You mustn't forget what transpired today. This anger you feel, the emotions that dwell deep beneath your skin. You must use it all. You cannot control it now, but one day, when the time is right, those emotions can be used for good. To reach the end that you desire, you must remember how it began. Now chase it. Become the you that you once were. Once you do, you can become a new you.
???: "Holy shit."
As the man and his comrades sat in their seats, a giant explosion could be heard in the distance. Turning to where they heard the sound, they quickly realized that it came from deep within the forest.
???: "Gil, sir. The explosion that just occurred, it appears to be in the general direction of the Wynak household."
Gil: "That house is several miles away. The only way we would've heard a sound from that far is if something immensely powerful caused it. I made a promise to that man to keep his family safe, and I intend on keeping it. Imbra, gather all the forces we have here and have them prepare to enter the forest. In the meantime, I will contact the Angeena base for backup."
Imbra: "Whoa, sir. Isn't that where our god of water is stationed at the moment? Do you intend on calling him here?"
Gil: "If nothing else, my ability to sense danger is second to none. And right now, I get the feeling Dayama is the bare minimum requirement. He owes me one too, so I'm sure he'll be here in no more than an hour."
Imbra: "Got it, sir."
The platoon that was stationed at the edge of the Koyako Forest was quite small, but Gil was quite the seasoned veteran, and his strength was no joke. As Gil and his platoon made their way into the forest, towards the Wynak household, Isaac was struggling to process the events that had just transpired.
Isaac: "Don't cry Klein. I'm going to make sure I save you. Just trust me on this one. Please."
With his determination to save the last person he could, Isaac began searching through his memories that might be of help to him in this moment.
Right. Hagen said he would pack some supplies for my journey in the morning. If I can find where he left it, I might be able to find some sort of map.
Isaac began rummaging through the rubble, while his nose constantly reminded him of the death that surrounded him. For his sake, he needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Staying there any longer would continue to wane his determination down, and he knew that it was absolutely unacceptable to fail now. Eventually, he was able to find the luggage that was prepared for him inside the room Eleanor and Hagen were staying in. As he began looking inside, he saw all of the things the family had given him as a sending off gift. Hagen's cooking, some knitted gloves from Elise, Axel's favorite romance novel, and solid gold ring from Eleanor. They had all took their time to give something special to Isaac, and yet Isaac could do nothing but sleep as the house was slaughtered. Pushing that to the back of his head, Isaac dug deeper into the bag and eventually found the map he so desired.
Isaac: "Going off of this, the closest town from here is Mykitas to the northwest. That must be where Heimann went for the medicine. The sun is coming up by now, so he should be making his way here soon. If I can meet him along the way, maybe he could—."
As he thought about it more, he realized that he was not prepared to confront Heiman if he were to see him. Isaac couldn't fathom being the one to tell him that his entire family, apart from his baby brother, had been murdered in cold blood. More importantly, now that Hagen was dead, the camouflage protecting both the house and Heiman's coat was gone, meaning that there was a chance that demons would soon be making their way towards them.
Looking closer at the map, there is a patrol base just north of here, about 10 miles away. If I can get Klein to safety there, and then send guards to protect Heiman, my purpose here will have been fulfilled. Just wait a little longer, Heiman. I will save the two of you.
Isaac quickly grabbed Klein out of his crib, which peculiarly was the only thing in the house which was unscathed in the aftermath. After doing so, he would rap him in all the blankets that he could, grabbing all the supplies he thought he might need for the journey north.
Thinking back, the chains that adorned me when I first entered this home, they have to be in my room somewhere. They were sharp and hurt like hell, but it's the best thing I can think of to protect myself.
He quickly searched the room he was staying in, and inside was able to find the metallic chains quite easily. Before heading out, he quickly dug in his bag one last time, grabbing the compass inside as well as the ring gifted to him by Eleanor.
Isaac: "And to think I never got to thank you for this. I'm so, so sorry."
Placing it on his finger, he would make his way north, on his journey to find ones capable of saving those he wished to save.
Heiman: "God, this sucks. Having to travel all the way out here in the freezing cold, does dad really have no care for me at all? Plus, my back is killing me from having to sleep on the couch every night. When I get back there, I swear I'm gonna force Isaac to give back my room."
Making his way back from the village, Heiman slowly dragged himself across the snow, going at a speed that would have him getting back at night. He was carrying tons of herbs and medicine on his back, with the weight so grueling that his back was giving out. He had only been gone for a day and a half, but he was evidently tired from exhaustion and lack of sleep.
