Chapter 4 – Part 2

No, it wasn’t death, there was still a weight in her soul, a heaviness that pressed her on. She opened a single eye lid, obscured by Ashton’s figure, he had taken the grunt of the attack. The blade was exposed from the rear of his chest, blossoming around a bed of red blood, its tip sitting a mere inch from piercing her.

“Ashton…” She murmured. He held himself off of her, a grunt from his lips, avoiding letting himself fall upon her, then his body rolled to the side falling along the rubble as the blade drew out from his chest.

A silhouette of a figure fixed down upon her with dark eyes that gleamed silver with the figures resuscitated breath. She went into a crawl, gaining her balance then flowing into a running stride.

She ran past dying fires that took their final vows, till she came to a halt, before her was the obstacle again of the dark figure lurked, its features hidden once again except for those luminescent eyes.

The gray blade emerged once again from the figure, extending off of its arm, covered in tattered white wraps that ended at the elbows, black cloth cut off at the shoulders were graphited tightly along its body showing the insinuation of a male physique.

He hunched over, eying her slightly, blade pressing along her neckline. She took in a deep breath, a drop of blood dripping along her neck.

The figure paused and what must’ve been a moment of mirage, he spoke her name, the blade lightened off of her. He opened his mouth to speak once more, but she heard no words as Ashton’s dual blades were drawn, soaring through the air their momentum giving a wicked hiss to the air.

They hit nothing but air as the figure had already drew himself back, the scarf covering the bottom of his face riveting in the newly found breeze revealing his face for a moment.

Ritsu gasped and he went rushing towards Ashton, his blade once again skewed seemingly vibrating in the breeze, aiming for Ashton. He had no chance, wounded the blade pushed him on the defensive, his own dual swords had no counter against the individual.

Ritsu carved her palmed into the ground, she pounded again painting a few signs that drew a glow of fire and ice in her palms. She lifted her hands motioning towards Ashton.

One word slipped her lips, lost in the clattering of the figures single blade along Ashton’s dual blades, but once the words were let loose Ashton’s swords respectively caught on fire while the other came to a freezing point.

Their new found magical properties were of no help if they weren’t able to connect with their target, his movements were sluggish as blood drained from his body in a splurge of black crimson.

The figure came in for a final slice that should’ve cut through Ashton’s shoulder blade to his waist, instead in a desperate measure Ashton collided his blades together the union of fire and ice creating a crackling explosion.

Ashton crashed along a cemented wall, slipping down its side, his blood smearing as paint along a canvas. While the other figure’s body shrugged along the ground, scraping through a few twirls that left him falling on his side clothes tattered, edges frayed like burning coals.

Her heart strings tugged on her to go check on Ashton, but she couldn’t help but peer at the fallen soldier, features prominent now in his disciplined state.

Heavy breathes escaped his now parted lips, showing through the fallen garments that had covered upto the bridge of his nose. She stood over him with a gasped voice. “Reiki…”

Chapter 4 – The Wrong Friends

The wind touched up on the cowl that covered his orifices  leaving only his eyes to survey the carnage that planted itself in the air in a rosy shade of arson.

“Its been done.” His voice had a certain depth to it, though still a few years short of a rustling maturity. His eyes shifted, looking past black strands of hair at the trickles of electricity that pulsed through his hand, running up the side of his arm, an unnatural byproduct to his body.

The impulses faded, his eyes fixing up at the fire that was rising around him, tearing the whole business district into a hollowed shell of brown and black. Fires were losing life, till suddenly two spears of fire shifted from within the fires. He seemed oblivious to them, leaping off the ledge of the crumbling clock tower. White and black clothing beat against him as the wind picked up. The spears shifted, piercing their way through the fire, among the rubble aiming straight for him. Their trajectory was his original location a top the clock tower, but soon they shifted their descent aiming up towards him.

In mid air, one came torching his white garments, blacks tattering along the flames grace taking the hit head on, enough force slowed his fall, pressing him to hover in the air for a moment before he continued his free fall again. Then came the second one, he curved in midair swinging his body around slipping past the second spear. His eyes darted, picking up the traces of weird they came piercing at him.

Nothing.

