Mercury has actually gone and done it, and became the most powerful magic user alive. but does that really mean there's no way to stop him anymore? maybe there is! just wait and see
Sam and Elisa look up at the crimson red sky
Elisa: "i've read a prophecy about something like this once.. and this is not good"
Sam: "we're not gonna give up! if anything that's the last thing we should do…"
Sam grabs Elisa's hand
Sam: "we're a team. now where in the word team do you hear giving up and quitting?"
Elisa: "really sam.. your peptalks are something else~"
she brings out as she holds Sam's hand tightly
Sam: "now help me collect one representative of each Seishin race! i've heard that Seishins can send out a distress signal to all of their own race! but humans can speak through them too if they need more help…"
Elisa: "well there's two less to search for~ we already have a black and red Seishin!"
Sam: "that's good, that's good. now let's search for our classmates"
but that was no longer necessary as they were already outside, standing in fear as they look at the sky.
Mercury: "do y'all like what you see?~ this comes from the tremendous power i now already have!"
Mercury then focuses specially on Sam
Mercury: "imagine how much power i'd get if i had yours to add Sam..~ i'd be unstoppable!!"
Sam: "you're never getting Zero! even if you have to rule the world and everyone in it!"
Mercury: "you know what? you might be right…"
Sam: "indeed i do-"
Mercury: "I LIED! AHAHAHAH-!"
Mercury shot out a beam at one of our classmates and absorbed their mana
Zero: "another absorption power? i thought i was the only one who had that!"
Sam: "it's okay Zero, we got a plan"
Sam used Zero to transform again and launched at Mercury with his blade, but he dodges, and dodges, and dodges, until Sam actually hit him, but with no use. the sword made a clanking sound against Mercury's skin
Mercury: "what?~ you think i didn't keep account of your little blade?~ behold, TOTAL - DOMINATION"
Sam: "dammit! how?!"
Mercury: "you know, i'd love to tell you, but i just remembered i was gonna watch my beautiful work from higher up~ follow me, if you dare to face me off~ AHHAHAHAHA!!~"
Sam turns his attention to all his classmates
Sam: "listen up everyone… some of you have bullied or picked on me in the past for having been magicless, and some of y'all still dislike me.. but hear this!"
a gust of wind started waving around Sam
Sam: "sometimes it matters not who your enemy is… but who your rival is! and we all have the common goal of keeping this place ruled by the right people! this is the world our ancestors built! and one day advanced with magic! we can do, build and create things that no ordinary human could! i used to have no magic because it was taken from me at birth! but now i've grown stronger! i'll be standing tall for all of you! so here's my plan… in the front, one of each kind, i need a Seishin to send out an emergency signal.."
it remained silent after that for a few minutes, until one raised their hand
Classmate 1: "i have a yellow Seishin. i got it from my mom on my 12th birthday, may he be your first transmitter"
many of Sam's classmates raised their hands after that
Classmate 2: "i have a white Seishin! i never had a different one!"
Classmate 3: "i have an orange Seishin!"
Classmate 4: "i have a yellow one too!"
Classmate 5: "believe it or not, but i have a red one!"
Sam: "oh, sorry i already have someone i can use their red Seishin from, but thanks for the offer!~ alright then, here we go!~"
Sam links all Seishin colors to his hand
Sam: "LISTEN UP! SEISHINS FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE EARTH! I CALL YOU TO LEND ME YOUR POWER, SO WE CAN BEAT THIS BASTARD TOGETHER!!"
then, every student saw their chest glowing, before their Seishins left their bodies and attracted to Sam, all around the world the same happened, they all entered through Sam's chest and started attaching themselves to his soul. Elisa had one final chat with Maggie before she left
Elisa: "promise me you'll come back, alright?"
Maggie: "even if i don't, i will have some pride in having been part of the reason this world will live on~ stand proud girl~"
Maggie then left and attached herself to Sam's soul as well, but then, all of a sudden…
Eryndor: "take mine too son…"
Sam turned around
Sam: "dad?"
Eryndor stood off his Starga, which connected to Sam's soul as well
Eryndor: "you go get that son of a bitch! we're all counting on you!"
