Chapter 16. Face off
“Isn’t that just the sweetest I have ever seen” A familiar voice yelled, Joey looked up into the skies, where he heard the voice, it was Sin’Jun!.
“Sin’Jun! What are you doing here?!” Joey called out to him, being disappointed about the great kiss he missed. Tomoko took a few steps back, looking up at Sin’Jun, clearly being agitated.
“I got tired of waiting for you! Little Angel! So I decided I would come to you instead!” He said with a smug grin on his face. Joey put his left leg back, holding out his right hand.
“If it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you will get Sin’Jun!” Joey concentrated on summoning the light blue sword he used in his very first battle, as a small pentagram formed in mid-air, his sword fell right into his hands.
“J-Joey! You can’t handle him yet! You don’t even control Holy Magic!” Tomoko said, while looking at the sword Joey summoned. “He’ll kill you!”.
“There’s no time to learn, is there? I have to protect the ones I love, with or without my powers!” Joey yelled, not looking at Tomoko. Sin’Jun smirked, taking out two dangerous looking knives from it’s sheets. They had hawks as decoration on them, resembling speed and agility.
“J-Joey..” Tomoko said, blushing slightly. “D-Do your best! I’m here for you! I can’t interfere in this battle!”. Tomoko ran to the oasis, looking at the scene from a distance.
“That’s quite a cute girlfriend you have there.. too bad she’ll have to carry your body back to that small desert town all by herself”. Sin’Jun said, with his usual grin, slowly floating down to the ground, descending from the sky.
“I won’t lose today Sin’Jun, I will free these good people from your grasp, and make sure my loved ones are safe.” Joey said, while following Sin’Jun with his eyes.
“Isn’t that noble of you.. your too good if I can be honest.. you need to have a little fun in between.” Sin’Jun said, while slowly changing his position, standing ready to attack. Joey did not reply to that, he too slowly stood ready for the fight.
As Tomoko watched upon Joey and the Wind lord, Sin’Jun, she started to worry.. Joey still had to learn how to control his Holy powers.
“He has them.. they got unlocked along with his other powers, but he hasn’t found out how to yse them yet.. and there is no way for me to teach him now.. all I can do for now.. is pray for him”. Tomoko brought her hands together, lifting them up to the height of her chest.. her eyes kept themselves on Joey, with a tear running down her cheeks.
Joey looked at Sin’Jun, his eyes were filled with flames of determination, to save all of the people in the desetrt, the small town.. but also the ones in his heart.. Tomoko was counting on him to save everyone, this was all he could think of. He stretched his right arm, opening his hand, where he summoned the Light Blue sword that was kept safe in the massive castle, back in Heaven, where everyone else was watching how the fight was about to begin, by using the magical mirror.
“Sin’Jun, Elemental Lord of Wind.. your reign over this desert will end! You and your evil ways must stop! And with force, if I have to!” Joey yelled at him, keeping his eyes closely on Sin’Jun, while taking a firm grip on his sword. Sin’Jun slowly unsheathed two huge daggers, which could easily be short swords.. the daggers had eagles imprinted on each of them. As he unsheathed his daggers, he smirked at Joey.
“Do you really think that –you- are able to stop me as you are now? You can’t even control you own Element’s magic! Let alone fly like I can”. He said, as he slowly bend through his knees, letting one dagger rise above his head, and the other lowering down his waist, both of them being pointed at Joey.
“I am certain off my skills.. I –will- defeat you.. I must defeat you.. for the sake of all the people in here.. but this is more the enough talk!” Joey said, his eyes burning with confidence. Sin’jun smirked as ge charged at Joey, leaving a trail of dusting sand behind him. Joey watched closely how Sin’Jun charged at him, he braced himself for the incoming man, swinging his sword in a horizontal cut as he gets in a close enough range. His sword clashing against Sin’Jun’s daggers, them entering in a power struggle. Joey, who was physically stronger then Sin’Jun, overwhelmed him, letting Sin’jun struggle in the sand, losing balance. Joey uses this chance to swing his large sword at him, however, Sin’Jun quickly levitates into the air, dodging the attack gracefully as he slowly flies higher into the sky, being far above Joey. He laughed at an annoying and insulting way.
