【Story】Final Battle (Underground) Chapter 1: Malice Unleashed

Ch. 1　Malice Unleashed

Part 1

“Resistance of the Witch”

Crack! The shattering of the last nucleus set free the possessed creatures. Agonizing roars were sent from the black sphere, echoing around in the Pilgrimage. The twisted wails eventually came to a halt, like the explosion sound a plump balloon would make when too much air had been filled into it. The tentacles surrounding the Enochian Tower turned into a violet haze and evaporated into the air.
Enoch: Is… Is it done?
Hong Ai: Oh! Something’s shining!
Pompeii: That’s Monesis… It’s awoken.
Sacred and brilliant beams of light shone in the middle of the Pilgrimage. Countless golden tentacles stretched from the ground hole and reached the skyline. The lights flickered across the sky like thousands of arrows, brightening up the whole space intermittently.
The tentacles extended from Monesis wavered like a hand fan. With a mere wave, the approaching planets were pushed away from Continent Tarones as if they were blown away by strong winds.
It was an existence stronger than magic and any supernatural power that was beyond the cognition of all creatures on the planet. The miraculous scene left Enoch and his companions in awe. Overwhelmed, they felt as if a tremendous wave was about to hit them at a terrific speed.
???: Come… My son… Enoch…
Enoch: “Who’s there… Who’s calling me…”
Awoken by an unknown voice, Enoch started searching for the origin of the sound. He came to the middle of the radiant light source, where Monesis was. When Enoch came near, a puff of light turned into a familiar silhouette.
Enoch: Mother!
Tawil: Enoch, you’re finally here.
Enoch: Why… Why… Who… are you?
Tawil: I am Tawil, the being who created Continent Tarones… No, I’m just a part of the being, or the soul of it, in human conception. Monesis is the remnant flesh of that being.
Tawil: To save the world, I’ve been looking for a being that has potential within him, and it was you, Enoch. You’ve overcome all the challenges to be here, just as I had expected.
Enoch: … You were the one who guided me in the twisted spacetime, am I right?
Tawil: Yes, Enoch. You’ve encountered so many obstacles on your journey, and I’ve been watching all along. Well done, my child.
Tawil came forth to embrace Enoch, patting his head. Nonetheless, Enoch didn’t feel the affection that he used to feel. Countless questions and infinite anguish filled his chest. He felt a stinging pain in his star-shaped scar.
All of a sudden, Enoch was shrouded by darkness. He was utterly shocked when he looked up— A massive shadow broke out behind Tawil and split into two, revealing a black hole full of sharp teeth which targeted Enoch—
Enoch: Argh—!
Bang! Someone pushed Enoch away right before he was engulfed. He was thrust somewhere in the far back and lay on the ground. Opening his eyes in pain, Enoch recognized the person who had just rescued him. She was holding her wand to resist the hysterical shadow.
Enoch: Ingrid!
Ingrid: Shut up! You’re distracting me!
Their companions were alerted by the commotion of the battle and came to help, but Tawil made the first move to create a magic barrier, which prevented them from coming near; even sounds were blocked. Staring at Ingrid, who was battling against her, Tawil seemed completely apathetic, as if she were merely looking at a stone.
Tawil: The covenanter of Dreamland… Your mission is complete. You don’t have to protect him anymore.
Ingrid: Ugh… Don’t underestimate me! I’m not protecting him because of your orders, I’m doing so because I want to!
Tawil: Is that so… It must be what primitive life forms like you call “sentiments”… How boring… Seems like there is no other way…
Tawil closed her eyes and uttered a series of superhuman syllables. Abruptly, thousands of eyes emerged all over Ingrid’s body except her face. The movements of the eyeballs sent chills down everyone’s spine.
???: Hehe… My covenanter… Ugh… Don’t try to defy me…
Ingrid: Urgh… Stay away from me… I… No…
Ingrid’s body started moving involuntarily. She held up her wand and conjured elements above it.
Ingrid: E…Enoch… Run away!

Part 2

“Love of the Witch”

Enoch: I…darn it!
Enoch wanted to save Ingrid, but a menacing attack thwarted him, so he had to avoid the hit while staring at the culprit—his adoptive mother, Tawil.
Enoch: What did you do to her?
Tawil: I just made her do what she was meant to do…It’s her fate as a Kremier witch.
Enoch: Stop with the riddles! Let’s cut to the chase.
Tawil: Guess you have no time for the whole story.
Enoch: What—Tut!
Just as Tawil said, Ingrid’s next wave of attack struck his way again, and Enoch had no time to question her. Dominated by the Dreamland, Ingrid’s power had greatly enhanced. It took Enoch some strenuous effort to defend himself without hurting her.
As the number of Enoch’s wounds increased, the blood he shed dyed his magic robe dark red. Ingrid’s face could not be more heart-wrenching, as if she were the one who was injured. Finally, this sad tragedy reached its climax—
Enoch: Urghh! Cough—!
Ingrid’s concentrated elemental bomb shot right into Enoch. It was so powerful that he was knocked into the air and hit the boulder on the ground, which cracked like a spiderweb. Critically hit, he was coughing up blood; the pain exuded from his organs left him breathless.
Ingrid came to Enoch while the latter was still absent-minded. Her eyes were hollow, and her consciousness was obviously taken by a higher existence. Holding a wand emotionlessly, she seemed ready to stab.
Enoch: “Got-gotta avoid it… But I can barely move because of the pain…Well…Guess my journey is coming to an end here…Um?”
For a long time, however, nothing happened. Curiously, Ingrid’s body stiffened for some reason. She was shaking all over, as if someone was contending with something.
Tawil: Oh…She still has some sanity left. I must admit it’s quite impressive for a low species. But this is meaningless, for you’ll soon be taken again.
Ingrid: Ah…a second…will be enough…
Enoch: “She…does she wanna…No! You can’t!”
Enoch: Stop, STOP IT— 
But Enoch’s cry failed to stop Ingrid. The wand that was supposed to stab Enoch pierced through Ingrid’s abdomen, which was followed by a shrill scream of the eyeballs on her body. The pupils moved frantically and bled.
Tawil: You fool!
This unpredictable outcome made Tawil unusually mad. As a result, she became less concentrated on the maintenance of the barrier, thereby revealing a weakness—Crack! The transparent barrier shattered like glass.
Qingxia: We-we made it…The barrier is broken….Ummm!
Madam Heidi: Qingxia! She’s exhausted…Let me take care of her. You all, go save Enoch first!
Leaving Qingxia and Madam Heidi behind, the other fellows rushed to Enoch’s side. As soon as they saw Ingrid’s condition, their faces were filled with anger.
Hong Ai: I don’t care who you are, but I’m not gonna let you hurt my companion!
Panther: How dare you hurt my owner! I’ll make you pay for it!
Tawil: Humph, you bluffing inferior creatures.
Tawil fought fiercely with Hong Ai and the others, but Enoch paid no attention to the battle. At this time, only Ingrid was in his eyes. He dragged his heavy body and helped her up.
The eyeballs all over her body had disappeared. Although her skin regained tenderness, her life could not be rejuvenated anymore. Fading vitality was her fate.
Enoch: Ingrid…
Ingrid: Ha…What’s with that look…It’s ugly…even uglier than your cunning smile…
Enoch: Why…why did you sacrifice yourself for me? You’re such an idiot!
Ingrid: You taught me, didn’t you…I can’t…bear to see anyone die in front of me…So I…saved you…
Enoch: These words…oh right…that moment…
Ingrid: Finally, you remember…how dull-witted…
Ingrid wore a smile, recalling the memories in her mind…