Then Ossom then charges at Ezrael with the intent to kill him as he attempts to stab him in the chest. Gale and Ralian quickly tried to intervene, but with a swing with his shield knocks them back crashing into the water and onto Moria, as he continues his slaughter. But was then quickly interrupted by Jin and Venny with a wind construct and an activation of blood alteration to push Ossom away. Moria forcefully pushed them out of the water letting Gale and Ralian leap back at Ossom, he tried to attack them, but Jin was quick to blow dust into the eyes, causing him to shriek in pain as they get a strike at him. While Dani quickly help Ezrael back onto his feet quickly getting away from Ossom for now.
"Okay that's enough Ossom there is no need for this needless bloodlust!" Jin shouting trying to reason to him.
But only gets Venny looking at him in disbelief. "Jin can't you read the room he's a Ogre he can't be reason with."
"Why if it isn't the Wind Caster, I am ready to end your life as I already got a swing at you as you tried to attack my master" Ossom grinning pointing his blade at them.
"Wait you were the one who slashed Jin's arm." Venny starts to get furious gritting his teeth and charges towards Ossom with blood magic already activated and tries to take him down with one strike. But a punch from Ossom's shield instantly shattered his right arm as blood seeped through everywhere from his arm. Yelping in pain, never experiencing this much pain before, as he was kicked through the wall.
"Venny!" Dani screamed out his name as she tries to retaliate firing multiple fireball spell at Ossom. But he only grin in confidence as they were instantly swept away by Ossom's sword. "Is this the best of Alvera's finest warriors, they deserve nothing but executions" Ossom said proudly, as he started charge towards Dani.
"Dani lookout!" Jin quickly uses his wind leaping himself towards Dani pushing her away. But was not fast enough to dodge to full force of the attack as quickly makes a wind constructs to shield himself from the full attack as he is pushed away towards the same wall Venny crashed and causing the cracks to seep even further.
"Oh no" Ralian shocked quickly summons vines to distract Ossom. "Captain Dani, go help your friends we'll try to handle this".
Dani quickly rushes towards her friends as they are seen injured. "Jin, Venny please stay with me" as she began to hear them cough, blood falling from their mouths. "This is probably the worse they we've ever fought" Venny said as sparks of lightning still surge around his body from his blood magic.
"Yeah and to think the three of us were the strongest people to ever live"
"You said it Jin, from your wind, my blood, and Dani's most important part planning and keeping us together". Dani quickly rips off her cowl and is quick to tend to their wounds starting off with Venny "thanks Dani I really need it. Never thought I would ever say that."
"What, didn't Jin did the same to you" Dani quickly finishes tending to Venny's wounds.
"Yes, but this was before we got our magic, and I never thought of returning that bandage he first gave me"
"I never thought of anything in return when I first met you Venny."
Dani finished helping Venny, then quickly tries to help Jin, but he was quick to refuse to be tended to, as it cause a worried expression between his two friends. "Jin, why you need this if these cracks we're seeing and are killing you, we need to find a way to stop the pain" Dani trying to persuade Jin to lend her the help.
But Jin still refuses the aid, "no, guys listen... I didn't want this to be let out to anyone... I was already dying to begin with."
"What?" The two said in shock and confusion as their hearts begins to beat with an uneasy feeling for Jin. "What do you mean Jin you were doing fine before when facing me, or Handikiz, or even that Unknown Beast, even Moria all by yourself. What's going on"
"I didn't want to tell this to anyone but during Moria's dungeon I over used my wind. You know when ever my eyes glow, I am using the full power of my element." Jin feeling a slight pain at his missing right arm as be then stopped the bleeding, by creating a prosthetic wind construct. Though it cause Jin even more pain, but he held the pain in.
"Yes of course why would that be important if it's you're biggest trump card."
"It's what started the cracks on my body."
Venny's eyes widen with shock and fear as he feels some sort of guilt within. "Jin, I am so sorry I only wanted to get your anger out knowing that revenge thing wouldn't work"
"It's okay Venny, it's not you're fault, I lived with no regrets. But please one last time, like the good old days, I don't want this one to make me bedridden". Jin gets up and grabs his sabertooth boomerang as he feels Venny's and Dani's hand onto his shoulder. "No matter what the Crusaders were the best thing that ever happened to us." Jin smirks "thank you". Jin takes a deep breath as wind suddenly surrounds their legs and with one leap they instantly jump forward.
Meanwhile the others seems to be struggling fighting against Ossom as noting they throw at him seems to do any harm to him. He begins to laugh in their low efforts to wound him, but from his confidence of thinking things would be easy to slay them all. He suddenly felt a slight pain on both of his shoulders he looks back to see two red crimson daggers lodge into his shoulders. "What!? How!?" Shocked to see his flesh gets pierced as he demanded answers.
Ossom turns around to see Venn, Jin, and Dani hopping in major leaps with the help of Jin's wind. "Good work Venny we got his attention. Jin let's keep distracting him." They were quick to follow the plan Dani made out.
