Chapter 7

❄ The Battle for Control ❄

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Rime's body moved swiftly as he jumped back and forth to dodge Ida's attacks. His breaths came in short and heavy gasps, his chest heaving with the effort of keeping up with her relentless assault. His eyes never left hers, scanning for any sign of weakness or an opening that he could exploit. Sweat dripped down his forehead and his hair clung to his face, but he didn't let it distract him from the task at hand. Every move he made was calculated, every step deliberate. He had been fighting her for what felt like an eternity, but he knew that he couldn't afford to give up. He had to win this fight.

Mia stirred from her unconscious state and tried to get up, but her wounds made it difficult. She looked up and saw Rime fighting, his movements swift and precise. She thought to herself, "Rime, you can do this. I believe in you."

Ida stopped her attack and grinned wickedly at Rime. "I'm impressed that you still think you can win this fight," she said, "Join me and become a soldier for Hades' army. If you do, I won't have to kill you or your sister."

Rime refused without hesitation. "I will never join you," he said, "I will make sure to win this fight, and then you can bring me to Hades."

Arthur, who had been observing the fight all chained up, cursed under his breath. "Damn it," he thought, "I didn't think Ida would pull a dirty trick. I should have known better." Arthur could not use his telekinesis powers. Shin was also struggling to break free from the chains that had ensnared him.

Ida's lips twisted into a sinister smile as she called out to her demon dog, Hellhound. The creature, which had been lounging near the gate, immediately perked up and turned its attention towards the group.

"Hellhound, kill this girl!" Ida ordered, pointing at Mia, who was still trying to get up.

Rime's heart sank as he watched the demon dog charging towards Mia. "Hey, this is between you and me. Stop it!" he yelled at Ida.

But Ida's expression turned dark as she spoke. Her eyes seemed to glint with malice as she uttered the words, "I don't really care. I just want to see someone suffer." A cruel chuckle escaped her lips as she savored the thought of inflicting pain on another.

Rime frantically tried to use his ice gift to attack Hellhound, but it barely did anything to the creature. "I SAID STOP!!" he screamed in desperation, feeling helpless as he watched Hellhound getting closer and closer to Mia.

Just as Hellhound was about to pounce on Mia, Rime's icy aura suddenly spread out and froze a part of the cave. His eyes lit up in bright blue, and a powerful surge of energy coursed through him. The demon dog stopped in its tracks and became fearful, its eyes widening in surprise. It then turned and ran towards Ida, who jumped on top of it.

"The kid appears to be only partially awakened and unable to control his powers," Ida pondered as she stroked Hellhound's fur. "Nonetheless, he could be a valuable asset to Hades if I am able to capture him."

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Arthur was shocked as he watched Rime produce icy waves that could slash rocks in half. The cave began to collapse, and Arthur needed to get out of his chains quickly.

Rime was out of control, his icy powers hitting every part of the cave and causing massive destruction. Suddenly, an arc-shaped wave of ice shot toward Arthur and Shin, threatening to slice them in half. Arthur managed to brace himself just in time, but the wave hit him hard, slicing through the chains that bound him. "Ugh, that hurt," he grunted, relieved to be free at last.

With a focused mind, Arthur waved his hands and used his telekinesis to break Shin free from his chains. Shin looked worried as he stood up, dusting off the debris from his clothes. "We need to get this kid under control before he destroys everything," he said urgently, scanning the cave for any signs of danger.

Arthur nodded, "Agreed."

Shin expertly dodged the rocks that were falling all around them, using his katana to slice through any that came too close. Frustration and confusion were evident in his voice as he spoke. "What the hell is wrong with this kid anyways?" he asked, his tone laced with irritation. His eyes scanned the area for any signs of danger, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"I'm not sure," Arthur replied, "but it seems to be tied to his emotional state."

Rime was struggling to control his gift, and it was clear that he was overwhelmed. His eyes were still glowing blue, and his body was shaking with raw energy. The voice in his head was egging him on, urging him to keep going, to keep destroying everything.

"Destroy everything! Show them your power!" the voice said.

Rime's thoughts were jumbled, and he was barely aware of what was happening around him. He felt like he was losing himself, losing control.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?" he asked the voice.

"I am your gift, And I am doing this to make you stronger, to make you the best version of yourself. You are weak, and I am here to fix that," the voice replied.

Rime was terrified. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He was trapped in his own mind, unable to break free.

As Mia approached Rime, she felt a chill run down her spine. She could see that her brother was in agony, his body shaking with each wave of icy energy that he unleashed.

She tried to reach out to him, to get him to stop, but her fingers felt numb as she got closer to him. She could feel the frost creeping up her arms, and her body was slowly freezing as she drew closer to Rime.

"Rime, please!" she cried out, her voice echoing through the cave. "You're hurting me, you're hurting everyone!" She tried to heat herself up with her fire gift to mitigate the cold.

But Rime seemed lost in his own world, his eyes fixed on some distant point as he struggled to regain control of his powers.

Arthur and Shin were watching from a distance, their hearts heavy with worry. They knew that they needed to help Rime, but they also knew that they couldn't risk getting too close to him.

"We have to do something," Shin said, his voice urgent. "Mia is freezing, and Rime is out of control. We can't just stand here and watch."

Arthur nodded, his eyes flickering with determination. "I have an idea," he said, his voice low.

Closing his eyes, he focused on channeling his telekinetic powers towards Rime. With each breath, he could feel the chi energy building up inside him, and his eyes started to glow an intense shade of green. He knew what he had to do next, and it was something he had been avoiding for a long time.

"I hate relying on my awakening form but whatever." he thought to himself, trying to steady his breaths as he raised his palms in Rime's direction.

Mia, who was standing nearby, watched in shock as his eyes glowed brighter and brighter. She could sense the immense power that was building up within Arthur, and it scared her. "Get out of the way!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the sound of his own heartbeat.

Mia moved out of the way as he unleashed a beam of light towards Rime. The energy was so intense that it created a loud explosion, and for a moment, they thought it was enough to stop Rime's rampage. But as the dust settled, they saw Rime standing there, covered in blood.

It was clear that he was barely able to stand, but his powers were still too strong. The air around him crackled with energy, and they knew that they had to act fast before it was too late.