Micah's eyes gain a spark of excitement and dashes off to where she heard Ken's voice. Quickly seeing him, she quickly writes 'I was attacked by one of the people, but this man came and saved me, he easily dispatched of the enemy as well. It's one down!' She writes.

Ken smiles at Micah, "Yeah, me and Nina beat one respectively, she should arrive soon herself. But, that's not important right now, we got a lot of important information." Ken begins to explain.

"First of all, we learnt that all these people working together have a close bond, they're all related through blood, however weren't born together. Do you know why? Six people were put into a cursed ritual, a curse to increase ones abilities, make them have abnormal aspects. These are those six people, they were forced to participate in this dance competition held every year, until they tragically begna to learn how to use ki and magic, to escape these horrible chain of events." Ken explains and begins to take a deep breath.

"What's so bad at this you ask? Well, your life span is reduced by three quarters if you're entered into this ritual and they said there's a plan to do it again, reducing peoples lives for increased ability. These guys are planning to stop it, by forcing possible candidates to stop practicing dancing, killing them if needed."

I lowered my ki,and put homura back.This face was not that of a enemy.I recognized the archer from the school.
I sat back on the ground and overheard the conversation.
After I overheard what he said,and got a better view of the whole picture.Something just felt wrong about this.If this so called ritual turned the participants into artificial warriors at a backdrop of lifespan.Why would they eliminate the participants,thus ending their lifespan..much worse than being reduced.
I could come to only 2 conclusions now.Either their was a much deeper cause for this,or our enemies are sadistic murderers.
I began to wonder what micah said about the girl who escaped,Should it be the latter option,I could imagine what would have happened to her by now.
I looked back at the corpse of the kid,with a better explanation of his unnatural ability.I tried to comprehend his age when he became a part of the ritual.After all these battles and slaughter,killing him unsettled my mind.After all demons are much different than humans..even if they are artificial warriors.

"That's not all!" Nina quickly rushes in, loss of breath and fatigue, obviously noticeable. "As Ken said, one woman died out of the six, yet there's still six. Why is this? The woman bore a child," She says looking back at the corpse over there.

"I-It's h-him..." She mumbles changing to her more quiet side. "A-as you can see, he's exceptionally powerful... so, the artificial powers are then transferred to the child they have... But that's not all, why would the people be doing this to make people stronger? T-the only conclusion I was able to come up with, was that they're planning on having a war. I-I studied at the towns surrounding Everlast Magic School, t-this one is in dispute with at least a hundred other villagers, so if you think clearly, if these people are killing the candidates, they're also saving hundreds of lives, if you know what I mean..." She mumbles, hoping everyone had heard.

"KYAAAAAAAAAA!!!" A scream could be heard in a narrow hall from the inside.

"I-is there someone else here!?" Nina quickly stutters from fright. "O-other than us four? A-and may I inquire your n-name?" She asks the white-haired guy.

As I heard the rest of the half of this information,Pieces started to get together.
So either the participants die or Everlast...
And all we can do is create a breakthrough between this chain of events.But who do they think they are,deciding whats best for everyone,by killing?!
As I was in deep thoughts,a scream brought me back.I realized another girl had joint,4 of us in total now,asking for my name.

"im bex.I reside in the same school as you,although I believe we have never met.But back on topic,just as you said there where 6 people..how many of them are left?"I asked as I prepared myself for battle.

"T-there should only be one left... b-but, he or she would most likely be the leader, s-since we didn't fight the leader." Nina embarrassingly says. Nina looked at the man, she did notice him from a few classes, but obviously not much. Spinning her spear at amazing speed and pressure, it all seemed she was fine. Giving a slight nod, she's the first one to run off to where she heard the scream.

Ken stares intently at Bex and quickly claps one of his hands together quietly, "I know you! You're the guy who was getting rather pathetically carried by that blue-haired girl! That's not the way it should be going," Ken states, letting out a small, unnoticeable snicker. After that small taunt, he quickly runs off, following Nina.

Micah quickly chased after Ken and Nina. What did all this mean? Is there a person working behind the scenes? That couldn't be possible... Or could it? There's also the chance they're lying. Well either way, she knew it was Riana who just screamed, why was it? Everyone has to save her!

