Watching from the skies, Chrome circulated his mana within him to refill it quicker as Nergal tried to recover from him and his allies assault, which worked momentarily but it seems like everyone was locked in now as Eleanor unleashed a strange new ability manifesting as a fierce pink flame radiating off of her sword. Paimon quickly taking charge after her, and starting a coordinated assault to push Nergal back into The Well. He thought of it as a solid idea but way too safe as Nergal will most likely not be confined for long, and he is a omen of destruction wherever he goes. Chrome felt the need to crush Nergal not out of any hatred but merely because Nergal was strong. Nergal was so strong that Chrome felt the need to crush him and prove his strength as Nergal was too much of a threat to the party for him to be left alive. He takes a deep breath as he watches the backline support the injured mages, before deciding to zip over to some trapped survivors under the rubble and destruction. He saves a few injured and heavily traumatized students at the academy as well, using his blood magic to quickly stop their wounds from bleeding and bandage them with the little medical items he keeps on him. He's hulking stature and somewhat cold demeanor making most of the people saved flinch when first seeing him but seem to realize his intentions after saving them. Chrome actually didn't speak while saving anyone as anybody who can see what's going on knows where NOT to be right now, the only thing he responded to was when some academy students asked his name which he casually replied with "...Just a hero." After making sure all the survivors that he could detect nearby was saved he had happened to turn around to the sight of Azaera transforming into her draconic form and charging into the fray having her god Inanna summon and swing her legendary axe at the plague god. He smirked as he notice the blade's trajectory heading for the cage and he thought "Is she trying to free Phoenix? Hah lucky if she doesn't cut her in two." Chrome jokes to himself forgetting the intense battle that's supposed to be taking place before taking a deep breath releasing a strong wave of mana as his body overflows with it and saying "Alright....that was a good break, lets get back to it." His mana breathing refilling most of his mana as he side tracked himself with saving the civilians, he then immediately takes flight in a blur as his wings suddenly spawn from his back and launch him upwards.
Chrome focuses in on all his allies and thinks of a way to add to his allies attacks. The only solution he could come to was to bind Nergal in some way to guarantee his allies attacks hit. He thinks of a good way and a memory pops into his mind. Parzival's memory popped into his mind reminding him of a spell one of the vampire heroes used to bind the Crimson King. He flies high above Nergal and his allies as he hold his hand out and his palm facing down before muttering "Form...what'd he say? Ah...Blood Iron Stakes. " Blood leaks from his palm out into the air around him and forming into a overwhelming volley of blood stakes. Though as more form the ones fully formed start to turn into solid iron eventually making a volley of 30 iron stakes which he then points at Nergal and the stakes all take aim simultaneously. A simple flick of his wrist was all it took before they stakes disappear from where they once stood and close in on Nergal at the speed of a bullet. Immediately wrapping around the god's figure like a snake and piercing into his joints, feet, and neck trying to restrict the plague's god movement as much and long as possible. Using his control over the stakes to continue digging into Nergal's flesh the more he tries to resist, planning to make the stakes burst into flames as soon as his allies attacks land.
“Block out everything. The only thing that matters is defeating Nergal.” Eleanor thought. Ever since she had manifested the pink flames that coated her blade, she felt like she was completely in the zone. Despite the current situation she was in, fighting against a god, she felt as if everything was under control.
When Enthy blinded Nergal, Eleanor rushed forward, and slammed her fist into Nergal’s head. The attack caused the plague god to stagger backwards.
By the time Nergal recovered, Rohen and Aaxir’s combo attack slammed into him, instantly sending him under the water. Before he could process the fact that he was now underwater, he was dragged back to the surface by none other than Eleanor, who had constructed a lasso via light mimicry. She slammed Nergal into the temple that surrounded the well.
Azaera came in quickly with Inanna, and with the realm destroying axe, struck the birdcage that trapped the goddess of rebirth, and after a few, almost painstakingly long moments, the cage crumbled, and phoenix immediately grew to a regular size, and fell limp into the water. “No!” Nergal cried, scrambling towards Phoenix to try and trap her once more.
