Chapter twenty-eight

Desperate measures

“No,” Eric said. He concentrated, body rigid in a last attempt to extinguish the life that threatened Yakumi’s plans. Lightning crackled.

A fork of intense light engulfed Sasaki, Eric’s ability catching her off guard. She yelled at the pain of the electricity running through her body as her pure white feathers slowly burnt. The wound on her shoulder reopened, only partially healed on the inside. She had no chance to regain control if the lightening did not release her. Sasaki began to drop haltingly, straining to keep her altitude despite the pain and her decaying wings.

Eric grinned. He motioned and the lightning halted for a moment. “Not so confident now,” he sneered. “You can hardly stay in the air.”

Sasaki raised her head, beads of sweat gleaming in the half-light. Her eyes reflected the intensity of her determination to finish it.

Eric started the lightning again. But letting her go even for a moment was his fatal mistake. Sasaki managed to stay in the air and she extended her hand. The lightning bounced harmlessly off the shield she hastily created. Eric didn’t have time to be surprised, because the moment after Sasaki deflected the lightning, Eric found a knife in his back. He felt Sasaki lean up against him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered in his ear.

Eric’s eyes came into focus, the injury jolting him from the clutches of Yakumi’s spell. He let out a captive breath and his body went limp. Sasaki was dragged down by his weight, her strength being greatly depleted from their scuffle. The tears ran down her face as she transported to the nearest pillar.

She laid him down on the floor. His wings had disappeared already, for without Yakumi’s control his power once again laid dormant. His breathing was heavy and labored as his eyes seemed to see without truly seeing. Sasaki leaned over him and moved his face so his eyes looked into hers.

Eric blinked in recognition. “Sasaki,” he said quietly, and she heard the smile that he did not show because of the pain. “I’m so sorry. I--.”

Sasaki put a finger over his lips. She whispered to him, “Don’t talk. You did nothing wrong.”

“It’s my own fault I have a weak mind.” He paused and studied Sasaki’s face. “You cry for me even after what I’ve done? Even though you don’t know me?”

“I do know you,” Sasaki answered. “The you that you still need to find within yourself.”

“Looks like I’ll never find that part of myself. At least I’ll pay for my weakness,” Eric managed as his breathing slowed.

“I’ll make sure you have a life where I don’t plague your memories. This isn’t the end for you,” Sasaki promised.

Eric half-smiled, and then his teary eyes lost their living glow as he took his last breath.

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Down on the ground Ami, Mandi, and Rei watched the ongoing fight. Yakumi was now matched against Chloe, Takmet having been rendered helpless only moments earlier.

Yakumi did not push herself when fighting with Chloe. She wanted to save her strength for when she would fight Sasaki and Takmet seriously. When she felt Eric’s energy fade she knew it was inevitable. Chloe was successfully dodging or blocking Yakumi’s feeble attacks, but suddenly Yakumi did what she had intended to do in the first place when she began her quarrel with the blue-haired girl.

Yakumi’s body flashed in and out of Chloe’s vision, confusing her greatly. Yakumi struck then, hand open and fingers bent like claws. Her attack was aimed at Chloe’s stomach. It hit home. Yakumi’s nails dug into Chloe’s flesh, knocking her out of breath. Yakumi held her there for a moment, a type of shock jolting Chloe. Yakumi let her fall to the ground, clutching her bleeding stomach.

Mandi had rejoined Rei and Ami once Sasaki had told her to go, and now watched what happened to Chloe through Ami’s powers. “Chloe!” she yelled. As she stepped forward, a six-inch spine flew out of nowhere and struck her from behind. She jerked forward at the impact and looked down. A type of needle stuck out from her chest, having penetrated bone and flesh throughout. She fell to her knees, upon which several more spines flew at her. Mandi used her speed to deflect them with the strength she already felt seeping away.

“Mandi!!” Ami yelled. She stepped forward to go to her, but the genie stopped her. Long needles flew at them as well, for they had moved. Rei deflected the incoming spines with her metallic wristbands until the attack stopped.

