No POV:
"... Here we go."
Drex stepped forward. He was about to face against Yuri again.
The wind blowed— his hair swayed gently in the wind as his sight was locked on Yuri.
Yuri though, still stood—his head still facing the direction which his neck was violently twisted.
[Alright... This is it.] Hades' voice rang in his head.
"Yeah... Its finally time."
[You do know how to use Scarion. Right?]
Drex raised an eyebrow. The question catching him off guard...
"Uh... What?"
Hades was in stunned silence. After a moment, she spoke again.
[You heard me. Scarion. The transformation you pulled off countless times before now.]
"Wait that's what it's called? It has a name?!"
Hades was dumbfounded. She couldn't believe that her host oh, so lavishly used her power without even knowing the name.
[Of course it has a name! What'd you think?! Wait.. don't tell me you were planning on winging it..]
"Well, yeah. Being possessed didn't exactly come with a user's manual in the first place so..."
Crazy shit.
Hades was speechless. Did he plan to survive this hellish nightmare by trial and error?
Ain't no way.
Ain't no fucking way!
[Fine then. Go on, charge in with your eyes closed. Cuz nothing screams baddass like having your guts rearranged.]
She honestly expected him to ask for instructions on how to use but his answer threw her into an outrage.
Like what the fuck?
Drex grimaced. He didn't like the idea of being beaten half to death. He couldn't even imagine how it would be.
And he didn't want to find out...
With a sigh, he spoke again. "Alright, alright, sorry. Would you help me out?"
There was silence for a few moments. Then she spoke again.
[Better...]
By now, Yuri had snapped his neck back in place. He was staring at Drex with a grin that sent cold chills down his spine. His tendrils swayed a bit, then he spoke...
"Y'know, I find it a tad insulting the you are this calm facing me. Have I perhaps lost my presence?"
He sighed. "Although, I'd like it if you showed me the side of you that I saw back at the orphanage. I had a much more delightful time."
Drex smiled dryly. "But that wasn't me you faced back there. I was unconscious." Then, he rubbed his neck, gave a tired sigh and spoke again.
"Honestly, I'd like it if you didn't remind me of that experience..."
Yuri grinned and took a low stance. "You seem frightened of your power."
Memories of every instance Nyroth presented himself flooded Drex's mind making him shudder. Drex gave a nervous smile in return and also took a stance. "You don't even know..."
With that Yuri dashed at him. Sidestepping in multiple directions looking for an opening to strike.
[Alright. Scarion has three phases. One for speed, one for strength and the last one for balancing the two...]
Drex stepped to the sides. The next moment, Yuri slammed his feet on the ground leaving a visible crack on the stone floor.
Hades continued. [We're going to take it slow, one phase at a time. That way, your body will be able to memorize the feel of it. And their differences in power...]
Drex rolled awkwardly to the side. Loosing balance as he struggled to get back on his feet. Hearing Hades' last sentence, he finally replied.
"But I'm not in control of that form. If I transform, I don't know which of them would come out. Shit's too random..."
Hades' answered, her voice oddly calm.
[ Of course you're not. That's where I come in.]
Drex was finally able to distance himself from Yuri—giving a few meteres of space between them.
Hayley who was watching the fight, gritted her teeth.
"That noob is going to die... I have to... Help him." Straining herself, she tried to heal her leg but due to the strain she put on herself, the potency of her abilities slowed to a crawl.
Looking up at the battle in front of her, only one thought went through her head.
'Where the hell are they...'
~~~~~
Inside the temple, Vax and Jax walked through the destroyed corridor. The pillars were cracked, some of them fell to floor in a thud. The tiled floor was destroyed—cracks and potholes turning the once majestic corridor into ruin.
Cautiously making their way to the altar, they glanced around, eyeing the nine statues that loomed over them. The faces of the statues couldn't be seen due to the fact that the heads were near the ceiling of the temple and said temple was already high enough to begin with.
So there was a considerable distance between the hunters and the temple ceiling.
They had spent a large amount of time evacuating the monks that were left behind in the vast temple. Some severely injured ones took an especially longer time because they were, of course, wounded and the had to first of all calm the monks down before proceeding to move them out of the place and away from the battle outside.
At the altar, Vax stared at it with a complicated expression on his face.
*BOOM*
In an instant, the altar exploded. Bits of stone flying in different directions. When Vax turned around, he saw Jax holding a gun, aiming at where the altar stood.
It seems he shot with a greenade launcher.
"That's an altar. Anyone could do a ritual on it. We can't take any chances."
Vax however, remained silent as usual.
Walking to another set of pillars he could hear faint whispers from beneath it.
It seems a monk was trapped underneath.
He raised his hand and a crack appeared in the air in front of him. Reaching in, he lingered before pulling a longsword out of it.
The sword whistled. It's blade seemed to shine in the pale darkness—its blade full of luster.
He gripped the hilt and wedged it beneath the pillars and, like a lever, he pushed down on it. Promoting the pillars to move upward.
Jax rushed over and brought the monk out and helped him to his feet.
"He's... He's here..."
Jax stares at the monk—his face was contorted in fear. He was shivering.
"Calm down. Who are you talking about." In a fruitless effort, Jax tried to understand the situation.
Just as the monk was about to answer, his face paled. His eyes widened in horror. He brought his hand and shakily pointed forward.
Jax followed his hand and peered into the darkness.
"It's... It's him—!"
*SQUELCH*
His head came flying off, leaving behind a bloody shower of bones and flesh.
His body fell to the ground in a dull thud. Blood and viscera pooled from his head and neck.
He was dead...
Jax stared at the sickening sight below him. Gritting his teeth in suppressed anger.
Behind him, something seemed to descend. Immediately, he turned his head and was met with the pale and bloodied body of Nightmare himself.
With a grin he said.
"Greetings."
~~~~~
Back at the courtyard, Drex was still trying to dodge the deadly barrage of blows from Yuri.
'Argh! Shit!'
He slid, jumped and rolled barely dodging a tendril each time.
[Ready?] Hades' voice rang from within.
He then answered. His voice strained.
"Here goes nothing..."
Then he slid to a stop.
And closed his eyes...
His body was soon surrounded by red energy.
His body emitting a faint red glow first forming an outline on his body before falling completely over him.
Yuri shot three tendrils in his direction— each moving with insane speed.
Hayley's eyes widened.
'Shit!'
*BOOM*
He struck. The place covered in dust.
"Hmm—?"
Yuri's smile quickly disappeared. He noticed something odd.
Bringing his tendrils away from the scene, his eyes widened. Then a look of amusement appeared on his face.
The tips of his tendrils were missing.
In a swift motion, he turned to his back and there he was. Squatting on the ground...
Holding the tips his tendrils in his hands.
Then, Drex —his voice a bit deeper, spoke in a sigh, dropping the tendril tips on the ground in a dull metallic clank.
"That was too close..."