They stayed huddle near the center of the domain for a couple minutes, waiting for Malik to reappear. Owen had somewhat recovered, but that thing had managed to blast straight through the chaos and removed it somehow. It had blasted a clean hole right through him, which he didn't know was possible when his body was basically made up of energy now.
"You said that thing was called a void cannon?" He asked Myra, who nodded. "Yeah, that's what identify told me." She gave him a weird look and he clarified. "I haven't been able to use any mana based skills, which means my keen eye skill is also no good anymore." Owen shrugged as he finished explaining, but all he got back were worried glances. "Owen, are you okay?" Myra asked and Owen looked at her confused. "Yes? I mean as good as I can be in this state." Her wasn't sure what she was asking until she went to pull him close.
He sighed and sat down next to her. Far enough apart that he wouldn't accidentally hurt her, but close enough for comfort. "Dying doesn't sound awesome. Ever since we ended up here, I have been wondering if it was the right idea to continue. I had been so sure and it felt like the world was pushing me towards this future, but I don't want to have it all be for nothing. I don't want to leave you." He voice gradually got quieter until he was practically whispering. Myra surprisingly activated her domain skill and pulled him into a hug. He flinched and tried to pull away sine he knew it hurt her.
She didn't let go until he fell into the hug and embraced her back. When they separated he felt like tears were in his eyes and Myra was the same. She was also almost completely unharmed, though a couple spots on her arm were quietly healed by Peggy. Someone burst into the clearing seconds later and seeing it wasn't Malik, Owen sent an attack that lanced through the air and buried itself in the man's body.
"I forgot, we still have work to do. We should find Malik first though." Owen said standing up and trying to clear his thoughts. Myra and Peggy also got up and Owen launched himself into the air a second later. He was almost immediately able to see a cloud of smoke rising from the eastern side of the island. Landing on the ground, all he did was point and the three of them rushed in that direction.
They continued to fight through the grunts that blocked their path, but it was even easier as it seemed most of them had also been moving in the same direction. They were able to flank most of their enemies on their way. A second blast of power had them moving even faster. The road opened into what looked like a parking lot and Malik stood in the center.
He was in a defensive position and Owen winced when they saw him. He was missing his left leg and his left arm past the elbow. He still looked determined, but he was surrounded by dozens of enemies, with three seemingly leading the charge. "What are their levels?" Owen asked in a whisper and Myra answered quietly. "The three keeping him back are all above level 120." Owen nodded. "What about you guys, can you fight still?" Myra wavered her hand back and forth. "I can help with support, but I put everything into killing the asshole that shot you."
He beamed at her, then nodded. "Try to see if there are any more of those cannons nearby. Peggy you focus on clearing out these grunts. I'll help out, but my focus is going to be on making an exit path for Malik." Both women nodded and Owen grinned. "We are in the home stretch now." A part of him had wanted to just get rid of the domain then and there, but he had seen how tired Myra and Peggy were. They hadn't been in a state to stop anyone from interrupting, plus he hadn't wanted to finish without Malik nearby. He was part of the reason all of this had been possible.
With a burst of chaos powering him forwards, he created several long lances of chaos that shot through large swathes of enemies. Two of the three that had been focused on Malik turned to attack, but he had been expecting it. His bracers turned into his two handed greatsword and he swung with all his power. Imbuing his weapon with chaos, it practically exploded with the burst of power and despite its resistance, he could tell the weapon was reaching its limits.
Despite that, his sword clashed with the first ones weapon and anyone not braced was knocked to the ground. Malik had thankfully been expecting it and wasn't made vulnerable, the only one who wasn't had been expecting the blast was grunts and the one who had blocked his strike. The large man who had blocked the blow opened his eyes wide. "A fifteenth regressor!" he said in surprise. Owen laughed and it was echoed by Malik who had made his own move in the confusion. "I thought the same thing at first." Malik said.
The enemies response was too slow and one of his legs was cut of at the knee. He swung to attack Malik, but Owen had already followed up the strike. In a single sweep of his sword, the largest man's head feel to the ground. Owen stood back to back now and looked out at the recovering enemies. "At least he had the good grace to die quietly," One of the woman said. Owen recognized her as one of the three that had ganged up on Malik earlier. "I can't imagine that would be the same for the cock sucking Curtis." She continued and Owen looked at her directly. "Surprisingly, he did die quietly, otherwise you'd already know about it." Owen responded.
The woman narrowed her eyes at him, but after a couple seconds they opened wide in surprise. "He's actually dead..." She said and the other woman rushed to check something as well. The second woman cursed and their lax attitude was instantly replaced. "Boo." Malik said and Owen let himself laugh when several people actually jumped back. Several more seconds passed in silence as each group squared each other up.
The woman were the first to move one of them jumping back and loosing several shots from a pistol she was carrying. The other dashed forwards swinging two separate short swords in complex patterns. Malik instantly took on both. Despite missing both a leg and arm, his balance and battle prowess seemed to barely be affected as attacks were deflected and returned in rapid speed.
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Owen focused on the crowd, as elements began raining down on them form Peggy's assist. Owen felt a sense of danger growing, but in the next moment it disappeared and he silently thanked Myra. With everyone's attention being diverted by Peggy's attacks, he swung his sword forward and a splash of chaos flung from it, thick and like paint as it flung through the air.
