Episode 14: To Forge your spirit

"I wonder if they're okay," Zilla said after a moment of silence. She sat there, visibly frustrated and worried as she fidgeted about. She had a habit of shaking her leg to distract herself.

The stork was badly damaged during their flight. Some tendrilled birds came after them but with the help of Elaine and the crew, they were able to sustain the damage to a minimum.

They had reached the upper atmosphere and are on their way to safety as Zilla was concerned for her sons that were facing a threat like what she had just witnessed.

"I'm sure they are." Elaine was still on alert. Having to face any enemies here will be detrimental. The damage was not so bad to exit the planet's atmosphere but having a hole busted in would be bad.

She stood by the window, scanning the area.

"I-" She wanted to state her concerns but she restrained herself. What could she do then?

Elaine, relieved to have not seen a trace of the enemy, focused her attention towards Zilla.

"There's nothing I can do," Zilla spoke up. "Even before, I couldn't do a thing."

Lowering her head, her eyes fixated on the cold metal floor below her. Her shoulders limped down and the fidgeting stopped.

"Am.... Am I not a good mother?"

Elaine made her way towards Zilla, making sure she doesn't stumble over the debris that flew about during the attack.

She knelt before her and combed the dark brown hair from her face. She then lifted it to get a good look into her listless eyes. Zilla's smooth skin was a little dirtied from the struggle but it wasn't enough to hide the beautiful features that made her face. Despite the little management she does on herself, Zilla had a neatly strong brow with soft cheeks. Her eyes did not pop like most but were definitely defined and sharp.

Elaine can clearly see the resemblance of Allen and John being her children. If they had taken her cognac eyes, it would seem like they were identical. She could also be mistaken as their sister. She did have wrinkles that were not so prominent, like the ones that tipped her eyes and lined her lips. The amount of stress she had to go through in life were visible to one that is keen.

Zilla couldn't help but avert her eyes from Elaine's but her ambered gaze looked deeply into Zilla's being as she spoke.

"You are," Elaine assured her in a soft and comforting tone. Her expression remained the same. "You have always been."

Zilla's eyes were still averting away from Elaine.

"You've taken even myself into your loving arms and kept us together under trying times. You've allowed me to grow into the strong person I am today and gave birth to two beautiful boys that are now trying to risk their life into protected the people around them. It was your selflessness that gave us the opportunity to be who we are."

Tears began to line the bottom of her eyes as she took Elaine's hands off her.

"There's nothing I can do though, even if I wanted to. Who am I a normal human to think that I want to protect the ones I love without an inkling of strength to do so."

"I-..." She lets out a shaky sigh. "I can't help but worry. This feeling of helplessness and being unable to do anything about, I hate it." She couldn't hold it in and began to break down, burying her face in her hands as the tears leaked through the creases of her fingers.

Elaine stayed in place from her, quiet for a moment. She was unsure as to what do to or what to say. She took the time to strengthen her resolve before taking a seat next to Zilla. She then spoke again.

"It's what makes you a mother," Elaine reaffirms with a softened gaze. "It's what makes you a good mother."

Elaine softly peeled her hands away from her face, ensuring that her armor doesn't scrape the soft skin and placed it on her lap. She pulled her face towards her direction so that she can lock eyes again.

"I understand how you feel." She placed her hand on top of hers. "At times, it feels like you can't breathe as it begins to take over you and before you know it, you can't make sense of the world around you anymore."

Zilla finally shared a look with Elaine. Within those deep red eyes were a complex expression, like Elaine had experienced the same pain that she had gone through. Despite it, she felt the soft and warming sensation emanating through them.

"I know you did the best you could do and, believe it or not, I'd say that was enough. I know for fact that it was good enough for me." Elaine smiled affectionately.

Elaine took a deep breath before continuing. Her eyes still locked into Zilla's.

