Project Nodachi

sixty days

*Nodachi's POV*

Reason's Headquarters

"I know what you did in the dark." Asa said. "You blacked out the prison, but I heard everything."

I was witnessing the first ever shut-eyed staring contest right in front of me. Whatever this dork was ranting about had obviously struck a nerve in Zero. I really don't know anything about him. The tale he told me about his past was as mysterious as it was sad, but I trusted him for some reason. He saved Kaori, and he doesn't even have any place to belong. I won't abandon him.

"I never told anyone I was blind." Zero said finally, taking a step past Asa towards the other side of the metal bridge that was at least 20 feet above the floor of the stone fortress. It was so dark and quiet that it was hard to even see Zero, but you could clearly hear the clank of the metal under his feet as he walked.

I started to follow behind him when Asa reached out and firmly grabbed Zero's shoulder, halting his ominous stroll.

"Who said you could walk away? Was it Dana?" He said.

"Who's Dana?" I asked him.

Zero snapped his head toward Asa.

"You-!" Zero started to speak but threw a ferocious kick toward Asa instead, Asa took his arm from Zero's shoulder and blocked it roughly, sending him stumbling back into his brother's arms.

A fight it is then. I held out my hands and concentrated on summoning my blade to no avail, instead the world began to spin and fatigue overcame me all at once. I stumbled back into the metal railing and slid down onto the ground.

"Noda." I could hear Zero mutter. He rushed over to me and grabbed me by both shoulders.

"Are you ok-" Through my slowly clearing vision, I could see Asa making his way angrily to where we were on the ground. I wanted to call out, but my weak body defied me. He hit Zero with a hard uppercut as he turned around, sending him back flipping over the railing.

"You thought you could strike me and turn your back?" Asa asked condescendingly.

"He'll pay for that two times over." Kai chimed in.

Zero's eerily dark wings emerged from his back as he fell. He disappeared under the bridge we were standing on and soared back up from the other side and landed gracefully across from us again.

"Hey Kai, he's still dangerous." Asa said.

"I know brother, but we have the advantage." Kai said.

"Look around." Zero said suddenly. Moonlight slightly peaked in from small openings on the ceiling.

"The sun's hiding. The fights in my favor."

With this Zero flew quickly towards the pair, the twins readily bracing themselves for impact. As he approached, he disappeared into the darkness before our very eyes.

"I still hear you kid." Asa said. "To the left!"

The twins grasped each other's hands suddenly. A handshake at a time like this? These guys are truly lame.

From the shadows, Zero emerged carrying the same crazy hammer he had used in our previous battle. The snake like darkness wrapping his arm from the hilt reached all the way up to his shoulder, looming menacingly in the night.

The twins started their handshake. Only this time it was different, it seemed more sophisticated, more serious. It was very quick, but with every time their hands met pressure radiated towards us, moving my hair slightly. They started to emit an eerie red aura from their bodies that grew with every sign formed.