Sam's Seishin battle form then grew two stripes that cycle through the colors white, yellow, orange and red, all colors having a neon glow
Sam: "thanks dad!~ it will probably help a lot~"
Sam called Zero
Sam: "now, Zero… you ready?"
Zero: "ready as i'll ever be~"
Sam and Zero took off with a mighty jump into the stratosphere, then making their way over to Mercury, who was gazing upon the world with a sly smile, then sees something dash towards him
Mercury: "it's.. it's him!"
Sam: "heya buddy! ya missed me?!~"
once Sam was in front of Mercury, he had a more serious expression on his face
Mercury: "serious now are we…? look at you.. you had to absorb all Seishins just to get here so you can die heroically… how pitiful… surely you must know…"
Mercury creates a half grey, half purple scythe
Mercury: "that all dreamers must wake up someday"
Sam: "it's true that i may die… and it's true that i might be weaker than you… but Zero has given me the ability to use magic! i can't just give up without trying… my entire school counts on me, and besides…"
Sam's blade started shifting the same colors as Zero's stripes
Sam: "i'm planning to go on a date with Elisa after this~"
Mercury: "oh? then it will be a date to die for~ for them down there too!"
Mercury sends energy down to earth that manifests as monsters, until they're everywhere to be seen
Sam: "i have faith in them to survive… but for now, it's time to focus on our battle…"
Mercury: "hm~"
Mercury creates an artificial gravity room around him and Sam to commence their battle in
Mercury: "may the strongest magic user win~"
back down at earth
Elisa: "oh no… he's attacking us here too?!"
Kaede: "this isn't good… i don't know i can fight that many…"
Elisa: "don't worry, the school got my back! after all, i used to be the strongest, i used to lead these people… and now it's time to follow in Sam's footsteps!"
Elisa stood to the students that have just given away their Seishins to Sam
Elisa: "listen up! Mercury is attacking us as he's likely now fighting Sam… let's not become divided in this moment! those who have antagonized each other in the past will become allies, people who don't trust each other will now have no other option, this is what it all comes down to… so let's fight as one, like it's your last day alive!"
everyone cheered and and started planning together as Elisa created a forcefield to keep the monsters out. meanwhile back at Mercury and Sam, it all came down to this final battle. Sam launched at Mercury with his now fully empowered sword, clashing with Mercury's scythe
Sam: "even if this sword still doesn't do much damage… i can still defend myself and attack you with my fists!"
Mercury: "could be… but can you fly?~"
Mercury flew up and launched himself at Sam, slashing him deep into the chest
Mercury: "you seem to be losing.. do i have to go easier on you?~"
Sam: "this? heh~ this is nothing~"
the wound almost instantly closes itself
Mercury: "a boosted healing capability hm? could've expected that… oh well, then i'll just have to make you suffer until you want to off yourself~"
he lights the blade of the scythe on fire
Sam: "come at me!~"
Mercury flies up again, moving from side to side rapidly, then descending towards Sam again to slash him, this time with a burning blade, but Sam blocks it this time, using his enhanced strength to knock Mercury back, after that they keep clashing
Mercury: "i must admit i underestimated you Sam Hart~ but even immortals have died in the past to the strength of an Akki~ and mine is modified!"
Mercury slices off Sam's right arm, before it gets reattached. then Sam slowly gets cornered, getting hit more and more often
Mercury: "it takes a lot of mana to heal a wound that fast you know?~ you can't keep healing forever~"
Sam is getting tired, he needs to act quick
Sam: "i'm not gonna die… i will… i will…"
Mercury: "will what? spit it out idiot!"
Sam, looking up while bleeding from his nose
Sam: "i will go on a date with Elisa!~"
Mercury was confused
Sam: "after this… if we all make it out alive.. i'm gonna take her to a restaurant!~ just that thought.. it really motivates me!!"
Sam held his hands together
Sam: "Spirit Art: Archangel of Light!"
Sam dashes from corner to corner of the room, throwing punches at Mercury now and then
Mercury: "ah! hey! what are you doing?!"
Sam: "Spirit Art: Piercing Heavens!"
