Fiona remained laying on the tatami, her virtual gi immaculately white, a striking contrast to the gruesome reality of her body. Her white belt, her symbol of perseverance, was wrapped firmly around her waist. Yet, her form was a haunting blend of her virtual and real selves—burns, bruises, and pain etched into her flesh. The DRD system struggled to maintain the distinction, the dojo's ambient environment flickering as it tried to compensate. All resources were focused on preserving the separation, as designed by its creator. The quantum RAM clusters, storing information as states instead of bits, and the quad-atom processors with their 3000 quantum logic gates, strained under the load of handling the unregistered user, Tenza.
Sensei Leonardo turned and witnessed this digital battle, the toll of Fiona's struggle evident in both her real and virtual forms. Concern etched his features, but there was also a deep understanding in his eyes. He approached her with steady grace, helping her to stand. His gaze lingered on her broken face—half marred by burns and tears, the other half pristinely white, a reflection of the strength she had discovered in her battle with the jotunn.
In Leonardo's eyes, Fiona was a paradox—a warrior forged by both reality and virtual trials. Her body trembled with exhaustion, but her spirit remained unbroken. He felt proud, honored to train a Star of Destiny, even if she did not yet fully believe in herself.
Fiona's voice, trembling yet determined, broke the silence. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I will try to train as you have always instructed me."
Leonardo's face softened, his voice filled with gentle understanding. "Don't worry, Fiona. I understand. I saw your battle. I saw the consequences it had on you. I wanted to bring you here before you went into that fight, but Sky told me to wait, to see if you were truly ready. We watched you—watched you not just overcome the giant but overcome yourself. You managed to win even after losing. For that, I am proud."
With a firm but tender hand, he helped her to her feet. Together, they began walking towards the virtual forest that surrounded the dojo. For the first time, Fiona took in the beauty of her surroundings—the wind whispering through the trees, the leaves alive with the rush of life. The earthy smell, reminiscent of petrichor but laced with a subtle sweetness, filled the air. Light filtered through the canopy, casting a dappled pattern on the forest floor.
Each step Fiona took sent a wave of pain through her battered body. Leonardo, sensing her struggle, offered his shoulder, lending her support. The virtual forest was a tranquil haven, the rustling leaves a reminder of nature's resilience and renewal.
They walked in silence for a while, the sound of their footsteps mingling with the distant murmur of a waterfall, which grew steadily louder. The light that filtered through the trees bathed them in a soft glow, as if illuminating the path ahead with the promise of healing. The pain in Fiona's body began to ebb, though the weight of new questions surfaced in her mind. She glanced at Leonardo, her voice soft but searching, "Sensei... What is anima?"
Leonardo's face hardened slightly—not with anger, but with the weight of thought. The leaves rustled around them, the forest alive with simulated life, but his focus was elsewhere. He let out a slow breath.
"Anima… It's the essence that flows through all living things, the energy that can rewrite destiny itself." His voice held a deep gravity, but there was also a tinge of regret. "But I didn't always see it that way."
Fiona's brow furrowed in curiosity. "You didn't?"
Leonardo shook his head with a distant look in his eyes. "Sky always believed in it. Ever since we were kids, he was obsessed with cosmic forces, the energy that could shape the universe. When we trained together in the dojo, he would talk about it endlessly. I used to laugh at him."
"You laughed at him?" Fiona asked, surprised.
"I didn't just laugh," Leonardo said, his voice quiet, filled with the weight of an old wound. "I mocked him. Called him a dreamer. Told him to stop wasting his time on anime and video games and start growing up. One day, he came to me with some new book about anima—one of those metaphysical tomes he loved. I took it from his hands… and threw it into the mud."
Fiona's breath caught. Leonardo continued, his eyes distant, as though reliving the memory. "Sky never looks people directly in the eye. But that day... that day, he did. Not at my eyes though, but right at my chest. I felt it—his sadness, his loneliness. He didn't say anything for a long moment. Then he just told me, 'One day, I'll bring a Star of Destiny for you to train. I can't become a master, not like you think, but I'll give you what I can't be.'"
