Dragon Blood

The Dark Tower
"I-...It's dark! Is anyone here?!" Martin exclaimed, shivering and shaking in the absolute black void that was the insides of the tower erected by Serena.

"Calm down, I'm here." Amon said, lighting up a match he pulled from a matchbox in his pocket "What happened?".

"I-...It's that monster..." Martin replied "That monster that...General Dimaria fought...".

"Monster, huh." Amon casually remarked, using the match to try and see the area, but it was nothing but earth and stone "We need to get out of here. See if anyone else is alive.".

"Oh god..." Martin covered his face with his hands "How many died...?".

Amon didn't quite have a reply for Martin, opting to stay quiet. He tossed the matches to the ground before it could burn his fingers, lighting up another one in its place "Let's look around." Amon said, helping Martin stand up as they traversed the darkness. Every so often, Amon changed to a new matchstick when the current one was running out.

The two reached a wall, after walking for a few minutes. They didn't know if they kept walking in a straight line, or how much distance they covered. It was difficult to tell. Amon knocked against the stone wall, feeling an echo from the other side "There's another side behind this." He said.

"Another room...?".

"Yeah." Amon replied to Martin "We'll have to get through.".

"B-...But how...?" Martin asked "We don't have anyone who can...".

As if on cue, a large shockwave shook the tower, even catching the attention of Dimaria and Serena who were at the top of the tower. Amon lit up a match, revealing the newfound hole infront of the two "There we go.".

"Eh...?" Martin looked in awe, before noticing Amon's bleeding knuckles "Di-..Did you...?".

"Hm?" Amon looked at Martin, not noticing what he meant "It needed a bit of a push.".

"Who's there?!" A soldier cried out, unsheathing their sword "If you are an enemy, we will not hesitate to kill you! Even in this darkness, we still have the numbers advantage!".

"C-...Calm down!" Martin cried out "It's me, Martin! This is th-...the General's acquaintance, Amon.".

"Oh, it's you two." Another soldier said "Martin, where is the General and Captain? Have you seen them?".

"N-...No." Martin replied "We don't even know where we are...".

"Hm.".

"What's the matter, Amon?" Martin asked, noticing Amon was staring to the side.

"We have civilians here, so we have to find a way to get them out before anyone gets hurt or killed!" A soldier pointed out, as the ambient sounds became clearer; the mumbling and muttering of civilians all huddled in this dark room.

"Th-...Then we..." Martin gulped down his breathe, sweating nervously "We have...survivors...".

Another shockwave startled everyone, as the sun's light shone intensely into their eyes, revealing the outside world. A new hole was punched open "I found the exit." Amon sarcastically said.

"S-...Stop doing that, you made me jump!" Martin angrily retorted.

Suddenly, a sword peered through the folds of space, followed by an arm, and eventually, the rest of Vera's body pulled out from the invisible portal "I found you. Good thing you weren't subtle." Vera said, turning to Amon as she did "How many men do we have here?".

"About a hundred, Captain!" A soldier replied.

"And citizens?".

"...Hundred..." He replied, his tone noticeably grim.

"I see..." Vera slashed at the air, opening a visible portal "Exit through here. It will lead you outside these walls." She explained "Keep walking and abandon the city. Head to the next one as fast as possible and stay in a single group. Am I clear?".

"Yes, Captain!" The soldiers replied in unison.

"Good. Martin, you come with me." Vera said, patting Martin on the shoulder "I have a special mission for you.".

"Where are you taking him?" Amon asked Vera, as the citizens and soldiers began to leave through the portal.

"That's none of your buisness. Leave with the civilians." Vera replied, rather hostile "If you try and do anything, you'll be killed. I can't guarantee your safety. Especially when that monster isn't the only thing endangering you." She said, slashing a different portal open, leaving with Martin, and leaving everyone behind.

Meanwhile, atop the platform of the tower, Dimaria and Serena's battle continued, without signs of it halting "Do...you intend on dragging this on to humiliate me, Dimaria?" Serena asked, visibly irritated.

"Hm. Maybe I am..." Dimaria pondered to herself, smiling slyly towards Serena "I wonder, indeed.".

