The Red Hand

"Thank the Gods, she's stable..." Arcus let out a sigh of relief as he finally managed to heal Penelope enough to keep her life from being in danger. Halifax's single blow had nearly killed the Demi-God outright, and Arcus wasn't sure if he could save her.

{Stable, but for how long? This wound... I reeks of dark power... I... I have no idea if she can survive such a thing for very long.} (Arcus)

"You're lucky that stayed my blade ever so slightly and that I was kind enough not to kill the two of you when I had the chance." Halifax said. "But I wouldn't go thinking that you're out of the woods just yet, the battle isn't over."

"Considering you took Pen down for the count with that attack, I'd say it is." Arcus replied as he stood up, slowly. "And she's not getting back up any time soon, at least not in a way that would allow her to fight." He was wary of the dark emanating from Halifax. He'd never seen her use such power and was worried that she'd truly been corrupted and turned by Akagi.

{This power... Its different than anything I've felt. It doesn't feel like that Demon Lord's power, so what is it? And where did it come from?} (Arcus)

"But if I just let the two of you go, then you'll come back and cause more trouble." Halifax's gaze grew sharp. "So I see no reason not to snuff this problem out now. Penelope has already shown enough arrogance for me to want her gone, permanently." She hadn't been particularly angry with the Demi-God until her comments about Divine Weapons being nothing but tools. Comments that made her non-existent blood boil and only served to incense Halifax and toss her into a furious rage.

{How fucking dare she say such things?!? After everything we did for her! After the countless years we spent together! At one point I even thought us friends! But I guess that was all a lie, just like everything else about the Gods and their spawn.} (Halifax)

"Pen... Listen, don't take her words too seriously... Though I suppose that ship's already sailed..." Arcus sighed.

"Ya think?" Halifax said with a sarcastic eye roll. "What gave it way? My fists being planted firmly into her face, or the blade I ran through her chest?" She asked. "I don't understand why you're defending her, Arcus. She openly called you a tool! She doesn't even think of us as people! So what the hell are you doing siding with her?!? Its obvious she doesn't give a fuck about you!"

{Just ditch her! I know you could do that if you wanted to!} (Arcus)

"Penelope just..." Arcus paused to find the right words. "I think you just got under her skin, Halifax. I know she doesn't actually believe that, despite her stupid comments I know she dosn't feel that way."

{Besides, that girl... She kinda looked up to you, Halifax. At one point she followed you around like a little puppy. She just... I think many things have hit her hard and you... You walking away from everything like you did... It kinda... broke something in her I think... I know you started falling out during our travels together but... I think she really did care about you... She thought of you as... As an older sister.} (Arcus)

"You say that but she sure sounded confident in her words." Halifax retorted. "It shouldn't be a surprise either, at this point, the Gods' children seem to be largely as bad as they are."

"I mean, I'll be the first to admit that they have their flaws, but... Is that truly enough for you to side with a Demon Lord?" Arcus asked if she was truly that angry with the Gods that she'd risk destroying the world. "Listen, I've had my beef with some of the Gods over the years, and I know the feeling of wanting to just walk away from them... But Halifax, come on. Look at this mess!" He pointed to the carnage in the distance. "No being who could do something like this could possibly have any redeeming qualities! Hate the Gods as much as you like, but how could you side with someone who will likely do this to the rest of the world!" He raised his voice slightly. "We were created to protect this world, not aid in bringing about its ruin! And that's exactly what you're doing!"

"Ruin?" Halifax laughed loudly. "Akagi? Yeah, sure I guess she could, but that pain in the ass isn't interested in burning this world to the ground, Arcus. If anything, the Gods are the ones planning on doing exactly that."

{Hell, they've already wiped out two entire races more or less.} (Halifax)

"She's a Demon Lord, Halifax! You've fought and killed one of her kind before! You of all people should know what they're like!" Arcus couldn't believe what he was hearing from the Divine Blade. "I wasn't around yet, but I've heard all the stories about Vikes' rampage! His kind exist solely to cause misery and despair! The only thing they're good for is causing death and destruction! How can you stand there and tell me that this one isn't going to do the same thing?!?"

{Is her hatred of the Gods truly enough to get her to side with a Demon Lord? Or has she been corrupted and turned as we feared? I can't say for certain either way, but I don't think it matters at this point. Halifax is this world's enemy and that... That bodes poorly.} (Arcus)

"I know it sounds crazy and believe you me I didn't believe it at first, but after spending enough time with Akagi..." Halifax tightened her fist for a moment before relaxing it. "Something about her... It just made me want to trust in her..." She shook her head. "Look, I can't explain it, but I just know that she isn't like Vikes. I won't go and proclaim her some being of pure good, since that would be objectively wrong, but compared to most of the other power-hungry assholes that I've met, I think I'll takeher brand of evil. At least she has the decency not to go picking fights with those who don't start them, unlike a certain pantheon of idiots."

{Akagi quite literally just wants to be a cat that gets love and affection, there is no way you can compare HER to these stupid Gods who only think about their egos! Sure she's prideful but I can't imagine the Gods just fading into the background to spend time with those they care about. And that's exactly what Akagi wants as her end goal! A goal that I can fucking relate too man!} (Halifax)

"You say that, and yet she's done nothing but cause chaos and destruction since the moment she set foot in our world." Arcus clapped back. "How many innocent people have died because of her?!? How can you say she's better than Vikes when she slaughtered an entire Army, attacked two nation's capital cities, assassinated government officals, and killed countless innocent people?!? She even murdered Tahena, a God entirely dedicated to healing people!"

"You really think these people are innocent?" Halifax tilted her head, the word seeming not to process for a moment until she remembered that Arcus didn't know the truth. "Arcus, in this world, there are no innocents. Not to mention that just about every single person in this world has committed a sin worth of death by following the Gods' orders."

