The ashes of Gwendoline's body scattered, carried by the gentle breeze. Hellish flames that had scorched Rogue's face for several minutes subsided, revealing horrific burns across the entirety of his countenance; his scalp had vanished.
"Gwendoline…"
Words failed Rogue as he grappled with the tragic deaths of Alora and Gwendoline. The only sounds emanating from him were those of a hoarse voice, filled with sadness and bewilderment.
"Come on! Stop crying, boy. You'll be joining them soon!"
Abaguo snatched Rogue by the collar, lifting him as high as his arm allowed. He looked down at him with disdain and fury, piercing the tormented soul of the young boy, who was still drowned in grief.
"It's over! I will gather the survivors and absorb them.
"Why... why are you doing this?" Rogue stammered.
"For power! And eternal gratitude towards the demon race!"
Rogue, once sobbing for his lost friends, now cried in regret over a decision made during his summoning.
Why... Why did I choose to follow them?! I should've never said "yes" that day! I want to go home... I want my old life back... I'd rather be bullied than endure this hell!
*
With those thoughts, Abaguo dragged Rogue, Yanis, Jacob, and Marshal into a blazing, ruined alleyway, forcing them to kneel before him.
The fiery and dim alley where the protagonists knelt before Abaguo radiated an aura of despair and the bitter taste of defeat. Marshal, Yanis, Rogue, and the unconscious Jacob were destined to perish at Abaguo's hands, solidifying his reign and power.
Marshal's mind drifted back to memories of his childhood. He saw his parents, playing with him in the vast, lush Haradi forest, accompanied by the gentle sounds of streams and birdsong.
A particular memory struck him. At 14, a younger Marshal in his deep green kimono stood before his ailing father.
"Marshal... Listen to me," his father whispered.
"Yes, father?" he replied through tears.
"When you stand at death's door, facing a fearsome foe, don't despair in your defeat. Be proud you gave your all. Understand, my son?"
"Yes..."
A violent slap from Abaguo brought Marshal back to reality.
"Marshal! No more daydreaming."
Even on his knees before the archdemon, Marshal's eyes burned with anger and resolve. Seeing this, Abaguo smirked.
"You can glare all you want; it won't change your fate. You're all going to die!"
If only I had a bit more strength! With Rogue's power, we could decapitate him and ensure Abaguo doesn't regenerate!
Suddenly, Marshal heard Rogue's voice in his mind:
Marshal, I think I can hear you telepathically!
Marshal looked at Rogue, their eyes locked in mutual astonishment.
Rogue, if you can hear me, nod.
Rogue immediately nodded. The two, realizing the unfolding events, knew the final act was imminent.
"Rogue, I'll slice him with what's left of my energy! You, with your hacking ability, will block his regeneration. It's our last shot!"
"Understood, Mr. Marshal. Go for it!"
Marshal quickly spotted his damaged katana nearby. He swiftly retrieved it, filled with newfound hope. As Marshal rose to deliver the final blow, Abaguo instantly realized that humans had not yet been defeated. Marshal channeled all of his remaining angelic energy into his katana.
"What! You can still fight? Are you even human?!" he exclaimed.
Now, Rogue!
As Marshal sliced through Abaguo's head, Rogue unleashed his hacking power on him. The two heroes continued to fight despite their pain, knowing this opportunity wouldn't come again.
"How?! I can't regenerate!" shouted Abaguo.
Hang on, Rogue, just a bit longer!
A faint glimmer of hope, which had been dormant within, reignited abruptly. Marshal's strength waned, forcing him to collapse to the ground. However, his unwavering determination remained intact. With a final effort, Marshal, still gripping his katana, raised his hands towards the heavens, praying aloud:
"O Archangels, beloved Archangels, heed my humble plea as your rightful heir! I implore you to bestow upon me your ultimate power so that I might valiantly confront humanity's foe, Abaguo! In return, accept my life and soul as a sacrifice for the Lost Ones, acknowledging your magnificent strength!"
His last hope was granted as a potent angelic trail spiraled from his katana, now as white as snow. Marshal, drawing from his last reserves of strength and filled with pride, rushed towards Abaguo, clutching his katana tightly.
Father! Witness me, my death will serve to save humanity!
Marshal leaped as high as he could, katana in hand, ready to unleash its full force.
"Die, Abaguo! And never return!"
Under the watchful and proud eyes of Yanis and Rogue, Marshal cleaved the once invincible Abaguo into two, then three, and finally into thousands. Marshal's katana shattered into countless luminescent steel fragments that settled on the ground.
As Abaguo dissolved into fine dust, his cries of anguish filled the air. Marshal's body sagged onto the ground, teetering on the brink of death. With an expression of unparalleled kindness, he turned to Yanis and Rogue. Leaning against a building's wall, he tried to catch his breath, his voice echoing in their minds like the soothing reverberation of a guardian angel calming troubled hearts:
"Yanis, Rogue... Listen to me now..." he murmured.
Both leaned in to hear Marshal's final words. His voice was gentle and calming, reminiscent of a summer rain softly washing over a battlefield's fiery landscape. His words hung in the air, touching Yanis and Rogue's hearts.
"I deeply regret the pain you've endured tonight... You shouldn't have to suffer the woes of our world... Whatever happens next, don't let sorrow drown you due to my sacrifice... Any other angelic human would have acted as I did, without hesitation... It's our duty to protect others from demons... This is why we, the angelic humans, exist..."
Marshal's voice grew faint, but it held an infinite tenderness that soothed the wounded hearts of Yanis and Rogue. Their tear-filled eyes stared at the fallen hero, defeated but not vanquished.