Serena clenched his hand into a fist, encircling it in a sphere of black flames "Purgatory Dragon's Encircling Hell Ring!" Serena exclaimed, lunging his arm forth, sending a large sphere of flames towards Dimaria, as its shape distorted into a ring spinning towards her.

His throat filled with blood, coughing it outside as he quickly clutched his neck, turning as Dimaria stabbed him from behind, digging her sword deep into his body "Do...you know what brought upon my title of Valkyrie, Serena?" Dimaria casually asked Serena, as he turned 180 degrees, attempting to kick her, yet Dimaria blocked with her sword, pushing her away, creating a small distance between them. She grinned smugly towards him, pointing her sword at him "Well? Do you?".

Flames covered Serena's neck, cauterizing the wound and stopping the bleeding using his water magic. He was on borrowed time as it is. He had no idea how long he could keep his heart artificially going "Heh." He smiled, showcasing confidence "Does it have to do with your gauntlet?".

"Close. It has to do with my magic.".

"Hm?" Serena looked confused, raising a brow in response "What part of halting time brought about that title?".

Dimaria chuckled, her expression suddenly twisting, her eyes primarily having a maddened look, her teeth exposed "It's the quiet that follows!" She suddenly exclaimed, gripping her sword's hilt tightly "It's like a shocking swerve, a slap across the face, when all the people and metal stop making noises, and you let it sink in..." Chuckling further, her expression became much more smug and mocking towards Serena "Everyone is helpless, hopeless and hapless before me! Do you realize, do you understand, what that means?! It means; your fate is in my hands.".

Serena suddenly rushed at Dimaria, leaping towards her, his body coated in lightning "Thor Dragon's Supreme Quaking Hammer!" He roared, thrusting his fist forward, pushing forth an entire storm's worth of lightning towards Dimaria, like a cloud of pure energy.

Time stopped. As Dimaria gripping her sword with both hands "You annoying, pitiful, frustrating creature. I had an entire week planned, all to break Amon!" She angrily exclaimed, despite what her wide grin would imply "You burnt half my face, and left me a writhing mess, even if I can't show it." She prepared herself for the impact  "But your worse crime is what you've done to my prized city and men.".

Time continued, as the two attacks clashed. The lightning sparks flew in various directions, while completely lightning strikes tore the platform around them. Dimaria's sword, "Clockwork", pushed against Serena's fist, redirecting all the lightning in every direction except hers, keeping her virtually unharmed "This Valkyrie's sentence...is death!" Dimaria exclaimed, her blade pushing through Serena's right arm, eviscerating it completely up to the shoulder, sending him flying to the other side of the platform almost falling off "Hahahah!" She laughed loudly, rushing at Serena.

Serena rolled out of the way, as Dimaria stabbed her sword deep into the ground, getting it stuck. Without wasting a moment, he rushed at her, landing a perfect kick to her head, managing to separate her from her sword "I reject your sentence, for I am above your petty law!".

Regardless, Dimaria rushed towards Serena, clutching his gauntlet's hand into a fist "I'll crush you with my hands, you pitiful worm!".

"Cavern Dragon's Rising Pillar Spine!" Serena stomped his foot against the ground, in Dimaria's direction, sending a wave of spiked stones from the ground towards her, ready to skewer her open. Because of the momentum she had gathered, she wouldn't have enough time to stop without sustaining a certain amount of injuries, if not die outright from the spikes piercing through her vital organs.

However, Dimaria was pulled away from the spikes, by Amon, who was covered in dust and brittle stones. However, the spikes kept moving forward, but Amon retaliated by striking the very heart of the spikes, the ensuing shockwave and impact breaking apart the spikes and the floor beneath them, creating a hole between him and Serena.

"I..." Amon began speaking, standing up, his right hand bleeding profusely from being among those many spikes "...climbed up here because I suspected that's where the important stuff was going on.".

Dimaria, fallen on her rear and still recovering from the sudden turn of events, but quickly flashed a smile "My, my. Came and saved me just like a hero. I'm touched." She said, extending her hand to Amon, who reluctantly helped her stand back up "Are you going to give me some kind of love confession now~? Eh~?" Dimaria said, having an amused expression, with a fake blush on her cheeks, much to Amon's chagrin.

"I don't even know you for more than a day..." Amon replied, squinting his eyes "What happened to your face...?" He said, noting on the burnt half of Dimaria's face, even if it wasn't too severe to be life-threatening.

