Chapter 22: Altair

Die had been cast, cage been sprung, a finale begun. Two machines remain still on the ground. Seconds ticked by before a soft explosive echo. Selesia squeezed away the tingles in her fingers. Charon's face appeared on her screen. His weapons were turned off. A soft expression grew onto him. "Selesia, have you decided?"

Selesia followed suit, keeping fingers off the trigger. "Yes Charon. I've made up my mind. I know what happened to you. That you're tired of the war. However that doesn't mean that we can let go at the easiest way out. Not without a price to everyone else. That is why I will be fighting."

"That's a shame. From the bottom of my heart, I was really hoping that you'd be by my side." Charon smiled. "I'm glad that you've changed, even if you are against me. That you have a heart of your own to make your own choices."

Selesia returned with a smile of her own. "I have learnt a lot from this world. These friends have made the difference. If you surrender, we can turn things right."

Charon's face taut as his Vogelchevalier raised twin swords. "Alas, it is too late to convince you. Prepare yourself Selesia. Make your defeat at least something worthy remembering."

Selesia raised her blade. "Same to you." Clocked ticked. Silent seconds in a passing of eternity. Flicker of light before they struck. Twenty ton machines collided to a standstill by their strength. Their blades weaved a dance upon the heavens. Old experiences guided their hands. Short, swift movements met attacks on both sides.

Familiar grounds for both pilots

Vogelchevalier against Vogelchevalier

Clean and simple

Clear of cunning

Test of skill and will

No step gained nor lost. Selesia stepped back, just out of reach from decapitation. She riposted with a stab, pushing him back. Charon hummed as their blade continued to clash. "You've improved. The power of the Gods has made you stronger."

"Our God may be a little on the feeble side. At least he's doing his part. For all of us." This form of fighting was getting them nowhere.

Up the stakes. Selesia pushed for bladelock before twisting the sword into an opening. Charon stepped aside before meeting the follow up with one hand. Selesia pushed forward, avoiding the barrage of bullets from his other. A twist of his grip blocked the next strike for his back.

Charon spun and countered. Selesia felt the blows through the entire cockpit, even when the sword had taken the hits. "Come on Selesia, prove your strength. Show me that you have the power to protect this world."

She twisted aside, dodging before attacking again. "I fight to protect the world and everyone else. What do you fight for?"

His blade met hers. "I fight to protect what I care for. That alone is enough."

Vogelchevaliers leapt back with hands raised. Selesia clicked her tongue before throwing her machine into a roll. She tumbled into cover as part of the building was eviscerated. Selesia scanned across the buildings for any signs of her opponent. She broadcasted on public. "Matsubara told me what happened to you. That you were growing tired of the war."

"He's not wrong." Charon's reply, source indistinguishable from the background.

"Matsubara won't let our efforts or world go to waste. Rest assured, our world will be safe. It'd make a bad story if it didn't."

"Our efforts won't be wasted but unto what ends does it justify the means? How much more do we have to sacrifice? I've lost friends, family just like you did. Countless atrocities and lives wasted to serve an agenda of entertainment. And you say all of that has value in the end!"

Selesia parried the oncoming strike. The controls threatened to break under her grip. "I know. I know all of that. I felt the pain just like you. It hurts to lose friends, family. Even fighting against you right now hurts my heart. I wanted to cry sometimes but I don't have a choice except to push on. But." She shouldered Charon back before slashing. "All of it is meaningless if both our worlds are destroyed by this."

Selesia felt air before Vogelchevalier smashed into an apartment complex. She really hated Charon's grapple toss. The impact always made her reel hard.

Charon raised a hand. "Wave Chant, Pol Vindictam."

"Not letting you use that!" Selesia stretched her mechanical hand. "Wave Chant, Levis est Ignis!"

Waves of energy clashed. Flames burned against reality. Screen forcefully dimmed from the sheer brightness. Static from filtering against the inferno before falling into a roar. Lasting for several seconds, enough to turn the area into a wasteland.

Charon took a breath. "I've always been the better one at that."

"Better doesn't count as a win in my book." Selesia felt an eye sting from sweat. She pried herself free from the melting building. Fragments of rubble crashed onto uneven ground between them. Steam hissed from metal skins "Is that the best you got?"

"Touche." Charon sprinted towards her, gun from the underarm firing. Selesia ducked before lunging forward into a roll. Several shots pierced parts of the shoulder blades. Worth it to sacrifice a little for a heavy strike.

Charon met the blow with both weapons before launching up into the air. Selesia jumped after him, firing a barrage of energy rounds. Her partner dodged, twisting and twirling around before firing his own.

