Tales of a Lost World 49

~Notes~
Enjoy it while it lasts, if you’re an Arai fan. This is the last you’ll see of him for a very long while.

Episode 49 Lightning Strikes…Again!

In a moment’s ringing silence, Kunai averts his eyes to the gigantic, smoking crater standing in the ground between he and Azuma. His breathing is ragged, as sinks to the floor, depleted of his energy.

“Very well,” Azuma announces into the silent air, “your reactions have grown increasingly faster. I am pleased.” He sheathes his sword with a high-pitched shriek of metal as his Blue Screamer slides into place inside its scabbard.

“I’ve no more to teach you,” Azuma mutters. “Your mastery of the Forbidden Skill Book has been dangerously fast. It is enough already. You are free…to leave.”

Kunai rises to his feet without a reply, avoiding Azuma’s gaze. “Yeah.” As he walks past Azuma, he suddenly thinks to himself, ‘Ask him already. Ask him if it is normal to be hearing voices after this soul fusion.’

Kunai forces himself into a half-turn, until Azuma himself suddenly reaches forward. He holds his arm outstretched towards Kunai, a round object clutched in his hand.

Kunai stares, until Azuma speaks. “Take this.” Azuma unfolds the fingers clasped around the round object, allowing Kunai to stare at the necklace in Azuma’s palm. Hanging around the necklace is a black jewel, glinting slightly despite the lack of light.

“Wh…what is that?” Kunai mutters perplexedly.

“It is the jewel I used in order to release Myou for you during your soul fusion lesson. Take it. With this, you will be able to transform Myou into a sword whenever you wish.” However, Azuma turns, his eyes narrowing into slits of ominous warning.

“You must beware, however,” Azuma hisses. “As long as you wear that necklace, you will not be able to achieve a transformation with Myou. You must take it off in order to turn it into a sword. However, you must have great caution. Remove that necklace for too long, and…there will be grave consequences.”

Kunai swallows, shuddering slightly. “And…what kind of grave consequences will there be?”

“Do not ask,” Azuma replies, “for you will not want to know. Simply know that it is dangerous to remove that necklace for too long. You must wear it at all times and only take it off when absolutely necessary. Do you understand me? Do not use Myou’s powers casually.”

“Y-Yeah,” Kunai stutters, “I definitely won’t.” Hesitantly, Kunai places the necklace around his own neck, and turns to leave. ‘Ask him. Before it’s too late.’

Kunai turns again, his eyes staring into the strangely still figure of Azuma, his back hunched slightly as if in weariness. Suddenly, Kunai’s eyes dart to his left, as the sound of silently approaching footsteps draws his attention.

He swings up his right arm to meet his assailant at the very last moment, parrying the Thunder Spear. Arai grins happily, as his Thunder Spear clashes with Kunai’s claw.

“Azuma,” Kunai growls, “what is the meaning of this?”

“Your very last test before you leave,” Azuma explains nonchalantly, “is to defeat Arai by turning Myou into a sword once more.”

Tide continues to dash desperately down a deserted street, hurrying after the others. ‘“I said MOVE! I’m telling you, no, ordering you, not as your childhood friend but as your commander to move!”’

Tide smiles grimly to himself as he runs, shaking his head slightly. ‘Heh. Silver, if it’d been me in your position and you in mine, I’ll bet you and your stubborn self would’ve tried to stay back there too.’

As Tide nears a fork in the road, he glances around apprehensively. “Damn it! Which way did they go! Geez, I gotta catch up to them! What’s with all these split roads?!”

Shrugging slightly, Tide takes the one on the right, hurrying down the new path. ‘Dammit, hang in there, guys. I sure hope that Shuriken guy or whatever hasn’t already caught up to you!’

Ryuu grasps his stomach, staring dizzily down at the wasted body of Arayu. He pulls his opponent’s last arrows out of his chest, and heaves heavily, watching streams of blood pour onto the ground.

