Sero had never been so relieved to see the Deathwalker coming to his aid. Madison's appearance had bought him a brief reprieve from Crom Cruach's onslaught. Her voice was a mix of annoyance and concern, her eyes trained on the banished god.
"Oh? Another Ascendant, come to die?" Crom Cruach said with a wicked amusement. He didn't seem to be fazed or concerned by the Janitor's appearance.
Madison rolled her eyes, a plethora of syringes appearing in between her fingers. "My Class might be the Deathwalker, but ain't nobody dyin' here. Cept for you, of course."
As she tensed, she gave a quick glance to Sero.
"Sweetheart, I've heard how strong you are. I'll do my best to back you up, but in my opinion, I gotta strong feeling this fella's too much for the both of us." Madison quietly said to him. "I made an entrance behind us to save your butt, so maybe we can go back through there. The rest'll be coming soon, so we just hafta hold out till then."
Sero tightened his fists, wanting to agree with Madison, but also not wanting the chance to give up on Dr. Malek, despite the latter having succumbed to Crom Cruach. There had to be a chance that the doctor's mind was still intact, and subsequently, knowledge of the locations of the other Culling Pillars.
"I know we just met a few days ago, but I need you to trust me," Sero replied as he stepped up next to Madison. "I think you already realize that his body's crumbling from that power, so he'll be destroyed pretty soon. Before that happens, I need to extract some information from him."
The Deathwalker finally turned her gaze away from the banished god to look at Sero in disbelief. She opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it upon seeing the slightly demented determination in Sero's eyes.
"...Alright, sweetheart. But just so you know, I'm fixin' to leave the moment things get dicey, so you'll be on your own."
"That's okay," Sero agreed, "Just show me some of your skills beforehand."
Whether or not Madison was going to accept, Sero wouldn't know as Crom Cruach threw out a mass of dark green shadows at them. He quickly dodged the attack, instinctively feeling that he would be annihilated if the shadows even brushed him. As he moved, he caught sight of a golden syringe flying towards him, but didn't dodge it, copying the skill as 'Adrenaline'.
The syringe hit his chest, and Sero could feel the power of Madison's Adrenaline skill surging through his veins. His heart raced, his senses sharpened, and his body filled with an unfamiliar energy. It was as if he had downed a dozen energy drinks at once, minus the jitters.
He could sense a Recovery spell on him, followed by the sight of another golden syringe flying towards him. He gasped as he felt all of his mana and strength return to him, copying that skill as 'Restore'.
"That's all the useful skills I can use on you, sweetheart!" Madison yelled as she deftly dodged more shadowy blasts. "Don't you go dying on me now, you hear?"
"I've got too much to be thinking about doing that," Sero muttered under his breath, summoning his entire familiar roster. The twin dragons, Sting and face cards, and finally his spectral reptilian army came forth, rushing to take the brunt of Crom Cruach's attacks. The banished god cackled with malicious glee, as if he enjoyed fighting and wasn't concerned at all.
Gritting his teeth, Sero focused, mimicking the same hand gestures he copied from Dante as he summoned a Carnal Seven. Instead of Wrath, a different sin exploded from the green light that emitted from Crom Cruach.
It was tall and slender, with multiple tendrils that whipped around. Eyes were dotted all over the dark jade flesh of the creature, pointed towards Crom Cruach. It was a creature of Lust, and its very presence made the air thick with a seductive energy. Madison’s eyes went wide with shock, but the banished god seemed to smile even wider.
"Ah, an avatar of the deadly sins. How quaint." Crom Cruach's voice echoed through the basement, his amusement clear. The creature of Lust let out a low growl, its tendrils snaking towards the banished god.
Of course, Sero knew that the creature wouldn't last long against the god, but it might serve as a distraction. He just needed enough time to try and access Dr. Malek's subconscious, if it still existed within Crom Cruach's. The rest of Sero's familiars joined the sin of Lust in battling against the banished god, but it was quickly apparent just how enormous the power gap was.
