Chaos Center, Part Fourteen.

In the dark confines of the Opera House, there remained but one source of light, not that pod radiating baby blue illumination, but those snowy eyes radiating a whiteness like milk. Ace didn't dare to step closer, that was the logical choice, but despite that, all reasoning had seemingly faded, the perception of his enhanced eyesight like nothing. Eventually, he'd naturally bring one foot forward, the sole sunk onto a square-shaped pattern engraved into the stone of the lower ground.

"Al-"

That was the first mistake he'd made, maybe you'd hope he'd learned from his arrogance, but while the future was grim, he'd have the chance to redeem himself. Discussions about the future were meaningless in the present, for his foot, no matter how gently he'd placed it on the floor, it had sent off a bomb. Usually, the world, or rather, time- it never felt this slow. Like the world had been shaded grey, and he was a bystander along with it, for as Alex stood up tall, Ace realized he was moving in slow motion.

In the time it took for his eyes to widen, Alex had not only been standing straight on two legs, but he was clenching his fist, he was pointing his fingers inward, and he'd even cracked his neck. For such simple movements to be as fast as they were, how could this be? But, then, it hit him. This perspective wasn't that of the Judge's allies, it was that of the enemy's. A mere blur for movements that weren't intended to be lethal, without advanced sight like his, if the naked eye were to peer at this, it'd be like gazing upon a shimmering mirage, phasing in and out of reality with the slightest joint twitch.

A window into the realm of inferiority. In the face of absolute power made incarnate into his mentor, made malicious toward his being still undetected by his scattered mind, Ace felt the tendrils of his teacher's dormant aura stab into him like the thrusts of a blade penetrating his flesh, drawing blood. Over this past year, he'd faced various trials that led to this point, trails that threatened the person he was, the essence of his humanity, but right here, now, none of that compared to the Requiem Judge's unparalleled power terrorizing the shell of his spirit.

It was the first time the Reaper's son had felt fear. Attempting to look at his face, to recognize his features, he was met by nothing more than blackness, but that made it clear. This was no longer the selfless old man he knew, maybe it was innately discovered the second he took that first step, and yet, THIS was the confirmation he needed. Alexander Amara had all but vanished to a different world, as all that remained was the Founder's puppet, dancing on the strings he'd formed for him, and right now, here, facing that soulless doll?

After all this time, he'd assumed he'd grown, that he'd matured, sparring Hana, being with Kima, aiding Katie, but, how could he? The very man who saved him, who gave him a new life, his joints manipulated by invisible strings he couldn't even touch? He barely withheld a weep, but that didn't stop the tears, for even as they streamed, staining his cheeks, there was no doubting that fire in his eyes. However, with the power he held, it was bound to affect the area, with flickering lights and the cracked floor, that release of aura had not only attracted Alex's mindless stares but any other than his beloved cousin herself.

Ace had hit his breaking point, everyone had one, but everyone also had differing reactions when they'd hit that eventual limit. If he was quick to anger, if he was feeling the extend of his crimson aura extending everywhere to heighten his physicality, to rid his brain of reasoning, yet Eternal Sight returned it. The Scarlet King felt the pupils dart, zipping from side to side within the confines of his eyeball, as Wilder shakily inhaled, he remembered that time, half a year prior.

Extending out his hand to her form of darkness so he could enlighten her to freedom, to acceptance, maybe he'd suppressed it, but, now- there was no telling what would happen. What chaos would reach out when she'd spot this fully, he didn't want to think about it any more than he had to. But Ace was too late. While the ginger did alter his legs' directions, the first step he took, the worst-case already occurred. If his aura was enough to garner Alex's doll-like curiosity, a simple glance, there was no telling what he'd do at the sight at hers.

A flickering ember had grown into a roaring flame, one that burnt everything in any possible direction, to never succumb, neither to a chilling rain or howling winds. The dual fangs of a wolf stalking their prey in the dead of night, sparkling eyes stabbing the heart of their victim, one could imagine. Those teeth that would sink into flesh, draw blood, snap bones- she could feel the seething sting as her nails forcibly sharpened. The darkness of the took couldn't compare to the blackness in her heart, even as her body shook with the force Ace's accumulated onto her, this chaotic trance enveloped the entirety of her spirit, like unavoidable corruption.

The ground shook, his body wobbling with the shake of the earth, another sound infiltrated his ears, driving his head to turn to the right. Before the building collapsed before chaos reigned, there remained one option for him, and just like that, as swift as light speed, his fist connected to the top of her head, leaving her eyes shut, and her conscience wavering to a silent slumber. Her unconscious body slipped into his arm, right arm unmoving as it draped over his nape, intending to carry her out through the front, Ace grunted.

"Jeez, you're fat."

