In the middle of nowhere, stood a large mansion towering near the edge a mountain. But this mountain was unlike any other. Instead of forests or snow, a river of lava was flowing from its giant mouth, releasing constantly a column of black smoke all while occasionally some burning rocks to its surroundings. Molten earth covered the entire valley at the foot of the mountain, erasing all lifeforms. In some parts of the mountain itself, ruins and remains of an old civilization were still left over, unharmed by the lava, not yet anyway.

This place was once the home of the dwarves but after the eruption of the volcano, leaving the entire city and nation under the intense heat and a bed of lava, forcing them to leave their home, it was deserted and labelled as one of the most dangerous locations in the world. However, that was what everyone thought. After the eruption has subsided a bit, a group of men has decided to make this place their new main base of operation. For an organization which mainly dealt with secrets and schemes, this place was perfect. No one could gain access to their mansion as there was simply no way to get to it because of the constant lava flow around and the barrier surrounding the house to keep not just the lava out of the way but also against intruders. However, for some reasons, that barrier has now been lifted. At this rate, the lava would one way or another consume the whole building. Just how did this happen?

A portal opened inside the main hall of the mansion and two figures walked in: a tall man with large bat wings and sharp claws for hands while the woman wore a black suit and a tricorne, equipping her dual swords as she readied her weapons for any surprise ambush. They had to be careful since there was no light or torch in the room, a perfect chance for anyone to just suddenly jump at them. Their only source of light was the radiance from the lava outside coming from the many windows in the room.

“So this is the base of Sanctus?” asked Maria while carefully observing her surroundings. “How come there are no guards?”

“…No they are here…only…Take a good look at the ceiling!” Mephisto flinched his eyes sternly at the sight of what was above him.

Following his example, Maria looked up, only to see a terrifying scene. “What in the world….”

Sticking up to the high ceiling of this large mansion was the bodies of at least a few dozens of people who seemed to be the guards of this place. They have been all impaled by abnormally large arrows, or rather spears, pinned to the plaster through either their stomachs or limbs. A red liquid was dripping onto the floor from the long spear-like arrows, still fresh.

“What happened here?” the huntress uttered in shock.

Approaching the dripping spot where the blood was continuing to fall from above, Mephisto crouched down and touched the crimson fluid before smelling it. “Fresh…It has not been even an hour since they were killed. No…I will say they have just been killed before we get here.”

“But by who?” asked Maria.

“….I don’t know…but it’s highly possible that the culprit is still here. Look over there!” the devil pointed at the large pool of blood lying on the ground. At first, the young woman could not see it clearly until a lightning struck outside and revealed the crimson stain. Even more, a trail of blood of something being dragged away from the pool was left on the ground. Judging by the deep red colour and the liquid state, Meto was right to think that everything here has just happened a short moment before their arrival. “Let’s go!” said the devil.

As they passed through corridors after corridors of this mansion, the abhorrence and repugnance of this place were further intensified. Bodies after bodies were found lying in different positions, seemingly trying to escape as many were struck in the back, indicating that they were running away from something or someone, probably the person responsible for this massacre. The servants, the soldiers, they all died to the same kind of arrow from earlier.

“Just who did this?” Maria spoke. While she showed no empathy toward the grunts of Sanctus, the woman was still slightly disgusted by what was around her. The stench of blood filled the air of this place, adding further to the foul mood. Perhaps it was due to her nature, being no longer a human but a monster inside a woman’s cloth, at least from her point of view about herself, Maria was showing signs of nervousness. Strangely, seeing all these atrocities has somehow triggered something inside her: the crave for blood. It was one of the side effects to the children who survived the terrible experiment Sanctus did to them. What those men did, it did not just affect the children’s body but also their minds: a scar, a wound that would never heal. Not only that, it awoke something else, something primal that slept deep within the heart of men: our beastly instinct.

