Oblivion - Kingdom Come

Chapter 15: The Demon Parishes

In the cold, desolate expanse of the tundra biome, a portal tore through the fabric of reality, depositing Riley amidst the ruins, her body still ensnared by Akeldama's evil presence. Akeldama, now more attuned to her host, proclaimed her dark intent with chilling resolve. "I will return to him... but first, I will paint this pristine snow with your blood!"

From the shadows, X emerged, his approach measured, his hands clasped behind his back. Initially fixed on the ground, his gaze slowly ascended, locking with Akeldama's with an intensity that pierced the cold air. He halted mere steps away from her, his gaze drifting skyward as snowflakes kissed his face, a moment of tranquility amidst the brewing storm.

"The girl you've claimed, demon," X's voice was calm, yet it carried the weight of a request. "I demand her release. Forsake this vessel, or face extraction by force." Akeldama's response was a scornful laugh, her predatory nature manifesting as her claws unsheathed. "This body, and soon her mind, will be irreversibly mine. Your efforts are in vain." X's tone was a mix of resignation and readiness. "A chance was offered, and you squandered it. It seems her liberation will come with your demise."

Without warning, as Akeldama readied her blood magic, X vanished, reappearing behind her instantly. With unparalleled might, he launched her across the forest, her trajectory ending abruptly in front of his cabin. "The girl's body remains. I must be careful."

With a swift and decisive motion, X teleported to Akeldama, his grip unforgiving as he seized her by the hair. His strength was unyielding as he slammed her against the side of his cabin, then hurled her through a dense corpse of trees. Her body, devoid of control, staggered through the forest, finally coming to rest in a snowdrift, a stark contrast to the violence of her flight.

X approached the fallen Akeldama with deliberate, measured steps. His senses tuned to the impending confrontation. Akeldama, resilient in her dark power, rose to her feet, her eyes gleaming with malice. With a gesture, she tapped into her necromantic abilities, the ground trembling as ten undead minions clawed to the surface, ready to enact her will.

X, perceiving the burgeoning threat, acted with unhesitating precision. His holy magic surged forth, eradicating the risen dead, reducing them to ashes that danced away on the wind. In the blink of an eye, Akeldama found herself immobilized, her form pinned against a tree by ethereal crosses.

X then placed his hand upon her chest, his touch a conduit for a potent seal. The intricate pattern of the seal glowed with an otherworldly light, its power resonating deep within. With solemn finality, he bound Akeldama within Riley's body, a prison from which there would be no escape.

Akeldama's voice was laced with a twisted triumph, believing she had gained an irreversible advantage. "You fool... You've given me exactly what I wanted. Now, we're inseparably bound!"

X, however, remained composed, his response hinting at a deeper strategy. "I'm aware. But it's you who has underestimated Riley. She'll deal with you from within and her friends; they'll be here soon enough." Disbelief and fury contorted Akeldama's features. "What? If you can't defeat me, they stand no chance! You've sealed their doom!"

Her laughter, maniacal and unbridled, echoed until a precise strike from X silenced it, rendering her unconscious. Dragging her to his cabin, X left her there, vanishing into the unknown, his part played in this intricate chess game of light and darkness.

Within the confines of her mind, Riley confronted Akeldama, the terrain a reflection of their internal struggle—a void tinged with the ominous glow of a blood moon, painting their battleground in haunting shades of red. Here, for the first time, Riley found herself with a fighting chance, bolstered by X's seal.