How can I save the world if I'm no longer the hero?

Joan wrapped her fingers around the hilt of the blade and gave it a small tug.

Then she felt it.

Rage.

Fury.

Hatred.

Joan's eyes went wide and she tried to let go, but she couldn't move. All she could feel was that burning hatred in the blade, coursing up through her fingers. She tried to scream, to yell, to try and escape, but she couldn't.

This didn't make any sense. It was just a SWORD. A sword couldn't hate. But it hated more than anything she had ever felt. As much as she hated Saga right now, this sword hated her a hundred, no, a thousand times more.

Searing pain shot up through her fingers and she tried to pull her hand away again, but her fingers refused to let go. Fire erupted up the hilt, burning her away even as she screamed. Searing away all she was until nothing remained but ash.

------

"Joan? What's wrong?" Bauteut asked mere moments before time halted once more.

Joan didn't move, she couldn't. All she could do was sit there, arms wrapped around herself, rocking back and forth.

How long had it been since she'd last been burnt? Weeks? Months? A year?

Ever since she'd gotten Guardian's Nova. No. Since she fought the giggling, taunting, flaming elemental. Ever since that moment the fire hadn't held its fear for her.

But she could feel it. Again. All over again. Memories of the Inferno God's flames, burning her, melting her, the searing agony as the flames crawled up her body like a hungry animal. The burns Saga had given her when he cut her shield were nothing in comparison to being devoured again by those flames.

She thought she was through this. But she couldn't face this. She didn't even know what this was.

'What are you doing?' the Nameless One asked.

Joan didn't answer, she just rocked slowly back and forth, desperately trying to shake away that pain. She wasn't burning now, it couldn't hurt her. None of it could. She'd died. There was no more flame to burn her.

"You didn't really think it would be that easy, did you?" Saga asked, walking towards her. "Plunging her sword into her heart nearly killed even me, did you truly believe someone like you could wield it? Did you believe I would just leave such a thing here if it were? If you wish to end your life so, you may do it as often as you wish and save me the trouble. If not? Pick up your weapon. Or have you finally accepted that my victory is inevitable?"

Joan tried to will her body to move, but it refused to listen to her.

'Child of the fates, what are you doing?' the Nameless One asked. 'You're going to die. Move. Fight back. Do something!'

Joan tried to say something, but she couldn't. The only sound that came out from her throat was a soft little whimper. Why couldn't she move? She was going to die. The Nameless One was right. If she didn't move, she was going to die. She had to fight back!

But all she could do was feel those flames washing over her. Enveloping her. The pain as she was seared away. All she could do was whimper and rock back and forth helplessly.

"What is it you saw that makes you react like this?" Saga asked, his voice filled with amusement. "Where is all that anger? That rage? Those promises to kill me? Where's that fire?"

Joan couldn't help it, she shrank back a little, pulling back from that word.

Saga stared down at her before he began to chuckle. A cruel, vicious, mocking laugh. "Truly? Could the first actual… mmmmm… challenger I have faced in so long be undone by something so simple?" He pulled his hand back before thrusting it towards her. A small bit of flame erupted from his hands, for a moment the heat washed over her and she screamed, covering her face with her hands.

Helpless. Fire. Burning. Everything around her was fire. Nobody was coming. Nobody was going to help her. That laughter. Burning. Burning. It hurt. Oh gods why did it have to hurt so much? Even when the burning stopped the pain remained. Cut into her very soul.

Where was Guardian Nova? Why wasn't it here? It was her sword, wasn't it supposed to protect her? Why wasn't it protecting her? She'd been safe. Why wasn't she safe anymore?

'Joan, open your eyes,' the Nameless One said. 'What are you doing? I did not grant you my aid so you could just accept your destiny.'

"I-I want to go home," Joan whispered, shaking her head. "I-I just… I just w-want to go home… please…"

Saga stared down at her for a few moments before he let out a low, amused laugh. "To imagine, one with such potential is brought low by something so… trivial. Even in this world fire has long been tamed. But, if you truly wish to return home so badly… allow me." He flicked the knife out and, though she screamed at herself to move, she couldn't.

------

"Joan, what's wrong?" Bauteut asked.

"I-I can't," Joan whispered, shaking her head.

Time stopped once more.

"I-I can't, please, I-I can't," Joan whispered, slowly crawling away. She could hear the vampire coming towards her, though. His steps slow, relaxed.

'You'll die, again,' the Nameless One said. 'Defy your fate. Object. Fight.'

"I-I can't," Joan whispered. "I-I don't… I don't want to burn anymore… t-there has to be another way… w-what do you want?"

'… Very well,' the Nameless One said. 'A boon, then.'

