#merico

Nova had to fight his way back through the pain to consciousness.  

His arm hurt so much.  

Couldn’t breath.

“NOVA!” Amilia’s voice called.

“DAMI!” Max’s followed.  

His eyes flickered open as he heard Amilia scream.  Through his blurred vision he could make out Merico attacking Amilia.  He was hurting her.  

Merico was hurting Amilia....

“....let... her....go....” he gasped, coughing up blood.

Merico looked over at Nova, sneering at him, as he hit Amilia again.  

Nova screamed, pulling on his arm, ignoring the pain that tore through it.  It was an animalistic sound that ripped through his throat.  

Merico’s fingers curled around Amilia’s throat as he started strangling her.  

Nova felt something in him snap in his chest.  Power rushed through him, gathering around his free hand.  

The others were all on the ground.  

No one were moving.  

This couldn’t happen....

Without hesitation, he slammed the power through his trapped arm.  The pain made him black out for a moment.  

He grabbed his arm as he fell to the ground.  Immediately blood started pouring out of the wound, his cut off arm.  He could feel the seal in his side, burning, ripping through him.  

Without a sound he shot forward.  Everything around him moved.  It attacked Merico from every direction.  Ripping through the man’s shields.  

Fire and water rushed with Nova. 

Nova took on Merico, with every ability that he’d ever encountered.  Blood splattered the ground.  Explosions lit up the sky.  Fires burned.  Shadows moved.   Lightning crackled in the air.  Illusions moved around.  The elements filled the air.  At moments there were flashes of lines on his skin.  His speed increased more and more and more.  

Fang formed in his mouth.  

Clawed hands ripped at Merico, until the man was to weak to move.

As the man fell, Nova stepped over him.  

Each breath, wheezed painfully through his chest, as blood ran down his face and dripped to the ground.  

Slowly he sank to his knees, pressing his hand over the man’s face.  

“Time to come back to fucking reality” Nova growled, his voice distorted by the fangs in his mouth.  

With that forced himself into Merico mind.

***

Amilia watched as Nova fought with Merico.  “What is going on?” she gasped, looking over at Lucas.  

“His seal....” the man said “It had been completely unlocked....”

“What do you mean?” Max snapped, pressing a hand against his bleeding side “Dami had never been able to do things like that....”

“That.... is his primary power” Lucas said “Perfect copy....”

“Dad!” Gale snapped “What the hell is going on!”

Lucas shook his head.  “Dominic’s power had been seal, only a small fraction left for him to use” he said “He’s power is out of control....”

Amilia’s eyes snapped towards Nova as he screamed.  

He’s gone as while as snow, before collapsing to the side, gasping.  Immediately Amilia ran over to him, going down on her knees.  

“Nova....” she whispered, looking down at his pale face.  His miss matched eyes barely focused on her.  

“....ami...” he gasped, voice weak.  

Amilia bit her lip as she gently placed her hand against his bloody cheek.  “Hey you....” she said softly, trying to hold back to tears.

“....you....  alright...?” he asked, blood dripping down his mouth.

She nodded, as she slowly started healing him as well as she could.  But there was so much damage to his body, that she didn’t know if her healing would make a difference.  

Nova coughed up more blood, a shiver running through his body.  His eyes started flickering close.

“Nonono...” Amilia said quickly, patting his cheek “Dami... please...  Open your eyes, Love.... please don’t...”

She sighed relieved when his eyes flickered open again.  

“There you are...” she whispered.

“...Ami....” he gasped “...  I’m.. tired...”

Amilia smiled as tears ran over her face.

“I know...” she said softly, her thumb just gently brushing over his cheek “I know....”

“Hera is on her way” Lucas said “He just need to hold on....”

Amilia nodded as she continued healing him, doing her best to keep him alive.  

“....Ami....” Nova managed, his voice fading.

“Yes, Darling?” she said softly, trying her best to smile at him.  

“.... I need... to...tell you....” Nova struggled to say, as his eyes flickered closed for a moment.  As he came back, he could hear Amilia saying his name.  There was something wet dripping down on his face.  

There was pain building in his body and he didn’t know why.  Shouldn’t dying be the easy part....

No...

He promised...

That he wouldn’t die....

“Don’t do that again....” Amilia said, as she wiped some of the tears from her eyes “Don’t dare die on me....”

“....tired....” Nova whispered again.  

Amilia blinked, wiping her eyes.  “I’m sorry....” she said softly, trying not to  “It’s alright....”

She could feel him fading.  There was nothing else she could do for him.

“It’s alright.....” Amilia said, just gently brushing his hair as tears ran down her cheeks “You can sleep now....  it’s alright....  It’s over....  You can sleep now...”

Nova shivered as the pain in his body became worse.  

Amilia sniffed, gently moving him so she could hold him.  “It’s alright....  You can sleep...  It’s over...  You’ve done it...  No more fighting....” she said, trying not to start sobbing “So it’s alright...  I know you’re tired...  You can sleep”

Nova managed to smile slightly at her.  “... Princess...” he whispered, barely audible “... I.... I...  love...you...”

Now the tears ran down Amilia’s face unchecked.  “..I.. I love you... too” she said between sobs “Now...  It’s alright....   You can rest...  and tell me that... again, when you... wake up....”

The tired smiled slowly faded from Nova’s face as his eyes flickered closer.

***

TIME SKIP

A high pitched scream sounded through the air, before laughter followed.   Small footsteps came running up to the house.  

“GRANDPA!” a little girl screamed as she ran into Lucas’ arms.  

Lucas smiled slightly.  “What is it, child?” he asked.

“Mamma and Pappa are yelling at each other... and then Mamma got mad....  and Pappa pointed at her....  and she pulled his arm off...” the little girl said, her messy red hair falling over her face as she looked up at Lucas with bright golden eyes.

“GRANDPA!” a little boy yelled as he came running in, waving a metallic arm, wearing a black glove in the air “Pappa said I should ask you if you need a hand”

Hysterical laughing sounded from outside, before it was cut of by a yelp.

“HEY... that hurts!”

“You’ll heal” a woman’s voice said annoyed.

“Yeah... Even with regeneration, I can’t grow back fucking limbs” a man’s voice said.  

“Don’t swear in front of the children” the woman’s voice said.

“Oh come on, Princess....” 

“Don’t you princess me, Dominic!” Amilia said angrily “I’m mad at you”

Nova laughed as he walked into the house.  The material of his left sleeve, hanging empty from his shoulder.  

Amilia walked behind him, looking furious.  “Next time I will stab you” she snapped.

Nova ducked under a hit aimed at his head.  “I’ll heal....”

“If you keep this up, we’ll seal you power again” Lucas said, flatly.

“Pappa!” the little boy said, running to Nova “Do you want your hand back?”

Nova knelt, hugging the boy with one arm.  “Awe.... thank you, Ash....” he said, giving the boy a kiss on his curled blond hair “Why don’t you give that to Mamma, so she can put it back where she found it”

Amilia snorted, turning her head away.  “No” she said, making Nova sigh.

“Hina...?” Nova said looking over at the little girl “Will you help Pappa?”

Hina nodded and ran to take the prosthetic arm from her brother, before going over to Amilia.  “Here Mamma” she said “Before Pappa doesn’t have an arm anymore”

Amilia sighed as she took the arm.  “Thank you baby” she said, before glaring at Nova, who just smiled happily at her.  

Ash patted Nova on the head.  “Don’t worry Pappa” he said “Mamma will fix you up”

“She always does” Nova said, hugging the boy again.