"Enough!" Serena angrily exclaimed, cauterizing his right stump "For interfering in this battle, I'll give you an appropriate defeat! Quick and humiliating!".

"...Uhhh...".

"That's God Serena." Dimaria said to Amon.

"Ohhh." Amon's eyes suddenly widened, in realization "...Oh, that's the strongest Mage of Ishgar...".

"Get 'em." Dimaria said, lightly pushing him towards Serena.

"Huh?!" Amon looked at Dimaria with an expression that was a mixture of confusion and anger, yet Dimaria reciprocated by sending him a half-hearted kiss "Y-...You're so annoying...".

"Purgatory Dragon's..." Serena said, streaming black flames from his right stump in a form vaguely resembling an oversized arm "Right Hand Judgement!" Lunging the "arm" forth, he engulfed Amon in a large wave of black flames, burning away even the stone "Even when you turn to ashes, your soul will never recover, in neither Heaven nor H-...!" Amon's visage became clearer through the black flames, as he pushed through, drawing closer "...-ell...?" Without warning, Amon emerged from the flames, his top burnt off, and burn marks on his body, striking Serena across the face with a well-placed punch to his cheek.

"Left." Amon said, striking Serena across the other cheek with his other hand "Right." He said, striking again from the other side "Left." He repeated, continuing the barrage of punches across Serena's face. Serena gritted his teeth, eventually breaking out of the onslaught of attacks, punching Amon once in the face, sending him flying away, tumbling across the ground, before he could finally regain his balance and footing, feeling the clear difference between him and Serena.

"Ugh...!" Amon placed his hand on his cheek, blood beginning to drip from his mouth and down his chin "Is this really a good idea?!" Amon furiously asked, turning to face Dimaria, who was sitting down on the ground, casually spectating the ensuing battle "Are you serious...".

"I need a minute to rest, okay?" Dimaria said, sighing "I'm still human, you know.".

"Ah, so that's your strategy? Use him to stall and recover some energy?" Serena deduced "Haha! You think that will help? I am the vigor and stamina of a Dragon!" He boasted, slamming his hand on the ground "Hades Dragon's..." Darkness began to spread from his hand onto the platform, taking the floor's place "Swallowing Abyss!" Snaring tendrills grappled onto Amon's body and limbs, pulling him down, yet strangely left Dimaria unattended "And...Thor Dragon's...!" Serena raised his arm into the skies, as a lightning bolt struck onto the palm of his hand, gripping it into a spear "Imperial Serpent Crown!" He lunged his arm forth, throwing the lightning spear at Amon, piercing directly through him, but the spear continued, flying off into the horizon until it wasn't visible anymore.

A tower of lightning erupted from Amon's body, his screams echoing before being drawn out by the roaring thunder "Thor Dragon's Heavenfall." Serena uttered, as the tower "collapsed" on itself, coming crashing down and piercing through the entire tower, shaking it, giving the feeling it was about to collapse "And that is why, Dimaria, you do not send a peasant to fight a Dragon.".

The darkness suddenly began to be absorbed into a single focal point, the spot where Amon was engulfed by the lightning. As the smoke cleared, Amon became visible, coating his body in darkness, his expression brimming with rage, his right eye bloodshot, seemingly from a popped vein "I tried to keep myself from not wasting away these few months I have left." Amon said, as the darkness crawled into his mouth, consuming it and reinvigorating it "I wanted to see them one more time, but it's better if they don't. It will be less sad for everyone.".

"..." On the flip of a coin, Serena's expression changed from confusion to excitement, unleashing a blast of darkness towards Amon.

Amon extended his arms forth, opening his mouth, and with one motion, devoured over half of the blast in seemingly an instant "Nyx Memento..." Amon said "Black Sword!" He roared, unleashing his own blast of darkness, tearing through the rest of Serena's attack, heading directly towards him, only to have it deflected by Serena's physical strike against it, sending it downwards through the tower, and down to the city streets.

When Serena's gaze was directed back at Amon, the distance between them was already closed, with Amon's fist engulfed in darkness and Trapezohedron's chaotic energy. He struck Serena in the chest, a stream of darkness consuming his upperbody, punching him with his other hand, sending him flying into the air, right off the edge of the platform "Heh, that isn't enough!" Serena said, surrounding himself in powerful winds to keep himself afloat "Thor Drago-...!" Amon suddenly teleported directly infront of Serena, meeting eye to eye, startling him, before landing a direct hit to his face.

