As Nasir fought, his breath weighed heavily in his lungs. His sword swung ferociously. Cleaving through his opponents ruthlessly. His muscles groaned in misery as he pushed himself, tearing through the waves of men that swarmed him. Screams and yelling rang out as many died and fought with all of their might against the giant man. He wished he'd gone with Sion but this way was the only way he could manage to allow Sion enough time to get out of here.
"Come on now! Surely this isn't all you've got!" Nasir screamed out. His voice boomed with authority. "Give me more! More!"
More, is what he received. Instead of their typical formation, Nasir became fully surrounded. Blades coming from every angle, slashing through his armor and piercing his skin. Slicing at the joints and breaks in his armor. His body began to slowly give out on him. First came his legs, trembling as the muscle fought on to give him more power. Then came his arms, the sword he held smashing against armor and now crushing bone as its razor edge became worn and dull despite the tremendous force behind his swings.
His violent gaze scanned beyond the small army of men, he had taken down at least more than half of their force, but the others had become enraged from his musing. Iron filled liquid covered and seemed around the cracks in the stone ground. Nasir's own blood began to mix with that of the deceased. The clothing he wore beneath the armor was soaked. His breath became more than labored as he fell down onto one knee.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
"That's enough." A voice sounded out as a slow clap quickly followed. Beyond the shadow of the doorframe a figure stepped out of its embrace. It was Mira Umbra. Nasir's eyes landed on him and widened with surprise. His heart sinking into the pits of his body. It all began to connect in his mind now.
"You." Nasir's voice trembled and fell out of his throat. "Was it you all along?" Nasir offered a cynical laugh. It wasn't loud. But it was enough to make Mira stop his applause.
"It seems you can follow instructions. I would commend you further but it seems my men have already done so." Mira's words were cut short by Nasir standing using the sword he wielded. Should his eyes be weapons, the man that parted the army walking towards him would be dead.
Umbra walked with poise and grace. A hand on his hip as he did. Those mesmerizing lavender eyes gazing into Nasir's soul. It appeared as a hurricane, swirling within the shell that is his body.
"Were you the one behind that letter? Was it you who told me how to get in here?!" Nasir shouted and Mira stopped walking. His mind raced for some form of answer. "You made him suffer. You were the one who had him captured! So why?! Why capture him just to release him again!" Nasir's voice echoed in the outer court.
The men that stood idle around them were silent as they placed their weapons back into their sheathes. Mira stood there quiet only for a moment before his voice came past his lips, they were slow and intentional. His face showed some remorse.
"I was going to convince him to stop this little rebellion. To join me and we could be together. However, Finra acted beyond my orders. Going as far as torturing him. So I took care of him. And then it struck me. Why try to convince him with words? Why not actions?" Mira snapped his fingers, forcing the men behind Nasir to kick the back of his knees, sending him tumbling down.
Mira's hands gently took the sides of Nasir's face. He knew Nasir had reached his limit. All as he planned. "My next act will be killing all of Sion's friends and forcing him to realize that I am the one who he should turn to. By being the only person left. Giving him no choice."
Nasir's eyes began to hold fear. Not fear for himself but he felt it for his friend. The only one he's ever had up until this point.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
"You're fucking insane. He'll never just let them die." Nasir whispered. His breath was snatched from the pure insanity that came from Mira's mouth.
Mira pressed a finger against Nasir's lips and stepped back once. "And yet, he left you here to die." Mira laughed softly as his lips twisted into a sadistic smile. "Honestly, it's hilarious that the biggest thorn in my side would have been you. But you sacrificed yourself willingly." His laugh erupted again, it was sick and triumphant. After a full minute of laughing at Nasir he caught his breath, his right hand finding its way against his own forehead. "Sion is mine. And he'll bend the knee or break. It's been fun. Nasir. Back to hell with you."
Mira's hand slashed across Nasir's body. For a split second nothing happened when suddenly, blood spilled from Nasir's mouth. The armor he wore fell from his body and exposed a large cut from his right shoulder leading down his abdomen. His eyes flickered before he began to fall over into a puddle of his own ichor. His vision watched as Mira walked away before his eyes closed.
"Clean up this mess, bury the dead in graves, and throw that behemoth into the woods. Give the wolves a feast." Mira's hand waved as the man with horns followed him.
The man had stayed silent the entire time but finally found the courage to speak up. "Sir? What he said. Was it true?" The horned man asked Mira.
Mira turned his head as he walked. His eyes glowing faintly and sparkling with magic residuals. "Of course it's true. It's like playing a game with them. Their surface level thinking is simply too easy to toy with. So let me enjoy this."