21 Dark Flames

Ryouma didn't know what a sword was doing in the snake, but he knew he needed to trust his instincts. He had to believe that the Shadows were truly speaking to him. So he directed his flames from his arms to his feet instead and shot himself upward. He burst through the air extremely fast, landing on top of the snake. The snake shook feeling Ryouma land on top of him. But it couldn't move properly as Arata continued to take its force and energy, restricting it. Arata shouted at Ryouma.

"I can't hold him for much longer! Do something!"

Ryouma moved, running on the snake, running towards the sword hilt. The snake sensed danger and sent more energy out, trying to get rid of Arata so it could stop Ryouma. But even though it was a struggle, Arata was able to hold it off long enough for Ryouma to reach the sword. He grabbed the hilt and the snake shook. Arata was shocked to find that the snake's energy had suddenly weakened. He looked up at Ryouma who was on top of the snakes head.

Ryouma felt his energy surge into the blade and he could feel it changing within the blade. He also found that his hand seemed to be glued to the hilt and he couldn't let go. A wave of dark energy began to pulsate off of Ryouma. Ryouma froze like a statue on top of the snake.

Arata could see and feel the energy waves and sensed that something was happening to Ryouma.

"If you truly care about him, you will do your best to protect him while he breaks through."

It was that voice from before. He didn't know why but it felt familiar the more he heard it. He sent his thoughts back to it.

'Who are you?'

"Now's not the time. He is going to be unable to move for a while leaving him open to attacks. You must delay that beast until he has finished."

Arata could feel Ryouma's power surging and knew that what the voice said was true but he also knew that he wouldn't be able to hold on long enough for Ryouma to finish controlling his power and make his breakthrough.

"That's why I came out."

Arata felt a surge of power circulate through his meridians. He breathed out a black cloud of impurities. This power had invigorated him, expanding his capacity and strengthening his meridians, solidifying and strengthening his body. All this happened in just a moment. Arata didn't hesitate to continue cultivating the Vitality Bestowal in his body and, to his pleasant surprise; he was able to absorb more of the snake's power and was converting it at a faster rate. The snake had been pushing and moving a little bit prior to now, but the large serpent had now completely frozen. Arata had successfully stopped the snake's energy.

Azrail went wide eyed as he looked at his son. He had felt that his son would have continued to struggle with this opponent and it would have turned into a long drawn out battle as he waits for Ryouma to finish his breakthrough, but somehow Arata had a breakthrough and was able to bring the Spirit of Ruin to a stop. Azrail could tell that the black cloud that Arata had exhaled was full of the impurities within his body. Things that block, restrict and dirty one's Pathways, causing the Energy within a person's Elemental Reservoir to be slowed and tainted, limiting that person. But Arata was somehow able to expel some of those impurities so easily just now, making his Pathways smoother, more refined and, essentially, stronger. Azrail was shocked. As were the others watching. None of them could understand how Arata could improve so much in an instant.

Arata didn't understand it either. He knew that this voice inside of him had done it but he didn't know who or what that voice was. He was confused, but he would figure this out later. Right now his concern was the Spirit of Ruin before him. He was still converting and placing his authority on the energy, but he wasn't entirely sure if releasing it to the snake would be enough to kill it. He also had to take into consideration that Ryouma was frozen on the top of the snake. If he released the energy and the Spirit of Ruin didn't die, it would instantly attack the defenceless Ryouma.

And even if he did kill it, Ryouma would still be affected by the attack from Arata. He was limited with his options so he just had to believe in Ryouma and hold the snake here for as long as he could.

He allowed the energy to flow through him. The problem is that the Energy would continue to flow from the snake to him, so to keep him still, any energy recovered by the snake, he would need to take. And as he wasn't releasing any of it, he had to contain this energy. He was basically a balloon that continued to be filled with air. Although his capacity had grown, he still had his limits. He was definitely stronger, but no one can improve so much so easily, this was still a lot of Energy for him to handle. He grit his teeth and concentrated on keeping the Energy as compressed as possible so he could fit more Energy within himself.

Ryouma opened his eyes. He seemed to be in a completely black void. He circulated the Shadow Awareness and the void remained black. He realized he could see himself perfectly fine as he looked at his arms, but everything else was pure darkness. He then felt heat coming from behind him so he turned around a saw a large red flame burning in the middle of the void. He felt that this flame was familiar. As he came closer, he touched the flames and they didn't burn him, but the warmth felt good to him.

He then saw that the void began to absorb the flame, as if it were eating it. A panic rose from within him and rushed forward.

"No!"

He wanted to protect the flame for some reason and waved his arms around trying to stop the void from taking the flame.

"Why do you protect it?"

The void seemed to be speaking. He didn't know how but he knew that the voice was that of the void. He also realized what the flame was and why he was so desperate.

