Purple and blue explosions erupted in the night sky in a beautiful light show of magical bursts of pure mana. Every burst of power illuminated the battle going on above the city revealing at least 50 massive purple hands relentlessly chasing after a bright stream spinning and weaving Scarlett light.
Weaving through holes in the high reaching skyscraper all the way down to the barren streets below. Massive, dark purple hands smashed and tore through everything accompanied by their ominous rumble and the scream of insanity. Furiously snapping at the Scarlett stream but to no avail, the screams and deep rumble only grew in intensity with every moment that Yasu Kenshi dodged and slashed the approaching death behind him.
Pestilence: Just die!
3 more hands exploded from the knights stomach towards Yasu, slamming into him and sending him flying through a small house. "Gyaah! Damn that hurt"!
Yasu: Freeze!
A thin layer of water shot out over the street accompanied by a large wave of water over Yasu's head. Moments later, just before 3 hands snatched Yasu out of his flailing position, all of the water froze over with thick and sturdy ice. The hands had smashed through the wave but were caught by the ice causing them to disappear.
Yasu: Ha! Perfect.
Yasu spun over and landed on the sheet of ice with both legs and his right arm touching the ground, slowly but surely regaining control of his flight magic and charging a Waterball with his off-hand. Small splashes of water shot off of the magical liquid while a glimmer of blue light illuminated half of Yasu's face.
Pestilence: Huh? He's smarter than he looks.
Yasu: Now you're asking for it dumbass!
Yasu's spell changed from an intense spinning ball of water to a full on, human sized sphere of water magic. "You wanted to interrupt me after all the shit I just said to HERA!"! All of the frozen water magic melted back to liquid water where it immediately made a mad dash for Yasu's ever growing magical sphere.
Yasu: You picked the WORST possible time to attack me Pestilence. Never and I mean never, attack a man with NOTHING TO LOSE!
Yasu released his water magic at the same that Pestilence erected 5 more hands causing blood to squirt from his eyes and ears. The sky let out a blood curdling a scream, covered by a low, unsettling rumble. In response, a powerful, enraged battle cry erupted from the separating road.
Yasu: Come on!!! Why don't you try putting more into the hands you have instead of growing more!
Yasu's eyes both lit up one more time as his swords shot off a bright shine, concealing the brutal assault that would soon release. Lines began to draw in his eyes forming a strange, circular shape complimented with smaller symbols within it's perimeter.
Pestilence: What? What is up with these mutts and their eyes changing so damn much! Just shut up and die!
3 more hands exploded from the mouth of this now almost deformed man, miasma and blood covered almost his entire face. Only his right eye and dotted tongue remained somewhat recognizable from his stomach up.
Ryker: Damn he is ugly! Why would you-
BOOM! The clap of Lightning roared across the battlefield as the mass of purple hands lit up with blue fire and instantly dispersed into small dots of purple mana. Two spinning tails of violent flames exploded through the wall of broken hands, coated with rage and fury as the words left Yasu's chest.
Yasu: Lightning. . .Spear!!
Yet another bright flash of light ripped through the air, splitting the clouds above them and shattering the few remaining windows. Branches of burning light reached the ground and everything around, nothing within 200 meters went untouched by this spell.
A shockwave hit the surrounding area followed by a moment of silence, nothing dared to move in this instant of harmony. Then, came the new wave of hell, the 8th Circle's general had returned from death once more.
Prince: HERA!!!!!! MUZUKI!!!!!!
Yasu: Shyuuut up!
Yasu: Fireb-
Hera: No! We'll deal with him, you finish that, whatever that thing is.
Yasu: But Hera, you know what could-
Hera: Just shut up and save my life already!
Yasu turned to look at Ryker who just shrugged as his hair spiked back up to it's usual style. A white glow came together around Ryker and Hera to form a silvery outline around their bodies.
Yasu: Are you sure-
Pestilence: You dare turn away from me!
Before Yasu could react, a half held together purple mass of a deformed man slammed him into the ground with a horrifically A-symmetrical right arm. Violet mana shot out of Yasu's back upon impact and left a deep laceration on his chest, Yasu coughed up blood as he crashed into the ground with almost bone shattering force.
Yasu let out an agonizing scream that shifted to a deep, primal growl as he spun over onto his hands and shot himself out of the way of Pestilence's incoming onslaught. "Damn that was way too close".
