Chapter 134: Ch172. Last stand - 2
There was an echo that Kurt had visited, which made him wish with all his might that it would just end.
That the whole war would simply come to an end.
And that the shadow that hung over the world would simply disappear.
He wanted no more Kha’Ur, no more Essentium, no more wielders, no more anything.
There was only one thing that Kurt, who had never known a world without Nests, Beasts, Calamity or any other kind of threat, had learned to desire.
A world without any of that.
And he felt that he possessed the power to make that wish come true.
Not just because he had nurtured within himself the power that came from both the Essentium and the soul of Kha’Ur.
But also because the choice he had made, when he sealed the deal with the heart of his world, included something much more important than the power to destroy his enemies.
Kurt’s body was teeming with energy, and each time the shadows enveloped his body, and he moved towards Octavius in the blink of an eye, his attacks became more and more powerful.
The Dread Paladin simply seemed to have no escape from a direct confrontation with Kurt.
Already on the ground, spitting out a mixture of red, human blood and a black, fetid goo, Octavius coughed, turning on his back and facing Kurt, looking deep into his son’s eyes.
"Why don’t you take off that mask, my son? I already know who you are... There’s no reason to hide from me."
Kurt looked at him through the distortion of shadows that moved across his face.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about." Kurt replied, tilting his head and taking another step forward.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW?!" Octavius punched the ground, opening a small crater and throwing fragments of the sidewalk everywhere. "EVERYONE HERE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE! NOW SHOW YOUR FACE, SO I CAN KILL YOU BY LOOKING INTO YOUR EYES!"
Octavius’ shout reminded Kurt of the loving father he had been before Kurt woke up from his coma.
Even after living through countless echoes, that was still the Octavius who was most like a father to Kurt.
And yet, he had fallen victim to Kha’Ur of the New Dawn.
No...
Kurt shook his head internally.
’No... This guy was never a victim of anything or anyone... He already had this darkness inside him.’
"All it took was a little push for that darkness to break free and for you to reveal your true colors..." Kurt said, without noticing that he was speaking out loud. "But no." He retorted the Dread Paladin, who were almost back at his feet again. "I’m not your son, even though he’s almost here to kill you with his own two hands."
Octavius’ eyes widened.
"What... What do you mean by that? You’re right in front of me, here... I can even touch you... My son... COME DIE!"
Kurt couldn’t understand where the insanity that emanated from his father’s every pore came from.
All he could imagine was that the thing that now stood before him was no longer Octavius.
But rather just an empty shell, occupied by some horror long forgotten by humanity.
Until, in a sudden flash of understanding, Kurt said.
"Kha’ur..."
The eyes of the man before him suddenly lit up with unearthly sanity.
The sickly glow was replaced by an almost black glow that completely covered every part of the eyes of what had once been Octavius Blake.
"The prodigal son returns home..." He said, standing up, and spitting out a last mouthful of blood. "I thought I should greet you personally, congratulate you on your return. After all, your conscience won’t last long after here... So I thought it would be a good way for you to die. By your father’s hands..."
A sickly smile spread across the lips of the thing before Kurt.
A smile so wide that it seemed to tear the face that belonged to Octavius, reaching both ends almost to the ears of what had once been that man.
Kurt felt his stomach drop momentarily, seeing what his father had become.
There was no longer any feeling of love from the son to the father there, in the young man’s heart.
In place of feeling, there was only stubborn coldness.
The desire to end it all once and for all.
’But the price... It’s too high, Kurt Blake.’ He remembered the words the Essentium had said to him, with his mother’s face and voice.
’It doesn’t matter... I’m going to end it all, once and for all... Here and now!’
Kurt blinked for the briefest of seconds, and when he opened his eyes, the thing that had once been Octavius was almost within attack range.
Preparing to pierce Kurt’s chest with both hands.
However, as soon as Kurt’s eyes opened, some of that green and red light that resided within him seemed to leak out.
And immediately, Octavius Blake’s movement ceased, trapping him in mid-air, as if he were a marionette, with the strings raised by the puppeteer, preventing him from touching the ground.
***
All over the world, all the enemies, as well as the members of Task Force Shadow, and all the other wielders who were fighting, felt control over their bodies being suddenly taken from their hands.
As if something very powerful was exerting an overwhelming force on each of them.
Not even Robby, hidden by the shadows of especially large opponents, ready to stab any opponent in the back, was able to escape the invisible hand that deprived him of landing a blow against the ankle of an unsuspecting opponent, completely focused on Melissa.
Everyone could only wonder what was going on, when suddenly, everything around them became darkness.
A darkness so dense that it could only be broken very slightly by the golden glow in Evellyn’s eyes, who smiled for a brief moment.
Before disappearing from the face of the planet.
***
When Evellyn opened her eyes, Kurt was there, before her, like a saving angel, covered in darkness.
And when she looked around, even though she understood where she was, in a broader sense, her eyes widened when she saw the desert expanse where she and everyone else had appeared.
It was as if the sand of that desert had been replaced by ashes, and the sky was forever cloudy, such was the color of the place.
"Is this your world...?" Evellyn asked, and Kurt just nodded.
Everyone felt lost, without understanding where they were or how they had gotten there, but of all, the most perplexed were clearly the enemies.
"I think it’s a little unfair that you want to fight under these conditions, don’t you?" Kurt asked, to no one in particular, but looking at all of his opponents, with a cold gleam in his eyes. "I think I’ll level the playing field a little, see if you like it..."
And after Kurt’s words, which no one, not even Evellyn could understand, his eyes lit up, and all the allies immediately felt their wounds closing, their broken bones mending, their lost parts growing back.
Even Rodrick, who had appeared there along with the others, alongside Evellyn, Nikolai, and Robby, next to Kurt, felt a new breath of life well up within him, his consciousness being brought back to the world of the living, like which is pulled by a very strong hook, back to Earth.
Rodrick couldn’t say a word, just looking at Kurt and nodding.
"It’s a long story..." Kurt said. "But I don’t think I’ll be able to tell you this time."
Evellyn started to protest, but Kurt looked at her, asking her to remain silent.
"This is our last battle together." Kurt continued, gravely. "After this, everything will change. So... Before everything changes, let’s give them Hell."
For the first time, not even Evellyn was able to know the meaning behind those words, so, feeling a new breath of strength welling up inside her, with tears in her eyes, the young girl just turned towards her enemies, and nodded.
This didn’t look at all like a final battle like the ones Kurt read about in web novels.
Had his ability to revitalize others not been so restricted, he would have revived every innocent person who had died at the hands of the New Dawn, the Ishir, and Octavius.
Even though he was more powerful than ever, Kurt still felt helpless there.
’But I can still at least finish off these bastards...’ He thought, inhaling and sighing heavily.
On the other side of the battlefield, a confused Octavius was standing, trying to understand what had happened.
And his eyes widened even more when, from behind the masked Kurt, the familiar figure of his son appeared, looking at him with crazed rage in his eyes.
"But it can not be..."
Of course that person, who now stood next to Kurt, along with his friends, was a [SHADOW PUPPET].
For some reason, Kurt felt as if the identity of that hero, who was about to end the war, was too important to simply reveal to the world, even though there was no one there watching.
Or so Kurt imagined, not noticing the invisible drones that had been planted there, flying around them and filming everything, broadcasting everything live to the world outside of [SHADOW WORLD].
No one realized that neither Dr. Lee nor her current partner, Agent Collins, had been transported to the [SHADOW WORLD].
And with a loud, distorted scream, the masked Kurt incited his friends and everyone else, echoing along with Octavius scream.
"CHARGE!"
And everyone moved.
