Rebirth 2

Ryu quickly snapped out of his daze when he finally remembered his last few years and his family. These memories reignited his dying fire of hope and gave him more reasons to survive. But they were already nearing the planet so he had to think of something fast.

'Situation is dire, we will probably crash in about 8 to 10 minutes. Reserved energy isn't helping as well as the emergency protocol. Think... think...

The energy was cut off because of the violet pure elemental energy surge... maybe I can do something to stabilize the violent Pure elemental energy but chances are near zero if not zero itself.' Their survival chances weren't looking too good but he still got to try it and make it through alive.

Ryu channeled his energy from his Star Core to his body and the space around the spaceship blocking the violet pure elemental energy. To say that it was a difficult task was to underestimate it, it was nigh impossible. No matter how much Ryu tried he could not do anything to the energy, it was just too strong.

Understanding this, he quickly got a hold of his emotions and started thinking about a new survival plan, unfortunately, it was already too late to deal with the spaceship falling so he had to think of a way to survive the crashing and to do that He called his 'lucky charm', George.

George was already devastated, reviewing his gallery on the smartwatch awaiting certain death. He didn't harbor any hope of getting through this alive. When he heard his friend call him, though, he thought that it was a good time to thank him for everything he has done for him and apologize for every shit he had dragged him into. But when he saw his friend and looked at him in the eyes, he couldn't say anything. He was ashamed when he saw his look, he could tell, his friend hasn't given up yet.

It was always him, who wanted to prove himself that he was truly strong But seeing Ryu so determined to fight until the end, he felt shame he had never felt in his 24 years of life.

"George, There's still about 4 minutes until we crash. I want to survive this, George, I want to get stronger and see the real power. I want to see far can I reach myself. I want to see my little brother and sister grow up and start their own lives, I cannot die here, George and for that, I will need your help. Will you help me, my friend?" Ryu said with a gentle smile, stretching out his hand for George to take.

Hearing his friend's plea, he could not help but tear up. It was like this, in the past when the two became friends it was George who needed his help instead. And he said exactly the same words as Ryu said now.

He didn't know if it was Ryu's scheme to play with his feelings or he was genuine, but at this moment and time, he didn't care. Ryu saved him many times over the years and he was determined to give it his all to save his friend at least this one time. So he steeled his hurricane of emotions, took his hand and said. " Tell me, what you need me to do?"

Ryu smiled at his friend and began telling his desperate plan. " I need you to make the wind barrier 5 meters around us, as thick and strong as possible. I, in the meantime, will handle fire, darkness, water, and pure elemental energies." Between them, George was most proficient with wind elemental energy and had the corresponding affinity. As for Ryu, because of his bloodline, he had a fairly special affinity. It was pure elemental energy affinity and it could simulate all of the other elements.

Hearing his friend's 'Not plan but desperate struggle and self-destruction' George could not help but shout at him. " Ryu, don't joke like that. Your Star Core cannot handle the burden that controlling four elemental energies will bring. you will die certainly!" George was angry.

Ryu smiled at his care and took out something from his pocket. When George saw what it was, his eyes widened in surprise, and couldn't help but stutter " I-Is that wha-"

Ryu, however, interrupted and said. " Yes, it is the famous 'Return' pill. I got this one when I was still playing the game and saved it until now."

George understood what Ryu was planning so he didn't ask any more questions and said excitedly" Let's do this!" And started forming the barrier.

The Famous 'Return' pill was treasure like no other. It could pull you out of clutches of death easily but if you died before it could take the effect nothing will help you anymore and at the same time the treasure would be wasted. So, even now Ryu wasn't completely guaranteed to survive.

Ryu got it when he helped a certain witch with her experiments. It was his one and only lifesaving treasure.

Quickly, a barrier started to form. Slowly strengthening itself, it grew bigger and bigger by the second until George was exhausted. At the same time, inside the Wind barrier fire barrier started to form and when it grew one-meter thick darkness barrier came into the play and also grew one meter thick. Then water barrier started to form and it grew whole two meters and lastly pure elemental barrier was formed. It grew until there was no more space inside the sphere.

As Ryu did this, he himself was surprised that he managed to stabilize 4 elemental energies together. Maybe he really was talented or it was because of their situation that he managed to tap into his potential, but now wasn't time to think about it because he was already at his death door.

