Tales of a Lost Sword 35

Episode 35 Synthesis and Combustion
Kunai awakens in a soft bed. Several rays of warm sunlight peer into the room through a window at his side. Rising into a sitting position, Kunai finds himself staring at Yttrius.

“Y-Yttrius!” Kunai exclaims. He grimaces, as a shot of pain runs through his body.

“Take it easy,” Yttrius warns from a chair beside Kunai. “You’re not dead yet, so unfortunately you still have to worry about injuries.”

The door into the infirmary slides open suddenly. Lord Kimura steps into the room, prompting Kunai to jerk with surprise once more, pointing an accusing finger at him.

“Y-You! What are you doing here?!”

Lord Kimura smiles grimly, taking a seat on Kunai’s other side. He crosses his legs, gazing at Kunai with a patient smile on his lips.

“Kunai, I’m no longer your enemy. The Myougun is finished, and so am I.”

“Even if that’s the case…” Kunai growls angrily. “Even if that’s the case, you think I can just let you sit here and pretend nothing happened, that you didn’t cause so much suffering, so many deaths?!”

The smile vanishes from Kimura’s lips. “I understand, Kunai. The fact that you no longer have any family is my fault. It is all my fault.”

Yttrius glares with a frown at Lord Kimura as well. “Perhaps you should leave, Kimura…Kunai needs to rest and he’s obviously not going to get any with you here.”

“No, I can’t do that,” Lord Kimura replies, “as I must be responsible for teaching Kunai his next lesson. There is not much time to waste, considering there are only eight days until the Fatalists arrive in this dimension.”

“What?!” Kunai bursts out, clambering from his bed nearly to his feet.

“Now really!” Yttrius protests, attempting to restrain Kunai from behind.

“Yes,” Lord Kimura answers in a near whisper, his eyes grave, “there really is not much time left. By the time they arrive, no, before they arrive, Kunai, you must learn everything that Azuma and I are about to teach you.”

“Speaking of Azuma, where is he, anyway?” Kunai questions. “Why are you here instead? I’d rather learn from him than from you.”

Lord Kimura sighs, chuckling slightly. “Unfortunately, Azuma is a very busy person. But that does not matter. I am the only one that is capable of teaching to you what you are about to learn. So it is your choice whether to accept my help or refuse it, because of your pride.”

The room falls silent momentarily. Finally, Kunai climbs gingerly to his feet. He bows low to Lord Kimura. “Please, then, teach me everything you know,” Kunai say firmly.

“Hmph, very well, Kunai,” Lord Kimura responds somberly.

The two, Lord Kimura and Kunai, return once more to the battlefield where they had battled the previous day. The ground remains littered still with the dust and debris from their battle.

Lord Kimura turns to face Kunai, standing some feet away from him. “Very well, Kunai. The technique I am about to teach you has two parts to it: synthesis, and combustion. But first, a warning.”

Kunai narrows his eyes. “A warning? I don’t really care that much about its dangers, I just need the power to defeat the Fatalists.”

“No, I think you will pay close attention to this warning, Kunai,” Lord Kimura answers ominously. “You see, yesterday during our battle, you successfully awakened your Fatalist powers. That is, you gained the ability to use skills that transcend the strict class separations the Four set up long, long ago. But I think even you realized the dangers that posed.”

“My headaches…?” murmurs Kunai.

“Exactly,” Lord Kimura replies. “Last time, your headaches were caused by a soul imbalance from your other self attempting to gain control of you. We know what ultimately resulted from that. Therefore, before you can even learn to master your Fatalist powers, you must learn to control and restrain your other self. Now that your souls are joined once again by the Anti-Paradox, you have no choice.”

“And how do I do that?”

“Last time, Azuma used a necklace infused with magic to contain your powers. However, that method proved weak and ineffective. This time, we will use an inhibitor seal that will physically limit your other self’s powers.”

“But wait,” Kunai begins, “if you do that, it sounds like you’ll be limiting his powers. Won’t that limit my abilities as well then?”

