Flare and Chelsea had been running through the hallways of the prison he was captured. His Pyrokinesis hadn't kicked back in yet, due to the drugs nullifying. Flare could still feel a strain on his body as he ran. He and Chelsea were running away from rebel guards, whom had guns firing at them.
Before they were discovered roaming by guards, Flare had found a jumpsuit hidden in the janitor's closet, which he wore.
"Stop them!" a guard yelled as they fired at them.
'We're almost there, Seryu. Just hang on. A little more.' Flare thought as they ran. He gasped, as he then sensed Seryu's aura. It was low, but still recognizable. Flare and Chelsea saw a short cut to Seryu's asylum. He could sense her aura getting closer as he ran forward. After a minute of running, Chelsea found a dark corner to hide in. As soon as the guards ran by, missing them, Flare walked out of hiding and went the opposite way, with Chelsea following him.
"I found her," Flare muttered as he had opened a door and found Seryu Ubiquitous in a white asylum room all alone. Flare gasped as he saw Seryu's physical condition. Seryu was stripped into her pink bra and panties. He had bruises in certain places and seemed to be a little skinnier. In his mind, Seryu being here, meant that she went on a rescue attempt and had to pay the price for attacking them All for him. The thought made Flare sad. He walked in the asylum room with Chelsea behind her and stepped carefully towards one of his girlfriends. He bent down to her level.
"Seryu." Flare had called.
Seryu raised her head a little and turned her head around slightly to see who was calling her. As she looked, she glanced and saw the person she cared about most. Her face had a bruise, her eyes were empty and dark at first, and now they are coming to the light, as she stare into his golden eyes. After staring, she gasped as she snapped out of despair.
"F-Flare?" Seryu's asked.
Flare placed a hand on her bruised cheek and smiled. "It's going to be alright. I'm here to rescue you." He stood her up.
After hearing his voice again and knowing it was him in the flesh, Seryu couldn't help but just sob. "Ah!" She buried her face in his chest. She was disappointed within herself.
"W-what's the matter?" Flare asked as he embraced her.
"I'm sorry, Flare. I'm so, so sorry!" Seryu apologized.
"For what?"
"I-I failed to save you…" Seryu sniffled. "You were taken away… I thought that if I go after Night Raid, I could get answers and rescue you from there tyranny. But, I failed! I'm a failure, Flare!" More tears streamed down her face.
"S-stop. Don't say that. You did everything you could to try and stop Night Raid." Flare wiped the tears from her eyes.
"No, you're wrong." Seryu shook her head. "I couldn't even stop them from taking Koro..."
"What?" Flare's eyes widened.
"I was powerless to stop Night Raid from taking him. I passed out while fighting against that pink-haired girl, then suddenly I woke up in here all alone! They would torture me, so that I won't fight back. And they would give me food once a day." Seryu sniffled.
Flare gasped after hearing what Seryu had gone through. He gritted his teeth, to think that the Revolution would submit this kind of torture. And to take Koro away from Seryu, splitting up two buddies was unforgivable.
Flare did the thinkable. To make Seryu feel better, he brushed Seryu's hair away from her eyes and kissed her lips. The warmth of Flare's lips pressed against hers was warm. She yearned for a kiss, as she responded back. The tears in Seryu's eyes had gone thinner and thinner, as she could feel his tongue in her mouth. Her cheeks blushed slightly blushed. Seryu had imagined herself and Flare, the two of them kissing alone in a field surrounded by flowers and on a bright sunny day.
"I love you." Seryu smiled and looked at Flare with love in her eyes.
"I love you, too, Seryu. And Esdeath." Flare replied. And then all of a sudden, he gasped and felt a surge pass throughout his entire body. A bright orange aura coated his body as he felt warmer and warmer. 'My body is...' Flare held out the palm of his right hand, and suddenly ignited a flame within his hand. 'It's like my Imperial Arms are returning.'
Seryu gasped. "Flare, your flames..."
"I know. It's like my Imperial Arm just came back on its own." Flare stared at the flame in his hand and wondered what made his Imperial Arm work again. Was it love? Was it friendship?
Seryu's body soared. "Ow..."
Flare saw Seryu ache, and the first thing on his mind was to make sure Sery was healed. "Hold on. Let me help you." he picked Seryu up and lied her on the bed.
