The Road to Home. (Part 5)

Sweating uncontrollably from the rising heat. I wipe off my sweat as I thought to myself, Qi is able to halt the burn, but they can't stop the heat... When Rana starts to say: "Sova give me your hand."

With no more option. I followed what he said, raising my hand to him when suddenly a charcoal colored sword handle, drop on my hand. Very light, almost as it's pretty much weightless. Made out of some kind of very light silver metal. Very smooth in design with a straight handle, making it comfortable to held. Ending with a pointed pommel. with a disc guard. I ask him:

"What am I supposed to do with this? There's no cross guard nor a blade. I can't just fight with the pommel! Don't you have a spear or something better?"

"Oh be grateful and don't worry about it. That thing is the weapon used by some Martial Artists in this continent, just make whatever shape you want with it," he says calmly looking at the opponent.

"I can't do that!" I say in panic. When suddenly more red slashes comes towards me. Rana guards me as we speak.

"Boy remember when your girlfriend use the whip, turning it to something like a morning star? Well just do the same with that thing. After all if what Rubeca says is true, then you can do it too. I mean, or you could just stay here and burn in this heat, if you want to," he said jokingly.

"Uhhhh fine, why do you even save me if you keep making me do this and not sneak around. You seem really good at it, appearing and disappearing out of nowhere. And here I thought Angie said hunters can't hurt people," closing my eyes. I feel my aura now feels stronger than before. I start to channel my Qi to the handle, elongating the aura around it forming some sort of thin blade. Harder, stronger, sharper, better. When it finally becomes a weird 1.3 meter writhing long sword.

"See you can do it. Are you ready?" he ask sounding exited. I hold my sword with both arms, my right hand near the disc guard while the left hand below the right hand, taking a stance moving my left foot forward, bending it. I position my long sword on my right shoulder, with my elbow low and close to the body, making a wrath guard stance. Feeling my own Qi, touching my shoulders. I nod at him and say:

"Yes... I think I'm ready," I answer hesitantly.

"Good enough, I'm backing off now. She is a Dualist, someone who uses both magic and Qi. Jack of all trades master of none," Rana tells me as he walks away, giving me some space.

Taking a deep breath in and out, gripping my sword harder. I stare at her now, standing somewhere along 10 meters away from each other... Tension rises as each drop of sweat drops from my head, boiling the moment it touch the ground. Feeling her overbearing aura as she gaze at me, with her demonic face. She then starts starts to slash rapidly, drawing out and sheathing the blade back and forth, in but a moment. Creating more than 5 red slashes at me, each with a different angle. I thought to my self This sword is light I can use it like a short sword. I can see her slashes, I just need to either cut the waves first, if I can't then I must avoid and do the finishing blow quickly with my technique... Slashing the first wave by swinging the sword to the left, while moving my right leg forward, dispersing it easily, while positioning my sword on the left shoulder in the process. I quickly continue, taking a step forward with my left foot. Hastily cutting the second wave, slashing it with only my right hand, moments notice. Swiftly forwarding my right foot again, I start holding the sword with both hands. I take a huge swing, slicing two waves at once.

Quickly jumping above a few meters by enhancing my legs with Qi, going forward. Quickly, avoiding multiple wave of slashes from before. When she starts slashing repeatedly again, this time going upwards, sending more waves of red slashes. Cutting the first wave and second wave continually with my right hand. And do a tilted spinning slash scattering multiple waves with ease. And finishing with a downward slash severing the last wave. Now standing just a few meters away from her. She starts to draw her red katana with her left hand, and pulls her meter long, blue rapier with her right. She takes another stance. This time she stood straight in elegance. Bending right arm, raising till her chest, pointing the rapier upwards. She starts to lean forward bending her right leg as she move it forward, lunging the blue rapier, creating a blue beam coming towards my face. Bending my head to the left, barely dodging the ray of light as it pierce through, cutting some of my hair.

