Beyond the Barrier

The heavy rain is cold and refreshing, lying here is uncomfortable, the ground is hard and I can feel spikey little rocks pressing against my back I can also tell that she's remembering something old and painful. At this moment, I can somewhat know how she's feeling.

The feeling of losing someone.

And the feeling of being left all alone.

''Hey, Ovia?'' He asks slowly.

''What is it?'' Without covering her eyes or hiding the fact that she cried she answers his call

''I thought about it right now, since you want to get strong and meet that person and I want to get strong to win the war that's about to happen in 3 years. Do you want to get strong together? After we get strong, we can go our own way. After all, being alone hurts.''

The heavy rain starts to ease and slowly back away.

I think it's for the best. Even if she says no, I will respect her answer. But it's just, that I couldn't ignore the loneliness in that voice.

The rain stops falling and cracks appear in the gray sky. The light sunshine shines through the cracks onto them.

And the morning breeze hits us both

…

''Sunshine is quite strong after the rain isn't it Aalish?'' She says with a big smile

Yeah, the sunshine is strong, but the thing that makes this place so bright isn't the sun. It's your strong smile.

It's strong in a way I haven't seen before. In a cozy way, in a way that it wants me to see it again. I love that smile of yours.

''Yes, the sunshine is the strongest after the rain.'' He answers smiling while looking at the cracks in the sky

''Now then, shall we get onto our path to get strong?'' she says while standing up and giving him a hand to stand up.

''I guess this is the beginning then?'' He chuckles while grabbing her hand and pulling him up.

And finally, the sky is clear of dark gray clouds.

''Aalish.'' She says just as we start walking

''Yeah?'' He turns around being just a little bit ahead of her

''You are going to have a war?'' She says with consideration of not sounding too pushful

His look turns away from her back ahead, he puts his bag to visible mode, takes out two chocolate bars.

''Here!'' He throws the chocolate bar at her

*swoosh* The chocolate bar flies.

*tap* she catches it with both hands

Just as she is about to thank him, he responds to her question

''Yep. My grandpa's district is going to war with the Vitreus district.'' He says while looking at her and opening his chocolate bar.

''Is there a reason why the war is going to happen?''

''Of course, they have a reason, they said the reason is that they want more land, but that's a lie.''

The district has no idea why. We don't have any bad history with the Vitreus district. Out of nowhere, a letter came announcing war. They said that they don't mind if we surrender to them, but of course, my grandpa refused. Grandpa told me that the letter was talking about how they ''Wanted the land so bad.''.

''They don't need land; they need something else, what would that be I don't know, or care at the moment. War is war. For them, war is needed to evolve, for us is just one of the means how to protect ourselves.'' He says while enjoying his chocolate bar.

''Ha! You're pretty smart for a kid, blondie.''

!

Someone says with a soft yet taunting voice.

Who said that? Where is he?

He looks left then right but there's no sign of him.

''Up, Look up I'm here.'' He says with a fearless voice.

Up in front above them his standing in the air, wearing a dark cloak.

The dark cloak is flapping with the wind making a soft yet haunting sound.

Who is that guy? He can use Jastaran or else he wouldn't be able to float in the air.

''Can I help you in some way?'' Aalish says with no ill intentions.

''Hahaha well, if it's that easy then-'' The white-haired man says while laughing.

''Hand over the girl and then kill yourself.''

The voice that was before uplifting and inviting has turned into a cold demanding one.

Stuttered by the words Aalish drops his chocolate bar and gets in a fighting position, but he's still not convinced enough to take Arna out.

''Already picking a fight?'' He says while smirking.

''No, I'm just a bit cautious, I don't know how to react when a stranger demands me to kill myself,'' Aalish says while keeping calm.

I don't know why he wants Ovia or what does this has to do with me.

''Well just before we start, I should introduce myself, right? Oh wait, I think I'm not allowed to, hmm. Then with what should I introduce myself. Oh! I found it, just call me half-breed.'' Half-breed says in a playful tone.

Suddenly.

Just as I close my eyes to take a blink, when my eyelid is just about to cover my pupil, I can feel a little wind through my hair.

And just as I open my eyes.

I can see him, barely a meter away from me grinning.

In a second Half-breed punches Aalish in the stomach, making him fly across the rocky terrain

''Wow, It's beautiful here on war mountains, who would imagine Olive trees would grow up here.'' He says in a surprised manner.

Out of nowhere, Ovia appears above him holding her spear with both of her hands, trying to stab him through his head.

The look in her eyes is deadly, she wants this man dead.

The way he stood above us and the way he punched Aalish, making him fly 15 meters ahead. There's no way we can let this man get out of here alive. He's a monster.

I'm coughing up blood? Ugh… I couldn't do anything, in a second, he was before me.

