Serpent Soul Chapter 2: The Ultimate Weapon
The chilled wind bit deep into the bones of the weapons and meisters. They stood like insomniacs; unsure of what was real anymore, hoping that what they were experiencing was nothing but a perpetual state of waking nightmare. They hoped, no, they prayed that the woman who stood before them was no more than a phantom from another life that they had fought tooth and nail to escape from and that none of this was real. But the sensations of the icy fingers encircling their hearts, the dust threatening to clog their eyes to the moonlight glinting off the droplets of cold sweat on their brow told them this was all too real. By some cruel divine joke; Medusa had evaded death a second time and now she was watching with predatorial anticipation for the bloodbath that would ensue.
"Well children," she teased. "Are you going to welcome me back or just stand there, staring like idiots?"
The silence was deafening until Maka finally broke it with her reply.
"You should be dead." Maka growled. Medusa feigned a hurt look.
"My dear Maka! Why would you say something so hurtful? I thought you of all people would be glad to see me! But maybe you're onto something. Maybe I am dead. But of course, that means you and your friends are all dead too. After all, that was quite the car crash you were in."
She stalked towards the wrecked car, every eye tracking her movements. As she approached the upturned limo, three arrow vectors suddenly sprung from her back and tore open the frame. They slithered inside and fished out a small, glowing blue orb before giving it to Medusa.
"It seems that it's your lucky day children." She said. "You're not dead, but it seems that the same can't be said for your unfortunate driver. But don't worry..." Medusas tongue suddenly crept out if her mouth and slurped up the drivers' soul. The weapons and meisters could only watch in horror as the lump descended down Medusas throat until it disappeared, leaving her shivering in pleasure of her sick meal.
"...he's in a better place now."
Soul could already see that Makas ire was about as high as it would go. He could already see the strained fabric of her gloves in her clenched fist and the throbbing vein on her neck that always appeared when she was angry. Another goad like the last one and Maka would snap.
"Keep it together Maka." He whispered. "She's trying to get you angry. Don't fall for it."
"Speaking of poor, weak, worthless souls..." continued Medusa unabated."...how is my dear daughter Crona?"
The mere mention of Cronas name seemed to set Makas teeth on edge. It was obvious that she was using every ounce of her self-control to not react, but she was losing the hold of herself quickly. But Medusa wasn't done yet.
"I heard along the grape vine that she hasn't been well lately. Oh my poor little baby!" She mocked them with false sympathy and concern before leaning back on her tail snake and throwing her hands to her forehead dramatically.
"I can't stand to think that my daughter could be in such pain..." But her words stopped short as a sadistic, cruel smile spread across her lips. "...without me being there to witness it."
That did it. Maka broke rank and sprinted for Medusa with a murderous look in her eyes. The witch didn't even flinch, still sitting back on her tail snake and grinning confidently.
"Soul Menace!" Maka yelled, yellow lightning crackling across her hand as she performed a palm strike to fire her soul wavelength through Medusa. She witch drifted almost daintily out of the way of the strike before spinning on the axis of her tail and slamming her foot straight into Makas solar plexus. The meister was sent flying back about eight meters and skidded a further two to come to a stop at the feet of her weapon.
"Maka!" He yelled before running over to her crumpled form. Rolling her onto he back, he saw she didn't look hurt, just a little winded. "Maka, you idiot! You can't run off like that! Medusa could have killed you! You're not hurt, are you?"
"No, I'm fine." Maka shunned his hand and stood slowly herself, clutching her stomach with her eyes screwed up against the hurt. Medusa cackled slightly.
"Stupid children. I think I overestimated you. So much worse than underestimating; while I don't like being surprised…" she leant forward on her tail snake. "… I hate to be disappointed."
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Black Star suddenly yelled. The suddenness of the outburst even caught Medusa off guard, a look of surprise rippling quickly across her face before she regained her usual, cold composure.
