Morio clenched his fist, while the other hand landed on Gloria's grip. With the Serpigo's screech, he raised his voice, yelling out.

The clouds above formed and created an opening in the red sky, where thunder struck from above.

It hit the tip of Morio's sword, matching his scream, and when his mouth was closed, his gaze locked onto the creature with a gulp.

Morio let off the clap, as it pierced through its body, connecting the two into one, dark mess.

It grabbed Morio's hands, and through screams and yells, the two flew in the air at extreme speeds.

Dark withered markings appeared on Morio's arm, but he did not have enough time to discern between reality and illusion. Pain always felt real, especially when two bodies hit the thin but thick water surface nearing the port, diving down into the depths of the canals and rivers of Omer Narrows.

Morio opened his eyes. Fires surrounded everything in town and even managed to climb through the water. The distorted, shaky, blurry view only eased in when he saw the Serpigo, moving towards him.

He had no time to think through or make the right decision.

Just like back then, his only instinct was to live. Weak or not, stupid or smart, he raised a finger, and chanted, despite the water climbing into his mouth. "Believe." he coughed out.

A small sparkle appeared right on Morio's fingertip, and travelled up towards the Serpigo, collapsing with all the water which surrounded the two. It hurt, shocking the creature and sending Morio flying further away through the town.

It took him a couple of seconds to realise what had been happening, and his hand tightened around the grip before he zoomed in onto the destroyed, burnt-through grounds of Omer Narrows, tumbling for a few more and then coughing out blood on the pavement.

His body almost tumbled into the canal, the same way the four escaped back then. Only now it was him, and weaker than ever. He couldn't lift a finger, and the image appeared in his mind again.

Jeffy swung against the willow, stripping it off its white colours. He smiled, but Morio didn't.

Morio breathed out.

"Morio?" A voice sounded from afar. "Morio!" Jyuzou yelled out, fully turning the corner and sprinting in the direction of the Morian.

The two helped him stand up despite the few groans of pain. Morio blinked a couple of times, before his eyes focused on Jyuzou, who smiled, despite the earlier bickerings they had.

That's how it always was, pretty much. Morio looked around, a little confused, before gulping unsurely and closing his eyes.

"They came to Galliath, Jyuzou! T-The Serpigo!" he suddenly spouted, breathing in.

"We know, Morio." Jyuzou nodded. "But I think we managed to get away. We're right where we were supposed to be, after all." he pointed up, and Morio turned, staring right at the fortress.

"The fortress" Morio turned. "Where is Mrs Koyote?"

Genni looked back at Jyuzou, and the latter shook his head. "We d-don't know," he answered.

"But, I'm sure it will be fine," Genni spoke, taking a step further. "She doesn't give up so easily." she clenched her fist, triumphantly, and Morio looked around.

The distant sounds of fires creeping further into the city matched the various screams. Even from the rather hushed and dark Roses Alley, he felt the severity of the situation. How was Koyote supposed to save the day, and if not her, were the Morians supposed to be up to the challenge, trying to kill the unkillable?

His hand landed on his emblem again, squeezing it tight, biting his lip.

Genni's eyes landed on Morio's other hand, coated in a thick, tatoo-like, black colour. His nails were sharp, almost demon-like, and she raised an eyebrow, in curiosity.

"Morio-"

Ingo's scream sounded on the other end of the street, and the Morian came running, swinging his fists back and forth. Beat-up, bruised, wounded, but the cocky smile was present.

When he reached the entrance, Olala bumped into him, pushing him to the ground and sprinting towards the Morians.

"Y-You're safe!" she muttered, beaming. Jyuzou and Morio nodded, Genni fixed her glasses with her wrists, and Ingo stood up. "Did you kill it?"

"I hope so, damn it," he answered, scratching his head. "Like you said. It's not real," he repeated.

"Kill it?" Jyuzou asked, quietly, a little surprised.

Olala blinked a couple of times, before nodding. "Hopefully. Come on, inside. "We'll be safe there, I just know it."

The four nodded, taking another step forward.

All of a sudden, when she made a turn, something blocked her path.

A Serpigo floated above the ground and moved towards her without budging.

Four of the same surrounded the entrance to the fortress, as well as any adjacent street. There was no running anymore.

The five were cornered and had to face the enemies. One, that spoke in low whispers, the second, that continuously mimicked Koyote's voice, without changing form.

The third clenched its fist, revealing a bottomless pit below its legs. The last one put its hands on the masonry around the bridge, crashing them into a withered, black nothing.

Olala gulped, before closing her eyes. Her fist landed in one of the Serpigo's stomachs, punching the creature further away towards the streets of Omer Narrows.

"FIGHT!" she yelled out.

...and as she instructed, the battle ensued. Morio slashed through with his sword, zapping around the area and avoiding the created pits, much like he flashed around the training course, all those weeks ago.

Genni created copies of her boomerangs and fought with her shield, pushing all the enemies around, because no matter the opponent, it could always be fought.

Ingo struck with his club, zipping around the area and crashing into the ground, creating rips in cobblestone, as well as forming earthquakes. The Serpigo reached its hand out, and two fists crashed against each other.

The black withering started absorbing parts of his hand, and that's when Genni pulled him away, only for her to receive the same scars on her palm.

