Birth Of The Grim Reaper

"Run Ellie! I won't pull my punches!" Faye shouts as she rushes through the tropical forests and weaves around the trees propelled by the flames from beneath her feet. Elvina runs and vaults over branches with no magical assistance. "You gotta catch me first big sis!" She shouts and she continues to vault over tree branches and swing on vines. this is crazy. I didn't even tell her that she could transform, but she's still outperforming my flame booster movement spell. Anzu really are terrifying if all of them are as physically powerful as Ellie. Faye's mind runs wild as she continues to propel herself through the air, struggling to catch Elvina.

She quickly glances at a magical tome her mother sent to her, sees another movement spell and shouts, "Acceleration!" The pale orange flames beneath her feet burst with energy and morph into a bright blue flame, pushing her more than twice as fast than before. "I'm going to catch up if you're not quicker than that Ellie! Hehehe!" She laughs as she sees Elvina notice that she's less than a meter off her back. "That's not fair! I want fire feet too! It's way too cool!" She shouts playfully as they reach the edge of the tree line. Faye giggles and teases, "it is fair, because I say so! What are you gonna do Ellie?" She smirks and reaches in her pocket with her free hand.

"my special move, Pocket Sand!" She throws sand at Faye who slows down almost to a complete stop as she covers her eyes and swats the sand away frantically. "Aww, come on! Really? Pocket sand? That's actually cheating you little jerk!" She shouts back and Elvina laughs and points at herself with her thumb proudly, standing on a branch fifteen meters up an enormous tree. "Nope, it's not cheating because I say so." Faye rubs her eyes and snarks at her, "don't get sassy. And how do you get all the way up there?" She looks up confused, because while she can propel herself forward she can only get two meters off the ground at most. "I just climbed, it's easy. C'mon I'ma beat you this time."

she leaps off the branch fearlessly and free falls six meters before grabbing a vine and swinging away as effortlessly as if she was just walking down the street. Faye watches her in both amazement and confusion, how is she so brash? Who in their right mind would do that with no hesitation? What if the branch snaps, or the vine is loose? She thinks and she propels herself forward at full speed, refusing to let her win. "You might be higher than me, but I'm still faster!" She shouts as she hesitates for a second before putting her hands by her side, palms wide open and shouts. "Acceleration!" Blue flames shoot out from her hands and she blitzes past Elvina with her tongue sticking out.

Elvina swings, jumps and leaps as fast as she can, but it's no use. Faye exits the tree line first and she does shortly after, but right as she leaps off the last branch a huge blunted chunk of ice hurls towards her just one meter away. She reaches out and grabs the edge, vaulting and flips over it dropping ten meters to the ground and she rolls as she lands; immediately upholstering her shield and unsheathing her sword as she does. Another shard zips her way, Krack! It shatters as she raises her shield and just as she looks overtop it three more follow the last, she stands tall and with a flurry of slashes she cuts them all down. 

To her left Faye had her scepter out, it's a thirty centimeter solid silver rod with twin serpents wrapping around the full length of it. At the top their heads meet and a red and blue mana stone is held in the serpent's mouths. Her hair glows red and her body is completely surrounded in a ball of fire. "Oh, so you're just gonna melt them? That's lazy, sis. It's more funer my way." She sighs and says, "more fun Ellie. The correct way to say it is more fun." Elvina blows her lips. "Whatever. It's lazy, watch this." She charges forward and Alexious laughs. "Okay Ellie, I'll give you something fun! Remember this is training, so try to take it seriously." She continues to charge with a wide smile. "Bring it! I'mma slice up everything!"

he shakes his head, looks to Kaycee and he shrugs. "You know she get her personality from you right?" He smiles and Alexious waives his hand. Thirty more blunted shards materialize and hurl towards Elvina and Faye. She smiles and clacks her sword and shield together, two forward, three on my right and three on my left. she thinks and smiles. "easy!" She shouts as she drops her stance and two shards fly overhead, she jumps and blocks the three on her right with her shield and uses the momentum to flip over and slash the three on her left. All in less than six seconds. "Keep 'em comin! I'm still warming up!"

Alexious laughs and Kaycee shouts. "Atta girl! Just like i taught ya!" He pats Alexious and says proudly, "she learned that from me. You know, cuz I'm awesome." He shakes his head and replies. "Yeah, and with her personality she'll fit in well with your mercenary crew." Kaycee nods and smiles. "Yup. Now how about i take over for Faye since you're training Elvina?" He nods and Kaycee charges off. Alexious looks at Elvina dodging, blocking, slashing and pairing with surprising ease. "Hey uncle Lexi! Send me a big one, I'll throw it back at you!" He laughs and says. "Okay, Ellie. Let's see what you can do."

he twists his fingers and the last five of the thirty shards condense into one massive three meter long, two meter wide mega shard. "You'd better dodge this one." He says and to his surprise she sheaths her sword and throws her shield to the ground, she interlocks her fingers and cracks them. She tilts her head side to side, cracking her neck too and says with a devious smile. "Nah. I'mma catch it." She shouts back at Faye, "can i do it?" Faye and Kaycee stop just when they were about to clash and watch as she says. "Yeah, if you're planning on blocking that massive shard! I'm giving you the OK!" She smiles. "That's all in needed to know."

