Garden Of The Abyss

As Jae-Seong approached at last, the Marquis seemed more than welcoming of this as he cackled.

"Yes! Come! Let me show you the depravity of--"

--Liber's taunts were cut short as the distance between him and Jae-Seong was closed instantaneously, with the curly-haired otherworlder sinking his experienced fist deep into the frail gut of the Marquis.

It was as if a cannon had ignited; the punch brought with it a sharp impact that lifted the Marquis of Rot from his feet as he spat out a loogy of blood. Landing on his back, Liber was sprawled out on the ground as his abdomen had been caved in from the fearsome blow.

"As I thought; the louder they talk, the quieter their fists are."

Jae-Seong muttered under his breath as he looked down at the frail-seeming man who gasped for breath.

"Holy shit, you're strong…!"

Ren was sucked out of his loop of dread at the sight of his ally's power--though, that triumph was cut short as he saw the expression on Jae-Seong's face shift. Even from the distance they stood out, the enigmatic dread that replaced the glisten in his eyes was present for both Ren and Yuri to see.

"Eh?"

Looking at the hand he used to hit the Marquis, Jae-Seong watched as his glove withered away, falling apart until only his bare fist was left. It didn't stop at just the fabric; the skin of his knuckles took a sable tinge as the man winced. Slowly, the tainted skin of his knuckles peeled to reveal his flesh sitting behind.

"What the hell…?"

It was so quiet that Jae-Seong didn't notice it while inspecting his tainted flesh; the twisted Marquis returned to his feet using only his core as he silently held a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"Jae-Seong, watch out!"

Sicarius called out, having to push the man aside with his shoulder as he took his place--blocking the incoming strike with his blades.

The Marquis of Rot cackled as he slammed his forehead against the cold, dull surface of the steel, matching his gaze with the tempered assassin's own. With his arms hanging lip, Liber pressed his forehead against the blades as his laughter continued, staring directly into Sicarius' eyes, who tried fervently to hold the man back.

"Too bad for you…"

Liber rolled the words of his twisted tongue as the sable blades began to crack and peel, fragments of the steel withering into an ashen-like substance; the integrity of the blades fell to ruin with just a simple touch.

"Shit…!"

Retreating, Sicarius jumped back as his blades decomposed completely--leaving nothing but hilts in his hands as he discarded them to the lively ground.

"And here I thought we'd just have to avoid being touched by him."

Jae-Seong took a spot next to Sicarius, ripping off a piece of cloth from his pants to wrap his tainted knuckles with.

"Yeah...seems just touching him is enough for his "rot" to reach you. Sorry, but I'm not much of a magic user."

Sighing to himself as he admitted this, the assassin looked at the spare blades he possessed, knowing full well that steel was futile against the Marquis.

"Same here."

Hearing this similar admittance from Jae-Seong, Sicarius couldn't help but chuckle at how dreadful the situation really was for them.

"...Looks like we're shit out of luck then."

...Crap, I'm totally useless. I can't use my swords either against a power like that. Who knows if my magic is even strong enough to hurt someone of this caliber? Maybe if I could use that...Ren thought.

"Not quite."

--Declining this realization of defeat, Yuri snapped her fingers as cannons formed of black steel manifested in the air above each of her shoulders; lined with golden accents, an imposing aura of mana radiated from their form.

"Is this your ability?!"

Ren asked, taking a few steps away from the woman as to not be in the range for crossfire. With the cape that sat on her shoulders fluttering in the presence of the newly manifested cannons, Yuri didn't answer his question.

"Out of the way."

--She commanded both Sicarius and Jae-Seong, who were more than happy to clear the path for her oversized cannons.

"Oh? Oh! The young beauty can fight! Show me! Show me! Let us scorn each other, claw at each other, and bite and chew until nothing is left!"

Spreading his arms as if welcoming the cannons, Liber spoke with his twisted slur that coated his words in an aura of depravity all the same.

"Gladly."

Snapping her fingers once more, Yuri commanded her cannons to unleash a volley of blasts--shooting forth azure cannonballs that hurled towards the Marquis.

With his arms still parted, he welcomed the malicious spheres as they collided with his body--one plummeting into his gut while the other slammed into his shoulder. Though it was a clean hit, the only thing that withered from the impact was the integrity of the cannonballs. It was the moment they met with his form; the azure spheres disintegrated rapidly before being carried off by the still winds.

