Heart
of Melting Blood
Legend
of the Moonlight
Written
by: Lone Wolf NEO
Conceived
by: Lone Wolf NEO
Author's note: Guilty Gear is copyrighted by Sammy Studios whereas TPYE-MOON holds the right over all games under the company's label: Tsukihime, FATE, etc, etc, etc…. Lone Wolf NEO does not own any or all real-life features or whatever facts featured in this story. He does, however, own the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.
Chapter
25
Meet
Again
The Gear War. Better known to some people as the Crusades, the war had savaged the planet for over 150 years when a man known to history only as That Man created an army of Gears, men and beasts improved from physical strength by fusing their DNA with elements of magic, and unleashed the worst nightmare mankind ever faced. Justice, the archetype Gear who soon assumed the role of Gear commander, declared hostilities against mankind that would later lead to the establishment of the Sacred Orders of Holy Knights. Humans from all levels fought side by side against their Gear adversaries, and for one and a half century both sides came to a stalemate.
Then Sol Badguy, the one who was credited with the original Gear Project, confronted Justice. Yielding the Fuuenken, one of the eight Seals created to counteract the power of Gears, the former knight of the Holy Orders and the Red Queen of Gear Army clashed in the bloodiest, most mortal battle to take place upon Earth. The war, which nobody knew how long it lasted, ended when the Corrupted Flame slain the Queen before the Stairways of Heaven. With the death of the Queen, all Gears previously under her control were ceased off action, and their fate was forever sealed as the losers. Gradually, the world recovered from the war and people started rebuilding their life that once lost to the hands of Gears.
Yet there was another war forgotten by time and lost its significance in the course of history. It was the kind of war which offered everything but remembrance. It was a war only a few would be aware of. It was so forbidden the Sacred Knights of Holy Orders avoided discussion of such a topic, and Gears dared not mentioning of. This war would be nothing more than a myth told and narrated by travelling storytellers.
Or so it was.
x-x-x-x-x
"It… it cannot be! You!"
"Sacred Knight of Holy Orders, Alexander Hahn. We meet again."
Alex was in sheer surprise. It had been ten years since he last met her, the Red Queen of Gear Messiah who had, ironically spared her humankind enemy and left him to live. The particular memory remained as fresh as it ever was, and how could a knight accept the truth of being given another chance of living by the most dreaded of all enemies? It was the Queen herself, for Heaven's sake, and he knew exactly just how vengeful she toward her creators was.
And yet he was doubtful. How could a young teenage who had a promising future ahead of her be Justice?
"What's the matter, Alexander Hahn?" the girl in question asked. "Surprised that we finally meet again? I bet you are, because after all this is what you've been waiting for. Isn't it?"
"I'm afraid surprised isn't the proper word," Alex spoke, pointing Black Sabbath at the girl to emphasize his words. "Prove me that you really are Justice."
The girl took it as an unpleasant attempt of mockery. "I'm being ridiculed because I am Justice?" Nevertheless she still sported a conceited grin and summoned a dark orb from her hand. "Ah, I see. I was wondering whether you'd recognize me in this form," she spoke and clenched the orb between her fingers. "Very well, I shall have your wish granted."
The girl crushed the orb. The globe of sinister blue disintegrated, and torrents of energy force swept through the land before to envelop the girl. Alex was pushed by the energy flow full of murderous intention but he held on. Covering his eyes, he glanced at the girl who just laughed, whilst the cobalt energy wave encircled her body before it engulfed her entirely.
The knight was knocked back. This time he was overwhelmed by the knock-back force that he crashed on a boulder. He watched in horror, as armoured plates materialized from thin air and began encasing the girl. She was levitated off the ground, and more shells of similar properties appeared and combined to shape the form every human knight had feared.
The transformation was complete. The girl slowly descended to the ground, and stood firm on her foot. Alex could not - would not - believe his eyes. There she was, after a decade of absence, standing in all her might and pride of a Gear Archetype, the reason she was created and existed to roam the land. Although missing several features, most noticeable being the infamous crotch spike, she still had it. It, that made Justice Justice. The inevitable sense of hatred against humanity, the pure, unadulterated force of the Gear and the sure death that would haunt those who dared to deny her of existence.
Immediately Alex opened his stance. This is it, he thought. Tonight, this conflict will end once and for all.
