You should have killed me when you had the chance. (Invite)

Lucius realized Silus hadn't teleported himself to the ground, and he was falling. He honestly figured the boy had a trick up his sleeve to deal with it, so he didn't do anything to save him, not that he would have anyway. Sure Silus had done that for him, but Lucius wasn't Silus, he wasn't about to jump into heroics. Other then that, well, Lucius had problems of his own he needed to tend to. His dark half hadn't been defeated by the blast, he looked tore up yeah, but he really should have been powder considering the power of Lucius' attack. Blood Tithe wouldn't go down that easy it seemed.

Lucius hated this thing, perhaps because it was everything he hated about himself. Its similarities to Lucius were far more unsettling then its monstrous appearance. It felt like him, it acted like him....it was him. Its endless taunting only unnerved Lucius further, only because everything it said was true. Lucius felt sick, truly sick, but the mentally battered man pressed on. He didn't know what to do in all honesty, he didn't understand this in the end, as much as he tried too. None of this was possible to him before, his entire world had been flipped on its head today. He wanted to give up, he wanted to be with his family again, he wanted to be with her, but he knew he had to end this.

"Stop talking, just STOP! I don't want to hear anymore of your poison!" Lucius yelled, his voice filter cracking at the sudden increase in volume. Lucius couldn't handle this, Blood Tithe knew everything about him, and it all was being used against him. The dark version of him hammered at his mind, bringing up his deeds, his sins. Anger and guilt clouded Lucius' mind, he couldn't focus. Before he even realized Blood Tithe was producing an illusion it was too late. Lucius shot a few blasts of energy at the illusions, but it just went through them. In the next moment he found himself being turned around by his shoulder, and an energy charged fist followed. It hit him in the stomach, hard. He gasped, the wind had nearly been knocked out of him. He tried to gather himself but another attack from Blood Tithe prevented him from doing so, he was thrown up into the air by his face, then crashed back down. Lucius grunted upon hitting the ground, barely aware. He was grabbed by the throat and lifted up, then came more talking.

Everything his other half said, it was all true, every word. None of this was anyone's fault but his own. He made the man he was today, he created this monster before him, for what? It was remarkable how a mere human could turn themselves into such evil, that's all Lucius was before, a human. This, demon, it was so powerful. Not just physically, but spiritually. Its impact on Lucius, seeing it, it was too much. What would his family think? What would Isabella think? They never knew this side of him, they never knew he could become something so absolutely evil. Did he even deserve to live? After all this, why was he brought back?

Blood Tithe used some sort of device to modify his powers, then began to electrocute Lucius with crimson red lightning. The pain was excruciating, and unique. Imagine the worst pain you have ever felt, then multiple it by a thousand, then spread it throughout your entire body, that's what it felt like. Lucius' metal armor just added to it, acting as a conduct and essentially frying him inside of it. He roared in agony, now he truly felt beaten on the inside and the out. His gadgets were tore up, his armor was battered, and his body was burnt all over. Maybe he should just die, maybe that would give him relief.

Tears rolled down Lucius' face under his dented and blackened mask, not because of pain, but because he failed. He made a promise once, he said he would live on, he would live a long and full life, but here he was, submitting. He wanted nothing more then to let go right now, he felt Blood Tithe was right, he felt weak. He closed his eyes, and then gave up. It was over, none of it mattered, there was no meaning.

"You have to keep going." His fiance said. He found himself in a white room, housing only the woman he loved and himself. He didn't know if this was a dream, an illusion, or just something he had created in his subconscious, and he didn't really care at this point.

"Why? Why should i keep doing this? He's right, I'm not a good person. I deserve death." Lucius said softly in return.

"No Lucius, you don't know how good you are. Why do you think you do what you do? In the end, it's to help the world, isn't it? Yes you've.....killed in the process, and that's wrong, but your ultimate goal is selfless, even if it was twisted when i left you." Isabella said

"How can you say that? What I've done...what I've become, it's exactly what i set out to destroy." Lucius said

"Then change. You realize what you could do for this world? You're one of a kind Lucius, truly. Your destiny, it goes beyond me, it goes beyond all this. Please, you have to keep going, no matter what. Be the man i fell in love with and fight back! Keep your promise.....ok? After it's all over, I'll be waiting for you. " Lucius' beloved said before fading away.

