Sky's Challenge

Ruby ran in the opposite direction and I was left with Fico... I was far too worried about Faith to keep focused on this fight, and I ran in another direction, closer to Faith, to get Fico out of this area.

"Come on, I'm faster than you in every way. Anywhere you run, I'll be there." Fico told me.

I asked Faith to split off from me because I knew that they both wanted me. I know Cole is waiting in the forest for me. I felt bad dragging Faith into combat, but I know how capable she is. She's one of my only hopes.

[23:01]

It was getting closer. So slowly.

I ran as fast as possible toward Faith, pushing through the bushes of the forest around me, and before I knew it, I felt that tingle again.

I preemptively slid underneath an overhanging cliff and dodged a fatal strike from Cole. Just as I thought, he was waiting to ambush me.

After I dodged it, I slammed my foot into the ground once more, which caused ice to shoot up in a thick glacier that blocked off Fico and Cole's advances.

Can I keep this up for 23 more minutes?

Or... what about my remaining life span?

I can't use it all up right now. Not only would I die, but Fico and Cole would have free reign over this city. The only weak chain link holding everything together was me, and the possibility of Avie coming back.

I have absolutely nothing right now, but feeling helpless would only result in failure... I needed to win this, no matter what.

"Too bad! Looks like you're too slow." I heard from behind me.

Before I could turn my head, I felt a foot plant itself right into my spine, and push me right back through the glacier I built.

I hit the ice and it cracked the entire thing, and I even went through some trees before coming to a stop.

The strands in my body were exhausted, and almost completely worthless. Reinforcing my body to take that much damage would have been fatal if I weren't at Deity Level... that means that her base attacks are enough to kill everybody in one hit.

Shit... shit... shit...

I pushed my body up with my right hand and another foot slammed into my stomach. I lost the air in my lungs and was thrown into another tree, forcibly activating Shike's ability to absorb the energy.

Afterward, I grabbed onto Fico's arm and released the energy.

Her arm blew off her body, and the shrapnel of nearby rocks exploded in the air from the force I received.

"Oh? That's an interesting ability." Fico said. She retreated a little and her arm slowly regenerated. Her regeneration was slow, but I was still worried about it since it was there.

Cole came in again with a weird weapon and it hit me in the leg, pierced it, and wrapped around it. Before I knew it, I was completely stopped by the weight of the object.

And Fico kicked me in the chest again.

The absorption was almost worthless as I was thrown even further through the forest... and onto the base wall of the city.

I cracked the steel wall down the middle and caused a loud noise to reverberate.

"Shit... she sent me back with just a single kick..." I muttered, pushing my body back up.

I coughed up blood, and before I could turn my head up again, Fico grabbed me by the neck and slid me up the cracked wall.

"Such a pathetic soul now. Look at you. You can't even see me. The Old Sky would've killed me before I made my first move. So, then it's true. You are no longer The Asterio we once knew. That means this will be an easy kill. I would use it now if you're holding anything up your sleeve for a sneak attack.

Fico prepped her claws as she held me up and I set my hand against the wall, ready to use Belle's Ability once more.

However... there was no need to.

From across the range of the wall, a burst of pressure emitted onto my dead arm, and Fico was kicked in the face by someone of equal speed.

Boo.

"Was you losing part of the plan? Why is that girl so fast?" She asked me.

Fico spit up blood and smiled as her teeth regenerated.

"Did you... just move at the speed of strands?" Fico said with that same smile.

"And what of it? It looks like the Bird girl has returned, only to lose to me." Boo said.

"Haha! Sky, you have some funny allies. Care to make this a duel then?" Fico asked her. She kept her eyes on me as if I was supposed to answer for Boo.

"Would you like to be buried, or cremated?" Boo asked, raising her hands up.

"I can't die." Fico flatly said, before rushing at Boo with her crazy speed.

I could barely perceive it. Light blue strands emitted from her body as she charged at Boo, but Boo was able to counter her assault, trip her, and use her own speed against her for a devastating blow right to her stomach.

Fico slammed into the ground so hard that it was misplaced, and the wall behind us began to collapse on top of us.

Before it could, Cole slammed the base of his weapon into it, launching it in the air so high up that it passed the clouds.

"So, while Fico fights your fast friend, what do you say we return to the past? Take a trip down memory lane, when you killed me? Should I spare you now?" He asked me.

I wasn't threatened by his words in any way. I was more threatened by the weapon he was brandishing in front of me.

"Sorry, but I don't remember you. If you want the honest truth... I've lost my memories and my powers upon The Isle. However, I've fought formidable opponents up there, and you will be another obstacle in my story I have no problem climbing over." I told Cole.

I summoned a golden saber in my right hand and held it up, ready to attack.