The people stood frozen, watching in awe and terror as the two monsters clashed. One of them was already dead. The other—he fought like he was. They moved in the same brutal, twisted rhythm, a dance of destruction so violent, so inhuman, that the word vicious alone could barely capture it.
Each strike left marks—deep, brutal reminders of the battle—but the wounds healed instantly. There was no pause, no breath, no mercy. The castle grounds trembled under the weight of their fury. For those watching, it felt like death itself was being performed before them. Most fled in panic. Only a few remained—frozen not by courage, but by a need to see how this ends.
Ray tried to hold his own, but he was slipping. His attacks were mirrored, deflected like shadows of the enemy's. Then, without warning, his arm began to tremble. He lost grip of his sword. Desperately reaching for it, he didn't see the twin slashes flying at his neck.
Then—impact.
A wave of pressure shattered the air. Ray blinked, dazed. His vision sharpened—purple eyes refocusing. Before him stood Lucius, calm, commanding. In one hand, Lucius held Ray's sword, its scabbard sealed. In the other, he effortlessly deflected the Hero of Serenity's blade.
Before Ray could speak, Lucius's foot connected with the Hero's head, launching him through the castle wall and deep into the forest.
Lucius grinned wide and followed without hesitation.
Ray, stunned, turned to see Bron and Aleyas staring at him with concern. He gave them a nod—silent reassurance—then dashed after his master. Bron and Rudolf followed as they descended into the dense forest below. They couldn't see the fight, but the sound—raw, chaotic, thunderous—told them it was still raging.
In the heart of the forest, Lucius fought with his left hand alone, still pushing the Hero of Serenity back with wild, precise force. Trees shattered, the ground buckled under them.
Lucius smiled again. "Why don't we take this to the sky? If you can hear me, that is."
Without waiting, he launched the Hero upward. Far above, the clouds evaporated as their battle scorched the air.
Ray and Bron followed, sprinting through the forest. As they reached a towering cliff, Bron touched Ray's shoulder and gestured. They nodded to each other.
Together, they burst forward—orange and blue auras wrapping around them. They crisscrossed, weaving like threads in a loop, building momentum. As they reached the cliff's edge, they leapt, launching themselves into the sky with everything they had.
Lucius, noticing them rising, pushed the Hero of Serenity into their path and vanished.
The Hero turned, barely registering the boys' descent. They screamed with every ounce of breath, blade and fist aimed straight at him. But he roared back, his aura exploding. Their attack collapsed under the force. He hurled them back down to the sea below.
Ray managed to grab Bron mid-fall and swam them both to shore. Gasping for air, they lay still—until a voice called out from above.
"Use that move of yours!"
It wasn't Lucius. It was deeper, older—calmer.
Ray's eyes widened. He stood, gaze firm, and leapt back to the top of the ruined castle. There, he stood quietly—eyes closed—feeling everything fade into silence. The world turned colorless, meaningless. Then a whisper entered his mind:
"I sense where you are. I'll bring him to you. Finish it."
Ray opened his eyes. Dark, purple energy consumed him, his body, and his sword—now unsealed. He felt empty, weightless, yet terrifyingly clear. Then he sensed it—his enemy closing in.
He raised his blade high.
The air bent under the pressure. He whispered one word:
"Retribution."
Everything shifted. Color vanished. Only deep blue and black remained. Time seemed to slow as the Hero of Serenity was pushed toward Ray—unable to move, trapped.
Hovering above him was a cloaked man. His face was hidden under a deep hood, and his long, dark cloak fluttered with a supernatural stillness. In one hand, he held an ancient book, ink swirling in the air around him. Pages flew forth like blades, encircling the Hero, binding him in silence.
Then—impact.
The dark, burning wave crashed into the Hero.
The sky exploded.
Clouds vanished. Firework-like bursts of white and black particles rained down. The ground trembled. When the smoke cleared, Ray stood alone. The Hero of Serenity—gone, completely annihilated.
He looked up at the sky. Behind him, Lucius landed gently, brushing dust off his shoulder.
They didn't speak.
They only watched the final lights shimmer across the sky.
Then, from above them, still hovering among the fading pages and swirling ink, the cloaked man looked down.
His voice echoed like distant thunder:
"That was a cool ending."