By compressing a joint in a human body and then quickly dislocating it, a sudden burst of force could be created. Welin-hath -- the Law of Constriction. With it, a single finger could strike as hard as a pistol.
This was not an Aether ability.
Ash del Duran fired force from each of his knuckles as he planted his fist right into Vex Terna’s chest, feeling the ribs splinter before his strength. The woman breathed in sharply, a breath that was surely made agonizing by broken bones -- and in the sa instant, she went flying backwards.
With her regeneration, that would not keep her down for long. Ash kicked off the ground, pursuing her, clicking his knuckles back into place as he ran. He didn’t like to overuse Welin-hath -- the pain the technique produced was severe -- but against an opponent like this he wouldn’t hold anything back.
As Vex flipped in the air, she fired another volley of burning feathers towards Ash -- and he, already prepared, kicked up the bicycle that had been left lying on the floor. He caught it in mid-air, using it as a shield against the barrage, and tossed the vehicle aside just as it began to lt from the heat.
If possible, he’d prefer to avoid body imaging too much. Self-inflicted cold could do just as much damage as this woman’s flas.
Before Vex reached the ground, the holes in her wings finally closed -- and with a mighty flap, she stopped her flight and sent a burst of wind surfing down the hallway. Ash, nearly upon her once again, had no choice but to temporarily cease his pursuit and brace himself -- arms held up to withstand the onslaught.
0.5 seconds of Aether, just as the pressure swept past him, concentrated in just the parts of his body he needed to stay still. Individual joints and muscles, never entire limbs -- the less Aether he needed to use, and the less ti he used it, the better.
The instant the wind swept past, Ash charged forward again, fists already raised to attack Vex.
At this close range, she clearly thought she’d have better luck with the feathers -- and she fired another volley, aid wildly, hoping that at least one would make it through his defenses. Naive. 0.1 seconds of Aether, concentrated on twenty-two areas of barely an inch each, was enough to deflect them.
As the feathers bounced off their targets and flew behind Ash, he pulled his fists back, ready to unleash a fatal flurry of punches --
-- but he had miscalculated.
As the feathers had flown behind him, they had co back together -- fusing into a solid mass, a noose. In an instant, it threw itself around his neck and began to pull him up towards the ceiling -- where the other end of the noose had attached itself. Ash’s hands, which had just been ready to begin punching, instead clawed at the loop that was choking the life out of him.
It seed he’d been the naive one after all.
If I were you, I’d kill myself. I really an that.
The words echoed in Aclima’s mind, just as they had done for the last few weeks. The cruel judgnt of Baltay Kojirough, the man who had watched over her for years. Even though he was now locked away, his words still lingered in her mory -- resurfacing most often when she was lying awake in bed.
They made themselves known once again now, as Aclima did nothing but watch while Ash del Duran fought to protect her.
As he was buffeted by feathers, she had done nothing but watch.
As he was pulled up towards the ceiling, she had done nothing but watch.
As he was choked to death, she was doing nothing but watching.
What was wrong with her? Hadn’t she already decided she was going to be strong from now on? Was she really going to prove Kojirough right?
If I were you, I’d kill myself.
Then she wouldn’t be her anymore. She’d find soone better.
Aclima let out an ear-splitting scream as she charged at this Vex Terna, greatsword clutched in her hands. She still didn’t have Aether, but Ash barely used it either, and he’d managed to put this woman on the backfoot, hadn’t he? So as long as she rembered her training, she could make it through this.
The blade is thodical, Nigen Rush had told her. A scalpel by which you dissect fate. Do not allow emotion to move what should remain still.
And so she scread, and so she charged, but she remained calm all the sa. Her soul was ice as she swung her sword with all her strength -- right at Vex’s neck. The woman was still mid-turn, having gone to whirl around as soon as she’d heard Aclima’s scream. With her wingspan slowing her turn in this cramped hallway, that created an opening.
She wouldn’t get a better mont than this. Aclima slamd the blade into Vex’s throat --
-- and the montum of her slash stopped completely.
The blade shook in her hands as Aclima tried, tried, to force it -- but with no luck. Even with all her strength behind the slash, her sword was incapable of even piercing this woman’s skin. It was like she was made of solid steel.
