Chapter 79: Taste My Power!

Looks like Runtaii doesn’t like Uvi Jantok this time of year. But there’s just so much fire and misery around, who can’t like it?

Regardless, someone needed to stop him and stop him now.

Speeding up as fast as they could, Vega and Skaldi hooped from rooftop to rooftop. From burning buildings to collapsing structures. Using the vertically to their advantage, Vega cut over streets and was rapidly catching up to Runtaii. But not fast enough.

As if he knew the layout of the city before, he took the best shortcuts and paths towards the docks.

“Damn it! Runtaii must have planned an escape route-route or something!” Knowing how extensive the plans were, Vega knew that Runtaii had to have a backup plan in case shit went bad. And shit certainly went bad.

“We can’t let up. Not now.” Skaldi told her, holding onto her hand and pulling her as he ran.

“I go-go!” Kaliba told and flew off once more, making Vega wonder what the bird was doing.

His horse ran as fast as it could, with Runtaii feeling the breeze of the ocean closer and closer. He may not be able to raid the city, but he would live another day.

The street traveled on was slightly flooded but nevertheless had fires all around. Like racing through a corridor, he saw the cranes and ships of the dockyard.

“Good luck assholes! You’re nothing but doomed!” He proclaimed, blinded by a false courage. However, he saw figures just before him, their silhouettes illuminated by the fires of the street. Not Iozian soldiers, but four people. He didn’t slow down, holding his sword at his side ready to slice.

Just then, he heard a wizzing sound in the air. Then a rock struck his mouth!

“Gah! Son of a-” Unable to control his steed, Runtaii could not block the next strike. Which was Amir’s full fist sending Runtaii off his horse, splashing into the water around them.

After clattering to the ground, his horse ran off past the four. Rising just as fast as he fell, Runtaii saw that this was an ambush. Kaliba, the crow was resting atop Runtaii’s shoulder. Just as soon as he came, Kaliba flew off likely to alert another fighter.

“Nice shot Valiato!” Florida high fived the kid, amazed by how precise the shot was. Valiato was a little impressed herself. Bolato, holding his bandaged arm, looked up to the rooftops and saw a familiar face.

“Wait… is that Vega?” He questioned, half sure it might have been his imagination. But as she came closer, Bolato laughed seeing Skaldi alongside her. So happy that he’d finally be able to see him again.

All of them beamed a smile, glad to see Vega once more. But Amir’s eyes revealed a minor worry, seeing that Vega had some of her face torn off.

“...I’ll kill you!” Runtaii charged at Amir, thrusting his sword into his thigh. Pushing hard, Runtaii wouldn’t let anyone else get in his way.

“~Amir!~” Valiato cried, throwing as many stones as she could at Runtaii without hitting Amir. Aiming one stone swing at his hand, Runtaii pulled out the sword with a gush of blood.

“Amir! Are you alright?” Florato held him in her hands, just as Valiato went to patch him up.

“~Just a flesh wound. It’s normal back home.~” Amir joked, groaning in pain. The blood slowed but they all knew Amir wasn't getting up anytime soon.

“Old man! You aren’t stopping me any longer!” Runtaii went back towards the three, but Bolato gave him a heavy punch to his face.

“You wish to say that again?” Bolato began to wail on Runtaii, not giving him any opportunity to use his sword.

“Sure!” Tossing his sword over head, Runtaii dove up and slammed his elbow into the side of Bolato’s head.

“We’re almost there! Almost there!” Skaldi yelled out, with Vega and him hopping down from the roof and only a hundred feet away from them. Fires grew brighter and ever more violent around them, with buildings shattering apart and covering their path. Not missing a beat, the two ran and ran with all their might.

“You aren’t stopping me!” Catching the sword in his off hand, Runtaii swayed and then sliced across Bolato’s face. A thin spray of blood came out, as a Bolato fell back. The cut went shallow but the force knocked him out.

“No! Not now!” Vega took out her guitar, preparing to use the last of her remaining magic to do one last ditch effort. A final resort.

As Runtaii prepared to plunge the sword into Bolato’s chest, a shadow appeared behind him. The shadow of Krimm with Kaliba on her shoulder.

Trying to wrench the sword away from him, Krimm 's eyes warped and changed. Sweat dripped from her face as her veins bulged and her blood boiled. Just as she promised before, fighting back against Runtaii was against what she was as an Assassin. Through the pain, Krimm disobeyed.

