Alexandra and Zino moved forwards, stopping once they reached an opponent.

"I guess it's pretty lucky that I ended up finding you," Alexandra said "Riko."

"What part of it was lucky?" The swordsman asked as he looked down upon the pair.

"Well, you're really the only one I know that well. It'd be a lot tougher to deal with the rest of them."

"You seem to be operating on the assumption that you can win."

"Of course. We don't plan to lose. We're gonna stop all of you by force."

"You really are confused, aren't you? If you're planning on winning, then I'm the worst possible opponent. Because I can't be defeated anymore. No matter how badly wounded I am, this power will keep me going."

"...Let's test whether it's really as great as you make it sound, then."

"Yeah, that was my plan."

Both sides charged towards each other.

Zino was the first to attack. Riko barely blocked her swipe. Alexandra followed up with a lance swing. It pierced his side, yet barely seemed to affect him. Riko swung back at her, knocking her away even when she blocked it.

Riko turned to Zino. They both attacked at the same time. Riko received more damage, but didn't seem affected.

They continued to clash, countless times. True to what he said, no matter how many times he was wounded, Riko would not fall.

"Why are you even doing this?" She asked him.

"Have you already realised you can't win in strength and switched to trying to talk me down instead? I expected it to take a little longer."

"Of course not. I'm just curious."

"It's so I don't have to rely on anyone else anymore. When I do that, it only results in them getting hurt."

"That doesn't explain why you're here."

"It's to prove that I'm strong enough to stand on my own."

"Prove it to who?"

"Myself."

Alexandra took this in for a second.

"This is because of Anthony, isn't it?"

"Not just him."

"I… I mean,"

She tried to fumble out a response, but couldn't. Her thoughts were far more clear.

"Well isn't this pathetic? We managed to reach the sky and everything, but it doesn't mean a thing. Just strength alone isn't going to be enough, even when I spent so much of my life focused on that alone. But it's because of that time… that I know that the path he's taking is wrong."

Finally, she managed to say something.

"I understand you."

"...Huh?"

"I know… that feeling of guilt. That if you'd been stronger you could've saved who you cared about. So you keep pushing yourself to be stronger, out of some sense that it'll make things right. But it won't. It won't do anything other than hurt you. So listen to me and-"

"Stop acting like you get it!"

Alexandra went silent.

"I said it wasn't just because of him. He was just what made it clear to me. I should've realised it before. Back when I killed Kam."

"Who's Kam?"

"My old partner. Who I killed. That's about all there was to it. So you see now, right? That I just hurt everyone I get involved with."

Alexandra had no idea how to respond. Zino didn't move. Riko raised his sword back over his shoulder.

"You understand now, right? I'm not someone who can be defeated, nor can I be saved. So just turn back."

Those ghosts swarmed around him. Anthony and Kam wouldn't leave him, wracking the man with guilt, forcing him to keep standing no matter what.

Alexandra went silent for almost a minute.

"Arrgh!"

"Hmm?" Riko responded.

Zino was even more confused.

"Don't just go and decide on your own that you can't be saved! Being that conceited isn't like you! And just to let you know, I've killed more people than you, so shut up! I know Jude's the main focus, but Leo and Cyrus dying was my fault too, you know!?"

"What? Who the hell are they?"

"Oh, being confused sure sucks, doesn't it? Think about how I feel with you throwing Kam in outta nowhere! You probably didn't even actually kill him, it's one of those cases where you say you did but it's actually something completely different and more sympathetic, isn't it!? That's how these always go!"

"No, I was being literal about it. Genuinely. As in, he died fighting against me. But wait, that aside, you're doing the same exact thing you told me not to!"

"Yeah! I'm a hypocrite!"

"No, that's supposed to be my line."

"Mine now. Because that's the point. Even though I'm telling you to stop, I can't get rid of feelings like that either. I don't know how."

"Then why the hell are you doing that?"

"It's not about getting rid of that guilt. It's about stopping what you're doing now."

"...I'm doing it cause of the guilt, dumbass!"

"I know that. But you've gotta stop anyways."

"That's just being unreasonable."

"I know. But… I've worked something out."

"What now?"

"What do you think separates you now from how I was back then?"

"Huh? I already said to stop acting like you get me. We weren't that similar."

"No, we were. Both of us were driving ourselves forwards because of guilt. In a lot of ways, I was like you aura users, I think. Which is the part I'm focusing on."

"Huh?"

"Exactly what separates the past me from you? What was preventing me from awakening some stupid ability like that?"

"How should I know?"

"Because I didn't want revenge. That's the thing that separated me from the rest of you."

"Are you trying to brag?"

"No. People deal with things differently. I wasn't any better or worse than you. The only difference was that I barely focused on that Monoblos. All I cared about was myself. I have no idea what happened to it after that, cause I just forgot about it. On the other hand… you went and took revenge straight away. We saw the aftermath of that. And another thing with aura users is… they never seem satisfied with just taking revenge on what they wanted to."

"So what?"

"So what was with the reason you gave for being here just now? It's pretty obvious that this isn't just to prove things, right? I mean… I dunno what you're all planning for sure, but it's something that's gonna change the world permanently, isn't it? Something dramatic like that. This isn't just proving your own strength, it's just cause that aura's making you want to fight more!"

"...Even if that is the case, that doesn't mean anything to me. I know where this path is leading, but it's the only way. Otherwise everyone's gonna keep getting hurt!"

