Thanks to everyone for their compliments. This next chapter was extremely challenging for me to write. Naturally, the Sol vs. Ky subplot in Guilty Gear necessitates that this be one of the biggest fights in the fanfiction, but there's still a few more after this that have to be bigger. I'd like to have both guys mess themselves up a lot in this fight, but if I do that then I have to ask myself, "What does he have left for the rest of the fights?" Continuously using the same guy in a fight is hard, because eventually you run out of things for him to do, or start having a harder time thinking them up. Last but not least, the fight could simply not seem as exciting as you wanted it to be. At any rate, I still hope I did a good job for probably one of the more anticipated fights in this fanfic...

"Flash of Lightning, Roar of Flame"
Sol ascended the stone staircase slowly, making sure to keep his senses alert as he looked around himself. This was it. The end of the path through the subway. This was the last station on the route. Beyond it was some sort of turnstile station to get trains onto the other track. At any rate, there were no more lights that way. The water continued to rush into the darkness, but this was where Sol got off. It was a bit of a walk. It had to extend about twenty feet underground before you got to any significant subway in this city. Yet Sol kept looking up. At first, he could only see the setting sun. It was growing darker now…but it didn't matter. Sol was close now. It would end tonight.

There hadn't been much change after losing Millia. All that Sol knew was that his suspicions were nearly confirmed. A meeting with Ky would clear everything up. However…there may not have been time. At that point, he wasn't going to let the tournament continue any longer. He was going to go straight ahead to the host and stop him. If he did truly have what Sol thought he had in mind, then he couldn't let him wander free any longer. The more Sol put this off, the more people would die. With that in mind, he took off down the rest of the subway shaft. After going a few additional miles, destroying every camera he managed to recognize along the way, he had finally come to the last station…and, beyond the turnstiles, a way out.

A bit further, and Sol started to come over the edge. He began to look around himself as he did so. He was back in a city again. Where, he wasn't sure. It had to be some big town however. The streets were cracked, fractured, and upheaved in many places. The surrounding buildings had once been skyscrapers, but they were ruins now, having lost many of their original floors. All that was left now was the bare-bones areas of their original structure. It was the same as where he had first emerged. And like that place, the ground in the area was still concrete. Aside from a few grasses, the plant life had yet to reemerge.

However…none of this compared to what loomed in front of Sol.

In the days when this city functioned, it was likely a soccer stadium. After all, it was right next to a subway station. It had to provide good access for out of town fans. It was large and four tiered, and it was most impressive compared to the meager sports areas that humanity had rebuilt. But the banners had rotten and fallen. The brick facades had wore down. Time and wear had taken out pieces from the rims. The wood and interior design had rotted until, like everywhere else, only stone and steel remained. Where before it had been a magnificent place for entertainment…now it was just a darkened, rotten ruin. It no longer looked like a sports stadium. It more closely resembled a Roman Coloseum.

I seriously doubt that's coincidence…

What else was there removed all doubt. What few light fixtures hadn't been ripped down in the area surrounding the stadium and within it were now repaired and lit up, shining a rather powerful white glow on the sports complex. Much of the front of the stadium had been torn down, replaced with a large archway that led inside. He could see the first row and the field from here. There it sat…seeming to wait for him.

Sol regarded it grimly and without change. No doubt…this was where the host of the tournament planned to have his "finals match". He was accenting it too, it seemed. Sol could pick up more heat here from various resistors surrounding the complex. It seemed as if most of the energy was being packed into this zone that existed on the island. Something big was here…perhaps even big enough to be the source of all of the chaos that he had committed. And since everything seemed to lead to this point…there was no other place to turn. With that in mind…Sol began to take steps forward.

Sol's boots crunched in the gravel and grit that covered the broken roads. Each step echoed loudly throughout the surrounding area, through the entire open space that filled around the stadium, and through the streets beyond. It was nerve wracking…even for him. Although his face was perfectly calm and stoic, he knew that he was getting close and the nervousness was there. And this was a Gear. The fight would not be easy, and he had no idea what to expect. All other Gears had been, to some degree, weakened by the fact that they were under control. Their movements were too predictable and scripted. Justice, on the other hand… Well…if this Gear was also an independent thinker, he didn't know what would come of it.

Regardless…it's still time to end this. I get my answers tonight.

Sol continued to walk forward, extending his sensory ability out farther as he came in closer. He was approaching the halfway point between himself and the stadium. The sky was growing darker, but the artificial lighting was making up for it rather well. Stadiums always had a way of doing that…

Yet as Sol took one more step forward…he came to a halt as he sensed it. A heat signature just up ahead.

A certain one…that he would never forget.

Despite how stoic he was, how private, how controlled, and how reserved…Sol nevertheless let out a single word just under his breath.

"…Crap."