"For the longest time, I never felt like I was a motherless child, Zilla." Elaine locked her hands with Zilla's and her eyes were beginning to tear up. "I tried many times to remember my mother's face, what she looked like and every time I did, all I could see was-"

A sudden eruption rumbled the planet below them. Even when they were not grounded, they could feel the tremors from the outer reaches of the atmosphere. It was like the whole of reality was shaking violently.

Elaine immediately stood from her place and rushed to the window. In her very core, she felt an ominous disturbance outside the stork.

When she looked out the window, she was shocked to see what looked like branches piercing the entirety of the planet. What stood out was the fact that they came out of rifts that cluttered about. These giant roots dug into the crust and began to rampage all around, tearing away at the ecosystem.

Elaine felt a surge of energy that engulfed a single point in the distance.

It was the city John and Allen were at.

~

John launched himself into the army of blight. He broke through the first line of infected without getting scratched and instantly wiped out anything in his path.

They tried to pile on top of him but in that moment, he saw everything. He launched a multitude of fists in the air around him, form a large dome of light that didn't allow anything to get past it.

In that instant, one of the branches from the Blighted Tree thundered down on the dome, smashing it. It seemed like John had stopped but cracks and tears appeared as light escaped from the groves before exploding.

The branch was torn in two and John was in between, unfazed by the attack.

"Over here, Hero!" Porcus gave from behind and lunged his body into John, slamming the both of them into a building.

The Lord of Gluttony was then launched away from the crash and a swarm of infected began to flood the scene.

From the crater, a beam of light sliced through the horde and at the building, ripping away at its foundation. This made the building topple on top of a large group of infected, splattering their black ooze all over.

John rose from the rubble but without a moment's rest, he was attacked by a flurry of white flames.

"Hurry, before he does something!" Lady Lust commanded Lewentos.

"You don't tell me what to do." Lewentos raised his hand in the air from his throne and beckoned the Blighted tree to bear down on the pinned Hero of Eons.

Its branch covered the surrounding flames and began to close in on John. John noticed that he was being trapped and, in that moment, tried to burst off the ground but he was stuck.

He looked to see what was holding him down and saw a whip made out of white flames had wrapped around his leg.

"There's no escape!" Lady Lust lifted her hands in the air and the flames began to engulf the branches.

They then coiled in on John, curling his surroundings. As they did, the flames began to blaze into a twirling tornado, trapping John inside.

"This won't hold him down for too long," Lady Lust stated.

Lewentos knew that this was going to be difficult from the start but the fact that John has been holding them off alone was astonishing.

"Just a little more time and we'll be set." Lewentos replied.

"I hope you're right," Lady Lust had her doubts about the plan but it all relied on how long they can hold out.

In an instant, under the burning tornado, John lets out a burst of energy that shook the entirety of his area, blasting away the branches and flame.

His arms were outstretched as his body was levitating from the ground, gaining the distance he needed.

He clasps his hands together then pulled them apart. In that motion, a blade made out of his essence was forged in thin air. It was a bright one-edged sword that emanated a strong golden aura that strikes whatever is near like lightening.

A tendrilled bird tried to attack but was struck by the aura, evaporating in an instant.

"I know I am," Lewentos said confidently as he shared a glare with John, who stood on the roof.

"Ya'll still up for more?" John declared from his spot.

"If you are," Porcus said as he finally reached the rest of the group.

A numerous amount of infected swarmed the building John was in, even clambering up the walls to reach him.

"That's not terrifying at all," John said nonchalantly.

He swings the blade downward and sliced a whole section off the encroachers with a slash made of golden light.

He then stabs the blade into the ground. He pushes his essence into the blade and made it rush down to its very foundation. The building exploded from every floor, toppling it in its place.

A column of infected then emerged from the dust, grasping away below John's feet. Their bodies were merged together with hands protruding from every part of the pillar. A numerous row of teeth was then formed to bite away below John's feet as he watched it helplessly reach for him.

"Gross... "

John was interrupted by a charging beast. The blades met each other as the force pushes John back.

