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Unexpected Detour (Razgriz x Wingshadow)

"S-sam-" Gnome gasped, falling to her knees as she forcably channeled most of the paralyzing pain to herself rather than allowing it to further hamper his ability to continue fighting. Her small body twisted and in agony, but even still she then rushed forward, clenching her fists tightly together before thrusting her open palms toward his chest. The ground around him once again cracked, four hands rising up this time but made not of stone, but of soft, molten lava which grasped his shoulders and seared his flesh before beginning to harden. The small earth spirit smiled gently at her contractor, beckoning, "Sam... Pull back, I'll take it from here."

Just then, all those present would feel a tremendous surge of power approaching them at rapid speed, thick clouds of dust kicking up in its wake as it headed directly for Silus and Sam. Calling out loudly came a distinctly familiar voice, one that would doubtless confuse and surprise Sam when he recognized it. "Spirits of earth, water, fire, and wind, the grips of darkness and death flee before me and lay waste to the foe which now stands before me... I call upon thee, Destructive Sword!" The voice of the lizard woman shouted loudly just before she broke out of the dust cloud, sword enlarged to nearly a hundred times its former size and glowing brilliantly, her eyes blazing with fury and unmitigated rage. She swirled the blade around her like a whirlwind, striking Silus' hardened skin countless times as she continued to relentlessly pound away at him, focusing most of her attacks on the forearm which grasped and pressed his sharpened scythe deeper into her would-be lover's body. With each slice of her blade she increased in speed and power, building toward a final strike which could cleave any physical form clean in half... Assuming she could keep it up long enough, that is.

"NOW!" long tendrils of blue reached up from the ground upon which Silus stood and wrapped around his legs, sliding along the cracks in his body while reaching up toward his chest in an effort to make use of the lizardman's assault to distract him sufficiently to dissolve him. It was a risky move, but given the damage Sam had sustained it was likely the best opportunity she would ever get. Undie materialized on his back, her arms extending to embrace him in her death grasp, fingertips extending into his body in order to locate and destroy his heart while the rest of her body tightly wound itself around his arms and legs in order to bind him in place and prevent him from pulling her off of himself or continue his attacks on Sam.
 
Silus howled out in pain as the lava seeped beneath the stone layer of his body and cooked portions of his raw human form before cooling to hold him in place. However, the pain was quickly replaced by anger as the little mud bitch continued to hold him down; he was trapped and knew it. "You are really starting to PISS ME OFF!" Silus shouted as he struggled to break free. Blood poured freely from the wound he'd inflicted on Sam, red streaming from around the blade, and each breath made a sharp pain shoot through his body; regardless, he would not heed Gnome's request. He was as much involved in this as anyone, and he'd be damned if he let this scratch incapacitate him.

However, Sam would not even be able to take one step before hearing a voice he thought he'd left behind; his eyes widened in shock as a familiar green-clad woman came rushing in, wielding a sword that seemed to give even the Leviathan a money run in terms of size. "What the...." was all the contractor could mutter, clutching his side to attempt to stem the bleeding. He managed to utilize some of the energy to create a pocket of rock surrounding it, keeping the blood from flowing out of his body; though it did little to solve the actual problem. "What is she doing here?" he questioned, but didn't press it any further. Silus, meanwhile, was getting aggravated; the reptilian's strikes were starting to cleave into his arm, creating a noticeably larger fissure with each stroke. And because of the lava holding him down, he couldn't even break free, even as he felt the Water Elemental's appendages seep into his body.

But they would quickly find he was far from defenseless; one thing he'd learned from the magic that the Dark Slimes could use was that it was very versatile, provided proper tribute was paid for the effect. Beneath the surface of his own monstrous chaotic spirit, the howling of three agonized souls he'd "collected" suddenly began filling the air. It wasn't long before the souls themselves became visible - a Werebat, a Gargoyle, and an Arch-Imp - and quickly turned into nothing more than balls of blue energy, surrounding Silus' body in the fashion of powerful lightning. It was then he called out, "Corruption Spell: Agony Matrix!". The electricity that covered his body then exploded outward, covering everyone who happened to be touching him in any way, shape or form. This would directly stimulate every single pain receptor in the body of those hit by the spell, all at once, and continue for a duration limited by the strength of those being affected, the strength of the caster and the amount of suffering the sacrificed souls had experienced. Even Undine would be subjected to this horrific spell, unable to move even so much as a single molecule of water on her being. Sam himself howled in agony as he fell hard onto his back, the sharp edge of the scythe slicing his side open further, adding to the intense pain he already felt.
 
Undie was effected the greatest by the spell, as the corrupt energy collected inside her body caused to become increasingly susceptible to attacks of the electric element. Attached to his body itself, she was unable to mount any sort of defense against the counter attack as the soul-powered curse coursed through her body filling her mind with pain and agony. She screamed, louder than anyone had ever heard her before most likely, but even so still clung tightly to Silus with rigid determination. Its true it hurt like hell, but if she backed down now it was unlikely that he would allow himself to be held down like this again. If he was using such a technique which could not be repeated indefinitely, he must be desperate... It was an easy thing to think, but a different matter entirely to force oneself to act accordingly.

The lizardman cried out as well, the arcs of dark energy flowing through her sword and into her body, causing her to instantly cease her attacks and fall to the ground heavily, her blade clanging loudly against the hard stone below. The surges of electricity flowed through her body for several seconds, causing her to twist and bend in agony, but even so she reached her right hand toward her sword which lay a good ten feet away from where she was. She had to get up and continue fighting, or Sam, her self-declared husband, was as good as dead.

Gnome was effected only slightly since she was not directly touching Silus and although some of the attack could transfer to her through the magical connection she had with the volcanic rock hands currently binding Silus, the attack itself primarily flowed into the ground and dissipated rather than directly effecting the earth spirit. From the way she glared with unmitigated hatred for this being which had at one time been a man, it would appear doubtful to any outside viewer if she had even consciously felt the attack at all. She raised her right foot up and slammed it down, her lips curving to form words, "Earth Fury: Fissure!"

Instantly the ground began to shake and a long, thin crack formed across the area upon which Silus stood, which quickly expanded into and open slice into the interior of the planet, out of which sprang searing hot gasses, fire, and lava. Before she could complete the attack, however, she felt a powerful surge of energy, and glanced behind her to discover, much to her shock, that the vampire had not only broken free of the diamond armor plating she had formed around her, but was forming an attack of her own.

"Spirit of the air, heed my call. Soul of the waters, do not be silent. I call upon you to purge all those before me, cleanse them from all curses and woe: Curse Binding!" the vampire thrust her right palm outward toward Silus, and instantly long chains of white light began to wrap around him, holding back the arcs of lightning and temporarily sealing them within himself. She didn't know why, but these complete strangers had saved her life. From the fragments of conversation she had picked up on, they appeared to be very powerful allies of monster girls, but in a fight such as this even they were a bit outmatched. They would only have a chance if they could lock him down, prevent him from casting further spells of that caliber, or they would find themselves quickly overwhelmed by his powers.
 
Silus' body filled with glee upon hearing the delighted shrieks of agony fill his ears, their cries of pain a torturous inhuman symphony. However, he was certainly less than pleased with how it turned out; he thought he would have at least a couple of minutes to regroup and counterattack. He was also pissed that the Water Elemental still had not let go of him; these bastards were fucking persistent. "You can gang up on me all you like, it's not gonna change the fact that I'm going to kick all your asses!" Silus then shouted, feeling a need to show that no matter what they did, he was indestructible. Though Undine's analysis of his using a Soul Sacrifice spell was dead-on; it was a desperation technique to access the more "forbidden" aspects of the Dark Slime's magic. And one that he was hoping to not have to use, but they'd forced his hand.

Silus felt the earth shake beneath his feet before seeing it split apart, his hardened body covered what might have been scalding gases gases; thankfully, not only had he absorbed two Gargoyles, he also had a Golem's natural durability and armor regeneration. He did regret losing the ability of sustained flight from a Werebat and the magic enhancement that came with devouring the soul and blood of an Arch-Imp, but those were creatures that he could always find again without much trouble. The wings on his back seemed to fall off, leaving him ground-ridden but also lighter on his hooves. However, Silus fell to a knee as he felt his own spell contained within him, his head tilting up to see Arisa now aiding these newcomers. "Goddamn, this is such a pain...." Silus growled as his body flexed and twisted, trying to shake the water elemental off and deal with all this other crap. The agonzied soul of one of three Witches he'd absorbed then came forth, her body young-looking despite likely being thousands of years old, and before long it too was absorbed, its form condensing into a ball of white light before flowing down the beastman's open maw.

