Bah, updates will be random. Sports 4 days out of 7, school 5 days out of 7, and then add in homework and video games. Not much time.
Oh, and to Ninja Mongoose: *Shoots in foot with Bob's pistol* Next time you wake me up, I'll have Wario come after you...After I shove a bean burrito down his throat.
TO THE CHAPTAH!
….
Needless to say, Will's return with an unconscious girl on his back sparked some questions within the band of warriors.
"Dude," Bob said running up to meet the other youth, "who's the chick?"
"Just wait," Will replied, shaking his head to ward off questions. When everyone had caught on to his presence, the tall fighter told them what had happened while he and Dominique had been lost. Dominique had decided to tell them as well, although her version had Will scrambling to save Shira as Dominique fought off a fearsome tiger with her short katana.
Even Bob had trouble believing the little girl's tale.
Shira woke up shortly after the group made camp for the night. When her initial confusion passed, the chosen introduced themselves as well as their smasher guide. She in turn revealed that she was the chosen warrior of Ness, one of the youngest smashers to join the tournament.
Will and Gammic lit a fire, while Leon attempted to clean a pheasant that Bob had shot earlier. Failing that, the blond boy gave up and sat with the others. Bob cleaned his pistols until they gleamed in the low light, making sure that they were loaded if the need for combat arose. Shira awkwardly fiddled with her yo-yo, not quite sure as to what she was meant to do.
Eventually Bob noticed and decided to talk to her. Shira wisely refused his offer to observe his and Gammic's favorite pastime.
Soon all the work had been finished and the chosen sat around the fire, idly talking to pass the time and roasting pieces of meat above the blaze. However, soon after they had fallen asleep, a loud rustling jolted Gammic awake. Picking up his staff from where it lay beside him, the purple-robed mage got to his feet.
Gammic cautiously approached the sound, his weapon tight in his grip. He cleared away a bush that was in his path and slowly took a step into the deeper part of the forest.
A loud yell startled him. Instinctively he brought up his staff vertically, just in time to block a ferocious roundhouse from the darkness. The blow resounded with a loud crack, and his attacker swore loudly from the impact. Gammic swept his staff to the side and drew back his left hand, a hex springing to his lips. He released the energy fast, a blast of purplish light exploding from his palm. It hit his aggressor square in the chest, sending them to the dirt with a loud grunt.
But it wasn't over yet. In the near-black light, Gammic barely caught sight of two slivers of light, along with the distinctive sound of metal on leather. His attacker had drawn knives, and struck out with relentless fury. Gammic jumped back quickly enough to dodge the first assault, but his staff was knocked from his hands when the flat of both knives collided with the wood. The blow sent a shockwave of pain through the mage's body, enough to make him drop his only weapon.
The assaulter stabbed out from the left, but Gammic could see the knife shimmer just enough and grabbed the attacker's wrist, sidestepping to avoid the blade. With a feral growl, the aggressor stabbed out with the right. Gammic employed the same tactic, now having control of both his enemy's arms. He drove his knee powerfully into their midsection, sending them to the ground once more.
Gammic picked up his staff quickly and began to mutter a jinx, sure that the assaulter would attack again. Instead, his enemy spoke, a rough but clearly feminine voice.
"Alright, you win." Gammic didn't drop his guard, certain that she would strike when he least expected it. "I'm serious," his aggressor said again, getting up. "Look, I'm Vui, and you'd better run. If you don't want to die, that is."
"What," Gammic began, "you going to attack me again?"
"No," Vui answered, "there's a ton of shadows coming this way, and something tells me that they don't want to sit around and chat."
"You're bluffing," Gammic said, rolling his eyes.
"You think I'm making shit like that up?"
"Wouldn't surprise me, seeing as you just tried to kill me."
"Alright, genius, take a look over there and tell me I'm lying." Vui waved a hand towards the darker area of the woods. Gammic watched through squinted eyes the scene that was before him.
Shadows, Primids, and many other beasts that Gammic couldn't name were marching through the forest, the Shadows passing through the trees with little effort while the remarkably few Primids tromped through loudly.
"Still think I'm lying?" Vui asked.
