Casper's body sunk into the cold water, his hateful gaze was still stuck in the massive serpent, he wanted to move, to kill him. But his body refused, it wanted its rest, the constant weight of using his attribute exacted its price.
Casper's mind was raring to go, to prove his mettle but his body refused. But his hateful will forced it, he wanted the creature's head, he wanted him to suffer!
Gradually his body listened, his fingers were the first, slowly he could wiggle his toes, his head soon came into play. After a few more moments his body was online, but the payment for moving like this would be exacted.
Casper gripped his hand and blasted out of the water, his body strained as it pleaded for him to rest but he ignored its cries. Standing next to him was Solvane, she looked equally exhausted, maybe even more but her eyes were the same as him, filled with hate.
Casper summoned his axe once more, it weaved itself in a flash of golden light once again as the rustic weapon laid snuggly in his hand.
The sea was littered with bodies, the water seemed like it was infused with blood, the sea turned red until his eye could see. The fire burned with intensity as it slowly cleansed each body, it looked like a scene from the Bible or a cheaply produced movie show.
"Whatever we're doing right now isn't working!" Solvane said with hate and annoyance
Casper nodded at his words as he looked at the Leviathan which writhed around the burning sea. All the people that died, all the people that were littering the sea, it was all his fault!
Casper closed his eyes as he took a deep breath to compose himself, they had sacrificed their lives, their futures all for him to take down the damned serpent, he had to fulfil their sacrifice.
Casper opened his eyes with renewed vigour, "There's no more bait, there's no more foreplay. We're ending this, right this minute! We're gonna attack together, you carve out the serpent's scales. I'll handle it from there.
"Even though he has regeneration, I'm pretty sure if we cut fast enough, he won't be able to regenerate fast enough. That'll be the end of him."
Casper glared at the writhing serpent.
Solvane agreed as they started their attacks, she took a firm step forward as her breath deepened. This was it, all or nothing
Her rapier glowed with a hint of green as she kicked off from the ground, Casper deepened his breath and followed after her.
Her silver rapier danced in the cloudy sky, its silver light reflecting in the water. Her body slithered around the serpent's humongous body, as it slowly unchinked the scales one by one.
Casper followed behind, his steps light but heavy, his axe tore the serpent's flesh apart, his axe curving and drifting. Traces of crimson red blood fell onto the dark sea, slowly being absorbed by it.
Casper axe titled as a crescent shaped line formed on the serpent's flesh, his skin being torn apart little by little. They leveraged their body using the serpent's own flesh, to outsiders it looked like a graceful dance filled with red.
But to Casper and Solvane it was way harder, each step, each slice, each breath all of it was calculated, a slight mishap would result in their brutal death. The serpent figured out what they were doing, but it was powerless to do anything, the fire trapped it, bound it and shackled him.
All he could do was wait for his cold death which was filled with pain. The dance kept on continuing, as wounds began piling up, soon they reached the climax of their vengeful dance. A spiral filled with red was present on the serpent's body, it circled from his tail to his neck.
Solvane fluttered freely like a butterfly, her smooth rapier slowly descending onto his neck before she abruptly stopped. Her hands pressed her lungs, as she spewed out a voluminous amount of blood.
She tried to regain her balance and continue her assault but she tapped out, her body paused as her movements ceased, causing her to slowly fall. But the vile serpent did not let her rest, his jaws unclenched as he slowly, bit by bit opened it.
As he completely consumed her, Casper watched all this unfold, his arms were outstretched as he tried to grab onto her. His eyes filled with water, his axe slowly loosened from his grip.
'Not again!'
Casper's eyes suddenly turned vengeful, his jaws clenched together before he left out a terrifying roar. "I'm going to kill you, you bastard!"
His axe turned incorporeal as he plunged it into his neck before turning it tangible, completely eviscerating his neck. Casper's body immediately shut down after completing his goal.
He struggled to open his eyes, but somehow the Spell hadn't given him credit for the kill, 'DID HE SURVIVE! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!'
No matter how much his mind struggled his body refused to move, but then an insidious voice began to speak in his mind. He knew who it was, it was the same voice he heard back when he first met the vile serpent.
"The mark on my forehead means I can't die, no matter the injury I'll always regenerate. Even if I somehow die the first time around, I'll turn into a Demon and come back.
"Back when you first injured me, that actually killed me after a while. That's what made me into a Demon, that's why I have black eyes now. You can't kill me as long as I have the Mark."
The Leviathan paused before he continued, "The Mark serves as a Lock and a Key to one of the most feared enemies of the Gods. They bound him and 'He created me and' bestowed the lock and the key to his prison onto me.
"The Mark can't be fully transferred, only copied, if one bearer of the Mark kills another they won't come back. The mark can only be worn by someone worthy, or else they'll be driven mad with the Mark's desire.
"The Mark is the first curse in existence, wearing it won't only affect you on the physical level but spiritual. Burning it or cutting it off won't work, that's just wishful thinking."
The Leviathan deliberated over his words, he seemed to hesitate for a bit before he gave in, "As the first bearer of the Mark I can fully transfer it, something you won't be able to do. For centuries I've bore the Mark, its sinister claws dug deep into me.
"I've wanted to get rid of it, and on that boat I found someone worthy—you Casper. If I was at the peak of my power, I could've easily slaughtered you, but then due to my age and the wounds I have received over the years my power has fallen.
"But I think everything worked out well, I guess it's that Brats power of Fate, don't you think so Casper?," The Leviathan used his true name, not the name of the body he possessed, somehow he understood what the Spell was and somehow knew his name.
"I can transfer the Mark to you, and with that I will die and as such you'll be the new bearer. But remember, this comes with a heavy price, are you sure you want to bear it?"
"IF I GET TO KILL YOU, SO BE IT!"
The Leviathan broke out into a bloodthirsty grin after hearing his words, "If that is your wish, so be it. I hope to hear about your exploits from the creatures that you send to the Shadow Realm. I hope what I did results in some entertainment for me."
Almost immediately, a searing pain broke out in his arm. His previously exhausted body which didn't even have the energy to scream somehow tapped into new reserves specifically for Outer Deity Gift Bestowal Pain
As he let out a blood curdling scream, on his arm the Hebrew letter for Vav, and two marks representing the letter Yod appeared.
Soon the beautiful voice of The Spell whispered in his ear,
[You have slain an Great Titan, God's Mistake, The First Abomination, Cain]
[You have received an Echo]
[You have received a Memory, The First Blade]
[Your Memory, Steelborne Ace has been destroyed]
[You have gained an attribute, Leviathan Borne]
[You have gained an attribute, Mark of Cain]
Casper slowly pulled himself out of the water with the remaining energy he had, his stubborn body finally listening to him.
He had finally done it, he beat the Leviathan! But the problem remained, his Nightmare didn't get over!
So many lives had been sacrificed and yet he still wasn't finished, no somehow he had more to go. Solvane, his crew, those Awakened that threw their lives for him! Was it all for nothing….
Somehow his situation managed to worsen too, Casper looked at his arm which bore the Mark of Cain.
He slowly stood up and gazed at the burning sea, was it all for nothing…..
Suddenly Casper felt a sharp tingling sensation coming from his shoulder, his mouth spewed out blood as he slowly turned behind. Standing behind him were his Division Commanders who had their weapons through him.
"W-why?" Casper weakly muttered
"We've been the spies of War since forever, they'll be really happy with you. We killed their Sergeant of the Army, so offering you up would let us keep our heads and also let us earn some praise. Don't you think so too, Captain?"
He said mockingly as his lips curved into a smile.