by Greg Ramsay
Leader form Lia grabbed the kynari from the ground. Lia’s other hand had formed claws that were sharper than any knife. He suddenly attacked, lightning fast, feet almost never touching the ground. He moved so fast it was as if her body had disappeared. He cut through one of the creatures with the kynari, nearly blowing its head apart with the force of the strike. He grabbed the carcass and threw it, bowling down four charging creatures. Before they could hit the ground, Leader form Lia was behind one in a flash, stabbing through its spine. He decapitated another with a swing of his clawed hand then kicked the other into the air. He jumped up in pursuit, stabbing the kynari’s tip into it along with his claws. He yanked his arms apart ripping the creature’s chest cavity open in one movement. The tendrils that encased its innards were severed from the carcass leaving its innards raining down on the bodies of its brethren.
Lia could hear the agonizing death moan of the creature as the Leader threw it to the ground. He dropped down on top of it, silencing its moaning cries by stabbing the kynari through its throat, before decapitating it with his clawed hand. The few that remained roared as they charged, only to have their skulls either stabbed or crushed, depending on which arm they were closest to. Abruptly Lia was pulled from her third person state, finding herself back in the void. Her eyes were staring into the eyes she had seen through moments before. The death she rained down on the creatures... that he rained down. She wasn’t in control of herself.
She could still feel his power flowing like a thick suppressing tide in her veins. She looked at the mask, Give me back my body! Her words couldn’t reflect her rage or fear.
He looked at her, crookedly bemused. Is that how you thank me for saving you, weakling?! Do you not see the difference in our power? You are nothing!
Focusing hard, Lia could feel her body starting to respond to her, so she tried to reach her face. She grabbed the mask, and with all her will, she began pulling. Ya, that explains why I beheaded YOU! she shouted as she pulled. The mask began to crack.
Only because I allowed it, worthless girl. I saved you, without me you’re nothing, I’M IN CHARGE!! the Leader yelled.
I SAID GIVE ME BACK MY BODY! Lia yelled as she ripped the mask from her face, throwing it to ground.
When it hit the ground the mask shattered, disappearing like dust in the wind. The Leader’s dark armour immediately began receding into Lia’s body again. It broke into pieces, hissing back into her flesh as though angry. She looked down at her left hand as the claws dulled, shrunk, and disappeared with the armour. She looked around the dusty field outside her new store home, only to see countless eviscerated, decapitated, stabbed, sliced, and shredded black carcasses laying strewn in a circle around her. She knew she had to leave before more of them came, just as she now knew he’d try to take over again. She wanted to avoid that happening until she could figure out how to control his power, or at least restrain him. She wasn’t sure she could even do that. It took all her strength to regain control of herself from him the first time as it was. She wondered if she would be able to supress him again if he got stronger.
It was as if he heard her; he didn’t bring her to his world this time. She heard him whisper in her mind, get stronger, don’t let yourself die. If I have to save you again, I’ll end you girl!
Lia knew he wasn’t lying; she knew she had to do something. She walked down the road until she came upon a house. She entered the house, locking the door behind her. She felt she’d be safe for the night; the normal creatures weren’t smart enough to openly seek her. Yet they had amassed a great enough force to run her out of two places now. It was a conundrum, but it wasn’t what was most important to Lia. She knew she needed to face the Leader within her eventually, so she went into the house’s bedroom to get it over with.
As Lia thought he would, the Leader appeared in her dreams, and she wasted no time.
Ok, you’re gonna explain what you are and why the hell you’re inside me. Whether you like it or not, you’re in my body, and I’m the one who’s in charge. The Leader mask looked intrigued by her new attitude.
He replied, You want to learn my power, you want to control me? I am the power that saved you. Do you really think you can defeat me?
Lia countered, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could. I’ve already beat you once!
He laughed mockingly. Very well, I’ll allow you to see some of the potential you hold. The clouds of the void dissipated as his sentence ended.
