Chapter Four

Chapter Four: The Jericho Gang

Amane had just tossed Jericho outside into the desert with one hand and followed him outside without weapons. Jericho got up and brushed himself off as he stared at Amane and Amane unflinchingly stared back at him.

"I see, you ARE strong." Jericho stated. "We've been given an enhancement to our power." A green poisonous looking aura came from their bodies and their muscles grew stretching their clothes.

Amane watched with a smirk, he hadn't been able to use his full strength ever and this could be a good test for him. "Ready yet?" He asked curious about if they were going to fight or not.

"Let's go." Jericho replied as he charged at Amane.

"Let's." Amane added. He watched as Jericho began charging and kept a close eye on his aura. He could see his strength and speed had been enhanced but how far could it go?

The two of them locked hands and began pushing each other to see who would give way first. Jericho jerked his right knee up to Amane who stomped it back down with his left leg and took him off his balance doing so. As Jericho started tumbling down, Amane pulled him back up with his hands and forcefully headbutted him with the momentum of him going down and Jericho coming up. Jericho couldn't block and took the hit head on, literally, and yelled as his head started bleeding.

Amane let his hands go and gripped his own head,"My god, what is your head made of?! Must be rocks." A small tear dropped from his eyes as he closed his eyes several times. He then began laughing about it.

"Amane, are you okay?" Tenkai asked.

"Yeah. I headbutted him." Amane said, still rubbing his head.

"I told you he was having too much fun." Tenkai responded looking back at the group.

Jericho got up and charged him again this time tackling him onto the ground.

"Everyone step back." Teo said laughing.

Amane put his guard up and was biding his time while Jericho began pummeling him from his top position. A flurry of punches just continuously came at him but he kept his eyes guarded waiting for an opening to return the favor to him. As Jericho pulled back with his right arm, Amane blocked his left and broke his stance swinging upward at him from below and scoring a punch on his face with his fist imbued with heat. His fist left a burn mark on his skin.

"Ah my face!" Jericho yelled out. "Don't just stand there you idiots, attack them."

Amane flipped up onto his feet using his hands to make it quicker.

"Amane." Kyra said as she reached out to him with his swords. "Take these."

"Thanks." Amane replied as he fastened them back to his sash. "Take down as many as you can."

Tenkai,"Who is long range?" He says pretending like he doesn't know their skill sets.

"I am." Kyra replied. "Archery is my forte."

"I'm a mix range. I can fight close and far." Teo added.

"You two go for roofs and distant guys." Tenkai turned to Toshiro,"Toshiro. You, Kitanni, and myself will be close range. Keep them off of Amane while he deals with Jericho." He paused and looked at Amane,"Amane, don't kill him. I'll handle him when he's defeated."

"No promises." Amane replied.

"I had a feeling you'd say that." Tenkai retorted.

Tenkai gave the plan and the group executed it without questions. They were just doing their specialties. He stayed nearest to Amane as his scythe began cutting down enemies and absorbing their spiritual energy into its blade. His scythe extended as if it was a giant chain sickle and was able to slice guys further away without trouble.

Toshiro sliced nearby enemies with his sword and as he did so the wound became frost bitten instantly. He was adding elements to his blade trying to keep Kitanni safe from harm. Arms were falling off from sword cuts that were placed and while the cut itself was fast enough to be nearly painless the frost bite was not.

Kitanni wasn't doing too much damage on her own and was only defending herself and letting Toshiro finish them off for her. She wasn't much of a fighter but only came because Toshiro might need help but she was starting to feel like a hindrance.

Kyra watched and rolled her eyes about how pathetic Kitanni was, in her eyes at least. She took aim and shot guys off into the distance using her multi-arrow technique while running and dodging up close attacks while Tenkai handled those enemies. Her arrows pierced through their hearts with pinpoint accuracy.

Teo had summoned a flame from within a card labeled. Breath of a Salamander. The flame when summoned wrapped around several guys and burnt them down into an ashy mess that blew away in the wind. The black ash mixed with the desert sand as if it was part of the burnt and scorched Blacklands.

Amane had focused on Jericho wholly while protecting himself without weapons as his swords are still stashed in his belt. His body was reacting to what was going with ease because he was used to these kinds of fights and even larger scale ones. If he really wanted him to be dead he could be moving faster than he could keep up with.

Jericho’s anger kept growing with Amane as he was hoping that this power would be more powerful than he was but if he was still being tossed around by this young adult, the power he was given wasn’t enough. He raised his arms into the air and began absorbing the energy from the fallen around him. A technique instilled him when he accepted the energy from the Sorcerer. His poisonous aura grew larger as his body expanded to be stronger.

Reaching his hand out, Amane felt the aura within his hands and it felt slimy to him. He didn’t realize he could actually touch an aura though but with his spiritual skills it seemed like anything could happen. It was a new world. He shook his hand and removed the aura from his fingers. He glanced over at Toshiro. I feel this same feeling from you. He thought to himself.

Jericho took the opening as he made sharp spikes out of his aura and began attacking quickly. The energy and power he absorbed grew with each person killed with their energy flowing into him. Amane was so focused on Toshiro ‘s energy that he wasn’t paying enough attention to Jericho because he was so easily toyed with. The spikes jabbed deep into Amane’s left side.

Amane grunted in pain from the attack since he was trained well enough to keep his mouth quiet from the pain. He gripped his side and focused his energy into the three puncture wounds. “Should have gone for a killing shot, Jericho.” Amane growled at him. “It’ll be your last mistake.”

“We’ll see about that.” Jericho replied.

“We'll see if it'll be your last mistake?” Amane says questioningly then shakes his head. “I’ll be an hourglass. I”ll either bleed out, beat you, or you’ll beat me but I won’t stop the bleeding.” He added. “Let’s finish this.”

The heat around Amane increased rapidly as his hands began glowing hot. Jericho pulled back and began swinging at Amane with speed and precision. He was only going for death blows. Amane blocked the aura spike knuckles while blood drained from his body. Amane dodged over slightly and slipped on his blood on the sand making his foot shift.

Jericho yelled as he came down upon this opening as the knuckles connected with a metal clang as Amane drew his blade swiftly and unseen. The blade glows with spiritual energy to negate the aura spikes.

“That’s enough of this.” Amane said looking up at him, his eyes gleaming red. He pushed back, knocking Jericho backwards.

Jericho was visibly stunned as sweat began rolling down his face from the heat but also from Amane’s eyes. The energy given to him was dark but something about his eyes seemed even darker than this power he obtained. “What are you?” Jericho replied as his voice shook.

“Pissed off.” Amane replied back to him. His hand gripped a strange liquid that they didn’t recognize.

Tenkai turned around feeling a darkness rising around them and looked at Amane with a smirk. I feel your darkness. He said to himself as he looked into Amane’s hand squinting. Liquid glass?

Amane lifted himself and slung the liquid at Jericho while superheating it into tiny glass daggers. Jericho raised his hands up and protected himself as the glass tore the flesh on his arms. Amane heated the edge of his blade and rushed Jericho quickly before he could keep up with him. He sliced clean through his arms at the shoulders and his legs at the knees leaving on a red streak from his blade that faded away. Sheathing his sword, he applied heat into his hands and touched his side closing the wounds up. “Just die.” Amane said, watching Jericho fall to pieces before him.

The speed at which Amane cut him was fast enough for him not to feel the pain until he fell apart. Jericho screams as loudly as he can as the blood begins flowing from his limbless body. “What did you do to me?” Jericho yelled as he writhed in pain.

“I made a stump.” Amane replied. “You weren’t useful for anything else.” His eyes shift colors; the whites of his eyes flashing black and his irises turning red.

“Amane catch!” Tenkai yells out as he tosses him the scythe. “I need to see something so finish him with that.”

Amane’s darkness swirls around the handle, up the blade, and ignites the blade in a black flame. He extends it in his arm and twirls it around for a second before he slams it down into Jericho’s chest as it is repelled back to just the tip of the blade by the activation of a technique.

Jericho’s eyes light up as orange light begins shooting out of them. In his mind he sees all the people he has wronged and their power combined will decide his punishment. For them, he was fading into dust at a slower pace but inside of his mind he was being destroyed for what seemed like decades.

“Karmic Retribution.” Tenkai said as he walked over to Amane. “We need to talk.”

“Sure.” Amane replied as he handed Tenkai back the scythe. “Let’s clean these guys up first though.”

“This can’t wait.” Tenkai said, shoving him towards the side of the building.

The group were too busy fighting the other guys to realize what was going on besides Tenkai taking Amane aside for something or another. Kyra on the other hand could hear they were talking from where she was. She would be the only to know what was going on besides them but she refocused her eyes on the bad guys.

“Let’s wrap it up here guys.” Kyra said, taking charge.

The sounds of blades, arrows, and magic filled the quiet desert with screams. They were working very well together for people who had just met recently. As if they had done it before.

“Amane, no one else has ever used my scythe.” Tenkai said seriously as he stared at him.

“You tossed it to me. What did you think I was gonna do with it: kiss it?” Amane said jokingly. “What’s the issue?”

“Karmic Retribution only activates when I put my darkness into it and that’s knowing how to do it.” Tenkai replied. “There’s something going on here that probably isn’t good.”

Amane sighed,”Conversations like this are never good. What do you think is going on?”

“You have a deep darkness within you. I want to see where it comes from.” Tenkai said, in an intrigued way. “I’m going to view your soul.” He pulls his scythe up to Amane’s eyes and peers into it. Amane stands back watching as his eyes turn black but his body is immobile leaving him at the will of Tenkai.

As Tenkai views his soul, he sees traces of everything within it, every element and every usable ability. He had never done this to the Amane he knew but was sure he probably looked the same. Sweat rolled down his face as he concentrated more, finding the darkness specifically.

Reflected in his scythe he sees the day where Amane set the guy on fire with a stare, broke out of the Cold Stare, and killed two guys before that. His time keeps going back as he sees what led up to it. The pressure building on his own soul from the amount of power Amane was putting off in this memory. The pressure subsided as he continued back to see Amane holding his mother in his arms with tears coming down his face and his mother telling him she loved him.

I’m sorry, Amane. Tenkai thought to himself as he pressed forward. The next memory he sees is Fujimoto and Jade talking from the floor point of view.

“You know this could be dangerous, Jade.” Fujimoto shouts at her.

“And he’s still my son..our son. If you teach him, he’ll be able to withstand it. “ Jade shouts back. “You’re such a stubborn man.”

“Trust me, I don’t want to hurt my own child either. There is just so much darkness inside of him that I don’t know what to do about it.” Fujimoto said as he pointed down at Amane knowing that Amane had no choice in this.

Jade narrowed her eyes at him as her eyes turned black and red,”I, too, have this same darkness. There isn’t anything I can do about it either. I was taught to suppress it. I don’t have your level of spiritual control or power, Fuji. I can teach him to suppress it when he’s older but he needs your guidance first. It shouldn’t come out at this age anyway.”

Fujimoto sighed,”Fine. I get it. Let’s just hope nothing triggers it.”

“I agree. We’ll just have to be careful.” Jade added.

Tenkai nods his head. It’s passed down his maternal side. Seems like they never got around to suppressing it. She must have been killed before it would have naturally shown itself to them.

His blade begins going further back and further back on its own. Tenkai’s eyes flash with memories quickly as it darts back into something he shouldn’t be able to see at all. His Amane. The one he met in the previous timeline.

“Amane..” Tenkai says to himself, feeling his Omega mark burning.

“Who’s there?” Amane replied, hearing a voice.

“Tenkai.” He responds.

“Where are you?” Amane asks.

“In a new timeline. Ama resets yours.” Tenkai says sternly. “I don’t know how this is happening.”

“Tenkai, what are you doing?” He asks him point blank.

“Viewing the new Amane’s soul. He was able to use my scythe’s Karmic Retribution ability.” Tenkai responds to him.

“Very interesting.” He pauses. “I’ve figured it out already.” Amane laughs.

“Then what is going on?” Tenkai replies demandingly.

“It’s the same soul. You’re seeing residual soul memory. The darkness is within us both. My mother’s family were Keepers of the Underworld. They all had that darkness within him. It’s dangerous and deadly. We have to keep it suppressed for everyone’s good.” Amane replies.

“Is that what you’re doing now?” Tenkai asks, noticing how Amane has black and red eyes.

“No, this is the end of days. It’s only me, Ama, and Toshiro. I gave up my powers so there was no suppressant.” Amane replied.

“I remember. Do you regret it?” Tenkai asks.

Amane smirks as he pets a blackened Wolfos beside him. “No. I spent my life with her and the kids. I lived instead of killing people. I don’t regret the time she and I shared.”

Tenkai smirked back at him,”I didn’t think you would.” He sighed,”How can I prepare you for this eventual outcome?”