Screams immediately filled the air as the chaos equally eroded or created tumor like growths across the initiates bodies. He continued a flurry of attacks, before turning his attention to the gun wielding regressor. She was fast and able to easily create distance, but Owen was relentless. Just as he thought she was about to get away, an orb of water larger than he was intercepted her path. Her momentum was enough she started to be carried through, but Peggy quickly flash froze the orb. It only took one slice of Owen's sword after that.
He turned to see if Malik needed help but he stared in awe as the two fought. Despite missing limbs, the woman wasn't able to find any opening in his defense. Each one of his attacks forced her to respond defensively. Owen cringed back when he saw her defense slip for less than a second. She was barely too slow to defend against an attack. The next several swings of Malik's blade pushed his advantage until both of her short swords were pushed to far away to block in time.
All of them were left panting, with sweat rolling down their faces. Peggy made her way to Malik, who guided her on how to heal him. Myra joined not long later and the four practically collapsed on the ground in exhaustion. "Almost done," Malik said, looking more wrung out than Owen had ever seen him. His arm had been grown back, but his leg was still in the process of being healed. Owen nodded and glanced back towards the middle of the island. "Almost done," he murmured as well.
They spent another hour or so focused on resting as each of them was fairly confident that all of the enemies on the island had been cleared out. They slowly started their hike back towards the center of the island. It didn't take them very long, though it still grated on all of Owen's nerves. He had done it.
He had actually done it. A part of him was thrilled and the other had him staring longingly at each of his friends. He wished Briar and Lucas were there, but they were off doing their own thing. They made it to the building that stood in the center and he stared at the karmic threads that hung in the air, looking thicker and more powerful than any of the others.
"Guys," he felt tears welling up in his eyes, even if they were absorbed before anyone else could see them. It was the first time since the tutorial that he had felt truly lost. Each of them turned to him and he felt his words catch in his throat. It took him several seconds to actually begin speaking, but once he did, words came pouring out like a flood.
"You all mean so much too me. Before the system I felt like I was worth less than nothing and the first time in my life I decided to fight for myself, I lost my job and it felt like I lost everything else with it. When the system arrived, it was my second chance at life." His words caught again, but he forced himself to continue. "Peggy, you're a true friend. Every moment has been a blast and you made me feel like I was worth something. Like I could actually be a friend."
His vision got hazy when he fully turned to Myra. "You are so precious and worth everything to me. You made life worth living and made me feel like a main character. You gave me something to fight for. And even when I am choosing to do something so selfish, you have still been there with me every step of the way." He gave her his best smile. "I love you so so much. If there is a way to come back from this, I'll do it, even if it takes..." Before the last word could leave his mouth, someone else's words filled the air.
"Even if it takes fighting a god?" The whole world seemed to shudder and freeze. An impossible being stepped through nothing and directly in front of Owen. He didn't recognize it, but it looked like an odd amalgamation of limbs and other bodies. Just looking at it, made his core shudder and strain and he had to force himself to look away.
"I'm breaking a lost of rules by coming here with my power active. So, be honored and KNEEL." The world shuddered again and Owen along with each of his friends collapsed into the ground. They were slowly forced to kneel against their will and Owen watched in fear as even the trees in the forest surrounding them seemed to be made to kneel.
"No brave words?" The voice drawled, while staring directly at Owen. Owen tried to look up, but it was like his head was being held down by the sky itself. "I'm your enemy aren't I? Killed your dad and work friend, am I ringing a bell?" Owen's eyes opened and despite not being able to look at the being in front of him, he knew.
"You're Envy," he tried spitting the words, but it was like his mouth was zipped shut. "So, you do know who I am, excellent." Owen saw a foot with what looked like hundreds of toes suddenly come up and struck him in the face. Owen couldn't breathe as the worst pain he had ever felt rocked through him. He hadn't been moved even an inch, as Envy's will still held him in place. "You have ruined so much for me, more than you could ever know."
"You could say I'm here for my own revenge." Owen felt his head being pulled up. He instantly let out a scream as Envy casually walked towards Myra. "You love her so much don't you? Let's see how much of her I have to take, before that love disappears." Envy let out a cackle and dragged against Myra's face.
A thick line of blood formed and time seemed to freeze as Owen saw Envy reaching for the skin to pull. Something broke inside of him and he completely released his control over his body. What did it matter if he died, what was even the point if Myra was taken from him. He couldn't let it happen. No, he wouldn't let it happen. Envy turned in surprise as the restraints holding Owen in place shattered. A look of amusement flashed across Envy's face as he fully turned towards Owen. "Time for a last stand? Think I'll kill you before I have the chance to harm your friends?" Envy taunted.
Owen reach a hand out towards the karmic threads and clawed his hand forwards. He was more than a hundred meters from where he could see them, but even so an apparition of his hand appeared, entirely made of chaos. Envy was suddenly gone and Owen glanced around for a second, before he spotted the building flying into the distance. It should've been well out of his range, but he was done. Even if it killed him, he would ruin Envy, in every way he could.
He felt his hands close around the threads and he tore his hand forward once more. The world actually froze this time. Even Envy was frozen in place in the far distance. Owen was fairly certain that they had broken past the atmosphere, but even so, he felt chaos wreak havoc and slowly begin eroding their connection to Envy.
Even as a wave of chaos came crashing down towards him, Owen didn't release his grip on the threads, until he felt the last one of them break. The chaos hit him in the next second and the entire world was washed away with it.