The Red Hand

“T-This energy....” Elariel stuttered as she looked toward the battle between Halifax and Penelope. The power she'd sense coming from her Daughter was something she knew all to well, and it scared her. “No, Halifax... I told you...” Before she knew it, the Goddess had started running toward the fight, desperate to stop Halifax from doing something she'd regret. “You have to stop! Before its too late!”

{Halifax!} (Elariel)

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“She stopped it?!?” Penelope yelped in surprise as Halifax's blade collided with the arrow, stopping it in its track like a stream of water meeting a block of concrete.

“That shouldn't be possible!” Arcus squeaked in surprise as well. “A crystal with that much power should shatter upon impact and destroyed everything around us! Halifax isn't strong enough to contain proper Divine power like that!”

{And what is that dark power I'm sensing?!? Did that Demon Lord grant her some kind of power?!?} (Arcus)

“Then I'll just fire a second-” Penelope's train of thought was interrupted by Halifax's roar.

“You're going to need more than a little trick from Hilare to beat me, you bitch! Haaaaaaaaaaah!” Halifax screamed before shifting her blade under the arrow and flinging it into the sky where it flew into the upper atmosphere, exploding in a massive blast of light that knocked down foliage and combatant alike.

*KABOOM!*

The attack was so powerful that it momentarily brought even the most distant parts of the battle to a halt as the soldiers, Ninja, and even Silfana and the Elector-Kings paused to see what had happened. Such an attack was truly extraordinary, though Akagi merely cracked a nasty smile in amusement as she watched from her throne, and after what seemed like an eternity the bright light slowly faded revealing an energized sky that seemed to be tearing at the seams. The banishing crystal's power seemed to have been what it was described as and Akagi could tell that such attacks bordered on dangerously destabilizing Enoris.

“Hah... Hah... Hah...” Halifax huffed due to exhaustion. While she'd managed to deflect the banishment to crystal to a 'safe' distance, the massive amount of energy required had taken a tole on her. Though, that wasn't the only thing about her that was cause for concern.

{THAT WAS WAY TO FUCKING CLOSE!} (Halifax)

“W-What?” Arcus stuttered in disbelief as he regained his senses, shocked not just by her reflection of the attack but also the Divine Blade's apperance. “Halifax... What... What is that form? I... I've never seen...”

“Huh? Oh that's right, most people have never seen the first form of the Divine Blade.” Halifax laughed as she regained her footing. “Its name is Enūma, and it was the very fist form that I created after I was forged. Though I never really used it much because that bitch forbade me, saying it was 'evil' and 'dangerous.' Whatever.” For all Arcus' stammering and surprise Halifax didn't really look that different to her normal appearance. Her hair had turned ash gray and her eyes now resembled Akagi's orange color, though her scalera had remained white. However, while her appearance had remained similar to what she usually looked like her aura had changed drastically. It was now of a darker, and must assuredly non-divine make, being both highly chaotic and thick

“A tainted form for a tainted Sword.” Penelope said, sweat forming on her brow. Even she was a bit nervous after watching such a powerful attack be deflected, and the Demi-God was keenly aware that her bag of tricks was running dangerously low. “That disgusting energy just proves how far you've fallen, Halifax.” She said as she readied a second banishing crystal.

“Don't try and fire another one, Penelope!” Arcus yelled, startling her slightly and causing her to pause. “The first one got deflected and its already destabilized the area! If you do it again so soon who knows what could happen!” He pointed out the crackling blue lightning and seemingly warped space in the sky above where the banishing crystal exploded. “You have to beat her normally. Using another one is not an option if you don't want potentially catastrophic consequences!”

{Consequences like the world collapsing!} (Arcus)

“Not to mention that I won't let you do that again!” Halifax said before flashing forward a blistering speed, catching Penelope by surprise as she appeared in front of her. “You're tricks won't work on me twice! This ends now!”

“Crap!” Penelope moved Arcus to block Halifax's attack, but instead found herself punched in the gut by Halifax's off hand while her blade locked Arcus in place. “Ack!” Her entire body convulsed as Halifax's attack made contact. The Divine's Blade's power had increased greatly via the use of her First Form, and she didn't hold back at all as she began pummeling Penelope senselessly.

*BANG* *SMACK* *SMACK* *SMACK* *SMACK*

“Penelope!” Arcus cried out as his wielder was beaten senselessly, the Demi-God having little to no defense to such a close quarters beat down, especially when grabbed onto by Halifax and prevented from moving away.

