New World - A New Beginning

Rena's limp body dropped to the floor like a doll, the ferocious blaze that had once swirled in her eyes replaced with a pale green void. I looked down casually, my heart void of emotion. 

"Renaaaa!!!" cried out Lio, his voice becoming coarse as he watched his sister die right in front of him.

"Watch out!" yelled Asthia, her eyes finally meeting mine.

I suddenly appeared in front of Lio, the world frozen in time as I sent my fist straight towards the Fei's heart. Using the agony that Lio was currently experiencing to finish him was the most effective way of eliminating the Vye twins once and for all.

"!"

My eyes darted to the side, feeling an oncoming presence. I redirected my arms, creating a defensive cross just as a leg came blasting into me.

BOOM

Ah, I forgot.

Bright yellow lightning crackled in front of me, a female silhouette standing confidently amidst the sparkling energy. Her pink hair fluttered wildly as she looked at me sternly. I smiled at the sight of the S-rank, her green eyes shivering slightly.

"You're in there, aren't you, Jay?" she asked, our conversation only audible between the two of us.

"I'm right here."

Amelia stretched her arms, letting out a sigh as she performed small jumps.

"Well then, let's see how much you learned since the last time we fought."

A boom of energy resonated around the field as Amelia closed the distance between us instantly. I gritted my teeth, raising my arms defensively to block the multitude of attacks that were being sent my way.

A vague memory flashed in my mind. 

I had fought this girl before... in a metal dome that resembled an arena. The faint images of our fight replayed before my eyes, and I realized just how much she had been holding back. The girl in front of me now was a killing machine.

Left-side kick. Uppercut. Left-side punch. Right-diagonal kick.

Even if I managed to avoid or block the majority of the attacks... it was clear to me what the situation was. I was being pushed back. 

I narrowly avoided another kick amidst my thoughts, attempting to counter-attack before another blow came slamming into my gut. I slid back, regaining my composure.

Amelia took a deep breath, recovering her stamina slightly as she slid her hand through her pink hair.

"The Jay I fought back in that arena," she said, smiling as she gazed right into my violet eyes, "was stronger than this."

Impossible.

I shot towards her once again.

In a battle between two lightning binders, all that mattered was your combat skills. As long as both combatants were similarly matched in speed, then it was considered an even battle.

I supercharged my body, briefly boosting my speed and taking Amelia by surprise. My fist slammed into her arms as she set up a blocking stance, but the blow still collided with full force.

BOOM

A flash of yellow lightning followed Amelia's trajectory as she crashed into the ground. I moved my fingers, feeling the repercussions of overflooding my body with bind.

"Full heal," uttered a voice. My eyes widened in frustration, seeing a golden aura surround Amelia momentarily.

Jean...

I glanced behind the silhouette of the two female fighters, seeing Lio's wounds closing. Was Jean healing both of them at the same time?

Wasn't there another holy bind user in the team?

Within the small squad of S-ranks, three people were able to use holy bind: Jean, Rena, and Asthia.

Where's Asthia?!

Before I could scan the battlefield, a knee came flying into my gut as Amelia came at me with her rejuvenated strength and energy.

BOOM

I shot back, colliding with the ground roughly before standing back up. My hand instinctively reached out as I coughed into it, revealing small patches of blood. Was I losing?

How was Amelia fighting me on equal terms?!

The amount of bind within me outmatched her tenfold, but she was still able to push me back.

"How?" she called out, advancing towards me slowly as if she had read my mind, "Because you're not thinking straight. Fighting an opponent who's not in their right mind... is easy."

I burst out laughing, feeling the boiling hatred spread across my entire body. It was like a scorching venom, coating every muscle in my body in searing pain. My eyes met the emerald green irises that were staring right at me, but I no longer recognized them.

Who was the girl standing before me?

That's right. She's the enemy.

"I'll destroy all of you!" I howled, igniting the air around me. The sudden inferno caught the pink-haired girl off guard, forcing her to avoid my attacks as I unleashed a relentless barrage of electric flames.

The girl slid back, concentrating her energy into her body as she blasted back towards me. I looked at her posture, grinning in delight.

One final hit? Sure, let's see who wins with raw strength.

My arm vibrated with energy, absorbing all the bind around me and from my core as it began to radiate with dark purple lightning. My opponent had the same thought, condensing all of her bind into her arm as it began to shine a bright yellow.

"Come," I muttered to myself, my words no longer my own, "hit me with your full power!"

Reality slowed, depicting the clash of two titans frame by frame as they crashed into each other. Dark violet and bright yellow molded together, distorting the air as two colossal amounts of energy collided with one another.

Silence reigned supreme, and then came the eruption of energy.

BOOOOOOOOMMMMM

Both figures were completely submerged in the explosion as lightning spread throughout the area, paralyzing all forms of life for a split second.

My body felt light as my opponent's energy flooded through me, but I knew that my own bind was doing the same. Would she survive this trade of attacks?

"Come back to us, Jay," I heard from a few mels ahead, the girl's face revealed amidst the blinding white light of bind. She was smiling, as if she had lost someone precious, but retained a small glimmer of hope. A hope that would be carried out by someone else.

I wasn't able to witness the aftermath of the explosion or the state that the pink-haired fighter was left in. Another presence appeared behind me, and even without my right state of mind, I knew exactly who it was. How was she able to enter this whirlwind of energy?

Asthia shot towards me, her hand outstretched as she just barely managed to touch my upper body with her fingertips. She closed her eyes, preparing herself for the worst.

What are you-

My thoughts were answered as Asthia opened her mouth, revealing the true nature of Amelia's final attack. She knew she couldn't beat me, but she could slow me down... it was all so that Asthia could reach me and mutter that single word.

"Integrate."