This is it folks, the beginning of the end! The final battle between our heroes and Zhan Tiri! This large scale battle scene was a bit of a challenge to write, I had to make a whole outline for these two chapters alone. Who will be the victor, who will fall to defeat and will any be lost?

Content warning: Huge battle, violence, blood, life threatening injuries, untreated injury, guilt and death?

Chapter 32

The Final Battle Part 1

As night fell on the city of Paris, Zhan Tiri could sense her opposition advancing. This would be a true test of her power and by taking out all of her enemies at once there would be nothing left to stop her from finishing off Corona once and for all. This world will make a fine display of her power.

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The Holders and the Corona crew were ready to give it their all. Each of them had their strengths and weaknesses and hopefully by working together they might stand a chance.

Purple Tigress was up first. She wanted to try and take down Zhan Tiri before she could gather her power.

"CLOUT!" she shouted and immediately aimed her explosive power at Zhan Tiri. The demon was taken off guard but was able to move in time without taking the burnt of the attack. Purple Tigress tried to retreat so she could feed her Kwami and try again but Zhan Tiri summoned a series of rocks to stop her. She avoided getting impaled but she got hit pretty hard leaving her unconscious.

Varian as Ringmaster kept the rocks at bay while Viperion got his sister to safety. She had jumped into the battle sooner than expected and he hadn't had time to set up his second chance yet. They would have to be more careful and strategic going forward.

Ladybug ordered Ringmaster to help control the now yellow rocks shooting up everywhere with Chat Noir acting as his back up. They had just lost their best change to end this early and they couldn't afford any more mistakes.

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Alix was getting worried. The hospital was partially evacuated earlier but now the staff was talking about a total evacuation which would not be very good for the patients. But looking out the window and seeing a demon looming over the Louver she knew they might not have much choice soon.

She looked down at her sleeping brother and stroked his hair. The doctors weren't sure what had happened to him. He didn't seem to be in a coma which was good but he had been missing for months without a word.

She had heard earlier that the missing museum staff members had been found alive so she thought he must have been with them. She was confused and also terrified when they said they never saw him.

So when she and her dad were informed that Pegasus had brought him to the hospital she was so happy she actually broke down in tears. Something she'd never admit to anyone. But that begged the question: where had he been? Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a moan and saw Jalil stirring.

"Jalil!" she called out momentarily forgetting she was in a hospital. "You're awake!" She wanted to hug him but was afraid she'd hurt him more. She settled for holding his hand as he slowly came back to the land of the living.

"Where…where am I?" he was scared for a moment, not quite able to remember what happened. He felt someone holding his hand and as his eyes focused enough to recognize it was his sister so he relaxed a little.

"It's alright Jalil, you're in the hospital, you're safe." She tried her best to ignore the rumbling in the distance. "Do you remember what happened? Where…where were you all this time?"

And like a bolt of lighting he remembered everything. He remembered being visited by the ghost from the moon and following her instructions to steal the moon rock carving. He thought he was achieving his destiny, he thought he would become a force for good…but it was all a lie.

He bolted up making himself lightheaded in the process. Alix tried to get him to sit back down but he had to look out the window, he had to see what he had done! It was worse than he feared. The city was nearly in ruins covered in black and gold rocks. He could see in the distance a giant demonic figure towering over the museum that had been his prison for the last few months. In his heart he knew, this was the same one who had tricked him into unleashing the rocks in the first place.

He sunk back into his bed and covered his face with his hands.

This was all this fault and he was powerless to stop it.

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Gabriel felt useless being left behind without his Miraculous. Both his sons were in for the fight of their lives and he could do nothing to help. As he reached into his pocket for his phone he felt something else in there, something familiar.

"It couldn't be!" His butterfly Miraculous had somehow been slipped into his pocket without anyone knowing, including himself. Then he remembered Lance passing by and giving him a supportive pat on the shoulder. That must have been when he shipped it in. With his power of fetch he must have called it back after Ladybug put it away since he never transformed back.

The Peacock Miraculous wasn't with him but that was fine. This would be more than enough to work with. He put the brooch back on in its usual place and out popped a very worried Nooroo. He never let himself care for or even acknowledge that his Kwami was anything more than a tool. He almost hated to ask for his help but his boys needed him.

"I…I'm not sure an apology will be enough but I own you that much at least." The little butterfly looked surprised and a little confused. Was this really Gabriel Agreste? "I no longer seek the Miraculous but I still request your assistance."

