Zypherion's Retribution

A gravelly chuckle, cold and ancient, slithered through Antaeus's mind, its malevolent amusement dancing at the edge of his fear. His veins pounded with the urgency of his predicament, a predator's jaws snapping at his heels. Trapped, desperate, he faced a stark choice - succumb to the inevitable or embrace the perilous whisper twisting within his skull.

'Hehe, little prince,' the voice teased, a rasp against his sanity. 'A proposition, just for you. Your escape, in exchange for a small… favor, down the line.'

Antaeus hesitated, his thoughts a hurricane of doubt and defiance. This deal reeked of sulfur and shadows, but it shimmered like a mirage in the desert of his options.

'Don't you dilly-dally, boy!' the voice snarled, impatience cracking its veneer of amusement. 'Life ticks away as surely as sand in an hourglass. Give me an answer!'

Gritting his teeth, Antaeus choked out, 'Fine. Help me.'

'Excellent!' the voice purred, the sound slick and unsettling. 'Draw the power of your… Divine Gift. The Mark, let it sing.'

Antaeus recoiled, a scoff spitting from his lips. 'Divine Gift? Stop joking! People like me hold no such things.'

'Hehehe, death holds many surprises, little prince,' the voice crooned, dripping with a chilling truth. 'Taste its kiss, and you'll see just how possible 'impossible' truly is.'

The connection between Antaeus and the pulsating glyphs tattooed on his skin, hidden in plain sight, flickered to life, sensing the dire symphony playing out within him. This Divine Mark of Laws, an enigma etched onto his flesh, held the promise of power beyond mortal comprehension. In that moment, as defiance battled desperation, Antaeus embraced the forbidden pact, a reluctant puppet reaching for the strings of his own destiny.

The inked symbols on his skin, once dormant hieroglyphs, shimmered like awakened embers, ready to unleash forces that danced on the precipice of understanding. The path to unlocking the secrets of his arcane heritage, fraught with peril and whispers of forgotten pacts, stretched before him, a twisted, shimmering ribbon in the hands of fate. The game had begun, and Antaeus, pawn or prince, had just made his first, perilous move.

This exchange of thoughts took mere seconds to complete. Antaeus struggled against the vice chokehold grip of death that Zypherion inflicted upon him with mercilessness. His eyes stared coldly, hints of mockery flashing across them.

"The Gods overestimated your threat, Antaeus Mustafa. You are just an ant. Now die!"

Employing more strength into his hands, Zypherion went in for the kill, Antaeus mere seconds away from death.

"NOOOO!" Everley's scream echoed in the emptiness, a desperate plea swallowed by the silence. Antaeus's lips turning blue, the searing anger that threatened to consume her whole. Time seemed to stretch and distort, each agonizing second stretching into an eternity. Her vision swam with tears, blurring the world into a watercolor mess of pain and fury. The air grew thick and heavy, pressing down on her chest, making it hard to breathe. In that single, shattering moment, the world shifted on its axis, and Everley knew nothing would ever be the same.

When Antaeus witnessed Everley's anguish, something snapped inside his very soul.

The icy hand of death loosened its grip around Antaeus's throat as Zypherion stumbled back, eyes wide with astonishment. The air cracked with a unknown but oppressive energy, emanating from the tattooed glyphs blooming across Antaeus's skin.

His once dark hair glowed with an ethereal white, cascading down his shoulders like winter wind. His gaze, now icy and distant, locked onto Zypherion with a newfound predator's gleam.

Everley, moments ago lost in a scream of despair, watched the transformation with wide, disbelieving eyes. Her ragged breath choked in a gasp. The boy she'd known was gone, replaced by a stranger draped in power and chilling mystery.

The onlookers fell silent, their breaths hanging heavy in the air. Even Zypherion, the ruthless zealot, seemed frozen in the face of this unexpected power shift.

Antaeus took a shaky breath, a wisp of frost curling from his lips. His voice, when he spoke, was a low, resonating rumble, as if carved from the heart of a glacier.

"You will regret…awakening me boy.," he rasped, each word carrying the weight of an avalanche.

Zypherion, though shaken, recovered quickly. His fanatical glint returned, tinged with a dangerous edge. "So, this the accursed power you draw upon," he snarled, drawing his scimitar with a hiss. "You will fall, Antaeus. Prepare to meet your oblivion!"

"Holy Swort Art: Heaven's Descent, you can't ever hope to stop the might of my sword."

He lunged, a broad golden sword materializing to be grasped by his palm, swinging through the air almost ripping it apart like deadly reaper that sought it's adversaries neck.

"Holy Swort Art: Heaven's Descent, you can't ever hope to stop the might of my sword."

But Antaeus, simply tilted his head in amusement. His hand seemingly moved by an unseen force, raised itself to air. The world shifted around him, reality bending to his newfound will.

The golden sword, inches from his throat, suddenly lurched sideways, its trajectory impossibly altered. Zypherion's eyes bulged as his momentum carried him past, crashing against the halls wall.

