Beyond the Gods
Yeling's Resolve
One year ago
My younger sister threw her arms around me. Almost an eternity had passed since I felt this level of affection before.
We had been separated for so long, from such horrific circumstances, but despite it all, Hakah had overcome her trauma and was healed. And she was now by my side.
"Thank you so much, Outer Shadow Onyx, for bringing my brother back to me. I am grateful." Hakah said.
Vicki and Carlton bowed.
The threat was over. Even if I had lost my friends...
None of it mattered anymore.
As long as my sister was by my side.
I was worried sick about what had happened to her. I didn't know who this Aaron Hope was, but if it wasn't for him, my sister wouldn't be by my side like this.
The only thing left...
Was to make sure no one else could harm her.
Thank you Vicki. Thank you Carlton.
But you guys were still Black Legion.
And I had no mercy toward people who harmed my family.
"As a celebration, let's have Canaan-styled hot po-"
I drew Tatsu, lunging toward Vicki with animalistic rage.
Aspect of the Rain God - SURFACE SLASH
I swung the blade as hard as I could at her neck, but Vicki quickly deflected my blade with her own sword, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"Yeling!" Vicki gasped.
"Goh goh! What are you doing?!" Hakah asked, bewildered.
I pushed my younger sister back behind me as I transformed into Stage Four.
Grand Ultimate Ascendent ITR
A blast of red and blue flame projected outwards, swamping Vicki and Carlton.
"Quick! Hakah! Create a portal and banish them! We need to get out of here!" I shouted at my sister.
"Yeling! Why are you doing this?!" Carlton shouted from the flames. A white orb had manifested from the destruction, and I gritted my teeth in frustration.
Dammit! After all the strength I had amassed...
Vicki emerged from the flames, trying to grab Tatsu, but I shot forward.
Level 2 Intangibility - DEVIL'S COMET
I threw a punch at Vicki's face, but Vicki deflected it with her forearm, swinging her sword, the blade inches from decapitating me, but her eyes suddenly filled with indecision.
GRAND ULTIMATE DEVIL'S TYPHOON ASCENDENT
I unleashed a gargantuan inferno of flames outwards, forcing the two back.
I had to get Hakah out of here.
I've pretended for long enough. I pretended to be Vicki's ally for long enough.
I will never.
EVER.
Let these people put the only family... the last person in the world who cared about me, in harm's way EVER AGAIN.
"SHADOWS! BANISH THOSE TWO AWAY FROM THIS REALM." I roared.
Last Son... we cannot. Outer Shadow Onyx and Auxiliary Shadow Twilight are members of the Black-
"And I am the descendent of The Great Akuma and the relative of Hakah! You WILL LISTEN TO ME."
I rushed forward, clashing with Vicki, my eyes full of hatred.
"Why... Yeling... how could you do this...!" Vicki muttered.
"You act so surprised... who was the bitch who attacked me and my friends in the first place? Or have you forgotten?!" I snarled, rage filling my body.
Blessing of the Last Son - ANARCHY FORM
A massive flaming skeletal avatar manifested outwards, a copy of Tatsu slamming the ground and forcing Vicki back.
I stood before the two Shadows, my Stage Four Hinokami in its Anarchy Form burning bright.
"I watched my friends leave me. One by one. To live a new life. Because of what you did alongside Fenrir. My little sister turned into this monster because of your organization. And now, using her Susanoo is threatening her body and her life. It's because of you people that she's in danger. Did you really think I would be on your side?! Your god... damn... SIDE?!"
I roared to the sky, the Anarchy Form and Hinokami flames lifting me off the ground.
"Thanks to your training... I've reached S Rank. I'm now on your level, Vicki. And now I have what it takes to get revenge on you and free my sister by killing both of you."
Carlton aimed his arrow at me, but hesitated, as I glared at him, turning Intangible and mixing my flames with Shenlong's green electricity.
I appeared before Twilight Bolt, reeling my fist back and slamming it into his chest, sending him backward.
I chased after him, ignoring Hakah's pleas, but was intercepted by swords and spears and arrows everywhere.
Celestial Scabbard - Heaven's Armory
I skidded to a stop, creating another Devil's Typhoon to knock the weapons away, but they stubbornly chased after me.
And from the chaos, parted Vicki Harriet's athletic figure, chasing me down with a knife in each hand.
Celestial Scabbard - Herculean Boost, Speed of Hermes, Blade of Glepnir
Vicki began pressuring me as I began losing ground.
"It's true. We took them away from you, Yeling. But that was our order. There was a reason why we did these things. There is always a reason. But what isn't true, is that I never once saw you as a comrade. You are still my Auxiliary! I brought you here to Hakah for a reason!"
I clenched my teeth angrily.
"Do not. Pretend. To understand me, bitch!" I growled.
Aspect of the Rain God - Rain God's Arsenal
I spread my hands, summoning Rainwater Constructs which countered Vicki's Celestial Constructs.
Vicki disarmed me, as she reached in, but I turned Intangible, slashing at her blind spot with a Rainwater Butterfly Knife.
"I can boost myself too!" I yelled, as I channeled Shenlong's Rainstorm power into my body, sparking green electricity alongside my flaming aura, which started to transition into pure blue flames.
The two of us clashed violently, shaking the entire realm.
Vicki gritted her teeth.
"You are even more stubborn than Vistara."
"Because unlike him, I've already achieved what I wanted. To surpass you and kill you. So you won't interfere with my loved ones ever again!"
I closed in with a front kick, but Vicki deflected my foot off with her shoulder guard, leaning in and summoning a bow.
Obsidian Ordnance - Death Blossom
Orbs of dark energy surrounded her, as blasts of black power slammed into me and forced me back.
"Goh goh! That's enough!" Hakah materialized in front of me and grabbed my shoulders, but recoiled at the heat.
"Hakah! Summon your shadows now! Now is our chance! We can escape. Your realm is restricted to you, right? We can live there. Forever and ever. Just us. You don't have to hurt anymore!" I pleaded, but Hakah shook her head.
"No! You don't get it. I'm fine because of the Black Legion!"
"LIES!" I roared, and more and more power began overloading me, my Anarchy Form causing me to think irrationally.
"They... they're tricking you... they've tricked you."
I pushed Hakah to the side, staggering forward.
Vicki's Obsidian Ordnance snaked around the right side of her body, while her Celestial Scabbard illuminated her left side.
I will kill Vicki.
This will be my last hurdle.
I won't need to worry about Loyce or the others, as long as Hakah can bring us back to her realm, no one can harm either of us ever again. We can live happily ever after.
Just us.
As a family again.
(Present Day)
"I have a bad feeling about this," Carlton said, as he placed a cup of instant ramen on the table.
"Vicki told us not a single drop of beer will enter her mouth. It's fine." I reassured him.
