Tori lunged forward, raising her greatsword high before bringing it down in a vicious arc toward Arius.
With a sharp glare, Arius swung his own greatsword upward to intercept. The moment their blades collided, a shockwave of force rippled through the air, the sound of metal-on-metal ringing across the battlefield.
Neither relented.
For a tense moment, they strained against each other, strength meeting strength, sparks flying from the grinding steel.
Then, in a blur, Tori shifted tactics.
She dismissed her weapon entirely, sidestepping left just as Arius' blade came crashing down into empty space.
Before he could recover, she twisted her body and drove a devastating right hook straight into his jaw.
The impact sent him staggering back, his grip on his sword tightening as he steadied himself.
Meanwhile, the figure in the distance—that thing—began flickering, its form unraveling like static before finally vanishing.
Argos stood in its place.
His breathing was ragged, his stance unsteady. He barely clung to consciousness, his black hair flashing to its natural brown for a brief moment before he clutched his head, teeth clenched in pain. Steam poured from his body despite the freezing cold.
Hina watched impassively, an emblem in her hand eerily similar to the one Tori carried earlier.
Argos exhaled sharply. "There really are no breaks around here..."
A familiar glow ignited in his palm. His axe—Crescent Moon—materialized, its weight steady in his grip.
Tori glanced toward him, recognizing immediately that he was back.
Her instincts screamed at her, and she barely managed to jump back as Arius' greatsword cut through where she had stood.
Clapping her hands together, she conjured flames, shaping them into a spiraling blaze before launching it at Arius.
Unfazed, Arius raised his greatsword and sliced through the fire, splitting the flames apart before striding forward.
Tori narrowed her eyes.
A glow formed behind her.
A wolf spirit, large and ethereal, emerged—its form resembling the ones from inside the castle. It let out a low, rumbling growl before lunging at Arius, jaws snapping toward his weapon.
Argos let out a rough, almost broken laugh. His body screamed in protest, his muscles aching to collapse, but he refused.
Hina, watching him struggle, sighed and drove her sword into the ground, unimpressed. "You've passed your limit. Why keep fighting?"
Tori, undeterred, took advantage of the wolf spirit's distraction. She summoned flames around her fists and struck Arius with a fiery punch, sending him skidding backward.
Argos glared at Hina, gripping his axe tighter. "You don't get to decide our fate."
Without hesitation, he hurled Crescent Moon at her.
Hina smoothly lifted her sword from the ground and deflected the incoming axe with practiced ease.
The weapon whirled back into Argos' grip, as if answering his silent call. The moment it returned, frost began creeping along the ground, spreading outward as he prepared his next attack.
Once more, he threw the axe.
Again, Hina blocked, the impact of metal-on-metal sending another deafening clang through the battlefield.
The axe zipped back to Argos, steam still rolling off his overheated body.
Nearby, Tori focused, drawing her energy inward.
Arius, regaining his footing, plunged his blade into the wolf spirit. The creature let out a pained howl before vanishing entirely.
Tori clicked her tongue and shifted her strategy.
She thrust her hands toward the ground, flames erupting at her feet and spreading outward. The fire roared to life, forming a searing wall between her and Arius.
She swayed slightly. Dizzy. Exhausted.
Steam rose from her own body now.
Tori forced herself forward, pushing through her fatigue as she reached Argos and grasped his shoulder.
His wild, flickering eyes snapped to hers. For the first time since regaining himself, he really saw her.
And he saw the concern in her face.
Something twisted in his chest, an unfamiliar feeling he couldn't quite place.
He exhaled, steam curling between them.
"What's the plan?" Tori asked, breathless.
Argos tightened his grip on his axe. "Take them down... We're not dying to them."
She nodded. No words needed.
Their gazes turned to Hina.
One of Argos' eyes had reverted to its usual color, but the other remained hauntingly inhuman.
Hina exhaled through her nose, rolling her eyes. "Stop playing around, Arius. We're heading back now."
Before they could react, Arius stepped through the wall of fire as if it were nothing.
The flames folded into him—absorbed, devoured. His red eyes flared brighter.
Argos and Tori tensed.
Arius shut his eyes. Then, slowly, he chuckled. "Tsk. Letting me out of your sight was a bad idea."
The voice didn't come from in front of them.
It came from behind.
Tori's stomach dropped.
Hina stood right there.
She had moved in the blink of an eye while they had been focused on Arius.
Before Tori could react, Hina grabbed the back of her head—
—and slammed her face into the frozen ground.
The impact cracked the ice.
Argos snarled, yanking his axe up and swinging at Hina, but she met his strike effortlessly with her sword before smoothly evading backward.
He heard movement behind him.
He turned, too slow.
Arius' fist crashed into Argos' gut, the force sending him hurtling backward—
—straight into the castle wall.
The stone shattered on impact.
The battlefield fell silent.
Tori and Argos lay motionless.
Two warriors, defeated.
Hina dusted off her sleeve, glancing at Arius. "Pick them up."
Without hesitation, Arius grabbed their unconscious bodies, hoisting them over his shoulders.
The battle was over.
The captives taken.
Without another word, Hina turned westward, leading the way.
And they disappeared...
Some time later, Argos woke to a dull, throbbing pain radiating from every part of his body. His stomach burned like fire, and his head pounded with the weight of exhaustion. His vision was a hazy blur, shifting between shades of black and muted gray. He sucked in a deep breath, steadying himself as he tried to recall the last thing he saw before everything faded.
