The overwhelming stench of rot and decay filled Erenyx's lungs, the rancid air so thick it felt as though it was trying to cling to her very being. She stood firm, though her body was battered, clothes torn and streaked with a mixture of grime and blood. The cavern walls seemed to echo the chimera's grotesque, twisted movements as it twitched, its various limbs contorting unnaturally. The creature's lion-like head, partially covered in matted fur and rotting scales, swiveled as it strained once more to speak, its voice raspy and broken, "N-Nova…"
Erenyx, gripping her axes tightly, narrowed her eyes. Her muscles ached, her legs trembling beneath her, but she showed no signs of backing down. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth as she bit her inner lip hard enough to break the skin, the taste of iron filling her mouth. Thunder crackled violently around her, shaking the very ground beneath her feet. The jagged bolts of energy shattered the earth, sending chunks of rock flying. "Will of the Forgotten: Storm Sovereign!" she roared, her voice filled with an unyielding fury.
A thick cloud began to form behind her, dark and menacing, swirling with electric energy. The chimera flapped its massive, winged limbs, sending gusts of wind laced with Essentia crashing through the cave. Yet from the darkness of the cloud came two massive wings, lightning surging through them like veins, their color almost indistinguishable from the storm itself. With a thunderous screech, the cloud dispersed, revealing the titanic form of Zeus, his eyes gleaming with predatory focus. His long tail whipped through the air, crackling with energy, every movement sparking lightning that lit up the cave in blinding flashes.
The chimera's growl faltered, its grotesque head turning slowly to face the new threat, the spider-like eyes narrowing as if recognizing Zeus's raw, destructive power. Erenyx, undeterred by the looming danger, screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice reverberating through the cavern, "LET'S GOOOOOOOO! THUNDERBEAT!" Zeus's wings flapped with incredible force, the sound deafening, and a massive wave of thunder swept through the cavern like a violent storm. The ground trembled as lightning arced wildly from Zeus's wings, searing the chimera's already grotesque, rotting flesh.
Seizing the opportunity, Erenyx darted beneath the beast, her axes trailing behind her as she slashed violently at its underbelly. Blood sprayed from the wound, splattering across the cavern floor as the chimera let out a guttural, pained roar. Zeus, hovering above, swooped down with blinding speed, his form almost a blur of lightning and feathers. He collided with the beast, exploding into a burst of electric energy that caused the entire cave to shudder. The chimera screamed again, its agonized cry echoing through the cave as Zeus reappeared behind Erenyx, thunder cracking the air with his arrival.
"GIVE ME WHAT YOU GOT!" Erenyx's voice rang out, thick with bloodlust, her eyes burning a fierce red, the same shade as the blood splattered across her body. She slid beneath the beast's outstretched winged claw, its massive, malformed limb crashing into the stone floor, missing her by mere inches. With a swift turn of her body, she slashed at the creature's wing, tearing through its leathery hide. The chimera let out a deep, agonized grunt, and its snake-like tail writhed in response, coiling beneath its belly to strike.
But Erenyx was prepared. She raised her axe in time, the sharp blade slicing clean through the snake's body with surgical precision. The chimera recoiled, jumping into the air and flapping its massive, tattered wings to escape, its tail twitching and writhing in agony.
"DON'T RUN FROM ME, PUSSY!" Erenyx spat, her voice dripping with rage as she rapidly formed a series of hand signs. "BEAM HIS ASS, ZEUS!" she commanded. With a crackling roar, Zeus unleashed a powerful beam of lightning, the energy coalescing into a blinding streak that struck the chimera in midair, sending it crashing back to the ground. The beast hit the floor with a sickening thud, its body convulsing as arcs of electricity coursed through its form.
Erenyx charged once more, her feet kicking up dust and debris as she sprinted towards the fallen creature. A wild, manic grin spread across her face as she drove her axe into the beast's ankle, the bones snapping with a sickening crunch. The chimera howled in pain, its leg collapsing beneath its own weight. But as Erenyx prepared for the final strike, her power suddenly faltered. Zeus's form flickered and vanished, his energy spent, and Erenyx's locs fell limp around her shoulders, the light in her eyes dimming as her Essentia reserves were depleted. "Ah, shit…"
Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the cold stone floor, her axes disappearing into the void. The chimera, sensing its advantage, let out a triumphant roar. With renewed strength, it kicked her into the cavern wall, the impact sending waves of pain through her body. As she tried to push herself up, the beast unleashed a powerful Essentia ball from its mouth, striking her directly. The force of the blast left her gasping for breath, her body battered and broken.
Before she could recover, the chimera seized her in its massive jaws, its teeth pressing into her flesh. Erenyx grimaced, her vision fading as she felt the cold grip of death closing in.
"You know… I never expected to have this much fun… leaving the clan."
The voice came from above, calm yet filled with an eerie intensity. Loretta Ra floated into the air, his body seemingly weightless, though his presence felt like a raging inferno. His hair, once pure black, had taken on the colors of a smoldering fire, a burnt orange that seemed to shimmer in the dim light. The raw power of his Essentia was so dense, it created a visible aura around him, crackling with heat.
As the chimera turned its gaze towards him, still clutching Erenyx in its jaws, Loretta's eyes glinted with a dangerous calm. "Oh, I believe you should put her down. Carrying her in your mouth may not be the safest option." His words carried a strange authority, as if the very air around him bowed to his will.
Drawing upon the vast reserves of power flowing through him, Loretta summoned a massive bow of fire, its vibrant flames flickering with lethal intent. The air hummed with the energy gathering in the bowstring, the tension almost palpable. "May God bless your soul," he whispered as the form of a radiant woman appeared behind him, her hands gently resting on his shoulders. Her presence amplified his power, the bow glowing with an intense crimson and orange hue as Loretta released the arrow.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, in a single blink, the chimera's chest was torn open, a gaping hole where its heart had been. The arrow's path had pierced straight through the cave, leaving behind a massive opening that allowed sunlight to flood into the chamber, bathing Loretta in an ethereal glow. "Pierce the sun," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the dying screams of the chimera.
Loretta floated back to the ground, his body nearly spent, collapsing onto the cold stone floor as exhaustion overtook him. "Hey, Erenyx… you alive?" he muttered, his voice weak. The cave fell into a tense silence, broken only by the faint sound of breathing. After a moment, Erenyx's weak voice responded, "Maybe… I don't know yet."
Both of them lay there in silence, their bodies broken but alive. Loretta chuckled softly before slipping into unconsciousness, and Erenyx followed soon after.
Outside the cave, hidden in the shadows, a man watched. Clad in darkness, his presence seemed to distort the very fabric of time around him. He hummed softly to himself, observing the scene with quiet amusement. "Oh, how shameful, Kaku. Even with age, you can't get anything right, dear brother," he mused before vanishing into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
Two days passed before Kaku Roux returned to the cave, his serpentine form slithering across the stone. "Holy shit… they actually beat it," he muttered, his smile widening as he approached the massive core of the chimera. Its cold surface shimmered under his touch, and he wrapped his arms around it, preparing to take it.
But just as he turned to leave, a hand—battered and bloody—grabbed at his leg. "Go to hell," Erenyx rasped, her eyes burning with fury as she stared up at him. Kaku sneered, spitting at her before stomping on her hand and walking out of the cave, leaving Erenyx cursing his name behind him.