Sam now appeared behind mercury and swiped his hand clean through Mercury's back. however, his heart remains untouched due to Akki magic that repels anything blade related
Sam: "dammit… oh well!"
Sam got around and launched at Mercury
Sam: "Spirit Art-!"
but then, Mercury pierced Sam's heart with the scythe
Mercury: "like i said… kills. immortals."
Sam slowly lost his energy as his breath got heavy
Sam: "i.. you… nnh…"
that's when Sam lost his life. Eryndor felt his right hand pulsing.
Eryndor: "Sam…"
over at Elisa's part, they were still fighting for their life, but were slowly getting cornered
Elisa: "come on guys.. we can't win like this-"
Elisa gets called by Eryndor
Elisa: "what's wrong?!"
Eryndor: "Sam couldn't win… he… i'm sorry…"
tears well up in Elisa's eyes, before she falls down to her knees
Elisa: "he… can't be dead… that's.. not possible… he was stronger!"
Elisa let out a scream of terror after processing the news. everyone decided to get serious, beat the enemies aside with all their might, then come over to Elisa to comfort her
Elisa: "he's.. dead…"
Kaede: "no he's not!"
Elisa turns around to face Kaede
Elisa: "what.. what do you mean..?"
Kaede: "although Sam might be temporarily gone, i know he wouldn't give up! and you know how i could know that? because he has a girlfriend! that's you Elisa!~ he wouldn't just leave you behind to die in your grief! i'm sure he's still out there! because he's not fighting for his own life, he's fighting for yours"
Elisa: "thanks Kaede… you really calmed me down with that.."
Kaede: "hey, what are friends for?"
Elisa nodded, knowing what she must do. she stood in front of everyone again, but instead of giving a long speech, she said just two powerful words
Elisa: "FOR SAAAM!!"
everyone started cheering and kept fighting, giving it their all this time.back at Mercury and Sam in space, without a human heartbeat to live off of, the Seishins begin to hibernate, deactivating, all except the black Seishins, one of which being Zero, who stays silent for a second
Mercury: "and that called himself the savior of humanity..? what a joke…"
then.. Zero spoke
Zero: "enough, Mercury!"
Mercury: "what the- how are you not hibernating?!"
Zero: "that's just another perk of being a black Seishin~ ain't that right boys?~"
the rest of the black Seishins cheered, accepting Zero as their leader
Mercury: "you weren't meant to even live to meet Sam! do you know why bounty hunters hunt black Seishins only? it's not because they're useful for mana potions, although they obviously are… no, it's because my father wanted me to be the strongest when he was still alive! but all the black Seishins made it difficult to climb… i was pushed down by their users every time i tried to get to the top!"
Zero: "and you know why that is? they knew your motives… they didn't want to have to fear someone like you!"
Mercury: "that's a bullshit reason! being fearsome is necessary to rule over people! it's the only way!"
Zero: "it's not! it's about being a leader… earning respect from others, to make you their ruler.. that is the true way… and Sam… he was a leader like no other… so here's what's gonna happen…"
Zero emerges and takes a humanoid form, becoming a solid being. he infuses Sam's damaged heart with mana to close the wound and heal the flesh. he then grabbed it, and started squeezing it in a repetitive and specific motion. blood started pumping, the skin regained its color and the other Seishins activated again
Zero: "we will stop you… no matter what it takes… because that boy, is Sam Hart! known, not only as the kid who grew up without magic, but also as a legendary hero, the last hope of this dying world!"
Mercury: "stop that! you're ruining my plan!"
Zero: "when he lives, hope lives! and when hope lives… THIS WORLD WILL NOT DIE!!"
Sam wakes up, as Zero restitches himself to Sam's soul
Sam: "Mercury… this ends now…"
Mercury: "you've said that before, i will just…"
Mercury tried stabbing Sam's heart again, but a nano shield intervened
Sam: "from now on, i won't try to do this as an individual anymore… i'm gonna work together with Zero!"
Zero: "this is what it comes down to…"
Sam: "this is true…"
Sam pulled the ring again, transforming quickly
Sam: "SPIRIT OVERDRIVE!!"
Zero: "SPIRIT OVERDRIVE!!"
Sam slashed at Mercury with the blade, breaking it
Sam: "what?! no! Zero, what now?!"
