"Humans usually think multiple times before acting...they want to make the right choices...and they want to avoid making wrong ones... but sometimes...humans act without thinking, not because they aren't smart... it's because they already believe that this is the right thing... their souls control their bodies at one beautiful moment... maybe they can't understand this action... but they know they did it for a reason…seeking happiness... pleasure...or peace…"
*Shinitshi and Diana are falling into the volcano...they are trying to reach each other mid air...his right arm...her left arm…they are coming closer to their end... their fingers are about to touch... but they fail... it's just too far... but…out of Diana's finger...one purple sparkle came out...a sparkle of hope...and at this quick moment...the spiritual connection was made!... Shinitshi's eyes are brightly glowing purple... Diana is unconscious... Shinitshi uses his enchanted body and his will power... carries Diana and holds to the side of the volcano...he jumps out!*
Reika:"So this is the bizarre magic you use... disgusting…"
*Shinitshi puts Diana to lay down on a rock, not too far from him, but safe enough*
*Shinitshi and Reika are standing in front of each other...they are ready for round two.*
*They run at each other, Shinitshi is attacking without any weapon, Rieka uses her perfect Bo Staff style, Shinitshi tries to attack confidently,he was sure that he's unstoppable with the spiritual connection, Shinitshi tries to punch Reika, but she blocks it, he's moving around her in a high speed, Reika is watching him carefully,he jumps and kicks as strong as he can, but in less than a second, Reika puts her staff on the way, Shinitshi spins in the air trying to not kick the unbreakable staff, but Reika uses the situation,she grabs his leg,and tries to stab him in the neck to finish everything, Shinitshi barely dodges attack and kicks Reika's hand to make her let go of him.*
Shinitshi (in his mind):"Impossible! I am using Diana's magic and all the skills that I got, but... it's not enough to defeat her... Master Rieka…"
*Reika spins her staff and makes multiple attacks at the same time,and thanks to Shinitshi's enchanted reflexes,he can keep himself safe,and keep Reika away from Diana*
*Shinitshi moves around collecting the blades he threw before, Reika is attacking him,and while doing that one of her attacks hit the ground...it destroyed everything around it!*
Shinitshi (in his mind):"I knew it...the combination of Master Reika's strength, speed,and legendary weapon is still deadly if I received a direct attack…"
*Shinitshi attacks again but this time with the four blades, everything is so fast, Reika and Shinitshi are moving like they are two black lightnings hitting each other*
*Shinitshi made a cut in Reika's arm, but that was a part of Reika's plan,she made him get closer, and then she hit him on his leg at the same place like last time*
*Shinitshi got injured, but his leg went back to normal by the magical healing factor*
Reika:"Oh, that's new! This leg should have been broken twice, you move at the last second and decrease the damage, but that isn't everything... you are healing…I don't understand magic... but every power has a price... right?"
Shinitshi:"Damn it...she knows…"
*Yesterday,at the hotel of Kakon-shi*
Diana:"I guess that's enough training for today,and we have a lot of new informations !"
Shinitshi:"Yeah...the headache becomes less painful after every connection...and our maximum time of remaining the connection is fifteen minutes…"
Diana:"And there's something else...the more power you use the less time you get...and in an actual fight,I am sure that you are going to do much more than you did in our training... you are going to get hurt and the magical healing takes power too!"
Shinitshi:"Understood"
Diana:"Now...what about another round of personal questions? Just for the training you know…"
Shinitshi:"Maybe later…"
*Back to the present*
Shinitshi (in his mind):"I don't understand how I know that... but I have about five minutes left…if I didn't finish the fight now then it's the end of me and Diana…*
*Shinitshi puts safety away for the first time of his life...he attacks Reika recklessly with all what he got."
*Shinitshi starts to cut Reika some small cuts in different parts of her body, but she bleeds with every cut.*
Rieka:"Hayato's fight style huh? Not the best choice against me."
*Rieka attacks Shinitshi quickly,she manages to break two of his ribs*
Shinitshi (in his mind):"I still have a chance... Diana's magic is healing me after every injury…unlike Master Reika…"
"While they were having this hard fight... Shinitshi thought that this is Reika's full power... but only Reika noticed...she was living in two worlds... Reika is giving Shinitshi his hardest fight... but she's also thinking deeply,she is taking deep breaths... she's enjoying the moment... not because of the exciting fight... but because this place snapped something in her mind...what she sees...smells...and feels... it's different…"
*Reika is having two conversations in her mind at the same time...and she's focusing on both of them equally!*
Reika (in her mind):"He's going to attack right...then from above...he cuts me again...I attack him... he's injured...I attack again before the magic heals him…"
Reika (in her mind):"That's so beautiful...I wish this moment lasts forever...I wish they were with me today... they?"
