I wondered more of the mock city as an uneasy silence filled the air like an unnatural fog. Each step of mine echoed off of the mock buildings, The air around me began to pick up slightly ruffling my hair into a mess. The thumping and beating of my heart that filled my ears during my surges started to calm down. I felt the surface of my right hand heat up quickly as more minor scars began to appear on my hand as it constantly trembled slightly. A deafening boom rocked everything around me as dust clouds swept from the alleys between the mock buildings in the area, {What was that?}, was the only thought my rattled mind could think of at the moment. My bodily instincts screamed for me to move in the opposite direction but my mind felt drawn towards the source. My mind was made up as my body began to walk on its own. Each step towards the source brought me closer to a storm. The winds started getting even stronger as goosebumps lined my arms and neck, I crossed over what felt like a waterfall of energy as everything around me charged. The sky darkened shortened my vision to about only ten feet in front of me, rain poured down from above dreaching me. My hair stuck to my forehead as I continued further into the storm, Bolts of purple and pink lighting showered the area in flickering purple and pink hues. The tallest mock building in the area was bathed in the most lighting as bolts struck down every second around the building like a jail cell of lighting. A figure dressed in a similar bodysuit to mine stood on top of the buildings roof, her suits only difference was the hooded trench coat she wore. The area might've been completely dark but the figure's pink and purple eyes shimmered brightly like lone stars in the night sky. A girls voice cut through the sounds of lighting, the girls voice was soft but wild, "hmm another body ready to be dropped how fun", I looked up at the girl as she laughed. The girls eyes continued to pierce through the rainy veil, "Who are you!!", The girls head tilted slightly as she rubbed her ear with what looked like callused hands, "gods dude you don't have to be so loud", she stepped off of the roof as the gravity carried her down and her hair floated due to the passing wind. She landed with a force that shattered the concrete and sent fractures through the tarmac kicked up dust. As the dust cleared the girls figure was crouched as if she had braced her knees for the impact, "now that we're on even grounds lets fight", the girl stretched her arms as sparks of purple lighting lined her right arm and pink lighting. I could barely process my thoughts before a mixture of pink and purple streaked in a zig-zag pattern.
The lighting bolts sliced through the rain drops. The bright flashes of lighting blinded me slightly as I covered my eyes, the moment I blinked and I felt my feet slip from underneath me, {Huh?}, my next thought followed as my body was now ragdolling through the air. The drops of rain from the storm felt like mini pebbles against my skin as I continued floating.
I could barely process my thoughts before she appeared above me with a clinched fist. Lighting traced her knuckles and wrist. I put my arms together trying to blocked both my face and body. Her fist rattled the bones in my arms before breaking through my guard. The impact of her fist flung me towards a three story building,
I slammed through the roof of the mock building, "ahh!", my body broke through the second and third floor. I felt two broken ribs. I barely lift myself up without coughing up a bit of blood, "you took that attack better then I thought", I put myself against the cold brick walls. As a shiver ran throughout my body. She lifted her hands towards me, {What is that!?},
A purple bolt of lighting sparked in between her fingers forming a sphere, "Hey tell me have you ever played an rpg?" The sudden question threw me off with how casual she started talking, "uh yeah once when I was younger why?", the lighting in her hand began to spark even more, "Then tell me have you have heard of this attack", I instinctively stuttered back as the bolt of lighting streaked from her hand like a purple comet, "Lighting Bolt",.
The sphere shot towards me before turning into a lighting bolt, {What can I do?}, My mind had instinctively filled with things to do, {That's to fast to dodge}, my vision flashed as the bolt got faster. The bolt of lighting appeared in front of me. My body instinctively reacted as my arms went up to block, "OuroBoros Blades!!", four circular reds disks formed off my wrist. The bolt struck the disks with a slightly weakened force as I was still launched me through the brick wall behind me. Each fiber in body stung as my nerves screamed, the impact of the shattering bricks pricked like sharp needles, shallow cuts were being formed on both my neck and chin. The feeling of the streets tarmac caving under my body was painful, the screen of my suit smoked and looked singed, {Oh gods did I get the suit messed up}, The screen lit up, "80% screen durability remaining",.
