A Final Offer And The First Gathering
Estelle sucked in as much air as she could as she glared down at Nyx. It had been a shock attack, a flourish of enemies rushing through the town as if they were on a wild goose chase. Nyx had been vehemently silent for a while, but she kept tabs on him through her lieutenants.
In the afternoon, Estelle was notified of the ambush. The class settled around the living room had watched in bewilderment when a total stranger crashed through the entrance screaming as if they were in a dramatic play.
"My dear Estelle. The vile and gruesome Nyx has marched south! We must bring our souls to arms in order to beseech him. Come, my dear Estelle, let us revel in the bloodshed we are ready to commit. For the spirit world and beyond!"
Ignoring the utter disbelief and brain-dead shock around the room, Estelle noted that Izuku toppled from his chair in confusion. Forcing back her smile of amusement, Estelle was quickly forced back to reality once the news registered in her brain. "Where are they, Libra?"
"The town gates! We must go! It's time to behead the monsters and weep in sweet relief! Wolf howls in the night, the roaring call of blood on the horizon! We must-!"
Sighing at the fact he wasn't getting to the point quickly enough, Estelle promptly turned to the stairs where her katana rested and strapped it to her back. "Shut up and follow me; where are Leutenitant Iris and lone Wolf?"
"Gathering the spirits as we speak!"
"Good, follow me."
So, there she was. Rushing down into town with the light spirits she had rescued behind her. She was thankful for that because it meant they could focus on the neverending swirl of dark spirits rushing past buildings in the blink of an eye. They were advancing so fast that it looked like a wash of black flooded past the alleyways from high up.
It didn't take long for her katana to clash with Nyx's arm, which was protected by metal armour. The two opponents remained muted as they fought from above, a flurry of metal, fire, air and water surrounding them as they used everything they had. Estelle grew discomfited in the encounter because she knew he wasn't attacking his with full power.
"That's enough, Nyx. Why are you dragging this out to the humans when the fight is between you and me?" She finally questioned, wiping some water that landed on her lips with the back of her hand.
"You are right. It is between you and me. That's exactly why I'm here right now. You care for these disgusting beings. So, if I hurt them. I hurt you."
The roaring beasts were all too loud even up in the sky. The rallying calls of Estelle's comrades were faint in comparison, and Estelle knew they wouldn't be able to keep up with the momentum for long. She could tell they were outnumbered by a lot, even though she had gathered as many light spirits as she could; it just wasn't enough.
Snarling, Estelle dived back into battle. This time, deciding to use his lacklustre fighting to survey her surroundings. Her brows only furrowed in confusion whenever she glimpsed down because he could go full force and win this fight; it was annoyingly obvious. The obscene amount of spirits made her bones cold, and the thought that he was still gathering more only made her more aggravated.
It was a different situation with Aite considering the light and dark were pretty even in numbers, but this? He could whittle down her strength quickly, but for some reason, he hasn't done that; why?
"Tell me, what's the purpose of this? You're fighting me as if I was still a child. Are you so insecure about your strength that you had to join me again to test it?" Estelle taunted, hoping to gather more information at the randomness of the situation.
The irritation on Nyx's face gave Estelle some satisfaction as it settled within him. His glare showed that she had struck a nerve somehow, and the smirk that landed on Estelle's face was more confident than she felt.
"I came to show you my strength and that your opposition is futile. Do you think you can beat my followers and me? Don't make me laugh; you aren't prepared in the slightest. Look at your warriors. Do you really think you have a chance? Are you prepared for war, multum magna occisio machina? Are you prepared to die for humans that don't care about you?"
"Better that than a spirit who deems me as property."
"You have no purpose; the humans and spirits of our world scatter around like mindless idiots. This world isn't any better; it needs control more than anything else. But, if you agree to let me use your gifts as I see fit, I will leave this world in peace."
"And how would I be able to trust your word?"
"You have for the majority of your life. You know I'd never lie to you about this," Nyx answered, the expression on his face a prominent facade as he tried to deliver an ounce of care.
"No, I don't. Says the spirit who disguised himself as a ghoul. Your word means nothing to me," Estelle rebuked, shaking her head at the apparent lie he had spat in her face. Hearing a sudden whoop of agreement, Estelle and Nyx darted their eyes to the fighting below.
"You tell 'em, General!" Iris yelled with her fists raised high as she shook them back and forth vigorously. Estelle couldn't help but smirk at the interruption, her heart warming at the action of the childlike spirit.