"I'm not gonna take this shit from you anymore!" he shouted furiously. "I am Black Star! I'll surpass god! The people who underestimate me end up dead, you got me?! Tsubaki! Enchanted Sword mode!"
"Right!" she replied before giving off a bright yellow aura and morphing into her weapon form. Black Star snatched her from the air, holding the weapon between his eyes, centred on Medusa. Black lightning crackled across the hilt and blade as the black tattoos bled across the surface of his skin.
"Ready to meet your death Medusa?"
Riled and shocked out of his state of stillness by Black Stars speech, Kid motioned to Liz and Patty before both sisters transformed into pistols. Catching them as they fell, Kid stepped up to join Black Star.
"On the name of my Father, the DWMA and my word as a reaper; I will take your soul Medusa." He raised Liz and Patty into a cross guard formation. "I judge you."
"Looks like it's our turn Maka." Smirked Soul. "Don't wanna get left out."
"Guess so." She managed a weak smile back as he morphed into his scythe form. His shaft dropped into her palm, turning over a few times in her hands as she got the feel of him back. His weight, his texture, his centre of balance. All familiar and comforting.
"I guess you children want to amuse me for a bit before I kill you." Sneered Medusa. "Fine, I'll entertain your fantasies." She dropped low on her haunches, fists raised in viper head strike poses. They witch and meisters locked eyes. The waiting began.
Silent and incalculable minutes passed in stillness as the meisters waited for Medusa to break. But not a muscle twitched, not a weapon shook nor did an eye blink. She was leaving no openings. A slight flicker of movement caught Makas eye. Medusas fingers were moving not more than a few millimetres, but in a slow, deliberate pattern. Maka shifts her gaze and sees more movement in the shadows of the Medusas face. She mouthed words silently; her lips almost invisible in the shadow of her hood, but again, a slow deliberate pattern of words. Maka is afraid. She suspects what Medusa is doing, but she has to be sure. She chances blinking for a second, triggering her Soul Perception. She can see Medusas soul. It is growing and the arrows surrounding it are wild and violent. She knows what Medusa is about to do. Things are no longer still. Things are no quiet. It is all noise and motion.
"Kid! Black Star! Get behind me now!" she screams. They obey without hesitation, but still do not know why. Medusa sees her ruse has been exposed. She drops her act.
"Snake, snake, cobra, cobra! Vector arrow times ten!" A forest of black arrows spring from her back, blotting out the moon in their sheer numbers. But Maka is ready.
"Ready Soul?"
"Yeah!"
She spins him in her hands, his shaft and blade becoming a blur of colour with a sharp whistle. The arrows collide with a grinding sound like steel. A few break through her defence, nicking her thigh and face, but she holds her ground. Black Star and Kid want to help, but they know that if they do anything, that a break in Makas concentration could ultimately be their deaths. Medusa pushes the spell to its limits, but once her vectors are destroyed or too far gone to do damage, she withdraws and begins her incantation again.
"Snake, snake…"
"I'm going in!" yells Black Star. "Cover me! Speed Star!"
With a cry the blue haired ninja boy zooms away from his friends, a blur except for a trail of dust and sand he kicks up.
"Fire Styx Shot!" Kid pelts Medusa with a volley of fire, but she summons the vectors to deflect the attack. Black Star sees the opening and speeds in for the kill.
"Eat this!" he yells, swinging Tsubaki to cleave Medusa in half.
"Vector Blade!" Medusa summons her own blade in time to absorb the strike. The impact jars all the way up her arm and shoulder. She had not expected the child to be this strong. But Black Star isn't done yet.
"Soul Menace!" His palm strikes Medusa in the chest, the force sending her hurtling back like she was hit by a cannonball. But as she slides a black arrow appears under her feet. The plate glows, illuminating her wicked grin before sending her rocketing back towards Black Star. It's all too fast. Black Star can't raise Tsubaki fast enough to defend. A scythe blade arcs in front of him, cutting Medusas line of attack. Medusa creates several more vector plates in quick succession, firing herself around Maka and Black Star. She comes for the kill from behind, but sees Death the Kid knows what she will do, his sights trained on where she will be. Her tail snake thuds into the ground, stopping her dead before launching her back to get some distance between herself and the young meisters. She stands, rubbing her chest thoughtfully as Maka, Black Star and Kid regroup.
