Chapter 24 – HISTORY OF THE AURA BLADES
The next day was grey and cloudy. Other countries would often tease the UK for being the only country where the weather was always like this. It was often the standard type of day the Englishmen and women were used to, ocassionally getting a nice sunny day with blue skies. But not today. Today it started raining and it didn’t quit for hours. It wasn’t too heavy or too light, just somewhere in the middle. Thankfully, the heroes weren’t in it at this time.
Alex, back in his normal clothes, was sitting crosslegged in Omnius’s sitting room, drinking tea with his mentor and his best friend in traditional Japanese style. Over the months he’s been living in the monastery, Alex had started getting used to drinking Japanese herbal tea rather than the English variant with milk and sugar he grew up drinking.
The same could not be said for Michael. He barely sipped on it since they got here. He was too busy thinking about the new monster they fought. They really struggled against it. That creature could absorb chaos energy on contact, and it was immune to bullets and physical attacks. They managed to outwit it for now, but when it resurfaces, he doesn’t expect it to fall for the same trick twice. Michael sighs and breaks the silence.
Michael: Shouldn’t we be out there tracking down Icesassin and that creature instead of taking a coffee break?
Alex: First of all, we’re drinking tea, not coffee. Second of all, we have no clue where either of them went. I scoped out all of New London from the air and found no traces of them. Has Chase found anything?
Michael: No, smartass, but I did inform him of what we’re up against and how dangerous that thing is. Aegis will be taking precautions.
Alex: Such as?
Michael: Nothing too major like barricading the city or posting soldiers at every home. They’re mostly relying on Magna Tech’s surveillance to keep a constant eye on everything. Though he will be sending a special squadron to deal with that Elemental.
Alex: Deal with him how? By killing him?
Michael slowly nods his head. He and Omnius can see a discomforting look in Alex’s eyes. He was clearly upset about the idea that any Elemental they see in the UK being arrested or shot on sight. Treating them like illegal immigrants, maybe even worse than that.
Alex: But Lukas is an Elemental.
Michael: Lukas is good at hiding his power. Whoever Icesassin is, he clearly doesn’t give a shit about being seen.
Alex: Still, they can’t just kill him for being an Elemental. It’s wrong… Isn’t it, Omnius?
He asks as he turns to Omnius, who hadn’t said much since they came to him. He was too busy savouring his favourite brand of tea. Though he does answer his question.
Omnius: It is always wrong to take the life of another being, even ones undeserving of it…
He focuses solely on Michael as he says that, knowing that he has his own, dogmatic beliefs on dealing with monsters and criminals.
Omnius: However, Humanity’s fear of Elementals is justified by centuries of conflict between them. One Elemental lashing out is all it takes. This Icesassin character broke the law by coming here and unleashing his powers. It doesn’t matter if he hurt anyone or not, humans will not tolerate it.
Michael: Finally, something we agree on.
Alex: Regardless, that monster was the one he was after. I don’t know why, but the way he told us to stay out of his way, it almost sounded like he has some personal connection to it. Like he knows what it is.
Michael: So, maybe if we find Icesassin first we can make him tell us what he knows. Give me a chance to get back at him for freezing my hands… Thanks for healing them by the way, Omnius.
Omnius: My pleasure.
Michael: What exactly was that concoction you whipped up that got rid of my frostbite? It tasted like ass, but it worked like a charm. I didn’t even think it was possible to reverse frostbite.
Omnius: A wise teacher does not reveal all his secrets at once. Continue to train with me and one day I will tell you.
Omnius turns to Alex as he changes the topic of discussion back to the monster and how to properly deal with it next time. He knew how much of a threat it had proved itself to be and how it stole the chaos emerald and absorbed it.
Omnius: Speaking of training, Alex. I believe now is the time to begin your next stage of mastering the Genesis Emerald’s powers.
Alex: More training? What would be the point of that if that thing will just absorb whatever I throw at it anyway?
Michael: Yeah, Alex’s powers are kinda useless at the moment. No offence, dude.
Alex: None taken.
Omnius: This particular power isn’t one that can be absorbed for it is not another flashy attack like your Chaos Spear or Chaos Blast… The Chaos Control. The power to manipulate time and space, bending it to your will.
Alex and Michael go wide-eyed and almost spit out their mouthful of tea. They both choke on it as they quickly swallow, accidentally sending some of it down the wrong way, causing them to cough into their hands a couple of times.
Alex and Michael: Say what?!
They both shouted at the same time, still struggling to form a proper sentence until their throats recovered.
Alex: You- you’re joking, right?
Omnius: I never joke, Alex. You should know that by now.
Michael: You’re seriously sayin’ that Alex, this guy right here, can manipulate time and space?! You do know this is Alex we’re talking about, right?
Alex: I’m still here, y’know.
Omnius: Yes, he can. Chaos Control is by far the Genesis Emerald’s greatest power. However, if done incorrectly, it could lead to disastrous consequences.
Michael: Like what?
Omnius: Try to imagine a scenario where the whole world is stuck in an endless time loop, or one where every atom in existence will disintegrate at once. Or-
Michael: Okay okay, we get it! But is time manipulation really necessary to stop that monster? I don’t see why I can’t just keep freezing it with Frost Fang. It worked pretty well before.
Omnius: Because we must also retrieve the chaos emerald it stole. Alex is already connected to it. Chaos Control also has the ability to draw in or expel the emerald’s pieces from its host as long as they’re connected.
Alex: I… guess that makes sense. But what kind of training will help me master such a power like that?
Omnius: Once we finish our tea, I’ll show you.
Which didn’t take long for the boys. They practically chugged what was left in their cups before setting them down on the table and walking outside, eager to see what kind of training schedule Omnius had in mind for Chaos Control. Will Alex be forced to go through the Warrior’s Road again? Michael still shudders when he remembers the time he was forced to travel down it. According to Omnius It was necessary to build up the strength and stamina required to be an Aura Wielder.
The look of confusion and the slight hint of disappointment on Alex’s face when he learned what the first stage of his training was says it all for Michael. It was gonna be a true test of patience rather than anything physical. The pouring rain didn’t help matters either.