"But... that's the problem."
Carlton leaned towards me.
"Not a single drop of beer."
I paused.
No way.
FLOOM.
"I'm home... HIC! MORTALS!" Vicki stumbled around with a giant bottle of Hennessy in her hand.
"Ah... welcome home, Miss Harriet!" Carlton said nervously, before Vicki smashed his head into the side of the wall, creating the fifth hole this week.
"Don't you... hic! Speak to me... in that manner. Auxiliary!"
Vicki Harriet was flat-out drunk again.
I went to the fridge and prepared a glass of mineral water with a slice of ginger and honey, watching Vicki stumble to the counter.
"Auxiliary... Shadow Tidalflame! Hic! Prepare me a-"
I placed the glass in front of her.
"Oh. Thank you. Hic!"
Vicki took the glass and began downing it. For someone so composed and professional, it was difficult to imagine this woman to be a party animal. Thankfully, I spent several years living with a party animal back when I was in Squad Four.
"Did you have fun?" I asked.
Vicki put the glass down.
"Fun... I never have... fun. Hic! Ironclad... still sees me as a traditional... stereotypical hic! a woman... how hic! How demeaning! Our wrestling bout... was hic! Ruined! Ruined I say!"
"Women are strong too, Vicki."
"I... know. Hic! But... I am... Vicki Harriet. The... hic! The Millennium Medusa! How dare he... take it easy on me! When I am a warrior too!"
What a handful.
And she was supposed to be my superior as well.
At times like this, the fact that this woman was Squad Leader Matt's teacher always seemed unbelievable.
Vicki's head slammed onto the surface of the desk.
"I'm... strong too... because... hic! Loyce... needs... a strong woman... hic! And... Yeling... too..."
I sighed, draped a blanket over her shoulders, then placed a note before her.
Drink plenty of water. And take a shower once you read this. You reek of sweat and alcohol.
- Yeling
I approached Carlton and yanked him out of the drywall.
"Thanks."
"No problem. Let's get patrol done in Vicki's place."
"Okay. Just give me a sec... I gotta clean the plaster out of my ears."
A minute later, Carlton and I headed to the door, when suddenly, a throwing knife appeared out of nowhere, impaling itself against the doorknob with frightening accuracy.
"YAAAH! Oh my god!" Carlton yelped frantically.
I pulled the knife out of the doorknob.
"What is it, Outer Shadow Onyx?" I asked.
Vicki rolled over, falling to the ground. Her black leggings were stained with the Hennessy which stained the fabric.
"Keep me company. One of you. This is... an order..." She muttered.
Ah.
Oh no.
"You heard her, Carlton. I will handle patro-"
SLAM.
I stared at the door, which had been closed in my face. Twilight Bolt ran for it, using his Olympic Level athleticism to sprint to the elevator doors.
I grumbled, yanking Vicki off the floor and seating her up against the sofa. Pulling out a paper towel and wetting it, I began cleaning the stains off her legs.
"You're... so responsible. You know that, Yeling?"
"It wouldn't be the first time I had to take care of a drunk," I muttered, recalling all the times Maika Nagumo returned from her parties.
Vicki gave me a grateful look.
"Auxiliary Shadow Ultear..."
"What about her?"
"She wants to bear a child. With Outer Shadow Dainsleif. It makes me wonder... if a relationship between Outer and Auxiliary Shadow is possible..."
I realized Vicki had her legs propped against my lap, openly letting me wipe them with the cloth.
All of a sudden, things didn't feel as routine as before.
I quickly dropped her legs and stood up.
"I am sure you will find a good man. You are attractive, with a well-built body and a pretty face. You're strong-willed and reliable. Well, minus the ungodly amount of smoking and alcohol consumption." I said, before turning around and throwing the cloth away.
"You are the first man to say this scarred face is pretty," Vicki smirked.
"Would you rather I said it looked like it took a trip through the Atomic Wasteland?"
Vicki crossed her legs.
"Very funny. Do you find me attractive, Yeling?"
"I don't find you... unbearable." I muttered, my face feeling hot.
"Then you wouldn't mind if I asked to bear you a child?"
I choked.
"Wha- What the fu-"
Vicki chuckled.
"You are such a tease. I am glad you are my Auxiliary."
I sat back down.
"This isn't funny. I'd rather you not joke about stuff like that. My life... it's been..."
"Very well. I'm sorry for speaking on a sensitive topic. But this conversation has allowed me to sober up a little bit. Thank you."
I glanced at the Hennessy, pouring myself a glass.
"Sarah and Aaron... choosing now of all times to have kids. How foolish." I grumbled.
"You cannot hinder feelings of love, Yeling."
I made a fist.
"How can one choose to fight someone who embodies hope if they bask in the very thing? Their reasoning is paradoxical. In the end, I have a feeling the only one who can take on Vala is me. It's the only way."
"I can't force you to live a certain life or walk a certain path. But I can tell you that your way is certainly going to be arduous."
"My happiness doesn't matter. It never has."
"Perhaps now you think that. After all, this mindset... was exactly the same mindset Vistara adopted."
I bit my lip, as Vicki slowly got up, taking out a cigarette and lighting it.
Vicki put the cigarette in her mouth, smoking it as she looked at me.
"Your sister would disapprove. You know that."
"Funny, coming from someone who is literally rotting her own lungs before me."
Vicki blew out a line of smoke.
"I am superhuman. This doesn't affect me."
"Sure."
Vicki walked to the window, taking off her shoulder pads and removing her chest wrap, revealing a black sports bra.
"This world is dying. In the end, none of this matters. Aran has already destroyed too much of it. Even if your Hinokami stopped the decay, the damage has already been done. Soon Constantine will have to return to Rya's side."
The doorbell rang.
"Carlton is done his shift already? That was fast." I said, approaching the door and opening it, but the person on the other side was not Twilight Bolt.
My hand instantly shifted towards Tatsu, but the woman held up her hand.
"Yeling? Who's at the door?" Vicki asked.
"Salesperson," I replied.
"Okay."
I closed the door behind me until I stood face to face with Demon Queen Freya Althuum.
"Why are you here." I snarled.
Frey regarded me.
"I am not here to fight."
"Wise decision. As I am now, I can kill you in the blink of an eye."
"I know."
If I still had Floki, I could assess my surroundings to see where the rest of Demon Lord Frey's Generals were. There was no chance she came here without backup.
"Rest assured, Auxiliary Shadow Tidalflame, I have come alone," Freya reassured me.
I glared at her.
"Then you have made a poor choice, considering what you did to my Outer Shadow back at Andropol. Give me one good reason why I should not just behead you right now."
"Did you think I had no remorse when I struck my best friend? Vicki Harriet was the only Outer Shadow who I could talk and confide with. We had both been through so much and fought side by side like sisters. Raising my blade against her was the most painful thing I could ever do."
