Of Wind and Lightning ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Poseidon's Tear, Island of Creation To the northwest of the Island of Creation was a place called Poseidon's Tear. The Tear in itself was a lake. The lake was fed with the same water supply as the Water Gardens of Yagul and the so called Red Dragon River. Poseidon's Tear was small enough in size but large with comparison to the small land mass of the island itself. To the centre of the lake was an even smaller islet within it. It was about twenty metres wide by another twenty two metres long. From a metre and a half off the edge of the islet was a large ring of stone pillars crowned with a stone ring around the top, connecting them. The pillars had been forged into the wet soil on the lakebed, almost sixty metres down from the islet. It was obvious that both the islet and the ring of pillars around them were man-made. This was the arena for one of the Semi Final matches of Ten Sekai Sentou Kyousou. And it would also be the staging ground for the settling of the 'sibling rivalry' between the Highland Family heirs, Aarin and Ingrid. Ingrid stood quietly on one side of the islet. The ground beneath her feet was grass but not damp. Obviously well kept for this match. She had decided to wear the same gear today as she did before. Which included her Lightning Tooth Sword and her Oradea Shield. Aarin was not as casual about this as before. Especially after what he and Setsuya had discussed just last night. The youth had worn his tight blue denim jeans and thick brown boots. The black jacket upon his back bore the emblem of the Highland Family, the White Raven. And the white shirt he also wore had a sheet of thin armour below it. Protecting him from most attacks based around magic. It had been a quick idea to buy it in Kim-Moon-Sung Market as he did; but it was the correct choice. As soon as he learned of the tournament, Aarin had made the decision to buy it. Hopefully it would help him deal with Ingrid. Aarin's casual, uncaring brown eyes watched the girl. She was so focused on this. She may had wanted to settle their score as much as Aarin wanted to with Setsuya. But there was no time for this now. The Shougatsu Financial Group's plans were far more important. So because of this, Aarin had to finish the match quickly. It was his only choice. He obviously did not want to drag his sister into this mess. The sooner she got eliminated from the tournament; the safer she would be. As much as he had neglected his family in the past few years; Aarin still cared deeply for them. Even if his mouth couldn't speak the words. So he had to finish this fast. There was only one real problem. That Lightning Tooth of hers. Aarin knew better than anyone else that Ingrid had a natural talent with the sword. But her real asset in all of this was the Lightning Tooth. Its magic was probably on par with that of the Wind Soul. In terms of strength of weaponry; he and Ingrid were about even. Which made Aarin's advantage of experience level out a bit more with Ingrid's inexperience. Well nothing could be done about it. All Aarin had to concentrate on was the win. He had to defeat Ingrid to protect her. The English swordsman kept a hand on the hilt of the un-drawn Wind Soul, crouching forward ever so slightly, while locking eyes with Ingrid. "...Sister. Are you sure you want to do this?" "Don't insult me, Aarin," Ingrid spoke seriously, "You know this match is the only reason I came to this tournament. I've come a long way since our last match. I worked harder than I ever worked before. All so I could defeat you. So do not bother to talk about it, or about however much you wish to see a different outcome. Just fight me. Then we'll see who is the best." Aarin lowered his eyes. She couldn't have put it better. Words were all but lost on the likes of Ingrid Highland. If her determination was equalled to her sword-skills, she would have surpassed Aarin's long ago. And that was it. The older of the Highland Sibling shifted forward a little, his boots scraping against the grass of the islet. Ingrid could see that her brother was shifting himself into a better position from which to attack. So met with him in stride. She stepped to the same side as Aarin in short paces, her sword drawn and shield ready. The following attack came quickly. Aarin growled sharply and withdrew Wind Soul from its scabbard, slicing the air in action. Ingrid's eyes firmed on the movement and she pulled up the Oradea Shield in reply. A wave of motion rammed the shield and the force nudged Ingrid back a little. But the Oradea Shield had defended her from harm. Aarin grit his teeth in ire while Ingrid beamed at him remarkably. That Air Wave Stroke had been sufficient to cut off the hand of that guy in Kim-Moon-Sung Market. Yet Ingrid had blocked that speedy attack with that shield of hers. Aarin sheathed Wind Soul again with a typical Japanese-style movement, watching Ingrid fixedly. The confident girl's smile became a grin. "I told you I've improved." "So it seems." Aarin replied. Ingrid then lowered her smile, holding her sword up in the air, above her shoulders. She stood silently with her heels together and her body straight. Aarin blinked. Was Ingrid leaving herself completely open like that on purpose? Or did she have something in mind? That had to be