For the first time this entire mission the wind was quiet, soundless breezes of wind causing everyone's hair to flow side to side gently.
Alice clutched her weapon as tightly as she could, her shaking eyes and trembling lips was all that was needed for everyone to understand.
Marth was splitting her focus between the Hiker and her spell having it ready for the fight about to happen, her eyes narrowing on him.
Lappland was the only one filled with excitement, happy that she is going to have her rematch with the Hiker. Lappland doesn't take pride in a lot of things but an insult to her combat ability is something she'll let very few people walk away with.
However to both Alice and Lappland, those experienced in combat they both reached the same conclusion.
Something was wrong, something here was very wrong. Their left arm was shattered into ice, the wound and blood still being fresh. A deep slash staining his black attire in red. The sword he used was a few feet away with a patch of snow stained in red close to it.
Yet the Hiker being the most vulnerable they've ever been seemed unbothered. As mentioned before none of the women felt anything from the Hiker. No anger from losing their arm, No sadness at the failure of their plan, there was nothing.
"Marth covers Lappland and I. We'll go in and engage in close quarters combat." Alice whispered under her breath. "Lappland, this time don't get laid out too quickly like before. Unlike you I have people I wish to see after today."
"Shut up, that was a one time thing." Lappland steps in front of Alice. Wielding her twin blades as it hums with arts. Its soft purple glow that was pleasing to the eyes coated both blades.
Wanting to end this quickly and relying on their speed, Lappland blitzed Apollo. Covering meters at a time. The soft hum of her sword cracked with lighting as she slashed her blade sending a cut of lighting while following close behind it.
Apollo did the left but to his side was Lappland putting him in a hard spot.
Lappland swung both her blades on Apollo, the sound crackling bounced in Apollo's ear as he dodged by leaning far back while twisting their body.
He dropped his sword and clenched his fist using the momentum of his body, he quickly rose up and landed a clean punch onto Lappland, sending her down to the ground. Wanting to keep her down, Apollo slammed his foot onto her back. He raised his sword off the ground and without any theatrics he stabbed Lappland in the stomach.
Marth and Alice could do nothing as the confrontation just like before took mere moments. The neutral aura around Apollo never went away as he slowly closed the gap, sword in hand.
Alice readied her sword while Marth put some distance behind her getting another spell ready.
Apollo quickened his pace from a walk to a job to a sprint as snow kicked up like a snowplow. To Alice and Marth it was like an avalanche was moving towards them seeing their wellbeing as nothing.
Alice dug her sword into the snow, like a golfer hitting a ball sent the chucks of snow flying towards Apollo, due to her skill with her arts on the brief contact with the snow. Alice lowered the temperature of her blade enough to freeze the small amounts of water within the snow into ice. Creating small sharp daggers of ice within the snow believing Apollo wouldn't dodge.
Apollo who's brain at this point has been rotted to make his higher form instincts failed him. He didn't block anything, he tanked each shard and pushed himself.
He reached his arm out and gripped Alice's head like a beachball, he lifted her up like a paperweight while returning her hateful glare with a stare of pure neutrality. Like a pitcher he tossed Alice towards Marth causing the two to collide.
Before either one of them could react, they found Apollo once again in front of them. Unfortunately neither one of them could react in time as Apollo drove his fist at Alice's stomach and Marth was caught in the crossfire as she felt her breath escape her.
The two flew through with the nearby tree stopping them. With Alice on her stomach and her back slammed against a hard surface, whatever air she managed to keep was long gone.
Her head felt like a balloon ready to pop, the world became blurry as her body and mind were trying to register everything that happened.
"Alice, are you still here?" Marth asked as she looked at Alice slumped on her legs.
Marth shook Alice more and more but every time she did, there was no response.
"Alice? Alice!" Marth shouted again, praying that she wasn't dead. She remembered something Saria told her and placed her finger on her neck. "Thank god." Marth felt some level of relief as the rhythmic pulse of Alice was there, although faint.
She looked up to see Apollo still masked walking towards them slowly, not a sense of urgency could be felt from him. To Marth, Apollo was no different than a naturally occurring force of the world. Seeing Lappland and Alice unable to fight, it just left her.
The burning desire to run away only grew with each step Apollo took, to her fighting Apollo was no different than a death sentence. Her ragged breath wasn't doing her any favors. The trickles of blood flowing down her head, painting her vision red like wine.
Next thing she knew, she was standing, wiping the blood from her head with her hands. With the knocked Alice behind her, a mix of fear yet an unsung determination filled her eyes. Or perhaps the determination she felt was a lie she used to block the fear.
Feeling the circuits burn like oil set aflame, every last bit of knowledge and experience she obtained from Apollo; the man she trusted with her life. She wanted to make him proud, she wanted to show him when she gets home that he can be proud of her.
As if responding to her call, an image formed in her head. The surrounding snow began to melt as a red magic circle formed in front of her. A small yet powerful crimson color flame formed, its color resembling blood.
Soon the blood on her hands started to fuse into the circle.
