Just as we had finished calming Arata down, we heard the alarm go off. A Chimera attack? Just when I thought it was peaceful and maybe they won't attack for a while.
"Arata, are you okay now?" Theo asked and Arata nodded.
"Then everyone, let's go. To battle!" President Mayumi smiled and we nodded.
We headed to the site of the Chimera attack to find something unbelievable standing before us. From the rubble of the sidewalk, not moving almost like a statue.
"H...how?! How is it still here?!" Arata exclaimed. "Growth's sacrifice, was it for nothing?!"
The Black Humunculus stood before us. Well, standing may be a bit of an exaggeration, it was barely on its feet. It must've survived Arata and Growth's attack but it is severely weakened. Now is the perfect time to finish it off, it can't fight back and move.
"This time for sure." Arata said as he reached into his shadow. "I'll destroy you with my own hands!"
We knew that we had no right to interfere, so we allowed Arata to walk towards it and destroy it. All he had on was a ring that he had pulled from his shadow. Arata's rage burned so much that it was as if the air around him was on fire. Just as Arata approached the Black Humunculus a blast sends him flying back.
"Arata!" I exclaimed.
"Rein, above!" Arata called and we turned our heads up to see them.
"Tch." I clicked my tongue.
Above us, Spica and Antares hovered with the Scorpio and Virgo Chimeras. They must've come for the Black Humunculus.
"Sweet Arms! Circle!" William's guns lined around us firing indiscriminately into the horde of Chimeras.
"Verdict: Crimson Fate!" Liam slammed his hammer into the ground and a pillar of flames rise and destroy the Chimeras overhead.
"Chivalry! Dawn Light!" Alistar's sword cut a band of light towards the Chimeras.
"Tch. Petals! Dance in the air, spread far, spread wide, and bind the blooms of this land!" Arata's sudden chant causes a ring of light to shine around our feet and then rise to the skies and become a barrier.
"Arata... this barrier." Van said.
"I'm using my Petals." He answered.
Spica and Antares seem to be defending the Black Humunculus, it safe to say their goal is to save it.
"Leon, can you open me a portal above the two?" I asked as I held my spear.
"Sure, but why?" Leon asked.
"I'm gonna try if I can hit them from behind." I answered him.
"On it." He answered and he held his key. "Open, Gate. Opening: Set. Exit Set. Spatial Distortion Start."
Leon opens a portal in front of us and I see Spica and Antares' back turned. Their guards are low, their backs are exposed. Perfect.
"We'll hit them from behind, Theo, Lia, keep them occupied." I told them.
We aimed our attack into the portal and just as we've fired, Antares' tail blocks the blast and they turn to us.
"Close!" Leon closes the portal and our failed sneak attack cause Spica and Antares to now be more alert.
"I, Arata, order the skies to swirl, dance upon my hands and roar across the plains! Aerial!" Arata's chant somehow distracts Spica and Antares but they have significantly raised their guard.
"What do we do?" Theo asked.
"Leave Spica and Antares be, our main focus is the Black Humunculus. Make a path for Arata." I said as I held my spear. "Will, you guys lead the front, hold Spica and Antares off."
"Alright. You, Alexis, Ethan, Andrew and Zhen protect Arata." Will ordered. "Theo, you guys take care of the small fries."
"On it." We answered
We split up and get ready, when Will gives the signal we charge out of the barrier.
"Spear Head!" I toss my spear to clear the path.
"Verdict, Green Fate, Whirlwind Wall!" Liam's hammer creates a wind tunnel which we use. "Hurry to the other end.
"Sweet Arms; Assault." Will aims straight at Spica and gets her attention. "Go. We'll keep Spica and Antares at bay."
"Chevalier, Round!" Alistar takes Antares' attention away from us.
"Cyclone Winds, Hurricane Slash!" Lia sends the smaller Virgo and Scorpio away with her blast. "Go! We'll keep the smaller ones in check. Get Arata to the Black Humunculus."
"Silver Symphony; Mind Break." Adonis' flute echoed in the air.
"Third Page; Prologue of Destruction!" Explosipn of papers over head are caused by Adele's book.
We rush through the tunnel and reach the somewhat immobile Black Humunculus.
"Arata, hurry, we'll hold them off!" Andrew said as his arrow killed the Chimeras indiscriminately.
The wall of wind had already fallen, we were defending Arata who stood over the Black Humunculus.
------
'Growth, I promise you, your sacrifice won't be in vain.' The words I spoke that day echo in my head now.
"I won't let Growth's death be in vain." I said as I reached into my shadow to pull out a marble. "You will disappear here and now, with my hands I'll put to end the cruelty you were born from."
"Arata, you better hurry. We don't know how long we'll be able to hold them off." Reinhardt said to me.
"Alright. I'll end it here." I said as I held the dagger in my hand. "Good bye, you monstrosity that was never meant to be born."
Just as I'm about to stab it with a dagger I sense it but I don't have enough time to protect everyone. My barrier only covers Reinhardt the closest to me before it happens. From where we stood, an explosion of Vi sends all of us flying.
As the blast sends us flying, I hold tight to Reinhardt. It's all I can do, hopefully the others are fine as well. The blast was small but concentrated, Reinhardt and me were the closests to the blast, even if the others get hit it wouldn't be too bad.
As the dust begins to settle, I see the figure of the Black Humunculus rising to the skies and right into Peirrot's hands. With the last bit of my energy, I heal Reinhardt and regretfully lose consciousness.
"I'm... sorry... Growth..." I let the words slip from my mouth before I let go completely and slip into unconsciousness.