by Damon Glatz
Daisuke blocked a hard swing by Lance that knocked him to the ground below. He landed on his feet but had to swiftly jump to his side to evade the next strike as Lance crashed down on top of him. Lance's slash was so hard that his sword exploded into the earth beneath him, sending dirt flying in all directions. Daisuke rushed to attack while he was open but Lance managed to block the strike. Lance fired a blast of flame into Daisuke's exposed side that sent him back into the air. Daisuke recovered.
He hovered in the air high above Lance and his army. He watched them carefully. Lance studied him as well.
With all this power... I could just destroy his entire army... And rush back to save Ohitekah.
Daisuke raised his palm.
Lance lifted himself slowly into the air.
This is it.
Daisuke tensed his body and erupted into a ball of flame again. He grunted and felt the power immerse his being. A strength that he had never felt before. The power to burn whole armies to the ground. He began to focus all of that power into his arm. Then his hand. He channeled that power to the space in front of his hand.
It took all of his focus. Every ounce of concentration that he had to funnel this much energy.
It has to work... I have to save him.
Daisuke's eyes opened wide. The power suddenly vanished from his body. He struggled to breathe. He felt a searing pain from his chest. He placed his hand on the source of the pain. There was a red sword stabbed into his chest. His heart.
Lance hovered in the air, his blade in his outstretched arm. Daisuke was no longer flying on his own, he was being lifted by Lance's sword. His weight putting pressure on the wound. Daisuke struggled to catch his breath.
"You took your mind off our battle. You got distracted. That is how I seized the advantage."
Daisuke coughed up blood.
What's happening? How did I fail?
Lance scowled. "Don't act surprised. You knew it was going to be me. It was always going to be me."
Lance flicked his arm and launched Daisuke down from the heavens. Daisuke tried to stop himself. Try to find the strength to lift himself and fight back.
He crashed into the dirt with enough force to make a small crater. Lance took his time to descend from the sky. He landed softly on the rim of the dark crater. Daisuke was still alive, barely.
"Enough of the Mythic powers are still in you to keep you alive... But that strength is fading."
Daisuke lifted his head off the ground and looked at Lance. The King of Ashland. Staring down into the hole.
"If you can manage," Lance began. "Do you have any last words?"
Daisuke stared into his blue eyes for a moment, he opened his mouth slowly but could not find the strength to speak.
In his mind, Lance could hear the Shogun’s dying thoughts.
I forgive you.
Lance's face triggered to rage. He shot his arm forward and unleashed a torrent of dark flame that engulfed the whole of the crater. He held his arm in place for a long moment. Slowly the fire that surrounded him and the crater turned from black to orange. He closed his hand into a fist and extinguished the fire. The only thing left in the scorched crater was Daisuke's black blade. The ash was blown away with the breeze.
Lance stood for a moment, taking in the scene. He had done it, he had beaten Daisuke. His life’s work fulfilled with the true power of the Fire Mythic back in the hands of Ashland. The King took a deep breath and collected himself. Lance turned his back to the crater, his black cape fluttering behind him. His men about faced as he walked down their ranks.
Sierra whipped her blade out and set it to staff form. She raced up the stairs and slashed at Deyanira. Marcus ran behind her and did the same. Deyanira had two swords on her back and drew both, blocking both strikes. Her swords were identical, appearing like shorter katanas but without the curve. She held one facing up, and the other down in the opposite hand. A form Sierra had not seen before.
She twisted her body and broke out of the attack between Sierra and Marcus by jumping above them. She landed a few paces away and took a defensive stance, one sword in front of her, and the other behind.
On the floor below them, the Spades engaged Deyanira's forces in combat. Each of the Corps used the same sword Deyanira used and were all dressed the same. Only Deyanira had her face showing with her black hair let down. The rest of her was underneath the same dark skin-tight clothes they all wore. A belt of throwing knives around all of their waists.
