Tengu and I walked along a path on the side of a river. The atmosphere was amazing, the breeze was gentle, the forest critters weren't loud and best of all everything was calm.
"I feel like once we go back out there into war...we will be the strongest on the battlefield. Especially with our power now, we can actually take the chance to stop Judgement Order for good. We can get our lives back and restore our world." Tengu smiled and stopped to look at the scenery.
I stopped beside her and crossed my arms and looked out into the scenery as well. "Part of me wants to stay here forever. Away from the war. Yeah the Fell Beasts can still attack, but it isn't often they do. I just want to stay here where it's calm. With you."
Tengu blushed slightly and held her arms then closed her eyes and smiled. "You know we can't. We have to make things right. If we don't, our generation is doomed and if we are going to see to a better future, we have to go into war and take down our enemies."
I looked at her and smiled then looked back out into the scenery. We continued our walk and Tengu kept blushing slightly then covered her face with her hand. I looked back at Tengu and stopped. I stopped her and she looked up at me.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Just...These past few days...well this past week I've spent with you...I just been thinking about how happy you've made me. I remember that one day we were training and I sprained my ankle and you sat with me in my room all day until it healed." Tengu said.
"Yeah...it looked like it really hurt. I sprained my ankle once as well and I really understood your pain." I responded.
Tengu smiled and looked at the sky. "You really comforted me. Usually when I get hurt back then, I'm forced to tough it out and my body doesn't heal properly."
I went to set under a tree. "At first I had some form of resentment for the world and I still do. I dislike this world we live in and I just want to stay away from it. After spending time with you and your family...I began to like the world again. The same happened when I spent time with the Valkyrias. There are people I want to protect, but at the same time...I either don't want to go back into war or I can't go back out there due to my fear of dying or seeing a loved one die."
Tengu walked to me and sat beside me. "Casualties are a part of war sadly. If there was a way to save everyone I'm sure someone would've done it, but the best we can do is try our hardest to make sure they don't die. I don't want you to die out there. There are things I wish to do with you. Things I want to see with you..."
I looked at Tengu and held her hand. "I won't die. I'm too cool for that." I said jokingly.
"I can believe it." Tengu giggled softly and looked at me.
She blushed slightly and looked away a bit. I gently held her chin and she looked at me. I held her cheek and we both leaned in then pressed our foreheads against one another. I closed my eyes and she closed hers then we gently kissed each other. I gently pushed her down and pinned her hands over her head then pulled away. We opened our eyes and I noticed Tengu blushing madly.
"I've...never kissed anyone before. It felt wonderful..." Tengu said then looked into my eyes.
I looked into her eyes and smiled then gave her a quick peck on her lips again then felt my phone buzzing. I took it out of my pocket then looked at it. I got off Tengu and looked at my phone with a worried expression.
"What's wrong?" Tengu asked and sat up. She looked at my phone and read the article sent to me by Yae.
Breaking News! Valkyria Teacher Orishi has been killed by Judgement Order leader, Silent Fox! Their battle took place in Yahoma and Silent Fox now has conquered the three major cities and is now spreading out throughout Asia! The World Corps has also disappeared!
I stood up quickly and gripped my phone tightly. "O-Orishi..." I felt myself tear up and my heart began to beat quickly as I began to lose control of my emotions.
Tengu felt how destroyed I was and wanted to comfort me, but didn't know how. "We've got to stop her now.." Tengu said knowing that was all she could say.
My battlesuit appeared over my body and I called for Aermyth. She flew over to us and landed in front of us. "Seems like our relaxation ends early...Let's go end this war."
Tengu nodded and manifested her wings on her back then we flew off.
Saito looked at Orishi's sword and tears rolled down her cheeks. "She was a mother to me...She was to be a Ruler..How could she be killed...?"
"I was sure Orishi had it...she even went into dual wield mode.." Misao said.
Yumeji and Kikyo were equally as hurt and they began to break down as well. Iori crossed her arms and closed her eyes. Orika looked at everyone and felt really upset and held her arms. Annie tried her best to not cry.
"Even Headmaster Yusa and the World Corps is missing now...Splitting up was the worst plan we had by far." Yae said and leaned against a wall. "Hisumi has been missing for the past week or so...but knowing she's alive gives us hope..."
Usagi and Arei sat along a wall and Usagi sighed softly.
"Liao Ru...are you okay?" Yae asked and looked at Liao Ru.
Liao Ru walked over to Saito and her eyes shined red then she gently grabbed the sword out of her hand. "We can't let her get away with this. Shina has to die. I'm the only surviving member of LIONS and technically the only member of my past alive now. I'll make her pay for killing Orishi.."
Saito's eye beeped and she looked up. She detected Fell Beasts nearby and everyone got prepared. They all heard a roar and Saito's eyes shined. Everyone heard thunder booming and lightning crashing down.
"Hisumi?" Yumeji said then ran out of the alleyway then noticed me landing on the ground.
"Hisumi..?" Yumi looked surprised.
