~ 16 ~
2019 Words
On their way to the barricaded scene, Raika suddenly felt something building on the top of her chest which Luna noticed.
“You’re not alone this time.” Luna reassured which made Raika nod but it was still there.
She’s wondering what was bothering her until her eyes landed on Ashlyn. Ashlyn was too quiet and focused like she was someone else which made Raika nudged Luna’s side.
“What’s wrong with Ash?” Riaka whispered which made Luna look at Ashlyn before giggling.
“Don’t worry she was trying to locate where those monsters were and even learn their identity.” Luna explained.
“How can she do that?” Raika asked while looking carefully at Ashlyn’s silence.
“Actually, no idea since no one can really tell what she could do in the field.” Luna answered before she gave Raika a bracelet.
“What for?” Raika asked as she accepted the gift from her trainor.
“Protection and a reminder that you have us with you.” Luna said while smiling.
“Its a capture bracelet. It can protect you from any type of beasts or monsters but the tricky part of that bracelet was to trap the beasts or monsters before taming it.” Ashlyn explained which made Riaka look at Luna.
“I’m not gonna capture or tame you.” Luna defended while shaking her head.
“To use the trap, you must throw that bracelet while a tamer set up its barrier.” Ashlyn explained further.
“Why give it to me?” Raika asked Luna who was smiling but glaring at Ashlyn.
“You're the only one capable of finding where to put those bracelets. You’re a hunter.” Luna pointed out her reason for giving it to Raika.
Raika was about to say something but no words could be formed through her head which she just nodded in understanding.
“Piercer, if you could hear me...please help me understand you more than I used to. Let me wield you.” Raika whispered through her thoughts since she’s going to another battle which she was just getting used to.
Raika hoped that she could use the piercer without losing control or getting lost over its power. But her deep thinking came to a halt when their van stopped behind a five-star hotel and restaurant. The three of them get out of the van and they might look like a police officer in their DIP coat but to the eyes of any civilians, they were just like a tourist on vacation. They entered the building casually acting like a tourist and took a room to a suite with a luxury view. At first the reception desk was eyeing them from head to toe and Ashlyn noticed it.
“They’re my girlfriends and I owe them a vacation here.” Ashlyn whispered knowingly to the receptionist who suddenly grinned from the news before giving their room.
As they went to the elevator, Ashly wrapped her arms around Luna and Raika as they acted like sweet couples.
“Seriously, do you have to do that?” Raika asked while there was some heat on her cheeks.
“Just go along with it and you like it though.” Luna said but teased at the end since she knew that Raika had this crush over Ashlyn that was slowly showing up through her face.
“Just enjoy the act for now. But when we got there, there’s no fooling around.” Ashlyn reminded them which Raika nodded in agreement.
As they got out from the elevator, Luna used her senses to locate each security camera and let her beast stand by at the door of their suite. But when they got inside, Raika was caught up with the sunset view by the living room. She immediately run by the huge window to savour the beautiful view before her eyes. She was like an excited kid just by watching the view.
“Never been in any skyscraper?” Luna asked as Ashlyn kept checking her watch and at the same time glancing at Raika’s behaviour.
“Never. Aside from the time I must save Ash on the last field mission.” Raika thought which made Luna chuckle before letting Raika enjoy the moment of her life.
As the two watched Raika's excitement, Ashlyn went behind Raika and wrapped her arms around her waist before kissing her neck.
“Are you seriously doing that, Ashlyn?” Raika asked as she let Ashlyn do it to her.
“You felt something in me since you let me do it to you.” Ashlyn answered before kissing her cheek this time.
“Maybe but there was something else.” Raika said with a sudden seriousness within her tone.
“Hm, we’ll continue this some other time. Luna, are they in the place?” Ashlyn said before turning to ask Luna who was meditating on the carpeted floor.
“Yes and Ashlyn there was something odd within this particular monster we’re after.” Luna stated while her eyes were still closed.
“Particular, meaning one of them…” Ashlyn guessed as she took a seat on a coach acrossed Luna.
“Yes, it was definitely different from the other two. It has a blurry feature...I can’t tell where it's a creature or not.” Luna cleared which made Ashlyn think thoroughly but to Raika it was something else.
She was taken back by what the description that Luna stated. She went to the window again but this time, her right was not the same. As her dragon eye roamed intently around the view, she saw the barricaded street and some DIP vans were already in the position, waiting. As they were waiting patiently, Raika noticed something really odd like Luna said.
“They were close.” Raika said which made Ashlyn and Luna look at her.
They saw some power radiating around Raika and it wasn’t harmful or doing anything around her but it was swirling protectively around Raika’s body.
“Coordinates.” Ashlyn said before getting the map of the city.
“North to one o’clock, a black bunny with shark teeth.” Raika stated the coordinates which Luna tried to pinpoint.
“West to north three, a tanker that looked like a monkey juggernaut.” Raika continued while Luna and Ashlyn tried to find the coordinates that she was saying.