What about Ovia!?

He slowly starts to pick himself up.

He coughs some more blood, without wiping his mouth he stands up just a moment before Ovia's about to strike and disappears with no trace left.

I look at Ovia to see her still in the air but now her expression is terrified.

''Look out!!!'' She screams while being fueled by anger.

A strong hit.

He blinks to see that he's closer to Ovia.

Huh? Why am I getting closer to her? Oh, I get it... It's obvious.

He was just behind me.

Her spear disappears in time to be able to catch him.

That was a strong hit. Why is he-

*COUGH* Ovia choughs up blood onto Aalish's back neck.

Just when Aalish looks up to see him 15 meters away in a blink of an eye he's in front of them.

''Well, that's a disappointment. I mean I get you're supposed to be a puzzle piece, but c'mon blondie I thought you were better.'' Half-breed tells them with a disappointed voice.

Ovia doesn't look good, she's coughing up blood more than me. The hit that she got was brutal, I don't know how fast was I flying, but it's probably even more than how fast Ovia was running.

''Half-breed.'' Aalish utters with an exhausted voice.

''What is it blondie?'' Says Half-breed while smiling.

''Can I just take out my sword before you hit again?'' Aalish requests.

''Heh, begging are we now? Sure, take out your sword kid.'' He says while his smile wears off

Ovia is still holding me, I can feel the blood she coughed on the back of my neck and how strong her grip is.

''Ovia let go of me.''

Hm? I can't see her eyes, The only thing I can see under her light green hair is her lips.

Her strength leaves her grip and her hands fall on the ground.

While trying to stand up Aalish uses the ground to pick himself up and at the same time puts the Leaf Enki Crystal into her hand.

If her hand wouldn't be so close to mine, I wouldn't be able to do it.

Just as I was picking myself up, I threw the crystal into her open strengthless hand.

He stands up looks at Ovia to see that one of her crimson red eyes is looking at him. Her eye tells him ''What do I do with this?''

He mimics the words with his mouth.

''…..Break…..it...when….I...fall….''

Aalish turns around to see Half-breed looking at him. He grabs Arna and prepares for another hit.

''Took you some time.'' Half-breed says dissatisfied.

''Of course, it did *COUGH* since your punches leave hell behind.'' Aalish counters with truthfulness.

''Hmm, leave hell behind HAHAHA, you are funny.'' He says with a grin on his face.

''Well then, let's start.'' He adds to his first sentence.

Okay focus all of your Ectoplasma to your eyes and see his movements, defend his attack with Arna, and if you see an opening attack.

He tells himself while waiting for the blow.

My manipulation is still bad I can barely maintain the Ectoplasma in my eyes for 2minutes.

He still hasn't moved-

*swoosh* and the quiet wind blows.

Now! Where is he! Above me? Left? Right? Front? Back?

''Infront,'' Half-breed says while delivering a blow.

''MAKORE PLAY-SPELL HIDE!'' Aalish screams while the Ectoplasma he was chanting in his forearms lets out.

Suddenly a cloud of smoke appears.

''I missed… Smoke? A smoke ability? A cloud of smoke to hide? HAHAHA.'' His tone starts low but turns into a surprised angered one.

''Hey blondie, did you know that smoke can be blown away?'' He says while teasing him.

He waves his hand with force to clear the smoke away.

He's hiding somewhere in the smoke, I thought he would be better.

But the smoke doesn't disappear.

It didn't disappear?

''Yeah, I know that smoke can be blown away, but spells can't be.'' He answers while hiding in the smoke.

''Spell? Oh yeah, that's right.''

Half-breed remembers the words he said.

And suddenly.

!

Half-breed feels the warmth of Arna close to his neck.

!

He's that close? How did he get that close without me sensing him?

Just as Aalish's about to cut his head off.

But something like the sound of bells reaches his ears.

That was the sound of chains hitting each other.

*BLEGH* He throws up blood just as he is hit again in the stomach.

The spell runs out and the smoke is disappearing.

Aalish flies and hits the nearby rock.

Chains? Where did the chain come from?

''It's over now blondie, if you die here, it's better for us, even better for her.''

Her? Ovia?

''Well, it doesn't matter, I'll let you die fast by piercing your chest.'' He says with a cold voice.

''Hey Half-breed I'm sorry, but I think I may still have a chance of staying alive.'' He says with a broken voice.

''What are you saying?''

The smoke is clearing away and with the smoke slowly disappearing a light explosion is heard

*boom*

Greenlight shines from where Ovia is sitting. The green leaves and sparkles fly toward Half-breed and Aalish.

''Now let's see what you can do… Old man Yota.''

The slow steps fill the before fearsome battlefield.

''Just when I was about to sleep you wake me up with a call for help, right Aalish?''