without even closing her eyes her muscle mass doubles, her ears grow, claws extend and her lilac eyes glow a bright purple. "I'm ready whenever!" She shouts and Alexious smiles, flics his finger forward and the shard zips towards her. She squats and pushes her feet off the ground and she closes a ten meter gap in an instant; she grabs hold of the shard, sinking her claws into in and slightly shattering the ice in doing so. She plants her feet firmly into the ground, and to everyone's shock she spins around so fast it's almost a complete blur for Faye and she releases it after three rotations; the shard hurtles towards Alexious almost as fast as he's sent it at her. He snaps his fingers as it's just less than five centimeters from his face that it completely evaporates.

"That's what I've been fucking waiting for! It's about damn time!" Alison who was just off to the side watching and evaluating her progress shouts in ecstasy. Faye releases her magic and Kaycee sheaths his sword. "Holy shit. Since… since when was she able to do that?" He asks Faye in disbelief; who's also flabbergasted herself. "I… I couldn't tell you. I just worked with her to control it, we never fought or anything. Are all first level Anzu transformations that… insane?" He turns and looks at her with a huge smile and tears of joy welling up in his eyes, "Of all the Anzu I've fought and seen i have never seen one as strong as that in their first form. She's really special." Faye's eyes go back to Elvina who's just shadow boxing and laughing.

Are you kidding me? Uncle Kay means to tell me this isn't alarming? No eight year old should be that crazy strong. she glances over to Alexious, Brannon and Alison. Alexious hugs Brannon and he gives two thumbs up to Elvina; Brannon lifts Alison and they kiss in celebration. Faye just sits there, frozen in shock. "Alexious, i think you should test her out a bit." Brannon says while pointing at the swords on his waist, he steps back in shock and looks at Alison; who nods in agreement. "I want to see her reaction time as well. Now I'm even more excited to see what my little Grim Reaper can do." He looks down at his swords and asks. "Are you two sure about this? You know full well what it means." They nod and he turns to Elvina.

He calls out to her, "Ellie, your parents want you to have a little spar with me. I'll warn you now. My swords aren't normal, no. My swords are much heavier than Kaycee's." She smiles and looks at him with intense excitement. "Yeah! I wanna see what I can do. Plus, Uncle Kay taught me this." She clenches her fists and hits them together, a pale beige glow emits from her body and stone forms all over her; they all shoot their heads over to Kaycee who's laughing. "Stone Skin? You taught her Stone Skin!?" They shout simultaneously, but he waives his hand and says. "Nope, I showed her because she was curious. I didn't expect her to learn it on her own either." Alison cackles and stares Alexious down. "Go over there and fight her, i want to see this."

he walks over to her and once they're right in front of each other she unsheathes her sword and lifts up her shield. "Ready when you are, Uncle Lexi." He laughs and removes a hair tie from his wrist and gathers his long ashy blue gray hair. His long ponytail flows just below the middle of his back and he removes his tattered robe revealing his arms covered in full sleeve tattoos. His raggedy hole ridden tunic had long since lost the sleeves, he looks at her and points to his hair. "You might want to tie that up. This is going to be a serious spar, Ellie." He unsheathes his twin falchion swords and the blue steel sparkles against the setting sun. They're simple yet alluring blades with a beautiful wavy pattern that seems to swim along them, the hilts are solid white and are the only things he owns that look new and well worn at the same time.

Standing in front of her Alexious looks like a battle god, an Asura of war. He tosses a hair tie to her and she ties her jet black hair up in a low bun and gets in her stance. Shield high and sword ready. "Since she's using Xi, you use magic too." Alison shouts and he nods. His body begins to glow bright blue and water swells up all around him, the water splits into countless drops and wraps around his swords. He opens his eyes that are now pure bright blue and glowing radiantly, stands upright with his hands by his side and swords pointed to the ground. "Get ready Ellie. I'm about to start." She nods. "This is good. Use everything that you can. He is no easy person to deal with, i permit you to 'go wild' as you would say." Yue gives the all clear and Elvina smiles.

Alexious disappears from her line of sight, Clank! She instinctively raises her sword and blocks from behind, "good. You can react to that." She turns and he again blurs from sight, Clank. Again she blocks instinctively. She closes her eyes and focuses on feeling his next attack. On the left! Clunk. She turns faster than before and blocks head on and smiles. "I got it. You move like this." She copies his blur much to his astonishment and attacks at his back, Clank! He blocks and laughs. "You have no idea what you just copied! It took me yeas to learn this. Okay, let's turn it up a notch." They smile as they turn into blurs of speed hacking, slashing, dodging and parring each other.

after a minute there were barely any clashes and after three only two could be heard at at time. He swings for her head she weaves and slashes up, he dodges and counters with a side slash. She blocks with her shield and counters with a thrust, he side step's and counters with a diagonal slash and she steps with the trajectory of the slash. They trade hundreds of blows until she finally drops, unable to keep up her transformation any longer than ten minutes and Alexious laughs. "Hahaha! Elvina, you're a natural born swordswoman! I can't believe you kept up with my pace for eight whole minutes!" She smiles. Her clothes are riddled with tears and ice, her sword and shield are ragged and frozen; but she still just smiles and laughs.

