The Moonlight Swordsman



"So what do I have to do with Rose?" Aizel asked.

Both Seraphine and Hazel were also gazing at the fire rose standing right beside him.

"How did it appear?" Hazel asked.

"I just brushed my hand past the marking, and then it automatically glowed and created a fire rose," Aizel replied.

Seraphine moved towards another tree and did the same thing that Aizel did before.

Suddenly the markings glowed again, and this time a blue water rose was hovering around in front of Seraphine.

"Fire for Aizel and Water for Sera. I think markings can recognize your core," Hazel replied.

"Then why is it not lightning?" Aizel asked.

"I don't know," Hazel replied.

The marking can't recognize my mental core," Aizel thought.

"So what should we do with the rose?" He asked.

Hazel walked toward the tree, and for her, a wood-shaped rose hovered in front of her. 

"I thought maybe all of us had to do this," She replied.

"Do we have to create this rose with our element?" Seraphine asked.

"We can give it a try," Aizel replied.

"But wouldn't that be difficult to manipulate correctly, just like... Hazel couldn't even complete her sentence when she saw Aizel had already created a blue fire rose.

It looked exactly the same as the one that was created from the markings.

"Now it's your turn, girls," He said. 

"Even your manipulation is so great, softie," Hazel commented as she glanced at the rose from close range.

[Your power really makes most things too simple]

As each of the two of them did their own thing with the magical signs, time seemed to move in small waves. Seraphine was always calm and focused on the job at hand. With her skilled touch, she was able to pull the essence of a rose out of the water. 

But Hazel was the one who had to deal with the biggest problem. 

It took her at least half an hour to finally create the same rose from the markings. 

In a strange turn of events, the invisible barrier that had been blocking Aizel's path suddenly disappeared, as if it had been swept away by a force no one could see. 

The three of them were sensitive to small changes in the air, so they could feel the change in the air around them.

Aizel carefully moved forward, and the ethereal barrier that had been holding him back was no longer in the way. He moved through the forest's winding paths with a sense of newfound freedom. Previously, an invisible barrier had kept him back. 

"It seems that was all there was to the puzzle. Let's move ahead," He said.

The three of them moved deeper into the scary, dark forest with renewed drive. 

There was a sense of wonder and dread in the air as if the forest itself was trying to see how strong they were. Shadows danced around and whispered secrets, which the three people could hear because they were paying close attention. 

After a hard trip through the scary forest, the three of them came out into an open space that was both beautiful and dark.

The flowers and plants that used to be bright and colorful were now ghostly black, with obsidian-colored petals and leaves.

In the middle of this spooky scene stood a ghostly figure in ratty, torn clothes that covered both face and body. The mysterious being held a scythe in its hands. The scythe's black blade rested on a boney shoulder. The only thing you could hear was the wind whispering through the dark leaves.

"Is that a ghost?" Aizel asked.

"Ghost? What does it mean?" Hazel asked, looking confused.

"A vengeful spirit."

"Huh! It seems like that to me." Hazel nodded.

"Be on alert. I can't sense him," Seraphine said. 

She quickly summoned her spear.

Hazel quickly moved behind Aizel while he summoned Sekki. 

"So how do we fight this guy?" Aizel asked.

"Let's take it slowly. We can't guess which grade he is." Seraphine replied.

"Yeah, but he didn't look any special. Just having a scythe doesn't make you scary, buddy."

In a spontaneous act of bravery, Aizel pushed himself forward with unwavering resolve. Hazel and Seraphine were caught off guard by his sudden move. 

With a rush of adrenaline, he got closer to the mysterious figure.

Aizel leaped forward, and his sword cut through the air quickly and accurately.

The ghostly figure, covered in torn clothes, quickly dodged his attack, and its ghostly form seemed to glide away.

The figure quickly hit back and swung its scythe in a wide circle, trying to cut Aizel in half. 

Aizel deftly parried the blow, his sword clashing against the scythe's wicked blade, creating a shower of sparks that illuminated the darkness.

"Hihihihi...." the figure laughed.

"So you can talk," Aizel replied.

As if dissolving into the very shadows themselves, the figure vanished with an eerie swiftness, leaving nothing but a trail of inky blackness in its wake.

Behind Aizel, it suddenly formed out of thin air, like a cloud of smoke. 

With a fluid motion, the figure swung its menacing scythe, the blade whistling through the air as it sought to claim its target.

*Tsk*

Sekki, Aizel's trusted sword, changed into a powerful black scythe that fit well in his hands with a rapid and smooth transformation.

As the figure lunged forward, its scythe poised for another deadly strike, Aizel deftly intercepted the blade with his own, the clash reverberating through the air.

Taking advantage of the split-second opening, Aizel unleashed a whirlwind of motion. He executed a spinning kick, hitting right at his chest, with the explosion mixed in it.

The force of the contact was so great that it sent the figure flying backward, like a cannonball shot through the air. The figure slammed into a tree, shattering the garden's surreal stillness and sending shockwaves through the woods.

Everyone noticed that the figure slowly vanished into thin air. 

"What a disappointment. Here, I thought it would be good practice." Aizel said.

"If he was so weak, then why couldn't I sense him?" Seraphine murmured.

"Hihihi....

"Hihihi....

"Hihihi....

"Hihihi....

..........