what's left ↔ p.l

seven - remorse? what's remorse?

author's note: if you have spotify, please give a listen to the official playlist for the fanfiction, titled the same as the fanfiction here: https://open.spotify.com/user/skruulraken/playlist/1ryki9vgaR3L8lhslMPTjO
this contains all of the songs that are used in the fic and themes for the chapters. thank you, and enjoy this last main chapter!

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That night, I went back home. There were messages left on the screen by Mark. But it was too surreal. We thought he was dead for years. He went missing but never came back. I called the messages, hoping I would be able to talk to him in real time.

"This better not be Jack." His voice rang out through the screen.

"You mean Anti? And no, it's Phil. It's good to hear you're alive." I say, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Shit, things have really changed since I went into hiding. How's Dan?" He says, looking at me. My expression turns sad, but hopeful. "Anti killed him. He killed everyone, Mark. It's now the two of us." I solemnly said, looking at him. A smile plays on his face, and I raised an eyebrow. 

"It's not just us. Some of us went into hiding. Some of us recovered from the poison Jack gave us." Mark said, running a hand through his hair. "What...but we thought all of the well known superheroes were killed?" I asked, confused. Mark sighed. "When are you fighting him? Anti, I mean." He asked, looking at me with confidence. "In a week's time. Why? Why do you ask?" I reply, asking another question.

He chuckled, looking back at the screen. "We have to get ourselves over there. And maybe I can get Dan back. For you. But it's not entirely possible without your help." He said. I was in shock. Bringing Dan back? It was impossible. "Dan faded out of existence. There's no way to bring him back. And that's with a hopeful heart, Mark. I know you want to help." I say, rubbing my neck with my hand. "Ah. Hm. That's an issue. Anyway, we'll be there by the soonest we can. What day do you fight him?"

"It's Sunday now Mark. It's next Sunday. In London's most famous park. Everyone will be watching." I say. "I need to sleep. I need to rest. This coming week is going to be hell. And Mark..." I trailed off, looking at his laptop to the side. "If I die while fighting Anti, upload videos to my channel. Tell the world I miss them. Tell them that I died fighting the bastard." I finish. Mark nods. "You have my word."

"Good."

I switched the screen off, ending the call. I get into the bedroom, pulling off my suit and putting on pyjamas.

This was going to be my final week of training.

This was my final week of existence.

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I got straight back into training. Every night, every day leading up to the big final fight. Every power I knew I had I kept flourishing and training with. How to use it, where to use it, while throwing in some martial arts. I was mastering my own fighting style relatively quickly.

"Phil." Dan's voice called out, and I stopped where I was. I turned around to see the ghostly apparition smile at me. "Dan." I reply. I walk over and give him a hug. He hugs back. The cold touch he gave me was welcomed. "It's good to see you training. At least you're giving an effort, my darling." I felt his head rest on mine. "I have one way of being with you. It means I die." I say, looking up to Dan. He widened his eyes. "Phil, no. You need to stay alive. You are the only superhero left to save mankind from him." He said, shaking his head. "Mark's alive. And there's more superheroes that went into hiding to stop Anti from killing them. We have a winning chance, Dan." I said, curling my hand into a fist. "The final attack is me overloading myself with all the powers I have." Dan lifted his head up and grabbed my shoulders, shaking them. "That's suicide. You're getting yourself killed! I would rather have you alive than dead, if I'm truely honest. You will do the world a favour by being there for them." He growled at me, and I looked away. "It's the only way I can bring him down, Dan. It's the truth. And you know it." I said, and he sighed.

"Fine. Just don't die before you can unleash it." He groaned, and I kissed him on the nose. "It means we can be together again. Mark will watch over the world. You know that." I say, grabbing his hands. "Also, can I borrow the material you used in your suit?" I asked, and Dan cracked up in laughter. "Sure! Just don't use it to jack off-" I immediately blush, covering his mouth. "Dan! That's incredibly dirty." I growl back, and he raised his hands. "When did you change from fun to serious so soon?" Dan retorted, and I slapped him slightly. "That's because this is serious business." I reply. Dan rolled his eyes and smiled. "I can't stay for much longer. Gotta go. Love you, Phil." He kissed me, and then disappeared.

It took me a bit to realise he was gone, but I immediately went to work crafting a new suit.

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I tinkered with the screen. Eventually I got it to broadcast to all live TV stations across London.

I sat at the desk, and took in a deep breath.

"This is a public service announcement. This is Phil Lester, known as Vinewhip. Call me whatever. Tonight, at seven o'clock, I will be facing the world's first supervillain, Anti. Now, I want everyone to stay out of our way. This is a matter of life and death. And I will bring him down. With my life. So stay out of the way, and you won't get hurt. Understood? Good night London. Farewell to you all. Stay strong." I say, before pressing a button to shut the broadcast down. Mark's voice piped in. "We just got that broadcast on the way here. You're going global. We'll be there within the hour, I promise. Gotta go, bye." He said, before cutting off the call.

I looked at the finished suit. I put it on, the material attaching to my skin. Everything was ready. I looked at the time. Six-fifty. Time to go.

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I turned up into the park. I took the mask off. He already knew my identity. So did the world now. It didn't matter anymore. This was it.

A dark figure turned around. "So you announced your arrival globally. They're here, you know. All of the news stations are here, watching us. Are you ready to fall to the same death as your lover, Phil?" Anti's voice hissed, as he grabbed a knife from his waist. 

"Oh I'm ready. Ready to bring you down." I spat out, before sinking into the ground. He laughed, about to reply when he noticed I was gone. "Where have you gone, Phil? I'm not yet starting with you and you disappear? How delightful. Scaredy cat." He said, before I shot up out of the ground, and tangled him up in vines. One vine pulled off his knives and gave it to me. He turned around, ripping some of the vines, and I encased him with more. The knives were in my hand, and my hand turned into flames as I melted each knife. "NO!" Anti yelled out through the vines, ripping them apart as I finished melting the knives, backing away. I smiled. Now he couldn't poison me with the knives. At least, I hoped that there was no poison left. He threw a punch in my direction, but I dodged with ease. I gutted him in the gut with my hand, and he let out a sickening groan. "That's for everyone you've killed." I kept punching him and blocking his attacks for the next half hour.

With blood on both of our bodies, I smiled again. Anti looked at me with confusion. "You're nearly dead, Phil. What are you smiling about?" He asked, and I started laughing. The ground started to rumble below me and Anti. The sky turned green and purple as I walked up to him and grabbed him. He tried pulling away, spitting fire into my face, but it didn't do much. "This is for Dan. This is for me." 

I see out of the corner of my eye, several superheroes being blocked by the police. They only called out my name as I felt my energy boil. Soon, I was overloading my temperature and powers, I called out to my internal powers and soon I was surging with every single power I had absorbed. Anti's eyes widened as I was glowing with silvery, hot power before it shot up in the sky. The ground cracked. "What are you doing? You can't be serious! Don't you have any remorse?" He spat out, trying to move away. "Remorse? What's remorse?" I say. The ground now alit with pure energy and the sky filled with pure energy as I released the energy into the ground and upwards. "This is where you fall, Anti!"

The energy burst into him. I screamed with pure agony. Anti screamed with pain. This went on for what seemed hours. Every fibre of my being was in so much pain, but I couldn't stop now.

After a while, the energy died down. I saw nothing but a husk of Anti. I looked at myself, barely any organic being left. I collapsed onto the ground, blackness everywhere.

I had done it.

The world was free.