Alex was told that all he needed to do was sit underneath the waterfall at the end of the Warrior’s Road, using the wooden pallet he trained with before as a meditation point, and just sit while the heavy waterfall slammed against his body. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about getting wet. The rain already took care of that for him.
Alex: Uhhh, Omnius, how exactly does meditation help me master Chaos Control?
Omnius: The flow of time is often described as a running river. Sometimes it can be calm and still, but sometimes it is fast and uncrossable. You must be at the centre of time in order to control it. The combined might of the waterfall, the biting sting of the rain, and the stillness of the lake will strengthen your mind and aura. If you concentrate hard enough, you will learn to see the universe in a way no mortal being ever can.
Alex: Whoa, that’s deep. Both what you said and the water here.
Alex gulped, feeling nervous about the new training method. Omnius instructs him to take off all his clothes aside from his boxers and get into the cold water. Alex hesitated as he stuck his toes in the lake, the fresh water was icy cold to the touch. Fortunately, he didn’t have to swim over to the platform that was positioned under the waterfall. He could just hover over to it. Michael would’ve called him out for cheating but didn’t when he noticed Omnius wasn’t planning to stop him.
But the moment Alex gently lowered himself onto the round, wooden pallet, the force of the waterfall hit him like a sack of bricks, instantly knocking him off and into the freezing cold water with a scream. Michael laughed in response, secretly wishing he had his phone on him to he could’ve filmed that.
He was so amused by Alex’s bad start that he failed to notice Omnius running towards him and swinging his staff into his side. The staff whacked his ribs, causing him to gasp and fall on his other side.
Omnius: You’ve let yourself get distracted, Michael. I expected your training at Aegis to have taught you the importance of never dropping your guard. Guess I was wrong.
Michael coughs and grunts as he holds his side upon getting up again, using Frost Fang as support. He shakes his head side to side to clear away the raindrops clinging to his hair. He was annoyed at Omnius for having his cloak hood up to shield his perfect hair from the rain. It almost looked like he was mocking him for not having a hood for his coat.
Micheal: Ow, you fucker! I wasn’t ready!
Omnius: And that monster won’t stand around until you are. You also have more training to do with Frost Fang, Michael. You must have a taste of what it’s like to be locked in combat with a strong foe like Icesassin, an Elemental whose had years of training in combat… And please watch your language, I’m a little tired of the cursing.
Michael: You make a good point, old man. But you’re not actually thinking about sparring me with that stick, are ya?
Now it was Alex’s turn to laugh at Michael as he floats out of the water, telling him “You don’t know what you’re in for, my friend" ominously as he returns to the pallet.
The staff in Omnius’ hand started to glow a bright golden colour, drawing Michael’s attention. In a literal flash of light, the staff transforms into an ancient, interestingly detailed, double-bladed scythe. Michael was in awe. He had never laid eyes on a weapon as beautiful as that before. The blades were curved with a few serrated edges along the back. Each blade had different colours. The top one was gold with red and orange highlights, reminding him of a beautiful sunrise or sunset, while the bottom was silver with black and white highlights, reminiscent of a starry night sky. Each blade had a pair of small, empty diamond-shaped slot on each side of it. Or rather three of the four slots were empty. Michael noticed one of the gold blade’s slots was filled by a shining pink crystal. Though Michael was too stunned by the weapon as a whole to question the gemstone.
The staff connecting both blades was curved with two handles on it styled like the hilts of a Japanese katana. Omnius give his transformed weapon a couple of twirls before slamming one of the blades down into the grass, burying it a few feet under.
Omnius: You didn’t think Frost Fang was the only aura blade I owned, did you?
Michael: That- that’s an aura blade?!
Omnius: Indeed. This one is named Elohim. I have been its master for many, many years. It knows no other. And like Frost Fang, it has its own individual power on top of harnessing aura. Allow me to demonstrate.
With one swift motion, Omnius kicks up the dirt in the ground and flings it at Michael as a moment of distraction so he can quickly close the distance and swing the curved scythe blade at his neck. Michael panics and raises Frost Fang to counter it. But Omnius was moving so fast that blocking was all he could do. He couldn’t find a window to launch an attack of his own. Even as he stood firmly on the ground, the older man somehow managed to have the strength to move him with the blunt end of his scythe, pushing Michael across the ground, kicking up piles of grass and mud.
Frost Fang: Concentrate, Michael. Remember what I told you yesterday.
Michael: Right!
He thought, so that only his sword would hear him. Michael jumps back, gaining some distance from his much more experienced opponent and stands his ground with a firm grip of his swords handle, positioning the blade forward. A gust of cold wind swirls around him, moving up to Frost Fang as he slowly raises it over his head. Michael holds it there for a couple of seconds before yelling the name of the attack he is about to unleash.
Michael: Crescent Symphony!
He swings Frost Fang downwards, discharging a huge, horizontal wave of icy-blue aura towards Omnius. He grins at Michael’s crescent symphony, pleased to see that the training has yielded results. But he wasn’t going to just stand there and take it, nor dodge it and risk it damaging his courtyard.
Omnius stretches out his hand, telekinetically spinning Elohim in front of himself. The blast of aura clashes with the spinning blade and is easily dispersed by the more experienced aura wielder. Meanwhile in the lake, Alex was struggling to keep his mind clear and his body centred. The sparring match between his best friend and mentor was too entertaining. How could he ever keep his eyes closed with a battle like this? It was inevitable that he’d lose focus again and let the pressure of the waterfall send him tumbling into the water again.
Elsewhere on the outskirts of New London as the hours passed by and the rainfall increased in density, a group of reckless teenagers - all wearing hoodies with the hoods up - were strolling through the streets of a rough-looking neighbourhood. One of many left untouched by the Monster War and Magna Tech. The only reminder of what old England used to look like. They were just minding their own business, trying to find a dry spot to wait out the rain while conversing about how good things are where they live. One of them was holding a bottle of vodka around the neck. Another was smoking a cigarette.
Teenager 1: … I’m tellin’ ya, man. No matter what people say, the Monster War was a good thing.
Teenager 2: Dude, shut it! We could get in trouble for talkin’ about this.