Ryuu sways, and clutches a streetlamp for support. “Damn it…that last attack he hit me with really took its toll on me…I don’t have much strength left. But I’ve gotta catch up to the others now, before Shuriken gets to them! Sasha and the others may be strong, but they’ll be no match once Shuriken fuses with his Paradox.”

Kunai steps calmly out of the way as a stalagmite bursts to pieces to his right under contact from one of Arai’s Thunder Spears. He grasps the necklace around his neck, pulling it loose.

“I’m not gonna give you a chance to do that, Kunai!” Arai shouts, aiming another Thunder Spear straight at Kunai’s feet.

Kunai rapidly leaps into the air in anticipation of the attack, using Flash Jump to land atop a stalagmite. He glances back down at the ground, but gasps after he sees Arai has disappeared.

“Behind you, Kunai!” Arai whispers, tapping Kunai on the shoulder.

Kunai spins, drawing a couple Steelys and batting Arai away. He leaps backwards, narrowly avoiding the charged blast delivered by Arai.

Kunai slides back several feet as he lands on the ground again. However, he quickly turns the three Steelys clutched in his hand into an Avenger, and hurls it at Arai just as he lands as well.

Arai teleports to the left, dodging the Avenger. The giant shuriken sails into the stalagmite behind Arai, lodging itself in it.

Meanwhile, Arai fires several beams of ice at Kunai, who rapidly counters with another Avenger. His shuriken swings through the air, blasting apart the waves of icicles coming out to meet it.

As the Avenger heads past the icicles and comes to meet Arai, he is forced into a half-crouch and spins in order to avoid it.

“I got you now!” Kunai screams, launching another Avenger at Arai.

The Avenger spirals through the air, but to Kunai’s great surprise, Arai easily catches it in his right hand. With an expert smile on his face, Arai casts the useless Avenger away.

“What’s the matter, Kunai?” Arai teases. “Did you not think I could catch it? What kind of Joukai member would I be if I were afraid to get hit by a little tiny toy like that?”

“Toy…?” Kunai growls under his breath. “I’ll show you toy!” He grabs the necklace around his neck, and attempts wrench it off. However, another blade of lightning sails past Kunai’s shoulder, ruffling his hair and causing the Black Gaia Cape wrapped around him to flutter.

Kunai stares at Arai, who has begun wagging his finger at Kunai. “Nuh-uh, Kunai. I’m not just gonna let you take out your pretty little sword just like that so easily. You’re gonna have to fight just to get it out!”

“Don’t worry,” Kunai replies darkly, “I will. And I’ll make you pay for it, too.”

“Heh. We’ll see about that too, Kunai,” Arai says slyly. He aims a Thunder Spear at Kunai, but blinks in surprise as he fails to locate him. “What—?”

“In front of you.” Kunai grasps Arai’s right wrist, the one holding the Thunder Spear. He wrenches it tightly, forcing Arai’s Thunder Spear to disappear. In Kunai’s other hand, he holds an Avenger. “How about this?”

He flings the Avenger straight into the cornered Arai. The attack is followed by an enormous explosion, knocking both Arai and Kunai off their feet and backwards.

As the smoke clears, Kunai remains standing, knees bent, out of breath. A triumphant smirk crosses Kunai’s face. His eyes narrow in an attempt to discern the scene through the dim light.

However, Kunai’s smirk quickly fails, as Arai comes stumbling out of the smoke, smiling widely despite the situation. A tiny fairy hovers about Arai’s left ear, laughing tauntingly and sprinkling a glimmering liquid over Arai’s head.

“Magic Guard,” Kunai mutters.

“Thanks,” Arai whispers, waving away the fairy. It salutes Arai with a tiny squeak and disappears with a little puff of white smoke.

“Whoo!” Arai says suddenly, leaning slightly on his Dark Ritual. “That was some blast. I admit, Kunai, I suffered a bit of damage, but nothing my Magic Guard didn’t take care of!”

“That’s fine and all,” Kunai announces, “but I’m gonna end this!”

