A Being of Insanity

Ignatius and Agni battled and moved around the battlefield at blazing speeds, clashing and parrying each other's attacks. Neither side was letting up the offensive. Agni, despite being a Phantom and a mock being created for a trial, was still strong enough to overpower Ignatius in his Blazing Overdrive mode.

Ignatius flew to Agni and feinted his attack, tricking Agni then delivered a powerful punch to the gut, causing Agni to groan in pain. Ignatius flew above Agni, flipping forward then kicked Agni downward. Agni groaned and was hit with a massive fireball from Ignatius and an explosion happened.

Agni bellowed and spread his wings, clearing the smoke. He stopped himself in midair then looked up at Ignatius. "You...are very powerful. You've proven to be an interesting opponent, but this is where the battle ends!"

He flew to Ignatius and vanished then appeared beside him, striking him with a lariat and flung him to the ground. He bellowed and raised his hand in the air. A massive purple fireball appeared above his hand.

Ignatius groaned as he hit the tower and the tower crumbled to the ground. He opened his eyes and noticed a blurry image of a purple fireball above Agni.

"I...have nothing else to lose. With this attack, I'll end you! Violet Supernova!" Agni bellowed and threw his gigantic purple fireball at Ignatius.

Ignatius slowly stood up and his flames surrounded his body and surged powerfully. He bellowed and he used his flames to collide with the Violet Supernova. He bellowed as his flames began to be corrupted by Agni's flames. He noticed and closed his eyes tightly as he tried to push beyond his limits, but the Violet Supernova was just too powerful for him. Ignatius yelled then an explosion happened. Ignatius rolled on his side then slid backwards on his side. His aura vanished and he returned to normal and Ignelgia stopped shining.

Agni landed on the ground and noticed movement from Ignatius. "Why do you still stand..? You are clearly outmatched."

"Because..." Ignatius started then staggered. "I...have a home and people I need to protect. I have to prove myself..."

Agni looked at Ignatius. He readied his sword. "I was once like you after I got banished from my home because of my power. Even after being exiled from my home, I drifted across the many lands of Adristan to grow stronger. I lost everything. Shidao...ruined everything for me. Shidao wasn't alone."

"Hm?" Magmadamus said as he listened.

Ignatius looked at Agni and listened to him. "What do you mean?"

"A mentally unsound, a deranged woman was with Shidao. Uneven hair, sloppy makeup, and a crazy look in her eyes. She was also a Ragnarok who still is out there. Warn Shiryo, she's a more dangerous foe than Shidao." Agni said.

"Who is she?" Ignatius asked.

"She's the results of Shidao's mental abuse and torture. The sister of Reina Ragnarok. If you want to know why Reina married Shidao in the first place, it was because he had her sister. While Reina was spared from his cruel ways, as well as maintaining her pure heart...her sister was tortured in secret even after Shidao promised to let her free. I would've beaten Shidao, if it weren't for her jumping in and allowing Shidao to land the decisive blow he needed to kill me first." Agni said.

"Reina's sister was a part of the battle? Ahh! That's right! Hecate Ragnarok was a part of the battle. Agni would've killed Shidao if she hadn't jumped in and stopped Agni. She's still alive. This is news that Shiryo needs to hear." Magmadamus said.

Ignatius grunted and fell to one knee, weakened. "Yeah, but there's a trial I need to complete. I can't...stop here."

Agni tossed the Flame Medallion in front of him. Ignatius looked surprised and looked at the Medallion then looked at Agni. "You'll need this."

"But why..?" Ignatius asked.

"The Trial of Inferno is different from other trials. In this trial, it is a trial of Spirit and Will. Making Agni respect you. The Flames burns brightest when your Will shines the brightest and your will to fight on. You would've never had a chance since Agni is still stronger than you currently. Maybe next time when you take this trial, you'll be stronger to defeat the Infernal Legend." Magmadamus said.

Ignatius was returned to the starting area of the shrine then he stood up and heard a roar. I heard the roar as well then looked up at the sky while sitting on a rock. Magmadamus had returned and Ignatius walked out of the Shrine with the Medallion in hand.

