Chapter 32: Madness

Raphael and Julius clashed at speeds, throwing kicks and punches at each other. Julius's fists slammed into Raphael's body over and over again. Raphael held his ground and kicked Julius in the stomach. Julius stumbled back. Raphael stepped in his chest, spun and kicked him across the face, spun again and slapped him across the face. Julius stepped in and smashed his nose in with his fist, hit him in the eye with his elbow, and chopped his windpipe. 

"Guh?!" 

Raphael held in his throat. Julius kicked him so hard he flew into the building. Julius chased after him. 

"?!" 

He was hit by a flying door. He threw the door aside. A size 12 boot slammed in his face. He crashed to the ground. He rolled to his feet and ducked under a hook. He hit Raphael with an uppercut. Raphael was forced off the ground. Julius grabbed a spear on the ground. He leaped and thrust the spear at Raphael's head. Raphael bent his back and the spear flew over his head. Raphael swung his foot and broke the spear. Without missing a beat, Julius stabbed him in the stomach with the pole. 

"Die!" 

Julius roared as he forced Raphael to the ground. Raphael grabbed the other half of the spear beside him. He stabbed through Julius's chest. 

"Guh?!" 

He vomited blood on Raphael. 

"Ahhhhhh!" 

Raphael started raising off the ground causing the spear to pierced through his body completely. He ignored the damage he did to himself and rose of the ground with a roar. He forced the spearhead through Julius until it came out his back. Julius showed a pained smile. 

"Probably if you weren't high you wouldn't have missed my heart. I can regenerate my lungs with ease!" 

He slammed his fist in Raphael's face. Teeth flew out of his mouth and fell in a puddle of blood underneath them. Yet, Raphael didn't flinch. 

"Ahhhhh!" 

He sprang up and sunk his teeth in Julius' neck. 

"Wha—Ahhhhh?!" 

Julius screamed in agony and horror as Raphael ripped his flesh apart. Bloodshot eyes, bloodstained mouth, the current Raphael was like a mad beast devouring Julius' flesh. 

"Damn youuuu!" 

Julius's scream echoed across the battlefield. 

Elsewhere, Raphael's siblings had moved away from his battle and were fighting the scorpions and the knights, along with Brix and Fayax. Ryder was mowing through enemies with beastly ferocity. He grabbed a knight by the head and threw him into a group of his comrades. He leaped and stomped a scorpion into the ground. 

A knight charged at him. Ryder kicked at his neck. The knight ducked under the kick and grabbed his leg. He lifted Ryder off the ground and swung like a weapon. He used Ryder to swat some of Kelz's warriors. 

"Son of a—" 

Ryder was forced to swallow his words. The knight leaped into the air with him. He positioned Ryder with his head facing the earth. They fell towards the earth. Ryder struggled to break free as his head approached the ground. The knight's strength was superior to Ryder's. He couldn't break free in time. 

"Ryder!" 

The knight was kicked in the back before Ryder's head hit the earth. The two flew to the side before hitting the ground and separating. The knight got up. He was greeted with a kick to the face. His body bounced off the ground. 

"…I didn't ask for your help." 

Ryder sprung to his feet, facing the knight. 

"I don't care to be honest. I'm your older sister, so shut up and let me help you." 

Roxanne stood beside Ryder. 

"Gustav and Raphael believe you're stronger as Spawn, but I don't. After all, Spawn and Ryder are the same. They're both my youngest brother!" 

She rushed at the knight. Ryder quietly followed behind her. She threw a kick, the knight blocked it. Ryder came at him low from his flank with a fist. The knight evaded the strike with a step back. Roxanne chased with a strike to the throat. The knight blocked with his arm. Ryder aimed a low kick at his legs. The knight jumped over it. He kicked out to keep Roxanne at bay. He landed on the ground and hit the rising Ryder with an elbow. Ryder fell on the ground without being able to stand. Roxanne kicked him in the chest and forced him back. 

"You are not bad for Outsider who just arrived." 

The knight bowed. 

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Holy Knights Vice-Captain, Xavier." 

"Leave your introductions to the devil when you arrive in hell!" 

Roxanne and Ryder rushed Xavier again, who wore a bright smile. 

Meanwhile, the others were in intense battles with the knights and scorpions. 

"Let's gooo!" 

Damini flew into a group of enemies. She evaded slashes and strikes with swift movements. She ducked under a blade swing and slit her attacker's throat. She kicked off them to avoid the swing of a mace. She threw her knives at the nearest enemy and rushed them. As the knives were dodged, she jumped and spun in the air. Blades came from her boots. Blood sprayed as she ripped open throats with kicks. She picked up the weapons on the ground and rushed at her enemies without fear of attacks. 