He came to his senses, still being electrocuted, but he didn't just take it, he mustered every bit of his willpower and grabbed at the hand at his throat. If he was successful, he would let out as much energy as he could into it, screaming not out of pain but out of determination. He then attempted to grab it with his other hand, doubling the output into his darker half. Energy flowed from his hands straight into the beings limb, with this much energy going into his arm even someone as durable as Blood Tithe wouldn't be able to keep it from disintegrating. Sparks from the red electric power of Blood Tithe still rained down on the field and Lucius himself, and if Lucius was successful in grabbing his enemy his own energy would be channeling into his opponent. The attacks would go on like this for a few seconds longer, then Lucius activated his now partially broken thrusters. They launched him haphazardly backwards, and he landed in the dirt. His mask was broken off, his gear was totally destroyed, and most of his body was burnt to a crisp. He groaned, feeling as if he would pass out, but he managed to keep himself awake. His healing factor had kicked into high gear, trying to keep him alive, but it would likely take upwards of ten minutes to fully heal from this. If Blood Tithe got into talking distance, then Lucius would speak up, weakly but still clear.

"This isn't redemption, you know. You're right, I'll always be a bad man, a villain. But i think this world needs bad man, maybe not killers or thieves, but men that choose to break from the norm, men that do things widely considered evil to achieve a greater good.  No, after i end you, i won't be some hero, and i won't change who i am, because i can't. I can't rid myself of myself, so i agree with you. The only way you will truly parish is if i do, and my end will come eventually. But in the mean time, I'm going to use my 'evil' to do what i set out to do years ago. I'm going to change the world, for the better. Because throughout history, the only people that ever mattered were the 'evil' ones, the ones not afraid to sin, the ones who sacrificed their own souls to improve this rock.  Maybe after it's all said and done, we can have a drink together in hell."  Lucius said. He did mean what he said, but he was still buying time. He needed to heal at least a little to continue.

-------------

Hector found himself in a difficult situation. His attacks had done nothing to the being, and now he had an ultimatum. Should he play his enemies game? He knew he likely couldn't win this, but did he even need too? Lucius was secure, so their was no need to keep  his opponent at bay. Yet still, he made Hector feel like shit, he made an AI feel like shit for killing. That itself was a win, but this being had drove them into a stalemate too boot.

"I.....I'm sorry." Hector said, looking to the burnt corpses he created. The EXOs then darted off at hypersonic speeds, leaving the battle field in shame of all things. There was no need to fight.

Alexander had finally tripped up. For all of the intellect he had he had perhaps been too eager to get rid of Sin, or rather too busy to get rid of Hellshrike. He should have thought his actions through, but then again he was still human. Despite his inhuman intellect and divine blessings, these blessings that would soon fail him. Because of his actions, Alexander had destroyed the very vessel which had imprisoned Sin itself. The Most pious man of a realm far off had received enough damage and had no time to repair himself or fortify his integrity. As such he faltered. In the final blow that ended the threat that was Hellshrike, a thread far greater was born. Black liquid burst forth from him and began to cycle around the body AND Alexander before causing a large gust. There was definitely a dark, deep and bellowing laughter. The reverb sent echoes that hurt the ears of all whom heard it.

the shin whipped through the air and stray pieces seemed to close in on a central location in the center. This central mass pulled from the surrounding sin that sliced through the air, pulling it into a spinning wheel of a center. This small center crackled with a black lightning that had an uncanny red hue radiating from it. The space around this mass seemed to push outwards, tearing open a small rift that seemed to be nothing but the cosmos of space from it. Then there was a bright light as the cosmos itself seemed to tear open, and then the bright light ripped and the small baseball sized mass shot out tendrils before literally ripping something through this tear and throwing it to the ground. This thing was a person, and this person was none other than Sin's former vessel, his chosen vessel. The Dragon God, Yamm, the one that Alexander had sealed away just hours earlier. He looked about, bright blue eyes wide as he realized what had happened.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Alexander! Yahahaha" The voice growled. Matt looked back at the mass and immediately knew what was going to happen and he cringed as he tried to stand, only to get a tendril of Sin impaling him through the back, just to the side of his spinal cord. His durability was nothing more than paper in comparison, and he let out a dragon like snarl as he grunted and groaned, trying to pull himself forward. The tendril which had impaled him lifted, pulling the dragon king up with him before slamming him onto the ground, slowly twisting the tendril and spawning shark-like teeth as it slowly retracted the tendril from him. Next the small mass itself fired forward, and all the sin flying about swarmed to that wound, infecting it before literally forcing itself into a hiding spot. With all the sin gone, the area settled and the sin back inside of it's true host, Matt looked up at Alex, Matt's own eyes no longer glowing their usual blue. This time they were hazel, siding towards greenish. In a brief moment they seemed to burn red a moment before returning to Hazel and then he tried to push himself up. In one motion his upper body lurched forward, doubling over as he began to vomit the black liquid sin from his body in the most violent ways possible. Like a hose turned on full and left to run out of his mouth.

