The elevator took us to our destination and Jour did not have seven runic stones this time to save us in case things went wrong. The elevator stopped, the bright light bleeped, and the doors then slid open from both sides and we gazed inside to see a palace made out from glass that was in fact the inside of the chandelier. Everywhere we appeared to look we saw our own reflection and many tiny faceted layered pieces of glass hanging from the ceiling. Goldilocks was ready for all she needed was her claws and I was ready with my pistol in one hand as well as a sickle in the other. Jour, however, lost his staff and looked around wondering what he should do next. He waved his hand and weaved himself a new piece of wood in existence that he made into his new staff. He then touched the floor with his staff that sent out an echo throughout the palace.
“So predictable…”, her voice echoed throughout the room and we all stood attention, carefully observing our surroundings. “I knew you would come...”, it continued to echo and the voice that echoed was that of Bloody Mary. “And I see you brought the mighty Goldilocks…”, she laughed.
“Show yourself!”, shouted Goldilocks in anger. “Yu-hu!”, Mary called and we all turned to see her as I shot at her before a piece of glass cracked, revealing it was an illusion.
“Bold strategy, my little enemy beyond the stars, how did that work out for you?”, she taunted me and I sighed as I could see another image of Mary into the sky that Goldilocks hurled an axe towards that only served to crack once more, revealing it was another illusion.
It was then that many images of Bloody Mary swung their hands with fire in their hand and we all intended to scatter before Goldilocks was struck by her lamb in her chest that sent her flying into the elevator itself. Jour was then struck by one of the balls of flame that knocked him down and he rolled over the ground, removing the robe that was over his body as it burnt with an eternal flame. I turned to shoot at the lamb that ran away and I could hear Mary laugh as the elevator doors closed that descended downward. We were separated from Goldilocks.
“One down, two to go…”, said Mary. “Now who do I kill first?”, Mary toyed with us as she did with all her victims. “I know, how about the poor old man?”, her laugh echoed throughout before the image of the lamb appeared from all around and I threw a flash-bang grenade on the ground.
Everything turned white and exploded, the sound echoed so loud that it paralyzed all of us. Bloody Mary, Jour and I were all caught by surprise by how loud it was. I could see the lamb standing and it seemed to be dazed while my vision was blurred as I could see Jour barely trying to stand up. I then raised my pistol and aimed towards the lamb before its soul turned into that of a red shard that levitated away and out of sight as well as reach of us.
“A worthy effort…”, said Mary. “But futile.”, I could her smirk when she said that and her arm reached around my neck before she lifted me up in a chokehold.
“I want you to watch this.”, she said with delight before raising her left hand that was aflame. “Mary!”, shouted Talia. “Jour is mine!”, Bloody Mary did not like what Talia had to say.
“But I want to watch her watch him suffer!”, Mary said out loud as I could see the reflection of both of us in the mirrors. “How about you make her watch Goldi suffer?”, Talia then appeared and struck Jour over the head with her staff and he fell down unconscious over the ground.
“Or better yet, why don’t you just kill her right here, right now?”, asked Talia. “But Talia, I want to watch them both watch each other suffer!”, Mary responded and her psychopathic tendencies simply knew no bounds, and I wondered truly how sick in the head she truly is.
“God damn it, Mary, there is just simply no point arguing with you, is there?”, Talia seemed to be frustrated and lowered her head down annoyingly before she heard the elevator tick.
I turned to look towards the elevator before I fell to the ground and I lifted my head only to see that Talia as well as Jour both disappeared. I looked back to see Bloody Mary and I threw a piece of glass at her only for a mirror to shatter that revealed to me another illusion. I was then grabbed hold off and thrown into the piece of glass before Goldilocks emerged from the elevator.
“Kirya!”, she called for me before the lamb struck her and knocked her into the elevator again, but this time when the doors went to shut she grabbed hold of them with her claws.
Goldilocks then opened the elevators only to see Bloody Mary stand before he with a smile.
