Karabell had no choice but to rely on his footwork. Frederick was stronger than him and had way more experience when it came to fighting other people. But Karabell was nimbler, and he had to use that to his advantage. He feigned an attack to the right. Frederick didn't falter. He aimed a kick at Karabell's forearm, but it didn't connect. The Captain had already dodged to the side. He swiftly thrust his sword forward, aiming for Frederick's injured shoulder. The Commander turned his body to the side in an attempt to avoid the sword's point. At the same time, he swung his fist as hard as he could and caught Karabell in the jaw, knocking him a few feet back. The Captain wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, staring his opponent down. Why was he so stubborn? Did he want to kill Gull that badly? Probably no. Frederick just wanted to fight someone. Him, Gull, it didn't matter. They'd killed the Ringleader too easily. He was disappointed. He'd wished for a longer, more challenging fight. But hadn't they come all that way to slay that creature? To avenge their friends? Once again, Frederick's actions were beginning to contradict themselves. Yet again, he had no idea what was going on inside Frederick's head.
"This fight won't be a long one. It's not an honorable duel. It doesn't have to be well fought, so it doesn't matter if I do my best or not. I don't care which one of us is stronger, either. I just have to win. I can beat Fredrick. So I'll win and I'll save everyone, just like I promised," Karabell muttered, trying to pump himself up. "Well, that sounded cheesy. It's true, though."
Frederick parried the Captain's swift thrusts and cuts, dodging only when he was sure he wouldn't be able to block the incoming attack. Karabell's eyes blazed with resolve as he continued his merciless onslaught. The Commander's reflexes were good. Outstanding, even. But Karabell's attacks were faster and sharper than before. Frederick had no choice but to continue to defend against his assault. Was offense the best defense? He had no idea, but he kept going. Frederick jerked his body back. He couldn't avoid the blow. Karabell didn't stop. He kept swinging the sword. Alice's sword. It was like an extension of his own arm. Why had he asked Alice to lend him her weapon? It didn't matter. After all, it seemed like his spur-of-the-moment idea was paying off. So he continued to swing that sword as quickly as he could. After a few moments, Frederick's left arm fell limp at his side, covered with scratches and cuts. Karabell had probably sliced through one of the muscles around his shoulder. He didn't fail to notice it. Before he could stop his rush of attacks, the Captain's sword sliced through the skin of his forehead. Blood flowed down into Frederick's eyes. The Commander was prideful, but he wasn't a fool. He'd lost all use of one arm, too. He realized that trying to dodge or block Karabell's attacks wouldn't go well. Frederick jumped back, putting some distance between him and the Captain. He wiped his eyes with his palm and realized that he was just outside Karabell's attack range. The Captain resumed his fighting stance.
"I can't believe you've still got such an intense look in your eyes, Captain. You've managed to entertain me," Frederick said with a laugh. "No, maybe entertain isn't the right word. I was completely overpowered. You're strong, Karabell Ress. Much stronger than me. But I'm glad. Seems like mankind still has a future, as long as people like you exist. Now I'm sure of it." The Commander paused to catch his breath. His arm had gone completely numb. "Although I'm sure this doesn't mean much coming from me, I would appreciate it if you could tell me something. What are you fighting for, Karabell? Why do we fight?"
The area between the Commander's shoulder and elbow was stained dark with blood. Karabell met Frederick's gaze, and a deep sadness clouded his features. He was the one who'd done that. He'd voluntarily hit another human. The least he could do was answer the man's question. What were they fighting for? Karabell scratched the back of his head. He'd yet to understand it himself. But after everything that had happened, he was starting to get it.