Brannon rushes over and places his hand on her head and a white light flashes. She stands up completely surprised and says, "dad? I'm not tired anymore, i feel full of energy. What did you do?" He rubs her head lovingly and lifts her onto his shoulders and says. "I just gave you a bit of myself, you'll definitely learn it in the future my little sparrow." She playfully pats his bald head and proudly shouts. "I'm Strong! And I'mma Keep getting more stronger!" Faye still sits speechless in a sea of thoughts. What did i just see? What even happened, how were they moving so fast? Dad wasn't using any movement spells and he only used magic on his swords, but Elvina was keeping up with him? She copied his movement just from seeing once. 

She was not quite as fast though, because dad is perfectly fine and her clothes and weapons are basically ruined. I just saw blurs and sparks. I couldn't even follow them at all. Ellie. I need to keep her in check, because if i don't she really will kill someone. She stands up and she does her best to smile and join in the celebration. "You little sword devil! You were hiding that talent weren't you." Kaycee playfully punches her shoulder and Faye grabs her hands and manages to wear a weary smile at best. "Ellie, how are you?" She forces out the nicest and least intrusive question she can. Elvina just smiles from ear to ear and says, "i feel super strong! Like mega super duper good."

Faye relaxes a bit just seeing that she's her usual cheerful self and sighs in relief. "I'm glad you're feeling like yourself. I was worried because I had never seen you hold your first form for that long in these last seven months of training." Elvina pulls her in for a big hug and reassures her, "I'm okay sis. I promise, love you always." Faye smiles and says. "I Love you always." They separate and Alison grabs Elvina's shoulder. "You think you're up for some special training time." She winks and Elvina's eyes glow, "yeah! Let's go, i wanna keep getting stronger." She turns back to everyone else and says, "we're going for some training, I'll be back soon." Everyone waives as she and Alison disappear into the trees.

Faye looks up at Alexious and asks, "dad, how easy were you going on her? I guess a better way to say it is, how much of your full strength was in that spar?" He, Brannon and Kaycee laugh, annoying Faye. "What's so funny? I'm not kidding." She says and Alexious just places his hand on her head and with the most pride she's ever heard in his voice he speaks. "Five percent of my speed at first, but she matched that by copying my secret movement techniques… she hit ten percent of my full speed by the end. She held that ten percent pace for a solid minute, it's unbelievably incredible." She sighs, "incredible, huh. Yeah, I would say that it's more insane than anything else." Brannon, Kaycee and Alexious all nod and say. "Agreed."

out in the forest Alison stands in front of Elvina with a smile on her face. "You're one hell of a late bloomer, you know that?" She shrugs and Alison shakes her head. "Okay, so we know three important things now." she tilts her head and her ears slump, "three?" Alison nods and smirks. "Yes. You can hold your first form for ten minutes, that's number one. Number two, you can use Xi. Number three and the most important, you can freely wield mana without restraint." she nods and asks, "okay so can we do the magic thing now?" She laughs and says, "you just read my fucking mind. Let's see what you got Grim Reaper. Now change." Elvina nods and goes into her first form again. "I usually only do this when big sis is here."

Alison scoffs and says,"fuck that. We're going to see how well you keep up with me, drop the sword and shield and make your weapon." She smiles and does as her mother says. She holds out her hands and lightning crackles around them wildly at first and then slowly condenses into two daggers. Her eyes glow pure lilac purple and silver streaks flow through her hair. "I wanna try lighting this time." Alison smirks and puls out her daggers. "I still cannot believe you can use five of the six elements. You're just a damn tease, aren't you." 

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! KABOOM!

three small explosions followed by an enormous explosion stopped them before they could start. Elvina reverts back to normal and her magic disappears, "mom? What was that?" Alison stares in the direction of the explosion and shouts sternly. "Get your shit and run! Get to the house and get a spare sword and shield, I'll be right behind you!" Elvina tries to protest, "but mom I'm strong now i can hel-" "Fucking Go! This isn't going to be an easy fight! I'll hold these shit stains off while you get ready!" she immediately turns around and sprints at full speed and shouts as she runs. "I'll be back soon, mom! We'll fight together!" Alison smiles. "Looks like a trial by Hell Fire."

Elvina rushes through the door and up the stairs to her and Faye's room. She opens a chest with a spare sword and shield, she fastens the spare sword and holsters the shield. She grabs a dagger and straps a belt with six throwing knives sheathed across her right shoulder and rushes back downstairs. "Ellie! What was that? What's happening out there? Why are you armed to your teeth?" Faye asks a million questions a minute and Elvina shrugs. "So, umm. explosions, one. Umm. Not sure stuff exploding, two; I'm gonna go help mom fight whoever made the explosion, three. I get all that?" Faye stares in shock at what she just heard. "No! Dad and the other's already headed out there, we need to stay safe inside the house."