“You… aren’t going to win!” Krimm said with tears in her eyes, barely able to concentrate. Pulling a dagger out, she stabbed and stabbed Runtaii’s back, making him cough up blood. But the psychic pain grew too much and she could hardly even stand.

Runtaii laughed with blood in his teeth and knocked her away, making her fall to her knees. Yet still, this delay allowed Florato a chance to attack.

“You hurt my friends.” Florato used her thick gauntlets to grip around his neck, crushing as much as she could. “You hurt Vega! You hurt Valiato! Now you will pay!”

“Nnnh! Like… hell!” Struggling to speak, Runtaii wailed on Florato but her master crafted armor protected much of her. Remembering when she had been wounded, he looked down and sent a kick to her wounded leg. The kick made her fall back, clutching her leg in pain.

Calling out to last bits of her energy, Vega prepared to make one final gamble. A final effort to finish off this demon.

Your friends are dead. Just like I said. Give it up. You’re safe now.

“I’m not letting them. They mean too much-much!” Vega rejected Ani Arma’s proposal, feeling the tension in her Soul rise, pushing her limits and capabilities.

Seeing her ignite with a powerful swirling wave of magic, Skaldi felt a rainbow of emotion erupting out of Vega. The song she played too was desperate, like trying to pull someone back from the edge of death. But she was losing speed, at this point she wouldn’t reach them in time.

“Vega, heads up!” Skaldi lifted Vega by her waist and stepped atop a high pile of rubble. Aiming her like a javelin, Skaldi threw her with everything on the line.

Flying through the air like a speeding arrow, Vega’s cracks and wounds glowed a celestial beauty and guitar’s music could be heard across the city.

Hearing the rapidly approaching music, Runtaii stood there aghast at seeing Vega fighting on. Seeing how much she was glowing, he knew he had one final chance to defeat her. Now was the time to see if he was going to be more than Ani Arma!

Now was the time to see if Vega was the destroyer she claimed to be! What Ena, Kaliber had needed her to be! Someone strong enough to be kind, strong enough to seek answers, and strong enough to prove those that wronged her that she was more than what she was built for.

“You’re dead! You’re mine!” Runtaii cried out, with his honor and life on the line.

“This is my future! This is my… life!” Letting go of her guitar, Vega prepared to end Runtaii with one final blow. With the same intent, Runtaii held his sword to the ground, ready to slice Vega in two!

Impacting together like a comet and sky, there was a brief flash of light. And from out of that light, everyone could see Vega in the sky, floating like a rose petal.

Fire burned around her body, a torch in the night. Her left arm had broken clean off with her hand still holding onto the pickaxe , and her eyes were closed shut.

The Scarecrow was dead for a moment. Until, a strange voice came from within herself. A voice. A voice.

A voice that was Vega’s very own!

To the one who searches…

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Ya are enough. Ya can be so much more.

Ya are an artist. Ya are a learner.

Ya are a warrior. Ya are a friend.

Ya are Chaos. Ya are Unity.

Ya are life and death.

Ya are the mightest, smartest, kindest, and most bestest construct of all.

Ya are Vega the Scarecrow.

Now show him OUR POWER!

Out came a beam of light, Vega’s eyes opened and saw she was careening towards the ground! Ripping off a piece of her fabric skin and grabbing onto her pickaxe, Vega tied the pickaxe around her broken arm and spun down to Runtaii!

"Listen when I say!

I swear it here today!

I will not surrender, this life is mine!"

Crashing down into Runtaii, Vega crushed open his chest and laid the final finishing blow.

The Conqueror’s life was over. The Scarecrow’s life was just beginning.

Rising from out the dust, Vega waved out to them with her remaining hand, with a tired yet content look on her face.

"Ya guys miss-miss me?"

"Vega!? WOOO!" Everyone around hugged and leaned on each other for support. Valiato patched up Amir and Florato, who laughed and smiled the brightest. They were a family of sorts, helping one another rise and stand up.

Bolato went over to Krimm, not recognizing her but seeing that Kaliba was on her shoulder. He didn’t know whether to trust her or not but saw Skaldi just a few feet away.

“Sweetie!” The redhead leapt into Bolato’s arm, hugging him and giving as many kisses as he could in a second. Both of them had a great weight relieved off each other, glad to see each other more or less okay.

“Bolato! What happened to your arm?” Rubbing his shoulder, Skaldi was in shock to see how wounded Bolato was.