"Oh boy. I have to say, you really saved me the trouble there Alex. I owe ya one. I mean, not only did you free me, but you trapped my true vessel in one place for me." Sin chuckled as the black liquid formed up, the form was...incredibly jarring perhaps. The form was that of Silus' father, though the iris of his eyes were bright red and the whites of his eyes were pitch black. Now as a solid, independent construct the red eyes flashed blue before the black areas turned white and gave the illusion that he had eye-whites like everyone else did, though the red eyes were a testimony to an oddity within him. Matt, lay there, shallow in his breath as Sin looked down at him with a smirk. "You're a Hell of a ride kid. But I think it's time this rodeo came to an end, don't you?" Sin asked as black liquid came form his palm and spread out into the shape of the three katana claws that were once Yamm's signature weapon. Matt looked to him with a look of total shock, perhaps horror, as if he suddenly realized what his plan was. Sin looked to Alexander and cocked his head to the side.

"Swords slay dragons."In his next motion Sin brought the katana's up and then impaled himself a pained expression on his face as blood seeped out, the draconian and demonic reverbs present, but as the Dragon sounded pain, the demonic only began to chuckle. In that moment, the blessings of Alexander's powers were gone. Any and all trace of Yamm's energies in this world had instantly faded, and the fire before Yamm's statue in the Black Temple had come now to smoldering embers. Pulling the blades from himself he reattached the blades to his left hand and sighed as he wiped the blood form his chin, his white teeth stained by the red blood of the dragon he had pulled from it's mortal form.

"You were always the kind to take matters into your own hands. Had to do what was best...which is why I like you Alex. You're smart...but you have so much more to learn. I'm waiting to see how long it takes you to realize that we're connected. Think about it kid... you just freed me. Even the actions you take and think are good, like trying to seal this fleshbag away. All you've ever done is help me...Seriously kid. It's in your nature. You can't deny that, no matter how smart you are. I mean, c'mon. Did you really think sealing him away, rather than warning him was going to help him? He's a God...you're....well...you're Alexander. Beautiful and useful to me, but worthless and a hindrance to all others." Sin reminded him before sighing and placing a foot on Matt's throat, cutting off the air supply to his already damaged body. It wasn't as if Alexander could do anything, he was truly human now. Just as Matthew had become.

"You shoud have killed me when you had the chance, Human." Sin chuckled to Matt before relasing him and then kicking him in the groin. Sin looked to the ceiling and sighed, a satisfied smile on his face before looking back to Alex. "If you ever change your mind, just call for me. You truly are the closest thing I have to a friend. Thank you Alex. I'm finally free again." He said, and without another word he seemed ot just...fade in a splash of liquid that just misted out of existence, leaving a heavily damaged human and the source of all the damage in place while Hellshrike still goraned and turned onto his side, traces of him still being alive.

**********
Red Tide had experienced a lot, though none of it was the doing of Blood Tithe. Lucius seemed to have a moment of inner power, as Blood Tithe would have his throat grabbed and he would proceed to be totally, and inarguably fried like carnival food before being shot out at quite a distance. Blood Tithe rolled and flopped, limp and what would be considered lifeless before standing up and slowly trudging forward, like that of a zombie. Silus found the strength in himself to sit up and watch as Blood Tithe carefully and meticulously walked forward, the acidic blood pouring dwn his forehead, though seemingly only angered if nothing else. For the next "trick" he'd try to restrain Lucius and lay hom on the ground with the use of his energy. As he approached he brought a clawed hand up and smeared the blood running down his mask on the hand. The hand sparked and came to life as the energy took the lightning property, the Telsa coil still charging.

