The moment Shoun was sent flying by Jack, Kaze found himself surrounded by two figures. Without hesitation, he summoned Cutting Wind, realizing they were under attack, though the reason remained unknown. Gradually, the figures revealed themselves:
The first wore an overly padded blue coat, its hood pulled low. A black scarf covered half their face, leaving only glimpses of ice-blue skin visible. Their pants and boots were just as heavily insulated, unseasonably warm for spring. Behind them, a tail ending in wispy clouds flicked into view, confirming Kaze's suspicion: a demon.
The second figure seemed far less confident. Though Kaze barely knew her, he recognized her instantly none other than Joy.
—You're Sein's friend, aren't you? Why attack me? —Joy flinched at the mention of her bond with Sein, but the icy demon's touch steadied her.
—Sigh...We don't owe you answers. We're just here to kill you —The mage exhaled, her spellbook and staff materializing before her. Meanwhile, the blue demon summoned a lance adorned with cloud-like engravings.
—I'm afraid that won't be possible —The masked one shook his head. Done talking, Kaze gripped Cutting Wind and blitzed toward them.
Joy began chanting. Multiple energy orbs formed and shot toward Kaze, while the blue demon swung his lance, sending massive ice shards hurtling alongside her assault.
Kaze found himself inevitably surrounded by attacks. With no other choice, he activated his Mantle, easily dodging everything with a leap. But before he could land, a pulse of pure energy struck him midair, sending him crashing down.
Landing on his feet, the masked one noticed something strange about the battlefield, something that made him rethink his approach.
—(They're freezing the ground)—Though Kaze couldn't see the blue demon, he could see how his abilities had turned the terrain into an icy field. To avoid this effect, the mage had raised a stone pillar with her magic and was now casting spells from there.
With no other options, Kaze shot across the frozen ground, aiming straight for Joy. Far from being a hindrance, the icy field actually helped him, combined with his Mantle, he could reach even greater speeds and make sharp turns without losing momentum.
From her pillar, Joy frantically cast multiple spells, mostly energy orbs that homed in on the masked fighter. But he dodged them effortlessly. As she watched helplessly while Kaze closed the distance uncontrollably, the mage quickly conjured a massive spell:
—Let the earth rise and bare its fangs! —Joy chanted in her native tongue. Enormous, razor-sharp stone pillars shattered the frozen battlefield, erupting beneath Kaze's feet at every step. The masked figure danced through the deadly forest of stone, his movements calculated until he inevitably reached Joy's pillar.
From midair, Kaze unleashed a wind slash toward the mage. She saw it coming and leaped from her perch, landing on the icy field, only to find Kaze already in her face before she could react. But just as his blade would have struck, the icy mist covering the battlefield suddenly parted behind him, revealing the hidden blue demon Jace poised to spear Kaze through the back. Yet something unexpected happened.
A hesitation.
That split-second falter gave Kaze just enough time to whirl around, delivering a devastating slash to Jace while simultaneously kicking Joy away, sending both foes flying in opposite directions.
Confusion gripped both Kaze and Joy, though the masked man remained silent.
—Jace! Don't freeze up now! Together we can beat him! —The blue demon—Jace, had indeed hesitated mid-strike, his body locking up from some deep-seated fear. That momentary weakness had been all Kaze needed.
—... —Jace gave no verbal reply, only a stiff nod. He tried to melt back into the mist, but Kaze was already upon him, Cutting Wind flashing in a relentless barrage of slashes and thrusts. The demon barely blocked with his lance, each parry more desperate than the last. Joy rained down spells from afar, but Kaze's blinding speed rendered her efforts useless.
Jace slipped from the force of Kaze's attack, using that moment to press his gloved hand against the ground. His ability activated, and enormous pillars of ice erupted from the already frozen battlefield. Seeing this, Kaze leaped with his Mantle, gaining considerable height, barely avoiding the ever-growing ice spikes. Simultaneously, Joy fired multiple energy orbs, cutting off all escape routes for the masked warrior.
With no other options, Kaze removed his Mantle and wrapped it around his sword. Cutting Wind elongated, absorbing the full power of a hurricane. With a single, devastating slash, the attack tore through the energy orbs, shattered the ice pillars, and sent Jace flying backward from the impact.