Paimon would intercept the plague god, and once more pulled him into a furious combo, only now he did not heal after every punch. Aided by the strong winds produced by Fel, each strike pushed Nergal closer and closer to the swirling vortex that was the well of wishes. “I don’t know how you got out, but I’ll be sure to make sure you never return!” Paimon roared. With a final, powerful punch, Paimon launched Nergal into the well, and the sounds of the plague god’s screams slowly faded out of existence.
Eleanor, with the fight finally over, fell to her knees, all of the exhaustion and pain from the prior fight crashing into her like a mighty wave. “We…survived…” she said in between breaths. Slowly but surely, she stood up, and faced her comrades, a sense of pride washing over her. They did it, they had won the fight, and now they could actually do what they came here for, and then go back to the Academy.
Or at least, that’s what Eleanor had hoped.
Eleanor suddenly, and very violently started getting dragged towards the Well of wishes. She whipped around, and to her horror found the head of Nergal’s mace biting down on her boot, pulling her towards the well of wishes.
“Paimon!” she cried out, trying desperately to resist the pull of Nergal’s mace. “I’m coming!” Paimon cried out, successfully grabbing Eleanor’s hand, while digging his fingers into one of the temple pillars. “Azaera, come help!” Paimon yelled, as he could feel his champion slipping from his grip with each passing moment.
Eleanor tried to grab onto Paimon with both of her hands, but no matter how hard she gripped, the constant splashing of water made it impossible for her to properly hold on. “Paimon, please don’t let me go!” she begged. She could feel his grip tighten, but it didn’t stop anything, and eventually, Paimon’s grip was broken, and Eleanor screamed as she was dragged into the well of wishes.
Being in the well was a surreal experience. The path downward twisted and turned, immediately disorienting Eleanor. She couldn’t tell which way was up, and which way was down, all she knew was that wherever she was going, she was moving fast, faster than what would possibly be safe. While the center of the vortex was free of water, Eleanor constantly found herself crashing into the almost blindingly bright water, barely getting chances to breath some much needed air.
After what felt like an eternity, Eleanor suddenly shot out of the water, and found herself free falling.
“Shit!” she cried out, trying to think of a solution that didn’t include turning into a stain on the floor. But she was falling too fast, there wouldn’t be anything that she could do with the time that she had. With nothing that could be done, Eleanor closed her eyes, and braced for impact, only to suddenly feel herself slowing down. She quickly opened her eyes, to find that her descent had been slowed by some unseen force. Landing on her feet, Eleanor immediately reached to her side for her blade, but could only sigh when she realized that the weapon wasn’t on her.
“Oh sweet Eleanor, looks like you’ve misplaced your sword, how clumsy.” Nergal cackled from a distance.
Eleanor looked up, and found the plague god standing in one of the exits to the dome that they were currently in, a smile on his face. Besides him, hooded figures surrounded the other available exits, to which Eleanor had counted 7.
“Was this yer plan all along? Drag me down here, try and separate me from the others?” Eleanor asked, her fists clenched and ready to defend herself if need be. “Yes of course! All of your friends played their role perfectly!” Nergal laughed, spinning in pure ecstasy. “You shouldn’t be so glum, Eleanor! After all this is a family reunion, you haven’t seen these guys in so long!” Nergal laughed. With a snap of his fingers, the hooded figures guarding the exits all took their hoods off.
The moment Eleanor saw the faces of the hooded figures, her stomach dropped to the ground, and her heart began to beat out of its chest. It was her friends…no, her family from Breuci, their corpses standing before her in their mangled, undead glory. “Leo…Lottie…Toby…all of you…how did you even-” “Get them? Oh it was so easy for Eleanor, because I’ve been watching you, for a long, long time. I knew where you had buried their bodies, and I just knew how much you’d love to see them back!” Nergal cackle with glee.
Eleanor furrowed her brows in anger, and began to step towards Nergal with the intent of beating him down with her bare fists. “Ah! If you want to get to me, You’ll have to get through them!” Nergal laughed.
