Inferno thrust with his sword, and blood burst forth. The ritual was complete. And very soon, a new world would be created.
Paradise.
PART FOUR
BUTTERFLY EMERGES FROM THE CHRYSALIS
18
Keta’s vision had faded the moment he entered the light. He felt the sensation of falling, but with a gentle wind guiding him down. It was an exhilarating experience, even though he could see nothing.
And then he could.
Keta was in the plains with Max, Tianna and Sephiel, surrounded by fog. The small clearing they were in was the only spot unaffected. Everyone looked like they had come out of a trance, eyes blinking slowly.
Max was the first to speak. “What just happened? What is this place?” He asked, his eyes narrowing.
“A good question. This is still the land known as Teforia. But the area is covered in the fog of chaos.”
Everyone turned in the direction of the voice, for it was not of one of their own. They were all warriors so they naturally went defensive at the sound of the unknown person. But they needed not, for they soon found the source of the voice.
It was a small girl, wearing a simple white dress. Her long hair matched the color of her clothing, but her eyes glowed with an unnatural light. They were the same as Keta’s. This girl was not of this world.
She stood before them, with her hands clasped in front of her and seemed to be regarding them all with a thoughtful look.
“Who are you?” Keta asked.
The girl’s eyes seemed to stare into his very being. “My name is not important right now. I am the curator of this area. What is important is why you are here.”
Sephiel grunted. “That is not an answer at all. Why can’t you give us a name?”
The girl turned to her and Sephiel held the gaze. “Ah yes, the Kitaan. I have been watching you,” the stranger said, and that elicited a look of shock from the young Kitaan. “Regardless, there is no time for such things, not if you wish to find the ones you seek.” She turned and spread her arms to the surrounding fog. “This place is and is not of your realm. It is a medium between the Mortal Realm and the Realm of the Heavens. Those who came before you have already gone ahead. Be warned, if you continue, this place does not follow the normal rules of reality.”
Tianna raised an eyebrow at that. “Normal rules of reality? Realm of the Heavens...what does all that mean? I have never heard of any of this before.”
The girl ignored this, however. “This is a place of chaos. Your kind have seldom traversed these lands. It will feed off the turmoil of your own hearts. If you can handle the unknown of what is to come, then continue. I wish you good fortune.”
And with that, the girl in white vanished in a flash of light.
“Well, that wasn’t very helpful at all,” Max muttered.
But Tianna shook her head. “No, we learned a few things. The first is confirmation that we are dealing with celestial powers now. And the second is that our enemy is within. We can’t falter now,” Tianna said. She was looking towards the fog. It seemed that the only way forward was to enter it.
“True, but she said this place is affected by the fog of chaos. I imagine it’s called that for a reason. But Tianna is right. We need to hurry. That girl said that people are up ahead. It must be Master Inferno. We need to put an end to all this,” Keta said, and the others nodded in agreement.
Keta decided to go first. He needed to be in the lead. Sephiel was also a celestial being like him, but he was the elder Kitaan. She would no doubt be enraged at his way of thinking, but he didn't’ care. He would protect her. No, he planned to protect them all.
But Keta had no idea as he walked through the fog that chaos had a way of thwarting plans.
***
Keta had been separated from his friends the moment he had entered the fog. But he had been reunited with another friend.
Xuan stood opposite of him. If Keta seemed confused, it was nothing to the look of surprise on the Demon’s face.
“What the...Keta, why are you here?” Xuan asked, after spotting him. He walked forward excitedly, a great smile upon his face.
Keta walked forward, matching the man’s smile. He had been expecting the worst when he had heard that mysterious girl’s words and his allies had vanished. “Xuan, I should be asking you the same thing. I’m glad that you came around, regardless.”
Xuan stopped, a confused look on his face. “Eh? I mean, it took me a little bit to think about it, but in the end, I realized it was the right thing to do. I’m just surprised you are on board with the Master’s plan.”
