Chapter 36: The Main Performance
THE CALLERS
Awed, even a little imposed, Max and Hornet looked all around at the spectating grimmkin that had so suddenly been revealed. When their gazes finally met, though, the pair nodded at each other confidently. If these bugs wanted to see a battle, they'd get to. The two hunters then started forth, only to both be grabbed by the shoulder by the human standing behind, letting them catch the troupe master ahead bowing deeply.
"Let's stay courteous now," he admonished.
"Hm." The tall bug's head tilted up to show a smirk. "Your handling of your fellows' rowdiness is appreciated, human."
"Don't flatter me, vessel. I barely stopped myself from going right for you," the man replied sharply. "It's been quite a while since I last had a fight this, er, formal."
"Truly? Shame," Grimm uttered as he rose from his bow. "We begin!" Leaving a trail of red, he then dashed at the three, a hand and its claws outstretched. The young warriors dodged to the sides and Lembit backwards, avoiding the subsequent uppercut, with which the troupe master launched himself into the air, out of an attempted counterattack's reach, where he burst into some five, large fireballs that showered down on the arena.
Scattering even further apart, the trio evaded the flames, which all dispersed upon reaching the ground. The moment they were gone, Grimm reappeared above to suddenly dive towards Hornet, his legs and cloak bottom forming a point almost like an arrowhead. The warrior dashed backwards, avoiding the landing of the ember-eyed bug, who immediately shot after her, fiery claws thrust forth. Albeit more narrowly, she eluded this attack as well, managing, in response, a well-aimed jab into its dealer's back, which elicited a small, yet no less satisfying, pained grunt from the troupe master (as well as gasps from their audience), as he came to a stop at the ring's edge, facing back at it with an elegant twirl.
Before the spiderling could close in for the second strike, he made a wide wave with his hand, which from the cloak under it unleashed a couple of red, winged missiles that roared more like beasts than fire and barely missed her swiftly ducked form, as well as the advancing Max and Lembit, both of whom were forced into a roll, the human's coming out much smoother than the boy's, while the nightmarish bug vanished into flame again. Getting back upright, the man quickly scanned around for the vessel, before sensing his emerging presence ahead of the hornet, who had nearly reunited with Hornet.
"Max, in front of you," he shouted in warning, prompting the hunter to halt, just as their opponent burst back into sight right between the young bugs, dashing into the male before the other warrior could land another hit at his back. Having raised his nail from the heads-up, Max blocked the brunt of the attack, but was still pushed back quite a bit of ground. He also managed to parry the following, fiery claw slash, but didn't bring his blade back around quick enough for a counter, as Grimm leapt up into the air, backflipping to change his course and plunge at Hornet as he'd before.
The female dodged backwards easily, preparing to strike back, only for the troupe master to change direction again, lunging for the approached human instead. But Lembit was ready and stopped the charge without being pushed back more than a few centimeters, using this to lay into the bug. Sword and claws met several times, finally at such an angle that let him bring them into a lock.
"This is hardly looking like a group performance so far, vessel" he goadingly spoke over it. "Why so adamant on keeping us separated?"
"A dance like ours would lose much of its grace if spent solely clashing masks-to-mask, human," the god-bearing bug retorted, pushing against the blade. "And I do not want it overly easy for you, lest it ends up unentertaining to all."
"Hm. In my experience, beating someone to a pulp in concert can be quite fun, though not to watch, I'll admit," the General said, suddenly exiting from the lock and kicking at Grimm, which sent him teetering back. "Oh well." The troupe master was promptly jabbed and slashed by Hornet and Max respectively, with the Weaverling connecting another needle strike. The boy's next attack, however, got blocked by a fleet swing of flaming claws, as did his companion's third stab.
Lembit then laid into the troupe master, but even his first blows were fended off by the tall bug. Correlating it with a slash from Max, he did land one of his following and a few after it. Still, with both the fiery talons and clearly enchanted cloak and his prior elegance having completely turned into unrelenting ferocity, Grimm fought most of their other strikes off. Not only that, he managed to counter a sloppier attack from the human and dealt him a pretty painful slash, as well as Max when he next whiffed. This didn't appease the troupe master, however, as the trio kept surrounding him in spite of it, inching closer when they could.
"Wish as you may, but you are not ending our act so early, nor through so crude an exchange," he hissed tensely, "so kindly back away!"
That said, he jerked towards Max with a powerful, fiery kick that sent the male flying back. Hornet's eyes widened, but she hadn't a chance to glance and see if he was alright before both their opponent's burning palms swung down at her, leaving her solely able to block, which, despite her rigid stance, got her pushed a ways back as well.
