Desert Dragon

by Michael Rogers

  Kath: *She raised her arms and smirked, as a red aura-like swirl enveloped her hands.* "Now, once again, time for your termination-"

  Lance: "Wat's that?"

  Alicia: "I-I don't know? It looks like visible Astragons?"

  Kath: *She stepped forward, flashstepping in front of Millard.* "This will end you-" *She punched across Millard's head, causing a line of red aura to swirl past her fist.*

  Millard: *He hopped to the side, avoiding her punch.* (Blast it-) *The red aura touched the tip of his robes, causing it to violently shred to pieces.*

  Kath: "Tssk." *She jumped forward, raising a fist.* "Harh."

  Millard: *He hobbled to the side, avoiding her violent-like punch.* "Close-"

  Kath: "Hah!" *She lunged forward and punched to the side.*

  Millard: *He jumped back, slicing a wave of bright red flames down.* "..."

  Kath: *She casually raised her arm, blocking the fire with the aura around her hands.* "Pathetic-"

  Millard: *He turned around, glancing across the plains.* (I learnt how to compensate for my dwindling speed-)

  Kath: *She stared at Millard's back with a frown, causing the aura around her hands to expand.* "Don't you dare turn your back on me!-"

  Millard: *He pushed forward, blasting fire out of his hands.* (I don't have very effective close range Rostical, so I need to create some distance-)

  Alicia: *She watched Millard slide along the grass, propelling himself with the fire.* (He's using the fire to push himself across the plains-)

  Kath: *She flashstepped in the air above Millard, suddenly punching him on the head.* "Hahr!"

  Millard: "Argh-" *He awkwardly tumbled across the ground, causing swirls of flames to extinguish around his hands.*

  Kath: *She touched the ground and punched her hands, causing the aura to pulse around her fists.* "You can't escape from me-"

  Millard: "I wasn't escaping." *He lowered his head, holding his head in pain.* "I was buying time to gather enough Astragons to perform this Rostical."

  Kath: *She shook her head, standing in a battle-ready pose.* "You have nothing that would impress me-"

  Millard: "This Rostical can be performed by those with a fire and ground elemental affinity."

  Kath: "Like I care-?"

  Millard: "Gravel and sand manipulate to my command, move like a drill and make them feel-"

  Kath: (I completely forgot that Remenistal existed!-) *She jumped back, flashstepping far into the distance.*

  Millard: "COMET'S VIEL" *He watched streams of sand swirl up from the ground, quickly forming a boulder in front of him.*

  Lance: *He stared at the boulder in amazement and shock.* "Sh-Shit nuggets-"

  Millard: "Harh!" *He pushed forward, blasting the comet towards Kath.*

  Kath: *She stared at the boulder, as fire spurted around its sides.* "Tssk-" *She straightened her arms, preparing to block the comet-like boulder.*

  Alicia: "I-It looks like a shooting star-"

  Kath: *She grunted and braced herself, as the boulder slammed into her.* (Tssk-) *Her feet slid back, as spurts of flames and pieces of rock blew past her.*

  Millard: *He took a deep breath, awkwardly standing up.* (So she didn't flashstep out of the way.)

  Kath: (I knew you would set up another Remenistal if I moved out of the way, I use the very same technique!-) *She watched the aura around her hand, pulse against the boulder.*

  Millard: "Now-" *He took a deep breath, spreading his arms.* "Recite the crimson words, volcanic courage inflame my might, four corners meet and combine, MYSTIC SCORCHING STRIKE"

  Lance: (Mystic Scorching Strike?) *He watched glass-like spheres of white flames, materialise in the air around Millard.* (It's like Ash's Mystic Shield Strike-)

  Kath: *She nudged her hands forward, shattering the boulder in front of her.* (That took longer than I thought-)

  Millard: "I'm sorry, my love!" *He shouted at the top of his lungs, shooting the spheres towards Kath.*

  Kath: "Tssk." *She frowned and raised her hands, running towards Millard.* "Such simple things-" *She spun around, smashing a sphere away from her, causing a pulse of white flames to scorch the ground.*

  Millard: (She shatters them as if they weren't even made of fire-)

  Kath: *She jumped forward, smashing two more spheres past her.* "Once I reach you, I'll choke you with my bare hands!"

