Autumn | HP: 10 | 450
Deiman could see how much life remained in her.
“[Blackout – Sundering Light]. A Tier 7 spell.”
Tier 7 spells were reserved for the Supreme Magus of the Golden Dawn. They were the acting leader of the Association and were considered the strongest after Thelma; the founder of the Golden Dawn.
Autumn’s master had powerful connections, but the fact that Deiman knew this spell also meant that his master – Thelma – had taught him this.
A black orb formed at the tip of Deiman’s nose as his back burned with an incandescent light. Power channeled through his veins as a projection of the tattoos hovered behind him like a second set of wings.
Archaic texts were written along it. The name Abraxas and other forms of magical concepts and principles could be found in the projection, like his back was a set of instructions. The black orb floated to Gustus’ chest like a harmless particle.
Then, the moment it made contact with his body, he was assaulted by a wide cone of darkness and light that carved through the cave wall. The light refracted upon itself, creating a kaleidoscope of colors that began to converge into a singular point.
It was not a spell that used elements or conventional magical methods. What was used was purely the concept of light and darkness. The fact that Deiman was able to use a Tier 7 spell without repercussions – never mind conjure it in the first place – brought what was etched into his back into question.
But it did not matter.
“They… *Wheeze* Taught you well… Whoever your master was…”
It shattered Gustus’ prized blade. When the storm of light ended, all that was left of him was a furless, skinless beast made of exposed muscle.
Gustavus Retriever | HP: 40,000
“I will send them my regards with your coffin!”
He was far from dead, and Deiman had only inflicted 15,000 damage thus far. Tier 7 magic was powerful.
He had the upper hand now with this magic in arsenal.
But nothing – not even the strongest magic – could save Autumn.
Autumn | HP: 5
“… don’t let him… get to your head…” Autumn managed to smile through her pain.
“Autumn… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I made this choice… Mae was right all along… We shouldn’t have come here. But I was so far in my head to find Frost, and I thought I knew this place like the back of my hand… turns out I’m just a terrible guide.”
“Please stop talking.” Deiman begged with all his heart.
Gustus prepared to charge back into the fray, attempting to time his attack precisely the moment that Autumn’s life finally disappeared. The world stood still for what felt like hours as Deiman felt his heart on the brink of collapsing again. Dark wisps formed around his left wing.
“Frost, you say? That name…”
The Ankou cut through the silence. Though he had no face, he wore a concerned expression, for he had just uttered the name of the devil.
“… it belongs to the Amalgam.”
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
The barrage of gunfire should have caused him to react. But instead, he froze as terror overcame him. Mae slipped from his fingertips, rolling downhill. When she stopped, she managed to catch a glimpse of the face of death itself.
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And there, she saw the barrel of a large firearm pointed directly at her.
*Bang*
She frothed at the mouth and blacked out immediately to spare her from the inevitable fate that awaited her. Unbeknownst to her, was that it healed her wounds. Indeed, the bullet that struck Mae was a healing bullet.
Gustus was not so lucky. All four of his limbs were taken out in an instant. Deiman and Autumn on the other hand, were left completely unharmed, albeit in pain thanks to the healing bullets.
Autumn | HP: 450 | 450
The only one that was spared was the Ankou.
“I was wondering what the commotion down here was.” An ever so familiar voice announced their presence.
*Ca-Chunk*
Deiman had never heard such heavy footsteps before. The gushing river fell silent in resignation to the presence of the woman in black, whose eyes glowed with a bright gold…
“So I rushed to congratulate the first person to successfully manifest a power beyond imagination. Thanks to my Will, of course. But also because of your determination.”
… just like that same bird he saw in his dream.
The same gold highlighted the tip of the woman’s hair as she approached the Ankou, removing a glove. What was supposed to be a deity in the eyes of Gustus had its head lobbed off.
“Look at how they spit on your achievements. How they push you to the brink of madness, then try to rob you when you manage to come out on top of their own game.”
His body fell like a sack of filth, which she incinerated with unholy flames. What remained was a pit of magma as she kept the metal skull in her palms, facing it so it could stare only into her eyes.
