Silence gripped the battlefield.
The pained cries died down, and once the dust settled, Garuga had his arms stretched out at each side, as well as his wings opened wide behind him. Blood poured on the soil in front of him, dark red and fresh, blackening once it mixed with dirt.
Jade's eyes were wide, a look of shock rooting itself deep within his gaze. Takabi held his arm, his own orbs wide as dinner plates, mouth agape and vision scanning the hole that ran clean through the Shadow Dragon.
Garuga coughed madly, holding his gut wound, doubling over and landing face first in the soil. Takabi moved around him, rolling him on his back, examining the injury.
His immediate idea was to use the Gems. He would've, as the White Gem's markings rushed up his body in an instant, however, Garuga stopped him in his tracks, gripping his exposed shoulder. "No… No it's… Alright…"
"Al… Alright?! Stop fucking around! Let me heal you!"
His eyes snapped towards Jade and back. "Takabi, listen boy."
"Screw off," He growled, palm glowing. He held it over Garuga's open wound, willing it shut, doing his best to help. Moments passed, yet it would not close.
"Come on," He muttered. "Come on, don't do this to me now. Work damn it!"
Takabi was frantic. His hands quivered, mind shot and split between his own pain and the reality of what was happening. Blood coated his pants and knees, staining both, as well as his palms.
Jade's shoulders rose and fell in a chuckle. His face twisted, the laugh escaping him echoing in the air.
"Oh, man? Are you serious, kid?" He paused, brushing his hands. "It's not working because his time is already up. His body can't heal if the cells are constantly dying."
Takabi snapped his head back, a wall of fire erupting between them.
"Shut up! Leave us alone!"
His attention turned back to Garuga. The light in his eyes was fading. His breaths were strained, growing weaker and weaker every passing second. The color of his skin paled, and it looked as if he was struggling to keep his eyes open.
"He's lying. You'll be alright, I'll make sure of it."
Garuga laughed. It came out weak, strained. Struggle was obvious, and he was holding on by a thread. "He's not wrong. I won't make it."
Takabi shook his head frantically, tears welling up in his eyes, sliding down his cheeks. "You will! I'll make sure of it!"
Garuga bit his lip, eyes developing a false hardness. He tried to speak sternly, yet it came as a strained and empty tone. "Listen, Boy. Takabi, please."
Please. The one word that weightened the situation.
It was true.
Garuga was fading.
"I wasn't going to live… Regardless if I made it through this fight. The Scale Curse is in its final stages." He looked at his arm, a deep blackness wrapping around it. His fingers were faintly crumbling, as well as his legs and bits of his hair and ears. "I've used everything I could to preserve myself. Death, however, is persistent." He chuckled, reaching up and gripping the back of Takabi's locks. "Even now, I can see him hovering over me, patiently waiting for me to give in."
"You sure talk a lot for a dead man," Jade commented, cocking his head aside. He picked his feet up, walking towards the pair. "Just die already."
"Listen to my words," He began, watching Takabi's face. "I have faith in you. You'll see all of this through, no matter how tough it gets. You've been a strong boy since we met, and have become an amazing man in my eyes." His voice grew hoarse, breaking into a cough before steadying himself. "I… I wanted to see you grow more, but God had other plans. No matter what, never lose yourself. P… Promise me."
Hesitation.
Wanting to save a life you know you can't. Takabi felt it, his heart shattering to pieces. Death never struck him as hard as it did now. He's shed blood, witnessed the death of people close to him, but not once did he shed a tear for them. Not in the heat of the moment.
Now they came, flooding, as if a dam had burst. He spoke no words, just nodded, gripping Garuga's shirt tightly. The Dragon's legs turned to ash, arms following suit.
A smile touched his face, and his next words only solidified the pain in Takabi's chest. "Regardless… I'll always love you, my Son."
That was all. His body completely broke apart, first into small shards, to which those shards turned into dust. Coating his hands, his legs and stomach, violet eyes looking over it, and the flaming wall behind him falling.
The world drowned out, sense of battle dulled. The realization only struck after Jade began to laugh.
He saw this.
He dreamt of this.
Takabi's head twisted back, gaze locked on Jade, who only shrugged and allowed his smile to fade. "Ah well. That makes three."
Takabi heaved. Gripping his chest, he stood, taking in heavy breaths to still his heart. The pain twisted itself within. Mana welled up, his emotions clocking into overdrive.
