Disclaimer: I do not own DGM; I only own my OC's and this fanfiction.
Fire had spread across the north eastern quarter of Valencia and moved sluggishly across each individual building as the rain dampened the roofs and streets. Two other blazes had also been lit, one at the north western slopes and the other on the western border.
So long as the rain continued its steady rate, the fire on its own would cease to spread. Once that critical point was reached, the blaze could be washed back and extinguished entirely. For now, the townsfolk could only watch from the shoreline and hope that their friends and neighbours had been quick enough to escape.
"She intends to destroy me and Valencia in the process… Her actions will create tragedy, and with that, new Akuma for the Earl's army…" Lavi's steps were heavy as he made his way to the centre of the city. The town square was empty, save for the few scattered remnants of people's belongings. "But above all, she will come for me…"
He scanned the rain filled air for signs of the black dragon, but found nothing. All was quiet – only the rain and crackling flames were audible. Lavi reached down for the hammer at his side, drawing it out and activating it. As he held the hilt of his weapon and lowered the weight to the ground, he noticed his hands still trembled. By gripping tighter, he had hoped they would cease to shake.
"Kiyre," Lavi called out boldly – knuckles white from his unrelenting grip. "Kiyre!" His voice echoed down the barren streets before dissipating into the night. At first, he believed he went unheard, until he felt the change in the wind.
"I must say, I'm a little upset that you can't even remember my name, even after all these years…"
Lavi spun around on his heels, only to come head-on with an unnatural gust that nearly knocked him from his feet. Strengthening his stance, he gazed up to the top of one of the surrounding buildings. There, standing at on the roof with talons dug into the brick, was the dragon.
"Fidelia…" Lavi said with slight uncertainty. His palms felt sweaty as he held his weapon behind him as still as he could. He could see from the black dragon's stance that she wasn't poised to attack. Her wings were half folded at her side – head low with her blue eyes focused on him. The long whip-like tail of hers lay loosely over the edge of an adjacent building; she seemed totally relaxed.
"What have you done with Kiyre?" Lavi questioned, standing tall and holding his gaze with the looming dragon. Fidelia started with a low grumble; eyes narrowing slightly.
"I reclaimed my body," She replied. "I returned her to her proper place – in the furthest corner of my mind."
Lavi squeezed the hammer's handle tighter; his teeth gritting as he bit back on his rising emotions. As he adjusted the pressure on the edges of his palms, he slowly began to move his weapon, readying himself to launch an attack - should he need to.
"Her proper place is in her body, in control. You're not the real Fidelia," Lavi argued. The dragon's lips curled back, revealing the shining rows of razor-like teeth. As she drew her head back she let out a bellowing roar into the stormy sky.
"I am the real Fidelia!" The dragon snapped back. "The girl you knew was nothing more than my human persona whom I had lost control of!" The dragon's tail whipped violently.
"I am the faithful servant of the Noah family; I was raised to dispose of sub-human scum like you!"
Lavi had only seconds to defend himself as Fidelia opened her jaws to unleash a torrent of scorching flames. With a swift swing and rushed commands, the hammer's weight slammed the Fire Seal onto the ground, producing a blazing serpent that met Fidelia's attack head on.
Fidelia held her ground; talons digging into the brick as she channelled her strength into her fiery breath. The fire serpent pressed on through Fidelia's flames, closing in on her with each passing second. With her energy expended, Fidelia spread her wings and took to the sky to avoid the lunging embers.
Lavi swung his hammer around, striking the roads to summon a further three serpents. Twisting up into the air, the dragon made easy work of evading their burning mouths. As the fire pursued her, the green crystals beneath her eyes began to shine.
Lavi's attention left the dragon and came to the trembling earth. The sound of gushing water replaced the roar of fire as whirling masses burst from the wet stones. Taking the forms of snakes, the elements met – steam hissing and clouding the air.