As their blades clashed against one another, the Blight lord of gluttony teeth wanted to sink into John's face as well.

"For the tips about yer diet, might I also suggest some hygienic tips," John grunts as he pushed the Blight lord back and kicked him to the ground. "Like brushing?"

As he spoke, an arrow of flame rushed towards his side and slapped him out of the sky. John crashed into the pavement before the Blighted tree.

"Do ya always interrupt me when I'm speaking?"

"I like it better when you're quiet!" The lord of Pride pointed his hand towards John, commanding the tree to unleash a flurry of blows at him from its roots.

John instantly got out of its way but was blocked again by the branches of the tree that poked out of the rifts. He turned towards Pride and rushed at him.

Pride did not move as John leered closer at blinding speed only to be halted by the snake fellow, who had his mouth wide open.

John stopped in his tracks and kicked the snakes jaw shut.

John then sensed an incoming threat approaching. He used his other leg to launch himself away from the trunk of the tree to a safer distance. When he did, nine white tails slapped the snake away.

"Interesting," he said as he flew further away from the area.

"You like what you see?" The lady lust flirted.

"I like my rear ends close to where it's supposed to be, but thank you," he yelled back.

Lady lust only chuckled but her mask that hid her face turned stern as she launched her tails at his direction.

They of course missed him entirely but that did not stop her. At the distance, her tails furled all around John.

John, upon realizing the situation he was in, thought that he needed to get away somehow, but there doesn't seem to be a way out as the tails begin to light up slowly, charging an oncoming onslaught.

"Got you," she said softly.

The dome of tails was engulfed in a flurry of white flame, as they continuously rained down on John's position. Lady Lust maniacally burst in laughter as she watched the flames roar inside.

There was no way out of this attack.

~

"We've been treading for what seems like an hour," the citizen in a grey suit complained.

"Do we have to bring him?" Gaver woke from his state, still unable to move. They carried him by the arm as they continued to walk down long corridors.

"He followed," the Thiadigm spoke up. "I can't say he doesn't listen at least."

"How's the girl?"

"She's fine," Allen replied. "She just needs time to rest."

"I hope you know what you're doing, lad."

"I hope so too."

It wasn't until they reached the end of the corridor where they were able to meet up with the proxy commander of enforcement.

"Commander!" Gaver spoke up. He was glad to see another familiar face after a while.

From his large back, the commander raised his arm up in a fist, gesturing them to stay in their position.

They all stopped in their place and listened.

Allen couldn't hear it at first but it was slight. A sudden guttural sound made its way into the silence. After, came the thumping and crunching of large footsteps. What revealed brought a shrill through Gaver's spine.

It was one of those beasts that he dealt with before. The things that decimated his squad at the apartment complex.

Its jutted jaw oozed with a black ooze, patches of fur and flesh fell from its body. It trudged the corridor before them slowly as it sniffed at the air, searching.

It took two more sniffs before it twisted its head in their direction.

The commander moved without hesitation and stabbed into the gullet of the beast, pinning it down on the ground. He didn't have his Glave with him but a simple dagger he keeps close on himself.

The thiadigm next to Allen, after placing Gaver down, followed up with furious infused blows to the head before it could make a sound.

The beast began to writhe around in pain but the attack was so instant that it gave in and laid still, dead.

The thiadigm and commander stood from their place and exchanged a look of gratitude.

The commander then gestured towards one end of the hallway and finally spoke, "There are more ahead but this is the only way out."

"Great," Allen chimed in with a sigh. "What was that thing?"

"One of the beasts that makes up the Blighted Army," the Thiadigm answered. "We call 'em Wulfiend."

"There are a many things we don't understand about the void," the commander followed up. "But what we do know is that black substance oozing about is a prominent feature, infecting those who touch it and morphing them into these things."

The man in the grey suit twitched as he passed over the beast's body, gently avoiding it to ensure it doesn't wake up.

"Only 'Essence' can truly defeat such monstrosities."