-BANG!!!-

Antaeus rose to his feet, his movements fluid and effortless as he turned around to look at the crouching Zypherion who now heaved on the ground, yet no visible injuries could be seen on his body.

Everley walked forward toward the unfamiliar Antaeus with hesitant steps. "W-who...are y-you?"

"A Forgotten...nobody. I have a deal to fulfill. Stay out of my way little girl." 'Antaeus' stared at Everley with cold and distant eyes that held no interest to entertain her confusion.

Everley's face was marred with confusion as her eyes scanned the unfamiliar yet familiar man standing before her. A stiffling presence now surrounded his aura. She sighed with resigned look on her face and decided to observe.

'Antaeus' gave her an amused look before they landed back on Zypherion who struggled to stand as he chuckles, "This is a joke, it has to be. How can a weakling like you have such power ? Again !" A roar escaped his lips as his body struggled against the pain coursing through it.

"I have no time to play with you. You presence disgusts my very essence. It taints me."

'Antaeus' didn't allow Zypherion to make his move as his hands form a crpytic symbol. The irony in his statement made Zypherion rage as his face once handsome now concocted into an ugly visage of anger as he zoomed towards 'Antaeus' with blurrin speeds,

"Y- You dare mock me with such words, you heretic! Taste my sword! Holy Sword Art: Heavens Smite." A golden light that looked like flames surrounded his sword, the air sizzled as if being burned. Clearly this was a technique that would kill with purifying levels of pain.

Everley and the rest let out gasps as they saw this, Heavens Order was famous for its ability to apply the fabled 'holy' attribute to their elements, giving them superiority against those on the same rank and even a few levels above them.

Thats not what made them infamous though, it was their zealous faith that made them dangerous and powerful. If they deemed you a heteric, they will not stop until you are 'purified'. They don't listen to reason at all.

"Is this all Heavens Order amounts to ? Even that kids brother was stronger than you, hehehe" 'Antaeus' chuckled as briefly glanced at kazi before side stepping with hand outstretched to slap Zypherion to the ground at his feet

-BANG!!-

Zypherion looked pitiful as his body was embedded on the ground forcefully. His eyes though glared fiercely at 'Antaeus' as if wanting to kill him with just a stare alone.

"Cough, argh, damn you. You lowly rat. How dare you hurt me like this, I WILL MAKE YOU PAY WITH YOUR LIFE !" Zypherion, tenacious as ever to, 'Antaeus', amusement screamed with anger and madness in eyes. Clearly raging and wondering why he is losing when he is Heavens Favourite.

"Words, words, words, they don't seem to hurt me that much. Nor do I feel any fear, so do better, Zypherion." 'Antaeus' cocked his head to the side as he chuckled with his leg finding its way Zypherions face. "I do have to praise how tenacious your body is though. I only drew 1% of this boys ability, yet you are not even bleeding. Your God must be a high ranking one. It's been awhile since I got the chance to fight, is this all you have? I am disappointed."

Everyone watched what was unfolding before them with bated breaths as they failed to comprehend what they had just seen and heard.

Most of the Eastern Region was controlled by the Royal Family due to their unshakeable martial might. Heaven's Order did not like this but they decided to endure as the Royal Family allowed them to open their temples. No one would win if the top echelons decided to fight to the death.

"Who knew that The Cursed-"A chill went up blond haired guy with olive skin as the words he wanted to say refused to leave his chapped and trembling lips.

'Antaeus' was not looking at him but he felt the gaze. A gulp came from his throat as he let out a dry laugh and shut his mouth after.

Every one also felt it and decided to keep their distance from the blonde haired boy, lest they get implicated by the demon that now inhabited their Prince.

Zypherion's body shook and trembled when he heard 'Antaeus's' words. Not out of fear but anger and humiliation. His eyes were clear before but now they were marred by madness as his let out a groan under 'Antaeus's' foot.

He forcely gritted his teeth as he tried to calm himself down. 'I don't how his cursed brat got so powerful. How did suddenly his personality...it feels as if I am fighting something ancient...yet sinister in a playful way. It doesn't matter, He. Will. Die.'

'Antaeus' smiled as he watched the guy below finally reveal his trump card.

"Lets see if you can draw out more of this boys power. This going to be fun, hehehe."

Turning his head to look at the beautiful white haired girl and the fiery one who was staring at him with a cold gleam in her eyes. Tenzi was frowning, while Kazi just watched him with the same coldness as Nailah...just that it had a an edge to it, a venomous one. The other girl just gave him an interested look.

"Close your eyes, all of you." 'Antaeus' spoke with a tone that left no room for questions. He stared at each of their faces and they all listened. "Wouldn't want this kid to find you guys blind hehe, all though he wouldn't mind if one of you was..hehehe."

"Heaven's Blessing: Empyrean Form." A blinding light that burned everyones eyes as they been to stunned by the display to close their eyes in time.