Sagin vs Petal
"Successfully achieved. Got full control."
"The sword is going to cut the boy. Need to fight back,"Sagin says in system mode.
Avesh swings his sword. Sagin catches it with Rav's mouth and bites off another chunk of metal.
"Looks like you're having fun. Why are you trying to end it?"Sagin says through Rav's body.
Avesh stares at his damaged sword in shock.
"Who are you?"Kosr asks.
"Hey, how are you talking without moving your mouth? You're holding an uninvited guest inside you?"
"Using the Sage Mode,"Sagin replies.
Sagin sees two spirit entities clearly,
one demon petal, Avesh An Ishi,
and one shadow king, Kosr Shan Dow.
He modifies what Rav sees, rendering their names floating above their heads. Now, Rav also sees what Sagin sees through his eyes.
"Oh my, I recognise you from memories. You are Kosr Shan Dow, the Shadow King. I thought Sumil killed you. How are you alive? And how did you merge with a demon?"Sagin smiles.
"You're a freak," Sagin continues, glaring at Avesh. "You should have died a warrior's death, not leech onto a young demon."
"What the hell? How do you know all this, little boy?"Avesh questions.
"He is not the boy anymore. He is something else,"Kosr says.
This time, even Rav can hear his voice.
"Oh damn, man, your voice sounds like a dead cat speaking,"Sagin comments.
"You don't even have a body,"Avesh snaps. "Just because you damaged my sword doesn't mean you win."
"Oh! You're right. I forgot. He-he-he,"Sagin laughs.
"Shadows! Let the boy bleed,"Avesh commands.
The shadow creatures don't move.
Avesh frowns.
"What?"
Sagin smirks.
"About that, those are mine now."
System Voice:
"Merging shadow creatures with host body."
"Using them as raw material."
"Using the host's life force."
"Instant Regeneration: Armageddon Survive."
Rav's body starts smoking. From every wound, red smoke leaks out, mixing with white steam.
"What is happening?"Avesh asks.
"It's too late. I think the boy really received powers from Sumil,"Kosr says.
"It doesn't matter. I don't think he has all the powers from Sumil. We can still win easily,"Kosr assures.
Sagin cracks his neck.
"Let's have fun, then."
__________
The More, More Fun
Avesh leaps forward, attacking through the smoke, but finds nothing.
"Looking for me?"Sagin asks, hanging upside down from the ceiling.
All his limbs have grown back.
"How did you grow your limbs back!?"Avesh yells. "It doesn't matter, I can kill you anyway!"
Avesh flips forward and slashes.
"Spirit Blast: Slice!"
Avesh swings his sword. A sharp spirit slash cuts the air. Sagin jumps sideways, avoiding it.
"Spirit Blast: Footwork!"
Avesh changes direction mid-air, dashes toward Sagin, and swings both swords. Sagin bends backwards, narrowly dodging.
"Ho, that would've cut Rav into two pieces,"Sagin mutters.
"Great precision, though," he adds sarcastically.
Avesh laughs. "Ha! Ha! Ha! You brat, you're only dodging. You don't know a single attack technique."
"Good point,"Sagin says. "Hmm, sword? Axe? Bow? What suits the boy?"
Avesh attacks again. Sagin steps backwards rapidly, defensive, until his back hits the wall.
"Let's see what you do now!"Avesh taunts, swinging down.
Without thinking, Sagin pulls out a spirit sword.
CLANG!!
Avesh's sword breaks into two.
The spirit sword glows white from hilt to tip. The handle is dark, covered in blood, with veins glowing red. From the blade, faint blue waves ripple outward.
"Oho, look at that. Unexpectedly, I pulled a sword," Sagin laughs.
"How are you using an experienced demon spirit sword!? Only higher demons know it, and you were just a boy!" Avesh shouts and jumps again.
The broken half of Avesh's blade reunites with spirit energy, forming two full spirit swords.
Both spirit swords clash. Embers fly. Sparks explode.
They fight like one must die here.
Their battle spirals, roof to wal, wall to ground, grount to opposite wall & opposite wall to ceiling.
A full 360-degree combat.
Sagin struggles to keep up.
