Two blades each. One set, created in the Far East, before being reforged by the hands of the goddess Hephaestus herself. The other set, one born from a mythical spirit and one made from the first of the Crozzo, a Heroic Spirit in his own right. A part of Bell wondered if Welf's ancestor was here in Orario as well.
The rest of him was glad that Homebringer managed to stand up to what he assumed to be Argonaut's "Noble Phantasm", even as his knees buckled under the weight and force behind the two large swords. With a heave, he twisted his body and pushed the blades to the side, immediately creating as much distance as he could as his feet slid across the ground. Yet Argonaut used the momentum caused by Bell to put more force into his own swing, his crimson blade glowing with power.
"Unleash your might, Urus!"
"Tch!"
The inferno flowed towards him like a river having its dam broken in a rainstorm. Bell crossed his arms and prepared himself mentally, letting the immense heat wash over him. He hissed as the stinging covered his entire body…but he couldn't help but grin, as a female cackle sounded in his head. With a shout, he uncrossed his arms, and caused the remnants of the flames to disperse. He shuddered at the sudden cold caused by the rain, as his suit did not survive the flames. Exhaling, he rolled his shoulders, standing alone as the flames dissipated.
He was wise to insist on some Salamander Cloth to be added to the pants if nothing else. Here he thought he was being for why he stood alone…well, he sent Kojiro and Haruhime ahead. Partially out of rationalism, as the Demi Spirits wouldn't defeat themselves…and also out of selfish pride.
A hero of the past, with the same face as his, how could he not fall for the temptation? Said hero blinked for a moment before clapping his hands in delight.
"Unbelievable! To think you could withstand the might of the Fire Magic Sword like that!"
Before Bell could make a boast about the will he inherited from his former captain, the Solaris in his mind already preening, he paused as he processed what Argonaut said. Then he tilted his head, an expression of disbelief filling his face.
"Is that really its name?"
Argonaut cleared his throat awkwardly, his puffed up chest deflating just a bit as he avoided eye contact.
"Well, it's name is Minotan…but, all due respect to my old friend…"
"...Was the creator called Crozzo?"
The hero of old raised an eyebrow at Bell who had a blank look on his face.
"Why yes, how did you know?"
"Guess it's just in their blood…" Bell muttered under his breath, just wondering how Welf had the same sense of naming as his ancestor for crying out loud. He wasn't even aware that the ancestor of the Crozzo had such a history with Argonaut, the Fool, to begin with. The stories he read never exactly put a focus on the gear the clown had, so to say. Argonaut chuckled before twirling the crimson blade as if it weighed nothing.
"Well, if you want to call it a 'cooler' name, I suppose Urus fits just fine, given the circumstances!" Then he suddenly shifted his feet, rearing back the other sword he wielded, glowing with a golden light."But let's see how you face against Jupiter, the Sword of Thunder!"
Bell was already on the move, his eyes wide, but unfortunately, Argonaut managed to track him before he could pick up speed. And up against the speed of the fastest force in nature? It struck his left leg, causing it to convulse as Bell almost fell on his face.
"Gghh…!"
"Oi, Bell, I'm already covering the baby flame aspect, you gotta deal with the lightning yourself! Grit ya teeth!"
Bell resisted the urge to snarl at the mental image of Solaris nagging at him. He was working on it, but thunder was very painful in fact! With a mental burst, he flexed his leg to get rid of the lightning, yet he was lacking feeling in it, his limb numb from the attack. He hit it a few times to regain sensation again, only for him to hear Argonaut take another deep breath.
"And again!"
Bell didn't even bother to look up, instead calling forth the mental image of protection around him, bracing himself.
"Morgenglocke!"
The sparks deflected on the ghostly veil covering Bell, cracking the nearby ground and walls. Bell felt a migraine creeping up as the stream went on this time, with Argonaut slowly stepping forward to push his beam of lighting on. While his protection held up, Bell knew that he'd run out of magical energy first before the Heroic Spirit did. Could Heroic Spirits even run out of mind like living beings? He was not keen to find out. Thus, with a deep breath, once his leg was fine again, he put his plan into motion.
Those blasts were annoying to deal with. But his opponent was still Argonaut. The one known as a Fool, the man who couldn't beat the nemesis of his story. So while his weapons were more mighty than expected…in terms of skill, he had to be lacking!
