Factory Reset: Divine Corruption

Chspter One Hundred and Eight

Chapter One Hundred and Eight: An End

Cold ground. Rocky, glitching, cold ground.

Mason could feel the harsh dirt beneath his bloodied paws. His breathing is uneven, harsh. The mark around his neck glowed deeply and wildly, pulsing in inconsistent flashes. His eyes were burning, and he could feel his heart beat wildly. It was uneven.

They had, effectively, lost. They tried their best to hold the god back. Waste time for Ja'Kle to finally turn off, destroy, do something. But as it seemed, even with evacuating those that had fallen, even with them giving their all, it seemed that it was all for naught. It was all for nothing, all the pain, all the death.

Nothing.

Mason's scythe was broken apart, the sharpened blade breaking after many numerous strikes. The sickle could barely be formed either. No matter what though, Mason Amor stood tall, as best he could with his side being punctured badly by a giant coiling metallic stake. His dirty, bloodied, slick hands still clenched tight against the stick that once held the blade of his scythe.

Mason was alone now. Fallout had fallen not too long ago. Practically slashed in half by a disc of sharpened metals. Still alive via Boson Energy, evacuated by Rallycry and taken to try to be healed by Gear-Work, who could barely function as is.

Marissa fell not too long ago either. Her body was seemingly lifeless when Rallycry finally got to her, so close to the molten throne of metal that Divento resided by. Barely breathing, barely alive. The protogen managed to bring her to Gear-Work and Viscera, but Mason wasn't sure what happened afterward.

He didn't want to know what happened.

He had lost so much in his journey to this point. His planet, his home, his first love. His team, parts of himself. He had lost so much. And so, in the face of overwhelming forces, Mason would not let that loss go to waste. Those losses were not worthless now, they'd never be.

Even more so, what he had gained was worth just the same. Ja'Kle. He was still alive, Mason knew it. That's what kept him going, the fact that Ja'Kle was still alive. He could feel it, feel that godly absence that came with Ja'Kle utilizing his power.

Mason held his side gingerly. Divento had stopped his attack, the molten metal slowly cooling. The rabbit felt those divine eyes settle on his figure in the distance. Mason clenched his teeth, paws digging into the dirt as his ears flicked gently in the oozing wind.

Mason gently felt his hand against his chest. He pulled open the flap with serene grace, almost ignoring the pain the action caused him. He gently pulled the metallic thing he had brought with him. To remind him, to make sure he would always remember. Mason held it as if it were some divine artifact. In his hand was all that remained of B-64.

That insignia that started it all. B-64.

Mason held it in his hand, and fell to his knees, warm tears streaming down his face. He felt like he had failed. That his dream of carrying on B-64's legacy was not going to come to fruition. He had become a captain because of him, had started the Divine Intervention program because of him.

Mason clenched his fist into the dirt, his tears falling and staining the slowly decaying soil. He would not accept this, he wouldn't. He couldn't accept this. There was no way that Mason could allow this to happen, the destruction of the universe at the hands of a single genocidal god. He was stronger than that. He should be stronger than that.

His plan had failed. He had wanted to buy more time for Ja'Kle. Make everyone, dead or alive, give their Boson Energy to Aberration, to Viscera, and to Cardinal. Create a barrier stronger than anything else in the universe around the area of the ancient god-thing. To capture and contain the destruction force.

He wasn't sure if it would be possible to contain it. And he doubted his team was doing that right now. He didn't blame them, it was a last thought. A last effort struggle that was needless. Gave needless hope in the face of certain doom. It was hopeless.

Mason glanced up. The God was before him. Burning bright, slightly injured, but standing confidently, "You never stood a chance with your team. Never mind by yourself. But I respect you. No other creature, mortal or not, could've done what you've managed. For that, you need to die before you pull something out of nowhere and blindside me."

In the blink of an eye, Mason felt the ground shake beneath, and he was speared with countless strong, thin strands of razor sharp stakes. Mason felt blood spurt out from his body, shedding onto the ground as his fur, his clothes, were stained. Even still, Mason still clenched that piece of his former love in his hand. Through the pain, he never let go.

He didn't dignify the God with a scream of pain. He just glared at him with shaking anger, pain lacing through every part of his body, the augments he had gifted himself preventing it from hurting as truly as it should have, but it still hurt more than anything he had experienced before.

"I respect you, Mason Amor." The God told him, appearing before Mason. He held out a palm, and a single steel stake appeared before Mason. Sharp-pointed, straining against Divento's control to shoot out from the ground, and stab through Mason. Mason clenched his teeth, feeling fear, anger, dread, and horror spread through his body. This couldn't be it.

"I would give a full eulogy for one of the greatest mortals to ever live, but it's effectively worthless when there will be nothing to exist." Divento monologue to the rabbit, his tone calm and collected, "But I respect you. So, Mason Amor, any last words?"

Mason glared at him, "When you die, expect to see me at the gates of whatever hell awaits for you. And I will throw you into the pits of that hell for all you've done; fuck yourself." Mason told him, spitting out those words with a terrifying ferocity to them.

Divento gently chucked, and clenched his fist. The stake rumbled for a second, and in the next, it shot up. Pierced cloth, flesh, muscle, bone. A direct shot to the chest, straight in the middle. The circular spike speared completely through, aimed towards the heavens, doused in Bosonic blood.

Mason's hands let the last piece of B-64 fall upon the ground, his hand going limp.

Divento turned to look towards the machine, feeling pride and providence fill through his body, "All that is left to deal with is your pesky other half. You'll be joined together soon, don't worry."

And with those words, Divento disappeared in a flash of light.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Howdy!

So... yeah, heh! Wonder how many of y'all expected that. Or didn't. Is he actually completely dead? Would I do that? Who knows~

I hope y'all enjoyed, and I promise I just didn't leave it on a cliffhanger for **another** week, I'll be writing the next chapter today, actually.

But still! I wonder what'll happen~! Tell me watcha think if you'd like, heh!

In any case, a sincere thank you for all those that are still reading and voting this late in! I truly appreciate it.

~ Candle

5/4/2022