Then he lowered his battle pose.
HEAVEN!
Justice summoned a light blade out of her hand.
OR!
They were ready.
HELL!
The curtains were finally raised.
DUEL 1!
For the fight of the lifetime.
LET'S ROCK!
Alex pounced forward. Like a hungry wolf, he dashed across the field. He screamed a battle cry and swung Black Sabbath at Justice. The kodachi was stopped dead by the light blade when it was close to cut through her waist. Alex spun on his feet and aimed the blade at Justice's right shoulder. It crashed onto the light blade again.
"Has your strength weakened, Alexander Hahn?" Justice counterattacked, and her Valkyrie Arc found its way through the air. It hit the ground, but it missed its target. Justice turned around and saw Alex in a crouching position. An uppercut kick hit her midsection, and Justice was knocked away several feet in the air. She managed to somersault, and being suspended in midair, she swung the light blade at Alex. The Michael Sword missed, creating a crevasse as it went through the ground. She landed on one side of the ravine, so did Alex who landed on the other side.
"Impressive," Justice praised in a teasing tone. "You are still as lethal as you once were. I wonder whether your skill hasn't rusted after ten years of… aimless carnage against your kind and ours."
Alex shrugged. Closing his eyes, he lowered Black Sabbath to his waist and eased his free fist. "Then what do you think of this derailed knight who has spent his last ten years in bloodbath and extreme solitude?"
"I'd think of you more as an assassin than a knight," Justice answered. "Now show me what you've still got to offer me, Alexander Hahn."
"Then I won't have to worry of fighting you as a Holy Knight!"
Alex pounced at Justice for the second time. This time, he disappeared in thin air and reappeared behind the Red Queen, faster than an eye could blink. Justice had to jump away before a fatal blow found its target on her neck. She swung the light blade at Alex, but the assassin already counterattacked with a close-in kick. She was sent away from him and was knocked further into the air when a roundhouse kick banged onto her breastplate. Alex followed on, and a hard clash between Justice's spine armour and Black Sabbath caused the archetype to crash into the ground.
Alex landed on the ground. He waited, as Justice hesitated to stand up after the rough crash-landing. "Is that it?" he uttered and withdrew a blade concealed in his sleeve. "Is that what the infamous Gear Messiah has got to show?"
Justice stood back. She was taken by surprise. Her golden eyes were now pulsating in anger. She looked at a long scratch on her shoulder blade. "Are you telling me that my strength has weakened, Alexander?" she demanded.
"I don't care," Alex spoke. "The way you fought just now was unlike what you had shown me 10 years ago. Where has your strength gone to, Justice? Where is it!"
He was not giving the Red Queen any chance to prepare. In a speed even Justice could not believe, Alex teleported behind her and slammed both the blades onto her. Justice was quicker in term of defence, and she deflected the attack with a Strike Back Tail. Alex jumped over her and delivered a 540-Revolution kick at her head. Again, Justice did a Strike Back Tail, but this time she released a napalm bomb from her shoulder armour. It detonated upon contact, and Alex was knocked away.
"What's the matter, Alexander?" Justice asked. "Why do you want me to use all my power against you? Why?" The question was answered by another 540 Revolution, and it came so fast Justice had no time to react. The kick hit and sent Justice far away from the ground. She managed to air-recover and counterattacked with a Michael Blade; it missed, and she watched as Alex leapt away from her and landed on a boulder.
"Why?" the assassin knight spoke. "Why do you want to know? Why do you want to care? You care of nothing! You did not care of my feeling when you gave me that free victory!" He frowned, and he bit his lower lip. "Had you ever thought of my feeling when you left me in the battlefield without finishing the battle? Had you ever considered your own feeling when you offered me a truce and abandoned me afterwards? Had you!"
Justice frowned. So that's it, she thought. He refused to acknowledge the victory I gave him, and now he demands a rematch. A fair rematch.
She smirked. "If a rematch is what you want, and a fair victory is what you seek for, Alexander," she uttered. "Then prepare to face the consequences."
"I have no regrets if I have to die for the victory," Alex replied. "En garde!"
x-x-x-x-x
Sol yawned. That night was felt awfully boring. He had nothing to do at time being -- Kagura was absent (she went to downtown Paris to buy groceries with Satsuki), Athena and the Gang were busy enjoying the Saturday Night, his companions from the Holy Orders time (Ky and Alex) were nowhere to be seen. He was alone, sitting on the lone bench while his ears were plugged with songs from Queen.
