In that frozen second, Vayle's Body broke.
The pill's effects were fading, and his demon form flickered. His claws trembled, and I was still smiling.
Dark lightning erupted from my chest.
Purple and black tore through the air around me. The ground cracked, and stones levitated. The very wind Vayle commanded fled in my presence.
His eyes went wide with disbelief.
"WHAT—WHAT IS THAT—"
I didn't answer him, I just moved.
With one flash step, I was behind him.
He spun and swung his claws wildly at me, but I had already moved.
Another step, and I was above him with dark lightning trailing behind me like wings.
He looked up, and I saw the terror raw on his face.
"IMPOSSIBLE—YOU DIDN'T HAVE MAGIC—YOU WERE NOTHING—"
I descended, and my blades met his claws.
BOMMM!!!
Another wave of destruction.
Dark lightning surged through his arms, and his demon flesh sizzled. He screamed and dropped to one knee.
I landed behind him like a feather.
He turned and looked at me desperately. Wind was gathering around him. It seems he is preparing for one final attack.
He formed a wind cyclone around him. It was massive and deadly.
"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU ARE—I'LL KILL YOU—I'LL—"
I remember when this guy defeated me the first time, like I was a nobody.
Right now, he is so weak and depends on demonic pills to fight me.
Looking at how miserable he was preparing for his final attack, a smile stretched across my face.
In his state, I don't think he'll understand me, but I have a Question for him anyway.
I walked with slow steps towards Vayle and bowed my head slightly.
I then blurted my words out Loudly So he could hear me.
"Lord Vayle, have you ever been obsessed?"
I asked him with a psychotic smile stretched across my face.
After that, questions everywhere went silent; the only sound that could be heard was that of the cyclone Vayle had conjured.
When Vayle saw the expression on my face, his anger was fueled.
'ARHHHHHH"
He screamed at me and launched his final attack at me.
I'm guessing the answer to my question is a NO, then.
The wind cyclone approached me at high speed, but for some reason, it felt slow.
I raised one hand and opened my palms.
My fingers were so relaxed, and my eyes were glowing brightly. I could feel heat swell up in my chest.
And this feeling was.... majestic. It felt as if I held the world in my palms.
Inside my palm, a ball of dark Lightening formed. Its size was like a tennis ball.
I then shoot it towards the approaching wind Cyclone.
It moved at destructive speed and left craters in its path.
BOOM!!!
A huge explosion occurred...
The wind cyclone did not just break; it evaporated.
Vayle stood frozen; his magic was now depleted, and his body was shaking. His eyes were empty as he looked at me.
"What... what did you...?"
I walked towards him.
Each step left cracks in the ground, and dark lightning followed me like loyal dogs.
"A year ago, I crawled into a cave to die."
Step.
"I spent months forcing open meridians that didn't want to open."
Step.
"I bled, and I broke. I screamed at walls that wouldn't answer."
Step.
"And you know what I learned?"
I stood before him, close enough for me to touch him.
He couldn't move, and couldn't speak; he couldn't even breathe.
"Power isn't given."
I raised my blade.
"It's taken."
His lips moved.
"You've... grown."
I smiled at him.
"I haven't grown," I said, concealing my smile.
The blade fell.
"I have just evolved."
His head hit the ground before his body did.
I stood over him, and dark lightning crackled one last time.
Silence washed over the entire place.
"You were a valuable opponent, Vayle, but my obsession for strength is greater."
I searched his body, and I found a map.
It was folded and worn out, marked with symbols I recognised.
Cult symbols.
I unfolded it and studied the markings.
It showed a location deep in the mountains that was not far from here.
He was working for them.
This was just one outpost.
There's more.
I folded the map and looked toward the peaks.
Let's see what they're hiding.
The entrance to the place was hidden behind a frozen waterfall, but I found it anyway.
The tunnels descended deep into the mountains. I instantly found a door.
It was massive and sealed with magic. I raised my hand, and dark lightning surged, which caused the door to melt.
Inside, the place looked like a laboratory.
There were rows of pods, dozens of them. Glass and metal with each one holding a child, floating in green fluids with their eyes closed.
Instantly, I could tell from their eyes that they were all dead.
I walked through the rows and counted as I went.
Twenty-three, Thirty-four, Forty-seven.
All dead.
The Cult.
They're breeding soldiers.
And killing the failures.
My jaw tightened.
Then I saw it.
At the far end of the lab, a larger pad stood. It was bigger than the others with different markings, and surprisingly, it was still active.
I walked closer with my heart pounding.
Inside it was a girl.
Red hair, flame red, floating in the fluid, her eyes were closed and peaceful despite everything.
She was beautiful.
The most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
She's alive.
I found the release and overrode the controls and safety locks.
The fluid drained, and the pod hissed open.
She collapsed forward, and I caught her.
She was warm.
I held her for a moment and let myself feel it.
One survivor.
Just One.
I'll take it.
I smiled with relief.
I carried her out of that nightmare and found a clean spot to lay her down.
I waited for her to regain consciousness.
Minutes. Hours. I don't know.
Then—
Her eyes opened.
They were Crimson.
Crimson.
Same as mine.
She stared at me....I could tell she was scared and confused.
And I stared back.
Holy shit.
She's—
She's—
Beautiful.
"..."
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
She blinked, and I also blinked.
"...You're..." I tried.
She tilted her head and was still staring at me.
"...Red hair..." I managed.
Nothing.
"...Eyes..."
She waited.
"..."
Say something, Zero. Say anything literally.
"...Pretty."
WHAT.
WHAT DID I JUST—
Her eyes widened slightly.
I wanted to die.
Right here. Just die. Let the mountain swallow me.
She looked away, and I looked back. She almost—almost—smiled.
"...Who are you?"
I found my voice. Barely...
"Zero, I'm Zero."
"Zero." She tested the name and looked at me again.
Those crimson eyes.
Yeah, I'm in trouble.
THE END...