Aching Heart's

Miyaura silently stood, the heat waves around her body would be easily visible to Aisellia who stood quietly behind her. With a deep inhale Miyaura brought her hands to her sides, and began holding her breath. Soon allowing the burns on her body to begin rapidly healing before Aisellia's eyes. A bead of sweat dripped along Aisellia's face as she looked beyond her friend to the trail of slain demons Leiliana left while fighting ahead. The goblins around them appeared to ignore them, charging for Leiliana who took the complete aggro of the horde. Several heart-pounding seconds passed before Aisellia's eyes caught sight of a massive dirt cloud rising above the collective body mass. Even without seeing it, she could even hear the sound of the boom of the attack. Quickly stretching her hand forward, Aisellia yelled.

"NOW MIYAURA!"

On command, Miyaura released a deep slow breath, at its end her eyes finally opened. Revealing a crimson color to her eyes and surprising even Aisellia, an azure blue/black aura which appearance resembles that of a flowing fire around her body. Miyaura took a step, bending her leg and leaning forward, her hands reaching behind her. The flames began to burst from her hands, quickly enveloping Aisellia in the flames of which made Aisellia quickly cream and flinch before she slowly came to realize it brought her no harm to her, only continuing to burn on the ground around her. Analyzing her arm Aisellia watched as a tiny flame burn on her arm.

"It doesn't hurt?"

(The flames are a manifestation of his demonic energy. A demon's energy is their will. The stronger their will...the stronger their sin, the more powerful it could be. In high concentration, it can become visible to the naked eye. She's maintaining it with her own will. They won't harm those it's meant to protect.)

The azure flames spewing out Miyaura's hands were accompanied by the flames beginning to intensely spew from her entire backside. Further embracing Aisellia in its protection while explosively propelling Miyaura forward with an even greater speed Leiliana used to break the enemy lines. The flames ferocity left behind a blazing trail as she traveled through the path Leiliana had cleared. Quickly coming upon the woman herself, down to a single knee staring off against the enemy. Suddenly Leiliana's eyes widened greatly, feeling a jolt course through her body. Time slows to a near still as her eyes shifted sideways, catching glimpse of Miyaura passing her trailing ablaze of flames. Its light illuminating her very eyes just before she as well became enveloped in its flame. Meanwhile, Miyaura continued pushing forward breaking the rest of the way through the horde. The Captain quickly shut her eyes attempting to brace for the flame.

"What? It doesn't burn?"

She questioned as she calmly opened her eyes once again, being surprised by the result. The screams filling the air lead the woman to hastily analyze her surroundings, seeing the flame continue to burn around her and more notably setting the goblins who drew too close ablaze until they were eradicated. Looking behind her she could see the clear fiery path left behind making an easy route back to Aisellia. Leiliana could not shake her state of shock, looking back in the direction the demon girl went, already further ahead leaving a trail of goblins writhing as they burned out of existence. She could only stare for several seconds before she was able to calm down, unable to hold back her smile as she lifted herself onto her feet. Her body exhausted and sore she struggled yet still proved able to walker her way towards Aisellia through the flames. The ties in her hair falling out led her hair to fall freely down her back. Taking step after she could only chuckle to herself for a moment.

"You were right Sifu..."

She muttered, blood starting to leak from inside her mouth.

"As you liked to say. The truth lies within life's most curious mysteries. Maybe I'll live another day to continue my quest."

Leiliana suddenly began to fall forward, slamming the Angelo into the ground to catch herself as she suddenly began to cough up blood onto the ground. Her faint smile still present, she glanced at the weapon in her hand.

"So this is the price for a human to use a relic of the Angels? If the stories of their existence are true, The Slayers of old must have been truly remarkable to wield these. Even in death, I continue to learn how strong you must have truly been."

She said to herself, wiping the blood from her lips, and began moving forward once again, using the Angelo to support her weight.

Miyaura would be charging ahead, breaking out the other side of the horde, and made her way towards the massive entity of darkness. She glanced up to the demon, seeing its head lowered, its eyes appearing to be menacingly spectating her. Averting her eyes she looked forward once again, seeing a few muscular demons of different color variations from the red demon Leiliana had slain prior. Allowing one foot to plant into the ground, breaking its surface. She launched herself forward, the flames further enhancing her speed.

"Out of my way!"

