Legends of Fatum
AN:
This is the last chapter. The finali.
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Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare.
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Chapter eleven: Liberation III
Respine looked down on Ira's broken body, even now her very presence threatened to unleash the floodgates of his locked emotions. His scanner had lied. She lived. But barely.
His scanner continued its feed. The other battles had come to a halt. Victory to the Rahkshi. They had done it; they had taken on Makuta and won. The impossible had become possible. But what had he lost?
For a third time his ideals and thoughts had been shifted by a mind invader. Before he had been so ignorant, immature even, now he was more. He now wished but to remain in silence, talking seemed to be a bother, emotions were a hindrance, yet they remained with him to an extent. He would be cautious, and alley today could be an enemy tomorrow. Everything was different.
But his feelings toward Ira were not. They were simply repressed. And he hoped they would stay that way.
Corta made his way over to the pair. He had retrieved his weapons and did his best to clean them. The battle had taken quite a toll on him as well. He was exhausted and every step sent pain up his left leg where he had landed on a sharp piece of machinery. His armor was covered in several patches of green essence, most not his own.
They were victorious but not unscarred.
Corta looked at Ira then to Respine. "Does she live?"
Respine took a moment to answer. "…Yes."
Corta almost sighed with relief. So they were fine. "Do you know where Fallon and Lucis are?"
"Right here."
From behind Corta, Fallon was coming forward half carrying a semi-conscious Lucis mumbling something about 'Avoiding Po-Wahi water'.
"So it's over then." Corta said.
Fallon nodded. "It is."
Respine's scanner delivered the after affects to him. The Rahkshi in Narshe were going wild, it was their luck that none had been stationed nearby. Respine figured he could take on any straggling Rahkshi and maybe Corta, but Ira and Lucis were in no condition to fight.
It was a few minutes later when the scanner really started going haywire. Another force was approaching. A Makuta, and a strong one at that. Respine looked at his companions; there was no way they could fight it here and now.
"We need to go. Now."
The others looked at him oddly. Respine wanted to curse; did he really have to spell it out for them?
"A Makuta is on its way. Stronger than the last ones, we need to leave, now."
Respine grabbed Ira and flung her over his shoulder and led the way to the sewers where they had entered. He didn't check to see if the others were following but he knew that they were. Respine's scanner gave them forty seconds till escape impossible with a percent of ninety-three to escape.
They entered the sewers and quickly made their way out. There was a roar from behind them. The Makuta must have discovered the remains. It was only a matter of time before he found out where they had gone. Which was why Respine pushed them to get out as soon as possible, a single blast from the Makuta at the sewers and they would be trapped.
At last Respine led them out of the sewers and the sewage area and into the hills. The group stopped to rest for a moment. Respine and Fallon sat their burdens down then took a look at the city with Corta. From the city were the cries of Rahkshi and flames and explosions decorated the buildings. The warehouse they had previously been was a smoldering ruin.
Against the odds they were alive.
But not for long, thought Respine bitterly as his scanner blipped a reading. The Makuta had caught them.
He glanced at Corta and nodded. "Fallon," he said. "Stay here with Lucis and Ira."
Fallon started to protest then stopped and just looked away. Together Respine and Corta strode out into the field.
Soon a large shadow crested over them. A Makuta in blood red armor with black highlights landed softly on the ground. Red eyes glared down at them from behind a Kanohi Kraahkan, the symbol of the Leader of the Makuta. He was taller than the ones they had fought. He carried a spear in his hand and carried a sword on his back.
He was Bendak.
"So you're the ones who've been causing my Empire such trouble." Bendak stood his ground in front of the Rahkshi. "You all look quite pathetic really. Probably not even a challenge. Well this eases my case then."
Bendak rushed forward with his spear. Respine caught it with his gripper and Bendak merely smirked. He jerked the spear up then slammed Respine into the ground. Corta rushed forward then with his sword. Bendak took a step back as the sword missed then kicked out. Corta landed with a dull thump twenty feet away.
From the ground Respine fired his drill at Bendak's head. Bendak jerked his head back as the laser passed by harmlessly. He pulled his spear back and out of Respine's grip. Respine scrambled to his feet and leapt back to avoid being impaled. As he leapt back he felt the unmistakable feel of Shadow creeping up behind him. He cursed. He had fallen right into a trap!
Suddenly the Shadows vanished and Respine collapsed to the ground. Fallon was standing behind him palms raised at Bendak. She had redirected the attack. The Shadows harmlessly absorbed back into Bendak as he raced forward with his spear.
Respine fired with his drill but Bendak merely sidestepped it and jabbed with his spear and quickly pulled back. Respine grimaced as it pulled out of his replaced limb. Sparks shot out of it and loose wires hung down. Well this was certainly an annoyance Respine growled to himself.
Bendak raised the spear over his head and brought it down. There was a CLANG as the spear's course was deflected into the ground a foot away from Respine's prone body. There were a few more clangs as two bolts shot into Bendak's armor. There was a sharp whine and the area around Bendak lit up with electricity.