"The Ringleader was wrong on two accounts," he started as he glanced over at Alice and Een. "The persons of the past have always wanted to take their world back from the Aberrations. I think the Ringleader said something along those lines. That couldn't be further from the truth. Take my father, Marno Ress, for example. His life was saved by an Aberration. If not for Gull, he would've probably died that night. I've seen it with my own two eyes. Marno didn't hate the Aberrations. He didn't want to rid this world of them. He simply wanted to understand those strange creatures. Where had those beasts come from? Why had that feathered Aberration saved him? Why were other Aberrations indiscriminately murdering people? His dream was to figure all those things out. And he died without ever achieving that dream. Judging by what he just learnt, the AAD's base was probably destroyed because the scientists working there knew too much. Marno had gotten too close to the truth. The same goes for Base Miu and Yuna. Those places were attacked to prevent us from killing the Ringleader." Karabell's breath was tight in his throat. "The Ringleader also said that we're special. What does being special even mean? Marno wasn't special. Lyra and Kei are both incredibly intelligent, but they're not special, either. As for me... I'm just doing what I can. It took me a long time to figure this out, but there's no such thing as special people and regular ones. That's why we must keep on fighting. To protect the ones we love. Humans, Aberrations, I don't care about any of that. Just like with humans, there are good Aberrations and bad ones. Not all of them deserve to die. That's why I'll continue to fight. I can't create that perfect world that the Ringleader yearned for, but I'll do whatever I must to protect the ones I care about. I've said this before, haven't I? That it would all be meaningless if we lost our lives."
"So, it was that simple, huh?" Frederick retorted almost instantly, walking slowly towards Karabell's spear. So he still wanted to fight. Even in that state, he wished to kill him. He was obviously in pain, but he refused to give up. The Captain tightened his grip on the sword once again. "At least I got my answer," the Commander continued as he lifted the weapon off the ground. "I knew that already, but I had to make sure. That creature was right. The world really is changing. Let me tell you something, Captain. My whole existence was that of a tool. I've always thought of myself as nothing more than a weapon. I had to destroy those cursed creatures that had killed my parents. That was my sole reason for existing. My parents hadn't been strong enough, which was why they had lost against the Aberrations. Even as a child I realized that. In this world, weaklings always die first. The stronger you are, the better your chances of survival. That's why I hated this very world. It wasn't our fault. It probably wasn't the Aberration's, either." Frederick coughed violently. Sweat had broken out on his face. "Even so, those things had killed my parents. They'd killed my comrades. I didn't have much of a choice. They'd all died fighting the Aberrations. So I had to fight until my last breath as well. To follow in their footsteps, walking down the same path. Puny, I know. That's what I thought until a few moments ago. But now I finally understand. This world is changing. Yes, I realize I'm repeating myself. Soon, this world will be nothing like the one I grew up in. A world in which humans and Aberrations live together in peace. It won't happen overnight, but I'm sure you'll be able to build that utopia. Though it saddens me to say this, I have no place in that sort of world. If anything, I'd probably be in the way. I hate soppy goodbyes, so I'll make this short. Karabell... you truly are an outstanding man. Alice, Een, treasure your Captain. He's a better leader than I could ever be. Never thought I'd say something like this, but I'm truly glad to have met you. Oh, and one more thing. Please, tell Lyra she's one of the best soldiers I've ever met. I really should've treasured her more too. And please, don't hate me for what I'm about to do. I have no regrets. This is the path I have chosen to follow. Well, I'm the one wasting your time now. Farewell, Karabell, everyone. I'm sorry, Dante..."
In a flash, Frederick turned the spear around. Karabell lunged towards him, letting Alice's sword fall to the ground. Was it a trap? It had to be. No. It wasn't. Frederick didn't want to kill him anymore. He'd acknowledged that fact that he'd been defeated. But why was he doing something so unreasonable? There was no need for that. No place in that world? What was he... The Commander raised his chin and, without a moment's hesitation, slit his own throat. Blood gushed down his neck, onto his clothes. Frederick glanced at the uniform coat he'd cast away earlier. So much time seemed to have passed. He could faintly hear Karabell's footsteps as he closed his eyes, and he told himself that he'd made the right decision. The Captain was sure to repair that broken world. A grin flickered across Frederick's face, and his last breath escaped his lips. He could finally join the others...