Post by Tulip Waterfield on Mar 12, 2017 3:37:13 GMT
Darkness. Pain. Weight. Nothingness engulfed the man, as the evil spirit he was shackled to dragged him further into the depths of hell. His thoughts were a myriad of confusion, suffering, and agony, as he struggled not to lose his last vestiges of sanity under the cruel thumb of the evil he had amassed.
This is my darkness, the souls of those I slaughtered in my pursuit of justice. My acts were nothing short of atrocious, the pinnacle of evil. Now I have to bear the weight of this, my sins, until my soul is finally consumed by this monstrosity I created. If there was a god, though...I'd wish to see her one more time. The woman who embraced that evil which plagued me and crushed it, in order to free me temporarily. The hybrid who taught me the value of emotional strength and how to overcome the weakness inherent with power. She was the first to look through the past and seize the person I'd been. Tulip...I wish I could see you one more time, before this darkness consumes me.
The weight only increased, pushing the thoughts from his mind in a haze of pain and agony. Surviving...and maintaining his sanity...were the only things this man had the ability to focus his energy on.
Sprinting down the path, the young woman slid to a stop as she reached the intersection at the end. High cliffs rose to either side, and the roar of incoming bandits could be heard to either side. She glanced over her shoulder and watched the incoming bandits sprinting at her from behind. A myriad of different races, all doomed to wander Hell until the end of time, had taken up residence within this region of Hell's world. Her search for a way to proceed further into the evil and realms of this reality had brought the woman here, much to the anger of its current denizens. A Saiyan warrior wearing tattered armor broke free of the mob and sprinted forward, focusing a ki blast on his palm. Narrowing her gaze, three orbs of silver materialized in the air around the woman.
“Get down! She's going to do that trick again!” One of the warriors in the mob shouted loudly, but it was too late. Sliding to one knee, the young woman brought both of her hands up, making the shape of a gun. All three orbs coalesced into blades and exploded forward, creating a sonic boom as they tore through the ranks of fallen warriors. Lowering her hand, the woman slowly rose to her feet. More warriors came barreling down the three opposing paths, as she began chuckling softly. Sliding her feet apart, the woman turned to face the opposing paths.
“Dammit, Blade. I'm going through a lot more trouble than its worth to save your lousy hide.” Her whimsical smile faded as energy began crackling in the air around the woman. Dozens of sliver orbs materialized as the woman thrust both of her hands to either side. Blades shot from the orbs, mowing down the bandits to either side. A quick glance showed that three were still standing, having erected barriers to block her unique assault; an Arcosian, a Saiyan, and a Zoanthrope. Five warriors hesitated in the path to her front; time to capitalize on their hesitation.
As the Arcosian's power increased immensely and his shape changed into a hulking monstrosity, Tulip covered the distance between them in only a few moments. Sliding through the bodies scattered at the huge being's feet, the woman avoided a quick jab to where her body had been only a few moments before. Silver energy began building around her palm as she leaped off the ground, slamming into his stomach. The Arcosian tripped as he stumbled over one of his fallen comrade's shattered bodies. Planting her feet firmly, the woman lashed out with a chop that slammed the fallen warrior into the earth. His breath was forced from his lungs as the woman brought her silver-charged fist high and slammed it down. The ground cratered around the two, as the Arcosian's eyes bulged in their sockets from the force of the woman's punch. A blast slammed into Tulip's back, searing her skin and sending her stumbling forward. A glance over her shoulder revealed the seven warriors still standing preparing their strongest techniques.
“Fuck.” Tulip thrust both of her hands forward, as a silver blade materialized in the air in front of her. Clutching the handle of the huge sword, Tulip let the large blade slam into the ground at her feet as she braced her entire weight against the back edge of the blade. All of the techniques slammed into the blade at differing angles, and the woman could feel the ki within the blade quickly being whittled away. A sudden, intense surge of energy made the woman's eyes widen, as a focused beam of red shot through the center of the blade, piercing a whole through the jacket and weights the woman wore underneath. The blade shattered in half as the woman's grip weakened, a cough slipping from her shocked lips. Searing pain came moments later, as the woman's arm rose shakily to the burning hole. The warriors shouted in triumph, two Saiyans and the Zoanthrope sprinting forward as the other four warriors began charging more techniques.
“No you don't, fuckers.” Gritting her teeth, Tulip forced her hands to still and created two blades. Both were scimitars, made of a silver metal the woman had come to know all the aspects of. As the first Saiyan thrust a fist forward, Tulip slammed her forehead into his fist, ignoring the stinging pain and blood that sprung forward. She felt the bones in his fist shift, as her silver blades flashed through the air. His arm split from his body, as she sunk her two blades into his body. Before the Saiyan fell, the woman slipped past his body and jumped into the air. His Saiyan comrade didn't see the woman's foot that slammed into his stomach. It wouldn't have done a thing, had it not been for his tail wrapped around his waist. A weak groan slipped through his lips as she felt his tail crack under her toe. Another red beam shot through the air, slamming into her thigh. She winced as the pain set in immediately, making her crash to her knees when she landed on the ground.
“Die, you stupid wench!” The Zoanthrope sliced towards her head with his claws. She rolled to the side, before catching his arm and slamming him into the ground next to her. Before he could break free, the young woman slammed her head into his, sending the Zoanthrope into unconsciousness. Rolling to her knees, the woman yanked the unconscious man in front of her smaller frame and shouted towards the warriors in front of her.
“Let me pass through here! No one else needs to die! I just need safe passage through to the darker planes!”
The Saiyan was still weakly clutching his broken tail, mumbling curses under his breath. A taller, darker being strolled forward, breaking free of the group he was standing in. The other warriors parted way to let the being through, but the Saiyan was too busy with his injured tail to notice. The man smirked as he stopped next to the Saiyan warrior. As Tulip looked on in shock, the man shot seven lasers of red through the Saiyan warrior. The life instantly left the warrior's eyes, as a mumbled apology died on the Saiyan's lips.
“That's my response, woman. You intruded on my domain; now I'll crush you underfoot like I did all these warriors seeking the key to escape from this hell.” Pointing his hand towards Tulip, the being grinned evilly. Tulip felt the blood in her veins chill, as the red light collected on the tip of his finger. Throwing the Zoanthrope into the air above her, the woman focused all of her ki into her palms. Thrusting them outwards, she blocked all four of the lasers the demon fired towards her. He lowered his steaming fingertip, before raising his eyebrows in appreciation. “You blocked four of my shots, despite your injuries. I'm impressed, kiddo. Why'd you save the filth, though?”
Slowly rising to her feet, the woman tried to force a smile despite the pain assaulting her leg and chest. Work through the pain; it'll wear off in Hell, thanks to the rules of this reality. Just can't let my soul get crushed here, otherwise all the magicking in the world won't save my lousy hide. Speaking firmly across the narrow pass, the woman created her signature claymore and slammed it into the earth.