"I see you've completed the trial. I'm impressed." I said.

"Yeah, it definitely feels like I got a cop out win, but a win is a win I guess. Anyway I learned something new. Another Ragnarok...another Ragnarok is known and it's your aunt." Ignatius said.

"What?" I asked then heard the pained roar of Magmadamus.

I stood up and noticed Magmadamus crashing through the shrine. I looked at the sky and saw a woman in the air with dark aura around her arms. She had black and red hair with uneven bangs, yellow eyes, and a sinister smile on her face. She wore a black long sleeve turtleneck leotard, a torn black feathered cloak, black mid calf boots, and a gold plated pendant around her neck.

She looked directly at me and flew to the ground then landed on Magmadamus's neck. Magmadamus roared in pain as she landed on his neck. The woman looked at me with an insane expression on her face.

"You're....alive.." She said.

"Who are you and get off Magmadamus's neck!" I bellowed.

"I am Hecate Ragnarok...your aunt." Hecate smirked.

Shira beside Phoenix, embraced in Phoenix's arm. "Why did things have to end like this..?"

"I'm sorry Shira. I just don't understand or at the very least, won't understand why he said all those things. To think family would ever do that to you, it's unforgiving in my eyes. The fucker got what he deserved...banishment." Phoenix said.

Raicho looked at the water and Gideon walked over to her then stood beside her. She looked at Gideon then back at the water. "You don't have to accompany me. I only serve a single purpose here. Once my purpose is done, you'll have no use for me."

"That's not entirely true. I'm sure Shiryo would spare you and let you live. He's not as cold hearted as the other known killers in his bloodline." Gideon said.

"Hopeful thinking won't save me. Like I said, I'm only here for one purpose and one purpose only. To tell you all about Alastor. After that, he's killing me. He said it himself, if I didn't know anything about Alastor I would've been dead already. He only protected me because he needs my information that I am willing to grant him." Raicho said.

"You need to have more faith." Gideon said.

"Faith in this world..? Ha...This world doesn't need faith. Faith hasn't gotten us anywhere from the Battle against the Gods to now with the Battle to Save The World. We need reality. Facts." Raicho said.

"And it's a fact that you're gonna be spared. Shiryo isn't as cold hearted as he sounded. Get on his good side and you'll see he's a nice guy." Gideon said.

Raicho closed her eyes and lowered her head then scoffed. "Alright.."

Hecate looked at me and smirked then jumped over to me then walked around me. She let out a wicked chuckle and bit her thumbnail. "For some reason...you don't seem like him despite being his child. He kept me from seeing you all these years. Your father singlehandedly ruined my life..."

I grunted when she gripped my face and I looked at her. I noticed her yellow eyes shining with pure insanity and unhinged anger.

"I thought he loved me...but I was just another pawn to him. Another tool for his pleasure and success. The countless hours of tortured I've suffered." She said then let go of my face and chuckled softly. Her dark aura surrounded her body. Her longer bangs covered her right eye and she stood in a standing slouching position. "I want my revenge, but I can't have it..so I will have to take all of my anger out on you and the rest of your family so I can feel relieved of my pains."

I glared at Hecate then noticed her straighten her posture.

"Get ready! Because I'm going to kill you!" She bellowed and threw a punch, but I caught her fist. She looked surprised and looked at my hand. She grunted and threw a punch with her other hand, but I caught that hand as well.

"You're the only blood family I have other than my sister and mother, I'm not going to kill you. Let me help you..." I said.

Hecate growled and yelled then headbutted me. I grunted and let her go then held my forehead. I looked at Hecate then noticed her insane look on her face. She was beyond help as she was, too unstable to think rationally. She laughed and held her arms. Her body shook and she dug her nails into her arms, drawing blood.

"You don't want to help me...you just want to use me as another pawn..!" She poked her temple and laughed. "Do you think I'm stupid?! I'm not stupid! I'm not stupid! You're stupid for thinking I'd actually fall for such an idiotic tactic! Haha! Idiot idiot! I won't be used again! I won't be used! I'm no one's pawn anymore!"