With the serpents extinguished, the black dragon circled around, straightening her flight path for the idle exorcist. Gliding low and fast over the cobbled roads, the dragon extended her claws – sharpening them along the stones. She reached out to snatch Lavi up, but missed as he rolled down and away from her fingers.
The dragon ascended above the buildings on the opposite end of the open square, soaring higher until she turned - repeating her low glide and swipe. Again and again, Lavi avoided her – rolling and shielding himself with his Innocence.
The fourth time Fidelia came down faster – a ball of fire shooting from her open jaws as she approached. Just like before, the red-head rolled himself from harm's way – raising the increased weight of his hammer in front of him.
The black dragon tilted – altering her path by a minute distance. Her knuckles grazed against the hammer – the force of it causing Lavi to stumble back. She passed over him, leaving a gust behind her, before her trailing whip-like tail coiled over the point at the hammer's tip. Still grasping his weapon, Lavi found himself being dragged along the cobblestones as Fidelia flew on.
Lavi had to react quickly or else he would be drawn along behind the speeding dragon, crashing him into whatever obstacle she came across. This prediction came sooner than he had anticipated; the inertia of ascension washing over his body in seconds, then sudden pain.
Fidelia flew over the rows of houses, her tail held low as she towed the exorcist over the rooftops. Between each block, she descended just slightly so that her tail struck the face of the next structure.
Still clinging to the hammer – Lavi made his move.
"Innocence, grow!" The weight of the hammer increased substantially – though while it was a change that didn't affect Lavi, Fidelia felt it instantaneously. Having just begun to ascend, the sudden build-up of weight brought her down.
Her back half collided with the roof she was trying to avoid – the crash decelerated her completely from flight, pulling the rest of her down onto the adjacent structures. Lavi felt the tension dissipate from his weapon as Fidelia's tail released its grip. Still atop the roof of the adjoining house, Lavi made his escape using the extending handle of his hammer to move to the rooftops across the street.
The red-haired exorcist caught his breath as he saw the black dragon struggle in the debris. The dragon's extensive black wings fluttered awkwardly above her body as she tried to stand between the crumbled foundations. Her tail swayed violently, tearing into brick walls like a knife to butter.
The moment her narrowed blue eyes met with Lavi, the exorcist manipulated the Innocence for his next attack. She leapt from the ground; forearms extended. Her talons dug into the walls of the building – her jaws wide as she lunged to bite the exorcist. Lavi's hammer struck the top of her head, gaining an angered snarl from the already enraged dragon. Again, Fidelia lunged, her ivory fangs ready to sink into flesh.
Lavi was nimble, but was only barely dodging each advance. The power of the dragon's jaws was evident in the hollow claps her mouth made upon closing on air. Though her neck was at full extension, she proceeded forward, clambering awkwardly onto the structure knowing that it would not likely hold her weight.
Once more, her mouth came short of the exorcist and as she recoiled she tensed, feeling the building shudder slightly under her mass. Lavi took his chance, preparing the level two attack as the dragon regained her composure.
Fidelia noticed the light from the Innocence surrounding her foe and she began to unfurl her wings. She took to the air just as Lavi struck down a seal. Though the dragon's ashy scales blended her with the sky's shadows, it didn't matter to Lavi.
"Violent thunder, whirling skies," Lavi recited – the illuminated seal began to spark with energy. "Heaven seal!"
Lightning burst up from the symbol and tendrils of light and energy burst upward into the abyssal darkness of the clouds. For a moment the lightning bolts danced in a twister-like formation before fanning out to seek its target.
A single bolt met its mark, drawing in all other stray bolts to its location. Fidelia bellowed in agony; her form now visible as a silhouette against the intense white lightning.
She fell from flight, plummeting from the cloud-line straight down to the western end of Valencia. The impact went unheard – muffled by the last of the murmuring thunder.
Lavi waited, catching his breath whilst he watched the flames consume Valencia. He was still unsure whether Innocence was equally effective on dragons as it was on Akuma.
