A large green halo lit up in front of Natsuki, blinding everyone who was dashing towards the soon-to-be-smushed man. As Vylara and Scaramond shielded their eyes against the sudden onslaught, they weren't sure if they were hallucinating or not, but they swore that they could hear ancient hymns softly floating through the air, as if they were nothing but the wind itself...
For the common...
We shall die in the dark...
Break our oaths we might...
"Okay, what the fuck was that– Holy crap!"
Roar!
Just as our foul-mouthed technician was about to ask what on Aeronia was going on, a sudden roar broke his chain of thoughts. Writhing in pain, Nickler began scratching his face, the bright light burning his skin, roasting him into barbecued fish. Twisting and turning, he punched erratically, doing whatever he could to ease the dreadful burning pain.
But it did not stop
On the contrary, the burning sensation grew stronger and stronger, until the Fishman's body was literally burning in place. The trio could only watch, frozen in place, as the green fire burned off the shadowy tendrils that were slithering all over his body.
"Kill...me..."
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Me strong, me very strong!
Me like smashy-smashy, let these luny little insects get smushed into itty-bitty pieces! But still, Little Miss Boss says me cannot do smashy-smashy, for Big Big Boss wants little man for his 'glaw-re-us por-puss'. But me like smashy-smashy...
Little Miss Boss will not care if one goes smush-smush, right...?
Say goodbye, little meat bug–
AARRGGHHH!!!
It burns! Very burning! Very hot! Very–
Oh, I remember now...
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Cough, cough, cough...
Spitting out black phlegm from his mouth, Nickler staggered up, only to fall back down, his body disintegrating by each passing second. Seeing how the beast acted all civilised, they raised their guard even more, drawing their weapons to their faces.
"Please...I don't...*cough*, *cough*, have much time...left..."
Black blood dribbling from his mouth, Nickler, no, Kyrkz Scal, mustered what remaining strength he had left, and continued talking, despite the burning sensation he felt deep in his soul. Clawing his way whilst leaning on a nearby tree, he turned his gaze towards the wary trio, his eyes no longer showing the madness that was there before.
"Must...remember–
Go...to...Mountain–
Roar!!!
"Me! Squishy! Me– AARRGGHHH! Kill me! Kill me NOW!"
Suddenly, the Fishman's face split into two:
One filled with bitter madness, the other with painful clarity...
"Dammit kid, move back, I'll shoot his head–"
"No! It has to be the kid, otherwise– AARRGGHHH! Dammit, me don't have time!"
Writhing in agony, the trio could only watch in horror as the once mighty Collector convulsed erratically, his body thrashing everywhere. "HURRY, BEFORE I LOSE ALL CONTROL!
DO IT!"
And with a final tear in his eyes, Natsuki drove the sword right into his heart.
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Cough, cough, cough...
Crawling in the ground, the young girl clawed her way to the soft, lush grass, before slowly flipping to her side, her bloodied face gazing at her saviour:
Eyes as cold as ever, Knoxis stood to the side, his gaze piercing through the pale skin of the wannabe shrine maiden, now no longer clad in black.
"*Cough, *cough*, *cough*... Please, if you see him one more time, tell him, tell him...
Tell him I'm sorry for not believing him
Please–"
"Heh, if sorry was all that it took for forgiveness, wouldn't all crimes be easier to absolve...?"
Chuckling self-deprecatingly, Nanami opened her mouth. Suddenly, her left hand perked up, before aiming at the old man's face. "Damn it, I'm losing control!
Kill me now!
Hurry, before I lose–"
Schwip!
A head flew through the air, flying high, before dissolving into black ash. After a brief moment of staring into the sky, he hoisted his sword, and began his long trek back, praying that the younglings weren't too wounded from the sudden battle. As he walked back, he couldn't help but remember the final expression of the young girl as he decapitated her:
Though it was only for a brief moment, her face held a smile, a smile of someone who had finally found peace and relief after a long time...