Scumbag Fate System-Chapter 57: Proud Of You

Reinhard and Yor rushed forward together. Yor’s eyes shone bright with an intensity that hadn’t been there before. The black-grey energy crackled around her body in visible waves that pulsed outward with each breath she took.

Just as the Void was about to send Alice flying with its wing. Yor appeared in front, swiftly blocking the attack and then lashing out with a kick. It struck the Void’s stomach and sent it flying back.

Then the black-white crackle around her swept over the others. The oppressive void pressure that had been weighing them all down suddenly lifted!

The crushing weight on their chests disappears, and their breathing becomes easier. Alice gasped, her movements immediately became faster and more fluid.

Louis’s spear spun with renewed energy, and the crystals blazed brighter. Rika stood straighter, and her arrows flew more accurately.

"What did you do?" Alice asked while bringing her hammer around in a wide arc.

"I’m pushing back the pressure," Yor said, her voice was calm and focused. "You can fight properly now without being drained."

"That’s amazing!" Rika called out while firing three arrows in quick succession.

The Void screamed, its masked face twisted with rage and desperation. "No! This isn’t how it’s supposed to go! You’re supposed to give up! You’re supposed to accept what you are!"

Yor instantly appeared close to it before her sword slashed through its defense, leaving a thin line across its wing. "Shut up."

"You know I’m right!" the Void shrieked, blocking Alice’s hammer with its sword. "Deep down you know you don’t deserve-"

"I said shut up!" Yor interrupted, her voice was sharp and firm. "I don’t care what you think I deserve. I want to continue being with my friends."

Louis’s spear struck from below, a stone spike that forced the Void to leap backward. "You heard her! She’s not listening to you anymore!"

The Void tried to spread its wings for a shockwave attack, but Rika’s arrow pierced through one wing, pinning it momentarily. Alice capitalized as her hammer came down with crushing force that the Void barely deflected.

"You’re making a mistake!" Void shouted; its movements became more frantic. "You’ll hurt them! You’ll drain them! You’ll destroy everything you touch!"

"Maybe," Yor said while her sword moved in those minimal, precise arcs that left afterimages in the air. "But I’ll face that with people who believe in me instead of facing nothing alone."

Reinhard grinned. "Well said."

The battle intensified while the five of them pressed harder and coordinated their attacks. Alice would strike high while Louis would thrust low, and Rika’s arrows would seek any opening, and Reinhard and Yor would exploit every gap created.

The Void was being beaten down while its mask showed cracks. Its wings were torn in multiple places, and black-purple energy was leaking from it. It gathered power for one final desperate attack while energy built around its sword until the blade glowed with concentrated void force.

"If I can’t have you, then no one will!" the Void screamed while swinging the energy-wreathed sword in a horizontal slash aimed at Yor’s neck.

Reinhard moved while activating the Sigil he’d gained from Victoria, and he gripped the space before him and dragged to the side. The Void’s sword passed around him, only cutting empty air.

And in that moment of the entity being committed to its strike, Reinhard thrust his sword forward. It pierced through the Void’s chest, and it was unable to flare up its magic to reduce the damage. The Void’s eyes widened at the sword that pierced through its chest.

"Checkmate," Reinhard said while pulling his fist back. "Now fuck off forever."

He punched straight through the Void’s masked face, and the entire head shattered into fragments. The mask broke into pieces before the wings dissolved into smoke, and the body crumbled apart like ash caught in the wind. The corrupted version of Yor simply ceased to exist while leaving nothing behind except fading black-purple light.

"Yes!" Alice cheered while pumping her fist in the air. "We did it!"

Rika giggled, lowering her bow, and the sound was light with relief. "That was incredible! We actually beat it!"

Louis swung his spear in a victory flourish before resting it on his shoulder. "Man, that was tough. But it was a good experience to test out my weapon modifications under real pressure."

Yor trembled with tears streaming down her face again, but this time they were different. "Thank you. Thank you for coming after me and not giving up."

They all grinned at her while their faces showed exhaustion and happiness. Alice opened her mouth to respond when the entire basement began trembling violently beneath their feet.

"What’s going on?" Alice shouted while struggling to keep her balance as the floor bucked and shifted.

Yor’s eyes went wide while looking around at the cracking walls and collapsing ceiling. "We need to leave now! The place is breaking down completely!"

"Then let’s move!" Reinhard grabbed Yor’s hand while pulling her toward the stairs they’d come down.

Everyone rushed forward while the basement began collapsing. Chunks of ceiling crashing down, walls folding inward, and the floor splitting apart into chasms that led to nothing but void darkness. They ran while jumping over gaps, ducking under falling debris, and pushing themselves to move faster as destruction chased at their heels.

Louis led the way while following the path back through his memory. "Left! Sharp turn coming up!"

They burst through the doorway into the stairwell while the steps were already crumbling. The first floor appeared ahead, the hallway they’d walked through earlier now twisted and collapsed inward.

"Keep running!" Alice shouted while her longer legs let her take the lead. "Don’t stop for anything!"

They sprinted through hallways that no longer made sense, rooms folded into each other. The front entrance was ahead, visible through gaps in the distorted architecture.

Then a sound filled the collapsing mansion, it was the familiar voices of Yor grandparents.

Aldric’s voice is gentle and warm, filled with love. "We’re so proud of you."

Miya said softly. "We’re so happy you were born."

Yor’s steps faltered while her breathing was catching, but Reinhard’s grip on her hand kept her moving forward.

"You’ll control your powers one day." Aldric continued softly with pride in his tone. "We believe in you completely."

"We’ll always be watching over you," Miya said in a loving tone. "Always loving you, no matter what you become or do."

Yor’s vision blurred while fresh tears spilling down her cheeks, but a faint smile spread across her face while she ran. Reinhard smiled, it seemed Yor’s parents’ words when the incident happened weren’t disappointment or regret.

But of love.

"There!" Louis pointed at the front entrance, the doors hanging open like an invitation.

The mansion groaned while the entire structure began its final collapse. They could see white stone folding inward from the top floors like a building being erased from existence. The front door was twenty feet away.

Fifteen feet.

Ten feet.

The ceiling directly above them shattered.

"Jump!" Reinhard shouted.

They all leaped forward together while launching themselves through the doorway as the mansion’s entrance folded shut behind them. They hit the ground outside hard while tumbling and rolling across grass and stone.

Until momentum finally stopped them in various sprawled positions.

Behind them, the white mansion collapsed completely. The ruins of Noctyne had claimed another piece of itself.

All of them groaned while lying on the ground and staring up at the darkening dusk sky. They felt every bruise, cut, and exhausted muscle in their bodies.

Then Alice started laughing.

The sound was breathless and slightly hysterical while her shoulders were shaking. Louis joined next, his laugh was deeper and relieved. Rika giggled, the sound was light and infectious. Reinhard chuckled, his chest heaving with the effort.

And then Yor began laughing too.

It started quietly and hesitantly, like she’d forgotten how. But then it grew stronger and louder until she was laughing freely for the first time in years. Not the polite small laughs she’d given before, but real, unrestrained laughter that came from somewhere deep inside.

That had been locked away too long.

They lay there on the ground outside the ruins while laughing together like children after a great adventure.