Thus, Bell stepped to the side, causing the lightning and thunder to screech past his shield, before he took one more step, shrinking the earth between himself and Argonaut. The hero's eyes widened before he had to stop his attack, hastily raising Urus to block the vicious leap strike from Bell. Behind Argonaut now, he turned around and once more shrunk the earth, his face close to the ground as he once more reared his right arm back for maximum swing motion. This time, Argonaut couldn't block it properly, Homebringer digging into his side. Not as deep as Bell liked, as the hero twisted his body in time, but it was damage. But before Bell could go for three, Argonaut smirked widely, tightening his grip on his weapon.
"Fast, fast, very fast!" He crossed his blades. "But two can play this game! Jupiter, Urus, fill me with your blessings!"
Bell saw Argonaut set himself on fire and electricity alike. Part of him wondered where the similarities would end. The rest of him focused his senses, adjusting the path of his blade to come from above this time. But to his shock, Argonaut's limbs moved swiftly, swift enough to block his attack and stop his momentum short. But now, they were within close combat range. Shaking away his surprise, Bell inhaled, at the same time as his opponent.
Then, four arms moved beyond mortal comprehension, their speed picking up as metal clashed against metal, sparks created over and over again. To the outsider, to the novice, the exchange looked even. Stabs were parried, slashes were blocked, back and forth, two swords fought off two swords. However, Bell growled in frustration. The heat washed over him again and again, discomfort lowering his focus ever so slightly. The lightning itself didn't connect to him somehow, instead being contained within Argonaut himself. And yet, the elements alone gave Argonaut an edge.
Bell had to take a few steps back already, while his opponent advanced, slashing up their surroundings and setting them on fire, only for the rain to already diminish the damage. The adventurer didn't know how, but by containing the electricity, Argonaut became so much faster, as if he was lightning himself. Bell tried to create distance, using his Shukuichi, but Argonaut merely chuckled and chased after him just as fast. Not only that, Bell hissed as his cheek was cut open by the burning sword.
He was losing in a battle of dexterity and speed. Against the hero known as Argonaut to boot. His heart burned, as he felt himself and Solaris snarl at the same time. He wasn't foolish enough to hold back any longer. Not to mention, this advantage lured his opponent into a sense of superiority.
Thus, Argonaut was not prepared when his enemy used a similar technique like him, in the darkness caused by the storm.
"Awaken, Inferno-Bolt!"
The white fire came into existence, together with the lightning. Combined, it was as if someone set off one of Lyra's patented flashbangs. Argonaut stared right at Bell when it happened, clenching his eyes shut when it happened with a painful gasp. Without hesitation, the adventurer grit his teeth, enduring the pain from the bolt part of Inferno-Bolt, before swinging his right blade right at the throat. However, Argonaut swiftly bend backwards, letting the blade almost touch his nose in the process. Not missing a beat, Bell chased after him, taking a step forward to be right next Argonaut and aiming his left sword down with the tip of it.
Again, Argonaut twisted his body and spun, swinging his own blades at the same time into a whirlwind of fire and lightning, clashing with Bell's own. To Bell's surprise, they were not swung blindly either, aiming for his shoulder, his kidney, his face, vitals on his body that he barely protected with his own speed. With one final clash and burst of flames and thunder, the two separated. Argonaut blinked a few times, wiping his eyes with a wince before straightening up his back, letting out a chuckle as he saw Bell's heavy breaths and wide eyes.
What the hell was that? It was like he was facing Lyra. A person that could not see, yet moved as if they could anyway. As if reading his mind, Argonaut tapped the side of his head a few times.
"Sorry, sorry, but unfortunately, I am quite used to not seeing! Only this time, I have a body that can keep up with my mind, hahahahaha!"
Something wasn't adding up, Bell thought as he turned Inferno-Bolt to the lowest setting, to decrease the pain it caused as much as possible in order to think.
The individual known as Argonaut could not be so strong. His fate, his story specifically, was about being a loser who wasn't able to live up to the enemy he was facing, having to be saved at the end by someone else. Historic weight or not, the type of history had to matter, right? So the only explanation that made sense was that the stories were lies, that Argonaut was some sort of hidden monster for so-
"No, you are right. Argonaut should not possess this power."
Bell blinked, causing Argonaut to let out a hum as he slowly paced around with a wistful expression.
"Your face made it quite obvious what you were thinking. And indeed, I am but a clown, a fool observed by the gods. No way a mighty warrior would have such a reputation." He rammed his blades to the ground, leaning on them before giving a pointed look at Bell. "Tell me, do you know what an Alter Ego is?"