“Look at these arrows! Who and what can even shoot them?” Maria extended her hand to touch one of the arrows stick to the wall. But before she could touch it, her hand was stopped by Mephisto as he gripped firmly on her wrist.

“Don’t touch them!” Mephisto warned. “These may look like a normal arrow, although a bit bigger, but they are coated in a poisonous substance that would kill you instantly.”

Resuming their walk with Maria closing in from behind, the two were now at the end of the corridor, in front of a large door.

“What? How do you know?” asked Maria.

“Because I have seen them before.”

“So you know the one behind this?”

“….I hope I am wrong but…these arrows are undeniably his..But why?”

“Who are you talking about, Mephisto?”

“Please…let it not be him!” Pushing his hands against the heavy door, Mephisto opened it and entered. A dark room with only a round table was in the middle of the chamber. On the table lied a carcass of a human impaled by a giant arrow through his chest with all his limbs extended to five directions including the head. Around him were ten candles, each on a small plate and in front of their respective chairs. Only, nine of them were unlit or rather snuffed out of their light while the last one stood facing the last member still alive. “So it’s really you!” Mephisto spoke in a voice that contained both sadness and anger.

“Welcome to my home, Mephisto! It has been ten years isn’t it? Long-time no see!” said the figure sitting on his chair arrogantly. His left hand was holding a long odd staff made out of a transparent material, revealing the contents of some kind of electric circuit inside it. The head of the staff was a triangle with some key of orb embedded on it. From a glance, it almost looked like a closed eye. But most important of all, the insignia of a gear was imprinted on the staff inside the head of the staff.

“Arshe, the Wanderer…! So you are the boss of Sanctus!” Meto revealed the identity of the figure at the same time as a thunder struck down through the window situated behind his chair, showing his face for a short moment. But even before that, the beastman could be seen thanks to his brilliant blue-like crystal eyes shining in the dark.

“What? Arshe, isn’t he one of the heroes of the party a decade ago?” asked Maria in disbelief. She was aware of the fact after being told by the demon royal guards that the heroes, whose original intention was to purge the demon lord, have in the end changed their objectives and decided to help Asgore accomplishing peace between the races. However, if that was to be the case, then how was it possible that one of them showed up right now and was actually the one pulling the strings of Sanctus all along?

“Why, Arshe? Why did you betray us?” Mephisto shouted.

“Hehehehehe….” The beast hero grinned by himself before bursting in a maniac laughter loudly. “HAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHA!”

“What is wrong with him?” Maria asked, disgusted by the freak.

“I don’t know…But…something feels wrong.” Mephisto uttered before shouting. “Just what are you laughing about? What is so funny in any of these?”

“Oh come on! Can’t a man have a laugh or two? Don’t you see how ironic the current situation is? I am a hero in a villain’ seat while you being the white knight coming to end me but as a demon. What a twist of fate, don’t you agree?” Arshe spoke in a joyful tone.

“Was it you? Could it that you were the one who killed Lord Asgore and the rest? TELL ME!” Mephisto shouted in anger.

“Was it me? Why don’t you ask yourself? I was with you the whole time that day!” Arshe spoke a fake doubtful voice. “But it doesn’t matter, does it... Hehehehe….You came here for a reason so stick to it! Strike me down! HAHAHAHAAHAHA!”

“Gods, this guy is crazy! Mephisto, what do we do?” asked Maria.

“Take him alive! You can cripple him but we need to interrogate him later. We must find out the truth of what happened ten years ago. Also the crimes he committed…what Sanctus did would not go unpunished. GO!”

“HAHAHAAHHA! Come at me, oh poor lost lambs! Let us fall into the pit of madness together! Swim in the endless pool of insanity! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!”

Taking the first initiative, Maria instantly moved on the table and cross-slashed her two swords like lightning. However, Arshe was able to stop both swords using the staff he was holding onto after all these years, not once did he separate himself from it.

