Today, to be the support team for the strongest among the world, was not something anyone should envy at this point. At first, it was actually rather exciting and relaxing both. Relaxing, because they were far away from the frontlines. Exciting, because from what little they could see, the frontlines were breathtaking fights that one could only imagine from the fanciest of stories. The captains of the Far East were skilled as always, but the outsiders? Now they were a sight to behold. Beautiful and skilled alike, they performed actions they only saw from Oryou herself. And not to discredit the Mizuchi, but she was mostly brute force than anything.
Indeed, this assignment was a rather fresh breath of air for the supporters in the rear. Was, being the key word.
Now, they had their hands full trying to prevent their national hero from breathing his final breath, with their national terror being at the verge of a mental breakdown. All while pandemonium was occurring in the distance, caused by a literal ghost shadow Monster Rex…thing. Because that had to be a thing too.
"Nononononononono…!" Oryou muttered under her breath, her pupils twitching dangerously as she held onto Ryoma's hand, whose breathing was getting shallower and shallower. The medic on task, with his assistants, was sweating profusely. Healing magic was a rare thing, which was what made them so much more valuable in the Far East.
Yet for all that healing magic was considered a miracle, healers would be lucky to see the ranks of level two. Thus, with a gaping hole through the chest, things were looking grim. Herbs and potions only did so much with an injury like this. They could only hope to staunch the bleeding as much as possible, only hope that Ryoma was somehow not hit in any vitals which was…He shook his head, picking up sutures. No, no time for pessimism, he had a job to do. A job that would be easier if the Mizuchi wasn't breathing down his face.
"Miss Oryou, please cal-!"
"Shut it and keep working!"
The doctor wisely shut up and did not make a single peep. His hands became even steadier than before, as his survival instincts growled at him, just like Oryou growled just now.
"Oryou…bad…"
Everyone's eyes widened. At the pained cough, causing more blood to cover his body. At the rapid movement of the chest, making the injury worse just a bit more. Oryou tightened her grip on his hand, holding it to her cheek as she sobbed desperately.
"Don't talk! Save your strength! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-!"
"'sfine…" The light in his eyes dulled, before returning as he gritted his teeth. He fought through the pain and looked his wife straight in the eyes. "Oryou…"
"Yes?!"
"Go…"
One word. To anyone else, it would sound nonsensical. Yet to Oryou, she instantly knew what her weakening husband meant. And immediately, she furiously shook her head, even as he coughed violently once more.
"No! I won't abandon you again! I won't leave you again!" Her voice cracked as she grit her teeth. "This time, I'll be here and…and…and this time, everything will be alright!"
"They…will…come…f-for us…Please…"
Oryou's eyes widened. Her head snapped towards the bastard that caused Ryoma to be in such a state. Then, frantically, she looked at her husband and then at the enemy over and over and over and over again. She started to hyperventilate, as the desire to protect and the desire to kill clashed, tearing her very soul apart. If Astraea Familia and the others lost, she would be fighting on her own. Could she protect him then? But if she left and he perished…could she take it? Or would she just end it all, like last time? The question of what she could live with more tore at her heart…until she remembered.
The tiny thing she and Ryoma created. Their son, Ohma. If she didn't act, there was a risk. However small it might be…their child might be in danger too. That last thought was enough to tip the razor scales in her heart, tearing her apart. With a twisted expression…she let go of Ryoma's hand, and screamed at the heavens, letting out all her frustration and hate about the situation.
"Aaaaaaaahhhh!"
She took deep and heavy breaths, before shooting up to her feet. Already, her human features began to shift. A weak smile appeared on her face as her eyes began to glow.
"I'll be back. I'll be back. So….so don't die. You aren't allowed to die."
"I…wait…" Ryoma muttered before closing his eyes. Without saying another word, Oryou just gave a pointed glare at the medics, before leaping towards the battle herself.
"Can this day get any worse…!?" The main medic muttered under his breath, redoubling his efforts as he downed a mind potion down his throat. With all that talking, Ryoma just had to make their jobs harder. Then again, if nothing else, he got his wife out of the way, to help and to stop using her pressure on them.
He didn't even flinch when something came from underneath the surface of the water next to him. Weapons were readied before they all visibly relaxed. One of the individuals possessing the diving skill spat out water, before help arrived to pull her out…with her 'baggage'.
"Got Starfall!"
"That's good news!"
"He's not moving at all!"
"That's bad news!"
