Lora fell to her knees, it had to be some kind nightmare. Waking up from it was so easy, the smell was to the point of making someone's eyes shuffle to reality. The trembling should've been her rolling from bed. Still all the things that were possible to help her wake up wasn't.
Fear wasn't something Lora was used to, after countless attempts on her life she grew a certain bond with death. It was to the point where she became a causer of it, she struggled back up and locked herself into the car.
Mr. Sanchez didn't move he stood there in silence looking at his son who proclaimed his world domination. From the unsettled dust came a blue spark, it danced about until from it came a loud explosion, again a light appeared in the sky twice as bright as before.
Chris flew downwards to grab the limo Lora was in, he flew again carryng her away from the swarming skeletons. Once a good distance, he placed her down.
Lora ran out of the car and hugged him, she soon remembered that he was covered in flames.
"Hey watch the flames." She leapt back.
She was surprised it didn't burn, it just danced on her shirt.
"It can't burn people until I say so." Chris blew one of his flames out of her hair.
"Your not thinking of dealing with that right?" Lora tilted to her head.
In the distance a large zombified Cain can be seen crushing buildings, and alongside this scene was Tiko's maniacal laughter.
"It comes with the job." He leapt up and flew towards the city.
"Wo... Woah!!!" A voice said from behind Lora. She turned to see a massive group of people.
"Was that... Chris..." A woman in the group asked.
"Y...Yeah..."
"From New Port?!" A man came forward.
"Y...Yeah..." Lora answered.
"That's the kid who can do those fire powers!" The guy shouted. "He saved a lot of people from those things."
The group all agreed and began cheering his name.
"Showoff." Lora chuckled.
Chris landed on the tallest building and looked at the towering giant beside it.
"Alright Tiko." Chris called. "No one's here just us."
"I couldn't care less." Tiko grinned. "I'll feed you to those things down there. I learned a lot of new magic Chris!"
Just after he blinked, Chris found himself in an unfamiliar place he saw grass as far as the eye can see. He felt something tighten about his right hand. Lora was smiling beside him, her hand enwrapped in his, she was pulling him.
"Come walk with me." Her for distorted.
Chris was starting to walk forward but stopped.
"How'd you get back here so fast?" He asked. "I left you on the outskirts of the city."
"Just walk with me."
The distortion entered a demented image, Lora's skin began to peel off and the very space about Chris liquefied.
"This... is an illusion..." He turned to a part of the deteriorating world and pointed. "Your right there aren't you?" His feet exploded sending him forward, clenching his fist with the fury that Tiko used Lora in such a manner. He slammed it into something, the melting world disappeared and he was back in New Lore overseeing it's countless skyscrapers, before him was TIko stumbling back from the punch that went into his stomach.
"You... How..." He vomited. "That illusion should've had you plummet to my skeletons..."
"I'm not stupid." Chris frowned. "I left Lora somewhere else, and a meadow of all places to send me." He shook his head. "I suggest you stop what your doing, before I rearrange your face."
Tiko was used to power, he had the name Sanchez a shield within the Great States. This enabled him to avoid law charges and other forms of punishment for his crimes. When this knowledge was given to him, Tiko had become a truly depraved person. Women, money and power everything was all his, there was a feeling he hadn't had for a long time. He had a bit of it when Lora ran away from the marriage proposal, but this feeling eclipsed that. Anger wasn't new to him, because he always got his way.
This frustration of being struck was creating a rage, even his laughter was halted by this emotion.
"Your name is Chris right." Tiko wobbled a bit to stand. "I have seen a lot of guys playing hero and your just doing a good job of it." The velvet part of Tiko's eyes were expanding, until the a mauve hue was oozing from it. "I'm going to kill you."
All of the skeletons below chattered and looked at the sky raising their hands. Clouds swirled and darkened and from the center of the spiral came a light, it beamed downward enveloping Tiko.
"What are you up to?" Chris thought, but he suddenly felt it a pressure from above as if something holy was coming from the heavens itself.
A bearded man descended his blank eyes stared at Chris with nothing behind them, this thing felt more like a puppet than a person.
"This is the greatest warlord to have ever lived." Tiko announced. "Not only did I found and remade his body. I've fused him with countless other undead beings. This is my ultimate weapon and your executioner, Sol Kan will destroy you." The laughter was back this time it was his own twisted howls.
Without a word, Sol Kan flew into Chris slamming him with his burly arms. Chris body was thrown downwards causing a crater in the ground. Skeletons and dirt flew all about them.
Chris groaned as pain fancied it's way about him, he took in a breath to calm his mind. After he noticed the skeletons coming closer, he flew back into the air.
"Damn..." He panted. "What kind of attack was tha..."
No time to speak at all as Sol Kan came once more to attack Chris. The first blow connected into his blocking arm, a sickening crunch was heard, Chris dodged the rest afraid of how destructive this thing's power was.
"Amazing isn't it." Tiko taunted. "The corpse was worth it."
On the back of a large zombified bird was Mr. Sanchez he flew beside Tiko to speak.
"You used the God's Corpse technique for that one." He stated. "You even gained your sanity back, I really thought I lost my son for a second."
"Don't get sentimental old man." Tiko clicked his tongue. "As soon as Sol Kan kills Chris I'll have two unstoppable zombies, and I think you should retire. I've seen how you used to handle things back then."