"Well children, I take back what I said. You're far stronger than I remember and certainly stronger than I gave you credit for. However…" her face twists into a cruel snake leer. "You aren't the only ones who have learned a few new tricks. I say we even up the numbers here." At that she clasped her hands together as if in prayer, interlaced her fingers, unlaced them, slid her hands into a T shape, gripped her elbows and splayed her palms out towards the ground. The snake tattoos from her arms slithered off onto the ground before growing snake heads. The meisters weren't surprised. They'd seen this technique before. But it didn't end there. The dots forming the snakes' bodies split into two arms and legs like a hideous marionette puppet. Suddenly, the dots started to expand and grow into arms and legs?! The meisters watched in shock as the snake's bodies finished forming and they stood on their newly grown legs. They were well over six foot tall and built of pure, unadulterated muscle. They could have passed for human if not for their scale-like skin, clawed fingers and snake heads that hissed and spat. Medusa walked forward and proudly stroked the heads of her pets.
"Aren't they beautiful?" she said. "My finest creations; So loyal and effective and not subject to feelings or betrayal; unlike other failed experiments."
Maka knew exactly what Medusa was implying by that, but this time she refused to let her emotions master her. She remained stony face. Medusa, displeased with Makas lack of reaction, glared over at the meisters hatefully.
"Kill them." She ordered with a snap of her fingers. The snake creatures lunged forwards with impossible speed, closing the distance in less than an eye blink. The left one swiped for Black Star, forcing him to deflect and dodge roll back out of the creatures range. The right one slashed at Kid, but he back flipped away, firing as he turned in the air. Medusa zeroed in on Maka, her forearms slamming against Souls shaft, locking them in a struggle for power.
"You will die tonight Maka Albarn." she hissed, pushing harder, forcing Maka to give an inch. "It will not be quick death and your friends will watch you suffer. This much I can promise you."
"Shut your face!" Maka yelled, stepping back and breaking the power struggle and arcing Soul diagonally to cleave Medusa in half. The witch sidestepped easily as Souls blade stuck in the ground with an audible thunk. Maka didn't dare let up; Using Souls shaft to vault over him and launch a double footed kick at Medusa. She stepped back to avoid the kick. Maka landed and brought Soul up from behind her, his blade throwing up sand as he rose through the ground. Medusa leaned back far, the blade barely missing her chin, but her tail snake kept her balanced and threw her forward once the blade had passed. She shot forward, her arms wrapped in vectors to cut Maka to pieces. Her hands sparked off Souls blade and body as Maka spun him in every desperate maneuver she'd been taught to fend off the strikes.
"Speed Star!" Black Star rocketed towards the snake creature, sword raised to strike. He passed it for no more than a second, but cut hard as he passed. He felt it as the blade bit deep, but didn't stop. Turning as fast as he can, he rushes back and delivers another blow. And another blow. And another. And again. And again. Again. Again! Again! He's nothing more than a raging whirlwind of steel and shouts, cleaving his opponent to pieces even as his own speed snatches away their breathe. But he suddenly feels fire in his ribcage and stops. Scarlet and black blood covers his hands. Three shallow lines of red streak his chest.
"Black Star!" Tsubaki exclaims. Black Star looks to the snake creature. Its wounds are already closing. It licks his blood from his claws contentedly. He grimaces. For once, he does not say anything.
