From the palms of his hands, Lacerbus summoned shadowy portals that spat forth writhing black tethers. The sinister cords lashed out like predatory serpents. Ballo, Virno, and Rel narrowly evaded the onslaught, but Punjo was less fortunate. A thick tether coiled around his leg, hoisting him upside down and leaving him suspended from the ceiling.

  Ballo: "Virno! Rel! We need cover!"

  Without hesitation, Virno and Rel exchanged a glance of understanding. Each grabbed a spherical device from their belts, twisting them to activate the charges. The devices, slightly different from the one Virno had used earlier, were hurled toward Lacerbus. Anticipating the move, the dark-clad man whipped his strings upward, intercepting the projectiles mid-air -- this time, he would not let the blast so much as graze him. However, the detonation created an ear-splitting blast and a thick, impenetrable cloud of smoke that engulfed the room.

  Lacerbus stumbled back, momentarily disoriented. His strings retracted as he lost sight of his enemies. The lifeless bodies suspended from his fetters dropped unceremoniously to the ground -- but the impacts made no sound.

  Ballo: "Stay low and quiet. I'll handle this."

  His voice was steady, but his sharp gaze betrayed his concern.

  Ballo: "Virno -- whatever you do, don't summon your silver sword... No matter what."

  Taking advantage of the smokescreen, Ballo had encased the three of them in a grey bubble, blocking out all of the sound from the outside-in, and from the inside-out. After warning the two young boys, he dissolved into the smoky haze, moving like a shadow. Lacerbus, now blinded, lashed out with wild strikes, his strings slicing through the air as he cursed the darkness.

  Lacerbus: "WORMS! Show yourselves! Face me!"

  Behind him, a portal silently opened. Ballo's figure materialized, stepping through soundlessly. The old warrior's eyes glimmered with cold determination as he crept closer to his target.

  Ballo: "Your kind is not welcome here."

  The low, measured voice startled Lacerbus. He spun around, but it was too late -- Ballo's blade drove through his chest, piercing his heart. Black, corrupted blood seeped from the wound, staining the floor with unnatural darkness.

  Lacerbus: "Hahahah...! You're surprisingly spry for an old man, but you confront powers far beyond your reach..."

  Ballo's eyes shimmer with grey energy, extinguishing Lacerbus's once-arrogant demeanor.

  Ballo: "I am fully aware of my adversary's strengths... and their weaknesses. Can you say the same?"

  Ballo channels a surge of grey energy through his blade, forcing a strangled cry of pain from Lacerbus. Amidst the agony, all of his fetters are released, leaving the bodies to free-fall ungoverned into the ground.

  Yet, Ballo had anticipated this. With the cloud of smoke partially gone, it could now be seen that gravity itself seemed to slow down each body at just the right moment, before they mercilessly crashed against the cold floor.

  Lacerbus, now on his knees, struggled desperately to activate some kind of latent power. Unfortunately for him, Ballo's energy seemed to ebb and flow in a perfect dance, its hypnotizing equilibrium disrupting his attempts.

  Ballo: "Don't bother -- no savior will come for you now."

  Ballo swept his arm, dispersing the smoke that clouded the room.

  Lacerbus: "E-eclipse... So you were behind this..."

  Ballo: "Eclipse have nothing to do with this anymore. I act of my own accord."

  Lacerbus frowns, confusion riddled in his gaze.

  Lacerbus: "Alone...?! But why?"

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Lacerbus's gaze darted toward the advancing figures of Virno, Rel and Punjo their weapons drawn and fury burning in their eyes.

  Ballo: "Hold your positions!"

  Rel and Punjo halted, reluctant but obedient. Virno, however, stormed forward.

  Virno: "This fucker's gonna pay!"

  Before Virno could act, Ballo's telekinetic force wrenched his weapon from his grasp.

  Ballo: "Cool your head, boy! You wish to know where Cabdan is, do you not? Use this chance wisely."

  At the mention of Cabdan, Lacerbus's lips curled into a sneer.

  Lacerbus: "Cabdan? What could you possibly want with that cowardly slug...?"

  Virno ignored the question, grabbing Lacerbus by his blood-soaked hair and yanking his head back.

  Virno: "None of your fucking business. Where's that fat fuck?!"

  The man roars as his hair is pulled, his voice charged with malice.

  Lacerbus: "Pathetic little whelp... When I'm free, I'll wring the life out of you myself!"

  Virno: "ANSWER !"

