Holy Blood: Act Two – Red Sun, Pale Fire
Drakengard
This includes characters and races that are not mine. The © details are as follows:
Vox Vocis Cruora and the Elements Dragons are © to Voice-of-Blood AKA Unmercyful Death
Darling is © to FloodBait of Deviantart
Seraph is © to me
Drakengard, any canon characters, and the scenario minus any original characters/races are © Square Enix
SoulBurn
No more debts to be paid, no more oaths, no last revenge. It was done. My head falls forwards again, the body slipping from the stake to thud limply onto the ground. Wings drooping, jaws gaping, breath rattling, I, too, am nearly done.
"Haah…It took an Arch Dragon to kill you, my friend. I feel I am somewhat anticlimactic."
The words barely make it out of my mouth, but I feel more than know that Angelus hears me. I limp from where the Devil lies. I will burn, and the Devil does not deserve the honour to burn alongside me.
The Red Dragon's presence fades from my perceptions. Her time, too, is spent. She must return to death. Soon enough we will meet again. Finally, I deem I have gone far enough, and I collapse, my strength fading. As I lay my head down, I hear wingbeats from on high. I try to look to the sky, but my eyes burn. I hear voices, and I nearly choke on memories. My friends, my allies, my trusted ones. I do not question how they got here; all I know is that they are. I feel someone touch my forehead and then move away, black toes and red talons filling my dimming vision. Voice…she must have heard my Blood's cries for vengeance, and lead Darling here. She stood back, and I could tell she looked down at me.
"Never will they break more Seals…They should have heeded your words. I should have killed them both!" She moved from cold statement of fact to blazing fury in the space of those words, and she lashed her tail. I could feel the air moving against me.
"…No…It all…came full…circle. With me…die all catalysts."
Darling made a confused noise, but I hadn't the strength to explain. I just wanted, no, needed, to burn, to lay the weight of the Seals down, to let my wings burn free.
Voice saved me from the agony of speaking.
"The Tool of the Gods, the Weapon of the Arch Dragons, and Seraph, the Half-Breed Goddess; they all three pass beyond the realm where any can make use of them."
Darling thumped his tail against the ground and growled slightly.
"Even so, why did this have to happen?! The Seals were meant to keep everyone safe, not make more die!"
Voice sniffed, and I suddenly realised she was crying.
"That is why we will find a better way…My only sorrow is that we did not find it soon enough."
I rasp, tasting blood in my throat. My blood must be causing Voice much pain. I am sorry for that.
"Do not…worry. I did this…of my own will. I must thank you…and now, I must burn…"
Though it pains me to watch them go, I force myself to watch while they fly away from me. I went boldly into the void of the Seal; I can stand brave before death!
They are at a safe distance. I let the smouldering embers take me at last. I come to realise that, in truth, being the Goddess was a little death; that was why I could feel Angelus, Caim, and the former goddesses. That was why flames always accompanied me; I was caught in a living death, the flames always waiting to burn me away.
They do so now, burning me as if I were dry wood, and I feel the burden of this world slip from my tired wings, the Seal unwinding itself from my shattered, bleeding soul. The final laying down of my duty, the final solace, at last, I can rest. I close my sightless eyes, and everything that is me, I let it burn.