{THREE MONTHS LATER}

Swordmachine lay asleep in his bed, his dreams betraying his thoughts.

(IN THE DREAMS OF SWORDMACHINE)

To say swordmachine was miserable these past few months would be understatement.

To say he was absolutely furious wouldn't be an understatement.

Again and again he'd tried to fight V1.

Again and again he'd fail.

Swordmachine was many things, but an idiot was not one of them.

He'd been forced to somewhat come to terms with the fact that V1 was simply... better.

And he hated him for that.

As if to add insult to injury, under V1's command. The team had quite the multitude of successful missions, wiping out entire miniature hollows.

Never revealed to the public of course.

And swordmachine hated that aswell.

He thought he'd be recognized, adored by all for what he was capable of.

But he's not even allowed to be in New Eridu.

The fabled city, where dreams come true.

But his dream would never come true.

All because of the one who was given it all.

The one he'd forever be cursed to remain in the shadow of.

The perfect weapon.

But it didn't matter.

Because, he'd make that short stack pay.

He-.̴̧̯̲̫̰̻̣̖͙̎͌́͌͛.̴̧̧̫̳͕̳̱̮͎̱̗͛̀̿̈̍̏͋̂̈́́̍͠ ̴̗̈́̒̑̐͋̈́̐̐͋̊̀͂͝.̸̛͚͙̺̅̍̃̔̍.̵͖͚͚͇͚̯̟̖̜̯̙͗̔͆̕.̷̯͙̯̭̹̄́͒̋́͝ ̶̪͊͒͑͛͊̆͋̎̚͘͝ͅ/̴̥̦̯̲̟̞̘͎͓͇̥͙̼͓͒̓̔͠ ̸̛̖̗͙͇̱͇̼͗̍͂͋̿̈͠͠ͅ-̶̺͍͙̥̼͐̆͗͒̿̔̇̊͝ͅ.̴̝͙̫͎͔̽̍.̶̧̛͓͕͕͕̓͊͋̈́͌̎̋̕͝ ̸̘̥̮̥̪̮͓̰̉͠.̵͙̪̭̠̱̭͕͓̫̬͚͑́͝͝ ̵̪̪͍̤̙̖̻̍̈́͒͘.̴̗̲̦͍̼̤̖͕̟͈͓͒́̋́̏̐̉̈́̋́̊̕͝-̶̨̛̹̟̣̺̻͕̗̥͔̲̽͐̊̏̒̔̅̑͘ ̷̡̪̰̟̯̠̯̬̞͎̯͔̩̔̈́́̐̈́̔͐͑̍̚̚͠͝͝-̴̙̣̲͑͌̊͜͠ͅ ̴̧̛͇̼̻͕̈́͂̓̿̏̂̽͝.̸̤͖͓͇̐̍̒̆̈́̔̑̆̈́́̕.̵̪̯̺͓̳̣̫̿.̶̻̬͇̙͒͜.̸͓̠̰͎̟͚̲͍͇̭͇̹̗̹̘̒̽̊̈́̀͘ ̶̛̘̌̓͒́̋͝͠͝/̷̧̨̛̘͔̫̲̞̣̰̼̲̺̻̗͌͗ͅ ̸̡̣̤̪̳͙̮̗̹̘̉͑̒͊̈̌̃̄̏̆͊.̴̛̜̜̺̟͙̗͕͇͂̊̒͌͗̃.̵̙̬͚͙͉̗̻̏́̎͛͝.̴̨͙͖̻̙͉̗̪͛̍̽̉͛̀ ̶̧̡̢̭̥͙͍̜͛̐͋̿̓̓̏́̕͘͘͜͝͠.̸̢̧̙̮͕̦̘͓̞̭̾̂̒͛͛͜͝.̸̧̨̡̜̬̗̤̝̘̪̠̬͕͇̹́̀̓̋̆͛̈́͑̕̕.̶͇͂͐͑̌̑̄̈́̄̄͛̕.̸̧̖̥͓̫͊͛͋̽ͅ ̴͚͕̩̭̈̊͋̉̑̐̄̂̂͑͑͂͠.̵̪͈͇̪̦̳͉͔͉̹̑̒̍̿̀͗̅͆-̵̨̠̂̒͠ ̵̧̪̪̪̱̔̄́̓̈̓̈́̌͐͌͗͂̆̚͝.̷̢͊̂̐-̸̢̹͚̪̼̥̫̬̥̟̳̗͇͙̍̊̈́͑̔̀̽̒̈̋̑͋.̴̼̩̦̩̮̞̺̽̑̓̒̎.̴͍̜͕̟̜̞͉͓̝̒͛͜ͅ ̸̨̧̣͈͉̟̰̤͔͚͉͉̼̅͊̀̑͛̇͐̋̂̆͛̅͊̏͘ͅ.̶̨͍͎͙̺̜̲͕̮̖͕͚͎̥̄̀̓̏̾͝-̶̧̰͎͚̺̂̏͘̚.̸͚̥̪̮͌̀̑̑ͅ.̸̛̛̘̗̥̮̯̙͎͍̠̱͉̉̎̂̔͋̆̈́̋̃̏̽̕͘ ̴̜͂̐̆/̷͈̙̘̳̅̌̑͊ ̶̧̞̳̆̇͛̈̅͊̐̂͘̚-̸̡̮͙͈͚͓̹͉̦̻̘͚̺̦̤̄̐̄͆̋̈́̾̈́̌.̷̛͔̺̗̰͇̅̄̋̈̈́́̎̇͑͑̈́͠ͅ.̸̡͍͙̪͎̮̬̼̘̙̘̺͉̾̊̄͛͌̈́̾̈̽͂̽͘̚͠͠.̵̢̛̯͉̣̬̥̗̫̫̺̹̔̾̉̚ ̶̧̲͇͚̞̻͍̞̟̮̳̯̄͒̆̉͋̓͘͜ͅ.̵͉̱̭̪͉͇̱̏̊͌͘̕͘ ̷̛̼̞͉͕̘̊̋̋̀̂̽͗̈́͑͗͘/̷̧̢̛̰̹̭̩̼̈́̍̔̓̽͑̊̅͗̓̓͗̎͜͜ͅ ̸̙͙̜̙̯̫̻̭̦͗̋̃̾͆̊ͅ.̶̪͚͍̹͗̈́̈́̎̑̈́̽̒̑̈́̾̽̀̕̕.̶̡̤̞͔͉̹̺̳̻͚͚̰͈̈́͋̈́̃̄̐͘͜.̷̨̨̣̗͍̙̩̳͈͎̫̻͚̑̆͌̀̇̈́͂̈́̀̐͂̌̚͠ ̶̮̜̖̙̫̒̽̊̓̈͆͘͘.̵̢̡̛͈̪̥̲̞̹̫̫̹̖̩͜-̵̧̲̻̳̤̯̞͎̜͔̗̈́̋̈̇̐̋̂̈́̓̋-̵̡͍̭̭̭͘ ̵̢̡̝̰͓̺̩̻͔̩̤̇͑̋̅́̃̀̑̂́̍̕̚͝.̵̛̖̖̙͚͇̈́͒̿̑̉̊͑̋.̶̛̘̑̂̃́͛̉̔̓͝ ̸̟̭̣̥͙̝͕̅̋̿̓͂̕͘͜.̸̡̻͚͓̟̳̗̈́̾̀̈́͘͝ͅ.̷͇͓̯̻͍̺̤̩̻͉̝͛͐̂̈́̕-̸̧̧͎̖̤̼͕͚̰̿̏.̷̧̤̦͉̖̳̽̓̊̋́͝ ̷̧̾̆͋̑̐̈́̑̅͐̚͝-̷̧͔̱̖̭̎̉̇͛̋͘͜͠

