The End of an Era

Razz v. Omega

     The group approaches Omega carefully. He watches each of them. Cael looks around the battlefield. There are screams and the sounds of dying men. Fires burn unchecked and the sky is filled with blood tinged smoke. The group stops twenty feet from Omega. Not safe by any means but close enough for them to talk.

"You've come." Omega says, his voice raspy and strained.

Blaze leans in to whisper to Cael. "We don't have much time. Each of these worlds needs to be occupied by one of us to open the next. We have to get to Zaak before he completes the reality bomb."

"We need to pass." Cael calls.

"I can't allow that." Omega replies. His hand reaches out and grasps the hilt of his cursed executioners sword.

There is a shuffle of movement followed by a thunderous clash of steel. Razz locks blades with Omega to allow the rest of the group to get by.

"I'll take care of this and catch up later." Razz calls over his shoulder. Omega pushes to try and maneuver around him . Razz pushes back and gives no ground. As the group leaves through a hidden door in space Omega leaps back and puts distance between the two of them.

"Tell me hero of light. Why did you come here. Killing your friend isn't very heroic." Omega says letting his sword plunge down into the mud.

"This isn't about being a hero. I'm here to help my friend." Razz answers in growl.

"Mercy killing then?"

"NO!!" Razz is visibly livid. "You couldn't understand. You're just a monster. Filled with hatred."

"Is that all you see in me? Is that all I am?" Omega begins to pace around Razz. "Shall I show you my own memories?" 

Before Razz can answer the landscape is transformed. A woman is restrained up on a stand. She bears a striking resemblance to Omega. His mother. She is gagged and has been beaten within an inch of her life. A man takes the stage next to her.

"This woman has been accused of inciting a war between our Lord and the Lord of our neighbors to the south. She stole from our lord and blamed it on our cherished friends. For that, she is to be executed as an example.

The execution is messy. It takes four swings before the woman is beheaded. As her head is waved around to the cheering of the crowd a young man takes the stage. The speaker, misunderstanding, hands him the head. The young man promptly cradles the bloody mess.

"Oh, it's the whore's son. Come to-" The speaker doesn't get to say anything more. He is blown to pieces, leaving nothing but a fine red mist. The young man turns to a now silent and horrified crowd. His eyes are marked by a sinister rage and blood lust. His cracked and fractured irises undulate and quiver. The crowd erupts into frenzy as they crumble into red dust.

Omega steps forward. "From that moment I was vengeance incarnate. I killed my way through a conspiracy to plunge the entire continent into war. At the end of it all I stood atop a mountain of corpses. Vengeance in hand. Cursed by their hatred and tainted by their blood." Omega holds his sword out. It is cracked and marred. A dark and murky blood flows between the gashes and splits in the swords metal. 

"You can still go back. No one is beyond redemption." Razz says letting the tip of Nevershatter dip.

"If I did it would undo everything I am. Besides that, I've enjoyed my time as an avatar of hatred. It has given me a glimpse into the heart of reality. Into the heart of Zaak." Omega whispers. "One thing has intrigued me though. Hatred breeds suffering. Suffering breeds hatred. This cycle is never ending. It goes on and on. Ruining generations of lives and bringing no end of sorrow. Only once in every few millions of cycles does it end differently. They say hope springs eternal. That's simply not true. Hope is a rare blossom on a bloodstained killing ground."

"What's your point?" Razz says, anticipating  a fight.

"I want to see which is stronger. Which survives at the end of everything. Your hope. Or my hate."

"They why waste time with the speeches. Why aren't we fighting already?" Razz says tensing to strike.

"I wanted you to know the meaning behind this fight. Our. Last fight."

The sky rips open as Razz and Omega clash against one another with every ounce of their power.

Omega smashes into Razz's guard with a heavy overhand strike. Roaring, Razz answers with a strike of his own. The two momentarily lock blades before disengaging and stepping back. Razz knows that he can't expend too much of his strength. Opposed to that is Omega who needs only worry about this singular fight. Omega unbalances Razz with powerful kick to his midsection. The following attack is parried as Razz goes on the defensive. Omega doesn't give any room to breathe in the fight. Each new cut and attack is filled with seething hatred and rage.

"You can't win like that!!" Omega snarls as he splashes the bloody muck into Razz's eyes. Razz blocks an attack from behind and slams a fist down creating a powerful shock wave that takes Omega by surprise. From a slightly crouched position Razz turns and swings full force at Omega. Just before it connects, however, a small speck of anti matter clashes with the blade. The resulting explosion propels Omega away from Razz. Razz goes to give chase but stumbles and falls to one knee.

Looking down at his midsection he sees the culprit. A fragment of Omega's sword is lodged in his side. The venomous blood that seeps from the steel is potent and fast acting. Razz tries to purge it with his Luminescence but it doesn't work. Razz buckles dropping to his hands and both knees. Despite Razz's near perfect constitution the Venomous Blood is still overpowering his system, preventing him from doing anything but focus on slowing the toxin as much as possible.

 As the venom spreads Razz realizes his foolishness. A moment of weakness.

"I was wrong. You aren't a monster. Nor are you hatred. You're just as much my friend as Zaak is. I should have fought with my full power right from the start. I owe you at least that much." Razz has already started to turn to ash. The fiery spirit within erupts from the cracks in his skin. Soft threads of stardust begin to stitch his ashes back together. Razz grips his sword full of resolve. "I'll return the light of hope to your eyes. I'm going to save you."

The battlefield around Razz erupts into an oasis of luminous flowers and vibrant greenery as he charges towards Omega. The two lock blades once more before exploding into a maelstrom of attacks. Omega creates an orb of antimatter as he back pedals from Razz. The ploy fails however as Razz bats the antimatter back at him with full force. The explosion flings Omega up into the air. Razz is on Omega immediately, leaping up above him. Razz holds his sword high above himself, ready to deal the final blow.

Omega refuses to let it end, however. Channeling all his power into his eyes he uses his final ace: Obliviator Sight. Upon opening his eyes everything in his sight is saturated in nanoscopic antimatter particles effectively creating a disintegration ray that targets everything he bears witness to.

Razz just barely manages to avoid a deathblow by shielding himself behind Nevershatter. He is not fast enough to save his left arm however. Standing atop Nevershatter like a surf board Razz fills his right fist with every last ounce of Starlight Flames his crumbling body can muster. 

As Razz comes crashing down on Omega the entire battlefield is filled with flowers starting from the point of impact and spreading out into the infinity of the battlefield. As the last of his power fades Razz smiles to himself.

"That was quite the sight to behold." Omega somehow manages to say. "If I had to do it all over, only to end up here again. It would all be worth it. Just to see that. One... last-" Omega doesn't get to finish. His eyes go blank and he ceases to move. Razz reaches out to touch Omega but grasps nothing but flowers. The silvery tendrils of existence that made up Omega have dissipated into nothingness.

Razz curses. Attempting to stand he stumbles on unstable legs. He only makes it a few steps before his legs collapse into ash and embers. Chuckling to himself, Razz can only hope that Sia won't feel his departure as he too burns away into nothing.

"You're right, my friend. It was worth it. Just to see that hopeful smile of yours."