Her lighting flashed around her as thunder boomed. The light illuminated the her face in a pink and purple hue. her tanned caramel skin glew in the mixed hues and her show white teeth and sharp canines gleams as she grinned at me, "I hope you'll be a better fighter then those other weaklings", the screen on her chest lit up with an astonishing 250, "h-how", I couldn't fathom that many students being defeated in only an hour and a half. I felt worried and disheartened as I watched her approached.
The girl looked down to her chest before laughing, "oh don't worry about these people dude I was trying to take a nap and they just kept interrupting", I looked at her face lacked any sign of tiredness just like a chaotic happiness as she grinned widely at me, "but you'll be different ok you'll be my fighting partner", I instinctively put my arms up as a fist sent shook from my arms throughout my entire body ,{Woah!},.
I stepped backwards pushing against a brick wall slightly as a another punch followed. I blocked the punch again as my arms began to sting. The power of the punch didn't lessen by much as the wall slightly broke down behind me. Before I could react two more punches followed and broke through my guard connecting with my body as I crumbled forward. The buildings structure started to break down around me as the girl continued to smile. The next second she was in front of me as she grabbed me with a fierce grip.
She spun around and launched me through a wall. The feeling of the broken wall and the impact of the concrete rattled my brain. I couldn't help but groan and cry in pain. I couldn't breath properly due to my broken ribs. I struggled to even stand as each breath reminded me of my broken ribs. I stood with shaky legs she was already back in front of me with a fist encased in lighting, "don't blink", I thrust my palm forward as the air whistled past my hand, "Vesper Bolting Palm", white erupted from my hand. A clash of my white lighting and the hued mixture of pink and purple the as the building around us exploded as the flash ravaged the surrounding buildings launching out debris that tore through the surrounding two mock buildings on both sides of us.
The dust kicked up around us from the clash fogged the area as the rain continued to pour down in a darkening. I held my trembling hands, "you can use lighting that's pretty cool bro", a blur of lightning streaked towards me,{How's she so fast?!}. I jumped out of the way as she almost ran through me leaving behind a line of melted concrete and tarmac.
My screen lit up with a notification, "you count has been updated to six", I looked around as the smoke cleared revealed hidden bodies laid under rubble, "you're talented i'll give you that considering the fact you've fought this long against me", the girl become clear as the smoke around us was cleared by the rain, "I'll take that as a compliment", she laughed at my answer placing a hand on her hip. She started walking towards me passing over unconscious bodies, "good then I hope you'll be a good match for me",. She strolled past an unconscious body, her hand slowly passing over a discarded sword, "I'll try to be",I couldn't help but nervously laugh as she picked up the sword. The blade of the sword shimmered in the rain. Lighting sparked off the blade tracing along the raindrops, "Don't be so nervous I won't kill you", The causal tone of the girl made me even more nervous, {that sword was saying something different}. Her hand gripped the hilt of the sword tightly. The blade was traced with her pink and purple lighting as it started to glow and spark.
My eyes were glued to the aura surrounding the blade gave me the same unease as Eden's faith did, "I suggest you grab up a weapon it'll be a shame if you lose without a fight", the casual almost obliviously condescending tone of her's made me laugh. She raised an eyebrow before appearing in front of me with another blade in hand, "What's so funny?", I took a step back in surprise before regaining my composure, "It was nothing just an inner thought", she kept a raised eyebrow while staring into my eyes, {Why is she so intense}, Her face shifted as if reading my mind, "Hey dude not cool I am not intense I'm actually pretty tame", her tone shifted sounding almost like a pouting child with her puffed up cheeks and red cheeks. I involuntarily laughed at her response and position. The silent glare and slow breaths shut me up instantly
She put the hilt of the other sword out towards me, "Since you find my attitude so hilarious you should be able to handle the consequences", I didn't hesitate to grab the hilt, {It's lighter than I thought}, but the calm and relaxed posture of the girl unsettled me, "You'll be easy on me right i've never used a sword?", the blank look before a soft sigh made me take in a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, "Don't seem so relieved you'll have learn as we fight", I didn't get the blink before a silver streak almost took my head off, "here's you first lesson never blink at the start of a fight",.
