Faith

The air within prairie began to chill with an uncomfortable breeze, the tensions rising between each combatant upon the fields. I couldn't take my eyes off Flynn, the old, good memories of old pouring back into my mind, but Flynn had a stare of bitterness and hatred toward me, her demeanor losing any warmth she once had.

"Murderer...you killed them all. You bastard...we took you in, Monster! We took you in and you just..." Flynn began, slowly breaking inside and gripping her hair with deep stress.

"Flynn...It wasn't me... I didn't kill our Fosters. You were there, Zachary was there! Luciel was there! You saw it with your own eyes! Lament—"

"It wasn't Her! It was you! She showed me the truth! You killed our parents! You killed Zachary! You even went as far as to kill Priest Vince! You're a plague that must be destroyed...I should've known..." Flynn said in a low, painful tone, dark draconic energy slowly forming around her body.

"I should've known the moment you awakened your Dark Lord power that you were the issue... All of our pain was because of you!" Flynn blamed, her aura flaring around her body with a vengeful force.

Before I would explain myself, Flynn dashed toward me with a giant swing of her great spear, but I quickly blocked her attack and grunted heavily from the force of strike, the impact causing me to stagger to the side. Flynn followed with a swift overhead slash, her blade crashing down toward me in attempt to cleave me in two.

My body turned into a floral yellow silhouette, allowing me to dodge her slash then I reappeared in the same spot with a retaliating blow to her face, sending her rolling backwards along the ground. "Whatever Lament told you, or even showed you is false! She took our Fosters from us, she killed Zachary!"

"Liar!" Flynn roared and got up from the ground to charge at me again, swinging her spear around ferociously.

Luciel watched as the two of us fought, her heart weighing heavy in her stomach as two of her childhood friends battled against each other on opposite sides of the field. She wanted to call out, but her spirit forced her to stay silent and let me handle my own battle.

I parried Flynn's next attack then reverted to my normal Dark Lord Form, my Deep Roots returning as my Hateful Thorns. With a frustrated grunt, I thrusted my chains toward Flynn, each chain wrapping around her arms and restraining her down to the ground.

"Enough..." I said coldly, darkness aura slowly emitting from my body like a reaper watching over my shoulder like a Judge in the night. "Your anger is misplaced...you fell for the hands of grief and now are using me as a scapegoat."

"Don't try to talk righteously to me, Monster! I know of what you are! You're a Dark Lord, a monster known for the destruction of worlds! The only difference between you and Lament...is she's given me a new purpose. Justice," Flynn spat defiantly, staring up at me with a mix of hatred and deep sorrow.

"Is that how you truly feel? About me? Is that all you know us as? Tyrants of many societies? Destroyers for the sake of it? Or do you only take me as a monster because that's what Lament showed you?" I questioned, letting out a soft scoff at Flynn and closed my eyes with a deep sigh.

"And here...I thought you knew me. There wasn't a thing I wouldn't do for Zachary...and for you to sit here and see me as Zachary's murderer. As the murderer of the very people who took us in when Lament took our mother..." I continued, my heart gradually shattering into pieces as I looked at Flynn, now seeing the reality of what she's become.

Flynn stared back at me with defiance, resisting against her restraints then let out an angered roar, tugging against my Hateful Thorns to set herself free. "Release me now, so I may rain down judgement upon you, Dark Lord!"

I released Flynn slowly, closing my eyes one last time to reminisce on the past for a moment, my heart softly grieving for what I lost in Flynn. "Sovereign of Creation, O'Genesis forgive me for what I must do...for I must lay my sistren to Rest."

"Praying to Genesis won't save you any from your fate!" Flynn bellowed, rising to her feet with fury aura surrounding her body, the blade of her spear glowing a deep red hue.

"She might now save me now...but I know she will save you," I said, my Hateful Thorns flowing behind me, ready to strike Flynn at speeds of a venomous cobra.

Flynn lowered her stance and dashed toward me at high speeds the leaped in the air with a battle cry, coming down with a speeding slash, but I launched one of my butterflies in the air, warping out of harm's way and countered with a crash of my chains against her back, her pained cries filling the prairie.