"They counted on us attacking, this was planned," Marcus spoke to Sierra. Sierra found herself breathing heavy and unable to speak. Her eyes were unblinking, unable to take a moment away from Deyanira. "But don't worry. Just because they were prepared, doesn't mean we still can't beat them."
Sierra could not resist an attack any longer. She leaped forward with another slash, Deyanira blocked it and spun around with the other blade behind her back. Sierra broke her sword in two and was able to defend the strike. Marcus ran at Deyanira's exposed spot with a stab. She slid out of the way and slashed at his face. Sierra moved between them and blocked it herself.
The three jumped back and forth between attacks and counters. Sierra had never fought against someone like this before. Deyanira's style was unique when using the dual blades. Holding the second sword down and behind her back left her available for a number of sneaky counter strikes. She could spin her body in ways that complemented her dual style. It was as each sword always knew where to be and what its job was.
Sierra could tell right away she was outclassed but that's why she fought next to Marcus.
Marcus' blows were tough for Deyanira to block; his striking power was enough to disrupt her form. She found herself trying to dodge his swings instead of counter, which gave Sierra a chance to jump in.
Deyanira and Sierra traded blows. Sierra fought cautiously because she knew Deyanira poisoned her blades before every battle. She set her blade back to staff to tighten her defense. One cut from that sword was enough to end the fight. The three danced around for some time at the top of the staircase. Deyanira not letting any signs show that she was slowing down.
She's only fighting defensively. Sierra watched Deyanira closely. She's stalling, why?
Marcus seemed to pick up on her tactic as well, the two exchanged glances. They repositioned and struck simultaneously.
Marcus and Sierra had fought and trained for so long, they could read each other's movements and communicate without words. Sierra knew exactly how he would position himself for a strike, and where she needed to be to complement it. Marcus knew precisely when to jump in when Sierra was struggling, and vice versa.
Sierra snuck a glance towards the battle below, it seemed as if the Spades were pulling ahead in the fight although, there were losses on both sides.
If we can finish of Deyanira quickly, we can help them and end this.
There was a loud crash as the gates to the Palace was being broken down.
"That’s Nicholas!" Marcus yelled. "Just hold out a minute longer!"
Sierra caught a muscle movement for a fleeting moment on Deyanira's face. She was fighting the urge to smirk. Sierra processed the expression quickly.
"It's not us!" Sierra shouted and she turned away from her fight. "Falko’s men are here! We need to retreat!"
Marcus' eyes shot open. He knew better than to doubt Sierra's skill. He slid away from Deyanira.
"Fall back! Everyone get out!"
"I don't think so." Deyanira rushed forward and made a stab at Marcus, attacking offensively for the first time. Not to be caught off guard, he blocked quickly and locked eyes with the ghostly woman.
Just then the doors to the palace burst open, flooding in was a force of Falko's centurions.
Marcus ran forward and struck back at Deyanira, Sierra covered his side when the counter move struck toward him.
"Sierra go!" Marcus shoved Deyanira forward with a heavy push of his blade and rushed back at her. "I can hold her back. Lead the men out!
Now!" The two combatants exchanged blows of their weapons. Deyanira striking from almost every angle with her two blades, her body twisting and spinning for every strike.
Sierra could assess their skill quickly, Marcus could only defend for so long.
The Spades below had already begun fleeing down the corridors of the Palace.
I can't leave him like this.
Sierra switched her blade into a dual-sword, holding one in each hand she jumped back into the fight.
"Sierra no!"
Deyanira rushed at them both, forcing them to block. Sierra used her second sword to counter her exposed side. Deyanira slid away from it.
"I like that sword," Deyanira sneered.
"Good! Take a closer look!" Sierra ran forward and stabbed towards Deyanira's face. She batted away the strike and spun around to deliver her own. The two flickered their blades back and forth in a flurry of movements. Deyanira spun into a hard kick that sent Sierra sliding backward. She rushed forward for a slash before Sierra could recover.
