44 Malicious Ambition (2/2)

The cloned canine's form was swirling around with shadowy clouds and ooze dripping from it's body. The head vibrated like it had a twitch in it's neck, purely focused on the original Zyron from it's hunched position. The sounds it produced was very unsettling, like creature struggling to breathe with a raspy exhale of breath.

The shadowy clone growled, as it kept closer, before lunging at Zyron on all fours, rushing like a feral beast on the hunt. Zyron watched it dash his way, keeping distance as he gripped to his staff with both hands. He whirled his staff forward, casting out a fireball, quickly whirling it again to cast another and then another after that. He continued this, despite how much the gap of distance had been minimized by the engaging doppelgänger that continued to evade the incoming fire incantations. Quickly it was closing in, and was about to be on top of him within the next moments. Zyron was practically cornered, but he didn't ceasefire, Just as the shadow clone came within range of him, he physically struck it back with the end of his staff, slamming the beast roughly back by the flaming pointblank range attack. The beast cried out with a foul ear splitting screech of pain as it collapsed at a distance.

Zyron halted, watching it as he panted heavily from his excessive use of mana. ”...” He refused to take his eyes off of it, as he caught his breath. He seemed mostly relieved, but still wary of the murky clone.

It was motionless, laying there in the endless puddle of black. Then like a grinding sheet of metal, it wheezed loudly. This made Zyron tighten himself, his focus more intense than before. Hunching backwards suddenly, the beast hobbled to it's feet in an odd sideways manner. It's face blankly leered at Zyron, as it's mandibles opened up through tar like slime holding it together, to release a louder, more disturbing inhuman sound. Zyron couldn't handle the noise, collapsing to his knees to holding his palms tightly over his floppy canine ears. The doppelgänger placed it hands down, to slowly approaching on it's hands and feet like a wild dog.

Zyron was gritting his fangs, as he warily peered up to the nearing beast. His mind however, was racing, causing his eyes to close. ”Master? What was that spell you used just now?” A voice of a younger Zyron echoed through his mind. ”That trespasser's eyes... they felt so... dead.” His voice went on softly.

”It's a very ancient spell, my pet. The incantation allows the user to control the host body much like a puppeteer, while the host faces their inner most turmoil.” Inferna's voice replied in mind with an echo following it.

Zyron's eyes suddenly snapped open, focusing on the creeping doppelgänger rising to its feet as it came into range once more. It snarled with putrid ooze dripping from its jaws, as it's face hovered inches from Zyron's. He felt himself thrusted backwards, crashing into the liquid floor with a slash. Zyron winced, rolling to his side as he held his gust, his eyes weakly shifting ajar to watch the shadow clone stretch out from the dark abyss, hovering over Zyron with it's arms and teeth elongating over him,releasing some sort of glittering powder from the secretion of it misty body.

”Go to sleep now... Good night, Zyron.” The gravely inhuman voice spoke softly, as Zyron felt his eyes growing heavy, he began to nod off.

”Solitaire...” He weakly spoke, as his eyes shut, making his vision entirely dark.

Suddenly, the hue shifted dramatically to a fiery red. His face felt like it was burning, hurting with stinging pain. Reflexively, Zyron shot up from the ground, partially holding himself up by his arms on the rocky surface of the underground. He practicallylaying on the ground, and his face stung like mad, causing him to reach a hand to his chin to feel some blood coming out a few tiny scrapes, that felt painful to the tough. He winced, also noticing the several cuts on his elbows.

”(Did I fall or something?)” He wondered. Listening closely, his eyes caught shadows on the cave wall of two figures fighting with fire. He was a bit dazed, but noticed something was weighing down his back.

Shifting himself, he spotting what seemed to be Grave sitting on his back, with her hands to his shoulders as she nervously watched the battle of fire commencing. She then noticed Zyron staring at her with a dumbstruck expression.

”The fuck are you doing here?” Zyron gawked, in confusion.

”Saving your butt, obviously! Anyway, it's about time the spell wore off. Master Vaugn can't handle that witch by himself.” Grave muttered, in an impatient tone.

”I could have told you that. Now get off!”Zyron grumbled, shoving the female dog off of him.

”Hey!” Grave snarled.

Zyron was finallyable to turn to face the ongoing combat between Vaugn and his former master. Flames were casted back and forth, only distinguishable by the differentiating colors of each users magic. Vaugn was also using his voulge while Inferna furiously continued to rely solely on spells from her Grimoire. She seemed more intense than earlier, livid even.

”How dare you interfere where you don't belong, you abomination!!” Inferna shouted, her torch hair blasting up with flames, as she floated out of his attack range by broomstick.

”As I said before, I don't care if he's your pet or not, he's part of the alliance that we're here to help.” Vaugn sneered, keeping pure focus on the witch, his voulge in hand.

”Hmhmhm! Your efforts are futile! Darkness will devour everyone, can't you see that death is imminent?!” Inferna snapped, half laughing as she continued to viciously blast flames Vaugn's way.

”You need to help Vaugn!” Grave demanded, getting up behind Zyron.