"Corruption Spell: Containment Break!" Silus then shouted, sacrificing additional magic potency to break the vampire's hold on him by releasing his own spell; however, they would find themselves unable to rest for even a moment. A Lamia soul then appeared, it too being devoured for the energy that it contained. "Corruption Spell: Snakeskin!" was the next proclamation; instantly, the stone that had covered his flesh solidified to prevent further access by Undine before a dark blob shot out from the side, escaping the Elemental's hold on him while leaving a stone carapace behind. His purple-and-red streaked form emerged and solidified, the stone covering significantly weakened but nonetheless there. It didn't take long, however, for it to regenerate and soon his armor had been fully restored. "You won't catch me again, liquid bitch!" Silus' demented voice shouted; he then used the essence of a Ghost and a second of the Witches he'd reaved to perform his next attack. "Corruption Spell: Soul Splitter - Trifecta of Terror!" His body seemed to harden as he used the magic to split his own soul into two other parts; the stone body that was left behind was now virtually indestructible, even to Undine's all-powerful dissolution ability, a Corruption-enhanced benefit granted to him by the second Gargoyle he'd taken the life of. Using the Witch's life essence, he then transformed these spirit fractions into pure electrical energy, enough to seriously incapacitate anyone it touched.

The three bolts then shot forward, bypassing the defenses of Gnome, Undine and Arisa and attacking their bodies directly. The energy would surge through them, the power contained in this ability more than sufficient to weaken them drastically, nearly to the point where they would be only marginally better than normal. Sam too felt the pain of the shock, his already bleeding form writhing as the blinding sensations coursed through his connections with Undine and Gnome. The effect soon wore off, leaving the contractor weakened and severely drained; Sam rolled onto his stomach, trying with trembling limbs to get up. He then felt himself kicked, skittering across the ground and into a tree. He groaned as he lay on his side, his bleary vision barely able to make out Silus as the demonic man approached him. "I told you before.....My fight's with Arisa, not you. But now you cost me several tools I could have used to kill that damned Goddess and the Succubus.....You're going to pay for that" Silus then stomped Sam's face into the base of the tree, the wooden giant creaking from the impact. "I happen to know that if I kill you, your two little sluts go with you......So in case you're wondering why I'm bothering with you at all, now you know". Another hard kick, and Sam cried out as his diamond armor - weakened from Silus' attack on Gnome - cracked heavily, feeling some of his ribs break from the force. Sam could only groan in pain; Silus was too powerful. He'd gotten in over his head this time, and there was nothing that could be done. Silus then raised the scythe, its blade howling with delight at the reception of such a powerful soul. "It really is a shame, Sam....We could have made a great team, you and I. But I know better than to leave loose ends untied. So this is the end for you, contractor and servant of the Goddess". He then swung the weapon down, Sam's eyes closing as he waited for his end to come.
 
The three bolts struck each of the three girls square in the chest. Gnome gasped in pain, gritting her teeth as the soul splitter attack causing her to become virtually immobile, falling to her hands and knees as her own diamond armor was rendered ineffective, flaking off her body like large fragments of soft plaster. Out of sheer force of will, she pushed herself toward Sam, crawling despite the pain, but failing to make much headway before falling down with her face downward, "S-sam... Please... I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Sam." She could only wait in horror as Silus' scythe descended upon her beloved contractor.

Undie fared little better, her liquid form laying beneath the piles of rock armor which Silus had shed, unmoving yet very much aware of Sam's precarious position. She could feel Sam's heartbeat, and the enormous drain his energy reserves had already taken, let alone the amount of damage he had sustained. Having taken so many direct hits, even Undie could hardly retain her form. She, too, could feel the thick blanket of death hovering above them all, seeking to claim their very lives... Yet, if someone did not stop Silus, he would continue to murder monster girls until he drew the attention of the Goddess herself, who had not yet recovered fully. Why had they dove into this fight, against the knowledge that he possessed enough power to eclipse that of a high-ranked vampire? What had they been thinking?

Arisa's body flickered with energy, the residual pulses of magic which coursed through her body and weakened her, although unlike the elementals she had a measure of resistance against its effects. Her visage was hardened with determination as she opened her lips to speak, "Silus... You dare challenge the Goddess? Just what sort of man have you become, that you would stand up to our very god? Your pride and foolishness will be punished by the wrath of heaven itself... I may die this day... These strangers which sought to defend me may die as well at your hand, but you will fall before the Goddess' might, nay, the might of her little finger is sufficient to crush you!"

She might have been attempting to buy time for herself to mount a last-ditch effort to drive Silus back, but there was someone who wouldn't wait to see if her plan would work. No, she had only one thought on her mind, that she would protect her lover, her husband that had never once looked upon her as a woman or mate. In a foolhardy manner, she dashed between the sharp, pointed blade of the scythe and its intended victim, arms spread outward and long brown hair fluttering in the gentle breeze which blew across her face. Her feet where firmly planted on either side of him, chest pointed toward Silus as the scythe descended and the tip pierced her, slicing through her until it became lodged in her body mere inches from Sam's face. She reached down with her hands and grasped it firmly, preventing him from pushing through her to claim Sam's life, while on her face was a firm expression of determination, as if she could not even feel the pain.

"I... I'm sorry as well," the lizardman spoke softly, thick drops of blood pouring from her wound, as she gave him a pleasant smile which would make even the hardest heart soften, "I guess... I guess we can't get married, can we?"
 
(Aww, man, now I feel like crap :( That poor woman......)
Silus' eyes widened as the Lizardwoman intercepted the blow meant to finish off Sam; every fucking time, someone else had to interfere! The harder he pushed, the more she seemed to resist. Such defiance........Still, the glimpse of the smile he caught was enough to make his force lessen considerably, a brief moment of doubt over his actions crossing his mind. Sam meanwhile had looked up to see that death had not come for him; his eyes widened in horror as he saw the Lizardwoman above him, the business end of the curved-edge weapon having impaled her. "N...no....why did you....." Sam stuttered, feeling the darkness fade from his mind and the guilt wash over him. What had he done?

"Tch.....Stupid broad. That's what you get for interfering" Silus growled as he removed the scythe from her body, his hand pushing her away so that she would hit the tree and crumple next to Sam. He could see the contractor was too taken with shock to be any more of a threat, his flesh paled and the areas beneath his eyes shiny with tears. He had a feeling this man wouldn't trouble him any further. "Still, I gotta admit you got some large ones on you, girly........" Silus then mumbled as he looked down at the slowly-dying Lizardwoman before turning away. Sam managed to summon enough strength to turn himself so that he could look into her eyes. His right hand weakly grasped her own, feeling the smooth scales of her hand while his left gently stroked her cheek. "No....God damn it.....Why.....why did you do that......" the contractor choked out, waves of mental agony rolling over him. "I...I didn't want this to happen....Why did...Why did....What have I done...." He couldn't even finish his sentence, his forehead leaning to press faintly against her as tears fell from his eyes, his teeth clenched hard.

Silus' heavy footfalls approached Arisa, his massive form coming to a stop a few inches in front of her. "You see, Arisa......Even with some of my power gone, I'm more than a match for even the likes of you and the crybaby". He then chuckled rather creepily before answering the questions she'd posed to him, just moments ago, "As for what kind of man I've become, it should be obvious. One who has the power to stand up to you, the Goddess and the Succubus. One who can see past the lies the Goddess and the Succubus has sold everyone on! Every one of you damn monsters I see will suffer the same fate as the reptile!" He then grabbed Arisa by the throat, his thick fingers wrapping tightly around her neck as he slammed her onto her back. "And when I've reaved what I need from this realm, I will reduce the White City to nothing more than black ash. The Goddess and her Angels, Valkyries, and other Heavenly Warriors will lay dead at my feet. Then, I will butcher that fucking Succubus and every creature that calls the Demon Realm its home! Do you understand now, Arisa!? I am the Destroyer, and I will lay waste to this planet! Just as your kind laid waste to humanity!!!"
 
(I know... But that's what we agreed upon, right?)

"B-because," the lizardman coughed, a bit of blood spreading over her tongue as she struggled to speak in what little time she had left, "I love you... I have loved you since that time so many days ago... Its ok, I knew this might happen, but I would not have been able to live with myself if I let you die..." She curled up next to him, her hands gently stroking his cheeks and brushing his sweat-soaked locks away from his face as she placed a tender kiss on his cheek, "Promise... Promise me one thing... You will live, live on for the ones you love, even as I lived for you." With that, her strength was clearly fading fast, the large wound in her body draining her quickly of her life. She closed her eyes and laid her head down on his chest and began to hum softly as if to comfort him as she died... Her gentle voice slowly fading until she lay at rest.

"Do you think the Goddess will sit idly by while you butcher her subjects like cattle? Even you must admit, no matter how demeaned you might have felt while under my care you never truly feared for your life. Monster girls don't murder humans, at least not to the extent with which you have enacted your revenge," Arisa stared defiantly back at Silus despite the pain which coursed through her body and screamed at her to submit to her wounds. She had to buy more time, however, enough time for at least this poor man and his contracted spirits could escape... She owed them that much at least, even if she didn't know their individual stories or even their names, she considered them her friends, "You, and those like you, are the reason why the monster war was fought in the first place, the reason why peace and understanding has not been established between our races. What right do humans have to exterminate our kind, any more than we have a right to exterminate your kind?"

