Tidal Florette - A Painted Soul I

Kaiya - 54

Not again... What have I done?!... oh gods Yumi... NO... I didn't mean it! I... She had to be stopped...

Sapha falls to the ground, wrapping her arms around Yumi's lifeless body. There's no visible wound from the draconic beam, but she's not moving. "You idiot! Why would... No, no, no you can't die! I need you here or I'M going to die! You have to hold on... Please... WAKE UP!"

Michi speaks softly to Kaiya as they carefully move closer. "Shouldn't we kill her before she attacks us? You could just use the sword, right?"

Kaiya knows she can't, Shihai's calm glow is hardly comparable to a candle. Whatever bond she's developed with this katana seems to make it obvious. I guess you need time if we go all out like that...

Akkokaido roars with a feral fury, shaking the ground as its tentacles slam into the palace remains. Michi grabs Kaiya's wrist. "Didn't your sword make its eyes glow red? What happened to the command?"

She's right... its eyes are back to normal... Kaiya's eyes drift back to Yumi. Please get up... I shouldn't have done that... This is all so wrong! She wants to run to them, they're only several paces away; but she's too scared of what Sapha might do if she tried.

A massive beam levels a couple blocks of the city beyond the palace. The grinding burn of the raw divine power leaves gray flames and a path of ashen waste. The thrashing of Akkokaido's tentacles displaces the water around them, covering the beach in a shallow pool of sloshing water.

Thyra closes her eyes. "Akko... is something the matter?" She waits for several seconds.

Sapha screams at them, her voice darkened by the mask covering her mouth. "What have you done?!?!"

I... This isn't what I wanted... What HAVE I done?!?!.... Kaiya steps forward cautiously, but Sapha whips out her crossbow and points it directly at her. "Don't you dare come ANY fucking closer!"

"Something is problem, Kaiya, Akkokaido does not answer us." Thyra shifts nervously and slips the anchor off her shoulder.

Michi gasps. "Could the command have worn off? I've never seen Shihai shoot something like that... Maybe you used too much power at once?"

Kaiya's hand that's holding the sword is trembling. "Then why won't it stop... What's wrong with it... It didn't want this, I could feel it when I ordered it..."

"Maybe that girl hurt it? And it's mad?" Thyra's hands tighten around the anchor chain. "What do we do Kaiya?"

What if it doesn't stop with the city... Akko... You warned me about having maelstroms in my heart... Were you just hiding your own? Kaiya looks at the girl, her fierce verdant eyes wet with tears. Stop it... Stop looking at me like that... Yes, I took her from you... It's my fault... Because I'm a coward... Kaiya calls out. "It's not going to stop. Whatever you were doing pissed it off. I... I was trying to stop you... I didn't mean to..."

"Just fucking SHUT UP." A green glow in Sapha's eyes sends a chill down Kaiya's spine. Did Yumi do that to her?... But that would mean they...

Kaiya's hands will not stop shaking, she knows Michi is standing right there; but the thought Yumi moved on overwhelms her and she feels dizzy. I thought you were dead... I found someone because... you were gone... I wasn't gone... did you think I was?... Did you not care I was still here?... Oh gods I did all of this because I was scared of you... No, no, no, no....

Despite the pain in Sapha's eyes, her crossbow is dead still as it lowers. She looks back down at Yumi and says something Kaiya can't make out before laying Yumi down gently in the thin layer of water that's flooded the beach. Standing up, she glares at Kaiya with disdain before turning toward Akkokaido. "I can do this... I can... I am NOT dying today."

Sapha's hands flash with dark flame. Once as she sharply inhales, twice as she braces herself, and with the third she raises the crossbow with a vicious scream. Suddenly, dark flames with an emerald core erupt around her body as she pulls the trigger and a pitch black beam releases with the bolt. As the bolt flies it screeches with ferocity. The moment it connects with Akkokaido's chest there's a detonating inferno of shrieking shadow. The titan buckles back with a pained groan, limbs going limp as it stumbles back and falls into the bay.

Breathing heavily, Sapha's legs waiver and she collapses to her knees, dropping the crossbow. The sea breeze blows her cloak aside and Kaiya can see there are no more bolts. What the hell was that? Did she really do it? She couldn't have killed it, right?

Completely spent, Sapha slowly turns toward Yumi and reaches with an exhausted hand to touch Yumi's cheek and then she cries out in distress. "NO... No you can't! You can't go cold! You have to see what I did! I know you're there... I..."

Who the fuck is this? That's MY Yumi... no... I can't... Not after what I've done... Kaiya looks over to Michi who smiles back sadly with a gentle sparkle in her eyes as if to say she understands and it will be alright. "We should probably get out of–"

A crash in the water as Akkokaido's fist slams down and it starts pushing itself back up. Thyra raises her hands excitedly before stopping herself from cheering. "Was worried for moment..."

Akkokaido locks its sight on Sapha and its teeth bare as a growl bellows from its throat. You're behaving like an animal, where is all the wisdom you've shown since we met? Is this really just a matter of pride because one girl has deterred you? Can you even hear me?!

Kaiya's only answered by the quaking hum of the god preparing another divine beam as its eyes flare with animosity. She knows it has no intention of targeting the city this time. Wait... if Yumi is still alive you'll kill her... Akkokaido... "PLEASE STOP!"

She starts forward, but Michi and Thyra both grab her arms. "Kaiya, please we have to get away! It's too late for them!"

Kaiya tries to pull away, but Thyra is too strong and they manage to start dragging her away back toward the ship. "But if she's alive I can..."

"No Kaiya, this is way to stay living. Trust Akko, it must be doing right thing!" Thyra wraps her arms around Kaiya's waist to lift her and start rushing back to the ship.

Sapha's shoulders slump in defeat, her face hidden entirely by the shadows of her hood. Her hand clutches at Yumi's robe. "Live... Please... Come back to me..."