Survive

You can not win against Lament...

You only survive...

Or become like them...

The Black Giant roared as he thrashed his giant blade around, his sword crashing onto the ground and leaving behind large gashes upon the earth. The three of us couldn't find a clear opening to counter, all of us put on the defensive to avoid getting caught by one of his Wild Swings.

I parried the next Wild Swing, the force of the attack knocking me away but leaving Fleur enough time to fire a Holy Ice Blast from her Elementary Gun, the powerful icy missile covering the Black Giant in frost. The frost temporarily kept the Black Giant in place, leaving him open for one powerful strike.

"Luciel, let's go!" I called out to Luciel, warping next to her and gathering my butterflies in front of me.

"Right, my Prince! Let's give him a taste of The Apex!" Luciel replied, twirling her scepter around and gathering her butterflies as well.

Our butterflies began to shine brightly like stars, fluttering in place to form a constellation in front of us. The constellation shined brightly, primordial flames sparking from our butterflies as Luciel began praying to Genesis.

I stuck my blade into the ground then took a step forward with a prideful roar into the sky, the Leo Constellation taking full effect, lines of flames connecting our butterflies to bring to life the only known standing Zodiac Goddess.

"Synergy Burst: Primordial Roar!" Both Luciel and I bellowed, a red ethereal lioness manifesting from the constellation in front of us, her golden eyes gleaming with a true predator instinct.

The Lioness let out a powerful roar, pillars of flames erupting from the ground around the Black Giant before a larger, much stronger burst of flames erupted directly beneath the giant. The flames engulfed the Black Giant, searing his skin and leaving him even more vulnerable for another attack.

"Fleur now!" I called out, catching my recovering nun before she fell onto the ground, my gaze shifting over to the red eyed maiden in to the side of me.

Fleur nodded, her butterflies swarming around her legs and emitting light green energy, releasing gentle winds to lift her off the ground. Shifting her Elementary Gun into her Gatling Gauntlet, she placed the gauntlet upon her arm and took arm at the Black Giant.

"I will take back everything Lament has ever take away! Let this attack be known as your Catastrophe!" Fleur bellowed, a ball of light generating at the center of her barrels, each barrel glowing red from the overcharging heat.

She gripped her arm to keep her aim steady as she unleashed a powerful beam of light energy toward the Black Giant, the force of the beam repelling her away and causing a massive explosion of light. The high winds rushed across the entire courtyard and blasted the three of us away, the lush greens around the Black Giant crumbling away from pure catastrophe.

I guarded Luciel's body as we flew back into the ruined church, my back slamming against the podium. I grunted in sharp pain, my back arching as I reached back to soothe it. "Geez...the aftermath of that attack.."

"N-Nox..! Are you okay?" Luciel asked, sitting up in my arms and checking my face for any major injuries.

"I'm alright, Luci...but we should check on Fleur the most. She was the closest of us three to the blast," I reassured, gently taking her hand from my face.

Luciel smiled warmly at me before getting off me and rising to her feet, extending her hand out to me to help me up as well. Getting ourselves straightened, we began to head out of the church to find Fleur and check on her.

Fleur grunted heavily as she used the ruined wall of the church as support to stand up on her feet, her breaths coming out in short pants. She groaned softly as she lifted herself up and rested her back against the wall, her head leaning back to look at the night sky above.

She closed her eyes and held her shoulder, the recoil of her Limit Break rendering it useless at the moment. She ran her fingers along her flesh, feeling her shoulder was dislocated and grunted softly in sharp pain.

"Fleur!" I called out in the distance, urgently hurrying toward her with Luciel at my side.

Luciel gasped at Fleur's weakened state and released my hand to run ahead to her aid. She gently held Fleur's arm, inspecting it carefully to find a way to at least soothe her pain. "Are you okay? Is it hurting too badly?"

"I'm fine..." Fleur said with soft defiance, gently pulling away from Luciel's gentle touch but grunted softly at the stinging pain in her shoulder.

"Hold still and sit..! You're not fine. Let me at least soothe the pain," Luciel said firmly, her eyes shining with a sweet toughness.

Fleur locked eyes with Luciel then let out a reluctant sigh, using the wall to safely sit down on the soft grass. Luciel sat down beside her and held her hands over her shoulder, a soothing light emitting from her hands and calmly encasing around Fleur's shoulder.

I watched Luciel soothe Fleur's pain and leaned against the wall, my head leaning back against the wall as I stared out into the sky. I crossed my arms across my chest, my hand gently gripping my sleeve. "Y'know...you don't have to stay here and fight with us, Fleur..."

Fleur remained silent and closed her eyes, listening to the gentle whispers of the wind and the vast forests around us. Luciel also kept an open ear as I began to speak, her heart breaking as she knew her fate and mine are inevitable.

"You don't have to die with a ship you were never a part of. After we killed Vince, you could've just left...you could've left us to deal with our ending. So why? Why are you putting yourself at risk for us?" I asked, my gaze never leaving the twinkling night skies.