“Ha! You’ll never be able to land a single hit on me! Not as long as you don’t join me in the air!” He yelled at him. Joey recovered from the unsuccessful swing he made, looking up at him, slowly narrowing his eyes. “I know he’s right.. my sword is no good when he’s in the air..” Joey thought to himself. Sin’jun charged at Joey from the air, trying to strike him with a great speed. Joey quickly jumps away from the charge, quickly recovering. He watched him come close for a charge again, also tying to evade this charge. This goed on for a little while, Joey is starting to become fatigued, knowing he can’t keep up with just dodging his attacks.. Sin’Jun isn’t getting tired at al, since he’s using his own Element’s power to fly.
“You can’t dodge forever! You call yourself the Arch Angel? Your a disgrace! Now.. here’s something to make you really dance!” Sin’Jun yelled at him, as he slowly stoped moving in the air. Tomoko saw Joey and Sin; Jun stop moving.. she narrowed her eyes to see what Sin’Jun was up to in the air. She saw him move his arms in a certain way.. her eyes slowly widened as she recognized what he was doing, she called out for Joey. “J-Joey! Watch out! He’s going to launch a magical attack!"
Joey quickly turned his head to Tomoko as he heard her warning, then returned his gaze back to Sin’Jun, whose hands were growing a bright light. He took a few steps vack as Sin’Jun stretched his arms, where crescent like energy waves were being shot towards him with a bright green colour. Joey braced himself, swinging his sword at the crescent energy waves, dispersing two of them as he hit them, but three others cutting in his arms and his left leg, leaving him to bleed violently.
“Argh! Damnit!” Joey yelled, closing his eyes tightly as he fell on his right knee, “T-that didn’t quite work out.. as planned” he said, as he slowly opened his eyes, stumbling onto his feet.
“Oh no.. Joey is losing.. I must help him somehow..” Tomoko said with tears in her eyes. Joey took another tight grip onto his sword, even though he knew the situation was grave. Sin’Jun raised his hands into the sky once again, to ready his spell.
“You know Joey.. you really are a pathetic excuse for an Arch Angel.. You don’t even stand a chance against me..” Sin’Jun said as he narrowed his eyes. Joey lowered his head, knowing that everything Sin’Jun said was true.
“He’s right.. I can’t even fully control my magic yet, let alone be able to defeat Sin’Jun as I am now..” Joey said to himself, already admitting defeat in his heart. Sin’Jun fired another round of energy waves towards Joey, who quickly tried to swing his sword at the waves. He managed to disperse one of them, but two others hit him in his chest.
“Argh! Damnit! Was all for nothing?!” Joey yelled as he fell to his knees. He looked down, feeling beaten, ashamed and weak. He felt like that all his work was for nothing. Tomoko started crying in the oasis, looking at the situation. “J-Joey.. don’t die now.. I’ll help you.. even though I’m not allowed to.. I don’t want you to die now Joey.. I’ll help you at risk of my own life..” Tomoko wiped away her tears from her cheeks, taking her bow from her back, pulling the string of the bow, making a bright white arrow appear in the bow. She fired the arrow towards Sin’Jun, and another, and another. Sin’Jun was too focussed on Joey to see that there were arrows flying in his direction. However, the arrows too a small detours, and kept floating in the air behind Sin’Jun. The more arrows Tomoko fired, the more the entire pose of the arrows started to resemble a pentagram. Tomoko started chanting her own spell, the pentagram slowly lighting up brightly. Joey slowly looked up at Sin’Jun, seeing the pentagram behind him. He smiled for himself, as he knew he was being helped.
Tomoko opened her eyes, which seemed to be shining brightly. At the same time as Tomoko's eyes started shining, the pentagram started lighting up too. From the pentagram, a light beam was fired towards Sin'Jun. Sin'Jun heard the beam coming from the Pentagram, but as he turned around to look at it, he was already hit by the light beam. He could feel his body being paralysed by it. Tomoko quickly ran towards Joey, looking at him.
