Carrot dug his feet into the ground, trying to stop his body from being pushed back farther. His breath came out in short pants, as he clutched his slightly burned shoulder. Sections of his hair were singed from the fire from the sorcerer. He glared at Count Katashi, who silently mocked him with the smirk on his face.
His eyes darted to his left. 'Tira. . . . . Chocolate. . . . . . .'
Then to his right. 'Gateau. . . . .'
The others had been knocked out earlier by the sorcerer's aura of flames. He was doing his best to hold out on his own, but how could he fight this inferno?
'I have to. Marron and Ami would be in so much danger if I didn't. I could never forgive myself if anything happened to them. But. . . . . . how long can I take the heat?'
The chuckle of the sorcerer brought him back to his present situation. "Well, Carrot. Are you ready to give up, yet?"
The hunter scoffed. "This isn't over, Katashi."
"I assure you, Carrot, this will end very soon. And your soul will belong to me."
Carrot's onyx eyes narrowed.
"Since you are the reincarnation of the god of Destruction, when I finish you off, your soul will strengthen me further."
"You'll have to get my soul, first."
"Oh, I intend to do just that." Another pillar of fire headed towards him, and Carrot jumped in time to avoid it. He landed behind the sorcerer.
'Of all the times to forget my sword! What the hell was I thinking!'
He charged at the sorcerer, hoping to get at least a hit. But Count Katashi swiftly turned to face him, his fiery aura raged around him. Carrot stopped, protecting his face from the intense heat.
"As I told you before, young hunter, there is no way you can win against the element of fire." Carrot cried out as he felt the heat of the flames licking his body, consuming him. He flew back, hitting the wall of the castle.
He then felt the grass beneath him. The taste of blood was in his mouth, as he felt the warm liquid trickle down his face. He got up slowly, using the wall of the mansion to stand. Wiping the cut on his forehead, he spit out the blood that was in his mouth.
"I must say, you are much tougher than most other people I've faced before."
'I wish I could use my zoanthropy, but without magic, there's no way for me to do that. What am I going to do? How am I going to beat him?'
Nearby, Marron watched as his brother continued to fight Count Katashi. He had just arrived, yet was waiting for the right opportunity to help. If he jumped in at the wrong time, he knew he could get the both of them killed.
With each hit his brother took, Marron felt his blood boil. He couldn't explain the rage that surged throughout his body, yet he knew he has felt the same way before. In his other life, when he remembered. The grip he had on his brother's sword tightened.
He couldn't allow anyone to hurt his brother. The fury that flowed within him was pushing against the wall that held back his recollections of his past. A bit of it broke, as he felt some kind of memory surface.
Flashback
"Marron. . . . ." Carrot whispered hoarsely, an outstretched hand falling limply to the ground. His eyes gently closed, and his head rested on the cold ground.
"Brother!" The younger Glace ran up to him, kneeling down to check on him. Even if his arm was bleeding and he had no feeling in it, Marron was somehow able to pick up his unconscious brother, feeling the warm blood that covered Carrot's body.
Anger arose within him, as his hair spread out around him. "You. . . . hurt my brother…" His golden eyes narrowed, as he glared at their assailant. An aura seemed to cover both of the Glace brothers, and the sorcerer stepped back in fear. "And. . . . . for that. . . . . I . . . . CANNOT FORGIVE!"
He let out a cry of anguish, of pain and rage. His magical aura blazed around him, as he prepared to attack the one who dared to even think of harming his older brother.
End Flashback
Marron gritted his teeth as he heard another cry of pain. He couldn't take it anymore. Energy, kindled by his rage, coursed through his veins.
Instinctively, he pulled out a paper ofuda. It began to glow a bright blue.
It hurt too much. Another cry was ripped from his throat. Carrot heard the sorcerer laughing. Looking up, he saw Count Katashi, his flaming aura seeming to correspond with his amusement.
"This is it, Carrot," he said. "I have won. After I am done with you, I will absorb the souls of your friends here, then I will finish taking in your brother's. My daughter Ami will live with me, learn from me, and become my proper heir. Magic will consume her soul, as I teach her the ways of being a sorcerer." He aimed, and fired another pillar of inferno at him, to finish him off.
Carrot growled deeply. 'I failed. We failed this mission.' He closed his eyes, waiting for it all to end.
Another source of heat flew past him, from behind. Surprised, Carrot opened his eyes to see another fiery object colliding with the attack. Both fierce attacks dance, combined, and exploded in a giant sphere of orange heat. But, even as he covered his face from the heat, Carrot had seen the attack that had saved him.
A phoenix.
The blinding light finally died down. Slowly, Carrot opened his eyes, and saw the sorcerer staring at him, his eyes small with shock. Yet, as he carefully observed the count, he seemed to be staring PAST him. Propping himself up on his elbows, he turned to look behind him.
Marron slowly made his way towards them, standing in front of his brother.
"M-Marron?" Carrot said in disbelief.
Golden eyes casted him a glance over the younger's shoulders. Then, those eyes disappeared as they focused on the sorcerer once again.
