Disclaimer: Another late chapter, I am sorry guys. I had surgery done on my shoulder so I was unable to write. Thanks for all the reviews and know I haven't forgotten this fan fiction.

Chapter 16

Bayman truly was a machine a lion among men. I felt him move both of us quickly out to the side and away from Raidou. How did he manage this feat? Wasn't he dead? My mind was now racing with several questions while I moved away from him. It would make us a harder target to attack directly, so this would be what we needed to keep Raidou off balance. At least strategically it made sense. Even if I realized while I stood every muscle in my body was aching and dieing a little, Raidou nearly destroyed my frame with just a few blows.

I didn't know if I was staring at a ghost or a demon in itself. Bayman was not only still alive but coherent enough to fight Raidou. I couldn't understand how he could fight Raidou no fear in his face. Maybe that was ignorance no idea that this man before him nearly destroyed my village a few years ago. It was just insane in a way that I was troubled trying to understand. Why? Why! How could he face someone like this and not want to quit and run. I could just run and accept it, yet Bayman was like a boulder unwilling to move.

"Ayane!" My name being called brought my eyes up noticing Bayman had somehow gotten behind Raidou and locked his arms. It was the first time I had ever seen Raidou in a defensive position. He had always seemed able to break through with sheer offensive power. Yet in this mere few seconds he was forced to try and fight off Bayman. It was a chance to strike him, something I wasn't sure if any in our village had ever managed to perform to actually hit this giant demon of a man. Lunging forward I would spin my body aiming one of my strongest direct attacks toward Raidou's upper chest.

To my surprise Bayman apparently planned for this performing a back suplex tossing Raidou farther than I could believe. Yet like the demon he was he only landed on his feet. It was then I heard sharp sounds, he was forming hand signs. I realized what he intended to do way to late. Looking at Bayman who was between us, "Bayman look out!" I screamed and tried to get to him. Yet it was futile the attack was from my village that attack he stole all those years ago.

It hurt my chest to see an almost replay of what happened to Hayate-sama, the blast knocking Bayman backwards with ease. "I messed up, sorry Ayane." I heard Bayman speak toward me even as I was just reaching where his body had landed. He didn't seem as hurt as Hayate sama but maybe it was the difference in body frame. Bayman was much more muscular and a smaller target. Or it could have been he was putting on a show to hide how much real damage had been received.

I felt my eyes filled with tears that just would continue to flow while I placed a hand on his chest. I could feel the scorched skin from the initial contact of the Sky Torn Blast. "It is okay Bayman-sama.. You actually caught him off guard. My village could not even achieve that. I am glad I met you Bayman-sama." I spoke my words even while the icy gaze of Raidou burned into my back. "You called me Bayman earlier.. That was nice to hear." Bayman responded to when I was scared and spoke his name quickly forgetting my place temporarily.

I laughed a little picking up his large hand squeezing it with my fingers. My salty tears leaked down my cheek and fell onto his arm. So much blood he was losing, he couldn't live much longer, I was amazed he was able to get up. He would have been a fierce opponent for any including Hayate-sama in the village. I turned my head looking over my shoulder toward where Raidou should have been standing. He hadn't moved in directly to finish us off, I wondered why. "Why don't you just kill us!"

Raidou seemed uninterested in what I said directly, I noticed his gaze was on Bayman. "Don't worry girl I will finish you off along with those other two soon enough. I just figured I would give the dieing man a moment of silence. He did prove entertaining." Raidou would then begin to laugh, which almost shook the entire platform. Lisa had focused on Raidou but was moving the both of them toward a stair case to try and escape. "I didn't say you two could leave!" Raidou would drive his foot into the ground sending a shock wave toward Christie and Lisa.

I hated that laugh he was dishonoring Bayman even as he was possibly dieing. It sickened me to the point of wishing to vomit. He did change his attention to Lisa who was trying to escape, those two needed to get off the platform and out of the way. No sense in them dieing here as well, my hands sort of taking over and forming several signs. I would fire a bolt of energy toward the shock wave dispersing it with ease. Looking at the glare from Raidou I sneered in response, "Don't take your eyes off your real opponent. First rule in the Mugen Tenshin style of martial arts."

Lisa would not wait she would begin moving down the stairs without a second glance toward Raidou or I. They would escape that gave me an odd warm feeling on the inside to save someone. Maybe I was getting a little soft, but it wouldn't matter in a few minutes now would it? I had to try and fight it was better to die in combat than on my knees begging. I refused to become that weak even if I knew inside I was shaking like sakura petals in true fear of this demon. "Here I come Raidou!!"

I screamed at him while running forward leaping up I aimed to drive my heel into his shoulder. To little surprise he rose his massive arms up and easily cushioned my attack. However his hands were faster than I could imagine grabbing my ankle and squeezing. I could hear the bone crackle out loud. "Ahhh!" I could only scream feeling him crush my ankle like it had been as soft as snow. I could even feel him getting ready to slam me down into the ground his body shifting was a dead give away to this.

Snikt

A sound came out of nowhere I heard Raidou groan dropping me, but he did kick me in my abdomen. This sent me flying in the air landing a few feet away from Bayman. I could see he was now standing again, maybe this was adrenaline or the human will to never surrender. I saw a sharp but thin piece of metal was jammed in the right shoulder of Raidou. Bayman must have thrown it to save me from being crushed against the ground. Bayman was truly amazing. How could he just be beaten over and over and not give up.

I was slowly trying to stand I felt a pain in my side, another broke rib, my breathing would suffer from it. "Can you do another one of those attacks but stronger?" I heard Bayman ask me an odd question what did he mean, another attack? He must have been talking about what I used to save Christie and Lisa. I could always summon more energy but the odds of Raidou standing still and letting me attack him were non existent. "I can try, what are you going to do Bayman?!" I asked now a hint of worry in my voice.

"Sayonara Ayane.." I heard Bayman speak in my native tongue but his choice of words were not happy ones. He was moving toward Raidou with intent on doing something crazy. I couldn't figure out what it was, but I would respect his wish and use all my energy in this one attack. If he could create an opening I would destroy this demon of a man. I could do it if Bayman believed enough in me to lay his life down in chance that it would work.