Again.
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Again and again Cordis and Jayden have put everyone at risk. Talon should have never risked his arm for him.
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Well, he did know better. He just really wanted this whole ‘team-up’ to work. But now…
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Ignatius: “Cordis! Enough! Let us help you!”
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Ravage: “This is no time to play, Domino.”
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Tendrils surround the group, preventing them from saving Talon. Heck, they can’t defend themselves since Cordis may kill Talon, their only way out of this hell dimension.
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Cordis: “Who says I’m playing? Give me the souls, Banana. I won’t ask again.”
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The tendrils tighten around Talon’s legs and remaining arm. He can feel the bones bend, but Talon doesn’t care, not anymore.
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He releases a cold breath of air. Cordis loves to go off on everyone, insulting and poking nonstop no matter the situation. It doesn’t matter if people try to help; he doesn’t care and only makes things worse.
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Enough is enough. The time for charity is over.
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Talon: “Fuck you.”
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Everyone turned to Talon, not because of his words but because of the sheer venom behind them.
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Cordis: “Oh, Banana finally has bite? That tongue won’t save you though.”
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Talon: “Do it. Kill me.”
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Cordis: “… Hmph, killing isn’t the only thing I can do to you.”
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Instead of crushing, Cordis begins twisting the restricted limbs. The pain made a low grunt escape Talon’s lips.
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Vandel: “Cordis! Enou-”
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Talon: “Let him do it! Because it doesn’t matter what you do, I will never give you these souls.”
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Cordis: “Fine, then I’ll just take it.”
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Another tendril emerges and goes to claim the lantern on Talon’s person. But as soon as the tendril got within a few inches, it caught on green fire. Cordis took a step back and cut off the quickly burning appendage. But that momentary action gave enough time for Magpie and Vandel to cut Talon free.
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One tendril was one thing, but having three more cut like that sends Cordis to his knees. More of that oily liquid seeps out of his mouth. He covers his mouth, trying to stem the flow as the other tendrils around the room dissolve.
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Cordis: “You-”
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Talon: “Of course there would be a defense mechanism for anyone unauthorized to touch the lantern. And you are not authorized.”
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Banana drags his injured hand up, prepared to create a portal.
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Cordis: “Do it Banana; you know what I’ll do.”
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Talon: “I know, the same way I know you wouldn’t kill me. You talk a big game, but killing me would trap you here. No going home.”
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Regaining his strength, Cordis growls as tendrils begin to once again slither up the shadows and encircle the group. But unlike last time, they are on guard and won’t be restrained.
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Cordis: “I’m… not stopping until I get a soul. I’ll rip it out of one of you if I have to.”
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Talon: “Not in your state.”
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Ignatius: “Stay down and rest, Cordis, please.”
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Vandel: “I don’t think he will. Cordis, you still haven’t told us about option three.”
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Cordis: “And I won’t.”
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Talon: “Figured.”
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Magpie: “This is getting ridiculous! We don’t have time for this! The world is coming to an end and we’re fighting among ourselves.”
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Cordis: “We wouldn’t have to if someone would just give up a perfectly free soul.”
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The teleporter looks to the ceiling and sighs.
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Talon: “I wanted this to work out. I really did. I wanted us all to get out of this alive and well. But I should have known better.”
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Cordis: “That’s rich coming from you. You didn’t have to suffer this maddening cycle! No, all you were doing was watching us and twiddling your thumbs!”
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Talon: “You’re right. I watched you and countless others suffer for uncountable years. I sat there in that soundless void until time didn’t mean anything anymore.”
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Cordis: “Poor you. Like I care what you do for some promotion.”
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Talon: “No, fool! I didn’t do it for some fucking promotion or glory! Unlike Jayden, I did this because it’s the right thing to do, not duty. I…”
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Talon grabbed his shirt, trying to calm down the oncoming panic attack.
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Talon: “I-I shouldn’t even be here. My organization didn’t care about this; it wasn’t their responsibility, they said. But… I couldn’t… ”
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He sniffs, regaining his strength and wiping away the tears.
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Talon: “But despite that and everything you’ve done, I still want to save you too. I am what I am.”
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With that said, Talon moved his hand and opened a portal below himself and Vandel.
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Vandel: “What the-”
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And just like that, Talon and Vandel were gone. Everyone stood speechless, all except Cordis, who started crackling like a madman.
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Cordis: “Banana ran!? He left you here to save himself and the gunner. Maybe he plays for the other team as well. Either way, I knew he was nothing but some coward.”
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Magpie: “No way… ”
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Cordis: “Oh, don’t look so sad. Maybe he just left because he doesn’t want to see me rip a soul out of one of you. Clearly, he values the souls in that lantern more than any of you.”
