In the serene clearing covered with diamond-like flowers, the tension suddenly snapped as Raiya launched herself at Zaeya, hands shaped into lethal claws aiming straight for the throat. The Crow assassin's grin didn't falter, her eyes gleaming with ferocious anticipation.
Zaeya twisted her body at the last second, using Raiya's momentum to divert her course. She pulled out her glowing yellow Karambits with white glowing runes on the jagged sides of the blade and spun low, a whirl of deadly grace, aiming a sweeping slash at Raiya's legs. Raiya leapt over the kick, her feet barely grazing the tops of the chilled flowers, landing lightly and spinning immediately into her Rose Blossom technique.
'She's fast…' Raiya thought. 'Keep the fight long range, create distance when you can. Up close with weapons and magic, assassins are unbeatable.'
Raiya pulled out a strand of her own hair, and let it drop to the ground. Right from that, white and red pearls swirled around her, and she stood and danced in the middle of them, each pulse of her dance sending one projectile pearl flying towards Zaeya who flipped back, her cloak fluttering with each evasive leap. The pearl clashed against a tree, and it made the ground and a few trees around her explode destructively.
Zaeya said, "Oh. The Rose Blossom stance. I know that all too well. The assassins killed a bunch of those devil worshippers a few years back—."
"Shut up.."
While backflipping, Zaeya threw one of her Karambits towards a nearby tree. Without missing a beat, she disappeared only to reappear grabbing the embedded Karambit, launching herself from the tree with a powerful kick aimed directly at Raiya, the blow landing heavily, making Raiya blast backwards straight through a tree.
And Zaeya arrived with another attack; Raiya, in turn, spun gracefully, using the side of her hand to parry the kick, her movements flowing like a violent ballet. Landing from her evasive flip, Zaeya clasped her hands quickly, summoning the phantom image of a giant yellow aura spirit Phoenix above. The phoenix screeched, unleashing a volley of dark yellow fire spells towards Raiya. Each pearl Raiya released now had to intercept these spells, causing mid-air explosions that showered the clearing with sparkling debris and chilling soil.
Zaeya chuckled, "Haha! The Rose Blossom. A cursed technique used by the Tribe of Peppen. The people in your tribe worshiped Zephyra, Goddess of Winds and Change. The witches your people tag-teamed with cursed your techniques of wind and change turned them into a darker power, more fierce, more powerful. Because the village was already weak, which made other villages come to your village to see the witches for more power against raiders and bandits, plunderers and all that. The flow of your dance, your hands are channeling the winds around you, adding more power and speed to your attacks. The strand of your hair, you changed it to become something you hold dear, pearls. The pearls under your gown, I see them. Guess they came from those witches we killed—."
"You know nothing! You don't know anything!l"
"But thennnnn, someone went crazy a few days after, and their eyes decimated the entire village."
"Shut up!"
'Stop…please stop…'
Zaeya, utilizing her agility, closed in rapidly on Raiya, wielding her Karambits in a lethal dance of her own. Spiraling slashes cut through the air, aiming for Raiya's critical points. Raiya swirled her body, dodging deftly, her dance reaching a crescendo as she flicked a pearl which exploded right next to Zaeya, sending her hurtling through several of the diamond-flowers, her outfit tearing at the seams. Zaeya recovered, blood dripping from a shallow cut across her cheek, her eyes burning with unrestrained fury. She lunged forward, slashing in a complex pattern, her daggers drawing arcs of ominous intent. Raiya pirouetted, her own blood drawing a crimson line across her arm from a graze, each turn releasing a pearl, setting off a series of explosions that rocked the clearing, throwing shards of ice and flower petals into the stormy air. Half-stunned by the barrage, Zaeya gritted her teeth and leapt high, throwing both Karambits into the side of two trees, teleporting swiftly between them at speed, creating a disorienting effect. Raiya, focusing her dance through the chaos, unleashed a whirlwind dance, pearls flying faster, their impacts growing more destructive, cratering the once pristine clearing, but Zaeya dodged them.
