Wow. A sister…
Liam charged for Zeke, but the ax-wielding monk intervened.
“Where’s that damn fox?” Liam shouted.
Whiskers and Rukia retreated behind some trees. Cy wasn’t mad, he’d expected it. Whiskers couldn’t fight real opponents, and while Rukia could—Well, she shouldn’t. Not until Jules is out. She’s the last one we need captured, but holy cow. Liam is incredible!
Liam deftly avoided every string of attack the monk threw at him, and—based on Jules’ report of his fighting style and weapons—the Monk had some upgraded weapons, to boot. His axes were composed of ebony and tied to throwing chains.
And all Liam has is his huntsman’s ax and bow—
Cy back stepped quickly. A dagger swiped past his throat. The masked assassin was on him now. Keep your eyes on the prize. And what a prize she is.
“I don’t want to fight you anymore,” Cy said. She responded with a flurry of attacks. “Will you please stop it!?” She picked up the pace. “We spent a lot of time—”
His cheek sliced open, and blood sprayed, then trickled out. She spoke for the first time.
? Smoke ?
She surrounded him in a thick haze, and they fought blindly. I hate the dark. I’d rather shine a light on everything. Damn, she keeps getting faster. Cy just relied on hearing her attacks and took evasive action when he heard her blade sing through the air. He tried to back up in one straight line but had to zigzag left and right. It pissed him off how much damage he’d taken in that smokescreen.
[?7,500 // ?10,000]
Stop her movement. That Pirate used the pressure of the water column to hit hard. How can I apply that to the smoke? He waited until he saw her, then grabbed her arm and locked her in tight.
? Air ? [?7,000 // ?10,000]
She yanked back, but it was too late for her. He'd already tagged her. The smoke clung to her like shit to all those harpies in Siren's Cove. She attacked wildly, almost desperately. Cy backed up and snuck a glimpse at his teammates. Kat's struggling with…boomerangs? And is Liam using Dark magic? Huntsman ax shrouded in black mist, Liam pushed the Monk back closer to Zeke. Cy’s masked opponent flailed her dagger around still, but she had clearly slowed down. Better finish this before she suffocates.
? ? Binding Thread ? ? [?5,800 // ?10,000]
The body inside the whirlwind stopped suddenly, then so did the mini tornado of smoke that swirled around her. Cy cleared it away so she could breathe again. Gold twine, manifested by his Ryoku, ensnared her hands to her hips and locked her ankles together. She fell to her knees. Cy drew his sword from its sheath.
“Yield.” She remained silent and looked at him with lifeless eyes. “Well, I did ask.” He swung his sword back and hit its flat side against her head. She flopped to the ground, unconscious. One down. Kat’s still struggling, Liam is—
Oh crap.
Liam leapt into the air and delivered a jumping slash attack to the Monk. His black-mist ax carved a massive gash into the man from his temple down to the opposite hip. The man collapsed. Two down. Delayed blood erupted from the Monk.
“Hello, Liam. Long time no see.”
“Zeke.”
Liam and Zeke circled each other. Better stay back until he—unless he—needs me. This is personal.
Liam lunged at Zeke with his ax. Zeke sidestepped and spun his warhammer around from its resting place on his back in one motion. It slammed in Liam’s back and sent him rolling forward a dozen yards. Cy winced and ran to him. I gave you a chance, old man.
Liam rose to his feet. Shattered remnants of a Ryoku Shield floated behind his back. Oh. Phew.
“I hope your boy is OK, so I can personally thank him for what he did eighteen years ago,” Zeke said.
“And I’d like to thank your boy, too. The dog you sent after me a week ago.”
“Ah, yes. Pat. The Spider, they call him. You know, Liam, I’ve been wondering, so please illuminate me. How did he manage to get you to talk?”
“Talk! Is that what he told you?” They stared each other down. Zeke grunted and slammed his hammer into the ground. A temporary ceasefire?
