AUTHOR'S NOTE (9/9/23)
So, after about 10 months now, here we are. It's the end. Before we begin, I want to thank EVERYONE for reading this story. It was my first longfic in years, and honestly, it's the first time I've ever come close to completing a longfic. Before, all I would do is write oneshots, and after that, well, I almost gave up on writing completely. It's thanks to two really, really great friends that I am able to say I stand here today, on their shoulders, able to see beyond the horizon of my dreams. To both of them, who shall remain unnamed but know who they are, thank you very much.
After this, the last chapter (chapter 18) will arrive, and then this story shall be complete - safe for one little bonus chapter, but that's a little further down the line. Soon after I will be working on my other two stories: "The Witch, The Robot, and the Bugster", and "Ex-Aid x Street Fighter: Forever Fight" (probably gonna change that title down the line to World's Strongest tbh). Then, going forward, I'm not exactly sure what I'll do. I still have a lot of love and passion for Wizard, so I want to put out more stories, and I think I also want to try doing one-shots again.
I may be starting school once more, but it honestly won't put a damper on updates.
Nonetheless and once again, thank you all for following Haruto and crew on this journey. May the final battle between Kamen Rider Wizard/Haruto Soma & Kamen Rider Emperor/Genichiro Shima satisfy you.
Oh, also, feel free to listen to this with some cool music! I know I was looping the hell out of Infinity's final form, "Missing Piece" as I wrote this.
"Come, Dragon!" Wizard screamed, a waterfall of tears glistened into diamonds and in his arms materialized a weapon of immense power – the sword of myth that would cut through fate, Axecalibur! Into what could very well be his first, and final battle, Emperor would wait no longer and from the heights of the marble stairs lining up a path to a throne he didn't own, he leaped with his blade brandished; striking for a devastating blow! With all his might, Wizard retaliated, and they clashed together!
The power of infinity and eternity could barely be contained between their fine metal, unleashing in bursts through powerful, colourful auras that perfectly encapsulated their fighting spirits. It was as though time stopped, if only for a second, to cast their opposing destinies over a well crafted canvas, to whom the artist's passions could be read in each and every finger-tearing strokes. Both of them hurdled back, Emperor crashing straight into the throne. It was nothing more than a pile of sheet metal by the time he got back to his feet, dancing with delirium. Oh, he couldn't remember the last time he felt so alive!
"That is what I am talking about!" Violently writhing his limbs around in the air, he repositioned himself in a battle stance. There was no defense on this one as he rushed Wizard once more. "Don't bore me now!" As though he had blinked, which he surely hadn't, his opponent had vanished! If not for his extraordinary senses and a bit of luck, Emperor would have made a grave mistake in his intuition as Wizard was standing next to him. With such graceful composure, his elegance shined like a chandelier reflecting a speck of hope into a lake of light across a dark chasm. Effortlessly, and with such a refined posture. So, this is the power that he's been holding back, isn't it?!
A few swipes, but none could seemingly hit. Though, he wasn't going to give up so easily. Curving his sword around in a circular motion, he managed to predict where Wizard would appear next. To his surprise, a near transparent barrier crafted from magical crystals gathered around his figure at the point of the strike, reflecting the attack into the air. However, it wasn't in vain! To our hero's shock, it had still managed to damage him. A sudden shockwave ran throughout his body, as though he was standing in the epicenter of a powerful earthquake.
"Rrgh!" Wizard grinded his teeth, it seems like he wasn't the only one holding back before. Exchanging several blows, the two magical warriors zapped in and out of place throughout the throne room at a speed the eye could barely comprehend! One flash after the other, it was like watching a shadow extinguish and be resurrected in less time than you could conceive such an image!