Selesia jerked aside, spinning to close into a sword blow. Charon was prepared, their blades meeting in a flying sparkle of white and purple. Selesia bit her tongue as each attempt of hitting was repelled and pushing her towards a disadvantage.

"You may be strong on the ground. The sky is my domain."

"Wave Chant! Astrius Becade." Selesia drew power and fired her strongest shot.

"Wave Chant! Cosmos Coniste Artis." A shield formed and absorbed the orange glows. "Selesia, don't forget I know every trick in your book." Charon spun, blocking the attack from below. A kick sent both machines back.

"Charon. It's time to end this." Selesia raised her sword.

"Yes, that's right." Charon raised his.

They both hovered in silent agreement. Charon wasn't just her trusted friend. Now, he was her opponent. Just like any other. Draining her mind away into the endless void. Her eyes unmoving from the screen. Taut grip to make the final swing. Deep calm breath before…

A flash, both accelerated far beyond human limits. Both screamed their determination, swinging for victory.

Selesia gasped. No signs of warning. Not a hint of damage. It should've been a mutual death. Charon's sword was shy from piercing her cockpit. "You hesitated."

Her blow didn't. Sparks flickered along his Vogelchevalier. "Yeah. I did." He stares at the growing blood along his stained ribs. "Maybe I'm just not cut out to be the bad guy after all."

Horror threatened to burst from within. "Charon!"

"Good bye." She felt a hard kick before spinning out of control. Systems screamed, Vogelchevalier trying to right itself before the sounds of explosion entered her ears. She regained control to witness the orange glow in the air.

"Charon…" Selesia felt power sapped away. A loss for words. Vogelchevalier slackened as tears poured from her eyes. For only beyond was the fire, of wars.

Blitz ignored the stares from the people around him. Their excited whispers meant little as he walked across long corridors. Given by the cheers that are echoing in the stage, the main battle was underway. He took a turn off the main hallway into one of the smaller corridors. There, the crowd of people dwindled to few. There, he found one of the changing rooms. The Princess told him where to go and he felt it just as well. God was behind that door.

Inside, she would be left wanting. The door was unlocked. Gun in hand, he stepped in to smell the waft of familiar smoke. The very same brand he used. It riled him with disgust.

God waited, sitting by the bench with a cigarette in hand. She took another whiff of the cigarette before placing it into the ash tray. She tilted a pack of smokes at his direction. "Want one?"

"Quite generous of you considering your life is about to end."

God shrugged before smiling. "Not counting on that to happen. You have a lot of things to talk about right? That'll take at least an hour."

Such gall was expected. She planned to be here. "Yeah, I have loads of things to say to you. But I don't have enough time to say them all."

"Not enough time, when everyone else is fighting on stage?" She raised her brow.

Blitz raised his gun. "I'm sure help will be coming to you soon enough."

God showed both her empty palms. "No hidden tricks here. Though you wouldn't believe me when I said otherwise anyway." Biltz eased the trigger, just slight.

"Of course. I came to let the bullets do the talking instead of words."

Of course. I came to let the bullets do the talking instead of words

Her words were in sync with his. Blitz prepared to pull the trigger. "What?"

"It's natural. That's what I'd write in the script. I'm your God after all."

Bile rising in his gut. "You make me feel sick. A woman like you manipulating people like a puppeteer. I am sorely disgusted."

"Now, you are tempted between outright shooting me and insulting me." Blitz narrowed his eyes. God supported her back with a hand. "Blitz, if you want to settle things with your gun, I'm okay with that. You've given me enough time but I have the biggest present in store for you right now. Are you okay with that?"

"Present? I am not interested in a present especially from a person like you."

"Well, I've never been the best at expressing myself. Though, are you really sure about that? Especially since it's about what you wish the most."

"If you already know what I wished the most, then you should know the question I'm going to ask you."

God iterated the own questions growing in his throat.

"Why did my daughter have to die like that?"

"Why did she have to suffer?"

Her eyes narrowed in with his.

"Why did you force me to do the most unforgivable thing of killing my own daughter?"

Blitz held his breath. He couldn't trust himself to speak. God continued. "The answer to those questions would strike you as horrifying. Alas, those are the very tools we authors have at our disposal. To play and weave the emotions of our audience. Always creating an interesting story."

He fired. The shot hit the locker behind her. "Get to the point. I'm not here to listen to your rambles. What did you do?"

"The greatest plot twist of making you join us. Because she's finally here."

Doubt tugged at the edges of his emotions. He clamped it down. Being distracted by it wasn't affordable. God pointed towards another door and said. "She is here, beyond that door."

