A "Cruel" Fate (Part 5)

{Meanwhile...}

In a dark, cold, damp area where bricks are laid in the four corners, it was a place that was abandoned, lost into obscurity.

It has been untouched for time untold and would seem it would remain that way forevermore. Until...

*Wroooh...*

A black mass emerges.

*Whump!*

"Ugh!" Arnox grunted as he fell to the ground.

He gets up and began looking at a gothic woman walking towards him with her hand on her hip, looking at him with a stoic expression.

But Arnox knew what she truly is.

"Black eyes, silver pupils, and horns as well. You're an Archdemon!" Arnox said.

"I'm gonna cut the chase here, Arnox. How'd you get Brittney, Terrence, and Alexander?" the archdemon said.

"The reason she knows of their existence is that a different Outworlder who knows them beforehand. But right now, that Archdemon is alone. Even if I am in this state, a mere Archdemon is no match for me." Arnox thought.

"I will answer not, foul creature!" Arnox yelled in defiance.

*Fweeen!*

Arnox creates a spear of yellow light in his hand and glares at the Archdemon.

"Sacred Spear!" Arnox yelled and threw it at the Archdemon.

*Woosh!*

The Archdemon dodged the projectile and dashed forward with blinding speed to close the distance between her and Arnox.

Arnox flinched and jumped backwards, but she maintained her distance and did a reverse roundhouse kick.

*THWACK!!*

"Ugh!" Arnox grunted from the Archdemon's kick, sending him a fair distance away.

He hit the ground and skidded to the wall. Arnox struggles to sit upright as his vision was blurred from the blow to the face.

The Archdemon walks towards him with her cold unchanging expression.

"You're an old human, so I held back my kick so that your head is in one piece." the Archdemon said.

Arnox stood up again and tried to use Light Magic again and multiple spears and swords appear around the Archdemon.

The Archdemon raised her eyebrow and summoned reached out her arms.

*Wrooooh...!*

Black mist appear around her and rush into the palms of her hands, twisting, morphing into a weapon devoid of any light. A scythe.

"Saint Sanctuary!"

Arnox clenched his fist and the multiple swords and spears barrel towards her in every direction at the same time.

But during that time, the Archdemon flourishes her scythe and twists her body to swing her scythe in one fluid motion.

*Swooosh!*

*GROOOOAAHH!*

The Archdemon swung her scythe and a black cyclone followed after. The spears and swords of light that was heading straight was blown off course and soon shattered like glass.

Arnox was dumbfounded. With his magic, Saint Sanctuary, he is capable of slaying Archdemons instantly even if it wasn't Holy Magic.

"What...to break my magic like that...how?" Arnox said. "A mere Archdemon can't evade without serious injuries!"

"Here's the thing. I'm more than that, but I'm not a Demon Lord...yet." the Archdemon said.

"Yet? Then...you're a Superior Archdemon!?" Arnox said with horror creeping up to him.

"Obviously." the Superior Archdemon scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I am a rank Z+5."

"No...rank Z? Plus 5!?" Arnox yelled.

"Alright, enough a bit of myself. Tell me how'd you get the three Outworlders from." the Superior Archdemon demanded. "If you do, you'll be able to keep your other limbs."

"Also, to even have a some kind of unique personality, demeanor, and body language...no...are you a named!?" Arnox said as fear continues to creep into his mind.

The Superior Archdemon sighed. "Yes, my name is Miura. Happy now?"

Dread engulfs Arnox completely as he fully realized that a named Archdemon is on the verge of evolving into a Demon Lord. A being that he could not at least injure it even if he was in his prime and completely uninjured.

"What kind of being...would bring such a monster into this realm!?" Arnox yelled in attempt to find reason why someone would name a Hellkin that is one stage behind Demon Lord.

Arnox began reminiscing the time where a humanoid gold-eyed Hellkin once appeared and rampaged through the Delphinus Theocracy 65 years ago. That golden-eyed Hellkin with its skin darker than the night with sharp green teeth and a long, green serpentine tongue. Its sadistic, cannibalistic nature and its beast-like movements brought fear of many and still does to this day even after its soul was destroyed.

Those who survived, injured or not were never the same as they can remember the screams of the innocents begging for their friends, families, beloveds, and their heroes to help them as the golden-eyed Hellkin slowly feasts on their insides. Men, women, and children weren't safe from that being's gluttonous jaws.

That event is also the cause of influx of priests, clerics, and paladins in the churches. Arnox was no exception for he participated in that event. For what he saw, for what he heard, he never forgot.

Now he's facing another one that could reach that stage at any time, triggering the trauma he wanted to bury.

"No, no, no...! Not again!" Arnox said with his voice trembling, holding his head. "I'm sorry, I did all I could...please don't curse me!"

Arnox began whimpering as he is being overcome with grief that he was unable to save the citizens and the screams inside his head echoes within.

Miura on the other hand rolled her eyes in impatience and performs a frontal kick at Arnox's head.

*CRASH!!*

*Crumble...!*

Miura's kick caused a large crater in the stone wall near Arnox's head. The noise and the crumbling stone. This kick caused Arnox to fall silent and look at Miura's ominous silver eyes.

"Tell me where'd you get the Otherworlders." Miura demanded. "Now."

With her demand, he gave in despite Miura not saying any threats, but doing action.

"I summoned them with the help of the Deities...more specifically, Goddess of Wisdom Mizant." Arnox said, trembling.

"Mizant, huh? What's your goal for bringing the four?" Miura said.

"To kill the Tyrants! If left unchecked, they'll be overcome with the urge to kill, to rule with an iron fist, and cause suffering to the masses! It's even more terrifying when a dragon is one of them!" Arnox explained.

"That's it?" Miura tilted her head. "Just to kill the Tyrants in this time period?"

"That's it!? Can you imagine what would happen if that green-toothed, golden-eyed Hellkin were to kill a hero!?" Arnox exclaimed.

"It'll probably be fun. More competition for us." Miura shrugged. She then began to wonder about the other Hellkins. "I wonder how Islero and Saeva is doing..."

{Meanwhile...}

Inside of another unknown place, Terrence and Alexander now face against Islero and Saeva.

"Alex, got a plan? I can fight, but I ain't 100% healed." Terrence said.

"We gotta find a way out. But we don't know if it'll work." Alexander said.

"These two look strong. But not as strong as that dragon. We might have a chance." Alexander thought.

"Look here, if you're gonna surrender, go ahead." Islero said. "It'll save me energy."

"Ready?" Alexander said.

"You already know." Terrence grinned.

Yellow lightning formed around Terrence and his muscles began to increase in size, tearing the bandages that bound him.

"Hrrraaah!!"

*Bzooom!!*

Terrence lets out a roar, gaining an explosive surge of energy. The yellow glow illuminates the dim room. The wounds he had previously quickly healed. Terrence then began to be encased in a white barrier on his skin.

"Alright then!" Terrence said, rolling his shoulders. "It's time for me to get serious!"