The adventurer bit his lip. He was vaguely aware of the term, but it was one of the classes that Kojiro and Hans skimmed over. Seeing that, Argonaut chuckled before pointing at himself.
"To put it simply…it is a class that is either lacking certain aspects or gains other traits from outside factors. It is a class that adjusts one's existence to suit another purpose." Shaking his head, Argonaut tilted his head up, staring at the crying clouds of heaven. "In my case, it is to become a hero I have always dreamt of…but never could become alone. Not even in death."
Bell's eyes snapped towards his blades, the gears turning in his head. Argonaut laughed out loud before nodding.
"Indeed, you figured it out! In this class, you not only face the fool, Argonaut…but also stronger fools who decided to help this idiot's wishes!" He tightened his grip on his weapons, closing his eyes. For a moment, Bell thought he saw several phantoms behind Argonaut, two standing out. A female form, flickering like flames. Another, exuding wisdom and yet an aura that reminded Bell of grandpa, arms crossed as they shone with energy. Bell blinked, only for the images to disappear. Argonaut then let out a roar, increasing the power he radiated, causing Bell to take a step back as he unconsciously raised his own output, with an expression of disbelief.
"Jupiter…Urus…! I thank you, that even after death, you support this foolish idiot! O heroes of old, Argonaut, you have my gratitude for pushing this clown with your skills!"
Maybe Bell should've been more outraged. The fact someone could just get stronger after death, once they managed to land in a convenient class. To be empowered by others beyond death. It sounded unfair. It should've been unfair. But instead, Bell couldn't help but feel the corners of his mouth rise, as white lights formed around him, the gentle sound of a bell echoing. Argonaut tensed up, sensing the change in air. It was ironic…that the hero of the past, Argonaut, sensed his skill, Argonaut.
The two breathed in at the same time. Then, they rushed forward, exploding into motion as fire shot out from their soles. Fire clashed against fire, lightning against lightning. The magic of old and new pushed against each other with each physical strike they performed, dancing and engulfing each other like a festival performance.
Yet in terms of sword strikes, Argonaut narrowed his eyes. With a flick of his wrist, accompanied and supported by lightning, he slashed up Bell's thigh. To his credit, he didn't flinch, instead aiming for a counter. Yet the way his arm twitched made it easy to parry it.
Indeed. While Inferno-Bolt increased his parameters in a way, it also made his precision worse, thanks to the lightning coursing through his veins, lightning he had no defense against. And yet, Bell insisted on using this magic, even as his body was cut up with each mistake, due to his stiff movements.
It was then that it dawned on Argonaut, as he saw the output being increased, his own flames and lightning actually being pushed back, causing him to flinch as the elements hit his body. His own resistance was called forth, yet he could still feel the sting, the slowness they induced due to pain on his flesh. Jumping backwards, he was glad that Bell didn't chase him. Instead, he let out a laugh of disbelief, shaking his head as the adventurer roared, turning up the heat and lightning even more.
"Are you actually-?!"
He needed to endure more.
If the most foolish of heroes could pull it off, if Bell truly had a skill dedicated to this man, then who or what said that the Albion couldn't do the same tricks himself?!
With a roar, he pushed through the pain, the agony, as he increased the intensity of Firebolt on his body. It started to burn. It crackled and sizzled within him. More and more power…until he could completely 'see' the energy within. Now something tangible to him, it was agonizing beyond belief.
And yet…Bell grasped the lightning, and forced them to follow the channels he laid out, throughout his nerves, as if adding steel within concrete to reinforce them.
"Oooooh, I get'cha! Get it all flowing properly and it helps more than it hurts! Smart man!" He heard a crack within him, as if someone stretched their neck. "Buuuut we gonna need less output now, more stability! Nobody can say you aren't easy on your own body, you idiot!"
He smirked despite the agony he was feeling, appreciating the snark from his imaginary Solaris. He was being reckless after all, and now that he thought about it, through the pain, the mental image was right.
It wasn't about power. It was about control. Now that he had a hold on the lightning, he wouldn't lose it now, even if he went easier on himself. With that in mind, he lowered the intensity, instead focusing on getting a grasp on it, much easier now that he reduced the force of the lightning within Firebolt.
It still hurt a lot though!
"Improvisation won't work on me!"
Argonaut blurred into motion. Bell grinned despite the pain, his eyes opening with a flash of lightning coursing through the white of his vision.