Whilst Grimm moved on to strike at the General, the Weaverling turned to race for her male, who thankfully had already stood back upright, ready as ever. Still, it didn't stop her from worriedly looking at the new, large black mark on his midsection.
"Is okay," he assured her. "Almost didn't hurt at all. Resistance to gods, remember?" The warrior gave a single nod, as their attention was pulled to the General and tall bug clashing anew, the latter being unrelenting in his assault against the human. Slash after slash was swiftly dealt that allowed no immediate opportunity to regain the advantage. Try as he might, even with his own heightened speed, the man couldn't fight it all off, receiving a number of the searing hot strikes.
These forced him to finally retreat, though apparently not at the rate Grimm wanted, since before Hornet and Max could rush to aid, the bug teleported behind him to snatch onto his collar. He'd no chance to pull it however, for a sudden burst of gold had Lembit appear at his back instead, thrusting his now-glowing blade straight through the troupe master, which garnered a chorus of gasps from the onlookers. For a moment, it seemed as though it was over.
Yet this was far from the battle's end, as but another moment later, Grimm exploded into a swarm of pitch-black, wispy beasts akin to bats, the largest among them bearing the Flame-bearing bug's crimson eyes, that scattered about the arena, accompanied from somewhere by a drumroll. Irkedly wondering how many other surprises the vessel had, the General began to swat at his dispersed form, quickly followed suit by the hunterbugs, the three of them managing three hits before the winged pieces regrouped above the ring's middle, reforming, to the audience's clapping, into the troupe master, whose cape proceeded to balloon out, aglow.
Max would probably have burst into laughter at the pufferfish-shaped bug if the latter didn't then begin spewing wave upon wave of fireballs all around himself, the numerous ones shooting at them forcing the hornet and Weaverling to scatter apart, even further so right after, as if that was the flames' intent. Despite dodging the best he could, the young male couldn't avoid being hit, though, like the kick, he didn't feel too much hurt from it. Hornet fared better in evading the onslaught, but was still unable to close in and retaliate. The General, however, having dispelled the first fireballs flying for him by a swing of it, was steadily stepping towards their opponent with his brighter-glowing sword held shieldingly in front of him, coming within slashing distance just as the burning salvo ceased and the troupe master's cloak returned to its regular shape.
He swung upwards at the bug, who, however, dove down past it and to his left, dealing a slash on his shoulder. Lembit was able to deflect the second with his fist, yet failed to sock back before Grimm sprung up into a bright flare. Not a moment later, he reappeared to dash at Max, delivering a powerful uppercut kick that the boy blocked, but was set back by, and from which the tall bug spun into another teleport that landed him in front of Hornet. Put off by its flash, the spiderling was too late to evade and he promptly tackled her and dashed for the arena's edge, smirking devilishly at her. Snarling back, she braced with her legs, whilst also struggling to falter his grasp. When they hit the wall, she broke free and ran up it, leaping off to land behind him.
She then turned to slash across the troupe master's back, which earned another satisfying grunt of ache. Alas, when she came around to jab as well, the other bug had already flared away. He reemerged before the General, only briefly slowing his advance with a swipe, before once again taking to the air, where he erupted into a rain of fireballs for the three to dodge.
By now, it was abundantly clear to the human and halfling, as well as dawning on the hornet, that Grimm's efforts to keep them separated like so wasn't just for theatrics, but because it was also the scope at which his dancing style of fighting flowed the best, as well as, of course, a disadvantage to them. Divide and conquer. Lembit didn't plan on having any of that, nor did the young spider, though she wasn't quite sure how, something the man was. As their opponent cycled back to attacking Max, he aimed his sword towards and, with a flash of gold, suddenly appeared by Hornet, to her momentary startlement.
"Brace yourself," he quickly advised, grabbing onto the female's arm, before another burst of light brought them right behind Grimm. Having her first time getting sent be far less disorienting than she'd feared (although still strange), Hornet promptly stabbed his back. She then quickly slipped to Max's side, whilst the troupe master swung around, only to be punched in the mask by Juss, then hit with the sword.
As they had earlier, the young pair moved to attack him from the rear, when the devilish bug sent a kick backwards, the hot flame trailing it making the two have to dodge apart. He then swung his hands to the sides, letting his cloak lash at them, which forced them further away, meanwhile a pair of missiles shot from it at the human. The latter, however, cut through both with his glowing blade, before driving it, so forcefully it and his hand appeared a gold blur, towards the bug's middle.
Yet Grimm was even speedier to teleport away, leaving the man to nearly stumble blade-first into Max.