“I’m back!”, she then punched Goldilocks in the face and back into the elevator whose doors would close before Mary would turn, clapping her hands together and I rose up to shoot her only for the lamb to strike me once more, and disarm me from the gun that it snatched with its mouth.
“God, I hate that little lamb!”, I said in anger and frustration before I looked to see Mary stand before me. “Well?”, said Mary and I looked at her with a confused look.
“Well what?”, I asked. “It’s your turn, outlander, I have to wait for you.”, she said and upon hearing her say that I was dumfounded, I was stunned and paralyzed.
I could hear Talia in the distance sighing and groaning, it sounded like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing and seeing with her own eyes, and honestly I couldn’t blame her.
“I-Is…”, I tried to form a sentence. “All this a game to you?”, I questioned Bloody Mary who simply smiled back at me and waited for me to make a move.
I then reached into my coat and she raised her hand only for a large fireball to head my way that I avoided. I jumped to the ground and fired a bullet that ricocheted several times around the room that destroyed two pieces of glass as I covered my head. I then looked up before she kicked me in the chest with her leg and sent me flying forward towards her lamb that struck me with its head, only to disarm my second gun and take it from me and running away.
“Wow, you’ve been entirely disarmed by a lamb. How does that make you feel?”, Mary smirked and Talia chuckled in the distance for she truly did find that funny.
I then heard the elevator door open and this time Goldilocks didn’t peek in. In fact, no one did. I could see the many mirror reflections of Bloody Mary staring into the elevator whose lights were now removed and whose interior was entirely cast in shadow.
“Hey, Kirya, look!”, I didn’t know where to look and I raised my hand in panic. “I’m a firing my…”, she opened her mouth and a huge dragon-like breath emerged that reflected into the glass that made it look like the entire room was on fire and I covered my head as the real flame moved, traveled, towards the elevator and from it emerged Goldilocks that waved her claws a part.
She cut the flame in two and formed two walls of flame that traveled opposite directions before Mary’s little lamb ran towards Goldilocks that stood aside on all fours, her tails growling and snarling at the lamb that didn’t even bother to back down and attack Goldilocks directly that struck the lamb into the face. This angered Bloody Mary as I stood up and reached for my sickles to attack one of the pieces of glass that shattered before my eyes.
“Fuck!”, I was then punched in the face by Bloody Mary and fell to the ground as I threw the sickle towards her only for another piece of glass to shatter. “God damn it!”, I shouted before I turned only to get kicked in the face by her foot. “And…”, said Mary. “You missed.”, she continued to taunt me like she always did and I fell on the ground, sighing.
“You know, I was trying to be a team player. I was trying to be a nice person…”, said Mary as Goldilocks bit on the body of the lamb and clawed at her wool. “You killed one quarter of the world’s entire population!”, I said in disgust and she then kicked me.
“I said trying!”, shouted Mary before she opened her mouth again to unleash a dragon breath that headed towards Goldilocks who reached for Mary’s lamb that she threw towards the flame.
It was then that a roasted little lamb fell over the ground in front of both Mary and I as I looked horrified at what happened while Mary seemed to be unfazed by what had happened.
“Tragic…”, Mary said while shaking her head and I looked at her. “What is your major malfunction, woman?”, I said and Mary then turned her head to stare into my direction along with the other reflections of her before Goldilocks ran up to me, punched her in the face.
This time it was the real Mary that was struck and this caused me to immediately move. Goldilocks attacked her like a wild beast by clawing at her and her tail attacked with its own mouth as well, chewing at Bloody Mary’s flesh whenever she was able.
“She hit me!”, said Mary after Goldilocks clawed at her face and then I raised both of my hands to smack her head over the head that sent her tumbling into the ground. “She hit me too!”, and then both Goldilocks and I raised our feet that we smashed into the ground.
The glass beneath our feet cracked and Mary’s image was there but she was not. The glass cracked and we wondered what the hell was going on.
“Not going to lie…”, said Mary who wiped her face in mirror beneath our feet and turned around to face us. “Dick move, guys, dick move…”, she said and we both could not believe it as she charged the flame in her hands as we both then saw her emerge from the ground and wave her arms that spread the flame throughout the entire room as we leaped down and took cover.