The doctor rolled his eyes, feeling annoyance well up in his chest. It was too much to ask that the Starfall would be conscious for them to deal with the monster. Well, just one more patient to deal with. With a snarl, he didn't even look up from his current patient.
"No shit, he's been drowning this whole time! Put him over there and do the procedure I taught you!"
Before he could actually focus on his task, he almost fell over when a shockwave pushed against them all. None of them could help themselves and turned their head to the fight, only to gape at what they were seeing.
"By the heavens, what is going on…?"
/
A titanic clash. A metaphor, a mental image, often used to describe a fight between strong individuals. Often it was a misconception, for the warriors in question weren't actually titans. It referred to their combat spirit, or the damage they caused around them.
In this case, "titanic clash" was the only correct way to describe what was happening far away from Far Eastern civilization. It was as if someone turned back time, to the age of old. Not the Age of Heroes, it was even further beyond it. A time even older than myths. This battle returned to primordial times, where mere mortals had no place. Where only the mightiest, largest and toughest of apex predators faced each other down, for territory, for hunger, for anything.
One, a wraith commanding hundreds, thousands of souls. A leading spirit originating from the Age of Heroes itself. A towering giant, resembling a mythical Asura, clad in Samurai armor. Its many arms holding blades of death, slashing and gutting and cleaving, while smaller tendrils were deadly whips, stabbing and tearing apart. Its mouth mask snarled in rage.
The other, a serpent that felt out of this world. Some might mistake it for the legendary Leviathan. But nay, this obsidian colored beast was never before seen. It roared with its wide maw, an utterly inhuman noise, before chomping down on the many arms and raising the ghost into the air. The other swords stabbed into the scales sturdier than mountains, digging just a bit inside. Yet when magic was cast through them, the Mizuchi did not show any pain despite the energies being forced into the flesh. Instead, the massive spirit was slammed down on the ground, causing it to scream in pain.
The bite itself, the throw down, none did any direct damage so to say. For as imposing as Oryou was, she was still of physical nature. Yet every shock dealt, every attack, was one more that accelerated the decay, the rotting, the bleeding that was All The World's Evil. WIth a race against time, the spirit slammed his many feet into the Mizuchi's form, sending her flying. Then, he inhaled, intent to form a greater, sturdier and more piercing attack.
But they were not the only actors in this play.
Before he could finish his preparations to skewer Oryou in mid air, something grabbed his head and forcefully dragged it down. It was as if a hand much much bigger than him slammed his skull into the earth once more. Yet that moment passed and the truth broke through the illusion, revealing a woman, a woman so small, yet with power that should have made her explode from the inside out. Instead, she did not. Instead, she screamed with fury that rivaled the monstrous nature of the two actual titans around her. Over and over, she kept an iron grip on the skull as she pushed him down. Then, a tendril shot out, but Penthesilea was already on the move.
With the grace of a faerie, the Asura danced across the large body of her opponent. Yet with each twist, each twirl, each spin, she attacked. Teeth, elbow, head, heel, sole, it didn't matter. Whatever was closest, she struck. And each blow was akin to an explosion getting set off, disorting and twisting the shape of the Gojouno. Furious, he blasted her off from himself with an inferno of fire. But at the same time, Oryou smashed her tail into his side, causing a large wave to form up, away from them, while creating a storm of a wind that ripped away any nearby tree. At the same time, Penthesilea grabbed onto the Serpent's hair just to fling herself back into the fray with a feral noise, headbutting the Gojouno against the jaw, not intending to be sent flying away once again.
While the Serpent's claws were grabbing onto the spirit's shoulders, while trying to bite his dodging head off, the Asura had free reign in hammering attack after attack across the entire upper body, unheeding of Oryou's actions. At the same time, the other combatants focused on his lower body. With the majority of the Gojouno's attention directed at the two rampaging women, the Astraea trio and the Far East trio had a much easier time to survive, with much less attacks sent after them, almost as afterthoughts. However, the arrival of those two had its downsides as well.
"Damn it, I can't use magic like this!"
"Preach it, sister!"
Neither Ryuu nor Lyra bothered to start chanting their spells. The risk of hitting their allies was too high. They might bear the damage, but the two weren't so callous to commit friendly fire like this. In a situation like this, Alise shone with her precision as her flames stabbed into the 'legs' of the spirit over and over again, all while trying to stay away from danger. Which was easier said than done. Many times they were almost blown away by the sudden attacks caused by Penthesilea or Oryou, forcing them to leap away as far as possible before running back in
"Just be careful and do as much as you can!" Alise looked up and paled. Then she snapped her head at her non berserker allies. "ROLL!"
