I Am The Game's Villain

"Carla." He gently slapped Carla\'s cheeks, rousing her from her stupor.

"H-Hm? E-Edward…?" Carla blinked, trying to comprehend the situation.

"Take him and Sylvia away," Edward commanded with a sense of urgency.

"Eh-Jayden?!?" Carla\'s eyes widened in shock as she noticed Jayden lying on the ground. She hurriedly approached him, concern etched on her face.

"Take them away," Edward reiterated, his voice firm and unyielding.

"O-Okay, but…" Carla hesitated, glancing back at the approaching menace, Brandon.

"Take them away now," Edward\'s steely gaze sent shivers down Carla\'s spine, and she immediately complied. Using her wind powers, she carried Jayden and Sylvia away, making sure to treat Sylvia\'s injuries as she did so.

Once they were gone, Edward was left alone to face Brandon in the Garden of Eden.

"Are you Edward? No…" Brandon\'s eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. "Who are you?"

"Elona is dead," Edward stated, taking a step forward, his expression unreadable.

Brandon\'s eyes widened in shock upon hearing the news. He instinctively knew who was responsible – Walter, his old friend and confidant, who had betrayed him and caused this tragedy.

\'I\'m sorry, Thomen.\'

Regret and guilt gnawed at Brandon\'s heart. He had already taken his wife\'s life, and he had never intended to take anyone else in his family because of their shared memories together.

"I\'m sorry, Edward. I didn\'t plan to kill her. She was just here to lure you out," Brandon admitted, attempting to explain himself.

"Keep your excuses for yourself, Brandon. They don\'t interest me," Edward replied coolly. "We all have our reasons to feel anger, sadness, and love. They come and go, beyond our control."

Brandon\'s gaze wavered, surprised by Edward\'s mature and ruthless understanding. He found himself resonating with Edward\'s sentiments, but there was no room for absolution in this grim reality.

"That\'s why…" Edward raised Trinity Nihil, his cold gaze locked on the man who shared the same amber eyes as Oryanna Olphean. "Don\'t blame me for what I am about to do, Uncle Brandon."

Brandon\'s smile widened as he vanished from sight.

-BOOOOM!

Edward parried Brandon\'s sword with Trinity Nihil but was pushed back several meters by the sheer force of the attack.

Undeterred, Brandon followed up with a powerful kick, but Edward was already prepared.

"Second Wing," Edward muttered, and in an instant, he appeared above Brandon, delivering a lightning-fast kick.

-BAM!

Brandon shielded himself, but his arm couldn\'t withstand the impact, cracking under the pressure.

"Third Wing." An overwhelming surge of mana enveloped Edward. "Anathema\'s Fire, Burning Breath."

-BOOOOM!

Brandon absorbed the brunt of the attack, his right side scorched by the searing flames.

"Ah!" Despite the pain, Brandon quickly recovered and swung his sword at Edward\'s neck. Edward managed to dodge most of the attack, but a shallow cut appeared on his waist, blood staining the golden grass beneath him.

"Fourth Wing," Edward muttered, and the deep cut on his waist miraculously healed. "Fifth Wing." His hair elongated, and his irises expanded. The swirling grey energy around him distorted the air, signifying the immense power he was accessing. He pointed Trinity Nihil at Brandon, and the grey mana swirled at the tip of his sword. "Horus\' Breath."

"Belphegor Breath!" Brandon responded swiftly, summoning a terrific orange breath, and the two forces collided.

-BOOOOM!

Both Edward and Brandon were knocked away by the explosive force, but they quickly regained their footing and leaped back into the fray.

They exchanged blow after blow, swords clashing with an almost melodic rhythm. Each cut and strike left its mark, their movements a beautiful but deadly dance. Edward\'s attacks, however, were starting to weaken. The immense power he was wielding had a time limit, and he could feel it slipping away.

His calm expression wavered, and his once grey eyes began to flicker back to amber.