Hinokami flames began to swirl around my tattoos.
"Make no mistake, Althuum. I am not Aaron. Sympathy does not work on me. Get to the point, before I lose my patience and send your ashes back to Isphixis as a warning to the others."
Freya sighed.
"Can I at least speak to you outside?"
I watched as Demon Queen Frey hovered in the air. Thankfully, in Millennium City, she didn't look out of the ordinary. There were plenty of people in this city who had unusual appearances. And as a Supreme Fury, Freya's demon wings didn't stand out that much.
"This world has become so barren..." Freya muttered.
"So you see it too. The effects of Aran Sol?"
"My informants told me the anti-narrative's influence had ceased since you unleashed your Hinokami in this realm... but the damage has already been dealt to the fabric of this reality's existence. Similar to a decaying building structure - even if the decay stops, the foundation has already crumbled. It will be only a matter of time before this reality collapses in on itself and the Champions Universe ceases to exist."
Venom laced my eyes, and Frey noticed.
"Yeling... I know convincing you is not easy. But you must understand. The magnitude and scale of Master Loyce's following. We so adamantly believe in him and love him. It isn't just a Master Subordinate relationship. Loyce has done something special for each and every one of us. It is that bond that makes us hesitate so much to go against his wishes."
"If you really loved him that much, then you would know why Vicki did what she did. What Loyce's plan entails."
"I know. I know..."
Freya gazed at the sunset.
"I know Master Loyce intends to kill himself."
I hesitated, staring at the Demon Queen.
"What-? You knew this entire time?!"
Freya nodded.
"I knew... every time I came to his throneroom in Isphixis and delivered my report. Even his specter... seemed longing. Longing for an end that will never come. That is Master Loyce's curse for being so powerful. He wishes a death that he can never... ever... have."
Freya ran her hand through her hair, as the strands rippled like a wave.
"But even if I don't want to see the man who had given me my strength and pride back as a Demon Queen die... many more of us so blindly follow him that we don't even question why he does the things he does. Perhaps this is the way of The Black Legion. When Vicki came to me that day and explained to me, requesting that I cooperate with her by betraying Master Loyce... I was so so angry."
Sadness washed over Freya's face. Vicki had tried to teach me how to read people, it was a skill that was incredibly difficult at the advanced stages, but reading the body language of Freya seemed clear as day.
Freya was hurting significantly for her Master.
"And so... we decided to use the same reality anchors that Master Loyce gifted us against him. To speak and collaborate in secret, but to the others, it would appear that Vicki and I are enemies. When Riordan and Demon Lord Erafil ordered our assault on Andropol that day, I had to bare my wings at Vicki Harriet. And Dainsleif fought both Erafil and me to keep her safe. A part of me wished Aaron would defeat me... as much as I despise him. But if I intentionally lowered my strength, it would be too obvious."
I looked away.
"Then we cannot weaponize your Furies in battle, I'm guessing. At least, not until the final war."
"No. I'm sorry, Tidalflame. But... surely you must understand. The importance of family. You would go to extents to try and kill your Outer Shadow and fellow Auxiliary to live a life with Lady Hakah. Surely you know how hesitant we were to betray the man who took us in, who provided us warmth. And nurtured us."
Freya flew to the sky, perching on the top of a statue in Renaissance Centre.
"A great ruler... is one who doesn't just rule. A great ruler is someone who inspires the nation to work hard for the ruler's sake. No matter how terrible my Master's reputation has become. No matter how much they label him a traitor, I will follow him to the end. And even if it means saving my Master from a path that he believes so stubbornly to follow... then so be it. But we must tread carefully. There are some Outer Shadows and Demon Lords who do not listen to reason as easily. As you know... an example is Tourmentus."
Tourmentus... Andrew Tengen. The Hero of the Dual Cleavers. Andrew was the Hero of Isphixis and was the direct foil of Freya. I heard that after Andrew had defeated Freya, he lacked a sense of purpose. While Freya lost all confidence in herself as a ruler. But Loyce had given them both a second chance. A second life.
Freya placed something in my hand.
"What is this?" I asked.
"It is a trinket. An adventurer trinket."
"Why are you giving it to me?"
Freya gently pressed the trinket to my chest.
"Vicki and I have already formulated a plan. If we must defeat Loyce, we must weaponize the Church of Babel."
Church...?
My mind flashed back to when Loyce teleported me to that run-down church.
"The Church of Babel... Loyce is a volunteer there, isn't he?"
"Not just a volunteer. Master Loyce is like family to the people there. And as much as I hate that we must use this bond to our advantage... it is a weakness nonetheless. A weakness of Master Loyce is extremely rare as it is. If we can find a way why Master Loyce wishes to die... we may be able to stop him from fully aligning himself with Vala. And defeat him by saving him."
"And this trinket..."
"It will be proof for you to work as an adventurer there. The Church of Babel is located in a city known as Orlais."
Familial Bonds
Several Furies appeared next to Freya, bowing before their Queen.
"Lady Frey. Our troops are on standby."
"Very good. Prepare to launch the operation. Prioritize safety and intel. Obey all of Outer Shadow Onyx's commands. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Lady Frey!"
The Furies dissipated into black mist, as Frey turned to me.
"Vicki wanted to investigate the Kings of Edom, right? Don't worry about that. I can mobilize my inner circle for this task. You will focus on intel acquisition in Orlais."
"Very well. And..." I raised my hand but hesitated.
Freya...
"I promise you. I will save Loyce. I'm starting to understand how much he means to you. It isn't easy to betray someone you love so much, right?"
A smile crept on Freya's face.
"Perhaps you are... not as cold-hearted as you claim yourself out to be."
Suddenly, a mobile device rang in my pocket.
?
I pulled it out, and an expression of annoyance washed over my face.
"Geh."
I pressed the button and held the phone to my ear.
"Yo! Yeling? Is that you? Listen! Is Freya with you right now? Put me on speaker." Aaron said.
I reluctantly pressed the speaker button, as Aaron began making obnoxious sounds, imitating static.
"Alpha one. Alpha one. Big sigma schlong pinging Demon Queen Plushies!"
Freya lost her composure, her mouth hung open wide.
"Wha-?! DAINSLEIF! Why are you calling us? How dare you speak ill of my name! Are you not at all aware of my status as a Demon Lord?!"
"Come on, Freya. There's no need to get defensive. I think it's adorable that you have a plushies addiction. Now everybody knows you have a cute side. You'll snag tons of mates now, thanks to me."
Freya's hands began trembling with malice.
"Thanks to you...?!"
"Yeah. You're welcome!"
"How do you even know I'm here?!"
"Oh. Oh shit. Shadows, retreat."
Yes... Sir Dainsleif...