"Wha-WHOA THERE!"
Oryou's jaw closed in on the midsection of the spirit before he could shapeshift his way out. Locked around him, the Mizuchi twisted her entire body, indeed performing a roll to crush the Gojouno over and over into the ground with these movements. Uncaring that Penthesilea was on top of the Gojouno, stomping down with the force of a falling star, or that the others were in the way. Said others had no choice but to climb onto Oryou herself, counter to her rotation, as fast as possible to not get squashed.
"Do they even know we're here?!"
"Less talking, more surviving, move it!"
Once. Twice. Thrice. With each roll, Oryou gained more and more momentum. After the fifth, she momentarily stopped, with her neck sky high. Her jaw loosened up just for a moment, in order to increase the bite force, before intending to throw her opponent down one last time. But that action gave the Gojouno enough breathing room. To everyone's surprised, as they clung to Oryou's back, he retracted all additional arms, leaving behind only two. Then, it unsheathed a sword from his hip.
"Art of the Draw - Flash!"
Oryou let out a pained scream as her throat's scales were cut open. Only a coincidentally timed attack from Penthesilea avoided her being beheaded, as the amazon kicked the Gojouno right into his decaying side. The Gojouno retaliated with a roar and a lightning strike, causing the Amazon to twitch uncontrollably and losing her momentum and footing. Oryou recoiled, clawing at her own injury out of animalistic instinct, while everyone else fell down on the ground. A moment of reprieve, as everyone had to recover from the damage they suffered, if just for a moment.
Alise wiped her mouth, staring at the ghostly opponent. She didn't often feel hate, but she was only human. To know that before her was a criminal that had committed so many crimes. But if it were only that, she could stomach it. And yet, she felt heat rise up to her throat. After all…despite everything, she had to respect the resilience of her opponent. Above the techniques, above the various magics that can be cast in an instance, the mental strength to just go on, despite the millenia, despite the curse eating away at his sanity.
So much power... so much strength... and yet... and yet…!
She slammed her fist down on the ground before forcing herself up to her feet.
"Why isn't something as strong as you helping humanity fight the dungeon?! Why are you enslaving people?!"
"Alise…" Ryuu muttered. The captain believed that if one had great power, they had a great responsibility to use them for good. The world was dark and terrible enough, without people actively choosing to make it worse. To see such an example once more, she couldn't help but feel her blood boil. Her heartfelt proclamation, her demand, her wish, echoed in the area. And for just a moment, maybe, Gojouno considered her words.
But that moment passed all too soon, as he too stood up, pulsating with rage.
"Who cares about the dungeon?! That thing isn't our enemy! And people?! What meaning have people do?! You will all die anyway, whether by my hands or by time itself! On the game board of the gods, only the few matter!"
The world became a blur as conflict started all over again. Maybe it was because Alise was sick and tired of all those bad guys who just didn't know how to quit. Maybe it was because her brain was running out of air and they've been fighting for too long. Either way…she had no memories who did what. Only a loose grasp, of Oryou and Penthesilea being the main actors of breaking the area around them apart, using the Gojouno has the hammer. The Gojouno dove deeper and deeper into his martial arts, giving up the monster approach and instead becoming a 'mere' giant warrior instead. And Alise did everything with her fellow non berserkers they could. And yet…
They weren't losing. But neither were they clearly winning. They could see it. The injuries piling up, as Penthesilea's skin was more and more stained in blood, her breathing becoming haggard. It was her fury alone that prevented her from collapsing at this point. Meanwhile Oryou had the same problem, her form seemingly wavering before she forced it back into shape. The stockpiled energy, across years of eating monster crystals, was beginning to run low. Shiki was barely able to move, stretching her illusions to her limit. There was only so much Mind Kushinada restore on her own. Fei's fingers were bent in ways they weren't meant to bent. Alise's girls also lost most of their initial agility they shown off, and Alise could barely keep her spell going, as if trying to hold a Monster Rex with a silk string. Lyra long ran out of things to throw at Gojouno too. At this mind, it was a agonizing slog, moving just to prevent the remnants of their momentum from completely stopping.
This fight was on the needle. It could go either way at this point. Either Gojouno would fall apart from their attacks and the curse, or they would all die from either exhaustion or the openings created by said exhaustion. They needed something to shift the tides…but what?!