“Stay here Ami. We can’t do anything for Mandi now.” Rei kept still and firmly held Ami by the shoulder as she listened to the scurrying under the ground. “Setkin reptiles. They attack movement, if you hadn’t gathered.”

“But Mandi…,” Ami cried.

“The needles are poisoned, with no known cure,” Rei said gravely.

“No!” Ami yelled.

“Stay still,” Rei commanded. The reptiles began to appear from the ground, surrounding Mandi. Soon there were dozens of the ugly things hissing warning.

Mandi still sat on the floor, her breathing becoming labored. She had heard what Rei just said. “You two get somewhere safe.”

“We can save you!” Ami cried, trying hard to remain still.

“No, you can’t.” Mandi used her remaining strength to distract and destroy as many of the infernal creatures she could.

Rei took the diversion to transport Ami and herself out of harms way onto one of the floating pillars.

“Mandi!!” Ami yelled, struggling to be free from Rei’s grip.

Sasaki heard Ami yell and looked over the edge of the pillar she stood on. Mandi was lying on the floor with several dead lizard-like creatures around her. “No…,” she whispered to herself. She glanced at where Yakumi and Takmet had been fighting. Chloe was hunched over on the floor, unable to do much at all. “Mandi. Chloe.”

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Takmet glared at Yakumi and silently asked Osiris for help. The response was immediate. Takmet appeared by Chloe’s side, much to Yakumi’s expectations.

“You could have freed yourself at any time,” she stated, matter-of-factly.

Sasaki then appeared behind Yakumi, already slashing at her with the knife she had used to kill Eric. Yakumi evaded her attack, transporting to a different floating pillar.

“How nice to see you, Sasaki. Nice work with Eric, I must say. I thought he had you for a moment, but I suppose I underestimated your determination.”

Sasaki looked up at her. “I won’t allow you to hurt anyone else! My friends are innocent! They should not have to suffer!”

“But it’s so much fun,” Yakumi smiled.

Takmet walked Chloe to the edge of the pillar where they stood. He helped her take shelter against a pile of fallen stone. Takmet then appeared next to Sasaki. She still had her wings and he stared at them in awe. He noticed the burns on them as well as her bleeding shoulder injury. And despite her condition, Sasaki’s gaze was fixed on Yakumi’s.

A moment later Takmet saw her composure waver. She held her forehead as her vision faded slowly and her balance was thrown off. Takmet took her good shoulder, providing her with support and a little strength. Her wings disappeared, being pulled back into her.

Yakumi laughed. “Do you think you are in any condition to fight me? You can hardly stand.”

Sasaki pulled away from Takmet as she stepped forward, yelling, “We will kill you for what you’ve done!”

“You may kill me today, but I won’t go easily.”

Yakumi sprouted her own wings and rose into the air, Takmet and Sasaki alert for the purpose of her move. Dark clouds surrounded her. Thunder clapped and the sky grew darker, if that was possible. The clouds swirled around her then all at once dissipated.

The creature that appeared out of the clouds was Yakumi’s true form. She stood at least three feet taller than an ordinary man. Her skin had turned black, her body slightly more muscular. Dark red wings, the color of dried blood, stretched from her back. A tail twitched menacingly behind her. The most astonishing change, however, was that the head of a great lioness sat on her shoulders. Her green eyes glowed threateningly in the expanse of black fur as they focused on Takmet and Sasaki.

The pair stared in awe at the new Yakumi. “Could it be? Sekmet?” Takmet asked himself. Sasaki was speechless.

“So,” Yakumi began, “Are you ready?”

Before either of them could even think of an answer the transformed Yakumi pounced from the higher platform and dove toward them. Takmet and Sasaki disappeared, nearly bulldozed by the flying feline. They reappeared on another platform. Yakumi hit the ground, skidding with her clawed feet. She turned, locating them, then took off and charged again.

Sasaki furrowed her brow and once again grew wings, but they were still damaged.

