The room was lit by torches, but otherwise it had been emptied. As they stood there, the two opponents stared at each other. One had a fire burning behind his eyes, his hand clutching the rapier on his side. The other was calm and poised, his longsword resting at his side.
"Dekirn." Sir Tenro said.
"Tenro." The thief replied, staring at the knight. "Murderer. Traitor. Scum."
"I guess I am." The knight said, putting on his helm and unsheathing his sword. Dekirn did the same.
"Why? You had everything! Rank, friends, family… And you would throw it all away for Lord Arkin?! A man that wasn't even worthy of a formal title in the court?! No, scratch that, a man that enslaved people!"
"I won't make up excuses. I did what I was told to, Dekirn, and if you don't understand it…" He aimed his sword forward, ready to thrust, "Then I suppose you will have to stop me."
Dekirn stared at the knight. He was furious, as he pulled his rapier out, but more than that, he was flabbergasted. This was Tenro Ida, Knight Captain of the royal palace, a man that fought side by side with the Hero and the Archmage for years. And now he was… Here. Ready to fight against all odds to defend a madman? A slaver?
This didn't make sense. "How does this help the Swords?"
"I don't believe it does." The Knight replied.
"How does this help your family?"
"I wouldn't know. I didn't do this for them."
Dekirn gritted his teeth, and finally lunged forward, rapier extending. He fainted, dodged under the blade, and swung, piercing cleanly through the joints of the armor and striking the armpit. Tenro gasped in pain, but kicked Dekirn away with a kick, using the distance to recover his position and cast a spell.
His hands moved quickly as he activated Haste, gaining ulterior speed. Dekirn grimaced. The fastest armored warrior in the Kingdom was called that for a reason. The pommel of Tenro's weapon started to shine, and he moved out of the way as the sword crackled with electricity. "You got that sword from an adventure with Izo, didn't you? Don't you feel even a twinge of shame at using it like th-" Dekirn grimaced as a shot of electricity scratched his face, feeling the burning on his skin and his muscles cramp for a moment before they returned to normal.
"Stop talking." The man said.
Dekirn's eyes turned to slits. "Alright." And he charged forward, his rapier thrusting toward the opponent's neck. Tenro used his sword to knock it aside, before moving forward with a single, horizontal slash. Dekirn spun on his leg, narrowly avoiding the blade even as electricity arched toward him and singed his clothes in a few spots, the stinging smell of burnt cloth making him grimace.
Dekirn opened his pocket and pulled out three potions, quickly spreading one over his blade even as he moved out of the way. He tossed the empty bottle toward Tenro's face, and when he easily avoided it his eyes went wide as a second bottle hit him on the chest. Dekirn grinned, as his weapon started to emit heat and Tenro's armor set on fire. The man gasped, the burning Potion of Instant Fire trying to set his armor fully on fire. It wouldn't work, but the metal was heating up uncomfortably, and more importantly nothing to stop his sword. Tenro was skilled enough to dodge to the side despite the pain is heating armor was undoubtedly causing, but it still left a red gash on the side of his neck, the smell of burning skin and blood joining the rest.
Dekirn pivoted in time to block Tenro's sword with his, and smiled. Atura was right then. When he had visited her the Alchemist had told him that, according to the books Isaac left, heat made metal less conductive. Knowing that Tenro still had the Thunderblade, Dekirn had guessed correctly that he would use it, and now it seemed she was right, as his hand remained unscathed even touching the metallic edge of his guard.
He stepped back, building enough distance to thrust once more, fainting for the neck again, before flipping the move into a delicate thrust for the shoulder, and when Tenro lowered the blade to block that, his free hand tossed another potion and his sword changed direction one final time, cutting the container in half. The container exploded and the potion, exposed to the air, generated a smoke shield. Dekirn ducked low and stabbed through Tenro's left thigh, then dodged out of the way when the electrified blade tried to swipe against him. In response, he pulled out a scroll and crushed it. The Thunderclap spell created a loud explosion that forced Tenro to stagger back.