“T-tomoko.. why did you..?” Joey said, slowly feeling his powers fade away. Tomoko didn't reply with words, but she quickly pressed his lips against his, starting to transfer her powers into his body. Joey felt his body slowly regenerate, his powers being refilled again, and even more coursing through his body. But at the same time, Tomoko started becoming weaker and weaker, slowly kneeling down, then dropping her body on the floor, losing her conscious. Joey looked upon Tomoko's body, slowly rising once more, laying Tomoko on her back. He quickly turned his head towards Sin'Jun, who was still paralysed by Tomoko's attack.
“I have trained for a long time.. I have worked a lot to get this far, there were a lot of people who wanted to help me and they did. Even though they offered their help, I complained a lot on how they were treating me. But now that Tomoko has given her powers to me.. now that I see her body laying motionless on the floor.. I see that all what I did, was wrong, and that I need to set things right on my own now.. Tomoko, your sacrifice of your powers will not go in vain.. Sin'Jun.. You will feel the wrath of God!”
As soon as Joey stopped talking, the earth started to tremble, sand hills slowly shifting out of place in the massive desert. The cloudless sky slowly opened up, where a bright light emitted from the sky over Joey. He slowly bend his back, movements could be seen from his back, as if something inside of his back was wanting to get out. Joey let out a loud scream of both pain, and exhausting energy as he stood straight again, two massive, bright white wings escaping his body, ripping open his back with a lot of blood. However, his back regenerated quickly, and the wings shook the blood off them, along with this, Joey's hair and eye colour became a little brighter. As soon as Joey stood still, the earth stopped shaking and the sands from the desert laid down on the earth again, also the light disappearing. Joey looked upon Sin'Jun who had broken the spell which paralysed him, looking at Joey with a glare.
“Damn that girl.. she transferred her powers to him in that kiss!~The little witch.. but that doesn;t matter, my plan will still work perfectly. The boy isn't so strong yet..” Sin'Jun said to himself, looking at Joey with a smirk. “You think that little transformation of yours helped you? Ha! I think not.. you may have gotten your wings from this, but you still have too little experience to fight me!”.
“I have confidence in my powers now.. with Tomoko's added strength.. I will surely defeat you this time.. I simply must” Joey said, his voice sounding more calm and determined. Joey took his sword once more, and aimed it towards Sin'Jun. “Come on then..”. Sin'Jun narrowed his eyes at the taunt, taking his daggers, charging at Joey from the air. Joey smirked and started flapping his wings, but not lifting from the ground. The flapping from his wings created a small sandstorm, with Sin'Jun flying straight into it.
“W-what is this?!” He yelled out of frustration, trying to find Joey. Joey quickly appeared in front of Sin'Jun with amazing speed. He launched his fist towards his stomach, hitting Sin'Jun straight where the punch should've landed. Sin'Jun started coughing, and tried t catch his breath, which was hard to do in this sandstorm which Joey created.
“A-ah!” Sin'jun yelled, swaying his daggers around blindly. Joey had already moved out of the sand storm, stopping to flap his wings so Sin'Jun could see him again. Sin'Jun turned himself to Joey as the sand laid on the earth once more, narrowing his eyes.
“A filthy trick.. I'll show you!” Sin'Jun yelled, chanting his spell again, firing the crescent-like energy waves towards Joey, five of them. Joey smiled as he swayed his sword with great speed and accuracy, dispersing all of the energy waves that were shot at him.
“Is that all you got..? My oh my.. either you weakened in the past five minutes or there's more power in Tomoko then I would've imagined.. I really need to thank her..” Joey said with a smirk, full of confidence.
“You brat! No woman is stronger then me! Let alone some angel!” Sin'Jun yelled, dashing towards Joey with his daggers in position. Sin'Jun tried to stab Joey with both of his daggers at the same time, but Joey was quicker then Sin'Jun was. He quickly dashed to the right, letting his hands summon a small pentagram in the air, shooting small particles of Holy Energy at Sin'Jun, who received a full blow on his side from Joey's attack, making him lose balance and fall to the ground. Sin'Jun let out a scream of agitation, quickly rising up again, holding his hands to the sky, letting clouds form above them.