I moved out of the way using the blade to block my neck, {What's this strength!}, the clash caused my hands to vibrate in an uncomfortable way. My grip on the sword's hilt loosened as the blade slipped from my hand, {if she's this fast I'll have to find another method to block}, Another blow rattled my hands. I stepped back sticking the hilt out as the blade, {Gods she's too strong}, the blow knocked me off balance.
{I need to adjust myself quickly}, I spun around using my sword's momentum to get in a better position. I stood back on two feet feeling slightly off from the unusual movements, "aren't you adaptive", the girls tone shifted slightly curious before charging at me again,{What am I supposed learn through this monstrous strength},
I could barely look at the footwork she was performing, much less a swinging sword. She stood there letting me breathe, each wheeze reminded of my broken ribs, {gosh this stupid aching is making it harder to think}, I looked forward as she began to approach me. the mixed lighting began shifting into snakes,"battle is the best learning environment always remember that", the declaration made me as uneasy as the snakes did, {I'm starting to regret this decision I should've just went the opposite way}, she pointed the blade of her sword at me, "prepare yourself this is where the training will begin so suggest you learn quickly", I felt like a bit nervous considering I'm learning swordsman while in the midst of an exam from my opponent.
I shifted my grip on the sword's hilt putting my right hand in front of my left, {this feels natural?}, My body started to feel lighter, the blade's weight and hilt started feeling more natural. I kept my eyes open and alert as she continued approaching. A flash of lighting appeared in front of me filling my vision with mixed hues. As fast as the lighting came it went and The girl was back in front of me. She swung her sword downwards. I put my sword above my head feeling the blades connect.
Both of my wrist stung from taking the sword's impact, {Has she been blessed by the gods this is insane},. Her sword sparked with the lighting, "Serpentine Divider", two streaks of mixed hued lighting shifted into snakes that slammed into my sword biting down on it, {snakes now come on man!}. The snakes gripped my sword slightly cracking the blade, {What is that bite force}, The snake wrapped around the blade before whipping upwards. I didn't even blink but I was already, {Uhh how'd I get up here},. I was floating through the air staring up into the sky barely seeing the sun through the tumbling of my body. The snakes unwrapped from my blade before splitting into fours and wrapping around my arms,{why are these snakes made of},.
I looked above me the girls heterochromatic eyes shined like pink and purple stars, "Chromatic Thunderstorm", I used my sword as a blocking tool, {Is that a star!!}, I stared at her glowing eyes in unease. The sky brightened in mixed hues. The attack slammed into my sword shattering it instantly, {this can't be a human's strength}, my body caved in slightly as I rocketed into the tarmac. I felt the tarmac immediately fractured underneath my body, "Agh", I tried to breathe normally but coughed up blood instead,{I can't feel my ribs anymore}, A soft laugh came from the girls as her sword continued to pulse, "You're only bleeding internally you'll be fine", I slowly ripped myself from the tarmac, [60% Suit durability remaining],. I held my head looking up as the rain continued to drench my face. The figure became apparent in a mixed hued shadow.
Her figure slammed down right beside me, her foot only a few inches away, {that was way too close}, I rolled away from her pushing myself up. I held the sword into the ground to hold myself up, {I hate that I'm actually learning from the battle manic}, I immediately ducked again as her sword almost cleaved my head off, {I thought she said she wouldn't try to kill me!!}, her face was turnt up in what looked like annoyance, "Your thoughts are all over your face I know what you're thinking". Her next few slashes flowed smoothly and dangerously like a raging current, "You'll regret thinking negative thoughts about me",. Each slash that followed almost cleaved one of my limbs off, "Come on be real you shouldn't have thought bad thoughts about me", I could barely avoid being cut in half, {I should've kept my mouth and mind shut I regret it completely},. She continued the chase slashing in an X formation.