"I've heard that a lot," Allen began. He knew he was in a hurry but he wants a better understanding of the foe he was facing. "What is Essence? The void?"

"Have you just crawled out of a cave?" The thiadigm joked but seeing the determination in Allen's eyes told him about how serious he is. He sighed in grief before answering.

"The Essence is what makes up all of life. Chi, Magic, Chakra, Aura, Energy; call it whatever you like but that is what it is."

Allen's understanding grew as the thiadigm spoke.

"The Void, however, is a place devoid of the Essence. In fact, it's a total opposite. The Blight is a creation of the Void that consumes the Essence and corrupts it, as you can see."

Allen took a look at where the Thiadigm pointed to and noticed the black ooze was not just staining the walls, but they began to corrode and ate away, bit by bit.

"A threat like that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible."

"And it'll be dealt with, right?"

"We can only hope," the Thiadigm spoke sullenly. His voice carried a heavy weight that burdened Allen's heart.

It was then that the little girl in Allen's arms began to fidget about, waking up to unfamiliar surroundings.

"Good morning, little one," Allen spoke softly as to not startle the girl.

"She's awake?" Gaver spoke up as well.

"Gav?" She said softly, almost in a frightful tone.

"I'm here, Layla," Gaver limps over to Allen's side. "I'm here."

The little girl, who was apparently named 'Layla', sighed in relief as she saw Gaver's face.

They reunion was put to a halt as soon as roars echoed down the hall. The sound of fighting came from the end of it.

"Nope," the citizen in the suit immediately said. "I'm not taking that chance."

"And go back to find a dead end? Or even worse?"

The Thiadigm's words sent shivers down the man's spine.

"My brothers must be in combat," he brings up his weapon, ready to charge forth into battle.

The two behind unsheathed theirs and stood by his side.

For a minute, they stood there, readying themselves. The steadied their breathing, synchronizing themselves. With every breath, their blades begin to emit a glowing sheen.

They then raised their arms and charged forth with a heavy roar.

The beast beyond that door filled the station as lights flickered about.

The rest of the group watched in awe as the group of Thiadigm did a grand effort of paving a way for the rest.

There were only twelve of them but they cut down hordes of infected.

Slowly but surely, they made a clear path for the group to move through. The enforcers formed a barrier between the citizens and infected. Allen joined in on the effort as he hacked his way with his knife.

There were dozens of them cramped in a single space and through the seemingly endless waves of infected, the Thiadigm them shouted, "This way! The Exit is here!"

"There are too many!" The commander replied.

"We'll take care of them!"

The thiadigm made an effort to keep a close formation around the group. They carried various set of armaments but couldn't use most of them that could risk making the whole place fall down on them.

Lusters of lights zoomed passed the group as the thiadigm released numerous spells that cuts down rows of infected.

The enforcers remained strong as a wall, defending the citizens. They shot their way through the horde using rifles and the like. Even Gaver took up arms and precisely aimed for vital parts.

Infected generally don't have prominent organs. They don't even have stomachs to digest what they consume. The hole in their guts spilled out whatever they ate.

"Where did they all come from!?" Gaver complained.

"They must be here for John!" Allen confidently said.

"They do realize numbers won't do them any good if its him." The commander replied

"I don't know why they would do this but there must be a greater plot at work."

"We need to get to John as soon as possible," Allen had a gut feeling that whatever is attracting this many infected must be in the surface.

"AaAAAAAaaaAgh!" The first victim fell as the infected began to break through the defense, chewing at his arm. It was the citizen in the suit.

Allen instinctively rushed the infected, tackling it and stabbing it in the eyes to blind it. The enforcer took a shot in the head of the infected. It writhed in pain before laying still and turning into ash.

"Keep moving!" The commander insisted.

The Thiadigm were powerful enough to take down leagues of infected but the battle has taken a toll on them. One of them was then overrun by a horde before being mauled by a Wulfiend.

Those large beasts towered over the horde as they shoved the infected aside, even consuming some on the way.

