The demon advanced. The eyes of those men fixed. Fearing for their lives, they aimed tremulously. Green flames exploded out of his body, they gushed from his hands. The ground burned beneath his feet, leaving a hot trail of flames and death. His cybernetic equipment completely fried, entering decomposition upon contact with the flames. Only the weapons remained intact. No, they fused with the flames, being taken over by the Plague. They glowed infernally, undergoing abrupt changes in their appearance. It was up to him to discover what they did now.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The shots began to echo. Some scraped him. Others passed through Igyris' body, but nothing helped, he didn't stop advancing.
— B-but BUT WHAT THE HELL IS THIS DAMNED THING???!!!????!!!
— HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! I ALREADY TOLD YOU!!!!, I HAVE NO IDEA!!!!!!!!.
Like a brutal demon—but now, his consciousness remained, even if noticeably altered by that power. The only doubt was, how much was him, and how much was that malignant power. Where did its influence end?. He moved like an incandescent blur.
VUSSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!!
In the blink of an eye, the distance was completely cut. With one hand he touched the poor guard's head. His fate was sealed.
The flames rose, swallowing the man who couldn't react. And quickly dissipated, revealing the corpse still standing. His flesh didn't burn—it rotted. Rapid decomposition. The flesh melted into black sludge. With a thud, it dissolved onto the ground, fusing with the concrete.
He smiled. A distorted and infernal smile. Seeing what he had done, experienced. It was clear. His already warped mind had become infinitely malignant. His gaze crossed with the rest of the terrified men.
And he advanced once more.
— GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU DAMNED DEMON!!!!!!!
Bullets whizzed, tearing the air, all consumed by an immeasurable terror—he was hit, the shots dismembered his body, brutally tearing off limbs. But soon the same limbs regenerated completely, constituted by those green flames, a futile effort. — it didn't matter. He was no longer human. For them—he was Death itself. Incarnated in a street vagrant. Who didn't even know his real name.
He vanished from everyone's sight as he advanced. When they noticed, it was already too late.
FAAAASSSHHHHHH.
— UGHHHH!!!! WHAT THE HELL!!!!!!.
Four of the men, completely swallowed by a single wave of flames. Their corpses were soon revealed. Totally decomposed. The green flames continued to spread.
— NO-NO, PLEASE, ARGHRR-.
Before he could even finish speaking, a fifth soldier was quickly grabbed and torn in half.
Igyris trembled, gasping heavily and slowly. Completely consumed by what he was at that moment.
— Ugh... ugh...
He stopped while trembling, the remaining men stared, taken by a false relief.
— H-he...
— KEEP DREAMING, DAMN IT!!!! HAHAHAHAAAH!!!!!!!!!.
He pulled out the totally altered version of his Uzis. They burned non-stop. And like the last symphony of death, the shots made their final echo.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!.
A shower of bullets swallowed the last remaining soldiers. Soon swallowed by the flames, wherever the shots touched, the seed of evil was planted. Green Flames emerged like roots in any surface that was touched or scratched by the shots. Such roots emerged from the ground, from the walls. And the bodies of those men, were totally consumed.
One by one, he massacred them. Burned. Blew up. Tore apart. Took their lives as a sacrifice to rot. Anxiety and conflict took Igyris' heart, and, mainly, cruel satisfaction. It was not natural to Him. It was natural to that malignant power. And, taken by that malignant power, hallucinating in his own mind, he asked himself:
— How can one not love violence?.
But his train of thought was quickly interrupted. A heavy breath, a cough... something was dragging itself. Someone escaped alive.
BANG!!!.
A shot, grazed his face, tearing his cheek. He saw the last man, at his limits, who stared him in the eyes, spending his last strength to speak.
— Ugh... ugh... you damned sewer rats... you are so screwed... You have no idea of the war you started... The world, this state. The Arcane High Command... Powermagi. You have no idea of the hell coming for you, haha... They will send the next ones... haha... They will send them. THEY WILL TEAR OFF YOUR HEADS, YOU DAMNED RATS, AND THUS YOU WILL RETURN TO THE HELL YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE LEFT!!!!!... That guy... he will hunt you down even in hell. Do you have any idea what was happening here... he'll bury you up to your sk-.
