"Ugh...this is too much; how can I even defend against this? And she's not even going all out." Yua mentally groaned as she was sparring against Laurentina, otherwise known as Specter. As per Gladiia's instruction from yesterday, Yua arrived at the training area early this morning ready to spar.
Gladiia told her that she would be sparring against Specter just to see how her combat abilities were. Currently it wasn't going well for the white-haired lung, all Yua could do was defend herself from the aegir's attacks, she was not able to get in any sort of offence, Specter on the other hand was hardly trying. When they stopped and reset themselves, Yua was panting and short of breath while her opponent still looked fresh.
"Having trouble keeping up, little one? Do you want me to go easier on you? Or do you need me to stop?" Specter asked Yua in a mocking voice. "No, I want to carry on, I'm not quitting yet." Yua confidently responded. The aegir ad a smile on her face hearing this "Good, that's what I like to hear, come at me then." After Specter spoke, the two of them charged at each other, and the sparring continued between the pair.
While the two were fighting, the pair had drawn a crowd who had come to watch, among the spectators were Ch'en and Hoshiguma. "Yua's looks like she's really struggling, don't you agree Ch'en?" The oni asked her friend. "Yes, the abyssal hunters really are something else, I doubt even I could come close to matching them." Ch'en admitted.
Ch'en was an incredible swordsman, and Yua having beat her was no easy feat, but seeing the other lung struggle against the aegir, however, even she knew she was no match for the abyssal hunters.
As the fighting was carrying on two more spectators further back were also watching the fight. They were Skadi and Gladiia. "Yua is struggling to keep up with Laurentina, but I do believe that she has potential, wouldn't you agree, Skadi?" Gladiia had asked her fellow abyssal hunter for her opinion, but Skadi did not reply. She was just watching the two spar. Seeing that she wasn't going to get an answer, Gladiia turned her head back to the two and carried on watching.
While watching Yua, however, Skadi couldn't help feeling something odd about the girl. She felt like the white-haired lung was somehow an enemy. Yua had never done anything to the aegir, so she couldn't understand why she was feeling like this.
"Why do I feel like I've seen her before? Is it because of my dreams? I don't understand." Skadi was still trying to piece together everything; she really couldn't understand why Yua was a threat. Looking at her now losing to her friend, it just wasn't making any sense. The difference in power between the two was huge.
When Skadi turned her head to look at the other lung in the room, however, Skadi felt an undeniable hatred. Seeing Ch'en brought forth feelings of pure rage, like she had stolen something that was rightfully hers, and this really confused her.
The more Skadi looked at the blue-haired lung, the angrier she got. When Gladiia turned to ask Skadi another question, she saw the look on her face and looked in the direction she was facing.
When she noticed Skadi looked at Ch'en, she thought to herself, "Why is Skadi looking at Ch'en like she wants to kill her? What has Ch'en done to her?" From the few interactions Gladiia had with Ch'en; the lung seemed like a very strict and professional person, she had never done anything to antagonise herself, so why was Skadi looking at her as if she done something unforgivable? Gladiia decided not to ask right now but would keep a mental note of it for later.
Ch'en could feel eyes on her and a sense of hostility towards her. Looking around, she couldn't notice anybody looking at her until she met Skadi's eyes. "What is her problem? Have I done something to offend her?" is what Ch'en wondered when she saw Skadi.
The blue-haired lung couldn't understand why Skadi was looking at her like this, but after a few moments, she left Hoshiguma's side and walked up to her and Gladiia.
Once she was in front of the two Ch'en greeted the pair "Good morning Gladiia, Good morning, Skadi, are you both well?" Gladiia responded, "I am fine, thank you Ch'en, how are you today?" Ch'en replied, "I am fine as well, thank you" Ch'en then turned to Skadi, "Skadi I need to ask. Have I done something to upset you? You looked like I have, I do apologise if I've offended you in some way." Skadi was then brought to her senses when Ch'en spoke to her.
The aegir couldn't explain why she was angry with the lung. "No Madam Ch'en, I was dealing with some unpleasant thoughts, I should be the one to apologise."
Skadi didn't want to be in the same room as her, she had to go, she then spoke to Ch'en and Gladiia "I will take my leave, please let me know how Yua does, Goodbye." She them walked out of the room, leaving the pair confused "What was that about?" The pair both thought.
As Skadi walked back to her room, she couldn't help but think why she hated both of the lungs. It was as if someone else was taking control of her, like what she was feeling was the feelings of somebody else.The aegir knew, however, that she needed to be alone for a while. She wanted space to clear her head.
Once she got to the room of the abyssal hunters, Skadi lay down on her bed; she wasn't tired as it was still morning, but she had a lot to reflect on. While she was thinking, eventually her eyes started to grow heavy and she fell asleep.
When Skadi woke up, she was met with a sight of fire and destruction and the corpses of many seaborn. Seeing so many seaborn dead greatly upset Skadi; this sickened her. She should not feel pity or sympathy for the seaborn—they were her enemy. Moving through the destruction, she could find more corpses of slain seaborn.
