Adisa held out his hand, and from the shadows, a giant creature emerged behind him. Its power was immense, dwarfing both Adisa and Obsidian, making them look like mere children in comparison.
**Aluko** towered over Adisa, his presence commanding and formidable. He looked up at the massive energy sphere hurtling toward them, a mix of confusion and fury crossing his features. Aluko focused on Adisa, snarling with disdain.
"HOW DARE YOU SUMMON—"
Adisa quickly held out his hand, using his shadows to cover the knight's mouth. "Possession," he whispered, his voice low and steady.
Aluko felt an overwhelming force threatening to take over his body, as if a greater power was asserting itself within him. "What… are you doing to me, mortal?! How dare you take my body without my permission?!" he roared, his voice shaking the ground beneath Adisa.
"I need to borrow your abilities for a moment, okay? I've realized that I can use my shadows to take over at least seven of you. The other three are too strong. See you in a sec, Aluko." Adisa said, as Aluko let out one final roar before his entire form was engulfed in dark and purple armor and energy.
Aluko looked up again to see the giant meteor-like attack speeding toward him. "Adapt and deflect," Adisa instructed, his calm voice reaching Aluko amidst the chaos.
Without hesitation, Aluko closed his red eyes, channeling energy that mirrored the aura of Obsidian's incoming attack. When he opened his eyes, he unleashed a powerful burst of energy, obliterating the ball of dark energy and creating a massive explosion that rocked the area.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Adisa bent low to the ground and jumped toward Obsidian, bursting through the smoke. He pulled his arm back, delivering a powerful punch straight to the Minotaur's stomach.
The impact sent shockwaves through the area, and Obsidian staggered back, a twisted smile spreading across his face. "Nissseee!" he hissed, delighting in the pain he felt.
"What the hell?" Adisa exclaimed, flying back to study the beast from a safer distance.
"All of my transformations… have their own personalities. It would seem… I'm losing myself," Obsidian admitted, his voice laced with confusion.
"That's about right," Adisa replied, his eyes cold and calculating. "That power you have… it's killing you. I can tell you're used to finishing fights quickly with it."
"Looks like we're both playing a dangerous game, boy. However… I… have won—" Obsidian began, a wicked smile creeping across his face.
Before Adisa could react, the real Obsidian appeared behind him, grabbing him and sinking his fangs into Adisa's shoulder.
*What?! When did he get behind me? A clone? When could he do that?* Adisa struggled to move, but found himself immobilized.
"You fool! I've got you now, Adisa!" Obsidian laughed, lifting him off the ground. "I welcome you… to your death! Behold! My true expansion! Expansion: Paradise of Doom!"
The area around them transformed into a volcanic nightmare. Green lava spewed from multiple fissures in the ground, and Obsidian stood triumphantly atop a towering mountain, his form silhouetted against the fiery landscape.
"The lava will consume you. Nothing can stop this energy from burning its target. You did well to fight, but it's over now—"
"AHAHAHAHA!!!" Adisa suddenly burst into laughter, startling Obsidian. "You think this is the end?"
Adisa stopped pretending to be defeated, regaining control over his body. "My expansion was never gone. In fact, with enough training, I managed to activate it while keeping it on pause." He took a determined stance, waving a hand sign that radiated power.
"So, what does this mean?!" Adisa shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
"It means… you just clashed our expansions, causing an expansion clash to take place. Whoever's expansion lands… wins this fight, Obsidian!" Adisa declared, standing in a section of the battlefield that was blanketed in millions of ashes, falling like dark snow from the sky.
"Just one last push… and I've got this in the bag," Adisa said, confidence masking the fatigue in his voice.
Obsidian took a fighting stance, a warning ringing in his head. *(Danger! Danger! Danger! Danger! Danger!)* His lip quivered for a moment, but then he transformed that fear into a sinister smile, revealing his sharp fangs. "No, everything is fine. I know about the shadow realm. That's why my bite didn't actually touch him. He's doing what I did when fighting Jerome and Jericho—holding back. That… will kill him," Obsidian thought to himself, dismissing the nagging warnings in his mind.
*(Something is off!)*
Ignoring his instincts, Obsidian smirked at Adisa and held out his hands. "Condensed Expansion!" he yelled, as his green and black aura began to coalesce, swirling ominously between his palms.
Adisa's expression shifted to one of concern. "Condensed Expansion?!"
"Let me explain," Obsidian began, his voice dripping with malice. "I've noticed that Akies can use expansions, but those expansions leak energy into the area. So, I thought, why not condense all my energy into one small blast, making it as powerful as an expansion? Maybe… even stronger!" Obsidian laughed triumphantly. "Thisss… is the end for you!"
He had built up enough energy to destroy a large portion of the earth itself. "Ahahaha!! This… is the peak of the beast! Hopefully, the king will look into this memory!" Obsidian roared.