Then it came again, hissing through the air, shoveling its way towards him having readjusted its trajectory once again, this time he was trapped between the incoming missile and the hard ground. The fire spear collided in the way a coal would fall along the ground, cracking and shattering in a hue of red, streaming shards, an extensive light show of fire.

It left a circular blaze in its wake, nothing human should’ve survived it, but what this was, it couldn’t have been human, could it?

The artist behind the fire spears came out, long blond hair, dripping with sweat her energy expended having guided them so frivolously. Ritsu was taking slow steps in her heels, uncomfortably burdened from walking from the other side of town.

Her face didn’t show enthusiasm, first night away from the thought of AlluReli’s, Sioux and finally seeing a side of Ashton that was often reclusive. In his arms she was held for a moments time before an explosion came from the north, it shook the grounds under them.

Ashton came out from behind her, blazer hanging over his left shoulder. “I’m impressed.”

The now cooled impact area showed no signs of the assailant, the culprit behind the torn buildings surrounding them left in a sorted cracked mess. The fires cracked along to his steps, he paced around them in a silent tantrum.

“Lets go.” She said eying the carnage, before she could turn around to face Ashton, there came a force rushing at her, a blade quivering into the air attempting to pierce through her chest.

Her instincts failed her, no spells shooting forth, only eyes closing, chest tensing awaiting the impact of the dark blade.  It came crushing with a gory sound, first cracking into bone then silently working its way through a hollow marrow.

No pain followed, perhaps this is what death was painless….

Chapter 3 – Part 3

On that day, Adelians armor pierced through the student named Reiki Era and even took down a formidable AlluReli named Ashton. Adelians grasp had Ashton pressed to his last moment of breath, Reiki already sprawled on the ground, his words a hollow mirage towards Ritsu who watched in horror as the two fell to him.

Her fingers pressed deep into the ground, inconceivable of what they’d conjure, as a maelstrom of fire erupts, devouring all of them in a crackling glory, erasing the scene of their fight and causing a fierce explosion that left the place barren.

Ashton remembered the scene vividly, but something was missing, yes, it was the student, about his age with darker features and complexion. Where was he? Alive? Dead?

He couldn’t remember what he looked like, the maelstrom seemingly shaken his memory along with Adelians, for Beirsat had investigated among the Sioux, none had heard of the explosion being caused by a single girl but it was placed upon the heads of the Sioux lead by Adelian.

When he awoke, his cheeks burned but there were no burns, his fingers ached from third degree burn but there was no external damage. He jumped up eyes open expecting to find the strangling hold of Adelian, cold hands pressed against his neck.

There was nothing, he laid in a bed in his room at the higher level of Krysten complex, overlooking a view of the city. He took in a deep breath and laid his head back down not realizing that this would be the tandum that broke the world of AlluReli’s and Sioux alike and all it took was one flash of burning light.

Chapter 3 – Part 2

Two toes poked through her black pumps, red nail polish on her toes. She kicks a pebble out of sight as they walk down the little villa, paved with brick roads and concrete homes. Lights were roped from the ceramic tiles roofing the tiny villas.

Ritsu strolled along side Ashton, blond hair held back into a single pony tail that jetted back, contrasting against his dark jeans and faded shirt. A slight sense of intimidation coursed through her, even though it’s been a month since she’d met him, she had never gotten to know him.

She was under the discipline of Kina, strictly. Her legs especially ached walking in the pumps, tingles running through her nerves, even her shoulders were heavy, all this made military boot camp seem like a glorified joke. She ran into Ashton only when she was from the training halls to the main CrysTech building.

“How’s training going?” Ashton cues another conversation piece he’d been interested in knowing, just how was she dealing with everything, as most her age don’t get initiated into being an AlluReli.

She shrugs, still attempting to smoothly as possible walk, kicking herself for her dreaded pumps. “Kina’s wonderful, but its tiring…but I imagine that the real thing will be much more so.”

“Ya…Be careful…When you’re out there, well, there is no do overs. Are you sure you want to do this?” He asks.

She glances over to him, one of her eyes slanted with a glare. “You don’t think I can handle it?”

He throws his arms in the air, shaking them, then he pauses thinking about it. “No no. Its just, I didn’t have a choice.” Another pause breaks in between till he finally says in a low voice.  “But you do.”