“I'm not here to kill those who've already perished. I'm just here to save someone precious to me. But, if you won't let me pass, I'll have to take more drastic measures!” Yanking the blade free, the woman hefted it in both hands and raised the blade to be level with her face. The demon began hovering in the air and chuckling, as orbs of red energy filled the air between them.
“Finally, a worthy contender! Release me from the monotonous nature of this eternal Hell, if you can, pathetic worm!” His voice rose to a roar, echoing through the narrow cliffs, as his aura surged to dangerous levels. Energy crackled in the air between the two, as both prepared to duel the other to the end.
“STOP!” A high-pitched, whiny voice pierced the air between the two, as a small, white spirit wearing a witch's cap burst from the cliff wall. It glanced at both fighters, before whirling on Tulip. Bobbing forward, it began angrily huffing and shouting in its feminine voice. “Stupid, idiotic, brainless, dim-witted, dummy, low I.Q., paint-eating, window-licking, stupid-”
“You said stupid twice.” The demon's energy dispersed as it pointed out the mistake of the bobbing spirit.
“Quiet you! Tulip! You said we were going to find your buddy and you'd give me that shiny bobble you wear! I've spent too long dead to let you go and commit death-by-overpowered demon! And you, big, ugly demon! You're way too ugly to be hurting this cute savior who found me on the edges of hell! I'm going to help her, she's going to help me, and everything will be great. On that note, Cupid's....SPARKLE!” Tulip's expression turned to fear, as the spirit's head tilted back and it raised its small arms high. She closed her eyes and shielded her face, as the spirit created a miniature sun of brilliant light within the confines of the tunnel. All of the warriors still standing roared in agony, as the light left them blinded and stunned, the theme song of an old Bao's Magical Girls anime looping loudly in their heads. The spirit shot over, grabbing the woman's belt and tugging her into the air, before she realized the hybrid could still see. The two shot out of the ravine, leaving the stumbling warriors and carnage behind.
“You're far too irresponsible! Not all of Hell is a crazy cesspit of evil intentions and anarchy, you dummy hybrid!” The spirit attempted to karate-chop the woman on her head, but the woman barely felt the spirit's tap. The tiny, hat-wearing spirit floated away with an irritated huff, as the woman floated down and landed on the ground with a graceful step. The hybrid's emerald gaze swept the area, before she spoke towards the tiny spirit.
“This is the next gate? I don't see anything.”
“You won't see anything until you've either done enough evil for the gate to warrant your passage. That, or someone with the right credentials let you in. Luckily for you, I'm in hell because I'm the miracle worker in that specific department.” Thrusting one white arm into her pointy hat, Eliza yanked a gruesome black key. It radiated a different level of evil, something the woman had never felt before. The white spirit grimaced as she held out the key. “This...is something that took me a while to procure. It unlocks a pathway to a darker place than I've ever been in. It's not somewhere I'd willingly go. In fact, it would be suicide for me to go there. I'll wait here, for your return. After all, without that bauble, I can't return to the world of the living.”
The young woman reached around her neck, undoing the clasp that held the small spiritual stone to her neck. She looped it around Emily's neck, firmly clasping the lock and setting her forehead against the spirit's small hat. Grinning, the young hybrid took the black key from the spirit's hand. The young witch tried to find her voice, but Tulip silenced her with a firm hug.
“Ever since I found you in that small village, you never left my side. You followed me through demons nests, monsters dens, and bandits caves, all to find someone that you didn't know. Even if it was for something that could bring you back...I still respect that.” The spirit began tearing up, as the woman continued speaking firmly but softly. “I know, you could have stolen this necklace back when we first met, but you chose the right path. I'm sure now, if the Ox King reviewed your soul again, you'd go to heaven for sure.”
Stepping away, black key in hand, the young woman winked at the spirit who was starting to cry. Thrusting the key forward, a door materialized in the air in front of the woman. Darkness leaked through the cracks around the door, as the woman prepared to turn the key in the lock. Narrowing her eyes in determination, the woman yanked the key to the side. The door was flung open, key slipping from her grip. Tendrils of darkness shot out of the doorway, wrapping around the woman. Before she could shout, struggle, or even look surprised, the woman was yanked into the doorway, leaving the spirit behind in shock. The key tumbled to the ground as the door slammed shut, locking the woman within the next level of hell.
As the door slammed shut behind Tulip, she found herself falling into a world so different from the reality she had just left, she should have called that Hell a paradise. The screams of tortured souls echoed through the air, and the miasma of darkness. Her initial attempt to amass her ki failed, leaving the woman falling through the air towards the red earth below. Focusing her will and energy, the woman shouted loudly, forcing her ki to burst forth in a silver explosion. She halted her descent only a dozen meters above the ground. Slowly descending to the ground, the young hybrid landed firmly on the ground. A quick glance revealed that there was no sign of any features marring this barren landscape. But, if she tried to see beyond the horizon, there was a haze that blocked her from seeing further.
Is this an illusion? Or something created by the demons to prevent the souls trapped here from meeting one another? Closing her eyes, the woman focused her will outwards in an attempt to locate her fallen comrade. The barrier cloaking this plane prevented her sensing from stretching outwards, until the woman forced her ki to explode outwards. On the very edge of her sensing, she felt something that seemed familiar. Her emerald eyes shot open, as her gaze fell on the spot in the distance. I'm coming for you, Blade.
Flying across the empty wasteland, Tulip's concern began growing as the feeling she had sensed never grew stronger or even remotely closer. It was as if there was a wall between herself and the man she was seeking; a barrier of sorts preventing their meeting. Landing on the ground, the young woman slid to a stop facing the endless expanse of red earth.
There's something in the way. Something that I can' pierce through normal means. I need to go beyond my own talents, grasp a new strength that is even greater than anything I've done till now. Narrowing her gaze, the woman summoned her energy. It was as difficult as every time before, requiring all of the woman's focus. Thrusting one hand forward like it clasped a sheath, the young woman envisioned a sheath of silver, before slamming her other cupped hand into the first. A flash of silver filled the thick air, as a silver katana materialized in her grasp. This thin blade carried all of the energy of her giant claymore, only compressed into a thin blade. Shifting the sheath to her hip, Tulip narrowed her focus in the direction of the ki she had sensed. Firmly grasping the hilt, the woman shouted loudly as she sliced outwards. A silver arc shot through the air, before vanishing into the void. Her breath became strained, as the air around her seemed to increase in weight. Something changed...what happened!?
As if to answer her question, a single, thin line appeared in the wall she was facing. A hand slipped through the line, grasping the edge of the air. She could barely see within the crack, but the sounds of the agony and excruciating suffering of the voices within made her blood chill. A low sigh passed from the crack; it should have been inaudible, but this voice carried a deeper, instinctual meaning to the young woman. Tears sprang to her eyes, as she was reminded of the deaths she had experienced all those months ago at the waterfall. The hand gripped firmly, shattering the sky between the two. A huge, monstrous figure stepped out of the rift, towering over the girl. It's jet black features, muffled by the darkness completely masking its body, made her body lock up by instinct as she once again witnessed the evil she had faced once in the temple all those weeks ago. Raising one hand into the sky, a huge blade of darkness formed in its blurred grasp.