CRACK!!!.
— Hahah... they're coming, huh?... I'm sorry, but I'm not into spoilers.
With a stomp, Igyris crushed his skull, ending his life.
— Where are they?!? Yes... the strongest ones?!?!?? I want to see what this does... with Arcana... hahah.. Can I consume it too? Haha... HAHAAHAJAAJAJAJJAHAHA!!!!!!! Maybe they'll laugh at my jokes!!! I'm anxious!!!!!!.
He lost himself in the infinite chaos of his mind. An immense cosmic horror, a mental confusion too great for his mind.
—HAHAHAHAAAJAAHAJHAAHJJAHAHAAJHAHAHAHA!!!!!!.
Soon he fell into total silence, staring at a fixed point. And so he started speaking cynically and ironically again. Like a snap.
— They will arrive soon... Yes... Arcana... hah... When the purebloods arrive... Pureblood??? Where did I hear that term? It's funny... I'm funny...
Igyris soon left, abandoning that place. Death weighed heavily there. And the cause just kept walking—following Mana's trail of destruction. Immense craters that boiled with flames, swallowed by the rain. A reminder that the EdelZerar had passed through there.
A destructive blur traversed that sea of destruction, leaving a trail of flames behind, illuminating areas already taken by darkness. Igyris was not visible in motion. Only dust rose.
VUSH!.
And then something crossed that distance, leaving the infernal green trail behind.
In one of the factory points, Arcane researchers, involved in the factory's illegal projects, talked. The guard soldiers were being pulverized, the attack had been well thought out. And, even if it wasn't their job, and they weren't warriors, they had to act, or else they too would be swallowed.
— Damn it... what the hell, all our work with silks... lost...
— Don't worry about that now, we have to get out of here!!! We don't have combat proficiency, our Arcana is totally dedicated to our science. But, if we don't figure out a way, we'll be killed too!!! Either by the superiors, by Yegrande, or by these damned invaders!!!!.
The sound of several walls breaking, debris. Something was coming.
TUM TUM TUM TUM TUM TUM!!!.
— What the hell... something is approaching at extreme speed-
BAM!!!!!.
The place where those men were was crushed by the impact. Igyris collided with everything in that place, crushing the concrete floor, scattering debris and shocking the men.
— UGHHH!!! DAMN IT!!!.
Igyris gasped, looking at the ground completely stunned.
— Hufff... hufff... What the hell, it must be one of the invaders... he's in a daze!!! He must be stunned by the impact!!!.
— It doesn't matter!!! Let's gather our living energy!!! Protect ourselves from this street worm. We link our Arcane energies and connect, maybe we can raise a barrier strong enough to push away this filthy rat.
— Ri-right!!!.
They held hands, connecting through the life in their energies, feeding each other. Arcana linked, as they had the same proficiency. Paired runes glowed on their skins.
Vanhn... Vanhn
VANHN!!!.
A yellow dome-shaped barrier rose.
— Hahah!!! This rat is gonna fry now!!!! I HATE THIS TYPE OF FILTHY POOR PERSON.
— NO!!! YOU'LL WAKE HIM UP!!!.
One of the Arcane scientists took advantage of the shared energy between them. And charged and electrified a thin beam of energy, like a spark, taking advantage of a certain electrical proficiency he had.
GZZZZZ!!!!!!.
— ARRGHHHHHH!!!!!
The beam hit Igyris squarely, who screamed with the impact. Smoke dissipated from his body. He slowly raised his head with a zombified look.
Tap tap tap.
He started taking slow steps towards the dome.
— W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!!!???? GET AWAY NOW!!!!.
