A New Fate

by Ethan A. Blanca

  “Well, yeah,” I respond as I do the same.

  “However, though it’s the same exact technique in terms of what it looks like, in reality, our powers couldn’t be more unique.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Though the technique appears to be the same, their properties are different. For example, when you use your shadow-covered hand to attack, you pierce though the target. When I use my version of shadow nature in an attack, my shadows stay on the surface of the target.”

  “Really? Then our natures are completely different?” I ask, intrigued at the level of dept Tink is speaking at for once.

  “No, no, no, our natures are still both shadow nature. This is also true for every other being in possession of shadow nature. However, you will never find two being with the exact same Exdrift properties. Even though there are plenty of people in this world that can develop the same techniques as another, the way they learn, or obtain the power to do so affects the very properties of the said technique,” Tink finishes explaining.

  “Wow, that was a lot of information. I didn’t think it was that complicated,” I admit.

  “Oh yes, a person’s Exdrift capabilities are about as unique at the individual’s own personality and state of mind.”

  “Hah! That explains why you’ve got such a unique Exdrift power. I wish I could learn your ability!” I joke.

  “Oh, don’t worry. You’ll definitely master techniques of your own! In fact, you probably have the potential to surpass me with your amazing sense of Exdrift techniques!” Tink encourages.

  “Really?”

  “Then again, you’re pretty dumb in other areas, so it could go either way,” Tink jokes with a burst of laughter.

  “And you’re apparently called a Wise One,” I state with a sigh.

  “Ah, don’t sweat it! Again, you’re a nature-al at this!” Tink jokes with even more laughter.

  “Well then, I think that’s enough training for today,” I declare with annoyance as I head for the door. “But thank you, Tink. With all the help you’ve given me I believe I’m one step closer to saving David,” I remark as I leave the room.

  Tink just smiles to himself, spacing out as he stares slightly down. “I don’t doubt that you’ve gone through your own set of hardships, Ron. But I don’t think that you are willing to go through what I did in order to save your friend,” Tink whispers to himself.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The Great Arena Minotaur

  Meanwhile, at the prison, David’s group has gained status in the arena. Hamon and Adoa have been fighting the most, with David still tempted by the shadows and Nikud’s injured arm is still healing.

  “Mmm, we must continue to push this David off into the darkness,” the Doctor suggests.

  “However, his group is very skilled. He has no real need to fight. We must change that,” the Warden remarks.

  Hamon proceeds to collect his knives from the corpse of his recently finished match. “I think they’re starting to pair us up against harder foes,” Hamon pants.

  “Come on, let me fight the last opponent,” David suggests.

  “Again, it’s best if you don’t fight at all. Why are you being so stubborn?” Nikud argues with a pout.

  “Oh, come on. Hamon and Adoa have had to fight two opponents each for weeks now! I just want to help,” David argues back.

  “Don’t worry, David. My arm is feeling a little better now. I should be able to fight again soon,” Nikud points out confidently.

  “’Cause I helped heal it, right?” David teases.

  “Oh, you wish, jerk,” Nikud teases back.

  “You two are sure getting along well,” Hamon cuts in with a smirk.

  “W-What are you talking about?” Nikud replies, blushing.

  “I-I’m just worried about you guys is all,” David also replies with a red face.

  “Don’t worry, David, I can finish this for Hamon,” Adoa declares as he grabs his hammer.

  “They’re like a legit couple, huh, Cacu?” Hamon whispers to Adoa.

  “Haha, I know, right? But why are you being so formal today?” Adoa asks.

  “Well, it’s a formal subject, right?” Hamon questions.

  “That’s not how it works.”

  “All right! For the last fight of the day we have the strong-willed elf, Adoa!” the announcer shouts with a wild flick of his tongue. “And his opponent-” the announcer cuts off his sentence as another demon walks up, whispering something in his ear. “W-What? I thought that we stopped using-” the announcer mumbles. “W-Well, folks, it seems as though there is a change of plans. Looks like we’ll get to see the famed minotaur fight once again!” the announcer shouts at the top of his lungs.