"Didn't you... Didn't you feel anything when... When that lizardwoman died? I don't even know her name, damn it! But, she had a name, a beautiful name, and she loved that man so much that she would rather die in his place than allow him to be sliced in two by you! Can't you understand that we have feelings, hopes, dreams, and lives of our own? Monster girls are like her, they may appear rough and unrefined on their appearance, perhaps even monstrous to your eyes, but within them beats the heart of a woman, a woman who seeks fulfillment in life just as much as any human female! All those monster girls which you killed were exactly the same way. Some... Some are just better at expressing that than others," Arisa sighed, "When... When I die, my magic will become a vast void, and it will doubtless draw the attention of the Goddess. If you do so, it will signal your own death warrant. Do not believe that you will succeed in your madman's errand... I see countless curses placed upon your soul, the end result of claiming so many innocent lives. Your end will not be a pleasant one."
 
(I know....Still, she was such a sweet thing.....And stupid Sam never returned her love.....)

Sam couldn't believe it.....It was just too much for him to handle. Feeling her breathe her last breath, the warmth of her bloody lip-stain against his cheek. His actions, his denial of her affection.....It was supposed to protect her! No one was supposed to die because of him! "No....no don't.......Come back.....Please......" Sam sobbed, clutching the now-dead Lizardwoman against him as if she was the only woman for him. That may not have been the exact feeling, but she didn't deserve to die. Not for him, not for his rejection of her love. "Poor thing......She would have made an excellent wife. Such a pity.....That Silus fellow, though....I don't like him.....Say, want me to help you end his life?" a smooth, sinister voice said in Sam's head, making the contractor freeze up. "W...who are you.....Wh...where are you?" "Hehehe, oh my dear boy, I've been here all along. But your sadness, your anger, all of your negative energy has finally let me speak to you. Now I ask again, do you want him dead? Or would you spit on the sacrifice this sweet, sweet woman made for you?" Sam looked up to Silus, seeing the monster of a man chewing out Arisa; a grimace formed on his face as Corruption energy started to flow into him, fueling the prominent sin brewing in his soul: Wrath. "I want him to suffer.....Suffer and beg....." was the contractor's sole response.

Silus couldn't help but laugh as Arisa tried to appeal to his sense of humanity; a wicked gravely cackling left his throat before he then replied "You honestly think I care about the death of some stupid lizard? She made a choice, Arisa! Her own choice by her own emotions! She got exactly what was coming to her!" He could only grimace, however, as she tried to again justify her species. "And you dare to call me deluded?! A madman? Have you forgotten that it was your kind that started the war in the first place? Humans came here in search of life on other planets and to see if colonization was possible. We took every consideration, every task necessary to help us co-exist! No pollution, minimal forest clearing, no disturbances of breeding sites! And what does your kind do despite our efforts? You start attacking our towns, taking our men as your pleasure slaves and our women to further increase your numbers! Did you really think humanity would just roll over like that?! We are not a source of pleasure and energy that you can just infinitely exploit, slut! And now...."

He then threw Arisa down so that she would have her back against a tree, able to look up at him if she so desired. "No matter what happens, I will destroy everything that stands up to me.....A fool's errand it may be, but it is one I will accomplish nonetheless! Die, Arisa!" However, just as Silus wound up to strike down the Vampire, he felt his weapon's progress halted. "What the...." said Silus, turning his head to see the contractor he thought too weak to fight again standing. From Sam's shoulder extended a large arm, its appearance that of a human arm's skeletal structure and comprised of pure Corruption power. The fingers wrapped entirely around Silus' arm, holding back from killing Arisa; it then shifted, expanding and enveloping Silus' entire form and lifting him high into the air. Silus was then spiked into the ground, picked up and hurtled through the surrounding forest. A path was cut clean through as Silus' form crashed and broke the trees, allowing those inside the clearing where Arisa's mansion was located to see beyond the forest itself. A plume trail could be seen as the impact of Silus' body on the earth carved an ever-elongating ditch into the ground, his body slowly decelerating as he came to a halt far out of sight of Sam and Arisa; the former forcefully recalled the exhausted Elementals back into his body, in an attempt to shield them from further harm. Silus, however, just shook this off, standing up and preparing the scythe in his hands for combat; his own Corruption energy aura flared up as he leaped high into the air and back towards this new, darker Sam. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Silus bellowed as he prepared to strike, bringing the scythe down and burying the point in the earth just as Sam dodged. "You do not know what it is you trifle with, child......Let me show what being Corrupted is really about....." Sam said, his voice having changed to a smoother, far more foreboding tone; a Corruption aura roared to life around him, his body tensing for combat. "Bring it, pussy!" Silus shouted as he too charged in for combat; this would be a ground-based battle since Silus had sacrificed his flight ability. From there, the two would clash, the auras howling and clashing against each other as they fought to kill that which stood before them; Silus' scythe cleaving through the Corruption constructs that Sam was somehow creating rather fluidly. What the Goddess, Arisa, and the Succubus might think of this new turn in Sam's mentality and energy would remain to be seen, but none of those three were of particular concern at the moment for these two warriors of the darkness.

(Careful, now, 'cuz shit's about to get real XD)
 
"What... What power is this?" Arisa could only stand in awe as the two titans began to exchange blows with each other, their footsteps causing the earth below them to shake with the weight of their bodies and the power which surged through them in large arcs and filled the air thickly. She felt a twinge of fear rush through her as she watched them battle, a new sensation which she had only experienced a few times in her life before... Just what manner of man was this, who was not using the power of the elementals nor of any other being... It was as if his very rage and fury had manifested itself from his heart, which now fueled him and drove him to battle with such fury not even Silus could stand before him on an equal footing.

From up in the sky far above, the Goddess herself took notice of the disturbance in the flow, the abrupt shift in his aura causing her to cast her gaze down toward the earth far below her feet. With a wave of her hand she opened a portal through which she could gaze upon the scene, her closed eyes slightly peering open to examine this strange turn of events, "I see... He may truly be the one to bring peace to this planet and restore our world to its former glory..." She waved her hand then turned toward the bright sky above herself, bathed in golden sunlight. She lifted her left hand up above her, a small orb appearing in her hand and drifting slowly toward the surface.

From the dimension far apart, the Succubus took careful note of this as well, her darkened yet beautiful visage shrouded in darkness as a curved smile spread across her lips. Her right hand raised up toward her cheek, upon which she laid her head, "Interesting... Very interesting... You are becoming even more wonderful every time I see you, Love. Become stronger, even stronger for me, my Darling. You are still a long way from where I want you, but you are turning out so marvelously that I can hardly contain myself."
 
The battle raged on, each landing and taking blows in turn. It would seem that these two were at a stalemate; as impressive as their attacks were, it would be painfully obvious to anyone experienced in combat that there was no real progress being made. That didn't stop them from increasing the intensity, force and frequency of their strikes, however; in fact it seemed to fuel it. After one particularly brutal barrage between each other, reducing the land around them to little more than pebbles and small stones, the fight paused. Neither seemed out of breath, both glared at each other with obvious hatred. "Why won't you just fucking die?" "Because, child, you have no hope of winning". "You talk like you have a chance! I'm not letting a pussy like you beat me!" "Your arrogance is growing rather tiresome, child".

At this point, Silus was so filled with rage that he just blindly charged in, shouting "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" as he threw his scythe with great force up into the air and drew back a fist, its meaty girth screaming with inhuman power. Sam's own hand was the same, the entirety burning with deep violet flames; their blows met one last time, causing a nova-like explosion of demonic energy to radiate the point of impact. The high-velocity winds tore through the forest, blowing the leaves off of every single one within a half-mile radius and reducing the remaining portions of Arisa's mansion to nothing more than a pile of discombobulated building material. The two combatants flew back from the other, each landing a significant distance away from the centerpoint of the explosion; the land between them was now nothing more than a scorched circle, ending at just where it was Arisa now sat.

Silus was the first to rise, shortly followed by Sam, who remained on a knee as Silus stood at his full height of eight feet plus, looking no worse for wear despite the power of the blow itself. "Hehe, that all you got, wimp?! I'll admit you're good.....Hell, this is the most fun I've had in a while.....But you're still not going to beat me!". The scythe, meanwhile, had fallen back down, its point buried in the earth next to Silus' feet; the monster of a man picked it up and readied himself for more. At this Sam too rose; he then started chuckling, a sick grin on his face as he burst out into full laughter. He then stopped and suddenly directed his focus at Silus, his eyes wide with a maniacal fire that hadn't been there before. "It amazes me how you mortals think you're the ultimate species when you get a new toy to play with. It's no wonder you lost the war and had to retreat from this world with tails tucked between your legs". This caught Silus off-guard, finding the comment odd. "The hell you talking about, "mortal"? You're just as human as me, moron! And how do you even know what happened? You came here long after the war was over!" "For someone who claims to be able to best the Goddess or the Succubus....You're not very bright, Silus. You may be in control of the Corruption that flows through your soul, but I....have the power of a God. Knowing meaningless details about the past is well within my capability". From the voids of the Shadow Realm came forth the organ vessel that contained the Pharaoh, its being radiating with the potent energy that had started Sam down this path of darkness.