Eventually, she found two individuals cutting them down. One was a white-haired individual, and the other was a blue-haired individual. Looking closer at who they were, Skadi could recognize them: it was Yua and Ch'en. She tried to shout, to plead with them to stop what they were doing, but Skadi couldn't speak.
Skadi was looking through the eyes of one of the monsters she fought. Once they had killed all the other seaborn around them, their eyes focused on Skadi, with pure malice. Skadi wanted to run, but she couldn't; she was completely paralyzed by the gazes of the pair. The two then charged at her, swords drawn. Once the pair were in range, they struck Skadi...
Skadi then found herself in a corridor in front of an office. The aegir assumed it was Rhodes Island. Looking at the office door, she knew it was the doctor's office. The doctor...Skadi hated to admit it, but she loved the man. Whenever she was aboard Rhodes Island, many operators feared her. They feared her strength, but not the doctor.
He accepted her for what she was; he didn't see her as a monster. Skadi warned him to keep his distance, but he refused. He wanted to know her. His stubbornness and determination won her over eventually. She was able to truly open up to him. He was the only person other than the other abyssal hunters that she was comfortable around.
The doctor was someone who she could see having a future with. Once the Seaborn were defeated, she would take him to her homeland, to hopefully live a life of peace, until they grew old together, possibly surrounded by family. This was Skadi's dream.
Skadi really wanted to see the man. However, when she opened the door, she was met with a sight she didn't want to see. The doctor was there, but also Ch'en. The two of them looked to be talking, and they didn't register Skadi's presence; she was invisible to the pair.
When they stopped talking, Ch'en did something that broke the aegir's heart. Carefully reaching behind the doctor's helmet, she undid the back of it and took it off. Once it was off, the lung gently brought the doctor's head down and met his lips with hers. Skadi was completely still, tears falling from her eyes, as she wanted to scream and curse Ch'en's name...
Skadi then saw the two of them getting married, many of their friends being happy for the pair, but Skadi just felt empty. She had enough; the world had to pay. Skadi then found herself near the sea. A voice was calling out to her, telling her it would give her the revenge she wanted. Seeing that she had nothing left, she walked into the watery abyss...
Skadi found herself in a black void, alone. She called out, "Hello, is anyone there?" No one responded. As she turned around, she saw another individual... it was herself. This Skadi looked different, completely dressed in red, with cold, dead eyes. The other Skadi then spoke to her, "These are my memories, memories of a time gone and yet to come, memories of a dream destroyed." Skadi was confused; were these memories hers or the other Skadi in front of her?
The other Skadi then spoke again, "I killed her, I killed them all. Everybody is dead, except for that girl, the one who got away." Skadi asked her other self, "The one who got away? Do you mean Yua?" The other Skadi answered, "Yes, she should have been ours, mine and the doctor's, but Chen took him from me, took what was rightfully mine." The other Skadi paused before continuing, "They are both my enemies, yours too, kill them and take what you is rightfully yours." The other Skadi then disappeared, and Skadi woke up.
When she was awake, she was met with Specter right in her face. "Aww, my poor little Skadi. Did you have a nightmare?" Specter tried to joke around with her friend. Skadi was not amused. "Not now, Specter. Leave me alone." Skadi wasn't in the mood for the jokes of Specter. Seeing that her friend was not in the best mood, the aegir moved to give Skadi some space.
Specter then spoke when the two had some space between them. "That Yua girl is persistent; I'll give her that. She just doesn't know when to quit." Yua...Skadi remembered the dream she had - that girl was her enemy, but why was she her enemy? Skadi couldn't understand it and didn't want to kill an ally. For now, Skadi would try to ignore the dream; she had other things to worry about.
"Do you think she can handle being a member of us? We fight seaborn, and many land-dwellers have never even seen one before." Skadi asked her friend for her opinion on the white-haired lung. Specter replied, "I do believe so. She certainly has the fighting spirit, and if she has dealt with seaborn before, then Yua should be fine."A third person then entered the room; it was Gladiia.
Seeing that both Specter and Skadi were there, she told them that she had some information for them, "Doctor Kal'tsit has found information on another church of the Deep Hideout. I've already told Yua and Andreana that we will leave tonight to deal with them, so get yourselves prepared."Both of them nodded, and Gladiia left the room to get herself prepared for the inevitable battle.Specter then told Skadi, "Well, I will see you later, Skadi. And don't worry about the girl; she can take care of herself." Specter then left the room as well to do the same as Gladiia.
Once she was alone, Skadi thought back to the dream... Could Yua be trusted? And was Ch'en also her enemy? She didn't have all the answers for now, but she would find out. Skadi would protect Yua as long as she was an ally, but if that changed, the lung would be dealt with. Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, Skadi got up from her bed and started to prepare for battle; she had enemies to face...