Episode Three: Fire, Blood, And Bones
The core of the Hollow Darkness was a dark-gray spherical shell with an indented pattern all over it, which fit inside his palm. But Oliver didn't care about it and turned around, teleporting off the Iron stage and onto the ground.
Appearing in front of Gwen and Akane, he placed the core in his pocket and brought up his hand towards Akane. "Sorry for suddenly popping up. My name is Oliver, nice to meet you". Akane at first showed some sort of hesitance, as she raises her hand.
But Oliver didn't waste any time taking her hand with an air of familiarity. "Hm... Nice to meet you too, my name is Akane", she said with a shy tone. Upon touch Oliver could feel the intense warmth coming from her blood, boiling like acid.
Keeping her hand in his, Oliver looked at Gwen and extended the Darkness towards her. "Would you mind grabbing onto this, I will teleport us inside", he said and Gwen raised her eyebrow. "So you just stole its ability for yourself", she said, touching it with her hand, both of them giving their consent.
All three teleported right in front of the Council's table, with Oliver's shirt leaving behind the bloodstain in the dirt. "Well yes, I created the weapon out of Hollow Darkness itself", Oliver explained.
The Darkness disappeared out of his hand and he took the suit from Gwen. Tying the tie back around his neck and putting his suit back on.
"And what about the blood?", Akane asked, showing some interest in Oliver's ability. He smiles, "I left it behind", he replied. "Oh, one more thing", he pulled out the Core of Hollow Darkness and throws it to Akane, "Here take it".
"Huh?", Akane said suddenly, surprised over receiving just a rare gift while Gwen's jaw dropped. "You can have it, I don't need it, since I got my own", Oliver explains. "Are sure, teleportation one costs like 5K and that one might have more than one use", but Oliver just ignores her.
"Hm...Ah, Thank you", Akane said, accepting the gift, while Nola cleared her throat, taking their attention. "Oh, yeah. You", he said now that his suit was fixed.
"I believe that now you would be willing to listen and join with the Academy?", Nola asked and Oliver thought for a moment. "Well, no. But two months from now, the Academy will be conducting its Rank Exams for the [Shifters] enrolled here. I want a part in that and then I will join the Academy", Oliver said and Nola raised her eyebrows.
But before she could say any more, Oliver raised his hand stopping her. "And now I will be leaving since I have some things to attend to and if you have something for me to do. Do bother me", Oliver said, with the Darkness appearing in his hand and him teleporting out of there. Appearing right in front of the entrance gates for the Council estate.
"Did he just leave?", Gwen said turning to Nola, while she pulled down her glasses. "Well he is just like his father, it will be best if you too stay on his good side as well", Nola said, laying back in her chair. "Good Side?", Akane asked.
"His ability is mainly Creation, able to create a weapon and then to create a will for the weapon. Everyone in this Academy might just end up being stepping stones for him to gain power", Nola said, as her mind wandered back to a conversation she had a few months back with Oliver's mother Iris.
...
"A Hollow Darkness? is he sure he can handle it", Nola asked into her phone. "Well, that is what he has asked for...Maybe you are thinking of him, as to how he was when you saw him eleven years ago, he was just nine back then", Iris said.
"So what changed in those eleven years?", Nola asked and Iris took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I can't explain it, but something changed after he turned ten...You can say his whole attitude changed, he became more serious towards his training and grew a lot stronger in those ten years. Even Casper was surprised with his sudden transformation", Iris explained.
...
"You know, I can't wait for Nova to fight him", Gwen said to Akane with a big smile. "You think he would win?", Akane asked and Gwen gave it a quick thought. "Nah", she replied quickly. She turned around to leave, "Come on, let's go", Gwen said and Akane nodded as she followed him out.
They walked through to the hallway reaching the gate which opened on its own, letting them out. "Hey, so do you know him?", Gwen asked Akane. "Huh, no. This is the first time I saw him, or maybe this morning when I was out on the run. He looked like a normal person, so I ignored him", Akane said, almost feeling guilty.