"Now......It is time for you to realize my FULL POWER!" Sam bellowed as the small container floated and abruptly flew into the contractor's chest, tendrils of black spreading out from where the vessel touched his flesh and slowly covering his whole body; slowly, the containment device began to sink into him, disappearing little by little into his body. His demonic aura soared and the eyes of the clay statue opened to a blinding white as he called forth the rest of the Pharaoh's power to fuse with his own; even Silus would it impossible to fight against this otherworldly energy. Before long, the Pharaoh's vessel was fully absorbed into him; he would find that the God of the Deadlands would not go down so easily. As the aura faded, Sam's form was practically spewing Corruption from his entire body. The color of his eyes was gone, the whites having completely subsumed the iris and pupil and leaving the blinding white seen on the organ vessel in their wake. "PREPARE FOR YOUR........" Sam started to say, but suddenly felt a backlash from the vessel he'd just absorbed; the contractor screamed out as he felt another presence begin to try and take him over. "Wh...What is this.....Cursed sand wench!" Sam shouted out in frustration, falling to his hands and knees as the horror-inducing energy combated with his own desire to win; Silus tried to take this opportunity to strike, but a blast of demonic energy from the internal conflict sent him hurtling backward and served to act as a shield against outside interference.
 
Just then, the small floating orb of light from the Goddess drifted over Sam's shoulder, the waves of demonic energy doing nothing to inhibit its presence as it drew close to him. From the tiny spark of light came the voice of the Goddess herself, speaking clearly amid the now-barren wasteland in which the two titans now stood, "Sam... Listen to my words, Sam... The power of corruption is a great ally if used correctly, but you must not allow it to consume you or you will suffer the same fate as the Pharaoh herself. This is a blessing, a tiny fragment of my power, which I have designed to aid you in this time of need. I understand if you hesitate to accept my help in this matter, but I will not permit you to become my enemy. I failed once to prevent the Pharaoh from turning against me, and I will not make the same mistake twice."

The blessing pressed into him, settling near his heart as pulses of holy energy enfolded him and restrained the power of corruption from running wild and bound it to his will, at least for the time being. The ease with witch it worked awed the vampire, that tiny spark of energy eclipsing even Sam's own power. Just how much power did the Goddess possess? Even she was shocked and awed, having never actually personally witnessed the blessing of the Goddess upon anyone, let alone a human. Just what matter of man was he, who had earned the respect and assistance of someone as great as their own Goddess?

"Within you, Sam, light and darkness have become one... I have bestowed upon you this power, to restrain the progress of darkness within you if your will is stolid and true. Your opponent is, indeed formidable, and if I were to materialize in person beside you I could doubtless wipe him off from the face of my planet, yet this is your fight to win, your struggle to overcome," the Goddess spoke from within his heart, "I trust that you will be victorious... Now, take up your sword, Sam, and focus your strength upon your opponent, strike through him and bring to justice this great evil which has claimed the lives of many of my beloved children. I would take under my wings both humans and monsters alike if they would love and serve me, but this man is beyond even my ability or will to save."
 
Sam's body clutched the ground, continuing to pour out demonic energy and maintaining the sphere around him. "Petulant mortal! You cannot seek to hold me! Even in this form, my power is more than enough to overpower you! I will use your form as the conduit for my return! And then, I will kill the so-called King of the Seas for imprisoning me!" a familiar voice then shrieked at him, its tone saturated with rage as it reverberated around the destroyed landscape for all to hear. It appeared the Pharaoh was jumping on this opportunity to come back from imprisonment, Sam's efforts to circumvent the Twin Element Seal having unlocked the Pharaoh's spirit from within the containment device to gain access to her full energy. All around him, the aura of the Pharaoh's true form came to life around him, taking the form of a lion's head adorned with a traditional serpent headdress and a glowing sphere of brilliant light. "I will not fall, demoness! I have beaten you once before, and I will do it again!" Sam shouted back, his fingers clutching the scorched ground as the harsh, howling winds continued to blow from around him, pushing away the physical forms of any who might try to approach.

However, Sam would see that his earlier act of kindness towards the guardian of this world would not go unrewarded; as the sphere buried itself into his body, he cried out in agony, the purity of the holy radiation acting like a hot iron to his Corrupted form. Her words, however, would break through the veil of darkness that surrounded him. "Do you see now? Do you see how she hides, Contractor? How she twists and manipulates? She fears you, Elementalist! She fears me! That's why she twists you, to destroy what she has no hope of controlling! She's a user! A liar! A deceiver! That is why she must die! That is why the reign of the Gods must end!" Silus shouted upon hearing the Goddess speak, unable to keep his eyes on Sam for more than a few seconds at a time because of the constantly blowing wind, an arm raised up to protect his face and his left hoof bracing himself from flying backward. Sam ignored him, his only intent right now being to contain the Pharaoh from overwhelming him. "I will not fall! Pharaoh, you will not overcome me! Your time is over!" And with the help of the Goddess' blessing, he slowly began to push back, fusing the remnants of the Pharaoh's soul into his own. "What?! No! I will not be contained! A mortal cannot hope to contain me!!" the Pharoah screamed, her shrill voice echoing across the barren landscape as she fought against Sam's efforts to integrate her entire being into himself. "I am more than just a man now, desert ruler! I was tasked with saving this planet, and I will not fail! Your power is mine, your strength is mine, your rage is mine! Everything about you, I claim for myself! Sam bellowed, his voice becoming more distorted and warbled with each passing second and the winds emanating from the sheer collision of internal energies becoming harsher and stronger.

With one last final howl of triumph, Sam rose up, throwing out his chest and bellowing to the heavens above, the purple fire of Corruption setting his body ablaze and the winds reaching their highest speed and strength yet, causing the earth to shake and rumble violently with this massive output of power. The high-pitched screams of the Pharaoh could be heard for miles as her existence was permanently erased, her soul being forcefully consumed by the Goddess' blessing and Sam's own impressive force of will. Eventually, it all died down; the winds faded quickly to nothing, the shrill shriek of the Pharaoh's voice echoing into oblivion. Eventually, Silus was able to look up and see his foe simply standing there, a relative calm having fallen upon the land after the chaos that ensued not moments before. "Well....Are you done?" Silus then asked in a rather irritated tone, brandishing his scythe once more to fight again. Sam just looked back down, his pure-white eyes gleaming with power and a satisfied smirk on his face, staring at his opponent for a few seconds in a bemused fashion, as if Silus were nothing more than a plaything. "Oh, yes, Silus....I am quite finished" he replied, before several large thick stones rose from the ground in a haphazard fashion around them. "And so are you" he then added to Silus' chagrin. The monster slayer grimaced at this man's arrogance and charged in for an attack once more, yelling "I don't care what you do, I'm still stronger than you! I've proven it twice now and I'll prove it here!" Silus then swung the scythe down, intent on cleaving this man in two. However, Sam effortlessly slapped it aside and drove a hardened fist into Silus' jaw, sending the man skidding back on his ankles into one of the stones he'd summoned from the ground and the scythe flying from his hands. The blow itself knocked Silus silly; where the hell did that come from? Sam meanwhile just walked towards the slayer in a rather determined, menacing way, his whole being howling with unimaginable power. "What's the matter, Silus? One punch and you're done? For someone who claims they can defeat the Goddess, you're not really providing much to support your point".

