Most likely 2 more chapters after this, the current arc will end and it will go on hiatus until I figure out where to go from here. I only have a general idea, but no specifics yet.

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The red eyes of the skeleton could be seen through the cloud of dust. It was not done yet. Cixi retrieved her sword and prepared to fight again. The skeleton began to release more balls of fire from its remaining good hand.

Cixi focused on dodging. She had to get close again, but the same trick would probably not work twice.

Suddenly, Cixi felt a rise in Internal Energy. The skeleton was distracted by this. "An opening!" she thought and charged in. BOOM. She hit the skeleton again, this time it had used its other hand to block it. CREAK. She had broken the arm of the skeleton "Still not good enough."

The skeleton was badly injured. Both arms were partially cracked and the chest as well. It could at least no longer throw its balls of fire or icicles.

Akiza charged in. Cixi could see the wings. "Are you okay Master?" Akiza asked.

"Thank you," said Cixi.

"What happened?" asked Akiza.

"It got distracted," said Cixi. It was distracted because it felt the sudden increase in power from Akiza. "This thing is weakened, but still tough, so be careful."

Akiza and Cixi both readied their swords. Through the cloud of dust that rose from the previous impact, they could still see the red glow of its eyes.

The skeleton charged in to close range. Cixi aimed to strike its chest from the left. The skeleton raised its right arm and deflected it. CLING. Akiza aimed her fire enhanced punch towards the hip area of the skeleton. BOOM. Akiza's fist had come into contact with something, but it was the skeleton's left hand.

Akiza and Cixi backed away. The hand of the skeleton had not even turned a single shade darker from Akiza's flames. "Your fires are not strong enough," said Cixi.

"But I must try!" said Akiza. She infused her sword with her fire and the glow of it grew brighter once more. "You are too weak to finish it off alone," Akiza said to Cixi.

The two charged forward. Akiza was aiming low and Cixi was aiming high. Cixi used a horizontal slash. CLING. The skeleton caught it. Akiza slashed from the bottom left, attempting to cut off its leg. CLING. The skeleton managed to block it again.

"I need more power!" Akiza thought to herself. The glow of her sword began to turn blue. The skeleton backed off.

"It's working," said Cixi. She saw smoking coming from the skeleton's leg. It was actually burnt from the previous attack. "Again!" she shouted as she ran forward.

Akiza followed. Cixi used her sword and slashed horizontally at the skeleton. CLING. It used its arms to block it again. BOOM. The skeleton had kicked Akiza's sword, knocking the sword out of her hands. "It's still learning our patterns," said Cixi.

Akiza gathered the pink flames in her hands to heal. "Are you okay?" asked Cixi.

"Yes," said Akiza.

The skeleton was running towards them. Cixi intercepted and blocked the skeleton's arm as it came crashing down on Akiza. CLANG. The impact of the skeleton's arm coming in contact with Cixi's sword echoed throughout the ruins of the city.

Akiza charged forward and released fire at the skeleton's chest. "It's no good," said Cixi. "You need your sword!"

"More!" Akiza thought to herself. The amount of fire began to cover a smaller area and became more focused.

The bones of the skeleton began to turn black. Cixi was now pushing back against the skeleton, but she could feel the heat of Akiza's fire. The orange flames continued to focus into a smaller area. "You're doing it!" shouted Cixi. "Just a little more."

At that moment, the fire turned into a very narrow beam and pierced the chest of the skeleton clean through. There was a hole that went straight through its rib cage and out the back. The skeleton fell over.

The two backed off. They could still feel the immense pressure of the Dark Energy that radiated from it. The feeling od Dark Energy began to decrease before disappearing. All that was left were some bones.

"We did it!" said Cixi.

The two collapsed on the floor exhausted and breathing heavily. "What was that?" asked Akiza.

"You managed to focus your element into a narrow beam," said Cixi. "It's not a shape, but it's a start."

Akiza had completed the first steps of element manipulation, but she had a long way to go to create shapes. At least for now, she could practice focusing her flames into a smaller area for more power.

Cixi walked up and collected the bones into her storage ring. "This may finally be what you need," Cixi said to Akiza.

"Was that an Emperor Stage monster?" Akiza asked.

"We have to get these bones checked to be sure, but I think so," said Cixi.