Chapter 79: Jörmungandr

The platform trembled violently beneath Yuuna's feet as the Serpent's colossal body thrashed, coiling and uncoiling with terrifying force. Everything was chaos—chunks of white stone crumbled and fell from the Feeding Area, clerics screamed and scattered, and the massive serpent's tail slammed down repeatedly, obliterating everything in its path. 

But Yuuna wasn't focused on the destruction. Her sharp gaze tracked the massive creature's movements, and for a moment, she froze when she saw its body lower to the ground, its immense bulk rippling and thumping unnaturally. 

Her lips parted, and her breath caught as she realized what was happening. 

Inside the beast's body. 

Its body… was moving. 

Thumping. 

A laugh escaped her lips—quiet at first, then louder, ringing out above the chaos. It wasn't one of fear or madness. It was joy. A pure, unshakable trust in the person she knew was inside that monster. 

"Darling," she whispered, her smile widening. "You're fighting it…of course you are."

The Serpent roared, its jaws snapping at the air as it continued to flail, its tail demolishing anything in its path. Clerics hovered in the air around it, glowing with light magic as they tried to calm the beast, chanting soothing hymns designed to pacify divine creatures. But it was no use. The Serpent's fury didn't subside. 

In a sudden, violent motion, its tail lashed out toward the clerics. The massive appendage struck them mid-air, the force of the impact reducing their bodies to nothing but a mist of blood and entrails. Limbs and fragments of white robes scattered, falling to the crumbling platform below. 

Yuuna didn't flinch. Her gaze remained on the Serpent's massive body as it continued to thrash. Her laughter softened into a small, confident smile as she clenched her fists. 

"He said he wouldn't ever lose again," she said to herself, her voice full of determination. "And I always believed him." 

She turned abruptly, her movements sharp and precise, her focus shifting to Siren Rye, who stood a few feet away, her wings flaring out as she prepared to act. 

'Now I have to do my part!'

But Rye froze the moment she saw Yuuna's true form. 

Yuuna's long, smooth black hair cascaded down her back, perfectly straight, with sharp, clean bangs framing her face. Her dark pink eyes burned with intensity, the black slits of her pupils narrowing dangerously. A jagged, dark pink halo hovered above her head, pulsing faintly with a sinister aura, and her entire body was cloaked in a shroud of dark energy. 

The transformation back to her original appearance was seamless, terrifying, and mesmerizing all at once. 

Rye's eyes widened briefly, but her expression quickly hardened as she straightened her posture. "So… this is the real you," she said coldly, her voice steady. 

Yuuna didn't respond. She moved so fast that Rye barely had time to react. 

In an instant, Yuuna was in front of Rye, her hand piercing through Rye's chest with terrifying precision. Her sharp fingers wrapped around something inside Rye—a faintly glowing shard embedded deep within her body, pulsing with light. 

Rye gasped, blood spilling from her mouth as she gritted her teeth. Her wings flared out, the feathers trembling as she tried to push Yuuna away, but Yuuna's grip was unrelenting. 

"What… are you doing?" Rye hissed, her voice laced with pain but still defiant. 

Yuuna leaned in closer, her dark pink eyes locking onto Rye's. "You're going to show me the way to King Samuel's sealed body. Now." 

Rye's expression twisted into a snarl, but there was fear in her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. 

"Shit.."

Yuuna tilted her head slightly, her voice calm but cold. "Don't bother trying to hide it. I can see it in your eyes. You're afraid." 

Rye clenched her jaw, blood dripping down her chin as she tried to summon the strength to fight back. "I don't fear you, demon. You're nothing but a—" 

Yuuna tightened her grip on the shard inside Rye's chest, cutting her off. Rye's body convulsed, her wings twitching violently as pain wracked her form. 

"Don't test me," Yuuna said sharply, her voice dropping into a dangerous growl. "You know what this shard is, don't you? The source of your regeneration. The reason you can take hit after hit and walk away. Without it, you're just another mortal with fancy tricks. I could ravage this entire place with no one in my way besides Sugred and Lancelot, and that Serpent. Anything else is fodder for me."

Rye's breathing grew labored, her glare faltering as Yuuna's words sank in. 