"Guess again…!"
He saw the attack from above, with Urus. The moment he did, his body already moved, the signal sent from his brain to the rest of his body moving twice, thrice or even four times faster than before, as the lightning literally dragged it alongside it.
"No way!"
It was as if his body was controlled by something else. His conscious mind couldn't process the speed and precision his limbs were moving, so seamless was the transition between seeing and moving. The pain didn't hinder him at all, as it was part of the experience. Bell pushed forward, his arms cutting faster than ever before. Argonaut grit his teeth, increasing his own output to keep up, but over and over, he had to take a step back, as swords filled with heat and lightning cut open his spirit body. Yet despite the pain he had to feel from being bled out like this, his smile was ever unwavering.
"Hahahaha, amazing! I spent years coming up with these ideas! What could I have done better, what could I have done more, against the minotaur! Even in the afterlife, my creative mind never ceased figuring out ways to use the two gifts I was granted!" With a roar, he swung Jupiter and Urus into the ground, causing an explosion that forced Bell back, smashing him into the wall. Collapsing to one knee, Argonaut breathed heavily before pointing at his opponent with a wide grin. "But you, young man, easily surpass me! Picking my ideas with ease! So this is the difference between a clown and a true hero! The new age truly is awesome!"
"You aren't a clown…Grandpa was right…you are awesome…!" Bell muttered, forcing himself up from the debris, his lightning channels having been interrupted. He focused on building them up again, but kept an eye on his opponent. Said opponent blinked at his words before scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"Ah, no need to flatter me too much, most of this is the deeds of other, better men!"
No, Argonaut was wrong, Bell decided in his heart. Perhaps he was wrong…but those techniques. Those ideas…they were painstakingly crafted in his mind, while fully knowing his body would never be able to perform them. If there was anything Argonaut could call his own, it was his creativity, chained and caged by a weak and unskillful body. The gift he was given by the class Alter Ego merely allowed Argonaut to use the full potential that he could never use before. A body stronger than before. Magic he never possessed before. Combat senses he was never able to gain.
If anyone deserved to have the skill to back up his mind, it had to be this Argonaut. And yet…history itself refused him. And yet, Argonaut lacked all those things in life. Did he despair then? Did he rage against the heavens?
No. Even as a mere mortal compared to the heroes surrounding him, Argonaut took up his blade, and moved forward against danger, to save just a single life. It was commendable. It was respectable.
Bell grit his teeth. So why…? Why was he treated like-!
"Because people laughing is better than them crying."
"Huh?"
A soft expression filled Argonaut's face as he slowly shook his head.
"I can see it in your eyes. Wondering why I am such a fool in the stories of today. And it is a choice, a plead, I made willingly. The world needs to smile more, not weep, not pity the Fool." He raised a finger to his lips, giving Bell a wink. "Don't tell anyone though, it'd defeat the point of my legends, hahaha!"
"...Fine…" With the channels built, Bell stomped the ground as the air around him combusted with flames. "So I'll just have to end this, with this memory burned into my heart!"
"End this? My dear boy, I barely got started!" Twirling his swords, Argonaut too rose to his feet. "This fool has many more ideas to execute, Bell Cranel!"
He snapped Jupiter up, pointing upwards. Bell tensed up, ready to dodge the swing…that never came. With confusion, he tilted his head, eyes narrowed.
What was he…?
His only warning was the sound of a crackle, a rumbling, followed by his intuition in form of Solaris screaming at him.
"BELL, FROM ABOVE!"
His head snapped up, only to see the flashes in the dark clouds…occur more rapidly as seconds went by. His eyes widened. His swords moved.
Argonaut swung his spirit gifted sword down. Yet no magic came from the weapon.
Instead…
"Heed my call…! Follow the guidance of this foolish hand! Jupiter's Judgement!"
It was as if a conductor commanded one final beat in the orchestra. And the next thing Bell knew, was pain.
The strike, the attack, the phenomenon, it was too fast to be dodged. No mortal being could've performed this technique, so no mortal being could have been able to avoid it. And indeed, it was no attack from Argonaut.
All the man did…was guide the heavens themselves to strike Bell down. It was but a split second that it happened. Yet it felt like an eternity, as Bell's vision turned white, as his body was wrapped in so much agony, it ceased responding to him entirely. Eventually, the pain stopped…And Bell let out a gasp, his body shaking within the crater beneath him, the ground having blown up from the force of the thunder. Argonaut stared at him with sheer surprise, eyes wide that Bell wasn't vaporized by the attack. Then he looked at Homebringer, embedded in the ground, and realized what happened, as he saw the white veil around Bell flicker out of existence.
