A surge ran up Takabi's spine. He looked over his shoulder, scanning the quiet environment, finding nothing but nature. The shading of the grass and leaves looked darker than previously, but he paid it no mind.
Returning focus to his fishing rod, he leaned over towards Garuga, saying, "Is there any particular reason we're fishing right now?"
"No," He said. "You've asked me constantly for the past few hours. Still your mind boy. Patience, and reward will come to you." His tone was soft. Gentler than usual.
His eyes were full of life, happiness. Scanning him over with his eyes, Takabi took note of his missing ring. The wedding ring he clung to so tightly wasn't on any of his fingers.
"Is something interesting to you," Garuga asked him.
Takabi mulled over his words a moment, before stating, "Yeah. Where's your wedding ring?"
"My what?"
Takabi paused, and took a deep breath. "The ring you always wore. The black band you kept around your finger. Remember?" The look of confusion of Garuga's face sent numerous red flags through his mind. The Dragon loved his wife and children, he'd never forget them, not in a million years.
And it might've been literally that long. Takabi wasn't sure.
"Boy, you must be confused. I've never been married, and never will be. Marriage ties too much down, makes you worried about others that could put you in danger." He scoffed, gripping the fishing pole tighter. "I'd never want that. Having little ties makes it harder for enemies to use it against you."
The boy was silent. Stunned even, eyes wide and mouth agape. Those words, just hearing them from Garuga, of all people, didn't seem possible. Takabi's brain itched, ached and burned. He released his fishing pole and stood up, rubbing his head and pacing back and forth.
His thoughts felt fractured, torn between what was real and what wasn't. As he touched a tree for balance, his eyes looked over at the wilting bark. Leaves fell, blacker than night, grass curling up and dying under his feet.
What… What is…
Garuga's hand clamped on his shoulder. He snapped his gaze at him, the Dragon unaffected by the change around them.
"What's wrong," He asked.
Everything, Takabi thought.
The longer he watched him, the more he felt disturbed. The little differences that none would notice at first glance were on full display. Garuga's eyes were pure black, his face was freshly shaven and hair thrown up in a ponytail. His skin was smooth, slightly tanned, and coated in a thin layer of oil.
Takabi stepped back. "You're not… None of this is…"
"Real," He growled, before slamming his palm into the boy's ribs, sending him flying back through tree after tree until he struck a stone the size of a small home. His body dug into the rock, and head dropped, dazed, with pain rushing through his body. "Even when you're off guard, you're tough. Was hoping that would kill you." Garuga approached him slowly, cracking his knuckles. "Now I gotta get my hands dirty."
"You're not Garuga…" He spat out a thin layer of blood, before it turned to steam along with healing any other injuries. White tattoos rushed up his right in their usual style, and Takabi bared his fangs. "How dare you take his face!"
"Silence," The imposter stated. Shadows danced in his palm. Raising it into the air, darkness erupted from under the rock, swallowing Takabi whole.
They cut, burned, froze and all the like at his body, but the boy would hold out. He would need to escape this fake world, and get back to whatever it was he was doing before.
----------------------------------------
Jewel struck Julius' jaw, cracking the scales on his face. His expression had changed greatly, from pleasure to frustration. Mana built in his left palm, and he threw it forward, a beam escaping his grasp and rushing at Jewel. The girl dove out the way, watching as the magic expanded massively in size, shooting up the mountain and through the clouds in the sky.
"Jesus! Did I really get under your skin that much!?"
Julius charged at her, landing a kick to her ribs.
"Silence wench!"
Jewel cried out, but grit her teeth and silenced her voice. Using her arms to grip his leg tightly, she planted her foot firmly in the snow and spun around, before letting him fly high into the air. Palms still raised above her head, mana built around her in a sphere, which she released the contained magic power straight at Julius's figure.
The Dragon took the blast head on, holding it back with his bare hands. He roared out as the muscles in his arms tensed up. With a quick flick of his wrists, he tossed the blast away as if it were paper, breathing heavy as he slowly dropped back down.
Jewel clapped her hands together, black ice breaking up from snow. She brought her arm back, running up and leaping on the ice, before throwing it back upward and letting the dark magic shoot into the air.
Julius dodged the lethal shards, allowing himself to take the brunt of the minor cuts. While she was growing in control, she still couldn't aim as well as she wanted. Jewel knew that, and her idea now was to at least weaken him to the point the others could come back.
Not that she was sure her plan would work, but it was better than waiting.
Julius lurched forward, running down the ever growing black ice. Jewel rushed upwards, feeling a strong surge overcome her. As they got close, Jewel zipped around and behind him, green lightning coating her body in a thick cloak. Julius snapped his eyes at her, before her foot struck his cheek, throwing him downwards into the snow.