“Nothing, just a big dog bit me. Also bit Florato. And also-nevermind, uh what happened to you? Where’s your eyepatch?” Brushing Skaldi’s hair, Bolato was more relaxed than he had any right to be.

But he had his femboy boyfriend by his side, so who gives a fuck?

“Uh… I fell down some stairs. Besides that… you alright-” Skaldi was interrupted because Bolato gave him a kiss on the lips. It was pretty cool. And it was pretty cute.

“I love you.” Bolato said softly, making Skaldi somewhat blush.

“Gods, can you fuckers get a room or something?” Krimm told them, massaging and stretching out. She wasn’t in as high spirits as everyone else, and she also didn’t know anyone else.

“Hey, who’s she?” Florato asked, vaguely intrigued by Krimm’s style and appearance.

“~Back up. She’s wearing the armor of an Assassin!~” Amir held Valiato and Florato behind him, but Vega childishly skipped up to Krimm.

“Hey Krimm-Krimm! Ya alright?” Punching her playfully on the shoulder, Vega seemed in the highest spirits of them all.

“Not too bad actually. I think… I think I can... live... like this.” Krimm closed her eyes and crossed her shoulders, enjoying the quiet for just a moment.

“Wait, what did Amir say?” Bolato asked, still suspicious of Krimm.

“Well… I used to be an Assassin. But because of Vega… I think I’ll be a fairy once more.”

“No way… you’re a Fliction fairy, right? I remember the guys back home.” Skaldi reminisced on his history with the Galtian elves and to find a bit of comradery with Krimm, seeing they were both elves.

“What matters is that… I’m working on being a better person. Okay?” Krimm smiled slightly, making everyone except Vega mildly concerned.

“Understood. If Vega trusts you, I will.” Bolato nodded to Krimm and then held Skaldi tight and sat down.

“And Vega?” Valiato tapped her on the shoulder. Vega turned around and felt like Valiato looked off. “You seem to be-”

“What-what is it? Do ya want to go gambling or something? We can do that-that but I kinda want to-”

“Your face! It’s on fire!” Valiato yelled, seeing the smoke on Vega and a small flame on her hair. Running around like a headless chicken, Vega raced around until realized this street was flooded. Face planting into the water, she rose out and shook like a wet dog.

“WOO! Thanks for the save Valiato!” Giving a thumbs, Vega smiled at her. Everything had gone more or less alright. Her friends were still alive and she was ready to start a new day.

“Hold on, hold on. Your eye, let me fix it.” Florato walked up to Vega, seeing how her fabric and her head were still not fully stitched together.

“Oh! Yeah, I had a traumatic head injury. That shit-shit was not fun.” Shivering when remembering the experience, Vega then hugged Florato for comfort. The actress didn’t mind and in fact enjoyed it.

“Hmmm… I’m glad you’re back. You are so crazy and I don’t think I’d have you another way.” Florato hugged her back, careful not to hurt her head. But if she knew anything, Vega and all of them together were stronger than they realized.

Together they were more than what they were alone.

“Damn you…”

Croaking out, a doomed voice spoke. Everyone searched for where it came from, but Krimm was the first to see who it was. Runtaii, holding onto his chest, smiling strangely.

“Vega. You want me to finish this guy?” Krimm stepped onto his neck for a moment, ready to put an end to Runtaii’s misery. But Vega held her hand up and so Krimm moved away.

Normally, she didn’t really care about Runtaii. However, someone was telling her to listen to him. Not necessarily herself, but another Soul. The Soul Gem on her guitar, politely asking her. Asking her to listen and to listen close.

Standing over Runtaii, Vega waited for him to speak. His eyes were stained with blood, making a cobweb-like shape around them. He was a ghost of who he was before.

“Ani… Ani Arma…”

“...What-what about him?”

“He’s coming for you… ” Runtaii coughed briefly, the very blood making it hard to speak. He wheezed with every breath, and yet still went on.

“Sure-sure. He’ll totally attack us without the troops he needs.” Vega scoffed, not taking him seriously.

“He won’t bring an army. He’ll bring the end.” The words were the clearest out of everything Runtaii had said. Numbers and how much isn’t what they should be worrying about. This wouldn’t be a problem that’d be solved by mere soldiers or armies.

This is something you can’t fight, can’t argue against, and can’t even bargain.