“And this was my choice.” She leans in nudging him. “So you’ll have to deal with me a lot longer than you’d like.”

He smiles back, shy, intimidated by her beauty. The way she’d stare at him with blue eyes, a warm touch with her looks alone, even her steps were graceful, from training rags to the form fitting dress, she always shined, as the skies due, either blazing with heated glory or glowing with the stars at night.

He almost stuttered. “Let me show you something.” The words grace from a stutter to a confident tone. Around them they were now alone reaching a barricade to the street where beyond it was flattened woods. It all came to a narrow point, with the lights masquerading around them.

“You know, everyone of these lamp posts is a power detector now. Anytime an Allureli or Sioux  lets their power pour forth without authorization these will warn the authorities.”

Ritsu says. “You don’t talk about anything else besides work?”

“I do.” He retorts leaning in closer to her, his arms wrapping around her waist. “Just watch.” As he speaks he closes his eyes, his arms tenderly around her waist. Her looks are puzzled till the lights around them begin to glow, the sound of energy fusing in and out of them in a low melody.

She smiled. Its been a few months since she’d really had anyone be close to her and it surprised her how much she missed that notion, considering one of her closest friends was Reiki and he was hardly emotionally available.

Ritsu leaned in close to Ashton, her head resting on his chest, seemingly his heart beating rhythmically along with the dimming light show. His grip tightened around her, straightening her body against his. She closed her eyes and a faint image of Reiki flashed before her mind.

Chapter 3 – Flashing Lights

Her head slammed against a foamed pole. Her body slowly sliding against it. She took a deep breath and looks through hazy eyes at the full-figured women with a small waist in front of her.

“Before you get up. Tell me Ritsu. Are you sure you want to do this?” She spoke in a gentle surly voice.

Ristu lifted her head up, parting her hair with the palm of her hand, clearing the view through her eyes. She didn’t speak a word, she knew why she’d agreed to this. We’re all trying to be something different or to change the world around us and this was her chance. She wasn’t born into greatness, or thrust into greatness but now was her chance to acquire it. She had her reasons and they acted as pillars that helped her get up to face Kina.

Her light colored eyes matched Kinas icy blue glances. “Yes.” Kina smiled motioning Ritsu towards her. She put her palm to Ritsu’s head, her touch felt like a warm sunny day with a mild breeze, it was just perfect. It beckoned the question, just what was Kinas specialty?

Kina was at least five years older than Ritsu, but her maturity extended far past that and she spoke in a confident seductive tone but Ritsu’s never seen her fight except in training simulations against her, which most included her working a few simple steps to incantations that she still seemed to slip.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself Ritsu.” Kina pulled her hand away from her. “That should make you feel better.” She was right, the aches in Ritsu’s body had dissipated, instead replaced with a fulfilled sense of tense muscles.

Ritsu’s glances were fixed on the single large paned window in the room, tinted to a degree that when the lights dimmed in the room, or the carmine lights were active it made the glass flush with the rest of the wall. On the otherside of the glass two male figures were watching in.

“Beirsat, she’s impressive, but is this her place?” Ashton still rumbled with that question.

The other male standing an inch taller than Ashton was much bigger in comparison. His arms crossed with wide set shoulders and pale yet rippled arms. “I thought the same thing about Kina.”

“And now she can kick your ass in a fight.”

“We aren’t all legendary, Ashton.” His words would have sounded serious if it weren’t for the chuckle that followed after.

Ashton let a simper on his lips. “This world needs less AlluReli’s and Sioux…”

“There you go. Let’s go get you a 9-5 job. Splendid.” Beirsat said sarcastically, knowing exactly what it entails to live an ordinary life after an unordinary moment; it’ll either fulfill you or kill you.

Ashton stared through the window not responding, a despondent thought in his mind. He watched Ritsu go up against Kina, it had been that way for a month now of intense training, what was the rush?

Beirsat interrupted his train of thought. “I’m proposing to Kina tonight.”

“What?”

“You’re the first to know.” He gave Ashton an honest smile, one of confided trust in him.

Ashton smiled back. “Always been like a big brother.”

“And will be.”  Beirsat filled in his sentence for him.

He paused for a moment then continued. “So I want you to take Ritsu out, get her mind off of all this, she is still human after all.”

