Darkness

Escapees

Silva stands there momentarily, not daring to act. Dex walks away, soon disappearing into the crowd. Azalo-S knew something bad was going to happen, and she had to do her usual, just as Dex said. Azalo-S quickly rushes to one of Werner’s cultist bases, trying to locate him. Azalo-S knocks on the door; Azalo-K answers it shortly after. “Werner isn't here; he's working with Famine to create a machine to track gods. I'm working as his earthly replacement.” Azalo-K answers. “Has anything escaped your portal to limbo?” Azalo-S frantically questions. “Uh, that shits been closed for a while. The husks gave us a fuck load of tungsten from Limbo to supply us for a while in exchange for no one going to Limbo for a month or two. Why?” Azalo-K asks. “Things from Limbo are escaping; Limbo itself is starting to infect the earth, and soon Limbo will fully invade this world, then the solar system, then the galaxy, and so on,” Azalo-S answers, pacing. “Soooo. Why does this include me, or any of the cult?” Azalo-K questions. “You all hold the most knowledge of Limbo; everything about that dimension you people know about. So I came for your strength and expertise.” Azalo-S asks, hoping Azalo-K and anyone in the cult could help. “We just finished up a universal war just a week ago, and you expect us to fight in another? Eh, what am I saying, yeah I'll help.” Azalo-K says in agreement, heading back inside to gather his weapons. Azalo-S waits, Azalo-K returning in full body armor with his spear slung over his back. “You should know you can't kill anything from Limbo. They just revive in Limbo and become a problem again later.” Azalo-K informs. “Is there a way to fully kill them?” Azalo-S asks. “Yeah, but both options are out of our reach… kinda. Only two ways are erasing their soul from existence, or using soul manipulation to reduce their soul to nothing.” Azalo-K answers. Azalo-S knew only two people besides herself who could erase things from existence. Both options were out of reach, and her own mana techniques were far too inefficient to kill off armies. “Well, Azalo-L can use soul manipulation. Could we just get him to finish off anything?” Azalo-S asks. “Wellllll. He’s shit at using it.” Azalo-K points out. “Yeah, no shit; it's the hardest magic type to learn,” Azalo-S replies. “He’s still shit at it. Anyway, I say we collect every Azalo again. Mainly the folk who've actually fought anything in Limbo.” Azalo-K suggests. Azalo-S nods, opening a portal to the second most qualified Azalo due to Werner being unavailable. Azalo-S knocks on Azalo-G’s cabin door, calling his name. After a few seconds, Azalo-K yells out, ‘McCarted side piece’. Azalo-G answers the door shortly after. “I never agreed to that code word, asshole,” Azalo-G says. While Azalo-S is plain confused about what's happening. “Eh, I don't care. Every friend duo has to have a code word, and that will be the code word till you find a better one.” Azalo-K notes, while Azalo-G shakes his head. “Whatever. What do you two even want?” Azalo-G asks. “Well, you’ve been to Limbo, correct?” Azalo-S questions. “Yeah, for like 6 months cuz Werner forced me to.” Azalo-G answers. “Great, cuz we have a Limbo problem, and since you’re experienced in this… I just wondered if you could help, y'know...” Azalo-S says while making strange gestures with her hands, though no one knew what she was getting at.