The man looked up ahead of him and to the stadium. His eyes focused and burned, but he said nothing. He didn't have to. He already knew that he was expected up ahead. Just as he knew that whoever was there had to have recognized him by now too. And so, he just let the silence linger as he waited a bit longer.

At long last…a boot came out from behind one of the girders supporting the entrance arch, and touched down with a light click. It was joined by another a moment later. Both feet pulled out a youth dressed in an almost perfect white and blue uniform of the Sacred Order. "Almost perfect" was appropriate. It looked like there were some bloodstains that had been soaked in water, and some tears were stitched on it or concealed under other parts. All in all, the person beneath it didn't look that messed up to the untrained eye. And his face was certainly as cool and businesslike as it had always been as it turned out and looked about a hundred yards away…right back on Sol. His sword was naked at his side.

It was Ky Kiske.

Both men stood still. Now would be the proverbial time when a wind was supposed to blow through town. But it didn't. The air was still and dead. The sun was turning half of the sky aflame now, while stars began to come out on the other half, illuminating it with small, lightning dots… And here they were. They hadn't even seen each other in six years…not since they went their separate ways to get patched up after the fight with Justice… Sol couldn't help but chuckle under his breath at the irony.

In the end, Sol moved his tongue around in his mouth before speaking.

"…Are you even going to say hello, Ky?"

"I've got nothing to say to a criminal." Ky answered coldly. "The only thing is something inside me told me that you would be here. I had no basis to believe it…but I did. I knew you would come to the tournament. I don't know why and I don't care. You should simply take this as a sign that the powers that be are against you as I am."

Ky raised his sword and pointed it at Sol.

"You are under arrest for stealing one of the greatest relics of the Sacred Order of Holy Knights. Surrender now or I will execute you on site."

Sol stared back without reaction. Again, there was silence between the two men. When it was broken…Sol was the one who did it. A small smile cracked and he let out just the trace of a snort.

"…I knew you wouldn't get it, Ky."

The knight didn't react to this.

"You're talking about the Sacred Order as if it's still around. It hasn't been around since before the war was over, since it started growing corrupt. Do you see what I'm wearing? Just the shreds of my old uniform? There's even less of this intact of the Sacred Order now or what it stood for. You're still running around cleaning up those robes, but they don't stand for anything anymore."

"Then stand for everything." Ky answered. "Purity…lawfulness…peace…goodness…security…"

"They're an obsolete decoration from an age when people were made of more noble material." Sol retorted. This cut Ky off…and seemed to make his eyes narrow. "Now you're dishonoring their symbol by serving a bunch of corrupt politicians while wearing them."

"I don't need to be preached to about what's right by a miserable felon!" Ky snapped back. "I actually stand for something! I always did! You stand for nothing but yourself!"

"You so easily dismiss me and label me, Ky." Sol answered back. "After all I did for you…all I did for innocent lives and people…that's all I am to you. A thief. One action determines everything that I am. Tell me, Ky…is God so harsh and unforgiving that He would make His entire measure of a man based on one sin? And if not…then why do you?"

Ky was again stricken silent by this. However, Sol knew Ky better than that. He was too bullheaded to let anyone dictate logic to him…not when he was so full of self-righteousness. He showed only the vaguest look of doubt for a moment, before his face tightened up and he shifted into his stabbing pose.

"I'll take it that you refuse to surrender." Was all he answered. "Very well then."

Sol straightened a bit more. "If you want to fight me Ky…then answer me something first."

The man didn't respond to this, but neither did he advance or change.

"That seal that you put on Justice…is there any way, any way at all, to possibly break it?"

Ky straightned slightly at this. Genuine puzzlement went over his expression. He obviously wasn't planning on him asking this… However, there was something else behind it too. Something in Ky was hesitant when he heard this. Sol looked to him and understood. This only confirmed it more for him. Ky himself had his doubts. He too had heard the report. Perhaps he too had feared that the host had been serious about a return of Justice…

"…Why do you want to know?" Ky finally answered.

"Tell me and I'll tell you." Sol responded.

Ky's face twisted into a scowl…but he realized he wasn't going to get anywhere. He knew Sol well enough to know that he had his way of doing things, and if you tried to stop it you'd get nowhere. It took a moment or so longer of silence, and for a while Sol thought he wouldn't answer him.

But in the end, he inhaled and straightened himself.

"…The seal was made to reflect Justice's own power back on himself. The more he struggled to break it, the more it would be reflected back at him to stop him. There's no way he can overcome himself, no matter how hard he tries. It will just push back all the stronger."

"That can't have been enough, though." Sol responded. "There had to be some initial energy investment. Something large. Something that would have initially ripped him out of this dimension and given him something to hold him in place before he made his first push. Can this energy be forced? Overcome?"

