Capítulo 68: Dreamtoe Cliff
Puddles of hot ash and magma wildly spurted out from the ground like flaring miniature volcanos. Aletha caught her breath and shook her head, muttering to herself while tightening her grip on the blade.
"I can do this..."
By stepping out of the phantom-made barrier, Aletha slowly raised her sword, pierced her body through the circle of fire, and delivered a powerful strike to The Kitsune with adrenaline rushing through her heart.
"Pay for what you did!"
The air lingered of a suffocating blaze, brightening and blinding their vision from the hot orange glow. Aletha's breath grew uneasy. After every swift blow Aletha delivered toward The Kitsune's tails, her sword chipped away into the embers.
The Kitsune tackled herself away from the wanderers and shrieked as her tails dissipated.
"RWAHHH!"
Her fur shredded, got tossed into the air, and slowly glided down toward the stone floor, evaporating itself from the encircling flames. She lifted her head and lowered her jaw, unleashing an extraordinary amount of fireballs into the air.
"Face your punishment!"
Asahi lifted his head off from the hot molten ground. His blade was tattered and coated in ash. He turned his head and felt heaps of sweat sliding down his pale face. The heat was sweltering, unbearable, and deadly.
He desperately crawled toward his blade and grabbed its handle. The toxic smoke entered his lungs and urged him to cough, filling his body like a jug.
"ACK!"
By reaching and staring into the blade, Asahi was able to grab it despite The Kitsune's attack, and quickly, he thrust his sword straight through her stomach and spewed out her sparkling white essence from the blistering, opening wound.
The wound gushed out The Kitsune's dust toward the ground, like an exploding geyser. After the attack, Asahi hurriedly turned to Aletha and screamed.
"Sis, are you okay?!"
The Kitsune slowly stepped back, launched up into the sky, darted her fierce luminescent eyes toward the wanderers, and yelped. The Kitsune was airborne as if she was mustering up all her energy to expel Asahi and Aletha.
The moment she looked back at the wanderers, she flung her massive nine tails through the smoke, burst out all her luminescent essence into the air, and intensely plunged herself straight toward the earth.
A massive shockwave ruptured through the impact, toppling trees and boulders through the entirety of Dreamtoe forest. It emitted a powerful sonic boom that resonated over every corner of Pladtioa.
From behind the arena, everyone was shocked and confused.
"What was that?" Belial shouted confusingly.
The Goblin Elder slowly walked out from the shrieking crowd and approached Belial. As crimson lightning bolts sputtered uncontrollably throughout the arena, her green eyes widened, and she screamed.
"Its true form!"
Drimi turned around and jumped to see if she could see the wanderers. What has revealed to her was a massive wave of crimson fog encasing the entirety of Dreamtoe. She was ruthlessly pushed back to a tree from the gust of wind and heard the others also sliding on dirt.
Meanwhile, inside the 'arena,' the sound of pounding and slamming was heard around the interior. A massive glowing silhouette of a four-legged beast galloped and tackled within the fog, slamming and stomping on both the wanderers completely.
Their blades flung into the air and wobbled against the ground. The burning flames extinguished from the howling winds encircling the arena like a cyclone, and their hair was coated with ash.
"You should have fled..."
Left and right, both the wanderers were juggled like stones, ruthlessly getting flung and slammed from wall to wall. Large, luminescent openings formed on their skin, spurting out like blood. Their bodies were forced through the stone, chipping away by each repeated slam.
They were confused, didn't know what to do, and felt weak.
Like the holes of a mole, The Kitsune shrouded in luminance leaped and sprinted across the walls from the mist, then tackled the two wanderers, tossing them back and forth against the ground.
"AGH! UGH!"
Asahi and Aletha were thrown into the stone, leaving them coated and covered in their sparkling white blood. They coughed, hackled, and gagged as they hopelessly lay on the ground, with shimmers drowning their faces.
The wanderers were so hurt that they were muted by pure shock. Their bodies trembled, unable to process the weakness within them.
"I... can't...move..."
Asahi struggled to stand up. Heat surrounded each direction on his face; his sparkling essence spilled out from his blistering cuts and wounds; like a torn bag filled with sand.
