A Final Roar

Mazoku slammed his leg onto the face of Alutzumal and kicked him down. He sent him plummeting down as he continued to rise higher in the sky and he then spun down punching Alutzumal.

"It's over for you. I have risen greater than you while you... You have fallen lower than you can imagine." He lectured him as he rose above him and he then grabbed a rock from the ledge and hurled it over to him.

The manticore took all the hits as more rocks were being tossed at him. Blood dripped down from his body as his gaze fell to the pool of blood he was in. More fighters came with Akari slashing his face with a monstrous gash of lightning, singeing his face as he looked fully hopeless.

He was a king who can demolish the clouds and could snipe down onto the enemies below with ease. He was undefeatable. He was mighty but he no longer is until that moment.

Damnation has been so unmerciful towards Alutzumal and he took an immeasurable form of pain internally as he fell down from the inability to fly and more from the powerful strike to the head.

During that, the flesh was flying from his back. Mazoku didn't stop sinking his claws into his body. He dragged his hands into the wings and his body began to contort with the blood veins hardening and he continued to add stress onto the wings with some of them beginning to deplete away.

The austere wings began to form on Mazoku as all they could see was a bright, white-red flash form from the hellish procedure. Like cobwebs, they were being assembled from small atoms. Then the mighty have fallen. Alutzumal dropped down and his bones smashed down from the horrendous impact.

His mind continued to race on the moment of his defeat. His body was getting mutilated as the hope left his eyes. He just wanted to protect them from the beasts around and all the birds were killed by the devils! He closed his eyes as he watched the light close.

"I sat with my father over an overhanging rock as they watched stars shooting down on the night sky. I was in awe. It was a perfect scene to watch in," described Aluztumal softly as he closed his eyes, "My father asked, 'Why do you like seeing this, Alutzumal?' 'It's a great scene, father' 'It is not.' He slammed his claws on the rock but it didn't break. 'What is great seeing a higher entity boast on its abilities while you watch like a weakling towards them!?' He posed his rage on me and slammed his claws into my face.

"He pointed at the rock he sat on and he then announced to me that the rock was another proof of power from the higher beings and to never reach into it. I was blinded by vengeance and rage at him. I have befriended a bird who would dig the core out for me. Days have past and vengeance was on my mind. My father was a cruel and arrogant lion and he has gone on to hurt me physically and mentally."

His voice began to croak with him coughing out blood, "He killed my friend but he's dug enough into the core and it transformed me. I've become the manticore you see me as... I killed him quickly and took the pack of lionesses with me. His last words to me as I watched the blood pour out of his eyes were, 'Promise me you'll be a king. When you are a king, I'll see you fall from your throne and die away. I will laugh seeing your body rot while another king takes your place...' I came over to Kamisugawa and became a king and stayed as such for years... I bet he's laughing now at my failure as a king and a protector. I deserve this all..."

He was no longer the proud manticore who used to be but a shell of who he was. His golden mane has became whittled, thin white hairs as his fiery eyes had become lost grey seas and he watched them feeling victory replace with shame.

They all froze in front of him and looked at each other. Mazoku dropped down and tears came from his eyes as he fell on his knees, "I- I'm sorry I stole from you..." He muttered.

"You freed me from the spite within me boy... If I looked strong with a weapon of hatred then I- Kah!" He coughed more blood yet he continued, "I was merely a fool to believe I was strong and it only just shows who I really was..."

Mazoku tried to rip off his wings as he raged on in anger. He didn't mind the pain but the wings stayed on and after he ripped a small piece of his wings but it morphed back into his body again.

"Enough, don't harm yourself over my sins... The only thing I seek of you is to promise to protect the birds..." He muttered to them as he looked around, "They aren't dead aren't they?"

"Of course..." Akio answered him.

"You saved my life and I merely returned the favour with an attack on you! I was going to kill you... I am no king, not even a commoner. Below the virtues of a peasant..."

"Lies. I see no monster, I see no beast. I see no manticore. I see the king of the caves." Akio remarked to him looking away in shame of him.

"A king..." He whispered to himself, "One final roar... For a king..."

Alutzumal opened his mouth and made a monstrous growl echoing through the caves. It broke down some looming rocks and many branches to the ground. The sound boomed shattering walls. In this majestic moment, hope sparked back in his eyes as the king finally felt his power return. A new spark appeared with him pronouncing that he will live. A will to live has returned within the manticore until...

The king was burnt to a crisp by Haruto Akari who held over his golden and gleaming katana above the body madly.

"I've finally gotten the bastard. Too many cowards run from and don't face their actions," He stated silently to himself.

He held up his head to look at the group in front of him who looked shocked and pale-faced; Daichi dropped on her knees in shock as Mazoku tried to help her up.

"I know this is terrible but we can't allow him to defeat us while we're weak. He can't see you like this." He tried reassuring her.

"Yes listen to your sweetheart, I wouldn't want you to act weak in front of me. It's seriously pathetic." He stated to them as he mocked her.

"You..." Mazoku hissed, "You're Araki's father..."

"Is that meant to be a compliment? I am not going to feel happy about it." Haruto replied uncaringly as he walked over to them slowly.

"Don't get close!" Mazoku warned as he transformed into his demonic form.

"Wings... That's new..." He noted as he held his katana upwards to him.

"You haven't faced a demon like me!" He threatened him as Akio stood behind him readying his stance.

"Oh well, I have Mazoku. You and I fought and I'm disappointed you forgot me. At least Akio didn't."

"How could I not forget a maniac such as you." Interjected Akio.

"Bold of you to say that to me after what you have done."

"ENOUGH!" shouted Rei pushing past them, "Hello father. I see we have finally met and yet you did not greet me at all."

"I heard of your vow to kill Mazoku. I guess you're so yellow-bellied that you're not even killing or even attacking him when he is close to you. You have no shame!"

Daichi and the siblings watched them battle as Daichi then whispered to Aldrif, "When I say 'go' you hit the ground with all your strength."

Aldrif looked over to her confused but nodded as she saw the bow and arrow hidden behind Mazoku.

"Shame?" Rei said to himself. He looked over at Akio and Mazoku and his gaze shifted. He no longer saw people who protected him from near points of death. He saw shapes of monsters and the demons he was told nightmares about: creatures who only took happiness in murder and ravage.

"Remember what happened to your friends and your teachers and..." Haruto muttered as he looked at Akio with rage, "And her..."

Rei grabbed his katana with anger and as he took it up Akio and Mazoku readied to fight. "This is for you Daichi..." He stated as he turned to strike Haruto but was returned with his katana.

"Go!" She yelled as Aldrif hit the ground with her mace while Daichi shot the ground helping the group rise up with the platform and as the root grew they managed to get to the ground above the haven.

"Run now!" She cried, "Akari told me to go before he comes for us!"

Meanwhile, Rei was dropped down easily by Haruto who looked up with unimaginable rage in his eyes.