  “That damn Warden, making me fight again,” a minotaur grumbles as he comes into view.

  “Oh boy! When was the last time we saw a minotaur fight?!” a demon from the crowd yells.

  “I’ve heard rumors, but I think that the ‘Famed Minotaur’ is considered the strongest fighter in the Arena,” Nikud mutters with a worried look.

  “W-What! Adoa! Please be careful!” Hamon shouts. Adoa turns to Hamon. He doesn’t say anything. He just shows off a big smile and a thumbs-up toward Hamon. Adoa readies himself as he turns back toward the minotaur. The minotaur just laughs. Though Adoa is pretty tall for an elf, the minotaur towers over him. His gigantic muscles work as he lifts a giant, worn down hammer.

  “When was the last time I got to gore an elf?!” he taunts. “Looks like this will be anothe-” the minotaur’s sentence is stopped as he is forced to dodge Adoa’s sudden strike.

  “I’m not your average elf,” Adoa taunts back.

  “Mmm, looks like I’ll have fun with this one!” the minotaur shouts as he charges toward Adoa, his own hammer rising above his head. As the two trade blows, the arena fills with cheers.

  “Haven’t seen anyone take that minotaur’s blows that easily!” a demon shouts. Adoa swings his hammer above his head, before sending it in the direction of the minotaur’s head. The minotaur blocks the blow with his hammer, a grin forms on his face.

  “I must say, I’ve never fought an elf with such strength before,” the minotaur remarks.

  “I also acknowledge your strength as a warrior, minotaur,” Adoa adds as both clench their hammers.

  Again, the two trade blows. Some manage to hit both hammer wielding fighters.

  After a while the two remain standing, both having suffered blows to their bodies. The dust from the heavy blows starts to settle. Unfortunately, Adoa has received most of the blows, though the minotaur is also hurt.

  “You may just be the best fighter I’ve faced, elf!” the minotaur exclaims between heavy breaths.

  “Likewise,” Adoa blurts out.

  “However, your time is up!” the minotaur declares, throwing away his hammer. The minotaur takes a stance. Stones from the arena floor suddenly fly towards the minotaur. They cover his skin until the minotaur’s entire body is blanketed with rock.

  “Oh boy! The Famed Minotaur is using his strongest move!” the announcer exclaims. Cheers erupt from the crowd. Adoa ignores them, charging toward his foe. Adoa strikes the Minotaur, but to no effect.

  “Mmm, pity,” the minotaur mumbles. “Looks like even you couldn’t harm me in this state.” The minotaur easily lands a return punch on Adoa, sending him into a wall.

  “Adoa!” Hamon shouts.

  “Don’t worry, Hamon, I got this,” Adoa declares. “David believes that I can,” Adoa mumbles as he stands up. Again, Adoa charges into the minotaur, only to be thrown into the wall a second time.

  “Stop, Adoa, stop!” Hamon cries out through tears. Adoa doesn’t respond. He once again starts charging toward the minotaur.

  “You don’t know when to give up, do you?” the minotaur jeers as he swings his fist for
another blow. Instead of continuing to charge, however, Adoa suddenly backs off.

  “What’s wrong, elf? Losing the will to fight when it’s just getting to the good part?!” the minotaur taunts.

  Adoa says nothing. Instead, he again begins to charge. The minotaur also charges. Adoa swings his hammer toward the minotaur’s head. The minotaur jumps to the left in order to dodge. Instead of stopping his swing, however, Adoa spins with the momentum of his swing, hitting the minotaur’s leg. This powerful blow manages to crack the minotaur’s stone skin. Before the minotaur can even react, Adoa swings a punch at his stomach. This blow also manages to slightly crack the minotaur’s skin. A bloody fist is the result of Adoa’s attack, but he doesn’t even flinch. Enraged, the minotaur swings another vicious punch. To dodge, Adoa jumps into the air as the minotaur’s attack slams into the ground. The ground flies up from the force of impact. Now in the air, Adoa pools all of his remaining strength in a finishing move, bringing his hammer down upon the minotaur’s head. The force of the blow travels throughout the entire room.