“Oh?” Arai replies, blinking at Kunai’s fury. “Are you gonna release your sword?”

A small fire crackles in pitch-black darkness, its every pop resounding loudly in the pounding silence. A sickle-like moon hangs luminously overhead, shedding very little light down to the dark emptiness below.

Sasha, Lily, and Ivy sit huddled around this fire, wrapping their capes closer around themselves for warmth. Each peers at the other two, an anxious gleam in their worried faces.

“Anyway,” Sasha continues, folding her arms, “what are you doing here, Tide? I thought you were supposed to be back there with Silver and the others.”

“Well, I was…” Tide replies, “but then ‘Lady Silver’ ordered me to come after you guys, y’know…look after you, make sure you didn’t get hurt. Basically, the job of a big strong man to look after you girls.”

“Then shouldn’t she have sent Ryuu?” Ivy wonders out loud.

“Hey!” Tide whines. “You’re insulting my dignity as a man…”

Sasha sighs, shaking her head exasperatedly. “Anyway, you’re welcome to stay here with us, I guess. But do try and keep things on the down low, as we’re currently being pursued by the Naraku.”

“Anyway, Tide, now that you’re here, you can keep watch!” Ivy mumbles sleepily. She curls into a cozy bed made of her own robes and cape, yawning sleepily.

“Eh?!” Tide cries out loud. “Why me?!”

“Because you’re a big, strong man,” Lily answers for Ivy.

Tide merely grumbles, unable to produce an answer for this statement.

The black particles of Myou flutter just within Kunai’s reach, but his eyes continue to widen more and more, as he grasps at them with his hand, yet nothing continues to happen.

“What’s…wrong?!” Kunai hisses in panic. “Why can’t I turn you into a sword?!”

“Hmm,” Arai murmurs, “I don’t know what’s wrong, but it seems like you can’t bring out your sword for whatever reason. Oh well, then, Kunai! You’re still gonna have to fight me!”

Kunai turns in greater surprise as Arai rushes straight at him, Thunder Spear in hand. Kunai dodges; the black particles totter through the air, following him.

“Damn!” Kunai mutters, as Arai spins and begins firing another round of Thunder Spears at him.

Kunai dances in place, dodging each bolt of lightning zooming straight at him. “Crap, there’s way too many to dodge!” he cries. All of a sudden, a spear of lightning rams full-strength into his stomach, throwing him backwards and crashing into a large stalagmite.

Kunai falls to the ground facedown, coughing out blood. He lays on the floor for a very long time, unable to move due to the blast. ‘Damn…I can’t even move anymore…’ Kunai struggles to keep his eyes open, fighting to keep them focused on Arai.

Arai slowly trots up to Kunai, biting his lip and staring mysteriously at the floating black particles of Myou hovering over Kunai. “It’s almost like they’re guarding him…” he mutters.

Arai stares down sympathetically at the immobile Kunai. “Too bad, Kunai. It seems as though for whatever reason, you couldn’t summon your sword. It’s too bad. I was actually looking forward to seeing what it looks like.”

Azuma suddenly speaks up from the spot he’s been standing at all along. “Leave him, Arai. It appears that after all this time, he has failed to turn his claw into a sword. There is no more to teach him; if he cannot perform that action anymore, it is his problem.

“Come. We will depart now from this place.” Azuma turns to go, his sandals treading across the dirt floor. Yttrius follows after him. “Pay no attention to the failure at your feet, Arai. That is where he belongs.”

With one last glance at the fallen Kunai, Arai turns to go, following after the retreating Azuma and Yttrius. “All right then, Uncle.”

“A-Arai…” Kunai hisses vehemently from the floor. However, Arai fails to hear his weakened voice. ‘Damn…after all this time, I can’t bring my sword back out? I really must be pathetic.’

Kunai forces his arms to push himself back up; however, they merely collapse, and Kunai falls facedown back onto the floor, while dust flies into his open mouth. He clenches his eyes tightly, unable to move anymore.