As some of us arrived in a dome like room, filled with numerical mirrors. Riana's body, brutally battered, her head decapitated laid in the middle of the room. Micah's tears began to flow from shock, running quickly over to Riana's body, she wanted to know WHO killed her, why? She need answers, now.

Nina's rather quiet side isn't able to cope with seeing dead bodies. Tears easily flowed from her demure side, quickly running near Micah, she had to protect her, no matter what. "W-who done this?!" She asks out in the surrounding area.

"W-who done this?!" The room echos.

"Do you really want to know, hehe...?" A voice replies.

"W-who's there...?" She quickly worries and panics.

"W-why did you do this to her? I heard she wasn't going to participate when I checked the roles! So why did you kill her!?"

"What are you talking about? She WAS going to participate." The voice murmurs, as a large shadow hand emerges near Nina, swiping her spear, Nina begins to attempt to slay the hand as it grabs her spear. "In fact, it was only her and that girl who were participating." The shadow hand points at Micah.

'That can't be right...' Micah writes on the board, 'She gave me a scroll on a dance and wished me luck and everything!' She shakes her head in denial.

"Look at the top corner, in fine print. It says 'E', am I right?" The voice laughs. Micah looks in the two top corners, the right one contained a rather miniscule 'E', as the voice said.

'What does that mean...?' She writes.

"It means, that the dance she gave you was a rank E dance, you'd get almost no points at all for it. If you can't piece it together, she was trying to sabotage you; didn't you notice? She fled the scene, leaving you in danger and everything." The voice quickly explains, Micah began to notice the voice was of that roughly being the age of thirty or higher, it was also a male.

'That can't be right...' Micah thought to herself, as blades of shadow appear from under her. Micah quickly jumps back, avoiding a giant halberd flying out of the ground.

"You'll quit, too, right?" The voice asks.

'No! I need that...' Micah writes, throwing her board away, not wanting to talk anymore.

"You mean this...?" The voice asks, as a shadow emerges from the ground, holding the shell in its palm.

'T-that's...' Micah thought to herself, as she begins dashing towards it, 'I-I must get it! My voice!' She begins as thoughts rush through her head, as the shadow hand begins to crush it into numerous small pieces.

Micah's eyes widen with shock, even more tears flow through her eyes, her closest chance to get her voice back were thrown away, her dream dashed. 'No... NOOOOO!!!' Micah thought to herself as she begins to cry and falls to the ground.

I sat quietly for a while alone as the team of 3 ran ahead.My whole life I wondered ,when I was a kid,training to become a fighter back in azard.One thing was always stressed upon,something I thought was useless for fighting.Discipline they said,was the first thing to be mastered to be a warrior,what discipline in slaughtering,taking lives and showing off ones strength.As I grew up we were forced to make plans,formations and not to mention work as a team,sharing abilities.As I got accustomed to this,I never realized how easily we defeated powerful and seemingly impossible to beat ,demons.But when azard got destroyed,I relied on myself.Using myself as my only weapon.Now that I was working with a team after a long time,the word discipline made more meaning.

I sat up and began to walk,in no hurry of the consequences.Probably because i had anticipated them to some extent.I made my way following the footprints,showing haste if nothing more.The path lead to a peculiar structure,which from the outside,stood out of the rest of the environment surrounding it.As I entered the room everything happened too quickly.I saw micah falling to the ground,trying to reach out to the shell-like structure which a shadow was about to crush in its hands.
"Devils hand"I said as I extended the giant hand towards the shell and grabbing it just in time.Micah went through the semi materialized ki,Breaking the impact of her fall as she hit the ground.I looked back at the primitive archer who holding his bow and arrow watched with a dumb expression everything take place.
" Cavemen will be Cavemen"I said,without any unnecessary explanation.
I regretted saying so though,fighting among the team was the worst one could do to destroy the discipline among them.

"W-where's the r-real person controlling the shadows!?" Nina asks, as she quickly turns around, realizing a shadow, lizard like man, wielding a sword was heading directly towards her. "Chi Li Ra Na Sec, Sand Coffin!!" She says, pointing at the shadow creature, trapping it in magical manifested sand. "N-now you, please let go of m-my weapon!!" She complains, trying to pull it out, as the shadow hand quickly grabs her, throwing her aside.

"Hmm... I see, so you're a girl who excels in using spears as well as efficient use in sand magic. Looking at your fight with that other girl, you have a double personality, and you, an archer part of the bird tribe, correct?" The voice analyzes the four combatants.

