Chapter Twelve
"How could Death find us?" Ash asked as she dropped the journal and summoned Xavier. "I was absolutely certain that he couldn't find us. Why would he come here?"
"It doesn't matter," Asura answered. "All I care about is surviving, understand?"
Ash nodded. "Yeah," her grip on Xavier tightened. "I'll go attack first. If I do that, I'll make him weaker."
"Ash don't be an idiot."
"Too late for that," Xavier announced.
"He isn't lying," Ash chuckled and went after Death.
"Ash no!" Asura called after her.
"There is no turning back," Ash thought. "I promised to protect you Asura and I plan on keeping that promise."
Within moments, the Grim Reaper came into view. Ash leaped and began her assault. The first blow Ash dealt, Death blocked.
"Where is Asura?" he asked.
"As far you're concerned," Ash jumped back. "I'm your opponent," she lunged.
"Why would Asura send you?" Death wondered out loud as he dodged Ash's attacks.
"He didn't send me," Ash grew out her wings and turned the feathers into blades. "I came on my own," Ash folded her arm over chest and a wing followed. She moved her arm in a swift motion and the wing moved as well as it sent a volley of blades towards Death.
"Skull Shield," Death held out one skeletal hand and created a shield in the form of a skull. He blocked Ash's attack then sent the shield after her.
Ash spread her wings so then they dug into the wall to hold her in place as she held Xavier in front of her to block the shield. As the skull connected with Xavier, sparks that resembled to lightning appeared. Thanks to her wings and Xavier, she was kept in place.
"You're going to need a lot more than that to defeat me," Ash said.
Death placed himself directly behind the shield. He placed two hands on it.
"Ash get back!" Xavier warned, but it was too late.
"Shockwave," Death said and broke the shield.
Small amounts of lightning crawled over Xavier's blade then hit Ash. She cried out in pain as the bolts hit every part of her body. Her blood boiled, resulting in creating gashes over her body.
"Reaper Chop!" Death hit Ash down the corridor.
Ash was knocked away as her black blood healed her wounds. She heard bones snapping, it was her wings. She bounced on the ground several times before her she collided with something and her vision turned black.
Asura heard Ash cry out in pain. His head whipped towards the corridor she ran down.
"You damn idiot," Asura muttered.
He saw Ash returning to him. She hit him and Asura was pushed away a few feet. He held Ash as her wings retracted back into her body. He knelt down and inspected his friend, her eyes were closed.
"She was knocked out," Asura concluded and noticed parts of her tunic were stained black. "Shockwave," Asura picked up Ash and placed her against a pillar.
"She has great skills in battle," Death commented.
Asura looked at his former master. "I see that you recovered. But no matter, I'll kill you this time."
"And risk harming your beloved?"
The kishin looked at the unconscious Ash. "She knows when to flee. Or rather, Xavier does. But you came here to kill me, why are you worried about Ash?"
"I'm not. She will die shortly after I kill you."
Asura surfaced Vajra and shot a red beam. Death reflected the attack into a wall, causing the entire room to vibrate.
"Hmm, interesting," Asura thought. "The ruin didn't collapse."
Death came upon him. "Reaper Chop!"
Asura bent backwards as the attack narrowly missed him. He used his scarves to grab hold of Death then struck him into walls and pillars. Asura then threw his former master further into the ruin, away from Ash.
"He didn't use Shockwave," Asura thought. "Why?" he stood up straight and followed where he threw Death.
What greeted him were four black skull arms. Asura created a red barrier that protected him from Death's attack. As soon as Asura dropped his barrier, Death was waiting.
"Reaper Chop," Asura thought as Death was ready to strike. He used his scarves to tightly hold Death's hand in place. Asura shot another red beam that violently sent Death flying again. "Thank you for training me Death," he followed.
Ash's eyelids felt heavy and her head felt as if it was repeatedly smashed into a marble wall. Even so, she opened her eyes and looked around. Where was she again?