As his body remains lying on the floor, weakened, the black dust particles slowly float down and hover about his head. Kunai opens his eyes halfway, vaguely registering their appearance.

Meanwhile, Arai continues walking just behind Azuma and Yttrius further into the darkness, away from the stalagmite plain. Suddenly, he turns, as do Azuma and Yttrius.

Arai casually raises a Thunder Spear to defend himself, staring slyly into the fierce face of Kunai. Arai’s arm shakes slightly, his Thunder Spear forced backwards under the weight of a narrow, chipped, black sword.

Kunai presses Myou further towards Arai’s chest, subsequently causing the Thunder Spear to draw even closer to Arai. “You think I came all this way just to lose to you?!” Kunai snarls.

Arai smiles mischievously, raising his arm and retracting his Thunder Spear from Kunai’s sword. “Very well, Kunai. I’ll keep figh—”

Arai’s face contorts into a look of surprise as Kunai slices the very tip of his Thunder Spear off with his sword. Arai reacts, but not quickly enough as Kunai slashes the other end off.

With a heave and a grunt, Kunai splits what’s left of Arai’s Thunder Spear in half, and grabs Arai by the collar, swinging his sword down.

Arai quickly teleports out of Kunai’s grasp, but only turns to find that Kunai has followed him. He appears from Arai’s back, and throws his sword forward; Arai dodges, but freezes seconds later as Kunai brings the edge of his sword to rest on Arai’s neck.

“I win,” Kunai puffs.

After a long while, Ivy suddenly glances up happily as the faint rustling of approaching footsteps sounds, signaling the return of Tide.

“Tide!” Ivy whispers to the darkness.

The noise of footsteps suddenly stops, and Ivy listens intently to the hushed silence. She furrows her eyebrows, glancing about in the dark light tentatively. “Tide…?”

“Get down!” Sasha suddenly shouts, pulling Ivy onto the ground.

Not one second later, two Tobis slice through the air where Ivy had been standing, coming to a thudding halt on the decrepit wall of the broken building.

Ivy breathes heavily, looking up from the ground where she lays. “What was that?”

“He’s here,” Sasha murmurs in Ivy’s ear. “Shuriken.”

“Shuriken…?” Ivy gasps in a hushed voice.

Sasha and Lily huddle closer together towards Ivy, staring through the impenetrable darkness, searching for the dark figure of Shuriken. “Where’s Tide?” Sasha asks Ivy.

“He…he went to go look for firewood,” Ivy answers, trembling in fear.

“Damn it,” Sasha curses under her breath, “men are so useless these days.”

“Come out,” Shuriken’s voice rings suddenly. At that moment, the sky brightens just a little, lifting the black veil over the ground. “I know you are there.”

“I can see him!” Sasha whispers. Suddenly she grips her Berzerker, handling it in her gloved hand. “I’m gonna get him now!”

Sasha pounces, but not before Shuriken notices, and parries her attack with an Avenger. He disappears in a flash, reappearing behind Sasha and knocking her high into the air. He launches his Avenger after her, watching as it slashes into Sasha’s shoulder, spreading blood all over the ground.

“Sashaa!” Ivy yells, leaping out of her hiding place to rush over to Sasha’s side.

“Ivy! Be careful!” Lily cries, chasing after Ivy.

However, Lily is forced to stop in her tracks, as she finds Shuriken blocking the way between her and Ivy. Shuriken raises another Avenger in his hand threateningly. “Come with me, or your friends shall die.”

“Lily!” Ivy shouts, rushing over to Lily’s side. She stands in front of Lily, arms stretched outward, blocking Shuriken from his prey. “I won’t let you take her away!”

“How interesting,” Shuriken mutters. “Step away from the Phoneme. I’ve no grudge against you, but if you do not move, I will kill you as well.”

“I’m not going to move,” Ivy retorts stubbornly, “so strike me down if you must!”

“Very well then!” Shuriken shouts, raising his Avenger. “Die!”

