Day 25: Saying Goodbye

"I've waited long enough for this," Storm paced around. "Things have gone too far out of control. It needs to return to the void. The first thing I need to do is take out the hugest threats. The first person on my list… Edhas."

-

Grimm appeared in front of the KFP, holding Aloe. "Are you okay?"

"I think…" Aloe said, her voice shaking. "I knew this was going to happen, but… it doesn't hurt any less."

"I know," Grimm pulled the succubus-in-training into a hug. "Let's get you to some more friendly faces, alright?"

-

Botan was awoken by knocking on her door. She looked at the time. 5 am. Who could possibly need her this early in the morning? She groggily dragged herself out of her bed and dragged her feet to the front door, still in her pajamas. She opened the door, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What do you want? It's so ea-," Botan cut herself off when she saw who it was. A tall, bulky man with his hair combed back followed by Aloe, a large, black cloak wrapped around her. "Aloe!"

Botan tackled her friend into a hug. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Botan…" Aloe tightly gripped her friend, a pained expression on her face. "I'm here."

Botan looked up to the man, who was smiling down at the two of them. "Thank you."

"No problem," the man said. "I trust you can take care of her?"

"Sure," Botan nodded. "I'm sure the others would love to see you again."

Aloe only replied with a small nod, holding onto her friend as if she would fade away into nothingness at any given moment.

-

"Do you feel that?" Edhas said as Ryan walked down the street.

'I don't,' Ryan said. 'What is it?'

"It's energy coming from the void," Edhas replied. "It could mean one of two things. Either Nux wants to screw around, or Storm might have gone insane."

'Insane?' Ryan tilted his head.

"Being the void's vessel isn't the best for your mental health," Edhas said. "Storm once told me that being the vessel of the void eats away at your sanity until it completely takes you over, effectively killing your soul."

'That doesn't sound good,' Ryan said.

"It really isn't," Edhas said. "Brace yourself."

-

As Ryan walked over to the KFP to open the door, there was a large boom as pure dark energy exploded behind him. He turned around to see black mist spraying in every direction, Storm at the center of it, his eyes black and his ponytail flying rapidly in the wind. "Ah, Ryan. Edhas," Storm said, his voice several tones deeper than it usually is. "You two are my first obstacle. If I want to return the universe to nothing, I have to kill you first."

"How cliché," Ryan said, summoning his guns.

"What the hell is going on here?!" The doors of the KFP flew open, Kiara running out. She looked at Ryan. "What's going on?"

"Apparently Storm has gone insane and wants to kill us," Ryan said, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal. After all, he already dealt with an eldritch horror trying to kill him the other day in Haachama.

"Ah, the phoenix is here as well," Storm said, pointing a pitch black kris at Kiara. "I get to kill two birds with one knife."

"Care to help me with this?" Ryan asked, a smirk on his face.

"Well, I need to put on a good example for my employees," Kiara said, grabbing her sword and shield, letting them flare to life. "I can't let you have all the fun."

Ryan nodded as the two of the dashed at Storm. Ryan let the gun in his right hand morph into a combat knife as he slashed at Storm. Storm held up his kris, blocking the strike while crossing his free arm, aiming it towards Kiara. With a blast of dark energy, Kiara was sent flying back. Ryan used a similar strategy he used against Nux and aimed his gun at Storm's face, firing point blank. Storm just looked at Ryan with his possessed eyes as the blast of magic went right through him. He pushed his Kris upwards, sending Ryan stumbling backwards. Storm then stabbed at Ryan, only to be blocked by Kiara's shield.

"Thanks, Tenchou," Ryan smirked, aiming his gun at Storm over Kiara's shoulder, firing the gun at Storm several times. The blast went through Storm again, as usual.

"Weak," Storm sent out a wave of dark energy, sending both of them sprawling.

"Let me at him!" Edhas said.

'With pleasure,' Ryan said as his eyes turned purple.

"So, you finally decide to come out," Storm said, spinning the Kris in his hand. "First, let's get rid of the nuisance."

Faster than anyone can react, Storm blasted a beam of darkness at Kiara, instantly punching a giant hole through her torso.

"Tenchou!" Ryan shouted in his head. Edhas could feel a torrent of rage barrel through his head. Edhas didn't fight it, letting the rage fuel through him, letting his magic energy increase. "Kill him!"

'With pleasure,' Edhas growled, switching out Ryan's guns for his swords, dashing towards Storm.

-

"Guess I died again, huh?" Kiara found herself in the phoenix dimension. She's been here once before when Ui killed her, but this time, she didn't have time to hang around. Ryan could be dying out there for all she knew. Storm was someone whose strength was unmatched by anyone Kiara has ever met, including Calli, and Ryan needed all the help she could get.

"Before you go," Kiara jumped slightly when she heard a voice behind her. She turned around to see Grimm.

"I can't exactly stay for much longer, Sensei," Kiara tensed. She didn't want to be rude to her wife's mentor, but she really needed to go.

