[83.6] The Miserable You

****Disclaimer: This chapter includes attempted murder and violence that some may find uncomfortable.

Using the shadows, Asmonious quickly traveled to them. As soon as he appeared in front of them he shouted, "What are you doing!?"

Zephyr jumped up with a scream, "AAAAH!"

Alora turned her head to him, her eyes revealing her distaste and hatred towards him, "Why do you care?"

He clenched his fists, "Because Master asked me to watch over you."

She crossed her arms, "Well aren't you just a loyal mutt."

His hands started to tremble as his irritation was triggered, "Don't try to change the subject. What are you doing here?"

She snickered, "What's wrong? Do you think I was about to lure him outside to his death?"

His eyes narrowed, "Were you?"

"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. Either way, it's not your business."

"How is it not my business!?" Asmonious suddenly shouted, "He's MY brother!"

Zephyr looked between the two anxiously.

"Hmm…" She propped her head up by her hand, "And what am I?"

Asmonious pursed his lips, glaring at her. He no longer had a smile on his face which gave Zephyr much alarm.

Alora added, "Am I a nuisance? Or am I some criminal here to kidnap your little brother?"

Asmonious clenched his jaw, "You're a little girl who has no manners!"

"Hah!" Alora let out a laugh as she stood up and walked over to Asmonious to get in his face, "I have manners, just not to two-faced mutts like you."

Asmonious looked down at her with a cold gaze, "I don't care if an insignificant ant like yourself doesn't respect me, but I won't allow you to disrespect my Master. You two need to keep your distance from each other-"

Zephyr tried to intercede, "Hey… Let's calm down-"

Alora snapped at Asmonious, "I respect the Great Fairy! I respect her far more than you do!"

"Respect her!? HAH!" Asmonious laughed mockingly, "Do you realize how exhausted she is after chasing you around every day!? She asks you two to stop clinging to each other and what do you do!? You run off together and hide from her!!! How is that not disrespectful!?"

Alora sneered, "And what about you? I wonder what the Great Fairy would think if she knew her perfect little boy was actually a Monster capable of saving his little sister and little brother, but instead chose not to because he was a coward."

Asmonious tensed up, "...What did you say."

She poked his chest, "You can call me whatever you like, but you're just as bad as me! You're a murderer just like me!"

Zephyr shouted, "Alora-"

"I'm not going to listen to a coward like you! Whatever Zephyr and I do is NONE of your business!" She ignored him and shoved Asmonious with all her strength, "So, NO! I'm not going to keep my distance! You can't separate him from me! If he wants to leave the barrier with me, then why should you care!?"

Asmonious eyes started to turn vibrant orange, "You better watch your tongue."

Zephyr could sense danger and squeaked, "Big Brother, we weren't going to leave-"

Alora placed her hands on her hips, looking up at Asmonious with a superior stare meant to antagonize him, "I would be more worried about him being alone with you since you are the type to steal and hide. I wouldn't be surprised if you absorbed him-"

Shadows suddenly burst out, wrapping Alora up by the leg and pulling her into the air. Asmonious shouted, "Don't EVER accuse me of that!"

Alora summoned her Holy Sword and slashed away the shadow. When she landed she lifted her head to scream at him, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

The barrier suppressed her, but she fought back until blood started leaking from her eyes. She charged forward screaming as Asmonious created shadows to stop her. As she slashed each one, he felt his own fury start to rise from the depths of his soul. 

A rock person suddenly formed, fueled by a demonic magic that scared even the strongest of demons. It suddenly grabbed Alora and threw her up the mountain, slamming her into a tree. As he did, the barrier suppressed him next. An uncomfortable grimace appeared on his face as he forced himself to stand and overcome the pressure.

As he did, a holy sword was thrown at him. He disappeared into the shadows and reappeared behind Alora to smack her across the face.

Zephyr let out a scream as the sword flew past him, "EEK!"

Alora spit out a tooth and created another sword to thrust into his body.

Asmonious quickly avoided it and smacked her again.

Alora turned red with anger as she realized her deadly attacks were being met with face slaps.

"FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!"

