by Aaron Oster
Hermit gave the man a curt nod, then flew off, rocketing toward the other side of the cyclone, which was beginning to lower a funnel. As soon as that touched the ground, it would begin on its path of destruction, and once started, would be all but impossible to halt until it had spent its energy.
“You really need to reach Scion and fast,” the Core said as he traversed the span of the twister. “The difference in power is staggering.”
“You don’t need to tell me what I already know,” Hermit replied. “And, as you know, reaching Scion isn’t so simple. To reach the test, we need to understand a fundamental truth—both about ourselves and our Path…” Neither of which they’d found.
Hermit banished thoughts of advancement from his mind as he reached the other side of the twister, turning in the air and facing the massive technique.
“Are you sure that this is a wise course of action?” the Core asked.
“No,” he admitted. “But we have no choice. Innocent lives are at stake.”
“What about Roy?”
“So long as I can sense Aika, we’ll be able to find him. She should have some Pills that can help him and there are no dangerous Beasts for miles in any direction.”
“Will they be safe without the Supreme and your cousin?”
Hermit had sensed their group break apart, just minutes before Roy had appeared. But Aika, Ferry, and Roy were tough. He had faith they could handle themselves.
A flare of power from the opposite side of the twister brought Hermit back to the present, and he set his mind to the task. Fire Reiki flared in his Core, moving through his cycling pattern as he reached for the ultimate technique at his disposal. This was what set a Sovereign apart from a run of the mill Gray-Belt and gave them that extra spark.
Kuroi Taiyo – or Black Sun – was Hermit’s most powerful technique and one that he hadn’t used in centuries. It was the technique he’d used to wipe out countless enemy clans, and now, he was using it to save one.
Funny how life works sometimes.
He breathed out, flooding his channels with Reiki and extending both hands before him. His body began emanating a burning red light, flaring out and heating the air around him. The world took on a red hue, which quickly began darkening around the edges. The Fire Reiki began to transform, turning blue, then purple, and finally, black.
Small motes of the black fire began separating from his aura and gathering before his outstretched hands. The air around him grew so hot that all of the Wind Essence in the area burned away, leaving him without anything to breathe. Had he been a normal flesh and blood human, this might have bothered him.
Seeing as he now had an Immortal Body, he didn’t really need anything more than a token amount of Wind Essence and could survive for many hours without feeling the need to take a breath. In fact, he could probably stop breathing altogether and be perfectly fine. However, years filled with needing to constantly breathe had left a psychological need to keep doing so and it would be years more before he felt comfortable with stopping, but he’d used this technique enough times to know that he’d be fine.
As his technique grew, his aura continued to flare brighter, the black fire rippling and tearing at the sky. He could see his sister watching from the corner of his eye. She was probably enjoying the familiar sight, the signature move of the Sage of Ruin visible to the world once more.
However, this time, the technique would be powered by Reiki, which meant its properties would be a bit different and the technique would be many times more powerful.
The sphere continued to grow until Hermit felt it was exactly right. His aura didn’t die down, but the sphere stopped growing. It was now some three feet in diameter and denser than it had ever been in the past. He could feel the immense power of the Black Sun begging to be released. This was Fire Essence at its purest form – at least, the purest he could accomplish right now – and it was beautiful.
Hermit could sense that the Inu Sovereign was just about ready as well, so, without another word, he launched his attack.
The sphere of burning black fire flashed toward the spinning tornado. The moment it struck, his technique began to expand rapidly. The Inu Sovereign’s technique hit at the same time, the towering pillar of glimmering diamond crashing into the tornado and extending spines of power in all directions.
Hermit could sense the intricacies of that technique and knew that despite its simplistic appearance, that pillar of diamond was anything but. The spikes of diamond sprayed Earth Reiki from thousands of tiny pores – an impossibility for a stone that pure and dense – and began to erode all in its path.
He could picture how it would affect a city. The spines would spread over a vast distance, killing all in its path, but that wasn’t its primary purpose. Sure, hundreds would probably be killed by the spines alone, but thousands more would die when the Earth Reiki began to destabilize the very foundation of the earth beneath them, causing it to split open. The Earth Reiki would sink into all, eroding foundations and causing them to crumble.
Where Hermit’s technique would engulf a city in a roaring inferno, scorching it to oblivion, Pelata’s technique would sink it into the ground. Both were equally as devastating and worthy of a Sovereign.
“Do you think it was enough?” the Core asked as they watched their combined techniques begin to do their work.
“I hope so,” he replied. “That cost me almost everything I had.”
He’d overestimated how much Reiki his technique would cost. Normally, a Conqueror technique would take everything someone had to offer and channel it into an attack. However, it seemed that there was a limit to how powerful it could be. His capacity had always been his main concern. It was why he’d been working Roy and Aika so hard to improve theirs, and now, it finally showed its use.
With Chakra, he’d had to use it all. With Reiki, he only had to use most. That meant if he made it to Scion and discovered a new type of energy more powerful than Reiki, his technique would consume even less.
