The Weaponsmaster

Chapter 20

As she began her walk, she heard a voice say, “Andrea!” Drea turned to see Karen running towards her with Jackie by her side. She wasn’t even home yet and they were already following her.

“Um hi guys…” Drea stumbled. She really wasn’t sure of what to say. “What are you doing here?”

“Look,” said Karen harshly. It was unlike her to be so coarse. “We’re tired of you lying to us.” Drea was about to respond when Karen continued, “Yesterday I saw the man disappear into dust when you ran down the hallway. He was the same guy who was conveniently around when I was questioning you earlier.”

“And I know you were hurt before,” said Jackie sternly.

“Plus you’ve been running out of class and going off alone a lot lately.” Karen wasn’t budging; she was really ticked. “Why don’t you tell us what’s going on?”

Drea was stuck between that rock and hard place. She couldn’t tell them if she wanted to help keep them safe, but they wouldn’t give up if she didn’t give them what they were looking for. She sighed. There was only one thing to do.

She was about to tell them everything when she felt the approach of some overwhelmingly dark aura. There were two Lori this time, and their skill levels were incredibly strong.

Karen’s voice interrupted her beating heart. “Hey. Drea?” The two of them were in danger if they stayed. The Lori surrounded the three of them, getting closer and closer to boxing them in. She had to get Karen and Jackie to leave. She couldn’t put them in more danger, but how could she convince them to go?

“Karen, Jackie, we can talk later, but now I need the two of you to leave,” said Drea in a stern voice. She looked around as she said it, trying to see where the Lori might appear from.

They just looked at her like she’d gone crazy. “What are you talking about Drea?” snapped Karen. Now she was mad, but Drea had no time for that. The Lori were had surrounded them, and she had run out of options.  

She heard the clang before she even realized what happened. She held a sword behind her head and was holding off one of the Lori with it. It also had its own sword, and stared at her with wild eyes that she could sense without having to look. Karen and Jackie stared at it with incredible fear, unable to speak. Drea was determined to get rid of it before it hurt two of the most important people in her life.

She whirled on it, trying to kick it back, but it jumped out of the way before she had the chance. It possessed incredible speed. Drea faced it and morphed her weapon into the two scythes with chains while changing into her Kaienshi uniform. She threw a scythe at it a moment before used her quickstep to get close. It couldn’t counter it in time, and she was able slash its arm, spewing blood. Drea thought she had done well until a second Lori came up behind her and grabbed her by the chest with terrible force, pulling her backwards and forcing her to release her weapons. She struggled in its grasp, then with Zen’s help, heated up her body and forced it to let go.

She wasn’t ready to give up. Drea grabbed a scythe before she turned and threw it, spouting fire. They flinched back, but one of them was able to come up behind her and slashed her back from her right shoulder to her left lung. It wasn’t deep, but it was painful. She could feel the crimson liquid drip down her back as she turned and slashed, forcing it away.

Drea took a knee, feeling weaker. She let her scythes disappear.

“Did you forget about something?” A familiar voice sounded behind her and she realized there was another aura present. She saw the other two Lori back off and hide in the trees as she cursed herself for not paying closer attention.