"HOOOOOO!" The oni's war cry echoed across the rocky plains. The air whirred loudly as he swung his giant hammer around his head; winding up a mighty crushing blow.

"Look out for that hammer." I call out. I ready myself to dodge the incoming hammer, hoping Mystia will do the same.

Once in range the oni brings his hammer straight down. Waiting till the last second I step back from the strike. But even though I avoid the attack, it still sends me reeling. The splitting of earth was as loud as gunfire, and the tower of dust that he sent up is completely blinding.

Wow. That was loud! C'mon focus! I regain my balance after a few seconds.

The beast growls when his eyes find me still standing. Earth crumbles away as he pulls the buried mallet back out for another attack.

Alright, if I can slip past his next attack I can-

"Hiyaa!"

A burst of green light strikes the oni in the chest, sending him a step back. It doesn't look like it seriously hurt him, but it certainly surprised him.

Mystia… I look for the youkai girl. I'm a little surprised to see her hovering well above the ground, unfazed by the swing. With a confident smile, she readies more of her danmaku.

Her hands begin to hum softly as energy gathers into them. She then slices through the air with her fingertips, scattering green orbs in the oni's direction.

"Hmph! Nice try little girl, but it won't work!" The blast does not strike his body this time, but his hammer. With astonishing speed the oni swings his mallet through the cluster of bullets; sending them in all directions.

"HAAAA!" The oni booms again as he winds up for another slam; this time at Mystia.

"Mystia! Watch out!" I yell in warning.

"Don't worry, He doesn't stand a chance." She hovers stoically in place. She does not look worried at all.

Just where is all of that courage coming from? Can she really handle this guy? Is it just because she's a youkai?

He swings his hammer furiously at Mystia, but she easily flies back. He does a return swing, but she simply floats over it. Again and again he swings and punches at the youkai girl to no avail. She remains playfully out of reach of her attacker while firing her danmaku. Swinging and roaring, he tries to fight through her danmaku onslaught to reach the elusive girl.

I continue to follow behind them as their fight carries them around the road and field.

Their fighting is going all over the place. If I move in I might get in the way, or even get shot by Mystia. I wish I had my own danmaku… that would make this easy.

Do not try it. Your magic capacity is insufficient to maintain such a strong flow of energy. Arcane warns.

Really? I guess I'll have to-Whoa wait! Hold on! I have a capacity for magic?

Indeed. You have both command of both steel and spell.

Well I need the spell part! What does it do? How do I use it?

Your magic is shapeless. It bends to your will. I cannot show you how this works; it is something you yourself must uncover.

Ok I guess… Just try stuff and see what happens?

I slow down and let the fight move further away from me. I extend my arm to prepare myself for whatever I'm about to try and do. I try thinking about different emotions, objects, colors… nothing happens.

"Knight? What are you doing? Stop making weird gestures and- whoa!" Mystia loses balance thanks to a chunk of rock thrown at one of her wings.

Using the advantage, the oni scoops Mystia out of the air. Her entire upper body fits into just one of his oversized hands.

The powerful beast scowls as he clenches his fist as hard as he can, slowly draining her life with a deadly grip.

"Ah! Hey hey hey! Stop! Knight, give me hand!" Her voice is already weakening from the inability to breathe.

I've let myself get to far away for my melee. I need a ranged attack, but nothing seems to make my magic activate.

Fuck! He's going to kill her! Arcane, my magic isn't working!

…

Arcane! ARCANE! Damn you!

"H…urry" Mystia calls out. Her singing voice cracks from the pressure she's under.

"Shit… Come on, work…" My heart is racing. Mystia is going to get crushed to death right in front of me.

Come on magic! Do something! I don't care what it is, just fucking hit him already! Just don't let her die!

I begin to feel something. A faint heat stings my fingertips; the air around me begins to shift. Hoping for something to happen, I aim my hand.

Suddenly strange thoughts flood my head. Words resound from deep inside…

"Shake their very soul. Make them feel my power. Mysterious Tremor!"

That last word echoed across the rocky field. The thin ray of deep green energy fired from my hand sinks into the oni, unbalancing and weakening him. It was a weak spell, but it was the advantage I needed.