At the same time, Gina was coordinating with the droids to take down as many enemies as possible. The droids charged at the enemies non-stop even when their limbs were ripped off. They slashed, stabbed, and beat anyone they caught. Gina swung her bladed-whip, ripping open skins. She threw explosives in every direction. Explosions played a violent melody and the whip waltzed to their rhythm, causing blood to fly. Basked in the light of the flames, she conducted an orchestra of carnage. 

As for Chul, he threw away his rifle and walked with handguns in each hand. A scorpion rushed at him and had his brains blown out. Chul broke out in a sprint firing his guns in every direction. Knights popped up in front of him. He leaped back fired. The knights evaded the shots and came at him. He ducked under a kick, rose up and slapped a knight with his gun. He spun around and blocked a punch with his gun. The gun broke apart. Chul stepped in and hit the knight with an uppercut. He was kicked in the back by another. He spun around and buried that knight with a kick. He twisted his body and elbowed a scorpion in the face, breaking his helmet. Chul pulled the helmet and slammed his fist in the scorpion's face over and over again. He threw the scorpion at a charging knight. 

"You motherfuckers seem to think I'm nothing without my guns." 

Chul slammed his fists together with a crazed look in his eyes. 

"Allow me to show you how wrong you are!" 

"They're more help than I could've ever hoped." 

Brix spoke before sending a knight flying with a punch. 

"I know, it's reassuring." 

Fayax's figure flickered. Light flashed and he reappeared behind a group of knights. Heads flew off shoulders and blood gushed into the air. 

"We can't afford to let them show us up, can we?" 

"That's right." 

The two flew at their enemies. Brix crushed them with swift and powerful kicks and punches. Fayax's blade moved at a blinding speed cutting down everything in its path. The two combined together and pierced through the sea of enemies leaving a trail of carnage in their wake. 

Elsewhere, sparks flew and explosive noise reverberated. Zyna and Xeroi were moving through the battlefield like beams of light. Zyna's blade flew at Xeroi like a murder of crows, attacking from multiple directions at once. Xeroi used his plated gloves and countered the strikes with swift punches. Sparks flew between them as he parried every strike. He rushed at Zyna with his arm pulled back. Zyna leaped back. He punched out. 

*Boom!* 

The air shook when Xeroi's fist extended. Zyna swung her sword down. A light flashed and two trenches formed at her sides after cutting the force of Xeroi's attack. She kicked off the ground, clenching her sword. Xeroi lifted his fists in front of him. Zyna swung her sword and Xeroi punched out. The sword and fist clashed. The ground underneath them cracked open. Xeroi punched at Zyna's stomach. She positioned her sword in front of her stomach. A deafening noise rung out. Zyna's feet were forced several inches into the ground. Xeroi punched out again. Zyna ducked under the punch and slashed at his stomach. 

"?!" 

Xeroi's eyes widened as the hand he placed to catch the sword was ignored. The sword changed directions mid-swing and flew towards his chin. He bent his body and evaded the blade. Zyna stepped in and placed her hand over his heart. A blue glow covered her hand as she twisted it. 

*BOOM!* 

Xeroi's body flew back with a thunderclap. He burst through a building. 

"Cough!" 

Zyna fell to her knees vomiting blood. 

(That bastard. He kicked me the same time I hit him with a shockwave. He sent a shockwave to my organs too.) 

"Impressive shockwave." 

Xeroi burst out of the building and walked towards her. Blood was flowing from the corners of his mouth. 

"I thought only I and the Lord could use shockwaves. I guess you can't underestimate the Royal bloodline." 

He fastened his gloves. 

"You've improved greatly since you left the Holy Knights. I assume you trained in anticipation of Lady Kelz's return." 

"I did, but I still can't see myself defeating you." 

Zyna stood up and gripped her sword tightly. 

"You say that, yet you seem intent on fighting." 

"Of course." 

Zyna pointed her sword at Xeroi. 

"I just need to prove myself wrong." 

"I see you've developed a sense of humor in these last deca—" 

A blue light flashed between the two of them. Hurricane-like winds hit them and nearly blew them away. They held their ground, but they were the only ones. 

"Ugh?!" 

All around them people from both sides were blown away. Many crashed into trees, some were flung outside the district. 

*BOOOM!* 

A thunderous noise shook the district. Buildings exploded one after the other. The ground burst open, trees were uprooted, and people were ripped apart. 

"What the fuck?!" 

Roxanne shouted. She and Ryder were retreating out of the district as fast as they could. They weren't the only ones, everyone tried their best to escape. All except for Raphael and Julius who were still fighting despite the situation, as well as Zyna and Xeroi. The Lords' right hands looked upon the destruction happening around them. 

"Looks like they're finally getting serious." 

Zyna sheathed her sword. 

"As unfortunate as it is, we most likely won't be able to finish this fight, Zyna." 

Xeroi took off his gloves. 

"I agree. All fights are meaningless compared to the one between the Lords. After all, if our leader loses, we'll die soon after, so why bother?" 

Zyna smiled. 

"It's in the Lords' hands now."