“You know, Kirya, I’ve missed you…”, I then stood up and so did Goldilocks, we both walked to each other and had each other’s backs. “I barely know ya.”, I said to her before she grinned.
“Do you…?”, she said. “Do you really?”, she asked and I looked into her eyes, and for the first time I could see something that I never could ever before.
I recognized those eyes, that face, and that expression on her face. I just thought it was all a coincidence. The Bloodstone Tribe shared the same name with the Bloodstone Clan of the world of the Hearthlands that was now defunct, a clan that I once served, and even their banner was similar. Our mistress was called Lady Mary Bloodstone whom they also referred to as Bloody Mary, but she wore a blackened robe and not a red robe like the sorceress I saw before my eyes. She was also different in her facial structure but when I looked into this Mary’s eyes I could see the same evil that I dreaded even back then but that I served willingly.
“What is she talking about, Kirya?”, asked Goldilocks and I stood there before Mary, the memories of the Hearthlands flashed before my eyes and the very day that Bloody Mary died.
“I-I watched you die.”, I said to Mary who smirked and then snapped her right hand’s fingers that caused all of the glass mirrors to look like they were set ablaze before she would raise her head, staring at me with a demonic and satanic playful little smile.
“It’s time to rekindle some old memories then?”, asked Mary before both of her arms would burn in flames and her entire back would also be set on fire that frightened us.
“Come here, I’ll make the cold go away…”, said Mary with delight as both Goldilocks and I looked one another, both of us nodded our heads and Talia clapped her hands excitedly.
Goldilocks was the first to charge by hurling a couple of axes at Mary that deflected it before she transformed into a anthropomorphic tigress only for Mary to grab her by her throat and she began to drain her off her magic, transforming her back into her elven form and Mary then hurled her towards me as I charged at her only for us both to be knocked away.
“Pathetic.”, said Mary and we both got up immediately to stand, realizing we would be in a battle for our lives now. “Enough fun and games, you both are so boring that you aren’t worth toying around with.”, a huge wall of flame then appeared around Mary and she re-appeared out of one of the glass mirrors with two massive blades of molten flame that she swung at us.
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Meanwhile, Drakwa fell to the ground and raised his shield up before Naomi kicked it away. She then brought forth her arm-blade and smiled until a pie struck her face that caused her to move back. She wiped the pie off her face and she could taste plum before she looked to see Jack’ron Horner walking up beside his captain. Drakwa was shocked to see the slow minded Jack Horner stand before his eyes and glaring at the android that he seemingly did not fear.
“You…”, Naomi couldn’t believe it. “You hit me in the face with a plum pie?!”, she shouted only for another to appear above her head and land over it that made Drakwa cover his mouth as he nearly burst into laughter, and he looked to Jack’ron with concern for his well being.
“Why you…!”, Naomi wiped the pie off her face quickly and rose up into the skies with her jet pack as Drakwa raised his rifle before Jack grabbed it, taking it from him and throwing it off the side of the zeppelin that made Drakwa lose all hope in ever living again.
“What is your major malfunction, soldier?!”, shouted Drakwa before Naomi fired her rockets and Horner blinked out of existence that caught her by surprise for she did not know what he was and yet Drakwa did, which made it even more unpleasant for him when the rocket struck.
Drakwa was blown off the side of the zeppelin and Naomi watched before Horner appeared above her with both of his fists raised to the skies. She turned only to be smacked by both of his fists and descended down into the top of the hot air balloon before he landed on both of his hooves. Drakwa fired his grappling hook that managed to catch onto a pirate and it was just enough to swim him inside of a window before he appeared on a balcony where Captain Bloodthorne happened to be. She turned to face the dwarf and he turned to face her. He raised his gun and she raised her own, both fired and both shot each other’s guns out of their hands. Jack’ron Horner is a Criotah, a hybrid class of fighters that were the mix of Samurai Warriors and Holo’kar mages, two very deadly combinations. A holo’kar mage’s body is like blackened ice, their souls merciless and apathetic, and so was Horner’s. But Mary, in the other hand, was something far worse. She is a Diabolist Sorceress, a hybrid mix of the arts of the gallu’nav and iki’seth warlocks that have lost themselves entirely to the flames and the darkness within them. They are the most vile, cruel, sadistic, psychopathic, and remorseless sorcerers that have ever walked the planet. I am merely a Cutthroat and Goldilocks is just merely a Nahida druid who has given into her animal instincts. Our attacks were primarily physical even though Goldilocks did have some magic to her own.