“When I give up my powers for her, do it in a way that doesn’t involve the Dragon Gods. A way I can return to my full power and peak without dying. Teach me to use this darkness within me in conjunction with my other powers. I’m going to need help when the day comes. Look around, Tenkai, for my life is the shadow at the end of days. This is the Underworld taking over.” He replies. Three large enemies begin closing in on Amane as a black flaming aura shoots up around him. Wolfos is gone and Amane is dark wolf armor. He waves Tenkai off,”I believe in you. Find the Shadows of Aren, the dark protectors.” The pressure shoots out all around as Amane is charged up and fighting.

Tenkai gets knocked backwards as the connection with the old Amane disappears. Sweat rolls down his face as he just watches his friend get overwhelmed with enemies. I see why she reset it now. He breathes heavily as he thinks.

“What did you find out?” Amane asks him as he offers him a hand.

Tenkai grips his hand and gets back up. “The darkness runs in your family but I have an idea.”

Kyra rushes over to them from the rooftops. “Are you guys okay over here?” She asks.

“Yeah, what’s going on over there?” Amane replies.

“Nothing much..just all the bad guys' energies regrouping into the disintegrating corpse of Jericho. The normal stuff.” Kyra says sarcastically.

“Should definitely get back over there.” Tenkai adds.

“Come on. Let’s get back to his fight. Sounds like trouble.” Amane replies.

“Kyra, can you give us a minute?” Tenkai asks. “We’ll be right over there.”

“Of course. Just be quick.” Kyra said as she looked over them both not letting on what she actually knows. She ran back over to the battle with the others.

Tenkai slips his scythe onto his back for a moment and aims his hand at the ground as darkness blazes forth from his palm. The ground opens up a small portal to the Umbra World. Inside the portal there are large dark metal shimmering crimson red with black highlights. He removes his scythe again and dips it into the portal and attracts a chunk of dark ore. He reaches onto the blade and takes the ore off and crushes it within his hand with a hard pressure from his powers, crafting the ore into a skull and piercing a hole through it. He strings it up with a thin metal chain created from the rest. “Put this on. It’ll help suppress the darkness within you. Don’t lose it.” Tenkai insists.

Amane notices his intense demand and accepts it willingly. “ Appreciated.” He replies, somewhat reluctant but overall just confused about the whole ordeal.

“Keep that on you at all times and don’t remove it. This will be more helpful than anything else I can do for you at the current time.” Tenkai adds before he starts walking off towards the fight from around the building. Viewing him had to be done solely just the two of them. Amane wouldn’t remember it and no one else needed to know what was going on as it would only complicate things.

Amane slips the necklace on and follows behind Tenkai, not fully understanding what went on just now but agreeing with it because Tenkai seemed to know what he was talking about. As they turned the corner he paused feeling the slimy poisonous energy converging like Kyra had said but feeling it growing in malice and power. This was the strongest thing he had faced and it wasn’t done building itself. He also wasn’t sure how strong he was in comparison to it. Sweat trickled down the side of his face.

Tenkai could feel the visible worry coming from Amane about what was happening. He had been in some tough fights himself but after exiting the Umbra World his powers were weakened to where they were before. His memories of them remain and he theoretically can use them but his energy reserves haven’t fully returned from his time there.

As Jericho's body dissolved, the green energy filled what remained of his corpse as it expanded like a balloon filled with helium. The flesh that remained sticking to the visible bones as the poisonous aura clung to it like it was forcing the flesh to stick to it. The body parts Amane had removed reconnected to the whole as if it hadn't been removed at all. The aura covered his body as it shot up with a loud roar with the flash of an aura from the eye socket and his one remaining eye shined bright green.

“Shit.” Tenkai states.

“Shit is right.” Amane replies. “Kyra, why didn’t you tell us this was going on?”

“I told you to come! You just don’t listen.” Kyra shouted at him.

“Oh yeah.” Amane replied. “Sorry. Lot’s going on in my head.”He quickly looked away from her direction.

A fog emitted from the newly created undead enemy.

“MOVE!” Teo shouted as he watched from the roof.

The rest of them jumped upwards to the roof except for Amane and Tenkai. Amane jumped to the left of the building and Tenkai to the right side. They reached towards each other in a moment of unison and created a barrier of spiritual energy and darkness that held back the poison from going any further. They weren’t going to let the Riverpass bar get destroyed in this poisonous and acidic fog.

Teo launched his Breath of a Salamander at the fog and as he did so he saw Amane turn around towards him as he had felt the energy. “TEO! STOP!” Amane yelled.

It was too late to stop the attack. The fire spell hit the gas and on impact exploded. The explosion launched both Amane and Tenkai back away from the creature and removed half the barrier. Amane was knocked unconscious as he hit his head hard against a post from the blast.

“AMANE!” Kyra yells watching the explosion knock them back.

Tenkai darted over to him, keeping his small barrier up and tossed Amane over his shoulder as they jumped onto the roof with the others. “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?” Tenkai asks Teo.

“I was just trying to attack the creature. I didn’t know it was explosive.” Teo says looking down at the scorch marks and bruises he had obtained just then. “I’m sorry, Amane.”

“Little late now.” Tenkai sighed. “We’ll restructure but we don’t have a lot of time. Spirit or Light energy anyone?”

“I can conjure holy energy as it should be ‘light’ energy in the way you mean.” Teo adds.

“Good, we’re going to need it.” Tenkai states. “Anyone else?”

Toshiro looks at Kitanni,”Kitanni, are you willing?”

“Kind of scared, Toshi.” She said, shaking. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” Sweat rolled down her face.

Kyra sighed seeing this but she had an idea.”Kitanni, can you light transfer?”

“What do you mean?” She asks in response.

“Can you pass on the light attribute to weapons?” Kyra states.

“I can. I use it with my daggers.” Kitanni replies confidently. “I see. Yeah I think I could do that.”

“See what?” Toshiro asks.

“We’re going to take her further away with me and I’m going to shoot the shit out of that creature with light imbued arrows.” Kyra responded.

Toshiro stared in confusion,”How do you know she was going there, Kitanni?”

“Had a feeling. Long range is safer and seeing how afraid I was, she can use it better than I.” Kitanni replied.

“Come on, Kitanni.” Kyra said as she began moving further away from the creature.

“Coming!” Kitanni replied.

“Wait, Kitanni.” Toshiro asked.

“Yes?” She answered.

“Can you put it into my sword before you go?” Toshiro said with a smile.

“Of course.” Kitanni placed her hands on his sword and focused her light energy into her hands and onto his weapon. “Good luck Toshi.” She said as she ran off behind Kyra.

“Thanks…Kitanni.” Toshiro replied, looking down at his now glowing white sword.

“Smart thinking.” Teo added. “My turn.” He unsheathed his dao and held it with his left hand as he braced it with his right on the blade. “Ch’ul Way” (Holy Spirit). He took a breath,”Field change: Ch’ul K’in. (Holy Sun).” Teo’s blade began changing into a white flowing light of holy spirit energy as the day light began to radiate holy beams. The Holy Sun, Ch’ul K’in, strengthened the damage of light or holy type abilities.

“I’ll look after Amane. I don’t have the reserve energy like he does currently. I can keep this barrier around him though.” Tenkai stated.

“Take care of him.” Teo replied. He was feeling a little guilty for not realizing that the fog was explosive and attacking recklessly. He didn’t mean to harm Amane at all but had a feeling that Amane wasn’t going to be upset about it when he regained consciousness.

Kyra had finally reached a destination further away from the action on a high dune where she could still see. She knocked back an arrow and fired at her target as a way to discern whether or not she could effectively hit from here. Her launched arrow flew right past Kitanni who was still running to where Kyra was getting away from the fog entirely. She stopped on her feet and watched the arrow travel towards its target.

The creature couldn’t see it coming through its own fog but as the arrow traveled through the acidic fog the arrow began to melt and was barely able to reach the target..but it hit. The test was a success, effectively she could hit it from there.

“Why’d you fire the arrow without me?” Kitanni asked, confused.

“I needed to test the distance. I may have a good eye and abilities with a bow but if I can’t hit the target your energy would be wasted. Now we know I can hit it and that fog is or whatever is very acidic.” Kyra stated.

“..Oh.” Kitanni replied. She wasn’t used to working with people who had such varying skills between them. “I’m ready when you are.”

Kyra had closed her eyes for a moment and remembered the words of her Uncle Aylan,”It will drain you until you’re proficient enough to use it.”

“Guess now is the time to use it Uncle.” Kyra said to herself. She reached into her quiver and pulled an arrow out as she opened her eyes. Lining her shot up she felt Kitanni place her hand on her quiver so it didn’t interfere with Kyra’s shot.

Focusing her energy into Kyra’s arrows and her body, Kitanni’s eyes began shining white showing her use of the light energy. Kyra’s eyes began shining green as she focused her skills as well. The new arrow shined white and green as it was fired, breaking into a dozen arrows as it flew through the air towards the undead monstrosity.

Teo had focused on himself and Toshiro and enchanted their bodies with a newly created technique: Way Winik Pakal, Spiritual Shield;Person. Having that on them would allow them to traverse the fog and get back into the fight.

“Come, Toshiro. Let us help take this creature down.” Teo says, enthusiastically.

“Right.” Toshiro replies.

Toshiro and Teo run out into the fog and begin their attack. Slashes of white from swords visible from all angles and through the fog. The shielding around them was holding up quite well at this point and the power from Kitanni’s light was helping even more. The cuts upon the creature were shining brightly making him a bigger more visible target.

Toshiro glances to his right and sees the arrows splitting up and coming towards him. He grabs Teo by his shirt and pulls him out of the way quickly. It wasn’t about saving him with their shields up, it was about not blocking the attack by accident.

The arrows ripped into the flesh of the creature and tore through into the bones. The multi arrow infused with light was a weapon of mass destruction. The creature's body began slipping off his bones in chunks. Kitanni took her hand off Kyra and turned around, walked a few steps, and vomited into the sand while watching that. Kyra walked over to her and pulled Kitanni’s hair back and out of the way. “I wasn’t expecting that either. That was the grossest thing I had ever seen.”

Kitanni gagged again,”Gross..stop talking about it.” She continued vomiting while Kyra held her hair back.

Tenkai watched in disgust as the flesh fell to the ground. “WHAT THE FUCK!?” He was grossed out by what was happening. In all his life he had never seen something as gross as that.

“What is that smell?” Toshiro added.

“I think it’s him.” Teo replied, pointing at the creature.

Toshiro thought the entire thing was gross but it wasn’t as bad as watching Amane slice and dice the guy to where his head slid down his body and his tongue was flapping. His stomach was strong enough to not be so easily upset but this was definitely pushing it for him.

The fumes from his death chunks began evaporating creating even more acidic fog around the area. As they disappeared they rose into a cloud of green shaped like a mushroom. They rose up then fell back down pushing the mist further towards where Amane was at with Tenkai.

“Ch’ul Muyal!” Teo shouts, calling forth a holy cloud as he retreats to the roof tops. The cloud pushes the fog back as sweat rolls down Teo’s face. “I won’t be able to keep all these spells up for a long period.” He stated while grunting.

“Then we need help.” Toshiro shouted. “Transfer your barrier to Amane and wake his ass up. His assistance is required and not optional.”

“Not yet.” Tenkai interrupted. “I need to do something first.”

“Do it quickly.” Toshiro replied.

Teo dropped his dao down to Toshiro as it was still imbued with light. “Use this.”

Toshiro caught the blade and prepared for another onslaught at ground level and as he did so arrows of light began flying through the sky at the target monster again.

The passing light revealed its new form: a massive glowing skeleton. At this point, there was definitely no Jericho left inside that monster. The bones were being nicked by the arrowheads but they weren’t sticking entirely. Still doing damage but not as much as they would to flesh.

As a new wave of multi light arrows slammed into the enlarged head of the creature, its last remaining human trait was gone...the eye that remained tumbled out of its sockets and onto the ground. The eye dissolved into the mist as it was replaced by just a glowing light for an eye.

“Shit.” Kyra said under her breath. “Could definitely use some added power.”

Toshiro had begun fighting again, slashing the bones but as he thought he was making headway the creature just brought the bones back together. They had to find a way to remove the pieces or else he’d just keep returning to form. Toshiro kept trying though, even using his ice to hold pieces back.

“Forgive me.” Tenkai said as he bent down and grabbed the necklace off his neck. He had just literally told him to not take it off and here was taking it off himself.

An ominous feeling filled the air as Amane’s body rose to its feet. His eyes open narrowed and sharp revealing black and red colored eyes. His body begins exuding pressure but it isn’t affecting anyone as they’re protected by light or holy barriers in his vicinity. Tenkai places his hand on Amane and absorbs some of the dark energy he’s putting off into himself and increases his reserve energy as his body goes through a subtle transformation on the inside making his body younger than it currently was. He puts the necklace back on Amane before anyone can notice his darkness coming out.

Amane snapped back into the fight,”What is that smell?” He asks, looking around.