“That begs the question of whether you knew my friend Deiman would Corrupt or not. Keep the question fresh in your mind. You’ll be answering everything I ask of you.”
She dug her fingers into his metal skull, securing him in place as she cast a constant stream of [Prolonged Stasis] to keep him alive as nothing more than a talking head.
“Frost…”
//////// < WARNING > ////////
< PARADISE LOST >
< THE ARBITER’S TRUMPET CAN NO LONGER BE HEARD >
Her appearance was met with a warning that he did not understand. Additionally:
< The Stats of the Archetype of Amalgamation cannot be observed >
< The Head of the Nexus appears before you >
Deiman couldn’t believe it.
He had seen Frost fight before. Every fight was always an overwhelming victory. This was no different. Everything he had desperately faced on his own ended as soon as she arrived like a light in his dark.
Frost’s aura had changed dramatically since the last time he saw her. Autumn sensed this too. Never in Autumn’s wildest dreams did she think that Frost was this strong.
Wasn’t she just a Court Mage from the Diavola Kingdom?
“Deiman. Congratulations.” Frost smiled tenderly, her demeanor shifting from terrifying to motherly in the blink of an eye. “You received a Corrupted Persona, huh. Good on you. Let me know how you feel. If it hurts, if you feel sick – I’ll treat you.”
“… I… I don’t…”
“Hey. Don’t overthink it. It’s over now.” Frost sensed his concerns, putting them to rest.
His colorful, yellow eyes widened.
“I’m here. There’s nothing that can hurt you anymore.”
Deiman choked up as he nodded. He collapsed heavily onto his knees as he brought Autumn into his chest. Autumn was still groggy. She didn’t need to be coddled by him, but she didn’t protest at all.
It was warm. He smelt bloody and like a wet dog, but that was a small price to pay for the person who gave everything just to save her.
“Is that one with you?” Frost asked as she approached Mae with an odd look on her face.
The person she referred to was Gustus. Suddenly, the man that had tried tooth and nail to kill Deiman stared at him with pleading eyes. After everything he had done to Autumn… no.
Not even that.
There was no point in giving sympathy for scum.
“He’s not.”
“No –! Fellow human –!”
*Bang*
His canine head disappeared with the single shot of much darker and longer kind of firearm. He wasn’t given the luxury to plead to Frost for his life.
“And this one?”
“Mae is with us!” Autumn groggily claimed.
“Mae tried to save my life!” Deiman also chimed in as Frost loomed over the purple-haired woman.
“A Maestro, huh. Not a Maestro of Flesh. Had she been that, then I would’ve killed her on the spot. So she helped you out. I’m curious on what her intentions are, but if an Ankou considered her an enemy, then it’s all the more reason to give her the benefit of the doubt. Besides, I’ve made the same mistake of believing that all Impuritas are evil.”
Frost wanted to knock her awake, but after what they’ve been through, she figured it was better to let her rest.
In the meantime, she brought the Ankou’s head to her face again.
“You and I are going to have a long heart to heart.”
“… Why… are you –?”
“I’m here because you and your Impurtias friends are preparing something big. Do you happen to know what? Cause I think I know at least a part of it now. Won’t talk? It’s fine. You’ll learn to talk soon enough. We have a lot of time on our side in this Isolation Sphere. My partner should be finishing up any second now.”
“… You didn’t personally kill them? Our Hearts will know of what occurred here! It’s already too late for you!”
Frost blankly stared at him.
What little confidence returned with that statement disappeared almost immediately.
She didn’t entertain him. She’d let him listen and remain clasped in her hand for the time being. Right now, Frost had already finished her job.
And most importantly, she made an important discovery.
“There’s enough Chains here to open one hell of a portal to the Subderma Layer. With how wide these caverns are, I believe you’re preparing for a manufactured apocalypse. Sins will run rampant in the underbelly of the Bellum Empire. But for what? You’ll tell me in time. They always do. For now, Beholder Umbra needs to hear this.”
Despite him being in the face of the Amalgam, the mention of that Beholder caused his jaw to hang open, revealing the cobwebs of fear that clogged his throat.