As Alan and Armis sprinted through the corridors in search of Venatus, they found themselves surrounded by a group of mind-controlled students loyal to Venatus. Ignoring the assailants, Alan pressed on, his focus fixed on finding Venatus and rescuing Relecta.
One of the attackers lunged at Alan, but before they could make contact, Armis swiftly intervened, delivering a powerful blow to the assailant's gut, sending them crashing into the wall. Meanwhile, another attacker targeted Armis with a hand scythe, but Alan's lightning-fast kick intercepted the assailant mid-air, sending them hurtling backward.
Seizing the opportunity, Armis engaged one of the larger attackers, deftly sidestepping their attack and delivering a forceful kick that propelled them into two others, who collided with the wall. Glancing back at Alan, Armis noticed that he had already incapacitated the remaining assailants and was forging ahead.
However this time, Armis couldn't ignore Alan's unusual behavior any longer and voiced his concerns about his friend's demeanor.
"Alan, what's going on with you? I understand you're furious about Relecta being taken by Master Venatus, but your eyes..." Armis began, but Alan cut him off with a signal, directing his attention to the end of the corridor.
There, they witnessed Venatus fleeing with Relecta in his arms, closely trailed by a horde of mind-controlled students.
Alan increased his pace, veering left towards Venatus's direction, with Armis hot on his heels. In the periphery, Armis caught a fleeting glimpse of Augustus darting away in an adjacent corridor. Undeterred, they pressed on, their determination unwavering.
Chasing Venatus, who was ascending the stairway to the roof with remarkable speed, Alan's fury surged even more. Without hesitation, he extended his hand to Armis, who instinctively clasped it without question. Taking a brief moment to gather their resolve, Alan surged forward with an explosive burst of speed, propelled by a surge of energy coursing through his veins.
Reaching the stairway where Venatus's minions were attempting to follow, Alan and Armis plowed through the horde with lightning speed, effortlessly dispatching them and clearing a path to the roof.
Arriving on the rooftop, Alan's hand tightly clasped with Armis's, still reeling from their rapid ascent. At the edge stood Venatus, his grip firm on Relecta's neck as he dangled her perilously close to the edge. Alan took a step forward, but Venatus's threat froze him in place.
"Take one more step," Venatus warned, his voice laced with cruelty, "and she falls twenty feet, crashing to the ground like a ripe cherry."
Alan's jaw clenched with fury as he locked eyes with Venatus, his rage simmering just beneath the surface. Armis, sensing the tension, attempted to reason with Venatus.
"Why?!! Why are you doing this, Master Venatus?!! What did Alan ever do to you?!!" Armis implored, his voice tinged with confusion and concern.
Venatus's glare intensified, his lips curling into a sneer as he directed his response at Armis. "Ask your friend," he spat, "not me!!!"
Armis turned to Alan, searching for answers in his friend's eyes. Alan met his gaze, his expression carefully calculating as he responded, "I have no idea what you are talking about, Master Venatus.." His tone was measured, betraying none of the turmoil raging within him.
Alan's response only served to further enrage Venatus, who tightened his grip on Relecta, his frustration palpable.
"Why?!! Why do you keep lying? Why do you not understand?!!" Venatus's voice cracked with desperation, his lips pressed into a thin line as he fought to contain his emotions.
Alan inched forward bit by bit, his movements deliberate as he attempted to bridge the distance between himself and Venatus by dragging his feet using toes. He responded, his voice tinged with shock, "Understand what?!!"
Venatus's breath caught in his throat as he struggled to articulate his turmoil. "My situation!!!" he exclaimed, his voice raw with anguish. "I need to know about the outside world!!! I need to know!! M…my wife is dying, and no medicine in Pompeii is healing her!!! I tried everything!!! But nothing worked, but I am sure that outside world holds the key, the cure to her illness!!! So PLEASE TELL ME!! HOW TO GET OUT!!!"
With a final surge of determination, Alan launched himself at Venatus, but his attack was swiftly thwarted as Venatus wielded his Elemental Air powers, suspending Alan in mid-air with invisible constraints.
