Nightmare Vs Agatha, Akari, and Akuma

Meanwhile, Akari, Agatha, and Akuma faced Nightmare, an entity that looked down upon them.

None of them were scared.

Agatha had finally been released from her mind along with Akari and was free. They were not about to die right as their freedom emerged. Akuma had one single goal in mind and would do anything to protect these two. He was old and didn’t have much life left. Although he knew the difference in strength between his opponent, he did not fear him.

In their realm, buildings aligned within a city. Large open roads were cleared and devoid of people as black holes formed on the sides of the buildings. Agatha didn’t want to test them, but she saw a car fly through one of them and end up coming out of another side.

The black holes were teleporters that shifted objects randomly as well as people. This was going to prove difficult for them, but Agatha had utter confidence in her skills.

Akari and Agatha activated the Dougen sword’s abilities, but this time, their mana sparkled like glitter. It was more immense since Kazuki had cleared their minds, although Agatha still did not want to use the Phoenix’s power even though she knew her fate.

Akuma: “Please, allow me to start this, you two. I shall provide a humble support, but if that monster is going to target someone, then allow it to be me.”

Nightmare: “Is everyone done talking? Shall we play now? Sir Welpen is very eager to kill you all. He is very upset right now that the shards have been combined. And, to be honest, he is a little scared. Those shards are well known throughout the Dark Mold as the ultimate enemy. Kalbokulus is the only one that has actually experienced them, but the memories are passed down to all of us. I bet he thought that he erased our memories, but the Dark Mold does not work like that. Besides, even though I am somewhat new as a leader, Sir Welpen is a reincarnation of some of the first leaders of the Dark Mold from a time that I do not even know. He is all knowing, all powerful, and all mighty. He will destroy you all.”

Agatha: “The master will not lose. It is inevitable. Your defeat will be here as well.”

Nightmare: “Ah, I see. Confidence only goes so far, young lady. I’ve been around far longer than you have. I’ve seen more than you ever have. You swordsmen will not win this fight.”

Akari: “Shut up! You don’t know anything. You don’t know how much sister has struggled. You don’t know what she has gone through to protect me. You don’t know how many times she has died over and over again because this world hates her. You don’t know anything. You’re just selfish and only care about yourself! So shut your mouth and watch what a bunch of nobodies can do.”

Nightmare: “Hehe! Did I touch a soft spot? Poor little boy. I wonder…If I kill your sister there first, how will you respond?”

He smiled a wide smile as if to trigger his anger and immediately rushed towards Agatha who was lit up all black while Akari was all white.

Akuma: “Eidolon Phantom!”

Tiny green spirits followed quickly on a path to Nightmare, grasping onto his body and halting his movement, although it already took a lot out of him to do this.

Agatha took her the Dougen, which was multiplied into both of her hands and thrusted it through his face.

He laughed and pulled the sword away from him while healing instantly.

Nightmare: “This will certainly be better than the fight with that one swordsman. He was an eyesore. I did play around a little too much though.”

Akuma: “Agatha, I have figured out this man’s power. The reason he does not die is because we do not hit his vital point. His body is not his vital point. There is a small tiny barrier barely big enough to see, but my spirits tracked it, which was my main goal. It is in a diamond shape behind him about 4 feet outside of his body. My mana has drained quite quickly already. That man was not easy to hold. I don’t believe this old man can be of much use in this fight. I’m sorry.”

Agatha: “That’s alright, Akuma. You’ve done enough. Provide some support if you want to, but to be honest, I don’t think I’ll need it. Akari, let’s go.”

Akari: “Okay!”

Agatha opened her mouth and out of it came lasers that shot extreme heat towards Nightmare who easily evaded it and spoke cockily to them all. Akari dashed behind the laser towards Nightmare, slicing at his body as he evaded again. Agatha circled him, creating afterimages because of her pure speed.

He reached his hand out and destroyed all of them except for her main body, which targeted him with the blades of the Dougen. He was quick–quicker than they expected–however they would not lose this fight.

Nightmare opened a black portal underneath him to go through before Agatha could slice at his head. He was matching their immense speeds, but suddenly ended up with half his body sticking out of the portal above Agatha.

She sensed him and sliced upwards, but he disappeared again through the portals and kept popping up in random places.

Nightmare: “I’m not as strong as sir Welpen, but I do have tricks of my own…Imagination Level 1: Shadow’s Takeover.”