"Take his bloooooooood!" Wolf seemed to cry from a distance, and Estelle couldn't tell if he was talking to her or himself. It didn't matter because the warming scene only irritated the spirit across from her, and Estelle allowed the moment to sink into her soul like a brief reprieve.
"The light disgusts me," He muttered before focusing his eyes on the female in front of him. "I hoped you would agree to my final offer and save yourself the pain. I should have known you would not have come to your senses. Prepare yourself because this world will burn-"
Darting into his vicinity to land a blow, Estelle knew she had startled him, considering the wide-eyed look he gave her as he crashed into the ground below. Not giving him a moment to rest, her arms bounced upwards as she used her air-bending to force him back into the atmosphere. She knew she didn't have long before he disappeared; he hadn't come for a fight; he had come to persuade her again and failed.
Nyx gave a loud growl before opening a portal beside her hovering body. Letting out a noise of disapproval, Estelle swiftly turned to handle the cluster of darklings that had flooded through the gate. Her comrades were too occupied below to support her, and she knew it was just what Nyx needed to make his escape. Allowing heat to flood her body, Estelle was suddenly filled with the image of Endeavour as she blazed fire through every cell of her body and blasted the spirits from her vicinity.
"How many students would I have to kill before you beg me to take you instead? Or would It only take one? That blonde boy from last time seemed deliciously scared," Nyx ridiculed behind her with newfound confidence. The fact he had used the opportunity whilst her back was turned wasn't lost on Estelle, and her eyes narrowed as she whipped her katana out of her saya once again.
"Oh please, you'll never reach them. I'll make sure of it." Estelle answered, her eyes on the batsnouts that were immediately replaced from the once she just burned. Even though she noted his emotional security with his followers, it didn't mean that the words he was saying weren't hitting her in some strange way she couldn't pinpoint. Yet, the image of Katsuki unable to breathe rested on her mind, and the only thing she could do to counteract the picture was a more blazing fire.
"Ah, another promise of protection. How many of those have you failed? You still believe you can do it?"
"Shut up," Estelle muttered, knowing he was only trying to get under her skin. Unfortunately, he hit right where it hurt.
"You think you can stop me from getting to them? From ending their lives? Oh, multum magna occisio machina. I would kill anything to get you. They are worthless."
"Shut up, Nyx!" Estelle finally barked, already fed up with his threats. Nyx had done a lot of talking, and maybe she should be thankful for that, but she had a feeling the talking was beginning to end, and the fighting had only just begun.
"Hm, it's always too fascinating watching you care for things. Especially when you fail. I can't wait to see it again."
Turning around, her katana at the ready now that she was free from the batsnouts, Estelle wasn't surprised that he was already gone. Not bothering to take the time to process his words, the female darted down to the buildings to help her comrades amidst the battle.
Estelle marched through The Commission's base door like a woman on a mission. Her eyes filled with determination as her body automatically led her through the halls she had come to know during her time here. The dark spirits had scattered not long after Nyx had disappeared, but she remained in the city handling strays from the fight.
Once she was done, Estelle called the president and requested a meeting with the board and any heroes that wished to join. It was time to inform them of the upcoming events. It was evident by Nyx's words and the number of followers he had that he was still preparing, but he was much closer to beginning the battles than Estelle was.
The heroes had to know more than they did; she did not want to leave the heroes clueless about what protocol was. She didn't even want to imagine the scenario of them running around like headless chickens because she was too wrapped up in her own issues to let them in the know. Estelle also knew that the humans would look to them for guidance, especially when their town was hit and they were at a pivotal moment of terror; the heroes needed to be a beacon in those moments and defiantly not piss their pants at the image of the creatures breaking everything in sight.
When she reached the meeting room, Estelle turned still in disarray when the space was empty. Standing in bafflement for a moment, the door quickly opened behind her alongside a dreary voice. "The room is too small; follow me."
Opening her mouth to challenge the suited male further, her mouth quickly closed when she was reminded that these guys never answered her questions. Shrugging, she followed behind him as they marched past corridors she had never traversed before. Eventually, they seemed to reach their destination, and he opened the door for her to enter.
It was only when her eyes landed on the inside that her jaw dropped.
How many heroes were here? The sheer amount of them crowded around the hall was astonishing, and it only made her wonder how many heroes resided in Japan because it seemed like they were all in this very room. Her eyes immediately landed on the stage at the front, and Estelle realised that was where she was going to be speaking.
Maybe she shouldn't have been shaken, considering the number of questions that surrounded the female daily. Of course, they would be inquisitive and uneasy about the situation, but she had expected a small group to relay the information, not have them all here.