It was too late. The Plague roared again. The energy dome raised—useless. Arcane energy is living energy, constructs, anything living that is constituted by molecules, Arcane beams, possessed life. But Igyris, possessed the cursed Green Flame. The energy that resides in dimensions of malignant entities, dirty, corrupted gods. Its energy was death. Devouring. A single touch and life instantly faded. That's how nature worked. Arcana was completely consumed by a curse. The Arcane Flame could not resist the Green Flame of the lower gods. Perhaps not even the pure Purple Flame could.
All the life that constituted that construct was dissolved. Those men were not heard screaming.
In another place, Mana was also facing Arcana users. Proficient in flash attacks, the factory's small Arcane guard. In the end, they were nothing special, but perhaps for someone dependent on weapons, it could have been a dangerous fight... Maybe she would use her "gifts"? No. That was already her gift.
FASHHHH!!!
She deftly dodged a Flash attack, a basic incandescent burst whose function was to be prepared and used quickly. Which, after being used, left a concentrated amount of Arcana in the air.
FASSHH!!!!.
FASSHHH!!!!.
— STOP DODGING!!! YOU FILTHY THIEF!!!!
— DAMN IT!!! SHE DIDN'T EVEN USE ENERGY AND SHE'S CAUSING SO MUCH TROUBLE!!!!
VASH!!!.
She easily dodged, throwing herself against a wall and launching herself upwards in an impulse.
— Come on, guys... are you just going to keep doing that??? It's so amateur... Your Arcana quality is so ridiculous, it barely has any density, they are fragile sparks that easily fade. And still using such a basic and ridiculous technique... Heheh. You are the scum of the scum.
A smile on her face, showing mockery. The guards showed hatred for the idiotic insults. While she, mid-air, positioned the EdelZerar on her shoulders. It began to glow intensely.
— Damn it, I was so excited for you guys to show up. Heheh... Too bad it was the scum. With this excretive level of horrible Arcana of yours, I don't think it will even raise dust... but I racked my brain making this... It's just a copy of the original, but it works for now. Not using it... would be a huge disrespect to myself...
— But what the hell is this bitch doing...
VRUM.... VRUUM.... VRUUUUM....
VRUUUUUUM!!!!!....
VRRUUUUUUUUMMMMM!!!!!!
TRACK TRACK TRACK TRACK TRACK TRACK!!!!!
Her EdelZerar began to spin. A crank attached to the center of the RPG-designed weapon known as EdelZerar spun at high speed, generating enormous friction whenever the weapon began to absorb Arcane energy from surrounding items and constructions. The air, the atmosphere, everything was drained to the maximum, accumulating at the tip of the shot. Like draining life itself. It was possible to see the beams joining into a single point.
— But what the hell-!
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The prelude to destruction. The weak and pathetic users of those weak sparks they called Arcana had their bodies dismantled by the enormous destructive pressure of the EdelZerar.
Mana landed gracefully on the ground, watching the smoke dissipate, but always avoiding the carnage, preventing herself from looking directly at it.
— Hmph... how boring...
"What a damned urge to throw up."
She said with a mixture of relief and boredom, with a certain restlessness in her voice. As if it were... agonizing.
— THERE!!!! THE INVADER!!!! TAKE POSITIONS!!!!.
— Oh... seriously?... Come on...
A squad loaded with Arcana users arrived, surrounding Mana on all sides. They were at the same level as those already eliminated. But they made up for it in their clear quantity.
She prepared herself, again, adapting her posture. But, with such a large quantity and also the...
"Damn it... I can't anymore... I'm really going to throw up."
TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP!
Something informally dangerous was approaching.
Again, structures were crushed with a bizarre bodily impact.
TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP!
— What the hell is that?
One of the men wondered confusedly.
Mana just nodded her head and leaned on the EdelZerar.
— Still alive...
TRACCKKK!!!!.
Debris from a nearby wall was brutally crushed. A figure emerged from the smoke and dust of the debris, leaping out animalistically.
— HAHAHAHA!!!! LOOK AT THAT, I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!!!!