"So, what do you think about him?", Gwen said with a smile while Akane innocently asked, "What do you mean?", while narrowing her eyes at Gwen. "I mean is he handsome or what?", Gwen said with a smile and Akane rolled her eyes.
"Come on he's more well-mannered than most of the guys in the Academy and if what Nola says is true, he might just be the strongest one here", Gwen said. "So what...I don't care", Akane said as her voice got smaller.
"Are you sure, I think he likes you", Gwen said, narrowing her eyebrows with a smile? "What? why do you think that?", Akane said irritatedly. "The whole time you were fighting, he was just staring at you", Gwen said smiling.
"So what? He was just observing me, to create that thing", Akane said irritatedly. "Come on", Gwen said, slapping her on her back, "Oh, don't sell yourself short", she said. "And what if, he hears about what I...", "Hey, come on don't get yourself down on that, plus he gave you that didn't he", Gwen said and Akane just then remembered about the core pulling it out.
They both stopped and stared at the Core in Akane's hand. "Should I open this?", she asked, "Do whatever you want, he gave you this after all", Gwen said a bit jealous. "Okay, I will open it", Akane said.
[Sub-Ability Activated] [Blood Creation and Manipulation...Blood Seal]
Blood oozed out from the palm of Akane's hand, swirling and wrapping around the Core. It sizzled and melted the casing of the Core away and then seeped back inside her, leaving behind a three-part black Crystal.
[Teleportation Crystal...Obtained] [Origin...Hollow Darkness]
Gwen gasps in surprise, "It's a three-use!", she said, overly excited and Akane just sighed, as she broke a part of the conjoined crystal off. "Here you go", Akane said, handing it to her, Gwen smiled as she grabbed it out of her hand, "Thank you" saying that and hugging Akane.
...
Meanwhile, Oliver appeared in his apartment with his back to his front door. Darkness disappeared from his hand, and he suddenly started hyperventilating. His back slid down against Dream Wood door until sat against the floor.
Gripping his hands close tightly until his nail cut into his skin, causing it to bleed. He sat there in silence for a while, slowly he felt his heartbeat calming down. As he relaxed his hand, he raised his head touching the door behind him.
He sighed, "Alright, keep it together. It's just the beginning", Oliver said to himself. Then he picked himself off the ground and walked inside.
...
[One Day Later... APR 13]
[Hoyaga Real Estate Apartment complex No: Three/ Morning]
Gwen furiously knocked on a Dream Wood door on the second floor, "I am coming!", a voice shouted from the inside. The door opened and Nova stepped out, itching the back of his bright orange hair, going everywhere freely.
He was wearing a Hoyaga Academy uniform loosely, with his shirt out and coat and tie inside his hand. He looked up at Gwen whose eyes twitched in anger. "What?", Nova said, annoyed and Gwen just raised her hand next to her ear.
[Sub-Ability Activated] [Barrier Creation...Cube]
A neon blue cube appeared in front of Nova and crashed into his stomach, launching him back inside. He landed back on the floor and hit his head back, "Ah! what are you doing?", he yelled angrily.
While Gwen walked forward and grabbed the handle of the door, "I am giving you five more minutes, fix yourself", Gwen said and slammed the door shut. After a few minutes of waiting outside, the door again opened and Nova walked out, now properly wearing the uniform.
"Happy?", Nova said irritatedly while Gwen smiled, "Yup". As she started walking towards the elevator, Nova just stopped and mumbled to himself, "Scary". Both came down to the ground floor and started making their way to the First Apartment Complex, while Gwen kept humming to herself.
"Hey, what's the deal with you", Nova said and Gwen looked at him. "Oh, what are you talking about", she said, while keeping something from him. "You seem happy... too happy", Nova said. "Well aren't I always happy when I am with you?", Gwen raised her eyebrows up and down.
"Yes...but it is like you are scheming something," Nova said and Gwen sighed audibly. "Fine, I will tell you. A day before, Nola brought in a new guy that had just come to town this week, to be an Agent with us. His name is Oliver and he is strong...and I mean strong", Gwen said skipping happily.