Teenager 1: I’m just sayin’ London was getting a little overcrowded to the point we were runnin’ outta room. Yeah, loads of people died, but at least I don’t gotta get squished between people on the subway no more.
Teenager 3: Still don’t mean things are better. Magna Tech used the war to bleed us dry! I can barely afford to pay rent anymore! Fuckin’ greedy, corporate bastards!
Teenager 1: Chaos Man should burn Magna Tech to the ground!
Further down the path they are walking was the abandoned cold storage warehouse where the water monster’s frozen body was locked up. Icesassin was forced to leave due to an Aegis emergency, forcing him to leave supervision to his mysterious ally. Whatever presence was lingering in that dark, damp building kept its eyes focused on the monster, occasionally breathing its ice-cold breath on it to keep it frozen.
The warehouse was riddled with small holes in the ceiling, showing how old and faded it was. The edges of the holes were corroded, and the rain only made them grow bigger, allowing even more rain to fall inside. Some of the raindrops collided with the ice sculpture the monster was sealed inside of. The creature was still concious underneath the ice. It quickly realised its predicament and knows that breaking free would only lead to it getting frozen again by Icesassin’s ally. It needed a more ingenious solution to escape. And the rain provided it the perfect opportunity to do do.
A tiny flicker of green light briefly flashes where its eyes are before travelling up to its head. Suddenly, a big flash of green light emits from the monster’s frozen eyes, blinding the presence temporarily. The light was so bright that it could be seen coming out of the windows and cracks in the doors from outside. The three teenagers were walking past the warehouse at the time and are caught off guard by the blinding light.
Teenager 1: Gah! What the fuck?!
Teenager 2: Where’d that light come from?!
Teenager 3: Look! Somebody’s campin’ out in that old storage warehouse!
The three ruffians all approach the warehouse and open the door wide open. They knew someone was in there not only because of the bright light they’d just saw, but also the cold mist seeping out from under the doors. They lived here long enough to know that nobody has touched this place in years. Why would someone be there now? Unless they had something to hide.
But when they entered the building, they were shocked to find it empty. Whatever was in there guarding the monster had vanished after it heard their voices. They all wrap their arms around themselves, rapidly rubbing their arms, desperately trying to keep warm. But their clothes were soaked from the rain. They could feel the wet patches freezing over from the cold temperatures of the warehouse.
Teenager 2: Brrrrr! It’s freezin’ in ‘ere!
Teenager 1: The hell? I know we all saw somethin’ in here. Where’d it go?
Teenager 3: Who cares?! Let’s get outta here before we freeze to death!
The other two guys nod as their bodies shivered and all bolt out of the warehouse, leaving the door open and allowing more rain to blow inwards. Another tiny flicker of green light emerges from the locked ice box and flies towards the rain, entering an individual drop for less than a millisecond before passing onto the next.
It repeats this process a few times until it makes its way outside where it gained access to the entirety of the rainfall. The three teenagers soon notice something even stranger than the flash occurring before their very eyes. A large patch of falling rain was moving in a circle like a swarm of flies forming a tornado or a school of fish moving in a coordinated fashion. It’s as if the rain was being possessed by something.
Teenager 1: Wha- what’s happenin’ now?!
Teenager 2: What is that?!
The possessed rain moves in sync with one another as they all start to collectively gather together in one specific spot on the pathway a few feet away from the teenagers. All the drops are coming together, growing in size and mass, forming one big ball of water. That ball then started reshaping itself into a humanoid shape. It was inevitably revealed to be the monster. Partially reborn, though it’s size and monstrous features were reduced due to its weakened state.
Teenager 3: Ahh! It-its that monster!
Now free of its cage, the reformed water monster just stands perfectly still as it let the rain add to its body mass. It could see the terrified teenagers cowering on the ground in front of it, but it wasn’t currently interested in them, only its recovery.
As soon as it felt strong enough to move, it slowly lifted its webbed foot and brought it back down with a thud that sounded like less heavy and more akin to a huge mass of jelly slamming into the ground. Its body hobbled as it walked forward, one small step at a time.
Teenager 3: It-its g-g-gonna kill us!
The three terrified teenagers were paralysed with fear, unable to get up off the ground and run. Instead, they cling to each other and turn away from the monster, expecting it to kill them. But the monster’s eyes were set on the sewer drain a couple of feet behind them underneath a streetlamp. The monster roars as it uses most of its recovered strength to leap over the teenagers and dives headfirst into the grate. Its body explodes on contact, splashing water everywhere. But it all quickly retreats through the gaps in the grate and disappears into the sewers.
The three teenagers slowly lift their heads and look all around. The monster had gone. They were all thinking the same thing right now. “Why didn’t it kill us?” They saw in the news how deadly that thing was, yet it let them live. Monsters never let people live. They always kill without hesitation or regret because that’s just how they exist.
Once the paralysis had mostly left their bodies, one of the boys – his hands shaking – grabs his phone and brings up the Chaos Chord app and posts what just happened in the report crimes channel. Hopefully Chaos Man will see it and do something about it. By now the rain no longer faced them. They were just happy to be alive.
Meanwhile at Aegis at 4:45pm, ten minutes after the monster’s escape, Icesassin was in the command centre dressed in his soldier’s uniform undercover as Captain Ryan Jefferson of Eagle Squad. He was standing at attention alongside the other two captains. Captain Liam McGregor of Lion Squad and Captain Tony Barclay of Wolf Squad. He was originally a sergeant of Wolf Squad, third in command behind Michael and Alice. When Alice was killed in action and Michael quit to serve as a representative to Chaos Man, it was only logical he’d assume the role of leader. Part of him hated Michael Mercer for forcing this responsibility on him, but he wouldn’t dare say so in front of his father.
The three captains salute their general as he enters the command centre and takes a seat in the chair that looks over the whole room and provided the best view of the large computer screen. At this point Chase had just gotten off the phone with his son – who was midway through training at the monastery – and re-informed him of his experience fighting the newly discovered monster. It’s strengths and weaknesses. They know that it can absorb energy and cannot be harmed physically, but it is susceptible to freezing temperatures. But there’s no telling if it can be killed yet.
