Author's Note: Boy oh boy, what a chapter. Keep the reviews coming, they actually make me more motivated to write more. :)
"Please..! Calm!"
"Razor, I don't think we can reason with Andrius right now! We have no choice but to fight!"
"But Aether.. Andrius is God.."
The howls became bigger and more intimidating. The large, wolf creature has finally made its appearance, slowly pacing around the trio as they prepared themselves for battle. Lumine had no idea what was going on or why, but she was not going to let such a creature separate her from his brother again.
"Lumine, please tell me I'm the only one who lost his power."
"Unfortunately, no."
"Well then. We may be in for a fight."
Razor materialized his claymore, telling the two to step back as he blocked the wolf's initial attack. Razor was sent flying, but he quickly recovered in mid air and landed safely. Both Lumine and Aether nodded at each other before rushing the beast in unison but to no avail. The wolf's howl sent the two flying as well, the powerful anemo current surrounding its body, protecting him.
--
Merno and Paimon couldn't believe what they were seeing. A massive beast facing off against the trio, the ground shaking around him as its incredible pressure made its presence known across the land.
"We have to help, Merno!" Paimon insisted, but he had other ideas.
"Paimon I.. I can't. There's nothing I can do against such a monster.."
"So are we just going to let them fight by themselves? You have to try!"
"I can't!"
/
Keqing heard the faint howls coming from the direction she just left, an immense pressure reaching her. They had to be ok, right? She could only hope that their new companions were ok as she rushed back to the scene, hoping that she can make it in time.
\
"How the hell are we going to beat him?! There has to be a way!" Lumine said desperately, covering her face from the pressure.
Razor, with his massive sword pointing forward, gave a defeated look to the twins.
"No chance. Andrius too strong.."
Aether placed a hand on his shoulder, a grin appearing on his face.
"Don't worry my friend. We'll find a way. We always do."
Aether once again took a stance, Lumine joining his side. They both rushed and circled around the beast in record speeds, Aether propelling himself into the air, gracefully twirling and shouting as he drove his blade down at the beast. Lumine was amazed, seeing Aether use a similar power to Merno's attacks except more controlled and potent. She had no time to waste however, slamming both fists onto the ground to summon her biggest crystal yet. It slammed against Andrius' leg, finally causing some damage as the wolf was taken momentarily off balance.
Soon after, Aether propelled himself once again, the blade connecting to the side of the wolf's neck with a powerful shockwave as a result. The wolf howled even louder, this time freezing the winds themselves around his body. Aether noticed his body quickly enveloping in ice, but he acted quickly. He propelled himself off of the beast, taking into the skies where Lumine prepared a path of crystals for Aether to slide and glide across safely.
The twins joined each other again, grinning at one another. Razor couldn't believe what he was seeing. Andrius has been hurt by humans.
"Andrius.. is hurt..!"
Razor joined the two, an aura of electricity covering his body, preventing the ice that threatened to envelope the trio from touching them.
"I.. fight too."
With a mighty cry of his own, Razor focused all of his energy into his sword, dashing towards the mighty enemy in hopes of crippling the wolf in one swing. Andrius however doesn't let it happen so easily, swiping at Razor and easily smacking him to the side in a display of speed and power.
"Lumine!" Aether shouted.
Lumine wasted no time, creating a crystal pillar that Aether used to propel himself off, boosting himself with his anemo abilities to grab a hold of Razor before he hit the wall. As the two grasped each other's wrist in mid air, Aether twirled and tossed Razor's body back at the creature.
Razor recovered just in time, the twins' quick thinking allowing Razor to deliver a heavy strike at the wolf's head. Razor meant to follow up with another attack, but not before the wolf sent off a massive shockwave, sending Razor flying back once more.
The trio regrouped once again, readying themselves for their next attack. Andrius hovered his massive paws above him, the ground below quickly freezing itself in place as Andrius slammed them back onto the ground. Lumine tried to act quickly by using the summoned crystals to cover themselves from the shockwave, but it wasn't enough. The icy shockwave broke through Lumine's defenses and sent the trio flying backwards, slamming hard against the wall.
Aether picked himself up first and rather quickly, followed by Razor, but not Lumine.
"Lumine are you ok?!"
She was clearly reaching her limit, panting hard as she stood back up with a shaky nod directed at Aether.
"Too strong.." Razor said as he readied himself once more. Looking into the eyes of the beast.
Merno looked down at the group in awe. They delivered their hits, sure, but it didn't seem like it was making a dent in the beast. It was almost as if it was getting stronger by the minute, and Merno had to watch Lumine take the receiving end of it all.
"Merno.. We should help.."
"And do what, Paimon?!"
He didn't mean to snap at his friend, but he just felt so weak. So incompetent. But Paimon didn't see that in him. Not in the slightest. She hovered over him and dug through the contents of his bag, displaying his own glove in front of him.
"Paimon knows you can be a warrior.. You can fight, Merno. You can fight and save Lumine!"
