Allouette pulled Kayin's limp form back against the wall and huddled next to him, hoping that Atyon wouldn't see her. She had her eyes closed, her mouth moving in a quick prayer to whatever god she could think of at the moment. Her impromptu appeals to higher forces were ignored when Atyon's gaze fell on her.
"It's time to rid this world of Kayin Amoh once and for all." Atyon smiled at her, his face contorted with the power the blade exuded.
Allouette got up and grabbed Excalibur in her hands, holding the heavy broadsword in front of her. She stepped in front of Kayin defensively and went on guard.
"You're going to have to kill me first before I'll let you."
"Get out of the way Allouette. I will carve you up as well as the Scot if you force me to." Atyon said, sneering.
"I won't move."
"That's your choice, bitch. You could have sat on the throne next to mine when I conquer the entire world. You could have been the empress at my side. Nobody scorns me."
"Get used to it." She said, bringing the sword up again.
Atyon came forward, swinging his blade in a feint before slashing several times. Allouette felt her sword barely take every blow, wondering in reality when the blade would shatter and leave her defenseless. She blocked high and brought her leg up for a kick, scoring a quick one in his solar plexus.
Atyon backed away, then attacked again, coming in low hoping to score a hit she couldn't block. His sword darted past her defenses and scored a line in her leg, leaving a trail of blood after his stroke.
"I've drawn first blood, stop now and you can still be part of my court."
"I won't let you kill him, Atyon." She said, pressing one hand against the cut in her leg. It burned worse than liquid metal, and Allouette had a feeling it had to do with the sword.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the vibrations of Atyon's sword more than anything else. Allouette shut out the feeling the Ittou No Okibi and concentrated on Excalibur. She could feel it pulsing within, the source of the sword's power, it's awesome potential. She could also tell Kayin had never accessed the sword's power this deeply before.
Excalibur's power surrounded her presence, touching her ki, her power source, with delicate curiosity. She relaxed and let it flow within her, gathering energy. She opened her eyes and the sword began to glow as brightly as Atyon's, Excalibur's ki building with her own. Allouette brought it up again, this time in one hand, and waited for Atyon to attack.
He watched her, as purple-red swells of energy cascaded from her sword and around her body, surrounding it like a celestial aura. It crackled and popped in response to the dark red ki of the Ittou No Okibi and swelled like a threatened animal. Atyon stepped forward and slashed at her throat, meeting not only resistance from her sword, but from the aura of energy around her.
Allouette stepped forward and swung her sword in a counter, bringing it up so the pommel hit his hand, numbing it temporarily. She backed up and went down into a lunge, bringing her sword across his legs before he could jump over them in a vicious swipe, drawing blood from both his shins before standing straight again.
The waves of purple-red ki were still pulsating like a heartbeat, and she started to feel the drain on her body. It didn't matter though, she attacked again and drew more blood, leaving Atyon holding a hand to his cheek. Enraged, he ran forward, swinging the Ittou No Okibi. Allouette brought her sword up in a block and pressed in, bending her arms so she was a few short inches away from Atyon's face.
"You're losing the power, Atyon."
His face went from anger to blank horror as Ellis, Sofia and Eiji dropped from their places on the walls, Atyon's power on them broken. Allouette brought her left arm up and struck him with the back of her hand across the cheek, sending him flying into the wall.
He sword clattered against the stone with his body, but Atyon managed to keep a hold on it. He stood, leaning against the rocky barricade and glared at Allouette. She took a step closer to him and brought Excalibur up and swung, satisfied when she heard metal chime on metal and stone. Sparks filled the area and made way for a light that blinded Allouette and everyone else.
Kayin rolled from the light and ended up facing Eiji. He helped Kayin up and they shielded their eyes while walking forward. The light began to fade and revealed Allouette standing over Atyon and the shattered pieces of the Ittou No Okibi. Atyon opened his hand and let the hilt drop from his blackened, charred hand, the dead skin coming off, the flesh falling away to reveal bone.
Atyon stared at his hand in horror as Allouette brought Excalibur up one last time and thrust it into his body, pinning him to the wall. His mouth fell open in a silent scream and while his eyes lost their light, he spoke quietly.
"You can't destroy the sword so easily. It will return."
"But you will not." Allouette said just as quietly. Atyon's eyes closed and the struggled breathing in his punctured lungs stopped.
Allouette sighed and the purple-red light of the ki evaporated, leaving her standing alone, her hands at her sides. She turned and saw the four watching her intently as she finished the fight. Allouette smiled gently, then fell to the ground. Kayin limped forward and picked her up gently, his legs and back aching with the effort. Eiji came forward and eased Allouette out of Kayin's arms and into his own.
"You can barely walk back. I'll take care of her."
