Chapter 24

Heaven and Earth

Their fight forgotten, Nemo and Akio rose their blades to intercept the swords that flew at them from through the wrecked remains of the walls. Utena stepped forward onto the edge of a crumbled wall piece, her eyes burning with rage at the sight of Akio and Nemo.

"Kill them both!" She commanded, sending the swords hurtling at the two duelists with a thrust of her hand.

At that moment, Anthy rushed between Utena and the duelists, her arms extended. "Utena, no!" Squeezing her eyes shut, Anthy waited for the swords to strike her, but to her surprise, not a single blade touched her. Finally mustering the courage to open her eyes, she looked back at her friend, who was staring at her. The blades hung in the air, unmoving, only inches from her body.

"A-Anthy, you're alive?" The rage in Utena's voice subsided, bringing back her normal tone.

"Utena, you're all right!" Making her way past the blades, she hurried up to her friend, hugging her tightly.

"Anthy." Utena smiled, then her expression became cold again, glaring at Akio and Nemo. "Stay out of my way, Anthy. I have to repay them for what they've done!"

"No! You can't, not like this! The Swords of Hatred should never be brought to bear, not against anyone!" Anthy pleaded, trying to get Utena to listen to reason.

"She does not answer to you, little witch!" A voice that cracked like lightning boomed, as the Black Prince made his way into the chamber. "She is a Knight under my command, and only my word is law to her!" Anthy could feel herself being driven away from Utena by the power in his words. "Now, destroy the one who has caused you so much hatred, and fulfill your oath!"

Utena hesitated for a moment, then turned on Akio and Nemo. Raising her hand, she unleashed the Swords again, sending them flying at them with terrible speed. Lunging from where they stood, Touga led the group against the Swords, desperately trying to fend them off.

"Let her go!" A voice cut through Utena's mind. Faint memories of a young man who had saved her. Nemo burst through the line, shattering the Swords that came into his path like glass, the mighty blade in his hand rending the hateful weapons from tip to hilt.

The Black Prince smiled at his approach, raising his right hand as Nemo made his way closer and closer. A wall formed before him, Swords of Hatred pressing against each other to make an impassible barrier. "You dare to challenge the Black Prince, in whom all hatred dwells?"

A silver point burst through the wall of blades, sending cracks racing through the formation. "Let her go! You have no right to control her, and no authority beyond hate! But I fight for my friend, for her right to be free!"

The wall suddenly shattered like glass, flying outward from Nemo's sword like birds fleeing a mighty predator. The Black Prince pulled his cloak of darkness about him, shielding himself from the shattered steel.

He looked out in time to see Nemo closing rapidly with him. Sending swords to bar the young man's path, he shouted. "Knight Utena! Defend your Prince!"

Breaking from the line, Utena moved between Nemo and the Black Prince, her sword glistening darkly as they faced each other. Nemo broke through the blades, only to pause at the sight of Utena standing in his way.

***

Pulling back, Akio drew himself up alongside Cassandra, who was struggling to keep the Swords at bay with the others. Speaking too softly to be heard by the others, he gave her instruction. "Now is your chance, Cassandra. Slay the old Rose Bride, and you will be my Rose Bride forever."

The spark of desire flooded through her, turning her passion into a roaring fire. Her eyes sought out Anthy, who was fending off Swords near the end of the group. Moving around, she made her way to Anthy, a cruel smile on her face. She did not see the Swords of Hatred that struck her in the back, she didn't even feel them. The darkness that flowed into her from the cursed Swords only driving her hate into a passionate fury.

"Now is your day of reckoning, Anthy Himemia!" Lunging at the Rose Bride's back, she thrust at the vulnerable girl.

Catching her words, Saionji whirled to face her. Three swords struck him in the back, but it didn't stop him from throwing himself between Anthy and Cassandra. Her blade sliced into his chest just as Anthy turned to see what was happening.

"Saionji!?" She cried in distress at the sight of him falling. Looking up at Cassandra's hate filled eyes, she rose her sword to defend herself from the younger Rose Bride.

"Now that he's out of the way, we can settle once and for all who will be the Rose Bride!" Cassandra said with a hateful smile.

"I don't want to be the Rose Bride anymore, but I can't allow you to hurt my friends!" Anthy responded, readying herself as she had seen Utena do time and again.

"You haven't figured it out yet? Your friends are dead! They will be sacrificed so that End of the World's ambitions will be fulfilled!" Cassandra laughed, her blade seeking to destroy her rival.

"No, I won't let you hurt them anymore. You have struck a bargain with the devil for your own lust, and now you will pay." Anthy's voice was deadly calm as she awaited Cassandra's attacks.

Infuriated, Cassandra lunged at Anthy, sweeping her blade about, twisting around Anthy's riposte, and thrusting for her heart. Seeing the attack, Anthy turned her body, avoiding the cutting edge, but losing her balance.

As she tumbled over, Cassandra struck again, a mad light burning in her eyes. "Die, Rose Bride!"

Suddenly she seemed to lose her own balance, crashing down next to where Anthy fell. Chu Chu stood between her feet, brushing his paws together. Cassandra's shoelaces had been tied together.

Cursing venomously she turned to face Anthy, but was caught off guard as the Rose Bride lunged atop her, knocking the sword from her hand. Discarding her own blade, Anthy smacked the girl laying trapped under her.

"You stupid fool! He's only planning on using you like he used me! Wake up!" Gripping the blades that thrust through Cassandra's chest, Anthy pulled her upright, then pushed, sending the Swords of Hatred skittering across the platform.