"That's just what you think!"

"Of course it is!"

"But you're obviously not thinking clearly, when you can't even tell the reason why you're here!"

"That's, that's a different deal-"

"No, it isn't. So that's why you need to stop this. Right now."

"Talking about the reason why I'm here is just distracting from things."

"Have you already realised you can't win with words and switched to trying to shut me up with force instead? I expected it to take a little longer."

Riko went silent for a good minute.

"This argument isn't gonna actually do anything to change my mind, you know?"

"Well yeah, I know. A lot of it was just me wanting to fight back against that ability. I guess that's just me being petty, but you should get the point. That this is wrong. That I want you to come back with the rest of us."

"Then how about you start getting my point that I can't stop anymore."

"I get it. I just don't care."

"...You can't convince me. Just telling me that it's not my fault won't do a thing. No matter what you say, their deaths were my fault. I can't continue living normally."

"If you fall over, then that means you can go back, right?"

"...What the hell are you talking about?"

"If I win, then you'll be convinced, right? Because words alone don't seem to be working. That's what it took for me, alongside finding out that the reason I was doing all that was kind of messed up anyways."

"Hey. Did I hit you too hard on the head or something? The two of you can't win. My entire deal is being unbeatable."

"I get it. I just don't care."

"That's not a good line at all, don't start repeating it."

Zino looked to Alexandra, more concerned than before.

"I've got a plan. I know that it's weird, but can you just stick with me? I can't do it without you."

Zino reluctantly barked in response. Alexandra took that as confirmation, before turning her focus.

She charged towards Riko. He blocked. Alexandra continued attacking, not letting up. Zino joined in.

"Do you really think you can't leave this behind?" She asked as she attacked.

"Yeah. Of course I can't. This is what I've always done. I can't just go back."

"That's just what how you think it is."

"Yeah, of course it is."

"But… look at me. Well, more accurately, how different of an impression I give to how I was when we first met."

"I guess you are pretty different, yeah. Back then, you were way more… hard to talk to. And stuff like that."

"Exactly. I wasn't the type who could talk like this. And the reason that I was able to change this much was… cause of her."

She pointed to Zino.

Riko went back to attacking.

"So what, you want me to get a monster partner?"

"No, I don't mean that. I mean, go find someone else. There's plenty of fish in the ocean, you can find another guy who's right for you."

Riko then stopped midswing.

"Huh? I'm uh, not into guys, you know? I dunno how you got that impression, cause y'know, it's not like-"

"Isn't a little late for hiding it? Everyone already worked things out a while back, like right after you started going out."

"...So it was that obvious?"

"Yeah."

"Wait, this is besides the point. I can't just forget him and move on!"

"You can. I'm not saying it has to be instant. But you've got your whole life ahead of you."

"I don't, I'm old as hell. You wouldn't get it."

"You're like a year older than me."

"Exactly."

"...Are you a child?"

"No, I'm the opposite. I just said this."

"That's not what I-, look who cares about that? You can still find someone else regardless of how old you treat yourself as."

"And I'm telling you, I- Wait, are you saying that having a monster partner is the same thing as a romantic one?"

"...I mean, kinda? But not exactly. But yeah, sort of. I guess. Not in that sort of way, but still- We're getting sidetracked. My point is that things'll be fine, this isn't the end. You don't have to keep treating it like that."

"I already said that I can't just go back, didn't I? They… won't let me. They keep telling me that it's my fault. Because it was, after all. Going back to try and find a normal life would just anger them."

"...That's not true."

Riko didn't respond.

"Of course it isn't true!"

"What makes you say that? How can you just decide that on your own?"

"It's obvious! Why would it be that way?"

"Because I'm the one responsible!"

"Someone who loves you-" She yelled, readying her lance "Wouldn't ever want you to be unhappy!"

"Then why is he-"

"He's not there. Neither of them are. You're just using them to justify punishing yourself!"

Those words seemed to take Riko off guard.

"...I-"

Alexandra and Zino both attacked, seeming to finally affect him.

"That still doesn't clear me of killing Kam!"

"I don't even know that guy! So that doesn't matter to me! So long as you feel the guilt and keep living with it, that's enough! You don't have to do all of this!"

He tried to counter.

"But even if I don't do this, what exactly am I supposed to live for!?"

"Anthony… didn't leave you with just guilt, did he?"

Riko didn't respond.

"It's not like I can speak for him, you definitely knew him better than me, but that doesn't matter right now. Because I'm sure that, more than anything, he wanted you to live in that moment. To protect you as much you wanted to protect him."

Riko was knocked back by another attack.

"And… what am I supposed to do about that?"

"Just accept those feelings, and keep on living for as long as you can. Like he wanted you to. That's all we can do, as the ones left behind."

She readied herself again.

"And doing all this… sure isn't gonna let you live that long!"

Riko took the attack head on, getting knocked back. His legs started to sway.

"Fine, I get it. One last thing though. Can you tell me how to make things work again? How to keep on living, even if the world doesn't have him in it? Cause I just… don't know."

Alexandra thought for a second.

"No idea. You've just gotta work it out as you go."

"...Eh, good enough."

With those words, he finally went too far backwards. A position he could no longer recover from. His legs left the ground behind.

The ghosts that surrounded him finally faded, flying away to the sky as he approached his destination.

The swordsman landed on the ground, flat on his back.

TO BE CONTINUED