"I dare say you have gotten a little more deadly since last we fought, Jewel Princess."
"You shouldn't taunt her, not while she's like this anyway," Raiyn called from behind Keyra. She only spared him a quick glance before turning her attention back to the Shade.
Fay's magic erupted across the area, dropping two of the Shades who had gotten to close to her and throwing the others into various directions. Raiyn had been fighting behind her the entire time. He'd killed three of the men that had come with the one with purple eyes. With only a few left, the fight was down to Keyra and the Shade before her.
His purple eyes turned to look at Raiyn, eyeing him as he stood there ready for another attack from Keyra. After several moments, he straightened, letting his sword down a little bit and putting Keyra on edge, "I know you, boy. You're very familiar to me."
"I don't know you," Raiyn growled back.
"Oh, I think you do. Think back boy, remember those awful things that happened to you. What was it she called you? Raiyn. Ah, yes, I remember now. Raiyn, the boy who-"
"Shut up!" Raiyn growled and tensed as he prepared to strike. He rushed forward, the jewel in his sword pushing him faster.
His blade locked with the Shades whose purple eyes were glowing in triumph at Raiyn's anger. Keyra only watched carefully as the two men fought. Bringing his sword back, Raiyn struck again, slamming his blade into the Shades. Dust kicked up around them as they moved.
Raiyn ducked the sword that swung at his head, twisting slightly and bringing his weapon upwards to strike the black clad man. He succeeded in hitting the Shade, the black cloth tore and a thin layer of blood seeped through.
Backing off from the Shade, Raiyn's chest heaved as he glared at the man. Keyra had only watched in interest as the young man had attacked. Even enraged, he was fluid in his strikes and very deadly. The jewel on his sword glowed a deep green color.
Keyra felt the magic vibrating in the very earth beneath her feet. Raising an eyebrow slightly she looked to the young man for a moment before turning her attention to what was going to happen next. The trees groaned as they shifted, and from the canopy, thick vines shot down and aimed right for the Shade. Purple eyes looked upwards calmly and he flicked his sword towards the incoming threat. Vines shredded under the sharp steel.
Taking the opportunity, Keyra thrust her blade forward, the jewel pulsing in response. Wind blades cut through the air at the Shade. A dark mist formed around him and his black sword sliced downwards, hitting several of her blades while the mist took care of the rest of the wind blades that he missed.
A frown pulled at her lips as she watched both of their attacks swiped aside as if they were nothing but paper. She sliced at the air in front of her, sending another barrage of wind blades, then she pulled the weapon back towards her body, crouched down and let the wind envelope her.
As she was propelled forward, Raiyn yelled, "Keyra! Don't!"
It was far too late, however, as the air around her kicked in and she raced forward, nothing more than a blur in the midst of swirling white wind. Her sword just barely managed to hit the Shade, cutting into his side as he blocked her attack. A moment later, she felt herself knocked aside. She looked to see who had pushed her away from the purple eyed man.
Black lightning enveloped Raiyn as he took the hit for her. His scream pulled at the sleeping side of her, causing Keyra to freeze for a moment as the power of the jewel princess seemed to subside slightly. Her heart raced as she woke up from the darkness she'd gone to while under her own power. Once the Shade's magic faded, Raiyn dropped to the ground wincing in pain, his breath short and filled with agony.
However, once he stopped screaming, Keyra was lost to her power again. Standing, she leveled her weapon at the Shade. The man laughed at her, flipping his blade in his hand. The demon jewel pulsing as he did so. Black lightning shivered up and down his sword.
Fay dropped down next to Raiyn's trembling body, her hands stretching out over him, "Raiyn," she whispered in fear. Blue magic filled her hands as she attempted to heal him. Keyra noted it and stepped in front of them, lowering her sword.
"It seems that you came to your senses when he was in pain. You're an interesting woman, Jewel Princess, or should I call you Keyra?"
"Neither."
"I must call you by something."
"You as well," her voice was acidic.
"Oh? You want my name then?"
Keyra narrowed her eyes at him, waiting for his answer. His black mask shifted to the tall tell sign that he was smiling. She didn't move, only waited for him.
"I see. Nero."
"Keyra."
"Ah, I see. Well then Keyra, shall we?"
"You're demon jewel is mine, as is your life."
"Such confidence. It is much different than when your power is dormant. I must say, I enjoy it when your running rampant."
"You talk to much," Raiyn retorted as he stood up next to Keyra. He looked better than he had a moment ago, but there was still blood on the corner of his mouth and down the side of his face.
