"An echo... the drops keep falling, unending... an infernal symphony. No name, no identity. The drops are made of blood... running down my face... this blood belongs to me... I shed it. I am the monster who did all of this. Every action of mine led to this. These deaths belong to me; I am the true demon here. From the very beginning, I was already destroying this world."
Tink...
Another drop fell into that immeasurable void. The blood swallowed everything: acidic, comfortable. A journey through her mind, through her past. That which made you this way.
— "Now, now... truly, it is a moving story... hahah... I see, so this is what made you such a valuable specimen, right?"
In the midst of that void filled with dense and dark crimson blood:
— "Truly, you are the most splendid figure I have brought here in years!!! Perhaps in my entire life, I have never had the fascination of bringing such a magnificent specimen!!!"
A figure with wings made of glass, reeking of a foul stench of blood, flew freely through all that space. Crystallized blood; his body contorted alongside his own fascination. His flight was graceful; he laughed to himself, for he had just witnessed something that left him stunned, speechless.
— "YOU ARE INCREDIBLE!!! HAHAHAHA!!!"
And at the center of his flight, a figure floated without pattern; her limbs seemed disconnected from her body. She floated like a corpse in a river. Saliva dripped from her lips; her eyes, empty. That soul, at that moment, was not there.
— "HAHAHAHAH!!!! YES, YOU ARE TRULY INCREDIBLE, MANA REIXYS!!!"
The tragic research room: a dome of blood emerged from an abnormally cruel SanctBlood. From the outside, it resembled a dome made of Camelius Lothin's blood; a medium-sized space that could hold six people at most. A violent red, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.
But inside that simple dome of blood, a dimension apart existed. Abnormal, an immeasurable void, red. The blood invaded the victim and seized their consciousness, their mind. Cruel, inhuman; there, Camelius was untouchable, like a god.
— "Ah, yes... you are still in a complete trance, aren't you? Traveling through your memories... your tragic memories... your father, your mentor... Kameliel... even that fucking Executor... hahah... what beautiful figures have passed through your life, Mana Reixys! I almost feel envious..."
His melodic voice echoed throughout that void. Mana did not hear it; in her mind, there were only echoes. A life already gone, a reality once promised, now totally drowned in blood—both innocent and otherwise.
An entire lifetime passing before her eyes. Blood on her hands, on her face. But beyond all that... something pulled at her mind.
— "Mana... please, listen to me."
Words spoken before his departure, something she did not want to forget. Her mind was not empty. Ever since she was swallowed by that blood, it had not been empty for a single moment.
— "Hah... well, I guess you won't be coming out of that trance... I judged that your mind would be strong enough to resist my SanctBlood at least a little... but I suppose I was too hasty... hah... yes, Mana Reixys... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I OVERESTIMATED YOU TOO MUCH!!! YOUR MIND IS WEAK LIKE THE REST OF THEM WHO ENTER HERE. YOU'RE JUST A STUPID MONKEY!!! HAHAHAH—"
— "I... I still think I can remember..."
Mana's voice cut through his laughter. He stared and realized.
— "Yes... I can still remember..."
Her pupils had returned; she stared upward, immersed in her own mind. Perhaps daydreams, hallucinations—perhaps she wasn't even truly conscious. But the words came. Camelius watched, aghast, trying to understand the effect on her mind.
— "Hm... how... interesting..."
FASH!!!!
CRACK!!! TRUUUUM!!!!!
— "ARGHHHHH!!! DAMN IT!!!"
Outside that dome, another combat followed its course. Igyris once again failed miserably to keep up with Khaelis's totally abnormal speed.
FASHHHH!!!!
A clean, deep cut across his torso; blood sprayed outward.
SPLASH!!!
— "ARRGHH!!!"
Green flames soon covered the mortal wound caused by ShadowStorm. The flames danced around every fatal injury on Igyris's body. Blood splattered on the ground and immediately turned into smoke. The Cursed one panted before the noble Khaelis, who kept his posture firm, gripping his blade with a fist hard as stone. Igyris staggered back, finding himself once again cornered in that confrontation.
— "WHITE LIGHTNING OF THE DARK SKY!!!" — Khaelis roared with all his fury.