Freya glared at the Shadows, who were seeping through the cracks of the pavement.
"Also make sure you got plenty of good pics for Bryce. If you don't come back with pics of Freya's unitard for Auxiliary Shadow Hellsing he'll kill you all."
Yes Sir Dainsleif! Sorry, Sir Dainsleif! Sorry, Lady Freya! The Shadows shouted frantically, trying to dissipate into the cracks.
Freya's face turned redder and redder until she stomped on the ground.
"AARON! I WILL KILL YOU! I SWEAR ON MY LIFE!!!" She screamed.
I cleared my throat.
"Okay. Aaron. You've made your point. You're an absolute moron. So tell me why you have called me before I hang up."
"Wait wait wait. Okay. See here... I've already got a head start on Orlais. I brought Con and Rya along."
I choked.
"You what?! The whole point of Con being safe is so Rya wouldn't freak out again!"
"It's fine. I convinced her to bring her husband along. Besides... Con could really use the support right now. I had to make sure he was okay while also proceeding with the mission."
I sighed.
"Okay. Continue."
"Yeah. So Con and Rya and I registered ourselves as adventurers... hell man. Con got the role of Bastion and Rya got the role of Priest."
"What role did you get?"
"Thief."
Freya smirked.
"Why am I not surprised."
"Hey screw you bitch! I didn't ask for my role! I'm a model saint! Anyway, we were trying to get our levels up since we're on probation right now, and need to prove that we are model citizens. Why a thief needs to prove he's a model citizen by leveling up through robbery is beyond me, but whatever."
My eye twitched in irritation.
"Get to the point, Aaron!"
"Okay okay. Well, see the thing is... um... I kind of got arrested."
A breeze blew past Freya and me as we stood in silence for a good ten seconds.
"Did you run into Loyce's subordinates? How did you get arrested?"
"Er... I tried to pickpocket an old lady... and she turned out to be the general of the Royal Guard."
Another breeze blew past Freya and me.
Freya looked exasperated.
"Okay... so break out."
"I can't."
"Why not?!"
"Because it would cause an international incident. We can't reveal our power to these guys or they'll go into full panic mode, duh. You rookies. Need an SS Ranked genius to handhold you guys for everything! Ah! Suffering from success!"
"If you really are a genius, you wouldn't have gotten arrested for pickpocketing the absolute worst person to pickpocket you dolt!" I snapped.
"Anyway. I gotta wait for a riot or something. Or make a new identity. I dunno. I'll figure something out. In the meantime, I've dispatched Auxiliaries Ultear and Hellsing to you, Yeling. They're now under your command. Proceed with the mission for intel acquisition until I find a way out of here."
"Hey! I don't want to have your moron subordinates-"
"Okay... they should be on their way... now."
"Wait! You SS Ranked Asshole! Hey!" I shouted, as the Shadows formed in front of me, revealing a boy and a girl.
Bryce Jones and Sarah Ultear.
"Yo!" Bryce held his hand up, approaching me and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
I had to resist the urge to judo-flip this clown.
Sarah approached me.
"Auxiliary Shadow Tidalflame. I look forward to working with you. Please excuse my idiot comrade."
At least Sarah was somewhat normal.
I glared at Bryce.
"How long will you keep holding me?"
Bryce grinned.
"Hey. I just came up with the coolest duo name. Wanna-"
"Don't care," I grumbled.
Bryce held a fist to the sky.
"Bryce and Yeling. BLACK N' YELLOW!"
"Excuse me?!" I yelped.
Freya rolled her eyes.
"I will focus on assisting Vicki. Meanwhile, keeping you all informed of the situation. Please do not mess this up like Dainsleif did, you three."
Sarah bowed before Freya, forcing Bryce to do the same, as Freya dissipated into black mist as well.
This was supposed to be my mission. Why did these two have to go and ruin everything?
"Hey! New Bossman! Why the long face?"
"Don't ever call me that again," I muttered.
Sarah leaned in front of me.
"What's the plan, Yeling?"
"Yeling?"
Sarah put a hand to her mouth.
"S- Sorry! I didn't... I thought maybe we were..."
Bryce clapped me on the back.
"Come on, Yeling! Sarah's being nice to you. That's rare as shit these days. Considerin how she's so anti-social all the time."
Sarah glared at Bryce.
"Perhaps we can always find another vampire to take the mantle of Hellsing."
"C- come on Sarah! Ay we don't do jokes like that... right...?"
I put a hand to my face.
My head hurts already.
"Come. We go to Vicki's penthouse. I trust you have your things?"
"Yes," Sarah answered.
I opened the door to the flat. Vicki had already gone out, and just as I expected, her underwear was strewn all over the place.
Sarah paused, shock plastered on her face.
"What... what is this mess?!"
"Mess?! Bruh this is heaven! Panties everywhere-" Bryce exclaimed, but I interrupted him, kneeling down and picking up the underwear and tossing them into the laundry.
"What are you doing?!" Bryce squealed, grabbing my collar.
"I'm doing the laundry, you idiot! Let go of me!" I snapped.
"How can you be so nonchalant about touching Vicki Harriet's underwear?! Do you have any idea how valuable those are?! If it was Aaron he would have put them as an heirloom! He woulda ordered us to make sure they mint as fuck!"
I shoved Bryce away.
"Oh, boo hoo! I'm sorry I'm not as hormonal as your dolt of an Outer Shadow. If I don't pick up Vicki's laundry, that would mean it will just accumulate. The first time I showed up here, the place was littered with dirty laundry like a pigsty, since Twilight Bolt was too scared to touch it."
Sarah tilted her head.
"You're... awfully calm handling a woman's underwear... Perhaps I'm too used to my Outer Shadow's antics to have realized it."
I opened the door to my room, irritated at Bryce's sobs of despair at the lost opportunity to collect the dirty underwear.
"Yeling!!! Please don't tell me your tastes run in the other direction! My man!!!"
"No they don't you idiot!" I snapped, turning towards Bryce.
"I'm attracted to women just as Aaron is. But I know when to hold back, not flaunt my hormonal urges so openly. Now move out of the way. I need to pack. There are snacks in the fridge, feel free to help yourself. I know you and Aaron have been stealing from my stash of snacks when I was training with Hakah."
"Wait, so those... weren't Twilight's?"
My mouth contorted into a sinister smile.
"No. And I was saving them for the weekend. Whatever shall I snack on now? I have a craving for roasted vampires."
Bryce yelped, running to the fridge, and leaving me alone with Sarah.
I plopped some clothes onto the bed, uncomfortably.
Even at this age... I was still terrible with girls.
They say the best way to handle your problems is to face them head-on... instead, I spent twenty-six years avoiding them.
Again, this would have been much simpler if I went alone.