They all quickly reminisce the many adventures they once had, as they all will know that this may be the last. Venny then quickly leaps away from the others as Jin and Dani leap around Ossom firing wind slashes and boomerangs from Jin, fireball spells, and sword slashes from Dani keeping him distracted as Venny leaps onto Ossom plunging a dagger into his back. Though Ossom is trying to fight back with his claymore but they are too fast for him to react as they continue their fight.
"Why are you delaying your execution none of your magic can do anything to me"
Venny smirks, at the ogre, "oh how about a large amount of ripples in your veins." Ossum raising an eyebrow in confusion, until Venny then cut himself with his crimson dagger as reddish black sparks of lightning surges around his body, as he began to speak an incantation. "Blood alteration retaliate!" Then with those commands and a snap of his fingers, the daggers Venny had plunged into Ossum's back started to glow as Ossom started to feel an unbearable amount of pain within his body as he screams in pain. "What's wrong can't handle when my powers go over it's limits!" Ossom couldn't help but scream in agonizing pain as he tries to make a move but always feel the pain. "Every move you make will hurt to it's max, that is the power of retaliate."
"Good keep it up Venny and be prepared to restrain his weapons, can try to paralyze his hands." Venny nodded as he tried to switch the effect of his blood alteration from retaliate to paralysis. But suddenly they witness Ossom starting to lose grip on his shield, "was the effect of retaliate that potent than before? No matter Jin get the shield!" Venny shouted, as Jin uses the wind to forcefully pulls the shield in, away from Ossum's grasp.
"Good now it's just the sword." Jin was about to use the wind to grab his sword and prepare to take him down for good.
But they weren't prepared to see Ossom ignoring the pain gripping his sword tightly. Venny quickly tries to use blood alteration paralysis, but Ossum throws his sword at the crusaders. Jin quickly pushes Dani away but Venny was hit by the sword dismembering his left arm as the effects of blood alteration soon wore off.
"With those puny attacks, you all shall meet your execution soon." He cackled proudly.
Jin quickly uses his wind to pull him towards them "Venny are you alright" as he quickly uses his blood magic to keep his blood intact. Almost as if it's happened to a similar situation. "Of course not! I just got this replaced, it went through hell before I could feel that arm I replaced."
"What now, Venny can't access his magic right now" Dani doesn't have a plan in her mind of what to do in the situation. Worried if she hasn't make any sort of backup plan then they could have easily taken down Ossum, but with the situation being dire, it's suddenly has been taking a toll on her.
But then she felt Jin's hand on her shoulder as they saw from his cracked face, his kind, and confident smile. "Hey Dani, Venny can you promise me this. That you would look after my little sister no matter what."
The two suddenly knew what Jin was about to do, something that may cost something. "Jin no, we told you. You can't use your wind even further." "we can still fight so please hold on." Both of them trying to plead Jin not to use remaining life he has.
But before they could react Jin continue to smile at the both of them one last time. His eyes began to glow brightly sparks of wind began to surge around Jin's body, the pain still hurts but he ignores it. Jin then lays his sabertooth boomerang to his friends as he leaps with a burst of wind reaching mach speed as he hears the friends he made wanting him to stop he ignores them all as he forms a giant hand construct of wind grabbing Ossom as they both fly to the sky higher and higher till his breath started to shake and the cracks seeping in deeper.
"You are only delaying the inevitable of your execution" Ossom, then tries to use his sword to swing at Jin's head.
But Jin smirked, gripping his hand as the giant wind construct hand squeezes him till he drops his weapon. "no... I am right on time" with a smirk of confidence on his face, as the cracks all around him began to crack even further.
Ossum eventually seeing his sudden doom, his expression changed into a frightening face. Ossom began to struggle trying to break loose of the wind construct, but to no avail only Jin hardening the wind construct as well hurting himself.
"Goodbye everyone... and just wait for me brother... I will be joining you very soon." Closing his eyes as light of wind takes hold on him as a tear falls from his eyes completely to be shattered. Jin bursts into a colossal explosion of impacted wind as he takes Ossom with him, ending them both and saving his friends.
The others can only watch as they witness the large explosion of wind blows throughout Alvera as it felt like a swift blur. As all they could see was the bright blue sky as it was revealed by the explosion pushing away the clouds.
"Ezrael!" Gale calling out his name "I understand Azulen" Ezrael quickly sprouted his wings and began to fly high in the air to hope in finding any signs of Jin. But all he can witness is the wind levitating down from the explosion as there was a photo of him, Dani, and Venny drawing from the front of the palace, as it has a note on the back.
From across the skies Crusaders forever. Signed by Jin-Sae Akaumo.
Ezrael felt heart struck, as he may not show it on his face, deep down he feels something that was once suppressed for so long after losing on he cared for, all he could do is let out a single tear. Ezrael then flies back down to the others only finding the photo of friends. "I'm sorry... this is all I can find" Ezrael trying not to show signs of sadness from outside, but knows from within. As he can only see the others saddened expressions. But this hurts more for Dani, Venny, and his sister Siph letting all their tears fall from their faces, for the lost of a friend, Caster, and even brother.
(end of chapter 43)