“We MeEt AgAiN, lItTlE gIrL!” It's terrifying voice reached her ears, further instilling the fear within the woman. Tears began running down her cheeks, as the huge being swung its sword down, preparing to erase the woman from existence.
Dodge right! Tulip's body instantly moved, throwing the woman to the right. She rolled to her feet, as the figure stared at the blade which hadn't hit its target. It yanked the huge blade free, as Tulip began recovering from her panic attack. It's been...a while, Tulip. Don't hesitate; strike me down now and end this evil once and for all!
“But you're still locked within! If I do that, you'll cease existing! I...only remained in hell this long in order to drag you back out with me. If you die now...this all had no meaning.” Tulip screamed, already knowing the voiced words had no effect. The man could hear her thoughts, which mirrored the words echoing through the void they both stood in. The huge monstrosity raised its blade once again, as Tulip's eyes began burning. Tears stained her cheeks, as she began focusing her energy. The huge blade she had grown to know and love formed in her open hands, its familiar weight straining on her muscles as she faced the huge being that clung to Blade's existence. “...I won't let this end like this!”
Sprinting forward, she angled the blade in order to penetrate the chest of the huge monster. It blurred, shadows melting as the being almost materialized directly next to Tulip. Digging her feet into the ground to stop, the young hybrid swung her blade over her back in order to block the attack of the black being. Its blade slammed into the lower edge of her blade, knocking her feet off the ground. Shit! Before the woman could regain her stance, a foot slammed into her side and sent her flying sideways through the air. The claymore in her hand cut into the ground and wrenched itself from her grip as the woman slammed into the red earth and spun over the barren ground.
Finally sliding to a stop with a pained gasp, the woman forced her hands onto the ground and tried to weakly stand. She could feel her ribs shifting, a clear sign the kick had shattered the bones. A shadow fell over the woman, sending a chill through her body. With a shout of desperation, Tulip summoned all of the ki she could muster, focusing it into a barrier on her back. The pain came moments later, as the monster's sword cut into her back, slamming through her barrier and forcing the woman into the ground. Her breath was driven from her lungs in a pained gasp, as she felt the bones in her chest cracking from the force.
Fractures throughout my chest. Ki drained. Another attack soon to follow. Ha, this couldn't get any worse. The woman tasted blood on her lips, a sure sign that bad things were happening to her body. As the blade left her back, Tulip pushed herself over, so she could face the monstrosity. If I'm going to perish here, I'm going to do it while facing my enemy. Blade...you in there?
Don't you give up, you stupid child! Get up! I'm going to try something utterly ridiculous! Recall your reason to live, the thing that kept you going even when faced with true death! Recall, and strike when there's an opening!
Her emerald gaze widened, as she saw the monster stop. It moaned audibly, as the black blade it held slipped from its grasp. Ignoring the pain in her chest, the woman rose from the ground, catching the black blade as it fell downwards. Spinning the blade up, Tulip ignored the darkness that ran down her arms and wrapped its way around her chest. A single, glimmering light flashed in the air at the monster's chest. Angling the blade to stab, Tulip lunged forward with a shout. Another blade exploded from the chest as her blade struck, both crossing through the monster in an 'X'. Twisting the blade, the hybrid cut in the opposite direction of the other sword, splitting the monster in half. In front of her, barely standing in the shadow of the monster, was the man she'd been seeking. Pain was written on his face, as well as relief.
“It's good to finally meet you face to face, Blade.” Tulip started to lower the sword, when the middle-aged man sprinted forward, tackling the woman away from the sword she held. Darkness exploded outwards in spikes, before stretching out to attach itself to the halves of the monstrous body. The man slowly rose to his feet and grinned weakly.
“That was only enough to stagger that evil for a moment. With your help, though, I broke free. Let's defeat this darkness together, then escape this prison.”
Tulip nodded, before realizing how close she was to this man. Becoming aware of how ruggedly charming he was, she blushed and looked away. Blade chuckled before pushing away. The monster was hissing in agony as its body began rebuilding itself. The man rose to his feet, the shakiness in his stance already gone. The young woman noticed a strange belt the man was wearing, as he motioned for her to stand.
“An eternity in hell couldn't atone for the sins I've committed in this lifetime. But...for the sake of justice, I had to steep myself in darkness. The lives I've saved and those I've slain will be laid bear!” The man thrust both of his arms outwards, before slowly bringing them around in a circle. Thrusting both back towards the center then out into a fighting pose, the man shouted his declaration. “Eternally riding the darkness, Silver Rider, TRANSFORM!”
A pillar of shadows engulfed the man, as he roared in agony. The pillar dispersed, revealing he was wearing armor of black. His red visor gave him the appearance of a bug; this man wasn't a hero paraded on the television, but a warrior who fought evil with the shadows both dwelled within. Raising both of his hands out in front of him, Blade created a long-sword from his ki. Grasping it firmly, he nodded towards Tulip.
“Yeah, I was kind of a hero in the day. Let's make this a battle to remember.” The woman nodded firmly, creating a blade of her own to match. She stepped forward, ignoring the pain in her body, to stand alongside the man. Both faced the evil monster, as it finished regenerating and screamed nonsense at the two. We can...do this!
The being of evil stopped screaming and cocked its head towards the two, new opponents standing in front of it. The darkness swirling across its back changed, audibly cracking outwards in a painful chorus of cracking bones and ripping flesh. When the darkness dispersed, the monster had created three more sets of arms. Thrusting all of its hands outwards, orbs of darkness began forming in each of its palms.
“Shouldn't we do something about that?!” Tulip shouted, feeling the energy building in the air around the two. Blade nodded and both sprinted forward, raising their swords to cut. Two of the arms seized their orbs, creating a bow and arrow. The bow was instantly drawn, firing the arrow with a sonic boom. Blade was hit in the chest and sent flying backwards, slamming into a blade he created to stop his movement. The arrow shattered on his armor, but the cry of pain was proof the arrow had done damage. Tulip pressed forward further, waiting for another ranged attack. The evil being started seizing weapons; a three-piece staff, halberd, hammer, claymore, and katana were among the weapons it held, with the final hand not holding anything.
Planting her feet, Tulip threw the sword, launching it at blinding speeds towards the evil. The claymore burned through the air, slamming into the sword. It shattered the flimsy blade, as the woman snapped her fingers. The fragments of ki exploded in a blast light, staggering the monster. She sprinted forward, creating two daggers of silver.
It's clear the monster went for strength and power; I'll go speed, cutting it apart and staggering while minimizing danger! A quick glance revealed Blade was back up and preparing to move again, as Tulip charged in. A wall filled her view, as the monstrosity swung its hammer at the woman. Her gaze swept the area, before she moved. Throwing the knife from one hand down, it bounced off the earth into the hammer, knocking the weapon slightly up in its sideways path. Diving forward, Tulip rolled under the huge hammer, tucking as she landed and completing the maneuver on her feet.