"All it takes," Yuuna continued, her tone softening into something almost playful, "is one little fucking squeeze, and you're done. Forever." 

Rye's lips trembled, and for a moment, the fear in her eyes was undeniable. But then, she forced herself to speak, her voice trembling slightly. "You… wouldn't kill me. Not here. Not now." 

Yuuna leaned in closer, her dark aura intensifying. "You're right. I won't kill you. Not yet." She tilted her head, her smile sharp and vicious. "But I will if you don't do what I say. Now show me the body."

Rye's wings drooped slightly, her body shaking as she tried to maintain her composure. But Yuuna's dark presence was overwhelming, and the destruction surrounding them only added to the weight of the moment. 

"I shouldn't show any mercy to you anyway, Sugred sent you all to hunt down the innocent clerics who followed Illyana. You all disgust me."

"W-We had to! For the light! For the Holy Land! They were obstacles!"

Behind them, the Serpent's movements grew more erratic, its tail smashing through the remains of the platform as it roared in fury. Its massive body coiled and uncoiled violently, sending tremors through the ground. 

Yuuna's gaze didn't waver. She held Rye in place, her sharp fingers still wrapped around the shard, waiting for an answer. 

'Time to go.'

All around them, the destruction continued to spread as the Serpent's rage consumed the Feeding Area. Clerics scrambled to avoid the chaos, their light magic flickering uselessly against the beast's overwhelming power. The platform was in ruins, and the air was thick with dust, blood, and the echoes of screams. 

The moment Xyenn regained consciousness once again after almost passing out a few times, he was falling. 

Right down the belly of the Serpent.

The air burned against his skin, thick with the acidic stench of blood and decay. The walls of the Serpent's stomach were alive, pulsating and coated with a slick layer of crimson that dripped endlessly. Embedded within them were smaller serpents—hundreds of them—writhing and slithering as if they were extensions of the larger beast itself. Their scales gleamed wet with blood, their eyes glowing dimly in the dark like embers. 

'Crap!'

Xyenn's body slammed against one of the walls, the impact tearing through his skin as razor-sharp scales scraped against him. He gritted his teeth, the pain spreading like wildfire as he tumbled further down. His left arm—the cursed one—screamed in agony, the dark energy within it reacting violently to the Serpent's divine essence. 

The mask was clenched tightly between his teeth, his only lifeline to the mission. He couldn't lose it. Not now. 

'Fast! I have to move faster than ever! But my movements are sluggish here, so much blood, so much pain…I have to push as hard as I can! I know Yuuna is out there continuing the mission, I won't be the reason we fail! We came too far..fuck failure. Fuck losing..'

With a scream of defiance, Xyenn twisted his body mid-fall, slamming his feet against the wall to stop his descent. His muscles burned as he pushed off, darting up the pulsating interior of the Serpent's stomach. Blood splattered everywhere, the walls slick with gore and still shifting like a living nightmare. 

In his right hand, the Dark Sun Blade burned with black and dark yellow flames, the fiery edges glowing like the dying light of a corrupted star. His left hand gripped Yuuna's scythe, it's dark pink and black flames licking the air with deadly intensity. The contrast between the weapons made his movements jagged, chaotic, but he didn't care. 

He slashed upward, carving through the writhing serpents that lunged at him from the walls. Their bodies coiled around him, their fangs sinking into his flesh, but he screamed and swung wildly, severing their heads in a spray of blood and ichor. 

'I don't have time for this! Faster dammit!'

Another serpent lashed out, its body winding around his torso and squeezing with bone-crushing force. Xyenn snarled, his cursed left arm flaring with dark energy as he drove Yuuna's scythe into its body, splitting it down the middle. The creature let out a high-pitched screech before falling limp, its blood splattering across his chest. 

'I can't look Yuuna, the Tyrants, or Vektor and the clerics in the eye if I screw this up..I can hear the whispers of the mask…it's telling me to put it on. I'm fighting too many battles.'

He barely had time to recover before another serpent struck, its fangs grazing his shoulder. He spun, twisting his body in mid-air as he slashed with both weapons, leaving a trail of dark sun flames and black-pink fire in his wake. 

The walls of the Serpent's stomach throbbed violently, reacting to his presence. The entire space felt alive, like a massive beast trying to crush him from all sides. 

