Capella's entire body was blown to bits as you gathered mana into your hands and yelled, "Rasengan!"
Omega sighed a breath of relief as she immediately recalled that you had an immunity to Authorities that was unique to you - and partially to Subaru.
She quickly stored information on her current emotions in her mind and killed them, returning to a state of concentration. "(Y/N). You will initiate close combat with Lust. I will support you with spells from a short distance. When an opening arises, we need to combine the most powerful spells that we can muster. When the Sword Demon and that other woman are finished fighting the other enemy, they can assist you as well."
Cackling came from the ground as soon as Omega said this. "You insolent meat! How dare you deny what this pretty lady wants?! You are not special, so how can you have the audacity to resist me?! And even better, that ugly meat just told me your plan! Kyahahaha! No matter what you do or what stupid powers you have, nobody can beat me!"
Capella's scattered body parts instantly merged back together and morphed into a familiar form.
She was now Elsa Granhiert, and the real Elsa didn't notice anything that her "Mama" was doing.
This was because Theresia van Astrea was a very formidable opponent.
Elsa couldn't dance at any party, but when it came to battle, she was able to perform with precise footwork, meticulous timing, and grace. Theresia was her partner, and only one of them would escape this death ballet with their life.
And it was time for a third partner to join.
Wilhelm van Astrea, Theresia's husband, finally found his dissipated resolve. The shock of seeing his dead wife fighting the Bowel Hunter had not worn off, but he knew that he needed to take action.
Stepping forward after being frozen for several moments, Wilhelm exclaimed, "I don't think I'm hallucinating, nor do I expect miracles... Theresia, you look lovely, so you must not remain here. I will assist you in reaching the heavens, where you deserve to be!"
Wilhelm jumped into the delicate ballet seamlessly, and his new partners welcomed him without skipping a single beat.
Blades flurried, but no contact was ever made to a body.
Theresia used her single sword against the three that threatened to end her life with every strike, and the ease at which she blocked every swing and thrust would have been awe-inspiring if she wasn't the enemy. Instead, it was frightening.
Well, it would have been frightening to everyone except for the two who were fighting her. Both the Bowel Hunter and the Sword Demon radiated a piercing coldness that matched the corpse's silent barrage.
Wilhelm had fought this woman many times throughout his life, so he understood the flawlessness at which she performed. However, he now had a partner who was a wild card.
Elsa Granhiert was a very skilled individual, but she was definitely weaker than him. Nevertheless, to his surprise, she sported very few injuries.
Her style was wild. It was unpredictable, and if any opening was created, the chances of Theresia countering her attacks was significantly lower than if Wilhelm used his perfected technique. As odd as it sounded, Elsa's imperfect style was perhaps the best counter to Theresia's flawless swordsmanship.
It also seemed as if the Bowel Hunter was being strengthened by a spell, as she was able to move faster than what seemed to be possible based on the reports about her. With her as an ally, Theresia would be defeated without fail.
On his own, Wilhelm would have had a small chance at defeating this current Theresia, and Elsa couldn't have won alone either. Together, they had a much better chance. Additionally, Theresia was moving slower than the last time he recalled sparring with her, so his strengths and her forced weakness would result in his victory.
The old man flashed his sword, which was perfectly blocked by Theresia while she parried Elsa in the same motion.
He couldn't help but be filled with the expectation of an end, but also with the hope that this would never come to an end. These conflicting emotions had no room in this fight, yet they persisted.
Elsa, on the other hand, was thrilled to be fighting such a formidable opponent. This person was probably the third or fourth strongest person she had ever fought, so this was an exciting opportunity. Instead of losing, she might actually see some insides of someone who had reached the top.
She licked her lips, and the one who masqueraded as her did the same.
Capella was now using a body that was suited to speed, so she figured that she could use that attribute to her advantage.
"Say goodbye, rotten meat!" Capella was so sure that she could use her hand, which was now in the form of a claw, to kill you, that she didn't even look at Omega.
That was a mistake, since wind magic travels faster than Elsa.
"El Fura!"
Capella was once again turned into mincemeat, and you made sure that two swords were now secure in your hands. Making contact with any of Capella's body would be dangerous since she could transform into anything that she could think of, so you should get as much distance as possible while fighting her in close range. Just because she couldn't change your body didn't mean you were safe from what she changed about herself.
