Chapter Fifty One: Awakening

Mary walked up beside Copy, her expression of disdain as she observed his condition. She couldn't help but feel disgust at the sight before her. How could Copy be pushed to such lengths? It was a troubling realization, the human far stronger than she had anticipated.

From within their shared body, Simon's confusion deepened as he observed Mary beside Copy. He had thought that Bard was keeping Mary safe. The unexpected appearance of Mary raised questions about Bard's whereabouts, leaving Simon feeling unsettled. Meanwhile, Forbidden Blood struggled maintaining control. As Simon attempted to assert control over the body.

Mary's shifted ahead, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Simon, Eve, and Vulcan. There was a cold intensity in her stare, her thoughts and intentions clear as day. Without a word, she reached into her back pockets and retrieved a dagger, handing it to Copy.

"Copy, you know what to do, get this over with," Mary commanded, her tone devoid of emotion.

"Without delay, boss," Copy responded with a smirk as he took the dagger from Mary. As he raised it to pierce her chest. A sudden ball of fire struck him, causing him to be pushed back slightly.

"Mary! No... You must be that damn Forbidden she was talking about," Simon exclaimed, disbelief in his tone. With determination, he began to walk forward, his gaze locked on Mary.

"Human, I suggest you turn back, unless you wish to die," Mary warned.

"Oi, turn back now, you ain't got the strength to take him on!" Forbidden Blood yelled as he tried to dissuade Simon from walking further.

"You really expect me to turn back, when my friend is in danger?" Simon retorted as he broke into a sprint, closing the distance between himself and Mary.

"Such foolishness..." Mary sighed as she turned to face Simon.

Simon unleashed a barrage of fiery punches, each strike fueled by his determination to protect his friend. However, Mary effortlessly dodged each attack, her movements fluid and calculated. As Simon's fiery display continued, Mary's hands began to glow brightly with the pulsating energy of the void, ready to unleash her own counterattack.

"Forbidden attribute, void dimension!" Mary swiftly grabbed Simon by the face, her touch imbued with the energy of the void. In an instant, void energy began to outline Simon's entire body, engulfing him in a shroud of darkness.

And suddenly, as if taken away by an unseen force, Simon was teleported elsewhere, leaving behind only a faint echo of his presence. The abruptness of his disappearance left an eerie silence.

"Enjoy your stay in the void dimension, however brief it might be..." Mary said as she turned away from the empty space where Simon had stood, her attention now towards Copy.

Eve's expression was a mix of disbelief and fear, her gaze not fixed on Mary herself, but on the being that controlled her.

"Eve, we have to find Bard and get out of here as soon as possible. We shouldn't stay any longer than necessary," Vulcan urged as he struggled to stand, his muscles protesting with each movement. "Once we're safe, we can focus on figuring out what happened with Simon and how to help him."

"Now, please hurry, Copy. I have more important matters to attend to. That human seems to be almost finished with the portal," Mary instructed.

Without uttering a word, Copy's hand tightened around the hilt of the dagger, driving it deep into Mary's chest. The blade sank deeply into her flesh. Suddenly, a glow enveloped the dagger, emitting an intense radiance as it spewed forth torrents of void energy, crackling with power. The scene unfolded in a mesmerizing yet chilling display, the air pulsating with raw energy as the dagger remained firmly embedded in Mary's chest.

"My work here is done," the being controlling Mary declared as it relinquished its hold, allowing Mary to regain control of her own body. With a flicker of ethereal energy, the presence departed, leaving Mary standing in the aftermath.

"I-I'm sorry, Simon," Mary whispered weakly, her voice barely audible. The dagger remained embedded deeply in her chest, as the void energy descended upon her like rain, engulfing her in an ominous shroud, Mary's figure became obscured within the darkness.

"Y-yes, let's get out of here," Eve responded, as she moved to support Vulcan, offering him her shoulder for stability. Together, they began to make their way to escape.

