Bara no Scarlet
Chapter 48
Recrudescence
Anshii saw the wild anger in Akio's eyes as he raised his sword. She'd failed. He would end it all right now, destroy her. Her life hadn't been too bad for these past few years, she supposed. She took a deep breath, trying to fight the terror that had risen within her, and looked him straight in the eyes, determined not to let him see her fear.
And then the world fell apart.
"Himemiya! Himemiya!!!"
A white and pink blur shot between her and Akio, a deafening clang of metal against metal. All she could see was white, but before she could realize what had just happened, the crinolines and white satin that had been in her face vanished.
Akio had jumped back, a mixture of astonishment and terror on his face as he stared at the individual who had come between himself and certain victory.
Between Akio and Anshii, the power of Dios swirling tangibly around her was a tall figure in a black jacket with white skirting, red shorts peeking out from under the white trim. Long pink hair flowed in the breeze formed by the sheer anger extending from the woman, and the Sword of Dios flashed brightly as she held it high.
"You bastard!" Came an angry voice tinged with anguish. The figure advanced on Akio, punctuating words with thrusts of the sword. "You know the Laws of the Rose Seal. You wrote them. 'Take the Rose, not the Life.' Are you so above the very rules that you wrote with your own hand?"
Akio dodged and parried the sword-thrusts, working through his shock. That wasn't Ayomi. "What...? How...?"
She pressed her attack, forcing him farther and farther away from Anshii. "What and how don't matter right now, Akio. What matters to me is that you leave Anshii and myself alone."
Behind both fighters, still barely able to believe it, Anshii managed to get to her feet in amazement and murmured a name. "Utena..." Her heart held emotions that she didn't dare voice.
The woman glanced back, and in that moment, Anshii could see the blue eyes of her friend, those eyes she had so desperately wanted to see again. So many things bubbled to the surface, so many things to say, to do... but Akio! Her attention shifted from Utena back to Akio. "Utena, look out!"
In that short time that Utena had looked back, Akio had reasserted himself, pulling on the weak powers that he had and forcing his will back onto the Dueling Platform. He moved sideways, catching the Sword of Dios with his, trying to turn his blade to flip the sword out of her hands. She didn't yield, the blade firmly in her hand.
"That's it," Utena growled, eyes flashing brilliant blue. "It's time. Let's end this right here, Akio." Stepping backwards, she caught Anshii's hand and threw the Sword of Dios high into the air.
Akio started to laugh. "You voluntarily disarmed yourself? Are you giving up? How... noble." The laugh turned maniacal, and as Anshii watched in horror, her clothing changed. Utena's did as well, and suddenly, they were both Rose Brides, one scarlet, one white. Anshii's stomach sank. Akio would win. Without the Sword of Dios, Utena was just a girl. Akio would defeat them without having to try.
High above, the castle vanished.
Anshii clung to Utena in sheer terror.
A blast of percussive power rocked the Dueling Platform, and Anshii and Utena both staggered. Anshii felt certain that it had been Akio's power that had rocked the platform, and made the castle vanish.
Akio advanced on the girls, and Anshii winced reflexively. Utena, however, held fast and glared at him. As such, Anshii almost missed the look of shock on his face as Akio froze as a voice called to him from behind.
"Leave them alone, Akio Ohtori. Your Duel, the Final Duel, is with me."
As Akio turned, Anshii's heart burst with joy. A youth stood behind Akio, short lavender hair ruffled, long cape flipping in the gentle breeze of power, holding the Sword of Dios easily in one hand. It was Dios himself.
Anshii saw the wild anger in Akio's eyes as he raised his sword. She'd failed. He would end it all right now, destroy her. Her life hadn't been too bad for these past few years, she supposed. She took a deep breath, trying to fight the terror that had risen within her, and looked him straight in the eyes, determined not to let him see her fear.
And then the world fell apart.
"Himemiya! Himemiya!!!"
A white and pink blur shot between her and Akio, a deafening clang of metal against metal. All she could see was white, but before she could realize what had just happened, the crinolines and white satin that had been in her face vanished.
Akio had jumped back, a mixture of astonishment and terror on his face as he stared at the individual who had come between himself and certain victory.
Between Akio and Anshii, the power of Dios swirling tangibly around her was a tall figure in a black jacket with white skirting, red shorts peeking out from under the white trim. Long pink hair flowed in the breeze formed by the sheer anger extending from the woman, and the Sword of Dios flashed brightly as she held it high.
"You bastard!" Came an angry voice tinged with anguish. The figure advanced on Akio, punctuating words with thrusts of the sword. "You know the Laws of the Rose Seal. You wrote them. 'Take the Rose, not the Life.' Are you so above the very rules that you wrote with your own hand?"
Akio dodged and parried the sword-thrusts, working through his shock. That wasn't Ayomi. "What...? How...?"
She pressed her attack, forcing him farther and farther away from Anshii. "What and how don't matter right now, Akio. What matters to me is that you leave Anshii and myself alone."
Behind both fighters, still barely able to believe it, Anshii managed to get to her feet in amazement and murmured a name. "Utena..." Her heart held emotions that she didn't dare voice.
The woman glanced back, and in that moment, Anshii could see the blue eyes of her friend, those eyes she had so desperately wanted to see again. So many things bubbled to the surface, so many things to say, to do... but Akio! Her attention shifted from Utena back to Akio. "Utena, look out!"
In that short time that Utena had looked back, Akio had reasserted himself, pulling on the weak powers that he had and forcing his will back onto the Dueling Platform. He moved sideways, catching the Sword of Dios with his, trying to turn his blade to flip the sword out of her hands. She didn't yield, the blade firmly in her hand.
"That's it," Utena growled, eyes flashing brilliant blue. "It's time. Let's end this right here, Akio." Stepping backwards, she caught Anshii's hand and threw the Sword of Dios high into the air.
Akio started to laugh. "You voluntarily disarmed yourself? Are you giving up? How... noble." The laugh turned maniacal, and as Anshii watched in horror, her clothing changed. Utena's did as well, and suddenly, they were both Rose Brides, one scarlet, one white. Anshii's stomach sank. Akio would win. Without the Sword of Dios, Utena was just a girl. Akio would defeat them without having to try.
High above, the castle vanished.
Anshii clung to Utena in sheer terror.
A blast of percussive power rocked the Dueling Platform, and Anshii and Utena both staggered. Anshii felt certain that it had been Akio's power that had rocked the platform, and made the castle vanish.
Akio advanced on the girls, and Anshii winced reflexively. Utena, however, held fast and glared at him. As such, Anshii almost missed the look of shock on his face as Akio froze as a voice called to him from behind.
"Leave them alone, Akio Ohtori. Your Duel, the Final Duel, is with me."
As Akio turned, Anshii's heart burst with joy. A youth stood behind Akio, short lavender hair ruffled, long cape flipping in the gentle breeze of power, holding the Sword of Dios easily in one hand. It was Dios himself.