(Alex's POV)
I jumped to the belly of the beast, surrounded by an army of shadows. I stand face to face with Valus, the darkness angel, just to save Lana.
"Where's Lana?" I demanded.
"She is safe, but this battle is between us."
"Tch!"
I pulled out my rifle and began to shoot at Valus, but he deflected every shot before he unleashes dark projectiles aimed at me. I dodge every shot at me then I sensed an attack coming from behind me, so I blocked the attack coming from the shadow but I failed to notice the dark projectile hitting my back as that the attack I blocked was meant to occupy me.
Frustrated, I swing at the incoming shadow and sprinted to Valus in attempts to attack, but was blocked by two of his shadow-like tendrils, then Valus raised his scepter and launched an orb of darkness at me, blowing me back which I recovered in midair and landed on my two feet.
'Valus utilizes his shadows to occupy my attacks before he could unleash his. I have to be on a lookout for openings.' I mentally noted.
Valus had sent another projectiles. Using my blade, I swipe them away as it dissipates. But I realized too late that he was keeping me busy while he casted a dark pillar underneath my feet as it erupted, sending me flying to the air. I recovered to see multiple dark shadows flying towards me and push themselves at me from all angles, trapping me into a ball of bodies made of darkness. I struggled and attempted to push away but they were too many of them.
Using the blade mode of my weapon, I began to cut through the shadows. Then I surge my power before releasing a shockwave to free myself.
While in midair, I saw a clear opening to Valus, I turned my weapon to rifle mode, aimed behind me and pulled the trigger, using the recoil to push myself towards the dark angel. Using my scythe mode, speeding towards, readying my attack. But Valus dissipates in dark mist form and disappears before I could land my strike on him.
Fortunately, I predicted this. Maneuvering my attack and swing behind me, and surprisingly my blade dug in to Valus' side, piercing the flesh. Valus seemed to be in shock as well, that I manage to wound him.
He turns into mist form and backs away, examining the wound I inflicted on him.
"Intriguing. Perhaps you are skilled." He admitted.
Then suddenly he teleport right in front of me, which almost caught me off guard.
"But that was the first part of the battle."
Before I could react, he grabbed my face with his icy cold touch.
"Fall into despair once more."
The last I heard was Lana's voice screaming my name before the darkness swallowed me whole.
________________________________________
(3rd POV)
Meanwhile at the entrance of the mines, Rena and Nate had been fighting off Shin's ninjas.
Clashing blades and sending fire and ice magic, the duo had finished off the henchmen. Until Shin himself had to jump in to the fray.
"How useless can my men be to fall this easily." Shin said with disgust.
Winds started to gather around Shin and he brandished two katanas.
"But I will not!"
Shin dashed with wind speed to strike at Rena, but she effectively blocked it. Then followed up with more strikes to her blade and kicked her off. Then Nate charge in with a lunge while sliding with his ice trails, but Shin was able to put up his swords before pushing him off. Nate readies his stance with his sword on one hand and his other in his back.
Shin charged in and Nate parried each of his strikes.
"You betrayed your honor!" Shin exclaimed.
Nate was starting to get overwhelmed due to Shin's speed with his strikes. Using his free hand, he created a shield made of ice to blocked his attacks.
"Yes, by allying with tyrants like Strahm, evil entities like Valus, and murderers like you, I went against my code. And my father's dark past made me question everything I stood for. The Wolfe family were meant to be protectors, but I started to see that I was on the wrong side all this time. So now I wanted to make this right. I wanted to turn this legacy around and be the protectors we've always been...and see true justice through!!!"
Nate released a ice wind against Shin and he was forced to jump back.
"Did you have to be so cheesy about it?" Rena asked with a deadpanned look.
"Do you want to help me or not?" Nate shot back before dodging Shin's strikes.
"You and your pious hero complex." She sweat dropped before charging in to help him.
Nate parried three of Shin's strikes, then Rena swings at the at him by the blade followed up with an overhead slash, which Shin had to jump back. Shin rushes back at Rena but Nate formed an ice pillar in front of her that Shin's blade got caught in. He tries to pull his sword off, but it left him open for Rena to spin around with her sword ignited and swings at Shin which he had to let go of his sword and duck.
Shin pulled out a pair of sais from his back and begins to slash Rena in a flurry, which Rena had blocked. Shin raised his sais in the air to go for a stab, but Rena blocked one of his sais with her sword while her free hand caught the other by the wrist. Nate took this opening by freezing him in place. With Shin immobilized, Rena delivered a strong roundhouse kick that shattered through the ice and sent him flying to the ground.
Shin gets up although struggles and panted heavily, he found himself overwhelmed and on the brink of utter defeat.
"By the way, I've been meaning to tell you something Shin." Rena began.
Shin gave his attention.
"While you and I were away from Endoa, I relayed a message to my clan days ago to take out your clan and liberate your territories."
"You speak of lies!!!" Shin tries to deny.
"One by one, your clan had been taken care of and you weren't there to help them. Now you lost your authority and your empire."
Shin was beyond shocked by the news and he went absolutely livid.
"RAAAAAGHH!!"
He screamed in anger as the winds began to swirl around him. Once the violents winds converged to him, he was about to charge with speed.
But Nate thwarted him by channel magic to the ground and created a wave of ice that freezes his low body. Then Rena channels her fire into her blade and with an overhead slash, she strikes down at the trail of ice, making them explode with fire along Shin, which his scream of pain can be heard.
