Chapter 6

“Serpent!” I shouted.

”Let go!” Fumia exclaimed.

The masked man continued to pull at Fumia’s weapon while sitting atop a branch of a pine tree.

Using his lengthy black chain link, he continued to play a game of tug-of-war with Fumia.

“Geez, I don’t know why you do these things, Serpent,” Yuna said as she sat dangling her legs back and forth atop the branch he sat.

Glancing at Yuna, he shot her a puzzled stare as to how she got up there. Losing his concentration, Fumia took this opportunity to end the game of tug-of-war between them.

Gripping his chain link weapon, she wrapped it around her arm and tugged with all her force. Smirking as she did so, she sent the man flying off of the thick branch.

Jumping down from the tree as well, Yuna joined us as we huddled around the man.

“Oi long time no see.”

“Tsk.”

Standing to his feet, his shaggy black hair draped over his face.

Fixing his dirty white, almost cream, colored mask back atop his face. He pushed his hair to the side, only revealing his foggy ocean blue eyes.

“What are you doing here, Serpent?” My eyebrows scrunched up.

Ever since the start of our relationship, the two of us never had a good track record when it came to getting along.

“I came all this way, and that’s how I get greeted.”

“Cut the crap, like you’d actually help.”

“Especially after the annoying stunt you just pulled.”

“Come on, Fumia. That was fun, you all need to learn how to relax.”

“And you need to learn how to stop being so self-centered.”

“Okay, Lighting Flash.” He giggled.

“......” Fumia reddened slightly in both embarrassment and anger. “Don’t call me that!”

“What? I’m just teasing you.”

“Tsk, if yea not going to help, get out of our way.” Sakura’s face scrunched up.

“But I’m here to help.” He turned his gaze away from us, staring at the sky.

“Sure doesn’t feel like it.” I turned away from him.

“Tsk.” He snarled, “You guys are total buzzkills. Especially you, Mr. Black Tenshi. We’ve been doing this forever--”

“And within that span of forever, you still haven’t changed.”

Glancing from the blue blanket above towards me. His foggy ocean eyes met mine. The tension between us made the air feel thin.

I wanted to show him his place, there and then. But we still had more important things to take care of. Sighing, I turned my back, away from him.

As I faced away, I could still feel his gaze on me, like a knife in my back.

“We still have a job to do, we don’t have time for useless banter.” Fumia began walking forward.

Turning back, I realized I didn’t have my weapons on me anymore.

“Give me a second.” I ran back to where we were moments ago.

Looking around, I faintly heard Yuna’s voice.

Mmm?

Sliding myself behind a large tree stump. I unintentionally overheard their conversation.

“--If you really want to help, then do so. You don’t have to play these games to prove your worth. So show the rest of them what I see in you.” Yuna patted his shaggy hair which draped to the sides of his face.

Tilting his head downward, he said nothing as Yuna walked away.

At that moment, Yuna’s words felt sincere. I could hear it in her soft whispering voice. As well as seeing it in the galaxies she called her eyes.

As she walked off, I kept myself hidden behind the large stump for a minute.

Turning my attention back to where the two stood. Both parties of that conversation were gone. But I had spotted my two swords shining in the dirt, as the white morning star hit their black reflective blades.

Picking them up, they were practically mirrors with handles. As I stared into them, I could see myself clear as day.

Making my way back to the three of them, I stood myself next to Fumia.

“Where’d yea head off to? Had to take a leak?” Sakura teased.

“Shut it, yea-- you!”

The two of us grinned. Shaking her head, Fumia pushed us aside as we sandwiched her while speaking.

“Where are you lot headed?” A voice shouted down towards us from the branches of the large pine trees.

“To the massive hole in the wall, what’s it to yea?”

“Do you really want to do that?”

Taking a pause, he bent his knees on the branch he stood on. 

“Do you know something that we don't?” I asked.

His foggy eyes gleamed with secrets. “I’d rather not say. But, I think I’ll reconsider just this once.” He began jumping from tree to tree with dexterity. “Follow me.”

Serpent’s new attitude when it came to teamwork definitely had something to do with his conversation with Yuna. Glancing at her, the stars within her eyes gleamed as she grinned. “Lead the way, Serpent!”

She’s definitely always had a way with words, I’ll give her that.

“Oi, do yea really trust him?”

She nodded.

Looking at Fumia, her face was as stern as ever. “I think we should follow his lead for once as well.”

With me rolling my eyes, the four of us began trailing behind Serpent.

Making it towards the towering outer wall of the ward, we found Serpent relaxing beside a high riser. Shooting a finger into the air, he prompted us to get on.

Hopping onto the metal base. It began traveling upward, as I spun the hand crank on the platform.

“Man, this is tiring.” I sighed as I continued spinning the small metal knob.

Finally, atop the wall, the air felt thin. And the forest fog was more prominent up here.

“Why’d you bring us up here?”

“Because of that, Fumia.” He pointed downward, outside of the ward and into the forest.

At first glance, it didn’t seem like much, but on further inspection, something mysterious yet terrifying was traversing towards us.

The massive pine trees in the forest below were being crushed and vanishing right before our eyes. Leaving nothing but large dust clouds and a straight path aiming towards the ward.

Saying nothing, I continued to stare downward at the unknown threat bolting towards us.

“What the hell is that, Serpent?”