When Fidelia didn't emerge, Lavi felt a sudden weight inside of his chest.
Was it possible he had killed her already?
Cautiously, Lavi lowered the weight of his hammer to the rooftop, propping one foot on top of it. He hesitated; he was unsure of what to do.
"Extend!"
He crossed the city in less than a minute; the heat from the raging fires rising up to meet him as he landed on the roof of an extensive storage complex. It was two street blocks wide and three long, and judging by the height, at least three storeys high.
There was a gaping hole in the centre of the storehouse where the roof had fallen in, a few metres in diameter. Fire was spewing out from the exposed third storey. The building felt incredibly unstable. Lavi thought he heard it groan under his feet.
The exorcist edged himself closer to the side of the opening in the storehouse roof, trying hard to look through the curtain of smoke and flames. It was impossible, the blaze was impenetrable.
The building groaned again and Lavi instinctively took a firmer hold of his weapon. The deterioration of the roof could be felt from his feet, all the way up through his spine. The crunching of wood as it splintered resounded over the crackling embers and amplified in volume.
Lavi reacted, attempting to put as much distance between himself and the crumbling ceiling as possible. Whether it was an already weakened support beam, or just the sheer speed of the disintegration, Lavi felt himself plunge backwards through the roof.
The heat of the flames came and went as he fell; he crashed through the weakened floors, striking several wooden and metal girders on the way. Pain accompanied his rapid descent in waves, peaking as his body came into contact with the ground floor.
For a second, everything went black.
Lavi coughed – he had inhaled dust and smoke on the way down. His head spun violently and his whole body ached; he willed himself to stay conscious. The light of the red flames weaved in between his brief blackouts as he lay motionless.
For a moment, Lavi thought he heard a chuckle resonate through the burning building.
Lavi flexed his fingers, finding that his hammer was no longer in his grasp. He slowly rolled over onto his stomach. His arms shuddered as he pushed himself up from the ground; a few specks of blood dusting the concrete beneath him has he coughed again. He had to find his Innocence and fast. Even though his vision was hazy, the junior bookman's trained eye could detect that the warehouse wasn't going to stand for much longer. The sooner he found his weapon and escaped the better.
Lavi was stumbling on his feet – knees shaking. Thankfully, the smoke wasn't choking the ground floor. Though various stored items were alight and burning furiously, the smoke escaped with ease out the opening in the ceiling.
"It couldn't have fallen far…" He told himself as he tossed aside a series of stacked barrels and crates. Searching rapidly, yet thoroughly, the urgency of the situation only grew as pillars continued to crack and moan. "C'mon, where is it?"
Amidst his daze, Lavi didn't concern himself about Fidelia's whereabouts. Whether or not she was alive or dead, if he didn't have a weapon he was in danger.
At the corner of his eye he spotted the glint of metal against a wisp of fire. His head turned perhaps a little too fast. Though he had set sight on his hammer on the other side of a stacked wall of crates, Lavi had to stop himself from falling over from the sudden onset of nausea. He leant against a support beam until the inertia faded, then proceeded to retrieve his weapon.
There appeared to be no way around or over the crates, and the gaps between them were far too small for the exorcist to crawl through. He pressed his palms to the face of one of the wooden containers and began to push, hoping that he had enough strength to tip the pile over. He struggled against the heavily packed container, his boots slipping against the floor. His feet gave way at just the right moment, as he fell to his knees a torn metal beam plunged into the crate he had been pushing; the immense force tipping the stack over.
Lavi glanced over his shoulder, spotting the next danger soon enough to be able to roll out of the way. The second iron projectile struck the concrete and twirled end over end into the rubble.
He moved as swiftly as he could, keeping his eye focused on the objects that seemingly began to levitate in the centre of the room before they flew towards him. The sizable wooden crates that Lavi had struggled to move were flung without effort towards him; smashing into pieces against the walls and pillars he passed by.
Fidelia was a poor shot.