Xyenn glanced down for a moment and immediately regretted it. 

Below him, the Serpent's digestive system churned—a swirling vortex of pure light and energy. It glowed like a comet, the heat from it radiating upward in waves that seared his skin even from a distance. The light was blinding, but the message was clear: "Fall, and you're dead. If the Serpent devours you, you will be erased from existence forever."

The sight only fueled his desperation. He clenched his jaw, pushing off the walls again as he darted upward, slashing through anything in his path. 

"RAGGHHHHHH!!!"

Blood poured from his wounds, streaking his shirtless body as he moved. His black and grey hair clung to his face, damp with sweat and gore, and his dark red eyes burned with focused rage. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but he ignored it. Pain didn't matter. Dying here wasn't an option. 

Another serpent lunged at him, its body erupting from the wall like a living spear. Xyenn ducked low, spinning with the momentum as he drove the Dark Sun Blade upward. The serpent's head flew off, its body thrashing violently as it sprayed blood in every direction. 

But there were more. Always more. 

They came at him from all sides, their movements synchronized as if controlled by a single mind. Xyenn screamed while the mask was still in his mouth as several of them coiled around him simultaneously, their fangs sinking into his arms, his legs, his sides. He could feel the sharp pain radiating from his cursed arm as the snakes tore into it, the dark energy within him reacting violently. 

'GET OFF ME!' His mind roared, unleashing a burst of flames from both weapons. The combined force of the dark sun flames and Yuuna's black-pink fire erupted outward, incinerating the serpents in a blinding explosion. Their charred bodies fell away, leaving him gasping for air as he pushed upward again. 

His mind raced. 'This isn't working! The walls are too strong. I can't break through like this! I'm fighting to just keep going upwards and just falling down again and again! Without any clear direction…'

The Serpent's stomach shifted violently, the walls tightening around him as if trying to crush him completely. Xyenn stumbled, his footing slipping as he fell again. His body slammed against the wall, the impact forcing blood from his mouth. 

He looked down again, the swirling vortex of light growing closer. 

With a guttural scream with the mask still checked between his teeth, he launched himself upward, slashing wildly at the serpents embedded in the walls. The creatures shrieked and hissed as his blades tore through them, their blood spraying across his face and chest. 

He slipped again, his cursed left arm giving out as pain shot through his body. The arm felt like it was on fire, every movement sending waves of agony through him. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to push past the pain. 

'I'm desperate..I'm desperate to win! I'll do anything! This mission is do or die, with a short window, I'm moving too slow!'

The colossal sized Serpent roared, its body thrashing violently. Outside, the chaos was palpable. The massive creature's movements were destroying everything around it, its tail smashing through what remained of the Feeding Area. Clerics who tried to calm it with light magic were swatted out of the air like flies, their bodies crushed mid-flight. Blood and chunks of flesh rained down as the Serpent's fury consumed everything. 

Xyenn didn't have the luxury of witnessing it. He was too focused on surviving. 

Finally, he reached the upper part of the stomach, where the walls narrowed toward the snout. But the passage was blocked by a mass of serpents, their bodies tangled together like a writhing nest. Their glowing eyes locked onto him as he approached, their hissing filling the air. 

'The nostrils…that's the way out!'

Xyenn landed heavily, his chest heaving as he stared at the blockade. His body was shaking, every inch of him screaming in protest. Blood dripped from his arms, his legs, his cursed hand. 

But he didn't stop. 

He charged forward, both weapons blazing with fire as he slashed at the serpents. Their bodies fell apart under his blades, but for every one he killed, more took its place. Their fangs tore into his flesh, their coils wrapping around him and pulling him back. 

Xyenn roared, his voice a mixture of rage and desperation. He swung wildly, his movements erratic but powerful. Flames erupted around him as he pushed forward, leaving trails of fire in his wake. 

This desperation…

It was almost poetic..