Creating five more tiny blades, the woman threw them upwards over the monster's head. The staff swung through the air, forcing the woman to dive to one side to avoid. She saw the claymore swinging to pierce the air she was about to fill and prepared to erect her barrier. A black hand stretched out, grabbing her jacket. She landed on her feet sooner, as the black warrior blocked the katana slash intended for her.
“Together!” Blade shouted, as the woman tossed her silver blade forward. The weapon shattered, all of the broken pieces shooting outward in a blast that struck the monster. All of the blades overhead slammed into the monster's back, penetrating its hide before exploding. Arms fell to the ground, darkness pouring from the grotesque injuries. Blade shifted his stance, raising his sword over one shoulder. Red energy began coating the blade, increasing in intensity as the monster roared in agony. It suddenly lunged forward, swinging the one, unarmed hand forward. It struck Blade in the chest, barely tapping the man. A crater exploded around the two, as Tulip was sent sailing backwards from the force of the 'gentle' strike. The monster had been bluffing, storing all of its energy into that hand in order to destroy one of its two opponents. Blade's armor shattered from the force of the strike, his blade spinning away from his body. He tried to raise his hands, to push away from the monster, but was unable as the beast grabbed his limp body and slammed him into the earth as hard as it could. The crater increased, as blood splattered through the air from his severe injuries.
“Stop...stop....STOP!” Tulip screamed, throwing knives at the monster. It ignored her attacks, focusing all of its efforts into destroying the man in its grasp. A voice suddenly spoke in her head, throwing her off guard.
Tulip...listen to me. My sword still has enough energy to strike down the beast. You need to absorb the energy into your own strike. I'll show you the concept; you need to master the technique yourself.
A flood of information poured through the woman's mind, as she nodded firmly. Sprinting forward, the woman created a blade of silver. She focused all of the energy she could surmass, focusing on making the blade 'malleable', capable of taking on any energy willingly given. Blade's body was thrown into the air, as the monster's gaze shifted to her. His hand barely moved as his broken body spiraled through the air. His crimson blade shot out of the ground, spiraling through the air to slam into Tulip's silver blade. The energy building in the blade more than tripled, sending sparks of crimson crackling down its length and into her hands. Ignoring the pain and weight the increase of energy put on her body, Tulip forced the blade to stabilize. Her pace didn't slow, as the blade she held turned into a blood-red sword as long as she was tall. Raising the handle to her shoulder, Tulip prepared to bring the blade down, in order to strike the monster. Its hand shot forward, catching her wrists and stopping the slash halfway.
No!
The second hand came, bringing with it the powerful strike. She felt the knuckles hit her stomach, felt the organs within almost liquefy from the focused impact. Bile and blood poured from her mouth in response, as the monster slowly lowered its hand. She felt its grip tightening, threatening to crush her hands within. Her stance was weak, trembling, as pain overwhelmed her entire being. A weak but firm voice spoke from the edge of the battlefield, breaking her out of the pain-induced stupor.
“Idiot! You're stronger than this, stupid Tulip! Beat the monster with the strength you always bragged about! You can't lose, TULIP!” The voice was familiar, but weak, forcing the woman's gaze weakly upwards in order to confirm the impossible. A tiny girl, barely older than twelve, stood on the edge of the battlefield, wearing a witch's hat and clutching a black key. The monster shot seven tentacles out, with the intention of crushing the new, tiny invader. Tulip's eyes widened in rage and fear. Golden energy surrounded her body, as her grip tightened around the blade she held. Her muscles bulged, as she took a shuddering breath.
“DON'T....TOUCH HER, MONSTER!” Her hair turned a shining gold, as her eyes shifted to a gleaming blue. The monster's head swiveled to face the woman, as the ground around the two began breaking and chunks began floating. Its single hand was burned, turning to ash, as Tulip's aura flared up around her. The blade she held turned gold, growing in size till it dwarfed the monster it was posed to crush. Roaring with rage. The tentacles it had created shifted targets, all shooting forward to latch onto the powerful blade. The two were locked in a battle of strength, woman struggling to bring the blade down on the monster, while the monster tried to break the woman before she could finish the strike.
Bringing the charged fist back, the monster began slamming it over and over again into the woman's unguarded stomach. Each time more pain was written on her face, until blood sprayed from her mouth. She could feel the strength that had filled her body quickly dissipating, a temporary burst of strength born from rage dwindling rapidly. Her hands were already shaking, as the monster prepared to strike her again. A single, red dagger flashed past her head, slamming into the face of the monster. It exploded, staggering the beast.
“One more for the road, you stupid motherfucker. Do it, Tulip!” Blade's voice spoke, as the man pushed himself onto his knees. His outstretched arm fell, landing in the pool of blood that surrounded him.
The tentacles had retracted instinctively, trying to guard from further blades. The head, where complex thoughts had been formed, was still regenerating from the powerful blast. The beast wouldn't have time to realize its mistake, as the hybrid swung the sword downwards with a roar. A crimson flash split the air, as the blade tore into the monster. A cross of golden and crimson energy exploded outwards, completely obliterating the monster. Its shadowy body was destroyed thoroughly, revealing a silver necklace that fell to ground. As it hit the earth, it shattered into pieces. Tulip's golden aura vanished, as the woman staggered backwards. She saw Emily start sprinting forward, as her body fell backwards.
This...is going to hurt. Resigning herself to fate, Tulip waited for her body to slam into the ground. When her back slammed into firm flesh, her eyes widened. Blade had stumbled forward enough to catch her, but both fell backwards to the ground. He fell into a seated position and she on his lap.
“God, you're heavy! What have you been eati-....Wait.” Blade's voice turned cold, as the hybrid paled. He grabbed her tattered jacket and tore open the zipper, revealing her tattered tank-top and weights. “You knew you were fighting a final boss! Literally! And still you left your weights on?! What are you, fucking suicidal?!”
Tulip frowned at the man, before poking at his chin. “Is that any way to thank your savior? I did only come here for you, you know. Not because the scenery is great, or the training is good.”
The middle-aged man sighed, before chuckling softly. He smiled at the woman, brown eyes softening. “Guess you're right. I do owe you a thanks, and an apology for making you come this far.”
“Welcome back, Blade.”
“It's good to be back...Tulip.”
An embarrassed cough came from the side, interrupting their moment as Emily looked away with a blush. The young witch coughed again, before pointing at the two. “You both look absolutely awful! I'd offer to help, but all I know is attack and support magic, not healing. You two....you know....?”
She put her index finger through a circle made by her other index finger and thumb, all the while blushing beet-red. Both adults began chuckling, before laughing loudly. The young girl began yelling at them angrily, but Tulip was too busy laughing to hear the words.
I've earned this...the right to be happy and laugh. My past...will always be there...but now isn't the time to dwell on it. This is my present, and the future belongs to these two. My friends...no, my family.