The black fire roared alongside the destabilizing Earth Reiki, both battling to disrupt the cyclone of Wind Chakra. Hermit could feel his technique beginning to falter, and judging by the way Pelata looked, his technique was on the verge of collapse as well. And yet, the cyclone still roared on. It had been weakened, but not so much that it would be halted.
“There’s a weak spot in there somewhere,” the Core said. “You just need to find it and tug. Then, the technique will unravel itself.”
Hermit already knew this, but he feared that the technique hadn’t been weakened enough for him to find it.
Just as the burning black fires began to vanish and the diamond spines began to crumble, another technique slammed into the whirling tornado. It wasn’t a Conqueror technique, as Hermit would have noticed something that powerful being cast. But it was exactly what he’d needed. A lance of Weakness Reiki pierced the center of the tornado, revealing the thread that Hermit needed.
He flashed forward, his hand extending and snagging the thread. It was all he could do to hang on as the Wind Chakra began attacking him, both physically and spiritually. Still, he had a firm grip, and he pulled.
Another lance of Weakness Reiki speared the spinning cyclone, and Hermit felt something give. He pulled again, and this time, the spinning slowed. Pelata joined him a moment later, and together, they ripped the tornado apart, dispersing the Wind Chakra back into the air and leaving an eerie silence hanging over the destroyed arena.
Panting, Pelata turned to the Herald Sovereign and gave him a questioning look.
“It’s been fifteen years since I’ve seen my son, and you were taking too long,” the man said, crossing his arms.
Whatever the reason, Hermit didn’t care. Duncan had come in at the pivotal moment and provided the power they’d needed to save all those innocent lives. And, with that out of the way, the four Sovereigns gathered to hear Duncan’s story, and in the case of both Hermit and Pelata, hopefully recover enough Reiki to put up a f
ight if the other two decided to attack once the Herald Sovereign completed his tale.
50
Roy sat in a cycling position, slowly feeling the injuries he’d accrued during his fight with the Scion close up. He had a million thoughts all jockeying for position, and at the forefront of his mind were those about the girl standing just a couple of feet away. He hadn’t seen Aika in weeks, and in that time, he’d forgotten just how much he’d really missed her.
There were his other feelings to work out as well. He dared not broach or even think about them, lest they put his friendship in danger.
Ferry snuggled up close to him, her head placed in his lap – just as she’d done countless times before. Although, now that she had a more human form, it was just a bit odd. Still, to be reunited with his friends was just about the best reward he could receive, especially after the challenging past few weeks.
It was only once he thought of friends that he remembered Marrie and his promise to her. He calmed his suddenly racing heart, reminding himself that Hermit would probably be coming for them soon. Then, Roy could enlist his help to free her. There was also his father, the man Roy had seen standing with Hermit while he’d been fighting the Scion.
Roy wasn’t sure what to make of those feelings, but luckily, he had someone to talk to.
He opened his eyes to see Aika sitting right in front of him, her eyes all but boring into his. She quickly looked away, her cheeks tinging pink, but Roy was too distracted to notice. His Belt had returned to its earlier Green-Belt color, though the blue hue was so strong that it appeared bluer than anything else.
There was also the fact that his Core did not shrink to reflect that, remaining the same size as before and still brimming with Power Qi.
“Something is bothering you,” Aika said. “What happened?”
Ferry turned her head, her large black eyes meeting his, and a very human expression of concern clouded her previously contented smile.
“You’re hurting on the inside,” she said, speaking directly into his mind.
Roy told them everything that had happened since his abduction. The way he’d been forced to fight in the arena, how he’d met a family member, and discovered his true identity. He talked about his sudden increase in power and the way his Belt continuously shifted back and forth, and finally, about seeing his father for the first time in his life – or at least, any part of his life that he could remember.
“I’m honestly not sure how to feel,” he said, fidgeting in place. “All my life, I’ve wanted to find my real family. To find a place where I belong and to know why I was abandoned with the Shah. Was it because I was weak? If so, why is he interested in me now? I just don’t know what to do.”
He let out a sigh, finally looking up to meet Aika’s eyes, and to his surprise, found her tearing up. He began to panic, wondering if he might have said something to offend her, but when she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him, his panic turned to confusion.
“Oh, Roy!” Aika cried. “It’s almost too much to bear! You’ve gone through so much, and I honestly don’t know how you’ve managed to keep going! But I’m so proud of you. You never gave up, even when things looked bleak and…and…!” She trailed off, just squeezing him tighter.
For once, Roy didn’t feel the crushing pain of her grip – which was a miracle in and of itself. Finally, over his surprise, he hugged her back, closing his eyes and enjoying the familiar warmth of her presence. He felt better than he had in weeks and realized that just being able to talk to someone other than Geon was all he’d really needed.
“My turn!” Ferry said, and Roy felt Aika being torn away from him.
A second later, Ferry was hugging him. She’d been very clingy since he’d returned and from the second he’d stepped through the portal, she’d refused to leave him alone for even a second. Aika glared at Ferry’s back, but she was either oblivious or chose to actively ignore her.
