In the building used by the Apostles, where Elliott''s seal had held all of those years.


    A place called the ''Church of the Apostles'' by its members due to their constant devotion to the man imprisoned in its walls.


    Cracks quickly traveled through the last layer of the crystal.


    In an explosion of impure energy that traveled through the roof, and into the sky, Elliott became free.


    After just two minutes, the massive energy he released settled, and the man fumbled forward.


    "I''m... free! At last!"


    He looked at his hands, his eyes widely opened as if he had gone crazy.


    "Lord Elliott!"


    Layla, the Apostles that proclaimed herself the ''caretaker'' of Elliott, watched in awe in front of the man she deeply adored.


    She knew nothing about him, but that wasn''t enough to stop her from trying to stand by his side.


    "It is an honor to finally have you freed from this accursed seal! How are you feeling at the moment?"


    Like a fanatic, she moved closer and closer with a distorted smile.


    "Make your feet stop."


    With a simple command, her body stopped moving.


    "W-Why?"


    Elliott ignored her, and looked a little confused.


    "What is this? What...!"


    He fell with both knees to the ground, and began to lose his breath. Grabbing his throat, he began to vomit a dark sludge from his body.


    "You... little... fucker!"


    Each words were spoken between the release of more sludge.


    Layla, still under the influence of the order, could only watch in horror as a puddle of corruption covered the floor.


    "Huff..."


    Elliott wiped his mouth with the back of his right hand, and looked with a triumphant stare in front of him.


    "You''ve failed to-"


    But immediately, his face looked horrified.


    He felt something move up in his throat, and was forced to puke the last thing in his body. A very small, perfectly round dark purple pearl of pure malice.


    "See, I told you. I won."


    Elliott stood up while tripping a few times, and exited the church without even giving a glance toward Layla.


    "What... happened?"


    Layla peered into the puddle of dark sludge and saw the pearl inside it.


    "Lord Elliott''s..."


    ~


    "Are you really sure about that? Very, very, very sure?"


    "Stop asking me every five seconds. I''ll send you back home if you don''t stop asking."


    Amelia was trying her very best to make Orion turn back. Though, it was already too late, as his determination was as unbreakable as a diamond.


    "But Orion!"


    Everywhere on the continent, Elliott''s magic was felt. Kamala, Florian, Eric, and Olivia. Deveralna and May. Dylan, Keith, and Nylon. Monolavir and Ruminona. And Enri-Ann and Tia-Norun.


    All the acquaintances, or the people closely watching Orion, felt the massive release of energy. It was less oppressing than Velridar''s pure blast of magic by far, but it was still intimidating, not because of its amount of magic, but because of its properties.


    This was definitely a being manipulating the corruption like it was his own power. With this amount of corruption released in the world, how many animals would be turned into corrupted beasts?


    So they understood that it was time. That there was only two outcomes possible from this very moment.


    Orion would win... or Orion would die. They were only able to wish for a miracle to happen.


    "Amelia, give up."


    Karteira grabbed her friend''s arm, and shook her head when she looked at her.


    "Karteira..."


    "We can''t go back. That was never an option, remember?"


    Silently, Amelia turned to look at Orion.


    ''That expression. I don''t like it.''


    On his face was the expression of someone being sent to death. Like a soldier asked by his superior to act as a decoy.


    The face of a man determined to succeed his mission, even in death. The stern look in his eyes, his unmoving muscles, and his calm breathing where the sign of his determination.


    "We''re going to Eogis. Elliott''s most likely waiting for me the man that invaded his precious building."


    Three days. That was the time it took them to arrive at Eogis. Orion warped further away and then created a portal for Amelia and Karteira to join him, which made the road to Eogis quicker.


    The fourth day, Orion walked past the frontier to his parents homeland.


    "..."


    But two steps in, he stopped.


    "I don''t know if I have to call you brave, or stupid."


    The man he despised the most walked from the back of a tree, blocking their path.


    Elliott stopped around fifty meters away from Orion, drew his sword from his scabbard, and stabbed the sword into the ground, sinking it in as if the hard ground was mud.


    He placed both of his hands on the hilt, and looked straight in Orion''s eyes.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I was half expecting you to run away, but I will honestly bring my opinion of you higher in my mind."


    An arrogant tone. That was the very same tone his parents endured two thousands years ago.


    "These two thousands years of stasis haven''t made you rusty, old man?"


    Orion arrogantly answered, as if it was as natural as breathing. He would never hesitate in front of him.


    Yes, he was scared, but not of him. He was terrified of dying. Terrified of betraying everyone''s feelings. Terrified of betraying his parents.


