There was a moment of silence, then Akio cried, "Get them!" The nobles, shaken and disorganized, tried to move but before they could act, Utena and the guards were among them. Saionji had the katana in his hands, and smiled as Miki raised his slim blade in challenge. "You?" he scoffed, raising his own blade. Miki kept smiling pleasantly, even as his rapier became a blur. Saionji cried out, a burning cut suddenly appearing on his cheek. His hands shook slightly as he touched the cut, then he snarled and attacked. Touga moved to flee the room when he heard a voice cry out, "Kiryuu!" He froze, then turned to see Arisugawa Juri standing there, gazing at him coldly. "Arisugawa," Touga sighed softly. He forced himself to smile as he said to her charmingly, "We don't have to do this, you know. Akio rewards his servants very well, and I'm sure someone of your caliber would be..." "Shut up, and draw your sword," Juri said dangerously. "Or I swear, I'll cut you down where you stand," she finished. A sigh, and Touga drew his blade. "Let's get this over with," he said quietly. Utena sprinted forward, using a momentary gap in the nobles to break through and reach Akio's side. She called out no challenge, merely swiftly struck, swinging right for the bastard's head... ...and the blade passed through harmlessly. "You know," Akio realized, then he smiled. "There is nothing you can do, little Captain," he sneered. Utena tried again, running him through the middle of his body just to be completely sure. Oddly, she smiled at him, and Akio began to look a bit worried. She raised her blade, and cried out in ringing tones, "Dios!" White light shone from the blade, the ghostly form of Dios hovering in the air above Utena. He floated downward, settling over her body, his substance enfolding her in white light. Etched in silver, Utena attacked Akio yet again. The blade swiftly hissed through the air, and Akio cried out in pain and alarm as she sliced his arm, black mist oozing from the wound. "How?" Akio hissed, a blade of pure shadows appearing in his hands. "We're ready for you," Utena smiled, her voice and Dios' ringing together. Kanae's eyes widened in alarm as she watched Utena cut Akio. All her plans, all her work could come to a end if this continued! "Akio-sama!' she took a step forward, only to receive a stinging slap to the cheek! Shiori lowered her hand and smiled coldly, mystical power swirling all around her. "First, you have to deal with me," she purred. Kanae cringed back, her eyes wide in alarm as she quavered, "Don't hurt me!" "I know what you are, necromancer," Shiori said contemptuously as she kept her guard up, "you can't hide from me." Kanae straightened up, and seemed to grow a bit. The pretty, submissive girl was gone, and something dark shone from her eyes. Her gown shimmered, replaced by black robes covered with runes, "I was tired of playing that role, anyway." The noble smiled, watching Juri and Touga duel. He slipped behind her, raised his blade, then stiffened. He slowly slid to the ground, and Anthy smiled, hefting her wicked looking mace. "That was fun," she smiled, looking around for more targets. The knife hissed as if flew past Anthy, burying into the throat of another of Akio's supporters. Tsuwabuki smiled, juggling the slim blades in his hands as he kept an eye on the princess. And looked for other targets, of course. Touga managed to block the overhand blow, but just barely. 'She's a bit stronger than me,' Touga had to admit to himself, 'but I'm a bit faster.' He parried another blow, then returned, fast as a striking snake. Juri got her blade in the way, smoothly stepping back then forward, thrusting the blade aside. She lunged, and he barely got away from her. 'Slippery,' Juri thought with a scowl. She kept pressing him, running him around and trying to exhaust the man. Spells and fire danced above their heads, even as Juri concentrated on remaining focused on her opponent. She dodged and weaved around all his wild blows, impatiently looking for just the right opportunity to strike. Another wild strike, Juri turned the blade aside and with a smooth motion stepped forward, stabbing Touga through the stomach. The former guard jerked, clawing at the bloody hilt of the sword, Then Juri kicked him off of it. He curled into a ball on the floor, clutching his stomach. "Finish it," Touga managed to get out, and Juri smoothly plunged her blade into his heart. "Touga!" Saionji cried out, a few tears glimmering at the corners of his eyes. "Damn you," he cursed as he hacked away, fighting to break past Miki's guard. 'He's so damn small,' Saionji thought angrily, 'there's almost no way to get to him! He disappears behind his blade!' Silently, stealthily, behind him a figure approached. Miki smiled mysteriously, and redoubled his efforts, keeping Saionji fully occupied with his defense Saionji stiffened, feeling something press against his side. "They say revenge is a dish best served cold," Wakaba whispered into his ear softly, "and I've had months of chilling." He jerked, as she pressed her blade into his back, then Miki's blade sang as it sliced across his throat. "Nicely done," Miki noted, cleaning his blade on one corner on Saionji's shirt. "Sorry to interrupt," Wakaba shrugged, "but I owed him." She knelt down and wiped the slim blade, then hid it again in her skirts. Utena shone, a light in the deepening darkness as she fought Akio. The bastard Prince fought wildly, not much skill but plenty of passion. Utena kept turning his blade