Mery healed, the last dregs of her Shield disappearing in the process, and then cast [Healing Soak] to actually make herself able to walk. But she didn’t. She ground her teeth together, punched the ground with her bottom of her fist.

“Mery.” Myron was next to her before she even knew it. She let the Healing bath fade into the wet ground and stood with his help. “You did great. Thank you so much. So; so much.”

Davosh and Marissa watched on, nodding at the scene. Myron placed his forehead onto Mery’s. “Truly. You were amazing out there. Truly wonderful.” He whispered and then helped her truly stand, she was taller than him it seemed to him. “You’re an Idol Mery, to be replicated. I promise I will strive to give my everything to you and all of you and into this new life just like you did today. I just hope you won’t be so harsh on yourself.”

She cried a few tears, silently, as they walked back. There Dakini stood, her ears pressed flat and back on her skull, her tails hugging her ankles.

“I think.” Myron started, Dakini, Mery, and Syl all looked at him. “We should stop right here.” He said and saw Dakini’s eyes fall to the ground. Her very spirit seemed to leave her body. “But that is only my Opinion. Marissa seems inclined enough to give us some time. So let’s talk. Syl you can join in as your opinions are invaluable, but this is mostly for Dakini.” Her eyes returned, confusion on her face. Syl chose to remain silent for now.

“Why, why me? Is it because I didn’t listen to you. I swear Myron, I didn’t mean to. NO! It won’t happen again!” She turned hysterical, all the facade of seductive charm, self assuredness and black humor she had built up came crashing down.

“Dakini! Stop! It’s not about that.” Myron shouted over her and then calmed her down, taking one of her tails and petting it. “You didn’t make a mistake. I did.”

“No you didn’t. I was the one Fighting. I was the one that didn’t listen.”

“No, Dakini, you are wrong. I may not know much about being a Trainer but I figured one thing out just now. The Trainer is always wrong. The Trainer is always at fault. Davosh showed me in no unclear terms what a Trainer at the top of his game can do. And fucking up an attacking sequence, underestimating how Quick and Aimon can close the distance and generate an Attack, mistiming, not predicting, not making his thoughts known or heard. That’s all on me. Don’t take the blame for something you did not do and collect yourself or else this match is truly forfeit.” Myron said and Dakini’s ears snapped up, her eyes bore into him.

“Do you think there is any way we can take her?” He asked and she didn’t asnwer, fiddling with her thumbs, her mind thought and thought while her eyes didn’t leave him, but an answer she did not bring.

“Dakini is Effective against Light, just as Light is effective against Dark.” Syl provided. “If she somehow doesn’t get hit, or held in place and deals a ton of Damage you could win.”

“But even then a win is unlikely. Heh!” Myron scoffed. “I can’t claim that the Stall and Gather information tactic worked. He knows much more than we do.”

“I agree that it will be hard.” Syl added.

“But there is no reason why we shouldn’t try. This isn’t a battle to the death.” Dakini finished for Syl. “This is a learning opportunity for you and me. Is that what you wanted this talk to be about?”

“That is true. I hate to fight a losing battle as much as the next guy or gal, and that gal is you. I wanted your take on it.”

“Then I’m in. I want to, I need to do this.”

“You don’t need to do anything. We’ll talk about this outbreak, and that fear you sent my way Dakini.” Myron frowned. “I don’t want you suffering all alone. We’re all in this together. Let our Bond be open, let it shine, that’s what it’s meant to do. To Bring Aimon and Human together. But there is a time and a place for everything. Now, we focus. Get that Dark energy broiling. We need to make something happen.”

Myron said and went back to his place in the raised Dais. Dakini was announced by Marissa and took her place within the little circle just some meters ahead of Myron.

He fell into thought as Marissa threw the glowing orb in the sky. He took his skills and as much Aether as Dakini could fit and pushed them all through. All he had to do now was figure out how to make Dark Aether click for Dakini, and specifically her tails and claws. She was getting somewhere, but it seemed as if she was forcing it.