These tears. No they couldn't have been because of Paimon's words or the situation below. After all, Paimon was safe from up here, so why would he risk it all for someone he had only traveled with for a couple of days? He did his part and reunited her with his brother. If he went down there he would only get in the way as a failure yet again.
So why is doing nothing eating him alive right now?
He felt Paimon place the glove he has worked so hard on into his right hand.
"Merno.. it's time. Let's save Lumine."
Merno swept away his eyes before refocusing his attention to the battle below. Paimon was right. Lumine was his friend, and just like with Paimon, he had to protect her too.
--
"Regain your strength, Lumine. Razor and I will hold him off for as long as you need."
"No! I can still fight!"
Aether turned his attention to the beast alongside Razor, both taking a quick stand with a determined grin on Aether's face. Lumine never understood how his brother always faced danger with a smile on his face, but she understood that he was right. They needed her to stand a chance against this godly foe.
But as the two prepare to deliver their attacks against all odds, a figure descended almost from the heavens themselves, his right hand extended and aiming directly at Andrius.
Lumine instantly recognized him. It was Merno.
With a mighty cry of his own, his right hand, along with his body, began to glow a bit. Pyro building up in his hand.
"Take this!!"
The area in front of him exploded in a mighty blaze of pyro energy, engulfing the beast and causing the icy winds to subside a little. Both Razor and Aether stood there, astonished at the sudden spectacle, but Lumine knew about his limits. Desperately scanning through the smoke, she spots Merno's limp body descending from the sky, not moving an inch. She quickly rushed to his side and caught him in her arms just in time.
"Merno?! Merno!"
Lumine placed his body on the ground, despite the howls and cries from the beast they still had to face. Merno's eyes opened, seeing Lumine kneeling right beside him.
"Did.. I get him? Please tell me I got him."
Lumine let out a chuckle through a sniffle.
"You did. I don't know how or why you would ever attempt such a move but.. I think you got him."
"I'm glad."
Merno shakily stood back up to see the smoke clear and the beast still standing. Both Aether and Razor did not let the opportunity go to waste as they relentlessly kept on the assault.
"Merno, your arm. It's badly burned.."
Merno attempted to laugh it off. "Don't worry. I can still fight. My equipment is not broken, which means I'm not either."
"I thought.. I thought you weren't going to show up.. I have reunited with my brother, so why would you risk your life for us like this?"
Merno looked down at his hand, still shaking from his attack before meeting eyes with Lumine's.
"Don't ask stupid questions. You're my friend, Lumine. Now if you're done messing around, I have a plan to take him down."
Lumine was actually intrigued by this. A plan to beat such a monster? With everything that they have attempted already? Well they have pulled through difficult odds before, and Lumine had her full trust in Merno. It was worth a shot.
Aether's body came flying past them and slamming onto the wall, Razor following behind but recovering better than Aether by driving his sword onto the ground to break his fall. Razor fell onto one knee, the side of his head bleeding a bit as he gasped for air.
Lumine quickly joined her brother's side, lifting him up and wrapping an arm around his waist to support him. Aether was pretty banged up as well, panting hard.
".. Are.. you ok, Lumine?"
"Am I ok?! I should be asking you that!"
The wolf clearly wasn't done, and although Merno's blast managed to momentarily break the wolf's rhythm, it wasn't nearly enough to even slow him down.
"PRIMITIVE HUMANS. YOU HAVE ONCE AGAIN BROKEN THE TRADITION OF THE NORTH AND I, BOREAS, AM NOT PLEASED. YOU, RAZOR, SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO BREAK SUCH BOUNDARIES, AND NOW YOU ALL MUST PAY DEARLY."
"Great.. the big bad wolf speaks. Just great." Merno states.
"I.. cannot calm Andrius.. any longer. Deeply sorry.. friends." Razor states almost defeatedly.
"Ngh.. No, we can't give up. Not just yet." Aether stated.
"Guys, I have a plan.. but it's going to take a whole lot of everything. Wolf boy, do you think you can distract him for a few more minutes by yourself this time?"
"My name.. is Razor.. I can.."
Merno nods at the silver haired stranger before turning to Lumine.
"Lumine, I'm gonna need you to back up Razor. Not only that, but I need you to immobilize him at the last second when I tell you to. Do you think you can handle it?"
"Yes.. Yes I can!"
"And you.. Aether. I need you to help me make this the biggest blast yet. We need to combine pyro and anemo within my glove to unleash an even more potent blast."
"I can do that."
"Wait but.." Lumine interrupted. "Are you going to be ok? What if you get hurt badly, I mean just look at your arm.."
"No time.. act now."
"Razor's right." Merno responds. "It's now or never."
Merno extended his hand, aiming it at the foe with Aether right beside him. Razor prepared himself, calling upon even greater strength, a creature of electricity appearing beside him. Merno could feel its pressure even from here, he was truly something else.
Razor dashed at the wolf again with Lumine close by to support him at any time. The wolf drove its massive paw down at Razor, but he didn't go down easily. Razor managed to block and parry away the attack, surprising even Andrius himself as he slashed upwards at the beast. Electricity coursed through the beast's body, making him stumble as Razor continued the assault, his own cries of battle louder than ever before.
