Hibiki Endou

Using my depleting energy, I raised a curtain of flames around us to make sure Hibiki wouldn’t be able to run away from me anymore. I knew if I let him out run me now, I would run out of stamina by the time I would catch up to him. This was not a possibility I could let happen, so it was well worth the energy usage to raise the curtain.

However, after doing this feat, it started burning through my supply faster and faster. My vision was starting to get blurry and I was having difficulty keeping myself up. I couldn’t make out Hibiki’s face anymore, but that didn’t matter. I no longer cared about what expression he had, all I wanted was to win and reunite with Fae.

I know I can beat him easily, so why can’t I just kill him? I’m stronger than he is. My reason was far more pure than his. So why can I just not kill him! This had to be our last exchange, and I’ll have to put whatever I have left into it to make sure I win. God, this is so stupid!

The blood from my body won’t just stop flowing. Even after all that pain I endured to stop the bleeding from my arm, it seems the wound already opened itself up once again. There was no way I would be able to pull off something else as crazy as what I had just done.

I could see that Celestia was exhausted, a sentiment that mimicked my current state all too well. This wall of flames which wrapped us up into such an enclosed area meant she was about to run out of stamina. This knowledge was nice to have, but it didn’t help with the fact that thanks to this wall, I wouldn’t be able to run away and outlast her.

The barrel on this gun still hasn’t cooled down from that last maneuver I made. Although, even if the gun broke with the next shot, it should still be enough to finish off this battle. The advantage to us being trapped right now meant that my explosion would still connect with her even if it misses. With the state she’s in right now, she shouldn’t have enough magic power to dodge and kill me.

At the very least, if the gun had stopped functioning after the shot, then I'd still have the knife attached to the end. That should be my way to win and my counter measure in case all else fails. This was it, I would end it right here.

With a burst of speed I went rushing at Hibiki, propelling myself forward slightly with wind magic to close the distance faster. In that moment he pulled up his gun and aimed it for me, tapping his crystal. He was going for the stronger shot then.

While she was moving fast, the distance between us and her mostly depleted stamina gave me enough time to take my shot. Aiming as quickly as I could, I propelled my magic infused bullet towards her. At this range there’s no way I can mess this up.

It’s coming right for me. It’s exactly as I thought he would do. As I approached it head on, the projectile slightly swerved to avoid me. By the use of electric magic I had managed to repel it just enough to stop it from a head on collision, however, the shifted momentum caused the shot to hit the ground right behind me.

I watched as somehow my shot had veered off of her as if it had a will of its own. However, this would be where plan B would take over as the bullet hit the ground directly behind her. As the explosion was set off, I saw as she couldn’t outspeed it and instead got hit directly in the back, launching her into the sky.

My back! My back! It hurts so much! But still. I can’t give up just yet because everything is going according to plan. With a greater gust of wind I launched myself at lightning speeds, causing me to roughly land right in front of Hibiki. In this process my bangs had started to start changing colours ever so slightly.

What? How did she get right in front of me so quickly? Wait, her bangs are ever so slightly white. I knew they were purple before, so what’s this? Did she really use her life force to make up the difference in strength? Damn it! I knew she wanted to win, but I didn’t think she’d resort to something like this! Whatever, I don’t have time to be stunned. It's time for my last measure, the knife.

As he went to plunge the tip of his weapon into me, I quickly ducked it. Using the palm of my left hand, I hit upwards on the bottom of the weapon and then I blew it out of his hands upwards with wind magic. With a swift use of an icicle spear, I shot at him, leaving a massive hole in his chest as the icicle went straight through him and disappeared into the curtain of flames.

He remained standing for a bit longer until finally the results of everything had just processed in his mind, causing him to fall over. As he fell, I saw as the ring glistened in the moonlight which had begun to envelop us in its cool glow. As my snow coloured bangs fell into my eyesight, I coughed up blood and fell to the ground.

But it was not only Hibiki who would be having a realization. I looked at Hibiki from the ground and the memories flashed back to me. This was so stupid! The pain in my back! The risky plans! The deaths! Killing Hibiki! It was all pointless! What did I even achieve by killing people here? Wasn’t I supposed to be the one to heal them? So why did I kill everyone?!

The thoughts kept playing in my mind as I continued to look at his face. I didn’t want any of this. I didn’t want to kill my friend! I didn’t want to be a monster again. Tears began streaming down my face.

As I lay on the ground with the remnants of whatever blood had still been left in my body, I stared up at the night sky set ablaze by the stars which ruled them.