After that devastating attack combined with fire and ice, the violent winds had cleared and Shin was lying on the ground, beaten and unconscious.
The duo sheathed their swords after verifying his defeat.
"Are you alright?" Nate asked.
"Yeah."
Nate looked at the unconscious ninja and frowned.
"This...this is one sin I'll never forget. I'll strive for the truth and make things right."
The resolve in his voice was not lost on Rena and she has decide to give him some respect.
"In that case, we should hurry."
"Alright lead the way."
________________________________________
Meanwhile at the chapel, Lana watched as Alex battled against Valus' dark forces.
She's unable to do anything because she's restraint.
But still...
(Flashback 5 minutes ago)
"He shall be our gamble. Will he find himself or will he into despair?"
"Alex is not a prize to be won!" Lana shot back as she knew Alex once spoke these words when challenged Charles.
"Is that not what he is when you put your faith in him?"
Lana's eyes widen in shock.
"To us, that's what humans are. We put our faith and gambled on them to make a choice. It's what saviours do when their belief on the people they sought to save. Is not what you do any different?"
Lana remained silent. As wrong and cynical that perspective was, it was the truth. For humans to be seen as prizes rather than thinking beings themselves.
But deep down, it wasn't right.
"You're wrong. Alex's life is his own. Whatever he chooses, I will not hate him, because I trust him to know what is best for him."
Valus seemed displeased at her words and perceived them as naive.
"In that case, he shall choose..."
Valus summoned dark tendrils to restrain her as she struggles.
"...he's here"
(End flashback)
Despite what he said, it didn't matter to her. She knew she had to do something.
"Alex, if you can hear me. Don't let him win! Your life, your choices, it's all yours. Don't let anyone else take your choice from you!!!"
________________________________________
(Alex's POV)
It's dark everywhere. I knew he put me back in my mindscape to torture me again. But I still hear malevolent voices.
"KILLER!!! MURDERER!!! DESTROYER!!! WHY ARE YOU EVEN ALIVE!!! GET AWAY FROM ME!!! MONSTER!!! YOU DESERVE TO DIE!!!"
I knew the hard way that if I gave in to my anger again, I might repeat the mistake and end up killing Lana. But even then there's nothing I could do.
All I could do was close my eyes and sink to despair as the voices torturing me endlessly.
Then suddenly it went quiet. I looked around through this dark fog but I saw nothing. Until the dark mists converge in front of me, rising and then it took a form of me. This shadow me looked at me.
"Why do you despair?"
"I..." I choked my words as I tried to find the answer. Instead of torturing me, this shadow asked me why. I can't explain it but this shadow felt different somehow. Did Valus create this? Either way, I was too sad to ponder and answered him anyway.
"They took everything from me, betrayed me. I set to my path of vengeance, even knowing it won't bring anything and anyone back, and I had it, twice. But now I continued to kill scores trying to survive because I know nothing else. I have nothing to call living."
"It's true, you have nothing. Or maybe you were just convinced that you have nothing and the only thing you could do was survive and repeat. That is not living."
"Then perhaps, I should die. After all, a twisted monster like me have no right to desire living."
"Is that what you really want?"
"I..."
Then a new voice appeared.
"Alex, if you can hear me. Don't let him win! Your life, your choices, it's all yours. Don't let anyone else take your choice from you!!!"
"Lana?" I breathed out.
"But what I am supposed to do?" I asked.
Everything went quiet for minute, I kept for an answer as the silence makes feel uneasy.
"Live." The shadow me replied.
I looked at the shadow me dumbfounded and found his expression wasn't a usual stern look, but a sincere one.
"What?" I questioned.
"Regardless whether you have the right or not. You are alive, and as long as you are alive, there's a chance. And when there's a chance, there's a choice. Don't let anyone else take your choices, don't let anyone else make your actions. You set your life to follow your cause, what you believe in. But you also protect what other people believe in. So why stop now?"
Shadow me extended and I hesitated. I look at him and saw him smile.
"What do you believe in Alex?"
I understand.
This isn't a shadow created by Valus, it was mine. He had been with me this whole time, guiding me, protecting me. Now someone is trying to destroy my spirit, to make doubt myself, to take away from me again.
And I am angry.
I took his hand and red colored fire began to ignite and burn beneath our feets. It's warmth gave me relief, like I found myself all over again.
I understand now what I want.
"I believe..."
________________________________________
(3rd Person POV)
Alex had been bathing in the dark mist for quite some time, and Lana had to watch as he was swallowed by it.
She got down on her knees, thinking if she had done enough, if it even made an impact at all. She's uncertain.
Then Valus appeared in front of her.
"It seems Alexander has sunken deep into the abyss, despite my efforts to reach him. Had I prevailed?"
It seems the dark angel was uncertain too.
"It matters not. I shall claim you here and now."
Valus raised his hand and darkness swirl around him.
The difference between them.
She had hope.
As Valus was the reach his hand towards Lana, a massive burst of red light explode in Alex's area. Valus wheeled around to find a bright red wave of energy burn away the dark mists, emitting from Alex himself.
Alex stands at the center, brimming with bright red energy rather than his usual dark red mists, and he has flaming phantom wings of the same red color sprouting from his back. His eyes glowing white with red sclera. His expression maintains a calm glare.
"Impossible! The amount of darkness I inflicted on him was vast and yet..." Valus exclaimed with surprise and confusion.
Alex walks forward.
"This time..." Alex began.
Valus was left stunned, trying to comprehend how this happened.
"...I'M IN CONTROL!!!"