'We should continue with this cycle, as I will use Al Goa to destroy her body when I find the perfect opening to do so. When I cast that spell, use the most destructive spell that the remainder of your mana will allow. I am aware that both of our mana capacities are not as large as we wish they were, but we can still win with what we are given.'
'Got it. As long as she doesn't come up with a counter to Fura, then we're good.'
"Kyahahahah! That ugly meat thinks that wind magic will stop me! How repulsing! Even a worm can see through your tricks after seeing it a few times!"
Capella's body formed back into Elsa, and she went straight at Omega, with you being directly behind Capella.
If Omega shot a wind blade straight at Capella, it would also hit you. That was the Archbishop of Lust's deduction.
Omega cracked an amused smile. "You are a fool," she whispered. "But I will entertain you."
Without speaking an enchantment, Omega cast Fura downwards as Capella, so that it would destroy the ground instead of you.
Capella turned into a bird and the attack passed her before she came down as Elsa once more. "Ha! I knew that you would do that!" With a cruel and confident grin, Lust prepared to kill Omega as she fell down onto her.
That confidence wavered when Omega looked directly into her eyes with a smirk. In that instant, Capella understood.
Wind magic wasn't the only magic that this woman could use, and mid-air was a very vulnerable place to be.
Without moving, Omega watched as Capella's entire body turned into a block of ice that shattered when it hit the ground.
Subaru and Beatrice, the only two who were not unconscious, transformed into inhuman things, or in battle, noticed this too.
"She has some tricks up her sleeves..." Subaru noted.
Beatrice was surprised, as people with the ability to use multiple types of magic were rare, and ones as powerful as Omega were even rarer. How has she never heard this woman's name before?
You, on the other hand, worried. If this didn't kill Capella, would other spells actually work? The ideal way to kill Capella would be via nuke, but those weren't available. And could Omega actually use Al Goa? If Capella's copy of her couldn't handle Al Fura, then-
'Do not worry. This gate may not be suitable for such spells, but I have a greater control over it than almost any other magician would be able to grasp. As long as my mana is not exhausted, I will be able to disintegrate the Archbishop's entire body.'
You looked up at Omega's eyes as she talked to you telepathically. She was confident, and that confidence boosted your morale. Capella was not an unbeatable monster. She was just a very persistent woman who wouldn't stop nagging you.
Sure enough, the shards of ice rattled and Capella morphed back into her usual form, farther away than what she had initially been during the last few attacks.
She looked confused, as if frustration was something that was unfamiliar to her. "You rotten meats are too stubborn! When a pretty lady wants something, let her have her way! Or do you just want to be able to look at me longer? Kyahahaha! That explains it! You perverse meats want to keep looking at Capella-sama, so you keep me here! Well, too bad! This pretty lady is tired of your little act, so she will be leaving you! My little children will surely come back to their senses and slaughter all of you distractions!"
Capella transformed into dozens of mice and attempted to flee, but Omega would not allow that.
"El Dona!"
Using a spell that sounded remarkably similar to her real name, Omega created spikes made of earth that pierced the mice. Not a single one was spared, and Capella's attempt to escape by the ground was abruptly ended.
Now, it was apparent that running and flying were useless. Capella was unable to achieve anything by brute force, so she was being forced into a corner.
On the other hand, The Authority of Lust allowed her to transform her body, which meant that she could take on any form while also being enabled to heal damaged parts of her body. This battle was not coming any closer to an end, and it was up to anybody to change the tide of momentum.
And momentum was slowly building up on your side. Kurgan was defeated, Theresia was locked in a stalemate, and Capella couldn't make any successful offensive advances or even retreat.
Of course, Garfiel was immobilized, Subaru and Beatrice were healing him until his injuries were not life-threatening, Meili was pretty much useless in this situation, Elsa and Wilhelm were caught up with Theresia, and you and Omega weren't able to kill Capella, but momentum was still leaning towards your side. In this loop, nobody on your side had died, and nobody was about to die anymore.
When the offense cannot generate any success, then the defense was definitely winning, and this was the case here.
