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chaotictempleknight · 6 months ago

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I wanted to save this for the final commentary, but since Interval is a part of the Overkill Arc, please thoroughly read my legal disclaimer before leaving a comment. Regardless, I will elaborate on a bit of the lore: in 2016, a man named Able Donovan becomes president, with Sebastian infiltrating congress to begin undermining him and rigging the 2020 election in favor of his sock puppet candidate, Hector Fang. And obviously you know the rest if you read the chapter by this point (I HOPE). This will be further covered as the series goes on and has nothing to do with any real life events or occurrences.

Seriously, if anything presented in Interval bothers you, you are going to hate the Overkill Arc. Also no, I did not pull Hector Fang out of my ass. He's been sitting around as a concept for a villain for a while now.

Anyways, with that preamble out of the way, let's discuss this chapter. If you didn't know Sebastian was evil by this point (what the Hell is wrong with you?), he nearly killed Zoltan. We are not pulling any punches in UMAE, especially not in the Overkill Arc. Going from the Descendant Arc (books 1-5) to The Overkill Arc (Book 6, Books 13-18) is like going from GLORYHAMMER by Gloryhammer to Hero by Damjan Mravunac. It's like going from Breath of the Wild to Serious Sam 3: BFE. Obviously the next book, Eon 1, is a part of the Eon Arc, not the Overkill Arc. Although there will be some overlap, hehe.

Wow, could actually talk about the chapter? Yeah, the chapter! I wanted this to be full pedal to the metal while also being a callback to Prelude. God I loved doing those callbacks.

So you noticed how the 4 Horsemen just showed up in the lore? If you've read GTALT, you'll know exactly who is going to show up in the epilogue. And yes, I have plans for more horsemen stuff as the series goes on. I had to deal with an ice dam yesterday and that screwed everything up, causing me to write chapter 34 earlier than I should. I ended up having time to do some more writing, got watching the launch trailer for Serious Sam 3: BFE over and over again, and got the idea for Book 16 down which lead to everything else just coming to me. Also I got severe Deja Vu while finishing this chapter.

And I love how the next commentary is going to be the final commentary...

Also Jackson is going to get more spotlight in the future, believe it.

ULTRAMagic Interval Chapter 33

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Despite his cavalier attitude towards the encounter with Sanguine, Zoltan was worried and could not shake the feeling. While Antares had his face covered making him difficult to read, Zoltan could see the same worry on Milan’s face. If everything detailed within Valentin’s notes held true, they were all in serious trouble. As the three approached the ruins of city hall, Sebastian had an evil grin stretch across his face. Getting up from his makeshift throne, he stepped forward with glass and concrete cracking under his boots. Holding an old, thick book, he opened it up to a specific page and began to read…

“Then I saw when the lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, ‘come!’ I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went conquering and to conquer.”

Milan scoffed. “The Book of Revelations? Funny, I figured you would have burned that book already, at the behest of your furor.”

“Are you so arrogant to compare yourself to something as great as the white horseman, Sebastian?” Zoltan questioned. “I’d argue white is incredibly ill-fitting for someone like you.” This warranted mocking chuckles from the other two.

“Bold of you to assume I make this claim without the authority to do so, Dracul,” Sebastian retorted. “For you see, I am the apocalypse this wretched, sinful planet needs!”

“What a load of blowhard hogwash…” Antares rebuked as he quickly calibrated the combat systems of his armor.

Sebastian tossed the book aside and straightened out his uniform. “And my glorious conquest would have continued unimpeded had I become president of this deplorable excuse for a country. General Lundberg will be next once I’m done with all of you…”

“Wait, what are you even talking about?” Antares disputed. “You didn’t run for…” He paused as the realization dawned on him. “Hold on, it all makes sense now-YOU BASTARD! You’re Monty Black, the former VP of that dirtbag, Hector Fang!”

“Astute, child, astute!” Sebastian said in a condescending tone while clapping. “Taking advantage of you stupid Americans was easier than selling you a cuckoo clock made in the orient! The Hobbson-Shaye act, the Unrest Ordinance Act, the Cultural Concern Act-all of it pandering to your so called ‘activists’ who clamor for vein validation-all of it making them shout and cheer unfaltering fervor for World War 3!”

