Chapter 59
A Fire in a Lonely Town
The Second Black Night final
"If this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together."
~Ed Sheeran~
It was but a wisp of a dancing spark, flying about in a flawless perfection before it sizzled and vanished the moment it touched his skin. The burning flame was just a fragment of the powerful fire that tore away at the city of Oakhurst, claiming lives in a merciless assault.
Slowly, his feet walked amongst the sidewalks where the homes fell under the Aberhants. His eyes, although firm and stern would reflect the blazing skies—it was just like back then.
Stopping to remain still, his ears picked up on a shattering glass as a screaming woman came flying out of one of the homes. She fell hard to the ground, with her arms wrapped around something that was precious to her.
In that moment, she looked up and her eyes came in contact with his sleek dark pupils. He gave her no emotions for he just watched.
The woman, for a moment wanted to say something, but instead, her face turned to a scowl. She looked down and forced her limbs to pick up her body the minute a howling beast burst out of her home.
Scowling, she opened her arms to reveal a crying boy. "You have to be brave ok, for mommy," and as the boy gave her a nod, the beast charged at them.
It unleashed a storm of deadly acid, as the woman stretched her arms towards its muzzle. She screamed in pain but managed to rip its jaw apart—killing it instantly. The Aberhant turned to ash, but the woman, unable to move much, fell limp to the ground.
"Mommy!" the boy cried out, returning to her side.
But the boy was not able to see her, for in that moment he intervened and stood in his way.
His eyes looking down at the woman with no emotion yet to be revealed, scanned her dying body. Her skin was afflicted by the poison but never once did she make a sound.
"Why did you refuse to ask for my aid?" he questioned.
The woman coughed and remained still, leaving her cheek to rest on the grass when the poison took her final strengths. "Because I knew you wouldn't," and in the second she said this, her body withered and disappeared—making his eyes flash with surprise.
There was little time for him to process what he heard, for the child behind him began to wail.
Turning around, he analyzed the boy, almost believing the child to be him when he was that age. It threatened to soften his demeanor, but he pushed it back as he knelt for the now orphaned boy.
In his hand, he summoned a creature. It was a small scorpion-like being colored in silver. "Your mother said to be brave. From now on you have to be brave or she will be sad forever. Don't let that happen."
When he said this, the scorpion left his hand and crawled up on the child's shoulder. The boy started to get fidgety as he feared the bug, but he spoke once more to clear his doubts.
"If you ever need help, this will protect you. Don't be afraid of it—it is your friend and the only thing that will keep you safe," and with that said, he took his leave.
The boy never did stop crying, but that was beyond his powers. He knew how hard it is to lose a mother, so he sympathized.
A little bit too much...
Flashes of his childhood began to torment him, especially after hearing the words of that woman.
It was not the first time someone said that to him.
Trying to remove those thoughts from his head, he continued to move. Arriving at an empty field that was barren. He knew that it must have been a park—a once green beautiful place that was laid to waste by the Aberhants.
Before he knew it, a flash tormented his senses.
She was a slender woman, standing right there before his eyes—her back was to him but he knew who she was.
The Wiccan symbols tattooed all over her body was something he could never forget, even her staff that was laced in blood would haunt his thoughts. For he knew where the blood came from, as his surroundings began to spin all around him. Bodies of them adorned the wasteland. It was the same nightmare that plagued him relentlessly.
"Why didn't you ask for my help?"
"Because I knew you would refuse."
Before he could do anything, he saw his child form shout at the woman, and that was her response that brought about sobs on his small body.
In anger, he lifted one hand to his head, shaking it vigorously.
"They still torment you?"
"Who's there?" he shouted in anger, while lifting his sight to where the woman once stood.
"My name is Claire Wilde. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Master Ezekias."
When he heard the name, he thought nothing of it, for it was what she said before that spiked his interest. "You were sent by her, were you not?"
"Does it matter? It is I who has been aiding you since the start."