Blade continued laughing, watching the two girls as they argued about how to unlock the gate to get back to the upper levels.
End Solo, PL w/ AL Bonus and HW.
This is my darkness, the souls of those I slaughtered in my pursuit of justice. My acts were nothing short of atrocious, the pinnacle of evil. Now I have to bear the weight of this, my sins, until my soul is finally consumed by this monstrosity I created. If there was a god, though...I'd wish to see her one more time. The woman who embraced that evil which plagued me and crushed it, in order to free me temporarily. The hybrid who taught me the value of emotional strength and how to overcome the weakness inherent with power. She was the first to look through the past and seize the person I'd been. Tulip...I wish I could see you one more time, before this darkness consumes me.
The weight only increased, pushing the thoughts from his mind in a haze of pain and agony. Surviving...and maintaining his sanity...were the only things this man had the ability to focus his energy on.
Sprinting down the path, the young woman slid to a stop as she reached the intersection at the end. High cliffs rose to either side, and the roar of incoming bandits could be heard to either side. She glanced over her shoulder and watched the incoming bandits sprinting at her from behind. A myriad of different races, all doomed to wander Hell until the end of time, had taken up residence within this region of Hell's world. Her search for a way to proceed further into the evil and realms of this reality had brought the woman here, much to the anger of its current denizens. A Saiyan warrior wearing tattered armor broke free of the mob and sprinted forward, focusing a ki blast on his palm. Narrowing her gaze, three orbs of silver materialized in the air around the woman.
“Get down! She's going to do that trick again!” One of the warriors in the mob shouted loudly, but it was too late. Sliding to one knee, the young woman brought both of her hands up, making the shape of a gun. All three orbs coalesced into blades and exploded forward, creating a sonic boom as they tore through the ranks of fallen warriors. Lowering her hand, the woman slowly rose to her feet. More warriors came barreling down the three opposing paths, as she began chuckling softly. Sliding her feet apart, the woman turned to face the opposing paths.
“Dammit, Blade. I'm going through a lot more trouble than its worth to save your lousy hide.” Her whimsical smile faded as energy began crackling in the air around the woman. Dozens of sliver orbs materialized as the woman thrust both of her hands to either side. Blades shot from the orbs, mowing down the bandits to either side. A quick glance showed that three were still standing, having erected barriers to block her unique assault; an Arcosian, a Saiyan, and a Zoanthrope. Five warriors hesitated in the path to her front; time to capitalize on their hesitation.
As the Arcosian's power increased immensely and his shape changed into a hulking monstrosity, Tulip covered the distance between them in only a few moments. Sliding through the bodies scattered at the huge being's feet, the woman avoided a quick jab to where her body had been only a few moments before. Silver energy began building around her palm as she leaped off the ground, slamming into his stomach. The Arcosian tripped as he stumbled over one of his fallen comrade's shattered bodies. Planting her feet firmly, the woman lashed out with a chop that slammed the fallen warrior into the earth. His breath was forced from his lungs as the woman brought her silver-charged fist high and slammed it down. The ground cratered around the two, as the Arcosian's eyes bulged in their sockets from the force of the woman's punch. A blast slammed into Tulip's back, searing her skin and sending her stumbling forward. A glance over her shoulder revealed the seven warriors still standing preparing their strongest techniques.
“Fuck.” Tulip thrust both of her hands forward, as a silver blade materialized in the air in front of her. Clutching the handle of the huge sword, Tulip let the large blade slam into the ground at her feet as she braced her entire weight against the back edge of the blade. All of the techniques slammed into the blade at differing angles, and the woman could feel the ki within the blade quickly being whittled away. A sudden, intense surge of energy made the woman's eyes widen, as a focused beam of red shot through the center of the blade, piercing a whole through the jacket and weights the woman wore underneath. The blade shattered in half as the woman's grip weakened, a cough slipping from her shocked lips. Searing pain came moments later, as the woman's arm rose shakily to the burning hole. The warriors shouted in triumph, two Saiyans and the Zoanthrope sprinting forward as the other four warriors began charging more techniques.
“No you don't, fuckers.” Gritting her teeth, Tulip forced her hands to still and created two blades. Both were scimitars, made of a silver metal the woman had come to know all the aspects of. As the first Saiyan thrust a fist forward, Tulip slammed her forehead into his fist, ignoring the stinging pain and blood that sprung forward. She felt the bones in his fist shift, as her silver blades flashed through the air. His arm split from his body, as she sunk her two blades into his body. Before the Saiyan fell, the woman slipped past his body and jumped into the air. His Saiyan comrade didn't see the woman's foot that slammed into his stomach. It wouldn't have done a thing, had it not been for his tail wrapped around his waist. A weak groan slipped through his lips as she felt his tail crack under her toe. Another red beam shot through the air, slamming into her thigh. She winced as the pain set in immediately, making her crash to her knees when she landed on the ground.
“Die, you stupid wench!” The Zoanthrope sliced towards her head with his claws. She rolled to the side, before catching his arm and slamming him into the ground next to her. Before he could break free, the young woman slammed her head into his, sending the Zoanthrope into unconsciousness. Rolling to her knees, the woman yanked the unconscious man in front of her smaller frame and shouted towards the warriors in front of her.
“Let me pass through here! No one else needs to die! I just need safe passage through to the darker planes!”
The Saiyan was still weakly clutching his broken tail, mumbling curses under his breath. A taller, darker being strolled forward, breaking free of the group he was standing in. The other warriors parted way to let the being through, but the Saiyan was too busy with his injured tail to notice. The man smirked as he stopped next to the Saiyan warrior. As Tulip looked on in shock, the man shot seven lasers of red through the Saiyan warrior. The life instantly left the warrior's eyes, as a mumbled apology died on the Saiyan's lips.
“That's my response, woman. You intruded on my domain; now I'll crush you underfoot like I did all these warriors seeking the key to escape from this hell.” Pointing his hand towards Tulip, the being grinned evilly. Tulip felt the blood in her veins chill, as the red light collected on the tip of his finger. Throwing the Zoanthrope into the air above her, the woman focused all of her ki into her palms. Thrusting them outwards, she blocked all four of the lasers the demon fired towards her. He lowered his steaming fingertip, before raising his eyebrows in appreciation. “You blocked four of my shots, despite your injuries. I'm impressed, kiddo. Why'd you save the filth, though?”
Slowly rising to her feet, the woman tried to force a smile despite the pain assaulting her leg and chest. Work through the pain; it'll wear off in Hell, thanks to the rules of this reality. Just can't let my soul get crushed here, otherwise all the magicking in the world won't save my lousy hide. Speaking firmly across the narrow pass, the woman created her signature claymore and slammed it into the earth.
“I'm not here to kill those who've already perished. I'm just here to save someone precious to me. But, if you won't let me pass, I'll have to take more drastic measures!” Yanking the blade free, the woman hefted it in both hands and raised the blade to be level with her face. The demon began hovering in the air and chuckling, as orbs of red energy filled the air between them.