Sol turned his attention to the miko girl. She was peacefully sleeping, her head rested upon his left arm. She was mumbling of someone's name in low voice, unconscious of her hand that automatically crawled up his arm and clung onto it. Sol was aware of what she was doing, as he could feel the girl's warm touch separated from his skin only by the sleeve of his Holy Orders uniform. He could only chuckle and proceeded to stare at the starless sky.
Lia woke up, stirred by outside disturbance. Sol turned back to her, who was rubbing her eyes. She looked around her and then at Sol, who had a big smile carved upon his face. "Hey, you fell asleep."
The girl put her hands upon her face. "Oh, no! I'm not supposed to sleep at this hour," she moaned, even as her face started to redden. "I'm sorry, Mister Sol. I'm so sorry."
Sol laughed. "Hey! What's wrong with falling asleep, huh?" he asked. "You look kind of cute when you were asleep." He paused. Then he chuckled. "Sort of."
The tease caused Lia to blush even more. Furiously she growled at the Corrupted Flame and turned away. "Why are you teasing me, Mister Sol?" she demanded.
"What? Can't I do that?" Sol suggested. The answer caused Lia to pout even more, and Sol just shook his head at her reaction. "Come on, I was just joking. Damn, you're so like him when it comes to joke."
Lia said nothing. She turned around, furiously upset by the taunt. Sol laughed at her reaction, and this was replied by a hard slap upon his elbow. "Mister Sol, stop it!" she squealed in protest.
Surprised by the respond, Sol still kept his teasing grin intact. "You better stop doing that, or I'll tell your brother of what you did to me," he warned.
"Oh, yeah? Then what will the little girl you've been accompanying will say?" she replied.
Sol twitched. Damn this little sister of that kid, he growled. With a sarcastic grin, he replied, "so? What are you going to do about it? Don't say I didn't know how possessive you toward your brother are."
Lia almost broke out in anger and swung a fist at him when a call distracted them. Sol looked at the direction of the call and saw the sight of Athena pacing towards him. "What the hell?"
"Hey, Sol, have you seen Justine?" Athena asked.
"Justine? No, I didn't," he replied.
"What are you talking of, Sol?" Athena asked again. "She was supposed to bug you right now, wasn't she?"
Sol's eyebrow twitched. "You say what?"
Athena growled and folded her arms. "I thought Justine was with you just now, Sol!"
"Look." So saying, Sol put the iPod aside and stood up. "Do I look like the person who wants to care of her?" he insisted, emphasizing the question by putting his fists upon his waist.
"Why, yes you are, Mister Badguy," Athena replied, mimicking Sol's pose. "Now tell me, what were you and this girl talking just now?"
BOOM!
The three of them jumped off their feet in shock. Lia lost control and slipped off her feet. Sol caught her in his arms before she fell to the ground. Athena lost balance but caught up with Sol. "What was that!" Athena exclaimed.
"I don't know," Sol said. "But I sense a terrible omen coming in."
His sense proved to be more than just right. From faraway, two faint shadows appeared from nowhere and jumped into the sky, clashing on each other in violent collision course. A deafening battle cry was clearly heard echoing through the night sky, as the two shadows exchanged fists and kicks in the middle of the air. The two figures, then, crashed on the ground and resumed their duel, ignoring the three people who stood at the very end of the area.
"This is not good," Sol uttered. "This is not CENSORED good."
Athena pointed to one of the shadows. "Isn't that…?"
"NO! It can't be!" Lia exclaimed.
x-x-x-x-x
Alexander was knocked back. The Queen was pushing him with her Michael Blade, and the two warriors were skidding across the field. Alexander made a decisive action as they reached the end of the field by kicking Justice out of the way. Then he performed an Inferno Sever that knocked the Archetype Gear further skyward. He made no attempt to counterattack after executing the fire-based, Greed Sever-look-alike; he jumped to the opposite side of the field and watched, as Justice made recovery and landed back on the ground.
The battle was furious. Already the warriors' outfit were torn out, albeit Justice's was not visible to naked eyes. Alexander held his right arm; it was hit by Michael Blade during the aerial ballet of death. His head also bleed and dizzy, resulting from the bump he had while counterattacking with Inferno Sever. He screamed in agony and smacked his head hard, trying to get rid of the nuisance.
