Lance's assumption failed him. Theo is still alive, breathing well, and seemed not had yet seeped his strength as he is now showing a tremendous prowess usurping their mere presence by his heavy aura. His stride became more ominous and malevolent.

“What the hell?” Alastor asked.

His torn clothes are no longer to hide the marks on his body. It is the sign of an Arbiter.

“I didn’t expect you to be one, but what the hell, you came from that country, of course, you’re one of them,” Alastor said.

“If you can’t defeat me back in Vesoga Plain, what makes you think you can beat me now?” Theo asked Lance.

There were no words that would come out of Lance’s mouth. He too hoped that with this team-up they would be able to defeat Theo, but the current situation showed that he is too much for them. A strength that goes beyond their limits stands after them.

“‘Tis weaklings suffer from great usurpation when face greater than them. I do not blame you for feeling inferior, had you yet faced the fact of greater existence that is superior to all of you. Know this, all of you are mere, weak, petulant warriors. You cannot hope to defeat me. I am the bridge that you cannot cross. Blame your heritage for being weak and die.” Theo said.

Alastor firmly gripped his sword. His face writhed in pain as he removed a small trunk that pierces his stomach. The wound immediately healed as he placed his palm on it and used magic to stop the bleeding.

Alastor charged towards Theo and leaped, bombarding him with combos but it was all for naught as Theo impeccably parried every ounce of strength poured on his sword. Theo deflected his attack which makes Alastor drawback. Alastor conjured a magical wall to defend himself against Theo’s merciless flame and when the smoke was finally pushed by the torrenting wind, he was mocked by Theo.

“So, you are a Mana Folder? I thought you were something better than them, but it seems that you’re no better.” Theo said. “You are the weakest of all of them, yet you show callousness in this disconsolateness. I commend you for that, but I’m afraid you are out of time.”

Theo kicked him right into his guts and push him out of his way – attacking Alastor’s allies. Theo was about to land a hit on Lance, but someone pushed him aside and blocked Theo’s attack.

“I hope we’re not too late,” Linda said. “So, anyone would care to explain to me what’s the explosion is all about?” she asked.

Linda’s twin ice swords flash against Theo’s. She gritted her teeth as Theo effortlessly exerted more strength as if Linda’s beneath him. Gary tried to used his fire magic against Theo but it was shoved off with ease like it was nothing.

Alastor couldn’t deny that he felt relieved seeing that they were here to back them up, but it was a momentarily hope. He knew that their strength is not enough. Truthfully, they don’t think that there’s anyone in this city that can stop this madman.

“To make it clear to all of you, I’m going to show you a glimpse of my true strength,” Theo said.

With a single swift, a portion of the building was cut off and for another one, the building tremors and breakdown. The stepping floor that they stand on collapses along the way.

Theo didn’t move only watching how would they react to this situation. There is no need for him to worry about this. All that matters is to watch them humiliated by the fact that he’s stronger than them.

Linda, Cid, and Ken used their grappling hook to other buildings and safely made it to the ground. Cid quickly noticed that Alastor is missing and nowhere to be found.

“Hey, where’s Al?” Cid asked.

While free-falling, Alastor’s grappling hook won’t work. He noticed that there was a sound of small rocks shaking inside of it.

“Shit! The charging handle was clogged!” Alastor profane.

Alastor jumped over from debris to debris trying to calculate what should do. When there’s no debris to set his foot onto a certain hand grabbed him. It was Port. He holds Alastor as they flew together down to the ground.

“You can fly?” Alastor asked.

“No. It was thanks to this ring.” Port replied. “It grants me the ability to fly.

Meanwhile, the canaries used their lightning Inquiara Magic to teleport. Just as they reunite, they heard a clapped by someone.

“I am impressed. Despite the physical limitation, you were able to surpass it. Marvelous.” Theo said. “Now, let us see how well you do with this.”

A horde of half-human and half bio-techno beings appeared, pinning them. They were all from Theo’s genetic experiment. They may have the looked of a human, but they became an abomination as they became mindless monster that is modified to do one thing, to kill.

“I daresay that they can overcome all of you,” Theo said. “And for the final act.”

Theo raised his hand up to the air. “Para-shift! Black Horizon!” Theo shouted.

In a split second, everything became dark. The darkness spread across everywhere and was seemingly engulfed by the void when the darkness only submerged the compound of the Kelby Hives. One of the odd things they noticed is that there is still light even though the blackness had left no hole for the light of the moon to come in.

“Now! Prepare!” Theo shouted.

The horde of abominations came after them. Their very distorted figure as like the nightmare takes a physical form. They fear that this may be the end, but have left no choice to fight for it. They fought a beast that goes beyond their comprehension but this imbued darkness makes their fears stronger with the abominations.

Alastor evaded the whipped of the tentacle abomination and leaped backward. He used again his sword to defend himself against the other enemy and countered it by cutting off its hand. He thought that it would do the trick but it just regenerated the limb and attack him all over again. Their effort extracted a great toll on their body. Their breaths were short and on verge of slugging their movements. All they can do is to defend themselves against the seemingly unkillable monsters, not until Port showed them how to kill it. Port threw a smoke bomb and leaped away. He used fire magic to it and the smoke combusted into a flare that killed five of the enemies.

“Flame magic will do the trick!” Port shouted. “Those who can’t use fire magic cover those who can and protect them at all cost! And as for me, I don’t need one.”

They quickly came to aid Cid, Gary, and Ken, since they were the only ones who can put a stop to this abomination. After a while, they found themselves pinned down. They’re drained. No matter how hard they try the abominations still outnumbered them.