Tyranny (The Key)✔

Chapter 32- Race

"Wow, that...I don't know what to say..." Rin gasps, seeming overcome by a curtain of overwhelming despair from the evils in the world.

"I will use this knowledge you share to gain wisdom and remember it in counsel, thank you for sharing such a teachful tale." My voice stable and clean.

His head nods in approvement and his eyes glint a gold flecked blue back at us; though once his head faces forwards once more, a strange shadow emits from him, and an odd sense comes over me. I feel as though his soul has become very solemn indeed as he recounts on the loss. Phoenix's coat sways as a whisper in clouds of brilliant green, riding peacefully upon an unknown arm of wind. Thick, loose, earthly hair carries light with the air of movement, bouncing with step and reflecting a golden light. Soft feet of the Luzumi he has, breaking not a blade, leaving the Earth unmarked and safe, breath becoming as a wind returning back to nature.

Rin glances around with an impatient mind, thinking perhaps of the beauty, discarding the past and worries for the future, blinding herself to darkness as always. Forgetting our hardships for lack of being able to help, not wanting the weight of such guilt in our pain, wishing desperately to be of assistance in it, maybe. Though who am I to judge what is right? How can I define right from wrong, how can anyone?

Later as moon comes upon us and reigns so high, we turn slightly to the west.

"What is the Lookout like?" Rin interrupts the speechless scene.

"Well, it's more of a small village really, called a Lookout only due to its existence as one. Some dwell in caves or pits, others sleep in boughs of trees or merely under a bush. Never have nor shall we harm a tree, unforgivable we've deemed such an act, punishment you will receive for carrying out such a crime."

"It is a lookout not for a structure built, for I dare say I am not wrong that such a name with Man refers to such a thing, it originates from the height of surrounding trees, they are mighty and fresh, lush and well off." He answers swiftly looking far into the distance with a smile awaiting the sight.

My mind wonders how it can be named a village when feet so light wander there, making perhaps no trail nor mark, or maybe they do or have made homes with plants, beds of ferns? Who can judge before a sight of it though.

"How far is it from the Pagan Pass?" I think aloud.

"Seventy kilometers, I would imagine a human would deem the distance. We've gone about three quarters the way if not more; had we gone any faster, we should already have arrived." His strides continue with a running tone.

"Well, let's sprint the rest shall we? Get there before dark, for it always seems that the most evils and darkest of all dwell in the most brilliant and peaceful lands by night." Rin chips in enthusiastically, a cool soft noise.

"It's an option of course, yet I must correct you in saying that such a rumor is not true; in metaphor yes though. This particular land of hills and grass bears no touch of darkness, not ravenous wolves or cannibalistic birds, or creatures unnamed. It rests true however that some fields and meadows appearing sweet carry the deepest rotten hearts the world has to bear." Phoenix makes certain to correct her.

"Let us run through hill and grass, over plain and through sun or moon! A race it is, no doubt I can move swifter than you both combined!" I send a fake bought of arrogance and pride in my challenge, knowing well that Phoenix could win in half a heartbeat!

"Line up here!" Rin bounces in front and points, we line up, and Genesis seems to understand the happenings.

"Ready, on your marks" adrenaline flows with a heated pang "GO!" Rin's yell reaches through the easy air.

My right and far foot shoves off, leaving behind a minut pit. I fly forwards with Genesis, this is a sprinting distance easy, no need to pace myself. So in this time I get to run freely with no limits nor bounds, faster and faster, using all I've got, releasing my anger and frustration, happiness and gladness. The ground is a smear beneath me, the odd cloud gains speed in the sky with my fastness.

Genesis bounds at my side, a smile on her face, my legs pump faster than I can keep track, becoming a blur also, faster and faster, I find it in me to fuel myself across the open plain.

Phoenix whizzes by waving at me and sticking out a tongue, I smile in determination, bringing out all I have from my very core and speeding swiftly, faster than an angry breeze, breaking the air, tip toes only touching ground.

Within minutes me and Phoenix are side by side, shoving each other, battling while running. I overtake him, he overtakes me. I know he's just going easy on us, causing mischief, but it's pleasant nonetheless. Our laughs are hardy and spread around us.

I signal Genesis and she takes up his other side, we squish him quickly before he knows what's happening. We watch him stumble and faceplant, giggling as we leave him behind. A cloud of tree appears sitting on the horizon happily looking out at me, gradually rising to individual trees.

"I win!" My voice calls out and Phoenix is a red ball of speed, crashing through me.

All breath knocked suddenly from my body, I gasp and gag, trying to bring in air. He slams my back into a tree and a soreness spreads through my spine.

I smile picturing my next moves countering him. My knee flings up to strike his face, target hit. He moves away from the unexpected blast of power. A roundhouse to his head and his body lays on the Earth dazed. A shadow belonging to me falls over him, bringing my knee up, turning my foot to the side, and sending it to gravity upon him, using my inner core for power.

My mouth gapes when all I hit is dirt and dust rises. A sidekick hits my center back, I stagger slightly, spotting him in my eyes corner, back roundhouse with my right, missing his head when he ducks. Taking advantage of the slim moment I'm off balance, his fist contacts my gut. Wind forced from me again, I'm made to keel over, surprised. How did he move so fast? I didn't even see a slight flash, he just..vanished...and he's not using his Earthly power either, I'm curious of it, though I really doubt I'd like it used on me.

His fist comes again, at my face when I rise swiftly again, I block it to the side with my arm.

Neither of us is prepared when Rin smashes into us both and we are trapped beneath her.

This entire time Genesis has been watching because she understood her involvement was not necessary.