Coffin of the Bronze Bull

The echoing explosion rattled them, shaking their bodies down to the core. The vibration was felt through the quaking floor. A blinding white light quickly faded into black dots that clouded their vision in dancing shadows.

The shattering boom cut to a sudden silence from the intensity of the noise, slowly the silence faded into a high-pitched shrill that screeched in the back of their heads as their hearing returned. The impact of buildings toppling and shaking the ground threw their balance off. The yells of voices were drowned out by the deafening cracks of toppling structures and the constant dull ringing from the mind-numbing blast.

This wasn't what they signed up for.

This wasn't the mission they were told to go on.

This wasn't something that they could deal with.

This wasn't fair.

Crawling over the floor Frank desperately hid under whatever rubble he could find. Blinking the dust and spots out of his watering eyes.

His entire body felt numb, everything hurt and the feeling that was returning was a constant ache.

He could barely breathe.

With each shattering impact of another collapsing building or falling rubble, he desperately held in the sobs as he felt the structure around him jump and move from the vibrations, the grinding of concrete sliding sending chills up his spine.

He prayed and begged whatever was out there to save him. He just wanted to live.

At least being crushed by rubble would be better than fighting the demon out there.

Were Stacy and Hikaru even alive? He couldn't tell over the countless other noises that echoed throughout his head. The fading ringing slowly gave way to clarity as he regained his senses.

What was he doing? He needed to get out there and find them. He needed to help them, he was the strongest, and he should be able to save them.

He couldn't let Stacy die.

Dragging himself out from under the rubble he had been hiding in he glared towards the spirit, a mass of charred flesh and squirming veins. Rings of fire danced around its skin. Four blazing eyes pierced the ruined landscape that it floated over, hovering 5 meters off the ground like an angel of death. Searching for the vermin that escaped its grasp.

Its patience was running thin.

The plumes of dust from the falling buildings and the billowing pillars of smoke heavily obstructed the crashed buildings and piles of rubble left in the wake of the spirit's destructive blast.

Frank watched it float over the landscape, its fiery veins weaving into soldering whips that melted through stone and metal as they dragged behind it, reaching the floor despite its height. Its humanoid body to perfectly proportioned to be real, it was off-putting.

The wriggling mass of burning flesh that formed its body clear sign however that his thing was anything but human, just uncannily trying to copy their appearance.

It was terrifying.

Staying out of sight he worked his way around the edge of the fallen buildings. Looking in through the shattered windows of the ones that still stood. Hiding his cursed energy, if he was seen he would die. That much was clear.

Working his way towards the fallen remnants of another building he felt it, faint flickers of cursed energy. Someone was alive.

Dashing in that direction he crouched down under the collapsing door frame. He could feel it, Hikaru's energy permeated the collapsing structure. This was no doubt his doing.

They were lucky that despite the strength of the spirit it didn't seem to be good at tracking and noticing energy. It relied more on heat from what he could tell, akin to infrared vision.

With all the fire and smoke he was basically blind to their body heat.

They had time, as long as he could help Hikaru out of the building they could find Stacy and leave.

Dashing forward towards where he felt the energy was the strongest he started to pull rubble off the pile. Digging through it, using his already exhausted cursed energy to strengthen himself, he barely had enough, but he had to push his limits.

Dragging another chunk to the side he let it collapse to the side. Another echoing explosion sounded throughout the air as the entire building seemed to jump, the fallen rubble shifting and a scream of pain and another of shock sounded from inside, echoing in his ears. Drowning out all other noise.

Stacy was in there.

She had screamed in panic, the other scream of pain was Hikaru. He needed to hurry, another blast like that and he doubted Hikaru could hold. He had never tried to affect anything this big before. While his cursed technique could make things lighter or heavier it wasn't permanent.

If he passed out the full weight of the collapsed rubble would come down on him and Stacy. The fact that Hikaru was even able to hold this much was insanely impressive already.

He had never done something so big or heavy before.

Getting closer to them he felt the rubble starting to become lighter. Some smaller parts were almost weightless. And finally, after throwing a large block of concrete to the side he saw them through a hole barely big enough to crawl through.

Stacy lay on her back facing up, her eyes wide with shock, she was frozen in panic, her hand over her mouth and tears streaking through the grime and blood on her face.

There was so much blood…

It was covering her, dripping down from a few bars of metal rebar that hung inches away from her stomach. Impaled through the chest of Hikaru who kneeled over her. His hands were firmly on either side of her body against the rubble she lay on.