Respine grimaced and stood. He only had one chance at this. A gauge on his scanner spiked as Bendak howled. Respine cursed and charged his drill. After only several seconds the electricity dispersed. Either Bendak had countered it or Corta had run out of strength.
A red line shot from Respine's weapon and struck through Bendak. Respine cursed, Bendak had evaded a more lethal blow at the last second. If he had only had a little more time…
Bendak turned his attention back to Respine and once again raised his spear. He lunged forward and Respine rolled to the side. Bendak saw this coming and adjusted. There was a tense moment, and then Respine watched as his right arm was severed through.
Respine clenched his mouth shut. There was no way he'd show signs of weakness, not now… He wondered if his powers would show themselves but they didn't. He decided that whatever Bahamut had done to his mind had done more to him then he had guessed.
Bendak stood nearby; dark eyes gleaming down. His opponent was down for the count. There was a cry and Bendak turned around only to see a white blur slam into his chest. Twin swords rent down his armor. Bendak stumbled back. He was lucky they hadn't gone too deep…
Respine looked on in shock as Ira glared at Bendak. Respine could tell she was exhausted from their fight earlier. In fact he was surprised she was awake at all. She had been so weak earlier, and her stance now showed it. It looked as if she was only barely standing.
Bendak saw the same thing Respine did. An adversary already defeated. He strode forward not even really on his guard as he expected to encounter no more resistance. Ira looked on wearily, knees buckling not from fear but weakness. In a flash Bendak stabbed forward with his spear.
Respine wanted to cry out but found he was unable. He could only watch. So he watched in amazement as in one swift move Ira sliced Bendak's spear in two. Bendak was amazed too, how could a Rahkshi near death perform the improbable?
Respine watched as a change overcame Ira. Her joints seemed to loosen, her stance became prouder. Something had happened and Respine could guess what. Ira's powers were showing forth.
Bendak scowled and reached back and drew his sword. It was black with red lines that appeared to be pulsing up and down it. He raised it in a mock salute and charged forward.
The next minute was filled with clangs as Ira and Bendak thrust and parried. Neither could gain the upper hand. Respine sagged on the ground; his drill had used the last of its energy and could no longer function as he wished. His leg was trashed and his gripper arm was gone. There was little at this point he could do.
He had his elemental powers though. The thought came as a surprise to him; his skill with weaponry had made his need for his elemental power negligible. But with nothing left to him, it was all he had left. He looked down at his drill. He could charge it with his poison powers and then…
Respine scowled. And then what? Rush the Makuta and stab it? He could barely move. He looked at Ira. She was beginning to slow down, her energy sapping with every blow. It was as if… his scanner confirmed his guess. The sword was leaching the energy from her with every clash.
It was then that he realized what to do. Ira was beginning to fall back as Respine charged his drill once more. He waited till the battle neared him and he tossed his drill. In one smooth move Ira clashed with one sword then stabbed the other blade into Bendak's arm. She brought her arm back, grasped the drill with her free hand and plunged it into his chest.
Bendak stumbled back and quickly tore out both the sword and the drill. But the damage was done. The drill had pierced too close to his essence, the poison had reached it. Now there was only one thing left to be done. All the energy he had stored in his blade would serve its purpose at last.
He took it in a double-underhand grip and raised it over his head. Ira stared in confusion, her eyes widened as she realized what he planned. But it was too late. Bendak stabbed himself with the sword. The red lines started pulsing even faster as it sucked him dry. He would die, but so would they.
Bendak sank to his knees then fell back. The sword started to glow and pulse at an alarming rate. Ira raced for Respine, to try and get him to safety, but it was too late. The sword exploded.
But right before it exploded Respine caught a flash of silver. The explosion burst up toward the sky. Standing between the self-destructive sword and the blasting explosion was Corruo. And she was channeling the energy up and away.
Ira standing over him worriedly was the last thing he saw before his vision blurred and sank into darkness…
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Karazin stood amongst the corpses outside of Junon. Across from him shrouded in a cloak of shadows was his adversary. One he could not defeat only stall. He wondered if the single act of taking the staff, which seemed to have been lifetimes ago, had brought him to this point. If he had chosen perhaps not to, he would be staring death in the face.
But he had little choice. Adnihilo had to be stopped now, he could run and live another day but she would only come after him. As the only other born user of Shadow he was a threat. She would only have grown stronger and simply done as she pleased with him.
And Karazin figured if he was to die he would at least chose when and where. Screw fate, he was here because he wanted to be.
Adnihilo tilted her head, seemingly trying to make sense of the situation. But she didn't care. He was just another obstacle to be quickly overcome.
"So," she sneered and said somewhat coyly. "My creator has graced me with his presence."
Karazin twitched but said nothing.
Adnihilo gave him a mock hurt look. "But he does not grace me with his voice, how… TWISTED!"
With the last word she unleashed a volley of dark impulses. Karazin let them harmlessly sink into him, quickly turning them into more inert energy. With the small boost of energy he empowered his speed and charged forward.