The problem was winning on both the defensive and offensive.
In this case, only an absurd offense could beat Capella, and a strong defense was needed to survive. On the flip side, she needed a defense that would withstand any spell, in which case her offense would be enough to kill anybody here.
This was your current situation, and both sides were trying to figure out how to gain the upper hand.
The first one to act was Capella. She had a crazed look on her face, and this was the first time that anybody had seen her this vexed over an issue. "You think that you have the advantage over this pretty lady, but that proves how stupid you meats are! Never underestimate me!"
A pair of black wings briefly grew from her arms, and she used them to propel herself towards you, as if doing something a little different would change the outcome.
The wings shrunk into fierce talons, but it didn't matter because Capella was cut down by Omega immediately.
It was at that moment that Omega realized that something was wrong.
From right behind her, there was a rustle, and you prepared a Crescent Moon in your two swords as you realized what was happening.
Capella split her body and used herself as a diversion to get close to Omega, and now she was about to breathe the deadly black flames onto your partner.
If you used Crescent Moon, then Omega would most definitely be cut as well. If only there was a more precise spell, then you could do something. If only-
"Dona!"
Omega conjured an earthen wall in between her and Capella so the black flames only burnt the dirt. "I congratulate you on the amount of thought it must have taken for you to devise such a useless strategy, but I am afraid that your effort was in vain. You see, I am better than you."
Capella's eyes twitched uncontrollably as she leaped around the wall of earth, wanting to kill the insolent meat that looked down on her lovely self.
"Fura!"
Capella was mercilessly shredded by wind, but she didn't pause as she pressed on, her body morphing as she jumped at Omega, her body turning into a monstrous assortment of different humans, mabeasts, and other unrecognizable parts.
This time, Omega leaped to the side. '(Y/N), cast that spell now. I will give you the lovely chance to hit her this time.'
'Thanks. I was feeling a bit lonely over here, just watching you do all of the work.'
"Crescent Moon!"
Two intertwined blades of yang magic sped at Capella and tore her body into four chunks of meat. Omega took this opportunity to make her way closer to you so that you were side-by-side.
'I have succeeded in making this simpleton frustrated, which will proceed to make any of our attacks and defenses much more likely to succeed. I have elected to use Goa to burn her body when she decides to become airborne once again. If that does not work, I will reveal my next plan.'
'How many plans do you have?! They change every time we talk! ... You know what, I don't even want to know.'
Capella stood up like a zombie, her face revealing many blood vessels that were now popping out. This woman was furious, and it was almost fitting to say that she embodied Wrath at this moment.
"How can everything be going so wrong!? I am loved! I am amazing! This has never happened to me, so how have these meats foiled everything?! I tried so hard to kill them, but they're still standing there, acting like this pretty lady isn't important!" Capella balled up her hands, her fingernails digging into her hands and drawing blood.
All of a sudden, she twisted her head to stare directly at you. "This lovely lady will just have to make them love her! If I do that, I win!"
Capella giggled in a terrifying way and transformed into Elsa, as this was her fastest form.
"If I can't win with my power, I'll make you love me through my persistence! Kyahahaeh-!?"
Capella was turned into a purple statue, and the one responsible for this was Beatrice, who stood a good distance away with her arm pointed at the Archbishop.
"That was Minya, in fact," Beatrice stated, but only Subaru heard her.
Omega smirked, glad that her Artificial Spirit finally made herself useful. "(Y/N), when Lust regains her form, taunt her. I have a new plan, and there is a small chance that we can end this conflict without using excessive mana."
She relaxed her body, no longer in a stance to counter Capella.
"Are you sure? She's pretty unpredictable-"
"Kyahahahaha!" The statue of Capella crumbled as her body went from Elsa's form to her default form. "You thought that a weak spell like that would kill me?! Ha! You rotten meats are stupid! If wind, earth, and ice cannot kill me, why do you think that darkness will?! You might as well use the same spells, because-"
"Sorry, but is there a rest point between here and the point? Because it seems to me that you like to hear the sound of your own voice," you interrupted, following Omega's new strategy.