"You directed the flow to the ground…? And that protective magic of yours…hahaha, now that is a bummer, I was hoping this would finish you off!"
"How did you…?" Bell muttered, coughing up blood as his body was a bit more scorched than he liked. Argonaut chuckled, tapping Jupiter a few times.
"I figured that lightning attracts lightning! Never tried it out, matter of fact, but I'm glad it worked!"
"Haha…" So an attack that only existed in fantasy up until now. Bell felt weirdly honored by that. Then he snapped his wrist up, palm aiming at Argonaut. "Firebolt!"
Argonaut quickly brought his blades up, but the beam empowered by Argonaut slammed into him like a goliath's fist, smashing him through several buildings as he screamed out. By the sixth building, the energy dissipated, and only by ramming his swords into the ground did he prevent his face from smashing into it.
"What…a punch…!" He coughed, rubbing his burned skin, touching his ribs and feeling them brittle. "The heroes of the present truly have become strong indeed…!"
He heard footsteps, looking up as Bell stumbled forward. Argonaut grinned widely, as he forced himself up to his feet as well.
"So you giving up then?!"
"No way in hell!"
Time no longer had any meaning to them. Techniques and magic spells were cast to the side, in favor of raw speed and power, in elements and physical strikes alone. At some point, they both realized the other was laughing as they pushed each other to the limit and beyond, their legs never moving as they changed locations, from the ground to the rooftop and back, through abandoned stands and a nearby fountain. Again and again, steel clashed, accompanied by exotic elements, against flesh and their fellow steel.
Nothing could interrupt this flurry of blows, of the elements clashing, between fire and flames, between lightning and thunder. Just two men from different eras, with the same faces, grinning with exertion as their blades met each other again and again and again.
Truly, their focus could not waver, no matter what. Their eyes were only upon each other, their mirror image. Their eyes asking the same question, sharing the same desire.
Who are you? What motivates you? Tell me more, show me more. What made you, you? Behind the story, the heroic impression, a farmer boy punched a poor traveler in the face. In response, the adoptive older brother kneed the orphan in the stomach.
Both humble beginnings. Both reaching heights they could have never imagined in life, even if their life was still going,even if their end was tragic.
Both smiled, as they learned more and more about each other, with the way they fought. Argonaut was flashy, yet slippery with his feet. A desire that could not be met, leading to a skill of evasion, for it was all he could do until not. Bell was swift, as if rushing himself to reach others, yet precise, discipline instilled in him since the start, for one could stumble if they went too fast with no tempering.
Indeed, the two of them could not be distracted from each other, as wounds piled up, of slashes, of burns, caused by fire and electricity.
Until-
Bell didn't know how he felt it, through his own joy, his battle rush. But the moment he felt it, it snapped him out of it. Without hesitation, no matter how foolish of a move it was, his head snapped to the side, his eyes wide. There was no way he could've heard it. There was no way he could've felt it. And yet, he did.
The aura of someone he cherished changed. Through the storm, the wind and the rain…he could hear her scream out. No…he could hear her cry out.
She was in danger.
"Aiz…!" He felt a sharp pain in his side. He stumbled, holding his bleeding wound.
"Now is not the time to be distr-!"
Bell saw red.
"OUT OF MY WAY!"
He discarded everything from before. It was as if he became a beast, his only thought of Aiz.
To stop her pain.
To stop her from crying, from the pain.
To…stop her from making a mistake.
He wasn't aware what movements he made, who his opponent was, what injuries he inflicted on himself or his enemy.
All that mattered that Aiz was in danger, of disappearing forever from his sight, his heart.
Eventually, his rage began to subside. His breath was raspy as he leaned against the wall, his eyes blinking as light returned to them. Then, he slowly looked around, the damage he had caused. The burning buildings. The carved up ground and stone. And last…
He gasped, covering his mouth in shock. The hole in Argonaut's chest, as he lied on the ground, blood flowing out of it, just like it flowed out of his mouth.
Bell couldn't remember. How he fought against Argonaut. What attack he used to finish him with. Shame filled his being, at the sheer disrespect he committed, of not even bothering to be conscious of what he was-!
