Chapter Ten: Embracing the Flames
Robin struggled, trying to hold her barrier against Nasat's relentless assault. Her energy was fading quickly, though her adversary seemed as fresh as ever. Nasat walked towards her, pushing his flames ever forth, trying to break her veil.
"You still resist," Nasat observed. "I am glad. You may bore me, but you are one of the few who brings out my true strength. Your place with our father is a promising one- he may yet allow you to be a subordinate."
Robin glared at Nasat. "I am not the devil's child," she stated simply, upholding her flames. "I will never serve evil like you do."
Nasat laughed again. "What is so evil about what I do? We are both hunters, you and I. We both destroy our own kind for one reason or another. We are the same."
"I'm not like you," Robin managed to say. "You murdered innocent people... you kill without remorse or even a rational purpose."
"And still you prove how similar we are," Nasat smiled. "Farewell, Robin. Die knowing of our unity!" He focused his energies, as a huge burst of fire shot towards Robin's weakened veil. She would be unable to stop the attack.
Again, however, Nasat's flames were scattered as a gale picked up, reducing the size of his assault. Upon seeing this sudden change, Robin refocused her efforts and kept up her veil, blocking out Nasat's reduced attack.
"You still persist on interfering?" Nasat raged, turning towards the shadowy figure of Kamiya. "You will die here and now!"
Kamiya shook his head and spoke in a deeper, more pained voice. "This time, you're the one who dies. You can finally meet that father you're so desperate to impress."
Nasat growled and unleashed a stream of flame, which Kamiya quickly scattered. Nasat attempted another fiery burst, but despite his weakened state, Kamiya still deflected the attack. "How?" Nasat demanded. "Where do you draw power that can rival mine?"
Kamiya smiled. "From my fallen followers- you will pay for their deaths." He sent a burst of wind forward, sending Nasat twirling through the air, further away.
Robin glanced at Kamiya. "Why do you continue to help me?"
"You saved me and my followers," Kamiya explained. "I owed you my life." He turned from her. "Consider this the cancellation of my debt- I'm going to hit him with everything I've got, but he'll still come back for more. I ask that you finish him once I'm done."
"I'm not strong enough," Robin replied, as Nasat lifted himself. "I couldn't beat either of you."
Kamiya shrugged. "Then your fellow hunters will die, just like my followers did." He stepped forward, body charred beyond recognition. "Farewell, Robin..."
Nasat turned to face Kamiya, nodding approvingly. The two squared off... and unleashed their energies at one another. After only a few moments, Nasat gained the upper hand, and pushed Kamiya back with his flames. Unable to put out the fire, Kamiya could only struggle as he was slowly incinerated. "Now, you die," Nasat said simply. "Thank you for a memorable evening."
Robin glanced over at the fallen Amon and the dying Kamiya, feeling a new influx of determination. She needed to stop Nasat.
She would stop Nasat.
"See you at my father's side," Nasat laughed as Kamiya was consumed by the fire at last, finally defeated. Nasat had no time to savor his victory- Robin suddenly attacked him once again. Not expecting any kind of attack, the former Solomon operative was blasted back, half his body burnt. "WHAT?!"
Robin stepped forward, sending out a constant stream of flame. Nasat tried to resist as he could, but a combination of exhaustion and Robin's new increase in power prevented him from mounting a counterattack. "Stop... stop!"
Robin smiled wickedly. "You asked us to 'embrace the eternal flame'," she stepped forward still, pushing Nasat even further back. "Now it's your turn to do the same."
Nasat tried to resist, feeling himself growing weaker. "So... this is how it ends. Father, forgive me..."
Robin extended one hand, her flames increasing in intensity. "The one you call Father does not forgive, Nasat. You should know that."
Nasat lowered his head. "So, you truly are the Devil's Child. You are the rightful heir of Satan..."
Robin shook her head. "No. I'm just a craft-user."
Nasat grinned. "Time will tell..." He suddenly dropped his resistance and threw out his arms. "Embrace the eternal flame, Devil's Child!"
Robin continued her assault, watching as Nasat was consumed by fire. Her foe began to laugh, even as his body slowly burned to a crisp.
"I will see you again, Robin," Nasat promised, as his body faded into the flame. "And we will one day know which of us is our father's true heir..." He continued laughing as his body disappeared completely, and Robin's flames subsided, leaving behind a pile of ashes.
At last, Robin dropped her assault and fell forward, drained and fatigued. Amon lifted himself, glancing at Robin and the charred remains of their two targets. He activated his headset once again. "Michael, get the clean up crews over here."
Robin turned towards Amon, still on her knees. "You're awake."
Amon nodded, lifting himself. "As are you. But it seems our respective enemies never will be again..." He extended one gloved hand to his fallen partner, helping Robin to her feet. "Come. Let's file our report and get out of here."
Robin nodded, taking one last look at her handiwork. Amon continued forward, even as she remained several yards behind.
"Thank you, Kamiya." she stated.
"Robin," Amon called. "Come."
Robin nodded and the two headed out into the night, just as FACTORY personnel arrived to collect the evidence.