With the creature of Lust and his other familiars holding Crom Cruach's attention, Sero took a deep breath and tried to focus. He had to figure out a way to enter the banished god’s subconscious without getting killed in the process. He had a strong feeling that even a combination of Dominate and Mind Search wouldn't be enough to subdue the god, so Sero racked his brain for anything he could do to momentarily distract possibly the strongest being he had ever faced.
As Crom Cruach easily blew away the Lust sin along with half of his spectral reptilian army with one wave of a hand, Sero came up with the most idiotic idea in his life.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself, and then with a roar, Sero charged directly at Crom Cruach. Madison's eyes widened in shock and she opened her mouth to yell something, but the banished god's laughter drowned out her voice.
"What a bold, yet foolish move," Crom Cruach said, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and malice as Sero sprinted towards him. The banished god's form grew more monstrous, the doctor's body distorting and stretching into a nightmarish visage that seemed to be a mix of decay and dark beauty.
Sero leapt up into the air, conjuring the Jury axe and Order staff, bringing both of the impossibly heavy weapons down on the banished god. Crom Cruach simply laughed, not bothering to dodge. Instead, he raised his hands, catching both of the weapons with ease.
With the first step of his plan completed, Sero casted Hellspark, covering his body in demonic lightning that arced around him like a living storm. The creature of Lust's tendrils had wrapped around Crom Cruach's arms, giving Sero the opportunity he needed. He knew the creature wouldn't last long, but it had served its purpose.
The Hellspark raced across the weapons, assaulting Crom Cruach. Whether or not it actually affected him, Sero didn't know, as the banished god simply threw his head back and laughed, his eyes never leaving Sero's. He knew this wasn't a fight he could win on his own, even with Madison supporting him. But then again, he wasn't focused on winning.
Before Crom Cruach could figure out his plan, Sero immediately casted a Repel, sending the banished god flying backwards as he slipped in a Charm in the mix. Sero followed after the god, powering up a Dominate and Mind Search as much as he could before firing at him.
The Charm hit its mark, and for a brief moment, Crom Cruach's eyes glazed over. Madison took this opportunity to unleash a barrage of golden syringes, each one filled with a mysterious, colorful cocktail. "I don't know what your plan is or if this'll work, sweetheart, but let's give it a shot!"
"Oh, nice," Sero thought as he copied the skill 'Sedation'. With the amount that Madison had administered to the banished god, Sero figured he had at least 5 minutes, if even, to delve into what was left of Dr. Malek's mind.
His world went dark as Sero's subconscious entered the momentarily stunned but still grinning Crom Cruach's mind. The chaos of the battlefield outside faded away, replaced by a serene, yet eerie mental landscape. Different from the initial vast darkness from before, Sero found himself in a library, the shelves stretching infinitely into the horizon.
"What the..." Sero shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. He couldn't get distracted by every little thing. The most important goal right now was to find any traces of Dr. Malek's memories regarding the locations of any and all Culling members.
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He searched through the shelves, each book a memory of the doctor. He pulled one out, dust flying around him as he cracked open the pages. Unfortunately, they were blank, the memories likely erased by Crom Cruach's dominance. Sero gritted his teeth, knowing that time was running out.
He ventured deeper within the library labyrinth, acutely aware that the entire world was slowly crumbling, probably due to the banished god's intense influence. Sero would have to escape the realm before it completely disintegrated, lest his consciousness fade away along with Dr. Malek's.
The books grew more numerous and the air grew thicker with each step. It was like trying to navigate through a jungle of forgotten thoughts and lost dreams. The occasional tremor from outside the mental realm reminded Sero of the ticking clock. He had to find something, anything, before Crom Cruach regained his composure.
Then, something caught his eye. Rather, it was three glowing tomes up in the distance.
