Aching Hearts

Miyaura silently stood, the heat waves around her body were now 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 she allowed the burns on her body to rapidly heal 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 suddenly, Aisellia's eyes caught sight of a massive dirt cloud rising above the massive collective body mass. Even without seeing it directly, she could even hear the booming sounds of Leiliana's onslaught. Quickly stretching her hand forward, Aisellia yelled.

"NOW MIYAURA!"

On command, Miyaura released a deep slow breath, at its end, her eyes finally sprung open. Revealing a crimson color to her eyes that surprised even Aisellia. An azure blue/black aura appeared resembling that of a flowing fire around her body. Miyaura took a step, bending her knee and leaning forward, her hands reaching behind her. The flames began bursting from her hands, quickly enveloping Aisellia in the flames prompting Aisellia to quickly scream and flinch before she slowly came to realize the roaring flames brought no harm to her, only continuing to burn on the ground surrounding her. Analyzing her arm Aisellia watched as a tiny flame burned on her arm without causing any pain.

"It doesn't hurt?"

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

The azure flames spewing out of 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 than Leiliana used to break the enemy lines. The flame's ferocity left behind a blazing trail as she traveled through the path Leiliana had cleared. Quickly coming upon the woman Leiliana 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 slowed to a near still as her eyes shifted sideways, catching a glimpse of Miyaura passing her in a trailing blaze of scorching flames. Its light illuminated her very eyes just before she, as well, became enveloped in the flame's protection. 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 enveloping her entirely.

"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 scorch the ground around her and more notably setting the goblins who drew too close ablaze until they were reduced beyond ash. Eradicated until their very essence burned down to dark vapors that vaporized until they were no more. 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 settle her mind, unable to hold back her smile as she lifted herself back onto her feet. Her body was exhausted and sore, she struggled yet still proved capable of walking her way toward Aisellia through the scorching flames. The ties in her hair falling out led her hair to fall freely down her back. Taking a step, 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 base of her Angelo Naginata into the ground to catch herself as she quickly began coughing up blood onto the ground beneath her. The Captain's 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...Sifu"

She said to herself, wiping the blood from her lips. Leiliana began moving forward once again, using the Angelo to support her weight while making her way through the azure flaming pathway cleared by Miyaura.

Miyaura charged ahead, breaking out the other side of the horde, making her way towards the massive entity of darkness at an amazing speed. She glanced up at the towering dark entity, seeing its head lowered, its six red 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, she allowed one foot to heavily plant into the ground, breaking its surface. She launched herself forward, the flame's intensity vastly increasing, 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 into the chest of the furthest one. Ending her spiral once she exited through its back. Pulling her arms behind her, again propelling herself forward in an eruption of her power, 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 itself, the flames propelling her upward through the air. Unfortunately, its large size held no burden to its speed. Miyaura drew her fist back and threw it upward but to her surprise, the demon's other hand blocked her attack.

"Haaaaaaa!"

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! if I can't win...I-I can't lose anyone I love ever again!!)

Memories of her with Aisellia, Karna, Remi, and Angelia flashed through her mind. Soon following memories of her conversations with Leiliana, Eleanor, and Shingen. The trail of thought moved more rapidly as the faces of the people of her village and most prominently, Elaine.

(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 saved me with your friendship. Your kindness allowed me to smile again. I believe nothing could keep you from protecting smiles everywhere if you wanted  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 burst of emotion caused the flames to cease spewing and continuously explode from her back, pushing her with greater force, which caused the hand of the demon to begin being pushed up. Unleashing a loud cry of determination, Miyaura yelled and quickly tore a hole through the demon's hand, sending her high skyward above its head just as its hand was blown clean off from the flaming attack. The flames seemed to cease as her body appeared to slow its ascent. At the peak of her height above the entity, 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, and her body exhausted evidenced by the flames surrounding her dying out. Suddenly her eyes opened, to her surprise hearing Aisellia's voice somehow from their vast distance apart.

"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 caused 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 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 massive 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 powerful gusts created. 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 itself. Having no more defenses, Miyaura let one more scream escape her as she fought through the pain, intending to deliver the fatal blow.

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

"Do it Miyaura!!!"

She screamed, seeing her friend having effective attacks against a demon of even its size, seeing the flames burn brightly in the night. She could only watch as Miyaura fought on, clutching at her blouse in suspense. It was then something 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 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 ceremony.)

"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 is Karna's 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. A Superior classed demon...)

Miyaura's heel was 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 widened at 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 all at once, causing her to go limp in the air once again. Unable to move her body Miyaura fought to stay conscious, evidenced by her struggle to even keep just her eyes open while falling.

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

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

"Can't...move!"

Continuing her free fall, her eyes could only see the sky and moon above her. The moonlight reflected off her eyes. Becoming close to the ground, something entered her line of sight, eyes shifting to the side so she could 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, yet from its appearance alone, she could instantly tell 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 being's 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 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 and 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 it's proximity. 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 prior.

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 entered the captain's ears. 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 could barely keep up with, seeing Miyaura's body zoom past her. The young captain's eyes returned looking forward to 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 directly into the eyes of the demon. Only the slightest 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 her and the demon, being pushed by the demon as well. Sending her soaring through the air just as Miyaura did with both quickly approaching Aisellia's position.

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 raised the bodies of the many fallen goblins to animate with motion back up to their feet as the risen horde of the mutilated undead. Aisellia could only stand in disbelief as both of the women's flights 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.