it. And so caution kept Aarin from capitalizing on Ingrid's sudden loss of defences. While she stood like that, the Lightning Tooth's blade shown brightly, more so than usual, in the cold morning. That sheen spread over the sword again and again until Ingrid lips began to part. "Now for my attack!" And so she called out, "Brave Sabre!" Ingrid stepped forwards suddenly and swiped the air around her with the Lightning Tooth in a powerful single action. The ruptured air moved in reply and shot towards Aarin. The Brother of the girl looked on with surprise and made the only action he could to avoid the attack. He jumped. Aarin leapt from the grassy islet into the air and bounded elegantly over Ingrid's Brave Sabre. The invisible force of energy rammed into one of the tall stone pillars that surrounded the island. It hit the pillar sharply and a section of cracks spread from it. Those cracks grew and grew until the pillar began to collapse into itself. Chips of rock and dust clouds spread from the point of breaking as the pillar toppled over and smashed into the small islet. Aarin, who had reached the peak of his jump, watched the damage done. That was no ordinary attack. That Brave Sabre broken a twenty-centimetre thick pillar of rock. Strength of that kind didn't come easily. His Sister Ingrid was even more powerful now than Aarin would have out-rightly suspected before. But he had no time to think of it. The second that Aarin looked up from the ground he saw Ingrid lunge for him midair. The girl slashed at him as they came within striking distance of each other. Aarin quickly parried the blow with the Wind Soul. Ingrid swung her sword back around, as did Aarin. The two slashes met with each other at their centre of free space. Wind Soul and Lightning Tooth clashed off each other and the force of unimaginable. Both of the Highland Siblings were knocked back by the collision and began descending from their sky-borne clash. Aarin landed first, being that his weight was more than Ingrid's was. And the other Highland landed a second later. Ingrid looked up at Aarin with a stern face of intent. She nudged her eyebrows as a call for attention and then pointed over her shoulder with her shield arm. Aarin didn't quite understand what she was getting at. Until he noted that Ingrid was pointing at the chilled but calm waters of Poseidon's Tear. He understood. But that might not have been the best idea. At least for Aarin. Underwater fighting was not a speciality of the Yuuga school of Japanese swordplay. But there was nothing about Aarin that facilitated backing out from a challenge. Especially one that came from his little sister. Ingrid acted first; turning around and running for the edge of the island within an island. She dove off it and into the water with her weapons at a ready & full use. Aarin took the same option and dove into the waters of the lake from his side of the islet. The Englishman sunk into the depths of the lake. Water took up all his senses as the sounds from above were blocked out. With his clothes and hair floating within the water, Aarin took the time to study the surrounding a bit. The lake was, as he and Ingrid had been told, almost sixty metres deep. The ring of pillars all followed that path downwards to the bottom of the lake itself. The islet was floating between them. Now he had that taken care of... where was Ingrid? The question was answered for him. Aarin heard a sudden shift in the water. A large cluster of bubbles surrounded something that was heading his way at great speed. Aarin kicked his legs and swam backwards from what looked to be an attack. It hit one of the pillars below water level, from this side, covered with sea moss. Aarin swam out of its way as the pillar broke from where it had been struck. It came down slowly due to the thickness of the water and tumbled downwards towards the lakebed. Aarin's head darted from one side of his scope of the sight to the other. That had obviously been another Brave Sabre attack cast by Ingrid. He managed to see Ingrid ahead of him. But she didn't attack. She cast her eyes upwards. Then the Highland woman swam in that direction. Ingrid leapt out of the water like a salmon from a river and landed on the islet again. The girl shook her ponytail of blonde hair around. Her hair and armour were drenched. But it was worth it. Now Aarin was completely enmeshed in her plan. Ingrid grinned to herself and turned around to face the edge of the islet. She pointed Lightning Tooth at the newly disturbed waters without hesitation. She stood like that for more than a few seconds. But with that wait came the power that went with it. Ingrid's sword started to glow with a dazzling blue light. She channelled the energy of her magic. The magic that existed within the Lightning Tooth. That azure glow reached a head with one final flash of bluish light. Streaks of blue lightning began to surround the glowing weapon and coarse up and down it. Until all that energy was centred in on one place. The tip of the blade. A circular build-up of power encircled the tip of the Lightning Tooth Sword. And from that, Ingrid was ready. "...I'm sorry, Aarin. You know that I don't like hurting members of my own family. But I have to win this fight. Thunder Breaker!" A chain of vicious blue lightning surged from the sword and into the