3rd POV:
Blackheart: "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"
Ashley only stared blankly at the pair of tore off wings on the ground, wings that are supposed to belong to her brother.
It was quite obvious that Blackheart was trying to get under her skin.
Blackheart: "Heard your parents are back in town, maybe i'll pay them a visit one of these days."
Ashley sharply exhaled, grasping tightly on the handle of the Yamato, she slowly unsheathed the blade, making a diagonal slash to her right.
Blackheart: 'Did she just...?', he thought to himself, narrowing his eyes.
Not even after a second, building by building, one by one, no matter the size, started to fall, being cut down by an invisible force.
Half of Mantle was brought down.
Blackheart recognized the danger, his body seemingly transformed into his demonic form. A black demonic blade in his right hand.
Ashley: "Shall i take it that you see me as a threat?"
Blackheart: "Maybe... let's see what you are made of."
At that moment a dark blood thirsty aura surrounded Blackheart, making the Huntsmen and Huntresses shake in fear.
Raven, who was tending to Yang's and Ruby's wounds, could only stare, terror and dread shook her entire being, her brother was no different.
Raven: 'H-he was... merely playing with us!', she audibly gulped.
Raven with a frightened expression, turned towards Ashley, who looked quite livid. The one who usualy wears a poker face during a fight.
Ashley, in response to Blackheart's bloodlust, ingulfed her body in a dark blue astral aura, energy was dancing calmly around her body. Suddenly the gravity itself brought down everyone to their knees, except Blackheart who looked intrigued, a pressure that made it quite hard to breath. That pressure was emanated by Ashley.
No one made a move, both Ashley and Blackheart, they were standing quite far from eachother.
Byakko: 'So what's the plan? Even if you go all out, you can't kill him.'
It wasn't like Byakko didn't had faith in it's partner, but it was more out of concern.
Ashley: 'Stall him long enough until Duncan breaks out of that thing.'
Byakko: 'That much faith that he is alive?'
Ashley: 'Nope... just a gut feeling, you can't kill him that easy, he always comes back with a vengeance.'
Ashley closed her eyes, opening them once more, her eyes were glowing dark blue having dark slits.
Taking a step foreward, both Ashley and Blackheart disappeared in an instant.
An explosion raised up a dust of cloud, who was acompanied by the sound of metal clashing against one another. As the dust settled down, Ashley and Blackheart were seen clashing blades.
Ending in a stalemate, spark flung from the blades grinding on one another.
Blackheart: 'What kind of monster did Duncan raise? Is it because of that tiger or her heritage?'
Blackheart put more force behind his attack, pushing Ashley a few meters away.
Ashley: "Getsuga Tensho!"
Ashley swinged her blade downwards, releasing an crescent attack made of black energy. Blackheart blocked the attack with his blade, but only to notice that the attack was much more stronger, sending him flying.
Landing on his feet, he simply dashed towards Ashley in an instant. Snapping her fingers, the whole landscape became a grey color, time seemingly frozen in place, Ashley quickly blitzed foreward, ready to decapitate Blackheart, but her attack was quickly parried by Blackheart who managed to move in this frozen world.
Blackheart: "So you managed to take Elder Geryon's power, not bad.", he grumbled to himself.
Ashley cursed inwardly, the landscape who was once grey, returned to it's colors.
Jumping back, Ashley made a horizontal slash with her sword, a powerful gust of wind made the crust of the earth open, five different marks appearing in the ground as if they were claw marks. Blackheart audibly grunted as on his chest five claw marks appeared on his chest, blood dripping from his wounds.
Having enough, Blackheart let out an enraged roar, dashing foreward, he brought his sword in an downwards motion. Ashley blocked the attack, the ground beneath her crumbling into a crater, she winced feeling the throbbing pain coursing through her arms.
Blackheart then kicked Ashley in the gut, almost knocking the air out of her lungs. He then went for another horizontal slash, but Ashley reacted in time, backfliping she avoided the strike and kicked Blackheart in the lower jaw.
Blackheart recovered quickly and grabbed Ashley by the head, he then slammed her head against a builduing, before throwing her through it.
Gritting her teeth, Ashley once more rose up quickly, she then dashed behind Blackheart, ready to strike him down. Unfortunately he swiftly, with a mere rotation of his body, blocked the attack, ending in a stalemate.
Blackheart: "This all you got?!", he chuckled.
Ashley: "...sorry to keep you waiting, but... i think i should spice things a little."
With one hand, Ashley made a claw like motion across her face, black and blue energy gathered and revealed a mask, a porcelain white mask almost skull like with dark blue markings. Letting out the roar of a tiger, she put more force behind her attacks.
