Forgiving Light

Chapter 36

~Black Mist~ While in my frenzy, I can see clearer. Every little detail is now visible to me. I can see and hear the air slicing when Justice swipes his sword. I can hear and see the air whipping away when Leviathan whips his tail to attack me, when Nebula or Asterite launch an attack. I block all of these attacks.

The air swirls, and I look up. Astral's whizzing down with the heel of his foot aimed at me, spinning to pick up speed. His body shines at the very last second, and he successfully lands a blow on me.

I tumble back, and Astral hops away from me, getting into a battle stance. Determination is set into his eyes.

"Number 96, I will send you back to where you belong if it is the last thing I do!" he announces.

"That may just be the last thing you do." I smirk, and we circle around each other cautiously.

For a while, we evaluate each other. While we predict each other's moves, I sense him calling the other Agents to help.

I sense them creeping closer, hiding their energies.

~Astral~ I keep circling around Black Mist, analyzing him for any change of movements. So far, nothing.

Yet.

Black Mist suddenly pounds his fist on the ground, and the humans cry out in fear. Out spouts  many of his tendrils.

The memory of him in the cell, training himself of how to use his tendrils pops into my head. I hesitate, but the Light Forces poke the back of my mind, urging me on. Urging me to fight.

I comply.

I give a powerful battle cry and make my energy resonate all around us. I lunge at Black Mist. The tentacles rush toward me, but I dodge them easily. Some hit me, but I simply keep going, eventually ramming my head into Black Mist's chest.

Feeling dizzy, I keep my attacks coming, shooting laser after laser, kick after kick, punch after punch, unrelenting, ruthless. Nothing lile how I was in my Early Years.

As I make a move to punch again, Black Mist catches my fist with a triumphant smirk. He strengthens his hold, and all I can do is glare at him as I pant heavily.

"Tired already?" he taunts.

I glare at the Number, my own brother.

"You don't want to do this; I've seen the hesitation, Nii-chan." He chuckles. "You're afraid, but not for the reason when we first met here. No, you're not scared of me; you're scared of killing me."

My eyes widen at the reality. He's right. I am afraid to kill my own brother.

My Onii-chan.

~Dark Astral~ The Light Forces are once again unhappy. As soon as Astral hesitates, they make me move on to him. I resist as best as I can, but they're too strong.

"Kil him," they command. "Agent 12, kill Number 96 right now!"

The other Agents look at each other uneasily. They, too, seem to doubt.

"I...I cannot..." Astral mumbles.

"Why?"

"I do not know..."

Black Mist smirks.

Suddenly, I'm released. My mind is finally free, but Astral's isn't. I can hear the Light Forces hissing angrily.

"Agent 12, if you do not do it, we will make you!"

They make him wrench his fist free and summon light to them. The Light Forces make him jab Nii-chan's side. They make him punch him, and Nii-chan expertly blocks. The Light Forces don't hold back, though.

"You have done this before, Agent 12!" they hiss. "You have been relentless! Ruthless! Monstrous! What changed this mission? Was it the fact that Number 96 is your brother? Xan you not kill your older brother? Is that it!?"

Asterite and Nebula rush to my aide while I deal with my headache. They lean me against the side of a building, and we watch.

"Onii-chan," I mumble. "Survive, Onii-chan."

~Black Mist~ I grin as the Light Forces make Astral fight me. I block every attack and dodge a few. I am teasing them.

"Number 96, today is the day you will go back!" they declare. "Then, the execution will carry out as planned."

"As if," I counter with a chuckle. "You won't be able to catch me, and if you even do, I'll just slip away again like an eel!" I laugh.

Astral, controlled by the Light Forces, keeps on coming. He glares at me with half-dead eyes. He throws expertly-aimed punches at my face, abdomen, and side. Pretty much every vulnerable place. I, however, expertly dodge them, laughing cheerliy.

Out of the corner of my eye, Dark watches intently, his eyes wild and breathing ragged. He makes no move to fight. Good. He'll be out of the way. Truth be told, I like him more than he thinks. He's been the best brother anyone could ever want.

Take care, Dark. I'm sorry I have to do this, I send to him, smiling warmly his way.

~Dark Astral~ Take care, Dark. I'm sorry I have to do this. He smiles warmly while still blocking.

I smile back.

I sense something, and I turn around. I see Cat rushing toward me. I can tell she's worried. Then, a look of terror crosses her face.

"Dark!" she warns. "They're behind you!"

I whip around to see Yuma slashing at me with blood-red claws. I quickly dodge out of the way in time.

Wait, claws? Since when did Yuma have claws?

I look in the shadows around me, and I see that I'm surrounded by more humans. They're grinning madly, and a "96" is prominent on their necks, arms, anywhere where skin is exposed. I realize that they're all Nii-chan's minions, the ones I've worked with.

"So sorry to do this, Dark," Yuma hisses, retracting his claws. "We have orders."

I back away, readying my own tendrils for defense.

"Dark!" Miza exclaims, grinning. She appears beside Yuma. "I guess we'll be having one last battle, huh?"

I grit my teeth and growl. "I guess so, Miza. Though, I didn't think our last battle would be like this."

Miza chuckles. "We can still have fun, though, right?"

~Astral~ I try to resist the Light Forces' control, but I am powerless. They move my body, forcing me to fight. They have complete control.

Black Mist easily dodges my attacks, taunting me.

Teasing me.

"What's wrong, Astral?" he teases laughingly. "Can't land a blow?"

I finally wrench out of their control. "Okay, I will fight him!"

"Good, Agent 12."