Chapter 25: Wavering Light

Takabi struck Shink's cheek, the two rolling through the air before kicking apart and landing in the soil hard. Standing, Takabi coughed and sucked in as much air as he could before blocking Shink's foot, the old man raising his fingers and letting a pillar of yellow magic rush up and pierce through Takabi.

The boy coughed blood, but grit his teeth as the wound healed shut and attacked.

First was quick jabs and side steps, hands raised close to his face as he manuvered around and ducked under Shink's own punches. He craned his head aside, knuckles grazing his cheek as he went in for a flaming hook, before switching up his style and flipping onto his palm, raising his foot and connecting with Shink's cheek.

The aged man stumbled back, holding the redness of his face and rubbing it softly. "Wow. Light boxing into… What was that?"

Takabi didn't answer, hands still raised as he hopped softly in place.

"Mixed Martial Arts… Been studying up, haven't you?" Shink bit the tips of his thumbs, drawing blood as he slammed his hands down on the soil.

The ground began to quake, rushing up in a thick wall towards Takabi. The boy leapt high into the air, the soil breaking apart into pillars and lurching themselves in his direction. He kicked off one, sliding down the one to his left, sharply ducking and weaving the others that were heading for him. He began to lift his feet and run down, jumping upwards and releasing balls of fire from his throat.

Soil shot up in front of Shink, taking the grunt of the fireblast, black smoke erupting in the air. Takabi shielded his eyes, failing to notice Shink quickly approaching him with a leap. Spinning, Shink's leg caught Takabi's side, sending him flying through the cloud and sliding into the earth, digging it up as he tumbled and slammed into a tree. Air left his lungs as he coughed up spit and slid down.

Shink landed, slowly walking towards the boy a yard away. "You're skilled, but skill means nothing without experience."

"Fuck… You…" He wheezed, standing up and raising his fists again.

When the air returned to him and pain quickly subsided, he pulled his arm back, and threw his knuckles forward, the force of the punch striking Shink's nose and breaking it easy, blood spurting into the brown floor. He sniffed, rubbing the injury but ignoring it as he stalked forward, breaking into a jug before a full blown run.

Takabi grit his teeth, ducking Shink's fist and closing in for a quick uppercut. His knuckles ran through Shink's image, the elder vanishing into thin air. Takabi looked around, something striking his left. He went in for a kick, only hitting air as what felt like a foot struck his back.

As he stumbled forward, he looked around, shocked that his even Mystic Eyes couldn't pick up Shink's speed. Another fist struck him, dazing his mind as he stumbled back.

Growling, he closed his eyes, exhaling. He focused on the electricity. The violet current that he knew was deep inside. He called upon it before in small bursts, now he wanted to release most of it into his muscles and brain. An enchantment spell he worked on before, yet never got to test out until now.

"Lightning Armor!" He cried, a violet surge erupting around him, raising his hair upwards. It looked as if time slowed down, faint traces of the violet Gems markings touching his cheek. It faded as Takabi readied himself.

Pterodactyls moved slower in the air, and any other creatures nearby turned their heads in what seemed like extreme slow motion.

It worked, just well enough for Takabi to catch Shink's fist, twisting his arm clockwise and connecting with his own punch. Shink held a stunned expression, dashing back and past the trees. Takabi crouched, then broke into a sprint. They moved as two streaks through the Canyon forest, smashing into each other with an intense force that knocked down surrounding trees.

Takabi leapt up and over, spinning and bringing his leg down to strike his back. Shink dived ahead, rolling and snapping his gaze back, before releasing a blast of magic that washed over Takabi.

The boy blocked with his forearms, oblivious to the fact that Nana's voice had been trying to speak with him the whole time.

"TAKABI! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON," She yelled in his mind, words coming in slow motion.

He grit his teeth, speaking quickly, "Shink is a double fucking agent! I caught him attacking Aqua, and now he's trying to kill me and make a break for it with the Gems!"

"Shink…" Her voice went quiet, until the connection suddenly cut.

"Great, don't ask if I want back up or anything," He growled, breaking the beam of magic by extending his arms outward sharply. Shink ran up quickly, knuckles slamming into Takabi's forearms as he closed his arms in another block.

"No back up," Shink asked tauntingly. "Such a shame they chose to abandon you."

"Shut the fuck up," He yelled, moving aside and slamming his knee into Shink's ribs. The two separated, Takabi breathing heavy and dropping to a knee. "I can't keep the armor up for long… Too much strain…"

He stood, willing the electricity around him. He clapped his hands together, taking a deep breath and releasing more flames from his lips. They came out fast, each one grazing Shink just barely as he dodged, and charged forward. The boy pulled his head back, lungs building up as much air as it could hold, and he released a wave of magic fire large enough to swallow the forest directly in front of him, curving upwards and shooting into the sky to avoid too much damage.

The flames danced as he cut his breath, dropping down to both knees, hands feeling numb. "Fuck…. Think I got him that time though."

A twig snapped behind him.

Snapping his head up, Takabi's hair dropping and sticky with sweat and exhaustion running through his sore muscles.

Shink's voice came in low, breath grazing the back of Takabi's neck despite being feet apart from one another. "You're so wasteful of your power." The boy whipped around, just barely catching Shink's wrist before his fingers could pierce his heart.

Mana welled up inside Takabi, and the boy exhaled as white tattoos rushed up the right side of his body, and his right eye instantly turned white.

He jabbed Shink's throat, and the aged man pulled back as Takabi threw right and left hooks, then rapid fists into his stomach and brought his leg up in a heavy kick. Shink flipped over and rolled in the dirt. Once Takabi's foot touched the soil, a white aura burst around him, disturbing the still air with its own breeze.