“Yes,” Kimura answers, “but—”

Kunai interrupts. “I won’t do it. I won’t use any method that limits my powers. I will need all the strength I can in order to defeat the Fatalists.”

“If you don’t do it,” Kimura chastises, “you’ll run the risk of seriously losing control to your clone again.”

“That’s the risk I’m going to have to take,” Kunai returns defiantly. “I don’t like the idea of him taking over again either, but I need all of his power if we are going to do this right. Unless you know another way, when the time comes, I’ll just have to find a way to deal with it myself.”

Lord Kimura sighs resignedly. “Fine. Then, in that case, we shall move on to what I am here to teach you today.”

With a slight pause, Lord Kimura unsheathes his sword. Its sapphire blade glitters brightly in the semi-darkness of the Underworld cavern. Silently, he turns and faces a massive stalagmite growing out of the ground and reaching high into the sky.

Lord Kimura swings his sword through the air, unleashing a furious gust of energy. The attack speeds through the air at sonic speed until it reaches the stalagmite, carving it easily in half with one blast.

Kunai watches with wonderment as Lord Kimura sheathes his sword again. “What…what was that?!” he gasps incredulously.

“That,” Lord Kimura explains, “is Soul Combustion. It is a powerful attack that only I have mastered. Indeed, I was the one who developed it. It can only be used by ‘Fatalists,’ so it is a perfect attack for you to learn to take advantage of your strengths.”

“You’re not gonna teach me how to use my Fatalist powers?” Kunai asks, slightly crestfallen.

Kimura sighs in response. “Mastering one’s abilities as a Fatalist is a process that occurs individually. I cannot teach you how to master your own powers. That is something you must learn on your own. However, what I can do is teach you powerful techniques to augment your abilities as a Fatalist.”

“Then…in that case, how do I use this Soul Combustion move?” Kunai inquires eagerly, looking down at Myou.

“Soul Combustion is exactly as it sounds. It releases a massive wave of energy by combusting your soul temporarily. That is to say, it splits all the parts of your soul, releasing energy. You will recall that when Azuma split your soul, you felt an immeasurable rush of energy. This attack harnesses that same energy when your soul is split.”

“But if I keep splitting my soul, doesn’t that mean my soul will be split into tons of tiny fragments? Isn’t that dangerous, to keep splitting your soul so many times?!” Kunai asks.

“No,” Kimura replies simply. “This attack simply splits the component parts of your soul that were already split. In other words, you’re just releasing your various soul processes temporarily. That is why only Fatalists may learn this move.”

Kunai immediately releases Myou, revealing his new sword once again. He raises it in anticipation. “All right. Teach me how to use this move!”

“Wait,” says Lord Kimura, raising a hand to stop Kunai. “You must learn more about the specifics of this attack first. Releasing your split souls is extremely dangerous. That is why you must learn to master Soul Synthesis in addition to Soul Combustion. Learning Soul Synthesis will piece your soul back together. If you wait too long to use it, you will die. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative that you learn Soul Synthesis well.

“Additionally…there is another way in which learning Soul Combustion and Soul Synthesis may be dangerous. Frequently releasing and then sealing your soul is very risky. There is a very high chance it will cause a soul imbalance, meaning there is a high chance your dark side will take over again. Therefore, I recommend that even after you learn this attack, that you use it only once per day at the most.”

“I guess there’s no choice,” Kunai mutters. “All right. Please teach me how to use Soul Combustion and Soul Synthesis.”

“The two skills are relatively easy to learn,” Kimura says. “However, they prove extremely difficult to master. Therefore, even after you perfect the technique you may have trouble using the skill effectively.

“Soul Combustion is simple. It will be especially simple for you, since your weapon was originally a Paradox. You must channel its mana towards you and attack yourself. That is how you will split your soul. It is important to aim correctly, so that you don’t create a new soul process, but merely attack the binds connecting your already-split souls.

“Once you have combusted your soul, you must immediately focus all your mana towards keeping your split soul intact as much as possible. This is a similar process to the one you learned when attempting to consolidate Myou into sword form. You must focus your mana into keeping your soul intact, and then using its pressure to re-stabilize your soul.”