"Ugh!" The oni grunts as he inexplicably stumbles. In the process he drops Mystia, who wastes no time in dealing her counterattack; a burst attack to his head forces him right into the ground.

I clutch my head and fall to my knees in pain. Ugh… what just happened? Did I just stun him? Why do I hurt all of the sudden?

Your dark magic draws upon your own essence. Conjuring weapons and casting spells will exhaust your mind. You will grow stronger, but you will always have a limit.

"Ok… sparing with the powers…got it." I mutter to myself as I rise up again.

"Who are you talking to? Why are you on the ground?"

"Nothing. Just a little on edge. I guess you're ok?" I look at Mystia. To my surprise, she looks completely unharmed, and is standing with no trouble at all.

"Yep! Good hit by the way. I don't think I've ever seen danmaku wear out someone like that before."

I smile a little. "Not danmaku. Just a new trick I learned."

She makes a short leap back into the air. "I guess it's my turn to show you one of my own tricks then." Out of nowhere she materializes a card. With it in hand she faces her enemy, who is already getting back on his feet.

So she does have one…

It just looks like a decorative card to me. One of what?

A spell card. They are the pinnacle of magical craft in Gensokyo. They allow one to call forth a great flow of magic.

Really? So those are the big guns then. Better not get in the way.

"Hit him good Mystia!" I cheer as I step behind her.

She gives me a quick nod before returning her focus to her spell card. She thrusts the card straight up, pronouncing its name as loud as she can.

"Night Blindness: Song of the Night Sparrow!"

The card burns into nothing as it is spent…

"What the-? WHAT! What the hell? What did you do to my eyes! Where'd you go?" The oni's burning red eyes were now solid black in color.

I lower my sword as I watch the oni look about in confusion. Night blindness? In this light, I bet he can't see a thing!

"I, Mystia Lorelei, will see to it that you never see through the night again!" Still channeling her spell card, she fires a stream of dark red arrows. The sheer number and velocity is astonishing to me.

"GrrrraaaAAAAH!" the oni bellows in frustration as he attempts to shield his head while he blindly marches through the pelting bullets.

Gotta keep helping her! Come on magic… "Mysterious Tremor!" The spell comes easier this time, but I still fall down after I use it.

I gasp for air. "Did… it help?"

My beam mixes in with Mystia's attacks. The combination of danmaku and dark magic forces him back to one knee, but it only slows him for a second.

What the hell is this guy made of? He's not even bleeding yet! Her danmaku continuously tore into him, but it didn't look like he was being harmed. However, he was tiring out; the constant explosions and blindness kept him off balance.

She will be in danger soon.

I look around for some other unseen foe, but everything is ok. What are you talking about? You said danmaku doesn't run out for them right? She could do this all morning if she…

My heart stops. Morning! The sunlight! She doesn't know!

I quickly get up and wave to try to get Mystia's attention. She slows down and faces me. "What! I'm in the middle of a spell card!" A few rays of sunlight shine on her agitated glare as she says this.

"GOTCHA!" The oni makes his move before I even get a word in.

Able to see again, the oni hurls his weapon. His throw turns the weapon into an oversized missile that goes right into Mystia. I can only watch in horror as she spirals out of the air and crashes into the ground.

It all happened in less than five seconds. I'm stunned by the suddenness of it.

"Oh shit! Mystia!" She only responds with a weak moan. She did not move…

She sleeps now. Arcane calmly states.

"NO! Damn it all!" She's passed out. I tried to warn you; I tried! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

"HA HA HA!" The oni gave a hearty laugh at his successful hit. "Now it's just you and me you little coward. Get ready to die."

I whirl around face him; he's only a few of his sized steps away from me now. He was breathing heavily; he had to be worn out. But… this guy looks like a god of muscles. After taking nearly a whole minute of solid fire, his bare chest doesn't have a single scratch. I don't know if I can beat him.

Oh man… It's just me now… My nervous mind echoes.

Indeed. Now that the girl has moved aside, you have the opportunity to punish him yourself.

Hearing Arcane talk about Mystia getting beaten so casually made me a little mad, but he was right. If I wait for her to wake up I won't make it. I said I would help; now it's my turn to live up to it.

