Falling Leaves 13 ??

  The battle in the Colosseum continues as structures continue to break, statues are in pieces or fallen down, the stands are littered with bodies of Angels. Some barely alive, others burned, some withered from their life force being taken by Danya.

  The skies filled with golden streaks of light, as the blood red hue glows atop the Colosseum, thunder rages, lightning strikes fly through the sky, as beams of light and fire are blasted.

  Nari and Sachi soar through the air, clashing.

  Nari's body is surrounded by blue lightning as he moves at speeds not even Sachi can keep up with. Nari appears as a bolt of lightning above Sachi. Before she can react, he fires a bolt of electricity directly at her.

  "Huh?!" she grunts, realizing too late.

  She tries to make a shield of light to protect herself, but the bolt's too fast, it strikes her head on. Blue lightning surrounds her body as she lets out an ear splitting scream, her exoskeleton flashing.

  Nari doesn't stop his momentum as he takes that moment to throw a barrage of lightning-induced punches. The punches land on her face, stomach, gut, arm, and legs—her whole body was attacked.

  Nari grunts, as he then sends a round kick to the side of her face, knocking her out of the sky and sending her down to the ground.

  She crashes into the stone, leaving a crater.

  Nari looks down, panting. "Mistress—- I'm sorry—- but I can't let you destroy everything."

  Sachi in the crater opens her eyes as they beam a golden light. She starts to huff more rapidly.

  "HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOUUUU!" she screams as more golden energy radiates off her.

  She stands up in an instant, floating out of the crater. She gets in a cat-like stance, arching her back with her hands both on the floor, her golden tattoos shine brighter.

  Instantly a barrage of wooden bark fires from the ground, each of them rectangular.

  Nari guards himself as the wood hits him dead on, pushing him higher into the air. His arms start to give out, as one of the beams hits him in the gut, followed by the others.

  Blood erupts from his mouth, as Sachi takes this chance to run on all fours like a cheetah up the beams of wood. She reaches Nari as he's still being hit by the barrage.

  She grabs his face, she swipes her other hand summoning a tree growing at lightning speed. As the tree grows, she slams his face into the bark. She drags his head through the bark as she continues to run on the beams.

  Nari's screams are muffled under Sachi's grasp. He then starts to feel his face heat up, his eyes widen, as Sachi ignites her hand in flames, causing a point-blank explosion that breaks half the tree apart into flaming splinters. The splinters rain down like a storm, as Danya continues to battle Akuji's clone and Aoi.

  Danya giggles as she ducks the clone's kick, grabbing his legs while he's mid-air.

  "Wha-!" he exclaims.

  She starts to twirl him around, creating a wind pressure around them.

  Aoi summons blue flames around her as she charges a blast of it, "My flames only burn the wicked. He should be okay from this."

  The blast grows larger as she sticks her palms out toward the fire.

  Danya notices Aoi in the corner of her eye, her sadistic smile unwavering, as she tosses the clone at full force towards Aoi.

  The clone screams as he flies towards Aoi.

  Aoi's flames rage on, "It's okay fellow warrior! These flames will only hurt that demon!"

  The clone panics as his gut drops, the feeling of dread and anxiety overwhelming him, as if his life is ending.

  "No! I won't be caught in this!" he declares, as he uses his wings of flames to slow down his momentum. He instantly points his palms downward as he fires a blast of flames, propelling him upward.

  Aoi's eyes gleam sky blue as she proclaims, "May the wicked burn and repent in the holy flames of my Blue Flare."

  As the clone flies in the air, he looks up as terror fills him, his mouth hanging open. Splinters falling from the heavens come raining down.

  "This can't be real—-" he mutters. He turns to Aoi. "HEY! LOOK OUT FROM ABOVE!"

  Aoi fires her blast of blue flames, as it comes out like a giant tidal wave.

  Danya stands there laughing to herself, as one of her soul minions appears in front of her.

  She whispers "Ingannatore malvagio" as her body turns ghastly, disappearing into a puff of red gas.

  Her soul minion is swallowed by the waves of blue flames as an explosion follows suit.

  Blue flames engulf the area mixing with orange ones, creating purple ones that mix with the atmosphere. The red sky turns a deep purple.

  Aoi dusts her hands off. "Well, that was relatively simple, wasn't it?"