Igyris emerged in flames, leaping out of the destruction, capturing the gaze of everyone who was completely stunned.
— Damn it.. he really is still alive... ugh...
Mana looked up, almost forcing a certain antipathy, a look of perhaps hope, with an staged smile of anger, as she tried to contain something similar to vomit that tried to escape her mouth for an as-yet unknown reason—but now, she needed to feel satisfied.
Igyris fell clumsily, crashing headfirst against the concrete, crushing the ground around him. Everyone shielded themselves from the stones that were launched in the process. But, ironically, his unconvincing landing was side by side with Mana, revealing his location as soon as the dust settled. He stood up animalistically, the flames increasingly covering his body. Meanwhile, Mana positioned the EdelZerar above her shoulders once more, as she struggled to contain what was trying to escape her mouth. Now, they had to continue.
Igyris was the first to advance, and they reactively aimed their attacks.
VASSSHHH!!!! VASSSHHH!!!!!
— COME ON, GUYS???!!?!?!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!!??
He absorbed all the damage. The Green Flames continued to devour the Arcana, making every attempt pathetic.
Vunnhmmm.... vuunhmmm....
He realized.
BOOM!!!.
Mana had shot with the EdelZerar B. Taking advantage of the distraction Igyris was causing them. The sound was deafening. Igyris noticed the heat approaching and awkwardly dodged the rapidly approaching missile, throwing himself to the ground.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
He couldn't contain his laughter. That was insane. Fun. So... refreshing.
— HAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!, DAMN IT!!! YOU REALLY ARE GOOD AT THIS!!! YOU'RE FUNNY AS HELL!!!!!.
He laughed hysterically, genuinely having fun, while the explosion from the EdelZerar B shot projected forward and swallowed those men.
— Heh heh... heh heh... HAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!! SHIT!!! WON'T YOU SHUT THAT MOUTH, YOU IDIOT???!!?!?! DAMN IT, PAY ATTENTION!!!!!.
The attacks kept coming.
VASSSSHHH! VASSSSHHHHAAA!!! VASSHAA!!!.
Mana's suit absorbed them. Any attempts by those men were useless against two monsters.
— HAHAAHAA!!!! DID YOU LAUGH AT ME, MANA?!?!?!?! HAHAHHA, YOU FOUND ME FUNNY!!! YOU'RE JUST LIKE ME, HAHAHAHA, IN YOUR OWN WAY, OF COURSE!!!
— YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT ME, YOU IDIOT... BUT yeah, it is fun. Even though you're a human trash that destroys lives without remorse. You are very funny, you idiot with the belt!!! You're just like that Naxel jerk!!!!.
Mana smiled genuinely, programming an interference grenade to block Arcane artifacts. Even though she felt a horrible urge to throw up in the face of all that. Even faced with her most negative feelings, at that moment, she wanted to emulate Igyris, emulate that demon. Because she was a monster too. In a way, they all were, following their selfish goals.
The shots from the EdelZerar B seemed infinite, and side by side with Igyris, who held his altered Uzis, they fired non-stop. She saw that bringing an excess of ammunition was very useful.
— HAHAHA, I KNEW YOU WEREN'T THAT BORING. WE ARE ALL FUNNY, MANA!!! THEY ARE THE IDIOTS FOR NOT FINDING US FUNNY!!!!.
For a moment, Igyris reminded Mana of something she had lost a long time ago. People. The people she had attached herself to, people who were rejected just like her. The reason she was there now. They were like her. Those people, even if they weren't lunatics like Igyris, in essence, were the same. People rejected by the world. Excluded for being who they were. In the end, it was as Igyris said. They didn't find them funny, no one did. Igyris, Naxel, and she weren't so different after all.
The shots ceased, the smoke subsided. They realized. Lost in their daydreams, they exterminated all the weak Arcana users, crushed there on the ground.
Mana gave a side smile, trying to disguise the nostalgic feeling she felt. With a light voice, perceptibly different from before, she asked:
— Heh... maybe... Igyris... tell me... The belt, and the stone... we didn't give them back to you... I'm sorry... Answer me one thing... do those objects have value to you? Do they remind you of someone? Tell me... please... what do they mean in your heart?.
