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As they began to descend the massive spiral staircase that led below, Strife decided to break the silence.
“How did the Jade Realm fall so easily? Especially since you and Sun Wukong were here?”
“You have heard of the Crucible, yes?”
“Yes. It’s the greatest area in all Creation that offers the finest treasures to the rare few allowed to compete in its brutal trials by combat.”
“It was there that this all began. Every major power was invited, save the Charred Counsel. When we got there, everyone was wondering who would be fighting who in order to demand so many important people. The Jade Emperor brought me, Xing Tian, and Sun Wukong as his bodyguards, in case it was a trap. And you can imagine our surprise when not just the three of us, but every major power’s champion was teleported to the arena. Abbadon and Samael tried to resist fighting for the sake of the truce, but Ares tried to battle at once. It was then we realized we couldn’t harm each other, and that we had some kind of collar strapped to our necks.”
“Ah, the Friend’s Collar. Meant to keep people who were fighting as a team from hurting each other.”
“Yes. It was then a cloaked and hooded figure arrived and dropped one of your Seals at our feet. It was pitch black, with no indication of the designs. The figure then began to fight all of us. Not since you and Wukong battled have I seen such a clash of power. The figure was everywhere, teleporting to wherever it needed to be, its punches were like a battering ram. Elemental power allowed it to form ice walls from the water in the air to protect itself, and to use the wind to knock us aside like we were dolls. Then, it drew its weapons. A long sword, dripping with a substance like oil, and a dagger that had spectral energy that seemed to form into faces of the suffering. First, the sword slit Thor’s wrist, and a few seconds later, he was vomiting blood. Then he fell, white foam erupted from his mouth, then the same black substance crawled out of his wound and began to attack us. Despite the fact that the poison left his body, Thor continued to suffer, and the beast grew larger and more powerful, as if his agony empowered it. I have no doubt that some amongst us would have killed him, if it meant that it would stop the beast, but the Collars prevented it, so we fought on. It was then that the figure came for me.”
Guan Yu paused to catch his breath.
“Instead of the sword, it slashed at me with its dagger, almost too quickly for me to see its movements, but I managed. Until it was able to give me a tiny paper cut. In that instant, I was looking through another man’s eyes. Before me was a battle, a battle my side had lost. I was far from it, directing artillery and keeping our ranged attacks organized. I had memories that I knew weren’t my own. I saw how my death had caused confusion and chaos amongst the ranks, and the enemy pressed their advantage. But more importantly, I felt everything he did. Rage, confusion, guilt. And just as quickly as I’d seen, I was looking through my own eyes again. But the feelings were still there, and in the brief second it took to get the emotions that didn’t belong to me under control, the figure saw an opportunity and used it. It stabbed me in the arm, and this time, the vision lasted longer, and the feelings afterwards more potent. But the vision was similar; I was far from the battle, I was in charge of maintaining support for the main force, and my death turned the tide of battle against my forces. My position was becoming more unfavorable back in my body, as I was now fighting both my inner demons and the figure. I was on the floor, and the figure had disarmed me and raised its sword for the killing blow.”
Guan Yu paused to take a breath before continuing.
“Sun Wukong leapt to my rescue and struck the figure with his staff. But then we saw that it was only an illusion, and it shattered like glass. We had no idea if this was a test or not until… the figure, completely blending in with its surroundings, picked my friend up and broke his back in one strike. But it wasn’t done. After Wukong’s back was broken, the area of his chest that housed the stomach began to tear, and soon there was a geyser of blood. The thing had torn him clean in half, save the piece of flesh that connect the bottom to top of his body that shielded what was left of his spine. I began to tend to my friend, hoping to save his life. It was then that Samael unleashed all of his power into a single burst to flush out the figure. And he did, but it was still in a cloak. In a sneak attack, Abbadon struck at the figure, but it turned around and stopped the attack cold with one hand. It was then I knew we had no hope. Both Abbadon and Samael could singly-handedly wipe out every Pagan pantheon. If this figure could withstand both of them, and more, we would fare no better than we would if we fought the Riders themselves. But Abbadon’s pride refused to let him submit. He soared high, the figure still holding on to Abbadon’s sword, and he punched the figure where the ribs would be, but the punch instead caused an explosion which separated the two. I guess whatever was destroyed was what allowed the figure to teleport, because instead of doing just that, the figure proved to have wings of its own. They were feathery, like an angels, but were grey and had something fallen angels didn’t; glowing red embers, giving the appearance that the wings were the ashes of a recently dead fire.”
Guan Yu paused again for a breath.
“After a few more minutes of battle, all had either surrendered or been beaten to submission. The figure released Thor alive, then spoke, its voice switching from male to female, machine to monster the whole time. It told us that was the power of just one Seal being drained, and even then, that wasn’t the full extent of what the figure had. It then showed us the remaining six, fully power Seals, and tossed them through separate portals. It said that, in order to find them, we needed to follow the separate trails it left for us. The figure then plunged its dagger and a massive wave of energy hit us. In our minds, we saw what to look for, and where we could find it. As fortune would have it, one was at our home. Naturally, we all left at once, and Xing Tian began to look for our clue, but the Jade Emperor forbade it.”
“Why?”
“One; Sun Wukong, Xing Tian, and I were still recovering, which answers your question. Two; the emperor said that this being wanted chaos and carnage. It wanted everyone to fight each other. The only thing it cared about was seeing Creation bleed. And we would not be its agents.”
“Describe the weapons that the Culprit used.”
“Is that… concern… I hear in your voice?”
“If they are what I think they are, then we could have another problem on our hands.”