Blackheart widened his eyes when he felt himself being pushed back, Ashley then kneed him in the gut, followed by a roundhouse to the jaw, making Blackheart stumble back.
Blackheart: 'She's much stronger!'
Blackheart got a hold of himself, he brought down his blade, striking down Ashley, only to realise that what he hit, was an after image.
Blackheart then turned around swinging his blade, barely missing Ashley, who just leaned to the side.
Blackheart then thrusted his blade foreward multiple times at blinding speed, each one of his attacks creating gust of wind, throwing around the debris. Ashley merely stood in place while moving only her upper half of the body, dodging Blackheart's strikes.
Blackheart: 'Much faster! Should i use the Darkhold now?'
Ashley then parried one of Blackheart's strikes, throwing him off balance. Ashley suddenly disappeared out of Blackheart's field of view.
Suddenly he jolted in pain, noticing blood dripping from an wound from his shoulder, one by one, multiple slices started to appear on his body. Just now Blackheart noticed Ashley moving at top speed, leaving in her trail dozens of after images.
Despite the circumstances, Blackheart remained calm and analyzed the situation... after all, this fight was just for his amusement.
Blackheart: 'That mask, it's no boost in power, it's just releasing her limitors she has. She is 4... no, at least 5 times stronger.'
Ashley went for another upward slash with her sword, only for her to jump back just in time. Wincing in pain, she noticed a huge cut on her stomach, the wound slowly started to heal.
Blackheart audibly groaned noticing Ashley's healing factor.
...
Sonya's POV:
Finally, that son of a bitch started to keep his fucking mouth shut!
Huh? Where was i again?
Ah! Right!
Just got out of one of those serpent holes or whatever, portals if you like. Just landed on a mountain near a floating city, and bellow i could see Ashley duking out with Blackheart.
Must say, she is keeping up with that fucker pretty well, but... she can't afford to slow down, she is really going in overdrive. If she can't kill him...
I looked far in the distance, i could see a giant black dome, i wouldn't dare get close to that! It's basically a black hole which distorts time and space.
Still, no idea why Absalom gave Blackheart that new heart, made out of it's Corruption.
Absalom: 'Just a little experiment of mine. Want to know as to what we are up against. Must say, quite surprised that little white kitty isn't dead yet.'
Bastard! Out of frustration i clenched my fist tightly and punched a nearby boulder, there was nothing left of it but dust.
I took a step back and tried to calm myself down, inhaling and exhaling, i steadied my breathing.
This cock sucker knows how to get me rilled up.
Sonya: "You know, Duncan IS gonna break out and kill Blackheart... and when he finds out about you... me as well...", i stated calmly.
For some reason, the idiot started laughing.
Absalom: 'I highly doubt it, after all you are his tw-'
Sonya: "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!", i yelled out of anger.
If i could tear off your head i would've done it already!
Those two don't need to know and will never know, then he can kill me without feeling guilty about it.
Absalom: 'You maybe right, after all, Death is the one that killed me, and Duncan is gonna be the one to kill YOU!'
Ingoring this colossal asshole, i turned my attention back to the ongoing fight.
But, something caught me off guard, an audible crack sound, looking at the giant dome, i could see it that it started to break, between the cracks an fiery red glow could be seen followed by an fiery blue glow.
I could only give a toothy grin seeing this, such palpable rage, that guy sure is a monster.
Monarchs are after all monsters, i surrounded myself in a small blizzard to protect myself from the heat.
Guess our parents were wrong after all, giving up the power of the Monarchs before giving birth to us, we still inherit this tittles, sooner or later. Shadow and Frost, are still within our very own beings.
...
3rd POV:
Within a beautiful forest, filled with cherry blossoms, not a single sound could be heard, except the coursing rivers. There stood a japanese shrine. In this shrine Byakko, was gazin upon a mirror through which the battle between Ashley and Blackheart could be seen.
This is Ahley's mindscape, a forest filled with rivers, cherry blossoms and Byakko's shrine.
Byakko grew worried of the battle's outcome.
Suddenly his attention was taken away by the rustling of leaves. Chuckling to himself, he went out of the shrine. Going down the stairs, he caught a glimpse of a hooded figure walking between the trees.
Byakko: 'She is here? So soon?'
Following the figure, Byakko found on thr ground frozen footprints. He eventually found the figure resting at the edge of the river. Within the river, the fight between Ashley and Blackheart was reflected.
Byakko: "Didn't expect you to come so soon, not that i'm complaining mind you."
A small giggle escaped the figure's lips, her serene and regal voice echoed through the forest, she patted the spot beside her, which Byakko shortly sat upon. Raising her pale and cold hand, she started to pet Byakko behind his ears.
???: "They will soon come to our world."
