Young Magic Knight: My Thoughts

So, well, there's that. The first book, Young Magic Knight, is up and finished. If you've read it, thanks for sticking with it the whole way through, I appreciate it. If you haven't, I think you should give it a look.

You know, even after touching it up a bit, I still have... bittersweet feelings about it. You can still see where I was getting bored writing and just wrote stuff down, where I forced the story forward, where I didn't know how I wanted to describe something or where I couldn't think of a way for a character to speak a sentence and still have it make sense while getting their feelings across.

However, I still think I can say I'm happy, overall. It was my first real serious writing effort and it shows, but I still saw it through and I'm excited that I finally mustered up the courage to share it with others. Besides, I had so much fun doing this, so it was definitely worth it.

Now, just because I've finished this book doesn't mean I'm done. Far from it, actually! (If you've read the ending, you'd see that I still have a lot of explaining to do...) So if, for whatever reason, you want to read more of what I've got, don't worry. I intend to have a lot more coming, and I think my future creations are already shaping up to be better than this one, so you can look forward to that!

Anyway, in spite of all its flaws, I still like Young Magic Knight as a whole, and even if it wasn't my own work, I'd like to believe that I would get some enjoyment from reading it.

My favorite chapters are Chapters 12 and 13, partially because they're so damn edgy. Jokes aside, though, those are the chapters I ended up revising the most, and are almost unrecognizable next to the poorly written messes they were in the first draft (in fact, I'd like to believe they were the real reason I was so ashamed of the book at first. It was to the point that I considered just deleting both chapters and pretending they didn't happen! Good thing I didn't, because I think they turned out much better, this time around.)

If it wasn't obvious enough, Trace was my favorite character. Actually, when I first thought this up, waaaaaay back when I was still in high school, she was meant to be THE main character, mostly because I liked her so much. You can still see artifacts of this in the final product, like... how she eclipses all the other characters in development, importance, and power, and steals the spotlight from everyone...

B-but I tried as hard as I could to keep her from becoming a Mary Sue despite all that, okay!? Don't worry, she won't really be showing up in the next few books, so you don't have to worry about her taking over the narrative for a while.

Don't have much to say about the other characters aside from that they feel a little empty to me, by comparison. Azul is a nice guy and a good friend, Cleo is a nice girl with a tragic past, Primo was... there... Baek was just some guy, and I actually really regret neglecting Emerald as there was a lot of room for me to show her developing, and I can see how interesting she might have been, if I gave her a few more focus chapters.

Also, like Trace, these characters, how I wrote them, and how they were meant to develop have changed since I first made the Magic Knight Saga up. If you really are curious, I guess you can ask me about it, since I'm getting tired of writing right now and this is getting kind of long...

So, I'm done. Hope you're looking forward to what I have planned, because there are still a ton of stories to tell. Don't know how long it will take, but I will put the next book up when the time comes. See you then!

Young Magic Knight: Epilogue (Emerald)

So we go outside, all of us headed toward the bus stop. “So, uh...” Azul starts to speak. “We did it, I guess.” I didn't really think about it until he said that, but he's right. I was starting to feel like we didn't accomplish much, but our efforts did save the city, for now. I can be happy about that.

“Guys, what are we going to do about what Strife just told us about, though? The Dragon... Should we be worried about that?” Cleo asks. She does have a point. 2020 isn't that far away. Although I think we're pretty powerful when we work together, DotA is no joke... I will prepare myself to confront him. Hopefully the others will do the same.

“Come on, let's not talk about this stuff,” Trace says, grinning. “We just did something awesome. Let's celebrate!”

“So, what are we gonna do, Trace?” Baek asks. “Are we going out to eat? Gonna see a movie?”

“I was thinking about inviting you all to my place, but I don't know if my parents will come back early or not.” She shrugs. “Sometimes they surprise me like that.”

“We could go over to my house,” Cleo says.

“We go to your house all the time...”

“I haven't been to Cleo's house. Neither have Baek, or Emerald,” Azul says.

“Oh, whatever. Let's just go do something.”

The bus finally arrives. As we get on and find seats, those three keep talking about what to do and where to go to celebrate. “If we're going to someone's house,” Azul says, “we should grab some snacks. Rent a movie or something.”

“I'm cool with that. What are we seeing?”

“Have you seen the movie for Precious Blue Child yet, Trace?” Azul asks.

“No, and I wasn't really planning to.”