She recalled her recent memories and the throbbing pain in her head disappeared. "Death," she was on her feet. "Xavier!"
"Beside you," Xavier said.
She looked to her right and saw the blade on the ground. She picked him up. "Where are Asura and Death?"
"Down the corridor, to your left, away from the exit."
"Thank you," Ash made her way down the corridor.
Now it was Asura's turn to get hurt. Death used Skull Shield to pin him to the wall.
"This again?" Asura thought and started to push the shield away. "Have you forgotten what happened before?"
"Shockwave!" Death said as he placed his hands on the shield.
"Oh," Asura thought. "So this is what's different."
Asura retracted Vajra as the shield broke and a high concentration of lighting hit his body. Asura didn't scream as parts of his skin broke apart and his heart stopped beating. He held his chest as he fell to one knee, the remaining shocks made his heart beat again. Just as the shockwaves killed him, they also saved him.
Death grabbed Asura's face and lifted him. He slammed him into the wall then dragged Asura across the wall, for only a moment.
"Let go of him!" he heard Ash cry out as he felt Death's hand leave his head. She must've kicked him.
Asura looked at her. "What are you doing?"
"Saving you from the looks of it," Ash answered.
"Why aren't you running?" Asura stood on the cobblestone ground.
"Because I don't want to. I know that you want me to run, save myself. But that isn't going to happen," her eyes flared blue. "If I die, so be it. But I am not going to do it alone."
Asura closed his eyes. He hugged Ash. "You stupid, loyal partner."
"You forgot beautiful," Ash wrapped one arm around him.
"I thought that was already a given."
"But I want to hear you say it," they parted and looked at Death. "You ready Asura?"
"No."
"Excellent," Ash charged.
Death blocked and dodged all of Ash's attacks. Asura surfaced Vajra. He waited until Ash was out of the way, then he fired.
Death saw this coming and used Ash as a shield. Quickly recovering, Ash used Xavier to block the attack.
"How could I have not seen this coming?" Asura thought and prayed he hasn't killed her.
Sure enough, his prayer was answered. He saw Ash smiling at him before getting tossed aside. She planted her feet on the wall then jumped back at Death.
He caught Xavier. "Shockwave."
Ash cried out as she was forced to let go of Xavier.
"Now that's playing dirty," Asura thought as he went after Death.
Wielding Xavier, Death fought against Asura. Asura had a difficult time going on the offensive, Death was leaving no openings. The kishin jumped back as the edge of the blade cut through three layers of clothing, he needed to think.
"How is Death able to hold Xavier?" Asura thought. "He is a part of Ash; she should be the only one able to hold him."
"It's one thing to steal someone's weapon," Ash said. "But it's another to use it as your own."
Death looked at the huntress. With inhuman speed, Ash kicked Xavier out of his grasp. Before he could use Reaper Chop, Ash flipped back and caught Xavier before being on her feet again.
"Your fighting skills are impressive," Death commented.
"A compliment from the enemy?" Ash asked. "That's rare."
While Death was distracted, Asura used his scarves to tie Death so then Ash could deal the final blow. But, Death saw this coming; Asura's former master caught his scarves then threw him into Ash with an incredible amount of force.
The two meisters were sent even further into the ruin. They broke through a thick wooden door and stopped in what looked like a shrine.
Asura pushed himself onto all fours; bits of wood fell off his clothing. He looked at Ash; she was lying on her side but soon used Xavier to support herself. "Are you alright?" a stupid question to ask.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she staggered as she stood. The kishin heard her pant. "Death's a lot more difficult to deal with than I realized."
"He is a God," Asura explained. "Gods don't die easily."
"Yeah, you and Death are living proof."
Asura chuckled. "Get ready, here he comes."
Ash didn't respond and placed herself in front of him. "Xavier…" an ominous wind surrounded her, lifting her hair and ruffled the skirt of her tunic. "Get ready!"