It was then that they felt it. Gojouno's head snapped first towards a certain direction, staring at the horizon with wide eyes. The sounds were not heard. Instead, they resonated with their bones, their very soul. The piano, the wondrous music filled with emotion, there was no way they could've physically heard it, from such a far away place. And yet, they could clearly grasp every single note that was played. Alise couldn't help but choke. The music…it sounded so much like…
Righteous anger. No, hatred at injustice…or rather…just pure hatred. Yet for some reason, it felt comforting. In a way, as if it was directed solely at the enemies of mankind. It was then that Alise realized where Gojouno was staring at.
Orario was in that direction. The image of the Stardust Garden, of its occupants, flashed in her mind. And Alise couldn't help but let out a breath of relief, smiling a bit. It was just music, just a thought, but it was enough to rejuvenate her. She was not alone in this. Lyra wiped her forehead with a grin, while Ryuu put a hand against her chest, clutching the cloth with the pendant behind it.
"...Do-?"
Gojouno never managed to utter his words, his voice sounding soft and worried for a moment. The Berserkers, having been distracted for just a moment, their eyes wide open with recognition for just a split second, allowed their rage to take over once more. They didn't miss the opening, as Oryou became like a bull, charging straight with her head and ramming Gojouno, while Penthesilea came from the other side, backflipping a few times before ramming both of her soles into the same opponent. That act snapped the others out of it, taking deep breaths, intending to join the fray once more.
Intending, for once more, the battle was disturbed. This time, by something that happened much, much closer to their chosen battlefield. The Berserkers nor the Gojouno bothered to pay attention to it, focused on their own fight. The others were not so lucky to be devoid of rationality.
After all, how was someone supposed to ignore a cut of pure darkness cleaving the sea in half, then for something to shoot out of it before the water closed again? That something landed a bit further away from them, before slowly moving towards the Gojouno. The raw energy and pressure was enough to gain their attention this time. With a quick burst, the Gojouno created a small storm around him, pushing the two strongest away for some breathing room. Then, he looked at the newcomer. Gojouno's eyes widened before narrowing them with a growl. The eyes that met his were red with tears. Yet instead of hate or rage…they were blank. As if they were just tired, burned out.
Even in this fight, Alise couldn't help but reach out her hand as the first thing that came to mind.
"Kaguya?"
/
She had no idea where she was. In the Far East, yes, but green plains and wooden huts implied 'outskirts', which could be way too many places to count. All she saw was some raggedy middle aged man. A surprising age, all things considered, since the outskirts were not a place where one lived long. He was…drawing a circle on the ground? Around a young adult of all things. A few other children and adults were standing around, tears in their eyes as the old man clapped his hands together with shivering hands.
Kaguya blinked as the man spoke, but she didn't hear any words. But she recognized them from watching his mouth move. Her eyes widened in realization, just as the circle began to glow…before the old man collapsed with blank eyes, devoid of life. Yet the young man in the circle seemed elated. He threw his arms up in the air with delight, before bowing deeply at the heavens. The people around him rejoiced…as the corpse smiled next to them. Kaguya hissed, clutching her head, as the scenery around her vanished.
What was this dream? No…whose memories were this?
"This is where it all began."
Kaguya reached for her sword, only to grasp at nothing. Quickly, she raised her sole arm, ready to chop whoever she faced down. But then, she slowly lowered her arm. The same badly cleaned beard. The ruffly hair, black with greying strands.
"I just saw you…" She muttered.
"He's the first one."
She snapped her head to the side, choking on her own breath. As if reaching out for a frail image, she extended her head forward.
"Nana…?"
Said dead person scratched her right cheek, flush with red, as she giggled awkwardly.
"I…didn't expect this myself. It's a bit embarrassing to be honest, haha…" Kaguya barely took a step forward before Nana raised her hand, shaking her head. "Please. Don't. It'll just be harder on you. I'm already dead. This…is just temporary."
It stabbed her in the heart. To hear it, stated like this. That Kaguya failed, to save Nana. Failed, failed and failed. She grit her teeth, trying to maintain her composure as she exhaled slowly. She crossed her…well, she angled her singular arm.
"What is this?"
"A miracle. I knew you were strong, but to be able to resist like this…It…gave me time to transfer myself over first. To help you."
The old man nodded at Nana's words.
"The same was for me. You may not know me, and I may not know you, but you oppose him. That is all the reason I need to help you."
Kaguya wondered how she managed to push through it. Prideful or not, she should have lost eventually. She didn't question how this happened, as the spirit stuff went over her head. She narrowed her eyes at the old man, in this black realm of her unconscious.
"Help me with what? I'm unconscious, aren't I?"
"You will wake up. Do not worry." He bit his lip. "But I suppose you should at least know."