“Aw... come on, Trace, reconsider! I swear this one's much better than the Abandoned Blue Child adaption.”

Trace sighs, and admits defeat. “Alright, alright. You pick it up from Video Hawk while we're out. Don't be surprised if I complain through the whole thing.”

“It'll be good, Trace. You can bet on that,” Azul says, with confidence.

“Okay, then. I'll pay you back for the rental if I enjoy it. Deal?” She extends her hand.

“Deal.” He takes her hand and shakes it. “Alright,” Azul says, “Let's go to my place. I'll ask Gramps if it's okay. You guys haven't met him and Miko yet, have you?” Trace and Cleo shake their heads. Azul starts to call his home.

“Hello? Gramps?” Azul has a short conversation with the person he calls 'Gramps'. “Gramps is okay with it. You're coming, right, Baek?” He nods. “Emerald?”

I'm surprised he's inviting me. “Oh... is it okay?”

“Of course. Why would it not be?” Azul says, smiling.

I'm taken aback. What do I say? Has he forgotten what I said about getting revenge on Trace? “It's just that... I thought all of you hated me.”

They all seem surprised, but Azul most of all. “Hate you? Why? You haven't done anything to wrong me, have you?”

“Well, no, but...”

“Then it's okay, right?” he says, as if he truly has forgotten. No, it's more like he's chosen to disregard it. “You guys know what I'm saying, right?”

“Yeah, I get it,” Baek says.

“Yeah, it's okay, Emerald,” Cleo says.

“Um, it's alright, Emerald. Don't worry about it.” It's Trace, of all people, who says this.

I feel a tear roll down my cheek. “What's wrong, Emerald?”

“Oh... ah, it's nothing.” I quickly wipe it away. “Thank you... so much. Forgive me for being overly dramatic.”

With that, I decide to spend the night with these four. We buy nachos and popcorn, and watch the movie Azul rented. After watching it (Azul lost that bet, by the way), I somehow find myself talking to Trace.

“Trace, I found the movie surprisingly good.”

“That's because you don't know, man. They didn't show the part where Mikal and his party bust out of Hell. That scene was badass, and important. Real stupid of them to cut it.”

“Oh, this is based on a book? I ought to read it.”

“Yeah, man. Do you... oh, you can borrow mine.”

“What? Um, I, uh...”

“Come on, don't be like that. I've read mine. Just come to my house with me later.”

“Trace, is it okay?”

“What? I just said--”

“No, that's not what I mean!” I'm starting to blush... “You trust me. You've started treating me like a friend, although you know that...”

“Well, Emerald, I was hoping we could put that behind us. I mean, don't you?”

I can't form the words I want to say.

“So, yeah, Emerald. If you still want to kill me, come home with me and you'll get your chance. It'll just be you and me. No one even has to know it was you...”

After some time, Trace goes home, and I follow her. We go to her room, and she gives me her book and everything, then, she sits and waits...

There she is.

There's the girl who killed my friend.

Who's averted being found out by the police and everything.

Here she is, looking at me. Offering her life as if it was nothing.

And yet...

“...I can't. I can't do it.”

“Why not?” Trace says, more dead serious than I've ever seen her.

“I've tried... I've tried so hard...” More tears. Why am I crying so much, today? “I've tried to convince myself that you were a monster... I wanted so badly for you to just be another monster I could slay, but I can't...”

“Ah, so you can't do it. I'm... disappointed and relieved at the same time. It's just that... I would have let you do it. Somewhere inside, I've felt I deserve to suffer and die for what I've done. Part of me still does. Wouldn't it be fitting for the one who I've hurt the most to answer the dead's cry for justice?”

“I'm done with this shit!” I shout. “This craziness has gone on too long... I can't take it anymore...” I start walking out of the room. “Forget it, Trace. I will not kill you.”

...

...It's now June. School will be ending, soon. I think about what I'll do over vacation. While I had hung out with Trace and her friends over the year, I kept a bubble of sorts around myself, mostly hoping to keep from bringing up anything that would destroy these nice moments...

On this last day of school, during lunch, I stand on the rooftop and look out over the city. It's pretty quiet up here... but the silence doesn't last long.

“Something told me you'd be up here.” It's Trace. She followed me up here.

“What is it?” I try to sound as neutral as possible. I'm actually a bit irritated that Trace came to talk to me, but I can't show her that.