Capella's mouth hung open as if she hadn't expected this at all. "What?! Did that meat just interrupt this pretty lady?! I am trying to start a serious conversation about how you are-"
"Don't get me wrong," you interjected once more with a wide smirk. "I'm trying to have a serious conversation too, but I'm failing. It seems like somebody's a little too shallow to understand how desperate they sound. No wonder you're the Archbishop of Lust!"
At this moment, Capella lost it. "Y-YOUUUU!" White froth came forth from her mouth, and her entire body seemed as if it no longer knew what shape to hold.
"I"LL TEACH YOU NOT TO SPEAK TO THIS PRETTY LADY LIKE THAT!" Capella screamed as loud as she could, and she looked at you with a vengeful death stare as she began a new transformation.
You were now looking at an exact replica of yourself.
"Check," Omega whispered, her eyes excited for what might happen next. "Fura!"
Capella tried to dodge the wind attack, but Omega had taken that into account as she fired the attack. With precision, the spell hit its mark and Capella's legs were severed, causing her to fall to the ground.
The Sin Archbishop did not stand back up this time, and Omega took this as confirmation of her theory. "This is checkmate," she announced.
"What?" you asked.
Simultaneously, Capella sat up, fear in her borrowed eyes as she looked at Omega. "W-what did the ugly meat do to me?! Why can't I transform anymore?!"
Subaru and Beatrice's eyes widened when they heard this, and so did yours. Capella couldn't regenerate? How?
With complete confidence, Omega explained what had happened to her crippled enemy and to everyone else who would listen. "You copied (Y/N)'s body, and from the rumors I have heard about him, Authorities do not work on him, so there was a chance that this ability was tied to his body! My wager was correct, and you are now immune to your own Authority!"
Capella's body, which was now your body, veered back when she realized what this meant: she was about to die. For a moment, she looked like an actual human who had regrets, but that emotion soon washed over to a new one.
"If this pretty lady is going to die, then so will all of the meats here! All I wanted was to be loved, but all I got was a group of traitors and hatred! If I can't be loved, then you can't live and feel the love I was denied!"
Capella summoned all of the mana that your gate could handle and prepared to unleash it in an area attack that would fatally injure or kill anything that touched.
As you watched this unfold, you knew that it had to be stopped. Wilhelm and Elsa were still fighting, and who knew if Subaru and Beatrice would be able to dodge while also carrying Garfiel.
And if either you or Omega were hit, then that would be unforgivable.
As a wave of mana collected around Capella, Omega decided to let you handle this. For some reason, she seemed to trust you and placed her physical body's life in your hands.
That wouldn't go to waste. This loop wouldn't go to waste. Things couldn't end like this.
Similarly to Capella, you gathered as much mana as you could (but in your swords) in an instant and unleashed your most powerful "Crescent Moon!"
The twin blades of light magic cut through the air and approached Capella before she released her devastating spell.
She saw this, and her life flashed before her eyes...
It really was sad, now that she could see it clearly.
Everything seemed to go in slow motion, so she was able to watch as the double Crescent Moon blades swished toward her neck.
Actually, it would be better to call it (Y/N)'s neck.
If only she hadn't turned into him... that rotten meat...
And if only that ugly meat- no - that Witch hadn't come along, she would have won. That thing was inhuman, and the entire fight felt as if it were under that monster's control. It felt right to call her a Witch, and Capella was able to see it smile smugly as her death came closer.
Things couldn't end like this.
At least one of them had to die.
As the Crescent Moons touched Capella's neck, she unleashed the built-up mana, not having enough time to release it in a controlled way.
There was a flash, and nobody saw the Sin Archbishop of Lust's head fall to the ground because of the bright light that erupted from her body.
Yang magic shot out with no specified direction, illuminating its tracks as it streamed out in bright streaks with Capella at the epicenter.
"I failed..." you breathlessly worded. Capella was able to unleash her attack before you killed her, so now everyone was in danger.
Omega grabbed your arm and dragged you down as she created a trench with earth magic. "Good job, (Y/N). You minimized the damage whilst simultaneously killing the Sin Archbishop of Lust."
Her hand, which was still holding on to your arm, squeezed down gently as she consoled your uneasy mind, which she was currently reading. She understood the situation and acted in accordance with what her knowledge told her about helping people.