Adnihilo leered and summoned her sword. She clashed with Karazin's blade who grunted and used his momentum to flip over her and strike at her back. His blade sliced the air as Adnihilo sank into the shadows out of harm's way. Karazin aimed his sword at her and unleashed a quick burst of Shadow.
Adnihilo flicked it aside harmlessly. In the haze of his last attack Karazin sprung and began a relentless flurry with his sword. Adnihilo clashed against each one, the battle seemed to begin to bore her and she wore it on her face.
Karazin's only hope was that he could delay her long enough for backup. It had taken half a day before all of Junon's forces and inhabitants had been slaughtered including three Makuta. Karazin had been waiting for her outside the gate. She had seemed surprised to see him there but then had turned coy, mocking him. Karazin wanted to fight, he would get it.
Karazin hoped the others did well against the Makuta. One; that would mean that the number of Makuta would be down significantly, asides from the one in Narshe and the Lord there had been two others. Two; Corruo would be able to enlist their aid.
It was as they fought that they abruptly stopped. Something was off, different in the world, and they both felt it. The balance of power had shifted. Adnihilo screeched in delight while Karazin looked on warily.
"It's over! The last of the Makuta are dead!" She turned her gaze to him. "That simply leaves you and the others…"
Karazin spat on the ground. "As if we'd go down as easily, who do you think took down those Makuta?" He was stalling for time, with the added bonus that he enjoyed goading her.
Adnihilo let her expression falter for just a moment. "They will be taken care of shortly."
"And what about the remaining Toa? They've killed countless Rahkshi in the past."
Adnihilo laughed at this one. "The Toa? Those that are left are mere shadows of what they were; nothing more. Even if there were Toa to fight surely they'd I'd devour them as easily as the rest." She gazed hungrily at him. "And you, my dear creator, you are looking quite delicious…"
"Now that's just—"
Karazin's words were cut off as Adnihilo appeared in front of him and started choking him. Karazin gripped her arm and started to hiss, tendrils of shadows leaked their across. The two locked into a contest of wills with the shadow. Both started to strain, but Karazin was failing fast, he just didn't have the strength to keep it up…
Adnihilo gave a low growl and the shadow dissipated. Karazin's vision started to blur as Adnihilo choked out his shadow energy, absorbing it into herself. In a moment of strange thought he had a realization. Adnihilo didn't have the staff, but she had found a way to absorb shadows so naturally…
In a last feeble effort he send his awareness into her body, searching for… there! The last remnants of the Staff of Shadow. Alone its will was too weak, but if he…
Suddenly the world faded. Adnihilo had done it, the last of Karazin's strength was fading fast. Soon all the powers of shadow left would be hers to command. And nothing would stop her…
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Corruo cried out as Karazin's limp body collapsed to the ground. She had finally arrived with help, too late.
Once she had reached the others she found them at the end of the battle. As the Makuta attempted to wipe them all out she had intervened, using her newfound abilities to channel and redirect the energy before it killed them all. Then she had gathered them all and traveled here, though only Fallon and Ira were in fighting condition, they couldn't just leave the others behind.
Corruo had feared the wounded would slow them down, and it seemed she had been right. Now Karazin was gone and Adnihilo's power had skyrocketed again. They were the last hope.
Adnihilo's dark eyes found her sister's. "So you have at last returned, but you are too late; my power has past yours, what there was to begin with."
Corruo ignored her and raised her axe. Fallon and Ira took up wing positions to her sides. Adnihilo laughed at the sight.
"Come on ladies, let's end this."
The Rahkshi charged. Adnihilo teleported through the shadows and attacked with her blade. It took up most of their concentration just to defend themselves. Adnihilo leered and a dark aura flashed. A dark current echoed out from her and knocked the combatants over.
It was then that a ray of light burst through Adnihilo's chest. She shrieked and disappeared into the shadows. Fallon traced the light back to a wavering Lucis. He fell to one knee.
"Gah, still not enough strength…"
Fallon hurried to his side and stopped short as Adnihilo rose up in front of her. With a quick backhand she sent Fallon to the ground. She raised her sword and froze. Her expression began to twitch; she raised her hands to her face.
"No… your will is nothing…" she moaned.
Suddenly a second voice came from her mouth, a more familiar one… "I can't hold her for long… whatever you do, do it quick!"
Lucis grimaced from where he was. "Karazin's given us one last chance! Everyone, combine your elemental strength, we'll seal her!"
He raised his arm and fired a beam of light. From behind him a bolt of electricity and a cloud of poison joined it. Fallon and Ira sent their respective powers as well. Only Corruo was left. She looked at Karazin's collapsed body, then at the moaning Adnihilo. She raised her axe and with a ferocious cry slammed it into her sister with all her strength and power.
The shrieking abruptly stopped. Corruo pulled back and a wave of energy began to fold over Adnihilo, enveloping her. It quickly solidified, and then, it was over.