“Nothin' much. Just wanted to talk.” She comes closer and looks at my face. “...but if you don't want to, then--”

“It's okay,” I say, quickly, before she starts to leave. With that, she smiles and walks toward me, looking down at the city below.

“It's been one hell of a year, hasn't it?”

“Uh-huh.” I hadn't really thought about it until now, but yeah... she's right about that.

“Have you been preparing? For... y'know.”

“In my own way, yes,” I say. “What about you? You've been training, I assume?”

She nods. “Whenever I can. My initial plan was to just do nothing but train and research the Dragon over summer break, but... I don't know.” She scratches her head.

“That's what you're going to do? All summer break? Just prepare for a fight that's coming in two years? Surely, there must be something else.”

“Well, what are you going to do? Over summer break, I mean.”

“I was thinking of going to Lumière.” I look over at Trace and see her expression light up. There are a lot of people who think Lumière is a beautiful place, and I would always hear about people going to visit. Although, not as much, nowadays... I heard something had happened, but... “The original Chiesa del Salvato is there. Since I'm one of 'The Saved', I figure I should visit it at least once. I'm sure it's amazing, and I might even learn something.”

Now, Trace's expression is changing. I can see curiosity, but there's also a bit of nervousness to it... a face you wouldn't expect from her, of all people. “...can I come with you?”

I was half expecting it, but... “What?”

“I want to go to Lumière with you. Is that okay?”

I don't know what to say. Should I just tell her 'no'? “I don't get it, Trace. Why do you want to come? Wouldn't you be happier if you just stayed here with your friends? I'm not taking them with me, I can only afford one ticket to Lumière.”

“I can pay for my own ticket, so don't worry about that. As for them, they'll be okay without me, but you--” She stops.

“You're worried about me?” I say, trying to be sincere. What's going on with Trace that she would start worrying about me? Even if only for a second, I would like to peer into her mind and truly understand her.

She shakes her head and starts to chuckle. “It's kinda hard to explain, sorry.” She smiles. “Still, I think it would be good for me if I went... good for us.”

Awkward silence. I try to figure out what she's trying to tell me. She thinks it would be good for us? Does she just want to get closer to me? Suddenly, I come to this conclusion... “You want me to forgive you. You know that's not going to happen.”

“No, it's not it.” She looks into my eyes. “I just want to try and understand you, Emerald, and you to understand me. If I go on this journey with you, I feel like we might get that. No one has to forgive me for what I did, least of all, you, but...”

I think I get it. She really is serious about this. She doesn't need... doesn't want to be forgiven, she just wants to move forward. I feel that I understand Trace a bit better, now. “I see.” Seeing this, I reach my hand out towards Trace, and she takes it... “Come with me, Trace.”

A week passes as we make preparations for our trip. I made arrangements for where we'd be staying, the plane we'd be getting on, what we'd do there, what to bring with us, and other such things. The day has finally came for us to go. Trace's friends are here to see us off. Primo isn't here, though... I guess he could be busy. It's too bad.

“Don't worry, guys, I'm not leaving forever,” Trace says, with a smile.

“Yeah,” Blue says, nodding. “Just come back soon, okay?” He smiles back at her.

“...and be safe. Take care of yourselves,” Cleo says.

“See ya, Trace, Emerald, and bring us back something!” Baek says, grinning.

“Okay, okay,” I say, starting to smile, myself. “Goodbye.” I start to board the plane.

I look back one more time. They're all shouting, “Goodbye!” and waving at me and Trace.

“Bye! See you all later!” Trace shouts back, and waves.

It brings a smile to my face. She's been blessed with such good friends... and I guess they're my friends too, now. “Goodbye!” I wave back at them, holding back tears of joy, smiling brighter than I have in a long, long time...

“Come on, let's go.” With that, we start to get on the plane that will take us to Lumière, and truly begin moving forward...

Young Magic Knight: Chapter 24 (Echo)

"Sorry I'm late. I had some business in the Phoenix Empire to finish up."

Azul seems surprised to finally see me in person. They all seem pretty surprised, actually. “Anyway, I'll go collect Savior and Eighth. The cops will get Alex... King, later. You guys, head back to my house.”

“What?” Baek voices confusion at my request.

“Come on, don't just stand there. Go rest up and get healed. I'll catch up.”

“Oh, okay...” After hearing me say that, they stand up and leave immediately. I'll think about what happens when I get back. So he was able to call out the Dragon of the Abyss this early... This just became a lot more complicated. Why was I unable to predict this?