Aletha's eyelids parted slowly, unable to gasp in shock because of how injured she was. Her dark sleeves were shredded and torn, her white hair was coated in dusty ash, and her eyes were engulfed into white luminance.
"I… feel… it…."
The thumps on her heart gradually pounded, blood rushed through her limbs, and her wounds speedily sealed themselves. She heard the endless echoes of voices bounce in her head.
"I know them…."
Asahi's eyes widened. His heart rushed as well, beating continuously as if Aletha and his were thumping together. Asahi's wounds and cuts are magically closed.
His eyes were engulfed in a white glow. He felt the presence of his blade lying under his fingers, beating as if it was his heart. As The Kitsune's footsteps gradually grew more pungent, reverberating and pushing them up the ground, Asahi wrapped his fingers over the handle and kicked himself up.
Strenuous amounts of energy coated his aura in white. A familiar voice whispered in his ear.
"Know who you were."
He felt a furry texture rubbing against his neck. His tail wagged, and its ears perked up.
"Trust your guardian."
Asahi slowly nodded, grappled his blade, and tilted his body toward the approaching Kitsune. Similar to what happened to Asahi, Aletha heard a familiar voice touch her ear.
"Fulfill that child's promise, lift the curse, free their souls."
She slowly nodded and grasped on her blade. Both had a white aura shining over their figures, sweat slid down their faces, and their 'S' marks illuminated into a flashing white.
They dragged their blades across the floor, with charcoal and ash floating on their faces. Everyone outside of the 'arena' watched as the siblings approached The Kitsune with a threatening aura.
"They're doing it. I can't believe it."
"No...way."
"Unbelievable."
All were shocked. None wouldn't talk.
The Kitsune's nine tails pointed into the air and stalked, with its fur pointed to the treetops. She couldn't believe that the wanderers were not stopped.
In a trembling fear, she raised her tails and stared straight through the wanderers' eyes.
"Get out of here, or meet your demise."
They were silent, filled with a gleaming white, with the white spots on their dark attire shining oh so bright. The Kitsune's shadow towered the two, with the mist pushing away the beast's toxic fumes.
"You don't understand… I'm in your hand."
Still, the wanderers stand.
As the inner shell of The Kitsune chipped and cracked from her own flames, she lifted her tail and took herself to blame.
"Leave now, or be slain!"
All spirits of Dreamtoe surrounded the arena as if it was a reunion with all who were lost in the forest's fog. The children, the goblins, the villagers, the Journalist; all stood silently, waiting for their final blow.
. . .
The Kitsune's legs flailed and moved, with each movement slowly reaching doom.
The winds silenced, the colors of the world washed into black and white, with only the wanderers and The Kitsune all in sight.
Their ears rang; they took one step, waiting for The Kitsune's moment of death.
They couldn't breathe, they could barely move, everything spread out, drowning the air like a swarming pool.
Step by step, the lights slow down. Behind The Kitsune was someone they found. Their voice was drawn out, eclipsing the other deep sounds.
* * * * * *"Ignore the discrepancy, don't follow the nihility. You two have the greatest of your ability." * * * * *
Behind their blades, they saw three silhouettes. One was tall, another was small, and one didn't even look at them at all.
His arms were crossed, and so was hers, but not the woman whose head was turned.
Asahi and Aletha slowly raised their blades and pushed through the force, unable to believe what they had before.
Two white streaks stained in the air, with their blades fallen in a pair.
"F-Fathe--"
Before they even knew it, their blades were already pierced deep through it.
As the tip of the swords sparked, the world's colors spewed back out in parts. A strong resonance thumped in their active, beating hearts.
"...no…"
The crimson fog faded and diminished, the scorching flames got extinguished. So the stop ceased, but after they saw The Kitsune fall to the ground, the wanderers didn't look pleased.
The sky bloomed with a vagrant orange light. The clouds drifted across the blue vista after a very long fight. The fog ceased, and the birds chirped. For the wanderers, this brutal victory was their first.
* * * * * * * *
Asahi and Aletha fell into disbelief. Their swords slipped out from their hands and wobbled on the cold stone floor.
"I-It… can't...be…."
From the pillar near them, a loud thump trembled the ground. They turned around and saw a glistening object rolling across the grass.