"Shiryo." Ignatius said.

I looked at Hecate, feeling bad for her. "Ignatius. Go to the ship...and tell everyone to head on without me. I can't leave her here unattended."

"And you? How will you get back to us?" Ignatius asked.

"Just go! I'll find a way!" I said.

Ignatius looked at me then ran off, leaving me and Hecate to ourselves.

Hecate looked at me and twitched. She was hearing something I could not. She rubbed her arms and had an apathic expression on her face. "You're just like him...You just want me as your tool. Your pawn...Why was I the one...to be tortured? I did nothing wrong! You just want to take away the rest of my freedom!" She yelled, going off on a tangent. She held her arm and began mumbling to herself.

I got into my battle stance. "Aunt Hecate...You want to get your revenge? Well it's just me and you. I want to help you, even if it seems impossible. Some at me with everything you've got!"

Hecate looked at me then a wicked grin grew on her face.

Ignatius hurried on the boat and Avant noticed him. The people on the main deck looked at Ignatius.

"Where's Shiryo?" Freya asked.

"He didn't come with. There was something he needed to handle-"

An explosion was seen in the distance and everything looked at the large mushroom cloud and Esta looked at Ignatius.

"Why aren't you helping him?!" Esta asked.

"He wanted to do this alone. He told me to come here on the ship and he said to drive off. I feat this battle could destroy the remains of Adrista..." Ignatius said.

"I'm not going to sit by and let Shiryo fight this by himself!" Esta said and tried to hurry off the boat but Freya stopped her.

"For some reason, I feel like if Shiryo wants to do this alone...it is something dealing with his Bloodline." Freya said.

Shira listened then noticed another explosion and watched the smoke cloud explosions. "Ryo.."

Hecate grunted as she slid backwards. She panted and looked up at me. She screamed and gripped her hair then began pulling her hair. "I won't lose to you! I can't..." She said and let go of her hair then began to move abnormally, like she's in chains. Her body began jolting and moving erratically.

I watched her and got into my battle stance. Magmadamus woke up and noticed the battle going on then got up and flew away from the area.

"He doesn't want to help you.." A voice said in Hecate's head.

Hecate grunted and held her head. She closed one eye and grunted.

"You're right, he's exactly like me...that's why he must die. So kill him. Kill my son.." The voice said.

"Get out of my head...Get out of my head...! Get out of my head! Get out! Get out! Get out! Get! Out!" Hecate yelled and held her head, shaking her head quickly and hard. She began hitting her head and screaming.

A part of me felt extremely bad for her and the other part of me wanted to do whatever I could to save her from her insanity. It was hard to watch her, let alone fight her while she was like this. I took a step closer.

"Stay back!" Hecate yelled, forgetting we were ever in a fight to begin with. "I don't want to drag you down with me..."

"Aunt Hecate.." I said.

Hecate slowly began losing motivation. "Why am I doing this..? I want to kill my own nephew because of my own issues. Why me..? Reina, why did we...choose this life..?"

"Get up.." The voice said in Hecate's head.

"Shut up.." She said.

"Kill..." The voice said.

"Shut up! Shut up!" Hecate yelled.

"Kill! Kill!! KILL!" The voice yelled at her.

"Stop it!" Hecate screamed and her dark aura surged uncontrollably around her body. She began having a mental breakdown. She had tears rolling down her face then she flew off.

I watched her and my new mission was to pursue Hecate to calm her down. I summoned my phone and texted Shira then flew off, pursuing Hecate.

Shira got the message and looked at her phone. "I got a message from Shiryo."

"What does it say?" Phoenix asked.

"He's pursuing a target so he can't join us. He's leaving you in charge...Who is he fighting against to where he has to prioritize that target..?" Shira asked.

I flew after Hecate and closed my eyes. I had to save her not only because she was family, but because she needs someone to be there for her. I was going to be there for her, be the hero she needs.