FASH!!! FASH!!! SLASSSHHHH!!!!!!! ____ SHIIIISHHH!!!! FASSSSH!!!!
— "ARGH, DAMN IT!!!"
In a second, three cuts appeared on Igyris's torso; an "X" formed and, like a bright bolt of lightning crossing a black sky, it broke that "X" with ferocity and brutal lethality. An invisible movement, only three silver flashes. And in that briefest of moments...
SCHIM!!!!!
The high-pitched sound, like a wire under pressure against a needle. In the brief moment the sound echoed, hundreds, even thousands of cuts and micro-cuts tore through Igyris's body. The silver lights blinded him, outshining his green flames. There wasn't even time to scream; his body couldn't keep up with the wounds. The flames moved violently as he stared at Khaelis, who still maintained his impenetrable stance.
BAQUE!
And before he realized it, his knees crashed violently against the floor. The glass reflected the defeated Igyris before the noble Khaelis.
— "Argh... You son of a bitch... why won't you just let me hit you, for fuck's sake..."
Igyris panted with pain, struggling to stay up. His flames covered his injuries in an attempt to replace the missing flesh. Khaelis's cold gaze pierced his soul.
— "Argh... damn it... Mana..."
Igyris turned his gaze toward the dome. In his deplorable state, logical reasoning quickly came to his mind: just like him, Mana was in trouble, swallowed by something Igyris had no idea of. A lost mission; for the first time since the previous incident with Khaelis, he could do nothing.
Baque!
He threw himself to the side, toward the dome. There was nothing more to be done there; the mission to recover the EdelGear had completely failed. His flames began to weaken. He tried to crawl.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
With a few steps, Khaelis stood in front of him once more. His gaze was still icy before the fragile wounded animal that Igyris was at that moment.
— "Argh... fuck! You really won't leave me alone, will you? Such a... argh... annoying prick..." — Igyris spoke with difficulty while staring at Khaelis with a defeated and agonizing face, trying to force a mocking smile. But it was useless.
— "Hmph... that sounds ironic coming from you, Cursed one! You, who do not die...
unlike you, I haven't been hit even once..." — Khaelis said in a calm, powerful voice, maintaining his total composure before certain victory.
— "Argh? You're fucking kidding me... what a prick... bragging in my face... suits you..."
— "Mocking? No... I am not mocking. It is not my nature; I simply maintain my composure and respect, even before someone of your ilk! I see you came to this place imagining it would be an easy mission... but that is not what you found. Reixys never stood a chance against Lothin, and you—"
— "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!!! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! Argh... argh..." — Igyris, in an unexpected fit of rage, interrupted Khaelis's contained monologue. — "What the fuck do you know... hah... actually, what the fuck do I know either... That girl... Mana, she has real reasons for this, unlike me and you! You and I... hah... rats sent by some higher head. Come on, or are you going to tell me you're one of those who actually has motivation?"
Khaelis still maintained his serene gaze.
— "Humph... Crusades, right? Motivation... that is what you speak of... We all have something like that, Cursed one. I believe Reixys has her motives. The lack of meaning or symbolism is what irritates me most; such was my upbringing." — Khaelis fluidly moved ShadowStorm upward, as if using it to paint in the air. — "I believe you came here without any idea of the kind of danger that awaited you. At least you... I cannot say that completely, since you killed the Executor, but truly, you did not think you'd find a greater danger in your minds... which must be a shock. For meeting me now makes you realize how far above that cyborg I am..."
Igyris clenched his fists, grinding his teeth violently. Those words made no sense.
— "Hahah... you really want to brag, don't you? How cute... you want a gold star?"
— "No... I do not seek to brag. I am simply pointing out that... I feel empathy for you, and even for your causes... You put yourselves in this horrible situation because you believe in your hearts in what you are doing... that makes me feel compassionate... and pity..."
Fury.
— "Because seeing you in this situation is tragic... Reixys suffered a lot, didn't she? And now, she is being subjugated for wanting her justice... perhaps she is even dead now... and that truly leaves me... sad... it is melancholy..."
Hatred.