"There it is!"
Belial sprinted to it, bent over, and grabbed it with both his arms. The size was larger than his chest, shining on his face like a light.
Drimi sprinted to the wanderers, patted their backs, and smiled. She was pleased that Asahi and Aletha were not hurt.
"You did it! I can't believe you two actually slew The Kitsune!"
Sally approached Drimi from behind and gently pushed her. She kneeled to the wanderers, darting her hot round pink eyes toward Asahi and Aletha's gray irises. As the insects continued to hum, Sally asked.
"Oh my, are you two alright? Why do both of you look down?"
Footsteps sounded behind Sally. Loud, harsh footsteps, ones that could come from a stiff shoe. While Drimi carefully pulled Aletha up, Asahi squeezed his eyes shut and rolled his neck side to side.
He turned toward the corpse of The Kitsune near him and mumbled.
"All… of… that… power. That voice sounded so familiar. But at least The Fruit is our's."
As he relaxed his head and heard the others celebrate, the same loud footsteps from earlier approached Asahi. A loud, deep voice darted to Asahi.
"I'm impressed. I never knew you harnessed such powers."
Aletha turned to the man and interrupted.
"Well… we ARE gods. But… the powers didn't stay. We are still… so weak."
Asahi tilted his head up and saw a man with long brown hair and round orange eyes offering his hands to him. Though he was exhausted, Asahi tremblingly lifted his hand and grasped Phthonus.
"I knew you still had some energy in you. Honestly, I thought you would be a bit cheery after you slaughtered that beast."
Asahi scratched his head and nervously chuckled.
"Well… yeah, I feel victorious. But…"
Asahi paused. He felt his gut painfully twisting and knotting from the sudden thoughts of the silhouettes flashing in his mind.
Phthonus added.
"But… what?"
He took a deep breath and turned toward the treetops.
"I feel like we are missing people."
"Oh, the goblins were ghosts."
"Yeah, I know that, but it's not who I am thinking about. It's… another…."
The girl with bright green and lavender hair, round cyan eyes, and brown attire flashed in his mind. The adorable, cheerful cat girl he met when he first awakened in Dreamtoe Forest.
Asahi was unquestionably concerned for her.
"I'm worried about Kali…."
"Oh, that girl? Well… I did see her… go on a ship near the port just meters away from the entrance of Dreamtoe Forest."
His gray eyes widened in surprise.
"She… left?!"
"Yeah, and so did Marina and Deniz. I remember just a few minutes ago before they left to go to the port, they said that there was a disaster happening in Linuxinia."
Asahi raised his voice.
"Disaster?!"
Phthonus slowly stepped back and tilted toward Belial. As the wind blew against his brown hair, he pulled down his scarf and replied.
"Yes, a disaster. It's not huge, but it is something about a large tornado opening near the mountain of Linuxinia."
Drimi, Sally, and Aletha swiftly approached Phthonus and Asahi, curious about their discussion. Of course, Drimi was first to ask.
"What are you guys talking about?"
Phthonus hastily placed his scarf over his mouth and tilted toward the opening in the forest. Asahi was the one who answered.
"We were just talking about two people leaving to go to the other continent."
Drimi released a deep sigh and shook her head.
"Asahi, you DO know that if you and your sister ever want a chance to leave this nation, you have to earn a Ship Ticket from Pladtioa City?"
Both the wanderers stepped back and gasped in shock.
"Eh?!"
Drimi lightly chuckled and patted both the wanderers' backs.
"Haha, don't worry, Asahi and Aletha! I'll find a way to get you to Vehemat with my father's ship."
Just as the wanderers were about to get excited, Drimi continued.
"Hey, don't get all too excited now! I won't invite you to my ship until me, Belial, Sally, and Ak--
Drimi paused and stared at the ground. She still was in disbelief that Akwan was slaughtered. Nonetheless, she continued to persist and resist the sad feelings.
"... r-retrieve our weapons back. Remember, we still have to return to Milmoor to claim your reward…."
At that moment, Asahi and Aletha sprung up in shock. Though they still had concerns about their family and The Kitsune, the wanderers were still in a rush to get to Vehemat.
