Chapter 39: The Phoenix, The Serpent, & The Devil

"No matter the cost, I will win." 

Blood gathering in Giovanni's eyes until it flowed down his cheeks like tears. An intense blue glow covered his body. 

"Shit!" 

Zagon lifted his hand and swung it down. A giant blue slash flew at Giovanni. The slash cut through the earth as it travelled to its target. The slash hit Giovanni. It stopped, distorted, and then disappeared. 

"What?" 

Ignoring Zagon's confusion, the glow around Giovanni grew more intense by the second. The blood oozing from his eyes continued to flow. The whites in his eyes reddened as if severely bloodshot. Blood started oozing out of his skin before evaporating. However, the blood on his limbs returned as quickly as it came. The evaporating blood caused a blood-colored vapor to appear around his limbs. 

"What the hell is happening to him?" 

Kelz gathered essence in her palm, the essence turned into blue flames. She threw the flames and they swelled into a giant fireball. Just like the slash, the fireball stopped, distorted, and disappeared. 

"Did you see it?" 

Zagon nodded. 

"The fireball was deconstructed back into Essence which flowed into his body." 

"Then he really is absorbing the surrounding Essence. But he's doing it at a crazy rate his body can't handle. What's the play here?" 

"I don't know, but I'm not waiting to find out!" 

Zagon vanished with a flash, he appeared in front of Giovanni throwing a punch. 

"?!" 

His hand was assaulted by a hellish heat that burnt away the flesh on his fist. He retreated and his hand healed in an instant. 

"His body is producing such heat. How are his organs not cooked?" 

"With that much Essence flowing inside him, he must be regenerating new organs." 

Kelz's eyes narrowed. 

"The pain he must be feeling is unimaginable…To go so far to win." 

She watched as the glow reached the point of being blinding. It then slowly faded leaving a different Giovanni behind. His face had red markings coming from his eyes, caused by his blood drying up. His eyes were permanently bloodshot with a shade of blue mixed in with his natural green color. His limbs were jet-black from dried blood, leaving only his torso in its natural brown colour. Blood-colored vapor continuously emitted from his body. 

Kelz showed a face of disgust and said- 

"Truly a devil." 

Giovanni grinned and showed teeth stained black from blood. 

"Quite a fitting title considering how badly I'm gonna violate two gods." 

"Let's see about that." 

Kelz lifted her hand overhead and a blue fireball formed in her palm. Zagon did the same and blue static danced in his palms. 

"Ok, the fire I can somewhat excuse but electricity? Really? Isn't that cheating?" 

"I don't want to hear that from the guy challenging literal gods!" 

Zagon and Kelz threw lightning bolts and fireballs at Giovanni. He clenched his fists and took a step in. 

"That's what Devils do!" 

He threw a punch at a blinding speed. He punched the air and waves of shockwaves clashed with the fire and lightning. An enormous explosion erupted, swallowing a large section of the district. Kelz and Zagon flew back from the explosion. A flaming Giovanni flew out of it. 

"We defy the Gods until the end!" 

He punched out and Zagon threw a kick. Invincible forces clashed. Giovanni's arms were blown back, twisted and disfigured. 

"And it's God's job to send demons back to hell!" 

Zagon slammed his fist in Giovanni's face. The punch forced Giovanni's body into the earth. A crater opened up in the earth. It continued to stretch as Giovanni was forced deeper into the earth. Giovanni's body ached as he was crushed under godly pressure. He gritted his teeth and punched upwards. Zagon was forced off him by a shockwave. Giovanni sprung to his feet. 

"?!" 

He was forced to block a flying kick from Kelz. He was blasted back. His feet skid on the ground. Zagon popped up above him with fire flickering in his palm. Giovanni was devoured by an explosion of flames. A burning hand flew out of the flames and grabbed Zagon's face. 

"I didn't power-up to get my ass kicked!" 

Zagon was hit point blank by a shockwave to the face. His face visibly sunk and became disfigured. 

"I put my life on the line to have the fight of the century!" 

Giovanni threw Zagon into a charging Kelz. She caught him before she was sent flying by a kick. She cut through the air like an arrow. She glared in Giovanni's direction and pointed down. A downpour of Essence slammed down on him. He was flattened on the ground. 

"OHHHH!" 

He roared and forced himself to stand. 

"Thanks for your effort." 

Zagon popped up in front of him. 

"Here's your reward for working so hard!" 