He couldn't process it for a moment, Hikaru's face was red with strain as he bore the weight of the building that was impaling him to stop it from also impaling and crushing Stacy. Staying awake through the blood loss and pain through sheer willpower but that was quickly waning.

Seeing that he needed to get Stacy out of there he hauled off more chunks and said. "I'm almost there! Hold on!" His voice echoed through the pocket they were trapped in.

Looking at him in both panic, relief and horror Stacy started to sob again. Feeling so fucking useless, if only she was better, if only she had a stronger technique.

Pulling another piece of rubble out of his way he grabbed her ankle and pulled her out from under Hikaru and into the tunnel he had made turning to her and yelling. "GO! I'll get him out!" As he turned to crawl in there and try to help Hikaru.

Feeling her grab his sleeve he pulled it away from her grip and turned to her once more yelling louder than before. "GO! Get out of this building before we all die!" His voice was desperate. If he could save her that was all that mattered, she needed to run.

He shouldn't care about Hikaru, he shouldn't, he hated him. But here he was willing to risk his life.

He should leave with her. But he couldn't… he knew that he couldn't leave Hikaru behind. He didn't know why he couldn't but he just wouldn't. He refused too…

Hearing her footsteps fading as she made her way out of the fallen building he crawled underneath Hikaru who was still shaking with effort, his hands pressed into the floor with shaking muscles.

The cramped space was barely big enough for Hikaru and Stacy who was a lot smaller than them. With Frank trying to fit that clearly wouldn't work. Hell, he didn't even know what he was doing, he should have left.

But he hadn't. And he would do his best to help Hikaru lift this enough that they could both get out of here.

Getting beneath Hikaru he put his arms on either side of his body against the rubble on his back and pushed.

If Hikaru could hold this himself then with Franks's help they could shift it.

He screamed, and he heard Hikaru scream as well but they ignored the strain and the pain they were in. The aching of their bodies and the feeling of the rebar moving against Hikaru's flesh. It was brutal. But they pushed.

And with Hikaru's technique, a final push of cursed energy taking away that bit of extra weight they heaved the pile of rubble as Hikaru started to straighten his body, the cracking of his ribs as the rebar shifted inside of him echoing through his head but he ignored it.

He refused to die.

They were sent here to die but he refused.

Pushing he got a foot beneath him. Watching as Frank managed to get his feet beneath him as well and with a final heave the pile of rubble on top of them grew lighter as parts of it fell to the sides. The rising of their bodies shifted the mound soon casting the last bits aside as the burning sunlight tinted red by the fire and smoke leaked in.

Panting with effort they collapsed to their knees.

He could hear Frank, he could hear him yelling something but it was like he was underwater. He couldn't make out the words.

He felt light like he was floating, like he was using his technique on himself. He had lost too much blood. He could feel that Frank was carrying him. The rebar still left in his body was hot… had Frank melted off the bars from the concrete they were attached to? Maybe... or they had broken off...

He felt the heat slowly growing cold.

Everything was growing cold.

There was another set of hands… he could hear Stacy.

He didn't want to die.

Reverse Cursed technique… it was his only chance. Closing his eyes he felt clarity despite his slipping thoughts. He felt it, the last trickling remains of his cursed energy, he felt it react inside his body. He could do this, at least before he passed out… then he might live…

Feeling Hikaru's breathing grow shallow as he carried him Frank said, "No no no, don't stop breathing mate. Don't close your eyes. You'll make it. It will be alright. Stacy! Where is the spirit!? Can we move!" His voice sounded out over the crackling fires around them, having to yell to be heard over the continuous explosions.

A shell-shocked Stacy looked around with wide eyes shaking her head as she responded. "I don't see it! Let's move!" Her voice was drowned out by another explosion that ripped through the air. The spirit was trying to find them by blowing everything up.

Dashing into another building Atlas felt Hikaru start to shift in his arms. Putting him down he shook his shoulder a bit as he said, "Mate? You alright?" His voice filled with confusion as Stacy came over and crouched next to them saying.

"Frank we need to keep mov- oh my gosh." Her hand covered her mouth as she looked at Hikaru. The burns on his skin were healing.

Grabbing the rebar Frank said, "We need to let him heal." Before she could say anything or stop him.

If he was using positive energy then they needed to get the bars out of him. He wasn't conscious enough right now to not heal with them inside of him. He was just healing his whole body.