  The clone lands next to her, grabbing her wrist without warning and dragging her away while flying.

  "What are you doing?! Get your hands off me!" she protests.

  "Not sure if you noticed—flaming stakes are about to rain on us! I'm doing you a favor here!"

  "What—-!" Aoi looks up at the sky as she sees them.

  "Well let's blast them down, damn it!" she commands, snapping her hand away from the clone’s.

  Blue flames start to surround her body once again, as she points her palm toward the falling splinters.

  "Hurry up and join me here!" she orders.

  The clone nods as he sticks his palm out as well, white flames starting to surround him.

  "Well aren't you two just the cutest!" Danya's voice appears from thin air.

  Aoi and the clone turn back and see Danya floating behind them, the same grin with fangs on her face.

  "I thought I killed you!" Aoi exclaims.

  Danya shakes her head. "Mmmm, let's not get distracted now. Handle those splinters. You two make a perfect flame couple!"

  Red gas swirls around her as her scythe materializes back into her hand. "Hurry it up now—- I have heads to collect," she remarks, tilting her head with a smile.

  "Aoi—-" the clone mutters, as the splinters are only inches away from landing.

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  Her flames glow brighter as her eyes gleam, her white hair flows as the tips turn blue.

  The clone retracts his flames as he then instantly charges towards Danya, tackling her towards the ground.

  "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Aoi bellows, as she lets out her blast. The sky flashes blue, as splinters turn to ash.

  In the air, Sachi covers her eyes from the flash, as Nari floats there covered with splinters, half his face burned and his right eye charred shut. Blood drips from him.

  He clenches his jaw, "It's do or die! I won't let heaven fall! I won't fail my home! I don't care if you're the daughter of a Star, I don't care anymore! I won't let you ruin this realm with a tantrum!"

  He begins to roar as lightning begins to strike him from every direction. With each strike, his hair grows messier, his muscles bulge, his black wings now glowing blue.

  "IF I HAVE TO END YOU HERE, THEN I'LL DO WHAT I MUST! YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER TERRORIST, NOT THE MISTRESS I SERVED!"

  "A terrorist? Fine, whatever. I'll be that—- but I told you all before—don't stand in the way of me and my Akuji!" Sachi huffs, "Me, my sister, and my mother can always rebuild this damn place! So the fact that you want to directly disobey and attack me—-"

  Golden energy swarms off her, her white hair turning golden. She declares, "You'll pay in blood! A punishment of erasure! How about that!"

  Both of their energies collide and radiate in the air, lighting up the entire Colosseum.

  Aoi looks up at the two. "Brother—-" she whispers.

  Nari, in the midst of gathering lightning, feels a tear form in his eye."Even if I die here—- I did it for everyone, every soul, every angel—- I did my duty," he thinks to himself.

  On the ground, Danya and Akuji's clone are at a standstill, both with their scythes summoned.

  "Danya—- why? Tell me why you're participating in this destruction."

  Danya giggles. "Well, that's simple really. I'm here to save MY Akuji, but then I decided—why not kill Sachi while I'm already here?"

  "You're backwards! I remember when you saved me from being killed! You were trying to stop Akuji from becoming a full-on monster—- yet you stand here and become one yourself? Why? Why do this to yourself? Please tell me why!" the clone pleads.

  Danya scoffs placing her hand on her hip. "I became a monster? No, I wouldn't say that. I've always been one from the day I was born,” she scowls, "But that doesn't mean I'll sit here and watch the one I love follow the fate I was dealt. Not sure if you know anything about that."

  The clone readies his scythe. "I do. I know a lot about that—- I'm witnessing it right now."

  Aoi lands next to the clone, flames already surrounding her body, her face blank as she stares down Danya.

  "Ooh, look who showed back up!" Danya picks up her scythe as her crimson eyes and hair shine ever brighter.

  "We have to kill her now. We can't afford to stall any longer," Aoi states with a dry voice.

  The clone clenches his scythe and nods. "I know—- but—-"

  "Unleash everything you have inside of you. Don't hold anything back," Aoi commands as her flames glow brighter.

  The clone looks back at the ground, as white flames begin to radiate off him.

  "Akuji," Danya calls out.

  The clone lifts his head instantly at the sound of her acknowledging him by that name.

