Zeke rolled on to the ground, grabbing his blade, and hiding himself behind a stone pillar.

“Soul,” Ludwig called his spear to his side.

A black liquid started rising from the ground, forming around our him in a spherical pattern, its tongues rose from the ground circling his body in rhythmic, dance-like worship.

Ludwig looked down at Zeke with a wide smile adorning his face.

“You know, it’s a shame really. I almost liked you. The young, inexperienced, overconfident type. Yet you still won. I’m curious had Haze remained here. How would you have fared? I guess we’ll never find out,” Ludwig said, embedding his spear into the ground.

Zeke strafed to the side, firing another bullet at Ludwig, before charging at him with his blade. The black liquid extended from the ground, forming into a thin membrane, catching the bullet and absorbing it into itself.

Zeke leaped up to Ludwig, attempting to strike him midair. Ludwig stared, amused at Zeke without flinching as the black liquid protected him, deflecting each one of Zeke’s attacks as Ludwig remained completely motionless.

Zeke backed away, leaping out of the range of Ludwig’s spear.

“I guess it’s my turn!” Ludwig screamed, pointing his weapon at Zeke.

The black liquid rose up, forming into a transparent dome surrounding Ludwig. Sharp metal spikes protruded from the dome and charged at Zeke at breakneck speeds. Zeke strafed but was unable to avoid the attack. The blades pierced his body, suspending him in midair.

As Zeke slashed the blades with his weapon, the blades became liquid, dripping down to the ground, slowly crawling back to Ludwig.

Zeke collapsed to the ground, slowly gasping for air as the black liquid filled his lungs.

“You know, I can kill you within seconds if I manifest my true soul!” Ludwig laughed, shaking with excitement. “But I just want to play around a bit more. What’s it to you, Right?”

“Soul,” Fredric said, summing a golden short sword to his side.

Suddenly, Zeke’s body started to glow in the same golden light. His injuries mended allowing him to breathe easily once more.

“Fredric!” Ludwig screamed out.

“What is it?” Fredric asked with a smile.

“You’re not supposed to do that,” Ludwig growled.

“And who is to stop me,” Fredric laughed.

Without letting the opportunity of Ludwig being distracted go, Zeke threw a clump of coarse sand at Ludwig. Then, using the dust cloud as cover he once again charged at his adversary, disappearing into the dust.

Ludwig launched his metallic, liquid spears, protruding them towards the fog, piercing it with hundreds of spikes.

Without anyone noticing, Fredric cast his magic, accelerating Zeke’s perception of the world.

In a flash, Zeke leaped up, revealing himself to be completely unharmed. He positioned himself above Ludwig’s force field, firing a bullet at him. As the force field solidified, Zeke used it as foot hold, to tumble behind.

“Last one,” Zeke thought, holding his gun in his right hand.

Spikes emerged from the top of the force field, piercing the place Zeke was just a moment ago.

Because Ludwig materialized so many spikes, the amount of liquid at his feet became scarce, leaving a hole in the force field on his side.

Zeke charged at Ludwig with his blade, thrusting it towards his waist.

But Ludwig, in a rash move, pierced himself with his own force field, impaling the two of them with spikes the black fluid.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“You didn’t expect that, did you now?” Ludwig laughed. “I too, can play the self-sacrifice game.”

Zeke extended his gun, firing a bullet in between Ludwig’s eyes. As the bullet traveled straight through his head, his flesh briefly morphed into the black fluid, avoiding all damage.

“Surprised? That’s what the likes of you are up against, a demon art that can nullify all damage. Even though there wasn’t any need for me to use it,” Ludwig laughed. “My element is metal. My skin is as hard as steel. You could not pierce it with your silly toy,” He mocked Zeke.

Zeke dove in, impaling himself further on the spikes, getting as close as he could. Blood flowed out of his mouth. Zeke pulled out a vial of vita-fluid out of his pocket, pouring it over his wound, placing his body into a constant state of reconstruction and damage as the fluid began rapidly healing him. Zeke thrust his blade at Ludwig, piercing his chest with the broken sword.

“WHAT!” Ludwig screamed in shock that the weapon was able to hunt him.

He tossed Zeke off, throwing him with a swipe of his spear.

“That’s it, I’m done,” Ludwig growled, throwing up blood, “true soul,” he called out summoning a black scythe to his side.

The black liquid took on a red tint forming into 7 ornate spheres that floated up into the air. And positioned themselves in a circle behind Ludwig’s back.