Various shadows that resembled him appeared in front of them, not like Agatha’s afterimages, but literal shadows. Akari went ahead to destroy them, but she thought this was odd. She realized quickly how stupid of an ability that would be to just create weak shadows.

That was when she saw it. A shadow was on the ground heading for Akari. She screamed out, “Akari! Watch out!”

There was no need for this though. Akari had already turned and sliced down on the shadow, destroying it. ‘He’s gotten much stronger,’ she thought. She was proud of him and realized that they could fight together against this monster.

Nightmare appeared behind Akari with his main body through a black portal and tried to grab his neck before he instinctively reacted and sliced his hands to pieces. Nightmare backed away and healed right away.

Nightmare: “Yes, I do see potential in both of you. I shall offer this one time. Join us. Join the Dark Mold. No doubt you two are some of the Greatest Swordsmen I have seen. You could be greater and we can rule everything together alongside Sir Welpen.”

Agatha: “I’ll pass. The master is the only one I serve. He is by far stronger than me in any life.”

Nightmare: “I see. How unfortunate. Then I have no choice but to kill you…Imagination Level 2: Matchbox.”

Darkness took over the city, but in a sense it was easier for them to see him without the surrounding objects. However, they could not see the portals, which was a problem. Objects still shot out, now at rapid speeds.

These objects didn’t contain mana, so neither of them could sense it. A streetlight appeared and smacked Akari right in the body. Akuma figured he could use his spirits to create a barrier on them that surrounded their skin to protect them from these objects, but he could not defend them from Nightmare.

Agatha and Akari ran in sync alongside each other, jumping in the air, and blasting a wave of white and black mana out of the Dougen swords that encompassed a large radius.

Nightmare disappeared as their power dispersed and appeared behind them throughout a portal, which is what they expected.

"Phoenix's Draft,” she called out and a large bird came from underneath, destroying the portal and swallowing Nightmare into the air before eventually exploding on purpose.

Akari: “Did we get him?”

As he asked this, Nightmare started laughing and regenerated midair.

Nightmare: “Maybe you don’t quite know how my power works. You fools. Let’s keep enjoying this fight. After all, you look more like monsters than me right now!”

Akari: “Sister, have you figured it out yet?”

Agatha: “No, he hasn’t really attacked yet. His first two moves were just fractions it seemed like. All he is doing is healing himself as we attack. I don’t want to use this yet. The master must be relying on us to take care of this on our own. No doubt he has dealt with the person he was left with already.”

Akuma: “Agatha, I do have some spirit support on you both. They act similar to Poter Chaplets and will increase not your sword by an overall effect, but your bodies. I’ve known your strength since you were kids. You both are incredibly strong. Do not let this monster take advantage of you two.”

Agatha: “I still have my past memories, Akuma. I am sorry for how harsh I was to you in the past.”

Akari: “Me too! I’m sorry for everything. I know I made things difficult.”

Agatha: “You know? It’s funny. The Phoenix symbol appears in each of my lives after I meet someone or something important to me. Akuma, thank you. I know that it was you that made that symbol appear. It will lead to victory in this battle.”

Nightmare: “How boring. Are we done talking again? My master is waiting.”

Agatha: “No, it’s my master who is waiting for me. You overestimate your strength. Be prepared, sir Nightmare. Today will be the fall of the Dark Mold…Akari!”

Akari: “Right!”

Akari stuck the two white blades of the Dougen into the ground, connecting his mana to the black holes that appeared everywhere. Out of the black holes came white lightning that bounced around, specifically targeting Nightmare.

However, he was quicker.

At one point, Agatha could even see him move at such a rapid speed, that Nightmare was grabbing the lightning bolts and throwing them all over the place. It caught her off guard, but pushed her brother out of the way as the lightning redirected off of her sword.

Akari dashed from the side, Agatha from head on, but instead of slicing down at Nightmare, they threw one of each of the two blades that they had, combining them on purpose.

The Dougen clashed and moved on its own, targeting Nightmare just as fast as the two of them approached him.

Nightmare: “Imagination Level 3: Black Hole Unity.”

They were stopped midair, and the spirits jolted out of their bodies and back to Akuma. Even their abilities were halted, and the color of their mana faded.

Agatha: “Huh? What did he do?”

Akari: “Sister! We gotta go! Dougen! Do your thing!”