"I guess that's what's left of Dr. Malek's mind," Sero murmured to himself, making a beeline towards the light. The tremors grew more frequent and the shelves started to wobble as the sedative effects of Madison's syringes began to wear off.
He drew closer, his heart pounding in his chest. The tomes were suspended in the air, each one emanating a soft, pulsing light—and an associated memory.
The first one contained images of people Sero didn't recognize, but they wore the garb of Culling members. That was probably the one he needed.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Sero reached out to grab the tome- then hesitated. His eyes caught sight of the images the other two tomes were displaying, making his heart drop.
The one on the right of the center tome had memories of his father, from his first admission to the hospital up until his last moments. The one on the left had memories of a woman, someone he didn't think he'd see ever again. His mother.
Frozen in shock, Sero didn't realize that the mind space was crumbling faster, the destruction rumbling right towards him.
"Fuck!" Sero exclaimed as he realized his mistake. The sedative was wearing off and Crom Cruach was about to regain control. He had to move quickly.
As he pulled the center tome towards him, Sero gasped as he felt the weight of the memories. It was then that he realized he could only escape with one tome.
Despite the urgency of the situation, Sero had to think. Here was his only chance to gain information about the whereabouts of key Culling members. But there were memories of his mother and father as well. Memories he wasn't aware of, something he could take and remember them by.
Sero clicked his tongue and heaved a heavy sigh as he watched the imminent destruction come crashing upon him.
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Madison watched as Sero seemed to enter a trance, mirroring the same expression as Crom Cruach. She had no idea what had just happened, but all she knew was that the chaos had paused, if only temporary.
She wasn't sure what to do, so she continued to inject the man Sero was fighting with Sedation needles. Unfortunately, even as Madison rapidly increased the amount of sedatives, Crom Cruach remained unfazed. The creature’s form grew more monstrous with each shot, his skin thickening and stretching over his bones, turning into something that no longer resembled human. It seemed as though whatever malevolent energy he possessed was corroding Dr. Malek's body from the inside out.
"Sweetheart, I hope you know what you're doing," she murmured as she tried to keep the evil god under for as long as possible.
The half of Sero's army that remained tried their best to help Madison restrain Crom Cruach, but their efforts were futile against the banished god's might. Madison's heart raced as she saw the monstrous form growing larger, the room feeling as if it was closing in around them.
Just as it seemed as though the banished god was about to awaken, Sero let out a gasp and fell back from Crom Cruach.
"Good lord!" Madison exclaimed, catching Sero as he stumbled back, the haze of the battle dissipating around them. "What the hell did you do?"
"I... had to give up my parents again," Sero mumbled, the weight of his decision apparent in his voice. He looked at Madison, his eyes haunted. "But I got what we needed. I know where the Culling members are."
Before Madison could question what he meant by his first statement, the two of them heard a sinister chuckle. Crom Cruach's eyes snapped open, and his body began to contort and expand, his human form ripping at the seams as he grew into something monstrous. The air grew thick with the stench of decay and power as the ripples of pressure emanating from the banished god shredded through the weakest of Sero's familiars, leaving only the Lust sin, Moss, Lime, and Sting.
"It was a good effort, keeping me sedated long enough to probe around and do whatever it is you needed in the remains of this mortal's mind," Crom Cruach spoke with a disturbing calmness, his new form dwarfing the two of them. The creature's eyes burned with a green flame, the very essence of malice made manifest. "But as amusing as this has been, I have a limited amount of time before this vessel crumbles. As such, I need to wreak as much havoc as possible."
The basement shook as the banished god flexed his newfound form, the concrete cracking under his monstrous weight. Madison took a step back, her hands glowing with silver mana. "Sweetheart, this is right around the time that I'm going to hafta exit."
Sero, mentally exhausted from his journey into the desolate mind realm of Dr. Malek, couldn't agree more. The only problem was, after depleting all of his energy and resources, coupled with the second wind that Madison had given him wearing off, he could barely muster the strength to run away.