"If you haven't noticed, the Black Giant is primarily targeting me and Luciel—"

"I know...I saw it. Both Daemons we've faced so far have been targeting you and Luciel, but that doesn't mean you have to die here. You don't have to share the same fate your brother did..." Fleur said, opening her eyes and raising her head to look up at me.

"Look, don't be such a hardass about me staying. I already let my team know that I was bringing the crowned prince, and..." Fleur began, turning her gaze away to look into the far distance. "...My soul won't let me forgive myself if I let you two die here..."

I looked over at Fleur, her eyes bathed in hidden sorrow and grief, tucked behind the tough exterior the world forced her to grow up into. I could see the hidden story she tried to keep behind, the young girl who never truly got to experience life...a soft reflection of myself.

"I made a promise to my mother before she was killed...a promise to never have another regret in life again. No matter what...every action I carry out, it's all for her...and saving your lives is what she would've wanted from me," Fleur softly confessed, her heart slightly cracking open for us.

Luciel smiled softly at Fleur's confession, a heartfelt lump filling her throat at her honesty. She finished healing Fleur's arm and used one of her butterflies as an arm cast, carefully wrapping up her arm and shoulder.

"Don't worry, Fleur... We will help you on your path to having no regrets. I'm...I'm grateful for you not leaving us behind. In return, I'll be sure that the Sovereigns watch over you with us..." Luciel said softly and wiped her tears, her lips curling into a brighter smile.

"Right...just as you won't leave us behind, we won't leave you. Merc's Rule right?" I asked, glancing back up at the sky.

Fleur looked up at me once more, her eyes lighting up with silent respect at my honor for mercenaries. She couldn't help, but to smile at my statement and hummed with a nod. "Yeah...Merc's Rule..."

With our moment of reprieve, the three of us decided to head out to face the Black Giant once more, hoping our combined attacks were enough to weaken it for a more even fight. With our heads held high, we marched our way back to the courtyard, where the dust continued to settle.

The dust finally settled, revealing the Black Giant severely damaged with his arm disintegrating from his body. He let out a furious roar, his corrupted aura causing the flowers and greens around the church to begin rotting, turning the once holy sight into a wasteland.

I watched as the Black Giant threw a tantrum where he stood, thrashing his sword about in a frenzy. "We managed to break him down a bit, but he's still alive. He's weak enough for me to handle him alone..."

Luciel grunted in shock and grabbed my arm, preventing me from marching toward immediate danger. "My Prince! Are you mad? You are not facing that thing alone!"

I kept my focus upon the angered Black Giant ahead, my silver butterflies shifting into crimson one by one. "I have to...Fleur is out of commission right now, and I can't have you on the frontlines right now. Just stand back and provide me with constant soothing, not healing."

Fleur and Luciel glanced at each other with slight confusion and curiosity at what I meant, but they both knew my mind was set. Instead of fighting against my choice, Luciel released my arm and took Fleur to the safety of the church.

I began walking toward the Black Giant, my eyes shining with a calm rage, rage that's been boiling within for years. Without hesitation, I lunged toward the Black Giant with a bellow and launched a spiralling tornado kick toward him, but the Black Giant blocked the attack with his sword and lifted his foot to kick me away with immense force.

I groaned heavily as my body crashed into a tree, the force of my impact causing the tree to fall with a loud crash. I slowly rose to my feet once more, Luciel's light soothing my mind as my heart began to fill with grief, flashes of my childhood appearing in my head with violent force.

It's too late...

You can't run...

Lament has you...

Noxius...

I held my head as flashes of my past began to seep into my very perception, a black mist beginning to form beneath me. I grunted heavily as my head began to throb, the very memory of my mother's death playing in full mentally.

My heart began to pound with hatred, hatred for the very Daemons that ruined my life, hatred for the very being that killed my mother. With a hateful bellow, four black chains emerged from my lower back, their ends sharpening into blades.

"Never again...never again will I allow what you've done to happen again, Lament! I will destroy you! I will kill every Daemon you throw at me!" I bellowed, my butterflies swarming around me with righteous fury.

You can not kill grief...

Nor a Dark Lord...

Lament is inevitable...

"Shut up already!" I roared with raw emotion, propelling myself toward the Black Giant.

The Black Giant began to regenerate his arm using the black mist along the ground, his arm fully recovering in time for him to hold his sword with a dual grip and block my chains. The air around the lands was tense, filled with misery and desolation.

Lament's presence was truly in full...she was truly here. In my home, my land, my royal realm. The fateful encounter was finally here.

The Black Giant and I clashed relentlessly while storming around the battlefield, Luciel and Fleur watching with worried spirits of the outcome of the heartache of my noble sacrifice. With each swing and thrust of my chain, memories of Zachary poured into my head.

"You took away everything from me! My mother! My brother! My home! My fosters! Everything!" I cried out with pure hatred, thrusting my chains toward the Black Giant.

Grieve...

Mourn...

Lament for them...

The Black Giant roared as he swung down his sword, intercepting my chains and sending them crashing down into the ground, getting them trapped into the ground. Without hesitation, I leaped onto his giant blade and scaled up his giant built.