So this was it then. I couldn’t keep any of the words I had promised. Even all the talks about avenging Flint and Allirea were all just smoke and mirrors. How could I just give up now? I have to get up and make it real. But….I just feel… so tired.

You had given me so much too. You gave me a home. You gave me a family. It was my place to belong, but still I couldn’t protect such a precious thing. After everything, I couldn’t save what I had held dear. I tried so hard to. I tried to keep it all. If I hadn’t been so greedy this wouldn’t have happened.

I’m sorry Allirea and Flint, I just couldn’t do it. After all the kindness you gave me and all the hopes you allowed me to have. Even after all that I still couldn’t repay you for it. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Tears rolled down my cheeks.

I had worked myself half to death, but even then I just couldn’t pull through. To think that at heart I was still a coward. I feel sorry for whoever decided to follow along with this stupid plan. There was never a guarantee it would work, but still, it’s so frustrating.

When I first took over the rebellion I could only hate almost all of the members. But after having spent a fair chunk of time with them, learning who they were, their aspirations, their goals, their dreams, after learning about all those things, I couldn’t hate any of them anymore. I could only admire such a thing.

I’m sorry Fallem, I’m sorry Hue, I’m sorry everyone. I’m sorry I couldn’t help all of you to see your dreams through. I’m sorry that because of me most of you have died. I’m so sorry.

Please, if some of you are still alive, please live and protect those I couldn't. Please carry my wishes. If you can hear my words my dead comrades, please do everything in your power for those still living.

Would this rebellion still succeed even if I had died? Do they really still need me? As long as they kill the Royals then everything should be fine. I came so far as well, but now it’s all slipping away. Will history remember me as their saviour or will my title of ‘demon’ cling to me after death?

Oh well, it didn’t matter anymore. To have such thoughts as I lay here without a stomach was not something I’d like. In a way, I felt like I failed Celestia. I know that right now I should be angry at her. I should be angry at everything she’s done, but I didn’t want to feel rage in my dying moments.

When I first saw her in this room, she looked like a hollow shell of herself. Whatever had happened to her must have been terrible. If I had helped her, if I had done something for her the way she had for me, then this outcome wouldn’t have happened.

I guess this is what I get for failing to repay all the kindness given to me. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you Celestia. I’m sorry I failed you after claiming to be your friend. I should have just given you the ring and talked it out, but instead I chose to do something so dumb. I’m sorry.

I still haven’t apologized to you either, Cordelia. You’ve done so much for me. You helped me in troubling times, you helped me have more fun while I was still working. You had done so much for me, but even then I couldn’t repay it to you . I’m sorry Cordelia. I’m sorry I couldn’t return your precious memento to you. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep all the promises I made to you. I’m sorry I failed you.

Suddenly I started to feel a bit of warmth from my hand. This warmth was so relaxing it made me want to just fall asleep now. It was strange to feel any heat as I was dying. Although I’m no expert on dying. I mean I guess compared to others, I am an expert on dying. The thought caused me to let out a slight chuckle to myself with whatever strength I was holding onto.

“Stop it. First of all, instead of sorry, you should say thank you.” The words of Flint’s scolding from when I had first met him echoed in my mind.

No. Flint, Allirea, Cordelia, and everyone. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Without all of you I would never have made it this far. Thank you for helping me with everything. Thank you for thinking about me so often. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for your gentle warmth.

I was finally starting to understand what Flint had meant about how I expressed my gratitude too much. The extent I was showing before didn’t match with the feelings I had while saying the words. But at this moment, the feeling I was supposed to feel while using those special words was coming to me like a flowing river.

This feeling was far different from the first time I had died. I was freezing, looking for any form of heat. But right now is different. Right now the familiar warmth that I had felt at my hand had slowly started to enclose around me.

I still have so many people I need to thank. I can’t just die yet. There’s just so many more I’d like to give my wishes to.

The once starry sky I had been looking up to had started to become so darker. It was as if someone was blowing out all the stars like they were candles. This had been happening for a while but in my haste to thank everyone, I didn’t acknowledge it.

I don’t even have the strength to keep thinking about thanking people anymore. I’m scared, but the merciful heat was sailing away with my fears. I watched as it spirited away my regrets, my anger, and my fear into the darkened sky. It had done this and left nothing behind for me to keep.

Ah, so this is what a fulfilling death feels like. I’m coming Flint and Allirea! I have so much to tell you about!

As a soft smile comes across my corporal body, I slowly drift off into another world where nothing could go wrong anymore.