The air crackled with tension as Kaji rushed at Aiden, his blade wreathed in orange and red flames. Aiden parried frantically, the heat from each strike singeing his clothes. Whatever Kaji's power was, it seemed like it could set anything on fire.
Aiden was struggling to catch his breath and panting heavily, with both him an Kaji stopping a few meters away from eachother, tired. "Tell me, what is your power even? I doubt it's something as basic as fire manipulation."
Kaji spat on the blade of his sword, extinguishing the fire that engulfed it. "Matchbox." he said cryptically, before charging again.
The two were still clashing, and Aiden couldn't help but notice his fighting style is surprisingly similar to that of Cassius. Could it be that they trained together? And so, just like he did with Cassius, he was on the defense, waiting for his opponent to leave an opening in their overly aggressive style.
Aiden blocked an overhead strike from Kaji, before he attempted to slide his sword across Aiden's. Aiden quickly reacted and jumped back, and the sword hit the ground. "What do you mean 'Matchbox'?" he said as he landed.
"It's simple. I can treat anything like a matchbox or a matchstick, setting things alight instantly." He now dashed at Aiden, striking him across the chest shallowly, before his wound burned at cauterized on hit. "Ah, damn it. I cut too deep. I was going to set your clothes on fire."
The clashing of metal and their screams of pain reverberated through the neighborhood. Plenty of apartment lights flickered on and curtains rose, as faces peeked out, people watching Aiden and Kaji duel. Aiden maintained his defense, blocking strike after strike until finally, Kaji left an opening.
Aiden jumped to seize the chance, slashing Kaji across the left leg. Blood gushed from the wound, before Kaji dragged the flat end of his sword across the leg, cauterizing his own wound and stopping the blood.
"You can't wear me down." Kaji ridiculed Aiden. Setting his blade on fire with the swipe of a finger again, he kept dashing without a second thought, reckless and relentless, completely ignoring defense. Aiden gave him a few surface level cuts, but, nothing special.
As Aiden parried Kaji's fiery assault, his mind raced for a plan. With each opening he left, Aiden gave him more and more wounds he needed to cauterize, and it seemed like the pain was getting to him. He was losing his focus.
"You're pretty skilled at using that Matchbox of yours, I'll give you that." He pointed the tip of his sword at Kaji in a taunting stance, almost inviting him to keep rushing. And as Aiden was preparing to block a few more strikes, a flaming sword suddenly flew at his head. Kaji threw his blade, before quickly repositioning. Aiden instinctively dodged, but, looking back at where the sword was headed, it was flying to a nearby car.
The realization his Aiden like an uppercut. "No!" he screamed, but it was too late. The sword pierced through the car's side, before the intense heat set the old hybrid engine on fire, the flames soon reaching the gas tank. A large explosion occurred, debris and shards of glass flying everywhere. Aiden fell on his back, his ears ringing and his vision blurry, before Kaji quickly perched over him.
He pulled out a knife from his pocket. "It was a risky move, but you completely fell for the trick." He laughed as he approached Aiden's throat with the blade. "Thanks for making this easy."
"Nothing is ever that easy." In one swift motion, Aiden grabbed a pile of rubble that fell nearby, throwing it in Kaji's face. Matchbox had activated reflexively, leaving Kaji's face peppered with burning glass and his eyes full of dirt.
Aiden jumped up, pushing Kaji away, before striking him in the gut with his knee, and following it up with a nasty right hook. Disoriented, Kaji slashed wildly, barely grazing Aiden's cheek. And as he seized the moment, Aiden grabbed Kaji's sword from the ground and drove it through Kaji's chest.
"You…" Kaji now fell to the ground, bleeding profusely. "Bastard."
And as Kaji let out his last breath, a loud wailing of sirens spread throughout the area. A bright blue orb emerged from Kaji's chest, before splitting up into little droplets which were absorbed by Aiden. "Is this… Inherit?" he asked himself.
A large emergency response team showed up, all the vehicles converging where Aiden is. Cops, firefighters, ambulance, all the eyes were on Aiden, and Kaji's lifeless body.
As he lifted his hands in the air, Aiden screamed. "Badge number #0102ALD, Aldegar Silvius, Liutenant of the Oracle! I'm his son, Aiden!" He pointed at his chest wound. "I was attacked! Call him, he knows everything!"