After collecting Savior and Eighth, I put them in new tubes so I could work on regenerating them and the others later. Forging more pseudo-souls is gonna be a pain... By now, Alex has been arrested. I make tea for all of us, and we sit down to talk about everything that had happened.

“...I see. Maybe I should have been a little more careful about all this.” I just think to myself quietly for a moment. I nearly got these kids killed, and without thinking about what kind of burdens they were already carrying... I know I can only do so much, but some of this mess is definitely my fault.

“I'm willing to assume Alexander talked a lot about things that happened in the past.”

“Who's? Alexander, again?” Cleo says, puzzled.

“The one you know as the King of Shadowhand.” It's Primo who answers the question.

“Did you know the King was your brother?” Trace asks.

“I knew Alex was up to something, since I hadn't heard from him since we defeated CORE all the way back in 2000.”

“We?” Blue asks.

“Me, Rey, Indie, and Murasaki.” Shock and surprise can be seen on all their faces, almost as if to say, 'Oh my God, she's famous!'

Cleo is the first to say anything. “Cool! You have to tell us! Tell us about--”

I hold my hand up for silence. “Maybe some other time. We're getting off track. So, did Alex talk about CORE? About the DotA?”

“Dota?” Trace asks.

“The Dragon of the Abyss,” Emerald says. “The criminal God banished. So, he's real...”

“Yes,” I say. “You all know the story about the Dragon, don't you?”

“Refresh my memory, please...” Baek says, raising his hand.

“Hmm... okay, listen up. In the beginning, on this planet, there were no humans. God's plan was to watch and see if life would grow naturally, without any interference. However, two angels made physical bodies for themselves, came here, fell in love, and had twins. These angels are named Víctima and Lapsis in the holy texts.

“When God saw what had happened in the physical realm, He was enraged. Víctima and Lapsis were both banished. One to Hell, the other to the Abyss. Lapsis drifted in the endless darkness, feeding his hatred for God. The darkness, along with his hate, has turned him into The Dragon of the Abyss.

“I can tell you that that's not just a myth or fairy tale. Everything in the original religious texts is true.” I let out a sigh and start to rub my head. This is such a pain... “We Strifes are meant to keep him from gaining power by sealing fragments of him in our souls, but we lost the ability to do that in 2000. The fact that DotA appeared through my brother proves that he'll have enough power to come into the real world, soon, and I won't be able to send him back with my magic.”

“Does this mean...” Baek starts to ask a question, but I know what to say before he finishes the sentence.

“Yes. The Dragon will arrive in our world, fully restored, and destroy it...” Everyone gasps. Maybe I should have found a less scary way to say it, but it's a little late to be thinking of that.

“We can't let that happen!” Emerald shouts.

“Alright, alright. Listen, everyone. I believe DotA will reawaken in 2020, when the master seal in Dragon's Cradle breaks... You can live normally until then, but when the time comes, I will need your help... I'm sorry, but will you fight alongside me and my comrades against the Dragon?”

Everyone seems uncertain.

“It's okay if you don't have an answer right now, just keep it in mind.” I finish my tea. “Alright, thanks for listening. I'm done with you guys for now, so ahead and live your lives. Good job. All of you.”

And then, they leave, Primo goes to sleep, and I sit here in this house. Thinking to myself...

Young Magic Knight: Chapter 23 (Azul)

“Alright, Cleo. I can walk.”

Cleo just finished fixing me up. I believe she used her own mana to do so. I can't help wondering how she got so good at “Real Magic”, but I won't dwell on it too much. “Come on. Let's go see...”

I hear footsteps. Primo. He runs over here and he seems panicked. “What's wrong. Primo?”

“You guys! You have to... you have to hurry!”

I repeat: “What's wrong--”

“It's Trace and Emerald. They're in trouble! The King's... got some kind of trick!”

When I hear this, of course I feel worried. We make our way to the elevator to the roof. When we finally get up there, I can't believe what I'm seeing. Trace and Emerald, are both on the ground... and King is standing there.

My mind freezes. I try to form words, but I can't speak. King... this guy is...

Is he even human...?

The dark energy surrounding him changes the world around us. It becomes like the night, and it feels as if there's some kind of weight pushing down on us. The very air around us hurts... If a normal person were to wander too close to King as he is right now, they certainly would have died horribly.