My whole vibe was to operate alone, acting as what a Shadow is meant to do and to be powerful enough to escape if it got too dangerous. But Aaron had thrown these idiots into my hands, and now I had no idea what to do with them, other than stock Advils for the migraines I was going to have to endure moving forward.
Sarah stood at the doorframe.
"Are we a nuisance, Yeling?" Sarah asked.
"It's not like that," I reassured her, packing another shirt into my bag.
"I'm just not used to working with others. And when your superior is as unpredictable as Aaron, this must be quite the transition."
Sarah sat down on the chair.
"Aaron... isn't always like that, you know. When he chooses to be serious, I'm once again reminded why he is SS Ranked. And he genuinely cares for his Auxiliary Shadows. It's one of the many things I admire about him."
"Hm," I muttered, opening the closet.
"And Aaron is a lot more sharper than what he leads on. Perhaps there is a reason why he dispatched us to fight under your command. I... I didn't really get many opportunities to get to know you. Maybe this is-"
I slammed the door, against my will, as Sarah stopped abruptly.
"You don't need to know about me," I whispered. For some reason, listening to Sarah speak about her boyfriend made me upset.
And I knew what it was.
It was jealousy.
"S- Sorry! I didn't mean to speak on a sensitive subject. I just wanted to know more about-"
"Don't waste your time." I snarled, marching towards the door and grabbing my bag, slinging it across my shoulder. My heart was beating faster and faster. And my actions were becoming irrational, from the jealousy that was now coursing through my veins.
But I couldn't stop it.
After all...
"When this is over, we are over. Now, let's grab Bryce and head to Orlais," I said.
"A- Affirmative."
Sorry, Sarah.
I know you had good intentions.
But it's best for me to avoid getting attached to you and Bryce.
Because there is no happy ending for people like me.
And I can't afford to have more bonds severed because of my fate.
I turned around to lock the door when momentarily, the image of Squad Leader Matt flashed in my mind.
Matt...
I always wondered if I could be like you. After all, you were more than just my mentor, you were my idol. How you would always be so independent and strong.
I glanced at Bryce and Sarah, who were waiting for me.
These two...
These two were now my Squad Four.
I clenched my fist.
No.
Stop, Yeling.
No more bonds. You can't...
Your heart can't handle another one. So just don't.
The Shadows warped us in the middle of a large grassland.
"Ayo!!!! We here, y'all!" Bryce shouted, throwing his hands in the air.
"We done isekai'd to a new world!"
My eye twitched.
"Isekai isn't a verb. It's a direct Japanese translation of a different world. At least get your weeb facts straight before spouting such nonsense." I grumbled.
Bryce raised an eyebrow.
"HA! I knew it! You a weeb like Aaron and I!"
"I never said that."
"Then how do you know what isekai means."
This little shit!
Sarah watched us from a distance, her sunken eyes unimpressed.
"Which way is Orlais?" She asked.
"No idea," Bryce answered.
"Tsk." I turned to the distance. There was nothing but grass fields everywhere. So our first challenge was to actually find the damn place. The Shadows are good at interdimensional travel, but their precision was never that great.
So while we did end up in the universe that held Orlais, the chances of us actually showing up to the correct place was still close to nill.
"Ayo. Yeling, don't you got something similar to an Aspectum spell?" Bryce asked.
"No."
"What about that weird robot eye you got?"
"I lost it. When I fought Lucifer." I answered.
"Yo.... that's COLD BRO. BRO FOUGHT LUCIFER." Bryce laughed.
"You idiot! You were there when I returned!" I snapped.
Bryce put a hand to his chin.
"Yo... we usually leave the planning to Aaron. Y'all what we gon do? No one else can do magic like Bossman does."
A sudden rumble began manifesting in the corner of my vision.
Danger.
I turned around, to see Sarah's hands trembling. Her head was low, and her lip quivering.
"Bryce..." She muttered.
"What? I'm jus sayin. Ya know? We ain't got no homies who can do magi-"
"Who do you think taught Aaron the Aspectum spell in the first place?!"
Bryce stared at his colleague.
"Oh... I totally forgot you... know magic too. Heh. Ayo. My bad."
Sarah stepped forward, a large orange magic circle appearing before one of her eyes.
Advanced Aspectum - Great Navigator's Radar
"Twenty klicks away to the North, I sense a town," Sarah said.
"Lead the way," I responded.
Sarah, Bryce, and I walked in the direction of the town.
"Bryce, why are you still wearing that jacket? It doesn't fit in with this world," Sarah observed.
"What you mean? This the Philly Superbowl Varsity Jacket!"
"That didn't answer my question, once you show up to Orlais you'll stick out like a sore thumb!"
"Well, what bout New Bossman over there? He has an aviator jacket!"
"Yeling is different; his jacket has a fur collar around it which makes it akin to the fur coats adventurers don in their travels. Your jacket is very obviously from a different era," Sarah replied.
Bryce grumbled, taking out his trinket and pressing it, creating a black cloak that wrapped around his jacket.
"Awww man! I'm so damn tired, y'all! Let's take a break!" Bryce moaned.
"We only walked for five minutes!" I growled.
"Five minutes is too much! It's too much!"
"Quit being such a baby!"
Bryce sat down on the grass.
"Ay nahhhhhhh. Bruh I ain't going any further. Y'all are freaks for being able to walk 20 KILOMETERS bruh. What the fuck."
"It's not that far away! We're running out of time. We need to get this intel as soon as we can!" I urged Bryce, who began lying down on the grass.
"Not for you! You a goddamn Celestial Dragon now I heard! And Sarah's a Hero! Her thighs are probably like 200% muscle!"
Sarah yelped.
"Don't call my thighs 200% muscle!"
I slammed the palm of my hand to my face.
"Fine. We rest for now. At least we can start establishing some ground rules."
The three of us sat together in a circle.
"Alright. Listen. I am not Aaron. We are nothing more than colleagues for a common cause. This is as far as our relationship will go. For the sake of this mission, we are allies. Nothing more." I said.
A hint of disappointment seemed to emanate from Sarah's face, but I tried my best to ignore it.
"Come on, Yeling. Don't be like that. We welcome you." Bryce said.
"And I'm saying to cut that out. In the end, I report to Loyce. And you report to Jun. We're different factions. So let's keep it that way."
The sky started turning dark. Was it afternoon already in this world?
"So you gon live a lone wolf life? It gonna be mad lonely."
"It's the life I've been thrown into. Nothing more needs to be said. As far as orders go, since Aaron threw you two under my command, I expect you two to follow my orders. Is that clear?"
A look of indecision flashed on Sarah's face.
"Umm, Yeling?"
"As far as I can see, you two have been influenced far too much by a boss who's too lax, to the point where you guys don't give him the respect that a leader requires. I'm not like Aaron, so I expect you guys to-"
"Yeling! Above!" Bryce yelped.