A field of lightning appeared before Wizard as he backed away for defensive measures. Just before he could prepare his own attack, a sea of golden doom cast his way, covering each inch of the room! Fortunately, he was quick on his feet and using a scrappy incantation, was able to reshape the previously destroyed throne into a wall that circled inwards from his front, catching the brunt of the attack before him into a semi-circular wall that stood a few feet ahead of him. Just as he thought he was safe, his makeshift guard burst into tens of pieces from the Emperor's special: an artificial star. The power of space in the palm of his hands. It came flying towards him, to which he unleashed a swift flurry of strikes to cut through, just in time and just small enough that it wouldn't try to pierce into his armor!
When he thought that was finished, Emperor dived blade first towards him. Though he couldn't see through that marvelous helmet, he could tell that there was a devious smirk underneath all that beauty. With quick judgment, Wizard managed to cross his blade through the attack, parrying them and he unleashed a kick, ice sprouting from his leg, to create a piercing path that launched him directly into the wall adjacent to the balcony.
"Is that all?!" Emperor laughed, bursting through with an array of thunder, just as Wizard was open for a follow up. Driving his foot into the wall next to his opponent, the other kamen rider took advantage of that, taking our hero by the back of the head, crossing over his shoulders, and propelling him straight out onto the balcony, hanging over the edge. If they continued fighting like this, the whole building could come down. Not with others in it, not with Koyomi! Not with Koyomi! Leaping high into the air, Wizard vanished into the night sky, a guiding stream of light creating a diversion to a new stage. On cue, his greatest adversary obliged, and they took their battle into the forest!
"Where are you?!" Emperor muttered underneath his breath. This hide and seek game was already growing tiresome. Just then, from every inch of the field around him, a different element rose out of thin air! Fire, ice, earth and wind separated in four branches, moving as smoothly as rubber beyond the trees, heading straight for him! The power of the stars erupts from his opponent's hand, changing Haruto's coordinated retaliation into nothing more than fodder. It sent a shiver down our hero's spine as it turned what was once a lovely grove into nothing more than ash in a matter of seconds.
BIG, PLEASE!
"Right here." A gigantic hand burst from beneath the ground and enveloped Genichiro into a cage, pulling him in and half a mile down the other side, he emerged and flew straight into the air, with Haruto following suit. Silver and white wings sprouted from his backside, granting him the power of flight with Dragon's continued aid! Their battle continued as the island around them suffered, neither shedding a tear for the tree whose elder roots were uplifted from dirt. Their continual blows began to create large crevices, growing in size for each and every moment that either of them touched the ground between their battle. Etches of their power crafted in the shapes of circular, uneven imprints of shattered rock. All either of them cared about was besting the other, and surviving each mistake that was being made on the opposing side.
Remorse started to become nothing but a fading memory as Haruto and Genichiro sunk deeper into battle, enticing the other with the rush of thrill that came from anticipated victory. Their auras of power emanated light bright enough to rival the sun, a fantasy blue and a gradient gold mixing into an ever-increasing white glow that covered a hundred feet out on each end, stopping at nothing until this display of bloody fireworks ceased. But who would ignite the closing act of the show? For better, or for worse on Celestice, it was yet to be determined.
Growing tired of the neverending stalemate, Genichiro roared with the peak of his voice's might, his monstrous timbre holding so much power that the ground beneath our dashing hero's feet shook – as if an earthquake was erupting right before him! Casting his knee straight into Haruto, Genichiro tossed his blade into the air, took the man by the shoulders and carved a path with his body. Catching the sword with a mirrored, prior mentioned elegance, Genichiro raised his heel and spun around as the skies answered his calls!
An unforeseen bolt of lightning blanketed his weapon, and Genichiro pelted it as though it was a javelin, straight towards Haruto! If that's how he was going to play then… The Axecalibur met them in the middle, leaving a trail of multicolored, beautiful sparkling light that lit up what was a lightless abyss of thick, hollow trees. Smashing against each other in the worst ways, the collision of energy upon initial impact could blow a whole street to smithereens! Circling around the other, the authors of destiny met eyes. Sparks shooting like a geyser, the greater the hesitancy from either side, the more danger it spelled out.