"Fine, you're right," Gammic said, furrowing his brow in concentration. "Come with me. Not sure if you're on my side or not, so I'll have to keep an eye on you." Although she knew he couldn't see it, Vui rolled her eyes. She sheathed the knives she still held and followed the mage out into the firelight. In the better light, Gammic could now see his captive more clearly. She was shorter than him, with blue eyes and dark hair. She wore a simple grey vest and trousers with her knives sheathed on one side.
"Stay here," Gammic muttered. He had little time, so, making sure he was a safe distance from Hikari, he cast a quick jinx and a loud sound not unlike that of a shotgun erupted in the clearing. The chosen sprang to their feet, a few clutching their ears. "Look," Gammic said quickly, "I haven't got time to explain, but there's a load of monsters coming this way. We need to move, now!"
"Then what are we waiting for?" Hikari asked, drawing her sword. "Let's kick some ass." The others nodded and drew their own weapons, even Vui. They were only a few feet into the forest when the horde broke through the foliage.
"Run!" Leon roared, slashing through an unlucky shadow. They heeded this command, and ran for their lives. Hikari and Leon, not being particularly good runners, were in the rear, pointing their blasters behind them and trying to slow the advancing force. The monsters did not slow, gaining ground steadily on the ragged warriors. Jerid, sprinting in the lead, realized with a jolt of fear that they had hit a dead end. A mountain rose out of the ground in front of them, smooth walls with no hand or footholds.
Jerid swore violently and drew his gun. It wasn't much, just a small pistol that he only kept half-loaded most of the time. He hated using it, seeing firearms as dishonorable to a true fighter. But, he supposed, everyone must make sacrifices, and he'd rather choose a chance at survival over honor. He drew in a slow breath and steadied himself for the onslaught he knew was coming.
Vui, Will, and Dominique, riding on Will's back and hanging to his cloak for dear life, broke through the last trees and leaned against the mountain, panting.
"Don't get too comfy," Jerid said, not taking his eyes off the trees. "They're not done with us yet." Chris and Asima were the next to come through, the winged teen barely fazed. Chris drew his blades and stared into the dense wood, knowing that the monsters still advanced. Bob and Gammic arrived next, and joined the line of defenders. Asima drew her chain-bearing sword and got the others into a second row behind them. Will stayed back, his sword in one hand, keeping Dominique behind him with the other.
Shira, Leon, and Hikari finally made it to them. Asima explained their hastily-made plan and the others nodded. Shira joined the front line, her fingertips sparking with energy. The warriors backed up to the wall, each ready for what might be their last stand. Leon took the lead in front of all the others. He unwrapped the chain from his waist and tied it around his left hand, creating a makeshift shield. He held Dark Aether in his right hand and waited for the fight.
He did not have to wait long. The beasts crashed through the foliage and struck fast. The chosen were forced to break lines and fight on their own. All hell broke loose upon the battlefield. A shadow spirit charged Leon and slashed downward with its blade. Leon brought up his chain to stop the attack and stabbed Dark Aether through the beast's heart. It dissipated, and Leon looked for a new target. He found one in a large phantom raising a mace at him. The blond ran to meet it and swung his weapon to the right, into the monster's leg. It screeched and brought the mace down, but Leon managed to roll under the beast's legs in time.
He quickly performed Aether, throwing Dark Aether into the air, jumping into a flip, and bringing it down with titanic force on the shadow's head. Dark Aether sliced through the shade like a hot knife through butter, going through the beast's heart. It screeched and died, smoky tendrils the only evidence of its former existence; soon they faded as well.
Leon went back to the battle and fought with all his might. He entered a familiar trancelike state, losing track of all but the enemies to kill. He felt the dull pains from the wounds he carried, a gash on his back, a large bruise on his leg, and many more. He felt something else, too. Something powerful, something suppressed. He could feel its thirst for blood, its urge to break free of its prison. The thought scared Leon, not knowing what it was or how to control it. But he ignored it, and continued fighting.
Sweat trickled down his limbs, wetting his dark clothing. He could feel his limbs growing numb from the near-constant impacts on his sword arm. But he felt a rush of energy and adrenaline, spurring him onward. It wasn't until Will dragged him to the wall and told him to rest that he realized how incredibly tired he really was.
