Chapter 08: Fallen Ballad of Tobias

       While the false informant was plotting something, Tobias had second thoughts about his actions. Relica seemed to believe in us, and Tobias, in spite of him being against us, was so calm and collected about the threat. It was as if he wasn't troubled at all by this. "You know, Faust wasn't so worked up when we were told about the Mute transformation Strider endured. In fact, even though he's always like this, he was too calm about it. As if such thing couldn't possibly happen again. Faust... Why? Why did you not take his threats seriously?" Unexpectedly, the man appeared before him. All Tobias could see was green before he devised a trick on him. "Sorry, Tobias, but you're the last card I have to use, and I don't intend on wasting it!!" Soon, he used some sort of power to control him. For the informant, it didn't take as long as to how Spade controlled me. And unlike me, Tobias had a weak reason, and felt no attachment to his sister or anything else. So trying to save him... was now pointless.

       All the while, I was trying to exceed the properties of my Pure Final stage. Apparently, Tyanna's theory says that if I exceed Pure, then the imbalance within my body might be diminished. This, however, wasn't guaranteed, but if I didn't do anything, turning back to Nightmare would be easy, and my overall being would be consumed without a struggle. I had to at least attempt to exceed Imperfect Pure. Since the Midnihght stage gathered thoughts of pain, hatred, malice, despair, and sadness, I had to think opposing thoughts. No matter how many tries I attempted, the power was kind of forced, thus I couldn't stabilize the properties. It exhausted me to no end after many tries. However, in my case it was too far, too little, and too late. Tobias, now possessed, found me before I found a way to exceed Pure. "Strider... You... Die!!" Something was wrong with him when he spoke. Tobias was full of malice. Before, Tobias thought of only fighting. But now... he had on his mind a lust of destruction and death. "Tobias... what happened to you?" asked Relica. "I... I know for sure. He's being controlled. He's no longer the Tobias we knew at all." It was unmistakeable. I've experienced this myself, whereas I lost nearly all my reason, and Melodie was able to set me free. But... "Strider-san! That guy, he acted just like you did when Spade got to you!" "I know." Relica grew worried. She opposed his beliefs, but at heart, he was still her brother, and cared as such. "Is there anyway to save him at all?" It looked ugly, but I'm afraid that it was inavoidable.

"Sorry Relica, but the only way I could ever save him... is to slay him!"

       Better said then done in my case. In my current state, it was hard enough trying to hold him off. By turning into Imperfect Pure, we were finally on even grounds, but it wouldn't last. I could heal, but I couldn't deal serious damage on him. "Damn... this is looking bad for me. I might need Midnight, but I can't do it. One slip up and my soul is done for!!" I had limited options, but it was no longer a matter of trying to retain my soul. I was aching badly, thinking about how I was going to save the others, as well as my own life. Was I really ready to toss my existance? As I looked inside for Midnight, something snapped. My past memories, being with Dawn, father, and others in the calming moments... Something was changing. A barrier of feathers surrounded my aching body, as I looked at every image that came to mind. My body was glowing, ever brighter than before, and the wings expanded. Like Pure, my aura intensified. And at where I stood, the light made a mark which looked like a cross, similar to the necklace Dawn passed to me, the one her brother wore. Everyone was astonished, especially Tyanna, at my newly transformed state. "This... is... Seraph." Tyanna couldn't believe her eyes. "Seraph stage. He done it, he successfully exceeded Pure Final, becoming his Max Final: Seraph!!"

       Tobias was in a rage mode, but one blast silenced him. He was still breathing a little, but without much life to spare. "S...Strider..." "Tobias, try not to speak!" "Strider... You must... stop him." Stop who? That was the immediate thought. "He's green... knows a lot about your past. He was with your father... back during... the original Resistance." If that's the case, he is old. The original Resistance disbanded when I was 12. It's been almost 23 years since then. "You must... YOU MUST STOP HIM!! I beg you... He set us up to kill you. He... wants your... abilites... somethimng about a super soldier..." Relica cried as Tobias' final tears watered down. "Tobias..." "His name... his name is... is... Sc..." Tobias died trying to say his name. Relica cried in an outburst that day. What was a glorious moment for me ended in a tearful funeral for nearly everyone. "Tobias... and Faust... You were never in the wrong. You merely carried out your job, even though this person set you up." A ton of grief was in my heart. Two more losses were because of me, just being alive. Whoever did this to them had something against me, and because of him, two more had to die... by my hands. Normally, in a situation like this, I'd be calling myself a murderer, but this was different. This wasn't my fault, I was just the link to it. This mysterious person was going to pay, dearly! Personally, I'll see to that!!