The Final Battle

The grim specter of war loomed over the battlefield, its end looming ever nearer. Yet, within the hearts of Lazarus and Amelia, hope had withered to a mere whisper, extinguished by the growing despair. Once, the gleaming edge of Mikael's sword had represented their last flicker of salvation, but now, it lay in the grasp of Darius, who had eluded the inevitable fate that awaited him with a sinister gift from Lucifero. He stood now, a dark silhouette behind Mikael, a harbinger of dread.

Mikael turned slowly, his features contorted in disbelief and agony, struggling to comprehend the impossible reality before him. "How? How did he manage to bypass the death loop that no mortal can elude or escape?" The questions echoed in his mind, laced with desperation. "Who orchestrates this malevolent scheme?"

Suddenly, a bone-chilling voice sliced through the air behind him, as if spoken by the shadows themselves. It was Darius, his tone dripping with mockery. "Why so serious? It appears your little toy has failed you! Didn't I warn you that your pathetic tricks would never sway me? I stand blessed by the two most formidable entities of darkness in this universe—Lucifer and Azrael."

As those words reverberated through the air, Mikael felt the ground beneath him crumble away. The weight of dread settled in his chest; he understood all too well that these were no ordinary demons. If they conspired to descend upon the earth, it would soon be engulfed in chaos and ruin, far quicker than anyone could fathom

Lazarus and Amelia shared a grim glance, their expressions darkened with a shared terror. Their hands trembled, and the raw pain in their eyes spoke volumes of the bleakness that enveloped them. In unison, they uttered the haunting question that echoed in their minds, their voices laden with despair. "Are we really doomed?" 

Darius stood tall, his expression colder than ice, his piercing gaze locked onto Mikael. A smirk curled on his lips as he spoke, his voice laced with disdain. "Do you know how I escaped your pathetic little tricks?" His words carried a chilling weight, reverberating through the battlefield.

Mikael, standing rigid, displayed no immediate reaction. His mind was struggling to process what had just unfolded before him. His eyes widened in sheer disbelief, his breath caught in his throat.

Darius inhaled deeply before continuing, his voice even more menacing than before. "Your death loop was quite the masterpiece. A perfect trap for any being—any weak, insignificant human like yourself. If I were as feeble as you, I would have been doomed for eternity." He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in.

Then, with a sinister glint in his eyes, he added, "But unlike you, I wield something far beyond human comprehension. A split demonic ability—the power to divide my body into two. A rare and nearly impossible feat, a ritual known only to those who have been guided by Lucifero himself." His smirk deepened. "One-half of me still writhes in agony inside your accursed trap, suffering in my stead. The price for this ability? A mere fragment of my life span. Tell me, isn't that an exquisite trade-off?" His voice dripped with arrogance as he chuckled darkly.

Mikael's entire body went numb. He could neither move nor respond. A deep sense of dread seeped into his veins, and his face turned ashen. Fear clawed at his throat, rendering him momentarily speechless. But then, with a trembling breath, he forced himself to speak. "So it was him… Without Lucifero's power, you wouldn't have even come close to defeating me."

Darius let out a low, scornful laugh. "Humans… always so shameless, even when they stand on the precipice of death. I have had enough of your pitiful existence. It's time for you to bid farewell to your miserable life and those you cherish."

As those final words left his lips, Darius extended his hand. In a flash of eerie brilliance, a sword materialized—a blade coated with a crystalline, frozen surface that glowed with an ominous sheen. He lifted it effortlessly and whispered, "Winter's Bite."

With a swift, ferocious slash, an icy wave surged forward. The sheer force of the attack was enough to turn the once-scorching battlefield into a frozen wasteland. Every object, every structure, and even the lifeless corpses littering the ground were encased in unyielding glaciers.

Mikael braced himself for the impact, but before the attack could reach him, Lazarus lunged forward, grabbing him with immense force. The two crashed violently onto the shattered rooftop of a dilapidated monument. The sheer velocity of their escape caused the structure to tremble.

However, as their eyes turned back to the battlefield, horror gripped them. The entire scene had transformed into an icy graveyard. Walls, weapons, and even the very air seemed to freeze. The terrifying realization, however, was not just the devastation—but what Darius had become.

He had evolved.

His already menacing form had undergone a monstrous transformation. A long, coiling tail swayed behind him. His horns had grown, now dark as the abyss itself. His once-pale eyes burned crimson, and his body had thickened with powerful muscle. Massive, leathery wings unfurled from his back, casting a dark shadow across the frozen field.

Hovering in mid-air, his voice thundered, "It's over. This battle ends now!"

With a fearsome burst of energy, he propelled himself forward, ready to deliver the final strike. But just as he was about to reach them, an invisible force erupted against him, sending him hurtling backward with tremendous speed. He crashed into the frozen ground but, undeterred, instantly rose to his feet.

Enraged, he growled, "Who dares interfere? Show yourself, you coward!"

A deep, resounding chant echoed across the battlefield, followed by the distant roars of countless voices. Darius turned sharply, his gaze lifting towards the horizon. His expression darkened as thousands of warships loomed in the sky, breaching through the walls of Pennsylvania and descending with devastating force.

Yet, instead of fury, a twisted smile crept onto his face. "Ah… so you have finally come, Lefu."

As he turned his gaze back toward his adversaries—Lazarus, Amelia, and Mikael—a thick, dark fog began swirling behind him. A towering figure materialized from the shadows. His presence alone sent a suffocating weight across the battlefield. He wielded a colossal axe, and his silver-gray mask gleamed under the pale moonlight. His crimson eyes locked onto Darius with an unsettling calm.

After a long pause, his deep voice resonated. "Darius… you have served me well. You were one of my finest warriors. As a reward, I shall grant you a swift and merciful end."

Without wasting another second, Lefu moved. His speed was unfathomable—a mere blur in the darkness. In an instant, he was upon Darius, piercing his chest with a soul-rending dagger.

Darius let out a guttural roar of pain. The blade was no ordinary weapon. It was a cursed artifact designed to entrap souls, prevent regeneration, and sever supernatural abilities. The moment it made contact, it began consuming Darius's very essence, leaving him with no chance to retaliate.

Through gritted teeth, he snarled his final words. "You… damn bastard, Left… I swear, I will return! Azrael and Lucifero themselves have blessed me! You will live to regret this, you coward!"

Lefu merely smiled, lifting his hand. A swirling black mirror appeared in his grasp—a void-like abyss with no visible end.

Darius's body convulsed as his form twisted into a hellish, black, slimy mass. His soul, now fully consumed, was grasped by Left, who hurled it into the mirror's depths. It spiraled endlessly into the abyss, lost within an eternal prison of nothingness.

But Lefu did not pause. Without hesitation, he turned his gaze toward Lazarus, Amelia, and Mikael. He began moving toward them, his steps steady, unrelenting.

Yet, just as he closed the distance, something shifted.

A towering figure emerged between them, its very presence radiating unbridled power. A colossal dragon-like entity, cloaked in dark cosmic energy, unfolded its massive wings. Its form resembled hardened rock armor, pulsing with violet energy veins. The force it exuded was suffocating, filled with menace beyond mortal comprehension.

Lefu came to a halt, his crimson eyes narrowing as he took in the sight before him.

The beast's eyes, glowing like distant stars, turned toward him. A deep, otherworldly growl rumbled from within its massive chest.

A new force had entered the battle, one that would alter its course forever.