Kid is playing a dangerous game. It is like tag, but if he loses, he is not "it". Instead, he is dead. Each time the creature lunges for him, he leaps back and fires at the creatures exposed head and torso. He regains his footing, the creature lunges. It all starts again. But it is having no effect. The creature is not dead. It is not injured. It is slightly burned and annoyed at best. But he will not stop fighting. He stops jumping back and rushes the creature. Liz and Patty are afraid, but they trust Kid. He is their meister. He knows what he's doing… doesn't he? The snake claws at him, but he steps under the slash, batting the hand away and dancing around the creature. He pushes Liz and Patty into the tick muscles of the creatures back and fires.
"Kid! Look out!" Their warnings come too late. The smoke of their shots conceals another weapon. The sharpened tail arcs up and cuts Kid across the face from jaw to forehead. He stumbles back. The smoke clears. The creature waits patiently for his next move. There is blood in his eyes. Distantly, he worries if he'll get a scar. That would throw off his symmetry.
"Vector Plate!"
Maka hurtles back again, slamming painfully into a dead tree trunk. The vectors arc to impale her, but she rolls past some and cuts through the rest. She backs up. Her shoulders bump Black Star and Kid.
"Any ideas?" she asks.
"I was hoping you would." Mutters Black Star.
"We can't hold ground like this." States Kid. "We have to go for broke."
"Resonance link?" asks Black Star.
"But that's our trump card!" Hisses Maka. "If that doesn't work, then we have nothing left to hit Medusa with. We'd be as good as dead."
"You're smart Maka. If we don't do something soon, then we'll be as good as dead anyway." Retorts Kid. "You know that as much as anyone else."
"Fine. Let's do this."
"Boy is Medusa gonna be in for a shock." Snickers Black Star with some of his usual mirth.
"If you children are going to confess all your secrets to each other before you die, at least do it while you're dying. It's rude to keep a lady waiting." Scolded Medusa, with a look of mock disapproval.
"Are you ready Soul?" asks Maka.
The air of the room is warm, but the suit does not make him sweat. The candlelight is gentle and mellow. The ivory keys are cool to touch. He is ready to play.
"Ready!"
"You girls ready?" asks Kid and Black Star.
"Ready!" confirms Liz, Patty and Tsubaki.
"LET'S GO! SOUL RESONANCE!"
There is a sudden pulse deep in the chest of all the meisters. Something primal is awakened. They are alive inside. A rising chorus of shouts grows from their throats as they feel raw power flood their veins, flowing from them to their weapons and back again. Two beings as one. The ultimate combination.
"This tired technique!" laughs Medusa. "I've seen this before. I don't know what you fools are trying to pull, but it won't work."
Their powers have hit their limits. Soul can feel it. His fingers rest on the keys but he doesn't play. After so long, could he really go back to that place? Could he expose himself to it again? Risk losing himself one last time? He grins. Straight into the eye of the storm. No stops, express ticket to overwhelming Power and Madness. He plays. The music rings in the ears off the weapons and meisters. It is a song without logic or reason. It calls and screeches against the brain. It sounds of desperation and madness. Insanity seems sown into the notes. A haunting song of the Soul. Their wave lengths align. The aura rushes up. Their power explodes.
"AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"
Medusa steps back. She can feel their souls. They just exploded in size. Their power is doubling every second. And still it climbs exponentially.
"What?!" she yells. "This isn't possible!"
"Black Star!" Soul slams the chord. Black Star breaks rank and decapitates the snake creature.
"Kid!" He slams another chord. Kid sprints forward before the snake can even react. He pushes Liz and Patty into its mouth and blows its head clean off.
"Maka!" Soul's hands smash the keys hard. She rushes forward with a scream on her lips and slices for Medusa. The witch throws herself back, but not before Souls blade severs her dirty ponytail. How is she moving so fast? But the thought is cut short as Makas fist strikes her in the abdomen.
"Soul Menace!" The energy explodes through her body. Medusa is thrown savagely back and slams into a rock plateau.
"Black Star, now!" Maka yells.
"On it!" he responds, concentrating his energies. "Shadow Star: Shadow Bindings!"
The shadows of the night explode from the rock face. They wrap like chains around Medusas wrists, ankles, neck and stomach; securing her to the rock. She is not afraid. Instead, she is furious.