Reika (in her mind):"He's beginning to crumble,I think that his blood pressure is extremely high...I can use that...I am going to attack his neck...he dodged it... but it's a double attack...I am going to stab him...he changes the direction...I drop him on the floor with a surprise attack…"
Reika (in her mind):"Who are "they"? Why am I happy?...why am I fighting?...I am fighting for the Great Master...he is my savior... but I never felt this happiness before... it's...warm…"
*Shinitshi's eyes are bleeding...the connection isn't stable anymore*
Shinitshi (in his mind):"Please, Diana... please,my body... just one more minute...I can finish this…"
Reika (in her mind):"I knew it...he can't keep this state for too long... now he is weaker...I should finish him... for The Great Master…"
Reika (in her mind):"I don't wanna hurt anybody right now...at this moment... just this moment...I want this feeling to stay with me…"
*Shinitshi is losing a lot of blood...his eyes are slowly switching from purple to normal*
Shinitshi (in his mind):"This is my final attack...I know you can hear me Diana... let's trust each other... like last time... like always…"
*Shinitshi throws two blades at Reika, but she dodges them like she's dancing coldly... like she isn't fighting anymore…*
*Shinitshi runs at Reika and tries to cut her neck,she dodges again,he throws another blade at her leg but even that didn't work…*
*Shinitshi uses his final blade to attack Reika directly…that's his final hope... but Reika finishes everything...she took the blade right from his hand...it was easy for her…*
Rieka (in her mind):"How can I describe this feeling... it's like I am flying... it feels like... freedom…"
*Reika looks at Shinitshi in the eyes... he's still fighting...he still believes he can survive...he has a goal to achieve...he has people who love him and he wants to live for them…*
*Shinitshi is screaming,his eyes are glowing for the last second he got left...he holds Reika's weapon trying to grab it in a surprise attack... but she is holding it tightly...she didn't let go…*
*Reika looks at Shinitshi like she's trying to understand him*
Reika (in her mind):"Oh... he's still here...I wonder...why is he fighting?...I want a reason as strong as his...I want to feel what he feels…"
Reika (in her mind):"When should I finish him?... should I finish him?... it's an order from The Great Master... but I don't want to do it...I want...I... want?"
*Reika sees an illusion of The Great Master and her parents... it's so real for her... it's more than an illusion…*
The Great Master:"Take My hand, Reika... remember... you are a good gi-"
Reika's parents:"Stay with us Reika...we love you!"
*Reika felt like she really should choose, but before we discover her choice...she goes back to reality*
*Shinitshi tries to push Reika into the volcano in one last despaired move*
Shinitshi(in his mind):"I am sorry... It's impossible...I am too slow... Master Rieka is going to-"
"This one moment that felt like the Shinitshi's final loss felt like centuries of deep thinking for Reika…*
Reika (in her mind):"He tries to push me with my weapon...I can dodge his attack... block it...or even take it and survive... but...I don't want to...I want a little break...yes I want...a break from life...from pain…"
*Reika surprises Shinitshi...she takes his attack willingly and falls... Shinitshi can't believe what he's watching...he can't understand…*
*Reika is falling into the volcano... everything is so slow…*
Reika (in her mind):"Yeah...I don't wanna fight anymore...I think I need to apologize...I am sorry, Great Maste- no...I am sorry...Mom...Dad…"
*The tears are flying out of Reika's eyes*
Reika:"This is so... peaceful…"
*Reika takes a look at the sky for one last time…then she closes her eyes…*
*Shinitshi is on his knees breathing heavily...he is sure that he lost...the connection is over... Diana woke up...she saw everything through Shinitshi's eyes…and she felt what he felt…the two of them are having a minute of confusing processing...a minute of silence... Shinitshi didn't let go of Reika's Bo Staff, it's hot... but slowly cooling down…*
*Meanwhile at Aetheria/The Great Master's room*
"The Queen of Aetheria is laughing quietly...a sarcastic laugh...she felt the fight through Diana's magic...and she didn't believe she would survive…"
"The Great Master is thinking quietly,he feels like something is odd... but he smiles a little bit... because he feels like there's more fun in the future."
*Later at the Four Legendary Guardians Secret base*
*Kaien is alone in a dark room...he wears two metal gauntlets...a tear drops from his eye on one of the gauntlets...he closes his hands strongly... he's ready…*
The End of Chapter 9:"Inner Peace"
Next Chapter:"Quiet Times"