Ky shook his head. "The energy that went into the seal came from the most potent source: magical life force. It was collected from several knights to be enough. No energy on our plain of existence can be put into that dimension to do the job. It would take another magical source, a pure one from an individual, to do it. And even then it would have to be incredibly powerful. No regular person would do it. You'd need dozens of knights or at least extremely powerful ones."

Immediately…it clicked.

That's what he's going to do.

He wasn't lying.

Sol had been right in his assumptions. There was a Gear running the tournament, and he did want the most powerful combatants for an insidious purpose. Yet it wasn't until now that he fully believed it to be true. The Gear wasn't just independent…he was ingenious. He wasn't planning some minor move or final act of Gear revenge. He was going to release Justice. He attracted the fighters here, had them battle each other out, and all for determining who was the "fattest cow for the slaughter". That spirit was going to be used to break the seal and let out the Command Gear.

The war was mostly over. There were only a handful of Gears still around on Earth. Yet still…if Justice was to come back to life, they would catch many places off guard. They would be able to exact a unified strike that would create chaos. And it would take weeks to get through the bureaucratic messes of rebuilt governments to organize enough to stop them. Even then…Justice had never been killed. The Gear had only been sealed away. It wasn't likely that anything still existed that could stop the leader. Thousands…millions of people could die before this crisis was contained.

Sol didn't have time for this. He had to stop him now.

"Ky…this grudge is going to have to wait to be settled." Sol finally announced.

"No it won't." The knight instantly answered. "It ends tonight."

"We don't have time for this." Sol insisted, his voice actually raising in volume. "I know what the Gear is planning to do."

Ky raised an eyebrow here. "Gear? What Gear?"

"The Gear running the tournament!" Sol nearly shouted, losing his patience. "He brought us here to fight each other out and get the strongest. He's going to use the power of whoever wins to break the seal on Justice. And when that happens…both of us, everyone on this island, and everyone who is within twenty miles of any inactive Gear left on Earth is going to die."

"That's impossible!" Ky shouted back. "All the Gears are inactive! How could one be leading the tournament?"

"I don't know and we don't have time to worry about it!" Sol snapped back. "Either get off of this island while you still can or help me, but we need to take out the host before this goes any farther! Neither of us can afford to lose now!"

"No." Ky sternly answered. "If there really is an issue, then surrender to me now and hand over the Fireseal. Then I'll check it out myself. This is police business and not yours, and you're still going to answer for your crimes at the end of today, no matter what."

Sol's jaw tightened, and his arms crossed.

"Is this standard for being IPF too, Ky? Being a stubborn assh---? For once in your life could you get off of your high horse and see the bigger picture! You want to waste time attacking me when the fate of entire countries could be at stake? You want to let people die just so you can settle the score with me?"

Ky didn't answer. Once again, his face seemed to soften up. Apparently some of Sol's words got to him and made him hesitate. Although Sol doubted it…he prayed that Ky would make the right choice for once. He couldn't afford to fight him. Even if he beat him, he still had to worry about the host. He didn't need this. The only chance at stopping the host next might rest on whether or not he had managed to get through to the knight, and whether or not he would see outside of his black and white world.

After a few seconds…Ky made his decision.

His eyes narrowed…and he stepped right in front of the door to the stadium as he shifted into stabbing mode.

"I'll never trust you again, Sol." He stated flatly. "Not after you betrayed me once. The only way you're going any farther is over my dead body."

You ----ing idiot…

Sol glared back at Ky for a few moments longer. However, the knight wasn't going to move. There was no way he was going to talk his way out of this. Ky had made his choice. It was either a fight or nothing. Sol did have no other option.

As Ky continued to hold one arm out and his sword overhead for a thrust, Sol merely straightened up, one hand still on the hilt of the Fireseal, upside down at his side, put one hand on his hip, and let out the barest twist of a sarcastic smile.

"Anyone dies during this, Ky…and the blood stains your pretty white robes."

Ky didn't answer. He took off for Sol instead.

Sol quickly removed his hand from his hip and dashed toward him as well. For a brief moment, both pillars of physical and magical strength tore apart the pavement, their matching boots clicking against it loudly. But then, they met each other…and went at it.

A tremendous combination of sizzling and burning roared out as the two blades swung and connected between both men. In a flash, Sol had pulled his blade up, turned it upright, and cleaved for Ky. It met Ky's own planned attack, and both collided rather than do damage. As soon as they finished, Sol pulled his sword away and brought it around, aiming for Ky's calf. Before he could hit it, the Thunderseal flashed down and intercepted it with a crackle of electricity. Ky had barely finished deflecting it before he brought his sword up again, pulled it overhead, and aimed for Sol's neck. The man quickly yanked up his own blade to block it before it could reach him. Using the fact that both swords were now locked, Sol used his strength to push the Thunderseal off to the side, sending a cascade of sparks and smokes as he pushed it. As soon as it was away, he aimed another slice for Ky's head. The knight managed to recover and intercept this first, however, and the two locked blades for three more slashes before he went for Sol's legs. The man leapt over this blow, and quickly ducked under another aimed for his head. He reached out and intercepted a third, and again the two men locked for a moment. Ky glared coldly and grit his teeth. Sol's eyes burned as his face stayed in a stone expression. Then, abruptly, both men pushed off at once from each other, and separated a distance on the field. Both held their weapons in front of them.