.̴̡̬͇̳͖̥̯̈́́̊͐͌̉̄̆͐̚.̷̺̯̭̟̉͑͂́͂̊͒͘͘.̶̛̦͚͍͖̳̟͔͖͂̓̊̿̏͐̚ ̸͔̘̮̠͓͈̭̈͜.̴̧̯̲̫̰̻̣̖͙̎͌́͌͛.̴̧̧̫̳͕̳̱̮͎̱̗͛̀̿̈̍̏͋̂̈́́̍͠ ̴̗̈́̒̑̐͋̈́̐̐͋̊̀͂͝.̸̛͚͙̺̅̍̃̔̍.̵͖͚͚͇͚̯̟̖̜̯̙͗̔͆̕.̷̯͙̯̭̹̄́͒̋́͝ ̶̪͊͒͑͛͊̆͋̎̚͘͝ͅ/̴̥̦̯̲̟̞̘͎͓͇̥͙̼͓͒̓̔͠ ̸̛̖̗͙͇̱͇̼͗̍͂͋̿̈͠͠ͅ-̶̺͍͙̥̼͐̆͗͒̿̔̇̊͝ͅ.̴̝͙̫͎͔̽̍.̶̧̛͓͕͕͕̓͊͋̈́͌̎̋̕͝ ̸̘̥̮̥̪̮͓̰̉͠.̵͙̪̭̠̱̭͕͓̫̬͚͑́͝͝ ̵̪̪͍̤̙̖̻̍̈́͒͘.̴̗̲̦͍̼̤̖͕̟͈͓͒́̋́̏̐̉̈́̋́̊̕͝-̶̨̛̹̟̣̺̻͕̗̥͔̲̽͐̊̏̒̔̅̑͘ ̷̡̪̰̟̯̠̯̬̞͎̯͔̩̔̈́́̐̈́̔͐͑̍̚̚͠͝͝-̴̙̣̲͑͌̊͜͠ͅ ̴̧̛͇̼̻͕̈́͂̓̿̏̂̽͝.̸̤͖͓͇̐̍̒̆̈́̔̑̆̈́́̕.̵̪̯̺͓̳̣̫̿.̶̻̬͇̙͒͜.̸͓̠̰͎̟͚̲͍͇̭͇̹̗̹̘̒̽̊̈́̀͘ ̶̛̘̌̓͒́̋͝͠͝/̷̧̨̛̘͔̫̲̞̣̰̼̲̺̻̗͌͗ͅ ̸̡̣̤̪̳͙̮̗̹̘̉͑̒͊̈̌̃̄̏̆͊.̴̛̜̜̺̟͙̗͕͇͂̊̒͌͗̃.̵̙̬͚͙͉̗̻̏́̎͛͝.̴̨͙͖̻̙͉̗̪͛̍̽̉͛̀ ̶̧̡̢̭̥͙͍̜͛̐͋̿̓̓̏́̕͘͘͜͝͠.̸̢̧̙̮͕̦̘͓̞̭̾̂̒͛͛͜͝.̸̧̨̡̜̬̗̤̝̘̪̠̬͕͇̹́̀̓̋̆͛̈́͑̕̕.̶͇͂͐͑̌̑̄̈́̄̄͛̕.̸̧̖̥͓̫͊͛͋̽ͅ ̴͚͕̩̭̈̊͋̉̑̐̄̂̂͑͑͂͠.̵̪͈͇̪̦̳͉͔͉̹̑̒̍̿̀͗̅͆-̵̨̠̂̒͠ ̵̧̪̪̪̱̔̄́̓̈̓̈́̌͐͌͗͂̆̚͝.̷̢͊̂̐-̸̢̹͚̪̼̥̫̬̥̟̳̗͇͙̍̊̈́͑̔̀̽̒̈̋̑͋.̴̼̩̦̩̮̞̺̽̑̓̒̎.̴͍̜͕̟̜̞͉͓̝̒͛͜ͅ ̸̨̧̣͈͉̟̰̤͔͚͉͉̼̅͊̀̑͛̇͐̋̂̆͛̅͊̏͘ͅ.̶̨͍͎͙̺̜̲͕̮̖͕͚͎̥̄̀̓̏̾͝-̶̧̰͎͚̺̂̏͘̚.̸͚̥̪̮͌̀̑̑ͅ.̸̛̛̘̗̥̮̯̙͎͍̠̱͉̉̎̂̔͋̆̈́̋̃̏̽̕͘ ̴̜͂̐̆/̷͈̙̘̳̅̌̑͊ ̶̧̞̳̆̇͛̈̅͊̐̂͘̚-̸̡̮͙͈͚͓̹͉̦̻̘͚̺̦̤̄̐̄͆̋̈́̾̈́̌.̷̛͔̺̗̰͇̅̄̋̈̈́́̎̇͑͑̈́͠ͅ.̸̡͍͙̪͎̮̬̼̘̙̘̺͉̾̊̄͛͌̈́̾̈̽͂̽͘̚͠͠.̵̢̛̯͉̣̬̥̗̫̫̺̹̔̾̉̚ ̶̧̲͇͚̞̻͍̞̟̮̳̯̄͒̆̉͋̓͘͜ͅ.̵͉̱̭̪͉͇̱̏̊͌͘̕͘ ̷̛̼̞͉͕̘̊̋̋̀̂̽͗̈́͑͗͘/̷̧̢̛̰̹̭̩̼̈́̍̔̓̽͑̊̅͗̓̓͗̎͜͜ͅ ̸̙͙̜̙̯̫̻̭̦͗̋̃̾͆̊ͅ.̶̪͚͍̹͗̈́̈́̎̑̈́̽̒̑̈́̾̽̀̕̕.̶̡̤̞͔͉̹̺̳̻͚͚̰͈̈́͋̈́̃̄̐͘͜.̷̨̨̣̗͍̙̩̳͈͎̫̻͚̑̆͌̀̇̈́͂̈́̀̐͂̌̚͠ ̶̮̜̖̙̫̒̽̊̓̈͆͘͘.̵̢̡̛͈̪̥̲̞̹̫̫̹̖̩͜-̵̧̲̻̳̤̯̞͎̜͔̗̈́̋̈̇̐̋̂̈́̓̋-̵̡͍̭̭̭͘ ̵̢̡̝̰͓̺̩̻͔̩̤̇͑̋̅́̃̀̑̂́̍̕̚͝.̵̛̖̖̙͚͇̈́͒̿̑̉̊͑̋.̶̛̘̑̂̃́͛̉̔̓͝ ̸̟̭̣̥͙̝͕̅̋̿̓͂̕͘͜.̸̡̻͚͓̟̳̗̈́̾̀̈́͘͝ͅ.̷͇͓̯̻͍̺̤̩̻͉̝͛͐̂̈́̕-̸̧̧͎̖̤̼͕͚̰̿̏.̷̧̤̦͉̖̳̽̓̊̋́͝ ̷̧̾̆͋̑̐̈́̑̅͐̚͝-̷̧͔̱̖̭̎̉̇͛̋͘͜͠