"Re…request?" Nooroo had never had a choice before. He often envied Ruddiger for his freedom; he was always the exception to the rule.

"Varian and Adrien are currently helping Ladybug fight a demon who threatens to end our world. I want to give them some support but I'll need to make an Akuma to do so. Will you help me?"

For Nooroo this felt like a trick but if Gabriel wanted to he could just use him the way he always used him. It wasn't pleasant but it wasn't uncommon either. Most of his holders never even bothered to ask him.

He really should say no but after spending so much time with the man he saw something he'd never seen before, remorse. He'd seen regret and even sadness but never remorse. He knew he was probably making a mistake but in the end he really didn't have much of a choice. Even so it was nice to believe he had one, even just this once.

Nooroo smiled and nodded and Gabriel wasted no more time. He transformed into his old persona Hawk Moth and immediately went searching for a champion. He didn't want to control anyone if he didn't have to but it was a bit difficult to find someone who'd volunteer.

Until at last he found one and sent them off to battle.

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The fight was not going so well for the good guys. Despite Ringmaster and Chat Noir keeping the rocks at bay they were going to be getting tired soon. Cassandra was getting ready to jump in as a distraction when something started forming in the sky.

Ladybug looked up trying to make it out and her jaw dropped when she realized what it was.

"Are you kidding me!" Chat Noir suddenly sneezed and looked up as well.

"Oh no." The skies were covered with hundreds of pigeons. "My allergies." Varian quickly figured out what had happened and he was not happy.

"Seriously Gabriel!" he screamed, nearly pulling his hair out. "72 failures!"

"How is he even mak-ACHOO! Making Akumas, Ladybug didn't give him the Miraculous back." Chat Noir asked between sneezes as the feathers rained down. Suddenly Varian shot a look at Lance who was nearby.

"I know I know," he said, putting his hands up in defense. "But you know what it's like to want to change." Varian did understand and he was glad Gabriel was focusing his energy on something positive but still…

"I just wanted to give him a chance, and I could always fetch it back if he decided to pull a Cassandra on us."

"Hey!" she shouted somehow hearing from across the battlefield.

"Sorry, too soon?" Varian rolled his eyes and pointed at the main battle.

"That's all well and good but the demon is currently laughing at his attempt."

Zhan Tiri was in fact laughing at being attacked by pigeons. She was laughing so hard she actually started choking on one of the pigeons that flew into her open mouth.

"NNNOOOOoooo! Beatrix!" Mr. Pigeon roared. "You'll pay for that foul demon!" As Zhan Tiri proceeded to be attacked/annoyed by the pigeons Hector and King Edmund decided to take advantage of the distraction. They tried attacking her lower half while trying to avoid the tentacles.

Vee saw what they were doing and whipped up an extra strength goo bomb.

"Heads up guys!" they ducked out of the way as the goo bomb landed holding the demon in place and her tentacles unable to move. "The new powers are good but the classics are a classic for a reason."

Seeing their chance Hector and Edmund attacked again with vigor. With all the little annoyances now actually starting to affect her, Zhan Tiri stopped playing around.

"Enough!" She screamed, blasting the birds and Mr. Pigeon away and breaking the bird whistle he had on releasing the Akuma. Rapunzel was close enough to catch the man and recognized him as the friend she made in the refugee camp.

"Xavier? Xavier Ramier?" He didn't recognize the new hero but he didn't have a lot of friends and very few people even knew his name.

"Rapunzel is that you?" She nodded.

"Sorry about your friend." He sniffed a little before standing on his feet.

"It's alright Rapunzel. She got to go out like a hero just as she's always wanted. And I…" he started to tear up. "I finally remembered what it was like to fly."

As she got him to safety Zhan Tiri wrenched herself free from the hardened goo substance sending Hector, Edmund and Vee flying. As the guys scrambled trying to avoid her tentacles and rocks Cassandra, now transformed into Unstopabull again used her strength to hurl a large rock at the demon. It hit her in the shoulder and she quickly rounded on Cassandra giving the others enough time to get to safety.

Eugene thought this was the perfect time to reveal his new power as well. He slipped on the thumb ring and a little rooster appeared not pleased to see that Eugene was to be his new holder. Ladybug had left the thumb ring with Luka so that they would have a powerful Miraculous if their rescue mission went wrong. Luka and Vee decided to show Eugene how to use it since they both already had one. That's when the trouble started.