He slammed his leg into Giovanni's chest. The leg ignited and burnt his flesh as he forced him back to the ground. 

"?!" 

Zagon felt his leg sever the moment Giovanni hit the floor. He looked down to see Giovanni holding his leg. Zagon punched out. Giovanni thrust his palm. Invincible forces clashed and forced them away from each other. Giovanni twisted midair and slapped Kelz with Zagon's severed leg. He landed on the ground and lowered his center of gravity. He flew at Kelz who fired lightning bolts at him and forced him back. 

"I can make up for their physical prowess but I can't handle their new abilities." 

He leaped back to avoid Zagon punching down from above. His leg was partially regenerated. 

"So even a God can't regenerate limbs instantly? That's good to know!" 

Giovanni kicked off the ground with overwhelming force. Kelz crashed into him while covered in blue flames. He stumbled back for a second before avoiding her punch to the head. He hit her with a jumping knee to the chest. He flattened her with a kick to the temple. His leg was scorched until the flesh was peeling off. He ignored it and flew at Zagon. 

Zagon gathered lighting around his fist and punched out. Dozens of beams rushed at Giovanni. He maneuvered through the beams and cut the distance. He pulled his arm back. Zagon did the same. As Giovanni was gonna throw a punch, a chain made of blue light warped around his arm. Kelz pulled the chain preventing him from punching out. Zagon slammed his fist in his chest. A burst of flames and electricity hit without mercy. Giovanni's skin was burned away, exposing his flesh. Zagon moved to follow up with another attack. Giovanni stepped on the ground. An explosion erupted with him in the center. Zagon was forced to retreat and Kelz chain was destroyed. 

Giovanni flew out of the explosion at a blinding speed. He shot past Zagon and flew out of the district in an instant. This puzzled Zagon and Kelz. 

"Is he running?" 

Kelz asked after some hesitation. 

"Him? No way." 

Zagon started chasing after him. Kelz did the same. They instantly left the district and entered the residential areas. 

"He's heading to the House of the Lord?" 

Zagon mumbled before his eyes slowly widened. 

"Wait, does he know about the Sacred Artifacts?!" 

He sped up and so did Kelz. Giovanni swung his hand and the roof of the building was blown off. He leaped and landed in the building. Kelz and Zagon arrived shortly after and rushed towards the house. A light flashed the moment they touched the ground. 

*BAM!* 

They were blown back with large cut across their torso. Blood sprayed as they looked at Giovanni standing before them. He held two swords in his hands. 

(They're not sacred artifacts? Just normal swords?) 

Kelz thought while looking at the swords. 

"I can't keep up with your new abilities so I needed a weapon to even the odds. I learned there was an armoury, here so I came to get some good swords." 

(Wait, could it be he doesn't know about Sacred Artifacts?) 

Zagon thought. 

(If that's the case, we can grab them and use them to end this quickly.) 

Kelz answered telepathically. The two were about to make their move but froze. Giovanni's eyes were locked on them. His gaze emitted an intense pressure. A scene of them losing their heads, the moment they took a step forward, flashed before their eye. Whether it was a precognition or a warning from their instincts, they didn't know. However, one thing was certain. Giovanni with weapons was on another level than without. 

"I'm getting real fed of this shit!" 

Zagon suddenly roared. 

"We're Lords using Imperial Blessing! Literal Gods and this guy always somehow finds a way to keep challenging us?! This is bullshit!" 

"Scream all you want, but it doesn't change your reality." 

Giovanni pointed his blades. 

"My body can't handle much more, so this is my last stand." 

He showed a bloodthirsty grin. 

"We won't be seeing each other again after this, rejoice." 

"We're getting rid of you this instant!" 

The twins fired blue flames and electricity at Giovanni. He swung his swords and cut through them. He kicked off the ground and flew at them. Zagon generated a bolt of lightning and flew at him. Zagon swung the lightning like a blade. Giovanni's swords clashed with the lightning. Electricity danced around them and destroyed the surroundings. Giovanni was forced back. Kelz created flame spears and fired them at Giovanni. A blue glow engulfed his blades. He swung his blades at a blinding rate. Blue slashes clashed with the flame spears. Zagon appeared at his side, thrust a lightning bolt. It pierced into Giovanni's side. 

"Ugh?!" 

He was sent flying with a scorched side. Kelz pointed two fingers into the air. Lightning bolt fell from the sky and hit Giovanni. He held his ground with smoke coming off his body. He showed a huge grin. Static started appearing on his blades. 