And then dread began to seep into Keta’s body. He stepped backwards, realizing what was happening. “Xuan, have you...allied yourself with Master Inferno?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
Xuan raised an eyebrow. “Well, yeah. Why else would I be here? Isn’t that why you are here?” Xuan asked, but then he began to put the pieces together as well. He gasped. “Keta, don’t tell me you are still opposing him after the thrashing that he gave us in a three on one fight?”
“I’ll never condone the things he’s done, Xuan. Even if I have to put my life on the line, I’d oppose him. We are Sanction, that is our purpose. You are one of us!” Keta said, frustration bursting out at last. Why was this happening?
“That was a long time ago, Keta. Those were different times. You are clinging to a dead ideal. Besides, I happen to think that the Master is right.”
Keta didn’t respond.
Xuan looked around at the fog, chuckling to himself. “But of course this place would pull us together. Destined battle and all that,” he said, eyes full of whimsy.
“You realize that he intends to wipe out all the Humans with his plan, yes?” Keta said.
Xuan turned his gaze to Keta, his red eyes dancing with malice. “Perhaps if someone had years ago, the old Master would still be with us.”
Keta bit back a retort. The darkness he could sense in his old friend was frightening. This was a person who never seemed to have a care in the world. It was the day that everyone in Sanction died that the Demon’s feelings had been laid bare.
They had split apart after that. Keta had taken upon himself to continue the old Master’s work. Xuan had chosen to remove himself from the conflicts. It must have been a way to forge a new life. But Keta could tell, his friend had never truly forgotten.
Xuan had been carrying his sword the whole time, and only now he raised it. “Master Inferno has the conviction to act. It seems all you ever do is make empty promises. However, let’s make things interesting,” Xuan said.
“What do you mean?” Keta asked nervously. Knowing Xuan, interesting was rarely a good thing for the others involved.
Xuan’s face split into a wide grin. “I am a Demon. Strength is very important to us. So here is the plan. If you can defeat me, here and now, the path will be clear,” he said simply.
“I don’t want to…” Keta began to say, but he was cut off.
“Yes, yes. How about we skip all the pacifism crap you seem to love to spout. In this instance, might makes right,” Xuan said. “So show it to me. If you want to stop me and the Master, then show me the strength of your resolve.”
Xuan rushed at him to attack. It had to be this way. There was no changing a Demon’s mind, especially Xuan’s. But if he had become enthralled in Master Inferno’s plans, then Keta had no choice.
The first exchange was as they always were. Xuan making a grand attack, Keta moving to avoid the blade. Keta sliding in for a counter attack, but the speed in which Xuan wielded the greatsword always surprised him and he deflected the strike.
The two traded blows for a little. Keta could see the look of shock on his friend’s face when he went sword to sword against him. Keta had never been very strong, so the idea of facing Xuan in a contest of strength had seemed absurd. But Reikon had given him more power than he had ever known.
It felt a bit like cheating his friend, Keta realiz
ed.
“This isn’t fair at all,” Xuan said, panting. Keta noticed that they had been fighting for some time now. He was not even winded. “You were supposed to be the fast one, and I was supposed to be the strong one. Now, you have power as well. Damn you!”
Xuan raised his sword and came overhead, a powerful attack meant to break guards and end the fight permanently. However, it was a reckless move and Keta moved forward before he could initiate and swung his blade upwards. The weapon connected.
It could have been a killing blow, if Keta had wanted it to be. He didn’t.
Xuan stumbled and fell forward as Keta moved passed him. He moved a hand down, to feel the blood dripping from his chest. Or rather, the lack of blood. “What sorcery is this, Keta? Now you use swords that don’t even cut people? You coward!” Xuan yelled.
“Xuan, be reasonable,” Keta said, fending off the rapid sword swings from the Demon. “Reikon attacks the spirit. It will sap your energy from you the more hits I land. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Xuan’s red eyes flared. “Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Brave and noble Keta, never once conflicted. Except you bloodied your hands with Delta!” Xuan said viciously.