water. Aarin, who was still circling for Ingrid below the water, would have had no way of knowing what was to happen. Until it did. Aarin's whole body tightened up and he screamed a scream of agony in the water as that area of the lake was electrocuted. The Thunder Breaker Attack sent waves and waves of electricity into that part of Poseidon's Tear. And the shocking sound of the rending electro-waves rang in the Highland boy's ears. He could barely think from the pain. It lasted for a good while until the Thunder Breaker ceased. Aarin eased back with a jerk. The attack that Ingrid launched. Aarin tried to regain his senses. He was running out of air. That was the most important thing. So he ignored the numbing pain he was still feeling and swam for the islet. From the waters of the lake burst Aarin's hand which latched to the grass of the islet. He dragged himself into it, revealing his head, torso and legs at each small interval. The soaking wet fighter looked up at the space of the islet for Ingrid, while gasping for air. He couldn't see her. But Aarin could think of no-one else. Or about how much he had underestimated her. Ingrid had obviously tapped the power of Lightning Tooth's magic. There was no other way she could have electrocuted him like that. Ingrid had even baited him into following her into the water. By distracting him with an underwater attack she then leapt up on the island and fired her magical attack. Not only had she honed her sword skills, but also her worth as a tactician. Aarin actually forgotten to account for her intelligence. For all Ingrid's rudeness and her pompous nature; she had a lot to back it up with. While thinking this, Ingrid called out to him. "You've underestimated me, Aarin!" The Brother of the siblings looked up. Ingrid's voice was coming from that direction. His chocolate brown eyes scanned for Ingrid until he saw her directly. She stood up above on the ring that topped off the pillars. From that height she could look down and attack Aarin from wherever she pleased. And retreating into the water to regroup was a no-no because Ingrid could just electrify it again. "It was my goal to surpass you," Ingrid offered, watching her brother down below, "And I have worked so hard for that. But not only that. I laboured to both defeat you and to fulfil my dream of becoming the world's greatest swordswoman. I am well on my way. Once I win this tournament the whole of the Earth will have to acknowledge my skills." "...You are correct," Aarin slowly got up to his feet, mounting the hilt of Wind Soul with his left hand, "I did underestimate you, Ingrid. I also believe that you have the potential to become the greatest swordswoman in the world. But you've still got a long while yet before you could hope to surpass me, Sister." Ingrid's grin fell. "That's what you think. Nothing more." "Nope," Aarin's gripped the Wind Soul's hilt. And from Ingrid's reaction to his previous comments, she was unaware of how the winds around them were starting to grow in their strength, "That is a truth from a man who dedicates his whole life to mastery of the sword at the cost of what some might call... happiness." Ingrid's eyes widened. What did Aarin mean by that? She would have asked him that question but Aarin's actions were too quick. The nimble swordsman quickly withdrew Wind Soul and he stared up at Ingrid. As if expecting her to attack. She was happy to do so. She wouldn't reach the final stage of the tournament unless she did. Ingrid pointed Lightning Tooth at Aarin and tightened her hold on it. Focusing the natural energy of thunder and lightning that burned within the blade. It began to glow again; with that build up of power. And so the youngest of the Highland family called out her attack. "Thunder Breaker!" A thin beam of blue lightning began plummeting towards Aarin from above. The attack was weaker than the one before it but still strong. And as much as he would have liked to see Ingrid's talent in greater deals of detail, he had to stop her. That girl was too powerful for her own good. If she actually got by Aarin and proceeded to the final round of the tournament, she would be waist-deep in the web of the Shougatsu. And the only intention Aarin had here was to get Ingrid off the island before those bastards could get their hands on her. He had to defeat her to protect her. The Thunder Breaker came down with a roar. Aarin rolled to one side of the blast as it hit and charred the grass beneath. Once Aarin regained his position; the youth gathered strength of his own for his own magic attack. The winds that were now surrounding the two of them on that islet were impossible to ignore. Ingrid noticed this when she started to shake a little from the breeze as she stood up on the stone circle of the pillars. The English Swordsman swung his sword over his shoulder and let the powers of the wind envelop him. There was a booming sound from the action that followed, Aarin swung the sword back around his body and called his own magical attack. "Wind Cluster!" Ingrid brought up the Oradea Shield out of reflex, ignoring a slight tiredness she felt. But the Wind Cluster was not aimed at her. It was aimed at one of the pillars that stood directly below her. Ingrid gasped at the following shockwave. The Wind Cluster battered the stone pillar in a clean strike that was