The captains all listen closely to their general, although Icesassin was secretly wishing he’d hurry up and dismiss them so he can get back to the warehouse and continue what he came to New London to do. The longer he’s away, the higher the chance of it breaking free and causing more chaos in the city. He may not get another chance to secure it next time now that everyone knows there’s an Elemental hiding in their midst.
Chase: … And this brings us to another problem. The Elemental known as Icesassin.
Icesassin’s ears twitch in response to the mention of his rogue name. On the main monitor on the wall, he can see a screenshot of him confronting Chaos Man and Michael in the streets, defending the monster.
Chase: We don’t know who he is or what his motives are, but we can’t ignore the fact that he’s connected with this monster in some way.
Captain McGregor: You think he created that thing, General?
Chase: Perhaps. But we won’t know for sure until we capture them both… We can no longer rely solely on Chaos Man to deal with this problem. This creature can absorb his powers, and he has no experience battling an Elemental. Therefore, we need to step up.
In that moment, Icesassin feels a cold breath hit the back of his neck. He didn’t seem to react to it, but he acknowledged its presence. He remains stoic for a while until his eyes widen with shock.
Icesassin: He escaped! Damnit! I knew this might happen! I gotta find him before anyone else gets hurt!
Captain Barclay: …Are you sure that’s wise, sir?
Chase: We can’t let this particular monster distract us from any more monster attacks. Wolf Squad must continue to seek out and exterminate them. Lion Squad will continue to maintain New London. Make sure Buckingham Palace is secure.
Captain McGregor: Yes sir.
Icesassin/Captain Jefferson: What about Eagle Squad, General?
Chase: Weren’t you paying attention? I said your job is to spread out and defend the other cities across the UK. What’s going on with you, Jefferson?
Captain Jefferson: Forgive me, sir. I was… thinking about my family. I’m worried about their safety, especially with that monster and Elemental out there.
Chase: All the more reason why we need to mobilise, seek them out, and terminate them, to prevent the deaths of innocent people. You all have your assignments. Pass them onto your squads and get going.
All Captains: SIR, YES SIR!
They all shout simultaneously as they salute their superior before being dismissed. Icesassin first carried out his orders and reports everything Chase relayed to him to his men. He assigns each group a different city to set out for in case the monster appeared there. Of course, he intentionally sends them to locations far away from New London so that he could scour it himself.
He quickly enters his private quarters in the base’s barracks, locks the door and moves over to his bed, not to rest, but to move it out of the way, revealing a small ventilation shaft in the corner. He removes the grate cover and reaches inside. From out the vent he pulls out something long wrapped up in a thick blanket which he quickly unravels, unveiling his white sheathed katana. He attaches it to his left hip and puts everything back in its place like he’d never moved it.
Icesassin: Hang on, my friend. I’m coming for you.
The training session at the monastery continued on throughout most of the day and Alex and Micheal have improved to an extent, but there was always room for more improvement. For now, they’ve earned a rest. Alex and Michael dry themselves off with a towel before putting their now warmly dried clothes back. Michael then takes some of the cold water from the lake and splashes it onto his face to cool himself off and wash up the remaining sweat on his brow. Omnius was preparing another teapot of herbal tea. “He really needs to expand his bar.” Michael thought to himself. He was starting to get sick and tired of having only tea whenever he stays at the monastery. It was like staying at a friend’s grandmother's house.
Thankfully Alex provided the snacks. He puts a bowl of crisps, crackers and mini pretzels on the outside table on the porch. They wanted to watch the sunset slowly disappear behind the mountain peaks as they ate and chatted together.
Michael finally found the time to ask Omnius a lot of questions he’d been meaning to ask since he met him. Such as “Where did he get all those weapons and artefacts in his treasury? How does he know so much about the Genesis Emerald? Where did he get the Aura Blades? How were they forged? Why were they forged?” and the list goes on. Omnius simply raises his hand, silencing him as he finishes his current sip of tea.
From there he gives the boys a brief history behind the Aura Blades and their purpose. To help give them a visualisation of the story he is about to tell, he fetches one of the many old scrolls he kept preserved on one of the shelves in his personal library. He gently unfurls it and places is it wide on the table for them to see. The paper was brownish-yellow and slightly torn around the edges, showing its age. The images looked like they were drawn with a quill and ink with a few splotches on the end.
There were drawings of humanoid dragons wielding big swords dressed in armour on the right side of the parchment. On the left were eight unique-looking swords all in a circle. Each one looked nothing like any weapon seen on Earth. Michael tried to find Frost Fang but couldn’t find one that closely resembled it.
Alex: Whoa… I wonder which one is your sword, Michael.
Michael: Hard to tell with how faded this scroll is.
The two of them whisper to each other, cutting Omnius off. The wise middle-aged man clears his throat loud enough that it startled the boys.
Omnius: … As I was saying. It is said that the Gods have forged eight powerful weapons to give them an edge in the greatest war ever to exist in the whole of creation itself. The Celestial War.
Michael: The Celestial War?
Alex: Oh yeah, I remember you mentioned it once. The war between gods and demons.
Michael: Sounds like bullshi- er- n-nonsense to me.
Michael quickly changed his wording, feeling Omnius’ hard stare on him. Michael quietly giving a nervous laugh.
Omnius: It’s not nonsense, Michael. To the people of Earth, it is nothing short of a myth, a fantasy tale. But it did happen once upon a time. The Gods did fight against an army of demonic creatures that only know death and destruction. The legends say that Light Gaia, the celestial god of creation, helped forge the eight Aura Blades using his own blood, the flames of his body, and the cores of dying stars.
Alex: Why only eight? Why not make one for everyone?
Omnius: It apparently takes thousands of years just to forge one Aura Blade. By the time the war was on the brink of ending, only eight were made.
Michael: How do you know so much?
Omnius: I have done a lot of reading, studying and living in my time, Michael. You will too if you try hard enough.
Alex laughs hard at Omnius’ sick burn. Michael elbows Alex in the side, telling him to “shut it!”. Omnius ignored their bickering and continued his story.