Zyron tried to tune her out, as he attempted to gather himself. He quickly realized he was no longer in the same chamber as he had been earlier. Nikolai was no where to be seen, and he had to cooperate with these two, whom he barely knew.

”(Who knows how long I was aimlessly following her before they arrived. Fuck!)” Zyron gripped to his staff on the ground, before rising to his feet. He held determination in his eyes.

Grave stood up behind him, tapping the skull pendant on her hat. It shifted, forming into a magic scepter, with a purple crystal sphere held on by a metal skeletal bone hand clasping it, with refined patterns of sorcery. It was roughly about arm's length, vastly smaller in size compared to Zyron's staff.

Grave held to it, focusing to Zyron. Magic enveloped around him, with a healing effect to his mana. ”Restore thy power from within! Mana charge!” She enchanted, fully restoring his magic energy.

”Support magic?” Zyron seemed surprised, glancing to her briefly, as she then aimed for Vaugn and began to enchant again with a different spell.

”Enchant thy blade with strength and might! Power boost!” It glowed red around Vaugn, as his power increased.

Vaugn noticed this, shifting to focus entirely with melee based attacks, thrusting heavy blows as he lunged for Inferna while she was within range. Zyron turned his undivided attention to the ongoing struggle, as he gripped both hands to his staff. Magic energy surged through him, drawing the power to his staff. He spun it at Inferna, casting out ice based spells that caught hold of her broom.

She was stunned, watching as the dark wood began to shatter from the ice coating it. With a sudden shriek of panic, the broom shattered into ice particles, casting the witch to the ground with a thud. Quickly she rose up, into the air with both hands reaching into the sky. Her flaming hair began to sky rocket with fire as the veins on her face angrily pulsated with rage.

”Souls of the damned, and the shadows who flow across the land-” She began to chant, her teeth grinding as she tried to hold back her rage.

”Goddamn it!” Zyron flared his fangs, knowing all to well what she was up to. His eyes quickly turned to Grave. ”We need some serious defense support!”

”-Thou who lived in years since past, I call thee from thine astral plain. I beckon thine will to manifest before me, surrender thine power!” Inferna continued.

Spiraling in from darkness, the spirits of the dead began to appear from the ground around them, like a black plague. They wailed, while circling around like a whirlwind of horror. The area felt like it was darkening around them, as the apparitions continued to circle closer. The only light source was now Inferna's fiery hair that glowed vigorously in the darkness.

Grave held to her scepter, beginning to enchant a defensive boost. ”Grant thy power of protection and-” Grave had chanted, but was suddenly cut off as a vastswarm of spirits came flying her way. She had been thrusted back to the ground, and her scepter knocked from her hand.

”Grave!” Vaugn shouted, witnessing the sudden swarm target his canine companion.

”Do not assume I was not aware of your little pet intervening. The end is coming, and no one is going to save you!” Inferna cackled, closing in on Vaugn.

Vaugn whipped around, immediately rushes Inferna with wild slashes, and thrusts of his voulge as he coated it with flames. The flames suddenly clash, as Inferna continued the pressure with her fire mana. The spirits were whirling around above them, focusing on Grave and Zyron's location as they flew from the swarm to rush them with ghoulish cackles and shrieks. Zyron continued to fend them off as he could with his ice magic. Due to how dense the cluster was blocking their line of sight to Inferna, he had no choice but to fight it. Grave recovered her footing, enchanting more boosts to aid Zyron within the endless pit of souls.

”FUCK!” Zyron shouted, getting fatigued from the constant spell channeling.

”Come on!!!” Grave growled, exhausting herself as well, as she recovered his mana once more.

Zyron flinched as elongated black claws reached out to strike him from the circling spirits engulfing the vicinity around them. He had a brief recollection of his last experience in this situation against Inferna, recalling how wind based spells warded the dead off. His focus returned, shifting tactics to unleash a gulf of wind blasting through the swarm like a morning light breaking the dark of night. The spirits quickly retreated, scattering urgently as he broke through.

Inferna's gaze took notice of this, growing more enraged. ”Zyron.” She clenched her teeth. ”You persistent DOG! I should have killed you in those woods! Now, I'm going to make everyone you care about suffer for disobeying YOUR MASTER!!!!” She practically roared, as her hair went completely insane with fire power.

She let loose massive spells of smoldering flames from her palms, that roared wildly with rage. The erupting embers crashed into Vaugn's weapon, blocking back the fire as much as it could take. It suddenly grew more intense, blasting to either side of him, as it scorched the ground and came rushing Zyron and Grave's way.

”Master Vaugn!” Grave cried in panic, as the flames flew in their path.

Zyron urgently grabbed her, leaping out of the line of fire. They had just barely dodged the blast, but Grave was trembling, the complete look of terror in her eyes. The fire was within her gaze, as she sat there, petrified with fear. Her eyes then began to dance around in panic, looking for Vaugn.

”M...Master V... Vaugn?..” She whimpered, her body shaking.

