To be Like Her

After getting to the shrine, the true scope of the situation finally hit me as countless cryptids rampaged through the Temple.

The expanse of the blood and gore laid before mixed with the dirt and rubble to make a portrait that should only be considered a depiction of hell itself.

“Why is this happening?” I asked, looking up at the elven woman.

“It’s most likely a gate breach. Where is your gate guardian?” she then asked. “Her name was Shino, correct? This should have already alerted her.”

I have only read about these events in books, but not once did I consider I would be in the middle of one.

These gates lead to other worlds and many have civilizations that rose and fell before ours came to be. I knew little about cryptids, just the fact that they exist on the planets of these fallen civilizations. It’s the whole reason gate guardians exist, to prevent them from crossing over.

“Hey are you with me?” Ann said, pulling me out of my daze.

“Uh yes, Shino sensei is this shrine’s gate guardian, but she was just on the training grounds. She should be here by now.”

Knowing Shino, one would expect her to deal with an issue like this fairly quickly, but things had already progressed to this point.

“No matter, we will just have to hope she gets here, but in the meantime, let’s find the main evacuation group.” Ann said as she sliced through a birdlike cryptid with her dagger.

We arrived near a group of people preparing to leave, they were deep in battle. Ash filled the air as countless corpses of dead cryptids rapidly faded into nothing. Echoing cries of both friend and foe, together with the restless ambient mana, caused my skin to crawl. Weapons and claws cut through flesh, sparks flew, bodies fell into the mud and blood became on with the earth once more. It was nothing but carnage on both sides. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. It was simply everywhere.

Students and teachers alike kept the cryptids at bay. An older monk then approached me, his cloak flapping loudly as he closed the distance. His face scratched and battered, his hair wet and messy.

“Atsumi, where is Shino?” He asked. “Of all people, she is the one that’s missing.”

His name was Tatsun Kinzoku. He was one of the martial arts masters at the shrine.

“Master Kinzoku, I don’t quite know where she is,” I stated.

Another bald figure sent a cryptid rolling off into the distance as he sped towards us.

“I sense an ominous presence behind the gate,” said master Semi.

“Damn it, either way, we need to get out of here. There are too many of these things here,” Kinzoku replied.

We gathered everyone into the cart and headed down the mountain. The more elite fighters from the town ran alongside the cart, keeping the cryptids at bay. The cries of cryptids and yokai alike echoed through the crimson forest as they clashed. It didn’t feel right to sit still in the safety of a cart while others fought desperately to get us to safety. I had to help them. I got up and put my hands on the edge of the cart entrance, but an arm grabbed mine and pulled me back into my seat.

“Where’re you going? Please remain here. I can’t allow you to leave this cart,” one attendant named Mitsuo said.

“I’m just as strong as those out there. Why can’t I fight?” I said, pulling my arms away from him.

“As an attendant of Master Shino I can’t in good faith let you go out there,” He said, his grip getting tighter.

“Then I won’t go too far. I’ll stay by and protect this cart.”

He bit his lip while looking outside the cart, his features contorting into a grimace.

“Fine, I’ll come out with you, but no leaving my side.”

Countless of these abominations charged the carriage, although things started pretty badly. I can see we were gaining ground. I cleaved through the smaller cryptids, trying my best to keep pace with the battle going on. The stronger attendants and students kept the stronger cryptids occupied while we cleared out the stragglers.

“Keep going, move the injured to the cart and those on standby take their place,” Master Kinzoku yelled as he battled with one of the fiercer monsters.

His earth magic was exceptional and fit his rigid fighting style. Being a Yokai already gives him an advantage over most other races, but his experience in battle only added to his capabilities.

Ms. Anne was using her arrow to shoot down any flying cryptids that came near.

A boar cryptid charged the carriage. It was attempting to knock it down, making haste. I dashed in front of it and used petal strike. The boar, being unable to avoid the attack, got sliced in two.

“The fog is thinning,” yelled one attendant.

That was relieving to hear we could finally get out of this. I was already beginning to feel the negative effects of using so much mana.

That hope was quickly slashed as three figures appeared from the fog.

At first, I thought it was people coming to rescue us. It was then I noticed the size of the three figures. They towered over us, and their forms were that of pure muscle. Muscle that was then protected by spiky bonelike armor.

“Up ahead, 3 humanoid Cryptids,” yelled master Kinzoku.