"H-how did you know that?!" Meek Nina quickly inquires as she gets up from the throw. Her spear was on the other side of the room, she didn't want to revert to her other side, though her other side is actually stronger, she wanted to protect everyone herself, not always relying on her other side.

"And you're a warrior, I'm not sure what's with your arm, but it seems as if you were mutated or something lame like that. Finally, you, the dancer, you have little to no power capabilities correct? Well either way, let's increase the battle size!" He chuckles, as wires surround the room and daggers were chained together, lining across the wire.

"I wouldn't bother trying to break it, the wires are made of pure magic, so it'd be pretty hard. Each minute, five randomized daggers will be sent flying across the room. It's pretty much a gamble! It'd hit you, my shadow pets, nothing or even me. Hehe..."

"Pfft, primitive? At least I don't look like I was mutated," Ken mocks once again as he shoots a shadow hand that was coming his direction, "Now stop being a burden and help, you lazy!"

Ken quickly spreads his angelic wings and shoots numerous ki-infused bullets at the surrounding shadow monsters. The daggers were giving him quite an intimidation as blades can easily pierce his wings which were only made for defending magical attacks.

I got my mind aside of the obvious distraction to a more important matter at hand.I began to analyze the knives which came from random directions.I couldn't detect any ki in them,meaning it was something else,magic being the only answer,if not something extraordinary.I dodged the knives,it was obvious what the motive for this was,I tried to save all the ki I could to prevent it.I fired a bullet at the wires,like told,they didn't bulge.Next I tired to recall what the voice said..'It'd hit you, my shadow pets, nothing or even me. Hehe...'
But besides the point I could sense no entity in the room,either he was concealed or practically not there.As time went on more daggers kept coming,the numbers by all means,never went up,seeing as people were busy destroying them.Even he I thought wont be stupid enough to bet his own life on it.Then I looked at the shadow pets..which I also couldn't sense....in a single room..with daggers flying around everywhere,one cannot entirely conceal oneself whole.Without delay I started to slaughter the shadow creatures one by one.

"Chi Li Ra Na Sec, Chi Li Ra Na Sec, Sand Coffin!!" She creates a tower much larger, sturdier and stronger, trapping in three shadow monsters, easily crushing then when she flicked her fingers, making it fall. As she made her way to her spear, she agilely jumps over a few, as five daggers were sent flying off the wall. One quickly skimmed her arm as she equips her spear, wiping out another shadow creature.

This mans magic must be extremely strong, extremely strong for him to be able to create so many shadow warriors.

Micah knew she had to be strong, she quickly notices a monster coming towards her, dodging a swing by it, she back flips away and notices that a five daggers were sent flying, one of them was sent flying at Bex's hand, destroying the shell. Micah grunted slightly, but it wasn't the only one in the world, there was still more. Grabbing shards of the shell, she quickly uses her 'Throwing Dance', to pierce the shadows face, quickly dispersing it.

"Not replying? How ignorant..." Ken laughs as he quickly shoots at some of the shadow warriors from above. Looking around, there was no one to be seen, but that doesn't mean there isn't anyone... "Rapid Stream!" Ken shouts as he shoots in numerous directions, hoping to hit the person. Looking at where the arrows were sent flying, he noticed that the area seemed to... morph, of some sort.

"Everyone! The guys using some sort of concealing, invisibility magic!" Ken shouts over to everyone.

"Quite close. However... I'm actually using my shadows to hide myself.' The man replies calm as usual.

"We'll see!" Ken quickly replies, kicking a shadow water, easily overpowering it.

As I fought the shadow warriors,a flying dagger,as if having its own brain,crashed into the shell pinpoint."dammit"
After kens attack,I too noticed the distortion in the air.I smirked.
With quick movements,I imbued demonic ki in the ground again.Quite naturally I didnt have the power to see him,but I could now sense the ground he walked on.
"peekaboo,I see you!"
"Devils grab"
Within my grasp I felt his presence,although not visible.I grabbed his face with the devils hand,and dug my human fist into his gut.Blood splattered on my arm,coming out of nowhere.
I felt a sudden distortion in the magic field as he tried to breath,or so i felt.
"whats with this inhuman power..."
"Steroids I tell you,work like a charm"
I Let go off him
"you can run if you want,i have no interest fighting a coward like you"
"although just to be sure where you are..."
i fired a bullet right in his skull or where i assumed it would be,to my surprise,it did hit him,blood starting to flow from nowhere again,trailing him as he circled his own cage,he was hurt,but not dead,so was to expect from him.