I jumped back a few feet as my hand instinctively shot up to block the blade. The blade cut through the back of my hand leaving an X shaped wound, the feeling of the blood rushing from my right hand burned as if it was held under a fire, {I can't falter I need to push through this}, I swapped the sword into my left, {it still feels natural that's strange}, I let my hand hang feeling each drop of blood, "You good?", the calmness in her voice was becoming normal to me, "Like you said battle is the best place to learn i'll be okay", her laugh was soft and gentle, {How can such a nice laugh come from this battle demon}, I guess her laughing overtook her observation since she was still smiling after my mental comment. She stopped laughing slowly as she fixed her hold on the sword, "since you seem to be learning let me help a bit more", I couldn't understand why she was even teaching me when she could've been knocked me out and went about her exam, "Don't squint so much when you think you'll get wrinkles", I couldn't stop a laugh, {she's funny I hate it},.
She stopped laughing as she stood in place with her feet shoulder length apart, "Now enough jokes watch this and learn", her shoulders got solid as she put her right foot in front of the left, "this is a basic stance now watch the swing", The air hissed as her slash cut through the air, {when she swings the sword she's shifting her weight to increase its strength using her dominant side}, she studied me for a moment, "Try it", I nodded just going with it at this point. As I got into the stance everything else seemed to be fading into the background, "Slash", The girl's comment caused me to slash on instinct, The air hissed similar to when she swung.
She looked pleasantly surprised, "you figured it out in a single glance I like it I'll make you a better fighter who'll actually give me a challenge", I couldn't withhold a laugh, {I think she's starting to wear off on me}, I jumped back as she followed up that practice slash with an actual one. I dodged another slash, "now apply it to our fight", I put on my feet firm on the ground before straighten my shoulders out, {Feel the swords path and follow it}, my eyes stung slightly as my vision shifted to somewhere else. I was back in front of the gate the chains seemed unmoved and the symbols still completely unreadable, then my eyes shifted to the lowest corner of the gate two words formed from a single symbol, "Free The", I couldn't even properly think of the words meaning as I was back in the pouring rain staring down the girl, "You Okay?", the girl looked confused at my dazed state. I couldn't even think straight let alone answer, the beating of my heart started to get loud as my heart began thumping, {what's this pain},.
I cried out in pain as red protruding spikes began to dig out from my knuckles. More pain rippled from my forehead, After what felt like an eternity of pain my body stopped and started to steam. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, I looked forward the girl looked intrigued, "oh man that's an awesome look", I looked at her as blood dripped past my eyes turning my vision partially turning my eye sight red. I unconsciously brushing my forehead for sweat. A sting rippled through my finger, I pricked my finger on what felt like small curved horns. Both the spikes and horns resembled a blood sapphire. I knew I didn't have the opportunity to just stand around so I rushed her, "You've got a bit of armor now so let's begin the harder lesson!" the girl's wide grin as she shouted her declaration, {I'm in danger}, she swung her sword downwards aiming for my arm, "We don't need to be so hasty!!", she laughed out loud as the her sword scraped across the spikes send out sparks, {It's a bit more bearable now}. I punched the sword as the spikes sparked like steel, "yes keep it up you're getting better", her sword streaked past me cut the air in front of me.