For the first time, calling him by name. She stared at the ground. Her hair covered her face, hiding her features. It was a genuine question.
Igyris' flames calmed down, losing their intensity. His voice slowly returned to normal. He stared at Mana, and with a low, sincere voice, said:
— Value... I don't really know what that means... The belt... the stone... they make... my heart... no... I just calmed down sometimes when I touched them... but no... they don't remind me of anyone.
Mana calmly replied, looking back at Igyris, making eye contact. For the first time, without any anguish.
— I understand you... Igyris.. heh... you are... okay, I admit it, you really are funny.
Igyris slowly returned to normal, his flames extinguishing. His skin slowly returned to its natural state. It was noticeable, that reflected the state of his heart. As calm and peace came, Igyris returned to his normal self. Because that reminded him of something he had lost a long time ago.
BZZZZZZZZ....
A sound. Sharp and agonizing, it tore his eardrums. A saw?
It can't be...
Was it... him?
Mana froze. Terror returned with full force, swallowing her heart. Heavy breathing. Shaking eyes.
One last living soldier noticed that. Taking advantage of the fact that he hadn't been noticed yet, he pulled a pistol strapped to his thigh.
BANG!.
Igyris quickly, noticing the threat, threw himself in front of the shot, taking the bullet in the back.
BANG!.
Another shot was fired in sequence, finishing off the soldier. Mana finished him without even looking him in the eyes. Cold. Now she was more distant than ever.
— Damn it... ugh... got me squarely... son of a bitch... What a change of attitude. Did something happen, miss? Heheh...
Mana pushed him. He staggered a few steps back. His deteriorated equipment protected him from the shot. But the damage was undeniable.
— Shut the hell up, worm... get away from me.
Her gaze was icy. Distant. Something in that sound awakened her. An immeasurable terror. From that sound came one of the greatest reasons for her nightmares.
— Just shut up... keep going. You'll be fine. Are you listening? Follow the sound of the saw... is he there?
— He?...
Igyris asked himself. Without questioning, he nodded. He felt, for the first time, empathy, generated by identifying with Mana. That feeling was bizarre to him. He didn't understand, how could he feel another person's terror? But, undeniably, a chill ran up his spine. There was something bizarre there.
They walked, following the sound that had already stopped. Luckily, it hadn't come from far. That high-pitched sound came from a wing flashing red—panic mode. Sirens illuminated everything. And the irritating alarm, tearing the air, announcing system error.
— SHOW YOURSELF, YOU SON OF A BITCH! WE'VE BEEN HEARING YOU FOR A LONG TIME!
Mana shouted tremblingly, swallowing hard. Flooded by that feeling of terror. But, mainly, a cutting and genuine hatred in her gaze.
Then—a laugh.
— HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
A distorted, mechanical laugh. Deafening. Demonic. Igyris and Mana were completely paralyzed.
— Hah hah hah... So these are the little bitches Naxel sent to kill me? I guess I'll have to start the show earlier than planned. WHAT A SPECTACLE!!!!!!.
The sound of the saw grew louder. Cutting. Infernal. Igyris' and Mana's hearts were seized by the terror that sound caused.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!.
From the rubble... he jumped.
The Executor.
Frighteningly tall. Skeletal. A cyborg. More machine than man. Two saws embedded in his left arm. A true demon.
Igyris and Mana were paralyzed in pure terror.
It wasn't just the fear of death.
It was the fear of dying in the most horrendous way imaginable.
The man took three slow steps forward.
— Well, well... I didn't know Naxel was working with such filthy trash. Hah hah hah... The little Reixys aberration... and a nobody. Not very fun—but, hey, I'm an artist, you know? I make beautiful things... even out of shit.
He smiled, insane.
— You'll look beautiful when I tear you up... and put you back together. LET THE SPECTACLE BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!