Ashlyn's index finger pointed to each coordinate that Raika stated while Luna put a mark on the map.
“Tricky. The last one...is definitely a difficult one. Like Luna said earlier, it doesn’t have any form but it was definitely a monster without a body.” Raika continued which made them look at her.
“What do you mean without a body?” Luna asked which made Ashlyn think about what her doctor mentioned earlier.
“Wondering Soul.” Ashlyn said which made Luna’s eyes widened.
“That’s a rare monster. It's hostless.” Luna said with a shocked face.
“We have to go. The two monsters were gonna land at each barricade but the Hostless monster, that will be a tricky to catch.” Raika said as she faced them which they nodded since she was right.
“Luna, set your beasts in position and make sure to be safe as well guarded on your marking position. Raika will be your hunter while I will lure them in one place.” Ashlyn stated her plan which they got well.
As they prepare themselves, they go to the fire exit and go up to the rooftop without being noticed since Luna told one of her beasts to invade the security cameras. As they got up, Luna immediately set everything that she needed while Ashlyn gave Raika a quick peck on the lips and released some dust around her then jumped off the roof to another building next to the hotel they’re in.
“She's really into you, Raika - I mean, Robin.” Luna teased which she only sigh while smiling then went to the edge of the rooftop to get the perfect vintage point.
Raika slowly released some of her energy when she stood firmly and let the wind swirl around her then create such a powerful bow and arrow.
“Piercer.” Raika called which was immediately answered.
Through the wind, the colorless bow was being raised and a lightning arrow was being aimed at the night sky. As Raika finally released the arrow, millions of arrows came raining that stunned every monster around the barricaded scene. The two monsters might be stunned which the DIP member in the position took the liberty to catch them. But as Raika expected, one of them managed to escape from that rain which made Ashlyn move to isolate it into one place but it wasn’t enough. Raika saw that which made her think of something. She immediately shifted her energy into daring one and formed another shot which surprised the hostless monster.
The hostless monster came around and round because of the arrow of Raika which Ashlyn took the liberty to use her ash to make some barrier so it won't escape but it did. Ashlyn was losing her patience but not Raika.
“Piercer, let’s go and make it count.” Raika thought as she shifted her energy into another step of acceleration.
Her arms began to glow in such light which caught the hostless monster’s attention and went to her. Raika used her piercer as the lure since it was hostless and needed a vessel to possess. It was getting closer which Ashlyn agitated but still trusted Raika’s judgement. As it was almost close to Raika, a sudden green glow from the ground made the hostless monster stop from moving which made it roared in pain and anger. It was fighting the gravitational force field that had been set by Raika through the capture bracelet.
“Nicely done.” Ashlyn said while still on the other roof but something came out from the force field.
Raika immediately ran to where it was gonna land but she was too late when the hit landed on Luna. It breaks the barrier that Luna setted up and hits her directly. Her beast roared but they didn’t attack since Raika was already on it. She snapped.
Raika's tattoo glowed much more like it was bleeding and alive since it was moving through her entire body like it was eating her. Her right arm began to be skinless that flowed throughout half of her body and it was showing how intense her veins like it were going to pop anytime soon but no. She was indeed not just shifting her aura but her whole being that made the hostless monster began to quiver on how murderous monster she could be but still liking what he was seeing.
Raika was becoming a monster.
As she was transforming, Luna might be injured but not fatal and she could still feel that something inside of her crawling under her skin like she’s being eaten by something unknown from somewhere within her till she managed to look at Raika.
“Don’t fall too much…Raika…” Luna whispered as she let herself lean against her wolf beast that was healing her.
As her transforming was done, power was totally radiating around her. Her form might be the same but her arms were her tattoos were not just being a mark but alive. But what more made her intimidating was her stunning reddish-mauve eyes. The hostless monster was quivering in fear as Raika energy shifted into such a deadly monster that never existed before.
Raika reached her deadly and monstrous right hand to the hostless monster that was locked up into its position because of the trap setted by her. Fear reflected into the hostless monster and Raika wanted to kill it but her hand stopped mid-way. She noticed that her hands were having pointy nails which mostly like a claw rather than fingernails.
In every light there's darkness that follows and in darkness, there's always light hidden within.
As those words once again echoed through Raika’s mind, she remembered the time when she was a kid. Her time with her great grandmother telling some bedtime story about a graceful thief who managed to wield the very powerful and mythical-legendary bow and arrow as well its adventure. She also remembered those times when her great grandmother taught her how to aim and shoot. But she never realized that those times with her, she already managed to wield the mythical item as an ordinary bow and arrow.
“Piercer...why didn’t you tell me...I’m already using you with my grandmama.” Raika thought as those memories came flashing through her mind.
‘Time.’
“Did she ask for this?” She asked as some tears threatened to fall down from her eyes.
‘She’s willing to.’
“Then let me wield you more than anyone could.” She told the Piercer with determined eyes.
‘Let it be done.’
- Writer