"Oh? And how did you manage that?" Now feeling more in control, Ezekias stood straight to face this new individual.
He suspected of someone lurking about, but never did he imagine it could be related to her.
"The Aberhants is our courtesy to you, and I guess some credit is due for bringing that wolf to Margery," Claire said.
Thinking over her words, Ezekias shut his eyes. "You set up the situation?"
"Yes Master, I attacked a human named Lily—one who was closely related to Margery in order to get the wolf to go to them," she explained.
"For what purpose?"
"Was it not your wish to absorb the powers of a fully-bred Alpha lycan? Margery was the perfect candidate to polish his abilities." When Claire said those words, Ezekias shut his eyes once more as he sighed. It was apparent that this woman knew of his intentions.
"And that she did..." there was a pause on his part when he opened his eyes to look at her. "...a little too well."
Claire gave him a shrug. "It matters not, you got something better anyways, the blood of a Flower Maiden."
When Ezekias heard this, exasperation took control. "Enough talk, my enemies are nearing."
"What will you have me do Master?" Claire bowed before him, showing her allegiance. This made Ezekias lift a brow in speculation.
An idea was birthed that minute.
"I will have you remain hidden for the time being. I want to flex my abilities and take care of most of them. After which, you can clean up whomever I've left behind," he explained, making Claire nod before disappearing into the shadows.
Looking up at the burning night, Ezekias stared at the large glowing moon—seeing its color shift. There was a small pang in his chest, as he lifted his hand to touch it.
"Lorelai...you have fallen." His words were low, and no matter how much he wanted to ignore it, Ezekias couldn't help but feel the remorse eat away at him.
She was the only one he truly wished to keep at his side.
'Ezy, the way of the Gypsy is to live in familial love—no matter what. So I ask you this, if we were to end in fire what would happen?'
As the intense spirit pressure neared, Ezekias prepared himself. He could make out the number of individuals heading his way, and it did not bother him at all.
None of them were capable of killing him.
'We are to burn together—this is the way of the Roma and the Wiccan Rede. No matter what Ezy, you live for your comrades and you fight with them.'
In an instant, an enormous being landed before him in a strong crash. It destroyed the earth that was under him. To his left and right, two beings joined him. Ezekias recognized a couple of them—one to be the angel named Mia and the other was the Templar he faced so many months back.
They looked at him with hatred and blood in their eyes, and he knew it was to be expected.
'If we are to fight together, then why did you do it? Why did you kill our clan?'
His thoughts were being plagued, and no matter how much he tried to focus on the group before him, all he could see was the mount of bodies and the burning village.
The village of the Roma that was burned to ashes and all of his kin that took care of him, slaughtered senselessly because of one person.
'Why didn't you ask for help?
Because I knew you would refuse...
You killed everyone! Why? Why didn't you ask for aid? We could have saved you!
I don't need to be saved. The Romas needed to be purged—that spell mustn't ever be used.'
Ezekias, unable to push back those memories, simply eyed his opponents with a hidden turmoil masked in austerity.
"Oi, you are that bastard of a witch that has taken the most precious thing to me." The voice of the large old man that stood in front of everyone else, shattered his thoughts.
"Since you have committed this atrocity against me, let me share my name with you. It's only fair that you know your executioner." But his words did little to shake Ezekias.
"I am Alpha Haldus-sama of the Sierra clan." With that said, Haldus lifted his hammer to point it at Ezekias and swooped in.
Ezekias shut his eyes and lifted one hand to summon his barrier. The hammer clashed with the field, and Haldus eyes went deadly.
"You will not use my daughter's blood for your bidding!"
Those words spurred Ezekias's emotions.
"I will make it happen!" he screamed, repelling Haldus away as he shouted to the fiery sky.
"You hear me, Vienna! I will use the spell you worked so hard to destroy!" His words confused them all but when he calmed himself down. Ezekias gave Haldus a cold stare.
"For all of those who died, I will make this happen."
