The Corrupted Syndicate

Zenos gripped his scythe tightly, feeling the raw power thrumming through the air as he slammed the weapon down onto the spider.

"Judgment Of the Corrupted Rain!" thundered the Viceroy.

With that decisive motion, he invoked the cyclone above them, unleashing a torrential downpour of dark energy that rained down upon the enemy, each droplet imbued with the intent to obliterate.

The swirling tempest roared to life, its winds howling in response to his command, creating a chaotic symphony of destruction that threatened to consume all in its path.

Arakaali let out one final howl of agony as the torrential downpour of searing decay and corruption engulfed her form. The very essence of her being was consumed by the dark tempest, her screams echoing through the arena like a mournful dirge.

With a shuddering convulsion, the once-mighty spider collapsed, her limbs twitching as the last vestiges of life faded away, leaving nothing but a haunting stillness in the wake of her demise. The Mother of Spinning Webs has been defeated...

Both Zenos and Mavislin stood motionless after landing on the stone pavement, their eyes fixed on the lifeless spider before them. A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the soft shuffle of Mavislin's steps as her dragon form faded.

Without a word, she turned on her heel, ready to move to the next room where Matt awaited.

But she never saw the final strike coming. The fallen spider, with its last breath, lashed out in a desperate attempt to land a fatal blow. Mavislin barely had time to react before darkness filled her vision—onyx wings streaked with azure cracks suddenly shielded her.

The unmistakable scent of blood and poison hit her senses all at once, freezing her in place as dread coiled in her chest.

"Ze...nos?" squeaked the dragoness as she saw a giant fang stabbing into one of his wings.

"Such a pitiful, desperate attempt to strike at our backs. How low one must sink to resort to such cowardice. I would never stoop to such disgrace, nor do I tolerate it. Only savages, clinging to their hopeless defiance, display such insolence."

"Any who dare touch my prize will find no mercy, no reprieve! Only swift, unrelenting ruin shall be their fate!" barked the Viceroy.

Whether driven by disgust or fury, the blonde mercilessly tore the fang from his wing, paying no mind to the searing pain. With a fierce resolve, he hurled it toward the fallen spider.

But before it could land a second blow, the fang collided with its body, and in an instant, the spider erupted into ashes, disintegrating into nothingness as the remnants of its twisted form were scattered by the wind. 

The dragoness quickly broke out of her daze and went over to Zenos to examine his wing.

"'Tis but a mere scratch. I have withstood far more aggravating wounds than this little..."

"It is a giant hole, Zenos. And not to mention that it was the fang, the source of its poison! You won't be able to fight until we can meet up with Matt. Thankfully, he should be waiting for us in the next room..."

Mavislin halted her words when she saw the wing slowly regenerating by itself. Now that things were slightly calmer, she realized that the Viceroy wasn't in his Alter form and had willingly summoned up his wings. Just to protect her.

"I hate owing people..." grumbled the dragoness, while letting out a breath.

"I seek not a favor in return, nor do I expect any exchange. I have already taken what I required from you," replied the blonde, casually sauntering away to the exit.

"And what would that be?"

"You. You are my captive, are you not?"

Mavislin scoffed before chuckling and following the Viceroy.

"It doesn't feel like I'm your captive. It feels like we are acquaintances or teammates that truly enjoy the thrill of the battlefield," responded the dragoness.

Before Zenos could utter a word, his eyes narrowed as he focused on the farthest end of the area. Mavislin sensed danger and quickly prepared to attack but the blonde stuck out an arm to block her.

"My... My... Another failure. I have to warn them not to keep summoning such useless entities. Such a waste of precious resources and souls," complained an unknown voice, alerting the duo.

As the source of the male voice walked into the light, the dragoness wasted no time in drawing out her weapon once more. 

The man, dressed like a gunslinger had a pale complexion, with raven-black eyes and short, neatly cut hair. Though no animalistic traits were visible, his voice was unnervingly smooth, as if masking something darker beneath the surface.

A weathered, wide-brimmed hat of faded blue cast a shadow over his eyes, hiding them in mystery.