A moment later, and both men took off. It was an attempt to encircle the other one and come in from the side…yet since both were able to detect the slightest muscular change in the other, they responded in kind. Soon they were running parallel to one another, with neither gaining any ground. This lasted for a few seconds…before Ky abruptly bowed his legs and leapt in the air for Sol. The other man immediately stood his ground, and raised the Fireseal to intercept the first blow. Ky pulled his weapon out and thrust inward again, and Sol quickly brought his blade around, connected, and forced the Thunderseal downward. Now that Ky's face was exposed, the man quickly leaned back and swept out a roundhouse for his face. Ky's reflexes were still good, however, and he leaned back to let the foot hit only air. He followed up by bringing his own deflected blade back up in a vertical slash. Sol was the one who had to move back this time to avoid being sliced from bottom to top. Yet as soon as he had his new footing, he swiped his blade at Ky again. Yet this wasn't to slash. Instead…smoke belched out from the vents in his sword, it roared with burning red light for a brief moment, and then projected a ball of flame. This one didn't sail out like a projectile, as it had with Ky. Rather, the fireball immediately went to the ground. Sizzling and smoking, cracking the pavement in its way, the shot began to roar toward Ky, snaking out flames high enough to singe him across his torso.

Ky saw this coming and pulled back. As the fire wave neared, he abruptly leapt into the air, showing his superior physical ability and agility, and let the wave sail under him. Yet while he was in the sky, he let himself get closer to Sol, narrowing the range for another attack. Then, on landing, his own blade erupted into a bolt of electricity before a similar shot sailed out for him.

Close as the attack was, and unlikely as it would seem that anyone could avoid it…Sol abruptly arched himself back and went for the ground. He moved like lightning himself, his flesh and clothing just barely missing being singed by the burst, as he peeled himself down to a level where the bolt could sail harmlessly overhead. He still felt a severe skin prickle and a bit of a painful static electricity shock…but he dodged it. What more…somehow…he didn't fall on his back despite how far bent he was. On the contrary…soon he snapped back up to battle position, just in time to intercept Ky's latest blow.

The two locked swords, and both pushed each other in a clash for a moment. Yet after a few seconds, Sol was the one who broke off. Darting backward while pushing off, he gained enough distance to slash out for Ky's legs again. The knight once again leapt over…but this time the edge of his robe got singed. In response, while still in the air, Ky reared his own blade back and prepared a charge. On landing, he swiped for Sol's head, forcing the man to duck. A few of the hairs on one of his spikes smoldered afterward.

After coming out of this, Ky began to advance, stabbing out with his sword as he did so. Sol willingly backed up at first. The Fireseal was shorter but denser, and so he deflected the incoming stabs with his blade rather than trying to counter them. However, he only did so until he began to see Ky's pattern. As the knight pulled back to stab forward again, Sol swept out with the tip of his sword and hit Ky's own tip while it was still pulled back, deflecting the blow downward from a distance. After that, he quickly advanced and swiped his own blade for Ky's neck. The knight's eyes widened, and he immediately pulled back to avoid it, forced to retreat and get off his footing. Now, Sol went on the offensive, advancing and using power in a series of three overhead blows. Each one required Ky to grit his teeth and brace himself against, and by the third sweat was starting to mount on his brow.

Yet as Sol brought his blade down for a fourth slice…Ky didn't intercept but quickly sidestepped instead, letting Sol waste his power on hitting air. In the break, he quickly moved around to Sol's side, almost to his back, and slashed out with his sword once again to hit him in the shoulder blade. Yet Sol didn't bother turning around. Instead, he quickly yanked his own sword back and placed it behind his shoulder. Ky's blade connected a second later. Once it was there…Sol immediately pushed against it and twisted his body, holding the Thunderseal in place long enough to turn and face his opponent.

Both warriors stood with their weapons locked, both sizzling as they met one another.

"I guess you are pretty good, Sol." Ky remarked with grim expression.

"Thank you." Sol calmly answered. "...I expected more from you."

Ky's eyes immediately flashed in anger, and he pulled back to attack once again.

The two blades clashed together again and again, sending out a shower of sparks and smoke around the two combatants. However, Ky was taking the offensive in this particular instance. After the reverse move, Sol's back was now toward the stadium, and he retreated toward it as Ky struck at him again and again with renewed vigor. Although he appeared to be focusing entirely on the knight, he knew which direction he was headed. He continued to back up until he began to run into one of the stone and steel support columns for the exterior. He did so right until his back hit it. Immediately, Ky stepped in and slashed out for his torso.

