Chapter 2 Part 12 Finale - Roaring Fire -

With a vortex of energy swirling in the air, she screams out that the real fight starts now! Her back heel crashes into the ground beneath, and she dashes toward me with her sword unsheathed with a monstrous smile.

Within moments we're both clashing my spirit energy with her mysterious sword. Face to face, we lock eyes as if this moment lasted a thousand seconds, with neither side breaking or bending before I push back by thrusting my force just enough to overpower her.

She breaks contact with my swords and does a flip trying to land multiple kicks from above that im able to effortlessly party off before slamming her entire body to the ground and sweeping my legs. Damnit, women, just how fast can you get?!

Smirking, she lifts her sword up above her chest and attempts to thrust it into my chest, I manage to pary it out of the way, but her overwhelming strength makes my attempt almost mute, and she plunges her blade into my shoulder, twisting as it goes in. She was slamming both her legs into my thighs, pinning me to the ground.

Well, my handsome man, I guess that's a checkmate, right? Raising her hand, creating a dozen small purple/violet crescent energy sickles.

YEA, RIGHT, YOU CRAZY WOMEN! This might be less than ideal, but this is perfect! No more squirming around for you! I Grab her hand holding the sword, not allowing her to pull the sword out her escape my grip.

She plunges her attack into my face while I deliver an equally explosively blow right to her stomach with rippling water attacks sharp enough to rip up steel.

A giant blast goes off on the beach surrounding us both.

Both of our attacks hit at that moment, sending us flying in opposite directions. I was mostly able to block her attack with my spiritual armor. It's true that they lack potency regarding energy attacks, but they are still strong enough to deal with any novice.

I have a sharp pain in my head, and when I grab my head, I find blood streaming down my face. I suppose some of her attacks did break in like water finding any entry; her attack was able to slip in through the cracks in my armor.

The dust finally settles. I see that she's still standing, but her stomach is practically caved in, and her whole body is shaking. Wheezing in exhaustion, my instincts kick in, and I scream out to apologize for forcing my hand.

Im sorry for the damage I caused but this entire event was avoidable. I will – Shut Up! I don't need your pity she screams, coughing up blood. Do you think this is enough to keep me down?!? Like I would ever let another human look down on me in disgust!! I never looked down on you, I scream back. The adrenaline slowly died down, and I realized the sharp pain of her sword still in my shoulder. I drop to a knee to try to remove it when I see her go silent momentarily.

I've decided something, Chief Water, man! My name is Aleksander CrosSpear at least address me as such, I scream back! Too long, Waterman, but I've decided you are worthy of my love! … No thanks, I respond coldly.

I'm already married, and your dying. She smirks, saying, im not giving you a choice. It seems you forgot our unique trait. She took a deep breath and started screaming out before enveloping herself in the purple void energy once more but this time more rich and vibrant.

Confused about the events unfolding, my heart sank as I remembered why these creatures were always targeted and nearly killed to extinction! They can regenerate anything that's not their direct head.

Expecting the worse, I go to throw up a water barrier, but my shoulder is still burning in pain as I look up; she's fully recovered and has dashed toward me, planting her knee into my chest and crushing my spirit armor before stomping her foot into my face sending me crashing 10 feet away skidding along with the sand.

Covered in blood and sand with multiple broken ribs, I try to focus on what I can control; knowing im not built for long battles using water, I thought I could focus on using pure soul Energy, but I was wrong from the start.

She walks up to me, trying to climb to my feet, plunging another foot into my stomach, and rolling me over on the ground. I know you've been avoiding using your natural spirit element! Why do you refuse to go all out with me, huh?!?

Do you pity me enough that you'll die without going all out with me? Does she know? Maybe she can detect it? How could you possibly know I haven't given it my all?

Your entire arms are burnt up for one, you idiot, and second, I know you aren't this weak! To be my lover and the holder of my sword, you can't possibly have anything else to offer. You mean the sword you stabbed me with? I respond blankly. That's not me wielding your sword…

That's a holy sword she yells back! It turns anyone unworthy straight to ashes, so maybe the sword just took pity on you. Well, I might as well finish this up. Too bad you had to go and disappoint me.

Enjoy the afterlife, my love. With a broken smile, I see her raise her arm up, forming more Purple/ Violet Sicles, trying to force my body to move. It's no luck, I think to myself, slowly surrendering myself to my impending death. Sorry, Articius. I lay my head on the sand, gazing toward the houses as dawn slowly approaches.