Just in time, Marcus moved in front of the strike.
He let out a groan, the blade managed to slice his bicep. His blood trickled down onto the floor in a puddle of red.
He rushed forward and attacked Deyanira in a newfound fury.
Marcus... Sierra was frozen.
"Men!" There was a shout from below. "Flush out the rest on the second floor, sweep the rooms."
Sierra looked back to Marcus and Deyanira, his wound did not seem to slow him down at all. In fact, it was clear, Deyanira has suffered a few recent wounds herself.
Deyanira heard the solder's command from below as well and seemed concerned for a moment. She sheathed her blades to her back and jumped away from Marcus' advances. She glanced for a moment to his open wound and smirked again.
Sierra ran forward before she could connect Deyanira threw a device down that exploded into a bright flash. In that instant, she was gone.
Marcus dropped to a knee once the adrenaline died.
"Marcus, I'm gonna get you out!" Sierra ran over to him and threw his arm over her shoulder, she was barely able to lift his weight.
"The hell you are." Marcus stood up on his own. He looked down to the troop of soldiers that were running up the staircase. He picked his scimitar off the marble floor. "We both know I'm not making it out of this palace. I'll cover you."
"No!" Sierra clicked her blades back together to form the double-staff. "I'll help you! I can't leave you like this!"
"Sierra." Marcus locked eyes with her, his face was already pale from the toxins in his blood. His eyes bloodshot and his hands trembling. "Don't let them kill us all."
Sierra's breath turned ragged. She gripped her sword tighter.
Marcus turned away and took a step toward the stairs.
"Figure out what the hell happened, Sierra!" Marcus stood tall in his personal fighting stance, his muscles flexed. "We can still fix this!" Marcus charged down the stairs and swung his blade at the closest guard.
Sierra flicked her blade back to its sword form and sheathed it at her side. She turned and ran down the hall as fast as she could. She could hear the shouts and clashes behind her echoing down the hall. She navigated to the back of the Palace in a blur, hardly being able to see straight.
She hesitated before breaching the open window on the balcony over the gardens below. Beneath her laid the rest of the Blood Red Spades. Standing in the gardens were another battalion of centurions. A good number of them were fallen side by side with the Spades, but the outcome was obvious. Her friends stood no chance. They were surrounded from the start.
Sierra turned back and ran into the Palace.
There has to be a way out... Sierra picked up her pace. I made a promise.
Ohitekah jumped to his side in a knee jerk reaction. A stone stalagmite shot out of the earth from his feet and was aimed for his heart. It gashed into his bicep but the injury wasn't fatal.
He wasted no time for that attack. He doesn't want to fight me. He wants to kill me quickly.
Ohitekah shot out a bolt of lightning from his hand straight at Falko. Without moving he erupted a wall of stone to burst from the ground between them and intercept the blast. Falko motioned with his hand and the wall cracked at its base. It broke from the earth and sent it crashing down onto Ohitekah. Ohitekah dodged to his side and narrowly avoided it.
More spikes rocketed from the ground, all close to killing Ohitekah. He had to twist his body around to evade the death blows. They all badly cut and bruised his chest and arms.
I can't get close to him. He hasn't even wasted a breath yet and I'm getting beat.
Ohitekah pulled his fist down and summoned a pillar of lightning from the storm above. He rushed to attack Falko at the same time. Falko stood still. In an instant, four stone triangles shot out from around him and protected him in a pyramid of earth. Ohitekah halted his attack and the lightning hit the pyramid around Falko. Causing him no damage.
Ohitekah took a moment to catch his breath.
There was a sound of stone breaking from behind him. He turned around to evade the attack. Falko himself jumped out of a hole in the ground and grabbed Ohitekah by the throat. He thrust his spear towards his chest. Ohitekah grabbed it a moment before it struck him. They pushed against each other. Falko's grip on his throat made it hard to match his strength. The tip of his spear began scratching his chest.