Another thiadigm was overpowered by a wulfiend and disappeared in the crowd.

Upon watching his brothers being taken out one after another, the Thiadigm urgently rushed the horde in front.

"WEJJEI!!" He roared as he cut down numerous infected, clearing a path towards the escalators leading up.

The other Thiadigm noticed his actions and took their armaments out.

"GO," the Thiadigm shouted towards Allen and the group.

"But-!" The commander protested but was interrupted by the figure who stood eye to eye.

"GO! We will fulfill our mission! Fulfill yours!"

The commander saluted at the man and rushed the people up. "Go go go!"

Allen stopped by the Thiadigm who was slashing away at the infected trying to pass him.

"Lad," he spoke before Allen could. "Survive!"

"A name!"

"What?"

"A name please," Allen didn't care about the infected that were close to biting away at his body.

This young lad continued to baffle the Thiadigm to the very end. "Ventu!"

"Ventu," Allen placed a hand to his chest. "Thank you!" He took off without turning back.

This made Ventu, the Thiadigm, smile. He shoved a mass of infected away, giving himself space. He couldn't see any of his brothers. They must have fallen as the people were being escorted out.

The infected remained at a distance, watching him, waiting for him to make his next move.

"Getting cocky, are we?" Ventu took his helmet from his belt and placed it on his head. He wielded his blade in front of him, his hand firmly gripped on the leather strap.

He raised his other hand in the air, shaking it about like a peacock's unfurled feathers. He shuffled his feet front and back, ready to pounce on whatever came close.

A wulfiend approached the Thiadigm and stood over him. Its teeth were seething with black ooze dripping from its lips.

"The Heart is of the Man who wields it!" Ventu began reciting the Thiadigm creed. "Unwavering to the winds and untethered to the world! LET IT SOAR!"

The wulfiend lunged towards the Thiadigm but he slaps the beast with the blunt end of the sword. He then elbowed it to the ground before stabbing it to the ground. He released a bright light into the beast, immediately evaporating into ash.

"LET THE OBSTICLES COME SHAKE THIS HEART OF MINE!"

A group of infected rushed him but they were immediately cut down with a single, swift swing.

"TO FORGE OUR SPIRITS!"

He then swung another time releases a ray of light, cutting down a large chunk of the horde. The bodies of his mauled brothers were revealed. On them, there was a light emanating from their bodies.

"COME AT ME! WEJJEI!"

The fallen thiadigm stood from their place, limping as they stand. They were almost overtaken by the blight but their eyes have yet to waver. There was a light that shone brightly as they stood in the middle of the enemy before them.

"COME WITNESS THE LIFE UPON MINE CHEST! WEJJEI!"

The other thiadigm shouted the same word in unison.

"AND THIS IMMOVABLE HEART!"

Allen was halfway through the escalator and he heard everything. He didn't want to look back but his heart was wrenched. It was then that the sounds of fighting ensued behind him, but he didn't look back. Allen kept making his way up the escalator, even when there was silence.

He began to sprint up, knowing full well that he should not linger any longer but another sound followed after. A rushing sound, like a large tsunami was heading his way. When Allen turned, he saw a wave of light rushing up the steps.

"HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!" He shouted towards the group above him but his concern made him get caught by the sudden rush of light, flinging him up the steps.

The commander was able to grab hold of him, before he flew any further. It was a strenuous as the two struggled to hold on. The wave of light was immense and it felt like he was being pushed away by a large wave, even breathing was a struggle.

Gaver, being the protective support, held on to Layla tightly as he gripped on the railings. The other citizens and enforcers were holding on for dear life but some were taken away by the powerful gust of wind.

Allen's mind was almost fading in and out of consciousness but the wave finally stopped, allowing him to topple onto the stairs. His chest hit the edge of the steps, knocking the wind out of him.

"Lad, are you okay?!" The commander said in concern.

Allen was struggling to catch his breath, seizing his chest as he tried to control his breathing. However, he raised his hand to indicate that he needed a moment. It almost a minute for Allen to regain his composure. He was still breathing heavily but he was okay.