"Kurat igavene," he cursed under his breath, regaining balance, then told the hornet and his partner: "You two, keep together. Strike when I get him close to you, understood?"
The pair didn't get a chance to respond, for a moment later, familiar screeching reached them from behind the human, who whipped around at the very last moment to narrowly evade two flaming missiles, which the hunterbugs ducked from. They watched the man slash through the third flame-bat, before raising his sword for another swing, in the midst of which a burst of yellow had him appear beside the troupe master, on whom he landed it. Getting a look of surprise, the troupe master quickly flashed a ways away along the ring's edge, where he launched three more of the fiery projectiles, one towards Max and Hornet, the other two at Lembit, just for the latter to bypass them with another teleport of his own that he dove into another attack from.
This one, however, the god-bearer managed to strike aside, before hastily flameporting once more, the General following in a literal flash. Grimm kept trying to shake him off, dashing and porting around the arena, but to no avail, for every time the bug paused between the moves, he was beside him again and forced him to defend. He did that well, though, and the human landed few good hits. At each stop, he also sent a fireball or two Max's and Hornet's way, clearly to keep them from approaching, which they weren't doing anyway. Instead, Lembit was at least fairly successful in driving him towards to the young bugs, so the three of them could gang up on him as planned.
However, when they were close to being about near enough for the pair to join in on the attack, a try of the human's to land one more hit on his own was unexpectedly halted by a strong kick from Grimm, who used the stun from it to go on the offensive, tearing into the man with a flurry of slashes. He parried as swift as he could with his arm, only for many of the blows to still land past it before he was able to swing his sword down and strike the ground in front of the troupe master. This created a blast of bright sparks towards the latter, causing him to take a stumble back, which let Lembit regain a serviceable stance.
Before the two could clash again, though, the bug took a sudden hit to his side from Max, who'd rushed over with Hornet, both mutually decided the General needed help. The halfling slid by to their opponent's other side, jabbing at it and leaving him all but surrounded. Unfortunately, no use could be made of it, as the troupe master, obviously realizing the fact himself, prompted them to step back with a wide, glowing-red kick, from which he spun and disappeared into flame.
The human took a moment to give appreciative glances to his companions, then intently gazed ahead with them at the reappeared Grimm, who stared right back, cramped claws smoldering, as the audience fell completely silent. There was now only a small drumroll and the trio's breaths. Hornet's were yet fairly unburdened, courtesy of how untouched she had remained in the fray thus far, while Max's were more wearied due to the blows he'd suffered.
The General was just heaving. Though this was far from the furthest he'd needed to push himself, fatigue from not only the battle, but the whole day and the magic he had used during it was beginning to catch up with him, exemplified by the draining feeling of his latest wounds closing. The lingering sting of those made him hunch over a bit, whilst Grimm still stood tall, despite the red smoke wisps rising out of his own injuries. He'd have to strike fast and decisively if they were to win this fight before he got too exhausted.
Or he could just cut it short entirely.
As the drumroll started to become grating, his hand promptly snapped to his gun, then, with it, towards the troupe master. The loud, high-pitched shot rang out, making Max and Hornet, as well as the audience jump. The man ignored their shocked looks, warily eyeing the still-living troupe master, whose fist had basically flashed to in front of where he had aimed. Glaring far more angrily, the tall bug then held it out and unfurled his claws, which let something tiny and glowing fall to the ground.
He'd actually caught it.
The gun and hand dropping to his side, Lembit hummed, his worry confirmed. "So, your kind truly has a resilience to Divinium. The metal, I mean."
Grimm let out a dry chuckle. "Amusing you would call it that, human. And indeed. Truly, I figured your dance with the lesser master would have been evidence enough of that," he spoke sternly. "After all, nightmarish things such as our master and its share the source of their power, though our Flame could not if it wished match their dark nature."
"If you're worried, know that every ounce of it is handled by professionals I appointed myself. There is no chance it could get out of control," the human assured truthfully. Or at least with what he liked to tell himself; you could never be certain with Element 115.
"That I am in no position to doubt," the troupe master replied. "To be truthful, I am merely disappointed you would try and end our dance in so abrupt a way." This prompted a chorus of boos and other jeers from the spectating grimmkin. Hornet too felt a little frustrated at the human, although both she and Max were more so confused at what he and the tall bug were talking of.
"Apologies, I'm just tired, alright. The day's been long and tomorrow will likely be even longer," Lembit excused. "You're right, though. It was impolite." He sighed. "Very well. Come and let's give your people their theatrics." The small conversation had given him a chance to really catch his breath, as well as devise what he would do.