"Ohitekah. Please. I don't want to continue dragging this out. The sooner you give up the sooner this will all be over. Don't make this any more painful than it has to be."
He wants to kill me. I'm going to die.
Ohitekah was running out of breath. Falko lifted him higher off the ground and pressed harder with his spear. With his last burst of energy, Ohitekah shot a surge of electricity through the spear with his hands. The blast conducted through the gold and sent Falko flying back and into the dirt with a hard impact.
Ohitekah landed back on his feet and took a deep breath. He looked down and realized he was holding Falko's spear.
I have his weapon! He's defenseless now!
Falko was beginning to stand back up.
I can't fight him with this. I don't know how to use a spear. But I can't let him get it back.
Ohitekah turned and with a crack of thunder threw the spear with all his might into the plains. It soared into the distance and faded from view.
Falko brushed himself off and stood up. He locked eyes with Ohitekah once again.
"You don't know what I had to do to find that spear... I don't appreciate what you just did."
Ohitekah took more deep breaths. He composed himself.
Falko made a whistle and one of his men threw another spear from outside the ring that stuck into the ground at his feet. It was a standard Orbis throwing spear, one issued for the infantry. Falko pulled it from the ground.
Ohitekah drew his sword.
"You leave me no choice."
Ohitekah ran at Falko with his sword in front of him and slashed. Falko blocked the strike with the body of the spear. Ohitekah remembered his training with Marcus. He used a spear just for this moment. Ohitekah knew what to do. Falko's next strike was predictable. He whipped the bottom of his spear around to strike Ohitekah in the face. He ducked before Falko began the movement and made another slash for his neck. Falko leaned back and evaded the strike.
Sierra taught me to not let my guard down for a moment. She showed me how easy it was to make a mistake. One wrong move. And Falko will not hesitate to take my life.
Falko went for a stab with the tip of his long weapon. With a slash, Ohitekah countered the strike and knocked away the spear. Falko pulled back and stabbed a few more times. Each was blocked by Ohitekah.
This is the second time I've fought the Earth Mythic. Last time it was slower, Falko is sacrificing power for speed and precision. But if I know anything about Falko he doesn't plan on beating me by force alone.
"Are you forgetting I can hear your thoughts?" Falko spoke
out loud. "Just mentioning." Falko spun the spear over his head and swung it down onto Ohitekah who jumped out of the way.
"I never start a fight unless I know I am going to win. If I engage the enemy. I have already won the battle."
"How can you be so sure?" Ohitekah slashed away his spear strikes a few more times. "You can never know everything."
"That’s true. But I can know more than my opponent. And that’s all that is necessary for victory."
Ohitekah frowned.
Well, he's fighting me. He engaged the tribes in battle. What does he know that we don’t?
Ohitekah raised his sword.
No. He's overconfident. I know we can beat him. I know I can beat him!
Ohitekah charged up his electricity through his body and in a flash appeared at Falko's side. He slashed down and was met with a block from the spear. Falko countered and twisted his staff around, the movement ripped Ohitekah's sword out from his grip. His katana fell to his side away from him.
"Your teachers were too light on you," Falko spoke. Ohitekah dove for his sword, but before he could get there a small stone platform shot from the ground and ejected his sword into the air and out of the ring.
Ohitekah froze, he wasn't sure what to do. He was defenseless. He jumped to his feet just in time to dodge a stab from Falko.
"Think of your people!" Falko shouted. He stabbed, again and again, each missing. "The longer you fight the more of them die!"
Ohitekah kept light on his feet, anticipating his next move. He glanced again to the North.
"Daisuke isn't coming for you. Nicholas isn't coming for you. Sierra isn't coming for you. Stop expecting your friends to save you. Not this time. This time you are alone." Falko whipped his spear around and smacked Ohitekah with the blunt end of it. His vision flickered black for a moment before he recovered. He staggered back.
"I always have my friends to help! They can always expect me to help them too!"