Nova stared at Gwen, skipping away, nearing the Second Apartment Complex. "How strong are we talking?"Nova asked seriously and Gwen paused and looked at him. "He could beat you by just stepping on you', Gwen said with a wide grin.
And Nova let out a chuckle, "Yeah right, we'll see". While they both enter the Second Apartment Complex ground, seeing Akane walking out of one of the elevators from their left side.
"Akane!", Gwen yelled out to her, waving her hand. Akane, seeing them, waved her hand back as they walked over to her. "Good morning Gwen, and Nova", Akane said with a smile looking at them. "Are we using my door?", she asked and Gwen nodded happily. Walking past her and towards the stairs, both nova and Akane followed her.
Gwen quickly ran her way up the stairs, while the other two walked their way. "Hm...Gwen, seem happy today", Akane said. "Well, it has to do with that Oliver guy she was talking about. did you see him too", Nova asked, as they both started to climb up the stairs.
"Oliver? yeah", Akane replied. "So, how strong are we speaking?", Nova asked quickly. "Well... I would say he can beat you by stepping on you", Akane replied seriously and Nova gave it a moment, "We'll see", he said with an arrogant tone and quickly walked past her, yet taking her words somewhat seriously.
Gwen placed her hand on Akane's apartment Dream Wood door. "Do your thing Oracle", Gwen said and immediately a white glow outlined the Dream Wood door. The smooth polished wooden door, surface rooted inside-out. Changing the overall texture, mirroring a rough-looking tree trunk.
Nova and Akane walked over to Gwen, seeing the door prepared to take them to the [Other World]. "Is Oliver not going to join us?", Akane asked. "Oh, don't worry about him, he is already there since Nola asked Oracle to send him there", Gwen said as she opens the door.
Swinging a part of the trunk open like a door, revealed a wide dark red field underneath a grey-clouded sky. Bright red grass-like bristles spread across the field, Welcoming them as they stepped out of a Dream Wood tree.
...
All three came to a stop for just a moment and took a deep breath, taking in a sweet smell. The [Other World] was far different in the sense of how it felt to the [Shifters]. The [Other World] emitted a sweet smell that claimed them down, similar to the feeling of finally setting foot into one's home.
They had ended up in a wide clearing, with the contrast of crimson grass and cyan branches and leaves spreading out their shades. With a forest of Dream Wood trees standing tall as skyscrapers behind them. And a herd of Ox-like creatures with a turtle-like shells over its back, grazing in the crimson grass.
"Hey you guys feeling like hunting some", Nova asked. "Focus, we are not here for that", Gwen said as she pointed at the person sleeping in his bed under a Dream Wood tree right across the field.
Enjoying the breeze and the shade given by the Dream Wood, Oliver slept soundly. "Go and wake him up would you", Gwen said with a mischievous grin. "Sure", Nova said, thinking nothing of it. As he walked ahead of them. "Wai...", Gwen quickly placed her finger over Akane's lips. "It's fine", Gwen said again with a mischievous grin.
Nova walked over to Oliver, as he slept peacefully with sheets over him. Coming to the side of the bed, he yelled "Hey, wake up!". As he yelled, Oliver's eyes opened and they met with him. "Huh?", is all that came out of Oliver's mouth before Nova smiled.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Combustion]
He stomped his foot on the ground and a quick explosion blasted upwards from underneath Oliver's bed. Surprising him and launching him in the air, Oliver locked his eyes on Nova. "Darkness", the word escaped his mouth.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Weapon Summoning] [Darkness]
Darkness appeared in Oliver's hands.
[Activating Weapon Ability] [Teleportation]
Oliver appeared on top of Nova, catching him off guard. Grabbing the back of the shirt and pushing into the ground with a loud thud. Ground broke underneath Oliver's feet as he landed and Nova felt his heart nearly stopping because of the sudden shock.