In response, Sol quickly "spun" his body around the column, avoiding the hit and encircling his body behind it. The Thunderseal cut slightly into the steel and rock, but other than that hit nothing. Yet he quickly pulled it off and aimed at the opposite side of the column, as Sol's body began to come out from it. However, the man once again simply rolled back, and all that Ky got for his slash were a few sparks from his blade and the iron.

Sol was soon coming back on the original side, but by now he had a few seconds bonus from moving so quickly and letting Ky waste his effort trying to hack the steel column. As he emerged this time, he once again swung his blade at the ground, sending a flaming line for Ky once again. The knight saw this coming, but it still nearly caught him off guard. Eyes widening slightly, he quickly flipped his body to the side in a nimble cartwheel, just avoiding getting singed again by the fire. Even as he did this, Sol rolled one last time to the opposite side of the column, and then took off for him. His blade was out and he planned to get in a finishing blow before Ky could recover.

Unfortunately, Ky had more of his bearings than he expected. Even as he charged at Ky, the knight himself was already back on his feet and alert. He drew his sword back and then forced it forward in a thrust motion. Sol caught this at the last moment, and quickly tried to stop his momentum before he ran himself on Ky's blade. As he struggled to plant his feet, the knight's sword came forth…

A moment later, and Sol stopped and yanked back…but not before feeling a painful electric jolt snake through his body and nearly make him go rigid. He had to use the stiffening and agony to pull himself back off of the weapon. Yet even as he did pull back…he couldn't deny the feeling that there was another, sharper pain beneath that. Right on his skin on his chest, just about halfway through the space made by two ribs, was a small bleeding wound from where Ky's blade had stabbed him.

Ky pulled his blade back, the electricity on the end already searing off the blood. His face was actually surprised. He seemed amazed that he had managed to do this. Sol himself looked down to the wound and took a bit of a breather. It was barely bleeding…but without the slightest expression of pain he touched the Fireseal to it anyway and let the flesh smolder. Soon it was catorized, and he pulled it back up and in front of him as he looked to his opponent. He actually smiled a little.

"You drew first blood after all, Ky."

Almost immediately after saying this, Sol advanced on him. This time, he attacked much quicker, shifting his sword to one hand and spinning it in figure eights as he moved his way toward Ky. The move was so fast and unexpected that Ky barely had time to react. As a result, he had to retreat and twist his head to the sides, barely avoiding each slash as it came in from opposite angles. He continued to retreat and dodge six different cycles, before his body finally snapped together enough to raise the Thunderseal in an abrupt move and smack Sol's sword away.

Unfortunately for him, this left him open, and Sol proceeded to smash his fist into his face.

Ky's head went snapping back with a quick jerk, and he began to stagger backward. There weren't many people on Earth who could have done that with just their bare hands. Sol didn't follow up right away, but let him take a moment to get a breather. However, when his head came back and he managed to stop, the man immediately shot forward again. Surprising him with his recovery speed, Ky's face turned stern and angry again, and he intercepted Sol's blow. Both men locked blades and began to push against one another.

Sol looked to Ky's furious expression…and saw drops of blood running out of his nostrils.

"And now we're even." Sol simply stated.

Ky's jaws tightened further, and he pushed harder against the sword. Sol responded with his own power, gritting his teeth and digging his feet into the ground. Both men pushed to the sides, swinging their blades one way and another, smacking them onto the pavement and then bringing them up. Smoke and sparks poured over both of them.

Finally…Sol ended it by shoving upward on both swords. Both of their blades went into the air, leaving their middles open. Sol moved to respond…but Ky was still the quicker. Before he could, Ky leapt up and drove both of his feet upward with him, digging his toes underneath Sol's jaw. The man snapped back and took the Fireseal with him, breaking the clash at last. But even as Ky began to bring his sword back to follow up…Sol's head seemed to snap back like a slingshot, and he smashed both his skull and his metal headband into Ky's own forehead. A gash broke across Ky's skin as a result, and he was stunned and dazzled as he wavered backward. However, he didn't recoil as much as Sol had. Even after getting this blow, he still had enough consciousness to raise up one of his feet, cock it back, and drive it forward into Sol's stomach. A sickening thud resulted, and Sol's eyes widened a bit as he doubled over. Immediately, Ky drew his foot back again and lashed it out higher, this time hitting Sol in the head as he presented it to the knight. The hit made Sol's head snap back, and his legs wavered for a moment as he was stuck in the hunched over position. His grip loosened from having had the wind knocked out of him, and the Fireseal clattered out from his grasp to the ground.