His Star Core was cracking, his body was aching, he felt the pain that he had never felt. Books didn't lie... crumbling Star Core was the most painful thing in the world. It hurt so much that he already threw up his own blood three times, but he still didn't let himself lose focus lest his barriers shattered.

his hand shaking, he managed to swallow the Return pill. At that moment, his body was filled up with energy to the brim. It started coursing through his mouth, his throat, his stomach, heart, liver, and all the organs in his body rejuvenating every single cell. When it stopped it was already upon the Star Core and without hesitation crashed into it. Most of the energy of the pill was used to restore the crumbling Core until it was fully recovered and even strengthened somewhat.

Ryu finally breathed in relief when he felt the Return pill do its work but still didn't relax, now the one and only thing left was to survive the crash, which was also the most difficult part.

Ryu's choice of elementals wasn't random, he took into account the consequences of crashing into the sand and choose the best elements to block the impact.

First of all, the wind barrier was to absorb the shock and defend them from all the things crashing into the barrier. It was the most important task so Ryu told George not to hold back, but Ryu knew that it wouldn't be enough to stop everything that befell upon them so it was mainly for shock absorption. Next up was the fire barrier, it was mainly for destroying small debris and dust while also weakening the big metal scraps. The darkness barrier was to finish the job that fire couldn't which was to absorb the dust and yet again weaken the external objects. Fire and Darkness were elements of Destruction so they were not for defense but attack. As for the water barrier, it played the biggest part in their survival after the wind barrier and that's why it was 2 meters thick. It could defend them from the biggest parts of the Pod crushing them as well as defending them from fire and softening the impact upon the connection with the land. Finally, the Pure elemental energy barrier was backup. if something unexpected happened it would be the one to deal with it and it also had another function which was to stabilize the external violent Pure elemental energy waves.

With all of that in order, both of them were ready for the impact.

From the outside, one could see a red, nearly burned space Pod crashing into the sand. Each second it got closer and closer to the land.

1000 meters...

700 meters...

500 meters...

200 meters...

100 meters...

CRASH!!

Pod finally crashed into the sand and blew up from the impact. Its metal parts flew everywhere and scattered throughout the sand.

Inside the pod, However, two young men were fighting for their lives. The wind barrier was easily penetrated but it already served its purpose as well as fire and darkness barriers. Now it was up to water and pure elemental energy barriers.

Fortunately, the water barrier was as thick as it was or they would surely be dead, it softened the impact and saved them from immediate death. Also what Ryu didn't think about was how soft the sand was which came as to surprise to both of them.

In the end, because of the water barrier and 'last bastion' pure elemental energy barrier and because the sand was super soft they both survived, but not without injuries though.

Ryu broke his left arm while George damaged his left leg and both of them were full of bruises and burn marks. But if someone saw them right now they would say that they were crazy. Two of them were lying on the sand beside each other, laughing like madmen.

"We did it! We actually survived! Ryu, you are the best!" George was full of joy and wanted to pounce on Ryu and hug him, fortunately for Ryu he was too exhausted to even lift a finger.

"Hahaha..." Ryu didn't even hear him, he was too consumed by this unbelievable event.

Unfortunately, their joy was short-lived.

Suddenly, sand started to move and sucked both of them inside. They were lost in their emotions to respond to the fast changes of their surroundings: Anger, desperation, fear, regret... all kinds of feelings passed through their hearts crushing Their hopes and dreams.

"Hahaha..." Now their laughter seemed to be of crazy people indeed. After they did everything to survive and take their lives into their own hands, they still couldn't escape from the clutches of death. It was a sad, painful and frustrating realization.

The sand, however, didn't care about their condition and brought them down anyway as if saying " I don't know who you are or what happened and I didn't care, you are going in my belly anyway."

The sand slowly started to consume them, bringing them down with parts of the ship. Their hands and legs slowly started getting covered with Sand, soon even their faces couldn't escape the sand and were buried in it.

The sand was still bringing them down, suffocating them halfway through the travel. They struggled as much as they possibly could but everything was in vain, they couldn't get out of the sand however they tried so they just gave up the futile struggle and were ready to meet the death itself.