Yasu: I have to find a way past those hands, I haven't even damaged him yet he's done everything to himself.
Pestilence: GYAAAH!
Yasu: He hasn't gotten weaker even after all he's done to himself, just a little bit slower and his mana has dropped a bit.
Pestilence: I am going to tear you to pieces and feed you to the Gorgons!
Pestilence's arm snapped as he brought it up above his deformed head where a bolt of purple lightning shot out, splitting into several more bolts that pelted the neighborhood the fighters stood on.
Yasu: Damn! Nowhere to run!
A scream echoed over the battlefield from atop a nearby skyscraper. A young girl about Yui's age stood next to the edge, staring towards an hidden threat. Yasu looked on in horror as the middle school girl slowly stepped closer to the edge.
Natsumi: No! Go away! Please somebody!
Yasu: N-no, she's gonna die!
A demonic voice played in Yasu's ear as a sharp pain shot through his chest, tossing him into the air. "Don't worry, you can greet her at the gates to heaven. False hero."
Yasu felt the words of his attacker burn at his empty soul, his regrets played through his head randomly and his vision faded to black. All of his senses disappeared, leaving behind only his sense of feeling. Feeling, is it feeling that creates consciousness? Or would it be our consciousness that creates our feelings? Do our feelings and the sense of "feeling" really hold the same meaning? Do they have the same origin?
"Remember you two, no matter how strong you are or how hopeless you feel. Your emotions will always fuel you. No matter how hopeless things may get when I'm not here anymore, just remember what your dad, Yuuta Itsuka is telling you right now. Pride, Envy, Wrath, Greed and Lust will always be your power, don't ever deny yourselves that truth."
Ryker: Huh? NO! Yasu!
Hera: YASU!
Tainted Shade: Well little, will it be dinner or descent? Your choice.
A small voice, a memory that never happened played in the most vulnerable part of Yasu's soul. "It's ok mister. I'm just happy that you survived." A criminally innocent smile engraved in Yasu's mind, despite never having met the girl, she brought a tear to his eye.
The sound of rubber swiping across concrete just barely tapped everyone's ears. A short but grating gasp reached out and grabbed Yasu as his soul exploded with power.
Yasu: No way! Not gonna happen! I won't stand for this!
Gleaming eyes shot out mana as flames shot out around the suspended knight of Ranland. A beam of light shot up at the girl with blistering speed, smashing into the girl and instantly vanishing.
Yasu: RISING PHOENIX!
Silence took over the battlefield as everyone found themselves refusing to move. Even the Prince halted his onslaught on Ryker in pure curiosity and Hera didn't dare move a single muscle. Shades all over joined them in this as the Knight of End times stared off into the sky, at something distant.
Prince: Hm? Tehe, hahaha! Your ex-friend certainly is talented Miss Mizuki, I am most certainly impressed by his ability to surpass you so quickly.
Ryker: W-what just happened? I couldn't even track his movements just now.
Prince: Oh? Is that so? Well now I guess we get why everyone is so disappointed in you, Itsuka.
Ryker: Heh, I've always known why. You don't need to tell me why everyone hates me.
Hera: Shut up Ryker, he's trying to-
Prince: What if, just what if I told you that I knew why your father dismembered and killed Ethan?
Hera: H-huh, what did you-?
Prince: Or maybe, how to get the woman you love so much back to normal.
Ryker: Tch, shut up.
Prince: I don't hate you and I certainly admire both you and your spirit twin, but something I loath is misplaced love. Don't disappoint me Ryker Itsuka, or I may have to take Yui Nakayama as my second toy.
Ryker/Hera: You what?
Ryker turned to the Prince with nothing but fury plastered onto his face, his eyes reeked of anger and his waving hair displayed Wrath with orange sparks, accompanied by green flashes.
"He's been watching us since I fell under"! This horrifying thought flew through his mind as his attention was forced back up into the sky. Still, nobody moved as Yasu and Hera made direct eye contact from a 150 meter distance.
Yasu: You okay? I might've grabbed you a bit too hard kid.
Natsumi: W-w-waaa! Where are we!?
Yasu: Huh, guess that's understandable. We are about, 120 meters above the city right now, maybe a bit higher. But back to my question. You okay-?