“Behold, the eye of Ocellus!” Suddenly, the orb on the staff opened, revealing a large eye with a red pupil looking around as if it was alive. Then once the confused Maria entered its vision, the eye focused and stared right back at her. “FIRE!”

A red beam of energy shot out of the eye, piercing Maria right through her chest and blasted her off against the wall near the door.

“MARIE!” shouted Mephisto upon seeing the hole in her bosom.

“I…am…fine!” the huntress coughed up blood and forced a smile back at the worried devil. For an instant, he forgot that Maria could be said to be one of the hardest person to kill because of the blood of Lilith flowing in her veins. It gave her extreme power of regeneration, going as far as recovering from wounds that would be otherwise fatal like decapitation.

As Maria was recovering from her wounds, Mephisto entered into battle stance.

“” the devil swung his claw in his position. This special technique allowed the user to attack his opponent from a distance with an invisible strike. How was one supposed dodge if he could not see the attack coming at all? However…

“” A red wave of light was released from the eye to its surroundings. In that short instant, Arshe was able to see the supposed invisible attack and used his quick reflex to avoid the strike from Mephisto. “None shall pass undetected by the all-seeing eye of Ocellus.”

“” the devil took flight and dived down at the beast hero, crushing the whole table and blasting away the chairs along with the body pinned to it.

However, Arshe has once again managed to avoid the attack. This was thanks to his beastly instinct and body strengthening techniques allowing a light speed reflex much like many of his race. But there was something weird in his behaviour, almost a bit unnatural.

“Why Arshe? Why are you with Sanctus?” Mephisto yelled as he assaulted furiously with a volleys of claws attacks.

“Why? Because humans and the other races are vermin to this world. Hehehehehe! We are all sinners and therefore must be punished for our sins. You seek peace? There won’t be one. The only peace the world will know is when every last one of us dies! HAHAHAAHAHA!” The beastman proclaimed. Talking like a crazy man, he could not stop his own laughter as if he was on some kind of drug.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Maria, with her wound healed completely, created a long sword made out of blood and plunged it from afar at the beastman. He should have been able to dodge it but he didn’t. He took that full strike that impaled his right arm to the wall. With it, Arshe should no longer be able to move anymore.

“HAHAHAHAHA! Pain and death are the only cure of this affliction called idiocy of man. It was what caused the world so much pain and agony. HEHEHEEHHE! We must repent with pain and with our lives! HOHOHHOHOHOHO!” the beastman continued to laugh as he struggled to get free from the blood sword.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Mephisto uttered upon realizing Arshe’s intention. “STOP!”

The hero used all his strength and moved from the wall, tearing off his arm which was still sticking to the pain because of the sword. Blood splattered everywhere from his bleeding shoulder. And yet, even with that kind of injury, Arshe did not show the slightest sign of being in pain. On the contrary, he had a delightful expression of his face, as if he was in heavens itself.

Falling to his knees with his left hand still holding the sceptre firmly, Arshe entered a praying position as he spoke to the ceiling. “He..hehe…he…Sing it to me please! Don’t stop the hymn! Do it please, just as you did until now! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!...........Yes…yes…I can hear it! It’s so soothing! Don’t stop!!! Continue!!! HEHEHEHEHEHEHE”

“You are a sick fuck! DIE!” Maria shouted as she crouched down, hugging herself in pain. Her eyes started to emit a bright crimson luminescence that shined in the dark. A pair of pointy canines rose from her jaws. Her breath was getting heavy, expiring a white fog from her mouth. The nails became sharper, enough to pierce through hard metal. But what stood out of all was perhaps her battle stance, if it could still be called that way. Instead of standing straight up like a normal human, the blood huntress was on her four legs, still wielding both swords in her hands as she moved around, from left to right all while keeping Arshe in her sight like a beast.

“Hahahaha! Come at me little doggy! Let’s see how you bite!” the hero provoked, shooting a red beam again with the eye at the beastly Maria.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Goldbeard’s mansion, Scarlet was tying up the old dwarf who was so scared of her threats he almost pissed himself.