“You don’t have enough strength to do that, Sasaki,” Takmet protested loudly.

She turned to him. “We need to get in the air somehow,” Sasaki said. “I have all the power I need, I merely need to call on it.” She winked at him and then turned toward the charging Yakumi. As she took off Takmet saw her wings slowly grow brighter. At first her thought it was his imagination. But as he continued watching her wings totally healed and she seemed to glow with a white light.

Then she and Yakumi connected. Sasaki was not expecting Yakumi’s increased strength and she was flung away. When Yakumi attacked again Sasaki had regained control of her flying and had a better idea of what to expect. They connected again, a whirlwind of power forming around them as they wrestled, mentally and physically, a flutter of wings and a rubbing of scales. Energy crackled between them as the two radiated spell after spell, trying to break the other’s barrier.

Takmet shook himself out of his amazement. He was compelled to help Sasaki. He silently asked for strength and was answered by growing his own wings. He soared into the air, hoping to give Sasaki the advantage.

The whirlwind of power surrounding Sasaki and Yakumi caused Takmet some trouble on the way up. But then the funnel broke as the two women broke off and swooped around to face each other. Sasaki threw her hand out and threw it upwards, leaving several small blades similar to those Yakumi had used. She caught them between her fingers as she raised her arms above her, enchanting them until their release. Yakumi stretched out her hands and she fashioned a staff-like weapon. It was black and twisted with a sharp curved blade at its end.

Sasaki released the small weapons, sending them flying towards Yakumi. Yakumi swung her staff expertly, blocking the knives. Sasaki threw more as Yakumi was occupied defending herself from the first ones. Yakumi was not worried about the second wave of blades because they were aimed at her wings, which would deflect any type of metal. When they hit her wings, however, she faltered in her flight. She hadn’t expected them to penetrate her scales. Yakumi looked down at her staff. Sasaki’s knives had stuck there as well.

Suddenly Yakumi was hit by a radiating spell that held her temporarily frozen in the air. Takmet flew in from behind and tackled her, holding her in such a way that forced her to close her wings. He held her there, seemingly helpless.

Yakumi grinned a toothy grin. “Fools,” she hissed. She broke the restraining spell and spread her wings. Takmet grit his teeth as Yakumi’s wings tore his skin, the scales insanely sharp, forcing him to release her. She shot upward.

Sasaki’s eyes flashed green for a moment. Yakumi halted, faltering as the knives still in her wings completed their purpose. From where each blade had struck, the scales on her wings began to burn outward, like fire burning through a leaf. Her wings were eaten through with a combination of magic and acid. Yakumi yelled as her wings burned and she struggled in the air. She felt a burning on her hand as well and looked down at her staff, which was also slowly being eaten away. She cast it into the air below her. Yakumi stared at Sasaki who was watching her steadily as she haltingly fell, losing altitude.

Yakumi appeared on a pillar farther away from Sasaki and Takmet. She retracted her dismembered wings. Takmet and Sasaki appeared in front of Yakumi. She knew she was cornered, but refused to run.

“You’re out of options,” Sasaki said as she walked toward Yakumi, pulling her wings back into her at the same time.

Yakumi yelled, threw her hand at the floor and sent fire in a groundbreaking line toward Sasaki. The flames engulfed her. Yakumi’s grin of satisfaction faded as both Sasaki and Takmet’s forms appeared through the flames.

Their eyes had changed color from dark brown and amber to green. Sasaki closed her eyes. Her injuries disappeared. Black lines appeared around them, and eye shadow faded in. Her skin grew shades darker to a dark and rich honey color. Last of all her hair grew black and braided as a golden ring circled her forehead.

Takmet surrendered to the surge of power that crept through his body. His injuries disappeared as well and a headdress formed atop his head. Black lines appeared around his eyes as well, and eye shadow complemented the black designs. They both sighed in satisfaction as Yakumi watched in horror.

Osiris opened his eyes and smirked. “Long time no see, Yakumi.”