Arc 4: What families entail
Athens had come a long way. Everybody had. From Gray to even the Sect of Anarchy.
Almost four months ago Gray and the others arrived at Greenvale. Four months ago Walgonia was lost to the Sect, along with Ophelia, Musashi, Kioshi. So many Knights, Leviathan soldiers, regular soldiers, before the take over of the South. Growing to the West, ready to take the East, and growing to take the North. But they weren't in Walgonia. They were fighting for it, or were. Now they were just surviving in a crumbling world. An island lit by Mount Yelira, cracking away to look like something from Eclis. Surrounded by a storm of ash and mana, against the bright moon nobody could see. It's all that was left of the first Valentines, the Arrows. To Lilith, to Leo and Beauregard. And it was quickly fading away for eternity. Anybody left, anything left after the next hour or two, was going to be a part of a new land of Magma. A true Volcanic island.
Gray {ALL OF THIS, IT WASN'T FOR NOTHING! WE'LL SURVIVE! WE'LL MAKE IT OUT! AND THE SECT WILL HAVE TO STOP WHAT THEY FAILED TO FINISH IN WALGONIA DAMMIT!}
Caesar's body was picked up and scorched. Streets were slowly resting with magma while the many homes and shops burnt to the ground. More waves of lava broke through the Capital, turning so many corpses to ash. From the dead, to many Red Arrows and Warriors, to even Raylice's own corpse. Gray tried his best to swing, yet his Cloak was shredding away into the air. The Cloak's corruption hadn't sunk in or taken Gray's OD, so the Cloak itself wasn't powerful enough to keep going. After being used, empowered by so much spirit energy, it's grown slim. Weak enough to sizzle away from the thick flame spirit mana in the air leaking from the lava.
Gray {If I make it to the Tower we'll regroup! Maybe I could summon Dema if she's not helping Edward!}
Mid-Glide the Cloak ruptured with small holes before finally burning away in an instant. Left as a chard scarf around the crescent charm leaking mana. Gray screamed from panic before sliding across the building's tall roof below. As he stood he almost lost himself to his cough. Weighed down by the raining ash, the dark skies flashing with condense fire mana in the form of lighting. Forced to watch the streets open up the pools of magma inside the tunnels, forced to watch as so many succumb to the rushing waves. And the Tower loomed far in the distance, even farther without his Cloak. He wanted to run, wanted to scream about how this wasn't the end, but his OD was burning. He was hardly able to hold Spirit mana in his body without vomiting. And now the sky was really falling, to cloud him with ash and debris before he sunk down into the lava.
Gray {I promise…I'm coming Rosemary…so we can at least take our last breaths together…}
At the edge of a building, with a low flow of mana empowered by the remaining essence of spirit mana in his body, he leapt over the hell-filled streets. Over their failure. Toward any hope at all. Athens had been trying so hard for so long, and still they screamed as the world fell. As the cities were cleaned as the people ran. Most of those who could survive had already left or were barely gonna make it, filling a lot of the destroyed city of Periclies connected from the Great Bridge. That, or to the small towns along the coast. Anywhere, unknown to all of the Anarchists they were soon to meet. Or the war they were gonna fall right back into.
Peter {Shit shit shit!}
The west side of Athens was crumbling, burning away into a new land of flame, building once again to take the North West bay. Lincoln kept creating large craters, divots, places where the magma could pool while the soldiers fled. The ground shook even harder because of it, causing the caves Peter was running in to slightly collapse around them. Dema ran with Peter, trying to recover from the damage and take off the second they saw light, but Peter was full of desperation. Putting everything into running, even though he was terrible at it. He couldn't get on Dema without hitting his head on the stone spikes above, nor get close to the steaming hot tunnel around them. They just had to run, and hope that it was toward an exit.
Crevasse: "WHERE YOU GOIN!?"
He burst out the wall beside them, pushing Dema away before taking hold of Peter and blasting through another wall. Letting them fall into another set of dark tunnels, quickly lit by the rampaging flame.
Crevase: "Just hold still! Even if Athens is destroyed I could get a good chunk of gold for you!"
Peter: "NO NO NO NO!"
Screaming, tears in his eyes while Crevase held him tight with one hand, before he finally had the courage to throw a handful of explosive poppers in his stone face. The weak armor broke, giving Peter the chance to push himself out of his grasp and take off into the tunnels. The constant shaking and crumbling caused the entrance to instantly close, before Crevasse broke right through.
Crevasse: "DAMMIT KID! THIS IS YOUR FAULT Y'KNOW THAT!? IF YOU DAMN RED ARROWS JUST GAVE UP OR KEPT FIGHTIN I COULD HAD AN EASY LIFE! NOW I'M GETTING NOTHING NOTHING YOU HEAR THAT!? DON'T YOU KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING THAT IS!? TO LOSE ALL YOU HAVE!?"
Peter didn't care about his words. Well that's a lie, he really did, just not the words themselves. His loud pounding voice, his stomps, his ragefilled punches slamming into the walls. All left Peter screaming into his thick gloves with fear, his back to another tunnel Crevasse was walking past.
Peter {I gotta get to Dema I gotta get to the others! They don't have a way out without her! What am I doing!? I need help from just one person! Toll, Leo, a Red Arrow! Is there anybody left at all!? Is Soku even alive!? Or Edward!? Maybe all of Athens is dead and I'm the only guy alive! I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die here please no! I thought I was doing the right thing!? SHould I have fought more!? Did I not make enough stuff!? Who didn't I help!}
It got hotter, the grass far above him rushed with streams of lava, and Crevasse focused ears twitched at Peter's rapid heartbeat.
Peter {WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE A DARK ELF!? MY FAMILY WAS THE ONLY ONE HERE THAT'S NOT FAIR! WHY IS THE WORLD MAKING FUN OF ME WHEN I DIE WHY!? IT'S NOT FUNNY IT'S NOT PLEASE! ANYTHING ELSE!}
Dark Elves, born to the Continent of Gaia, the second largest continent in the world. A race of people with superhuman senses, strength, speed, durability, everything. It ranged of course, from simply stronger than the average person to being stronger than a Helsing. Crevasse, with a Battle Aura and a large muscular body, was stronger than the average Dark Elf but was nothing compared to a true Champion of Gaia. And then there was Peter, shaking so hard he could break toward the earth's core, clutching his mouth closed and holding a satchel close to his gut. Before his eyes lit bright.