— "As for you... you didn't even know what you were until a short while ago... a street amnesiac... cast out, carrying a malady so great it doesn't fit in your body... you have no idea what you've gotten into... no idea why you are this way... this truly seems sad to my eyes... do you know why? I know why I do what I do! I know well the reason I am here now! I know well my crusade! And for it... I will do anything... even use a demon like
you..."
His heart recognized an abyssal hatred for those words. Once more, it filled his empty heart with negativity. He forced his body; the flames returned to burn fiercely. The hatred in his heart blazed. And with a pulse, he stood once again before Khaelis.
— "Crusade, huh?..." — His voice distorted in an infernal, inhuman way. — "Yes... truly, I don't have a single bit of meaning... lives or deaths make no difference. I don't have a name, or anything... but... your words awakened a fury so immense... that I didn't even know I was capable of feeling! Hahah! I don't... it's as if you offended me, BUT I CANNOT BE OFFENDED BY ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD!!!"
Khaelis raised his guard once more.
— "That is good, Cursed one. Then you have at least the determination to plug that horrible, walking hole that you are!!! SO LET'S GO!!! SHOW ME YOUR DARK DETERMINATION!!!"
Translucent blades formed around Khaelis's entire body; his attack stance was unbreakable. He was going to attack again. Igyris burned like hell. His totally distorted gaze returned; his skin melted, his eyes turned black, taken over by a malignant green glow. A horrible smell arose.
— "HAHAHAHAHAH!!!! OK, OK!!! I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU LAUGH A LITTLE, YOU BASTARD!!!!"
His flames exploded. The two advanced toward each other. The distance was shortened in milliseconds. Khaelis closed the distance in less time, but Igyris wasn't far behind. The silver light was about to clash with the green flames, but before they could hit each other...
TROVOOOSSHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
A thunderclap. A violent purple lightning bolt destroyed and crushed everything with brutality. Khaelis and Igyris were brutally struck, crushed by the destruction. Glass shattered; the once-full corridors were consumed by the screams of the few who were still there witnessing the combat. That purple lightning burned, crushed, and disintegrated surfaces; it seemed to come from all sides. But before it even hit the debris and the pain penetrated his body, Khaelis recorded it with his eyes. He saw: that purple lightning came from two points. The now-crystallized dome cracked; through these cracks came violent purple storms. And the greatest catalyst of it all, still trapped and contained in the research seals: the EdelGear. Being destroyed one by one.
VONSH!!!!
Black cracks in purple tones crushed everything with uncontrolled tears.
CRACK!!!
The seals burned, consumed by the thunder. Khaelis's eyes widened, not just from the infernal pain, but because he recognized it.
TRUVUSSHHH!!!!!
Those purple thunderbolts were...
— "Argh... it can't be... I studied this girl before... Mana Reixys was born without even a spark of Arcane in her entire body... and this... the EdelGear... that cannon is reacting to a thick and highly unregulated wave of the Purple Flame! And it's not coming from me... this type of Purple Flame... is of a type so dense and firm that only one of the six noble families possesses... I've only seen this type of emanation once in my entire life. Her energy is like that guy's... Kameliel Reixys!... THAT MONSTER!!!"
TROOOVROSSHHHHHH!!!!!!!
The entire place was swallowed by a gigantic, destructive, and powerful purple energy coming from that cannon. The EdelGear, reacting to something familiar, had done that. Its failure, caused years ago by one of the members of the Blood Blades, came to light: brutal damage to its stone and body. And that purple energy reacting in a familiar way. And this reaction was the cause of so much destruction. And there, agonizing, wounded, and buried under mirrors and concrete, the noble Khaelis could only think and say one thing:
— "Argh... these Reixys... they are cursed!... We Kaiwens do not have SanctBlood in our genetic heritage... however, we are born combatants with a refined Purple Flame... Over years, we perfected our melee and armed combat, and created our lethality in it... deadly attacks aimed at ending the fight as quickly as possible, with the aid of weapons enchanted with the purest and most refined Noble Arcane granted by the Purple Flame... argh... we created powerful weapons that destroy SanctBlood users as if they were dead pieces of meat... we aim for vital points like the heart and neck, the common weak point of a SanctBlood user since the power is extremely dependent on blood... cough cough... argh... damn it... before they even activate their final SanctBlood techniques, the fight is over..."
