The Nightmare part 3

-Luna Rose-

"Please, please, no...ranika get up." I pleaded as the tears fell from my eyes at the sight of him falling. I knew him and midnight weren't evenly matched, but to see ranika get beaten so thoroughly shook me to me my core. Ever since we were little, I looked up to him and his strength. Being a part of the same vassal clan as his mom made us grow extremely close, so seeing this gruesome battle unfold before me was utterly terrifying.

"I'll give you the same death I gave the rose blade, may you two meet in the next life." Midnight said as he began to bring his blades down on ranika's head.

"No!! Stop this now!" I screamed, hoping for anyone or anything to stop midnight.

Just as I thought I'd be forced to watch my own friend get killed, something happened that no one in the clans could've expected, a torrent of briars shot from the ground with incalculable speed. They grabbed midnight's arms and somehow had the strength to stop his oncoming strike. "That's the rose-blade's aura....but how?" I whispered to myself, I've seen this aura so many times before that it was now etched into my mind.

Midnight being stunned by the sudden change of aura's had leaped back, gaining distance before shouting loud enough for all to hear.

"What the hell is the meaming of this!! How can one possess two different auras? Explain yourself, ranika!!"

Ranika had begun to stand again, but his eyes and body language had changed drastically. The striking golden hue was almost unnoticeable now, but still there, it was just faint. It had been replaced by a beautiful emerald green around his pupils. However, It was his the veins in his face that was more disturbing and shocking to look at, the veins themselves had turned a greenish purple making them stick out against his pale skin creating a ghastly appearance. Then he spoke his words, coming out hollow and ethereal like they weren't actually his.

"Explain? How do I explain something that I know nothing about? What I do know, however, is that your fate is sealed."

Without another word, ranika had disappeared from view before abruptly appearing before midnight, only inches away. With a flick of his wrist, the thorn covered vines ensnared his arms and legs, and before the fearsome warrior could even retaliate, ranika's sword was in his chest 'What just happened?' I thought to myself stunned. Soon after the lethal attack, the vines disappeared in a green mist, and ranika fell to the ground, appearing unconscious.

-Taven Night-blade-

'It actually worked, I can't believe it.' I thought while gazing down at the miraculous display my son had just put on.

"Caleb."

"Yes, father?"

"Go secure both ranika and midnight and bring them to the research center immediately."

"Understood, father."

With a flash of red lightning, he was gone from my side, then he appeared on the field below, lightning arcing off of him with the air of a deity.

'Finally, after decades of deciphering those old tomes the work I have done seems to have paid off,' I thought before looking at the stunned announcer, I motioned for him to clear the stands and audience before I got up and walked away myself.

Standing in front of the research center, I couldn't help but feel elated for the first time in what seemed like decades. The tall steel doors towered above me, so large there was simply no way for anyone to open them by themselves. The engravings etched on them, however, showed how one can gain entrance if they had the appropriate aura signatures.

Looking over at caleb, who had both boys on his shoulders like sacks of grain, he simply gave me a nod and waited for me to open the doors. Placing my hand on the cold steel, I let my power flow outward in a steady stream. The doors glowed dimly till a faint click was heard. Then, with a sudden invisible force, the doors swung open on their own.

We made our way into the facility with haste, and I didn't want to waste even the smallest fraction of a second if possible. After entering what could best be described as a medical research room with one massive difference, there was a pod placed at the far corner of the room. It was capable of fitting two grown men if necessary, and it had a clear blue liquid inside of it that moved ever so slightly. The medical table that was placed in the center was the true marvel. However, it was carved with beautiful and ancient runes from past generations of our clan, detailing the process I was embarking on.

"Caleb place ranika on the medical table and put midnight's corpse in the extraction pod."

"Yes, father."

Doing as I asked, the boy moved quickly and effectively. Within mere moments, both bodies were in position for the second real test of my clans forbidden arts. The first test had been conducted last year when ranika's mother was slain in a duel, and now this one shall be similar yet very different. The first use of these arts took a lot of time, preparation, and a lot of blood. This time, however, should require less of all three.

"Begin the process, caleb."

Nodding at my command, he took a spot nearest the table and stood over his younger brother. There was a hint of sorrow in his eyes as he pulled his sword from its sheath on his back and stabbed it through ranika's chest. With a flourish, I removed the blade splattering blood all across the room, but that wasn't what drew my gaze. There on the table was a river of blood flowing into previously carved runes, filling each one to the brim with the dark red and black liquid.