Grimm smirked and dashed for the trio, at which the hornet and halfling took up defensive stances, while the human, unexpectedly to them, ran to meet him. Both slashed forward as they did, claws and blade harshly rebounding from one another due to the force. So that he couldn't leap into an uppercut and escape like the countless times before, Lembit swiftly hit the bug with his glowing palm, before swinging his sword back up front and slammed it into the ground. Stepping over, he next struck the vesselbug in the throat to further stun him, at the same time drawing his knife, which he proceeded to hook into his shoulder. With the last of the energy he was willing to use for it, he pulled the troupe master into a short teleport backwards to then shove him at the sword.
Tripped by the weapon, the dazed bug fell onto his back, seeming defenseless in front of the human, who pulled his blade from the arena floor, flourishing it for show, before pointing it right towards the bug's middle. Just as he was about to bring it down on the latter, however, the troupe master suddenly grabbed the knife still in his shoulder, flinging it at Lembit. The man narrowly deflected the small blade with his, which distracted him for the moment Grimm needed to painfully kick up at his shin, then at his belly, sending him to the ground as well, sword escaping his grasp.
Turning the tables fully, the showbug teleported himself upright and, sneering, aimed an igniting hand at him. It took no more for Hornet to recognize the need to intervene again and she cast her needle, impaling the troupe master, who she then dashed for, only for him to raise the flaring claws right towards her. Whether or not she could've evaded it, the female had no need to, for the lobbed fireball was blocked by Max swerving in front of her, being knocked to his knees by it.
"Don't worry," he responded to the spiderling's alarmed look, though this one had actually hurt quite a lot. "Jus' get 'im!"
She nodded and, having ducked from a cloak swipe, pounced at Grimm, dealing a claw slash and pulling her weapon from his midsection, before she dropped off to stand between him and the recovering General, their eyes locked. The devilish bug seemed to finally be tired, breathing harshly as red steamed from his cuts. Rising to Hornet's side with his sword as support, Lembit didn't look better. Still, he'd enough in him to finish this.
"Let's end him."
Sensing Max approach them from behind, the spiderling nodded. "Aye."
Grimm let out a chuckle. "I shall only end when our ritual does," he corrected. "Although I agree it is at last an appropriate time to end this performance. So go ahead."
The human and bug obliged, both moving to strike down the troupe master, the ends of whose cloak suddenly shot into the ground, causing a ring of coiled spikes to emerge around him. Taken by surprise, Hornet dodged back, right onto another row of the fangs, which then shook.
"Watch out," she heard Max shout as she tried to shift her course off them, before being shoved by the hornet. A split second later, all the spikes rose into tall spires, trapping her in between. Whipping around, she found the male nowhere in sight, even when the pillars receded as fast as they'd gone up. The General too looked on with shock, but it held no candle to the Weaverling's disbelief, something that swiftly turned to utter fury towards Grimm, who grinned and lunged at them, fiery hands outstretched. This left a very obvious opening to attack, so the warrior went for a killing strike, as did the soldier. Neither's landed, however, instead a striped blur fell on top of their adversary. Coming to a halt, Hornet and Lembit saw Max, his nail embedded through the troupe master.
"Resistance to gods, remember, you evil piece of doma," he wheezed at the impaled bug, just before red burst from the latter, the smoke spewing until the bug had disappeared. For a few moments, everything was still, even the crowd. Realization dawning, the hornet looked up to his companions, who both shared his relief, then suddenly gained a very pained expression. "O-ow," he whimpered, slumping over to reveal a nasty, bleeding gash on his shell. Although conjured from a god's magic, that spike had still delivered a rough blow.
Gasping in horror, Hornet instantly dropped next to the male, while Lembit's attention was drawn by Grimm reforming in the arena's center and bowing, to which the grimmkin erupted in applause, completely ignoring the injured bug. For a second, the man had to fight the urge to run and take the vessel's head off, but his heart and courtesy won out and he left the 'killing' blow to the boy, whose side he joined a distraught Hornet at. Demanding that Max stayed conscious, the female desperately pressed on the wound, before the adult pushed her hands off it and, with assuring words, placed his on.
Owing to the young male's magic resilience, healing him drained times more Energy than Adrian had, causing the man to feel damn near to passing out once the glow on his hand had died down.
"You'll be fine, wound's closed," he told the hornet, who nodded gratefully. "A trip to the hot spring will mend it fully. Though I have to ask that you leave it for tomorrow." This was met with no argument.
All three of them caught their breath for a small while, until Lembit decided he at least was rested enough to go wrap up this evening proper. With Hornet electing to stay by her male, he pushed himself up and staggered towards Grimm, who'd not moved an inch. As he approached, the crowd gave another round of applause, which he barely tolerated.