“Yeah, whatever that is. I'll come; just give me a bit and a half-assed nap.” Azalo-G says while heading back inside his cabin. Azalo-S opens a portal again, leaving with Azalo-K as they wait. “Y’now, I'll be happy when we're done with this. No work to strain my back, or anyone's for that matter. Finally have a little peace.” Azalo-S says, partly under her breath. “Well. Werner’s tryina ' fix this all. Going for the source, the Gods. Hes not one to fail at a task, so if he does fail… or change routes, it was for something else rather than the Gods defeating him. I'm sure of that. Though him changing his mind is unlikely after the events of the War of Treachery.” Azalo-K states, waving his hand in dismissal at the thought of Werner losing. Azalo-G soon meets up with Azalo-K and -S, chain gun slung over his back, its freshly polished metal glinting in the sun's light. “So what are we doing?” Azalo-G asks, his eyes tossing between Azalo-K and -S. Azalo-K nudges Azalo-S with his elbow, Azalo-S briefly moving away from -K before speaking. “Well, things from Limbo are escaping and hunting to infect the real world… or universe. And now it's becoming an issue. Since you have half-decent knowledge of Limbo, we thought you’d be a good asset to help.” Azalo-S rants, Azalo-G lighting his cigar as he listens. “Well, do you already know Limbo entities are immortal?” Azalo-G asks. “Yeah, I don't have nearly enough mana efficiency to kill them properly, so we need someone with the capability to cut the soul or soul manipulation straight up.” Azalo-S answers. “The main question is: where exactly are the Limbo entities escaping from?” Azalo-K questions. “It's most likely random; we won't truly know where they escape from. But we do know they would most likely target large populations.” Azalo-S states. Azalo-K and Azalo-G both silently note what she's saying. “Welllll. Where do we start?” Azalo-K asks, Azalo-G slapping his back. “To a highly populated area, dipshit,” Azalo-G says, following Azalo-S as she shakes her head and turns to leave.
After passing many cities, checking dense forests, and searching more daring areas. Azalo-S had found a dark hole in the ground, it being completely pitch black. Though she couldn't reach her hand into it, the black spot also had quite the strange texture. “Do you two know of any Limbo entity capable of this?” Azalo-S asks, Azalo-G shaking his head along with Azalo-K. “I can only assume it's a wisp making that. Any other entity doesn't make sense.” Azalo-K answers, though still partly unsure. “As long as we can figure out where these are, we can stop the invasion by the source,” Azalo-S says while placing a mana beacon. “Nice marker; no one can see it,” Azalo-G says sarcastically. “Thats the point; can't let the public know about this without panic happening.” Azalo-S points out, walking out of the alleyway to search for more holes. “Search for more of these holes; if we can find all of them before the next attack, we have a good chance of keeping the public's innocence.” Azalo-S commands, Azalo-K doing some weird-ass gesture before leaving. “Ey, good luck finding shit, Dom. You blind as fuck.” Azalo-K teases, Azalo-G sighing as he leaves to search.
With the start of their more widespread search, Azalo-G and Azalo-K found two more holes, one larger than usual and the other being a similar size. “Ya think they use the big one more often?” Azalo-S questions. “I fuckin’ wonder,” Azalo-G says, Azalo-K chuckling over the radio. “I'll beat both ur asses.” Azalo-S threatens.

“Woahhhh, calm it, princess. Nothing personal.” Azalo-K says over the radio, continuing their search. During the process, Azalo-K, -G, and -S found up to 15 more holes, now named ‘gateways’. Soon regrouping near the city’s exit, restating and revising all the information they gathered. Eventually, Azalo-S had made a map of the city, marking every gateway there and planning for when Limbo attempted another invasion. Azalo-G centered at the city’s left area, Azalo-K on the right, with Azalo-S giving aerial support with her magic. Azalo-K, -G, and -S waited, the pressure slowly building as they couldn't know what Limbo entities they had to deal with. Soon, Azalo-G’s gateway tears open, many husks with a few fiends bursting from the opening with bloodlust-fueled vigor. Azalo-G shoulder-bashes one of the