"After making me suffer all that, you've turned things around on a whim. Just to turn me over to your side."

God popped open another smoke. "That's right. I'm the worst kind of author, changing things around for this very reason." God turned into the Devil.

"After everything is over, you'll just make me do it again." Blitz held the gun tighter. The thought of repeating it shook him to the very core. No, it won't happen again.

"Quite a reasonable assumption. I am not a kind God to my creations after all." God puffed smoke from her lips. "If you don't trust me, then at least talk to her before shooting me. Enjoy your final moments together before the world ends."

Blitz studied his God's face. After everything, could he believe that one statement? After facing her betrayal time and time again? Intuition wasn't giving him clues through that nonchalant look of hers.

He lowered the gun and turned towards the closed wooden piece. Clamping down the eagerness to see behind the door. A booby trap by chance? Maybe he should use her to go through the door first.

God stood on her feet. Blitz raised his gun as she walked towards the door. She opened a crack before saying through it. "He's here."

Blitz gestured at the door with his gun. "Open it in full."

God's smile reeked of danger. "Girl's secret." She leaned against the wall. "Go on." Blitz felt tempted to just shoot her. Pushing it aside, he walked up to the door.

Trepidation gripped his chest. Getting cold feet for a simple task. Ridiculous. Nervous hand gripped the handle. Clicking it open, he eased it forward. The first to happen was hearing. "Papa?"

A voice he longed for months on end. Bursting through the door, he saw his angel. "Erina…"

"Papa!" Small bundle of green and blonde raced into his arms. Smells of jasmine filled his nostrils as he felt warm skin by his cheeks. Sweet Erina. God didn't lie.

Blitz wasn't going to let go of her. Not ever. He turned over his shoulder, the woman was gone. He let that be. At least God won't see joy streaking down his cheek. This girl in his arms. She was everything.

Rui twisted his shoulder aside, feeling the muscle strain against pain. He had to agree with the Gods. Altair was beyond borderline OP. Darting across the air, avoiding the locust swarm of steel bent on hunting him down. Blocking with reflector shields was regrettably out of the question.

What kind of sword cuts through an entire building like butter? Dozens of them at that at the snap of a finger?

Sho Hakua dead. Alicetaria gone to ground. Hoshikawa in the meantime kept the princess busy. Yellow flashes of her handiwork were keeping the trailing swords a bit sluggish. Rui pulled Gigas up into a climb, turning around to fire at the approaching swords. He didn't have the chance when a barrage of yellow explosive bolts intervened.

Rui heard the engines coming up behind him. "Welcome back to the party Selesia."

Her machine hovered next to his. A video feed appeared on screen. Voice devoid of emotion. "What's the situation?"

"She shoots swords at me. I run and shoot back. We repeat."

Selesia narrowed her eyes with a click of the tongue. "How boring. Shall we finally get started on the original plan?"

"Sure. Things went alright with him?"

"…Yeah." Totally not okay.

Rui chose not to gripe on it. He set a direct course towards Altair. Keeping the speed down at fifty percent. "Meteora, give Selesia an Anti-Illusion Pentagram following plan one. Give me another charge."

"Understood." Energy bars shot up to full. The heads up display flickered a few times before stabilising. Gigas Machina wouldn't stand taking too many drastic recharge like these. Come on partner, you can keep going.

"Get Alicetaria here. I'll deal with Altair for now. I've been waiting for this for far too long." Selesia shot forward in a blur of white. Her battle with Altair reenacted with a sword strike from above.

Alicetaria sure knows how to appear when she needs to. "Boy, what needs to be done?"

Meteora answered the question. "We're going to overwhelm her from every direction. Prepare your strongest spell. I'll buy you three the time."

Alicetaria's fangs were full of hunger. "Excellent."

Selesia said as Vogelchevalier spun another series of blows. "Roger." She backed away when a whine from the air before bombardment struck at Altair's defences. Soft thumps from guns afar before a streak of fighter jets dropped bombs atop the girl.

Rui nodded as Meteora's barrage began earnest. Selesia to attack from the left. Alicetaria from the right. Centre stage was his.

Selesia's sword alight with fire. "Let's do this!"

Alicetaria's gauntlet sparked. "Time for divine retribution."

Rui aimed both Giga cannons towards the distant target. Sparks arced along the cannons. Full charge. Not yet. Overriding the limits for a powerful one shot kill.

Fire continued to rise from Selesia's blade, a red flame before twisting into clear blue. Clouds thundered as purple sparks flickered along the princess gauntlet.

