Rei could feel the tension in the room, the air had gone cold and felt heavy.
Ezio took two steps forward, a nervous smirk formed on his lips. "The possession hasn't been for long, we can still reverse it!" He announced.
Rei quickly pulled out his dagger from its sheath and he got into his fighting stance— just like how he practiced with Ezio.
Just then Mikko smiled, "do you have what it takes to stop me?" As Rei saw her look into Saya's direction.
Saya's eyes were wide open, but her palms were now curled into fists. Hamura stepped infornt of her, he held a dark mini katana in his hand and he looked ready to fight.
Suddey, Mikko jumped, she practically flied towards Saya's direction. She was almost too quick for Rei to notice.
Then Bam!
Ezio intersected at the same direction Mikko jumped, it almost felt like he was waiting for this exact move.
Alyssa sprinted towards her, she threw something like a dark powder at her— ashes of ghost's remains she called it.
After it made contact with it, Mikko froze for a moment. She tried struggle her to move but she couldn't.
"Great job Alyssa!" Shouted Ezio as he sprinted near Mikko. He swung his dagger at her with full force.
Mikko finally got control over her body, as Ezio saw her dodging his swing.
"Careful not to hurt her!" Alyssa shouted
Ezio stumbled back, narrowly avoiding Mikko's counterstrike.
"She broke through the ash very quickly," Alyssa muttered. She grabbed another pinch from her pouch.
Mikko snarled. Her voice was deeper this time.
"All your efforts will go in vain!" It felt distorted, like two people were speaking at once.
Rei steadied his breath. He couldn't afford to panic and couldn't afford to let anyone else die.
Alyssa closed her eyes and started chanting some prayers in Russian.
Suddenly Rei felt that his body had gotten stronger and as he ran to Mikko— it even felt faster.
"So this is her ability," Rei sounded impressed, "so she can boost pur strength and stun the enemy? Thats dope!" He added.
Hamura appeared behind Mikko in an instant, his blade was drawn.
Mikko spun. She was fast but not faster than all of them.
Alyssa knelt near the far wall, drawing a ritual circle in ash, She chanted in Russain,
" oh great lord, form the gate. Remove the soul that does not belong to this world!:
Rei could see a golden light spark from the ground, The runes etching themselves around the circle and the glow had every prayer Alyssa spoke.
Mikko lunged again, this time at Alyssa.
Rei saw it coming and threw himself forward. he just had to slow her down.
He tackled her mid-sprint and both of them crashed to the floor. She thrashed like an animal her teeth snapping and her eyes wild.
"You're hurting her, Mikko!" Rei yelled as he tried to hold her down.
"Kana's still in there! She can feel everything!"
Mikko held Rei's wrist and threw him away like he was weightess. Then she looked at Saya
Ezio threw himself forward just as Mikko lunged at Saya to protect her. They collided mid-air and crashed hard on the ground.
Rei stood back up and sprinted near her. He tried to pin her arms, but she twisted underneath him with inhuman strength and slammed him on the floor.
Ezio rushed in from the side. "Rei, move!"
Rei rolled away just in time as Ezio swung, but Mikko dodged it, her movements were vicious. She landed a blow to Ezio's ribs, knocking him on his knees.
"She's too strong!" Rei gasped.
But Ezio didn't stop. "Then we wear her down together!"
He launched forward again — and this time Rei mirrored him. Ezio went high and Rei went to the other low.
Mikko blocked Rei's blade but she didn't saw Ezio's kick coming. He kicked her backward—right into the glowing seal.
The ash circle ignited. The ritual had now begun.
Mikko screamed — and a black smoke began pouring from her mouth, eyes, her fingertips.
Alyssa stood, holding her both palms out toward the seal as she chanted in Russain.
"By the mercy of lord! leave the vessel you do not own!"
Rei and Ezio backed away from the circle simultaneously and watched in awe as the spirit was torn out from Kana's body and a mass of shadow formed near her.
They could see an image of Mikko hovering above the circle now, it looked twisted and wild-eyed and her face was covered from her hair and Rei could feel the gaze from her eyes behind her hair.
His right eye statyed to burn again. He was barley able to withstand it.
And then… something in kana's face shifted qs she opened her eyes.
"Saya…?"
Her voice sounded....human.
Rei stepped forward, his hands were trembling. "We're here to save you kana, It's over. Come back."
Kana collapsed inside the ring. She was unconscious but he was breathing.
Silence filled the room as a figure appered from the shadows.
Alyssa stood back up, Ezio who was resting against the wall, stood back up. Hamura simply stood there with his katana tightly gripped and humming, his eyes fixed on the Urban legend, who was finally manifested in its true form.
"Get ready guys, the real fight is just beginning." Ezio spoke with nervousness, with a faint smirk on his lips.
Rei walked forward, his cursed of trauma was now activated. He was just looking for a great time to see Mikko's past.
He heard Mikko leting out a bone-chilling laugh.
He glanced at her, it looked like her body began to dissolve as it faded into mist, her voice echoed in the entire room.
"You did win this time, just wait when hunt you all down…"
"She's going to vanish—Alyssa, barrier! Now!" Ezio shouted.
But alyssa's hands were already moving, she threw ash around the corners of the room.She started chanting again,
"oh, the all mighty lord! Dont let this spirit escape. "
Mikko reappered again.
"Good," Ezio shouted. "after seeing her last time, i knew she has this ability to disappear and reappear behind someone. You vanished last time but you wont slip this time!"
Rei could see her face twist in anger.
Then she charged.
Her hand slashed through the air and forced Ezio back. He blocked her strike with his forearm. He grunted, and then retaliated with a quick jab of his dagger.
She dodged it and then came for Alyssa next.
Rei rushed in from the side and clashed with her.
"Stay in the light," Alyssa shouted. "She's weaker inside the barrier!"
Rei pushed harder but he felt Mikko overpower him. She forced him onto one knee. Her face hovered inches away from his.
And then it happened.
They locked eyes.
Mikko could see his red eye.
Rei's vision fractured.
And when he opened his eyes...he was no more in that school building fighting an urban legend, he was floating on air.
He saw a classroom filled with morning sunlight.
Desks were lined neatly in rows and as he looked away he could feel the gentle breeze in through open windows which carried the scent of sakura blossoms.
He saw a young girl stood by her desk, she was carefully arranging her books. She was in her school uniform andhair neatly tied in a ponytail. She looked... ordinary.
"Heyyy, Mikko! Wait up!" a cheerful voice called out.