Materiarth Genesis: Blue Moon

Chapter 12: Ancile, Guardian to Clairvoyance

Sparks sprayed out from the spinning buzz saw as the Eidolon pressed its weapon against the pair of giant arms that had suddenly materialized to shield Tokine. These skeleton-like limbs, enveloped in flaming aura of pink, both reaching the length of her entire person and were as thick as her torso, had erupted from her back and automatically positioned themselves in between her and the Eidolon.

Strangely, she felt no weight to them, as if they were only a pair of tangible phantoms.

"How foolishly stubborn...you would rather kill yourself rather than setting me free?" Vandal mocked her with his fiendish cackle.

The Phantom Arms broke away from their cross-blocking stance in a raw blast of energy, which pushed the Eidolon backwards. "I would have just ignored your bluff if I didn't value my own existence," Vandal hissed.

She was probably still in a daze, because Vandal's voice sounded unusually clear. There were no echoes from his words, and rather than hearing him shouting at her from the abyss of her consciousness, she now felt like he was standing right next to her, his blood curdling voice whispering into her ears directly.

The Eidolon launched its fist on Tokine. Her left Phantom Arm reacted, curling its ethereal hand into a tight fist and sent it colliding with the Eidolon's. The impact between their punches produced another shockwave blast. The hallways briefly rumbled as both of them were blown away, with Tokine hitting her back against the doors.

Tokine slapped her temple a few times, trying to get her head straight. It made Vandal laugh. "I can see the surprise on your face," he taunted. Looking at the Phantom Arms, Tokine realized that it wasn't her that was in control of them.

"It can't be! You're not supposed to be unsealed!" she angrily growled.

"I never said I have been freed," Vandal said. Much to her shock, he forced her legs to move. She jumped a few meters into the air, high enough for to reach the Eidolon's head. With Tokine having zeroed in on it so quick, the Eidolon had no chance to retaliate when Vandal swung the right Phantom Arm across the giant's jaw, causing it to reel to the side and crash into an already half-broken statue. Its mechanical body groan as it tried to regain balance. "Ever since you descended into this strange world, my influence over your feeble form has been growing stronger and stronger."

Tokine landed on the ground with a distracted thought. If what Vandal had said to her is true, then she might have made a terrible mistake of unlocking his first seal. Or did she?

She looked down at her right hand, the fingerless glove covering it was full of holes and tears. In fact, her entire clothing was falling apart. She then squeezed her fist hard. Like she always do in dire situations, Tokine drew out every ounce of her courage, and held her head high.

"More power means nothing if you're still trapped inside your cage," Tokine assured herself. Even if Vandal has become stronger in this world, this is still her body, and she will always be the one in control of it. With the Eidolon had just recovered from her attack, Tokine quickly focused into the depths of her mind. Albeit a tough struggle, she was able to mentally shatter Vandal's control on her body, to which he responded with a growl of surprise and annoyance. With him out of the way, she focused on linking her mind with the two Phantom Arms.

The Eidolon detached its cable-liked saw blade, firing it at Tokine, who was still figuring out on how to move her new limbs. She tried imagining herself having an extra set of arms, and at the last second, they answered her command. The right Phantom Arm swiftly reacted with a wide backhand sweep that easily deflected the spinning saw blade into the wall.

"Alright!" Tokine exclaimed in triumph. She then swiftly caught the saw blade's still floating cable with the left Arm, and yanked it at full strength. The cable went taut, staggering the Eidolon forward. It would have already face-planted into the floor had it not braced its fall with its right hand.