Mega Man X: The Mist Enigma
Chapter 22: Critical Blow
Gate waved his arm. A long blade of red energy shot from the arc to our direction. We dodged it, but Gate teleported behind us and threw the blade again. I got nicked on my left arm. I glanced at it and let out a soft grunt.
"He's getting better," I thought. I threw a ball of light into Gate's face. He wasn't fazed in the slightest. His face was just as stern as when we began.
"Wait, why didn't that hurt him?" Axl asked perplexed.
X answered, scowling at Gate, "Gate is fighting just like he did in the past. The only thing that can hurt him is his own attack."
Gate held his hand out and created a green orb of energy. It shot in Zero's direction. Zero smirked.
"Come on, Gate. Learn some new tricks." He slashed the orb down the middle, creating six smaller orbs that shot back to Gate. "Gotcha!" Zero exclaimed confidently. For those not informed, this was the only way to damage Gate. Key word: was.
The shrapnel bounced off of Gate's body. He shook his head. "Have some faith in me for once. I would never pull the same stunt twice, Zero." Gate then teleported in front of Zero. He enveloped his fist in Mist and punched Zero in the stomach. Zero let out a gag and clutched his stomach.
"Zero, hold on!" Axl cried. "Something's gotta hurt this guy." Axl raised all of his wings and fired a barrage of lasers that exploded on contact with Gate. Typical DBZ fashion, I'd say. When the smoke cleared, Gate was again unharmed. He rushed to Axl with both hands out. Purple spheres shot from his palms into Axl's chest. Axl fell to the ground in an electric fit. Gate proceeded with firing yellow spheres en masse on the downed new-generation prototype. Axl let out a bloodcurdling scream until the blasts ceased.
X charged and fired a Tyrant Rave at Gate's left. Dynamo rushed to Gate's right with an ice-enveloped blade. As both attacks were to hit Gate, he held out both hands. The Tyrant Rave stopped moving. Dynamo struggled to finish his downward slice, gritting his teeth. Gate drew his arms back, then stretched them out again with a purple wave. The Tyrant Rave enveloped X in flames. Dynamo had become a popsicle. Gate then made a large red orb over his head. It magnetically drew Dynamo and X into it. I tackled Gate, stopping the attack. Dynamo was freed of his frozen prison. X was no longer ablaze. Both were pretty scuffed up.
I threw fists at Gate at mach speeds, none of them connecting. Gate easily strafed out of the way each time. I kicked upwards off his chest, then came down with Kaiser out. I was stopped in mid air.
"I'm disappointed, Satoryu," Gate shook his head slightly. "Why are you not taking this seriously? You could be using your full strength."
"I don't have to," I answered back with spite. "Not on something like you."
"Well, why not? Do you not want to be a glory hog?"
"Sort of," I began to soften up. "It's because I can't be a glory hog."
"Is your pride that strong?"
"It's not a matter of pride. If I were to vanquish a large threat that the world's native residents can defeat themselves, I would be abusing my power. Then I would lose my powers." I lowered my head. "And my life."
Gate looked up to me. His face was completely blank of emotion. "How sad for you." His white cape grew ten times in size. Each fold became a white blade enveloped in Mist. Those blades thrust their way into my body at various angles. Blood sprayed from each incision, as well as my mouth. The Hunters called my name in anguish.
"Your choice, Satoryu," Gate said, still blank. "Die now or die later." The blades retracted. My body, my clothes, my jaw were all drenched in blood. Gate then threw me into a wall psychokinetically. I slid down until I was propped up in a corner. My vision got blurry. My consciousness was fading. I could hear everyone else grunting, blasts being fired, swords slashing the air. But I couldn't find the strength to look. My head just lay limp. All I could see was a blurry image of my lap, crimson splotched over denim.
This wasn't good. I couldn't heal myself at all. I couldn't do much of anything but think. My power was fading quicker and quicker. The Mist must have finally done it. It must have reached my heart. My soul. My loved ones. The source of my power. I was completely cut off. If my body was able to, it would probably produce a tear from my eye. "Things aren't looking so hot, guys. Looks like I won't be coming home."