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World Kings Part Two: Freedom
Chapter 4: Campana part 2

Chapter 4: Campana part 2

Mul used the dull orange glow that seeped through the cracks in the stone to search for an exit. He went over the room twice but found no door. "How did I get in here?" He said to himself. From outside the temple walls multiple eerie wails filled the chamber with their woeful tone. Before Mul could react the cries were silenced by the ringing of the large bell that hung atop the altar. Mul focused his attention on the bell as the reverberations halted suddenly. A tar-like substance dripped on the stone altar from inside the bell. A long, muscular, arm covered in black matted fur reached out from the bell. It shattered the already cracked stone as it made contact. "Hmph," Mul scoffed. He rested his hand on the hilt of his blade which caused a gentle breeze to stir in the previously stagnant chamber. Two mangled, twisted arms slithered from the bell. They were thinner than the first. The bones cracked and popped as they bent unnaturally upwards and gripped the bell on both sides. A pair of muscular legs covered in more matted black fur emerged from the bell as if it hopped down for a higher footing. The stone altar partially collapsed under the weight of the creature. It lifted the bell revealing the rest of its grotesque body. Black fur covered its back. Brown leathery skin stretched across its abdomen. The two mangled arms secured the bell to the beast's back. A black putrid tar dripped from its maw filled with dagger-like teeth. Its orange dinner plate sized eyes individually surveyed the room. When it spotted Mul it let out a wretched shriek. Before the creature could finish its scream, in one fluid motion Mul drew his blade, sprung forward and plunged Eurus Into the beast's side. Mul smirked as the creature cried out in pain. He then pulled the blade out of its side. A burst of air shot from the open wound and propelled the creature through the temple walls.

Outside Oya watched Thanata pluck soul wisps from the air and stuff them in her satchel. Thanata would periodically glance at Oya curiously. "What?" Oya asked. "Oh, it's just this is the only time I've seen you this young. You change a lot as you get older." Thanata noticed Oya's puzzled expression. "Oh right I always forget. Time isn't linear for me like it is for you. Well at least it is for you now." Oya began to respond but was interrupted by a loud crash as a giant bell erupted from inside the temple and crashed near them. Mul leaped out of the hole in the temple and landed next to Oya. "Oya get ready." "Get ready for what?" Oya's attention turned to the bell as a low growl came from it. The creature once again crawled out from inside it. "Wh-what is that?" Mul didn't bother to answer. "Formation C" Oya didn't take her eyes off the creature. "Oya!" Mul's voice startled her into action. Oya positioned herself behind Mul, her eyes once again glowing violet. Mul swiped his sword across the ground. The wind picked up and swirled dust and stone around them masking their presence. "Go." Oya shot into the dust cloud and began to circle the creature periodically shocking it with electricity without ever getting too close. The creature's eyes moved erratically trying to ascertain Oya's position. Every time it raised its grotesque arm to swing at her, a sharp gust of wind shot from outside the dust cloud and sliced it. Fed up with this, the creature lifted the bell off its back, pointed forward and rang it. The burst of sound disrupted the swirling air blowing the dust cloud away. Oya stopped when her cover vanished. The creature noticed her and went for her. Oya scowled as the creature reared back to swipe at her. Mul stood off to the side to observe. The creature's arm, which was double Oya's size, swung at her but Oya caught it. Her touch sending an electric current through the creature's body. Unable to pull itself free from the child, it once again shifted the bell's position, this time it pointed at Oya.

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The roaring of thunder dragged the villagers out of their homes. Flashes of lightning illuminated the sky over the area the ruins occupied. The villagers, painted with concerned faces rushed over towards the ruins. Multiple rings of the bell filled the night air, each followed by explosions. Bolts of lightning rattled the ground with thunder as the villagers exited the tree line. Their jaws dropped at the sight they beheld. Oya's breaths were heavy as she stood amongst the smoldering remains of the temple. Her clothes in shreds, she wiped away the sweat and blood that dripped from her forehead before it got in her eyes. In her left hand she gripped one of the creature's mangled arms that held the bell in place on its back. The creature kneeled down a few meters away from her. Black tar dripped from the socket where its eye had been gouged out. Mul stood atop a nearby wall. Only he noticed the villagers enter the tree line. "Oya!" Mul called out. "Destroy the bell and end this." Oya glared at him and then the creature. She tossed the creature's arm away to prepare for her attack. As she did she noticed the spirit of the man they came to find wandering the perimeter of the ruins. She watched as Thanata floated down and plucked a wisp from the spirit which dispersed the rest of its ethereal form. Oya realized what a waste of time all this had been which angered her more. She held her palm up in front of her and a bolt of lightning rained down from the sky. The electricity pooled in an orb shape right above her hand. The energy condensed into a shining sphere of blue light. The creature let out a paid bellow, but Oya paid it no mind. She fired the ball of light as a beam that pierced the bell shattering it. The beam also pierced a line of trees behind the creature, and two of the village's cottages. A loud rumble of thunder shook the area as the light faded. As the pieces of the bell fell to the ground, the creature's body melted into the black tar substance that oozed out of its opened wounds. Mul smirked at his ward's victory. Exhausted, Oya collapsed. "Oya...Oya! Wake up." Thanata nudged Oya until her eyes opened. She sat up wearily. "What's going on?" Oya groaned. "You killed that monster. You were so cool." Thanata gleefully skipped around Oya who was still sitting on the ground. "And then your friend killed all the villagers. It took me a while to collect all their souls." Oya's eyes grew wide. "Why would he do that? " "Oh, ummm something about them purposely feeding people to that bell and they intended to do the same with you two annnd, Uhhh I don't know, I wasn't listening." Oya shook her head in confusion. "Where did he go? Can you tell me?" Thanata giggled "He's right here silly, open your eyes already." Thanata flicked Oya on her forehead. Oya's eyes slowly opened to find Mul carrying her on his back. He smiled at her when he noticed her wake. It was rare to see him smile at all. "You did good Oya, get some rest." Oya smiled back and quickly fell back to sleep as the village burned to the ground behind her.