Bara no Scarlet
Chapter 49
Paradox
Akio stared at the impossibility. His was the Final Duel... but his opponent was... "You?" He snarled. "The Final Duel is with you? A pathetic memory of a long-dead persona?" The sword in his hand shifted, became a darker metal version of Dios' sword.
Dios smiled thinly. "I am neither memory, nor pathetic. Guard yourself, Akio. The Duel begins." Without further elaboration, Dios took three quick successive steps and the duel had begun.
Anshii watched as they went back and forth at each other, at times moving so fast that she couldn't keep track. She and Utena stood transfixed by the fierceness of the fighting.
Akio thrust and Dios parried. Dios thrust, and Akio parried. It was like watching a person fight with a mirror. But every once in a while, Anshii noted, Akio faltered.
Akio was on the defensive and he knew it. He'd been defeated once by a fraction of this purity, and he could feel the light of Dios chipping away at his mental barriers. He had to resist, he had to fight... he... he... he!
He was standing inside the castle, just as he used to when he visited his past self. Only, the Sphere of the Sleeping Prince was gone. In its place stood the youth knew to be Dios.
Eyes that held none of the animosity than their older counterparts held rose to meet his, and a jolt ran through him. Dios was indeed alive and well. He'd been alive the entire time, had seen everything that Akio had done, noted it and waited. A creeping sort of despair fell across him as he looked to the youth.
"Akio... child of darkness. Created by the cold anger that enveloped the soul when an innocent person was harmed by vindictive hands." Dios' voice was gentle as he walked circles around Akio. "You didn't start out intending to become the malevolent figure that you are now."
Dios waved his hand, and Akio saw scenes as Dios must have seen them so long ago. He saw Anthy slip outside of the barn, saw her close the door and lean against it, speaking to the villagers. His stomach tied in knots as he saw them attack her, saw her fall. He'd tried to forget that he hadn't seen it happen. He'd only seen the aftermath.
He watched as he himself limped out of the barn. Watched as he picked up the broken slip of a girl, anger clouding all reason. He saw himself carry her away after throwing words at the stunned villagers.
Dios looked to him. "It was terrible to watch. It must have been worse to live through it."
Akio grudgingly acknowledged that it had been horrible.
Dios turned and with a wave, showed Akio something new. A little girl lay in a coffin. It was clearly a much younger Utena, and as Akio watched, Utena's own pure sorrow gave Dios the chance to act. He watched as Dios showed the girl the truth, the soul of his sister suspended by swords even as her physical body languished.
"She was the choice, Akio. She is the one who had the ability to break the pain, break the sorrow. And yet..." Dios turned to look to Akio. "You chose to keep the pain, to twist the anger. She came to the school, as she would with the ring. And you rejected what was come to be."
Akio remained defiantly silent. Dios shook his head regretfully and sighed. "Akio... you've lost. You came here the moment I took your rose."
He was standing in the Dueling Platform, teeth clenched and eyes narrowed. Dios stood against him, the tip of his golden sword embedded in the rose at Akio's chest.
Anshii's breath caught in her throat. She'd scarcely believed it when she saw Akio freeze as Dios brought his blade up from underneath, twist sideways to avoid Akio's sword and impale the deep purple rose on Akio's chest.
As Dios pulled his sword back, the rose dissolved into the wind. But the bells didn't ring. Instead, there was deathly silence as Akio fell to his knees.
Akio had lost.
It was over.
Akio stared at the impossibility. His was the Final Duel... but his opponent was... "You?" He snarled. "The Final Duel is with you? A pathetic memory of a long-dead persona?" The sword in his hand shifted, became a darker metal version of Dios' sword.
Dios smiled thinly. "I am neither memory, nor pathetic. Guard yourself, Akio. The Duel begins." Without further elaboration, Dios took three quick successive steps and the duel had begun.
Anshii watched as they went back and forth at each other, at times moving so fast that she couldn't keep track. She and Utena stood transfixed by the fierceness of the fighting.
Akio thrust and Dios parried. Dios thrust, and Akio parried. It was like watching a person fight with a mirror. But every once in a while, Anshii noted, Akio faltered.
Akio was on the defensive and he knew it. He'd been defeated once by a fraction of this purity, and he could feel the light of Dios chipping away at his mental barriers. He had to resist, he had to fight... he... he... he!
He was standing inside the castle, just as he used to when he visited his past self. Only, the Sphere of the Sleeping Prince was gone. In its place stood the youth knew to be Dios.
Eyes that held none of the animosity than their older counterparts held rose to meet his, and a jolt ran through him. Dios was indeed alive and well. He'd been alive the entire time, had seen everything that Akio had done, noted it and waited. A creeping sort of despair fell across him as he looked to the youth.
"Akio... child of darkness. Created by the cold anger that enveloped the soul when an innocent person was harmed by vindictive hands." Dios' voice was gentle as he walked circles around Akio. "You didn't start out intending to become the malevolent figure that you are now."
Dios waved his hand, and Akio saw scenes as Dios must have seen them so long ago. He saw Anthy slip outside of the barn, saw her close the door and lean against it, speaking to the villagers. His stomach tied in knots as he saw them attack her, saw her fall. He'd tried to forget that he hadn't seen it happen. He'd only seen the aftermath.
He watched as he himself limped out of the barn. Watched as he picked up the broken slip of a girl, anger clouding all reason. He saw himself carry her away after throwing words at the stunned villagers.
Dios looked to him. "It was terrible to watch. It must have been worse to live through it."
Akio grudgingly acknowledged that it had been horrible.
Dios turned and with a wave, showed Akio something new. A little girl lay in a coffin. It was clearly a much younger Utena, and as Akio watched, Utena's own pure sorrow gave Dios the chance to act. He watched as Dios showed the girl the truth, the soul of his sister suspended by swords even as her physical body languished.
"She was the choice, Akio. She is the one who had the ability to break the pain, break the sorrow. And yet..." Dios turned to look to Akio. "You chose to keep the pain, to twist the anger. She came to the school, as she would with the ring. And you rejected what was come to be."
Akio remained defiantly silent. Dios shook his head regretfully and sighed. "Akio... you've lost. You came here the moment I took your rose."
He was standing in the Dueling Platform, teeth clenched and eyes narrowed. Dios stood against him, the tip of his golden sword embedded in the rose at Akio's chest.
Anshii's breath caught in her throat. She'd scarcely believed it when she saw Akio freeze as Dios brought his blade up from underneath, twist sideways to avoid Akio's sword and impale the deep purple rose on Akio's chest.
As Dios pulled his sword back, the rose dissolved into the wind. But the bells didn't ring. Instead, there was deathly silence as Akio fell to his knees.
Akio had lost.
It was over.