"Now now…The-The victor shouldn't have such a face…"
The gentle voice only fueled Bell's self loathing, as he shook his head with gritted teeth.
"I-I'm sorry…you-you deserve so much more but…I-!"
Argonaut chuckled weakly, closing his eyes.
"It's alright. I see now what sort of hero you are. Haha…" He raised his shaking arm, pointing at Bell with a smile. "The classical man that saves the maiden.. Commendable goal, someone after my own heart…So…I don't blame you. Between me…and a cute girl…the choice is obvious…"
Aiz. The urge to leave was strong once more. But Bell clenched his fist, unable to rush off. Argonaut deserved better than this. A better end than this. And yet…
"It was a stab through the chest, the last blow. Like this…owowow." Bell stared at Argonaut, as he winced after performing the right arm jab. "You'd think a dead man wouldn't suffer from so much pain…" He exhaled weakly. "You should leave. Your instincts…trust them. They are sharp…But…before you do…There's something I have to tell you."
Bell leaned closer. Argonaut whispered quietly. His eyes widened with each word he uttered, causing him to stumble back once the hero was finished.
"You-" His voice was filled with disbelief, even a bit of outrage. But Argonaut closed his eyes, shaking his head.
"Well, one thing at a time…One girl at a time. You were in a hurry, weren't you? Just…think about it."
The permission was granted. Bell sniffed, feeling the tears intermixing with the rain. Wiping his face, he nodded, a fire reignited in his soul.
"I'll never forget this…! Next time, we'll have a proper battle with no distractions!"
WIth that said, he disappeared, as fast as he could, after downing a couple potions. Argonaut let out a hum as he stared at the empty vials left behind.
"The wonders of medicine…" He stared at his palm, already starting to dissipate in golden glitter. "Heh…next time…yes, that would be nice, wouldn't it…?" With a sigh, his smile fell, covering his eyes. "Hah, here I thought I could save the girl at last…then again, that's just what little ol' Argonaut amounts to…"
He followed the call of someone that could be considered a monster. He was aware of what crimes she had committed. What she had done. By all means, he should've refused, or done his best to support his old friends to kill her. And yet…
That look of awe. The childish, innocent glee that followed. The heart of someone that wished for him specifically, the Fool.
How could he had possibly done anything but try to help? Even if it ended in failure? The one known as Argonaut was a being of foolish hope after all…he wanted to believe.
With that in mind, he groaned as he struggled up. If he were but a mere mortal, this would be impossible. But as fraudulent as he was, he was still a Heroic Spirit. Thus, he forced himself up to his feet, with shaking legs.
"Well then. One last thing to do, old man…!" He let out a chuckle. He sensed the energy of Aria. He was sure the others were still fighting on within her realm. He hummed, shaking his head. "Sorry guys... guess I'm leaving first once again."
He put a fist near the hole in his chest. Then…he performed his final act, as his body glowed, not because of dissipation, but because he was expending the remnants of his power.
"Once more…the curtains close."
"This fool's story has come to an end…"
"Now the stage is clear, for new stars to arise…"
"Argonaut…Korifosi… - The Turn Of A New Era…!"
His body shone, a blinding light that seemed to engulf everything. And then, just as sudden, as all encompassing it happened…it stopped…leaving behind no trace left from Argonaut, the fool.
It was a Noble Phantasm in the loosest of terms. By all means, it was not known nor confirmed that it could do anything. Just as the name implied…it gave the opportunity, a chance, for a new era. If one was generous, the crystallization of Argonaut's original myth was one of unlocking potential, a path. His death heralded the Era of Heroes. And yet, the Era of Heroes ended pitifully, replaced by the Era of the Gods.
So, what did it mean? A Noble Phantasm with no tangible effects. Or perhaps, one with effects to subtle to notice. Would it change anything? Would it do anything? Argonaut would never know. All this Noble Phantasm represented…
…was the [ruby=possibility] hope [/ruby] that something would change for the better.
/
Aiz Wallenstein was naive when she entered this battle, she realized numbly.
How long was she fighting this beast, whose senses were clouded? How often did she strike against it, only for the winds to have done no lasting damage? How often did she brush with death by the last second?
Her body was screaming out at outrage at the punishment she was suffering. Her body was slowed down from the Gorgon's gaze, despite her protection. Her exhaustion was catching up to her, as she used Tempest again and again, smashing into the Gorgon, only for it to withstand the winds themselves, or heal up from them, the disgusting snake flesh distorting itself to cover the wounds she created. The last attack just now, a rapid rush of snake heads, almost broke her legs if she didn't push her legs just right against the wind. Standing on the ground, as she looked up, she realized…how colossal her enemy appeared to her. And with that difference in size and strength…a traitorous thought bloomed in her head.
