Out of all the things that man is fated for, the one thing that constanly rears its head is the lust for battle. Whether it is for one's own ideals, or fighting for the sake of fighting, it is ever present. However, one can fight against this fate, this wheel of constant strife. It is why one trains in the sword- so that the mind can be sharpened and focused and clear. In the end, the true warrior needs no weapon, and no reason to fight, for the spirit and the mind become weapons of their own right. Burn! ___________________________________________________________ Tashiro charged Mina, slamming his blade forward in a vertical arc, straight towards her head. It was a typical opening manuver, and had little potential for actually hitting, but someone had to start somewhere. However, as Mina came into range, he suddenly stopped his vertical arc in place for a horizontal one that was surprisingly fast and accurate. Still, the calm look on her face never left, and she saw the feint. Splitting her front leg forward and letting the attack pass over her, she thrust forward with the broadsword, easily aiming for his ankle and stabbing into it, the heat making the blade's edge devastating. But another surprise was in store. He lifted his leg just as the blade was about to hit it, and cut downwards again, sure that he would hit this time. However, she was just as fast, bending her back slightly to look upwards, and stretching her arms up, thus effectively meeting his blade with hers. As he pressed down with his blade, his arms shaking from the effort, Mina was somewhat surprised. This one was good, even for a kidnapping, theiving bastard. Killing him may be satisfying for a while. However, the thought didn't hang around as she shifted the blade to the left and shoved his weapon out of the way, suddenly rising to her feet and stabbing upwards, lifting her knee with the strike. If the blade was blocked, the knee would not be so easy to stop. And it wasn't that easy, as the tactician got winded by the knee, and his weapon knocked out of the way by the blade. However, she was not in a position to press her advantage, so she retreated with a back sault, and got into her ready stance again, circling her opponent slowly and looking for another opening. "Okay, so you're good." As he caught his breath, a ragged laugh came from Tashiro. "You're not so bad yourself. A great master trained you- I can tell." He regained his composure, and kept his eyes on the woman in red, considering the best way to attack. She was surprisingly calm, for one who was radiating such pain and anger, and all towards him and Takena. (Maybe it's because she is determined to kill us.) He advanced quickly, slicing towards the left with a sure, fast cut that Mina weaved under. But he continued moving, cutting back to the right as he did so, and Mina stumbled to the ground with a yelp, barely avoiding getting trampled. Tashiro stabbed towards the ground, aiming to spear Mina where she lie prone, only to have his weapon stick in the ground as she rolled to the side, then backwards to get some distance between them. "Fine, so you're better than I thought. But it proves nothing. When I say I'm going to kill you, you'd better get ready for everything I've got!" He freed his weapon from the floor and motioned for her to advance. "Then come and taste the thrill of battle with me! Show me your full power!" Mina was frustrated now. She WAS showing him her full power; what else did he want? Was he calling her incompetent? Unworthy? No, she was not! She would defeat him, and then end all this! She was not to be ignored or called weak! "DAMN YOU!" The Scarlet Thunder glowed with a crimson light- one of a cleansing fire, and not of an evil taint. The flames that were in the room were suddenly drawn to her like a vacuum of air, and covered her in a burning aura, as if to protect her from whatever was causing her stress. Her sword was on fire as well, burning with the Flames of Passion, the physical manifestation of the powerful emotions running rampant through her. It was only a thing of legend until one saw it before them... Tashiro only smiled. "Yes, that's it. There is the power I was looking for!" Before he could finish his sentence, Mina rushed towards him so quickly that he actually jumped back a few paces. It were as if she had vanished before his eyes, only to reappear within thrusting range! (Shit! Such speed!) She thrust the burning broadsword forward, flames trailing and heat radiating from the blade. Though her speed had increased hundred-fold, he still managed to knock her blade out of the way, though barely. However, she only followed through with the movement, her right leg lifting slightly as she turned her back to him. As the leg came down and the other leg stepped forward, she lashed out in a full circle, now close enough to land a solid cut to his midsection, and burn a scar in his gut. As he staggered backwards from the attack, Mina decided to press her advantage further, and lashed out with a back heel kick, her leg snapping out as she turned her back to him. The kick connected, and the air was ablaze with a stream of fire from the sheer force of the kick. Not only did her heel slam into him, sending him back a good few feet, but he was ablaze for a good few minutes. She stood there, looking at him with a heated, intense gaze, watching him rise to his feet painfully, still burning. (He can still fight. Therefore, he can still die.) Mina began circling him to her right, the same high velocity footwork that the Seung style was meant for coming into play, making it seem like she had vanished in a burst of flames. It was then that Tashiro knew that he was in deep trouble... he could no longer track her movements, which meant that she could come from anywhere, appear from any one of these flames... He had forgotten that she was moving far too fast for any but the truly trained and focused mind to see clearly, making her appear to have more control over the flames surrounding her than the first glance allowed. In essence, he had lost. Mina knew this immediately, and stopped circling him just behind him, her blade flashing upwards in a vertical arc, and her leg lifting upwards for more strength. The broadsword sliced him neatly in the back, the heat serrating his flesh and leaving another burning scar. This one however, was much deeper... much more fatal. As he was sent flying through the air, she kept her leg up in the air effortlessly, remiaining in crane stance. Tashiro was on his last legs. "I have made you suffer for long enough. Dying would be mercy for you, wouldn't it?" He said nothing, waiting for his death. No, he would not give her the honor of a response. She made a fool of him, completely, totally, and utterly. In the end, his pride was all he had left, and he refused to have that broken as well. However, it was not to happen like