Random Facts… (as of 12/21/06)
ToaLW —
219 Pages Long
108,271 Words Long
6722 Min. (112 Hrs) Total Editing Time

ToaLP —
239 Pages Long
119,085 Words Long
5282 Min. (88 Hrs) Total Editing Time

Episode 41 Shadow in the Light

Ayame brushes a strand of hair out of her eyes as she hurries after Iris, the wind blowing past her as she flies by at astonishing speeds. The sky glows fiery red above her as the sun begins to set. ‘The sky was always so red here…’

Ayame strains her eyes, searching ahead for any sign of Iris. ‘She’s too quick. This is only the general direction she went; I’ve lost track of her for some time now. Just where the hell is she taking me?’

Suddenly, Ayame comes to a halting stop on the rooftop of some unknown apartment building. Stretched out before her is a huge arena, constructed in the shape of an ancient coliseum. Its very walls, made of tough, sturdy stone, show age as it stands derelict and abandoned, left alone to rot for many ages past.

“Th-this arena…!” Ayame gasps. “It can’t be!”

With a booming roar of thunderous cacophony, Iris plummets from out of nowhere to stand upon the uppermost ranks of the great coliseum. “It cannot be what?” she questions tauntingly. “I see that you have not forgotten this place. It was here where we spent much of our time during our residence in the Rift World, after all.”

“To think that you’d bring me back here to fight with you…” Ayame snarls.

“Where else did you think would be a better fit?” Iris sneers back.

Ayame merely stands still, lost in thought as her gaze hovers blankly over the derelict arena presented in front of her. ‘Of course. How could I forget? This is where it started, this is the place where…’

“…you will find more than suitable subjects on which to train on,” a tall, lean black-haired figure explains to a young woman, dressed in a brown, raggedy traveling cloak.

The girl, in contrast to the dark, aged features of the male, has long, flowing purple hair, which is fluttering along with the powerful breeze blowing through the area. The girl nods, grasping a Doombringer in two hands. “I understand, Lord Kimura.”

“Very good, Ayame,” Lord Kimura responds, smiling ever so slightly. “I am pleased. Very well. Proceed with your training. If I see you have made significant progress in three months’ time, I will accept you into the second generation Naraku group that I am currently constructing.”

“I understand,” Ayame recites in an undertone.

Lord Kimura nods, shuffling slowly away. Suddenly, he turns ever so slightly. “Oh, yes. One more thing,” he adds, his lips curling slightly, “the very stone with which this coliseum is built is made of dark crystal ore, which Paradoxes find highly attractive. Given the fact that many Paradoxes populate this area, and the fact that you have been attacked by a Triplicate, you will find that you will be kept quite busy.”

With a flash of blue light, Kimura disappears, leaving a faint rustling of wind behind. Ayame turns, as, sure enough, a loud explosion sounds, followed by high-pitched shrieks.

She watches, awed, as the blood red sky erupts in a fiery explosion of thunderous cacophony. A cloud splits open, and several large, grotesque shapes dart out of it.

As they soar through the sky, the shapes slowly begin to formulate into dark, black winged-dragonish creatures, whistling with that same, shrill cry.

Ayame grasps her Doombringer more tightly with both hands, bracing herself as four of the Paradoxes dive through the air, headed straight towards her.

As the first one approaches, she swings her sword in a wide arc, tearing open the creature’s stomach and spewing black blood all over her robes.

The creature makes a U-turn in the air, headed straight towards Ayame again. She braces herself, heaving a great sigh. ‘Kill it…kill it! This is for my training…I have to get stronger.’

She swings her sword, much more swiftly this time, landing a deadly blow on the Paradox’s exposed abdomen. More blood rushes out, bathing Ayame in it.

Ayame shrugs off the splattering windfall of blood, wiping it clear out of her eyes. ‘Yttrius…Arai…Ryuu…I have to do it for them! That’s why I became a Paradox! To grow stronger, so I can protect those that I love! Especially Ryuu…’

Suddenly, Ayame’s eyes cloud over, and her lips move, though she does not feel her own voice speaking. “Protecting those that you love? Foolish girl, that is not why a Paradox exists!”

Ayame gasps, that passing moment of lost control fading away. She breathes heavily, her eyes wide with shock. ‘That was strange…that wasn’t my voice that spoke just now…it was much more harsher, and dangerous…’

“That’s because Paradoxes exist to slay, and devour souls!” the voice speaks again, using Ayame’s lips. “If you do not understand that, then I will show you what it means to be a Paradox!”

Ayame gasps, as her own arms and legs move of their own accord, leaping nimbly into the air to meet the next approaching Paradox. She swings her sword wildly, yet purposefully, slamming it into the Paradox full on. The Paradox recoils, shrieking loudly.

However, Ayame does not relent, using the open opportunity to strike at it again and again, landing several lethal cuts on its exposed stomach. The Paradox merely falters, falling to the ground.

