Apocalypse Reset: My Crab Can Heal the World!

Nazakiel attacks first - without moving a muscle. Through the air, he launches a psychic attack, seeking to end Barns with one decisive blow. A wall of distorted air pushes against Barns to crush him. But the legendary hero is not one to falter easily - he whips his cane through the air, and the defensive magic of the sage crab comes through. The distortion is erased, and Barns is no worse for wear.

"Defensive magic," Nazakiel narrows his eyes. "Strong enough even to block me, hm? But can it block this?"

Nazakiel thrusts his arm out, and volatile energy spews from the floor. It takes the form of two giant hands and in one fluid motion, they each swipe at Barns and Clancy.

Barns swings his cane and vanquishes one of the magicked hands, while Clancy smashes the other into the ground, causing it to diffuse. Nazakiel watches with unbothered curiosity.

"You've already put up a much better show than the girl."

Nazakiel ushers to Maria. She trembles in the corner, her eyes downcast.

"To think a human exists who can push back against the force of my imagination. Very well, Barns. I will just have to push farther."

Nazakiel rises into the air, hovering just inches above the ground. He's tested Barns enough already to know - he would deign the human worthy of a true battle.

The Sentinel teleports through the air, appearing directly in front of Barns. He throws a kick, and Barns blocks with his cane - but the force of Nazakiel's sweeping kick knocks Barns backward several feet.

The counter comes from Clancy. The mighty crab moves into position and slices both of his sharp pincers through the air. Nazakiel teleports over the attack and lands atop Clancy's shell. As his feet land on the shell, they become infused with orange light - explosive energy. Like bombs, two blasts rattle Clancy from atop his shell, sending the crab reeling. Nazakiel teleports again in a flash, back to Barns.

The hero is ready for the attack. The moment Nazakiel appears, Barns thrusts the Silver Rake forward. Nazakiel doesn't have time to dodge - but he doesn't need to.

Instead, the Sentinel simply stares. As Barns thrusts forward, the distance between he and Nazakiel begins to blur. No matter how far Barns seems to push, he cannot reach Nazakiel. It seems impossible, as the Sentinel is standing right in front of him.

Nazakiel's power is a great one - the ability to make whatever he imagines becomes reality. And so, simply by imagining that he dodged Barns' attack, he does - warping physics itself to bend to his will.

Barns looks at the tip of Silver Rake, dumbfounded. So close, and yet so far.

And then Nazakiel counters. A ball of orange light manifests between them and rams Barns in the stomach. The hero stumbles back again, the air knocked out of his lungs.

While Barns is stunned, Nazakiel moves in for the kill. A series of web-like tendrils explode from Nazakiel's body, twisting and tangling around Barns, constricting him. He'd be squeezed to death, but Nazakiel's attack is broken as Clancy sweeps back into the fray, snipping the tendrils in one clean motion. Clancy stands between Barns and Nazakiel, hot steam erupting from inside his shell.

"NO HURT BARNACLES!" Clancy shouts. He scuttles into Nazakiel, swinging his claws wildly.

The Sentinel dodges each attack effortlessly as time and space shift around him. He's still toying with them. He can go much farther than this.

Nazakiel's eyes spark as he readies his next technique. This time, he aims for a definitive blow.

The Sentinel imagines his own fist passing entirely through the crab, and then throws a punch.

His attack connects as he punches through the front of Clancy's shell, but he is stopped by an invisible force. Nazakiel looks on in disbelief. As hard as he pushes, he can't quite blast through Clancy.

'How is this possible?' Nazakiel furrows his brow. Nothing can stop his imagination. Nothing. And yet somehow, this crab has.

Clancy shrugs him off, a piece of his shell falling to the ground. The mighty crab goes in for another attack, attempting to run the Sentinel through.

Nazakiel's concentration lapses for a single moment, and Clancy's attack connects. He impales Nazakiel all the way through with a quick jab, and the Sentinel stumbles back.

'I was…hit?'

And another hit. Clancy's claw tears through Nazakiel's torso in a blur of motion. For a fraction of a second, the Sentinel doesn't react - his body still floating in the air, his mind processing what just happened.

Nazakiel lands on his back, facing the ceiling. He looks down at his wound and blinks. It's enough to completely seal the wound shut, as if it never happened. He climbs back to his feet, dusting himself off.

"So you landed a hit on me," Nazakiel laughs. "My fascination is endless indeed. What power is this that you possess? Power strong enough to resist my imagination?"

"That's the power of Barns and Clancy!" the hero says, moving to Clancy's side and bracing his cane, ready for another round.

"ULTIMATE CRAB EMPEROR POWER! UNSTOPPABLE!"

"Tch."

Nazakiel shakes his head. "Your powers are still inferior. So you can spar against me. But can you resist this?"

Nazakiel's body glows bright as a spasm of light overtakes him. The energy builds in his body for just a moment until it releases chaotically, shooting above.

The light passes through the ceiling of the throne room, and suddenly Dimartino Castle is undone. The ceiling and everything above them is blasted apart, sending a shockwave strong enough to knock everyone, including Nazakiel, off their feet. The sound of bursting bombs and popping stones fills the air, and in no time at all, they find themselves standing in the throne room with nothing above them but an empty sky.

Barns' breath catches in his throat. The castle - his castle - is gone. Rubble and debris rain down, filling the throne room with choking dust. His eyes snap toward the edge of the ruins, heart hammering.

"Good," Nazakiel smirks, drinking in the open air. "Now our battle truly begins."