  “Wow, what a move by the elf Adoa!” the announcer shouts in shock. With that attack, Adoa managed to break the rock of the Minotaur’s defense.

  Adoa never lands, however. He is impaled through the stomach by one of the minotaur’s horns.

  “You actually managed to damage me in this state!” the minotaur growls as he brutally removes Adoa from his horn, before throwing him to the ground.

  “Brother!” Hamon cries out as he runs to the beaten Adoa. The scene is grotesque. The minotaur’s horn has left a massive hole through Adoa’s stomach.

  “Looks like I won’t be able to protect you forever after all,” Adoa mumbles with a bloody smile. Nikud says nothing, she just holds back tears.

  “A-Adoa,” David mumbles in disbelief.

  “Avenge... him,” an evil voice suddenly rises in David’s mind.

  “W-what’s happening?” David thinks to himself as he feels the shadows slowly start to envelope his body.

  “Stop fighting it... let us take over,” the voices chant.

  “David...” Adoa calls out, “Come here.” David goes to Adoa, not saying a word. “Thank you for believing in me, David, but it looks like I will be unable to protect Hamon. Promise me you will protect Hamon in my stead,” Adoa asks through tears. David nods slowly as Adoa breaths his last breaths. Hamon gives his final farewell.

  “So, which one of you will be my next victim?” the minotaur bluntly states. Eyes filled with rage, Hamon stands up.

  “You bastard! I’ll be your last-”

  “I’ll fight you!” David bluntly interrupts.

  “But...” Hamon tries to argue.

  “I promised Adoa I’d protect you, so don’t go and throw that life away so soon,” David remarks.

  Hamon turns to look at David, and a shiver instantly runs down his spine. David is no longer the same. He is completely consumed in shadow nature. Streams of darkness rise from David’s body. An aura of evil comes from the shadows. His eyes no longer have light in them. As Hamon looks into his eyes, only darkness stares back.

  “Excellent!” the Doctor exclaims. “He has finally given in to his rage!” The Doctor looks toward the Warden. “You were right!”

  “Let us see the true power of David Aestus!” the Warden exclaims with a look of evil. Hamon and Nikud can do nothing but back away from the now shadow-controlled David.

  “Mmm, you look like an actual challenge!” the minotaur taunts.

  David says nothing. Instead he starts to walk toward the minotaur.

  “What’s the matter, still crying over the....” the minotaur suddenly flies into the wall. “What the-” the minotaur says as he looks up. His rock skin is falling apart.

  David hovers above the shocked minotaur, his eyes filled with the darkness of hate. Before the minotaur can even react, he is once again thrown into a wall. Again, David is instantly above the minotaur, this time dragging his half-dead body to the middle of the field. The minotaur tries in vain to throw a punch, only to have his arm instantly broken by David. The minotaur glances up, helpless before the rage-driven David. The minotaur can do nothing but watch as David breaks off one of his horns.

  Finally, David utters a sentence. “You are but another worthless soul we shall take in our rage!” a twisted version of David’s voice exclaims as David repeatedly runs the severed horn into the minotaur’s gut. The crowd is silent, awestruck at what they are witnessing. In all of the arena’s history, the crowds have never witnessed a fight so gory and bloody. After a hundred brutal stabs, David finally stops.

  The announcer sticks his tongue out at the scene. “Looks like the human takes the...what the-” the announcer blurts out as David suddenly appears in front of him. The announcer cries out a bloodied scream of pain as David rips his tongue right out of his mouth. Soon the announcer’s head flies off of his shoulders.

  “Contain the prisoners at once!” the Warden shouts as David continues his sudden rampage. Multiple demon stalkers sudden charge David from all directions.

  “Don’t detain him immediately! The Warden wishes to observe the amount of power he can harness in his state of rage!” the Doctor orders.

  “We could care less! Let’s just have some fun!” the demon stalkers proclaim with excitement as they charge the berserk David.