Grabbing each with one hand he pulled suddenly ripping the metal from Hikaru's body. Like wet fabric tearing the sound made Stacy nauseous.

Putting his hands over the wounds Frank waited and watched, ready to burn them closed if he had to. But to his amazement the holes slowly healed, the slow trickle of blood coming to a stop. Hikaru had learnt the reverse cursed technique.

Watching the boy's eyes flutter open Stacy immediately hugged him and started crying. Shocked words were being exchanged by the two as Stacy tried to catch Hikaru on what had happened while he was out.

Standing up Frank looked over the ruined buildings. The few still standing drowned in fire that flickered out of broken windows and cracks in the concrete.

And coming in their direction was the spirit itself. Its burning whips glowing with a hellish light. Like beams from the sun itself.

"Lads, we need to get moving!" Franks suddenly yelled grabbing Stacy by her hand and turning to run. A sudden explosion threw him to the floor though.

They had been seen.

Turning around he saw Hikaru and Stacy stumbling to their feet already. The sound of crackling fire resounded around them.

Hearing them yell all he could be grateful for was that it wasn't as strong as the previous blasts. They could hide again. Stumbling to his feet he tried to move but he couldn't, he told his right leg to step forward only to fall on his face.

Rolling over as Stacy and Hikaru got to his side, Stacy helping Hikaru walk he heard them yelling but his mind was solely focused on the bone that was sticking out of his leg…

"Frank, we need to move, we need to get moving. Please, please come on." He heard Stacy's voice rip through his thoughts, looking up at her as she tried to help him stand. Hikaru pathetically tried to help as well but he barely had the strength to stand himself. As Frank barely got to his feet they all felt a flashing blast of heat.

Turning to face it they saw that the ground had been sliced open by one of the veiny whips. Following the blistering gouge to the spirit that was floating 2 meters over the pile of rubble, they had been hiding behind a moment ago. Its eyes glowed with sick entertainment.

Staring at it seeing that it wasn't attacking and waiting for them to act Frank turned to face it. The spirit's head tilted to the side at his action. Its eyes narrowed in joy seeing the defiance in his eyes.

"Go… Stacy, I need you to go. Take Hikaru and get out of here. Please…" Frank begged, turning to face her only to see her staring in fear at the spirit.

"Stacy!" He yelled, snapping her attention to him. "I need you to go. Take Hikaru, and leave." He repeated his voice firm despite the tears forming in his eyes, the pain, the stress, the panic. The fear… he would be strong.

"I- I can't just l-leave you?!" She started to yell. Stopping her Frank grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her into a kiss, he hated it. It was the worst moment to do something like this. It was the worst… and he shouldn't have. But he couldn't stop himself.

"Save yourself, for me… please, I can't run with this leg and Hikaru can't walk on his own" Frank begged, tears starting to run down his face.

Nodding in shock she started to walk away practically dragging a dazed-looking Hikaru behind her.

Turning back to the spirit he saw it sitting on the rubble, its horrid lip-less mouth stretching into a foul grin.

It wanted them to run.

It wanted to taste their fear.

"Quit smiling, your mouth looks like a tattered cat's ass…" Frank said, his body shaking from the strain of just standing. He barely had any cursed energy left. There was no way that he could fight this, but he could give them time to hide again.

He was the best to fight this spirit, he knew that deep down but still. It hurt that he was the one that had to die.

His technique was strong… he knew exactly what it was when he discovered it. He could convert things from himself into heat. He needed cursed energy to do it but it was a minimal amount, the thing he turned into heat however was normally cursed energy

so he lost it quickly.

His technique let him turn 'fuel' from his body into heat. Whether that be cursed energy, nutrition or something else. The more value, the more heat. He only needed a small amount of cursed energy to start the conversion like a catalyst.

He only used cursed energy since it worked well and replenished,

But he didn't have the luxury of using that now, he barely had any after all. If he was going to beat this spirit then he had to make a fire hotter than the spirit's.

Seeing it raise its whip and bring down its arm he felt the air crackle as the whip descended towards him.

Putting his hands together he didn't know why, but in this moment, in this desperation. As he started to fuel his fire, his eyes blazing with a vitality unfelt before. A blazing inferno of emotions, thoughts, feelings. Everything that made him, him he muttered under his breath. Bringing forth the enlightenment that was coursing through his mind.

"Domain Expansion: Coffin of the Bronze Bull."