Chapter 2 Broken

Twan was landing hit after hit on the beast. The teleportation allowed him to appear and disappear quicker than it could react. Though the damage didn't seem to be bothering it that much, but the fact was he was causing damage. With Twan's offensive, the beast couldn't focus to much on the others who were now also closing in.

"Dame Punk!" A multitude of slashes were appearing on his body with the occasional punch or kick also landing. Even with the speed the beast possesses it couldn't react to Twan. Even attempting to track his magic was not effective. This was due to the fact it was teleportation. Teleportation immediately jumps locations leaving no magic to follow or track.

"Chip. With your broken sword you cant do much up close. Stand back and use magic manipulation to support us with projectiles. " Kande was right. Although Jack felt most comfortable in close combat, with this sword he would get in the way. He didn't have much in terms of range magic but he was capable of forming small weapons with manipulation, mainly used as projectiles.

"Valina. Stay here as well. Since Chip is down a weapon you will work as his shield. The beast mite see him as an easy target."

"Ok." Valina was capable of defensive magic witch could prevent an attack from entering a certain area. Although they don't no if the beast has any attacks that could bypass this.

" Also. While me and Liwan are engaging we'll try to give you an opening. If you spot one don't hesitate to take it.... Honestly you could be are only hope of killing it."

"Right" Out off all of them, Kande seemed the most relaxed. They were still shaken by Ducell, but Kande seemed to recover the quickest. Even after receiving a kick that sent him flying into the wall. Ducell had trusted him with leading missions he could not be apart of in the past so he was capable of leadership. Right now they need him to give them confidence.

The beast and Twan were still engaged in there battle when Liwan sent a small bit of fire like a bullet hurling at him. The beast leaned back watching as the fireball put a hole in the cave wall next to him, only to be met with a kick to the back of the spine. Followed up with a cut on his right arm. The beast was bleeding profusely out of multiple spots, but they still didn't get the feeling it was to concerned about loosing. Twan was too fast for the beast but he knew he couldn't get any killing blows off because if he tried... He would surly be killed due to it would take to much time to land one.

"Glacier" A massive wall off ice ripped through the cave stopping right in front of the beast. Kande then slightly moved his hand towards the beast causing spikes to burst out from the wall. The beast bent backwards to where he was parallel to the ground.

Liwan who had moved to the other side of the wall shot multiple fire bullets that burnet through the ice. The beast sensed his magic and moved before they were even fired. He was now standing in the center of the cave once again.

Liwan and Kande launched them selves at him witch confused the beast as there was no point. They knew about his speed now they knew he could escape. Then he felt his feet get cold. looking down he found ice covering his feet attempting to trap him. The beast ripped it's feet out of the ice. Liwan and Kande then both dashed to opposite side of the cave.

"Thwack" Twan who was still attempting to land an attack took a shot at the back of the beast's head but this time it reacted. Whipping it's body around and catching the punch. 

"UH OH" The beast's arrogant smirk returned to his face after catching Twan.

"Shit" Twan tried to pull his arm away but couldn't he was to weak. Magic takes away from a persons stamina. The strength of that parsons ability is also determined by how tired they are. Twan's teleportation actually doesn't take that much energy to use. But it also has a more severe cost.

"i see." The beast smirk turned into a smile. He had figured out Twans secret. Twan swung his sword at the beast but it got stopped with it's bear hand. Twan had no where to go. He couldn't teleport if there was and outside force stopping him, his hole body needed to be free..

Suddenly a sound came from the side of the cave with the ice wall. Twan watched as the beast eyes grew wide. It then let go of Twan raising his leg trying to land a deadly kick in his stomach but he had already vanished. The beast then turned to the wall where the fire bullet had hit and saw what was originally a small bullet grow into a massive fireball. He raised his arms in defense but quicklly realizes that won't do.

Liwan and Kande had now positioned them selves on opposite sides of the cave opening giving room for the fire. The fire ball shot out of the wall heading straight for the beast. They watched as it raised it's arms but the ball was to fast and impacted him. The ball exploded on contact shaking the cave.

The explosion caused lot's of dust in the air and smoke. They couldn't see where the beast was standing. but considering what it has survived so far. They knew it wasn't dead. Liwan and Kande both stood at the ready, looking for any movement at all. Liwan spots movement towards the ceiling before the beast burst's through the cloud of dust hurling towards him.

'Duck Liwan." Jack shouted. Liwan ducks and the beast is met with a knife to the chest that Jack had created through magic manipulation. Liwan follows up a gust of wind. This wasn't his "Gust" he used before. this was much less but had more impact. The wind hit the beast stopping it in midair, causing it to almost hover in place.

