Zeke ran out of the chapel as the heavy stone doors once again closed behind him. He could feel the ground around him shake, but he paid no mind. “He’s going to kill me,” he thought to himself as Haze’s intense visage was still fresh in his mind.

“I need to get out of here,” He panicked, stumbling towards the gate, before feeling the key in his fingers. It was, rather oddly, symmetrically shaped, appearing like it didn’t belong to any modern lock, but instead an ancient one. Some of its parts, the exterior bits, appeared to be made of gold, others the interior elements were molded out of a black metal. A large, shiny, red gem was encrusted in the object, drawing the eye of those who saw it.

Zeke touched the gem, and a hologram appeared, projecting itself. It featured a map, a three-dimensional layout of the undercity popped up. The map quickly shifted, revealing a location not far from the chapel and a hidden passage that would only appear to those with the key.

In a rush, Zeke ran towards the front gate. Fearing that Haze will come out of the chapel any second.

Suddenly, he heard a loud explosion, coming from the direction of the gate. When he approached, he saw Ulmak and Elaine fighting against Antonio, who had entered into his invocation.

Antonio’s body was clad in a deep blue shell. It was rather rounded and burly, reminiscent of the exoskeleton of a crab. Some parts were jagged. Sharp enough to cut anyone Antonio would come in contact with. The shell itself appeared soft, the way it moved mimicked the movements of muscles, like a thin membrane had been dragged over them. This, however, was but an optical illusion, the outer coating of the shell was incredibly hard. It could withstand most bladed weapons, firearms and explosive blasts. His head was completely covered by the same shell, leaving two holes for eyes and a mouth with a sharp beak that moved and clamped in a sinister manner.

The area around the group was dotted in craters. I was clear that Antonio had been using his ability to explode everything he touched. In a fight that appeared more akin to a blind rage.

Ulmak flanked Antonio from the side, striking him with his spear. The weapon made a sharp metal clang upon hitting the outer shell. Antonio stood unfazed. Like he was aware that Ulmak could do nothing to hurt him. He charged towards Ulmak, attempting to strike him with his gauntlet. Throwing wild outlandish attacks. Ulmak easily avoided the strikes, strafing from side to side.

“It’s not working!” Elaine shouted to Ulmak.

“I know!” Ulmak replied, thrusting his spear towards Antonio in retaliation.

Zeke approached the two. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, Hanna emerged from the corner, grabbing Zeke from behind, choking him with her forearm. Zeke squirmed, repeatedly striking Hanna in the stomach with his elbow. But she didn’t even budge.

She slowly loomed over him, her short blonde hair flowing through the air. Her mouth, bearing a large, scar from the injury Antonio left her with.

“How adorable,” she said with a raspy voice.

“Let go!” Zeke whispered with all of his might.

Zeke looked at his companions as they continued their battle. He dreamed of them noticing him and helping. He waved his hand at them with all his might, but nothing he did helped him get their attention. Zeke’s consciousness slowly faded as his body began to limp. But Zeke’s arms continued to rummage, to fight even after he passed out.

“Now where is that key?” Hanna wondered.

Suddenly, a loud noise echoed throughout the battlefield. A gunshot fired by the nearly unconscious Zeke directly into the abdomen of his attacker.

Hanna squirmed. She grabbed Zeke even tighter, determined to snap his neck. But before she had the chance to do anything, Elaine kicked her in the face, tearing her away from Zeke.

Zeke got up on his knees.

“Are you okay?” Elaine asked, with a worried expression, extending her hand towards him.

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“I’m fine,” Zeke replied, coughing.

Hanna stood up, squeezing her bullet wound tightly with her hand.

“We need to go!” Zeke screamed out, standing up.

“You’re not going anywhere!” Hanna screamed out. “Soul!” she called her weapon to her side, materializing an ornate silver rapier.

Suddenly a loud explosion was heard coming from the chapel. Its doors slammed open as Haze’s weapon extended gripping on to the roof of the cavern, launching him forward. Haze kicked off the ceiling propelling himself towards Hanna, striking her on the back of the head, launching her into the distance.

“HAZEEE!” Ulmak screamed, conjuring a stone pillar below his feet, launching himself towards Haze.

He extended his spear attempting to pierce his opponent.

Haze frowned.

“ULMAAAAAK!” he screamed.

Haze shifted his weight onto his back leg, slightly backing away as he avoided Ulmak’s attack. Haze retracted his whip, using it like a short saber, he clashed with Ulmak.