As he commented that in a hushed tone, he'd soon remember what he left behind, and how he was missing. Leaving his eyes widened, seconds afterward, his head shook away confusion with another groan, now with closed eyes. He'd soon find himself at the Opera's entrance, barging through two doors with Katie stretched over his neck. Unluckily for him, he'd locate the missing person, lengthened locks moving with the wind's lukewarm breeze, Wilder noticed the shade of his mentor's aura had faded. Descending with steps guiding him downward, Alex halted at the mid-way point, snowy gaze darting as he obliviously marveled at the flashing lights, the thundering sounds.

Relinquishing Kate from his grasp, Ace sprinted downstairs, but amid his run, he halted, amazed by the sights of the battle occurring at breakneck speeds. Needless to say, both Alex and Ace were left baffled as they helplessly watched the fight above with special eyes that registered their lightspeed-akin movements.

Naraku and Hana's could barely be deemed humans, frames morphed to blurs, the Master's fist connected to his face, sending him further away, tumbling to the stairway. Catching himself before he could land, the Master raised one hand, but it sliced away, that chaotic presence reappearing behind her. Raising that handless limb as the punch dug into her arm so the bones could shatter to pieces, a pink light trail indicated her eyes' locations move with her body as his knuckles sent her soaring.

However, she was strong enough to recapture her balance in mid-air, extending her hand for a thread to entangle his neck, growing petals along the string, Naraku clenched his teeth, cutting it apart with his hand as he sped forward. Hand regrowing as his fist sunk to the ground, Hana held one arm to the ground as she landed onto her feet, but as she recaptured her balance, she could barely let the invisible slice scrape her cheek as she dove forward. Naraku's knuckles inched as she did, but luckily for her, as she utilized his arm as leverage then flipping overhead and kicking his back as she landed behind, he hadn't ripped away from the choker. Meaning, as she tightened her fingers around it, as did it tighten its grip around his esophagus, leading Naraku's fingers to claw at the stem.

'She's such a pain!'

He swiped away at it, swatting his arm behind her, sending a sideways slash at her head, she easily ducked under with one hand on the ground. A breath levitating the lone strand dangling from her head, Hana now stood tall, for the shadow had diminished, and as her face held an emotionless expression, Naraku panted, searching for the breath he'd lost in the fight against her.

'The worst ab-about her is that... even when she's angry, she can still logically think! She doesn't stupidly throw attacks at me, she's calculating every single movement I make and the possible counters for every miscalculation. At this rate, she'll kill me before I even have the chance to unleash THAT!'

"My 'Beloved Blossom' technique is one I've inherited from my ancestors, my students, my masters. It can harness angelic energy in the body, altered by the human genome to make Requiem energy, capable of obliterating both demons and angels alike. My main use for this power is to summon flowers with multiple purposes, some for defense, some for offense, as that thread I threw at you earlier? That was none other than a stem. That being said, for my abilities that I've hit you with to take effect, there needs to be the activation of another innate power I've pounded into my being. Carved just for this day, an explanation allows for this puts my life at risk, and because of that, my power will heighten. Now, allow me to end this, forever."

The output of her Vita increased, but even as the risk increased for his life, Naraku didn't back down, as she clasped her fingers together to form that sign. Gritting her teeth, feeling his claws scrape her chest as he pounced right at her with an animalistic snarl, she flipped overhead once again, now standing in front of the statue she'd destroyed earlier. But, as she was about to move again, unbeknownst to her, the plan was already set in motion from the first second the tiniest bit of her aura threatened to release out her nodes once more. The next words she'd heard were,

"Yo! Hana!"

Ace noticed him step down, now behind her by just a few feet, it was like time froze as she turned her head, for what lay before she was an impossibility.

"Huh?"

What stood there was someone she'd taught, in another world. Someone she was hungry to reconnect with, to see him laugh, to see him smile, and that was why she came here. She promised the ghost of the Reaper she'd protect everyone, that she'd save his children; ensure the next generation's legacy remained intact for another coming. She knew he was alive, she was there for the meeting. But when she anticipated seeing him again, it was nothing like this. Is he a fake? Is this some kind of trickery? Maybe Naraku shapeshifting? She had no enhanced brainpower or perception to fall back on, only the same thing she'd inquired about so quizzically atop that Mountain.

With only her humanity by her side, it all came crashing onto her brain like an unavoidable tidal wave.

The days before the end, that time she spent in another world. For Hana Saiai, one minute passed long ago. The next thing she knew, she was surrounded by darkness, the trickle of blood curving down her chin, leaking out her nostril, body splattering gore everywhere as she inevitably descended.

Without a right arm and missing both her legs, she still controlled her breathing, now with bunches of her hair in the hands of the anime, she reluctantly gazed into her enemy's eyes as he smirked so arrogantly, beholding her weakened face. She couldn't muster anything, only a spit as it touched his face, leaving him to smirk as it vanished away like she hadn't done so at all. Drowsy, as she was embraced by light, placed so kindly in the grace of God, the last words she could make out before her descent to slumber were,

"Goodnight, Hana Saiai. Let us meet again in this New World."

To Be Continued.