    But never would he bow down to this monster. Never alive, nor in death.


    "Old man, you say. Sure. Two thousands years makes me even closer to an actual fossil at this point. But the same goes to you."


    With a shrug, Orion silently observed his enemy.


    ''Why isn''t he striking me down? Is he just going to talk while keeping eye contact or something?''


    He didn''t understand why Elliott was so passive at the moment.


    If it was Orion, he would strike at the best moment, and kill his target as quickly as possible.


    "You came all this way for revenge? Because I''ve destroyed the angel and demon faction, right?"


    "If you know it, then shut that mouth already."


    Elliott lift his arms from the hilt of his sword, and with an exasperated expression on his face, lifted his arms on his side.


    "What a troublesome youth. That resemble that one draconic demon I''ve fought. I guess you truly are their son."


    "An angel that hindered ''progress'' while also nurturing it, and a demon that the dragons considered as their daughter."


    "And now, we have a child born of these two, who is walking side by side with... a human, and a fairy. Four of the Apostles turned against me, or maybe not. You''ve probably managed find the lost factions too."


    ''He''s sharp.''


    Orion remained silent.


    "You thought I was sharp right? For guessing all of this."


    Showing little surprise, his gaze stayed on Elliott.


    "No reaction. Well, fine. I''ll tell you anyways."


    Elliott placed his right hand back on the sword''s hilt, and pointed at his chest with his left hand''s thumb.


    "That curse. It tells me everything I need to know about you. In fact, I know even more than you could ever believe."


    Once again, no reaction from Orion.


    "That wasn''t a lie. You could show some reaction, seriously."


    Way behind Orion, Amelia and Karteira were frozen in place. They watched silently, while making themselves as transparent as possible so that they wouldn''t speak out of place.


    But Amelia realized something very strange.


    ''Orion told me that in the flashback, he always insulted his parents, or belittled their feelings, yet, that man doesn''t speak ill words at all. What is happening.''


    "Elliott, stop speaking. Let''s get to the end straight."


    He couldn''t take it anymore. Orion couldn''t care about his words anymore.


    ''Revenge. For mom and dad. For the angels and demons.''


    *sigh*


    Elliott sighed loudly. He even slumped his shoulders down, as if it was boring.


    "Truly, no care for others feelings, I see. Well, fine. You asked for it."


    His left arm began to shine a bright light. A pure white light that was the polar opposite of the pillar that appeared three days ago.


    He grabbed his sword and freed it from the ground with a smooth wrist movement. The next moment, the tip of the blade was pointing at Orion.


    "This sword''s name is Vanitas. It was a gift from my mother."


    "I don''t care."


    "Haha~ Fair enough."


    Orion released his magic, making his hair change colors, and warped behind Elliott.


    Amelia and Karteira also prepared to move, but were stopped instantly.


    Elliott grabbed Orion''s leg with his free hand and kept it tightly gripped, while he focused on the two women.


    "Sorry ladies, but this is between me and him."


    Two swords of light were pressing on their neck, threatening to decapitate them on the spot if they walked a step forward.


    "Gh!"


    While trying to free his leg, Orion began to grunt audibly.


    "Now, it''s between you and me."


    Behind his blonde hair and fake smile, Elliott was the definition of a monster. In an instant, he broke everything that Orion built in the past.


    No one other than him had to fight Elliott.


    Releasing his grip, Orion took this opportunity to kick once again, this time with the power of the Third Gear that Amelia unlocked the moment Elliott appeared.


    "Slightly better."


    Nonchalantly, he punched the kick.


    *Crack*


    "Orion!"


    Amelia shouted his name when she heard the loud bone cracking sound coming from him, and the pained expression on his face.


    He rolled on the ground a few meters, and healed his leg while rolling away.


    Elliott looked at his fist in confusion.


    "I haven''t used much strength, you know? I''m also not at full capacity at the moment, so you have your chance. Though, if that''s all you have for me, then I''m sorry, but you will not put a single scratch on my skin."


    Having healed his broken leg, Orion took out both Alcyone and Taygeta.


    "Crossbows. Those are nice weapons. You''ve used them well so far."


    A volley of arrows fell on him from above coming from Alcyone, while Taygeta focused on trying to silence him, or causing a bleeding effect.


    "That''s still too soft."


    Once again, Elliot stabbed his sword, Vanitas, into the ground. A wide dome of light focused around him, blocking all arrows.


    Warping behind him once again, Orion kicked his right side from inside the dome.


    "That won''t wo-"


    Elliott noticed that Orion had warped again.


    He looked in front of him, and saw a fist coming at his face.


    ''It connected.''