I used the spikes to deflect another swing with the sheer air force of it cleaving off the corner of a building, {I think she's starting to have too much fun}. We continued to clash in the same spot with impact breaking apart buildings and craving out the streets. Her blade turned completely into lighting as a sent a shock in body like a sense of paralysis, "don't freeze up", a towering wave of lighting shot towards me with thundering force, It tore through the surrounding buildings completely. I blocked the slash still feeling almost the full impact. The impact knocked me through three other mock building and shattered my sword. The building I crashed into collapsed on top of me feeling like a semi-truck was dropped on me, {I am really starting to hate being near buildings at this point}, the spikes on my knuckles began to glow and pulse almost like a heartbeat. I lifted my hand as it was enveloped in red glowing aura, {this feeling it's like my body is guiding me}, the aura around my hand connected with the rubble. The pieces of the rubble it burst into the solid red shards, "since you destroyed my sword I'll use a new one", I held my hand out my hand as the red shards began to move, {these particles feel like a piece of moldable clay}, they then formed a curved blood red blade, the blade pulsed with kinetic energy, "Since you seem to be teaching me I should at least know your name right?",. The girl smiled lightly as she pointed the sword at me, "Fine then i'll do you the honor of telling you my name", the sword of her sparked again before turning back into lighting, "I am Dani Foster a prospect for the eight guiding lights", I had heard of the eight guiding lights briefly during my time with Micheal. The eight guiding were a group of knights formed over a four hundred years ago by King Taka the final King of our continent Takamia before the era of G.C.C.D.U came to be. Micheal said that becoming a prospect for the position of guiding light is practically saying you're one of the strongest of the current generation.
So the girl I had been fighting for over three hours was one of the strongest people of my generation, {I'm real lucky shes so nice},. Dani stared at me letting the gears in my head, "don't be so frightful dude I'm chill", I nodded softly laughing, "I'll just take your word for it",. Dani continued smile, "Thanks so how about we continue with the lesson", I nodded holding the sword forward with a laugh, "This'll be fun", the clashing of our swords made the ground crack and uproot, {This is getting fun},. I couldn't lie to myself I was enjoying this fight, the way the buildings around us were constantly reduced to rubble the dings of suit were synchronizing as other participants were caught in the cross fire of our clashing, {I should be feeling bad for eliminating people who aren't involved in our fight but IT FELT SO GOOD!!}, I heard my laughter bouncing off the buildings walls, "I acknowledge your learning speed you're using that sword like a natural", I felt myself get flustered slightly. Dani appeared in front of of me swinging her sword upwards striking like a heavy bolt of lighting. The strike sent me sprawling through four buildings as my suits screen finally stopped dinging, "Juno Arashi has exceeded over three hundred knocked out contestants a report will be sent to the administers", I couldn't hold back a laugh as I pushed myself out of the buildings rubble. The rubble that my aura touched burst into more red shards. The sounds of an approaching storm told me Dani was getting closer. The half of the shards shot into my my head striking my horns, The painful sensation in my forehead warranted a touch, my horns hed grown longer taking on a more straight and branching shape. They remaining shards attached themselves to my jaw forming a type of maw. The spikes in my hands stretched and opened around my fingers and coating them in red claws, "I feel way stronger",. I braced myself as a thundering sword slammed into my kinetic blade., "She's finally putting in more force", the shockwave was a mixture of purple lighting and red shards which shook the surroundings buildings, {wait will We get in trouble for eliminating this many people Micheal might torture me if I get in trouble",. ,"you think we are going to get in trouble for eliminating everyone else without a giving them a chance to retaliate", Dani laughed at the statement, "nah we'll be fine if we eliminated too many people some of them will get automatic passes if they were doing well", I let out a relived sigh before laughing, "I thought we were going to get in trouble", Dani laughed again as her blade turned into lighting briefly as it phased through my blade, "Phantom Cleaving", I couldn't even process what fully happened. I felt a hot searing pain across my chest, {huh what was that?