Free of the hatred that had trapped her mind, Cassandra began to sob as Anthy drew off her, embracing the younger girl with bloodstained hands. "Be free."

***

Touga smiled as the tables began to turn. Many of the Swords had been shattered by his companions, and the darkness was starting to subside in his soul. He could feel their victory drawing closer.

"It seems I have finally won." Akio's voice behind him brought Touga's head around. Sweeping his blade, he parried the attack meant to finish him. "So, I see that blindness has not crippled you quite as badly as I thought."

"It comes to this then? I suspected you would try this, but why you would take such a chance is beyond me." Touga replied, facing his old mentor in manipulation.

"Simple, for the first time, all my enemies have come before me, along with my pawns. If the Swords of Hatred are defeated here, I will finally be free to do as I please. The only obstacle will be you and the other duelists, so I am making sure to finish the work I started when Dios was lost." Akio explained, his smile showing the true nature of the former Prince.

"In that case, I will have to change your plans again." Touga smirked. "A world ruled by you doesn't sound like a very appealing place to live."

Their blades clashed like lightning as the two of them danced back and forth, each seeking to slay the other. Akio thrusted, only to find Touga's point grazing his right ear. Pushing up, he knocked Touga's blade away, and slashed across his foe's chest, cutting his jacket open and sending small rivulets of blood down Touga's body.

Touga feigned reeling from the blow, then attacked in turn his swift strike catching Akio off guard. The sword cut into his leg, sending blood trickling along Akio's black pants. Countering the strike, Akio brought his sword down at Touga's head, but was surprised when his student managed to not only parry the attack, but began pushing his blade back as well.

"Very good, but you never learned your lessons well enough." Akio laughed softly.

"What makes you think that?" Touga asked, his voice barely hinting at the pain he was in.

"If you had, you would have learned to take every advantage of your opponent, like this!" Akio punched heavily, sending Touga reeling with a ringing in his ears. Suddenly realizing he couldn't feel Akio, Touga tried to raise a defense for what was coming, but had no way to know where the attack would come from.

The attack slammed down on his hand, knocking the sword from it. He pulled his arms up over his head, trying to stop the raining blows that struck at him, but Akio's relentless attack beat him down, leaving him lying upon the ground, wounded and disoriented.

Akio raised his sword, ready to finish his foe, when something caught his attention. He looked over, and was shocked by what he saw.

***

Nemo's blade met Utena's, tears from his eyes, rage from hers. He tried to fight, but had no heart to hurt her. She struck with fury, but some deeper force always stayed her hand.

"Utena, I can't fight you like this. You're my friend." He said, his sorrow spilling down like rain.

"Best get over yourself then! I'll make you pay for betraying me!" She slashed at him, her steel biting at his gut. His sword came down, knocking hers aside.

"I would never betray you, Utena. Nothing in the world would ever make me do that." He said, his voice causing her a moment of pause.

"No! You were just like the others, trying to make me into your Princess! I am a Prince, and I don't need you!" She attacked again, pushing Nemo back.

"Utena, you know that isn't true. Don't you remember the story? The one Conall tried to tell you? He told you that he was your Prince, that you had been promised to him." Nemo's voice bled compassion. "I knew the truth, I told you about the Prince you were promised to. What did I tell you that day?"

She thought back, all of her memories seemed to cloud, hiding what had happened. Why couldn't she remember what had happened? She pushed, trying to break through the cloud that struggled to blind her. Then she found it, deep within herself.

"You said 'because I met the real Prince from your tale, and he has renounced any claim to her.' That there would be no more claim. That there would be-" Realization struck her, the words he had said, words that released her from the promise. "You freed me from it! You refused to take me, even if you had the right!"

Suddenly the power over her mind began to break. Like sunlight cutting through the clouds, her mind began to open. Unwilling to release her, the Black Prince tightened his grip, crushing her will, and forcing her into his hand.

"You remember, Utena, and that's why I'm willing to pay any price for your freedom." Nemo lunged forward, ignoring her blade, which she thrust at his chest. A roar tore itself from the young Prince as Utena's blade pierced his body.

Utena's will shone out suddenly, realizing what had happened. She stared teary eyed at Nemo, who was impaled on her blade, his arm extended past her. Turning her head, she saw he had done much more. The sword still clutched tightly in his hand, had struck the helmet and mask of the Black Prince. Slowly, the demonic mask of hatred slid in two, revealing the face of Leander, contorted in shock and rage. Blood crawled down his face as he stumbled to his knees, staring up at Nemo and Utena.

"M-my po-power, how can this be?" He fell forward, his eyes clouding over in death. For several long moments, they sat there, looking at the slain Prince.

Realizing Nemo was still stabbed, Utena laid him upon his back, drawing her sword carefully from the wound. She worked frantically, tearing cloth from her jacket which poked out from under the armor to use as a bandage.

"I'm sorry Nemo, I-" Nemo placed a finger on her lips, smiling up at her.

"It's okay, Utena. I did what I promised to do. You have nothing to be sorry for." He leaned up, kissing a tear from her eyes.

***

Venetia smiled cruelly from her seat, watching them recover from the battle. She would steal their hope from them, and then crush them all beneath her heel. The Black Prince was supposed to give her a signal, but he had died, leaving them wounded upon the floor of the high tower.

Raising her hand, Venetia laughed mockingly as she swept it down, thousands of Swords, held back under her command flying at the vulnerable figures below. "Hahahaha! Now you all will pay for what you have done!"