Atop the fort ramparts, looking down on the approaching army with a condescending smile on his face, Paladin Shadow lowered his katana - which he had named 'Kakutei Shinkoku' - after sheathing it only a moment ago. He glanced down towards the crates, where the chains fell from the perfect, severing slashes he had given them an hour ago.

That was when they had noticed this army gathering on the horizon, pulling themselves through a portal. It was a shame they didn't try dropping from the skies, it would have been fun slaughtering their initial strike force. No matter, this way he still got to play with them.

"The Sinners have been released onto the Heretics. Now, little lamb, it is your turn. Are you ready to use that wonderful gift our Lord has blessed you with?"

He looked out over the battlefield, his lovely black coat flapping dramatically in the wind. He only wished his phone hadn't died when the world ended, he had the perfect soundtrack for this moment. The Hero valiantly standing against the horde of oncoming demons, a true anime classic that he was finally getting to live.

"Y-Yes Paladin. I am ready to fulfil my Divine purpose."

A soft voice spoke from beside him, nervous yet filled with determination, as the short figure stepped forwards and pulled down the hood of his lovely white robes, to reveal a head of messy raven black hair. It was shaggy and drooped down in front of his eyes, contrasting wonderfully against his pale face.

The young Blessed, a boy no older than 14 years old, gave an awkward half smile as a steely, determination flashed in his pure silver eyes.

Woe clenched his fists and took a deep breath as the Paladin held out a pneumatic injection device out to him, its capsule filled with a viscous golden liquid.

"An extra blessing, from his Divine Greatness. You are destined for great things young man."

Woe took the gun with trembling hands, his smile brightening.

"I won't let you down Paladin! May His light guide me!"

Without hesitation, Woe stuck the needle of the pneumatic gun into his neck and pulled the trigger. The liquid within rushed into his system, pumping through his veins which rapidly started to glow a brilliant gold.

He threw his head back, letting out a silent scream as his every muscle convulsed and spasmed. His mouth hanging open and his eyes turning from silver, to a dazzling gold. The next moment, a pulse of invisible energy rippled out from his rigid body.

It kept expanding, growing faster the wider it spread out. It seemed to be chasing the horrific abomination down below as it charged through the lines towards the enemy, before overtaking it. When the invisible wave hit the iridescent shield surrounding Alfie and his mighty steed, the dome flickered and vanished.

But that was not all.

At the same time, Fox appeared out of thin air, forced out of his reflective hiding spot just as the wretched abomination loomed over them, one of its grotesque mutated hands already swinging towards them.

'There you are you old bastard. Don't think I've forgiven you for our previous encounter. That sword will be mounted on my wall, alongside your head, and everyone will know my name!'

Fox dove to the side, just in time for a diamond skinned unicorn to fly past him as it was flung into the air, alongside its rider and his passenger. However, he had little time to worry about his companion.

He drew his sword from its sheathe on his hip and immediately sliced through the grotesque hand that was clutching for him, as he stepped to the side. The steel sang as it cleaved through the melted flesh as easily as the air. The abomination let out a distorted, layered roar of pain as it reeled back, clutching as its stump which oozed a tar like, brown blood that had more resemblance to mud.

The severed hand crashed to the ground, but even disconnected from its source it still wriggled around. The fingers grasped at the ground, dragging itself along. The fingers and other body parts that grew on top of the hand, in less useful places, wriggled uselessly as it blindly dragged itself around, flailing wildly at anything that came near it.

The Abomination scuttled around with its hundred human legs, coiling its insect-like, melted flesh body around before lashing out again, this time with its slobbering mouth. Fox stepped backwards, his foot splashing in a small puddle of water that lingered from the last few days rain.

But when he remained where he was, a deep frown knitted onto his face and panic flashed through his heart for the first time in many years.

A heavy, executioners axe fell, cleaving the head from the lunging creature, as a towering body stepped forward, following the momentum of its swung, and turned its shoulder into the approaching body.

The melted flesh slammed into the steel giant, nearly engulfing him as it simply absorbed to blow like a water balloon, deforming around the giant as if the body had no bones. Still, the steel giant was forced backwards a few metres as he dug in his heels, creating deep ruts in the mud as the giant forced the abomination to a halt.

Carnifex pulled himself from the disgusting body, some of the melted flesh clinging and sticking to his armour like glue as he peeled himself away. Even without its head, parts of it were still wriggling and moving as if they had a life of their own, while other parts remained still and dead weight.

"Thanks for the save. I don't know what happened... My powers don't seem to be working."

"Yes, neither do mine. But that is not the worrying part."

Carnifex lifted his hand, pointing behind Fox to the rest of the army. Dread crept up Fox's spine as he whirled around, to find half of their army already devastated whilst the rest of them desperately tried to fend off the wretched Abominations that nature forgot, each of them more disgusting and twisted than the last.

Every single puppet, which was indeed that half of their army, had collapsed to the ground. Their connection to their master had been severed once more as their strings had been cut, unable to prop themselves up.

The [Spirit Animals] that had been controlling them were nowhere to be seen, even by those with soul sight. All that remained of their Lord's immortal army were Carnifex and a lone puppet standing in the field amongst the lifeless husks.

A thundering boom echoed out, drawing the eyes of the commanding Fox, as a short man with bulging muscles, so much that he looked a little ridiculous with how large they were, sent an Abomination tumbling back with a devastating uppercut.

He stomped his foot on the ground, launching himself forwards with another thunderous boom as he tackled the horrific creature to the ground.

A woman with green skin and long, porcupine like thorns for hair was repeatedly ripping those thorns from her head and throwing them into another abomination, which let out disturbing and ear splitting screams every time they sunk into its flesh. The most disturbing part about it being that it sounded eerily like an infant crying.

Fox watched in awe as the plant people were intrinsic in dealing with the Abominations and keeping them contained, all while the enemies poorly equipped front line advanced forwards in a twisted version of a pincer attack.

It wasn't just the plant people, but they were definitely the majority, as they seemed to be the few that still kept their abilities, just like the muscular man and the cactus woman.

'Heteromorphs!'

Heteromorphs were the term they used for individuals who's abilities appeared as physical characteristics, although it was also used to refer to those with non-human appearances, even if the appearance was only a side effect of their abilities.

Be it bulging muscles, physical quills, or retractable claws. A Heteromorph was often, but not exclusively, someone who had a Bio class mutation and whose abilities were not based on magic or mystical abilities, but something intrinsic to their biology.

Alexandra, for example, was considered a Heteromorph, as was her girlfriend Cynthia. Many animal mutations developed as Heteromorphic, as did Flora such as the plant people here.

Put simply, since their abilities were part of their bodies and not accessed by mana like someone like Fox...

"The Heteromorphs are immune to the magic dampening! HETEROMORPHS AND FLORANS, WE LEAVE THESE ABOMINATIONS TO YOU.

ALL OTHERS! BEAR ARMS AND ADVANCE!"

Cheers resounded from the army as they quickly reorganised themselves, leaving room for the few individuals still able to use their powers to deal with their disgusting and wretched opponents, while they faced down the approaching army dressed like peasants.

A few of them tried to summon new weapons, since their abilities demanded free hands. But no matter how long they waited, the tattoos decorating their bodies didn't shift nor melt into ink.

Within this field covering the battle, they were little more than regular tattoos.

"Carnifex, do you think you can get up there? I have no doubt that whatever is dampening our abilities is up there, next to that idiot in the coat. They are relying on it to even the odds for them, so whatever or whoever it is, I need you to kill it."

"With pleasure."