A crumbling resolve

"That was faster than I expected!" Morran said with a hint of what seemed genuine excitement.

As Keita turned around to the sound of the explosion, his heart was filled with hope.

'Are we saved?' the thought crossed his mind as he gazed at the giant pillar.

"Tch, tch, tch." the Elder Lich clicked his tongue, moving his finger left and right. "Hope is meaningless for an irregular. It is despair, Keita Raigon. Fill your heart with it, familiarize yourself, make it your own. Despair is the only path for an irregular." he said, raised his hand and then pointed towards Keita. "Death Knight."

The humongous skeletal warrior growled and charged with ferocity. It's sword, unskillfully held over it's head, but even if Keita knew where the attack was coming from, without Haste he had to dodge with his life on the line.

"Wooooah!!" Nao howled behind Keita.

Koba has finished healing him but he ended up completely out of mana himself. The more Keita looked around, the more he understood how perilous the situation was. Even though he was healed, Nao's wounds were enough to kill a regular person. Where did he find the energy to charge while shouting, was something Keita could not understand.

Nao met the Death Knight's blade with his shield. He had lowered his center of gravity in order receive the attack but the power of a charging Death Knight was not something so easily neutralized. The shock wave produced by the attack almost made Keita lose his balance.

"Keita!" Nao screamed. His expression was that of excruciating pain. Bloodshot eyes, veins popping on his forehead, flesh blood coming out of the gaps between his firmly clenched teeth.

'He isn't going to last.' Keita immediately accessed. 'My foot... It hurts like hell but I can still move.' the moment he took a step towards Nao though...

"Fine... I'm fine!" Nao said, still locked with the Death Knight. "That's why... Keita!"

'I see... Not bad, Nao.' Keita thought and turned around, facing Morran. He brandished his sword, as if blocking Morran's way to the rest of the party.

"We will not let them move a single step from here. That's why you guys run! As fast as you can, towards the pillar of fire." he said with his back to his comrades.

"Eh...?"

"Anne! Take Reika out of here. Lia, you help Koba. Anne..." Keita looked towards his party one last time. "I leave the rest to you."

He turned his gaze towards Nao. He was being pushed back but he was completing his duty as a Defender beautifully.

'Forgive me. I always end up relying on you at the words times... And thank you. This is good place to die but I didn't want to do it alone again.' he thought but said nothing. The enemy in front of him was already courteously waiting all this time.

Keita cleared his mind of everything unnecessary. He wasn't going to look back. If he did, he might end up regretting it. All he had to do, was believe that the others run and made it out. That Nao could hold against an enemy far stronger than him. All he had to do was hold against an Elder Lich and wait for reinforcements.

"That a look more befitting an irregular, Keita Raigon." Morran said.

'What does my face look like now?' Keita wondered as he did not know. He had to clear his mind. Otherwise he might regret it.

"Heaven's Path: Shroud!" Keita shouted. His mana wasn't enough to sustain Haste but he could bare Shroud.

Keita charged towards Morran. The Elder Lich did not move. He just let out a sigh. Keita slashed with vertical swing but the Undead nimbly avoided his blade and hit Keita in the stomach and chin with his wooden staff. Keita grunted as he was pushed back.

"You really are intriguing. But a fool at the same time." Morran said in a cold voice that froze Keita to the bone. "Magicians are weak in close combat. Even kids know such a simple thing. Even if you reach the pinnacle of magic, your melee skills will continue being horrible. That is why, every mage aiming for the top practices close combat. When one knows ones weakness, he can strive to improve. But you remain oblivious to yours. As I though, if you truly are the Irregular, you can not be permitted to be left alone. Keita Raigon; You are weak!"

'Weak.' Pride's voice whispered in Keita's heart.

"Shut up." Keita said with anger in his heart.

"Your sword will never reach me." Morran responded and started chanting. In an instant, the spell was ready. "Dark Swamp." Morran pointed his staff to the ground between him and Keita.

Keita jumped backwards but his was delayed by his injuries. A dark colored Magic Circle appeared in front of the staff and ground under Keita's feet became a black swamp. He movement was impaired but he could still walk inside the swamp.

"Dragon Lighting." Morran said, holding his finger towards Keita's head.

Keita closed his eyes and tried to block the attack with his hands. But the attack did not come.

"That's how easy it would have been. Do you understand now, Keita Raigon? You are weak." Morran said and dropped his hand. His disfigured lips were smiling but his eyes did not hide his disappointment. "After fighting a Death Knight, you are in this state... Truly unfortunate. If you truly are the Irregular-"

"I am... weak?" Keita's voice interrupted Morran.

"Hm?"

"I am... weak?" Keita repeated.

"That's correct. As I said-" Morran tried replaying.

"That won't do!" Pride's voice came out of Keita's mouth.

Black magic power, was rising from Keita's left hand.

"For me to be talked down by a shitty Undead... That won't do at all." Pride said.

"Black Magic power?" Morran said in disbelief. As a mage, he understood perfectly well what black magic power meant. "How is that possible?"

"Shut your mouth trash!" Pride said with arrogance. "It is my turn now."

Pride disappeared in front of Morran's eyes. A moment later, he was kicked to the stomach and flew with his waste bend.

"Yes... this is it... This is the feeling." Pride said and clenched his fists in joy.

"Keita..." Nao gazed towards him. The moment Morran was attacked, the Death Knight run to his side. Nao was kneeling, his wounds too many to count.

Pride turned towards Nao. He examined the human for a moment and then smiled. But that was not a friendly smile. It was a smile of a predator looking at his prey.

"D...don't come out." Keita shouted as clenched his chest.

His transformation this time was not anything like the one when he fought Wrath. At that time, Keita and Pride were one entity. Their will was one. This time though, it was different. It was as if Pride was born from Keita's rejection of his own power. Keita's heart was split into two. And Pride became stronger as Keita's pride was wounded. This time, he tried to suppress the urge to unite with Pride and fight by himself. And the result was this. Pride managed to claw his way out of Keita's consciousness and take control of his body.

"Don't come out!" Keita screamed. He held his head with both hands.

"Don't come out! Don't come out! Don't come out! Don't come out! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! Don't come out! I don't want to die! Don't come out! Don't come out! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! Kill them all! Kill them all! Kill them all! Don't come out! I don't want to die! Kill them all! Don't come out! Don't come out! I don't want to die! Kill them all! Kill them all! Kill them all! Kill them all! Kill them all! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" Keita and Pride fought for control.

"Keita!" Nao shouted and punched Keita on the head.

Keita became silent.

"Get a hold of yourself, they are coming back!" Nao said. He was worried but right now was not the time for worrying about Keita's mental state. They both had a duty to stop the enemy from catching up to their wounded and exhausted comrades.

"Sorry. I'm fine now." Keita said. He let his fear and pride consume him, leaving a way for Pride, the one that tortured him in his dreams to come out. "It won't happen again."