Vex blinked as the blade shuddered under her chin. "Sorry." she said, voice still dead -- as if this didn’t even qualify as an attack. "Don’t take it personally. You’re really weak, though."
In the end, without Aether, this was all she was capable of.
If I were you, I’d kill myself.
Just as that thought was settling at the bottom of Aclima’s stomach, she heard a sudden wrenching sound -- and her eyes darted up to Ash.
He’d used the mont of distraction she’d given him well. As the noose had pulled him upwards, he’d flipped upside-down, planted his feet against the ceiling, and pushed with all strength -- tearing free the ceiling tile that the noose was attached to.
As he fell back towards Vex, he swung his neck to spin the noose -- and, more importantly, to swing the slab of concrete stuck to the end of the feathered rope. Like a flail, it struck Vex in the face, exploding into chunks and sending her staggering backwards -- the dust blinding her for a final fatal instant.
Aclima watched, wide-eyed, as finally…
… Ash del Duran landed in front of his opponent.
… Ash del Duran took a deep breath.
… Ash del Duran punched.
0.1 seconds of Aether, repeatedly, at the very mont of impact. It concentrated into the very tips of Ash’s knuckles. It was barely even visible, the orange sparks easily mistakable for a trick of the light.
This Aether was not being used to increase the strength of Ash’s punches. This Aether was being used to stop his hands shattering from the natural force of his punches.
As he punched, Ash’s face was expressionless. There was no joy, no sorrow, no regret. The ti for such things had passed when the fight had concluded, the mont Vex had looked away from him. The finishing blow was just a formality.
Well, finishing blows, in this case.
Like a machine, Ash rained down punch after punch upon his opponent, surely shattering each and every bone he ca into contact with. Those red wings were crushed into pulp, feathers flying in every direction. That face was bruised until it was unrecognizable. That body, barely visible behind the blur of Ash’s arms, slowly turned a bloody red.
Finally, once his opponent had been thoroughly embedded into the wall, Ash turned away. Steam gently rose from the fists clenched at his sides.
For her part, Vex Terna was valiant. Even with all the damage Ash had inflicted, she began to tear herself out of the wall, concrete spilling around her as she struggled against her own ravaged body. With a final brutal tug, she freed herself from her prison, standing once again before her adversary.
But it was too late.
"Slothful Fist," said Ash del Duran.
Flesh tore itself open from the inside, and blood showered down upon Ash. Vex, her body punctured at each and every point at which she’d been struck, looked down as if bewildered at the sheer red billowing out from her form. Her eyes grew sohow more solid, more cold, as if so vital spark was disappearing from them…
…as she slowly, slowly fell forward.
I don’t want to die.
The last spark of a fading mind, the last thought before the long sleep. An anchor that could keep her in place, if only for a mont. The rung on a ladder on the side of the cliff. Sothing to keep her from falling into the oblivion below.
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I don’t want to die.
There were things she had to do. Responsibilities that had to be upheld. She was the first of the Cardinal Beasts. Even if it was a self-given title, even if it didn’t an anything to anyone except for her, even if it had no place here… it was hers. It was her. There was a place for her in this world.
I don’t want to die.
She’d been trusted, hadn’t she? Given a job. Lily Aubrisher had faith in her. The woman who’d taken a god’s power for her own had faith in her. A person existed only through their connections with others.
Would she really die here and make Lily look like a fool?
I don’t want to die.
I won’t die.
I can’t die.
Her foot planted itself down on the ground, keeping her from falling.
Her eyes blazed into new life, keeping her from fading.
Her voice erged from her throat as a roar, emotion she hadn’t sent out into the world in years.
"LIKE I’D DIE!" she scread, her life continuing through sheer force of will, her body moving through utter spite. With her last ounce of strength, she lunged forward -- through the cloud of blood before her -- and seized hold of Ash del Duran by the collar, pulling him close.
"What?!"
It took her a second to realize that Ash had said that. His face was twisted in surprise -- and the shadow of fear -- his eyes widening to their utmost. For the first ti in this battle, she’d caught him by surprise. Judging by that fear, he probably hadn’t been caught by surprise in a long ti.
