One Yougai sends me once again against the wall and the impact makes me spit more blood
-Not tired yet? Honey-
-I'm way too tired...!- I growl rising back up
-Then kill us if you can!-
I place myself in front of the Deity and push the Yougais back as much as possible, once the distance is enough I grab the man and rush to the window as the Yougais try to catch me...
And I jump
While falling in the air I take the man close to my body and get ready for the impact with the cold water, which soon after comes as a thousand icy needles
I swim upward pushing as much as I can, fortunately the man is not too heavy but he still slow me down a bit...
I lay him on the beach of the big island as he slowly opens his eyes
-Miss...?-
-Don't worry, I'll be back soon just rest... They won't be searching for you at the moment- I cough a bit before jumping in the water again
...
I did it before... Not to this extend but I know the feeling of drowning... The feeling of cold numbness
Only, I cannot lose focus this time.
I swim downward, I don't know to what or where I am headed but I just keep going in search for any signal indicating where the core might be.
After some meters, down in the pressuring water, I start feeling that sensation again, my lungs burning craving air but I have no other option but to keep going.
"Will he come...?"
Even if I shouldn't rely on anyone's help, I still do.
My vision gets blurry and my arms weak, I still push myself further... If I where to let go now, my body would probably foat back to the surface and all I've done until now would be meaningless.
I few small bubbles of air come in my direction from behind, making me turn around
Under the island there's a column of rocks, in the lower part of it there seems to be a small opening...
I swim toward it as the bubbles of air become more frequent and intense, with one last push I enter the hole in the rocks finding myself with my head out of the water
"A cave with air in it...?"
I hiss myself onto the dry rocks beside me and leave the water, finding myself in a dark and cold natural hallway...
As the last time, the air coming from within is strong and tries to push me out...
Here comes the green light.
I follow it to find myself in a bigger cave, stalagmites formed naturally all around dripping for the humidity... And there lays the core, pulsing of its cold green light, completely embraced by the weird smoke already grouping into an humanoid form
-Well then... Time to fight I suppose- I roll my weapon in one hand and get ready
-Only... This time I'm stronger- I growl before hitting his "heart" as my blade gradually start flaming out
I thrust once, twice... And again and again screaming.
-I will bring this to an end no matter what...!-
Once the Jade inside the beast start imploding I get sent to the floor, regained my balance I put away my sword and head for the core...
The burning sensation begin spreading, from my fingers to my whole arms, as I move forward against its strong pulsations and clear my mind to find the strength I need...
Wood element
That's what I need
Opening my eyes I see the core turning dark as cracks forms on its surface, but something is different...
A white light reflects on it... From where?
I feel a tickling sensation not realizing the small lightnings running down my arms until the moment they leave my hands and touch the diying core
What follows after is a shockwave that makes the whole place tremble
-I...?! What...- I get sent flying just before a piece of rock hits where I was standing
I must leave!
I rush out down the hallway and jump in the water, swimming as fast as I can while the whole rock structure begin falling down
Once on the surface I cough taking some air again, still floating in the water
-That was crazy...- I murmur looking at the tall tower, falling apart brick by brick...
A light pink figure shines on one side of the drowning island -The Deity!-
I reach for the beach and take him on my back, before dashing back inside the fortress.
The few soldiers left begin screaming and running around as pieces of rocks falls on their heads.
Everything is frantic, screams and fire all around us.
I move my way to where I left the other two men, stopping a few times to change path as it gets blocked by a broken down wall or a rock...
The door of their room is weighted down and doesn't open, I fix the position of the man I'm carrying and go for a kick
-Move away from the door!- I warn them before breaking it
-Miss Ying!-
-No time to talk now, the place is falling apart!- I lead them out of the room
-What?! Will we make it?- panics the General
-Not if you keep on talking gibberish! Move!!!- I yell at him running down the hallway to the outside.
The General loses balance on the diagonal floor and slides past me, the Delegate reaches out to grab him and ends up losing his stability too
-Watch out you two, try to stay behind me- I warn them, fixing the fainted god on my back, a cracking sound comes from above
-Wait! Don't move a step!-
-What?- asks one of the men when a crack start making its way on the half fallen fallen floor, I switch my position and slide down grabbing the two men with a free arm and push them inside a room to one side
-That was close...- he begins to take a breath of relief after a hole create in the stones and the floor completely falls down, but a loud inhuman noise stops him
-What was that?-
-Nothing good- I press my lips together discharging the asleep man -Take him and run outside, I'll cover you-
-What? Who is he? And what about you?-
-It will be easier for me once you're all gone, just do what I say-
-Mhn... Sure- nods the Delegate taking the man on his back
-Well then... Now I will go in the courtyard and open a path for you, wait one minute and run away without looking back-
-Yes- they nod
-Good, give me back the bow... I'll need it probably- I take out my sword and head outside.
As expected a small groups of half human and half beast men are searching the whole place
-Ehy you! I'm here, come and get me!- I yell beginning to run toward the broken tower
As I climb up the falling stairs, I watch outside one of the small windows and see the three men running in the courtyard, the place is still falling down and full of holes but nobody is bothering them... For now.
-Are you going to throw yourself in the water again little princess?-
-Only if you come with me-
-You seriously think water can harm us?! Fool- I dodge the hit which comes with the sentence and keep on climbing while fighting...
The tower is getting more and more unstable, a whole piece of the side wall falls down and I get almost thrown out, but with the help of my sword I get a hold between two rocks of the main structure
While swinging in the air I gaze to the running men, they are at the beach trying to find a way to surpass the water...
I need to gain more time.
Reached the room on the top I have nowhere left to run, I can only face the group of mad Yougais...
Two together come charging over me, I dodge kneeling down and rolling on my knees I hit their ankles with the sword making them scream and that turns even angrier.
Back on my feet I have a 1 on 1 with a tailed man, his long tail grip on my calf and drags me forward making me fall on one knee. I rise my sword and cut it before sending him against the cracked wall...
The wall breaks with the impact and falls down with him in the water, right beside where the two men are crossing the water over a fallen wooden trail
-Ahhh! What's that thing?!- yells the General trying to push the Yougais away, the creature roars and wounds his arm with the sharp claws...
I switch weapon quickly to a bow and aim right between his eyes making it fall back in the water
-I knew I needed it- I whisper to myself content, but the small glory ends soon after as I get taken back into the room by a strong grip
-Are you having fun?- the creature talks beside my face
-You stink- I take another arrow and shove it down his throat making him gargle on his blood, I dodge a few hits and receive as much...
Checking outside, the men finally reached the other side of the lake and stand there waiting
-Idiots... RUN!!!- I yell out of the broken wall before getting back to the Yougais.
-Now it's time for a bath!- The tower is finally collapsing as a whole, the wall from the falling side becomes our floor as the tower turn toward the ground
-I told you that won't do!-
I kneel down and jump out to the opposite direction through a small window, I stand on the outer wall and use my blade to get a grip as we fall down in the water.
Once the tower is perpendicular enough I straighten up and jump far away over a rock floating in the water... Right before the big structure impacts on the water?
A couple of water animal Yougais creeps outside the tower and break the stones enough for other to pass through
-I told you... That wasn't enough- growl the same one as before
-It's not the water what's going to kill you- I smirk seeing a white light reflecting in the water...
I feel a buzz I already expirinced before.
Placing both hands in the water a shockwave releases and electrifies the lake at the same time I jump off on the beach...
Once I land the whole lake is storming with lightnings, burning anything left inside...
Pieces of meat grills and twist as the yougais die one after the other.
I watch for a few seconds with heavy breath before falling down, laying on the sand
-I did it...- and I close my eyes