Rebirth

Chapter 40: Welcome to Hell

"She shouldn't have tried me," Steve said. He had been extremely quiet, watching us intently. "Oh well, at least she put up some type of fight.. Now you understand what I went through. Losing someone I cared for, right before my very eyes.. Wanna know what the difference is however? My pain is still greater than yours."

"Just shut the hell up," I croaked, gripping my knees tightly.

"Oh please. You actually think what you feel is anything compared to what I dealt with?"

I slumped my shoulders, but then smirked, and laughed quietly. "Funny you say that... I was never one to compare my pain to another, and say mine was worse.." I stood slowly. "... It's pretty interesting.." Slowly, I looked at Steve, violet flames burning dimly at my feet. "... You've signed your own death sentence.."

"How, exactly, did I do that?"

".. I don't have to hold back.." He watched me questioningly, but in that split second, I moved, my fast smashing into Steve's face and sending him flying back. "Enough of this goodie goodie nonsense.." I growled. Breathing in deeply, I stood upright, white flames swallowing me. With them, black flames began shaping and merging. I looked at my hands, tightening my fist. Black flames were new, and I had assumed it was a final gift from Jocelynn. "Go to hell..." I growled. "It's where you belong."

"Get over yourself!"

Gritting my teeth, I growled loudly, roaring, "HellFlame Angel Mode!"

"What the fu-" He didn't finish that. The black and white flames slammed into Steve's face. Behind them, I raced up, fist slamming against his chin, sending him flying sky high. He looked down, shocked, before I shot myself upward and slammed my fist into his ribs, twisting sharply and feeling the bones crack from the impact. He coughed, blood dripping on my cheek, before I flipped up and slammed my foot into his back. He fell, slamming into the concrete, crying out under the force of the impact. I landed, growling loudly, racing forward. "Enough!"

He looked at me, taking another fist head on, stumbling back. Intense burning boiled in my gut, the flames dancing around me, shaping into a dragon head. He watched me, shocked, stepping back. "I.. I remember this.. They predicted..."

I stepped forward, power building up inside. In that instance, the roar of a dragon bounded over the land. I thought it was Syrreth or Porrelth, even Garuga. They all took a strong liking to her, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were pissed about her death. It wasn't any of the dragons to my surprise. It was me. The rage and sorrow I felt inside, bursted to the surface in the form of a draconic roar. Steve watched me with absolute fear, shaking. "I.. I'm sorry!"

I ignored his apologetic pleas. None of that mattered to me. He had to pay. He had to suffer. He took someone from me, someone so important in my life, and destroyed the future I strived to live for. He wasn't getting off that easy. I was done being merciful to heartless enemies, whether they feared me or not. "Teachings of the Triple Dragons..." I muttered, crouching. Pain ripped at my back, as two massive, black feather wings shot out, stretching wide. My palms gripped the ground, flames dancing madly, the heat intensifying and beginning to melt the earth around us. "Burning Lotus: Soaring Dragon Spear!" I charged, soaring over the ground and my head slamming into Steve's torso. He cried out, flames overtaking him, but I pressed on, smashing through the boulders and rubble that line up behind him. I jerked sharply, sending us upwards into the sky, before breaking contact and letting the flames die away.

Steve's entire front was burnt to a crisp, eyes rolled to the back of his head from the immense pain he must've been in. Twitching, the two of us fell. I landed on my feet. Steve landed on his back, still. I looked at him, nodding at my work, and giving a silent farewell to my enemy.

Before I went back, I made sure to pick up Jocelynn's body. I carried her, like a sleeping princess, walking back to the loud commotion. As I turned the corner, I spotted Beowulf sitting there, tossing and catching his knife by the tip of the blade. I walked past him, not speaking. He kept his eyes down until I passed by, then he quietly said, "I'm sorry." I stopped then, looking back at him slowly.

"Yeah. We both are."

"I would've helped if I knew."

I nodded to him. Flicking my eyes up, I caught a glimpse of two people. It wasn't hard to figure out, after all, she had told me were coming. Luna watched me, face blank. Next to her, I pieced together from the long green hair, and the fact that he was with her that he was Amaterasu. I definitely wasn't in the mood for this.

"You went through a lot," She said, crossing her arms. "My apologies."

I watched Amaterasu, blinking. Looking closer, I noticed his slight wolf like features, and the two wolf ears on his head. The slight fang poking from his mouth. He kept eerily quiet, and Luna stepped forward. "We're here just to pick someone up. We'll leave you alone for a while, to recover."

"Pick someone up? Well, it's not my business as long as you're no threat to anyone. Let's go, Beowulf," I said, beginning to walk in my original direction. It took a minute, but I noticed I could only hear my footsteps. I turned, and saw why. Beowulf was sitting in the same spot, and hadn't moved a muscle. "Come on, let's go." I said again.

He closed his eyes. "I'm not going back."

"Don't be silly," I said. "Come on. Everyone is waiting for us."

He opened his eyes then, stood, but walked towards Luna and Amaterasu. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on. "You're the one they're here for?!"

"Yes," He said. "It is my duty."

"What duty! You're part of the guild! One of us!"

"There's a lot you don't understand, Justin. I'm going back home, to be with my son and his wife."

"You're son? Who's your..." I flicked my eyes between Amaterasu and Beowulf. ".. No way.."

"Tell Zhaniah, I'm sorry. We'll leave you all be for a while, as my last gift for you. However, when we meet again, it won't be the same."

"Why! Why are you just up and leaving us!"

He shook his head, turning his back. The three started walking off, Luna looking back and winking at me, before they vanished in a green pillar of fire, leaving me standing there feeling even more hollow than I had ever been, beginning to question the sick game that reality was starting to play.