girl complained.
"You're right…I should've broken your neck." Bismuth charged up her claws, and readied her propulsion. " I'll make sure not to miss this time."
"LUZ !" The fuzzy thing and Eda screamed as she drove her drill forward.
"KRKRKR-"
Crack
No one said anything, simply staring in silence as the Titan's Crusher's Breaking Point hit a target … with a green gem. "Centi?" The girl questioned.
"Krrrrr …"
Shatter
Multiple shards fell to the ground, resting on the ground. While Bismuth should have bubbled them … if that decay spell was in effect, then maybe it would work on these shards. "Be glad." She walked past the human. "I put her out of her misery." Now to focus on the cause of every problem in her life, Rose. Starting with that sword.
"Bismuth.... YOU'RE DEAD!" Eda's form began changing, becoming more beastial and animalistic as she got on all fours, becoming bigger and much more feral.
"I see you're still battling the curse." She noted, internally groaning at the constant work.
"Trust me, between the two of us… I'm who you should be worried about!" The human picked up the sword. "The only way…you're going to come out in the end today…. is in pieces!"