- Endless At Its Finest [part 1]

Lia started on in awe as she watched the golden edges of the monster's beak disappear over the edges of the window, the darkness behind them soon to encompass Lia's body, swallowing her whole.

She couldn't move, couldn't run, and couldn't yell out for help. She just stood there watching the coming darkness get larger, and larger, and larger…

She couldn't move. She was in awe of her own death coming for her.

"Lia!"

A voice called out from the alleys, close enough that Lia momentarily snapped out of the trance she was in watching this monster's mouth get closer.

She couldn't turn her head, but she could see, out of the corner of her eyes, a body rushing from the street side towards her.

Suddenly the monster reared its head back in an ugly screech that vibrated the glass windows, causing the small stones and rocks on the streets to bounce up and down.

"Grraaaawwwgghhh!

The dark shadow of a body got closer, and suddenly Lia found it slamming into her side, as the monster collapsed on the ground she had just been standing on.

Her back hit the ground with a thud - knocking the remaining breath in her lungs, as she rolled out of harm's way thanks to the force of the body smashing against her.

As she struggled to get up, her chest heaving from the dust in the air, as well as the lack of oxygen, she suddenly found herself staring at her own arm moving around.

'I can move again?'

To answer the question, Cain spoke carefully, explaining in detail what had happened.

'When someone interrupts the paralysis in place, it resets inside the body, nullifying its effects.'

Lia struggled to stand up, her legs wobbling like jelly, as she fell back down unable to do much.

'If that's the case, who interrupted the effects?'

She soon got her answer.

"Lia!"

Lia snapped her head around to find the outline of a person running at her through the dust cloud. At first she was afraid it was one of Kara's goons on their way to deal with her, however, she shelved that idea as quickly as it came.

From the dust, pushing his way past the rubble of the streets, buildings, and the like, came Rian coughing through his solid iron gauntlets.

"Lia!"

He rushed to her when his eyes landed on her frail and damaged looking body. He softly held her shoulders helping her get up, leaning her back against a large wooden post, before shifting his attention to her legs, which were shaking uncontrollably.

"What happened? Lia, what happened?"

"I-I don't know. It was going fine until it used some paralysis effect on me. I-I can't move my legs."

Looking them over, Rian brushed aside a small bit of torn cloth to reveal a few small scars and gashes, but nothing that would cause her legs to stop working.

"You're probably still in shock. You almost died out there."

"But I've been near death before. Why is it now that I'm affected?"

Rian scoffed as he looked over her arms and legs one last time before turning to her with a serious gaze.

"That's because you had options at those times. Now, you almost got eaten and you couldn't do anything about it. Even the most experienced Hunters when they realize they're going to die, take a moment before they begin to realize that they're fine."

Lia didn't care for what other Hunters had been through. She had already guessed that it was Lukali who had stopped the monster from eating her, and right now it was probably aiming its rage and frustration at Lukali.

Struggling to stand up, she found Rian's firm hand pressing her back down against the pole.

"Rian - what…what are you doing?"

Rian shook his head, patting Lia on the shoulder, before standing up.

"You're in no position to fight right now. You nearly died. Even a monster would need time to process that. Wait here, and I'll help Lukali."

He turned to leave, only to hear the shuffling of rubble behind him as Lia once again struggled to get up.

Turning around, he didn't bother to try and push her back down, and instead just watched as she struggled to stand, her legs wobbling and shaking violently. He watched as she tried, and then failed to stand up, falling back down on her butt against the heavy wooden post.

He watched with a solemn expression, shaking his head silently when she failed to stand. He knew she wouldn't leave the front lines, even if her body was screaming in fear. Especially so when one of her own was out there, possibly in danger of being killed once that monster got back up on its feet.

With a stern voice, he pointed to her frail looking body, as it slightly shivered from the warm breeze.

"Stay."

With that, he disappeared back into the cloud of dust, his gauntlets ready to be stained in blood. Either his, or someone else's.

As Lia watched as Rian disappeared behind the cover of the dust cloud, like a blanket enveloping him, she realized she had no choice but to wait for her patiently.

She felt helpless, weak, and frail.

She felt like her childhood years in the palace, unable to do anything as she watched her family slowly grow farther and further away from her.

She felt helpless.

'Your not helpless Lia.'

Cain's voice, which at one point offered a much needed relief, was now nothing more than 'one of those voices' in her head.

'Lia. I'm here, not out there.'

She shook her head, trying to get the voices out of her mind, but they kept flooding in, drowning her.

'Weak.'

'Foolish girl.'

'Pathetic little snob!'

'I wish you weren't my child.'

'How can I have a sibling like you.'

'The princess is a failure.'

'She can't even do a single thing right.'

'What use is she to us?'

'They should have just thrown her on the streets!'

Lia clutched her head, her eyes wide with grief as she felt like a drowning lamb in the midst of a river running free, pushing her under and under, until she could no longer breathe.

"Lia!"

A voice spoke from beside her. Not inside, outside.

The voice was strong and stern, chasing away the rest of the voices that disappeared, scampering towards the dark reaches of her brain.

She could breathe. Finally.

As Lia slowly raised her head to meet the owner of this voice, her eyes red with tears threatening to fall from her long black lashes.

"Cain…"

Her weak voice spoke, filled with sorrow and hurt.

"Lia."

Cain's voice didn't betray any anger, nor did he betray any act of trying to comfort her.