Chapter 5 – World Within the Dream
Lia found herself standing in a dream version of the field where the battle took place against the horde. Lia looked down, finding her knife and kynari in her hands. She sheathed the knife in her belt, knowing it would be of no use against him now. She looked up and saw the Leader ten paces ahead with a black version of the kynari. He seemed stronger than he was when they fused. He laughed, growling, and said, Let’s go! Then he seemed to disappear.
As quickly as he was gone he appeared to her left, leaving Lia with barely enough time to block his strike. His kynari met hers with amazing force. She staggered. He just laughed. You can barely handle that, girl, how do you think you can beat me? You’re nowhere close to feeling my power!
Lia yelled, Shut up, would you?! I’m just getting warmed up. She gave him a determined smile as she wiped a drop of blood from her lip.
Are you really? he replied. Do you even know anything about that tool you hold?
Lia looked at him confused. Then she looked down at the device in her hand. The kynari was keener at its tips than any knife, with a golden body that never tarnished. The Leader laughed his cynical dark laugh.
He said, You really don’t know anything about its power, do you? You can’t even figure out how to bond with it can you?
Bond with it - its power - what the hell are you talking about?!? Lia replied angrily.
The Leader scowled. You weak minded fool! I’ll show you its power!
He held the black kynari in his fist horizontally just as she did. Suddenly power began to crackle at its tips. The power built at each tip like black lightning, waiting to explode free. He disappeared again, this time reappearing on her right. She swung to block him, but instead he pointed the power charged tip at her. Lia tried to move, but before she could evade him she heard him say release. The black energy exploded outward from the tip, slamming her in the gut. Lia was sent flying, tumbling, and rolling on the ground. She struggled to her feet, her body shaking from the force. All she could do was stare at him frightened.
What was that? she asked, still barely able to speak. The Leader smirked.
That is the kynari’s power, child. It absorbs inner energy and releases it amplified.
Lia smiled. It does eh? Let’s see how that works for me.
Lia held her kynari in her fist as she had seen the Leader do. She focused all her rage into its body. She watched amazed as red lightning began sparking out from its tips. The level of energy rivalled the Leader’s kynari; it revolved around the tips ready for release. Lia focused in on him and propelled herself forwards, towards him. She pointed her kynari towards him, yelling RELEASE.
Her red energy exploded out in his face, the force of her power hitting him at point blank range. The result shocked Lia. It caused the Leader to be blown clear across the field. He crashed helplessly through both sides of Lia’s shop before he hit the ground and stopped. Before he could rise, Lia was on top of him.
He brought his clawed hand around trying to cleave into the back of her neck. She jumped off to the side then jumped back away from him, her kynari poised in her fist. He rose, picked up his kynari; they turned to face each other. Both kynaris began to fill with energy.
You think you can beat me, child?! he yelled.
I will take your power and end you with it! she yelled back.
The Leader growled at her as he focused all his power into his kynari. The black lightning raged around the tips, forming a great energy cyclone around him as it built up. The p
ower grew so extreme, it caused clouds to disperse in the imagined battlefield. The air around him whipped up as the energy storm increased in ferocity, completely blocking him from view.
Lia focused all her rage into her kynari and the red lightning reformed. You’re right she said to the demonic cyclone in front of her. I can’t beat you, at least not with anger alone - but I told you once - I will not be defeated by you! She focused all her determination into her kynari with the rage that was already there. A red energy as strong as fire suddenly began to erupt from the tips overtaking the lightning. Her eyes reflected her releasing will as they began to glow red from the light of the energy building below. She smiled menacingly at the dark cyclone in her mind’s eye. With increased focus, the energy within her kynari finally radiated outward. Red energy like an autumn fire exploded into a sky splitting cyclone, whipping up the atmosphere around her. The combined power of the two cyclones displaced the remaining clouds as hers continued to expand.