Lifting one silvery skinned hand, Ezekias pointed it in the Alpha's direction. It caused the clothes on the witch's back to wither under the immense pressure he was invoking. The powerful winds enveloped the male Wiccan, as they revealed his glossy armored skin. His body was now protected in scales that shone under the moonlight, resembling a reptilian god of sorts.
The old witch was slender and his long hair danced with the winds of his own power that coated his now chrome colored plated body.
"Oh my god, what is he?" Mia gasped as she held her breath in angst. The others, unaffected by the transformation, watched with caution as they awaited to see Haldus' move.
But the powerful Alpha remained still, until Ezekias went in for the strike. The witch's speed was unlike that of any mere Wiccan, and as Mia watched closely, she recognized the pace. It was a resemblance uncanny to Exsavior's way of movement.
With a powerful clawed hand, Ezekias attempted to pierce Haldus, but the large lycan shielded himself with his hammer only to catch sight of the venomous acid that dripped from Ezekias' claws.
"The poison of a succubus will eat any core and flesh," he grinned with malice, and that's when Mia's hair flew into the wind.
She turned to her side and saw Terry vanish from his position.
The vampire lifted his own claws and grabbed hold of Ezekias' neck.
"I will destroy you for daring to use the powers of my sister," his voice was dark and his grip crushed the bones within the witch, causing Ezekias' neck to give way and fall limp.
However, a laugh was birthed from his lungs, and Ezekias fixed his neck with ease as he repelled Terry away with a force field of energy.
"Vis de Campus."
The bats of darkness surrounded Terry's body, positioning the vampire away from the witch. It was then that the fangs of a werewolf fell onto Ezekias' shoulder in an attempt to destroy his plated skin.
The witch fell to the ground as the large grey beast tackled him in frenzy.
"Telecinesis." In retaliation, the spell was conjured and theforce shook the lycan with an intense vigor—the body rattling in spasms as it fell to the floor.
"Nembus!" Haldus cried, wielding the weakened hammer, as he charged Ezekias. He slammed the hammer down, shaking the earth in a tremor that threatened to engulf them all.
The corroding earth of the wasteland erupted in rubble, and Haldus seized the opportunity to overpower the witch. But Ezekias was prepared, for the flying debris was lavished in ice as he levitated high up into the air.
Rocks and powdery ice were now rendered under Ezekias' control, and he sent them in a storm towards Haldus.
The Alpha's eyes raged in anger, causing an enormous heave of breath that brought about an echoing boom. It was a powerful roar that crushed the flying earth in its wake.
"Cosmicum Gelu." But as Haldus did away with the attack, Ezekias birthed another. Floating about in midair, the witch held himself in a way that would resemble a deity of ice, for all around his body, white cold lights of frost threatened to fall on Haldus.
And just as the Alpha's eyes widened in shock at such a powerful attack, the comets fell from the sky.
"What is this power?" Mia yelled, as she attempted to stand her ground from the enormous atmospheric pressure that was created from the nearing stellar objects.
"Mia! Stand back, this is where we come in." In an instant, Wyatt blocked her vision, as he shielded her from the splashing energy. He moved the angel a good distance away, and quickly zoomed from sight with Terry and Saffron following behind.
'When did it become like this?' she thought to herself in fright as her eyes watched the resolve Terry had to fight the evil that was Ezekias.
'I can't just stand idly by.' But even though her mind was shouting at her to take action, she feared to get in the way of those who were much more capable.
So she watched in fear and desperately searched for an opening that she could use to attack the old man.
In an instant, her pupils were showered in light, and her skin became cold. The comets were descending, as her comrades disappeared within the cloud of ice.
"Haldus-sama!" Nembus cried, scurrying off to shield his Alpha. In a quick tremor, he took a breath and smashed his claws into the ground, creating an eruption of earth. The dirt and solid rock morphed into a barricade and absorbed most of the damage before it succumbed.