"You... you are not gonna listen, are you?" Venatus sneered, his voice dripping with disdain as he watched Alan struggle against the constraints.
As Alan fought against the invisible bonds, Armis pleaded with Venatus, trying to reason with him. "Please, sir, you are mistaken. Alan is not who you think, y—"
Before Armis could finish his plea, Venatus interrupted him, sending him hurtling into a horde of his minions with a powerful blast of wind.
"Shut up, fool!!!" Venatus sneered at Armis, his eyes blazing with fury. Armis staggered to his feet, only to find himself surrounded by Venatus's minions, their eyes filled with rage.
Venatus gestured to his minions, his voice cold and menacing. "Let's see if you start talking when I kill your friends like those kittens!!"
With a wave of his hand, two of Venatus's minions dragged Aurelia and Lyco onto the roof, unconscious and bruised. Witnessing his friends' plight, Armis launched himself at the minions, demanding answers. "What did you do to them?!!"
But before Armis could reach them, the horde of minions struck him away, hurling him to the ground as they mercilessly beat him together.
Caught in Venatus's grip, Alan struggled against the invisible restraints, his eyes filled with desperation and fury. Before him, Relecta dangled perilously over the edge of the roof, her form limp and almost lifeless. Behind him, Armis and their friends endured a brutal onslaught from Venatus's minions, each blow driving them closer to the brink of defeat.
Overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness and rage, Alan's voice pierced the air with a primal shriek, echoing his frustration and helplessness in the face of overwhelming odds.
As Augustus pressed forward, his rapier cleaving through yet another assailant, a sudden rush of footsteps behind him drew his attention. Turning, he found Leo, his expression a mix of shock and horror as he witnessed Augustus absorbing another victim into his mark, his power growing with each passing moment.
Noticing Leo's presence, Augustus's grin twisted into a malicious smirk, his eyes gleaming with a sinister intent.
"Ah, just the person I was hoping to encounter," he taunted, his tone dripping with dark amusement. "But forgive me, I have urgent business to attend to. However, rest assured, I'll come back for you...for your taste." With a chilling expression, Augustus licked the blood from his rapier before turning and striding purposefully towards the roof.
Following a loud grunt, Leo's longsword crashed into the ground before Augustus, blocking his path. Leo's voice, stern and authoritative, cut through the tension, halting Augustus in his tracks. "You're not going anywhere... murderer."
Augustus's grin returned at Leo's display of courage. He casually retrieved the sword from the ground and tossed it back towards Leo, mocking him. "Here... come on, pick up the sword and try to hit me."
Gritting his teeth in frustration and anger, Leo retrieved his sword while keeping his gaze fixed on Augustus. Augustus stood tall, his expression blank, his rapier resting on the ground with his hands upon it, waiting for Leo's attack.
With a moment of hesitation, Leo lunged at Augustus. Unfazed, Augustus caught Leo's sword with just his finger moments before the strike. Shocked, Leo attempted to retreat, but Augustus's tight grip held him fast. Suddenly, Augustus's grin returned, and with a swift motion of his rapier, he effortlessly sliced Leo's sword in half.
Leo recoiled in agony as his sword dematerialized back to his mark. Augustus approached, relishing in Leo's pain, and with a swift stomp, he broke Leo's lower leg. With a smug grin, he mocked Leo, reveling in his dominance. "Kneel and grovel before your new God!"
Leaving Leo writhing in agony, his screams echoing through the empty corridors, Augustus turned and ascended the stairs to the rooftop. Before leaving, he shot a command at Leo. "Stay here like a good animal. I'll be back for you."
After Alan's piercing scream, the air was thick with silence, broken only by the relentless pounding on Armis. Despite the hopelessness in his eyes, Alan refused to surrender. He continued to struggle against Venatus's grasp in mid-air. Then, a thunderous battle cry shattered the silence, filling Alan's heart with hope. Without hesitation, one of Venatus's minions hurtled towards him. Venatus, caught off guard, attempted to evade the oncoming attack, but Alan's restraints snapped, causing Venatus's to lose his grip on Relecta. In that split second, Alan summoned every ounce of strength he had left and darted towards Relecta.