Zeke stood up, as his wounds quickly closed.

Fredric walked forward with one of his hands inside of the pocket of his bomber.

“Alright, playtime’s over,” Fredric remarked, stepping in front of Zeke, “I’ll take this from here,” He turned his head back.

“FREDRIC! WHY MUST IT ALWAYS BE YOU?” Ludwig screamed. “From the day we first met, you turned my life upside down. I was here first. I was successful while you weren’t around. It was you! You are the cause of all my troubles,” He growled.

“Then, why don’t you do something about it?” Fredric yawned.

He slowly approached Ludwig, swinging his weapon through the air.

“I’ll borrow this,” he said, pulling his left hand out of his pocket and extending it towards Ulmak.

Suddenly, Ulmak’s soul manifested itself and floated towards Fredric’s hand. Fredric, charged at Ludwig, trusting the spear towards him. He slashed the ground with the spear, sending a sea of stone bullets flying towards Ludwig.

A single sphere floated off Ludwig’s back and stood in front of him. It expanded, shielding him from all projectiles.

Ludwig retaliated by aiming his weapon at fredric, sending a jet of black liquid slashing through the air, aimed at him.

Fredric avoided with ease, yawning.

“Alright, I’m done playing around with you,” Fredric said, dropping the spear.

He slashed at the air in front of him with his golden blade. Suddenly, Ludwig’s arm exploded into a rain of blood.

Ludwig grabbed his shoulder, screaming in agony.

“How?!” Ludwig stumbled. “How did you do that?”

“Confused, are you?” Fredric walked closer. “Don’t you remember? Salvadore gave you this injury, six years ago. I healed you back then. But do you even know how my magic works? Did you just assume I simply turned back time? Well, not quite. Instead, I grabbed your injury from that moment and transferred it to the moment before your death. And now I just transferred it onto the present.” He explained.

“Don’t tell me? That is why he… You have him trapped, and he knows it,” Ludwig mumbled, as he started to walk away.

“Stop! You don’t have to do this!” Ludwig mumbled, visibly worried. “I invoke,” he sneakily said before Fredric had the chance to respond.

Fredric once again struck the air, placing his blade visually over Ludwig’s face. At that moment, Ludwig’s head disappeared. The metal balls hovering behind his back dropped down, creating a loud metallic clang, followed by his lifeless corpse dropping down right after.

“That’s what you get for taking a hit from a human,” Fredric remarked.

Zeke stumbled trying to catch his breath as he approached Fredric.

“So, what now?” he asked, visibly shaken.

“Now, we go see that asshole of a king,” Nolan remarked appearing out of the darkness, wearing a white dress shirt, plaid pants and a black vest.

“How long have you been there for?” Fredric asked.

“A while,” Nolan pulled out a cigar, and lit it.

“So, what do you think?” Fredric asked, averting his gaze.

“Honestly?” Nolan asked.

“Honestly,” Fredric replied.

“That you talk too much,” Nolan took a strong hit of his cigar.

Nolan approached the ledge of the cave. A wide vista opened up in front of his eyes. He looked at the state of his demolished hotel. A grandiose golden structure supported by two stone hands.

“Those fuckers really did a number on her,” he sighed.

“Nothing you can’t fix. Plus, it looks more like a tourist attraction now,” Fredric laughed.

“Well, I guess you’re right,” Nolan scratched the back of his head.

“However, I feel like things are about to become a whole lot more complicated,” Nolan sighed again.

“What makes you say that?” Fredric asked, peering into the distance.

“That guy, Haze, I hear he was hired by the pale reaper,” Nolan took another hit of his cigar.

Fredric’s eyes widened.

“I’m afraid Phoenix really did it this time,” Fredric covered his face.

“I know right! If you ask me, that guy’s dead,” Nolan blew out smoke.

He turned around to face Zeke.

“Congratulations on joining the ranks of the winners!” Nolan extended his hand. “For better or for worse you’re one of us now.”

Zeke shook his hand.

“What now? When do I get to meet the king? It’s been three months since I left Lower babel. I should really come back to school soon,” Zeke laughed.

Both Nolan and Fredric paused.

“You will not be able to do that,” Nolan stated.

“What?” Zeke asked, “Why?”

“It is the law of this wretched city that once you enter, you cannot leave without the permission of that foolish king of ours,” Fredric remarked, looking over the ruined streets of the Undercity.

End of Arc 2: Cradle of fools