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Ignatius: “But why take Vandel? Moryuu would have made more sense.”
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Cordis: “Feeling jealous? Don’t be; you won’t be feeling anything soon.”
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Cordis begins to walk closer to the couple while his tendrils encircle them.
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Ignatius: “Stay back, Cordis; we will defend ourselves if we have to.”
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Cordis: “Like you have the energy for that.”
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Ignatius: “I had enough to try and heal you; I have enough to fight you as well.”
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Magpie: “And I’m nearly at 100%, more than what I can say about you.”
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Cordis: “We’ll see.”
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Ravage at this point didn’t really care about any of those present aside from Moryuu. But considering the current situation and the fact she still wants magic from Ignatius, she was going to intervene.
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Fighting Domino should be good entertainment. But before she could, the Umbra she was poking was enveloped in a portal.
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The next instance, it was dropped before Cordis. The man stopped and looked at the dead Umbra.
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Cordis: “What the-”
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It wasn’t the only one; soon after, three more level ones were teleported to him.
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Magpie: “Ha, who abandoned whom again?”
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After some time, Talon appeared again. He is limping, tired, but still fighting on.
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Talon: “Eat. It may not heal you perfectly, but me and Vandel will be hunting Umbra while keeping a tab on Nu. That should buy us more time. For now, can you heal me real quick, Iggy?”
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Ignatius: “Right.”
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The man heals Talon’s swollen limbs while Cordis sneers at the meal he was given. He should just kill one of them; it would heal him faster.
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But he’s no fool. Even now, the core cracks further, and his strength drains. There is no guarantee he will dominate them in time or even win the battle. Especially if Ravage decides to join in.
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Cordis: “Fine, if you want to be my little workhorse and get me food, I won’t complain.”
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Better this than option 3. Besides, if he fails, this will give Cordis enough strength to try taking a soul again. So with that in mind, he sits and starts consuming the Umbras.
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As for Talon, it didn’t take long for him to be healed well enough. After stretching his limbs, Talon opened a portal and continued this spontaneous plan.
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The impurity was… fighting back. The entity was… out of balance.
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Dark Weaver kneels in an abandoned and broken church with red light illuminating her shivering wings. She cups her head, trying to silence the impurity.
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Whatever that hunter did cracked their control over themselves.
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Dark Weaver: “But it’s only a matter of time.”
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It won’t take too long for this imbalance to be purged and for them to resume their hunt. Once the gunner and the others are reduced to ash, then they can end the suffering of the lesser beings. They will weave their torment and being about the si-
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Suddenly, a force beyond even them pressed down upon their collective souls. Fear and awe grip them as their wings wrap around their shaking body.
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A whisper only they can hear flows through them.
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‘That desire is not for you. You are not our savior.’
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The desire to weave all worlds dims. The desire is still there, burning bright ever still. But… it is no longer the all-consuming flame it was building into.
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Within that moment of weakness, the impurity gained another foothold.
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Dark Weaver: “No… ”
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Cracks appear on her glass frame as tears escape the windows to the trinity of souls.
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Dark Weaver: “Van… del.”
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Before the cracks could grow, she hears something in the distance. Instinctively, she shot a bolt of fire towards the source of the sound. The target was blown away, collapsing the wall and burning the church seats. But instead of anything important, it was only a now-dead Umbra.
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Dark Weaver: “Disgusting creatures… ”
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She didn’t notice a portal popping in and out of existence. How could she when her mind once again throbs in pain?
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All she can do is wait for this to be over, one way or another.
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Talon: “What the hell were you thinking? You got too close.”
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Vandel: “Sorry, I was just… she seemed like she was in a lot of pain.”
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Talon: “You were lucky I got back in time to get you out of there. Now, I have to go back and get that burnt Umbra.”
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With that, Talon left through a portal. While Talon handles that, Vandel slides down the alley wall.
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He could tell Nu was still in there; she was still fighting. There was still hope.
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Vandel: “Hold on just a little longer, Nu. I’m coming.”
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A/N: Yes, this story is back. Sort of. The other writers aren’t around or don’t have the time. But I do, sort of. Thanks to Tenshi, I have permission to continue.
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But considering I don’t have explicit permission from everyone, this is less of a canon continuation. Think of it like Blankmark’s version of the ending. Either that or simple fanfiction of the original incomplete story.
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This chapter is to gauge interest and to see if I can do the characters right. If all works out, I can finish the whole thing when time allows. When that happens, all chapters will drop at once.
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Thanks for reading.
ns216.73.216.253da2
and then Add to home screen.