Feeling soft yet chilly breezes brushing her cheeks, too feeble to ruffle her hair or awaken her completely, yet strong enough to send a chill along her nerves, Ayumi opened her eyes. Her arms were circling someone's neck tightly, and her legs were carried by that someone's strong arms. She was being carried piggyback style, though not gently but secure enough not to drop and fall. Every leap that someone's took encompassed a significant portion of the stony path. Ayumi glanced backward, and that imposing sealed gate was no longer in sight, casting her eyes down, the path was also vanishing behind them leaving only the stones leading to the opposite direction, leading ahead and away from the gates, to where they first arrived at this domain. The faster and wider that figured leapt, the more pronounced and touchable these buffs of wind became.
Ayumi could hear once again the sound of wind whooshing against steel, and blades cutting through the breezes. As breathing became more feasible and less painful, being dragged away from the gate to the afterlife, Ayumi fully opened her eyes, feeling slight refreshment until she realized she was being carried by a solemn silent Chiyasu who did not spare her a glance or even attempt to awaken her up or check on her at least. But it was fine, this was Chiyasu's nature, and it was becoming slowly endearing while keeping its mysterious and threatening aura.
Reiha sensed the fast approaching footsteps, and she immediately dissolved the barrier she had erected earlier to prevent Laila or Noboru from following Ayumi, allowing the two princesses to join her again.
After getting over the barrier, Chiyasu dumped Ayumi down and stretched her shoulders, she extended her arms to summon her malicious roots but there was no ground to summon them from. Ayumi directed her gaze at Reiha and was horrified by the state the usually composed princess was in; she was panting loudly and tiredly, her hair was sleek with sweat that poured over her head and neck, her limbs were shaking though she managed to remain standing even on buckling knees threatening to give way at any moment, her face was extremely pale edging on turning blue from the breaths she never stopped assaulting the two figures of darkness looming in front of her.
"Huh… I see you have not gone through with it after all. Such a binding grip Amaterasu have over all of you, even after her demise!"
Laila taunted, and Ayumi feared the worst of Chiyasu's wrath manifesting in another suicidal attempt but the princess of the earth looked unfazed, already thinking of a way to end this battle. Meeting Noboru's eyes, the latter nodded in a honorfic salute to which Chiyasu responded to with a murderous look.
"I know this look is not molded by the anger over killing your queen and next of kin."
Reiha had no left power to interrupt and steer the conversation away from a topic that was certain to end in an anarchic chaos that was not short on annihilating everything altogether. Ayumi thought she had not heard right, and perked her senses, glancing over at the steel –faced Chiyasu.
"Had I killed Amaterasu earlier, then she would not have cursed you, and you would be thanking me right now."
The place was already devoid of breathable air yet it still thickened with tension and hatred.
"You think too highly of yourself."
Chiyasu replied with a taunting smile, Noboru who barely sustained minor injuries and cuts from Reiha's attacks seemed to be amused by that unexpected remark, he quirked an eyebrow asking her to demonstrate her point.
"You might have killed Amaterasu, but you certainly was not the reason behind her downfall, it was her own pride and obstinacy."
What everyone thought would be a praise to the late queen's resilience turned out to be a ridicule and an insult similar to the ones delivered to Noboru. Nevertheless, the newly freed enemy did not seem to disagree with the statement and he shrugged seemingly pondering its truth but it was absolutely useless now, the queen was dead and he very much was still alive, and on top of that freed and reunited with his sinister weapon. Unfortunately, what the princesses had left to fight with were only words, and they did not seem to leave the slightest scathing on their opponent's pride or self – esteem.
"Should we end this now? This place is giving me the creeps, I want to leave!"
Laila spatted in a cranky voice, swinging her giant ax in a confident show of persistence and power despite the uneasiness flickering briefly through her eyes and contrasting with her childish tone. No one wanted to dwell in this passage toward death, even the princess of darkness herself. Reiha jumped in front of the other two princesses without a thought, ready to shield them and counter the attack as if she had not been ripped apart in the battle earlier. Chiyasu gritted her teeth angrily, she refused to bear the blame for this outcome, even if she admitted to herself that a great part of this mess was due to her rashness and underestimation of the current situation, but she refused to admit this out loud and was powerless to convey her true feelings through fighting at the same time. Ayumi could not stand the wrecked sight of Reiha, she was injured as well by Noboru's previous demonstration of his preserved power, but if Reiha could still stand and fight, so could she! After all, she did not need to depend on her physical strength, the scepter's hatred and resentment was enough to compel her body to fight, letting the holy item take the reins of the battle.
