Black Monster

Red Eyes
"I know I've been saying this all day, but..." Amon looked over as the black monster, charged at him, as he teleported a fair distance away from it, allowing the monster to hit the ground instead of him, breaking it, and creating a small crater "...What the hell?" That was the only thing Amon could think of while fighting this...monster.

"Wait, no time...I have to ge to N-..." Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, Amon could feel his leg breaking, and with only a few seconds, realized why. The monster had reached him, closing the distance before he can realize, and kicked his leg with a forward strike, effectively breaking his left leg. Amon looked at the monster with a shocked expression "F-...Fas-..." Before Amon could even think, he was struck once more by the monster, this time in the chest, with an open palm, sending him flying against a wall, coughing blood upon impact "Ugh...!".

Amon wasn't give any window of opportunity. The monster immediately closed the distance between the two, and bit Amon's shoulder, turned around, releasing Amon from its maw, and sending him flying at Nyx's direction.

Tumbling on the ground, and his flesh scraping against the stone road, and Amon could only get back up on his knees, but the monster has already reached him once more. It was about to grab his head, and seconds after it touched him, Amon teleported it away, high up above the town, as it began to fall back down.

Amon was gasping, trying to recollect himself. Upon standing up, he looked behind him, seeing Nyx still unconscious, then looked up, seeing a black spot, which was the monster coming back down "I can't...leave her. I need to get a doctor...but...that monster..." Amon limped towards Nyx, feeling...floaty, and unfocused, and...a pain in his chest "N-...Not now...!" Amon fell on his knees, clutching his hand against his chest in pain "W-...Why...now...?! I...I have to...save...!".

The monster fell back onto the earth, crashing. Amon's eyes widened in horror, slowly turning his head around, and seeing a large crater, and the monster emerging from it, completely fine. Amon grit his teeth, both in anger of how weak he was, unable to beat this thing, and at how now, of all times, he is feeling immeasurable pain that he could just die.

His leg was broken, he was bleeding profously from his shoulder, and the stitches in his stomach that held his wound probably re-openned. He could barely see straight, much less focus well, especially with eyesight in just one eye.

The monster stayed in place, as a black sphere gathered in its mouth. It was preparing to fire another beam, and it can easily reach, and potentially kill, Nyx, and Amon. Realizing this, Amon quickly turned his sights back to Nyx, trying to reach her, even if he had to crawl. "I have to...reach...!" Amon tried to focus on Nyx, who was still lying unconscious in the alley, and teleport to her, but the pain, and the fact his bone might be sticking out of his leg didn't help him. In a split second, it seemed to Amon that Nyx openned her eyes, and looked back at him. At that moment, Amon's eyes lit with determination, as he gritted his teeth "I will...!".

The monster roared, releasing a massive black beam, even larger than before. Within seconds, it reached Nyx, and tore the buildings around her to shreds, utterly whiping them out, and creating a massive smoke cloud. As the smoke cleared, the monster walked forward.

Nyx looked around, her vision was blurry though. But she felt a warm embrace, making her feel safe. It took her only a few seconds to realize why. Amon, heavily bleeding and injured, embraced and shielded Nyx from the black beam, but he didn't seem conscious.

"Amon...?" Nyx seemed confused. She tried moving, but then Amon fell to the side, on the ground, as his embrace loosened. He fainted from the damage he recieved, while Nyx was oblivious as to what happened, still trying to recover from the physical trauma her head recieved.

Nyx lightly shook Amon, trying to wake him up "Why are you...sleeping...?" Nyx's voice was weak. It was clear she was still suffering some serious damage "Are you okay...? Hey...don't ignore me..." Suddenly, Nyx felt a shadow loom over her. She looked up, seeing the monster standing infront of her, glaring at her with its lifeless white eyes.

"Who...?"

Before she could finish, the monster openned its mouth, as drool dripped from its mouth "Feed...!!!" The monster's voice reached Nyx, even hurting her ears, despite it being telepathic. Just the horrible, horrible sound it made hurt Nyx's ears "M-....!!!" Suddenly, a swift kick was delivered to the monster's jaw, effectively shutting it up.