Oliver quickly shook off his daze and looked around, seeing that he was indeed not in his apartment. Then looked down at Nova, "What the hell is this?", he asked him. Nova struggled to move his face to his side, to look at Oliver.
"I...am sorry...Let me go", Nova said, instantly regretting what he did. Oliver sighed, as he lifted his hand off him. Nova felt a sudden weight disappear, as coughed and sat back up, "What the hell is with you, were you trying to kill me?", Nova said angrily. "My bad, I am just not fond of people attacking me in my sleep", Oliver replied, as he stretched his back.
He was wearing a white sleeveless shirt and black trousers with his mother's amulet underneath his shirt. Reviling his well-built arms up to his shoulder. "Well glad to see you are in good spirits", Gwen said as she walked towards them with Akane by his side.
Darkness disappeared from Oliver's hands, "Ah...I told Nola that she could bother me, not teleport in my sleep...". Seeing Oliver attention on Gwen, Nova suddenly went for another surprise attack, pointing his palm at Oliver.
[Ability Activated] [Flames Creation and Manipulation... Fire Torrent]
His hand unleashed Flames aimed at Oliver's face. Who, in a split second, covered his eyes with his arm. With a radius of 4 feet, the torrent of fire engulfed Oliver and lit up the surrounding area. Shell Beast in the area, suddenly seeing this, quickly ran away scared.
"Oh no", Gwen said. The Flame died down, and Nova just stared at Oliver, shining with a golden outline. He moved his arm off his eyes and stared at Nova with a stern expression, which slowly turned into a smile. "Try that again, I'll break your arms ' Oliver said with a strict expression. Nova, seeing this, just stared and nodded.
"Alright, let's not kill each other", Gwen said while Oliver looked visibly annoyed at Gwen and then turned to Akane, with his annoyance and anger melting away and turning into a genuine smile, "Good morning, Akane".
"Oh, hmm... good morning to you too", Akane said with a nervous smile. Nova, seeing this, turned to Gwen who looked back at him and shrugged her shoulders. Nova sighed and stood up to his feet again. "Okay so, we have something to do here and you are going to help us", Gwen explained.
"Yeah sure, let's go", Oliver said, turning around in a particular direction and taking the first few steps. Which made Gwen narrow her eyebrow at him, "Where are you going?", Gwen asked and Oliver paused for a second and then turned around to look at her, "Oh, right I don't know the way".
"Really? I mean you were going in the right direction", Gwen replied. "I just woke up, okay", Oliver quickly replied. "Eh, you did. I will explain more on the way", Gwen said as she walked past them and pointed her hand on the ground.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Barrier Creation...platform]
A large rectangular neon blue surface appeared, big enough for four people. "Alright get on, we don't have all day", Gwen said, and the rest made their way on.
...
Then they were off, flying across the open field of crimson grass. Oliver sat on the front edge of the platform, with Nova with his legs crossed and Akane next to him. While Gwen stood, stirring the platform.
Oliver quickly noticed the attentive stare of Nova, who at that point had pieced together that Oliver had somehow stolen the Ability of A Hollow Darkness. Which was unheard of and only that, but he had also made a weapon out of it.
"What is it?", Oliver finally asked Nova. "So, what. You just steal Abilities from other things for yourself, huh?", Nova said with confidence.
"Well, only if the Ability of the thing is strong enough for my taste", Oliver said with a stern expression. "Huh? Are you trying to pick a fight", Nova said with irritation.
[Ability Activated] [Flames Creation and Manipulation]
Both of Nova's fists caught on fire, as he stared at Oliver trying his best to intimidate him. But Oliver seemed unfazed by them, but before he could comment on that.
Gwen quickly took their attention. "Then what about your resistance? Is that part of your Ability", She asked. Taking on that, Nova added, "Yeah, you were also immune to my fire". While the fire in his hand died down.
"And all beating you took from the Hollow Darkness", Akane also added. All three stared at Oliver. But without any worry, he simply took out his mother's made pendant and showed it to them.
