THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

The sounds of weapons clashing resound everywhere throughout the forest. Sometimes, explosions and falling trees can also be heard. Just like last time, Thando is reading my movements more or less. He isn't as good as last time. Or maybe I am just calmer.

"I told you it doesn't work already!"

"We will see!"

Once again, he dodges my attack and then counters with a kick. Although I manage to block his foot, a needle comes right after and pierces through my hand. Like I thought there are needles inside his sword but it is only seven of them. Out of the seven, he has used two already. Every time he uses them, I have noticed that his ring finger twitches weirdly before the needle flies off the sword. I should try to do something next time he does that.

Thando jumps back and observes me while I remove the needle off my arm. At the same time, Willhem lands near me, but looking in the opposite direction. His forehead is bleeding a bit and there is a knife on his left arm. As he removes it, there is a droplet of purple liquid still on it. Why would she need to use poison when she is that strong already?

"It seems it isn't better on your side."

"Yeah, that woman is strong. There is no way nor need to deny it."

"Is that so? You want to change then?" I know that going against Tatiana right now with Thando being fixated on me is a bad idea. But if Willhem can hold off Thando for a while, I should be able to do something.

"Who do you think you are ignoring?!" Thando screams then jumps to me.

"Nah, don't worry. I can handle this!!" Just like him, Willhem resumes his fight.

I counter Thando's strike then use Disperse but when I reappear, a needle is already coming my way.

"You are too predictable."

"Is that so?" I shift my face to the side and catch the needle with my mouth then I fire two bullets at him. He evades the first and cuts through the second which explodes, creating a wall of some between us. Another needle comes through the smoke but I let it hit me. I launch his needle back at him and as he comes out of the smoke, the needle scratches his cheek. He frowns and gets distracted for a second, looking at his wound. This is the best moment to strike.

I use Disperse and then Shadow stab his right shoulder. My raizen buries itself into Thando's body and the best part is that a crystal flies out of it, landing in the grass.

"Argh!! You fucking shit!!" He kicks me and launches another needle that I dodge this time. We both jump back and seeing Willhem being overwhelmed by Tatiana from the corner of my eyes, I fire three bullets in their direction.

"I told you those don't-" Thando tries to dodge them but the movement he just made was unnecessary. I could have taken advantage of it but I was too late to do so.

Tatiana cuts the first bullet with her knife then the second and third one explodes on her. Willhem uses this opportunity to fall back and join me.

"Kriekk!!"

At our left, Hendrick and John are busy with a single Longinus man. He is strong enough to keep both of them busy. K'nor is also fighting one of them, alone. I should hurry up and help him as well.

"You okay?" Willhem got stabbed with a poisonous weapon so I thought he would be more affected than this.

"Yeah, don't worry. I spent a lot of time under my master ingesting poison so I am way more resistant to any kind of poison than anybody else. But still, her movements are weird. There are no patterns to them nor is there-"

"I am tired of this!! I will kill you here and now!!" Thando snaps off and releases a powerful Regas aura while his body is enveloped in the Longinus gear. Now, the real fight will start.

"Hey, your time is up." Without a care for what is happening, Tatiana walks to him and grabs his shoulders after he transformed. Where does she find such confidence? I know that she is strong but that alone can't just explain it. And speaking if strength, I would really need your help now Cissa.

"What?! No! I can still-"

"I said your time is up." Tatiana also wears her Longinus gear. Her own surprisingly isn't black like Thando or Borgas but purple. It is a shining purple that envelops her from head to toes. "You can go and sit over there or whatever."

Tatiana's gear is quite simple. There are small fangs on her elbows and knees. But aside from that, it is just like a normal suit.

"Kriekk!!"

"Argh!"

Suddenly, Fiz's voice resounds to our ears. I turn around and see him getting impaled by the Longinus man he was fighting. Shit!!

"Fiz!!" Willhem runs to him but another Longinus comes and interferes, I fire three bullets but right before they hit the Longinus man, he punches Fiz's head so hard it explodes. Both of their bodies are absorbed by the explosion.

"Fiz!!"

"Dammit!!" I should have been faster!!

I look at the others and they are also in bad posture. Even K'nor is having trouble and has received multiples cuts on his body.

"You fuckers!!" I create the maximum number of bullets that I can but before I can unleash them…

"Okay, now, it is time for you to dance." Tatiana raises her hand and the next moment, my head feels like it got split in half.

"Argh!!!" The pain comes directly from my brain and I can't hear anything else.

There is only the screeching sound of pain that runs amok in my head. What is happening?!! What did she do?!! I try to heal myself but there is no change. In fact, I don't even know if I am using Angas anymore. This bitch!!! What did she do?!!

***

I don't know what is happening nor how many seconds have passed now but nothing seems to work.

"Argh!!"

The pain stays the same no matter what I do and I can't hear anything because of the sound deep inside my brain. I strike my head against the ground, hoping for the pain to settle down but nothing changes. Then, I am pushed to the ground by somebody. Willhem's head then appears but I can't hear anything he is saying.

The next moment, he is forced to move away from me and I see a flying knife passing above my head. That bitch!!

"You fucking bitch!!"

I try my best to stand up but I can barely muster any strength. Tatiana is just standing at the same place, her face hidden under the Longinus gear. My vision is getting blurred and I cannot see properly anymore. This is weird. Did she poison me? What kind of poison could cause something like this? And when did she manage to hit me? I may have been carelessly showing her back but I don't think it was to the point that she managed to do it without me noticing.

In any case, the fact that I am like this means she managed to do it. Whatever the reason isn't important.

"Thando seems to be talking with her seeing how he is looking at her. It looks like he is talking to her with rage but then she slaps him and some of his teeth even flies out of his mouth. Like a victim, he holds his mouth and keeps his head lowered. Then she points at one of the mercenary and Thando slowly walk to him.

"…" I try to scream to warn Bal who is his target but I don't hear anything. Still, the fact that he turns around proves that I managed to do it. So, it must be that the pain I am feeling isn't enough to stop me from moving. I can do it!! I will do it!! I will kill her!! Here and right now!!

I try to think of Raizen but the pain and the sound are so deep, so intense I don't manage to. Fuck this, I will go to her just like that!

I run to Tatiana with all my might, but my steps are heavy, unsteady, and unprecise. I can barely walk in fact.

What is wrong with this body of mine?!! Why does it always fail at the most critical moments?!! Why?!! Can't I at least save some people for once?!! Can't I at least be of use to somebody?! Am I not the Dragonroad?!! I swore to protect those I cared about and bring smiles to her faces so why do you fail me now?!! Answer me!!

"And what would an answer do?"

"Cissa?!! Where have you been?!! I have-"

"Do you think this is the time for that?"

"Argh!!" At the same time, pain paralyzes me.  My brain must be melting. Then it is my stomach will hurt suddenly.

By the time I am back to reality, I am already landing on the ground. With great difficulty, I raise my head only to see Tatiana's hand covered with my blood. I reach my stomach and there is a hole there as well. This is a very serious wound. I must really defeat her at all costs before I die without doing anything.

"Then let me handle this."

"How can I do that, Cissa?"

"Lend me your body for a bit."

"Lend you my body? How-"

"Just let go. Of everything."

"Let go…Of everything…" The next moment, everything turns black.