Eleanor’s friends immediately began to rush forward to defend Nergal, causing her to hesitate. “No…they’re just corpses. They’ve long since passed, and right now, I’ve got to get to Nergal!” Eleanor told herself, before rushing in, and caving one of the corpses chest in with a single punch.
Eleanor had expected to be met with decayed flesh, dirt, maybe a few maggots and what not. What she did not expect was the feeling of fresh blood covering her golden fist. She looked up at the man she had attacked, and saw that his face was contorted with pain, staggering backwards as he clutched his wound.
“They're…alive?” Eleanor uttered in disbelief. Before she could process this realization, Lottie would grab Eleanor, and shove her back, followed by everyone else surrounding her , and holding her in place. “You guys! It’s me, Eleanor! Stop it!” She cried out, trying to get through to her family.
This message did nothing to stop her friends, as Lottie wrapped her hands around Eleanor’s neck, and began to squeeze.
“I..I can’t die here…I don’t want to die here!” Eleanor screamed to herself. She threw her head back, and delivered a mighty headbutt to Lottie and forced her back. She then threw the rest of her friends off of her, and immediately began her own counterattack. One by one, Eleanor killed her friends with her bare hands, and when the dust settled, she was once more, the last one standing.
Only this time, it was Eleanor who was the monster.
Surrounded by the corpses of her friends, and covered in their blood, panic began to set in as Eleanor processed the severity of what she had just done. Her eyesight went blurry, and her legs wobbled as she fell to her knees, panting as if she had just been running for days.
“They were all still alive…I killed them, they know I killed them!” Eleanor cried, staring at the blood on her hands.
Eleanor had been through a lot during her time spent fighting in this war. She’s killed thousands of Olrodian soldiers, and has lost plenty of friends along the way. However nothing she had ever experienced could compare to the pain she felt right now, the searing pain of guilt that made her heart feel like it was about to explode. “You’ve been through a lot, child.” A mysterious voice said. It was the same voice she had heard back in Hofn, the same voice that spoke to her while she was unconscious. “You’re in a lot of pain so much pain that it’s almost crushing. You’ve had to kill the first people to have ever called you family.” The voice comforted. “It doesn't stop there does it, your friends don’t quite like you much either, do they? They see you as weak, foolish, just a human who’s out of her league, right?” The voice asked.
Eleanor didn’t respond, but her silence was more than enough for an answer to the mysterious force speaking to her. “I can take all that pain away, relieve you of the duty that is simply too much for a mortal to bear…All you have to say is that you no longer wish to exist.” the voice explained.
Eleanor sat on the floor, contemplating what she had just been told. “No matter what I do…I’ll just be a human, worse than a human, a monster who can’t even protect the few things she swears too…” Eleanor murmured. She remembers the promise that she had made to Paimon, the promise to live on for her friends, the same friends she had just murdered.
A dark aura surrounded Eleanor, one that exuded loathing, hatred, and most importantly, power. Eleanor’s entire body began to shift into something much more masculine, her chest shrank, shoulders grew more broad, and shot up in height by a considerable amount. Her round ears sharpened to that of an elf, and parts of her hair went from its regular dark brown, to white.
When the transformation ended, Eleanor(?) opened her now red eyes, and took in the surroundings. “My king, I welcome your return.” Nergal said, kneeling to the being that stood before him. “I didn’t expect you of all people to be the reason I was partly freed.” The being said. The voice that came sounded like 2 people were speaking at once, with the second voice being much deeper and masculine. “Of course, I longed for your return after my…failure to bring you back all those years ago, King Paimon.” Nergal admitted. “The name…can’t have 2 Paimon’s running around…call me Hajun.” Hajun stated, stretching his limbs out. “Ah, here comes the calvary.” he chuckled, as Paimon, alongside the other heroes descended from the vortex.
“This is tricky. It’s gonna take some time for me to fully transform this body…and the brat has the rest of my power. We’ll have to work together for the time being, you keep Paimon busy, he’s at full power and will be problematic. I’ll have a little tango with the little shits!” Hajun explained to Nergal, who nodded in agreement. “Hey, you bunch of useless mortals! I’ve stolen your friend's body, and if you want your friend, you'll have to fight me for it!” Hajun shouted, before taking on a fighting stance next to Nergal.