"Ugh!" Edward grunted as he received a powerful kick, crashing into the ground and creating a deep crater. But he didn\'t stay down for long. With unyielding determination, he stood up and locked eyes with Brandon.

Edward\'s breaths were ragged, and his body trembled with the strain of maintaining his heightened state. He knew he couldn\'t keep it up much longer.

With a renewed resolve, Edward pointed Trinity Nihil at Brandon, gathering the last dregs of his strength. "This will be the last one."

Brandon looked at him also out of breath before laughing. "You truly are your mother\'s and father\'s son, Edward."

Edward ignored him and coated his sword with Ruah before channeling all the mana and energy from his Legacy for the last time.

"I\'m not talking about Oryanna and Thomen, Edward."

Edward frowned. "You speak a lot-"

"Yes…" Brandon smiled. "You have inherited Kleines\' lack of fear and Lydia\'s, oh yes, you inherited everything else from her.

"My father is Thomen and my mother is Oryanna-"

"You should rejoice, Edward. Your mother is alive but not your father unfortunately and your elder brother died not long ago as well."

"Enough." Edward said coldly and with a surge of strength, he channeled everything he had left into one final strike. The grey energy around him intensified, forming a swirling vortex of power around Trinity Nihil.

"AH!" Edward roared, his voice echoing through the Garden of Eden. "Heru Nechem."

The world seemed to hold its breath as he unleashed his ultimate attack. The air crackled with electricity as the blade of Trinity Nihil came crashing down towards Brandon with unstoppable force.

For a moment, everything froze, and then...

-BOOOOOOOM!

The explosion was cataclysmic, sending shockwaves rippling through the very fabric of the realm. The force of the attack was immense, tearing through the ground and shaking the heavens above. A blinding white light erupted from the epicenter of the collision, engulfing the entire Garden of Eden changing the golden sky to grey for a moment.

As the brilliance of the explosion slowly dissipated, the world lay in stunned silence. The once vibrant and colorful garden now lay in ruins, the ground scorched and torn apart. Smoke and dust filled the air, making it difficult to see.

Edward stood at the center of the devastation, his body trembling with exhaustion and his heart heavy with grief. He had put everything he had into that attack and there was no sign of Brandon-

"I-I nearly died…" Brandon\'s voice rang behind Edward, filled with exhaustion and regret. "You fought well-"

"I agree," Edward interrupted, his voice cold and resolute.

In an instant, Edward reacted with lightning speed, and Trinity Nihil found its mark, piercing Brandon\'s chest. The young man fell to his knees, his face contorted with horror and pain. Edward, now kneeling on the ground, vanished in a flurry of white particles, only to reappear right in front of Brandon with a deathly pale expression.

"Ha…" Brandon chuckled painfully before falling onto his knees, blood trickling from the wound. "Oh…I-I\'m sorry…Clarice and all of you…"

"Aunt Clarice would have found your acts despicable," Edward said harshly, his voice filled with anger and disappointment. "But she might still love you."

Surprised by Edward\'s words, Brandon glanced up, mustering a faint smile before closing his eyes.

"Unfortunately, you won\'t see her. Only hell awaits you, Uncle," Edward declared, his voice steady but heavy with emotion. With a sense of finality, he turned away and began walking slowly towards the altar, leaning on it as he closed his eyes. "...like me."

The weight of everything he had gone through and the burden of his actions weighed heavily on his shoulders.

The Garden of Eden remained silent as the sun set, casting long shadows on the scene of a broken battle. Edward\'s heart felt heavy as he thought of the losses he had endured and the choices he had made. He had fought with all his strength, but the cost had been high—to high, and the wounds he carried ran deep.

Laying there, he contemplated the choices he had made, the paths he had taken, and the people he had lost along the way. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions and regrets, but amidst the turmoil, a glimmer of hope remained. He didn\'t lose everyone, and in the face of darkness and despair, he still held onto his humanity. Something that was still present for now thankfully...and he hoped forever.