Khaelis bled on the ground. Something made him uneasy.
— "That is how we, the Kaiwens, stand out: precise and lethal attacks with the help of refined weapons. And the most powerful of House Kaiwen is in my hands... the ShadowStorm... the greatest treasure of House Kaiwen... I can destroy the heart and neck of a SanctBlood user in milliseconds... but... less than one..."
The image of someone came to his mind. A terrifying image. Deep and piercing eyes, as if they were made of glass. Bluish hair slicked back in a dead and strangely neat yet messy tone. An outfit full of honors and prestige. And what was most striking: a large scar that crossed his entire face, caused by a simple bread knife.
— "That guy... that damn Reixys... behind the Arcann-El... the most powerful being I have ever seen in my entire life... argh... that damn man... the only SanctBlood user I know I could not defeat... perhaps not even reach his throat! The damn... Kameliel Reixys!"
Crack! Crack!
Khaelis continued agonizing, recalling the face of that damn, terrifying man—the one who represented the ultimate authority of the Reixys. The one who kept House Reixys above all Houses in terms of power. An immeasurable monster, who was perhaps only second to the anti-natural Arcann-El. And it was terrifying: so much power in the hands of damn lunatics, always generating one more tragic product, similar to Mana Reixys.
Crack! Crack!
But those sounds broke his train of thought.
He noticed the unconscious Igyris beside him. And in front of him, the purple thunder calmed. He saw the EdelGear levitating amidst the seals, charged with immense, potent purple energy, as if it were about to fire. And in the center of it all, the dome of blood generated by Camelius Lothin's SanctBlood. Completely crystallized, losing its bright crimson color, cracking, falling apart, shattering as if it were dead. It no longer reflected like glass; it was extinguished. And through the cracks, the purple glow appeared. And then....
Vomshn....
— "But what?..."
Khaelis turned toward the EdelGear, which emanated that pulsing energy, emitting a sound.
VOMSHMMM!!!!
— "It's not possible... it's going to...
Khaelis, understanding.
VOMSHMMM VHOMSSHMMM!!! VOOOSSSSHMMMMMM!!!!!!!
— "Fire..."
BOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!
A massive purple explosion consumed everything.
"DESTROY THIS ENTIRE WORLD. BE ITS MIRROR. THE REFLECTION OF THIS HORRIBLE WORLD. DESTROY EVERYTHING!!!"
Tung... Ping... CRACK!!!
In the depths of the blood void, the crimson drop touched a liquid surface that did not wet. And it cracked.
— "But what... what did you say?..."
Camelius Lothin evaluated: the girl who previously floated without consciousness kept her eyes open, seeking to see something.
— "Honestly... I never searched my memories for what he had told me that day... what Naxes had said didn't matter to me... because I already knew very well what it was."
The girl floating in the void spoke to herself as she stared at a fixed point at the top of the dome.
— "He said... 'live your life... stay away from Naxel. Move on...' I think... that's why I never bothered searching for a real meaning in it... because it's not what I want... I'm so sorry, Father..."
Camelius felt a horrible premonition. That girl was not in a catatonic state; Mana Reixys had awakened. And she was more conscious than ever.
Vonsh...
He felt heat pass through his entire body; such energy was not from his dome. His dome was cold, lifeless; the air froze as it was released by the lungs. That energy came from the outside. But what could it be? Khaelis... no, his Arcane signature was different: silver, cold as steel, yet also hot as steel, spectral—that wasn't Khaelis. The Cursed one? No, from the little he had seen of Igyris, that didn't match. It was Arcane, dense, a totally unrefined wave; it expanded and accumulated, putting pressure on everything it touched. And the most important point: it was purple in color... Camelius's heart raced.
— "No—it can't be... it's the EdelGear... it's reacting to—"
A voice... Mana, now fully awake, looking at the same point, opened her mouth once more.