A smug look was quickly replaced on the sorcerer's face, even if his eyes still held surprise. "So, the last sorcerer hunter has decided to join us."
Marron said nothing.
"Do you realize how much of a disadvantage you are at?"
"That is just your opinion."
"Well, what can you do? You don't remember anything, do you?"
"Is that true?" A smirk played upon his calm features. "For if it was, would I have been able to call upon my Phoenix Inferno?"
'He remembers. Somehow, he remembers.'
Count Katashi sent another column of fire towards the two brothers. Marron simply pulled out another ofuda, and it glowed the familiar light blue. The fire was a few inches away, when it came in contact with a bluish barrier surrounding them.
The sorcerer and the young mage's eyes met, both glaring at each other. The fire spread out around them, even though the heat hit them directly. The heat of anger and hate between the two magic wielders, however, could never be rivaled.
'Count Katashi,' Marron thought, 'you will pay for the people you hurt, including Ami and my brother. I will see to that myself.'
Flashback
"Hey Sorcerer Hunters!" a young, cheerful, female voice cried out.
They five hunters turned to look behind them.
"Dotta!" Carrot yelled. "Then. . . . that would mean. . . .!"
"I have your next assignment," another, older voice said.
Dotta pulled out a red, circular crystal. The image of their boss appeared.
"Can't we at least take some time off!" Carrot asked.
"Sorry. You all must really get on this assignment."
"What is it this time, Big Momma?" Tira asked.
"An unknown client has asked the assistance of the Sorcerer Hunters to take care of this sorcerer." Extending her hand, an image of a man appeared. "Count Katashi."
"What did this one do?" Chocolate wondered.
"Isn't it obvious?" Gateau retorted. "It's always the same. The sorcerer is misusing his power and taking it out on innocent parsoners. The real question is how."
"We don't know," Dotta said. "All we really know is that he kills so many innocent people. We don't know how, or why."
"Count Katashi resides in a village in southern Spooner. Unfortunately, we don't know the name of this small village."
"So we can't go," Carrot said, trying to hide his obvious happiness. "If we don't know what this place is called, we can't really find its exact location. So. . . ." He cried out as Tira hit the back of his head, and he collided into the ground.
"Not much is known this village, but its surrounding forests and vast hillsides."
"There's only one village like that in the south," Marron said, standing up. Every pair of eyes focused on him.
"Marron, do you know where it is?"
"I believe so, Big Momma."
"Then you will have to lead the way." And her image disappeared.
"Good luck on the mission, Hunters!" Dotta said, waving, before she disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Carrot got up, dusting himself off. "You just HAD to know where this place is, didn't you Marron?"
"I can't believe how selfish you are, Carrot!" Tira chided. "Innocent people are being killed for selfish reasons."
"All the more reason we should be going now," Marron piped up. "We don't know how many people Count Katashi has killed, nor how many more he plans to kill." The other three nodded in agreement.
"Do we have to?" Carrot whined. Tira simply grabbed his shirt and dragged him along.
End Flashback
The heat finally died down, and Marron slipped another ofuda out of his pocket. As soon as the fire was gone, the young mage casted the attacking spell on his opposition. It hit and trapped the sorcerer, giving him enough time to cast a healing spell on his brother.
Carrot stood up, the pain completely gone. He took the sword his brother was giving to him, attaching it to his hip.
"Are you all right, Brother?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Dusting himself off, his eyes met the other's. "But didn't I tell you to stay with Ami?"
The younger looked down, a little guiltily. "I'm sorry, but I felt something was wrong, and. . . ."
"Chill, Marron. I'm just kidding. Besides, it's a good thing you showed up when you did. I thought I was gonna die for sure. But I do want to know how you were able to use your magic if you don't remember how."
Marron looked at the ward he was holding. "I 'm not sure. But when I was watching you and Count Katashi fighting, and I witnessed you getting hurt, it was as if. . . . . as if a strong source of energy. . . . of POWER. . . . . . ran throughout my being. . . . . . and somehow, I was able to use this ofuda."
Carrot smiled broadly. "You're remembering. That's good."
Marron exchanged his smile for a second, but it quickly changed. "But. . . . . I was thinking, while you and the others were here. . . . . what if. . . . . . I never remember EVERYTHING? What if, for some reason, pieces of my memory never return to me?"
"Don't talk like that."
"But what if that happens, Brother? What if I never totally remember everything about me?"
Carrot shook his head slightly, then pulled his little brother into a gently embrace. "That'll never happen, Marron. Not with us here. We'll do anything and everything we can to bring back the brother I know."
He was slightly startled, but Marron found himself wrapping his arms around his brother, responding to the hug.
"How sweet. . . . . ." The brothers ceased their embrace to turn and look at the sorcerer, who seemed to be in immense concentration. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure if either of you will be able to live that long."
