Strike At Midnight || Luka Couffaine

Chapter 27 ❧ Finale: Last Battle

"Selene," Nathalie says in a raspy voice. I don't know what to do. The purplish mark continues to spread on her arm. "I'm so sorry. I messed up."

She's never talked so casually to me before so my heart opens up just a bit. "We're going to get through this. The superheroes will stop Lila."

"Even so..." She takes in a long breath. "I wanted to bring Emilie back but...but what I should have done was to help watch over her loved ones she left behind. Please forgive me."

"It's not my forgiveness you should be asking for. It's not my right since I worked with Hawkmoth too before I turned my back," I say. I think of Adrien, fighting against his own father as we speak. "Say sorry to Adrien."

Without warning an ear-splitting scream almost stops my heart. I whip my head to the televisions on the wall. One video shows Queen Bee on the ground with a cloud of butterflies overwhelming her. Rena Rouge darts to her side, trying to wave off the butterflies, but they creep closer and closer. They are unable to come to one another's rescue unless they would risk leaping into the butterflies.

Lila is getting stronger by the second.

Suddenly a thunderous boom shakes the room, causing my ears to ring. I huddle and crouch down with Nathalie under a desk. What was that?

Most of the screens reduce to black and white static and only a few remain functional. Ladybug grabs onto Lila's left hand as the latter tries to struggle free. To my horror, the purple disease from Lila's gloves blooms into Ladybug's palms, advancing towards Ladybug's arms. Ladybug's hands begin to shake erratically, about to lose strength. Before Lila could strike her with her other hand, Viperion seizes her free hand. The same purple colour floods into his arms and he starts to tremble. Their faces display agony but they force Lila down on her knees.

"Cataclysm!" Chat Noir, who's limping to reach them, extends his claws. His eyes are set at the butterfly brooch on her neck.

"No!" Lila screams in anguish.

Wait. Something is not right. I look inspect the remaining screens, searching for someone who has been missing all this time.

"Grimm and Da-Xia unify!" Someone says, making me freeze in horror. Where is he? Where is he? Where's Gabriel Agreste?!

Without a second thought, I bolt out of the room and back into the battle. It's not over yet! Don't put your guard down!

I spot a man at the top of the staircase, in a suit of fiery red and jet black. The symbol of the bat and the sunbird combined is displayed on his chest. He thrusts his hands forward, palms splayed open as if to capture the air. "Armageddon."

He knows how to unify but he doesn't know the rules.

•●•●•●•●•

"When you use Oblivion, close your hand into a fist. Don't jut out your fingers- they're not cat claws. Clench them or else Oblivion would explode directly onto your face."

"Ignition," the voice behind me says. When I tilt my head back, scorching hot flames blast out from the man's enclosed fist.

•●•●•●•●•

"WAIT! DON'T-"

I don't even hear the explosion, but I know how it feels. It's just like losing your sight- your hearing- your overall awareness of everything. A pitch black darkness greets you, followed by warmth.

And then fire.

My cheeks presses against the metal floor, but it isn't cold as it was before. It feels scorching hot. There seems to be something pressing against my back- or maybe someone. It pulls me up, shaking me awake. I discover that I can open my eyes, but everything is just splotches of red and orange and something blue in the middle.