this.. (W-what? This pain...) Mina collapsed to her knees, suddenly gasping for air. The sudden rush of pain was excruciating beyond measure. But she still willed herself to move, still willed herself to fight. If they stayed alive, Talim and Xianghua would not be safe, anywhere. No, she had to press on! (But it hurts!! Why now, of all times?) The energy within her was about to reach the point of overflow. Her own burning spirit had gotten too strong for her body to handle, and now she was losing control... She could channel the energy into the Scarlet Thunder, if she could think straight enough to do so. But the pain was all too great. Takena, who was still sitting calmly on his now burning throne, smiled sardonicly. "So, the woman of fire is burned by her own flames, eh? How ironic... how fitting. Let me clue you in on something... I never meant for you to live. Apparently, the battlefield is no place for you, though you put up a decent struggle." He rose from his chair and drew his katana, walking towards her for the kill. "I respect and applaud your effort. Therefore, I will give you and your friends an honorable death. A fitting way to go for warriors of such skill, no?" (No! Talim! Xian! NO!!) Her heart beat strongly, violently. (Move... move...) Her energy now rose to fever pitch, and the pain reached a new level. But she would not scream... no, she would use the pain to focus. Channel the pain into a physical form... (C'mon, move! Think of them! Think of your love for them!) Images flashed through her mind of the many years with Xianghua, and the brief time with Talim, each moment with the both of them precious to her. (Move, damn you! NOW!) Her eyes opened slowly, focusing. The scene of destruction before her became clearer by the second, but the pain! No, focus. Channel the pain, the frustration, the anger... turn it into a weapon... The heated air around her seemed to rush towards her, as if being drawn in. Her blade pulsed and shined as it too drank of the surrounding energies. (Yes... that's it..) "What, not getting up? Fine then, no honor for you. You'll just die the dirty way... go back to hell and burn in those fires. I'm sure you'll be right at home!" He rose the blade above his head, the point facing her ribs. And then... "After you, bastards." The world exploded. Mina's let loose a battle cry that almost sounded greatful for the release of all the energy that had suddenly awakened from her soul, and the air around her burst into flames... and didn't stop there. A firestorm was born then and there, and the shockwave of flame and searing energy tore through the main warehouse with a fury that had no equal. She allowed herself to lose control over the flames, greatful for the release and the drain as the heat consumed many of the buildings in the vicinity of the main building. However, that was not all... there was dry, live gunpowder for the firearms stock that was being developed, and those barrels were suddenly ignited, turning those parts of the docks that were unharmed into nothing more than ash and charred ruins. It was needless to say that Tashiro, Takena, and any of the last remaining pirates in the vicinity were vaporized. And in the middle of the wreckage, as people turned on their lights and such to find out what had happened, was Seung Mina. Brown hair, brown eyes, and her normal, plain zanbatoh with a crimson rod and the same sharp edge, which looked untainted, even now. Though she was completely drained of her energy, she had a huge grin plastered on her face. Only a few choice words, laced with emotion, came from her before she passed out. "Talim... Xian... safe..." ___________________________________________________________ As members of the royal guard came to investigate the situation, they found that there was no evidence of a true fight- just ashes and ruins. Something had happened here- be it accident or no, and it was something big. An enemy spy, perhaps? No matter, they found nothing, and had nothing to report as they broke the crowds and headed towards the palace to report the findings of their search. No, there was nothing there... not even a woman who had lit the entire dock ablaze- not even the pirates who had frequented and patrolled these docks far too often. Nothing but ash and dust... ___________________________________________________________ It was later that night when Mina had awakened, and surprisingly in a room within the confines of the same inn that they had stayed in for the longest time now, though it was only about two days or so. As she looked over to her right, There was Xianghua, nestled comfortably into her side. To her left, and to her surprise, was Talim, clinging greatfully to Mina, as if she were something that she needed to live. (What happened to her that made her so clingy? Do I attract that much attention?) She shook the thought from her head and went back to sleep. She had not the heart to awaken such beautiful faces at this hour. They were better off not knowing what she did anyway. However, once Mina had gone back to sleep, Talim woke up and watched her drift away. The young sibyl smiled gently and warmly at her older friend. She knew the sacrifice that had been made this night... and now knew in her heart that her feelings were true. For both of them. (I love you... and I can't wait to tell you tomorrow!) ..But then again, why not now? She was more than willing to say it twice. She whispered into Mina's ear, which was more like a soft, happy sigh than anything else. "I love you. Both of you. You do so much for me... Tell me, what can I do for you?" She then lay back on her side again and drifted off. "Tell me... what can I do..." ___________________________________________________________ -End- That... was.. insane. Took me quite a while to put this one together, and make it seem like a climactic final battle sort of thing. Did I have to destroy the entire warehouse district? Yes. It shows the extent of the boundless energy that is inside of our heroine.. And what it is truly capable of if not under some kind of control. Not like she minded, really- she was, after all, trying to do just that. Burn everything and everyone who stood in her way. Like it? Want more? Think I should stop here? You know what to do. Keep that poll ticking, and visit the thread every once in a while. Tell me how I'm doing. - Next Chapter - The pirate threat has been eliminated, and China is relatively safe. The preparations for the war against the neighboring province has been called off temporarily, due to the docks being razed, and the investigation gives our heroines the perfect opportunity to escape. Watch as Mina learns to keep her newly aquired flames under control, Xianghua reunites with a certain man with a seven foot long weapon, and Talim explores her newly awakened passions. -Chapter 16: Kali-Yuga
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