Xyenn's heart pounded like a war drum against his broken ribcage as he clawed his way upward, every inch of progress feeling like an eternity. His breaths were ragged, each one scraping against the back of his throat like shards of glass, but he couldn't stop. He wouldn't stop. The heat of the Serpent's stomach seared his skin, the grotesque, blood-soaked walls closing in around him as if the beast itself knew he wasn't supposed to be here. He could feel the weight of his own mortality pressing down on him, suffocating him, but it only fueled his rage. Every scream that tore from his throat was a war cry against the crushing despair that threatened to swallow him whole. He thought of the children, their innocent faces in the Holy Land, the fragile lives that would be trampled underfoot if he failed. His desperation was a living thing, clawing at his insides, screaming louder than the pain. 'I don't care if I'm broken. I don't care if this body is nothing but ash when I'm done. I'll burn my way through this hell if I have to.'

But still, there was doubt, gnawing at the edges of his mind like a vulture circling a dying animal. He hated it. Hated the way it whispered to him in the quiet moments between his screams. He clenched his teeth so hard it felt like they might shatter, his bloodied hand gripping the hilt of his blade until his knuckles turned white. The thought of failure was a knife twisting in his gut, but it wasn't fear that drove him forward—it was rage. Rage at himself for even entertaining the idea, for letting the weight of the moment crack his resolve. His body was failing, his cursed arm a searing reminder of his limits, but the fire in his heart burned brighter than the flames of his blade. Every beat of his heart was a declaration, every step upward a defiance against the impossible. 'If I die here… it won't be because I gave up. It'll be because I gave everything.' And in that moment, the desperation, the rage, the pain—it all became one. It was beautiful in a way, the rawness of it, the purity of his will to survive against all odds.

The serpents hissed and screamed, their bodies burning as he carved through them. But it wasn't enough. They kept coming, their sheer numbers overwhelming him. 

Xyenn fell to his knees, the weight of the serpents pressing down on him. Their fangs tore into his arms, his legs, his back. Blood pooled beneath him as he struggled to move. 

For a moment, he felt the crushing weight of despair. 

He clenched his jaw, the mask creaking from his crunch, his dark red eyes burning with renewed determination. 

With a guttural scream, he unleashed another burst of flames, the explosion incinerating the serpents holding him down. He pushed forward, slashing at the blockade with everything he had. He swung again and again, his blades carving through the writhing mass of serpents. Blood sprayed in every direction, the walls slick with gore. 

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he broke through. 

The snout was just ahead, the passage narrow but within reach. 

Xyenn stumbled forward, his chest heaving as he clutched the mask in his teeth still. His vision blurred, his body trembling from exhaustion and blood loss. But he didn't stop. 

He couldn't stop. 

With one push, he sprinted toward the snout, his blades blazing as he prepared to finish the mission. 

Inside the Serpent, Xyenn's desperate battle raged on, as his escape was just in front of him. Blood streamed from his countless wounds, painting the pulsating walls of the beast's stomach as he continued his relentless ascent. His body was battered, his cursed left arm barely functioning, and his breath came in ragged gasps. Yet, his focus remained sharp. He had to get to the snout. He had to plant the mask. 

The serpents embedded in the walls came at him in unending waves, their movements synchronized and precise. Each strike, each lunge felt like an extension of the Serpent itself. Their jagged fangs tore into his skin, their coiling bodies squeezed him until his ribs creaked, but Xyenn refused to give in. 

He slashed upward, sideways, and diagonally with the Dark Sun Blade, its black and dark yellow flames carving a brutal path through the writhing mass of serpents. In his left hand, Yuuna's flaming scythe burned with dark pink and black fire, its curved blade slicing through flesh and bone with deadly precision. The combined flames left trails of destruction in his wake, the walls of the Serpent's stomach briefly illuminated by their unholy glow. 

But the serpents were relentless. 

One lashed out, biting deep into his shoulder and dragging him downward. Another coiled around his legs, pulling him toward the swirling vortex of light below—the Serpent's digestive system. The heat from it grew more intense as he was pulled closer, the radiant energy searing his skin. 

Xyenn roared, twisting violently. He drove Yuuna's scythe into the serpent coiling around his legs, severing its body in an explosion of gore. Blood sprayed across his chest as he kicked off the wall, propelling himself upward once more. 

His mind raced as he darted through the chaotic interior, his movements erratic but purposeful. 

But the walls seemed to tighten around him, the space growing narrower and more oppressive. The serpents in the walls hissed in unison, their glowing eyes narrowing as they prepared to strike again. 