Avesh pushes him harder.
Another full 360 degree rotation.
"Looks like you can't keep up," Avesh grins.
__________
The Losing Fight
Rav whispers inside,
"Sagin, he's attacking too fast. How are we going to win?"
"It's difficult to win. We just need to keep fighting until the Sage wakes up,"Sagin says.
"We have less time,"Kosr interrupts. "Use the shadow creatures. Merge them all."
"Shadow Realm: Shadow Sayog."
The entire cave fills with black fog for a moment.
Sagin freezes, checking blood pact memories. "This is Shadow Sayog,
he's merging all shadows into himself. That's too many for one mind!"
Kosr answers calmly, "This is not something you need to worry about."
All black fog is sucked back into Avesh.
He transforms,
No longer demon.
Not human.
Something like a hell creature.
A black organic mask forms over his face. Veins pulse. Two horns grow from the mask, merging with Avesh's skull.
Shadows coat his body like shifting metal plates.
His spirit sword turns pitch black into a Shadow Spirit Sword.
"Let's start round two!" Avesh roars.
He dives and slashes.
Sagin parries, but the black sword cuts through Sagin's sword and also cuts off Rav's right arm.
"No more spirit power to regenerate,"Sagin says in system voice.
He doesn't scream.
Even Rav feels no pain.
Sagin switches his sword to his left hand and attacks.
Avesh blocks easily, pushes him back, and kicks Sagin in the stomach.
Rav's body flies meters away, slams into the wall.
"Is that it?" Avesh asks.
"Looks like your luck ends here, boy."
Sagin looks inward.
"Rav, I tried. We used most of our spirit power to regenerate you and keep you alive. The only thing I can do now is stop your pain. I'm sorry. I failed. The blood pact failed."
Rav sobs weakly.
"It's fine, you tried your best."
Avesh leaps.
One slash.
Then another.
Sagin forces one last attack, and he manages to cut part of Avesh's horn mask.
"Oho, last try, huh?"Avesh laughs.
Avesh severs Rav's remaining limbs.
The boy bleeds heavily.
"I thought of giving you a quick death, but after what you did, you'll die by bleeding instead."
"Any last wishes?"Avesh asks.
"Why, why are you doing this?"Sagin asks.
Avesh laughs.
"I don't think we have time for that."
Rav loses consciousness.
__________
The Final Setup
Avesh, strangely, feels a flicker of sadness.
He decides to end the boy quickly.
He lifts his sword to sever Rav's head, but mid-swing, Avesh suddenly loses his shadow form.
All merged shadows burst out of him and vanish into the darkness.
"With your power, that's how long you can maintain temporary linkage,"Kosr says.
"Why didn't you do a full merge?"Avesh demands, turning to Kosr.
"He's unconscious. He will die in five minutes. Don't worry."
"Answer my question."
"Even a permanent merge won't last more than forty-eight hours. After forty-eight hours, I and the shadow fields cease to exist."
"That's why you didn't merge, isn't it?"
"No. We will do a full merge once we reach the village barrier,"Kosr says.
"You need all your power to break it."
Suddenly, Kosr yells, "Someone entered through the barrier!"
"What!? Who can break both the shadow cast barrier and the demon barrier?" Avesh asks.
"He didn't just break it. He jumped through both barriers and shattered them with his fist," Kosr answers.
"I don't feel Sage energy, but I feel something powerful."
Avesh speaks into his link, "Roz, can you hear me?"
"Yes, my lord. Where is the Sage?"
"He's inside the waterfall cave, meditating. We have about two more hours. After he comes out, he will practice for exactly one hour and thirty-five minutes. From there to the village, four miles, another hour walk."
"Let me know if the Sage moves," Avesh orders.
He looks at Testa.
"Go. Check who it is, and kill him."
__________
Avesh drives his pocket knife into Sual's heart.
"Come on, old man. I expected more."
He looks at Testa.
"I expected more loyalty from you. You disappoint me."
"I was always loyal, not to you, but to the boy," Testa says.
"Yeah, yeah, got it. You, old fool, and that stupid boy, all can die together."
Avesh lifts his sword, Shadow Spirit Slash.