In this instant, Haldus swung his large hammer at a flying comet only to emanate a powerful boom that forced the two wolves away from the witch. The flying cosmic body bursting into fragments of ice, showered Wyatt and the rest as they swooped in for battle.
Ezekias laughed at them, never ceasing his power, and this caused Wyatt to lead the assault.
"Chaos go mad! Let the bounds of this world fall under ruination!" With the battle cry, Mia witnessed how Wyatt succumbed once again to his own power.
His clothes were rendered to ash, and his body enveloped in the powerful primordial winds of destruction. All around, the air thinned and were it not for Mia's angelic blood, she would have not been able to maintain conscious.
Wyatt transformed into Chaos, and Ezekias lifted his eyes in wonder.
"What great power," the witch spoke, watching the chaotic being finalize its transformation.
It sat upon a large ethereal wheel that turned in every direction, causing sparks and flames of destruction to wither everything they touched. The man bore no resemblance to that of a human, for around his head, aureoles of light and darkness showered his flowing obsidian hair. These locks danced around his body as if spirits of the shadows, but with each movement, they carved a rune of darkness on Wyatt's ghostly skin.
Lastly, as the being echoed his voice with a strong battle cry, six wings of turbulent ash dispersed from the wheel and his aureoles.
"You shall become one with the nothingness that is my void!" When Chaos spoke, his demon eyes bled red, and his face rippled between the afterlife and the living for it bore no mouth or nose. His voice, laced with the echoes of an otherworldly dimension, forced an austerity within Ezekias' expression.
The witch cautiously watched the powerful being, but before anything could be done, Wyatt howled. His black runes pulsated and released a storm of ruin. It tore away at the barren wasteland, and for a second Mia almost fainted in shock.
'Have I lost it? Are those...it can't be...the pits of hell!' She thought to herself in utter fright as her hand covered her mouth.
Before her eyes, the earth was ravaged, but it was not just the uplifting of dirt and rocks—no, this time, it went straight into the core where the damned spirits and demons lurked.
"Void of Havoc!" the beast wailed in an attempt to control its own growing power.
When Ezekias heard the incantation, he caught wind of the gravity of Wyatt's power, so he used his unearthly speed to dodge the eroding winds. But it was to no avail—for the twisters latched onto his body, and like piercing blades of infinite swords, they ripped his armored body to shreds.
The old witch screamed as his right side dissipated into ash with the ruination, and Chaos grinned with a dripping blood and ash.
"To destroy one unbeatable evil, another must be born," Saffron said, speaking the solemn words as he eyed his comrade from behind. Terry made no comment towards the words for the vampire understood it well.
"Defeat me?" but the claims of victory on Saffron's behalf were premature, as the deadly voice of the beaten down witch echoed within their ears.
"You have not seen anything but meager tricks of an untamed animal!" A venom laced Ezekias words and his power followed them. In a rushing gust of mana, his adaptability kicked in and reformed the half of his body that was destroyed.
"Fall under the fool's embrace, Arcana!" and when he shouted the incantation that Mia knew too well, Ezekias warped reality.
"No...," Mia said to herself, recalling how Locke used the power to subjugate Elias. Somehow her instincts told her it would be far more lethal with Ezekias being the wielder.
"Wyatt, be wary of this power. I have never seen anything like this!" Saffron called out to his friend, but Chaos was in control, and the creature did not heed the words.
Before their eyes, a being of large stature dressed in royal robes of crystal lights emerged behind the witch. Its eyes were glossy and large with no pupils, and its face was thin covered in white facial hair that flew in every way. On its head was an enormous headdress that birthed energy and light in an uncontrollable fashion.
"No. How can it be?" Chaos yelled, using his ruination to shield him from the intensity, but the being simply lifted its bony colossal hands and summoned a prayer.
"Alonusahi." The word was but a whisper but the beams of light were very much real in Chaos' eyes. They separated from the giant god and searched for his ethereal body until the wings of ash withered and died—his wheels ceasing their sporadic movements and his body falling limp to the ground.
