Luxor Academy: Flames of Chaos

Chapter 18 - High Noon of Good and Evil

"Did you know that my brother's pastime is beating up teachers?" Seo asked during our dinner conversation, his eyes twinkling.

"Are you serious?" I was shocked. Who in their right mind would fight a teacher?

"I'm joking," Seo said, taking a bite of potato, "He only fights Hundun."

"That's still fighting a teacher" I exclaimed.

"Serves him right for being the school resident delinquent," Seo laughed, "This year, he almost killed a teacher."

"He almost killed Professor Sharp?" It seemed very strange that Professor Sharp, who specialized in defensive fighting, would be beaten to the brink of death.

"Yep, that's why Mr. Troy Sharpie-de-Sharp isn't here," Seo seemed unconcerned, "Thank goodness Hundun has his angel seal though."

"Angel seal?" I asked, wanting more information.

"Yep," Seo replied, nodding his head, and denying me the elaboration. I had to wait until Setsuna explained the situation at Behemoth HQ. I had a general gist though.

"But can't Ryo hold him back?" I asked.

"No, he can't," Seo frowned, "Even Hundun is too powerful for Ryo. Luxor fought Hundun for hundreds of years to make him submissive."

"In theory, couldn't the combined powers of Ryo, Luxor, you, and Caesar hold him back?" I insisted.

"That might be true," Seo agreed, "Though I think Hundun's angel seal will stay on longer than any of our lifelines."

At the time, I agreed with Seo. But you know the story. It didn't turn out that way.

"This is no time to be cheerful!" Seo chided Ryo as he bounced in the sewers, "We're up against true chaos!"

"What's better?" Ryo asked, "Dying with a mind boiled with anger, or dying with a smile on the face?"

"But Hundun's power isn't something to laugh at!" Seo shouted.

"Keep the noise down," Aiko warned. Seo could hear the distant sound of chatting once Aiko pointed it out. The sewers may have been a good approach, but it was nothing without discreetness.

"Hey, where's Caesar?" Ryo asked.

"Once again, he's stuck in a deep slumber," Seo shrugged, "We can't sacrifice the mission for one man's sleep."

Up ahead was the manhole. One by one, they carefully climbed up, with Ryo punching the cover apart. The scene that they arrived in was surprising. A cheap, white tiled bathroom, fully intact, with no windows.

"Why is there a manhole in a bathroom?" Seo asked the obvious question.

"Well, this bathroom is inoperable," Ryo said, turning on the faucet. All that came out was orange water stained with rust.

"Let's go," Aiko said, pushing the door opened. Outside was a stairwell, though it was so small that everyone had to walk single-file. And they kept climbing. And climbing. Finally, they stepped onto a battlefield of fire, electricity, and unholy red energy beams.

First of all, Hundun was unrecognizable. He towered over Luxor like a monster, with hide-like skin, a body rippling with muscle, and appeared like an abomination. Two pairs of phoenix wings sprouted from his back, and he had four arms, one throwing energy beams, the other three with axes and businessswords.

And the battlefield was somewhat frightening. Luxor had his sword unsheathed, the blade in flames as he deflected energy beams and tried to get to Hundun. Meanwhile, CJ nimbly sprinted around, concentrated electricity doing its best to try to fry Hundun. It was all no use; Hundun's strength was too immense.