Arc 4: What families entail
Gray: "A month with Musashi, a month with Gordon, and two weeks of this!"
He was screaming toward himself, pulling out the building blocks of his strength to give him the power to keep running forward. Just as Ryo had instructed. Right now he was running for his life, through the snowy forest with a cloak of mana around him. It was laced with spirit mana, imbued from Ryo, and he was struggling to hold it. His hearing was pierced by high frequencies, his stomach turned and curled from the influx of strange senses, and his eyes were blinded by overwhelming lights. All on top of the strain he felt from the Spirit mana on top of his normal mana, causing him to sweat and quake as he ran and ran.
Gray: "It's not working Ryo!"
Ryo watched from above, stepping through the trees higher than the beasts faster than the beasts, smiling and looking on with vigor.
Ryo: "You grow more through battle than training, pull from all of your experiences as well."
Gray {So I can't die to some Blue Monkeys!}
Running behind him and squawking were a small pack of Low-Tier beasts. Small blue skinned monkeys with white fur and long tails, laughing while holding their hands to the air to gather snow. Throwing icy snow balls all around Gray, hitting him over and over again while he tried to dodge. Until he finally tripped over a branch covered in snow, slipped over a sheet of dense ice, and slammed face first into a spiritually dense tree. A large pile of snow slamming atop him right after. Muffling screams ringing out as the monkey landed on the pile, jumping and screamed and scratching away to eat the enormous feast that was Grays mana. Roaring and charging forward was a group of Mid-tier spirit beasts, large blue gorillas with thick white fur.
Gray: "EEEK!"
Exploding with mana and throwing all of the Blue monkeys away as the Spirit Knight in training, Gray Kyojin. Attempting to harness and focus that aura to a calmer flow, shaking to his core in fear. Then, while the Blue Monkeys ran away, he faced off the charging Blue Gorillas with all he had.
Gray: "RYO!"
Jotting his eyes around he found nothing but the impending doom, screaming out while flooding with bright purple mana. Holding his hands together while forcing the mana toward his palms, rotating them as fast as he could. Screaming in a sped up fashion to counter the beast right in front of him.
Gray: "Titans Impact!"
The blast erupted in the chest of the gorilla, sending Gray tumbling back while the Spirit Beast held its broken ribs with pain. Roaring and roaring while snow began to pile across its body, aided by the snow monkeys constant barrage of snowballs. Thickening, hardening, to become a dense ice armor. Beating its chest while charging toward a shivering Gray holding his injured hand.
Gray: "COME ON RYO! CENIC!"
Erupting with mana an influx of black smoke rushed around them, momentarily distracting the monster long enough for Gray to sit and focus. Feeling himself, the air, thinking of the last thing he saw, feeling the dense power coming off of the Gorilla and the constant squeaks of the monkeys, to run forward. Ducking under a snow ball, flowing mana to his legs to leap forward, and sent all of the mana he could toward his fist.
Gray: "MANA OVERDRIVE!"
Uppercutting the Gorilla hard enough to crack the ice armor, break a tooth, and push the pitch blast mist away. Leaving Gray smiling before falling to his back in pain, holding his bloodied and broken knuckles with tears in his eyes.
Gray: "Too much too much! Ow ow ow! Dammit that hurts!"
The Frozen Gorilla swayed side to side before slamming onto its own back, unconscious. Lifted and pulled away by the many frightened Snow monkeys back into the woods. Gracefully falling through the trees along with the snow was a blue and white glowing figure, Ryo Hollis, landing softly on the ground. Bowing to the Spirit Beast to show thanks and regret before going to help Gray. Dashing forward and reaching him in an instant, wrapping his hand in bandages.
Gray: "Careful, careful! And what took you so long I coulda died!"
Ryo: "But you didn't. I knew you could do it, you just needed to relax and focus. And that's what you did! You're starting to really understand what it means to be a Spirit Knight. Now come, we must enter the last stretch of our journey up the mountain. It's going to get fairly treacherous, but the end will be worth it."
With a loud sigh Gray nodded and stood, shaking his burning hand to try and numb the pain. Getting stopped when Ryo gently held it. Pulling in mana from the spirits while pushing mana toward them, creating a bright white glow around his hand.
Ryo: "Dear Spirits, please help this boy from the pain and suffering inflicted onto him. All-Vortic."
While immensely powerful, the healing spell was overwhelming and unstable, sending Gray flying back while his stamina and immense mana plummeted. Leaving him lying against the snow once again, groaning but unable to feel the pain in his wrist.
Ryo: "The more you break your body, the more your mana is flown around and within it, it will continue to adapt and grow stronger. Eventually that mana won't cause any pain at all, let alone break you. And even without it you'll get more powerful. This is the time to train, because once the battles begin you don't know when you'll get another chance to rest."
Gray: "I wouldn't consider this resting but whatever."