The towering, headless beings came in like a tsunami. One had a sword and two held giant axes. Even with the lack of a head, two white burning orbs floated where eyes would normally be. They went straight for the carts, slaughtering anyone who got in their way. Body parts went flying as they cleaved through the opposing shrine attendants. I stood still, unable to move. My body tensed up as I watched this horrifying spectacle. The urge to vomit overwhelmed me and I heaved while falling to my knees, but nothing but bile came out.

The 3 masters of the shrine, including master Kinzoku, engaged the cryptids, while the others gathered those who could not move, including me. I didn’t even notice that I was being dragged by the attendant, who cried out for me to get up.

“Help,” a scream echoed from behind me. It was an injured woman, her leg broken and bloody.

She had just climbed out from beneath the wooden planks that built the destroyed carriage and worse, I could see another figure approaching from the fog. It was another one of these humanoid cryptids. Although it was much smaller and lanky, it still held the same uncontrollable bloodlust its brothers had. It spotted the woman and charged her at that very moment.

I don’t know what spurred me to get up at that moment. Maybe it was the thought of that woman getting disemboweled by that thing, but I was on my feet almost instantly.

I sprinted to intercept the cryptid. It was fast, way too fast. It approached the woman at blistering speed, dead set on killing her.

Come on faster

Wind enveloped my body as I glided through the air and on approach to the Cryptid, I aimed my sword for its torso. Only after piercing the cryptid had I realized how light it was and because of that, we both went barreling down the mountainside.

………….

When I came too, I was at the bottom of the valley near a river. The fog down here was thicker, and I did not know how to get back up. A noise to my right alerted me to the thing I had knocked down into the valley. Wasting no time, it was on top of me in a matter of seconds.

I dashed to the side, unsheathing my sword and using sacred sky blossom petal strike.

Five quick consecutive strikes that extend my range of attack. Wind blades sharp enough to cut through bones sliced its arms clean off.

The cryptid then swung its arm in my direction. The force it carried was enough to shatter a nearby tree. Its rubber-like arms stretched and twisted as it swung them around madly. Barely able to avoid its attacks, my chest felt heavy and my skin burned. I was nearing my limit.

This cryptid seemed to keep up with me in speed. My low stamina wouldn’t allow me to draw this out. I needed to get rid of that thing quickly, so I gathered mana around my body and began chanting.

Oh, brilliant mana born of sky and clouds, you who smite with a flash envelop me - thunderbolt cloak

The cryptid furiously flung its arms around to pin me down, but in this state, I am much faster than usual. The Cryptid swung its arm horizontally. I ducked down and in finding an opening, sprinted for its other arm and slashed it off.

Now it’s over

Its primary method of attack foiled I prepared to end it with the next attack.

But alas, reality wasn’t so kind. The moment I turned around, the cryptid then let out a shrill scream. I covered my ears as a gust of wind pushed me back. The force was so strong I had no choice but to lower myself to not get blown off my feet. Its body began vibrating as it cried out in pain. It ripped its own flesh apart, while bones snapped and readjusted themselves. I stood in awe as a gaping maw burst out of its stomach.

I could not believe what I saw next. It was absorbing the ambient mana and had regrown its lost limbs. It then raised its arm, which bulged and glowed a bright fiery red, and then smashed the ground in my direction. I Prepared my retreat moving as far back as I could but it was too little too late. The resulting explosion echoed throughout the forest and blew me off my feet, burning my hair and charring my skin.

After catching my fall, I could sense its quick approach. I quickly drew my sword to retaliate, but it was already within range. Using its second arm, it swung at my abdomen. I blocked the attack with my sword, but the resulting impact was enough to send me flying several meters. My light body shot through the air before colliding with a tree several meters away.

Searing pain behind my head, my world was spinning. I rested my back against a tree while I tried desperately to not fall unconscious. My Katana had slipped from my hand and lay a few feet away from me. I tried getting up, but the numbness in my legs made it difficult to move. Patches of red stained my vision, and a warm sensation flowed over my face.

The cryptid approached me, taking its time. Not too long ago, it hastily tried to end its prey, but now it slowly approached me as if relishing its victory.

Mana burn now clear on my body, I sat there unable to move a muscle.