Antares felt his rage build up like acid in his throat, his helmet hiding an expression that indicated he wanted to puke and scream his lungs out. “YOU DISGUSTING MONSTER! All of that strife and suffering since 2020 just so you could be a war monger!?!”

“There’s more to it than that, Antares,” Milan stated in a somewhat grave voice. “In fact, let’s pull back the curtain a bit…”

Milan used his magic to lift a great deal of rubble up and slammed it down on Sebastian. This attack would not kill him, nor was it meant to. Sebastian could be heard maniacally laughing as the dust settled, followed by him shoving rubble aside. With his uniform in tatters, he ripped off his shirt to reveal an abhorrent sight. In place of his heart was a red and black, crystal skull embedded in his chest. It was a grotesque sight to behold, not helped by his skin turning into that of white marble and his eyes matching the color of the orb.

“So Valentin’s notes are true…” Zoltan remarked.

Milan was shocked by what he saw, quickly worrying his squadmates. “No, it’s worse…” There was horror in his expression as he quickly put together two and two. “YOU VILE HELLSPAWN,” he shouted at Sebastian. “You stole Conquest’s power!?”

Sebastian laughed with manic, arrogant glee. “INDEED. And I would’ve obtained the power of The Red Horseman and The Black Horseman had General Lundberg had not interfered with that infuriating coup! Alas, these acquisitions are mere stepping stones to the grand prize: THE POWER OF THE PALE HORSEMAN, DEATH!”

Antares looked ready to fight to the bitter end. “Alright, enough of this megalomaniacal gobbledygook. Let’s conclude the Nuremberg trials already…”

“Agreed, captain…” Milan started to say as he also got ready.

“Ah yes, before we commence the fisticuffs…” Sebastian interrupted as pulled a rock out of his shoulder, the deep gash quickly healing. “I must tip my hat to you, Milosh Proch.”

Milan felt a surge of adrenaline so strong that it was like a vein had burst in his head. “What did you just call me?” his voice rumbled and echoed, causing the ground to shake.

“No, really. Without you and Dunja proving that shadow orbs can be made in the current phase of the Cosmos, Morrigan Devilfay wouldn’t have created Karnage’s orb, which now sits proudly in my chest as we speak…”

Unable to hold back his anger any longer, Milan picked up Sebastian with his magic and launched him as hard as he could until a two-story building, causing it to collapse. That time he meant to kill him. Things erupted into utter chaos as Sebastian rocketed forward in a sprint towards the three, with Zoltan catching him before he could reach them. They then got into a brutal fist fight, the two slamming each other around like ragdolls. As Zoltan knocked Sebastian back with a drop kick, Milan and Antares readied their own attacks. Sebastian had managed to retaliate against Zoltan, but did not realize Antares was charging at him from behind as he gloated.

Antares began slamming two, giant sledge hammers made of golden, magical energy into Sebastian. The captain had started to push him back, but Sebastian grabbed one of the hammers and punched Antares in the chest. The Halberd armor held it up, but Antares was sent skidding back across the street regardless. Seeing Sebastian run right for him curdled his blood, but thankfully Milan appeared before him and caught Sebastian in his magical grasp. Milan flung him around, ramming Sebastian into the ground so hard that it severed his limbs. With the flick of his wrist, Milan shot what was left of Sebastian into another building like a cannonball.

While Milan went to check on Antares, two explosions went off. The most identifiable one was Sebastian, as he had recovered and was barreling at the two at full speed. This was intercepted with a hard punch to the face by what could be best described as a humanoid gargoyle made of crystallized blood. Zoltan was no longer playing around as the two resumed their fist fight. The previous exchange had actually started to harm Zoltan, but now he was shrugging off Sebastian’s attacks with ease. Milan and Antares were about to join in, but Sebastian snapped his fingers and summoned a stampede of white, spectral horses to distract them.”

“Dirty tactics from a dirty soul!” Zoltan declared as he decked Sebastian in the head again.