"I use to thirst for power but after seeing what happened to Pico I didn't want anything to do with power." Mr. Sanchez turned to the ongoing battle. "I guess I was too afraid, but I think you'd be a much more stronger Necromancer."
"Now I'm pissed!" Chris erupted.
Sol Kan was before him once again his attacks were sent, Chris ducked and sent a wave of flames through his chest. Sol Kan stumbled back, yet he still stood.
Chris watched the sizzling wound close up in a disgusting manner.
"Where's Darren when you need him." He sighed as a punch launched him into another building. Chris panted in agony, his body was breaking apart and he knew he was going to hit his limit soon. Blood spurted violently from his coughing fit.
"Damn it..." He forced his body to endure.
Sol Kan wasn't giving any breaks to the wounded young man, he slammed through the concrete walls and approached him.
"I need a breather!" Chris expelled an explosion, he used this to gain some distance while the building collapsed on Sol Kan. "I need to think of how to stop that guy, but my flames aren't able to keep up with his healing." He looked at Tiko and got an idea. "I'll just beat the person who summoned him!" With full speed he flew towards Tiko.
Sol Kan leapt from the rubble and knocked Chris away from his master.
"A grand idea." Tiko chuckled. "However Sol Kan won't allow anyone to just attack me." Tiko eyed the injuries along Chris' body. From his forehead drained red enough to nearly blind him in the right eye. His arm was struggling to stay above his torso because of the last attack by the insanely strong zombie. The best thing to Tiko however was the depleting overconfidence this boy radiated when they first met. Each plan being formed by Chris was seen as him finally being in a realization of danger, he couldn't help but chuckle at this wanna be hero.
Chris was sent on the top floor of an empty building, his body was heavy to the point where he can only watch the oncoming Sol Kan. Slowly he got up, but stumbled back to the ground.
"I... I can't move..." He gritted his teeth. "I... might die..." He looked at the ceiling as moving was beyond his ability.
---
"Damn dude your just a workaholic aren't you." Chris laughed at me.
"Not really." I nudged his shoulder. "I just have to do this, that continent is the only clue we have of stopping one of the furies. It may even help us bring back Japheth..."
"It's good to take a break once in a while."
"Yeah it is, but do you think those people are gonna let us rest." I spoke frankly. "Something is always gonna happen in the world and in New Port. You have to be ready for them."
"I will." Chris assured me.
"What if you meet someone stronger than you?" I asked. "What would you do?"
Chris didn't expect the question.
"We won most of the times thanks to training and luck." I pointed out. "Now I'm so unsure, there are stronger guys out there and... Donavan is at the top of it, I can't imagine fighting a god."
"Then... we'll see..." Chris shrugged.
"Just be careful dude." I sighed.
---
"Darren... Japheth...Joshua..." He recalled his friends dazed. "I'm sorry but I might... not make it..."
Sol Kan grabbed Chris by the neck and began to tighten his grip.
Air was stuck in his body, it threatened to burst forth destroying his lungs.
As he felt his mind slipping away, his body began to glow as if it was about to explode.
A pillar of flames appeared from the building, Tiko scowled.
"Still alive?" He grimaced.
Chris was using everything, he screamed as his body output so much fire power. Sol Kan's hand was disintegrating and then his arm was completely gone, Chris didn't stop he kept pushing more until blue flames began to spread. Sol Kan tried forcing himself through, but the more he walked through the more his body melted away. First his skin was melting away, then his muscles was disappearing next was his organs and skull until nothing remained.
Chris fell to the ground his body fully exhausted, he knew he couldn't do anymore right now. He was blacking out...
"He was all talk after all." Mr. Sanchez sighed
"Amazing." Tiko snickered seeing the unconscious body of Chris. "You defeated my best corpse, maybe I should turn you into another grand one." His hand reached out to grab Chris, it was suddenly detached from his arm.
Tiko screamed in agony.
"Tiko!" Mr. Sanchez ran to his son who was bleeding heavily. "Who?!" He turned to see a young man wearing glasses and flying without any assistance. Behind those glasses was a glare as if ready to send another invisible yet deadly attack.
"Get away from him now!" Joshua demanded menacingly. "Or it'll be your heads that's rolling."
---
Chris jumped up in his bed within the Greek institute, suddenly jumping like that was a bad idea as pain began it's usual attack. He eyed his bandaged body and looked beside his bed to see Lora, she was asleep.
"How did I get back here..." He removed himself from his bed.
Stirring like that woke Lora she looked at him teared up and hugged him tightly, another bad idea.
"I'm gonna die!" Chris cried.
"Sorry!" Lora leapt back.
"What happened?" He asked once the pain subsided. "I'm sure I blacked out."
"Your friend came and stopped Tiko from doing anything." Lora informed him. "The Institute came on by boat and was fighting most of the skeletons, but after he attacked Tiko the corpses disappeared then Tiko and his old man ran away."
"That's good." Chris smiled. "At least your safe."
"Chris... you... is this how your job is?" Lora looked troubled. "It's scary... I don't know if your afraid of dying but I..." She took his wrapped hand. "I can't lose you alright..."
"I... I'm sorry." He apologized. "I was being reckless, but I couldn't think straight after you were in danger like that. I'm just glad it worked out this way."
"We won most of the times thanks to training and luck." His best friend's voice rang through his head.
"I have to get stronger or I won't be lucky next time."