“Please let me go! I will give you a lot of gold. Everything you want. Just let me go!” the dwarf pled.

“Shut up!” Scarlet kicked him in his crotch, making the old man paralyzed instantly. “You are lucky that we need you alive. Else you would be dead by now for what you have done.”

“Ooooooouuuuuccchhhhh!” the dwarf panted.

Suddenly, a peculiar noise could be heard approaching the room. It was “Flip Flop Flip Flop”, almost like something soft bouncing again and again on the floor. To make sure that it was not the enemy, Scarlet decided to hide behind the door as when it opened, she would be hidden by it and therefore could see through the crack who it was before taking the first strike.

With the noise louder, she knew it was close and prepared her daggers. She was confidant in her skills to take whoever was coming in just under one second. However, Scarlet did not take in account one thing.

*DOOR SLAM and noise of something soft being crushed*

“Yo!” the figure spoke in a joyful tone after storming and pushing the door too hard it almost crushed Scarlet flat. A small blue ball of liquid with a face made from what seemed to be water appeared. It was the slime Azureus. “Sorry for joining the party too late! It’s actually quite comfortable down there so I just kind of slept off….Where is everyone?”

“OUCH!” the huntress shrieked in pain with a girly voice.

“Who the….? SCARLET! Are you okay?” the slime rushed the agonizing woman who was crouching in pain. “Who did this? Don’t worry, I will avenge you!!!”

“I am not dead! You stupid slime! You did this to me. Ouch….”

Looking at the door again, Azureus understood that that strange noise of something soft being crushed was actually Scarlet.

“Oh….well…..sorry!” he stuttered. “But well at least, you are still in one piece right? Hehehe!”

“Shut up!” the girl checked her body for any scar or wound. She still could not understand how this slime could be a demon royal guard. Unlike the others, he seemed so….weak.

“Okay, joke aside! Where are Maria and Mephisto? I see that you have captured an old dude…” the slime turned to the old man who was still panting in pain while hugging his crotch. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I kicked him in his family’s heirloom.”

“Oh that’s why….You what? Damn girl, you are hardcore!”

“What? You want one too?”

“Well I don’t have any ball or stick so you can’t touch me! Hehehe!”

Scarlet stared at the slime intensively with anger increasing in her eyes.

“Okay seriously, where are the others?”

“They went through that portal over there. Supposedly, it is Sanctus’ headquarter.” Scarlet pointed the white portal at the corner of the room.

“I see. Then I guess I will go to. Hopefully there is still something for me to do.” The slime spoke joyfully before jumping into the portal.

“Wait…that bastard…he is already gone…” the girl muttered, still feeling a bit hurt from that door.

As for Azureus, after crossing the portal, he arrived at the large chamber Mephisto and Maria passed by earlier. Looking around for his comrades, Azureus spotted immediately the strange things happening around here: from the bodies sticking up to the ceiling to the blood splattered everywhere. However unlike the other two, his reaction was slightly a bit different.

“Wow, what an unique style of decoration! The architect of this place must have put a lot of efforts into this. And those statues look so real too….Wait a minute, they are real! ….Well at least the people of Sanctus are dedicated to make their headquarter look nice I guess.” The slime casually followed the blood trail Mephisto followed earlier. “I wonder if I can hire the guy who decorated this place…The cave in the underground is a bit bland to my taste.”

However, all of the sudden, as Azureus came upon one of the giant arrows sticking out on the wall on his path, his expression and voice changed to a much more serious tone when he recognized the arrow. “This is….can’t be…right? Arshe is here?”

* * *

“HAHAHAAHAHA! Die, vermin!” Five spears appeared around Arshe and fired themselves at Maria and Mephisto.

“Where is he getting all these spears from?” asked Maria while evading the rain of spears.