Seryu blushed. "W-what are you gonna do?"
"First thing's first. I'm going to treat you." Flare whispered, as his hand ignited light flames on his hands. Flare was prepared to use Flame Recovery to heal Seryu's wounds. "Just hold still."
"I'll try. I trust you." Seryu responded. Flare placed his hands on the injuries Seryu had received on certain places on her body.
While this is happening, Chelsea stood by the door and kept watch in case the guards tried to break in. She carried a knife in her hand so she could slash some throats.
It took Flare a couple of minutes to heal all his his girlfriend's injuries. The light flames on Flare's hands had disappeared. Seryu moaned and sat up, curiously. She looked down at herself to see that the wounds on her body had disappeared. She looked at her healed body and gasped, happily. She hugged Flare with bubbles of water in her eyes. "Thank you, Flare! Thank you! Thank you!"
"I also brought something for you." Flare handed Chelsea a jumpsuit for her to wear. He didn't know what size Seryu wore, so he just grabbed what he could find.
"Now that's outta the way, I need to find a way out of here."
"They're coming closer." Chelsea informed Flare, as she could hear the sound of a bunch of footsteps coming closer.
"Huh?" Seryu looked over at Chelsea and was a little sad and confused. "What is she doing here? Isn't she apart of Night Raid?"
Flare looked at Chelsea and almost forgot. "Well, I guess she was sent by Esdeath, who knows..."
"Oh," Seryu turned to Flare. "What do we do now?"
Flare opened his mouth and was gonna say something, until he heard a loud bang on the door.
"They're in here!" a guard yelled.
Flare, Seryu and Chelsea stare at the barricaded door, while on the other side of the door had rebel guards trying to break down the door.
Flare knew that the guards were here. He turned to Seryu and Chelsea and instructed them to move. "Stay back, you two." Flare pushed the bed by the door and barricaded themselves. Flare then set the bed on fire with his flames.
"What are you doing?" Seryu asked.
"I'm creating a diversion." Flare answered after lighting the bed on fire. Then he set one of the walls on fire, by shooting fireballs. "When the guards break in, they'll find nothing but a room on fire."
"But, what will happen to us? Where will we be?" Seryu asked.
"Away. Far away from here." Flare answered as he walked towards and embraced both Seryu and Chelsea in a group hug.
'Flare's warm and comforting.' Seryu moaned as she felt her body getting warm, like a heater. She held onto Flare's chest, tightly. Chelsea had no reaction on her face.
"I'm going to use my Trump Card." he whispered to Seryu, who stayed quiet. It took a few moment Flare to gather enough energy inside. He then felt his energy surging through his veins. "Here goes nothing," Flare took a deep breath as the flames around them intensed. "Trump Card; Pyro Transport!" Flare chanted, and the three had vanished from sight.
Trump Card; Pyro Transport. An ability that allows the user to teleport via fire. The user must have a clear mind and imagine their destination. Then the user would automatically transport anywhere they wish. Only drawback is that it takes a mass of energy and would sometimes leave the user fatigue. Unless the user has gone through vigorous training, he/she could use it more than once a day.
Meanwhile, Najenda was previously stabbed through the heart by Esdeath. She fell face first on the ground. Her hands stretched out, blood leaked from her chest. She looked motionless.
"Boss!" Mine screamed in terror. She dropped Pumpkin and ran to Najenda's side. Tears ran down Mine's face as she couldn't find a pulse.
Leone lied on the floor, with her limbs amputated and watched helplessly as Mine tried to revive Najenda. She silently cried with one eye intact.
Esdeath smiled. "Hmph,"
Bolick cheered on. "You've done it, Esdeath! You killed the traitor! With Najenda dead, the Revolutionary Army will surely fall!" Bolick was high and mighty. The feeling of seeing Najenda made him overconfident.
Mine flipped Najenda on her back to see the stab wound and tried to put pressure, but her hands and wrist sleeves were being stained Najenda's blood as it stained. 'Come on, come on, boss! You can't die! You can't!'
"It's useless, you fool! Najenda is gonna die, just like you and the rest are going to die here, tonight!"
Akame's face covered with shadow and their long hair blow'd in the wind. Their minds went black and the only words they could here was her target, Bolic, who was taunting Mine about Najenda's condition. Inside her head, she visualized Bolic and only Bolic in a pitch-black room. She then remembered the word her former master made her memorize. "Burry." Akame muttered.