I landed on the ground and shot one of my chains to her, the chain wrapping around her ankle and pulling her toward me. Flynn recovered within my pull, countering with a swift right hook against my jaw to force me to release her.

"I'll kill you right here!" Flynn roared and swung her spear toward my midsection, her blade tearing through the air with jagged force.

I parried her attack with my chain then stuck both ends of my thorns into the ground, causing large spikes of darkness energy to protrude from the ground around me. Flynn grunted heavily as she blocked my attack in a panic, her draconic skeleton wings carrying her backwards for safety.

Flynn propelled herself toward me once again with another slash, my chains caught her blade and ripped it from her hands, tossing it to the side. She grunted softly as she watched her blade fly in the distance, her weary gaze shifting back toward me.

"This is the product...of two years worth of accepting my own grief and pain. Two years worth of controlling my own darkness within, casting it out and making a will of it. I died a long time ago...and this is the product of pushing through suffering," I said, crossing my arms with my chains coiling around me like protective armor.

"Flynn! We have to retreat! As we are now, we can't compare to a Dark Lord's power! I don't even know what this ability is or what it does like the other of the past! We can try again soon!" Dahlia called out to Flynn, seeing she was fighting a downhill battle.

"No...not until he pays for what he's done to us! Prince Noxius shall die!" Flynn roared, thrusting her hand forward and releasing a powerful blast of draconic energy toward me.

I watched as the blast travelled toward me at an immense pace, my eyes reflecting the projectile shaped as a dragon head. Before the blast could reach me, a Warden Butterfly flew toward me and expanded into a large Butterfly Shield in front of me, the blast colliding with the shield and detonation into a massive explosion.

Flynn growled with annoyance at the shield and turned to look over to the culprit, my Warden, Luciel. "What are you doing?! Why are you protecting him?! Do you not remember what he has done?!"

"You're wrong about Nox, and you know you are! You're blinded by your own grief that you've allowed Lament to cloud your better judgement! Ever since we met Nox, he's never once had a bad bone in his body and I would know! I'm a trained Nun!" Luciel cried out, hoping her voice could reach Flynn.

Flynn grit her teeth in denial, her hand balling tightly into a fist and drawing a bit of blood. She shook her head and pointed at Luciel with an accusatory finger. "Liar! You dare protect the very monster who caused all of our pain?! You're no Nun! No Devoted Saint of Genesis! You're a Shaman! A heretic! You are a traitor!"

"W-What..?!" Luciel gasped, covering her mouth at what Flynn called her, her heart nearly shattering into pieces.

"Don't listen to what she says any longer for she knows not of what she speaks..." I said within the clearing smoke, my eyes flashing a red hue and light blue particles flowing upward around my body.

Flynn turned her gaze back to me, her eyes widening with disbelief as her body suddenly began to grow heavier against the very pressure of my energy. She grunted as she was forced down upon one knee, as if to kneel down before the crown.

My butterflies fluttered around me with a royal fury, their colors shifting to a royal red and began to release fiery energy around their graceful bodies. The butterflies began to form the Leo Constellation, each of them glowing brightly like stars and manifesting Lion Gauntlets in front of me.

"Calling my Warden, my Nun, my Royal Appointed Saint a heretic...a Shaman...is beyond blasphemy. I don't care how mad you are at me of some lies spat to you by a disgraceful Goddess...you will not disrespect my Royal Court," I said in an apathetic tone, reaching out to grab the gauntlets to equip them.

"Flynn...I love you as my sister still, even as your corrupted self. And it's because I love you so much...that I must lay you down for good," I said, my Hateful Thorns wrapping around my gauntlets to restraining Leona's fury within.

Flynn panted softly from the immense heat radiating from my body, beads of sweat rolling down her body as she stared at me. 'A Zodiac Weapon..? I thought they were all destroyed. How does he have such a relic..?'

The girls all looked at my golden gauntlets in awe and reverence, my royal prowess leaving them all speechless. They stared at my Gauntlets without her Solar Peridot, the only thing binding the Apex Lion's wrath being my chains.