"W-what?" Joan asked, slowly looking up at Saga. Step by step he walked down the stairs. He seemed almost… amused.

'I can take you from there… All you need to do is leave everyone behind,' the Nameless One said.

Joan whimpered before shaking her head. "N-no. I don't… I won't. I can't. They'll burn… they'll burn too… I can't…"

"Oh, nobody will be burning," Saga said, his voice calm, arms now folded behind his hands. "Well, aside from you. Their deaths will be much simpler. But don't worry, they'll be as quick as yours in the end."

Joan crawled away as best she could, her legs and arms shaking as she moved. Saga had seemed so… simple before. Powerful, but she'd dealt with power before.

But now?

Now she felt like a child again. She felt weak and helpless and vulnerable. She wanted someone to come save her.

"S-save me… please…" Joan whispered, her heart pounding so hard she swore Saga could even hear it.

'I can't,' the Nameless One said. 'Not unless you give up on them.'

"T-then find another way, please," Joan said weakly, watching Saga approach ever closer. She had to fight. She couldn't just let him win.

She'd seen a path of victory. A way to defeat him. It had been in that sword.

But she'd never imagined it would be on the opposite side of those flames. She thought she was through this. Why? Why did it all have to come back? She was supposed to be stronger than this!

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Why was the only thing she could do was sit and wait to die?

Why couldn't there be any other way?

------

'Then they die,' the Nameless One said.

"I-I can't…" Joan whispered. "I—"

'Is this really what you are?' the Nameless One asked. 'Did you not bring the Star to heel? Can you not do the same with this?'

"It hates me," Joan whispered. "That fire, that hate, it's—"

'You have been hated before,' the Nameless One said. 'You have burned. But if you do not avert your destiny here, you will die and instead they will burn. The Hungry One is gone. The gods will not step in to stop this. The Chosen will perish, as will the Guide. I have given you the means to stop this, but they are meaningless if you do nothing but cower.'

"I'm scared," Joan said softly. "I don't… I don't want to burn again…"

"Worry not, child," Saga said, the dagger in his hand once more. "Soon there will be no more fear, no more burning."

'Then look around,' the Nameless One said. 'Look at the people who will die, because you cowered.'

Joan lowered her eyes from Saga and his blade.

To a confused, comforting Bauteut, frozen in time. To Qakog, reaching out a hand to her, as confused as ever.

They were going to die. If Chase couldn't beat this creature in the end, if Penthe couldn't… If she couldn't…

Then they'd all die.

She latched onto that feeling, onto that fear. That worry. Clung to that terror. If ever there was something that scared her more than burning alive, it was letting everyone down. It was leaving all of them to die.

"T-thank you," Joan said.

"What?" Saga asked, before plunging the dagger down.

Joan dashed through him, once again, her body turning to shadows. She reformed opposite him before her boots activated, allowing her to dash away. Straight towards the statue.

She glanced back, but Saga hadn't moved. He only stood there and laughed, watching her. She ignored him, instead leaping up onto the statue once more. Bending down, she gripped the sword.

Anger. Hate. She tried to push back, to shove it away. But once again, the flames washed over her. Her screams echoing through her ears as the pain enveloped her.

------

"Is this your way of trying to beg forgiveness?" Saga called after her. "Perhaps hoping I'll allow you to live? Or have you decided to just save me the trouble of killing you myself?"

Joan ignored him, her hands gripping the sword.

Anger. Hate. But she pushed back. She tried so hard. She needed it to stop this monster. To end this spell he wove around them. It was the key.

Joan screamed and she burned.

------

Joan's hand lingered over the sword, a few tears dripping from her eyes. "I-I'm scared," she whispered, giving a little hiccup with her words.

'I know,' the Nameless One said.

"… They'll all die, if I don't?" Joan asked.

'They will,' the Nameless One said.

"… I never wanted to be the Hero," Joan said before she gripped the sword. Her tears sizzled as they burned away.

------

Joan's fingers wrapped around the grip of the sword and she felt that endless wave of hate and anger at her once more. "W-why? Why do you hate me so much?" she asked. "I'm trying my hardest! I'm scared, but I'm still trying, doesn't that mean anything?"

The burning wrath of the blade answered her only with flames and searing pain.

------

Joan paused when she looked down at the angel. The statue stared up at her. Eyes wide, with surprise. Just like they'd always been. "I don't suppose you'll help me, will you?" Joan asked.

The statue didn't move, because how could it?

Joan gripped the hilt once again. The anger was there, just as it always was.

"Please, help me," Joan begged. "I can't do this alone."

The flames burned her hand and she screamed.

Just this once, though, the burning felt, almost, like it was asking a question. Asking her why. Even as the burning went up her arm.

