10 CHAPTER 9 (1/2)
The four of them were at some kind of practice area. Though, the place looked-like just a huge tennis court without the boundaries of a net.
”Practice area? More like, just a cheap improvised tennis court.”,
as Ira said, while she was looking around the not so extravagant place. They were at the center and there was nobody except them. Yumine sneaked behind Otorine and snatched the black dagger that was stuck to her sash, while Otorine was transacting with the area owner. For some reason, Yumine was feeling deep guilt inside her thoughts,
”I'm sorry for doing this to you, Ori.”.
It seemed Otorine didn't sense nor notice it. As Otorine was done paying through her account, she went back with the group. Sooner or later, Yumine brought out the black dagger from before. Otorine was surprised and noticed just now that the black dagger stuck to her obi sash was gone. She gulped, as Yumine tried to give it to Nassus,
”Here li'l Nassus.”,
Yumine said. Sadly, Nassus looked dumbstruck and he doesn't know what to do with it. He doesn't even know how to wield it. Though, as he kept staring at it, his mind was in a sort of a warping trance. He felt dizzy and he had jolting headaches. Otorine felt worried for Nassus,
”Nassus, what's wrong?”.
Afterwards, his eyes saw the color of bloody crimson dripping from the dagger's body. His mind was hazy and his inner core was feeling the sudden thorns within. He turned to look at Otorine and he saw the rapid images of her being bound in chains, while she was dripping fresh blood from her mouth, such as it was an image of sacrilege to a divinity. For some reason, Nassus was the only one who saw the visions. Otorine felt a cold shoulder, as she saw that Nassus had collapsed on the ground, turning her to shout,
”Nassus!”.
Her heart felt scarred and started to have cracks inside it, as her bond with Nassus had blacked out as well. She was feeling tense and looked problematic. Her pitiful tears were pouring, as she was worried for li'l Nassus. She went close to him and tried to wake him up,
”Nassus, please wake up...”.
Thankfully, Yumine and Ira called for medical assistance through telling the court owner. Afterwards, a white ambulance with wings on its wheels came. Nassus was brought to the ambulance and only Otorine was allowed to accompany him due to his unusual case. Thereupon, only Yumine and Ira were the only ones left at the practice area, as Otorine, Nassus and the ambulance had left. Yumine grinned a sinister smile, since she noticed that something strange had happened to little Nassus that she had already expected,
”Hmmmm...do you think what I think it is? DISTORTED LIGHT GODDESS IRA?”.
The air was swirling in the cold winds, as Yumine started an intriguing conversation. Ira stopped fiddling with her smartphone and she replies with a smile of a serpent,
”Yes, Nassus had seen something from that blade you had given him. Also, you did that on purpose, didn't you.”.
Then, she walked beside Yumine and she proved some kind of insult with her piercing eyes,
”You slimy dark Goddess.”.
Yumine just cracked a smile, as she just accepeted the insult as a compliment. Afterwards, she walked away from Ira, very slowly. Yumine's head was looking down, while she was saying,
”Uh huh...but, I need to do this, in order to make Ori...happy.”.
Ira had stopped delving deeper into the topic, as she had thought of a better idea to kill time,
”Hmmm...say...wanna go for a round?”.
Yumine replies,
”Sure why not...I haven't spar with any Goddess for a while now.”.
Sooner or later, Yumine was at the left side of the court and Ira was at the right. Yumine bloomed her glass pink wings of a fairy, that were letting out stardusts of licorice passion. Not only that, she unsheathed and wielded her sharp rapiers. While for Ira, she revealed her sheets of metal razor wings that would appear horrifying to look at. Her left hand was channeling a ball made out of silver flames. As for her other hand, it was carrying a very short silver dagger that has serpentine curves on its sharp edges, such as it was a weapon used by arabian warriors. The atmosphere turned intense as two overpowered Goddesses were about to waltz into the duel. Ira aimed her dagger at Yumine and she casted out a quick magical chant,
”WEISS FLARE!”.
Afterwards, there was a huge ball of pure white flame that was heading towards Yumine. It wasn't any normal ball of fire, as its intense heat could vaporize anything. More than that, in its core has a bluish wisp that was similar to the form of the brightest stars. Though, Yumine didn't fall short as she brought out her hand and casted,
”RAPHAERA BURST!”.
Suddenly, the sphere of destruction exploded. There was a sound of a catastrophic atomic bomb afterwards. The whole place shook, as the intensity was too strong. The ball of fire that had exploded let out fragments of searing hot firebolts around the place. More than that, there was a burst of huge smoke around the area. The next moment, Ira had emerged from the blanket of smoke. She tried to strike Yumine with her quick swinging furies of her dagger, such as Ira's attacks were like the powerful gales. Soon, Ira had cracked out a menacing laughter,
”Ahahaha! How do you like that huh?!”.
Yumine got cuts and fresh wounds at first but, she was able to block and parry the next ones. Soon after, Ira leap and flew backwards. Though, Yumine seized the opportunity, and lunged at Ira, while she was moving back. Ira anticipated that Yumine would attack her, while she was trying to get the high ground, so Ira shielded herself with her impervious metal wings. In turn, Yumine was blocked by the indestructable iron curtain. Though, Yumine still tried to charge unto the metallic shield very forcefully. As Yumine was trying to penetrate Ira's metal barrier, Ira casted out,
”MAIDEN BURST!”.
The next moment, Ira's wings glowed white. Her wings had pulsed and they pushed Yumine away with their powerful force, turning Yumine to hit the cage-like barrier with her back. Yumine fell down on the ground and she looked-like she took severe damage, as she was letting out blood from her mouth,
”I guess, I've underestimated you, Ira.”.
Yumine cracked out an eager smile afterwards. It may seem they were dueling to the death but, they're just having a friendly rivalry of two highly revered Goddesses. Yumine stood up. She sheathed her swords back to her scabbard yet, she stanced herself, bending her long legs a bit, while her hands were ready to pull out her rapiers anytime. She relaxed her nerves and chanted several spellcasts,
”GAIA'S PETALS...MERCURIA WINGS...PHOENIZIA BLAZE.”.
Later on, Yumine's dazzling wings of sakura pink turned into the color of searing sun that was releasing petals of fiery autumn. More than that, it seemed her speed was boosted ten-folds due to her powerful fiery winds beneath her feet. The moisture in the air felt warm, as Yumine's sudden flames spread through the air, such as she was a thermal generator. While Ira saw Yumine's enchantment on herself, Ira masked an interesting grin,
”Oh, using enchantments now? I might as well do the same.”.
Soon, Ira casted her own set of enchantment,