}, I felt my chest feeling a familiar liquid draining onto my hand, {It doesn't hurt?}, I fully looked at the deep cut that stretched from my right shoulder to my lower left hip. Dani's hand slightly loosened off her sword with slightly wide eyes, "oh my god dude my bad you'll be fine right?", I laughed at the shift in her personality, "yeah yeah i'll be fine", I gripped the bleeding wound as my body began returning too norma {Huh why'd I power down?}. My suit's screen began to flash red as an alarm blared throughout the entire testing area. The sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps slightly threw me off as dani's callused hands grabbed my shoulder, "do you know what that alarm's about", I shook my head as the footsteps got closer to rounding the corner. Four figures cut the corner with two familiar faces among them, "Jak, Eden over here!!", Jak and Eden noticed me heading my way. Jak's steel gauntlets were completely broke with only the steel bands, his glasses were broken and his hair draped over his face. Eden seemed to be in better condition with her rapier seemingly coated in Her faith which seemed more stable , {I wonder what she learned from Uriel?}, Eden's eyes fell onto me, "hey Jun-", Eden stopped mid sentence as her eyes dropped down to my bleeding chest. Eden and Jak ran to me each gripping a shoulder, "what happened we've only been apart for three hours", I tried not the vomit from the rapid motion and blood loss, {Are they trying to kill me}, I take a deep breath between the motions, "stop shaking me you're making it worse", They stopped shaking me with worried and embarrassed expressions, "fine fine but you better explain everything including the new scars after the exam", I nodded slowly as pain began to wash over my body like a rampant waterfall, {W-what this feeling},. I fell to the ground feeling blood rapidly rush out of every wound as cuts began to tear through the suit, "Ahh!!", I barely noticed the hands pulling me to my feet, {Why's everyone so loud i'm getting a headache},. Everyone's voices were mixing into a muffled choir, "Juno get up", Dani's voice surprisingly cut through the muffledness as my body began to feel a little lighter as a warm feeling enveloped my body, "[the pain is going away},. I looked up seeing a girl, Her hair fell in dirty blonde waves, her eyes were a storm grey and her skin resembled a summer beach, "Just stay still i'll heal you", The girls voice was smooth and soft as her hands pulsed with with green waves, {Is she an angel what's this feeling}. The healing didn't take long as each cut I had endured during the fight began to close up leaving only scars, "Gods Dani you need to more thoughtful when fighting", The girls soft voice now sounded exasperated. Dani's laughter was soft but chaotic, "whatever you say Kaitlyn he has potinenal," Kaitlyn's hand stopped glowing as only blood remained over my new scars. All our suits lit up red at the same time, "WARNING WARNING THE EXAM IS BEING CANCELED DUE TO AN UNPREDICTABLE OBSTACLE PLEASE LEAVE THE TESTING ZONE IN AN ORDERLY FASHION", The blaring of the alarms was deafening. All of our heads snapped to the right as the sound of a single pair of footsteps sliced through the blaring alarm {Is that a god!!}. A man dressed in ragged and ripped clothing. His entire head was encased in what looked like an iron ball with only holes for his cut into it. His eyes were the color of pure gold and slitted like a one of those mythical dragons, {He can't be a human},. The second I looked away the entire area was engulfed in black and white thunder erasing almost every building within my line of sight. The force of the thunderbolts striking down was creating craters wherever they landed, "EVERYONE SCATTER", everyone looked around at each other as we each nodded in agreement. Everyone of us took off into different directions each of us cutting into each alleyways or the mock buildings, {You kiddos are so jumpy}, a voice that definitely wasn't mine, "what?", I snapped my head around the room not seeing anyone else in the building and I definitely didn't sense anyone within the building, {I'm actually glad all of you kiddos took off}, the voice got even louder in my head now echoing, {Because that'll make this game a lot more fun}, the mans voice sounding both manic and joyful like he found pleasure in doing this. I barely blinked before the man with dragon eyes appeared back in the room as voice sounding gleeful, "found one!!", I couldn't even react before the room we were standing in was enveloped in a bright mixture of white and yellow light, "Starborn Erasure", the light instantly shrunk into a ball in his hand. A deafening boom followed a blinding light, {Am I about to die}.