"Know what?"
Nana cleared her throat before nodding slowly at Kaguya.
"That archer went down. Last I saw he was fighting against the rest of the clan underneath the water itself, with the structure collapsing. The others got out fine but…"
As she trailed off, the first instinct Kaguya had was to refute her words. Arash didn't lose to anyone. He was the strongest man she knew. But…she recalled his words. And the circumstances…She bit her lip. It made sense, even if she didn't want to accept it.
"Shit…" She shook her head. "Thanks, I guess. Better to not be blindsided by it later."
"As we wait for you to wake up…allow me to bother you with this man's foolishness. To tie up loose ends as you will."
"I'm not going anywhere."
The old man nodded slowly before closing his eyes, his shoulders slumping. With age. With regret, of the past.
"You have seen me." He let out a shivering breath. "It wasn't a curse at first. I…just wanted to make sure my children, and their children…that they would have guidance. That they would always have an ear to talk to. Even if it was just this pathetic old man."
Kaguya closed her eyes as well. Yes, if it were just that, it would've been a nice gift. Something heartwarming. Just a little something, to endure the cruelty of the world.
"Even that one…wasn't so twisted at the start. He too just had good intentions. A bit extreme from a certain point, but he merely wanted to help as best as he could," the old man muttered. Kaguya resisted the urge to spit to the side. She couldn't believe that imagery. That malice, that mockery…how could anyone change like that? Then again, with enough time, everything could be corroded it seemed.
"But then…the gods descended. And with that, madness descended."
Nana gasped, apparently a detail not even she knew. Kaguya couldn't blame her. It didn't seem to be an event that was a fond memory. Yet what did the gods do? Why would that cause madness? So many questions, no answers. Too much lost to the passing of days, years.
"We stopped being a clan. A family." He stared down at his hand, forming a fist. "We became tools for him. Tools of hatred and revenge." He lowered his head. "And I am the worst of all. I hid. I was in the depths of the spell for too long, stepping aside to allow the future generations to pick up the role of guide. When I realized what was happening…it was too late."
"So what? What's the point of telling me all this?" Kaguya asked in a low tone. Not that this was tragic and what not…but it was long past. Was she meant to feel sorry for her clan now? Feel sorrow at what they turned into, instead of sadness?
"I suppose it's nothing more than the confession of a foolish ghost. Or maybe my last chance at redemption. I am telling you all this to understand…" He took a deep breath after laughing a bit. With a fire in his eyes, he looked Kaguya directly in the eyes. "That killing us all is not something to hate yourself for."
She froze. She wanted to deny his words, that she wouldn't hate herself…and yet, she couldn't help but glance at Nana. Nana shook her head, as the old man inhaled sharply.
"No. Listen. Do not feel guilt. Do not feel shame. I do not wish for you to go down that path. I am telling you, clear as day, that taking us down is not a crime. No matter how much you believe that in your heart. You have done no crime and shall not commit a crime."
Kaguya shook her head. When did she start to shake her head? Her hand was shaking too. Everything was shaking.
"We, the past, must not shackle the present and future any longer," the old man went on, mercilessly, cutting down her objections growing in her heart over and over with each word. "We remained too long among the living. It is time for us to move on. Only then…can a new path be opened up. We have already been dead for a long time. This is long overdue."
Yet words could not overtake emotions that easily. Kaguya took a step back, still shaking her head as a weak laugh escaped her. A dismissive laugh. A laugh at herself.
"It can't be me. I…I don't deserve this. This…this task."
"Nonsense. For the little time I have been within you…You are amazing." The old man smiled at her, raising his thumb. "Stand proud. You are more than worthy."
Kaguya felt her eyebrow twitch. For some reason…she remembered Bell. How he cried for her and Lyra. How he complimented them after seeing their crippled state. And…he may be naive…but he wasn't blind…
"Besides…you are the only one," Nana said encouragingly "You are the one who broke free from the curse."
"By being-"
"-a human, unlike us. By feeling afraid enough and brave enough, to leave," the little sister countered.
"Forgive me, child. For this final request. But please…" The old man bowed deeply, together with Nana. "Set the Gojouno free from my mistake."
With such expectations…no matter what she thought of herself, she had to answer them, didn't she? She put a fist against her chest, nodding with a deep frown.
"I promise. I'll make sure you all get to pass on in peace."
"Thank you. And may fortune be with you."
The old man began to fall apart into…shining dust. Some of it landed on Kaguya, giving her a warm feeling in her chest. Soon, only her little sister was left.
