Xtal

~~~ Memory ~~~

"I wish we could've met in better conditions."

~~~

I'm so over with all of this. I don't know what to feel anymore.

"Tarik, where are we going?"

"We're almost there. We'll be able to hide for the night."

This is all very weird. There isn't anybody on the streets. If we did attack, it would've been a victory.

Is Tarik this incompetent? 

We get to the largest building. A temple. Tumbled many of these.

Huh?

Oh hoho.

"We meet again! Fire Sword!"

"This shall be the last one. Third time is the charm!"

FWOOSH

An arrow? Coward. 

Omar can take care of that one. We're still two on one.

HUMP

What? 

Cold metal piercing my skin … From behind? A sword? Was Tarik also taken down? 

It hurts.

Lean foward. Hands on ground. Rising kick motion, aiming the handle of the sword. 

Take a look at my assailant.

"What? Tarik? What are you doing?"

"You've been out of it, Daniel. You're too young, too impressionable. You believed José's words. I can see into your eyes that you want something else. So I've decided: You were a martyr on the other side, you're one step away from being a martyr up here too."

Traitor. God Damned Snake. 

I won't be able to fight much longer with a sword stuck on my back. I'm already a bit dizzy. 

Turn. 

[Prayer to Fúria — Partial]

Strengthen legs. Leap as the Jaguar. Start with the lady — less experienced.

Her sword on her right hand. Pointing at me. Swinging down.

[Pointed Wrath]

It bursts into flames for larger range. I already expected. Dodged right. 

TSK

It hits the blade sticking from my belly. Still time for a last impulse. A flying kick into her chest. She flies. Crashes into the temple wall.

I'm bleeding too much. Tumbling to my knees. 

HUFF

Blurry vision. Breathing is harder. The air is wetter.

HUFF

Pulls the sword from my back. The blood is gushing.

"Long Live the emperor Daniel."

A warm rain. I feel his sword entering my neck. It blocks my breathing.

I'm not dead? Go for a heel kick. Jaguar legs. He also flies. 

I take out the sword. No need to play safe. 

[Tear from another world]

There is an enormous droplet, dripping. 

It is raining so warm. So comfortable. What is the name of this feeling, this sense that you don't want anything bad to happen to that other one person? Reminds me of José.

Cannot think about words now.

They are also back on their feet. Flanking me. 

Tarik turns Jaguar and leaps. Fire lady swings horizontally.

Block the sword right in the center of the movement. Push my wrist forward and her sword's tip upward. Roll to her side. Jaguar falls into the blade. 

My sword is too hot. Rain is still healing.

Kick the lady to create some space. Stretching. 

Pointless to attack with this thing pouring. 

They notice it too. 

I stretch my shoulders. A stalemate? 

No. They are circling for a better position. I have to attack. 

Jaguar legs. Leap forward. Slash horizontally — got her throat. She grabs her neck. Bad instinct, bad training. 

Use the space she created on her left side to hide from Tarik's leap. He tries to swipe with his claw. I crouch, and he launches her far away, opposite to the temple.

Jaguar hands and arms. I send him in the same direction. 

The tear bursts. Results up until now: They're not flanking me anymore. The temple is right behind me. The positioning battle was mine.

She leaps from the ground. Double slaps to her own face. Stretching.

I point my sword forward. Step back, into the door to the temple: A choke point.  

She takes her sword from the ground. Slowly. Her expression is dead. Her body loose.

[Relentless Vengeance]

Hahaha. Now that expression I love. Fúria incarnate.

She leaps into my position. 

I'll dodge and she'll impale herself. 

CHINK

Someone stops her sword.

Black hair? Who is this? 

"Sally! What has gotten into you?"

She hastily lets go of her own sword.

Is the Fire lady's name Sally?

Sally swings at her. Doesn't seem to care about her at all. 

She dodges while rolling and getting her sword back. Moving it from one hand to another.

"Sally, try to get Daniel out of the church so I can go all out on him — If you cannot, it is alright, I might use this girl's weapon."

Sally doesn't seem to have heard him either. She was advancing before and continues doing so now. So violently at that, my sword pierces her armor and then her flesh to get to me. She impales herself and then swings at me with full force. 

Jaguar head. Still a huge impact. My head shakes. I can taste and smell my own blood. 

Too dizzy. Turn back human. Even dizzier. 

She keeps swinging at me. I dodge back. My sword is deep into her. And dodge to the side. It is all I can do. And Dodge back again, and right. 

She hits the benches in each swing. They catch on fire. She walks over it. Continues swinging. 

I try dodging back while kicking the sword. It slashes her. 

How is she still not dead? 

I look into her eyes. 

Hahaha

I see. 

HAHAHAHA 

Dead eyes with rage. 

Now that is what I was waiting for.

Let's fight fire with fire, then? Shall we? 

Concentration. The ground is rumbling. There are lots and lots of people who want to participate!

[ Happy Life ]

Hands sprouting everywhere. Some catch on fire. Some catch on fire and holder her feet. She cuts their hands off, but it isn't enough. They keep going. 

She is so blinded in rage that she didn't even notice she is already dead. She is the true priestess of Fúria. Demha would be so proud. 

Let's finally settle this, José. Which one is truly the best. A happy life or a Fúria's death. Hahahaha