This was nothing new. My body was too weak for prolonged battles. Most of the abilities I had gained could only be used a few times a day and if I tried to go over that limit, severe mana burn would take root. There were also moments when my mana would go haywire. I’ve even heard some attendants tell the younger ones to stay away from me, as I could lose control at any moment.

What’s the point?

No matter how hard I try, no matter how often I train my body, nothing has changed

Even though humans are a weaker species when it comes to using magic. This is just too much.

No one would even tell me what was wrong with me. They just kept me here, watching from a distance.

Will I die here, locked up in a place where no one wanted me around?

Memories of my mother replayed in my head. Stories of great heroes in days of old, her adventures through Gaia, ancient wars that scared the lands. The friends she made along the way.

Memories of days she would help me with training.

“That strike was too shallow. Go again.”

“But I’ve tried it so many times. Are you sure I can do this magical art?”

“You don’t have to doubt yourself so much. I know you can do it. Maybe a more advanced technique should encourage you,” she said, getting up.

“No, you should be resting.” I replied.

“You worry about me too much. I can assure you I’m still able. Even though I’m not in great health, willpower is all it takes. The same applies to you, my little darling,” she said as she bent down to touch my nose with hers.

Dying here wouldn’t matter, but I still had things I wanted to do, places I wanted to go. I wanted to make friends, to have my own adventures. To be like her.

So I forced myself to get up.

I willed all the muscles in my body to obey me, no matter how heavy I felt. My head was still spinning, and blood was pouring over my eyelids. But that didn’t matter. My checklist has too many unfinished tasks, and nothing will prevent me from getting them done.

The cryptid charged me once again, so I ran towards my Katana while dodging its rubber-like arms.

I then closed my eyes and recalled the moments my mother went through these steps with me.

“The sacred sky blossom technique encapsulates the lightness and flexibility of wind while retaining the erratic and lethal nature of lightning, for what you lack in power, you make up for in speed and efficiency.”

“For this move, firstly gather your mana into your feet and arms, focus your visions on the area you want to go then release the tension and dash ahead, unsheathing your blade simultaneously.”

*Sacred sky blossom spring bloom*

I dash ahead at speeds that I have never accomplished before. My focus narrowed to the cryptid’s legs. Everything else around me was a blur. In one swift motion, its bottom limbs were gone, the cryptid still unable to register what had just happened.

“Then crouch your body, gather wind mana to your legs, once more twist your body and spring up in a rising motion.”

*Sky blossom technique fragrant updraft*

I lift the monster into the air, a swirl of petals surrounding us. Still unable to fight back, the monster flung its arms wildly once again.

“Like the branches that dance through the canopy of the forest, move through the air, wind and lightning magic by your side.”

*Sacred sky blossom Treetop waltz*

I move through the air, wind and thunder magic guiding me. Blow after blow slash after slash, I cut through its flesh relentlessly.

“Then like a lightning bolt that reaches for the ground on a cloudy day, smite thine enemies with the wrath of the heavens,”

*Sacred sky blossom Raging Thunder Sakura*

Pouring all the mana I could in that moment. I brought down my Katana upon the humanoid, crimson lightning raging all around us. I felt as if my mana channels were about to explode as I applied more and more pressure. Both me and the cryptid went crashing to the ground, the impact sending waves of pain through my already exhausted body.

Even after this, the Cryptid had not relented. It hardened its arms and blocked my sword from reaching its body. I forced more of my mana into my arms, dumping everything I had for this one strike. If I didn’t do this now, surely I would die.

“JUST DIE ALREADY YOU DAMNED MONSTER!’’

The monster in return mimics my desperate scream with its own howl, as if it feared for its own life as I did my own. I continued pushing forward, not giving an inch. I just needed a little more, and this would all be over.

Then, by some miracle, the sword sliced through its arms. With the sound of a thunderclap, its body disintegrated, lightning tendrils still dancing through the air as they celebrated my victory.

I looked up into the sky. The fog was still thick overhead; the last words my mother spoke to me after the demonstration replayed in my head.

“Well, that’s how you do it. You must learn all the intricacies of these techniques to near perfection before you even consider incorporating mana into it, so do your best, OK. I’ll be here with you all the way.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

Oh, right, I need to get back

Before I could take a step, the recoil of using too much mana came at me in full swing. My muscles gave out, and I collapsed to the ground. I crawled to a nearby tree and laid there. Unconsciousness now taking over, I relaxed my body and embraced the coming darkness.