‘What is she forcing?’

He had to ask himself, the answer came to him just as easily as it should have. Compared to Water and Fire, even Plants or Metal, Dark Aether was different. It didn’t simply a exist and it was not a simple element. Dakini, in her current state, and for a multitude of potential reasons did not know or had never learned how to create Dark Aether from nothing and manipulate it like Mery and Dakini could with Water and Plant respectively.

She had to work through that lack of ability through actually harnessing the power of her [Abilities]. Every time she tried to infuse her tails with that dark purple and black mass, that sticky - wrathful - gunk, she activated an Ability, went through the process in a rushed state, a broken state, and derailed it completely when enough Aether had been created. Almost as if using those Abilities as a crutch.

Myron snapped his fingers. The only way for Dakini to push forward and evolve in her combat style right now, in this battle, is to produce Dark Aether on its own, for its own shake and then use it. That is how Mery got [Aqua Bullet] at the very least. While other methods could work. [Karate Chop] and [Wind Cutter] did not evolve through the same process as [Aqua Bullet], but at the same time, both Mery and Syl know as a fact of their lives how to create their Aether type, how to Materialize it from nothing.

Stolen story; please report.

“Dakini.” He said and she turned to him. “We got this you know. All you have to do, is start from Zero.”

“From Zero? You say it as if it’s easy.” Dakini chuckled at Myron and he nodded.

“Not if you want to get back to where you are right now, it won’t be. But if you want to change, if you want to grow, you have to take it step by step. So let’s start from the beginning, and make our first steps. Alright?” The two smiled, and then locked-in. Myron sent Dakini a more detailed version of his ideas, ignoring her mounting shock.

‘Can we do it?’ She doubted and Myron could feel it. ‘Can I do it?’

‘We can. Don’t doubt yourself. You’re an Aimon, the most powerful being in existence. You have a God with the Same name as you - the world didn’t do this by mistake. You can do this.’

The orb exploded and Dakini rushed forward, taking flight and closing the distance rapidly. The Sun still shone up in the air above them all and swords of light formed in the sky. They fell down en mass threatening to skewer Dakini or her wings.

Dakini howled something terrible, so powerful that Melia had to close her ears. Her aim flew all over the place but so many where the swords of hard light that Dakini had to get hit. Until she disappeared, shocking absolutely everyone.

That is Until she appeared once again, growing from the small fly that danced she was, dancing between the cascading light. She dove through Melias canopy and slapped her hand together. A Pulse of Dark Aether slammed into Melia and tore up her bark, sending her into the ground, her roots buckling form the force.

Her Branches all wiggled and snapped, rushing for Dakini who opened her maw and crunched down on them, tearing them out of the tree; which the Sunymph was and inhabited at the same time. Melia screamed and it came out as a muffled screech of ground up rocks and the howling of wind through trees. A horrific scream that made Dakini falter not one bit. She dove down and shoved her claws into the Sunymph’s eyes, gouging them out before jumping away as the roots rose up to grapple her.

She landed on the ground, her tails morphing into swords to cut the swaths of roots feeling out for her in a web-like spread, but then Melia’s eyes returned and she balefully glared at Dakini only to be met with a pair of soft pink eyes, big and watery, a whimpering shake to her canine face, two floppy ears and a single tail tucked under her legs.

All attacks ceased and Dakini lunged on all fours. From a dog to a tiger, she sprung forth, her feline body pushing with elegant power over roots and then her maw opened once more, so big that she cold swallow herself if she wished in one bit.

“That’s right! [Crunch]” Myron pumped his fist. The satisfying sound of would breaking sounded out as Melia was reduced to a screaming mess, her whole body racked by the pains of the Aether invading her, as well as the chunk of her body that was missing.

Everything so far had gone incredibly well, the two of them were in sync.