.̸̭͇͚̞͉̈̑͋̋͒͐͂́͋͛̑͗͠.̴̡̬͇̳͖̥̯̈́́̊͐͌̉̄̆͐̚.̷̺̯̭̟̉͑͂́͂̊͒͘͘.̶̛̦͚͍͖̳̟͔͖͂̓̊̿̏͐̚ ̸͔̘̮̠͓͈̭̈͜.̴̧̯̲̫̰̻̣̖͙̎͌́͌͛.̴̧̧̫̳͕̳̱̮͎̱̗͛̀̿̈̍̏͋̂̈́́̍͠ ̴̗̈́̒̑̐͋̈́̐̐͋̊̀͂͝.̸̛͚͙̺̅̍̃̔̍.̵͖͚͚͇͚̯̟̖̜̯̙͗̔͆̕.̷̯͙̯̭̹̄́͒̋́͝ ̶̪͊͒͑͛͊̆͋̎̚͘͝ͅ/̴̥̦̯̲̟̞̘͎͓͇̥͙̼͓͒̓̔͠ ̸̛̖̗͙͇̱͇̼͗̍͂͋̿̈͠͠ͅ-̶̺͍͙̥̼͐̆͗͒̿̔̇̊͝ͅ.̴̝͙̫͎͔̽̍.̶̧̛͓͕͕͕̓͊͋̈́͌̎̋̕͝ ̸̘̥̮̥̪̮͓̰̉͠.̵͙̪̭̠̱̭͕͓̫̬͚͑́͝͝ ̵̪̪͍̤̙̖̻̍̈́͒͘.̴̗̲̦͍̼̤̖͕̟͈͓͒́̋́̏̐̉̈́̋́̊̕͝-̶̨̛̹̟̣̺̻͕̗̥͔̲̽͐̊̏̒̔̅̑͘ ̷̡̪̰̟̯̠̯̬̞͎̯͔̩̔̈́́̐̈́̔͐͑̍̚̚͠͝͝-̴̙̣̲͑͌̊͜͠ͅ ̴̧̛͇̼̻͕̈́͂̓̿̏̂̽͝.̸̤͖͓͇̐̍̒̆̈́̔̑̆̈́́̕.̵̪̯̺͓̳̣̫̿.̶̻̬͇̙͒͜.̸͓̠̰͎̟͚̲͍͇̭͇̹̗̹̘̒̽̊̈́̀͘ ̶̛̘̌̓͒́̋͝͠͝/̷̧̨̛̘͔̫̲̞̣̰̼̲̺̻̗͌͗ͅ ̸̡̣̤̪̳͙̮̗̹̘̉͑̒͊̈̌̃̄̏̆͊.̴̛̜̜̺̟͙̗͕͇͂̊̒͌͗̃.̵̙̬͚͙͉̗̻̏́̎͛͝.̴̨͙͖̻̙͉̗̪͛̍̽̉͛̀ ̶̧̡̢̭̥͙͍̜͛̐͋̿̓̓̏́̕͘͘͜͝͠.̸̢̧̙̮͕̦̘͓̞̭̾̂̒͛͛͜͝.̸̧̨̡̜̬̗̤̝̘̪̠̬͕͇̹́̀̓̋̆͛̈́͑̕̕.̶͇͂͐͑̌̑̄̈́̄̄͛̕.̸̧̖̥͓̫͊͛͋̽ͅ ̴͚͕̩̭̈̊͋̉̑̐̄̂̂͑͑͂͠.̵̪͈͇̪̦̳͉͔͉̹̑̒̍̿̀͗̅͆-̵̨̠̂̒͠ ̵̧̪̪̪̱̔̄́̓̈̓̈́̌͐͌͗͂̆̚͝.