"You think cheap tricks will hold me?!" she spits indignantly. "You don't know who you're dealing with!"
She strains against her bonds with superhuman strength, some shadows already starting to break and tear from the strain. Black Star thins the shadows to the size of piano wire. They cut deep as Medusa strains. They lacerate her flesh and muscles and mutilate her body, but still she strains with the same murderous rage as ever.
"Guys, hurry up!" Black Star yells. "I can't hold her forever!"
"On it!" yells Kid. He rises off his feet as the night grows suddenly darker. Black spikes erupt from his arms as Liz and Patty swell until they are cannons emblazoned with skulls that swallow his arms to the elbow.
"Resonance stable at 99%." Says Liz. "Noise at 0.8%."
"Charging execution shot." Responds Patty.
"Feedback available in 3…"
"2…"
"1…"
"Ready to fire!" yells Patty.
"Death Cannon!" Hisses Kid. Two streams of yellow energy burst from the Thompson sisters barrels. The recoil almost knocks Kid off his feet. Medusa sees the beams and realizes too late that her struggles are for naught. The beams collide in an explosion of cataclysmic proportions. Kid turns to Black Star.
"You're up!"
"Yahoo! Shadow Star: Puppet Rain!"
The shadows gather up into dozens of stick figures around Black Star. Their arms shoot forward like harpoons on pistons, pounding the stone again and again to create a choking cloud of dust. Black Star smiles at Maka.
"Big finish Maka! Don't mess it up!"
She nods and sprints forward, knowing that this is the moment when she will end Medusas short third life. As she runs, Soul transforms, growing larger and brighter before going dark and angular. Maka leaps for the rock, raising her scythe high above her head.
"GENIE HUNTER!" She slashes down with a damning certainty and a resounding BOOM as Soul splits the whole plateau in half. She drops into a crouch, more out of exhaustion than drop height. She hobbles back to Black Star and Kid, the injuries of the fight coming through now that the adrenaline had worn off. They all stand panting for a minute before Black Star is the first to speak.
"I guess… we missed… the plane… huh?" They suddenly remember why they ended up her in the first place. Tuscany. A vacation.
"Some start… to the vacation." Maka chuckles. The others laugh.
"Maybe next year… we'll meet a Kishin… on the way to Paris!" Kid adds. They all start howling with laughter. They laugh until their cheeks hurt and their lungs are empty.
"Hahaha –ugh…" Black Star stops abruptly. Blood gurgles over his lips.
"BLACK STAR!"screams Tsubaki, gaping on horror at the three arrow vectors buried in his stomach. The arrows disappear as Black Star keels over. The meisters eye flit back and forth, but they can see nothing. They can sense nothing. A glowing from beneath Kid before the plate hurls him back. He slams against a dead tree.
"KID!" Liz and Patty cry, a sharpened branch protruding from their meister chest. They drop to the ground as Kids grip dissipates and his eyes turn dark.
Maka is on full alert. She keeps searching from where the next attack will come, but she is too panicked to think straight. Every shadow contains an enemy. Every patch of darkness; a threat. But there is a soft padding. The gentle and continuous phat phat phat of deliberate, stalking footsteps. The shadows begin to resolves themselves into a shape. An amber eye stares menacingly out from hooded eyes and hooded face alike. Blood, reflecting the moon as it pools, runs from her wrists and ankles. There is a sharp line of red across her throat. Her snake grin is marred by a scarlet dribble from the corner of her mouth. He posture is no longer arrow straight, but stooped and injured. But Medusa is still very much alive. Maka raises Soul, but without conviction. For once, she is totally lost.
"Maka…" The words ring gently in her ears. Soul is addressing her.
"Yes?"
"I think I have a plan." Makas pace quickens.
"Then spit it out already!"
"I don't think we can fight as weapon and meister anymore…"
"Soul, that only worked on Blair because she wanted you in the first place! All Medusa wants is to see us dead!"