Though on cue, Genichiro was the first to take the offense. Tiny craters forming underneath shallow ground with each step, he propelled himself into the air and leapt over the light spectacle! Arms raised with hands cuffed together, Genichiro directed his blow towards that pristine crown, ready to eviscerate Haruto's skull! Another win for instinct, Haruto managed to warp out of the way, putting an end to a marvelous display of power. "You don't mind if I take this for a spin, do you?" Haruto asked, brandishing his opponent's blade. Just as he turned to face him, he found that they were of kindred spirits – not only in macabre tale, but in technique, as he clashed with the broadside of his own axe!
Genichiro swung like a barbarian, seamlessly chopping down root after root. Their dance continued, each warrior stepping in perfect sync to the other. Rhythmic in their attacks, every opposition met with a valiant defense. Though it couldn't last forever, because the sun had to rise at some point. In their struggle for control, Haruto had been caught off guard and caught a nasty bash in his shoulder from his own weapon, prompting him to drop the blade and fall back. Just then, a glowing globe at least triple the size of his figure spawned in Genichiro's hand. If that touched him, he could say goodbye to everything! Dodging effortlessly, he almost felt obligated to celebrate, but as someone once said 'it's never good to celebrate early.' It crossed his path once more!
With the swiping of his fingers, Genichiro was able to control a star in the palm of his hands. Such a degree of finesse conceived as a nightmare to those who cast him in darkness, he's going to ensure that light never fades. Wings forming once more, Haruto opted for a temporary retreat. Just when Genichiro figured the fun was about to wear out, the Inheritor of the Dragon once again proved him wrong. An innocent, childish joy erupted from the depths of his heart as the chase ensued. Show me the limits of your power, Haruto Soma. Don't disappoint.
Several unrefined figures gave form in the endless sea of green as a radiant, cyan dragon desperately swept in-and-out of Emperor's grasp. Just barely escaping by the thread of a hair, each and every time as the sun turned the rims of trees to ash, yet still managing somehow to keep its direction through killing intent, without the slim thought of falling off the path towards Haruto's doom. He couldn't run forever, and he wasn't going to let this sun run through the entire island! There had to be a way to take care of this, think… Haruto, think!
Then it occurred to him. Island… The water! Bursting out from the grove of forestry, and taking the remains of several trees with him, Haruto sprung out into the night, the deep black sky meeting him, not as a friend, nor enemy, all the while he flew throughout the beach and casted his feet against the ocean, driving bitter rims that split at the vamps of armored boots. Planting a sole atop the wading, azure blankets, Haruto performed a graceful pirouette, his blade no longer a messenger of peace, but a baton, guiding these spheres of destruction along a stringed symphony as they submerged beneath his ankles and into the ocean – dispersing into nothing more than evanescent, bright passages of light.
Ending his small dance, he slammed the crushing side of his axe-blade against the sea, driving a curving, icy rift of his own creation straight towards Genichiro, who was unrelenting in his pursuit! Unfortunately, his opponent had taken a page out of his own book and sprinted firmly along; his boots creating echoed rumbles of thunder whilst he carried himself towards the wizard, hesitancy being a word not in his vocabulary. Unarmed, and propelling a fist of great might, Genichiro resumed where they left off in their brawl. Still, in spite of his strength, nothing was managing to break through!
Each and every blow created shockwaves with enough power to shake the waves into a violent, awakening whirlpool that battled on opposing ends for dominance. "Infinite defense… A barrier no man could possibly break through…" Genichiro grinned from ear to ear, slapping Haruto's rigid arms aside, snatching his throat in a quick, unexpected move! "Then let's see how much you can really take!" Before another word could be uttered, both of them were beneath the surface, at least a hundred feet under the sea. The immense pressure was nothing a mere mortal could be able to withstand. At this rate, you would be crushed for even fathoming such a skewed reality in your mind. Though he tried to break free, utilizing several spells to trap his opponent between the recklessness of his hasty maneuvers, nothing seemed to work against him!
