Chapter 228 - Born From Hell

"Sora!"

"That's me--the resident roof-crasher."

"But how?!"

Even if he was grateful to whatever gods existed in the skies for the man showing up when he did, he couldn't help but be utterly puzzled as to how he arrived at his exact position. 

The only answer he got from Sora was a silent point of his index finger towards the newly formed hole in the roof. Looking up, Lucas found his answer; directly above the estate, occupying the clouds, a crimson mass spiraled itself, casting down a gentle rain of red particles down upon the territory of the summoned entity. 

"This place stuck out like a sore thumb. I didn't really know for sure you were going to be in here, but it was my best guess." 

"...I see...Thank you." 

"Thank me once we get the hell out of here alive." 

Lifting his dense sword, a tool of death and bloodshed, yet holding a beautiful array of roses etched into its pristine silver, he didn't hold his usual confident smile in the face of the unknown enemy before him, only staring fiercely at its crimson eyes. 

"Are you the one responsible for this damn outbreak of husks, birdy?"

"...Husks? Ah, the tools of the believers. That wouldn't be myself."

Halphas answered with his hoarse, ethereal voice that carried with it silent maledictions; just hearing his voice felt as if they were being transfixed with curses. The calm manner that the dark entity displayed itself in was only more vexing for the two as they kept their guard raised. 

"Where's Sirius?"

Asking quietly, Lucas readied himself for battle as he stood close behind his sword-wielding comrade.

"We ran into another troublesome bastard in the forest, he's taking care of it right now."

Telling this, Lucas could see Sora wasn't exactly happy with the way things must've turned out back there as he tightly squeezed the hilt of his greatsword between his gauntlet. His frustration immediately subsided as something squelched beneath his heavy, ivory boots. Looking down, he quickly stepped back out of disgust as he finally saw the pile of death that resided in the accursed room. 

"...What the hell?! Did it do this?!"

Pointing his accusation at the stork-like entity who now hunched over and reaching down to grab the headless corpse of the Belmon summoner, Sora's voice came out in a tremble, backed with anger. Halphas quietly ignored the words of the vermilion-haired man as he effortlessly lifted the body between his large, claw-like fingers and opened his beak wide once more. Residing behind the veil of its pristine, beige break were dozens of rows of obsidian teeth, a long, snow-white tongue slithering about between in its maw. 

"No, it was...the guy he's holding right now. That thing was summoned by him…"Halphas", I believe he called it."

"Halphas…?"

They both gasped as the tainted being managed to fit the entire body of the summoner into its maw, swallowing it whole as its long, thin neck bulged out while it swallowed. As the body reached its abdomen, it seemed to quickly dissolve. 

Move, body, move! Sora commanded himself. 

My body is so scared--it feels like my pores are being frozen! Lucas thought. 

"Ah…"

A satisfied breath left Halphas as it shivered in ecstasy, a bountiful array of mana emanating from its form before it finally returned its attention to the two humans spectating its horrific existence. 

"It's always the same with you humans. When witnessing something beyond your own simple imaginations, you freeze like scared little prey. Shaking and whimpering until you become sustenance for me." 

"If you see me shaking, it's because I'm just overcome with excitement!"

Forcing himself to move, Sora finally took his sword between both of his hands and charged forward, stomping his foot down as a wave of pure force echoed through the chamber, scattering parchment into a rain of paper as he took the first swing. 

The length of his greatsword left little chance for the chamber to come out of this exchange unscathed as the sword cut through the cabinets and drawers alike before finding itself in reach of Halphas' form as the entity simply stood there. 

Something Sora felt made him retrace his movements, pulling his blade back last second as he spun around, reversing his swing and going for the entity's right side this time. Just before the heavy steel could meet with its enigmatic flesh, it bent itself backwards so unnaturally as if snapping its own spine to go through with the effort--avoiding the slash altogether. 

What the--that movement was insane! Sora thought. 

"I applaud your ability to move in my presence, however, do not forget your fragile existence--if you intend to strike me, you'd best end me with that first blow."

