Journey | Albedo's Descent Book 3

Chapter 40: The Beginning Of The End

As Albedo held the sword tighter, getting into his ready stance, he felt a warmth from the hilt.
His mind was filled with new memories and knowledge. Everything the young woman knew and remembered was given to him.
Albedo smiled, as he began piecing it together, "thank you." This would be helpful.
That being was a nasty manipulator. It didn't even know what it was, yet it craved destruction and death. But it could not survive on its own. It clings to a host, who it continually drains life from until they are nothing but dust.
But the young girl who had it last, hadn't died. Alchemists in Khaenri'ah realized their ancestors mistake and tried to seal it away. Their ritual resulted in the girl falling into a deep sleep and the being going into a dormant state.
The alchemists separated the girl from her parasite, dedicating murals to their work and success. They laid the girl to rest, oblivious to the fact that they hadn't fully separated her from her darker half.
It wasn't until recently that she woke up. She felt empty and alone, longing for something more, not remembering how bad it was when she was whole. Not remembering that she could be whole without it.
Having slumbered for so long, she absorbed some of the foreign power, gaining new abilities she would use to try and get her parasite back, none the wiser to her past.
Albedo fought harder than he ever had in his entire life. He was being pushed to his limit and beyond. If he was on his own there was no way he would be anywhere near winning.
This pocket of his mind was that thing's domain. It had full control here. It used all its assets, changing distances, teleporting, creating obstacles, you name it. It did all it could to try and subdue its hosts. It resorted to dirty tactics. It would not be put to sleep again. Not without a fight.
There would be no catching it off guard if the people on the outside didn't do their part. And there would be no victory if Albedo and his new friend didn't do theirs. This was a battle no one could afford to loose. Everyone was pushing themselves farther and further than they had ever been pushed before.
This would be a battle to remember.
But would anyone be around to remember it?

"How is it still standing?! Didn't Albedo-" Rosaria was cut off as she had to dodge yet another boulder.
"I don't understand it, either! One second Albedo's in control and the next- GUH!" Lisa's wrist bent the wrong direction as she deflected another small chunk of land.
"It's got to run out of land to throw at some point, right?!" Diluc yelled as he tried to get close again.
That thing seemed to be trying to uproot the Frostbearing tree, but appeared to be unable to do so.
Kaeya also noticed that it seemed to be rather distracted. It was constantly twitching and wincing, but maybe that was from the deep gash in its back. Said gash was still spilling out blood and a more liquid-like goo.
Kaeya got an idea.
"Lisa!" He called out through his mind, "do you think Albedo can hear me? If I can contact him like this?!"
It was a moment before she responded. "I don't know. It's hard to tell. But I think it's worth a try."
"Keep it busy!" Kaeya called to the others as he closed his eyes, moving behind Lisa, who generated a shield in front of them.
"Try to be quick!" She said, "I don't know how much longer we can last before I'm forced to do anything drastic!"
He nodded before concentrating as hard as he could.

Albedo was locked in combat with this angry, hurting being. They were both in immense pain, suffering from internal and external wounds, alike.
Their weapons scraped against each other as they both pushed with all their might.
The sword in Albedo's hands vibrated and began to glow bright blue. The weapon in their opponent's hand couldn't withstand the movement and shattered to pieces.
That failed experiment grimaced as it was forced to retreat, calling another weapon to its hands. "You're really starting to make me angry..."
Albedo frowned, his cheek twitching, "you think you're angry?"
Surprisingly, it faltered.
Albedo glared at it, "you can't even begin to imagine what pain actually being alive is. Even now, you only feel a fraction of the excruciating pain I do! So how could your anger ever measure up to mine?!" As he delivered his lines, he pointed to tip of his sword towards his enemy.
Then, a loud, booming echo filled the area.
"Albedo!!!"
It was a familiar voice.
The young girl, in the form of a sword, said it before Albedo could, "Kaeya."
Albedo's expression lifted, looking up.
"Can you hear me?!"
"Yes! Yes!!" Albedo yelled, his eyes wet with tears, "how are you doing this?!"
"That doesn't matter! Is there any way you can stop this on your own?!"
Of course there wasn't. Albedo could tell that Kaeya knew it.
"Isn't there any way to save you?"
"RAHHHHG!! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!" That thing was screaming and flailing about, throwing weapons everywhere.
"Kaeya, you have to kill it now! Kill me now!!! It has to be right now!! Do whatever it takes! I don't think we'll get the chance again! It's disoriented and we have to take the opportunity!"
Though he hated to rush, he charged at the parasite, ready to kill. It was screaming and clutching at its head, but was still able to fight.
It did everything it could to avoid Albedo's advances, parrying all the attacks it could. It didn't seem able to strategize or read Albedo's movements anymore. It was getting sloppy and slow. Albedo was able to cut away at its limbs, taking out chunks at a time.
As he hacked off pieces, they fell to the ground and deflated into pools of dark matter, seeming to scream as they were separated from the being.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, just as Albedo was about to chop off an arm, a blinding light shone through the darkness. Bright gold filled the space, blinding all except Albedo.
He took his shot.
He plunged his sword deep into that thing's chest, twisting as he pushed, causing its closing wound to open up wider than before.
It stopped moving, staring up at Albedo with the wide holes in its face.
"No..." it croaked, "no-"
It jolted as if it had been stabbed again, but Albedo hadn't moved. The others outside must have done their part.
Albedo stepped back, watching it dissolve as he grew dizzy. All the pain his body had went through hit him and he fell backwards.
The sword shifted back into her true form and was on her knees next to him. She was crying again.
But she had the biggest smile on her face, "Thank you, Albedo..."
He chuckled, wheezing, "it was my pleasure...
"I had alw-ways wondered what dying would be like..."
She leaned over him, her cloud-like hair spilling around them, framing their faces, "you don't need to speak..."
"I said I was ready," Albedo closed his eyes and the tears finally trickled down his cheeks, "but I think I lied..."
"Goodbye," she was beginning to turn to dust. Her tears dripped onto Albedo's face as she leaned closer, "Return to your people... I love you..." She placed a brief kiss on his forehead as she burst into thousands of beautifully sparkling particles of light.
Albedo noticed there was a soft, gold, pulsing from around him. He smiled, "I guess this is the part where I go into the light, huh?..."