The black-armored bus rolled through fields of eerie agriculture unnaturally lush, unnaturally quiet. Albert slowed the vehicle and said, "We've reached our destination." The air was cold. Stone stillness clung to everything.
Light scanned the horizon. "Seems no one's here." Ice frowned. "Too quiet." Sophie leaned forward, eyes full of worry. "Thomas."
He turned to her, understanding. She wasn't just saying his name, she was saying be careful. He nodded. "It's okay."
Luke stood. "Albert, park in front. No need to hide." Ice added, "Everyone stay alert. Anything could come our way."
Edwin's castle loomed ahead dark, gothic, carved with gargoyles and warrior statues. A massive "E" was engraved on the iron gates.
Ice muttered, "That E's gotta be for Edwin." Luke smirked. "He's got money, I'll give him that."Ice replied, "Yeah… but at what cost?"
Albert overheard, opening the bus doors. "A man's soul is valuable, Mr. Ice. Mr. Luke."
They nodded, stepping out. "Keep it running, Albert," Luke said. "Yes sir. Good luck, gentlemen."
Thomas and Sophie exited next. Albert smiled. "Good luck, warriors." Sophie smiled. "Thanks, Albert." Thomas nodded. Light followed. "Albert, if you need a bang, it's in the back seat."
Albert chuckled. "I'll use it if necessary.""Be careful," Light warned. "I will." Mr.Light
Then Ice shouted, "Albert! Watch the brats they're not coming." Riot screamed, "Unfair!"
Stuart said, "Maybe it's for our safety." Albert nodded. "Your wishes will be honored, Mr. Ice." "Appreciate it." Ice replied.
The heroes approached the massive doors dark, medieval, cold. Light pushed them open. They creaked, echoing through the castle.
Inside statues, paintings, relics of history. Thomas paused at a marble bust of Julius Caesar. Edwin had admired him once.
Luke said, "Let's keep moving." Thomas stared at the bust. Edwin still remembers who he was. Light said, "If Edwin's here like the ravens said, we'll need to split up."
"No," Ice snapped. "We don't know if he's alone. Lucifer could be here." Thomas said quietly, "Lucifer's not here." Everyone turned.
Light raised an eyebrow. "You can sense him?" Thomas nodded. "Ever since we first seen him… I feel a chill when he's near. He's not here." Suddenly Sophie shouted, "Watch out!"
A massive, deformed humanoid 8'8", grotesque and muscular charged down the hall. Sophie fired arrows. They pierced, but the beast kept coming.
Ice whipped his spear chain, tearing off one leg. The monster fell, then the ripped leg that came from its own body grew and it stood again.
Luke gasped. "Did he just?" Light's eyes narrowed. "I know these beasts. They're sins against nature."
The severed leg grew into another monster. One eye. Fanged mouth. Thomas whispered, "Now there's two."
Luke dashed forward, sliced off the head only for the head to grow a new body. The original regrew its own. Three monsters now.
They charged.
Luke dodged, Thomas activated his aura and punched through one's gut. Sophie fired, Ice slashed. Luke sliced an arm.
Light screamed, "No! Use fewer blows!" Too late. Each severed part became another monster.They were outnumbered. Ice shouted, "How do we kill it?!"
The monsters kept multiplying. The squad fought dodging, slashing, surviving.Sophie cried, "We can't keep killing them, they just keep coming!" Luke agreed. "We need a solution."
Light said, "We can't get stuck here. These creatures get their power from their master. Ice said Edwin must be his! While fighting still. Light screams yes so we have to go! We need to remember why we came."Thomas and Luke nodded.
Light turned to them. "Thomas, Luke we go. Sophie, Ice you hold them off." Thomas protested. "No. I'm not leaving anyone."Ice said, "Think about the mission." Thomas shook his head. "Final answer." Sophie stepped forward while slicing a creature's head off. "Thomas… it's okay."
He looked at her his love, his ally. "We've got experience," she said. "They're strong, but not invincible." "But Sophie"
She interrupted. "I'm not a nurse anymore. I'm a warrior." The squad paused, inspired. Thomas nodded. "Okay." Light said, "Let's move." Luke added, "Good luck."
Thomas looked at Sophie. She smiled reassuringly, fiercely. Ice asked, "Ready?" Sophie turned, eyes blazing. "Ready." They charged the multiplying beasts. Thomas, Luke, and Light ran deeper into the castle. Toward Edwin. Toward destiny.
Thomas, Luke, and Light stopped in the shadowed hallway of Edwin's mansion. Luke asked, "Where do we go from here?" Light scanned the corridors. "Give me a minute…"
Thomas closed his eyes. A whisper echoed in his mind
"Help… Edwin is in trouble." Stunned, Thomas whispered, "Where?" Suddenly, the samurai appeared beside him. "Thomas?" The Samurai said.
Thomas gasped. "I'm asleep? This isn't the time to wake me up!" The samurai smiled. "You're not sleeping. You've been given power." "A power?" Thomas asked.
Behind him, a radiant woman appeared elegant, glowing with purity, dressed in white robes lined with gold and gems. "I am Alda," she said gently. "I once cared for your brother."
Thomas's voice cracked. "Why are you here now?" "To aid you. Edwin has lost the battle with himself." Thomas lowered his head. "So I have to…" "Yes," Alda said, her voice soft but resolute.
The samurai placed a hand on Thomas's shoulder. "We keep going."
A single tear slid down Thomas's cheek. "I promised I'd save you, Edwin… even if I have to save you from yourself." Alda nodded. "Follow my voice, hero."