"Guard the House! Brannon with me! Kaycee don't you dare fall behind!" Alexious shouts and Kaycee stands in front of the house facing two dozen masked men. His sword and shield out and ready and his skin is metal instead of stone. "Let's see ya try and get past me! Bring it Ya Scrubs!!!" He shouts. Elvina and Faye are watching this all unfold from the window and Faye frantically grabs her communicator and calls out.

"Mom! How far are you? It's an emergency, there's men dozens of masked men outside and everyone is fighting."

"Are you okay? Where are you located and is Elvina together with you?"

"We're inside the house together, but Ellie is trying to go out and fight."

"you two stay inside unless you have to run away! My ship is at least thirty minutes out, please stay safe until then. I'll immediately send the royal guard to your home!"

Faye puts the Communicator away and looks at Elvina with fierce eyes . "You heard her. We stay here, Ellie." she rests her hand on the pommel of her sword and says. "I don't think we have a choice, big sis. We have to help." Faye starts to lose her composure. "NO! We're not ready for a fight like this, Ellie. You're not ready." Elvina throws up her hands violently and says. "I think i am! I can keep up with uncle Lexi and i can fight. Why do you keep saying I'm not ready!?"

Faye rubs the bridge of her nose with her pointer finger and thumb in frustration. "I do not think you can control yourself enough yet. What if you lose composure and go berserk, what if you k-" CRASH! The door busts in, flying towards Faye. Elvina darts in front of her braises her body and raises her shield. BANG! With her body fully braced she successfully blocked it, but standing in the doorway is a masked man two meters tall with a short sword in his left hand and a dagger in his right. "Well well, well. Hello little girls." His eyes dart to Faye and he says. "Guessing the pretty little elf is the princess, right." Elvina stands guard in front of her, sword ready and shield high. "Bring it on. You're not touching my sister, creep."

he laughs and sarcastically says, "oh, really? I have to get past an eight year old, oh no! What will i do?" Elvina charges right at him, "wanna find out!" She swings diagonally with her sword and he raises to block, but the smiles and pulls her sword back. She pushes off the ground and bashes his chin with her shield, he stumbles back and she thrusts with her sword; piercing his left side and not giving him a chance to catch his footing. He tries to slash horizontally with his short sword, Clank! She blocks it and as hard as she can she stomps forward right into his groin. "AAH! You little, bitch." he drops momentarily and she uses this chance to jump up and slam the edge of her shield into the back of his neck.

"Kueck!" He whimpers out and she quickly slides behind him and bear hugs as tight as she can. "Shoot him, sis!" Faye hesitates and he begins to regain his composure. "Do it! I can't hold him long!" Faye raises her scepter and says, "what. What about you?" Elvina shouts as the man pries at her hands and elbows her in the head. "D. Don't worry about it! Just shoot!" Faye sighs and her hair glows bright blue and she shouts. "Water Cannon!" Beads of water begin to materialize and in just a few short seconds a massive orb of water blasts the man and Elvina out through the doorway, Faye rushes out after her. "Ellie! Ellie, Are you okay?" She gets up and wipes the blood from her nose. "Yeah, I'm good. He took the hit, i just flew out with him."

Crash! They look to their right and Kaycee was just thrown against the house, breaking the cobblestone wall. He looks at them, Good. Faye's fine and Ellie looks like she's holding up well. He smirks and says. "You two watch each other's backs. Ellie you stand in front and Faye you attack from behind. This is what you trained for. Don't die on me, ya hear that!" Elvina smiles. "Never thought about dying anyway." He gets up and says. "Good, then. Elvina we'll guard Faye, try to keep up." Kaycee and Elvina stand in front of Faye and stare down three dozen men. "You take the left i take the right." Kaycee says and Elvina nods.

elsewhere Alison moves through shadows and cuts down their forces as best she can. Fwip! The sound of an arrow set loose fills her ears and she turns to see nothing, Shick! "Aah! Bitch." She shouts as she sees a steel tipped arrow head sticking through her right thigh. Fifteen men drop from the trees and surround her, but she just laughs. "I don't know what you think you're doing here, but you fuckers better leave if you know what's good for you." She says as she pulls the arrow out and begins to transform… nothing happens. "What? What the hell did you do?" A woman from behind speaks. "We just used a special little something to ensure that you wouldn't be a problem. Think of it as a collar on your transformation."

she turns around with her eyes wide in complete shock. "What the hell are you doing here? You sh-" Shick! Before she could even finish a sword was driven through her solar plexus, "Gasp! Y-you… bitch…" the woman laughs and says. "Back at you, mother." She motions to the others. "Move out, i have plan's for this one." The men all disappear leaving Althea and Alison, who struggling for breath. She leans in and whispers. "I'm much stronger than i was nine years ago. I was wondering why you disappeared, you know. Do yo want to know how happy I was when I found out you and dear old dad had another child?"

