Nito Nazuna the 8th Archon

Inheritance of the flames

Hiiro stood in the center of the island with his Claymore pointing the tip at the last puppet.

"..."

Durin had his head down ".... I... I lost?"

"You said so." Hiiro looked serious as his armor glowed with radiance and energy Pyro.

"..." Durin said nothing for a few seconds. "Tell me Hiiro... But the question is... To what? Justice? Hope? Pure strength?"

Hiiro looked down for a few seconds before looking up to the puppet "You wouldn't understand..."

"But I want to understand... How someone like you, who has suffered great ordeals of the world, is able to stand up like it's nothing." Durin's gaze was downcast as the red-haired boy looked serious "The answer you had it that time, those emotions you stripped away. They made you incomplete."

"... I see." Durin said nothing as Hiiro the final blow "Goodbye.... Durin... Rest easy."

FWOSH!

At that moment he drove the point of his claymore into the puppet's chest and it turned to ashes ascending into the blue sky "..."

It was all over...

"Hiiro!" A couple of voices began to call out to him seeing from a distance the group. Yuuki, Ritsu and to his surprise, Kohaku had come too.

The pink-haired boy hugged the red-haired boy tightly "Hiiro.... Thank goodness..." The Pyro Archon smiled as he hugged him back "Hai.... And... Kohaku-san... It's over, Durin is no more." The pink haired boy broke away with a smile "Rinne would be so proud of you."

"I saw him..." Hiiro looked up with a smile full of peace "I was able to see him for the last time.... Kohaku." The older one understood those words as he sighed "I..."

"You don't have to apologize." Hiiro smiled calmly "I know you did it for me, and I didn't take your feelings into account."

The pink haired boy was astonished before he laughed a little "You don't look like the Hiiro I know anymore, you've gotten better."

The red haired boy nodded as he looked at the group "Nito-senpai, Albedo, Nicredo, Aether..." Iena, Yuuki, Ritsu and Kreist were each carrying.

Nito who was being helped by Yuuki denied "Don't worry, it'll take a while for me to heal completely. Pyro Archon~* I must say.... Nii-chan is very proud of you."

Hiiro laughed in amusement as Ritsu put his hands on his hips "I envy you and Koha-kun~* Yuu-kun still can't rule Atlantia until he's ready and you guys don't have a nation so you're free Archons."

Later...

Nito and the others stood on the deck of the warship Selene silently looking at the corpses covered by white blankets and on stretchers.

One soldier looked at his comrades "378 casualties, 187 Celest Knights and 200 Moon Knights among the casualties. We are progressing the recovery of key technology."

"..." No one dared to say anything as Nito nodded "Thank you for reporting it." Hiiro walked on foot getting a little closer to the soldiers and clasped both hands together in prayer "..."

Ritsu walked over and put his hand on Hiiro's shoulder "It's not your fault Hiiro.... Everyone knew the consequences of joining the army."

"I know..." Hiiro looked at the sky "..."

Luminaris.