Leonardo's voice grew thick with emotion. "I saw him turn and run. I wanted to follow, but... I didn't. I couldn't. And after that, he was gone. A whole century passed for me, but for Sky? Only fifteen years. When he came back, despite the years that separated us, Sky had matured. He had been to the stars, fought battles we couldn't imagine. But in some ways… he was still the same kid I threw books in the mud for. Still had that childish spark in his eyes."
Fiona listened intently, feeling the depth of Leonardo's regret, the weight of lost time between friends. "When he returned, there was no more mocking," Leonardo added quietly. "Sky had become everything he once spoke of. The anima he believed in—it was real. And he had started to master it."
Fiona's mind raced, processing this revelation. "So… you couldn't mock him anymore."
"No," Leonardo said with a bittersweet smile. "No more mocking. When you see a man who can bend the cosmos to his will, it humbles you. I realized then that all my physical mastery, all the discipline I had cultivated, was only part of the equation. Sky… Sky showed me that there's something more. Anima isn't just power, Fiona. It's the energy that connects everything. It allows people like Sky to fight forces far greater than themselves. And now, you too must learn to wield it."
As they neared the end of the path, the distant sound of rushing water grew louder, a soft, soothing melody that beckoned them forward. The waterfall cascaded ahead, its roar gentle but insistent. It tumbled over rocks, the water catching the light and casting rainbows in its mist. Each droplet seemed to sing as it danced across the stones, creating a symphony of nature's grace and power.
Leonardo and Fiona stood at the edge of the waterfall's pool, the sound filling the air with a rhythmic pulse, like the heartbeat of the forest itself. The waterfall was a place of peace, of renewal—a sanctuary where the pain of battle could be washed away, and the path to healing could begin.
Leonardo turned to Fiona, his voice quiet but resolute. "Anima isn't just about strength. It's about understanding your place in the universe, the connection between all things. It's not something you control… it's something you become part of. And you, Fiona, are closer to that than you realize."
Fiona gazed into the falling water, the sound wrapping around her, bringing a sense of calm she hadn't felt in what seemed like a lifetime. The pain in her body remained, but her spirit felt lighter. Here, in this moment, with Sensei Leonardo's words echoing in her heart, she knew the journey ahead would not just be about fighting—but about discovering what anima truly meant for her.
Through the misty veil of the waterfall, Fiona's eyes discerned a figure seated beneath its relentless cascade. Her friend Sky sat there, calm and composed, his eyes closed and his breathing slow and rhythmic, deep in meditation. Over his hands rested the breathtaking form of a katana, devoid of hilt or saya, the bare blade enduring the unyielding force of the falling water. Despite the roar of the cascade, Fiona could hear the faint, pulsing beat of music—a forgotten relic of a bygone era. The sounds of rock and power metal, distant yet distinct, floated through the mist, their heavy rhythms and soaring guitars grounding Sky's focus as he meditated.
The scene before her was mesmerizing. The blade shimmered under the onslaught, unyielding and steadfast, much like Sky himself. Surrounding him was an intense blue aura, an anima that pulsed and flared like living fire. It engulfed his form, emanating a profound power that made the very air around him shimmer with energy.
Sky's aura was a sight to behold, an ethereal flame that danced around him, vibrant and untamed. It illuminated the space beneath the waterfall, casting flickering shadows that seemed to move to an otherworldly rhythm. The spiritual energy surrounding him was tangible, a manifestation of his strength, willpower and resolve.
Fiona watched in awe, her heart filled with admiration. She had always thought highly of Sky, his calm demeanor and incredible prowess inspiring her. Seeing him now, bathed in the blue fire of his spiritual energy, she couldn't help but think that perhaps he was the brave hero the jotunn had awaited. His presence under the waterfall was not just a display of power, but of serenity and focus, a reminder of the inner strength that she, too, sought to cultivate.
In that moment, the sight of Sky's meditative stance and the katana enduring the waterfall's force became a symbol of resilience and unyielding spirit. Fiona felt a profound connection, realizing that their journeys, though different, were bound by the same quest for strength and purpose. And she understood that while she was focused on understanding her place in the world, limiting herself to Earth, he was trying to understand his place in the universe, among the stars and the nebulae, a simple mortal but cosmic.