Overload warnings rang in his ear. Come on, just a bit more…

Everything they fought for. All of this was for this moment. To repay Brother Yuya!

Meteora's barrage stopped before a gust of wind flushed the smoke away. Clear sight of Altair. "Now."

Mega Giga Cannon!

Heaven's Flame!

Divine Thunder!

Everything went nuclear from that. Blast worth the epics that his own visors had to dim against the light. Surely even Altair's best…

God damn it. Selesia hissed. "Darn. Even that can't take her down?" That little girl is not even touched. Bloody hell.

"Energy based weaponry appear to have no effect. We're changing the plan. Selesia, cover us for a moment." Her little machine shot forward.

Rui checked his energy levels, low enough to worry about it. Damage reports scrolled in. That took a number.

Alicetaria's large bulky gauntlet glowed bright in a flash of rainbows. "I've implemented a spell to break any spells involving energy control. Strike her down with it."

The knight raised her glowing fist with a smile. "Get me close enough and I'll make it happen."

A large white portal formed in front of him. "Kanoya, fire into that portal."

Rui nudged the cannon and fired. More warning signs. "Going to need another charge here." Another tingle, stronger along his soft back. Energy climbed but the response felt sluggish.

"Kanoya, go through the portal with Alicetaria. Get as much speed beforehand." Sneaky thing in mind Meteora. Turning the hammer into weapon of mass destruction.

Rui gestured for Alicetaria to hop atop. Her steed rested on his metal arm. He slammed engines to full. Relocating more power from weapons to engines. The acceleration jolted him, inertia compensators slow to pick up. Twelve seconds before overheating. Ten is enough.

He made a loop, building speed. Numbers scrolled higher as wind buffeted against Gigas.

Point six.

Altair definitely noticed when swords came flying at him. Turning Gigas Machina into a ballerina was no simple feat.

Point eight.

Twisting and dodging the rain of metal. Lightning struck, deflecting those he couldn't avoid. Cockpit visor sizzled as he swung around for the final approach.

Mach One.

He pulled back his fist and tossed Alicetaria through the portal. "Go!"

Alicetaria raised her fist as purple energies cackled around it. "This is for Mamika." Princess Knight turned into a flash of light. Screeching crackles by the microphones from the immense sonic boom. Rui saw darkness as his screens darkened in full.

For the few long seconds, he bit his lip and waited. Throbbing. "Did we get her?" Static from the radio. The disruption eased away. What…

Altair stood with a smile. Unscathed. Alicetaria on the other hand was a contrast. Silver armour shattered to pieces, blood spattered across her chest.

"Holopsicon, fourteenth movement. Vicissitudes of Fortune." Altair invoked. Rui couldn't believe his eyes. "Surprised?"

Selesia quaked with great uncertainty. "What in the world just happened?"

Meteora's voice was equally in disbelief. "Could it be…Reflection?" A concept of repelling every attack back to its owner. Rui felt his throat lock up. Every idea conceived to defeat her just fell apart.

The knight's gasp could barely be heard. "Boy." She fell off her steed to free fall into the air. Rui shot forward trying to catch the woman. He didn't hear what she said but the mime in her lips were enough.

Take care of the rest.

Alicetaria vanished in a fade of blue. Rui considered his every option. Honestly, he didn't know how to deal with Altair. That kind of girl, she's far stronger than his imagination. All the weapons he had wouldn't put a dent on the frail looking girl. A squeeze of his fist before raising the beam canon and fired.

Daichi felt the freedom of the sky before metal sollerets landed onto a skyscraper. Siegfried's vision darted forward before diving towards his opponent. Their blades clanged, throwing a blast of wind to shatter nearby windows.

Understanding Gem Magecraft from Archer was worth the time. The basics that is. Storing three months of prana into thirty shards as reserved batteries.

Siegfried had lured Lancelot away from the main group. Broken wreck of tanks littered the road. Their blows echoed and rumbled, a fearsome sensation even from a hundred metres away. Daichi felt the bone numbing blows that clashed within blurs of seconds. Grounds cracked as Siegfried spun and kicked Lancelot back.

Nice. Lancelot crashed into one of the tanks. On its back, the knight bellowed before clinking onto its feet. Daichi dread as the wave of fear blew over him. Siegfried's assurance held it down against panicking. Lancelot pulled the machine gun on top of the turret free. He's going to shoot!

Siegfried leapt aside as thunder roared. Walls crumbled, chunks of concrete torn apart. Lancelot was in front of him now, parrying the swords to his neck with impossible handling of the bulky weapon. How the hell can he spin that weapon around?!

