An Icy Cascade

Getting lost in the sea of Dutch Colonial architecture, Theia only noticed they had reached the post office when the bike came skidding to a halt outside of the predominantly white building with an envelope carved and painted on a hanging wooden shop sign. The two dismounted and walked into the post office, where Haruko placed a prompt hand on Theia’s shoulder and told her to wait by the door, as this was “a personal matter”.

Theia huffed as she crossed her arms and leaned against the sparse wall, watching her teach er walk up and converse with the office worker, pulling out a sense of charm and kindness that he had never shown conversing with her. Her attention was diverted when she heard a large rumble outside the door, as she turned to go and investigate, going against her teacher’s order to stay put. Opening the door she sees nothing, but as soon as she steps outside and casts her gaze down to where they had parked their motorcycle she sees that it is now covered in a large block of ice. A rather fuming man was standing next to the ice cube with the special prize inside, his fists being clenched and his face full of malice. He didn’t look like anything too special to Theia; probably a man around twenty-two or so, wearing a puff brown jacket and baggy green pants. With his spiked silver hair and gold chain around his neck, Theia thought he looked like he was a thug getting ready to head to the snow; but as she got closer she realized he was a mage, and the cause of the destruction to her teacher’s bike. She could feel the cold energy radiating off him as he stared her down, his eyes piercing daggers through her being.

Theia wasn’t quite sure what to do…The mage’s intentions seemed rather obvious, as a person who damages something in a fit of rage doesn’t usually stick around for their expected punishment. And based on his angry demeanor, he either had beef with Haruko or herself, but Theia didn’t recognize this man at all.

She waved rather cautiously as she spoke up, “Ummm, hi there. Everything ok?”

The silver frosted haired man turned to her, his gold chain making a clinging sound with the vigor at which he faced Theia. “Beat it girl, I have a bone to pick with the owner of this bike, and a prissy face like yours shouldn’t be anywhere near me when I kick his ass.” The man spits out through gritted teeth. Theia noted how rigid his stance was, probably a sign of withheld anger, but nowhere near as flexible as it needed to be if this frigid, gangster wanna-be was going to take on her teacher.

“That’s a pretty bold statement. But I am sorry, I can’t ‘beat it’. You sort of froze my ride home…so if you could unfreeze it I would really appreciate it.” Theia smiled as she tilted her head to the side to convey her peaceful intent, but her patience faltered when she was meet with a scoff and a shoo of the hand. “Fine, but I gave you a chance to leave,” she says a bit more sternly, “don’t blame me if we give knock some sense into you a little too hard. “

“We?” The man scoffed as he points his demeaning finger at Theia, his elbow resting on the ice block that formed atop the bike between them. “You are no threat to me, and you aren’t my target here. If you don’t get out of the way I swear I’ll cu—“

“You swear you’ll what?” A familiar deep voice booms. His presence was so well suppressed that even Theia didn’t notice his approach until he had made it ten feet towards them and the comforting beat of his heart graced her enhanced hearing. Haruko was gracefully placing the letter he received in his coat’s inner pocket, his movements always giving him a sense of refined dignity. He glances down at his bike and then bores his gaze into the back of the stranger’s skull. “Did you do this to my bike?” His voice was unwavering and accusatory.

“Damn right it was me! I have been looking all over for you, and lucky me I happened to stumble upon your wretched bike on my way into town! Tell me do you remember me? Do you remember what you, and your fucking Solis Knight friends, did to my family and my town?” His face was fuming, and his aura began leaking out of him in a white steam.

Theia’s ears peaked at the mention of “friends”, as in all the years she had known Haruko, she had never seen any friends come over to their secluded cabin. Sure she had heard him talking on the phone or a lacrima countless times, but always brief whispers; nothing signaling a friendship of any kind. She turns to Haruko, curious of his next action and how he plans to take on a man intent on hurting him in such a public place.

Haruko scans over this boy, not recognizing his features from any past experience he has, that is until he notices the emblem hanging down from the gold chain around the stranger’s neck. “…Yukimura Clan, right? So the rumors are true then. There are some survivors…” He takes a step forward, sticking out his hand towards his metallic steed. He releases his magic in an intense swirl of infrared light around his forearm and hand, the ice beginning to melt from just being in such close proximity of the radiant heat. “Theia, come on. We are leaving now.”