With impeccable timing, he caught her in his arms just before she plunged to her demise. Without pausing, Alan vaulted into the air, hurtling towards Venatus with lightning speed. With a mighty stomp, he shattered Venatus's mask and sent him tumbling off the roof. With another graceful leap, Alan returned to the safety of the roof, clutching Relecta tightly.
He gently lowered Relecta to the floor, his chest heaving with exhaustion. Desperation etched his features as he gazed into Relecta lifeless eyes.
"Relecta! Wake up! Please, wake up!" He pleaded, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. Suddenly, she began to sob in his arms, her heart wrenching cries for her kittens filling the air.
"Don't worry, Relecta. We'll get revenge for them. I promise," he assured her, his voice filled with determination. "Please, stop crying."
Scooping her back into his arms, he turned to find Armis consumed by a primal rage, his fury even more intense than before. With a heavy voice, Armis bellowed, "Do not touch my FRIENDS!"
Seizing one of the attackers by the head, Armis delivered a bone-crushing punch that left the assailant's skull dented and his features mangled. With a ruthless efficiency, Armis grabbed another by the hair, forcing his head into another's face, creating a grisly spectacle. Then, with a powerful throw, he launched another attacker into the air, causing him to collide with two others in a sickening collision.
Alan attempted to call out to Armis, but he hesitated, unsure of what to do next. Suddenly, Armis caught sight of him and flashed a sinister smile in his direction, even as he poked an attacker in the eyes and kicked him away. Alan returned the smile hesitantly, then quickly covered Relecta's eyes and began guiding her to safety.
Amidst the chaos, a voice rang out with fury, echoing across the rooftop. "Why?!! Why?!! Why?!! All I asked from you is for your help, BUT YOU DIDN'T LISTEN!! NOW DIE!!"
Venatus emerged from the ledge of the roof, his face unbruised, wasting no time as he unleashed a powerful blast of air towards Alan. Caught off guard, Alan released his grip on Relecta, sending her tumbling to the ground as he was thrown violently into the wall.
Venatus didn't relent, using his air-wielding abilities with a loud grunt, he began to suck the air from Alan's direction, even from his lungs. Alan, struggling to maintain his grip on the wall, dug his nails in so hard that his fingertips began to bleed.
Desperately, he fought to hold onto his breath, the visible strain evident on his face as he battled not to be consumed by the suffocating wind.
Armis attempted to rush to Alan's aid, but Venatus's minions intercepted him, engaging in a fierce battle. Meanwhile, Relecta screamed at Venatus at the top of her lungs, her cries echoing across the rooftop. Despite her pleas, Venatus remained unfazed, intensifying his assault on Alan, causing him to struggle even more.
In a moment of desperation, Alan's fading vision caught sight of Relecta leaping towards Venatus, her small form a bold defiance against the overpowering force.
With a defiant spirit, Relecta attempted to mimic Venatus's movements, clawing at him in the air. Though Venatus initially laughed off her efforts and pushed her away with a blast of air, Relecta refused to give up. Ignoring Venatus's intimidation, she stood her ground and continued her assault.
This time, however, Venatus's amusement turned to frustration as Relecta persisted.
Just as he prepared to unleash another blast of air, he was overcome by an unexpected sensation. Tremors shook his body, and water droplets began to trickle from his nose, mouth, and ears. With a bewildered stagger, Venatus collapsed to the ground, his grip on the attack faltered, and Alan watched in amazement as water droplets emerged from every orifice of Venatus's body, coalescing into a liquid ball near Relecta. The cerulean glimmer in Relecta's eyes seemed to command the element itself.
Venatus's body desiccated visibly as the liquid ball burst, causing Relicta to stagger and fall unconscious. Alan, catching his breath, observed Venatus, now dried out like a grape, moving towards Relicta. Without hesitation, Alan lunged at Venatus, seizing him by the cape. Glancing at Armis, who had brutally incapacitated most of the minions, Alan called out to him.