That comment stung. The Demon saw this had jarred him, and used the distraction to attack. Keta was forced to fall to the defensive.
The two had both been taught by the same masters. They had trained together since they were kids. They had different styles, and yet they understood the other’s patterns. They were equals. But Keta had an advantage.
Keta ducked a slash aimed at his head. “You and I will never see eye to eye in this situation, Keta. You are not a Demon,” Xuan said.
“That’s why I need to intervene,” Keta said. It had always been the driving force Master Xehemoth had for Sanction. If both sides of a conflict were consumed by hatred, they would end up destroying each other.
“If you really wanted justice, you would stand aside and let the Humans be destroyed. They’ve destroyed too many of the clans over the years. Our number is dwindling. I won’t let that happen without a fight,” Xuan said.
Keta stared into Xuan’s eyes, realizing now just how hardened they had become. Was it his fault? Had he not done enough for his friend?
It was pointless to dwell on that now. Keta had made a vow to always oppose those who would promote destruction. And today, that just happened to be Xuan. He needed to steel his resolve and take him down before something terrible happened.
Xuan made a careless move, and Keta capitalized. He swung Reikon sideways and caught his friend across the arm, forcing him to drop his weapon. A crippling strike. The fight was over.
Keta felt something heavy strike him in the stomach and his vision blurred as he was tossed aside like a rag doll. He hit the ground hard, but his instincts kicked in and he got to his feet.
Xuan was walking forward, and he picked up his weapon in his left hand. “Don’t get too confident, Keta. Sometimes you have to take a hit to land a hit. If you are going to run around with all that speed, so be it.”
Keta fell to one knee. Xuan had always been the strongest of his comrades in Sanction. And that last hit had proven it. He staggered slightly, hoping he hadn’t severely damaged anything.
“If you are going to stay down after one hit, you probably shouldn’t be fighting at all, Keta,” Xuan said as he advanced.
Xuan was not going to make this easy on him. But then, with only one hand and his own speed, there was no way Keta could lose. He needed to end this quickly so he could stop Inferno.
Keta ran to the side, moving towards the fog that surrounded them in their little dueling circle. “Are you trying to escape, you coward?” Xuan challenged, running towards him to cut him off.
“No. But I am going to make things difficult for you,” Keta replied, turning suddenly and rushing towards the Demon. Xuan blinked in surprise, then smiled as the two attacked each other.
“Don’t be an idiot, Keta. Humans are not worth dying for. Inferno will kill you if you try to stop him.”
Xuan’s logic was sound. They would both live in the new world. But it was also a betrayal of everything they had ever been taught. I understand that, Keta thought to himself. Why can’t Xuan?
But the reality was, Xuan had already given in to despair years ago, when the Humans had torn from him the last of his family. In his own way, this was Xuan protecting the last of his loved ones from each other,
“Xuan, I am sorry that it has come to this,” Keta said quietly, after the two separated and began to circle, waiting for an opening.
Xuan stood up straight, and gave Keta a nod. There was approval in his eyes. “As am I, my friend. It seems that in the time we have spent apart, you have become a warrior I am proud to do battle with.”
Then the look vanished, and he was ready to fight once more. “But if I have to slice off a few limbs to stop you, so that we may enjoy the new world to come, then so be it.”
And Xuan held his sword in front of him, and gripped it with both hands. He had somehow regained use of his other arm. He settled into a crouch, holding the blade at an angle above his shoulder. And Keta knew that his friend was now serious about ending things.
Xuan’s face was uncharacteristically grim. “You know this technique, Keta. And you know that if I execute it, you will lose. This is your last chance to back down. Otherwise...I’m going to have to hurt you.”
Keta closed his eyes. For all his training with the old Master, Xuan had just as much. And where Keta focused on speed and spiritual magic, Xuan had always focused on the power of Demons.
The technique of the ancient dragons combined with the gifts of a Demon, there was very little that could stand up to that. Dragon Fang would prove useless to Demon eyes, and Zero Point Counter would not work against someone who had knowledge of the technique.
