The Corrupted Syndicate

As Mattheos grappled with his inner turmoil, he and his opponent failed to notice the emergence of more ghostly apparitions swirling around the arena. The woman, rising to her feet with a twisted, maniacal smile spreading across her face, seemed to revel in the chaos.

Before Matt could process the danger, the ghost lunged forward, plunging a deformed skeletal hand into his torso. The sharp crack of shattering chest armor echoed in his ears as pain exploded through him, a stark reminder of the peril that surrounded them.

'I can't believe you are this immature and foolish... Very well, you give me no choice but to take over...'

All Mattheos could perceive was a mass of blackness, swallowing his soul and pulling him into a void of nothingness. Then, with a jolt, he was thrust back into the physical realm.

The ghost recoiled in terror as 'Matt'—now driven by something darker—ripped her skeletal hand from his chest. The jagged wound that should have crippled him began to knit itself together, healing unnaturally fast as the foreign object left his flesh.

"Ah... How long has it been since I was able to fully control a physical body? Too long... I can't wait to test out my skills once more. Perhaps this body could be better than my old one," noted 'Matt' as he grinned deviously.

As 'Mattheos' slowly rose to his feet, a simple gesture—an open palm—was all it took to summon the powers of Beelzebub. Dark energy rippled through the air, swallowing the room's remaining apparitions, including the ghost, into a swirling abyss.

The Mad King, nestled within Matt's mind, smiled at his masterpiece, reveling in the chaos. But the moment was shattered when the marble door burst open. Mavislin charged into the room, her scythe raised in a battle-ready stance.

Her sharp eyes scanned the wreckage, before landing on 'Matt,' standing eerily still and seemingly untouched by the carnage.

"Oh... I thought I heard something amiss. My apologies, I didn't know that another being would be here since-" 

Mavislin's advance was abruptly halted by a strong, pale arm that shot out in front of her, blocking her path. She glanced up, frowning as her gaze met the Viceroy's cold, narrowed eyes.

His focus was locked on the rabbit, suspicion, and intensity radiating from him. The silent exchange between the two sent a chill through the air, thickening the already tense atmosphere in the room.

"What? That's just his Alter form, nothing to be afraid of..." answered the girl, trying to push the arm away, but it wouldn't budge.

"No. That is not the bunny you are fond of."

No sooner had the words left the blonde's mouth than 'Matt' tilted his head to the side, a chilling smile curling his lips. In an instant, a massive explosion of darkness and flames erupted from beneath his feet, roaring to life and engulfing his entire form.

The searing heat and shadow bloomed outward, swallowing everything in its path, as if the very air itself had ignited. Mavislin signaled to Zenos to step back as he was still wounded from the earlier fight.

"It seems that the Prince of Darkness isn't as daft as I thought. How is that one of the likes of your kind could discern who I am?" questioned the rabbit as the giant explosion died down.

Mattheos had transformed into a towering figure, cloaked in a flowing purple hood, his body now armored with jagged black scales and monstrous claws.

Three massive pairs of spiked wings, forged from swirling purple and black flames, unfurled from his back, casting eerie shadows across the room. His once chestnut hair had turned jet black, the tips flickering with purple fire, like embers caught in the wind.

"Does that matter, O' Mad King of Flames? Or would you prefer us to call you the Transgressor instead?" questioned Zenos.

"Hmph, call me whatever you like. It will not stop me from getting what I want," answered the Mad King as a huge purple-flamed greatsword appeared in his right hand.

"What do you want? Another chance to walk the realm and go back to your fallen kingdom of madness to rule over again?!" exclaimed Mavislin, gritting her teeth.

" 'Nay... I merely want to see this realm descend into utter chaos like mine did. And then, I will go forth to the other worlds to spread the same pandemonium. For peace was never all that interesting to me anyway. Would you not agree, Prince of Darkness?"

The dragoness blinked, confusion flickering in her eyes. She spun around to face the Viceroy, who stood unwavering, his expression as stoic as ever. His eyes, however, held a glint of unspoken intent, betraying nothing of the chaos unfolding around them.

Zenos closed his eyes, as if taking up the Mad King's offer.