Brother (3)
Leviathas turned his massive grotesque form toward the city, thousands of eyes locking onto Volhcard with pure malice. His maw twisted into a snarl before he let a guttural, bone rattling roar.
"Then, I'll deal with you first!" he bellowed, his voice shaking the heavens.
With terrifying speed, he suurged forward, splitting the ocean in his wake. The very ground trembled beneath his massive form as the store above raged even fiercer, winds howling and waves crashing violently against the palace walls.
"Keuk!"
A spiraling gash tore through Leviathas' monstrous form as the trident floated away, glistening with his dark, corrupted blood. The weapon had carved deep, its ethereal edges slicing through flesh before twisting violently around his body.
Kadell hovered in the air, his presence calm yet unyielding. His starlit eyes bore into Leviathas as he spoke, his voice unwavering.
"I won't let you get close to the city... not even a trace of you is allowed to remain."
With a sharp whistle, the trident spun through the air, surging toward Leviathas once more. But before it could land another devastating blow, a guttural, rage-filled bellow erupted from Leviathas' throat.
Boom!
The trident shattered into droplets of water, dispersing like mist.
"LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU ACCURSED BASTARD!" Leviathas snarled, his voice seething with hatred.
With terrifying force, he swung his massive tail, striking Kadell with a deafening crash. The impact sent Kadell hurtling through the sky, his body vanishing into the storm's raging winds.
"Blood Freeze..." Kadell's voice was calm, almost gentle as he levitated back into position.
The spiraling slashes carved into Leviathas' monstrous body solidified, turning into jagged icicle spikes before rapidly spreading into a massive ice berg. Blood, flesh, and mana froze in an instant, slowly damaging him from the inside.
Shriek!
The leviathan let out a horrifying cry, rolling in agony as his body was overtaken by frost. His tail, encased in thick ice, fracturing before shattering into two massive chunks that slammed into Volhcard's barrier. Yet, despite the sheer force of the impact, the barrier held firm—unyielding, unbroken.
Then, the ends of each severed tail twisted open, revealing rows upon rows of serrated, razor-sharp teeth.
The original tail charged with a thunderous surge of mana, releasing a devestating beam of energy, while the other unleashed an icy blast—both aimed directly at the group.
"Let light break forth... let it ascertain your future and judge your sins... Morduun!" Volhcard bellowed, his voice reverberating through the air.
Golden chains shot out of his staff, lashing through the sky like divine serpents before coiling around the monstrous tails.
Boom!
The tails detonated violently, the explosion tearing through Leviathas' own body. He roared in fury, writhing and thrashing, rolling once more as he desperately tried to rip the golden bindings off.
Once more, Blood Freeze activated once again.
This time, however, the freezing effect spread across Leviathas' entire body, encasing him in ice. The pressure built up rapidly until—
Boom!
The ice shattered as Leviathas exploded out of it, only to immediately regenerate. However, this time, his form shifted. His body grotesquely ripped apart from front to back, flesh and sinew contorting into something even monstrous. His elongated form shrunk down, morphing into massive, clawed limbs.
From a leviathan, he had transform into an oceanic lizard.
Letting out an earth-shaking bellow, Leviathas lunged forward, his left claw swiping at Leviathas with monstrous force.
Yet—
Clang!
The golden ropes constraining him tightened, yanking him back mid-strike.
Whoosh!
Shling!
In a blinding blur, Aralia dashed past him, her greataxe carbon deep into his scales and flesh before she leaped high into the air—
Bam!
She brought the weapon crashing down onto the top of his head.
"Damn rat!" Leviathas shrieked, his voice an ear-grating screech.
But—
Fwoosh!
Jae swooped in, catching Aralia on her back and pulling her safety. Aralia exhaled sharply, her beast-like eyes glowing with determination.
"Your turn, Kadell." her voice cold, unwavering.
The storm raged on, lighting crackling across the sky as Kadell stood amidst the chaos, his expression serene yet sorrowful.