“You’re lucky this happened only a few hours ago. I’ll do my best. The sword was… monstrous to say the least. Its blade looked like it was made from a combination of flesh and bone. There were six holes, if you could even call them that, which leaked the oily poison. The ‘holes’ were eyes that seemed to cry the vile stuff, three on one side, and three on the other. The handle was constructed from what I think were intestines, and a grip made from greasy hair. That’s all I remember.”
“And what of the dagger?”
“The dagger every bit as disturbing. It had the same hilt construction, but on one side was a hand, made of rotting and infected flesh, reaching for a skull with eyes that looked like they belonged to someone who was crying, and teeth that were yellow with rot, and positioned in a way that made the skull look like that of one who had abandoned all hope. On the other side were runes that you could see only because of the blood, urine, and other bodily fluids that flowed through the engravings. What do you know?”
Strife gave no reply at first, instead choosing how much Guan Yu should and shouldn’t hear.
“The dagger’s called Cruel Remembrance. The sword’s called Corrosive Greed. Thanks to my brother Death, I know they are weapons of genocide, hand-held mass murder. They are weapons called Grand Abominations. About five millennia ago, so not long actually, my brothers Death and War hunted down and killed the Mad Angel Hadrimon and his Maker partner Belisatra, who were trying to use the Abominations to bring total destruction to Heaven and Hell. If they succeed in getting the Abominations, I have no doubt even the Riders couldn’t stop the duo. Afterwards, Death chucked the Grand Abominations in the Abomination Vault into Oblivion, never to be seen or heard from again.”
A static silence had fallen between the two, the kind that would take control if a sudden gunshot was heard. Finally, Strife, as if sensing Guan Yu’s thoughts, spoke again.
“I don’t know how the Culprit got a hold of them. Especially since I killed their owner and destroyed the weapons. Consider yourself lucky that you survived at all.”
It was then they reached outside, the Oni and other beasts had beaten them, but just barley, as they were just beginning to fan out as search for the pile of debris that was formerly the Jade Palace. Observation and recon demanded an end to the conversation. Then their leader landed, leaving a crater where he did. No, leaders. The one in the armor Strife had seen before, but there were three others behind him. The leader Xing Tian, was dressed in green armor decorated in painful detail with carvings of dragons, weapons, soldiers, but most importantly, where his chest should have been, there was a face that glowed with raw spectral power. Eyes that contained so much rage, and fangs as sharp as the twin axes he wielded, and two holes to act as a nose. And where his head would have been was the source of the green mist, with a helmet to give the illusion of a head. This was Xian Tian, one of the two mortals from the Third Kingdom to ascend to godhood, the other being Guan Yu. Next to Xing Tian were; Raijin, god of thunder, Susanoo, god of lightning, and Fujin, god of wind. The Riders of the Storm.
Raijin had the face of a demon, but with four eyes, each looking a different way, like a chameleon, and two fangs jutting up from the outer, bottom parts of his mouth. He was also fat, and hovered around, with several drums surrounding him. Drums that, when struck, would unleash a mighty roar of thunder. Susanoo had the face and body of a normal man, except the he had two small bull horns sticking out of the sides of his head. He was shirtless, with a body that looked mechanical with organic covering, had short silver hair, and wore a hakama robe. Fujin wore a normal robe made of feathers from every bird, alive or extinct, and wore a necklace that had paws from many cats, most likely the ones that eat his favorite animal kind. He had two eyes, but with different colors, the right and left being green and blue, respectively, and skin the color of bone. As far as weapons went, Raijin had his drums, Susanoo had a sword with a blade at both ends charged with electricity, and Fujin had a massive fan made of peacock feathers.
“TRAITORS!!!” Guan Yu yelled as he leapt from their hiding spot.
Strife, still there observing, saw something he hadn’t noticed before. The Guan Dao looked like a golden dragon, with the blade coming out of its gaping mouth. But now, the dragon burned green with an emerald flame, the same flame that now coated the blade and burned fiercely in it owner’s eyes.
“Guan Yu?! You’re supposed to be at the gate!” Raijin sounded like a man infected with every disease ever, and more than surprised.
“I expected treason from Susanoo- he’s always looking for ways to butt heads with his sister. But you Raijin? And you Fujin? I’m disgusted to say I was willing to die for you! The Emperor trusted you!”
A silence fell, part from shock, and part from no one knowing what to say. But Guan Yu roared once more.
“I was wondering how his defenses crumbled so easily, and now I know. And you will not live to see the next sunrise!”
“Stop whining like a little baby.” Susanoo spoke in a powerful and calm voice, arms crossed.
“The Emperor’s plan was folly, we all knew that. Besides someone would eventually come looking for it.” This time, it was Fujin that spoke, and he sound like an old man on his deathbed.
“And when they did, we would give it to them!” Guan Yu retorted.
“What if that kind of power were to fall into the wrong hands?! What if the Dark Prince, or his son got a hold of one?! We’d be slaves before we knew it!” This time, it was Xing Tian himself, and his voice boomed like it was from a pair of speakers, his face on his chest lighting up with each word.
“I refused, we all refused, to be instruments of destruction!!”
“We already are! While we bicker, lives are being lost across Creation! What good are we if we let innocents die?!”
While the Pagans were fighting, Strife had gotten down to crawling position. With a silent command, Redemption began to change. Its hilt went from vertical to diagonal, the hammer moved upwards, as if pulled by a magnet, and transformed into a scope, and the barrel itself extended. Soon, Redemption was not a pistol anymore, but a rifle, ready for use. Strife took a deep breath in to steady his aim, looked down the scope, and took aim at Xing Tian.