Dekirn pushed forward, stabbing through the fog… and that was when the sword came up and cut through his arm. It would have cut it off entirely, if he hadn't seen it emerge from the smoke and pushed himself back. It still left a large, red mark on the biceps, the electricity coursing through his body.
"Enough, Dekirn. I'm not going to let you win." Tenro replied, the fire on his chest almost entirely gone. Dekirn moved his arm, making sure it was still functional.
"You should have thought about that before you killed Kikora!" He shouted, darting forward. Stab, slash, dodge, cut. Dekirn's mind entered a complete focus. He wanted him dead. He wanted this man dead. Tenro, the only knight that had given him a chance when the crown was stolen, aside from Sir Izo. Tenro who had broken the law to ask for his help in a matter that was supposed to be kept a secret. Tenro who had…
He felt a burning pain at his abdomen as Tenro's sword cut past his clothes and reached the skin. If he hadn't pushed back, balancing on the back of his feet, he'd have been cut in two. But now, even as Tenro tried to finish him, he had a chance.
He thrusted, and his burning sword pierced through the joint of the right elbow, the thrust of the Thunderblade narrowly missing him in turn. Tenro's eyes went wide as his arm lost grip on the blade, and Dekirn grabbed him by the helmet, dragging him close, the sword sheating itself further down the arm. "Why?!"
"I don't have to tell you!" Tenro shouted in return, and then slammed his helmet against Dekirn's face. Rather than letting go, the thief pulled out a knife from his bag and slammed it in the knight's side, in the space left open by the metal giving way. Tenro ignored the pain, grabbing the knife with his free hand.
"You are useless, aren't you?" He muttered through the pain, trying to fight Dekirn's arm off the knife's handle, "Useless to protect Kikora, useless to stop me, useless to capture Arkin. Just what I'd expect of a filthy thief."
The thief snarled, and instantly freed his sword from the arm. With a quick gesture, he thrusted it through the other side of the man's body, feeling his rage mount more and more. He twisted the sword, and then grabbed the helm and pulled it off, the burnt leather strap holding it on snapping.
"Look at me and say that again you-" He froze.
Tears.
Tears flowing from the man's face. It was easy to think that was pain, but Dekirn knew the Knight Commander. He never cried in pain, not like this. He was bawling. "T-Tenro…" He muttered, and he managed to do so with a tone that betrayed how much this pained him. "Why?" He asked again.
"I…" Tenro wheezed, "Do you remember who asked Lord Koash if cutting off the hand removed the Crest, that day after the Prince was attacked?"
Dekirn's eyes went wide. He let go both blades, and as Tenro collapsed he grabbed his sword hand and pulled off the gauntlet. There, on the back of his hand was a single symbol. A thunderblade shining bright. Tenro's lips exploded into blood.
"No. No, no, no, Tenro!" He turned around, "Why didn't you tell us?!"
"First order I got…" He coughed again, "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone…" His hand seemed to writhe in pain at his sword, "I still can't…"
"But the amulet to protect you…"
"Lord Arkin asked to borrow it that day, since his own had broken and he… feared…" Tenro pulled the knife out from his side, blood immediately pooling on the floor from the wound.
"Tenro. Tenro, stop talking…"
"He feared he was going to be summoned. I immediately gave it away and rushed to get a new one but a moment la… later…" He coughed again, now trying to pull out Dekirn's sword, even as the thief tried to stop him.
"Tenro, stop!"
"A moment later… I was… In his room again, and the Crest…" He panted.
"Gods, Tenro, why? Why?! I didn't have to kill you!"
"You had to!" He shouted, grabbing him by the neck even as he said so. It was so, so weak. "I had to die. I was told to kill Izo's friends whenever I had the chance." He gasped, trying again to push Dekirn's hand away. Dekirn could feel Tenro's strength fading, "I spent days… convincing myself and the Crest I didn't… have a chance…"
"Wait, wait I have an healing potion, I can…"
"Dekirn, listen to me…"
"No! Shut up! I'm not going to be your executioner! You don't get to just decide to kill yourself through me-"
"I killed Kikora." He replied, and Dekirn stopped. "I killed Kikora." He repeated.