as frank and as strong as any other cast by magic. The strength of the blow made the entire foundation of the pillar tremble, as the blow left ripples through the waters of Poseidon's Tear. It was too unstable to stand on now. Ingrid jumped from the pillar into the air. She was free of the trouble. But not of the danger. And she also noticed that her jump wasn't as deft as the one before it. The air around her began to warp as a second Wind Cluster came from Aarin. Ingrid gasped and shielded herself with Oradea. The shield met with Aarin's magic and the clash gave off an echoing clang; loud enough to cover up the sound of the heavy winds around them. Ingrid began to fall towards the ground from a loss of momentum with her jump. Before she fell in a position that might break her neck, she rotated her body mid-air and landed upon her feet. Now she had to deal with Aarin. By the time she looked to find him, he was already at her. The older Brother slashed at Ingrid from the left. The younger Sister parried the blow with one of her own and slashed at waist level. Aarin backed away from that and used Ingrid's brief opening to his advantage. Swinging his sword back over his body and around. Aarin forced even more zeal into it. "Wind Cluster!" It was too hard to block with either Lightning Tooth or the Oradea Shield. Ingrid gasped femininely as she was blown back by its force. The Wind Cluster hurled her back until she collided with ground. Ingrid's body slid across the grass of the ground, waking the slight dust. She stopped herself only when she reached the edge of the islet. And when she tried to get up, she found that she couldn't move. As hard as she tried, she absolutely could not move. "W-What's..." Ingrid looked down at her legs urgently, "What's happening to me? I can't move! Why on earth can't I get up...?!" Aarin sheathed Wind Soul. "Overconfidence. You might not have realized it but magic does not come for free. It comes with a price. That price is your own energy. I realized this while I tried to master the Wind Soul. The magic you use drains the energy we have for doing all that we do. Including jumping and attacking and blocking. So I trained myself in using that magic power without having it drain my own energy. Just as Setsuya did with his sword, Fire Cutter. We can fight now without the cost of extra energy lost on the magic. While you concentrated only on developing your levels of power. Because of this... you ignored your own tiredness to beat me. You might be equal with me on the basis of your strength; but you neglected work on building your stamina. That is why your attacks are tiring you out so quickly." Ingrid lowered her eyes in shame. "...H-How did you know...?" "The glow from your sword is weakening," Aarin said, looking at Lightning Tooth, "Just as you are. You tried to do too much, too fast. And it took its toll on you." Now she realized it. "Then... I've lost..." "Yes," Aarin crouched down to eye level with Ingrid. He placed a hand upon her shoulder in an unusually caring manner and smile, "But you really impressed me today. If you had trained to compensate for the weaknesses of the Lightning Tooth then you might have been the one to win. I know I might not say it much, but... I'm proud of you, Little Sister." Ingrid was stunned into silence. She had actually never heard Aarin say that about her. Though she was proud of her family, most people considered her to be a snooty brat with too much money. But Aarin was really proud of her. And he wasn't lying. She could see it in his eyes. Ingrid let her stunned gaze fall into a small smile. She lost, but, she proved herself to Aarin in all ways possible. "Thank you," She said, loosening her hold on the Lightning Tooth, "...That really means a lot to me, Aarin." "Don't worry about it." Ingrid smiled again. And Aarin felt a new wave of protection filling him. He had to keep Ingrid safe. From anything. All his life, Aarin had been looking for a reason to care. About his own life and the lives of others. But it finally hit him. The reason was right in front of him. It was his family and friends. He had to protect them from the evils that were at work in this world. That was more than enough of a reason to stay alive. And that also meant dealing with the Shougatsu Financial Group. Ingrid was most likely a target for them because of that Lightning Tooth of hers. But he would think about that tomorrow. Right now he needed to get Ingrid back to the castle so she could recuperate. "Come on. Lets go back to Neuschwanstein. You can lay down and get some rest there." Ingrid nodded. "Okay. But... can I ask you something...?" "What is it?" The younger girl's eyes took on a great deal of concern. "Did you mean what you said before? About trading in your happiness for your sword skills? Are you... unhappy...?" Aarin didn't reply. In fact, his eyes didn't even meet with those of Ingrid. The young man rested a hand on his thigh and heaved himself upwards from the crouched position he was in. He gave Ingrid a hand up; helping her get to her feet. Once they were both standing, Aarin offered the only reply he would ever give to that question. None. The question was ignored, just like all the other questions that a person had no desire to answer to. "Lets get going."
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