Justice, on the other hand, was not so tired. She was a Gear, after all. Her strength knew no fatigue, her energy was limitless, her power was beyond apprehensive. The only thing that would -- and could -- stop her reign was someone more powerful than her. It was clear that she was winning the first round.
But she was not impressed.
Alexander was clearly not in the same level as her. His strength was roughly equal to that of third- and second-class Gears, in which he would have no problem dealing with them. He would be stalemated if he fought against first-class Gears, and would have no chance if he was pitted against superior-class Gears. Gear Queen? She needed not to say it.
"Are you ready?"
"What?"
Before she could do anything, Justice was entangled. She found herself tied up in metal strings appearing from nowhere. She tried to get herself free from the strings but the strings, almost invisible to the naked eyes, entangled her even more, preventing her from moving. She looked at the assassin knight and saw him holding the sword in backhand position.
"You seem to miss something," he uttered and teleported to her back, "we assassins are trained to harness the full effectiveness of any weapon, even if it's as simple as strings." So saying, the strings became taut, shivered with chi and started surging around the Gear commander.
"You're…!"
"Ignite."
He jumped away. At the same time the chi-enveloped strings exploded. Justice was knocked off the ground, suspended in the middle of the air for a couple of seconds and crashed. The black-clothed warrior jumped a couple of feet away from the downed Queen and landed on a boulder erecting in the middle of the field.
Justice recovered. She took a glance at Alexander, who was standing in his pride of the assassin. She watched at the man for a very long time, figuring out what drove him to this level. She wanted to know what motivated this very man who was credited for the killing of 100 Gears in Siberia on Thanksgiving Day Offensive
Determination.
That was what pushed Alexander this far. He was determined to finish the battle the way it supposed to be -- a fair, even rematch. A duel he would not mind lose if it was done according to the way of the warrior. A fight she, too, would not mind losing if it was done in the righteous way.
Justice grinned. She believed she had found the answer. Slowly, not hurrying herself, she stood up and made her standing firm on the ground. She regenerated her battle armour, piece after piece, and recovered her health to full level. At the same time, a faint Latin chorus was heard echoing in the sky. It was now clear that the scenario would transform into a new form.
A battle of epic proportion was about to take place.
"So, Alexander, are you ready?" she asked, even as she charged herself with energy.
Alexander nodded and lowered his pose. "I'm ready whenever you are, Justice."
Agnus
Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona
eis requiem
Qui
tollis peccata mundi...
A battle cry shattered the sky. Alexander pounced from the boulder and hurled himself toward Justice. Justice did the same and pounced at the oncoming knight. A deafening noise occurred when the twos collided, and the shockwave that was unleashed knocked everything away from the field.
Alexander made an uppercut kick. It hit Justice on the chin and sent her floating several feet off the ground. He jumped along with her and seized her helmet; he dived back into the ground and drove the Queen's head into dirt. Justice counterattacked with Strike Back Tail and knocked Alexander out of the way.
Agnus
Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona
eis requiem…
"EAT THIS!"
Justice fired an Imperial Ray. The fully charged overdrive destroyed the ground around her and pushed Alexander further skyward. She jumped out of the crater and struck the assassin knight with Michael Sword; it was blocked, and Justice fired another Imperial Ray. Alexander was hit and crashed into the ground, but managed to evade the dive punch.
"Where do you think you're going, Alexander Hahn?"
Justice snatched Alexander before he could escape. She tossed him to the air and fired another Imperial Ray. The knight was quicker and blocked the overdrive. He cringed at the impact he was enduring; it was like trying to stop an oncoming locomotive with a finger.
With a finger.
"This cannot stop me!"
Alexander performed a Psych Burst Counter. It nullified the energy wave of the Imperial Wave, and he took the opportunity by shooting strings at Justice. The Gear Commander easily sliced through the strings. It was a decoy! The assassin knight was no longer there. Where could that knight be, she uttered while looking around her.
Out of nowhere, two blades sliced through her and caused her to stagger. Justice was stunned, not believing what was happening to her. It was only after she saw a shadowy figure crouching in front of her, swords held in backhand position, that she realized what had happened.
