Spirit Silhouette

The Tachi stood at the edge of the clearing, its massive form a grotesque silhouette against the mottled greens and browns of the forest. Its fur, a mottled gray with streaks of bright, blood-like red, seemed to ripple with every slow, deliberate movement. The beast's four tails that looked bushy at first glance like those of a wolf but instead they were sharp, jagged. The glistening sheen along their length suggested poison—thick, viscous droplets gathered at the tips, slowly dripping onto the forest floor.

Its claws, black and gnarled, sank into the earth, carving deep trenches with each step. The creature's maw hung slightly open, its breath visible even in the warm air— with flames deep in its throat that curled around its jagged white fangs. Its eyes, burning red with cloudy gray pupils, locked onto Ao, and in that moment, the world went silent.

Ao's pulse roared in his ears, his vision narrowing tunneling. His body felt heavy, leaden, it was starting to become hard to breathe, as if the Tachi's presence alone bore down on him with an immense, suffocating weight. The spiritual energy radiating off the beast was palpable, filling his lungs with ice-cold dread.

I need to get out of here. I can't handle this. I need to go before it—

But the Tachi had already seen him.

Its head tilted, those crimson eyes unblinking, and in a single heartbeat, the creature moved. It didn't charge—it simply vanished. The only sign of its motion was the brief ripple of its aura and the whisper of grass bending under an unseen weight.

Ao's instincts screamed, and his body moved on its own. His body fell off of the branch due to his legs becoming weak and he hit the ground, rolling onto rough roots and damp earth just as the branch he had been perched on exploded into splinters. The Tachi reappeared, its spiked tails slicing through the air where Ao had been moments before, the wood of the branch sizzling from the venom.

His breath came in sharp, but it was enough for him to utilize Respira and enhance his muscles. He scrambled to his feet, his knees nearly buckling beneath him. His small hands fumbled at his hip, drawing his dagger with a rasp of metal against leather. His other hand reached into his bag, pulling out the spare blade. The twin daggers felt like toys in his grip compared to the monster had to face, but alas, it was all he had.

The Tachi's lips pulled back, exposing more of those serrated teeth. A low growl reverberated through the clearing, shaking leaves loose from the canopy. It took a slow step forward, then another, each movement was like it was mocking Ao, savoring the fear that radiated from him.

Ao's mind raced trying to find a solution. I can't win this. I'm not fast enough, not strong enough. If I run, it'll catch me before I make it two steps. If I fight, I'll… He then shook his head, clearing the doubt.

No…

He clenched his teeth, his small fingers wrapping tighter around the hilts of his daggers. There was no choice. Running wasn't an option. Hiding wasn't an option. His only chance was to hold on, to survive long enough for help to come—or to find a way to escape.

I need to send a signal. Maybe if I create enough noise, Dad will hear me. Or… if I'm lucky, something bigger will come along. A bear, maybe? Or I could try and make it to the edge of the forest…

His strategies unraveled as quickly as he formed them. Each plan seemed thinner, more desperate. But there was no time to hesitate. The Tachi lowered itself, muscles bunching beneath its skin, ready to strike.

Ao took a deep breath, feeling the cold air burn his lungs. His heart pounded, but his mind cleared. With Respira already active, his body flooded with fresh spiritual energy. His muscles tightened, his senses sharpening. He then activated Spirit Cycle, letting the spiritual energy flow through him and remove any negative affects his body had, letting respira enhance his muscles even further and also rejuvenating himself in the process. He layered on Wind Signature, Earth Signature, and Water Signature, each element adding a thin veil of elements he knew how to use around his skin.

The Tachi moved first. Its body blurred, a flash of gray and red. Ao's eyes widened as he barely registered the movement, but with spirit sight active, it gave him some semblance of where the beast would appear due to the spiritual energy leaking from the beast. Not to mention, that it also enhances his already sharp senses. his feet shifted, his body twisting instinctively. One of the spiked tails whipped through the air, missing him by inches. The force of the swing stirred the air..

Ao slashed out with his dagger, a desperate arc through the air. The blade caught nothing but wind. The Tachi's head snapped toward him, its eyes narrowing. It darted in close, jaws snapping, and Ao threw himself to the side, his shoulder slamming into the dirt.

Pain flared, but he ignored it. He pushed off the ground, stumbling but keeping his footing, his dagger already leaving his hand as he threw it. The blade spun end over end, a glint of steel aimed directly for the Tachi's glowing left eye.

The beast's response was almost casual. Its eyes narrowed, and with a soft huff, a gust of wind exploded from its body. The force of the wind was immense, not just a breeze but a concentrated blast. The dagger veered off course, spiraling up where it lodged into a thick branch, quivering from the impact.

Damn it… 

Ao didn't waste a second. His feet dug into the soil, and he launched himself toward the nearest cover—a cluster of rocks that jutted from the ground like broken teeth. He zigzagged through the underbrush, his breath controlled but quick, every exhale a reminder to stay calm, to stay focused. The marked trees came into view, each scratch on the bark, it'll lead him back to safety.

But safety was a cruel illusion.

The Tachi appeared above him, materializing in mid-air, its massive form blotting out the sun. Shadows draped over Ao, and in that heartbeat of suspended time, he saw everything—the creature's muscles bunching, the deadly arcs of its claws.

There was no time to dodge. No space to run.

Ao twisted, his remaining dagger coming up defensively. He didn't aim to block—he aimed to deflect. The Tachi's claw crashed against the side of the blade, and the impact was like a thunderclap. The force launched Ao off his feet, sending him hurtling backward as if plucked by an invisible hand.

He hit the ground hard, skidding through dirt and brambles, his vision doubling from the shock. But even as his body tumbled, he reached out, his fingers splaying wide. His spiritual energy flared, a blue aura that wrapped around his lost dagger still embedded in the tree.

Come back to me.

The blade responded instantly. It shot through the air, a streak of silver that whistled past the Tachi's face. The beast recoiled, its sharp ears twitching as the dagger zipped into Ao's waiting hand. The metal smacked against his palm, the sting of it grounding him, pulling him back from the edge of panic.

Ao pushed to his feet, his knees shaking, blood trickling from a fresh cut above his brow. He reinforced the blades, weaving his spiritual energy through the metal, binding them with his elemental signatures that coated his body. The steel gleamed with a faint blue light.

My speed is enough to at least react... barely. But I can't fight this thing head-on. I need to move. Now.

He turned and ran, his legs pumping,it felt like everything he tried was like taking a calculated risk. His enhanced speed sent him weaving through the trees, his senses reaching out, mapping every obstacle, every root, and every stone. The Tachi gave chase, its massive paws silent against the forest floor despite its massive size. It was faster—infinitely faster—but its size forced it to maneuver around obstacles that Ao slipped through with ease. I can use this to my advantage, it can't build momentum if it's constantly forced to crash or dodge something I slip past! It's possible for me to get away! He thought, hope was starting to finally shine down on his situation.

Or so he thought.

A roar ripped through the air, the sound was loud enough to catch Ao completely off guard. Ao glanced over his shoulder just as the Tachi's maw opened wide. A pulse of spiritual energy gathered between its jagged fangs, a coalescing ball of grey that hummed and started to condense, similar to how he did with his own spiritual energy, but far more controlled. If the way Ao compressed a ball was like a controlled stream of water, this beast was like a controlled bomb. The forest dimmed around it, the air bending inward as if being sucked into the sphere.

You're joking… This thing to control spiritual energy in its purest form aswell?!?