Updated: 8/17/15

Chapter 29: Over

[ Buffy the Vampire Slayer- The Final Fight Extended Version 0:00-5:37]

She was enshrouded in a cloak of darkness, all remnants of illumination obsolete as she declined even further beneath the obsidian surface. The only companionship she possessed was the weight of the Enchantress in her grip, which she'd never used in combat prior to this moment. Liara was genuinely terrified, as she wasn't an accustomed fighter, but was still somehow envisioned to vanquish a potent creature that had effortlessly thwarted the magic of faeries and murdered almost a thousand people.

The gloomy dimness around her expeditiously dispersed into equilateral particles, unmasking an entirely new set of scenery. In front of her was a courtyard, with cobblestone pavement and lush green hedges proportionately spaced out on both sides. Like the realm from earlier, this platform also floated over an abyss of nothingness.

She inhaled a deep breath, wiped her perspiring palms on her dress, and stepped forward.

As she ambulated through the deceptive environment, Liara noticed statues that were placed evenly apart on each side. Each sculpture was of what appeared to be a mythological creature, all skilfully carved and etched in fine detail. The first statue on her right was a mermaid whose scales seemed to glisten even though she was only grey stone, and the centaur on her left looked as if he was going to charge towards her. There was also a phoenix, a fairy, an elf, and many other magnificent creatures that all seemed so life-like that a chill ran up her back. They all directed her attention towards the center of the verdant terrace.

Goosebumps prickled up her skin.

Before her was a man, hunched over and simpering at the terrain. His smirk scared her because it looked sadistic, as if he'd tormented someone and thought it was humorous.

She hesitantly walked closer, rigidly gripping her sword until she stood only a few feet away from him, waiting for him to lift his head or make some sort of movement that informed her that he knew she was there. He sustained silence, provoking a sigh from her.

She would have to make the first move.

"Excuse me, but are you Adam?" she apprehensively inquired, striving to suppress the uneasiness in her voice.

For another moment the man proceeded to stare without so much as a twitch before he gradually lifted his head, his smile widening as bleak and lifeless red rimmed eyes seemingly pored right through her. He gracefully upsurged to his feet, prompting her to cautiously step back.

Liara wasn't going to retreat from him, but she didn't want to be right in his face either. Even though he reeked of evil, there was also a part of the real Adam trapped inside, pleading for help. She needed to free him, and that's exactly what she intended to do. She raised her sword, pointing the sharp blade at him as he began circling her, their eye contact unfaltering.

"I've been waiting for you," he at last spoke, his voice thick and raspy. He tauntingly eyed her as he earnestly extended his fingers out towards her face, eager to feel her soft skin.

She backed away from his craving hands, eyes widened in fright.

"Now, now, didn't you come and find me? Don't you want to say hello and "chat" for a bit?"

Protracted shadows surfaced below him and vaulted out of the ground at her, evoking him to cruelly chortle as Liara scampered away. One of the shadows shrouded her ankles, deriving a surprised yell from her as she tumbled and scraped her knees against the rough pavement. Her dress was already starting to tear, and she could feel bruises forming on her kneecaps. A floating hand latched itself into her hair and yanked her head up, baring her neck and initiating a startled cry of pain from her. She restlessly scanned around for her fallen sword before she spotted it several feet away. She shot her hands up and grabbed the hand to disentangle it from her curls before spinning around, arching her body up, and biting down on the severed palm.

The hand quivered and vanished, releasing her back onto the ground with a thud. She tickled the shadow that had bound her ankle until it released her, and then bounded forward to finally swipe the Enchantress off the ground. She positioned herself into a defensive stance, licking her dry lips and furrowing her brows in concentration as Adam advanced closer to her, unimpressed by her fighting.

"Please, stay for a bit. It's been so long since I've last had a guest," he purred with bitter amusement as he poised over her, teeth bared and sleek like a bloodthirsty animal. He raised an index finger, summoning an onyx pillar that cleaved into her back between the shoulder blades.

The impact launched her into the air as if she was a rag doll.

As she plummeted towards him, he flung another beam from his hand, which slammed her against the faerie's statue. Her body cascaded limply to the ground, eyes only halfway open.

In a way, it was astonishing. Such a strike would've done substantial damage to her in her physical body, yet there weren't really any signs of physical abuse on her spiritual form. However, the pain was still there, only it was numb from the exhaustion she felt. She had to get up. She couldn't lay like this when she was supposed to be fighting.

Her wary eyes suddenly drew in the sight of the faerie statue looming over her, its blank eyes open and beckoning. Liara shook her head to relieve the feeling of drowsiness before hobbling up and diving behind the stone base. She cautiously peeked around the corner, her mouth turning dry as she noticed Adam was no longer in sight. Her fingertips gripped the stone in worry as her pupils darted around, hoping to see some sign or trace of him.

"Looking for me?"

She gasped and shoved herself away from the statue, breath caught in her throat when she realized he had somehow developed next to her. She bolted towards the middle of the floating terrace so she wouldn't be as adjacent to the edge. She knew that if she were to die in this realm, she wouldn't wake up ever again, and her soul would be trapped. She twisted around once she reached the center, biting her lip as nerves scattered into every ounce of her. He casually strolled to her, his footsteps reserved with each calm step. He stopped when he was about five feet from her, smirking as he spread his arms open.

Liara cautiously studied his movement without averting her gaze. He was like a snake coiling around his prey, and one little distraction could prompt him to strike at her.

Adam tilted his head back and howled in laughter, his body suddenly subsiding into the turf as the obsidian shadow emerged in his place, intently eyeing her with burgundy slits. Her mouth gaped open as she noted Adam's slack body laying on its back, appearing rigid and comatose. A drop of sweat seeped on her forehead as she focused on her opponent.