The medics rushed to grab Kaji and Aiden, but Aiden waved them off saying he's okay. As soon as he said that, one of the police officers grabbed him by the wrist and began dragging him along with him. "Don't lie to me, boy. The whole of Ardenia knows Aldegar's son is powerless," he pointed to Aiden's chest wound, emitting a light blue hue. "And yet here you are, healing with Essence!"
Until, a calm female voice froze everyone in place. "It's okay, everyone. I can vouch for the boy." The effect was immediate.
"O- Officer Cosineau!" The policeman suddenly let go of Aiden's hand. From the other side of the skate park walked out a regal looking woman, with long black hair and a calm demeanor, and an aura of authority seemingly surged around her.
"Take the man to the hospital, although I doubt he's alive…" she said, waving her hand. "And leave me and Silvius be."
"Yes, ma'am!" everyone collectively said, before packing up and dispersing. The woman walked up to Aiden, before extending her hand with a warm smile.
"I'm pretty sure we still hadn't the chance to meet. My name is Monique Cosineau, and I'm the Offense Corps officer #3." She returned her arm, before turning around and pointing to the floor, telling Aiden to walk alongside her.
They slowly began walking back towards Aiden's apartment. "Aldegar told me almost everything," said Monique. "Considering this seemed like a one on one, I can assume you've successfully inherited your first ability?"
Aiden nodded his head. "Mhm. Here, look." Aiden pulled out Kaji's ruby sword, and he lit it on fire just like Kaji did. Of course, he still hadn't mastered the power, so, it wasn't as strong as possible. "Kaji, the man I fought, he said it's called Matchbox."
Aiden quickly spat at the blade, making sure the flame doesn't become too strong. "Interesting. So, your finger is the matchstick, then?"
"No, actually. I think that anything I hold is the matchstick." Aiden and Monique slowly walked to the apartment building's main entrance, but, as they were walking, Aiden noticed a few droplets of blood coming out of Monique's hand.
"Uh, Miss Monique… you're bleeding." He said, gently pointing to her hand.
"Oh deary me, you've already noticed? You're quite keen. I was planning on faking an enemy attack, to see your reaction." Monique opened up her palm, letting the blood leaking from her palm pool up into a little pond.
"You've just inherited your first ability, no?" She stopped to face Aiden. "I assume you must want to see what others' can do, then."
Suddenly, the pool of blood in Monique's hand surged up into the air, before flying to a nearby wall. In flight, the droplets separated and elongated, forming little crimson darts, which splattered all across a nearby wall with a few gentle thuds.
Aiden's eyes abruptly flew to the wall, before his gaze returned to Monique and her bleeding palm. "That's incredible, Miss. So, you can manipulate your blood?"
"A good assumption, but not quite. It's a sacrifice mechanic. I offer my blood, Essence, my strength, and in return I get powerful attacks. But, the darts aren't the only thing I can do." Monique now turned her palm upside down, letting the blood fall downwards, only for it to coalesce and shape into a gleaming scarlet spear.
"This is Form 2," she explained. "A greater offering, but in return, greater power. And, if I happen to kill someone with this, I get all the offered strength back. A kill mechanic, just like Inherit."
The spear now split up, and all the blood returned to Cosineau through the open wound. Aiden was visibly shocked by this level of control. "I see. So, do you only have two forms, or more?"
"There's three more, five in total, each stronger than the last." Monique closed her eyes, and looked up. "As for Form 5… I won't touch on that one just yet."
She looked down now, directly into Aiden's eyes, before her smile was replaced by a serious and stern expression. "I was sent by Aldegar to help you learn more about your ability, and get over your fear of the kill mechanic, just like I had to. Granted, none of us expected by the time I arrived, you would've already gotten your first power, but, we continue nonetheless."
Aiden nodded, a sense of responsibility setting on his shoulders. "I understand, Miss."
"Great, we should now head for Dawnvale, I'm sure Amelia would be more than happy to see how your Inherit works." She said with a light smile.
"Actually, can we go pick up my friend first? She should come too, I think she has something to speak to my father about." Aiden pointed at the apartment window, where Synnove stood, looking down at them two.
"Certainly. I'll call for our transport to come here." She waved at Synnove, before gesturing for her to come downstairs. "So, tell me Aiden, what does it feel like when you use Matchbox…?