Zephyr looked at the sword embedded into the barrier and watched as cracks started to spread from where it collided. His blood turned cold when he realized the trouble they were about to be in. He quickly ran away from the fight and up the mountain towards the courtyard, leaving behind the two who were fighting with such fury.

The two hadn't realized he had run off because they were far too concerned about their own fight. Alora was slashing with ferocity as Asmonious used his rock monster and the shadows to stop each attack effortlessly. Once she was stopped, he'd give her cheek another slap, fueling her with more rage.

As they fought, cracks started forming on the barrier relieving the pressure on both of them. Their attacks grew more frenzied and the barrier started losing its power from the opposing force.

Alora stopped attacking, her chest heaving up and down from the effort she was exuding. Both of her cheeks had slap marks on them, but she didn't care. She smiled, her eyes curving to show off such a devilishly beautiful smile that caused shivers due to the ominous aura it emitted.

Asmonious felt his body freeze as he stared at that smile that haunted his memories and nightmares.

She snickered, "Are you going to let another baby die?"

Asmonious's eyes trembled, "What… Are you talking about?"

She put one hand over her stomach as she laughed hysterically, "I finally did it. I finally became pregnant with your little brother's baby. Now he belongs to ME!"

Shadows erupted at his feet as he felt his control start to slip.

He could feel a darker part of him start to take him over.

She lunged at him with her sword drawn, "NOW I JUST NEED TO GET RID OF YOU AND THEN NO ONE WILL STAND IN MY WAY FROM HAVING HIM!!!"

As she went to finish the final blow, Moni turned to face her head on. His eyes were vibrantly orange as he smiled at her as if mocking. Shadows twisted at his feet, holding her back from plunging the sword into his heart.

But she continued to push forward, screaming as the barrier above her suddenly shattered from the overwhelming powers fighting head to head.

Asmonious continued to smile at her, his arrogance visible as he laughed, mocking her. "Alora, you're still too weak to defeat me. You'll have to try harder."

She was pushed back, sliding to a stop as she screamed, "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

The barrier shattered as hundreds of Holy swords appeared in the sky.

Her cries echoed off the mountains, "WHY COULDN'T HE HAVE LOVED ME LIKE HE LOVED YOU!? WHY DID I HAVE TO GET TREATED SO HARSHLY WHEN YOU WEREN'T?!" 

She lunged forward, her sword met resistance with the twisting shadows. However, she pressed forward as she screamed, "WHY WERE YOU THE BELOVED SON WHEN I WASN'T EVEN CONSIDERED A DAUGHTER?!"

His eyes shrank back, "What?"

She constrained her emotions to prevent herself from crying as she forced out, "Just what made me so unlovable?"

Seeing the tormented pain on her face, his smile gradually disappeared.

At that moment, he suddenly understood.

He understood why she hated him.

It was never about handing her back to Orphelio.

It was never about separating Zephyr from her.

A low chuckle left his lips, "Me and you… We aren't that different."

She struggled to push forward, "WE AREN'T ALIKE AT ALL!"

Asmonious whispered so low, she could barely hear it, "We both want love from a father who doesn't deserve it…"

A bittersweet smile crossed his face.

His eyes reflected the countless sorrows that would never cease to plague him.

"Master… I won't have to face a world without you…"

He dissipated the shadows, getting rid of anything that could have stopped her. Instead of protecting his vitals with his arms, he spread them open instead.

As if the approaching sword was meant to be a hug.

Alora's eyes widened as she tried to move the tip away from his heart, instead stabbing just inches away.

The two were standing as if frozen to the spot.

No birds were chirping in the forest.

No sign of life.

It was as if only the two of them existed in this world.

Asmonious's lips curved up as he let out a forced chuckle, "Feel better now?"

Her pure blue eyes stared at the sword embedded into his chest, "I… I…"

Asmonious stumbled back, trying to remain dignified. However, the pain was too much and caused him to collapse to his knees, holding the sword as blood wet his clothes. Without hesitation, he pulled out the sword and winced as blood poured out from the open wound.

He didn't speak nor did he try to cover the wound and prevent any further blood loss.