This was it. She had to be ready.

The black form slid closer to her. It cackled and plunged its arms into the verdant surface, erecting up pillars of dusk embodied with lighting. One surfaced right next to Liara, stinging the fingers on her left hand. She let out a small cry at the sudden shocking contact and glimpsed down at her hand to see her fingertips had altered into a shade of fuchsia. She glared indignantly at her foe and back at the column. She really wanted to just stab through it, but disregarded the idea as she really didn't want to be fried. Gripping her sword, she charged towards him, blade pointed straight forward. She was hoping to stab him while he was occupied with his attack, but was caught off guard as an arm sprouted from just beneath his face and plunged at her, making direct contact and knocking her onto her back. She heaved at the loss of air and coughed as she wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach. The impact wasn't severe but had still knocked a decent amount of air from her lungs. Her breath came out in ragged gasps as she shakily seized her sword.

"What an idiot you are!" the creature snarled as it withdrew the columns. "I'm like a God, and yet you decided to weakly run at me? Ha!" Liara helplessly peered at the powerful being as it only enlarged and began swaddling itself around her. Terror gripped her.

It was going to swallow her whole.

She browsed behind her and discerned the edge of their arena. She was ensnared and petrified, her anxiety only increased as the surrounding statues were swallowed and decaying into mere dust particles with each space the shadow consumed.

This was the end. She was going to die, and this time, permanently.

However, she wasn't going to go without a fight.

She lunged forward, using her feet to propel off the ground and provide extra speed for her attack. The blade of Enchantress slashed into the black form, but the dent simply sunk in and whisked away into curls of smoke. "N-No," was all she could stammer before another column smashed into her, knocking her and her sword straight back and off the platform. She spiraled downward, hands stretched up as she dropped farther away.

This wasn't supposed to happen. She had lost, and now she would never see Brook or her friends ever again. She had let everybody down. What a fool she was.

A faint smile crossed her lips as she recalled memories of past experiences she and the Straw Hats had shared: her meeting the crew, their night out together, the fireworks, drawing Usopp, learning how to use a sword, being rescued-all of them rushed into her mind in a blaze of light. At least they'd had good times together, and she'd even experienced being in love. Her lower lip trembled, but her eyes remained shut.

Love really had happened for her. It wasn't the number one thing she'd searched for in life, yet it had found her where she'd least expected it. Her fingers twitched. She would never be able to hold hold hands with Brook ever again, or wrap her arms around him, or tell him that she loved him. A tear slid out from beneath her eyelid, but remained attached to her cheek. Her eyes opened.

Floating beside her was the little boy spirit she'd met only a couple days ago, and the rest of the lost souls. Time seemed to stop as she twisted around so she could face him properly. The little boy smiled and plucked her sword out of thin air. Liara appreciatively beamed as she reached for it, grateful for the familiar feeling of the sword's handle once again in her hands. The boy and the other spirits bunched up in front of her, all of them focusing on the Enchantress.

"Use us to win," the little boy whispered. "Physical attacks won't work, so let us bind into the blade. We'll win, trust us." Liara felt hope flutter in her chest at his words. She knew by now that she should expect the unexpected, and that the impossible could be possible if she believed it to be so. Her eyes gleamed as she raised the sword straight up, not taking her eyes off the boy in front of her as she did so. He nodded and quickly blended into the blade, the other souls following en suite. With each soul that entered, she felt her power increasing in strength until at last her sword glowed bright white, the effect melting into her skin. Her entire body gleamed with ivory, her eyes beaming like two pearls. She shot upwards until she reached the platform. With the grace of a cat she landed back on her feet, sword armed and ready. This time, she wasn't going to lose.

The creature had shrunk back down to its original size in belief to having been victorious, though its form seemed to sag in disappointment from losing the thousandth soul. It growled at Liara's return, seemingly pleased at having another chance to consume her. Her presence this time was different though. She stood straight and radiated with confidence as she ambled towards the repulsive beast, mouth set in a firm line.

"Back for me, are you? Good! I like a long fight!" it hissed as it dove towards the young woman, claws sprouted out to cage its prey. Liara pushed her sword out and cut through both claws with ease, black spots dotting her form. She blinked and tried to maintain her serious expression as she suppressed the shudder of nausea she felt from the contact of dead slimy tissue. The shadow screeched in pain as its claws melted and dripped onto the ground. The sky above became black, swallowing the group into its sensation of a starless night.

Liara's entire body suddenly felt weightless. She tilted her view downwards and noticed the ground was now a decent distance away from her feet. She was suspended in midair, directly hovering over the pitiful monster that continued to scream in agony from the pure spirits that had fused themselves into the sword's strike. She positioned the blade above his head. A rush of exhilaration raced through her.

It was time.

"This is for the lost souls! For Merida! For Adam! For Fantasia Island! For my nakama! And for Brook!" She stabbed downwards, her blade cleaving through to the center of the shadow's head. White orbs spiraled around her as she sliced as deep as she could, trying to ignore the ear-splitting scream that was being released. She gritted her teeth and pushed down with all her strength, her fingers cramping up and her arms growing stiff and tired. "Just a little more," she groaned out loud. "Almost there!" She wasn't sure whether she was trying to convince herself or the spirits, but something was needed to keep them going.

At last, her blade and feet made contact with the ground. The creature's screaming terminated into nothingness, and all was silent.

The monster had been cut clean in half.

For a moment, Liara just stood there, bent down with her fingers still firmly wrapped around Enchantress's handle. The luminosity from her and the sword died out as the souls all materialized, cheering and whistling as they danced in happiness from finally being freed. She smiled and fell onto her back in exhaustion, eyes shutting and cramped fingers curled up into her palm. The shouts of happiness around her faded away.

Everything was perfect now. Finally, the nightmare was over.

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