Heiman: "They better send Isaac to do this next time. I'll even go with him as long as he carries all the stuff back. Being the mule of the family is honestly just the worst."
As he walked, he heard a gust of wind behind him.
Somethings wrong.
Picking up a strange smell behind him, Heiman quickly stopped in his tracks. His once expressive demeanor quickly turned to a stoic one.
Heiman: "How can you see me?"
???: "I can smell you too, you know. Such a delectable meal, I haven't seen food this enticing come to the forest in decades."
Is this demon really that strong? Or did dad drop the camouflage on the coat? I guess it doesn't really matter either way.
Heiman, calm as ever, stuck his hand out to the exact direction the demon was located, not even turning around to look at it.
???: "Are you begging me to stop? I can make your death painless as long as you stand still, although humans do taste better eaten alive."
As it said that, the demon lunged forward, with such speed and force that it could puncture even the strongest of armors. In a split second, it closed the distance of 100 meters to 1.
Heiman: "Sword of Song. Return."
???: "KUH!"
In an instant, a blade pierced through the demon, eviscerating it instantly. All that was left was the sound of a whistle, and the sword stood upright in the snow where the demon once stood. Heiman slowly took the bag off of his back, laying it on the floor beside him. With the sword sitting perfectly straight, Heiman squatted atop the crossguard.
Heiman: "Now, why don't the rest of you come out now. You pathetic beings have the nerve to attack me."
???: "You may be strong, but have you ever fought a pack of wolves ravished by hunger? That smell on you, it's the same as the blood we picked up down south."
Blood?
Heiman: "Elaborate."
???: "Us demons can smell the blood of kin. The smell you exude, there's no doubt in my mind it's the same as the blood we smelled. Half of our pack was starving, so I sent them to get whatever scraps they can get from the bodies. However, I am of the mindset that a predator must only eat the food which he has earned. Once I'm done here, I'll make sure to not even leave bones."
In a flash, Heiman was surrounded on all sides, with the demons launching themselves from nearby trees, aiming directly at him. There were about 20 of them dashing towards him. No, there was much more than that. Heiman sensed at least 50 more waiting for their turn.
Heiman: "With mom and dad home, you all stand no chance on that front. I'm sure they're safe. In the meantime, though...."
Heiman placed his hand on the hilt of the sword, and a sudden rush of strength poured from his arm into it, crushing the ground beneath him. Shockwaves from the blow sent all the demons flying backwards, and as the dust and snow settled, the melancholic attitude Heiman was showing quickly changed with a grin on his face.
Heiman: "LETS HAVE A BATTLE BALLAD!"
Elsewhere, Isaac was running north, carrying the small boy he wished to save. He had made it to around the halfway point, but his stamina was beginning to run out. Despite his brief rest, his body had not yet fully recovered from the 4 weeks he went without sleep. Regardless, Isaac had resolved himself to save Klein, even if it meant giving his own life.
???: "Where do you think you're going?"
A gust of wind shot out towards Isaac, launching him backwards into a tree. Coughing up blood, he made sure Klein had not been injured in the aftermath. Luckily, Isaac had taken most of the blow, leaving Klein in a good state. Relieved, Isaac grabbed the child and laid him down to the side.
Isaac: "Who's there? It's rude to attack someone without announcing your presence. Introduce yourself first."
In reality, Isaac was trying to gain some seconds to collect his thoughts, discern where the threat was, and calm his breathing.
???: "You're correct, I guess. I'm Rin, the demon empress."
Isaac: "Is that so."
As soon as he heard the voice coming from behind a tree in the distance, Isaac readied the chain on his hip, launching it in the appropriate direction. It went past its target, and with a simple tug, it returned back and wrapped itself around the tree.
Rin: "Impressive stuff."
Isaac: "Huh?"
The voice appeared right behind him, followed by a lethal strike aimed for his chest. Isaac kicked off the ground, barely dodging the attack, but before he could land, Rin was waiting with her hand stuck out in front of her.
So, she's using the tip of her fingers as an attack. The power she's imbuing in them; there's no doubt that those attacks could easily pierce my skin.
Isaac mustered up all the strength he had and pulled on his chain, ripping the tree it was attached to and launching it towards Rin, sending her flying in the process.
Isaac: "Shit. I think I just dislocated my shoulder."