As expected, the scepter shone with Amaterasu's golden light, dragging Ayumi into the void directly in Noborus's direction, Chiyasu and Reiha stood on guard, obviously displeased by this act but they knew they had no other option, concern flashed in their eyes, their hopes were not high and they prepared to jump in blindly resorting to fists and kicks if need called. Laila, on the other hand, seemed to have another opinion and regarded the attack seriously. That golden light was not Ayumi's power, it lingered with what was left of Amaterasu's traces on the defeated weapon, soaked with her detestation and seek of revenge. Although she did not seem the type to take the hit for the sake of others, Laila did not think twice before jumping in Ayumi's way, waving her giant ax in an attempt to block the attack at best, or break the scepter with a push of good luck and fortune.
"Do not, too dangerous."
A low melodious voice whispered with a melancholic tone that scarily befitted the gloominess of the place, it was barely heard yet it reached far enough to turn Laila's head around in its direction. However, it was too late for Laila to stop her charging, though her face betrayed that intention after hearing the warning. Indeed, that soft whispering voice was right, Laila successfully collided with the scepter shielding an uninterested Noboru, but her ax shook violently along her body, and the faint sound of cracking metal echoed in the emptiness, fearing the loss of her beloved steel companion, Laila jumped back but not unscathed. Her shirt was torn revealing a wound across her chest down to her right arm, dashing with blood. The princess of the darkness did not have time to be furious or infuriated, the holy scepter had already clashed once again with Noboru's blade, aiming with great precision at the empty dragon mouth, bent on slashing the sword in half starting from the carved dragon's mouth. However, Noboru, though seeming idle throughout the whole ordeal, now fought with immense strength, pushing Ayumi and struggling to free his weapon from the scepter's hold. Ayumi was an easy target, and she felt every muscle in her body tear and stretch in agony, but the scepter reserved her no mercy, its sole intent to take revenge. Shining brighter with every passing moment it clashed against the steel blade, growing more powerful by the blood of its queen staining the black steel, calling for a just revenge, it did not give up nor back down. It was the perfect opportunity for Reiha and Chiyasu to interfere and end complete the victory, but how cold they interfere and aid their new queen, pulled beyond her limits by the scepter's force that did not spare any thoughts of her well – being?
"What are you hoping to accomplish? Why sacrifice yourself for things out of your understanding?!"
Noboru finally broke his silence. If it were not for the murderous aura he was repelling Ayumi with, one would think it sounded like a father chiding an ignorant brat. But Ayumi had her reasons, she was not following blindly as everyone else was claiming.
"I might not have a personal grudge against you but I have to free the princesses, they have suffered enough! They have their own dreams and lives to peruse and enjoy!!"
Presenting a valid point, Nobume was not out of answers yet. Closing his eyes after listening patiently to Ayumi's argument, he shook his head sighing.
"Is this my fault or the fault of their stubborn queen who would not accept to depart from this world for good?!"
The two continued to exchange blows, the sword trying to break the scepter and the scepter trying to capture the sword. Both close to each other in terms of strength and both equal in their persistence and hatred.
"The scepter is purifying and destroying the sword at the same time… this is the perfect opportunity!"
"It does not just seek to destroy the blade, it won't stop until Noboru is dead but Ayumi will not survive this mad attempt!"
Reiha turned her head in surprise, she was meaning to state this concern but Chiyasu was as worried as her, muttering and cursing through hissing breaths.
Just then, someone else heeded their need of help.
The light that had not stopped glinting since their arrival into this domain and which lighted their entrance point and led them ahead grew stronger, as if beckoning to the two princesses of earth and wind. Chiyasu suddenly sensed a surge in her power, like her hands were twitching to grasp into something and wield it to assist in the showdown between Ayumi and Noboru, but what could she possibly grasp rendered strapped in a void of death? That light held the answer, and was urging the princess of the earth to use it.
Noriko's ashes.