Silently, he sat down next to her, letting her head fall on his shoulders. She was light, lighter than a feather, something Cain knew was just a small subject of his power, but at once Cain wished he could feel some weight on his skin.

He wished he could feel her burdens weighing on him as well, but he knew that was impossible.

"Lia, I understand your fears. I understand your hurt more than you do."

A loud crash from behind the cloud of dust circling them rang out like an echo in a cave. The sound of a monster in rage.

"Craw!!"

"It seems like your friends are deep in battle. No doubt you want to go and help them?"

Lia didn't say anything, and instead slowly nodded her head. The gesture was small, almost unnoticeable, no doubt because of the feeling rushing through her body at the moment.

"You know that in your current state, you might die?"

Lia nodded her head.

"Even with all that against you, you're still willing to die for these people?"

"They're my friends Cain."

Lia answered without hesitation, giving Cain the answer that he needed, and the answer he didn't need at the same time.

He sighed as he looked at Lia's body leaning against his, and he smiled slightly. Not his sinister smile, but a rare loving smile that told any who gazed upon it, that he cared about her.

"Alright. If that's your goal, then so be it."

He reached down and took her hand in his, an action that startled Lia who stuttered as she watched him bring in closer and closer to his face.

"C-Cain? W-Wh-at's going on?"

He slightly kissed her small and frail hand, before patting it and letting go.

"I told you before that I couldn't help you. Kara was watching, and I didn't want to harm you or your situation. But now…"

He gestured to the hand he had kissed, the rune circle moving along the backside of her hand, where an eagle's wings covered it.

"Use my power. Help them. And in turn, you will help yourself."

"Cain…"

Lia's voice drifted off as a sudden warm feeling enveloped her, spreading down her legs, arms, feet and toes. It felt like her blood was on fire, and it was carrying that fire throughout her whole body.

Suddenly the dust cloud bent and warped, rushing towards her face, covering her body as it disappeared behind her, revealing the scene covering the streets.

"Craw!!!"

The bird-like monster was rolling around in the rubble of the broken up street, Rian clinging to its neck with both his arms and legs, facing off against the constant rocks and wood thrown in his face from the rolling.

Lukali was some distance off, but was still contributing heavily to the monster's pain, as Lia could make out several small sticks protruding from the creature's back, chest, wings and even one deep in its eye. No doubt this was the one Lukali used as a distraction for Rain to help her out of the paralysis.

The scene shocked Lia both by how crazy Rian must have been to do something like this, as well as how determined they were to keep her out of this fight. She could already tell they were rushing to get this done.

All of a sudden Rian lost his footing, the only thing keeping him from falling were his long and strong arms keeping him attached to the beast neck. But that didn't last long either, as the monster began shaking its head, causing Rian to lose his grip, sending him flying into rubble.

"Rian!"

Lukali cried out, barrel rolling out of the way as the monster's beak pierced the ground he once stood on.

Immediately Luakli rushed to his side as Rian struggled to push off a large rock on his leg, pinning him to the ground.

The monster however, wasn't willing to let these two go anytime soon, stomped its foot into the ground and rushed off after Lukali.

Lia watched all this happen, and as the monster began chasing after Lukali, its back turned to her, she found her chance.

'Now Lia!'

Cain confirmed this opening, ushering her to move on it while she still had time.

Lia, hearing Cain's confirmation, activated [Drifting Winds] and sped off at speeds unseen by the naked eye.

Lia's body zipped across the street, covering the distance in seconds, as she drew her sword from her scabbard. Using her left hand as a bracer, and her right to aim the blade, Lia held Evegallion firmly in her hand, ready to meet any type of resistance this creature's flesh might give.

Her worries were unfounded however, due to the speed she was traveling at, as well as the strength of her sword, the blade pierced through the monster touch skin, the sound of flesh ripping and blood spilling on the ground filled her ears.

As she made the connection on the other side, the force and speed of her atack sent the beast's leg flying off, a clean cut across the skin and through the flesh.

Instantly the creature stopped its assault on Lukali and the injured Rian, looking out the sky, howled in pain. The screech was like the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard, piercing Lia's eardrums.

"Crraaooouuu!"

Lia, deactivated [Drifting Winds], came out on the other side of the monster, between it and her friends. Raising her hand, she didn't waste a moment and began her next attack.

She closed her eyes, focused on the vision in her head, and released the air in her lungs.

[Flames]

From her crouched figure, a small light glowed in the shadows, cast by the setting sun as it fell over the rooftops and crumbling buildings.

From that small light, fueled by the howling winds, a burst of flames rose from her hands, like a spire shooting out towards the monster.

The world seemed to be in slow motion as everyone present watched in anticipation as the flames rose like a cloud, and slammed against the monster's chest, burning through feathers, skin, charring flesh and clotting blood.

The fire lit up the street in a yellow and red hue, doubled by the shadows that rose from the darkness around them.

The fire burned, burned, and burned.

Their surroundings were covered and dyed in a bright red and yellow light, as the fire rose to surround the creature, creating a ball of flames that burned away the darkness itself.

Pain.

Howls of pain filled the night as the monster burned away.

Beauty.

The fire mesmerized the group as they watched in some awful horror.

Death.

Yet, despite all this, with the sound of one large cry into the evening sky, the monster still survived.

"Craaaaw!"

The group looked at each other, and with solemn expressions, they nodded.

They knew what they had to do.

The rock was removed from atop Rain's leg, bows were drawn, swords were held strong, and the three looked on with fire in their eyes.

With one word, they moved as one.

"Go!"