“I don’t hold you in high regard, Liam. I never liked the Tideshapers, as I’m sure you can relate. But when it comes to loyalty to your chosen family… Well, that is one trait about you I can admire.”
“You don’t seem shocked to be lied to.” What the hell are they talking about?
“I work for the Maidens, Liam. Deceit is more commonplace than food. I’m surprised you let this one live. Unless I’ve just sent you deserters all these years.”
Liam laughed into the sky. "Oh Zeke. I fucking hate you. I’ve always hated you."
“Seems we both had our suspicions then, about my boy. By the way…” Zeke picked up his warhammer and looked back toward Coralhaven. “He should be halfway to your home by now. To Wrath.” Oh shit, the baby.
“Go, Liam!” Cy shouted. “I’ve got him.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Liam turned to Cy, who had never seen that old man express more fear. Not even when I found out about Jules.
“I’ll… I’ll be back!” Liam fled for his family. Zeke turned his attention to Cy.
JULES
The Leshen lumbered over to him slowly. Its lanky body was composed of wooden bones that jutted out occasionally and was covered in mossy and fungus-like flesh. Ornate stone armor adorned its arms, chest, and possibly face, Jules wasn’t sure. But the mask, or the skull, along with its ears and rack, matched that of a stag. Its body was humanoid below the neck. Vines twisted around its body constantly, coming and going from the surrounding trees as it approached Jules. Its fingers were laced with claws sharper than even the Warg’s. You two could be long-lost cousins.
The Warg head butted its rack against the golden doors. Its body still smoldered from Jules’ attack. Jules looked left and right at both his opponents. Decision time, but which one first?
The Warg head-butted the doors again, and the Leshen swiped at Jules. OK. Easy choice. The Lesh reached for Jules again. It stood twice Jules’ height, but had at least three times his reach. Jules twisted around the outstretched hand and escaped its clutch, but he felt slow.
“Bring it on, you son of a bitch!”
Jules ducked beneath another swipe and uppercut its head with his ax. Resilient, the monster barely recoiled or moved back. It clapped him between its palms. Jules stopped it from crushing his ribcage by emitting a Ryoku Shield from an Inked Art.
? Activate ? [?5,690 // ?10,000]
Glad Cy put those on me. So he's got superhuman strength while mine is dwindling, great. But he's made out of wood, so…
? Fire ? [?3,690 // ?10,000]
Jules invoked the Rune this time, as he never thought he’d need an Inked Art for it. His hand and huntsman ax caught fire. Jules winced at the fire, which burned him for the first time in his life.
Jules pushed past the pain and hacked and slashed the beast and its moving vines until finally, after ten blows, he sliced a forearm nearly in two. The Leshen shrieked in protest, and the sonic boom pushed Jules back. Vines crept down from a neighboring tree and built back the pseudo-bone structure and rough musculature. Moss and fungus spread over top of it.
Shit, it can Regenerate. This is a problem. But even I have my limitations to Regeneration, so let’s see how fast he’s capable of doing it. Plus, that tree is withering away. He looked around the forest. Though there might as well be an infinite amount of them.
? Activate ? [?3,680 // ?10,000]
Jules burned a few more Inked Arts off his skin to reinforce his bones and increase his speed. He quick stepped toward its legs and chopped at its ankles. Vines ensnared Jules' arms and legs.
? Air ? [?3,080 // ?10,000]
A thin strip of wind sliced him free. Jules hacked and slashed again.
One ankle—two! The Leshen fell to the ground, and Jules hacked off an arm. Its shriek didn’t push Jules back this time, as Jules repurposed the Air Rune to create a small vacuum between them, so the sound dissipated at the buffer. Jules had it on its back now.
Crush its skull, and it’s all over.
Vines ripped the blazing ax from Jules’ hand just before he connected, and his bare hands pounded into the stone skull. Ow. Jules shoved his hands through its empty eye sockets and invoked his Fire Rune again. I’ll burn your brains from the inside out!