The man immediately left Estelle to her own devices, and the eyes that had landed on her made her nerves stand on end. Quickly scanning the crowd to find any familiar face, Estelle eased once her eyes landed on Mr Aizawa, Principle Nezu and Midnight. Trailing closer to reach them, she watched as her teacher avidly scanned the room with searching eyes. Her body relaxed when his gaze met hers. Puzzled at what had caused worry and concern to line his face. Relief covered his expression for a moment before it was quickly masked by the deadpan expression he usually kept on, and it was then that Estelle realised he was nervous for her.
Before she could warm to the gesture and give him a nod of reassurance, Estelle's sight was intercepted by the president standing in front of her. The stern eyes on the woman's face made her stand straight, and Estelle patiently waited for her to speak. "It seems you've caught their attention; head up to the stage when ready."
Nodding, Estelle turned around as she directed for the stage. The numerous watchful eyes were like a heavy blanket on her body as she forced her feet to move. Estelle knew this moment was critical in gaining their approval; to do that, Estelle needed to show them her strength. She couldn't mess this up because if the heroes weren't on her side, then the public wouldn't be.
Her back straight and her walk steady and strong, Estelle slowly made her way up the steps to the centre of the stage. The loud crowd conversing with themselves gradually quietened as they scrutinised; eventually, the only sound in the room was her footsteps.
Taking a deep breath, Estelle faced the heroes head-on. "Thank you all for getting here so quickly, I know my request was sudden, but it was important to fill you all in now that things are beginning to ramp up. Before I get into it, I wanted to apologise for the inconvenience my world and my presence have caused in coming here. Even though it was never intentional, I feel personally responsible for the damage we have caused. You all have been amazing in keeping me informed on spirit sightings, I thank you for your due diligence, but as much as I hate it, I am going to ask for more of your help."
The room remained silent.
"The cause of the disruptions of my world is due to a dark spirit named Nyx. I am very familiar with this being; he raised me."
Estelle wasn't startled when the room abruptly filled with loud chatters and shouts. Heads swirled in shock at the revelation, almost as if they were checking if their ears were working correctly. Other members stared at her earnestly, unwavering from their solid stances as they waited for her to continue. Estelle couldn't tell if it was because they had faith in her or if they were just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
After giving them a few moments to register her words completely, Estelle knew it was time to calm them before they spiralled. "He was cruel."
The blunt statement and her blank face immediately silenced the rowdy heroes. Their heads swivelled back in surprise, but as the information sunk in, understanding began to dawn on their faces at the implications of what Estelle was saying. "I had defeated him many years ago and thought he would be gone for a long time. I won't bore you with a history lesson, but he is powerful, strong and cunning. He's growing an army to gain strength to take me by force."
Thankfully, the crowd remained silent as she spoke. Estelle knew it was only because they had jumped to conclusions too quickly last time, so they were forcing themselves to be patient. Estelle relaxed slightly as she observed them, knowing it was a good sign that she kept their attention. "Now that different worlds have been revealed, he would likely not just stop on my home planet. His greed would force him to consume everything in his path. So, the only option is to fight."
"How are you going to do that?!"
"Nyx's strategy is to widen the gate between worlds to allow more spirits to pass through. Fortunately, he cannot control who and what comes through the gate. Even though he had amassed enough followers to have the strength to fight me, he wasn't able to stop the light from passing through. They are finding their way here; soldiers, comrades, and beings of my world are willing to stand by my side once again to fight against tyranny. He isn't the only one gaining strength."
"We can fight!"
"You can't," Estelle started, her eyes stern as the adults tried to speak over her. "But, that doesn't mean you cannot help. That's why I have called you here today."
"What do you need us to do?" Edge-Shot spoke up seriously.
"You all need to understand the gravity of the situation. This isn't something small-scale like a villain attack; It will be in the thousands. It will be bloody, brutal, unforgiving and painful. Nyx won't hesitate to harm the civilians; he will likely try to siege areas of Japan and take them over, and he sure as hell will try to surprise us as much as possible."
By the body language and the evident seriousness of the faces around her, Estelle knew they finally understood the importance of this meeting. The relief was slight, as it was only a brief victory, but it was progress. "My comrades are already scouting locations, bases and areas they are likely to hit, but they are unable to get close in fear of scaring the civilians-"
"What do you mean 'scare'?!" The hero Snipe examined earnestly, causing the others to stare up at the otherworldly hero with interest. Estelle gave a deep sigh in answer, a dull ache within her heart at the encounters her compatriots had.
