CHAPTER 11

DREAM STATE

Hikaru fell through deep darkness… With none of his powers working, he plummeted helplessly until hitting the ground with a hard smash. In agony, Hikaru slowly rose up on both feet, calling out. “.…Amber!” But no one answered. Hikaru took a while, thoroughly thinking about his situation, and came toward this conclusion… that either he’d died, or been swallowed by the storm once again. Neither of these rational guesses calmed his nerves as he realized that if Amber were without him, there would be no one blocking warriors from sensing her presence. Hikaru sprint forward as fast as he could, till eventually, he became short of breath.

“What’s going on here!” he shouted out, but no one answered, so he continued advancing.

After moving around in complete darkness for what felt like hours, Hikaru broke down in frustration, fell upon his knees, pounded the floor with his fist, and screamed out at maximum capacity. Finally leaning toward reasoning that he no longer existed among the living, Hikaru’s eyes moistened; he would never get a chance to tell his mother goodbye, and worst of all, his lack of prudence would cost Amber her life as well. It felt unreasonable believing that she could possibly fend for herself against Elitist or the mysterious thirtieth selected fighter who sought her life. Hikaru placed his face inside his palm, and just when he’d given up all hope, a voice sounded.

“Your quickest quest for power is through pain.”

“Who are you?” Hikaru yelled out, and then he made to his feet, realizing that he’d heard this strange voice before— twice within the dark room, and once while racing away from William Hunter through the forest.

“What is it that you desire?”

“I don’t know, I'm confused,” Hikaru stated aloud.

“Death withers, life grows, time is many endless divided paths that flow where these paths will lead, no one knows.” Many paths of light appeared, each having their own route. “If it is power which you seek, walk the path beneath your feet.” Without hesitation, Hikaru immediately ran down the pathway of strength, and kept racing with fierce determination until he arrived at its end. “Strength and power is the path you’ve chosen now let your fate unfold, will it be beauty that lies beneath or will might interfere with a mind not at peace. Now I grant you powers that you seek, but remember, there can only be one master of the storm.”

A white penetrating light shot through Hikaru’s chest. His body felt hot, almost as if it were burning up. He screamed out while ferocious pain ripped through his entire figure, causing him to fall against the floor. Suffering progressing toward unimaginable, perceptional minutes passed like hours while Hikaru lay down motionlessly, craving death’s arrival. With both eyes closed, he began allowing himself to pass out, not worrying about it being his final sleep as his life force faded. While lying unconscious, Hikaru delicately submerged within a dream, feeling flighty weightlessness from every burden he ever witnessed or experienced being lifted. No longer did his body remain restrained, shackled to physical existence like every living creature became abruptly ushered into without knowing invisible chains that bind them; so desperately clinging on while not understanding death’s freedom until actually reaching their demise, and realizing pleasurable sensations which cannot be encountered in the truest of flesh.

Hikaru wanted it, he reached forward as he ascended into light… then, he heard a loud pulse in his chest, and visions came flooding through his mind, passing by like a high speed train traveling inside a narrow tunnel. Elated sensations faded as he felt himself get heavier with every memory that flashed by: He was an infant yelling inside a hospital room, a toddler being cared for by his mother, a five year old watching the casket of his father being lowered, a six year old meeting his first friend, a twelve year old longing for the missing piece of a torn family, a sixteen year old being swallowed by unexplainable phenomenas, Kamari’s death, and finally, his promise to Amber.

He remembered his words. “Don’t fret over it, you know I’ll protect you.”

Hikaru hit solid consciousness as though striking firm ground. Everything hurt… his eyes closed briefly, then he opened them and found himself lying on his back with Amber on her knees by his side.

“Hikaru, you’re awake,” she said, sounding much relieved.

Hikaru felt his sixth sense tingling abnormally, and immediately peered left, unexpectedly finding a huge toned man staring down at him. The stranger’s dark eyes appeared friendly, even after Hikaru stood upright, glaring angrily.

“You’re another friggin’ storm warrior… I don’t know how you got my partner trusting you, but there’s no way in hell I will,” Hikaru voiced furiously. “Amber, have you totally lost your mind. How can you just trust any old stranger after what we’ve been through!”

“Will you be quiet,” Amber snapped lowly. “We don’t have time for your misfit behavior, so stop being loud.”

“What do you mean stop being loud,” Hikaru whispered heatedly. “How can I not be a misfit when you have an enemy standing over us after I wake up.”

Amber got upon her feet and faced Hikaru eye to eye with the fiercest of expressions. “Listen, it was you who went and got yourself badly hurt, and that’s how Asani found me anyway… And try greeting him with a little more generosity than you did tiger, because he totally carried you here while we’ve been on the run.”

“On the run,” Hikaru repeated.

“Yeah, that’s right, on the run,” said Amber.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Hikaru couldn’t argue with her explanation, he’d been foolish with his powers, making these events that occurred entirely his fault. He looked down, then glanced back at Amber’s face, interpreting her shifting expression; she seemed content just seeing him conscious, even after he pitched out a mouth full of insults. Although he couldn’t understand why she’d decided putting any faith in the man beside them, Hikaru felt relieved seeing her unharmed also.

“Listen,” said Asani. “We have no time— if we don’t act fast they’ll spot us.”

Not thinking about any warnings from Asani at all, Hikaru browsed around with his sixth sense, gradually getting his bearings straight. They were all hiding behind a tree surrounded by a wooden dome barrier Amber recently created. He also noticed everyone quietly staring at him as they awaited his orders. Hikaru inhaled, then exhaled deeply; even after just coming back from a near death experience, responsibility pressed heavily upon his shoulders, and this time (he admitted to himself) there were no plans formulating within his thoughts.

