Chapter 23: The Darkness Within

Shadow Hikaru emerged from the dimensional portal into a war zone. Around her thousands of Figures fought against an unending tide of Magyar and Invaders. Blood soaked the ground.

"Tsubasa! Hikaru!" Hikaru called out. One of the Figures broke off and jumped over to her.

"Who are you?" Tsubasa asked Hikaru telepathically.

"I'm Hikaru. Washu and Kurumi sent me here to help you until the main army arrives. So, tell me where you need me."

"We're being overrun everywhere. Just do as much damage as you can." Hikaru smiled.

"I was hoping you'd say that." She spread her wings and took to the air, cutting through hundreds of flying enemies in seconds. She formed two swords in her hands and began spinning, becoming a buzzing whirlwind of death. Blood and body parts rained down on the ground combatants.

After clearing the sky, Hikaru merged her swords together into a staff which she used to launch flame and lightning attacks. She focused her energy and targeted a group of Invaders who were butchering their was through the defenders lines.

"Hey, uglies!" Hikaru called out. As the Invaders turned she flew close and eviscerated them one after another. Blood covered her, making her appear to be a walking corpse. She blew the blood off with a wind spell and turned back to the main fighting. "Come on, let's finish this!" She ran forward, the defenders surging after her, but as they charged forward an enormous bolt of lightning fell from the sky, killing hundreds of Figures. From the clouds then emerged the leader of the attack. She was a girl. She looked to be about seventeen, and has long flowing blue-white hair and ghost blue eyes. She was dressed in blue and white armor and wielded a staff in her hands. Great black wings kept her in their.

"So, you are the famous Hikaru I have heard so much about. I thought you would be more impressive," the girl called out.

"Who are you?"

"What me?" The girl said, smirking. "I am Sasaki, second in command of Lord Derek's armies. He sent me here to oversee the capture of this realm. So, are you ready to die?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Hikaru replied, suddenly blurring forward, swinging her staff. Sasaki blocked easily.

"It'll take a lot more than that to defeat me," Sasaki taunted. "Now, feel MY power!" She cried, firing a barrage of lighting bolts. Hikaru teleported out of the path of each one, ending behind Sasaki and firing a blast that singed her left wing as she dodged. In return Sasaki cut into Hikaru's shoulder with her staff head.

"How do you like me now? You're no match for me. Give up!"

"You have no idea the power I posses," Hikaru said. "Up until now I've been going easy on you. Now let's see how you deal with a real fight!"

Hikaru's crimson aura exploded, along with her energy level as she unleashed Shadow's full power. She felt her blood burn with power, her muscles crackle with strength, even her bones were invigorated. Her wings doubled in size and became razor edged. Her hair became even blacker and split into two pigtails. When she opened her eyes they were completely black, but glowed with crimson energy.

"So, how you like ME now?" Hikaru asked, her voice dripping with evil and anger. Sasaki actually stepped back in fear. The power she was sensing from Hikaru was so great she was nearly swept away by it.

"You may be powerful, but I will still win!" Sasaki declared, and charged. Hikaru yawned as Sasaki was repelled by an invisible barrier. Sasaki drew her staff and pounded until the barrier shattered.

"Took you long enough," Hikaru said, and moved faster than Sasaki could follow. She appeared behind her and drove a dagger into Sasaki's shoulder. She screamed as the serrated edge was pulled out. Hikaru then flew into the sky and waited for Sasaki, who followed, a stream of blood flowing from her would. She fired blasts of fire and thunder, but Hikaru dodged every one. She teleported a hundred feet in front of Sasaki and thrust her head forward and down. Her two pigtails suddenly stretched and became razor sharp whips. Sasaki brought her arm up to block, but Hikaru's attack sliced right through it, sending the severed limb spinning away in a jet of blood.

Sasaki screamed as her arm was severed at the elbow. She saw the blood pumping out of her. This wasn't right! Derek had never said Hikaru was this strong. As she tried to heal her wound, Hikaru swept in, a hammer held in both hands. She swung and connected solidly with Sasaki's chest, sending her slamming into the ground. Sasaki felt bones break. She struggled to open her eyes. Hikaru was looming over her, lightning crackling around her body.

"So, do you give up?" Hikaru asked.

"N-Never!" Sasaki whispered. Hikaru raised her hammer and swung. Sasaki blacked out just before it hit.

Hikaru laughed as she held her hammer a centimeter away from Sasaki's face. It was so enjoyable to trick someone like that. Around her the battle was winding down. With the damage she had done, the Figure army had taken the field. Now more portals were opening and delivering the main army of the Cross realm. They began helping the injured and searching for survivors. Bloom came over to Hikaru.

"Hey Hikaru, nice hair."

"Oh, that." Hikaru closed her eyes for a moment and reverted back to her normal form.

"Who's that?" Bloom asked, pointing to the bleeding Sasaki.

"Oh her. Her name is Sasaki. She was the leader of the enemy army. I think we should take her with us. She could provide us with a lot of information."

"Good idea," Bloom replied. She placed a device on Sasaki's wrist and she was teleported away. "So, I wonder what Derek will do now.

"He got what he wanted," Hikaru replied.

"What?"

"He came for the Maguar, and he got away with at least some. That means that the fight just became that much harder."

"Well, at least we have you," Bloom said. Hikaru smiled.

"Come on, I'm hungry." Together, Hikaru and Bloom flew off back to the Cross Realm, to away their enemy's next move, whatever it was.

…

Derek slammed his hand into a stone wall, splintering it.

"How could Sasaki have been beaten! I gave her as much power as Hikaru had, more even."

"Perhaps they found a way to maker her stronger," Dr. Satome suggested. "Besides, Kiriko will be completed soon, and nothing the Cross Realm possesses can stop her."

"Perhaps you're right Doctor," Derek replied, smiling. He walked over to an incubation tank and admired the form within it. Kiriko was his greatest creation, a girl with the power of a Steel Angel and the speed of Sonic. Her power would be greater than even his own. Derek placed a hand on the glass wall of the tank. "Soon Kiriko. Soon my dreams will come true."

How was that? So Sasaki has been captured, but an even stronger enemy is being born. Will Hikaru be able to defeat Derek's strongest warrior yet? And what will Sasaki's fate be? Find out in the next exciting chapter of A New Perspective. Well, see ya then, and don't forget to review! The Emperor protects.

ENTILZA