"Razor never showed me this kind of power.. He's amazing." Aether said to himself, shifting his focus back to Merno as his glove was starting to accumulate a lot of pyro energy.
"Ok. Aether, start juicing it up with anemo energy. I need this to be the biggest blast yet."
"Sure. But are certain that this will work? If I put this much anemo energy with pyro, the blast itself is going to blow back at you."
"Well it's the only way I see us winning. Just tell Lumine I had a lot of fun in our adventures, will ya?" He said almost jokingly.
Aether shook his head.
"You're going to have to tell her yourself. I'm not letting you die here."
Merno scoffed to himself, saying nothing more. The pressure in his right hand was becoming increasingly uncontrollable as the pyro and anemo within the glove started charging up beyond its projected max.
"Ok this.. is.. a little much." Menro admitted.
Aether immediately stopped applying anemo, worried about Merno. He could feel the heat coming off of the glove, even among the icy wasteland the wolf was causing but Merno immediately snapped at the blonde.
"Don't stop..!"
"We need electricity to control the blast. With the way things are going, there's no way anyone close by will survive the blast!" Aether argued.
"I don't.. Ngh.. care.." Merno persisted.
Aether could only be sad at the situation. Sad because he knew exactly what he was going through. He was willing to sacrifice everything for Lumine, even if it meant death. And although this man was someone he has never met in his life, Aether was willing to put everything on the line for Lumine.
"Razor! I need your electricity to control this power!"
Razor grunted at Aether's request, obviously not realizing that he was dealing with nonstop icicle attacks and stomps from the wolf. Lumine took her eyes off of the battle to look at the two behind. Merno's body was almost unrecognizable due to the amount of energy accumulated that surrounded his body now.
"Merno, that looks dangerous! It's not worth it!" Lumine screamed, shifting his focus as Razor blocked another one of Andrius' attacks, this time aimed for Lumine.
"Go.. everyone.. get out of.. the way.." Merno pleaded, reaching his limits.
Aether desperately called for Razor once more in an attempt to control Merno's incoming explosion, but it was no use. Andrius was starting to wear his silver haired companion down to the point where Lumine had to step in and battle.
Time was running out. Merno was almost engulfed in flames, causing even Aether to step back from the man. Aether yelled at his companions to get out of the way, Merno giving off one last warning until something unexpected happened.
A familiar figure stepped in, grabbing and teleporting both Razor and Lumine away from the wolf, reappearing in front of Merno. It was Keqing. She gathered a large sum of electricity in her hands, in an attempt to bring down the upcoming suicidal explosion into a precise shot. The pyro energy accumulated along with the anemo energy with its electro counterparts together in one was finally relased by Merno. There was a sudden flash of white before the blast came in contact with the beast, followed by a massive shockwave afterwards. The shockwave of the attack was potent enough to send everyone flying all the way to the other side of the dome.
And as the last of its howls took place and the smoke cleared, the mighty Andrius was down for the count.
Keqing was the first one to submerge out of the rubble, looking for her companions in an attempt to save them if they were somehow still alive. Both Lumine and Aether followed suit, with Razor groaning in pain but alive.
But no sign of Merno.
"Merno? Merno, where are you?!"
Keqing went through the rubble until he found his body buried beneath it. Aether quickly helped the girl and dug him out of there, gently placing his body down.
Keqing wasted no time and place her head against his heart, giving a shaky sigh of relief at the faint sound of his heartbeat.
"He's still alive.."
"But so.. is Andrius.." Razor pointed out.
The face of horror in both Aether and Lumine were indescribable, hopelessly watching as the wolf stood back up and howled until the skies themselves turned gray. His body shifted from his radiant blue, to a lighter, almost ghostly color. He made his way closer to the group, each step causing the ground to shake and freeze. The temperature drop was so great that even Razor himself started to fear for his own life, cowering behind the twins.
"It's.. over.." Razor admitted defeat.
"I'm sorry Aether.." Lumine also stated in defeat.
"We can still run away from here." Keqing suggested, but to no avail. The wolf was already towering over them all.
"THE ACT TO PROTECT THOSE AROUND YOU HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF OUR BATTLE.. VERY WELL. I SHALL ACCEPT DEFEAT JUST THIS ONCE, BUT KNOW THIS. I WILL NOT BE SO GENTLE THE NEXT TIME A WORSHIP IS BROKEN. AND AS FOR YOU RAZOR, YOU ARE NOT WOLF. YOU MUST FIND YOUR PLACE WITHIN THE HUMANS, AS YOUR SOUL ORIGINALLY BELONGS TO THEM. FAREWELL."
And with one last howl, the creature disappears, turning everything back to normal as if no trace of the Wolf of the North ever existed. The group could only wonder what was next for them, facing death together is something that doesn't happen everyday.
Both Lumine and Aether smiled at each other, acknowledging the fact that this was one crazy reunion, but a reunion nonetheless.
Her smile quickly fading at the sight of the unconscious Merno.