The sword that swung around purposely hit them both with the nub of the sword far away before a black hole that was 1000 times the size of a human appeared behind Nightmare.

They retained their mana and abilities, however when they got close again, it faded.

Agatha: “Nightmare. What is your plan here? You want to kill us, correct? Then why make something that prevents us from coming at you?”

He didn’t respond, but to mock them, turned around and didn’t say a word, as if telling them to attack the piece that they needed to in order to kill him.

Agatha: “Alright, I’ll play your game…Pheonix Burst.”

The black hole exploded, unexpectedly to Nightmare’s standards as he turned around and the two of them sliced at his main body, chopping him up into small pieces as he regenerated quickly and disappeared into thin air.

Nightmare: “You bastards. I’ll kill you both! Imagination Level 8: Death’s Door!”

Swords made of Dark Mold material emerged from everywhere. There was no way that all of them could avoid them.

Agatha and Akari rushed towards Akuma, screaming out loud, “Flaen’s Royal Crest!”

A crest appeared with 2 animal horns and 2 crowns on top of them both. It almost looked like rams fighting and headbutting each other. It deflected every sword with Dark Mold substance back at Nightmare who stood there, as the swords turned invisible passing right through his body.

Agatha: “Eternal Embers!”

As flames shot out towards Nightmare, Agatha opened her mouth and shot flaming red lasers at him as well, who purposely took the hit, but avoided the backside of him. Akari came out of nowhere from below, and sliced upwards 4 feet exactly away from his body, but missed the piece. ‘Crap!’ he thought.

Nightmare kicked him across the realm where black holes began to appear all over again. He was thrown into one and bolted back and forth between portals so quickly that he couldn’t get out of it.

He threw one of his swords that turned on its own, able to stop itself before entering the next portal and sliced every portal to ash.

Akari was pissed more than ever, screamed, and swung endlessly at Nightmare’s body. Akari and Agatha did not carry chaplets, however Akuma did. Throwing down an Arcanum Chaplet, he yelled out towards Nightmare, “Do not underestimate humans, you monster.”

Rare swords lit up, encased in spirits colors behind him, rushing towards his enemy along with the fearsome attacks from the siblings that wouldn’t end. Blood gushed down Nightmare, but his healing was as strong as ever, and he was avoiding his vital spot.

With only his mouth regenerating at one point on the ground, he spoke from it and said, “Imagination Level 10: Repulsive Nature.”

As everything continued to destroy his main body, pinning him to the ground, and targeting the small piece in the air, it began to fly away like it had a mind of its own.

Akari: “I can’t freaking hit it!”

Agatha: “Akari! No! Get back!”

Nightmare laughed as he regenerated, and then explosions all over appeared, blasting Akari away and even reaching Agatha to the point where she had to dash away and grab Akuma.

Nightmare’s ability wouldn’t stop. Repulsive Nature continued to destroy everything, but Agatha figured something out quickly. As she ran and jumped, the areas where she jumped did not explode.

“Akuma, I need a favor,” she asked, but he already knew what to do. He threw down 3 Levitation Chaplets, raising them in the air for them to see Akari who was bleeding badly, but still in good shape to fight.

Akari: “Thank you, sis…Akuma. You saved me.”

Nightmare: “Ah, figured it out already? There are limits to my Imagination power. Sir Welpen does not have limits. You see, I specialize in healing. That is why I am the leader. I can heal whatever I want. I have been a leader for a few hundred years now, but I do not really care about the Dark Mold. You see, if I cared about my men, then I wouldn’t have allowed Sir Ryoko to consume them all. Many believe the Dark Mold needs to be saved, but I do not think that. I think the world should be destroyed! Everything! Destroyed! The Dark Mold included! Destroy everything and allow Lord Welpen to rule over the wastelands!”

His voice went more quiet now…

Nightmare: “I cannot have you people ruining my plans. I’ve waited too long for the destined fate of that child…Imagination Level 20: Dark Mold!”

The realm shot out red and black strings of mana from everywhere, much like the swords that appeared earlier, but there were millions of them that wrapped around their bodies completely, sealing away the Dougen sword and cancelling out their abilities.

It burned.

It ached.

It hurt worse than the depths of hell.

They all screamed in agony as their skin was twisting into itself, and blood spilled out in insane amounts.

