Lumina stared at the figure before her, her breath ceasing, her heartbeat intensifying, a cold sweat rolling down her face. She had faced dangers and yet she never cowered, but the man before her made her cower like a tree during a storm. 'What...what is he doing here, He shouldn't be.... here... he can't be here' she thought, her thoughts were incoherent, muddled. She could barely keep herself standing leaning against Sylvia's side. Sylvia hearing Lumina's thoughts flow into her mind uncontrollably looked down at her, eyes filled with sorrow as she felt an influx of pain, wrath and fear from the child by her side. "You've finally decided to come out, Arin" Sylvia said in her usual calm demeanor as she gripped the hilt of her sword tighter. "Why wouldn't I Sylvia, after all my closest friend has gotten herself into a hell of trouble." Arin replied with a twisted smile on his face as he took off his coat it to the ground. He stood before them in a Red and black suit of Armor; it had a sleek surface and an elaborate design of sigils across its edges. It was well fitting and light with gaps that revealed the black chainmail beneath it. The most eye-catching piece being the chest plate with a crest depicting a blood red sun shrouded in darkness. The darkness seemed to shift ever so slightly if you stared at it long enough.
Sylvia chuckled as she pulled Lumina behind her. "So what are you going to do now, old friend?" Sylvia asked her voice carrying a faint pressure directed towards him. Arin showed no reaction to her subtle probing instead laughing at her attempt. "Sage rank, how did you advance so fast, its only been a year?" Sylvia said her tone carrying a hint of doubt. She stared at him her eyes containing a hint of dread. A hand clasped over hers, the hands were trembling, yet they tried to comfort her. She looked behind her at her disciple, she smiled softly before pulling her arm away and grabbing a tight hold of her Longsword. "Lumina, why don't you get going..." "No, I am not leaving you a..." "For my sake, please just leave" Sylvia cut Lumina off with a wistful smile contorting her face, her eyes carrying a sense of longing. Lumina backed away from Sylvia, her eyes tearing up. She looked towards Arin and for a moment her murderous intent surged, before being restrained by Sylvia's energy.
As Lumina turned to leave, "Promise me something would you, don't look back" Sylvia said facing Arin. Lumina dashed out of the room taking the route Sylvia taught her. "She'll be ok, she'll be ok..." She muttered to herself as she ran.
Sylvia sighed as she heard Lumina's footsteps drift further away. "You do know I can catch her if I want to, right?" Arin asked snickering at their ridiculous excuse of escape plan. "And miss an opportunity to catch up with your old friend, or should I say crush" Sylvia said lowering her sword slightly and twirling her blonde hair cutely. Arin held his stomach laughing, "You sure do know me well Sylvie" he said trying to steady himself. "Let's do this shall we" Sylvia said wielding her sword in a defensive stance. Her feet grounded, both hands around her swords hilt raised high pointing outwards. Arin seeing this wiped a tear from his eyes and extended his arm out. His eyes shone an eerie blue as a weapon wove itself from ethereal strings of light. In his hands stood an all-black onyx Great sword with red runes carved along its center and a red moon crest engraved onto its pommel. He held the blade in both hands and looked towards Sylvia who gripped hers tighter. 'This feeling I'm getting, thank the gods I sent her away' Sylvia said a bitter smile on her face. "How long has it been since we last dueled Sylvie?" Arin smiled softly, a brief tone of longing in his voice. "Two years, it's been two years since the night I beat you for my freedom, Old friend." Sylvia replied in a mocking tone. "Ah! wonderful times don't you think" "I have improved since then though, I hope you won't be disappointed." "I will be the judge of that" Sylvia said as she lunged towards him, her sword aimed for his side. Arin swung his sword downward at an unprecedented speed, blocking her azure blade. "Nice try". Sylvia was swung backwards as Arin pushed forward leaving a crater where he once stood. 'Left- right-down', Arin swung his mighty blade aiming for her neck. An azure flash of light blocks the attack; he strikes on the other side leading to the same result. He attempts a downward, but the blade finds a way to his unprotected neck. His quick retreat leads to a mere graze. "Sometimes, I forget you are a Scholaria" " And you don't fight like a Sage" Sylvia replied her breathing labored. Scholarians were never built for combat, but they had to adapt even with their lesser stamina and endurance. "I guess you are right, let's get serious" Arin's eyes glowed an intense blue, a sign of his ability activating. The air in the room grew still as the full aura of a Sage rank Kyrexian was released.