He couldn't bring himself to get up and fight, as tired as he was, so he observed the others. Chris fought with a violent fury, his twin katanas a blur as he cut through the foes with a ferocious joy. His mouth was curled into a vicious snarl, and he was clearly enjoying the unique pleasure of war. He disappeared in an instant and reappeared a foot away, behind a shadow guard. He caught the beast unawares, plunging Umbra through its heart. But soon he, too, became fatigued, and could not fight with the same speed and power as he had before. But he did not stop striking them down, determination the only thing keeping him alive.
Asima noticed her friend faltering and rushed to his aid. She was bruised and slightly battered, but otherwise seemed okay. She slashed a shade clean through with a warrior yell and stabbed another. Chris smirked a little and fought with renewed vigor, clearly not wanting to be beaten by a girl.
Bob kept the monsters at bay with his remarkable gunmanship. Nearly every shot took down a beast, and none of them could catch him long enough to do real damage. The sharpshooter grinned, almost like a shark baring its teeth, and destroyed the beasts with pleasure.
Gammic, being a master of dark magic, was perfectly in his element. The shadows could not even come close to the mage, shot down at a distance with curses and spells. But magic has its limits, and soon Gammic had almost no power to cast a hex. So he used the remainder of his energy to conjure a razor-sharp spike at the end of his staff, and, using it as a spear, was able to hold his ground against them.
Unlike the others, Vui did not fight flat-out. Instead she snuck up behind the shadows with great stealth and stabbed them in their backs. But eventually they caught on to her little game, and ganged up on her. Vui gripped her knives tight and clenched her teeth. She fought well, but the shadows soon began to overwhelm the rogue. Gammic rushed over and stabbed a shade through the heart. Seizing the moment of confusion, Vui began to stab out viciously, attacking the ones surrounding her.
Shira joined in then, setting the monsters ablaze and often freezing them. Standing in a triangle, the three warriors repelled their enemies' attempts.
Will fought long and hard, protecting Dominique with all he had. The shadows closed in, but he struck them down with fury, cutting them to pieces. Jerid helped him, lashing out with deadly kicks and punches. He used his gun only if he had to, but sadly that was more often than he liked.
Hikari fought like the proud warrior she was, cutting through the ranks of enemies as though they were nothing but toys. But the shadows did not stand back and be defeated. Hikari had bruises and cuts across her arms, but if she was tired, she didn't show it.
But then Leon noticed something that sent chills down his spine. A great beast, far larger than the one he'd killed before, approached. Like the shadows, it was faceless, but was flesh in bone instead of pure darkness, and instead of a sword it carried a large flail. Hikari had not noticed, but the beast was within thirty feet of her, swinging its flail to throw.
"Hikari!" Leon shouted. Without thinking, he got to his feet and ran hard as he could to the girl. As the flail came closer, he grabbed Hikari's arm and dragged her to the ground. The flail crashed where they had been not a moment earlier, sending debris in all directions. Hikari was shocked for a second, but snapped out of it and got to her feet, not even bothering a thank you.
Leon hardly noticed and got up as well. "I've got a plan," he said.
"That's a first," Hikari muttered darkly.
"Just hear me out! We take down its legs, and then we'd have a clear shot at its heart!" Hikari just nodded and, drawing her sword, cut deep into the monster's leg. It screeched and tried to stomp her into the dirt, but she kept running, calling insults all the way. Leon came up from behind and took a swing at the tree trunk-sized limb. Dark Aether cut deep, down to the creature's bone. The beast fell, screaming in pain all the while. Blood poured from the open wounds in its legs, pooling under the monster's body. Hikari and Leon climbed on and stabbed through without hesitation, piercing the heart with their blades.
The monster gave one last screech before finally becoming still. Leon rocked on his feet as a wave of fatigue came over him, and, unable to stand any longer, fell, sliding off the beast's body to the ground.
As he blacked out, the last thing he saw was the concerned look in Hikari's eyes.
….
Yeah, I might have overdone it with the fight scenes here. But that's what happens when I listen to music and write at the same time. Remember to review, people! Later!