Maiya rolled her eyes. “Uh, huh. Sure.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll find a way out of it. Together. I’m… I’m strong now. Strong enough to keep both of us safe.”
“I know,” Maiya said quietly. “The way you Leaped up here? I didn’t want to distract you, so I didn’t say anything before… But that’s impossible, Vir. No Talent wielder moves that far. If that’s any measure to go by, I can’t even begin to imagine the gains you’ve made.”
Maiya bit her lip as she said that, though Vir failed to notice. He was busy retrieving his katar, though doing so just reminded him of the chakram Ekanai stole.
Vir popped to his feet and held out his hands, helping Maiya up.
“If you thought that was impressive, check this out,” Vir said, firing off a Katar Launch Barrage. Deadly arcs of prana blasted out of his blade one after another, so thick with prana they became visible, even to Maiya’s eyes.
The Prana Blades ripped deep gashes in the grass as if ravaged by a giant claw.
It was the same Talent Kamna used against him in Daha, just thrice as powerful and with about a dozen more blades.
He looked back to see her jaw hit the floor.
Prana Current flared and Vir allowed a trace of his accumulated prana to seep out, forming black flames that burned off his skin.
This time, Maiya fell on her butt, pointing comically at where his strikes had landed.
“What the grak, Vir!” she stammered. “What the grak!”
Vir grinned. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I can only do stuff like this in the Ashen Realm.”
Mostly, he didn’t add. The immense prana reserves in his body allowed him a few full power blasts regardless of where he was at, and Prana Current ensured he’d be able to regain what he lost, though perhaps not immediately.
Vir looked forward to testing his powers against the challenges faced by the prana-starved Demon Realm. Despite the setbacks he’d face, he was confident his gains in the Ash would give him an unfair advantage. Assuming, of course, they made it out of whatever this surreal place was.
Maiya shook her head. “This is all just karma, isn’t it? Compensating for the lack of prana you had to live with your whole life, isn’t it? I’m happy for—!”
Vir Blinked to Maiya, nearly smashing into her as he grabbed her by the waist before Blinking away.
If he’d been just a second slower, Maiya’s head would’ve been cut clean off.
And standing where she’d been just seconds earlier was none other than Reaper Ekanai, twirling Vir’s Artifact chakram with a wicked grin.
“Enjoy your little reunion?” a raspy voice said. “I hope you said farewell. No? A pity. At least you will die together.”
79ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Vir didn’t wait for Ekanai to finish his speech. Blinking to the demon as he emerged from the ground, Vir unleashed a Katar Launch at point-blank range. The disc of pure black prana blazed out, so thick it became visible. Ekanai was far too close to dodge.
Then a raging torrent of Ash prana flowed into the demon’s chest. His tattoo glowed, and Ekanai leaned and twisted slightly away. The blade passed by with less than an inch to spare.
What was that?
Not only had Ekanai dodged a blow that should’ve been impossible, Vir’s own chest tattoo had never glowed with prana like that before.
Ekanai showed neither fear nor excitement. His movements had been so casual, so easy, as if preordained that Vir’s attack would miss.
Alright, so you dodged one. What about a dozen?
Blinking to Ekanai’s back, Vir tapped into his body’s prana reserves to fire a Katar Launch Barrage. Blades of pure black prana erupted from his katar, all bound for Ekanai. Vir even altered his aim, firing several where he expected Ekanai might dodge to.
Except, when the blades reached their target, the ghael was no longer there.
A clang sounded from nearby. Vir whipped his head to find Maiya with daggers raised in an X guard, blocking Ekanai’s strike.
Dance of the Shadow Demon.
Vir’s heart nearly stopped as he shoved prana into his legs, Blinking once again to close the gap.
“Don’t you dare harm her!” Vir roared. His momentum sent him hurtling right at the demon, but like his previous attacks, Vir missed.
Maiya’s, however, did not. Her blade struck his face, drawing a line of red across the demon’s cheek. A superficial wound, but significant, nonetheless.
Nice one, Mai! So he can be harmed!
Vir’s optimism, however, was short-lived. Ekanai’s wound healed before his eyes as the warm glow of Yuma’s Embrace lit up his tattoo. It was one of the two Panav Ultimate Bloodline Arts Cirayus had mentioned, the other being Ultimate Sacrifice.
He watched in horror as Ekanai flew into a rage. His attack slipped past Maiya’s guard and plunged into her abdomen. She wore no armor, but with the prana coating Ekanai’s blade, Vir wasn’t sure how much it’d have helped anyway.
Maiya didn’t cry out in pain, or even wince. Despite her injury, she swiped again at Ekanai, using the opportunity to deal another blow.
Her blade, which Vir was sure would hit again, missed as Ekanai bent his head back at an impossible angle.
Her dagger passed right in front of his throat, drawing a trickle of blood.
Pride bloomed in Vir’s chest, even as his heart clenched with worry as he rushed to her side.
She really has come far.
Even without her devastating magic, she was capable of fighting—and wounding—a beast like Ekanai.
You once saw her as dead weight, Vir thought. Can you truly say that now?
It made Ekanai’s aggression toward her all the more confusing—whatever motivation the demon may once have had was no longer relevant, but Vir didn’t have time to dwell on that. He rushed to her side, keeping a wary eye on the demon, who twirled his own Artifact chakram menacingly. It was as if his predecessor was telling them he could kill them at any time. That he wasn’t even close to wielding his full potential.
The truth dawned on Vir. Ekanai’s prescient dodges. The glowing chest tattoo. The way he seemed to slip like water around all attacks aimed at him.
Clarity. The Iksana’s Ultimate Bloodline tattoo. Cirayus had explained it as a limited ability to see the immediate future before it happened. He’d also mentioned how nearly impossible it was to fight against someone with that ability. Only the Third Eye Chakra would give Vir a fighting chance. Without it, he was dead meat.
After all, how could anyone fight an enemy that knew what you would do before even you did? It was a truly unfair advantage.
Maiya hurled a dagger at Ekanai, who casually deflected it with his katar.
“Are you alright?” Vir asked, snapped back to reality by her attack.
Maiya forced a smile as she pressed on her wound. “It’s not bad, and you know me. I’m no stranger to pain. This is nothing next to—agh!”