Ashton wavered his shoulders with a bit of uncertainty, his blond hairs waving past his shoulders. “Its unprofessional.”

Chapter 2 – part 5

A keffiyah threaded in silver and brown weaves covered his face as a veil that let only luminescent dark eyes peak through with a pearly glow.Heavy steps paddled on the masculine figure, boots dipping into puddles of fresh rain water. The sky littered with a musk that covered as a fog and haze in the darkened sector.

In a nearby building a mug slides across the wet oak bartop, meeting its destination into a thick hand with calloused fingers. The bartender who had slid the drink caught a chunk of change out of the aircoming from the tenderers free hand.

“Look at this Adelian.” The bar keep changes the channel, turning to a recast on the premier news channel. Adelian takes a deep swig from the mug, his adams apple matching the guttural sounds he emitted.

The flat screen, fizzles with colors  speaking to the cohabitants of the bar. “We understand of the recent assault one of our main Universities of Babylon. We have in response enforced a security measure. A silent energy tap has been placed within every street lamp on every street corner. Any energy displacement above a 50m will be quoted and a dispatch of our finest will inspection the situation.”

As the statement ended, the sounds of churning cameras, whirring flash as reporters shot busy hands into the air.

Adelian laughed. “50m. That’s barely above a normal humans output.”

“What next? Wrist bands for every Sioux and Allureli? I wish I could find the guy who did this and pound him to a pulp.” The barkeep slammed his fist along the counter, cracks running down its side.

Adelian raised an eyebrow his way. “And do what?”

“Break him in half.” burly and bulging intone the barkeep gave a crooked smile with missing teeth.

Adelian was now pondering the idea of how to put a scare into the larger man, barely held in his clothes, stomach peering out like a misplaced watermelon.

“You know…” He began saying to the bar keep. As the words were slipping his tongue, the swinging of the door to the tavern overshadowed his words. A tall figure walks in at about Adelians height, with a muscular build, a veil wrapped around his head, only his eyes piercing through.

Before another word slips Adelians tongue, his body is tumbling backwards, bar stool crashing into pieces as Adelian is pinned along the wall. The silver armor along his left arm hardening, forming its piercing tendrils.

“I wouldn’t recommend that.” He responded in a light voice under his tongue and he was right, Adelian had not even seen the move from between the moment the stranger stepped through the door and when he ended up pinned along the wall, neck grappled, bar stool shattered by almost a sound shock wave.

“You’re as fast as they say Suterusu.” Adelian cheeks a smile.

“And even stronger.”He lets the keffiyeh unwrap from his face, a wickedly sharp smile on his lips. “Now tell me. Where is Reiki?”

Adelian takes in a deep breath, pressing a bit of his own weight against Suterusu, taking solace in the fact he at least knows who he’s against. “What makes you think I ran into him?”

“I heard you brushed him up real good.” Suterusu’s grip loosened on Adelian, giving him enough room to breath. A ceiling fan spun above their heads, its dark arms circulating the musty air. A moment of silence shook between them.

“I don’t know where he is.”The words caved in to Suterusu’s influence. “I didn’t even expect him there.”

The barkeep watched with a bewildered eye. “Listen, this isn’t the place for this shit. Get it out of here. Both of you.”

Suterusu twists his body sideways, his arm heading towards the beer mug dripping on the bartop. He takes a swig, eyes fixed at the barkeep then heading towards the flat tv set context prickling along his ears.

A nasally voice peeps up from the crowd of reporters. “What about the Sioux? Will this new centralized infrastructure find them when their power is mishandled?”

“From this point forward we will actively try to unite the Sioux who are willing to work within our guidelines, every AlluReli is already on board with the move to a united humanity. Only together can we move to a safer tomorrow.” The elderly gentlemen spoke quietly and collected, his voice occasionally going into a hasted tone.

“What about the Demon Pride? Is it true that they’re still at large?”

He forced out a laugh. “Demon Pride? After we get him, we’ll also make sure to catch the boogie man.”

Suterusu recognized the man on the screen, Shoni head of Crys Tech. His words were jumbled, deceitful and inaccurate. “Demon Pride?” Adelian joined in on the word.