Peter: "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Crevasse's hand reached around the corner just as another wave of magma rushed toward Peter, forcing Peter to dash with everything he had. Right under Crevasse's large arm, before setting off a few poppers in his bag.
Creavasse: "ACCEPT YOUR FATE!"
Peter: "JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!"
Those few poppers would set off a chain reaction, destroying all of his many weak variations of Poppers. A mistake he had made a few times before, and now one he was performing on purpose. Slinging that bag right toward Crevasse's face, only for him to smack it away and dash right out of the waves path. It went through the tunnel right across with its powerful flow.
Crevasse: "FINALLY!"
Peter closed his eyes, all while aiming his last tool forward. He still had a belt with a few poppers, for a slingshot inside his overalls pocket on the chest. Shot right into Crevasse eye. Causing him to scream in rage, in anguish, but it didn't stop him. What stopped Crevasse was just himself. Forced to finally take a few breathes, forced to take at least one second, before he looked back.
Crevasse: "I really hate Athens."
Lava, blasting right through him to turn him to ash almost instantly. His thick skin, his dense muscles, his resilience. And what was left of his stone armor from his Battle Aura, with one last burst to tighten and harden as much as he had left. And when they splashed, when it melted, when it covered him like a pool of lava from the inside out, was worse than any pain Crevasse had ever felt. His screams, his thoughts, were nothing of the same blood that was now turning to nothing but fuel. One with Mount Yelira's Roar, rampaging toward Peter.
Peter: "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!"
He ran for all he had. Through the tunnels lit by a charging death behind him, spacing between and filling the collapsing or rising tunnels as he turned, dipped, slid, and criss-crossed between them. Following the only routes he could find not trying to kill him. From dead ends that broke open because of Lincoln's movements far above, to halls that shattered out from under him, to the pools and lava falls draining down around him. Only making it hotter, harder to see, to breathe. He just moved in sheer fear.
Peter {I promise…if I get the chance…I'll really do something! I know I can do at least one thing! Anything!}
Compared to the others. Broken bones, leaking blood, insurmountable pain, a drained OD. Compared to the intense fear of everybody above ground watching their world end. Their life slowly faded to grey and black ash. He was just an ant, screaming, running, crying. They were all ants compared to the lines of fate. Nature. And Lincoln Valentine, destroying even more Athens to save what's left. Those rumbles finally pushed the many tunnels Peter found himself in, the same tunnels connected to Mount Yerlia itself, to finally succumb to the earthquakes of Yelira. Leaving the stones cracking like spider-webs from the walls to right behind his feet.
Peter: "COME ON!"
Then far in front of his feet, for everything to collapse around him. Letting him fall down to the rising pool of magma about to burst like a geyser. Letting Peter feel such an intense, primal fear, that he passed out. He woke up a few seconds later after smacking his head against a speeding object, Dema, flying through the same chaos. Past the boulders, the rubble, right over the building, disintegrated, and burst upward. Through the collapsing earth before shooting right out. Passed a burning forest, over the sea of lava pouring toward what used to be the Gravestone Pirates camp. Far into the ash filled sky, for Peter to scream with heavy gasps.
Peter: "NOW GO JUST GO! I'LL SAVE THEM I PROMISED I PROMISED!"
From the height, the surroundings, he almost passed out instantly. Except this time he held on by biting his lip until it bled, grabbed hold of Dema's reins, and held as tight as he could before she burst through the sky. Soaring, whistling for even Lincoln to see with a smile, to his dear friends in need. Over a land turning to a black stone broken by streams of magma, large rivers and pools filled because of Lincoln's interventions. Through the dense layer of spirit mana and ash that forced Peter to hold his breath and keep his head low. To a camp filled with the rest of the Red Arrows, to an unconscious and heavily bandaged Edward protected by such soldiers. And to the person he thought of most, who he desperately wanted to save, to look good for.
Soku {Where is he!?}
The young elf, the living torrent of wind. Standing atop a rocking shattered ship, all while Ju'stone floated right underneath. Pulling more and more water into his body. As much as he could force into himself, even if it pushed open the many small wounds left by Soku. Especially the large one across his chest.
Ju'stone {If Moro isn't here then he's gotta be dead right!? But there's no way that guy killed him! HOW DID YOU ALL DO THIS!? WHY!? THIS WASN'T HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IT WASN'T IT WASN'T THIS ISN'T FAIR! WHY DOES THE WORLD HATE US THIS MUCH!?}
The only people who survived today were the Sect. The civilians of a lost country. And the people who desperately tried to fight back.
Ju'stone {ALRIGHT THIS IS ENOUGH! SHE CAN'T PUSH ME BACK, SHE CAN'T STOP ME! NOT IN MY DOMAIN!}
Sokus' long ears twitched at the rising mana beneath her. Causing her to instinctively push backward with wind, barely dodging an extreme burst beneath her. Ju'stone erupted through the center of the ship to split it in two.
Soku {HE CAN DO THAT!? WHAT KIND OF SPIRIT BEASTS ARE IN THE OCEAN!?}
Ju'stone: "I KNOW YOU'RE FEELIN IT NOW! BUT MERCY IS GONE! YOU'RE NO LITTLE GIRL! YOU'RE A MONSTER, AND I WON'T LET YOU RISE!"
A mass of water in the shape of himself, constantly swirling and snapping. From the torso and up, with long bulky arms and a bloodlusted smile under its glowing eyes. An avatar of the ocean, a massive Great White made of bright and constantly rushing water. Controlled by Ju'stone near the bottom, with enough power to destroy and rip the deck to pieces as he swung at Soku. The large fist slammed down, pushing waves of water from its sides before it got larger for another bash. Forcing Soku to sprint, to leap, to pull herself with the sky to escape the evaporating ground behind her. To splinters, shreds, to nothing. Eaten by the water rushing to carve her open.