'She knows nothing…she knows nothing….it was an accident…I didn't mean to…I didn't want to…it was an accident!' Raiya thought. 'I wanted more power…from the witches…to defend against the assassins…we heard rumors they would arrive in the village..I wanted to be more prepared for them…but I wasn't strong enough…I didn't mean any harm by wanting more power..!'
Zaeya then thought, 'She's trying to keep distance…she knows assassins are more skilled at close range. She's been taught to combat us. I'm getting in her head, so she was the one who wiped out the rest of her tribe with her curse. Rumors had it that the assassins of the Crow didn't fully kill the witches in their tribe, some ran and hid. This one is wearing a blindfold, so she's the one who did it…'
In a rapid shift, Zaeya appeared above Raiya, diving down with a roundhouse kick charged with a yellow aura, her descent like a comet. Raiya stopped her dance momentarily, catching Zaeya's leg with both hands, redirecting the energy with a throw that sent Zaeya crashing against a tree trunk, the impact echoing through the forest, birds scattering into the gray sky.
'Tch! She predicted where I'd be? Haha, she's good. But she was definitely trained to fight against us.'
As Zaeya staggered to her feet, Raiya charged, her entire being a fusion of elegance and death. Zaeya spun, narrowly dodging a pearl aimed at her head, instead taking the explosion at her side which tore through her sackcloth, revealing a deep gash. Zaeya extended a hand, summoning back her Karambits automatically to her palms. Raiya reacted instantly, a sharp turn releasing a pearl that detonated directly above them, showering them with ice cold rain and flower petals.
'She's trying to create a visual cover, smart. But she has to use it before her opponent does.'
Zaeya, using the momentary visual cover, darted forward, her Karambits spinning in a spectacle of deadly artistry. Raiya, sensing the incoming danger, slid under Zaeya, her dancefloor now marked by scorched earth and ice, sending a final pearl upward that ripped through the canopy of trees, letting a surge of snow blanket the area, and Zarywd leaped over it, twisting, and slashed her karambit like an X, slashing Raiya across the cheek.
Raiya grunted, getting even angrier.
Zaeya then unleashed a flurry of blind slashes while Raiya, concentrating on her internal rhythm, dodged silently, her footsteps leaving intricate patterns in the snowy carpet. As visibility returned, Zaeya found Raiya seemingly gone. Suddenly, Raiya emerged from a burst of snow, her hands aimed like spears toward Zaeya's chest. Quick as a flash, Zaeya crossed her blades, blocking the attack, the metal clashing with a spark. With their faces just inches apart, Raiya whispered a silent mantra, her next dance move a feint that left Zaeya exposed. Raiya's hand struck out, fast and hard, connecting with Zaeya's abdomen, pushing her back with the force of the blow.
Both warriors, now standing amongst the ruins of beauty, faced each other; clothes tattered, bodies scarred. Zaeya just stood there now, and Raiya's dance reached its peak, pearls swirling faster, her body moving like a storm.
Raiya said, dashing forward, left, then right with a slice with her hand, "I'll end this here—."
SHHHHIIIING!
Blood splashed in the air, and it was Raiya's blood. Raiya dropped to her knees, breathing heavily, thinking, 'How…what happened?'
Zaeya was holding her black sword that she had embedded in the ground earlier.
Zaeya said, "Phew! That was fun, actually. You definitely were taught to fight against us. But you don't pay attention."
"You…you left the sword in the ground, and fought me with your own…weapons…"
"The sword was cultivating off the wounds I suffered. A skill called Tet. The black sword, the katana, cultivated the wounds I suffered from you and once I suffered enough, I can use its skill called Limitless Tet. The more wounds I had, the faster my strike would be, so fast your ass couldn't see it. That's why I didn't even touch it until now. I don't put shit in places for no reason."
"….Do it."
"Do what?"
"Do what assassins do…you're all the same. I hate all of you. A bunch of killers."
