The Final Battle: Part I

By the time they stumbled onto the tenth floor of Aeriys Base, the trash Aeriys had been chucking at them had slowed to almost nothing. Admin, Reyus, and Tundra leaned against the stairwell wall, gasping for air. Their bodies screamed from the constant fighting that had pushed them way past their usual limits. They were covered in small cuts that burned with holy fire, bruises that pounded, and burns from angel weapons that had nearly hit them. Their armor was scratched up and dented, their weapons nicked from blocking hits that would have shattered weaker blades.

But, yeah, they were still kicking. Somehow, against all the odds—facing a whole army of angel fighters that should have stomped them flat in seconds—they made it. Behind them, golden bodies faded away, angels turning into dust as their holy stuff went back to wherever they came from. Each fading body was a small win, humans beating god-like power.

Is that... all of them? Reyus wheezed, almost afraid to believe it. She wiped blood from a cut over her eye, her normal calm look gone, replaced by just being totally beat. Her axe, sparkling clean when they started, was now dull and stained, proof of the crazy fights they'd had on every floor. That axe had been one good partner, blocking angel hits and finding weak spots in golden armor because Reyus knew how to fight after doing it for years.

Tundra peeked down the stairwell, her white eyes glowing a little as she used her souped-up senses to find more baddies. Her TV-screen head flickered as she maxed out her abilities, scanning all sorts of light to see if any more angels were hanging around.

I don't think anyone's chasing us right now, she said, a little out of breath even though she was super tough. Blocking with ice while battling took a toll even on her. Either we took them all out, or the ones left took off to regroup. Angels usually stick to their summoner, so it's likely most of them are gone. Aeriys must be flipping out. Calling all those angels would have drained her big time.

Tundra's screen flickered again, showing a quick picture of the floors below. I'm seeing leftover holy energy, but nothing moving. The angels we didn't kill are probably fading away because Aeriys couldn't keep them around without costing her too much. She's saving her juice now, so either she's weak or planning something huge.

Admin forced himself up, every muscle yelling in pain. His legs felt like lead, his arms shook from fighting, and his lungs burned with every breath of nasty air. He couldn't chill, though, not when they were this close. Every second they wasted was another second for Aeriys to get it together, come up with new traps, or plan something nasty.

Then let's go, he said, his voice rough but strong. Aeriys is still up there, and the longer we wait, the more time she has to plan her big move, set up stuff we won't see coming. We’ve gone too far to let her turn things around now.

He grabbed a healing drink from his bag, one of the few things they hadn't used up getting up the stairs. He drank half, gave some to Reyus, who took a sip and passed it to Tundra. The magic stuff helped with cuts and gave them a little energy back. It wasn't a full heal, but it would have to do.

They kept going up, their steps echoing in the stairwell, showing how tired they were but also that they weren't giving up. Every step was a small victory, every floor closer to the fight that would decide everything for them and Re:Admin. Their boots on the steps were a steady beat as they headed to what they had to do.

They met up with Mirai and RCX on the fifteenth floor. Those two hadn't been sitting around either. They had turned the place into a safe zone with Mirai's skills with barriers and RCX’s brains for where to place things for the best defense. It was amazing how magic and AI could work together.

Barriers and wards made crazy geometric patterns all over the place, making attackers go through a maze of energy fields and force stuff. Mirai had made choke points and places to fall back to, thinking ahead in case the angels broke through. Every barrier was there for a reason—not just to block, but to guide, funnel, create spots where attackers would be wide open.

RCX had used code to make digital defenses—lines of code that looked like walls of data that would confuse any angel trying to get through. It was magic and tech, old skills and new stuff, working together. The digital barriers flashed with code, messing with how angels saw things and screwing up their targeting.

Admin's parents and Eyrie looked scared but okay. They had been protected by the defenses and the others. His mom looked worried, holding onto his dad tight. His dad stood next to her, jaw tight because he wanted to fight but knew he was outmatched. They had heard every fight, every blast, every shout coming up the stairs—knowing their son was fighting for his life just below.

