Fallen Stars

Mystery Fifty-Five

It’s Not Enough!

Greed: Go all out, huh? *smirk* I’ve been waiting to go off.

Greed spreads her arms wide as an icy sphere forms around her fists, the atmosphere shifting to a piercing chill.

Greed: **Purity Style - Climate Change**

A fierce snowstorm erupts, blanketing the coliseum in freezing winds. Draco, Vega, and Envy shiver as the cold bites into them, rubbing their arms for warmth.

The snowstorm surges with ferocity, its howling winds sweeping King Minos off its feet and sending it tumbling through the icy chaos. As the storm's intensity peaks, several razor-sharp ice spears materialize in the swirling air, glinting with lethal precision.

They dart toward the minotaur with unrelenting speed, piercing through its massive frame. The spears strike the ground with such force that they pin King Minos in place, immobilizing the colossal guardian amidst the raging blizzard.

From the depths of the blizzard, two massive ice sharks, each the size of a great white, emerge with feral power. They swarm King Minos, their enormous jaws chomping down with crushing force as they relentlessly attack.

Lich: Nice job, let me help a bit.

The enchanting skulls chant once more, swirling around her. While Cosmos swirls around Lich’s fingertips. With her eyes closed, she raises and lowers her hands with deliberate grace.

Lich: **Duat Style - Rotten Requiem**

The ground trembles with a sudden jolt as the undead at the bottom of the pit unleash a haunting chime. Those above leap into the abyss without hesitation, their descent joining the eerie chorus. Together, a resonant and chilling harmony rises from the depths, echoing through the battlefield like a spectral symphony.

Moments later, a massive skeletal figure emerges, gripping the edge of the hole with bony hands. It pulls itself up, towering over the battlefield, clad in ancient armor and wielding a large, rusted sword. Under Lich’s command, the smaller undead have fused together, forming this formidable behemoth of bone and decay.

**Bacedi **

Lich’s Army Rank: First Hour

King Minos shatters the ice spears pinning it down and shrugs off the ice sharks gnawing at it. Gripping its colossal axe, it charges forward and clashes with Bacedi in a thunderous collision!

The two juggernauts exchange powerful blows, each strike shaking the ground beneath them. The ice sharks weave through the raging storm, wagging their massive tails as they swoop in to bite at King Minos' legs before swiftly retreating into the blizzard's icy veil.

They clash once again, the air reverberating with the force of their blows. Bacedi thrusts its hand forward, reaching to grasp King Minos, but Minos counters effortlessly, shattering Bacedi's arm with a single, precise strike. However, the cost of the exchange becomes clear—Minos's arm begins to decay rapidly, crumbling into a lifeless, withered limb.

Lich sucks her teeth in frustration, her gaze flickering between the two combatants. "Foolish," she mutters under her breath, the faint echo of her voice laced with disdain and intrigue.

Lich's soldier begins to break down, its form crumbling and decaying with each passing moment. Yet, despite the inevitable collapse, it presses on, fighting with fierce loyalty to Lich.

Greed: It's already breaking down?

Lich: Yeah, they're strong as one, but they're still decaying corpses. It's not enough to finish him, but I have something.

She brings out the Golden Grimoire.

Greed: Are you sure you want to bring that out?? Can you control it?

Lich: The best training is on the field training.

She flips to the last page and a malefic pops up in silhouette. Draco from across the room grins and readies to jump.

Draco: You guys want to see a style, I'll show you a style. My turn.

He leaps into the air above the two clashing powerhouses, his body surrounded by a shimmering aura of starlight. As he ascends, he spins rapidly, his movement leaving a trail of radiant light.

Starlight crystals appear, swirling around him, building in intensity and size with each rotation. Draco's form becomes a blur of brilliance, his body a nexus of cosmic energy, preparing for the event.

Draco: **Mysterious Style - Starstorm Stardom**

In a blur of motion, his full force power hurls out. The starlight barrage rains down with pinpoint precision, each crystal exploding on impact, hitting King Minos.

Some starlight tears through its skin, a violent eruption of stardust and power on display. The starlight is unstoppable, and the impact is so fierce that Minos’s grip falters, sending its axe flying from its only hand. Minos is pounded by the attack and gets sent back step by step from it.

The battlefield is left with the scent of scorched Mir and fading starlight.