"This is what is doing all that. To use my Ability properly, I need to experience enough information to create a weapon, which would mean that I need to feel everything", Oliver explained. "So, I just need to destroy that, huh?", Nova asked.
"Don't worry it is indestructible and you would lose your hands before you reach it", Oliver replied with a stern expression. "Heh, heh, heh...heh", Nova laughed sarcastically.
Suddenly Gwen clapped her hand, taking their attention. "Aright that's enough, now is the time I explain to all of you what are we going to do?", she said with a serious tone. The other three turned themself towards her, giving her their full attention.
"Today we are going to try to find a shifter by the name of Jackle, who has gone rogue. He has been going around attacking other families and we also have a suspicion that he is getting help from another family or two", Gwen explained.
"So we are just going to beat him up", Nova asked. "Don't say it like that, we are not some thugs you know?", Gwen replied, narrowing her eyebrows at him. "Yeah sure, whatever you say", Nova said looking away.
"Anyway, the rest of the Concile members are in Iceland dealing with the annual meeting. Hence we are here", Gwen explained.
But their conversation was cut short by a roar in the distance.
...
The environment began to change into a lumpy field of dark blue chorus dirt. With twisted jagged construction coming out of the ground, made out of calcium. Dispersed throughout the field, but they weren't the main attraction.
Groups of skeleton frames walked about the field on their high legs, held through by an absurdly strong translucent membrane. Appearing like a dragon with a pair of wings coming out of their backs. A neck comprised of human skulls. Connected with collar bones from below and a fanged dragon skull on the top.
"Gwen, I think you better pull us up," Nova said standing up, followed by Akane. While Oliver just straightens his legs off the platform. Gwen quickly pulled up the platform, somewhere around 150 meters from the ground. "These are Craniums, right?", Akane said, sounding fascinated by the creature's down blow.
Among the creatures, a few young Craniums followed an older one towards a calcium construct. It stopped in front of it, Its body started emitting a warm orange glow that traveled through her neck.
[Ability Activited] [Flame Scorcher]
The fire started bursting out of each skull, as it reached to her head and flew out of its eye sockets and her mouth. Fire clashed against the calcium construct, burning and breaking it. The charred piece fell on the ground and young ones started munching on them.
A few yards away from them, a couple of Craniums had drugged up the ground and rolled into it to sleep. Some more, just roaming around and others just sitting stationary and staring into oblivion.
...
"They don't seem that aggressive, should I go down and hunt some", Nova said looking at Gwen, who shook her head. "No, that would them all hostile", she replied.
"Look ahead", Oliver said looking at the two halves of a dome in a distance on the top of almost a hill. The dome was carved into its new shape and then split from the middle. In the center was a modest-looking suburban house.
But then the broken bones came into the view at the incline of the hill. A sort of graveyard, of pieces and remains of Craniums. Slowly decaying and withering.
Out of nowhere, some Elder Craniums closer to the dome jolted awake and roared at the [Shifters] in the sky.
Seeing this, Gwen quickly stopped the Platform in the air. "What's happening?", She asked quickly. And Oliver chuckled, "Ah fear, it transcends species and best way to teach discipline to your dogs", he said laying back on the platform, resting his head on his arms crossed. "And by the way, their Core is located above their tail bone, if that help", he added.
...
From Akane's side, two Elder Craniums stomped their way towards the platform. Their wings spread out and flapped, lunching up off the ground. From Nova's side, a single Craniums came flying through the air, rocketing at them.
"Alright, both of you. Off you", Gwen yelled, and without a second thought, both moved.
[Activating Ability] [Bloodborne]
Akane's skin took on a deeper shade of pink and her eyes bloodshot red. She kicked off the platform. While she pulled a piece of the teleportation crystal, given to her by Oliver. Placing it between her teeth.
[Ability Activated] [Flames Creation and Manipulation... Hotstreak]
Nova lower half burst into flames, propelling him through the air towards the incoming Cranium.
...