"My comrades may have inhuman attributes or are even more animal than human, but they are the same as you all. I had a spirit come to me deeply pained about an incident of a child seeing them and screaming in terror."
Silence.
"More and more incidents like this have occurred, and yet they have tried to remain positive, but as you can imagine, they are reluctant to be seen and accidentally create a scene. They don't want to invoke fear, so they watch from afar. Again, my warriors may be inhuman, but they are the same as us; they laugh, love, cry and annoy each other just like you all do. Remember that they are fighting for themselves and you all when you see them fight. They had every right to decline to join yet another war."
The various nods of apprehension and agreement followed around the room in a symphony, and Estelle relaxed slightly that they had taken her words to heart. Deciding it was best to continue before letting the last line sink in, Estelle jumped right back to where she left off. "Since my warriors also need to train, I will be relying on you for scouting. I may contact the closest heroes to have eyes on the land, and I expect you to come to me with all the information you've gathered to help me decide where defences would lie and where the opposition needs to be. This is vital, and it may not be on the front lines like you'd hoped but will sway the end result."
"Dark spirits won't attack humans unless they have been ordered to do so, which means that when your scouting, you'll have a better chance to get up close and personal without fear of getting hurt. You'll be able to see exactly what they are doing, and you'll be able to report It back to me. If you're ever unsure of what they're accomplishing, record it."
"As times get more hectic, you may come across more spirits. Do not fear them, as the white sheen on them shows that they are on our side. They may be confused, unsure of what is happening, and even retaliate if they deem you a threat. I cannot be everywhere at once, so approach calmly, let them hear my name, and they will follow. Contact me when you are secure."
"In case of an enemy attack, your only mission is to get civilians out of there. You can't do much, but you can temporarily block dark spirits by creating walls, shields, anything to slow them down to help people escape. Then, get the hell out yourselves."
"Wait! How do you know how to do all of this?! You're only a kid!" Another hero shouted. Estelle squinted her eyes at the female, the faint hint of recognition on her face. She had seen her at Endeavours hero agency. 'I think her name is Burnin.'
Sighing, Estelle should have known that would be a question that would crop up. Giving a wry smile that seemed too sombre for her face, Estelle breathed out, "This isn't my first rodeo."
"You've got to be joking. How can we rely on you to solve this?" Another yelled from the back.
"Now, now, don't be ridiculous." Mr Aizawa stepped up, his tired eyes reprimanding the individual with annoyance. "The Commission has seen Estelle's memories and deemed her skilled enough to handle matters related to her world. She may be young, but she's done more than any of us and fails to call herself a hero. She is strong enough to handle this, and I think she's proven herself during her time here. She has led people before and will be able to do it again. She could have left us all to rot, but she didn't. We need to follow her orders because the civilians' lives matter. We are heroes, and we follow that principle."
"You trust her?" Gang Orca contested thoughtfully.
"With my life. You're asking stupid questions. If you didn't have trust or faith in her, you would have stepped in when spirits attacked, you would have argued against her help, and you sure wouldn't be standing in this hall at this very moment."
Estelle couldn't find the words to describe the strange emotions in her stomach. Mr Aizawa's words weren't necessary, but they warmed her like Katsuki's curry, leaving her to bite the small smile brewing on her lips. As the days went by, she grew more fond of the tired male and his rebuttals. Estelle just wasn't prepared to actually admit that, though.
"I can't lie; you've never given me a reason to doubt you. It's hard to believe we must rely on someone else without doing the work ourselves. It feels wrong," Bubble girl sighed.
"I understand why you have that belief. Honestly, I would probably say the same if it were anybody else. I was raised to fight and thrust into a long war that lasted hundreds of moons that ended six months before I got here. I have done it before, and I'll do it again. Nyx will be defeated, and the light shall succeed once again. I swear it," Estelle voiced with determination, her eyes conveying the truthfulness of her beliefs.
"Well, we can't argue against that."
"You apologise to us, yet you have been forced into endeavours without control and stuck with your principles. I can admire that. You have my support," Kamui Woods added with a resolute dip. The words seemed to strike Estelle's core, and a spark of surprise quickly masked her expression.
Estelle felt like giving up many times. The number of moments she fell to her knees, blank face and void of emotions, was unfathomable. Estelle could only wonder what it would be like not to exist. What would have happened if she was never forced into the world. It only furthered the deep-rooted exhaustion that lingered within her soul, and surprisingly, looking back at it now. Estelle realised she felt a little lighter.