Mercury: "i killed you once, I'll keep doing it until you stay dead!"
as Mercury swung his Scythe, Zero quickly requested Sam's permission to take over. when last second, Sam allowed it, Zero created a Seishin blade from Sam's hands
Zero: "did you really think i'd lose, just cause i don't have a metal piece of junk in my hands?~"
Magno: "hey! only Akkis can do that!"
Zero: "guess what Merc~ we're not quitting on life, you are!"
Zero cut through Magno's Scythe and severed Mercury's upper body from the lower body, Mercury screaming in terror
Mercury: "Magno! save me!"
Zero: "didn't think so~"
at that moment, a grey smoke emitted from Mercury's severed body halves, into Sam's body
Sam: "so this is your second Art huh? absorbing Akkis and Seishins~"
Zero: "oh i'm not absorbing Magno, just his and Mercury's mana~"
soon enough, Mercury was devoid of a living Akki, and no magic left to save himself, he starts breathing more heavily
Mercury: "this… guuuh..~ isn't.. the last of meee… cough!~ i'll come.. b- b- ba…"
Mercury soon stopped breathing. and the sky back on earth starts to revert to its old state. Elisa, still crying
Elisa: "he's alive… he's…"
Elisa starts sobbing, smiling wide as she breaks down in tears
Kaede: "toldya~ i bet ya he's coming back for you right now!~"
and nothing could be closer to the truth, because Sam broke open the gravity chamber Mercury made earlier and got launched back to earth by Zero
Zero: "quick… we don't have much time…"
Sam: "what do you mean..? we won!"
Zero: "Magno's power seems to have been too powerful and has put a massive strain on me, i'm afraid i don't have a lot of time left here…"
Sam started tearing up
Sam: "Zero… don't say that… you can make it… please don't leave me now…"
Zero: "every magic user needs to get a different Seishin now and then, don't let me hold you back…"
Sam: "no!! don't do this!!"
Zero: "promise me you'll keep fighting for good and remember me for the time we spent together"
Sam sniffled, but then smiled painfully
Sam: "you got it… sniff~ i'll become a magic user so noble it would make you jealous…~"
and at that moment, Zero's smoke disappeared
Sam: "ZEROOOOOOO!!"
Sam screamed so hard he lost his voice for a moment. he started falling down once he reached the point where gravity applies again. he's silent, not moving, his eyes closed as though he were focusing. then, he looked down at the earth and snapped out of it, landing carefully into the water. Elisa notices and runs over, and after a few minutes of running, she finally got to Sam
Elisa: "SAAAM!!"
Sam: "Elisa! thank god you're alright…~"
Elisa: "we won against Magno's minions!~ i'm so glad you're alive~"
she sees something off about Sam's expression
Elisa: "hey, what's wrong? aren't you glad we won? where's Zero?"
Sam starts sobbing heavily, before crying out loud. everyone knew what was going on when he broke down and all got on one knee, one by one
Sam: "oh… sniff~ right… i almost forgot…"
Sam released all the Seishins, letting them return to their original masters all over the world
Elisa: "i'm so sorry that he didn't make it… i hope i can do something to help"
Sam hugged Elisa, tightly, the tears still flowing over his cheeks
Sam: "well… nothing can really cheer me up completely, but at least i have you…~"
Elisa: "he must've been a good friend, i'm gonna miss him too, even though i barely knew him…"
Elisa suddenly realized that her mind is very quiet right now
Elisa: "hey Maggie… this is usually where you respond to the stuff i just said.. is everything okay..?"
Maggie: "i don't wanna talk about it…"
Elisa: "sorry girl.. i know how you felt about him… Sam understands your pain a lot you know..?"
Sam: "it's okay, what matters most is that the earth is safe!~ Zero was a great Seishin.. and more than that, he was a true friend~ he is the one that gave me advice when i most needed some, he gave me the strength i needed to fend for myself, but most importantly he saved everyone's lives.. and he saved mine, even though it was already gone…~ so.. let's hear it for Zero's sacrifice!!"
everyone cheered loudly, until the sound could be heard through the entire city
(TO BE CONTINUED)