Martis’s palm shot out towards the man, the black-haired man who had just entered. The air in front of his hand crackled. Dense purple energy gathered rapidly, forming a blinding sphere of light the size of a fist.
BWOOM!
The kinetic energy explosion struck the Dragon man’s head. It disintegrated into fragments. Black blood splattered onto the dark wood paneling behind him. His charred neck smoked.
After doing that, Martis immediately spun. He channeled telekinetic energy into his legs, blurring across the room like a shadow, and launched a full-power spinning side kick towards Veronica.
Veronica raised her left arm to block.
CRACK!
The distinct sound of bone breaking echoed. The kick was too strong. Veronica’s arm snapped as she blocked it. She was thrown hard backward, slamming into the stone wall with a thud. Dust rained down from the ceiling.
Martis landed lightly. He raised his hand again. A second purple energy sphere began to form, aimed at Veronica, who was groaning in pain against the wall.
"FUCKING LOWLY CREATURES.."
THUD!
A brutal kick slammed into Martis’s side. Air rushed out of his lungs. Martis coughed up blood, stumbling back several steps. He stared in disbelief. The man’s headless body was still standing. From his ruined neck, new flesh and bone grew at an incredible speed. Skull, face, and black hair reformed in mere seconds. The man’s red eyes opened, staring at Martis with utter disgust.
Veronica, having recovered from the impact, raised both her hands. Sharp pink energy hooks shot from her fingertips, aiming for Martis. The energy tried to bind his arms and legs.
Martis vanished. Just before the hooks hit him, he disappeared from where he stood, then reappeared instantly right behind Veronica. White energy gathered in his hand, forming a light sword. He swung it horizontally towards Veronica’s neck.
Just before the energy blade connected, a fist enveloped in bright orange flames slammed into it from the side.
BOOM!
An explosion of fire and purple energy lit up the room. The man stood between them, his knuckles smoking.
Martis looked at the man and Veronica alternately. He then dispelled his energy sword and lunged towards the man, unleashing a rapid barrage of punches aimed at his face and chest.
The man swiftly dodged each of Martis’s blows and countered with a flaming punch towards Martis’s head. Martis quickly evaded the blow, feeling the heat sear his cheek. He then slammed his elbow into the man’s chest.
The man caught Martis’s elbow, attempting to throw him. Martis used a short telekinetic push to break free.
Veronica attacked again from a distance, firing a denser spear of pink energy towards Martis. Martis leaped to the left. The energy struck the stone floor, leaving a scorch mark. Martis quickly retaliated with a swift kick to Veronica’s stomach, sending her staggering back again.
After that, both attacked simultaneously. The man roared. His fists exploded in bright orange flames as he charged forward. At the same time, Veronica raised her hands, firing three sharp pink energy hooks that shot from three different directions, aiming for Martis’s arms and legs.
Martis roared back. Silvery-white telekinetic energy exploded around him, then solidified over both his arms, forming crackling energy gauntlets.
He moved to intercept. He swung his energy-clad left arm, blocking the man’s incoming fiery fist.
THUD!
A loud impact echoed in the room. Fire and telekinetic energy exploded outwards. Martis managed to block the blow, but its raw power shifted him slightly. At the same time, he used his right arm to deflect two pink energy hooks aimed at his chest. He twisted his body, letting the third hook narrowly miss his shoulder.
The man immediately followed up with a low kick. Martis leaped backward, avoiding the kick. Veronica fired another beam of pink energy. Martis dodged sideways again, letting the energy hit the marble wall behind him.
The man lunged again, a second fiery punch towards Martis. Martis parried it. Veronica tried to bind Martis’s legs with her pink energy. Martis used telekinesis to leap onto his desk.
Fist met fist. Fire against kinetic energy. Pink energy shot wildly, destroying the expensive furniture in the room.
Amidst the chaos, just as Martis parried the man’s punch, Veronica saw an opening. She dashed forward. A thin black dagger was now clutched in her unbroken hand.
Sst!
She stabbed it into a gap in the armor at Martis’s left ribs. Martis felt a sharp pain, then a piercing cold sensation that immediately spread throughout his body. His strength felt heavy, weakening instantly.