"Hear how the crowd adores your triumph!" the troupe master said, gesturing to the noisy stands. "A show like this has not graced their eyes in a long time. Despite missteps, each of you showed great strength."
"Yes, close to all of it we had," the human angrily replied. "Could you not have shown some restraint? Felt as if you actually were trying to kill us." He motioned back towards the hunterbugs. "Were Max not what he is, you'd probably have succeeded with 'im."
"And look how much more dramatic such stakes made our struggle," the bug spoke back, then explained: "Besides it, he'd not have remained dead. All of the outside slain in this ring are made grimmkin of the troupe, eternal as it is; a consolation prize of our Flame's to those unworthy to complete the ritual."
Lembit's eyes widened. "That- that's a fate worse than death!" he exclaimed.
"And one left unearned tonight, so cease your fretting," Grimm said, before smirking. "Instead, see how the child has grown, how much strength our ferocious dance gave!"
With a snap of his fingers, Grimmchild flashed into sight, both their body and tendrils having gained in length, with the former now black and red like their parent. With a happy chirp, the young creature flew to Hornet, who was helping Max to his feet and paid them little mind, resulting in a disappointed squawk, cut off when they realized how hurt their favored caregiver's male was and joined in on pulling him upright.
"Alright, it got bigger," the human remarked, arms crossed. "What is next, then? You made it quite clear the ritual is not finished. What do you need us to bring and from where?"
"That I cannot tell right now," the devilish bug admitted. "The last, strongest of the grimmkin are not yet finished with their harvest, and as such not settled down in wait of you, something they shall no doubt be by morning."
"Hm, I see," Lembit hummed. "I guess that is all, then."
"Not quite," Grimm spoke up before he could turn to leave. "We've not discussed the award to you three for your exhilarating performance."
The man scoffed. "You know damn well what we want: a good night's sleep, for all of us, nothing else."
"And you shall get it," the bug promised. "Our Flame is fair to its servants."
"Which it has trouble telling apart from its benevolent allies," the man responded darkly. Typical Keeper. He pointed a finger. "You know, your Flame- You and it both, you're horrid."
Grimm grinned widely. "Pada sõimab katelt, ühed mustad mõlemad."
Lembit stared at him for a moment, before storming the other way towards the exit, passing the now-stood Max, who was assuring his hivemate through their shared mind that he was okay, fairly. With Hornet's support, he and she then headed after the human, tailed by Grimmchild, who'd accepted that their pretty new form wasn't getting any attention tonight.
THE PALE KING
The Wyrm sat, as usual, going over things afoot in his domain. Little of note had happened over the past day where His power was uncontested. A number of His subjects and even sentries had mithered of disturbing night terrors He knew to blame the Flame for, but then joined their fellow bugs in their duties that would bring back the capital's former life and glory. There was a letter of complaint from the young Dutchess Emilitia, replied to with an assurance she would soon gain access to her appointed lands.
And soon that would be, for His greater focusing on the soldiers in Elsewhere and beyond had paid off, His influence over their minds now great enough to guide their thoughts and actions if He so wished, with only slight resistance remaining, part of that hailing from the orders of the pair of officers untouched by His light. Those two obstacles would be done away with tonight, as well as possibly the lone human they managed to taint again; what importance would that one have, anyway? After that, nothing would stop Him from at last bringing those humans fully into His light and have their worship make him unopposable.
Then there'd be no more of this cowering. He would punish and subjugate the tribalbugs, those savages, who thought they could return to the lands His forces had only temporarily retreated from, two having even slain a good sentry by the Royal Storerooms today. He would banish the Flame that dared to exploit His subjects with dreams, especially ones so vile. He would decimate the damned Hornet and empowered human for their unholy natures, the corruption of Hornet, defiling of His palace and Dirtmouth and many other evils.
His physical form grinning, the Wyrm commanded that Lieutenants be seized.
So, I am still existent. This chapter is bad justification for that. And no. Nothing's wrong in my life. The only reason this took three months was laziness. You remember when I wrote things twice as long in a sixth of the time?
Self criticism aside, I don't know how to feel about the long Grimm fight itself. Part of me fears that I made it too long and grand and that'll make the other fights I've planned, especially a certain dream form, feel underwhelming in comparison. As you can probably tell, the Pale King section is very rushed, making me not like it too much either.
And in case any of you hoped I was writing a bunch of chapters in order to upload them at once, then no. You don't get to hope here I am starting the next chapter tomorrow and that was planned to be shorter and will take some time too, because I've had real work pile up.
See you in may or smthn, productivity's bound to go up in summer.
Right? R&R