008: Asol III

"Bring it on, I'm not scared of you."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! WHY WOULD YOU LIE TO YOURSELF LIKE THAT?!"

Just like how the other people appeared earlier, a blinding red light emerged.

The second it was gone, a dark figure stood in front of me.

It had red eyes just like Asol, and it had a dark flaming sword, just like mine except the fire was a deep black color.

I could feel the heat radiating off my blade, but his blade felt cold, lifeless.

As if a single strike would send your soul straight to hell.

"NOW, IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO RECEIVE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR!"

The dark being charged.

Wait?

Where did he go?

He was in front of me just a second ago.

*CLANG*

I was barely able to react in time.

He moved behind me faster than I could blink.

He slashed his sword upwards, and I was barely able to block.

Our swords clashed, and his strength sent my sword flying.

He caught the sword on its way down, and I retreated back a few steps.

How is he so fast?

It's impossible.

How can I be expected to beat something like that?!

I've been trying to imagine him dying, but it's not working.

He's messing with this place in some way.

Asol, just how strong are you?

AS I THOUGHT, HE DOESN'T STAND A CHANCE!

Asol thought.

I SHOULD PLAY WITH HIM FOR A BIT!

JUST FOR FUN!

The shadow threw the sword on the ground in front of me.

"PICK IT UP OR DIE, YOUR CHOICE!"

Pick it up?

But why?

I can't fight that thing.

I was in over my head.

I never should have challenged him.

My eyes were wide with fear.

Every hair on my body stood on end.

Why is all of this happening to me?

What can I possibly do?

At that moment, I remembered something my dad once told me.

"Life will find any possible way of beating you to the ground, so you can choose to either take it or fight back, but only one path will lead you to success, that's how I got to where I am."

"You'll regret giving me another chance."

I said to Asol.

"IS THAT SO?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

I scooped up my sword from the ground and held it tightly.

The shadow charged again and vanished instantly, but this time I was ready.

I whipped around ready to intercept, but he wasn't attacking from behind.

He shifted his tactic and was now attacking me from the side.

*CLANG*

He hit my armor, but it didn't do much damage.

That's it.

I don't know what I was thinking.

I said so myself, my strength is my durability, so I ought to use it to my advantage.

But the sword didn't have to pierce my armor, the cold blade did all the work.

The frost creeped over my body.

It was as if I was frozen in fear.

I couldn't move.

Cold.

Too cold.

Can't move…

But I have to move.

I refuse to be frozen in fear.

"I refuse to lose like this."

I grabbed the blade and struck back, but the shadow moved out of the way before I was able to strike.

His blade is dull and cannot cut through my armor.

If his blade connects then it will freeze me, but I can push through it.

There's no way this is a coincidence.

YES!

Asol thought.

YOU CAN TAKE MANY HITS AND HAVE THE WILLPOWER AND COURAGE TO WITHSTAND THEM!

THAT IS YOUR STRENGTH!

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE REST OF YOUR PHYSICAL FORM IS SEVERELY LACKING!

REALIZE THIS AND WORK TOWARDS BEING STRONGER AND FASTER!

YOU WILL CULTIVATE THIS BODY FOR ME SO THAT ONCE I TAKE OVER, IT WILL BE STRONG AND STURDY!

I'LL NEED A STRONG BODY IF I WANT TO STAND AGAINST HER!

I CANNOT DEFEAT HER IF I AM TOO WEAK!

LUCKY FOR ME, YOUR BODY IS NOW LOCATED IN THE SPIRIT REALM!

IT IS THERE THAT YOU WILL GAIN IMMENSE STRENGTH AND POWER, AND MY REHABILITATION CAN ENTER ITS FINAL STAGE!

IT WON'T BE LONG NOW!

I WILL WIN THIS TIME!

THE UNIVERSE WILL BE MINE!

The shadow seemed distracted for a moment, so I swooped in.

*SLASH*

*SIZZLE*

I struck the shadow with my sword, and it immediately burned away.

Why was that so easy?

What exactly is he planning?

I need to get to the bottom of this.

I need answers to my questions.

My mom always taught me to ask questions about everything, and eventually, you'll understand everything if provided with answers.

What is going through your mind, Asol?

"What exactly do you plan on doing now?"

"WHAT DO I PLAN ON DOING?! OH PLEASE! I HAVE ALREADY DONE ALL THAT I NEED TO DO!"

He's done everything he needs to do?

"What are you talking about? What exactly have you done?"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

His laugh felt like a slam to the gut.

My legs shook.

I felt like passing out.

What has he done?

Has he already won?

Did he win without me even putting up a fight?

No.

No.

NO!

THIS CAN'T BE!

I CAN'T LET HIM WIN!

IF HE IS LET OUT OF THIS PRISON INSIDE MY OWN MIND, THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT HE MIGHT DO!

If he gets out, my sacrifice would have been useless, because he would eventually kill those I saved.

Zephyros.

Medusa.

Mom.

Dad.

I won't let him hurt you or anyone else.

I vow to protect you, no matter the cost.

If I want to do that, I will need to be stronger and faster than Zephyros.

I need to be stronger and faster than is naturally possible.

How can I possibly gain such a power?

If Asol is a part of me, can't I use his power as my own?

No.

It's too risky.

Who knows what his power could force me to do.

I'm scared.

I'm nervous.

How does anyone expect me to defeat the ultimate evil.

If this is my quest, then why did I choose to take the hand in the first place?

I CAN FEEL IT!

Asol thought.

WE SHARE A BODY AND A MIND, I KNOW WHAT HE IS THINKING AT EVERY MOMENT!

I HAVE WON!

I HAVE SET MYSELF UP FOR SUCCESS!

I CHOSE TO LOSE THE BATTLE, IF IT MEANT WINNING THE WAR!

NOW TO FINISH HIM OFF!

The darkness surrounding us intensified and began to twirl as quickly as a tornado.

"Asol, how long will you continue to attack?"

"FOR AS LONG AS I WANT!"

I fended off the darkness with my flaming sword.

Wherever the sword was, the darkness would cower away in fear.

The light cleared out the darkness.

I held the sword high above my head, and I slashed it down into the ground.

The flames burned away the darkness, but not just that, it burned Asol away.

The darkness faded and revealed a bright sun searing my eyes through a canopy of trees.

A forest.

Makes sense, that was what was located at the base of the cliff anyway.

I regained my senses, and pain flared from my left arm.

A knife was stabbed through it, and blood was dripping down my arm.

There didn't seem to be as much blood as there was before.

Maybe Asol really did help me out.

I pulled out the knife, and the pain intensified.

I grit my teeth, cut off a small piece of my pants, and tied it tightly around the wound.

It acted as a splint of sorts, it would hold my injury in place as it healed.

I began to survey my surroundings, and off to my right, I saw him.

The masked man.

He was knocked out, and after a quick check of his pulse, I realized that he was alive.

He's alive.

Why is he still alive?

He doesn't deserve to be alive.

I ought to kill him for what he's done to me.

I should kill him.

I must kill him.

I WILL KILL HIM!

I raised the knife above my head, and stabbed it toward his body.