She turn to the side still facing me. Raising her right foot and stretches her hands straight, pointing her rapier at me and raise her left hand above pointing the katana at me making a crane stance. And says:

"Searing lotus, blue flames techniques, eclipse path: Parading demons," as she said that, I thought to myself. Finally a technique name, I wonder why Rana haven't said anything when we are in the Reliquary, when he was firing and shooting multiple flashy fire techniques... Maybe his just like me, someone who keeps it quiet. Well sis did say that pronouncing your techniques, kind of makes you more spirited...

Aoi stomps her right foot to the ground straightening her left leg while bending her right making a bow stance, creating a crack where she threads, swirling blue waves of fire starts to rise around her. Covering her whole in a fiery hot blue tornado, preventing me from seeing her. Before blue spiraling beam starts to shoot out of it's right side, coming right at me. Not stopping there an L shape red wave comes out after it. More coiling beam appeared from the opposite. As the swirling flames moving to the left shooting out a U shape wave. As the towering spiral flames starts to shine with blue and red, turning the tornado into swirling mess of colors. It starts to spin faster, producing a word shapes wave slash, blue spiraling beams, and whip like attacks of blue flames. Creating an endless wave after waves of unstopping, unrelenting, unpredictable attacks. Ever changing and never the same, creating a swirling blaze of blue inferno, with each move it took going forward and backwards. Making it somewhat horrifying and yet an elegant scenery in this hell.

"Damn that could cause seizures and convulsions, still from someone in the eclipse she actually use the techniques from the xin's" Rana said in shock, somewhere close.

Ignoring what he said, Feeling dumbfounded while chasing after her. I thought to myself, well I have nowhere to go and Rana will probably pull me back here to fight again, if I manage to run away... There's no turning back now. Dodging the beam barely by jumping to the side, making a spiral slash dispersing the beam and immediately continue with and upward slash cutting the incoming wave as I land. Pushing the floor with my hand and leg, dashing forward, I slash the word shaped waves in rapid succession, not stopping, not backing away, until finally some of her attack finally went through. Scratching while burning me and my clothes lightly in the process. Flinching, and groaning as my movement slowed down. The tornado suddenly moves and spins faster. Making more faster and complex attacks. How did she know where or what happen to me can she see through that?

Blood, drips from my wound. With only a single blade standing between me and death as I fight at the edge of my life. Surrounded with a literal burning hellscape. Blue flames chokes the skies, as I gasp for air. Chaos exhaust my mind and body. Grit pulls me together, with a leaning hope that, maybe just maybe, I could get out of this alive. I clench my teeth as hard as possible, charging ahead. Ignoring the burning pain with only the adrenaline rushing in me. The searing blue blaze surrounds me as I march forward. Slashing, hacking, slicing, dodging, and parrying her whips to the side, as I march forward. Taking a few more hits, when I finally got close when it produce another wave. I brace my self, enhancing my self with all I've got, passing through it feeling my self burn in the consuming inferno. To finally arrive infront of her, even while using Qi, standing infront of her still feels like standing infront of a furnace that is burning out of control with no protection. Standing taller than me. Her katana suddenly burst to flames, swinging it down towards me. I thought to myself, not today!

Raising my sword making an ox guard stance, parrying her blade as it slide down to my right quickly, seeing her head now wide open. I immediately use the momentum to come around, swinging down my Qi blade for the clean head cut, "Haaaaaaa," I scream as I swing down my blade sending a white transparent Qi wave slash similar to her, sacrificing my entire blade in the process. She flinch for a mere moment. Guarding it immediately with the rapier. Only for it to bend and snap, hitting her on the head along with my Qi slash. The swirling flames vanish, as she was being push back. Not before she suddenly roars out consuming blue fire straight at my face. Engulfing me in scorching flare. I thought to my self, this is it... Me, somebody who says violence is never the answer, is now fighting because someone force me to this situation... Maybe I could have done something better.

As the flames engulfing me fade, I feel my throat thirst for water, I see my self being okay. I thought, how did I survive that? I look infront of me. To see Aoi still standing, looking upwards. Leaving behind a trail of blue blaze on the ground.