He stood once again, moving with Ryo up the white blanketed mountain. The snow got denser and heavier, harder, and the constant snow storm grew more violent. The trees coated in thick ice and snow, the wildlife absent and powerful beasts about.
Ryo: "The entire world is technically a spirit biome, but there are many places where for some reason the spiritual presence is thicker. It changes the environment, the spirit beasts, and usually acts as nests for beasts. The thicker the Spirit Biome the more powerful and frequent the monsters."
Gray: "And we're going to the top!?"
Ryo: "Yes!"
Gray could only warm himself with a small mana flow, training as they quickly jogged up the mountain. Being the only thing to warm him, aside from his hood. Even flowing the cloak out of its charm for an extra lair, even if it made Ryo a bit concerned. However Ryo would just hand him a quiver full of arrows and a wooden bow, along with a black belt with white lining and a white buckle. A small sword attached to the back of it, letting Gray get even more prepared.
Gray: "So are we gonna fight more monsters?"
Ryo: "Most likely. I've been investigating building spiritual presence near the top of the mountain for a few months. A corrupted spirit, or group of them combined to create a Blizzard King. It's caused more monsters to begin appearing, and I fear that soon it will attack either Greenvale village. We could hunt if you're hungry."
Gray: "So we go fight it, got that. But I was never a fan of hunting y'know, going out to kill something and then eat it has always seemed kinda messed up to me. And I can't use this bow."
Ryo: "I'm surprised Gordon didn't teach you."
Gray: "Well he tried."
Gray couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the PTSD of Gordon's screams, all the times he missed the arrow or almost shot somebody due to layering it with too much mana, and all of the horror that came with it. Something Ryo sensed, taking the bow.
Ryo: "You can practice imbuement on the sword then. Think of it like another part of your body, powered with a dense controlled aura. If it's overwhelmed it breaks, like your hand there."
Gray nodded, continuing one while Ryo took out a long steel tube. Enchanted by the Blacksmith of the Leviathan army to not burn your hand so easily, and there was a thick leather grip. Using the simple flame seals on the side to heat up the tea within, pouring it into the cup that acted as a cap for Gray. Letting him sip it, his face turning red from the scolding hot tea while his mouth was overwhelmed by how sugary it was. Struggling to gulp it down and leaving his tongue burnt. Speaking to Ryo with a lisp.
Gray: "Y'know I was never a tea guy until now. It's like the only sugary drink here."
Ryo: "I am quite a fan of sugary snacks, same with my tea."
Gray: "Yeah, I can tell. Who made the thing?"
Ryo: 'I think he referred to it as a simple water heater, and it was the Blacksmith Rick. I'm surprised you didn't meet him either, did he not craft you armor?"
Gray: "No! I want armor! I think I had some but I broke it fighting Edward, and it got left in the castle. All I got is a Leviathan shirt."
Pushing through the worsening winds, almost slipping on the ice, passing rising glaciers piercing from the earth, getting closer and closer to the top. Loud roars heard within the loud winds. Causing Gray's freezing heart to beat faster and faster. Stopping when he spotted deep tracks within the snow, like a Lion and a bear's paw.
Gray: "Hey Ryo I found something."
Ryo: "Nice good eye, now what do you notice about the tracks."
Gray got down, touching the snow while smelling the ground.
Gray: "It's not warm but I can smell some kinda animal, smells kinda like blueberries. And they're big so the beast might be strong."
Ryo: "Now what?"
Gray: "We avoid it? And if we find it, you want me to fight it?"
Ryo: "You're learning faster and faster. Now lead on."
They continue to walk in the snow, Gray shivering harder and harder while trying to emit more mana.
Gray {I vowed to protect my friends, and they're doing the dangerous part of this mission while I'm safe training. What a joke.}
But he shook his head, trying to throw all of that away.
Gray {No, no, no I'm not gonna sit here and bitch about myself. I gotta finish my part, I have faith they can finish their job. They are strong, they are smart, and they are my friends. Way better than me, and if I was there I'd probably attract way too much much trouble. I need to stand up to those facts myself. This is how I'll be better. I'll be strong for them, or die trying.}
With a sound of crashing trees beside him he leapt toward Ryo, finding him gone and far in front of him. Staring down at the battle between Spirit Beast from the trees. Gray looked up, took a breath, and used the mana around him to leap toward the branch ahead of him.
Gray {Even if I could jump all the way up, it'll waste my strength. If I wanna stop feeling like my mana is all I have I gotta start showing it! I have to be more than a ball of luck!}
Grabbing onto the sharp slippery ice cycle that was the branch, swinging onto it and almost slipping right off. Jumping up to the next branch, to next, the next, before finally leaping toward the branch with Ryo. His hand slipping and his eyes almost tearing open from how wide they got, his life flashing before his eyes before he felt a hand snag his jacket.