I clenched my teeth.
"For Chrissake! Do you people not listen-"
ROAAAAAAR.
My eyes widened, as Shen's power coursed through me. I blasted out of the way, barely dodging the foot of a massive, towering dragon.
That shadow earlier!
It was the dragon!
I rolled out of the way, glaring at the monster, while Bryce and Sarah stood next to me.
"We need to hold back our strength! Aaron said so!" Sarah said.
"Hold back our strength?! Against that thing?!" Bryce screamed.
The dragon roared at us again, unleashing a devastating blast of white fire in our direction.
"Dodge, you idiots!" I shouted at the two, as I shot Hinokami flame from my palms, jettisoning myself to the air.
Hold back our strength...
No.
Not against this thing.
They said the Black Legion consisted of extremely powerful members, each capable of destroying the world if they wanted to.
But this most likely didn't apply to other worlds.
Judging from the glint of its scales, and the magnitude of its power.
I knew right away the strength of the beings in this world.
There was no holding back.
I landed on the ground next to Sarah, while Bryce continued panicking running with his vampiric speed.
"What... what would Aaron do...?" Sarah gasped.
I clenched my fist, summoning Hinokami flame.
"Wait, Yeling! We need a strategy! That's how Aaron would have-"
"Strategy strategy strategy. I'm tired of having to sit down and hold meetings for something that can be solved the easy way." I growled, holding out my hand.
"Tatsu!" I shouted as the blade appeared in my hand.
"Let this be the first lesson for you, Hero Ultear. I'm nothing like Aaron. We do things my way." I snarled, leaping into the air. The Rain God's power amplifying my body to superhuman levels.
Devil Rainstyle Kenjutsu...
I positioned myself above the dragon, who continued blasting flame at Bryce.
Bryce looked up and saw me, his eyes wide.
"Yo! That thing breathes fire! You're not seriously using a fire attack on a fire type are you?!"
I smiled maniacally, the blue flames of Hinokami wrapping around the sword, while the storms of Shen surrounded my body.
Form 2: DEVIL'S SUN WHEEL
I slashed down, catching the dragon in the back of its neck and slamming the gargantuan monster into the ground, crushing it.
Blue flames emitted everywhere, as the dragon roared in agony.
I landed on the ground, spinning around.
Every fight is an opportunity to get stronger.
Let's see how much stronger my flames have become.
"Bring it on!" I shouted, watching the dragon open its mouth and summon another breath of flame.
Level 1 Hinokami...
GRAAAAAAOOORRRR....
I lifted my hand, aiming it right at the fireball which was directed right at me.
INVERSE TSUNAMI RELEASE.
FWOOOSH.
Our flames clashed violently against one another. But I wasn't able to make the dragon's flames budge.
Incredible.
The beings of Orlais... had monsters powerful enough to match a Stage One Hinokami's flames.
"Wha- the dragon's flames are S+ Ranked?!" Sarah gasped, as she leaped into the air, silver magic circles surrounding her.
"Show me your power, dragon!" I snarled, increasing the intensity of my flames.
"ULTEAR! CONTAIN OUR CLASH!" I shouted at Sarah, who began casting spell after spell.
Cosmic Moon Magic - Luna Wings
Silvery wings surrounded the dragon and me, as we continued with our clash.
I brought my foot back, the flames swirling around me violently.
Level 2 Intangibility...
The dragon's head began to sway back and forth, spraying white flames everywhere, trying to rip through the barrier.
I shot forward, my body turning into a wispy flame.
Devil's Comet
I melted right through the dragon's hide, flying out from its other side and inspecting the dragon from the air.
The entire dragon had become reduced to blue and purple flames, buckling under the weight of its destroyed tissue fibers. Smoke and flames filled the entire scene.
"Yo! Yeling, you good?!" Bryce shouted at me from the ground.
"Yeah," I responded, about to descend, when suddenly, the figure of a man emerged from the carnage, closing the distance before I could even react.
My eyes went wide, as the man brought his fist back, rainbow-colored tattoos decorating his forearms.
And as his fist closed in, connecting to my face...
Time seemed to stop.
Rainbow-colored tattoos...
"No way..." I muttered.
Join the Contingency Initiative. I will let you use your powers however you want. Unbounded by this world's rules. For we shall create another. One for people who deserve it. One for people like you to deserve to be happy. And those who this world has favored, those who don't deserve the riches they flaunt so carelessly before your face.
There was no way.
SLAM.
I smashed into the ground, my body creating a chasm as I slid violently across the dirt and grass.
"Yeling!" Bryce shouted after me, but I was already far gone.
The man continued closing in, his tattoos glowing every bright color imaginable.
"How you have grown."
I clutched my head, still disoriented at what I was seeing. I couldn't even summon Shen's power to amplify my reflexes and fight back, as the man grabbed my face and slammed me into a forest.
My body began crashing through tree after tree until I fell to the forest floor, skidding to a stop.
I coughed and sprawled on the ground before the man, who put his fingers over the tip of his top hat.
"That right side is undeniably you." The man said.
My breathing became ragged.
"You're supposed to be dead," I whispered in disbelief.
"Did you think I would lose so easily to a C Ranked Yuyan, my dear Hinokami? That would be simply terrible for the Black Legion's reputation."
"But..." I croaked, staring at the man who had founded the entire Contingency Initiative.
"I never fought Transplant. We do not get involved with other Outer Shadows. That is Master Loyce's way." Taras said.
Master... Loyce?
No...
That would mean...
Taras "Legion" Pax smiled at me evilly from within his hat.
"My dear Tidalflame. I want to see just how strong you have gotten, by abandoning the life I gave you."
Tidalflame vs. Legion
Level 2 Shakujin. Level 3 Suijin. Level 4 Fujin. Level 5 Hinokami - Sphere of Apocalypse
Taras held out his hand, manifesting a rainbow-colored sphere. Every color of lightning imaginable began sparking off of it.
I stomped on the ground.
Level 1 Hinokami - Stage Two: Cobalt Assimilation
"I never left the Contingency Initiative! The organization was destroyed by Danny!" I shouted.
I fired an ITR at Taras, who blew right past it.
"Wha-?!"
Taras reached in and pressed the sphere against my chest, unleashing a large explosion that launched me into the air violently.
I coughed out blood.
I always knew Taras was strong.
Who else was capable of manifesting so many levels of the Dogma?
But to fight on the level of an awakened Stage Two? Legend said that the one person Taras couldn't bring down was Urca the Slicer, and he was only able to fight on the level of a Stage Two Fujin!
My Stage Two was equal to a Stage Four in power!
I aimed my palm frantically, trying to track down Taras, who smiled.
"More of these? Come now, Yeling."