Shink picked his head up, eyes wide with surprise. "Amazing… You have control over it…" He smiled, stretching his arms out. "I've never witnessed anyone with complete control over any Gem. Well done."

"Stow it. I don't want to listen to your crap." Takabi growled, aura bursting more intensely. He tried to keep himself composed, strong looking, despite his body feeling like it could give way at any moment. The Gem's mana was intense, more than anything he's felt thus far. Having just learned how to tap into the power gave him no chance to adjust to its overwhelming pressure. His body felt even more strained compared to a few moments before.

"Right." Shink said softly, clutching his fists. "However, I meant what I said. I am going to slaughter you boy. The Kult demands it."

"The Kult," Takabi repeated, taking his stance. "That's the name of the group we've been up against I'm assuming. You've been on their side this whole… time…" He blinked. "Wasn't…. Wasn't Riki with you when you first came here?"

Shink touched his chin. "Was he? I don't remember too well, being old and all." He lied. "I do remember his screams through… His horror filled, painful, blood curdling screams, and the wet tearing of his head from his shoulders." Shink licked his lips. "Delicious, it was."

"YOU FUCKING-" Takabi couldn't finish his words, Shink blitzing forward at speed much faster than before, knuckles slamming into the boy's stomach and twisting, ribs giving way to the impact as he flew back through the trees and slid against the ground. He gripped his broken ribs, weezing as they quickly began to heal. "That hit…. What the hell…"

A hand clamped on Takabi's shoulder. "You seem shocked." The boy turned, Shink's hand gripping his face and slamming his head into the dirt, picking it back up and slamming it back down. He felt his skull crack, and brain rattle around hard in his head, eyes almost rolling into his head from the intense pain.

"Why you! Why did the Goddess choose you to hold the Gems?!" Shink held Takabi in the air, the boy unmoving as the tattoos began to fade away. "You can't even bring out the power you need to surpass me. You're a waste of space, Takabi, and your talents were wasted by your soft mother. The pureness she developed crippled herself and you." His fingers began to squeeze into his skull, the boy remaining still in his grasp.

"Girston, your father. A powerful Angel general. Myra, your mother. A powerful Demoness with a bloodlust so great, none could match it. They birthed three kids. One was stricken with amnesia. The other is evil, and the last is dead. Your life is a tragedy waiting to happen." His words were cold and callous, smirk spreading across his face. "I should escape before you get too banged up. Goddess won't like her child dead."

Footsteps filled the air with crackling fire.

Shink looked back, Raia racing at him with tears streaming. Shink threw Takabi away like trash, Kairas hopping over and catching his brother, sliding back with his twin in his grasp. Shink blocked Raia's fists with no effort, using his foot to trip her and force her to the ground, sending a magic pulse through her that paralyzed her body.

"I'm sorry, Child."

"NO!" Raia struggled against her own body, tears rushing from her eyes in thick spurts, makeup running down her skin. "HOW COULD YOU! HOW COULD YOU BE WORKING FOR OUR ENEMY!"

He shook his head, holding her down firmly with his foot. "You wouldn't understand, Raia! I'm doing what needs to be done! There's no point in fighting against something to which you cannot beat! You should see that!" He narrowed his eyes, raising his free hand up and catching Nana airborne, speaking low and blowing the girl back, her brown eyes wide as she hit the floor, light gone from her gaze.

"Nana!" Kairas cried out.

"She's not dead. Merely unconscious. My target is you, Takabi and the girl, Aqua." He raised his foot, stomping on Raia's back. She cried out in anguish and tightened her knuckles to the point they turned white.

"Everyone else is of no concern."

Kairas bit his lip, holding his brother tightly in his arms. "Aren't they your family? Why… Why would you turn on them? Why turn your back to people you claim you love?"

Shink grit his teeth, clenching his fists. "Takabi said something similar, and I already told him. It's because I love them that I'm doing this! Some may die, that's true, but I can save the rest! Convert them to the Kult and her cause. My time playing father is over." He looked down at Raia, the succubus growling at him. "But maybe I can still save some of the poor souls."

"That's a selfish thought and a downright lie. You can't save people by just saving yourself and doing what you want to." Kairas looked at Takabi. "Being misguided is a hell in and of itself. My brother showed me that, as did the rest of the world."

"Well this same world is going to burn, and the Kult will raise one anew." His words hung in the air for a moment. Takabi grabbed Kairas' shoulder, slowly raising himself up. His palm was in the dirt, and eyes devoid of any light, but a violet glow was evident. Kairas was confused, sure that his brother had passed out from his injuries. "Hey. Did you heal up that fast?"

No response.

"Look, I understand you being pissed and wanting revenge, but we both should take him on. Better chance."

Again, no response.

Kairas watched his brother, until he felt a strong burning sensation rush through him. He cried out in pain, clutching the burnt soil as green tattoos rushed up his side, an excruciating heat running through every cell of his body, and blinding rage plaguing his mind. He looked, noting the violet tattoos on Takabi's left side. He showed no signs of pain though.

He looked calm.

"Oh. Seems like the darkness is trying to come through." Shink crossed his arms. "Either way, it won't change anything about the outcome of this battle."

Takabi took a deep breath, clenching his fists, gritting his teeth and roared.

His lungs released a yell of power with intense pressure. Kairas shielded his eyes from the rushing winds. Shink watched with wide eyes, unsure of what to make of the development.

Takabi relaxed, a violet aura bursting around him in an almost violent nature.

The mana felt cold. Felt evil, yet focused at the same time. Kairas watched his brother, stunned from his own pain, and called to his twin as the boy practically flew through the air at Shink, fangs lengthened to lethal sizes, his black wings bursting from the back of his shirt and stretching out as he descended back into battle.