“That thing.” Teo adds

“What’s going on? What did I miss?” He asks.

“The explosion knocked you out before anything could happen. Kyra shot the flesh off that creature unintentionally and it transformed into that skeleton.” Tenkai responds.

“Sorry, Amane. I didn’t realize that it was explosive.” Teo states, somberly.

“Explosive?” He said, raising an eyebrow. “Oh yeah. Sorry, my mind is a little fuzzy right now. Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t sure either. I just didn’t want to take the chance.”

“Amane, focus.” Toshiro shouts at him. “Got any ideas?”

“What’s the problem?” Amane responds.

“It can bring itself back together.” Toshiro adds.

“Great.” Amane pauses and thinks for a moment. “I need to know what’s up with the environment.”

“Holy Sun. It radiates holy energy or light energy.” Teo responds.

“Perfect.” Amane states. “Toshiro, get up here.”

Toshiro sighed and jumped up to the roof. “What do you need?”

“Thick sheet of clear ice. We’re going to magnify an attack of light.” Amane replies.

“That could take a minute.” Toshiro states.

The creature swings its large hand sideways across the roof where they were as if trying to grab them. “Move!” Amane shouts.

Tenkai and Toshiro jumped into the air for safety as Amane grabbed Teo since he was focusing. The holy cloud was slowing it down but not stopping it. Seeing as it was near where they were, it was unnecessary now.

“Thanks.” Teo adds. “I couldn’t move with that going on.”

“No problem, Teo. I have you.” Amane paused. “Can you reflect light with a spell?”

“That’s not a problem. Tezcatl Chok. Reflection Scatter.” Teo replied.

“When Toshiro gets his ice wall up we’re gonna divide it and I want you to try to reflect the light I’m going to put off around the creature as if it’s stuck in a barrier so it can’t move without being hurt. Hopefully, trapping it.” Amane stated.

“I think I can manage that.” He nodded in agreement.

“I’ll be right back.” Amane states as he takes off towards Kyra. “Be careful.” He yells back.

Tenkai places himself in front of Toshiro,”Do your part. I’ve got you covered.” He states.

The creature swings its large right arm down upon them trying to flatten them with its hand. Tenkai removes his scythe from his back quickly and holds it back using both his arms and the energy he removed from Amane, his darkness. Toshiro began focusing hard on the spot in front of him. The makings of the ice sheet were coming along.

“Any time you want to get that going, Toshiro. It’d be appreciated.” Tenkai stated.

“I’m going as fast as I can. This isn’t easy.” Toshiro replied.

“Just focus and get it as fast as you can.” Tenkai grunted as he pushed the scythe back as hard as he could and extended the scythe handle. With the scythe extended the arm of the creature was pushed back out of the way.

Amane had arrived by Kyra and Kitanni and watched as Kitanni took a step back. He wasn’t very surprised by it but he wasn’t sure why she was doing that now. He shook his head slightly and just thought, okay.

“Nice to see you back on your feet.” Kyra stated.

“Well you know me, can’t stay out of a fight.” Amane smirked at her,”I like fighting.” He shrugged sarcastically.

Kyra smiled,”I’ve seen that in the short time I’ve known you.“

“Anyway.” Amane paused. “I need you to distract it more. Do as much as you can. We’re going to scatter some reflective surfaces using the holy sun and cause some damage. How polished are your arrowheads?"

“Fairly. Why?” Kyra asks.

“Just some added reflective surfaces.” Amane replies.

“Even still, Kitanni has light abilities. We’re adding it to the arrows.” Kyra adds.

“That works too.” Amane says, smirking at her. “Better than just a reflection. Good work, both of you.” He looks at Kitanni. “I better get over there and help them out. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

“We will. Go ahead and get back over there.” She pauses. “And good luck.”

Kitanni steps back towards Kyra,”Thanks…” she says quietly in response to Amane.

Amane begins running back over to the rest of their group.

Kyra pulls her bow back up and prepares to continue firing. She looks back at Kitanni,”See he’s not so bad.”

Kitanni raises her right eyebrow at her,”That wasn’t enough to dissuade me of my thoughts on him but you’re right.”

As Amane runs back he sees a trail of arrows flying by him and notices how many of them there are. She had a couple dozen arrows cloaked in light flying through the air behind him until they passed him by. He could feel the energy in them as they passed him. That's a multi arrow. Power in numbers, for sure.

The arrows flew into his bones piercing the bone and breaking pieces off but falling out almost immediately. The pieces of bone rejoined the massive skeletal structure. With the Holy Cloud gone there wasn’t anything trapping him in it at the moment.

Toshiro’s ice pane was coming along fine but he was slowly running out of energy due to the massive scope of it all. As Amane arrived back on the roof the ice was finally completely done. He slipped in front of Toshiro and grabbed the dao and Toshiro’s sword both of which were imbued with light already.

“Borrowing these.” Amane states as he coats himself in a spiritual barrier and jumps down in the fog.

“AMANE!” Tenkai yells trying to stop him. “Damn it.” Following Amane’s example Tenkai covers himself within a darkness barrier and jumps down to confront him.”You realize Toshiro is ready right?”

“I do but I need to slow this guy down for a minute so they can reposition everything.” Amane pours his spiritual energy into the blades and begins charging them up. The blades begin glowing bright white as they mixed with the holy energy. “Tell them to place it around him in a circle.”

“What are you going to do?” Tenkai asks.

“I”m going to take out its ankles and push them further away. So it takes longer to pull them back to him.” Amane replied.

“Keep it stuck for a minute so they can get ready.”

“Exactly.” Amane stated. “Go tell them I could use your help in a moment.”

Tenkai jumped on top of the roof and relayed his message to the others. “Scatter the ice around him in a circle. After that I’m not sure what’s next.”

Tenkai jumped back down to the bottom with Amane and saw him as he slashed through the bones with the two blades. A clean slash with a large piece missing out of it.

Amane pushed his spiritual energy into it, his hands creating a forceful push at the location he was aiming, the feet. The creature slid off his feet that were removed and fell onto its side. He looked over to Tenkai. “Let’s wrap that foot in a rope or something and drag that thing away.”

“I’ve got just the thing,”Tenkai replies. He pulls his scythe out and stretches it out from the head of the blade. He quickly wraps around it and pulls it as hard as he can using it like a tow cable. The energy from the creature pulling on it as Tenkai pulled as hard as he could against it, his willpower being stronger than its.

“Tenkai, I need to get back up top.” Amane yells out as he notices the ice being placed around the creature in a circle.

“Go for it. I’ll drag this heavy foot away from here.” Tenkai responds.

Teo and Toshiro had slowly placed the ice around using a Tezcatl Chok spell to break it and reflect it, effectively creating more ice panes around them. They strategically placed it around him as Amane asked.

“What’s your plan now?” Toshiro asked when Amane arrived on the roof.

“New technique, specifically used to create light and used in dark places. Seeing as we’re in a holy light right now, that should amplify everything and make it more dangerous when mixed with my fire.”

“Get to it then.” Teo adds. “It looks like Tenkai is struggling to pull that thing.”

“Right.” Amane replied. He raised the blades in his hands into the air as he began focusing his skills. 

Kyra was still firing arrows but Kitanni was getting worn down and didn’t have much left in here. Kyra was also running low on arrows at the moment so hopefully she’ll be able to scavenge them. Teo and Toshiro were sweating and struggling to maintain their hold on it. Tenkai was still pulling as he planted the handle of the staff into the sand and opened a portal to the Umbra Realm around it holding it in place.

Kitanni fell to her knees and placed her hands on her thighs while she caught her breath after exerting the energy she had left. The last bit was now flying at the creature. Kyra bent down to see her at that level.

“You did well for someone inexperienced.” Kyra says with a soft smile.

“Thank you.” Kitanni said blushing. She was feeling useful for the first time on this trip with Toshiro.

“We’ll leave this to them. I’m sure the way he rushed over here, Amane has a plan.” Kyra stated.

“...I hope so…” She sighed as she caught her breath. “I’m going to trust you Kyra..he can’t be all bad but all I’ve heard is negative.”

“I’ll tell you something after this is done.” Kyra sat down beside her, she was also exhausted after using her multi-arrow to the degree she had been using it. The first time she had used it to such an extent after her first time ever using it. She would adjust in the time coming.

Amane finally finished charging his attack as his eyes flash silver, white, red in that order in a constant rotation. “DAWN’S LIGHT, PIERCE THE NIGHT!” He shouts as the beams of light shoot from his blades in a holy light of fire.

The beams of fiery holy light travel through the broken fractions of the ice pane and begin to bounce through them, multiplying and reflecting the power. The light bounced around hitting the creature and burning holes through its body and bouncing back off of the other creating a bouncing attack that was multiplied by the reflections and magnified by the ice.

The creature screamed in agonizing pain as the light pierced its body repeatedly and was looking like it was shooting beams of light out of its body. The light set the skeleton on fire as it still struggled to regain its foot. Tenkai let the foot go, seeing what was going on. The foot returned to the creature as it was set ablaze with holy fire and light. It stood up and slammed its hands onto the ground creating a shock wave that shook the building. The light dissipated the fog and kept it away from the building the rest of the way but the shaking definitely wasn’t helping it.

“Toshiro, pull your ice together above its head and hold it steady!” Amane shouts as he begins backing up to the back side of the roof. He clears the energy of the blades by slashing them downwards.

“Just make it quick. I’m running out of energy.” Toshiro replied as he motioned, gripping the air and pulling things back towards him.

Amane saw the pieces beginning to form and took a breath. He wasn’t sure if this was going to work the way he wanted but he had to do it. “I’m going to run. I want you to slant the end down then launch it up as I reach it.”

“Amane that’s not smart.” Teo adds.

“I need an aerial view and I can’t fly. This has to work.” Amane replies.

“Just go!” Toshiro shouts.

Tenkai shakes his head as he watches on. This is reckless. He thinks to himself.

Taking a breath he runs over as the ice slants downward and jumps onto it. At that moment Toshiro slings the end Amane lands on into the air and launches him upward into the sky. From his viewpoint he could see just about everything around here including a tower in the desert and a small town before it with ruins to the side. Several new destinations for them from the angle he was facing.

Teo looks up, realizing Amane doesn’t have any holy light on his weapons,”Oh no.”

“Oh no?” Toshiro asks.

“There is no light on those weapons.” Teo responds.

“Don’t worry about it.” Tenkai replies. “He’ll be fine.” He says with a smirk.

“How do you know?” Toshiro asks, concerned.

“I can feel it in him. Spirit. Fire. Light. Ice. Dark, like mine.” As well as Underworld. He thinks to himself. “Some other things I can’t identify. I don’t think he realizes it either. He’s just going on his instincts to stop this thing.” Tenkai responds, sounding impressed.

“He is a monster…” Toshiro adds.

“No, he’s just an elemental type.” Tenkai replies. “Don’t mention this to him. I don’t want it to go to his head. He’ll figure it out in time.”

Amane was floating through the air feeling the winds brush against his body. His hair blowing back in the breeze that was created from his descent back down. He spreads his arms and legs as he comes back. He flips to be facing downward as he readies the swords in front of him in an X-pattern. His energy charges and the blades glow shifting through the colors before and his eyes along with them: silver, red, white. “DAWN’S LIGHT, PIERCE THE NIGHT!” He shouts as he falls from the sky.

The holy fire light travels at a great speed before him and as it hits the ice sheet. The ice sheet magnifies and intensifies the light casting a huge amount of light and fire upon it. The creature screeches as its body begins to disintegrate into ash like an ant under a magnifying glass. Amane doesn’t let up as he falls downward until the creature is entirely destroyed. The last screech of the creature is heard for miles as the other’s cover their ears in pain. It was finally over.

They now had an entirely different problem...how were they going to save Amane? In his attempt to save all of them he doomed himself at the height he was at.

Amane is half heartedly smiling as he falls downward,”This was not smart of me. Not sure how to get out of this one.”

Everyone was out of energy at this point. Toshiro burned himself out on the last stunt and was now breathing heavily on the roof. Teo was out right before that due to the holy cloud. Tenkai had summoned the Umbra realm and dragged the foot away. Kyra was worn out from the multi-arrow. And finally Kitanni from the exhaustion of transferring her energy to Kyra. Amane had no help at this point.

“Sorry guys!” Amane yelled out. “It’s been fun.” He saluted them with two fingers.

Kyra shouted,”AMANE!” She rushed towards where he would be falling but couldn’t make it as she fell over due to lack of energy.

“Shit.” Toshiro said. “Is there nothing left?”

“No, I’m tapped. Tenkai stated.

“Same.” Teo replied. “Quetzalcoatl protect you, Amane.”

Kitanni watched in horror as he fell, not because of who it was, but because she’d never seen someone fall to their death before.