Quickly, Ky advanced and put both hands on his sword. He moved to the Fireseal's position, and with a flick of his foot knocked it twenty feet away, skittering on the ground the whole distance. He moved his own sword to a position over Sol's neck. He was panting now, but still looked fierce and ready to kill. Nevertheless, he paused momentarily once he was to this point, looking down on his opponent.

"The game is over, Sol. Surrender or I'll kill you."

Sol continued to waver, hunched over and dripping blood from his own nostril, and from a bruise across one eye. Weakly, however, he managed to lift his head.

"…You must not play card games, Ky…" He spoke out through clenched teeth. "You're not familiar with bluffing…"

Before Ky's eyebrows could crook to ponder this message…Sol shot to life. At full strength and not looking sore or tired at all…he abruptly lunged up from his position, curved inward just to avoid the Thunderseal, and gave Ky a bone-jarring uppercut beneath the jaw. Ky's eyes slammed shut and his face went into agony as blood flew from his gums, and his body was ripped a few inches off the ground before being set back down. Ky was now stunned and overwhelmed, and was powerless to stop Sol as he quickly turned and drove his fist in hard and deep into Ky's stomach. An older broken bone inside that had been hastily taped shredded and shifted inside the knight's gut. He would have gagged if that punch hadn't knocked much of the wind out of him. Sol drove in another blow, this time snapping the rib on the opposite side. Finally, tightening his fist, face to face with his dazzled, wavering opponent, Sol crouched and leapt up one more time, giving Ky another hit beneath the jaw. His face flooded again…only this time it looked dazed and weakened. His feet wavered underneath him, and he looked moments from falling.

Sol didn't wait. He turned away and looked to the Fireseal, and then took off for it. He had to do that just now. He wasn't trying to kill Ky. Even his moves that were meant for his neck and head were mostly just to fake Ky into a making a mistake where he would be open for Sol to wound him nonfatally. However, he couldn't afford to hold back at this point. He wasn't trying to kill Ky, but the feeling wasn't mutual. And he had to save his strength for what was beyond him. Luckily, he bet that the last barrage of blows had taken a bit out of him, and as he reached his blade, bent down, and snatched it up again, he bet he might be able to force an end to the-

Sol's train of thought was cut off as he turned back, and immediately felt an extremely painful electronic jolt rip across his chest. Giving a cry, he arched back and went rigid, the electricity making his limbs seize and paralyze. Yet somehow, through that agony, he mentally forced his body to overcome the jolt and go to the source. He was somehow able to bring his sword down against what had attacked him. A moment later, the Fireseal connected with the Thunderseal and smacked it away.

However, that didn't last. Soon, that sword was on him again, frantically stabbing once more. Sol, body still burning with pain and trying to get his limbs to move, quickly maneuvered to block these hits. Through it all, he looked forward…and couldn't believe it. Ky, looking twice as enraged, eyes blazing with passion, and still not slowing down despite the fact he was getting sweatier all the time, was attacking him ferociously. Sol realized he had never even touched the ground. He had stayed standing through Sol's blows, and now had a swollen jaw and blood staining the lapels of his uniform for it, but nothing more. He wasn't quitting. And he had taken Sol's momentarily lack of caution to rip a large gash across his chest. He could feel it soaking into his red and black clothing.

What more…Sol realized that, despite Ky's anger, he was still fighting "fair". He waited until he faced him to stab. If his back had still been turned…

Ky, giving a yell, suddenly swiped his blade out with twice the normal speed at Sol's face. To keep his nose from being cut off, the man quickly leapt back…right where Ky wanted him. Immediately, the knight aimed his blade at Sol's chest and released another bolt of electricity. Sol's eyes widened, and he crossed his arm and blade to guard himself…realizing too late that such a move was all but useless. The powerful charge struck him and traveled into his limbs, and soon a seizing power mixed with burning pain ravaged him as the force of the hit forced him backward on the ground, dragging his feet against it as it did. Ky raised his blade up to stab again, and began to dart forward…

When Sol sprung back up to his feet, gave his own yell, and barreled at Ky with his shoulder leveled straight at his chest and gut. Moments later, and Sol collided with the knight, driving his shoulder and upper arm deep into the areas with broken bones. Ky gagged and grit his teeth in misery, but Sol kept charging into him. A moment later, and Sol, still carrying Ky on the end, leapt to the ground and put Ky in between himself and it. The two bodies crashed into the pavement a moment later, Sol driving his shoulder deeper into Ky's body. The knight's eyes bulged.

Quickly, or as quick as he could muster, Sol scrambled off of Ky's chest and got on him so that he could pin him down. Panting a bit himself and dripping beads of sweat, Sol raised the Fireseal and prepared to cut Ky in much the same way as he had cut Millia.