"Fall." Amon said, sending Serena crashing down into the ruined city streets in a powerful impact, creating a cloud of dust "Fall!" Amon repeated, more furious than before, engulfing his arms in chaotic energy, turning them deep red "No...in fact..." He raised both arms above his head as he came crashing down "I'll personally open the gates of Hell for you!".

From afar, the citizens were escaping the premises, the Oracion Seis and Wahl were waiting anxiously for Serena to return, unaware of what was fully going on, while Martin was running away, faster and faster while gripping a small black box.

But, for a moment, they all stopped and noted of the red tower rising from the earth. A deep red storm of energy, devouring a good chunk of the stone tower created by Serena, and for a moment, surpassing its height, blasting through the walls as well, causing them to crumble down. The top half of the tower collapsed, creating a giant dust cloud that almost reached everyone outside the city.

At the center, where a crater now lied, Amon stood with both arms broken and red from internal bleeding, while infront of him stood Serena, half his body burnt by the attack, yet still alive. Both began to feel exhaustion catching up to them, panting heavily.

"Who are you, exactly?" Serena asked Amon.

"...Amon." He replied, his eye twitching in anger.

"Never heard of you." Serena said "You must not do a lot, for someone like you to be unknown.".

"I'm from Ishgar.".

"Even so." Serena said "Someone from Ishgar, like me, would have heard about you. Something here isn't right.".

Serena's eyes suddenly widened, staring off into the distance "...Dimaria, you wench...".

"Amon!" Dimaria appeared, shouting at Amon "Sto-...!" Before she could finish, Serena launched into the air in a blast of wind. He seemingly flew up into the air, shooting like a rocket "N-...No! He figured it out!" Dimaria said, showing an uncharacteristic amount of frustration.

"Figured out...what?" Amon asked, confused.

"Martin...we have to find Martin!" Dimaria said "He must be far off, and I can't find him. You can find him right?! Teleportation, you showcased teleportation just now!".

"C-...Calm down..." Amon said "What are you talking about?".

"Martin is in danger. Serena wants something and Martin has it now. He's running away. Vera might be with him but that's good enough!" Dimaria said "Take me to them.".

Dragon Veins
Martin ran through the woods, breathing heavily and panting as his legs started to get tired, with Vera ahead of him. His mind was blank, since all he could focus on was following orders and getting as far away as possible. Above them, however, the sight of an object shooting closer to them became more apparent, a load thundering sound ringing in their ears "...! Capta-...!" Vera turned upon hearing Martin, but before he could really say anything, the mysterious object crashed infront of them, creating tremors that shook the earth, pushing Martin off-balance.

The dust gathered in a twister around the center of the crash, as trees were uprooted, if not decimated by the impact, as well as the earth was dented. It very much looked like a meteorite had struck the earth.

The twister dissipated, revealing Serena at the center "Where is it?" His eyes peered directly at Martin, ignoring Vera who was right infront of him. She quickly unsheathed her sword, gripping it tightly and lunging at Serena.

"Dimension Sty-...!" Without a word, much less eye contact, Serena struck Vera with his left arm, sending her crashing a far distance away, breaking through a good number of trees and boulders on the way.

"I'm done playing games with you lot." Serena's aura spiked up, flaring in a crimson hue "Give me that box, and I might spare.".

He leaped back, narrowly avoiding Dimaria's sword nearly decapitating him from his left, however, Amon was the one wielding the blade, rather than Dimaria, and upon realizing that, Serena lunged forth again, extending his arm to try and grab Martin, but in no more than a second, both he and Amon vanished from sight, leaving him empty handed.

Serena stood there, silent, his arm still outstretched. He pulled it back, staring at his hands. It was there. At the tip of his fingers. If he only had an extra second, if only he had another moment. And now, his time is almost up.