As the attacks piled on, it became clear that the battle had been one sided from the start. Despite Nergal's rapid healing from the trapped phoenix, nothing can stop him from being affected by the heroes' continuous onslaught. Sure he can't die, but the bastard can still feel pain. Out numbered, he was the town punching bag taking every instance of impact and force. He can heal and not die but that doesn't he can't be passed around and beaten senseless by every able bodied patron in the bar. It was just downright disgusting and brutal. But damn, watching him squeal and desperately trying to get that bird back was a sight of pleasure. She could watch this sight all day, the feeling of making a God their bitch was quite a new and refreshing feeling since the fight at Tiryan's doorstep. She couldn't even care that somehow Aaxir's attack was conjoined with hers. She hated his guts, but it did feel like she carried that instance. It made her feel good. And now, with Paimon finally sending the fucker off and out of their way, his screams fading out was just the cherry on top. The chef's kiss. She wasn't even tired or drained. Finally, having won a battle without suffering too badly felt like a redemption. Time to go to the well, check how Eleanor's doing and...
"...Eleanor, what's that on your-"
Before she could finish her sentence, she was already being pulled by that thing."Shit! Get her!" She began sprinting towards the well, the speed of the pull being way faster than she expected. Even with Paimon taking a hold of her, it only bought time if no one else got to her. It was a mad dash against time and just as she got there, Eleanor's and Paimon's grip had broken. She dove towards her to try and catch her hand. As she hooked her left arm around the temple pillar nearby, she swiped her hand towards Eleanor's but only grazed it and she watched helplessly as Eleanor fell deeper into the well and eventually out of sight in mere seconds. "Eleanor!!" She cried out. Nothing. If only she was faster, if only she had reacted sooner! If only... if only...!
"Urgh..! Come on!!" She exclaimed as she unbuttoned and took off her shoal along with her beanie and threw it over and out of the well, revealing her defined body frame coated by her combat jacket. She raised herself up only to put her feet against the pillar, took a deep breath and with a majestic backflip, shot herself down the well after Eleanor. There was no time for caution, no time for hesitation. Nergal was down there and she wasn't going to let Nel's title decree of Champion be wasted on her after having somehow lifted Eleanor's spirits up that one time! Was Rohen full of ego? Sure. Was it impulsive? Probably. Did she think any of this through? Not so much. But none of it mattered to her. She was not going to let Eleanor go this time to redeem herself for what happened prior. As she dove deeper into the eye of the vortex, she began to notice the sudden changes in direction and its strength. Assuming Eleanor was just getting thrashed around in a panic, she would only end up at the finish line of this twisted path. The blinding lights making Rohen's eyes squint in an effort to counter its visuals but still disorienting nonetheless. What she could only do is just ride the current, flow with it and take her where she had to go. There was no use fighting it. Just stay calm and focus.
After a very long long time, finally shot out of the water where she took a refreshing and full breath of air... Only to realize she was in the air once more. Another damn free fall and no Knight with Wings: Chrome was gonna pluck her from the sky. At least, not here yet. And at least this time, she wasn't blown out of the sky by Golroth. She had a plan. Albeit that plan... Might not even work, but worth a shot. Perhaps she can slow her velocity if she summoned the Narwhal again and rode it. It would at least provide some cushion of water. "Here goes nothing..!" She exclaimed. She closed her eyes in order to concentrate her mana and begin her incantation. "From the moment of origin, all will return to... huh?" She opened her eyes as she felt like she was being pulled and pushed at the same time, her velocity slowing down as she caught sight of Eleanor who was sitting down. Was she waiting here the whole time? Did she really take that long? "Eleanor? You good?" ...No response. "C'mon, I've been falling for thirty minutes and still am. What are..."