"But she said you…"
"Only helped?" He coughed again, and it was more of a wet gurgle, "I knew she would. She… She probably wanted you to… Hate me less…" He tried to laugh, but more blood came out instead "Even in death she still can't see… What you feel… That you couldn't hate me more… I'm sorry…"
"Here, I have a Healing Potion!" Dekirn rushed it to his lip, but the… the bastard stubbornly closed them. "Ohi! Open up!"
Tenro shook his head, suddenly bringing his other hand up. It was a surprising burst of strength, so much it made Dekirn drop the potion when he grabbed his wrist and pulled. The bottle fell to the ground, the liquid spilling out. "Listen to me…" Tenro said, "Listen. Listen! I will die, now. You know what will happen when I die full of regrets?"
"No. No, don't…"
"Yes. Let me fight evil… One… One l…" He fell back.
Dead.
Dekirn breathed in.
And then a smoke started to raise from the body. But it wasn't smoke, it was… something else. He breathed in, watching the soul of his friend turn into a vengeful spirit. The creature roared in anger, and then rushed up through the ceiling.
Dekirn fell to his knees, and watching the dead body of a friend he killed, he started to sob.
-x-
Izzzuku knew that no one could understand what it was like to be him. Not being made of any matter but pure dreams was unique. It gave him a lot of powers, but it was an existence he didn't find enjoyable. None of them did. He felt his others self, their rumbling and waiting as real to him as the people he was fighting with and the enemy he was facing. With a deep breath, he jumped in again.
The mind of everyone was different, a unique form for a unique individual. For some, the mind was a room, empty until they summoned one or many thoughts from deeper in their consciousness. For some it was a library, always cumulating knowledge without stashing it away. Sometimes the library was orderly, but far more often it was a disorderly mess of notions, sometimes even contradictory in their content. Others visualized a field where every piece of grass was a thought, or a forest where each tree was a collection of memories on one subject.
And then there was Jack. As he entered, Izzzuku felt dragged away by a maelstrom of ravens. Izzzuku felt swept away, more and more birds slamming into him as he tried to keep himself together. Each raven carried one memory, one individual piece of the vast history of evil London had lived. The memories of thousand of lives lived by the soul of a restless guardian as it flew above a city of fog and sin.
A raven slammed through his chest, and Izzzuku lost control, more and more birds assaulting from all sides. Jack's mind craved death, and so did his every thought. The ravens, after all, felt the need to search for sin, and committing sin was a way to sate that need. An horrible, dangerous one, but not one Jack feared.
Izzzuku responded attacking. Pushing forward the other parts of his self, they came out. Long ends extended to strangle the ravens, punches killed them. The violent ones. The gentle ones, on the other hand, pushed them firmly aside, or tried to soothe them and cradle them. The multiple faces of his new self allowed him to push further and further through the maelstrom of black feathers and sharp beaks, but that wasn't the sole defense.
Further beyond the ravens was Jack's sole self. And if the ravens were scary, this was the obstacle Izzzuku could never surpass.
The tornado of thoughts kept swirling without a care, each of them so repulsive and terrifying that touching the barrier was like touching a working blender. Izzzuku couldn't even fathom being dragged away by it. Because Izzzuku couldn't die, most likely, it would mean he would have to spend an awfully long time, perhaps even Jack's entire lifespan, trapped within the maelstrom, unable to escape the ramblings of a madman. It was a fate Izzzuku didn't want to risk, because if he ever came out of it, who knew in what state he would be? Perhaps mad, or even worse completely corrupted to Jack's ways.
He took a deep breath and rose up. The ravens now were blocking his way out, pushing him more and more toward the maelstrom, even if with little success. He needed to reach the head of the tower, to see for himself what…
A raven struck him, finally breaking through his defenses. And then another, and another, rushing at him like they were now frenzied, descending from above to stop his ascent and from below, the front and the sides to force you to surrender. Feeling more and more pressed back, Izzzuku took a decision, and with a heavy breath he undid his entrance in the killer's mind.
