Chapter 4: Vinland

Stepping over Damien's corpse I disregarded his loathsome waste of my time and continued my stroll down the road. Turning my head and spitting on the waste of man I made my peace with his existence. A guttural, gut-wrenching sky shaking bang sounded from the other side of town. not a bang like a gun going off, but more like if someone held out there hand and screamed the word. following the bang was a massive fireball, that lit up the sky like a vibrant orange cloud.

"Doth the sky break open!?" I looked on in sheer horror as the shockwave that soon followed ripped through the main street. It was as loud as thunder, fast as lightning and as damaging as an earthquake. roofs were torn asunder, buildings were ripped in half and people were flung around like playthings. I tried my best to hold firm and not give in to the powerful force. straining my body I felt my legs weaken, my body fail and my spirit shattering.

"NO, I CAN'T DIE HERE!!!!!!!!" I roared like a lion, proud and strong. Throwing my umbrella into the air. I spoke aloud the true name of my magic.

"COPERNICUS!!!!!!!" I was thrust into the air by a small yet powerful firey explosion. landing on a half-destroyed building, I was assaulted by a secondary more powerful shockwave that sent me flying. My body floundering through the air as if I was nothing more than a ragdoll being played with by the creator. all my memories, my life, my achievements, and my goal, flashed in my mind.

"My apologies Mario" played over and over in my mind like a record on constant rewind. "I died recklessly" this phrase was added once I felt the flesh of my back collide with the cold indifferent pavement. My body discarded like trash lay half-dead, half-naked, and covered in despair and blood. I was broken, and bloody. with the last of my vision,an apparition came to me.

"This isn't why I chose you!" Joahz folded his arms and shook his head. "Failure, Failure, Failure" He repeated. "Nothing but a God-Forsaken Failure"

"I can do better!" I weakly stated forcing myself to stand. My body shook, my legs felt as if they were to shatter with a single step. My arms were weak and could barely clench a fist. I looked at Joahz, he returned my glare.

"I gave you my power and this Is how you treat it disgusting" He raised his staff and struck my chest as he done before. the staff crushed my ribs as a million volts of pain ricocheted and raced throughout my entire body. "Farewell" he swung and I was sent through buildings, and other such things as if was a human-sized wrecking ball.

"Damnit Damnit"I said weakly coughing up blood. I refused to be killed before I could carry out my mission. I felt darkness take hold of me. My body was seized from my control by an inner darkness. my body standing on its own I was forced to watch as it roared like a feral imp from the underworld. I wasn't myself I was the devil here to collect penance. This thing that wore my skin looked like me but wasn't me. it had tougher skin, from appearance alone it looked like leather. my mismatched eccentric hair stood on end like needles. My hands ending in claws like those on a Raptor's talon. The Devil spoke.

"Kill" that was the only word it seemed to know. It roared and the surrounding items were pulled from the ground and spun around it like Saturn's rings. It planted its feet and roared again its whole body screaming from the depths of my soul. The buildings being caught in the pull of the gravitational field were subujated along with everything else. Corpses were not exempt from this rule either. The devil ran ahead not being bothered by the weight of everything that trailed behind.

"Yes YES YES SHOW ME WHY I CHOSE YOU!!! SHOW ME THE STRENGTH OF YOUR DARKNESS!!!!!" Joahz commanded. The Devil firing off the items it amassed like a machine gun emptying its magazine. It cackled with an ecstatic bloodlust that was profound in its insanity. Buildings used as ammunition broke and shattered upon impact with another of its ilk. The devil wasn't bothered by this in the slightest. It simply used the new debris and rubble as ammunition. As it drew closer Joahz became more and more excited feeling as though he had finally met a worthy match to test his mettle against. The Devil dashed faster than the fastest man on Earth and outstretched its arms and grabbed Joahz. Without moving a muscle all the ammunition it gathered smashed into Joahz faster than one could possibly react. The devil closing a fist and landing a strong punch on the God's jaw. The devil stopped its onslaught to catch its breath.

"Still not enough" Joahz shook his head and tapped his staff against the ground, as if time itself was obeying orders. the buildings slowly became whole once more. Joahz shook his head he placed his staff against The Devil's torso. "You have potential but not enough hatred" liquidy darkness enveloped The Devil and as if I had never known hatred a day in my life, I crumpled to my knees like a scared child.

"I'm refunding our deal until you can learn to truly hate" Joahz rebuked. "I'll check your progress a year from now"

"Lord Joahz please!"

"You think you can just beg and plead and I'll hand my power to you, There has been only one man who has ever made me stagger, One man who has filled me with fear and one man who was filled with such darkness he frightened my most loyal subordinate" Joahz raised his palm striking me across the face. "And you've done none of those" Joahz disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Mario folded his arms and shook his head.

"So kid, this is what it's come down to" Mario joked. "Kill or be killed huh?"

"I TRUSTED YOU!!!" Sven screamed.

"Well that's your problem"

"HOW COULD YOU WANT TO SACRIFICE INNOCENT PEOPLE!"

"Its for the greater good kid trust me"

"I already did and look where we are now"

"Sorry Kid but unfortunately One of us needs to die"

"I'll Kill you!" Sven muttered. He threw his arms into the air and a majestic field of beautiful green grass, lush trees,and picturesque flowers filled the eyes every view.

"VINLAND!" Sven revealed his magic's name.

"Oh this is neat!"

"Welcome to hell"

"I excepted Hell to be on fire" making a gun with his hands he pointed it at Sven. "BANG!!" He yelled a massive star-shaped object flew from his finger like a bullet. A massive flame pillar erupted. followed by a bombastic shockwave that tore the air to shreds.

Mario stepped through the flames and slowly, hauntingly,and stalkingly walked towards Sven.

"Trust me kid, I've been to hell"

"SHUT UP!!!!!!!!" Sven crossed his arms and mountains split apart and rained down countless rocky bullets that pierced the ground leaving massive holes.

"This is an illusion, you can't hurt m-" Looking down at where his arm he noticed a stump where his arm should be. "Well,I'll be" Mario grinned. "Game on Kid!"