During this fight, she’d stuck to the 10% manifestation of her Guardian Entity, Suzaku. That wasn’t because she couldn’t handle more power -- she was the closest to achieving 100% among the Cardinal Beasts -- but because the cramped confines of the ship ant that assuming a larger form would result in her crushing herself. That was the obstacle she needed to kill.
Ash del Duran was moving his hands towards her throat, her exposed throat, to deliver the killing blow. He seed to move so slowly, barely perceptible, ti caught between one heartbeat and the next. What a leisurely way to fight, she thought.
She had plenty of ti to surpass her limits.
When the Cardinal Beasts used their 10% form, they concentrated the power into a single part of their body, so as to maximize its power. When the Cardinal Beasts assud a 50% or 99% form, however, they did so by transforming their entire body. They’d reasoned that focusing greater power would reduce the benefits of their Guardian Entity physiology, but the truth was…
…the truth was…
…it had just been too difficult for them, hadn’t it? They’d faced an obstacle, succumbed to their weakness, and called it reason. Vex gritted her broken teeth beneath her bloody gums. What the hell. If it was impossible, then right now there was no harm in trying.
Her blood -- technically speaking -- was a single part of her body, wasn’t it? And right now it was everywhere.
Ash’s hands were almost at her throat, fingers pointed out like knives. Slothful Fist. He’d pop her jugular like a balloon. This was the last heartbeat.
But that was all she needed.
She could see it, after all -- beyond her vision -- like a light at the end of the tunnel. A burning phoenix, a vermilion bird, its wings spread wide. The Guardian Entity, Suzaku.
Vex reached for it and seized hold.
Guardian Entity: Suzaku -- 99%...
No.
Guardian Entity: Suzaku -- 100%!
Fire roared.
Aclima was caught behind reality. Events proceeded too fast for her to comprehend.
One second, Vex Terna had been utterly defeated. One second, Vex Terna had seized Ash by the collar. One second, Vex Terna had engulfed them both in flas.
It was all the sa second. Her mind couldn’t keep track. She blinked.
At that mont, Aclima was sent flying backwards by the sudden explosion of heat, her legs flailing in the air for a mont before she landed in a heap -- sliding by her cheek down the smooth floor of the hallway. Imdiately, she picked herself up, scrambling to her knees as she beheld the spectacle before her.
A fireball was raging around Vex and Ash, the two of them reduced to silhouettes by the flas. A bizarre ringing sound echoed out from the inferno, and for a brief mont Aclima couldn’t discern the source -- until she realized. That was the sound of screaming.
Vex screaming in fury as she held on with all her might, and Ash screaming in pain as he tried to wrestle free.
With the heat and the fire, Aclima could do nothing but watch with a hand on her forehead as the two fought before her.
How long could a person even survive in a fire like that? What should she do?! Should she run? Should she try and help? What could she do? What could she do?! What could SHE do?!
If I were you, I’d kill myself. I really an it.
Those questions and those words raged through her mind, stilling her step, and so in the end she did nothing. Nothing but listen and hear a resounding…
Crack!
Forbidden technique: Turritopsis Dohrnii!
-- as, for a single second, the flas were snuffed out.
Aclima had no idea what Ash had done. All she could see was his body flopping downwards, like he’d turned to jelly --
Crack!
-- before he suddenly reasserted himself, lashed out, and decapitated Vex with a single chop of his hand. Aclima scread and backed up as the head rolled onto the floor, its eyes wide open and blank. A final long crackle of orange Aether ran between those open eyelids before fading out into nothing.
A pale Ash collapsed to one knee, panting for breath, skin covered in burns. His eyes flicked up to Aclima’s horrified face.
"Turritopsis Dohrnii," he said, chest heaving, as if that ant sothing to her. "A forbidden form of Welin-hath. I… I dislocate my entire skeleton at once to release pressure in all directions. If I don’t imdiately reverse it… it’s fatal… so I used more Aether than I wanted to… how many years, how many years…"
With a shaking hand, he wiped the sweat from his brow -- and in that mont, he seed every inch the tired old man he looked like. His wrinkles had deepened like valleys, and so of his white hair had fallen out onto the floor. Aclima couldn’t help but hurry over.
"Are you alright?" she asked, looking down at the burns that covered his arms. They weren’t as bad as she’d expected, but she supposed that was the Aether’s doing. If his Aether tic really was accelerated aging, though, defense like that must have cost him significantly…
As she tore a strip from the pants of her pajamas and began winding it around Ash’s arm as a makeshift bandage, the martial artist did his best to wave her off.