To kill, to murder, to avenge. He felt himself slipping, losing himself deeper and deeper. Not moments after, and he already felt he was going to break his promise.
"You…." His palm slapped against his face, left eye visible between his fingers. His mind was fractured, Takabi's skull full of ache, of hate, of negativity.
His peaceful mind, his natural purity clashed with the growing darkness over and over for years. He would keep it at bay as best he could.
Not this day.
Not now.
He screamed, loud, blood curdling. The tears that fell from his face flew upwards, white and violet erupting from his feet, surrounding him. The ground shook, Garuga's ashes flowing upwards into the air, becoming nothing. His words were unintelligible, so difficult to understand. His pupil shattered, body floating high into the air. Both colors gathered around Takabi, White and Violet Gem markings fighting for placement along his body.
Jade watched on with an interested look. He sensed it, the endless power that was fighting for dominance in the boy's body.
"Does it hurt," He asked loudly. "Tell me, do you hate me, Takabi Yamishito!?"
The Fallen Angel growled. It was only then that the fighting around them stopped completely, and Kairas was the first to notice his brother's outburst.
"Takabi," He muttered. Lukas slowly approached him, raising his fist and throwing it. Kairas caught it without so much as a glance, green eyes locked firmly on the pillar of light that encased his brother. "Takabi!"
He roared, releasing bolts of magic blasts in all directions. The first few surged at Jade, who ducked and dodged each one that came close. Other Kultists weren't as lucky.
Porrelth grabbed Hailey and leapt, narrowly avoiding the bolts that surged towards them. "Damn it! Go find Nana!"
Nodding, Hailey leapt from his grasp and dashed away along the still standing trees. "This is not good." His scaled wings stretched wide, and Porrelth charged towards the boy through the air. "Takabi! Calm down!"
His eyes snapped at Porrelth. "Get away from me!"
The Dragon's eyes went wide and his body flew back on instinct. Getting close meant instant death, it didn't matter who it was. "Are you…" He didn't finish his sentence.
Takabi's features were distorted in the light, so much so that no one saw him move until the pillar shattered apart. He landed a fist against Jade's cheek, slamming him into the dirt head first.
Takabi's eyes began to glow, along with his body, before he clenched the muscle in his core and released an explosive rupture into the air. Fire of white and violet washed over the soil and trees, burning it to ash with very little trace. Kairas willed a wall of ice forth, using it as a platform to get higher into the air. Lukas was hot on his trail, determined to continue their fight.
Frannie watched Takabi from a safe distance with widened eyes. She had never seen him so angry before. She reached out, wanted to touch him, to calm him. Shine gripped her wrist, shaking her head. "You'll die."
"But…"
"I know. I know," Shine said. They watched his outburst, the pain and rage in his magic. Both wished they could do something, but as he was, no one could get close. Shine even doubted Nana being able to stop him right now.
Jade held Takabi's arm, attempting to use his shadows to hold him in place. Upon touching his skin, the darkness quickly squealed and burned. Eyes going wide, Jade slammed his fist into the soil, speaking loudly. "You want your freedom?! Now's your chance!"
The soil shook more, dark hands bursting out from underneath. Large, scaled, Shine's eyes went wide once the head made itself visible. The Dragon came forth, roaring loudly, its massive body on display for all to witness. Porrelth was the first to act, charging at the Dragon. "I'll lure it away! Keep Jade pinned, Takabi!"
"Yeah," He managed through his rage fueled mind.
Jade smiled, his body breaking apart into shadows and dashing away. Takabi picked up his head, turning his body and releasing a roar of flames. Jade dodged it narrowly, surging up the Dragon's side and sitting atop its head. His body reformed, and he stood proudly.
"Now then. Let's punish these fools for murdering Father. Go, Lillac!"
The name made them freeze.
"Lillac," Takabi repeated. "That's… Her!?"
The Dragon flew into the air, mana gathering in her throat. Without warning, it released a roar of pure power. The light swallowed the battlefield, mountains coming apart in flying stones and nature.
What once stood of Dragon Mountain, soon turned to nothing but waste at Lillac's power, the pair of Shadow Children dashing away towards the capital of Dreulara. Behind them, lay the smouldering crater, a cloud of darkness and soot rising high into the sky.