"We need to keep moving," he said under each breath.

The commander looked at Allen for a second but after he assured his condition, he stood from his place and looked back at the group. There was now a fewer number of people than when they arrived.

"Catch your breath then we'll keep moving!"

Allen, after he fully regained composure, looked up to long steps up. He noticed that it was eerily silent. Something must have happened and he had a bad feeling about it.

Allen got up from his spot and began making his way up.

"Allen, wait!" The commander called to Allen but nothing was going through to him.

Allen was solely focused on getting to John as quick as possible.

On the way up, Allen could smell a horrendous order from the surface, worse than what he had smelled so far. It was like something was decaying for ages and left out.

Allen still continued his trek to the surface, even when his vision was started to blur from the ominous mist in the air.

BOOOM!

A sudden explosion erupted from above and a monstrous quack followed after. He could see the buildings sway about and the wind current rushed about, blowing away the mist and the stench.

The dust fell from the ceiling and the lights began to flicker. There were cracks forming on the walls around him and the area shook tremendously.

There was a heat coming from the top, like that of the high noon on the desert.

Allen struggled to make his way up, with every step the heat greatly rose. It was almost unbearable. He still continued, cautiously.

Once he finally made his way to the top of the steps, the air became difficult to breath as the heat overtook all his senses. The smell of burnt concrete invaded his nose, along with the sounds of buildings toppling over themselves.

His eyes took a bit to adjust to the brightness of the singed earth but what he saw was like looking into a hellscape.

There was a radius of nothingness, as whatever caused the explosion wiped everything away. Even the buildings didn't leave any rubble but embers of what used to be there.

At the center, there was an enormous tree that stood over the clouds and into the rift on reality. Its trunk was scorched black with fire engulfing around it. There were a couple branches that fell onto the ground, toppling anything in its crash. Burnt leaves hovered about as their edges carried the cinder.

Under the tree, at the center of where the explosion came from, there was a large crater.

With a closer look, Allen could see John standing in front of the crater, unharmed. It gave him a moment of relief but it was soon taken away by the thing that rose from the crater. Something even more horrifying than what he had seen so far.

~

The flames continued to roar intensely as Lady Lust continuously released the assault.

"I think you've done enough," Lewentos said.

"I don't think so," Lust replied.

"You'd be wasting your energy."

The inferno died down as lust recalled her tails back.

As the smoke obscured their sight, they took that moment to take a breather. Their eyes are still locked on it as they prepare for an attack from John.

Lust had used a lot of power during the fight and was sweating quite a bit.

As the smoke began to clear, they got into positions, ready to pounce. Even Lewentos leaned over to take a better look.

When the smoke was taken by the wind, it revealed that there was nothing there. John had disappeared.

Lewentos burst out laughing at Lady Lust's failed attempt.

"Where did he go!?" The lord of gluttony bellowed.

"He can't have gone anywhere far," Lewentos spoke up after taking a breath.

"How can you be so sure he didn't escape?"

"Oh, I know now that there must be some reason he remains here."

"S-so, we wait until h-he reveals himself again?"

"And how long will that be?"

"Not long," John said as he stood behind Porcus.

The lord of gluttony was about to react but John had already slammed ia hammer forged by light into the ribs of the beast, cracking the bones. He spewed out black ooze from his snout before being casted aside from the immense weight of the attack.

Even with his size, he was flung away like a ragdoll, breaking through multiple buildings before crashing onto the ground a block away.

The lord of Gluttony recovered quickly to charge into John, but he reacted with another swift swing that fell on the lord's cheek, misbalancing him.

Lady Lust was about to rain fire on John but he immediately got to her side and kicked her in the face, cracking the mask she hid under. She was flung away towards the trunk of the Blighted Tree. She was about to break out of the tree, but John appeared before her with his hand raised.

His hands began to light up with a golden glow. "This is for earlier."