Silus shook the dizziness off and charged again, only to receive several more crushing blows and be knocked into the same stone once more. He then felt his throat grabbed, the strength of which he did not feel before. "I'm going to enjoy crushing you......I will make you suffer as others have suffered". Silus then felt himself thrown with extreme force into one of the other stones, his body collapsing onto the ground, his chest heaving with each breath as he stood back up grimacing at Sam. "You speak as if you can finish me so easily.....I've got too much riding on this to let you beat me" Silus growled; Sam merely sighed and replied, "You think you're the only one who has a personal vendetta? The Succubus as we speak holds my fiance hostage.....She came here in search of me because of that damned demoness' scheme! The Succubus has made this personal Silus! You're not the only one that has been wronged!" "Then tell me, Contractor, where was the Goddess when my mother and father were taken by the Amazoness tribes? Where was she when my sister was abducted by a Dark Priest and transformed into one herself? Where was she when I was practically sold into slavery? Huh?! The Goddess doesn't care about humans! Look at how she uses you! Too chickenshit to even do anything herself! And when you fail, you know what will happen? She'll find someone else to take your place!" Sam didn't seem too perturbed by Silus' words, simply bending over to pick up the scythe Silus had dropped. "The Goddess chose me because the Succubus chose me. Her reasoning is sound and clear, Silus; she is too weak because the Pharaoh imprisoned her. She trusts in me, believes in me...Our goals are virtually identical and we have a common enemy". Silus still seemed somewhat out of it, so he decided to check on Gnome and Undine to see how they were faring. "Gnome, Undine.....Are you alright? he then asked the two spirits in his mind; he of course had his own way of finishing Silus, but he would let the man rest for a moment. Didn't want to have this be TOO boring after all.
(For a demonstration as to how Sam's voice sounds now, it's something like this: Fast-forward to around 6:15 Perhaps not as deep, but it reflects the echo-y and warbled nature of his speaking)
 
"Many of my children have been infused with the corruption and lust of the Succubus... Bound by their own desires and desperation for a mate, I will not deny that many have committed evil acts toward humans," the Goddess's voice resounded from within Sam, "My own sense of justice, however, demands that the cycle of hate come to an end... When Sam's purpose here has come to an end, even I will not forbid him from leaving. His life is his own to live, and out of his own good will he has agreed to assist me in this time of need."

"I... I'll be alright," Gnome murmured softly, her form appearing somewhat weakly in Sam's mind as she sat with her legs folded in a manner somewhat reminiscent of a Buddhist monk deep in a state of meditation, "I sustained quite a lot of damage, but when you absorbed the Pharoah's energy a large portion was split to both myself as well as Undie. I would offer my assistance, but I think you have everything covered out there, don't you? I... I'm proud of you, Sam. You know, when we first met I was furious with you, the way you were acting toward my one true friend in the world as if every monster girl you ever encountered was the source of the suffering in your life. Yet, I opened my heart to you and I have never regretted that one decision ever since."

"Don't you two go off talking sweet nothings to each other again," Undie interjected herself into the conversation, "I am doing quite well myself, Darling, considering that I was just stomped out like a boot into a mud puddle. My help is always at your hand, but I think you can deal with this one fool without me stepping in... Just do it with style, I always liked men who know how to go out with a bang if you know what I mean. Rack up some style points for me."

"The souls of my children have been crying out to me, and I cannot remain silent any longer... May your soul as well as theirs come to rest," the Goddess's voice faded, indicating that the last bit of her power had absorbed into Sam and could no longer be used as a link between them. The Vampire stood still in an awestruck daze. Just what manner of man did the Goddess speak with as an equal? Her heart fluttered, but remained behind his broad back lest she become an obstacle in the final stages of this fight. The winner was now clear, with all that remained being how Silus would answer for his crimes.
 
Silus just grimaced harder, his teeth looking like they were about to shatter from the force of his anger. Could no one see that letting this bitch with her "holier-than-thou" attitude continue to exist would only make things harder? "You all are fools; if the Goddess lives, the Succubus will win. By placing your trust in her, you'll be the destruction of everything. And I'm not going to let that happen. This planet of freaks has to be burned to the ground!" He then turned and pointed at Sam, "That is why I will stop you, Contractor! You are just as much of a threat to every living human as they are!" Sam just chuckled and replied, "Going to be more difficult without this.....". Sam held the scythe in one hand out in front of him, before long arcs of black electricity crackling over its surface before the weapon disintegrated into nothing. "I don't need that to beat you....I've still got more than enough power!" Silus bellowed and lifted himself from the stone, charging at Sam once more. Just then, three claws of pure Corruption energy sprang out from each of Sam's ; just as Silus was ready to drive him into the ground, the contractor ducked and swung the claws themselves in a hook, the fiery surfaces passing through Silus' side like it wasn't even there.

The monster slayer gave a loud grunt, clutching his side as if an actual cut had been made; however, he found no blood when he examined his hand. "What the...." Silus pondered; however, he would get his answer upon seeing Sam. On each of the tips of the left hand's claws sat a glowing sphere; Silus realized they were souls that he had captured. Silus' eyes widened in realization, causing Sam to smirk and proclaim, "A quick learner I see....That's right, Silus, the Nightmare's scythe is mine. With it, I'm going to deconstruct you piece by piece. I'm going to tear out the souls you've robbed one by one and use them against you. And when there's nothing left...Well, then the REAL fun can start. But let's have some fun with this, shall we?". At that moment, the three claws on each hand disappeared, being replaced by twin-pronged hooks attached to chains that wrapped around his forearms, He grasped the handles firmly and dropped into a combat stance, stating "Let's dance, partner". Even still, Silus would not give up even with this new information; he charged again, with Sam dodging and shouting "¡Olé!" as if this were a matador competition. He then threw the hook into Silus' back, the clawed end disappearing into his body before Sam yanked on the chain, pulling the claw back out with the soul attached. As Sam grasped the handle once more, the soul seemed to detach from it and find solace in Sam's body. Over and over again, this process was repeated, each repetition pulling more and more souls from Silus' form, making his appearance progressively more and more human; one could credit Silus for his persistence in the face of overwhelming odds, but in the end it would prove ultimately pointless.

Eventually, Silus was robbed of all the souls except one: The Dark Slime Core which had been magically bound to his heart. There were others he could not retrieve as well, such as the ones he sacrificed to utilize those earlier abilities. There was also the mermaid's blood he drank; it wasn't really a soul, so his ability had no effect on that. The others were easier to remove from because they were merely peripherally bonded to his being, their connection being weaker in strength. Silus had been reduced to how he was before: A five-foot-three leathery-skinned man with red-irised eyes. His armor and a large portion of his strength and power had been taken; all that he was left with was superhuman resilience, regeneration, strength and speed. Traits which Sam also possessed to a much higher degree; to all who were watching, this fight was as good as over. "Now then....What to do, oh what to do with you.....So many possibilities....Like Prometheus, I could have you chained to a rock while birds feast on your innards....You seem sturdy enough, even as you are now, to enjoy that. I could give you to an Amazoness tribe as a token of cooperation.....They'd love to have you, I'm sure......There was also Hannah; the poor woman deserves some retribution for your stealing and devouring her unborn child, god bless her soul". Silus just growled and said, standing up and shouting, "This isn't over yet, Contractor! As long as I still draw breath, I will not bow to you or anyone else! I can still fight!" As if to prove his point, he charged right to Sam and began wailing on him. Of course, the power difference made these hits do almost nothing; if it were a normal human or a Mamono of sufficiently low strength, it would certainly hurt or kill. "Hahaha, stop, stop....That tickles..." Sam stated, chuckling as Silus' hits continued to do nothing. Eventually though, Sam tired of this and backhanded Silus, the still-tainted man crashing into one of the previously summoned boulders, its surface denting and forming something akin to a high-armed chair. Silus sat there, having certainly felt that blow, his body screaming for surrender but his mind unyielding in its quest for vengeance.

"Well, I think I'm just going to beat and torture you, Silus. The punishment should fit the crime, after all" Sam then stated coldly and matter-of-factly. Sam grabbed Silus' face and slammed the back of his head into the rock with extreme force, a sickening crunch resounding as the bone cracked under the pressure spike. Sam then grabbed his throat, causing Silus to gurgle with pain before finding himself thrown painfully back into the rock. "That's for the mermaid". Then, Silus would be subject to a brutal barrage of fists and headbutts, obscene amounts of blood being spilled with each hit, the rock beginning to fracture and crack under the force, and bones being broken and simultaneously regenerated. "That's for Talbor" Sam then said as he grasped Silus by the shoulders and threw him as hard as he could into another boulder, the impact shattering it and most of Silus' ribcage, making him lie on the ground in obvious agony. As fast-healing and tough as Silus was even now, he would need some time to heal and the pain was unbearable. He tried to crawl away, but found himself dragged back and held up before a grimacing Sam, who said "That's for Hannah". Silus was then raised up, his back parallel with the ground beneath him, Sam holding up his waist with one hand and neck with the other; the de-powered man was then brought down swiftly onto one of Sam's knees in a back-breaker, Silus' body arching to an inhuman degree, Sam stating coldly, "That's for Gnome". Silus was then lifted up by his head, watching as thumbs appeared in front of his eyes, only to have them sharply driven inward, the digits sinking to the knuckle in Silus' eye sockets. Silus cried out in pain as Sam gouged out his eyes, holding the pressure for almost a minute before finally releasing and letting him fall to writhe in pain. "That's for Undine" was the next comment before his aura flared and his grip shifted to grasp Silus' throat once more, the Nightmare's scythe blade appearing and jutting out of his wrist; he then drew it back and cut off Silus' right leg at mid-thigh, the stump bleeding profusely as he was thrown to the wayside.

