Now That's What I Call Magic!

The best description I could come up with for Yahime's [BESTIAL TRANSFORMATION] was a hulking hedgehog made of black gooey fluid. Unlike transformations in shows, it was more horrifying than cool and if I'd met Yahime in such a form I was sure I would have crumbled to my knees and wet myself. I think some of the villagers did just that.

"Oh, I have to have you now," Ajax grinned. He'd been just as shocked as everyone else at the initial transformation, but shock had quickly transformed into hungry desire.

The two beasts, one shadow and one man, clashed into one another like brawling bears. The shock wave threw the rest of us mortal back and the ground cracked and trembled at the duo's feet. They were locked in a tight wrestling match, with black spines stabbing and hard steel slashing at every opening.

"We need to help her!"

"And how would we do that?" Lucinda said calmly. "None of our weapons can touch that man and getting between them would be suicide."

I hated to admit how right she was. Would I have been able to help if I'd chosen to use Shiro's daggers rather than a spear? I doubted it. Not even Yahime's claws had worked. Then what?

I closed my eyes, sifting through Aurelie's memories. Even if I didn't have an idea, she might. Her memories weren't the only thing I'd gained from my dreams; I'd also gained knowledge of the world I would have never had access to if I'd relied solely on my knowledge of Royal Hearts.

[EARTH MAGIC]

Just like Yahime's [BESTIAL TRANSFORMATION], I had to try. I'd had no luck besides simple shifts of the ground despite knowing the incantations Aurelie used for her advanced magic. She'd been classified as a mage type in Royal Hearts, and had been the highest ranked student at Orattvis Academy.

I have to at least try.

Opening my eyes, I held my hands up. I still had the snapped shaft of my spear in my hand and I focused my mana into it making it an improvised catalyst. That was the first step. Next, the incantation.

"Blood of Kiboterre, lend me your power and grant my wish. Pointed and twisted, be my hand and pierce my foe! [EARTH LANCE]!"

My heart sank when nothing happened.

The ground rumbled beside Yahime and Ajax before bursting open. A spinning spike stone shot out and drilled into Ajax's side. The tip pierced his exposed skin and threw him off balance and black spines joined the stone spike turning Ajax into a pincushion.

"You cheeky…" The giant of a man coughed. Blood trickled down his chin and he spit red phlegm onto the ground.

The temperature of the air ignited from the bellow of rage the man released. He kicked Yahime away, slamming her into a nearby tree. Then he ripped my [EARTH LANCE] from the ground and threw it. Not at Yahime.

I stared blankly, my mind and reflexes too slow to react.

Yahime. She'll save me. She always saves me.

This time, my faith was unanswered.

The [EARTH LANCE] pierced my stomach, throwing me back and pinning me to the wooden wall behind me. It didn't hurt, most likely because of the shock. I tried to breathe, to push it out. Even if my strength hadn't faded, it would have been useless. I was going to die.

Again.

***

Yahime's body struggled to rise. The human's kick had been heavier than a boulder and despite her best efforts, Yahime's body refused to respond to her commands.

Yahime. She'll save me. She always saves me.

Kyomi's voice echoed in Yahime's head, pushing her to rise. Kyomi needed her. Her family needed her.

"We'll take care of one another, and protect one another. Understand?"

kyomi

The Dusk stumbled to her feet. The power that had coursed through her was gone. It didn't matter.

kyomi…

She searched for her human amongst the animal people. She'd been standing with them, hadn't she? Was the giant human in the way?

"Just like that? I forgot how easy it is to kill you magicky types."

The man threw his head back, laughing. How was he still standing? She'd made sure to target the spots that made it hard for humans to move. Kill?

Yahime's white eyes flared.

Kyomi was stuck to the wall by a pointy stone. Why wasn't she moving? Why was her body floppy like…

kyomi?

She searched for the connection with her master, the bond that allowed her to understand Kyomi. It was always there, flowing with feelings Yahime had only recently begun to understand. Why was it so quiet?

ALERT

PACT WITH AURELIE HAS BEEN BROKEN

Pact? Yahime didn't know the word, yet she understood it on a fundamental level. It was the bond that made Kyomi her family. Broken?

An uncomfortable feeling similar to the one she'd felt after killing the animal person in the forest welled within her. Fear? Guilt? Kyomi had explained those emotions to her. They didn't fit. Then what?

"kyomi…"

She had to ask. Kyomi would know. She always knew.

With her body finally moving properly, Yahime flitted to Kyomi.

"kyomi? hurt?"

The human didn't answer. One of the animal people was speaking. Gone? No, Kyomi was in front of her. She was touching her. She must have been sleeping. The human often did that. She always slept after fighting.

"Aw, look! Her pet is worried about her! Little late for that, ain't it?"

PACT WITH AURELIE HAS BEEN BROKEN

Broken. Blood.

Dead?

Not dead. She could feel it. But soon.

Thick fingers wrapped around Yahime's head, yanking her back. She was flying again. She didn't want to fly anymore.

Landing on her feet, Yahime brandished her claws. The big human was already charging forward, his weapons swinging. She knocked the first swing away, but another came right after and buried the metal into her arm. The black limb fell to the ground. She clawed back, digging her fingers into his skin again. Why wouldn't it work?

Was it the red smoke coming off him? None of the humans she'd encountered had ever been red. But they did all fight with weapons.

The human struck again, this time aiming for Yahime's neck. If she lost her head, would she die like other creatures? She couldn't afford to find out. Kyomi needed her.

Kyomi had put weapons in her. But none of them had hurt the big human. The pointy sticks Kyomi used had broken when she poked him. The animal peoples' flying sticks had bounced off.

The weapon appeared in her hand without her realizing it, stopping the big human's weapon before it could hit her. It didn't look like it had when Kyomi had put it in her. Then it was shiny and sparkled. Now, it was the same color as Yahime. It stole the color of the human.

She mimicked how he had swung his weapon and he cried out when his arm fell to the ground. Why? Her arm had fallen off, too. He could just put it on later.

Later. If he puts his arm back, won't he just hurt Kyomi? But killing is bad. But all the humans and animal people kill. Is it not bad?

Yahime couldn't be sure. Something inside of her didn't want to be bad. Being bad made people angry. But if she could protect Kyomi…

She swung her sword again, this time aiming at the big human's neck like he had hers. He tried to stop it with his weapon. It didn't work.

He fell to the ground. He was holding his neck and it looked like he was trying to put the blood back in him.

"W-Wait! I'll leave! Me and my boys will never come near Stonewood again! Just let me go!"

"you hurt family… hurt kyomi…"

"I'm sorry!" Water dripped from the big human's eyes. He was trying to crawl away.

The sight made Yahime's chest feel like something was going to jump out. She hated it.

Would it go away if she killed the human?