Stage II

A Debt Repaid

Act 9

The explosion of even more water than before. Two forms flew and collided. The sound of breaking metal, screaming metal even. Then the two forms bolted away from one another, the explosion of water turning to rain as the two flew back sending up huge waves.

Atop the roof of one building lay the man identical to the one fighting on one side. Atop a pillar of rock across the way though it was anything but chill vibes. Providence stood there on the edge, his face twisting and turning. Guards remained around him, the three children on their knees twitching.

Around the perimeter the sounds of more crashing waves and even rock exploding could be heard, steps on the waves sounding off.

“…”

Again the two bolted and collided, another tremendous explosion of waves flying out. Providence stumbled, smaller waves brushing up against his booted feet.

“Sylver isn’t going to be enough,” Providence murmured.

The sergeant, stood next to him, turned over, “Lord Providence, how do you mean?”

“The Blackheart has full control of this battlefield and it isn’t changing. He used the clone to tank their holy magic until he could scatter them. He pushes the Captain back anytime he’s backed to the wall using that water. By the time Sylver is able to break through his team will all be drowned and dead, and then we’ll be next.”

“Sylver’s team is supposed to be capable of handling S-Class threats. This Alexander guy’s destructive power is insignificant!”

“I warned them not to underestimate him- he may not be able to level towns like his siblings but his reserves and analysis of battle aren’t trivial. Sylver hasn’t a shot in hell of defeating that man now!”

Sylver stormed across the flow again, the clone’s hands clasping together. The water before Sylver again up and exploded, a serpent flying out with a howl. His sword swung down and slashed clean through- yet both halves of the serpent continued on and slammed him off of his feet. Back he flew, tumbling and skipping across like a rock to the other shore.

Sylver’s free hand slammed down, clawing into the water. He spun, down on both knees and hands, huffing. Water dripped from his face, be it that of the water technique or his own sweat, it was hard to say. A huff and a puff, slowly pushing back up.

“Fu… fuh-king… heeeav… heeeeave… ven- *cough*!!”

“Heh, poetry,” the fake Alexander chuckled, smiling from a distance away, “Not sure how but despite them being underwater for this many minutes they still haven’t drowned. The endurance of your team is admirable.”

“Whuh- why not, come down here and- fight me yourself,” he croaked, his sword clanging on the water as if the water were a solid rock, the glow of fire erased from it by this point and little to no glimmer of light left.

“Mmm. Now you see- I could, I surely could; BUUUUUUUT there’s no need for me to dirty my hands.”

“C-coward!”

“Heh,” the clone chuckled, its expression fading as another voice called out from behind-

“I warned you people before this engagement ever began.” the true Alexander spoke from behind.

“Your team is comprised of A-Class Warriors. While you are more than equipped for handling S-Class threats, you specialize in straight up grudge matches against tanks and glass cannons. I am neither of those things,” the clone commented.

“Just as you may divide the norm from E-Class through to A-Class and with terms like high and low, S-Class has sub-divisions of its own. You people have no comprehension of what lies beneath the surface in this age long after the wars of the past,” the real Alex added.

“I would hardly call this an S-Class performance!” Sylver spat, spraying out a mist, “You’re just fucking with us!”

“HA!” both the clone and original laughed.

“Oh believe me boy, I haven’t even begun to fuck with you. If you want to see a true display though-” the realm remarked, glancing down as the clone began to form hand signs.

“Water Clone Jutsu,” it then murmured.

Four columns of water rose up around the clone, shapeless blobs that soon took on shape. Water-men like snowmen, then more akin to Alexander, then VERY much like Alexander only clear and see through… then came the color. Four sets of magenta eyes looked up with the set of yellow. Sylver stumbled back a few paces.

“Whuh?”

“Thing is, I can do all five of the main elements to some extent,” the yellow eyed fake spoke.

“So lets see you handle all five at once!” the original laughed.

“Y-you vindictive bastard!” Sylver choked.

“Yes, I am. Like I said, you had fair warning. It’s called fuck around and uh, find out. Only thing that’d be more demeaning is if I had them tap dance and sing a so- oooooo, that might just do actually~”

“D---don’t you mock me!” Sylver howled, his left hand grabbing hold of his blade.

“A bit late for that,” the original laughed as down atop the water, the four water clones all with smiles, began to do exactly as Alexander stated- tap dance.

One of Sylver’s eyes stretched open wide. Behind him Providence and his grunts stared in awe. Danielle and her group, they just stared in bewilderment. Before them the Alexander clones and the fake had begun to dance, their hands clapping together.

“Mother fu-”

“The Blackheart could end this fight anytime he wishes,” Providence murmured, arms sagging.