"Aermyth...kill every Fell Beast." I said.
Aermyth roared and everyone looked surprised that I was controlling the Fell Dragon. They watched Aermyth destroy and kill every Fell Beast in the area.
"Wind!" Tengu bellowed and swiped her fan then a massive tornado was summoned and took down more Fell Beasts.
I stood up and my hair flowed with the wind. I looked back and my eyes shined. They saw my eyes were full of rage and felt my energy was different.
"She controlled the Overlord's power...She even still has the Eyes of Raijin." Yae said.
Liao Ru glared at me then walked to me. "You abandoned us....and now you return after Orishi died..?!"
"Abandoned? I had to flee the area. Unlike you, I'm the most targeted woman in the world right now! Like hell I would stay knowing Silent Fox would kill me and use my energy for her own benefit!" I glared at Liao Ru.
"You were the only one who had enough power to stop Silent Fox at the moment! We needed you!" Liao Ru yelled.
I looked at Liao Ru and glared then turned around. "Everyone needs me. Apparently I'm the only one in this world who can stop this war. I'm nothing but a tool needed by everyone. Silent Fox was right. If I wasn't to be her puppet, I was to be yours." I said then walked away.
"Hisumi! Don't want away from us again!" Liao Ru yelled. "Don't be a coward like Yusa! She left us all! She's a coward! Don't be like her by walking away from us!"
I stopped walking and lightning crackled around my body then I changed my staff into a katana then turned around. "Don't fucking talking about my mother like that..."
"Liao, what are you doing? Why are you provoking her?" Yae asked and walked to Liao Ru.
"Provoking..? Telling the truth is now provoking..? If that's how it is then allow me to provoke her more!" Liao Ru yelled and a voice inside of her head spoke to her.
I looked at Liao Ru and heard Aermyth and Tengu killing the Fell Beasts. "You don't understand anything. This is why I never wanted to return! I'm tired of being the key to fix it all! I never wanted this life! I want to escape this reality! I hate this life...No matter where I go...I am the cause of everything. I was the cause of my mother and father becoming enemies. I am the cause of this war. I am the cause of Orishi dying! Even when I'm not here I cause pain to others! When can I be truly happy? When is it my turn to be happy without something ruining it?!" I screamed and clenched my teeth.
"Hisumi.." Saito stood up.
"Even when nothing is happening...I can't be happy knowing I'll ruin something for someone else...That's how Orika got hurt! That's how you nearly died! I...I can't take it anymore!" I screamed and lightning surged around my body and I began to lose control of my emotions. "Now you come and blame me for something I had no control over...what the fuck do you all want from me?!"
Liao Ru looked at me and her black feathers fluttered around her. "We want you to stay with us...even if I had to fight you on it. It is true we need you, but Silent Fox painted a bad picture in your head. It is true you are the only one who can stop it because of your power, but it is also true that because you weren't here we suffered a great loss of power even when Yusa was here. We lost our synergy. Without you...we aren't anything. You are our light, Hisumi. We need and love you more than you realize..."
I shook my head and turned around. "I refuse to stay because I know I'll just only hurt you all in the end." I closed my eyes then dodged a blade made of energy. I looked back at Liao Ru and her eyes shined red.
"I can't let you leave again...Like I said...I will fight you to make you stay. Without you we lost this war. We can't do this without you. Silent Fox even has the other A Ranks captured. We need your help...please Hisumi." Liao Ru said.
I glared and my eyes shined. I twirled my katana then got in my stance. "You'll have to force me to stay then."
"Don't do this Hisumi!" Liao Ru yelled and her hair slowly turned black then turned white. "This is serious!"
"And so am I. Aermyth!" I called out and Aermyth landed behind me then roared.
Liao Ru looked at me and Aermyth. She glared and gripped the handle of the great sword.
I held my hand out and my eyes shined. "I have no intentions of staying. I have no intentions of staying in the light just to be dragged back into the Darkness. I'll stay in the Darkness because that way I don't have to worry about hurting even more." I snapped my fingers and a bolt of lightning crashed down.
Everyone exclaimed in fear, but Liao Ru deflected the bolt of lightning. I looked at her and grunted as black chains grabbed onto me. I had flashbacks to when I was chained up in the torture room. I panted and heart thumped hard. I yelled and broke out of the chains and completely became unhinged. The voice in Liao Ru's head became clear.
"Liao Ru...stop Hisumi.." Orishi's voice said to Liao Ru in her head.
Liao Ru turned around to look at me. Orishi's sword began to transform to adapt to Liao. Her aura surged powerfully and the great sword turned into a sword with a smaller blade that shiend red.
"Hisumi tried to attack us.." Saito said in disbelief.
"Hisumi you're...staying with us!" Liao Ru yelled and dashed go me.
I looked at Liao Ru and dashed to her and we clashed. Our clash cracked the ground beneath us and released a powerful repulsive force. The other Valkyrias yelled and slid backwards. Liao and I continued to clash then we both dashed off. We clashed multiple times then Liao wall jumped off a building then somersaulted in front of me then hit me with a lariat attack then sent me crashing through a wall of a building. I groaned and rolled backwards.