Then came the large form of another arm, slamming down right in front of Soku to stop her in her tracks. She did it with a burst of wind before jumping onto the arm itself and pushing wind out beneath, around, and behind her feet like a surf board. Rushing up his arm right to his shoulder to curve out in front of the massive Great White's jaws. Made of dense, blinding water and spirit mana, and ready to chomp down.
Soku: "COOMEE ONN! I'M RIGHT HERE AREN'T I!?"
Floating near the core was Ju'stone, heavily weighed down by the incredible might he was wielding. Slowing, failing, bleeding more by the second. Yet his rage only grew, his pride, his need to survive, and so each time he got weaker he got even stronger. And he would never be weak, he'd just be dead. That's just the kind of person Ju'stone was. But Soku wasn't the type of person to just let herself die either, no matter how weak she had to think to survive.
Soku {I can't worry about how much mana I have! I just have to act! SO ACT ACT ACT!}
The large streams of water that her his bulky avatars arms shrunk, rushing to his head so he could snap forward and destroy Soku in a single bite. Just what Soku needed before she pivoted with a burst of wind to the side, then again beneath her foot, and one final burst behind her. Barley soaring over his head before desperately pulling wind around herself to slightly slow and twist her descent.
Soku & Ju'stone {THERE!}
Ju'stone twisted back to face her just as she looked into his eyes. He tried to spin the avatar to face the other way. Screaming, throwing his arms out, snapping his body like a marionette holding such a burden. Far slower than Soku leaning forward, and kicking straight toward him.
Soku {BREAK THROUGH!}
Without her blade she aimed her hands forward, together, while pushing wind around her in a spiral. Spinning and spinning, gaining lots of speed in just a few moments, before her Mark Ignited. Spreading out the tornado she became before slamming right into the large torso of water in the middle of it changing direction. Immediately the water swirled with her, behind her, as she opened the Ju'stone for just a second. Where she pushed her palms against the large wound on his chest, and unleashed the built up wind along with her maxout put. Forcing his wounds to splash together like cracks while his chest opened even more, forced the water he collected to erupt out into the sky to rain with the falling ash, and forced him backward. Flying backward, he yelled at the top of his lungs in hatred mixed pain as he smashed into the remains of the ship behind them.
Soku {OW OW OW OW!}
Her jacket's arms tore in a burst to show the various cuts across her arms. The backlash spiking once again. It left her wobbling side to side in a daze, before falling right over the edge. To splash into the rampaging ocean.
Soku {...No…}
In the pitch black water. In the freezing cold but somehow boiling ocean. In the grasp of another world under her own. She saw his eyes, as he swam faster than she could move on foot with the last of his might.
Soku {...NO…}
Her lungs were burning, she could die of blood loss if this fight continued, and she didn't know if anybody had even survived Mount Yelira. She just felt the water pulling toward him, pulling her slightly closer as he quickly gained. Opening his bleeding mouth to finally bite down. Yet, about to die, feeling like she already was dead, she heard one voice that screamed louder than her heart ever had.
Ophelia: "YOU'RE NOT DONE YET!"
As gracefully as the wind itself she spun. Her fists together, her legs curled tight like a ball, and her eyes blank. Before they lit with passion, with her Mark, and the black sea was lit by green like. A sphere, a sun, that Ju'stone couldn't do anything to stop from being pulled into it. The water circled her, Ju'stone circled, and yet she sat stationary in the center. Letting her cuts rise, her mind races. Using almost all she had of her mana, pushed her Mark to bleeding failure, she rose. Like a whirlpool the water spun toward her, before she finally realised it. Causing all of the pushed water to instantly rush back into place, and act as a water spout that had them both breathily in the air. In Her domain.
Soku {I'm sorry it had to be this way.}
With the rest of what she had, it flowed to her arm. Ju'stone was bleeding, hardly able to move, frantically looking around in the sky with panic. While Soku continued to spin with her fleeting power. A wheel of wind, targeted at his incredibly deep chest wound. An attack that sliced in him half. Left to fall between her, before she went to splash back into the ocean to drown. Until a black streak curved past, and headed back toward the beach.
Peter: "We've got you!"
Peter held her closely atop Dema, trying to find any bandages in his bag. Soku just held his chest tightly, trying so hard not to give in. Left to breathe harshly, sharply, twitching with pain by the second. Peter just tried his best to keep his screams to a minimum as Dema dashed over the rushing sea toward the Beach. The last Gravestone Pirates ran for the lava covered hills, leaving a hundred or two Red Arrows left around the camp. Then, in a flash, Dema skied across the sand for Peter to rush for help. So Soku could get the same care Edward was, even if it was just bandages and some Elixirs. Soku and Edward were left for their wounds to be stitched, but they couldn't just sit. They all needed to somehow escape. But the lava was rapidly taking the side of Athens, leaving them only with the sea, and their Dragon.
Peter {What is that!?}
Peter felt a shutter of might through the sky. Only to look up at the ash covered skies as a clearing formed. Lincoln, leaping through the crashing sky to slam across the beach. Staring right at Peter, until quickly rushing to the broken and bandaged Edward.
Lincoln: "I've been helping as many as I cross over the bridge, where are the others?"
Without a word Lincoln knew to ask Peter. Something that really confused the tired boy, but he was just lost in surprise. Fanboying over the legend crouching right in front of him. The tall, muscular, drunken beast of a man in burnt shreds of armor. But then he heard the moans of pain, flashes of heat in the sky, coughed on the drowning air. And spoke with a voice coated in fear.
Peter: "The Capital! It's where the rest of our Red Arrows were, Leo too! And Toll! And people from Walgonia, Gray, Rosemary, and Julius! They all need your help!"
Lincoln: "If you use that Dragon you should be able to get them. I'll try and save as many groups of people as possible, clear you all a path and save you some time. Don't expect to turn back, if things go bad, make sure something from Athens survives."
