Loveless Incantation: Chapter 22
Imported from SF2 with no description.
They did exactly as Jessy had told them. Once the generals and Alex's party joined hands, they awoke on the battlefield behind Alex. The transformation was immediate, their senses heightened, their bodies lighter, as if they had been released from the shackles of mortality and elevated to a higher plane of existence.
The battlefield around them was a swirling maelstrom of chaos, but all distractions faded into the background as they honed in on their singular objective—Azure. Words floated to them on the wind, guiding them without conscious thought, their bodies reacting instinctively to each command.
"We're ending this!"
Alex's voice cut through the haze like a clarion call, and their bodies surged with newfound power. Energy crackled around them, the air thick with raw mana. The first to act was Lilith, who summoned the most potent emotion she could muster—helplessness. The very feeling that had haunted her for so long now fueled her resolve. She imagined herself appearing behind Azure, and in an instant, she was there, her body moving at a speed that defied logic.
She pulled her fist back, the sheer force of her emotions condensing into a single, devastating strike. When her punch connected with Azure's head, the shockwave from the impact was so intense that it sent the colossal dragon crashing into the earth, carving a deep crater where she landed. The ground trembled beneath the blow, yet Lilith's body felt as if it could take on the world with the endless mana coursing through her veins.
Azure, dazed for the first time in the entire battle, was not given a moment to recover. Lacey's tattoos flared to life, glowing with an ominous light as she whispered a single word.
"Collapse."
The air around Azure seemed to solidify, crushing down on her with a force thousands of times greater than gravity. The very earth beneath her cracked and splintered as she struggled to breathe, the sheer weight pinning her in place. But Azure thrived under such pressure. Her rage boiled over, giving her just enough strength to turn her head and unleash a beam of concentrated heat at Lacey. The attack was so fast that Lacey had no choice but to cease her spell, barely dodging the searing blast.
The brief reprieve was what Azure needed to begin her counterattack, but the others were already moving. Bane slipped into Azure's shadow, merging with the darkness beneath her. A moment later, a massive hand of shadow erupted from below her neck, its claws digging into her scales, splintering and cracking them with ease. Azure roared in pain, but her cry was cut short as Alice, her spiritual bow drawn taut, released a volley of arrows that embedded themselves in the roof of Azure's mouth, silencing her.
The damage was minimal, but the onslaught was relentless. As Azure struggled against the shadowy hand, Ben charged forward, his sword gleaming with a deadly aura. The hand jerked Azure down just enough for Ben to plunge his blade into her neck. The strike was precise, aiming for the gap between her scales, drawing blood as the blade sank deep.
Azure's tail whipped up, crashing into the ground with a force that caused the earth to shatter beneath her, creating more space to maneuver. The hand holding her dissipated, and with a powerful thrust of her wings, she shot into the sky. But she didn't get far before a skeletal dragon, conjured by Shadow, descended upon her, its bony frame wrapping around her and forcing her into a freefall. Azure struggled beneath the dragon's weight, its skeletal jaws clamped on the back of her neck, but she couldn't shake it off before she was slammed back into the earth, kicking up a massive dust cloud.
From within the dust cloud, a blue inferno erupted. Azure's flames incinerated the skeletal dragon, reducing it to ash as she stepped out of the flames, her body singed but still very much alive. She glared at the group before her, her eyes void of emotion, but the sound that followed sent chills down their spines. The cracking of bone echoed across the battlefield as Azure's massive form began to shrink, her limbs shortening, her neck retracting. It was then they realized with horror what was happening—Azure was condensing her power, compressing it into her humanoid form, a form that had once been a mere shell for her true power.
But now, that shell had become a vessel of unimaginable might. Without warning, she vanished, reappearing directly in front of Lilith. The suddenness of the attack left Lilith no time to react. Azure's fist connected with her chest, the impact creating a shockwave that echoed across the battlefield. Lilith was sent flying, her body skidding across the ground before slamming into a distant boulder, cracking it upon impact.
