Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Cold
Yozora’s eyes widened, heart pounding as he scanned the frozen battlefield, searching for the source of that unmistakable voice. The stillness shattered as his mind raced, and he couldn’t help a sarcastic grin. “Haven’t seen him since our last sparring match at the waterfall,” he muttered. “Cocky Fresa, showing up like the damn hero…” Despite the situation, Yozora felt a surge of relief as if Sirius’ arrival were an anchor amidst the chaos.
A faint image materialized in the smoky air, coalescing into a figure that stepped forward with sharp, unwavering focus. Sirius’ gaze was intense, assessing, his presence clearing a path through the dense mist and cutting through the oppressive energy that had lingered in the realm. Yet as his eyes landed on Yozora, a softer, almost brotherly expression crossed his face.
“Hermano, you good?” he asked, his voice low but steady. His eyes flickered to the intruders with a smirk. “Who are these perras you’re dealing with?”
Yozora burst into laughter, wiping a hand across his face. “Todas las perras, every last one of them,” he chortled. “Sirius… How in the world did you know about the breach?”
Sirius raised an eyebrow, his signature grin tugging at his lips. “You’ve gotta know a certain someone’s moves send shockwaves across realms.” His tone had that confident, smooth edge Yozora knew well, but there was something else, a new, intense undertone in his gaze. “You didn’t think I’d let you run amok without keeping tabs, did you? Kova’s instincts went off like crazy. He knew something was bound to happen here.”
A low chuckle escaped Yozora as he took in the sight of his friend, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. “Keeping tabs, huh? Figures you couldn’t resist the action. Speaking of Kova, where is he?”
Sirius shrugged, his smirk widening. “Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t burn down the place. But actually,” he glanced around the scorched landscape, taking in the damage and the hostile figures encircling them, “you look like you could use a little backup.”
Then, Sirius hesitated, a flash of discomfort crossing his face. “Hey, uh… don’t freak out, alright? Promise me?”
Yozora’s eyes narrowed. “Spit it out.”
Sirius grimaced. “Kova went to check on a rumor that… your parents might have been attacked too. But don’t worry, your folks are S-class Tuners, and Kova’s got S-tier Chimera strength. They can handle themselves.”
Yozora’s face went cold, his eyes hardening as a wave of fury washed over him, his icy lightning flaring around him in volatile arcs. His gaze snapped to Zephiron, rage boiling over.
Sirius instinctively took a step back, muttering to himself, “I should’ve lied…” He glanced at Zephiron, an apologetic look crossing his face. “Dude, I hope you said goodbye to your people.”
Ignoring everything but his target, Yozora’s voice was deathly calm as he fixed his eyes on Zephiron. “Who’s after my parents? Who sent you here?” His tone was laced with a dark promise.
Zephiron grinned smugly, his next words sealing his fate. “Most likely dead already, little bird. All the anger and power you throw at me won’t change a thing.”
In a flash, Yozora vanished, reappearing at Zephiron’s throat, his katana’s blade humming with energy as it stopped just a hair from slicing through flesh.
Zephiron’s confidence cracked, but he forced a sneer. “Even if I wanted to tell you, it wouldn’t change anything.”
Yozora’s blade pressed closer, his voice an icy whisper. “I’ll just take your memories after I kill you.”
Zephiron’s mind raced, desperate. Lyria, shift me, now! In a burst of illusion, Zephiron disappeared, replaced by a flickering image, putting distance between them.
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A harsh voice cut through the air. “Change of plans! Nyra, Vossir, keep the Lord busy. Thyrex, Caelum, handle his friend.” Zephiron glared at Yozora, dark resolve in his eyes. “Lyria, you’re with me. Underestimate them again, and we won’t be leaving here alive.”
Sirius, unfazed, turned his attention to Ignarok, taking a long look at the Lord of the realm. “So you’re the infamous Lord Ignarok, huh? Not bad for a guy who rules over a realm that smells like eggs.”
Lord Ignarok shook his head. “Figures you’d be a smartass, just like him. Yes, I am the Lord here. Pleased to meet a friend of Yozora’s.” Ignarok’s tone shifted, curiosity lacing his words. “So, tell me, what kinds of Hindo are you working with?”