“YOU CALL ME FOUL, SON OF DRACULA?” Sebastian shot back in a creepy, raspy voice that had a sadistic revelry to it. “You bare the impaler’s legacy! PARTAKE IN IT!” he screeched as he began punching Zoltan hard in the torso.

Zoltan stopped this with a swift uppercut to Sebastian’s jaw. “SILENCE, HEATHEN! That Dracula is dead!”

“IS HE NOW!?!” Sebastian retorted as he sucker punched Zoltan. “ONCE AN IMPALER, ALWAYS AN IMPALER!” he roared as he slammed his head into Zoltan’s with a loud crack. He then got his opponent into a choke hold and began to squeeze.

“NAZI…SCUM… YOU WON’T… GET AWAY WITH THIS…” Zoltan struggled to say as he spat blood, feeling his senses start to go numb as his vision darkened.

“You can feel it-feel the blood, feel the anger, feel the lust for violence…” Sebastian cackled as if singing an evil lullaby as he continued to strangle Zoltan. “Feel the hate, let it subsume you, little Dracul boy…”

Before Sebastian could say anything else, Antares was dropped right behind him. Quietly he wound up and slammed one of his sledge hammers down on Sebatian’s head with all the strength he could muster, aided by the Halberd armor. Zoltan used this opportunity to break free and pummel Sebastian with all of his rage and fury, hellbent on killing him right then and there. He then picked up the monster and slammed his back over his knee. This was followed up by Zoltan swinging Sebastian around by the legs and flinging him into a giant piece of rubble. Completely in shambles, Sebastian barely had a second to recover as the stampede he had summoned began trampling him, their coats darkened like the night sky.

Milan hovered down to his friends, laughing triumphantly. “HAHA, I guess Sebastian failed to realize he’s not the only one who has had dealings with the four horsemen!” His voice was still rumbling a bit.

“HE’S NOT DONE YET, LOOK!” Zoltan said in a panic as he stumbled, crystalized blood falling off of him.

The only thing that remained from the stampede as it vanished was a twisted, gnarled body, but the shadow orb remained intact. It then lit up brightly, with the corpse uttering the most ear piercing, inhuman howl imaginable. The sky darkened for a moment with red lighting as a grisly plume of smoke made of countless shadow constructs plunged into the broken body. Horrid cracking and gurgling could be heard as Sebastian’s body reformed. He had a haunting, evil smirk on his face as his head realigned with a sickening snap.

“Ah, just what herr doktor ordered…” he taunted as he cracked his knuckles.

As Milan’s anger rose once again, shaking the very Earth itself, Zoltan was at a loss for what to do. He had reached his limit and could not go further. Thankfully he did not have to as he heard his son call out “WICKED DRAGON: DANSE MACABRE - ROSSO SANGUE OVERTURE!”

Not a moment later, Sanguine had been sent flying and landed close to Sebastian with a massive thud. “Master, this battle is lost! We must retreat, now!” he exclaimed as he picked himself up and collected his bearings.

“Oh come now, Sanguine! The fun is only just begin…ning?” Sebastian froze as he saw a chaotic, oozing dragon crash onto the battlefield, with a man emerging from the mess.

First came Vlastimir who resembled a draconic version of his father’s gargoyle form. He roared, the intensity knocking Sebastian and Sanguine back. Bethany followed up with her own roar, launching stronger versions of the magical spears from before. Next was up was Jackson, surprisingly wielding the flame scepter and launching a torrent of volcanic fireballs from it. Finally Morrigan came in as a ferocious comet of purple fire, sending Sebastian and Sanguine flying back and knocking them prone. Notably Daemonsong had become a pair of large, curved greatswords.

“Milan, Zoltan, Antares!” Valentin called out as he came running up with Ekaterina. “So we had a bit of a SNAFU, but help is on the way!”

Sebastian gave an evil, yet frustrated laugh as he picked himself up, stumbling to his feet. “Ah, Valentin and Bethany, traitors hanging amongst the scum where you belong!”

Vlastimir replied with a mocking laugh. “Sebastian, I’ve been to the edge of the Cosmos and fought against The Lich of Old himself!” Two, large greatswords emerged from his arms as he got ready to attack. “Want to know how that act ended?” he asked with a subtle mania in his voice that creeped out the others.