Before Peter could even try to say something about how he was too weak, too young, too incapable to do anything, Lincoln dashed toward the group of injured and tired Red Arrows with Edward and Soku.
Lincoln: "You're all gettin out of here! Stand still!"
The Red Arrows were a mix of previous Warriors, Elites, Civilians. But their hearts obeyed Lincoln's worlds like they were Gods. Commanded for the first time in almost five years by their true Capitan, and who used to be their King, every Red Arrow no matter how injured immediately put their fist over their heart. Lincoln rushed under the beach before lifting the earth beneath them. Moving a large piece of stone and sand high into the air, toward the ocean of people fleeing toward the Great Bridge or Solon Bay.
Peter {ALRIGHT!}
He slapped his frozen face with both his hands to kick himself into action. Dotting his eyes in circles trying his best to move. To figure out just what he should do.
Peter got back on Dema and screamed at the top of his lungs. Because he got Dema to fly at top speeds, blasting through the ashy sky no matter how scared he was. And that fear almost had him passed out, longer than he was already passing out for. He put large circular goggles over his eyes to block the blinding ash, pulled up the thick collar of his red cape over his mouth, and stared straight toward the Capital in the distance. He'd have to pass between the crumbling and torched Coliseum City, the wasteland of rubble that is Panzer, the guizers of lava. And when he looked back, he saw the bay finally open up with cracks. The beach Edward and Soku fought so hard on, burned to a black stone streaming with magma into the ocean. Pushing to the Capital, the Tower, one soon to collapse on itself.
Toll: "RUN! SAVE YOURSELVES! JUST RUN DAMMIT GO AWAY GO AWAY!"
Beaten and bloodied, covered in bruises and deep cuts. Surrounded by Warriors and Elites jumping, swinging, casting with never ending hate. So many had died, so many had run, were running. Those who felt like they had nothing left. The people who truly followed Beauregard. Those were the people that punched her, leapt to tackle her, had their skulls bashed in by a sudden elbow or kick. She could hardly see through her swollen eyes, breathing with her burning lungs, but she still kicked and kicked like a bulldozer. Screaming for the heavens to just stop the madness, and escape the lava rising under and threw the houses around them. Reaching into the falling skies like high waves, before crashing down to flood the alleys and pool into the streets that snapped open with cracks.
Toll: "YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIE HERE!"
Running through the streets blasting away the magma, leaping over the streets, casting wind to push it all back were Athens Top Elites. Sending Arrows, a torrent of wind, a large speeding Spiral of mana to push back the surrounding foes. But Toll couldn't move fast enough to dodge a spear to her side, a hammer across the face, a fireball to the back. Stacking, stacking, for it all to be lost as help finally arrived. The Red Arrows who helped laid dead. Most of the remaining soldiers laid dead. The only people fighting the war were those ready to die here.
Olivia: "GIS-GON!"
The wind around the Warriors rushing to all cleave through Toll lit a light green before rushing around their bodies to throw them all backward. Clearing an opening for Loraine to shoot arrows from the building overlooking them across a river of lava that whistled into the heads of the soldiers. All so Gracey could charge her Mark and unleash a large spiraling pulse that cut a small crowd of Warriors to bits. Allowing Toll to finally step forward and just breathe, before hitting the bloody dirt with her knee. Choking blood with blank eyes, hardly able to understand the world around her. She was thankful for that. Thankful that her home could never have become hell. That this all had to be a dream. Reality, it was too much, but it always made sure you saw it. Forced you to accept that fate, nature would move around you no matter what you did.
Gracey {...Sister…I feel you…you're in trouble, aren't you?}
The young girl stared upward in a fearful trance. At the looming tower filled with cracks, leaking smoke, and filled with almost nobody. So many floors were destroyed from the past week of battle, from Toll and Arthur to Rosemary and Calgary. And even now those halls were being destroyed as a pink and purple flash moved through them. Hard steel against refined steel, long blade against a rapier, a low ranking noble in power because of the Demi-humans and human support pushed out. Screaming, bleeding, against the youngest son of the Mad King made prince due to his brothers murders, and he was always smiling. Never caring about what's happened, about the world, he just cared about surviving. And he would do anything for that.
Irsa: "SHOW ME YOUR HEART! IF I'M GONNA DIE KILLING VALATROCTIUS HEIR, IT HAS TO BE EARNED! DON'T LET OUR LAST ACTS BE WORTHLESS!"
Irsa swung like stone, with all she had emotionally and physically while Julius' dance backward. His feet stepped back, around another like water, a dance. He spun, ducked, moved side to side like a snake whilst his rapier moved like an impenetrable wall. Rapidly thrusting, blocking, parrying every single strike Irsa got out. Until Julius stepped forward atop her foot to crush it, bent around her, and slashed toward her back. She spun as quickly, far harder, with a large thorn construct thrusting with it to send Julius flying down the hall. But again, using his monocle to see flashes of the future, he bent around her. Perfectly dodging, striking, forcing her back like he had been since he arrived in the Tower.
Irsa: "WHY ARE YOU WASTING MY TIME!? MY LAST FEW MINUTES!? THIS TOWER COULD FALL ANY SECOND DAMMIT PLEASE JUST DO SOMETHING!"
Julius: "Oh but this is far more amusing! Watching you scream, fumble, even when you defeated me in the first place."
He always aimed toward and around her missing eye, covered by a black eyepatch due to Rosemary weeks ago. He used everything he could, like paintings, shelves or armor racks around him. Windows, walls, corners to hide behind or rush to. So many rooms to use, doors for shields, spaces to vanish and strike toward her neck. Yet her bloodshot, bloodlusted eye snapped toward him almost faster than her blade. Gritting her teeth with every powerful step that broke the stone floors, leaking blood through her dense leather gear as his consuming strikes broke past her defense.
Irsa: "BASTARED BASTARED BAS-
He saw it. From his monocule the five to ten second flashes sunk into his mind, seamlessly slipping below her slash with his leg up. A perfect opening to kick her in the throat, spin and slash her leg, before pulling his fist backward.