He released Adelian, going for another swig of his beer. “That’s mine Suterusu.”

“Shut up.” Suterusu said eyeing the television with intensity, he pulled his eyes away. “Next time, think before you act Adelian.”

“I was only one in that movement.” Adelian said sorrowfully.

Chapter 2 – part 4

He gave out a deep sigh, his fingers folding in a criss-cross pattern while his chin settled in between his hands. Shoni closed his eyes taking a moment to breath in his office, predicaments rumbling through his mind.

The phone beeps with a red blink signifying the calling he’d been awaiting all evening from his associates. He dispatches his chin from his hands grasps, bringing one hand down with an extended finger, slightly wrinkled it presses against the conference button.

“Shoni, we heard the news.” An elderly voice relays in a smokey voice back to him.

He gave out a sigh. “The operation is still successful. We have already tracked five variable particles that could lead to the breed.”

The voices spoke to each other in scribbles, mingled words that came through as a hazy blur. “What do you know of the explosion that occurred twenty miles away from Krysten.”

Shoni gave out a laugh. “Why I doubt the demon breed you speak of is 100% real, surely, you don’t believe that I am aware of everything that occures around this city?”

There came a pause from the phone, a hesitant lag. “We are from across the world, we are trusting you to manage our affairs or else consider the liquidation of our investors into Krysten a void deal.”

He cringed at their mocking responses. “You created it, didn’t you?”

“It was of our birth, but we are paying you to find it and capture it, not pry into the historic past, we no longer deal with AlluRelic or Sioux affairs.”

His words had struck a cord, leveraging his stance. “I will find it before it finds you.”

A pause.

No response comes from the other end for moments that pass. A smile sterns along his lips, wrinkles forming on both ends barely peeking through his snowy mustache.

“It seems you perceive us as weak.” The phone returned with a sturdy, reinforced tone.

“We will be in Medina in a few months time. Time is of the essence Shoni, do not let us down.” The voices said in a final acute line before the voices faded to a dial tone.

He reaches across a finger, the tip of it turning a clustered pink as it presses the END button.

“Time is of the essence for all of us, we are all dying a fast death.”

Chapter 2 – part 3

The world we live in isn’t so different than your world.

Cars still remain on the ground, we still don’t understand the depth of gravity as a multi-dimensional force. Religion and ethnicity is still a river we can’t cross completely.

But like all rivers, they’re just the veins of the underlying oceans. And under the guise of humanity exists a seperation of intrinsic talent. The news was always lit of the confrontation of AlluReli’s, a force planted with the power to make the chimaric possible, as they took on the Sioux; a backwashed brigade of outlaws, and those who did not adhere to the laws of society.

The way technology adheres itself into our lives, so it seems that magic is of the same capability. I soon learned that the politics governing the existence of AlluReli’s and Sioux is what made magic acceptable.

A black and white concept had been drawn. I was informed that what we saw wasn’t always what went on and the way the rivers are the extravenous veins of oceans, so was their politics. The regular citizen wanted the AlluReli around for they fought against the Sioux. It made no difference that both were able to pulsate their hearts to astounding speeds, reflexes jetting at abnormal response times. Eyes, ears, touch picking up frequences invisible to everyday forces.

It made AlluRelic and Sioux power fearless, the way we’d never fear a technological take over, for it was in ingrained into our everday lives that this is what it was. The way a plasma television set is paralleled into an oak case. It always has been natural to us; for the greatest power of all is human adaptation.

Chapter 2 – part 2

The fireball disappeared over the horizon, sinking in a slow blaze, flaring the sky into an orange hail. trees bent their leaves down in humbled shades blending in with the night.

Electricity flowed through power lines leaving bright globes of light in their wake. Roads died down, cars becoming scarce, lights along the corridors of businesses vanishing, one building remained active, voices intent inside, activity masquerading as the life beat to its business.

Ashton passed one of the larger offices housed on the fifth floor of Krysten Tech, a livelihood of power and wealth that was pumping through its veins in a 24 hour cycle.

Every individual had their indicative role and Ashtons was no different, trained to follow in the claimed footsteps of CEO’s and fighters a like. His movements were fixed and proper. He tapped along a door that was surrounded by shuttered windows.