Ayame lands after it, watching as it crashes into the ground with a deafening explosion. She sheathes her sword, arrogantly, clapping her hands free of dust. “Tch.”

“Well, well,” Lord Kimura smirks, reappearing around the corner. Ayame turns, realizing his presence. “So it seems that you are much stronger than I’d expected.”

He narrows his eyes ever so slightly, even as he claps his hands in applause. ‘It appears that the Paradox fragment of her soul has taken over her body, after all. So I was right in assuming this exposed training with Paradoxes would trigger its activation. But nevertheless, I am impressed. She activated it with surprising speed.’

Lord Kimura reaches out to shake Ayame’s hand, smiling slightly. “Welcome to the Naraku, Ayame.”

Ayame grasps Kimura’s hand, shaking it firmly, but she returns his smile with a harsh glare. “Don’t call me Ayame, please. From now on, I will go by the name of Lady Iris.”

The present-day Ayame looks up worriedly, as the blood red sky now rumbles with imminent thunder, even as the sun begins to set over the horizon. She bites her lip, noting the distant shrieks and howls ringing in the sky.

“I have a bad feeling about this battle,” Ayame mutters to herself.

“Too slow!” Iris snarls, appearing on Ayame’s right, her sword poised to strike.

Ayame rolls, evading the fatal blow by inches. She swings her Geta with a rainbow arc, bringing it to meet with Iris’s Doombringer head on. The two metallic weapons clash, screeching loudly as sparks fly from the prolonged friction.

With her greater strength, Iris pushes Ayame’s weapon into recession, allowing her own sword to sting greedily on Ayame’s shoulder.

Ayame drops her Geta, grasping her shoulder for one long moment. Using the opening, Iris slices straight through Ayame’s other shoulder, pinning her against the wall of the coliseum.

A splatter of blood falls onto the ground, as Iris relinquishes her hold on Ayame, allowing her to slide weakly to the floor. Ayame reaches forward, wrapping her fingers around the handle of her Geta. “D-Dammit…”

Iris steps up to the fallen figure of Ayame, leering down at her. She shoulders her Doombringer haughtily, taunting her beat opponent. “Tch!” Iris spits disgustedly, “I’m ashamed that I ever did share a body with you, filthy human! You cannot even rise from the ground! The difference in our strength is immeasurable!”

“Why…why is it that you came to exist?” Ayame whispers weakly from the ground.

Iris steps back, momentarily rendered speechless by the unexpected question. “It was from you, despicable human, that I was born, when you were struck by that Paradox.”

“Y-Yes,” Ayame answers, “but where did you come from? Why did you take control of me?”

Iris stares wonderingly down at Ayame, a mix of hatred and enlightened on her face. “I was born from you, human. That is all. It is only with the Paradoxes that I was given shape. It is like the shadow that lives always in the light. Your light cannot exist without me, the shadow.

“Ironically, the shadow can exist without the light,” Iris continues. She stares for several moments at the motionless form of Ayame. “That is when you called for me, is it not? When your soul was drowned in shadow, I answered your call, human. You should thank me for even answering them back then!”

“I see.”

Suddenly, Iris’s eyes burst wide open in wonder, as an unseen flash of light darts past her. The next moment, a fresh wound explodes across her chest, spilling fresh blood onto the floor.

Iris sways, and falls to the ground facedown without a word. Ayame smirks, holding her Geta in one hand. “Oh? As I recall, you’re the one who’s lying on the ground!”

Iris leaps back furiously to her feet, entering a fighting stance once more. “Why you…! I’ll show you the pain inflicted on those pathetic humans who dare to land a blow on a Paradox!”

Ayame gasps in surprise. “You can still stand after that blow?”

“Of course!” Iris shouts, as she sprints forward, a bloodthirsty glint in her eyes. “A high level Paradox such as myself does not lose so easily, especially to humans!”

However, she hesitates at the smirk on Ayame’s face. Ayame merely points at Iris’s chest, sniggering. “Oh yeah? I don’t think so.”

Iris glances down at her open, bloodied wound. “M-Mesos…?!”

Her tentative whisper is suddenly followed by a thundering uproar and explosion of ash into the sky. Ayame raises her own Geta, shielding herself from the fierce blast.

However, as the smoke clears, Iris flies straight out of the sweeping dust clouds, her Doombringer raised. Ayame gasps, barely blocking the surprise attack with the blade of her Geta.

Iris swings her sword relentlessly again, with Ayame just barely able to parry it. “How did you…?”

“Do not underestimate me, human!” Iris snarls loathingly.

“Don’t underestimate me either, Paradox!” Ayame shouts, sidestepping Iris’s predicted attack. Iris’s eyes widen as she is carried forth by her own momentum, but not before Ayame darts past her, landing another uncontested Assaulter in her critical area.

Blood sprays everywhere, but Ayame is also jolted back too, as a black shockwave envelops her. “I see. You can block my attacks with your lightning!”