Before anything could happen, the stranger grabbed Haruko’s forearm and stared him dead in the eyes. “My name is Shinji Yukimura. You killed my family. Prepare to die.” Then a huge burst of steam erupted as the icy expulsion of Shinju met the radiating heat of Haruko. The sudden release of power sending passer’s by running in the other direction. Haruko pushed Theia behind him, “Stay out of this Theia. This isn’t your fight. You hear me?”

“No! I can help!” Theia pleaded, earning her another shove as Haruko side stepped out of the way to dodge an incoming icicle. Theia landed on her back, disgruntled that Haruko would spend all this time training her to fight, and then not even let her fight when she had the chance! Well she wasn’t just going to stand by and do nothing while Shinji got into a traditional Maker Magic stance, his fist clenched atop his flat palm.

“Ice Make:Excalibur!” Shinji shouted, as a large translucent blade came forth from his expanding reach. “Now I’ll show you what real pain is you murderous Knight!” He took off running towards Haruko, his blade held back with the stored energy as he prepared to slash Haruko with all he had. Haruko quickly requipped into a uniform Theia had never seen before, complete with a glowing golden blade of his own. Theia stood watching as the two clashed swords, bewildered why Haruko had not shown this magic to her before. She had known that he possessed the ability to perform Light Dragon Slayer magic, but this form, this requip that made him look like that of a luminous heroic knight, was something she was unknowingly inspired by. She admires the well managed fabric of the shall and cape, noting the cross that reminded her of the Rune Knights she had seen pictures of in her history books. But his cross had something different inside that she had never seen before. From the glimpses she could see between his ever turning body in the sword fight, it appeared to be a downward facing sword with a unique sun around the guard of the handle.

Theia didn’t have much time to think it over as she heard Haruko yelling “Duck!” as an icicle shuriken whizzed past her head and planted itself in the ground next to her. Theia got up quickly and began morphing ethernano into her hands; her skin began glowing a brilliant gold as she concentrated her magic in her palms. “Shimmering Arrows!” She shouts as she thrusts her hands forward towards the ice mage, sending out five concentrated beams of light that fan out in a circle to converge on the man responsible for freezing her way home.

Shinji swung his hands upwards, erecting a frozen dome around him, protecting him from the explosive rays of Theia.

Haruko scoffs as his pupil defies his order and engages with the ice mage.“Theia what did I just tell you?!” His eyes flaming with frustration; yet they were fully aware of the descending ice dome in his peripherals. “This isn’t you fight! I have told you before, never engage in a fight with someone who outclasses you if you have to option to avoid it. You don’t know what this man is capable of!”

Haruko quickly flashes to the area in front of Theia and turns to send a wall of ethernano from the swing of his blade, as he registers five more ice shuriken coming their way. The man before them laughs out as he grins before them in confidence. “Listen to the old man, girl. The fact that you didn’t run away in terror at the mention of my last name shows that you’re an ignorant little bitch who has yet to learn the ways of the world,” Shinji spits out, eying down Haruko and his protective stance in front of Theia, “You see my family is…was…famous for a unique spell passed down through our bloodline. A spell that sets our Ice Magic leagues above the others. I’ve always wondered what would have happened if you Solis Knight scum didn’t wipe out my clan, perhaps we could have made something of ourselves and ruled over an arctic land! But now is my time to avenge your wrong doings! Feel the wrath of Ijiraat Token!”

Shinji then thrusts his hands forward and releases a spray of crystalline blue projectiles, each engraved with the same symbol that hangs around Shinji’s neck. Haruko immediate puts a Photon Shield around himself and his pupil, as the shards explode on contact and begin freezing parts of the ethernano construct. This makes a successive hit crack the shield and forces Haruko to recast his Photon Shield to keep them protected.

What Haruko didn’t notice is Shinji had already used this spell once before… A sinister smirk gave clue to Haruko’s mistake as he glances over his shoulder to see the small shuriken that had nearly hit Theia’s head burst before he could turn around. Theia had been quick enough to erect a shield in front of her, having honed her speed from repetitive practice, but her strength was no match for a mage of a most feared bloodline. Her shield quickly shatters as a shard of ice slices through her skin.

The pain of the ice cutting through her felt like nothing, its sharp edge numbed from the adrenaline rushing through her body. It was what followed that left her silently wailing in agony. Left with her body writhing in an immobile casket and her senses blind to whatever may follow…