"Ay, Sky. You and your obsessions. Here we are, in a world where anything can be constructed with a thought, where technology could instantly create the perfect blade. And what do you do? You spend days—days—forging a katana the traditional way, hammering virtual steel as if we were still in feudal Japan."
He shook his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Despite the light words, there was no hiding the admiration in his tone.
Before Sky could respond, another voice joined the conversation, deeper and more formal.
"He has earned this," An unknown Sensei stepped forward, dressed in traditional hakama and haori, his every movement precise and purposeful. In his hands, he held a scroll—a menkyo, signifying Sky's mastery.
Sky slowly stood, his aura flickering as the water from the waterfall cascaded over him, the katana resting solemnly in his hands. The unknown sensei bowed slightly, extending the scroll toward him with reverence.
"For mastering the techniques I taught you, a century ago," The sensei intoned, "I present this menkyo to you, recognizing your mastery of kenjutsu, both in body and spirit."
Sky looked at the menkyo, then back at this sensei, unsure whether to smile or stay composed. His gaze briefly flickered to Leonardo, who smirked with a knowing look.
"Congratulations," Leonardo said with a teasing grin, "You're officially a master—for spending far too much time in a virtual forge."
Sky couldn't help but laugh, but it was a laugh filled with the kind of humility only a true student could have.
The waterfall continued to crash down, its unrelenting force mirrored by the tension in the air. Fiona could sense something deeper at play as Sky stepped forward, the menkyo scroll held out by this unknown Sensei, waiting to be accepted.
Sky didn't move to take it. His hand hovered for a moment before he slowly pulled it back, his eyes lowering.
"Sensei…" Sky's voice was quiet, almost reverent. "I can't accept this. Not yet."
The new Sensei, standing tall and solemn in his traditional garb, raised an eyebrow. "You have earned this, Sky. You have mastered the blade I taught you—a blade that brings life, not just death. In my eyes, you are ready."
Sky looked up at him, his expression conflicted, almost pained. "Fifteen years…" he began, his voice tinged with doubt. "I've spent fifteen years following the path you showed me. And yet, for you, it has been a century. A century mastering the Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu… But I—" He hesitated, struggling to find the words. "Fifteen years aren't enough. I still have so much to learn, so much to understand."
Fiona watched in silence, feeling her own insecurities reflected in Sky's words. She had always seen him as someone with boundless strength and confidence. But now, she realized they were more alike than she had thought—both of them feeling small in the face of their immense responsibilities.
"The sword that brings life…" Sky continued, glancing at the katana in his hands, the blade shimmering under the waterfall's relentless flow. "It's more than just technique. It's what you taught me, Sensei. But it's also what Sensei Leonardo has shown me—the ultimate truth. And until I can unite both, I can't claim mastery. Not until I've defeated Ramiel, not until I've faced the old gods. Only then… will I be worthy of this menkyo."
This new Sensei studied Sky for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slow nod, he pulled the menkyo back into his sleeve.
"Very well," he said quietly, though there was no disappointment in his voice. "You will claim it when you are ready. But know this, Sky—you already carry the spirit of mastery within you. The sword that brings life flows through your hands, even if you do not yet see it."
Sky's eyes darted anxiously over Sensei Leonardo's shoulder, watching as Fiona's form flickered and glitching, the edges of her body blurring between reality and the virtual world. His heart tightened at the sight of her, his deep concern evident in the way his brows furrowed, and his voice was barely a whisper.
"Sensei Leonardo… Fiona… something's wrong."
Sensei Leonardo, sensing the change in Sky's demeanor, turned to look at him. His calm expression softened, his hand resting lightly on Sky's shoulder, a reassuring weight.
"She will be fine. She is stronger than you think. Trust her, Sky."
But Sky, unable to quell his worry, took a step forward, his gaze never leaving Fiona. His fingers clenched.
"I can't… I can't watch her like this. She needs more. I need to do more for her."
Sensei Leonardo's eyes narrowed slightly, recognizing the internal conflict within Sky. He sighed softly, then gestured toward the new Sensei, who was still observing the exchange silently. "What you can do now is offer her what she needs. You've already done much. Let us see what Sensei Kishikawa has to say."