Kayin pulled Excalibur from the wall with a might wrench and held it up, watching it drip Atyon's blood. "Be sure that you do."
"It's time to rid this world of Kayin Amoh once and for all." Atyon smiled at her, his face contorted with the power the blade exuded.
Allouette got up and grabbed Excalibur in her hands, holding the heavy broadsword in front of her. She stepped in front of Kayin defensively and went on guard.
"You're going to have to kill me first before I'll let you."
"Get out of the way Allouette. I will carve you up as well as the Scot if you force me to." Atyon said, sneering.
"I won't move."
"That's your choice, bitch. You could have sat on the throne next to mine when I conquer the entire world. You could have been the empress at my side. Nobody scorns me."
"Get used to it." She said, bringing the sword up again.
Atyon came forward, swinging his blade in a feint before slashing several times. Allouette felt her sword barely take every blow, wondering in reality when the blade would shatter and leave her defenseless. She blocked high and brought her leg up for a kick, scoring a quick one in his solar plexus.
Atyon backed away, then attacked again, coming in low hoping to score a hit she couldn't block. His sword darted past her defenses and scored a line in her leg, leaving a trail of blood after his stroke.
"I've drawn first blood, stop now and you can still be part of my court."
"I won't let you kill him, Atyon." She said, pressing one hand against the cut in her leg. It burned worse than liquid metal, and Allouette had a feeling it had to do with the sword.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the vibrations of Atyon's sword more than anything else. Allouette shut out the feeling the Ittou No Okibi and concentrated on Excalibur. She could feel it pulsing within, the source of the sword's power, it's awesome potential. She could also tell Kayin had never accessed the sword's power this deeply before.
Excalibur's power surrounded her presence, touching her ki, her power source, with delicate curiosity. She relaxed and let it flow within her, gathering energy. She opened her eyes and the sword began to glow as brightly as Atyon's, Excalibur's ki building with her own. Allouette brought it up again, this time in one hand, and waited for Atyon to attack.
He watched her, as purple-red swells of energy cascaded from her sword and around her body, surrounding it like a celestial aura. It crackled and popped in response to the dark red ki of the Ittou No Okibi and swelled like a threatened animal. Atyon stepped forward and slashed at her throat, meeting not only resistance from her sword, but from the aura of energy around her.
Allouette stepped forward and swung her sword in a counter, bringing it up so the pommel hit his hand, numbing it temporarily. She backed up and went down into a lunge, bringing her sword across his legs before he could jump over them in a vicious swipe, drawing blood from both his shins before standing straight again.
The waves of purple-red ki were still pulsating like a heartbeat, and she started to feel the drain on her body. It didn't matter though, she attacked again and drew more blood, leaving Atyon holding a hand to his cheek. Enraged, he ran forward, swinging the Ittou No Okibi. Allouette brought her sword up in a block and pressed in, bending her arms so she was a few short inches away from Atyon's face.
"You're losing the power, Atyon."
His face went from anger to blank horror as Ellis, Sofia and Eiji dropped from their places on the walls, Atyon's power on them broken. Allouette brought her left arm up and struck him with the back of her hand across the cheek, sending him flying into the wall.
He sword clattered against the stone with his body, but Atyon managed to keep a hold on it. He stood, leaning against the rocky barricade and glared at Allouette. She took a step closer to him and brought Excalibur up and swung, satisfied when she heard metal chime on metal and stone. Sparks filled the area and made way for a light that blinded Allouette and everyone else.
Kayin rolled from the light and ended up facing Eiji. He helped Kayin up and they shielded their eyes while walking forward. The light began to fade and revealed Allouette standing over Atyon and the shattered pieces of the Ittou No Okibi. Atyon opened his hand and let the hilt drop from his blackened, charred hand, the dead skin coming off, the flesh falling away to reveal bone.
Atyon stared at his hand in horror as Allouette brought Excalibur up one last time and thrust it into his body, pinning him to the wall. His mouth fell open in a silent scream and while his eyes lost their light, he spoke quietly.
"You can't destroy the sword so easily. It will return."
"But you will not." Allouette said just as quietly. Atyon's eyes closed and the struggled breathing in his punctured lungs stopped.
Allouette sighed and the purple-red light of the ki evaporated, leaving her standing alone, her hands at her sides. She turned and saw the four watching her intently as she finished the fight. Allouette smiled gently, then fell to the ground. Kayin limped forward and picked her up gently, his legs and back aching with the effort. Eiji came forward and eased Allouette out of Kayin's arms and into his own.
"You can barely walk back. I'll take care of her."
Kayin pulled Excalibur from the wall with a might wrench and held it up, watching it drip Atyon's blood. "Be sure that you do."