Natsumi: Waaa! You're glowing! What's happening!
The girl began squirming and kicking Yasu but he never let go, she continued to scream while telling him to let her go. Great idea right? "Sorry but, I didn't save you just to kill you". Yasu took the girl off of his shoulder and held her in front of him as he stared at her.
Yasu: Grab my arms and don't let go, we're gonna fall really fast. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you.
Natsumi returned Yasu's serious stare with a mystified gaze that almost put Yasu off a bit. Her hair covered her right eye and yet, it never effected the mesmerizing, scarlet red eye that touched Yasu's scarlet iris. "I'm ready sir, let's go".
Yasu: That's the spirit, now keep that smile and keep looking at me.
Natsumi: Ri-
Before she could assure him, Yasu threw the two of them down to the 10th floor of a nearby skyscraper. "Thought I saw her earlier somewhere around here. That your mom"?
Machi: Natsumi! My baby!
A middle aged woman ran up to the shatter window that the two of them were floating next to. She had silver hair and cat ears as well as crimson eyes.
Yasu looked at her as he set Natsumi in the window, totally unaware of the incoming shades. "Strange, I didn't know that Vodros were allowed in these kinds of buildings".
Machi: Are you ok? Are you hurt?
Natsumi: I'm fine mom.
Machi: Where did you take my daughter?! What did you-
Natsumi: Mom! He saved my life from that. . .thing that attacked us.
The girl looked up at Yasu with a tear in her eye as she nodded her head to show some gratitude. Before she could bring her head back down, she began sobbing as she pulled her daughter into her.
Yasu: Are you alright Natsumi? Your wrist looks pretty messed up.
Natsumi: It's fine, that monster did that to me-
Natsumi/Machi: Behind you!
Yasu whipped around and crossed his arms in front of him just before he was sent crashing into the wall next to Natsumi.
Yasu: Gah! Damn that hurt.
Tainted Shade: Yasu Kenshi! You took my dinner from me!
Natsumi: Yasu! Your arm!
Yasu looked down at his arm to see 3 deep claw marks engraved into it causing it too bleed profusely. Another thing caught Yasu's attention though, the purple liquid that seemed to be burning his skin despite causing no pain. "Huh? It doesn't hurt at all"?
Natsumi: I'll help you Yasu, just hold on.
Yasu: Huh? Wait Natsumi don't!
She slid over to Yasu and tore her sleeve off to cover his wound, finding it to not be enough, she tore off the other sleeve and shoved it in Yasu's mouth.
Natsumi: Bite on this and let it do it's work.
Yasu: . . .
Natsumi: Divine Intervention of Chastity. Pigeon's Dance.
"Is she dumb! She's healing me right in front of this guy"! Yasu looked up and saw the Shade looking at this event unfold. His eyes narrowed on the girl as he clenched his large purple fist. A grin came to his face and blood leaked from his fingernails.
Tainted Shade: Dinner time kiddo! I'll make sure to kill you first so it doesn't hurt like it did for Roxy.
Her hand paused, the healing ceased and her hopeful gaze changed to a dark and evil painting of fluctuating emotions. A small orb of light landed on the almost repaired claw marks just before Natsumi, with wind brewing around her abdomen, stood up and slowly turned towards the monster.
Natsumi: What, did you do, to my little sister!
The Monster looked at the girl and then to Yasu only to look back at Natsumi with an evil grin on his face as he licked his lips. "Well, I ate her of course".
"You did what to my baby? My little Mana!" The feline woman stood up with glowing red eyes and drawn claws.
Her voice had a primal growl behind it gave off a dark feeling to Yasu, her stride and lack of hesitation, it resonated with him.
"S-she's b-been through this before. Hasn't she?" Yasu's face was overwhelmed with concern for the woman he had just met, he couldn't even begin to imagine the pain she was feeling now.
"I am going to KILL YOU!" A roar crushed the office building as Machi tore through the air straight at the deformed man. With ears drawn back and pupils almost as wide as her eyes themselves, tears streamed down her animalistic expression.
"NO WAIT! You'll die!
Ryker: Let's do it.
Hera: Only if you think you can handle it.
Ryker: Think I can't? You're an easy partner.
Hera: Fine then, let's do this.
Ryker/Hera: Magic Dance! Inversion!