She drew in all the power revolving around her; it formed itself like a giant red blade. Spinning her kynari in her hand, she gave it the last of her will. The body began to glow a brilliant gold. She hefted her glowing kynari like an energy sword then charged towards the Leader’s cyclone. Jumping into the air, she grabbed her kynari in both hands and slammed it directly into the dark mass. The two powers repulsed each other as their energies collided, exploding outwards and scorching the earth on both sides, as they tried to take the path of least resistance, both powers vying to overtake the other. Lia pulled back and struck again, and the Leader’s cyclone wavered. Another strike and she broke through. As she flew through the air towards him, he struck out at her discharging all his power in one blast. Quickly Lia swung her blade forward; it split the Leader’s energy wave in two. His split energy shot off to either side of her as she descended towards him. She struck him directly in the chest. The energy blade at her kynari’s tip exploded through him like a laser. He fell to the ground smoking.
Lia stood over him, her power still raging around her. The fire red waves radiated from her like an angel of death. The Leader grinned eerily as he said, Now you’ve begun to understand that tool’s true power.
Lia grimaced at him. Give me your power!! she commanded.
The Leader growled angrily, I’ll acknowledge you as queen for now. Be warned though, should you ever lose your battles I’ll be back, and If I have to come back, I will DESTROY YOU!! The Leader’s form began to smoulder, and blew away in the wind like ash discarded by a fire.
Chapter 6 – Living Nightmare
The dream field he generated disappeared. It was replaced by the void world she and the Leader shared until she awoke. She left the house she had commandeered, then continued down the road. She was heading toward the centre of Utah, to the main office of MiraiCorp. She didn’t know the distance she had to travel; she just knew she had to go. She was potentially the only human left in all of Utah, and for all she knew the world. Nagging curiosity drove her there in hopes of answers, if not a way to end the madness. First though, she needed to master the Leader’s abilities, which turned out to be a relatively easy task.
She discovered they were accessed by conscious thought, simply thinking what she wanted would bring the armour out. She also learned the Leader had more power than he’d previously exhibited, which confused her. Putting aside comparisons to their first fight versus his speed when they joined for now, Lia focused on what she could do. Not only could she bring out his armour, claws, speed, and strength, she could also consume other shifted – a term for the creatures that randomly popped into her head. It was a horridly grotesque act to commit, to bring out serrated tendrils from the armour then watch them rip into the remains of her victims drawing them into herself. The armour did the work for her; it absorbed the visceral sustenance of its target, somehow substituting it as energy for Lia. With this ability, she had no need for anything she once considered food if shifted were available; it freed her of the bother of trying to find some when supplies dwindled. Also, she could maintain her sense of decency by constantly wearing the armour, now her clothes were absolutely ruined – not that she cared. She was now confident enough not to care about modesty. Days of travelling, consuming, and fighting her way deeper into the city had finally paid off for her.
She saw large concrete office buildings in the horizon which even kilometres away, made the houses she had stayed in before pale in comparison. As she drew closer to the buildings, she found a disturbing sight: cars with roofs clawed open and peeled back like sardine cans. A few had crashed into buildings, some of them were smouldering. Any vehicles not ravaged by fire had dried blood in every crevice; now it was all that remained of their previous occupants. Lia saw money strewn all over the ground wherever she looked, as well as guns laying by the abandoned vehicles, mementos of greed and attempted survival that both ended in a painful death. The last failures of the humans in this crumbling city, Lia thought to herself.
As she walked three blocks farther, carefully scanning the buildings with her eyes as she went, she could see them. Shifted were scaling down from the roofs of the tall buildings like spiders, face first, watching her. Defying gravity itself, their slow creeping descent sent chunks of brick, mortar, glass, and concrete to the ground as their razor claws brought them toward her without fail. As those advancing towards her reached the ground, windows began to shatter in the buildings around them. More of them leapt through the windows to surround her; she was trapped. They emerged from the gaudy buildings that once dominated the urban city. She waited, but the creatures didn’t advance. They growled at her as though they were waiting. Suddenly they all backed away, creating an opening.