  “You fools! Don’t you dare kill my patient!” the Doctor yells with frustration.

  David glares at the approaching threat. With a heavy breath he leaps forward, kneeing one of the demon stalkers in the jaw. The force of the blow launches the demon stalker into its fellow attackers. Everybody in the arena, from the prisoners to the demon stalkers, is in shock.

  The Warden suddenly bursts into a laughing fit. “This power... it’s amazing! In all my years of breaking humans, never have I had the pleasure of witnessing such raw power!”

  David continues on his rampage, killing another demon stalker as he slams its head into one of the minotaur’s horns.

  “Well? What are you all waiting for? Detain him,” the Warden commands the remaining demon stalkers.

  “But, Warden, we’ll need the help of the Cornax unit if we want to capture him alive!” a demon stalker suggests.

  “I said--detain him!” the Warden stares down at the demon stalkers with crazed eyes.

  The demon stalkers start to step away from the shadow-engulfed David. In response to their actions, David charges forward. The manner in which he moves has no hint of human movement. All that’s left at this moment in time is a monster covered in shadows.

  All of a sudden, the immense shadow nature that surrounds David vanishes. David immediately falls over. A figure clad in black armor hovers behind David.

  “Who is that!? When did he get there?!” a demon stalker ask in a panic.

  “You idiot! That’s the leader of the Cornax! The infamous Hojan!” another demon stalker snaps.

  “Ah, Hojan, how wonderful to see you. You took your time in helping me, as usual,” the Warden cheerfully states as he walks up to the armored figure.

  “This is the reason why you asked me to stay in this damned rotting building you call a prison? To quell a single prisoner?” Hojan grumbles as a thick wave of shadow nature radiates off his armor.

  “Now, now, don’t be like that! I know that you’ve also developed an interest in this human now that you’ve absorbed some of his shadow nature,” the Warden argues with a sinister smile.

  “You’re lucky his nature is unique, or I’d have taken your shadow nature to compensate for this waste of time,” Hojan grumbles as he walks off. “I’m returning to my home, the battlefield.”

  “Isn’t that guy our ally?” a demon stalker whispers.

  “Um, yeah. Why ask?” another demon stalker replies.

  “Cause it felt like he was about to kill every single being in this room. I
mean, did you feel that aura he has?”

  “I know what you mean. Let’s just get these prisoners back to their cell,” a demon stalker agrees as it drags David’s unconscious body. Nikud and Hamon are also dragged with David back to their cell... for the last time.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ron Prepares for War

  “What do you mean, I can’t see the King!?” I yell at the guard standing before the door.

  “What do you think it means?” the guard sarcastically asks.

  “But I really must speak to him--it’s very important!” I decide to plead with the guard.

  “This is very important to him, sir,” Rose adds.

  “We don’t want to use force,” Joshua blurts out.

  “Joshua, read the situation,” I mumble.

  “Since you’re such a good guard and all.” Joshua finishes with a big smile.

  Suddenly we hear laughing coming from the King’s room. The door flies open to show us a laughing King Terashi.

  “Man, I like you, Joshua. First demon to try and kill me with laughter!” King Terashi remarks with another laugh.

  “M-my lord, please go back into your room...” The guard seems confused.

  “Why would I? It seems as though Ron here wants to talk to me,” King Terashi retorts.

  With a sigh of defeat the guard gives up, letting us into King Terashi’s chambers.

  Once the doors to his room close King Terashi switches moods, becoming more serious. “So what did you want to talk about?”

  “Well, to be frank, I want to save David as soon as possible, my Lord.”

  “Well, first, drop the ‘Lord’--I can tell it doesn’t suit you,” King Terashi smile.

  “Oh, thank you! To be honest I was getting tired of having to call you ‘Lord’ each time we talk,” I admit. At this, King Terashi laughs.

  “Anyways, if we are pooling thoughts here, I will say what I think too,” King Terashi states, admitting, “If you couldn’t already tell, I’m not exactly a experienced leader.”