Amane closed his eyes and held the swords tightly in his grasp. At least he was going out as a warrior and that was the most he could get at this point. His life replayed before him. A child missing his father but always by his mother. Slightly older child, hanging out with his best friend. A teenager training with his father. Going to war against his own people. Losing his best friend. Meeting Kyra. Meeting everyone here today. His mind focused on Kyra. Those are nice thoughts. Amane thought to himself as he neared the ground. Goodbye Kyra. He smiled.

“Quetzalcoatl, if you can hear me from this world, we desperately need your help.” Teo’s eyes change to crimson and gold as a wing symbol lights upon his back and matching wings flow forth from within him. He grips his head as a massive headache takes over his mind. A dragon roar is heard loudly by everyone. His body takes off at high speed acting on its own. The wings grow longer and streak through the sky as he catches Amane in his arms.

“Nice catch, Teo.” Amane says. “Or not...Teo.” He replies looking at his eyes.

“Amane, I am Quetzalcoatl.” The god replies to him directly into his mind. “Your time is not done.”

“I know. I gotta stop the Sorcerer, your lordship.” Amane replied confused on what to address him as.

“Outside of that, in the future you will visit my world when it is corrupted into an Infinite Night. Will you aid me?” Quetzalcoatl adds.

“Yes. When it’s time, call on me.” He replies seriously.

“I will raise the Trial of the Six.” Quetzalcoatl says, in an ominous tone.

“What is that?” Amane asks.

“You’ll see when it’s time. Harness all your abilities, young Amane.” He replies as he sets him down on the roof.

The crimson and gold energy disappears then scatters into the sky as Teo is left even more exhausted than he was before. Amane helps him sit back down so he doesn’t fall over. Teo looks up at him,”How are you here?”

“Tell you once we get inside. Night is upon us and it’s about to get cold.” Amane replies. “I’ll get you last, just rest.” He handed Teo back his dao. “And what looks like a bad storm as well. This could be bad.”

Amane walked over to Toshiro and lifted Toshiro up. Placing his arm around Toshiro’s waist and Toshiro’s left arm drapes over his shoulders then jumps down. “Good job.” Toshiro says somewhat coldly as he hobbles to the door.

Amane reaches Toshiro’s blade out to him,”Here, this is yours. Well it’s my father’s but you had it.”

“You keep it.” Toshiro states. “Like you said, it is your father’s.”

“Toshiro, just hold onto it. I left it with you for a reason.” Amane said, reaching it further to him.

Toshiro sighed and took the blade from him. “What was the reason?”

“To help you focus your energy. I had a feeling you’d fix it seeing as it was my father’s. It’ll help you focus the energy within you. I have his armor and you have his sword...and what looks like your father’s sword.” Amane says, looking at his back.

Toshiro looked over his shoulder and saw the hilts, his father’s and Aurora’s cryomancy blade. “Fujimoto’s blade will be safe with me.” He replies, slipping it onto his belt holster.

“Good. They were close friends and their spirits should be close together.” Amane sighed. “I’m sorry for the loss of your father.”

Toshiro nods and heads inside the restaurant. He didn’t have to say anything at all to Amane for him to know what he was saying. While he wasn’t forgiven for anything, Toshiro had accepted the condolences.

Amane hopped back onto the roof and did the same thing to Tenkai. Tenkai didn’t say much, just smirked as they came back down and he walked into the bar as well. Amane ran over to Kitanni and Kyra as fast as he could, both of whom were sitting on the sand next to each other.

He offers a hand to them,”Who’s first?”

Kyra replies,”Take her first. I want to talk to you for a minute.”

“Of course.” He smiles at Kyra as he turns his hand to Kitanni. “Ready?”

“...yeah.” Kitanni replies as she isn’t sure of this interaction at all. “Just be careful.”

“Yes ma’am.” Amane replies as he lifts her up like she was a bride and runs her to the entrance. “Toshiro is already inside.”

“Thanks…” She walks in stumbling slightly each step.

“Teo, you’re next. Kyra wants to talk.” He says as he jumps up to the roof.

“Alright.” Teo replies. “I’m so confused and exhausted. What happened?”

Amane grabs him the same way he did Toshiro and Tenkai,”A miracle.” He smiled. “I don’t expect that again.”

“But what was it?” Teo replies.

“Tell you when we have a minute to ourselves. You’re not going to believe it.” Amane adds as he jumps down to the ground level. “Go on in and get some water.”

“Yeah.” Teo replies as he heads inside. “This entire day has been weird.”

Amane laughs as he runs back to Kyra. He’s the only one with energy after everything since he was knocked out and then refilled by darkness but he didn’t know that. To him he just got a nap. He arrived at Kyra and lifted her up by her hand.

“I’m really glad you’re okay, Amane.” Kyra said softly.

“As am I that you are.” Amane replied, still holding her hand.

“What did you do exactly?” She asks.

Amane chuckles to himself,”I had Toshiro launch me into the air and I used a combination of fire, holy or light, and spirit energy to launch an attack that would damage the creature and remove it entirely. I call it Dawn’s Light.” He replied.

“Did you even think about how to get back down or what would happen if you didn’t get saved?” Kyra asks, in a worried tone of voice.

“Honestly, Kyra? No, I didn’t. I just wanted you all to be safe. Getting you all out of harm’s way was my only idea.” Amane stated.

Kyra’s eyes became angry,“DON’T YOU EVER DO SOMETHING SO RECKLESS AGAIN!”

“I’m sorry for making you worry so much, Kyra. I’ll try my best but I can’t promise you anything.” Amane said, speaking somberly.

“That’s all I ask. This is your mission. We can’t go on without you being here. If you die, the hope dies. My hope dies…” She says, as she grips his hand tightly.

“I understand, Kyra. Let me get you inside.” Amane became quiet upon hearing that. He never thought of himself as someone’s hope. Kyra must have thought highly of him if that was how she reacted. He had a lot of emotion to process now as he wasn’t prepared for the caring attitude given to him by Kyra. His willingness to not think things through when saving people he cared for was never thought of as a weakness but he never thought about how they might feel if he didn’t make it.

Kyra watches his face as he runs them back to the restaurant. She’s in his arms and feels her heart flutter as she hopes her message got through to him. They needed him here. She needed him as a friend and he needed her as a friend after everything he had gone through.

Amane sets her down at the entrance,”Thank you, Kyra.” he says quietly then pushes the door open for her.

She nods and enters into the establishment with him behind her. After yelling at him she didn’t have much to say to him about that any more. She just wanted him to be careful. He could help more people; if he was careful and was able to live longer.

He sees everyone inside and sits down on the steps outside. He places his elbows on his thighs and buries his face in his hands and rubs his face. He needed a minute alone...just to think. Amane didn’t know how to process what she said at that point. It was just rushing through his mind. “Don’t do that again.” just on repeat. His eyes begin to water as his mind wonders about what would happen if he didn’t make it. How many of them would be hurt because he was gone? Would the quest continue or would the Sorcerer win without a fight?

Tenkai walked outside, having just finished a quick conversation with Kyra after she came inside, to see him sitting there and leaned against a beam,”A wise man once told me: The will to live is the greatest power you can draw from.”

“Who told you that?” Amane asked.

“A samurai with gray eyes. An old friend of mine from what feels like another life. He, too, was hard headed and stubborn but he had a good heart and learned that lesson the hard way. Somehow he had died but his wife managed to rescue him from death. An unbreakable bond between them.” Tenkai replied.

“That definitely sounds like me in that first part.” Amane chuckled lightly.

“You are that part too.” Tenkai replied. “Come. We’ve got a little celebrating to do after that victory.” He offered Amane a hand.

“Yeah.” Amane replied as he took his hand and stood up. “Thanks for that lesson.”

“Any time.” Tenkai smirked.

Tenkai and Amane head into the bar to see the tables filled with food and drink for them. Someone definitely cared about what was going on and now he finally got to see what it was like to have strangers and people you barely know care for you. A glimmer of light was glowing inside his body as hope filled his heart for the first time in a while and not just destiny. The feast awaited them.

Amane still felt like he needed some time alone and wanted to sit away from the group for a bit so he could think to himself. He found himself sitting at the window and looking at them all as they weakly smiled and enjoyed themselves after being exhausted. The thoughts going through his mind were about family and how he felt like he found another one even though Toshiro was kind of out to get him still. He turned his head and looked out the window.

The owner walked over to his table and dropped off a pitcher of water and a glass then poured some into it. He set the pitcher down and looked at Amane staring out the window. “Aren’t you going to join them?” The owner asks.

“Maybe in a bit.” Amane replies. “Just thinking about things.”

“I can’t thank you all enough for what you’ve done here today. I thought we were all about to be goners when that creature appeared. I wasn’t too worried about Jericho after watching you toss him out with one arm. “ He added.

Amane laughed to himself,”I definitely didn’t have an issue with Jericho. He was very loud but he wasn’t really all that strong. “

“I’m just appreciative of your help in getting rid of him. He always caused problems here and no one was strong enough to stop him. Not me, at least at my age. When I was younger though, I probably could have but seeing what happened, I doubt it.” The bartender replied.

“No worries now. He’s gone and hopefully won’t be returning seeing as he literally disintegrated into nothing.” Amane adds.

“I’ve already told them, but you’re all free to use the rooms tonight. Free of charge, of course. “

“That’s great news. They could definitely use some rest after all that.” Amane laughed,”I got a nap mid battle.” He joked.

The bartender laughed,”Not in the most peaceful ways either. How’s your head?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I don’t really feel like anything happened at all. I barely remembered the explosion after I hit my head. That was definitely a little weird.” Amane explained, he was just as confused as everyone else.

“You’ve got some strong luck, kid. Get over there and join your friends.” The bartender said with a smile as he headed back to behind the bar.

“Seems I do…” Amane said to himself with a soft smile on his face. He flipped his hands over and looked at his arms. He thought to himself, I should at least have scorch marks from an explosion and to my knowledge I can’t heal that quickly. I guess I did have a barrier up..but that doesn’t seem like enough to be clean of wounds.

Amane was wondering if he had good luck or if something else was going on that he couldn’t explain himself. He just wanted to know what was going on with his body and his powers. He turns his head to face the group and leans up against his right fist and watches them.

Everyone else was at the long table with the food having a drink and some food after exhausting themselves. Having done most of the work after the explosion they definitely deserved their feast and to enjoy it without people at odds meaning Toshiro, Kitanni, and Amane. A break of peace.

As Amane stared out the window, a person walked up to his table and set a plate of food down while holding another. She slid it over to him and sat down in the seat beside him.

“I, uh, I brought you some f-food.” The voice says.

Amane turned his head from the window to see someone he didn’t expect standing there. He smiled lightly at her,”Thank you, Kitanni.”

“You’re welcome.” Kitanni replied. “I may play dumb with Toshiro sometimes but I know exactly who you are. When he told me what happened, I struggled to believe it. Everyone I knew through Toshiro was rooting for you until that day.”

Amane looked at her confused,”Rooting for me? I’m lost. Why?”

She shook her head,”They had high hopes for you. Powerful, intelligent, quick thinking, and you cared for people. They were looking to make you the replacement clan head after you returned.”

“How did you hear all this?” He asked her.

She laughed softly,”Toshin, Sage, and several other people. I have my connections. All that changed when you killed those three guys in town. Everyone immediately changed their opinions to come after you except for Sage, who believes in you.”

Kyra’s ears perk up when she hears that Kitanni has connections. She wondered why she mentioned that at all in this conversation when she had several examples already. Something didn’t seem right to her at this point. She would remember it for later and ask what she meant.

“No offense to you, but I don’t care what they all think. I’m appreciative of the information about Sage...there’s only one person I’m trying to prove my innocence to.” He pointed to Toshiro. “Imagine having no knowledge of something and the next day your only friend is gone…”

“He’s also lost. He’s struggling with his feelings too. You see the anger but he has to direct it somewhere and you’re the only thing he’s got in that regard. There’s more going on that I can’t figure out but I can tell you he’s struggling, you can see it on his face.” She replied.

“Appreciate the insight. Thank you.” He took a breath,”You should be eating though.” He laughed.

“So should you. You’re the one who ended that thing...thank you.” Kitanni replies as she lifts up her piece of chicken and takes a bite.

“Of course. Just doing my job.” Amane states. He lifts up a strip of steak and eats it.

The two of them sat there eating next to each other as the two people no one thought would be sitting together even at a big table. Kyra looked over to see them sitting there and smiled. She was surprised to see that but it seemed like one person’s heart was unfreezing, if even a little bit. She got up from her seat and walked over there to where Amane and Kitanni were and sat on the other side of him. “You shouldn’t be alone over here, you guys.” Kyra stated.

Kitanni smiled looking up from her plate. “Getting jealous?” She joked.

Amane shook his head in confusion and shoved more food into his mouth to stay out of it.

“I totally am.” Kyra replied.

“I was here first.” She added.

Kyra and Kitanni laughed together after they spent so much time together out there fighting. For them both it was just a big joke. Amane was just shaking his head back and forth.

“I appreciate you both.” Amane said calmly.