Contorting its body, the sable-skinned creature twisted itself back up as it grabbed hold of the blade, pushing Sora back with monstrous strength unseemly of its thin, bony arms. 

It's strong! Sora thought. 

"Not that it's possible for you to accomplish such."

"...Luft: Bore!"

From the side, a condensed blast of air shot itself against the side of Halphas' bald head, twisting its neck to the side only for it to adjust its gaze as if completely unaffected. 

"...Were you not listening, little magus?"

Turning his crimson, lifeless gaze to the short, hazel-haired mage who launched the mystical air, Halphas spoke with his accursed, hoarse voice in a threatening tone. As it took a single step towards Lucas with its claws, dripping with thick, vibrant crimson, it was halted in its path as fingers wrapped in ivory armor wrapped around its thin neck. 

"Where the hell do you think you're going? Your opponent is right here."

Squeezing the demonic entity by its throat tightly, Sora swung its large body against the wall with a powerful impact, shaking the entirety of the manor. In the face of such a foe, Sora began to smile shakily once more as flames naturally emanated from his body, holding Halphas by the neck even tighter. 

"Lucas."

"Y-yeah?"

"You might want to stay clear for a bit--I'm going to get serious." 

Lucas knew best what Sora meant, slowly nodding his head before he hesitantly removed himself from the room, feeling a wave of heat radiate from his red-haired comrade. As Halphas went for a swipe that came at an untraceable speed towards Sora's neck, the man intercepted the attack, gripping its bony wrist tightly between his iron grip. 

"You know, your patronizing stunt really pissed me off. Treating humans like their just feeble creatures is real smart coming from a frail shit like you. I've got a lot of steam to blow off right now, I'm real thankful I found a nice outlet for it right here."

It was completely compromised by the display of strength from the vermilion-haired human, struggling against his grip as it remained unmoving. 

"...This strength--from where did it come?"

Sora seemed pleased by the demon's confusion at the raw strength it was held back with as it was looking up at the radiant, blue jewels that looked back down at it. 

"Pushups, situps, and a lot of juice!" 

Flaring up his fiery magical energy into a blaze, the chamber was set ablaze, helpless to the intense flames that birthed themselves from Sora's radiance. Holding it against the wall, he continued to let out as many flames as he could, gritting his teeth as he was placed into a contest of strength with the bird-like humanoid. 

The unleashed blaze seemed to have a null effect on the entity as he attempted to drown it in a sea of flames. 

Hotter! I need to make the flames hotter!

"I live in the flames of hell, human! Do not think you can burn me with your weak embers!"

"Oh, yeah? Then try this!"

Holding a trembling smile at the challenge issued to him, Sora strained himself until the crimson flames spiraled further into their maddening heat, shifting into a bright azure. Pushing himself so high, it was hard to place his mind on the brakes as the flames continued to pour out, gritting his teeth before finally--an explosion released itself from his mana. 

The entire chamber had been blown away along with half of the manor, leaving it exposed to the outer elements. As the smoke cleared, the vermilion-haired man stood there, panting as he looked around. They all stood there, still as trees, watching him with their hollow, purple eyes. Rows of husks sat along the boundary of the manor, simply watching him. 

"...You want some too?..."

Sora's words came out in an exasperated breath, hoisting the body of the afflicted demon into the air. The resulting explosion of azure flames he unleashed had vaporized half of Halphas' body, leaving only its unmoving head, arm, and torso hanging in his grip. 

As he thought, his words weren't perceived by the still husks, still watching him with their unnerving gazes. 

"...Talk about creepy." 

Frantic footsteps returned to his ringing eardrums from behind, turning to see Lucas rush into the room--their eyes widening at the sight of the desecrated safehouse, now torn open by Sora's magecraft. 

"You beat it?!"

Lucas asked, surprised and clearly fell of anxiety as he saw the inanimate body held in Sora's gauntlet. Raising it to the air again, Sora nodded his head as he continued panting, following up with a half-victorious smile.