It was only then did she take a look at the elephant in the room. Bodies, blood and... Nergal. Something was very wrong. "I no longer wish to live." Then, an aura formed around her as she went some sort of transformation. She watched as Eleanor's figure warped and shifted soon taking on the frame of a man who looked like... Paimon? “My king, I welcome your return.” Nergal said, kneeling to the being that stood before him. “I didn’t expect you of all people to be the reason I was partly freed.” The being said. Rohen watched in confusion as she was still descending, questions raising itself in her head. “Of course, I longed for your return after my…failure to bring you back all those years ago, King Paimon.”“The name…can’t have 2 Paimon’s running around…call me Hajun.” Hajun stated, stretching his limbs out. It was then where Rohen could finally touch down and gain her footing. “Ah, here comes the calvary.”
“This is tricky. It’s gonna take some time for me to fully transform this body…and the brat has the rest of my power. We’ll have to work together for the time being, you keep Paimon busy, he’s at full power and will be problematic. I’ll have a little tango with the little shits!” Hajun explained to Nergal, who nodded in agreement. Rohen looked at Paimon and began noticing some similarities. But just what the hell is going on here? Before she could draw up any conclusions, her distractedness was broken by this... Hajun's call. “Hey, you bunch of useless mortals! I’ve stolen your friend's body, and if you want your friend, you'll have to fight me for it!” Hajun shouted, before taking on a fighting stance next to Nergal.
Possession. That was the only word that came up in her head. Why can't they just have one fucking victory and it feels like one. Followed by a period of respite and rest. No, there just had to be more enemies and the enemy is one they just defeated and another who had Eleanor's body. Contradicting... But once more, resolute. Only one solution came to her and she didn't like it. Not. One. Bit. "...Release restraint: burst. Level one." She growled as dragonic scales began to coat her skin and harden. Rohen was entering her partial synchronization, armoring herself while also summoning several water swords that formed and floated around her, pointed at Nergal and Hajun. After her transformation was complete, she flicked her left arm and once more released large axe blades on either side of her arm using the Water's Edge. "I'm sorry, El. I'm gonna have to beat the shit out of you." She said as she began walking towards their opposition, unsheathing her dao and a flurry of water projectile swords flew through the air, launching themselves towards Nergal and Hajun.
A modest patch of flowers waved gently in the wind, carrying its saccharine caress from the delicate white petals reminiscent of a certain dragon’s feathers. Dirt-stained hands clasped together in prayer, hoping that the little spot of life would one day spread and reproduce, creating a marvel of beauty nourished by the ashes of a man who’d fallen down the wrong path. All was at peace, yet the young woman’s mismatched eyes remained dull and devoid of the life she so fervently prayed for.
“Are you watching, Adaline?”
she murmured as she dropped her hands and gazed numbly upon the sparsely decorated ground,
“Everyone has finally been laid to rest.”
Each time she closed her eyes, the rusted sword that stole away her brother’s final breath danced vividly behind her eyelids. With her own two hands, she finished what she should have done decades ago, burying the last of her kin and a part of herself in the process. As she stood before the grave that held her brother’s ashes, her longing for the earth’s cold embrace grew stronger.
“And once I’m gone, this cycle of hatred between our families will reach its end.”
That day was burned within her memories, and she could still recall the firm yet gentle manner in which the God of Justice pulled her away from the figurative precipice she’d been teetering upon. The hand that reached out to her had been spotless and ethereal, a juxtaposition to her own which was muddied by the blood and dirt of mortal ordeals. Selfishly, she clung to that lifeline, thirsting for some manner of validation that she was still needed. Because someone had told her that her worth was still greater than her sins, she continued to walk forward in hopes that she'd one day come to know why fate had spared her and not them.
The sight of Eleanor's form twisted by Hajun's power, however, reminded her that she'd unknowingly set herself down a path accompanied by a lifetime's worth of misery. Rohen and the heroes quickly rushed forth to cleanse the blonde’s body of the entity possessing her, yet the dragon remained still with the head of her axe planted firmly within the ground.