{I know that some people out there have done literally nothing wrong, but they are the smallest minority possible. Just about every man woman and child on Enoris supported the Gods' purge of the Spirits. Whether it was from the North, Sourth, East or West the Spirits were rounded up, purged or driven out, and it was the same with the Dark Elves. The people's tacit support or reluctance to speak up allowed two massacres, not to mention countless other atrocities throughout this world's history. I know Akagi said people learn... But it really feels like they don't... No... It's not that they don't learn, its that the Gods don't LET them learn...} (Halifax)

"You've lost your Gods' dammed mind." Arcus felt a chill run down his spine as Halifax spoke, her words sounding like those of someone who was about to justify the horrendous acts yet to come. "There's no other explanation for your actions. The Halifax I know would never side with such a being, no matter what! She would've stood against this Demon Lord to save the world!"

{She has to have been corrupted or brain washed. Even hating the Gods like she did. Even hating everything they did... There's no way Halifax would say these things.} (Arcus)

"Even if this world deserved to die?" Halifax asked, her words practically freezing the air. “Even its destruction was warranted?”

{She's truly lost. There's no other reason that she'd say something like that. It would take something truly, unthinkably horrendous for Halifax to declare this world deserved to die.} (Arcus)

"And what exactly did this world do to 'deserve' to die for?" Arcus figured that stalling her was best while he figured out a way to flee with the still-unconscious Penelope.

"Yeah, you don't know. I suppose just about everyone doesn't, so its understandable why you're confused." Halifax said. "You see, Arcus. This world, its people, its Gods. They forfeited their right to live when they genocided an innocent people."

"Lies!" Arcus yelled. "Such a thing has never happened! The Gods would never allow it!"

{The Spirits were wiped out because they wanted to destroy this world and the Dark Elves were reduced to their current state because they were trying to resurrect that mad god! So how were either innocent?!?} (Arcus)

"What if I told you that not only did the Gods allow it..." Halifax flashed forward, knocking his feet out from under him in a quick strike and slamming her foot onto his chest to pin him down. "But they facilitated it. Not once, but twice." She glared at the Bow, her eyes seeming to stare into his soul. “Twice the Gods orchestrated the annihilation of an entire race, and both times they did it out of expediency rather than true need.”

{The Dark Elves needed to be stopped, but it was their LEADERSHIP not the general population who were trying to revive Dibora. Though that mattered little to the Gods who wanted to punish the entire race, mostly because they refused to worship them, unlike their pale skinned kin.} (Halifax)

"They... They would never do that." Arcus struggled as he tried to get up, but there was simply no way he could overpower her. "They aren't perfect, but the Gods aren't bloodthirsty like Demons! They don't take lives for no reason! They would never do what you're describing."

"Oh no, I never said they had no reason." Halifax chuckled. "In fact, they did have one. One I'm sure they thought was in their best interest..." She lowered her blade, pointing it at the unconscious Demi-Gods' throat as she lay beside the pinned Bow.

"And what reason was that? What could possibly make the Gods perform such a heinous act?" Arcus asked. “Why would they do what you are describing?”

"Self-preservation." Elariels' voice sounded from behind Halifax, the Divine Blade glaring over her shoulder at the Goddess as she answered.

"Your input isn't needed, Elariel." Halifax's glare caused the Goddess to shiver in fear, but she pressed forward nonetheless. "I'll handle these two myself. You can go be useless somewhere else."

"Lady Elariel! Why are you here?!? What's going on?!?" Arcus asked, stunned to see the Goddess before him. "Have you sided with the Demon Lord too?!?"

{WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!?} (Arcus)

"Less sided with and more captured and no longer given a choice in the matter." Elariel sighed as she walked up behind the Divine Blade, putting her hand on Halifax's shoulder. "And you, what are you doing using that form? Do you not recall how many times I told you not to? Its dangerous and could cause you to-"

"I don't have to listen to you!" Halifax spun around in a huff, pushing the Goddess away. "Don't go acting all Mom on me now! If I want to use my power, then I'll use it!" She yelled, erupting briefly in black energy. "You have no right to get in my way! And you have no right to dictate what I do anymore!"

{This isn't good. I need to get her to calm down before it gets out of hand. She can't use that power for too long, otherwise...} (Elariel)

"Halifax, please... Just calm down and-" Elariel was stopped dead as she was punched in the face, sending her flying.

"Don't tell me to fucking calm down!" Halifax yelled. "I'll do what I want!" She said as she turned back to Arcus and Penelope. "And you know what I want to do? I want to kill these two." She smirked as she raised her blade. “The world will be better without a Demi-God who treats me like an object and a Bow that enables her!”

"Halifax, no!" Elariel screamed as blood trickled down her broken nose

{I was too late! Halifax is going to!} (Elariel)

"Penelope!" Arcus dove on top of his partner, bracing for the Divine Blade to end them both, but just as her blade was about to slice into his back, she stopped.

"No..." Halifax spoke silently as her body returned to normal. "No... That... That isn't me... I don't... I won't become like them..." She said before knocking Arcus unconscious with the hilt of her blade, reverting him back to his Bow form as he flopped to the ground.

"Halifax..." Elariel let out a sigh of relief as she wobbled to her feet. “I'm... I was worried that you-”

"I didn't stop because of you." Halifax said as she picked up both Penelope and Arcus and slung them over her shoulders. "I did it... I did it for myself..."

{I still... I still need to keep that part of me intact... I need to stay the Hero... If I don't... Then... Then Penelope... She'll be right... I'll be nothing more than a tool... Either a tool for the Gods or a tool of my own power...} (Halifax)