Roy noticed something else in Aika’s bearing then. A sort of tremor that was running through her body. It seemed that their time apart had weighed on her as well, and since talking had helped him so much, he figured he might as well return the favor.
“So, what happened to you while I was away?”
Aika bit her lip for a moment, as though unsure of what she should do. Then, her shoulders drooped, and she began talking. Roy listened as she recounted her harrowing adventure, from discovering he’d been taken to facing off against fighters way above her advancement. She spoke about running into Doragon, who just so happened to be the man who betrayed her clan and killed her father.
All of the pent-up anger and rage she’d been pushing away for years had come boiling to the surface, and when Doragon had escaped, she’d nearly gone after him. Now, she was confused and didn’t know what to do or in which direction to travel.
Roy reached out and took her hand in his, and although he had to crane his neck to meet her eyes over Ferry’s shoulder, he made sure to do so.
“Whatever happens, I won’t allow us to be separated again. We’re finally back together, and just like you’ve eased my pain, I’ll try and do the same for you.”
He still had no idea how to speak to women, but this felt right, so he just went with his gut.
Aika finally cracked a watery smile, squeezing his hand a bit tighter. She didn’t release it, as he expected, and the three of them sat there at the bottom of the sand dune as minutes ticked by.
“My, isn’t this a sight that warms the heart?”
Roy, Aika, and Ferry all jumped, turning to try and find the source of the voice.
“Up here,” the voice said again, and when Roy craned his neck upwards, he was greeted by a familiar face, one that he’d never seen outside a trial or dream.
“Azure? What are you doing here?” Roy asked, pushing Ferry off himself and rising to his feet.
“It’s good to see you too,” Azure said, walking down to the ground as though he were descending an invisible staircase. “And, to answer your question, I’m here to answer your questions.”
Roy’s brows furrowed, and Aika cocked her head to the side.
“Roy, who is this?” Ferry asked her small nose twitching. “He smells strange.”
“I do not!” Azure said, looking offended. “I’ll have you know that I bathed just this morning!”
“You can hear her?” Roy asked, though he was somehow unsurprised.
“Anyone could hear anything if they just knew how to listen,” Azure said, rolling his eyes. “But that’s beside the point. I know you all have questions — Roy about his Core’s strange behavior, Aika about the betrayal of her clan and the disappearance of her grandfather, Geon, about his origins and why he was able to bond with Roy so easily. Even Ferry has questions, though I’ll keep her questions in confidence out of respect.”
Ferry quickly buried her face in her hands, the fur on her cheeks growing darker with embarrassment.
“You haven’t given me a straight answer in the entire year since I’ve started on my journey. Why start now?” Roy asked.
“Well, I’m not really giving you answers. Technically speaking, I’d only be guiding you in the right direction.”
“Roy. Who is this, and how does he know so much about us?” Aika asked, moving closer and looping one of her arms through his.
Roy noted this new touch, but chose to ignore it for now to answer her question.
“This is Azure. He pops up from time to time and offers advice and insights that have been both confusing and helpful. In other words, I have no idea who he is or how he knows so much about us.”
“In his defense, I work very hard to remain mysterious and aloof,” Azure said with a wink.
“How exactly would you steer us in the right direction?” Roy asked, deciding to get back to the point.
He wanted answers, and if Azure was offering him a way to get them, he needed to know. Although he’d been frustratingly vague at times, the man had never led him astray thus far, so de
spite having more questions than answers about him, Roy was willing to trust him.
Azure waved a hand, and a familiar tear opened in space, shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
“Just step through the portal, and you’ll be on the right path.”
“But what about Hermit?” Roy asked, looking back toward the city.
He also left the other question – what about my father? – unasked.
“Not to worry about them. The Sovereigns are all getting a history lesson at the moment, although I’m afraid they won’t have all the facts. Funny what you don’t know when your vision is so clouded. Anyway,” Azure said, giving them a bright smile. “All you need to do is hop on through. I promise you won’t regret it eventually.”
Roy wasn’t sure about this and neither was Aika, and both of them allowed their uncertainty to show.
“Why can’t we just wait for Hermit to come back?” Aika asked.
“Because reasons,” Azure said.
“That isn’t really an answer,” Roy said.
“It is for me!”
“Oh, stop being such a child,” Geon finally said, cutting into the conversation. “I want answers, and he’s offering us a way to get them. Let’s just go.”
“I also want to go, Roy. I need answers to my questions,” Ferry said.
“And exactly what questions do you have?” Roy asked.
Ferry didn’t reply, merely burying her face in her hands once more and refusing to look at any of them.
Roy looked between the portal and the direction of the city. Hermit had come for him, and it didn’t feel right to leave without saying so much as a word. His father – his real father – was also back there and likely had the answers he was looking for. Well, most of them anyway, if Azure was to be believed. But his other friends had questions that needed answering as well, and it wouldn’t be fair to deprive them of this opportunity. So, he decided to put it to a vote.
