Fate: Dual Journey

Metamorphosis

His eyes shone silver, then passed into a bright white. His hair frosted to the root. A snowflake under his breath. Cypher shifted the weight in his hand. His arms enveloped in ice that resembled a knights armor. Within his clawed grip, a wonderfully cold grip of a long sword. The deep blue frost of the blade hinted at a temperature only found in arctic icebergs.

Cypher looked up at Yuki, her expressionless eyes locking with his for a brief moment, before she looked away.

He charged forward, hoisted the blade up. Gripping with two hands, he pulled the sword back, aiming the tip right at Yuki.

The colliding of the blade on shield thundered with a crack. The splintering and snapping sounds echoing faintly. Yuki looked back up to see the tip of the blade poking through her shield, the barrier fracturing like spider webs from the intrusion. Her eyes went wide as she stepped backward.

Cypher let the sword go, the ice in his eyes never leaving. A frosted hammer materialized in his hands, and without breaking his gaze, placed it on the end of the swords handle.  Winding up his swing, he brought it back full force, connecting with the lodged sword, the barrier's fractures growing larger and longer. And again.
And again.
And again.

Yuki could only stand in shock as her barrier was being penetrated. She stumbled backward and fell, not able to take her eyes off the breaking lines.

----

"Come on Yuki. Let me in."

No. She couldn't let him in anymore. She didn't want him inside.

"Please Yuki. I promise I won't hurt you."

He always promised. He always lied.

"You know I love you, my little snow angel."

No. No. No. she didn't want to make snow angels anymore. She doesn't like the snow anymore. The cold hurts. It bites and stings. It's harsh and chilling.

"C'mon... you know I love you."

No more.

No more.

----

Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack...

And then it stopped. Yuki looked up, her tears frosted lightly on her cheeks. The sword had made itself halfway through her barrier, a large fracture open in the shield, but Cypher was gone. She crawled backwards, frantically searching for him. He always blank demeanor was gone. Her eyes were wide and frosted tears streamed down her face. Finally her back hit the opposite side of her round barrier. Her knees curled up and she hugged them tightly.

That's when a pillar of Ice emerged from the under the center of the bubble. Yuki yelped as it jutted up suddenly. Then, bursting from its core, Cypher stepped out, his arm a blade of ice, ready to strike. But he stopped. He saw Yuki, sitting there, helpless, terrified, crying. His silver eyes slowly fade to their natural color. The ice melts away from his body. Cypher crouches down before Yuki.

Yuki opens her eyes, and manages to see Cypher beyond her tears. He was inside. But she also saw his smile, and his hand outstretched.

"Hey. Sorry about your shield. It was really strong, so I had to get serious to even crack it."

Yuki stared at his hand. She wiped the tears from her face. Cypher had Ice powers. She didn't like ice. But there was something in his eyes, his soft smile. She slowly reached out, and took his hand.

"I-It's warm." She said softly. And she smiled.