"Dimaria...!" Serena gritted his teeth, clutching his hand into a fist "...Amon!" The earth rumbled, breaking apart under the pressure of the Saint's power "I've decided. I won't give you another second to live!" High-pressure tower of pure magma shot from the earth around Serena, as his rage grew, burning the forest and everything in it, with him at the very center, unscathed "I was too kind up until now! Playing a game with you! All games are done! Now, you will see the might of the Strongest Mage!".

"What do we do now?" Amon asked Dimaria and Vera.

"We keep getting Martin and that box away from Serena." Dimaria replied, grinning smugly "He's living on borrowed time anyway. Sooner or later, he'll give i-..." Suddenly, an enormous tremors nearly tripped Dimaria, taking off her balance, and without warning, the entire view before them, that of trees, grass and boulders was vanquished in an instant, as if erased, as if it never existed. Without an indication, it was burnt away and left a blank slate.

"Dimaria...!!!" Serena lunged, rushing towards Dimaria, with his arm engulfed in black flames "I'll start with you!" He extended his arm forth, the distance between them closing in seconds as he moved at inhumane speeds, every footstep he made shattering the ground.

"...! Age Seal!" Dimaria quickly exclaimed, halting time. For a moment, she calmed down, albeit breathing heavily, before suddenly coughing blood, feeling a shock of pain across her entire body. When her eyes cleared, Dimaria saw Serena, mere inches away from her, and followed his arm, from his shoulder, to his hand, his fingers digging into the center of her chest, while the flames burnt into her.

"Ah...ahhh..." Dimaria took a few steps back, her entire body shivering, twitching from the pain "I-..." Coughing blood onto the ground, Dimaria fell on her knees, as it dawned on her the horrible truth.

Her heart was completely destroyed.

With her inability to react on time to Serena's attack, his fingers dug into her flesh, right where her heart was, and his flames did the rest, burning it and destroying any hope of it ever recovering. In this word of no time, the effects of the damage have yet to impact her fully.

In an ironic twist, she was living on literal borrowed time.

"Ch-...Chronos." Dimaria said "Chronos...save me...!" She said, petrified in complete fear of her own demise "Save me!" She shouted, her eyes filling with tears.

"I cannot." Chronos, the God of Time, replied to his vessel "I can halt time, I can return time, but I cannot reject it." Its voice was clear in her head "I can return to you the time of every injury you ever suffered, that is Age Scratch. I can stop time from continuing, that is Age Seal. But, to take away time, remove it completely, that is Last Ages, but that magic will do you no good. It will take away all of your time, but not heal that wound.".

"I...I cannot die." Dimaria said "I still...I still have to...".

"My deepest apologies, Dimaria." Chronos said "This...is your final Age Seal, I'm afraid.".

"...Then..." Dimaria stood up, gripping her chest, before looking at her hand, covered in her blood "I will...just make use of this time.".

With her remaining time, Dimaria carried and dragged the three away from Serena, as far as she could. But with every few steps, she could feel wrong, her world "breaking", burning away by Serena's flames growing stronger. Their heat remained, even in frozen time, but soon, the flames movement returned, and soon, Serena will fully break into her world, a final insult to her.

Dimaria's strength faded further, eventually her legs gave in, disabling her from walking any further "Ah...I guess this is as far...as I go...?" She picked up the three, placing them near one another. Amon stood up, so did Vera, while Martin was sitting on the ground, still clutching the box "Haha...what a shame." Dimaria sat down on a nearby boulder, staring at the three, before her gaze focused on Amon "You're such an intriguing, yet entertaining individual, Amon. I regret that we don't have enough time to really see what could have grown from that." She stood up, leaning her back against him, sighing "Do me a favor and give Brandish a message for me, alright?".

On the far side of the forest, Serena regained his movement, shattering through the barrier of time, his attack continuing in an enormous stream of flames that reduced everything infront of it to nothing "Where...?!" He quickly noticed Dimaria and the other were gone, but more so, that several stones were stuck in mid air, only moving when he touched them "...So...this is your precious world." Serena said, before quickly tracking down the energy of the Stygian Cor.

Time returned, as everyone returned to their senses. Amon, however, almost fell, feeling a sudden weight against his body, catching Dimaria's body in his arms "...Huh...?" Her eyes were closed, with blood dripping down her lips to her chin.

"G-...General...?" Martin inquired, calling to Dimaria.