“We need some type of move, now!” Asani pushed some more.

Hikaru could sense them, the man wasn’t lying, two warriors were approaching them quickly from the south.

“So you’re telling me these fighters looking for us could ruin this barrier with minimal effort?” Hikaru questioned.

“Yes, young one, because of their abilities,” replied Asani.

With that answer, Hikaru heard specifically what he needed from Amber’s newly found ally. It seemed obvious that this man wasn’t working with the pair hastily stalking them because he’d had his chance to attack earlier, or at least slow them down from moving until both pursuers arrived.

“If you know how these enemies can break Amber’s barrier, it must mean that you’ve encountered them before, and also know their abilities,” said Hikaru. “So tell me their powers?”

The wooden barrier dismantled, leaving all three of them openly exposed. A beautiful woman stood in front. Her dark eyes narrowed at Hikaru while her damp jet black long hair laid strewn wildly across her face. A fairly tall man with light brown hair and dark sunshades stood behind her, displaying a pleased grin. Something inside Hikaru ticked; finding himself routed toward danger wasn’t uncommon anymore, in fact, each time the thrill of it got more intense, and after recently escaping death, there lingered an unbeatable arrogance. He fearlessly stepped forward while Amber eyed him in worry. She braced herself to help at any moment’s notice. The small woman paced forward also, and her eyes widened as she fronted Hikaru curiously.

“You’re quite good looking,” Hikaru teased.

“And sometimes what appears beautiful can be deceitfully deadly,” the woman shot back, her pupils piercing into his wildly.

Hikaru smirked. “Yeah right, like I’d ever be intimidated by you Mrs. Five foot nothing.”

“You fool!” Asani blurted. “Don’t underestimate her! She’s no amateur!”

Hikaru ignored Asani’s warning and took another pace forward, closing distance between himself and the enemy by mere steps. Edging zealously on his toes, her partner readied to launch an assault.

“Nanu!” the woman shouted. “This boy is mine to kill, you handle these negligible others.”

Nanu adjusted his shades with one hand as he grinned. “Most guys would unwisely consider themselves lucky catching favorable attention of a woman like Wah.” He gazed at his partner. “Fine, you kill that pitiable boy, I can easily finish everyone else.”

Wah smiled in contentment, glaring upward at Hikaru, and in that split second, he felt killer instinct boiling over profusely; there lingered no doubts in his mind about her, the woman standing in front of him destroyed many fighters before reaching this junction.

“I love it… that look in your eyes,” Wah said.

“Why, what can you see,” replied Hikaru.

She tightened both fist. “I’ll tell you just before you’re dead.”

Wah seized an instant chance for a first shot, punching Hikaru square in his nose. Amber raised her hands and created a metallic shield shaped like a door between them rivaling before the woman could follow up on her assault, but Wah’s foot went straight through Amber’s solid barrier like a phantom, battering against Hikaru’s stomach. Amber stared, completely awe struck by this strange occurrence, but Hikaru understood immediately; his opponent could dimensionally flux through solid objects. He placed both arms up, and blocked an incoming spinning kick, then jumped back several feet, making distance. At this point Hikaru knew; he now matched up against the most powerful warrior he’d ever fought, and at close quarters range, there would be no chance of defeating her. He thought about running… in hopes that his enemy would follow, but he couldn’t simply leave Amber fighting Nanu without his aid. Amber sensed Hikaru’s divided emotions through telepathic avenues they often left open to each other.

“Hikaru!” she shouted. “Don’t worry about me!”

“What are you talking about?” Hikaru yelled back, keeping his eyes fixed on Wah.

Amber focused her mind. (If you don’t make distance between her and yourself, you’ll surely lose. And if you die now, this fight’s over, besides, my power can’t affect her, so I won’t be able to help.)

(Have you lost it, what makes you think I’d literally leave you fighting an enemy with the help of a complete stranger! ) Hikaru snapped.

“Well as of now, you don’t really have another option, we must go with what’s necessary for victory.” said Amber.

Hikaru hated admitting it, but Amber’s strategy happen to be highly logical; there were no other alternatives, and refusal to lead an opponent away that his partner’s power had zero effect on, actually put her at greater risk of being killed. He quickly glanced back at her, relaying thoughts, (Stay alive) then dashed off through the forest, making distance between Wah and himself. Hikaru quickly peered over his shoulder while running; like he expected, Wah’s anxiousness to kill him fueled her pursuit. He ran at top speed, moving away limbs of plants, and weaving around tall tree trunks. Instead of glancing back around again, Hikaru used his sixth sense, checking how far behind his opponent lagged. He couldn’t sense her on the damp terrain, so he turned his head and glanced to find Wah gaining. She ghost through every tree instead of wasting time with moving around them. Without having to twist and turn through plant life, it wasn’t long before she closed in, and they were running side by side.

“Come on boy, I know you don’t think you can outrun me anymore, so cease trying— it’s pathetic.” Hikaru stopped on a dime as the woman walked through a tree and halted in front of him. He used his setting control, uprooting this very tree that stood at Wah’s right, causing it to fall over on top of her. She lightly chuckled, then applauded, while the tree’s trunk hid half her body until she paced through it. “Nice performance, but you couldn’t have possibly thought meager little tricks would work.”

“I hoped it would,” Hikaru replied.

“Well hope’s for fools.”

Hikaru knew that he needed a way to stall his enemy and concoct a plan, but every crucial second he wasted only increased the probability of Amber’s demise, which left him in a tight bind. He remembered Amber’s thoughts: (We must go with what’s necessary for victory) Hikaru agreed, stalling now became a requirement; only by thinking his way out of this confrontation could he hope to succeed, so he raced off through more forest greenery again while Wah continued playing cat and mouse by following.