[Ability Activited] [Flame Scorcher]
The fire burst out of skulls, climbing up to their heads. They stopped in mid-air and spued a bundle of fire at falling Akane. While she munched on the Darkness Hollow's core, shattering it without much effort, completely disintegrating.
[Tempory Ability Obtained] [Single use] [Teleportation]
Akane teleported on top of the Cranium on the right, just before the fire could touch her.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Blood Creation and Manipulation... Great Blood Javelin]
Blood seeped out from the pours of her hands and coagulated into a long crystalized abstract Javelin. Lunching it into the one on the right, straight into the back of its head. As soon as Javelin came into contact with the fire, it exploded.
The explosion blew away Cranium's head along with its neck. With the Sudden attack, the headless Cranium back down, separating it. While falling onto it, Akane brought both of her hands down.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Blood Creation and Manipulation... Blood Pillar]
Blood erupted from her hands, spiraling down right above the tail of the Cranium. The Pillar cracked in the creature, causing the lifeless creature to bash into the ground. Akane landed on the top of the pillar. The core of the Cranium flowed through the Blood Pillar and shot out from the top, into Akane's hand.
"Alright, one down", Akane and turned around to face the other one diving right at her. She crouches and launched herself at the incoming Cranium.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Blood Creation and Manipulation... Chained Hook]
Her blood formed in a crimson hook, while the Pillar turned back into liquid. Just barely missing the Cranium's jaw, while slipping in the hook. More blood seeped out into the hook, extending to a blood chain.
The Cranium dive down into the ground, uprooting the dirt as it tried to stop itself with its boney claws. It quickly turned around to see Akane on the ground, still holding onto the chain attached to the hook.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Blood Creation and Manipulation]
Akane poured more blood into the chain and it traveled to the hook and into the mouth of the Cranium. The Creature's mouth started searing, due to the acidic quality of the blood. It tried shaking its head to get out, while the blood pooled inside of its mouth. Going through its body back to the tail, latching onto its core.
And without a moment of hesitation, Akane pulled the Core out of its place. Causing the creature to drop dead in an instant. The blood seeped back into her skin, bringing the core to her. "That takes care of that", Akane said placing the core into her pocket.
...
[Ability Activited] [Flame Scorcher]
Cranium opened its jaw and unleashed a flood of flames upon Nova, who smiled while running into it.
[Passive Ability Activated] [Flame Immunity]
Nova appeared out of the flames, on the side of the Cranium with a wide smile. Raising his fist to strike.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Flame Creation and Manipulation... Flame Fist]
Flames burst out of Nova's skin from underneath his coat. Accumulated in the air and taking a form of a massive fist, the size of the creature itself. He swung his arm across and Flame Fist followed crashing into the creature.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Combustion]
Upon contact the Flame Fist blew up, breaking into the Cranium's side and before one of its wings. The force caused the Cranium to plummet down to the ground, followed quickly by Nova rocketing behind it. Dropping one of the creatures.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Combustion]
Nova's feet impacted the creature and then the ground. Causing a Volley of Flames to blow the creature from inside out. Including the core, shooting away in the explosion.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Barrier Creation...Cube]
One of Gwen's cubes crashed into the side of Nova's head. He looked at it, as it opened up and dropped the lost Core in his hand. "Be careful, we'll be losing money because of you!", Gwen yelled from the top of the platform.
Nova sighed and placed it inside his coat pocket. "Yeah whatever", Nova said, while heavy stomps approached him from behind. He looked back, seeing Cranium ready to charge in his way. "Good, another one", Nova said curving up a smile.
The creature charged at him, jaw agape.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Flame Creation and Manipulation... Flame Fist]
Fire accumulated out of the ground behind him and extended outwards as a fiery fist. It latched on the creature, pushing it down. While Flames erupted from underneath Nova, propelling him in the air.
Coming on the top of the creature, he aimed his hand above the creature's back. Flames Fist came down and crashed into it.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Combustion]
The explosion blew the Cranium apart while the Flames swallowed the creature's Core. Pushing the Core through the Flames towards Nova, who dropped down on the ground. "Yeah, did that right", he said putting it inside its coat pocket.