The entire earth around us shimmers and shakes before I see a wild blast of energy erupt into the sky. My eyes widen at this wild explosion.

Everyone around, still trying to fight, froze in awe at this red energy burning towards the sky, splitting the clouds as it climbed the evens.

I try to think what this could have been. Cliff can't use fire energy, and even if Samoht showed up, he could only muster fire energy; this could only have been Articius.

He must have been involved in the fight of his life, and im sitting here accepting my death. The shock wave reaches us all, and the warmth of the blast fills my soul. If as being pumped with adrenaline, I feel my heart become ablaze.

Even this woman froze in awe at the explosion and a bit of horror across her face. I took this moment born from my son to escape the jaws of death.

I'm not down yet; you implement women! Blood covering half my fast, I roll out of the way as soon as she launches her attack into the ground throwing up a storm of sand.

I climb to my feet, and one last time, I apologize to the woman still encased in the storm of sand. Gasping for air, I remove the sword from my chest and exclaim even if this sword burns me to ashes, I shall take you down!

You want my all women! Well, you've got it! Grabbing the sword's hilt, I twist it out, having the blood pour out of me. "DIVINE FLAME GOD! FINAL DANCE"!

The sword obeys as if responding to my command, and my entire body is infused with flames higher than I ever managed before.

My true elemental nature of flames, my flesh burned ever so slightly at the intensity of the flames. Instead of burning bright red, it was violent purple. She screams out to give it my best shot!

Coughing up blood, I storm towards her, slashing at her, and she dives into it, attempting to parry the blow with her forearm, but it instantly gets sliced off, breaking her armor in half as I go to perform an upward swing, she spins around, kicking my arms forcing me to drop the sword.

Screaming in pain as she plants a fist into my face, I embrace her and deliver an equally painful punch back, circling with flames erupting in one giant explosion, leaving burnt sand and brightening up the dawn of the sky.

The dust settles around me; I lay facing the sky that's slowly brightening up; my entire body burnt to a crisp with the sword in the ground next to me. I smile ever so slightly.

I slightly lifted my head to view the women on the ground parallel to myself, thinking that at least in death, I was able to earn a draw. This thought quickly burst when I saw her rise to her feet as her body started regenerating once again from her stomach to her cut cheekbones and fractured skull.

Water Man, you really did a number on me. I can't even fight back anymore, any more damage, and im not sure id be able to recover; if you have dropped the sword, I might have lost, to be honest.

Sorry for fighting dirty at the end. I guess I don't want to die, either. She slowly lurches over to me to what I believe finishes me off finally. However, before she can speak, a shadow starts to form behind her. A soft voice tells her it's time to go, "Change of plans."

Sammy! You're finally back; what took you so long?

You had me worried you might lose. Are those burn marks and bruises? This man must have had some strong friends, after all. Were you able to kill the kid? I want to collect our bounty this morning so we can move to the next phase of your plan. He responds coldly no, I spared him, and we were paid half to leave him alive for now; however, if I deem him a threat, I will kill him later and collect the full bounty still. However, the 2.5 is more than enough for our goal.

Let's go ahead and head out. These pirates aren't needed anymore, either. With a swipe of his wrist, he summons 2-3 clones that instantly kill the remaining pirates before poofing into vapor. Sure, Sammy, let me go ahead and take care of my lover quickly; she responds with a smile.

He's your what? What were you doing again while I was gone he says with a worried look through his shadowy cloak.

I respond to the women's comment coughing up blood, "I am not your lover! I already told you im married even if dying." She gets down to a knee to my eye level, grabs the back of my head, and kisses my lips for 2-3 seconds as much as I try to push her off.

Sammy, at this point, turned around and blushed, and she said, all right, now, im ready to go! What about your sword? Isn't that important? It's okay il leave it with my lover.

Once he recovers, im sure he'll bring it back. Whatever, he shortly responds, and a portal opens up in front of them both. He jumps, and she turns around and says don't go dying before our next meeting, okay?

Blowing a kiss before falling backward in the portal that pops out of existence.

I continue to lay on the burnt sands of the beach, confused, before my heart starts to flutter and beat at a heightened rate. My injuries are slowly healing.

guess the woman passed on some of her healing properties to me. However, none of the databooks of their kind mentioned this ability.

I continue to lay on the ground until medical troops arrive and start tending to everyone; the last thing I remember before blacking out is seeing Samoht placing a hand on my chest from the stretcher and seeing Art, Cliff, and the book nerd also carried—cliff with pools of blood following him.