"It is my power. This is my flame. I can not let it go out."

"But we are your power too."

Ryouma frowned.

"How are you my power? I am a Fire Elemental."

"Incorrect. That is only a part of you. We are the rest. You have the opportunity to tap into our power. But you must first lay down the flame."

Ryouma looked back at the fire. He had a hard childhood. He grew up with nothing, there were other orphans he lived with that would all support each other though. They all contributed to help each other. He was a natural genius and led them. He did his best to keep everyone alive. And when he discovered he had the ability to produce fire, things changed for the group. He could keep them warm, cook them food. The fire brought them blessings.

He was reluctant to let the fire go as he had a lot of attachment to it.

"Ryouma!!"

Ryouma turned. That sounded like Arata's voice. He sounded like he was struggling. He needed to go and help him.

"To help him, you first need the power to do so."

Ryouma looked out into the void and back at the flame. He closed his eyes and thought things over. He finally opened his eyes with resolve on his face.

"Take my flame. I will gain power to serve the Sato Clan."

The dark void absorbed the fire. The fire shrank smaller and smaller. Ryouma watched with a pain in his heart. He stood there as things got darker as the flame disappeared. He suddenly felt an intense heat coming from around him. Like the void itself was on fire.

"We said that you were not a Fire Elemental. That is true. But only partly. As we said, it is only a part of you. By giving it over to us, we can make it our own. Your own. Our power is yours. Now release us."

Ryouma closed his eyes and felt as though his power was increasing rapidly. He felt that, surprisingly, the familiar flame was still there, but now it was stronger, larger and there was more to it than before. He could sense the presence of the void in his power. He could feel that it had become one with his flames. He knew that he had reached a new level.

Time to try it out.

As Arata was nearing his limit, he continued to shout to Ryouma to wake up. The atmosphere suddenly shifted. Arata was shocked by the change as he felt a terrifying oppressive force pulsating. He looked up at Ryouma and watched as the flames began to circle around Ryouma. They blazed around him but didn't burn him. And then the flames began to change colour. They began to go darker and the heat produced seemed to increase.

Arata's eyes lit up.

"He did it!"

Hyosuke was completely stunned.

"He was able to manage a fusion?"

Akari stared at Ryouma.

"He was able to pull of a fusion? Seriously?"

Oishi looked over to Akari.

"What's a fusion?"

Akari began to explain.

"This isn't something widely known, but Light and/or Darkness lies hidden within many Elemental Reservoirs, cut off from being used. Most times it is never tapped into and just becomes like the rest of the users Elemental Energy. However, if it can be tapped into, there is the possibility of a fusion where your Element will fuse with either the Light or the Darkness within a person. I can't believe Ryouma was actually able to perform a fusion with the Darkness."

Masahiro looked impressed.

"I believe it is much more than that."

Azrail roared heartily with laughter.

"The little one pulled it off. He truly deserves a place as a Shadowguard."

Hyosuke looked at Masahiro and Azrail.

"What do you mean by that? Is there something unique about his fusion?"

Oishi and Akari looked over to Azrail who was grinning.

"When he comes out and you sense his Energy, you'll understand how it is so much more than a simple fusion. That oppressive power I felt within him wasn't just Darkness. And if you look closely, those aren't flames mixed with Darkness."

Hyosuke went wide eyed as he stared at the orb.

"His Darkness actually....? Is that even possible?"

Ryouma opened his eyes. His eyes were completely black now. The black flames around him all rushed into the hilt of the blade he was holding. He pulled the blade out of the snake. The sword had a black and silver pattern on it, carved into the blade. Ryouma's black flames lit up the patterns and the blade emitted an intense heat. Ryouma nodded at Arata who smiled and finally released all the energy he was holding in.

His fist exploded with force and sent the snake flying backwards, Ryouma elegantly flipped off the snake as it flew back wards. The snake flew through the air, slamming into the cave's wall and then the floor. It slowly rose up from the ground, clearly injured, but now angry and aggressive. Ryouma had landed in front of Arata calmly. Although his eyes were completely black voids, his face was shining with excitement and pride. He bowed to Arata.

"Thank you Captain. I was able to breakthrough and obtain new power. I wish to defeat the beast alone, to test this new power."

Arata smiled and nodded. He was also eager to see in what way he had improved and how strong these black flames were. He could sense a new aura coming off of Ryouma and it felt truly powerful. The oppressive aura he had felt from Ryouma before seemed to be centering in the blade he was holding. Arata could tell that if he was to clash with Ryouma now, the oppressive aura in his blade would easily cut him down. The snake hissed angrily. Ryouma turned around and gripped his blade tightly. He remembered the strange vision he had and the darkness that absorbed his flame. He concentrated his power into the blade. He held it in front of him and closed his eyes.

"Be free."