Anouke wiped the blood away, ignoring the sharp sting from the cut. The blood licked his hand and trickled to the ground. How familiar that was. They’d both had enough. Anouke charged forwards. Dayle structured the blade’s path – it was like they had a life of their own. One second they were going that way, and the next they were going the other. Left then right, up then down. However, Anouke graciously evaded them, jumping over them. He used his head: had the blades come for him, and then move out of their way. He let them get dangerously close, though. And every time, Dayle didn’t have time to avert them off their track and they crashed into tree trunks.

Dayle gritted his teeth. “Ugh, stop being such a prick!” He yelled out. They were on the brim of human territory. In their rage, they all seemed to forget that. And that was fatal. Dayles face was blank. He yanked his hand back and the blades came from all directions, plummeting down towards Anouke. I… I can’t escape this! He wanted time to slow down. To stop and pause, just to regain the calmness it had so long ago.

He looked up at the blades, looking like they were ready for them to pierce every limb in his body. But something beat hard inside. He squinted his eyes down, sudden and fierce determination shooting through his body like the cold blood which rushed inside of him. He swung around and shot a blade of air at Dayle’s blades. It stopped them for a moment and they clattered to the ground.

Dayle growled. “Hey, pet.” He said aloud. “You didn’t think I was going full force on you, did you?” He said with sarcastic sympathy. The dip in the blunt edges of the blades filled with red instead of just a light grey. Anouke’s eyes widened. He winced against the pain which seared across his face from the cut on his cheek; feeling like a simmering heat was boiling through his flesh. The blades on the ground disappeared like they sunk into the ground. He furrowed his eyebrows.

“I have no more use of you, vermin.” He spat, sounding like he was a mighty king having citizens bow at his feet. “Bloodied Blade Cage.” He said. It sounded like an echoing whisper in Anoukes mind, but it was as loud as a shriek. The blades came thundering down, flashes of grey and red passing by like birds fluttering past.

No way… I can’t get past these… Anouke could smell their power. It was far more immense then anything he’d smelt before except for that overpowering and frightening scent of Akuma. I haven’t gotten enough time. They’re giving off a more potent and vigorous smell than the other ones. But Lex is still here… I can’t leave him behind. I don’t want to die here. And not yet. Am I… really going to die? The voice calling in his head was shaken. Petrified. I… He closed his eyes. I promised Lex I wouldn’t let either of us get taken and that we wouldn’t leave each other. I don’t want him to be mad. Or sad. I’ll….

As the blades closed in, Anouke’s body began to steam up. In his mind, there was a roar which recapitulated inside his head like there was a crow pecking at his skull to break free. He threw his shoulders backwards and the blades splintered through his skin like a nail sinking deeper into a board of wood. His body automatically moved without his command. The blades seemed to slow down for him to work his magic, or Anouke’s world was just moving in slow motion.

His legs parted and his weight dented the ground, feet marking the mud and leaves. He threw his head back and the blades cut his scalp, clipping some strands of hair from his head. He threw his body forwards. He ignored the blades which punctured his stomach, causing a mass amount of blood to slip through his white robes. Don’t stop. You’ll feel the consequence if you do. He whispered a spell which was foreign to him.

The blades all left Anouke’s body and fired towards Dayle. The unexpected spell and movement had caught him off guard. The force of the blades as they sailed through the clear air had created a compelling wind to come forth. They entered the Demon’s body, slinging through his limbs and neck. He fell to the ground, limp. He wasn’t breathing. They had killed him. Whether it was from blood loss or the two blades in his neck, Anouke didn’t know. He arched his body over, the pain schorching his muscles like they would explode. He felt the repercussions now that the worst was over.

He fell to the floor on his knees and his hand grasped his shirt, covering the wound where the blood seeped out of his stomach. He grunted. He whispered a healing spell. It didn’t fully repair it but it stopped the bleeding. He stood up, wincing. He had to go help Lex.

As he was running over, a soaring, assertive shadow fell atop Anouke’s body. He could almost feel the commandment and anger steaming from its body.

He looked up. It was Akuma glaring at the human’s town. When Anouke saw why…

Holy shit.