  Millard: *He grunted in desperation, stepping back.* (I want to save my strongest Grand Remenistal for a surprise-)

  Kath: "Useless! This isn't a game!" *She jumped forward and flicked her hands, shattering two spheres of white fire to each side.*

  Millard: (Useless? Indeed-) *He lowered his arms, causing the spheres to burn out.*

  Kath: *She looked startled at first, before smirking in confidence.* "Given up?" *She noticed the aura around her hands swirl away, causing her to stop.* (The Ougi finished?)

  Millard: "Do your worst, Kathalestel."

  Kath: "Hmm?" *She focused all her attention on Millard, spreading her legs in concentration.* "Alright."

  Lance: "Don't tell me he's given up?"

  Alicia: "I-I don't think so."

  Kath: *She took a deep breath and the grass around her burned, becoming charcoal.* (Activating-)

  Millard: (She intends to finish me!)

  Kath: *Her eye twitched, as black glyphic tattoos drew themselves all over her body.* (Self-inflicting glyph, complete.)

  Millard: (The level of her Neurons is at its peak-) *He looked over his shoulder, glancing at Alicia and Lance.* (This is bad-)

  Kath: "Haaargh." *She pushed forward, scorching a vortex of green flames at Millard.*

  Millard: "FLAMING WHEEL" *He clapped his hands and watched a swirl of flames spiral along the ground in front of him, before exploding into a tornado-like swirl of flames.*

  Kath: *She watched the flames touch and explode in a flammable-like manner, causing them to extinguish.* "Hmm?"

  Millard: *He quickly swayed to the side and punched several times, blasting balls of fire at Kath.* "FLAME BOLT"

  Kath: *She raised her arms and punched downwards, scorching two streams of green lightning in front.* "Pathetic." *She squinted her eyes, watching flames splinter past her.*

  Millard: (Even putting maximum Neurons into each attack, it's only breaking even?!)

  Kath: *She spread her arms and leant forward, screaming out a flame-thrower-like blast of blue flames.* "INCINERATING HORROR"

  Millard: "FLAME BOLT" *He shouted at the top of his lungs and continuously punched forward, shooting balls of fire into the stream of blue flames.*

  Alicia: *She gasped in amazement and squinted her eyes, watching bursts of flames scorch the grass underneath it.* "W-Wow-"

  Kath: *She leant back and wiped her mouth, frowning at Millard.* "You still stand?"

  Millard: *He lowered his arms, staring at Kath in a weary-like manner.* "..."

  Kath: "Fine!" *She screamed, gritting her teeth with a struggling frown.* "Fire will consume this entire plain!"

  Millard: (What does she intend to do with such power-?)

  Kath: "FLAMING WHEEL, FLAMING STORM, FLAMING BLAZE, SPIRAL FLAMES, HEAT LANCE-"

  Millard: *He watched multiple glyphs spiral around Kath in shock.* (All of those are boosted to their maximum level!-)

  Kath: "FIRE BLAST" *She kicked the ground, causing blue, green and red flames to erupt high into the air around her.*

  Alicia: "Arh?" *She squinted her eyes, due to the brightness of the flames.*

  Lance: "I-I've never seen such a huge wave of flames before!-"

  Millard: (I have to be patient. If I'm just a second late, I will die!)

  Kath: *Her hair flicked back, as she bathed in the warmth of the fire.* (Even I can feel the heat of these flames.)

  Millard: "Untouchable flames, splinter from the divine spirit, burning courage engrave my immense power, scorch thout foe-"

  *Swirls of black flames, flapped on each side of Millard.*

  Alicia: "W-What
is that?!" *She pointed at the black flames in shock.*

  Kath: "You've allowed me to charge this up. No fire of yours will extinguish these flames!"

  Millard: (I'm excited and nervous, knowing this will be the end-) *The black flames twirled up into the air, forming a bird-shaped figure.*

  *The black flames swayed around Millard, causing the air to warp around him.*

  Kath: *She watched the black phoenix flap high into the air.* "What? I've mastered all fire based Remenistal, but I don't know that!-"

  Millard: "I have no intentions of extinguishing your flames."

  Kath: "W-What?! I cannot tolerate this!"

  Millard: "Go! PHOENIX BLASTER"

  Kath: "No!" *She enthusiastically pushed forward, rumbling the multi-coloured flames at Millard.*

  *The phoenix screeched through the air, diving directly towards the flames.*

  Kath: "I thought you said you had no intentions of extinguishing my flames?" *She spoke in a condescending manner, as if it wasn't possible.*

  Millard: "..."

  *The phoenix slammed into the flames, causing the fire to swirl around it.*

  Kath: "M-My fire?" *She gasped on her breath, staring at the fire in confusion.*

  Lance: "The fire. Wat's goin' on?"