— "Naxes... I'm sorry... but I'm not going to do what you asked... I'm not going to forgive them, nor move on... I promise... for myself, and for all of you... Rocket... Marky... Norty... Zombieden... Annula... I'm going to destroy the world... that destroyed our world..."
Vonsh.... Voooshhh..... VOOOOONNNSHHHHH!!!!!!!
The bells of her vengeance ring out. There, once again in years, it arises:
DARK DETERMINATION!!!!!!!!
— "I WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING!!!!"
That sensation returned. As she shouted, Mana turned and, with blood in her eyes, looked directly at Camelius Lothin.
— "Argh... what the hell are you???!!?"
He felt something hit him with everything.
VROOSHHMMMM!!!!
Crushing him, burning him, pushing him, throwing him. A violent impact. The sensation was that every cell of his body was carbonizing.
CRAACK!!!!
Breaking and cracking could be heard; the dome was swallowed by that devastating impact. Torn to pieces, like that entire place. And before he could scream...
BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!
A devastating explosion swallowed everything in front of it. Camelius, Khaelis, Igyris, and even Mana, completely swallowed by an infinite and destructive purple glow. Everyone lost consciousness.
All except one.
— "Argh... what a fucking mess... That... argh... That filthy monkey... what did she do..."
After an undetermined time, Camelius woke up, destroyed. His body nearly carbonized, covered in horrible burns, severe bruises, and deep cuts. He blinked; his vision searched for something. He saw Igyris and Khaelis buried in the rubble, already unconscious. But looking toward the place where the EdelGear should have been sealed, something froze his heart, followed by an enormous tightness in his chest, absolute anxiety, hellish fear. That went totally against his beliefs. As if everything he believed in, as if the fact of being complete, was put into question. For what was in front of him went against everything he believed.
— "Argh... it can't be..."
His breath hitched... and the answer he received was a smile.
— "Hah... what's wrong? I don't get the surprise..."
That voice, before him, for the first time gave him doubt, fear. His survival instinct screamed: FLEE!!!
— "Don't tell me this goes against all the shit you talked... hah... I told you, asshole..."
He couldn't get a single word out before that. It was inconceivable; in his mind, in his heart, it was like hell itself.
— "Hard to believe, right?... you guys could barely understand how it works... but look at this, in the hands of a monkey like me... it's in full operation... hahah... I warned you, bastard... I did this... no... we did this... and now, it's going to blow your ass up!"
Before him, that damn primate, who didn't even emit Arcane, was handling in her hands the most fascinating thing his eyes had ever seen. And now...
— "Well... enough talking... LET'S START OVER!!!!"
The EdelGear was ready to fire!!! But the system doesn't go down easily... this is a declaration of war!
— "YOU DAMN WITCH!!! THIS ISN'T OVER YET!!!!"
Camelius moaned and screamed in pain as he saw Mana holding the divine work EdelGear in her hands. His body burned with hatred.
— "DIE, THAT'S ALL I FUCKING ASK."
He thrashed. Amidst the debris, his screams echoed, and like a cannon, he threw himself into the air with a devastating impulse.
— "POWER TO KILL YOU!!! FOR NOTHING IN THIS WORLD WILL I DENY IT!!!"
And in fury, his back burned, vibrating and distorting in a hellish heat.
— "ARGHHHH!!!!"
He screamed; his pain was clear. And with that pain, the mark on Mana's abdomen began to burn again. Her SanctBlood was active once more.
— "SANCTBLOOD!!!!: BLOOD OF ANGEL. REINCARNATION OF THE BLOOD PHOENIX. FLY FROM HELL, AND BE REBORN. LIKE A BLOOD OF THE ONE ANGEL!!!!!"
Mana's mark blazed and burned endlessly; she pressed her abdomen. The hellish pain consumed her body, her consciousness.
— "Argh... damn it... argh... his SanctBlood... has one more form..."
Even agonizing with the infernal pain, Mana squeezed the handle of the EdelGear, crushing her palms against it. She took a deep breath. It was all or nothing, now or never.