Julius: "I guess I will end this for you then."
His muscles, his skin, his bones all tightened as his internal mana flared up inside his left fist. Generating a small gust of power with his flexing veins, far more controlled than Edward, even Leo without being taught by Lincoln himself.
Irsa {HOW DOES HE KNOW THE DRAGONS FIST!?}
Choking and grasping her throat out of panic, she could only scream in the few seconds she had. And right after she was punched in the stomach, crushing the stone around them as she was sent flying backward. Yet an Elite of Athens would never stand down. So while her body and bones screamed under the might he unleashed she let out her mana. Creating a long Thorn Construct that held Julius and forced him to go flying alongside her. Right through the window he planned to smash her out, and right over the front of the Tower. To fall through the ash, the winds, to the large grass and body covered field amidst the Capitals hell.
Julius: "You are quite the slippery one!"
Irsa: "I'M AN ELITIE! I'M THE CAPITAN OF THE WARRIORS DAMMIT!"
Slightly below him she fired off her thorns, forcing him to drift side to side as they plummeted in an attempt to dodge. His mind was growing heavy with heat due to the overuse of his Weapon of Alfheilm, his left arm was limp from the Dragons first, and even his rapier was covered in cracks from their match. Now with things plummeting for him, he had to turn that smile into a focused still face. Close to spite as he pulled back his blade, but he would always choose life over anything else, and began to slow his descent by stabbing down the side of the tower. If he wasn't strong enough his arm would have ripped off, without his tight and dense flow of mana his blade would have combust, but he was a completely different kind of monster compared to Gray, Edward, Rosemary, or Soku. He was on the pursuit, he would never break, and he hadn't even gone all out.
Julius {I should have tried to end things sooner, whatever, if this is how it should be than so be it. It will be finished. No matter what happens.}
They were in the center of the castle, and near the ground Julius blade finally gave way. However Irsa had to unleash her thorns against the ground. Killing a handful of Warriors in the way in a burst of mana that took some of her momentum. Bashing against the dirt, the bodies, before skidding toward Toll and the Top Elites. Standing in front of a burning Athens.
Irsa: "TRAITORS TRAITORS TRATIORS!"
She barked like a mad dog, before she froze in silence like she'd been stabbed through the heart. Watching her sister care for a beaten Demi-human, a Red Arrow captain. So much hatred was coursing through her that before Gracey could even speak she went to strike.
Gracey: "PLEASE WE CAN STILL LEAVE! IRSA -
But Irsa wasn't trying to stab Gracey, nor the rushing Olivia without any mana left to defend. Instead she twisted her stance with that swing, and sunk it right into the side of Toll's throat.
Irsa: "YOU FILTHY TRASH!"
Irsa tried to create a Thorn to impale Toll but Gracey moved faster. Screaming into the sky as her skin tore like a spiral, unable to hold the mass of mana condensing in front of her. Bright enough to almost blind Irsa before it shot forward, against her sword, and erupted between them all. Allowing Olivia and Gracey to hold the convulsing Tolls neck, desperately holding onto a fading future.
Olivia: "It's not over! I promise we can help!"
Olivia had nothing, Gracey had nothing, until Loraine arrived between them. The lava was rushing closer and had destroyed the tower she stood on, forcing her to help. And so she did with an earth spell, using its healing properties to slightly seal her wounds with the last of her mana.
Toll: "....Thank…you…"
Tired, and growing further cornered by the magma consuming the capital, the three of them stood to face Julius and Irsa. With the Tower as the last safezone from the chaos they could reach.
Irsa: "AAAAAHHH!!"
Without their blades it was a complete brawl. Irsa swung hard no matter her wounds while Julius barely moved around her. Blocking and catching punches with his fist, slipping between her with his lanky body. Letting out kicks, chops, and strikes that only seemed to make her more angry. Before Olivia leapt sword first with Lorraine's arrows flying beside her.
Irsa: "YOU ALL CAUSED THIS! YOU RUINED MY LIFE!"
With a large thorn construct she sent Olivia flying back, dodged the arrows by side stepping, and swung backward while flaring mana in her hand to land a clean strike at Julius face.
Irsa: "IT'S ALL OVER!"
Then came Gracey. Who came out from between the bodies to face them from the side, her arm lit with a spiral-shaped Thorn far stronger than what her older sister could muster, and shot it forward. Julius moved with Irsa's punch and kicked her side. SLamming her in front of the attack with only a second to create two weak Thorns as a shield. The eruption sent Irsa flying through the bodies, right against the large gate blocking the tower grounds from the rest of the Capital. Unable to speak properly, see properly. And only the feeling of draining blood left. She stepped forward.
Irsa: "I hate…everything…"
The ground shook horribly, cracking open between them for lava to flood the bodies. Irsa just stepped forward, ready to continue her fight, but the world ended that for her. Drowning her in a sudden burst of lava coming from behind the Tower. Julius, Gracey, Olivia, and Loraine all looked on in surprise as Irsa Thorn finally and suddenly came to an end. It was a torrent of high pressure magma that instantly wiped her away, before the run off came rushing toward them. Snapping them out of surprise and throwing them right back into hell.
Julius: "Move now!"
Julius instantly ran to the Towers front doors, leaving the three Elites to move Toll. The ground continued to crack open, causing the field of bodies to light with fire as the magma quickly rushed to take the entire area. Olivia, Gracey, and Loraine all rushed with Toll between them with the last of their strength. Across the melting stone path to the large set of Dragon Stone doors blocked by a waiting Julius.
Julius: "Hurry quickly!"
They entered with Julius heading up the stairs, and yet he stopped. Looking back at the girls with a deep smile.
Julius: "When everything went dark, you chose to abandon your life missions to help the enemy. Thank you for your contributions, and saving my life,but you can't be trusted."
Olivia, Gracey, and Loraine all fell silent. And Julius stepped closer.
Gray: "I'M ALMOST THERE!"