Ok… No more tricks for me? No other weird voodoo you pumped into me? Any last second stuff I need to know?

I am not your teacher. You know your abilities, now use them. It is time you played your part properly my servant. Now kill this animal. Strike him down!

Alright, here goes nothing!

With a short grunt, I run at the demon, ready to strike with my katana.

"HRAAA!" The oni lunges at me, tearing at the ground with his knuckles as his punch flies past me. I narrowly dive out of the way; dodging his massive arm is not easy.

The brute wastes no time in bringing a punch down with his other hand. Rather than evade this time, I try to land my own attack. Ducking under his arm, I drive the narrow blade into his biceps. What I hear, however, is not flesh being cut. A distinct splintering sound rings out instead.

I pause for a moment. Is this guy made of glass? He sounds like glass cracking when I hit him.

Magic seeks the strong. It clings to them like invisible armor. It is a trait of many powerful residents. You must break him down before he can be made to suffer.

So that's why he isn't hurt yet. He's got a damn shield! Well he can't last too much long-ARGH!

The oni quickly twists his body for a straight punch that smashes me in the chest. The weight of the strike sends me flying backwards into the air. I hit the ground hard when I land.

It's the first time I've actually been hit since I got here, and I'm not used to pain. My entire body is sore from the massive shock…

"Gah! Ah…argh!" That really stings! I thought you said magic was like armor! Don't I have magic or something?

I told you, your magic has no form. It will not protect you by itself unless you will it into a spell. Be warned: you are not as resilient as they.

Tactical approaches then… I can do that I think.

I stand up. My attacker is slowly walking towards me, confident in his power over me. He's some distance away thanks to his punch so I have a little time to think out a strategy. When I begin to advance again, I step a bit more cautiously.

"Take THIS!" The oni comes in for a low sweeping punch. Rather than charge in for an attack I retreat. He keeps swinging, and I keep retreating. I make sure to keep a reasonable space to avoid his attacks.

With each miss his anger grows, until he can no longer stand it.

"Grr… Just… STOP MOVING ALREADY!" In a fit of frustration he brings both hands together and slams them into the ground, generating a destructive shockwave. Unfortunately for him, it's still not very accurate.

Now I got you. I take a step forward and hoist myself up on his buried hands, over his shoulders, and grab onto the spikes on his back. With my sword now poised at the back of his head, I attempt to break his magic barrier with repeated stabs.

Come on! Break… break… BREAK! The cracking of the barrier grows louder and louder until a shatter is heard. The barrier cannot withstand any more damage and explodes away from the oni in a sudden bright wave of energy.

Yes… now impart death.

In that instant the trapped oni pulls himself free, forcing me down his back as he stands. I drag my blade down his spine as I slide off, spilling thick black blood over his back.

As soon as I land behind him he spins around into another strike; his wild maneuver is predictable and easy to dodge. Now off balance from his spin, I take the opportunity to bring in an attack.

"Just die already!" I angrily shout as my flurry tears at the tough muscles, marring his torso and legs with multiple slashes.

The bleeding oni steps back. The open wounds on his body confirms my attack as effective.

"Nnngh… I'll grind you into DUST!" He sprints at me, ducking down into a mad bull rush. I concentrate on his wild movements; my sword cackles with energy as I prepare a powered strike.

Time to go down big guy. I strafe to the side to avoid the stampeding giant. His forward momentum and the energy in my sword forces my blade all the way through his thick side. The oni collapses to the ground in a fountain of black liquid.

Slowly I watch the oni carefully for any movement. Come on… stay down. Don't get up. Please don't get up.

Of course, isn't finished. He slowly looks up at me. His twisted scowl is stained with his own blood.

"You're pretty handy with that sword of yours… Got me pretty good with that last one…" He gasps for breath with each sentence. The wound in his side continues to ooze blood.

"You done yet?" I ask. I'm more than eager to be done with this.

He grins evilly. "Not yet!" With a roar he jumps back up; ready to fight again. I charge my sword again, ready for whatever he may do.

"Deadly Toxin: Poisonous Moth's Dance in the Dark!"

