Chapter 48: Honorable Warrior

Rellgis Rillem-

Moving to a vast plateau in Planet Vaim, it’s completely deserted from anybody who could be harmed from our battle. Including my son, Skysin, who was used as a threat against me. From my old friend – whom I seen die right in front of me – Sedreen Magmastiem.

The plateau; flourished in flat, elevated landforms, like large cliffs. Covered in lush, green grass with clear blue skies, unaffected by the war taking place in Vaim City.

It worries me, that I had to leave Skysin. But I can’t protect him while both Sedreen, and Crim tried to attack him. But with Tenko by his side, it helps calm my mind, only a bit, nonetheless.

Standing on a large formation of earth, a butte – Sedreen was before me. The wind blowing calmy as we glared at each other. Nothing more but the eye of a hurricane.

“Sedreen…I don’t know how you’re living right now. But please, stop this! We can battle Nitanz together!” I shouted, attempting to get my comrade back.

Sedreen shook his head, “it’s too late, Rellgis…I have to move on with the plan.”

“To hell with whatever this plan is Sedreen!!”—I waved my arm, dismissing this futile argument— “The worlds will be destroyed! What happened to you?! Is Nitanz controlling you?!”

Sedreen unsheathed his weapon, wielding a long sword, a keen, crimson blade. “Enough talk Rellgis. It’s time to end this.” He stated, pointing it at me with malice.

When he did, Sedreen activated his Sun-Dragon Amalgamation. His long hair altered into white flames, piercing, fiery orange eyes, growing scales on his cheeks. Plus, a long, reptilian tail, the same color as the blazes on his head.

Clicking my tongue, I unsheathed my saber, “…so be it, Sedreen.” I growled, pointing my weapon at him.

Taking a step forward, we lunged towards each other, swinging our swords simultaneously.

As they came into contact, the butte under us was sliced in half. While it crumbled, plummeting to the ground under, we swung and thrusted our weapons, releasing masses of attacks and parries, standing on this rock.

When it came close to the surface, we leapt off, landing on opposite ends from the rubble. In that short amount of time, I seen chaotic, white flames fly towards me. Disintegrating the mountain of rubble as it traveled.

I lifted my arm, conjuring a giant slope of crystal ice, blocking the attack. Then, I distinguished a small section melting into a hole, growing larger by the second. In a flash, a body of flames shot through the mountain of ice, dispersing to be Sedreen, flying to me as his blade aimed.

I took a step back, and hurdled towards him, making our weapons slam into each other once again. The sheer force from the attack sliced through the elevated bodies of land, going on for miles upon miles. Steadily uplifting them into the air, plunging down onto the surface with a deafening crash as they crumbled into ruins.

When our weapons retracted, we followed through, both sweeping a kick to each other. Our legs connecting caused what seemed the entire world to shake tremendously.

Just as I was about to swing again, Sedreen made flames coat his fist, and connected a blow onto my stomach, ejecting me out of the stratosphere.

Wincing in pain, clutching my gut, I came to notice I wasn’t on Planet Vaim anymore…but I was soaring through the atmosphere of Planet Valorrey. As my body began to boil in heat and flames began to encase me. I used my kinetics, cooling myself as I fell through the stratosphere.

Falling upside down, I looked up and came to see the immeasurable ocean under me. Hastily, I fixed myself, bracing for landing, and crashed into the water. Zooming through, creating a clear space of air from the pure force, falling towards the floor of the sea.

Ramming into the ground of sand, I gazed around myself, viewing the humongous bodies of water encircling my surroundings. The top was but a spec of light, like a small perforation as the walls of sea encircled me.

Before it would begin to close, I lifted my arms, freezing the endless quantities of water. After I did so, I stood and leapt out of this fathomless hole, and jumped onto a section of the ocean that’s frozen.

When I looked at the water unaffected, I noticed a light, gleaming brighter as it drew closer. I promptly gazed up, meeting a ginormous proportion of flames, directed at me. Like a humongous supernova had taken place. Feeling the temperature radically increase as water began to evaporate around me.

“This bastard…he’s trying to destroy the entire world!!!” I screamed, raising both of my arms, launching a colossal beam of ice to his attack, attempting to terminate it.

As I kept a steady hold of my power, I leapt into the air, continuing to shoot more wide flashes of ice. When the flames had finally dissipated. I created a heavy platform under my feet, and used it as support, forcefully jumping back into Vaim’s atmosphere.

Everything became a blur as I shot towards the surface. Then, my eyes focused, peering at Sedreen standing in the ruins of our battle, his hand aimed where he fired his calamity of flames.

I narrowed my eyes, and tensed my body, making myself more aerodynamic. Diving right to him.