When the soul left the body, no one could tell for certain what became of it, but the body returned to what it originally was, dust and earth. For the first time during any battle or fight, Chiyasu seemed hesitant and reluctant to resort to manipulating the priestess's ashes, it felt like desecrating her remains, but the situation could not continue any longer, a quick resolution had to be reached ending the fight and freeing them from that suffocating domain.
"Thank you, Noriko!"
Chiyasu yelled as she extended her hand summoning the ashes into her palm. Once they landed safely there, lean yet powerful roots and branches flowering with white lotuses, different from Chiyasu usual blossoms, erupted at the princess's command darting toward the two figures fighting amidst the void, they encircled the sword and empowered the scepter even further. After all, these were not Chiyasu's original roots and flowers, their grew out of Noriko's ashes and thus were overflowing with her spiritual power, speeding the process of purifying Noboru's sinister blade and shouldering some of Ayumi's pain and struggle.
Noboru clicked his tongue in irritation, and Laila seemed on the alarm. Apparently, even after decades of her death, Noriko's spiritual power even in death were not to be taken lightly and the shameful taste of defeat at the priestess hand and the pain of his sealing were still fresh in the black haired man's mind and body even after all those years and after finally escaping his prison. The dark aura exuding from the blade started to waft in vapors around the sword, the golden and spiritual light of Noriko and Amaterasu profuse amidst the dark angry fumes, slowly yet steadily turning them into pure rays and crystal clear smoke. Laila called out to Noboru, and their choice was obvious. They had to retreat before the blade was purified completely!
"You are not going anywhere!!"
Chiyasu exclaimed, pressing the roots risen out of the priestess's ashes more firmly around the blade, this was her chance to end this battle, she had already resorted to using the remnants of the dead as a weapon, so she was determined at stopping at nothing but her freedom.
"Does anyone here wish to live?"
Laila asked loudly, waiting Noboru to make the wish to ease his escape first, but surprisingly the man did not utter a single word and it was not because of his focus on the ongoing struggle, he heard the princess's words but still said nothing, the glimmering of his eyes looking vacant for a transient moment. Laila rolled her eyes at this unexpected show of god knows what, and screamed at the top of her lungs:
"I want to li… I mean I wish to return to the world of the living!"
That box only responded to malicious wishes, if Laila simply wished to live, then it was not an evil request, so she quickly changed her wording of the request, wishing to return to the mortal realm as the princess of darkness which meant her wishing to wreak havoc there and that was a satisfactory wish for the box to respond to.
The sound of the snapped – open box was heard, and in an instant Laila and Noboru disappeared with the sound of the that box clicking close.
"Wait, what about us!!!"
Ayumi, who was suddenly fighting nothing but empty darkness yelled, it seemed that Laila had heard her since she turned her head in her direction with a puzzled look, was the girl really expecting her to help them? Maybe if Noboru was not there she would have brought them along to prolong her entertainment with the princesses struggle stemming from a feud spanning decades, but with Noboru's presence, it was the most stupid move she could make and Ayumi sensed this intention, leaving her all puzzled the same at Laila's initial look of sympathy.
"Damn that box!
Chiyasu growled, and Ayumi started to freak out once again.
"I do not want to die yet! There is still so much for me to live for! This place is so scary and cursed! Someone get us out!"
Despite the courageous calm face Ayumi faced Chiyasu with, the journey till she reached her must have scared her to death, she had every right to lose her mind, even if she wished to surrender to that unknown ending at some point making guilt once again seize the princess's of the earth heart without showing on her face. Reiha, however, was not losing hope yet.
"That light is still beckoning to us, let's follow it… we all want to live, right? So the path will lead us and won't disappear!"
Reiha asked looking in Chiyasu's direction who nodded silently. Dragging Ayumi with her roots back into the stony path. The three ran as fast as their physical and mental wounds allowed them to, the path behind their backs disappearing with every step they took toward the exit left open by Noriko's power and soon they reached the shrine once again and the dark void dispersed as if it had never existed.
However, just as Ayumi leapt through that portal of light, the deep steady voice of the black haired man echoed in her ears alone. He simply wanted to deliver the new queen a message.