Meanwhile, Wilhelm and Elsa were still fighting Theresia as the explosion of Yang magic began its assault on them.
Sharp streaks of magic shot towards them, but the skilled fighters were able to dodge them while still engaging in combat with the previous Sword Saint.
Elsa contorted her body to dodge the streaks of light because she was very weak to magic, and the fight might turn for the worse if she was incapacitated for even a moment too long.
Wilhelm skillfully turned his body at the precise time, as he could not risk contact with either the magic or his reanimated wife.
He stepped to the side and thrusted his sword towards Theresia while Elsa lunged from the side. This was an attack from multiple sides, so Theresia was forced to turn her body to prepare to deflect three blades at once.
Wilhelm saw the counter coming, so he adjusted his own attack and changed its direction. "Don't look down on me, Theresia!" he shouted with pain. His wife was not someone who took to the sword for no reason; she only held it so that others would not have to. This was not his wife, but it still possessed a shadow of the skill that she demonstrated while she was alive.
Theresia blocked both of Elsa's blades, and she was forced to delicately change the trajectory of her swing as Wilhelm aimed for her abdomen.
Wilhelm knew that his attack was going to be blocked once again, so he felt frustration at his inability to save his wife from this existence that kept her from finding peace.
That's why he was surprised when his sword went through her chest.
A beam of Capella's spell made contact with the ground next to Theresia's feet, causing her to miss Wilhelm's sword, which pierced her body.
"Wha-" Wilhelm gasped.
At that moment, Elsa saw her opportunity. Wicked daggers flashed through the small space between her and her target, and blood began to gush out of Theresia's bowels. This time, Theresia's face contorted into an expression of pain, which marked a difference in the emotionless figure that they were fighting before.
"Stop! Leave us, Bowel Hunter! Let me be with my wife as she passes for the last time!" Wilhelm cried out.
Elsa obliged since her objective was now complete. She had seen the bowels of a very powerful person, so she was pleased and headed towards Meili while dodging the diminishing spell from Capella.
"Theresia...I am..." Wilhelm whispered, tears brimming in his eyes.
The Sword Demon held his dying wife in his arms, and he was sure that it was actually her that he was talking to now. His Theresia was back, and this was his chance to finally tell her what he had been holding in for what seemed to be an eternity.
Theresia smiled and greeted him as she registered the aging that Wilhelm had gone through since the last that they were together. "What a pathetic face..." she grunted.
Hearing his wife's voice destroyed the dam that held Wilhelm's tears in. This was Theresia. She was with him once again, but she had very little time left.
Theresia's dimming blue eyes met her husband's sky-blue eyes where rain seemed to be falling from. All strength was leaving her body, so she listened to this man as she finally disappeared from this world.
Trying to find the right words, Wilhelm's voice shook as he spoke to her. "I-I am a poor speaker... and I am having a hard time even with you... These past twenty years have made me uneasy. B-but I... I..."
Theresia coughed up blood as she released her thoughts. "Am a stupid person."
Now, she was tearing up as well. Her entire body was feeling impossibly heavy, and she couldn't even reach up to wipe the fact of the man she loves.
It was only by her incredible willpower that she continued to talk. "You had always been saying it... Everything about you - your face, your attitud-" Her voice wavered, as if some force was trying to drag it away.
Theresia took in a painful breath and continued what would be her final words. "You were always saying it. You are, with me..."
Wilhelm held his wife as the life began to leave her eyes and whispered the words that he had never told her. "In love. I love you, Theresia!"
A smile flashed on her tear-covered face before she could no longer move anything. This was the first time that they had exchanged words of love, and it would the last time that they would be able to do so in the world of the living.
At last, Theresia van Astrea died.
Wilhelm's arms felt lighter as her body lost its shape and did what Kurgan's had done after Capella distracted all onlookers.
All that was left of Theresia was a pile of ashes.
Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Did the fight with Capella seem a little too easy, or was it just hard enough but with an advantage because of Omega/Echidna?
On a side note, Sword Art Online Abridged's 16th episode dropped, and it is amazing!
Oh yeah, and what do you think about the second half of the final season of Attack on Titan so far? I don't know about you, but that new opening slaps hard.
Well, I'll see you in the next chapter!