The one who delivered the kick was Amon, standing back up on his feet. "...It's been...decades..." That wasn't Amon who spoke. The voice was different, it was much more sinister, and gruff compared to Amon's "And yet...here I am. A body at last..." The blood dripping on Amon's body began to blacken, and as he looked back at Nyx, revealed his left eye became a black sclera with a red iris and no pupil "I get this broken down body, because he wanted to save someone.".

"..." The monster simply stood and looked at Amon, as if stunned.

"What's the matter, Wendigo? Don't remember me? It's Gram. Your old pal." The entity, Gram, spoke to the monster, Wendigo, sporting a cocky grin while doing so. "Ah, I bet you think you can eat me now. The meat should be nice and tender now, right?" Gram looked down at Amon's broken leg, seeing a bone piece sticking out. He couldn't care less, he somehow managed to overcome it, and force himself to stand.

What can only be described as black blood emerged from his broken leg, and began pushing the bone back inside, forcibly "fixing" the leg in the process, as the skin remained damage, but the bone was put back in place, and the black blood wrapped itself around it, solidifying, and fixing it, even if temporarily "Better." Gram said, moving his newly fixed leg a bit to test it out. It was fine, if not a bit laggy.

Nyx only stared in confusion, trying to extend her hand to Amon "Are you...alright...?" Nyx toppled down, back on the cold floor, unable to stand back up again. She was in too much pain to focus.

"Pfft, pitiful." Gram hissed, focusing his sights on Wendigo "So, this is a nice reunion, ain't it?" Gram said, as the blood on his body, now blackened, began gathering his arms, and left leg "I cannot express how...utterly frustrated I am." The black blood began forming as a gauntlet-like structure around his arms, and legs. It coated his arms, and they had distinct white linings, and small spikes potruded from the elbows, while the fingertips gained claws. The same applied for the left, broken leg, most likely functioning as a sort of cast for the leg. The claws on his toes shredded through his shoe, forcing him to take it off.

"Damn, human clothing, getting in my way..." Gram said, annoyed. He then tested out his arms, examining them, doing air boxing while Wendigo simply stood, dumbfounded "Hmm...For someone who is broken...this body is quite impressive. I suppose the Black Blood was simply too much to handle above all the other things.".

Suddenly, Wendigo appeared infront of Gram, about to strike him with its arm. Gram, without even a second of delay, grabbed Wendigo's arm with his hand, stopping it dead in its tracks. A large grin emerged on Gram's face, as he looked at Wendigo, appearing very pleased with himself "Fool. I've fought monsters who moved at speeds surprising sound itself! Do you think something pitiful as this, can even surprise me?!" Within instants, Gram kicked Wendigo in the stomach, and grabbed its head, pulling it down, and kneeing him in the face.

"I have gathered knowledge, and never fading prowess, from thousands of fools who took me as their weapon. Hand to hand combat, swordsmanship, all of it! I have the battle power of an entire army! Or even more!" Raising his fist upwards, Gram send a powerful downward punch to Wendigo's head, causing its head to crash onto the ground, creating an imprint of it on the ground "You are barely even 10 soldiers! You are an insect!".

Wendigo's entire head twisted 180 degrees, forming a black sphere in its mouth, preparing to fire it. Gram stepped on its mouth, effectively cancelling the attack "You must think of me as an idiot." Gram said, taking his foot off and grabbing Wendigo's leg "I will show you how to use this technique properly, fool!" With all his strength, Gram throw Wendigo high into the air, and openned his palm, extended his arm upward, gathering Black Blood from his arm onto a black sphere "A technique that uses your own blood, with your very essence, in order to attack!".

As Wendigo began falling down, Gram's black sphere expanded into a massive size, so much that Wendigo was a speck compared to it "Requires your utmost will power, rage, hatred, and above all else, killing intent! And trust me, I have plenty!" In an instant, the black sphere shrunk again, but fired into an enormous beam, easily dwarfing Wendigo's, and was viewed by the entire city, even by the townspeople who have long run away from the scene.

Wendigo openned its mouth, expanding its size, attempting to devour the beam, but it was too large, and once it struck Wendigo, it exploded into a massive shockwave, even blackening the city's skies for about 5 seconds, before the sky turned blue once more.

