Crystallization

“Isn’t that what we were waiting for?” one of the three demons who were sitting around a table asked. The table, made from fine oak, seemed to spill out of the ground like water under pressure rising up. The whole room was illuminated by an amber light from the sunroof even though it was still raining outside,

“That means all candidates are present, Balthazar,” another demon across from him said. Black tattoos inked his whole body in glyphs, eyes bloodshot, and he wore tarnished steel armor.

“Do you think the fifth was killed then, Hiegel?” Balthazar asked, leaning on the table to look at the heroes. He had light burgundy colored eyes, his skin looked charred, and he wore simple hides for clothes and armor.

“Shaman?” a raspy voice asked, a figure completely blanketing his form in black mist, with red orbs for eyes that looked lifeless, cutouts shining via magic. That same figure from the field.

“The fifth…” The shaman said, looking at his chalice and then at Greenwich’s head.

“Whatever, yip yap-” Sato pulled out his Swordomizer 32K. “I’m-I’m about to steal your lunch money.” Sato pointed at Balthazar. “Fight me if you dare.”

“I got the maze guy.” Luna was already running at Hiegel,

“What is your name?” Idalec asked, signaling to the black misty figure,

“Aleppolis.” he stood up, Balthazar and Hiegel drawing swords, with the shaman remaining still, looking into the chalice. The rest of Sato’s harem gave Sato back up as Balthazar managed to block Sato’s strike.

“Do you not carry a sword, Aleppolis?” Idalec asked, stepping up into the air to walk up to table level,

“The blade of arrogance.” Aleppolis’s voice vibrated through the room as he slowly got out of his chair,

To Idalec’s left, Balthazar was easily fighting back against Sato with his mace along with the rest of his harem. On the right, Luna was beating Hiegel in hand-to-hand combat, magic flashing as she kept striking him, putting up shields and then dropping them to attack. ‘And here I stand, locked eyes with Aleppolis.’

“Do you fear me?” Aleppolis raised his arms as he floated up onto the table,

“No,” Idalec said, distracted as he kept looking between the left and right battle. Luna kept viciously clashing away,

“Did we meet before by chance?” Aleppolis asked, trying and hitting Idalec with a black mist that, like a wave, crashed around Idalec and kept pouring on,

“We have.” Idalec didn’t pay much mind as he watched Balthazar manage to catch Sato’s face, beads of sweat washing away the charcoal he rubbed on it, leaving him open to an attack by Carrot from the sling, which he took before throwing the mace back at Sato, causing him to practically fly away.

“How tragic,” Aleppolis said as Sato’s mace pierced the marble wall,

“Yeah, was that marble imported?” Idalec sighed,

“AH-” Hiegel screamed for a moment before Luna broke his airway and neck as she jumped straight at Aleppolis, whose back was turned as he had been watching Balthazar running towards Sato,

“Wha-” Aleppolis barely managed as Luna forced him to the ground, ripping her claw right into his face. The mist and red balls of light vanished as Luna’s paw caused the temperature to start rapidly falling, then rising, swelling up Aleppolis’s face to become an unrecognizable piece of flesh.

“This was meant to be my mace.” Balthazar nailed Sato into his chest, picking up the mace.
“And then there was one~” Luna said, licking her paw,

Balthazar started to laugh, “Shamon! Am I not the calamity now? Nobody’s left to contest me!” Balthazar pointed his palm at Sato, as Aka dropped her halberd and started running towards Sato. “Well, one less person to deal with.” Balthazar fired the raging ball of fire just as Aka dived, managing to slide Sato a hair out of harm's way.

“No! My turtle girl!” Sato said as most of Aka had simply melted away, “Why do my slave girls keep dying!?” Sato screamed,

“Hmm, how could you possibly have gotten a hold of this mace?” Balthazar giggled as he slowly turned to face him. In the one second he had taken his eyes off Luna, she had jumped him, grizzled his neck. The next he was dead.

“Now this is mine.” Luna laughed, taking the mace from Balthazar’s clutches.

The sound of two coins falling into the chalice rang around the room.

“Luna,” the shaman said before the ringing had even stopped,

“I guess I forgot you~” Luna laughed, facing the demon,

“Luna, the chalice has spoken; you, the sole candidate, now hold the title of the Calamity.” The Shaman said.

“...”

You could hear the hearts of everyone present beating. Nobody said anything as Luna walked around the table, Sato’s harem and Prix parting as she walked to the shaman. “Chosen thee who is Calamity will know no equals. Chosen by the chalice, one whom candidates cannot deny, thou art Calamity. Friend and foe alike shall know no mercy for thou art Calamity.” The Shaman prayed, gripping the chalice,

“Idalec…” Prix pointed at Luna, “We have to deal with her.” Prix finished as Luna swiped the Shaman’s head clean off, his body falling backwards at the chalice gently on his chest.

“Now~” Luna looked around. “Me~” Luna laughed as she swung Sato’s mace around in a circle,

“Idalec, we have to end her while we have the chance. You and all of humanity will fall if you don’t!” Prix begged intensely,

“Aren’t you out of line~” Luna fired a fireball, which Idalec dissipated. “Idalec~” Luna shrieked as Prix put down both hands onto the table,

“Idalec, it all makes sense! She was the calamity all along! Can you not see it?” Prix hissed as she looked up at Idalec,

“Master~” Luna said, pointing to Prix, “Don’t you think we should get rid of her? She’s always pestering~.”

‘Is this really a problem?’ Idalec wondered as Luna calmly walked around, before Idalec put up a barrier before she could walk to Garia, Mooeh, and Carrot.

“What is this, master~” Luna asked, her face clearly angry,

“Listen, Idalec, you wanted to be good, right? The best thing you could do for all of us is to deal with Luna. Think about it, she shows no mercy for friend or foe!” whispered over harshly,

“How could it possibly be good?” Idalec wondered out loud,

“Read it! Read it again!” Prix hissed as she pulled out a page with the text about the Calamity. Idalec didn’t move to take it. “Idalec, it’s either Luna or us.” Prix urged Idalec, “You don’t understand; she will kill you the first moment she gets.”

‘That is reasonable.’ Idalec thought as he watched Luna tap on his Pure Shield, silently begging to be let through,

“Idalec, this is for everyone's go-.”

“Prix just wants you to kill me! General! Don’t let her sway you.” Luna said, walking along the length of the Pure Shield,

‘Have I overlooked too much?’ Idalec huffed, ‘If Luna hadn’t been Revrho, would I have let her get away with all this?’ Idalec's expression tensed. ‘Maybe I should let Luna rest. Perhaps Revrho is somewhere else.’ “For the good of the many,” Idalec said, looking at Luna, who stood in place, wide-eyed. “Luna, if only you had chosen to stay, if only… Farewell, my dear friend.” Idalec uttered, looking down with a heavy heart as Luna started turning to crystal, ‘But maybe this is Revrho?’

“What are you doing?” Luna demanded as she tried to stumble back, but her legs were frozen. “No-” And there she stood, an obsidian-black statue, with a blank expression; her amber eyes were the only part of her with colour. And colourless was Idalec.