“Are you ready, Elrick of Red?” the Dark Eye asked, almost casually, as he activated the machine on the far side of the room, nestled in the darkness. The Red, in response, unsheathed his behemoth sword as though a lithe stick, and grinned as he nodded. Chronos made certain the machine was at full calibration before he opened the machine to expel its noxious fumes into the air. The smog had no noticeable color, but it smelt vaguely of something medical that Elrick did not know the name for. It smelt actually rather sterile.

“How long does it take to work?”

“The Activation Serum should begin working in roughly twenty seconds after it is airborne,” Chronos answered. “I will go to Jaina’s room to make sure she remains stable. I will be watching the fight through there.” He paused, and pointed with his arm to the doorway. “I will interject the moment it seems you might be in actual danger.”

The Red blew a raspberry at the iron giant. “Not a problem, tough guy,” he replied. “I fought the strongest guy you trained, the guy who’s name started with a Z or something. If he was cake, then I’m sure this angel person won’t be a big issue to handle. I won’t be needing any help.” The Bloodsword, the giant blade of red, practically gleamed in the now-empty lab’s dim light fixtures. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask. What kind of magic do you use to power this place? It’s some kind of weird voodoo I’ve never seen before.”

“It is technology, like me, Elrick,” the Dark Eye replied. “Magic will not work well near my Arm Striker.” And with that, he began to walk towards the door, and sealed it behind him, leaving the bloodmaster all alone in the big room, waiting for the little angel to come rescue his girlfriend.

Elrick grinned. “Plus, she’s not half-bad looking,” he murmured, and stroked his firm, bare chin. “If Nenet hadn’t reeled me in with her rope… Ah, love.” Briefly, he thought of the wonderful pirate woman awaiting him back at their mountain cottage. He would be back home momentarily. All he had to do was test…

All of a sudden, Elrick of Red felt incredibly strange. It was as though a gigantic weight that had been pressing down on him all his life had suddenly been lifted. The air around him no longer smelt foul, if anything it was wonderful. Elrick, to test his strength, summoned five droplets of blood from the wound-shaped hole in his right hand. They floated up, as he commanded them, then suddenly burst off.

They collided with the portion of the wall to his left, with such force that they ricocheted like bullets off it. Indents were left in the steel from the force. Elrick cackled in the lab as the droplets returned to him, then a better idea came to his head. He poured out roughly a hundred droplets of blood, enough to make him notice the loss but enough to see what appeared to be a rather large ring around him. The strain from the blood loss was lessened, he barely felt it. Elrick scattered the blood to the furthest corners of the room, waiting for the intruders. He wanted to see what this newfound power would do if it attacked regular opponents.

He heard something from behind the door, and sheathed his sword with a grin. “Bring it on,” he muttered to himself, and struck a dramatic, evildoer pose by crossing his arms and arching his head before the door burst open. After all, he was performing for Chronos’ little experiment. He had to be convincing.

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Signature by the Sinfully Delicious Lady Knives