"It is not honorable to fight against each other with no personal stakes or reasonable feud. Next time we meet, I will make sure you have grown a proper personal grudge against me!!"
ttack as if she had not been ripped apart in the battle earlier. Chiyasu gritted her teeth angrily, she refused to bear the blame for this outcome, even if she admitted to herself that a great part of this mess was due to her rashness and underestimation of the current situation, but she refused to admit this out loud and was powerless to convey her true feelings through fighting at the same time. Ayumi could not stand the wrecked sight of Reiha, she was injured as well by Noboru's previous demonstration of his preserved power, but if Reiha could still stand and fight, so could she! After all, she did not need to depend on her physical strength, the scepter's hatred and resentment was enough to compel her body to fight, letting the holy item take the reins of the battle.
As expected, the scepter shone with Amaterasu's golden light, dragging Ayumi into the void directly in Noborus's direction, Chiyasu and Reiha stood on guard, obviously displeased by this act but they knew they had no other option, concern flashed in their eyes, their hopes were not high and they prepared to jump in blindly resorting to fists and kicks if need called. Laila, on the other hand, seemed to have another opinion and regarded the attack seriously. That golden light was not Ayumi's power, it lingered with what was left of Amaterasu's traces on the defeated weapon, soaked with her detestation and seek of revenge. Although she did not seem the type to take the hit for the sake of others, Laila did not think twice before jumping in Ayumi's way, waving her giant ax in an attempt to block the attack at best, or break the scepter with a push of good luck and fortune.
"Do not, too dangerous."
A low melodious voice whispered with a melancholic tone that scarily befitted the gloominess of the place, it was barely heard yet it reached far enough to turn Laila's head around in its direction. However, it was too late for Laila to stop her charging, though her face betrayed that intention after hearing the warning. Indeed, that soft whispering voice was right, Laila successfully collided with the scepter shielding an uninterested Noboru, but her ax shook violently along her body, and the faint sound of cracking metal echoed in the emptiness, fearing the loss of her beloved steel companion, Laila jumped back but not unscathed. Her shirt was torn revealing a wound across her chest down to her right arm, dashing with blood. The princess of the darkness did not have time to be furious or infuriated, the holy scepter had already clashed once again with Noboru's blade, aiming with great precision at the empty dragon mouth, bent on slashing the sword in half starting from the carved dragon's mouth. However, Noboru, though seeming idle throughout the whole ordeal, now fought with immense strength, pushing Ayumi and struggling to free his weapon from the scepter's hold. Ayumi was an easy target, and she felt every muscle in her body tear and stretch in agony, but the scepter reserved her no mercy, its sole intent to take revenge. Shining brighter with every passing moment it clashed against the steel blade, growing more powerful by the blood of its queen staining the black steel, calling for a just revenge, it did not give up nor back down. It was the perfect opportunity for Reiha and Chiyasu to interfere and end complete the victory, but how cold they interfere and aid their new queen, pulled beyond her limits by the scepter's force that did not spare any thoughts of her well – being?
"What are you hoping to accomplish? Why sacrifice yourself for things out of your understanding?!"
Noboru finally broke his silence. If it were not for the murderous aura he was repelling Ayumi with, one would think it sounded like a father chiding an ignorant brat. But Ayumi had her reasons, she was not following blindly as everyone else was claiming.
"I might not have a personal grudge against you but I have to free the princesses, they have suffered enough! They have their own dreams and lives to peruse and enjoy!!"
Presenting a valid point, Nobume was not out of answers yet. Closing his eyes after listening patiently to Ayumi's argument, he shook his head sighing.
"Is this my fault or the fault of their stubborn queen who would not accept to depart from this world for good?!"
The two continued to exchange blows, the sword trying to break the scepter and the scepter trying to capture the sword. Both close to each other in terms of strength and both equal in their persistence and hatred.
"The scepter is purifying and destroying the sword at the same time… this is the perfect opportunity!"
"It does not just seek to destroy the blade, it won't stop until Noboru is dead but Ayumi will not survive this mad attempt!"
Reiha turned her head in surprise, she was meaning to state this concern but Chiyasu was as worried as her, muttering and cursing through hissing breaths.
Just then, someone else heeded their need of help.
The light that had not stopped glinting since their arrival into this domain and which lighted their entrance point and led them ahead grew stronger, as if beckoning to the two princesses of earth and wind. Chiyasu suddenly sensed a surge in her power, like her hands were twitching to grasp into something and wield it to assist in the showdown between Ayumi and Noboru, but what could she possibly grasp rendered strapped in a void of death? That light held the answer, and was urging the princess of the earth to use it.