Wendigo crashed back down, with only its upper body remaining. Gram walked to it, kneeling down, with a mocking expression on his face "No difference from back then, I see. I can still crush you, and I bet I can even crush Belial as well!" Gram boasted in an arrogant tone. He then clawed his fingers into Wendigo's chest, and Wendigo's body began to be absorbed into him, turning into Black Blood "You may be a useless, pathetic creature...but I lie. You're good for one thing. Ironically, you need to be dead for it." Eventually, only a heart was left in Gram's hand. Gram looked at the heart, grinning as he crushed it "Assimilation, complete.".

Nyx tried to keep herself up, holding her body up with her arms, while staring at awe in what just unfolded. "Amon...since...when can you do that?" Nyx was still not fully "awake" to the situation.

Gram turned to Nyx, walking to her, kneeling down to her level, grinning in a mocking manner "After seeing all that, you still call me Amon? Ha! You're hilarious, child." Gram mocked Nyx's ignorance, belittling her.

Oddly enough, Nyx smiled to him, as if she didn't hear what he said "Thank you..." Gram raised a brow in confusion. Why would she say that to him "...for protecting me..." It was then that Gram remembered. Amon shielded her from Wendigo's attack.

Nyx collapsed, but Gram caught her, and gently put her down on the ground, before standing back up. Gram walked over to Amon's Gouan, which he dropped, and grabbed it, examining its condition "Hmm...impressive. Still in one piece." While Gram was examining the blade, he suddenly heard footsteps, each one louder then the last. And it wasn't walking. It was running.

He turned around, seeing a magenta haired woman, wearing nothing but a white, two-piece swimsuit, with a red blazer over her, with only her right arm remaining, while also wearing military boots, charging right at him "Soooooon!!!!" The woman shouted at Gram "Juno's here to discipline you!" The woman, Juno, declared.

"What...?" Gram was utterly confused, but upon closer inspection into Amon's mind, recognized the woman "...Juno Sango. Your mother? I never kn-..." Suddenly, a spark of lightning flashed infront of Gram, to which Juno materialized, delivering a swift, but powerful punch to his cheek, knocking him out cold, and into the ground as well.

"What's this I hear about you being a killer?! I've been spending the last decade sitting on my ass mourning! And here I hear you're alive, but doing shit like going against the Council?!" Juno shouted at Gram, or rather, meant to do so on Amon, scolding him "Are you trying to give your dear mother a heart attack?!" Juno crossed her arms, or atleast would've if she had both arms. Instead, she put her hand under her left arm pit, as if she was crossing her arm against an invisible one.

She awaited a reply from Amon, but it only took her a few seconds to realize she won't be getting any right now "...Oh, deary me, I think I killed him...".

Family Reunion
"Amon!!!"

Amon woke up, startled by the voice shouting his name. When he woke up, he realized he was in a nursery room, with almost all of his upperbody covered in bandages, including across his left eye, and had a patch of ice on his left cheek, which was swollen slightly. He also had a cast on his left leg, since it was broken by Wendigo.

"...What the h-...? Urgh...!" Amon clutched his stomach. feeling pain surging across his entire body. But he had no recollection of anything after seeing Nyx's eyes open. "Wait, Ny-...!" Amon remembered Nyx was also critically wounded, and turning his head slightly to the left, he saw Nyx, sleeping on a bed next to his, with bandages on her head.

"Oh, she's alive..." Amon took a sigh of relief, resting his head on the bed's pillow.

"Amon! Don't ignore me!" A familiar voice called to him awake, the same that woke him up. It was Beast, catching Amon's attention.

"Beast?! You're alive! What the Hell?! Where were y-...?!".

"We have an intruder here! That's what!" Beast cut off Amon, mentioning an intruder.

"Oh, how rude." A menacing, gruff and deep voice spoke. His voice echoed in Amon's head, even overwhelming him "I saved your life, and this is how you repay me? Calling me an intruder? How tasteless." The voice said, sounding sure of himself, and quite cocky.

"You...that voice...You were the one who called into the storage room!" Amon said, remembering the black sword with the glowing red eye, coming to a realization "...Don't tell me...".

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Gram, Maken #0. I am the Destroyer of Lives, Conqueror of War, and Wrecker of your Shi-...!".

"And an arrogant prick, apparantly." Beast cut off Gram, replying with a snarky comment.

"Do not interrupt me! Or I will show you my power!" Gram threatened Beast, clearly displeased with him.

