Roger's Last Stand

Captain Roger Toran

"Pathetic."

I look up, finding myself in a white void, a flame floating a few yards away. "Lord Veran?"

The flame grows to monstrous size, consuming my entire vision. "You dare invoke my name after revoking your oath to me?"

I shut my eyes, returning my head to the ground I lay on. "My lord! Please accept my deepest apologies!"

The flame shrinks back down, to a more humanoid size. "Perhaps I could. But you need to restore your oath. Remember your mother. Remember what those monsters did to her!" Like a window, I can see through the fire, the dream that haunts my nightmares.

My mother's corpse lies on the floor, the slayer's blade dripping with her blood. The vision pans up, and I see something I never did before. Black-feathered wings surround a human-like body, their head topped with a devil's horns and silver hair. He smirks. "Rose, take care of the kid." Green tendrils stretch out from behind the devil and reach after me.

"Kill them."

My eyes open, and I'm back on the grass near the Empr- the monster's main body. I grit my teeth and push myself off the ground. "...I will have my vengeance..."

Dusk Blackwing

I run through the trees, Rena's painful screams resonating behind me. I don't know exactly what's going on, but I could swear Rena's not the only one screaming in pain right now. Is Rose in trouble? Shouldn't Roger be able to defend her?

It's when I get there that I see why Roger's not protecting Rose. Their entire body seems to be alight, and burnt plant tendrils scatter the ground around them. They raise their burning blade, and I rush forward, conjuring my dark blade and stepping as far as I can between the two. Our swords clash, and our faces are inches apart.

"You wanna tell me what's going on, here?!"

"Good. Now I don't have to go looking for you." They mutter through gritted teeth.

"I've lost control of her!"

Great...Kara, if you can somehow hear me... "Ready for a rematch, Roger?" I push against Rose's bulbous body, forcing the captain's blade as far away as I can manage.

"It won't be much of a match, scum." They step back, swiftly swinging their sword again.

I bring my own up, our blades clashing, and my own magic cracking. Just one blow? Still!? "I-I don't know about that." I drop my hand down, shadow gathering around it with a dark bolt.

Their shield arm lowers, blocking my shot without second thought. "I do." Pushing down, Roger's sword touches my shoulder and I feel the burning of the metal.

"Agh!" It's like I accidentally grabbed a hot pan, but it doesn't stop when I try to pull back. Bracing my free hand against my blade, I try to push back, only for Roger to bash my gut with their shield. "Gah!" Fuck! Even the shield burns?! My shirt is helping dull the heat, but fuck it hurts!

"I'm stronger than you assholes, now. Now it's time to make you suffer..." Another shield bash.

Now? "Rose, a little help -hng!- would be nice -hng!"

"I'm sorry, did you SEE all my vines were already cut off?! I'm doing what I can, just hold on!"

Roger scowls, fury in their eyes. "You murderous filth!" They raise their blade again -my shoulder being very thankful for the reprieve- and swings down again, this time to my side.

Despite knowing my blade won't survive another blow, I raise it to defend again. As expected, the magic holding it together evaporates, the blade itself shattering and Roger's sinking into my shoulder. "Kah!" I pin their sword between my hands, trying to lift it out to no avail. All the while, my shoulder screams at me.

The blonde winces, enough for me to push their blade up and out. They seethe, glaring at me as they once more raise their flaming sword. "I'll fucking end you both!"

I gulp, taking the brief reprieve to conjure another dark blade, just in time for it to crack again at Roger's strike. They pull away, swiftly swinging their sword again and again. I do my best to refresh my own blade between strikes, but Roger does their best to give me no chance, getting a hit in each time I can't regenerate it quick enough. Each hit scorches my clothes and skin.

"Hands off my boyfriend!" Roger only briefly pauses, but it's long enough for a shield to shove itself between us, blocking the blow.

Looking to my side, I sigh in relief, smiling as I fall back against Rose's body. "...Cap..."

"I got it from here, big guy." A shadowy black wing sprouts from her back as she readies herself.

Roger looks shocked at first, before scowling once more. "If you stand in my way, I'll end you, too." They step back, making sure to face both of us.

That's not really necessary, though. I can't seem to pick myself back up. In fact, I'm actually sliding down, my rear landing on the ground.

"What are you doing!? Get back up!"

My muscles scream at me, and I can't do more than lift my head, watching the clashing of swords and shields in front of me. "I...I can't..."