"The human body is black box fuel of mana, everything and everything inside you can be used. Your hair, your skin, tears, sweat, even reproductive fluids can apply a boost to one's output."
Marth could sense the potential recoil of the spell increasing as more and more blood surged into the fire, its color changed. From a crimson red to an orange color mimicking the sun. Then soon a thought, not a plan formed in her head.
Even in the muddled mind Apollo found himself in. His years of experience and underlying purpose in this world didn't disappear.
Potential, that's why he's here. To see the potential of others, to see them rise to limits they or anyone else couldn't imagine. Feeling the energy of the fire, although weak to other attacks he's faced. To see Marth reach this level so quickly, he felt proud.
"Go away and burn in hell."
Marth said those words before she released the fire ball, the push back sending her crashing towards the same tree she started this fight at.
The flame rushed towards Apollo, leaving a trial of melted snow instantly.
Apollo readies his blade, the weapon reflecting not the sun in the sky, but the sun heading towards him. Taking half a step forward followed by a deep breath, when the blade was merely an arm's reach away, he slashed. The swing cleaves the fire ball like butter.
Yet behind the fireball wasn't an injured Marth, no, it was another fireball of similar size. He tried to raise the sword for another slash, but he was too late. However instead of feeling worried, he felt content and satisfied with the results. He lowered his defenses and allowed the fireball to touch his skin, burning it to a crisp within a second.
Marth could do nothing as she watched the attack connect, followed by her enemy falling to the ground as the flame consumed his skin burning them black.
Like a stink bomb the smell of burnt flesh spread across the area, whatever clean air was sidelined by the strong smell. Marth could do nothing but hunch over as the smell invaded her, violating her nose as memories of not only her family but her mission in Columbia resurface.
Her heart squeezed and burned but she understood what she needed to leave. That Apollo is waiting for her, she raises to her feet pushing any and all negative emotions with the image of Apollo.
Yet, she couldn't take a step. Her body was tired, the adrenaline she felt was quickly leaving her as her body went from being as light as a feather to heavier than the world itself. Falling head first in the snow letting the cold of the world fill her. Her eyes felt heavy as she allowed the exhaustion overtake her.
"My, my. Look at you, part of me didn't have faith in you yet you did it."
The soft sound of a voice rang in Marth's ears.
"That old man truly sees a lot in you for them to tank that hit. Although I shouldn't say much. You owe me one, without me you would have died from the frost bite."
The voice continued to talk, Marth tried to look around but everytime she turned darkness meant her.
"Who are you, are you the same person I saw when I was in Columbia? Where's the little kid?" Marth asked, shouting into the darkness.
"You could say I'm your savior, or the better version of you currently. The name is Yuki, no last name." Yuki explained.
"So why are you inside me?" Marth asked.
"Simple, to make sure you evolve. That's the job of the little boy too, to see you progress yourself." Yuki explained.
"That sound cree-"
The world suddenly shook as if the space was inside a massive creature.
"Seems like you're about to wake up. Time to wrap this up." Yuki said as the voice started to grow distinct.
Marth, wanting an answer , tried to run towards the voice but no matter how far she ran the voice never got closer.
"Just don't die, I won't be there for you all the time. I only helped you because you did most of the work, don't expect me to help you like in Columbia."
After that the voice disappeared. With the voice gone the world shook once lines of light started to shine as the world of darkness cracked blinding the poor girl.
"She is stable, she's going to be ok."
"Thank goddess."
"How are the others?"
A flurry of voice vibrated in Marth's ears as the blinding light of something reached her eyes. Her body felt heavy, filled with lead filled with water.
She looked to her left and right to find herself in a light blue room, various tools placed in trays clued her in on where she is, the hospital or clinic.
Near the doorway stood two people, Enciodes and Axel. They were discussing something but Marth was still too out of it to hear, but Marth was able to see some defeat in Axel's face. There were others in the room but they looked like standard nursing staff.
After some time another familiar face walked into the room, bandages covered his entire chest and legs. If they warped his head then he would be no different than a mummy. His white hair and crimson eyes landed on Marth as she laid on the bed relaxed like the doctor told her too.
Yet, upon looking at those soft red eyes and carefree smirk on his face. Marth felt a flood of emotions. Relief, happiness, excitement and any other positive emotion appeared on her face. She jumped out of her bed much to her body's dismay as she felt some pain in her chest and feet. Letting her feet leave the ground as she tackled Apollo, however with the floor being wooden the impact for Apollo wasn't nice but he didn't care as he looked at Marth.
Streams of water and snot rolled down Marth's face as she could do nothing but tightly hug the person in front of him.
"Y-you're ok. I thought, I thought I lost you too."
Marth tighten her hug on Apollo, she didn't want him to leave her. So many words blitzed in her head yet her mouth couldn't say any of them. All she could do was cry and cry at the return of her family.
Apollo did nothing but wrap his arms around her too, gently pulling her in as she sobbed and sobbed.
"I'm proud of you Marth, I'm so proud of you."