“Trace, Emerald, what's going on!?” No response. They are just as scared as the rest of us. No one says anything... I am losing the ability to think and see straight, myself... and still, the air is changing. Becoming corrupted. Twisted. I feel an even more hideous aura approaching... King is powering up, using a power other than mana... Wait, is this King? For me to have only just noticed this presence, it's as if he's been replaced by someone, or something else. I have no idea what it is... but I know I should be scared. The feeling is comparable to being stared down by a dragon...

Then, out of nowhere, a blur passes my vision, ramming into “King”. Coming to a stop, I can see this blur is a woman. A young looking woman with black bobbed hair and purple eyes, wearing a brown pea coat. She turns her head, looking back at us. “Stand back.” She begins to chant. 

There is a strong feeling in the air that I can't describe, but it feels a little familiar... Symbols start to appear on and around the woman and “King” seems to be in some sort of pain. Then, she shouts: “Hateful creature of the Abyss that should not be! Return to that from whence you came!”

A painful sound comes from “King”. It resembles the cry of a dragon. The aura disappears, and King collapses.

Yes, in an instant, without me doing anything about it or even understanding it, the world returns to the way it was.

...what the hell just happened?

Pulling me out of my thoughts, the woman approaches us.

She looks at all of us, seemingly puzzled. She then points her finger at me. “Azul Ryukawa?”

“Huh?”

“Is it you?” I was confused at first, but now, I understand what she's asking.

“Uh, yeah,” I respond. She nods.

“Baek Hanson?”

“Uh huh.”

“Cleo Arkald?”

“Yes.”

“Trace Prince?”

“Yo.”

“Emerald Crux?”

“Here I am.”

Suddenly, she seems a little disappointed. “I take it they were failures. The Armis, I mean.”

Primo shakes his head. “No, not all of them. Only the Third, Seventh, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Savior...”

She looks sad. “Are they all dead?”

“No. The Eighth is still alive, and so is the Savior.”

“I guess that's good.” She now speaks to the rest of us. “I'm sorry I didn't explain it before. Me and Alex aren't exactly Real Magi... we do have magical talent, and are capable of Conversion, but our immense power comes from somewhere else. I put you in danger without thinking about that.” What is she talking about?

“Uh, excuse me, but who are you?” I think it was a perfectly legitimate question, but she spun around to face me, looking slightly offended.

“I thought it was obvious.” The woman puts on a smile. “I'm the one who set all this up. I found the Thirteen Blades, created the Armis, brought you together to fight Shadowhand. It's me, Echo Strife.”

Young Magic Knight: Chapter 22 (Trace)

The door to the King's room now stands in front of me, Primo, and Emerald. Not exactly who I pictured coming into this final battle with me, but I can't complain. I open the door with no fear. It's three against one, and we have the Thirteen Blades on our side. I think I'm ready for whatever the King can throw at me.

“...of course, the heroes of the people arrive just in time to make trouble for me.” The black-haired, purple-eyed man wearing a lab coat and facing away from us, turns around and says this.

“Stop what you're doing, King!” I point “XIII” at him. “You're the last one standing. Don't think you can take all three of us.”

“Hmph.” I look at where he's standing... The ground he's standing on is rising. There's a large machine with him, too. Wait a sec...

“Everyone! He's going to the rooftop to launch that weapon! The Delphinus Virus is probably in that machine!” Primo's words alert me to action. I can't let him launch it... I jump, then Emerald and Primo jump with me. We board the rising elevator and charge toward the weapon, but somehow... I'm being forced back...

King stands there, smiling as if he is amused at our being pushed away by him. “You three don't know, do you?” He lets out a sigh, then continues: “Okay, I'll tell you. As you may be able to tell, King is only a code name. My real name... is Alexander Strife.”

Shock. For a second, I can't even believe what I just heard, but suddenly, it makes sense... Yet another puzzle piece falls into place.

I remember some things I have learned. “'He, like Ms. Strife, is a Real Magus, and a good one, at that...'”

...

“'Pretty much, Strife's magic simply breaks most of the rules I know. I can't explain it. For someone else to be able to pull that off...' 'They must have a similar level of power, in addition to their magic being of a like nature?' 'Exactly.'”

It makes sense. He's so powerful... he can create Dolls... it all makes sense. “You see, I'm the one with the advantage, here. All I have to do is hold you off until it's ready to launch. Even if you do beat me, I'll have distracted you long enough for the Delphinus Virus to spread.” He starts to laugh... “Hahahahahahaha! Revenge will be mine!”