"Hey, what are you doing sleeping now?" Amon said, slightly annoyed, lightly shaking her "This isn't time for jokes, dammit. What do we do?" Amon continued asking Dimaria "Oh, I get it. Y-...You still wanna rest, right...? Alright..." Picking Dimaria up in a bridal carry, Amon looked at the others "She's...she's just sleeping. She just...needs to get back her energy." He said, his tone being notably shaky, hesitant "She's still human, y'know.".

"Amon..." Vera tried maintaining her stern expression, despite the obvious tears beginning to build up in her eyes "Put her down.".

"The ground...isn't a very comfortable bed, I thi-...".

"Put her down!" She suddenly shouted, to which Amon complied, gently placing her on the ground, as Vera kneeled down, placing her shaking hand on Dimaria's chest "...Her...her heart...".

"General..." Martin said, hugging the box tighter, his entire body visibly shaking "G-...General Dimaria...".

Without much care for the mood, Serena burnt through the trees, rushing towards his target once more "Give me that!" He extended his arm forth, before being stopped by Amon, grabbing him by his wrist, crushing and breaking it, before grabbing him by head, bashing him into the ground.

"I don't understand." Amon said, his arms coating in black blood, hardening into monstrous, clawed hands and arms, digging the claws into Serena's face before pulling it back, clenching his hand into a fist "I disliked her very much. Hated even." He struck Serena square in the face, the impact of his punch denting the earth and creating a small crater. Serena extended his arm, placing it on Amon's chest, engulfing his entire upper body in a wave of flames "So why is it, that I feel so angry?" He said, striking Serena again, unfazed by the flames, expanding the crater's size.

"Worthless empathy." Serena said "Thor Dragon's Heavenfall." A lightning bolt struck Amon's back, shocking his entire body, continuously electrifying him without signs of halting. However, Amon continued moving, much to Serena's surprise, punching Serena again, and again, repeatedly striking him, with greater force each time.

"Is that it?" Amon taunted Serena, continued his onslaught of attacks "Is that all you have?" His tone became angrier, as the black blood continued to cover his body, hardening into a familiar shape "Is that all that the strongest mage of Ishgar has?!" The skull-like mask formed on Amon's face, roaring viciously.

"Don't insult me with your petty taunts!" Serena exclaimed, making the earth beneath him to rise, pushing him forward, headbutting Amon and creating distance between them "I'll show you the full might of my elements." The surrunding quaked around Serena "This, is the Serena-made God Arts, the Secret Arts of the Second Generation! The Dragon King! The Strongest Mage!".

Amon's aura began to grow thicker around him, his eyes glowing bright red, energy seeping through his teeth "Fine. Give it your best shot." He said.

"Serena-made God Arts..." The eight elements, black flames, water, lightning, earth, metal, wind, darkness and light surrounded Serena, gathering them into a sphere above him. The environment began to twist and turn in response to the sphere of elements, the earth rose and cracks, the trees caught fire as the skies turned black, clouds gathering in a thunderstorm. At the center of the ensuing chaos, Serena stood unscathed "End of the Dragon King Festival!".

The sphere erupted into a singular blast of all eight elements, refusing to mend together and coexist, because of the incompatibility of so many elements. Amon outstretched his arms forward, taking the full brunt of the beam head-on. He didn't halt it even an inch. Not a bit of delay, and he was engulfed and devoured by the energy. The beam continued upwards, reaching the city of Zaman, eradicating everything in its path, including half of the tower he erected by destroying the city, causing it to collapse down, creating a large dust cloud.

"When mankind dreams of their demise, they see Dragons." Serena said, as the dust cleared, while the beam he fired eventually settled in an enormous blast in the distance, illuminating for miles and miles, catching the attention of every man and animal in the area "But when Dragon's dream of theirs, God Serena is who they will see!".

Amon's entire body ached, as the black armor and skull mask shattered to dust, falling face first into the scorched earth "Ugh...! I...I'm not done...!" Amon said, trying to stand back up "I...!".

"I realized something else about you." Serena said, turning his back to Amon, facing Vera and Martin "You're a White Rose. The moment you chose to face, you lost, because someone with the fate of misfortune can never stand up to someone blessed by the universe itself to wield the power of Eight Dragons.".

"Don't...!" Amon crawled, barely making any distance, with every ounce of his body burning "Don't turn your fucking back on me!" Amon shouted, his throat filling with blood, coughing it out.

