The Typhoon and the Blizzard

“WAIT - WHAT HAPPENED!?”

Kimi said as Kana sat on Kimi’s throne, with Kimi laid on her back, across Kana’s lap. Kimi blinked while she looked up at Kana, blushing, all the while, Akio, in his wingless dragon form nodded, while hovering from his perch on the snow and frost covered mountainside behind the fortress. He’d let Kana have safe passage to bring Kimi back in her dazzled, lovestruck form to the fortress and armory. Kana smiled out at him, before looking down at Kimi as she felt a rush of heat, once again feeling like time had stopped, and that nothing else mattered besides the fact she and Kimi were there, together and in an ever-deepening sense of love. 

Kana stroked Kimi’s hair more, humming as she did so, and thinking about how to actually answer what Kimi had asked her, considering that she was rather distracted by the fact that she was feeling such a rush of due to being with Kimi in this manner, one of those fortunate, monetary times of idle relaxation. 

“Well, I embraced you in a first kiss after you proposed battle plans - and thus we mixed business and pleasure! After just one, meaningful kiss - you fainted, and so I bridal-carried you back here, and the wingless dragon that rules over your fiefdom granted me safe passage accordingly.”

Kana said as Kimi stretched slightly, relaxed across Kana’s lap, both of them still in their tight-fitting, elaborate armor. The sakura blossom pink and bright white of their respective armors’ main colors complimented in aesthetic, their shared affection and comparability. Kimi couldn't muster any words, all she could do was smile up at Kana and blush, taking in the fact that even though this moment wouldn't last, and that the march towards the War of the Realm would continue - she could at least enjoy this moment as long as it lasted. 

“I don’t want to get up from lying across your lap on my throne - but I have to go face the Slayer King in the fiefdom of volcanic ashen sand and the beachhead.”

Kimi said as she blushed, as Kana stroked her hair more. Kimi held onto Kana's sides as she bit her lip, trying to consider the weight of what she had just said - still coming to terms with the fact that she was eighteen and having to go off to fight an actual battle, in another world, with actual magical powers involved via enchanted trading cards! Kimi then sighed, steeling herself to take on the destiny had been thrust upon her. 

Kana smiled, and with a surprising amount of strength - and also thanks to Kimi’s petite size - lifted Kimi in a bridal carry position carefully, setting Kimi down with grace as Kana herself also stood up. 

“Now - go and attack. I’ll be fine getting back to my fiefdom.”

Kana said as she pulled Kimi in once more for another kiss, which caused Kimi to blush and smile. 

Less than an hour later - Kimi was standing before a few tight, rectangular formations of Common Folk inside the cleared ground area of the armory, within the fortress’ walls.

“We’re going to preemptively attack the fiefdom of the beachhead with the volcanic ashen sand. Outside of worlds in other card games video games like this world - though it’s clear that it’s no longer a game since we’ve been transported here - well, I’ve never dealt with this kind of a situation. I’ll do my best for all of you, because you know that you’ll return to the world that we came from, and you’ll lose your memories of this place if you don’t survive.”

Kimi said as she tried to put on a brave face, looking out at her tight, mass formations. They all carried those same swords that were identical to hers, save for having colorless accents instead of colorful, and being un-enchanted instead of enchanted. 

“But - I hope that this will help.”

Kimi said as she pulled out a Sorcerers and Slayers card and showed it to them, with the card stating:

Storm of the Armored Spring - Effect: Grant simplified, and otherwise duplicate armor to the Slayer Queen’s formation. This card and effect can only be used once before a battle commences.

Kimi waved the card in front of them as if in a swift slashing motion - feeling compelled to do so - as a flash of frost and sakura blossoms materialized and coated her formations in a blizzard of sorts, before disappearing and revealing that they now also had tight fitting, lightweight, but hardened armor. The newly armored Common Folk marveled at it, yet didn’t break ranks. 

Akio, like his wingless dragon peers - would not interfere in the coming battles, instead hovering on the mountain perch as he gazed upon them. Inside, he was confident that Kimi would succeed Akira in the end.

“Now - let’s go to war!”

Kimi said with a bit more confidence, marching with her orderly armored and armed formations. Though she was more scared and nervous than she’d ever been in her life - she knew that she couldn’t show that. For herself, for Kana, for the Common Folk under her - bravery and willpower were the only conduits to success!

Before long, Kimi and her armored and armed formations were at the beachhead - but it was eerily quiet. 

From within the seemingly silent, unmoving fortified mounds concrete encased in volcanic ashen sand and parts of beach foliage - the Common Folk of Minato, armored in sand waited within, as well as under the volcanic ashes sand on which Kimi and her formations stepped. They didn’t dare attack immediately - they wanted to let the invaders become nervous. It was almost metaphorical - the calm of a pacific volcano, the calm of the ocean - calmnesses that so easily hid levels of wrath that few would ever be able to truly underestimate.

“Where are they? Have they given up?”