Omnius: These eight Aura Blades were each given names and a soul of their own because the Gods knew fighting together was stronger than fighting alone. And when their time had come to put their swords down, they would allow them to scatter throughout the universe in search of the next worthy master. Those who fight only to protect their homes and loved ones from all that wished to harm them. The first Aura Wielders. Every couple of decades they would choose a new host and provide the power and protection they need until the time comes when they’re no longer able to raise them high… Some Aura Blades can be… choosy about their masters, such as Frost Fang. She hasn’t had many masters after her first one. You, Michael, are the fifth.
Michael: The fifth? Interesting. Though I still wonder why the Gods made them alive to begin with. Wouldn’t it be better to have a weapon that doesn’t talk back?
Frost Fang: You’re a human, Michael. You don’t hear me questioning your existence.
Michael: Touché.
Alex: What?
Michael: Oh, just replying to something Frost Fang said.
Alex: Still need more time to get used to that.
Omnius: Pay attention! As I was saying, each Aura Blade has its own unique power, personality, and attributes. They have taken many forms throughout the ages, suiting the needs of the wielder. The drawings in the scrolls are what they originally looked like. So, if you hoped to find the rest of them, I’m afraid it won’t be easy. Only Aura Wielders can sense them.
Michael: Well, since you seem to know everything, Omnius. Tell us, where are the other aura blades?
Omnius narrows his eyes at Michael as he takes another sip of his tea. He doesn’t approve of the tone in which he addressed him. Still, he was happy to answer.
Omnius: Half of the Aura Blades were in my possession. Elohim is my aura blade. The sword of pure light, able to purify all forms of darkness. Frost Fang you already know well. The other two are named Ascalon and Durandal. The swords of fire and lightning.
Alex: I feel like I’ve heard those names before, in fantasy movies and such. You saying they’re real?
Omnius: Indeed. They are in the possession of former pupils of mine… Students I haven’t heard from for a very long time.
They boys heard a hint of sadness in his voice as he uttered that last part. There was a whole story there. Alex remembered Omnius bringing up teaching others before him. Michael was curious to learn more about who Omnius trained in the past.
Omnius: … Another aura blade you may know of is in the possession of the Crimson Nightshade leader, Drake Lowlan.
Omnius continued, catching the boys off guard. Michael appeared the most shocked between them. Alex sort of figured it out when he saw the crimson red katana up close and personal during their first confrontation.
Michael: Hold up! Freakin’ Drake is an Aura Wielder?
Alex: I doubt he even knows what that is, hahaha!
Omnius: He has Muramasa. It became the most infamous and feared weapon of its kind since it was found in ancient Japan. It has the power to absorb the darkness of any villain or monster it cuts down and uses it against them, inflicting agonising pain on any unfortunate soul it cuts into. Its purpose was to use the Legion of Darkness’ own power against them during the Celestial War… The last three aura blades are still missing. It is a mystery to this day what became of them… And that is the history of the Aura Blades. I hope you’ve learned something today, Michael.
Michael: Yeah yeah, I did… In all seriousness though, it is fascinating stuff. Was this part of my training?
Omnius: Think of it more as extra credit. I am hoping that by learning more about aura blades and what it means to be an Aura Wielder, your bond with Frost Fang will grow even more.
As they talked Alex hears a notification alert from both his phones. He checks the chaos phone first and sees a dozen messages from the subscribers of Chaos Chord. He expected more useless requests to help someone find their missing car keys, meet up for a selfie or straight-up ask him to marry someone. But instead, what he got were actual alerts all telling him the same thing.
Alex: Oh no… that monster’s back!
He informed Michael and Omnius, forcing them to put down their cups and give Alex their full attention. Alex then looks at his regular phone and sees a message from Violet. He takes a moment to read it, thinking it was nothing, but it was just as bad as the alerts.
Alex: …And Violet’s with it!
Following the abrupt end to her date with Alex, Violet simply went back home and spent the rest of the day in her room, chilling on her bed, watching some videos on UTube, played a few games on her HexBox and scrolled through her phone. She was scrolling through the blog post of the Chaos Chord app, reading people’s comments on the monster attack. One user she saw wrote that Chaos Man may not be as strong as he was perceived if he couldn’t handle one simple monster. Of course, that user ended up getting many angry replies stating that he knew nothing about what really happened and what kind of creature they were up against.
The next day when she woke up after having a difficult night’s sleep – due to the sounds of the rain splashing against her window – she texted Alex, saying: “Hey, Alex. I hope you’re doing well. I saw what happened on the news with that thing. Do you want to meet up and talk about it? Don’t worry, I’m not mad that you had to abandon our date, I just wanna make sure you’re okay. Love you xxx.” She waited for his response, but she wouldn’t get one until later in the evening.
By that point, she was in the middle of another group therapy session, same as the one Jason attended, with the same people. At this point she knows them all by name and occasionally chats with them before and after meetings. After the meeting concluded she helps Marcus – the blind middle-aged man who claimed to have been in a relationship with a monster – exit the building and get him a taxi. It was then she finally got her reply from Alex which reads: “Hey Violet, sorry for the late reply. Been busy training all day with Omnius. I’m taking a break now, but I gotta get back to it soon. He’s apparently teaching me how to manipulate time itself lol. I’ll let you know how it went next time I see you. Love you too xxx” Violet giggles as she pulls out her umbrella and unfurls it before stepping outside with Marcus following behind her.
Marcus: Was that your boyfriend texting you just now?
Violet: Yeah. How’d you know it was him?
Marcus: I can practically hear the happiness in your voice. You must love each other quite a lot.
Violet: That is impressive.
Marcus: Well, when you’e born a blind man, you learn to pick up on small things like this with the senses you got… So, you and Alex are serious?
Violet: Um, yeah, I suppose so. When we first met, he saved me from a mugger. He got himself beat up by him, yet he got back up and shook it off like it was nothing… Now that I think about it, he’s been doing a lot of that for me lately.
Marcus: Sounds like he’s a really good guy. It’s good you found a decent boy like him. Foolish but decent. There aren’t many of those left in the world nowadays… Bit of advice, Violet. Never take romance for granted. You never know when it will be snatched away from you when you least expect it.