Silus tried to crawl away on his back; pushing with the heels of his hands. His leg continued to bleed and his useless eyes peering up as the contractor walked towards him, kicking the severed portion of the leg away from the site. When Sam got close enough, he grabbed Silus by the ankle still attached to his body and held him up; Silus struggled weakly, feeling so fatigued and in so much pain. "What follows...is for challenging me" Sam then growled as he brought the wrist-blade to the other thigh, then drew it sharply across to send the stump-legged body hurling a short ways into the air before landing on his back, the contractor's hand still grasping the bleeding portion of the leg. As a last means of retribution, Sam then leaned over and drew the scythe swiftly across Silus' stomach, spilling his organs and blood over where his body lay on the brink of death, his chest heaving with weaker and weaker breaths. This fight was over, and he would be left to rot here; Sam then spat on Silus' body, walking away from the sight as he felt Silus' life reach an undetectable level. To him and likely everyone present, the menace was dead. And unfortunately, useless for what Sam had previously intended; no matter though. It was one less obstacle he had to worry about. "Well, I think that's everyone......." Sam then said, wiping off some of the blood on his body. That fight had taken its toll on Sam, in both energy and physical strength, but he looked healthy enough. The only things wrong were that his meager clothes were reduced to scrap barely able to cover his privates, his shoulder-blade length hair was gnarled and messy, and his well-defined form was splashed with crimson in some areas. He then turned his attention to the blond-haired woman watching the entire spectacle take place, saying "So, you're the great and powerful Arisa the Vampire. The Alpha Werewolf near here spoke rather highly of you...." before looking to where her house was. Talk about a disaster area; it would probably take a while to rebuild. Parts of it were scattered everywhere behind where it once proudly stood, but that didn't really concern him at the moment. "I was informed you know of Ignus' whereabouts.....Perhaps you'd be so kind as to divulge that little tidbit to me. As you likely heard, I'm a rather busy individual".
 
"Of... Of course," Arisa shivered slightly, feeling the slightest bit of remorse for having her part in the transformation of the once-harmless human into the monster which had breathed his last right before her, "Ignus used to live in a valcano a few miles south of here, but due to her destructive nature she was asked to live in a more remote location in order to contain any possible casualties from her actions. She is now living on a gradually growing island in the north sea, an island close to the equator of this planet and set apart by itself. Human scientists tried countless times to get in contact with her, but the flames of her presence burn hotter than even the most potent fire magic so they were largely unsuccessful in their attempts."

She turned her gaze toward what little remained of her once-magnificant mansion, "I... I'll act as your guide. I owe you my life after all and it wouldn't due for me to live with that over my head for the rest of my life without making amends in some manner. Its purely out of duty, understand?"

The vampire puffed her cheeks out in mind irritation, but to Gnome and Undie it was clear that this vampire woman had fallen for Sam as well. It was evident in the way she moved, turning her body in just such a way to emphasize her feminine curves. Without further ado, however, she lifted herself up from the ground and began to lead him north toward the coast, leaving behind, at lest for the moment, the location which would doubtless be remembered as the place the great hero Sam had brought down the menace of monster girls, Silus the Merciless.

As his life was snuffed out, the many souls which Sam had pulled away from his body began to slowly drift away and fade, smiling and waving toward the man which had finally given them the opportunity to rest in peace. A few transformed into ghost monster girls, their desire to enjoy the pleasure of a man filling them with sufficient regrets that they instead bound their souls to this land rather than pass on to whatever awaited them on the other side. Perhaps they would become maids and attendants in Arisa's mansion, but for the moment they began to gather in small groups and coordinate their efforts in rebuilding and restoring the scarred land upon which the two titians had fought.

Before long, the vampire had led them to the rocky northern shore, countless tide pools dotting the coast as the glint of the sun simmered off the surface of each one in the brilliant early afternoon. She gestured toward the horizon, pointing directly at a distinct trail of billowing smoke in the distance, "You will find Ignus in the center of that island, which is coated in thick blankets of molten as well as hardened volcanic rock. I would warn you about her eccentric behavior, but doubtless your contracted elemental companions have already informed you of such. I would accompany you further, but my presence will likely only further stir up her destructive tendencies since I, as a powerful ruler of land, would be viewed as a trespasser upon her private domain. If you insist upon contracting with her, I suggest that you recuperate and challenge her only when you are once again in your prime. In terms of raw power, she is one of the most potent on the entire planet."
 
Sam's eyes narrowed as Arisa just kind of brushed him off; he wasn't expecting her to get down and start begging him to drill her or anything, but one would think someone who was rescued from certain death would be a bit warmer. Or at the very least show their gratitude a little more openly; however, he seemed to possess a knowledge of the average vampire's personality and realized it was her wounded pride that a mortal had rescued her. He seemed to not notice what Undine and Gnome notice, or at the very least, did not seem to care enough to dwell on it. "Fine, let's just get this over with. But first....." he replied, his voice still possessing a hollow echo of resounding strength, to her statement about this being an act of duty. He quickly turned and after locating the Lizardwoman's body, used some of the remaining Earth energy to give the brave warrior a proper burial. She deserved that much for her sacrifice. After giving his thanks and a few other solemn words, he followed the Vampire out of the clearing and towards where he would go for his next destination. It was time to face Ignus; with this new power he had, he felt that her accepting him was now all but inevitable.
Unbeknownst to either of them, not all was as it seemed; Silus' hand twitched and slowly snaked its way until it rested over his heart, the last vestiges of his energy being used to influence the still-intact Slime Core. He then said, in a voice only those of supremely sensitive hearing might be able to understand the words he spoke, "Solvo meus vultus....obduco is letalis crusta.....quod anhelo in mihi.... Infectus Animus...." His infinite supply of life energy was absorbed into the disk that stayed fused onto his heart, its being dissolving and releasing his ultimate trump card, one he didn't have a chance of utilizing when Sam had "killed" him. He was hoping to have saved this to absorb the Goddess, but thanks to the Contractor's interference this was no longer possible. His being slowly became more and more liquid until he was nothing more than a disembodied puddle of purple goop on the ground; Silus now officially ceased to exist, himself having becoming the only male Dark Slime now in existence on the planet. The potent Corruption that lingered from the duel recently fought would serve as ample fuel for his counter-attack; Sam would pay, this much was certain.
As Sam and Arisa stood on the shore, the latter pointing toward the horizon towards a faint but visible black billowing column and mentioning that was where Ignus was located. "I do not care for your counsel, Vampire; were it not for you, I would not have to waste energy fighting an emotionally scarred demon and have another sacrifice their life for my own. I advise you to accept your food sources more carefully in the future; I likely won't be there to save you the next time" he then said rather coldly; he was somewhat pleased with how things turned out, but there were things he wanted to have changed. Still, it wouldn't do him much good to brood on it, so it was put out of his mind; she likely wouldn't take kindly to his tone, but he wasn't exactly here to make friends with her. She was an informant, nothing more, nothing less. His gaze peered out towards the pillar of smoke where Ignus was, an intensity and level of apparent glee appearing on his face; with the Fire Elemental, it would be that much easier to burn the Succubus to a smoldering pile of ash. Or enslave her to his desires and use her for his own pleasure...Whoa, where'd that thought come from? She was his enemy, he wasn't supposed to think like that about her of all people.

However, before he could dwell on it any further, he suddenly felt another presence approaching him from behind. "Oh, what fresh hell is this?" Sam grumbled as he turned to face his adversary, waiting for the bastard to come out. After a few minutes, Sam was about to advise Arisa to step back when he saw fly towards him, land right at his feet and attempt to shoot a tendril at him. The contractor sidestepped, only to feel his bare foot land in something sticky; he looked down to see that he'd stepped in whatever this thing was' body. It quickly enveloped his foot and held fast, seeming immune to Sam attempts to shake it off. "What..the fuck....Get off, gunk pile!" he growled, trying with no avail to scrape it off using a summoned Earth Blade. "I don't think so, Contractor; you forced me to use my trump card. And now I'll be taking you and your power to fulfill my plans!" a familiar voice rang out from the slime that was slowly enclosing over Sam's body. It was Silus....again. "You rotten fuck, Silus! Just give up, you've lost!" "As long as my spirit lives, I'll keep fighting! This much you know, Contractor! Because of this form and the mermaid's blood, any physical body I possess cannot die! My immortal spirit will live on!" INch by inch, Sam's body was covered; if the envelope that was Silus' Slime form completely covered Sam, he would dissolve the contractor and take the immense power he'd gained for himself.

"Like hell you will, Silus! I'm putting you down once and for all!" Sam bellowed; he needed to think of a way out of here first, then find a way to exterminate Silus for good. He couldn't have this man constantly following him, trying to kill him and generally being a nuisance. The dark goop soon came up to Sam's neck, leaving his neck and right shoulder and arm free; he knew now that he had to use some of Gnome's remaining power to get him out. Quickly using the free hand, he covered his body in stone and used that as a giant scraper, pulling himself out of the earthen avatar and away from Silus' otherwise deadly grip. Silus, however, would see this as a golden opportunity; he climbed inside the hardened stone body, infusing it with his essence. Yellow pustules grew in clusters all over, hardening into onyx-like growths that armored his form and significantly enhanced its durability. Silus' new body flexed its fingers and limbs, the rough-featured face grinning as it said, "Now......I believe we have a fight to finish, Contractor".
 