  In an instant, Lacerbus's cold hand clamped onto Virno's wrist with a strength that could almost shatter bone. Virno felt the pressure coursing through his very marrow, sure that if not for his weakened state, Lacerbus could have easily snapped his wrist in two. The villain cackled, stubbornly refusing to provide the information.

  Ballo: "... Where is he?"

  Ballo amplified his magical output, causing the wound inflicted on Lacerbus to seethe with grey flames.

  Lacerbus: "BASTARDS...! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!"

  Ballo: "Seems this will not be as straightforward as I'd hoped..."

  Virno rises, looking down upon the man.

  Virno: "Oh... It'll be pretty damn straightforward!"

  His rage boiled over. Without hesitation, Virno summoned his silver blade and thrust it into Lacerbus's abdomen. The moment its tip pierces the flesh, the unshakeable hold Ballo held over him was momentarily disrupted.

  Ballo: "Fool, what are you doing?! Pull back!"

  Lacerbus met Virno's eyes with a malevolent grin, the dark runes etched across his armor beginning to glow.

  Lacerbus: "HAHAHAH!!"

  Virno tries to remove the blade, but it would not budge. Black veins spread like wildfire across Lacerbus' pallid skin as his body twisted unnaturally.

  Lacerbus: "So it was you... YOU! The child they protect!"

  Ballo infused even more energy into the blade, but he could not hope to control what had been unchained. Unholy sigils carved themselves onto Lacerbus' face and body, his eyes turning completely black.

  Lacerbus: "I SACRIFICE ALL THAT I AM! LUNALUS, WITNESS MY MARTYRDOM! MAY THE ETERNAL BLACK RELEASE ME...!"

  A pulse of dark energy erupted from Lacerbus, shattering Ballo's blade and sending both him and Virno hurtling backward. Rel and Punjo caught Virno, while Ballo deftly floated to safety.

  Lacerbus's body twisted and morphed, as if something inside him was desperately yearning to come out. Black tentacles tore through his flesh, his form swelling grotesquely. Not even his voice was spared from otherworldly torment: a gurgling sound, the sound of his own blood, escaped in between the cracks of its lowering, ever more distorted pitch. His muscles were torn, his bones broken. What was once the slender figure of a man was now becoming a hulking monstrosity.

  Ballo: "Get out of the building. Take the girls and retreat!"

  Virno rose shakily to his feet, gripping his silver blade.

  Rel: "STOP IT, VIRNO!"

  Rel screamed at the top of his lungs, like Virno had never heard him before.

  Rel: "Enough...! Let Ballo handle it before we all die... Please..."

  Virno could see it in his eyes -- he was hopeless. Faithless. But then, how could he not be...? After all, playing the hero always seemed to turn out for the worst. It was dawning on him, too. Sheer willpower could only get him so far. Without the strength to materialize and carry that will to fruition, he was useless.

  But he couldn't turn away.

  Virno: "Sorry, but I can't back down now... I fucked up, I can't just turn my back and leave. But you guys need to get out of here -- take the girls and go. They deserve to be saved."

  Rel's face twisted into a mixture of hatred and sadness. Punjo placed a heavy hand on his shoulder.

  Punjo: "Come on, Rel. We hafta get 'em out."

  The two moved to evacuate the wounded as Lacerbus's transformation reached its horrific zenith. His flesh had been replaced by a thin layer of viscous tar, which dripped down from his body and corroded everything it touched. He sprouted large, bat-like wings with sharp claws which shimmered with an unnatural, oily glint. His appearance was undoubtedly demonic... Yet his demeanour now seemed tranquil and controlled -- like he had reached some sort of nirvana.

  Lacerbus: "IN THE ABSENCE OF EVERYTHING... LIES THE MOST PEACEFUL OF RESTS."

  Virno joined Ballo's side. The old man had encased the demon in a cage of grey energy, but the monstrous strength of the creature was already tearing it apart.

  Ballo: "Are you that ready to meet your grave, Virno von Virtus...?"

  Virno nodded solemnly.

  Virno: "I'm sorry. I should have listened to you."

  Ballo shakes his head.

  Ballo: "And I, in turn, should have exercised better judgment... You are still much too young."

  As Punjo ushered the last of the girls through the door, he turned back for a final glance at Virno and Ballo.

  Ballo: "But only one thing matters now; this abomination must perish, even if it costs us our lives."

  Punjo's gruff voice carried an uncharacteristic softness as he whispered his goodbyes.

  Punjo: "Goodbye, laddie. Hope we meet again in the next one..."

  With that, the door slammed shut, leaving Virno and Ballo to face the monstrous Lacerbus.