Izzzuku found himself rolling in the air outside, right above a very angry Jack. With a deep breath, he prepared to dive in again, when Jack grinned. "It seems your reinforcements have arrived." Jack said out loud, more interested in Revenant than in Izzzuku. The warrior didn't answer, focused at fighting Artorias the Abysswalker, but Izzzuku smiled.
"I mean, yeah, the cavalry was always going to arrive. Are you gonna spare my m…" He froze as more and more rats united around him.
"I don't think I will." Jack said, "You proved entertaining, but I prefer a more… direct opponent. So here, try to take a nap Izzzuku."
Izzzuku wondered what he meant, then Jack tossed something his way, a small object tied to a rope.
And then he was absorbed in the green dream catcher, Jack quickly picking it up.
-x-
Canary rushed in, Wings pushing him forward. He knew the other opponent was following him, but he wasn't going to face her. He would leave her to Revenant, while he focused on facing Jack.
He was almost there, when Izzzuku vanished in a flash of light. Without thinking for a moment, he attacked, punching toward Jack, but the man diverted the fist with a hit of his cane, before turning to him. "Ah, you are back. Did you like the gift I sent your way?"
"Sorry, I think I left it there."
"I will make sure you see it up-close again." Jack replied, and then he predictably attacked.
Canary breathed in. New song, but he liked it enough. He had to thank Ojiro for it, of all people.
~I am Machine – Three Days Grace ~
"Here's to being human, all the pain and suffering…"
He felt his body shift, each part of it changing, and grimaced as he felt every sensation dull. Then again, that song was doing much more than just give him resistance – no, immunity – to pain.
"I wish I knew what it was like, to care enough to carry on…"
Metal started to appear over his limbs, and under them, his muscles turning into complex robotic limbs. He blocked the cane, and then one of his arms extended forward, the hand holding Jack's weapon. Jack, however, grinned and pushed forward his cane.
"I am machine, I never sleep, I keep my eyes wide open…"
Canary's eyes lighted up as he finally turned fully into a machine, trying to pry the cane out of Jack's hands. In response, his opponent smirked and pushed back, dragging Canary with him despite the additional weight of his now mechanical body. They rolled off the roof they were fighting on and both hit the ground, before Jack smirked and aimed the head of the cane at him. "Nelson's Column." He muttered, and Canary's luminous eyes widened.
"I am machine a part of me, wishes I could just feel something…"
Canary was grateful for that right now, as the column sprouted out of the ground severely tilted and slammed straight into his metallic body, sending him flying off and then crashlanding into a building. He stood back up, arms resettling themselves from the awkward positions they had been bent into. He panted and then jumped down rushing back forward, only to be met by the end of the cane hitting his face.
The impact made him stagger back, pain immunity or not, and then he turned the corner to see Jack vanish. He rushed after him, his legs' strength allowing him to move at a faster speed. He closed his eyes as Jack appeared again, this time however swiping low with the cane.
Canary jumped, and then kicked downward. The metal impact hit Jack, who staggered back in turn, then Canary hissed as he felt the effects of the song end, but looking around, he decided this was a good place as any.
He took a deep breath. Music was his power, but more importantly, music was his life. His entire power was based around what music made him feel. And there was one song that was very special. One song unlike any other in its effects.
The song that marked the best day of his life, no matter how cheesy it might have sounded.
~The Greatest Show ~
"WHOA-"
Canary rushed forward, surprising Jack as the metal shaved off all at once.
"WOAH-"
He tapped his hand gently on his flank to keep the timing up.
And then he hit. A normal fist, the opening fist of a teen that had been alone, but wouldn't be for long. Because for Canary, this song was about more than just himself and the power he had.
WOAH-"
He dodged out of the way of a hit with the cane, pivoting low to avoid a possible building, but it never came, Jack too suspicious to try such a direct hit in case the song did something too dangerous.
