A Light and another little girl

So casual, so small... Is she a kid like me?

No. She couldn't be. What am I saying?

"Cease your low-brow farces, you court jester. Hmph. You're even dressed like one."

"Huh? I think I look MIGHTY fine."

That only soured his expression.

"Stop this carnival of trivialities. You're noisy. I have a job to do."

"Big big words from such a small, small man, Ouroboros."

Ouroboros. That's his name? Cool and all but-

I strained against the snakes binding my arms and legs to no avail.

At the very least, she caught him off guard.

"My name has spread through this dimension that quickly?"

"No." She smiled wider. "I just know it. I know a lot actually. And I like knowing more."

She let her head fall to the side as she pointed at me.

"Like you. I see you! You... thing."

She circled my direction with her long, clawed fingernail.

"What are you actually?" she asked.

Truthfully, my attention was planted more so on that finger than anything.

"I'm not really sure either," I answered.

"Eh. Not that it matters. Now Ouro. Humour me."

"...Go on."

"I have a thrilling option you could work for!"

"Your choice of words already failed you. I work for no one but myself."

"Hold on. I haven't even presented the reward. Think of... think of the power!"

"A thing significantly weaker than me offers power with a straight face. Hmph. Shoo already. I have business here, and you won't be stopping it."

"Yeah. I couldn't. Right?" She shrugged. "I'm only a Watcher. But..."

She revealed a sigil on her stomach.

"I know who could."

Obviously, I had no idea who that was. But Ouroboros spoke for me.

"Apollyon?"

"Theeeee one and only!"

At first, he almost staggered at the name.

"Apollyon... is after me?"

"Now. Need to ask again?"

The snakes vanished, which made me fall on my face....For the briefest moment, Ouroboros looked beyond me. Not toward the Watcher. Beyond her.

Then he took a deep, long sigh.

“Leaving already?” I asked.

“Do not mistake patience for retreat. Heal. Grow. Convince yourself you have changed.”

His smile returned.

“I would rather break you when your will is strong. And trust me. I see you have plenty to break.”

Just as slowly as he came, he started to ascend into another hole in the sky. And with him, he took the scarlet sky.

I'm learning many things today. Many names. Many words.

To circle back though... Break me? I thought he was here to break Paul. No. What is there about me to break?

"You know, I don't like you very much," the Watcher stated.

Back to reality. I flashed my staff back into my hands. My worries clearly weren't over yet.

"An enigma. For a human to exist fully within the bounds of the veil... no one has reached that level of power.""And yet, here I am."

"Exactly. Isn't it baffling? How you haven't imploded or faded into non-existence? Are you even human?"

I'll keep things honest.

"I don't know."

"You don't know. When has that ever been enough?"

"It's more than enough."

She paused.

"Not a talker then? So be it. I won't beat around the bush, Girl-thing."

Girl-thing?

“You don't fit within the constraints of my knowledge. And keeping secrets, holding power without my knowledge... that's very unfair.” she said, almost shrugging.

"That said, it also means..."

She raised an arm.

"You're fair game."

Two short, stubby Ash Wizards shot out from behind her, one on either side. Between their outstretched hands, ash compressed into a shrieking black sphere before they launched it straight at me.

I held steadfast against it, as the Watcher laughed. But when she rushed in, I had to drop my guard against the energy ball to deal with her directly. Sparks flew around us as I parried a flurry of her clawed swipes.

Distracted, I lost track of the sphere. I barely managed to knock her back, pivoting just in time to bat the projectile away, but instead of deflecting, it seamlessly split in two.

"Huh."

Both sides now weaved separately, attempting to dive at me in succession. Barely, I was able to parry them with hasty, targeted twirls.

After repeated attempts, I batted both to either side. I could spot the wizards, floating centimetres from the ground, now swaying.

I was free for only a second, sidestepping a lunging slice from the Watcher, and parrying two blind follow-up swings without even turning my head. Then I swung my staff back at her twice, which she could only avoid through ducking. Then she caught the centre of my staff, and snapped straight through it.

"There goes your magic stick," she sneered.

I couldn't help but grin. I opened both of my arms as the two broken halves flashed into them. Twirling them alternately, I dashed right at her.

"Hmm..." She was able to narrowly avoid my following cuts, and even attempted a counter swing of her own. I dodged that and was able to parry the second attempt, causing her to stumble back.

I didn't chase. I waited for her to regain her balance.

"Hey, are you done yet?"

"Trust me, I'm just getting started!"

I'm glad that riled her up. I would've taken another step forward, but I quickly had to throw myself to the side. The orb had exploded where I stood just seconds earlier.

"Damn it, guys, I practically forgot you were on the field!" she gasped.

It wasn't a sizable hole. Almost enough to startle me. Those stupid Ash Wizards.

Wait a second. What about the other hal-

Oh. That's... more than I remember.

I landed with a roll and scuttled across the hard earth as fast as I could as continuous balls of energy rained down behind me.