About a kilometer from Sylvia's pub, a short figure of a girl with a bag on her back is seen running between houses in the dead of the night. She suddenly comes to a stop and looks back in the direction she came from, as though looking through the walls of the houses. "What is that, will she be-- ok?" she muttered to herself. "No, don't look back. She will be ok; I am sure of it." She reassured herself taking off towards the train station.
cough cough Sylvia coughed up some blood as she pulled away from the messenger of death before her. She had barely put up with his swordsmanship by predicting his moves ahead of time. She was Weapons master, but she couldn't compare with the Kyrexian's ability. More so one who trained in a specific weapon type. She looked up at him, feeling the imposing aura he released she could only shake. Her had chosen that moment to afflict her.
Arin walked towards her, oblivious of the battle she was fighting in her mind. "What happened to you Sylvia?" He asked his tone filled with anger. "Where is the woman I used to idolize, the woman who stood up to an Ascended rank Kyrexian. It's not too late to come back to your senses, this battle is lost." Arin shouted with contempt in his voice; his aura flaring up with every move he made. He stood a mere 5 feet from her, his blade hanging above her head. His hand was steady, filled with immense strength, and yet he didn't lower his sword. His cold blue eyes hid something, pain, regret and sorrow. But amidst all of these, there was joy, the same joy that a student feels when they've finally been able to surpass their master.
Sylvia listened to everything Arin said but she didn't react as she tried to control the thoughts racing through her mind. Her mind was flooded by the thoughts of every single person within a one kilometer of radius. Her mind strained under the influx, added to the severe wounds across her body. She concentrated on her center of power trying to reduce the strain on her mind using her Aether. A soft voice sounded her mind; one she had long gotten used to. She focused on the voice; it grew louder the more she listened to it until it was the only thing she could hear. 'You have to be OK, I know you will be' she listened to the voice a soft smile appearing on her face for a brief moment. Sylvia focused on Lumina's voice so hard she was completely oblivious to the changes occurring within her. Her Ajna radiated an intense purple-like colored halo as it grew in size.
Arin stared towards the crouching Sylvia; a purple halo surrounded her as her energy climbed higher until it reached the peak of the Ascended rank. 'You are really doing this during a battle; this is so like you' Arin thought as he lowered his blade and walked away from her a smile on his face.
The sound of something shattering resounded in Sylvia's mind drawing her back to reality. She slowly sensed her body, noticing her Ajna had enlarged, she grinned as she slowly stood up. "You asked where that woman went didn't you?" Sylvia said to Arin as she gripped her sword with her bleeding hand. She raised her head slowly looking up at Arin who had retreated further from her. "She's right here" Sylvia said as she looked him in his eyes. Her eyes shone with a cold glint, and yet she had a smile on her face.
"Let's see if you really are her" Arin said as he channeled his Aether into his legs and dashed towards her, the ground beneath his feet crushed under such immense pressure. Sylvia stood still watching her attacker approach her. 'He doesn't seem so fast anymore, this must be the power of a Rank 4 Ajna. I can predict his movements, but it still feels slow.' Sylvia thought to herself. She had activated her ability trying to foresee Arin's movements, but her mind could only barely predict them despite her rise in rank. 'There's still a huge gap between us' she thought a smile appearing on her face. 'Well, it's a good thing gaps in power don't apply to me' she said as Arin's blade landed on her head.
Arin watched as his sword swung through the ethereal figure before him, he quickly assumed a defensive stance as he turned away from the illusory figure of Sylvia. "Pay more attention to your surroundings" Sylvia's voice echoed in the room. Arin swung his sword in the direction of her voice, only to be met with another illusory figure. Arin soon found himself surrounded by multiple apparitions that looked exactly like Sylvia. "Wow, Sage rank feels different, doesn't it Arin?" the Sylvias spoke as they advanced towards him. "It really is something. This is a Grade 4 ability, isn't it?" Arin asked.