"I think we need to fight as weapon and weapon." Makas eyes widened.
"But we haven't practiced enough! It won't work!"
"We have to try! This is our final trump card! This is the one thing that Medusa could never expect! There's never been another meister like you! If we don't do something we're good as dead anyway! What do you say Maka? If we go, we go out fighting?" Despite everything, Maka smiled a little. Even at a time like this Soul could still say things that made her smile. Her Soul.
"Gibbering to yourself won't help you child." Sneers Medusa. "But if it gives you comfort in your last moments before I kill you, I suppose I can allow it."
As the witch gets closer, Souls blade and body glow brightly but instead of attacking as she expected, he transforms back into his human form.
"Oh, surrendering I see." Jeers Medusa. "I might have entertained that notion a little earlier, but you've put me in a bad mood now you see?"
"We're not surrendering Medusa. Now we fight for real." Blades Sprout from his forearms, glinting in the soft moonlight. "Now it's you who don't know you're dealing with."
Medusa's face goes slack for a moment, but after a second a grin begins to break across her face, spreading further and faster before she throws her head back and howls with malicious, arrogant laughter. She laughs for minutes on end before finally settling into an unease quiet.
"I really don't know what's more amusing Soul." Chuckles Medusa. "The fact that you think you can defeat me by yourself, or how cliché this whole situation." Medusa puts on a mocking dramatic voice. "And the brave weapon throws aside all regard for his life to protect his meister. You've done this once before Soul. How did it work out for you that time?" The words make the scar on Souls chest sting, but he refuses to answer. Instead he runs head first at Medusa and swings his bladed arm wildly. The witch easily sidesteps him. He slashes again, faster, but again for naught. Medusa is taking easy steps back and to the side, avoiding Souls attacks with an almost contemptuous gracefulness. But out of the corner of her eye she catches a glimpse of Maka sprinting away as fast as she can.
That little bid for freedom won't get you far!
She sidesteps again and summons a vector plate. It sends her flying for the meister. Vectors encircling her arm, she reaches out to shred Maka to pieces. A feeling like fire flares across her arm as her vectors fall to ribbons. She stops the pursuit and cradles her injured arm. When had the girl gotten hold of a knife?! Medusa hadn't seen anything one her. She hears the pounding feet, but reacts too slow to avoid it completely. Soul's knife hand slices into her side, but the wound is only skin deep. The witch backs up, no longer confident in victory. As the weapon and meister regroup, Medusa gets her first glance at Makas hand. No longer a normal limb, it is made of solid grey and black steel. Maka sees her stares and returns them with equal intensity.
"Before we cut you into little chunks Medusa, I'd like to know something. How did you get away last time we met?"
"Why don't you come over here and I'll tell you?" said Medusa, voice dripping with confidence she did not have.
"Yes. Let's." Was all Maka said before she and Soul went sprinting straight for Medusa. Soul reaches her first, slashing at chest height. Medusa leans back on her tail snake, but Maka slides in and cuts low. Medusa pushes off her tail and somersaults back out of their way. The assault continues as Soul stabs for her, but his knife misses and plunges into the dirt. Instead of attacking, Maka steps off his back and jumps over Medusa. As she lands more blades spring back from her elbows, but they only cut Medusa instead of skewering her as intended. But despite the pain, Medusa is intrigued by the meister/weapon hybrid.
She has all the abilities of a meister combined with the greater speed, strength and dexterity of a weapon, she notes. And she had perfect control of the weapons inside her. Fascinating…
Maka turns and launches a roundhouse kick with a knife growing from her foot as Soul simultaneously swipes at Medusa's feet. The witch jumps and tucks into a tight barrel roll as she spins in the air. The blades cut within centimetres of her body. Still, she observes with fascination.
Their movements are perfectly in sync. They still fight like weapon and meister without the disadvantage of only being one fighter. Medusa lands.
"Vector Storm!" A flurry of arrows explodes up from the ground to engulf Medusa, forcing Soul and Maka to back up.