“Finally, a worthy contender! Release me from the monotonous nature of this eternal Hell, if you can, pathetic worm!” His voice rose to a roar, echoing through the narrow cliffs, as his aura surged to dangerous levels. Energy crackled in the air between the two, as both prepared to duel the other to the end.
“STOP!” A high-pitched, whiny voice pierced the air between the two, as a small, white spirit wearing a witch's cap burst from the cliff wall. It glanced at both fighters, before whirling on Tulip. Bobbing forward, it began angrily huffing and shouting in its feminine voice. “Stupid, idiotic, brainless, dim-witted, dummy, low I.Q., paint-eating, window-licking, stupid-”
“You said stupid twice.” The demon's energy dispersed as it pointed out the mistake of the bobbing spirit.
“Quiet you! Tulip! You said we were going to find your buddy and you'd give me that shiny bobble you wear! I've spent too long dead to let you go and commit death-by-overpowered demon! And you, big, ugly demon! You're way too ugly to be hurting this cute savior who found me on the edges of hell! I'm going to help her, she's going to help me, and everything will be great. On that note, Cupid's....SPARKLE!” Tulip's expression turned to fear, as the spirit's head tilted back and it raised its small arms high. She closed her eyes and shielded her face, as the spirit created a miniature sun of brilliant light within the confines of the tunnel. All of the warriors still standing roared in agony, as the light left them blinded and stunned, the theme song of an old Bao's Magical Girls anime looping loudly in their heads. The spirit shot over, grabbing the woman's belt and tugging her into the air, before she realized the hybrid could still see. The two shot out of the ravine, leaving the stumbling warriors and carnage behind.
“You're far too irresponsible! Not all of Hell is a crazy cesspit of evil intentions and anarchy, you dummy hybrid!” The spirit attempted to karate-chop the woman on her head, but the woman barely felt the spirit's tap. The tiny, hat-wearing spirit floated away with an irritated huff, as the woman floated down and landed on the ground with a graceful step. The hybrid's emerald gaze swept the area, before she spoke towards the tiny spirit.
“This is the next gate? I don't see anything.”
“You won't see anything until you've either done enough evil for the gate to warrant your passage. That, or someone with the right credentials let you in. Luckily for you, I'm in hell because I'm the miracle worker in that specific department.” Thrusting one white arm into her pointy hat, Eliza yanked a gruesome black key. It radiated a different level of evil, something the woman had never felt before. The white spirit grimaced as she held out the key. “This...is something that took me a while to procure. It unlocks a pathway to a darker place than I've ever been in. It's not somewhere I'd willingly go. In fact, it would be suicide for me to go there. I'll wait here, for your return. After all, without that bauble, I can't return to the world of the living.”
The young woman reached around her neck, undoing the clasp that held the small spiritual stone to her neck. She looped it around Emily's neck, firmly clasping the lock and setting her forehead against the spirit's small hat. Grinning, the young hybrid took the black key from the spirit's hand. The young witch tried to find her voice, but Tulip silenced her with a firm hug.
“Ever since I found you in that small village, you never left my side. You followed me through demons nests, monsters dens, and bandits caves, all to find someone that you didn't know. Even if it was for something that could bring you back...I still respect that.” The spirit began tearing up, as the woman continued speaking firmly but softly. “I know, you could have stolen this necklace back when we first met, but you chose the right path. I'm sure now, if the Ox King reviewed your soul again, you'd go to heaven for sure.”
Stepping away, black key in hand, the young woman winked at the spirit who was starting to cry. Thrusting the key forward, a door materialized in the air in front of the woman. Darkness leaked through the cracks around the door, as the woman prepared to turn the key in the lock. Narrowing her eyes in determination, the woman yanked the key to the side. The door was flung open, key slipping from her grip. Tendrils of darkness shot out of the doorway, wrapping around the woman. Before she could shout, struggle, or even look surprised, the woman was yanked into the doorway, leaving the spirit behind in shock. The key tumbled to the ground as the door slammed shut, locking the woman within the next level of hell.
As the door slammed shut behind Tulip, she found herself falling into a world so different from the reality she had just left, she should have called that Hell a paradise. The screams of tortured souls echoed through the air, and the miasma of darkness. Her initial attempt to amass her ki failed, leaving the woman falling through the air towards the red earth below. Focusing her will and energy, the woman shouted loudly, forcing her ki to burst forth in a silver explosion. She halted her descent only a dozen meters above the ground. Slowly descending to the ground, the young hybrid landed firmly on the ground. A quick glance revealed that there was no sign of any features marring this barren landscape. But, if she tried to see beyond the horizon, there was a haze that blocked her from seeing further.
Is this an illusion? Or something created by the demons to prevent the souls trapped here from meeting one another? Closing her eyes, the woman focused her will outwards in an attempt to locate her fallen comrade. The barrier cloaking this plane prevented her sensing from stretching outwards, until the woman forced her ki to explode outwards. On the very edge of her sensing, she felt something that seemed familiar. Her emerald eyes shot open, as her gaze fell on the spot in the distance. I'm coming for you, Blade.
Flying across the empty wasteland, Tulip's concern began growing as the feeling she had sensed never grew stronger or even remotely closer. It was as if there was a wall between herself and the man she was seeking; a barrier of sorts preventing their meeting. Landing on the ground, the young woman slid to a stop facing the endless expanse of red earth.
There's something in the way. Something that I can' pierce through normal means. I need to go beyond my own talents, grasp a new strength that is even greater than anything I've done till now. Narrowing her gaze, the woman summoned her energy. It was as difficult as every time before, requiring all of the woman's focus. Thrusting one hand forward like it clasped a sheath, the young woman envisioned a sheath of silver, before slamming her other cupped hand into the first. A flash of silver filled the thick air, as a silver katana materialized in her grasp. This thin blade carried all of the energy of her giant claymore, only compressed into a thin blade. Shifting the sheath to her hip, Tulip narrowed her focus in the direction of the ki she had sensed. Firmly grasping the hilt, the woman shouted loudly as she sliced outwards. A silver arc shot through the air, before vanishing into the void. Her breath became strained, as the air around her seemed to increase in weight. Something changed...what happened!?
As if to answer her question, a single, thin line appeared in the wall she was facing. A hand slipped through the line, grasping the edge of the air. She could barely see within the crack, but the sounds of the agony and excruciating suffering of the voices within made her blood chill. A low sigh passed from the crack; it should have been inaudible, but this voice carried a deeper, instinctual meaning to the young woman. Tears sprang to her eyes, as she was reminded of the deaths she had experienced all those months ago at the waterfall. The hand gripped firmly, shattering the sky between the two. A huge, monstrous figure stepped out of the rift, towering over the girl. It's jet black features, muffled by the darkness completely masking its body, made her body lock up by instinct as she once again witnessed the evil she had faced once in the temple all those weeks ago. Raising one hand into the sky, a huge blade of darkness formed in its blurred grasp.
