Rémy and Jeanne Alter reacted quickly, jumping out of the house they were in within seconds. Shortly after, Fafnir struck a powerful blow to the house, completely destroying it with its immense body. The dragon was covered in wounds, its eyes burning with anger. However, Fafnir didn't care about its injuries. It stood up and ran towards Siegfried, who was also not in his best condition.
While Fafnir and Siegfried fought, Rémy paid no attention to the battle. He threw his spear towards Jeanne Alter, who managed to dodge the attack and defend herself from Rémy's strikes, who now came at her barehanded. Jeanne Alter conjured her flames in front of Rémy, aware that after releasing the spear, he could injure himself due to the flames. Intrigued, Jeanne Alter remained on high alert.
Rémy emerged from the flames, bearing several burns, but he didn't care about them. He attempted to punch Jeanne Alter, who managed to dodge. However, Rémy's punch wasn't aimed at her face; instead, he opened his hand in her hair and grabbed it tightly. "You! You're just like the other one!" Jeanne Alter shouted angrily, feeling her blood boil as she remembered the humiliation she suffered from Rémy Alter.
"Theoretically, he is me, so I don't understand why you're surprised," Rémy innocently replied, pulling Jeanne Alter's hair before she could react. He threw her forcefully to the ground. Jeanne Alter spun in the air and landed on her feet. She noticed Rémy had taken a step to the side. Rémy kicked his spear on the ground, causing it to fly back into his hand.
Jeanne Alter used her Noble Phantasm to try to harm Rémy, but would he just stand there? He charged towards her, forcing Jeanne Alter to completely halt her Noble Phantasm, or else she would be killed. Once again, Rémy tried to throw his spear. Jeanne Alter prepared to dodge, confident that she could avoid the strike in time.
"This time, I won't miss," Rémy thought. At the very moment he released the spear, he switched hands. Jeanne Alter was surprised and had to think quickly. However, Rémy's spear was already too close to her. Jeanne Alter saw only one choice. "If I'm going to get hurt, I'll hurt you too!" With her flag pointed towards Rémy's abdomen, she struck him with all her might. Rémy also landed his attack.
"One of us will have to fall first, and I'm pretty sure it won't be me," Jeanne Alter declared, looking into Rémy's blue eyes with determination. "I don't intend to fall just yet, unfortunately for you," Rémy replied on the same level. Both remained with their weapons embedded in their bodies, waiting to see who would fall first. Rémy looked up at the sky and was surprised to see it crumbling.
"Gilles lost... I expected more from him. That's what happens when he doesn't depend on me," Jeanne Alter complained, also observing the sky collapsing. Her pale hair gently swayed in the wind. "People don't always win. Sometimes, they have to lose as well, don't you think?" Rémy said, averting his gaze from his own eyes to Jeanne Alter's face. "No, I don't think so. I always have to win, or else I'll be nothing but an incompetent failure," Jeanne Alter disagreed.
"How funny. So, you're calling yourself a failure? That's what it seems like," Rémy asked, curious. "I haven't lost yet, I haven't fallen. Unlike you, who is disappearing," Jeanne Alter said with a smile, realizing that Rémy was fading away faster than she was. "Maybe it's an illusion on your part? I don't see myself disappearing faster than you. Therefore, you're still a loser, in my eyes and in the eyes of everyone who has been close to you," Rémy retorted, proud of something. He couldn't help but smile at Jeanne Alter.
"Do you fail? From what I see, what you really wanted was that you couldn't protect me, as you promised." Jeanne Alter spoke with burning anger, ready to strike back. She wouldn't allow Rémy to mock her without a worthy response. "Yes, I failed..." Rémy replied sadly. A smile escaped Jeanne Alter's lips upon hearing that, relishing the idea of Rémy feeling down. "But I failed the other Jeanne, not you. The only person who can truly judge me is the Jeanne I knew." Rémy said with a smile, enjoying the disappointed expression that formed on Jeanne Alter's face.
"Theoretically, we are the same person, so I don't understand why you're so happy." Jeanne Alter retorted, as she pondered for a moment, recalling what Rémy had said before. "Yes, we are, but that doesn't mean you are her, in reality. You don't see things the way she does, you don't think like her. Therefore, you're not her," Rémy cheerfully spoke, relishing in provoking Jeanne Alter.
"You're right. I indeed don't think like that naïve mind, you're right. I don't see things as she wants to see, all in innocence. It's true I'm not her, because I'm better." Jeanne Alter said confidently. She didn't let herself be disheartened, knowing that she was far superior to the other Jeanne. Why should she be like her? Because of the people who admired her? Nonsense! What had those people done for her, besides abandoning her to the stake? All Jeanne Alter wanted was to destroy everything that caused her harm. She couldn't help but look at Rémy with a challenging gaze.
"I guess we're tied, although I see it as my victory." Rémy said, realizing that everything around them was fading away, except for the small space where Jeanne and Rémy remained. "I see it as my victory since I have more parts of my body intact." Jeanne Alter replied, pointing to Rémy's arm that was slowly disappearing. "That's why I see it as my victory, because those who lose limbs come out victorious." Rémy responded, without a hint of shame on his face. "You should feel disgusted and contemptuous of yourself when uttering those words." Jeanne Alter countered, watching Rémy vanish completely before he could respond.
"You see? I won, as I said, I always have to win. That's why I won, even if it wasn't in the way I desired. I wonder if you would be sad if it weren't you who had lost." Jeanne Alter said to herself, realizing that everything around her was dissipating, just like herself. "It's a shame I couldn't destroy this era with my own hands. It's truly a pity. At least they would have died at the hands of someone they knew." Jeanne Alter commented, feeling that the end had come for her. She couldn't help but feel frustrated for not having been able to fulfill her objective.
"I wonder what goodness or what else you saw in me. I really would like to know. Perhaps having a naïve view of certain things isn't so bad." Jeanne Alter mentioned before disappearing along with the era in which she existed.
--------------------------
38 advanced chapters on my Patreon: patreon.com/Louisdg