Chapter 9: Apex

Using the Time rune was a quick and easy way to put an end to all of this. I hadn’t used it this way since Farah and Jaff helped me escape that nut with the water rune. Stopping time around me was as far as I’m willing to go with its power.

Like the rest, Mad Mat was frozen in place, just waiting for the business end of my sword.

Aaannnd, he just moved. It was almost like he was distorted for a bit before breaking free.

Okay, I’ll admit it; that was impressive. Now can I catch a break here?!

Mad Mat was even angrier now. With his barrage of open palm attacks and sharp heel strikes, he proved to be much faster than I thought. And I was on the defensive; I hate being on the defensive! One slip up, one well placed attack by my opponent, and it could be lights out for me.

Dodge! Dodge! Warp! Push back!

Mad Mat went sailing into the path of Ino’s giant hammer just as time restarted. As satisfying as it was seeing Ino nail him, I knew it wasn’t over just yet. The energy radiating from Mad Mat as he regained his footing proved he had a lot more resolve left in him.

“I knew you were going to be a pain,” he said. Was that defeat I heard in his voice?

“It’s not too late to stop this, Matsuo.”

“Who said anything about stopping?” I guess not.

I readied myself as he geared up for another round. Before he could make his next move he was struck in the forehead by an arrow carrying a piece of paper. What’s that written on it? I wondered as the projectile disintegrated, leaving the strange paper affixed to Mad Mat’s head.

Whatever it was, it seemed to be paralyzing his abilities and all of his altered soldiers, including Ino.

So, my next question should be who fired that arrow.

“Perfect shot, Ramla!” Bara said as I turned around.

“Thank you, Bara!” Ramla replied carrying a loaded bow. “Aiden, how are you? I’m sorry we’re so late!”

“What’ve you done to Matsuo?”

“He’s possessed by a Sanskrit,” Ramla explained, loading two more arrows on her bow. “That talisman will force it out of Matsuo’s body.”

“Hey you!” Bara said, apparently speaking to me. She’s lucky I bothered to acknowledge her. “When that Sanskrit shows itself we’re going to need you to hold it in place!”

“Yes, please, Aiden. I need to hit it just right to vanquish the fiend.”

So, he’s being controlled? Ramla steadied her aim, seemingly sure that something was about to exit Matsuo’s body. And as an entity wrapped in dark mist took form around him, I started believing too.

“Stop it now, before it can escape!” Bara ordered.

I wasn’t sure if it was because it had no solid form, or because it wasn’t natural, but the Sanskrit proved to be difficult to hold. That was surprising. I thought I could stop anything with the power of the Kinetic rune, but this thing really wanted to leave!

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“If you’re going to shoot, then do it fast! This thing is about to slip through my fingers!”

“Do it now Ramla!”

“But, I don’t think it's solid enough Bara!”

“Take the shot, I said!”

Ramla did as the old lady ordered and planted three arrows into the entity’s chest. They struck something solid, even though the entity looked more like a raging cloud. Seconds later it exploded into sparks of light and Matsuo was left lying motionless.

His misguided army dropped almost at the same time. But

“Isuko!” Ramla exclaimed, dropping her weapon and dashing over to Ino’s son. Both his and Ino’s unconscious state was worrisome, but at least they were back to normal. That counted for something.

“Weak minded fool!” Bara said, rolling Matsuo onto his back. I instantly noticed the three puncture marks on his chest, exactly where the arrows hit that Sanskrit.

“He’s dead?” I asked, knowing the answer already.

“He gave up his life to that Sanskrit who knows how long ago,” Bara said.

“Did you find Yamato?”

Bara shook her head.

“We found him,” Ramla answered, somberly. “In the castle..”

My heart sank. “He’s dead, isn’t he? I killed him.”

Bara turned and walked away. “You squashed the bug. Matsuo killed the man.”

Was that supposed to make me feel better? Wait, why was she trying to cheer me up after all the stuff she accused me of?

Ino and Isuko looked relatively unscathed by what happened to them, but they can walk away from all of this. That should count for something.

“Detain all of them!” Leo commanded his army. They surrounded a dazed and confused Ino and his son with weapons of war. Do they plan on taking them alive or dead?

I wasn’t about to wait and see. The soldiers were disarmed with the wave of my hand; an act that caught Leo by surprise. “Leave them alone,” I told him, with a little more bass in my voice.

“You must be the same foul enemy as they are,” Leo deduced.

“Ah, I see you’re familiar with Sanskrit,” Bara said.

“I know all about them and what they can do.”

“And I was worried that no one studied their history around here.” Bara pointed at Matsuo and continued. “He’s the one responsible for all the carnage today. He thought exchanging his life for power would solve Ishikawa’s problems. He was dead wrong.”

“So, Sanskrits walk among us.” Leo looked my way, then added, “Again.”

“Well, I’m not one of them!” I insisted. I’m the Rebirth Destroyer. Maybe you’ve heard of my coming; silver hair, crescent irises, eternal damnation thing....

“Isuko, his father, and all the soldiers from Ishikawa are not to blame for their actions here,” Ramla pleaded with Leo. “Please, mister Leo, pardon their transgression.”

He looked over the damage done to the city before turning to the invading forces. “You, from Ishikawa! You have five minutes to gather your dead and wounded and leave this city! Take any longer and it will be your life!”

“Thank you!” Ramla didn’t waste a second getting Isuko to his feet. “Aiden, please help,” she requested.

I’d better not use any runes. Leo was watching me like I was about to steal his horse, or something.

“Sage,” Leo beckoned.

“My name’s Bara. Noone's called me 'sage' in ages.”

“Sage Bara, walk with me for a moment?”

I wondered what those two were talking about as they walked away. None of my business.

....

Who am I kidding?

Time to be a fly on the wall. Literally.

“You're the first sage I've been able to speak to since the destructive ripple in the atmosphere I felt not too long ago."

Destructive ripple?

"Noticed that, did you?"

"What was it?"

"An evil weapon left behind by the Sanskrit; that's all I can tell you."

Are they talking about Catalyst?

“We isolated Nihon for centuries in order to keep that evil out,” said Leo, keeping a keen eye on Ishikawa’s forces. “Apparently the efforts of our ancestors was all in vain.”

“A remnant of the Sanskrit has always been here,” Bara shrugged. “You should know that.”

“And the Midaharian? Is he a remnant too?”

“I'm still trying to figure him out.”

“Do what you will, but I’m not going to wait for history to repeat itself, here or anywhere else,” Leo said, leaving Bara to her thoughts. He marched right by me; never realizing I was there.

Bara, by the way her ears were twitching, just might.

Time to go, Aiden.