"It is good of you to realize that. Though in realizing that you know you cannot beat me, try as you might. For there is Darkness in people...but with you... it seems ore fitting to say there a little of you inside darkness. You have sacrificed your soul Lucius. That is why the Red Tide falls...and it is your blood, your blood that is the tithe for the ushering in of a new breed. A new, homogenized race of superiors. But as for how this ends..." Blood Tithe said as he let out a little chuckle and his highly energized fist began to vibrate as insane rates. "Well, I'm afraid...You will have to save me a seat!" Blood Tithe said cybernetic eye wide as he arched his arm up to bring down the fist of energy upon Red.

Red would likely find himself pleasantly surprised as the fist connected with him and did absolutely nothing more than hurt a little. The earth convulsed and the dirt around them was uplifted, chunks of earthen flesh thrown about and sent flying everywhere as the sheer percussion sent a sonic boom through the air. Though the difference was a very shocked Blood Tithe as he looked forward at the little being with glowing indigo eyes as he let out a growl, immediately identifying something going wrong as the work of the little trickster. Lucius' body was healing much faster and the red energy that was used by Blood Tithe had been rendered entirely ineffective against him. What's even worse is that a weapon manifested in his hand, this weapon spoke to him almost. It had a name, and he knew the name in his own mind. This "weapon" was unlike any other he'd likely seen before.

It looked quite literally like a cyan crystal in the palm of his hand. This crystal had darker, thick metal fragments aligned in proportion as they fused together and formulated a weapon of destruction. The weapon formed appeared to be two blades that floated in a light of red energy that floated by the gem itself. As they were suspended there they were left floating as they moving easily, rotating and spinning on a whim. The blades could glide and rotate easily upon his whim and the blades seemed to produce a sono-luminescent vibration while a small spiked crystal mass sat at the palm. The rotating blades passed through Lucius without hurting him. From here multiple uses could be found, though the most notable that Lucius would realize that this weapon wasn't "Magical" and it most certainly wasn't "Scientific" in any way. This weapon wasn't even a weapon, it had feelings, it had a voice (in the metaphorical sense) this thing had aspirations, wishes. His mastery of this device wasn't based upon skill as this was not a tool. This weapon was alive in the most basic sense, and so this was not a tool...this was a partnership. The mastery of this weapon was a relationship, and so his use with this weapon was as limited as his relationship was. This was not a weapon, this was not a tool. This was Existential energy harnessed under one name and one willpower.

Isabella

The energy from the weapon resonated and the Red energy binding Lucius would be dispelled while Blood Tithe seemed to move towards Silus, charging a hand with his own energy. Lucius had quite a bit to learn of this new existential ally of his. An image would flash through his mind. The force was displaying for him the images of use for it's abilities, it's driving prowess. The two blade like appendages vibrated and spun in his hand like a table saw blade and managed to cut through Blood Tithe's arm as if it were paper, the heated light of the red Energy cauterizing the wound. Then there was the visual that the blades extended in length and transformed into chains as they fired out and wrapped around Blood Tithe before pulling him towards Lucius, the mass in the center then fired out and implanted itself into Blood tithe and began to melt him from the inside out, his veins and mechanical parts glowing slightly before he exploded. Finally before yet another crystal mass appeared where the last "shot" had once sat. The final image in mind would be that of the spiked mass firing out and then disintegrating into the air, then becoming a manipulated defense that the enemy would not easily see by reconstructing and swarming somewhere to intercept and absorb the enemy energies.

Now what Lucius did would be entirely up to him....

************

Azazel snarled a moment before his eyes widened and he looked around tot he charred corpses. He let out a little sigh before placing a hand over his eye. His form receded and soon he was back to his battered humanoid form. "I-I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have toyed with him. I should have just destroyed it outright." He sighed before grabbing his head. The voiced echoed and wailed, the innocents pestering him tot he point of a migraine. The same questions the dead always asked. "What happens now?" or "What did it all mean?" and for each question all he could say was that he didn't know. He didn't know what happened now. It was eating him away. His eyes widened as he felt a pain in his chest, his powers failing him a moment as he realized that his brother was in trouble. In a puff of smoke, Azazel vanished.