But Ky, red faced and still overflowing with passion, still wasn't stopping. To Sol's surprise, a gloved hand shot out and grasped Sol by his lapel. As hard as it could, it yanked back and brought his head down. Ky brought it up at the same time, and proceeded to smash his own head into Sol's nose. A cracking sound resulted, followed by more blood flowing out of it. But most of all, Sol was now dazzled. That gave Ky another opportunity, this one to quickly rock back, kick up with his feet, and throw Sol's body off of him.

As soon as Ky was in that position with his back on the ground and his feet in the air, and Sol was off of him in his head's direction, he snapped his body strongly once, seeming to ignore the fact that doing so drove his chest into greater agony, and got back up to his feet. One hand was still on the Thunderseal, and he snapped around and slashed at where Sol was located. Yet at the last moment…Sol, before appearing sprawled out from being thrown off, revealed that he was getting into a rolling position, and proceeded to somersault forward to avoid the slash. Concrete was all that suffered. Ky, teeth still grit, came forward and slashed again at his rolling body, but once again hit nothing. Before he could slash again, Sol rolled onto his feet and sprung back up. The Fireseal came around and intercepted Ky's third strike. After doing so, Ky went on the offensive and advanced once again.

As Sol moved with his own quick reflexes and power to respond to Ky's attack, he began to wonder if he was right in what he said to Kliff. The only way out of this thing might be to kill Ky. There was one other option…but no, he didn't consider it. Not here…where Gears still ran around and where the original Command Gear was threatening to awaken again. In fact, if this kept up, Ky might actually do real damage to his bandanna… He wasn't sure what would happen after that. Quickly, he looked at Ky to see if there was a weakness.

The knight was as furious, constant, and passionate as he was six years ago. He moved so fast and well that you could hardly tell he was injured. However…he had to be in a lot of pain at this point. And he had to be straining himself to the limit. Each move he performed put him into more agony. He might even have internal injuries after Sol's beating. He was exhausting himself too. His robes were soaked with sweat and blood, he was practically wheezing, and his face was beet red. Yet so long as they both continued at their current level…Sol realized that things were going to be too far even. And that was as dangerous for Ky as it was for him. Ky would be willing to push himself to death to kill Sol… So long as he could still fight and stay conscious, he would. He had to be taken out somehow…

Ky broke off from his assault and fired another bolt of electricity at Sol. This time, the man rolled to one side, letting it barely shoot past him. He thought that reacting like this would be enough to confuse Ky…but he was wrong. The knight immediately spun forward, extended his blade, and tried to cut through Sol's torso. The man was forced to break off his plan and shoot back…but was again too slow. The blade cut through his shoulder this time…and this time the wound was deep. It went in a good inch and scratched his bone.

Ky immediately tried to follow it up by moving in and swiping at Sol's face. The man backed up to barely dodge this, but Ky wasn't stopping. He came again, and this time aimed for Sol's belly. Yet the man managed to confuse him a bit with his next move. Rather than blocking or countering…he simply stuck the Fireseal straight out, as if to intercept Ky with a stab when he advanced. Ky was forced to grind to a halt, but he managed to stop himself before growing anywhere near too close. He looked down at the sword curiously a moment, kept panting, but then looked back up to Sol. Gritting his teeth, he swung out his sword and connected it with the Fireseal, meaning to knock it away…

Sol waited until the precise moment that their blades locked. When that happened, he fired up his own power and released another flaming wave. This one didn't go along the ground, however. It sailed down the surface of the Thunderseal itself, riding the edge along the blade and down to the hilt, where it moved over and impacted Ky's hand. A sizzling sound went out as the flesh was seared. Ky's eyes widened as he gave a scream of pain, and he shot backward once again.

Now…Sol advanced again. But this time, he didn't try to be fancy or use skill. Instead, he came at Ky and hammered down one powerful blow after another over his head. Ky was able to raise his sword and intercept each hit, but at a price. Weary, strained, and agonized already, Ky was having to force himself quite a bit in order to keep fighting. Each blow that he intercepted from Sol was wearing down on his reserves a bit more. His arms were starting to ache from struggling to keep the fight going…

At last, Ky managed to twist his blade to the side, lock with the Fireseal, and force it down and away. Immediately, moving as fast as he could with as much power, he advanced on Sol again. He launched out a furious assault, and Sol was barely able to avoid each hit as he moved back. However…he didn't try to block Ky's hits this time. Instead, he moved his head to the sides, bowed his body inward, or sidestepped. He got a few shocks and his clothing was shredded a bit more, but he wouldn't let himself fight back with his own blade. Dripping sweat in buckets, seeming to be gagging on his own collar, Ky kept advancing and trying to hit him. Yet in doing so, without hitting Sol's blade and stopping his charges, he was putting out all of his force in each swing, and having to fully recover from each fully extended swing. Though he looked practically on the verge of a heart attack, Ky still wouldn't stop. Each blow continued to come…

Finally, Ky planted his feet and thrust out with the tip of his blade for Sol's stomach. The man quickly shifted to one side to let it sail by. Ky yanked back and stabbed again, this time for Sol's head. Sol dodged by shifting his head one way, and then the other. After that, he finally brought the Fireseal up and struck it down on the Thunderseal. He meant to smack it down and away and put his blade to Ky's throat…

Yet still, it wasn't over. Ky was grunting and straining to keep moving, but still he wouldn't stop. He brought his blade back over and around, and smashed it down on top of Sol as hard as he could. Sol quickly raised his own blade and intercepted. The power was surprising. He actually felt his muscles burn and buckle under the force of it. He grit his own bloody teeth, dug in, and held on, determined to win this final clash. The two forces held for a few fateful second, both gushing sweat, both bleeding, and neither giving an inch.