"Ladies and gents this is the moment you've waited for…"
And that was it. He smiled, and let the music guide him through his greatest expression of what it truly meant to be Canary. What it had meant for a Quirkless child to find not just his Quirk, but the people that accepted him.
"And buried in your bones-"
He punched forward, and his fist was different. 'Hardening. Kirishima, he is preparing to work with Shoto on the ice.'
The hardened fist hit Jack in the chest, and the man gasped, before bringing his cane low to try and hit Canary in return.
"And all that was real is left behind…"
'Acid. Mina is entering the stage, ready to direct the class in the dance number.' Jack grimaced and pulled back his cane as acid started to spread from Canary's arms, forming a veil in front of him as he darted to the side. Jack predicted the movement, and Izuku smiled.
"Just surrender 'cause you feel the feeling taking over…"
'Dark Shadow. Tokoyami is playing the bass, and Dark Shadow is there with him.' The shadow hand that sprouted from his chest grabbed the cane suddenly and pulled Jack in.
"There's something breaking at the brick of every wall…"
'Tail. Ojiro is dancing right next to Mina, making sure his tail doesn't get in the way.' Canary flipped around, his suddenly appearing tail slamming in Jack's side, the man wincing at the impact strong enough to shatter bones. He avoided the worst of it by jumping back.
"Impossible comes true, it's taking over you…"
'Engine. Iida, trying his best to dance.' The Engine burst through his pants as the acceleration allowed Canary to rush forward and kick with all his might against Jack. Not quite as good as Iida was of course, but that was never the point.
"Watching it come true, it's taking over you…"
'Sugar Rush. Sato is working backstage, doing his best to make sure the spectacle is at its best, ready to jump in to close the dancing scene.' Canary hadn't eaten much sugar, but all he had he put in a single fist that grazed Jack's face as he dodged and tried to build distance. "Wellington Arch!" He shouted pointing the cane above his head. Canary looked up to see a massive monument come crashing down toward him.
"Colossal we come, these renegades in the rain…"
'Zero Gravity. Ochaco is next to Iida, dancing with glee.' He touched the arch, its gravity vanishing and becoming something he could use. Canary smirked as he pointed the arch at Jack.
"- in the crown of the circus king.'
'Explosion. Kacchan. At the drums.' And an explosion fired the massive monument forward like a rocket, hitting Jack with his own attack. It lost a lot of speed, when the weight suddenly came back, but it caused a lot of damage, crashing through an house.
"It's blinding, outshining anything that you know…"
'Earphone Jack. Jiro. She is the singer. The center of attention, and yet not because she wanted to, but to help her friend.' His lobes grew longer as Canary listened, and suddenly he dodged to the side, avoiding Jack's attack from behind, where he had appeared teleporting through a Raven's eye before the arch hit the wall.
"Impossible comes true, intoxicating you…"
'Creation. Yaoyorozu. The keyboard, and providing the outfits earlier.' Creation fired, a long pole emerging from Izuku's hand and slamming in Jack's chest. The man darted forward, hitting Izuku in turn, but he didn't stop singing.
"Watching it come through, it's taking over you…"
'Tape. Sero. He is helping Uraraka with the floating people part.' Tape shot forward from Canary's elbows, one end grappling on a nearby roof and the other around Jack, dragging them both on the roof. Jack landed, and then…
"It's everything you ever want…"
'Half Hot Half Cold. Shoto. He is the one creating the platforms.' A burst of ice and one of fire shot out, Jack avoiding both but finding himself trapped straight in the line of fire.
"This is where you wanna be…"
'Aoyama. Navel Laser. Making lights.' The laser shot forward. Jack jumped, but his leg was shot, blood sprouting out as he winced even as he landed, rolled forward and trusted with his cane. Canary felt a rib snap, but he didn't let it stop the song.
And it's here right in front of you…"
'Electrification. Kaminari. Playing a keytar, for some reason.' A smirk appeared on Canary's face as he slammed his hand in Jack's chest, the carefully lowered voltage causing him to stagger back.
