The Will to Protect

“Use this power well,” the spirit’s voice said. “For this fight, I’ll let you be in control. But after that…your body belongs to me.”

Dark energy welled up in the pit of Yusato’s stomach. The magical aura around him turned murky and his skin slowly transition from its usual olive color into a pitch-black.

The white its eyes turned black as well and his irises shifted into a dark red. Spikes popped out from his shoulders and a back. His teeth morphed into sharp fangs. And his newly formed tail lashed at the ground.

Yusato stared down at his black claws. He could feel the dark power inside of him surging even more. This was power beyond what he had when he fought the dragon. Even that…was nothing in comparison to this.

“This is the power of the Spirit of Darkness. Enjoy it while you can.” And with that, the voice receded back into his mind.

“Yusato…” Azalea crawled on the ground, trying to reach out to him, but she struggled due to her wounds being too severe.

“The Spirit Call, huh?” Nix tilted his head in amusement. “Alright then, let’s see what you’ve got.”

He bolted off the ground, magic swords in both of his hands. Yusato ducked out of the way with ease, slamming his tail into Nix’s face.

Smashing his fist into Nix’s jaw, he let out a blast of dark energy.

Nix rolled and flipped across the ground. He used his hand to brake himself. While leaning forward, he summoned forth another bow and arrow. He shot it forward as it pierced the air.

Yusato caught the arrow in his grasp and shattered it. The sparks of the magic energy danced in front of his eyes. Yusato shot off his feet, dark matter cloaking his figure.

Lances and spears flew through the air and were met with Yusato’s black tendrils. They struck right through the weapons and into Nix’s body.

Nix grabbed at the tendrils with his magic coated hands. His face contorted in fury. Any composure he had before had been all but lost. “You’re starting to become a real nuisance, you know that? How dare you interfere with the Black Moon’s code.”

“I don’t care,” Yusato said, the wind at his back. “Your little group has always rubbed me the wrong way anyway. I won’t let you just go around killing whoever you please.”

Nix clicked his tongue. More sword shot up from the ground as Yusato evaded every last one of them.

A swirling ball of dark energy formed in Yusato’s hands before he launched it forward. It collided with Nix blowing him clear across the grass.

Nix opened and closed his fist a few times as he raised it to the sky. Then, a gigantic pyramid composed of his magic formed above Yusato. “Then, I’ll just have to pierce right through you.”

“Yusato!” Azalea screamed out. “Stop it!” Her lips quivered as she sunk her face into her arm. “He’s right. I did betray them. This was the deal I agreed to. It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay.” Yusato held his sword at his side, keeping his back to Azalea. “He’s going to execute you.”

“You shouldn’t be risking your life for me like this,” Azalea muttered into her arm. “Why? Why are you doing all this? I’ve been keeping tons of secrets from you. You shouldn’t trust me at all.”

Yusato took a deep breath as the pyramid closed in on him. “Because you’re like Mira.”

“Don’t compare me to her…”

“I never turn away from someone who needs my help. No matter what.” He raised his sword and pierced through the bottom of the pyramid.

A massive dark light overtook it and shattered it apart into a million tiny little pieces. The bits and pieces fell down from the sky like rain, all the while Yusato glared at Nix. “I won’t let you die, Azalea.”

Nix’s jaw dropped and his eyes shook. “He destroyed my pyramid…There’s no way.”

Yusato ran forward and swung his sword at Nix. Nix met Yusato’s sword with his own magic blade. They slashed at each other again and again. The darkness around Yusato’s sword continued to accumulate with a hiss.

Both of them kept up their intense back-and-forth, refusing to give the other any leeway.

Dark geysers sprouted from underneath earth, rupturing the ground. They shot Nix into the sky. Yusato fired off a frenzy of dark magic balls at Nix as he flew through the air.

Nix came spinning down and black tendrils grabbed onto his legs, yanking him to the floor.

A magic hammer appeared in Nix’s hands. Yusato caught in his grasp and tossed Nix behind him. Black spikes shot up from the ground, nearly impaling Nix’s body.

Nix rolled across the ground and then kicked himself up. More blasts of dark energy fired out from Yusato’s palms as Nix ran across the field. Holes formed in the ground.

Nix swung a flail towards Yusato and he swatted it away with his blade. In a blinding speed, Yusato launched forward. He swung his sword at Nix, and it cut deep into his shoulder. Blood spurted out from the wound.

Yusato clasped his hands together and a massive swirling black sphere formed around him. Waves formed in the lake behind them. The grass withered and the trees blew around wildly, nearly lifting off their roots from the sheer force of it all.

Grunting, Nix tried to force his way forward, but as he did so, it ripped and shredded his clothes to pieces. Still, he pressed forward, blood spraying out from his body.

As Nix got close to the outside of the dark barrier, Yusato’s sword shot out, striking the man right through the chest.

Nix’s body fell limp, his tattered cloak falling on top of him.

Yusato stood over the his fallen enemy, his eyes sunken and hollow. He took in a few deep breaths and then started to walk over towards his friends.

“Yusato?” Mira blinked her eyes open. She got up and made her way up to to Yusato.

Yusato notched his head Mira’s way. “Mira? So, it is you.”

Her eyes widened in shock as she saw his face. “I don’t believe it.” Clasping her hands over her mouth, tears welled up in her eyes. “Is that really you? Raidos?”