Minos is still up right, staggering but not out for the count, though the attack has ended, it still is taking slow steps back as if still being hit from it.

Lich: That Draco is impressive. Not a single one of his attacks landed on Bacedi.

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Bacedi begins to collapse, decaying as it falls apart. Its form breaks into pieces, each fragment creating miniature skeletons that scatter and skitter across the ground.

Lich: They won’t grow back in time, but I still have Lucy.

Across the room, Vega prepares, maddened by Draco’s attack.

Vega: You won’t deliver the final blow, I will.

He focuses, channeling his energy, and his orange flames flare to life. With a sudden dash, he leaves a trail of fire behind him. Even Envy can’t track his movement as he blazes forward.

Vega: **Hellfyre Style - Holy Hell**

Vega makes a B-line, aiming for King Minos. Vega’s sword ignites, flames coursing along the blade, as he slashes upward, he jumps with the momentum, cutting the retreating Minos. The flames scorch Minos, but the cut doesn’t slice him apart.

Leaping high above Minos, the slash sears a deep scar into the starkiller’s body.

A moment later, the flame trail erupts, roaring toward Minos’s wound. Each point along the trail lights up one after another, igniting a series of fire pillars that shoot skyward in a chain reaction!

Getting to Minos, its scar bursts into an inferno. The temperature spikes, a fiery wasteland erupts across the coliseum, molten waves of heat curling into the air, scorching the ground far more than Draco ever could.

The once-frozen ground cracks, sizzling and warping as diabolical flames blast at the sky. The air has blistering intensity, a haze of smoke and ember rising in thick, choking columns. Fiery chaos consumes the battlefield, suffocating out the ice and snow as it overtakes the frozen terrain.

Draco: Geez, are you trying to kill us too?

Vega: …No?

Draco tilts his head, clearly confused.

Draco: Why did you pose that as a question??

Envy: Yeah, you guys are superstars to me. But I won't be left out! It’ll be hard for my usual attack to be in these flames, but I have something for that.

Envy wraps herself completely in thorns, the sharp, stiff ends piercing her skin and drawing blood as the tradition demands. Her eyes gleam through the thicket of plants, the only part of her still visible. The vines absorb the blood, nourishing the practice with each drop.

Envy: **Louloudi Style - Eikthyrnir Everbloom**

From the depths of the vines, the form of the Eikthyrnir deity emerges—a majestic stag, its body intricately woven from the living plants. The creature exudes an aura of immense power, standing tall and impervious to fire.

EE takes a few steps forward before breaking into a graceful prance. Gathering momentum, the stag leaps mightily into the air, its form majestic and commanding.

As it soars, forest green pollen cascades from its antlers, scattering across the battlefield. Upon touching the ground, the pollen begins to transform, sprouting a fireproof forest that spreads rapidly. Each tree exudes resilience, emitting more pollen into the air, saturating the coliseum with life that defies the flames.

EE lands near Minos, lowers its antlers, hooking Minos effortlessly. With a powerful surge, it hurls Minos into the air, sending it spiraling uncontrollably. As the colossal figure twists through the air, Wrath, who had been waiting in the sky for this perfect opportunity, finally makes his move. Descending with impeccable timing, ready to capitalize.

Wrath: Nice job, Envy!

Wrath begins to transform into lightning, his body surging with energy as he becomes a massive lightning bolt, even larger than his Bolt From The Red. The crackling electricity branches outward, half a brilliant blue and half a crimson red, painting the sky with raw thunder.

Wrath: **Wrath Style - Theseus' Teravolt**

Without delay, Wrath streaks through the air, striking King Minos mid-flight with a thunderous force! The impact reverberates across the battlefield, a dazzling display of light and sound as the thunder strikes!

They crash into the forest below, the vibrant plants absorbing the full impact with a ripple effect. The forest responds, channeling the accumulated damage into a glowing bulb that pulses with potency. The bulb is delicately transferred from flower to flower in a mesmerizing chain until it reaches King Minos.

As the final flower opens, the bulb blooms into a radiant orb of green and pink hues. The orb, now throbbing – merges into King Minos’s chest. For a moment, there is an eerie stillness as the light spreads beneath its skin, illuminating its massive frame like a grotesque lantern.

Then, the torment begins. Minos roars in agony as its colossal body convulses violently, muscles seizing and veins bulging with unnatural intensity, its voice echoing like a thunderclap.