"Yanis, my boy... do not let sorrow consume you. You are the bravest and most loyal warrior I have ever known. Your valor and heart are both your shield and sword. I know you'll be a great leader for the Lost Ones. You carry the light of hope, even in the darkest abyss. Remember, you are chosen by the Archangels; you will play a pivotal role in Trillia's future. Stand tall and use my death as motivation, not sorrow.
"Yes..." Yanis trailed off.
There was a pause before Marshal continued, his gaze settling on Rogue.
"Rogue, you are more than just a pirate. You are a genius, a master of the impossible. Your sharp mind and bravery have been invaluable to us. Use your gift not only to change the fate of those around you but to change the world.
"But... I've been useless. I've been a burden throughout my journey in Trillia... It's evident now that you're on the brink of death..."
"Rogue, don't speak such nonsense. It was you who helped me defeat Abaguo. Without your power, we would all already be dead."
As he spoke, his spirit began to rise symbolically toward the heavens, his body exhaling its final breaths. Marshal's form seemed ethereal, an angelic light emanating from his soul, illuminating the dark alleyway supernaturally.
"It seems this is the end... Before I go, know that I am proud to have known you both. You are strong, brave, and filled with unwavering determination. You are this world's guardians, and I know you'll continue to fight for it, no matter what challenges arise. Tell Jacob... that I'll watch over him from Paradise. I want him to thrive, to be strong, to be proud, and to be happy despite my absence."
Marshal's words hung in the air, his voice ever fading. He glanced at the Lost Ones, one last time.
"I'm glad to have been by your side till my final moments. I have no regrets. I'm glad to have known Meyla, Hermiel, and Rahman as angelic human colleagues. If you ever meet them on your journey, tell them how honored I felt to know them. Tell them how deeply I love them.
"We will," Rogue sobbed.
A tear trickled down Marshal's face as he smiled, gazing at the stars. "Meyla is an admirable woman deserving of all the love in the world. With no inherent power, she became an angelic human through her unmatched kindness. Hermiel is a courageous man who stops at nothing; I deeply admire him. As for Rahman, I've never seen a man as humble and powerful as him, he truly deserves his angelic human status."
Though Rogue and Yanis hadn't yet met Meyla and Rahman, Marshal's words painted a vivid picture of them.
"I'm glad to have lived my life on my own terms. I'm happy to have considered Jacob as my son. I'm grateful to have known you both. And now, as I feel my heart slowing and my breath weakening, I leave you with this message... In the dark, without any source of light, the path is slow and perilous. Use your past mistakes to light up the room and let your heart guide you to not repeat them. In doing so, you'll grow in the best possible way."
With those final words, Marshal's soul vanished, leaving behind his lifeless body and a silent alleyway, with a world in mourning. Yet a glimmer of hope remained, renewed determination, and the memory of a great hero who had sacrificed his life for humanity. Humanity had triumphed because of one of its protectors. Or so Yanis and Rogue thought momentarily, until unexpectedly, Abaguo's body resurfaced, spectacularly resurrecting from its ashes.
"Will this bastard never die?!" exclaimed Yanis.
Abaguo wore a smile broader than when he had achieved his goal, for he now knew he was even more immortal than he had thought. Archangels, nor angelic humans, meant nothing to him anymore.
"Thank you, Marshal, you've shown me that I am a being beyond even immortality! Even the gods can't touch me now!"
He burst out laughing, mocking everything around him, for now, he had become the most powerful archdemon. But the tide suddenly turned in favor of the Lost when Gwendoline's voice rang out, filled with authority and determination:
"Oh really? Are you so sure about that?"
All eyes turned to the other end of the street where they saw a transformed Gwendoline, her demeanor much more self-centered and commanding than before. Floating above her head was a curious multicolored halo, aligned with her right eye, which also displayed a variety of colors.
"Impossible, I killed you!"
"That's what you think, poor thing!"
Uttering these words in a threatening manner, Gwendoline moved dangerously close to Abaguo, sporting a cunning smile. He felt an overwhelming power radiating from her.
Who is she, after all? She's not human!
"That's right, I'm far from it."
"Wait! Did you just read my thoughts?!"
"I can read anyone's, darling!"
Yanis and Rogue finally grasped the situation unfolding before them: it was the entity inside her that had taken control of Gwendoline's new body. She stood in front of Abaguo, relaxed, marking the ultimate act of this confrontation. Both were ready for an epic and unforgettable battle.
"You've really changed completely, darling... I'm truly sorry for what happened to you..." the entity lamented.
"Why do you call me that?! As if I were just a mere woman?! In my eyes, you're the naive child!"
The sorrow she showed towards Abaguo and the pet name she had just given him faded, replaced by a smile that signaled immense power.
"Abaguo, you arrogant fool. Did you really think that destroying Gwendoline's body would get rid of me?"
A hellish fury overcame Abaguo, who could no longer stand the egotism of Gwendoline, or rather, the creature pretending to be her.
"SHUT UP!"
Abaguo's arm swung down with monumental force on the entity, causing unprecedented devastation that wiped out the entire district. Yet, despite this powerful strike, the entity stood still, unscathed, ever with that mysterious smile. The destruction left a desolate scene, but the entity's puzzle remained, defying all logical explanation.
"Ahah! That was quite good! Give me a moment, I need to shield our young spectators!"
The next instant, the entity ignored the stunned Abaguo and approached Yanis, Rogue, and Jacob, crouching to their level.
"Alright. This won't take long, so behave!"
They didn't grasp her insinuation and were unaware they were already enclosed in a shimmering protective sphere. Before they knew it, she was ready to fight at full strength, while Yanis and Rogue watched her closely from a distance.