The blood on the floor, that had been shot there seconds ago, flowed through the rocks.
Sora stood in front of it, her hands trembling at the sight she was looking at.
"Ketsu…" she whispered.
His eyes were not the ones that had once softened when they met hers.
Now they felt hollow and sinister.
"Why is your hair all grey now," she added.
"I look almost like we are related, don't you think," he answered.
Is this really Ketsu?
He talks like him, looks like him and even has his memories, but—
Somehow, I can feel that something is different.
"Enough of the explanations," as Ketsu lunged forward and attacked Sora.
A whip of hardened blood lashed at her throat, snapping through the air like lightning.
Sora dodged aside.
"Why are you so hostile to me," she asked.
"What do you mean, can't you hear it?"
"The voice that tells me to fight you," he answered.
He attacked again, this time covering his fists in blood, that he hardened.
She countered with a quick step and redirected his attack.
Ketsu staggered.
Why is he attacking me? Did he hate me the whole time?
Ketsu attacked again, with a barrage of punches.
Sora dodged every hit, caught in her thoughts.
No he didn't hate me back then.
What does he mean, by this voice?
Sora keeps avoiding his punches, thinking about it.
Then—
A punch of Ketsu connected.
It felt like her stomach got ripped out, as she flew back.
She gritted her teeth and used Kyoukai to decrease the pain.
"Wake up!" she cried.
She launched herself forward, her aura enhancing her feet. "You're not this monster Ketsu!"
"If you don't get it yourself, I'll punch some sense into you."
"So you remember you are not one of them, like you always used to say," she added.
Ketsu reformed the blood into a sword and attacked.
She redirected the blade and punched Ketsu in the face, his wound healing instantly, as he charges another strike.
This isn't right, he should be able to kill me in no time.
Why can I still keep up. Is he holding back unconsciously?
She blocked the strike, enhancing the impact zone, but it still gave her a small cut.
I bet he's suffering inside right now, I should kill him, so he can rest in peace.
But it's so hard.
Ketsu's sword swung again and Sora punched him in the gut.
He didn't move an inch and lunged at her arm.
The blade cut right through her left arm and she dodged back.
His eyes looked shocked.
She used her Blessing to regenerate the Arm, her eyes turning slightly gray again.
He's too fast and strong.
I can't win in a 1v1, I need to erase him. But can I do it?
Her heart pounded.
He lunged again, this time giving her small cuts all over the body.
With each strike it felt like he was evolving.
Did they not regenerate him in his best shape?
Sora's arms were covered in blood already and she had almost got killed multiple times now.
Ketsu swung again—missing, as Sora dodged, but—
Ketsu created a knife in his other hand and stabbed it in Sora's leg.
She took it out and threw it away, as it exploded into spikes in the distance.
Ketsu created a spear and threw it, teleporting to it and kicking at Sora.
She was already standing on another position, almost like teleportation, as her eyes got more grey again.
"Ketsu," she whispered, blocking a downward slash of his sword.
Sora jumped back into safe distance and Ketsu followed up instantly, not giving her time to recover.
"If there's even a piece of you left in there… please, stop."
Ketsu halted for a moment.
Sora's aura gathered in her palm, her hand thrust forward aiming at Ketsu.
She covered Ketsu fully in her vision behind her palm, about to erase his whole body.
But she hesitated.
Not even a blink—just a flash of a memory of them.
The times they had fun together and the training they went through.
She closed her hand, her Blessing taking effect, erasing everything covered by her hand.
But—
Because she hesitated, Ketsu could dodge to the left—
—and his arm vanished into nothingness.
Then his arm regrew instantly.
Time felt as if it was only an eighth of its speed, as she saw Ketsu coming at her.
That's it, I failed, I hesitated.
I could have ended it here, but I couldn't do it.
The thought of killing him again, rips my heart apart.
Forgive me Ketsu, now you still have to suffer.
A blood sword extended from his hand in the blink of a moment.
Sora barely could react, spinning to face him, but the blade carved straight through her torso.
The world froze around her as she tried to look into Ketsu's, but couldn't .
Blood spilled down her torso, her legs collapsing, as she fell backward.
Another splatter of blood covered the floor, as she hit the ground.
Her lips trembled as the warmth left her body.
"I… couldn't give you peace, Ketsu…"
Her eyes clouded as she stared into the sky. "…I'm sorry."
Her blood mingled with his, as her blood enlarged the blood larch beneath her and her head turned to the side, because she couldn't hold it up anymore.