The green and pink orb detonates within it, shredding its internal structure. Its body begins a violent cycle of implosion and explosion, tearing itself apart from within. Each tremor racks its body with unrelenting agony, until, at last, the towering titan is reduced to eerie silence amidst the still-blooming, fruit-bearing forest.

The forest tree produces mangoes, one of which falls directly into the hands of Wrath, who has been waiting. He takes a bite, and the fruit bursts with juiciness, its vibrant smell and flavor is full of life.

Wrath: A perfect ending to this fight.

Lich beside Greed closes her book.

Lich: Guess we didn’t need this, going all out was enough.

Draco beside Vega.

Draco: You know my attack actually finished it off right?

Vega: I sealed the deal.

Draco: Yeah right, I basically left it unconscious, one more flick and it would’ve been done.

Vega: Would you shut up?

Draco: Huh?!

Vega takes a second to himself.

Vega: Though, your one the fly style was impressive.

Draco: Right?? Had to come up with that on the spot.

King Minos lets out a groan, lifting one arm to his face. Everyone watches in stunned silence, disbelief spreading across their expressions.

Wrath: How is it still alive?!

King Minos groans, bloodlust gleaming in his eyes as it rises, towering over Wrath, exuding an aura of intimidation and malice.

Lich slams her book open to the final page, conjuring a Cosmos-infused dark arts ritual circle beneath her.

Lich: **Arise; Lucy.**

A sinister, dark ooze materializes before her, its edges lined with arcane symbols and seething with an eerie, malevolent ambiance, from which a small, ominous entity emerges, drowned in black ooze.

King Minos lets out a battle cry, summoning its axe to fly into its grasp. Minos readies itself to strike Wrath. Wrath attempts to channel his electricity, but nothing happens. Yelling out “Fuck!” in his head.

As the ooze covering Lich's summoned entity melts away, it reveals its true form: a lean, pink humanoid malefic, entirely bare, with two elongated antennas slicked back upon its head.

**Lucy **

Lich’s Army Rank: Twelfth Hour

Lich: Go! Attack the minotaur!

Lucy stands motionless, eyes fixated on Lich.

Lich: Ammit!

Lucy tilts its head and takes a step toward Lich.

Lich makes a hypnotic motion with her hand.

Lich: You must be mistaken. You will listen to me.

Lucy slaps her hand aside with surprising force.

Lich stands firm, unfazed, tilting her head down in a serious manner as Lucy's eyes begin to twirl, chaotic energy emanating from them, its grin growing wider with each passing second.

Without warning, Lucy launches an attack against King Minos on its own volition, before anyone can react –

Lucy stands right behind King Minos as it prepares to swing its axe down on Wrath. With slow, deliberate motion, Lucy presses the palm of its hand against Minos’ back, and in an instant, the colossal figure disintegrates completely.

The group stands in stunned silence for a moment, but soon exhales, relief flooding over them as the tension melts away.

Draco: Whew, a close one. Please tell me it’s over now.

The Forbidden Zone shakes as the ceiling echoes with two ominous words again, "Third Phase."

They all freak out, bracing for more chaos.

Then, the ceiling shifts, speaking again: “Nah, I’m playing – Starkiller defeated.”

The room collectively sighs in relief. As the tension eases, Lich moves to seal Lucy back into its abyss. But Lucy pauses, its gaze sweeping over each of them. Its eyes settle on Draco, and though it lacks eyebrows, it lifts an imaginary one.

Draco blinks, and in no time, Lucy is standing directly in front of him. The two lock eyes for a moment, a silence heavy with uncertainty.

Then, Lucy kneels before Draco, as if acknowledging him. Its black ooze circle opens beneath it, and slowly, Lucy descends into the abyss, vanishing from sight.

Draco: What was that about?

Vega: You tell us.

The group gathers at the forest’s center as the flames weaken, suffocated by the pollen-heavy air. The flames are snuffed out, leaving a calm, smoke-filled stillness where chaos once reigned.

Draco: Alright, let’s just get out of here.

Lich: Not without the spoils.

The ceiling above begins to twist and turn, morphing into a spiral. It opens up, revealing six radiant, golden items that slowly descend into the room, glowing brilliantly.

[The Spoils Go To The Victors!

But, What Are These Treasures?!]

Mystery 55 Fin