Chapter 54

And now I disclaim that I don't own Fire Emblem and Intelligent Systems on this story. (You'll see why.)

The sounds ripping from me made it hurt more; in hindisight, likely due to how this guy's sword was being shoved forcefully into my face like how Thanos did in Endgame to-

Priorities, I thought, morphing into my Soul form and kicking him away, his blade tearing out the side of my face. "GAH!" I shouted, reverting to wipe away the blood clouding my vision. "Damnit..."

Jake struck, forcing me to block and slide away. A growl rose from him as he stabbed the ground, a reverse waterfall of Ether making me roll away. "Getsuga... TENSHOU!" he roared, slashing at me. A dark blue, near black wave lunged at me.

"Rrgh..." I flashed my blade out with Whip Slash, cutting the attack apart. "Son of a..." There he is! I concentrated an aura around my blade, forming a gauntlet to blcok his slash. "RARGH!" I thrust forward with Stab Wave.

"NGH!" Jake slid away, having shifted enough so my Art only grazed his side. "YOU'RE GOING DOWN!"

"That's what I'd say to you!" I leapt away from his cut, withdrawing my sword to continue with my gauntlet nullifying a stab. "Gh!" Even though it protects me, he's really strong...! Yelling, I manged to shove him back enough for a side kick to force him back. "Jackpot!" I willed the Soul Demon to manifest, with it aiming a punch at him.

I gasped as his blade pierced me. His fist collided with my fist, causing intensive jolts of agony to flash through me as he forced me into a wall. This sensation... the Ether around him is...! "Tch...!" I activated Time Slow and rose to cross my arms in an effort to block his next strike.

We slid apart, and Jake smirked. "This is good... even throughout this fight, even with injuries lethal to the average Homs and/or[ human being... you're only getting stronger, reading me, your senses in overdrive to beat and kill me."

I breathed out, the Ether flow around the both of us returning to normal. "It's the same for you too, ain't it?"

"Mm... yeah." His Soul Demon rushed out, its blade rushing forward. Grunting, I willed my own to punch and negate the blow. "So that's why this is so fun!"

Behind me...! I grunted, turning around. "Aura Strike..." I struck, the shockwave covering my gauntlet enough to make him stagger into a wall. Now! "RAH!" I grabbed him by the throat and threw him onto the ground. "SMASH!" I stomped at the limb jointing his arm to his shoulder, greave forming, making him scream before shoving me away with his good arm. "Phew!" I breathed out, drawing my sword once more, both Demons fading. No way I'll outlast him... so...

I roared, though a geyser of Ether rose up and engulfed me. "GAH?!" I gasped, my Soul Trigger wearing away. "Ugh... damn..." I stared at my sword, the Ether having started to rust it away. "Wha..." Just like that, he's eroding my weapons?!

"Jackpot!" shouted Jake, lunging. His slash sliced my blade in two halves, before he kicked me away. "You're too easy!" he smirked, snapping his fingers.

I willed my gauntlets to form, which thankfully hadn't suffered any noticeable damage, rolling from a Hadoken of Ether. "Ngh!" Grunting, I raised both arms to withstand a swipe, though the blow never came, a slash rushing along my chest. "GUH!" I gasped, sliding along the floor. I watched as Jake paused, gaze shifting away from me slightly.

"Tch..." Jake growled. "Hm...?" His eyes flickered toward the elevator. "We have a party crasher."

Shulk panted, leaping out of the shaft. "Phew..." He swallowed, the green aura around the Monado fading. "Hah... Andrew, you have to get away!" he gasped. "If you don't, my vision-"

Well this can't be good. I grunted, evading Jake's cut. "Whoa..."

"Damnit!" cursed Shulk, leaping forward to block Jake's stab. "Tch!" Grunting, the two slid apart. "Hmph!" He breathed out, the blue aura of Speed flashing around his shoes. "Wait a sec... your sword..."

"Yeah, he used Ether to wear it away before destroying it." I sighed, dropping the two parts of the sword to the ground. "So... do you still have that Junk Sword?"

"No," he replied. "I have something better." He blocked a stab, shoving Jake back before extending the beam with Monado Buster to force Jake away. "Phew..." He breathed out, placing a hand in his pocket and pulling out a sword, near identical to my now useless previous blade. "Knew it was gonna break one day, with you fighting all these Outsiders."

"Thanks," I spoke, grasping it. "How's this one any better? The weight's the same..." I swung it a little. "Seems just like a convenient duplicate."

"Well, it may not mesh well with your fighting style, but..." The blonde kept his eye on Jake, whose posture suggested deep thought on his next maneuver. "Grip it with both hands.

