Shattered Destinies, Part 3

Akagi Shinuwa. Ichiji Ryomen.

Under the light of the blue moon, these two Shamans stood across from each other. One of them wouldn't survive this night.

The air between them was filled with an indescribable tension. It felt alive, vigilant,  ever ready to explode into a million pieces, like the brightest of the New Years fireworks. Ichiji knew exactly why.

Being a Shaman meant, in a sense, “waking up”. Opening oneself to the true realities of the world. Continuously leaving the Body apart from the most vital things, and choosing to refine the Spirit. It was only in this way that one could ever hope to walk the path and channel the Kami. A battle between Shamans wasn’t limited to just the physical plane. Their souls were locked in combat too.

It certainly felt that way for Ichiji. 

At the edge of his vision, he could feel it.

His soul pushing against Akagi’s. He was scared. Scared of not being in time to save his people, scared of his opponent who saw killing as his second nature.

Scared of death.

But he told himself, begged himself, to remember his training. That was the only way to maintain his sense of self in the currents of rage and fear that threatened to capsize his reasoning.

He was angry, but focused. Afraid, but calm. Akagi was stronger. They both knew that, deep down. So Ichiji needed every bit of his power he could muster.

Fighting with anything less than perfect concentration was certain death.

As his focus deepened, his senses continued to expand, filling the world around him.

Ichiji could feel it. Everything.

The air movements around him, the small shift of the snow at his feet. And the dark hole in the world that was Akagi.

He was like a lightless void. Wherever he stood, he seemed to cover and absorb the world itself, pulling it into him. The pain and despair of hundreds massacred came off him in waves. Wisps of red smoke that screamed and cried, vestiges of the souls reaped by the Blood Shaman.

Maybe it made Akagi stronger. Maybe it pushed back against him. Maybe the spiritual battle had begun immediately Akagi appeared, and Ichiji had already lost. Maybe there was a chance for him to survive this night. There was only one way to know.

And Akagi knew that too.

“Here I come, Ichiji!”

With a grin that made Ichiji’s blood run cold, Akagi rushed forward. His right hand was still in the same position as before.

Ichiji’s focus intensified. In that instant, a massive orb of orange flame manifested above him. The radiant heat itself melted the snow on the peak of Mount Kirio.

Concentrated beams of orange flame shot out of the orb from all directions at Akagi. This posed no threat to the boy, however. He danced between

the flames, taking the breath out of Ichiji’s mouth. His footwork…not a foot, or even a toe was out of place at any moment. His entire body was oriented in space perfectly, effortlessly weaving through the flames, not letting even a hair on his head do so much as sizzle. Every movement of his was perfectly measured and paced.

Even with the limited space on the mountaintop, Akagi dodged all the flames with unnatural grace and flexibility.

 Anywhere the flames hit immediately started melting, painting the night in hues of red and orange as the stone floor melted away.

“My turn!” Akagi shouted, consumed by the joy of battle.

He used the same hand seal as earlier. Without warning, blue flames sprouted from the top of his fingers. They swarmed around his arm, cloaking it from hand to shoulder, yet he wasn’t burnt. His flame arm swelled in size as he stretched it towards Ichiji. It covered the distance in an instant, becoming gigantic when it had reached him.

Akagi brought it down with immense speed, aiming to crush Ichiji and end the fight.

But he wouldn’t be outdone like that.

He quickly changed his hand seal. Both his hands were horizontal, his left palm was flat and placed on top of the right hand that had been balled into a fist.

Powerful streams of water burst out from the ground at his feet, covering him in a dome of water a mere instant before impact.

The impact created a cloud of steam that covered the entire mountaintop, reducing visibility to zero.

Akagi was getting more pleased with every passing second. Despite his isolated upbringing, the boy had skill and quick thinking. But what was his plan now?

Akagi’s eyes widened as he realised. Steam was just water in another form. In order to protect himself with water, Ichiji must have channeled Susanoo.

Meaning he could still control the steam, and Akagi was right in the middle of it.

For the first time in their encounter, Akagi felt a sense of danger.

Using his inhuman strength, Akagi leaped into the air, clearing the cloud of steam in one jump.

However, that was exactly what Ichiji was waiting for.