“Burn, baby!”, Bloody Mary struck both of her blades into the ground and a huge massive inferno rose up in the center that moved to all directions, and Goldilocks’ eyes then opened before she threw a seed towards me that burnt in the flames and created a wave of natural energy that surged towards me, healing my wounds in the process and I looked towards her.
We both then turned our attention to see that Mary was gone until we heard a whistle. We both turned our heads only for a darkness to be cast upon the room that even the bright flames could not light up. I felt the grip of weakness; agony, exhaustion, and an everlasting unstable affliction curse my very body that siphoned the very life energies of my very own soul. There was a storm of embers moving all around in the air wherever I went and skeletons rose from the ground whose body was set on fire that charged at us through the flame. I grabbed hold of my weapons and hacked them a part while Goldilocks ripped their heads off with her claws. We were surrounded in a field of scorching heat and immolation that took our breaths away ever so slowly. It was then that the shadow disappeared and before our eyes we saw her throwing chakras at us that forced us to move aside as they deflected on the walls surrounding us. They then deflected and ricocheted back to her hands as she grabbed hold of them. Naomi got up and turned to fire her rockets towards Horner that blinked once more, but this time in front of her and he shoved his claw down into her head before she burst out of his grip with her jet thrusters. He stood where he was and she landed on her feet, summoning her arm-blades forth and clenching her teeth as he just stood there and stared at her lifelessly. He then raised his right claw and the air itself froze that formed the image of a large blade that caused her eyes to widen upon seeing the size of it for it was twice the size of her whole body. He then swung it around and grinned towards her as he held it, waiting for her to come for him and for the first time after a long time the human soul within Paleskin’s body could feel fear unlike any other. She would wave her hand and charge at him that caused his blade to melt, and he simply dropped it before conjuring a pie out of nowhere in his hand and throwing it that would miss her. He would then conjure one more and throw it that would strike her in the face, blinding her, and he laughed out loud before she fired a rocket at him that struck him, leaving smoke where he once stood. She burst through the smoke with her blades and searched for him before he grabbed hold off her neck, freezing it, and ripping her head off from her body as she could feel the immense pain course through her soul. Jack’ron Horner would then kick the body of Naomi to the ground and raise her head in with his claw as she looked towards him terrified, knowing that this was the end of her life before he froze her head and therefore her very own soul into an icy husk. He would then look around towards all the other crew members of the TEC-9 battling along and had no interest to assist them. He just took the head and left without a worry or care in the world.
“Elves…”, said Mary to Goldilocks. “Beneath every beautiful exterior there is a monster dying to get out.”, she explained as her flesh melted before our very eyes and we saw her skeleton within that showcased the demonic entity that truly is a Diabolist sorcerer.
Goldilocks roared at Bloody Mary, her body transforming into the anthropomorphic tigress once more, and she struck the fiery ground with her fists that extinguished the flames that would come back on their own once more. I wondered what we could do to defeat Bloody Mary and reached for my flash-bang that was pointless for me to utilize before I looked to the elevator. I then gazed at Goldilocks that I saw charge at her and Bloody Mary stomped on the ground as a molten ripple rose from the ground that Goldilocks leaped over before landing on all fours and grabbing Bloody Mary’s skeleton hands with her own claws, and despite how much the flame burnt it did not match the healing powers of nature that Goldilocks wielded.
“Goldi!”, I called for her and she growled. “Send her to hell!”, Bloody Mary looked confused.