It appeared like things had gone well, but then again that was never how things went in the end. In his overzealous attempt to en this, he had instead only made things worse rather than better and that was a massive mess for everyone, rather everyone he cared about anyway. Something happened, light or something to that extent ripping through the earth and bringing with it Yamm. He didn't really say anything, because he could say nothing beyond looking shocked and as things continued, he found out he could do nothing either. Honestly, the sight itself was something that was hard to describe but it was enough to send an almost sickening sensation through him. He could tell before it even ended that...his powers sort of just faded away, leaving him with an almost empty feeling. Had he done all of this? The way Sin explained it, well it made sense and with how he was, it didn't matter if he believed otherwise. He was just human, and that's how it was.

It seemed his efforts were fruitless. Even after mustering up a second wind, Blood Tithe just wouldn't die. He was stubborn, just as Lucius himself was. He couldn't be beat, not by Lucius, not alone. How could the monster become so much more powerful then Lucius? How could his sins have so much dominance over him? The being had walked forward, not giving Lucius the time he needed to heal. He could barely move, and on top of that he was retrained. The energy burned him as it held him down. Nothing was going to save him now......or maybe it was.

Blood Tithes fist felt like a punch from a five year old, something was wrong here. Lucius saw that this was the work of Silus, the boy had survived and was now standing not to far from them. Lucius healed rapidly, his burns fading in seconds. His restraints were removed, for whatever reason, and not only that, something very curious happened. In his hand appeared a cyan gemstone, one that instantly set his mind at ease. For the moment, he felt no guilt, he felt no anger, he felt only warmth. He knew this feeling, he knew what this was, or, perhaps it was more correct to say who this was. Where it came from, he didn't know, but he was quite sure who was responsible.

Two blades then formed, floating in a red energy like light. He could feel it, this wasn't his power, this wasn't Silus' power, heck, it wasn't even magic or technology. This.....this was his Isabella, or at least a representation of her. He was bonded with this weapon as deeply as he was with the woman he loved. It would have been incorrect to say he had full control over it, as it was more of a combined effort, but he still had a great amount of influence over what it did. Blood Tithe then charged Silus, likely thinking it was his doing. Images flashed before Lucius' eyes, showing him the weapons abilities. He found that it would cut his opponent like warm butter, and could turn into chains and lash out. Also, it seemed he could manipulate a crystal mass with this weapon that could shatter and reform itself to reflect Bloods energy. It was a lot to take in, but he quickly got the basics down.

Before his darker half reached Silus the being would find that chains were now surrounding him and would begin to try and entangle him. If they were successful, they would violently pull Blood Tithe to Lucius. Once in front of Lucius, the chains would tighten even more, squeezing the being like one of those huge ass snakes on animal planet.

"Even though your about to die, at least physically, i know you'll still hang over me throughout my life. The difference is, you'll be kept in check, right up until we both truly die. You fought well, but, not even my inner darkness can break me. Not when i have so much to live for." Lucius said sending the crystal mass at Bloods chest. He truly hoped it had the same exploding effect on the being it did in his vision.

Blood Tithe had met his end it would seem. Lucius' partner faded and the gem vanished, leaving Lucius and Silus alone in the God-forsaken field. Silus looked to Lucius and smiled a little before trying to stand up and hobble over. Silus' wide eyes and an ear to ear smile as he chuckled at Lucius and seemed almost more elated than his weary little body could contain. He actually lunged forward and tried to wrap his arms around Lucius and laughed a little. The laughter was a little forced to be honest, after the stress of watching Blood Tithe and Lucius battle it out like that had him worried. He didn't want to admit it but he was even crying he was so excited that Lucius survived. Silus was happy, because now Lucius was free. What he chose to do with that freedom was up to him. He was elated however, to see someone he cared about free. Yeah, Silus did care for Lucius. Despite the hardship and the vendetta, despite everything Silus could understand Lucius. He and Lucius were very similar... they just had different coping mechanisms (or lack thereof).