“It’s his special ability !” Mephisto shouted, deflecting all projectiles with his claws. “He can create any number of giant arrows out of nowhere anytime he wants and uses his own mana to shoot them.”

“Damn it!” grunted Maria.

“Just don’t let a single one touch you!” the devil warned.

“HEHEHEHEHE! DANCE DANCE DANCE! Dance to the tone of her hymn! Can you hear it? The soothing tone of misery…her sweet gentle voice…HAHAHAHAHAHA! DANCE!”

“Who is he talking about?” questioned Mephisto.

While Maria and Mephisto could avoid or deflect the spears being thrown at them, they did not have that much stamina to last for that long. Meanwhile, Arshe did not show any sign of running out of spears any time soon. Even though he was bleeding heavily due to the lost arm, the hero was still using his power at its full potential, as if he didn’t care for his own life at all.

It was then that Maria made a mistake: she tripped on the body of the dead member of Sanctus from earlier. “Oh shit!” the girl uttered when she saw an incoming spear reflecting in her eyes.

“MARIE!”

…..

“”

A wave of energy emitted from behind Maria and repelled all the spears against the wall, including its caster who was thrown violently at the window, cracking it before falling down to the floor again.

“What…Who?” the hero muttered, unable to grasp who just performed that powerful spell.

From the only door of the room emerged a small figure bouncing forward like a ball toward Maria and Mephisto. The carefree royal guard of Ragna has arrived, only his carefree attitude was nowhere to be found. Instead, he had a solemn expression as he laid his sight on the beast hero who was trying to get up by pushing up against the sceptre.

“Are you two okay?” asked Azureus in a serious tone.

“Yeah….you saved me!” Maria uttered in relief, expiring a long sigh.

“Mephisto, please take Maria back and make sure that you stay behind me” the slime spoke.

“Wait a minute, Azureus! He is too dangerous to take on by yourself!” the devil reached out to the slime.

“Yeah! HEHEHEHE! You better listen to your friends or….” Arshe provoked.

“SILENCE!” An enormous pressure was exerted from the tiny body of the slime, pushing back everyone from him.

Both the devil and Maria could not understand how Azureus could be this powerful, especially Mephisto who has known him for more than a decade, being his comrade in the royal guards. Yet, never has he seen Azureus being capable of wielding this kind of power before. “Azureus, what are you…..”

“Please, Mephisto! Let me handle this! Do not interfere!” with that said, Azureus moved forward a few more steps as he addressed a familiar figure. “Now I am all yours. It has been a long time, Arshe! You don’t seem very….well though.”

“Hehehe Azureus of the royal demon guard, I never thought you would be this powerful. If only….” But the maniac’ speech was interrupted by another wave of pressure from the slime.

“What. Did. You. Call. Me ?” the slime raised his voice and spoke in a broken tone.

“What….ARGGHH!” the pressure flattened Arshe to the ground. “What….are you?”

“Yes…what am I, Arshe?” Azureus spoke.

“How am I supposed to know….ARRGHH!” and another pressure.

“Then we have a problem, Arshe. Or at least that’s how you want people to call you.”

“What…do you mean?” questioned the hero who was once again crushed to the ground.

“The ‘Arshe’ I knew is actually aware of who I am. I told him after all. In addition, Arshe would never call me ‘Azureus’. That begs the question: if you are not Arshe, then what are you and what have you done to him?” the slime posed his question firmly with a threatening voice.

“…..” the hero stayed silent.

“No answers….I expect that much. A fake would never be able to mimic the real perfectly. That’s why it’s called a fake in the first place. So what do I do with you now?”

“…..Hehehehehee HEHEHEEHEHEHEHEEHEHE HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAH!” Arshe laughed maniacally as if he has never laughed before.

“….” The slime stayed silent, watching the hero in his madness.

“Well played! I did not expect this at all…To think a common slime could be this powerful…Hehehe…just what are you?”