As he said that Toshiro got up and sat next to Kitanni with his own food. “Amane.”

“Toshiro.” Amane replied.

“I’m coming with you on your quest.” Toshiro states calmly. “I don’t know what I saw that day but if you think you can gather ingredients to show me what happened, I’ll humor you. You risked your life for us all so on today’s showing, I’ll come with you.” He paused. “What do you say?”

“I say it’s a start. We’ll figure this out as we go.” Amane replied. “We can rebuild from here. Partners?”

“Partners, for now.” Toshiro replied.

Teo came over and joined them at the new table followed by Tenkai who leaned up against the wooden beam near them.

Tenkai,”How did you survive that? We were all drained of energy at that point.”

Amane looks to Teo,”Do you want me to tell them? I did tell you I’d tell you later in private.”

Teo nodded as he had food in his mouth. He took a drink and swallowed his food real quick. “Go ahead and tell them. No reason for it to be private.”

“Alright.” Amane replies.

“This should be good.” Tenkai adds.

Amane finishes his plate and stands up from the table. He motions for Tenkai to sit down in his spot which he obliges so he can get off his feet again. Toshiro and Kitanni turn their chairs to face him. “So there I was, falling from the heavens..because I’m stupid.” Amane laughs. “I really didn’t think that plan out as I told Kyra.”

“We know.” Teo adds. “Seemed improvised.”

“It most definitely was.” Amane laughed again. “So I’m falling and I said something generically heartfelt as I fell. I glanced over and saw a bunch of areas we could head to and stared at Kyra for a minute. My life literally flashed before my eyes so I don’t mind admitting where my focus was.”

“Get on with it!” Toshiro adds jokingly.

“I looked over and thought I saw what looked like Teo praying for help.” He glances over to him. “Did you?”

Teo thinks for a moment,”I did. I asked for Quetzalcoatl to assist you. To help us.”

“Well…” Amane smirked. “That’s exactly what happened. I thought you had caught me but when I looked into your eyes they were crimson and gold.”

“There were also crimson and gold wings of energy shooting from your back.” Tenkai adds. “As well as a glowing symbol of wings.”

“My prayers were answered. Lord Quetzalcoatl can still hear me in this world. Did he say anything else?” Teo asked.

“Yeah. In the future, I’m supposed to hop realms and aid him in your world. He said an Infinite Night would take it and he would raise the Trial of the Six.” Amane answered.

“That just proves to me our worlds are tied together. There is a prophecy of a person who will come to wake the Six in the dead of night. He’ll have elemental powers but not be able to use them. The elements within him will awaken them and he will be their leader. There is more to it but that’s the important part. If he told you that, he believes that YOU are the person we need during that time. That is a large role for just one person.” Teo replies.

“I don’t think I’ll be alone, Teo. I believe you’ll be there as well. The difference is you’ll have access to your powers and it seems like I won’t until the Six are awakened.” Amane adds. “It doesn’t matter though. I don’t need powers to be an asset. That’s the future anyway.” He smirked,”We’ll worry about it then.”

“Agreed.” Teo adds.

Amane pulls up a chair and sits down in front of them. “While we’re talking about me falling from the sky, let’s talk about our next destination.” He laughed slightly. “So there are a few destinations. There are some ruins, that way.” He points to the left. “They’re pretty far out.”

“That’s Da-Ku Castle. Rumor has it one of the Sorcerer’s partners rules that area.” The Bartender said from the bar.

“There is another place, looks like a small town further up from here, basically a straight shot going up.” Amane continued. “Then a large tower that looks like it’s being built or renovated.”

“The town is Areno.” The bartender added.

“There is a blacksmith there who supposedly built your armor and your father’s swords.” Toshiro added. “The blacksmith at home informed me as well as your father.”

“Interesting for sure. My armor could use a touch up.” Amane replied. “What’s the other one?”

“The Coastal Inn. Owner Mitsu Nari and her son Yasu, he should be around most of your ages.” The bartender added.

“Seeing as no one has asked your name. What is your name?” Tenkai asks the bartender.

“Ha ha. No one ever asks the bartender for his name. Victor Auller. Owner of this establishment here.” He responds. (Victauler is a person who is licensed to sell liquor.)

“Pleasure to meet you Vic.” Tenkai replies.

“Pleasure is mine.” He responds.”Coastal Inn, is as you think an Inn. People stop in on their way through. Nice place. If you get up there, stop by and tell them I said hello.”

“Will do.” Amane added. “Is there anything else out there?”

“There is the Blacklands.” Vic adds. “It’s home to…”

Kyra interrupts,”Home to dragons who scorched the lands black with their fire breathing and fighting.”

Vic smiles at her,”Exactly right. Where did you hear that?”

“My uncle in Quadrant Two. He knows a bit about this place but he didn’t give me a map.” Kyra jokes.

“Well he’s right. So besides that there is a monastery. Illumination Sect. I don’t know much else about them besides their focus is monk and healing skills.” Vic replies.

“Any knowledge is helpful.” Teo remarks. “That’s enough celebrating for me. I’m going to make use of the rooms before us and catch some Z’s.”

“Yeah, It has been a long day for you all. I’m happy to lend you my rooms. Please enjoy your sleep.” Vic replies.

“Let’s all get some rest.” Amane adds.

“We’ll divide the rooms up.” Toshiro states.

“We’ll take a room to ourselves.” Kyra says as she puts her arm around Kitanni’s shoulders. “Is that okay with you?”

“Fine with me.” She looks around. “Only two women here after all.” Kitanni shakes her head.

“Good night to you all.” Kyra adds. “Thanks again, Amane.”

“You’re welcome and good night, Kyra.” He responds.

“Night, Toshi,”Kitanni replies.

“See you in the morning, Kitanni.” Toshiro responds.

Kyra and Kitanni head upstairs and into the bedroom they would be sharing. With it having been an exhausting day for them all all they really wanted to do was rest. They had definitely earned it at this point. Kyra had removed her armor and was sitting on her bed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Kitanni was in a slim fitting nightgown sitting on her bed across from Kyra.

“Hey, Kyra?” Kitanni asked.

“What’s up?” She replies.

“What was it you were wanting to tell me earlier?” Kitanni asked, intrigued by her words from earlier today.

“Oh yeah.” Kyra laughed. “I almost forgot.”

“It has been a long day.” Kitanni added.

“Yeah. Anyway, I was just going to say that I saw Amane and Toshiro fight when Toshiro came after him.” Kyra stated.

“What happened in your eyes?” She asked.

“Amane, much like today, went easy on him but moments before he had attacked without worry. They were talking through the battle. Amane let him get the upper hand at one point with ice cuffs but he heated them up and they melted. He then beat Toshiro but slipped something into his pocket before leaving him there. He was never going to kill him. Amane just wanted his friend back.” Kyra replied.

“That does seem to be the case, still.” Kitanni retorts.

“It does. He’s complicated but he most definitely cares for Toshiro still and cares about your words. He was upset earlier when you said life for everyone was better since he left.” Kyra added.

“I was just saying that to be hurtful...because I don’t really know him.” Kitanni replies.

“But he took it anyway then proved to you he wasn’t going to hurt you.” Kyra states.

“You’re right. Good night, Kyra and thank you.”

She smiles,”Nighty night, Kitanni.”

Meanwhile back downstairs, Amane and Toshiro are talking with the guys about who is staying with who.

“Amane you’re staying with me.” Toshiro demanded.

“Yeah, yeah. I saw that coming.” Amane added as he rolled his eyes.

“That puts us together, Tenkai.” Teo says as he looks at Tenkai. “Whenever you’re ready just come up.”

“Of course.” Tenkai replied.

Teo made his way up to the room after speaking. Once in the room he did his nightly ritual of trying to fire-gaze using his small portable ceramic altar. All he saw in the fire was sand and he wasn’t sure where it was. After he put it out he removed a small obsidian mirror and stared into it but everything was dark so he returned it to his bag. Sighing he got up onto the bed and tried going to sleep.

“I, too, am exhausted.” Tenkai states. “Good work today. Let’s keep this teamwork up for the future.”

“Do our best.” Amane replied. “See you in the morning, Tenkai.”

“Night.” Tenkai responded. He then made his way up to the room to see that Teo was already asleep. He set his scythe up by the door and removed his cloak. He thought to himself, I know what’s next...Amane forgive me for not telling you but you need this shock.

Toshiro and Amane were left downstairs looking at each other. Amane wasn’t sure what to say so he just kind of stared at him for a minute before talking. “What now, Toshiro?” Amane asked.

“Now we go to our room and rest.” Toshiro replied. “I can keep an eye on you this way. If you sneak out I’ll know it. Let’s go.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.” Amane responded annoyed. Where was he going to go in the cold desert? Or the harsh winds? Toshiro was crazy if he thought Amane was that stupid.

“See you before we set out, Vic.” Toshiro added.

“In the morning for sure. I’ll have some food ready for you.” He replies.

“Let’s go, Amane.” Toshiro commands.

“I’m coming.” Amane rolls his eyes. “See you in the morning, Vic. I get up pretty early as it is for training.”

Vic laughs at the situation,”See you then.” He smiles.”Night my friends.”

“Night.” Amane replies.

Amane and Toshiro head up to the last vacant room. Toshiro opens the door and walks in, seeing two beds separated from each other and sighs in relief.

Amane walks in behind him hearing him sigh,”Did you want a big bed for us both?” He jokes.

“No, this is fine. I don’t want to sleep next to you, Amane. We aren’t children anymore.” Toshiro replies.

“I don’t even remember sharing a bed with you.” He laughs in response. “Do you want the bed with the wall or one more in the middle of the room?”

“I’d prefer the wall. I’ve noticed I roll a lot.” Toshiro narrows his eyes,”Also this way is easier to keep track of you since if you go by I’ll see you.”

“Wow, you are going through some serious trouble to keep me in one spot.” Amane adds. “You’d have made a good patrolman.”

“It was the family business.” Toshiro replies as he removes his blades and sets them on the dresser.

“I know it was.” Amane remarks, as he too removed the blades from his sides and leaned them up against the closet door. He took his armor off and his boots while he was doing that.

Toshiro removed his jacket and boots as well, hung the jacket on the door and put the boots by the dresser. He glanced over at Amane and stared at the armor. “Can I see that for a minute?” He asks.

“Uh..sure.” Amane replies as he looks at his armor. “Be warned, in your exhaustion it will wear you out more.”

“Noted.” Toshiro stated, then walked over to Amane. “Suit me up.”

“Your power drain.” Amane replied. He lifted the chest piece of armor and slipped it onto Toshiro. He latched the last piece and stepped away.

Toshiro felt the weight and almost fell from its heaviness. “How do you fight while wearing this? He asks.

“I’m trained to.” Amane shook his head. “Here let me help.” He lifted his body up straight and pulled Toshiro’s hands together, palm to palm. “Concentrate your energy. Not your cryomancy. Your spirit.” Amane knew this was Toshiro’s way of asking for assistance but after this lesson it was on him to keep it up.

“I feel something but it’s still so heavy.” Toshiro replies grunting through his teeth.

“Watch my face closely.” Amane takes the same stance with his palms together. His body lights up as his training in the armor has enhanced his spiritual skills.”Notice how I flashed?”

“Yeah?” Toshiro replies. “But what’s it mean?”

“It means I’m charging my spirit. Watch my eyes.” Amane’s eyes narrow as he channels his energy and his eyes shine silver. “The silver sheen is my spiritual energy. I’m more attuned to it than you are. It’s my weapon.”

“You’ve always been better at this. Is there a trick or something?” He asks.

“Hmm.” Amane pauses to think.

Toshiro waits a second but is impatient. “Anything?”

“Hold your mirror-gryphons. I need a good example.” Amane replies. Toshiro begins tapping his foot on the ground waiting.“I’ve got something. Imagine your body is a river with a waterfall that flows the energy down throughout your body. The river isn’t a straight path but it is a continuous loop that feeds everything back into the waterfall.” Amane states.

“A looping river. So I should be cycling the energy throughout my body?” Toshiro asks.

“Exactly.” Amane replies. “Once you get the hang of that, I’ll teach you the next step. Transference from points in your body. Palm, feet, eyes even. You could blink and send someone flying like I did with my palm earlier.”

“Interesting.” Toshiro replied as he dropped his stance. He unlatched the sides and Amane lifted it off of him. “I’m drained..you weren’t kidding about that.”

Amane laughed,”I can teach you without you wearing it. This is for my benefit as it was my father’s.”

“I’d rather not wear it honestly. It’s a bit much for me.” Toshiro replied. “Let’s get some sleep.” Toshiro fell onto the bed of his own accord and passed out almost immediately from wearing the armor.

Amane chuckled to himself,”I tried to warn you.” He set the armor down and laid down himself. He stared at the ceiling until he eventually fell asleep. Amane was able to sleep with Toshiro there because he knew he was passed out due to the exhaustion from the day and the armor. He was also a light sleeper so he’d hear almost everything anyway.

