I understand that we are supposed to be training. I don't know what she would accomplish from fighting with us. Why not just observe us on the battlefield when there is another attack? 

"First things first, Micah. I want you to show me what you can do with your abilities to protect yourself. I'm going to attack you, and I want you to put up your guard." 

Before I could say anything, she charged at me. She was a guardian, after all, but I was amazed at her speed. It was quite astonishing. Could it be that her dog-like form had given her such overwhelming speed? 

Or was it just by her powers alone? I put up a full-body barrier to guard myself. I could not pinpoint her exact location. I had been standing there for a couple of seconds searching for her when she finally made an attack. 

She burst forth from below me through the ground and sent me flying into the air. 

"When you're guarding yourself, you have to expect to be hit from any angle." "You thought about putting a barrier around you, which was a smart move, but you didn't guard under you, leaving an opening that could get you killed." 

"I understand. I will try to do better next time." 

"We're going to go again instead of putting up a simple barrier." 

"I will try to pay more attention to deflecting my attacks." 

The power illuminated her hands and claws as she shot a powerful energy ray with each swipe of her hand. I managed a simple shield-like barrier to deflect the rays coming towards me. 

Just then, she sprung an attack, directly lunging towards my face. I was able to put up a small barrier, but I couldn't produce enough energy to withstand the hit. 

The attack shattered through my barrier and defense, leaving me with a right hook to the face. It sent me flying backward through the trees, knocking me to the cold ground again.

"Hey, Baby," Kaysi shouted. "Don't you think you're being a little too rough? Maybe you should dial it back a bit." 

"Do you think a demon will dial it back when attacking any of you? Look at the scar that's on your stomach from the Boar's tusk." 

The words Baby spoke to Kaysi were very believable. I appreciated Kaysi trying to stand up for me. I don't know her much to talk about her regular nature. I know Kaysi was there with Beck when she saved me, so I assume she is a good person. 

"Okay, I jumped up to my feet, dusting myself off and wiping the blood off my lip. Let's go again," I shouted to Baby. 

I'm not sure what came over me or why I was obsessed with getting this right. Was it guilt because of my actions failing my mission in the past that resulted in me losing my guardian? I was angry at the fact that I came to attack my friends because me being too weak to overcome that same demon that murdered someone. 

Whatever was going on made me feel something I never felt before: a fire growing within me, and I was pumped. I don't want to disappoint anybody again, and I certainly don't want to get myself caught again. I'm tired of being weak or haunted as a pawn to be used for a demon's possession. 

Baby let out a small smile. I think she could see that something was changing within me—my expression molded from annoyance to confidence. 

She came forward to launch an attack. A second time, straight to my face. What did she think she would accomplish by using the same move twice? 

I put up my barrier this time, ready to take the brunt of her hit. I wasn't about to be caught off guard this time around. She's landed two hits on me so far, and I won't let her get a third. 

Maybe it's because the third time's the charm, or my luck is changing. I am adapting and becoming more aware of the environment and situation. 

Right before impacting my face, she dodged rapidly, making her vanish before my eyes. She reappeared, trying to land a blow to the side of my face, this time coming in from my blind spot. But this time, I was prepared for a surprise attack. I blocked her hit as she jumped backward. Time seems to be speeding around us, giving me little of an opportunity to think. 

She continued to attack me from different angles. I would only see her for a quick flash of a second, and then she was gone as I attempted to block her attacks relentlessly. 

"When your enemies are attacking, they do not give you any mercy. You must think and be fast on your feet. You can develop a plan to counter any situation that you come across. Baby spoke as her image blurred around me in a cloud. 

If I understand her correctly, she wants me to come up with a solution quickly. I kept dodging her attacks time after time. 

I tried to think but could barely focus, pressing my mind to my mental limits. This wasn't the first battle I'd been in, but I'd never had someone with such astonishing skill, speed, and strength. 

