Chapter 33: Lullaby

He didn't have any time to dodge. He was standing face to face with a Royal. It wasn't one those fights where making a mistake could lead to death, because the outcome of this battle was decided before it even began.

As Golden Emperor's hand pierced Lori's chest, he flinched, but not once breaking the eye to eye contact. He took few heavy breathes.

" I-.. didn't want-... to kill you-... before-... making you-.. watch your village-... burn. " he pushed his hand deeper inside, it was almost elbow deep now.

" Heh-... *bleh* *cough* " he spat blood over Golden Emperors chest and mask. The man was visibly upset.

" Yeah... you got me... but this situation... you've got me into, or to say, gotten yourself into... couldn't have been.. *cough* any better-... for me... " he grabbed his shoulders and squeezed them as hard as he could.

" Have you thought.. that just because I am the Healer Son.. you would come here, destroy the village, and walk away, without any harm?! " his grip became even tighter.

Golden Emperor tried to take a step back but couldn't move. As he would try to move back, he realized he was essentially fussed with Lori. He healed his chest wound, causing his body and Golden Emperor's hand to almost completely fuse together.

" What-.. are you-... doing?! " Golden Emperor sounded, intrigued... but oddly enough, worried as well.

" You still don't seem to remember me... you fucking bastard. " blood was dripping through his mouth down his chest and Emperor's hand; " I assure you.. IF you survive this, you will most definitely remember me from now on! "

Lori felt his energy being drained rapidly by the Golden Emperor. So that is his power. It made sense taking in consideration what he previously displayed. He was highly capable in absorbing energy.

" Nemma! " he yelled and chewed several times, he twisted his tongue around before opening his mouth and sticking his tounge out. On his tounge there was a small purple orb. He spat it towards Nemma that stood on the other side of the street. It reached about halfway of the distance between them. Nemma barely controlled herself from shaking and ran for the orb.

" I-.. won't let you-.. do as you please. " Golden Emperor raised his other arm towards Nemma.

[ WOOOOOSH ]

A shockwave appeared and almost erased her.. but it disappeared in thin air; " That ability... is already marked. "

Nemma picked up the orb and stepped back. She held it on her chest tightly; " Lori! " she yelled.

" Go! Take it and move away from here.. I'll take him out! "

She felt pathetic. She couldn't do anything for him. If she was to get closer to Golden Emperor she might get vaporized by his.. no, their energies.

She stepped back again; " I'm sorry-... I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry!!! " she made another step back. Her eyes were full of tears.

" Don't apologize Nemma, nothing you could've done, but that's completely fine. Take that to Santiago... and-.. *cough*... "

~ Shit... there's no time to talk.. I have to end this!

" Go... go now! Run! "

She wiped her tears, turned away, and ran.

" There's-... no point-.. in escaping now-... " Golden Emperor spoke; " You can't-... possibly kill me-... with your power-... ".

Lori was trying to stabilize his breathing and energy. It was truly depleted.

" This one... isn't a magic ability... nor does it use energy.. "

" Physical attacks-... don't work-.. on-... "

" Oh I noticed that... it's not a physical attack either.. "

Golden Emperor flinched. He tried to pull his hand out forcefully; " You? You can't possibly-..! "

" That's right... I've got one too... Made it myself, for this moment... especially for you. "

" You-... developed-... a Curse!? " Golden Emperor lowered his knees a bit, he placed his other hand on Lori's face and pulled his hand, but it wouldn't get out.

" Curses are separated form of 'magic'.. and when a 'curse' is made specifically for someone, with a strong enough emotion towards that person... you know pretty well what happens! "

" Stop! You wouldn't-... dare! " he was still pulling his arm out. Centimeter by centimeter, it was getting out.

Lori took one, final breath, before he exhaled.

" Lullaby: Final Breath "

[ Ability Lullaby: Final Breath activated]

A pillar of energy surrounded Golden Emperor and himself. It was composed of almost entirely Golden Emperor's energy and it reached the clouds.

" My energy-..?! "

" Of course.. I will use your energy.. how does it feel, being the one used? " he grinned as everything around him turned into chaos. Everything inside the small area around them started to fly in all directions and began disappearing.

Golden Emperor groaned all of a sudden.

" Oh? It seems it is starting to take affect, even on you, a mighty Royal! "

Golden Emperor looked at him, and through his mask, a pair of shocked eyes flashed; " WHAT ARE YOU-... DOING TO ME!? " he yelled unreasonably loud.

" It isn't worth explaining, as you've definitely lost your hearing by this point. Haven't you? "

As soon as Lori opened his mouth, only thing Golden Emperor heard were echoes of lullaby ringing through his ears. He became deaf to everything, and when a sound would appear, it would get covered up by a lullaby that kept repeating inside his head. A woman was singing it, her voice was soft, but to Golden Emperor it sounded as if she was looking down on him.

" For the rest of your life, all your hear is my mother... and her lullaby.. "

Golden Emperor pulled his hand out. But he only felt that sensation, he didn't see his arm going out... it was because he was blind.

The sight in his eyes got replaced with a burning village. In the middle of the street a half burnt woman was kneeling down, hugging her burning child. She held him tightly and cried more than the child did, but she never stuttered, she kept singing, always. She covered the child's eyes, preventing him to see burning bodies of his friends and people from the village.

Golden Emperor covered his eyes, but the scenery wouldn't disappear. She kept going, singing, while burning alive.

" STOP THIS! I-... I COMMAND YOU! " he yelled as he was swinging his arms like a lunatic.

" You said it yourself.. I can't kill you with my own power... but there are things far worse then death, aren't there? "

Golden Emperor totally broke his character. He went from being silent and godlike... to something that should be locked in an asylum. By pure luck, while swinging his arm, he reached Lori and punched him in the face, right over his eye.

The energy pillar slowly faded away.

Golden Emperor tried to calm himself. He covered his face with his palm; " You-...! This village-... will suffer the same fate-... as the one-.. you're showing me! " he leapt up. His energy got concentrated in his fingers, and like some form of tornado or whirlpool, fire descended upon the village. With this very same ability he destroyed Lori's village.

Everything was set on fire. The village was burning and occasional explosion would go off, causing shards to fly everywhere, several even hit Lori.

Nemma blacked out during the event, waking up to the voice of her demon, whispering some ancient tongue before fading away. She had no wounds, it protected her? The demon probably wanted to escape the feeling of dying by being burnt to crisp.

Ahead of her, Lori was lying, filled with wooden and iron shards, with half his face smashed and cut. He was seriously burnt. Groaning could be heard above them.. it was the Golden Emperor.

He wept few more times before vanishing. Did he use another ability of his.. or did he retreat? Nemma shook her head and walked up to Lori. She looked down at the man that used every drop of his energy to save this village, including her. Not only that, but went as far as willingly accepting death over 100 times, if it would bring some chance of victory in the future.

She teared up. And then she heard a loud yell from the village's gate; " LORI!!! ".