Goldilocks then roared and clawed at her repeatedly. She clawed at her so much that Bloody Mary laughed like a crazed demon. I then ran over to Bloody Mary that turned and threw Goldi towards me but I slid over the ground before lifting both of my gauntlets that I punched her with. Bloody Mary moved backwards and then Goldilocks leaped over me before pushing her even further back with both of her claws. We then attacked her together and Bloody Mary laughed. I then ran behind Goldilocks whose tail bit into Bloody Mary’s skull that was caught off guard and then Goldilocks ran into her with her whole entire body, pushing Bloody Mary into the elevator. I rushed in and hit a button before I impaled a blade inside of Bloody Mary’s chest.
“This is your idea of hell?!”, said Bloody Mary with both Goldilocks and myself backing away. “No, this is.”, I said to Mary before showing her several pins as the elevator doors closed.
“Huh?”, Mary said before she looked at several grenades lying on the floor. “Oh, fuck me…”, she said before the grenades set off and released a huge explosion that destroyed the elevator.
The elevator went down very fast and both doors blew off their hinges as they struck the broken glass around us. Goldilocks waved her arms and surrounded the both of us with natural magic that formed a large bark which shielded us from the explosion and she held me tight with her arms. The bark itself burnt and died out with the flames itself dispersing around us, their flames were extinguished for the Diabolist sorceress was finally defeated and it was then that Goldi…
“That sounds just right.”, said those words that I would never forget and she looked at me in her tigress form, feeling my cheek. “Are you alright?”, she asked and I nodded my head.
“Bravo, bravo…”, we could hear clapping before we saw the descending footsteps off Talia Carabosse and I would at long last come to face the witch that was responsible for everything that had unfold up to this very moment, the witch that destroyed and ruined so many lives.
“All that work and effort…”, she walked down the stairs. “In vain…”, she said. “What?”, I asked and Goldilocks rolled her eyes, sighing. “She’s a Diabolist Sorceress.”, Goldilocks stated.
“And the Diabolists are one of the most powerful warlocks. Why do you think she’s so unhinged, so unafraid to face death whenever it came across to face her?”, Talia questioned me while Goldilocks seemed to be fully aware what the witch was trying to explain to us.
“Okay, can someone clue me in what the fuck is going on here?!”, I raised my voice in deep frustration. “Diabolists are sorcerers and a Diabolist happens to be the combination off the two most diabolical types of warlocks known in the universe. They are capable of bounding their soul to an object what they refer to as a phylactery.”, Goldilocks explained before Talia continued.
“So that they may be reborn, rising from the ashes, like a phoenix that obtains new life after dying in a show of flame and combustion.”, Talia explained and I sighed, lowering my head. “You got to be fucking kidding me?”, I said and Goldilocks rolled her eyes.
“Unfortunately, no…”, said Goldilocks. “But the good news is, it will take her a while to come back. Maybe a day or two depending on how many souls she has devoured before she died.”, just as Goldilocks was explaining that, Bloody Mary’s soul was just returning to the phylactery that began to glow with bloody hieroglyphic runes that would symbolize her slow but sure rebirth.
This phylactery was shaped like an urn and it was located inside of her office aboard the Bloodstone Zeppelin that was not going anywhere. This is why Captain Bloodthorne was defending it and this is why she fought Captain Myers as they both attacked each other with their blades repeatedly and refused to give ground. This is why Captain Bloodthorne was chosen to lead for she knew what lied in that office and she would give no quarter. She would raise a revolver and shoot it at Myers who raised his shield only for the molten searing bullet to penetrate it through it, passing his by his hair and setting a part of it on fire.
“Jager…”, said the dwarf, realizing what sort of a ranger she is and she raised another revolver before firing several shots as the dwarf literally danced, avoiding several bullets.
“Dance, dance!”, she laughed as she mocked him and he rolled over the ground, and at the same time several members of the Bloodstone Tribe were thrown into the room that distracted them.
They both looked to see Jack’ron Horner walk in and from his right claw hung the head of Naomi Pharon, something that Drakwa Myers noticed and that terrified him.