Keta sighed. It seems the only way to fight against this is with my own sword technique, Keta thought to himself. But then, did he really have the nerve to stand up against a Demon’s sword?
Unfortunately, circumstances had left him with little choice. As he crouched down into a familiar stance, he came to a conclusion. He would just have to pray that the last few years had been kind to him.
For he had never bested his friend in a duel prior.
Xuan raised an eyebrow. And then he smiled. “That’s the attitude I like to see, Keta. I applaud you. Come then, let’s decide who has the conviction to make one’s hopes a reality.”
And Xuan’s eyes flashed, and he began to mutter to himself. And then, he launched himself at Keta, sword gripped in a two handed fashion. The eyes were tracking his every movement, and he was going to put all his Demonic strength into this attack.
Xuan’s most formidable technique learned from the old Master. The Sacred Art: Red Dragon’s Chaos Blade.
Keta had only seconds to react before the rampage would begin. Focusing, he began to channel the Kitaan magic within him. Gripping his sword, he charged at Xuan to intervene with his own sword technique.
“Sacred Art: Blue Dragon’s Blade Dance,” he recited under his breath, the mantra activating the magic within. Energy coursed through him and he began to speed up to even greater speeds; his secret magic Gale Step. Almost immediately, he had to duck Xuan’s strike.
The force of the wind almost knocked him over. The downside to his ability was that to increase his speed, he had to weaken the rest of his body. So when he slashed Xuan with his weapon, it was barely enough to leave a cut.
Xuan gave him no quarter. His Demon eyes were working at full clarity right now, allowing him to practically keep up with all of Keta’s movements. Keta continued to dodge, and take tiny swipes at Xuan, who was always inches from impaling Keta with his sword.
Xuan’s sword came crashing down, and Keta narrowly avoided it and stabbed forward with Reikon. The sword plunged partially into Xuan’s chest, but not deep enough to cause the Demon any real distress. Or prevent him from releasing his grip on the swor
d with one hand and countering with a punch square on Keta’s chest.
Due to the magic, Keta had been utterly defenseless. The blow shattered his sternum at once, and he howled in pain even as he was knocked backwards through the air. His concentration on his technique faded, and the world began to speed up once again as he hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Gasping for air, Keta moved his head to the side, finding Reikon nearby. He placed a hand on it, hoping that Kitaan magic had a way to heal the pain he was feeling. The technique had weakened him greatly.
Xuan was walking forward. His clothes were ripped from where Keta had sliced away at him in the few seconds their little exchange had taken. Other than that, he did not seem any worse for wear.
Xuan stopped when he was standing over Keta, shaking his head. “Just because you can move really fast doesn’t mean you can defeat me, old friend. That ‘blade dance’ of yours does little more than tickle a warrior like me. We knew this years ago.”
Keta breathed heavily, blinking back the pain. He very slowly rolled onto his side and pushed himself up. Xuan was watching him carefully the entire time, until he was on his feet, holding his chest.
Keta eyed his opponent. Xuan Barakan was undoubtedly one of the most powerful Demons in the world. What could one such as him ever hope to achieve in his shadow.
And yet…
Keta smiled. “You’ve forgotten one thing, old friend. When we last fought, I did not possess Reikon.”
Xuan frowned. And soon realization dawned on his face. Ever so slowly, that frown turned into a smile. “Clever, Keta.”
Xuan was covered with a multitude of small cuts to his clothing on his arms and legs. Normally, this would not be enough to stop the Demon. However, Reikon did not attack the body. It attacked the spirit. Keta hadn’t been aiming to kill Xuan. Keta had been aiming to rob him of the use of his body.
Xuan’s smile was even broader now. “Well done, Keta. I would clap for you, but I can’t seem to move my arms or my legs,” he added sheepishly. “While I don’t really approve of such...underhanded techniques, it takes courage and guile for a smaller creature to defeat the larger. The victory is yours.”
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