"You are more important to us that you realize! You are one of us! You are a Valkyria! We love you Hisumi! That's why we need you to stay!" Liao Ru yelled and dashed to me then looked surprised.
I slashed with my axe, hitting her and caused her to crash through multiple walls. She groaned then hit her back against an unbroken wall then fell to one knee. I dashed to her and my eyes shined. "I would only be hurting you all! That's why I won't stay! Since the beginning I put you all through too much pain! I won't allow myself to allow you all to suffer any longer!" I yelled and my voice cracked.
Liao Ru uppercut my chin and I grunted loudly then was send crashing through the multiple ceilings and Liao Ru air walked after me then used her black chains to pull me down and gripped my face, flying through more ceilings and flew outside once more the threw me down to the building we came out of. I groaned as I crashed onto the roof of a building.
Liao Ru landed on the same roof and summoned her sword. "We don't care if your existence hurts us. You don't have to carry that pain alone! Don't carry that pain and suffering alone Hisumi! Come back to the light with us. Together...we can fix our Generation. We can fix our Era.."
I slowly stood up and raised my hand then snapped my fingers. Aermyth roared and flew to our location. "There is no fixing this Generation anymore. Look at Japan, Liao Ru! Look at Asia! We can't fix this!"
Liao Ru looked at me and glared then readied herself. "You're blinded! Blinded by the lies told to you by that Overlord! Blinded by the lies Judgement fed to you! Blinded by Silent Fox! You are our friend! You aren't a tool!"
"Shut up!" I yelled and looked up then pointed at Liao Ru. "Aermyth! Destroy!"
Aermyth began to charge up a beam with her mouth then released it at Liao Ru. An explosion happen and I looked surprised when Liao Ru dashed from the smoke. I glared then dashed to her. We clashed, but she overpowered me and knocked my weapon out of my hand. She hit me with a five hit combo then kicked me upwards and her wings of flames appeared on her back then she flew up above me. She answered the call of the previous Ruler of Inferno and began to transform into the Ruler of Inferno.
Liao Ru yelled and blasted me down with a beam of fire and her body was surrounded by flames then took the form of a Phoenix. She dove down to attack me. I stood up and tears rolled down my cheeks.
"Leave me alone!" I yelled and lightning surrounded my body then my energy went wild.
Tengu noticed the giant phoenix and the ball of lightning then looked surprised. "What the hell is going on..? Are those Fell Beasts?"
Liao and I clashed then flew into the sky clashing. Our energies caused powerful repulsive forces of energy that struck the Fell Beasts and defeated them. I yelled and my eyes flashed white.
"I'm not returning! There's nothing you can do about it! Now leave me alone!" I yelled and struck Liao's chest.
She grunted and coughed a bit of blood. She grabbed my arm and threw me to the ground and summoned her sword in her hand. The spirit of Orishi touched her back and she yelled.
I crashed on the ground and coughed blood. My energy began to fade away quickly.
"Hisumi! We all care about you! Especially Saito, Yae, Yumi, and Orika! Don't throw it all away like this!" Liao Ru yelled and flew down to me with a powerful slash. "I'm not letting you go, Hisumi!"
I looked at Liao Ru and noticed how her energy sparkled. She looked like a true Goddess. I couldn't even move due to how exhausted I was. My Eyes of Raijin disappeared from my eyes and I began to turn normal. I closed my eyes and Liao struck my chest and a bright light shined.
Liao and I appeared in the Dream World and looked at one another. I walked to Liao Ru and she looked at me then allowed me to hug her and break down.
"I'm so sorry..." I softly said as I cried in her arms.
Liao Ru smiled and rubbed my hair then her phoenix wings wrapped around me. "It's not your fault, Hisumi. It's never your fault...you don't have to blame yourself anymore."
"But it's my fault why Orishi is dead and why this is all happening...why go through all of this to keep me alive...kill me and end this. Kill me now.." I said.
"No..." Liao Ru said then held my shoulders. "Look at me.."
I let Liao Ru go and looked at her. She kissed my forehead and the Overlord symbol shattered.
"Your life is important to us. We will save our Generation. We will save our Era...Just come back to us. Please.." Liao Ru said then I watched her disperse into phoenix feathers then woke up from the Dream World.
I opened my eyes to realize I had my head on Liao Ru's lap. I sat up and looked at Liao Ru. "Liao...we.."
"Yeah..." Liao Ru smiled and opened her eyes.
I wiped my eyes and sniffled then laid my head back onto her lap. "I've made up my mind. I'll join the Valkyrias once again...and I'm here to stay this time."
Liao Ru nodded and rubbed my hair then closed her eyes. She mumbled, "I did it Orishi...I brought Hisumi back..."
Orishi's spirit watched us from a distance and smiled then disappeared slowly. "I believe in you all, ladies..."