"B-because I don't want my friends to suffer, even if I have to die! They're always fighting for me, so I have to fight for them!" Joan screamed.

The sword moved, just a little. The burning stopped… and she felt the blade pull free, just a little. Though her arm was burnt and charred, it--

------

"Is everyone okay?" Bauteut asked.

Joan blinked, looking around in confusion. The pain in her arm was gone. Why was it gone?

He'd reset it all again. Joan got to her feet as time stopped. She dashed away, towards the statue.

She leaped to the right, narrowly avoiding the descending vampire in time. She skidded along the ground, on all fours for a moment before smirking at him. "You reset us."

"Stay away from that sword," Saga said, his eyes narrowed on her, the corner of his lips up and revealing his fangs.

"What, I thought you were okay with me pulling it out? Saving you the trouble and all that?" Joan asked.

"I said. Stay. Away," Saga said, giving a low growl. "I'll tear you apart, bit by bit. I—"

"That sword is coming out," Joan said. "It's the key, isn't it?"

"You have no idea what you are tampering with," Saga said, taking a step towards her.

"You're trapped," Joan said.

"And how is that?" Saga asked.

"I remember everything," Joan said. "It's not just me. Even if you do stop me, even if you kill me, then you'll need to fight Chase. Then I'll get another chance. Eventually… I'll succeed. I'll get the sword. I'll never stop trying. Even if you kill me, even if you tear me apart. There's nothing you can do to me that will make me give up on what matters most."

"You'd be surprised just how convincing I can be," Saga said before he lunged forward.

Joan dashed through him once again, turning to shadows before appearing opposite him. She twisted around and shoved the staff out, letting it go to make it hang in the air and causing Saga to slam into it. She then took off, dashing towards the statue and leaping into the air.

"Help me save everyone, please," Joan said before her fingers wrapped around the hilt of the sword. "I can't do this alone." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Saga coming at her, hands out, so close…

The sword pulled free from the statue.

Stone turned to flesh and feathers, before the wings enveloped her. The woman, once a statue, reached out. Joan had only a moment to realize what was happening before she felt the woman's fingers wrap around her throat.

She couldn't understand the words that angel said, but she closed her eyes and gave a small whimper. Well, she'd been choked to death before, it was better than burning. She supposed she'd need to remember that next time. Pull the sword free, then move, immediately.

The hands didn't tighten, though. She opened her eyes and looked down at the woman, who stared at her with bewilderment.

"Ummm… your… sword?" Joan asked, slowly offering the hilt of the sword.

The angel smiled, her hands releasing Joan's throat and took the sword, before saying… something. Words Joan couldn't even begin to guess what they meant.

"Uhhhh…" Joan said. "OH! I have an answer to that!" She then reached back and unstrapped the spider bracer, before putting it on her arm.

She couldn't help but notice the angel jerked a little when the spider bit down.

"Uhhhh…" Joan said. "Please don't kill me."

The angel looked up at her before speaking. "I am sorry, little one. I cannot understand you. Thank you for freeing me. But I must continue my war."

"War?" Joan asked.

Then the wings pulled back, allowing her to see Saga. The vampire stared at her with a look of fury on his face. "You have no idea what you've done," he said.

"I think I've—" Joan's words were cut off when the angel reached up and just shoved her off, sending her skidding on the mud a few feet. "O-ow… at least… nobody saw that…"

'Aside from me,' the Nameless One said.

"You only partially count," Joan said. "Is… is this it? Is that what I needed to do?"

The Nameless One didn't answer. Joan looked up as the angel got to her feet before turning towards Saga. She leveled the sword at him before she dashed forward. It was like watching a lightning bolt, the woman one moment on the edge of the stand, the next she was in front of Saga. There was a resounding boom as his dagger struck her sword.

With each clash of the two, the booms reverberated through the arena until, finally, the blade struck true. It pierced Saga through the arm, pinning it to one of the walls. The angel then shoved her hand out, covering his mouth. "Chrono lock," she said.

White light enveloped the two and then… there was nothing. Just a sizzling spot against the wall.

"What… was that?" Joan asked. "What happened?"

"JOAN!" Bauteut yelled. "What happened? What are you doing over there? Where's… what?"

Joan blinked a few times before, finally, she just dropped back onto the ground and gave a light groan. "Oh… that… is going to be… oh… I've got so much to catch you up on."

She heard the angry roar of Chase's tidal wave approaching and she gave another sigh.

She wondered if she was going to have to apologize to him for giving the target of his revenge to… someone else.

…

She hoped not. She didn't like angry, furious Chase. If she never saw him like that again, she'd be happy.