---
**Outside the Barrier**
In the distance, **Frost** watched the unfolding chaos, his expression unreadable. "Tsk," he muttered, assessing the situation.
---
Back in the heart of the battlefield, Adisa smirked, feeling the powerful winds whip his long locs back. "Amazing potential. If you really trained and honed your abilities… you could be great. However, this is over. I'm about to hit my limit." He slowly pushed himself into the air, determination etched on his face.
As if time itself had slowed, Adisa took a moment to survey the beauty of the battlefield. *(I wish you guys could've seen this. Alayah and Zarbon.)* Memories flooded back—of Udo, Jerome, Xavier, Jade, Summer, Frost, and him, all sitting around a fire, gazing up at the fireworks lighting up the night sky.
*(Jerome. Jade. Xavier. Udo. Even though I wish to destroy it all, I have no hate toward any of you.)*
Adisa flared his aura and pointed toward the sky, preparing for his next move.
"What are you doing?! Giving up?!" Obsidian laughed, his confidence unshaken.
Adisa smirked, energy coalescing around him as he formed a ball infused with malice. "Not even that. This is the end, Obsidian. I haven't had this much entertainment in a while. Thanks. This is my first ultimate ability: 5th Dimensional Attack—Burst of Death!"
******
Obsidian opened his eyes. He couldn't feel the other half of his body. "What…happened?"
Obsidian noticed that the clash itself was destroyed. Obsidian looked down to see half of his body missing. "Oh…oh damn." Obsidian said while putting his head against the ground.
Adisa approached, breathing heavily, fatigue evident in his posture. He pressed his foot onto Obsidian's chest, asserting his dominance. "What… is your name?" Adisa asked, recalling their first encounter.
"S-screw you—"
Adisa stomped on Obsidian's wound, eliciting a roar of pain from the Minotaur.
**Nearby**
**Amber** and **Toxin** observed from a nearby building, preparing to strike.
---
"Obsidian… Obsidian III," he finally gasped, his voice barely a whisper.
"Oh?" Adisa sat down next to him, breathing heavily from the exertion of his last attack. "Tell me, Obsidian. What do you feel right now?"
Obsidian chuckled weakly, gazing up at the sky. "I… feel shaky and cold. I'm no coward… but I feel like I'm being looked at as prey. I think… I'm scared?"
Adisa regarded him, a mixture of surprise and empathy flashing across his face. "You're scared?" he said, taking a moment to pause. He looked around and back at Obsidian. "I sense deep within you a guilt and fear of failure. Not toward your king… but toward someone else. Are you… a father, by chance?"
Obsidian wheezed. "F-father? What do you mean?"
"Do you have an offspring?"
"Oh. Hehe… yeah. Expected to be a girl. A strong warrior for the king."
"I see. Do you feel anything at all? No sadness? The child will grow up without—"
"What do you know of it?" Obsidian interrupted, his voice laced with defensive anger.
Adisa scoffed. "My father is the guardian you all seek. He is no longer within me."
Obsidian laughed bitterly. "Ahahaha! You fool. He is within you." He raised his claw and touched Adisa's chest. "The guardian… is your father? Aten, is your dad? Ahahaha!"
"Yep. I've seen his full story in my head. I don't blame the guy. Everyone he ever loved… betrayed him, and they all died," Adisa said, drawing a deep breath.
"Death is coming for me soon, Obsidian. I can feel it. I just want to know… what it feels like to go away. I don't fear death… but I always wonder what's behind it. Is there a second life? Or just darkness waiting?"
Obsidian smiled, green blood trickling from his mouth. "Who knows…"
"Hmph. Right." Adisa stood up, raising his blade over his head. "Do you have any last words?"
Obsidian took a moment to pause, reflecting on his life. *The king will be alright without me. As long as Toxin and everyone else are alive… it all works.*
"Nope."
Just then, Obsidian remembered a moment with **Amythist**. *We were alone… but happy. Until… they came and forced us into this life. My child… my child…*
Tears streamed down Obsidian's face, and Adisa was taken aback by the sight. "My child… my child will be born soon. Save… them, Adisa. Change how everything is. We beasts… are forced to serve… them."
"Serve who? Is there something stronger than the king?!" Adisa pressed, urgency creeping into his voice.
Before Obsidian could answer, Toxin and Amber jumped into the fray, landing deftly behind Adisa, weapons poised inches from his face.
"Captain!!!" Toxin yelled.
"ENOUGH!!!" Obsidian roared, shaking the ground beneath them. Toxin and Amber froze, caught between their loyalty and the command of their leader. "Let him finish me off. I command you both to stand down… NOW!!"
"Let him—are you hearing yourself? We kill this kid now! He's a threat to everything—"
"It's an order! It's my time… to be with my mother, Amber. It's my time… now."
Adisa held out his hand, charging the remaining energy he had left. He shot the blast at Obsidian, causing a close-range explosion that sent Toxin and Amber flying back.
Next chapter: game over