Alison struggles to speak, "h-how… wh-o?" Althea grabs her shoulder, Crack! "Ah! Cough, cough!" Alison starts to go weak. "It doesn't matter how, jut that i know. And now it's time to make good on my promise to you." Tears stream down her face and with her good arm she places her hand on the mask, "no… please… Al-Althea." She laughs and quickly pulls her sword out of her mother. "No. Now it's time to watch your world burn." She throws her over her shoulder and they disappear into the shadows. Back out in front of the house Elvina and Kaycee are ragged, their swords are chipped and shields missing chunks. "Hey… Ellie. I'd say you should probably transform now." She nods and says, "yeah, i was thinking that too." "Concussive Blast!" A mage shouts, Boom! Thud! "AAAH!" They turn around and see Faye slumped down against the wall and her scepter is too far away from her to use.

"Faye!" Elvina shouts and she watches as the mage holds out his wand while standing over her. "I'll Fucking Kill You!!" Elvina roars and the ground seems to rumble and she drops her sword and shield. She grows from 1.2 meters to 1.5 and her claws extend to twelve centimeters, her ears triple in size, her feet shred through her boots and become elongated like the hind legs of a panther. Blackish Silver fur covers her body, her muscle mass quadruples and her tail grows to two meters. "Holy shit, third form?" Kaycee shouts and Elvina disappears and in an instant she closes the ten meter gap from Kaycee's Side to right behind the mage.

Shick! "AAH! Wh-What?" The mage shouts as she sinks her claws into his back. She lifts him over head and slams him to the ground. "Don't!" Faye shouts, but it's too late she straddles on-top of him and sinks her claws into his chest, he cries out in pain and she roars, "I'll Fucking Kill You!" She lurches down and sinks her feline fangs deep into his throat and with pure ferocity she rips out the jugular and adam's apple and spits them to the side. She goes wild and the squishing of flesh and crunching of bones echoes through the air, and she only stops after completely mauling his face and and ripping his chest clean open. She stands tall with his heart in her hand, her lilac eyes glowing pure purple.

"I'll kill anyone who hurts my big sister!" She shouts and Faye just watches in horror. No. No. No. No. she's gone. She's gone berserk, because of me? No. No. No. i have to get her back! GIVE ME MY SISTER BACK! Tears stream down her face and white cold fear fills her body when Elvina turns to look at her. Blood soaked with glowing purple eyes, chiseled muscles, covered in fur and ferociously smiling. That's not. My sister.  is the only thing on her mind at the sight of her. "Keep Fighting Ellie! We can do this, me and you!" Kaycee shouts and she turns back to face the now terrified masked men, she smiles and turns into a blur as she slashes and bites wildly. One man thrusts with his spear at her back, she whips around and grabs the spear; breaking the tip and plunges it through his mouth.

a woman slashes vertically from her left with a sword and on her right a man thrusts with his. she steps out of range of the slash, grabs the mans wrist and uses his hand to pierce the heart of the woman; she shoves her claws through the back of the mans skull and continues to cut down anything in her way. Alexious and Brannon along with the masked men and women they were fighting look over and watch as she violently attacks and viciously eviscerates each person. One after another, she cuts their numbers down to two. Kaycee only killed three. "What a show, little sister." Althea emerges from the shadows with Alison on her shoulder.

Brannon struggles up to his feet, Shick! "AAHH!" he shouts as another javelin pierces through his waist, pinning him in place. "Alison!" He cries out for her, but just as he tries to move, "Time Stop." He's frozen, and so are Alexious and Kaycee. "I suggest we make this quick, Leader." The mage who froze them speaks, and Althea scoffs. "I'll do what i want. Don't rush this, Hashi." Hashi sighs and says, "fine. I'll keep these guys in stasis. Just do your thing." Elvina looks at her enraged. "Put her down! I'll Kill you!" She charges at her and Althea just tosses Alison out in front of her and she catches her. "MOM! MOM!" She yells and Alison smiles weakly, placing her hand on her face. "Kill… Kill th-them all… Grim Reaper."

Elvina lays her next to Faye and Althea shouts. "Okay everyone! Stop for a moment. I want you all to see how to break a child. How to break a prodigy." Brannon, Alexious and Kaycee struggle, but it's of no use. They're stuck, frozen in time and all they can do is watch. "You said you're my sister?" She asks and Althea laughs. "If you don't believe me, this might help you believe it." She removes her hooded mask, revealing her jet black hair with silver streaks, identical ears to Elvina's and silver eyes almost like Alison's grey eyes. "You… look just like mom and me?" She laughs. "Yeah? Believe me now, you little mutt." Elvina looks over to Alison and back to Althea, "did you do that? Did you hurt her?" She smiles. "Don't tell me you're upset because of that bitch."

she continues, "i just fucked her up a little bit, she'll live." She tosses a sword at Elvina and she catches it. "What are you doing? Why do this if we're family?" Althea cackles, "Hahahaha! You think that means anything? You're such a precious child. Sorry sweetie, but Fuck Family." Elvina tilts her head side to side, cracking her neck and rolls her shoulders. "So. You gonna kill me? Gonna kill mom?" She unsheathes her sword and smiles. "No. I'm just gonna break you and make that bitch watch while i do it." Elvina roars. "Go ahead and Try! I'll Fight If I Have To!" Yue shouts in her mind, "use magic! Use everything you can. I know you can't hold this form much longer, and she is no easy opponent. Be careful my pupil." 