Fiends, conjuring a pike to swiftly stab a vital area. Azalo-K’s gateways open as well, forcing him into a battle with two Fiends. Azalo-S continues her air support, the husks and Fiends continuing to pile out of the gateways due to a lack of killing potential. Though Azalo-S suddenly opens a portal, dropping Azalo-L into the battlefield. Azalo-L makes quick work, killing off husks permanently with his soul manipulation, along with finishing off any weakened Fiends. After a short bit of help, a wisp abruptly slams into Azalo-L, knocking him into a nearby building. “TRAITOR!” The wisp roars. “I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!” Azalo-L yells back, turning a nearby husk's soul into a javelin, throwing it directly at the wisp's head. The Wisp backhands the javelin aside, circling Azalo-L afterward. “Why couldn't you stay in line? Just like all the others.” The Wisp asks. “I'm not even one of you; never say I am,” Azalo-L replies, casting an arcane bolt to pin the Wisp to a wall. Azalo-L grabs another husk and turns the husk into a sabre before rushing to decapitate the Wisp. The Wisp tears the arcane bolt out, blocking the sabre swing with magic before palm-striking Azalo-L away. Azalo-L manages to block the palm strike with his sabre, the Wisp disarming him swiftly. Azalo-G suddenly dives from a corner, tossing Azalo-L another sabre while firing two shots at the Wisp. One of the shots grazes the Wisp, shattering his defensive mana barrier. Azalo-L thrusts the sabre into the Wisp's chest, winding a left hook infused with soul manipulation. The Wisp catches the punch as he’s pinned to the wall again, forgetting soul manipulation can't be blocked. The Wisp’s body explodes outward, its soul being crushed in seconds. Azalo-L coughs up a slight bit of blood, the sabre disappearing from his hands as he leaves the corpse to help the others.

Azalo-K suddenly slams into Azalo-L, a fiend rushing them down directly. Azalo-K pulls out his chain sword; it is finally fixed and reinforced. Azalo-K swings at the fiend, catching the sword on its neck and pulling it back to decapitate the fiend instantly. Azalo-L returns to his feet, absorbing the fiend's mana from its severed head while approaching Azalo-S. “Care to explain why this is happening?” Azalo-L questions Azalo-S. “Well, I couldn't just let Limbo have the universe,” Azalo-S replies, holding off multiple husks. “I had it covered, plus you’re just pissing them off. They aren't dying.” Azalo-L points out. “Very aware; tried to contact you, but it didn't work.” Azalo-S acknowledges. Taking a step away from the bodies. Azalo-L absorbs all the mana and souls he can from the bodies, ensuring they don't return as the last few husks are killed. Azalo-S calls everyone for a regroup, informing Azalo-L of their shitty ‘plan’ and whatever.
Azalo-L shakes his head, not understanding why they had to get involved. “Then why are they two here? I mean, they aren't exactly the best options.” Azalo-L says. “Says potential soul manipulator 44.” Azalo-G slanders, Azalo-K laughing and nudging Azalo-G with his elbow. Azalo-G shoulder-bashes him back, Azalo-L placing a hand on his forehead and sighing. “Fine, whatever. Just let me finish any Limbo entity off; all of you can't fully kill them.” Azalo-L restates. Azalo-S shrugs, calling everyone to leave and get some food. On the way to a nearby restaurant, Azalo-K’s universal radio goes off; Werner calls with one simple message directed to all cultists:
“All cult members are actively instructed to initiate the Nothing Protocol. After all demands have been met, all cultists are to commit suicide. It was a blessing to run this glorious crusade with you all, but all beginnings have an end.” Werner’s voice rings out from the radio, Azalo-K’s eyes widening at the words ‘Nothing Protocol’.  “What's the Nothing Protocol?” Azalo-S questions, Azalo-L agreeing. Azalo-G gives a visible look of disdain, as if hes scared. “You don't have to do that. Azalo-K, we had it good. Everything was going well, cmon. We're buddies; you can listen to me.” Azalo-G assures. Azalo-K puts away his radio, giving a soft sigh. “You’re right, I don't have to. But honestly…” Azalo-K says, suddenly whipping out his spear for a vertical slash at Azalo-G. “IT'S ABOUT TIME WE FIGURED OUT WHO THE REAL STRONGEST JUGGERNAUT WAS!” Azalo-K exclaims.