The sound of the onslaught stopped. Using my fingers to skid to a stop, I summoned one part of my staff and launched it with a beautiful burst of white wrapping behind it. But as it crackled through the air with boom after boom, I heard another sound. This time, a faint shatter. 

Before I could survey the area for glass acres near, a thin line in the sky before me answered on my behalf.

Quickly, the fracture split open, gobbling my projectile, sealing itself seamlessly and cleanly.

"Don't... forget.. about me!" she panted.

So SHE took my staff piece. Interesting. If I focused in school, I'd definitely know what that ability was called.

"Hey... I wouldn't stare."

Dang it.

BOOM!

I could hear the ground sizzle. The onslaught was rapid, but judging by the hole in the ground I lay in, the impact was deep.

No cackle from behind. She's still recovering. The other ones...

Damn it! My vision blurs! It's just a little bit of damage. Nothing 3 smacks can't fix. Focus, focus, focus!

There! Still up in the air.

Well, it's nice to know that they can float. And... taunt? What is it doing?It. Only one of them is swaying side to side in the air. The other... riveted to the spot.

Which one is the one I'm looking for? Only one way to find out. Time to test something.

My hand flared...

And the gobbled piece was back in my grip."

Hey! How come... you get to do that? That's so unfair!" the winded Watcher barked.

Still winded? Lame.

"I don't disagree..." I shrugged, tearing ahead with enough speed to leave a shaped cloud behind me.

An impressive amount of strikes rained before me, but I was able to deftly dodge a few. When I had threaded enough to exhaust it, I leapt straight up with both halves locked firmly in my hands as I spun vertically.

"Take this!"

The momentum carried me through a bisecting cut, past one of my targets.

My nimble feet touched the ground, and I began to steer my speed once again as the still wizard slowly split and vanished in a puff of Ash.

Just as I hoped, the other one was befuddled. While one dances, the other replenishes their power.

If I wasn't occupied with the Watcher, I would have done it earlier. They're sitting ducks after each recharge. Double bombing doesn't work, which is why they had to alternate! 

Meaning our good friend here, is out of energy.

"What's wrong? Couldn't recharge?

"It's not going to answer back anyway.

"No worries."

Without missing a beat, I slapped the broken ends of my weapon together. A bright gleam enveloped the wood, merging it instantly back into my trusty staff.

"Catch!"

With another pretty white boom behind it, I threw my newly wedded staff faster than the creature could react, bursting it instantly.

"What is... going on?" the Watcher uttered.

I hadn't stopped running either. I kept moving, summoning my staff to my side again, as I pole vaulted into the air above her.

"Incoming!!!!"

She barely scrambled clear of my falling slam. Whatever her ability was, she was awful at using it. She's drained her own energy!

"Wait! Stop!"I drove the staff upward in a punishing arc, smashing right through her guard and throwing both of her arms wide open. In quick succession, I spun the staff downwards in my arms and thrust straight forward at her exposed center.

I felt her body fold around the wood, the sheer force lifting her feet slightly into the air.

Before she could recover, I willed the staff to vanish and turned, driving an elbow strike into the exact same spot. The secondary blow sent her back, sending her skidding violently across the rough ground.

"Right then."

I tucked my arms back behind my cloak as I strolled towards her.

She tried to push herself up, but her midsection was now completely incapable of holding her own weight.

"Am I still fair game?"

"What- what the hell are you?"

Enough with the questions. I drew one arm from my cloak, my staff flashing back into existence in my palm.

"I've told you already," I said, pointing the tip at her face from afar as I closed the distance.

"I don't know."

"You can't kill me!" she babbled as she continued to struggle. "I'm Apollyon's! Apollyon! You hear? Can you hear? Why can't you hear?"

But as I prepared to strike, the ground beneath her glowed softly.

Sudden softness. I really thought I had it here.

I quickly made some distance. A transformation? More allies perhaps?

It was neither. While the panic never left her face, the glow simply shimmered. The sheer intensity forced me to cover my eyes.

And just like that, she was gone.

After a fight, there's a brief peace that follows. When the adrenaline masking your pain wears off. When your thoughts stop racing at a million wiles an hour.

That kick. That very first kick, that I couldn't percieve in the slightest. It's unlike anything I've felt thus far.

I felt my side. As my breathing slowed, I noticed the knife in my throat had only become more jagged.

And that thing is after Paul?

Paul, Paul...

PAUL!

Aw man, I forgot again!

With my hands still tucked away, I swiftly made my way back through the hustle and the bustle of the Damascus afternoon, leaving a trail of whipping wind in my wake.

I could ponder. I could get enveloped by the many scenarios my mind has masterfully made. But the simplest solution is to get there as fast as I can.

I was a little too fast. In a matter of minutes, I slammed head first into the heavy wooden door. I was able to control myself to the point that I only left a dent.

Ow...

No. I only have time, for one more bated breath.

-

Golden warmth, sweet like the Sun on a cold morning. There was nothing like that present. 

There were no fuzzy feelings or ongoing competitions.