"Oh, so scary. The voice in a half blind man's head is going to hurt me, another voice in his head! Oh, how terrifying!" Beast's sarcasm was truly a great contrast to Amon's.

"Why you...!" It was clear, Amon was going to have alot of headaches from now on.

"Oh god, please, shut up..." Amon said, rubbing his head in aggravation.

Suddenly, the door was kicked open, as Lamia rushed in, seeing Amon. She appeared to be in terror, as she leaped onto Amon's bed, grabbing him by his shoulders and violently shaking him "What the Hell is this I hear about you going off and almost dying?! AGAIN! Do I have to put a goddamn leash on your neck and call you Sparky so that you won't run into a car and die?! Seriously! Get a hobby!" Lamia yelled at Amon, clearly infuriated with him, an emotion she rarely displayed, especially towards him.

She then jumped off the bed, leaving Amon in shcok, as she adjusted her clothes and hair, coughing to clear her throat, and turning around to Amon again "So, how're you doin'?".

"Don't act as if nothing just happened!" Amon was no stranger to Lamia's anticts, but this one was somehow the most unusual.

After Lamia, entered Aph, accompanied by Nicholas, who quickly rushed to Nyx's side, who woke up from the ruckus caused by Lamia.

"Amon~" Aph cheerfully exclaimed, walking over to Amon, holding a fruit basket.

"Mmm..." Nyx's head was hurting, a headache that felt as if it cracked her skull "What...happened...?" Nyx also had no recollection of anything after losing consciousness, her mind simply faded away from the shock.

Nicholas carefully patted Nyx's head, trying to comfort her "It's okay...The doctors said you'll be fine, as long as you rest." Nicholas said, his tone and manner of speech sounding kind, and caring, something he wasn't known for, due to his usually cold demeanor.

"And you..." But, it vanished as quickly as it came. Nicholas turned his gaze towards Amon, appearing enraged, and sounding it as well "You tell me you're going for a while, and the next time I see you, you almost get Nicky killed. If we didn't have someone look for either of you, you'd be both dead." He was clearly displeased "What excuse do you have, for almost getting her killed, and furthermore, vanishing when I told you to return quickly?".

"I'd imagine you mean, you would've done a better job at keeping her safe from what attacked us?" Amon taunted Nicholas, not allowing him to simply scold him.

"Why you...! Fine!" Nicholas snapped at Amon, pointing at him with his index finger, his eyes lighting up with rage "If you so wish to belittle us, then you can go ahead, and take your things, and your so called family, and leave!" Nicholas raised his voice, shouting at Amon "If that's how you want it! Then be i-...!".

"I don't think you'd want that." Lamia cut off Nicholas, sitting down on a chair next to Amon, and peeling an apple with a barrier molded into a knife form "If you remember, lil' 'un, yer boss wants me to make you a weapon. Now, would it be logical toss us out when I'm not even half way finished? Or better yet, wouldn't it be better, if I just left on my own, for the way you talk to my dear?" Lamia said, sounding very sure of herself "I mean, not like I'm someone shorty over there broke her legs over, just to get me to come over here, right?".

"She's right, you know." Suddenly, a man with dark blue hair, tied in a ponytail, and black pupiless eyes, wearing black robes, and holding a sheathed katana, walked into the room, taking a seat next to Nyx's bed "Nyx told me, Amon took care of her and kept her company, while Lamia treated her well, to make sure she lives." The man explained to Nicholas, crossing his arms.

"Masamune..." Nicholas took a moment to think "Nicky, is this true? No. Rather, do you see this man as someone who's worth our time?" Nicholas asked Nyx, looking at her, waiting for her reply.

"Y-...Yes! They all are! Believe it or not, they were actually very nice to me! Amon even saved me! If it weren't for him, I'd be dead because of some crazy nun!" Nyx told Nicholas, but quickly clutched her head in pain, to which Masamune, the man wearing black, comforted her, helping her calm down "He is...my friend.".

"...Fine then." Nicholas said, walking to the exit "But, if such a thing happens again, I will personally kick you out. Both figuratively, and very literally." With that said, Nicholas slammed the door behind him, leaving the room.

"Pfft, tight ass." Lamia hissed as he left, mocking him one last time.

"You'll get used to him." Masamune retorted to Lamia's insult "He's actually a nice guy once you get to know him.".