Behind her, Rana is making a thumbs up cheering at me saying, "Yea you rock, don't worry about it, now get up and beat her down," he makes a thumb down as he says that. Still saying terms I don't understand. Suddenly I fall on my knees. Feeling my knee and feet burn when my Qi starts to fade... Probably from overuse, dammit. I forgot sis teachings again.

Aoi looks down, gazing at me, with her rapier snap in half. Her helmet now have a crack, revealing a deep gash from her small nose till the forehead. When blood drips down from the wound, blue flames burst out covering her face. She clicks her tongue and finally says, "Looks like normal methods won't work on you. I don't know how you block my attacks before, but I will get serious now... You know what, let me show you my other secret."

As she says that. Her eyes starts to shine red, her blue flames turns to indigo. Bursting forth, from every nook and cranny of her body. Covering her in swirling indigo flames bigger than before. The atmosphere became blistering, while the air got harder to breathe. I finally fall on all four. Looking down at the stone floors. Still gripping the handle tight my hands, feeling it burn. I kinda feel relieve that I'm alive and also feel fear. But also scared with the fact that I'm definitely going to die in mere moments now unless Rana do something already. When it finally disperse, it's now much bigger and hotter than last time. Not feeling the heat anymore. I stare widely at the indigo light, carrying me to my final moments. The flames blinds me in a purple light.

When suddenly, it got divided before contact. Getting pulled behind, I see Rana now stands infront of me with his long blue scarf waving as it's surround him. And said, "Well, didn't think she could use prehistoric magic," as he says that softly. He sighs heavily and continues saying, "Well that's more to the list... Sova you did well with how inexperience you are, like seriously you make a wrong starting stance when fighting enemies sending projectiles at you. And since I'm not your master I will not say anything more... Final conclusion... Ehhh," he wave his metallic right hand as he says that, I thought. Are you serious? I almost died again and that's what you say! I look around to see that I'm surrounded with some weird rainbow light, gleaming like a bubble, now being able to breath again.

When the flames spread. The fire around the room turns indigo along with the torches. The statues eyes starts to glow red, while the emperor's shine brighter than the other staring down on us like spectators. Foreboding a great battle is about to come. Looking infront, I see a giant towering wall of indigo fire, dividing the dome in half. A giant silhouette starts to appear going towards us, passing through the wall of fire, to reveal a giant 10 foot tall indigo colored floating armor, with 4 arms connecting each other with crackling indigo blaze. It's eyes flash red, it's mask now fully repaired with spikes growing on it's chin and forehead, looking more horrifying, sinister and grim. Smiling widely yet filled with outrageous fury. Two long tooth protruding upwards from it's maw, while breathing out sizzling indigo flames from it's mouth like steam.

As it walks closer, it's armor glimmer in the fire with small thorns and spikes growing out of it forming some kind of spiked armor, she doesn't have her tied up hair anymore, cuirass thicker and more complex showing some kind of a beast head, gauntlets looking like dragon heads forming some kind of small kite shield, leg guards with the same design of the arms, more layered waist guards making it look impractical and towering shield like shoulder guards only on the upper hands. Holding a weapon on each arms, the red nodachi on it's down right, a long blue pike on it's upper right, a giant yellow kanabo on it's lower left, and finally a long indigo scourge on her upper left. Appearing like the demons from hell, that terrorize the Eclipse empire in their legends... She is a demon now, no doubt about it. Somebody please save us!

Like seriously what is human standards here? Are monster really a threat when we have people with magic, doing that and all? Are all High Ranking Hunters like this? Can sis do this too? How are they breathing fine when I'm not? People with magic are crazy!

"I see you phantoooooom!" she screams in a demonic broken voice.

She leaps above a few meters and drops down, coming towards us in fast speed. Rana Immediately grabs the split yoke of my shirt and hauls me away easily. Flinging me across the dome, as I got closer to the fire wall, I cross my arms. As I pass through not feeling anything. I guess this bubble like thing is protecting me. When I thought that, I came crashing down on the floor, rolling before hitting the wall just beneath the emperor's statue. Leaning there as the flames disperse from beside me. Ouch, that hurts... I thought to my self.