"Harboring so much hate in your heart will not find you a husband, woman. And let me tell you something: The Crow does not kill those who threaten the lives of others. They believe no one is innocent, everyone is evil. The crow killed witches in your village, to avoid curses from touching down on others that were seeking power like you. Now you're cursed. The assassins tried to prevent your case from touching anyone else."
"I know…I'm worthless. With this power I have, I can still see, but my vision is blurry…I can't see who will ever love me, or who will ever forgive me for what I did."
"Welp, that's sad and all, but I'll let you ponder on that when I send you to hell."
Raiya slowly stood up, her legs shaking, and she clenched her fists, "Put the sword down, fight for real."
"Hand to hand combat?! Haha! You're fun!"
"You let me hurt you, just so you can show off that skill…"
"You're smarter than you act. Maybe I'm too flashy sometimes. I could've killed you the second I saw you, but everyone from the Crow knew how much I loved to make a scene. Zabriel even knew."
"I know..but let's fight without the bullshit."
"Fine then! Have it your way! This is the best way to end this!"
Raiya was breathing heavily, but she calmed her breathing down, the slash earlier causing internal damage, but Raiya did her best to ignore it
Standoff broken, Raiya lunged forward with a vicious right hook, her knuckles aimed straight for Zaeya's jaw. Zaeya moved her head just in time, the punch grazing her cheek, leaving a trail of blood as she countered with a swift uppercut to Raiya's ribs. The sound of the impact resonated in the clearing, a harsh reminder of the stakes of their battle. Zaeya then spun, utilizing her momentum to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick to Raiya's side. The force knocked Raiya sideways, but she rolled on landing, absorbing the impact with a graceful tuck and returned to her feet in a fluid motion. Spinning towards Zaeya, Raiya unleashed a flurry of jabs, each aiming for weak spots known only to seasoned fighters.
Zaeya blocked the jabs with crossed forearms, the blows thumping against her bones. She countered, thrusting her elbow towards Raiya's face. The impact made a harsh crack as it connected with Raiya's cheek, sending a spray of blood onto the nearby flowers, now trampled and broken from their melee. Recoiling from the elbow strike, Raiya touched her face, feeling the warm blood that now stained her hand. Angered, she charged with a renewed ferocity, tackling Zaeya around the waist and driving her back. The pair crashed through the remnants of the shattered floral and icy ground, leaving a chaotic trail in their wake.
On the ground, the fight turned into grapples and locks. Zaeya managed to pin Raiya momentarily, driving a knee into her back. But Raiya, evoking the flexibility of her dance, twisted out from under Zaeya, reversing their positions and pinning Zaeya's arms to the ground. She hammered down a solid punch directly onto Zaeya's sternum, eliciting a grunt of pain from the assassin.
Rolling away from Raiya, Zaeya got to her feet first, only to meet Raiya's rising kick that connected with her stomach, forcing the air from her lungs in a violent whoosh. Zaeya doubled over, caught off guard, but she quickly composed herself.
Zaeya swung her fist in a wide arc, aiming to connect with Raiya's temple. Raiya ducked under the swing, planting her own fist into Zaeya's abdomen. Zaeya folded momentarily around the punch, coughing. Yet, she caught Raiya's arm, twisting it behind her back and forcing Raiya downward into a kneel with a painful jerk, and then rammed her knee in Raiya's face over and over, laughing at the same time.
Using all her strength, Raiya stood, lifting Zaeya partially off the ground with the arm still held behind her. In a desperate move, she flipped Zaeya over her shoulder. Zaeya landed hard, her back hitting the frozen ground, cracking the ice beneath her with the impact. She groaned, the air filled with the vapor of their breaths as snow began to fall softly around them.
They rose simultaneously, faces bloody, clothing torn, and eyes blazing with the unspoken acknowledgment of each other's capability. With a feral yell, Raiya charged, leading with a devastating knee aimed at Zaeya's chest. Zaeya parried to the side, catching Raiya's leg, and twisting fiercely, planning to throw Raiya off balance.
