Finale: Tyrant

BOOM!!!

Kouki landed within an open square in the capital, creating a crater upon impact. His body was littered with arrows; miscellaneous slashes covered where the arrows did not. He bled all over as his slashed-up valiant armor couldn’t even be called that anymore.

Kaito and Rina dropped gracefully from the air in front of the crater Kouki lay in, both still in Infinity. Kouki slowly got up, looking like a living voodoo doll.

He laughed raspily, “It’s… not over,” Kouki said unconvincingly as he coughed up blood. “DO YOU REALLY THINK IT’S OVER!?”

Multiple citizens of Nakamura began surrounding the plaza. Tired, drunk, curious, they just wanted to know what in the world was happening. The rest of the Relic Raiders, alongside Shen, also appeared, finally catching up to the group.

“Ah, my loyal subjects!” Kouki called out. “Look at what these tyrants have done to me… YOUR HERO KNIGHT!!!”

Kouki was planning something…

“These two were the ones that have caused us all this trouble!” Kouki announced. “They stole from us heroes, and in turn, directly caused all those Stampedes that troubled all of Taelesta!”

He was trying to paint them as the villain…

“And now they’re attacking me, thinking that I was the reason King Nakamura died!? THEY’RE INSANE!!!” he added manically. “I’m the one who protected Taelesta from the Demon Lord! I’m the one who chose to lead the kingdom when the queen abandoned you all!”

“You’re the one who killed King Daiki!” a high-pitched voice announced.

Kouki slowly turned in his demented-looking pose to see who made that claim.

It was a small boy; tears running down his face as his mother held him close. Kouki looked at the mother, who couldn’t look him in the eyes out of disappointment. He then examined the rest of the citizens’ faces.

They all shunned him.

Kouki started looking guilty and panicked. “What’s wrong with you all? They’re the enemies! I’M YOUR HERO!”

“Did you really think nobody would hear the spiel you yelled in the streets earlier?” Rina clarified.

“You aren’t anyone’s hero, Kouki; you’re a tyrant,” Kaito stated.

Kouki pivoted backwards slightly as if Kaito had just attacked him with words alone.

“YOU’RE CRAZY!!!”

“YOU KILLED OUR BELOVED KING!!!”

“WE DON’T WANT YOU HERE ANYMORE!!!”

The citizens of the crowd got riled up and ridiculed Kouki. Kouki had no reason to put up a facade…

He swiftly dashed to Kaito and Rina, but they blocked him together.

Kouki mumbled, “If it weren’t for you you got in my way leave me alone I’m going to kill you I DON’T NEED THESE PEOPLE!!!”

Kaito and Rina looked at Kouki in disbelief.

“Kaito… let’s end this,” Rina stated.

“It’s game over, Kouki,” Kaito responded in agreement.

The two worked together to push Kouki off them before they both pointed their special weapon at him.

Kaito and Rina ran toward Kouki exponentially, with Rina slightly taking the lead. Rina crossed in front of Kaito, then Kaito did a flip over Rina. They stepped in opposite directions before jumping back towards each other, Rina over and Kaito under.

Kouki tried to keep track of their acrobatic movements, but he couldn’t follow their movements of Dancing Blade.

One slash came, and then another, and another. Kouki tried to parry what he could, but the attacks kept coming down, striking and pushing him back.

Kouki was panicked, the crowd silent as clashing blades echoed through the capital. Then it happened.

The struggling Kouki stumbled on a root Kaito had created, and was wide open. Kouki had ways of escaping the situation, but no will to.

Finalizing their marinera, Kaito and Rina yelled in unison as they slashed down at Kouki...

____________________________________________________________________________

Everything was white, completely empty except for one figure that sat alone.

Kouki.

He looked around the white room for something… anything. Just when he thought there’d be nothing to see, he turned and witnessed another figure.

Daiki Nakamura.

He was a tiny spec in the distance, but Kouki recognized him.

Kouki blinked… and suddenly they were beside each other.

“Where are your allies, Kouki?” Daiki asked.

Kouki didn’t answer. He simply put his head down as he knew what was happening.

“Did you have fun?” Daiki asked another question.

This time, Kouki looked up at Daiki. Confused and wanting comfort like a lost puppy that mistakenly walked out an open door.

“You told me this world was just a game,” Daiki clarified. “Aren’t those supposed to be fun?”

Kouki looked back down and finally spoke.

“I was wrong… This world wasn’t a game,” Kouki answered. “Where did I go wrong?”

Daiki laughed eloquently.

“I told you that answer long ago,” Daiki responded. “You’ve forsaken your allies and became a tyrant. And nobody follows a tyrant…”

Kouki looked back at Daiki, but alongside his last statement, he disappeared. It was only then that Daiki’s words rang true.

Kouki sat in the white space quietly… alone…

And gone…

____________________________________________________________________________

A new day dawned in the capital of Nakamura. Destruction abound, but the atmosphere, revitalized.

Everyone in the capital happily worked towards fixing the city that was built under the name of King Daiki Nakamura.

Shen was present and led the movement's forefront, but the Relic Raiders were not. They had returned to their home in Giora for a well-earned rest.

Bodies dropped onto beds, loud sighs of relief abound. Everyone needed healing, but none had the energy to go receive it.

Rina stood on the patio balcony alone.

Kaito slowly joined her.

“I did a good job,” Kaito stated.

“We did a good job,” Rina rebutted, lightly punching Kaito’s arm. “We all did.”

Kaito laughed softly, “Yeah, we sure did…”

“The Relic Raiders.”