Surprisingly, Camilla's pushed Roger back a couple yards, enough to give her some space to fight. Roger continues to fight mercilessly, swinging their flaming sword relentlessly. Camilla's doing her best to block, deflect, and parry, but despite her and even Lia's experience backing her up, Roger's got the advantage in skills and strength, not to mention raw firepower. She's still doing a lot better than me... The brunette's only sustaining minor scratches so far, but even then, the heat of the noble's blade burning her skin. Roger, meanwhile, has suffered nothing more than a bloody nose, not giving Camilla much chance to retaliate at all.

I squint. What? Where did that come from? I rack my brain, not remembering a single moment before then that Roger had been hit in the face. "...Rose?"

"I'm working on it! I need more time to stop her!"

"Rose...what are you-"

Camilla's sword flies away, piercing the ground a few yards away. She grabs her shield with both hands in time for Roger to kick into it, pushing her back and into the ground. Roger doesn't hesitate to step forward, raising their sword.

"No!"

Baranshi, Eye of the Storm

"Why hasn't Final Form activated, yet? It did not trigger during his last fight with the captain, either." I lean in close to the holographic screen in front of me, folding my hands in front of my mouth.

The elderly god sits across from me, a smile on his face, and hands sat in his lap, his demeanor quite different from just a few moments before. "The feature works differently depending on the individual. It's only triggered three times for him so far, twice when his lover was in grave danger. Although, it would be more accurate to say thrice."

"I see." Nodding, I look more closely at the battle between the two humans. "Which form do you think he will take this time?"

The large deity hums. "That depends on his objective. He's not looking for pure destruction, so not a daemophim, and likely not a seraphim. He doesn't need to rouse his allies to any meaningful degree, so not the arch-angel or devil."

"And the captain likely won't respond to seduction, which leaves-"

The brunette's sword flies away, and she's quickly knocked to the ground.

Ansu's lips curl even more. "The guardian."

We watch as Dusk gains a second wind, a white, third wing sprouting from his back as he rushes to defend his lover. We watch as the sword clashes against the two wings on the same side.

Dusk Blackwing

I groan and pant, feeling the heat and pain in my wings. "You okay, Cap?"

"Better than you." She chuckles, her shadowy black wing helping push her up to her feet. "Nice wing."

I look to where she's gesturing, and find two wings, one atop the other. The only difference, they both seem to be...harder, with a dim glow coming from each. Lowering them, I see Roger gripping their head, only now noticing their sword not slicing into my wings.

The blonde releases their head, eyes wide with rage...and a trickle of blood dripping trailing from each. "I-id doesn' madder! I'll kill youall!" They swing their sword with as much fire and fury as before.

It's just as fast, too. It's only thanks to my Final Form that I can raise my wings in time to defend us. The heat still stings, but it's definitely better than the gouges on my arms and torso. "Stay back, Cap!" Reacting as fast as I can, I push forward with both wings, staggering the bleeding blonde in front of me. I focus again, conjuring a light blade to compliment my current evolution, before rushing into another clash with Roger. "Things are gonna be different this time, Roger!"

"Shuddup!" They try to bash me with their shield, but my two wings on the same side are quick to fold back in, mitigating the blow. "Shuddupshuddupshuddup!!" They swing recklessly, sword banging against sword as they push me back. All the while, their eyes are wide, blood seeping in to cover the whites.

An evolution, and Roger's still pushing me back? They can't be that strong, right? I take a moment and activate God's Eye, only to be greeted with a red-screened [DENIED]. That can happen?!

"ha..." I blink, seeing Roger release the sword they just lodged in my gut. ...when did that...

"DUSK!!"

I fall to my knees, then all fours. It's strange... I can't even feel the pain...

. . .

It's a few moments before I realize my eyes are open, staring at the great blue canvas above me.

"He's awake!" Eve's voice rings in my ears, and her head quickly enters my vision, followed by Camilla's and Kara's.

"H-" I cough in pain, the burns, slashes, and stab catching up to me. "...hey, ladies...what happened?"

"Dusk!" Eve buries her head into my chest, while Camilla takes my hand and squeezes.

"You had us worried there, Private."

"Sir!" I recognize Belinda's voice, and painfully crane my neck up to see her. "She's not breathing!" Bel kneels over Roger's body, pushing against their chest.

"...wha?"

"I **** Roger's roots to grow more... It's...slow...slower than I'd like..." Rose's 'voice' turns sad, not quite the impatience I might have expected from that.

"Is...he still alive?" I twist myself to get a better look, accidentally pushing Eve away.

Camilla grabs my shoulders and tries to keep me down. "Stay down! You shouldn't push yourself!"

"...you'll only make it last longer."

"Bring...him closer..."

Kara's already crawling over, her and Bel dragging Roger within reach. As soon as my hand touches their head, I focus on trying to heal them. Come on...I know you were just trying to kill me...and you don't even like me...why am I saving you again? I look up, seeing an actually anxious look on Bel's face. Right. Not for me...not for me...