Violet: Speaking from experience?
Marcus nods. Everybody in the group knows all about his past relationship with a monster. Most of them still don’t believe him, thinking no monster is capable of human emotions. But Violet always believed he was telling the truth. She knew because she once encountered the prodigy of their unusual romance.
Violet: Poor Marcus. I don’t think I can ever tell him the truth about what happened to his son. How he ended up killing himself because of what he was. He’s already been through so much… Hey, Marcus. Do you really believe any monster is capable of feelings?
Marcus: I do. My beloved Nadia was my whole world. Before I came into her life, she had only felt loneliness and despair. I like to think that all monsters have some semblance of humanity within them. They just need a chance for it to grow and flourish. Think about that the next time you happen across a monster… Ah, my taxi is here. Thank you for waiting with me, Violet. Have a good day now.
Violet hangs back and watches Marcus slowly climb in the back of the car and get driven away, joining the traffic. What he told her just now left an imprint on her. Monsters capable of empathy? Is such a thing truly possible?
It was late in the evening now. The sun was almost completely gone and night was fast approaching. Still the rain did not yeild. Instead of going home by taxi, Violet decided to take a walk through Hyde Park as a shortcut home. She couldn’t remember the last time she breathed in proper fresh air. Most of a city person’s life they’d be breathing in polluted air, never knowing that there are better places out there.
Violet liked coming here every now and then because it reminded her of her father’s homeland, Ireland. She’d only visited it a twice in her life. But she didn’t remember much about it since she was only a baby and a toddler during those times. Business at the Rising Sun pub hasn’t been booming a lot since Wilfre’s shadow invasion. She doubted they’ll ever save up enough money for another long visit. Still, at least she had the beauty of the trees full of singing birds and the large clear lake of freshwater to keep her spirits up as she walked down the damp, concrete path.
But soon enough, the beauty and serenity of this peaceful park was shattered by the panicked scattering of the birds and the lowly growls of a wild animal coming from behind her. Violet immediately halts and looks around to see what it was. The look on her face was of pure fear when she saw that it was the same water monster she saw her boyfriend fight in the streets. It was slowly emerging from a small puddle a few feet to her left. She quickly and quietly pulls out her phone and texts Alex that the monster has reappeared in Hyde Park and she’s in trouble.
But when she looked back at the beast, she notices something seemed off about it. The creature was slowly crawling out of the puddle on all fours, dragging its limp tail across the grass, soaking more it with its body. It looked like a fish out of water, desperate to reach the lake a few metres in front of it.
After escaping through the sewers, it must have emerged from another drain near the park, trying to find a source of fresh water to sustain itself. The sewers were too filthy for it, hence why it came to the surface. It was miles away from the ocean, so the only source it could detect was the huge lake in Hyde Park. It wasn’t strong enough to get back to the River Thames. Hyde Park was much closer. The heavy rain can sustain it for a time, but it wasn’t enough to completely reform its body and restore its strength. It also spent a lot of energy jumping from one individual raindrop to another, exhausting itself greatly.
When it finally noticed Violet, paralysed with fear, it narrowed its green, reptilian eyes, bore its green shark teeth and growled at her. But growling was all it could muster. It was too weak to attack. Violet couldn’t understand why. With all the power it was drawing from the chaos emerald it stole, it should have unlimited energy.
Then she saw something extraordinary occurring. The monster was grasping the sides of its head and growling like it had a splitting headache like its trying to resist its urge to give in to bloodlust when it came to her.
Marcus: I like to think that all monsters have some semblance of humanity within them. They just need the chance to for it to grow and flourish.
Why now was Marcus’s last words playing in her head, Violet wondered. Was he trying to tell him something? “Why isn’t it trying to kill me? She thought as she gazes down at the struggling creature. For a brief moment, she could swear she saw something close to what Marcus was talking about in the creature’s eyes. Was it suffering the same as Nadia?
The young purple-haired girl slowly edges a little closer towards the monster. It notices her approach but does not retaliate. Instead, it just sat still on the grass and stared intensely into her eyes as she closes the distance inch by inch.
Violet: Wh-what are you?
There was no response. The monster simply blinked and continued to glare at her, tilting its head to the side in… curiosity?
Violet: Do you… understand me?
Again nothing. The monster remained still and continued staring at the girl in front of it, its breathing was deep and heavy. However, it does slowly raise its left claw high and slowly waves it sideways, like its waving at her. “It can understand me!” She thought, astonished by the creature’s intelligence.
However, this calm and fascinating display quickly became a thing of the past when the monster’s eyes drift towards its own claw. Its eyes narrowed from a curious glare to one of rage and disgust and its mouth reforms, baring its teeth over its own appearance. Sparks of cyan chaos energy start glowing brightly as it courses through the creature’s veins. It lets out a roar fuelled by anger and a hint of sorrow as it started going on a rampage in the park. Ripping trees out of the ground, blasting jets of water and chaos energy bolts everywhere. Violet quickly runs out of the way and attempts to hide behind one of the bigger trees far away from it, only to bump into an unexpected visitor. Icesassin.
Violet: You- you’re that Elemental!
Icesassin: Get out of my way, girl.
He says as he rudely pushes her out of the way and approaches the monster. Each step he takes leaves an icy imprint of his boot on the ground. Ice and snow swirls around his arm, focusing on his hand. A sword of ice instantly forms in his grip as he walked on, determined to capture the monster and keep it locked up this time.
Icesassin: Gotta handle this quick before Aegis or Chaos Man show up.
Violet: Hey! Wait a minute! Who are you? What are you going to do to that thing?
Icesassin briefly stops and looks back at her over his right shoulder, his eyes focused and intense.
Icesassin: That’s none of your concern. Now get away from here before you get hurt.
Violet: Is that a threat?
Icesassin: That is a warning. Despite what you may’ve heard on the news, I’m not the bad guy here… and neither is he.
“Neither is he?” What does he mean by that? Was he talking about the monster? Why would he refer to that thing as “He” and not “it” unless maybe this Elemental also shared Marcus’s belief that there’s a glimmer of humanity somewhere deep down.