The Leshen’s body ignited as the perfect kindling, but it rose up so quickly that Jules jumped back to retreat. How?
The vines. Crawling lines suspended the Leshen up from on high. It thrashed about, still ablaze, but the trees commanded its movements like a marionette. Jules popped a Restore Ryoku Potion that Cy forced him to pack.
[Ryoku Restoration Potion taking effect now.]
[?3,081 // ?10,000]
Starting to think that asshole knew more about these rules than he led on. Jules felt an influx of strength and stamina, but his wounds remained unhealed. The potion was his last available resource, as he’d literally burned through all of his Inked Arts. Less than half of his Ryoku pool remained. Everything relied on Jules’ Skills now. But will it be enough?
The Shrine boss seemed to levitate over to him. The vines still attached to it burned away but were quickly replaced by others, to both Regenerate it and to animate it.
CRASH! CRASH!
All around, trees withered and died. The vines finally dropped the Leshen to the ground. Embers erupted from its eyes and the monster turned primal, feral, like it was full of rage, and the fire turned black. No, not rage—
Wrath.
Jules looked back to the golden doors. They're still closed, at least. He allowed himself a sigh of relief, but caught the Warg’s attention again. It stamped its front paw to the ground and ran to Jules, still a ways off. The Leshen stood up again—its black flames seemed to let it Regenerate itself despite the fire. Let the final bout begin. They formed a pincer movement, and this time Jules was the prey.
“LET ME IN.”
The message emanated from the Leshen, but Jules knew that the voice came from somewhere, someone, far beyond it. Jules prepared to get trucked.
“Not gonna do that.”
“OPEN THE DOOR, JULES.”
CYRUS
“Not gonna chase after him, you coward?” Cy asked. “I thought this fight was personal.”
“I never underestimate my opponents. Not in the last eighteen years, anyway. Come, boy. Let’s see what evils Wrath has taught you.”
“Cy, wait,” Envy shouted. He ignored her. He wasn’t sure if she was fighting or not, but he wouldn’t underestimate Zeke, either. This’ll be over in one strike.
Cy charged toward him, then leapt into the air. He spun around in the air to deliver a single, crushing blow. Zeke ripped his warhammer up with one arm and blocked the attack. Zeke’s smile was as relentless as his defense. Cy flipped to Zeke’s back and slashed, but was blocked by a Ryoku Shield similar to Liam’s. Zeke spun and crushed Cy’s own wards in a single blow. He flew through the air, then landed into a dozen rolls.
[?4,800 // ?10,000]
“Kat, grab Rukia and get out of here!”
? Ice ? [?3,800 // ?10,000]
Cy crafted ten massive ice swords above his head. Thought this guy was bluffing so he didn't have to fight Liam… How foolish that was.
“He has too many Enchantments,” Kat shouted back.
Zeke leapt into the air and brought his warhammer straight down on Cy, who rolled to the side just in time. The impact left a small crater in the ground. Cy powered his curved sword with all the Inked Arts on his body and unleashed a flurry of attacks with all eleven of his swords. Zeke either blocked the ice swords or his force field absorbed the blows. Shards of ice littered the ground. Nothing affected him. Zeke kicked Cy’s chest to push him off balance, then delivered a spinning power attack. Cy managed to weave his sword between the hammer and his ribs, likely saving his life. Still, he broke one, maybe five ribs.
[?700 // ?10,000]
A blur flashed by. Cy blinked once. The sky…
I’m on my back?
He sat up despite the piercing pain. Envy ran to him. Three steps away, she collapsed. Her eyes closed softly and slowly. A thick, black needle emerged from her neck. Behind Envy, the masked assassin limped toward him.
He looked up the hill. Good, at least the pets are gone. Come save us… Later. Cy looked the woman in the eyes, hoping for a mercy similar to what he'd given her, but he wouldn’t dare beg.
She blew a dart into his neck, too. Thank you…
Cy fell asleep.
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