...
Looking up, Nova saw three other Cranium, staring at him from afar. The creatures bowed their heads and slowly backed away. While on the other side, two Cranium charged at Akane. She pulled her hands back to be ready for a counterattack.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Blood Creation and Manipulation... Great Blood Blade]
Blood poured out and took the form of a Great Blood Blade. Then suddenly, the one on the right roared and crashed into the left one, stopping him. Both exchanged stares, as it pulled its kind pulled it away from the [Shifters].
"Ah! It seems they have learned their lesson!", Gwen yelled from the top of the platform. While Oliver stood back up, the ground in front of the house broke open. "Or maybe, they are letting the grown-up take the charge', Oliver said, looking at the Titan Cranium rose from the ground.
Close to a hundred feet tall, the Titan made the Elders look like children in comparison. It roared at the [Shifters], with its head broken from the corner. "So who's gonna take him out?", Nova said and in response, Oliver dropped off the platform.
[Sub Ability Activated] [Weapon Summoning] [Darkness]
[Activating Weapon Ability...Darkness] [Teleportation]
Darkness appeared in his hand and he appeared in front of the creature, on an incline of the hill. The Elder Cranium immediately looked down at the [Shifter] boldly appearing in front of it. Its wings opened wide and it stomped its hands on the ground, letting out a furious roar.
[Ability Activited] [Flame Skin]
The skulls one by one lit up in flames and the skin on the creature caught on fire. Turning it into a blazing dragon. It kicked up the ground as it launched itself into a charge toward Oliver. Who stood still while the rest watched quietly.
Oliver's eyes flared up in green, as he stared the creature down. At moment, unknown to the rest, something peeked out from within Oliver. The Elder Cranium felt a strong sense of fear gripping it, as its Flame Skin dissipated.
It pressed its feet to the ground, stopping itself from coming close to the madness in front of him. Turning around and tailing away from Oliver. Gwen, Nova, and Akane stood still, just to stare in shock.
Oliver raised Darkness over his head and then threw it at the Titan Cranium's back. The blade went spinning, effortlessly breaking through its bones and wings. Almost cutting it in half, causing it to collapse on the ground, unable to move.
Darkness didn't stop and went all the way up the house and broke through its side. Oliver raised his forward, "Comeback". Darkness swung around, breaking through the other side as well, causing the house to fall apart.
The Elder Cranium looked up at the incoming Darkness, taking it to the face. It broke through the rest of its body and broke its core out. Bone flew apart, as the huge Titan fell on the broken, on the ground and Darkness came to a halt in midair just an inch away from Oliver's face.
...
The moment ended, while the Gwen platform descended on the ground next to Nova. He looked up at Gwen, who smirked back at him. "See I told you, didn't I?". "I don't think that explains why a Titan one would run away from him", Nova said as he stepped onto the platform.
"Maybe it was doing the same as the rest", Akane said also stepping on the platform. "Yeah we showed them", Gwen replied, as the platform started moving over the gap. "We?", Nova said with a stern expression.
Gwen said nothing and look Nova dead in the eyes, as she removed the part of the platform Nova was standing on, causing him to fall. She turned back to Akane with a smile, "We showed them right?". To which Akane silently nodded.
...
Oliver walked over to the decease remains of the Edler Cranium, finding the valuable Core on the ground. He picked it up and turned back towards Gwen and Akane, coming off the platform onto the ground.
Finding Oliver staring at them, he pulls up the Core for them to see. Then it teleports just above Gwen's head, who catches it in an instant. She looks at the Core in surprise and looks back at Oliver. Pointing at it and then back at herself. Oliver smiles back, "Sure".
[Ability Activated] [Chilopoda Creation and Manipulation...Gaint Centiped]
The ground underneath the house breaks apart, taking all of their attention. From it, four black Centipedes emerged, extending towards the sky. Oliver turned around to look at them, their never-ending bodies curving through the sky and coming down to attack.