As my comrades and I charged towards the Army of Darkness, time felt like it was going in slow motion for a brief second. As that was happening, I started to let my mind wander around for a bit.
My parents. My so-called friends. My crappy school life. My fake girlfriend, Karen. The day I got summoned. Xylvia. The Town of Colors. The little girl who I let get killed. The Army of Darkness. Leonna. Dusk. Ray.
Gleam...
I had a moment in my life where I lost everything, and I've had many other moments where I thought I lost everything. But I won't ever let that happen again. I've lost too many people that I care about. I don't care if I have to make sacrifices, I will protect the ones I love no matter what.
I won't ever let anyone I love get killed again. Not again. Never...
CLANG! SLCK!
"...AGAIN!!!" I screamed as I sliced through the first demon.
And before I knew it, time went back to normal and the two sides clashed with each other.
I quickly took out at least ten or fifteen of them before I leapt back up into the air and spread out my black-flame wings. I flew up to the three that had me at my toes: Akito, Karen, and Gray.
"Back for round two," Gray sneered. "You really want to be worth my time huh?"
"Shut up and swing your sword." I simply said.
Our swords collided with each other. While mine was engulfed in a jet-black flame, his was surrounded by a strange purple aura. Actually, it wasn't coming from his sword. It was actually coming from him.
"You should be careful when fighting him." Wrath suddenly said in my head.
"How powerful is this prick?" I asked mentally.
"The couple won't really be an issue, but Gray is actually a sin.
"Wait. HE'S A SIN?!"
Now that I think about it, him being a sin wouldn't be that big of a shocker. He definitely does have a nasty power surrounding him.
"So which sin is he?" I asked.
"He's the Sin of Greed." Wrath said.
Greed huh? No wonder he acts so...spoiled. Hell he even fights like a brat with the way he's swinging his sword.
Even so...
CLANG!
...I can't...
CLUNG!
...let my guard down...
BANG!
...for even a second.
CLING! CLANG!
"Come on! You really thing that we're just going to let you have all the fun?"
"Yeah, let me beat this little prick into the ground as well!"
Both Akito and Karen swung a few of their own strikes at me. Their swings looked much more powerful and mature than Gray's did, but it lacked way too much power compared to Gray's.
I saw out of the corner of my eye that Gleam was still trying to catch Xylvia. I needed to get there quickly.
I flew up even higher at an alarming speed and did a full spin while I shot some black flames at the three. I managed to faze the other two, but Gray kept his stance and started to chase me.
Come on! Just a little more.
I shot another flame towards Gleam and was able to successfully hit her. Since she was still human, the impact did much more damage to her. However, the sake also goes for me. If I'm not careful, I might end up getting turned into a bloody mess.
While Gleam was stunned for a little while, I took the time to go on a little air-battle with Gray. Huge streaks of black and purple fire filled the blood red sky. Our speeds were both evenly matched. Even our strikes seemed to be on par with each other.
"You know," Gray started to say as we kept on striking and flying through the air. "I really wish that I had toyed with that Xylvia girl a lot more."
"Hiro, don't-" Wrath started to say.
"I know," I reassured him. "Don't let him intimidate you."
That's the last thing that I should ever let happen.
"That painful expression on her was so priceless. I wish I could see it again."
CLANG!
My strikes felt slightly more powerful every time Gray tried to intimidate me. Or maybe his strikes were getting weaker.
"I always get what I want you know," Gray said. "And right now, you're giving me the fight that I've always wanted."
CLANG!
"After I'm finished with you..."
CLANG!
"...I'm going to take your entire party..."
BANG!
"...and have as much fun with them as I possibly can..."
CLANK!
"...before Gleam destroys this world!"
His crazed expression showed nothing but insanity and greed with a hint of a murderous joy. Honestly, I wasn't even scared or fazed by it.
In fact...
FWOOSH!
...I was just simply annoyed.
"Shut the fuck up." I whispered.
WABANG!!
I did a swift and powerful roundhouse kick a straight at Gray's face and he went flying right into the ground head-first.
"Sometimes it's best if you don't always get what you want." I said.
After I was sure that Gray wouldn't come back up, I shot some more flames at Akito and Karen to make sure that they didn't get back up and flew right over to Xylvia.
"Hey Xylvia, are you ok," I asked. "I was able to knock Gray out, so all we have to do is fight Gleam and we'll win!"
"Yeah...you're right..." Xylvia said.
I noticed a depressing look on her face.
"I know Xylvia. I know that she was like a mother to you, but we can't let someone like her live anymore. She'll do whatever she can to destroy this world and many others along the way."
I know what it's like to lose family, but I still can't even imagine what Xylvia's feeling right now. After all, she did lose her family once already.
"That's not what I'm upset about." Xylvia said.
That completely caught me off guard.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
Xylvia hesitated for a bit, but then she showed me a wet stain on her arm. It took me a minute to realize what it was.
And when I did, I felt something inside of me get crushed.
"I guess I wasn't fast enough." Xylvia said through her tears while trying her best to crack a smile.
Gleam was able to splash that purple liquid on her. I was too late.
Wrath didn't say anything to me mentally. He was silent. I was silent. But one word kept repeating inside my head over and over again.
Kill...
KiLl...
Kill kill KiLl kILl kILL KIlL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL...
"...kill..."
I felt like my entire body was being controlled by a negative force inside of me. I suddenly raised my sword and flew straight at Gleam, who had just finished healing.
I only felt an evil rage surging throughout my body. I could only mutter a single sentence after I struck her.
"i'M GoINg tO TeAR YOu tO ShrEdS!"