“Four years ago, you told me to live—that even someone like me still had a purpose to fulfill,”
Enthy spoke silently in her mind to the god by her side,
“but it feels as if I’ve only succeeded in falling down over and over without being able to reach the beginning of this journey. We’ve tasted defeat, and now how many times must I turn my blade against the people I’ve broken bread and shared laughter with?”
Veritas remained unmoving from his spot before the dragon, his cold expression as unwavering as the day she’d first set her gaze upon his face.
“They were nothing more than empty shells reanimated through the emperor’s dark magic,"
he said as if stating fact, and Enthy had received the courage to lay them to rest back when he’d first uttered those words. Now, his instruction only increased the weight of the yoke upon her shoulders.
“You forget that I am but a mere mortal, My Lord,”
she replied,
“A divine being such as yourself may possess an immovable heart of stone, but I am weak. My hands tremble each time I must fight, but I’ve nonetheless faithfully followed your doctrines in hopes that your words will one day deliver me to my final destination. You saved me, and in turn I’ve listened to the voice telling me to slay those whose sins merely amount to following the wrong king, while I must stay my hand in the face of a so-called hero who steals the breaths of innocents still fighting to live on in spite of their pain. Is the justice that I must follow this fickle? What do these vague lessons of yours preach?”
“Whenever I remember the faces of those who once accompanied me in battle as I floundered about foolishly, I always think: why was it not me? They were good people. I am not. And now, selfishly I can’t help but think, if they take Mei from me too, I will never forgive the gods who watch as we dance upon this cursed stage while they sit upon their thrones built upon empty promises and broken ideals.”
Whether he was stewing in anger or stunned at the audacity of his chosen hero’s words, Veritas chose not to answer, leaving the young dragon to her thoughts alone. Grunts of pain and the sounds of battle pulled their fragmented attention back to the ordeal at hand, and the God of Justice turned away to do his part.
“Now isn’t the time for this, Enthyskana.”
Enthy’s grip upon the handle of her axe tightened before once again turning slack. Light once again coalesced at her fingertips as she prepared the beginnings of a spell, but her eyes remained downcast.
“Bind this sinner so they shall trespass no more.”
The young dragon locked her sights upon the figure of the unfamiliar version of Eleanor who stood by Nergal’s side. Neither sadness nor hesitation wet her eyes, leaving behind only apathetic acceptance and a gaze that looked upon the white-haired demon as if they were an enemy.
Golden chains burst out from below Hajun, this time aiming to entangle and burrow into flesh, delivering a painful bite rather than simply wrapping around the target’s body like usual.
Standing amongst her fellow heroes, Nel put her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks. To be honest, she wasn’t even sure what was going on anymore. One second, everyone was making kung pao chicken out of Nergal with a flurry of coordinated attacks. Next second, Eleanor got yoinked down the well! By the time Nel caught up with everyone, Eleanor was a man and Nergal was a smug bastard and Enthy was having an angsty moment!
Nel dropped her arms back to her sides and pouted. She was feeling some angst coming on herself. ”So we gotta beat up Eleanor real good? Or… off her?”
Beside her, Shiva huffed disdainfully. “Have I taught you nothing, you little dunce?”
Nel looked around at the gods battling alongside their heroes, then squinted up at Shiva. “You haven’t done much in this fight, have you?”
“I can pop your head like a balloon,” Shiva threatened, glaring back down at Nel. Without another word, he stepped a few paces away from Nel, then took on a familiar position across from her.
”Inviting me for a dance?” Nel giggled. She didn’t miss a beat when Shiva commenced the Tandava. It’d been a long, long time since they danced together. The last time was when Nel was still learning the steps, and Shiva danced across from her while she tried to copy him like a mirror. Now, they were partners in a shared mission to deliver blissful salvation.
The duo’s steps brought the well alight with flames. Nel’s movements were brisk and bright, and her heart and mind equally so. After all, how could one expel darkness without the most radiant light?
Shiva had none of the good humor that his champion did. Centuries of scorn and antagonism were now brought to physical form by the ferocious flourish of his toned body.
Twin pillars of inferno assailed their foes, one seeking to liberate, and the other to vanquish.