“SAM, JACK, LET’S FINISH THIS!” Will commanded as he half emerged from the saw blades.

“WITH PLEASURE, BOYO!” Morrigan agreed as she readied her swords, energy arcing around her with stones and rubble floating in her wake.

“HAHA, here’s one for all the marvels!” Jackson proudly proclaimed as he revved the scepter’s blades.

“THEN COME AND FACE ME, AS FUTILE AS IT WILL BE!” Sebastian invited with open arms.

“MASTER, WE MUST RUN WHILE WE STILL CAN!” Sanguine shouted.

“What are you blathering on about, Sanguine!?!” Sebastian roared, incredibly annoyed with Sanguine’s sudden and unprecedented cowardice.

Before anything else could be said, a deafening series of what sounded like foghorns rang out in the skies above the battle. Overhead the city was a colossal airship that resembled a cross between a barque and a battleship. Held aloft by four, unbelievably large jet engines, It was illuminated with lights all across the vessel, akin to that of a skyscraper at night. Spotlights began to focus on Sebastian as helicopters, jets, and VTOLs launched from the ship. Antares held his fist up in victory and cheered as Sky Fortress Camelot had finally arrived. Sebastian began to panic as he could sense the presence of the white horseman somewhere on Camelot and screamed at Sanguine to get them out of there. The two then vanished in a flurry of chaotic flames within the blink of an eye. They were gone for good this time.

As the group just stood there silently, trying to process what had just happened, Vlastimir looked incredibly disappointed as his blood went back into his body. “THAT’S IT!?” He sighed and threw his hands up. “Fine, ballo finito.”

Ekaterina smiled and patted his shoulder. “Next time, sweetie,” she said with a giggle.

Will then felt himself begin to give out as the scepter began to shake. “Jack, watch out!”

“What the… SHIT!” Both Will and Faustus fell on Jackson with a thud. “Ow ow ow…”

“You’re telling me…” Faustus moaned as Milan and Morrigan helped him and Will off of Jack.

“That’s all you had in you?” Vlastimir inquired. This was not meant to be rude, rather him being concerned. This nuance was somewhat lost on the others, however.

Faustus groaned. “Kid, I only got so much steam in me per day!” This made the others laugh. “Oh haha, laugh now, but you won’t be chuckling when you get old enough. I know how humans work!”

“You okay, son?” Zoltan asked Vlastimir as he struggled to stand.

Vlastimir nodded, then took a breath to keep his nerves steady as he turned to Milan. “Professor, could you help my dad?” It was subtle, but there was great worry in his voice.

“Don’t worry, I got him,” he said as went to support Zoltan. “There you go, take it easy…”

“Milan, I’m not a child…ow, ow!” His body seemed to be healing itself as a subtle, red glow emanated from him.

He chuckled. “We need to get you to a bed so you can rest.”

Fortunately a squad of soldiers and medics came running up, led by a strong-looking, bearded officer with scarlet hair. “Are you all okay?!” he asked as they approached the group. He then got out a walkie talkie. “We’ve located Alpha Squadron and will move them back to the base now…”

“Colonel Aalders, sir!” Antares said with a proud salute as pieces of the Halberd armor fell off of him, causing the others to quietly chuckle.

Will quickly remembered he was still on duty and also saluted. “Colonel, sir!” he was still a little wobbly though.

“At ease, gentlemen,” Colonel Aalders replied. “Although someone help these two out, stat.” A group of Liger soldiers then went to the two, three assisting Antares in removing the Halberd armor and the other supporting Will. “So it looks like we're a little late to the party, haha. Ahem, men, let’s get everyone back to M.A.I.G. on the double!”

“Sir, yes sir!” The Liger soldiers responded together.

Bethany reverted back to normal, with a Liger soldier asking if she needed any help. “Don’t worry, I’m fine…” she then turned to Valentin. “So we just go with them then?”

He chuckled as a crow landed calmly on his shoulder. “Well of course, Bethany. They are offering their help after all.”

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