Regardless, my wounds stitched itself together due to my Aegis. It was strange. I kept being pulled into a world inside my mind and then back to reality. That world was bright, with scattered petals of a variety of flowers as far as my eyes could see. Standing a few feet in front of me was a beautiful, dark-skinned woman.
"Gheele," she said, refusing to let go of her smile when she saw me.
"Mother . . ." I found my hand reaching out towards her, but her figure went further as time passed. That smile of hers reminded me of how she usually behaved around everyone when she was alive. My mother was kind, soft-hearted to the point where some people would try to take advantage of her.
But still, I was sure it was not the time yet to meet Shaquana Folami on the other side.
"Mother . . . I have people that are counting on me right now. I replaced father a long time ago, and how I wished you were there with me when it happened." I thought that my refusal of wanting to be with her would cause the woman I admired to hate me. Thought, she just smiled. After some time passed, her lips parted.
"I will miss you, my beloved son . . . Take care . . . I love you."
A moment later after she said those words, the bright scenery changed to that of a grim one. Finally, I had snapped back into reality.
"Mother . . ." I said, my eyes shed tears for her.
Unfortunately, I was kneeling on the graphite, facing Ivar and Mara. My mind was trying to assess the situation as I was pierced, figuring out the best possible options.
Trying to fight against two Pillars all at once was a fool's decision. However, if I could, somehow, bring them down right then and there, it would turn the table against Amathelia. The chance of me doing that one thing was non-existent. Therefore, taking down one should be the best course of action as it would certainly weaken Amathelia and the new C.U's fighting strength. Running away when my prey had presented themselves in front of me was not an option.
I will take down one of the Pillars with everything I could offer.
Ivar raised an eyebrow at me, somewhat confused. "Is he not feeling any pain, Mara? Or is the pain itself making his senses numb."
Mara scowled. "His regeneration is barely keeping up. I'm ending him right now."
"Ah, that's a shame. I even thought of making him into an exclusive puppet for Ama."
The black spikes vibrated before smaller spawns of it tried to burst out. However, that didn't happen. Every spike that pierced my body had been coated with my orange Aegis crystals.
"What?" Mara attempted to expand the spikes in order to end my life, but my Aegis crystals kept the spikes contained inside. Slowly, my orange crystals disintegrated into the air along with the black spikes, which freed me from the numbing pain.
And with it, my wounds successfully regenerated and I stood up.
Ivar stared at me with his red eyes. "I forgot that this entire area had been filled with your Aegis particles. It is floating in the air and yet, it's too small for my eyes to see."
I grinned. "You can't manipulate Aegis crystals that you can't see, right? I bet you had trouble fighting with Alicia. Also, the density of my particles is through the roof in this area. I can even do this in a split second."
The floating orange shards that Ivar was controlling clumped together to form dozens of blades. I knew Ivar could only control Aegis crystals when he formed a gesture beforehand. Therefore, when he was about to raise his right hand, my particles near him propagated. In just a mere second, Ivar was imprisoned inside the orange Aegis crystals.
"Ivar!" cried Mara.
A moment later, I willed the hovering blades in the air to dart towards her and Ivar. Nevertheless, Ivar himself managed to break out of his imprisonment, only to be skewered by my blades. Mara, on the other hand, had formed black, metallic crystals out of her arms to block the attack.
"Why . . . You . . ." Ivar's wounds regenerated at blinding speed. I was sure the blades were enough to tear him apart.
"Gheele . . . Folami!" cried Ivar.
Agatha had aimed a silver gun at him. She pulled the trigger and a white bullet cut through the air.
"Erk!" Ivar's broken wings shielded him from the bullet, though, Agatha had fired a second one at Mara. She wasn't aware of it and got herself shot in the shoulder. Ivar then looked at Mara. "That's not a normal bullet."
Mara's black Aegis crystals disintegrated and she had a confused look on her face. "What's happening?" She waved her hands a few times, but nothing happened. Her eyes widened at the realization.
"Mara, your Aegis," said Ivar.
"I-I can't use it. Help me, Ivar!"
He looked at Agatha and scowled. "That gun has a bullet made up of Aegis suppressor drug."
Agatha didn't answer. Instead, she fired another bullet at Ivar but he blocked it with his wings. "You dare take away Mara's Aegis?!"
"Get away from there!" I yelled at Agatha.
"Aaargh!" Ivar's misshapen wings slashed at Agatha. However, I pushed her to the side with a cluster of my Aegis crystals. He then glared at me. "Of course, how can I forget. You, of all people, is the one I should tear apart first."
With that, he extended his hands towards me and my floating blades hovered to his side. The blades merged with one another to form giant claws and scythes. One of the scythes tried to slice Agatha and I blocked it an orange shield.
I smirked. "You said before that you want to tear me apart, slave. Then come at me. I'm waiting here."
"Gheele!" Ivar gritted his teeth. "You are foolish to think that you have a chance against us. We are the Pillars that Ama trust and care about. Ending you right here will help her to take over your Neo Africa."
I took off my torn winter coat and cast it to the side. Reaching underneath my Lutalo uniform, I pulled out an orange shard the size of my palm. The crystal then dissolved into thin air, revealing an orange sword hilt. I wielded it with one hand and a white blade assembled itself in front of my eyes, completing the sword.
"Since Mara is out of the way, I'm pretty sure it's just the two of us now." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't disappoint me, slave."