Akari: “S-Sist-ter…I-I’m s-sorry.”

Akuma’s spirits couldn’t do anything and dispersed instantly as his skin burned and his mouth was covered, but he looked at Agatha with such soft eyes that said that he was smiling.

Agatha began to cry, but even if she wanted to activate her Phoenix ability, she couldn’t. Her mana was too weak right now. In her head she apologized to everyone around her for not being strong enough, but an image of Kazuki came into her head from when she was a child…

Kazuki: “Agatha, what do you think it means to have strength?”

Agatha: “Daddy says strength is about muscles and power! I gotta get strong and beat up all the bad guys!”

Kazuki: “Have you ever hit someone? Do you know what that feeling is like?”

Agatha: “Ummm, no. I don’t think so.”

Kazuki: “I see. Ehh, I’m not really sure a kid will understand this. This is your first life after all.”

Agatha: “First li–”

Kazuki: “Ah ignore that! Ignore that! What I mean to say is, strength is undefinable. It is different for people. Some value muscles like your father, but some value conquering their mind.”

Agatha: “Conquering…my mind?”

Kazuki: “Hmm, let me see. It’s like this feeling where a bad thought comes into your mind, but you are stronger than it, and control it enough to say no. It’s like an overwhelming power in itself. Some people have even died because they believed in their mind that what they were doing was good enough to die for. Does that make sense?”

Agatha: “Umm, not really. Why would someone die on purpose for something?”

Kazuki: “Let’s see. Imagine you had kids. You loved them so much that you couldn’t bear to see them in pain, let’s say that you could take that pain away forever if you died. Would you do it?”

Agatha: “Well, I am a kid, but you’re saying that if I was in pain, and my father could die to make it go away, would I want that?”

Kazuki: “Exactly. Would you want your father to die for you?”

Agatha: “No! No way! I will die instead of my father!”

Kazuki: “Ah, but wouldn’t your father choose to die for you? I certainly would like to think so. He would give his life up for you. Don’t you think that is true strength? Sacrificing what you love to protect it?”

Agatha: “I-I guess so.”

Kazuki: “Listen to me Agatha. Strength comes in a response to a want. If you want something badly enough, then you will learn one day to conquer your mind. If you don’t, then you will stay where you are forever and never break the cycle. Learn to change and fight for what you believe in.”

Agatha: “Okay!”

Agatha opened her eyes, cold as ever, but yearning for something–something more. Her mind went blank and she thought nothing, but her body temperature rose in waves of heat that engulfed the entire area, completely destroying the strings that grasped them all.

Agatha: “Thank you, master. I think I know what you mean now. Strength is different for everyone, but when you want something, that strength comes forward and aids you to your goal. Akuma, brother, everyone…I’ll save you all.”

Her eyes lit ablaze in dark blue flames, her body in a fierce orange and yellow that encompassed her skin, but not like the Dougen. ‘This feels different. This feels…warm,’ she thought.

Also unlike the Dougen, her features remained the same. She didn’t look like a monster, just herself. It was overwhelming and she didn’t really know how to feel. She never would’ve thought this in her entire life, but at this moment she truly believed that she was on par with Kazuki Alcion–her master.

Phoenix birds appeared behind her in waves and incantations that she didn’t know existed, materialized on the ground.

It was like an army that she controlled, waving her hand forward to attack Nightmare.

Nightmare: “Ah, hiding something on your end? Well, the other two aren’t able to fight anymore, so I’ll make you watch me kill them once I injure you so badly that you won’t be able to move.”

Agatha’s eyes fluttered between orange, yellow and dark blue flames as she looked into the distance.

Her mind was calm.

Agatha: “My flames do not burn the body, they erase your very existence from the timeline. So long as there is belief in myself I will never fail. Let my soul sing your end in flame and fury…Phoenix Dominion: Wings of the Undying Emperor.”

The black holes ceased to exist along with the realm. Instead, overtaking it were gigantic flaming bird wings that covered the entirety of the sky. Raining down was light that burned more intensely than the Dark Mold substance, going after Nightmare.

Even he couldn’t avoid it as it encompassed the entire place. He stood there, not thinking that this girl could be stronger than him in any way, but his boy burned to ash right away, as Akari and Akuma’s wounds healed.

Akuma looked at her from the back seeing the sheer power that she was displaying, thinking about his wife in the past that protected him when he was weak just like this. His eyes watered and he called out softly, “Hinata…Are you watching?”

