Tuesday moring, SeeD Ceremony day.
"Ready for the 'tradition'? You have to get Diablos. Don't let Raddie take it," Acma whispered to Timeth in the infirmary.
"Your new plan sounds reasonable. I'll do my best," Timeth replied.
"Good luck! I understand things might not go according to plan, though. Don't stress too much if Raddie ends up getting it. We'll find another way," Acma reassured him.
"That's... thanks. You look... happy today, Acma," Timeth observed.
"Yeah? I got 10 Holy spells from Zyma. Our problem is solved, T."
"Is that all? Ahem… it's all written on your face. Last night, you two..."
"Oh... are you too shy to say it? Adult, adult, adult. We're all grown up now," Acma teased back.
"Acma, remind me, who was scolding me just yesterday about 'complicate things'?" Timeth retorted.
"Well, we're both very good at separating our 'personal' life and 'business' matters."
"Everyone says that…" Timeth muttered.
"Hey, T, if you ever want to make a move with Shrew soon, I can teach you a thing or two..." Acma teased, but Timeth quickly cut her off.
"No! That's... ew. Anyway, I should get going. I don't want to be late for the SeeD ceremony," Timeth said, changing the subject.
"See you, cutie. Don't forget to pick up us from Fire Cavern at 2000."
Tuesday evening, 1900, Fire Cavern.
"Zyma! Are you here?" Acma entered the Fire Cavern, a usual location for the field exam. Many students had already ventured into this spot over the past week, so there weren't many monsters left.
"Over here. Let's move closer to the pit," Zyma waved her over.
Straight to business.
They walked in silence. Acma noticed that Zyma's steps seemed heavier than usual. She wanted to ask if something was wrong, but she hesitated.
It doesn't hurt to ask, though. So much misunderstanding was resolved last night when we both decided to talk more.
"How are you?" Acma finally asked.
Zyma's steps came to a halt, and he looked at her for the first time. "Good. You?"
"Great," she smiled and pulled out a small box, "I have some free time this afternoon, so I baked some muffin. If you want to…"
Before Acma could finish her sentence, Zyma embraced her tightly. She happily returned the warmth of his embrace.
"Hey… what's wrong, babe?" she asked.
"Nothing. I want to eat them."
"Okay."
He opened the tiny box and took a bite.
"Sweet," Zyma said, his expression somewhat displeased.
"Really? I didn't add much sugar because I know you don't like it," Acma explained.
"No, they're delicious, and you're sweet. Thank you," Zyma clarified, folding the box neatly and put it into his pocket.
"You're welcome. I thought that since you'll be leaving soon, you won't have a chance to enjoy homemade food anymore."
"Thank you… I'll miss these muffins."
Silence hung in the air.
"So… back to business, how do we settle then?" Acma asked. "I bring simulation gears, in case you don't want to risk getting actual wounds."
Tuesday evening, 1910, Infirmary.
"Timeth, get here as soon as possible! He's trying to kill me!"
"What? On my way in 10!"
"Timeth, who's that?"
"I'm sorry, Shrew. I have to go now."
"Okay…"
Tuesday evening, 1905, Fire Cavern.
"So… back to business, how do we settle then?" Acma asked. "I bring simulation gears, in case you don't want to risk getting actual wounds."
"No, we don't need these. Let's settle for real." Zyma said, turning away. "Junction your best stats, two minutes, and then we start."
Acma was taken aback. "What do you mean 'for real'?"
"Death," Zyma responded coldly. "We settle this with the Death rule. One of us walks out of here alive."
Acma furrowed her eyebrows with a half smile. "Death? I don't understand... Z, don't joke like that. What's going on?"
Zyma took out his Kusarigama and Shurikens, their edges shining red under the reflection of Ifrit's lava pit.
"I'll make it quick to minimize your suffering, A. One minute thirty seconds."
"Z, this is a joke, right?"
Silence.
"Yesterday you helped me with the plan. What's changed?" Acma pleaded, desperately trying to comprehend the situation.
"It's either your head or mine will be popped. I'd rather we settle it ourselves than let G dispose of us like toys. You would do the same, A. No hard feelings," Zyma explained coldly.
"No… You too?" Acma suddenly realized that no matter where they ran, they couldn't escape their fate unless they eliminated the root cause. "Surely there must be another way... You always find a way... Your plan is almost perfect. Please... don't do this." Acma tried to persuade Zyma, realizing as she spoke that he must have considered all the options and that what he was doing now was his best solution.
For him.
"I'm sorry... This is the best option. Rest assured, I'll remember you, forever. Let me know when you're ready," Zyma replied, his tone stern and unyielding.
"Z... I can't... I love..." Acma's words were cut off as a Shuriken was thrown, slicing through a strand of her red hair.
"Junction, this is your last chance."
Acma trembled, feeling the coldness of his voice and the fear of being struck by his sharp Shurikens. Zyma was not to be taken lightly, even with his non-lethal moves during SeeD training. His bare-handed strikes and kicks alone could leave MMA fighters bruised for weeks. Acma stood no chance if she were to face a physical attack from Zyma.