Xyenn glanced downward for a brief moment, his dark red eyes locking onto the swirling comet of light below. It pulsed with divine energy, a radiant vortex of death that threatened to consume him if he fell. 

Clenching his jaw, he pushed forward, his blades carving through the serpents blocking his path. Blood and ichor coated his weapons, his hands, his face, but he didn't care. The pain, the exhaustion, the fear—they were all secondary to the mission. 

Another serpent lunged at him, its massive body coiling around his torso and squeezing tightly. Xyenn screamed as the pressure crushed his ribs, blood pouring from his mouth. His cursed left arm flared with dark energy, the pain nearly unbearable as he raised Yuuna's scythe and drove it into the serpent's head. 

The creature let out a high-pitched screech before falling limp, its body collapsing around him. Xyenn shoved it aside, his breathing ragged as he stumbled forward. 

The snout was close now. He could see the narrow passage leading upward, but it was blocked by an impenetrable mass of serpents. Their bodies coiled together like a living wall, their glowing eyes watching him with predatory intent. 

Xyenn's chest heaved as he stared at the blockade, his muscles trembling from exhaustion. Blood dripped from his wounds, pooling beneath him as he tightened his grip on his weapons. 

With a guttural scream, he charged forward, slashing wildly at the serpents with both weapons. The Dark Sun Blade arced through the air, its flames scorching the creatures' flesh as Yuuna's scythe tore through them in a blur of black and pink fire. 

The serpents screeched and writhed as his blades cut through their bodies, but for every one he killed, more took its place. Their fangs sank into his arms, his legs, his back, tearing into his flesh with brutal efficiency. 

Xyenn fell to his knees, the weight of the serpents pressing down on him as they coiled around his body. Blood poured from his wounds, his vision blurring as he struggled to move. 

But he didn't stop. 

With a roar of defiance, he unleashed a burst of flames from both weapons, the combined force incinerating the serpents holding him down. Their charred bodies fell away, leaving him gasping for air as he rose to his feet. 

The snout was just ahead even closer. He could see it now, the narrow opening glowing faintly with light. 

Xyenn stumbled forward, his chest heaving as he clutched the mask in his hand. His vision blurred, his body trembling from exhaustion and blood loss. But he didn't stop. 

Outside, the chaos continued to escalate. 

The Serpent's massive body thrashed violently, its tail smashing through the crumbling remains of the Feeding Area. Clerics scrambled to avoid the destruction, their light magic flickering uselessly against the beast's overwhelming power. 

High above the chaos, the Sirens of Sugred stood in formation, their glowing forms hovering effortlessly in the air. 

The 6th Siren, Joseth, remained tranquil as always, his untamed bushy brown-and-white hair shimmering faintly in the light. His glowing white robe hung loosely around his waist, and the yellow strands of light coiled around his hands crackled softly. His crystalline red eyes, etched with intricate golden designs, glimmered faintly as he surveyed the destruction below. 

Next to him, the 5th Siren, Olnir Vast, stood tall and imposing. His deep indigo skin shimmered like obsidian, and the jagged, golden spikes crowning his head glowed faintly. His crimson battle robe, lined with golden runes, billowed slightly in the wind as he crossed his arms, his gauntleted hands tipped with razor-sharp claws. 

The 4th Siren, Belith Corsai, smirked faintly, his golden slit-like eyes gleaming with amusement. His asymmetrical robe shimmered with intricate light-glyphs, the exposed tattoos on his arm pulsing with energy. He ran a hand through his pale silver hair, his expression one of casual confidence. 

The 3rd Siren, Vethar Ryen, stood silently, his scarred face illuminated by the faint glow of the runes etched into his armored robe. His snow-white hair, tied back into a long braid, swayed slightly as he leaned on his massive staff, the golden crystal at its tip flickering like a storm. 

The 2nd Siren, Kezrath Vorn, exuded raw power, his glowing light armor shifting and reforming with every movement. His piercing blue eyes burned like twin suns, and the pulsing circlet on his bald head radiated energy with every heartbeat. 

Finally, the 1st Siren, Thalzak Grin, stood at the forefront. His towering frame and commanding presence radiated authority. His jet-black hair was slicked back, and his molten gold eyes burned with intensity. His regal robe, a blend of white and deep gold, shimmered with intricate embroidery that seemed to flow like water. 

