The Achievement Junkie

Jack's flame body continued to look down on the remaining syndicate members, all the more intimidating after defeating a lv. 83 guardian. And considering how no one understood what Jack did to win, they were even further frightened.

Despite his appearance, Jack was on his last legs. Using Time Stop was still the most costly of his spells. Using Greater Replenish only bought Jack a few moments before his body started to shut down.

'Bowzer we need to run,' Jake stated telepathically. 'Take me back inside the guild…'

The fox was glad that Jack wasn't as crazy as his flame body had let on. Bowzer dashed toward Jack, getting a lead on the baffled syndicate members.

Jack mounted Bowzer with a groan as they dashed off at top speed. But the army wasn't just going to let them leave so easily.

The remaining lv. 60's and lv. 70's chased after them. Some started to gain on the fox, which was to be expected with their level difference. It was only a matter of time till they were caught and killed now that Jack was a handicap.

The hero was about to call for more help but he spotted someone flying through the air, heading towards Jack and Bowzer.

That someone dowsed Jack and Bowzer in holy light and hurling lightning into the crowd following the duo. He dropped to the ground, blocking the duos pursuers personally.

Feeling some of his body's pains and aches lessening, Jack sighed. Though his body was still shutting down, Jack knew that he could at least maintain consciousness while his body began to rest.

'Bowzer… drop the flame body… I can't hold it any longer…'

Both Jack and Bowzer dropped their flame bodies as they continued their dash for the city wall.

Finally not under the stress of combat, Bowzer showed a slight smile. But Bowzer's body remained burning hot, even after losing the flame body.

"Ahh! Bowzer--"

"Jack!"

Bowzer came to a grinding halt. The fox bounced the weak Jack from his back as softly as he could. While Jack groaned from his aching body and the burns he had received, Bowzer felt his body trying to again release his flame body.

'Jack, I can't…'

The barely conscious hero noticed Bowzer struggling to contain his flame body. It was a strange sight, something that felt oddly familiar to Jack.

Remembering the only other time Bowzer couldn't control his flame body, Jack looked back at his and Bowzer's levels.

'Lv. 69… Bowzer, are you evolving?!'

'That… can explain it…' replied the fox, still wanting to fight it and carry Jack to safety.

'Phoro! Come get me, now!' Jack shouted telepathically.

'Alright, but I'm coming full-speed!'

With an escape on the way, Jack turned to Bowzer and forced a smile. 'Bowzer, just let it go… Phoro will be picking me up any second now, so no need to fight it… Just get far away from the battlefield...'

'Okay…'

The fox nodded and noticed the incoming Phoro over the top of the city wall. With nothing holding him back, Bowzer took off further north while keeping close to the city wall. His flame body erupted again while his flames were more intense yet inconsistent.

Phoro arrived and helped Jack onto his back.

'Take me to the west wall… near Bowzer…'

Following Jack's order, Phoro carried Jack to the wall. They landed not too far from the west gate and could see all the battlefields now.

Jack kept his eyes half-closed. The hero didn't have any energy to waste and was forced to watch while he was left incapable of helping. Jack was delighted to see that Lorwynn had arrived, but he was more interested in the godly duel and what Rikko had planned.

*****

Pestro was still raging, only getting stronger and faster as he allowed his emotions to run wild.

Eedaj, on the other hand, was focusing on evasion while continually maintaining the illusory darkness around Pestro.

Both gods started to feel the tax of battle, keeping a close eye on their mana stores. They each had a few more powerful moves to offer but they also understood that those moves would be best used under the right circumstances when they're guaranteed to hit.

The Demon God's demonic attacks shredded the ground that he walked on. Holding nothing back, Pestro seriously wanted to kill Eedaj rather than just stall the Mind God.

Black lighting started to dance around Pestro's swords, combining dark and lightning type energies. Static electricity covered the area as Pestro's speed increased again. The Demon God chased after the Mind God, finally gaining on him.

It only took a few swings and a few moments for the Demon God to finally catch up to Eedaj. Pestro saw Eedaj looking back to him as Pestro's greatswords arched toward Eedaj.

Those large swords threatened Eedaj as they neared his side, ready to slash through the elven god's flesh.

"Ahh…"

A god grunted spit out a morsel of blood as he stopped in his tracks.

Pestro snarled as he looked down at his chest to find an unwelcome guest stabbing a dagger into Pestro's chest and a dagger into Pestro's knee.

"RIIIIKKOOOOO!!"

"See, Pestro funny!" The Goblin God twisted his blade in Pestro's chest cavity, taking full advantage of his sneak attack.

"YOU!" Pestro ignored the pain and the blood dribbling down his chest, jabbing one sword into the ground and grabbing Rikko by the throat. "You'll die!"

Despite the tight grip latched around his neck, Rikko smiled and chuckled with strained breathing, "Rikko no die… Pestro die…"

As Pestro took that in, the Demon God noticed the figure of Eedaj a few meters away begin to fade into the illusory darkness. Then, all of a sudden, Pestro felt a hand firmly grab the top of his head.

Knowing exactly what had happened, Pestro's focus shifted immediately to Eedaj floating over him from behind. "Eedaj--"

"Cerebral Collapse!"

Eedaj tightened his grip around Pestro's head, sending a pulse of psychic energy into the Demon's God's skull.

"AAAhhhhhaaaaAAAaaahhh…"

Pestro had no chance to stop the merciless Mind God who would never turn down such a window of opportunity. He felt his arms grow limp, followed by his legs. He lost access to his divine physique. Without any footing, Pestro fell backward.

Rikko laughed again, now freed from the Demon God's loose grip. "Rikko say Pestro face consequences! Now Pestro pay with life!"

"No, Rikko." Eedaj stopped the chuckling goblin from stabbing Pestro in the throat. "Let's help Jack kill him. He could use the EXP."

"Oh, Rikko like that too," replied Rikko, storing away both of his daggers.

"You… How… dare…"

Pestro struggled terribly to speak a single word, forming broken and incomplete phrases.

"That's enough from you, Pestro. You dared face us, but we're not like the holy gods. We don't fight with brute force. Instead, we'd rather appear weak in order to gain the advantage in the end," stated Eedaj, relieved to have ended the battle without any major injuries.

Eedaj let the darkness fade, giving them all a better view of the other battlefields and giving the other battlefields witness the outcome.

"Cease your fighting, or die!"

Everyone heard Eedaj's telepathic shout, jarring the syndicate members and comforting the guild members.

Eedaj continued, "The fight is over. Surrender your weapons peacefully and you may still live. Attempt anything, and you'll be killed by a god. Would you dare?!"

The sound of weapons clanging on the ground started to fill the area. At the same time, the giant beasts halted their rampages in order to watch Eedaj and Rikko.

"The Leisure Guild has won this fight and protected the city!" shouted Eedaj, filling the guild members with well-earned pride. "The syndicate and the chaotic gods have lost!"

"Have we, now?"