"I may be a Ruler with no kingdom, but the Kingdom still resides within me. Whether you view me as a monster or a survivor, my status remains the same. Above even the likes of a Kingslayer. So if you truly hate me, slay this King," I challenged, getting into my stance with pure focus.

Flynn slowly rose to her feet, unarmed and without her infamous spear in hand. She stared at me with a mix of true recognition and hesitation, her movements still with internal thoughts on how to proceed forward.

Gathering all of her strength and courage, Flynn propelled herself toward me with a flap of her skeleton wings and launching a spinning kick at me, but my body became a royal blue silhouette to dodge her attack. I appeared at her side and struck her with a straight jab to her jaw, disorienting her for a moment.

I strafed to the side of her and struck her again at blinding speeds, dazing her once more before knocking her away with a heavy blow to her chest. Flynn grunted as she landed on the ground and let out soft pants as she slowly lifted herself off the ground.

Before she could fully stand, I blitzed her with a fiery knee strike to the side of her head, leaving her scrambling back to her feet in a daze. I walked toward her and grabbed her hair, pulling her head down to make her meet my eyes.

"Feels familiar doesn't it, little sister..? Back to training with Zachary, the man you accuse me of slaying," I said, staring in her eyes with a blend of sorrow and pain, my spirit not fully in the fight.

Flynn grunted lightly at my tight grip upon her hair, her hand reaching behind herself to unsheathed a dagger secretly. She quickly swung her arm to stab me, but I warped out of the way and dropped her in the process then appeared in front of her.

"You don't have to do this, Flynn. You can lay down your arms, and just rest. You won't be able to defeat me, not with the fruits you bare," I said, lowering my arms and let out a soft sigh.

"I can tell you don't truly hate me as much as you do. I get it...you see Her in me. You see her imprint on me, her very markings. The very woes she casted upon us. I am not at fault of what happened," I said, watching her rise to her feet once more.

"Just shut up and fight me like the King you claim to be! Stop trying to talk down upon me!" Flynn bellowed, running toward me to cut me with her dagger once again.

I began to dodge each of her desperate slashes, walking backwards with each slice and effortlessly avoiding her careless dangers. I caught her wrist upon her next attack, forcing her arm down then countered with a fiery strike to her face.

Flynn stumbled backwards, immediately putting up her guard to block my attacks, but I found an opening for a clean gut blow, getting her down onto her knees in slight agony. She coughed heavily and clutched her stomach with heavy heaves, her body shaking from the pain coursing through her body.

"I'm not even going all out against you...just give up. Rest peacefully Flynn. I don't want to kill you...don't give me that reason," I said softly, staring down at her with a solemn gaze.

Flynn stayed motionless for a moment, silently thinking of her next courses of action and rethinking her plan of flanking without a proper plan. She narrowed her gaze to the side, noticing her spear laying near her in the distance, an idea appearing in mind.

Dahlia noticed the pause in our bout, noticing this was the time to take action. She pointed her bayonet at Flynn, a pool of dark energy forming beneath her then a giant hand emerged out to grab her and pull her into the pool of darkness, catching both me and Flynn off guard.

I quickly noticed the escape tactic and quickly dove toward Flynn to grab her. "No! You won't take her away!"

My hand barely reached Flynn before she disappeared into the pool of darkness, the puddle disappearing into the ground. I quickly sat up and looked around for Dahlia and Flynn, but they were nowhere to be found.

In a fit of anger, I slammed my fists onto the ground with a frustrated yell, a ring of fire erupting around me with equal wrath. "Lament!!! You even took away my sister?! What is it that you want from me?! What?! It's been years! What do you want?!"

The girls watched my fit of rage with heavy hearts, viewing my angered bashing of the ground behind the screen of the flaming circle. Luciel held her hand to her heart, unable to watch the fiery outburst that matched the fury of the Apex Lion.

Suddenly, a pool of corrupt energy began to form in front of us, emerging a large, humanoid Daemon covered from head to toe in silver and grey armor. A small opening in the front barely exposed the Daemon's black face and glowing yellow eyes. Its most notable features were the blades in place of each of its hands.