"When it's covered in all the colored lights…"
'Dupli Arms. Shoji. Supporting and dancing.' Arms suddenly sprouted out, and him and jack entered a death match, a quick but deadly flurry of cane versus fists, both opponent hitting each other again and again.
"We light it up, we won't come down…"
'Invisibility. Hagakure. She is standing on the ice, dancing and then lighting up to make herself and the others shine even more.' Canary suddenly was invisible, his broken shirt and jacket making it hard for Jack to predict his moves as blow after blow landed. The man snarled and hit forward with his cane, once, then twice, then thrice.
"Where the runaways are running the night…"
'Anivoice. Koda. Leading the pigeons that fly above the crowd.' Izuku called, and birds from all over answered, rushing against Jack. He snarled and the raven rushed forward in response, forcing Canary to call back the attack but keeping the ravens busy as he rushed in.
"AND THE WALLS CAN'T STOP US NOW…"
'Frog. Tsuyu. Dancing and leaping around with her skills.' Izuku jumped on his new frog legs, held jack with his tongue and then brought down his leg. He grimaced as the cane, in response, slammed on his face, hitting his nose, but he wouldn't stop singing.
Not now.
"Cause everything you want is right in front of you…"
He dodged another hit from the cane, moving closer.
"And you see the impossible is coming true, and the walls-"
'I wish I could include you Shinso.' He thought, thinking about his best friend. Unfortunately the only person from 1-A he couldn't include, because his Quirk only worked if someone answered him, and most Villains didn't answer a song.
"Oh, this is the greatest show!"
Instead, his mentor, the person he remembered crying and hugging his manager as he watched their first year show like it was the best live show in the history of music.
"THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW!"
'Voice. Professor Mic. Radio host, Pro Hero, and my mentor.' His voice bursted forward, an almost physical wall, and he could see Jack shout as his ears started to bleed. Izuku rushed forward, not stopping to sing as he kept up Voice, repeating over and over the final words of the song.
As it finally finished, he panted, Jack doing the same right in front of him. They had hit each other over and over. Canary was covered in bruises, had several broken bones, a broken, bleeding nose that had almost ruined his song, and wasn't sure his lungs were entirely safe.
Jack was limping due to the hit from Navel laser, and had been hit so many times, once only saved by his teleportation. He still stood, and then rushed forward, a feral look in his face. Canary tried to take a deep breath, but flinched in pain as the broken rib hit something, probably something pretty important.
Jack hit him in the jaw, sending his teeth up, clenching his mouth shut and following up with a fist in the chest, Canary doubling over and falling to the ground. "Good fight, singer. Something to say?"
Canary saw the movement behind the man, the silent shadow. He knew what was coming, and sang one final lyric, from a completely different song.
"The Hero who saved me just in time…"
"Wha-" and then a large sword emerged from his chest, the metal slamming through in a rain of blood. Behind him, Revenant smiled, as the blade he had clearly taken from Artorias body pierced Jack's stomach from side to side. Canary looked away. He hated this. He hated having to help kill someone, even if that someone was jack.
The man looked down, dumbfounded, then turned and stared at Revenant. "Oh my…" He muttered, before turning into fog. It only lasted for a few seconds, enough to get out of the blade and stagger back. Revenant made to reach for him, but he was clearly slowed down by both the weight of the sword and his wounds.
Jack took another step back, and then jumped off the roof. At the same time, the ground shook and the river Tames appeared in front of the two, for the second time that day, the sound of a body falling in the river clear to hear. Without thinking, Revenant rushed after him, but Jack threw something forward. Before it could hit Revenant, a green bolt of feathers appeared and caught it in mid-air. The dreamcatcher in Siren's beak landed safely next to Canary, Izzzuku most likely inside. Still, as he stood up, and watched Revenant try to run after Jack.
"Wait, Revenant!" He called.
"He is running."
"He is dead! He is trying to kill you by making your wounds worse."