You know he’s playing you… he has no clue. But at the same time. He’s right.

Ani Arma’s voice, cold and sinister as ever, made Vega worried beyond belief. Beyond knowledge.

“If you could barely beat me… then you won’t survive him. He’ll arm himself with the stars as his arrows and the sun as his armor.” Runtaii boasted, amazed by Ani Arma’s prowess. The boast made everyone a tad more chilly, a tad more unstable.

One year. One short year. That's your lifetime. That’s all I’m giving you till I bring the end.

“No…” Bowing her head, Vega now had a timer on her mind. Not like the summarized calculations Amir had composed, but a promise. A dangerous promise. A single year, that’s the timelines they had.

“What did he say?” Skaldi held onto Vega’s arm, knowing what everyone else didn’t.

“We already heard him, what are you-”

“I’m not talking about Runtaii, not him Bolato. I’m talking about the person talking to Vega.” Skaldi corrected, which made Valiato and Krimm quite confused.

“What do you mean? Do you mean the voice?” Valiato asked, still confused by Vega’s abilities.

“Yeah… It’s the voice. It’s Ani Arma.” Saying it like she was ashamed, Vega told them all.

“...what did he say?” Skaldi asked again, hoping that it would somehow be good news.

“One year. He’s saying we got-got one short year. That’s my lifetime…” Vega told, with everyone gasping in reaction.

“Did he really say that, brick of iron? Hahaha! Sounds like him too.” Runtaii laughed in pain, no longer holding onto his chest. He pushed himself slightly up to better look at them all.

…Enjoy it. Enjoy your friends. While they still exist.

The Scarecrow couldn’t let him scare them like that. He couldn’t let Ani break them apart and ruin their confidence, not now. They just survived a battlefield unlike any other, she needed them to know how incredible they are.

“We won’t lose.” Vega held out her arm, the one she replaced with her pickaxe. She held it out to the clouds overhead, not billowing with rain. “Each of us has done something amazing today. I won’t have-have ya talk down to us like we’re weak. Because we’re the strongest there is!”

Looking on with a renewed hope, their faces appeared a little more brave. Their wounds are a little less terrible. And their eyes filled with a little more life.

“We won-won this fight! And we can do it again!” Vega proclaimed, pointing out her pickaxe to each one of her friends.

To Kaliba the Crow.

To Bolato the Soldier.

To Valiato the Kid.

To Amir the Tripolian.

To Florato the Actress.

To Krimm the Fairy.

To Skaldi the Elf.

And then she held it out to the horizon, where all the futures and friendships lie. Past, present and future. Vega and her team had pulled this off, and they were capable of so much more.

“One year, huh? That isn’t my lifetime, that’s yours!” As Vega yelled, her friends cheered out and clapped. Skaldi and Bolato held each other close. Florato housed Valiato onto her shoulders and Amir decided to join Krimm’s side, silently nodding in approval.

Today was their victory. Tomorrow, they should rest. For like… a fucking while.

“Haha…” Runtaii chuckled, his breath weakening exponentially. Vega heard it, as everyone was too happy and didn’t care enough to notice.

“...it’s over…rest now.” Vega sat beside him, talking in a soft voice. She didn’t want to disturb the mood. She just wanted him to go away.

“I died… as my own man. I died… by my own choice.” Runtaii said his final words, clinging onto his consciousness. Vega understood how much of a fool Runtaii was, knowing that he was a tool of Ani Arma’s.

“No. Ya died like Sabere. Ya died believing your own lie. I lived believing my truth-truth.” Vega laid her hand on his chest, allowing him to experience one last comfort, of someone being by your side when you perish.

His eyes faded, turning into a pale gray. Like a shroud of death, a thin dust gathered over Runtaii’s corpse, and then swirled around Vega before heading off into the sky.

The Scarecrow looked towards the horizon, seeing the purple night growing weak. A small bead of orange broke over it, as a new day had dawned.

For many reasons, Vega felt very happy all of a sudden. Because she broke free from the tower. Because she helped Krimm break out of her chains. Because her friends survived. Because she helped save a city. Because she found out the truth. Because she wasn't alone. Because she was set free.

And a reason she found familiar, one that was from a long time ago. The scarecrow knew her purpose. She wasn’t a tool. She was art.

She closed her eyes and jumped into the air, happy because she completed a task. Tears fell from her eyes and became purple stars.

“Yay! I killed a man!”