"Wha—" 

Before Kelz could finish a word, Giovanni's blade was in front of her. It cut down and a bright light flashed. 

*BOOM!* 

A burst of electricity pierced through her and scorched everything behind her. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Smoke flowed out of her mouth and nose. 

"Giovanni!!" 

Zagon crashed into him and dragged him into the air. 

"You can fly?" 

Giovanni looked at the wings made of blue light on Zagon's back. 

"Shut up!" 

Zagon flew hundreds of meters into the sky before diving with force rivaling a meteorite. He released Giovanni who crashed into the ground with devastating force. Flames gathered around Zagon turning him into a giant fireball. The fireball crashed into Giovanni. 

*BOOOM!* 

Shockwaves spread and flattened all the buildings around before waves of fire followed behind. The crash site was reduced to a hole filled with burning rocks. 

"Ugh…" 

Zagon groaned while on all fours. There was a deep cut across his torso that was barely holding together. 

"...." 

Giovanni looked down on him with horrible burn scars all over his body. 

(Zagon, are okay?) 

Kelz voiced played in Zagon's head. 

(What do you think? That guy cut the fireball I was in as I crashed into him. My own momentum increased the damage. I can barely keep conscious. My regeneration has significantly slowed down too.) 

(I'm the same. I think it's all the big attacks we used. Even so, Giovanni can't be better off.) 

Zagon looked up. Giovanni's eyes were unfocused and his breathing was abnormally slow. 

(He's on his last leg. Get over here and help me ki—) 

Zagon's legs were severed in a flash. 

"Aaaahhh?!" 

He turned around to see Giovanni thrusting his blades at his back. He rolled out of the way and used wings to float. Giovanni silently lifted both swords. He vanished and reappeared behind Zagon. Dozens of cuts appeared all over his body. The cuts all looked like burns. There was a heat haze surrounding Giovanni's body and swords. Despite this, Zagon could feel a merciless coldness coming from the silent Giovanni. This coldness honestly terrified him. 

"CAW!" 

A giant bird made of flames hit Giovanni with its talons. He blocked the attack with his swords. Flames spread from the bird and engulfed him. 

"Zagon, this is our last chance! We're gonna hit him with everything we got!" 

The flames grew and spread across the island. 

"Don't care about anything else! Don't think about what happens after! Give your all, right here right now!" 

The desperation in his sister's voice and face stirred Zagon's will to fight. Electricity started dancing around them. Soon lightning bolts started raining down from the sky, destroying everything it struck. A sea of flames and a downpour of lightning. The island had turned into a hell scape. At the center of this all, Giovanni was silent. He forced Kelz off him and silently pointed his swords at them both. 

A blue light engulfed the three of them. The flames gathered around Kelz and formed a gigantic phoenix. The lightning gathered around Zagon forming an enormous winged-serpent. Giovanni's body was covered in his evaporating blood. The blood vapor created the image of a devil around him. 

"CAW!!!" 

The Phoenix let out a cry. 

"RAAHH!!!" 

The Serpent let out a roar. 

"...." 

The Devil silently welcomed them with open arms. 

The Phoenix and Serpent struck with desperation and resolve. The Devil swung down its cold blades. Fire and electricity clashed with an invincible force. Shockwaves spread across the island and flattened everything. The island trembled as if crying under the pressure. The invincible force cut through the flames and lightning, almost severing them. The flames and lightning started mingling. They helped and reinforced each other against the force. Together they started to push it back. A clash of desperation erupted as the cracks ran across the island. 

The combo of flames and lightning pushed back the invincible after much struggle. The invincible force shattered under the weight of their attacks. 

"....." 

Giovanni looked on as Kelz and Zagon slammed their feet in his chest. His eyes focused and a smile appeared on his face. 

"I guess it's my lost." 

He spoke as his chest sank in and was torn apart. 

"It was fun." 

(Hey, Abomination.) 

A heavenly voice rang in their heads. It was Octivinus. He spoke but they didn't get to hear what he said. 

*BOOOOM!* 

A godly explosion erupted. It blew everyone away. Kelz and Zagon slammed into the earth. They looked up and saw Giovanni's body flying through the air. He flew until he was off the island and plummeting towards the world below. 

(Congratulations.) 

Octivinus' voice once again played in their heads. 

(Son of the Serpent, Daughter of the Phoenix, you have defeated the Devil.)