He jumped over a street rushing with magma, ran along the side of a crumbling square building before jumping over yet another street. He was left coughing harder with each jump from the ash, from his own burning stomach. He couldn't hold spirit mana and soon he wouldn't be able to push out any more mana. He just ran one foot after another, arm thrusting back and forth, his face focused and covered by his mask to block the soot.
Gray {Movies and shows are always saying how dangerous this stuff is! I wonder if I've already inhaled too much, can magic healing fix that!? Wait no stop thinking about random stuff! I go to the Tower, then what!? Search hall by hall? Maybe shout? Should I try an astral project, no, oh I could try and use a spirit sense burst or something! Ugh!}
Desperate, slipping on the crumbling buildings, tripping over his feet, and still he'd crawl back up to run again. Leaping with burning legs draped with torn armor, using an OD weighed with stress, holding a face wreaking panic. Nothing more than a light of corrupted mana dashing through the thick sky, to quickly step between the rubble floating in a sea of lava.
Gray {I can't believe this is happening! If they'd do this to Athens then what's gonna happen if we try and take Walgonia back!? Caesar seemed like one of the more sane ones at that and he caused this! Or Arthur ordered him too, or somebody else! Man, I don't know anything at all!}
With one final charge he ran up the floating rubble, and leapt into the air. He tried his best to pull in Spirit mana toward his Cloak, and yet it pulsed without doing anything. Forcing Gray to panic before barely landing on some floating rubble.
Gray: "Come on!"
With the waves growing stronger, about to crash around the Tower, Gray was forced to push his mana to a Half=Power flow. Leaping high over the ground before nose diving downward, before crashing right through the front door. The space was wide and circular, and the large Dragon stone door slammed shut behind him right before the lava could make its way through. Instead it began to quickly eat away at the walls, soon to destroy the entire bottom layer.
Gray: "Ow ow!"
Gray had rolled into the center of the room and injured his arm in the process, while also dropping his mask against the floor. Showing off a dirty, sweaty, ash and bruised boy trying his best to keep standing. And he tried to stand as quickly as he could to take in his surroundings. Or just figure out who closed the door.
Julius: "Good, now Rosemary is upstairs, and Leo is at the top floor! That is our destination!"
Julius took off to run past Gray and up the twin flight of stairs in front of them, surrounding a large stature of Beauregard. Just as Gray saw the bodies around them.
Gray {WHAT!?}
Fear took him in an instant. Starting a floor soaked with blood.
Gray: "WHAT HAPPENED!?"
Julius: "We must move!"
Gray was surrounded by Olivia, Lorraine, and the young Gracey. Their bodies on the floor, necks snapped and throats slit. Gray had no idea what had happened, and he hated that he distributed somebody who was supposed to be their friend, but in his gut. In ever burning fiber of fear, confusion, and rage within his shriveled soul. He thought Julius had done it. No. He knew. And the fact Julius wanted to rush away, to keep every small bit of information, to get out of every situation like a shadow in the background without ever truly stepping forward, made Gray sick to his stomach. As it reminded him of Ceasar.
Gray {ROSEMARY WAITING ON YOU!}
For better or for worse, and as the lava broke into the room, Gray ran forward with a lair of mana. Leaping to Julius and about to run past him, before Julius called out.
Julius: "I need your help with her."
Toll, alive and in bandages from Julius, making Gray even more confused. But he helped Julius lift Toll before rushing to the nearest stairwell, screaming to Rosemary. To the End of this madness.
Gray: "What did you do!?"
Gray and Julius pushed hard, lifting Toll higher over each step before twisting in the cracked stairwell to go up the next flight. The Tower rumbled, the dungeon below burst with magma out of the drainage pipes, and even the castle grounds were flowing with lava. Burning through it all, just as it stretched out and around the Capital. Destroying more and more land before it would approach the opposite side of the island, taking the entire thing.
Julius: "My actions were for us, those three showed that they would turn on whoever they were following to survive. Who knows when they would change their stance again, it could be when we are mid-battle with the Sect. I will not risk death."
Gray felt sick, but the fear rising toward them was worse. Who knew when the Tower would fall, they just knew it was soon. So they ran and ran up the floors to a bleeding Rosemary holding her broken arm. After facing Calgary, after igniting her fifth stage for the first time, all she could do now was stand. Scream. And kick the broken man in front of her. To force out all he knew before he faded away with his family, with Athens.
Rosemary: "Tell me all you know about the Sects upper Pillars now! I don't have any more time to waste!"
Calgary tried to smile past his missing teeth with the drooling blood but Rosemary just kicked his head for the fifth time already. Holding in her absolute rage as long as possible to get something out of this walking uselessness.
Rosemary: "SPEAK DAMMIT!"
Calgary: "WHAT DOES IT MATTER!?"
Rosemary: "EVERYTHING! IF YOU WANT THE GOLDENKNIGHTS TO LIVE, THEN TELL ME AND I'LL LIVE! WE'LL DEFEAT THE SECT AND YOU CAN DIE HAPPY KNOWING YOU AVENGED YOUR, OUR PEOPLE! SO SPEAK! DO SOMETHING FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE! NOBODY WILL REMEMBER BEAUREGARDS RIGHT HAND MAN, BUT THEY WILL ALL REMEMBER THE GOLDEN KNIGHT WHO HELPED STOP THE SECT!"
Rosemary looked to Calgary one last time, not with rage, but just desperation. And looking into her beautiful eyes, he let out a hot breath of agony and finally spoke.
Calgary: "We were contacted. On a mission some new recruits collected some of us up, me included in anybody interested in a big reward. He took through our own camp, to a Lower Pillar who had just made her way in there. She wore a bird mask, her name was Yoru."
Rosemary pressed her knee harder against Calgary's broken chest, forcing out a cry of pain amidst his struggling words.
Calgary: "Stop that! I'm telling you the truth! It was a mix of us, a few Goldenwinds, and we told them the location of our next campaign! We were sending out the new recruits to test their strength! We thought it was perfect, we lost the least and we all got coins! But a day before the battle, they struck at night."
Rosemary: "The Upper Pillars right? Prometheus, that skeleton, the bird, and the snake people?