Elvina holds out her right hand and blackish purple tendrils whip around her arm, they condense in her palm and morph into another sword. Lightning crackles around it, her body emits a dim beige light and stone forms all over her body again. "I'll use everything i can! Bring it on!" Everyone stands in shock, Kaycee, Brannon, Alexious, Faye and Althea all drop their jaws in disbelief. "You little fucking bitch! You can use mana and Xi at only eight years old? God Damn! I'm gonna enjoy breaking you." Elvina charges forward and slashes up vertically with her left sword, Althea steps back and she slashes down diagonally with her magic sword and again she just steps back.

she slashes and thrusts her swords and blasts lighting off frantically and every time Althea just evades by a hair's width, smiling. "Aw c'mon you can do better than that, can't you? Don't tell me little miss Prodigy can't hit me!" Elvina roars, "i can, Watch me!" All the sudden her figure disappears from Althea's line of sight, Wosh! She quickly moves her head and just to the left of her cheek is Elvina's sword. She turns around and again Elvina disappears, again she doges from behind. She tries it a third time, but this time Althea laughs. "Copying Lexi now, hun? That won't work!" Her hand shoots out so fas it's almost invisible and she grabs her by the throat."Gasp!" Elvina struggles to breathe and Althea lifts her up, "Shick! "GYAHH!" Elvina cries out as her stomach is pierced by Althea's sword.

her body reverts back to normal, her magic disappears and stone skin is broken. Althea lifts her off the ground, flailing and kicking. "Aww, does this hurt dear little sister? Don't you just want to cry for mommy dearest?" tears well up in her eyes and she struggles to speak. "N… no. F-Fuck. You." Althea smiles and points to a small scratch on her cheek. "You actually managed to nick me a bit, so i can't say that I'm not proud of you for that. I am so happy you're strong." She slowly pulls the sword out of her stomach and she screams in pain. "Hey, hey. It's okay, like i said I'm not going to kill you." She flicks the blood off her sword and sheaths it.

she pulls out a dagger and waives it in her face. "It's only fair that I return the scratch, right. You can't leave a scar on my beautiful face now, can you? Hold still, I'll give you a nice little makeover." She choke slams Elvina into the ground and all the strength leaves her body. She takes the dagger and carves into the side of her face, leaving a large diagonal gash from the top of her right cheekbone to her chin. "AAAHHH!" Elvina screams, "STOP! Please!" She begs and Althea just laughs. "Hahaha! See, now isn't that much better. Now we're basically twins." She takes the dagger and lightly draws on her arms. "Do you mind telling me witch arm is you dominant, dear baby sister."

Elvina just spits in her face and Althea cackles. "God. Fucking. Damn, I love you! Yes more keep struggling, let me watch you break." She plunges the dagger deep in between the joint of her right shoulder. "AAAHHH!" She screams and Althea smiles in ecstasy. "You're Psychotic!" Faye shouts while holding pressure on Alison's wound, Althea turns her head and points with her dagger. "Now, now little pretty princess. More talking out of turn and you'll be joining my dear baby sister in our little family bonding session." She smiles delightfully, "would you like that, maybe i can give you a matching scratch too? Wouldn't that be great!" She playfully runs her dagger down the side of her face with joy in her eyes.

Faye couldn't even speak from the fear, "oh, well. You just sit there be a dear and tend to my poor failure of a mother. Thanks sweetie." She turns back to Elvina and says. "You won't be able to walk for a few days." She stares her in the eyes as she plunges the dagger deep in right above her left knee. Elvina clenches her jaw and Althea screams, "Yes! No pain is breaking you, huh? Good." She leans in and whispers, "let's see how you'll be after dear old dad and Kaycee bite the big one." Elvina bites at her, but she just slams the hilt of the dagger on the bridge of her nose, shattering it."Aww, i like that. Biting is cute, but i prefer that in a more intimate setting." She stands up and stomps on her left ankle, Crack! "AAHH!" She smiles and playfully says. "Now, you just stay right there and enjoy the show."

She walks over to Kaycee who's crying while stuck in stasis, she playfully twirls her bangs with her dagger as she walks without a care in the world. "Hey, Kay Kay! C''mon now, don't cry. You knew that this as going to happen sooner or later." She pats his chest with the tip of her dagger and calls out to Hashi, "Time mage! Release my uncle, will you?" He sighs and Kayce falls to his knees, balling his eyes out. "Althea, please… you don't need this… you… you can get help. I can get you help… i know you can't want this." He pleads with her and she kneels down to meet his eyes. She places her hand on his cheek and he puts his and over top hers, she smiles and wipes the tears off his face with her knuckles. "But i do. This is what i want. you goofy, childish, lovely old uncle."