The beast looked up to see Twan now on the ceiling. He launched him self towards the beast and raises his leg. The beast goes to block with his arms but is met with a piece of ice going through his back causing him to freeze for just a second. Twan's kick land's, directly on the beast's head sending him crashing to floor. The sound when he landed sounded like a bolder had crashed into the cave. Kande then froze the place where it landed and looked towards Valina.

" What Are You Waiting For! We Got Him Go For It!" Valina took a step towards the ice when Jack grabbed her arm.

"Back Up. Everyone!" Everyone was confused but this command but before they could question him the floor began to shake. Everyone jumped back as a light began to pear through the ice on the ground.

The whole cave was shaking and the ice that was covering where the beast had landed began to fall apart. The light grew brighter and brighter. It began to feel like they were looking at the sun their eyes were burning eventually forcing them to close. After a couple more seconds the shaking stopped and the cave was silent.

They all began to open their eyes, the room was full of dust. Jack could see Liwan just in front off him in the same spot he was. He looked to his left to see Valina also in the same spot, he realized he was still holding her arm and let go. Jack began to scan the room looking for Twan or Kande. He couldn't find either. He knew Kande was probobly on the other side of the cave but there was too much dust to confirm that and with the beast possibly still hear. He was worried, he couldn't find Twan either but with his teleportation he knew Twan could most likely escape the beast so wasn't as worried for him.

While looking for Kande he noticed a light. Not from the beast but the ceiling. The cave's roof had fallen a part a little allowing for bits of lite to peer through. Jack could see stars peering through them. Jack then realized he was getting distracted and snapped back to the current situation.

" Can any of you guys see them."

"No, too much dust. Can't you sense their magic?"

" I'm trying but, when that light grew and the glass shattered. It was one off the beasts moves. It left behind lots of it's own magic." Liwan and Jack were whispering. They were afraid that if they spoke to loud the beast would hear them. They were all doing their best to suppress their magic, they didn't know how skilled the beast was at magic detection so they had to hope this would help them. "I can't even tell if the beast is still in hear or not. If it were suppressing it's own magic right know or not, I wouldn't be able to tell."

The dust began to filter out through the holes in the ceiling. It' was quiet, Jack had to hope that Twan and Kande were also staying quiet for the same reason as them and nothing had happened.

"Valina. cast a defensive barrier around us" Jack ordered Valina in a whisper. They couldn't let the beast get the jump on them. Valina slowly brought her hands together. Defensive magic requires the Pearson using it to cast their own magic into a physical form. This is not the same as manipulation. When you manipulate magic. Your combining the magic in the air with what is in your body, you form a temporary weapon. once it leaves the hands of who created it, it will soon disappear. This still allows it to be used for ranged combat but you cant rely on it hindering a target past the initial wound.

Jack could feel the barrier began to grow around him, it felt like a wall had been put up around them even though they couldn't see it. It brought this safe feeling Jack couldn.t describe.

Defensive magic is magic cast physically out off the body. It requires lots of training to achieve. Even most of the strongest in the world haven't achieved this, Valina worked vary hard to even get this much. In comparison to some off the teachers she had this was nothing but a slim wall off paper, but to most others this was a wall of metal, stone, and concrete.

" Valina, your incredible. You should know that." 

"Uh!" Jack's words caught her by surprise, but they were something she needed to hear. Up till this point she had felt useless, She hasn't even swung her sword, yet he called her incredible. A smile grew across her face. She was happy to hear kind words in a moment like this. It built her confidence.

The Dust slowly grew thin and they could see a silhouette of a person, a boy.

"Kande!" Liwan screamed out. Seeing him safe brought him relief. As soon as he saw him he quit whispering. He began to step forward eager to reach his brother.

Kande raised his hand telling him to stop.

"Stay there. We don't no where the beast is. Is Twan with you."

"No, he isn't." A rush of fear began to overcome them. Twan wasn't in the room neither is the beast. Twan might have been caught by the beast. Jack began searching for Twans magic. He has been with them for long enough where he can identify him by how his magic feels. Nothing, the beast left behind magic pretty much blinded him.

" Guys." Kande began to speak from the other side of the opening. " Twan is a pain in the ass. That beast probably got pissed and ran, and Twan probably chased him. He'll be back after a while."

The Rush of fear left their body's as quick as it came. Kande was good a bringing humor into stressful situations to calm them down.

"Let's get out of here and loo-"

"Can't find him Either"

Fast, faster than they could think the beast appeared. Behind Liwan, the beast was there. Standing over him, looking down at Kande who hadn't even turned to face him.