Gray: "Thanks!"
Ryo: "No problem, and please be careful. But that was great!"
Gray couldn't help but smile from Ryo's own smile, getting pats on the back while staring toward the battle. Only thinking about how different Musashi and Gordon were to Ryo.
Gray: "What the hell are thoughts things!?"
Ryo: "High Tier Spirit Beasts."
Down below were two large roaring beasts, dark blue and white fur, with a massive white mane. Heads shaped like a lion fused with a bear. With four glowing eyes, a split nose that let out large waves of steam, and large winding teeth that came out of its mouth. A Blue King and Blue Queen, the Kings far more protective while the Queens were far more ferocious. Swiping their powerful claws through the snow to sharpen it, clashing against the large brown cyclops. The deep wounds healed over in a disgusting and rapid fashion, allowing it to swing its large arms around and send the trees crashing toward the Queen and King. The monsters roared and created a burst of spiritual pressure to break through them and launch onto the fifteen foot tall monster and sink their impressive teeth into it. Teeth are stronger, more durable, and sharper than most weapons.
Gray: "What do we do!?"
As Gray squealed he held onto the branch they stood on for dear life, the large tree shaking and shaking under the pressure of the fight.
Ryo: "That is for you to decide. We could leave them, or we could intervene."
While he immediately wanted to leave he took a second, looking around for anything. And then, crying and sobbing far behind the Blue King and Queen, was a pack of injured Blue Cubs. Leaving Gray to stare toward the Cyclops with bleeding rage.
Gray: "I think I know which ones I'm helping."
Ryo: "Alright then, good luck."
Just as Ryo said that the large frozen tree they stood on came slamming down, leaving Gray to scream while running across it. Leaping forward and getting closed by another branch. Holding his neck while struggling to breathe.
Gray: "Dammit I'm so used to fighting open spaces! I hate the forest!"
As he rolled side to side a massive ball of snow and ice picked up from the ground came rocketing towards him, leaving him bracing for impact before Ryo vanished through it. The large ball cracking and shattering to mist.
Ryo: "I cannot save you forever! Stay vigilante, don't freeze!"
Gray: "Hard to do that when it's this cold but whatever."
So he stood, staring back at the crying puppies and then back toward the towering cyclops. Its large green eye blood shot red, its body boney and dense, its hair long white and straight; the thing was truly a monster. A flailing raging sight to behold, swinging the fallen trees at the beasts. Such beasts jumping over them and running across it to lung toward its throat, ripping through its body before falling to the ground. The Blue King sent a roaring shockwave toward the Cycloses ankle while the Blue Queen sent charged swipes toward its heart. Sending it falling to its back to be mauled while it struggled to stand.
Gray {I can't let those monsters do all the work, even if they're stronger than me!}
Taking out his blade, igniting with mana, and leaping forward, he soared down screaming while focusing it onto his blade. Trying his best to hold in the aura, to focus, to feel the air and the snow. Stabbing into the eye of the Cyclops before rolling away. The monster held its face while screaming and screaming, grabbing hold of the Blue Queen and threw her against a tree. Slamming that hand onto the King Blue to crush it within its grasp.
Gray: "CENIC!"
Letting out another burst of smoke, the Cyclops was distracted enough for the Blue King to bite through the fingers and fall to the ground injured. Roaring and forcing the mist away while shooting out a blast of pressurized mana into its slowly regenerating eye. Crushing it once again and leaving it in even more pain. While the Blue King pushed on Gray ran toward the Blue Queen, touching her wounded and unconscious body with immense hesitation.
Ryo: "I can heal her."
Gray: "Don't sneak up on me!"
With panic on his face he turned back, watching on.
Ryo: "A Cyclops needs its eye, without it they lose all focus and control. Now that it's been thrown off, it'll only be a matter of -
Before Ryo could finish his sentence the snow underneath the Cyclops shook, causing Ryo's heart to shake with it. Quickly healing the Blue Queen before standing aside Gray.
Gray: "What's happening!?"
The wind was picking up more and more, the Blue King was thrown back, and the Cyclops was overwhelmed by frost. It's weakened by being taken by the Blizzard Spirit. Its wounds filled and separated further by ice, stabbing out of its bones and veins.
Ryo: "The Blizzard Spirit! Get to safety!"
Ryo dashed forward while pulling in spirit mana, igniting a mix of blue and white while taking out his katana. Flipping and flipping while gathering even more power and momentum before throwing out a large slash of wind and spirit mana, leaving Gray in awe while it pushed away at the blizzard to explode against the Cyclops. While Gray was distracted however his foot sank into the snow, turning back in panic as large arms of the same snow lunged toward him. A large Snow Golem Rising out of the ground; it was a Low-Tier Spirit beast, the skeleton of a dead animal or person within. It could have been how it died, why it died, or what it felt when it died, but the spirit left within corrupted and slowly connected with the spirits in the snow. Creating the monster attempting to overwhelm and suffocate Gray in its frosty grasp.