̷̢͊̂̐-̸̢̹͚̪̼̥̫̬̥̟̳̗͇͙̍̊̈́͑̔̀̽̒̈̋̑͋.̴̼̩̦̩̮̞̺̽̑̓̒̎.̴͍̜͕̟̜̞͉͓̝̒͛͜ͅ ̸̨̧̣͈͉̟̰̤͔͚͉͉̼̅͊̀̑͛̇͐̋̂̆͛̅͊̏͘ͅ.̶̨͍͎͙̺̜̲͕̮̖͕͚͎̥̄̀̓̏̾͝-̶̧̰͎͚̺̂̏͘̚.̸͚̥̪̮͌̀̑̑ͅ.̸̛̛̘̗̥̮̯̙͎͍̠̱͉̉̎̂̔͋̆̈́̋̃̏̽̕͘ ̴̜͂̐̆/̷͈̙̘̳̅̌̑͊ ̶̧̞̳̆̇͛̈̅͊̐̂͘̚-̸̡̮͙͈͚͓̹͉̦̻̘͚̺̦̤̄̐̄͆̋̈́̾̈́̌.̷̛͔̺̗̰͇̅̄̋̈̈́́̎̇͑͑̈́͠ͅ.̸̡͍͙̪͎̮̬̼̘̙̘̺͉̾̊̄͛͌̈́̾̈̽͂̽͘̚͠͠.̵̢̛̯͉̣̬̥̗̫̫̺̹̔̾̉̚ ̶̧̲͇͚̞̻͍̞̟̮̳̯̄͒̆̉͋̓͘͜ͅ.̵͉̱̭̪͉͇̱̏̊͌͘̕͘ ̷̛̼̞͉͕̘̊̋̋̀̂̽͗̈́͑͗͘/̷̧̢̛̰̹̭̩̼̈́̍̔̓̽͑̊̅͗̓̓͗̎͜͜ͅ ̸̙͙̜̙̯̫̻̭̦͗̋̃̾͆̊ͅ.̶̪͚͍̹͗̈́̈́̎̑̈́̽̒̑̈́̾̽̀̕̕.̶̡̤̞͔͉̹̺̳̻͚͚̰͈̈́͋̈́̃̄̐͘͜.̷̨̨̣̗͍̙̩̳͈͎̫̻͚̑̆͌̀̇̈́͂̈́̀̐͂̌̚͠ ̶̮̜̖̙̫̒̽̊̓̈͆͘͘.̵̢̡̛͈̪̥̲̞̹̫̫̹̖̩͜-̵̧̲̻̳̤̯̞͎̜͔̗̈́̋̈̇̐̋̂̈́̓̋-̵̡͍̭̭̭͘ ̵̢̡̝̰͓̺̩̻͔̩̤̇͑̋̅́̃̀̑̂́̍̕̚͝.̵̛̖̖̙͚͇̈́͒̿̑̉̊͑̋.̶̛̘̑̂̃́͛̉̔̓͝ ̸̟̭̣̥͙̝͕̅̋̿̓͂̕͘͜.̸̡̻͚͓̟̳̗̈́̾̀̈́͘͝ͅ.̷͇͓̯̻͍̺̤̩̻͉̝͛͐̂̈́̕-̸̧̧͎̖̤̼͕͚̰̿̏.̷̧̤̦͉̖̳̽̓̊̋́͝ ̷̧̾̆͋̑̐̈́̑̅͐̚͝-̷̧͔̱̖̭̎̉̇͛̋͘͜͠