Ulmak continued trying to strike Haze with his spear, thrusting and slashing at him with relentless force. Although Haze couldn’t judge how long the spear was, or there exactly the attack was being aimed, he knew better than to try to engage close to it. All of his dodges, were broad, keeping him clear of the weapon’s effective range. When he couldn’t dodge, Haze resorted to blocking, using the jagged nature of his weapon to control the spear, rendering Ulmak’s ability almost useless.

Ulmak shifted his focus, moving his weapon towards the ground. Casting a spell, that thrust two stone pillars at Haze, forcing him to back away.

Ulmak used this chance to his advantage, as he manifested another pillar below his feet. Using magic, he directed it towards Zeke and Elaine, grabbing the two in a speedy getaway.

Haze cracked his whip, grabbing Zeke right from under Ulmak’s nose. Before Haze had the chance to pull Zeke towards him, Elaine grabbed Haze’s whip substituting herself for Zeke, getting pulled away instead.

“Elaine!” Zeke screamed out, as Ulmak’s pillar carried the two away from the battlefield.

Elaine dropped to the ground, standing up as fast as she could in front of Haze. Haze looked deep into her eyes.

“Move!” he said, trying to walk past her.

Hanna emerged from the back, visibly angered by Haze.

Antonio ran forward.

“Go after them! I’ll take care of these two he screamed out,” referring to Elaine and Hanna.

“Alright, “ Haze cracked his whip, clinging to the ceiling and launching himself forward.

He leaped far, using magic to manifest a set of fleshy tentacles on his back, flailing them as an extension of his body, using them as a second set of arms that he used to dig into the rocks and travel across a vast distance.

He didn’t have to travel far until he came upon Zeke and Ulmak, who were already standing by a massive golden door located within the stone forest.

Haze compacted his tentacles, using them like a spring to launch himself forward. He cracked his whip at Ulmak, striking him on the back, throwing Zeke to the ground.

Ulmak groaned, rolling down to the ground. He swiftly flipped over to his feet, but before he had the chance to get his bearings, his and Haze’s weapons clashed, throwing sparks into the air.

Zeke landed on his feet, losing his metal spear and backpack as he cushioned his landing with them. With the last of his strength, he crawled towards the door, placing the key into the keyhole, falling over on to it.

“I invoke,” Haze screamed, kicking Ulmak in the stomach. He charged at Zeke while manifesting his tentacle armor.

Zeke panicked. Pulling out his handgun. He immediately fired a shot directly at Haze’s leg, stopping him for long enough to slip in through the door.

“You’re dead,” Haze turned his attention to Ulmak.

As Zeke passed through the door locked itself behind him. He could see the chamber in front of him light up, revealing a large intricate golden arena. Fredric approached from the middle, with arms spread wide.

“I’m glad you’re finally here!” he smiled, approaching the boy. “Now you’re at the last stretch of the challenge,” Fredric tossed Zeke a short sword.

“So, what’s this about?” Zeke caught the sword with a surprised look.

“’This is the ‘deciding factor’,” Fredric looked down at the ground. “True-soul,” he said, manifesting an intricate curved glass dagger filled with sand.

“Does this mean I have to fight you?” Zeke took on a defensive position.

“No, No,” Fredrik shook his head. “Not me, “ he smirked. “Him, “ he said pointing his blade towards the darkness.

Suddenly, the chamber began to shake. The atmosphere within it turned heavy, almost unbearable to Zeke. A loud roar was heard coming from the distance. The shaking intensified, getting increasingly more savage, and at its culmination a dragon reared its head coming from the shadows.

The beast was about 15 meters long, with four limbs that appeared like they belonged to a demon. Its wings were large and black, muscular to the point that they appeared like another set of arms. Its gaze was calm, however, within that calmness was a certain ferocity.

“There you go,” Fredric said, disappearing from Zeke’s field of vision.

Zeke clenched his weapon tightly in his hand. He charged towards the dragon with intense ferocity.

The room lit up in a golden light, calling forth a power Zeke was not aware of having. It propelled him in the air, taking over his body and mind, sinking his weapon deep into the dragon’s head.

But alas, that was a delusion he saw before his death, as the dragon took off his head in one fell swoop of its claws.

image [https://i.postimg.cc/kGNGRLjC/Name-Alias-X-Species-Demon-Age-80-Height-182cm-Affiliation-Knights-Rank-Special-grade-investigator.png]