But in the end, it was Sol who forced Ky to use up his stamina.

Giving a mighty wrench, Sol focused his power and pushed up, bringing Ky's blade back, before sharply rotating, locking, and twisting his blade down. He gave two quick turns to gum up Ky's wrists, working on the burn he now had on one palm as well, before he managed to loosen the Thunderseal from his grip. In a flash, he flung the weapon to one side, letting it sail through the air, arch down, and then embed in the concrete. However…long before it hit the ground, Sol struck his last two blows. He couldn't afford to let Ky surrender. He had to do him now. Two burning blades later, with an explosion of blood along with them, and Sol had crisscrossed two large cuts across Ky's chest.

These cuts weren't as deep as the one he had given Millia, but they had successfully given Ky a sharp blood drop as well as trauma from burns. And that was too much for his already overworked system. Hands still frozen out in the last position they had held the Thunderseal, Ky's eyes widened and his mouth loosened. A blank stare went to his gaze…before his strength gave way. He collapsed down onto his knees, his arms falling loosely at his side. His head bowed forward and landed on his chest. Once there, however, his own natural body position seemed to hold him up.

Sol kept his sword out, looking at the kneeling Ky for a brief moment. His sword finished smoldering, burning the last of Ky's blood off of it. After that, however, he let out a large exhale himself and began to breathe heavier. He brought up the back of his hand and wiped the sweat from his brow. He shifted his fingers down a bit to his nose afterward, and with a pinch and a sharp jerk reset it. Swallowing his dry throat, he turned and started to walk away…

The sound of something hitting the ground made him freeze…something from Ky's direction.

Sol suppressed a sigh.

Damnit, Ky…quit while you're still breathing…

He turned back to the knight…but saw that he wasn't fighting. He seemed to have used his last bit of strength to push back…get himself off of his knees. Now, with his legs crumpled in an upward position, and his back on the ground, he closed his eyes and swallowed.

"…I only…kneel before God…" He explained with a strained voice.

Sol stared at him silently, saying nothing.

"…If you're going to kill me…do it now."

"I never wanted to kill you, Ky." Sol flatly answered. "You were the only one out of the two of us."

Ky coughed once, letting out some blood, but then forced a smile.

"…I didn't want to kill you either." He admitted. "That's why…I gave you a chance to surrender… I wanted to bring you in alive… I wanted to know why…you committed your crime…why you live like this…"

Sol didn't respond to this. He stared blankly at Ky, as the knight's breathing began to slow.

"…It's going to be me, Sol…" He spoke out loud. "No one else… I'm going to bring you in…and I'm going to do it alive… I might have tonight…but I lost my temper again… God won't help…a violent man…" The knight stiffly began to go for his robes, seeming to feel for something.

"I'm going on, Ky." Sol interrupted. "I figure that if he wants to do anything with you, he has to come to me now. Get off the island. I don't know what he'll do to you if I fail."

Ky sharply exhaled, and continued to feel for something. He seemed to grab it, but then started to pull it out from his robe pocket. Sol didn't wait. He turned back to the well-lit stadium. It was dark now. The stars were out, and the light from the stadium was particularly pale and unwelcoming. Sol couldn't see it yet, but he thought, through the arch, he could see someone already coming out onto the field. He began to walk toward it…

"…This isn't over, Sol…"

The man stopped.

"…It is today."

"No…it isn't." Ky answered back. "Latest…in magical medical technology… Special antibiotic gel and stimulents… Zato-1 beat me up pretty bad this morning…but I was still able to fight you at near full… You better be gone…in ten minutes…or I'll be coming after you again. I've waited too long to let you go…"

Sol hesitated once again. That must have been what he was fishing around for. He could already hear some sort of bottle or container pop open. The man thought of turning around and stopping him, knocking the material away…but then he thought against it. He didn't have time for this. There were more important things going on now than himself and Ky. Besides…so long as Ky had himself patched up, then the Gear couldn't go after him.

Thinking on that note, Sol began to slowly walk forward again, letting his feet crunch the gravel and the grit, as he made his way toward the arch of the stadium again.

To be continued...

NEXT CHAPTER: Atonement...