Byakko: "Is that why you come, to warn us? Rosemary."
The woman known as Rosemary, the spitting image of Ashley, only if she had Duncan's icy blue eyes. Rose simply glanced towards the tiger beside her.
Rose: "Oh forget the formalities furball, is that how you talk with your old partner? As for your question, maybe, but i also wanted to see how my grandaughter is doing."
Byakko: "So, Ashley is bound to become the Monarch of Frost?"
Rose: "Another shard of Frost is out somewhere but... yes. Just as Duncan is bound to become the Monarch of Shadows."
Byakko let out a small growl, his claws dragging across the ground.
Byakko: "Haven't these kids been through enough?! Now you are merely putting another burden on their shoulders, all because their parents were too weak to carry! And you! They don't even know how you look like! Hidding this many secrets from them for decades will only bring more hatred! She will... hate... me..."
Rose sighed sadly, her lips quivering, a small tear slid across her cheek, gazing at the image of Ashley, the granddaughter she never got to meet.
Rose: "All i wanted was to respect my daughter and her husband's choice. Never in my life i would've thought that will come to this."
Byakko: "No, it was worse, they left the burden on the man of family, the one that bit the bullet."
Rose: "...Duncan, he has grown, he isn't a child anymore, he-"
Byakko: "He never was!", he sharply turned towards Rose and spoke sternly.
Rose widened her eyes at Byakko's outburst, but shortly he lowered his head. They sat in silence, both of them directing their attention towards the fight ahead of them.
...
As Blackheart went once more into offense, Ashley blocked the attack. In retaliation, Blackheart kneed Ashley in the gut, making her hunch foreward a little. Using his free hand, Blackheart went for a claw swipe to the head, but Ashley managed to avoid just in time.
But the force behind the attack shattered some of the mask and sent her flying backwards. Planting firmly her feet on the ground and stabbing her sword, she continued skidding on the ground. Using her left hand, she repaired the damage done to her mask.
Ashley finally stopped, but she quickly widened her eyes when she saw Blackheart preparing to throw a spear made of demonic energy. Tilting her head, she managed to avoid being hit, but the spear flew over Mantle and landed into a mountain, who was soon turned into rubble, leaving a mushroom cloud in place.
Blackheart: "Damn! These things are quite hard to aim!", he mumbled to himself.
Dashing at blinding speed, Blackheart swinged his sword with enough force to knock the katana out of Ashley's hand straight in the air. Seeing an opening, Blackheart went for an downward strike.
But Ashley quickly brought out another blade, one drenched in a holy aura, making Blackheart flinch. The Moonveil, making an horizontal slash as she unsheathed the blade, an gaping wound appeared on Blackheart's abdomen, making him scream in pain from the holy grace.
Ashley: "Let's end this!", she calmly said.
At that moment Ashley eyes changed once more, no longer her dark blue with slits of feline nature. Her eyes glowing pure white.
As she took a lower stance, she slammed her foot on the ground, making the wind colder, slowly but surely the ground around her started to freeze.
Blackheart: "WHAT?!"
Ashley disappeared from Blackheart's field of vision, but not even a fraction of a second later, he let out a scream filled with pain. His body simply filled with cuts, making him fall on one knee.
Blackheart: "Again... WHAT?!"
Raising her hand up in the air, the winds grew stronger. Snowflakes started to form out of thin air, gathering together, the snowflakes started to merge, creating a great variety of weapons.
Suddenly the ice forged weaponry flew at break neck speeed, impaling and caging Blackheart, into a frozen prison.
Without even looking, Ashley caught something that fell from the air, The Yamato Replica.
Dual weilding the Yamato and the Moonveil. The demonic blade was surrounded by black energy, while the angelic blade was surrounded by holy white energy.
Blackheart from his defenseless state, looked up laughing.
Blackheart: "I was so wrong! I thought that only Duncan could put up a fight! HOW WRONG I WAS! I! BLACKHEART! SON OF MEPHISTO! DECLARE YOU THE STRONGEST WHITE TIGRESS AND QUEEN OF THE BEASTS!HAHAHAHA!"
Ashley: "Getsuga Jujisho!"
Ashley swinged both of her blades simultaneously, firing a cross shaped attack of black and white energy. Striking Blackheart, he was simply taken over by the attack, sent flying with it. The Getsuga Jujisho merely stopped aftet bringing down a few mountains in it's path, two grand canions were created from where the attack was fired and where it ended. The depth of the canions created was hard to predict, only darkness was seen, one could argue that it led to the center of the planet.
Ashley felt all of her body aching, exhaustion taking her over. Her mask simply cracked until it completely shattered.