Before she could think about that further, Estelle was taken aback when all the heroes in the room nodded in assent. Remaining quiet, Estelle's eyes flickered around the room as they murmured their thoughts, and her curiosity got the best of her as she craned her ears to listen in.
"I'm in."
"Well, we wouldn't be heroes if we didn't."
"Wish there was more I could do, but sure."
"Sheesh, talk about some trauma."
"What kinda world was it?! It sounds bonkers!"
"A teenager did all of that, can you believe it?"
"Considering The Commission saw her memories, I do."
"Still, when would she have had the time to be a normal kid?"
"Probably never."
"Wait! I'm curious. When you win, does that mean you'll find this gate and go back?!" Fat Gum yelled, catching everyone's attention once again as they all turned back to Estelle quietly for the answer.
"That is correct."
Estelle remained stone-faced as the heroes shifted back to each other loudly, and she didn't even bother to try to take apart the noise to understand what they were saying. The roaring calls took her back, an unidentifiable emotion lingering at their argumentative responses.
"What if you close the portal, but we keep you?! As much as we don't like to admit it, we need all the help we can get going forward," Midnight spoke, her arms folded as she leaned on one foot.
Feeling her heart soften at the nods of agreement around the room, Estelle felt pained as she murmured. "That may be the case, but I have already done enough harm. I don't belong here, and it's for the best."
"That isn't true! From what you told us, you had no control over what happened even before you got here! You may have been involved, but it's not your fault!" Thirteen spoke, her suited finger wagging like Estelle had spoken in riddles, and she was not here for it.
The rebuttal slammed in Estelle's gut like a crashing wave, and she failed to stop the hunch her body contorted to before pulling herself back together quickly. Letting out a deep breath, Estelle couldn't find the words to respond accordingly. It was apparent to the heroes that the sentiment had profoundly resonated with her, and they watched as her throat bobbed and her hand tightened into a fist. It didn't linger, as when she breathed out, it was as if the tension had left her body entirely like it had been closed off; it was then that the heroes truly realised the weight on the teenager's shoulders.
Mr Aizawa tautened his shoulders from the scene, his eyes flickering over Estelle's frame as his hair hid the widening of his eyes. A bloom of understanding lingered within him as he watched; he just knew more was hidden under the surface that needed to be opened.
She blamed herself. Mr Aizawa figured there would be a little guilt over everything that happened, and he knew she harboured a lot from the previous war. But he never even thought about it for what's happening right now. He could already see the self-hatred for causing such a mess in this world, even if it wasn't her fault.
Had anyone ever told her that before?
He should have known; he was her teacher, for god's sake. Sometimes Mr Aizawa felt like he wasn't doing enough for the girl, and he had to be constantly reminded by his peers that he had helped her immensely so far. But, for him, it felt like he could be doing more for her, not out of obligation; he wanted to. She had no right to just bear the burden of it all, and Estelle was skilled at keeping herself in control. He knew that even though there had been improvements, there was still a long way to go. And that was okay, wounds don't heal overnight, and she needed to remember that.
He would need to banish those guilty thoughts, ingrain them into her brain, so she knew.
It was never her fault. Nothing was her fault.
Letting out a short cough to loosen her throat, her voice was still tight as she answered. "Even if that was the case, I am responsible for my world. We should leave like we never existed. I have already intruded long enough."
"You're not intruding if we want you here; remember that. You don't have to do anything, and you've fought more than you should have for more than a few lifetimes. You deserve peace, and whether that's here with us or back home is up to you. But, whatever your decision becomes, don't base it on what you think you must do." Mr Aizawa declared, catching the attention of the others as they saw the evident consideration and care on his face.
It was then that the heroes realised how selfish they sounded. The child had been fighting her whole life, and they were asking her to stay to continue doing so. Feeling embarrassment rising in their bones, they knew they would need to reanalyse their thinking by asking a teenager clearly troubled by her past to stay here.
But they knew they needed her. A double-edged sword and a problematic dilemma. Estelle was a powerhouse, and they knew they couldn't force her, but they hoped maybe the world could convince her.
Considering what her world was surrounded by, it didn't seem like peace was much of an option in her home world. It was an assumption, but they hoped it was right because she was needed here, yet they weren't so cruel as to control her.
"Thank you, Mr Aizawa. I will consider your words. For now, let's depart. Thank you again for joining me today; it is greatly appreciated." Estelle finished, suddenly tired from the ordeal as she lowered herself into a bow.