There where chains of light draining Wyatt of his spirit until a large bursting wind exploded from within his core.
"Wyatt!" Mia's voice screamed a piercing cry as her tears scrambled to the winds. She could see his body floating like a feeble child within the core a scorching blast.
It was an odd sight but horrific just the same, for there was no sound—simply lights. Then his body fell, and all around Wyatt's lifeless corpse, the rocks and ground was in order. Everything seemed to find its place as his soul vanished from sight.
"Wyatt! Wyatt! No!" In a hasty flight, Mia tried to speed in his direction, but Haldus put himself in her path.
She screeched and cried, as if her body was under a massive pain that threatened her life.
"My, the stronger the being the more effective that incantation is," Ezekias spoke nonchalantly as he descended from the air.
"It seems as if that was the very Creator of all things, subjugating that which had no restraint. The beginning of order itself." Even his own words were surprising the witch, as he came upon the realization of such a power.
He smirked and lifted his gaze to the remaining foes. "Even I was affected by it. I cannot even take flight," laughing, Ezekias enraged Saffron and Terry to no end as the Paladin took the initiative, seeing no other choice.
"Follow my lead, vampire!" "Bring down your penance, Atlas, forsaken by the gods. Release your chains!" Much like Wyatt, Saffron unleashed his own Patron the minute he slammed his staff to the ground.
His body pulsated as the runes of his pact with Atlas covered his body. Bronze light began to emanate and his staff grew in a colossal size—as if a pillar that sustained the world.
"Such a pitiful power. This will not work on me again!" Ezekias stated as he nimbly dodged the ethereal chains that came forth from Saffron.
The Paladin stood behind the giant towering pillar until he knelt down on one knee. Saffron took a penitent stance and immediately after, more chains erupted from the runes on his skin. They were large, bigger than the pillar itself, and they sprung to life in search of Ezekias.
But the witch used his small size to his advantage, removing himself from the attacks of the chains until something engaged his fleeing form. Otherworldly bats swarmed Ezekias, as Terry assaulted the old man. His claws left a poisonous wave in its wake, but they failed to land a hit.
Ezekias knew well the powers of Dante, and Terry instantly caught wind of this. However, due to this, Saffron was able to make contact with old witch as the chains found his body.
They hastily wrapped themselves around him, causing their power to fight against Ezekias' mana in a struggle to repress him.
"There is a place, here on this earth, that to survive they say you need to be mad!" When those words were said, Saffron felt a powerful tug. His penitent pose was threatened, but he fought against it to the best of his strengths.
All around Ezekias, the air separated itself from him; it formed a large cage of wind that spread until it dispersed within the skies. The power then recreated itself and clashed into a giant orb of energy that hovered overhead. It was then that skies shifted in hue once more, their fiery intensity growing dark and more ominous than before.
Nevertheless, as Ezekias remained constrained under the chains, Terry continued with the offense.
"Yield under her embrace!" He summoned his greatest weapon once more, as the rings of blessed light wrapped themselves over his head in a crown. His eyes flashed to gold and his skin became burnished.
"I will end you."
His words preceded his strength as the pressure that Ezekias created was purified under Terry's aura. Because of this, the vampire disappeared in a golden flash and attempted to strike Ezekias on a vital spot.
The golden claws of burnished light, inches away from Ezekias, burned at his skin, and not even his adaptability was able to resist it.
"Holy fire!" Ezekias yelled in shock, mustering up his strength to fight against the chains that bound him motionless.
"Die!" In an instant, Terry made contact with Ezekias' face as his claws melted away his skull.
For a brief moment, Terry felt relief and bliss wash over him but as fast as it came, it left him. From the gaping hole where the head of the evil man once was came forth a small horrid creature.
It was a scorpion that bore an exoskeleton similar in appearance to Ezekias' armored skin. The insect scampered off and retreated from Terry, a perfect distance to reform itself.