  Alicia: "I-I can't explain it, their power is out of my knowledge."

  *The multi-coloured flames swirled into a cluster, forming into a massive sized phoenix.*

  Lance: *He awed, staring at the massive multi-coloured phoenix.* "Whoa."

  Kath: *She gritted her teeth, frowning in desperation.* (He used the power of my Remenistal and combined it with his! I never would've thought he'd do something like this.)

  Millard: (I'm sorry-) *He closed his eyes and dropped his arm with a hesitant face, causing the multi-coloured phoenix to dive directly towards Kath.*

  Kath: "Inconceivable-" *She whispered on her breath, lowering her arms in defeat.*

  *The phoenix exploded on top of Kath, causing swirls of fire to incinerate the area around her.*

  Alicia: "Eek-" *She covered her face, as immense blasts of hot air slammed against her.*

  Lance: "Argh-" *He gritted his teeth in pain, walking in front of Alicia.* (This wind is effing hot!)

  Alicia: "L-Lance?" *She noticed Lance block the wind, causing her to lower her arms.*

  Lance: *He realised what he did for Alicia.* "Well, you are the healer, so wateva."

  Millard: *His robes and hair rapidly flapped behind him.* (I wasn't expecting the Rasticsplash to be this powerful!-)

  Kath: "Impossible!-" *She awkwardly stood at an angle and coughed, as the fire around her violently vaporised.* "Millardestel?"

  Millard: "Kathalestel?" *He whispered in disbelief, staring at Kath, unsure.*

  Kath: *She struggled to breathe and stared at Millard, as her eyes reverted back to their normal colour.* "It hurts."

  Millard: *He sprinted towards Kath, catching her before she started to fall.* "Kathalestel!"

  Kath: "K-Kill me."

  Millard: *He looked down with a smile, staring at Kath in his arms.* "I finally get to hold you again."

  Alicia: *She heard an echoing screech in the distance, causing her to turn around.* "Do you hear that?"

  Lance: "Huh-?" *He looked to the side, noticing several blurred sticks screech past him.* "O-Old fart!" *He shouted at Millard, stepping forward in shock.*

  Millard: "Not now, child-"

  *Three arrows pierced through Millard's chest, causing him to cough out blood.*

  Millard: *He gasped and looked down.* "G-Good."

  Kath: "Good?" *She stared at the arrows, looking at Millard in a worried-like manner.*

  Millard: "None of them hit you." *He looked over his shoulder, scanning across the plains.* (No one is there? It must've been shot from a fair distance.)

  *Alicia and Lance staggered over burnt grass, running up to Millard.*

  Millard: "Lance, Alicia!"

  Lance: *He bent forward, placing his hands on his knees.* "Old man?"

  Millard: "Lance, could you take Kath to Alicia's village, and Alicia-"

  Alicia: "Yep, I know." *She nodded her head, as her hands glowed white.*

  Millard: *He smiled with gratitude.* (Good.)

  Kath: "There's something you need to know-" *She whispered under her breath, before falling unconscious.*

  Lance: "Don't slow me down, stinko." *He picked up Kath, looking back to Alicia.*

  Alicia: "The village is straight down the path."

  Lance: "Alright."

  Millard: *He watched Lance and Alicia run out of his sight and stood up, observing the arrows.* (Purple green arrows?)

  *Millard took a deep breath and held it, running his finger along the arrow's tip.*

  Millard: (They're ridged. It would be wise to leave them be.)

  *Sofia and Zephyr flashstepped in front of AriAri village, staring at Millard in the distance.*

  ----------

  Luna: "Those Newrongs." *She grunted in disbelief.*

  Rachael: "Is it me, or is it getting harder to breathe?"

  Champion: "It's the sheer level of Neurons and Astragons." *She hobbled behind the guild, as she struggled to keep up.*

  Lezard: (Please make it on time. Please!) *He thought to himself in desperation.*

  Nathan: (These Neuron levels are completely off the chart.. What exactly are we meant to do?)

  Karol: "I'm sckared!"

  Trevour: "Me too, little meister, me too." *He ran in fear, as his armour quickly rattled with each step.*

  *A bright fire swirled in the very far distance, followed by the sounds of several roars.*

  Lezard: "Those flames!" *He looked through the treetops, intensely staring at the bright flames in disbelief.* "It's father monster!"

  ----------

  *Millard, Lance and Alicia stood inside a country-like village, glancing around them in fear, watching a bright swirling tornado burn around the outskirts of the village.*

  Lance: *He stepped back, observing the area around him.* "Where is everyone?"