Agnus
Dei, qui tollis
Peccata
mundi
Dona
eis requiem…
"Secret Assassination Technique -- Double Swords Dance."
Justice was knocked off. The overdrive had damaged her body armour by 55 percent. She had no time to recover as Alexander was already waiting behind her, interlocking her with his twin swords. The two warriors remained afloat; for how long, nobody knew.
Lux
aeterna luceat eis, Domine
Domine
cum sanctis tuis in aeternum,
Quia
pius es…
Agnus
Dei, Dona eis requiem…
"This will be the end, Justice," Alexander uttered and pressed the blades against her body. "Victory belongs to the righteous one. You cannot deny it."
She laughed. Justice was laughing. This surprised Alexander. What is she laughing at?
"Oh, really?" So saying, she knocked the assassin knight with Psych Burst. She twisted and somersaulted -- an amazing feat, considering the body armour she had been donning all the time -- and sliced the air with Michael Blade. Alexander did not see it coming and had to block; the impact was too much and he was sent crashing into a boulder.
"Victory doesn't belong to the righteous one only, Alexander!" Justice shouted and proceeded to attack Alexander. "Victory is the ultimate price for any warrior, and winner shall claim all! Including the live of its opponent!"
x-x-x-x-x
Sol, Athena and Lia were left speechless. They did not know what to do, and they could not do anything at the moment. The battle was too dangerous to interfere, yet Alexander was in risk of dying. They could not stand and do nothing, while the knight was beaten to death by the Red Queen.
"We must do something!" Athena exclaimed and transformed into her battle form. "Alex-san will be killed if the battle continues!"
"Damn right we are," Sol said and charged up. "Why does this have to happen?"
Lia opened her stance. "I cannot allow my brother to die!"
"Hold your ground!"
The three warriors halted. Sol looked at the source of the voice and saw several people scrambling toward them. They recognized them as Dizzy and Company, and they were rushing toward them.
"We cannot interfere this battle," Rheo uttered as they approached the trio. "We must stay and watch. This is their battle, not ours."
"What the hell do you mean we can't interfere!" Sol demanded. "What do you know about it! That kid has no stand chance against Justice! We must stop them!"
"Mister Rheo knew this would happen, that's why he wanted us to stop," Dizzy said.
"And what the hell am I supposed to do? Sitting like a duck while a kid who thinks he can defeat a Gear Commander is outwitted like no tomorrow?" Sol replied.
"Please, Sol, you must let Rheo explain!" the Gear woman pleaded.
At the same time, the League of FATE arrived. Saber, who was leading the group, was appalled by the magnitude of the battle. "The battle is unlike anything I've seen," the female warrior uttered.
"What are we going to do, Saber?" Shirou asked.
Saber withdrew her sword -- aptly named Excalibur -- and opened her stance. "If we must fight, then fight is the answer."
"Damn! Are we supposed to sit and act like an idiot?" Archer insisted and withdrew his bow of light.
"I may not know Mister Hahn long enough to become friend, but I cannot let any harm befall upon him," Rider uttered and took out her chained mace.
"Damn right Rider-chan is!" Illiya exclaimed and pointed to the battlefield. "Berserker, get yourself ready!"
Rheo lifted his hand, stopping the FATE warriors on their track. "Everyone, this battle is not ours," he spoke. "All we can do is to stay and let them make the decision."
Sol was pissed off. He lifted his Fireseal and pointed at Rheo's face. "You know nothing about Justice, boy," he spoke. "She'll stop at nothing to achieve total victory. She'll kill anyone just to become the ultimate winner. Don't you know anything about it!"
"Like I said, Mister Badguy," Rheo replied in a calm tone, "we have no right to decide the outcome of the battle. Now, if you could lower that sword and listen to what I'm going to explain."
"AH!"
They looked at the direction Athena was pointing at. Justice was seen crossing her arms, and deployed shoulder cannons. "It's the Gamma Ray!"
Justice emitted a loud roar and fired both cannons. The super-powerful overdrive was aimed at Alexander, but its shockwave was sufficient to knock Lia and Illiya off their feet. Alexander, who had recovered from the multiple combo attacks of Justice's, was too dizzied to see the Gamma Ray coming.
"BROTHER ALEX!"