!!!

"Fuck!" swordmachines eyes shot open, his ears assaulted by the intercom spouting an order to everyone in the facility to wake up. It echoed down the hall that lead to his room and his fellow team members respective rooms.

He groaned in annoyance as he forced himself up.

"Alright.." he signed, stretching his arms, he got himself out of bed, did his daily routine, and got himself dressed in the tactical armor he was forced to use after his original clothes were singed in his and V1's first confrontation for the place as leader. (most of which he had stolen) and grabbed the new pair of mechanical boots he'd also recently taken from one of other test subjects.

Swordmachine thought about it for a moment as he grabbed them. who'd he take these from again?. 'sentry I think..?' he thought to himself. Not that he cared all that much to try and remember their code name.

What he did remember is that they allowed him to stick his feet into the ground and hold his position no matter how much force pushed against him.

Better for him to use it rather than some idiot.

Once fully ready, he exited his room and entered the long hallway, his teammates also existing their rooms around the same time.

Mindflayers hair glowed with an almost angelic light. It was obvious she'd spent an ungodly amount of time working on it. She'd most likely been awake long before the intercom woke the rest of them up.

V2 simply came out of her room with a huff, looking as annoyed as ever. her black hair nice and straight, nowhere near as kept up as mindflayers, but it was more than certainly enough to exemplify her enamoring yellow eyes.

Swordmachine always took note of her form.

As much as he hated her, he had to admit to himself. She was very physically appealing.

Too bad her personality was so wishy washy.

And the person responsible for that just walked out of his room..

"Morning bro" V2 said with a smile, her face quickly changing from its once annoyed look.

"Does my hair look nice?" Mindflayer asked"

Swordmachine didn't even attempt to hide his scoff.

V1 simply nodded in their direction as the intercom came back on.

"team 'ULTRA' please report to command for your next mission, a hollow has suddenly formed on the edge of New Eridus border, Sector 543." the women over the intercom asked.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Location: suddenly formed Hollow

Explosions could be heard seemingly everywhere.

Rapidly fading ethereals lay everywhere, V1's zooming form dashed through the newly formed hollow, destroying the newly formed Ethereals as soon as they appeared and absorbing their essence as he went.

V2, while not as fast. Also dashed through the hollow, ripping and tearing through ethereal after ethereal.

Swordmachine and mindflayer did their best to keep up. Her firing blue spheres of etheric energy, and Swordmachine slicing and dicing any ethereal left in those twos wake.

"This is gunna ruin my hair!"

"Just fix it after we're done" swordmachine sighed at mindflayers incessant panicking.

"Will you two the fuck shut up and keep up?" V2 groaned in annoyance as she grabbed an ethereal by its 'head' and flung it into several more.

"Right.." Swordmachine growled

Swordmachine threw his sword like a boomerang, slicing through a group of Ethereals.

Mindflayer charged a ball of etheric energy, before releasing in laser that incinerated any ethereal it came into contact with.

V1 jumped in the air, spinning as he released four coins at once, and right before hitting the ground, he charged up a shot and fired at the nearest coin.

The blast ricocheted off each coin, gaining enough energy to form into a massive blast of energy, annihilating almost a dozen Ethereals.

Absorbing the energy, his veins glowed with an etheric glow.

V2 ripped an ethereal in half before quickly charging another and grabbing its leg, slamming it into another ethereal like a mace.