Tch. A debuff artifact? Martis cursed inwardly.
The man wasted no time. He channeled all his fire into one hand, forming a blazing dragon claw, and thrust it straight into Martis’s stomach.
SHHHH! Flesh burned. The smell of scorched meat filled the air. Martis grunted in agony.
With his remaining energy, Martis formed a short telekinetic energy knife in his free hand and slashed the man’s flaming arm off at the elbow. The burning arm fell to the floor, still ablaze. The man stepped back.
As Martis was about to launch another attack, he suddenly flinched. The effect of the dagger’s poison and the artifact’s debuff had taken full hold. His legs felt weak. His body began to sway.
Veronica, pulling her knife from Martis’s ribs, stabbed him again from behind with the same artifact. Martis collapsed to his knees, coughing up blood. His vision blurred instantly.
Veronica looked down at the dying Martis coldly. "Why didn’t you use your ultimate power?"
Martis coughed again. More blood flowed from his wounds. He looked up at Veronica with burning hatred in his dimming eyes. "Don’t you already know the answer, you coward?" He gasped, struggling for breath. "You know... I... would never use my full power... because it’s dangerous for the citizens around here." Cough!
"Should I end this, Veronica?" the man said. His new arm was already starting to regrow.
"Let him die slowly. It will be more painful. We must leave immediately. The sound of this battle might attract citizens and Guardians," Veronica said. She then bent down towards Martis. "Thank you for your cooperation, Lord Martis."
After saying that, she snapped her fingers. Instantly, pink energy filled the room and made both of them disappear.
Martis lay collapsed on the floor. His breathing grew increasingly shallow and difficult. He groaned, enduring the immense pain racking his body. His hand clutched his burning, hollowed stomach.
"So... th..is... is the end, huh," he muttered. His voice was raspy.
With his last remaining strength, he tried to stand. He used one hand to brace himself against the wall and staggered towards the exit door.
Upon opening the door, he saw a sight that broke his heart. His four men lay sprawled on the corridor floor. Their conditions were unnatural, their bodies twisted. The corridor was splattered with blood and filled with the corpses of his remaining loyal men.
Seeing that, Martis bit his lip. "I’m... I’m sorry..." he whispered.
He then looked down at the hole in his stomach, and touched the stab wound from the poisonous artifact. The coldness of the poison began to creep towards his heart. "I... I... will join... you... soon," he said to the bodies.
Martis then walked weakly down the corridor, passing the bodies of his comrades. Each step was heavy.
His steps halted at his private room. Weakly, he opened the door and entered. Martis looked around his study. The room where it all began.
He remembered when he first bought this place. He started to remember how proud he was then, buying this place with his first earnings. He remembered back when he was a child, in the orphanage. When he often shouted that he would become someone important and rich to Nila and Wilas. And how much they both believed in his dream, even though the other orphanage children laughed at him.
Martis’s dream. To become someone strong. Someone rich. Someone who chased his dreams until the end. Someone who lived his life fully, without regrets. And did not run from his destiny.
"Did I manage to achieve it?" he muttered.
He remembered again when he, Nila, and Wilas celebrated their first ten thousand gold coin earnings. That time, they had dinner together at a fancy restaurant for the first time. He remembered when, for the first time, he didn’t have to think about the price when buying something. He remembered the smiles of the people he helped through his scholarships. A faint smile formed on his pale face.
Cough!
Martis’s vision blurred further. He looked towards the window. The morning sun was starting to appear on the eastern horizon. With his last strength, he opened the window and walked onto the small balcony in front.
He felt the warmth of the morning sun on his skin one last time. The morning air felt fresh in his burning lungs. He slowly leaned against the wall, regulating his breathing, which felt increasingly constricted and painful.
I’m going to die, huh.
What will happen to me after this? What will I see and feel?
Cough!
I... have done what I could.
I have chased my dream.
I have done what I said I would.
I did not run.
Even though I end up like this...
I... have... lived my life fully.
I... have no regrets.
The rest...
I... leave to you, Nila.
Sorry... that I couldn’t say it directly... that
I love you.
Martis’s eyes slowly lost their light. His vision faded into darkness. His final breath escaped softly.
Under the gentle light of the newborn morning sun, he can finally rest.