Ch.4: No rest for the wicked

The dark clad man showed no intent of stopping soon and as he ran he began throwing caltrops behind him, hoping Zahna would run into them. But much to his surprise and annoyance she appeared to be able to effortlessly dodge them. 'How is she doing that!!' his mind raced as he tried to come up with a new strategy to defeat her.

He began throwing energy blasts mixed with a few shurikens which she was easily parrying, "You already tried that trick! Just stop!" she swatted the attacks away as they came at her.

'Hehe just where I want you!' He thought to himself as he mixed in a few smoke bombs with the next volley.

"Stop playing games!" her blade connected with a smoke bomb and it exploded, preventing her from seeing clearly while slowing her advance. "What the!" She found herself distracted for just a moment, and he was looking to capitalize on the moment. He tossed a few more smoke bombs around himself as he disappeared from her view. "Shoot, I let myself get surprised." she looked around for him, 'Hiding again? What a coward'

"Huh, I don't remember that rock being there." Zahna approached the odd stone, and poked it with her sword. "Aiyee!!!" a scream rang out loudly from the stone, and the black clad man leaped into the air with his hands on his butt. She had a bewildered look on her face, she never saw such a weird strategy and wasn't sure how serious this guy was.

He landed hard on the ground letting out a grunt before he turned to face her. "H-how could you possibly see through my perfect disguise!"

Zahna scratched her head "Uhh… you were kinda out in the open, it was really obvious and I could sense your ki. Who put you up to this, and what's with the get up?"

The man drew his sword "Like I'd tell you!" Taking a combat stance.

"You sure you wanna do that?" she pointed her weapon at him in reply. 'No grimoire, who is this guy?' her eyes narrowed as she scanned his person for any more tricks. He darted forward blade raised high, she held out a single hand forward while shifting her stance.

A portal had engulfed her opponent's sword at the cross-guard, it was promptly closed as he swung downward severing his weapon. "W-what!?" he stared at his blade with a confounded look, his brow beginning to fearfully sweat as he fixed his eyes on Zahna. "This isn't fair! I learned how to use ki in Other World! What did you do!" defiantly he still demanded an answer followed by a distinctly loud gulp.

"Never seen spatial magic before?" she questioned him with a look of confusion.

But his eyes only widened before he replied. "Magic? You're a witch too!?" he took a more defensive posture, his blade-less handle still in hand.

"Witch? Are you crazy? I'm a magic knight! Now, tell me who put you--" he turned to start running again, "No way!" She opened a portal in his path and as he stepped through it he was transported directly in front of her.

She frowned at him as she planted a heavy blow to his midsection with the pommel of her sword. He doubled over in pain, falling to his knees as he let out a pained grunt. "Look, I'm about this close to taking out my anger on you. So, you better start talking."

Standing over him intimidatingly she narrowed her eyes as they bore into him, his body began trembling. "S-Sanjo, Murasaki the ninja!" he held his hand up in an apparent pose of surrender. "I have a note, from the person you're asking about… right here." he carefully reached into his top and quickly pulled his hand out and towards his mouth.

He had pulled out a whistle of some kind and was already blowing on it before Zahna knew what he was up to. A loud trill resounded as he blew the whistle, prompting her to smack it from his hands. "I told you no more tricks! Dark Magic: Binding Shadow!" tendrils of darkness erupted out from the ninja's own shadow, and they snaked around his body to hold him in place.

He looked nervous but was grinning through the fear. Zahna felt a slight unease from the look on his face, then a deep rumbling began as something large came treading across the land. She turned to look at a creature that had emerged from behind several large stones. It had a massive pink body and long antenna, with small arms and legs sticking out. Its large yellow eyes sat above a gaping maw, it had outstretched a long green tongue hanging low from its mouth.

"What are you supposed to be?" She questioned the hideous creature and it seemed to grimace menacingly in response. Its antenna quickly flung forward, discharging a yellow bolt of electricity towards Zahna.

Upon seeing the attack she dodge to the side, narrowly moving in time to avoid its strange ability. The smell of ozone wafted beside her in the wake of the attack. 'I have a feeling this thing isn't one for talking' She landed on her feet and as she did, the creature launched its tongue towards her. "Dark Cloaked…" her blade was aglow with her dark magic, she sent a slash to meet her attacker's tongue. When the wave collided with it, it was severed and the creatures began bleeding from its mouth.

It pulled what was left of its tongue back into its mouth and covered it up with its hands in desperation. Its wicked eyes narrowed on her and it began rapidly firing beams of electricity at Zahna. She was able to deflect or dodge most of them but a few still made their mark, singeing her clothing slightly and giving her a painful shock. 'Damn, it actually hit me.' The beast began trying to close the distance after its barrage, as it did its ranged attacks slowed giving Zahna an easier time to avoid them.

Unfortunately with a break in her focus she had unintentionally released her binding spell, and the ninja was now freed. "Ha! I knew you couldn't hold me forever, witch!" He sprang back to his feet and began throwing more of his energy blasts at her.

'Dammit! I lost focus!' she sensed the additional attacks incoming, "That's not gonna work this time!" she declared as a purple portal appeared in front of her swallowing the attacks. At that time another portal had also materialized behind Murasaki, his attacks had been transported and were now on a collision course with his body. He only noticed too late as he pummeled himself into the ground, he now lay in a smoking crater his clothing in tatters and blood leaking from various places.

Zahna dove into the ground from the perspective of her enemy, and re-emerged on its side with her blade trained on its neck; it raised its right arm in time to prevent a fatal blow, a worthy sacrifice. Its arm began falling to the ground as it whipped its massive tail into Zahna's body, sending her skidding across the ground. "You hit pretty hard, huh?" She said as she pushed herself up on one knee, wiping blood from her mouth. "Light Recovery Magic: Rejuvenating Starlight!" Suddenly her body was wrapped in a soothing glow of golden light as she stood fully on her feet, taking a combat stance once again. "Looks like I'm not out yet!"

The creature now had a look of rage on its face and it stomped on the ground in a tantrum, it was moving much slower with so much blood loss. 'It's pretty tough but it looks like it's barely standing though.' Both of them realized the battle was over already, but still… The creature let loose a massive bolt of electricity, expending the last of its remaining stamina. Zahna covered herself in a shell of darkness before a blinding light erupted from the creature's final attack. Crackling forward it burned the sand and turned some of it to glass before enveloping her figure, barrier and all.

The creature's mangled pink body swayed before the mass of it collapsed on the ground, laying on its back its eyes slowly gazed upwards. The pleasant evening blue was dotted with clouds, the sun was starting its evening descent and purple was painted across the sunset. And from that deep hued sky she emerged, like a bird of prey swooping down towards the next meal. With blade in hand she made a final plunge. The creature's face relaxed; acceptance, the end is inevitable.