Level 3 Suijin - Streamwalker
Blue electricity ripped out of his body as Taras disappeared. Reappearing in different spots in space.
Aspect of the Rain God - Divine Amplification
I yelled, green electricity sparking off my body as I reacted to Taras' attacks.
Taras brought his hand back.
Level 2 Shakujin - Gaia's Palm
"Tatsu!"
Another clash shook the forest, as the two of us circled each other crazily, shooting into the air and generating a vortex.
"You chose to abandon your life after losing to Yuyan. Contingency Initiative fell, yet you did nothing to return it to the way it was. Will you continue shifting the blame? And what to do now that you have chosen to go rogue against your own Inner Shadow?"
Taras sneered, his body glowing a familiar blue.
Vala!
"YELING!" Bryce and Sarah shouted, chasing after us.
"STAY BACK!" I ordered the two, as I clenched my teeth.
Devil Rain Style Kenjutsu
Form 6
A blast of Hinokami Flame and Shenlong's storms ripped out of my body, pushing Taras back.
"Don't you dare bring up the past. I'm not the same Yeling you once knew," I snarled.
Devil's Vortex Slash
I spun violently, creating a storm that blew my former leader away.
Form 1 - Consecutive Devil's Surface Slash
I slashed repeatedly, unleashing arc after arc at Taras, who deflected them off his Shakujin.
"Not the same Yeling... yes. Of course, you would say that, considering you allowed my greatest operative to live a life with that Stormwatch woman."
Taras appeared in front of me.
So fast!
I brought Tatsu up, but Taras ripped the blade out of my hands and wound his fist back.
Level 4 Fujin - Razer Shockwave Cutter
My chest exploded in pain and blood, as I flew backward, crashing through tree after tree.
Memories of my fight against Urca alongside Squad Four flooded my mind.
"Do you mean to tell me your time with Squad Four was for nothing? Do not lie to yourself, Tidalflame," Taras said, as his hands became coated with a familiar blue flame.
Level 5 Hinokami - Dragon's Claws
Blue flames ripped and wracked my body in different directions.
I couldn't even come up with a plan or strategy...
My past was coming back to me like a flood.
The back of my head slammed against a tree trunk as I slid to the ground.
Taras' trench coat rippled in the winds, approaching me.
"Don't you dare make me the enemy of this... what happened to CI wasn't my fault!" I struggled to my feet.
Taras closed in and punched me in the stomach as I skidded back.
"Were you not the one who claimed to be the 'bad guy'? And so, you are going against your own word once more?" Taras's body sparked with Suijin, his speed was overwhelming.
Way of the Rain God - Empty Hand Technique
I began exchanging blows with Taras but was blown back by every strike.
As if everything... all those centuries worth of battle experience was naught.
"The organization that took you in."
SMACK.
My head recoiled as I launched a counter punch at Taras' face, but my fist deflected off a Shakujin coat.
"The organization that gave you a purpose."
KICK. CRUNCH.
I slid backward, trying to cover my body as Taras began bombarding it with punches laced with Hinokami.
"I gave you a chance to fight back. I gave you a family at Squad Four. Was it not I who gave you the opportunity to get vengeance on those who wronged you at that university? So disgustingly ungrateful!"
Taras kicked me again as I flew into the side of a boulder face.
Why...
Why couldn't I...
Taras approached me.
My body was frozen solid. And I was starting to see why.
This man... terrified me. He was, after all, the great big boss of the Contingency Initiative. But it was more than that.
If it wasn't for Taras...
I wouldn't have become Tidalflame.
I would have still been a homeless orphan, trudging along with the guilt of killing his own family slung over his shoulders. Being spit on or ignored by the masses in New Ulysses.
He had done all these things for me, recruiting me into his organization, and I watched the entire thing collapse from the sidelines, escaping from that life by living with Shia.
It wasn't that I couldn't defeat him.
I just refused to.
The fact that I hadn't gone to Stage Three or even Stage Four was enough proof of that.
Legion regarded me.
"I came here to warn you. If you choose to proceed with your quest here in Orlais, then you are without a doubt, fully resigning your position as a subordinate of Loyce Hal. Just as Vicki Harriet has become a target, so will you."
I gritted my teeth, unable to say anything back.
"And one more thing," Taras turned around.
"The organization has already found a new Hinokami. Long ago."
"What?" I gasped.
Taras smiled.
"A Hinokami that isn't bound to the Dogma is not worth anything. You will not be sacrificed in the ritual to revive The Great Akuma, because you have no ties to the Dogma anymore. But this one does. You boast about the sheer heat of your flames, challenging my dragons... but in the end, there will always be one greater. And in this case, his flames are akin, not to a Devil, but an absolute monster."
A monster...
"If you truly see yourself as one worthy enough to defeat Loyce, then you must surpass him. And truthfully, there is no way for you to accomplish this, even if you are a descendant of Mahyako. Because this Hinokami holder is not human. Genetically engineered to be the strongest Hinokami... far surpassing Aelienne Regalia. And as such, let me continue with my warning."
Taras made a fist.
"Not all of the Inner Shadows are against Loyce. This particular one is now on our side. You boast of your flames. But you will never catch up to this monster. The flames of Inner Shadow Evangelion."
"Rghhh... gahhh..." I trudged forward.
Fight! Fight, Yeling! What's wrong with you?
"There is some truth in your claim. I will tell you this. You truly are the worst man in the world. Given the number of people, you have betrayed. The number of people who have gone to lengths to give you things, squandered by your self-pity."
Taras glanced at my right eye socket.
"You sought to lose an eye. Perhaps you are trying hard to be the tragic hero that your mentor was. I suppose I can help you look the part. To give you a warning, just as Jekyll had given Aaron, I shall take from you, your arm."
Level 4 Fujin - Razor Shockwave Cutter
Fujin winds began swirling violently at his hand, and I found myself frozen again.
He was right though, wasn't he?
I squandered on the things he gave me.
Then I squandered on the things Squad Four gave me.
Then I went ahead and willingly let Loyce take it away... without even trying to fight for it.
I thought I had accepted being the bad guy in this story...
But I couldn't accept being the bad guy in this way!
Stop...
I closed my eyes.
No.
Break away from it, Yeling.
"What? Who said that?"
You wish to become the villain in this story? Then you must embrace who you are. Who I am.
Who you are...?
Anarchy flows through you. Just as Chaos flows in your sister. This is what makes you different from Taras. You may both be Dogma Holders, but you are... strictly... mine. Not the Dogma's.
I slowly opened my eyes. Time had stopped, and from the distance, was what appeared to be a man with ancient Chinese robes.
The man's face...
"Baba...?!"
The man smiled.
No. My dear Mah Ye Ling. But very close.
"Mahyako." I muttered.