In a matter of seconds they reached the sea floor, the dangers of the sea being no match for either of them. Genichiro couldn't help himself but to have a little more fun, setting the stage for act two! If it hadn't been for the power of his infinite form, Haruto's head may as well have been crushed into a million pieces and left at the bottom of the sea for no one to ever find. Was that the last this madman had in store for our hero?! Not in the slightest! Dragging him by said horns, Genichiro approached a gargantuan bed of sandstone. He rammed Haruto straight against the wall, shattering it in two with his bare hands! Without a moment's rest, Genichiro leaped, clinging onto the edge of the towering debris and smashed his adversary with it, covering his whole body in hopes that would be enough to put the Wizard in the ground… and keep him there.
Was it over?
No!
FIRE, WATER, LAND, HURRICANE, PLEASE!
A set of four, terrifying vestiges of dragons brandishing their jaws in the shape of a bitter fists suddenly emerged from the debris and pummeled the warrior upwards, carrying him back towards the sky! Each and every destructive blow was a fit of desperation from our hero, who in the midst of their battle, had begun to lose his composure and gave in to a primal explosion of pure rage! Suffering bit by bit until he could breathe fresh air once more, Genichiro could only smile beneath that mask. Now this was a battle for the ages! A battle to end all, and he was glad, that what would be the start of a new era to be delivered by none other than the very man whose legend had placed him here to begin with!
As the stars gazed down upon them once more, with each legendary magician fighting underneath a pocketed shower of beautiful, twinkling tears of ice, thoughts of his destiny raced through Genichiro's head. The words of the past managed to catch up to the present, as through each blow, the one question that had been on his mind forever was finally starting to reach an answer in painful clarity. What are you fighting for?
What am I fighting for? The words repeated themselves.
The magical warriors of fate flew high into the sky, beyond the scenery that their bloody war had now stained with cataclysmic destruction. Those below, who were fortunate to witness history in the making, swore that the enveloping auras of gold and cyan, which wrapped around the other in a violent clash, took a gigantic form of the legendary beings that Celestice had foresought: Dragon & Kirin, til death do them part.
Through clenched teeth, battling beyond the blood that has stained his once uncertain, weary face, Genichiro Shima was able to understand exactly what he was fighting for. A life of freedom, and a life with you, dear Fiore.
Haruto Soma, taking the greatest beating he has ever received in his life, and duking it out all the same in his own responsibility towards acknowledgment of the role he played in this story, could also muster up the lines that perhaps, he already had memorized in his heart, but until now, through duty departing denial to his desires, he has refused to say.
What I want out of life… What I want… I want a life where I can live in peace with Koyomi, where neither of us will ever have to worry!
Just that name alone fueled his drive to succeed. Koyomi, his journey began with her, and it will end with her.
"Could that be…" Back on ground level, Rinko caught herself gazing towards the sky, her heart shaking in disbelief as fireworks in every shade spit off throughout the dark abyss of the night.
Shunpei, who had been overseeing the safety of the Celestians, also caught wind of the battle. "There he is!" He shouted, clambering to his feet and urging the others to cheer on, as though their screams could decide the victor.
"Haruto!" Koyomi screamed, her voice carrying throughout the clouds.
On the other side of the island, a hand reached out to the disgraced ruler. When no one else offered to help, he alone could rely on the one man who always stood by him – Gorou Shima. The other mages watched in horror as Haruto and Genichiro zipped by in quick bursts. So quick in fact, that no one was really able to predict where these momentary images could appear next. "It's started…" Ex-Emperor Kalium muttered, accepting the end, no matter the outcome. All that he had tried to contain was now moving full steam ahead. If he died here, so be it.