She hastily junctioned the best magic she had on her only bet - Mag stat. Zyma was a Flare user, which means he had the advantage of being in Fire Cavern, though Acma doubted if he had to use magic at all to kill her. Her Thunder spells could momentarily shock him, but it wouldn't be enough against such a swift ninja.
I need backup…
"Timeth, get here as soon as possible! He's trying to kill me!" Acma quickly enabled her com device, screaming into it.
"What? On my way in 10," came Timeth's prompt response.
Timeth was not one to waste time, and Acma loved that about him. The question remained whether Acma could survive for 10 minutes under Zyma's relentless attacks.
"Time's up. Let's begin." Zyma threw another Shuriken towards Acma, who managed to dodge it by jumping out of the way.
He swiftly dashed toward her, and she immediately cast Thundaga to stall him, but not quickly enough to avoid taking a hit that cut about an inch deep into her torso, reopening a recent wound.
"Ahhhh..." Acma cried out in pain, instinctively rolling back to create some distance.
Think, Acma. Think.
"Blind!" she exclaimed, casting a spell to disable Zyma's eyesight before she darted away, seeking refuge behind a large rock. Acma was well aware that the spell offered her only a brief respite. After all, Zyma was as accustomed to darkness as she was to daylight.
9 minutes 20 seconds. Hurry, Timeth!
Silence. Not a sound. She couldn't hear Zyma's footsteps. He was quick and quiet. Hunting was his nature, and Acma was his current prey. She couldn't fully concentrate as memories of the previous night flooded her mind—when they had held each other warmly under a blanket, exchanging love.
Just remember, things don't always go according to plan. Be flexible, be creative. You can do it.
His words echoed in her head.
Is it your final lesson to me? Not to trust the one you love?
Acma could imagine Zyma holding his Kusarigama—a sickle attached to a chain with a weighted metal ball at the end—trying to listen for her breath, attempting to locate her. She had run hurriedly, hence he couldn't have missed her whereabouts. He might even be closing in on her.
What would he do?
If Acma were in Zyma's position, she would throw the metal ball around to destroy her hiding places. She had to act quickly.
Acma picked up a rock and threw it to the opposite direction.
BANG!
She heard the metal ball crush something from a distance. She held her breath, not having the presence of mind to celebrate the fact that she had just bought herself another minute.
Or not.
BANG!
She felt the impact as the metal ball struck the rock behind which she was hiding, causing her body to crash to the ground.
"Protect!" she cast the spell without looking up, feeling the rush of air as Zyma's Kusarigama sickle narrowly missed her ears.
Zyma didn't say a word. Acma wasn't sure if any words at this moment would be pleasant.
What was he thinking? Was he assessing her moves? Was he laughing at her clumsy escape attempts?
She had never been adept at martial arts, although she had managed to pass her classes with above-average grades. She viewed opponents like Zyma as a rare breed and focused on her strengths in magic casting instead. She knew that in a squad, her weaknesses would be compensated for. One-on-one fights were not her forte.
Focus, Acma! If you can't think a few steps ahead, you're going to die!
"Float!" she cast another spell, combining it with Protect, creating a floating orb that carried her up into the air as Zyma's metal ball struck her from the side. She successfully created distance thanks to his attack.
Acma could see the surprise on Zyma's face as he looked up to sense her floating in the air.
"Thundaga!" she shouted, releasing her most powerful lightning attack.
Zyma jumped away, narrowly dodging her powerful lightning attack but still feeling the residual shock. Meanwhile, Acma used her lasso to anchor herself to the cavern ceiling, disturbing a few Red Bats that were indulging in their sleep. She hit the bats for them to make noises, hoping to distract Zyma's senses.
Zyma swiftly evaded the spell, narrowly escaping its devastating impact but still feeling the residual shock coursing through him. Meanwhile, Acma took advantage of the chaos, using her lasso to anchor herself to the cavern ceiling, conveniently disturbing a few Red Bats from their slumber. Their flapping wings would distract Zyma's senses.
Zyma took out a few more more Shurikens, and Acma knew what he planned to do, though there wasn't many viable solutions to his best move.
Acma kicked the wall and released the other end of her long lasso to hatch on a different stalactite, moving herself to the new anchor, just enough time to dodge his dashing Shurikens.
With a swift kick, Acma propelled herself away from the wall, releasing the other end of her lasso to latch onto a different stalactite, narrowly avoiding Zyma's charging Shurikens.
Just when she breathed a sigh of relief as nothing had pierced her, Zyma hurled his metal ball at her with tremendous force, causing her to gasp in pain and lose her grip. The force of gravity, impeded by the Float spell, began to gradually carry her towards the perilous flow of molten lava below.
"Quezacotl!"
She called for her GF, which swiftly appeared and saved her from drowning burn in the lava flow. Zyma's assault continued, but she could hear Quezacotl, her GF, closing its wings to shield her from Zyma's flying weapons.