The earth quakes, when a great wind pressure blows away all the fire in the room except the torches. Giving me a good view of them. Seeing Aoi rampaging around, leveling the dome as it attack Rana with red rapid waves, with each slashes she makes. Rana dodge every attack, barely missing his hair. When she starts whipping around and send blue crooked zipping beams at him. Again he dodge it by hair, moving around mid air with his slim build, while his scarf elongated and sways gracefully. Making him look like a alluring night fairy doing the emperor's favorite silk dance, getting closer with each step, looking more beautiful and elegant with every form he make... I'm feeling very disturbed for some reason.

As I hear Aoi screams again. Multiple colored magic circle appeared behind her. And starts shooting multiple purple flames, lightnings, and beams. Rana suddenly extend his right arm as I hear the sound of steel drags against each other. He dashes forward in great speed making him look blur and glitter, dodging every attack that comes at him swiftly. When suddenly, Aoi swings all her weapons at him, raining down everything she got. Rana disappeared at the last moment. As the earth tremble once more, sending great winds towards me from the impact. Aoi looks at me and screams, creating a humongous red magic circle covering the whole floor. Even below me, Oh no... As I tried to stand up shaking on my knees. Darkness appeared before me. Moving towards her in great speeds Aoi quickly forms a shield with her bottom arms and attacks with her scourge and pike. The darkness gathers, condensing it self, forming into a person and dematerialize again. Only to pop up suddenly, kneeing her in the chin, obliterating both her bottom arms and weapon while destroying the spikes in her head. As her head fissure, it burst into flames and exploded. Lifting her feet off the ground from both the hit and explosion. While the magic circle below and Rana disappeared after it.

Finally landing on her feet. Wobbling around, she started to scream loudly with only her long blue tongue and maw left. Making my ears ring as I cover them. She started attacking everywhere and multiple magic circle appear around her casting out elements in random order. Red rapid waves, blue zipping beams, yellow strikes of lightning, and indigo flames whips around. Before she covers her self in a swirling inferno. Making her unseen, attacks came out of it like before, but bigger. Before it reach me, the attack makes an awkward turn and hits beside me. As if the bubble is redirecting it.

Rana suddenly forms a few meters above her. And quickly spins down, turning him to a spiraling black ball with blue lines. As he enters the tornado. Hearing a large impact, dispersing the tornado, while making the floor beneath them break. I see Rana kicking what remains of her head with the heels of his feet. Dispersing all the flames in the dome before turning the place pitch black. The statues eyes shines brightly, dimly lighting up the dome. When suddenly, Aoi's whole body cracks and burst into flames, exploding in a grandios work of indigo fireworks. Brightening up the dome in a quick flash. Making me close my eyes.

When I opened them. I see the whole dome got scorched pitch black, except the part where I am and the statues. The black torch, now lights up again in indigo flames. I look infront of me, to see the part where she exploded has black smokes covering quarter of the room. Suddenly two figures flew over the smoke. One is Rana landing beside me, softly with no impact nor noise. While folding his arms saying, "That was easy. For something that looks so menacing, I thought it could be tougher. Quite disappointing," in a depressed voice. Are you serious? That was disappointing?

While on the other side I see it flew over across the room. Skipping on the floor as if it was water. Smashing it's armor and more, cracking the floor, before finally smashing to the wall on it's back. Falling limp on the ground catching in fire, just a few meters beside me. Ouch... How did she flew there? And why did she catch fire?

It's of course Aoi, now back in her human form. She now have a messy and uneven short black hair, kinda different than Rana's. With her bolt headband missing, her bangs cover half of her eyes. Her silver armor broken and shattered. Hanging for a while, before detaching by itself. Revealing her light green clothes that look like some hunter garb, now ripped and burned. Showing some of her flat toned stomach, arms, and thighs. Where some are now pitch black with cracks all over. She doesn't have any weapon hanging on her waist anymore, not even the sheaths.

