*Cough* *Cough* *Cough*
Aaron convulsed in a fit of violent coughs, his body wracked with the force of each breath.
His eyes reddened, bloodshot, as tears streamed down his face, mingling with the sweat of his exertion.
He staggered backward, further away from Aizel, as the severity of his coughing became too much for him to bear. He was disoriented and defenseless due to the effects of the noxious smoke and his own bodily discomfort.
"Give up now," Aizel said.
"I will at least take *Cough* one of you down...
"Fuck!"
Aaron choked and staggered away as his body disintegrated into numerous swirls of black smokes.
These ethereal wisps surged forward with alarming speed, converging in a concentrated mass as they raced toward Daisy, perched atop the tree.
Daisy saw the dark smokes coming from where she was standing, and the sight sent a chill down her spine. Aizel, his body engulfed in crackling lightning, saw the impending danger and charged forward, closing the gap between himself and the oncoming smokes with incredible speed.
He slashed fast through the black clouds with Sekki, his blade glowing with blinding white light. With each sweep of his blade, the shadows were slashed away and the smokes dispersed.
"Don't get nervous Daisy; you can do it!" Daisy murmured.
Daisy, bowstring in hand, focused her magical energy on the bow by infusing it with her mana.
She could feel the imminent presence of the encroaching black smokes, and in response, she let loose the arrow.
With incredible momentum, the projectile shot across the sky. The arrow experienced a miraculous change as it traveled, breaking apart into a swarm of smaller arrows.
Each fragment was enveloped in a vibrant green aura, a manifestation of Daisy's skillful manipulation of mana.
*Boom* *Boom* *Boom* *Boom* *Boom*..
A gust of wind suddenly erupted, seemingly in response to their arrival, and the menacing black clouds quickly dispersed in all directions.
The turbulent gusts swept through the air, unraveling the darkness that had loomed over them.
Seizing the opportunity, Aizel swiftly moved forward.
A crescent-shaped arc of pure white energy erupted from his single tremendous strike, slicing through the last of the black cloud. The shadows vanished as the brilliant blade cut through them, revealing Aaron's bruised and bloodied body.
The fierce fight he had suffered behind the smokescreen had left visible scars on his hands and back.
"Just stop it, idiot."
[Master, don't lose concentration. Daisy is near]
"I won't ...die. I can't die yet." Aaron murmured slowly as he dragged himself to the ground.
"I have to kill... that Eudora bastard; I have to save my mother and sister from him...
"What Eudora bastard are you speaking of?" Aizel asked as he slowly made his way toward him.
Aaron's body began dissolving into a whirling mass of dark clouds, like an ethereal clone, and it was a very unsettling sight.
Aizel's eyes widened in shock and anxiety as he quickly adjusted his senses to the surroundings.
Aaron suddenly appeared out of the murky tree branches next to Daisy, as if he had always been there.
She, too, had keenly sensed his approach ever since he emerged from the dissipating smoke.
"I will at least take you down *Cough*
Suddenly, Daisy swiftly hurled a black ball toward the base of the tree trunk where she was standing.
As the ball collided with the ground, it exploded into a swirling mixture of crimson and obsidian smoke, enveloping the surrounding area where a cluster of trees stood.
The thick veil of smoke concealed their presence, providing a momentary shield within the shrouded grove.
Daisy, donning the same peculiar box-shaped mask as Aizel, swiftly made her way towards Aizel.
Despite the toxic smoke, Aaron stayed with her and continued to cough violently.
His intentions to strike Daisy were thwarted when a small fiery container, propelled through the air, neared him with purposeful intent.
*Bup*
The container gave off a bright, brilliant white radiance, like that of a flashbang, which temporarily bewildered and blinded Aaron.
Despite his impaired vision, he swung his weapon with desperate determination, hoping to land a strike on Daisy, unwilling to relent.
As clarity returned to Aaron's sight, he found himself confronted by Aizel, who stood before him with a sword impaled through his own abdomen.
Aaron felt a wave of horror and pain as he stared at the red flood of blood that was pouring from his wound, soaking his clothes, and dripping from his lips.
His legs faltered beneath him, betraying his weakening strength, as his body succumbed to the overwhelming pain.
Aaron fell to the ground, and his body writhed in pain as he fought for consciousness. During his final minutes, Aizel quickly knelt by him, his grip powerful but soft.
His strike also found its way to his bleeding shoulder, which he ignored for the time being.
Daisy, filled with concern, yearned to approach, but Aizel's solemn gesture urged her to keep her distance, understanding the gravity of the moment.
"I told you, don't make me do this," Aizel said.
"k..ill...kill Eudora bastard. My mother and sister....
"What happened to them?"
"ki..lll
"Oye what happened to them, tell me..." Aizel yelled a little.
A hushed silence fell over the scene as Aaron's feeble breaths grew fainter and eventually ceased altogether.
His life force waned, and with a final exhale, his eyes gently shut, surrendering to eternal slumber.
"Aizel.." Daisy called out to him as she got close to him.
"I just killed a kid..." Aizel slowly spoke; his hands trembled a little while holding his body.
"Even though now I don't feel like killing the scums in this world, this.. this is different.
"I could have done something different..
Daisy knelt down beside Aizel. She reached out and softly encircled him, pulling him into an embrace from behind.
"It's not your fault, Aizel. He was fighting for something, just like you were.
"He knew he could die, but he still continued to fight instead of escaping or surrendering.
"If you wouldn't have killed him, either he would have killed me or even your life would have been in danger."
"What Eudora Bastard was he speaking of? Where is Jeffrey? He might know something."
Aizel rose to his feet with a heavy heart, his gaze lingering on Aaron's lifeless form. He stored his body in his storage ring for now.