But one person wasn't going to passively stand by anymore and accept fate's hand. "G-Gen…" Gorou stammered on words he was certain couldn't reach his son, but if there was even a chance that he could hear him now, then he had to try! "Genichiro!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. All past loyalties are now buried as he watched his only child battle for his life. "Genichiro, you have to win!"
An eternal stalemate wasn't going to satisfy anyone. Further drifting throughout the atmosphere, and reaching for the heavens, Haruto and Genichiro both understood that the end was drawing near. Standing above the clouds, his opponent glanced around and couldn't help but to laugh.
"What, getting tired?" Haruto asked, chuckling.
"It's nothing." Genichiro shook his head, astounded by the sights before them. He had never imagined he would be able to stand here, and that figments of the soul could paint themselves in the image of a breathtaking, otherworldly portrait. A never-ending field of stars. "Truth be told, Haruto, I have pictured this for years. This is how I've imagined it."
"Is that so?" If only for a moment, Haruto allowed himself to let loose and gazed upon the horizon alongside Genichiro. Only these men could enjoy such a sight, and it was beautiful. "I hope it's not a disappointment."
"No. It's perfect."
Just then, those stars drew closer. Suddenly, a hundred – no, what must have been a thousand were now surrounding Haruto. All of his creation, all by his design, Genichiro's final attack. His heart skipped a beat, watching as the chasm of darkness that rested above their heads now became a gorgeously haunting web of light that had him trapped from each end. "You truly are my greatest foe." Genichiro said. "But only one of us can live to see the sunrise!"
VERY NICE, SPECIAL: KICK STRIKE!
An aura that reflected the rising sun's gaze completed the finishing touches of Kamen Rider: Wizard as a surge of endless power coursed through his legs. "The finale."
"Now, dodge this – or burn to ashes!" Maniacally laughing, and unable to contain his excitement any longer, Genichiro began his last onslaught, launching dozens of stars as he brimmed to the bone in pure bliss. In an incredible display of finesse bursting outwards from his core, one of pure control towards the mastery of magic, Haruto soared through the sea of flames, narrowly evading one after the other! Guided only by his hope, with the radiance of a thousand shimmering galaxies, he swirled in unpredictable, magnificent motions, drilling through near and far, beyond past and future, above destiny itself!
"Not so fast!" Genichiro screamed so loud, and with such great power, that one of his stars burst not out of his command. From every imaginable direction, Haruto had to perfectly avoid an attack. Up, down, left, right it didn't matter, only that he kept moving forward towards the future he needed to protect! Towards his hope. Cosmic fireworks spread across the sky, creating the greatest light show of the next millennium! As he swiveled endlessly, Genichiro shuffled to the melody of the closing song. Their time together was coming to a finish, but who was going to be the last man standing?!
One after the other, Haruto swept by, inching closer to Genichiro with every waking second. He could feel his heart pounding, ready to burst out of his chest over one wrong move! "I… I'll kill you here and now!" Wailing like a maniac, Genichiro fired more, and more! So many that he lost count, hoping – no, begging that it would be enough to stop him in his tracks! He wasn't going to lose here, not after everything he's sacrificed! He wasn't going to die the villain! One last trick, his ultimate gamble! Forming from the deepest regions of his soul, a star the size of Celestice itself was birthed from his fingertips, and fired at our hero. "Farewell, Haruto Soma!"
"HAAAAA!" Through the power of infinity, Haruto burst straight through the star! Suddenly, everything started to slow down as Genichiro watched the last bit of his magic dissipate into nothing more than mystical grains of sand. What was he going to do now?! It was as though the world had frozen as a billion thoughts raced to his mind. If he managed to pull past his limits and fire one last shot, he was done for, and freedom could finally be achieved. That eternal happiness that Genichiro devoted his heart to. It could be his, if only he could muster up the courage.
Instead, his arms locked together and found their way towards his chest.
For the first time in his life, Genichiro understood defeat.