    But not exactly like Orion wanted.


    "Too soft."


    *Crack*


    Orion grabbed his hand in pain and warped away without a sound. Elliott had grabbed his hand before the punch connected, before breaking his arm.


    ''This is awful...''


    Karteira was despairing. She couldn''t do anything besides watch Orion getting hurt.


    Amelia had stopped thinking altogether. Her mind was breaking down at each passing seconds, and her mind was wandering aimlessly in her memories with him.


    "Heal that bone, and continue. Show me your strength."


    "You''re talking to me as if you were my teacher. Who do you think you are?"


    With anger in his voice, Orion stood up, completely healed up.


    Elliott vanished from his spot, and reappeared on front of Orion.


    "I guess I am... a kind of teacher."


    And stabbed Orion in the chest with Vanitas.


    "!"


    Orion''s vision began to blur, as only the cries of Amelia and Karteira fell in his ears.


    ''Not yet!''


    He forced his mind to return, and glared at the man in front of him, before warping further away. He kneeled to the ground, feeling the heat of his blood escaping his body from his chest wound.


    ''It''s not that deep. It''s not that deep...''


    Quickly, he focused everything in healing.


    "You think you have time for that?"


    Elliot swung his sword at Orion, and sliced his left side with a light blade, causing another wound on his body.


    ''I can''t... I won''t make it.''


    With Alcyone pointing at Elliott, he fired a spinning arrow.


    "Ah!"


    He easily broke the most dangerous arrow in half, and appeared in front of Orion again.


    "Sorry for that."


    Swinging Vanitas, Elliott destroyed Alcyone, and stabbed Taygeta, leaving Orion powerless.


    Bleeding, broken down, and close to death. That was how Orion was. Nothing else would happen, no one would help him, nothing would save him.


    "Alright, that''s enough."


    Elliott stopped attacking Orion, and released Amelia and Karteira.


    "You wouldn''t listen to me, so I made you. Listen attentively, I won''t repeat myself."


    ''What is he doing?''


    The girls ran to Orion and hugged him protectively.


    "I never came to meet you with the idea of killing you. In fact, I am not your enemy either."


    Placing Vanitas inside its scabbard, Elliott showed is back to Orion and the girls.


    "What are you... saying? You''re not my enemy?"


    "That''s what I said. You''ve listened, great. Now-"


    "STOP FUCKING WITH ME!"


    Amelia and Karteira were frown back and fell their butt to the ground, while Orion stood up, ignoring his bleeding wounds.


    "DO YOU THINK I WILL ACCEPT THESE WORDS!"


    "AFTER KILLING MANY OF MY KINDS!"


    "AFTER ALL I WENT THROUGH!"


    "AFTER ALL THE PAIN I''VE ENDURED!"


    "AFTER... AFTER... EVERYTHING!"


    His mind broke down.


    "YOU WOULD DARE SPEAK THOSE WORDS, YOU, THE MAN WHO KILLED MY FAMILY!"


    Blood flowed from Orion''s eyes in high amounts. His magic went berserk, as his light and dark elements began to follow his breakdown.


    The void element remained the only one in control, as deep down, Orion didn''t want to destroy anything in Horizon, or erase the lives inside it.


    And at the same time, inside his soul, two sparks ignited with their full might, unleashed by his uncontrolled wrath toward Elliott.


    Orion''s body went through changes. His eyes turned blood red, showing the irises of a lizard in both eyes. Two dark grey horns grew on the side of his head, above his ears, and a long tail similar to his mother''s, also grey in color, broke through his clothes.


    A white halo in the form of a star shone bright above his horns, before four wings sprouted from his back, also ripping his clothes apart.


    Two angel wings, and two demon wings. They were already matured enough to support his full weight and more.


    On the back of his hands, two symbols became engraved, a black star, and a white star.


    His clothes burned away in grey flames, before being replaced by the outfit he once wore, the look of a prince, the ''Successor of the Forgotten''.


    Black pants with white patterns and motifs, and a black top with long sleeves that had some intricate golden words written on it.


    He flapped his wings one time, creating a powerful blast of air in every directions. The wings began to shine, showing little stars similar to the void element on them.


    "Gaa- AAAAAH!"


    With a cry giving shivers to everyone who heard it, Orion transformed into a monster. A real monster, with no mind of his own.


    "Did you... seriously lose yourself that bad?"


    Elliott looked shocked in front of the sudden transformation of Orion, but he couldn''t stay idle for long.


    Orion''s tail wrapped around his leg and pulled it toward him.


    "I guess I don''t have a choice."


    As his body fell on the ground, the next battle began.