Instead, Raiya used the motion to spin, disengaging her leg and utilizing the momentum to land a spinning back fist. Zaeya's head snapped to the side with the force of the blow, a fine spray of blood arcing beautifully in the filtered light. But Zaeya leaped and twisted in the air, kicking Raiya across the face, blood spraining for her mouth as well. Both stood, slightly swaying, the brutal montage of their carnage marking the ground around them, bodies bruised, and breath heavy, each waiting for the other to make the next move in their deadly dance.
Zaeya chuckled, "That's it..that's it…I haven't had this much fun in a long time!"
Raiya, aware that direct brutality was not yielding results quickly enough against an opponent of Zaeya's caliber, shifted her strategy. With calculated precision, she began a series of lightning-fast dashes around Zaeya, her movements almost a blur, each step conducted with the elegance of a practiced dance. Electric anticipation hung heavy in the icy air, as Raiya sought the openings for her strikes.
'I can get her now. I know I said no bullshit..but her arrogance is pissing me off. I'll catch her off guard. I'll do her like I did that bandit from the river.'
Launching forward, Raiya's fingers jabbed accurately at Zaeya's shoulder joint, a known pressure point. Almost instantaneously, as her fingers made contact, small red roses began to burst from the contact spots, a mystical side-effect of her unique technique. However, Zaeya, not paused by the element of surprise, quickly pulled out one of her yellow-tinted karambits.
Zaeya said, "Boooo. You said no tricks! No bullshit! Can't even keep your word—."
With near-supernatural speed and precision, Zaeya swung her curved blade, slicing through the air and severing the blossoming roses. The petals fell to the ground around her like a bloody rain, their fragrance a sharp contrast to the violence of the conflict. Raiya was already moving to another point, her feet barely touching the ground, a graceful peril. Another dash, another precise jab—this time to Zaeya's knee. As soon as Raiya's fingers left her skin, another rose began to blossom, glowing light red against Zaeya's dark attire. Without hesitation, Zaeya, drawing another karambit with her free hand, slashed at the flowering bud, the swift blade cutting through the fledgling rose, and dropping its fragments to meld with the snow.
Zaeya thought, 'She's fighting desperately…she really wants to end me…'
Under Raiya's blindfold, tears fell, and her lips were trembling as she kept attacking, and she kept thinking about her village, her eyes glowing as everything melted in front of her.
Raiya, circling Zaeya once more, was a spectacle of fluid motion, every muscle and sinew finely tuned for combat. She feinted to the left and then struck a pressure point on Zaeya's elbow. Immediately, another rose began to sprout, its thorns sharp and menacing. Anticipating the growth, Zaeya twisted her arm, presenting the rose to her ready karambit, her arm moving with blistering alacrity to shred the rose and several others budding in its place. The petals, shorn from their stems, caught in a violent whirl, created a flurry of red that surrounded Zaeya like a storm.
'These roses…she's been trained by someone who worshiped Terrathor: God of Earth and Growth. Learning their skills and adding it to her cursed power already gives her a boost. The roses seem like they're meant to suck the soul energy from someone and combust at a fast rate to cause internal combustions. That's so broken if used against someone who's not as fast as me.'
Fuelled by more than just necessity, Raiya continued her methodical assault, now striking two points simultaneously — one on Zaeya's back and another near her ankle. As the roses began their rapid growth from these points, Zaeya performed a spectacular spinning maneuver. Her karambits extended on each side, she became a lethal top, blades slashing meticulously through each burgeoning bloom.
Zaeya exclaimed, "Stop getting desperate! You won't win this!"
Zaeya's face was set in grim determination, her movements a testament to her devastating speed and control. As Raiya attempted another set of jabs, this time targeting the nape and opposite rib, Zaeya, through sheer force of will and agility, managed to catch Raiya's wrists, stopping her mid-strike.
