In just 90 seconds, Isval had managed to break Thalamik's Alterity via targetting his Mana Roots. Not only that, Isval had managed to shrug off Thalamik's previous attacks which were some of the strongest arsenal he had trained with. Due to the power of Blastar Fragments which enables the user to access memories of the dead. Thalamik is able to learn Sky Piercing and Istar's Spirit Burst technique. But now given he had lost his access to unlimited mana, Thalamik must now find another way to fight against Isval.
What bothers him though, is how can Isval attack straight to his Mana Roots as if bypassing any protection that Thalamik had put up.
His mind wonders.
Perhaps, Blastar has the ability to ignore physical obstacle and focuses the attack onto the target that it selected.
Gripping his sword, Thalamik inspected Isval who begans to move in a zig zag pattern different from before.
If summonning Fiends were possible here, I would already done so. But, it is impossible to do. It would only make me nauseous and stunned. Hence, it is out of the question to even attempt it.
On the bright side, previous injuries i sufferred had healed perfectly in the previous 60 seconds.
Thalamik tigthen his grip on Blastar holding it with two hands.
"KAI" He enhances his body strength as Isval clashed their swords as a loud clang echoed through the plains. At their previous exchange, Thalamik can't really handle Isval's strength. Yet, It seems to be bearable now.
It makes sense for his monstrous strength to decrease. He had sustained a lot of damage and never healed himself once. Yet even so, his output even now is incredible. A powerful mana control from Isval.
Thalamik focuses his mana field and commanded, "Push!", In an instant Isval was blowned away from him. He focuses his energy to Blastar conjuring a copy of Blastar in the form of Magical energy. "Mystical Blades!" A move he had saw Raymed used before. Simple magical swords that travel to puncture the enemy. 4 blades flew at Isval who parries it with Blastar before manuvering and landing safely to the ground.
The slow paced fight brings confusion to Thalamik.
What was it that had made Isval seemingly more slow paced as opposed to the earlier fight?
What is due to his injuries? Or due to his techniques?
Is it somehow connected to the laser beam that dismantled Thalamik's Alterity?
"ARGHHH!!!" Isval screamed as he carressed his head with his clawed hand. "GRAAAA!!!! DETERMINATION!!! DETERMINATION!!!" Isval lunged impulsively charging up his energy once more on the go.
"Dunkel Rush"
This time, Thalamik didn't dodge. He pointed his blade at Isval's blade.
Their blades met—CLANG!—
Thalamik summoned a shield at the point of contact between the tips of the identical sword, redirecting the impact energy into himself. "Perfect Counter," he whispered. The absorbed force pulsed through his arm. He twisted his body fluidly—one continuous motion—and struck Isval on the head area targeting his visor.
CRUANGKKK!
Upon impact the visor exploded as Isval was thrown to the side.
"GRAAAA!!!!!!!!!" Isval roared once more as his face was revealed with hollow eyeholes.
A whisper echoed through Thalamik's ears. 'Determination'.
"Isval... you...." Thalamik speaks worriedly. "Are you perhaps wavering because you are reminded of them?" He continued in a sad tone.
"DETERMINATION! DETERMINATION!" Isval banged his head over and over to the ground as the tendrils moved erratically. "I killed.... so many....BUGS THEY DESERVED TO DIE....I killed my friends.....I HATE THEM ALL WEAKLINGS..."
In that moment, Thalamik finally understood what Isval himself was going through. Due to him using the techniques of Cobalt and Istar it slowly made him waver his will. Which had made his movements slower. If the key to wielding Blastar is to have unwavering will. Then the act of wavering will slowly kill the user. Especially those who had sufferred grave injuries. That is 'Dark Determination' the mindset to abandon all morals in order to 'win' in a certain situation.
Discovering this however doesn't make the situation better for Thalamik. Since he had understood that, now, Isval can never be saved. Once Thalamik strips Isval of his determination, he will eventually die due to the injuries Thalamik had given to him. Biting his lip in frustration Thalamik is again put on a state of dilemma.
Damn it all! What the hell was I doing?
Thalamik asked himself watching the erratic Isval trying to keep his 'Determination' in order to cling to life. In that moment, Thalamik's determination to defeat Isval wavered even harder. So far that he almost lost all will to fight.
"ISVAL! LET'S STOP THIS WE CAN TRY TO!" Thalamik called.
"SHUT UP! I...can't... go... back... DROP DEAD IN FRONT OF MY FEET!"