“Who the hell are you?”, said Captain Bloodthorne for she knew that if Naomi had died, Horner must have been a worthy opponent, and he stepped forth. “I am Jack’ron Horner.”, said the haru before he smiled, showing her a devilish grin and staring into the face of Naomi Pharon that he would lower down, hanging her ponytail over his belt.
“But my friends and worst enemies call me Jack.”, Captain Bloodthorne smirked and then raised he revolver that fired at him, and he waved his right arm that sent out a dense mist of fog.
The captain, now blinded, shot in random directions with one revolver before stopping and focusing her gaze and ears on trying to see or hear where he was while Myers remained behind a counter for he could not see anything as well and one wrong move could spell his downfall.
“But enough about Bloodstone…”, said Talia. “For right now she’s the least of your worries.”, it was then that her image disappeared and we could hear the glass itself around us crack.
“Oh, no…”, I said. “She’s planning on collapsing this entire palace over us!”, I shouted. “No shit?!”, shouted Goldilocks. “Let’s move it.”, she then grabbed me and placed me over her back before she would transform into her tigress form and growl.
She ran on all fours and ran up glass steps that shattered beneath her paws and claws. She would even run over the side of the stairwell over walls and leap back down onto the steps as the glass broke. I held onto her fur in great concern for everywhere we ran broken glass fell down over the ground before and behind us. Captain Bloodthorne moved through the smoke before inhaling air and blowing it forth that cleared the entire room from the smoke. She didn’t see the haru in sight at all and wondered where he was but she could hear something tumble over. She pointed one revolver at the table where Myers was and approached before pausing.
“Wait a minute…”, she said to herself. “Harus are not midget sized.”, she giggled. “Neither are humans.”, she then turned around and faced her revolver towards Jack’ron, seeing him holding what she dreaded and hoped no one ever would; the phylactery.
“And yet, your mistress is.”, he held the phylactery in front of her, fully being aware that she won’t dare to shoot it and Myers looked over the table, staring with curiosity and awe.
“How do you know about the phylactery?”, asked Captain Bloodthorne. “I happen to be well informed.”, replied Horner as he gave her a devilish smile and she looked uncomfortable.
“Now drop the revolvers.”, she obeyed him and dropped both of them to the ground. “Kick them over, nice and easily.”, he ordered and Myers smiled happily, knowing he was now safe.
Captain Bloodthorne kicked the revolvers towards Jack’ron Horner while Goldilocks kept running through the palace of broken glass that fell all around us. She snarled and growled, the glass that broke would sometimes tare into her flesh but she kept running despite how painful it was. She climbed the steps in rapid succession, so fast that it terrified me. She took on the form of a tigress alright and she gave into her animal instinct, which is what a Nahida druid truly is. She charged up the mighty steps and broke through a door of glass before she fell to the ground, rolled over and I fell over the ground as I slid forth until my back and head would both hit into a platform of solid rigid glass that was unbreakable. I could feel the quakes within the glass as it came apart from all around us. It seemed, however, that a huge round circle did not fall apart and remained in its place with spires surrounding the entire tower like a barricade. I raised my head to see how Goldilocks was doing but I could see her revert back to her natural form and she fell unconscious due to the manna she utilized to maintain her form. I sighed in relief after I kneeled down and placed my fingers over her throat, feeling that she had a pulse. It was then that the urn was snatched away from Jack’ron by an eagle made out of air and the revolvers on the ground disappeared as they reformed in molten flame and ash in the hands of Captain Bloodthorne.
“I am going to enjoy this.”, she said and then received a pie in her face that blinded her as she fired the revolvers several times towards him before a gust of hair swept the plum pie away.
She stood there, moving her guns around, and then suddenly one disappeared as did the other. She then turned and saw Jack’ron that grabbed her neck but then her leg got surrounded by clay of earth that before she kicked him between his legs. He didn’t drop her at first and instead held her, but then he did and she fell down, gasping for air and he held himself between his legs. He felt the extremely pain after her kick and fell down on his knees. Drakwa then got up, aimed and shot Captain Bloodthorne’s knee as she fell down over the ground and the battle was over…