In a blink, Thomas was back. Only seconds had passed. He turned to Luke and Light. "It's that way." They didn't question him, his eyes said everything.
They descended into a tunnel mud walls, wooden pillars, torches flickering. At the end stood two massive metal doors, engraved with a towering "E." Light said, "I'll stay here. I won't interfere, this is your destiny."
Thomas nodded. "Thank you." He and Luke pushed the doors open.
Inside a grand obsidian throne, glowing with dark and green gems. A figure sat with his head bowed. Wearing a royal battle pants and shirtless. "Nice to see you, brother," Edwin said, voice deeper than Thomas remembered.
Edwin said "Tell me brother how has life been treating you?" Thomas clinched his fist and replied "Edwin this is your last chance to surrender!" "Stand Down Edwin!" Edwin replied "I guess after all this time you still haven't changed." "You've always been a fool." Thomas replies with anger and passion "damn it Edwin snap out of it this is not you!" Edwin replies " But Thomas this is me, I have always been chosen to succeed in the world I have proven it In the Old and the New World. I am the standard.
Luke stepped forward. " Thomas don't listen he has convinced himself he's a success story but in reality your a tragic story. You're guilty of genocide. You'll pay for your crimes!" He drew his sword.
"Thomas," Luke warned, "I know he's your brother but that's not the brother you knew." Edwin stood, hair tied in a bun, eyes cold. "Still playing cop, Luke? There's a new law now." In a blur, Edwin appeared before them too fast to react.
He double-kicked Luke across the hall, then spun and struck Thomas. Thomas blocked just in time, his eyes glowing white with electric aura.
He hurled Edwin aside. Edwin landed gracefully. "So you're ready to fight now?" Edwin mocked.
Thomas erupted platinum and white aura flaring. Edwin responded with a dark, purple blaze. They collided with shockwaves shaking the room. Punch. Dodge. Kick. Counter. Endless movement so fast the average eye won't see it.
Edwin struck Thomas's gut. Thomas staggered. Edwin leapt, missing a high kick as Thomas dodged, leaving a crater in the floor.
They clashed again blow for blow.
Luke rejoined, but Edwin grabbed him mid-strike and hurled him into Thomas. Thomas caught him. "This bastard's fast," Luke muttered. Edwin smirked. "Playtime's over."
He transformed black and purple scales, wings unfurled, horns rising. Luke gasped. "What the hell is that?" Alda's voice echoed:
"This is what happens when one loses the battle to corruption."
Thomas roared, "Edwin!" His aura surged electric, blinding.
Edwin grinned. "Let's see whose path is mightier, brother!" He flew at Luke, spearing him into the metal doors leaving a massive dent.
Thomas charged, and they locked arms testing strength, soul against soul.
Edwin grew larger, kicked Thomas into the air, then slammed him down with a double hammer strike.Thomas rose, unfazed, unleashing a barrage of punches faster, harder. Edwin keeps up dodging and returning blow for blow creating shockwaves all across the castle.Thomas then throws a knee and Edwin catches it and headbutts Thomas then grabbing and picking him up high over his head and slamming Thomas to the floor. But Thomas holds on to Edwin and Edwin picks him up to eye level. Then Thomas yells "I'm not breaking my promise!" Then Thomas' aura flared with such force it caused the walls to bend but not break. Then Thomas breaks from Edwin hold.
A mighty right to the jaw. A kick to the chest. Thomas drove Edwin into the wall, leapt, and rained down blows. Edwin looked stunned and weak. But mid-strike, Thomas saw a flash Edwin as a child. Innocent. Smiling.
He hesitated. He tried punching again. Another flash Edwin laughing, pure. Thomas couldn't do it. Edwin seized the moment flipped Thomas and unleashed vicious elbows and punches. Smashing Thomas effortlessly. "You're too soft, brother!" Edwin roared. "Your heart will be your downfall!" He raised his arms for the final blow
Slash.
Luke severed Edwin's wing. Edwin shrieked a sound of pure evil.
Thomas lay dazed aura turned off. Luke fights, dodging expertly, Edwin then uses his other wing to smack Luke sword out his hand and says "what now peasant?" "Your nothing without your sword."
Luke smiled. "I don't need one." Edwin attacked punches, kicks, grabs. Luke dodged every move. Then Edwin threw a massive right Luke blocked it. His eyes turned white. Aura electric.
Luke attacked precisely, brutal, like a boxer possessed. Edwin kicked him back."You're not strong enough to kill me!"
Luke smiled. "I may not be… but he is."
Edwin turned. Thomas walked forward, cracking his knuckles, glowing with platinum thunder."Give me your best shot, crockroaches!" Edwin yelled.
Thomas and Luke charged Edwin in the middle. Blow for blow. Kick. Counter. Dodge. Strike. The room shook. The compound trembled. The whole city felt the impact of the battle pausing life for a minute.
Edwin grabbed Luke, hurled him into the air. Mid-flight, Luke pulled a slingshot fired a black smoke bomb. Edwin vanished in the cloud, unable to fly.
"Thomas!" Luke shouted. "Finish it!" Thomas leapt above the cloud, time slowing. Electricity pulsed through his fist looks like he was holding a ball of thunder formed inside his fist. He shed a tear. "Edwin… forgive me." Edwin looked up too late.
BOOM.
Thomas struck a crater that exploded beneath them. The force rippled like a rocket launch. Luke shielded his face, bracing against the shockwave.
Silence followed.