"I don't have a fancy speech for you. I think I said all I needed to say back then," Nana let out a chuckle before shaking her head. Then, she folded her hands as she smiled gently.
"Live, onee-chan. Find peace. Find love. Do whatever you want. No matter what happens…you'll always be my hero." She pointed at Kaguya with a tearful wide smile, full with trust and love and belief, even as she too began to turn but sand made of dreams. "So don't let me drag you down. Go all out."
"No, wait-!"
The sound of piano broke her out of the dream just as she reached out with her hand. Her eyes snapped open. She hissed at the pain, before realizing she was cramped in one spot by some sort of bubble. She then choked, as she saw two purple strands of energy leave out of her chest. She wanted to reach out, to hold them, the only ones redeemable, to save them…but she stayed her hand. Remembering what led to this shitshow to begin with. So she just watched…as they soared up through the depths of the abyss, towards the light, towards the heavens.
Leaving her alone with herself. She pressed her palm against her eyes, sniffing as frustration welled up in her heart. She didn't want to move, She just wanted to sit there, and just…do nothing.
But she had a promise to keep.
What a fitting requiem she was hearing…what a fitting melody…it sounded like the music itself was enraged by fate itself. As if the most pitiful thing glared at the heavens above, with tears glistening in its eyes.
Just like her.
She clenched her eyes shut, her hand shaking. Then she opened them, steam escaping her mouth as she pressed her palm against the bubble around her, containing her within the sea.
She could fall apart later. She could grieve later. She could hate herself later. She could heal later. For now…
She still had a family to [ruby=destroy] protect. [/ruby]
With that cold thought contrasting her burning heart, the woman in the depths of the oceanic abyss began to chant. Chant words she had never used before…but words that just felt right, for some reason. Here, in this darkness, she could see it in her mind's eye.
The image of the curse, the blessing, the miracle, the punishment, she was about to summon forth in this world. Accompanied by this piano arrangement, a new magic was born from within.
"The night is dark and filled with terrors. The lingering wills of the departed remain, like parasites, and feast off the corpses of hope."
The past should stay the past. The evil that refused to die when it was their time, they were the cause of all of this.
"They look down upon us. They sneer and scoff and cackle at our misfortune."
All the victims…all the ones that died because of their machinations and games…
"No more, I say. No more, I declare."
She was but one silly Kaguya. But if she didn't do anything, who else would? Many others…but she could at least take some of the burden from them.
"Begone, o seductive stars, fooling and playing and breaking with our hearts. Begone from my sight! Be reduced to nothingness! For in the end…all I have is the infinite expanse of the void…!"
Ah, her voice was increasing in volume. Despite trying to remain calm, it was inevitable. The revelations, the burden of the last wishes she received, everything that happened lately…She was meant to be the cool big sister type…but at least, just this once…
"Let this hole in my chest bring justice for the abused and the lost!"
Let her cry.
"MUGETSU!"
The scream was cathartic. Already she could feel her heart calm down, by letting all her emotions out, at the same time as she swung her arm. Her newly formed arm, made out of pure shadows, holding a replica katana. The prison keeping her in, the abyss she was in, all made way for her promise. The shadows of her arm extended around her, like a cloak, a coat to protect her, before she leapt up through the air, before the water could close.
The sun felt scorching upon her. The wet sand underneath her felt like blood. Then, she took in her surroundings with a flat expression.
Her sister in arms were alright. Exhausted, injured, but clearly alive, not crippled whatsoever. The Far East Captains could be looking better, but they seemed to have put up a good fight. Arash was nowhere to be seen. Oryou and Penthesilea were going crazy. And then…
There was them. Him. She felt the darkness stir around her. Oryou and Penthesilea were blasted away, her signal to move forward.
"Kaguya!"
She turned her head ever so slightly, barely smiling.
"Sorry it took me this long." She turned back to the abomination that was her bloodline. "Now let's finish this."
The thing scoffed, twirling its own ghost like blade before pointing it at her.
"One more bug will not-"
"Shut up."
Her arm blurred into motion. She cut through the thing pointed at her with her own right sword. It was as if she cut through mere air.
And for the first time, the Gojouno showed fear in his eyes as she screamed in agony. More than what the curse of Angra ever did, more than anyone else ever did. It was a shock that came to everyone as they saw the Gojouno stumble backwards, before it hit them.
The 'blade' he wielded was just a part of his 'body'. It was still made up of the other souls of the Gojouno. And Kaguya's new magic…could affect him and every single spirit directly.
