Chapter 6: Honoring the Slacker
One might think that after shouting those iconic words spoken by a damn suicidal, harem protagonist, that somehow the battle was already won.
"I call God mod!" The Horde grew in size before shooting into the sky, dodging the Keys thrown it's way in the process.
With Zelretch involved, -
"Just die already!" Heartless after Heartless surged all around us as we gave up quantity for quality, creating one huge Black Key the same size as Heracles's blade in the 5th Grail War in order to bash the whole Horde with singular blows.
-and not to forget reality, -
"Fucking DarK SoULs protOTYPe BOSS!" I lost sight completely as we continued to strike the Horde while it continued to grow in size and, as evidence by our bleeding wounds, strength as well.
-not even remotely possible.
"LET US ALL DROWN IN OUR RAGESORROWDEPRESSIONWR-!" That was the last sound that escaped ou-, it's, mouth before I was left alone, realizing how worse everything just became.
I can't even blame the old asshole for this situation. This time, it's all on me for being that cocky.
...
"Blank space again, awesome."
Well, blank like stuck in a pitch-black room sort of space. Other than that, not any different from the void the Kalidescope tossed me into.
"I bet the old fucktard is laughing at my current fuck up. It's almost embarrassing how much optimism I had with this plan."
I had let all of the ideas that were in my head regarding so much that wasn't possible in my world RUSH OUT and try to become possible. Not a great idea while assimilating knowledge regarding Magecraft and using the Darkness, while being hooked up to an alien who has a weak spot for loving my dark emotions.
"Who am I kidding," I laughed at myself, deriving no joy from said action. "I was practically begging for something to go wrong. Especially, when I'm in a world like that."
With no distractions to impede me, I remembered where it was that this unstable realm dropped us into.
A world that was a multitude of worlds.
A subset world where man is dead.
A world where Heaven and Hell clash for supremacy.
"Fucking Darksiders," I sighed, glancing down at my left arm for a moment. In our uphill battle against the overpowered Heartless, Wrath decided to let up on her regen powers to keep up against the increasing speed of the Horde. The consequence to said decision was the tears and still bleeding wounds across my torso, legs, and left arm.
"Now what."
Without my input and mind to aid Wrath, she'll continue to fight the Horde while further deteriorating my body, and with the Darkness running through her veins, the Heartless will descend in mass to claim whatever remains of me, her, Kiyohime, and Aqua.
"Sorry about this Aqua. I just..."
I just wanted to save someone from Xehanort's manipul-, no. That's not it.
"... I just wanted to be a hero. I wanted to save anyone from circumstances beyond our understanding. To FEEL. To KNOW... To actually understand another, and myself."
"How sad...," a small, quiet voice echoed in the Darkness, jolting me from my pity session.
"Hello?" I whispered back, cautious because of WHERE I am.
This has to be the Realm of Darkness after all.
"...Despite your form... you understand... Despite your.. understanding you don't know... your heart." My heart was pounding as I continued to listen, the small voice hitting the nail on the head regarding that particular issue.
"I don't know anything. While I know more than most about other things," I muttered while clenching my chest gently with the good arm, ignoring the light the grew from the horizon.
"You know about us... while you remain ignorant of... yourself." There was no definite shape in this plane of light and shadow.
"You know that something... is missing... but don't comprehend that you're... incomplete." There was no direction in a world that had no need for it.
"Always getting hurt from understanding... always damaging yourself from not acting."
I heard what could've been footsteps, but saw nothing except twisting lights/shadows.
You are a prisoner
"Yes."
Your bars are of the mind
Your punishment is experiencing the world-
"-but not interacting with said world."
Your crimes were/might've been committed before your birth
"Whatever it was, God only knows."
God stripped you of freedom at birth, yet failed to provide you a purpose in his grand scheme
"..."
"...Yet..." I turned my head up to see nothing but violet.
"You care. You struggle. You love, yet lack love." She, for it could only be a she, continued to stare at me, peering into my soul uninhibited, seeing everything I am.