Sky nodded reluctantly but still remained anxious as he turned back to Sensei Kishikawa. He took a deep breath, lowering himself into a formal bow.
"Sensei Kishikawa… please. Train Fiona. She comes from a line of mighty warriors—precolumbian warriors, the Guecha Warriors of the Muisca. They shaped their world with strength, wisdom, and courage. Her heritage flows through her, but she doesn't know how to wield it yet. I beg you to teach her the sword—teach her to master herself as she learns to master her own strength."
Sensei Kishikawa remained silent, his dark eyes scanning Fiona, who was still struggling against her virtual glitches. He observed her, not just physically, but spiritually. His gaze sharpened as he focused, sensing the deep currents of energy coursing through her. It wasn't just the glitching body that intrigued him, but the power behind it, the strength that pulsed through her veins, ancient and untamed.
He could feel the strength of her ancestry—a power rooted in the earth itself, a force that had shaped her ancestors for generations. The Muisca warriors were as much a part of the land as the rivers and mountains. He could sense it all in Fiona: the quiet resolve of a people who fought not just for survival but for their sacred way of life.
He nodded slowly, his expression shifting from stoic contemplation to something akin to understanding.
"You are right, Sky," he said, his voice steady but soft. "This woman, her lineage is older than my own. And in her, I see something that even the sword cannot teach: the strength of the earth, the spirit of her ancestors. I will teach her the basics of the sword, the grace and elegance that comes with it. But she will not follow the same path as my students. She will create her own. Just as her people once did, she will forge her own way—one that honors her view of the world, her way of life. I will teach her to honor the sword, but also to honor herself."
Sky looked up, relieved. He bowed once more, this time in thanks, his gratitude for Kishikawa's decision overwhelming.
"Thank you, Sensei. I will be forever grateful."
Sensei Kishikawa, with the slightest of nods, returned the gesture.
Suddenly, Fiona's form began to glitch uncontrollably, her virtual and real bodies merging in a chaotic blur. The DRD system, overwhelmed by the intensity of her transformation, went into overdrive, desperately trying to stabilize her vitals. The environment around her reacted violently—the sky above her flickered between day and night at a disorienting pace, stars fading and reappearing like broken constellations. Shadows stretched and contracted, light and darkness locked in an eternal struggle for dominance.
The world around her felt fractured, fractals of reality itself collapsing as the laws of physics and the digital grid warred against each other. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her body convulsing as if her very soul was at war with the space she occupied. The line between the real and virtual blurred beyond recognition, her physical form disintegrating as her mind clung to the storm of chaos, trying desperately to anchor herself to something, anything, familiar.
Sky watched in horror, his face twisted with desperation as he reached out, powerless to help. His eyes burned with frustration, unable to cross the threshold of this cosmic fracture. His voice trembled, but no words came. Instead, a shimmering aura—his anima—began to stir, but it wasn't the typical flame of battle. This was softer, more ethereal, pulling at the very fabric of the digital space, attempting to calm the storm, yet struggling to hold its ground against the catastrophic forces.
The dojo, once a place of peace, shimmered and distorted, struggling under the strain of the unregistered user. It was like watching a dream unravel, the walls of reality folding in on themselves. Fiona's pulse raced, her veins pulsing not with blood, but with a rush of energy far more primal—the anima awakening within her. Her body was both real and unreal, both flesh and light.
Time itself fractured. Every second stretched into infinity. The calm of the forest, once a sanctuary, was now a battleground—a digital maelstrom where her will to survive clashed against her mind's disintegration. The glitching intensified, her body flickering like a failing signal, each corrupted pixel a silent scream from her fractured soul. The agonizing tremor in her limbs was the reflection of a world spinning wildly out of control.
In that harrowing moment, the virtual sky above her convulsed, tearing apart into a swirling vortex of flashing lights and encroaching darkness. Her form—caught in the center of this apocalyptic storm—was a warrior at war with her very existence. The agony of her broken real body manifested in every corrupted pixel, but within the chaos, something else stirred—an ancient spark. The echo of the divine anima, the very vector to the heavens that flowed through the veins of her ancestors, began to awaken deep inside her, igniting a cosmic pulse.