One could compare this to a slaughter, if the ethereals were still humans of course.

- - - - - - - - - - -

When all was said and done. In mere minutes the entire hollow was obliterated.

Absorbing the last fading ethereal, V1's head twitched slightly.

"Finally!" V2 said while stretching her arms.

"my hair still looks good right!?" Mindflayer sweatdroped. Rapidly looking herself over in her hand mirror.

Swordmachine sighed.

"Will yo-" Swordmachine was cut off by the sound of a rumble.

The grounds stability was quickly being called into question.

"What the hell i-" before V2 could even finish her sentence, the area around them seemed to shimmer. But also... glitch?

"The hollows collapsing" V1 said quickly

"Shit, It usually takes an hour at least!" Swordmachine yelled.

The four quickly tired to make their exit out of the hollow.

Fissures rapidly opening and closing as soon as they appeared.

"Do not fall into the fissures. They are not controlled by any person or being, it is unclear where you would end up if you were to fall into one." V1 warned as he zoomed him way closer to the barrier of hollow, V2 quickly following behind.

Mindflayer wasn't that far behind either, flying in the air behind them.

Swordmachine being slowest, was slowly falling behind. When a sudden fissure seemingly opened up right under him.

He desperately tried jumping over it to no avail, it was quite the big fissure, while he was able to cling to the dirt, half of him still fell through.

He held onto the ground for dear life, before yelling for his teammates for help.

"Help me!"

The three turned to see swordmachines rapidly sinking form.

"Just leave him!" V2 yelled, mindflayer nodding in agreement.

V1 stopped running, thinking for only a moment.

"You two go, I'll get him"

"But-"

"Go" V1 simply stated

"...fine. Grab that piece of shit and then get the hell of this thing"

V2 then ran at top speed, making it out of the hollow, mindflayer not far behind her.

V1 quickly made his way back to swordmachine, grabbing his arm to help pull him back up.

"Come on" V1 simply said.

Swordmachine stared at him as he was pulled out.

Before quickly drawing his sword and stabbing V1 in the chest.

"..."

V1's usual clam eyes widened for the first time in what felt like forever, quickly using this to his advantage, swordmachine pulled himself up, dragging V1 down and using the momentum to throw V1 into the fissure.

Not before pulling his sword out of his chest as he fell through of course.

"Good riddance" swordmachine said with a look of disgust.

Swordsmachine had no moment to celebrate his 'victory' as the ground shook once more, he turned and ran at top speed, desperate to get out of the hollow as it begin to fully collapse, he made a desperate jump out, the hollow imploding in onto itself as he did, leaving a massive crater where the hollow used to be.

He lay on his back, staring at the newly made crater, the thing that had finally freed him of his demon.

His face had the widest smile.

- - - - - - - - - - - With a crash, V1 landed in what felt like a dumpster.

His chest pooled blood.

The sword missed his heart. But barely.

It'd punctured the side, and unless he absorbed some ether on the spot, his heart wouldn't heal fast enough.

But he had no clue where he was, let alone any idea where the closest hollow was.

He was doomed, plain and simple.

Yet... the end didn't scare him as much as one would think.

He simply reached his out for God. Hoping that he would at least answer his last prayer.

But it didn't seem he would answer.

It didn't seem he was ever going to answer.

'Fair enough..' he thought

V1 hoped swordmachine was happy with his choice.

Whatever reason he had for doing it.

He began to close his eyes, accepting his end.

Then, he heard what sounded like a voice.

"Belle come help!"

The voice sounded like a man's. Then, he heard what also hear what sounded like a women's panicked voice.

"What happened?!"

Everything was going blurry.

Before he could discern else.

He blacked out.

"Beware of false profits, who come to in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" - Matthew

(Hey guys, uh... about this chapter. It took way too long. It's nowhere near as long as the other two and it still took like a month, I'm not proud of how long it took to make this chapter and I am sorry.

Especially since in general, I don't... really think it's good. Like, at all.

Around the time I realized how long it was taking, I rushed the chapter out, and I think it suffered because of it.

But if you enjoyed it, (or didn't) please feel free to give your opinions!

I'll try my best not to set a time for the next few chapters releases and then not meet them!)

Tfor the next