Suddenly, a dark glow consumed the count, and in an instance, flared around him. The magical bonds that ensnared him shattered around him, disappearing. Pushing back strands of his midnight hair, a cruel, sadistic smile crossed his lips. He silently mouthed a spell, and an icy dagger appeared suddenly, and sped towards the brothers.
Marron pushed his brother away, as he moved in the other direction. They both hit the ground, just barely avoiding the icy blade, which hit the wall of the mansion, leaving a large hole in the center.
Count Katashi created at least a dozen more, flinging them towards the two. Pulling out another ofuda, a bluish barrier covered them, and the crystals shattered on impact of the hard barricade. But he just created more and more.
As the sorcerer continued his assault, the young mage found it increasingly difficult to maintain the protecting wall. 'I can't lose strength,' he thought. 'Not here, not now.'
Pulling out another ward, the barrier disappeared as the count sent another frozen dagger. Quickly chanting the spell, Marron once again called forth his fiery phoenix. The bird engulfed the icy blade, and the sorcerer as well. Though he was used to his own blazing aura, he screamed as the magical flames consumed him.
Marron sank to the ground, supporting himself on one knee.
"Marron!" Carrot said, kneeling beside his brother. "Are you okay!"
"Yes. . . . ."
But the elder knew he was lying. "It's your magic, isn't it? You just remembered how to use it, but the spells you're casting take so much of your energy."
Marron simply nodded.
"You should go. I can take care of the sorcerer from here."
"I can't do that, Brother." His golden eyes looked up at the injured count, who was struggling to stand. "His strength is immense, and neither of us could handle him on our own."
"But he's weak now."
"Weak, but not dead."
Not allowing himself to be defeated, the sorcerer began to chant another spell. A block of ice appeared. Though rather large, it wasn't as nearly dangerous as the daggers. He hurled it towards them.
Carrot stood, drawing out his sword. "That's it?" he asked in boastful tone. "That's nothing! I expected better from you, Sorcerer!"
The cruel man simply sneered. Marron caught the look, then saw that, within the block of ice, there was a faint flash of red.
"No! Brother!" As Carrot prepared to strike the mass with his blade, Marron sprang up, once again pushing him down. The block hit his arm, shattering, and red-orange flames devoured his body. His scream rang through the hillside.
"MARRON!" He seemed to be glued down as he could only watch the flames died, and his younger brother sank to the ground. Every part of Marron was slightly blackened by the fire, and he clutched his shoulder where the chunk of frozen mass had hit, bright red liquid flowing down steadily.
The younger looked down at his seared hand. 'I don't understand,' he thought. 'The fire hit me directly. It was painful, but I thought it would do more than that. The only other thing it really did was singe my body.' He looked up at the sorcerer. 'There is more to him than it seems. What if. . . .?' As the sorcerer's fiery aura blazed around him again, Marron closed his eyes in deep concentration.
Carrot watched wide-eyed as Marron was engulfed by flames once again. But this time, he seemed to be in no pain. After some time, Marron's body began to glow, and the fire consuming him disappeared.
The sorcerer shared Carrot's surprised. "How?" he questioned in disbelief. "How could you dispel my fire?"
He performed a healing spell on himself, before standing up and answering Count Katashi. "You should know, shouldn't you?"
"What are you talking about?"
Marron's golden eyes pierced right through his act. "You can't control the element of fire, can you?"
Both Count Katashi and Carrot took in a breath. "What?" they both asked.
"It is true, isn't it? What appears to be fire surrounding you is nothing but an illusion. You somehow generate what seems to flames and the heat of real fire."
"But then how does it burn us?" Carrot wondered.
"I believe that's our doing, Brother. He used our belief that it was a real fire against us. As we thought that it was real, we expected to be burned from it. He used that expectation to enhance his illusion further, by extracting it from us and the belief that we would be burned to actually burn us."
The sorcerer growled. "How did you figure it out?"
"I first suspected something when my Phoenix Inferno hit you. If you were really able to control fire, then you could have dismissed that, couldn't you, even if it was magic? But it wasn't until your 'fire' hit me directly, and all that happened was that I was slightly singed, I discovered. Though my expectation was to be burned to death, when you used it against me, you could not make it as strong as my belief. The best you could do was very little compared to what I thought."
Out of rage, the sorcerer sent out a bluish orb of energy towards the young mage. To the young mage, time seemed to slow as it came closer and closer to him.
Suddenly, he felt himself gently pushed out of the way, and saw that the sphere had hit his brother. Carrot was knocked down.
But the sorcerer gasped. "NO!" he yelled.
Suddenly, the older of the Glace brothers smirk, as Marron witnessed two horns growing out of his brother's head. Carrot grew in size, fur covering his entire body. He snarled, then roared loudly, as his transformation completed.
The word 'zoanthropy' seemed to repeat in Marron's mind.
The sorcerer desperately tried to run, but Carrot's mouth came down on him. There was a scream, and a sickening crunch, before all that was heard was the breathing of the monster.
Marron smiled to himself, pulling out another ofuda to heal the others. He felt that he needed Tira's help to return his brother to normal.
TBC