  Millard: "And the captain, Zephyr." *He grunted, looking to each side.* (I should've known better to take my eye off him.)

  Alicia: *She observed the self-inflicting glyphs.* (We have completely different patterns, Millard's glyph is curly, Lance's glyph zigzags and mine is made of circles.)

  Millard: *He took a deep breath, looking up into the sky.* "I sense movement, they're coming."

  Alicia: "W-What?"

  Lance: *He held his stomach, twitching his eye in pain.* (It still hurts-)

  Alicia: "Do you need more healing-?"

  *Several Scoldrants jumped through the fire and screeched, as they fell to the ground.*

  Lance: "Wat's wrong with 'em?"

  Millard: "These are just Scoldrants." *He watched flames flicker on their bodies.* "They simply couldn't handle the heat of my flames."

  Lance: "Flamin' shit nuggets, no pun intended-"

  Zephyr: *He suddenly burst out from a nearby hut, looking down at the party.* "Take this!" *He pulled the string back, aiming a long purple-green arrow.*

  Alicia: *She looked up, squinting her eyes.* "I think he's using a real arrow-"

  Zephyr: *He flicked the string, causing the arrow to lose its image.* "Perfect-"

  Lance: "Where did the arrow go-?"

  *A loud screeching sound echoed, causing Lance to look around in confusion.*

  Millard: "Garh-" *He faintly cried out in pain, as the arrow pierced through his chest.*

  Lance: "M-Millard-?!" *He stepped forward in shock, frowning with desperation.*

  Zephyr: *He clicked his fingers, materialising another arrow in his hand.* "You can't help him!"

  Lance: (Dammit, what can I do?!)

  Zephyr: *He aimed the arrow at Millard and pulled the string.* (I've been trying to go for his head this entire time, but I've been missing my target-) *He flicked the bow, shooting the arrow at blinding speeds.*

  Millard: "Karh-" *H
e stepped back, as another arrow pierced him through the shoulder.*

  Lance: *He watched Millard step back with widening eyes, helplessly shaking his head.* "P-Piss off, you heap of shit!-"

  Zephyr: *He noticed surviving Scoldrants, slowly stagger towards the party.* "You have no time to worry about me."

  Alicia: *She stared at the Scoldrants, as her lunar shaped pendant glowed white.* "Locki, I understood these words once you assisted me."

  Scoldrant: "Grarh!" *It roared and twitched its fingers, causing steel-like nails to extend out.*

  Alicia: "Unwritten holy laws, strike down thy foe-" *She looked up, raising her arms.*

  Lance: *He stepped away from the Scoldrants, looking at Alicia's glowing pendant.* (Her voice echoed like she was using Rostickal, but it didn't sound icy-)

  Zephyr: *He landed on the ground and looked up, watched light materialise in the air.* (Light? Wasn't her elemental affinity ice?) *He watched flickering orbs of light hover above the Scoldrants.*

  Alicia: "Please!" *She shouted, causing the orbs to expand into ribbon-like strings.* "SHINING RAIN"

  *The ribbon-like lights suddenly moved like razor blades, blasting down into each Scoldrant.*

  Lance: *He chuckled in amazement, watching the blades of light pierce through the Scoldrants.* "Shit, bitch."

  Alicia: (Th-This warmth? Is this Radiatons?) *She whispered to herself, watching the blades of light dissipate into nothing.*

  Zephyr: *He nervously stared at Millard, looking at his bow in confusion.* "How are you still standing?!"

  Millard: *He coughed and waved his arm, snapping the arrows with a slice a flame.* "I won't give up."

  Lance: (M-Millard's pretty beat up-)

  Millard: "Confusing winds, burning fury, five powerstarter-" *He stamped the ground, igniting a swirl of fire around his foot.*

  Zephyr: (He can't possibly have enough Neurons to perform a high levelled Rostical to hurt me-)

  Millard: "FIRE BLAST" *He punched the air, causing a burning wave of fire to crash towards Zephyr.*

  Zephyr: "W-What?!" *He slowly took a step back, frozen in fear.*

  Sofia: "Sorry, I can't have him die just yet." *She giggled and flashstepped behind Zephyr.* "Neurons draw, Astragons to my command, Radiatons move to my will, four corners meet and combine, MOONLIGHT REFLECTION"

  *Holy swirl-like noises screeched, as a wall-like golden shield instantly rose in front of Zephyr.*