  "Y-you—- you called me Akuji?—-"

  "Focus! Forget whatever she calls you! She's something that needs to be eliminated," Aoi demands as her flames reach the skies.

  Danya snaps her fingers as two of her soul minions appear next to her, "Yes, I called you Akuji. That is your name, right?"

  The clone thinks back to the moment Akuji was about to kill him.

  Akuji's voice plays in his head, "Let me ask you a question, fraud. What is your name?"

  The clone pauses for a second. "My name? Akuji—- that's me—- the only name I'll ever be called."

  The clone starts to shake, as he summons his flames, outputting his energy level at maximum. They reach the skies with Aoi's, the blue from Aoi's flames swirling with the white from the clone's.

  "I just wanted to show you what being a real Death Spirit is about, not the holy sham you're walking around being," Danya remarks while snickering.

  Dark aura starts to radiate off her, energy of shadows and darkness pulsing from her. Her crimson wings start to form black streaks on them, as her cloak turns into pure shadow energy.

  "A holy sham, huh? So even you think I'm unworthy of being a Death Spirit," the clone whispers as Danya approaches.

  The swirls of blue and white flames collide with the violet skies, as the golden streaks from Sachi's energy enlarge.

  The Colosseum continues to break apart, as the bodies of the angels start to turn to dust from the raw magical energy being emitted.

  Nari's lightning spreads across the sky, mixing with everything. Sachi's golden light energy of life surrounds her in the air, while Danya's dark energy of death surrounds her on the ground.

  Nari is now surrounded and encased in an orb of electricity.

  He shouts, "This is it—- for the entirety of Heaven."

  Aoi is surrounded by a cyclone of flames. She also shouts, "It ends here, for Konjeteri."

  At the same time, they both speak the exact same word.

  "And—-"

  "For Aoi—-" Nari continues.

  "For Nari," Aoi finishes.

  The sound of thunder roars once more as the two-way battle begins.

  Aoi balls her fist up, throwing a punch straight forward from where she stands. Giant blue flames erupt, firing straight at Danya.

  "Ingannatore malvagio!" Danya chants as her body turns ghastly.

  She holds her scythe, spinning around the blast of flames. She quickly reaches Aoi, making herself physical again in that moment, landing a charged kick to her chest.

  The speed of her moving around the flames enhances the blow. Aoi spits up blood as she flies back.

  Akuji's clone takes this opportunity to grab Danya's leg. As he grabs her, he digs his fingernails into her skin, transferring flame to each finger, burning her from the inside.

  "FUCK!" she curses, as the clone then slams her on the ground.

  The clone grabs his scythe as he's about to swing down, but in that instant one of Danya's soul minions lands a heavy blow on his temple. This sends him rolling back on the ground.

  Danya uses her hands to do a front flip while on the ground. While in the air, she charges down at the clone, landing her knee in his chest.

  Blue flames surround Danya, as Aoi forms herself within them, grabbing Danya by the hair from behind. She then sticks her palm out, blasting her in the back.

  Aoi uses her wings to dissipate the smoke, then flies in the air with Danya, pulling her by the hair, spinning her, then hurling her down.

  Danya crashes into the ground face first, her legs arched in the air. "Ugh—-" she grunts as blood leaks from her mouth.

  Aoi lands next to Akuji's clone, she commands, "Get up. This isn't over yet."

  Danya stands up, rubbing the rubble off her cloak. She shakes her hair, getting the dust out. The hole in her cloak closes as shadow energy stitches itself back together. From behind, one of Danya's minions grabs Aoi in a full nelson.

  "I keep forgetting about these things!" Aoi exclaims.

  Akuji's clone raises his scythe to cut the minion's arm off.

  Danya quickly blitzes to him, leaving red gas as a trail, elbowing him in the gut and making him lose his balance. He falls forward as Danya holds her hand out, catching his face.

  "You know Akuji loves when I caress his chin," she giggles. A red light shines from her palm. "Impulso di morte," she utters with a smile, her eyes crinkled.

  The clone's face is blasted as he's propelled into the air.

  "Damn you, demon!" Aoi protests as she's still being held.

  Danya glances at Aoi as she sticks her palm out, "Damn me? It's always that. Come up with better curses. I've already been damned, sorry~"

  Red light shines from her palm, as the sound of screaming souls comes from the light. She smiles sadistically, "But how about I damn you though! With a blast containing the souls of your people! An angelic soul blast!"

