Detonation (Shinsou Vaan Osiris vs Felicity Rhyolite)

[Flamebird]

From the light of Shinsou’s location, in front of me, the worst happened. I heard a familiar summon, and through the candlelight saw familiar shapes. They had taken me in our first battle.

"Hromagh's ba-"

A summoned my metal bird to my side, dashing towards the table it had floated under. I had no time to sheath my sword. I effortlessly yanked the table up. Candles and statuettes flung in the air as I lifted the table in front of me. It was a makeshift shield. From there, I pushed myself back behind the crevice of a pillar. The spears started flying around me. I heard them shatter into pillars, statues, and walls. I saw them slam into the wall next to me. It was like a brilliant barrage of longbow arrows. I pulled myself deeper between my pillar and the wall. I was cornered. One of the lances pierced straight through the table. I ducked my head aside, pushing the table to the right, managing to avoid it. It cracked the marble wall I was up against. This was the first time that I truly had seen one of Kurohitsugi's ethereal projectiles up close. Before, they had cut my skin and forced my powers too quickly for me to process. Now, I could see how truly bizarre and marvelous these spears were. Was my old sense of curiosity and wonder returning in this moment?

The onslaught continued. My bird hovered next to me as I spotted another spear rapidly approaching me. Go! I ordered my bird. It flew straight for the spear, veering just to the side and exploding. The spear was redirected.

The light from the explosion illuminated the entire dark hall for just a moment, announcing the end of the onslaught. Had I really survived? I slowly lowered the table, which the spear was still tearing like a pen in paper. I picked up Heart, which I had dropped to better maneuver the table, and stood up. Shinsou’s words had been more punishment than even his Kurohitsugi itself.

"I’m disappointed, Felicity."

"Let me remind you... teacher to student..."

I gritted my teeth.

I placed Heart in its sheath, walking towards the direction of the summon. All around me, a forest of Kurohitsugi's summoned spikes rose from the ruined ground. The once smooth marble floor was decimated. My boots crunched loosened pebbles as I stepped through my bird's explosion radius. Gun powder, dark energy particles, and marble dust swirled like mist. I stepped out of the other side, like a phoenix rising from ashes. It was time. I needed to talk. I entered the light of the dim windows. There stood Shinsou, at the ready with Enpera in hand.

"You told me before that you don't recruit losers to the Brotherhood." I remembered the conversation we had so long ago, when my past had overtaken my senses. Since then, so much had happened. It was about time Shinsou heard about it. "Funny, then what am I doing here?"

There I stood. The fading dust from the explosion fell to the ground like snow. "Did you sense me like I sensed you that morning?"

I reached up to the top buckle of my gambeson. I once again was surrounded with the memories of him. Leoric. I pushed through and continued unbuckling the torn gambeson; revealing the simple white shirt beneath. "I would have jumped. If it hadn't been for you. I would be dead by my own hands right now."

I felt myself smile an ironic smile, filled with regrets. "At least I wouldn't have died a virgin, right? He made sure of that. I'm not a child anymore."

I finished unbuckling the gambeson. It hung on me like a sagging coat. My softer white shirt was easily vulnerable to anything Shinsou threw at me. I knew this. I was ready to bleed. "You don't know the depths I've seen. When I wasn't alone, I was in bad company. But, Shinsou, I was dead set on finding you again. I owe everything to you!"

I never had told Shinsou how I felt about him. Perhaps, it was time. "I was nothing before you found me, floundering. Then you gave me a purpose, gave me a home."

The ruins of Whitevale flashed before my eyes.

"But it's all gone now."

I drew my katana, my black prevalida katana. It reflected the lights of the remaining candles. "I got this sword to mimic you. I wanted to be like you, still do." I raised it high, "I even named it Copycat."

With a simple swing of my arm, I threw it to the ground. "You never taught me how to use it."

Copycat clanged loudly against the floor, and my anger took over. "Everyone I've ever loved has either died or abandoned me! I thought you had too! But you gave me that letter, you asked me back! You have to be different! I can't blame you for taking care of more important matters, how can I? And how can I ask for more than you already have provided? But you haven't taught me anything! And it only hurts because you mean so much to me! You're the only reason I'm alive right now! And I won't be your disappointment anymore!"

I stomped my foot against the marble ground. I could have sworn it vibrated beneath me. Tears flooded my eyes as I remembered the man who taught me in Shinsou’s absence. I had learned more from monsters and traitors than I had learned from Shinsou. Now, I would show him. All the wounds that had wrapped me in a heavy blanket of depression had taken on a new form. Rage. I could see the rivers of blood pouring out from my broken, shattered heart. It called for vengeance. It cried for peace. I felt myself burning with fire for the first time in the longest. I was... alive...

I was alive.

I glared deeply at Osiris, reaching up and unstrapping the arms of my gambeson from the coat. In a simple movement, I pulled them off. I dropped the heavy gambeson arms. As they fell like heavy leaves to the ground, I entered an unarmed fighting stance Shinsou had never seen before. This fighting style was unique to Leoric Blackwell. I was closing the distance. This was like my travels through Salvar and Corone. No matter what it took, I would reach my teacher again.