She suddenly starts twitching and tried pushing the floor. Only moving her right arm while the left stays limp. Shaking as she push, with the help of her legs she finally stands on her feet. Swaying around, not being able to stand straight or still. She stops moving and slouch forward bending her back forward while looking down. making it harder to see her covered face. She lifts her head to show her face now has the same black pitch mark and cracks like her body, her dimly lit dead fish like red eyes. Now staring at me, only half open. Her mouth still breathing out flickering blue flames. Walking toward me saying, "Sor-," before falling on her knees and then flat on her face.

Rana instantly vanish from beside me, only to appear suddenly beside her limp body. He raise his right metallic arm while opening his hand, and starts curving his fingers. Hearing the sound of steel dragging each other. Aoi's body starts to get lifted and position to make her look at Rana face to face or mask. Before he started clenching his fist to Aoi starts screaming in agony. Her eyes starts to change from red and blue over and over. The statues eyes starts to flicker as she screams. Hearing that, I hear Rana chanting softly some kind of weird mantra. Weird runes started to appear around her, going closer as he chant.

I hold on to the wall, scream at him saying, "Rana stop what you're doing. She's done, leave her be," only to be ignored as he continue chanting. Seeing this I immediately say what ever I can think of, "Stop it please... Rana I beg of you... If you continue, then I will never join you," as I say that. He stops immediately.

Putting his right hand down. The runes around faded. As she drop to the ground limp, he disappears once more. Feeling my self being grab by the back of my neck, getting lift up as my feet lets go of the ground. Dark murky clouds fills the skies. A great black wind blows the black smoke,dispersing it above revealing the dome's floor being cracked and destroyed. The view beyond becomes darker. Weird silhouette of disfigured people both man and women starts to appear, walking closer surrounding me in a circle. As it gets closer and becomes more visible, I hear them scream and shriek in torment opening their mouth so wide, it got ripped and fall off, seeing their tongue flay around and their body rots and fall, some still hanging with some tiny piece of flesh while others don't even have any shapes. I shiver uncontrollably, terror and chaos fills my head, every hair in my body stands. Transparent figures appeared below as they drag them self upwards, passing through me as I feel the ice cold wind blew. My vision darkens, the atmosphere grows denser and hazier.

Feeling my body paralyzed, I feel an a eerie presence stands behind me, breathing at the back of my ear. I was turned around, only to see Rana from above. Being hugged, dragged and clench by screaming semi transparent figures. I see many face of shadows went pass him. When a screaming face suddenly past his mask and went pass mine, feeling more icy chills, losing my breath. When he starts saying, "Look at you, a PATHETIC WEAKLING. You can't do even a nick of crap, yet still dare threaten me. Why do you care for her? Do you know who she is? Do you know what she can do to us? And you too almost killed her, when you deliver that swing on her head, so why? Why? Why? She tried to kill you and I'm going to do you a favor. By doing my job. So tell me something valid or I put you to sleep for good and bring you back up again... Painfully," he says in a diabolically wicked voice, more broken than Aoi's scream. I never seen him like this...

As I thought of an answer, still shaking from fright. He suddenly ask again, "Get it?" only for me to nod quickly. He suddenly lets go of me, putting me down as I fell flat on the ground. Feeling my self shaking uncontrollably. Not being able to move. I was frozen in place. When suddenly his aura disappear. The dome got brighter, the dark cold clouds dwindle and the black winds faded. Feeling my self gaining control of my body, I decided to stand up. Holding the wall as I support myslef, my knees still shaking wildly. I breath heavily, gasping for air. Only for Rana to pop up suddenly infront of my face, surprising me. Making me fall on my butt. Looking at him from below, I see him filled with his usual cheerful demeanor. Like all the things happening just now, never occurred.

"So what's your answer Sova Anmao?" feeling like his smiling maliciously behind that mask. Reminding me that it all really happen.

I gulped and said...