A blade would thrust forward to Monarch’s back, knocking him to his knees. In combination, another blade would propel him forward as he quickly recovered to an offensive stance.

“Your reign of tyranny ends here!” Neka yelled over to Monarch as he swiftly flourished his double blade.

His visor gazed upon the heavenly glow of the Battlemaster’s golden aura as he stood to his feet.

“Your reputation for being the best duelist in the universe is nothing but folklore!” He’d pull back his sword, lunging forward with an obliterating blow.

Even with such a bold first attack, Neka was able to parry it with ease. He followed with a riposte of several feinting blows that was accompanied with calculated strikes to his chest and arm. Neka’s aim was to weaken the attributes that made Monarch powerful as a duelist. 

Attack on his chest will break down his stature and ultimately weaken his form while targeting his wrist will decrease his ability to derive power for aggressive blows.

The strategy worked as it increasingly made Monarch sloppy in his attacks. Unable to cope with the ever growing pressure from the Battlemaster, he quickly became inferior to the battle. He’d follow up his losses with a cosmic blow to Neka’s chest, barely knocking him back.

Before he could get back composure, Ryan bombarded down plasma bolts towards him. He’d fall down to his knees as a metallic rope wrapped around his neck, pulling him back. Destoria pinned him in a way that he was exposed.

An arrow, encaved in a layer of alloy, soared through the air as it pierced through Monarch’s abdomen. The blow forced him to grunt forward, launching Destoria to his direction.

He’d pull the arrow out. He swiftly turned over to the incoming Head Operator. His attempt to revert the attack from the arrow straight for Destoria failed as a bullet pierced through his forearm. With the momentum at bay, Destoria leaped to Monarch to kick him over the mount.

He’d plummet down to a significantly shorter mount with a wider surface. In an attempt to recover back to his feet, he was pushed down yet again by bombardment of fire back onto him.

The tides of combat grew unequal as Monarch was confined to a singular spot for the Head Operators to unleash their rage on him.

Time passed as the clouds were covered by Allegiance flagships. The Colossal had already fled the battleground.

The bombardment of fire on the helpless king slowly decreased.

With the might of the Guardian channelling within her spirit. It is indeed time for Athena to end the duel. Though unjust and cruel to the fallen Supreme Leader. It was, as intended by Monarch from the beginning, what he wanted.

It was him that decided to wage a war against them. Alas, he shall receive his wish.

She’d leaped forward. Her blade sliced through the wind as it created an angelic hum that later crashed onto Monarch’s visor. The crash created a miniature combustion of her cosmic energy. The attack was enough to defeat him. A victory at a heavy price.

Monarch fell down on his back. Covered in broken steel plates gushed in his own blood. He cowered in his own pain as he pried open his destroyed helm.

He slowly pulled his visor away from his face, throwing it over to Athena’s feet.

She looked down to see his visor tainted in blood as the purple glow slowly faded.

Orion rolled over to his hands. He slowly pushed himself up to his knees. His breathing was heavily coarse through the damage he received to his chest. Repeatedly so, he coughed out blood as he grabbed his body. He slowly faced towards his former student in a scarred face with mercury-red blood flowing down his face.

“O-Orion?” She began tearing up as she laid eyes on the defeated soul she knew.

“I…”

He looked over to the floor as he vomited out blood. He was in an excruciating state of pain. The damage inflicted by the combined forces of the Head Operators and Neka should have destroyed him.

“Will not stop..” He looked back up to Athena.

“Until you face retribution..” He fell to his arms as he began breathing heavily. His windpipe would be in the process of being clogged in his blood. It was only his warrior spirit that kept him limping for survival. A sight that broke Athena.

Her eyes clinched as she fell to her knees, crying uncontrollably. Her loud screech followed by aggressive sobbing only increased as she looked over to Monarch.

“I’m sorry, brother…” She muttered out.

The sight was heinous for the rest. For them to see someone they fought with. Someone they once called family behave like a wounded dog pleading for mercy.

Kal looked in sorrow for his fallen comrade. Destoria looked the other way, for she has accepted that Orion has passed long ago.

Ava looked over in pity as Ryan stood behind Athena.

Neka slowly approached Athena, wrapping her in his cape as he slowly escorted her away from him.

“It’s…time.” Kal said over to Ryan.

Immediately, Athena cried louder. Destoria began tearing up as she faced herself away from the crowd.

The Spectral slowly walked forward to Orion. His gauntlet protruded a barrel for which he can fire his plasma bolt. He aimed it over Orion gently as he clenched his fist to control himself.

His face shield retracted as he looked down at his comrade.

With the end arriving, his eyes teared.

It is…time.

The time to end it.

A moment for which drifted him back.

I stand with my allies against these demons. I urge you all to help me. Even if the odds are against us, I believe that the world will remember this day that we, as united as we all are, are the front that will save the world. Don’t think about fighting to see the next day, think about fighting for the future of your loved ones. Think about them with every breath you draw and every action you take today! I promise you, they will live!

The day Ryan thought he would die, was a day he was gifted a second chance.

The loud ambience of the mount grew silent amidst the crashes of waves and the howling wind.

The gauntlet, smoking at the tip of the barrel, slowly retracted back his hip.

He turned to face away. His eyes covered in tears for which he covered with his fingers. 

“It had to be done.” He mumbled to himself.