Calgary: "I don't really know their names but yeah, and the Witch of Darkness. I woke up in the middle of it, everything blowing up all around. It was dark, but the tents lit it. I saw the earth exploding into spikes that curved mid-air, twisting into explosions while your dad and mom fought me with more of your cousins. A bunch of others started losing their stages randomly, others got infected with this nasty green glowing venom. Then came the skeleton, he cut out the souls of so many while I ran, tried to freeze the camp around me like Elizabeth Voira or somethin."
Rosemary: "They didn't do that against Kioshi!? Are you sure these were the Upper Pillars!?"
Rosemary crushed his hand further, all while the island shuck under the massive trembles from mount Yelira. Causing his screams to match the sounds of crumbling, of bulldozing streams of manga emerging from the earth.
Calgary: "Yes! I didn't see the leader close up, but I saw the massive black tendrils! Like a giant flower, it grabbed up so many, and crushed them. Absorbed them. Turned some into zombies, along with the undead from the skeleton, even some people got taken over by that poison. There was the black bird lady like you said flyin around, but that skeleton looked more like a Demi-human. His head was a deer skull. They all hunted us down. Till it was your father and mother fightin in the distance, and the other traitors. And that's when we screamed for our reward. All we got was some words from the skeleton."
He was tall, dense, towering with a cloak made of old skin. Holding a large scythe with a twisting rotten wooden handle, and a massive iron blade glowing a bright green with screaming souls. It was right over Calgary, while Serverus screamed, while Pandora flew through them like a torpedo to snap them to pieces.
Lazarus: "Your reward right? It's to join, as a point between the Lower and Upper Pillars. The Goldenwinds only though."
Calgary: "YOU'RE CRAZY! JUST GIVE US COIN, JUST LET US GET OUTTA HERE!"
Pandora dropped down like a cannon ball, slamming right beside Calgary in an instant.
Pandora: "HOW SINFUL! YOU DARE! WE GIVE YOU THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME, AFTER YOU BETRAYED YOUR PEOPLE! AND YOU"RE A GOLDWIND, SO YOU BETRAINED YOUR BLOOD FAMILY! HOW COULD YOU HOW COULD YOU!? FOR MONEY!? I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU COULD BE SO AWFUL!"
Serverus: "HIS SOUL, YOUR SOUL ACHES! MINE YOURS THIS ENTIRE BATTLEFIELD! KILL HIM KILL HIM KILL HIM!"
Serverus looked less like a strangely young and old white haired Demi-human with harsh green scales and snake features over his pale figure. Here he was dawning an all white version of the Sects robes, with far longer and greasy hair, and a far older appearance. He moved like he was in a play, extending his arms and legs as he screamed about his aching soul. Massive arms made from his scales twisted and rampaged behind and all around them, tearing out of his back and shoulders to either kill or infect somebody before they could react. They were all so fast, so strong, and yet these were obviously not the versions of the Upper Pillars who defeated Kioshi and Musashi. The World's Strongest.
And it was simply because of the Sects abilities. A mass amount of strong fighters would separate, confuse, overwhelm, and maybe survive. But a single match against almost unkillable opponents who strip you of all your abilities and can kill you in a single shot? It was impossible. Nobody on this battlefield could beat them, could challenge them. It was simply a massacre. Only now Rosemary had to live with the fact that the GoldenKnights sold themselves out. That it could never be her fault, that she couldn't have done anything, that leaving them was truly the right choice. It made her smile, and it made Calgary tense with immense fear. As he had no more use, and all that was left of his existence was the pain he caused so many people. Rosemary especially.
Rosemary {Who we faced…we haven't even seen their true strength. But now we know they're out there, and they don't know we know, we finally have an edge!}
She smiled, truly, while raising her fist. Striking Calgary in the face on final time to knock him out, and let him fall unconscious to his bloodloss. To fade in his sleep. And she could finally breathe with peace. That he was gone. The Goldenknights were gone. And the person she wanted to see most had finally arrived to face her.
Gray: "Rose -
He didn't even get to finish before she burst around his arms. Letting out a cry of pain, of fear, of hope. Of freedom. While Gray just hugged back. His own horrors, failures. For a moment, even just a second, they both felt safe. That they'd done it. That after everything, they had truly grown stronger in every way they could. And it wasn't over just yet. As Peter got closer on Dema, as Lincoln got the last waves of people out, Mount Yerlia let out another burst of spirit energy. Carving away at the half-dead, the earth, and began to sink the Capital into itself. Filling the collapsed Red Arrow Bases before reaching and covering the last few open streets left.
Gray held Rosemary's hand tightly, unable to stop looking at her even with the chaos. Her injuries, her broken arm, it all made his heart burn with hate. And yet just seeing her face, her golden hair, the smile she flashed whenever she looked at him, made it all feel so much easier. Rosemary on the other hand felt like she was gonna collapse from relief. Knowing he was alive, that they were both here to help, knowing that Toll was still holding on, pushed this broken knight forward. Through the battlefield of a Tower and up whatever stairs they could find. To make it into Beauregard's office, where Leo was waiting. And currently punching his brother across the destroyed room.
Leo: "Do our last moments together really have to be like this!?"
Beauregard: "OUR ENTIRE LIFE HAS BEEN LIKE THIS! ONLY THIS TIME I HAVE THE STRENGTH TO FINALLY FIGHT BACK!"
Leo could hardly stand, on the verge of bleeding out like so many from his wounds. So many broken things, a shattered mind, and all Beauregard could do was smile like some wild animal. Crawling forward into a sprint, only for Leo to dodge again and again, and yet Beauregard kept trying all he had.
Beauregard: "YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE DAD TRIED TO TEACH!"
Beauregard was thrown into combat from a young age like all Valentines, the only reason he moved to books and stories was simple. He just wasn't strong enough. A child struck down over and over. A child without any manner more than a flicker, without a Mark or affinity. He was like Lincoln. The only difference was Beauregard never moved past the starting line. All of the training, fights, teaching, with weapons and his fist. With the Dragons fist. It just led to scars, anguish, memories of why he hated this world. But right here, it was all he had, and he'd use his bones if he could to just hurt Leo for once.