Code Cast: Gorgon Strength

Siegfried's blows intensified, uneven metal plate cracking as blows were traded like a light show. Wind cracked with sonic booms with every hit. Daichi could barely see, only to know Lancelot's strikes were meeting it as an equal match.

Daichi felt his panting breath against the strain. Siegfried was feeding off his Circuits like a vacuum cleaner. Shattering another shard to keep up left him with twenty. If it keeps going at this rate, I won't have enough to last.

Master. Siegfried shot back across the road before dodging more gunfire. Balmung parried several bullets aside before diving through glass into one of the buildings. Daichi grit his teeth against the growing heat underneath skin. Are you well?

I should be the one asking that question. The spray of water to his face from a bottle wasn't enough to stop the burn. Nakanogane gave him a weird look but he can't be a limiter for Siegfried. Cracking another two shards, he raised his hand.

I'll create an opening for you to strike.

Code Cast: Wall of Hephaestus

A wall of stone shot up beside Lancelot, halting the black knight from twisting the weapon around. It mattered nothing as Lancelot's gauntlet smashed the construct aside with a single thrust before twisting its body to parry the slash to the head. They traded blows before Lancelot kicked the sword and shot backwards.

Daichi bit his lip. This totally doesn't feel like fighting a Berserker. Roar of jet engines flew above them. Lancelot shot into the air, using the building as a stepholder. Lancelot's going to use the plane as a weapon.

Black tendrils stabbed into the plane, twisting its internal system with black miasma. Daichi felt repulsed watching the machine twist with appendages sprouting forth by its corruption. An echo of a shriek before the sharp rush of air from the fighter turning around. Two specks of yellow flashed in the night.

Missiles!

Siegfried braced before jumping to meet them head on. Two swipe of the blades cut them into half before exploding below him.

Jet screamed in mid-dive, firing torrent of black bullets. Sparks flashed before both blurs flew past. Both unscathed. Siegfried sprinted across the roof as the fighter spun around before peppering black bullets in pursuit.

Code Cast: Wing of Hermes

Siegfried's motions turned into a blur against reinforced eyes. Daichi cracked another three shards. He glanced towards the other screens on the battlefield. We have to finish this fast. The others aren't doing so well.

Very well, I will use my Noble Phantasm. Daichi felt a major bleed off prana from Siegfried. He grunted against the massive burn that spun faster and faster inside his chest. Eight shards were shattered to keep his heart from exploding.

Daichi squeezed his chest from the pain. Falling onto his knees, gut felt like throwing up. He swore before preparing next spell, Siegfried's words lost from the spinning motion for the shot.

Code Cast: The Cage of Andersen

Silver protective cage formed around the Hero, absorbing barrage of death. Silver shattered in only several shots. Siegfried raised his sword as it ejected blue fire to the sky.

Balmung

Daichi shielded away from the intense bright blue beam. Heat burned along skin. Ground crumbled under the might of the Dragon Slayer. He heard a large roar before two great powers crashed. Blue and Black clashed, sparking a contest of dominance. A few seconds sparked before the tug of war ended in a flash of light. Daichi couldn't believe it.

How- Siegfried shot back across the pavement when a large black bullet struck. Siegfried flew, skipping across the road before picking himself up. Altair must have been some hell of a battery to provide so much power to Lancelot. It's outright ridiculous.

How hard is it to kill him? Daichi fished for more shards in his coat. Horror grew as there were two left.

Lancelot continued the bombardment. Siegfried deflected each strike before leaping into the air to meet the flying Berserker.

Crack. One shard left.

Sparks met in the sky. Both warriors flying past. Siegfried's left shoulder plate shattered as Lancelot's helm chipped and cracked. In that instant, Daichi saw purple hair before the wide burning eyes of rage. Berserker's jet fighter flew up into the air, building speed with the scream of a sonic boom.

Empty. Everything now counted on his personal reserves which was to say, fumes. More. He had to pump more.

Circuit revved, squeezing every bit of od through their connection. Black edged on. He squeezed his eyes before forcing focus through. Flawless and firm. Daichi floored the circuit.

Siegfried, prana status.

I have used a great amount. I'm not at my optimal condition.

Can you cast Balmung again?

Siegfried nodded as the flying black speck turned around. Yes, Master. However, it would be dangerous if it did not kill him.

Daichi chastised himself before opening the status window. Everything looked bad. Prana levels had forced Siegfried to conserve his strength. Given the consumption rate, using Balmung would be outright suicide.

Crap. Daichi reached into his pocket in hopes of scraping one more. Empty. His Circuits were on fire trying, burning everything out. That wouldn't scrape anything worth a damn for Siegfried. Every reserve is wrung dry.

Wait. There's one source of prana left. Using it was an all out gambit. Throwing away the very identity he wanted. An all in gambit. Siegfried, prepare yourself to use Balmung. I'm giving you that prana.

Siegfried said nothing, choosing to focus on defence. Daichi rose to his feet. Each breath was growing harder to take. He raised his left hand. The red diamond glowed. Command Seal, aware of his intent.

"Siegfried, I hereby command with this command seal, fight until you are victorious."

A red flash of light. "By this second command spell, use every bit of power to protect this world."

Second Command Spell spent. That left the last one. Once used, he would no longer be a master. Daichi grit his teeth. "By the power of this command seal, no matter the cost…"

"Defeat Lancelot."

Siegfried's glowing was an understatement. Force of nature bursting from within, distorting the surrounding air. Balmung lit the sky with blue flames. A mechanical shriek from above as it dived directly from above.

The Evil Dragon will fall, and the world will now reach the twilight.

He raised his weapon, prana coursing through every fibre of being. Lancelot screamed as it aimed its gun. Daichi could see the large orange glow within the cannon. Siegfried, was resolute.

Fall…

Balmung

A wave of blue light burst forth. Power far greater than before. Phantasm against Phantasm. Black against Blue. Screech of the heavens before they clashed. Siegfried cried for war, pushing every ounce of strength through his weapon.

Everything burned infernal. Daichi felt his own mouth scream. Circuit sparked, jolting his mind inside out. Twist and churl before all turned black.

Daichi opened his eyes, stopping himself from falling flat on his face. His knees had given way as everything burned. Everything was hard to see. Flickering mess of light and dark.

Did… we do it?

It is done. Siegfried lowered his weapon. No sign of the dark knight remained. Molten black mud and buildings with large gouged holes, casualties of the battle. Siegfried was glowing in blue. Sorry Master. My time in this war is over.

Daichi blinked as he heaved for breath. Over? Siegfried was starting to fade. We can remake the contract. That way we can keep going.

I cannot do that Master. You're exhausted as it is. It will kill you Master and I refuse to let you sacrifice yourself to this cause.

Daichi leaned back against the wall. Even sitting up straight felt like a chore. Cold water felt so far out of reach. Ah, the others noticed. His Servant was right. No way could he keep going. Propping his head against the wall, he gave a faint smile.

Thank you for your efforts Siegfried. I will miss you.

Siegfried smiled. Thank you being my Master. Rest well.

Yeah…I'll just…do that. Daichi closed his eyes and passed out for good.

Heroes from two different realms. Key characters within their stories, united as one in a bout against a girl which had little to almost no back story. And Altair was winning.

Selesia screamed in mid dive for her enemy. Right hand firing bullets as the left prepared to swing the sword. Shrapnel of rock and metal splattered, deadly fragments against living beings in a cloud of black.

Roof crunched under Vogelchevalier's weight, putting all her strength into the swing. The large blade struck, held back by the ring of swords. Tiny pinpricks stopping a powerful chevalier like nothing? Facts as they were was so frustrating.

Meteora's voice echoed while dodging a counter. "Physical attacks are ineffective. We need to switch to conceptual attacks."

"Meteora, meteora. You are truly mistaken." Altair turned away towards the sky. Selesia shot back as purple light burned against the ring of swords. "Holopsicon is far beyond a concept that cannot be broken."

Tingling on her back. Selesia looked up to see a copy of her own sword. Shoot. A small figure dived in and smashed the rogue weapon aside. Hikayu said over her shoulder. "Selesia, are you alright?"

"Thanks." Selesia said. Vogelchevalier raised its sword. Chipped along the edges. Just last a bit longer. "Be careful, her attacks can reflect back towards you."

"I'm in a pinch then. Here they come." Selesia popped her cannon, deflecting the incoming swarm. Plasma fire covered the rest. The martial artist took the lead, spinning her weapons in a twirl of mastery. Countless metal strewn aside by stalwart defence.

Gigas Machina came forward as Kanoya said. "Meteora, concept enhancement spell, now." A glow before he took to the forefront. More swords appeared with every iteration of attack.

Keeping up was becoming tougher as the swarm of metal grew to blot out a full moon. Kanoya raised his arm. "Reflector field." Blossoming white energy field absorbed the constant barrage before shattering and throwing Gigas Machina back.

Six slivers slipped past, Selesia turned to block before six gunshots rang. Far too soft compared to hers. "That's a bit too close there lady." She turned to see him hovering in the air.

"Blitz Talker."

Detective Blitz reloaded his pistol. "Come on young girl. Put your back to it. She is a tough girl but not invincible."

Altair turned towards the dark sky above. "Ah, I see what has happened. Unfortunate."

"Anything and everything for my daughter." Blitz fired. Nothing useful happened.

Altair closed her eyes. "A natural choice for a man who cared so much. It pains me to do this but I will need to end you."

"All the same." Blitz tilt his head towards her. "Girl, hope you don't mind me joining the party."

"Not really. Any ideas how to get through that?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"In theory, everything possible. Now, not really."

"Assumed just as much. Let's say my ideas won't run far from your tree." He raised his gun and fired. "Let's see this." A shot struck Altair's sword, blossoming sphere around here. Immense gravity crackled the air. Ring of steel held their ground, spinning in an endless gaze.

"Selesia, use it while Altair's occupied. Reflection shouldn't affect it." Meteora said.

"Right." She stepped back as Blitz took the brunt of her load.

Deep breath as she channeled the spell in her mind. Matsubara gave her this ability for the moment. A conceptual attack built to transport, seal and destroy.

Valiant chant of Honourius

You shall warp 3000 worlds

Rows of energy gateways spawned to Altair's side. Altair raised a brow as swords continued to engage bullets and particle plasma. "It appears that you've used the concept of Hachimon Tonko."

Agoa, Amile

Reveal wisdom's true location

Ars Notoria wields your power in the seven directions

Ionion Aphoria!

Both ends of the gate closed onto Altair before bursting into an explosion. Winds buffeted her machine as the light faded. Nothing was to be seen beyond residue sparks of light. Did it work?

A voice beside her ear. "A valiant attempt but poor score for a grand finale."

Since when did she get into the cockpit? Jolt down the spine. "How?"

Altair reached over her shoulder, hot breath whispered into her ears. "Every entry has an exit, even if the world is an infinite space. I am an expert in them after all."

"If that's the case, you could have escaped from here all this time."

"Correct. While it would take time to escape a prison crafted just for me but there is no need to begin with."

Truly a monster.

"Killing you would be a piece of cake. However, our dear readers would not like to see that. I mean the hard struggle is what they enjoy the most, isn't it?"

A once in the lifetime opportunity to bash her face in. She twisted over with an elbow to find air. Altair was standing back in front of her. "To our dear viewers of this story, even to the ones reading this parody of an original, extinguishing this hope in the snap of my fingers would be too boring. No, unfortunately Selesia, you need to suffer a little more. Otherwise it wouldn't grow into an emotional moment."

"I'm not letting you do that again." Selesia leapt forward, firing bullets towards the little girl. Swords met the attack before a twist of the blade. The large hulk of the sword sought to stab through the opening in the ring. Vogelchevalier buckled under immense vibrations.

"Holopsicon 13th Movement, Word Access." A yellow glow appeared within the ring of swords. Astrius Becade! It hit and everything blanked out.

She came to electric sparks. Opening her eyes into the dim darkness. Her body ached after probably being flung. She checked at the insisting pain on the back of her head. Wet in between the strands of hair. Ignoring it, she prodded her way back to the console.

Crackling fire and smoke as she worked the controls. Lifeless weights. Flinging open the hatch, she clambered out into soft gunfire and explosions.

Vogelchevalier was slumped into the crater of a building. Right arm sheared off the shoulder. Half the face was destroyed in a molten mess of metal. Armour along its legs cracked and broken. Dim eyes as fluids leaked from its back. She pressed a hand on its shattered leg. Sorry. Returning to task, she drew her sword and flew towards Altair.

In spite of the ongoing battle, her approach was noticed by the nemesis. "Welcome back. Are you still going to try without your dear machine?"

Selesia tightened the grip around her sword. Tiny compared to Vogelchevalier's. "Of course. That's what heroes are." Altair smirked. Her weapon glinted in red.

Meteora's voice entered her ear. "I've infused an anti magic spell. It should be able to break Altair's reflection."

Selesia nodded to Kanoya. "Altair, seriously you're ridiculous. A joke taken far too much for these sadistic people." Her sword in hand was comfortable. Always as it has been. "Even if I'm going over to the next life, I'm taking you with me."

"What else can you do that hasn't changed anything? Whatever your God give you is not going to work anyway."

That statement turned her fire into an inferno. How dare she! How dare she say that! Selesia Upitiria charged into the fray. Voices in her ear were droned away by the heavy thumps of her heart. Swords. Rows upon them. Six seconds, journey of a lifetime.

Red swung her sword in a dance, keeping them from hitting. Hot purple shot overhead, blasting large chunks of the swarm. Hikayu diving in between, blocking off swaths of them. Remainders blasted aside with bullets and gravity rounds. Mighty force against the never ending enemy.

Pain blossomed from the side. She grunted the pain aside, continuing to batter away the countless waves of swords. The pain continued to grow as cuts and grazes slipped past her guard. She bit against the sharp sting when one caught her shoulder.

Altair was within reach. Selesia screamed with a thrust of hope. Break that smug face of hers!

Altair's grew a smile. Rebellion turned into rose petals before Altair raised her own. Why…can't it work?

Selesia felt the full might of a sword shooting through her torso. There was no pain. All her gutsy steam dried up. She had no voice. The sword vanished.

Altair pushed her away. Vertigo took over, watching the little monster shrink. Selesia didn't feel the ground.

Matsubara watched her die. Falling over backwards from Altair. Glazed dark eyes as blood trickled her lips. She vanished into blue pixels in midst of the fall.

Blink. How long had time passed? Pain burned in his chest. Blank in his memory of the moment.

A slow breath eased the rising flood and filled it in cold void. Selesia was dead. Black hole that spread its tendrils under his flesh. An invisible hand that crushed the beating heart.

Right. She's dead.

No, she's not.

Yes, you just saw it yourself.

It's just a fluke.

Don't. It only hurts more the harder you deny it.

Matsubara felt his legs wobble. Unable to hold the weight on his shoulders. He pressed a hand against the column wall, barely holding on. Cold fingers pressing against white concrete.

Was this how it really felt? Watching someone he cared for to die. An old pain of his father passing away surged back. Far too many years ago and it didn't hurt as bad as this. Why did he feel so much blistering pain inside? For someone that was supposed to be fiction in the first place.

The Kid was unconscious, attended to by a medic. Having it easy.

Charon. Matsubara gave thought about him for a while. He had been a proud man. Willing to protect everything he cherished despite the pains and suffering he endured. No matter the price that would stain on his sol.

Selesia. A girl that had been pushed to a fight to protect the world. Upon entering this world, she had been aggressive. Pointing a sword at him at their first meeting. Insulting him at every now and then. A growth in their friendship to be endearing. Made stronger when he was kidnapped by his own Creation. A part of him had died along with her.

That's right. They were just a part of him as they were their own. Both his children were gone. Dead thanks to that girl in front of the screen.

The others were looking at him. Trying to gauge his response. No. He can't break here. Stiffening the back until it hurt. Tightening the muscles on his face. Pushing away from the wall, he nodded and returned his attention to the screen.

Three survivors left against Altair. Hoshikawa's screams in the radio filled with pain and injury as Altair was lambasting them with another wave of swords like a casual shopping trip. That girl is insane. Borderline insane. Stupidly powerful. What kind of person would create a character like that?

Meteora turned towards him. Her expression was stoic but after spending much time with her, he knew. The girl was sad just like him. Her voice didn't betray the fact. "By any chance, can we use her?"

Matsubara gulped. The trump card in case where all their abilities would not work. He didn't trust himself to speak and nodded. She returned the nod and turned back to the battle, a hand turning the page of her grimoire.

The crowd below were screaming. Selesia and Charon's fans. Just like him, they felt the pain in their hearts. Rage that bloomed much like his own feelings. He wanted to change it. He really did. Matsubara stared at his palm. A palm that had no ability to twist that world. Not this one. I truly am useless aren't I?

Skin hurt as his fists tried to squeeze the anguish away. Without a word, he walked outside. He couldn't say anything. Otherwise it'd break the remaining bits of sense he had left.

Reaching into the corridor, he saw Gai Takarada sitting on the floor. Another man that lost his child. Their eyes met. One with tears streaming down his cheeks. One that is about to.

Matsubara took a seat beside him. He screamed.

Author's Notes: Good day and thank you for reading Beyond Worlds.

Honestly I hoped I managed to give Selesia and Charon's fight a bit more justice. Much of the original part of this chapter had been following the original story rather too closely.

Rewriting Blitz's moments, while a bit more positive felt something closer to what Suruga would do after considering Blitz already attempted shooting her once. Blitz wouldn't give a second chance after losing his first once.

Alicetaria's final moments too were originally similar. As of writing these notes, I had no idea how yet to close her time. The original whilst interesting would be too boring. Too generic which didn't mean squat to what Alicetaria has grown towards, even if it was only a means to lead to the true climax.

Regards

MarksmanKNG