The ice beneath Reika's boots groaned under the weight of the battle, her breath ragged and pulse echoing in her ears. Blood, dark and thick, stained her hand, dripping onto the frost—a stark contrast to the pale, unforgiving landscape. Her hand throbbed, but the cold numbed the pain enough for her to ignore it. She couldn't afford to show weakness now.
Before her stood four Shikiban, their presence suffocating, a crushing weight in the storm. Their hollow eyes burned with disdain, but there was something else—hunger. They circled her, the air heavy with malevolence.
The tallest of them, his silver hair cascading like a frozen waterfall, stepped forward. His eyes were cold, devoid of emotion, except for a cruel amusement. The others flanked him, their icy blades drawn, but it was the leader who spoke first.
"You should've stayed out of our way, human," he hissed, his voice sharp as the ice beneath them. "Now, you'll pay the price for your defiance."
Reika's grip tightened around her sword, a flicker of something burning in her chest. She wasn't about to back down—not now, not ever.
"You've underestimated me," she said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline flooding her veins. This wasn't just a fight. It was survival.
In an instant, the four Shikiban moved, their attacks swift and precise. They moved like a deadly dance, a choreographed storm of blades. The cold light of their weapons flashed in the air as they converged on her.
Instinct took over. Reika spun, dodging the first attack—a spear of ice lunging at her chest. She darted to the side, barely avoiding the second Shikiban's flurry of sharp shards, their edges cutting through the air with terrifying speed.
She ducked low, hearing the wind rush past her face as she narrowly avoided the ice.
Her heart hammered in her chest, and the cold gnawed at her muscles, but there was something else—a fire burning deep inside. She couldn't fail. She couldn't lose. Not when so much was on the line.
Her vision narrowed, focus sharpening. She was pushed to her limits, but instead of faltering, something inside her snapped. Raw, untamed energy exploded within her, filling her body with power she barely understood.
Her sword hummed, glowing faintly as she tapped into the dormant power inside her. It surged through her, crackling in the air around her. She could feel it—the power she had been hiding, the power that was now awakening.
"Impressive," the leader sneered, watching as the air around Reika shimmered. "But it's too late."
"Not yet," she growled through gritted teeth.
With a primal roar, she charged forward. Her blade streaked through the air like lightning, the collision of steel against ice reverberating through the battlefield. The leader parried her strike, the shock of the impact shaking her arm, but she didn't stop. She didn't hesitate.
She pushed forward, every strike stronger than the last. Ice cracked and splintered under the force of her blows, each impact sending shards flying. The other Shikiban moved to flank her, but she didn't notice. Her focus was on the leader. He was her target, the only one who mattered.
She blocked one of his strikes with her sword, using the momentum to spin and strike again. Her blade cut through the second Shikiban's shoulder, and he collapsed, the ice beneath him shattering under the force of her blow.
Before she could finish him off, the third Shikiban lunged, aiming for her midsection. Reika anticipated his move, dropping low and sweeping his legs out from under him with a quick, decisive kick. He hit the ground with a sickening thud.
But then the leader was there, his ice blade aimed directly at her throat. His eyes gleamed with cold malice as time seemed to slow.
Reika locked eyes with him, feeling the weight of his power bearing down on her. She could feel his presence—crushing, overwhelming. This was it. The final moment.
But then, something inside her snapped. A flood of energy coursed through her veins. She leapt backward, landing in a crouch on the frozen earth. Her eyes burned with determination. She wasn't just fighting for herself anymore. She was fighting for everyone she loved.
Her sword crackled with power, glowing brighter, humming with energy. With a roar, she surged forward again, her blade a streak of light in the chaos of the storm. The four Shikiban were caught off guard. The leader barely had time to react before she was on him.
Her blade cut through his icy spear like it was paper, sending shards flying in every direction. He staggered back, his smirk replaced by shock. In a single motion, Reika pressed forward, landing a devastating blow to his chest. The force sent him flying backward, crashing into the ice with a violent crack.
The other Shikiban hesitated, their faces frozen in disbelief as their leader crumpled to the ground. The battle seemed over—but it wasn't.
From the shattered ice, the leader slowly rose. His form flickered, the cold around him growing colder, more unnatural. His eyes burned with fury, his body radiating an aura so cold it seemed to freeze the very air around him.
"You may have won this round," he growled, his voice filled with venom. "But you're not leaving here alive."
Reika wiped the sweat from her brow, her breath ragged but steady. The battle wasn't over yet.
She stood tall, sword raised high, ready for whatever came next. The storm raged around them, but the air between her and the leader crackled with energy. The real fight was just beginning.
The leader's aura intensified, his ice blade glowing with a deadly light. His eyes never left Reika's.
"You'll regret this," he promised, his voice an icy whisper.
Reika's eyes narrowed. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't going to let him win.
This was more than just a fight. It was a test of will. And she wasn't going to lose.
She surged forward once again, her sword blazing with light. The battle had only just begun, but she would fight until the very end.
The storm roared in response.