"Maka! Try resonating with me!" Soul yells over the sounds of the storm.
"What?!" Yells back Maka. "But we're not touching! How will that work?!"
"Just do it!"
Maka closes her eyes and concentrates. It's faint but… yes! Their soul link is still established. She matches her soul to his. She feels the power beginning to rise. But it's different now. She usually gives her power to Soul and gets more back before feeding it back to him again. But now she feels the power multiply in her own body and then multiplies again as she gives it to him.
It's my weapon blood. She realises. Just like Souls blood, it raises the strength of our resonance.
She can feel her body changing. The blades on her arms are glowing and growing larger every second. She recognises what is happening. She has performed this technique a hundred times before. Only now, she feels it from the place of the weapon.
"The Legendary Super Skill of the Scythe Meister!" She announces as he bladed arms explode into a glowing blue mass. The power is incredible. She is infinite. She is invincible. Not wasting the moment, Maka rushes forward to deliver the blow that will end this fight once and for all.
"Maka wait!" Soul calls out, but Maka is already committed. There is no stopping her now.
"Witch Hunter!" Maka yells. "Figure X hunter!"
Her arms uncross in a flash, two crossed blades of raging blue energy carve through the ground like tears in the fabric of space. They smash against Medusa's storm, sparking and sending rippling waves of electricity through the air. For a moment, everything goes silent. Time seems to be going so slow. She can see everything now, but nothing makes a sound. The sand hangs in the air all around here; kicked up by the violent assault of powers raging only a few feet away. She sees Medusa struggling against her attack, by the witch is fighting a losing battle. Soul is yelling something to her, but the world is on mute. She feels her own mouth move, but nothing comes out. He takes a step. The world shakes with the explosion. A huge inferno erupts from where Medusa stood, spraying hellish fireballs and comets of flames across the sky. Maka ducks under the chaos, but still she feels the heat singe her hair and cause her skin to dry and redden. The dust cloud follows suite; a huge storm of dust and grit that chokes the lunges and destroys all visibility and sense of direction. Maka stands up tentatively, but she can see nothing but hazy shadows.
"Soul!" she yells, sucks in some air. She coughs loudly twice and yells again. "Soul!"
She wanders blind through the storm in search of her weapon, seeing nothing and stopping to cough and hack every few paces. She spots a shadow moving and heads for it in hope. She gets closer, the shape growing closer and more definite. She smiles as she breaks into a run. He's safe! They had made it! But as she gets closer still she hears the choking. Not the coughing and choking of dusty lungs; instead the desperate guttural hacking of someone fighting for that one breathe they would die without. She sprints to the sound, but stops in shock at the huge snake wrapped around Souls neck, squeezing the life out of him. The creature speaks.
"If you want to save his life, I'd suggest you do exactly what I tell you."
Maka knows that voice, still smug and cruel despite all she'd endured tonight.
"Medusa…" Maka hisses. Medusa hisses back.
"I'm in no mood for games child! You're weapon has about a minute or so left before I give him permanent brain damage, so I suggest you follow what I say. And don't try anything clever in the meantime. If I get bored choking him, I could just pump him so full of venom that he'd be more poison than blood. Now, back away. A few steps should do."
Maka complies, seeing her partner is just short of turning blue.
"Hands behind your back! Grip your elbows and don't even dare let go!"
Again she does this, but unsure of the witches motives.
"There. That should be enough." Medusa unravels and springs from Souls neck so fast that Makas eyes could track the movement. Transforming mid-flight, Medusa grabs Maka by the throat and choke slams her to the ground. Upon landing she is fully human shaped again. She lifts the meister into the air as if she weighs nothing. Maka tries to summon the weapons but she can't. Her mind is swimming. She is exhausted. She has nothing left to give.
"Incredible." Medusa whispers. "Of all the children I have ever met you, Maka Albarn, are by far the most interesting." She turns Maka this way and that, examining with interest while Maka fights for air.