   Silus sighed and finally stopped squeezing Lucius a little, not enough strength in his little body to cause any harm, though in his sore and unsteady state Lucius might potentially feel it a little more than usual. "I knew you'd do it!" Silus said, completely pushing from his mind that he assisted in any way, shape or form, still awestruck by the miracle that Lucius somehow returned from death to fight again. He didn't know the method, nor the intricacies of what was involved. Silus had almost completely forgotten his hand in the victory when he remembered the crazy weapon that he had inadvertently generated, though he found himself perplexed by the randomization of his warping. After his obligatory moment he let go of Lucius and rubbed his eyes before smiling. "S-sorry. Uhm...y-you gonna be okay?" He asked as he swallowed and realized that there might have been something wrong. Silus had warped too much in order to fix Lucius right then and there. Instead he grabbed onto Lucius arm slightly and blinked.

 "Uhm...let's...get you to the hospital." Silus said before void-walking himself and Lucius to the emergency room at the L.A hospital. Silus would help with the random info the hospital needed, Silus created a false identity for him and everything. Unfortunately he hoped Lucius like being a man named "John Lester". Inspiration for the name came from first name of John Doe and the last name from his friend Ryan, who for some reason couldn't count to twelve but knew his last name and a ton of great and ingenious ways to apply hydrokinesis and cryokinesis. When Lucius was sitting there Silus would look at him and rub the back of his head. "Uhm...is there anyone you want me to tell that you're here. A number or something?" He offered politely, almost hopeful that Lucius had someone he could rely on.

Blood Tithe was violently reduced to ash by the mysterious weapon, and it was done. Lucius sighed in relief, as if releasing the strain the entire day had put on him. It was calm, silent, the only sound being a faint wind which sent loose dirt into the air. He didn't even realize it, but Lucius was crying. He didn't show it on his face though, he only showed an empty expression as a few tears rolled down his cheek. He shut his eyes and fought them back, but that only served to stain his eyes with grief. This day, it had taught him so much, yet it also made him sick. His mind was in shambles, his body was beaten, he just wanted to rest.

Lucius spotted Silus, who seemed just as distraught and weak as him. He stumbled forward, literally falling into Lucius' grasp. Silus hugged Lucius tightly, the man didn't know how to react at first, but ended up finding himself hugging the boy back. Slius pulled away, then asked if Lucius was alright. He really wasn't, despite the rapid healing he was given at the end of the fight, he felt sick, he felt sore, he felt like he was about to fall over. There was only so much he could take.

"I-I'm alright..." He said, short of breath. He then found that that was a blatant lie, he slumped over on Silus' shoulder, using the 11 year old to keep himself up. It was then pretty clear Lucius needed to be taken to a hospital. Silus said just that, then used his teleportation to bring Lucius to the hospital in LA of all places. He was immediately taken in on a stretcher, which truly felt odd to him. He never thought he would be strapped onto one of these things again. He was stripped of his destroyed gear, and given one of those hospital gowns. He was then taken to a room and evaluated before being left alone with Silus.

"........Eh-yeah.. give this number a call. Its one of Hectors lines, he'll alert my people." Lucius said weakly, reaching over to to his night stand to grab a note and pen. He scrawled done the number, then handed it to Silus before falling back flat onto his bed. It wouldn't take near as long for him to recover as it would a normal person, but this still hurt like hell, and he was....so tired.

"Thank you, for saving me. Without you, i wouldn't have lasted in there. I would probably be dead right now..." Lucius said, his eyes closed and his head motionless. It had been awhile since he was truly grateful for something, and it felt good to be.

"You're welcome. Thanks for being you...the real you." Silus said before watching his head lower and his eyes close. Silus' heart sank for a moment before he quietly crept over before poking Lucius' abdomen in deep concern before seeing his chest rise and fall again. Silus blinked and let out a quite sigh of relief before heading out with a relieved smile. Before leaving the entire, Silus went and called the number Lucius gave him on his phone. Once the number was called he assumed that it was giving Hector the coordinates and location of the phone, which was close to the hospital. Silus then sent a text to that number with the name "John Lester" and assumed that Hector would be smart enough to figure it out. Apparently one of his people would be there soon, or so Silus believed. Silus realized that it was his time to leave the area but before he did that he sent Hector one last message. This message was a number, a number for hector to use to get ahold of him in a bind, or if anything ever came up that they could use him. Of course Silus never dreamed that they'd use it, but they might surprise him.

