R10

Kiri's Pov

After using the shadows to change locations, I came out in a serene location at the far end of the school's property that was covered with trees and rarely visited by anyone. It was on at the top of an inclined slope so it was the perfect spot for watching everything happening below. Raising my right hand I flexed my fingers and realized I could not yet use it properly. During the clash with Tora, his power had cancelled out the power in my blade and rendered my arm almost useless. Which is why I had try to trap him with my void technique which he destroyed with little effort.

"Tell them that contact has been made and I'll be gathering them shortly."

A figure quickly escaped my shadow and took on the form of a crow before flying off into the night sky.

"At last it begins."

Tora's Pov

Waking up the next day I felt better than I ever had before and decided to put my new found energy to good use. After eating a light breakfast of instant noodles I took my swords and set out. Since it was the weekend, my destination was the mountain range a few kilometers outside the city. After taking the public transport which stopped me close to the outskirts of the city, I walked for a while before I was well hidden behind the tree line. Reaching out to Byakko's power that I was growing familiar with, I reinforced my legs and body, before coating my eyes to improve my vision then I set off.

The speed was exhilarating and I began pushing myself faster trying to see how long it would take me to get to my destination. Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy it for long because using the power of being who controlled winds and lightning was no joke when it came to speed.

On getting to the clearing which I had always used for my personal training anytime I wanted to get away, I sat under a shade in the lotus position and relaxed while freeing up my mind. While I had been making use of these powers recently, it had been like opening up a dam each time and it required a lot of focus to maintain. A fact I kept close to myself.

My aim this weekend was to find a way to make better use of my power. Relaxing myself, I began letting the power flow through me gradually. Letting it envelop me like a cold shower on a very hot afternoon. Focusing on my senses, I kept the power in a constant state of movement as I began to gradually feel the effects on my five senses.

I began hearing things in the forest around me at a much clearer and higher rate. The sound of the wind gently cascaded through the leaves. The sound of new seedlings pushing their way through the soil in an effort to break free. I could hear the little insects burrowing under the ground while going about their daily survival activities.

Focusing on my body I could feel the wind caress my bare skin even through my clothes as if I was bare to nature without any barriers. I could feel the fluctuations caused when various animals moved as if the wind was sending a telegraph of every little movement being made by all that was around me. Everything felt extremely wonderful as if I was becoming one with the world around me.

Just then, I felt movement to the south of my current position. That was strange. In all the time I had used this place as my training site I had never encountered others so feeling a presence here was a bit unsettling. Standing up from my position but still maintaining the power flowing through me, I quietly made my way towards where I had felt the disturbance. It didn't take me long to get there and I was stopped in my tracks by what I saw.

There was a flowing spring that was being supplied water from somewhere up in the mountains, and right there in the middle was a dark-haired beauty that made me forget how to breathe for a few moments. She had tanned skin and the palest blue eyes that shone like sapphires in the midst of the mass of hair adorning her head. She was waist-deep inside the water and she only had on a sports bra covering her upper body, allowing me a view of how flawless her skin was.

Upon watching her movements, I found another thing to be mesmerized about. She had coated her entire upper body with water and it had formed a protective body shield around her. She was practicing a form of close combat arts by the movements she was making and the water around seemed to respond to her every movement. While in the midst of the dance-like movements, a wave began to form around her as the water around her body slowly gave way till she was standing on the bed of the spring.

As her movements became more agile and furious so did the waves. They began swirling around her continuously until they eventually started to take shape which amazed me. Soon what seemed like a herd of horses was running around her in a captivating dance. Her hair was dancing in the wind and her eyes began to stand out like a beacon on a lighthouse in the middle of a storm.

Round and round the horse went until they slowly began merging together with each other. Their movements began to sync together until they all blended into one body and took on the shape of a sea serpent. The serpent moved around her twice and then in a sudden motion went straight for her.

Hand on my sword I was already in motion to leap out of my hiding place and get her out of danger when I heard Byakko soundly shout in my head"RESTRAIN YOURSELF" before I stopped my movement. Still watching, in the last moment before the serpent's head came in touch with the girl she let out a mild whistle that made the entire environment come to a standstill.