The Calamitous Bob

Mages peered up, distracted from their spells. Soldiers stole upward glances when they were not fighting. Archers and crossbow wielders sometimes felt the weight of mana on their shoulders. Knights rode aware of the death that could fall on them at any moment while commanders wondered if an errant attack would destroy the sons and daughters of their cities in single instants. Above the Plain of the Gods, demigods fought for supremacy. Oleander struck in seamless hurricanes of blade strikes, each one capable of cracking a mountain, each one either parried or blocked by an impenetrable shield of black mana. Meanwhile, the dragon/elemental pair threw back spells to shatter cities.

[Combined repertoire: meltdown]

A curtain of black and red mana scorched the very air, forcing Nero back. Though he tried to cut the spell, the fragments reassembled to cocoon him in a death embrace, forcing another set of strikes and a quick escape.

[Combined repertoire: salvo]

A torrent of black mana spheres, tainted rocks, and dark fire spears expanded in a cone that spared nothing. It was dense enough that an insect could not have escaped. Nero parried what he could, the rest landing on his armor but a zip to the side and counter forced the two Harrakans to dodge. The battle resumed.

“Desist!” Oleander screamed.

A mocking series of images replied to his senseless demand. A black dragon, fast and deadly. Wise. A paragon of flawless technique and control. A human with feathery wings like a farm creature, waving a stick around. The more experienced among them felt a voice in their head.

How in the name of all of Nyil did you dare attack Judgment with this pathetic swordwork?

How did you even presume you had a chance without that magical cheat stick?

Charlatan!

They moved at impossible speed over the battlefield, sometimes high, sometimes low, evenly matched, and everyone on the ground prayed that they would stay away, for they knew that proximity meant death.

***

Viv was not panicking but it was a close thing. Her mind was so focused on staying alive she didn’t even have the time to swear in French. Oleander was fucking monstrous. Even as a sixth step sword master he was out there. Endless stamina. Absurd speed. Every strike threatened to obliterate her. It just never stopped. Only her training, powers, fate-driven instincts and the persistent help from ‘Always a Chance’ and ‘Vive la Revolution’ kept her ahead of the onslaught. Truly Oleander was the “hidden boss of the DLC” as her friend Gevaudan would say. She had to use her true aspects even though it made her vulnerable because at this stage, having an immaterial body wouldn’t make a lick of difference. If he hit her, she was dead.

[True aspect of the Guardian]

[High Sequence: Triple Aegis]

Viv blocked another flurry of strikes, Arthur weaving between another two. He moved closer. She was ready.

[Meteor]

Her shield exploded in Nero’s face like a grenade. Fragments ruptured his skin, drawing blood. He cried, dashed back and carved the world with wild slashes. Arthur dodged another four in quick succession.

Lousy flier!

You know what flies better than you?

Fish!

Fish with wings!

I saw them; they exist!

Fish with wings fly better than you!

Nero roared. He used a skill. Spears of red energy surged towards them. She felt something guide them

[Remonstrance]

“Oh shit.”

Viv instinctively felt Arthur’s intent when the dragon flew directly at the attack that would surely mince them. She opened a portal in front of them and behind the attack, bypassing it completely but she felt her spell crack behind her. Nero’s attack had demolished it.

Arthur breathed fire at the surprised Nero, though he recovered very quickly. Arthur swiped him with a powerful wind blade that knocked him down. Viv was in range.

[Guillotine]

A cage of concentrated annihilation closed on him. He failed to break the blade at his back.

Then Viv was through, and Arthur came around with a sharp turn. Nero hadn’t reacted. He floated above the field, face lost, fingers rubbing his back.

They came back red.

“I… bleed. I bleed?”

Had he lost it? A powerful cross of linked blasts forced Arthur to veer away.

“I bleed!”

His eyes turned to her. They were mad with rage but that was not what stopped her.

For the very first time, it felt like he truly registered her existence. He was really looking at her.

“You will regret this! [Shadow Dance!]”

[True Aspect of the Guardian.]

Arthur moved through the world with aerial grace, dodging strikes by a hair. Viv was focused on their backs to block what couldn’t be avoided. The shadow dance was strange, rich with fire mana that left a burning taste in her mouth. It was as if limbs grabbed at her between two sword slices. Nero was close. They weren’t going to make it. In a fit of inspiration, Viv switched to the offense.

[True Aspect of the Destroyer]

[High sequence: Hyperbeams]

Ray of pure black, too fast to miss at this range, hit Nero in the eyes. Only his abnormal reflexes allowed him to parry the blow.

[High Sequence: Astra Swarm]

He disappeared behind a deluge of exploding bubbles. Unfortunately the next attack broke through them.

“That thing can swallow a company,” Viv complained.

But he was after them again. Viv alternated between attack and defense, attack and defense. Switching aspects was tiring her mind, but fate guided her. She couldn’t let them be hit even once. Nero’s dueling wasn’t that much better compared to Solar. It was just more damaging and very, very persistent. She needed to do more. It wasn’t going to end like this, just as that asshole woke up with his bullshit god-given powers and despite his cracked soul. Pressure grew into pain behind her ears, more than she’d faced in a long time.

Mother?

She had to be able to face him. Fate needled her on. They would not back out.

“Keep going.”

You are in pain.

“Everyone is watching us, She-Who-Feasts-and-Collects. We can’t let them down.”

You are right, mother.

We can be tricky.

But dragons never run.

Except my brother!

Viv ignored that last part. The two of them turned for another faceoff. They went straight at him, surprising the champion. The pain hit something and then, fate coalesced in her chest.

This was it.