The Problem with Snakes

The Sorcerer had been watching since Jericho showed up there but even he was confused about the skeleton and undead balloon creature. He hadn’t been expecting something like that to happen from his energy. He was surprised by how strong they already were and how compatible they seemed to be. Amane was a natural leader but took advice from everyone while only risking himself to do something. His greatest strength was his selflessness but it was also his greatest weakness to exploit as he would do anything for his friends.

“Awaken!” He shouts into the night sky as the storm begins traveling faster.

Unknown to the group the sand snakes of Quadrant 1 had awoken during their battle with the undead balloon skeleton and now the Sorcerer was awakening an even bigger threat for them the: Emperor Sand Snake. The tunnels and cave systems under Quadrant 1 sent all the sound and vibrations to them. Its green and black snake eyes open abruptly as the aura of the Sorcerer fills its body. Its venomous fangs drip as it begins burrowing towards the Riverpass bar.

“Onward my Emperor Sand Snake!” The Sorcerer yells out from the balcony. The next threat was on the way to them.

Ama had also been watching them from her cathedral. She was happy everyone was safe and sound but she knew something was about to happen that couldn’t be changed but it would have desired effects. This was one of the few things that couldn’t be changed without worse consequences happening. The target person had already helped Amane more than they knew and that bond was going to strengthen them more.

It had been five hours since the group had gone to sleep and during that time Vic had locked the doors and moved some things over to the bar from his storage. He came inside after locking everything up and took a nap for a couple hours. A large creak could be heard as the back door opened and a loud slam as his storage area had slammed hard against the side of the building it was attached to. Vic jumped awake in his chair at the loud sound and just thought, Not again.

He slipped his shoes back on and ran outside to see what was going on. The storm was overhead and the winds were kicking up and blowing everything around. The sand was blowing at high speeds as the gusts blew directly at the building. The front doors swing back and forth in the opening.

Amane’s eyes open as he hears the crash and he gets up from his bed slipping his boots back on. He rushes down stairs to see what’s going on down here. When he arrives he feels the wind blowing through the front doors and shields his eyes. He looks through his fingers by opening them to see where Victor is when he spots the back door opening and sees him struggling with his storage building. “I’m coming!” Amane yells out to him and begins running towards him.

Amane’s voice awakens Kyra from her sleep as she runs down in her pajamas to find out what's going on. She looks around and sees nothing. She blinks a couple times and yawns trying to get her bearings when she sees them both outside as she yawned again. She yells from the back door,”What’s going on?” as she walks out the door.

“Kyra stop!” Amane yells out. “This wind is sharp.” He pauses and looks her over as she stands there in pajamas.

“You’re out here.” She replies.

“I’M DRESSED.” He replies with a smirk as he looks her over again. “Go put some pants on.” He laughs.

“Good call.” Kyra blushes as she turns around but she notices him looking her over. “Stop staring.”

“Just go.” Amane shouts back.

Kyra runs up stairs and puts her pants on as Amane and Victor push the door further and further shut. The wind was so strong it was pushing back just as hard as they were pushing normally. She came back down and ran outside and stood next to Amane and helped them push the door shut entirely.

“Amane, heat the hinges so it can’t open.” Kyra suggests.

“Good idea.” Amane replies agreeing with her.

“Go ahead. I'll remove them entirely and put some new ones on later.” Vic adds.

Amane makes his way to the hinges and heats up his hand and begins melting the hinges together so they don’t swing open any more. He moves to the locks on the other side and melts them as well so it hopefully won’t open at all.

“Let’s get back inside.” Amane says as he looks up to the sky. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“As do I. It feels ominous. Unnatural.” Kyra replies.

“Get dressed fully and be prepared. I’ll keep watch.” Amane adds.

Vic goes inside and sits down in his backroom out of the way. If something was going to happen he wasn’t getting in the middle of it. Kyra returned inside and headed upstairs to get fully dressed into her armor and weaponry. Amane walks through the building to the front and flares up his spirit barrier and sits outside concentrating with his eyes closed, while trying to feel what’s going on.

Vic looks out his window and sees a tail diving into the sand but barely so he wasn’t sure. A moment passes and another, then another, then a pack of them. “Oh no.” He rushes to the front door. “Amane, it’s sand snakes.”

“GIVE ME A BREAK!” Amane yells in frustration.

The snakes emerge from the ground and surround him and block his escape forward. Towering snakes with venomous fangs that were dripping. Loud hissing and rattling can be heard inside. The snakes lunge forward at him one at a time and are easily dodged as he lands on one’s head then jumps further off into sand. They disappear under the sand and use the vibrations of where he landed to pop up and surround him.

Amane focuses his spiritual energy into his body as he sees the snakes lunging at him again. He waits until they get closer to him and expels the energy within his body to create a forceful shock wave with him at the center that knocks the sand snakes back and curls them up in a momentary defeat.

“GUYS! WE HAVE SNAKES!” He sighs and quietly says to himself,”Why’d it have to be snakes…”

Kyra had been running around gathering everyone up after she got dressed. She woke up Kitanni first since she was in the room with her while she got dressed. “Come on, Kitanni. We’ve got problems.”

“Again?” She questions. “What now?” That’s when she heard Amane yelling, ‘GIVE ME A BREAK!’. She jumped out of bed and began putting her armor and stuff back on as Kyra ran to the next room.

Tenkai had woken up hearing Amane yell earlier but was still too exhausted to do much at that point so he wouldn’t have been much help. He grabbed his scythe and looked over to Teo. “Come on, Teo. We’re needed.” He said before walking out of the room.

Teo took a deep breath and grabbed his dao from beside the night stand and slipped his boot like sandals onto his feet. He stretched and followed behind Tenkai. “Not a moment’s rest it seems.” He said, stumbling slightly down the stairs.

Kyra ran into the last room,”Toshiro, get dressed, we've got problems.” She shouts to him and begins to turn away.

“Kyra, hold up.” Toshiro says as he grabs Amane’s blades from where they were. He walks them over to her and hands them over. “He might need these. I’ll be down as soon as possible.”

Kyra grabs the blades and nods,”Thanks.” She runs off towards the stairs carrying her weapons on her back and Amane’s in her arms. She jumped off the side of the wall to avoid waiting in a queue of people going down the stairs and darts out the front door.

“She’s fast.” Kitanni added.

“Very.” Teo replies.

“We should be moving too.” Tenkai states just as Toshiro joins in behind them. “Let’s go, Toshiro.”

“Right.” Toshiro replies as he crawls out a second story window and onto the roof. They use the window for maintenance on the roof but for Toshiro it was used as an escape hatch. He ran across the roof and jumped off the edge towards Amane and landed a bit behind Kyra who had sprinted by them.

By this point the snakes had already burrowed into the ground again and were hiding under the sand.

“Amane, heads up!” Kyra shouts at him as she throws his blades.

Amane turns around, catches the blades in his hands and slides them into his waistband. “Appreciated.” He replies back.

Kyra stands beside him and listens to the wind which was all she was able to pick up on. “Any tips?”

“They seem to be following vibrations. Watch your step.” Amane responds as he sees Toshiro walking over towards them. He motions for him to stop with his right hand by balling it up like a fist and raising it.

Toshiro nods and pauses in his tracks. He uses his right hand to motion in a: what’s going on manner. Amane points down a couple of times and shakes his hand, which meant below the ground and vibrations. Toshiro nodded and held his ground for a moment trying to feel any rumblings beneath him. As he waited the other’s started coming out the door not seeing anything.

Tenkai takes a step out on the ground,”Where’s the problem?” he asks.

Amane was waving for them to stop and not come out. Tenkai's question was followed by Teo and Kitanni walking out onto the sand and as they the sand snakes jumped up around them. Amane is sighed for all his hard work trying to keep things calm. “There’s; the problem.” He shouted at them. “I was trying to keep you inside as a surprise for when they did come out.” He yelled as more popped up around him and Kyra.

“Could have just stayed calm, Amane.” Kyra jokes with him.

“Not tonight it seems.” He replies.

“Too late to worry about it now.” Tenkai jokes, as he draws his scythe.

The cloud cover from the storm was keeping it dark and cool outside. The sand was harder to see something moving in it because of the darkness but there was no way Amane could light up the entire area for them without setting something on fire besides the sand due to the wind.

“Kyra, I have a thought.” Amane says to her quietly.

“What’s that?” She questions.

“Stick an arrow in their heads.”He paused and shook his head,”Never mind They’d just bump it off going into the ground.”

She lightly chuckles,”Good attempt.” Kyra looks around and notices they aren’t attacking anyone. “Why aren’t they attacking?”

“I was wondering that too.” Amane states as he noticed it earlier after he sent them flying with a barrier push.

Teo looks on to the creatures and analyzes them for a moment. “They’re waiting on something.”

“Agreed.” Tenkai states.

“For what?” Kitanni asked Teo.

“I don’t know.” Teo replied to her. “First move? Certain person? Could be anything.”

Amane was growing frustrated with the situation as he wasn’t a very patient person as is. He sighed and drew one of his swords into his right hand and set it ablaze. At least this way they had a little light near them. He moved his sword around like a torch seeing everything in front of them. The huge venomous fangs and the actual size of the snakes. As he waved his blade around the snakes began hissing louder and rattling their tails. As they were seemingly getting worked up by the heat Amane was putting off.

One of the snakes lunged at him again and was sidestepped. Following the first attack the others began attacking him as well. Each one getting more and more ferocious. As he dodged them Amane swung his blade at one of them and noticed that it just slid right off leaving a barely visible scorch mark. “Kyra, go for eyes with your arrows.” Amane said quickly as they dodged snakes.

“That was the plan. It was always the plan.” Kyra responded. “Get me further away from them and I’ll work some magic on them.”

“Right.” Amane moved past another snake only to be hit by the tail as he stumbled, tripping over his own feet.

Falling over left Amane as a target as they began lunging at him with their teeth as he laid on the ground rolling by them. He stood up once he dodged some of them by flipping up using his hands. He jumped into the air and landed on a snake's head. He drew his second sword and thrust them both downward trying to pierce the snake’s head. But with no luck as the sword slid off its scales again. He quickly sheathed his sword before the snake began thrashing around wildly trying to sling him off.

“Toshiro, drop the temperature around them or one at a time. Just try to lower it as much as you can.” Teo shouts to him. “When you get closer to Amane, tell him to get between the scales.”

“I’ll tell him.” Toshiro replied.

Tenkai drew back his scythe and swung it at the snake trying to make an opening to get away from the building. It stretched out at the neck and hooked the fangs of the snake before him. He pulled the scythe back and smirked and as he pulled it, the snake's fangs were pulled out and venom was coating the ground. The snake hissed loudly as it came down before them with its teeth.

Tenkai and Teo jumped into the sand over the snake and watched as Toshiro quickly ran over to Amane and Kyra. Kitanni looked on in confusion on how she was supposed to help with this, her powers were healing and her skills with daggers weren’t that great. She nervously sat back in a healer capacity because she wasn’t sure what she could do to help.

Kitanni watched as the snakes disappeared from the bar area and out into the desert with everyone else. She walks over to the puddle of venom and stares into it for a moment as if she was analyzing it. Placing her hand above it she begins concentrating her healing skills into light as she instinctively absorbs part of it. Her face and body begin sweating immensely as her veins light up with poison and energy. She leans against the wall and begins shaking as her pupils dilate and her breathing becomes shallow.

Kyra and Amane were struggling on figuring a way to get her out of there and to a safer distance so she could aim better. Amane sheaths his swords back onto his side and pulls them back out entirely including the sheath. He holds them horizontally in his hands. “Kyra, jump off me.” He announces to her.

“What?!” She replies.

“I’m going to launch you out of the way. Jump off my swords and push back as hard as you can.” Amane shouts back over the wind.

Kyra shakes her head,”If you say so.” she replies in a concerned manner.

Amane dodges another snake and jumps onto its head pushing it down into the sand and getting an angle. He holds his blades up as he was and braces for her impact. Kyra runs as fast as she can in the space she was given and jumps onto his sheaths and as she does so he pushes back as she jumps with all her might using them to push off. She lands a couple dozen feet away from him and as the snakes are distracted she gets to a decent range to shoot from.

He looks down at his sheath and sees it crumbling in the spot where her boots were. He looks over at her and shakes his head and thinks to himself, Remind me not to get on her bad side. The snake he was on begins standing up again and throws him off its head.

Tenkai turns his scythe into a spear by moving the blade to an upright position by channeling his energy into it. The scythe’s eyes glow in its sockets as he shifts it to a different weapon. The snakes begin lunging forward at him trying to attack but are easily blocked by his spear scythe. His weapon was versatile for many types of encounters and this one required reach. Tenkai had a plan of his own. He imbued his spear with darkness and the neck of the scythe stretched piercing through the snake that was in front of him, through its lower jaw and through the roof of its mouth. He pulled down, dragging its head down to him and looked into its eye to see the poisonous aura flowing within it. He thought to himself, So it was you...you sent that snake. His suspicions were confirmed but he couldn’t say anything out loud because of being in a new timeline. He had to let this play out as it did before, for Amane’s sake.“Focus your energy into your weapons if you know how. That’ll pierce the skin.” Tenkai announces to them.