Zyron turned from her, looking to the desolated ground of the cavern around them. Flames caught to the roots and vines of the ground and ceiling, with massive destruction to the soil below their feet. Cinders of the flames burned violently, with the crackling of fire surrounding them.

As the flames began to clear briefly, a quick glimpse of Vaugn caught Grave's relieved eyes. He was still standing, his cloak burned to a crisp and the clothes from his back burned through in patches. He seemed uneasy as his gaze was focused where Grave was, but quickly regained the look of determination in his eyes upon spotting her unharmed. He wasn't about to give up the fight against Inferna any time soon.

Zyron took a step beside where Grave sat, his focus on his former master. ”I think, I might know how to fucking kill her...” He muttered with a somewhat melancholy tone.

”Wha?...” Grave glanced up to the male canine. Suddenly a sprinkle of water hit her face.

Zyron had casted a water spell, forcing it to rain inside the underground chamber. His focus was intense, but he did not have a rage like Inferna, his expression seemed almost sad or stricken with guilt.

He had Inferna's attention now, Vaugn wasn't even of interest to her now. The fire witch was enraged further, as she levitated into the air with flames wildly appearing around her. ”All this time and energy I gave to raise you, yet you turn the very power I told you NEVER TO USE AGAINST ME!? I MADE YOU IN TO WHAT YOU ARE, ZYRON!!! YOU BELONG TO ME!!!” Inferna screamed in anger.

”Don't assume that gives you dispensation, Inferna. You put me through fucking hell and back. So I made up my mind a long time ago...” Zyron replied, channeling his power.

The rain began to flood the area even more, seeming to be held in by an unknown force. It was filling up fast, surrounding around Inferna like a sphere. ”ZYRON!!!” Inferna yelled furiously, as she began to cast out an endless barrage of fireballs.

Vaugn dove in the way, deflecting each incoming spell based attack, so that Zyron could finish his spell.The area around her had filled up so high, there was barely any space left for water to go. The fireballs ceased, as the flame witch had been completely engulfed inside the bubble of water. Air pockets surfaced from her red lips as her body began to violently sting. She began to pulsate, jittering from the water evaporating her flesh. It was like she was in a vat of acid, as her body was quickly decaying with her internal organs and bones becoming exposed from the contact with the water on her skin. Her body continued to move violently as the flames surrounding the group started to diminish.

Vaugn kept a cold gaze focused on her as he got to a distance, where he could reach Grave. His canine companion was also intensely staring at Inferna's body being torn apart, but in a more curious manner. Zyron's focus remained, until he released the water sphere with a snap of his fingers. It popped, dropping the witch's mangled body to the rocky ground, twitching as she gazed to her former pet. The flames of her hair laid absent, but still smoking. The puddles of water around her began to evaporate as it fizzled into steam from the heat coming from her body.

Inferna shakily held her hand out to Zyron, staring at him through terror stricken eyes that were drowned in tears. ”Zy...ron.... How... How COULD... Y-You....” She gurgled, as her body bled around her into the surrounding puddles. ”You... were like... a son... to me... urgh.... Please.... Don't... let me.....die....Think... Think of.... Of....S-Sherry....”Her body suddenly dropped forward, as the violently flames began to eat away at the remainder of her body.

Zyron stood there in silence... the look of restrained sadness on his face. He didn't want to kill her, even after everything she put him through, but he had no choice. Inferna wasn't going to change, she never would have. He knew that.

Zyron turned from the burning corpse, his eyes concealed by shadows. ”(You gave me no choice, Inferna.)” He raised his head, avoiding looking at her. ”This has me worried about Solitaire, I need to make sure she's safe. So, are you two coming, or what?” Zyron asked, glancing to them with a concerned expression.

”Yeah.” Vaugn nodded, following after Zyron.

”Hey! Don't leave without me.” Grave rushed after them.

The scene panned into the pit of darkness, seeming to descend very deep into the planet's crust. It was pitch black down there and incredibly hot, Adam was laying on the ground unconscious. His wary eye was shifting around under his closed eyelid before finally peering open to barely see his own hand in front of his face. He took a step to stand up, nearly stepping in the mangled body of the fire fiend was barely lit the surrounding area with lightly. It was growing dimmer by the second as it's body began to disintegrate into the air.

There was a slight sound above, with pebbles hitting the ground not far from where Adam stood. The scrapping seemed to be knocking rocks from the chamber's walls, but suddenly stopped as the figured leapt down to the bottom. They landed close by, vivid yellow eyes glowed in the darkness as they loomed closer.

”Ain't no escapin' me now.” Pythagoras's voice spoke, as he inched closer to Adam.

Behind the enemy fiend, a hammer and Darkness' body crashed to the ground, with the sound of broken bones crunching from the impact. Immediately her body began to evaporate into the air, much like the now absent flame fiend.

”I know what you did to Hase, and I'm gonna make you bleed for it.” Pythagoras growled.

”You're the one who killed Molly, aren't you?” Adam sneered over to the other fiend.

”Might be. It's Pythagoras by the way. Everyone should know the name of the man whose gonna end their life.” The fiend scoffed.

”...” Adam prepared himself, fully aware what was about to occur.