"I'm not dying!"
"The bleeding suggests otherwise!"
"Bleeding?" Revenant turned, and watched the large puddle of blood growing from his flank, his shaking legs, and his paler hands. "Fuck…" He muttered, trying to stop it, "I thought I dodged that last slash…"
"I get it. Come here." Canary slowly stood back up, rushing next to the Izuku." He tried to call Kiruka, but only got statics and a few disconnected words. That left him.
"Sorry, my healing is a bit…"
"Just do it." Revenant muttered. "Fucking bastard…"
Canary decided to think he was referring to Jack, and sighed.
"I thought that I've been hurt before…" He sang, Stitches playing in the Arsenal as the wound slowly closed itself, step by step, a dark tendril made of an inert substance emerging from his hand and stitching it shut, down to the deeper wounds caused by the gash.
"And now that I'm without your kisses, I'll be needing stitches…"
"You have the weirdest power in the League." Revenant said when the wounds were finally closed and Canary moved to himself, grimacing as the wounds shut.
"Not even top five, really." He managed to mutter.
"… I refuse to believe that." He shook his head, "I'm going after him." He added, "I want to confirm he is dead, I don't care how unlikely it is that he didn't drown or bleed out."
"Sure, I guess it's…" Canary started, then the ground shook again.
A deafening roar echoed through the dead city.
-x-
Ojiro dodged narrowly the khopesh before kicking upward, hitting the opponent in the jaw. Unfortunately, Anubis' metallic mask covered him from receiving a knock-out blow, instead only staggering slightly. He ended up right in Kamui Woods' line of attack, however, the man's wooden arms shaped into a drill like form hitting the side. This time there was blood, but there was also the shining blade of the khopesh slamming in Kamui's wooden appendages. The man quickly extended and detached them. Before they could make him dessicate.
Ojiro panted. This was brutal, a pure slugfest where every hit from the opponent was lethal. So far, Ojiro had managed to only lose pieces of cloth, strands of hair or dodge entirely, but it was a matter of time. Anubis was good, too good.
Kamui seemed to think the same as he pushed back, standing next to Ojiro and panting. "I can't keep up much longer." He admitted.
"We need to cooperate. One decisive blow." Ojiro said.
Kamui slowly panted, then nodded.
Anubis darted forward himself, quick slashes and an unusual thrust almost costing Ojiro his life, before he brought up a knee on the hand holding the blade right as Kamui aimed his wooden hand spear at the man's flank.
Anubis, faster then Ojiro could predict, turned around and cut. Kamui gasped, then screamed as the blade found purchase through the wood and in his real hand. Ojiro shouted too, but the man seemed to push past the pain and slam the spear through, hitting his opponent hard. Anubis winced, and Ojiro didn't miss his chance. In one swift movement, he grasped the mask and pulled. There was a sound similar to howling, then it came off, revealing Hound Dog's face underneath. The man growled in rage before he turned around and tried to decapitate Ojiro, but he was prepared.
He leaned low, using his arms like springs to then jump back in position, and then brought up a kick that slammed straight into Anubis jaw. The opponent growled in pain, and then slashed with his claws, but Ojiro accepted the wounds and in return finished him off with a knee to the temple delivered by jumping.
For a moment, he feared it wouldn't be enough, then Anubis fell to the ground, khopesh falling off his hand.
He grinned, and turned around… only to see Kamui clutching the stump of his left arm, vanished from the biceps down.
Ojiro grimaced. He knew first hand what it meant to lose a limb.
"I'm sorry, I…"
And then the ground shook, and a deafening roar broke the sudden silence.
-x-
Izmird looked at the battle. The forest overall was a tie, but he supposed that, and the city still had battles raging all over. The Stormlord was now released in the garden, so he'd need to test his final card.
"So, Hawks." He said, staring at the tied-down warrior. He had used the teleporter to drag him in the room, and after that it was just a matter of using a spell to lock him down, "What do you think will happen when our final guest is unleashed."