You would think being able to choose whatever power you wanted would be one of the biggest advantages in battle but Eugene just couldn't seem to ever think of anything useful, kept copying other existing powers or more often than not making wishes. Which was not the power of sublimation.

"Remember what we told you." Orikko said mentally bracing himself. "I can give you powers but I can't grant wishes." Eugene just shrugged him off having already been told this. Over and over again.

"Relax, I've got this. Now Orikko Sundrop!" Nothing happened.

"It's Sunrise!" shouted Vee from across the field. "Serious Eugene."

"It was just a slip." He huffed. "Orikko Sunrise!" and at last Eugene Transformed. "Behold! It is I, Sun Ryder!" Cassandra eyed his rooster themed costume which closely resembled the Corona guard uniform but with more colors and embellishments.

"A chicken hero?" she said, not able to hide the smirk on her face. "So many names I could call you but there are children present." Eugene attempted to ignore her in favor of impressing her with his new powers.

"Alright then, I commend that Zhan Tiri to disappear! Wait, that was a wish. Shoot I had the perfect power. How did I phrase that again?" Most of the others just ignored him concentrating on the battle.

Meanwhile the cursed butterfly flew off in search of another host.

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Alix sat beside her brother with a grim expression on her face. Shortly after he woke up he looked out the window and broke down. Once he had calmed himself he confessed everything. She…she didn't know how to react to this. She knew he had no bad intentions and his obsession with theories had landed him in hot water before but this…she was going to need some time to process all of this.

She was thankful to get a phone call from her Dad; it gave her an excuse to leave and fill him in privately. She didn't want her Dad to explode on Jalil right there in the hospital.

As she excused herself Jalil lay in bed staring at the ceiling. He didn't know where to go from here. There was no way he could make up for causing so much destruction. Before his thoughts could spiral down any further a dark butterfly flew in and landed in his medical bracelet.

"Jalil Kubalt, you and I have something in common. We have both made terrible choices that have hurt others including the ones we love. I offer you the power of the Pharaoh once again to help rid Paris of the beast you help create. Will you accept?" Jalil's first reaction was anger.

"This is just another trick! Well forget it! I'm not falling for your lies or anyone else's anymore. Sometimes the truth is best kept secret." Hawk Moth sighed.

"I understand and I won't force you but few others know the kind of pain you are going through right now." Jalil hesitated. "I know you want to be able to help correct your biggest mistake, it was why I was after the Miraculous for so long. But in the end I only made a bigger one. How you choose to go about this is ultimately up to you. Whether you stand and fight or you help in other ways I will respect your decision. The choice is yours."

Jalil thought long and hard about what the former villain had said and what he was offering. He desperately wanted a change to help but he had been burned before, badly. Before long he had his answer.

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Surprisingly Cassandra's rock throwing plan was working or at least slowing the demon down. But she couldn't get close enough to get a direct hit with those tentacles in the way. So she was surprised to see strange bubbles forming around Zhan Tiri's lower half making her tentacles move extra slow.

Frustrated once again at being slowed down she turned to see another figure who had entered the battle unseen. A man dressed as a Pharaoh with an animal helmet on.

"Thoth give me time!" And more bubbles continued to pop up around the demon. Varian looked at the Akumatized Jalil. Gabriel must have had better luck this time but he was still concerned for the boy who had been missing for the last few months. He hoped he wasn't over doing it

Hector tried to continue his attack but nearly got caught in one of the bubbles since there were so many. He wasn't the only one who was trying to take advantage of the distraction. He could see Vari discreetly doing something off to the side and signaled to Edmund to help keep him covered. They weren't doing much damage but they were succeeding in making the demon mad.

She was so mad she almost missed Rapunzel coming up behind her and logging a frying pay at her. The demon was stunned for a moment and actually fell to the ground. Ladybug's eyes widened in surprise seeing what just happened

"You have the power to create whatever you want and you make a frying pan?" Still she had to admit she did a surprising amount of damage with it.

"She was always good at wielding one of those." Eugene commented rubbing the back of his head. "Trust me I know."

Zhan Tiri came too just in time to see a black rock colored scorpion slowly crawling towards her arm heading for the moonstone. Without hesitation or mercy she snatched it up and crushed it in her hands.