Using Raiya's brief pause to her advantage, Zaeya pulled her close, their faces inches apart, and with a swift motion, used her karambit to slice off an emerging rose close to Raiya's hand. The message was clear: she could turn Raiya's technique against her.
As Raiya executed her series of strikes, Zaeya, despite the pain of bursting blooms, managed a cruel smile and a final, sweeping slash with her karambit. This time, the blade moved in a blinding arc, slicing through each new rose at its base, the air around her filled with the rich, iron scent of crushed petals and resilience.
The confrontation breathed a shared heaviness, both warriors understanding the depths of the other's capabilities. Raiya, the dancer of destruction, faced Zaeya, the swift sculptor of survival, each an echo of the other's ferocity and finesse, shrouded in a cascade of severed roses and dripping blood.
Raiya dropped to her knees again, saying, "I'm not done yet.."
"You're blaming us for something the witches did to you."
"Your people didn't just kill the witches…but my grandmother too."
"The tribe leader was helping the witches curse the other villages for supplies, she was charging them. People desperately wanted power to add to their little ass tribes, and they got cursed like you. She had to die."
"But she still loved me..the only one who did.."
"…"
The fierce winter's calm that domed over the extraordinary diamond garden shattered suddenly as the sounds of clashing metal and furious shouts pierced the air. In the midst of their tense standoff, Raiya and Zaeya looked up abruptly as a violent cacophony of snow, rocks, and elemental fury cascaded through the sky above them.
KATHHOOM!
Zaeya and Raiya looked up.
Zabriel, his cloak whipping behind him in the blizzard's wind, was locked in a vicious aerial battle with Kelgade. His scythe, ablaze with swirling flames of multiple hues, shadows, and an ominous dark green aura, was savagely embedded into Kelgade's stout armor. The clang of strained metal sang into the air as Kelgade, undeterred by the severe wound, managed to thrust his sword deep into Zabriel's torso, the blade glistening with a sinister frost.
Kelgade yelled, "You can't wound me, I'm nothing but armor, fool!"
Zabriel replied, "….Stop yelling."
The surprising appearance of these fierce warriors caught Zaeya off-guard, her stern face registering shock and confusion. "Zabriel...Kelgade?!" she exclaimed, her hardened eyes widening as she recognized the warriors locked in their deadly dance. Without a moment's hesitation—her instincts as a assassin kicking in—Zaeya leaped into action, dashing toward the chaos that unfolded above. Her form, a blur of speed and resolve, sliced through the plummeting snow that followed the fighters' wild path through the storm.
"I have to stop them from killing each other!"
Raiya said, "You're not leaving.."
"….Ugh. They're both my brothers. We grew up together, took down targets on missions, growing up with the Crow, we only had each other. I came here for a reason. To lead an assassin through Arga and enter the memories of the founders of the Crow. But Zabriel came instead, and I've been needing to see him for a long time. And now Kelgade is here too..maybe things can be different now. I thought Zabriel was dead. You're strong, help me catch them."
"…I won't help an assassin."
"You're helping Kelgade aren't you?" Zaeya dashed off, leaving Raiya alone in the field of diamond flowers in the midst of the blizzard.
'I don't know what to think anymore…'
KATHOOM!
The snow exploded, and everyone was blasted back, even Raiya and Zaeya. And Zabriel and Kelgade came rushing in. The blizzard made the destruction worse.
Seconds later, Zabriel was laying on the ground, and his mask was off, and Raiya was on top of him, and her blindfold was off. Her eyes were revealed, they were bright pink, with white stars in them, they were mesmerizing and beautiful. Raiya gasped, looked right into Zabriel's eyes.
Zaeya noticed this, saying, "Shit…!"
Kelgade sat up, saying, "What's that mean? Move, Raiya or whatever your name is—!"
Zaeya said, "Cover her eyes! Get her blindfold she'll kill everyone!"
"Dammit!"
Raiya looked at Zabriel even longer, saying, "Why..are you not dying…?"