As the hollow veil of smoke slowly unveiled the aftermath of the battle, two burnt human corpses lay scattered across the ground. Their bodies were barely recognisable, reduced to charred remains by the sheer force of the explosion. Yet, on the other side of the battlefield, a boy stood on his feet. A nineteen-year-old boy, barely able to remain upright. His skin was darker than coal, his body dry and cracked like the desert. The only things that remained bright were his eyes. Steam escaped from his battered body as he stared at the remains before him and murmured, "THEY ARE DEAD, VINCENT."
The battlefield had become a desert. Not a single tree remained in sight, nor was there a beast to be seen. The explosion had devastated everything within its reach, leaving nothing but scorched earth and the remains of what was once a forest. Beebah glanced at the destruction and smiled. "Well, it seems GOD IS HERE. I must take my leave." Behind Vincent, the beast began to tremble. Its fur stood on end as it stared into the distance. "Boy, we may have to abandon your friend and the girl. We need to run."
Everything was happening too fast. Vincent could barely process what was going on. What did it mean? What were they running from? Then, within a fraction of a second, the face of a fellow Emox student flashed before his eyes. Before he could even summon a single construct from his brush, a voice thundered through the battlefield. "YOU'RE RUNNING FROM ME!" In an instant, Vincent felt his back smash against a distant rock. His body crashed into it with such force that a scream of pain escaped his mouth. Barely able to comprehend what had happened, he raised his head and stared forward. His eyes widened. "Iyi..."
Iyi's body stood tall, its frame noticeably more muscular than before. His eyes resembled the skies themselves. In his left hand, he held Precious, who hung unconscious and motionless. A smile stretched across his face. "IYI IS NO MORE. ONLY GOD IS HERE." He surveyed the battlefield before his gaze settled on the enormous beast. "I see you, the cute little cub I spared. But it seems you've assembled a team to kill me. Well, what can I say? You did the right thing." His eyes shifted towards Michael. "But looking at the condition of your saviour, I don't think I'll be leaving this body anytime soon."
Michael stared back at him. He couldn't feel his body. He was completely paralysed, unable to move even a finger. His energy was depleted, and after using FULL RELEASE, recovering it seemed almost impossible. His veins could barely withstand the flow of energy anymore. It was as though his entire body had short-circuited. Using FULL RELEASE again would mean certain death. Yet, in front of him were two extraordinarily bright lights. They resembled his own eyes, and something about them made him want to devour them. The longer he stared, the stronger the urge became. His mouth began to salivate. He couldn't understand it. He couldn't explain it. He simply wanted to EAT THEM.
He knew Vincent wanted him dead. Vincent had a grudge against him, and given the opportunity, he would probably take his life without hesitation. But the only way to reach the twins' bodies was to move, and Michael couldn't even make his own body twitch. He could barely breathe. However, he could still speak, and that was all he needed. His eyes moved across the battlefield. Vincent was still recovering from being launched into the rock. Precious was barely hanging on, and Michael had no idea what she had been through. The beast stood behind Vincent, its eyes filled with terror. Elizabeth remained unconscious. And then there was Zeus. This was a team made up of liabilities, every single one of them. Yet, if Michael wanted to survive the Wasteland, he needed every last one. He had made his decision.
Zeus stared at him, almost amused. "Oh, my good friend. For a second, I thought you were dead. But knowing you, there's a higher chance of an immortal dying than you." He chuckled before continuing. "Anyway, I must erase all threats, and that starts with you." He began walking slowly towards Michael. But Michael didn't flinch. He couldn't. Instead, he smiled. Gathering what little strength remained in his lungs, he took one final breath and screamed, "VINCENT! BLAST ME FORWARD!"
Vincent didn't even hesitate. Despite his injuries, he raised his hand and released raw energy, sending Michael hurtling across the battlefield. Michael landed directly on top of the twins' charred bodies. Without wasting a second, he sank his teeth into their chests, biting straight into the two brilliant lights his eyes had been showing him. It was a grotesque sight, like a starving beast tearing into its prey. Blood filled his mouth as he devoured the energy within them. With every bite, he felt something returning. First, a faint sensation in his limbs. Then, the ability to move his fingers. His body slowly responded to him again, until the lights finally disappeared.
But it wasn't enough. His body was still burnt, his injuries remained, and his regeneration had not even begun. He hadn't recovered his strength. He had simply regained the ability to move, and for now, that was all he needed. Pushing himself upright, Michael looked towards Vincent. "Vincent, I can't win this fight. We need to flee." Vincent nodded. Without another word, the two began running towards the beast. But Zeus wasn't having any of it. He casually threw Precious's unconscious body to the side, his gaze fixed on the fleeing pair. "RUN WHERE?"