"I’m fine," he wheezed. "Leave be."
"But --"
"Leave be!" he snapped.
The brief glare he shot at her was enough to send her back. She shut her mouth as she stood up. Her hands were clenched tight in front of her, but not into fists. Fists were for people who could fight, after all.
If I were you, I’d…
Things hadn’t changed at all since then, had it? She was still sothing to be thrown around, passed from person to person, exploited for whatever cause her handler desired. The only things that had changed were faces and nas.
She was still weak.
"Now, now, Mr. del Duran," called out a woman from the end of the hallway. "Don’t be cruel. That’s your Supre Heir you’re talking to."
Ash looked up wearily from the floor, and Aclima followed his gaze. There, walking towards them through the illumination of the flas, was a woman in a glossy white dress -- the Commissioner’s personal aide, Dariah Todd Harlow. Aclima had t her a couple of tis at official functions, but she’d always seed a nervous woman. The confidence on her face right now was completely unfamiliar.
Stopping next to the two of them, Harlow nodded down to Vex’s corpse. "I see you’ve dealt with the intruder."
Ash nodded, slouched on the ground. "She was formidable. How did she get aboard?"
"She ramd right through the side of the ship, apparently," Harlow replied. "There’s another intruder, too, but she’s in hand. The Ascendant-General and his n should be here soon. My ability is called Reschedule, by the way."
"Hm?" Ash looked up at her.
Harlow put her hands on her hips, looking back down at him. "Reschedule ans that the damage from any attack you hit with is delayed for exactly twenty-four hours. The condition for activation is…"
She took a step forward.
Ash del Duran hadn’t lived this long by ignoring his instincts. The way Harlow was speaking, the way she was moving, the subtle way she was trying to get him into her range -- all of it spelled out one thing.
This woman was going to murder him.
He ignored the pain pulsing throughout his body as he moved. In an instant he was back on his feet, in another instant he had seized hold of Harlow’s arm, and in a final instant he had flipped and slamd her onto the ground.
But it was too late.
He’d thrown her with all his strength. He knew that -- and yet he’d felt no break of bone, seen no splatter of blood. That was unheard of… and when the dust cleared, he could see that Harlow, still on the ground, didn’t have a scratch on her. The tiny smile on her face hadn’t faded in the slightest.
"The condition for activation…" she said. "...is telling you about it."
He’d done no damage to the woman, but the floor beneath them had finally had enough. With a mighty crash, it collapsed in on itself, sending all three of them -- Ash, Aclima and Harlow -- hurtling into the abyss of the maintenance tunnels below.
The only person remaining in the ruined hallway -- if it could still be called a person -- was the corpse of Vex Terna. It lay, splayed out, one leg dangling over the hole in the floor. Its severed head rested just outside the reach of its pale broken hand. That dead face stared off into the empty, its face utterly still.
That is, utterly still -- until its lips started moving.
Like I’d die, it mouthed silently. Like I’d -- like I’d die. Like I’d die. I-I have a job to do…
Blank eyes exploded into incandescent fireballs, and a wave of Aether engulfed the hallway.
"Yo, Caesar!"
Michael Kerberos called out over the rocks, with no mind for discretion. If they hadn’t been where they were, Caesar might have admonished her for her lack of discretion. As it was, all she could do was sigh at the other woman’s boisterousness as she looked over her shoulder.
"Yes?" she said, tearing herself away from the ’battle’ for a mont.
Michael pulled her script out of the cloak she was wearing over her painfully-lacking armour and tapped a finger against it. "We got a ding from Harlow," she said, scratching at her hair with her free hand. "That ans she’s, uh, she’s engaged the target, right?"
"That’s right, Miss Kerberos."
Without another word, Caesar turned back to her hunt, but a satisfied smile lingered on her lips. This was a very good sign. Harlow had been instructed to make her move after the Tartarus had lost power, so Caesar had been expecting to hear back since she saw the vermillion bird taking off -- but it was always good to have confirmation.
Now, all Caesar had to do was finish off Dragan Hadrien.
Now, all Dariah had to do was finish off the Supre Heir.
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