he slumps his head and she lifts it back up, she looks in his eyes and says. "I want you to look at me. Look at me and remember the girl who you used to play with, remember the good times. That's what i want from you, Kay Kay." He closes his eyes and smiles, "okay… I remember… you were just three… you asked to… to see my swords… you were so innoce-" she slits his throat and plunges her hand through his chest, pushes him over and she holds his beating heart in her hand. She kisses it and says, "innocent. That's what you deserve to remember, you weak old fool. Of all the weaklings, you were the only one i ever respected."

she continues, "rest well, you gleefully ignorant clutz of an uncle." She tosses his heart at Elvina and it smacks her in the face, she can't even react. She's just frozen in shock. Althea's then lifts his lifeless body and carries it over to the cliff. "You always loved water, so I'll give you a sea burial. Kinda." She tosses his body over the cliff and walks over to Brannon. She stands in front of him and waives her hand, his shadow spreads and dark lines wrap around his body. Trapping him in his own shadow. "Hashi!" he sighs, "yeah, yeah. I get it." Brannon is now free from stasis, but he's still trapped inside his own shadow. "Anything to say, dad?"

he stares at her, silent. "C'mon! Say something. Anything? Where are all those lectures now, huh?" He sighs and says. "Althea, my daughter. Whatever has caused this change in you, i hope you find it in yourself to get to the root of the issue. You speak of weakness, yet you once were weak yourself. Though i do not like what i see, i know somewhere deep down is the little girl i know." Her ears flutter and eyes narrow. "Is that it? I just killed your brother, and that's what you say to me?" He nods, "while i am saddened by his death, i know that it is not the end. Life is fickle and it is what you make of it. My brother lived a good, honest and wholesome life. He lived well and he died while still loving you. That is who he is. Kaycee Koan, the lover. He was never much of a fighter until he fought for love."

She chuckles and then she laughs, "of course you'd say something like that. You have any last words, because you won't be coming back this time." He sighs and nods, he shouts for Elvina. "Little Sparrow! You are an amazing child and you will grow up well! Surround yourself with trustworthy friends, people that will have your back. You will face many hardships in life because of who you are, all i ask is that you do not lose your way. Love fiercely and fight courageously, repay all acts of kindness done onto you and all those who double cross, betray or hurt you. Repay that tenfold without mercy. I love you, always and forever."

he then shouts for Alison, who's just regained consciousness. "My Love! I'm sorry, But it looks like i may break my promise. I just want you to know that wherever i may go… I am yours and you will always be mine! I love you eternally in life and death. Eternally intertwined." He looks back at Althea who's just smiling and he nods. "I pray that you may you find yourself in the future, my child. I'm ready." She clenches her fists and she shadows wrapped around him pull violently in all directions, ripping him into pieces. She shoves her hand into his abdomen and pulls out a glowing reddish orange bead and shatters it. Once the bead shatters a deafening bird cry echos out through the entire island and a shockwave knocks everyone who's standing onto their backs.

she stares up at the sunburnt orange, red, pinkish sky and laughs maniacally. "How'd you like that, huh? How's it feel you fucking cunt? How does it feel to have your world destroyed!" She shouts and jumps up to her feet in celebration, and she waives her hand. "Kill the rest and take Faye." The masked assailants all begin to walk towards Elvina, Faye and Alison at the house and other's converge on Alexious; just as all seems lost Lightning zips through the sky and she taps her ear.

"Shit! He's here! What didn't you say he's be here?"

"That's because he wasn't supposed to be there. He wasn't there when i was there last."

"Well there's lightning in the sky, so I'd say we're pretty much fucked."

"Get out! Retreat Immediately!"

ZZT! BOOM! She turns around to see Kengi and two other hooded people. He looks around and says. "You know. I need a real good reason not to kill you right now." She shouts, "Hashi!" He yells, "Stasis Times Ten!" He scans the area with his eyes and sighs. "You have a fucking time mage? Seriously?" Lightning erupts from his body and his white hair stands straight up, he eyes become covered with lightning and his body glows pure gold. "AAAHHH!!!" BOOM! Light flashes and he's gone. Hashi turns to run, but when he does Kengi's golden glowing, lightning crackling body stands before him. "Fuck off." In less than a millisecond he reaches his fingers in his right eye socket, removes his eye, grabs his right arm and rips it off from the shoulder.

he zips to Alexious and taps him, breaking the stasis, zips to Elvina, Faye and Alison and breaks the stasis on them as well. All in less than a millisecond and he was right back in front of Althea as if he never moved. "I'm going to ask again. Give me one reason I should let you live." She shouts again, "Hashi do something!" But Kengi just tosses his eye and arm at her feet. "He ain't gonna be much help now, kid." She's stunned and he sighs, "time's up. You die." Lightning shoots out from his chest right at her head, but she somehow manages to dodge and it blows out a massive chunk of the side of her neck.

she flips him off and disappears, annoying him. "Seriously! They had a Fucking Spacial Mage Too!" He sighs and looks to the two hooded boys. "Clean this shit up and if you see the damn Spacial Mage kick his fucking teeth in! I'll give you this, it should make it quick. I'm gonna deal the Elvina." Three identical clones of him appear and zip through the masked men and women and the two hooded boys follow suit. He appears in front of Elvina and kneels down. "How ya doing kid." She looks at him with tears in her eyes and says. "I'm… I'm alive." She wipes her tears and asks, "did you kill her?" He shrugs and says. "Nah i fucked up her neck pretty good, but it won't kill her." She lets out a sigh and says. "Good. She's mine." He smiles and pats her on the head. "Glad to hear that. I'm taking you back with me, we'll make that happen for you."