"Reficio." The ominous sound of the witch's voice echoed throughout the battlefield, and in an instant, they all understood.
Ezekias' insect transformed into him as if a rebirth for his body seemed to be glossier and refreshed.
"You will pay for making me lay to waste that power." Even though things did not seem to have any end, Ezekias appeared to be more flustered than before, and this made Terry feel a bit confident.
"Atlas!" A shout erupted from Saffron again, making the earth rattle and the giant pillar to crack.
He was using the lasts of his powers to subdue the witch, causing more chains to leave his body, along with spirits of a colossal man that resembled the Paladin. The souls were translucent and each of them wielded the large chains like a whip that cackled the minute they were flung into the air.
In anger, Ezekias prepared himself and took flight once more now that he was able to. He dodged the chains and fought furiously against the spirit versions of Saffron. Two of them pounded on his back and wrapped one of the metal whips around his neck, because of this, the others pierced his body with their own and this caused the chains to fuse with Ezekias.
It was as if a web of ethereal bronze metal and Ezekias fell prey to it.
"Finish him!" Saffron cried out, his blood spewing forth from where the runes held their magic.
When the words left his lips, Terry wasted no more time, and lifted two black nails in Ezekias' direction.
"Go to hell," he uttered as he willed the blessed power of the holy fire to come forth again.
The burnished flames resembling liquid gold emerged and left his hand in a far more powerful intensity than the time he used it against Hatta.
"I—I can't see! This light is just like that of the Celestial Realm!" Mia yelled as Haldus shielded her from the attack with his large body.
The powerful beam Terry emitted blinded them all and purified Ezekias' atmosphere of spirit pressure. It was such an intense force that all of the land under his flying body withered and eroded, leaving a colossal crater.
Then, as the beam of purified energy was about to clash with the incarcerated witch, Terry called upon his deceased sister. She gave him that power, and all he could do was hope that it was enough, for it was the strongest attack Terry could muster. If it did not work, then he was unable to kill Ezekias.
But the old man desired to destroy their hopes as his lips quivered. "A trick does not work twice." And just like that he uttered a spell, "Void of Havoc."
Saffron's heart dropped when Wyatt's ultimate power was unleashed.
"How can this be?" he shouted as the eroding winds emerged before Ezekias and the beam of holy fire.
Only this time, the winds were bent in the old Wiccan's favor, creating a vortex of dark energy similar to a black hole. This allowed for the power to be absorbed into the void, leaving Ezekias unharmed.
"No...how...how can you use such an ability?" Terry yelled in shock, feeling all of his hopes leave him.
The words pleased Ezekias as he laughed maniacally—he then pulled at the chains, making Saffron fall to the ground.
"Telecinesis." In the instant the spell left his lips, Saffron's chains were forced out of him, causing the Paladin to scream in agony. Blood flew into the air and the giant pillar crumbled.
Before them all, Ezekias stood with the ethereal chains bound into him. He smirked devilishly and everything seemed to slow as Mia's teary eyes watched the ongoing scene.
She could not hear anything anymore—the shock took that away from her and it became unbearable to breathe when she saw Ezekias use the void incantation he stole from Wyatt once more.
Terry did not have any time to even think about what was occurring, for the second Ezekias turned to face him, the void reopened behind the vampire—shooting out the burnished flames of light.
Liquid gold grazed his side as Terry morphed into the bats out of sheer instincts, but most of the small beings withered and succumbed under the purity of the light. This made the vampire's movements sporadic and uncontrolled until he fell lifeless to the ground. His torso's right side was devastated, revealing meaty dead tissue that was quickly turning to ash.
When this was done, Ezekias felt satisfied, but his attention was brought back to Saffron. The Paladin was standing, bloodied and almost dead. He lifted one hand in a rage of pants towards Ezekias, making the witch smirk.
"Pathetic."
"Take upon this penance, and be ruled under this world's embrace." In curiosity, the old witch watched the man who used the last of his powers to attack him.