Rin: "I apologize. I glanced at your current state, and due to it I appear to have underestimated you."
Walking out from the dust was Rin, appearing to have taken minimal damage from the attack. She had beautiful pale skin, and her body radiated a white mist all throughout.
Isaac: "No way. What are you?"
Rin: "As I said, I'm the demon empress. I rule over the demons who reside here in this forest, and I have come here to find food for my loyal subjects. As for you, well, I don't seem to care who you are at all. Just stand still and die."
Saying that, Rin let out a deep exhale, her mouth exuding more of the mist that had been surrounding her body. The mist began surrounding her, and to Isaac it was clear what was happening. A power boost.
Isaac: "Seriously?"
Rin poured all her force into her right leg, shooting herself off the floor and towards Isaac. Knowing he must act, Isaac grabbed ahold of his chain and launched it at her face. It should've been a direct hit, but a gust of wind shot out to her side, launching her slightly to the right and enough to dodge the attack.
She can change her trajectory at a moment's notice. This is bad.
She balled her hand into a fist, punching Isaac right at the core, sending him flying backwards.
Isaac: "Kuh. How am I supposed to win this?"
Standing up as fast as he could, Isaac could tell he had taken a large amount of internal damage. His insides felt hot, and blood was seeping through the sides of his mouth. Even so, he knew that he must not lose this fight, so he grabbed his chains and readied himself once again. He wrapped the chains around his fingers in the shape of brass knuckles, and although the sharp edges dug deep into his skin, he did not pay heed to the pain he felt.
Rin: "Fascinating."
She once again readied her legs and launched herself, this time not directly towards him, but to the trees surrounding them. Each tree she kicked off of would shatter, sending them tumbling down.
Isaac: "Shit. I can't keep up."
Rin kicks off the final tree, this time aiming directly at his back. Isaac senses it at the last moment, kicking off the ground to quickly turn, but is unable to fully dodge the attack. Her hand pierces through his left shoulder, but as she goes to take her arm out, she realizes its stuck. Isaac focused his energy on keeping her stuck in that position and then poured his strength into a punch to her liver.
Rin: "Guh."
As she fell to the ground, Isaac readied his left hand for another punch, but it would not budge.
Isaac: "Damnit, I can't win this with only one hand."
Rin raised her hand to her mouth. The air around her shuddered, forcing its way back into her lungs. After a short pause, she took a sharp breath, and returned to her battle stance.
Rin: "Damn asshole."
She pointed her hand towards Isaac, and as he went in for the finishing right hook, a burst of wind sent him flying back.
Isaac: "Kyuh. Damnit."
I can't close the distance or shell blast me away. I can't just sit and wait for another attack either. I've gotta figure out what that damn ability is.
He deduced that the aura around her was just that. It made her presence overwhelming, which in most cases helped her in killing the spirits of her foes. In this case though, it helped him react to her attacks, being able to sense her without seeing her. Despite that, the speed she had was simply too much to handle. He could neither parry nor dodge the attacks completely. Add to that her ability to dodge midair and his crippled left arm.
Wait, what was that thing she did on the ground? The air around us felt heavy, then it suddenly rushed towards her mouth. Could it be air manipulation? Or wind magic?
As Isaac collected his thoughts, Rin launched herself towards him, placing her hand on his face, followed shortly by an immense pressure that sent him crashing to the ground. Despite the damage, Isaac launched his chain around her, crushing her stomach as he pulled on the end of it.
Rin: "You sure love to swing around these lousy chains."
Saying that, a burst of wind pushed out from her sides, liberating her from its grasp. As Isaac tried to stand up and breathe, he realized the air around him became impossible to breathe. It was heavy and dry. As the pressure grew around him, he grabbed his chains and slammed them on the ground around him, swinging them around to create space and some cover. Able to get out of her line of sight for a second, he dashed away behind some trees to regain his composure. In the distance, he could hear the cries of Klein, and so he knew he had to finish the battle as soon as he could.
With the touch of her hand, it's like she's cutting through air itself. Even when she barely touched my face, the pressure was still fierce enough to send me down. Even when I stood up, it felt like the atmosphere where she had touched created a pocket that was hard to breathe in.
Rin: "I hate a fight where the opponent runs and hides. If I have to, I'll destroy this entire forest until I find where you are."