Ivy raises her arms, preparing for the fatal blow, but it never comes. Instead, there is a clash of metal on metal, and as Ivy opens her eyes, she sees Tide standing between she and Shuriken, his Zard raised against Shuriken’s Avenger.

Ivy steps back, gasping slightly in surprise. “Tide!”

“Hope I’m not too late!” Tide replies, a smirk spreading across his face.

Shuriken takes a step back, lowering his Avenger slightly. His eyes rove over Tide’s face, and then come to rest upon his unsheathed Zard. “And who are you?”

“Tide’s the name,” Tide smirks, “and don’t cha dare forget it, bub.”

“A minor nuisance,” Shuriken dismisses instantly, waving his hand in Tide’s face. “Move away, or I shall kill you as well. As with the girl, I’ve no grudge, but I do not mind killing you if necessary.”

“Heh,” Tide retorts, “y’know, you act all cool and stuff, but I’ve yet to see anything from you! Come on! Show me what you’ve got!”

Shuriken glances lazily up, his eyes gleaming menacingly. “Oh really?” Shuriken mutters softly. “Then prepare yourself, fool!”

In a flash, Shuriken lands his Avenger on Tide’s shoulder blade, tearing the muscle tissue hidden deep underneath. With a heave, he throws Tide high into the air as well, allowing him to land in a bloody heap on the ground.

Tide’s Zard soars through the air after him, landing with a clatter on the ground some yards away. He groans in pain, stretching his unhurt arm forward in a futile attempt to grab his Zard. “What the hell…was that?”

Shuriken steps up to Tide, peering down haughtily at him. “You are no match for my speed. Do not fool yourself into believing a lowly warrior such as yourself is capable of keeping up with me. It is impossible.”

“Damn it!” Tide cries, his voice choking and his vision wavering. He inches forward, creeping towards the hilt of his sword on the ground. “I’ve…gotta…get my sword!”

Shuriken steps forward, kicking the blade away even further. Tide collapses, lying on the ground motionless. “Damn, am I gonna lose here to this guy…?”

“Tide…!” Ivy shouts worriedly. “NO! TIDE!”

Shuriken turns slowly, grasping his Avenger in hand. “Do you still insist on standing in my way?”

Ivy stares at Sasha, and then Tide, both of whom lay motionless on the ground, bathed in blood. She shuffles in front of Lily, stretching out her arms once again, and meeting Shuriken’s cold glare. “Yes. Yes, I will!”

“Very well,” Shuriken growls, “prepare to die!” He leaps forward, with his Avenger raised, armed to kill. Jumping through the air, Shuriken brings his Avenger singing down in a wide arc, straight towards Ivy.

As Ivy raises her arms a second time, another clang of metal interrupts the imminent attack. As Ivy opens her eyes to look this time, her eyes widen at the person standing before her.

Kunai stands in between she and Shuriken, his own Avenger parrying Shuriken’s. Shuriken struggles to push his Avenger past Kunai’s, who holds it firmly in one hand.

“If you’re gonna pick a fight with Ivy, then you just picked a fight with me,” Kunai growls. He half-turns to Ivy, flashing a grim smile at her. “Yo. Hey, Ivy. It’s been a long while, eh?”

Next Time: Episode 50 The Sin of an Assassin

Ivy: Kunai! What are you doing here?!

Kunai: I’ve come to save you.

Ivy: Oh really? But Tide came to do that!

Kunai: But he’s lying on the ground!

Ivy: I know! Shuriken did that to him!

Kunai: What are you trying to say…?

Ryuu: Hey! Where are all you guys?

Episode 50 The Sin of an Assassin coming soon!

3 thoughts on “Tales of a Lost World 49”

  1. No Arai. . .? NUU. T_T WHERE COMES THE COOKIE GOODNESS IN THE FUTURE?!
    [/spaz]
    Anyway. 😀 That was spiffy. Shuriken is all cool and callous, and Tide’s as funny as when we last saw him. XD Looking forward to the Kunai vs Shuriken .

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