"I thought we had a deal, Mr. Regulus," Thera remarked as she emerged from the formation protecting the council hall. "You stay put and your subordinate remains safe."
"You and I both know you have no plans of honoring that agreement." Alex shot back.
Thera grinned. "Regardless, it’s already too late. My Master is upon us and there’s nothing you can do to stop it."
"I beg to differ," Alex remarked as he immediately snapped with Thera pulling out a card in the same breadth.
Both exerted their Will on the aether, resulting in a collision of Authority, as one sought to gain the upper hand over the other.
This was the first time Alex found himself faced with such a unique battle of Wills, after all, before now, he had Nyx’s Authority to bolster his own.
Clicking his tongue, Alex gestured for Charlotte and Humphrey to act, with both moving at the same time.
The former charged at Thera while Humphrey transmuted the air around the Abyss Wheel Mystic into incandescent flames.
Time around Thera seemed to stall as she moved the fingers holding onto her Ability card, revealing yet another underneath.
She watched as the flames slowly took form and Charlotte’s blade cut through the air, sailing for her neck.
Her gaze composed, she turned her attention to Alex and then, reached to pull another card out of the void of space.
Not just Alex but Humphrey too was touched by the brutal hands of time, turned into mere ashes in an instant.
"Good riddance." Thera breathed out evenly only to pause as she noticed that Charlotte was still alive.
She swiftly activated the brutal hands of time again only for an audible snap to be heard.
In the next instant, Thera felt the Domain of Distorted Time she held Authority over, warp, leaving her unable to Will it to do her bidding.
Suddenly, a terrifying suction force fell upon her, and only then did she understand the gravity of the situation, her attention shifting upwards only to gaze upon a black bottomless phenomenon.
Before she could say anything, a blade went through her chest and pierced her heart, causing her to jerk back in the process.
She stared at Charlotte’s white eyes with the latter staring back.
As Thera coughed up blood, a wicked smile appeared at the corners of her lips as she replied. "...On the contrary, I believe I have won."
The next instant, there was a great tremor, and above, even more lightning bolts began to flash as the dark clouds gave way to reveal a portal to another dimension... to the Abyss.
Then, a haunting screech was heard after which odd things began to fly out.
A snap echoed amidst the abyssal cries of the odd things after which a sheet of dark ice covered the portal, preventing even more Classless Otherworldly from streaming into Eventide.
Of course, this was but a temporary measure, and Thera knew this as her smile remained even as her body slowly turned to dust.
Charlotte saw this, her eyes widening briefly before returning to its usual size.
Just then, Alex and Humphrey emerged from their hiding spot with the former rubbing his chest with a pained expression on his face.
Thera’s attack had significantly reduced the amount of time he had before Vessina’s deceit would fade.
Based on what he could tell, Alex guessed he had barely ten minutes before the truth would be revealed.
"We need to stop the ritual," Alex said to which Humphrey responded.
There’s no point. The Incursion has already begun.
"True, but it’s still in its infancy. We can end it before it gets worse."
Charlotte called to Alex only for him to cut her off.
"Charlotte, you and Humphrey handle the Classless that got through. I’ll find a way to close the portal."
Master, I have something to say.
"Damn it, what is it?... We don’t have time!"
The corrupted one is not dead.
"... What?" A slight frown marred Alex’s features.
I sensed something as she turned to dust. She’s not dead yet. Another remains.
Alex stared at Charlotte, unsure of what to make of her words.
He guessed that just as he had the means to cheat death, Thera would have the same, but he didn’t think she would be just as adept at using hers as he did his... or perhaps he thought so but didn’t wish to accept it.
Master, I am afraid I would have to agree with Lady Charlotte’s assessment.
Azazel said with the aid of the Mindscape, delivering his thoughts directly into Alex’s mind.
Because I am staring at Councilwoman Thera right now.
"... Damn it, get out of there!" Alex ordered as he turned to the formation protecting the council hall and snapped.
Black and white flames appeared on the barrier surface and immediately went to work destroying it.
Just then, a headache-inducing screech echoed in their direction as one of the odd things, a serpentine beast with human-faced scales, insect legs, and bat wings, rushed at them, parting its mouth, which appeared to be most of its head as it sought to devour them.
Humphrey moved first, transmuting the air around the creature into incandescent flames that burned with a fiery vengeance.
The agonized scream that followed echoed across the entire city, leaving Alex with bleeding ears and drawing the attention of the other odd things, each of which had their own unique appearance.
It was like a gathering of freaks, all of whom carried the unique stench of the Abyss.
Almost immediately, the sky was filled with flames, illuminating the city below while destroying the odd things in the process.
Realizing that Humphrey could handle the creatures, Alex once again turned his attention to the council hall to find the barrier completely gone.
"Azazel, go into the ritual hall and kill."
"All of them!" Alex ordered with Charlotte following him as they charged into the building, breaking open the doors in the process.
Waiting in the council hall was a prepared Thera, who appeared calm despite the current progression of things.