The surrounding air once again became hard to breathe, like sharp needles piercing his lungs. Isaac's breaths became erratic, his ears started ringing, and his chest began to tighten. The wind stopped. The snow that was falling felt scared to hit its destination. Everything was completely still. He knew. She was waiting for one sound. Once she found him, he would lose.
Quickly. I need something. Quickly.
As he was deep in thought, his body began to feel immensely hot. A fire was burning inside of him, one that he did not understand. Upon opening his eyes, he caught a glimpse of the ring on his finger beginning to glow with intense heat. Even surrounded by the harsh winter cold, his burning desire to win would not yield. An opportunity had come. If the ring did what he thought it did, he might have found his only shot at winning. He readied himself for the final duel and dashed away from where he stood.
Rin: "Found you."
Her eyes quickly glanced in his direction. In an instant, the pressure of the world returned, and it slammed onto Isaac all at once, a feeling as if a building had been placed above him. It crushed his bones. It compressed everything around him violently. Despite this, he realized what she was doing. She wasn't just manipulating the wind around her; she was actively creating pockets of hyper-compressed air wherever she touched. Her hands and her feet were her catalyst. He knew what he needed to win.
Rin: "In the end, you didn't live up to the potential I placed on you. When I fought Hagen all those years ago, I was able to go all out. Compared to him, you're just sad."
She launched herself at him one last time, placing her hand on his chest and crushing his ribs. The pocket expanded throughout the area, and everything around them tore apart and was crushed by the immense pressure building. Everything seemed to be bending towards them.
I can't breathe, damnit.
His body was beginning to give out. Without a breath, he could not meet the conditions he needed to win.
Rin: "Ahhhh, how cute. The way you claw at your neck in desperation, knowing fully well it's no use. You're no good. I can't consume someone who dared lay their filthy hands on me. So instead, I'll fill myself up with that annoying child who keeps crying. As for you, I'll destroy you and everything around until there's nothing left!"
The pocket around them expanded to its limit, and the pressure only grew more intense.
How can she breathe in this air? Wait. When I punched her in her liver, she seemed to swallow a burst of air. Plus, when she placed the pocket around my head, she was able to use another one simultaneously around her to push my chains away. Is she keeping a pocket inside her lungs to maintain her breathing normally?
This would be his last chance. The force of her fist continued to push down on his ribs and organs, crushing them with every second that passed. He needed to act now.
Rin: "Huh?"
Isaac wrapped his arms around her, using the last of his strength to push himself towards her face. In the brief moment of hesitation, Isaac used it to his advantage and placed his lips around hers, forcing open an entry and inhaling with all the power he had. He looked at her, coughing violently with a smile on his face.
Isaac: "I win."
Rin: "Scum. You dare defile me more than you already have."
She clenched her other fist once again and sent a devastating blow to his stomach. Coughing up blood, Isaac readied himself, refusing to let go of her body. A flow of intense heat filled his soul, and it swiftly moved towards his finger.
Eleanor: "Set the world ablaze."
Isaac: "Ig...nite."
The smallest spark came out from the ring he bore, and as his arm wrapped around the backside of Rin, the world around them began to collapse on itself. A violent shockwave rippled through the atmosphere, trees moving towards the center, then being violently pushed away. Everything was decimated in the vicinity. The pressure was building up, and with the ignition from the ring, Isaac knew he could use that to win. The blast was heard even further than the one before, a testament to what Isaac could do despite his lack of strength.
Isaac: "I've got to save him."
Isaac inched his way closer to the crying Klein. His left arm was dislocated and had a whole through the shoulder, while his right was completely mangled in the aftermath of the explosion. He barely had any energy left, yet he knew his mission was not yet over. He readied himself, then proceeded to ram his left side against a nearby tree to put his arm back in place.
Isaac: "GUUHHH. SHIT. I'm okay. I can die after I get to the base. Just a little more."
Rin: "Where...do you...think you're going?"
Isaac: "You're kidding. What kind of monster are you?"
Rin: "Die!"
Rin, with the last bit of her strength, sent out an orb of pressurized air so fierce it could tear right through his body as if it were paper. Isaac couldn't dodge it. He knew his time had come.
Gil: "Seems you need a little help there, kid. You can rest now. As for you, Rin, you sure love avoiding death, don't you? This time, I'll make sure to finish you off for good."
Rin: "WAI—."
In the splittist of seconds, her body was completely atomized, not even leaving a trace.
Gil: "Now then. How about I get to asking you some questions."