Lia suddenly felt three strong energy forces coming towards her fast, then they were upon her. Standing in front of her were three alphas, each looked even more menacing than the Leader within her. They raised their great clawed hands to their limit, showing their full eight-foot height. They bared their razor claws, daring her to come at them. Raising her kynari, Lia began building her red energy. The alphas joined in a melodious roar, then the lesser shifted charged at her.
She easily ran through them, letting herself dance among their slow attacks. She evaded and dispatched them with no effort. As they fought, each of the alphas seemed to adapt to her strength. Suddenly they joined their claws together to form large black scimitars that jutted out from their arms. As Lia was about to strike out at the first alpha, she found herself curiously standing in the void world. The Leader mask was smiling at her. She stared at him, angrily exclaiming, You’re gonna get me killed! There are three alphas out there about to cut me down!
He just laughed. Look through my eyes. Entering his viewpoint Lia saw her body weaving and dodging their lumbering strikes. The Leader mask brought her back into the void then said, I have your body under control.
Confusion marred her face for a moment, then she asked him. What do you want?
The Leader mask smirked with excitement as he said, The adaption, child! The swords they’ve created as a means to counter you. It’s amazing!
Lia looked at him shocked. Why are you happy about that? she exclaimed. That’ll just make them harder to kill, if they can adapt their swords to counter everything I do!
The Leader within her just shook his mask from side to side, as though he was shaking his head in mocking disappointment. Let me take over; they are a lumbering evolution. I can consume them, adapt it, and make us stronger! he said.
How? Lia asked.
You’ll see child, he replied.
Lia sighed at him. Fine, she said, but make it quick.
He just laughed menacingly. She assumed his viewpoint. Then she watched him release a tendril storm. Millions of razor spiked tendrils revolved into an impenetrable cyclone that separated the alphas. The tendrils broke their formation, parted by the shockwave of the Leader form’s power. They receded, freeing the resulting shockwave to topple office buildings. Sections of the jeopardized structur
es fell toward the surviving shifted and their alphas. Any lesser shifted that avoided Lia’s earlier rampage were crushed by falling pieces of destroyed structures. The alphas were unaffected; they leapt up sections as though they were airborne stairs, easily cleaving through sections they couldn’t avoid.
Leader form Lia didn’t bother to move; he simply spun the kynari above him. Lia’s energy was still coursing through it; he added his own to it. The combination red-black focused energy blade obliterated any sections of debris it encountered, then he charged towards the two alphas at once. He appeared instantaneously behind one, parting its upper body in two with one downward strike before swiftly decapitating another. Tendrils shot from the back of his armour, quickly tearing apart and absorbing the two alphas attempting to heal behind him. He swung the kynari’s blade toward the third alpha. The blade missed its mark. Leader form Lia was forced to dispatch it with his claws, but only succeeded in slicing off a chunk of its shoulder. Angered by his failed attack, he tossed the kynari into the air, impaled the enemy alpha with his now free hand, and ripped the scimitar arm from the now healing alpha. He used it to brutally slice off its arms, legs, and head swiftly, then he absorbed its carcass slowly.
Lia watched as the Leader- held out his claw hand, catching the falling kynari. It glowed brilliantly like it was super-heated, becoming coated in tendrils from the Leader’s hand that morphed it into a sword. When it finished forming, it had a hilt that still showed some resemblance to Lia’s kynari. It’s smooth golden body had become black and rectangular with cross knurling for added grip. A small spike jutted from the hilt’s back end, forming around the kynari’s second tip. It was a proper ode to the menacing blade that protruded from the hilt: a black blade just over two feet long, a perfect match to the Leader’s armour; it looked like a large katana. The blade separated from his hand as the tendrils that formed it broke free. Lia pulled out of the Leader mask’s viewpoint. Looking at him smugly impressed with his new weapon, he turned to face her.