To continue on and find out what happened to their world, Asahi and Aletha had to toss all of their concerns away. To possibly find and try to find the fragments of their sister, they had to use the lessons from this forest.
If they ever want to get close to finding out the mystery behind the destruction of their old home, Asahi and Aletha will have to abandon this mysterious forest.
Belial carefully held The Fruit, stepped forward through the bushes, and hollered to others with his leader's voice.
"That's all we need. We slew The Kitsune, grabbed The Fruit, and relieved the souls. Let's get out of this forest before any more strange events happen here."
The entire group agreed and chose to leave The Kitsune, The Arena, and The Village behind.
* * * * * * * *
They were a few meters away from the arena and The Kitsune. The entire group walked along the trail together, following lines of sticks, cliffs, and streams. While walking, Belial commented.
"At least without the mist, there aren't creatures wandering here."
Drimi nodded her head and chuckled.
"Obviously. It's a win for all of us!"
As Drimi, Sally, and Phthonus silently strolled through the bushes toward the exit of the forest, Asahi turned to Aletha and gazed at her attire. He mumbled to himself.
"The torn sleeve seemed to have recovered. Along with all her wounds."
While staring at the moonlight, Asahi didn't forget their blades. He held both his and Aletha's sword in one palm, then tapped Aletha's shoulder to notify her.
"Hey, don't forget your sword."
Aletha trampled on patches of grass, turned to Asahi, and carefully pulled it out of his hands.
"Thank you."
Asahi nodded and smiled.
"You're welcome."
As the wind blew through the clusters of trees and leaves, Asahi turned his head back to Aletha and stopped her from walking.
"Asahi, what are you doing?!--
"Don't worry… I just wanted to say this in private."
Aletha crossed her arms.
"Okay, make it quick."
After a long pause, Asahi stared directly through Aletha's eyes, remembering everything that happened in the forest.
The memories of their childhood, the forced laughter, the tampering of emotions, the people they met, the bone parade in the basement, The Kitsune, the anger, the cavern, Tear, and the first sight of Wraileza.
Dreamtoe Cliff changed and made the wanderers more connected to their world and made them grow new attachments to friends, even if some were ghosts. It made them realize how much this world has changed and how they miss it.
It made them open up to new actions and increased their bravery, even if they were weak.
After the long recollection of memories, Asahi whispered to Aletha.
"No matter where we go, sis, never forget what happened here."
Aletha lightly smiled and slowly nodded while replying with a truthful voice.
"I won't forget. I promise."
The rustles of their feet shuffling across the grass sounded in their ears. The wind was quiet, their hair fluctuated with the breeze, and insects glided down from the treetops. The peace of this forest was restored.
As they approached the forest opening, with their Shadows touching the ground, Sally rejoiced.
"Look, there it is! Deepenpond!"
Drimi and the others chuckled and smiled, seeing the plains once more. When they stepped out of the forest toward the open dirt trail, watching the bumpy green hills glitter under the soft glaze of the sunset, Asahi and Aletha whispered to themselves.
"Glad to be back…."
* * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, back inside the depths of Dreamtoe forest, The Kitsune's body lay peacefully beneath the moonlight.
Despite being slaughtered by Asahi and Aletha, suddenly, its toes wiggled, and then… her nine tails wagged.
She hastily jumped up and sprinted out of the village, shuffling her legs through the clusters of trees and finally… reaching toward the opening of the forest.
She was afraid, lost, and confused. Unable to believe what she did.
"I… was too late…."
. . . .
. . .
. .
...at the center of The Kitsune's injured opened chest was a significant black S mark.
The exact shape and pattern that 'they' shared.
The Kitsune's body pulsated, and its wounds swiftly closed. As if the fight didn't affect her fully.
Yet, that final strike still remained to be present within her chest. She still could live.
As The Kitsune slowly stepped out of the forest, with sparkling dust spilling out from her wound and the last rays of the sun touching her ear, The Kitsune whispered to the sky.
"I won't protect this forest for her… not anymore. After that brutal fight of trying to make my master's children remember me, I now know that both her son and daughter…."
She turned toward the rising moon.
"... is far more superior and dangerous than she… herself."
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Sunny_Shad0w
Sunny_Shad0w Mysteries, Questions, and even more... questions.
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