Now, we've reached the roof. It's time to end this! I rush forward, but at the very last second, notice that he has thrown some kind of dark sphere at me. Can't react. This is bad... “Trace!” I feel a shove. Emerald pushes me out of the way. She's the one who is hit... “You need to pay better attention...” Emerald collapses. She's a bloody mess. I've never seen this spell before...

I don't have time to think about that. “Primo, I'll fight him! Try to get to the machine!” I run forward again, this time, making sure I dodge whatever comes at me. He keeps using magic attacks. More spheres... bigger, this time. I should be careful with this spell. As I dodge, I feel the power in those spheres... I get the feeling that the Thirteen Blades are the only thing keeping me alive, right now. I did dodge it, but the amount of power I felt... My body, in a weaker state, would be torn to pieces just by being nearby. I started swinging the swords, sending blade shaped lights in his direction, which he dodges.

I see that he notices Primo getting near the weapon, and he throws another one of those spheres. “Primo, watch out!” He hears my voice and dodges immediately, taking little damage. Primo keeps running, but King takes his attention off me completely, moves at amazing speed to block Primo's path and kick him away from the machine. I move over there, but just as quickly find a fist waiting for me. A fist that sends me flying upwards.

I get up as fast as I can. “Primo, catch!” I throw “I”, “III”, “V”, “VII”, “IX”, and “XI” his way. It'd probably be best if we both used them. With that done, I throw “IV”, “VI”, “VIII”, and “X” at King. Seeing and dancing past all of them, he reaches out to block my next strike.

I come down from the sky, “II” and “XIII” in my hands. I smash them into King, sending both of us falling into the ceiling, down to the floor below... and the floor below that... and the floor below that...

As we fall, I start shouting at King... or rather, Alexander Strife. “Tell me! Why are you doing this!? Are you really going to endanger all these innocent people just to get back at the ones who buried CORE!? Are you willing to be so extreme over such a petty thing!?” I force more power into the slash, until we finally reach the ground. It takes me a moment to recover from the fall, but when I do, King is already standing there in front of me. He sends his foot flying into my face, and I go flying backwards, falling onto the floor.

“Who cares about how petty it is!? Everything I ever had was taken away from me! They kicked me out... I joined CORE to gain the power I deserve! I don't give a shit about 'Kingdoms of Fear' or 'Flames of Passion' or whatever the hell they're on about... I'm a Strife! We're supposed to be the most powerful humans in existence! For someone like me to be stepped on by the people of Center... All I want is to make them suffer!” His power seems to be going out of control...

“You said the Strife family kicked you out?”

“Yes...” I'm starting to understand what made him so upset. “They said I was too weak... that I couldn't control the power of the Abyss that rests within me.”

“Power of the Abyss--”

“But I can,” he says, ignoring me. “I'll use its full power against you...”

A sinister grin forms on Alex's face. He becomes surrounded by a dark, menacing aura... I feel like I am in serious danger. There is a power far beyond this mortal man, here... Suddenly, I see something flying toward him from above, stabbing him in the back. It's the “I” Sword. Another one comes flying. “III”. Then “V”, then “VII”, then “IX”. Lastly, a light comes down, approaching King fast. As it comes closer, I could see a figure inside of it. Primo.

He comes down and slashes Alex in the back. With a look of shock, as if everything had come crumbling down before him, he falls to the floor. “You should pay attention, King. Trace has succeeded in distracting you.”

“What...”

“I've deactivated the weapon. It won't be hurting anyone. You lose.” Alex just lies there, motionless. “Trace, let's go get Emerald.” I nod and go back to the top with him.

...

Once we get up there... “Emerald, what's wrong? Are you alright?” She looks like she's seen a ghost...

“...T-Trace! Behind you! Watch out!”

I turn around, and I see King standing there. Wait... no, something's different about him. He seems less like the man I just fought and more like some kind of terrible beast. His eyes glow, his voice and his language are replaced with incoherent roaring. He bears his fangs at us. The dark aura starts to expand, reaching even me.

“!!!”

“Something” happens to my body. I double over, trying as hard as I can not to throw up and/or pass out. I notice him charging toward us, none of us ready for what's happening. This sudden feeling of sickness... It must be coming from this infinite nothingness, this abyss...