Before Azure could press her advantage, Alice and Bane attacked in tandem. Alice unleashed a barrage of arrows from his spiritual bow, each one aimed at Azure's vital points, while Bane reemerged from the shadows to strike at her blind spots. Azure moved with terrifying speed, deflecting Alice's arrows with one hand while parrying Bane's daggers with the other. With a fluid motion, she twisted around and caught Bane mid-strike, her grip like a vice around his throat. She flung him into the air to buy time, then turned her attention back to Alice, closing the distance between them in a blink.
Alice barely managed to sidestep as Azure's hand lashed out, but the force of the near miss sent him stumbling. Azure was relentless, pressing forward with a series of lightning-fast strikes that left Alice scrambling to defend himself. Just as Azure was about to land a decisive blow, Lacey intervened, unleashing a torrent of fire that forced Azure to back off, giving Alice a moment to recover.
Ben, seizing the opportunity, charged in from the side, his great sword blazing with energy. He swung with all his might, but Azure anticipated the attack, catching the blade with her bare hand. With a twist of her wrist, she wrenched the sword from Ben's grasp and knocked him back with a swift kick. But this time, Lacey and Lilith were ready.
Lilith, having recovered from Azure's earlier attack, rushed forward, her fists glowing with intense energy. Lacey, standing behind her, channeled her mana into a complex spell, creating a swirling vortex of wind and lightning around Lilith. The energy from Lacey's spell infused Lilith's strikes, making her fists crackle with raw power as she closed in on Azure.
Azure met Lilith's charge head-on, their fists colliding with a resounding crash. The ground beneath them buckled under the sheer force of their collision. For a moment, it seemed as if Lilith might overpower Azure, but Azure's strength proved too great. With a powerful shove, she broke through Lilith's defenses and delivered a crushing blow that sent Lilith flying.
But before Azure could capitalize on her victory, Lacey unleashed her spell. The vortex of wind and lightning converged on Azure, binding her in place as bolts of electricity surged through her body. Azure grimaced, her body trembling as she fought against the spell. The sheer force of the magical assault caused the ground around her to melt into glowing magma.
Bane, seeing his chance, emerged from the shadows once more, his dagger aimed at Azure's exposed back. He struck with deadly precision, his blade cutting through the air with lethal intent. But even in her restrained state, Azure was faster. She broke free from Lacey's spell with a burst of raw power, turning just in time to catch Bane's wrist. With a cold, emotionless stare, she twisted his arm, forcing him to drop his weapon before flinging him aside like a ragdoll.
Alice, who had regained his composure, drew his bow once more and fired a single, concentrated arrow of pure light directly at Azure's heart. The arrow streaked through the air, its speed blinding as it closed in on its target. Azure raised her hand and caught the arrow inches from her chest. The force of the impact caused her to skid back slightly, but she held firm, her grip tightening around the arrow as she slowly crushed it in her hand. The light dissipated as the arrow shattered, and Azure turned her gaze toward Alice, her eyes narrowing.
Ben, seeing Alice in danger, roared in defiance and charged at Azure with nothing but his fists. His determination was unwavering, but Azure was unmoved. She sidestepped his attack and delivered a devastating punch to his midsection, sending him crashing to the ground. The generals and Alex's party lay scattered, their spiritual forms flickering as they struggled to maintain their strength. Azure stood alone, her power radiating from her like an oppressive force, overwhelming and unstoppable. Her gaze returned to Alice, ready to strike.
"Sorry I kept you all waiting."
Azure looked behind her, but it was already too late. Princess was already throwing her punch at Azure as the entire area was instantly crushed by the explosive mana surrounding her. It would only hold Azure for a moment, but that was all she needed.
"Armageddon."
Princess unleashed her attack, and for an instant, the entire world seemed to hold its breath. The air crackled with energy as everything was consumed by a blinding flash of light, the force of the explosion rippling across the battlefield. In that fleeting moment, time itself seemed to shatter, and the deafening roar of destruction was replaced by an eerie, all-encompassing silence.
As the light faded, the landscape was left in ruin. What had once been a chaotic battlefield was now an immense crater, its edges scorched and crumbling. The ground was charred, nothing but ash and debris remaining of what was there before. Even the astral projections had been caught in the blast, their forms disintegrating into the void. I had to burn through the last of Opal's mana reserves just to shield myself from the devastating force, but it was worth it—I had already prepared my spell.