The voice came from neither me nor him. It came from a now awake Mystia. The singing tone in her voice was gone. What came instead was the screeching of a very angry bird youkai.

I look over at Mystia just in time to see her spell card be used… What the hell are those things?

Several large winged bugs surrounded Mystia. The silvery wings shone under the morning light, making it look like some kind of light show. Following Mystia's gesture, the swarm of moths set forth. The beating of their wings sprinkles poison spores as they approach the wounded oni.

Unsure of how to handle this kind of attack, He throws a punch through the swarm. This only scatters the moths, which home in on him afterwards. The moths passively flutter about him, sprinkling toxin over his exposed wounds and face.

"Gah! Uh!" He chokes. Venom racks his body, and he falls to the ground in a poison induced seizure.

"That'll teach you to throw rocks at birds you brute." Mystia coldly states.

After struggling for a few second, the oni stops moving. His body is paler, and his wounds hiss with disease. The moth's then burst into nothing, leaving him alone on the ground.

At first, it seemed like he is only passed out, but he suddenly burns away to ash, leaving nothing behind but a black smear.

An eternity in the burning hells awaits him.

Holy shit… she really messed him up with that. I think were done now. Seeing a guy, even this monster, poisoned to death is quite scary.

I walk away from the remains and over to Mystia. "Thanks for the save."

Hmph! Meddling girl! You should have killed him yourself. Still… You did quite well. You have begun to control your power. Now you would do well to rest, your strength will recover sooner if you do.

Yeah… rest is good.

The disheveled Mystia takes a seat on the dirt, sighing in relief at our victory. "Whew."

I send the sword back and take a seat next to her. "Man… What a beast. A real badass! I can't believe we beat him." I wipe the sweat from my head.

I'm not exactly thrilled about him getting killed like that, but that psychopath really needed to go.

"Yeah. He was a bit tougher than I thought. Definitely a good stretch though." Mystia stretches her arms while she says this.

Did I just hear that right? She still considers this a just an exercise! "How the are you not tired? Or hurt? You got hit with a hammer! A hammer!"

"What? He just gave me a little knock is all. I only used two spell cards." She laughs.

I guess she has that barrier thing saved her. Glad she's ok at least.

"You were pretty good yourself. I saw how you used that sword you summoned. And you got that beam attack that stunned him too. Just what kind of youkai are you anyways?"

Do not speak of my existence. It will not end favorably.

Yeah. Saying I'm some dark magic… thing thats possessed by an ancient god of pain would be a good way to lose friends. Let's see… well…

"I don't know."

She tilts her head. "Don't know?"

"No. I don't remember much, only that I have some strange powers. I have no idea what's going on or what Gensokyo even is. I'm going to Reimu because someone I ran into says she knows what's what around here." It's not a total lie at least.

"Oh, I had no idea you were... I'm sorry to hear that. But your right, Reimu has a lot of friends who might be able to figure out what you are, and maybe even help you fit in. You should see her right away."

That's great, but I'm not here to fit in. I'm here to get rid of this thing inside my head. I just wonder what his plan is. Why does he help me try to stop himself? I really need to figure this out before something bad happens!

"Well, I really need to keep going. I don't want to waste any time until I figure this out." I get up

Mystia gets up as well. "Sure. How about I follow you to the shrine? It's still some walking distance from here."

I shake my head. "You don't have to. I owe you enough as is. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"Umm… well, if you say so. I at least need to go to Misty Lake then. Let me just grab my cart and we'll finish our travel together."

With that, we return to the edge of the road. Mystia grabs her cart and we head down the path again, leaving the Road of Liminality altogether.

Good god, what a monster though! It took everything I had in me to beat him, and that been with Mystia having done most of the work already! I hope they don't get any stronger than that. There's no way to top that guy… Is there?

I look up at the morning sun. All of this and I haven't even been here a full day…

Well, day one here I come.

A/N

My second attempt at a battle sequence. This one has a bit of focus on Mystia fighting in addition to Knight, i really wanted to higlight the different elements of the Touhou games in my Gensokyo for this story while contrasting them to the dark power that Knight has. More importantly, i just hope this was a good action scene.

Feel free to give reviews or comments.

Next chapter may take a bit, but i'll get it up soon.