A confused expression made its way onto Asuka's face.
"And why the hell should I?" Asuka asked.
The princess pursed her lips, pretending to contemplate Asuka's words.
"Well, you really don't have much of a choice."
Before Asuka could react, Anastasia blurred forward and cleared the ten-meter distance between them. She almost caved Asuka's skull with the wooden sword but ducked out of the way and leapt to the side.
"What the hell—"
Pain exploded in her shoulder as the next attack landed. She hissed, clutching it.
"Damn, that hurt. She's using her anima on the blade. Is she actually trying to kill me?"
"What? Is this all the mighty Trini could manage?"
"Listen, you psycho—" Asuka stepped back, swatting away a probing thrust. "I don't know what your issue is with me, but there are much better ways to resolve it than this."
"Oh, I'm afraid this is the only way. Now pick up the sword and fight me!"
Asuka looked back, noticing the other wooden sword. She backed toward it, making sure not to expose her back to the princess.
Now standing next to it, she bent down to grab the wooden sword and got into her fighting stance.
Anastasia, seeing Asuka get serious, dropped her haughty smile and replaced it with determination and absolute resolve.
They both took deep breaths.
Then boom.
They surged forward, swords cracking as they collided.
Blow after blow rang out across the courtyard, drawing the attention of others. Asuka was far more aggressive and powerful, coming at the princess with ferocity she never expected. Each clash shuddered Anastasia's arm, and she was forced to fight defensively. But Anastasia was like water—flowing between and gliding past most of Asuka's attacks.
One reckless swing left Asuka's side open. Anastasia pounced. Her blade shot forward once, twice—five times in rapid succession, each thrust slamming into Asuka's chest. The air tore from her lungs; blood welled between her lips as something in her ribs cracked.
Anastasia tried to pull her sword back, but Asuka's hand clamped down on the shaft. She yanked the princess toward her and drove her elbow into Anastasia's nose with a brutal crunch. Warm blood splattered across Asuka's arm as Anastasia reeled back, stunned.
She stumbled back, feeling her broken nose, but Asuka would not let her rest. She launched another assault which was blocked at the last second.
"All I need is one clean strike to end this," Asuka thought, wincing as her ribs throbbed with every breath, "but her defense is too damn tight."
"She's strong. Stronger than I expected," Anastasia thought. "But she's sloppy. If I can weather the storm, she'll burn herself out. The question is… can I hold out that long? My arms are screaming, and my head's still ringing from that elbow. If she lands one good hit, I'm finished."
Their swords clashed once again. Anastasia tilted her sword, making Asuka slip. The princess swung down hard, smashing Asuka's hand. She let out a scream and dropped the sword. Her scream was interrupted by a hilt to her throat.
Asuka fell back, choking and grabbing her throat. Anastasia, standing above her, raised her sword and stabbed it into the ground next to her head. Despite being the victor, she did not look it. Sweat beaded down her face and her breath was haggard.
"This... match... is mine."
She lifted her sword and took a few steps back.
"Now, we go again. I know this isn't your best. C'mon!"
Asuka slowly stood. Her grip on the wooden sword tightened until the wood began to splinter.
Again, they lowered to their battle stance and launched.
Their speed may have reduced, but Asuka's power and Anastasia's grace did not falter.
The rhythm of their attacks was like that of a drumbeat.
Anastasia thrust her sword forward. Asuka swatted it away. The Trinity planted a kick on Anastasia's sternum.
She gasped, struggling to take in breath, but she did not let down her guard. Seeing this, Asuka swiped at the ground; sand flew into her opponent's eyes. Blinded, Anastasia didn't see the wooden sword flying toward her face. She smacked it away but never saw the punch coming.
Asuka's fist collided with her chin. A sharp pop cracked through the courtyard, and the princess's head snapped back. Her vision fractured into bursts of white.
Before she could regain her footing, her legs were swept out from under her. The sky and stone traded places in a dizzy blur, and then—
WHAM!
Asuka was on her in an instant, knee pinning one of her arms, fists raining down. The thud of knuckles against flesh echoed. Anastasia caught most of them on her free forearm, but the ones that broke through smashed against her cheek and jaw.
"Concede," Asuka growled.
"N-neve-"
CRACK!
White pain erupted in Anastasia's face.
"Concede!"
"NO-"
CRACK!
The second was even more devastating.
The punches kept coming until her face was a ruin. Blood spilled from her nose, mouth, and the swelling split in her cheek.
Then, silence. Asuka froze, staring at what she'd done. Her breath hitched. She stood, suddenly cold.
"Anastasia... I... I'm so—"
Suddenly, the princess's body began to radiate a white, angelic aura. She slowly stood, all the bruises on her face healing. The cuts closing. Her broken nose snapped back into its right place.
Staring at Asuka, she dropped her wooden sword and stretched out her hand. A ball of light formed, spreading and thinning itself into a sharp lance.
"Ready yourself, Trinity."
Before Asuka could process, a thin cut appeared on her cheek. She looked behind to find the lance of light embedded in the ground.
"When did she...? That's faster than Ichigo ever moved."
The lance disappeared from where it was, scaring Asuka for a second. She quickly turned to see it reappear in Anastasia's hand.
"I advise you get serious. I might actually kill you if you don't."
Anastasia's appearance hadn't changed much, but there was now a small glowing arc of light around her head—part of a halo.
"Hold on... wait a second. This is going too far."
The people around them all seemed to be in a trance or overwhelmed by the power. But the princess's face just scowled in annoyance.
"Fine. Then just die where you stand."
She lifted her hand, ready to spear Asuka through the chest. Asuka had let her contra begin to flow when the lance flashed forward. But suddenly, it froze in midair. Both girls were confused until the light from the lance dimmed to reveal a tall man with wavy blond hair. He wore a white shirt and loose pants topped with a white jacket trimmed with gold. He also strangely wore sandals which didn't match what he was wearing.
He brought the lance close to his face, looking at it with interest.
"Now this is truly unexpected," the man began, "Forgive me if I'm misremembering, but I believe I told you to behave yourself, dear."
The man's voice by all means should have brought ease to all who listened, but everything in Asuka's body told her to run. She looked over at Anastasia, who had fallen to a knee. Sweat had begun to fall again but it didn't seem to be because she was tired. It was because she was scared.
"Well no matter. We'll talk about it later."
He turned to face Asuka. An unsettlingly handsome face with a warm, welcoming smile looked at her. Kind golden eyes with limitless power stared at her intriguingly.
"Those eyes... they're similar to Anastasia's. He must be her fath—"
"What a putrid appearance. That just won't do."
The world fell on Asuka.
She crashed to the dirt with a loud grunt. She tried to stand back up, but the pressure only increased.
A dark presence made itself known, drawing the man's attention. Asuka couldn't move her neck, but she could recognize Ichigo's power anywhere.
The pressure released and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in.
"Calm yourself, Ichigo. I was just a bit shaken by her horns and marks," the man said.
Ichigo didn't say anything. He just let out a sigh and walked over to Asuka.
"You okay?"
Asuka coughed a bit before responding.
"Yeah... I'm good. Is that who I think it is?"
Ichigo turned to look at the man who had returned his gaze to the princess.
"Yes. That man is the emperor of our continent: Julius Solarin."