When I closed the distance, I extended my arm, and snatched his face, clashing him into the ground, and through the earthen floor. But I didn’t stop there, as we tunneled inside the land, I continued smiting his face with my fists, bombarding him with punches as we remained underground.

Until we shot from under the surface, coming to meet the city of Vaim. “DIE RELLGIS!!!” Sedreen shouted, drawing his sword and veered it down onto me.

I quickly parried his with mine, and spun my body, swinging my heel onto his back, propelling him into the ground below.

Still airborne, while I fell to the ground, I looked afar, viewing a mass of red silhouettes and beasts, all moving forward to the Central Building.

I then noticed two giant pillars of fire and blackened aura, a few meters apart, shooting to the sky. ‘It’s Sin and Crim…’ I remarked in my thoughts.

Skysin will get caught in the army while he fights Crim. I have to separate him from the enemy. But I must stop Sedreen first…he’ll just become a greater obstacle if I don’t put him down.

When I landed on the ground, I watched the two bodies of fire and darkness clash into each other, witnessing them dance in the sky like raging dragons. Then when they finally split apart. I knew what I had to do; I can’t let my son get killed.

When Sedreen finally stood. I lowered my stance, and sheathed my sword, still clutching on the grip. I focused my breathing and flowed all my vital into my weapon.

As Sedreen took a step and lunged towards me. I unleashed my power. Feeling a substantial build in vital as the ground vigorously shook under my feet like an earthquake.

“HIDDEN SWORD TECHNIQUE!!! FULLENGER!!!” I roared like a behemoth, quick drawing my sword, releasing a great light. When Sedreen swung his weapon at me, I sliced through him like butter, watching the glacial gleam segment the ground under in a straight line.

Erupting everything around me, casting nothing but destruction as the light obstructed my vision. Like a solar flare, all my surroundings were enfolded with illumination.

After the dust had settled, I noticed I was standing on the opposite side of the world. While the other half was on my right, maybe twenty meters from me. I looked up, viewing a distinguishable line in the nebulous sky above, showing a vague amount of azure. I verted my eyes across the remains of this city, unable to espy Sedreen anywhere.

“Sin…I need to find my son.” I said to myself.

When I took a step, I came to feel something sharp, enter my chest…

As blood trailed from the corner of my lips, I looked down, meeting a crimson blade, piercing me. “I’m sorry…old friend.” Sedreen’s voice chimed in my ears.

He wrenched his blade out of my chest, causing me to blench in pain. Making me fall into a deep crater. When I landed on my back, I stared at Sedreen standing on the edge. Although his face held no emotion, I could see a gleam in his eyes.

But…it doesn’t matter if he felt remorse now.

I lost…

*****

*Cough-Cough*

‘SIN?! Are you ok?!’ Tenko’s voice yelled in my head, filled with worry.

I could feel something warm, but wet, grazing my cheek. I opened my eyes, viewing Tenko by my side, licking my face.

My body was aching horribly, and I barely had any vital now. The exhaustion was beating me senseless. I steadily sat up, all while Tenko aided me, pushing my back. I rubbed his head, ‘thanks Ten…I’m fine…’ I weakly responded.

After erecting to my feet, I climbed out of the crater as Tenko leapt out and stood by my side. ‘Did you see Crim anywhere?’ I asked.

‘No, I didn’t.’ Tenko shook his head. ‘After that light appeared, I couldn’t sense you, so I ran over here right after.’

‘I see.’ I replied, observing my surroundings, I couldn’t recognize anything that this beautiful city used to be. I could barely even call it ruins matter a fact. Plus, if I’m still breathing, Crim survived as well. Wherever he could be now.

While I gazed at this wasteland, I noticed the other part of the planet was a good twenty meters from me. The gray sky above had a line of blue, its length traversing to the hazy horizon afar.

There’s only one man who could’ve made this happen, ‘dad…’ I spoke to myself. ‘Tenko, we need to find dad.’ I said to him.

Tenko nodded, and we began to pace around, searching for him.

Running throughout this disastrous city, we came across Series Academy. Which was nothing more, but the same as the rest of this place. The only thing that stood tall, was that godforsaken coliseum. Still hearing the cries and screams of students, while others had to murder each other…

Professor Cliff, Almetta, Principal Zynsim, all the kids. A school that was supposed to be filled with lighthearted memories, will be nothing more but a nightmare. A horror I’ll have to endure for the rest of my life.

I’m grateful that Cleo and Devail weren’t here to witness this. But Elaine…she’ll still remember everything that transpired, including my friends…

I withdrew my head from the academy and closed my eyes, moving on to search for my dad. He must be ok; he always is. The man that I looked up to ever since I was a toddler. A pillar of strength no one could trample over.