She leapt after him, ice and lightning building in both her palms. Julius rose, allowing his magic to run wild and free. The force blew the black ice Jewel was using to dust, and the girl was once more sent flying away and landed hard on a turnt over stone.
Air left her lungs, and she felt weak. She rolled off, landing in a pile of snow, coughing madly before she felt her stomach release its contents into the white sheet under her. Once she was done, she wiped her lips and stood back up, wobbling and full of exhaustion.
"Find it… Hard to believe I hit him with all that.. And he's only just now getting serious…"
Julius slammed his foot down. The snow seemed to run away at his power, eyes slit and glowing. "Your strength is waning, woman." His voice was distorted, echoed. Within it, was irritation. "I doubt you will continue to resist."
Jewel clenched her fists, her dark red aura rushing up around her. "You know nothing about me. I'll fight until I drop."
"Stubborn, aren't you?"
She smirked. "Well, it's in my blood. My mom is a hot headed latina when she's angry after all."
---------------------------------------------
The shadows ate him. Takabi felt as if he was floating. There was no pain, no heat, cold or warmth. Just peace.
Everlasting peace.
He knew that these feelings were false. Nothing happening right now was real, and that simple fact was the only reason he kept fighting it. His mana was completely suppressed by the imposter's, and yet he felt he could break free. It wasn't suffocating like others. In fact, from what Takabi could tell, they were around the same level of strength.
He shut his eyes, drowning out everything, even his own thoughts.
Mana.
He and his magic were all that mattered right now. Exhaling, Takabi began to glow, white illuminating in the black void of shadows.
Craning his head, the imposter kept his eyes locked on Takabi, biting his lip and muttering, "What the hell is he doing?"
The shadows cracked. Eyes widening, Takabi stretched his arms out at his sides and released all of his built up magic. The pillar of darkness that had consumed him turned to white, before twisting about. Takabi clenched his muscles, feeling the strain in his body increase. His goal was to expand. To purify the darkness and break free of the fake world through power alone.
The imposter took a step back, attempting to call forth more shadows. To his dismay, none came. White rushed up his legs, keeping him planted firmly in place.
"What is this! What the hell are you doing!"
Instead of words, Takabi replied with a roar of power. Deep, strong enough that the world around shook. More and more, the whiteness grew, ripping at the dead soil and burning away the trees.
Not enough, His thoughts told him.
Clenching his fists tighter, and muscles expanding, he cried out, "Lightning Armor!" Violet surged around him, a thick coating of electricity dancing around his body. The white pillar exploded in size, spreading out faster and faster.
"Two percent!"
The white tinted faintly.
"Three percent!"
The lightning began surging around the pillar.
Garuga's imposter watched. He watched as the pillar slowly overtook him. The white was bright, warm. Takabi moved his palms outward, before bringing them to his right waist, fire building between them. As the sphere of light formed, and he threw it forward, a beam of magic rippled at the space between the two. "Nova: Wave!"
It was almost an instant. Garuga's imposter was swallowed whole, eyes bulging from his head before it erupted in blood and brain, the contents turning black and fading away to nothing. Next went the body, yet he didn't stop. He willed it forth, roaring loudly, beam eventually slamming against the barrier for this world.
"Let me OUT!"
The walls cracked, damage reaching higher and higher upwards. Pieces of sky and cloud fell around him, shattering like glass. The beam thinned out, but Takabi wouldn't let up. He would force himself free, even if it killed him in the process.
Light erupted from the soil around him. Pillar after pillar, growing higher and higher, until everything went white.
-------------------------------------------------------
Jewel hit the wet soil, chest rising and falling in pained breaths. The snow had melted away from the battle, Julius standing over the girl with tired eyes. He hadn't expected to push himself so far. If not for the fact he had to keep the others in their own dimensions, he could have easily defeated Jewel.
"You're quite powerful. Lucky for you, I respect a woman of strength. Come," He lowered his palm to her. "Let us wed and be done with this mess."
Sharp pain rushed through his skull. He clutched it, stepping back, crying out loudly. Jewel sat up, sweat running down her face, holding her aching side and watching with confusion.
Did I actually hurt him?
The air before her cracked.
"Uh… What?"
Glass of reality broke. Out came a fist, swallowed by flames of white. Looking towards it, the knuckles struck Julius' cheek, throwing him off his feet.
Takabi landed, eyes burning intensely. Behind him, Aqua fell out first. Kairas fell on top of her, and Nana on top of him. The gateway of broken glass closed itself, leaving the group and Julius standing in the field.
"Yo. So who the hell are you?"