Another resounding boom suddenly interrupts the battle, as both opponents look up to see a blackening cloud split evenly in half, giving birth to a live Paradox.

The Paradox dives from the sky straight towards the ground, crashing into the very midst of the coliseum. It flaps its dragonish wings, screaming for blood.

“A Paradox!” Ayame shouts.

“Are you surprised?” Iris smirks. “This is the very stadium in which we trained in after all. As long as we’re both here, the Paradoxes will keep coming!”

Ayame glances apprehensively around her, as more and more black shapes begin to appear out of the splitting clouds in the sky, and land with a deafening crash onto the ground below. “Damn…this is bad…”

Iris suddenly bursts into a maniacal laugh. “For you, at least! These Paradoxes are all under my command…they will slaughter you here! Run forth, Paradoxes! Slay her!”

At Iris’s words, the five Paradoxes that have landed corner Ayame, grinning and leering at her with wide, smiling mouths with fangs the size of sword blades.

Ayame panics, glancing around for a way of escape. After seeing none, she bites her lip, reaching into her pockets and scattering several coins across the area. “Meso Explosion!”

The following explosion rocks the coliseum, creating several cracks across its ancient walls. Ayame uses the diversion to leap high into the stands surrounding the battlefield, watching as the Paradoxes drown within the plume of smoke below.

“What are you staring at?” a malevolent voice sneers next to her.

Ayame turns, and gasps out loud as she sees Iris standing right next to her. The latter swings her blade, knocking down several chairs that had been placed in the stands.

Ayame leaps backwards, stumbling over the backs of several more chairs. “Damn it!” she curses, falling clumsily to the floor.

Iris pounces on her, placing the very tip of her blade on Ayame’s throat. She leers happily, a wide grin spread across her face. “You should’ve thought twice about the day your red-haired friend separated the chains binding the two of us together in one body. For it is he who is responsible now for you dying here today, human!”

‘Ryuu…’ Ayame wonders to herself, closing her eyes, and allowing her soul to bathe in the void, echoing emptiness in her mind. ‘Ryuu. Ryuu! “To grow stronger, so I can protect those that I love!” Isn’t that why I became a Paradox in the first place? Isn’t that why I allowed this monster to exist? But to first protect those I love, I have to protect myself!’

“It is now time to put an end to your miserable existence!” Iris shouts, as Ayame slowly opens her eyes. Iris swings down her sword, only to find it blocked by something.

Iris’s eyes widen, as she realizes Ayame has parried the attack with her Geta. “Why you…!”

“I won’t lose to someone like you!” Ayame shouts. “It’s true that I created you myself. But if that’s the case, then it’s my job to send you back where you came from as well!”

Ayame clutches her Geta fiercely for one last time. “Are you ready to go back? Assaulter!”

Iris is knocked high into the air, streams of blood raining down on the sky, even as the now completely blackened night clouds clamor once more, giving birth to yet another Paradox.

Ayame leaps out of the stands, chasing after Iris in order to deal the final blow. However, she gasps loudly, glancing up as something massive and suppressing presses down on her very soul.

Ayame falls to the ground, as well as the semi-conscious form of Iris. Ayame looks up, as the clouds burst open with a thunderous roar once again.

Iris slowly scrambles to her feet, looking at the sky as well. “Another Paradox comes…! Do you feel it, human? This one is stronger than the rest! You should’ve finished me when you had the chance!”

However, Ayame does not move, nor reply, completely frozen by the massive presence felt in the sky above her. Iris suddenly notices this presence as well, and her head jolts upward.

“What—?!” she cries, before a fatal beam of white light crashes down onto the stadium. Ayame is thrown backwards from the explosion, but not before Iris is completely engulfed within the beam.

Ayame raises her own arms to shield herself. “Did that…blast just obliterate Iris in one blow?!” Ayame’s mouth drops open as she gazes up at the monstrous being approaching in the sky. “What the hell is going on here?!”

A brief flapping of black robes suddenly catches Ayame’s eye. She turns, and finds a black-robed figure whose face is shielded by a Blue Bamboo Hat standing above her in the stands.

“Ezekiel!” Ayame cries. “You…you’re a Soul Eater!”

“Correct,” Ezekiel replies, glaring coldly down at Ayame.

Ayame gestures wildly at the sky, who eyes showing every sign of panicked fear. “What the hell did you just do right now?! What is that in the sky?!”

Ezekiel stares silently at her for several moments, almost coldly, before replying, “Who else exhibits such a powerful presence? It is none other than Lilith.”

Next Time: Episode 42 Last Minute!

Otis: Yo! So Arayu-gorilla, Zack-gorilla, and Iris-gorilla are all defeated!

Shuriken: Next time, I get my turn in the spotlight.

Ivy: Tide, come save us!

Ivy: …

Ivy: Tide?

Lily: He went to go get a drink.

Episode 42 Last Minute! coming soon!