While watching the beautiful yet macabre sight that was my son bleeding to death in front of me, I walked over to the pod with midnights corpse in it. Flicking a simple switch on the outside panel of the mysterious pod, a cacophony of steel rising and piercing flesh began to assault my ears. Inside the pod, every inch of midnights body had been stabbed by small yet long steel needles, causing the blue liquid to turn into a mesmerizing violet purple.

Midnights corpse began to break down inside the pod. The process only took a brief minute or two, but it was painful to wait regardless. When it was finished, all that had been left of the boy were to black and purple orbs that had a metallic look to them.

"No wonder he had garnered so much strength in such a short time. He was a reincarnate. I had my suspicions, but the two soul cores are proof." I said aloud to no one in particular.

Reaching in I grabbed both cores that were responsible for midnights power, taking them in hand I walked over to a sleek and small set of armor that looked like it was cut from obsidian with the way it absorbed light. Placing the first core directly into the center of the armor i waited, then with a sickening motion, the armor began to twist and change before settling back in to it's original shape.

Satisfied with the reaction from the armor, I walked over to my youngest son. His blood was still pouring out of him, but his breathing was steady. 'This is the part I dread most..' I thought to myself before placing my hand in the gaping hole caleb left in him. While inside his chest cavity, I felt around, and eventually, I found the position of his cores. Feeling both his and his mothers cores made me feel sad and regretful. If it wasn't for me, they could've lived long and peaceful lives.

'I'm sorry ranika..with what's coming, you'll see in time that this was necessary for ours, no that's not right, your survival.'

I placed midnight's other core beside ranika's, then pulled my arm out. Releasing my aura, a soft and welcoming yellowish light began to radiate around my son. This wasn't the true purpose of my power, but it was a nice bonus. Seeing the gaping wound slowly close was a captivating experience. After the wound had finally finished healing itself, a giant scar was all that remained.

Looking over at caleb standing as still as a statue, I said, "Bring the armor closer to his body. Hopefully, this will work."

Without hesitation, he did as I asked. He rolled the armor that was still on its stand near the table where ranika laid. With sudden ferocity and speed, the armor turned itself into a liquid and jumped from the stand on to my son. His body was consumed in black steel, almost like it was another layer of his skin, and then he woke up.

"What...what the fuck is going on? Where am I!" He yelled out, confused and immediately on guard.

"Brother calm down! Everything is fine me and father are here." Caleb said, trying to calm ranika and his fearsome auras that were leaking out from him.

"Brother? Since when were me and the "True demon-kin" brothers?" Ranika replied with a distasteful tone.

Realizing what has happened I responded swiftly, crossing the distance between me and ranika with one step. Raising my hand I attacked the back of his neck, knocking him out quickly and effectively.

"What just happened here father?"

"Midnight's soul core is stronger than ranika's, and pairing it with the armor seems to give midnight control over his body." I replied, my tone and face riddled with disappointment.

"Remove the armor and lock it away for now...until ranika is strong enough he won't be able to wield it."

-Ranika Night-blade-

Waking up my eyelids felt like they had been glued shut, it was almost like I had been asleep for a decade or something. Then the memories of the duel flooded my mind, 'right...I lost didn't I? So why didn't he kill me then?' I thought curiously. Brushing the question away with a wave of my hand, like it was a real thing I could just swat, I sat up. However, there was a weight in my chest that made even this simple task arduous and painful.

"I haven't felt this terrible since the night my mother passed...just what the hell is wrong with my body?"

"You're awake! Finally!" An excited voice yelled, assualting my still tired mind.

"Luna? What the hell are you doing in my room?" I replied deadpan.

"Watching over you of course! You've been out for two days now, after you killed midnight your brother and the clan leader took you away for medical treatment. I was notified when you were cleared to have visitors...so I've been here ever since." Her voice sounded full of pride, like she was trying to get some praise from me or something. My thoughts were hung up on the one fact in her explanation I couldn't comprehend.

"What do you mean I killed midnight?" My tone coming out confused.

"You don't remember? It was amazing, after you were seemingly defeated and he was about to kill you, you somehow used your mother's abilities and turned the fight around! After that you killed him in a single strike, with speed I don't think anyone's ever seen before!"

"My mother's abilities...that can't be right. My aura and abilities are based in ice, I can't use her plant aura.." I said, a bit lost.

"I'm just telling you what I, and everyone else, witnessed. I wouldn't lie to you about this." She said calmly, her tone was that of someone trying to comfort another.

Nodding back in response I took a moment to focus on my own body, stretching my senses deep within myself to feel my familiar core. What I found there wasn't my just my core though, right beside the little blue ball that almost appeared transparent, was a emerald green core, and beside that one was one of utter black.

"What the fuck has happened to me..."