Noriko's ashes.
When the soul left the body, no one could tell for certain what became of it, but the body returned to what it originally was, dust and earth. For the first time during any battle or fight, Chiyasu seemed hesitant and reluctant to resort to manipulating the priestess's ashes, it felt like desecrating her remains, but the situation could not continue any longer, a quick resolution had to be reached ending the fight and freeing them from that suffocating domain.
"Thank you, Noriko!"
Chiyasu yelled as she extended her hand summoning the ashes into her palm. Once they landed safely there, lean yet powerful roots and branches flowering with white lotuses, different from Chiyasu usual blossoms, erupted at the princess's command darting toward the two figures fighting amidst the void, they encircled the sword and empowered the scepter even further. After all, these were not Chiyasu's original roots and flowers, their grew out of Noriko's ashes and thus were overflowing with her spiritual power, speeding the process of purifying Noboru's sinister blade and shouldering some of Ayumi's pain and struggle.
Noboru clicked his tongue in irritation, and Laila seemed on the alarm. Apparently, even after decades of her death, Noriko's spiritual power even in death were not to be taken lightly and the shameful taste of defeat at the priestess hand and the pain of his sealing were still fresh in the black haired man's mind and body even after all those years and after finally escaping his prison. The dark aura exuding from the blade started to waft in vapors around the sword, the golden and spiritual light of Noriko and Amaterasu profuse amidst the dark angry fumes, slowly yet steadily turning them into pure rays and crystal clear smoke. Laila called out to Noboru, and their choice was obvious. They had to retreat before the blade was purified completely!
"You are not going anywhere!!"
Chiyasu exclaimed, pressing the roots risen out of the priestess's ashes more firmly around the blade, this was her chance to end this battle, she had already resorted to using the remnants of the dead as a weapon, so she was determined at stopping at nothing but her freedom.
"Does anyone here wish to live?"
Laila asked loudly, waiting Noboru to make the wish to ease his escape first, but surprisingly the man did not utter a single word and it was not because of his focus on the ongoing struggle, he heard the princess's words but still said nothing, the glimmering of his eyes looking vacant for a transient moment. Laila rolled her eyes at this unexpected show of god knows what, and screamed at the top of her lungs:
"I want to li… I mean I wish to return to the world of the living!"
That box only responded to malicious wishes, if Laila simply wished to live, then it was not an evil request, so she quickly changed her wording of the request, wishing to return to the mortal realm as the princess of darkness which meant her wishing to wreak havoc there and that was a satisfactory wish for the box to respond to.
The sound of the snapped – open box was heard, and in an instant Laila and Noboru disappeared with the sound of the that box clicking close.
"Wait, what about us!!!"
Ayumi, who was suddenly fighting nothing but empty darkness yelled, it seemed that Laila had heard her since she turned her head in her direction with a puzzled look, was the girl really expecting her to help them? Maybe if Noboru was not there she would have brought them along to prolong her entertainment with the princesses struggle stemming from a feud spanning decades, but with Noboru's presence, it was the most stupid move she could make and Ayumi sensed this intention, leaving her all puzzled the same at Laila's initial look of sympathy.
"Damn that box!
Chiyasu growled, and Ayumi started to freak out once again.
"I do not want to die yet! There is still so much for me to live for! This place is so scary and cursed! Someone get us out!"
Despite the courageous calm face Ayumi faced Chiyasu with, the journey till she reached her must have scared her to death, she had every right to lose her mind, even if she wished to surrender to that unknown ending at some point making guilt once again seize the princess's of the earth heart without showing on her face. Reiha, however, was not losing hope yet.
"That light is still beckoning to us, let's follow it… we all want to live, right? So the path will lead us and won't disappear!"
Reiha asked looking in Chiyasu's direction who nodded silently. Dragging Ayumi with her roots back into the stony path. The three ran as fast as their physical and mental wounds allowed them to, the path behind their backs disappearing with every step they took toward the exit left open by Noriko's power and soon they reached the shrine once again and the dark void dispersed as if it had never existed.
However, just as Ayumi leapt through that portal of light, the deep steady voice of the black haired man echoed in her ears alone. He simply wanted to deliver the new queen a message.
"It is not honorable to fight against each other with no personal stakes or reasonable feud. Next time we meet, I will make sure you have grown a proper personal grudge against me!!"