Her soul wavelength increased with power. "Soul Resonance," Asura said then saw a cut form on Ash's cheek. "Ash stop, you're going to kill yourself."
"If my attack will kill Death, then it'll be worth it," Ash responded in a demonic tone. Xavier's blade released a black and white light as he transformed into a black and white blade with small white wings erupting from the hilt. "Xavier…"
"Ash," Xavier responded.
Ash lifted Xavier up. "Immortal Judgement!" they both said in sync as Ash brought Xavier down; releasing a blinding light that forced Asura to look away.
After a moment of silence, Asura blinked then looked at Ash; she was still standing.
"Amazing," Asura whispered.
"It was, wasn't it?" Ash asked as she dropped Xavier, who was covered in black blood. She fell back.
"Ash!" Asura stood and caught her. Black blood trailed down her fingers and dripped onto the wooden floor. "I told you that you would kill yourself."
"Is he dead?" Ash asked in a faint tone.
Asura looked down the destroyed corridor. "If that didn't do it, I don't know what will."
As if he jinxed it, four black skull claws emerged from the darkness and headed straight for Asura. Without thinking, Asura tossed Ash aside and let the claws attack him; they tore chunks of his skin off. Asura cried out in pain and fell to his knees, a pool of black blood forming under him.
"How can Death still be alive?" Asura thought and panted. His eyes widened. "Why aren't I regenerating?"
"To think someone could possess so much power is beyond me," Death said as he wandered in, paying no attention to Ash. "You've created a very powerful human Asura."
Asura glared at him. "What have you done to me?"
"On my way here, I came to the realization that your madness has started to affect the minds of normal humans. As a result, I need to seal you and your madness away. Killing you won't help," Death created more black skull claws. "What better way to seal someone off than using their own flesh?"
Asura glanced at Ash; she was rising to her feet with Xavier in her hand. "Stay down you idiot," he thought.
"Anything you want to say before you never see her again?" Death asked.
Asura laughed. "So I see that you aren't without mercy. How kind of you."
Before Death could respond, a mirror blade with no reflection came out of Death's chest. Asura stared with a mad look in his eyes, what is Ash thinking?
"I thought that last attack of yours would have killed you," Death said then tilted his head to look at Ash. "Such fighting spirit."
"Why can't you just roll over and die?!" Ash thought and pulled back Xavier.
Death turned his attention towards her. "Killing you will take a lot more effort than I realized. But you can flee after I sealed Asura. Hmm… what to do?"
Ash gritted her teeth and tightly held Xavier. "I will not let you take Asura!" he attacked.
"That was a dumb move," Xavier said.
Death caught Xavier again. Ash put more force into cutting Death's hand. As if she were a doll, Death tossed her aside and made her let go of Xavier. She hit a wooden post and spat out blood. As soon as she hit the ground, she forced herself to stand. She took a few steps towards Death with what little strength she had left.
Death was upon her. "Stay down," he drove Xavier into her chest.
Her eyes widened and she coughed up more blood. She fell to her knees then tilted back, the blade drove into the wooden floor, supporting her. She looked at Asura. "I'm sorry… my love."
Asura stared in horror as Ash held Xavier in her chest. "ASH!" tears escaped his eyes. "I was your target," Asura no longer felt pain, just burning anger. "You didn't have to go after her," he lunged without thinking, madness and anger were the only things driving him. "Die bastard!"
"Reaper Chop," Death said and knocked Asura away.
Asura landed on his feet then noticed something unusual; Ash was being turned into stone. "What the hell?"
"It would be cruel to separate the two of you," Death said and created black skull claws. "This is the only gift I will give you. The two of you will be sealed; forever. The only place you can meet is in your mad world," he sent the claws upon Asura.
The next few moments Asura experienced was pain. The very flesh being torn off him is a pain no man should experience. It was a cruel fate, even for him. After the pain, he was sitting in complete darkness.