Paradise on Earth part 1 (V)

Kurogane stepped in front of us and with his big claw tried to rip Dimitri's head off, but to everyone's surprise Dimitri was able to stop the attack with his bare hand.

"What!? How did he do it?"

"Thi.. it's nothin.."

Then he grabbed it by the arm and threw it away as if it was the lightest thing in the world.

His presence is different... even his way of speaking has changed. His gaze is gone, he no longer looks like the same person we've been facing.

"A, Asriel, I, I'm afraid..."

Maria stretched out a hand towards me, she was trembling. Her eyes were fixed on whatever is in front of us.

I tried to keep my composure and started to move forward, however from one second to the next he disappeared without a trace.

"Huh!? Where did he go!?"

Just then I felt a sharp pain in my chest and the world began to spin. I was flying through the air until I finally fell to the ground.

"Asriel!"

What happened? Did he move so fast that I lost sight of him and he hit me without me noticing?

How much power has he gained? He's not the same man he was before.... Can he even be considered human? Is this why he was expelled from his tribe?

I feel the taste of blood in my mouth.

"Ahhh!"

I raised my head when I heard the scream and saw a silhouette fall near me at full speed.

"Maria! Are you alright!?

"Y, yeah... augh"

"You're not!"

"I, it's just a scratch. Give me a moment and I'll heal myself"

She concentrated the light of her weapon on herself and quickly her wounds disappeared.

Actually Dimitri was so fast that I couldn't see when he changed his position and hit me. Not only that, his increase in strength is amazing.

I slowly stood up and took a step forward. My legs are shaking, though I must try to distract his attention.

"It's usel..s to resi..t"

But at that instant a kick to my head made me lose the thread of what I was thinking. It seemed to throw me against a wall, the impact was so strong that I was stamped for a few seconds until gravity made me fall head first to the ground.

"Asriel hang on! I'm coming!"

She came running towards me. The diamond on the tip of her weapon came close to my face and a flow of heat entered my being. Slowly the pains leave my body and I begin to think clearly again.

In the distance I hear a deafening roar. Kurogane is fighting, but I can't see clearly yet. I think he's trying to give us time to heal.

"You ab..mination... stay stil.. to finis.. with yo..] I hear Dimitri as the fight continues.

The ghosts inside him keep increasing his physical capabilities, I don't know how much longer he can contain it.

Damn, despite having the numerical advantage he's able to take on the 3 of us with no problem.

If only I had the necessary defense to withstand his blows. With my dexterity I manage to dodge his attacks, but my body is still very fragile, only one mortal blow is enough to finish me off.

If I hadn't had Maria by my side to treat my wounds, this would have been over long ago.

Suddenly I hear a blow, Kurogane is being hit by Dimitri, at the same time a feeling of frustration and pain invaded me.

A feeling seems to call me, I look in his direction and then I see my little finger in my glove. The glow begins to flicker, it's as if it wants to tell me something.

As I concentrate, feelings emerge that don't belong to me, they come from outside.

What are these emotions? Do they come from him? Does he also feel frustrated because he can't beat him?

Haha, we are the same. We both lament what we lack. He wants to improve and overcome our weaknesses...

At that moment I saw it.

There he was in front of me, just like the other times.

As I was slumped on the ground drowning in despair, again a small glow gives me the strength to continue.

I stretch out my hand towards it.

"Asriel? What are you doing?"

Maria asked as she continued to heal me, but I ignore all the sounds coming and concentrate on reaching out and holding it tight.

The world goes silent.

In my hand now lies a familiar colored pebble, a fragment of hope. It slowly disintegrates and awakens something in me, this is what I needed.

As I stand up Kurogane seems to have noticed, as he lifts his wings and takes flight.

"An.. you give u..?" exclaims Dimitri.

I ignore him and watch as my dragon's shadow begins to circle above me.

"Asriel?" she asks me worriedly.

"Step back Maria. Leave this to us"

"... ok"

She looks confused, but accepts and takes a few steps back.

It's time.

I raise my left hand, this one now has the ring finger glowing.

"Union!"

Kurogane reacts and descends to me. It transforms into a black radiance, a kind of nebular dust that clings to my glove.

The darkness enters me, begins to spread rapidly through my body. As it does so a layer of black stains every part of my skin, it becomes heavy and hard.

I feel another consciousness overlapping mine.

I can't keep control... an unknown power breaks free.

It gives free rein, devouring everything in its path.