At the center of the crater, Princess stood over Azure, her chest heaving with exertion, the last remnants of her attack dissipating in the air. Azure, now reverted to her feral state, lay beneath her, her massive form singed and broken. But even in this state, the divine energy within Azure began to stir, knitting her wounds, forcing her body to regenerate at an alarming rate. The cracks in her scales mended themselves, and her muscles twitched as life slowly returned to her.
But none of it mattered. I was already in position, standing directly in front of Azure's muzzle. The ground beneath my feet was still warm, the remnants of Princess's attack lingering in the air like a ghost of what had just transpired. Azure's eyes flickered open, showing only a brief moment of control, as if she were waking from a long-forgotten dream.
She locked eyes with me, and I could see the fear starting to return, knowing she would lose control again. My hand, steady and deliberate, reached out and rested gently on her muzzle, feeling the faint warmth of her scales.
"Final call: Requiem"
Azure closed her eyes against the blinding light that enveloped her, the intense radiance burning through the void of her consciousness. When she opened them again, the battlefield was gone, replaced by an endless, dark expanse. There were no landmarks, no signs of life—just an infinite, consuming void. Azure felt small, smaller than she had ever felt before, as if the weight of her existence had been stripped away, leaving her vulnerable and exposed.
Her head rested on something familiar, something that brought a fleeting sense of comfort amidst the darkness. A soft, aching melody hummed through the air, a tune that tugged at the deepest corners of her memory. She knew that song, and yet, she feared acknowledging it, terrified that it was all just another cruel illusion.
She didn't want to look up, didn't want to shatter the fragile hope that this might be real.
“Mom?" Azure's voice trembled, barely more than a whisper. “Is that you?"
A gentle hand began to stroke her head, the touch as familiar as the melody. “Of course it is," Opal replied softly, her voice carrying the warmth of a thousand forgotten memories.
But even with her mother's reassurance, Azure's heart remained heavy, her fears refusing to be quelled.
“Is this another nightmare?" Azure asked, her voice tinged with desperation.
Opal's hand gently lifted Azure's chin, guiding her gaze upward. Azure found herself staring into her mother's eyes, those same loving eyes she thought she'd lost forever.
“It's been a while, hasn't it? You've grown up so much." Tears glistened in Opal's eyes as she spoke. Azure tried to sit up, to embrace her mother, but instead, she stumbled, falling into Opal's chest. The unexpected clumsiness brought a soft, familiar giggle from Opal. “You always were clumsy as a child," Opal said, her laughter filled with affection. “I thought you would've grown out of it by now."
Azure didn't respond, unable to find the words. She just held onto her mother tightly, as if letting go would mean losing her all over again. Opal continued to stroke her daughter's head, the gesture comforting yet laden with unspoken sorrow.
After a long, silent moment, Opal spoke again, her voice gentle but firm. “Azure. Look at me."
Reluctantly, Azure lifted her head, meeting her mother's gaze. There was something in Opal's eyes, something that Azure had been running from for so long.
“It's not your fault," Opal said, her words clear and unwavering.
Azure's breath hitched as her chest tightened. The tears she had been holding back broke free, streaming down her face uncontrollably.
“Yes, it is!" Azure shouted, her voice cracking under the weight of her grief. “I killed you! I killed everyone! I don't know why, but I did!" She bit down on her lip hard, the taste of blood filling her mouth. “I-I don't want to live anymore."
“You shouldn't say things like that," another voice interrupted, calm yet tinged with sorrow. Azure turned to see the hero standing there, his expression soft as he looked from her to Opal. “She was pretty cute as a kid," he remarked, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
Opal chuckled softly, her hand still resting on Azure's head. “Of course she was."
Alex walked closer, settling a few feet away from Azure. He sat down, cross-legged, facing her with a look of deep understanding. “You know, there are a lot of people who rely on you," he said quietly. “You're not alone anymore, Azure. You just have to let them in."
“I can't," Azure whispered, her voice choked with despair. “Don't you get it? If I let my guard down, then it'll happen again. Just like now."
Alex sighed, his eyes filled with empathy. “Azure, your mother is right. It's not your fault because you were forced to kill everyone."
