Chapter 12
The next morning, Lady Viridi was taking over Lady Palutena's duties, as the latter was too busy focusing on the ashes. "Okay. Today's objective is an Aurum Core. We need to weaken Pyrrhon."
I flapped my wings together in earnest. "So we can save Phosphora!"
Lady Viridi rubbed her temples. "You're far too perky this early in the morning."
Blade was prickly with her ever since she referred to him as 'Dark Pit' at dinner. "Let's get on with it. I'm curious as how you'll get yourself out of this little problem you got yourself in."
Lady Viridi crossed her arms. "What's your issue? And what are you talking about?"
Blade snapped, "Don't ever call me 'Dark Pit'! I'm my own person! Secondly, you can't grant both of us the Power of Flight at once."
"You're so annoying! I only called you that because lists you as 'Dark Pit'. That's the official name they have for you. And we still have the Lightning Chariot. You can be at the reins while I guide Pit."
I bristled. "Why don't I get to be with Phos and Lux?"
Lady Viridi answered, "Because you're klutzier."
I grumbled to myself while Blade sped off. I flew close behind.
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"
That's Pyrrhon's evil laugh.
As if on cue, Pyrrhon appeared. "So Pit and Dark Pit-"
Blade corrected, "IT'S BLADE!"
Pyrrhon glanced down on him as if he as an insect. "-are here to take me on. It's like Pyrrhon Creed Number 151: Determination is the key to success. Too bad for you; it goes against Pyrrhon Creed Number 1: No one beats Pyrrhon!"
Lady Viridi jabbed, "Nobody really cares about your creed!"
Pyrrhon chuckled. "HA HA HA HA HA HA! I'd like to see the little golden boys take down this baby. With Hades and I forever connected, the Underworld Army is now upgraded with hot Pyrrhon magic! So are the Aurum!"
A group of taklaxes appeared and started shooting. Blade signaled for Phos and Lux to zap them to bits with their horns. A pair of Brawny Claws stretched out in front of the way. Blade grunted and the unicorns shot right through them and we sailed on through.
Pyrrhon suggested, "Maybe it's time to turn up the heat!"
All of the forces of evil turned a bright reddish-orange. I started screaming my face off while Blade struggled to dodge all the enemies. I fired at each one, praying that they'd eliminate the threat.
After ten minutes of freaking out, we arrived at the Aurum Core. The Lightning Chariot floated in the air and was swept away by an aura of leaves. Lady Viridi stated, "I'll bring that back. You guys can hold on to each other and I'll grant one the Power of Flight. The other will come up too."
Pyrrhon bellowed, "The little angels are here to defeat my troops? Good luck with that!"
I gobbled down a melon and apple while Blade snacked on a piece of cake and a chocolate bar.
Lady Viridi telepathically communicated, "Remember, Blade isn't immortal like you. While your objective is the Aurum Core, make sure he doesn't get killed."
I replied, "Got it!"
We sprinted into the first room where a huge plixo stood, shielding a xoneme. I waved my hands up and down. "YOO-HOO! I'm over here!" The xoneme started circling around me while Blade crept up behind it and gashed it right in the red crystal.
I kept bashing the switch that allowed access to the next area until it gave way. I sighed. "I wish we could just fly right to Core."
Lady Viridi scolded, "Yeah? Not an option!"
I rolled my eyes and almost bumped into a baglo. I shimmied around it. I warned Blade, "Don't attack it and it'll stay dormant."
A flash blinded me and the baglo activated. I jumped back. "W-what happened?!"
Pyrrhon smugly shared, "I just hit it. To jazz things up a bit. It'll make this party more interesting."
Lady Viridi shuddered. "This isn't a party. For that, I'd have to like you. Your toenails are too fungus-y for me to accept you."
Blade butted in, "Fungi are part of nature. Why don't you like it?"
Lady Viridi wrinkled her nose. "Because toenail fungus is an infection! It's a perversion of nature!"
Blade meleed the baglo while I shot it from a distance for a few minutes before it collapsed. Aurum Pips began to swarm the room, mercilessly taking up every square inch. I made a run for it and leapt toward a platform, pulling myself up on it. I scrambled up multiple platforms until I reached the door to the next room.
I snuck inside, waiting for Blade before confronting the denizens biding their time. I crouched into a fetal position until Blade emerged inside, panting. "The next Aurum unit I see is dead."
I popped out of hiding and blasted the Aurum Fire Wyrm to shreds while he took on the three nukleens. More taxlaxes stood in the way. I smacked one with the butt of my bow while Blade slashed maniacally with no real direction until they died.
We trudged on until we got to the Core. Pyrrhon boasted, "Good effort, but the Core's going to be hard to beat! There's twice the amount of guns, and we have some guards to boot!"
Two Drinks of the Gods appeared, and I sipped mine, taking a breather, while Blade chugged his down and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Blade started pacing. "Come on Pit! You're taking forever!"
I narrowed my eyes. "You're going to run out of energy and be fried. Chill out."
Blade impatiently waited for me to decompress until I marched into the boss room. The Core was surrounded by a shield with guns poised to take us out. Aurum skuttlers stared us down.
This is going to be a lot more difficult.
I started firing at the Core while Blade meleed the skuttlers. Frustrated with the shield hindering my progress, I quickly moved on to help him. As I shot them from a distance, the floor started electrocuting me. I hurried over to safe ground while we finished off the last of them.
Blade focused on the guns while I kept going for the Core. We were successful until a siren blasted from the Core, causing new waves of guns and new skuttlers to attack. I tried not to scream my head off while avoiding the guns, skuttlers, and the floor's shocks. Right as a skuttler lunged, I backflipped and he ran right into the floor, and fell as the electricity killed him.
Lady Viridi encouraged, "Keep going! You're almost there!"
I slaughtered all the guns while Blade took care of the skuttlers. We each hammered at the Core, dodging the shock floor, until more guns and guards appeared. I ignored everything except the Core. I didn't allow myself to get distracted by the shrieks of the Aurum, Blade grunting, or the pulsing floor. After a few well-placed shots, the Core exploded.
I ran over to Blade and held his hand. Lady Viridi extracted us. We floated back down to where the rest of the time were. Arlon observed, "You should soak in a hot spring."
Lady Palutena nodded. "He's right. You two look awfully sweaty. Plus, I need you at your strongest for tomorrow. It'll be a challenging day for us all."