“I could ask the same to you. You are not Arshe aren’t you? The body is indeed his but his mind has completely been taken over by you. But too bad that you didn’t access his memories. Try to learn it next time you want to possess someone!” Azureus explained.

“…..you fucker!” insulted the possessed Arshe. “I guess this is the end…”

“Wise choice!” said the slime. “Release him, NOW!”

“….Don’t think this is over yet, not that easily!” Arshe held the staff and pointed the eye to his heart. “FIRE!”

“NO!” shouted the slime as he lunged forward toward Arshe.

But it was too late. The beam has been shot from the eye and pierced the hero through his own heart. It was as powerful as it was when it was used against Maria but that attack was fatal.

Falling down on his knees, the hero released the staff from his hand, letting it fall to the ground and making a clacking sound as it hit the floor. But unknown to everyone else in the room who were shocked at the scene, a presence has left the staff and vanished from the place without leaving a trace of it ever being here.

“Arshe, Arshe!” Azureus called out to the hero in despair.

“The song…the hymning…it finally stops….”the hero panted, coughing blood as he drew his final breaths. His eyes started to lose its bright ocean dye and returned to old brown colour it once was.

“Arshe, can you hear me? Arshe!!!!” Azureus continued to shout at the dying figure next to him.

In the blurry vision he had at this final short instant, Arshe has finally come back to himself as he laid his eyes upon a familiar face he once knew.

“Prim? …Is that you?....What….have I been doing all these…times?” the hero uttered in a tired voice.

“It’s ok, Arshe. I am here.” The slime reassured, knowing what would happen next.

“…It’s good to see you…my friend……………………” and those were the last words of the hero Arshe as his soul left this world.

“…..Rest in peace, Arshe, old friend!” Azureus swiped the opening eyes of the hero with a hand from his small body as a sign of respect to the dead. Putting down the corpse of his friend on the floor, the slime just stood there, doing nothing.

“Azureus…” watching his comrade from behind like that, Mephisto could not help but wanting to say something to comfort him. But what would he say? He simply didn’t know.

“Mephisto, could we bring Arshe back please? We need to make a proper burial for him…I know he was with Sanctus but at the time, he was not himself….” The slime uttered.

“…Sure! I don’t mind…” the devil answered. Walking up to the slime, he took the body of the hero in his hands.

“Thanks..Let us leave this place! I am getting tired of this…” the slime proposed.

“Me too…Let us go Maria!” Mephisto called out to the woman who rushed to his side.

“Wait! I will take this too.” Maria grabbed the sceptre of the ground. She recognized it instantly as one of the Tempus Machina thanks to the insignia of a gear she saw inside it. Last time she heard, Alastor was looking for them so it might be useful to take it back.

On their way back to the portal, there were no words exchanged about what just happened. None of them really exactly what has transpired here even though they have witnessed it with their own eyes. So many mysteries…and no answers.

Maria, concerned about the silence of the slime, decided to break it.

“Azureus, you sure you are alright? You two knew each other right?” she asked.

“….Yeah! He and I have…had history together. He was a nice guy, a bit carefree but I guess that’s part of what made him so interesting.”

“…Are you sad?”

“….I am used to it. People die while I live on, continue my existence as usual…I just need a….moment, some time to let it pass away. Time cures everything.”

“…But what are you, Azureus? You can’t be just a slime, not with that kind of power.” Maria asked.

“Do you wish to know?” Azureus asked in a serious tone.

“…yes…?” Maria uttered.

“Are you sure?” Azureus asked again, even more serious.

“…is there something that will happen to me if I know about it?” Maria inquired in a slightly trembling voice.

“Nothing! But just know that everyone who was once aware of my identity is now dead. Well except for Lilith since she can’t really die. So I ask again, Maria, do you still wish to know despite knowing that?”

“…On second thought, maybe not!” Maria muttered.

“Too bad then!” smiled Azureus.

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Author's note:

Hope you enjoyed it! ^^