Miyaura twisted her body into a spiral, the flames following her rapid rotation allowing the appearance similar to a drill. With ease she drilled through their weapons before drilling through the chest of the last one. Ending her spiral once she exited through its back. Pulling her arms behind her, again propelling herself forward, drowning all of them in a blanket of flames. She only focused on what was remaining in front of her, the great entity itself. The two now within proximity, the massive figure began moving, its large hand slamming onto the ground having the intention to predict the girl's path and simply crush her yet just before its hand touched the ground. Miyaura brought both legs up to her chest immediately forcing them into the ground, launching herself upward toward the demon's head, the flames pushing her upward. Unfortunately, its large size held no burden to its speed. Drawing her fist back and throwing it upward but to her surprise, the demon's other hand blocked her attack.

"Haaa!"

She screamed, her fist colliding with the demon's palm yet she did not let up. The flames continued to push her intensely against the demon's palm which held enough force to hold her back, attempting to crush her yet their opposing forces failed to force the other back. Miyaura winced at the sudden painful surge going through her body, gritting her teeth through the pain.

(I can't lose! Everything is over if I can't win. I-I can't lose anyone I love ever again!)

Memories of her with Aisellia, Karna, Remi, and Angelia began flashing through her mind. Soon following memories of Leiliana, Eleanor, and Shingen. The trail of thought moved more rapidly as the faces of the people of Orion.

(There are people who can't even fight against these monsters to even protect the ones they love.)

Quickly a memory of Elaine visualized in her mind, remembering the words of her friend.

"Even with all the misfortune going on, it could never shake my faith in you Miyaura. Even without strength. You really saved me with your friendship. Your kindness allowed me to smile again. I believe nothing could keep you from protecting smiles everywhere hee-hee!"

Elaine ended with a smile. Miyaura's eyes ended her memories and opened her eyes once again, her anger visible in her facial expression.

"I won't fail anymore!"

She screamed, the sudden emotion caused the flames to cease spewing and explode from her back, pushing her with great force, which caused the hand of the demon to begin being pushed up. Unleashing a loud cry of determination, Miyaura yelled and quickly tore through the demon's hand, sending her high skyward above its head as its hand was blown clean off force the flaming attack. The flames seemed to cease as her body appeared to slow its ascent. At the peak of her height, Miyaura lightly turned her body, going limp in the air. A vision of Aisellia and Karna came to her mind, bringing her a peaceful smile, her eyes slowly closing, her body exhausted evident by the flames around her dying out. Suddenly her eyes opened, to her surprise hearing Aisellia's voice somehow from their great distance.

"You can do it Miyaura!"

Miyaura slowly turned her body towards the demon below her, gaining her intense glare of anger once again. The flow of emotions causing the flames to explode from her back. Once again sending her descending from above the figure with incredible speed. Performing a front flip on her descent, she lifted her right leg high above her head. The demon's remaining arm moved upward to once again block the girl's attack. Miyaura's heel came down with incredible force against the demon's hand. Creating a shock wave, its effects creating a great gust of wind to blow over the battlefield, reaching far enough to even cause Leiliana's hair to flow in the breeze. Miyaura's push continued, the flames shifted from her back to erupting from the soles of her feet adding more force and pressure. Unfortunately from the opposing force, the flames only blew backward, enveloping Miyaura in the flame itself. Although the intensity did not harm her, they began to burn away at the clothes she wore.

"I WON'T LET YOU HURT MY FRIENDS!!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs. The size of the flame suddenly increased greatly, gifting her the power to obliterate the demon's remaining hand. Not letting up Miyaura immediately rolled herself into another heel drop, this one aiming for the demon's head. It having no more defenses, Miyaura let one more scream escape her as she fought through the pain, intending to deliver the final blow.

Aisellia stood leaning forward, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"You can do it Miyaura!"

She screamed, seeing her friend having effective attacks against a demon of even its size, seeing the flames of her attack burn brightly in the night. She could only watch as Miyaura fought on, clutching at her shirt in suspense. It was then something had caught her eye, the goblins stopping their march in the other direction. Shock overtook Aisellia's senses as she witnessed the goblins stopping in place, and began mutilating themselves with their weapons. Their blood quickly formed a collective pool of blood where their bodies would drop. Leiliana could see the same, witnessing the goblins piercing their own bodies until they fell dead.

"No..."

Aisellia watched in horror, lost for words at what she was being forced to see.

(Oh no... a blood ritual.)

"Ritual?!"