It was then that he felt it. Ezekias' nonchalance was quickly broken, when an enormous force fell upon his body. The power was crushing, and the chains immediately disappeared within his core.
"What—what have you done to me!" he yelled at Saffron, as the weight of the world began to crush his stance.
Saffron heaved a sigh and failed to give him an answer for his body fell limp to the ground. Because of this, Ezekias attempted to move but he found all of his nerves to be in disarray. He shook violently, and this made his anger heighten.
"Well well well, it looks as if you're out of tricks." In the minute the words flooded his ears, Ezekias tried to turn his hunched body but instead felt his face being crushed.
Haldus' great hammer smashed the side of the old man's head, sending him flying a great distance away.
Regardless of how powerful Haldus struck Ezekias, he still managed to recompose and take flight, the curse of Saffron never once leaving his body.
"I hate you. I loathe you all!" he wailed in frustration, making Haldus slam the hammer again. This time a large spire of earth grew from the ground and wrapped itself around Ezekias, but in an angry haste, the witch quickly burst from it.
He felt the rocks and soil bury themselves within his plated skin, and this made him realize the dangers of Haldus' attack. But Ezekias found no time to counter it, for the Alpha swooped in his direction and struck his skull once more.
The hit sent the old man spiraling down into the spire as it burst when the collision of the hard ground found Ezekias.
The silence that crept its way was broken in the short time Haldus remained plastered on Ezekias' form.
The witch laughed.
Another one of his maniacal sounds that caused anger within everyone present.
Standing in the midst of destruction, Ezekias faced Haldus in his weakened state. "You will not kill me. Not before my black sun destroys you and this world!" he seethed in madness as he pointed a finger towards the sky.
Due to this, Haldus landed on the ground and shifted his eyes to the sky. In one quick instant, his mind went rampant. Overhead was indeed a black orb of dark energy—it was a colossal meteor very similar to the one they saw before meeting up with the angel and her comrades.
'That man...' A flash of the trickster that was lying unconscious plagued his thoughts. Somehow, Haldus knew that this was the power so ruthless and strong, enough to almost render such a being dead.
"What will you do Haldus-sama?" Ezekias taunted, mocking the title of the grand Alpha.
"Nembus," but the lycan ignored his foe as he beckoned for his vassal.
"My lord!" In an instant, Nembus left Mia's side and rushed to Haldus.
The large wolf looked at his follower with hard eyes as he lifted his hammer and handed it to him. "You have served me well."
Another laughter of evil surfaced from Ezekias as he flew into the air to enjoy the large black sun—the action causing dread to find Mia as she looked towards the two lycans.
"Haldus-sama! You can defeat him now that he's weak," Mia yelled in fear as she tried to approach them.
"No. I cannot kill him and let this world be destroyed."
"What?" Mia uttered in shock, looking up towards the giant hovering meteor.
"My lord, what are you saying?" Nembus questioned in fright.
"Nembus, that cosmic body of dark magic will destroy this portion of the world. I have lost too much already—I will not lose Toushiro." And with those words, the mighty Haldus-sama ravaged the earth under the soles of his feet once more as his large body zoomed into the black sun.
His spirit pressure passed Ezekias who was now levitating in a poised mien once again—watching the events that were unfolding in pure joy.
"My lord, I will not let you do this alone!" Nembus cried out as he placed the hammer on the ground and hastily carved out a runic symbol from his clan.
"Oi! Angel," he called out while harnessing the flowing power of the mother earth into hammer and his body.
With shock filled eyes and tears coating her cheeks, Mia turned to the lycan who called her.
"Take care of Toushiro," and as that was said, Nembus transfigured into a burst of energy along with the hammer itself. It was a greenish aura, and it smelled of pines and mountains which threatened to ease all of her pain until it vanished in Haldus' direction.
Mia lifted one hand, unable to say anything.
Unable to do anything...