"You are nothing more than my prey right now. So be a nice victim and shut the fuck up, got it? I'm in a terrible mood."
A shiver went down his spine. Yet he forced the fear down, snarling instead with outrage.
"I defeated you before! This-this means nothing!"
In response, Kaguya sighed deeply, her hair covering her eyes as she leaned forward. The two swords she created out of the shadows pointed down at the ground.
"You rotten piece of shit…you don't get it…"
She looked up. The air moved to the side… to her open weeping with an emotionless expression.
"Nana is gone."
She exploded into motion, with speed that the Gojouno did not expected. He moved fast to his credit, jabbing forward a thousand times with his sword…and missing all of them. Kaguya, without even blinking, dodged by the barest of margins, as if she knew what was coming, as if she was moving just on instinct. In a blink of an eye, she was upon the giant spirit and rammed her blades into his chest, killing heaven knew how many souls with that attack. Just thousand more to kill, if they weren't already decaying remnants by Angra's actions already.
In that moment, Gojouno realized his mistake.
Kaguya of the Astraea Familia was no longer holding back. Had nothing to hold her back anymore. In that moment, her arms swung with no hesitation as the blade attacks rained down on her. The swords coming at her were cut apart, dodged. No matter what martial skill Gojouno used…Kaguya knew how to counter it. Knew what to expect.
Crescent Moon. Heron Strike. All of them she performed herself or used against him. With death looming, the Gojouno's will to live urged him to push his limits. Moving ever faster. He grinned, as he finally saw an opening, a strike she could not dodge or cut or parry.
Alas…
In all his fear, in all his dread of his natural enemy…the Gojouno completely forgot about everyone else.
Before he could take Kaguya's head, the other warriors' entered the fray once more. Ryuu slammed her heel against the sword aiming for her friend's life. At the same time, Penthesilea was actually swinging Oryou by her tail, like a massive flail, and crushed her against the Gojouno from the side. Oryou bit down in the moment of impact, causing his other attacks to go wild, with the few that would've landed being parried by Alise and the others. Kaguya couldn't help but blink in surprise at the sudden support.
"No leaving us behind!"
"Don't over do it, Kaguya!"
"Took you long enough!"
"Heh…you silly girls…"
She was glad they were here. Because if they weren't…she would've become a monster and lost herself. Exhaling, she twirled her Mugetsu blades, and crossed her arms before rushing forward once more. The Gojouno at this point lost all calm and confidence at this point, frantically trying to create distance. Yet all of them were unyielding. With Oryou being the biggest obstacle as she wrapped her tail around him, everyone else became a swarm of deadly bees, attacking him over and over.
Kaguya felt it. With each cut, she took another life. With each swing, another soul was put to rest. But this wasn't enough. She noticed, how the others were starting to run out of steam, that initial boost from morale losing its momentum. She wasn't any different, as she could feel the drain on her Mind from the magic. She wasn't primarily a magic user to begin with. So with that in mind…she stopped in her tracks, letting the two swords disappear.
Instead, she calmly raised her hands above her head, as if holding a new sword. Instead of a blade however, a needle came into existence, a line twisting reality itself. She closed her eyes, breathing in. Completely calm, despite leaving herself wide open.
For she had full trust she was in safe hands.
"Oh no, you don't!"
She heard the clash of flesh and steel against the Gojouno. She could hear him roar in outrage, even while Oryou twisted around him, as if trying to crush his entire shape into nothing. She could hear Penthesilea audibly taking a calming breath, intending to protect her as well with her moves. Then, she opened her eyes.
"Be put to rest, you foolish clan of mine."
Immobilized, the Gojouno knew he could not dodge this. The souls within him were too battered for any further shapeshifting, their state too out of shape due to the loss of souls. Instead, he condensed himself and the others instead. His 'skin' grew tougher and tougher, becoming hardy material. Barriers were cast over himself, ironically protecting Oryou from harm as well. Then, he grit his 'teeth', the demonic mask daring Kaguya.
He was fully confident he could survive. Even if it was the attack she used at the start to part the sea, he could endure. And then, she would be out of energy, with this final attack. They all would. Then, he would kill them all, take over Kaguya, and return to before it was too-
-Kaguya stops in her tracks, leaves her open as she slowly raises both hands with the swords gone, full trust in being covered by everyone else
"[ruby=Release] Kaijo.[/ruby]"
She swung her arms down. And Oryou's eyes widened as she let go immediately. Any grief, any wrath she felt, gave way to the raw instinct to dodge. Penthesilea was already on the move, grabbing her transforming tail and pulling her away, as Oryou began to turn human. The Gojouno was unable to react, staring straight at the needle being swung down…and everything turning black.