"Nox!" Fleur yelled to me, her gaze shifting toward the large Daemon in front of us.

The ring of fire around me gradually disappeared, my hands gently gripping the grass I kneeled upon. I slowly rose to one knee and opened my eyes, my final tears falling upon my face as I grieved for Flynn. "Genesis...I'm so tired of running. I'm so tired...of everything right now."

"What do YOU want from me?! You keep allowing them to throw Daemons in front of us! For two years, Genesis?! Why do you leave us with nothing?! Why...you still never answered why you let her take them away..." I said, my anger beginning to waver my own faith.

You doubt me?

Suddenly, everything seemed to stop, everyone hearing the benevolent voice of the Sovereign Queen of the Realms. I looked around with a heavy heart, knowing she heard my doubt, my anger, my shame in Her.

You dare think I will leave you unguarded against the hands of evil..?

Wake up, my Child...

I have given you everything you need...

Everything you need is what you shall seek...

I wiped my tears slowly, my gaze shifting down toward my Hateful Thorns. Her voice seemed to resonate with me, her fierce tone feeling like the same blaze I surrounded myself with, yet her tone loving as all ever.

"What do you mean..?" I asked, still confused by Her vauge answer to me, but her voice was gone, her answer complete.

I turned my gaze to the Daemon in front of us, summoning Steel Buster in my hand then let out a soft exhale. "No matter, let us deal with this final Daemon then head home."

Luciel glanced at me for a moment and could see a crack in the void within me, a guiding light finally leading me where I needed to go. A small smile tugged at her lips then she focused back upon the Daemon, readying her scepter in hand.

"What kind of Daemon is this? I've never seen one like this before," Luciel questioned, studying the appearance of the Daemon.

"It's a Blitz Blade Daemon, a B Rank Daemon with the Lightning Affinity. It's very weak to Wind Magic and techniques, but it's blades will paralyze you if you're not careful," I informed, awakening my Plant Materia to shift my Hateful Thorns into my Deep Roots once more.

"Is there anything else?" Yang Ru asked, adjusting her gloves and preparing herself for a fight.

"It's fast so be on your guard," I said, getting into my Avenger Stance, holding my blade high with a firm grip for extra power.

The Blitz Blade danced from once foot to the other then dashed toward me at lightning speeds, its body moving toward me as a streak of lightning and slashed down with the force of lightning. I parried its slash, knocking him off guard then my butterflies began spiralling around me, knocking the Daemon away with a burst of wind.

Yang Ru dashed after the Blitz Blade and leaped forward with a fiery kick, but the Blitz Blade swiftly recovered to block her attack. It pushed her away when slashed downward, releasing a row of lightning bolts toward her.

"Looni, protect the Lieutenant!" Effie commanded upon Looni's back, pointing at the barrage of bolts aimed at Yang Ru.

Looni roared and flew in front Yang Ru then puffed out the fluff around her body to conduct the electricity around her body and transmuted it into Mana. Effie leaped off Looni's back then threw her large shuriken toward the Daemon, wind energy rapidly spinning around the throwing star.

The Blitz Blade blocked the weapon with a ghoulish grunt, the shuriken pushing it backwards with great power. The daemon deflected the star in the air, but the star became white smoke, revealing the real Effie in the air, catching the Blitz Blade off guard.

"Did you like my neat trick? Well, you'll love this one!" Effie bellowed, propelling herself toward the Blitz Blade with a spiralling orb of wind chakra in her hand. "Wind Style: Windstorm!"

Effie slammed the orb of wind against the chest of the Blitz Blade, the Daemon groaning in pain as it was blown away in a spiralling motion, the orb pushing the Daemon toward the sky. The orb expanded into a large ball then exploded in the air, releasing a powerful whirlwind in the area.

We all grunted at the rushing winds, Luciel casting a barrier to shield us against the raging debris flying around. In the air, an angered roar sounded, the armor of the Blitz Blade breaking off and revealing a winged demon in the air.

That Daemon, what does it look like..?