Cobalt had said once before, 'There's no other way for them to get out of this hell.' Yet, Thalamik, everyday he dreams and hopes for there to be another way to bring everyone back once more.
A fleeting dream.
An empty hope.
Isval roared once more echoing through the battlefield. Unlike the previous effects, the roar had made Thalamik immobilized. His 'Will' was so weak to the point Isval's weakened roar had made him stunned in place.
[You can't lose now]
A message appeared in front of him.
Isval also appeared in front of him crashing straight at him with his signature attack "Dunkel Rush" as Thalamik was sent flying to the sky knocked unconcious.
***
[You must not lose]
[Was your determination all this time? A guise?]
[We all await your victory...]
In the black sky, I read the message with little to no energy.
"Who are you?"
[We are your Fiends]
[We ask of you to stay determined and live through]
Black The Undead Knight appeared in front of me. His aura still powerful as ever. I remembered the day we met in that cementery out of nowhere. A warrior that was killed unjustly by the elven kind.
[Have your thirst already sated, My Kaiser]
Echoes of my own words began playing in my mind.
-~
Thalamik giggled before locking his eyes to Celathis, saying, "Bathe in sorrow, you pigs. My tomorrow will be built upon your flesh." Thalamik nudged closer to Celathis as he put his hand on her cheek.
"Soon we'll have you destroyed. I will slay the last of your kind and reclaim what's rightfully mine." He spoke with crazed eyes filled with fiery magical energy.
-~
I stayed silent looking at that recording.
"I once thought that. Yet, as of now, I have no standing. I killed multiple innocents in order to survive. I don't deserve that kind of justice. Walking outside here, I am just a monster."
[Does it matter if you are a monster or not?]
[What matters is your 'Determination']
"Then let me ask you. Is it all there is to it? Is there no meaning for other people's life?"
[...]
"If my life is more precious than others. Should that give me the right to not treat people's life as a 'big deal'?" I raised my hands which was covered in blood.
"I am tired. Black. Here in this world, I did everything that betrayed my own principles to survive. I want to die."
[What meaning will you bring if you die?]
[Does that mean, our efforts and our lingering will mean nothing to you?]
-~
"Our blades are yours, our vengeance yours to command," the soldier intoned solemnly.
"Through your power, we shall fight once more and exact justice from the one who wronged us."
My heart surged with fierce determination.
"I accept," I whispered firmly. "Together, we will end Zuatha's cruelty and honor your sacrifice."
-~
[Where was that person, that determined to bring Zuatha to justice?]
[Where was that person, that wanted to end Zuatha's cruelty and honor our sacrifice]
I gripped my fist.
"I am no longer that person. No. I am not qualified even to be that person."
[...]
"I killed innocents. I crossed the line."
I began to remember each and every kill I made in this realm. Both direct and indirectly. I won't make excuses anymore. Slowly I shed tears while looking at Black. I fell to my knees shortly after. Arcuest, Visha, Passette appearing near me as they held my body.
"I am sorry everyone. I made up my mind. I don't deserve to live. I don't deserve to survive. I don't deserve to win. I don't deserve to carry everyone's burden."
[...]
The fiends were silent at my words.
They were probably disappointed.
[You are my 'Hero', Thalamik.]
A voice echoed through my ears.
Amus...
I know it's you...
How?
No it doesn't matter.
I'll be joining you soon.
A memory played in my mind.
Something that had been buried for so long.
-~
That night in South Jaka City.
"Please, don't!" Amus pleaded, shielding the babies with her body. But Zuatha only laughed a cold, heartless sound, and with a swift motion, she ended their lives.
I fell to my knees, the world spinning around me as I watched the light fade from Amus's eyes.
Her hand reached out to me, trembling, before falling limp.
Then her mouth moved.
"Live happily." A soft smile painted across her beautiful face.
Until she finally closed her eyes.
-~
I can never be happy.
I smiled in tears.
"I will fight and die to Isval. I am sorry Black, Arcuest, Pasette, Visha."
[...]
"Please, if needed. Pass on the Fiend Kaiser system to him."
[...]
They all stayed silent.
One last mirage appeared before me.
It was myself, smiling at me.
I took a deep breath as I finally opened my eyes.
***
I awakened mid air calmly starting to stand in the air using my Mana Field as a step.
I lost all the will to survive this.
So, I will fight with all I got.
And Die gracefully.
I cannot save Isval.
I cannot forgive myself.
But I can at least make my death useful.
If Isval wins, then someone still carries the will forward.
I bet everyone is watching me right now.
Might as well die in a cool way, right? I am looking at you Raymed.