"How cute, trying to escape like that. Hmm, but I can't be bothered to put up a chase," Copy remarked with a nonchalant sigh as he observed Eve and Vulcan's attempt to flee. Despite their efforts, Copy seemed uninterested in pursuing them. With a casual demeanor, he simply watched as they struggled.

"Oh, right," Copy said as he observed Mary's transformation amidst the void energy. He shifted his attention to her, his smirk widening with intrigue. "I wonder what attribute you're being given, Mary," he remarked, amusement in his tone as he awaited the outcome of her transformation.

As if on cue, a dark portal abruptly materialized nearby, spitting out Simon, who appeared badly wounded. Despite his injuries, Simon, fueled by sheer determination, rose to his feet and began to walk towards Mary.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Copy remarked, his smirk widening as he spoke. "Who knows if the transformation is drastic or not." With a casual flick of his wrist, he gestured towards Mary.

"Mary, I-I'll save you," Simon weakly uttered as he approached Mary.

With an sigh, Copy rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly, "Honestly, you're asking for trouble. But hey, who am I to rain on your parade? Go ahead, play the hero if you must. Just remember, I did warn you."

As the void energy engulfed Mary's body, it seemed to absorb into her. The dagger, once firmly in her chest, dissolved into the mass of darkness, leaving no trace behind. Mary's silhouette flickered momentarily, the void energy pulsating around her like a shroud.

"Mary..?" Simon said as he looked at her. His eyes widened in realization as he noticed a subtle yet distinct change: Mary's once familiar green eyes had now taken on a pink hue.

"Pink, hmm..? Which attribute is that, it could be many things Lust also have a pink color to her attribute. Wait, are you Forbidden Dream?" Copy asked.

"Hmm, is that you, Copy?" The new being that had took control of Mary's body turned to face Copy, not paying any attention Simon to focus solely on him.

"Ah, it is you, Forbidden Dream," Copy remarked with a smug grin. Adjusting his fedora on his head with a casual flick of his hand, he continued, "This really makes things interesting. One of the heavy hitters is back."

"Hey, Copy, where exactly am I? What's happening?" Forbidden Dream asked as she looked at the surroundings.

"Ah, that's a bit of a long story, but don't worry. Why don't we get going, and I'll catch you up on the details as we move?" His tone was relaxed and he gestured for Forbidden Dream to follow as he began to walk.

Simon stretched out his hand in a desperate attempt to reach Mary as she walked away alongside Copy. With every ounce of strength drained from his body, he collapsed to the ground.

As Eve and Vulcan made their way away from the scene, they noticed the car parked nearby. Inside, they saw Bard, he was bruised and battered, showing the signs of a struggle. Eve couldn't help but assume that the same entity that had taken control of Mary must have sneak attacked Bard while he was unaware.

"Eve, we have to get him to a hospital as soon as possible," Vulcan said as he examined Bard's injuries.

"Right, let's get him settled in the back seat and head back to see if Simon is still there," Eve instructed as she took charge of the situation.

Vulcan carefully placed Bard in the back seat, making sure he was as comfortable as possible given the circumstances, before taking the driver's seat himself. He confidently drove the car towards the gas station without wasting a moment.

As they got near the gas station, Eve and Vulcan saw a small crowd gathering around the area. Among the commotion, they spotted Simon collapsed on the ground, instantly recognizing the severity of his injuries, Eve and Vulcan rushed to his side.

With care, Vulcan lifted Simon and gently placed him into the backseat of the car, making sure that he was positioned as comfortably as possible given his injuries.

"The closest hospital is in Legis," Eve stated as she checked on her phone.

"We have no time to waste then, let's hurry up," Vulcan said as he began to drive towards Legis.

Slowly but surely, the gears of fate were shifting in favor of the Forbidden. With each passing moment, the pieces of their plan were falling into place.

Slowly, the inevitability of chaos will come...