It was too late. The Gamma Ray hit. Everything within its attack radius was eliminated. The blue ray of death kept pumping out of Justice's shoulder cannons, as if it was firing for eternity. It was very clear that Alexander would not survive it.
The Gamma Ray stopped. Justice disposed of the cannons and flexed. She scanned the area for her opponent and saw nothing from the debris. She grinned and lifted a fist to the air. "Revenge leads to hatred, hatred leads to damnation and damnation leads to revenge. It takes a sinful being with deranged soul to complete the cycle for one's own benefit," she uttered.
Lia fell to her knees. She could not believe what had happened right before her eyes. She cringed, trembled and broke into a heart-breaking wail, shouting "NOO! BROTHER ALEX!" on top of her breath.
Sol tightened his punch. "This is too much for him," he uttered and stepped into the battlefield. "I never wanted this to happen again since that day, but looks like I have to face her again. Who's with me?"
"I'm with you," Saber said and stepped forward.
"Count me in," Archer uttered.
Rider was next. "I will assist you."
"Yeah! We can't just sit!" Illiya exclaimed and ordered Berserker to go with them. "Go Berserker!"
"No! Don't do it!"
Saber already jumped into the battlefield. Yielding the Excalibur over her shoulder, she pounced toward Justice and swung the sword at her face. Justice effortlessly blocked the attack, but found herself bombarded by energy balls fired by Athena. She counterattacked with Napalm Bombs, and was later attacked by Archer. Berserker jumped at her, swinging the gigantic iron club at the Red Queen. Justice evaded fired Imperial Ray at the attackers, and found herself facing him.
"Sol Badguy!"
The Corrupted Flame cursed at her. "(CENSORED) you, Justice! Do you know what you just did?" he roared and slammed her with Tyrant Rave. He Action Charged and pounced toward Justice. "Do you know what you just did to that kid?"
"I didn't have any desire to fight with you, Sol Badguy!" Justice cried out.
"(CENSORED) you, Justice! TYRANT RAVE OMEGA!" So saying, the Corrupted Gear slammed the Fireseal into the Queen's face, punched her on the midsection and tossed a gigantic fireball that sent her flying across the field.
Shirou stepped into the battlefield. He summoned the Marble Phantasm and send Justice into an unknown dimension. The Red Queen was startled and tried to escape the 'dimension prison', but there was no way out. She turned around and saw Saber jumping at her; this time, she was wielding a light sword that reached the endless limit of the sky. She blocked the attack, but it was too much for even the strongest Gear and she was pushed across the ground. She kicked Saber away and fired another Imperial Ray, but it missed. Rider stepped in and slammed the mace into her face; the helmet shattered and revealed her glowing, red eyes. The purple-haired Servant continued attacking the Red Queen and jumped away from her when she attempted Michael Sword.
The Marble Phantasm dissipated. Justice was back in the Real World, and she was surrounded. She was tired, worn out, and was pushed to the limit. On her left was Saber and Rider. Standing behind the Red Queen was Archer and Athena, aiming their weapons of light at her. On her right was Berserker, too eager to crush his enemy into pieces.
And in front of her was him. Her archrival, her eternal enemy, her own kind who took the different path, the man who donned the name Sol Badguy.
And he was pissed off.
"Either you stop this battle, or you're dead," Sol demanded and charged up.
"Why are you doing this, Justine!" Athena shouted. "Alex-san's got nothing to do with you!"
"Mister Hahn is our friend, and we're just about to nurture the friendship," Rider spoke. "Why must you ruin it?"
"I can't allow you to go any further," Saber said.
Sol Badguy screamed out in Dragon Install. Saber materialized the light sword again. Rider tossed the mace. Athena and Archer fired the projectiles. Berserker charged forward. All of them were determined to put an end to the unwanted battle.
"ENOUGH!"
The attacking warriors halted. They looked at the direction of the voice, and they saw it. The assassin knight, who they thought could never make it through the Gamma Ray, was standing. Weak as he was, he still managed to sport a smile.
"Thank you for being concerned, everyone," said the assassin knight, "but this battle has nothing to do with any of you. It's… something between Justice and I. Personal."
"Personal? You call killing people a personal matter!" Sol roared. "What kind of shit is this!"
Alexander, instead, chuckled. "Yes, Sol. I know it's too much of a personal thing," he uttered. "But can't you at least leave us alone?"