Without warning, Kurome tried to deliver a fatal blow to her older sister, by swinging Yatsufusa at her, horizontally.
"Burry," Akame muttered once more, then dodged at such speed as if her body had teleported.
'What?' Kurome was a little surprised that Akame dodged at such speed with a few injuries. 'Where did she go?' she looked from her left to her right and didn't find Akame in sight. Kurome then sensed Akame's bloodlust and looked up at the ceiling and gasped.
"Oh?" Esdeath had spotted Akame.
Akame was spotted on the sanctuary's ceiling. She bent one knee and stabbed the roof with Murasame so she won't fall. Her hair hung downwards while she was upside down. All eyes were on her now.
'Akame,' Leone thought, as she slowly crawled towards Bolic, unseen. Her wounds had not recovered, yet.
'What is she up to?' Bolic started to get scared as he saw Akame locking eyes on him from above. His eyes widened in fear and he took a step back, as he predicted her next move.
'What are you planning, big sis?' Kurome wondered for a brief second. She gasped as she followed Akame's eyes. She then knew that Akame's eyes were locked on Bolic as she looked back to see Bolic without protection.
After at least two minutes of hangng upside down. "I'll BURRY you!" Akame screamed as she kicked herself off the ceiling, launched herself towards Bolic. Her Murasame was ready to take another life.
'Oh no you don't…' Esdeath saw this and was ready to act. She was charging towards Akame, but then was encountered by a certain someone. The person was Tatsumi, who was standing on his two feet and was in his Incursio Armor and with Incursio's spear in his hands. "You…"
Tatsumi stood guard. "I won't let you hurt my friends anymore!"
Esdeath was confused. She saw Tatsumi get slashed u by Sheele. So how is he still standing, she wondered. "How are you even standing? I saw that purple-haired woman strike you down." Tatsumi ignored her question as she pointed her silver rapier towards him.
While Esdeath was not paying attention and focused on Akame, Najenda had regained consciousness for a brief moment. Najenda instructed Mine to bring her to Tatsumi. It has never been done in history before, but Najeda had suddenly transferred enough of her own life force to heal Tatsumi to where he could fight again.
Tatsumi wondered in his mind. 'That was a really close call. If the boss didn't do what she did, I would've been a goner.' He remembered being struck down by Sheele, then remembered waking up and finding Najenda bleeding on the floor. Tatsumi gritted his teeth. 'My wound sure have healed, alright.' Tatsumi graped his chest while in Incursio Armor.
'Don't worry about me. Just by Akame some time, until Bolic is dealt with.' Najenda's words.
Meanwhile, Kurome is chasing after Akame, who is launching towards Bolic with an intent to kill.
"Geeh!" Bolic squealed, as he knew his prediction was right all along. Akame was coming to kill him. 'I gotta get outta here!' Bolic tried to run away, but was suddenly stopped, as his leg was latched onto by Leone's beast hand. He tried to free himself, but Leone wouldn't let go.
"Heh," Leone chuckled, as she looked up and saw fear in his eyes.
Bolic tried to shake Leone off. 'No! Let me go! I don't wanna die! I still have a lot of wor—gyah!'
Before Bolic could finish his thoughts, he suddenly felt his throat slashed by a certain blade. Murasame's curse wasted no time spreading throughout Bolic's body. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, the dark red kanji had marked his face. He fell backwards to the ground, dead.
Akame stood over Bolic's corpse. "Mission complete." She then clashed once more with her sister, Kurome. Who is irritated that she failed to protect Bolic, but now he's dead.
"How dare you…" Kurome growled.
"Kurome," Akame responded.
Esdeath growled as she lowered her cap. "We failed the mission…" Esdeath then saw a light once more and turned to where Susanoo's remains were. She gasped as she saw Suasnoo, who is now using his Trump Card and is hovering over her head. She gasped as she saw the red tomoe core intact again.
"Hmph," Susanoo grunted.
"But… how?" Esdeath then thought of something. She turned to see Najenda bending on one knee and her green prosthetic arm stretching out, surrounded by golden aura.
"Magatama Manifistation!" Najenda yelled, then spat out some blood from her mouth. Blood poured from her chest as she was still severely injured. Her eye was filled with life and determination.