“Good plan.” Teo replies. “Breath of a Salamander!” The fire ignites his dao and gives them light. “If you can’t pierce their skin, throw some of these clay bombs into their mouths instead. I don’t have many so let’s hope we can get them down in number.”

“Give the bombs to Kyra. She’s got the best aim here.” Tenkai states.

Amane heard them but was already having an issue. He removed the broken sheath and tossed it at a snake for good measure. It wouldn’t have done anything to it, it was just for fun. He focused his fire and spirit energy into his weapons. The swords glowing red hot with a silver glow. “It’s definitely on now.” He said to himself in a low voice while charging the Flame Edge. He lowered his blade down and swung it up at the snake in front of him. The charged energy flew through the air crackling with heat and sliced right through the creature's neck making its head drop onto the ground. He took that moment as a chance to join Toshiro and bring the snakes closer together.

The snakes pulled together the ones that were left into the main focus of the group leaving Kyra as an outlier. They pulled together encompassing the group and getting closer.

“Toshiro, drop the temperature around me.” Amane asks. “I’ll create a barrier around them as they surround us.” Amane began charging up his energy within his body while Toshiro did the same. For people who were at odds with each other the years they spent together still kept their teamwork top notch. Best friends, War buddies, turned enemies. They knew each other well. Together they sat in the center of the group charging up their energies back to back.

Teo and Tenkai were on the defensive while they charged up. Tenkai launched his scythe blade out like a chain sickle fused with his energy piercing through several snakes' skins and leaving holes of blood flowing on the ground. Teo slashes with his; Breath of a Salamander dao and leaves scorched marks across the snakes.

Teo holds up his blade and whispers to it,”Chan Ja (sky water).” And as he whispers the windstorm becomes a thunderstorm with heavy rains soaking the area they’re in.

Toshiro looks up as he feels the rain and smirks, since with everything wet his ice abilities will work even better, with or without Amane’s barrier around him. He turns his head to Amane,”Keep your energy stored. With the rain we don’t need the barrier any more. The water is enough.”

“Good luck.” Amane stops his charge but retains his energy within and draws his blades which begin glowing immediately in his hands. He takes a defensive stance to protect Toshiro.

A barrage of arrows comes flying in soaked in energy from a multi-arrow shot. The green streaks across the sky through the rain as they penetrate through the eyes of two of the snakes. While blinded they were not defeated, the snakes let loose a loud hiss as their eyes were penetrated.

Seizing the moment, Amane and Tenkai attack the two blinded ones together, slicing cleanly through their heads. The large reptile’s heads hit the ground with a loud thud as venom squirted into the ground from their teeth.

Amane kicked the head nearest him out of the way,”Stupid snakes..”

“What’s the deal with snakes?” Tenkai asked.

“Nothing. I just find this whole situation annoying.” Amane shrugged.

“Understandable.” Tenkai agreed, he had a history with snakes.

With the snake's numbers dwindling down finally, Toshiro finally finishes charging his attack. The water was a perfect way to freeze them but the problem was they were also soaked.

“Get out of here.” Toshiro yells.

“I’m not leaving you sitting there, Toshiro.” Amane replies back with steam flowing off his body as his temperature shoots up.

“Just them. You’ll be fine.” He replies talking more specifically about Tenkai and Teo since they were still more exhausted from the previous battle.

“You heard him, guys. Back up.” Amane adds, directing his words towards Tenkai and Teo when he sees Kitanni. “Check on her.”

“What’s going on?” Toshiro asks.

“Nothing. Just focus.” Tenkai states.

Teo removes himself from the fight and to the porch to where Kitanni is while Tenkai jumps back a distance to be clear enough from it. Teo tends to Kitanni who is still leaning up against the wall from the venom earlier. She wasn’t looking so good right now but she was breathing just fine. The veins in her body were still glowing with energy as the poison traveled throughout her circulatory system.

“What happened?” Teo asks.

Kitanni struggles to speak but manages to point at the pile of venom. “It’s in me..” She takes a deep breath.

Teo runs inside and grabs a glass of water and runs back out quickly,”Here drink this.” He holds it up and pours it gently into her mouth.

She swallows the water and looks at him,”Thank you.” She coughs. “My body instinctively took it in like it was analyzing it.”

“Intriguing.” Teo says to himself. He wasn’t sure why her body would do that on instinct but it was a neat way to learn something.

Tenkai watched as Amane’s body steamed up before becoming engulfed in an aura of fire and smirked. Toshiro’s body became increasingly pale until it was as white as snow. The snakes that remained lunged at Amane’s body giving off heat and as they did Amane blocked their attack with a brief wall of fire that scared them back. Toshiro yelled as he released his energy and the temperature dropped quickly around them. The water froze to the snakes as they became solidified in place with a large sheet of ice wrapped around their bodies.

“Nice work.” Tenkai shouts.

“Thanks.” Toshiro replies.

Kyra shoots some arrows through their mouths from where she was at leaving a hole going through them. She runs back over and grabs the bombs that while they were wet, they were protected by the clay they were encased in. She jammed them into the holes quickly and looked at Amane. “Want to do the honors?”

“Sure.” Amane smirked at her.

He channeled his fire into each snake independently and launched them all back with a push of spiritual energy. He snapped his fingers and fire made its way down the creature's bodies and set the bombs off. The explosion sent snake parts everywhere as they rained from the sky. Chunks of snake viscera and blood falling all around them as most of the group rushed to be under the roof of the building.

Toshiro at that point saw Kitanni looking sickly and rushed to her aid. “Are you okay?” He asks worriedly.

“I’m fine…” She replies. “Body is just adjusting to the poison.”

“Don’t scare me like that.” Toshiro sighed. “I don’t know what I’d do if you got hurt.”

Kitanni placed her hand on Toshiro’s face. “You worry too much.” She smiled. “This seems to be one of my abilities.”

Toshiro lifts her into his arms and heads inside. He carries her to her room and lays her down on the bed she was sleeping in. “Just rest for now. I’ll stay by you as you did for me.”

“Thank you, Toshi.” Kitanni replies. Her eyes closed as she fell asleep.

Teo had followed them a few moments later and brought a glass of water and a pitcher up to them. “I hope this helps.”

“Thank you.” Toshiro replies. “I just don’t understand why she would do that.”

“She wanted to help but knew her melee abilities weren’t as good as everyone else's. She thought she was a hindrance so she wanted to do something only she does: heal. She’ll know how to counteract that venom if it’s ever used on any of us.” Teo states. He seemingly knew a lot about this already. His ancestors would use snake venom to make cures in a similar manner but not in the way she did it.

“I shouldn’t have brought her out here…” Toshiro said softly. He was beginning to feel guilty about her being here with him. His objective and obsession of bringing Amane back was putting his only other real friend in danger. Toshiro hadn’t told her how he felt about her yet..but his feelings were strong for her.

“Look after her.” Teo says as he heads back downstairs and sits down at the bar. “Young love…” He says to himself.

Kyra had already gone inside by this point and was also drinking a glass of water after their battle. Her bow and quiver sitting on the floor beside her.

Amane looks over at Tenkai and sees him standing there,”Are you going to come in?” He shouts to him.

“I’m coming.” Tenkai replies as he begins walking.

As Tenkai heads towards Amane, the sky sparks with streaks of green lightning that crashes before him. He juts back on instinct as the ground beneath him collapses. The jaws of a sand snake beneath him. Tenkai grabs his scythe and uses it like a harpoon to grab onto the building.

“Tenkai!” Amane yells. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah…” He takes a breath,”That was scary.” He laughs lightly.

Amane’s energy was still running high as he drew one of his blades. “Let’s take that thing out.”

“Agreed.” Tenkai says, throwing his cloak off to the side revealing his armor. A silver armor with a cross of blood across the chest piece as if it was a part of the armor. The red blood looked as if it was flowing within it. A crown fitted with chain mail as a helmet.

Amane could feel the same type of spiritual restriction on his armor but it seemed for darkness instead. “Interesting armor you have there.” He said, staring at it for a moment.

“We’ll talk about it later.” Tenkai replies.

“Right.” Amane agreed but he wasn’t going to forget it.

A whisper on the wind travels to the sand snake,”Take the Umbramancer.”

Tenkai and Amane watch as the sand snake is covered in a thick aura of green energy like Jericho was. The poisonous flowing aura was not a good sign. The energy flowed from the crown that sat at top its head that was created from an abnormality of fangs protruding upward.

“The Emperor Sand Snake…” Tenkai said out loud and then thought to himself, Now that’s different than it was, it was a smaller one.

“Emperor Sand Snake?” Amane asks.

“Legendary beast is said to have been extinct for hundreds of years. As you can see, the myth was wrong. This must be the last one.” Tenkai states. “Don’t get touched by it..the entire thing is poisonous on the outside.”

“Right.” Amane says as he prepares himself for long range.

A black flame erupts over Tenkai’s scythe as he begins rushing the snake. Amane follows behind as his katana glows a bright white. Amane keeps pace with Tenkai and follows his lead on this.

Tenkai takes his scythe and launches it like a harpoon at the snake and pierces its skin being immediately drawn into it. He braces himself to touch its skin even though he told Amane not to touch it. His boots slam into the creature's body hard as it rocks back and forth. He takes his scythe and extends it, throwing it over the snake’s neck and pulls the scythe back to his hand, once it's around its neck, as if there was a magnet attached to his hand.

The creature squirms as Tenkai begins choking it by tightening the scythe rope around its neck. Poison begins flowing from its crown by force as the creature is coating itself in poison and begins rolling around trying to get Tenkai off.

As Amane got closer the creature began thrashing around and smacked him with its tail. He slid back on his feet and caught himself by stabbing the ground with his sword. “Damn it.” He sighed.”If I wouldn’t have gotten that small barrier up, that would have been bad.” Amane said to himself.

Tenkai fell onto the ground as the Emperor Sand Snake thrashed and smacked Amane. He lunged at Tenkai who rolled out of the way just in time. The snake hissed and launched a venomous wad of bones at Amane.

“Oh shit.” Amane said out loud. He pulled his other sword out,”CROSS BLADE!” He yelled as he swung his blades down from an X-pattern. The bones were cut into pieces and fell onto the ground. As he looked over Tenkai had recalled his scythe to his hand and was on his feet.

The sand snake focused on Tenkai who was holding his own. He pushed the snake back with his scythe on fire and stabbed the creature with it at the bottom of its neck and pulled downward cutting across its belly. He jumped back expecting a spew of blood and acid from its body but it immediately began closing up.

Amane launched a crescent blade but missed as it dove back into the sand.”Maybe it's running away.”

“Let’s hope.” Tenkai adds. He places his scythe back onto his back and grabs his cloak off the ground. “Never a chance for rest.”

“Not in this life it seems.” Amane adds.

“Let’s head inside.” Tenkai replies.

Amane holds his sword in his hand as if something was about to happen. As they get closer to the building Amane’s eyes shift as if he is looking around. When he looks down he sees the sand sinking in and jumps into the air. The creature jumps out of the hole and smacks Amane with its tail so he’s further away and gulps up Tenkai in one go. It immediately tries to go back into the ground as a crescent blade flies through the air and hits its right eye leaving a scar.

Tenkai opens its jaw with his scythe expanding and tries to escape but the jaws keep closing as he does so, and a dark flaming aura ignites over his body. “Amane, take care of them.” He shouts as the creature’s jaws close around him.

“TENKAI!” Amane shouts as the creature disappears into the ground again and leaves no trace of which direction it went in. Amane yells again,”DAMN IT!” He falls to his knees and begins punching the ground repeating damn it over and over again.

Another lesson he had to learn the hard way...again: he couldn’t save everyone. A lesson he was going to keep trying to prove wrong.

Teo and Kyra had come out after everything not hearing it or feeling it from where they were. They looked around seeing the damage outside and the bones lying on the ground in pieces. Looking around they saw no sign of Tenkai or what could have caused this, just Amane on his hands and knees.

Teo looked over at Amane and spoke softly,”Where is Tenkai?”

“Emperor sand snake..swallowed him…” Amane replied weakly.

“When?” Kyra asked.

“Just now.” He added. “I..I couldn’t save him..” Amane replied.

“He’ll be okay.” Teo adds. “He’s strong in dark energy. He’ll get out of there somehow.”

“If he’s alive.” Amane retorts. Depression begins to overtake his thoughts since he couldn’t save him.

“He is.” Kyra stated. “He wouldn’t go down that easy.”

“I hope you're right.” Amane replies somberly.

