Sting stood tall and proud, tears still evidently falling out of his eyes. This man before him took away the one person he loved most. And he was never gonna get her back. It was now his personal mission to take revenge for his dead lover. He would avenge Rin, even if it is the last thing he ever does.
"You stole away the one thing in this world that I actually cared about... And she's gone for good..." Sting's cold eyes bored into his enemy's with a burning hatred. "You're gonna pay for it with your life," he threatened.
"With this very hand, I will purify Natsu's soul once and for all. Someone as weak and insignificant as you hardly warrants my time or energies," Larcade mocked. Sting grit his teeth and summoned both powers in his hands. He charged at the Spriggan, ready to give him absolute hell.
"Then, have a taste of mine and Rogue's combined power of the spirit of Sabertooth!" Sting's right fist connected to the male's cheek, sending him flying backward. Larcade regained his footing and prepared to cast his spell. However, the flick of Sting's right wrist which was coated in his light magic made all of the enemy's tags burn away.
"Your white magic is offset by Sting's own power, and," Rogue began.
"Rogue's shadows will annihilate you," the other finished. Sting's left fist, coated in the shadows, knocked the man for a loop. "And if I combine our two powers together...!" A huge explosion of black and white hurtled toward Larcade, destroying everything in its path. Larcade was thrown back again but maintained his stance.
"Combine as many people's powers as you'd like; it matters not," Larcade responded cockily. "You cannot possibly resist the final desire." Remaining a relaxed physique, the man pointed his right hand toward the sky and the other toward the ground. His magic flew around him in white ribbons sending paper tags flying everywhere. "The eternal sleep of death: R.I.P.!"
A sudden wash of fatigue came upon the two Dragons Slayers who happened to be the only two awake. Their bodies were drained of all energy they possessed and their eyelids drooped with the weight of bricks. Sting slumped. He just wanted to drop dead. "The moment you close your eyes will be your very last."
"Damn it," Sting yelled. He raised his shaking fist and repeatedly punched the wound on his side to snap himself out of the trance. "Wake up," he screamed. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"
"Humans cannot possibly defy their desires. Not even Acnologia can." A devious grin settled onto the man's face. "And consequently, I am the ultimate mage who can seize victory against Acnologia himself."
Sting stumbled around slightly as he fought to keep his body up. His knees were weak and shaking. He just wanted to give up. However, a purple glow began to encase both him and Rogue. Confused, they looked around for the source. The Shadow Dragon Slayer came up empty handed, but Sting locked eyes with a ghostly figure beyond his opponent.
A wavy-haired brunette stood close behind Larcade with a delicate smile on her lips. He quickly glanced away to where the girl's body lay lifeless and back to the spirit. Her once vibrant, purple eyes were now a dull lilac shade. However, she embodied an angel granting them life beyond the grave.
Rin smiled sweetly at her lover, ready to offer him her last hoorah.
"Live," echoed in Sting's ears. The aura of magic spiraled around the two, refilling them with both energy and magic. Sting was still tired, but he could feel himself waking up slightly. After a couple of seconds, the magic vanished and as did Rin's spirit without a trace, almost as if it was never there. Sting released a shaky breath, still staring at the place she stood.
Her magic was a great help to them. However, at Larcade's strength, Sting would need one more push to beat his spell.
"Sting," Rogue got his attention. "Enter the shadow..." The blonde was shocked at the suggestion. "If you're within the shadows, all of your senses will be sharpened. It should dispel your drowsiness, if only for a moment."
"I appreciate the last minute advice," he replied sarcastically, "but, how the hell do I do that?"
"Feel the gravity, to the point that you can feel your feet and the ground becoming one..." It was almost as if Rogue forgot he was talking to a fool-hardy moron who fought purely on instinct.
"Gravity..." He searched the ground for an answer, trying to force the sensation. "Gravity!"
"If it is gravity you seek," Kagura cut in, now broken out of her stupor, "let me be of assistance." Her magic swelled around the area and created an incredible force upon the Earth. "I shall sink you into the ground by force!"
Sting's body dropped straight into the shadow beneath his feet and into a pitch black world of darkness. He floated; he felt like he was in the water. He allowed his body to relax and fall to whatever depths awaited him.
"So this is the world within the shadows..." He tilted his head back and enjoyed the short moment of peace. "He wasn't kidding... I can feel all my senses being sharpened to their limits!" The blonde pulled himself back together and shot toward the enemy in the world of shadows. "Alright!"
"You're right in plain sight," Larcade sneered. "Oh, pure white soul! Ascend to the free heavens!" Sting began to come back into the light right in front of the Spriggan.
"Try this on for size," he reared up, "Mine, Rogue's, Kagura's, and Rin's combined technique!"
"Rin?"
"You're including me, too?" The woman flushed in gratitude. Strings of black and white pierced through Larcade's flesh, sending his body flying to the ground.
"White Shadow Dragon's Rough Silk!" Everyone smiled victoriously while Sting panted, staring down at the enemy. He had sweat running down his face from the complete exhaustion of his energy that had been gifted to him by his mate. "The only one going to sleep around here is you."
"Fa-Father," the man whimpered. He was ignored by everyone, yet still ignorant to the bloodlust that ran through Sting's veins. Larcade might be down for the rest of this battle, but Sting wasn't finished. He promised to pay back everything for what happened to Rin. He would not go against his word.
Though his legs were tired and trembled with each step, Sting refused to give in and made his way to the other blonde. There, he stood over his beaten body and stared down with cold eyes.
"I told you that you were gonna pay with your life, didn't I?" Larcade shook beneath him. "But," he started, "I know Rin wouldn't want me to avenge her. She hates the loss of life... I don't want to betray her wishes..." The White Dragon Slayer moved on and dropped to his knees right beside his beloved. He lifted her torso and pulled her closer to him. He pressed his nose into her hair, memorizing the scent as best he could. He never wanted to forget it. He couldn't bear it.
"Sting! Rogue! Are you unharmed?!"
"Madame... Yukino..."
"Forgive me," Rogue apologized. "I can't even stand up."
"Sting, buddy," Lector yelled happily. However, he quickly noticed the gloom settling over his best friend. It wasn't until he looked into his arms did he see the fallen girl and the blood that pooled around them. The others seemed to take notice as well. A loud gasp resonated from Yukino's throat.
"No way..."
"Rin," Minerva shouted. She was utterly appalled. Out of everyone, she knew just how strong the brunette was. How could she have fallen? Yukino began to cry, her hands clutching over her mouth.
"It can't be," she muttered. She walked over and joined Sting on the opposite side of the girl. She looked down at her with great remorse; she couldn't help but bite her lip. "I never got to apologize for how awful I treated you... And all the horrible things I said; even today..." She began sobbing hard. "I'm so sorry that I was so weak!" She wasn't only apologizing to the deceased, but to Sting for putting them in this situation in the first place.
The group stood in silence, some beginning to cry to themselves. Minerva even shed a tear. It was the least they could do to respect the dead and to apologize for the things they had said just hours earlier.
But it was meaningless now. It taught them all a lesson about rekindling their relationships before it's too late.
竜
Another sad chapter?
Oops.