There wasn’t much time to think about it as the monster morphs into a huge wave and dashes for them both, determined to wipe out the individual who captured and imprisoned it in ice, too blinded by hate to think about the girl getting hurt as well.
Chaos Man: VIOLET! LOOK OUT!
Fortunately, Chaos Man has shown up just in the nick of time to push Violet and Icesassin out of the way as the violent wave crashed against him instead, forcing Chaos Man and itself into the lake. All that fresh water helped the monster reform itself bigger and stronger than before under the water. It was no longer weak and tired. It lashes out at Chaos Man and grabs the hero by the throat, choking the life out of him. A desperate Chaos Man blindly punches the creature multiple times in the stomach to force it to let go, but they did nothing to faze it. If he doesn’t break free soon, he will drown.
On the surface, Icesassin gets up and picks up his discarded ice sword.
Icesassin: Damn that interfering menace! He’s only gonna make things worse, like he always does!
Michael: Oi! Ice Boy! Remember me?
Of course, Chaos Man didn’t come alone. There was no way Michael was going to hang back at the monastery and tire himself out from training when he could put what he’s learned so far to proper use. Plus, as an added bonus, he can get some payback on Icesassin for freezing his hands.
Michael: I haven’t forgotten how you turned my hands into icicles yesterday. Now it’s payback time!
Icesassin: I have no quarrel with you, Mercer. I’m only here to stop the Aqua Virus from spreading.
Michael: Aqua Virus? Is that what you call that thing? Now I’m more convinced than ever that you’re the one responsible for letting it loose on the city. What for? Revenge?
Icesassin: You’re so narrow-minded, just like your father.
Michael: Careful what you say, pal. It may be your last!
Icesassin: Like I was telling that girl over there, I’m not the bad guy here.
Michael: You wanna tell that to the widows and children of the soldiers your monster killed yesterday?
Icesassin: I didn’t create that thing! If you wanna blame someone, blame him!
Icesassin points over towards the lake just as they catch a bizarre spectacle occur in the centre of it. A bright green glow was emanating from the water. What followed was Chaos Man blasting through the surface, taking a deep breath after almost drowning. But the Aqua Virus wasn’t through with him yet. It soon emerges from the lake in a brand-new form.
Its body had increased again in size, now around 13 to 14 feet long and its hind legs had disappeared, replaced by a longer fish-like lower half, similar to a mermaid. It’s arms and dorsal fin had gotten longer, and two more fins appeared on its forearms for faster mobility underwater. Its head becomes even more shark-like as it opens its enlarged jaws wide, trying to snap Chaos Man up like he was its prey.
Chaos Man back flips up and over it, landing atop its back. He grabs onto its dorsal fin and rides the creature as it dives straight down back into the lake. In that moment of distraction, Michael utilises the lesson he learned from Omnius and attacked Icesassin while his guard was down with Frost Fang. Icesassin barely had enough time to block his downward swing with his ice sword.
Michael: You let your guard down. A wise man told me today that an enemy won’t wait for you to be ready and will attack. Good advice. He also said that you are a warrior with years of experience, yet here I am getting the jump on you!
Icesassin: Attacking someone while their guard’s down is a cheap tactic, often utilised by cowards. But what else would I expect from an Aegis attack dog?
His comment angers Michael, forcing him to power through Icesassin’s block and shatter his ice blade like fragile glass. Icesassin jumps backwards and discharges a flurry of icicle projectiles at Michael, who deflects them by spinning Frost Fang. “Impressive” the Elemental thought to himself before unleashing a freeze ray at the young Mercer, who countered it by thrusting his sword forward, firing an ice beam of his own. It was then that Icesassin figured out that the sword he carried was no ordinary blade.
Icesassin: Hmm, that’s an interesting sword you’re carrying.
Michael: Sure is. This is an Aura Blade. You’re not the only one who can cool things off, Icesassin.
Frost Fang: Why would you tell him anything, idiot?
Michael: I just wanted him to know that I’m not just some powerless grunt he can push around, that’s all.
Icesassin: I see. So that is Frost Fang.
Michael: You know her name?
Icesassin: Every Elemental knows the names of the eight Aura Blades. They were created by the same Gods who created us Elementals. Though I’m surprised that you are its chosen wielder.
Michael: So, what if I am?
Icesassin takes up a fighter’s stance as he forms two new ice swords in both hands, preparing to dual the Aura Wielder in training.
Icesassin: I wonder if it’ll change its mind… once I defeat you.
Michael: Just try it!
Michael yelled in challenge as he charges in and clashes with the Elemental once more, clashing blades with his much more experienced opponent. Icesassin utilises his element into every attack he unleashes, freezing his boots over as he roundhouse kicks Michael in the side, adding extra damage. But Michael toughed it out and draws one of his handguns, firing three shots at him. Icesassin conjures a thick wall of ice to block the bullets.
But Michael didn’t intend for them to reach him, just distract him long enough to charge up Frost Fang for its signature attack
Michael: Crescent Symphony!
He cries out as he swings his aura blade downwards, unleashing a wave of aura directly at Icesassin, shattering his ice wall and impacting the man himself, sending him hurtling backwards until he catches himself by slamming his frost-covered fist into the ground. The frost spreads across the small patch of grass from his embedded fist.
Michael: How’d you like that, huh?!
Icesassin ignores his boast and stands back up, dusting the grass and dirt off his armour and cracking his neck.
Icesassin: I admit that you are pretty skilled for a Human. But it is obvious you’ve never battled an Elemental before… Tell me, Michael. How much do you really know about my kind?
Michael: I know that you can harness the elements and bend them to your advantage. Because of this, you thought it would be a great idea to declare war on Humanity, believing yourselves to be the superior species. That’s why you’re not welcome here, because everywhere your kind goes, destruction follows.
Icesassin: Such a simple-minded fool. Is that what your father told you? That the actions of one Elemental, a mad tyrant, was enough to brand the rest of us as evil?! You know nothing! Elementals were created to protect Humans. They’ve been doing it since Earth’s beginning. And how do your kind thank us? By turning on us out of fear and jealousy over what we can do.
Icesassin then grabs the ends of his scarf and shows the symbols on them to Michael to further verify how wrong he is about Elementals as a whole.
