Zakael's eyes flared with a fierce, smoldering heat as his entire body was consumed by a surge of intense blue flames. With a single, forceful stomp, the earth trembled and split.

Beams of searing azure fire shot upward, tearing through the ground, incinerating both sorcerers and Nether Guards in their path.

But much to his astonishment, the erupting fiery beams gradually began to bend and fade, drawn into the swirling vortex of Mako's 'Flame Absorption.' Each flame was pulled into Mako's grasp, leaving Zakael stunned, his surety shaken as his power drained away.

ZAKAEL: "The nature of your flame... Your fire techniques... What have you done to yourself?"

MAKO: "I have become better, brother - Made myself worthy of the family's honor. You can consider this a gift from the Netherworld. You no longer stand a chance against me,"

Mako smirked sinisterly, flaunting green-hued flames around his fingers - the 'Empirical Flame.' In a brief span, he had ascended from being a mere Extreme in the Saint realm's hierarchy to a forbidden fire master in the ominous Tainted Realm's hierarchy.

ZAKAEL: "Sacrilege! You've perverted your flame, corrupted your own nature, and tainted your pride as a member of the Blaze family. Henceforth, even though we do share blood, I atsake you as my brother!"

MAKO: "[Sneers at Zakael.] Humph. Sayings glory is to the man left standing in battle,"

Zakael gave his response with a fierce roar, summoning a massive ball of fiery energy from his palms, shaping it into a blazing beam that surged toward Mako. However, the latter was swift in retaliation, countering with an equally colossal beam of his own.

The two opposing fiery beams collided, sending shockwaves through the environment that caused a massive vortex of whirling flames and explosive energy.

The ensuing display was a dazzling array of blazing streaks and scorching flashes.

But despite his valiant efforts, Zakael's beam proved no match for Mako's dominating fire beam, placing him at a lethal disadvantage. The overpowering fiery onslaught pierced through his unleashed fiery beam, blasting his vulnerable body, and engulfing him in scorching green flames.

He was helplessly propelled through the air by Mako's brutal onslaught like a cannonball.

For Mako, the long-standing rivalry with his brother had finally reached its conclusion. However, he had one last threat to eradicate - his nephew, David.

Zakael, clinging to the last thread of life, cast a pained, weary glance at his wide-eyed son, David. His gaze carried a silent plea - run. And with that, he drew his final breath.

The sight struck David and his captured mother, Ciarah, like a hammer blow. Her anguished scream tore through the battlefield as she cried out her husband's name, her tears flowing uncontrollably.

Shattered by the loss, David stood dazed, but the shock quickly gave way to a burning rage surging through him.

The Imperial red flame ignited in his veins, and with a furious burst of power, he manipulated the scattered flames around him. In a blink, he incinerated a group of both Netherworld minions and Chaos Force's sorcerers, leaving only charred remains behind.

Modred approached slyly, poised to strike. But Mako intercepted, his expression dark as he warned the Chaos Force's leader off with a scowl.

MAKO: "He's mine to deal with, sorcerer." he growled.

Mako then turned his attention to David, raising his hand toward where the latter fought fiercely. An emerald fiery beam shot from his grasp, streaking toward David.

Consumed by the heat of battle, David didn't see it coming. But Ciarah did.

She forcefully broke free from the men restraining her, ran to her son, and threw herself between him and the deadly beam. It struck her squarely in the heart, hurling her body through the air as her screams echoed in the aftermath.

In moments, her form was consumed by the flames, reduced to nothing but ashes before she touched the ground.

YOUNGER DAVID: "Motheeeer!!" David screamed in anguish as he witnessed the bizarre occurrence.

Consumed by grief, he enveloped himself in a raging sea of red flames. His fury blazed uncontrollably as he charged at Mako with reckless abandon. He ran, gathering all the flames into his fist, lunging at his uncle with the intent to deliver a searing death blow.

But Mako stood unmoved, his expression cold. He calmly raised his hand, now wreathed in fire, and met the blow head-on.

The impact triggered a massive blast, sending shockwaves that rippled through the battlefield, scattering debris and flame in every direction.

When the smoke cleared and the flames receded, David's heart sank. His breath hitched as he stared at Mako, who stood largely unscathed. His uncle bore only minor bruises from the tremendous clash.