“But wait,” Kunai says suddenly, “from your description it sounds as though I should master Soul Synthesis before learning Soul Combustion. But how can I learn Soul Synthesis without combusting my soul first?”

Kimura smirks suddenly. “Indeed, it is impossible. You can only learn Soul Synthesis after using Soul Combustion. In that case, even training to learn the attack will pose a risk on your life. You will have to learn Soul Synthesis the first time you use it. Are you sure you wish to continue?”

Kunai gulps. He takes in a deep breath, and finally exhales. “Fine. Teach me anyway.”

“Good.” Lord Kimura unsheathes his sword and raises it in the air. He indicates for Kunai to do the same. “Begin by channeling the energy of your weapon. In this case, your Paradox weapon should make this process even simpler for you. Direct that energy and point it towards your own soul, concentrating on splitting only those bonds that connect the constituent parts of your soul.”

Kunai raises his sword, and closes his eyes, focusing intensely. Several black sparks fly from his weapon, but otherwise nothing happens. Peeling open his eyes tentatively, Kunai stares. He relaxes, as he finds that nothing has occurred.

“It’s…not working?” he cries.

“It will take some time to master,” Lord Kimura remarks. “It took me six years of training in order to master Soul Combustion, after all.”

“Six years?!” Kunai exhales, eyes widening. “I don’t have that kind of time!”

“I know, I know!” Kimura howls. “I was merely recounting my own experience. I am banking on the fact that Myou was made from a Paradox, which will hopefully lessen substantially the time it will take for you to learn to self-combust.”

“Myou…” mutters Kunai, staring at the black sword now gripped in his hands. He feels a surge of warmth from its touch. “Come to think of it, you were the one who made this weapon for me… Were you planning on me learning this attack all along?”

“Perhaps,” Lord Kimura answers softly.

Kunai raises Myou again. He takes another deep breath. “Okay. Let’s try this again, then…Combust!”

Several black flames appear at the edge of Kunai’s blade, but they quickly disappear. Once again, nothing happens. “Dammit!” Kunai curses upon noticing the results.

Lord Kimura remains silent, not saying anything as Kunai desperately tries again. He watches sternly, his lips pursed. ‘Can he really learn this in a matter of days…?’

A decrepit-looking building built into the side of a rocky mountain looms up ahead. Strands of moss run all across its exterior, while hollow-looking black windows leer unpleasantly at the outside world. Patches of dead grass and soil comprise a patio of sorts directly in front of the entrance.

Xavier comes to a stop in front of this building, moonlight glaring down upon him at a slant. A chilling wind blows by, causing him to shiver slightly.

Reaching into his pocket, Xavier draws out the silver ring Kunai had given him. He clenches it in his palm, and walks slowly up to the entrance of the building.

‘Give it to something trustworthy, huh…’

Xavier pounds on the metal door. It clangs dully. The door creaks slowly open, as a scrawny male with a rat-like face squeezes the door open a crack, peering suspiciously at Xavier.

“It’s me, Xavier,” the crossbowman announces.

Nodding, the boy, in his late teens or early twenties, slides the door fully open and allows Xavier to step into the dark passageway inside.

The floor is lined with aluminum plating, while the walls are made of stone, stained with what appear to be years of water erosion. The passageway extends some distance far into the rock, while entrances to other adjacent rooms line the hallway.

Xavier walks calmly down the passageway, while the boy scurries ahead and vanishes into the darkness. Xavier again peers at the ring clutched in his hand.

At last, Xavier emerges into an open-aired room at the end of the passageway, in what appears to be a lounge of sorts. Sofas and couches are scattered about the room, while a chipped and old table provides the centerpiece at the middle of the room. A number of individuals are seated or standing around the room. They all turn to stare as Xavier enters the vicinity, some of their faces pleasant, others less so.

Xavier speaks up as he enters the room. “I’ve retur—” He flinches, as a bullet soars past his ear. The bullet flies into the wall behind Xavier, leaving a hole.