Completing a circuit around his concealed foe, Lavi dove for the fallen wall of boxes, ducking under a hurtling barrel before grabbing his hammer. The innocence sensed the urgency of the situation and immediately activated in its master's hands. He brought the increased weight of the hammer in front of him, shielding himself from the final barrel.
With deft movements, Lavi swung the hammer around and smashed it down into the centre of the room. A mocking chuckle followed as the dust settled – he had missed.
He had only the shadows and debris to rely on, as it seemed that her movements lacked even the slightest attempt in stealth.
Swing, block, swing, block; neither gave an inch. Lavi readied himself for Fidelia's next lunge – his eye searching for the next place that the dust became disrupted. It never came.
"Fidelia," Lavi shouted. "Why are you hiding from me?"
Her laughter echoed eerily around the warehouse.
"Are you afraid of me, Fidelia?" Lavi pressed; his eye darted around, keeping vigilance.
"Why would I be afraid, exorcist?" Her voice still held a tone of amusement. "You're nothing but scum, pathetic human scum."
A section of the upper floor collapsed beside the red-haired exorcist, bringing a burning mass of debris down to the ground level. Lavi could hear his heart beating in his ears.
"So what if I am scum?" The exorcist squeezed the hilt of his hammer tighter. "I'm not the one who is hiding behind an illusion in a battle."
This time Fidelia didn't laugh. Lavi took this to be a good sign – he was hitting the right buttons.
"You're a coward, Fidelia," he goaded. "That's all you've ever been."
Shattering wood and groaning metal echoed through the burning building. Lavi gazed upwards, following movement of something on the third storey. The air rippled with the intense heat, and then suddenly, a figure took form.
The skirt of the violet dress was tattered, billowing in the same manner as Fidelia's hair which rose on the heated updrafts from the ground floor. She stood in a neutral stance – arms hung at her sides. Half of her legs and arms had transformed. Dark scales growing out from her skin like a grotesque mosaic. At the ends of her slightly enlarged hands and feet were sharp, hooked claws that glinted in the light of the dancing fires. Fidelia's face was twisted with rage – brows knitted tightly and the skin on the bridge of her nose was wrinkled. Lavi could see scales beginning to emerge at the edges of her face. The green crystals were shining vehemently. The expression she held was of the deepest contempt.
Fidelia began to holler as the fury built up inside of her. Her fingers flexed just short of being bunched into a fist as she leapt from the third storey without another thought. She drew her left arm back ready to strike. Lavi darted backwards just in time to avoid Fidelia's clawed fist as it smashed into the concrete.
She didn't stop here.
She was nimble, and launched herself to meet the exorcist with the swing of her right arm. Lavi raised the hilt of his hammer and barred the strike; his body shuddering from the impact. Fidelia's attacked with the left, coming in from the side. Lavi blocked once, twice, thrice, even.
At the fourth lunge, she feinted. Her right leg swung low, aiming for Lavi's ankles. The exorcist jumped to avoid the sweep, but moved too slow. He tripped up and Fidelia took the opportunity, thrusting her closed fist straight into Lavi's gut. Her strength was incredible. Lavi hurtled back several metres, knocking a series of stacked, burning barrels.
Before he could regain his stance, Fidelia dashed towards him. He saw the deranged look in her eyes as she charged. Broken pieces of burning wood scattered into the air as Fidelia's claws impacted with the barrels. Lavi had ducked and rolled a small distance away, just enough to prepare his next attack.
"Direct Fire Seal," Lavi uttered faster than ever before. The glowing seal on the weight of the hammer connected with Fidelia's forearm as she attempted to deflect it. Heat radiated from the stamp, burning into her dark scales. Fidelia let out a cry; swiping furiously with her other hand at the exorcist. Lavi drew the hammer back and hit a second time, on Fidelia's unguarded right side.