“Come back inside.” Teo adds as he helps Amane get up.

“...Yeah..” He replies.

“In brighter news, you get to sleep in the same room as me tonight, Amane.” Kyra says in a joking tone as she was trying to lighten his mood a little bit.

“Sounds like a blast…” Amane retorts.

Kyra shook her head knowing Amane hadn’t had a good couple days in a row now. His dream, traveling through the sand, the battles, and now losing Tenkai. She hoped she could at least get him to talk about it later.

Together the three of them walk back into the bar with Amane dragging his feet slightly. So much was going on in his mind and he wasn’t ready for what just happened at all. He wasn’t prepared for losing anyone he was closer to. In the war he had gotten adjusted to it but he wasn’t in war any more. What he didn’t realize is that he still was...he had never left it. His destiny was war. The war against his clan, the war against the Sorcerer, and the war against himself. He would never be done.

Amane walked to the counter and grabbed a pitcher of water off it and a cup then immediately went to the opposite side of the bar away from everyone. He didn’t know how to explain it to them or himself. A strong pull to Tenkai. Some type of deeper connection with him that he couldn’t explain. He leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. He was just staring at the ceiling.

“He’s taking this kind of hard isn’t he?” Kyra says speaking to Teo.

He nods in agreement,”I don’t think he’s used to losing someone he considers a friend. Someone he’s let in so much in just a short time.”

Kyra stared at him with concern. She hadn’t seen him look so defeated before in the short time they knew each other. Even passed out in the mud his fighting spirit was shown. She was having trouble seeing the real him through this depression. “I wish he’d be angry instead of depressed. At least he’d be letting it out in some manner.”

“Anger is easier to release. Sadness and depression just linger on.” Teo looks up to the rooms. “Amane’s only lost one person, he was close to in this way..Toshiro.” He looks back down to Kyra,”I wouldn’t ask him right now though. He’s probably focused on Kitanni.”

“I agree with you.” She sighs,”Go ahead and get some sleep. I’ll see what I can do.” Kyra states.

“You are the person closest to him at this point. Your bond is stronger than ours even if it’s just by a little more time. Good luck to you, Kyra.” Teo replies as he begins his ascent up the stairs.

Teo climbs the stairs and as he does, looks into the room where Toshiro and Kitanni are. He smiles softly and keeps walking through. Everyone was going to have a hard time tonight. As he enters into his own room he realizes he had the room to himself for the night. He places his weapons on the dresser and takes his boots off.

He sits on the floor with his legs crossed and closes his eyes. His body begins glowing crimson and gold as if he is channeling Quetzalcoatl’s energy within him as he prays to his guardian.

“Lord Quetzalcoatl. Please look after us as we make this perilous journey. Help Kitanni return to full strength. Help Amane overcome his depression about Tenkai and move forward. Please watch over my family in Drazteca.”

Within his mind a single feather for each of his requests drops onto him, each covered in the same color energy. A faint roar is heard as his eyes open again. Teo gets up from his seated position and sits on the bed. Sighing he leans back onto the mattress hoping to get a couple hours of sleep at least.

Downstairs Amane is still sulking in the corner by himself with Kyra watching him as she tries to figure out what to say to him. She takes a drink of water and gets up from the chair. She sits next to him and stares at him, still not sure what to say. Amane turns slightly red and shifts his view to her,”Are you just gonna stare at me?” He asks in confusion.

“I was going to.” She replies. “I just haven’t thought of what to say yet.”

“We’re talking now, Kyra.” Amane says in a confused tone. “Just speak to me. I’m not someone important to be so embarrassed for.”

“First of all, stop it. Secondly, you are important. You’re important to us.” Kyra states.

Amane sighs,”What is this about?” He has a feeling he knows but wants her to say what's in her heart.

“Your importance to us isn’t dictated by any failures. You’re our friend and you mean something to each of us. We don’t want to see you depressed.” Kyra replies. She was hoping she could get through to him with some kind of words but if not she could always get serious and knock him on his ass.

Amane looked down at the table and then back at her,”Trust that I understand that. It just..it’s hard seeing someone taken away. I don’t know how to explain it..” His eyes glance back down to the table.

“You feel like you lost a family member?” Kyra asks.

Amane scoffs,”No. I killed my family members, remember?”

Kyra rolls her eyes at him and sighs,”That isn’t what I meant and you know it.” She flashes a tired smile at him,”A real family member. Not someone in name or blood but someone you connected with on a deeper plane. Someone you felt you could count on...and you feel like you failed him.”

Amane looked towards the window and sighed. The rain pelted the window in water droplets. She was right..he knew she was right but something stopped him from opening up about it. He just couldn’t say the words. The rain running down his reflection in the window like tears. He sets his hands on the table.

“I know you want to respond to that but I can tell you don’t know how. So instead of focusing on what’s lost, focus on getting it back. Take your emotions you’ve bottled up so well and focus on finding him as you continue your journey. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” Kyra smiles as she places her hand on top of his.

He looks down at her hand and places his hand on top of it. “Thank you, thank you for everything, Kyra.” He replies as his heart becomes fluttery.

Kyra’s cheeks turn red as she looks at him,”You’re welcome.” She panics as her embarrassment sets in,”I’m going to head upstairs and change before going to bed.” Kyra stands up and pauses looking at him.

Amane looks around for a moment trying to figure out what’s going on. “Kyra?”

Her face turns bright red as she begins walking and turns around,”That was not an invitation for anything.” She says as she realizes how it sounded. “Don’t stay up too late, give me about ten minutes to change.”

“Yes ma’am.” Amane replies as he looks at her like she was acting weird. It didn’t click to him at first even if it sounded somewhat sexual in nature to her. He wasn't used to having any of those feelings and at this point in his life had never been in a relationship with anyone. “Thank you, again.”

She pauses before she gets all the way over to the stairs,”You’re welcome, again.” Kyra continues up the stairs and into the room shutting the door behind her and locking it, or so she thought.. Her heart beats faster and faster as she jumps on the bed and flops down. She grabs the pillow and holds up to her face and screams into it as hard as she can.

I can’t believe that...I said that... She thinks to herself as she lays the pillow back down. What is wrong with me? She shakes her head and gets up from the bed to finally begin changing. She looks around realizing her clothing and bags had been moved in here. Kyra picks up the bag and sets it on the bed and grabs her shorts and shirt out of it as well as some undergarments.

As she changes into her night clothes she keeps thinking about what she said each time her heart beats faster and faster. She wasn’t prepared to say or think about what she thought was going on with her. Her dreams about him, the time she has spent with him, the way she scolds him, and the way she cared for him were out of the normal for the way she cared for everyone else. She wasn’t ready to confront that and would rather it be buried for time being. They had work to do..but she was happy to be around him.

Downstairs Amane was just as confused as Kyra was about his own emotions towards her. He sat back drinking his water and tapping his foot on the ground at a fast pace. His body was tired but his mind was running a mile a minute. He was definitely glad that they could talk and spend time together though. His literal first female friend and he was more open with her than anyone else currently. He finished his water and set the glass down, leaving it on the table.

As he began walking towards the stairs Vic yelled for him,”Amane!”

He paused and turned around to see him,”What’s up?”

“Can I ask you all a favor?” Vic questions.

“Sure.” Amane replies.

“I need to leave for a day or so to resupply. Could I ask you to watch this place for me?” Vic sighs,”I know we just met but you’ve all helped me so much I feel like I could trust you and I can leave sooner since you’re already here.”

“Of course. Just if there is a mess: our bad.” Amane laughs. “Don’t forget new hinges and locks for your door.”

“That’s on the list, too.” Vic responds. “I’ll make it worth your while. I’m bringing back a few extra Dune Lizards that you could ride across the sand faster than walking.”

“That sounds great, thanks Vic.” Amane smiles at him.

“No, thank you for looking after this place. It’s hard to come by good help.” Vic states. “Well see you in a couple days.”

“See you soon.” He replies.

Vic takes his bag and walks out the back door. He grabs the reins on his Dune Lizard, which he kept in his cellar during the battles and during the storm while it was worse. He pulls around in front and waves to Amane.

Amane waves back and heads up the stairs after locking all the doors. To him it seemed like this was an adventure within his journey. He hadn’t ever run a bar but this could be something he could attempt to do with the help of everyone else. This was going to be a rough couple days on top of everything that happened. He gets to the top of the stairs and walks to the room he’s staying in and opens the door to see Kyra still hanging out in her undergarments.

Kyra lost track of time as she heard the door open up suddenly. Her face turned red as she saw him standing there. She grabs the nearest cover as he turns around the other way and shuts the door. She grabs her clothes with her heart beating fast and hard. She slips them on and opens the door to see him not standing there. I wonder where he went. She thought to herself.

Amane had gone back downstairs and laid down behind the counter. He wasn’t sure what to say about what he saw just then. He knew for sure he had given her enough time to change even more than what she asked for. This night was getting more and more awkward for them. Maybe it’ll be better if I sleep down here and give her the room to herself. During the time he was by himself, Amane wrote a note and left it behind the counter.

Kyra had come down the stairs and still didn’t see him. She sat at the counter and sighed as she didn’t know what to do. “Sorry.” She said out loud knowing he was back there from hearing his breathing.

He shook his head,”Don’t be.” Amane replied. “I’ll sleep down here so you can have the room to yourself, Princess.”

“No, you’re not sleeping on the floor when we have several beds available to us. Now get your ass up and come with me.” Kyra demanded being more stern because he called her princess.

“Are you sure?” Amane asks.

“Yes. Now let’s go to sleep.” Kyra commands.

Amane gets up from the floor and walks back around the counter. As he does she reaches her hand out to him. He grips her hand and follows behind her up the stairs with a soft smile on his face. Her face became red..but with a smile as well. Kyra leads him up the stairs by hand and opens the door to their room. Amane shuts it behind them as she lets his hand go.

Kyra lays down on her bed and covers up quickly and rolls so she’s facing the wall, her back towards the other bed. She didn’t have anything else to say at the moment but she was definitely in need of some rest.

Amane placed his blades against the wall and sat down on the bed taking off his boots. He stands up and moves his boots out of the way and removes his top gi shirt which revealed his undershirt which was a tank top, that was form fitting to his body so it fit under his armor better. He slides the cover back on the bed and sits down on the bed. He leans forward and rests his arms on his legs.

“Kyra?” Amane says in a questioning manner.

“Yes, Amane?” She replies.

“I’ll tell you about my dream later, if you really want to know.” Amane responds somberly.

“Of course I do.” She smiles,”But first let’s get some sleep. We’ve had a rough couple of days.”

“You’re right. Good night Kyra.” Amane replies.

“Good night, Amane.” Kyra responds.

Amane slides under the cover and pulls it up. His eyes fixate on the ceiling as he stares at it. His mind races thinking about Tenkai but also thinking about how he had to be here for them as well. Tenkai’s last wish to him was to take care of them and that was something he planned on doing. He just first had to get out of his depression. Amane had stayed awake for just a little bit longer before passing out.

Kyra’s mind was also racing as she stared at the wall. Her thoughts were focused on him but not because of what happened but because of his depression. She worried for him and she needed to figure out a way to help him more. As she thought about this her eyes closed and she fell asleep in exhaustion.

Hours had passed since Kitanni had been taken inside and right beside her Toshiro stayed up with his hand holding hers. Her body finally accepted the poison within her as it neutralized the poison and gave her the ability to heal it within them if necessary. She had woken up and saw him sitting there beside her.

“Toshi.” She said softly.

His eyes open the rest of the way,”Kitanni.” he sighs in relief. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

She smiled at him,”I’m doing just fine, Toshi.” She placed her hand on his cheek,”I appreciate you staying by my side.”

“You did the same for me. It’s the least I could do.” He replied as he stood up from his chair. He grabbed the pitcher and poured her a glass of water and sat back down. “Here, drink this.” The glass became slightly frosted over to chill the water.

She took the glass from his hand and took a sip out of it slowly and handed it back to him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Toshiro replied with a weak and tired smile.

“Toshiro, come closer, please.” She smiled.

As he leaned over her, she pulled him closer and kissed his forehead than his lips. His eyes widened in surprise as he fell into the kiss more. He braced himself on the bed as she let go of him. A smile on her face as she giggled. “Get some sleep, Toshiro.” She added.

“I will. Good night..well Good morning, Kitanni.” Toshiro replied, slightly stammering between each word.

“Good night, Toshi.” Kitanni responded.

Toshiro laid down in the bed and covered up after removing his boots, blades, and jacket. He looked over to her with a warm smile on his face. His coldness subsided more but only towards her. He fell asleep with thoughts of her lips and her kiss on his mind.

Kitanni too had passed out again from being exhausted. Her body was worn out and her mind tired from fighting off the venom. She had to try to find a way to be more useful with the daggers. She had to find a way to be more useful than just a healer. She had to find a way to not be knocked out entirely from her newly found ability. She was determined to be better.