“Yo, kid, what brings you back to ARES HQ?” a blonde-haired individual says from one of the sofas. He lowers his gun. His other arm is reclined back against the sofa, as he sits with his legs crossed, leering at Xavier. On both his sides sit two large men, bodyguards in a sense.

“Um…is Alto here?” Xavier says, his face betraying his own innocence among this rowdy group.

“Oh?” the man who fired his gun says, running his hand through his slicked-back blonde hair. He clambers to his feet, stumbling towards Xavier with a knowing look on his face. “Whaddya want him for?”

“Alto is not here currently,” a dark-skinned, muscle-bound man with cornrows says from Xavier’s right. “He left a few days ago on a mission to the King.”

“O-Oh, is that so, Geronimo?” gasps Xavier, laughing nervously.

Meanwhile, the blonde-haired man continues to crawl towards Xavier, a suspicious gleam in his eyes. They narrow as he spots Xavier’s clenched hand. “Hey, Xav, what’s that in your hand?”

Xavier jerks back apprehensively. “It…it’s nothing!” he cries. Unconsciously, Xavier takes a step back. ‘No matter what, I can’t give it to this man…Ace…’

“Hey…” Ace breathes furiously, looking down on Xavier. “We’re all members of this here ARES Project, aren’t we? We’re all in this together! So tell me what ya got in your hand!”

“Stop it, Ace,” Geronimo warns sternly. “Xavier is clearly seeking Alto. It is not your place to bother him if he does not have any business with you.”

“Shut your trap, Geronimo,” Ace barks. He suddenly reaches forward and grabs Xavier around the wrist, holding it up in the air. With a jerk, Ace extracts the ring from Xavier’s hand. It falls to the floor with a soft cling.

Xavier moves immediately to reclaim the ring from the floor, but Ace is quicker to the draw. He bends over and picks up the ring, holding it up to his eyes and inspecting it even as he continues to hold Xavier’s wrist in a pincer-like grip. Xavier twists about desperately, but fails to do anything against Ace’s powerful clutch.

“Ohhh?” Ace murmurs, staring at the ring. “Is this what I think it is?”

The others in the room narrow their eyes, as the silver ring glows brightly in Ace’s fingertips even in the dim light of the chamber.

“An Anti-Paradox?!” a woman gasps. She is sitting atop another couch in the room, the lower half of her face masked by a bandana. Her bright red eyes gleam in the darkness amid the bangs of straw-colored hair hanging over them.

“Well, is it?!” Ace demands, spit flying from his mouth onto Xavier’s face.

Sighing resignedly, Xavier nods. “It…it was all thanks to Kunai, but I managed to acquire it…”

“That Kunai bastard, huh?” bellows Ace, still eyeing the Anti-Paradox with relish. “This is mine now.” Ace flings Xavier to the floor, throwing him into the wall along the way. He pockets the ring and walks away, clapping his hands.

“Wait!” Xavier cries in anguish, stretching out his hand after Ace.

“If we are a group as you said,” Geronimo enunciates, “then we should decide what to do with the Anti-Paradox together. You have no right to take it for yourself, Ace.”

“I concur with Geronimo,” a mysterious figure says from behind Ace. He is sitting on a crate, slightly shrouded in shadow. His face is obscured by a skullcap shaped like a pearly white skull.

“Yeah, I agree with Kai and Geronimo as well,” the red-eyed woman agrees.

“Listen,” Ace fumes, his voice now completely unpleasant. “I’m the strongest one here…so I get to decide what happens to the Anti-Paradox!”

Forcefully, Ace strikes Xavier again, slamming him against the wall. As the others round on Ace, his bodyguards rise as well, protecting him.

Meanwhile, Xavier slumps to the floor against the wall, his eyes widened fearfully. “What…what have I done? This couldn’t have turned out worse…! Ace…the most dangerous man in the ARES Project, has the Anti-Paradox!”
—END THIRTY-FIVE—
Let’s all blow up our souls together!