SOLARVERSE 2

Chapter 7 - Malfunction

With a sudden, unbeknownst snap from Mono's bony, dry fingers and with only the smallest bit of magic running through the laboratory's walls and wires, as the hooded skeleton stood before Mono, without warning the laboratory began to shake violently, growing in magnitude increasingly, slowly yet surely as most of the tiles and materials that made up the walls and floor slid out in a square-like form as from the black hole, came multiple, many contraptions, metal claws, spears, spikes, and guns, connected by a thin metal tube that extended for who knows how long from wherever it etched out from.

"You don't understand, that thing was gonna hurt you... I can help you if that's what you want-!" Dust said, attempting to negotiate but was quick to be cut off as Mono silently, with bitterness, swung the same hand forward in a cleave-like motion as four of the metal claws that suspended from the ceiling increased their arm's length, violently heading for Dust in hot pursuit as the hooded skeleton took a step back defensively as their eyes narrowed.

Dust was gritting his teeth and still trying to reason further as he jumped above the metal claws which all tried to go for a pincer attack on the hooded skeleton, at that instant whilst suspended in the air, one of the metal, magic-infused guns charged up a ball of energy which was quick to fire at Dust in one rapid burst, yet despite how much power it yielded the magic ball was quickly avoided with one, circular and purple barrier summoned before and below Dust.

"You should've done so before you did this," Mono said, monotone and annoyed as he only thrust one of his arms forward, the spears protruding from the ground charged their way at Dust, piercing through the air from the speed it was going, but yet again Dust's eyes locked in on them, and as he fell down while they homed in, Dust took both of his arms and at the right timing, held the metal body of the spears, before enveloping them in purple fire, crushing them as they faded into ash whilst he finally landed on the ground safely.

"...There were risks, not just that machine damaging you, but something you can't understand yet, something I have yet to confirm here that restricts both me and you, something that dooms where we stand, that's why I didn't try to help at first, I was being cautious-" Dust attempted to lean in closer to Mono's space but was forced to duck down, balancing on his arms while his legs were retracted to narrowly dodge a metal blade coming from the walls that were to decapitate Dust's head clean off.

"Because it puts us and this place in danger? Oh please! I'd rather that happen, this place isn't what it used to be! Everyone here would be happier if everything RESET at this point!" Mono said, dashing back to get some distance as this time he took out two of his arms, throwing them outward as around four more metal guns came from the walls behind him, left and right.

"...Don't act like you know what that feels like, and with your ignorant insistence... Not only will this place die but so will this entire universe as a whole!" Dust said angrily, but immediately composed themselves, shaking their head left and right, standing their guard as the four metal guns all began to charge up more high-powered beams of magic, all aimed sharply at the hooded skeleton standing amidst that arena of traps and weaponry.

"Is that so..? Well then, better non-existent than despairful now, right? I'll be honest with ya, I really did want to help everyone here... But from what you've done and hinted, I guess that's impossible then, isn't it?!" Mono cackled as he closed his fists, the magic guns releasing near full-powered beams of magic at Dust, whose body then sparked with unique purple lightning when he took a step forward, he suddenly blitzed out of the beams' range, avoiding it completely as they instead crashed into the floor, causing for the laboratory to rumble with dust and shadows as what was left of Dust's original position was the faint glimmer of that same electricity along with a trail leading to Dust's new location amongst the green tiles.