"I doubt that." Amon said, going back to resting his head on the pillow "But, thanks anyway, for...backing me up. Masamune, was it?".

"It's of no problem." Masamune said, politely, an already great contrast to Nicholas "Nick can be quite aggressive, but he was only worried about Nicky. Please, do understand how he feels. I'm sure you would've acted the same way if someone you cared for, or even loved, got this badly injured." Masamune said, smiling towards Nyx.

Lamia's eyes widened slightly, remembering when she once snapped at Nyx after Amon returned half dead, and how she blamed Nyx for it, and was even willing to kick her out for it. She nodded in agreement with Masamune, cutting the peeled apple to pieces "I agree with you." Lamia said.

"You what now...?" Amon wasn't familiar with Lamia agreeing with others. Usually she's a self-centered person, whose ego makes her believe she can step on people. And she has stepped on alot of people.

Lamia leaned over to Amon, attempting to feed him an apple slice "Open up." Lamia said, and Amon did as she told him, openning his mouth as she put the apple slice in for him to chew "Oh, reminds me." Lamia gestured to Aph with a simple hand motion, and Aph nodded in reply, pulling out a small communication Lacrima from her cleavage, and tapping it.

"Hello? Yeah, he's up~" Aph said, returning the Lacrima into where she pulled it out of.

"...That looks uncomfortable." Amon noted, after seeing where Aph hides her things.

Suddenly, the door was kicked down, as Juno entered, breathing heavily. She wore nothing but a towel, and was still dripping wet. Most likely, she rushed right out of the bath "You!" Juno pointed intently at Amon "How dare you get knocked out after one measly punch?!" Juno said, fueled with energy that could power ten suns.

"Mom?!" Amon said in shock, to which everyone who wasn't Lamia and Aph, responded to with equal shock in their faces "Y-...You're alive...?!".

"Of course I am!" Juno replied, pumping her fist onto her chest, or rather, where her heart is, proudly declaring "I am not one to die by some Jester with no job!" Suddenly, Amon teleproted infront of his mother, putting his arms around her, and hugging her, tightly emrbacing her, as tears of happiness ran down his eyes. He managed to not fall, despite his broken leg, thanks to the support she granted.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you..." Amon said, his voice lower and calmer compared to prior. He was genuinely happy to see her again.

Juno returned a one-handed hug to Amon, smiling warmly "I'm happy to see you in one piece too, son." Juno said, casually calling him son, as the two split. Juno caressed Amon's cheek, but quickly held him by his chin, moving his head left and right to examine him "I need to see your face when you take these things off. I wanna see what a fine gentleman you grew up to be!" Juno sounded enthusiastic.

"But of course." Amon said, nodding to his mother. He quickly noticed Juno's stump, having some unpleasant flashbacks, and an obvious upset look on his face.

"What? This?" Juno cluthced her left shoulder, smiling regardless "Ah, don't sweat it. I may be one-armed, but I am twice as deadly as I was 10 years ago! I can kick your ass to New Jersey and back again!".

"New what...?" Amon had no idea what this place called "New Jersey" was.

"...Nevermind." Juno awkwardly looked away, scratching her cheek. "C'mon, sit back down. We have some catching up to do.".

"And you have some clothes to put on." Lamia noted, eating the rest of the apple, while she watched everything happen.

"Oh?" Juno looked down, remembering she only had a towel on "Pfft! Oh, please! As if having clothes is even neccesary!".

"It is..." Masamune covered his eyes, blushing heavily, while Nyx simply tried to avoid eye contact with this woman.

"Shut up, boy! You have a beautiful woman in nothing but a towel in the same room as you! This is practically a gift from the Gods to ya!" Juno proudly declared. It was amazing how this woman once raised Amon, and yet he had none of her enthusiasm.

"Yeah, no." Amon said, turning Juno around, and tried pushing her to the exit "You're gonna go put on your suit, and we'll talk then. Not earlier, got it?" Amon sounded as if he was disciplining her, rather than the other way around.

"What?! But, I haven't seen you in ages!" Juno said, sounding like a child arguing with her parent. Oh, how ironic. "Then come change with me! We can talk there!".

"My leg is broken!" Amon replied, as the two simply stood there and continued bickering. While, the others simply watched in amusement.