My account shall come to a close here, captain. With
the wolf expelled from the battlefield, isolated from his companions,
Yashima was left to face the ram alone. It seemed as though there was
little interest on the ram's face as to what had just happened.
Perhaps there was no true camaraderie between them after all. Such
behavior would certainly serve to justify the tales of black rams.
Aside from a momentary gasp at the wolf's forceful departure, the ram
was calm and emotionless, until a slight smile crossed her face and a
vacant gaze filled in her eyes. As Yashima slowly began to regain
some of his strength, he must have wondered why she did not strike
him down in that moment of weakness. Instead, she only continued to
stare at him, still as a stone, her gaze and smile never wavering. He
began to speak to her, an attempt I assume to buy time until his
strength returned.
“It would seem that you have no concern over your
comrade. Tell me, why not attack me now and take revenge for his
lose? Or perhaps you wish to bargain for your own future, yes? I
must warn you that I-”
“Because you are weak.”
“What was that?!”
“You must be tired after your last attack. A clever
move, but you must have known that you would leave yourself
completely vulnerable to me. I was shocked at first, but now I am
most interested in your decision.”
“And what decision would that be?”
There was a pause between them. The ram seemed to be
entertaining several thoughts before speaking again. Time that
Yashima began to use to his advantage by harnessing what strength he
could gather for another attack.
“You had only enough strength to use that ability
of yours twice, once to free yourself, and the other for the wolf.
Tell me, why him?”
“I don't think that is really any of your concern.
This is a contest of skill and savagery, my dear. Perhaps one is just
as good as the other.”
“Then you insult me.”
Yashima must have felt all the warmth in him drain out
his body as the ghastly countenance of fear enveloped his face. I too
felt the fear that this female, this creature, was exuding. Was she
truly expressing jealousy over not being targeted by Yashima? Was she
honestly envious of his ire? The horrifying tales of madness
surrounding the black rams must surely be true if this creature was
sincere. She then began to play the unusual instrument that was
undoubtedly the means by which she was commanding the earth to
assault Yashima.
“I'm sure you have heard the tale's of black rams.
How we are all cursed, that we bring madness and death to those
around us. I find such lies to be unbearably irritating. When I leave
you hear to die, know that it is because you chose to insult my honor
by not seeing me as the greater threat.”
“Haha! How amusing, my dear! And how exactly do you
plan on-”
Yashima's attempt to mask his fears failed when the ram
cut him off by severing one of the strings on her instrument. The
high pitch noise cut his senses as a peculiar thing began to happen.
The instrument began to glow with a faint golden light, one that
eventually consumed the object as if it was completely transforming
into that most valued material prized by humans. Worse yet, were her
eyes. The whites of the rams eyes filled with a deep dark crimson,
and her pupils burned a golden hue that resonated with her vile
instrument. An aura more terrifying than anything that I have ever
felt washed over the battlefield. Yes, captain, even more horrifying
than yours. Yashima did all he could to fight his instincts and run
for his life. Suddenly, all was calm as the ram spoke once more. But
this time, the voice was low, and it echoed with a menace the
foretold only pain and doom.
“I did not have to go this far you know. I chose
to. I want you to know just how unbearably hopeless you and your
friend's efforts really are. If you live through this, be sure to
tell them that they have no chance. I 'will' kill all of you.”
Yashima managed then to muster just enough of his
courage and strength to launch himself at the ram with all the fury
he could possibly muster. Staff in hand, he struck down towards the
ram's head only for the crude object to shatter into hundreds of
pieces before it even touched her. He was left in shock and could not
conceive of how such a thing was even possible. He leaped back away
from her and extended both arms towards her, palms exposed and
fingers spread. Yashima screamed as he poured all the power left in
his body into one final attack against the ram. Yashima's anima
poured from his arms in burning waves of essence that cascaded
towards her, but to no avail. Yashima's technique was executed
flawlessly, the strength he used to fuel it was beyond anything he
ever commited before, and yet, all of it was in vain. The waves of
Yashima's essence crashed against the rams own aura like waves
against the shore, doing nothing. The ram smiled at him.
“W- Why!? How could it fail?”
“Because I wanted it too. I wanted you to fail with
all you had. That is why I did not strike you down sooner. Now then,
my turn”
The ram turned her back to Yashima and with one quick
motion, played a single note on the golden instrument. In that
moment, the earth stuck Yashima from below, impaling him with several
spears of rock and soil. It raised him high overheard, his screams
filling the battlefield as his blood rained down from his gaping
wounds.
That is all for now, I must hurry away to where Genkaku
has instructed me, captain. I'm sure this new information will prove
helpful in our cause.
-Bandit
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