Thalzak's voice cut through the air, calm yet firm. "Sugred entrusted us with this. The ritual is almost complete, and he must remain near it at all times. We cannot fail him." 

The other Sirens nodded in unison. 

"For King Samuel," Thalzak said, his voice rising. 

"For Lancelot," Kezrath added. 

"For Sugred," Joseth intoned, his voice steady. 

"And for the Holy Land," they all said in perfect sync. 

Their plan was clear: suppress the Serpent by any means necessary. 

The air burned with chaos, destruction, and the stench of blood. The massive Serpent continued its rampage, its colossal body thrashing wildly as its tail smashed through the remains of the Feeding Area. Clerics, desperate to protect the innocent, worked tirelessly to evacuate the children. Their light magic shimmered uniquely, forming glowing bridges of energy and protective barriers. The children were guided across these radiant constructs, their wide, frightened eyes reflecting the devastation around them. 

The clerics moved with precision, chanting in unison as their glowing hands extended outward, lifting the children into the air with beams of light. The youngest clung to the robes of the older ones, their small hands trembling as they were carried to safety. The light bridges shimmered and pulsed, forming an intricate web above the ruins, leading the children away from the violent battlefield below. 

But the destruction was relentless. The Serpent's tail lashed out, smashing through the remnants of the platform, sending debris flying in all directions. The clerics worked faster, their chants growing louder as they carried the last of the children away, their glowing forms disappearing into the distance. 

High above the chaos, the Sirens of Sugred floated in formation, their glowing forms radiating divine energy. They hovered in a perfect circle, their movements synchronized as they chanted in the draconic tongue of Lancelot, the Dragon God of Light. 

Other clerics saw them, saying, "There they are! The Sirens! They'll save us!"

Their voices were a symphony of power, ancient and commanding, resonating through the air like the tolling of a great bell. The words of their chant carried the weight of Lancelot's authority, their syllables sharp and guttural, each one laced with divine energy. 

"Ohtrem vir Lancelar. Yorthon im Saolyr. Zalthyr im Uktheos."

The ground trembled beneath them as their power grew, light magic swirling around their bodies in radiant streams. The streams began to connect, intertwining in the air like threads of molten gold, forming a massive sigil above their heads. The sigil pulsed with energy, its intricate patterns glowing brighter with every beat. 

Joseth's yellow strands of light coiled tighter around his hands, sparking violently. The crystals in his eyes glimmered with intensity as he raised his arms, his voice unwavering in the chant. 

Olnir Vast's obsidian-like skin shimmered as the golden runes on his crimson robe flared to life, glowing with a blinding brilliance. His gauntleted hands stretched outward, the translucent claws extending as arcs of golden energy crackled between them. 

Belith Corsai's smirk faded, his golden slit-like eyes narrowing as the tattoos on his exposed arm pulsed in rhythm with the chant. The glyphs on his robe shifted and reformed, their patterns aligning with the glowing sigil above. 

Vethar Ryen's staff slammed into the ground, the golden crystal at its tip erupting with light. The runes on his armored robe shimmered like molten metal, his scarred face set in grim determination as he chanted louder. 

Kezrath Vorn's glowing armor shifted and reformed, the plates locking into place as his body radiated raw power. The circlet on his bald head pulsed with energy, his piercing blue eyes burning brighter as he poured his strength into the sigil. 

Thalzak Grin stood at the forefront, his towering frame exuding authority. His molten gold eyes glowed fiercely, his regal robe shimmering like flowing water as he raised a hand toward the sigil. His voice was calm but commanding, leading the chant with the confidence of a leader. 

The sigil above them began to rotate, its intricate patterns spinning faster as the energy within it reached its peak. The Sirens' voices rose in unison, their chant echoing across the battlefield as they shared their power with one another, preparing for the climactic strike. 

The Serpent's massive head loomed closer, its glowing eyes locked onto the Sirens as it roared, its voice shaking the very air around them. 

KATHOOM!

But before the Sirens could unleash their power, a deafening explosion erupted from the Serpent's nostril in a grotesque burst of flames and gore. 

