"...Perhaps emotions are limited, it makes sense, power can't be infinite or a mindscape battle would last forever–" Hamar's thinking was interrupted, the figures had finished talking amongst themselves.
"You have finished your world, we don't wish to destroy this one. Let us leave and you will be free of us."
Hamar looked at them, he gulped...what should he do? Now that they know about the mindscape power and can even end it, how will Hamar do anything?
"If I let you leave, what will you do?"
They paused and, in unison, responded, "We will continue with or without the individual known as Zhou Tian's help."
"You will destroy that world, is that it?" Hamar had never fully understood why they were so opposed to eachother, why did they want to do this exactly, who were they?
"We will destroy the false world and confine the creator. He will be held accountable for his crimes."
"The crimes of creating a world? Why work with me then, didn't I create a world?"
"Yes" they paused a moment before continuing, "But the difference is that you succeeded. This world has been completed and it is useless for us to fight now, better to comply and work together."
Hamar thought for a moment, "But why? Surely you'll give me an answer why you're doing all this since you're wanting to work with me."
***
Hou's Anger and Frustration seemed lesser, he had been pummeling with strength but now it all seemed so useless. His muscles weakened and the red tint in his galaxy-like skin dimmed...
He punched again, fist through the air– an air bullet hit his fist, knocking it off course. His whole side was hurting with bruises and welts as the entire time he pummeled one of the figures, the other had shit him continuously with bullets of compressed air.
He was knocked back and starting plummeting to the floor, he felt tired. He was thinking of Anger and Frustration but he felt nothing; all empty...
Determination. The pummeled-figure filled with Hou's Determination finally awoke from their Awe filled stupor.
They turned to their Angry companion and placed a hand on their shoulder. The black blurry mass which made up their figure transferred from one to the other.
This wasn't a power gained from emotions however, but an innate ability of the figures, sharing their thoughts and feelings and attributes.
For Hou, that Determination he had felt was something normal, something even to be expected. But to the figures, it was an emotion and intensity they had not yet felt.
With only sharing that spot of Hou's Determination across the two of them, it dominated their emotions. They became invigorated with new-found power.
"Sit down, I've concluded that this world is a mindscape and everytime we are injured the consciousness is damaged. After passing me some essence you are heavily damaged, you may not think coherently...stay down. I will use this power and decimate our opponent."
The figure placed their blurry black hand onto the other's shoulder and pressed down. Once alone, they stepped forward to the confused Hou.
He was staring blankly down at his hands, mumbling. "Empty." That power he was planning to use to win, Anger, had run dry. How was that possible? Is that–
Pang! His head throbbed with a dull wave of pain, looking into himself he concluded his consciousness was strained, "From using Anger so much?" He speculated.
"You!" The figure spoke to Hou, "I must thank you, your Determination is admirable."
Hou looked up, "Don't think flattery will let you win," he shook away his theory crafting, he couldn't afford to be distracted right now his consciousness was at stake, "Prepare."
He had to go into a different direction. He had used his Anger up somehow, he would go to another surface level emotion that was easy to summon up and keep enflamed.
He held out his hand to his side and closed his eyes. At the same time, the figure dashed forward with Determination in their eyes.
Hou ignored the approach he felt behind his eyelids, instead he looked upwards for a feeling he had felt often but kept to himself.
Finishing a project, protecting someone, winning a battle, showing off his strength, these were all things that made him Proud of himself.
Seeing people he guided living happily, gifting them knowledge, power and materials...he saw them work passionately, he was Proud of them.
Pride. He knew this emotion and it's powers, he thought back to when he asked Hamar to teach him swordsmanship. He was strong then, but even then he saw the benefit in learning, now he would use those techniques.
He opened his eyes, a fist but a moment away from his face, swing!
A sword materialised mid-swing in his outstretched hand, Pride was a sword to wield. It could hurt yourself if used wrong, but can also be used against those that come to harm.
His feet shifted, footwork he remembers....
"Hou, Swordsmanship isn't about the sword. It's counter intuitive but trust me." Hamar sat on a rock while watching Hou train, inspecting his form.
Hou stopped and wiped sweat of his brown with his sleeve. He dug his sword into he ground and leant upon it for support, "Then what is it about?"
Hamar held out his hand as if he had a sword and swung nothing, even though his grasp was empty Hou watched with awe...
"Swordsmanship is about using a weapon as the body. It is a tool, yes, but it shod become a part of you. Where even without a sword, you can swing with intention." He rubbed the back of his head, "At least, those are my thoughts, haha."
Hou's memories passed in a flash, perhaps the fault of his consciousness' strain manifesting in a near death experience-like vision.
The sword flew through the air like a bolt of light inf, flashing with the fist coming towards him. He pushed, the fist unwavering though caused him to slide in the opposite direction.
The fist snapped, but Hou was not at the end of it, now at the side with a sword of Pride within his hands.