"...How? Before they could even have an impact?"

Yuri muttered out of confusion, snapping her fingers to try once more--this time sending a dozen cannonballs as each launch resounded with an echoing boom.

"Ha-ha-ha! Yes! Struggle in vain! It'll make your despair all the more delectable when you fall to your knees! Flesh or magic; all fall to rot!"

Again, as Liber was experiencing a euphoria, the fast-moving cannonballs journeyed through the air only to crash against his body with a form that quickly descended into blue sand.

As fast as they reach him...they rot away. Just what kind of monstrous ability is that? Ren thought.

"That's not good…"

Jae-Seong bit onto his bottom lip as he watched the futile attacks of Yuri succumb to the Marquis of Rot.

Squeezing his fists tightly shut as his bones croaked, the Marquis seized his laughter as he held a quiet smile for once, "I believe I've been more than hospitable to my guests; it is time I respond in kind."

"...Here he comes!"

Jae-Seong yelled out, putting himself in front of Yuri and Ren as bloodlust oozed out from the Marquis' pores in abundance; Sicarius wasn't ignorant to this by any means--drawing a small orb from one of the pouches on his belt.

"What's that?"

Ren asked, but his answer was received in the form of a visual; they all watched as Sicarius tossed the silver orb towards the ground while Liber slowly approached with his eerie steps.

"Form, Holy Shield!"

Commanding the isolated magecraft, Sicarius' words manifested the magic bound within the sphere into existence as a large, seraphic shield manifested between the group and the Marquis of Rot.

"Oh? Interesting. This is the magecraft of the Holy Church, isn't it? Marvellous; I will savor this treat."

Liber spoke calmly with wickedness lacing his words as he stood before the bright, holy shield that seemed unnatural in the realm of utmost depravity. As he placed his palm barring scarred, decrepit flesh against the exterior of the barrier, he stood still with his smile staring at those behind it--knowing well what his existence meant to their sanity.

"...Did you for some reason believe something blessed by the heavens would hold any ground against me? Do you believe good naturally triumphs evil? It is a laughable thought; one that is told in bedtime stories--do these stories meant for children have any meaning in reality? Do these fragile beliefs hold any ground when before true, absolute depravity? I am right here; let us put it to the test."

The Marquis of Rot spoke in a half-whisper, making his words personally travel to the ears of the people staying behind the radiant shield.

"...I can try something, but it's risky."

Jae-Seong whispered, keeping his eyes on the Marquis as his mana signature began to rise steadily.

"What is it?"

"The moment he gets through that barrier--I'll do it. It might be our only chance if he manages to counter it after experiencing it...but it's worth a shot."

Ren was given a vague answer from Jae-Seong, but at this point, it was the only option they could fall back on as the horrifying, depraved being stood just before the shield with a still smile.

"You don't falter easily do you? I can smell the fear seeping out from your pores, the resonance of your heart, thumping against your chest...yet you stand so firm and tall, facing me with those unmoving eyes; you don't fear death, do you, Sicarius? That's right; I remember you."

Liber smiled wide as he spoke the name of the assassin who stood at the forefront of the group; only the heavenly shield stood between him and the Marquis of Rot.

Ignoring the Marquis' taunting words, Sicarius remained silent as he gripped his newly-wielded blades tightly between his fingers.

Even when standing behind the others, Ren could still feel the air of dread tightly gripping around his skin; being brought so close to the Marquis of Rot despite the barrier blocking him, true horror crept beneath his skin.

Why am I feeling like this…? I'm not scared. I'm not. I can fight him. It's just...when I think about Iris and the others facing off against something like this...I can't think straight! He thought.

Attempting to retrieve his resolve that became buried under the accumulated stress flooding his body, he took a few, calming breaths before honing his eyes forward.

"I'll do it with you--I'll fight alongside you."

--Ren's words coaxed a smile from his golden-eyed, fellow otherworlder who nodded his head.

All they could do was watch as miasma poured from Liber's palm, stretching across the bright shield with his corruptive essence.

"Don't stop; attack however you want--I'll follow your lead, friend."

"Yeah."