"But Justine will kill you!" Athena insisted.
"Either one of us wins, or both of us die trying," Alexander told her. "Ten years have passed, and I haven't even paid the debt. Please, everyone, leave this battle to us."
They were reluctant. Sol, especially, refused to acknowledge the request. "Think of your significant ones first, kid! Are you going to risk everything you have to win this duel?" he shouted.
"I have, and I don't regret the consequences," Alexander answered. "It's just that I'm sad for unable to finish this battle a bit sooner." He turned to Lia, who was looking at him in shock. "Lia, don't worry about me. Big brother will be alright, okay?"
"Will you, brother Alex?" she asked and lifted her palm to the air.
The assassin knight nodded and lifted his palm, matching its position with Lia's palm. "I will." Then he stepped forward and faced Justice. "Don't worry, this will only take one final attack," he said and blindfolded himself.
"Just about time this battle reaches its peak," Justice uttered and emitted a suppressed red aura, in which Alexander responded with his own variation of red aura.
Agnus
Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona
eis requiem…
The warriors had no other choice. They withdrew from the battlefield and left. Now, it was up to Alexander Hahn, the lone wolf of Holy Orders, and Justice, the Red Queen of Gear Messiah to finish whatever they had started. The full moon was shining over the ground, illuminating them with its silvery ray and adding the thrill to the atmosphere. The rest of the people could only wait, see and pray.
"So, are you ready?" Justice asked.
"Do I have to repeat myself, Justice?" Alexander replied. "If I'm not ready, how am I going to finish this battle?"
"Because you are," Justice laughingly said.
He laughed as well and withdrew his twin swords, holding them in awkward backhand position. "Because I am? Oh, that's right. Now I get it." He, then, crouched very low to the ground. "Fetch my attack, Justice! Don't hold back!"
Justice crossed her arms. "Prepare yourself, Alexander Hahn!"
Alexander hurled forward. Justice dashed towards him. Like two warriors of medieval time, they were rushing toward each other in a head-on, all-out, final attack.
Agnus
Dei, qui tollis
Peccata
mundi
Aeternam
dona eis Domine…
"INSTANT…"
Et lux perpetua luceat eis…
"…KILL!"
x-x-x-x-x
Silence. The spectators were in shock. What happened just now? Everything was taking place too fast for their eyes to catch up. Where were they? What happened to them? Who was the winner?
"There!"
They looked at where Athena was pointing. The two warriors were backing each other; Alexander was crouching behind Justice, while Justice was posing in her post-Instant Kill stance. Both of them were immobile. Both of them were not saying anything. It was as if they were suspended in time, two living statues erecting in the middle of the battlefield of fate.
Alexander stood up. He braced himself for a long time. For awhile, everyone was in relief.
"Ugh…"
He let go off his swords. He dropped to the ground. Blood sprang from his wounds like light from a lamp, a red fountain of liquid life. He wavered on his feet, firmed for a moment, and then toppled. Justice snatched him up in her arms before his body could hit the ground -- before the people could get to him.
"You lose, Alexander," she said, her voice began to soften. "Again."
Alexander was gasping for the want of air. He survived the X Laser, yet it was only just. "Y… yes. It seems I have lost," he uttered, trying to hold onto the Queen's body. "I never saw this coming… I thought I could return to them as a winner. Looks like… it didn't happen…"
Justice opened the blindfold and looked down at his face. "Satisfied?" she asked. "Are you satisfied with this achievement, Alexander?"
"Very much so," he answered, trying to smile at the Queen. "Though… victory is what I originally wanted, I… didn't mind if this is what I have to accept. As long… as long as…"
"It's done fair and square," Justice spoke, finishing his words.
Alexander laughed, though his mouth was choking with blood. "Hey, you still remember the quote?"
The helmet was disintegrating, although not fully, and she was seen smiling. An honest, warm smile which he never saw before. "You were the one who taught me of that quote ten years ago. Remember the Siberian Field Massacre? The one where you single-handedly slain all my minions? I was there when we met for the first time, and you told me that quote. I kept it inside my mind, even to this day."
"Okay, now I get it," he uttered, chuckling to himself. "Strange, isn't it? For someone who's as vengeful toward mankind as the Red Queen, you're one amazing… woman." Justice was startled, and said nothing but listen as he continued on. "I… somewhat… envy you. You're powerful, you're mean, you're merciless, but at the same time… you're so kind. How… should I explain this?"
