Manny tries something... different.

"Microwave!" He exclaims.

"What?" Silkress asks.

The confusion causes Silkress to lower her weapon. A big mistake. Manny lunges and punches her in the chest. He rolls.

He gets a fourteen. He shatters Silkress's arm.

"No!" Silkress exclaims, "not like this!" She lunges with her soul erasing blade. Manny smirks with coincidence, but, as he rolls to counter... the sensation on his neck shoots though him, he's forced to roll as a dark, unholy energy paralyses him.

Another fourteen. He narrowly avoids the soul erasing slash. He feels a weight on his legs, what's causing it?

"You feel it?" Silkress laughs, "that's sin. The blood on your hands. Don't fight it, give in."

Manny rolls again to continue the struggle, rolling only a six. It's not enough. Silkress lunges. Manny can't move, he can't counter. There's nothing he can do.

"Allow me Nathan," Gene smirks, "rig."

Manny's roll changes to a natural twenty. He smirks, dodges at the last second, swipes the blade, and  counters. Silkress begins fading from the universe.

"You think this changes anything?" She chuckles, "you can NEVER ATONE! Ha. Ha. Ha."

Silkress is erased.

The orb with the shards suddenly glows. The shards combine suddenly in a flash of bright light, and a feminine figure appears. They are referred to as a they, because...

Hold on. Gene! Where's the shades?!?

...

OK, thanks man!

I put on the shades.

Deal with it.

Pheonix rolls to shatter the blade. They take the blade in their hands, it clashes against their dark skin. Their blue eyes gaze at the blade, as their long, black hair drapes over their yellow dress.

They immediately rig the roll. The blade is destroyed. They pick up Marcie.

"Well," they smile, "we best be going! You can call me Phoenix! I need to speak to Gene. Come on, let's go turn in your quest."

"I didn't complete it," Manny explains, "I was... kinda supposed to erase Antihero."

"Well," Pheonix sighs, "shit man. Look, the quest is at least over. Let's just leave and speak to Gene. OK?"

"Sure," Manny sighs, "I guess."

"Great!" Pheonix smiles, "now, I'm gonna explain what's gonna happen. You're gonna fail the quest, do not panic. There's gonna be an intermission, and you'll start your next quest. OK?"

"Yeah."

"Great! Nathan! End this quest!"

Quest One: The Blade.

Status: Failed!

Next Quest: Dark Devils

Until Then: Interlude One: Rise From The Ashes

Gene rolls to manipulate location, rigging the roll, he telaports Manny, Pheonix, and Marcie to his castle. He sits in his twinkling blue throne, glaring at Manny...