Connecting Light [KNY FF]

CHAPTER 13: Vast Difference

Ayume stood calmly in front of the demons. She knew that the real challenge tonight would be Douma.

Douma's question placed her off her feet.

"I would be lying if I said I won't..." Ayume stated with hints of guilt as she got into a fighting stance.

"If I kill this hunter, I'll be able to prove myself! To an Upper Moon!!" the demon thought with anticipation.

"What the hell?! Don't go--"

...

The movement was very swift. Ayume didn't even use a breath. As the demon was distracted, she took out her sword and zipped off to cut the demon's head off.

"My apologies for that surprise attack but if I am being honest, the bigger threat is not you. Sorry." Ayume said calmly as she stood at a neutral position. She watches the demon wither away.

"Please rest." she smiled as the demon head fully disappears.

"What a weak demon..." Douma said in disgust. "Well, he tried. Haha." he continued sarcastically.

"With that being said...are you a pillar? With that speed and strength, you're definitely one, right?" Douma pointed his fan towards Ayume.

"And I thought she was weak...that's actually amusing." he thought.

"Well, yes. I am the Light Pillar, Shinahora Ayume." she answered politely. Douma felt annoyed again at her tone.

"I see..." Douma sounded as he flutters his fan gently. "Is she just gonna stand there? If she is, then I'm just gonna kill her." He thought with annoyance.

"I haven't encountered an Upper Moon before. I guess its just my luck." Ayume smiled as she stood properly.

"What are you trying to do? If you're trying to talk me out of killing you, it doesn't work that way." Douma said sarcastically. Ayume remained calm.

"I know I will have to defeat you. But, we both know who would win so I'm just stalling. Sorry." Ayume takes out one of her swords.

"I won't be talking anymore. Just to let you know." Ayume said as went on full focus. Douma felt the air shift as Ayume's expressions were not visible anymore.

"Oh, the look in her eyes changed. That's really interesting. Then...I too have to do something about it." Douma told himself as he flutters his fan and waits for Ayume's attacks.

"Breath of Light. Fourth Form, One-Armed Luminous Movement." Ayume starts running towards Douma as she spins around.

"She's really fast..." Douma was intrigued.

"Blood Demon Art. Freezing Clouds." Douma used his fan to blow a cold wind. Cold enough to freeze Ayume's lungs.

Ayume noticed this and had to retreat. She covered her mouth to stop herself from breathing the air in.

"Maintain body temperature..." she told herself mentally. She tries to do as supposed but it wasn't easy at all.

"It hurts...at this rate, I'll freeze." Ayume lets out a cough and tries to breathe again.

"Breath of Light. Third Form, One-Armed Shine Slash."

"Blood Demon Art. Barren Hanging Garden."

Douma's attacks countered Ayume's. Ayume ended up having to dodge and defend herself using her form instead of attacking Douma.

"Let's try this again..." Ayume managed to break through and take out another blade.

"Breath of Light. Third Form, Shine Slash." Ayume's attack gave more precision as she used two swords.

"She has another sword?! So she's weaker with only one, huh?" Douma smirked as he noticed Ayume's forms.

Ayume managed to break through and slashed Douma's arms.

"I missed. But it's alright...I can still press on." Ayume said as she runs forward.

"Blood Demon Art. Scattering Lotuses." Several ice and frost bits starts coming towards Ayume.

"I can blind him!" she thought as she saw the attack range.

"Breath of Light. Fifth Form, Blinding Bite." Ayume starts to flow with Douma's attacks and adapted.

She closed in to him at such a fast pace. Douma was lost as he couldn't through the attacks. Ayume took the opening as his neck looks very open.

"Breath of Light. Second Form, Reflecting Arc." Ayume was on his left as she swings her blades.

"You know...I don't know how human emotions work, but I feel very sad for you..." Douma said as his gaze shifted to meet Ayume's eyes. His fan was in front of Ayume's face. Unlike earlier, Ayume wasn't given time to react.

The fan made contact with Ayume's head, making her thrown backwards. Lucky for her, she managed to minimise the damage by placing the sword on her left hand in front of her face. However, that didn't do much.

Ayume's body flew away and hits a tree. The impact was very hard that the tree broke and dropped backwards. Ayume's head was starting to bleed.

"Get up...get up and fight...you're still conscious...get up!" Ayume snapped herself back to reality.

"Blood Demon Art. Wintry Icicles." Multiple ice shards start shooting from where Douma was standing. It was aiming towards Ayume at such a fast speed.

"It's coming...!" Ayume got up quickly and gripped her swords tightly.

"Breath of Light. Eighth Form, Dimlight. Modified." she starts defending herself from the ice shards by hitting them with her swords.

"My chest...hurts. It's because of the cold air. My lungs will freeze." Ayume pointed out as she breaks the shards coming at her. Some even scrathed her arms and legs.

"If I stop...I'll be stabbed." Ayume continued her thoughts. "Calm down...you can find the air you need."

"What amazing skill..." Douma smirked as he starts swinging his fan again.

"Blood Demon Art. Lotus Vines." Ice shards in a shape of a long vine starts coming towards Ayume. Ayume noticed it and changed forms.

"Breath of Light. Seventh Form, Dance of Darklight." she got on her feet and broke the ice into pieces.

"You're fast..." Douma chuckled sadistically as he swinged his fan and hits Ayume's thighs, causing her to be thrown away to a tree again.

"M-my legs..." Ayume tries to stabilise her breathing. She was bleeding all over. She managed to get a constant quickly and stood up.

"Oh, she's strong. She can still stand up despite having her legs broken by me." Douma was very amused.

"Are you going to entertain me even more? Ayume-chan?" Douma called out with a sadistic and flustered expression.

"Breath of Light...Fourth Form, Luminous Movement." Ayume starts spinning around and moved really swiftly. Douma was caught off guard as Ayume managed to slice off his limbs.

"I might...die tonight..." Ayume told herself as she faced Douma.

"Breath of Light. Sixth Form, Light Speed." Ayume aimed for Douma's head opening but he was faster and managed to swing his fan to blow Ayume away.

She landed back on the ground.

"But..."

"Breath of Light. Eighth Form, Dimlight." Ayume went low to the ground and attacked Douma's legs again.

"I'm not going to let him live either." Ayume thought as she recalls all the smiles people have given her.

"Breath of Light. Nineth Form, Enchanting Blaze." She jumped up to the sky and spinned in the air. She then dropped down and did a spin to attack Douma.

"Me and him are different...He is stronger than me. But...that's not a reason to stop now." Ayume's attacks were countered by Douma.

"Blood Demon Art. Scattering Lotuses." Ayume had to change forms to dodge the attack.

"You're really strong. You'll be a feast to remember."

~