Azure's eyes widened, her gaze darting from Alex to her mother, who nodded in agreement.
“The gods cast a spell on you," Opal added softly. “Back then and even now."
“E-Even if that's true… it just proves that I'm to blame," Azure stammered, her voice shaking. “I'm too weak to stop it. Even if I overcome this spell today, what's to say about tomorrow or the next day?"
“You can train yourself against mental manipulation," Alex offered, his tone steady. “Now that we know how it happens."
It was only now that Azure truly processed Alex's presence, her mind finally catching up to the reality before her.
“Why are you here?" she asked, her confusion evident.
He nodded, as if understanding the unspoken question. “It's a spell to end all of this. Final Call: Requiem is a special spell."
“Special how?" Azure's curiosity was piqued, despite the heaviness in her heart.
“It allows spirits who haven't found rest to gather and communicate their last thoughts or will," Alex explained, “but it only works on creatures who are either dead or near death. Look around."
Azure did as he suggested, her gaze shifting away from him. What she saw took her breath away. Surrounding her were countless dragons, each one a spectral image of what they once were. Their faces were etched with sorrow, guilt, and a deep sense of regret.
“We're sorry for how we treated you, Azure," one of her clansmen spoke, his voice filled with remorse.
“It's only now we found out it wasn't you who killed us but the gods," came another, their tone heavy with sadness.
“Even before then, we were afraid of you, and that is a sin we should never have placed on a child."
“But you know, for the last surviving dragon, we're proud of you!" another chimed in, their voice tinged with pride.
Azure stood there, unable to fully process what she was hearing. She turned back to Alex, her emotions a turbulent mix of confusion, relief, and guilt.
“But that still doesn't explain why you're here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
She noticed a flicker of pain in Alex's eyes as his smile wavered before he forced it back into place.
“Well… the issue with the spell is that it calls all spirits in." He chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. “The reason I've never cast it before is because… I was never alive to begin with."
“What do you mean you were never alive?" Azure's confusion deepened, her heart racing.
“It's a long story," Alex said, waving it off as if it were of little importance. “Just know that, since I've cast this spell, this will be the last time we'll see each other."
“What about your plans? Our battle. Getting married?" Azure's voice cracked, the weight of his words sinking in.
“That's no longer in the cards."
Azure gritted her teeth, her claws trembling. The way the hero was acting wasn't how she remembered him. He was clearly in pain, hiding it behind a mask that even he couldn't convince himself was real. But there was only one question that overwhelmed Azure in that moment… Why did he care? Azure's form began to shift, her body growing from her childlike form back into her adult feral size, the pain in her chest intensifying.
“Look me in the eyes, Hero," Azure spat, her voice laced with venom, but he kept his gaze fixed on the ground. “I am the Demon Queen, and it's our destiny to fight for eternity! I won't let you rest! I will drag your soul from the depths if I have to! If I have to live, then so do you!"
The void around them began to fracture, the edges of reality cracking under the strain.
“You're fighting a losing battle," Alex said softly, finally meeting her gaze. “Just accept this and make your world a better place."
“I never fought for my world, Alex!" Azure shouted, her voice breaking as she gritted her teeth, trying to bury the pain swelling in her chest. “… I fought you because it was the only time I felt alive."
The hero chuckled under his breath, a bittersweet smile on his lips as he looked into Azure's eyes.
“That's a weird way to say you love me," he said, turning his gaze over to Opal. “She's really stubborn, too."
“Just like her mother," Opal agreed, standing beside her daughter before glancing over her shoulder as the rest of her clan gathered around Azure. “Are you all ready?"
They nodded in unison, their spectral forms glowing softly. It was now Alex's turn to be confused.
“What are you doing?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Opal ignored his question and looked at Azure, her gaze steady and full of love. “Go do your best."
Azure met her mother's eyes and nodded, determination flooding her chest. “I will."
As Opal and the spirits began to fade, her voice echoed through the void, soft yet resonant. “There was one thing you never truly understood, Alex," she whispered, her words lingering in the air. “Sometimes, even a hero needs to be saved."
Before Alex could react, the void shattered, the fractured reality collapsing into nothingness.