"And now, no more games." Serena walked towards Martin, as Vera stood before Serena, holding up her sword "I broke a good bunch of your bones. Out of my way before I break everything else.".

"...I refu-..." Vera was cut short by Serena's fist striking her on the head, smashing her into the ground, sending her into shock, as she twitched and clutched her head in pain, screaming in agony.

"C-...Ca-...Ca-...Capt-...Captain..." Martin said, becoming outright unintelligible with his shaking and shivering "G-...General...".

"Ah...right." Serena walked over to Dimaria lifeless "I haven't repaid you in full!".

"Stop!" Amon's yell was deafened by a loud CRACK, the sound of Serena stomping on Dimaria.

"So much for being a God's vessel! You couldn't even wield his power against me!" Serena grinned, repeatedly stomping on Dimaria "What a fitting death for someone so high and mighty! What good does borrowing the power of a God do to you?!" He kicked her away, smashing her into a nearby tree, before laughing at the top of his lungs.

Martin came face to face with Serena, who stood infront of him, his hand coated in lightning "Give it. Now.".

"...Eight years..." Martin uttered, suddenly stopping his shaking "Eight years of pacifism and self-control...Gone." Martin said, standing up suddenly without built up or warning.

"What are you talking abo-...?" Martin struck the box, breaking it open, pulling out a beating heart, with a cross plastered onto it, blood dripping from it onto his hand, causing Serena to suddenly jump "Give it!" As if to mock Serena, Martin crushed the Stygian Cor in his hand, blood spilling onto Serena and the ground, as the mashed pile that used to be the heart absorbed itself into his flesh.

"God Serena." Martin's entire demeanor and expression changed, almost as if a completely different person stood infront of Serena. Suddenly, he bore his fangs, scale gruesomely growing from his flesh, horns, wings and claws developing "I will kill you!" Expanding in size and changing in form, a large scaled fist struck Serena's body, sending him flying over the horizon, as the newly dragonified Martin roared loudly, deafening everyone in the surrounding.

"I am Vilos Eleison, and I will destroy you!".

No one came to inspect the area, it was ignored in favor of the Dragon who appeared out of nowhere and flew away. Several hours passed by, and everyone was gone, leaving only two people, Vera and Amon, in the area, latter of whom had lost consciousness from the weight of his injuries.

Amon woke up, suddenly and quickly standing back up, feeling the residue of pain on his body still "Ma-...Martin...!" Amon called out, walking forward to try and find everyone else, but quickly noticing two giant footsteps on the ground "What...?".

"You finally chose to wake up?" Vera said, bleeding from her forehead, sitting on a nearby boulder, a grave of stones near her.

"Is...that...?".

Vera suddenly stood up, using her sheathed sword as some kind of walking cane, placing her other hand on Amon's shoulder "She's gone. And I had to do the duty of burying her." Her grip tightened on his shoulder, pushing down against Amon "I pondered to myself, why did this happen? How could this happen?! And then I realized why..." Vera suddenly pushed Amon, causing him to fall down, sitting but unable to stand when Vera's sword was mere inches away from his body "The White Rose who came to our city, and plagued it with his misfortune. You...this...all of this happened because of you!".

"I didn't...This wasn't my intention! How could I...?!"

"Exactly!" Vera shouted, silencing Amon "A White Rose doesn't need to be malevolent! It's entirely rooted in your veins! In your soul! Everything about you is misfortune! A plague! A virus! A disease! I should have killed you when I first saw you. I should have sent you far away! If I did...! If I had just killed you..." Vera began losing her strength in her legs, even losing strength in her grip, dropping her sword.

"..." Amon stood back up "Ve-...".

"Do not!" Vera yelled once more, cutting off Amon "Do not speak my name! In fact! Don't look at me! Leave!" Her anger visibly grew, standing up, weakly punching Amon on his chest "I...! I hate you, and if I ever see you again, I will kill you!" Vera breathed out, falling down on her knees again "I'm only letting you live this once because I can't fight back, and because Dimaria would have told the same thing...".

'...Alright...I'll go." Amon said, turning around "Farewell. We'll never see each other again." He said, walking, or rather, limping away, due to his injuries still being prevalent.