Nightmare regenerated and out from the underneath the ground came the small piece that was still in tact.

Nightmare: “You’re pissing me off now! Imagination Level 20: Dark Mold.”

Agatha: “Ashen Genesis: Cycle of Ten Thousand Lives.”

The birds took the hit of every Dark Mold string that shot out, burning them to a crisp until none remained.

Akari was watching from the sideline and although this fight seemed like it was taking forever, it was only about 1 minute long as Agatha was closing in.

Agatha: “Worldheart Detonation!”

Thousands of Phoenix's appeared out of thin air, bolting at Nightmare and exploding one by one around him. He couldn’t evade no matter where he went. He tried to run, but they matched his speed and followed him.

He targeted Akari, holding him out in front of him for them to explode him, but Agatha’s power did not target her allies. They exploded regardless and yet again, reduced him to ash, however the small piece kept getting away, going faster and faster each time that rivaled the speed of the 1st Reverend.

Nightmare couldn’t regain his body with the ongoing explosions that continued to surround him, but he was able to get his mouth back and bounced away.”

Nightmare: “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all of you! Imagination Level 21: Dooms End!”

This was an ability that was specific to the Dark Mold special powers. For Nightmare, his imagination levels only went up to 20, but in a special case, there was a 21st ability, which draws out immense strength, but it used so much power that he would not be able to regenerate. He didn’t care though because he intended to kill everyone here as of this moment.

He screamed at the top of his lungs, now slicing the Phoenix's bodies like they were nothing before they could explode.

He rushed at Agatha, coming face to face with her, but her eyes followed his movements, still changing color and locking onto him. She sliced him into small bits and ran after the piece that flew around the entire place, but he appeared right next to her, regenerating at the speed of light now and clashing with her.

She couldn’t deal with him and get to the piece. Akari swiped at Nightmare’s legs out of nowhere joined by Akuma. “Go!” he screamed out.

She ran and ran while they dealt with him, but they didn’t provide much support. Only about 7 seconds, which wasn’t enough time to get to it, but she knew what to do.

Agatha: “Immortal Judgement: Feather of the Final Flame.”

She held her sword with both hands as it rattled and out of the sky came a single feather that floated down. She was vulnerable, but as Nightmare tried to punch her with a fist that would have resulted in death immediately, the glowing mana on her skin wouldn’t budge, not letting him destroy it.

He screamed out loud and continued to punch yelling, “Why won’t you break?! The Dark Mold is superior to everything!”

The feather landed on the ground, slamming Nightmare to the floor, not shattering him, but he simply could not get up.

Nightmare: “You bitch! What did you just do? I can’t move!”

Agatha stayed quiet, closed her eyes, raised her hand out, and the small piece that was no bigger than half an inch came flying towards her. She held her sword high, aiming down.

Nightmare: “No! You bastard!!!!”

He was beginning to break out even of the feathers ability, but Akuma and Akari rushed over in less than a second and held him down.

Nightmare: “Get off of me! I’ll kill you all!”

It was too late though. Agatha swung down and destroyed the small piece, looking at him with a cocky expression on her face. “What did I tell you at the beginning? My flames do not burn the body, they erase your existence from the timeline. Wherever you end up, it’s better than here. If you're reborn, don’t worry. I’ll kill you in every lifetime.”

Before he could say anything, he perished into the sky.

Agatha’s abilities dispersed and she fell to the ground absolutely exhausted.

Her brother ran over to her before she hit the ground, preventing her head from hitting. “Sister…Thank you!”

He cried as he yelled this, holding her in his hands, enjoying the alone time he had with her.

Agatha: “Brother, don’t worry. I-I’m fine. I just need some rest.”

Akari: “B-But, the Pheonix…It takes your life span away–”

Agatha: “Yes, but not this time. I’ve conquered it. Besides, before I activated it, the master sent me some of his mana. Just a little bit was enough to prevent the Phoenix from doing damage to myself. I just need some re–”

Akari: “Agatha? Agatha!”

Akuma: “Don’t worry young one. She is just asleep. My spirits are healing her and will make her not have to sleep as much. I may not have the power I used to have, but I can still help…I wonder what’s going on everywhere else. I guess we are just going to have to wait and hope that everyone prevails, isn’t that right?”

Akari: “Yes! They will!”