He released a massive beam on her that pierced even the Blighted Tree's massive trunk. All that was left is a giant hole.

Porcus tried to shake of his stupor but before he could regain composure, John returned with another flurry of blows.

John had forged a pole of light that swiftly barraged the large beast. Each precise blow had struck vital points in the Blight lord's body, sending a numbing sensation to where the pole made contact. It was like Porcus had been continuously been hit by lightning as the attack sent shockwaves that erupted like thunder.

With a last lift of John's pole, he transformed the tip into a hammer and brought it down on Porcus, finally leaving him in a comatose state.

John looked at the Lord of Pride, who remained seated in his lofty throne made of Blighted Roots.

Lewentos looked at the situation he was in. Majority of his army had been wiped out. Two of the blight lords had been put out of commission and he was the only one remaining. The snake fellow was nowhere to be seen but none of this mattered not to him.

"Thought you wouldn't hurt a woman actively," Lewentos joked.

"That's self-defense." John hovered in the air looking down on Lewentos, who paid no heed to their positioning. He brushed the white flames that were burning away at his clothes.

"A man of equality, I see."

John then appeared right in front of Lewentos, their knees almost touching. "How about you learn more about my sense of equality?"

"I think you're senses in general betray you."

"Really?"

"Your understanding of the cosmos is but a negligible glimpse into reality. What are you really in the grand scheme of things? Not but a trifle to what is to come."

"You say negligible but I believe that a glimpse is all we need to understand our place."

"Such injudicious choice of words, bearing no ill intent but that is what you will bring about to those even close to you." Lewentos finally stood from his seat, leveling just a little above John. "Do pray tell, John. Who is it that you are DYING to protect right now?"

"You better watch your words."

"What you do to this puppet means nothing to me," The Lord of Pride stretches out his arms as he gestures towards himself. "But if I were to touch-"

John immediately punched Lewentos in the face with more force than necessary, crumbling away at the outer layer as the head flew straight off the body. The severed head thumped a few times on the roots of the blighted tree before he continues his taunt.

"It is too late now," Lewentos smiled viciously as his eyes carried a sense of victory, before it began flickering. "Our plan is now in motion and there is no stopping it, John, Hero of the Eons!"

Then, a sudden discharge erupted from above them.

John's gaze shot to the sky and peered closely at what was approaching. Something had entered the atmosphere and was approaching fast.

It was then that the clouds split open, making room from what seemms like a meteor that was barreling down to the ground, straight at John.

John immediately got out of the way of its trajectory and wrapped himself in a protective aura from the oncoming blast.

As the thing came crashing onto to the ground, it released an immense heatwave that melted the surrounding buildings to nothing, even leaving a massive crater in its wake.

The wave itself was enough to push John back a few steps before he bunkered down, using a blade made of light.

Once things have settled, John took a look at what had crashed onto the ground and from the crater, there was a thunderous roar. No, it was more like laughter. Laughter so loud that it rumbled his body.

"JOHN ETRUEM!" A voice shot out of the crater. "FINALLY, WE MEET AGAIN!"

John could see, with his Cosmic Sense, an aura that rivaled that of the Celestials of Creation. A being so powerful that its true form enveloped his humanoid body.

"LONG HAVE I WAITED FOR THE DAY THAT I CAN FINALLY RETURN THE FAVOR"

The monstrosity rose from the crater. His horns were twisted to the far back of his head and met up on his brows to the center of his forehead. His eyes were like ambered flames as they seethed through the edges like the heat escaping from the forge.

His skin was a merge of soft tissue and scales, rough, coarse, and scarred. His arms were layered with thick scales that reached down to his claws for hands. Every tip of his body was emanating heat as the edges spewed puffs of smoke from his entry.

A peculiar scar stood out on his chest, wide enough to take up half of his upper torso.

"FOR THIS," he pointed towards it with a sharp grin and a demented look in his eyes.

The Blight Lord of Wrath had arrived to the battlefield.

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