aside, flicking back to deliver little cuts, wearing the increasingly furious man down. Kanae watched with concern, throwing glances even as she fought on against Shiori. "You'll pay for this," Kanae hissed, "I'll kill you, then use my powers to bind your very soul itself!' "You've done well," Shiori noted, "you've blocked all of my attacks so far." She smiled suddenly, "I guess that means it's time to pull out the big guns." Kanae's eyes widened as Shiori began to call up power, glowing brighter and brighter. "What are you trying to do?" she asked softly. Shiori's eyes popped open, glowing blood red. A soft murmur, growing louder and louder as the spell continued, until her voice was nearly a roar: "Heed me, oh spirits darker than dusk, Red beyond crimson flow like blood," In the name of those fallen to dust. I pray to the shadows Mark ye these villains that bar our way, And to my small strength thine own ally, To deliver doom, folly repay. Come judgment from the grave, Dragon Slay!" Kanae saw the wave of power coming right at her, and raised very defense she could in the time she had. It wasn't nearly enough. After the fire and heat faded, all that was left were ashes, and the burnt shadow of a human on a wall. "NO!" Akio cried out. His form began to break up, and Utena took the opportunity to stab her shining blade right through him. Akio howled, his body shattering but leaving behind a dark, swirling mist in it's place. "I will haunt you forever!" the bodiless voice howled madly. "He won't let go of the mortal plane," Shiori murmured, "even with Kanae gone." "Will we never be ride of him?" Anthy asked tearfully. <Utena!> the voice cried out in her mind. "Dios?" Utena answered him aloud. <Shatter the blade!> he commanded her. "What?" Utena asked, then "Why?" <Just do it!> was the only answer Utena got. "I hope you know what you're doing," Utena muttered, raising the sword above her head. She hesitated just a moment, then swung down at the floor with all her might. The mystical, nearly unbreakable blade shattered like glass, the sound ringing in the silence. Dios exploded from Utena's body, sheathed in silvery fire. Armored in light and bearing a sword the spirit dove right into Akio's darkness, wrestling with the writing shadows until Akio himself had fully reformed. Dios held the spirit prisoner in his arms even as he smiled down at all of the assembled champions. "I refused to go to the Heavens," Dios said, "refused to leave this plane while Princesses sill awaited rescue." He began to glow softly, "But I think it will be worth it, to take a darkness like this from the world." Akio began to struggle in Dios' grip as the light grew brighter and brighter, "No! I don't want to go! Please, no!" Finally, the light grew so bright that all assembled had to shield their eyes. "Farewell," Dios said quietly. The light faded, their vision gradually returned, and they saw that both spirits were gone. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Are you insane?" Utena asked Shiori angrily. "That's the sort of spell to be used on a battlefield, not inside a castle! You could have gotten Anthy killed," she ranted. "Notice that she's just worried about Anthy?" Juri said to Miki quietly, standing together just off to the side. "If your positions were reversed, you'd probably be doing the same for Shiori," Miki pointed out to her reasonably. "True," Juri admitted. Tsuwabuki along with several of the guards were taking the surviving rebellious nobles away. They had quieted down after seeing all their leaders slain, not to mention seeing Anthy standing there holding her wicked mace with a distinctly grim expression on her face. Much more cheerfully Anthy said, "Everything turned out for the best." She laid her hand on Utena's arm, and her captain visibly calmed herself. "What do you think will happen to Akio?" Juri asked quietly. "He'll be judged by a higher power," Shiori walked over to Juri, looking deeply tired. "And receive the punishment," she continued. Juri slid a supporting arm around her, and received a grateful smile. "Thanks," Shiori murmured, her eyes drooping. Juri caught her before she hit the floor, "What's wrong?" "She's exhausted," Utena sighed, suddenly looking tired herself. Calling on Dios had cost her, and now her body was paying the price. "Both of you, go home. She'll be fine after a few days rest," she said softly. Anthy looked up at Utena, "The battle took a lot out of you, too." She waved Miki over, "Do you think that you and Tsuwabuki can handle the rest? Both Shiori and Utena look ready for collapse." "Put them both to bed," Miki smiled, "we'll be fine." Utena tried to argue, but Anthy put her 'princess' face on and started issuing orders. Not long afterwards she found herself being gently undressed by Anthy before the princess climbed into bed beside her. Utena may have been tired, but she noticed the glimmer of tears on Anthy's cheeks. "What's wrong?" Utena asked quietly, holding Anthy close to her. "I know what Akio became," Anthy whispered, tears gently falling down her cheeks, "I know how bad he was, but once upon a time he was my kind older brother." There wasn't much Utena could say to that. Instead of talking she wrapped her arms around Anthy and just let her cry. ------------------------------------------------------------ Authors Note: The final spell Shiori used against Kanae is Lina Inverse's Dragon Slave spell, as taken down from the first Slayers movie.
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