The waters burst, again. Two of the clones launched themselves as the fake with the other two clones continued their jig and hand clapping.

“I’m not going down to this childish bullshit!” Sylver spat, launching himself ahead taking full hold of his sword again, the flames erupting, “PIERCING HEAVEN!!”

He swung his sword, a tremendous jet of pure spirit energy in that sky blue color rocketing forward at the closing clones. One took lead, skidding to a stop, hand signs flying.

“Wind Style- Vacuum Vortex!”

Hands held out before it and palms open, the winds danced visibly with lines tracing everywhere. The Piercing Heaven, known by others as a Getsuga Tenshou despite this perhaps not being that, struck straight into it. An explosion of flame and debris, the water getting pushed away as if struck by a meteor. The clone held its ground, a woosh coming from behind as the second clone shot up and over weaving signs of its own.

“Fire Style- Dragon Flame Bomb!”

Fire burst forth, screaming hot and nearly white like a foam at the base of the attack, the enormous cloud of flame slamming down into the waves and Sylver. The howl of a dragon, it echoed through the air. The fire’s wrath crisped and boiled the surface, fast to evaporate a significant portion of the water. The attack carried on, the three bodies back still with their dance, the original still laying there.

“EEEEEEEYHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-” Sylver howled away from within the flames, unheard of course due to the absolute wrath that was the white hot roar itself.

Chomp… grin

The flames wilted off, the cloud curling and drying up. From the air fell the water clone, slamming upon the surface. The flame cloud before the two clones faded, a tremendous steamy mist left in its place. Mist trailed momentarily, waters again bobbing both bodies up and down.

A figure came into view, lying face down in the waters. His hair burnt back, smoldering ash and obvious burns in his coat, his sword no longer in hand.

“Damn, looks like I overdid it a little. Too bad~” Alexander chirped from atop the roof.

Poooooof-

“Eh?”

Sylver’s body vanished in a cloud of white smoke near immediately.

“Oh come the hell on. Did you just shadow clone bait and switch me?” Alexander questioned aloud.

SPLASH- SLAAAAM!!!

The fake Alexander flew back, the flaming sword of Sylver struck clear through its chest and out the back. Real deal Alex’s head raised ever so; though his expression unchanged. Fake Alex flew back and crashed against the building, pinned to it actually. Sylver, much the same as the clone with burnt hair and tattered robes, rose above the surface.

The two clones lost their color, splashing back down as water. In fact the last two tap dancing clones did just the same. Far far off where Zenith ran the orca crashed down. Really next came the pop of the entire water bubble- what had taken up the entirety of the area and several city blocks gave way.

Tidal waves of water flushed out into the streets with thunderous propellant. Sylver dropped down multiple meters as the multiple meters of water washed away. His feet hit the pavement, back arching with bent knees- then slowly be would look up. Behind came coughing and gagging, both Walter and Adyaa on their hands and knees forever back spitting up water.

Hector stood in place, knees bent, long sword still in both hands. Water dripped off of him, hair hugging his face. From the way back approached Zenith next, stumbling, also soaking wet. Sylver’s attention returned forward and up, up atop the building where there now standing was Alex himself.

The wind made his coat flap as he looked down, magenta eyes aglow practically. Sylver’s sword wrenched itself out of the wall and the corpse of the Federation Trooper, the entire body clambering down and crashing against the ground while the sword went flying back into Sylver’s hands.

“Burn on that, Blackheart!” he shouted.

“Now you’re just saying dumb shit out of spite. That wasn’t clever in the slightest my guy,” Alexander retorted.

Glass erupted and scattered, wood splintering and banging against the ground as a thick rain. A loud howl, agonized, rolled out. From a fireball of smoke and, well, fire, rolled the beast out across the ground. Branches of shadow broke off and wilted away as the now wingless and tailless shadow creature lost itself in a tumble, collapsing face first on its gut.

The exceptional explosion gave way to the form of Almec. Still with his chains and padlocks, now sleeveless and almost pants-less, he sauntered forward. His right arm slammed against the frame of the door, his eyes looking dead ahead at Sylver. Sylver looked right on back whilst behind him his squad came together.

With a snap of his fingers his shadow beast had begun to and DID in fact dissolve. Breaking down into a black liquid, spraying out against the grounds. A magenta light held itself back though did fade mere moments after.

“It would appear as though… the games, are at an end,” Sylver grumbled, glancing back up.

As he did, Almec’s head shot back and he too looked straight up.

“Are they though?” Alexander questioned aloud.

“Bastard-” Hector grumbled, scowling, “We’re more than a match for your power! So stop acting so superior!”