"She's still alive?" Esdeath questioned. Her mind was interrupted as Tatsumi charged at her with combat. They brawled for a couple of seconds, until Esdeath saw an opening and knocked Tatsumi in the face, sending him flying to a wall. She backhanded him.
Najenda had promised herself that she would see this war to the very end. Even if it cost her own life. 'I have transferred most of my life force to Tatsumi… so that he could fight again…' This frequent usage is supposed to be impossible… I'm well aware that I will die at any moment… but if I don't give Suasnoo every last drop of my life force… then we're all going… to die.' Najenda spat out more blood and fell face first. 'Susanoo… I'll leave the rest… to you.'
"Darn you, Najenda!" Esdeath scowled, only to be interrupted once more. This time it was Susanoo. Esdeath was now placed on defense against Susanoo, who was reformed and even stronger than before.
"Boss!" Mine cried as she rushed to her side again.
Tatsumi immediately got up ad walked over to Mine and Najenda. "Boss. I can still fight, too."
"No," Najenda declined Tatsumi. "Run away. You must retreat, now." She panted heavily.
"But why?" Tatsumi asked, then looked to see Esdeath fighting Suasnoo one-one-one. "With Susanoo's current power, he and I can be able to-"
Najenda interrupted. "It still... wouldn't be enough to win kill her. Susanoo is only slightly stronger, because I... used the very last of my life force to make him stronger..."
Tatsumi paused. He just heard a confession from Najenda. His face had a look of shock. "Boss, don't tell me...!"
Najenda slowly nodded. "I don't have long in this world... I also transferred part of my life force... to you, so you could fight again. Don't let it... go to waste by fighting a battle you can't win..."
"Boss," Tatsumi's eyes watered.
"Besides, we completed our mission. Reinforcements will arrive, soon. You all have to get out of here as quick as possible."
Tatsumi looked glanced at a few of his comrades. He saw Susanoo clashing weapons with Esdeath. 'Suu,' He then looked and saw Akame clashing weapons with Kurome. 'Akame. Mine.' Tatsumi looked and saw Leone on the ground panting, and with her amputated limbs scattered. "I'll go get big sis." Tatsumi informed Najenda.
Najenda's eye blinked. Her face was towards the ceiling and panted. 'The mission is over, now.' Najenda closed he eye and visualized her younger self standing before her. She imagined herself with two arms, two eyes and a silver braided ponytail. Her younger visual self smiled. 'With my death coming nearer and nearer... I'll be left behind now.' Najenda sighed. 'This is... my last moments on earth... dying peacefully. It's what I deserve, after all.' Najenda gasped, as she felt her body being carried. She opened her eye and saw Tatsumi carrying her and Leone.
"I got you." Tatsumi said.
"What are you doing? Leave me here..." Najenda panted.
"Sorry boss, but I can't do tat. You're too important."
"As I told you..." Najenda panted. "I will die at any second. Just leave me here, and save ourselves.
"Tch!" Tatsumi grunted and stammered. That smile turned into a frown. "I can't do that! I won't let this icy witch mutilate your corpse!" he shouted.
"Eh?" Najenda gasped.
"Suu, I need a boost!" Tatsumi yelled, as he looked at the ceiling.
One Hour Later
Esdeath, Kurome and a brainwashed Sheele had withstood in the nearly destroyed sanctuary they were surrounded by nothing but rubble and defeat. Kurome had failed to slay her sister Akame. She was disappointed in herself, as she couldn't land a blow on Akame, whom was injured midsection. And Esdeath was happy to be rid of Najenda, but failed to stop Night Raid from retreating, but did. She could've just ended the battle then and there, but was having too much fun. A lot had happened. In front of Esdeath was Susanoo, whom was frozen in ice one more. Susanoo had served his purpose by stalling the Jaegers so that Night Raid. Reinforcements had arrived ten minutes ago, securing the sanctuary.
Esdeath glanced at Susanoo's frozen body. "You were a formidable warrior." she walked towards Susanoo, who is frozen. She raised her silver rapier and was ready to end him. "But I'm afraid tha-" Esdeath paused as she was interrupted by a light and a transporting sound.
"Esdeath, I'm here to help!" Flare said after using Pyro Transport to reach her. Everyone stopped what they were doing as they spotted Flare.
