“Devil On My Shoulder”
The group had left the carnival, Nico continuosly examing his sword, as the others merely chatted. Despite the horrors that come from this place, it didn't seem like the worst place to be.
"Hey, Nico? What happened to your sword?"
Lucy walked closer to Nico, noting the new embedded symbol, and text in his sword, running her finger across the base of the blade.
"I don't know.. It just sorta, appeared there."
The Leader came up and snatched Nico's sword casually, looking at the symbol, before quickly taking out his tablet, tapping on an image. He placed the sword and tablet side by side, showing Nico them both.
"This is a cult symbol.. but, how did you gain that..?"
Nico's eyes widened, the symbol on the sword being the same as the one on the tablet, as he took the sword back.
"I saw a.. a vision of some sort. Some creepy doll said they'd grant me power and when I snapped out of it this was on my blade…"
The group all seemed confused to the event, Nico playing around with the sword, before attempting to activate the sword's flames.
Instead of flames, a portal-like material wrapped around the blade, as the hands of demons came out from every spot in the blade, the group jumping back in surprised.
"The hell is this!?"
Nico held the sword away from him, the hands trying to grab around as he quickly turned it off, the hands dispersing into a black smoke as the portals disappeared.
"What.. Fuck! That stupid doll fucked up my sword!"
Nico sheathed the sword angrily, Rowlocus patting him on the shoulder.
"I'm sure it can be useful for something..! You just gotta think smart about using it!"
She cheered him on, Lucy nodding in agreement with a slightly awkward smile, as The Leader went to researching on his tablet.
"Yeah, at least try, Nico..!"
Nico groaned as they group returned to walking, The Leader scrolling through websites about the cult, as Nico looked at the screen with him.
"The believers don't view themselves as a cult, but a proper religion, worshipping an existential god, who represents how people can free themselves from humanity's ideals and form their own conscience."
Nico pointed at the screen, realization being taken at mind.
"They worship that little shit!? She's just some gaslighter!"
The Leader shushed him, Lucy pulling him back, trying to calm him down, as Rowlocus joined to do the same.
"Let's calm down, now… Since you're angry, how about you storm back to the castle and beat the ruler up..!"
Rowlocus exclaimed, Nico glaring to her as he nodded, all pumped up before running off unexpectedly.
"Wah!? Wait!!!"
Rowlocus shouted as the three chased after him. Nico ran his way back to the castle, pushing people out of the way as he did.
"HALT, IT'S YOU AGAIN!!!"
The lizard-like guards blocked the gate once more, Nico grabbing them by the throats before slamming them through the gate, breaking it down.
The three caught up with him, restraining hid arms as he struggled around.
"Hey! Let me go, you told me to do this now you want me to sto-"
The group were suddenly sent back, the ground shaking as a crater formed in the ground. Through the smoke and debris the devil came out, Malik.
"Huh..!? You didn't tell us the ruler was a giant..!!!"
Lucy exclaimed, grabbing Rowlocus as the three rolled out of the way, Malik punching the ground where they once were.
"Alright, you had your chance! This time it's to the death!"
Malik shouted, pointing to Nico as he grabbed him by the shirt, throwing him to the roof of the castle. Malik jumped after him the two standing across from eachother.
"No holding back..!"
Malik cracked his knuckles, Nico unsheathing his sword as he ran towards him. Nico charged an explosion in his right hand, throwing a punch ad Malik fid the same. Their fists collided with an explosion in the middle.
Nico quickly pointed his hand back, firing a decond explosion as he slid under Malik's arm well sliding his sword through it, making his way closer as he stood back up for a pierce to the stomach.
Nico was quickly met with a knee to the face, launching him back as Malik looked to the giant slice through his arm, his arm split in half from below the elbow, as his flesh sewed itself back together.
"Try harder!"
Nico grinned, wiping the blood off his forehead as he opened his prosthetic's latch. He opened his explosion canister, pouring the liquid off onto his blade. He then took out the lightning in a bottle he bought before, pouring it into the canister.
"Eat shit!"
Yellow light emitted from his prosthetic's crevices as he pointed his parm towards Malik. Malik quickly began running to him as Nico charged up in electricity, before firing a lightning bolt towards him.
Malik was stunned in place, his body filled with electricity, with a big hole in his chest. As the smoke settled, Nico looked to his right arm, half of it destroyed from the impact.
He shook his head and ran towards Malik, making things even as he sliced off his arm. Malik's eyes widened, as the red ring on his finger glowed a blinding crimson, before exploding.
"Damn you!!!"
Malik shouted, the castle collapsing as Nico maneuvered through the falling debris, making his way to the bottom of the destruction. Townsfolk sureounded the destruction, as through the broken down castle Nico and Malik stood.
A red shine could be seen between them, zmalik glancing at it first, as the. Did Nico, both quickly running towards it.
"Give me that!!!"
It was a race to who would gain the ring first, Malik inches away from grabbing it before being launched out the way by an odd arrow of purple energy. Nico looked towards where the arrow came from, though all he could see was a glare in a far away tower.
"Quick, hurry..!"
Lucy shouted out from the crowd, Malik already charging back for him, getting more agressive as his muscles grew. Nico dropped his sword, picking up the ring as he slipped it on his finger.
Just as Malik pounched at him, a shockwave of red was shot out, launching Malik and the civilians back. The Leader stood his ground, catching Lucy and Rowlocus as he stared in shock, the wind blowing like crazy.
"Who are you, Ryoto…"