"PROTECT THE PRINCESS!" Echoes out from the trees as the Elven Royal guard all rush in. The hooded boy's return to Kengi by Elvina and his three clones disappear. They watch as the remaining men and women are taken down and apprehended and Kengi returns back to normal. "FAYE! FAYE!" Alexious and Lilith shout while rushing over to her side. "Over here, I need a medic! We have a serious injury!" Lilith shouts and as Alexious takes over for Faye in aiding Alison, who's in critical condition. Elvina watches as everything that she struggled to deal with was handled by Kengi alone and now is under control with the help of Lilith. She looks up at him and the two hooded boys and asks. "If i go… can i do what you just did?"

he chuckles and says. "Well that's if you train hard." He places his hand on her shattered ankle and Lightning condenses all around it, mending the broken bone in seconds. "That's… cool. Can you heal my other wounds?" He laughs and the tall hooded boy jokes. "Sorry, for whatever reason my father only learned how to heal broken bones and not mend the skin." Kengi smacks the boys stomach and says. "That's because scars are fine and broken bones take ages to heal. I don't have the patience for that." The royal guard give first aid and stitch her up and after an hour all the light had left the day, leaving a sea of stars in its place. Elvina limps over to Faye and tries to reach out, but she quickly backs away. "NO! Don't touch me."

Elvina's ears slump over as she drops her head. "big sis. I-" "Stop! Stop pretending to be my little sister!" She shouts and cuts her off. Elvina stares into her eyes and tears begin to well up. "I… i am. I't me. I'm okay." Faye stands up and slaps her across the face, knocking her to the ground. "My sister told me she didn't want to kill people! She cried in my arms and she begged! You Slaughtered people! You mauled someone so badly they're completely unrecognizable!" Elvina looks at Faye whose eyes are full of anger and pain, so she gets up turns around and starts to walk away. "I'm leaving. I don't have a place here anymore. My family's dead, so I'm leaving. I'll find you later." And she walks away. She walks over to where Alison is being treated and stands at her side.

she grabs her and and says, "mom. I'm leaving with Kengi." She turns her head and looks at her and asks. "What's your plan?" She thinks for a second before she speaks. "I'm gonna get more stronger and I'm gonna get revenge." Alison smiles weakly and says. "You go. You go and meet me when you're stronger. We'll do it together, Grim Reaper. Now go grab him for me." She nods and grabs Kengi. He stands over her and says. "I'm taking her with me, and training her my way. I don't wanna hear any if's and's or but's about either." She sighs and motions for him to lean in, and once he's close she whispers. "She needs to form her Origin. You raise her good, Kengi. Don't Fuck this up." He jokingly replies. "me? Fuck up, never." He pats her head and says. "In all seriousness I'll take care of her, for my brother and for you. I swear it to you." And she waives as Elvina, Kengi and the two hooded boys disappear into lightning 

everyone loads what they can onto the ships and ready themselves to set sail. Alison is carried up on a stretcher and Alexious helps load all of he and Faye's belongings onto the ship. Faye stares out into the illuminated sea of stars and Lilith walks up to her and places her hand on her shoulder. "I know there's a lot on you mind so I will not force you to speak on what you saw today, but just know that I am here whenever you're ready." She turns to her mother, hugs her and cries into her chest. Lilith just hugs back and pats her head. "Let's head into my cabin, okay?" She suggests and Faye nods.

the two sit in Lilith's cabin right beside each other and as time passes Faye tells her mother everything that she witnessed. Elvina fighting the guy in the door, then fighting with Kaycee, then how she was nocked down and Elvina went berserk. How Elvina mauled the guy who knocked her down and how she went animalistic and started to slaughter without hesitation. After an hour and a half of explaining everything she finally calmed down enough to realize that something was way off. "Mom! She used magic, I forgot. She used magic and Xi! How is that even possible? And when Bran Bran died there was this deafening bird cry. Nothing makes any sense."

"what. Repeat what you said about Elvina." Lilith's eye wide in shock and Faye repeated herself. "I saw her use magic with nothing. It was like it just came out of nowhere. She also used her Xi freely as well." The color left Lilith's already fair skinned face. "Fuck." Faye gasps in surprise and says, "mom! I've never heard you curse. Is it that serious?" She nods and says. "Yes. She actually inherited the trait from him. This is an unprecedented situation." Faye asks, "what trait? From who?" Lilith grabs her shoulders and stares into her eyes, "from her father." Faye asks. "But why is getting a trait from a human father as an Anzu a big unprecedented situation?" Lilith shakes her head and says. "Did you not know what he was?" Faye looks confused and asks. "No? If he wasn't human, then what was he?" Lilith cradles her face in her ands and says.

"A Phoenix… Brannon Koan was the last Phoenix."