"NO!" screamed Vari as his sentimonster was killed and was thrown to the ground like a piece of trash. He ran up and held the piece of black rock as the being ceased to exist, losing its feather.

"An amusing trick, but that's all it was." With the Sentimonster taken care of she focused on Pharaoh since she couldn't seem to get out of the time bubbles. "I grow tired of these games." And with that she blasted the Akuma with a dose of sun powered energy.

Varian saw the young man go flying and ran to catch him much like Rapunzel had done before. But again Jalil's hospital bracelet was torn from his wrist and the power left him. The young man looked disappointed seeing the Akuma fly away. He wanted another chance, he could still fix this but even reaching out sent a wave of pain through his body.

"Hey hey, easy there." He said bringing him away from the fight. "Thanks for the help but you should-"

"My fault…"

"What was that?" Varian asked, confused.

"I…I was the one who activated the Moonstone." Of all the things Varian expected to hear, that wasn't one of them. "But I never meant for any of this to happen I swear! It was that ghost, she tricked me into thinking I was achieving my destiny." he pointed to Zhan Tiri and Varian couldn't find it in his heart to be mad at him.

"A destiny tied to the Moonstone is not as glamorous as I'm sure she made it sound." Jalil hadn't seen this holder before but he did notice the shining blue stone resting in the lens on his mask that was flickering ever so slightly.

"You're the real chosen one aren't you." He said a little in awe. Varian blushed, he wouldn't exactly call himself a chosen anything.

"No just, unlucky." There wasn't much salvageable fabric in the battle field but he did manage to find a large piece of tapestry and wrapped him in it. His hospital gown wasn't very protective out here. "I have to get back to the fight, if you head towards town you find other holders helping citizens." As he said this his blue hair and the stone began to flicker even more. Before Jalil could ask what was happening he ran off.

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Marc Anciel was sitting by his boyfriend's bed holding his hand. Nathaniel's parents had been called away by one of the hospital staff to discuss if they wanted him moved along with most of the non-emergency patients. Nathaniel was stable but they were hesitant about moving a patient with a head wound.

Marc was there when it happened. One minute they were running away from a collapsing wall and suddenly Marc realized he was alone. He ran back to find Nathaniel lying on the ground bleeding heavily from his head.

He was grateful to the new holder for getting him to the hospital as quickly as he did. The brown hero also assured him that head injuries typically bleed a lot and they often looked worse than they were. He was thankfully right but Marc was still sick with worry. If he could just stay in the hospital it wouldn't be so bad but with the city under attack he wasn't sure what was going to happen.

He clenched his other fist. If only he could do…something.

He didn't notice the Akuma flying in.

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Varian returned to help Chat Noir with the rocks but when he arrived he noticed his brother clutching his arm.

"A-Chat Noir are you OK?" Chat Noir looked startled for a moment and tried to brush it off.

"I'm fine just…getting a little tired." Then he noticed Varian's hair flickering.

"But are you OK?" Varian frowned seeing his hair color changing.

"The residual power from Pegasus's moon rock is starting to wear out." He looked up seeing Vari and Edmund getting trapped in a gold rock cage. "I don't know how much longer I can do this." Chat Noir put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I got this one." Varian glanced at his arm looking unsure.

"Are you sure? You-"

"Don't worry, save your power for an emergency." And he ran off to join the others.

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Ladybug took in everyone doing their best to take down the demon but they weren't going to be able to keep this up forever. She looked down at her compact. The lucky charm was notorious for not working on the black rocks but maybe it would help them turn the tides in this battle.

"Lucky Charm!" she shouted hoping whatever she received would be the answer to her prayers. "A flower?"

It was always a riddle, one she was usually pretty good at solving. But before she had a chance to look around and find out how to use it she witnessed something that made her stop in her tracks and her blood run cold.

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Varian could tell Chat Noir was having a lot of trouble hiding the pain he was in. After freeing Edmund and Vari he almost couldn't move his arm anymore. He heard Vari ask if he was OK and he wasn't able to answer.

Varian was running toward him, his hair flickering worse than ever. It was getting harder to sense the movement of the rocks but his brother was clearly in pain. He was almost there when suddenly everyone's faces turned white and…they were all looking at him.

He looked down and for a moment he couldn't believe what he saw. There was a gold rock speckled with red impaling him through his chest.

He heard screaming but couldn't make out what was being said. He just saw a flash of color before his world faded to black.

To be continued…

Next time: The battle comes to an end.