"I know. I just wanted to give you a little something that may help you in your fight," Grimm held is hand out as if he was to let a bird perch on his index finger. Suddenly, a small, black flame appeared in the shape of a crow. It cawed as it rested on Grimm's finger before flapping its burning wings and flying straight into Kiara. She gasped as she felt a large amount of power seep into her.

"Thank you," Kiara smiled as the door to her dimension appeared next to her.

"Go kick some ass, little crow," Grimm said with a smile as Kiara walked through the door.

-

"This isn't going good!" Edhas managed, his body mangled and cut.

"You were never able to beat me in the past," Storm said, looking down at his opponent. "What makes it different now?"

"He has me!" Edhas's eyes widened in shock as a torrent of black flames barreled into Storm, sending him sprawling. The flames dissipated, revealing Kiara, her hair and outfit a pitch black as her eyes shone in an emerald light. "Am crow!"

"Glad to see you're alive, Kiara," Edhas panted as he struggled to his feet.

"What are you talking about?" Kiara turned to Edhas, a confident smile on her face. "I'm a phoenix. We never stay dead."

"Good to know," Edhas said, coughing out blood. "Can you keep him occupied? I have one more thing up my sleeve."

"Sure thing!" Kiara turned to Storm, who had already recovered from Kiara's attack. Black flames started to form around Kiara until the flames consumed the phoenix completely. The dark flame started to form into a cone as Kiara dived for Storm, intending to impale him with her flames. Storm took out his kris and clashed with the point, an explosion of darkness erupting from the point of collision. While that was going on, Edhas summoned a small remote controller with a big red button and slammed the red button.

"You wanted to know what was in the box?" Edhas smirked as blood dribbled down his chin. Something barreled down from the sky, landing next to Edhas. Edhas's eyes turned brown as he relinquished control.

"What…?" Ryan was bewildered as to why Edhas relinquish controlled, but he soon found out why when what seemed to be Edhas step out of the smoke, looking down at Ryan's beaten and battered form.

"It was one of Reporter's androids," Edhas said with a smirk. "All I had to do was possess it to gain my own body."

"Since when were you able to do that…?" Ryan coughed. The wounds from Edhas's battle flared, causing Ryan immense pain.

"I was always able to do it," Edhas shrugged. "You know, I considered doing this at first, but I had a lot more fun hanging around with you, Ryan. Thank you."

"I guess I was good for something, huh?" Ryan closed his eyes, chuckling weakly. "Now, shall we finish this battle?"

"No," Edhas said sternly, causing Ryan's eyes to open in shock. Edhas put a hand on Ryan's shoulder and suddenly, all of Ryan's energy faded. Ryan fell to one knee. He tried to move his limbs, but they wouldn't, their only response being a searing pain.

"Why are you doing this…?" Ryan asked, tears forming in his eyes. He thought he finally formed a friendship with Edhas, just for him to turn around and betray him. "I thought we were friends."

"I'm doing this exactly because we are friends," Edhas said. "Let me be straight with you. I can't beat Storm. That's why I got a spare body. I'm going to take the bastard with me."

"Don't tell me…!" Ryan said, his eyes widening further as he put the pieces together. "You'll come back, right?"

"Unfortunately, that isn't the case," Edhas said, shaking his head. "Since I'll be overloading myself with magic, self-destructing will destroy what's left of my soul as well."

"Wait!" Ryan shouted, desperation in his eyes as he forced himself to stand. "There has to be another way!"

"Before I go, let me give you a parting gift," Edhas put his index finger on Ryan's forehead, letting it slightly glow. "Consider this a mental care package. Now, I have a job to do. Live a good life, Ryan Shade."

"Don't go!" Ryan yelled, tears pouring from his eyes as his other half turned around and dashed towards Storm and Kiara, who were still fighting. Kiara was substantially beaten while Storm was only suffering from a couple cuts and burns.

"Thank you for everything," Edhas said as he grabbed onto Storm. He looked at Kiara, a sad smile on his face. "Take care of the idiot for me, alright?"

The shock only briefly passed through Kiara's eyes, but the manager quickly grasped what Edhas was saying. An understanding smile crossed her face. "I will," she said, nodding. "That's a promise."

"Good," Edhas nodded before flying up, Storm still stuck in his grasp.

"Are you really taking me with you?" Storm growled, hammering at Edhas's back, shockwaves forming with each hit. "How stupid. I can always try again."

"Fat chance," Edhas said as he started to glow. "I'll destroy every molecule of your being."

"Impossible!" Storm shouted, his strikes becoming faster and more panicked as Edhas glowed brighter. "You can't do that!"

Edhas smirked as he looked Storm in the eye, his amethyst eyes meeting Storm's pitch black eyes. "Now, can you do me a favor and please RIP?"

-

Ryan collapsed to his knees as the two exploded into an innumerable number of lavender particles. Tears flowed freely down his face as the particles slowly drifted to the floor. Kiara wordlessly walked over to him, the black in her outfit and hair fading away, replaced by her signature orange. Without saying a word, Kiara got on one knee and pulled her employee into a hug. They had won, but at what cost?