I frowned, doing so. As soon as I did, the blade began a low buzzing sound, before the blade separated into shifting, vibrating edges, akin to a chainsaw. There was also a faint red glow surrounding the entire chainsaw component.

"This is so cool." I admired the blade, yet as I took my left hand off of it, the chainsaws reverted back to its original state. "...But that's kinda lame." This thing... it's the Omega Yato. There's no other explanation.

"Well, I designed it so you could easily initiate the two distinct states with ease," spoke Shulk. "And..." He glanced towards the elevator. "The others should..."

"Riki here to help Andrew!" spoke the Heropon, bouncing out of the elevator shaft. "You Can Do It!"

I closed my eyes, breathing out as the healing Ether bathed me. "Thanks," I nodded.

Melia tapped my shoulder lightly. "Thought it would be that easy to rid me from you?" she spoke.

"Well, I hoped," I replied, gripping my sword to transform it into its chainsaw state. "Fine..." I sighed. "We do this together." That's right...

I have friends here I can rely on.

"There we go!" spoke Sharla, cooling her rifle. "Let's finish this up fast."

"Mm... this is nothing but a pitstop," spoke Melia, a Fire elemental fizzling into existence above her.

"Strength in numbers, eh...? Well, hate to say it, but... I'm probably dead," spoke Jake. "Well..." He howled, his Soul Demon appearing, his form morphing with the Soul Trigger he copied from me. "At the least, I'll take one of you down with me."

"I won't let that happen," I grunted, slashing as he rushed by me. His blade danced along, at first deflecting my own cut before slicing the flesh along my arm. "Tch! Shulk, give me Speed!" I shouted, as Jake raced forward. Even faster...! Is he slowing time too?!

"Battle Soul!" I heard the blonde call out, before Jake darted away from me, heading sharply in a different direction.

"He's too fast!" spoke Sharla, her rifle shot missing as the Outsider ducked. "Ngh!"

I felt a rush of pure adrenaline flood me. "Thanks!" I called, moving forward to block Jake's stab before he could strike Melia. "Not happening."

"Yeah?" Jake pushed harder, our blades causing sparks to fly from the chainsaw properties of mine and the pure, physical toughness of his.

"Yeah!" I leapt away, my blade reverting as I raised an arm, the gauntlet rushing forth to block his kick. "GH!" I gasped, getting knocked away, sliding along the ground. "Ugh!" I eventually slid to a halt, shaking as I slowly got back up. "Phew..."

"Stream Edge!" shouted Shulk, his strike piercing Jake. "Rrgh...!" He jumped, Jump's green aura surrounding his shoes as he took to the air.

"RAH! Bitey Bitey!" declared the Heropon, blood welling from the wounds the Art inflicted.

"RRGH... damn!" growled Jake, before evading Melia's fireball. "FALL!" he screamed, his Soul Demon appearing to slash its blade upon the princess.

Speed's still active... good! I converted my sword into its chainsaw mode, rushing forward to block the slash. "Ugh...!" Can't... raise it...!

"Head Shot!" I heard Sharla bellow, the bullet piercing through the Demon's head, the rest of it fading away as a result. "Andrew, you okay?!"

"Yeah...!" I gasped as Jake stabbed me, using his second Soul Trigger. "Kh...!" He's hurt me enough now...! I can...! "RARGH!" I roared, ripping the sword out my side as I used my own Soul Trigger. "AURA SLASH!" I roared, swiping at him.

Jake grunted, sidestepping, though struck into Shulk's Back Slash. "GWAH!" he cried out, falling to one knee, his form flickering. "Gah...?"

Now! I rushed forward, an aura condensing around my sword as I grabbed onto Jake's face and slammed him into the ground. "DIE!" With Stab Wave I forced my blade into the Outsider's face, the shockwave releasing to destroy his head, as if it never existed.

"Hah... hah..." I reverted, taking a step back before I fell, a sudden feeling of being lightheaded came over me as I looked at the blood coating my blade. "Whoa..."

A slight grunt came from Melia as she caught me. "Rest for a moment," she spoke, voice soft, almost like a pillow. "You've earned it."

I stared at the remains of Jake's body, feeling the blood start to rush to my head. I breathed out, letting my eyes close. Another sin on these hands.

"Yeah, Melia's right," spoke Sharla, loading and pointing her gun at my chest. "Relax. You do too much alone anyway," she spoke, voice turning stern as her eyes narrowed.

"Riki agree!" The Heropon bounced over in front of me, blinking those wide, innocent eyes. "Andrew should take nice, sleepy time!"

"Mm..." I mumbled out, letting my eyes close and consciousness slip. "Not... gonna argue..."

Melia's quiet laugh echoed around me, and I smiled.