"A perfect weapon and meister hybrid with an anti-magic wavelength and incredible Soul wavelength control to boot. I think I may have to go back on my earlier promise..." she leers, drawing Makas face closer to hers.
"I want you just the way you are…"
Soul coughs violently, jolting himself back to consciousness. How long had been out? What if something had happened to Maka?! He tries to rise but fails, his muscles to heavy and drained. He hears a choking noise and whips his head to the source. What he sees he can't quite comprehend. From where he sits it looks like Medusa and Maka are kissing?! No, there faces are close together but there lips do not meet. But there is something black that rushes from Medusas mouth into Makas. He watches, wanting to say or do something, but he doesn't know how to react. The stream stops and Medusas eyes roll back into her skull. She drops Maka in a heap and falls back like a ragdoll, blood dripping from her mouth and ears. Soul finally manages to stand and stumbles over to Maka. The meister is on her knees and is sweating badly. She is deathly pale and looks like she is about to throw up.
"Maka, what's wrong?" Soul asks concern obvious in his tone. "What did she do to you?"
Maka suddenly grabs Soul by the collar and pulls him close. Her arms circle him, hold him for a moment. He thinks her hears a quiet sob, but he can't be sure.
"I don't have much time left…" Maka pushes his back to arm's length, staring him straight in the eye.
"Soul, you said that as a weapon it's your duty to protect your meister, right?"
"Yeah, of course." Why is she saying this? What has this to do with now?
"Well, you can't anymore. You have to protect the others instead! Kid, Black Star, Crona and everyone else!" he recognises that look in her eyes. It's fear. But what is she afraid of?
"Maka, where is this going?"
She looks down. A small tear hits her skirt. She turns back up and bears her throat to him.
"Do it."
No… She can't be serious.
"What?! No way!" he jumps back, startled.
"Soul, you have to do it!" Her tears flow freely now. There is no stopping them. "There's no other way and I can't do it myself!" Soul knows what she is afraid of. He doesn't blame her.
"No Maka! Why should I?! Give me a reason! What you're asking isn't fair!"
"Soul, I don't have enough time left! I can feel it slipping already! But you need to do it or else-" Maka chokes on her words. Her throat seizes up. Her eyes go wide and unfocused. Soul stops. This is worse than before. Something is wrong.
"Maka?"
Screaming. A sudden, animalistic screeching erupts from Makas throat; a high and visceral noise that claws at the air. Soul is bowled over by the ferocity of the noise. He doesn't know what to do. He is lost without her. Maka grips her head as she screams, as if trying to crush it or rip it off. Her body spasms and she curls into a tight ball before flailing out and thrashing wildly. Her screams devolve into yells, then grunts and finally growls that hiss and snap from her mouth. It all only lasts twelve seconds. The meister is splayed out on the ground, panting heavily. Her breathing slows and she rises comfortably, head down.
Soul rises as well. He doesn't know what had just happened, but he has to make sure Maka is no longer suicidal at the least. He approaches from behind, but little things stand out to him. Maka's gait is different. He legs are no longer so straight. They're slightly bent with her hips cocked slightly to the side. Her shoulders slope down more and her head is tilted at a slight angle.
"M-Maka?" has asks nervously. Her shoulders slacken more.
"I'm sorry Soul…" she says, turning to face him. Instead of her soft green eyes, Soul stares into harsh orbs of amber with a mocking and cruel grin set wrongly on Makas delicate lips.
"Maka's not here anymore."
Whoa, that took me longer than I thought it would! I apologize for how long this has taken, but I'm right in the middle of helping my friend on DA start up her own manga series, I've got a really bad stomach virus and I'm supposed to be doing exams now as well… So I must love you guys to keep writing this when my sh*t is f**ked like this! Anyway, if you want me to continue the story, just throw a quick "Yes please!" in a review or follow the story. You guys decide how this goes! Anyway, thanks for reading and see you next time!
Chaos Critique