x
I continued my brawl with Kaila that night in South Korea. It went on for a while; the two of us fought in close quarters. Admittedly, I was having fun. Claeg had still been held to the ground beneath my power, so he wasn't being a nuisance, which allowed Kaila to show me what she could do in her hypercirculated form. She showed an impressive control of her blood as she fought with tenacity, forming blade extensions of her blood to extend the reach of the strikes and sweeps. She tried hard to get any of her blood on me like she had previously threatened.
Since I promised not to use my stasis field, I ducked and weaved as I observed. Not long after, I started to see she had hit her limits in that form. She hadn't used it enough to perfect it, so her stamina started to run out.
As I said before, I wasn't the sadistic type. Since she was reaching her limits, I felt it was time I wrapped things up. I wasn't sure exactly why I'd let it go on for so long anyhow. It seemed I had begun to sink into the pleasures of battle, which was unlike me.
That sensation is common among cindarians. It is in our nature. Especially klevonians, Viraa told me.
Really? Be that as it may, I still don't want to feel like a kid tearing the wings from a butterfly, though.
With that, I stopped playing around and quickly overpowered Kaila as she went for an aggressive bite to my neck.
"That's not happening," I said as I caught a handful of her hair, then headbutted her before swiftly sweeping her feet from beneath her and ending it by grabbing her by the throat. I held her like that as I lowered us back toward the ground, where I intended to knock both of them unconscious in one move.
As we descended, Kaila kept trying to form blood, but I disrupted each attempt with my spatial energy. Kaila literally hissed in vexation as she tried her best to break free. I felt guilty watching her that way.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to toy with you. I should've just ended things from the get-go," I said sympathetically.
Claeg grunted, and Kaila huffed as she tried to calm down. Then, we all sensed the spike and disappearance of Junichiro's energy.
Kaila continued to huff before speaking. I felt her swallow beneath my grip around her neck. Her breath was visible in the crisp night air.
"To think he'd be the first to die," she remarked as we looked out in the direction. I felt her stop resisting. She started smiling and laughing as if to say, "Good riddance."
"Besides Tymon and perhaps the fire bitch, I didn't think any of you had it in you to kill him."
Hearing her comment about Za'Fia again, my grip got a little tighter, but before I could say anything, we all felt the sudden surge of Avarice's energy as it skyrocketed and started to move fast in the direction Junichiro's had been in.
Hopefully...I thought as I searched the direction for Damien. When I detected him, his energy was low, but he was still alive. With the added view from All-Sight, I could see he wasn't in any condition to flee, let alone defend himself.
No...
My grip must've slacked. Kaila used my distraction to her advantage and erupted with blood, allowing her to break free of my grasp.
I was supposed to take care of them, but I didn't have time to focus on her or her brother anymore. After some reluctance, I internally discerned their threat levels and felt comfortable leaving them to someone else.
Michael, you there?
I'm here. It seems Tymon failed to handle Avarice alone after all. He replied. I could still sense some bitterness about him being put in a supporting role. Lucky for him, that was about to change.
There's no time for that. I'm going to help with Avarice. I need you here with the twins.
In the next instant, a flash of light occurred, and Michael stood beside me, shocking Claeg and Kaila, who had already gotten some distance from me.
"Be careful," I shot him a slightly concerned but cautious look. "And don't let them get too close to each other for too long."
"Very well." Michael stepped forward, clearly glad to be fighting as well. I noticed several strings of light leaving his body. He was still healing the others.
But I had no time to be concerned. I took off toward Damien's location. When I glanced back, I watched Michael open his arms, taunting the twins with a cocky smile as if to say, "Shall we?"
I faced forward and sped even faster. As I made my way there, I reached out to Damien and Tymon.
Guys, everyone okay? I'm on my way.
Interesting, Damien's voice was strained. Now it's your turn to save me.
Yeah, don't worry, I'll get to you, I laughed. How serious are your wounds?
Thanks to our dear Michael, I'm recovering at a rapid pace. Though my stamina and energy reserves still leave much to be desired.
It's alright, Tymon stated. I'm not too far behind Avarice. Knowing him, he won't go straight for the kill, so try to survive until I arrive. Then I'll hold him off until you get there, Alissa.
No, I'm taking over, I asserted. I understand Avarice is a personal vendetta for you, but he's too much for you to handle now. Focus on protecting Damien until...wait, what?
I'm not the same kid I was in the beginning...Tymon said softly. Did I detect actual emotion in his voice? It pains me to admit it, but I'm not strong enough to beat him. Not when he's taking things seriously. And even if I could, since he can't be permanently killed either, I'll never be satisfied. I don't want to spend forever agonizing over it, so I'm moving on from it. Right now, that means focusing on how I can use my power to help protect the team. Apart from you, Alissia, I'm our most powerful asset. If I charge after Avarice and die, by the time I revive, everyone else could be dead. So, while you handle him, I'll help the others.
That's...yeah, okay, I replied, shocked at just how much he had changed. For him to give up what had been driving him since he regained his memories...that must've been extremely difficult.
That was beautiful, Damien commented in awe. You've grown wonderfully over the past two years.
Indeed, you have, Viraa chimed in. It is precisely those two years that may be the cause of this development. In your first life, I foresaw how you were always estranged, unwilling to connect with others. I would not be surprised if this is the first life you have ever had with others who cared for you. Perhaps the same can be said vice versa. No, you even seemed interested in caring for the others in your previous life, though you lacked the means to show it. But now, after your adoptive father, Za'Fia, Damien, and then meeting Lisa—you've had examples to help show you.
Hear that, Tymon? I've influenced you, I teased before getting serious again. Seriously, despite everything, we're all glad to have someone like you looking out for us. I'm counting on you to catch the things I can't.
Of course, he replied solemnly.
With that, I smiled, slightly invigorated, as I rushed forward. When it dawned on me that I would reach Damien before Avarice I decided to change course and focus on intercepting Avarice before he reached Damien. I instructed Tymon to continue toward Damien.
That way, I'd collide right into Avarice.
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Fun fact: Dark Shift - a temp cintracy that allows the user to essentially shadow travel by creating pathways within shadows that connect from their location to a shadow near their intended location. (another term for it is shadow paths) The cintracy only works for places they've been or can see clearly in their mind and saps the user of their energy. Taking others along is even more taxing.
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