Gray: "GET AWAY!"
He let out a burst of his bright purple mana, sending the snow away while revealing the red glowing skeleton within. Something Gray instantly targeted with his fist flaming with mana, causing the Golem to break to pieces.
Gray: "Yes!"
Filled with a short burst of glee and an immense burst of pain, he was promptly smashed in the back to be further launched into the snow. Finding himself in a small clearing, sliding across the icy floor in a daze. Looking up to find a small group of Golems surrounding him.
Gray: "Of course."
Charging closer and closer, shaking the unstable floor, and leaving Gray wobbling back and forth while drenched in panic. Trying to focus, trying to calm down and breathe, but completely unable to.
Gray {COME ON DAMMIT!}
Bursting with mana to force pain to overwhelm his panic, the ice beneath him cracking under the weight of his mana. Biting his lip so hard it bled before gently hopping into the air, slamming his legs against the ice to shatter it underneath him while shooting himself into the air. Screaming, spinning, flipping, and soaring while the frozen pond shattered. Caving in to let all of the golems fall into the freezing waters, looking back with a smile. But then he looked forward with immense panic, breaking through the icy trees and leaving gashes all around him. Continuing to rocket forward, now toward the ground, feeling every bit of the immense pain while drowning with fear.
Gray {Don't die from falling damage! Don't break my legs either! Ew what if I see the bone!}
Rushing with mana and continuing to break down through the thick tree line, taken by the rushing Blizzard, he tried his best to cover his head while he fell. Swirling it all between his hands as fast as he possibly could, the ground right beneath him.
Gray: "PLEASE!"
Sticking his hand straight down, holding the powerful sphere of condensed purple mana, tearing through the bandages on his hand while burning away at his skin, and touching the ground. Erupting and sending him flipping forward into the snow, still in a lot of pain and his hand completely numb but alive and kicking.
Gray: "Phew!"
When he stood he saw the trees ending and the glaciers beginning, a steep climb ahead of him. Groaning and forcing himself along, his body broken, his mana reaching its ends. Even puking from over exertion, but still crawling forward. Slowly standing and struggling to walk up the hill, looking as if a wall of snow was lightly slanted. Giving him enough room to slowly step up the dense ice and snow, slipping and reaching forward while moving back down. Screaming out in pain while he held his bleeding hands, holding them close to him as screamed and screamed. A small trail of blood seeping down past him from where he clawed for life.
Gray {Holy shit holy shit holy shit -
Screaming internally and outwardly, holding his ravaged body, tearing up and thinking of all the work he had put in for this. And how much he still had left to go. His teeth chattering, his sweat freezing, his eyes wide and faint. Letting the cloak drench itself around him, the ends slowly connecting while the hood hung over his face. Unable to let out mana to warm himself, shivering and shivering.
Gray {Please don't die please don't die -
Still mentally rattled and unable to focus on anything but his weakening breath, he began to lose all hope. Thinking of Rosemary and his friends to warm him, of his parents, of wherever Ryo may be. The snow piling upon him to a point that left him nothing more than a hump on the hill. He sat there for what could have been forever, awaiting death, awaiting something.
Ryo: "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed things this far."
Ryo stood under the opening sky, the Blizzard gone, with a bit of black blood on his face. Wiping it away as he lifted Gray to safety. Filling him with Spirit mana to heal his body and adjust him to the feeling, taking him half way down the mountain in an hour. Flashing forward with intense speed, but Gray was instead sitting in the large web of incoming sights, whispers, lights and feelings. Attempting to stand within the storm, and become a true Spirit Knight. But for now he had to rest, within a hot springs with Ryo. Staring up at the dark sky. Gray was covered in bandages and bruises, barely conscious, while Ryo was filled with sorrow.
Ryo: "Again I'm sorry."
Gray: "I know! You've apologized a hundred times and a hundred times I've told you it was my fault! I should have been able to do it! And I couldn't! We spent all that time for nothing. I failed."
But just as his voice and conviction wavered, Ryo ignited with an intense aura of spirit mana. Sending pulses through the water and Gray's psyche.
Ryo: "You did not fail. You pushed yourself, you grew, you survived. You are a strong warrior, and a true Hero. Tomorrow, I'm going to push you to a new level. So get ready, because I know you already are."
Gray couldn't help but feel strange from his words. They didn't make him feel better, but they eased the fire of despair still and always raging within. Allowing him to pull himself out of the darkness and look towards the light that was everyone and everything that has pulled him forward. He had gotten his supposed Third Chance, so he had to use it.
Gray: "Okay, sounds great!"
Giving a shaking smile to end the day, and their time atop the snowy mountain.