She simply lifted one hand to try and touch Haldus' small form that collided with the large black sun.
It was then that her silence was shattered. A roar boomed throughout the distance, covering miles and coating the sky. Flames of black that emanated from the black sun, dispersed all around, but the greenish aura from before quelled them.
The mighty lycan tore at the ball of energy with his powerful claws that could reap at any mountainside, and used the mother earth that was beneath him to bring forth mountains and spires that would pierce at the core of the black sun.
Haldus screamed and grunted, fighting against the powerful spirit pressure—he felt his old body begin to weaken, but in that moment Jasmine appeared before his eyes. His tears gave him strength and with one loud final roar, Haldus' overcame the black sun and turned it to ash with his claws.
"The world...is safe...," he said to his beloved daughter as she smiled and vanished. His large body trembling in pain, flew downwards with an intense pressure.
In his descend, Ezekias was apprehended and slammed to the ground, but the witch remained unaffected.
He eyed Haldus with austerity, feeling no real danger as the old lycan grabbed his shoulders to balance himself.
"Nembus, Jasmine...you both have given me so much," his voice trembled and Ezekias scoffed.
"What can you possibly do now? You are nothing but a dying pile of ash." His voice slithered its way into Haldus' ears and there was silence on the lycan's part.
"Votum!" In an instant, Mia shot her blast of purified energy towards Ezekias, but the witch slapped it away much like he did before.
"Leave him alone!" she cried in anger, flying towards Ezekias.
In a blind rage, Mia slammed her fist at the witch, but he repelled the attack, as he brought her down to the ground.
"You haven't the resolve to defeat me," his eyes pierced her frightened ones, and for the first time that day, Mia realized that what he said was true.
She had no resolve.
She was too afraid of losing her loved ones that the fear crippled her abilities.
Suddenly, before her racing thoughts could continue to torment her, Mia heard a loud grunt. Haldus, used his remaining energies to pierce Ezekias from behind through his chest.
His clawed hand dangling right before Mia's eyes as it was drenched in the old man's putrid blood.
Ezekias with wide eyes, grumbled in pain while turning around slowly to eye the Alpha.
"It took me some time...but after watching you flaunt your powers, I've found your weak spot," Haldus muttered with a smirk on his face.
With rage filled eyes, Ezekias screamed and ran his own hand through Haldus' chest, causing the mighty lycan to lose the remainder of his life force.
"Look who's...laughing...now," Haldus said, his last words sending him into the afterlife as his body turned to ash.
When this happened, Mia backed away from Ezekias and realized that she was the only one left to fight him.
"Claire!" but before she could even think about doing anything, Ezekias angrily shouted to the skies as he seethed with rage.
This made a familiar face come into view, and Mia could not believe what she was seeing.
"You!" Claire smirked at the angel as she kicked Wyatt's corpse on her way over to her master.
The action made Mia swoop down near the dead man, as she attempted to shield his body.
"Take care of her, I need the book. It is the only thing left for me to end this wretched day!" and with that said, Claire nodded and prepared herself to attack the angel.
"Mia!" Nevertheless, her attack never came as Lynn finally joined the scene.
Feeling tears of joy and fear, Mia let them shed as she remembered Wyatt who was under her touch. Because of this, she desired for her sister to be nowhere near Ezekias.
"Lynn, run!" Mia yelled, but Lynn ignored her as Claire engaged.
Through the corners of her eyes, Mia noticed Ezekias fleeing the scene but this only made Lynn speak to her.
"Go after that bastard! I'll take care of Claire!" and with that said, Mia looked at that distancing body of the old man.
Could she do it? Even if she was to follow him, would anything be different this time around?
'I...I was so useless.' She reprimanded herself in a loathsome rage.
'But things are far from over!' Even if she was not sure if she could fight Ezekias, the fact was that the bastard was still alive, so the war was still not over.
"Which means, I still need to try." There was a powerful gust of wind as her silvery wings took her away from Wyatt and towards his murderer.