Sirius grinned wider, the hint of mischief in his eyes. “The kind you don’t want to be around when I set it off. Radiation Hindo, specifically Hawking Radiation. But hey, we can discuss that later,” he added with a wink. “I’d suggest we not set Yozora off even more. Now give me some space—I’ve got a couple of morons to deal with.”
Turning his attention to Thyrex and Caelum, Sirius’s tone dropped, a predatory glint in his eye. “Alright, boys, you’d better show me something worth my time because I’m coming for heads.” With a deadly calm, he extended his hand, the air around him darkening with an ominous pulse.
“Hawking Fumi: Atom Decay.”
The ground shuddered as waves of intense radiation pulsed outward, distorting the air and turning the surrounding earth to dust. Thyrex and Caelum barely had time to react before they felt the skin-prickling heat creeping up, searing at their Toro Field.
Thyrex hefted a massive hammer, the heavy head crackling with charged Hindo, while Caelum twirled his broad sword effortlessly, the wide blade radiating a dark, ominous aura.
Sirius arched an eyebrow, twirling his spear with casual precision, his movements fluid and unhurried. "A hammer and a broad sword? I didn’t realize we were going medieval on each other."
Thyrex grinned, his stormy aura intensifying. “You talk big for someone about to be smashed into volcanic dust.”
Sirius chuckled, his eyes narrowing. "Well, you both look like you're eager to disappoint." He leaned forward, his stance shifting as he gauged the distance between them. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”
With a roar, Thyrex charged forward, hammer raised high. The ground trembled beneath his footsteps as he closed the gap, swinging the hammer down with enough force to splinter stone. Sirius sidestepped with a smirk, letting the hammer crash into the ground beside him, sending chunks of molten rock flying.
Sirius’s spear flashed in response, a quick jab aimed at Thyrex’s right knee. Thyrex twisted, his body to avoid but the spear’s tip grazed him, drawing a thin line of blood. He winced but swung his hammer in a sweeping arc to knock Sirius off balance.
"Too slow," Sirius taunted, ducking under the swing and twisting his spear into a reverse grip as he drove the butt of the spear into Thyrex’s gut, forcing him back with a grunt.
Caelum lunged forward in the opening, his broad sword humming with dark Hindo as he slashed diagonally at Sirius’s side. Sirius spun his spear up, parrying the sword with a sharp clash of metal, sparks flying from the impact.
Caelum sneered, pressing the weight of his sword against Sirius’s spear. “Think you’re clever, don’t you?”
Sirius’s smirk widened. “Not clever, just better.” He pushed back, forcing Caelum to stumble as he kicked forward, catching Caelum off-guard and driving him back a few steps.
The two opponents regrouped, circling Sirius like wolves stalking prey. Thyrex spat, his eyes narrowed in frustration. “Alright, enough of this. Let’s show him how we handle arrogant Tuners.”
With a nod, Caelum darted to the left while Thyrex approached from the right, their attacks coordinated as they converged on Sirius in a pincer maneuver. Caelum swung his broad sword in a brutal horizontal arc, the blade nearly invisible as it blurred through the air, while Thyrex’s hammer followed from the opposite side.
Sirius chuckled, spinning his spear between his fingers with ease as he muttered, “Well, this is cute.” With a quick leap, he launched himself backward, letting the two attacks collide with a thunderous impact that sent tremors through the ground, cracking the rocky floor beneath them.
He landed with a grin, his spear raised defensively. "You two should join a circus with coordination like that. How about another try?”
Caelum growled, his eyes flashing with anger. "Let’s see how smug you are when I carve that grin off your face!" He lunged forward, his sword glowing with a dark, corrosive aura as he aimed a deadly thrust straight at Sirius’s chest.
But Sirius met Caelum’s thrust head-on, his spear moving like a flash of lightning. In a single fluid motion, he twisted his spear around Caelum’s blade, deflecting it to the side before driving the butt of the spear into Caelum’s wrist, forcing him to drop his sword.
“Oh, come on,” Sirius laughed. “That’s all you got?” He gave a mocking sigh, glancing over at Thyrex. “You think you could give me a challenge instead?”