“That’s what I’m saying, Fumia. It’s going at the pace as it was an hour ago but--”

“You waited an hour to tell us? A whole section of a forest is being cleared off the map, and you waited to tell us?”

“Well, you never gave me the chance. Lighting Flash.” He mumbled his last word and began giggling slightly.

Still staring down, I moved from where I stood trying to get a better angle. Taking a knee.

At this rate, I might have to use concentrated breathing.

“Don’t do what I think you’re going to do.” Fumia stood to my left.

Startling at me, I looked up towards her. The roles in this situation were usually reversed.

Fumia was always able to read me like a book like my thoughts and emotions were pasted onto my face. Although I was never able to hide things from her, I found it adorable.

“What do we do about this?”

“We’ll figure it out together.” Staring off in the distance, her dark maroon bangs swayed in the direction of the wind.

“Fumi--”

The ground began rumbling as it pulled closer.

Following the rumbling were the sounds of massive jet engines. And within an instant, a large truly unknown creature began flying towards us. Its characteristics were nothing I’ve seen before. Its skin looked as if they were made of sludge. Its body was a sleek reflective black. Yet it looked as if it had every other color mixed in. 

Is this a MechaBeast?

Its wings were that of a bird but didn’t function like them. Instead, they were powered by massive jet turbines attached to the back of the wings.

“Everybody get ready!” Fumia shouted.

Unsheathing our weapons. We stood in a wide circle.

Swooping down towards us, the black sludge creature’s wings vanished. Leaving behind a trail of what looked like prismatic-colored triangular glass shards.

What?

Breaking the circular formation. We all stood puzzled, staring quizzically at the unknown creature. 

“Oi, what the hell is that thing?”

“Tsk, like we’d know, Cherry.”

“Shut it! Serpent.”

“Guys, focus.” Fumia shot daggers towards them.

The sludge body of the undefined creature began twirling as it shifted its form. Stabilizing its goopy body, it revealed its new form as a large lizard-like creature. 

“Watch my back!”

Bolting herself forward with her katana positioned above her head. Fumia performed the start-up for a sword skill.

“Kyaa!”

Before getting within range of it, the lizard-like creature unhinged its jaw. Releasing a screech that undoubtedly belonged to a Blitzwolve.

Jumping upward, Fumia evaded the unexpected attack with ease. Rushing in again, the creature moved to the side, raising its tail. 

As Fumia dove forward and gashed its body. The wound on the creature reformed as if she had just sliced through water.

With its tail raised, it shot a powerful blue, almost white beam towards Fumia. Even at a distance, I could feel the heat of that attack.

Not even Fumia could completely dodge an attack like that.

Flipping backward out of harm’s way. The beam of light caught a whiff of Fumia, just barely gazing her.

Landing on her knees, a large burn mark was left on her thigh.

“Fumi!” Yuna cried out her nickname.

“Gah, I’m fine.”

“Kanade!” 

Running to Yuna’s side, the two of us dashed forward. As Fumia limped out of harm’s way.

Its sludge body began shifting again, and its lizard-like head became that a long slimy tentacle. Extending its strange limb forward, the mouth attached to the front of it bit at me, gashing at my chest.

“Gah!”

Sending my swords towards the strange tentacle, again, those prismatic-colored shards appeared as their body began reforming itself. Backing away from us, it took the form of what looked to be a gorilla, with piston-like arms.

Before getting a chance to attack, I shot myself forward. Slashing straight through its body, no real harm coming to its form. “Huh!?”

I fell almost face first. 

Raising its arm, steam flowed from its piston-like limbs as it charged it back. Running towards me, it sent me flying with all its force.

Hitting the ground, I could hear my skeleton behind this sack of flash fracturing.

Breathing heavily, I struggled to stand, as my vision went hazy.

Looking towards my peers, they fall fought together. Continuously failing to even lay a scratch onto the body of the sludge creature.

Not to mention the forest destruction had not stopped either.

What do we do here?

Reforming itself once again, those prismatic shards appeared. This time, it took a form similar to a human,

Walking forward, girthy metallic spikes began protruding out of its body and shooting towards us. Almost as fast as bullets from a riffle.

Standing to my feet. One of its many large protrusions spiked my shoulder. 

Looking around, the five of us were barely hanging in there. It was honestly luck at this point that none of us were fatally injured.

With the prismatic shards appearing again, the metallic spikes vanished as well. And I dreaded to see what form it would take next.

“Just how do we stop this thing?” Hunched forward, I stared at this monster head-on. Its black abyss of a body was utterly terrifying. Regardless, I could continue to persist.

I’m not giving up.

A snap interrupted my train of thought. As dark orange flames ran wild from where we stood.

Sliding forward, a crimson scythe shot towards the unknown creature.

The sludge monster began reforming itself once again. Shooting masses of small goopy pellets towards them. Evading all attacks, the creature was taken aback and opened its now humanoid mouth. Releasing a beam which fried Fumia’s leg previously.

With their sharp movement, they dodged the blue, almost white beam which began melting the concrete we stood on.

The creature still persisted, trying to fight back. But the crimson scythe user was already face to face with it. Diggin their massive weapon into the jaw of the creature. Pulling their scythe upward, the sound of glass shattering played as prismatic liquid shot everywhere.

Is it...over?

Turning to face us, the crimson scythe user was none other than Kiriya.