“We MeEt AgAiN, lItTlE gIrL!” It's terrifying voice reached her ears, further instilling the fear within the woman. Tears began running down her cheeks, as the huge being swung its sword down, preparing to erase the woman from existence.
Dodge right! Tulip's body instantly moved, throwing the woman to the right. She rolled to her feet, as the figure stared at the blade which hadn't hit its target. It yanked the huge blade free, as Tulip began recovering from her panic attack. It's been...a while, Tulip. Don't hesitate; strike me down now and end this evil once and for all!
“But you're still locked within! If I do that, you'll cease existing! I...only remained in hell this long in order to drag you back out with me. If you die now...this all had no meaning.” Tulip screamed, already knowing the voiced words had no effect. The man could hear her thoughts, which mirrored the words echoing through the void they both stood in. The huge monstrosity raised its blade once again, as Tulip's eyes began burning. Tears stained her cheeks, as she began focusing her energy. The huge blade she had grown to know and love formed in her open hands, its familiar weight straining on her muscles as she faced the huge being that clung to Blade's existence. “...I won't let this end like this!”
Sprinting forward, she angled the blade in order to penetrate the chest of the huge monster. It blurred, shadows melting as the being almost materialized directly next to Tulip. Digging her feet into the ground to stop, the young hybrid swung her blade over her back in order to block the attack of the black being. Its blade slammed into the lower edge of her blade, knocking her feet off the ground. Shit! Before the woman could regain her stance, a foot slammed into her side and sent her flying sideways through the air. The claymore in her hand cut into the ground and wrenched itself from her grip as the woman slammed into the red earth and spun over the barren ground.
Finally sliding to a stop with a pained gasp, the woman forced her hands onto the ground and tried to weakly stand. She could feel her ribs shifting, a clear sign the kick had shattered the bones. A shadow fell over the woman, sending a chill through her body. With a shout of desperation, Tulip summoned all of the ki she could muster, focusing it into a barrier on her back. The pain came moments later, as the monster's sword cut into her back, slamming through her barrier and forcing the woman into the ground. Her breath was driven from her lungs in a pained gasp, as she felt the bones in her chest cracking from the force.
Fractures throughout my chest. Ki drained. Another attack soon to follow. Ha, this couldn't get any worse. The woman tasted blood on her lips, a sure sign that bad things were happening to her body. As the blade left her back, Tulip pushed herself over, so she could face the monstrosity. If I'm going to perish here, I'm going to do it while facing my enemy. Blade...you in there?
Don't you give up, you stupid child! Get up! I'm going to try something utterly ridiculous! Recall your reason to live, the thing that kept you going even when faced with true death! Recall, and strike when there's an opening!
Her emerald gaze widened, as she saw the monster stop. It moaned audibly, as the black blade it held slipped from its grasp. Ignoring the pain in her chest, the woman rose from the ground, catching the black blade as it fell downwards. Spinning the blade up, Tulip ignored the darkness that ran down her arms and wrapped its way around her chest. A single, glimmering light flashed in the air at the monster's chest. Angling the blade to stab, Tulip lunged forward with a shout. Another blade exploded from the chest as her blade struck, both crossing through the monster in an 'X'. Twisting the blade, the hybrid cut in the opposite direction of the other sword, splitting the monster in half. In front of her, barely standing in the shadow of the monster, was the man she'd been seeking. Pain was written on his face, as well as relief.
“It's good to finally meet you face to face, Blade.” Tulip started to lower the sword, when the middle-aged man sprinted forward, tackling the woman away from the sword she held. Darkness exploded outwards in spikes, before stretching out to attach itself to the halves of the monstrous body. The man slowly rose to his feet and grinned weakly.
“That was only enough to stagger that evil for a moment. With your help, though, I broke free. Let's defeat this darkness together, then escape this prison.”
Tulip nodded, before realizing how close she was to this man. Becoming aware of how ruggedly charming he was, she blushed and looked away. Blade chuckled before pushing away. The monster was hissing in agony as its body began rebuilding itself. The man rose to his feet, the shakiness in his stance already gone. The young woman noticed a strange belt the man was wearing, as he motioned for her to stand.
“An eternity in hell couldn't atone for the sins I've committed in this lifetime. But...for the sake of justice, I had to steep myself in darkness. The lives I've saved and those I've slain will be laid bear!” The man thrust both of his arms outwards, before slowly bringing them around in a circle. Thrusting both back towards the center then out into a fighting pose, the man shouted his declaration. “Eternally riding the darkness, Silver Rider, TRANSFORM!”
A pillar of shadows engulfed the man, as he roared in agony. The pillar dispersed, revealing he was wearing armor of black. His red visor gave him the appearance of a bug; this man wasn't a hero paraded on the television, but a warrior who fought evil with the shadows both dwelled within. Raising both of his hands out in front of him, Blade created a long-sword from his ki. Grasping it firmly, he nodded towards Tulip.
“Yeah, I was kind of a hero in the day. Let's make this a battle to remember.” The woman nodded firmly, creating a blade of her own to match. She stepped forward, ignoring the pain in her body, to stand alongside the man. Both faced the evil monster, as it finished regenerating and screamed nonsense at the two. We can...do this!
The being of evil stopped screaming and cocked its head towards the two, new opponents standing in front of it. The darkness swirling across its back changed, audibly cracking outwards in a painful chorus of cracking bones and ripping flesh. When the darkness dispersed, the monster had created three more sets of arms. Thrusting all of its hands outwards, orbs of darkness began forming in each of its palms.
“Shouldn't we do something about that?!” Tulip shouted, feeling the energy building in the air around the two. Blade nodded and both sprinted forward, raising their swords to cut. Two of the arms seized their orbs, creating a bow and arrow. The bow was instantly drawn, firing the arrow with a sonic boom. Blade was hit in the chest and sent flying backwards, slamming into a blade he created to stop his movement. The arrow shattered on his armor, but the cry of pain was proof the arrow had done damage. Tulip pressed forward further, waiting for another ranged attack. The evil being started seizing weapons; a three-piece staff, halberd, hammer, claymore, and katana were among the weapons it held, with the final hand not holding anything.
Planting her feet, Tulip threw the sword, launching it at blinding speeds towards the evil. The claymore burned through the air, slamming into the sword. It shattered the flimsy blade, as the woman snapped her fingers. The fragments of ki exploded in a blast light, staggering the monster. She sprinted forward, creating two daggers of silver.
It's clear the monster went for strength and power; I'll go speed, cutting it apart and staggering while minimizing danger! A quick glance revealed Blade was back up and preparing to move again, as Tulip charged in. A wall filled her view, as the monstrosity swung its hammer at the woman. Her gaze swept the area, before she moved. Throwing the knife from one hand down, it bounced off the earth into the hammer, knocking the weapon slightly up in its sideways path. Diving forward, Tulip rolled under the huge hammer, tucking as she landed and completing the maneuver on her feet.