“I hope your prepared for a little wind!” Sin'Jun yelled, as the clouds slowly started to form a tornado. “You'll be crushed by my strongest move! You'll never survive this you brat!”. Sin'Jun's words were sounding desperate, but determined for some reason. Slowly the tornado hit the ground, but it remained in it's place, being controlled by Sin'Jun. Slowly, sand from all over the place started to get mixed with the tornado Sin'Jun created, scrapping Joey's skin. Joey quickly used his wings as a shield but still leaving some space for him to see what Sin'Jun was up to. Sin'Jun slowly lowered his hands, the tornado still remained in it's place as he started chanting another spell, the same as he used before. As he fired his spell, it was not towards Joey but towards the tornado. Also, they were a lot more then that he fired at Joey, there could easily be over a hundred crescent like energy waves, slowly mixing with the tornado. Joey widened his eyes as the tornado started giving off a bright green light, the crescent like energy waves could be seen swirling inside of the tornado, making the entire tornado a dangerous, sharp weapon.
“Ha! Now let's see you work yourself against this, Angel!” Sin'Jun yelled, his eyes slowly resembling the madness of battle. He slowly raised his hand at Joey, cackling maniacally as the tornado started moving towards him. Joey slowly released the shield he made from his wings, looking at the mighty tornado, which was coming closer and closer. Joey didn't have much time to think on what he was going to do, but he quickly thought of something. He flapped his wings, and soon became airborne. He flew higher and higher, above the tornado. Sin'Jun, who couldn't move because he was controlling the tornado, looked up at Joey.
“You think you can hide up there? No way you can run away from this!” He yelled at him, slowly groaning loudly, almost screaming as he tried to lift the tornado higher, from the ground. With success the tornado came closer to Joey as he flew higher and higher. Joey however, was faster then the rising tornado. He flew right above it, seeing the eye of the tornado. Joey flew straight into the tornado, with a smirk. Sin'Jun started laughing.
“So you want to die thát eagerly your just throwing yourself into the tornado?! Ha ha!” he yelled, already declaring himself the victor of this battle. But suddenly, from the middle of the tornado, a bright orb could be seen appearing slowly. Sin'Jun suddenly stopped laughing as he saw the white color between his own tornado.
“No, no, no! What is this?! What's going on?!” Sin'Jun yelled in despair. From the small or inside pf the tornado, Joey's yell could be heard, the orb grew greater and greater, until it was too big for the tornado. The tornado dispersed as the orb broke free from it.
“No! How is this possible?!” Sin'Jun yelled, as he lowered his arms, being exhausted. Joey appeared from orb as it slowly faded away, holding his sword and looking at Sin'Jun.
“Your evil reign will stop here.. you have tortured the people from here for far too long now Sin'Jun, it is time you pay for your evil acts.. I'm sorry it had to end this way..” Joey said calmly as he started dashing towards Sin'Jun.
“No!” He yelled, but it was too late, Joey had pierced his sword straight through his heart, his eyes slowly closing as his final few words slipped from his lips.
“You.. You'll never stop him.. ne.. ver..” Were Sin'Jun's final words. As he passed away, a light green aura could be seen leaving from his mouth, slowly dispersing into thin air. Joey quickly pulled his sword from his chest, and laid Sin'Jun down on the ground, ever so slowly. He watched upon the man who had finally passed away.
“Rest in peace, Sin'Jun.. your heart may have been corrupted, but you were a great fighter..” Joey said, looking Sin'Jun's dagger. Joey strapped his sword on his back as he took Sin'Jun's daggers from the ground, carefully wrapping them in some cloth, strapping them to his belt. Joey quickly turned his head towards Tomoko, where he ran too. He kneeled down infront of her as he suddenly felt exhaustion hit his body. He started panting and sweating, his eyes slowly closing and his wings returning into his back, leaving him in his normal form once more. As Joey fell to the ground, he smiled, knowing he had won the battle. On that same moment Krad, who was watching the battle through the mirror, took the others to the portal, quickly arriving at the site where Joey and Tomoko were. Marcus took both of them over his shoulder, slowly walking back home, the rest following. Krad just smiled.