He turned around. Justice noticed a drop of tears flowing down his cheek. He was crying, she pondered, but why? "You remind me to her. She was of the same kind as you are. Strong, inspiring, charismatic, and…"
Justice discarded her metal gloves. She put her palm onto his forehead. "I don't understand what you're talking of, Aletand what you're talking of, Ale too much. You are injured, and you better get a lot of rest after this." She paused, then she grinned. "However, if you wish to have rematch with me, I'm looking forward to seeing that. No motive, no agenda, nothing. Just a match to prove who's better between us."
"Now you're offering me a rematch. How ironic," he uttered.
"I couldn't help it. And I don't even understand why I'm doing this."
"I see. Hey, Justice."
"What is it, Alexander?"
He looked back at her. This time, he smiled. No longer it was filled with anger or revenge, just a regular, an average Joe's smile. "Can you do me a favour?"
She, too, smiled. Justice took his trembling and held it as lightly as she could. "What is it, Alexander? Speak, and I shall have it granted."
"Will you…"
x-x-x-x-x
Sion woke up. She blinked many times when she found what happened to her; she had fallen asleep, and was lying inside Alexander's ward. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, mumbled in her native language and went to sleep again. "Please…" she moaned and pulled the blanket over her body. "It's still early in the morning… give me a break…"
She felt a pair of arms interlocking her body. Startled at first, and gasped at the warmth touch of the hands around her breasts, she looked at her right. She was surprised. Alexander, her newfound husband, was seen sleeping, peacefully dozing next to her. She never realized he would look after her all night long. She stared at his boyish face, wondering whether he had been with her since last night.
She giggled. "You're so cute in that face, Alex," she whispered and traced a finger down his hardened cheek. "I wonder what you were dreaming of last night." She nestled herself beneath his arms and clung onto him -- only to find herself holding onto his Holy Orders uniform. "Hey. You're still wearing it?" she protested. The man did not notice it and continued dozing, his arms automatically wrapped about the young woman's body. Sion mumbled at his ignorance, before decided to forget it.
As softly as she could, she brushed her lips upon his mouth. Then she moved closer toward his body, and whispered to his ears, "I love you, Alex."
x-x
She was alone, and she was back to her regular self. Justice, now taking her human form and adopting the name Justine Harrier, was standing under the magnolia tree. She wished to be left alone and away from disturbance, as she was deep in her thought.
Her eyes rolled over to the clear blue heavens. She was wondering of what Alexander meant by "will you lend me some of your regenerative power? I don't want to wake her up in this condition," and its reason that led to her decision to heal the assassin knight with her force.
(Or rather, The Will and the Word. As soon as Alexander told her the request, he fell unconscious and Justice reverted to her human form. She had to ask for Rheo Farren to do the job for her, since she could not use her own power for the task.)
Nevertheless, she was satisfied. The 10-year-old debt of revenge had been paid, and everybody was satisfied with the outcome. Now, all she could only do was to wait and see for the future.
"Justine!"
She turned to the direction of the voice. Athena was waving wildly to her, accompanied by Sol, Kagura and Lia. "Justine, aren't you coming with us? We're going to the mall!"
She grinned. Maybe there was still space for her to have faith in humanity, even if it was as frail as an onion skin. Maybe there was still hope for human and Gear to live in peace.
She turned to the group. Correcting her turtleneck shirt, she made haste and ran toward them -- Sol, on top of that. "Sol-chan! Did you miss me?" she asked even as she hurled herself at the Corrupted Gear.
"Let go off me!" Sol roared. "And when will you stop calling me with that -chan suffix?"
She eased off the embrace. "Aw, what's the matter, Sol-chan? Are you mad to see me again?"
Sol was struggling to keep himself alive, despite the ever-killing embrace of death the energetic woman was giving. "Hell yes I am!" He tossed her to his side and put his fists upon his waist. "Alright, Justine, you better spend your time with us. You owed us a lot since last night."
She squealed in protest and seized Sol's neck again. "Don't be so angry at me, Sol-chan! I promise I won't make you mad again! I promise!" she pleaded, rubbing her cheek against his.
"Stop doing it!"
"NO! I will not stop until I say stop!"