"You really are a nuisance, Silus," Undie appeared and stood up between Silus and her contractor, "You have lost virtually all of your power, as you stand before us now at a mere fraction of your previous strength. Did you possibly consider that you could just waltz up to Sam and dissolve him just like that? You really don't understand who you are dealing with, do you? A dark slime body might be more than a match for an ordinary human, but for someone with as much skill and experience as myself when it comes to dissolving matter, you are nothing but an amateur."

She gently wrapped a portion of her large, aqueous form around Sam's middle and set him back a few feet, indicating that she did not wish him to directly engage Silus this time, "If you try to attack him with physical blows, he will just chip away at you and absorb more until he has regained enough strength to be an actual threat. Let me deal with him... I'll destroy his soul once and for all."

Undie's body splashed outward, forming an ever-expanding fan of water which trickled outward and began to surround Silus' body. Her eyes were intense and piercing, perhaps hinting at a bit of desire for revenge against the man who had managed to beat off her attack before. She was not without a sense of pride, and allowing her opponent to escape not once but twice would be a humiliation she would not stand for.

The vampire, Arisa, stood in shock at what had just transpired before her. Just how much hate did Silus have for their kind that he would take upon himself the form of a monster himself in order to continue his quest for revenge? She quickly turned toward Sam and Undie in order to point out a dark slime's primary weakness, "Strike his core and destroy it, that should extinguish his soul for good!"

After forming a thick ring around Silus, Undie once again rose up moments before attempting to rush inward and surround him with her body, his rock form providing as much protection as a paper bag when faced against the wrath of a water elemental who had been infused with the power of a goddess. Unless Silus had yet another trick up his sleeve, there was little doubt how this match would come to an end.
 
Sam started to object to Undine moving him out of harm's way, but resolved to just sit and watch his gorgeous Water Elemental work her magic. Besides, she did have a bone to pick with Silus after all. There was no way in hell Silus would survive this encounter. Undine was already powerful in her own right, but now that there was the power of the Pharaoh supplementing her, it was over the moment he tried to dissolve her lover and contractor. As Undine's liquid form enveloped him, her ability quickly started to break down the body Silus had taken for himself, its integrity being compromised as the seconds ticked by. The stone form thrashed about, trying to desperately free itself from the watery prison. "You think I will be so easily beaten, slime whore! I may not be at full power, but I will triumph nonetheless!" Sam just snickered as he watched the persistent man struggle to win despite the utter hopelessness of his situation. "Hmph......Silus is a fool to think he can win.....This battle is over" Sam mused, watching as the gold-rimmed disk that was Silus' Slime Core finally come into existence.

Sam himself felt compelled to act; he suddenly got a vision of what it was he could do that would end Silus' existence for good. A powerful casting that swallowed He then said in a rather determined tone as he , "Powers of the Earth and Sea, hear me now. End the existence of that which I deem my foe! Vanquish his being to nothing, swallow him into the infinite abyss!" The fires of the Corruption that had taken hold of him roared to life, encasing his left arm as stone rose from the ground and transmogrified into purple diamond. The shiny stone fragments then moved in coordination with each other, forming into what looked like a six-appendage, three foot wide gaping mouth filled with tooth-like growths that covered his entire hand and part of his forearm. The opening of this strange gauntlet was pointed outward towards Undine and Silus, the target of its effect being absolutely clear. Silus' Core would now be visible for Sam to attack as Arisa had pointed out, his body having been fully dissolved by Undine's magic. "Corruption Gauntlet: Maw of Charybdis!" he then cried out; as the last syllable of the declaration echoed into oblivion, a whirlpool of dark energy formed in front of the strange object he'd crafted, gradually growing in strength. Undine would feel nothing, as the massive suction force was directed only at Silus.

"No! I will not die! I cannot die!" Silus cried out as he felt his being pulled into the gauntlet, the center of it a deep, endless vortex. "It's over, Silus! With this technique, I extinguish you from all planes of existence!" Sam cried out, his mind subconsciously channeling more Corruption power to create a stronger vortex. Silus' Core began to stretch out inside Undine, distorting as it was pulled with more and more force before finally breaking free of the Water Elemental's form. A long, resound Noooooooooo!" could be heard as Silus' Core was drawn into the gauntlet, the appendages that up the mouth closing up and forever erasing Silus from existence. Silus the Merciless was NOW officially no more; much like the Pharaoh, he could no longer rain chaos and discord over the land. "Well, looks like we've officially exterminated two troublesome enemies....." Sam said confidently, gazing at Undine and (inwardly) at Gnome with pride.

However, his lips then moved again, adding "BUT NOW YOU CREATED ONE WORSE THAN THE TWO OF THEM PUT TOGETHER! BAHAHAHAHA!" This new voice with which Sam spoke was heavier, louder and significantly more foreboding. Just then, Sam felt growing in his gut; he clutched his abdomen in obvious pain as the sensation grew and grew, forcing him to a knee and his eyes squinching shut in agony. "Wha...what is going on?" he stammered out; his gut then seemed to swell. And swell and swell, the skin stretching out until it became almost transparent, revealing something black inside of him. "JUST LIKE SO MANY OF THE WOMEN YOU SLEPT WITH, MY BOY, YOU'VE HELPED CREATE NEW LIFE. TELL ME, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE PREGNANT ONE, FOOL?! HAHAHAHA!" Sam couldn't even respond, his hand clutching his swollen gut; it felt like he was going to burst. He was then quickly overcome with waves of nausea, the dry heaves of one about to vomit setting in. His throat and stomach clenched and relaxed strongly and rhythmically, trying to expel this foreign presence.

"Som...Someone......Hel......" he couldn't even finish as the first expulsion overcame him, a throbbing pile of black gunk landing in a heap in front of him. Over and over again, he puked out the strange substance, the mass growing and his stomach shrinking more and more as it was ejected from his body. With each expulsion, Gnome and Undine would feel the Corruption forcibly be removed from their bodies, the dark energy becoming zero within them and Sam himself but not effecting their total power levels save for the agony they may have felt through their common bond with Sam. When the process done, the pile of black gunk stood slightly taller than Gnome would if she were outside Sam's body. It then quickly began to pulse and shift, taking on form as the now-purified Contractor looked up with weary eyes. What the hell was going on? Eventually, the shapeless would have a form, and one that was very familiar. Very, VERY familiar. "What the....." Sam stuttered, pushing himself up to sit on a knee as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. It was like looking into a mirror.....This thing had taken on his form. Except for the purple, semi-translucent skin, it was an exact replica of Sam himself. Was this Silus? This new being cracked its shoulders and neck, saying in that awfully sinister tone, "Free at last; have to tell you, being cooped up in there for that long.....Feels good to have a form to call my own". Sam just said, "Wh..who are you?" The being chuckled, replying with a twisted grin "Oh, come on, Sammy mah boy, surely you aren't that thick in the head. Isn't it obvious. I'm you" Needless to say, this thing's reply caught him off-guard; what on Earth did that mean?
 
"Its a personification of an aspect of your very being," Undie explained, breathing a bit heavily from the dull, throbbing pain resulting from the corruption being forcibly extracted from their bodies, "A persona for short, if you will... I have heard rumors of such things being made by powerful witches and baphoments, but I just assumed the stories were exaggerations or complete fabrications... It seems there might be more than just a hint of truth to them after all. According to what I have heard, personas are difficult if not impossible to control even by the most powerful since their own power is directly related to that of the one from whom they are born. They act on their own, but are generally benevolent, as their interests are tied to your own... This one seems to be a bit different from a typical persona, however, since he was born from from the corruption that had concentrated within us."

"I... I feel much better, oddly enough," Gnome finally spoke, who had been strangely silent throughout their final confrontation with Silus, "I think... Our minds were being influenced by the corruption to such an extent that we hardly noticed the effects. We should be more careful in the future and refrain from accepting power that would increase the effectiveness of the Succubus' corruption. What I cannot understand, however, is why the corruption willingly extracted itself from our bodies."

"That... I cannot answer," Undie shrugged and once again vanished, returning to spirit form within her contractor, "Perhaps he will be able to shed some light on the situation for himself. You, personification of corruption, what is your purpose? Why have you taken Sam's form and now walk of your own will upon the land?"
 
Sam's doppelganger seemed quite amused as Undine broke down just what exactly he was; it was true, he was born from Sam's own being. But there was a bit more to it than just that. "You are correct, Undine, I am a persona of your Contractor. And you are right as well, Gnome, your minds were influenced. But not by mere Corruption; that fool Silus was influenced by Corruption. You were influenced by something much darker....Your own desires....." Sam was the one to speak up this time, his body shaking slightly from the extreme exertion as he stood up, his body covered in a light film of perspiration, "What do you mean? My desire is to get back Rachel from the claws of the Succubus and free this planet. What do you know of my desires?"