"Quezacotl… No!" She exclaimed. She couldn't risk losing her GF, although she couldn't find a way to save herself without it. "Thunderstorm!" she commanded, urging Quezacotl to unleash its powerful area attack. She slid down its tail as fast as she could, escaping the danger and finding refuge behind another rock before summoning her GF back to her consciousness.
She calculated her and Zyma's current HP in her head. She knew she couldn't afford to cast Holy freely, despite its potential for greater damage than Thundaga, as it would deplete her Mag stat.
7 minutes… Every cast needed to count. She thought.
The protective effects of her previously cast Protect spell had faded, but Acma didn't dare to recast it. The sound of the magic shield would reveal her hiding place to her enemy.
But Zyma didn't need that signal.
CRASH!
The rock covering her shattered, and the force of the impact smash her head to the ground.
"Flare!" Zyma's cold voice announced, and the scorching flames of the spell engulfed Acma.
How did he find me? Acma screamed internally in panic and pain.
As if reading her thoughts, Zyma answered, "Your smell..."
Right… I know your smell, too. All too well…
In that moment, her heart shattered, and she lay on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, a stark contrast to the strength she had exhibited throughout her life.
I have survived the most brutal battles since I was little. But now… why does it hurt so much… Not from the cuts or the burns, but...
Zyma, observing her anguish, broke the silence. "When is he coming?"
Acma didn't answer. 6 minutes.
"We still have time. Let's pause for one minute. Go heal," Zyma said. "I'll wait."
For what?
"Why don't you just kill me now" Acma snorted in pain.
Zyma hesitated, searching for the right words. "I'm sorry... I'll make it quick this time. I don't want to see you suffer either."
Tears streamed down Acma's face as her heart shattered even further.
So much for the love. You wanted me to say it and I said it. I gave you the whole me, and the very next day you just decide to kill me fast to save your ass.
"I'm just a toy to you, right Z? For you to discard once you're done," Acma's voice trembled with a mix of pain and anger as she slowly sat up, carrying the wounds on her torso and the large one on her stomach. Her gaze locked with his, the intensity of her emotions palpable.
"I hate you…" She wielded each word with resentment as her trembling hands retrieved two syphons and forcefully attached them one by one to her veins. "You want it to be quick? Well, I'll help you…"
"Acma…" Zyma looked at her in shock.
"Quezacotl!"
[…]
4 minutes.
Is it over? Where is he? That couldn't have killed him… be careful of his Limit Break. Acma thought, taking cover behind another rock and waiting for the blinding light from her "Duo: Thunder's Judgment" to fade, reattaching her syphons to recover her HP.
Another minute passed, but there was still no sound.
He threw his sickle and Shurikens at me, triggering 'it' again. Did they rebound and hit him?
Acma cast Cure and protective spells on herself before cautiously crawling out. As she emerged, her eyes scanned the area, and she noticed a couple of Red Bats pinned to the ground by Zyma's Shurikens. A frown of puzzlement creased her brow as she tried to make sense of the scene.
He was hitting these monsters?
It took her a moment to spot Zyma lying near Ifrit's lava pit.
"Oh no…" Acma gasped, sprinting towards Zyma, whose chest had been pierced by his own Shurikens.
"Acma… thank Hyne, I thought… the Red Bats really got you… stop using syphons when you're alone," Zyma uttered words in pain as well as relief.
Acma immediately connected the dots… She froze in mix realization and confusion.
"Cause of death: Red Bat. That's the most embarrassing way to die…" he continued, trying to play a usual smirk.
"This is not a good time to joke, Z! Curaga!" Acma hastily cast the healing spell, her focus solely on stopping the bleeding.
Zyma murmured weakly, "Telekinesis? Do you know how to control it now?"
Confusion filled Acma's face as she desperately searched for a first aid kit. "What are you talking about?"
"You redirected the Shurikens to my chest. Can you do it again?" Zyma inquired, his voice strained.
Realization washed over Acma, furrowing her eyebrows even further. "You... you're tricking me into triggering my innate ability? For Hyne's sake, you almost killed both of us!"
"You're welcome," Zyma chuckled grimly, wincing in pain. "Consider it my parting gift."
"Stupid asshole," Acma muttered under her breath, her anger and fear intertwining. She wanted to hit him, to make him understand the gravity of his actions, but she couldn't bear to cause him more pain. "This will disable you for days."
"I told you I'd find an excuse to decline the mission," Zyma explained through gritted teeth.
"For Hyne's sake! You scared me to death. I'm furious and terrified right now. Are you really going to be okay?" Acma's concern mingled with her anger.
"I'll live, babe," Zyma reassured, his voice strained but determined.
Just then, hurried footsteps approached them, and Timeth appeared on the scene.
"What's going on?" Timeth asked, his eyes widening at the sight of Zyma's wounds.
"Take me to the car. I have more healing items there," Zyma commanded, his voice authoritative despite his injuries.
Timeth glanced at Zyma's wounds and then at Acma, silently seeking an explanation.
"The asshole deserved this," Acma vaguely explained to Timeth, her voice filled with a mix of anger and relief that no one had ended up killing the other. Timeth, understanding the gravity of the situation, didn't press for further questions and showed relief that they were all still alive.