"Kande!!" Liwan screamed as loud as he had ever before. He started reach for his sword, but before he could even take a step toward Kande. A hand reached a grabbed him stopping him. Liwan turned to face the hand to find it belonged to Jack.

"WHAT ARE YOU DO--"

The sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing filled the cave, followed by a splash off a liquid. Liwan turned towards Kande who was know hovering off the ground. and had a puddle of red at his feet. Looking up he saw something sticking through his chest. The white hand off the beast now red.

Liwan stood still, hand on his sheathed sword. His eyes stuck on the sight. No tears fell. it was like he was stuck in place, frozen. The dripping off blood from the other side of the cave. That was all they could hear. Jack and Valina were also stuck in place, Jacks hand still on Liwan's shoulder. Two of them. Two of his friends now dead. He failed again, Jack took his hand off Liwan. Again the things he said to Valina filled his head, and what Valina had told him only moments ago.

"Is my life worth this, Am i as important as them. Why do they die when someone like me is here." These thoughts ran through Jacks mind like a stampede. Their families will never see them again. Brother's, sister's, their parents are waiting back home unaware that they won't be their, but the one who will be their is the one who deserved to die in their place. The one with no one.

" I can still save them!" Jack snapped back realizing that their was still people who needed to make it back. "Valina, Liwan, Twan. They have to, they cant die before i do." Jack reached for Liwan again.

"Liwan, Liwan! You and Valina need to go,

"What!" Valina spoke in shock of the words said.

"The exit is right behind us and we have your defensive barrier blocking off the beast. You and Liwan need to go."

"But You-"

"Twan is still here. I'll leave when he shows up"

Valina couldn't understand... Why Jack was so eager to sacrifice his life for them.

"Liwan! You go, i'll stay with Jack and wait for Twan."

"Valina!" Jack snapped around to look at her. As he looked he was met with a cold stare.

" Liwan can't fight look at him." Jack turned to look at Liwan. He was still stuck in place, not even his hand had moved. "I still can, so i"ll wait with you until Twan shows up."

"Theirs no guarantee he will." Jack couldn't meet Valina's eyes as he said this.

"You said Twan is still here." Valina called him out. She knew Jack was only saying this so she wouldn't' catch on to what he was really doing. " You dying before us doesn't make you some kind of hero, it won't fix what's happened now. They died. Jack, it doesn't matter about who you are or who deserves to die, death takes who it want's there is no stopping it. Giving up your life wouldn't have stopped us from this. You just wouldn't have had to experience it."

Jack finally realized how selfish he was. He wasn't willing to sacrifice his life because he felt they were more important. He just didn't want to deal with the guilt of seeing their families mourning them. Seeing them every day. If he died before them, he wouldn't have to witness their deaths. wouldn't have to see their sadness, their pain. He could escape all of that if he died first.

Jack took a deep sigh. Looking at Valina, meeting her cold stare. Then turning to Liwan.

"let's all get out of here, together. Twan is still missing but he could teleport behind this berrior in a second. He's probably already escaped." Jack finally began to think straight and decided they would leave.

Liwan was still frozen. Jack reached out and grabbed his shoulder shaking him a bit. Liwan dropped to his knees. Jack bent down next to him hand on his shoulder.

"Liwan we need to go." Jack spoke calmly attempting to pull Liwan towards the exit.

"Ka-n-de." Liwan spoke. His voice broken. He looked pale. A blank stare was all that was on his face.

Jack heard a thud towards where the beast was. He saw as Kande was now sitting on the floor, The beast had removed him from his arm and was now looking over towards them. It began to take steps toward them. Jack felt an uneasiness as he walked. The barrier was their so no attacks should get through but this creature isn't normal.

Out of sure instinct. Jack jumped backsword. He saw as the creature lunched at the barrier. He watched as it reached it's hand out as if trying to grab them. The comfort he felt from the berrier vanished. The wall of concrete was nothing but paper. There was no sound, but jack could hear the barrier shedder like glass. It seamed as if they were in slow-motion. Jack watched as the beast reached out for Liwan. He was slow but Jack couldn't move. Neither could Valina. Even as they tried it wasn't fast enough.

They heard a crash and then a shaking off the cave. Rocks fell. Jack noticed that Liwan was gone. He turned around to find Valina looking towards the exit.. Jack slowly turned his head that direction. Scared of what he would see.

The creature had his hand pressed against the wall next to the exit. Grabbing the rock. Then their seemed to be red seeping through the rock, looking down Jack found legs of a boy. Kande's brother.