"Are you deaf or just plain stupid? I told you, and she told you, I am you. Now if you'll just be quiet, I can answer your questions" the doppelganger spoke. First off, I'm going to need a name...Something that symbolizes my perfection and strength...Not to mention my violent charm...Ah, I've got....I am Kratos!" "Kratos....? As in, the Greek word "Cratus"?" was Sam's question; did this thing have access to his memory? "Yes, Kratos, now can it. As for your question, water spirit, you answered it yourself. I take on Sam's form because I am him. I am the deepest, darkest part of his soul. And Samuel here......Just gave me the keys for my completion. As for my motivations, though........We both seek the Succubus, you and I, but our goals...are very much different, hehehe. But, I do have something to say to you, Undine. I hate to inform you but I'm FAR from benevolent. In case you didn't hear, I'm the worst enemy you could have.....In fact......" He then walked up to Sam and plunged a hand into Sam's chest, causing the contractor to gasp out. Kratos then pulled Nami out of Sam's body by the throat, her form enveloped by an aura of dark energy as Sam fell to his knees yet again; it felt like he just got punched in the gut with a battering ram. Nami would find that if she tried to escape, the aura would do a well enough job of containing her, preventing her from leaving his embrace.

"Kratos! Put her down!" Sam called out; Kratos just chuckled and replied eerily, holding Nami in front of him like a shield "No....I don't think I will. You see, Sam, personas such as myself don't gain the abilities of their hosts......unless they take something which binds them to said power. And your daughter Nami's virginity is a perfect candidate.....Seeing as she's the daughter of one of your contracted spirits" "No!" Sam shouted as he tried to forcibly call Nami back into his body, only to find out that it wouldn't work. "Why can't I call her back? What did you do, you sicko?" At this several pointed tendrils erupted from Kratos' body, each tipped with a potent dose of Corruption, and held them just above the surface of Nami's watery form, "Temper, temper, Sam.......Wouldn't want to have to mar her with such nasty energy.....I like my blushing brides to be as pure as possible. Try anything, and I kill the girl". Sam just grimaced at this...thing's.....cowardice. But what could he do? This thing had a death grip on his daughter, and he was too far enough away to do anything.
 
Nami, acutely aware of the danger she was in at the moment, remained quite still. She could tell that liquifying her form and attempting to slide out of his grasp would have no effect, as he was not physically holding her but rather enveloping her in his own aura, containing her as if she were just so much water inside a flask. Her calm eyes stared into Kratos' as if she were attempting to stare him down. She lacked even a tenth of the power of her mother as she was young and without a contractor. The last thing she wished was to be taken by force by such a being, but since her own will was necessary to form a contract there was no danger of her becoming bound to him by means of a contract. Likewise, she did not possess the same potent dissolving ability as her mother, so there was little danger to Kratos either.

Undie, however, had no intention to allow her daughter to be raped right in front of her. She appeared in a fury, wild swirls of her own body materializing around her like a raging twister made of water, and although her eyes were filled with anger she made no movement toward Kratos. She knew well that he wasn't bluffing. Nami's life force was only indirectly attached to their own, but even so she hesitated to make any aggressive action toward this being of darkness. "Release my daughter, foul creature! If you lay a single finger on her body-"

"Mother, please calm yourself," Nami spoke with a bland tone, "If he tries to rape me, I'll kill him myself."
 
"I have a name, water nymph! It's Kratos, not 'foul creature!' For one purportedly so wise, I would expect you to show some degree of respect to the one that has your child hostage!" the persona spat venomously, a noticeable degree of irritation in his voice. He admitted that hearing the utter lack of fear in the child's voice surprised, but perhaps it was because Undine was her mother that she had a rather fine-tuned outlook of things. "I hope you realize, child, that I won't intend to form a contract with you. However slight your connection is to your mother's contractor, I can use that to gain his power and the power of his two Elementals. You're nothing more than a tool, however pleasurable it would be to fill that pretty little body of yours. Show you what it's like to be with a real man".

"Just what is it you want, you bastard? Why can't you leave her alone?" Sam said; Kratos just chuckled and replied, "I'll admit, there are other things I would like to do, but watching you squirm and try to figure out how to save your precious daughter is so high up on the list, almost nothing else compares. As a matter of fact, there are only two other things that top this..." A slight silence persisted as their little standoff continued; Sam then asked "And those would be......?" Kratos just laughed, "Ah, but that would be telling, wouldn't it? Go on, guess. I already gave you a hint earlier.....It has to do with a particular someone......And a particularly dirty thought of yours, Sammy boy".
 
"He wishes to take your place, Father, become the Succubus' mate, and enjoy the fruits of pleasure for all of eternity. You, as well, briefly entertained this thought, did you not?" Nami reached up with her right hand and rubbed the tip of her small nose with her right forefinger, indicating that she had said something rather astute, "Simply because I am the younger of your two daughters and reluctant to speak does not mean that I do not pay close attention to everything outside myself... If you allow that to happen, Father, a far worse fate awaits humanity than the loss of a young water elemental."

"Nami, don't you dare speak like that! If you sacrifice yourself like this, he will just try to take Terra prisoner instead," Undie reprimanded her daughter sternly, "Kratos, release my daughter... We will not let you simply syphon off Sam's energy while holding her captive!"
 
"Quite the little genius, isn't she? But you underestimate my ambition, child; I do not merely seek to make the Succubus my mate" Kratos responded with a grin and chuckle. He then added, "No, my plan goes one step farther. I seek to make her mine in her totality, along with every other female on this planet. And when I've dominated this world, I'll hop to the next one, taking my harem with me to start the whole process over again. I'll keep doing this until every planet is devoid of males and I am the sole one remaining!" Kratos proclaimed proudly before looking down at Nami, "THAT is the thought your so-called hero of a father entertained. Teh, some hero". He then looked back up at Sam, "Though I admit I respect that; takes "dominating your enemy" to the next level. What better way to humiliate your foe than make them your bitch? Kinda like what I'm doing to your daddy now, isn't it? Hehehehe".

"That's not what I want, Kratos! I want the Succubus destroyed!" Sam shouted in frustration; he felt so damn powerless. He couldn't even protect his daughter from being involved; she was young, and as mature as she was, she was still his child. It was his duty to protect her, damn it! "You're a horrible liar, Samuel. You forget I represent your darkest desires, the things you repress to maintain a holy image. In a mortal's terms, I'm your "dirty laundry". Those desires can change based on the situation; admit it, you LIKE being desired by all these women". He then grinned and continued, "It's not something you should be ashamed of; men are this way for a reason. We were never meant to have just one partner.......We were MEANT to spread our seed. To believe otherwise is moronic and goes against your biological programming".

Kratos then chuckled before dropping what could arguably be the biggest bombshell, "After all, it's not our fault these women are nothing but cock-craving cum dumps. Just like this daughter of yours...Isn't that why you want to make her yours as well?" "You sick bastard! She's my daughter!" "And just as freely available as any other woman on this planet.....Face it, Samuel, despite this hero image you try to portray, you're really no better than me. You're just another human more than willing to take advantage of the loose whores of this world. Why, you would even defile the Goddess if you had the opportunity. And to think these bitches praise your name....Oh wait, that's right. They only do it because you're the sole male willing to fulfill their desires".
 
"That's enough," Undie cut Kratos off once again, although if she were being perfectly honest she would acknowledge that there was more than just a little truth to his words, which effectively cut into her rather sharply, "There are temptations and desires hidden within all of us, the part of us which we seek to hide out of proper decency as well as social norms, that much is a well-known truth. However, it is our duty to restrain our base passions and desires. To do otherwise is neither proper nor wise. That is what makes Sam superior to you. You refuse to draw any lines, a slave to own desires. How can anyone consider ruling others, if he cannot even rule himself?"

"Father may love many women, but he cares deeply about each and every one. The pleasure he derives from them is but a secondary benefit," Nami chimed in, allowing herself a slight smirk, "Oh, and I managed to get you to reveal your plan to us right now, do you realize that? I understand that you enjoy a good audience, which is one of the reasons why you do not wish to destroy us. Its much more fun to watch Father, Mother, and Gnome chase after and attempt to stop you, isn't it? I cannot deny that I understand the thrill in such a concept, but I hardly agree with your methods."

"Our kind would not act in such a way toward Sam if the Succubus had not thrown off the balance of this world. Everywhere we have traveled, it has been the same story over and over again. We act this way out of desperation and the influence of the Succubus... It is not a noble desire to take advantage of us in such a way," Undie's stare intensified, "Do not allow him to poison your mind, Sam... He is twisting truth and error to his own ends."
 
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