Why do you fear? There is no reason to fear. You are the Devil itself. My mother and I live on through you and your sister. So weaponize it. No one in this world will ever understand the burden of having The Great Akuma as his ancestor, but you. So accept it, and move on.
Rage began boiling in my body, breaking all of my restraints away. Time slowly moved forward.
Accept it.
Accept it for who you are.
So what if I'm a traitor?
In the end, no one will be there for me.
So it doesn't matter how ugly I live my life.
I'm not trying to impress anyone.
I unleashed a primal roar, completely nullifying Taras' winds.
"What?!" Taras stumbled back, as I forced myself to my feet.
"Ha... hahaha... you're damn right. I'm a terrible terrible traitor, Taras." I smiled manically.
"The absolute worst person in the world. And not even Vala can stop me."
Level 1 Hinokami - Full Power Stage Four
Another horn ripped out of the other side of my head, and a pair of demonic devil wings sprouted from my back.
Black armor coated my right arm, blue and purple flames surrounding me, the heat blowing Taras back.
ANARCHY FORM.
I roared, ripping apart the trees and blasting forward, grabbing Taras by the neck and lifting him into the air.
Level 2 Shakujin - Gaia's Body
Taras' body became encased with Shakujin, but this did not stop me. My bloodlust reaching peak levels.
Level 2 Intangibility
My arm became intangible, as I shoved it right through Taras' chest, and materialized it, forcing Stage Four flames to erupt violently from his chest wound.
"GAAAAH! YOU WORM!" Taras growled, as I laughed viciously, slamming my forehead into his. Taras shot into the ground, creating a shockwave as I blasted to his location, flames swirling from my body.
Level 6 Hachi - Fist of Prophecy
Taras assumed a stance, his eyes glowing orange, but I began unleashing a tremendous series of slashes.
DEVIL RAINSTYLE - FORM 3: HELL'S DOWNPOUR
Taras blocked several of the cuts, but a spiral of slashes caught him in the chest, ripping apart his Shakujin.
"You wonder, how far I have progressed in those eight years..." I said, my voice tripling from my Anarchy Form, as I swung viciously, catching Taras again and sending him into the air.
Level 2 Shakujin - Gaia's Shards
Thousands of Shakujin rods appeared before me, shooting in my direction.
But I blitzed right through them, the rods melting upon contact with my armor.
"I'VE BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL ANYONE! INCLUDING THE MAN WHO TOOK ME IN!!! AHAHAHAHA!" I cackled crazily.
Level 1 Senkaku - Shadow Binds
Black tendrils began wrapping around my body, as Taras halted my momentum, my flames sucking into the darkness.
"I see. So you have fully accepted being the scum that you are." Taras said, forcing me to the ground.
"Look at how pitiful you are! Look how depraved you have become! To gnash your teeth at anything! Anyone!"
I roared, thrashing like a wild animal.
Grand Ultimate Devil's Hurricane
I unleashed even more flame, overwhelming the Senkaku binds and generating a blue firestorm.
Taras flew back, as I got to my feet.
Nothing matters.
Nothing matters. I will destroy this world. I will destroy... destroy...!
Destroy!
"Is this how your Squad Leader would have imagined you to end up becoming?" Taras asked as I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Squad... Leader... Matt..." My deep voice died away, as Taras flew in.
Level 1 Senkaku
Thousands of dark energy appendages burst from my body, blasting blood everywhere as my Anarchy Form became undone, due to my indecision.
I fell to my knees before Taras.
"You are no unstoppable tide of vengeance. You are an unstoppable tide of betrayal. Imagine the disappointment Matthew Lam would have if he still remembered you."
I gritted my teeth.
"But... he... he doesn't... because of Loyce..."
"And have you forgotten, as a Dogma Holder? What we are capable of being resistant to?"
My heart stopped.
Matt was resistant to Alogigenesis! Meaning... meaning...!
Taras held out his hand to my face.
"He knows. This whole time, he has been watching you cut ties one after another. And now betraying even me."
"No... Squad Leader Matt..."
"What have you got to say for yourself, Tidalflame?"
My hands fell to their sides.
I...
"I have... nothing to say."
"Very well. Then we shall do this as such as the way of the Dogma. Through equivalent exchange. For betraying not just me, but your Inner Shadow. I shall take from you, your arm. Prepare yourself."
I clenched my teeth tightly.
Matt...
What have I done?
"YELING!" Sarah shouted, appearing before me and launching an arc at Taras, who deflected it.
"Ayo! What's good, TOP HAT." Bryce growled, swinging his bat at Taras, who caught it with his Fujin hand.
"You two... are Auxiliaries of Gasket. Why are you with Yeling?" Taras asked.
"Why not?!" Bryce shouted.
"Because he is one of us," Sarah said, as she leaned in.
Convocatio - Illium Talacord
A whip manifested from a magic circle, as Sarah swung the weapon, wrapping around Taras and throwing him into the air.
Level 5 Hinokami - Dragon's Typhoon
A blue storm of flame rippled out, breaking the hold, but Bryce flew in, and his bat reeled back.
"Bitch, who is you talking bout the BAD GUY. You the BAD GUY!"
Bryce swung, but Taras dissipated, reappearing in the distance.
"This was not calculated. Yeling was supposed to come here alone. Why..."
Taras glared at Sarah and Bryce, who put distance between him and me.
"Dainsleif! That cheeky little boy predicted this!"
Cosmic Chakra Moon Magic
TRICK PLAY - SB 52 PHILLY SPECIAL
Sarah and Bryce powered up, as Taras summoned his shadows.
"Continue trying to defend this boy, Auxiliary Shadows of Aaron Hope. But know this. It is in his nature to sever all bonds. And soon you will regret forming alliances with the man who murdered his family for power."
Great Luna Arc
Scarlet Eagle
KABOOM.
Taras managed to escape in time, but momentarily the attacks connected, knocking the wind out of him as Sarah and Bryce ran to my direction, catching me before I could slam into any more trees.
"Yeling! Are you alright?" Sarah asked.
"Yeling! Homie!"
I breathed heavily, staring at my hands.
"Taras... Taras was alive...!"
Bryce and Sarah looked at each other.
"It was like with Aaron and Jekyll... Loyce has dispatched close people to take down our trump cards." Sarah said.
"Bossman 2. Come on. Let's go. We're off the trail." Bryce shouldered me and helped me to my feet.
"But... we..."
Bryce eyed me.
"Ain't you the one who said we was running out of time? We gon get this job done or what? We still haven't even registered ourselves as adventurers yet!"
"But what if Taras comes back? We... we need to prepare and-"
"I thought you said you wanted to do things your way. Is your way not marching forward?" Sarah asked.
I stared at her, bewildered.
"You..."
"If Taras comes back, then we will support you and fight by your side. That is what it means to work as a team, Yeling. Perhaps Aaron sent us for that reason."