Icesassin: Despite how much you fear and hate us for existing, how many of us your kind have slaughtered, we chose not to pursue vengeance. This symbol marks me as a true Elemental who respects the balance of the world…
His voice slowly faded out as Michael focuses on the first symbol on his scarf, feeling a sense of deja-vu. He’d seen that symbol before; he was sure of it. But he couldn’t quite put a finger on where.
Michael: That symbol looks familiar… Think, think! Where have I seen it before?
Suddenly an image pops up from the depths of his mind. It was a memory from his Aegis days, back when he was still part of Wolf Squad, serving under Captain Alice Magna. It was the day he met the Crimson Nightshades for the first time. He remembered being suspended in the air by their ninja ally with the magenta hair. He wore a similar scarf to Icesassin’s except it was the same colour of his hair and had a symbol of a griffin on one end. But on the other was the same exact symbol Icesassin wore.
Michael: That’s it! Lukas Reikon! He’s an Elemental too. Does that mean Icesassin came from the same Elemental Academy Lukas went to?
He thought to himself. He missed out on a lot of Icesassin’s speech during his train of thought, only catching the last parts of it.
Icesassin: …I fight only in defence of myself and others, never as an indulgence! That’s what makes us better than you Humans. We respect all Elementals as our brothers and sisters, while Humans kill each other in pointless wars over the smallest of squabbles. Like you’re doing right now.
Michael: Shut up!
Icesassin: You think your father is in the right? You don’t even know what kind of man he truly is. The kind of atrocities he’s committed since before you were born!
Michael: Don’t you dare talk about my dad! You don’t know him! The things he lost during the Monster War! The things I’VE lost! He may not be perfect, but he’s all I’ve got!
Icesassin: If that’s true then I feel sorry for you.
Enraged, Michael unleashes another crescent symphony at the Elemental. This time he managed to dodge around it and send out his own wave of ice pillars that erected out of the ground toward Michael with a wave of his hand. The young Aura Wielder runs like hell to avoid them out of fear of being impaled, using one of the tree’s low-hanging branches to swing out of range.
Icesassin: Your anger made you charge in blindly, yet you choose to run away like a coward… Last chance, Michael. Stay out of my way or be destroyed!
Micheal: That’s not… how I do things!
He panted out between ragged breaths, still recovering from the rush of avoiding what would’ve been a horrific death.
Icesassin: Facing an Elemental alone is a death sentence.
Michael: I’m not alone. I have Frost Fang, Chaos Man and all of Aegis on my side. You, however, are all alone. I don’t see any other Elementals coming to bail you out.
Icesassin lowers his head, but not in sorrow over the blunt truth Michael said, but to laugh. Michael raised an eyebrow and tightened his grip on his sword.
Michael: What’s so funny?
Icesassin: I didn’t know when it comes to Elementals, you’d be this clueless… Listen closely, Michael Mercer One thing you should always remember is that an Elemental is never alone, as you are about to discover.
All of a sudden, a huge gust of freezing cold wind and snow appears out of nowhere and swirled all around Icesassin as he lowers his head and puts his hands together. Michael immediately raises Frost Fang and readies himself for whatever he was about to do.
Icesassin: Spirit of the Wyvern! I summon you!
A massive explosion of aura unexpectedly appears behind Icesassin who didn’t even flinch, like he knew it was coming. Heavy snow falls from the sky, replacing the rain in an instant, covering almost the entire park. A strong cold wind blows throughout Hyde Park in all directions. It was so strong that Michael had to cover his face with his coat. Thin layers of ice quickly cover him and the ground freezes over, transforming this once green and warm park into a winter wonderland. Even the lake Chaos Man and the Aqua Virus are under freezes over in an instant, trapping them under the water.
Once the wind started to calm down enough, Michael pulls his coat away and use his shirt to clear the condensation fogging up his glasses. He needed to see what Icesassin did to have caused this sudden change in the climate. But nothing could have prepared him for this.
Standing behind Icesassin was a giant, transparent blue wyvern curled up in a ball at first only to slowly stand tall on its two legs and spread its wings out to the sides. The ghostly wyvern raises its head high and let's loose a loud roar, a deep one filled with enough bass to vibrate the very air around them and breathes out mist. As it lowers its head, it opens its glowing white eyes and looks down at the one its master has summoned it to vanquish.
Icesassin turns slightly to his left and gives the wyvern spirit a couple gentle head-pats. The wyvern mutters a barely audible growl in response, showing its delight. This was the presence Icesassin had ordered to keep watch over the Aqua Virus at the abandoned cold storage warehouse. It had failed to carry out that small task, so now it must make up for it by slaying this tiny human.
Michael: What the hell is that thing?!
Icesassin: This is an Animal Spirit. All Elementals have one. They serve as our partners and protectors. They help bear the weight and responsibility of utilising the gifts the Gods gave us. Animal Spirits are what enable us to control and harness our powers to begin with. Without them, our own elements would eventually overwhelm and destroy us. Every Animal Spirit is different depending on the type of person the Elemental is, sort of like Chinese zodiacs… I warned you since the beginning that challenging me would be a death sentence. Now you know why. For I am among the most powerful types of Elementals. The Mythos!
Michael: Wh-what… what the fuck?!
Icesassin: You have only yourself to blame for interfering in my affairs, and now you will pay the price. Spirit of the Wyvern, attack this arrogant fool!
The wyvern spirit once again raises its head and wings high, letting loose a battle cry before heavily flapping them and taking flight. Its eyes locked on Michael Mercer. Once it had gained enough height, it dove straight for him, opening its mouth wide as a ball of cold energy builds up between its teeth.
Michael couldn’t move, he felt like a deer in headlights, the world slowing as his heart thunders in his ears. He was too scared. He couldn’t even hear Frost Fang’s desperate cries to move out of the way, warning him he’ll die if he just stands there. Omnius was right! No amount of training could’ve prepared him for this. Why did he have to go and tell Alex to deal with the Aqua Virus and leave the Elemental for him to deal with alone? That stupid decision may now have cost him his life.
Michael: I’m so fucked!
To Be Continued