(A person or demon dominated ends their own life, allowing their soul to be absorbed by the dominant.)

"T-that thing is getting stronger?!"

"AISELLIA!"

Hearing her name being called prompted Aisellia to look forward, seeing Leiliana using her staff to support her weight as a walking stick. Even at their distance, she could see the amount of pain the captain pushed through, struggling to walk.

"Run now! Its power is stabilizing!"

Leiliana yelled out.

(Shit...)

"What?! What does that mean?!"

(Lesser demons exponentially outnumber the amount of stronger demons in our world, a demon that powerful was summoned with a blood ritual. If what that woman says is true...then the entity you see is only a partial manifestation. The summoner must have screwed the ritual.)

"Does that give us an advantage?"

(It did. Physical attacks would not have harmed it, it's essentially an apparition. The flames Miyaura is using demonic energy manifested, still capable of enough damage to harm it.)

"....You....said...did?"

(...If it stabilizes...its soul and body will become one in this world. I...I think you should heed her warning...)

"I've stayed up until now! It's been dangerous from the start, there is no difference now."

(...You're wrong. Now we face a being of highly destructive capability and a threat to humanity itself. A Superior classed demon...)

Miyaura's heel merely inches away from the massive entity's face. She allowed the flame around her to intensify at the point of contact, yet just as the attack almost connected, she missed. Her eyes widening to the sudden disappearance of the dark figure. In her confusion, the remaining flames extinguished themselves as her kick simply swiped through the air alone.

"What?!"

She questioned only before she felt all the energy and stamina drained from her body at once, causing her to go limp in the air once again. Unable to move her body Miyaura fought to stay conscious, evident by her struggle to keep her eyes open while falling to the ground.

"No...what...happened?"

Miyaura muttered to herself, unable to stop her free fall towards the ground.

"Can't...move."

Continuing her free fall, her eyes could only see the sky and moon above her. Moonlight reflecting off her eyes. Becoming close to the ground, something entered her sight, eyes shifting to the side so fully see it just before she would have hit the ground. Miyaura's lips separated but before words could escape her, time seemed to have frozen in that instant. For she now stared into the eyes of a humanoid being yet from its appearance alone, she could tell instantly it was no human. Staring right into its very eyes as it did the same to hers. In that instant, she could see a smirk on the beings face. Suddenly Miyaura's eyes fired open, all of the air being pushed from her lungs and out her lips, unable to even see it coming, the creature's palm had been thrust-ed forward, striking Miyaura's stomach. The impact began pushing Miyaura back but as its palm withdrew itself from her body, the air around them began forming a vacuum effect. Explosively sending the girl on a high-velocity flight path down her own flame trail formed en route to the demon itself, creating a small sonic boom as she left his hand. Her body traveled much faster than the rate she used to clear through the horde, the air pressure from her flight path extinguishing the flames that kept the demons at bay.

Leiliana, seeing Aisellia a distance away yet still in sight, continued to struggle to make her way closer to Aisellia. Without warning the sound of the sonic boom. Immediately peering over her shoulder and quickly sending her into a state of confusion.

"It's gone?! Did she-?"

She questioned, no longer seeing the massive figure of darkness. Immediately her mind began processing the demon's disappearance, in a quick flash that even her eyes couldn't keep up with, seeing Miyaura's body zoom past her. The young captain's eyes returned looking forward watching Miyaura's flight. She could only watch in disbelief as even at her distance she witnessed their hopes fall in their one-shot strategy. It being their only chance at victory. Leiliana's body froze as a dark chill overtook her. Initially hesitant, she hastily turned to look behind her, finding herself staring at the being directly in the eyes of the demon. Having only the slightest of seconds of recognizing the form she knew was the demon. Taking her off guard, she began to realize the longer she looked the more distance that quickly came between them, being pushed by the demon as well. Sending her soaring through the air just as Miyaura did with both quickly approaching.

The demon, sending Leiliana on her way left his hand extended in front of him, letting his hand rest limping.

"????? ??? ?? ???"

From its fingertips, a light purple mist fell from its hand. The mist raising the bodies of the fallen goblins to animate with motion back up to their feet as the risen horde of the mutilated undead. Aisellia who could only stand in disbelief as both of their flight began to slow as they came closer. Miyaura's eyes were barely able to be held open while Leiliana held hers tightly shut to brace for impact. As an alternative to a painful landing, she was able to feel she was no longer soaring through the air.