With a soft whistle, the water before him rose, shifting and twisting until it reformed into his trident.
Fwoosh!
In an instant, the weapon shot forward, slicing through the air with deadly precision—aiming straight for Leviathas' skull.
Kadell's voice was quiet, filled with a deep aching sorrow.
"Just let it happen, brother."
A single tear slipped down his left cheek.
Shluk!
The trident struck true, piercing through Leviathas, splitting him in half.
Yet, Kadell did not stop there. His index finger lifted moved in the air, tracing delicate motions, and in response, the pillars of water rose.
Torrent of water curled around Leviathas' bisected form, devouring his flesh piece by piece.
Aiming to leave nothing behind.
Not even a molecule.
The torn remnants of Leviathas' body fought desperately to stitch themselves back together. Yet, as his left half twisted and contorted, ripping itself apart, it slowly reshaped into his human form.
His breath came in ragged gasps, his voice a fractured blend of a guttural shriek and human agony.
"Why must it be me?! Why not you?! Why?!'
He screamed, his cries raw and anguished as tears streamed down both his cheeks.
Kadell bit his lip, struggling to hold back his own sorrow. His hands trembled, his whistle faltering as his gaze meet his brother's.
Leviathas' screams fell into silence—his voice hollow, defeated.
"No... this isn't your fault. Nor was it Mother's"
His breathing was heavy, shoulders sagging as his eyes darkened.
"I followed the prophecy. I obeyed its rules. I worked under fate... and never strayed from its path."
Kadell's eyes widening, sadness filling them as the trident shook from his own hesitation. His hands trembled, but still, he whistled.
Shluk!
The trident carved through flesh once more, slicing apart every piece that tried to regenerate.
Leviathas let out a weak, bitter chuckle.
"We were so close, weren't we?"
His voice cracked, quiet and broken.
"A bond we never swore to break... and yet, here we are. Locked in this pointless, wretched battle—over the words of ancient fools."
His flesh peeled away, drifting toward the ocean depths.
"How pathetic are we?"
He whispered, his mana falling, his form crumbling.
"I'm pathetic... because I chose to follow the whims of ancient words. Gods, how cliché this all is."
Each word dragged him closer to the end. His strength faded, his body unable to keep up with the wounds.
"We can still be brothers, Leviathas!"
Kadell cried out, desperation clawing at his voice.
But Leviathas only smiled. Not the cruel grin he wore in battle—but something softer, sad.
"I hate you, brother." he whispered, his voice barely above the crashing waves. "But I truly wish... I wasn't so pathetic—so weak—to leave fate to decide for me."
Burst!
With one final slash, the trident struck. Severing the last of him and finally ending him.
Standing atop Jae's back was Aralia who gazed at the sight before her, her face unreadable. Too exhausted. Too battered. There was no sign of relief—only a quiet, aching regret. Sympathy weighed heavy in her chest for Kadell... and Leviathas.
The storm slowly faded, the swirling winds dispersed into nothingness. Floating debris plummeted into the ocean, sending massive waves crashing outward.
Crack!
The barrier shattered.
Volhcard collapsed onto his back, panting as he stared at the sky, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths.
The sun shone brightly once more. A signal for a hard earned rest for everyone.
"Oh, thank the Gods! It's finally over!"
Yuni cried out in relief, her voice breaking slightly.
Both her and Theo dropped onto their backs, exhaustion overtaking them.
"Agh... damn it all." Theo groaned, clutching his wounds as pain shot through his body.
Sticky flopped onto Yumi's stomach body, completely drained, its tentacles limp from fatigue.
At the docks, a figure emerged from the water.
Heavy, metallic footsteps echoed across the wood.
Idol stepped forward, his frame soaked in seawater, gears whirring as he approached Volhcard.
He stared down at his master.
"Are you okay, master?"
His robotic voice was as steady as ever.
Still levitating, Kadell quietly wiped away the tears in his eyes.
He turned his gaze toward the empty space where Leviathas once stood.
A gentle, bittersweet smile formed on his lips.
"If only."