One of the Common Folk under Kimi said as they advanced slowly in their ranks. There was a pervasive sense of unease among them as they advanced with light, careful footsteps while maintaining their ranks. It seemed that the general mood in the air was one of deep-seated anxiety against the possibility of what was to come. 

“This must’ve been how the Americans felt in 1945, when they first landed on Iwo Jima.”

Kimi said to herself, remembering how she’d learned that the Japanese Imperial Army had secured theater in a vast network of caves, tunnels, bunkers, and other types of fortifications that were described as being eerily similar to this, on the same type of beachhead. 

“BANZAI!”

That was the cry that erupted from within the volcanic when sand covered, hardened bunkers - as evenly sharpened shards of seashells flew out from the bunkers and into Kimi’s formations - with those who were bit by these sharpened seashell shards simply turning effortlessly and oddly elegantly, into flashes of light that disappeared as quickly as they’d come. It was like a flurry and a storm as clumps of volcanic ashen sand flew everywhere, and the overwhelmingly sense of panic swirled around within the hearts and minds of the Common Folk who were under Kimi's command - yet none of them dared show that they felt this way. 

“SPREAD OUT - TAKE COVER - AND KEEP IN SMALL RANKS!”

Kimi yelled out as she hit the ground with a good number of the Common Folk under her who were miraculously still in this other world. As she looked over the small, packed mounds of volcanic ashen sand that had formed, she pulled a card out that she’d taken with her - one that she figured would be useful. She then took a breath, surveying the situation and determining the best course of action for both how to proceed in the immediate moment, and how to achieve victory in the coming battle. 

Flame Wave - Effect: Allows the Slayer Queen to summon a wave of flame once per battle.

As she pulled it out, she noticed the sand moving towards her and the Common Folk under her - and sensing that these movements in the volcanic ashen sand were more advancing enemy Common Folk, she acted without hesitation!

“STAY BEHIND ME!”

Kimi yelled to those under her command, as she sprang up and made the same diagonal-horizontal slashing motion with the card that she had before, thus activating its terrific effect! 

Before Kimi and her Common Folk - a massive wave of pink, white, and red flame washed over the volcanic ashen sand before them - as numerous flashes of light emerged from the sand, with the volcanic ashen sand being turned into a natural glass that glinted in the sun! The now-glassed surface glimmered in the sunlight, which was accompanied by an eerie, temporary stillness. 

“BREAK THE GLASS IN ONE SINGLE STRIKE!”

Kimi yelled to her armored and armed followers, as they reformed their ranks, and then slashed the newly formed glass in perfect unison!

“CCCRRSSHHH!”

The now glassed ground of the beachhead went as more flashes of light emerged from it!

As Kimi turned to congratulate the Common Folk serving under her as her followers, the points of an elaborate trident were thrust at her, and with almost no time to react, one of her Common Folk jumped in its path to shield Kimi. 

“Strategy, tactics, and superior intellect will always defeat superior force in the end!”

Minato said as he recoiled his enchanted trident as another flash of light appeared before Kimi. Kimi motioned for her Common Folk to stay back, carefully stepping back onto the now jagged, glassed beachhead Minato expertly willed his trident like both a spear and a staff!

“I’m going to survive and win to find a way to free everyone and restore their memories! Therefore, I can’t let you win!”

Kimi responded with adrenaline fueled vigor - like Minato, she’d inherited the powers of the original character that she’d created and thus appeared as!

Kimi struck and parried, and struck and parried more in a fortuitous flow and pattern - adding thrusting motions with her ornate, enchanted sword in there too. Yet soon enough, Minato performed a perfect m backflip into the ocean - then holding up a Sorcerers and Slayers card before Kimi and those on the jagged, glassed beachhead:

Fury of the Roaring Ocean - Effect: Allows the Slayer King to transcend his human form to become the true fury of the ocean with a roar greater than most! 

With a singular slaving motion in the air to activate the card’s effect - its cryptic text soon became all too apparent! Minato formed into a deep blue, sea foam green, and white typhoon - headed right for Kimi and her Common Folk!

“NO! I WON’T LET YOU!”

Kimi yelled out at the enchanted typhoon as she then pulled out and activated another one of her Sorcerers and Slayers cards: 

Winter’s Wrath - Effect: Allows the Slayer Queen to call forth a storm of relentless snow and a deluge of sharpened spikes and shards of ice temporarily.

Kimi then performed the activation motion as swiftly as ever - sending a freezing storm and winter blast right at the enchanted typhoon that was Minato - freezing him in place! 

“NOW! ALL TOGETHER!”

Kimi yelled out in command as her still numerous remaining Common Folk formed up in even ranks on both sides of her - and then in unison - they unleashed such a powerful slash that a red, pink, and white aura formed as their blades hit Minato as the now-frozen enchanted typhoon simultaneously!

“CCCRRSSHHH!”

That was the sound of the shattered typhoon as a great boom and flash of light then followed!

Minato and his defending forces - had been soundly defeated.