Jyuzou swooped in, his spear pushing into its invisible face. Turns out, pure brute strength was sometimes better than thinking things through. His eyes turned to the rooftops he and Genni sat on while discussing the training, thinking nothing would work out.

Look at how far they went, and the things they managed to survive, the opponents they continuously struck against.

Even Olala reminded herself of Koyote's words, at such dire moments.

"They'll live." Koyote put her hand on one knee, stepping closer towards the edge. "I'm sure of it."

One hand landed on Olala's leg, holding as hard as it could, but she managed to punch it in, sending the enemy flying towards the other Morians.

The Serpigos began growing weak, but the humans didn't. Blood, tears, sweat or wounds would never stop them from fighting.

Morio screamed, raising his blade, as it swept small bolts of lightning through the air and pushed away the Serpigo, forcing it to float up.

He breathed in and out, carefully observing its trail.

The other black masses stopped moving and instead soared up to their brethren.

Morio's hand landed on his emblem, the cold opposing the heat of his blood or the battle.

It was still there. If the creature didn't steal it, what else would cause them to suddenly change their minds?

The Serpigo started wrapping around each other, connecting, before their combined weight turned their soar down, and moved into the fortress.

Olala's eyes shrunk, as the second they disappeared behind the wall, something exploded right behind it.

A few coughs and clouds of dust later, the five found themselves running through the ruined gates, barely able to see through the smoke, and when it cleared, the waters which somehow found themselves subtly spraying all over their feet were only the first markings that something went wrong.

In the span of a few seconds, the Serpigo disappeared entirely, only to reveal that where once stood the Roses Alley fortress, was nothing but ruins.

This was what they wanted from the very beginning.

Morio opened his mouth, before covering it.

Olala took another step further, despite her shaking legs.

Something unearthed itself from the inside. The black, combined mass moved upwards, much like a ball of energy, floating above the fortress.

Soon, eight of the bony hands rapidly extended into its remnants and started pulling on a light that shone deeply, illuminating the darkness of the night, and fighting against the faraway fires.

The gleam stemmed from a wooden cross, floating in the air. The Serpigo let go, as it stood still, with a white aura surrounding it.

Something else, consumed by darkness was lifted out of the ground and carried closer towards the cross.

Olala opened her mouth. "DAD!" she yelled, ready to jump in, only stopped by Ingo's hand.

Jyuzou put a palm above his face, and Morio stared in discomforted awe.

The Serpigo dove down, as if consuming the two objects, swirling around it like a tornado, creating strikes of black electricity, moving even more withered objects into its surroundings, before, yet, another explosion happened.

This time, it was a wind, and the four immediately floated out from the fortress, and in circles, soared to the atmosphere, in the form of four, black dots.

The wind settled, and with the Morians on the ground, Olala was the first one to stand up. She was ready to jump in, and investigate, but...

Dakarai's body wasn't there. A massive, bassy noise sounded, with a reverse, dark waterfall streaming out of the insides of the fortress and towards the atmosphere.

It pierced through clouds, and the red sky, and even went above the stretches of the volcano. That place itself too, seemed to be consumed by the force. The crater created another beam, which consumed all of the shining lava and formed whatever could be formed in the fountain of darkness in the fortress.

The light created massive gusts of winds, completely wrecking the gates and only leaving an empty pool of water.

The grey clouds disappeared, only for them to reveal the bloody sky, and something half the size of the island, floating above it.

Olala's eyes shrunk.

Above Omer Narrows, a massive black dragon flew above the island. Its claws were deathly sharp, its skin made out of spikes, and its eyes were vicious and red.

"Love requires sacrifice," Dakarai told himself, his eyes zooming around Galliath. "This... this is perfection!"

It felt like his human body raised its hands triumphantly, but the twisted, dark dragon screeched out and raised its wings, zooming around the island at extreme speeds.

It was here, there, and it disappeared again, before finding itself above town once more. The Harans found themselves praying, the five women of the city were hiding deep below the grounds. The Morians stood and observed all the while Olala cried.

Dakarai didn't wish to destroy the island. After all, the only thing he wanted to do was live. Live a life, no matter how hard, strange or unbelievable it is.

He carved a way through pain and blood only to become the scariest of creatures. He sacrificed not only his consciousness but everyone involved.

"Now, that's selfish," Koyote muttered, tipping her hat, and floating above the ground. The cross was held in one hand, and the other pointed at the dragon, which came flying towards her.

Her expressions didn't suggest fear or anger. She was completely calm, hiding all of her fingers except for the index. She squinted her eyes, avoiding the ear-piercing growl of Dakarai.

"Oxygene," she muttered. "My final solution."

...and as the words were uttered, nothing happened.

Dakarai soared closer, his eyes gleamed a thicker crimson and then...

Bang.

He was gone in a bloody flash.

The sound of the beam sounded again, only much louder, clearer, and completely invisible. Much like a gust of wind blew leaves away, everything in Koyote's line of sight turned into absolutely nothing.

Olala stared in disbelief, while everyone else covered their ears.

The bloody shower which came out of the dragon's body eventually turned into rain, cast over all the fires and magma of Galliath.

It was over, just like that.

All efforts, all struggles.

Dakarai was dead.

Everyone cheered and yelled for Koyote's success.

Except for Olala.

Koyote looked at her for a moment, before tumbling to the ground and fainting.