Creating five more tiny blades, the woman threw them upwards over the monster's head. The staff swung through the air, forcing the woman to dive to one side to avoid. She saw the claymore swinging to pierce the air she was about to fill and prepared to erect her barrier. A black hand stretched out, grabbing her jacket. She landed on her feet sooner, as the black warrior blocked the katana slash intended for her.
“Together!” Blade shouted, as the woman tossed her silver blade forward. The weapon shattered, all of the broken pieces shooting outward in a blast that struck the monster. All of the blades overhead slammed into the monster's back, penetrating its hide before exploding. Arms fell to the ground, darkness pouring from the grotesque injuries. Blade shifted his stance, raising his sword over one shoulder. Red energy began coating the blade, increasing in intensity as the monster roared in agony. It suddenly lunged forward, swinging the one, unarmed hand forward. It struck Blade in the chest, barely tapping the man. A crater exploded around the two, as Tulip was sent sailing backwards from the force of the 'gentle' strike. The monster had been bluffing, storing all of its energy into that hand in order to destroy one of its two opponents. Blade's armor shattered from the force of the strike, his blade spinning away from his body. He tried to raise his hands, to push away from the monster, but was unable as the beast grabbed his limp body and slammed him into the earth as hard as it could. The crater increased, as blood splattered through the air from his severe injuries.
“Stop...stop....STOP!” Tulip screamed, throwing knives at the monster. It ignored her attacks, focusing all of its efforts into destroying the man in its grasp. A voice suddenly spoke in her head, throwing her off guard.
Tulip...listen to me. My sword still has enough energy to strike down the beast. You need to absorb the energy into your own strike. I'll show you the concept; you need to master the technique yourself.
A flood of information poured through the woman's mind, as she nodded firmly. Sprinting forward, the woman created a blade of silver. She focused all of the energy she could surmass, focusing on making the blade 'malleable', capable of taking on any energy willingly given. Blade's body was thrown into the air, as the monster's gaze shifted to her. His hand barely moved as his broken body spiraled through the air. His crimson blade shot out of the ground, spiraling through the air to slam into Tulip's silver blade. The energy building in the blade more than tripled, sending sparks of crimson crackling down its length and into her hands. Ignoring the pain and weight the increase of energy put on her body, Tulip forced the blade to stabilize. Her pace didn't slow, as the blade she held turned into a blood-red sword as long as she was tall. Raising the handle to her shoulder, Tulip prepared to bring the blade down, in order to strike the monster. Its hand shot forward, catching her wrists and stopping the slash halfway.
No!
The second hand came, bringing with it the powerful strike. She felt the knuckles hit her stomach, felt the organs within almost liquefy from the focused impact. Bile and blood poured from her mouth in response, as the monster slowly lowered its hand. She felt its grip tightening, threatening to crush her hands within. Her stance was weak, trembling, as pain overwhelmed her entire being. A weak but firm voice spoke from the edge of the battlefield, breaking her out of the pain-induced stupor.
“Idiot! You're stronger than this, stupid Tulip! Beat the monster with the strength you always bragged about! You can't lose, TULIP!” The voice was familiar, but weak, forcing the woman's gaze weakly upwards in order to confirm the impossible. A tiny girl, barely older than twelve, stood on the edge of the battlefield, wearing a witch's hat and clutching a black key. The monster shot seven tentacles out, with the intention of crushing the new, tiny invader. Tulip's eyes widened in rage and fear. Golden energy surrounded her body, as her grip tightened around the blade she held. Her muscles bulged, as she took a shuddering breath.
“DON'T....TOUCH HER, MONSTER!” Her hair turned a shining gold, as her eyes shifted to a gleaming blue. The monster's head swiveled to face the woman, as the ground around the two began breaking and chunks began floating. Its single hand was burned, turning to ash, as Tulip's aura flared up around her. The blade she held turned gold, growing in size till it dwarfed the monster it was posed to crush. Roaring with rage. The tentacles it had created shifted targets, all shooting forward to latch onto the powerful blade. The two were locked in a battle of strength, woman struggling to bring the blade down on the monster, while the monster tried to break the woman before she could finish the strike.
Bringing the charged fist back, the monster began slamming it over and over again into the woman's unguarded stomach. Each time more pain was written on her face, until blood sprayed from her mouth. She could feel the strength that had filled her body quickly dissipating, a temporary burst of strength born from rage dwindling rapidly. Her hands were already shaking, as the monster prepared to strike her again. A single, red dagger flashed past her head, slamming into the face of the monster. It exploded, staggering the beast.
“One more for the road, you stupid motherfucker. Do it, Tulip!” Blade's voice spoke, as the man pushed himself onto his knees. His outstretched arm fell, landing in the pool of blood that surrounded him.
The tentacles had retracted instinctively, trying to guard from further blades. The head, where complex thoughts had been formed, was still regenerating from the powerful blast. The beast wouldn't have time to realize its mistake, as the hybrid swung the sword downwards with a roar. A crimson flash split the air, as the blade tore into the monster. A cross of golden and crimson energy exploded outwards, completely obliterating the monster. Its shadowy body was destroyed thoroughly, revealing a silver necklace that fell to ground. As it hit the earth, it shattered into pieces. Tulip's golden aura vanished, as the woman staggered backwards. She saw Emily start sprinting forward, as her body fell backwards.
This...is going to hurt. Resigning herself to fate, Tulip waited for her body to slam into the ground. When her back slammed into firm flesh, her eyes widened. Blade had stumbled forward enough to catch her, but both fell backwards to the ground. He fell into a seated position and she on his lap.
“God, you're heavy! What have you been eati-....Wait.” Blade's voice turned cold, as the hybrid paled. He grabbed her tattered jacket and tore open the zipper, revealing her tattered tank-top and weights. “You knew you were fighting a final boss! Literally! And still you left your weights on?! What are you, fucking suicidal?!”
Tulip frowned at the man, before poking at his chin. “Is that any way to thank your savior? I did only come here for you, you know. Not because the scenery is great, or the training is good.”
The middle-aged man sighed, before chuckling softly. He smiled at the woman, brown eyes softening. “Guess you're right. I do owe you a thanks, and an apology for making you come this far.”
“Welcome back, Blade.”
“It's good to be back...Tulip.”
An embarrassed cough came from the side, interrupting their moment as Emily looked away with a blush. The young witch coughed again, before pointing at the two. “You both look absolutely awful! I'd offer to help, but all I know is attack and support magic, not healing. You two....you know....?”
She put her index finger through a circle made by her other index finger and thumb, all the while blushing beet-red. Both adults began chuckling, before laughing loudly. The young girl began yelling at them angrily, but Tulip was too busy laughing to hear the words.
I've earned this...the right to be happy and laugh. My past...will always be there...but now isn't the time to dwell on it. This is my present, and the future belongs to these two. My friends...no, my family.
Blade continued laughing, watching the two girls as they argued about how to unlock the gate to get back to the upper levels.
End Solo, PL w/ AL Bonus and HW.