“Superior? You people have spent the last like, twenty minutes, just constantly drowning. The only one here actually surprising me is Almec.”

“Stay your tongue Hector,” Sylver growled with a sharp glance back, soon looking forward to Almec.

Almec’s sights, despite his head being back, lowered and latched onto Sylver. Sylver nodded, simply.

“Perhaps-” Sylver began, “It wouldn’t be such a… bad idea, for us to work as one.”

“You want to work together?” Almec grumbled.

“Captain!?” Walter coughed.

“Silence!” Sylver yelled back, “We face a common enemy in the Blackheart. He is far more of a threat to the Federation than Mersella and Termonte. Perhaps an agreed upon truce… and if we kill him, maybe even a full pardon. THAT WORK FOR YOU, PROVIDENCE?!”

“Y-YEAH!!” the lord yelled out.

The guards back with Providence broke off from the trio, looking to one another as they did so. This, in its nature, shifted things back to Sylver. Danielle stumbled up first.

“Sorry Alex… but this deal is better for us,” Almec growled.

“Ah… I see.”

He jumped, up and over the ledge. All eyes remained on him as he came flying down, coat and hair flapping. His momentum slowed, touching down like a feather with only a slight tap of his shoes upon the stone. He stood there, eyes still aglow.

“Unfortunate. I help you muster your power back to the surface and you want me dead, willing to work with these people,” Alex began.

Almec’s bones crackled, his shoulders straightening, “We were never allies. I don’t know why you’re shocked by this.”

“Well then, I suppose…” he murmured, locking his sights on Sylver, “I’ll wrap this up. I still owe a debt to the young Mersella, so I’ll only kill most of you.”

“Try it douche bag-” Walter grumbled.

“Really poor choice of last words I’m afraid.”

Brrrrrz… brrrzzzPLAAAATTT!!!!

“UOOOOUUUUUH-AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!” Walter cried out.

Drip drip splat~

All eyes shifted, Sylver whipping around. Hector turned, Adyaa looked up, a look of fright crossing Zenith. The white form of Alexander stood before Walter, his arm extended, his hand STRAIGHT through the warrior’s chest. A glow of magenta coated the arm and the hand, a defined blade of energy piercing through riding along the fingers like a current.

His hand plucked out and as it did the orange haired man dropped to his knees, falling backwards. Hector swung round, his long sword swatting down. Alexander turned, his left hand flying up with a similar glow. The clang, and then the slice. The back of his left hand smacked against the katana whilst the right hand flew by, a huge gash opened up and pouring with blood from the man’s throat.

Adyaa’s hands twitched, her sword raising, ceasing. Her body ceased. A freezing. Her quivering eyes stared down the barrel, Alexander’s right pointer finger outstretched.

“N-no-”

BOM

“AIYYYYYEEEEE-” she screamed as she became engulfed in the massive energy blast of a cero, one which completely and fully engulfed her body.

“NOOOOO!!!!” Zenith cried out, pulling his guns and firing.

Two shots missed, the third planting into the back of Alexander’s left shoulder. A tremendous blast, one of blood and bone and flesh. The arm swung, dangling, held by the lower half of the muscles.

“FUCK!” Alexander barked stumbling forward and dropping to one knee, his back to a charging Sylver.

Brrrrrz- brrrz brrrz brrrrz brrrz

The outline of Alexander appeared all around them both, circling.

SLASH

Zenith stumbled back, blood spraying from his chest, his hat flying off and his eyes wide as saucers. Sylver shot round, staring at his comrade. Both revolvers fired, bullets flying straight into Sylver’s chest. Blood flew from his mouth, the latter stepping back. Zenith stumbled just the same, his feet skidding around.

“Fu- Captain!” he spat out.

Brrrrrz SLASH!!

Sylver stared, seeing the round hairy object fall. Wide eyed, bloodied, severed. The cross necklace struck the ground in seconds followed by the loud thud and roll. Zenith’s headless body doubled to the side, collapsing, leaving Sylver raising both of his arms with sword again.

“PIERCING HEAVEN!”

He swung down, unleashing the strike straight into another cero. The blast roared, the flash engulfing both combatants. Sylver yelled out charging in with the sword raised.

Slam-

He stumbled to a halt, sword raised over his head. His eyes quivered. His hands opened, the sword falling back and clanging along the ground with flames faded. Sylver’s head dropped, staring at the hand pressed straight through his gut.

“And thus in the hour of downfall, consumed by the fear and blinded by the light which you believe to give you focus, you rush in ablazen by the determination to uphold what you keep dear and true, straight into the arms of evil to be laid to eternal rest. Nema Reyarp.”