Then it came back—the battle, the blood, her face.
The memory sent a jolt through him, and he lurched forward, ignoring the searing protests from his muscles. But his legs betrayed him. He collapsed onto the cold floor, his breath ragged as he clenched his fists. The dimly lit room around him felt suffocating, walls bare and unwelcoming. A single mirror stood against the far side, and within its reflection—
A figure stared back.
Not just a reflection—him. Or at least, the thing inside of him. Its pale grin stretched unnaturally wide, and a low chuckle echoed in his ears. His breath hitched as he turned away sharply, pressing his back against the wall, his pulse hammering.
A faint blinking light caught his attention. A security camera nestled in the corner of the room, its red glow flashing steadily. They were watching.
Then, the door creaked open.
Hina stood in the doorway, her red hair gleaming under the dim light, her expression unreadable. But her voice? That same honeyed tone, coated with false warmth.
"So," she said, tilting her head, "you willing to hear me out now?"
Argos narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?" His voice was rough, edged with exhaustion and distrust.
Hina stepped inside, her boots clicking against the stone floor. "You are powerful, Stella. You carry the power of that afterlife ruler. We saw you take her down." She smiled as if reminiscing about something sweet.
His hands curled into fists. He refused to think about that day.
"So, how about a deal?" Hina continued, her voice playful, as if she were offering a mere game. "We keep that thing inside you in check, and in return, you lend me some of that delicious power of yours."
Argos glanced up, conflicted. The idea of finally being free of it was tempting—too tempting.
"What about Tori? Where is she?" His voice hardened.
Hina let out a small, knowing chuckle. "The little wretch that was with you? She's alive. Room next door." She leaned against the doorframe, her smirk widening at his barely concealed relief.
Argos exhaled slowly. His mind warred with itself, but in the end, the thought of control—of no longer being a prisoner to the entity inside him—was too much to ignore.
"Fine," he muttered. "As long as she's safe... What do you need me to do?"
The moment he said it, Hina's eyes sparkled with satisfaction. That eerie, unsettling joy spread across her face.
"Good boy." Her voice dripped with amusement. "This is gonna be fun for both of us."
She shrugged off her jacket. "I control Anima, just like your little friend. Spirit energy, if you wanna call it that."
Argos shifted uncomfortably, a pit forming in his stomach. His entire body was already losing feeling, an unnatural numbness creeping through his veins.
"I'm just gonna borrow some of your strength for now," Hina continued, stepping closer. "Whenever I need more, I'll come visit."
His jaw tightened. "So, I'm just a pawn? Something to fuel your power?"
She giggled. "If you wanna put it that way, sure. But hey, I think you'll enjoy this. So—cheer up, yeah?"
She was close now, far too close.
"Just stay still," she whispered, her breath ghosting over his skin. "And don't squirm too much."
The door slammed shut behind her.
—
The sound of that door locking sent a jolt through Tori.
She shot upright, her vision swimming, her head aching. She groaned, rubbing her temples as she tried to get her bearings. The dull light in the room did little to help her disorientation. Her skin burned—no, her whole body burned. Every inch of her ached like she'd been hit by a truck.
She turned to the side, catching a glimpse of herself in a mirror. Shit.
Bruises marred her arms and face. Cuts lined her skin. Her jacket was torn, stained with dried blood. She took a slow, deep breath and leaned back against the wall, trying to ground herself.
Then—
Thud.
A heavy impact sounded from the room next to hers.
Her pulse spiked. She went on full alert, her heart hammering against her ribs. Argos?
Her eyes darted to the corner, spotting a blinking red light. A security camera. She clenched her fists and instinctively tried to summon fire.
Pain seared through her arm. White-hot agony shot up to her shoulder, forcing a sharp gasp from her lips. She clutched her wrist, gritting her teeth. It felt like her veins were set ablaze, but there was no fire—nothing. Her powers weren't working.
Her breathing was ragged as the pain subsided. Then—
A knock at the door.
A voice followed. "Kitsune Hoshi, you are attempting to activate a power without permission. Repeated offenses will result in the loss of the limb used."
Her eye twitched. "Get my fucking name right first. It's Tori. Now where the hell am I?"
The door swung open.
A young man stood in the doorway, his brown hair tousled, his red eyes gleaming behind a pair of dark shades. A smirk tugged at his lips.
"You're under supervision by the boss, Hoshi," he said smoothly.
Tori's gaze sharpened. "And you are?"
"MacArthur," he answered. "But you don't get to call me that."
A glow flickered in his palm. A bright light formed, shifting and solidifying into the shape of a weapon.
A Colt Anaconda revolver.
Tori's jaw clenched. "Alright, what do you people want with me? Is Argos okay?"
MacArthur chuckled. "You ask a lot, little lady. Your friend's alive. But if you try using your powers again, you won't see him again. Understood?"
Tori exhaled sharply through her nose. "Fine. I just wanna talk to him."
MacArthur's smirk remained. "That's up to the boss. For now—" he grabbed a set of ration packs from outside the room, tossing them onto the floor at her feet. "Here's your meal for the day."
Before she could respond, the door slammed shut.
Tori stared at the bags. She scoffed, shaking her head as she grabbed one and ripped it open.
"Military rations? Seriously?" She muttered to herself, glaring at the dull, tasteless meal inside.
Perfect. Just fucking perfect...6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aYNqcXztn