Esdeath gasped, as she heard a familiar voice. 'That voice,' She slowly turned around and her saw her one and only Her blue eyes met his golden eyes. She gritted her teeth and her eyes watered. She dropped her rapier and embraced him. Tears of joy streamed down her face as they embraced. "I was so worried about you."
"I'm sorry I didn't get here soon enough." Flare apologized, as he looked around and saw casualties, such as Bolic's corpse in the sanctuary.
"It's alright. You're here. That's all that matters." Esdeath smiled as she lifted his chin.
"You sure took your sweet time getting here, you know." Kurome nagged.
Flare ignored Kurome's complaint. "Are you alright, Esdeath?"
"Yes, thank you for asking."
Flare then saw Susanoo frozen in a boulder of ice, incapacitated. "No way," He walked closer to Susanoo's frozen body and recognized him. "It's him."
"Do you know him, Flare?" Esdeath asked.
"Yeah. We fought in that other country. He was really strong, too." Flare said as he gazed upon Susanoo.
Esdeath placed her hands on his shoulders. "It's alright. You don't have to worry about him any longer."
"What are you gonna do?"
"He's a member of Night Raid, so he must be dealt with." Esdeath picked up her rapier and was ready to end Susanoo.
A thought had hit Flare's mind. "Wait. We could use him."
Esdeath stopped and turned her head in confusion. "Use him how?"
"The Revolutionary are collecting Imperial Arms to fight the Empire. I was thinking, that we could use their own weapons against them."
"You want that THING to join the Jaegers!?" Kurome asked in disbelief.
"Hmm," Esdeath gave Flare's idea some thought. "Not a bad idea." Esdeath smiled. "Alright. Susanoo will be our newest recruit of the Jaegers. But we need to find Susanoo a new host, though." Esdeath remembered that Najenda was his former host. She smiled. "Because of what happened tonight, Najenda cannot escape the death this time." she muttered.
Flare gasped in shock. 'Najenda's dead?'
Meanwhile, Night Raid had successfully executed Bolic, but escaped from the battlefield with a heavy casualty. Tatsumi had minor injuries after being healed, Akame was injured midsection, Mine had minor injuries, Leone had amputated limbs. But Najenda was worse than all of their conditions. Najenda was on the brink of death, surrounded by her fellow comrades, excluding Lubbock. They hid in a nearby cabin that Susanoo had built, previously.
Najenda lied on a bed, panting. Her body was tucked in covers, her head lied on a double pillow. Akame, Leone, Mine and Tatsumi sat in chairs surrounding the bed Najenda was lying in. They all had extremely sad expressions on their faces.
Najenda turned her head over to look at Akame. "Akame. I am placing you in charge of Night Raid."
Akame had a sad look on her face. "Got it, boss..."
Najenda looked over at Mine, who was crying. "Mine... stay strong. Always look forward and move on... like you always have..."
Mine bald her fists up and tried to wipe her eyes. "I'll try..." Sob. "My hardest not to give up."
Najenda lightly smiled. "Good." She then turned to Leone, who was crying her eyes out. "Leone. You have to take your missions, seriously... while I'm gone."
Leone did not say anything, as she was too upset. She didn't want to let Najenda go, but this is reality. Najenda could hear her sob.
"And Tatsumi..." Najenda called.
Tatsumi cried tears just like the rest of his comrades. "Yes?"
"You're a good kid... I believe in you... In all of you. When I'm gone, don't stop fighting..." pant. "For the Revolution... and the people of the capital." Najenda blinked before her last five breathes. "I believe... you all... can... do it... save the capital... at all costs..." Najenda finally croaked in her bed.
Najenda died.
"Boss!" Najenda's four subordinates shrieked in sorrow.
More than anyone, this death had hit Tatsumi, as if a boulder had dropped from above and landed on him.
"No... this isn't fair! We were supposed to win this together!" Tatsumi cred, as he imagined Bulat, who placed a hand on Tatsumi's shoulder.
Thanks for support. Thumbs up.
I'm sorry for not introducing one of Flare's Trump Cards, earlier. Trump Card; Pyro Transport was meant to debut on chapter eighteen.
Najenda is dead now. How will Night Raid and the Revolutionary Army handle this big loss? Will they rise again, or will they crumble?