I stared at the airborne Daemon in the air for a moment as Genesis asked me the question, the Blitz Blade resembling the fusion between an Imp and a Wisp Girl. "A Monster..."

Lament can't create Monsters...

The Army for my other Half...

Lament isn't supposed to be a Dark Lord...

You see that...

"I do..." I said softly, watching as the Blitz Blade landed on the ground, noticing her flowing corrupt yellow hair and tail flowing behind her. "Genesis..."

You can save them...

You can put them to Rest...

You and Luciel...

Ragnarok's Creations are also my own...

I glanced at my Deep Roots, noticing them glowing a healing green in response to the Daemon in front of me, confirming they were corrupted Monsters. "Even...the Dark Lords..."

You finally see...

Not even Ragnarok was safe from Terminus...

My Child, Terminus roams Earth...

I tried showing you before...

But now you see...

I nodded at Genesis's words and stuck my sword into the ground and closed my eyes, Mana particles beginning to flow around my body. My butterflies began to break out into a light blue hue one by one, my mind and heart slowly becoming clear.

"I see now, Sovereign Mother... Though, I don't understand my full purpose. I can see a glimpse of it...a glimpse of Lament's own pain in her creations. I shall put them to Rest," I said, placing both hands upon my blade with a royal demeanor, taking on my Sovereignty Stance.

I could tell Genesis was pleased, everything was good. I could feel Her presence, Her spirit flowing with my own. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, my Mana pulsing around my body with a divine glow.

"Listen up, everyone!" I began, taking my sword out of the ground and stepped forward.

"Nox..?" Luciel asked, her eyes shimmering at the sight of Genesis's invisible hand placed upon my back.

Fleur, Effie, and Yang Ru glanced at me as well, each of them noticing a light they couldn't explain flowing around my body. They watched as I stood face to face with the unarmored Blitz Blade, my courage shining through my own stillness.

"The Daemon the Holy Resistance sent us to defeat is right here, but killing her is out of the question. This Daemon is not a demon, but grieving monsters," I said, lowering my weapon and stared at the Daemon.

"Nox, what are you doing? That beast is still volatile!" Yang Ru warned, but paused as I held my hand out to stop her.

I continued to step forward, watching as the Blitz Blade readied herself. Feeling threatened, she lashed out with a jolting slash, her blade aiming for the kill, but my root blocked the attack, nullifying her lightning.

She grunted heavily and stepped back with a thrust with her other blade, but my second root blocked the attack as well, her blade impaling my root. I looked down at her blade, placing my hand upon it and closed my eyes.

"I can hear it...your pain. You miss her don't you...Irea," I said, feeling all struggles to set herself free from my roots halt at the name, Irea.

"Irea..? Who's that..?" Effie asked softly, glancing over to Luciel with slight confusion.

Luciel kept her eyes on me, her hand resting over her heart as she watched. "Irea... she's the Dark Lord of the Skies, The Morningstar. She's the first Dark Lord that Ragnarok created to balance the Light Goddess's imperceivable light from blinding the mortals of the Garden of Origin..."

The Blitz Blade began to calm down slowly, her lightning slowly vanishing and her body returning black. I could see her tears gradually rolling down her cheeks, her grief breaking through the surface as she mourned for her recovering Dark Lord.

Without words, I placed my butterflies upon her body, each butterfly absorbing and accepting the every grief the Daemon cried out. Their bodies began to glow a divine light as the Daemon began to lament, letting out one final wail before her body became a beacon of light.

Everyone guarded their eyes from the blinding light, unable to see the very miracle performed in front of them. As the light began to dim, the girls lowered their hands, the final product finally revealed to them.

Behold, my Children...

The power of True Lament...

Behold my powers though Nox...

Behold...

Final L[A]ment...

Before them stood me with two beings gently held within my roots, the left holding a resting Imp and the right coddling a weeping Wisp Girl, her electric tears still falling for her Dark Lord. I stood there calmly, holding my Monsters with care and a love only Genesis could express through me.

Behold Nox...

Your path...

Remember this feeling...

As you will have to carry...

Humanity...as he did before...