A Grade 4 ability is a special skill gained from a Grade 4 refinement technique. The ability Sylvia had just used was called 'Illusion Domain'. A Grade 4 Scholarian skill that allowed its wielder to create life like illusions, with the strength and endurance of the illusions depending on wielder's strength.
"As expected of the Academy's strongest pupil, using a Grade 4 ability less than thirty minutes after advancing" He chuckled when she refused to answer him. 'I can't continue like this, I don't have enough Aether Sylvia thought to herself as she moved her illusions to surround Arin from all sides. The illusions moved to attack Arin all at once, forsaking all forms of defense.
Arin watched as the first two of the illusions swung their swords at him, he used his superior speed to avoid them retreat backwards. Another pair attacked the position he retreated to leaving him with little time to retreat, he swung his sword shattering one of the illusions as the other slashed at his side. Its sword left raked against his armor not even leaving a scar 'Beast Armor'. Arin grabbed a hold of the illusion and shattered it. A few more of the illusions attacked with each one barely leaving a wound on him before ending up shattered.
'They cannot harm because of his beast armor, I need to attack him myself' Sylvia conclude as she made her way out of the corner of the room she hid in wiping the blood on the side of her face. 'Let's do this' she gripped her sword and blended with the crowd of illusions attacking Arin. A purple-like energy leaked from Sylvia in to her blade, she planned to use the cover of her illusions to cut through his armor.
Arin sensed the movement of Aethereal energy but he was too late as a sword covered in an indigo colored glow was swung at his neck. Arin raised his arm to block the blade, it bit into his arm braces leaving him with a wound on his arm. The indigo blade retreated after its attack. Arin searched for the blade among a barrage of attacks, he had realized Sylvia's plan but there was nothing he could do to change his current situation.
The blade continued to appear and vanish randomly, leaving Arin covered in cuts. The blade left only cuts after its initial attack due to the endurance his caste provided him. 'Now that I know her plan, I can make this a battle of attrition.' Arin thought as he blocked a strike from another illusion. The illusions created by Sylvia had numbered up to twenty-five but they had been reduced to just five. Two of which were badly wounded, they had lost an arm and an eye respectively. Sylvia reappeared but didn't attack this time around, she instead called her illusions back to her side.
"What are you doing now Sylvia, have you finally decided to surrender?" Arin asked mockingly. 'Something is wrong, why do I feel weaker.' Arin thought to himself, a feeling of dread enveloping him as he grew weaker. "I suppose you should be feeling the effect right about now" Sylvia broke the silence. "What have you done to me" Arin asked, the weight of his body cracked the floor as he fell to both his knees. A smile crept onto Sylvia's face as she watched Arin struggle inevitably to stop whatever was happening to him. Sylvia looked at the blue longsword in her hands, its color looked faded a little. "Your Aether will continue to be emptied until your Mujadara is completely emptied. And then you will barely be able to use your ability." Sylvia explained the predicament he currently faced.
"That Sword" a light of understanding flashed in Arin's eyes. "How you got your hands on something like that is questionable". Arin said putting up a calm façade as he spoke although his face showed how much pain he was enduring to keep himself up. "Save your breath" Sylvia said trying to shut him up. "It's a shame, you put this much effort into defeating me even going as far as using a runic weapon. But..." Arin said his face easing up as he stood up from his knees. Sylvia's smile faded, she didn't hesitate to place her Illusions in a defensive stance before her. Arin stood up and looked Sylvia in the eye, his Aether that had been leaking out moments ago. Began to be absorbed by his body which grew larger by the moment. Fur began to appear on the exposed parts of his body, his muscles bulged and eyes narrowed with the blue color of his pupils becoming deeper and more menacing. "...I am not that easy to beat. "Arin said. He stood at about two meters tall; his arms were covered in black fur and his hair had grown a little longer. He had assumed a Hybrid transformation.