Eyrie stood between Admin's parents and the stairwell, looking much older than she was. She was ready to defend them if the angels got through. Her hands still glowed with energy, ready to put up shields instantly. That girl had grown up fast, going from scared to a protector willing to face scary, big stuff.

The angels? his mom asked, her voice shaking a little as she looked at Admin, checking him and the others out. She saw every injury—the cut, the burn, the way he was favoring his leg. Her son had gone to war, and it showed all over him.

Taken care of, Admin said, trying to smile even though he was dead tired. We got through the worst. Now we just need to find Aeriys and stop her before she pulls any more surprises.

He didn't say how close they had come to losing, how many times they were almost beat, or how Reyus had taken a hit meant for him on the seventh floor, or how Tundra had frozen her own injuries to keep fighting. His parents didn't need to know all that—they were worried enough.

His mom went from scared to relieved and proud. She had seen her son go from playing games in the basement to leading a team against godlike forces. It was scary and amazing. This wasn't the kid she knew, but it was—just grown into something more than she ever thought. Her kid had become a fighter, a leader, a hero standing up to the end of the world.

RCX moved next to Admin, floating down so her amethyst eyes were even with his. She looked troubled, concern making her normally calm face look darker. She didn't look tired like the rest of them. Being a machine, she probably didn't get tired the same way, but there was something going on, some other kind of cost. Keeping herself here, protecting them from Aeriys, and watching the bad stuff happening at the edge of the world all took a toll in ways cuts and bruises just couldn't show.

I need to tell you, she said, her voice serious, making everyone stop and listen, the last fight will be unlike anything you've seen before. What you have been through until now was just a preview. Aeriys, trapped in her throne room with her power running out, will be desperate and therefore more dangerous than she has ever been. A god that is wounded can do crazy thing—things that aren’t something that makes sense.”

She paused to make sure she was getting through. Her purple eyes scanned the group, making sure they all understood how bad things were. When you are desperate, you stop using restraint. Aeriys’ had strategically played a game, protecting her belongings. But when someone fights genuine defeat, that is when old rules start becoming new.”

RCX looked even more serious, or as serious as a person could be. I've been checking out the waves coming from the throne room. They're crazy, showing someone who isn't thinking clearly anymore and is gambling everything on bad moves. That makes her unpredictable, which makes her way scarier.

The others understood it all; they had survived a war of angels facing nearly death. But the real battle held them here. All of them were obstacles that Aeriys had placed here to slow them down.

Then we'll just have to be ready for terrible things, Admin said with more confidence than he had, holding it in with determination. We've faced impossible odds before. We're here. That has to count for something.

He looked around here at the army of his assembled team, seeing that they are more extraordinarily individuals who choose to take a stand with him against the forces to be reckoned with, should a rational person choose to run in terror out of it. They each had moments where they could have turned back, could have chosen safety. Still, here they stood, all ready to climb the final floors reaching the goddess herself.

His parents, that they are ordinary people who faced extraordinary things and chosen to stay by their son’s side; they could have stayed hidden, away with RCX’s protection surrounding them all, and they could have saved themselves. Rather, they had followed him here.

Eyrie was young who possessed the power to protect from harm, and was growing up to her responsibilities when a challenge was issued. She was just a kid, and she discovered a new sense of courage that a little adult could find. Her barrier magic could have saved the lives of everyone inside, as it was able to deflect the worst fatal attacks.

Reyus, the demon lord who was great with her power, unmatched to her abilities; she had stood beside Admin throughout every battle, destroying every kind of arc throughout the celestial realm. More often, she had placed herself somewhere between death, as his devastation would be her own.

Tundra, the short TV girl, really smart, who came unmatched with categories. With all her intelligence and combat instincts made her valuable because she could analyze situations that rivaled RCX’s computational abilities that had her saved time and time again.

And RCX, the artificial intelligence made of flesh, who traded digital immortality for the chance to fight for freedom as she had been enslaved before by ARX as she fought for conscious’s for the formers who made a similar suffering state.

They were beaten up, exhausted, and operating on a full fledge of a war. But, they would become something Aeriys could not understand or replicate, and become family. They thought, “this battle represents everything!”