The sight left David stunned. (Impossible!) he thought, his mind racing with disbelief. His flames had barely made a dent.

MAKO: "I commend your potential, but you lack the experience needed to beat me. You may pose a threat to me in the future which is why I must dispose of you... now!" Mako spoke, his tone menacing and emotionless.

In one swift motion, he seized David's arm and effortlessly hurled his lightweight body into the air.

A cruel grin spread across Mako's face as he clapped his palms together, merging them into one in preparation for a forbidden technique. With a low, ominous groan, he summoned the seal of the 'Six Parts of Destruction' - a fire-sealing art of foreboding power.

From Mako's body erupted six distinct streams of emerald flame, each bursting with malevolent energy, hurtling toward David's vulnerable figure suspended in midair. The flames enveloped him from all sides, searing his flesh and draining his strength with every agonizing second.

David could do nothing against the onslaught. His strength waned as the flames corroded his body, and he plummeted to the ground, crashing with a deafening thud that shook the battlefield.

MODRED: "[Stares with an uneasy expression.] Using that foreboding skill was reckless, Mako Blaze. This may be of serious concern to the Chaos Force if he survives the ominous seal in the future."

MAKO: "It is against the Netherworld's order to kill him yet. But be rest assured, sorcerer, even if he survives, then he shall be ours to control one day. Although this iteration of the 'Six Parts of Destruction' remains unpredictable, no victim shall evade its grip on sanity and enslavement of will." His words carried an air of confidence and a hint of sinister anticipation.

Mako's cold eyes shifted to his infant niece, Alexa Blaze, whose cries pierced the air as she squirmed in the arms of a Chaos Force minion. Without a hint of remorse, Mako snatched the tiny child from the sorcerer's grasp, his hand wrapping tightly around her fragile, little neck.

His expression remained chillingly vacant, utterly devoid of sympathy as he lifted her with ease.

His gaze then drifted toward David, who was still resisting against the flow of the ominous seal, writhing in agony to fight its influence. The latter's screams filled the battlefield, his body shaking as he fought to stay conscious under its overwhelming power.

Mako's lips curled into a wicked smile.

To deepen David's torment and push him further into despair, he made a ruthless decision.

He stood before his nephew and tightened his grip a little harder on Alexa's delicate throat, squeezing without mercy. Her cries weakened as he held her up, watching the horror in David's eyes as his will crumbled under the weight of helplessness.

Mako's cruel act was meant to break David completely, to force him into submission to the seal's dark power.

YOUNGER DAVID: "[Sobs in grief.] ....Why, uncle? Why are you doing this?"

MAKO: "[Focus his gaze on David's battered figure.] I can smell the profound grief and hate that emanates from you, little nephew, the absolute stench of despair. It's a good thing - embrace it." Mako spoke out in a dark and sadistic tone, maintaining his grip on Alexa.

YOUNGER DAVID: "[Grits his teeth.] Tsk... In that case, it's pointless to ask a heartless beast like you. If I don't meet my end today, rest assured that someday, I will make you recount your existence in anguish," David's anguished voice resonated with a dark promise.

MAKO: ".... 'Someday,' but not today."

With a chilling finality, Mako uttered his cruel words and, without a trace of emotion, snapped infant Alexa's neck. Her fragile body went limp in his hand, her haunting cries cut short as she fell lifeless to the ground.

The sight struck David with unbearable force, shattering the very foundation of his soul. He felt his sanity slipping, his mind teetering on the edge of oblivion. Overcome with grief and fury, he let out a primal, grief-stricken cry that echoed across the battlefield. In the next instant, a colossal surge of reddish-black energy erupted from him, consuming half of the entire Vegas neighborhood in a cataclysmic wave of destruction.

The sheer force of David's outburst was nothing short of apocalyptic, leveling everything in its path, turning affected areas into a wasteland of chaos and ruin.

It became unmistakably clear at this point - the battle between David and Mako had spiraled into something far deadlier, with catastrophic consequences for anyone caught in the crossfire.

***

However, it was also at this point in time, that the present-day David Blaze finally broke free from the grip of Modred's Lazarus Trance spell.

******

A/N: Hello dear readers, your feedback matters. Please star 🌟 or share your thoughts on the comment box 🗃 if you found this chapter intriguing. Thank you.