Evidence which, by morning, would not exist.
Robin struggled, trying to hold her barrier against Nasat's relentless assault. Her energy was fading quickly, though her adversary seemed as fresh as ever. Nasat walked towards her, pushing his flames ever forth, trying to break her veil.
"You still resist," Nasat observed. "I am glad. You may bore me, but you are one of the few who brings out my true strength. Your place with our father is a promising one- he may yet allow you to be a subordinate."
Robin glared at Nasat. "I am not the devil's child," she stated simply, upholding her flames. "I will never serve evil like you do."
Nasat laughed again. "What is so evil about what I do? We are both hunters, you and I. We both destroy our own kind for one reason or another. We are the same."
"I'm not like you," Robin managed to say. "You murdered innocent people... you kill without remorse or even a rational purpose."
"And still you prove how similar we are," Nasat smiled. "Farewell, Robin. Die knowing of our unity!" He focused his energies, as a huge burst of fire shot towards Robin's weakened veil. She would be unable to stop the attack.
Again, however, Nasat's flames were scattered as a gale picked up, reducing the size of his assault. Upon seeing this sudden change, Robin refocused her efforts and kept up her veil, blocking out Nasat's reduced attack.
"You still persist on interfering?" Nasat raged, turning towards the shadowy figure of Kamiya. "You will die here and now!"
Kamiya shook his head and spoke in a deeper, more pained voice. "This time, you're the one who dies. You can finally meet that father you're so desperate to impress."
Nasat growled and unleashed a stream of flame, which Kamiya quickly scattered. Nasat attempted another fiery burst, but despite his weakened state, Kamiya still deflected the attack. "How?" Nasat demanded. "Where do you draw power that can rival mine?"
Kamiya smiled. "From my fallen followers- you will pay for their deaths." He sent a burst of wind forward, sending Nasat twirling through the air, further away.
Robin glanced at Kamiya. "Why do you continue to help me?"
"You saved me and my followers," Kamiya explained. "I owed you my life." He turned from her. "Consider this the cancellation of my debt- I'm going to hit him with everything I've got, but he'll still come back for more. I ask that you finish him once I'm done."
"I'm not strong enough," Robin replied, as Nasat lifted himself. "I couldn't beat either of you."
Kamiya shrugged. "Then your fellow hunters will die, just like my followers did." He stepped forward, body charred beyond recognition. "Farewell, Robin..."
Nasat turned to face Kamiya, nodding approvingly. The two squared off... and unleashed their energies at one another. After only a few moments, Nasat gained the upper hand, and pushed Kamiya back with his flames. Unable to put out the fire, Kamiya could only struggle as he was slowly incinerated. "Now, you die," Nasat said simply. "Thank you for a memorable evening."
Robin glanced over at the fallen Amon and the dying Kamiya, feeling a new influx of determination. She needed to stop Nasat.
She would stop Nasat.
"See you at my father's side," Nasat laughed as Kamiya was consumed by the fire at last, finally defeated. Nasat had no time to savor his victory- Robin suddenly attacked him once again. Not expecting any kind of attack, the former Solomon operative was blasted back, half his body burnt. "WHAT?!"
Robin stepped forward, sending out a constant stream of flame. Nasat tried to resist as he could, but a combination of exhaustion and Robin's new increase in power prevented him from mounting a counterattack. "Stop... stop!"
Robin smiled wickedly. "You asked us to 'embrace the eternal flame'," she stepped forward still, pushing Nasat even further back. "Now it's your turn to do the same."
Nasat tried to resist, feeling himself growing weaker. "So... this is how it ends. Father, forgive me..."
Robin extended one hand, her flames increasing in intensity. "The one you call Father does not forgive, Nasat. You should know that."
Nasat lowered his head. "So, you truly are the Devil's Child. You are the rightful heir of Satan..."
Robin shook her head. "No. I'm just a craft-user."
Nasat grinned. "Time will tell..." He suddenly dropped his resistance and threw out his arms. "Embrace the eternal flame, Devil's Child!"
Robin continued her assault, watching as Nasat was consumed by fire. Her foe began to laugh, even as his body slowly burned to a crisp.
"I will see you again, Robin," Nasat promised, as his body faded into the flame. "And we will one day know which of us is our father's true heir..." He continued laughing as his body disappeared completely, and Robin's flames subsided, leaving behind a pile of ashes.
At last, Robin dropped her assault and fell forward, drained and fatigued. Amon lifted himself, glancing at Robin and the charred remains of their two targets. He activated his headset once again. "Michael, get the clean up crews over here."
Robin turned towards Amon, still on her knees. "You're awake."
Amon nodded, lifting himself. "As are you. But it seems our respective enemies never will be again..." He extended one gloved hand to his fallen partner, helping Robin to her feet. "Come. Let's file our report and get out of here."
Robin nodded, taking one last look at her handiwork. Amon continued forward, even as she remained several yards behind.
"Thank you, Kamiya." she stated.
"Robin," Amon called. "Come."
Robin nodded and the two headed out into the night, just as FACTORY personnel arrived to collect the evidence.
Evidence which, by morning, would not exist.