She reached out, her hand trembling, extending toward Sky's aura. But it wasn't there—not yet. Sky's anima had already begun to fade, consumed by the intensity of the struggle. He couldn't maintain the shield she needed. But Fiona, driven by a newfound determination, whispered through clenched teeth, "I wish for the wings of victory that anima could give me..."
Her words echoed through the void. Anima. The force that had both chased her dreams and haunted her nightmares. The connection between mortality and the divine. The spark that would guide her through the infinite void.
Suddenly, Sky manifested his aura again—not as the fierce, burning energy of battle, but as a soothing tide that washed over her, as if the very stars themselves had reached down to cradle her. It was harder to maintain this than it had ever been in a fight. He struggled to focus, feeling the weight of something far heavier than any battle he had ever fought. To heal, to calm, not to destroy.
Fiona felt it then—the divine spark within her ancestors aligning with Sky's anima. For the first time, she understood. This was not just a weapon. This was the divine thread that connected her to something greater, something vast. And she had just begun to unravel it.
Sensei Kishikawa stepped forward—his movements deliberate and calm amidst the storm. The ancient warrior had seen this before. His voice cut through the chaos, a low, steady rumble that seemed to calm the very air around them.
"Breathe, Fiona," he commanded, the force of his words rooted in millennia of wisdom. "Your ancestors breathe through you. The anima is not a force to fight—it is the breath of the universe itself. Breathe, and it will carry you."
He moved behind her, his hands guiding her through alternate nostril breathing, each motion a flow of balance. His presence was like an anchor in the midst of the storm, his aura rippling like a calm sea that met the rage of the tempest. The world around her slowed as she followed his guidance, her breathing stabilizing. Inhalation, the universe filling her. Exhalation, releasing the tension of the cosmos.
As her breath aligned with the flow of the universe, the glitching slowed, her body beginning to regain coherence. But she was not out of danger—not yet.
"I will teach you," Sensei Kishikawa's voice was low, his gaze unwavering as he scanned her, sensing the dormant, untamed power that surged within her. "You carry more than your own strength, Fiona. You carry the strength of worlds. But you must first learn to channel it."
Fiona's eyes narrowed. Her will was not yet broken—not by the glitching or the storm, or by any of her trials.
With newfound clarity, she looked at Sky. "When I wake up... Will the strength of the heavens be in me?"
Sky's anima flared one last time, and for the first time, Fiona felt it not as a weapon, but as the cosmic force that could reshape her destiny. The connection between them deepened—flesh and spirit, reality and virtual, old and new.
She had unlocked the first key to her destiny.
As Fiona's body finally reached tranquility, the chaotic storm around her began to wane. The glitching flickers that had dominated the virtual sky slowed, the rapid shifts between day and night easing into a tranquil twilight. The oppressive silence lifted, replaced by a gentle hum of the forest resuming its natural rhythm.
Bit by bit, the environment calmed. The flickering shadows settled, and the soothing sound of the distant waterfall became a lullaby to her weary soul. Sensei Leonardo, Kishikawa and Sky, though still concerned, watched as her breathing steadied, her body relaxing into a semblance of peace.
The virtual world adjusted, its glitches fading into the background, allowing the serene beauty of the forest to reassert itself. The light through the trees softened, bathing her in a warm, comforting glow. Her eyelids grew heavy, each breath bringing a wave of relaxation that spread through her tired limbs.
As the last remnants of the storm dissipated, Fiona's mind succumbed to the gentle embrace of sleep. The tension in her muscles unwound, her form sinking into the supportive embrace of the earth beneath her. The forest, once chaotic, now cradled her in tranquility, the whispering leaves and rustling branches a soothing cadence to guide her into restful slumber.
In the quiet of the twilight, Fiona drifted off, her spirit finding solace in the calm that had replaced the tempest. The flames of her inner fire dimmed to a gentle glow, a promise of renewal and strength to be rekindled with the dawn.
"I'll find the spark. Tomorrow, I'll..."