Dakini dodged out of the way of shower of wooden javelins that fell upon her as Davosh finally raised his voice to be heard. Melia broke out of it and the sun in the sky grew brighter. “Melia. This is your victory. Don’t forget your style of Battle.” He said loud and clear and in response Melia’s leaves shone a bright green. “Photosynthesis.” Davosh said and Myron was surprised he even knew that word. Which only meant more credit to the Humans of old that created the System, if that was actually the truth of the matter.

“Dakini, listen to me, she’s healing.” Myron said an Dakini scowled.

“Don’t charge in.” He followed up and stopped her in her tracks. She turned to look at him and he shook his head. “Remember the Goal of this battle alright? It’s not to the death. You’re not here to prove yourself. You’re here to grow.”

She nodded retreating just a bit further and then taking flight, her wings absolutely massive, casting shadows on the canopy of Melia and disturbing her healing. She grimaced but remained quiet. “Smart.” Davosh commented.

“I know what Photosynthesis is, that is all.” Myron responded but his mind was elswhere, talking to Dakini.

‘No, Dakini. Don’t cast Astonish, don’t cast Crunch, do none of those things. Look inward.’

‘I can’t do it Myron. It just doesn’t work.’ She said back, flustered. Myron looked at her through their Bond in the space of the souls. In the distance he could see and feel Mery and Syl listening in, but they were too far away now. Everything was focused around them. He let the red and black waves of emotions pulse through his soul, taking them in for what they were and breathing deeply, drawing upon his skills further. He calmed down and took apart what was entangled in that mess of feelings.

‘Dakini, what are you afraid of?’ He asked and a zap of shock sent him out of the Soul space. He blinked the light out of his eyes. Dakini lost balance in her glide for a bit before kicking herself back up with a flap of her enormous feathered wings.

“Dive out of the way! Into [Terrorizing Howl]!” Myron ordered as Melia snapped out of her healing haze. Javelins rocketed out of her canopy and at Dakini who dodged if barley with a barrel-roll. She descended at great speeds, dodging yet another attack as she fell and howled for the world to hear with her vulpine mouth, lips stretched back, gums showing, the wind make her face bloat horrifically as she did so.

The Ability caused a pause in the light-fall of hard light from above, Dakini dodged out of the way. ‘I don’t know Myron! What are you afraid of? Is this really the Time?’

‘Yes it’s the perfect time. It’s part of you. Controlling Dark Aether should come to you as naturally as breathing, yet you don’t do it!’ Myron strained under the pressure of having to watch the fight and persuade Dakini at the same time.

“Time to stop playing around. Destroy her shield.” Davosh said and Melia puffed her cheeks.

Myron’s eyes widened. ‘Shit!!’

“Tail Shield!” Dakini shivered at his words, and puffed up her tails burying herself in their fluffy bulk. Melia spat and a seed heavy with its load flew through the distance. Dakini had a front seat view as it cracked and exploded with terrific force in a shower of harsh and jagged shrapnel. She was blasted away. Her body dug into the earth and dragged across the arena.

“Up! Quick on your feet!” Myron said and Dakini found the ground, morphed her legs into those of a rabbit and jumped away, her head swimming and ears ringing. She Morphed into a cat and lunged across the distance before an explosion picked her up and sent her somersaulting forward. “Keep the [Explosive Seed]s coming!” Davosh ordered, a smile on his face.

‘I can’t get close!’ She shouted at Myron through their Bond. Another [Explosive Seed] landed, and then one more, the Arena tore up, dust and debris rising up but Melia towered over it all. “Judgment Combo.” Davosh brought his palm down like a god crushing ants.

“Tail Shield!” He called out in response and Dakini curled up on herself. Her Tails formed into one angled disk of thick metal, her head to the ground her hands above her nape. “GUH!” She grunted as the Judgment came upon her, thumping and piercing into her metal wall, only for all her defenses to be broken through when the [Explosive Seed] landed on it and expanded, its shrapnel digging into her flesh. She smalled to the ground, and rolled, her face was up, her eyes glossed over, the cascading light above her a death threat. Her Shield was finished. If Marissa didn’t come I time, this was the end.