"You don't get it!" Hawks shouted, "This isn't just another Summon. If you let him go, you are condemning this world!"
"How interesting. I've been wondering how come you know him so well. It seems, odd."
"I…"
"Let me try to make a guess. There was once a world that was… ruled, in some way, by a man with a Quirk called All for One." He said, as he prepared the pad and the last of the strong summons stepped on him, Hawks recoiling as much as possible, "This man could take Quirks away and give them back at will. He was the uncontested lord of Japan."
Trembling, Hawks nodded, without taking his eyes away from the other man in the room besides them and Lord Arkin. Arkin himself was busy observing the screens, letting Izmird handle the defenses, a look of curiosity and frustration on his face as he listened.
"Then, a brave man named En used One for All, a Quirk passed through Six users, and lo and behold, En won! The Villain was taken out. But not killed. He escaped, and something else happened. The fight was spectacularized, and in particular, the public saw the man make use of several Heteromorphic Quirks. Hatred against such Quirks grew more and more, an unstable pot ready to fall apart."
"Those years were horrible, we know that…"
"Right, because you were taught the hard way. I know that. Mezo Shoji, a small child, his family murdered for being 'inhuman', he himself left on the street. And All for One picking him up. However, All for One had gone far off the deep end in the years since his 'death', and this wasn't a nice story of a found father. He experimented on the child, and then gave him seven Quirks. The child became an entity known as Gigantomachia, an obedient giant. And then, All for One transferred his mind inside this entity. He thought this would make him invincible. That this would make him more." He chuckled, "But, turns out it wasn't so easy to ascend beyond mankind."
"If you know all that, why even do this?!"
"Because I'm curious. All Izukus are, I've found out. We are ever so curious about the things that pique our interest." He tapped a few buttons, and a bright light enveloped the final warrior, "But let me finish the story. All for One's mind couldn't survive completely the transfer. Instead, this horrible… thing became a gigantic, Quirk devouring entity. What is it you called it…"
He turned around, smiling. "Right. The Greed."
A deafening roar echoed under the thundering sky.
Hawks felt a pit open in his stomach.
(XX)
Guests:
Revenant from Locked in Digital by Rogue Druid
Canary from Canary by cloud_nine_and_three_quarters
Me: Alright, no pressure, easy enough chapter, just killing Tenro, ending Jack's fight in a way that is satisfying for both Revenant and Canary while in character for all participants, dealing with Anubis and introducing the Greed, no big deal.
Also me: WHY DID I MAKE THIS CHAPTER LIKE THIS?!
No but seriously, this is probably one of my favorite chapters and one of the hardest to write. I went back and forth on Jack getting a monologue or not, on Anubis killing or just maiming Kamui, and on a lot of other little and big things, but I'm satisfied with the result. I hope it's good to read as well.
Tenro v Dekirn... I feel bad for Dekirn. I feel bad for Terno. I feel really bad for both of them, that's a fact. I hope the emotions Dekirn feels truly come across.
There was a version of this where Canary used more songs, but that's a version where I like punishing myself hard. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy writing Canary, but his fights are hard to write. His power requires me to read the lyrics again and again to make sure the story is at least enough on tempo with the music that you guys aren't reading a completely different part of the song by then. It's a very interesting exercise, but on the other hand, when I get past the two songs it starts to get a bit repetitive.
The two songs he doesn't name but whose lyrics he drops or uses are Hero by Skillet and Stitches by Shawn Mendes, by the way.
Revenant killed Artorias and the Himiko that appeared in front of Canary last time he was here, by the way. I will have him mention it later, but no, I didn't forget. I considered showing it, but the fight wasn't particularly interesting and it kinda broke the surprise of Revenant being there to save Canary, returning the favor for Canary saving him from Artorias and Sif.
Jack fell into a river and died. RIP.
Aaaaand yep, our final 'strong' summon is The Greed, the entity we have been sporadically mentioning oh so often, or a Shoji Gigantomachia All for One. That's gonna be fun!
See you next week!