"I have heard that once before. You have chosen interesting company, Raiyn. Are you sure you wish to be in her company?"
"What the hell does that mean?"
"You can't tell? Has she not attacked you for a demon jewel yet? I know you posses a few of them, repressor."
"That doesn't have any meaning."
"Oh, but it does. You see, Keyra killed her family because she lost control when a demon jewel was near."
"What!?" Fay cried in astonishment.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw Raiyn's eyes widen slightly in shock, but other than that he made no sound or movement.
"It's the truth. Several of my Shades went to try to kill her, but because they had demon jewel's, she lost all control and went berserk. Her family simply... got in the way."
"I don't believe that," Raiyn shot back, his voice colder than ice. Keyra turned her eyes to him, raising an eyebrow as she watched him. Even though she was lost to her power, the side of her that was the 'Jewel Princess' held all the memories as well. Nero spoke the truth, but Raiyn was putting faith in her instead. It was... interesting.
Powering up her blade, she thrust it upward twice in an 'X' shape, the wind blades slicing through the air at Nero and putting him on the defensive. Meanwhile, Keyra held her sword up over her head and called to the jewel as much power as she could. A whirlwind of air rushed around her. The white tornado picked up her yellow hair and caused her clothing to flap around her.
Under cover of the rushing air, she spoke to Raiyn, "Get his sword," the moment she said those words, she let her sword come down as if she were throwing the tornado at Nero. The Shade's purple eyes widened slightly as he watched the tornado rush at him.
Next to her, the young man lifted his sword and the green jewel glowed brightly. From the canopy above them, vines rained down and encircled Nero's arms. With the tornado whirling around him, the Shade was unable to fend off the attack from Raiyn. In a single pull, he had Nero's sword wrenched free and slammed into the dirt right before him.
"Fay!" Raiyn ordered. The Fae nodded her head and leapt forward, her fingers engulfing the black jewel that pulsed. In a flash of bright light, the jewel was freed from the weapon and she quickly handed it to Raiyn. He took the jewel, closing his hand over it.
Keyra, unable to keep the part of her that was made to destroy demon jewel's, turned on him and leveled her sword. However, Raiyn's eyes closed and a few moments after the presence of the jewel faded. Fay released a heavy sigh of relief and fell to the ground on both her hands and knees, her hair falling around her face.
Once the demon jewel was dormant, Keyra returned to herself. The power of her jewel stopped completely and Nero was released from his tornado prison. Turning, she gave a sharp gasp as she realized that the Shade still stood and she stumbled backwards, pulling her blade up in an attempt to prepare for a fight.
Purple eyes narrowed at them in rage. His gaze turned down to the sword that was dormant with the loss of its demon jewel. Nero raised his hand and magic swirled around his fingertips, the purple mist slowly enveloped his arm and shoulder, then trailed down his side and across his body.
Before he faded completely from sight, he threatened them, "You may have won this time, but you won't get so lucky when we meet again."
The forest grew silent once more and Keyra stood there with her mouth opened, breathing heavily. For some reason she felt utterly spent, as if all her energy had been used. Unable to stand any longer, she dropped to the ground. Her body crumpled and she fell into darkness.
Fay was the first to get to her side, then she leaned back and smiled up at Raiyn, "Don't worry. She's just asleep."
He knelt down next to her, looking at her pale face framed with locks of yellow hair that escaped her braid. He kept the sigh of relief to himself and instead covered his feelings with the cold exterior that he'd come to live by in the past several years.
"Idiot," he muttered.
"Yeah right," Fay returned lightly, her smile never leaving her face. Raiyn only glared at her. However the glare didn't last long as his own body began to protest. The shock he'd received from the Shade had taken its toll and done its damage. Fay had healed what she could, but the rest was up to his own body to take care of.
"We'll stay here and sleep. Can you keep watch for us?"
"You got it!" She straighten herself and winked at him, only to earn in return, Raiyn rolling his eyes at her. He got up and moved a good distance away from the jewel princess and settled on the ground.
"We'll be in the next town tomorrow afternoon."
"What do you plan to do next, Raiyn?"
He rolled onto his side, pillowing his head under his arm and stared at the trees. Nero had said that she retained some portion of herself even when she had lost control. If that was true, then he could work on that aspect to help her get control. Keyra could be twice as powerful, and twice as deadly if she knew what she was doing during the fights. Instead of blindly going for the demon jewels, she would have a purpose, a true goal. The first step, was getting her to remember what happened during a fight.
"The same as always, Fay," he answered her shortly.
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