Chapter 4: 4. GREY DOMAIN

Yukina shot me a surprised look as though she was staring at a completely different person.

“H-How did you do that? How were you able to avoid two consecutive strikes from the creature at such close range? I was so scared. Just how?” She asked me while checking my body to see if I had sustained any injuries.

“I don’t….”

“Svan, your eyes, what happened to them?” she asked. 

Her expression was a fine blend of awe and horror as she stared at my face.

“What?”

Another roar interrupted our conversation. The falx was charging again.

“I don’t know how we are going to beat that thing; my sword can’t pierce it, and it seems like it’s able to withstand a direct blow from me.”

Feeling the presence of the falx close to me, everywhere changed once again as everything appeared in grey shadows. Yukina engaged the falx again, prompting me to step out of their path as they both traded blows, with none bulging.

The silhouettes of the falx, covered in blackish flames, and Yukina's, in a bluish one, clashed as they produced vibrations that distorted the viscous-like atmosphere. It was almost as if I could see their intent and the energy they produced and dissipated as they fought. The falx's silhouette made another attempt to hit Yukina's, but this time she didn’t take the blow; instead, she moved. 

Her movement wasn’t slow; it was almost like the viscous barrier had no effect on her. It was evident that she used her speed stillbring, but my eyes were able to follow her clearly.

In a precise succession of movements, she side-stepped to her right and sprinted in a half-arc, bringing her to the falx's rear. With a single step on its back, she propelled herself upwards.

I could see blue flames coalescing in her arms while she descended. As everything was unfolding, the falx didn’t move or, rather, was still reacting to her initial movement as the viscous-like atmosphere provided a much-needed resistance. Yukina descended on its back, landing a blow on its head, but nothing much changed. The falx seemed a little shaken but was back to normal almost instantly.

The blow Yukina landed on the falx made me notice something. The silhouette of the falx, which was supposed to be completely covered in black flames, was lighter, almost grey, where its eyes were situated. 

That was it. That had to be its weak spot. For a moment, I wanted to tell Yukina to go for its eyes, but I didn’t. I wasn’t even sure if she could hear me in this state, and I wasn’t sure if my assumption about its eyes were correct, but I had to do something at least.

I gathered strength and pushed forward towards the falx. It felt like I was waddling, but I knew, in reality, I was running at a full sprint. The falx ignored Yukina and charged toward me.

“It’s just a primal beast,” I thought to myself, 

“The most it could do is to lunge, strike or bite.” 

I saw black flames condensing at its feet. It was evident that it was preparing to lunge. I quickly looked around and saw a gray upright silhouette between me and the falx, and I could easily tell it was a tree. While the falx dived towards me, I ran towards the tree, stepped on it, and leaped, just as I saw Yukina do, but this time, I somersaulted sideways towards the falx’s direction. I was sure that in reality, I wouldn't have been able to do what I just did, but somehow, doing it in this state was easy.

The falx missed me. I could see its head turning in my direction while still diving forward. It appeared as though the viscous-like atmosphere was cushioning my landing. Holding my sword in a reverse grip, I focused on its eyes. I tried to push myself down so I wouldn't miss the falx, and thankfully, I made it just in time. My sword pierced its left eye, and without hesitating, I drew out my pocket knife and stabbed its right eye, sending both of us crashing to the ground in what seemed like a thud, as I could see the vibrations our fall created. Instantly, everything went back to normal.

YUKINA AYLING

I struggled to believe what I was seeing as I watched Svan charge towards the falx.

“Svan, don’t!” I screamed, but he wasn’t listening to me; he didn’t even look in my direction as he charged forward.

“This is suicide,” I muttered, cursing under my breath. 

I wanted to do something, anything, but I felt glued to the ground. I couldn't move. I was already beginning to shed tears as the creature got closer to him. It was becoming apparent that Svan would die because just a single blow from that creature was enough to kill him.

Shockingly, I saw him step on a tree and leap, somersaulting as he hurled himself in the air. It was a breathtaking sight as I thought the creature had gotten hold of him, but he was able to react just in time. In the blink of an eye, he drove his sword into the creature’s eye as they crashed to the ground.

“What just happened?” I asked myself as I ran towards them.

The creature lay motionless as blood oozed from its eyes. Its other eye was stabbed with a pocket knife, but I didn't notice when that event occurred. Svan was smiling as he lay on top of the creature, and when he saw me, he said,

“Yukina, I did it. I killed the falx.”

Falx? The creature was called a falx. If he knew the creature, then he must have known how to kill it. I was furious.

“Do you want to die so badly? You could have just told me its weakness and saved us all this trouble. What the hell were you thinking?”

Even though I was angry, I was glad he was alive, at least.

“I mean, you could have died,” I said in a much calmer tone as I wiped the tears off my eyes. 