— "ARGHHH!!!! YES!!!! THIS IS MY TRUE FORM, THE SANCTBLOOD CAPABLE OF ASCENDING TO THE DIVINE RANK!!! KAIWEN OR ANY REIXYS ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO THIS!!! NOT EVEN THE HIGH GUARD OF THE GREAT COUNCILOR, BLOOD BLADES, OR EXECUTIVES!!! EVEN THE DIVINE ARCANN-EL I CAN REACH WITH THIS POWER!!! THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE ANGEL!!!"
Amidst Camelius Lothin's hallucinated daydreams, Mana's mark spread until it almost completely covered her abdomen; it wouldn't be long before it swallowed her torso. She handled the heavy EdelGear, spinning it in her hands, positioning it firmly over her left shoulder. Her concentration was at its peak. Eyes fixed on Camelius. Fingers pressed on the triggers; it was charging.
— "ARGHH, BURN, YOU PATHETIC PRIMATE!!! ARGHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Vrusss.... VRUSSSHHHHH!!!!
Along with Camelius's hellish scream of pain, blood exploded from his back, mouth, eyes, and nose. His spine was brutally destroyed by his own SanctBlood; that was the nature of Blood of Angel. Maximum modification, maximum testing, a totally inhuman power that aimed for perfection above all else. The blood that exploded quickly converted into an infernal tornado that came from all directions, and then...
PULSH!!!
The blood tornadoes exploded, completely swallowing Camelius's body. A shell of crystallized blood formed around his body and immediately began to crack.
Crack... crack... BOOM!!!
The crystallized blood exploded in all directions, revealing something terrifying. What was once Camelius Lothin had become a true infernal angel made of blood. Gigantic wings and tails, meters long. Talons formed on his hands and arms; a deformed face swallowed by crystallized blood like a helmet—a demon with horns and fangs. A halo of blood formed above his head. His torso was totally submerged in that crimson mass. Every part of his new body seemed to be composed entirely of that crystallized blood, and he seemed proud of it. And even in the face of all the pain and that horrendous new form, Mana kept her stance firm.
Because beyond that burning mark, the EdelGear glowed and burned with an intense light.
— "Hoho... what do you think of my new form, freak? It's perfect, isn't it?"
Camelius's voice sounded distorted; that thing was no longer human. It sought despair.
— "It's pretty ugly... argh... suits you!"
Mana and Camelius stared at each other. Mana was on the ground, knees down, the EdelGear positioned on her left shoulder, radiating that intense purple glow. Camelius was in the air, in full flight, preparing a brutal, certain attack. It was all or nothing, and there, only the one with the greatest determination would prevail.
— "Well... I've already extracted the most I could from you, trash... LET'S END THIS!!!"
Without waiting, Camelius was quickly swallowed by a devastating blood tornado that advanced rapidly toward Mana. The distance would be closed in an instant, and Mana's body would be destroyed in the attack, unless...
BLOOMMMM... VUSSHHHHH!!!!!!!
A purple, warm, comfortable glow completely swallowed Camelius's body. He couldn't see it coming; no one could.
Quickly, he felt every cell, every piece, every limb of his body disintegrate. The heat was pleasant. It dissolved his pain, his worries, his mind. And gradually, the body and consciousness of Camelius Lothin ceased to exist.
— "Argh... what a welcoming... what perfection... so this is true science... I wish I had delved deeper into this project... it's perfect... I... I... I wanted to be able to make something like this... I wanted to be like this... what a... brilliant mind... what... happy memories..."
Thus, his body dissolved: neither dust nor ashes. His existence was completely obliterated, erased, without leaving even a spark. By the EdelGear Heavens Xplorer. Which belonged to Mana Heavens Xplorer.
— "But what..."
A defeated and totally subjugated Igyris gradually regained consciousness. In his vision, he saw that purple beam crossing the sky. He saw the image of Camelius Lothin being totally swallowed and undone by that ray. It gradually dissipated, erasing everything in its path. He followed the thin line of that ray as it slowly disappeared. And there, in front of him, carrying the heavy EdelGear responsible for that graceful beam, was Mana, collapsing to the ground from sheer exhaustion. Her knees crushed the soil. And her eyes met those of Igyris, soaked in tears. She wanted to have the strength to scream. But her voice could not perform such an effort; whispering, however, would also suffice:
— "We... did it!"