. . .

"No! I told you you're not moving!" Eve sits down on my stomach, punctuating the pain in my gut and immediately giving a guilty look.

I groan. "Oh come on, I can't just sit here and do nothing!" There's not even any TV or video games to 'do nothing' with...

The goblin's stern face returns. "That's final!"

After I groan again, and she sighs, there's a pause. Not like I can do much anyway...still can't feel my legs...

"Dusk...I already nearly lost you once..." She slides off my stomach and onto the bed. "...but at least then, I knew you were alive..."

I sigh myself, taking her hand in mine. "Eve...I don't mean to do these things... It's just...before, if I didn't go quietly, he was going to kill you all on the spot...and then today... I know Rose isn't the best person in the world, but I couldn't just let Roger kill her..."

"...I know..." She squeezes and chuckles, **** up on tears again. "...it's one of the things I like about you..." Wiping her face, she lies down next to me, and I wrap my arm around her. "Please...promise me you'll...what's the phrase again? Look before you leap?"

"That sounds about right, yeah..." We both briefly chuckle, and I begin rubbing her arm. "But yeah. I'll try not to dive head-first into the fire, anymore."

I feel her smile into the side of my chest. "Thanks, Dusk."

We lay there for quite some time, before I feel Eve begin to tense up against me. "That time of day again? What are you down to with Terra? Four? Five times a day?"

"Six, for now..." She looks up at me. "Speaking of...I...don't think we should have sex anymore..."

I furrow my brows, looking down at her. "I'm can't say I'm not disappointed, but I'm sure you have a good reason."

She begins folding in on herself, shying away from my line of sight by trying to hide in the nook I'm making with my arm. "...well..." The goblin takes a deep breath. "...It's just...with more of my memories back...I don't know if I can do it anymore without...panicking..."

Pursing my lips, I move my head back to lay against the bed, rubbing her arm again. "If that's how you feel, I won't try to push you."

"Thanks, Dusk."

. . .

Some time later, after a much-needed nap, I awaken feeling...terrible, other than in my legs, since I still can't feel them. Did Roger...cut my spine? Noticing that Eve had slipped away in my sleep, I push myself up with one arm and poke at my leg with the other. Nothing... Trying to lift one of them, I get the same result.

I realize my breath has gotten shaky, and take a moment to close my eyes and deeply inhale. Aaaand exhale... I open them again, and notice my hands shaking. Clenching them, I can't help but attempt to try to keep my breathing smooth again. What happens if I'm not of use to Mel and Carn anymore? Will they get rid of me? Wipe away any evidence of them attempting to 'cheat'? What happens then? Will I go to heaven? Hell? Will I reincarnate again, and if I do, will I remember anything?

I gulp, my throat painfully dry. Is that it, then? All this for nothing?

"Dusk!"

I blink, a blonde kitsune quite literally shaking me out of my stupor. "Kara?"

She nods, a caring, but sad smile on her face. "I knocked, but you didn't answer. How are you feeling?"

I lean back against the wall and stare at the ceiling. "Like I've been hit by a truck, again..."

Kara pauses. "I'm not sure what a 'truck' is...but you survived once, right?"

Pursing my lips, my throat tightens. "...no...I didn't..."

"Dusk..." There's a moment of silence before she hugs me, burying her head into my chest. "You'll be okay. We'll find someone that can heal you."

Her words fall on deaf ears as tears begin to fall down my face.

. . .

Captain Camilla

I spot Kara exiting our new home and jog up to her. "How is he?"

She shakes her head, before needing to brush her blonde locks out of her face. "He's taking it hard."

A pregnant pause lingers between us. "...are you gonna take your mom up on her offer, then?"

The kitsune looks at me with concern, pinching her dress in an otherwise cute way when she's thinking something over. "Do you think I should?"

"I..." I sigh, crossing my arms and rubbing my elbows. "I don't know. I still want it to be someone else, though."

"It can't be anyone else... We don't know what will happen if it's you or Eve, and he hasn't bonded that way with anyone else..."

I purse my lips, wrapping her in a hug that she almost instantly returns. "Whatever decision you make, I'll be here for you."

"I know, Cammy...I know..."

A/N: Sorry for the long delay between chapters again, but I wanted to tell you the next chapter is DEFINITELY coming out this month because it's a Holiday Special! Despite...things, this chapter WILL be canon, so don't skip it just because it takes a weird twist! There will technically be 2 parts of this special, one for both Academy and Monster, but you should only need to read Monster's to still understand the plot.