“Each of these punches! Each of these knees the the face, they're for all the disgusting comments you've made! For each of the times those Gods treated me and the rest of us like garbage!” Halifax growled as she stuck her blade into the ground and began beating Penelope with both hands, punching her in the face, elbowing her in the chest and even firing off a few round house kicks to the temple. “I'm going to beat you until you're nothing more than a bloody stain on the floor, you daughter of a bitch!”

*BANG* *BANG**BANG* *BANG**BANG* *BANG* *BANG**BANG**BANG* *BANG**BANG* *BANG**BANG**BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

“Gack!” Penelope vomited up blood as she was punched square in the gut.

{Get it together you idiot! I know you can do better than this! Where did all that bluster from a few moments ago go?!? Ever since she used that Enūma form you've been completely off your game!} (Arcus)

{SHUT UP! I DON'T NEED YOUR COMMENTARY! AND I COULD ASK THE SAME OF YOU! I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CHANNEL MOST OF YOUR POWER SINCE YOU STARTED STAMMERING LIKE A CHILD!} (Penelope)

“I'll just have to-” Penelope attempted to channel some divine power in the palm of her hand, but found herself grabbed at the wrist and flipped over Halifax onto the ground where she was straddled and beaten.

*WHOMP* *WHOMP*

“Was it worth it?!?” Halifax said as she grabbed Penelope by the scruff of her collar. “Was all this

{Why did you make me do this, Penelope?!? Why are you going to make me kill you?!? You did all this just all these people die for your own arrogance! It all could've been avoided had you just listened to me all those years ago! It didn't have to be this way! You didn't have to turn out like all the others! If only you'd take three second to think this whole thing through it wouldn't have come to this!} (Halifax)

“You... You're wrong...” Penelope said as she slowly wobbled to her feet, her injuries causing her to fade in and out of consciousness. “Lady Reflia... She loves all her children... She... My mother loves me... And its my duty to... prove to her... that I am... Deserving of that l-” Her words were brought to an abrupt halt as Halifax's blade pierced her chest from behind, a look of shock forming on her face as she saw Halifax's disappointed face over her shoulder.

"W-What?" Penelope said as she coughed up blood the blade sinking into her chest and causing massive damage.

“This is the end, Penelope.” Halifax said, a look of sorrow coming over her face as her blade dug.

"Penelope!" Arcus yelled as Halifax pulled her blade out of the Demi-God's chest and kicked her to the side, allowing her to collapse onto the ground as she began bleeding profusely. "Get up! Penelope!" He screamed. “Get up! Please Halifax! You need to stop! Any more and she'll die!”

{You can't let this be the end, Penelope! You just can't! We were suppose to do so much together, you idiot! Maybe... Maybe I can talk Halifax down!} (Arcus)

“I honestly feel pity for her. She truly thinks that woman loves her... Even her own last words prove how stupid she is...” Halifax sighed as she flicked Penelope's blood from her blade. “What kind of child should think they need to prove to their parent that their love is deserved? To think that she need to go out of her way earn her mother's favor and adoration?”

{A parent's love... Its suppose to be unconditional... And yet, it rarely is... Penelope... She's just like I used to be... So caught up in wanting to be loved by our mothers yet never questioning why we need to work so hard for what should come naturally. Sherry... You were the reason I understand that such love exists, but is it really that rare? Is it really so hard for people to love others without conditions...} (Halifax)

"Are you alright, Penelope?!?!" Arcus called out to the Demi-God but only got gagging noises and gurgling in response as her body went into shock. "Dammit!" His body began glowing before leaping out of Penelope's hand and reforming next to her, taking the form of a blue-haired teenage boy with a jacket to match his azure eyes. "Stay with me! Penelope! Stay with me!" He put his hands out, channeling healing magic into her body, which seemed to somewhat stabilize her. "Please Halifax, you have to stop this! Think back to all the time we spent together! Doesn't that mean something?!? Penelope might be like this now, but-"

"You're only delaying the inevitable, Arcus." Halifax said as she slowly walked over to them, ignoring his prattle. “In the end, this what I believe would be called karma.”

{I suppose that it's kinda karma for me too, since I'm partially responsible for this. I was instructed to look after her, and in the end I failed... And this... This is what I get for my failure. I walked away from her and now... Now I have to clean up my mess...} (Halifax)

Spoiler

The First Form of the Divine Blade, Enūma!

Arcus!

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