Ongoing with my search, there was only silence encasing this place. The bustling noise of civilians and shouting from venders didn’t exist anymore. Just the winds howling with loneliness.

‘SIN!!’ Tenko called out in a distressed tone.

Quickly, I looked over my shoulder, seeing him on the other side of the planet, hoping around. ‘Tenko, did you find him??!’

‘Y-yeah…I-I did…’ He answered in a sorrowful voice.

Posthaste, I forced my body to run as I agonized in pain, and jumped, leaping to the other side. When I landed, Tenko darted to a nearby crater, and headed inside.

Looking under, my heart plummeted to the ground, through the soil, and into the core of the planet. Viewing dad, lying in a pool of his own blood, a hole in his chest.

“D-Dad!!” I shrieked, jumping into the crater and running to his side.

I grasped his shoulders and softly shook him as Tenko licked his cheek. “C-Come on dad…wake up…” I desperately muttered.

Dad eyelids gradually opened, his yellow eyes gazing at me with exhaustion. He coughed, “…h-hey Sin…I’m glad you and Tenko are ok…” He spoke, rubbing our heads.

I moved to his side, “dad, we need to get out of here, now – so we can get to mom and Luna.”

Dad propped himself on the slope of the crater, “that’s not gonna happen son…I’m pretty sure Sedreen stabbed a part of my heart.” He informed, dropping his head, “…dammit Sedreen…”

“You’re not gonna die dad.” I replied, trying to activate my amalgamation so I could heal him, but it wasn’t working. Instead, it caused my body to billow in torment.

“Stop it…Sin… you’ll only kill yourself…” Dad ordered.

I ignored his warning, and when I continued doing so, dad grabbed my shoulder, “I said stop Sin.” He uttered with a glare. Dad gazed at the sky above, releasing a disappointed sigh, “…I know Val’s definitely gonna hate me when she hears this. Just make sure to take care of your mom and sister for me, ok?”

I dropped my head onto his chest as tears trailed down my cheeks, “don’t say that dad…please…”

“I know buddy, I’m sorry.”—He rubbed my head— “I just wish I could keep watching you, Melluna, and Tenko… to be there for you.”

“You still can dad…” I sniffled. ‘Tenko, try to help dad…’ I ordered.

When Tenko created a large chair-like platform of ice, we heard footsteps and laughter of men, drawing closer. I didn’t think more had lived. Furthermore, there’s nowhere to hide either, we need to hurry and get out of here before we’re trapped in this hole.

“Stop Sin…I’ll die before we get to the building.” Dad said, trying to make us cease anymore effort.

“We don’t know unless we try!” I discreetly shouted, seating him onto the chair. After we did, Tenko made him float towards the top as we climbed out.

“THERE’S STILL SURVIVORS, KILL THEM!!!” The enemy yelled, notifying tons of other soldiers behind us.

As they began firing a multitude of elements, Tenko and I ran while dad floated on the chair. The strain in my body just kept building, almost becoming unbearable, causing me to slow down. Plus, with so many attacks aimed us, it’s starting to grow extremely challenging, and the enemies were beginning to slowly close the distance. We must escape though; I can’t leave dad!

“Sin…was I a good father?” Dad randomly asked as he hovered beside me.

“Of course dad…I wouldn’t be here…if you weren’t!” I panted with an answer, trying to keep pace. Just then, a giant ball of flames landed in between us, blasting me away from Tenko and dad.

‘SIN!!!’ Tenko screamed.

As another soldier from the army of men fired a sharpened disk of wind at me. I closed my eyes and lifted my arms, bracing for impact. However, I came to feel nothing.

Opening my eyes, I viewed a wall of crystal ice, blocking the strafes of incoming attacks. Dad: stood in front of me, enveloping Tenko’s small body in his arm, “that’s good to hear son.”—He used his alternative, pulling my head in for a hug— “Remember… The strong are not just the ones who hold power, but has the will to move forward, even in times of chaos…”

My eyes widened as I figured what he was planning. Before I could do or say anything, dad showed a tender smile, tears running down his cheeks, “I love you son…so much. Tell your mother and sister I’m sorry…”

He lifted me into the air, and threw Tenko and I over the edge, landing on the opposite side.

“DAD PLEASE!! DON’T LEAVE ME!!!!” I miserably cried, hastily standing onto my feet and dashing to him, extending my arm.

Dad turned around, showing a beaming, fearless grin, and conjured another ginormous barrier of ice. Blocking us from getting to him. Only discerning the explosions and screams of men, hearing my father yell with might, until…I could no longer hear him…

*****