"You are like me, but less. Like a Nobody, but with more heart." I chuckled at this ash-blonde entity's comment, aware that she could be rid of me in nanoseconds.
You desire me, but don't believe your worth my strength
"You are correct. Yet still, I must ask." I looked past the entity to speak with the Other.
"Am I of any Worth in this great Adventure?"
...
"Thank you for the Answer." I shut my eyes for a moment, putting my few concrete feelings to rest for the time being.
All so I could-
"Why are satisfied?" My eyes opened to meet the gaze of the violet entity who continued to stare at me. I would've been a little more tense if she wasn't four feet tall, and wearing a pink and black dress that made her look more like a kid than anything else.
"All humans desire to know more, even if their questions are answered. So why is it that you won't ask for more, or for an elaboration?" She's right about humans, we've always want more.
However..
"There isn't any worth in asking for what may come. If I want something good to happen in the future," I squatted before the young girl, looking her right in the eye. "I'll need to write the story with my own two hands. For better or for worse, -." She gasped for a moment as I hugged her, and whispered her name.
"You are so like him, you know that?"
"Your brother? Or Xehanort?" She pulled away from my embrace, than winked at me.
"That's for me to know, and you to figure out." She giggled as I pouted for a moment.
"I pity your husband. Thank you -."
"What for?" She tilted her head curiously as she waited for my answer.
"For guiding me here, and for guiding me to her."
...
(POV Aqua)
As the fight grew more difficult, the strange boy continued to grow more in size and ferocity. Unfortunately, he seemed to have finally lost control over himself to the Darkness as evidence towards his now bestial form that continued to fight against the Demon Horde.
"What a tragedy," I muttered before freezing another demon solid.
These monsters kept coming as the two Creatures of Darkness continued to clash, as if moths to a flame.
"Speaking of flames..." Another sea of blue flames burst into existence for a moment to reduce the demons' numbers before disappearing just as quick.
The Dragon woman had been attacking more often when the boy became more immersed in the dark matter that made up the now feral denizen of Darkness that still fought the Horde with a huge broken blade. Without her here, I would've been overrun a long time ago.
"Damn it!" I dodged a thrown vehicle before leaping onto another building, out of range of the larger demons for the time being. I launched another barrage of ice, fire, and lightning at the Horde to give the Other fighter a chance to do more damage in its losing battle.
Everything became still once a horse's neigh rang out.
Then everything flashed white
...
(POV Regular /Play: Fate Extra Last Encore- Bright Burning Shout)
"Thanks Wrath," I whispered to the now child shaped symbiote resting in my arms, slightly pink in the face due to exertion (or something else, I didn't want to know).
"James! You're okay!" A blur of white tackled us to the ground before a slap met my cheek.
"Bakabakabakabakabakabakabaka!" Kiyohime cried into my shoulder profusely, drenching my shredded clothing in the process. I patted her on the head and let the Berserker get everything out of her system.
"Thanks Kiyohime." I fondled her hair for a second, before handing Wrath over to her.
"Let me finish the clean up for you. It's kinda my fault to begin with after all. I'd feel awful for being too much like that damned slacker."
The Demon Horde was sluggish, flowing slowly, as if waiting for something. It needed to go before anything worse could crop up for Chaldea in the future.
"Care to let me have this honor, Keyblade Master?" I stood next to Aqua, facing away from everyone and keeping my eyes on the Heartless.
"I think you owe me some answers after this. Assuming of course.." I nodded at her briefly, then held one hand out.
A blade shimmered into existence before solidifying, revealing a Keyblade.
"Keep up with me," I smirked before charging forth, Kingdom Key in hand. I heard her scoff for a moment before running after me.
"I believe that's my line!"
In honor of the true King of Mages,
I dedicate this year of struggle and strife to you,
Especially if it leads to your wife slapping you for being an EMIYA.
AN: Glory to a New Year full of opportunity, five star Servants, and Kingdom Hearts 3! I thank those who continue to read and enjoy my work. Can't wait for the Epic of Remnant to start in February, that and rolling for Moriarty. Later!