She quickly put Yamato aside and kept the Moonveil, she used the sword to keep her balance, not to fall. Panting heavily, she felt something dripping from her nose, using her thumb to wipe it, she quickly noticed that it was blood.
Ashley let out a weak chuckle, the white glow in her eyes slowly disappearing, making her stumble a little in pain. Her eyes returning to their ruby like color.
Ashley: "J...just what was that?", she voiced her thoughts.
She couldn't even explain it herself, it was for a few mere seconds, but the boost in power seemed otherwordly.
???: 'Monarch... of... Frost...', a voice echoed inside Ashley's mind, making clench her head in pain.
Byakko: '...nothing you have to worry about, now, keep your guard up!'
From within the fallen rubble of the mountains, a chuckle turned laughter was heard. As the dust settled down, Blackheart could be seen, but half of his body was missing.
Blackheart: "HAHAHA! You bitch! I almost died! HAHAHA!"
Ashley gritted her teeth, scowling at the sight of Blackheart still being alive. Her efforts were fruitless.
Suddenly above Blackheart's body an old book appeared, which made Ashley's froze up on the spot.
Blackheart: "This is the Darkhold!Heed my words, souls of this world, spirits born of hatred... COME TO MEEEEEE!"
Rifts started to appear in the ground itself, horrfying screeches followed soon after. Distorted and ghost like bodies simply erupted from within the rifts in the ground and started to surround Blackheart, black smoke enveloping his being.
Ashley left with not many choices, once more donned her mask, her eyes glowing dark blue once more. Yet, she knew she wasted all her energy in her previous attacks.
Wasting no time, she dashed towards Blackheart as fast as she could.
But from within the black smoke, a hand reached out, and caught Ashley's sword between it's index and middle finger. Blackheart soon apperead fully healed and more powerful then ever. But his hand still burning from the holy grace of the blade forged by the Spirit of Vengeance.
Blackheart: "Play time... is over."
Blackheart merely flicked her forehead, but the force was enough to send her flying, the impact shattered Ashley's mask and made her blackout for a few seconds mid-air. Regaining her consciousness, Ashley once more made a claw like motion across her face conjuring her mask in the process.
At this point, Ashley's energy and mana, all of it was focused in defense.
Blackheart simply flew towards Ashley, on his back a pair of demonic wings. Ashley brought her katana to block Blackheart's attack, but it was futile, he punched her with such stregth that he pushed back her guard smashing the mask into her own face and sending her crashing through the protective wall of Mantle, falling and rolling on the ground. Startling the Huntsmen, Huntresess and the Ace Ops, who were trying to treat their wounds, at the moment no place was safe with Blackheart roaming free, what was the point of them running?
Quickly rising up to her feet, Ashley looked ahead, but saw no trace of Blackheart. Looking around frantically, her heart rate spiked up, yet no trace of the demon. Suddenly from her right side, not being able to even react, Blackheart appeared mid-air, grabbed Ashley by the head and threw her through a few buildings.
Rising up once more to her feet, Ashley had a small smirk, which confused and angered Blackheart.
Blackheart: "I could end this world with a mere thought! Why won't you die?!", he roared.
Growling in frustration, Blackheart swinged his sword, Ashley barely had any time to rise up her guard, but this should suffice. The force behind the attack made Ashley slide across the ground, but Blackheart acted quickly, he grabbed Ashley by the face and threw her. She landed back at the entrance of Mantle where the wounded stood helpless and defenseless.
Ashley rose up to her feet, barely able to stand, using her katana as a support. But she let out a small chuckle and smiled.
Blackheart narrowed his eyes at this, believing that she lost her sanity.
Blackheart: "Smiling upon your demise? Aren't you scared mortal?"
Ashley: "Hehehe! That's cute... you think you're scary. But demon, i've seen scary... and you ain't got his smile... About damn time...
...
...
...
...bonehead!"
At that moment the atmosphere shifted completely, an eerie silence followed, as if the nature and life itself was too AFRAID to make a sound. Footsteps soon echoed throughout the whole Remnant, the scorching waves of heat coming with each step could be felt across the realms of creation. A pure and raw emotion made any living being tremble in terror and dread, and Blackheart was no different, that emotion was only one thing alone, RAGE.
???: "Long time no see, pal!"
The new yet familiar voice made Blackheart freeze in place, he merely turned around in a mechanical fashion, what he saw made him widen his eyes to impossible levels.
Blackheart: "No... that's impssible! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE!"
...
...
...
...
The new figure gazed upon Blackheart with fiery red eyes, nothing but Hell awaits those who dared to look directly into his eyes. His dark smile sending shivers down the spines of demon and devils alike.
...
Duncan: "Hehe! Death it's a choice which i rejected!"
This chapter's meme: