"Don't you dare move a muscle," Sodom whispered.
Sodom watched as Favian and Vector started to square up to the Phantom.
No words needed to be exchanged.
Favian activated his divine power. When Sodom saw it, he realised he had seen this mirage before.
Phobos, God of Fear.
Vector started to dash at Phantom, going blow for blow with the Phantom. There were equally matched in hand-to-hand combat. However due to Vector's divine power increasing his physical strength he was gaining the edge in their exchange.
Vector threw a feint which the Phantom tried to block, Favian then entered the fray placing his hand against the Phantom's chest.
"Phobos, Fearmonger," he said.
Favian couldn't see the Phantom's face due to his fox mask. But whatever the Phantom saw didn't faze him in the slightest as he took Favian's hand and dragged him towards himself and landed a right hook on Favian's face, sending him crashing to the floor.
Vector, seeing a gap in the Phantom's defence lunged towards him aiming to kill him in one blow.
That's when Sodom decided to act. Sodom had dragged three bodies toward to the outskirts. One was Eddie, to sell him off. The other two, Stick and Yumo still alive, were brought of the single purpose of activating his divine ability.
Vector's body froze. He tried to force his body to obey his commands but to no avail.
This gave the Phantom enough time to activate his divine power but this time on Favian. A mark appeared burned onto his forehead. Favian tried to perform a sweep, targeting the legs of the Phantom, however the Phantom pulled Favian's towards his foot kicking him swiftly.
Blood splattered across the ground, melting into the earth. Vector looked at the Phantom wondering just who this monster was. Vector wanted nothing more than to attack his opponent. To get revenge for Rectos. However, he was still stuck in place by Sodom.
How could a shrimp like Sodom have such a strong ability. No way he succeeded in passing a divine agreement. Vector thought.
Favian shakily got up. The composure that Astrea had seen from him before had vanished. The eyepatch that he was wearing had fallen revealing a mangled eye underneath, which looked like something given to him by the devil himself.
"Don't you dare think that we are done," Favian shouted. "Who do you think you are".
Favian proceed to activate a second technique. Something that Astrea didn't even know was possible. The mirage behind Favian struck his back causing Favian to grunt in pain. The veins in his body started to turn a dark shade of purple. His face contorted in pain for a moment before settling.
The Phantom instantly noticed the change in Favian and was on guard.
Alas there was no way he could have been prepared for the speed at which Favian came at him.
Favain's second ability used his mirage to inflict himself with the same fear toxin that he used in his whip, except at a much higher dosage. The effect of this was an increased spike in adrenaline pushing pass normal human limits.
Favian closed the gap and hit the Phantom with a three-piece combo, breaking the mask of the Phantom.
Vector and Favian seeing his face were shocked.
How are you even alive. Thought Favian. We killed you. I saw you die…
The shock passed quickly. Favian seemingly even more invigorated threw a kick aimed straight towards the Phantom's abdomen landing perfectly sending him to the floor. Favian then set his eyes on Sodom.
"You can let Vector go now." he said staring into Sodom's soul "Or I can come over and force you,"
Sodom deactivated his ability. He knew he couldn't win against Favian. Instead, he shouted at Favian
"Let me go free, or I'll kill this girl,"
Favian laughed.
"Why would I care. I just met her today after all,"
It was a long shot. Thought Sodom
Sodom then saw two marks appear on both Vector and Favian. He then smiled before pulling a knife out of his pocket. He swiftly stabbed Astrea three times before dropping her body to the floor.
The first stab hurt. Immense pressure, like someone pushing hard against her ribs. The second one burned. The third — she didn't feel the third. The world tilted. She tried to breathe and tasted copper. Her vision blurred at the edges, sound fading to a distant hum. She screamed in agony as blood poured out of her body.
Favian and Vector were shocked which gave the Phantom enough time to activate his ability.
Suddenly Favian and Vector were flung into each other, crashing then falling to the ground. They got up quickly, Favian instinctively moved to attack the Phantom while Vector moved in behind him. Vector's black stripes extended out of his arms latching onto the Phantom holding him in place. Favian then jumping in the air, spun and landed a kick onto the Phantom's face. Vector followed up with a knee, then Favian threw an uppercut into his jaw.
The Phantom was kept standing due to the black stripes. His eyes were glazed over as he lost focus. Favian and Vector noticed that the Phantom had a blue tattoo around his left eye. It was in the shape of a fox.
Can't lose here. Too much left to do. Thought the Phantom.
The Phantom snapped back to reality. He placed a mark on his knife and another on Vector and instantly activated his ability sending the knife into Vector's side. Vector staggered back while Favian tried to throw more punches at the Phantom but now the Phantom had started to figure out his patterns. He started to preventively block Favian's strikes. The Phantom placed a mark on the knife lodged in Vector and activated his ability, dislodging the knife return it to his hand.
As Favian threw another punch the Phantom stabbed Favian's fist. The Phantom slashed Favian's chest, then marked his knife and Favian activating his ability once again sending the knife directly into Favian's chest.
Favian fell to the ground and did not get back up.
Sodom took the opportunity and re-entered the fight, activating his divine power once again Vector found himself unable to move once again. Sodom walked up casual towards him and stabbed him three times before deactivating his ability.
The Phantom was finally free of the black stripes and walked over to Sodom.
"My payment," he said bluntly.
"Sure, I'll have it as soon as I sell this girl and this man."
A horse and cart started to approach the two of them. A man jumped out; his face completely covered by cloak.
"Do you have the girl you promised,"
Sodom went to retrieve Astrea. She tried to squirm away, but Sodom grabbed her and threw her into the cart. The man dropped his money into his hand and started to leave.
"Wait what about that man," he said pointing at Eddie. "How much could I get for him,"
"Nothing. He's weak. Worth nothing"
The man left.
Sodom dropped the money he had just received into the Phantom's hand. Without another word the Phantom left.
Sodom was left alone with bodies.
Sodom walked over to Eddie.
He slapped him until he regained consciousness.
"Where's the avatar?"
"I don't know," Eddie spluttered.
"Well should we pay a visit to your wife, see if she knows?"
Eddie face hardened.
"I really don't know where he is,"
Sodom did not care. He left Eddie there with the rest of the bodies lying on the floor and started to walk towards Eddie's house. He looked back at the bodies. Vector and Favian weren't moving. Good. The Phantom had done his job thoroughly. He didn't have time to check pulses.
Vector's hand went to his side. The wound was still bleeding. Every breath felt like glass in his lungs. He stood anyway. Favian's chest was worse — the knife had gone deep. But neither of them cared. They'd heard one word that made everything else irrelevant: Avatar.