Demons are simple-natured and have no ability for brilliant thought processing. They mainly attack head-on, hungry to fulfill their bloodlust. 

I knew very little of how guardians even worked, either. Can you even fight one of them and land a hit? Of course, you can see that they can become physical beings. So that means if she's in physical form, no matter how much power she has, she should still have weaknesses like the human body, right? I thought to myself. 

The barriers that we use can be shaped into any thought. I figured it out: I would create a bear trap with a chain that extended to my hand. With a quick thought, it formed, lying on the ground. 

Surely enough, it worked. Baby sped across the trap as it slammed shut across her foot. With all my Force, I slammed it in the opposite direction, tossing her over top of my head, flying in the air, and slamming her to the ground. Where did this strength come from? I was only aiming to trip her and knock her on her butt when I pulled the chain. I didn't mean to make her go flying into the air. 

When Baby was on the ground, and the Dust flung into the air, I ran over to her side and apologized. 

"Oh man, Baby, I deeply apologize; I have no idea what happened there." "Do you think I lost my control? I am still determining where such strength originated. I was only trying to trip you. I am honestly not that strong."

"Truthfully, it's all right. I appreciate that you gave it your all. To give you a breakdown of what happened, I believe your inner spirit power is somewhat overloaded from this unnatural demon within you." 

"Although the powers of the Waymaker will give you much strength, you guys have only begun to awaken it, which is part of the reason why we're here training now. I think you're starting to finally figure things out and get the hang of things." So why don't we step it up from here on? 

"Hold up, What did you say?" "You have been holding back this whole time. I was barely able to keep up." 

"Oh, but certainly you did. It may have taken you a second to get there, but you seem to manage. So let's go again. I want you to attack and see how your yield weapon this time."

"Okay, but I'll let you know I've only used my weapon a couple of times. I'm still not quite 100% sure how to manifest it; ever since the demon possession, I haven't been able to bring it forth at all." 

But Before I could barely finish my sentence, Baby had seemed to teleport behind me, slamming me in the back with a blunt of her sword. 

"I need you to understand the severity of your situation. I want you to come at me like it as if your life is in danger; act like you think I am a demon." Picture in your mind that you're in danger, and your sword shall manifest." 

I stood up and cracked my spine back where it had felt out of line. "I don't know how I'm going to get you to understand that there's only so much I can do. I don't know everything, and no amount of beating it out of me is going to help." 

"Again, I am fully aware of your stubbornness, but I'm pretty sure we can make something happen," she said as she swung her sword toward my face. Thankfully, I quickly popped my back into place because I had to do a complete back step and arched my back, just barely missing the tip of her blade as it grazed my cheek. 

Her attack sliced a tree down behind us, landing just a couple of feet short of Beck and Kaysi. "Are you okay, back?" I shouted from across the field. These attacks were getting too out of hand, and Baby was not getting to the point that I was limited in my capabilities. 

She just kept dashing around and trying to land hits on me. Does she have some grudge against me at this point? Was she upset that I landed a hit on her earlier? 

Within a split second, baby swung her sword, but her direction wasn't at me this time. It was at Beck. Before I could even devise a plan, I was already between her and the sword blocking her from striking a blow on my best friend. I clenched my eyes, ready for the sharpness of the sword to cut me through and end me. All I can do is attempt to block. 

Very good. Baby stepped back and released her sword. I think we're done for today. This all seems to be quite exciting for everybody. We can wrap things up and come by tomorrow for another lesson. 

"Are you insane after all that you just did trying to kill me, and you almost killed my friends?" 

"I told you already before that I will do whatever I must to bring out your full potential and help you. Those demons out there won't show you any mercy. Besides, as you're sitting here squalling, you haven't even given yourself a look." 

I looked down at my hands, and I recognized two weapons. They were metal Tessen war fans, bright and shiny, with a bright orange circle set in the center. I was taken aback. I did this with your aid, baby!