Chapter 20: Defeat

Vincent

Those idiots had finally learned to stay out of my way, as they just watched the battle now. I kicked at True Ogre's stomach, but he grabbed my leg and threw me against a tree. Then, he utterly surprised me…he blew fire from his mouth. I rolled sideways and his flames hit the tree I had been on. Like fire tended to do, the flames began to spread from one tree to the other.

Forget the fire…this mattered more than that. I ran at Ogre again and punched at his stomach, he took the hit and stumbled back, I punched again, but he grabbed my fist and slammed me against the ground. Then, he placed his foot on my body, so I couldn't get up.

My rage began to build…It wasn't supposed to be this way…I was supposed to take my revenge and…and instead, he was winning. Slowly, but surely I found the weight getting to me…No, I couldn't black out; couldn't accept defeat. But slowly, the darkness surrounded my field of vision.

"I told you so." A voice said to me.

I lay on the hard ground.

"Get up." Another voice said.

I slowly picked myself up. There, standing in their familiar spots, were the Vincent Replica and Zack. Only now, instead of a gray abyss, we stood in a grassy field that was heavy with mist.

"Vincent…I don't know what to say…" Zack said quietly.

The Vincent Replica had other ideas. "Rejoin with me. We were winning before, we can do it again!"

"You disappointed me, Vincent." Zack said. "I expected better of you."

"Listen to me!" the Replica said. "You want power?! You want revenge?! I'm the only way you can get it."

"Vincent," Zack said slowly. "Don't make the same mistake."

Both of them extended their hands toward me.

"Stop…" I said. "Both of you…I don't know who to believe anymore."

"Trust me." Zack said.

"Come with me!" The Vincent Replica replied.

"Stop…" I repeated. "I said STOP!!"

Then, both figures faded away and the world went black again.

King

I watched Vincent go unconscious, his aura faded, his eyes returned to normal, and then he stopped moving. I was about to run to him, when Armor King shouted at me.

"King! The Orphanage!" He yelled.

I followed his arm, which was pointing out, and saw Ogre shoot a fireball through the wall – lighting it on fire. I felt a shiver of horror run through me…and then ran full-throttle towards the orphanage.

At that moment, I had no coherent thoughts. My mind and heart were competing with each other – my heart wanted to kill Ogre with a vengeance. My brain knew that I had to save the children. Ignoring Ogre walking away, I ran into the burning building. As I had ran, most of the kids I saw has gotten away.

I knew all of their faces, and there was only one I hadn't seen running – John. I scrambled through the house and heard screams radiating from upstairs. I bolted up the stairs and into John's room.

I saw John, lying on the ground, screaming. I picked him up and jumped out the window. My legs hit the ground hard, but I had trained for something like this, so I was able to keep on walking. I put John down and turned around. My eyes watered with the tears of my burning orphanage.