Armis, meeting Alan's gaze, watched as Alan used momentum to throw Venatus in his direction.
Armis, acting on instinct, took two steps forward and struck Venatus with all his might. However, to Armis's horror, instead of sending Venatus flying, his fist plunged straight through Venatus's heart. Blood spurted into Armis's face from Venatus's bloody cough as he quickly withdrew his hand, leaving Venatus to collapse like a discarded puppet on the ground.
Armis looked right in the eyes of Venatus, as he muttered his last words with broken voice and dried up mouth -
"Thwe…Thwey…thwink…ssthe..isth cursedth…thwey..theweyy arephh.. dgonna..thkill…ther..phwees..save..he."
As Venatus uttered his final plea, his body began to disintegrate in a red hue, the glow being drawn into Armis's mark on his chest. Shocked and horrified, Armis stood frozen, witnessing the grim consequences of his action.
Armis cried out in agony, his body racked with pain as he staggered backward, eventually collapsing to his knees. He clawed at his burning chest, feeling the searing sensation intensify. As Venatus was fully absorbed by Armis's Mark, a transformation occurred. Obsidian plating, gold shoulder pads, elbow guards, and forearm pads emerged, covering his now fully healed body.
Approaching Armis with Relecta in his arms, Alan observed his friend's distress. Instead of reveling in victory, Armis sat with a vacant expression, his spit dripping onto the floor amidst the unconscious bodies of bloodied students strewn around him. Alan glanced at Aurelia and Lyco, whom Armis had safely tucked away in a corner. Suddenly, Armis turned to Alan, his voice trembling with terror and confusion.
"A-Alan... wha... what? WHY?!!"
"So it's not just me. Anyone can do that... interesting..." Before Alan could respond to Armis, a voice filled with pride interrupted the tense atmosphere. Armis and Alan turned to see Augustus standing near the entrance, his rapier in hand, pondering what he had just witnessed.
Armis remained on the ground in shock, but Alan quickly deduced Augustus's intentions from his bulked-up appearance and upgraded weapon. He swiftly raised his guard, gently setting Relecta down and assuming a fighting stance. But before he could make a move, Augustus intervened.
"Don't worry, I have no intention of killing you, or anyone here in this academy now," Augustus declared, moving near the ledge of the roof. "Now that I have found this secret, this cheat... I don't need this pathetic academy. I will make my own destiny now..." With a menacing glare at Alan, Augustus leaped down onto a nearby roof in a single bound, disappearing into the horizon.
Alan and Armis barely had a moment to process Augustus's words before Leo stormed onto the roof. His leg was bleeding, lifeless, and secured with his belt. Limping forward, he spotted Armis surrounded by unconscious, bloodied students. Armis attempted to approach Leo, hoping to explain.
"L...Leo-ro!!! It's not what you think!! I—"
"Stay back! You... you're just like him, aren't you? A murderer? So hungry for power that you wouldn't hesitate to take A LIFE!"
Leo's accusation silenced Armis, his heart sinking as he realized Leo had already made up his mind. Leo's gaze shifted to Alan, filled with anger and accusation.
"YOU!! You've turned him into this! He's your responsibility now. Either you deal with him, or I will after I'm done with that monster."
Alan disregarded Leo's threats, focusing on his friends. As Leo turned away and headed back towards the stairway, leaving Armis in shock, Alan swiftly lifted Relecta onto his back and extended a hand to help Armis stand. Suddenly, a roar echoed from the direction of the stairway.
Alan and Armis braced themselves for the approaching danger as a new horde of Venatus's remaining minions charged at them. Prepared to face the onslaught with whatever strength remained, they tensed for battle. Just as the minions closed in, a blur of motion caught Alan's eye. In a speed visible only to him, a figure leaped from the top of the stairway entrance. With swift and precise movements, the newcomer incapacitated the entire horde with mere touches before standing before Alan and Armis.
As the fallen minions lay defeated around them, Alan and Armis lifted their gaze to behold none other than Longiseus Holdhearth standing before them, his piercing gaze locking onto theirs with an intensity that seemed to penetrate their souls.