Beauregard: "YOU'RE NOTHING! A BRAT! NO, A RAT A RAT!"
He swung and swung, using the broken table legs or stones that Leo dodged or broke with his body. Before smacking Beauregard away with ease across the floor, and had to watch as Beauregard just wiped his beaten face to charge again.
Beauregard: "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DIE ALREADY! PLEASE DAMMIT! THE WAR IS OVER AND IT STILL ISN'T OVER! YOU LOST! WE LOST! SO JUST GIVE ME THIS! YOU ALREADY TOOK EVERYTHING ELSE!"
Beauregard, with an almost comedically bruised face, screamed through the swelling to no avail. Miss, miss, or cause no effect, just to be hit away and away. Yelled at for not being a brother, for not stopping, while all he could hear was insults. The same mockery as always. He heard nothing but his soul. Felt nothing but himself. He was Beauregard, not a Valantine, not a Warrior of Athens, not a king. He was now just a hateful, rageful man, who didn't hate Demi-humans. His brother or his father.
He missed his mom. He hated his weakness. And he hated everything about this world.
And he finally struck Leo.
His arm became as hard as stone, before it shattered against Leo.
He broke his curse.
He used the Dragons fist, because he was finally himself.
And he smiled.
Leo {NOOOO!}
Beauregard had let go of it all, and unleashed himself, his built up strength inside of his right arm. It dug into Leo's already broken arm, enough to cause so much pain Leo almost passed out. However, after everything, the attack wasn't so strong. It broke the already broken stone, but didn't put much pressure into the air. It did leave Beauregard's own arm broken, but he was in a trance of might. Like he'd truly become one with the battle, and dove toward Leo's spear. And ran to drive it directly into Leo's skull.
Leo: "JUST STOP YOU IDIOT!"
Leo snapped his fingers to call back his spear, and yet Beauregard held it with his destroyed arms. Roaring, choking on his own blood like some undead creature. Before he just cried towards him.
Beauregard: "I WON'T LET YOU TAKE THIS FROM ME! YOU CAN'T! DON'T YOU SEE IT!? HOW I WAS MENT TO BE BETTER THAN YOU IN EVERY WAY!?"
Beauregard was on a high of pride, of vigor. But Leo finally had to accept that his brother was nothing more than a brother by blood. And he snapped his fingers again.
Beauregard: "--What–?"
The spear's pull had been released, and Beauregard stabbed it right into his own stomach. Backing up toward the large broken window behind them in a trance of pain, watching the world fade into a haze. Whispering a single phrase over and over. One Leo never got to hear, as he was too busy running to catch his brother.
Beauregard: "I've hated you since you were born."
Leo reached his hand forward, but Beauregard took the last step himself. And soared, down into the ash below. Leaving Leo with his spear on his knees. Just crying. Watching the destroyed Athens unfolded. The rest of the Capital crumbles into itself.
Leo: "...I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry -
A large quake ruptured the burning tower, right on time for the Dragons stone door to finally fall. Allowing Gray, Julius, Rosemary, all holding Toll to rush to him. And just to stare out at what they failed to stop.
Toll: "It's okay Leo, this…this is retribution for all of Athens wrongs. Just live, that's all you can do…"
They all looked back in awe as she spoke, surprised she was even awake. But that was the end of her too, a last breath. They didn't scream, break into pieces. They just took a breath with her and sat together. Waiting for the Tower to fall.
Gray: "I PROMISED I'D DO ANYTHING!"
The others listened in confusion, but he just stood. Walking to the window without any idea of what to do, what to say or even think. He just looked on like he could do something. And he saw them.
Peter: "GRAY!"
All of their sunken eyes lit up to see Peter crashing into the office with Dema. Sliding into action to save them once again. And without a breath they moved, climbing atop with their broken bodies, while Julius took command of the reins. Snapping forward to push Dema to overdrive -
Gray: "SHIT!"
And they vanished, letting the room crumble behind them with the force of her burst. Flying through the air like a missile, a comet of air force through the ash. She'd push over it all, away from the death of Athens. To the Great Bridge. To Walgonia, where they could rest with the thousands of refugees flooding into the warring country. Away from the sinking Capital they couldn't move their eyes from.
Rosemary: "I can't believe it's all over."
Leo: "I can't believe it too."
Julius didn't say a word, Peter tried to find bandages for Leo's wounds, Rosemary stared down at the Capital of Magma, and Leo watched in tears as the massive and looming Tower of Athens finally fell. Shattering to pieces to splash into the abyss of ash. But Gray looked forward for whatever loomed ahead.
Gray {It's not over, not yet.}
Thousands still raced to leave Athens before it spread through Cretan, to consume the entire Island. Thousands more laid dead. The history, the lives and memories, everything valuable down to the last piece of dirt turned to black ash and stone. And only the Great Bridge stood to hold the hundreds trying to cross at once and the hundreds more running to do it themselves. Where Gray and the rest were headed, to some kind of safety in this world. And to where Peter said Lincoln, Edward, and Soku would be.
They lost Athens. They lost everybody. But the Sect, nature didn't win. Because they weren't dead.
They would leave this hell behind with all they've gained.
They will be the Heroes they've been fighting so hard to be.
They just had to go further down their Road.
Gray would have to accept just whoever he was trying so hard to be.
Gray {....}
Iris, Garly, Toll. Even those like the mayor of Percilies Sugar, Moro's Lieutenant Bella, the Potential Pillar, Red, the Lower Pillar Charlie, Frank Will, Moro Gravestone, Kacy Kast, Hartly, Caesar, Crevasse, Ju'stone, Irsa Thorn, Olivia Trude, Gracey Thorn, Lorraine Una, Ox, Calgary, Beauregard Valentine. Athens. So many Knights in Walgonia, Anarchists, Red Arrows, Warriors, Civilians he never knew the names of he'd have to remember forever.
Gray {So long, Athens.}