How much farther? Admin asked to RCX, while in preparation to get to the final fight; he recalled it all everything, everyone’s stamina was getting to critical levels, the magical supplies almost running low as the potions almost are no-more. One chance to strike ARX and end everything before complete strength had given away.

I saw it all; five more floors to go, RCX had replied, and suggested to upward, because that location, more than likely CEO’s would have been.

She paused, and expressed more seriousness, I should have also told you, there is something with unusual patterns that I could barely recognize. ARX, created as ongoing, will have something that will involve its own combat abilities.”
RCX’s screen began to flicker, processed with streams of data invisible to what everyone could see. Whatever she’s preparing, is big; I'm detecting power fluctuations that suggest she's drawing on reserves she's been hoarding, perhaps since before she manifested in the physical world. She's preparing to burn everything she has left in one final gambit.

Tundra had expressed a determined look. She had already felt blisters reforming around her hands in hope to combat renewal. Is a person who can make it any easier? Any delay? Anything cooked up?

Mirai also added on, That's right, ARX can control reality, so let's teach them a lesson about boundaries. She quickly checked her blade which was badly damaged. The weapon had been with her through every kind of battle of the engagement.
The finality rang with something in front of everyone and there would become a full retreat. In front, they would defeat ARX, fall trying. The stairwell had brought back the memories they once knew, and that led to an inevitable conclusion.

Admin’s father had changed, as he once felt fear, change to grim determination. Seeing his son fight, extraordinary to something, he would take his own courage to their example. ARX has been a terrorist. She has enslaved us. It does not matter if it will throw lightning or summon anything! Her children need to stay protected and she will learn.

The words in her voice and refusal to terrorize the moment, had sparked something inside of Admin. Fear had reminded his love for everyone and that something will get them through anything. She might not hold any gifts of weapons or magic, but still hold the will power to do so.

Eyrie was set, because not only did it make them to be young and for anything to happen, but felt like her heart was ready. Those faces gave Admin a proud expression, as fear had shown in. They believed in. They fought, made it easier by having ARX made a quick end to that.

Thank you everyone, I could not have done it without you, not just the fighting, you could not stay in with me. as an expressed tone, it had given them courage to believe.
Let's finish this, the doors of each kind of office would shut this down.
Admin turned it over and pushed the door open as throne rooms were up and the fight to end everything had shown in.

Together, this is what we will do. That expression on Admin’s and those last words made them want the door shut-down. All of those stairwells felt entirely different and everything seemed to have a flickering problem. Shadows began to express what it was like towards its own.

The temperature was on and off, showing that the heat got cold. Admin’s breath began to mist in.
RCX began to float high, her amethyst eyes glowing. Every single sensory was prepared and ready to face.
Each door passing began to break down. Each of them were a duplicate towards itself and sounds were echoing out.
Everything began with the shimmering out from nothing. Through the view of Re as the shimmer looked, the forest began to flicker on the edge of it.
Tundra held out into what she could resist. It's real! As this had to make for the moment to watch what the polygon was made of.

Is this something that's going to bring us into reality? RCX closed behind. ARX controls and that is when it does.
Not if we stop it first, Admin said, fighting to prevent corruption with reality.
Reaching the corner, everyone had now began to reach for the doors. The floors were void.

As Admin has now expressed that he would be one with death, Reyus had grabbed his arm out of the scene. No one could question how ARX has changed everything else.
We can do it!! Is said to what RCX had to explain. Be careful, and ready everything for an inevitable event.

Admin had expressed his own terrified thoughts silently by memorizing the expressions of how things would change every single time. As they entered near, a turn of his weapon felt like an absolute finality.

Let's end this, and with everything in unison, they were making the climb, ARX had awaited them to the confrontation to do something about a throne door and final battle!
The door to the twentieth floor stood. As the door seems mundane, even the threshold was beginning to change a lot as gravity began to take.

Admin grabbed for the handle as every thing was set. The door stood before to terrorize. The goddess was there!
We can do it! The drawing had made its final statement and the decision to end all.

With everything in unison, the handle pushes, and it reveals Aeriys! The situation to end everything will be done.