"S-so strong..." The man mutters, as blood drips off his face.

"Give up!!" Nina shouts from afar, wiping out the shadow monsters around her.

"...Just joking!" He laughs as shadow surrounds his entire body and shadow like spears are flung out at amazing speed in numerous directions. "Do you really think I'd be defeated by a petty, weak attack like that? I was too enhanced like the rest, I've got the most battle experience, do you really think you can beat me? Keep dreaming!!" He scoffs as he flicks his fingers, causing a wave of ghost like shadows to swarm over Bex.

At another flick of his fingers, Nina swings her spear at another shadow monster wielding a sword, on which easily parries the attack and sends her flying at the wall. "Kyaa!" She yelps slightly, her body battered. A dagger right above her was send plummeting towards her.

"Enough... Let me handle it." Nina mumbles, with a more strengthened voice of sorts. Wiping out the dagger, she had reverted back to her more aggressive half. "I'll mop the floor with you," She mumbles as she dashes off.

Micah avoided the spikes of shadow as they flung towards Micah. 'This is bad... His powers increased much higher than all four of our attack power put together!' Delivering a spin kick to a shadow lizards face, she watches as it does nothing and the shadow creature quickly grabs Micah by the neck and slams her into the ground, making her cough outrageously.

I used the devils hand to and smashed handful of shadows on the others,eliminating them.
I analyzed the situation in a more serious manner.
"if your so strong why not show yourself?"
"I dont find any obligation to answer you"
"ill come out straight,your just a sorry excuse of a guy who cant fight"
"your attacks dont hurt S***"
"tell me that after the blood stops flowing"
"you can never defeat me"
It was true,magical barriers was our tribes weakness.Although this was before one of us came to inherit demons.Usually ud expect the caster to be outside the circle in safety,draining our strength till we were weak enough.I peeked into the devils amulet in my pocket...was this the right time to use it?....
No,not right now,seeing as the barrier was enclosed I might end up killing everyone.I watched as nina and ken too struggled.
I realized it was futile afterall.None of us was able to find an opening from this cursed barrier.
Suddenly I saw micah choking,as a shadow hovered above her,ready for attack.
"charge shot"
I shot the bullet,eliminating the shadow.
I ran up to her "are you ok?"
My thoughts started to take a concrete form..
"we need team work.." I said,hoping that my words reached their destination

Nina shoves her spear in the shadow monsters mouth. 'Though you said you were going to protect them, I can't let you do that... I'll do it in your stead. You are the original keeper of this body, I won't let harm in your way.' Nina pierces the back neck of the shadow monster. As three quickly begin to rush at her. "Sand Coffin." She flickers, as it easily traps the three in the coffin.

As the sand coffin plummets down on the lethargic monsters, Nina was already near them. "Extramito!" Nina shouts destroying their hands. It seems their whole body is counted as a 'weapon', so any weapon breaking attack should work well on them. Dashing near Ken, she quickly got there.

"That newbie's right, we do need to work together, you ready?" Nina asks, doing a back-flip to avoid an attack.

Ken lands next to Nina, keeping his wings out. "...Yeah..." He smiles at her, shooting a few arrows at the surrounding monsters, though, because of their increased strength, he'd need to at least barrage them with arrows. "Arrow Stream!" He mutters, as he increases his ki input, aiming for the walls and the enemies close by. "I can't seem to hit him," Ken says, using his eyesight to try and spy any odd movements, only to be unable to.

"We're going to work together, right? We've usually been doing things separately this whole mission..." Nina mumbles, "I'll let my other side handle this part," She smirks as her face turns red entirely. It would seem as her weaker side took over again.

"You can't be serious..." It would seem she was mumbling, as she grabs out a camera.

"Hm, what's that?" Ken asks as he easily fends away some of the shadow monsters. Noticing a dagger flying from above, he quickly grabs Nina and brings them both to the floor, as the dagger flies past over their heads. "F-few, we better finish off these enemies fast..." He mumbles to himself.