Shade took a deep breath. "Wish me luck!" she called to her teammates, before heading down the stairs.
Claymore glared at her, but chuckled. "If you think that I will go easy on you, then you are wrong. I was trained to fight ghosts. Now, show me what you can do!"
The Dreepy grinned at him before remembering what Mizuchi told her about aura. She thought about what she would do first.
I should probably hit him. Maybe some kind of ghost power or something?
She focused on harming the Pawniard in front of her. However, instead of a dark, eerie essence, the attack that launched itself toward him was a pale, disgusting green, and almost seemed to be made of insects.
"What was that?" she called up to Mizuchi. "That's not what I meant to do!"
The Sobble shook her head. "I don't know! I've never met a Dreepy before! Maybe Infestation is all they can do!"
"Infestation?" Shade asked, looking back at Claymore. Those pale green insects seemed to be flying through him.
The Pawniard growled, stepping forward. However, his movement was visibly slowed.
Is that what I can do? It seems pretty powerful. Shade grinned, floating behind him. Instead of trying to lash out at him with what would probably be another Infestation, she tried empowering a hit from her spiked tail. This time, the energy was ghostly, and seemed to startle her foe.
"You are stronger than you look," he remarked. "Now… it is my turn."
Claymore enveloped his claw with dark energy, attempting to hit the Dreepy. However, she ducked down, and lunged forward to grab his feet. The Pawniard jumped backwards just in time to dodge.
"Nice move!" Shade called. "But I'm sure this is better!"
The Dreepy floated upward, then rushed forward with blistering speed.
"Quick Attack?" Claymore chuckled. "Are you kidding me?"
He stepped to the side, avoiding the bullet of a ghost flying towards him. Shade stopped just before hitting the ground, turning around to glare at the Pawniard.
"What? I am simply doing my best not to fall… which is what you should be doing instead of letting your guard down."
"What-" Shade found herself tossed into the air, but also managed to slow down her descent with her thoughts.
"Not cool!" she shouted down to the arena below. Claymore wasn't listening, but instead ran up the wall and leaped off the balcony to get to the same height as Shade.
The Dreepy barrel-rolled around both Night Slashes he used, and the Pawniard dropped much quicker than her. He aligned his body so that he would land on his feet, but Shade saw an opportunity to use another Quick Attack. The Pawniard blocked it, shoving the Dreepy backwards a few feet.
"Why would you use such simple attacks, yet put your all into them? Are you really that weak?" Claymore shook his head as the insects from Infestation faded away. "What a disappointment. I think it is time to end this."
Mantis looked out from the cliff he'd found himself on. The western ocean stretched out far beyond the horizon, and the continent of Nidraj was too distant to be seen.
Closer than the water was the forest that began on the other side of this mountain range, and in between was Spotlight Town. The port town stretched out across the shoreline, and a wall surrounded it, protecting it from the monstrosities that were now abundant across Riopse.
Well, they will not be much of a threat to Spotlight soon… unless Insight makes a horrible mistake. Whatever Basilisk is doing in that lab is working.
The Kleavor stood up, continuing on the path through the mountains. I will be there soon. Then, the plan will be set in motion.
Claymore summoned the two swords for Swords Dance. He ran up to Shade, preparing another Night Slash. The Dreepy floated up, but found herself flung backwards.
"You're tough," she chuckled. "Maybe I just need to be tougher…"
Claymore growled. "This makes no sense! How are you still fighting? You are just a Dreepy! The weakest of all dragons and ghosts! I was trained to fight like you, to fight your kind!"
Shade smiled, saying, "Well, I wasn't." She flew forwards, rushing up with another Quick Attack. Her foe shook his head, trying not to let his rage take over.
This is more than just a test now, he thought. I have to win. I have to honor my master. I can not let this ghost beat me. Claymore blocked again, stopping what could have been major damage.
Major damage? How would a simple Quick Attack do major damage? The Pawniard wasn't sure whether he was more angry at Shade or at the part of him that even considered that.
Then again, wasn't that part of him his instinct- the part of him that everyone praised? The small voice in the back of his mind that made him the King of Battle?
"You are not like other Dreepy," Claymore said. "Who trained you?"
"Some might say I trained myself," she replied, before darting behind the Pawniard and ramming into him again. This attack had some kind of dark energy around it, just like her tail smack from earlier. That's really cool, but why does it only happen when I'm attacking from behind?
"Use Infestation again!" a Yanmega shouted. Shade nodded, letting the pale green insects fly from her and through Claymore.
"Now this is a fight!" a Dubwool called. "Should we have brought snacks?"
"We may not have snacks, but we've got a band!" a Toxtricity replied, stroking his chest to produce music. A Rillaboom joined in with drums, and the rest of the crowd seemed to know this song, as they sang along:
Till the end we fight for our freedom and a hope long gone!
For tomorrow's dawn and the sun's return, we will wish!
Till the end we hope for a future where the wind will blow once again…
We fight to the finish!
The now-singing crowd made Shade smile. "You get this feeling all the time, don't you?" she asked Claymore.
"What feeling? All I feel is irritation at the fact that it has been an hour since we started this battle!" The Pawniard stepped forward, but was slowed by Infestation.
"Sorry, Clay, but I think it's time to end this," she apologized, before rushing into him again.
Claymore shouted in rage as he blocked the attack again. "I am not losing to a ghost! And do not! Call! Me! CLAY!"
The Pawniard shoved her into the ground. "I was testing you before, but now you have tested my patience! I will not stand by and let my master's training go to waste!"
"Enough!" Guildmaster Insight called from the balcony. "Claymore, you have already ignored what your master told you about rage- or were those just tall tales?"
Claymore stared at the bleeding Dreepy on the ground. He took a deep breath, but said nothing.
The Xatu flew down to him. "If you and Amphibian aren't back to work by sunrise tomorrow, you can consider yourselves… no, exile would be too cruel. Especially in these times."
The rest of Shade's team ran down to her. Milkweed patched up her wounds, but Mizuchi, being in her current state, could only stare at Claymore with wide, scared eyes.
I've scared her. I have known her since I came here, and I've scared her. I am a monster.
"I understand, Guildmaster. I will inform Amphibian of this event. And if we are not gone tomorrow… well, if I let such a thing occur, I would kill myself." The Pawniard walked out of the arena, not even bothering to open the door. Instead, he threw it right off its hinges.
Insight sighed, turning back to the trio on the sand. "I think you've passed this test. All three of you tried your hardest. Sure, with varying degrees of success, but your hardest nonetheless."
They all smiled with relief. "Did you hear that, Shade?" Mizuchi gasped. "We passed!"
The Dreepy smiled, letting herself fall into a deep sleep. The Guildmaster nodded, whispering, "You deserve a good rest. The survival tests are tomorrow, so that you can rest up after those fierce battles. Good work.