To be a Wielder - Part 2

Instinctively reacting to Kiru's warning, I lift up the sword, positioning it in front of me, hiding enough of my body behind the flat of Kiru's blade at an angle, and reinforcing the blade with my left hand against the flat surface facing me, to help absorb the impact. However, it was all for naught.

While I manage to succeed in blocking the shot fired, I was not prepared for the impact it would have, not just on me but also on Kiru.

As the shot collides with the flat of Kiru's blade, an overwhelming force of the impact throws me off my feet. The shock of the impact reverberates throughout my body, Kiru's voice echoes deafeningly in my mind, akin to a scream of agony mirroring the pain coursing through me.

My back collides with the ground and I bounce off of it, the pain coursing through my body reaching it peak, all while Kiru's agonised scream continues. Even as I collide, then slide across the ground, grinding to a halt, my only thought is, 'I've never heard Kiru scream like that.'

I let out an agonised exhale, followed by a desperate inhale. Although Kiru's scream has finally ended, her silence only intensifies my concern for her condition. I don't get the time to though, as I look to where the shot came from to spot a small flash from the tree line, behind the bandit leader.

Fighting through the pain, I shift my body to the left, rolling away from where I was a moment ago, dodging out of the way as the ground explodes into a cloud of dirt and grass from the impact of the second shot. Though the pain is beginning to recede, it remains a struggle for me to do anything, even as I manage to rise from the ground.

After rising to my feet, I hear another shot from my right. Throwing my body backward, I feel the force of the shot as it flies past me, hitting and collapsing the base of the outcropping near the Slytzar controller. With unsteady footing, I make a desperate dash towards the boulder, taking advantage of its natural cover.

Taking cover behind it, I'm quickly reminded of the devastating impacts that hit the ground and outcropping's base. Desperately diving away from the boulder, I can only listen as it is destroyed by a single shot, exploding into a shower of rocks.

Running at full sprint, my heart races as I dash for one of the thick collections of trees, making occasional evasive moves to the left or right as more shots are fired in my direction. I refuse to stop or slow down until I'm completely obscured by the thick brush of trees.

I hear several more shots tear into the trees, however,  none show signs of piercing through all of the trees. I hear the voice of the bandits' leader shouting orders to his underlings, I can't make out the words. Judging from the following silence, his orders had to be for them to hold their fire.

Collapsing against the base of a tree, I take a moment to recover. Gasping for air, I take in as much as I can. Adjusting my gaze to the sword locked within my grip, I twist it to show the side that absorbed the impact from that first shot, horrified to see Kiru's entire right side has been heavily cracked from the point of the impact.

"Kiru, Kiru, are you alright?" I ask in shock at the sight of her damage. However, she doesn't respond and remains completely silent. Reflecting on the moment we blocked that shot, I'm reminded of her mind splitting scream, and the pain that wracked my whole body when she did.

'Did that hit really hurt her? Was that pain I felt actually hers?' Examining Kiru's blade as a whole, I notice how only her right side has been cracked, encompassing about 40% around the point of impact. However, I can't tell how deep the cracks are. 'Damn it, if she takes another hit like that, she'll surely shatter. Please be okay.'

Having recovered enough from what happened, I stand back up, though my body feels like it was hit by a truck. 'That shot. It hit so hard, I might as well have been trying to block a tank shell.' Gritting my teeth in anger, I shake off any further negative feelings and doubts. 

'That just means I can't let them get a shot off. I'm still concerned about continuing to use Kiru to fight, I'll have to opt for using her sparingly, and only when necessary.' With my determination set, I keep my anger in check, charging into the thick brush of trees in the hopes I can get the drop on anyone nearby them.

As I close in through the brush, I hear the female fox woman complaining towards the leader about me. Fortunately, it gives me an opening which I exploit; as I close in on her, the snapping and rustling of the brush around me alerts her to my presence, too late.

She tries to ready her weapon only for an upward slash from me, slicing her gun in two and even cutting open her clothes enough to expose the crevice between her bouncing cleavage. Thrown off balance by my surprise attack, she almost falls over.

Taking hold of her outstretched arm with my free hand, I pull her close to me, swinging Kiru around to position her near the fox woman's neck. Twisting her arm behind her back, I alter the angle of our positions, effectively holding her as a hostage and shield against the other bandits.

The male bandit to our right lowers his weapon, with what appears to be concern on his face, while the other bandits keep theirs trained on the fox woman and I.

"Just so you know, you've made the mistake of pissing me off, so my interest and values in preserving your lives are at a real low point." I raise my voice, shouting across the field to ensure I'm heard by everyone, pulling Kiru's blade up closer to the fox woman's neck to further enforce my point.

"This is your only warning, drop your weapons and surrender now. Or watch as my sword ends what little of a life you have left!" My hostage trembles at the sound of my threat, while the other bandits, aside from their leader, appear panicked and unsure of what to do next.

The tension I'm feeling is so bad; I start to worry about what will happen next. Then the leader lift his arm with an open palm, high into the air, 'Crap!' Dropping his arm and balling it into a fist, my experience tells me that I should expect the shooter in the trees behind him will take a shot at us.

However, nothing happens.

"Hey, dumb-ass. That was the signal to shoot them. What the hell are you..." The bandit leader's words are cut off as a shadowy figure flies out from within the cluster of foliage. Everyone is taken aback by this mysterious new figure as they charge at the bandit leader. With one fluid motion, the figure passes him, and the leader's head soars high above his body.

Our reactions change from ones of surprise to pure shock at what just happened, more so as the figure drops down from atop the outcropping landing directly next to the beast controller. 'What the hell!' I release my grip on the fox woman, who drops to her knees, as we witness the controller split in two from his head to the ground.

I snap back to my senses upon noticing the weapon of our mysterious attacker. I watch as the figure charges at the other bandit, who is shooting haphazardly in a desperate attempt to stave off his incoming demise. 'Once he takes that one down, he'll go after...' My gaze shifts to the guy on my right, who was the only one to lower his weapon.

Weighing my options, I hitch Kiru to my back as the bandit screams his last, and then dash to the last armed bandit, who screams in terror, as two imposing figures now charge towards him. In his terror, the bandit doesn't think to reach for his weapon. I reach him first, stopping at the intersection point between him and our would-be attacker.

Bracing for the incoming force, the figure twists his body, readying his weapon for a diagonal swing. Upon reaching us, I lunge forward, successfully grabbing the frame of his weapon, halting its blade from slashing the bandit behind me. Uttering a deflated sigh of relief, he drops to his knees, utterly defeated.

My hands sting from the impact, and I grunt from struggling to hold back the attacker, until the assailant speaks with an irritated tone.

"Is there a reason you're getting in my way? Osada."