Svan still stared wordlessly at me. He was no longer smiling. Instead, he wore a somewhat disappointed face.

“Your eyes. They are blue just like mine. What happened to them?” I asked as I tried to help him get up, but he knocked off my hand. 

He tried to get up on his own, but he winced in pain as he collapsed back onto the body of the falx. He was mad at me.

“I am sorry I scolded you. I just don't want you to take unnecessary risks that could put your life in danger when there are much better alternatives.”

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“Then how would I get stronger if I don't take those risks? Should I just watch you do everything like some helpless child waiting to be spoon-fed?”

Both of us remained silent for a moment until Svan broke it.

“I didn't charge towards the falx because I wanted to prove a point or something, and I don't even know much about it. I once saw a picture, and the creature in the picture, which resembles this one here, was called Falx. Nothing else was said about it.”

“Okay, so how did you know striking it in the eye would kill it?” I asked him.

“I don't know. I am as confused as you are. Something weird happened to me. I could see things and I don't have the right words to explain it.”

“That would explain your blue eyes, but your movements were sharp and precise. One could confuse them for a stillbring. Try explaining it to me. Maybe I might have an idea.”

“It’s difficult to explain, but when the falx attacked, everywhere changed like I was here but wasn't at the same time. Nothing was clear. Everything appeared as silhouettes. The air was heavy, almost fluid. It was difficult to move freely, so everything appeared to move slowly. I could even keep up with your movements when you used your speed stillbring and that was how I was able to evade attacks from the falx, but there was something else. While you fought the falx, your silhouette was covered in blue flames, and the falx's was covered in black except its eyes, so I guessed its eyes were a weak spot.”

Svan was right. Everything he said sounded foreign to me. I was sure that it wasn't his Feel that manifested, it was something different, and we needed to understand it. I tried to help him get up once again, but he winced in pain.

“What's the matter?”

“It feels like my body is on fire. It hurts a lot.”

“Now, that's a problem,” I concluded as I watched him collapse to the ground for a second time.

SVAN CHORYTH

I was in a lot of pain. Every joint and muscle in my body was hurting like it was on fire. I was definitely suffering the backlash from all the stunts I had performed earlier. My body couldn't handle the strain, but I wasn't disappointed. It was all part of the learning curve, so I had to figure out a way to work around it.

Yukina stood up to search for her bag as she retraced her steps to where she first came into contact with the falx, and after a short while of searching, she found it tucked under some green shrubs. She returned to where I was still lying and took out a potion from her bag.

“You came really prepared,” I teased her.

“Right? Because someone I know keeps on getting hurt,” she clapped back.

She held my mouth with one hand and poured the bottle’s content into my mouth with the other. Despite its awful stench and horrible taste, I chugged it down my throat and immediately felt sick in my stomach.

“You'd better not throw up if you want to get better,” she snarled at me.

“I’m not, but what in the world is this?” I said in disgust, covering my mouth to avoid my breath, which was already reeking".

“It's what you get for being careless,” Yukina replied as she got up.

“Rest a little. I’ll search for the horses and survey the area.”

“Alright, I think I will just sleep. Wake me up when you get back.”

There were many questions in my head, but unfortunately, there wasn't anyone to answer them.

“What exactly was this new ability of mine? Why did it manifest when the falx appeared?”

There has to be a reason for that. I might have an idea if I do extensive research on the falx. I was excited nonetheless. 

It was the first time I felt different, and even though I barely understood what kind of ability it was, I was confident that I would eventually get a grasp of it. The first task was to find a way to work around the backlash because I couldn't afford to stay in my current state after every fight I would eventually encounter.

Still lying, facing upwards and staring at giant canopies, I watched as a single leaf fell towards my face, swaying left and right as it continued its slow descent. It reminded me of movement in the grey domain as the leaf seemed to fall against some resistance. I decided to call that state “grey domain” because only normal appeared grey there. 

The movement of the leaf made it seem like was something preventing its smooth fall. but there was nothing of such. It was its light weight that served as a hindrance. 

The theory was applicable in the grey domain. Maybe the viscous-like atmosphere was just an illusion, and the real barrier was my own body. It had limits. Yukina was able to break those limits with her stillbring. Although I didn't have a stillbring, the grey domain granted me the ability to break certain physical barriers, even though it came with a price.

“That is it,” I said softly, smiling.

There was hope for me. I thought that it was just my eyes, but there was much more to it. 

I heard footsteps approaching me. I could easily tell that they were Yukina's.

“Your horse is dead and mine is nowhere to be found.”

The sound of her voice clearly expressed her frustration.

“You should be feeling better now. Come on, let's move.”

To my surprise, I kicked my feet in the air, and the pain was gone.

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