The explosion was brutal, sending chunks of flesh and bone flying in all directions. The Serpent's head reared back, its roar turning into a pained screech as flames erupted from its snout, engulfing the air around it in a destructive inferno. 

The Sirens were caught in the blast, their glowing forms consumed by the flames as the shockwave sent them hurtling backward. The sigil above them shattered, its golden light dissipating into the air as the Sirens crashed into the ground below. 

Smoke and debris filled the air and ground like a wave of water, obscuring everything in a thick, choking haze. The battlefield fell silent for a moment, the only sound the faint crackling of flames. 

As the smoke began to clear, the grotesque state of the Sirens became visible. Their once-pristine forms were charred and mangled, their glowing robes torn and stained with blood. Joseth's bushy hair was scorched, his crystal eyes cracked and leaking faint streams of light. Olnir's obsidian-like skin was blistered and peeling, exposing raw, glowing flesh beneath. Belith's tattoos flickered weakly, the golden energy within them dimmed. Vethar's scars glowed faintly, his staff shattered beside him. Kezrath's armor was in pieces, the plates melted and fused to his skin. Thalzak's regal robe was in tatters, his molten gold eyes dimmed but still burning with resolve. 

Despite their horrific injuries, the white shards embedded in their bodies began to rise slowly into the air, pulsing with light. The shards radiated divine energy as they worked to regenerate the Sirens, their charred flesh and broken bones reforming before the shards returned to their places within them. 

As they stood, fully regenerated, Thalzak spoke first, his voice calm but laced with frustration. "His darkness is powerful. But Lancelot's light… is stronger." 

The others nodded in agreement, their gazes turning toward the source of the explosion. 

"We must stop the demon boy." Joseth replied.

As the smoke cleared completely, Xyenn came into view. 

He stood shirtless, his body covered in blood and grime, his weapons clutched tightly in his hands. His form was monstrous, his transformation unmistakable. Black dragon scales covered parts of his skin, glowing faintly with red and dark sun hues. A single black dragon horn jutted out from the side of his head, and a long, sinewy black tail swayed behind him. His dark pink and black aura pulsed violently, and a third eye—pitch black and vertical—had formed on his forehead, radiating malice. 

The Sirens stared at him, their expressions unreadable. 

Thalzak's lips curled into a faint sneer. "Of course. He's with the demons of Hell. Trying to eliminate us, they don't want us to reach the Holy Land."

"Fuck…your Holy Land."

Xyenn stood there, panting heavily, his dark red eyes burning with desperation. He didn't have time for this. His mind raced as he thought of the brazier, of Yuuna, of Sugred, and of the ritual he couldn't afford to let succeed. He trusted Yuuna to play her part, but the uncertainty gnawed at him. 

Xyenn knew he had to light brazier, to signal the others to join him in his fight.

Behind him, the ground began to tremble. 

The massive Serpent rose from the smoke, its colossal form towering over the battlefield. Its body was grotesquely transformed, its once-divine appearance corrupted by the mask. Black and grey scales now covered its body, streaked with crimson veins that pulsed with dark energy. Its glowing white and gold features were tainted, patches of light flickering weakly against the overwhelming darkness. 

The Serpent spoke, its voice deep and guttural, reverberating through the air. "All this light… disgusts me." 

Its massive tail lashed out, striking Xyenn with brutal force. The impact sent him flying, his body smashing through several walls before he caught himself mid-air, his claws digging into a crumbling surface. 

Xyenn crouched against the wall, his breathing ragged as he glared at the Serpent. In an instant, his body flickered in speed, and he blinked forward, vanishing into the chaos as he moved to find the brazier. 

'I can move freely now…I did it…I really did it..' he shed a small tear and chuckled at himself, but then he got his act together, getting serious again.

The Sirens stood together, their glowing forms radiating power once more as they watched the Serpent. 

"We'll suppress the beast," Thalzak commanded, his voice firm. "The rest of you, hunt down the boy of darkness. He cannot be allowed to interfere further." 

The Serpent laughed, its massive form coiling as it prepared to strike. "Haha! Yes… show me this light that can conquer even Hell itself! Show me the one who is capable of carrying that Jotyin Samuel's torch!" 

The Sirens' voices rose in unison. "Silence!"