His body was already at its limit, unable to contain any more powers like a cup with multiple leaks. Sero thought he took a step forward, only to find himself stumbling.
"Uh-oh..." he mumbled, quickly realizing what little options he had left. He turned to the Deathwalker, mustering up a small smile. "Hey, don't worry about me and run away."
Madison stared at him incredulously. "What the hell are you planning to do?"
"Honestly, even if I had the strength, I can't really do anything at this point," Sero admitted, wobbling in place. "I'm not even sure if I can buy enough time for you to get out of here and warn the others, but I'll try my best."
"Listen sweetheart, as much as I'd love to take you up on that offer, I'm not about to leave you to face this monster alone," Madison said with a firmness in her voice that left no room for argument. Her eyes searched the room, looking for any way they could escape together. "I took an oath to protect and save lives, even when that very life I'm tryin' to save is making stupid choices."
Sero felt a warmth in his chest, despite the cold sweat that covered his body. He had made his choice, and Madison had made hers. They were in this together, and she was right—there was no way he could fight Crom Cruach in his current state.
That wasn't to say that having Madison to help would even change anything. Crom Cruach was already beginning to move again, the Sedation wearing off like a fog dissipating in the wind. The creature of Lust roared and charged at the evil god, but was easily swiped away like a pesky fly.
Moss and Lime growled, standing guard in front of the two while Sting brandished her rapier. Sero was thankful to have them as well, but it was only a slight comfort against the power of a banished god. Madison’s hands glowed with silver mana as she prepared some more attacks.
"...Havin' said that, do you have any ideas?" Madison asked, her voice tight with tension.
Sero could only laugh in response. "Nope."
He looked at his trembling hands and took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts in his mind. This was far beyond anything he had ever faced before, and he managed to survive against powerful enemies he thought would end him in a snap. Hell, he'd take fighting Apep again instead of a fragment of an evil god.
Said evil god stepped forward, the malice radiating off him growing stronger with every second. Sero felt his heart thumping in his chest like a bass drum at a heavy metal concert, desperately trying to gather the strength to move.
"I must say, I'm quite bored at what you two had to offer me," Crom Cruach sneered, the very air around them growing colder. His eyes, once a piercing green, had turned into a void that seemed to swallow all light. "Almost makes me irritated that I wasted my time on such vermin."
Black energy crackled towards the evil god, covering the room in a thick shroud of darkness that obscured everything from sight. Sero could feel Madison dragging him away as his familiars stood to protect them. But it was futile.
Crom Cruach launched the energy at his familiars, who braced themselves for the impact. Sero felt a pang of fear and pain, not only for his own safety but for Moss, Lime, and Sting, who were fighting for his cause despite being mere summons. The room was filled with a deafening silence as the energy collided with the creatures, a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity.
Then, a shockwave erupted from the point of impact, sending Madison and Sero sprawling across the floor. The darkness receded, revealing a leveled basement with the remains of his familiars scattered across the space. Sero’s chest tightened as he saw their lifeless forms. Despite being mere constructs of his magic, their sacrifice hit him hard.
However, he didn't have time to mourn their temporary loss as Crom Cruach charged up another attack, instantaneously firing it at them. Madison could only throw herself in the path of the attack to protect Sero. "Madison, no!" he shouted.
A giant spectral violet sword slammed down in front of them, blocking the evil god's attack. The tremendous force of the collision sent shockwaves through the room, knocking over what was left of the shelves and debris. Sero's eyes widened in astonishment as he saw the figure standing behind the sword.
Perhaps it was due to Crom Cruach's overwhelming aura, but Sero became aware of several other presences that flooded the room. Two streaks of red and silver dashed towards the banished god as a couple of hands lifted him up to his feet.
"Glad we made it in time," Gregor rumbled as his sword dissipated, "Though I see you've had quite the party without us."
The sudden relief that washed over Sero rendered him unconscious, but not before he saw the rest of the Janitors engage in combat with Crom Cruach.