Two knocks and he waited for no response. Then after a pause the door opened. “Come in.” A voice said on the other side.

He walks into the room, walking into its dark shadow, he takes a seat a long a leather chair facing the desk of the voice that called him in.

A moment of silence stirs between them then finally he speaks. “Ashton, Don’t you have studies to attend too?”

“I know Master Shoni, but, I had to talk to you about this before you went for the news conference tomorrow.” Ashton lowered his head slightly and spoke politely to the man had taken him in so long ago, raising him and breeding him to become his own legacy.

“Oh. Its about the girl.” Shoni remarks inattentively.

“Ritsu.” Ashton leans forward in the seat. “We shouldn’t get her involved.”

Shoni taps a wrinkled finger against a folder on his desk. “No other choice, how would you explain the explosion of a university wing?”

“A terrorist attack.”

“Then you want me to throw her out of the fire and throw every Sioux to take the heat? Can you imagine the riots.” Shoni smiles as he speaks, indulging in the precarious idea.”I still prefer to go with the fact that she is the rebirth of all magic in the world, she could be the key to new genetic understanding.”

Ashtons hands tighten against the handles of the chair. “No. What I am saying is we can just…” He pauses, hesitating for a moment. “I’ve been hearing there’s a whole new division being budgeted.”

Shoni looks up from his paperwork, his smile widening. “I see.”

“This isn’t blackmail.”

He smiles back at Ashton. “I’m glad to see you keep an eye on this company.”His phone began to make a faint noise with a red beep. “Business call.”

“You always can count on me.” Ashton gets up, bowing his head slightly. Moving over to the door it opens with a leaking of light.

Shoni extends his hand to hover over the red silhouetted conference button. “I’ll see what I can do Ashton.”

In return Ashton steps of the door letting it shut behind him, bringing the room into a stream of darkness once again.

“Shoni.” An elderely voice speaks through the speaker on the phone.

“Results will come.”

“We must remind you of the urgency of this matter.” The voice is stern and pressing in its tone.

“I understand. The system has been online for twelve days, we will find him.” He reassures the mysterious voice.

“Can it find him?” Another voice chimes in, a sense of distrust in its timbre. “He has been missing for ten years, its unlikely you can find what we lost.”

“I was not the one to lose him.” Shoni voice quavers in a condescending tone. “I will catch it before it kills you.” He presses the conference button again, only a dial tone resonating through the room this time around.

Chapter 2 – A spark of madness in this world

Hospital lighting, fluorescence, plasma all resonated with a quiet madness, a burning fire in their chords.

The inaudible static reminded her of the fire that blazed around her. The shocking boom, sound of an eruption finding its center inside of her echoing once again.

Her body springs up as if poised by a spring, sheets crumbling from her chest to along her hips. Her eyes open, blue pupils beaming around, IV lodged in arm, a heart rate monitor set up to her left, adjacent to a door along dim colored glass windows that spanned to the ceiling.

It became her only view as her body collapsed back in the bed in a loss of energy, crumbling into her sheets.

“Uh. Hello.” He said awkwardly, as he grabbed her in his arms as she went down. “Kind of surprised you’re up so soon.”

“So soon…?” She echoed after him. Her head tilted in his direction, hair falling to her right, along the pillow case. “Who are you?”

He eased back into his seat. “I’m Ashton. I was there the day when your university was attacked.”

He looked a bit different, blond unkempt hairs slung along his face, parting to the side with an ocean of blue sparkling her way. No longer was he in skin tight shirt with the red jacket that covered over it, running past his knees. Instead he was dressed in a blue button up shirt, a few buttons undone revealing white bandages that were covering over his right collarbone.

“I remember.” She said slowly. “Have you been here the whole time?”

“Yes.” Ashton’s cheeks reddened. “I mean…it was the least we could do was bring you to Krysten.”

“Krysten Tech? Its a electronic business building…”

He paused, catching his breath. “We also have our own private ward in here and well, it was the least we could do for what you did…” Ashton slid out of his seat getting up, a beeping coming from his pocket. He silences the sound with a single hand. “I have to get going. I’ll check up on you later. I promise.”

The door shut behind him with a quite noise, leaving her once along with the buzzing sounds around her.

Ritsu closed her eyes. “What did I do?” She recited to herself.