  Aoi watches in horror as she tries to raise her body temperature. Blue flames start to radiate off her, burning the minion. Suddenly she erupts into flames, burning the minion along with her.

  "Too late for all that, honestly," she recites as she fires the blast of souls, "Impulso di morte,"

  Aoi, behind her flames, gasps. "I'm done for—-"

  The blast hits as Danya's hair flows back from the impact. She watches the carnage with a grin, her glowing crimson eyes locked onto the smoke. She then flaps one of her wings to clear away the smoke.

  Aoi is on the ground, blood leaking from her entire body, her white hair and wings stained red. She twitches on the ground as she opens one eye.

  "You should have known better than to try to deny fate like that," Danya shrugs as she summons her scythe, "Oh well, one archangel off my list." She walks up to Aoi, dragging the blade of her scythe on the ground.

  Aoi closes her eyes. "I failed—- I'm sorry—- Nari—- please forgive me."

  Danya raises her scythe as thunder rages in the background. She turns and looks up in the air.

  "That's that lightning angel and Sachi fighting, right?" she remarks with a grin, "Perfect. Two birds with one stone!"

  Suddenly a blast of white flames hits her dead on. She drops to the ground, rolling and screaming.

  Akuji's clone runs to Aoi on the ground as he picks her up. He begs, "Stay with me! I'll put you in a safe spot!"

  Danya, on the ground, groans as she's on her knees with her head touching the ground. White flames burn her cloak and hair.

  "Leave me—- just finish her off," Aoi whispers, as her body goes limp.

  Crimson energy bursts and surrounds the area. Danya stands, using her scythe as support.

  "You know, I'm really tired of you—- just stay dead, damn it!"

  Her eyes and hair glow a harsher crimson, as darkness continues to leak from her.

  "Why? Why? Why? WHY!" she roars as she stomps her foot.

  "AKUJI! JUST LEAVE! YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR A REALM THAT WOULDN'T POUR WATER ON YOU IF YOU WERE BURNING!" Danya bellows, "JUST GO, DAMN IT! LIVE YOUR LIFE! FIND AN IDENTITY! DO SOMETHING! BECAUSE AT THE END OF THIS, GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE STILL A CLONE OF A DEATH SPIRIT! NO MATTER HOW HOLY YOU TRY TO ACT! HEAVEN WILL FOREVER SEE YOU AS A HELL BEAST!"

  The clone places Aoi down and summons his scythe, white flames covering the blade.

  "Danya, I'll tell you this, like I told Akuji." His stare shoots Danya dead in the eyes, "I'll stop at nothing to take down a demon, even if it costs my existence. Even if Heaven rejects me, I'll be fine with it knowing evil doesn't exist around me."

  Danya's eye twitches as she begins to laugh maniacally.

  The clone readies his scythe as flames surround him in a circle, his hair flowing, the upper half of his cloak burns away. His flaming white wings gain shape and detail, resembling an angel's.

  "And Danya, no matter—- no matter how much I love you, right now you are a demon that needs to be taken down."

  Danya clenches her scythe. For a split moment, she sees her Akuji—his black cloak, hair in braids, his violet eyes. Her eyes and hair flicker.

  "A-amore—-" she mutters.

  She shakes her head, trying to get her thoughts together. She holds onto her scythe tightly as she approaches the clone.

  She lowers her voice, "It'll be appropriate to give you a proper name—- whose head am I collecting today? Because certainly you're no Akuji."

  The clone approaches Danya, "A name? You're right. I was wrong to give myself the name of a devil,” he pauses in thought, "Call me Tenko."

  Danya grins. "Tenko? Wow, you're really leaning into this role of a heavenly angel, huh?" She scoffs, "Disgusting—-"

  Tenko starts to approach faster. Danya matches his speed. A tear forms in his eye as he prepares to attack, Danya coming at full force toward him.

  The tear runs down his cheek as both of their scythes clash. Akuji's memories start to run through his head once more—Danya smiling, the happy times, how beautiful she looked.

  Danya's voice then replays in his head: "My love! Hi! My love! Are you okay, my love? Amore!"

  Then the final "I love you!" as Tenko's tear drops to the ground, beginning the battle.

  END