"Konami..." I whispered. "I'm honored to have known such a great person as you, and more so to have you as a friend. I wish I could get to know you better, but I'm afraid that this is where I must depart this world. I will fight with every last breath I have in my body against the Shadow Lord... as long as someone remains alive, they will grow strong enough to defeat the Shadow Lord, and protect this world."
"Ba...tosai..." Nighthawk muttered, still unconcious. "If you die here... the reason she came to Windurst... was to spend time with you... if you die here... you will make the same girl... very unhappy."
I couldn't sit by and watch as people were being slaughtered, however, so I went off towards the Shadow Lord. It didn't take a prophet to tell me what my fate was going into this fight alone, I was sure to die. However, I would not stop fighting until I did... someone with a will to fight must survive this and grow stronger to defeat the Shadow Lord once and for all.
"So, you woke up at last... I think I'm about ready to finish you off for good, little pest." The Shadow Lord spoke as I approached.
"My chances of defeating you are slim to none," I said. "however, that will not stop me from fighting. Every breath in my body will be used trying to take you down!" I drew my lance and charged at him, but he grabbed me before I could even pierce him. He took my lance and threw it aside, and then began blasting shadow energy into my body. The energy he used was ripping through my armor, tearing at my flesh. I could even feel it in my bones, the power he had gained was too great for me to defeat on my own, that was absolutely certain now.
He tossed me to the ground, and said, "Your people took the one person who meant everything to me away from me. The pain I felt... the sorrow... the hatred... the furious rage! I will make sure that every single person feels this same thing before I take their life with my own hands! That is my vengence upon this world!"
I could feel my strength leaving my body, almost like it was flowing along with the blood. Death had never been far away from me... but never as close as it is now. Those who survive the Shadow Lord's wrath must go on and live... for they will be the ones who defeat him and save this world. Yes... as long as others live on, my goal is complete- the world will be protected from the Shadow Lord.
Just then, I heard Konami's voice saying, "Kazu, when we met, you told me that you comitted many crimes in your past, and had taken the lives of many innocent people. You said they would never forgive you for the past, but that it wouldn't stop you from trying to help those in need of help. You said that the suffering people of this world do not deserve such cruelty upon them, and that was why you deticated your life to protecting the weak from anything that brings them harm. If you die here, then you cannot keep your promise, the weak will still be abused by the strong, and many innocent people will die."
"The reason Konami came to Windurst with you was to spend time with you, Batosai." I heard Nighthawk say. "If you die here, you will make the girl, with only the desire to spend some time together with you, very unhappy."
"No..." I said. "I cannot die here, not now! Others depend upon my life, it is not just my own. I must live on... to protect the weak from harm, and for Konami."
"Oh..." The Shadow Lord responded. "but you -will- die here!" He thrust his massive sword at me, and I jumped just in time, and landed on it.
"To protect the innocent people who still live in this world..." I said. "you must be destroyed!" I felt the dragon rise within me once again, much as it did when I learned the Ryu Sanjuu Dageki. I knew this was the only chance I had to take the Shadow Lord down, so I released the second technique, which came to mind as Ryu Seizoroi Dageki, the Dragon Full-Force Strike. All of my strength was focused into one thrust, which I used to impale the Shadow Lord with.
The colossal demon fell to his knees, and began to evaporate, saying, "What you defeated today was only a small fragment of my true power. I will face you again someday, Batosai, and on that day- I will crush you will my full strength!"
I fell to the ground, exhausted from the use of Ryu Seizoroi Dageki, and soon fell unconcious from bloodloss. Somewhere, deep within Vana'diel, a power was beginning to stir...