She tumbled, but her talons gripped the concrete and kept her upright. She was much faster at recovering than Lavi was. Her claws scraped against the ground as she ran; her fingers were flexed and hungry for flesh. The duel continued, claw to hammer, again and again. The ceiling groaned and several masses of flaming debris crashed down. The pair was separated, allowing for brief respite. As the two drew heavy breaths, Lavi knew that the storehouse would not stay standing for long. Another support beam splintered, and several others creaked with strain.
"You'll die here," Fidelia bellowed.
Her claws grazed the floor, her body leaping through the dividing flames. Lavi countered. The Innocence connected with Fidelia's body, tossing her far across the storehouse. She rolled end over end, but once more her talons assisted her to stay on her feet.
"I will kill you!"
She came again, faster. Lavi slid away from the path of her claws, beating the girl back with a firm shove of the hammer's handle. Fidelia staggered, and Lavi took the chance. He slammed his hammer upwards into Fidelia's abdomen, creating a sickening crunch as she was sent up into the crumbling ceiling. He hit her a second time as she fell down; blood splattering across his face.
Fidelia didn't catch herself this time. She remained still in a heap on the ground, wheezing, and from the looks of it, coughing blood. She was surrounded by flames. She began to rise up, but could only lift herself onto her elbows. Lavi felt the warm liquid trickle down his face, and he went to rub it off with the back of his hand. He wasn't sure when it had happened, but there were salty tears mixed into the blood.
"Fidelia," Lavi breathed. He approached her cautiously. He stopped metres from her shaking body. Their eyes met.
"I will… I will…" She seemed lost for words.
Lavi stared at her – eye not shifting from her deathly glare. She finally managed to stand, though her hands were on her knees to support her.
"Give up Fidelia," Lavi urged. "It's over."
Fidelia straightened herself – swaying unstably on her feet. She looked in the same condition as the building around them. She spat the last of the blood from her mouth before wiping herself clean with the back of her scaled hand. Each breath Fidelia drew was a painful rasp.
"I won't give up… Not until..." Fidelia edged a taloned foot forward, staggering as she did so. Her movements seemed almost hypnotic. She swayed like the fire around her. She focused her deadly gaze on the exorcist – her face twisted with ire. "Not until I present your broken corpse to my waiting family!"
Her transformation progressed as scales grew further up her arms and legs. Her hair was caught in an unnatural breeze – standing up to take shape of her narrow dragon's mane. Her scream became a roar; she charged.
Above her screaming and the groaning of the warehouse, Lavi could hear her every incoming step. The light of the flames glimmered on her poised claws.
Lavi evaded the swing of her arm and blocked her second, counter swipe. He beat her back, slamming the hilt of the hammer into the side of her head – stunning her. While she stood frozen, Lavi brought the Innocence around in one powerful hit.
Fidelia's body sailed backwards through the burning air, crashing into a support pillar, cracking it. Flaming debris fell from above, surrounding her unmoving body – the support pillar soon followed, collapsing straight onto her.
The ground rumbled violently. Lavi knew he couldn't stay any longer. As the warehouse disintegrated, the red-haired exorcist spared no second glance for Fidelia. He made a break for the nearest exit point – sprinting with the last of his energy. He could smell nothing but dust and ash as he emerged from the inferno. He drew deep, heavy breaths – feeling his consciousness sway like his legs.
His senses, one by one, shut off. He couldn't smell the smoke or hear the warehouse crumble. He couldn't taste the blood in his mouth or feel the heat of the remaining blaze.
His weakened legs gave out and he crashed to the ash covered pavement. His sight was last to fade, the glowing fires behind him blurring into the darkness.
Author's Comments: This was a long time coming, but I hope you enjoy it. 4k words of raw action!
It's actually heart wrenching writing this. I've thought this battle through for several months/years now. Still... the final chapters are just around the corner.
Please leave a review, tell me what you think, how you feel. I really wanna hear it all! Thanks for patiently waiting for this instalment. I'll try be quick with the next chapter! Thanks to my betas for helping me get things organised too~
KHue~