As Lucius lay there in the hospital bed, a stranger walked through the wall, a ghost of a man with a cane and wry smile on his face. The nurse paid him no heed, as if he were invisible. The nurse and even walked through him, unknowing that he had been inside her. The pun not being lost on him as he arched an eyebrow. "Oh dearie, don'tcha want dinner first?"He asked the tinge of his accent moving into a chuckle. The lithe female not hearing his voice as he walked around the room and stood over Lucius. Once the nurse left the room, Samhain smirked as he placed a hand down on Lucius' chest...and then through his chest as if he were intangible. With a sudden jerking motion he ripped form Lucius chest, the very beating heart of the man before looking at it.

"Not to bad for a wee monster like you." Samhain snickered as he then removed the other hand from his cane, leaving it standing there still with no form of gravity effecting it. With his now-free hand he went to Lucius head and reached in, grabbing and pulling out the brain, leaving the skin and body completely intact and functioning as the Eldritch being then put the beating hear back in the cranial cavity and then placed the brain in his chest. The Eldritch snickered a little and the patted the resting Lucius on the head, knowing he'd be none the wiser and the doctors would be overly astounded as to how the males anatomical structure could be so greatly messed up. Then, Samhain took his cane and walked, taking no more then ten steps before appearing in the very desert the showdown had reached it's conclusion. The moon shimmered in the night sky, the harsh colds of the desert as Samhain stood upon the sands with his hand in his coat pocket. Looking down to his feet there it lay... before he could continue however he paused at a noise. He could hear the steps behind him, one soft and nearly silent, the other a little louder.

"Why did you make me save that child. He wasn't exactly needed to get what you wanted." The blind young man asked as he seemed to stare off into nothingness. Next to him by a few feet there was a voice that was oh so familiar.

"I'm not complaining but...yeah... that was...kinda off of you." Dante said as he smirked, a small glint in his eyes from the moonlight. Samhain pulled something out of his pocket and looked down at it for a moment with a reflective look in his eyes.

"Well...You see...That's the thing.... that boy WAS the goal." Samhain said with a musing hum before Ulysses tilted his head to the side as he looked confused. Dante's eyes widened and he looked elated. "Wait...that was him!? That was....how do you know?" Dante quizzed, though Samhain still looked intently at what was in his hand.

"Sometimes...you just...." Samhain said as he raised his hand to his eyes. Laying in his hands was a golden band with a small beaded chain that was fed through it, as if it were meant to go around his neck. "Remember who you are..." he followed up as he turned the band, running his thumb over it and seeing the engraved words on the ring. "...and what you stand for." he finished as he read the engraved words. The words "I will always protect you."

"You remember who you are? That's great! C'mon, tell me." Dante pressed his "master" as he seemed to have a child-like enthusiasm and excitement. Samhain closed his eyes as a stray tear ran down the right side of his cheek. He let out a little sigh as he clenched his hand around the ring and placed it down into his pocket before he turned his torso a little.

"Now's not the time for that..." He said flatly as he then looked back to the ground at the object he had come for. The broken mask of Blood Tithe lay at his feet, looking up towards the sky. Samhain waved a flat, open hand over the mask and soon it began to glow as a spark of energy and black liquid began to spark, initiating as an amorphous blob of liquid blackened red energy as it began to formulate and take a very strange and almost humanoid form. Samhain turned back to the mask as it seemed to slide up the ooze that seemed to take on semi-humanist features as details were beginning to define themselves. The construct dropped to it's knees as the ooze finished formulating and solidifying, black liquid falling to the ground as the creature formed, eyes widened as it looked around and then finally looked up to Samhain with a look of almost total terror.

"You....what are you?" It asked, the hesitation and fright very present through the modulator.

"I'm the one whose gonna make the Villains win... Now let's go...we've got work ta do." Samhain said with a smirk, cocking his head to the side than winking before he literally walked past Blood Tithe who remained on his knees on the sand. Blood Tithe followed Samhain with his eyes before he was about twenty feet away. "Step lively dearie....we're not gettin' the band back together with ya still sittin' there!" He called out cheerily. Feeling a smirk forming on his glowing may of energy fangs the Blood Tithe chuckled before standing and instantly teleporting to Samhain's heel on the left side, the Marionette behind him and Dante just on the other side. Samhain smirked at the newest "recruit" as he continued to walk through the desert.

This was only the beginning.


(TOPIC COMPLETE)