I dropped down to the ground.
'Determination'
Blastar whispered to me.
I smiled this time. I acknowledge his suggestions whispered to me for all this time. Without determination one can never achieve what they want. "ISVAL! I AM COMING FOR YOU!"
"RAAAAA!!!!!" He roared charging at me with frenzy of slashes that discharged magical energy.
My determination.
Is to fight and die!
"KAI!" I charged my magical energy as I cut through every magical wave Isval directed at me. Before countering with my own, "Sky Piercing: Tiger's Fury" I chanted as he swung his sword left and right very fast, like a tiger's slash.
"GRAAA!!"
"DO BETTER!" I used my mana field to hold Isval in place before punching his jaw with my hand in a barrage of motion. "ORAORAORAOROAORAORA! Release" The hold was released as the motion registered as Isval was sent flying away from me.
"GRAAA THALAMIK!!!!" Suddenly Isval's magical energy rises once more reminiscent of that from the start. I suppose with enough determination, Blastar can even replenish one's magical energy. The tendrils around him slowly moved controlled rather than erratically.
"Dunkel Rush!"
He charged at me once more with the tendrils aimed at me. I evaded them without issue before nudging to Isval's face. I discarded Blastar and put both of my hands in his head casting my Mana Field. "PUSH!" I crushed his head slowly as he screamed louder and louder.
I landed a punch with my right fist as I was in my zone.
Sparks of Blue energy rapidly scatters all around me.
Isval was once again blown away. But some of the tendrils pierced through my body in exchange for that impulsively 'cool' attack.
I began to catch my breath.
If I wanted to defeat Isval.
What I should do is make him remniscence and let his determination die down.
But by doing this I will raise his determination to the moment he will be unbeatable.
That's when I will die.
"IS THAT ALL? IS THAT ALL YOU GOT???"
"KILL KILL KILL"
Isval charged again this time, his visor has regenerated and began blasting rapidly in multiple directions. Evading it was no problem, but to do it all the time without attacking back is a problem.
"HOLD!" I forced the laser to hold using my mana field only for it to pass through hitting my arm. "GAAHHH!" I moaned in pain. What a painful attack, I can feel my arm getting numb. Does it mean that laser makes anything it hits unsable? Or perhaps immobilized. What a terrifying attack Isval.
I conjured magical daggers as I began to dual wield it. Like I used to fight.
If I were to win, I should've used Blastar. But I will die soon.
Most likely, it would be cooler to die in my own style.
"Sky Piercing: Dragon Rend!" Thalamik slashed left to right and right to left repeatedly at Isval while he slashed at me with Blastar. Exchanging slashes onto our body decorating the battlefield with our red blood.
"Haah... Haahh...." I struggle to breath after the sword exchange.
Cuts are all over my body.
If it weren't for Hale's technique. It should've been severed already yet it didn't.
"You're movement... has slown.... This is end of the line for you... Fiend Kaiser..."
"NO WAY YOU SECOND RATE HERO!"
Isval began charging magical energy to his Blastar.
My magical energy is almost none. I can't keep my dagger up. I noticed Blastar was still located near me. I picked it up and began charging every last of my energy. Heck, i charged carelessly as it became red. I remembered Raymed would do this all the time.
"GRAAA!" Isval charged in a thrusting motion while I watched him.
As if the time has slown down. I smiled looking at the situation. This will be the last strike. I will really die after this.
[Do you have any regrets?]
"My regret is not fulfilling everyone's wishes. I am sorry everyone."
If I want to win, I should've easily dodged this and strike him again.
But, it's too late.
I already made up my mind.
"Brightest Star of Determination: Gift" I charged forward to Isval, the one who will inherit my will. Take all of it. Isval Il Opache. It was nice knowing you.
I could feel the moment Blastar pierced through my chest slowly stabbing my heart. In exchange, I could also feel my Blastar pierced thorugh Isval's head. Blood spurts out from my chest decorating his body with my blood. While the same happened to me. My sword that pierced his skull had spurt a lot of blood as well.
In that fatal attack exchange, I was already finished. We both stand side by side with each others weapons in each others body. Until I slowly fell down. I can feel my conciousness fading.
I raised my hand to the sky.
"Please remember me everyone not who I had become but who I was."
[You have been defeated]
[Thalamik and Momoka — Defeated. Congratulations, Isval and Linon]
[The victors are given the chance to deliver a finishing blow.]
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Finally...
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End of Thalamik, The Kaiser of Darkness.
[System.... Error...]