The ground. The sea. The heavens. All turned dark, engulfed by the shadows themselves.
Mugetsu, to nobody's knowledge at the time, was a three act magic so to say.
The opening strike. A powerful move, announcing the start of the magic.
The performance. The stage where her magic was focused on personal empowerment, for dueling, weaker in potency.
And then…the climax. The final strike, growing proportionally more powerful the longer the performance went. A double edged blade that could kill Kaguya if she wasn't careful, for it could drain all of her Mind in one go. But in this moment…it was perfect.
The darkness was powerful enough, not to kill her…but to end the Gojouno completely.
With each second, each moment, the Gojouno was covered by the wave of nothingness…he felt the souls within him disappear, one by one. He despaired as he felt their bliss, their relief, at being erased, at being cut out of the connection. He tried to move, to cast, to do anything, but could do nothing but drown in oblivion.
All he could do…was think. And even that was being reduced, thrown into the void.
"I am Gojouno…! I am…Gojouno!...I…Gojou…."
Desperately, he tried to hold onto his identity. But his memories were already disappearing. What he was doing. Who he was fighting. His actions of the last year. From the present, to the past, all of it was falling apart…
Except for one image. One moment.
Of a young man, in chains, reaching out his hand, to a tear stained face, a young woman kneeling on the ground. Her body beaten, her hopes dashed…but her dreams not dead yet.
At the end, they both smiled at each other.
"Let's get rid of these chains, shall we?"
"Hm!"
"I…[ruby=Five]Go[/ruby]…"
The darkness receded at last…and left behind nothing. Not even a speck of sand was left, before the water rushed in to fill the gap. Kaguya collapsed to her knees first. Then, everyone else fell down, coughing and breathing heavily. Except for Oryou, who, despite her wobbling legs, made her way back to the support team as quickly as she could. Kaguya bit her lip, hoping that all was well over there. Penthesilea ran her hand through her hair, sitting close by as she blinked wearily with half open eyes.
"This was a much harder fight than I expected." She smiled tired, as she let herself fall down on the ground."You all have my respect. I wish we had the time to celebrate…but I suppose you are not exactly in the mood for it?"
"Piss off," Kaguya responded, flipping the queen off. She took no offense to it, a weird calm radiating from her. Most likely from having raged her anger out. The tank must have been empty at this point.
"Hm." She closed her eyes, grimacing at her own wounds, at her torn muscles, at her broken bones she gave herself. "I shall make arrangements for a swift return then. My amazons should be done with their tasks by now."
"Are you alright, Kaguya?" Alise asked quietly, dragging herself over the sand to her. Kaguya chuckled dryly, as Lyra and Ryuu looked at her, not moving from their spots.
"Fuck no." She exhaled slowly. "But I will be, once we murdered that Night Queen." She closed her eyes with regret, such thoughts unbecoming of justice. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Alise said without hesitation, raising her thumb. "It'll always be fine. We'll be right with you."
"Agreed."
"Hear, hear."
Kaguya laughed. Yeah, it was good they were here. All of them. She paused, before biting her lip. Almost all of them.
"Do you think Arash is…?"
The mood fell among them. It was the local, Kushinada perhaps, who responded, even as she was at the verge of passing out herself.
"Well, I noticed them drag him out of the water. He…wasn't moving, but we won't know until we get closer."
"He's made out of sterner stuff than us. He'll be fine," Lyra said, mostly directing her comfort towards Ryuu.
"Thank you." The elf smiled weakly. "We-"
She suddenly paused. A slight crack noise had sounded. She slowly reached down her clothes, same as Lyra. At the same time, they pulled out their keepsakes, from their respective loved ones.
Both were cracked. A heavy weight fell down their guts at the sight of it.
"...Bell?"
"Oh come the fuck on…!"
Kaguya was not a superstitious person…but after all the shit they went through, she was unable to feel optimistic about this.
/
AN:
Here some new info before I leave you to it:
Oryou and Kaguya have leveled up to Level Seven.
The Three Captains of the Far East breached Level Five.
Everyone else gets a big stat boost but don't get level ups.
Aaand a little extra for what Kaguya gained from this:
Skills:
Mushin - Allows one to read and interpret lifeforce, akin to a sixth sense.
Kampo - Increases effectiveness of medicine. Reduces severity of side effects.
Magic: Mugetsu - Anti Magic and Curse Darkness Magic. Three Stage Magic.