She was too weak to win right now, as she was. The moment the thought entered her mind…The black flame within her smashed the cage open.
She needed the power. She needed the hatred. It was the only way to defeat the opponent before her. If she didn't pull it off, if she failed to do so…! Behind her, she numbly realized, that the walls were fighting against the other monsters. Her fellow adventurers, her fellow Familia, her loved ones, those that were left. They would all perish, if she failed to stop this beast, this calamity, that was just like it. Emotionless, remorseless, all destroying what she had left.
No. She couldn't allow that. She mustn't allow that. She had to discard her naivete. Accept that she was weak…
Her grip tightened on Desperate. The Gorgon before her froze, as if sensing the change in the air.
"Haha…hahaha…"
Aiz Wallenstein looked up and smiled. It was not a gentle one. With wide eyes, as a choking giggle escaped her, magic flared up, growing bigger and bigger, as the winds around her turned black. Her smile was utterly broken as she raised her head at the massive monster in front of her. In order to fulfill her desires... her desires to protect her Familia and yet to kill all the monsters, with the Black Dragon on top...
Time stopped flowing. She realized that the ghost within her appeared once more before her in this colorless cold world, the rain drops having frozen in the air.
Edmond Dantes stared at her without any sympathy, any passion, his hat covering his eyes as he had his arms crossed.
"So you have made your decision at last."
"I'm going to take the dive," she whispered, feeling the weight in her soul already dragging her down. Her smile twitched. Was it fear? Was it anger at the situation? She didn't know. She didn't care.
Whatever it took to defeat the thing before her, to protect her Familia. Dantes let out a scoff, tilting his head back to stare at Aiz with his dismissive eyes.
"Hmph. I know what you think. But those 'noble' intentions of yours will soon disappear, burned to ashes by your hatred. By the end of this, you will not care. When this is over, you will have none of those feelings you feel now."
"It doesn't matter," Aiz whispered, pushing down the ache in her heart. She put a hand on her chest. "It doesn't change what I feel now is genuine. If I can get the power to kill it and its ilk…I'll become the monster. If I can pull it off before I really stop caring…it…it'll be worth it…"
She thought of them all. Riveria. Loki. Finn. Gareth. Bete. Tiona. Tione. Lefiya. Ryuu.
Bell.
It hurt. It hurt to imagine she would stop caring for them, to leave them all behind.
But she was too weak.
She wasn't like them.
She was too tainted after all. No matter how hard she tried…she would forever be the wretched little thing, left behind by the Black Dragon. Not a daughter, not a girl that begged for salvation but a broken rusted dagger aimed for the monsters of this world.
And she had to accept that, no matter how much the little girl within her begged her not to.
Dantes simply stared at her, before turning his back on her.
"Your choice has been made. I shall look over you until the end."
"...Thank you…"
A flare of power radiated from the Avenger, a snarl forming in his throat.
"Do not. Do not dare."
"...Sorry."
"Sorry for I? Your Familia? Or yourself?"
She didn't know. What she did know, as she slowly stepped into the dark pond of mud within her, as she stepped deeper and deeper towards the black flame within…she couldn't lie to herself anymore.
Aiz was scared.
The realization made her drop a last tear…before she took the dive, silencing the weak girl within her, that begged for a savior, that begged to not go down into the darkness. As her soul did so, as she drowned herself into the abyss…a final prayer left her mind.
As she fed the Black Flame in her soul, as her hair turned more and more white, the fading of color almost reaching her roots as her eyes turned progressively yellow. As other emotions like joy, envy, pain and even love began to be burned away, leaving behind nothing but hatred.
She prayed that her family, her friends, would kill her if she aimed this hatred at them. With that last thought of sanity, her mind was drowned in the flame of vengeance, her soul engulfed by it as it began to burn up.
Time resumed.
"NIZEL!"
And for the first time, she cackled as she heard the agonized scream of Gorgon the moment her black wind hit its damned face.
She felt no joy while doing so. It was an involuntary reaction from her body. After all…
Right now, all she could feel was hatred.
Ignoring the whimpering deep within, still alive, fighting, waiting for something that would never come.
A savior.
Just like always.