The blue demon landed near his ally, groaning in pain as he quickly got back up. Removing the glove from his right hand, the one he'd used to summon the massive ice pillars, revealed clear signs of severe frostbite.
—Agh! —He cried out in pain. Looking ahead, both he and Joy saw Kaze descending to the ground, sword in hand as he approached slowly. To them, the masked warrior was death incarnate, an unbeatable force that filled them with deep dread.
—J-Jace, we have to keep fighting! Jack will finish soon and come help us! —Joy tried to encourage the blue demon, though neither knew their hope was in vain. Jack would never be able to defeat Shoun. With renewed determination, the two stood together, ready to face Kaze's next silent assault.
Without further delay, Kaze shot toward them again. Jace struggled to contain the ferocious slashes from the enhanced Cutting Wind, while Joy fired spells at point-blank range, desperate to land a hit. The masked warrior used their close proximity to his advantage, evading Joy's attacks by using Jace as a shield or striking while blocking. Slowly, their hope waned, fear taking hold of their bodies, a weakness Kaze exploited without mercy.
He pressed the assault, waiting for the perfect moment. Gradually, the two apprentices began to falter. Jace's blocks grew sloppier, his frostbitten hand and the glancing blows from Cutting Wind leaving him riddled with minor cuts. Joy, meanwhile, grew increasingly frustrated. Despite their connection, she and Jace couldn't coordinate well enough to mount a proper counterattack.
In a moment of desperation, the mage had no choice but to unleash an energy pulse, forcibly separating all combatants. The battle would have resumed instantly, but then, the battlefield shifted again. Shoun arrived.
—Kaze! —The young man, his cheek burned, appeared suddenly, landing beside his companion after a Balance Voltage Impulse—Are you okay?!
—I'm fine...You don't look it.
—Don't worry about that. —As the two checked on each other, Jace and Joy were forced to reconsider their entire battle plan. If Shoun was here, it meant Jack had failed, or worse, might already be dead. The realization sent a chill through them.
—Wait a second... Joy?—The young man's eyes locked onto the elven mage among their attackers. A deep, primal rage began boiling within him, but before he could act, Joy chanted one final spell.
—Radiance!—A blinding light erupted from her staff, temporarily blinding both Kaze and Shoun. When their vision cleared, their opponents had vanished.
—Quick, follow me!—Without question, they sprinted toward where Shoun had left Jack, only to find the spot empty—...They got away.
Shoun clenched his fists in fury, while Kaze silently surveyed the battlefield. But before they could speak further, police sirens and flashing lights pierced the night. Their battles had lasted mere minutes, yet it was enough to draw official attention.
—Shit, the cops are coming!... We've got no choice but to run too—The masked one nodded and enveloped them both under his Mantle, fleeing the scene and likely reaching Shoun's house—Phew... that was close.
Both apprentices collapsed onto the couch, taking a moment to rest. The night had been nonstop chaos, and they needed time to gather their thoughts.
—...Kaze. You ready to talk?
—...Yeah.
—Good. First, we should organize what we know about the whole situation—The two recounted their respective battles—Tch... We've got zero intel on why they'd attack you. We'll need to talk with the others tomorrow to piece together more info. And to get Sein to heal this damn burn... Though explaining about Joy's gonna be tough... Ugh, I need rest. For now, sleep's probably best—The young man stood, ready to wash up, still simmering over Joy's betrayal, when Kaze's words stopped him.
—Sorry for putting you in danger... I know you promised to stand by me, but it's okay if you don't want to risk it. You've already gotten hurt enough protecting me.
—I told you I'd always stand by your side, even in the worst situations... A while back, you said everyone was willing to get hurt for me. Well, know that it goes both ways, I'll take as much damage as needed to protect you and the others. Together, we'll help you recover your memories. Even if we have to face those three again, we'll just beat them down once more. Understood?
—...Understood. Thank you, Shoun.
—Don't mention it. Get some rest.
—You rest too—Shoun headed upstairs while the masked one remained on the couch, staring blankly at the darkened TV screen, lost in thought.
—(Everything points to me being dangerous... someone those three believe deserves to die... I just hope whatever truth lies in my past doesn't end up hurting my friends more... They already suffer enough from their own struggles.)