19- Last Chance

"Shadow, Spider Out!"

"Venus, Spider Out!"

Without speaking a word of it to each other, both Riders decided it would be alright to break Richter's no-spider rule now. Besides, the building where Siegfried was happened to be in a more wooded area outside the city. It was kind of like his cottage. So, there was a smaller likelihood of anyone seeing the spiders accidentally.

"Come out, Siegfried!" Hunter called, as both he and Corona rode through the woods on their spiders.

"There he is!" Corona pointed.

Siegfried twitched upon realizing he was found, but he stopped running and turned to face them.

"Didn't you realize defeating me is impossible?" Siegfried asked.

"It's not impossible," replied Hunter. "Because I have a power I haven't used yet."

"The Oracle Keys!" Corona exclaimed, as she watched the boy unveil them. She was sure even before seeing them that they were what he meant. "Hurry and transform. I'll keep him busy!" she added.

Corona began to fire arrows at him. However, Siegfried just knocked them away with his hands. The man clutched onto the trunk of a nearby tree, which he began to pull on. It looked to Corona that he was trying to rip it from the ground.

"Oracle Key!" Hunter yelled. But nothing happened. "Huh? Oracle Key!" He made no delay to try again.

"They're not working?" Corona wondered.

Siegfried had succeeded in ripping the tree, which he lifted over his head. The man was panting furiously, but he threw it with all his might at Corona.

"Corona!" Venus shouted, and jumped in front of the tree. While she managed to protect her rider, it landed on the spider's back.

"Oh no!" Corona yelled. "Venus, are you alright?"

She was cringing heavily. "I… I can't move like this."

"Spider in," Corona said, returning her partner to the manacle.

Siegfried's body was shaking. He was writhing in pain, and his chest felt tight.

'No matter,' he told himself. 'I have to continue.'

Hunter looked at the keys in his hand.

"Isn't Aqune back now?" he wondered out loud. "Then… these should work just fine."

"Hunter!" Corona called. "Let me look at them. I'm a handmaiden, so maybe I can figure out why."

"Alright," said Hunter. "Leave Siegfried to me."

"They're still fighting?" Up in a tree, Richter was perched. He had quickly come to the decision to return to the Outer World. Despite what he'd tried to do, knowing Siegfried was still alive would not leave him settled.

"Key or not, I'll destroy that bracelet!" Hunter shouted, as he dashed in on Shadow's back. Jumping off the spider, he threw down his pike towards Siegfried's arm.

"No you won't!" he said, covering the bracelet with his other hand. The sound of cracking bones could be heard. But ignoring the pain in his wrist, he grabbed Hunter by the arm, squeezing as tightly as he could.

"L-let go…" Hunter yelled, trying to break loose.

"Hunter!" Shadow rammed at the man, forcing him to release Hunter.

Corona bent over, looking at the Oracle Keys which Hunter had left aside on the ground. Gently, she picked one up.

"I don't sense Spirit Oracle's power at all," she said, concerned. "It isn't weak like before. It's like the keys have been completely drained."

"Is Aqune back?" Venus asked.

"I think so," said Corona. "Because, I can sense Hunter normally now. It's just the keys."

Siegfried began to cough, blood dripping from his mouth. Despite him being an enemy, even Hunter was slightly concerned.

"This is nothing!" Siegfried shouted, followed by a cruel laugh. "I still feel the power rushing through my body. No matter what you try, I won't let you take it away from me." He bent down, over the tree which he'd thrown earlier, and began to lift it again.

"Quickly, Hunter!" Shadow yelled. "Before he can use it!"

"Yeah!" Hunter yelled. Moving faster than the staggering Siegfried, Hunter finally managed to slice the bracelet.

"Auuuuugh!" Siegfried screamed. The man fell to his knees beside the tree, and once again, he began coughing blood.

"A-are you alright?" Hunter asked.

"I don't need that enhancement," he replied, as he struggled to stand. "I'll make another! But first… I… I will… kill you!" He threw his fist toward the boy. But before it could make contact, the man collapsed. His heart had stopped.

"Hunter, you did it!" Corona said, as she ran to him, carrying the four keys.

"Yeah," he said. "Maybe this wasn't the ending I was hoping for, but, it's finally over."

Corona sighed, relieved.

"But, Hunter, how do we get home now? There are no more transporters, remember?"

"Yeah," Hunter said nervously. "But, it's alright! There's still a way."

"What?" asked Shadow.

"The same way I got here in the first place," replied Hunter. "We can use the pyramid."

"Are you sure it will work?" Corona replied.

"No," replied Hunter. "And… now that I think about it, we're nowhere near it. But still, if it's the only way, then…"

Richter walked towards the body of the man who was his father.

'Finally,' he thought. 'Finally, you're gone. Now, your legacy will die with you.' The boy took a match from his pocket. Approaching the building, he lit it on fire.

Hunter and Corona began walking forward, towards the direction Hunter believed the pyramid was. However, they stopped when they heard someone run up behind them.

"Richter!" Hunter exclaimed. "You're back?"

"Right," he said. "You want to go back to your world, don't you? Because I suppose I owe it to you, for finally defeating the monster."

"Yeah!" replied Hunter, excited. "You're a lifesaver!"

The rest of the Riders had made it back to Arachna castle. Upon seeing the castle, Aqune was startled. It looked terrible.

"What happened to it?!"

"Oh…" Lumen replied. "You'll have to ask your boyfriend about that."

"Buguese?" Aqune turned to him, surprised.

"I was controlled by Siegfried at the time," Buguese replied, sounding rather embarrassed. "Perhaps we Insectors can lend you money for repairs."

"Don't worry about it," replied Lumen. "We can't really fault you."

"At least the castle is large," Igneous said. "There are other rooms, and it can be repaired."

"Hey, everyone!" came Hunter's voice.

"Hunter!" they all yelled in shock.

"Did you win?!" Glint asked. "I bet you did, right?"

"We did," Hunter said. "Siegfried... is dead."

"However," said Corona, who pulled out the Oracle Keys. "Their power is gone."

"Gone?" Aqune wondered.

"But that's okay, isn't it?" Hunter replied. "Because now, everyone's safe. We don't need to fight anymore, so what does it matter if we have Oracle Keys or not?"

"There is still a threat," Igneous spoke. "As long as he's here." He pointed to Richter.

"Yeah, but Richter's enemy is dead," Hunter argued. "So, he doesn't have to worry anymore, right, Richter?"

"Sorry, but you're wrong," he said. "I'm glad that my father is gone, gladder than ever before. But that doesn't take away my hate for this world."

"You still want to destroy it?!" Corona asked, shocked.

"Yes," Richter said. "However…" he paused. "That doesn't mean I have to destroy it right now. I'll be going, and you'd be wise to let me."

Then, he released Wave from his manacle, and climbed on top.

"This is goodbye, for now." He rode off into the distance.

"We can't let him go!" Igneous shouted.

"I agree," said Magma.

"Don't worry," Hunter said, holding out his arms to stop the two of them. "I'm sure we'll see him again."

AN: Well, that wraps up one arc, but Siegfried's defeat isn't the end. There are still more things to take care of, both obvious and not so obvious.