I launched a butterfly behind him, my body turning into a crimson silhouette and appearing behind him. I wrapped my chains around his neck then warped to the ground, forcing him onto the ground with a loud choke.

"I'll make you pay for everything!" I wailed in anger, dark energy surging around my body as the chains began to pin the giant down.

With a primal roar, I began pulling upon the chains with pure hatred filling my soul, the chains around the giant's neck clamping down, the small blades of the chain piercing into his skin. The Black Giant let out a pain, monstrous groan as his head was severed from his body, his body dispersing into dark particles.

Luciel covered her mouth at the brutal execution of the Black Giant, her heart feeling my wrath and pent up pain. Fleur closed her eyes, barely able to stomach the sight of the execution, but was glad the Black Giant was finally dead.

You defeated just a Vessel...

A high ranking Vessel...

Fitting...

For an Exzodia Noble...

I panted softly with exhaustion and stumbled forward, my body falling onto one knee. My heart pounded with sorrow and melancholy, my breaths coming out in hard pants. Everything I've bottled inside began hitting me at once, my breathing quickening at an irregular pace.

Luciel immediately picked up on my body language, her body rising up without a second thought to hurry to my aid. "Nox!!"

Fleur scrambled to her feet as well and followed behind Luciel, the two of them dropping to their knees to try and help me. My tears wouldn't stop flowing, my hand gripping my chest as I could only take in sharp gasp of air.

"He's hyperventilating! We have to help him!" Fleur cried out, her hand worriedly gripping my arm.

Luciel began to cry at the sight of my panic attack, her mind nor heart knowing what to do in this moment. She began to panic as well, her one source of strength now crumbling at his own misery. The only thing she knew to do was to cover me in her Soothing Light.

In the oceans of gray waves..~

Deep alone..~

No more Heroes..~

No Sovereigns..~

From the black mist around us, a figure began to manifest from the ground. Towering over us at over 11 feet and clad in ram armor, her body began to flare with black flames, her eyes shimmering into a calm bloodshed.

One last gift...

Noxius's Ancestor of the Aries Constellation...

The Bloodshed...

In this very moment... everything seemed to stop. Helplessness filled us all, lament finally gripping hold of our spirits. Though everything seemed grim, Luciel nor Fleur never left my side, the two preparing to share my fate with me.

Luciel began to cry as she leaned against my body, her tears the only thing keeping the grass around us alive while Lament taunted us in the winds. Fleur placed her hand upon Luciel's back and closed her eyes, preparing for the worst from the ancient avatar.

"Looni! Expand!" A young voice called out in the air with high urgency.

The Bloodshed glanced up at the sudden call, noticing a giant brown, fluffy dragon crashing down on top of her, causing her to let out a struggling grunt to hold up the dragon's weight. Suddenly, a barrage of Anti-Lament missiles flew straight toward the towering ancient queen, each one landing their mark and blowing her away.

Fleur and Luciel looked up at the sound of all the chaos, Fleur's eyes lighting up with hope as she recognized Looni and her young master. The two glanced up in the air, seeing a large blue and white aircraft hovering above them.

Without any questions, Looni picked up the three of us and flew up toward the aircraft and boarded inside. Quickly, the aircraft flew off at mach speeds, retreating from the Lament infested land called...Exzodia.

You can run...

I will not chase you...

You will soon have to return...

For the throne...

Our...throne...

.....

"And yeah, that's basically how we met! Long winded tale, I know...but I basically serve the Prince of Exzodia now," Fleur said to a local, bumping her shoulder into mine with a soft chuckle.

The local man hummed softly at Fleur's story, awkwardly sipping his drink and nodding along. He was just glad Fleur could smile through the pain and trauma, but couldn't shake how absolutely dark the story was.

I let out a soft groan at her playful bump and rolled my eyes, standing up from my seat and began making my way out of the local bar. "I'm gonna go see what Gallet is doing."

"What? Did I say something wrong? That's what happened? Right, Luci?" Fleur asked, glancing over at Luciel for sistren approval.

Luciel giggled softly at Fleur and grabbed her arm, pulling her out of her seat with her. "Yeah, but you know Noxie doesn't like it when we mention the hyperventilation. He said it made him very unhero like."

"Can we hurry along now? We have money to make here. Your little tavern isn't gonna pay itself," I scoffed lightly, turning on my heels and leaving the building.

"You mean OUR up and coming casino, O'Might Dark Prince! Hey, stop warping away from me!" Fleur yelled out, bursting out of the building as well to chase after me.

Luciel couldn't help but to laugh at the two of us, her heart beating with glee at our better spirits. "Hey! Wait for me!"

It's been two years since the incident, yet...I could still feel every moment of it. Every whisper Lament spoke to me, every memory burned in my mind, it haunted me in ways no one else could really understand.

Thankfully, Luciel and Fleur truly stuck by my side and took me into their home in the St. Meishi Division of Zodiac Square. Fleur managed to get me and Luciel recruited in Squad V under the leadership of Gallat, Fleur's mentor and father figure.

Deep inside I knew I had to return to Exzodia one day...but I was glad Lament also stuck true to her word and didn't chase after me. However, I knew her presence was out there... everywhere...