Akagi was the more experienced fighter, despite being the younger of the two. So he would know the dangers of remaining in the steam. Ichiji himself didn’t even know how to manipulate steam, but the possibility was all he needed.

Now that Akagi was in the air, it would be harder for him to dodge even the flames of Kagutsuchi.

Let alone…

Akagi’s eyes narrowed as he saw Ichiji. They locked eyes for a split-second, but there was a difference now. Ichiji’s eyes had no fear in them. The air around him sang as it vibrated with intensity, containing incredible power.

Blue arcs of electricity spiralled around him. The ground cracked under his feet as it began to intensify. A bright, blue aura cloaked Ichiji as the electricity pooled into his hands. His eyes were completely blue, void of any pupils or irises. His voice became the sound of thunder.

His hands were pressed together, the pinky and ring fingers interlocked while the other fingers stood upright. The Seal of Raijin.

“Akagi Shinuwa! The blood of the White Order shall be paid for with your life!” Ichiji shouted. His voice thundered, shaking the air continuously.

Ichiji thrust his hands forward. All the electricity he had pooled rushed out at once, building until it formed a massive bolt of lightning that seemed to shake the world itself. The air screamed with energy as the lightning bolt moved through it, aimed squarely at Akagi’s chest.

Time seemed to slow down for Ichiji after the electricity left him.

His plan had worked perfectly, any moment now and Akagi would be struck by the lightning. He could win. No, he was going to win.

At least, that’s what he thought.

Akagi put his right hand out, formed in the same Seal he had begun the fight with. 

A grin appeared on his face.

What happened next made Ichiji’s blood run cold.

The lightning stopped in midair, just a few inches from touching Akagi. All the magnificent energy froze, as if suspended in time.

Suddenly, the lightning bolt began to shift and twist itself. It rushed forward again, this time pouring continuously into Akagi's outstretched hand, being absorbed until the sky was as dark as it had been before the channeling. In the next half-second, using his entire body as a conduit, Akagi shot the same bolt of lightning, but even faster, back at Ichiji. 

It coursed through the air, taking on the visage of a dragon as it came out of his left hand.

Ichiji had barely processed the godlike feat of Shamanism when the lightning hit.

In an instant, Ichiji’s world devolved into a sea of white. Muscles, nerves and bone alike felt like they were being ripped apart and put back together constantly in the wake of the immense electricity coursing through and burning his body.

His ears rang like drums, ensuring he could hear nothing. Blood poured out of his mouth as even his internal organs took damage, adding to his pain.

Akagi landed just behind him, right arm wreathed in flames. Fear overwhelmed Ichiji as he desperately tried to turn, to get away, to do anything.

But his body wouldn’t listen to him. Akagi’s arm came down in one swift, fluid motion, the flames effortlessly severing Ichiji’s left arm from the elbow downwards.

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!”

Ichiji screamed in pain as he crumpled to the floor. The pain was unbearable.

Blood welled up in his mouth, forcing him to cough it out or risk choking.

“Nooooo. No. Master Gyatso. I need…to help…him.”

With his one remaining hand, Ichiji reached out in front of him, grabbing to anything he could to move himself forward. He was squirming on the floor, bloodied, electrocuted, and barely able to move. His chest rose and fell shakily as he desperately tried to breathe using whatever remained of his lungs.

The smell of his own burnt skin reached his nostrils as tears welled up in his eyes. He had to do something, anything. Master Gyatso…was still waiting for him.

The hard stomp of Akagi’s foot on his back destroyed all of Ichiji’s hopes. This was it. He couldn’t move, he was barely alive. This was truly it.

“How…how did you know? About the plan. About…the lightning?” Ichiji asked.

If he was going to die, he wanted to know. How had his plan failed?

“Hmmm. Well, that’s because I know you, Ichiji. Extremely well. We’re the same," Akagi answered.

“No. You’re a murderer. I’ll never be the same as you.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. Personally, I couldn’t care less about your morals. They didn’t help you beat me, did they? No. What I meant is that we’re the same type of Shaman. What, did you think it was a coincidence that I was able to channel every Kami you were able to? No, Ichiji. It’s because we’re special. You should have realised. We’re not limited, like the others. We’re Infinite. We are…Mugen Shamans.”