Author's Note: *just got yelled at for not figuring out a way to put a
platypus in the last chapter* OK, fine. *hands Aerena TWO platypi* O_o
There. Are we all happy now?
Chapter 23
Rayen watched in interest as the Sea Dragoon transformed. Water flowed from his sapphire Spirit to all parts of his body, then froze, forming the sky- blue armor and wings. From the palm of his hand, water surged forth, then froze into the form of a huge two-handed sword. It was not as long as the 'metal toothpick' used by the ill-fated Violet Dragoon Boleras, but it was a good four and a half feet long, and much wider. It dwarfed Rayen's sword by an entire foot, and it was double-edged and wicked looking. The transformation ended in a wave of ice bursting forth, coating the ground and Rayen in a layer of frost.
Rayen would not be outdone, however. The white-hot inferno seeped from his ruby, turning the frost on his body to steam so quickly it didn't even pass through the liquid stage. The wings sprouted from his back, with a vivid azure base to crackling yellow flames at the tips. He drew his sword, and flames intertwined around it, and it metamorphosed into the more powerful blade. A wave of fire that melted the ice on the ground signaled the completion of Rayen's transformation.
Rayen stood his ground, waiting for his opponent to make the first move, giving him the advantage. Eventually, the Sea Dragoon kicked off the ground, lunging forward with the double-edged sword held high above his head. Rayen was prepared for this, however. He bent his knees, and launched himself into the air. Then, he flared his wings, propelling himself back downwards, while focusing heat energy into the soles of his feet. His feet connected with the armored plate between the wings, slamming the Water Dragoon's stomach into the pavement.
He jumped off of his adversary, pivoted in the air, and slashed downward. By some miracle, his opponent not only managed to prop his body up with one hand, but he also twisted his body and brought his heavy sword upwards, thwarting Rayen's blow. Flipping backwards, the Sea Dragoon swung his blade once more, the previous momentum making the one-handed strike less difficult. Rayen blocked it easily, but he soon learned that it had been no more than a ploy. A mailed fist connected with the side of his face. The Red-Eye Dragoon stumbled backwards, gently kneading his cheek.
Rayen twisted flames into the shape of a hand axe with a back hook, which he grasped with his free hand. He reached back and threw the fiery projectile at his opponent. The Sea Dragoon merely reached out his own hand, and in a flash of magic, the axe clattered to the ground, now cast in ice instead of fire. So, he really could use magic, Rayen thought to himself. Then this would be a lot more difficult.
His rival launched himself at Rayen yet again, and the Fire Dragoon leapt over him, landing behind the blue-clad warrior. Stooping low, he scooped up the axe once more. As his opponent turned around, Rayen swung with the chill weapon. The two-edged sword came up once again to block, but at the last possible moment, Rayen reversed the weapon, sliding the rear spike through a crack in the sky-blue armor. With a flick of his wrist, Rayen snapped the rest of the axe away from the sharp icicle, which remained wedged between two of the plates of the Sea Dragoon's armor. Rayen renewed the attack, but this time it was blocked, and the clash of the two weapons shattered the frozen hatchet, scattering slivers of ice onto the sidewalk. Rayen flew backwards to avoid leaving himself open, and the older man took this opportunity to wrench the hook from his armor. Rayen smirked; knowing his opponent had made a serious mistake. With nothing clogging it, blood exited freely from the wound. Soon, the blood loss would take its toll.
The opposing Dragon Knight was not out yet, however, and Rayen soon felt a vicious kick collide with his chest, flinging him backwards. Rayen propelled himself upwards, wreathed his blade in crackling flames, and then hurled it at his adversary. The man dodged it, however, and the sword embedded itself in the pavement, the flames dying. Rayen landed on the ground just as the Sea Dragoon launched a huge beam of icy magic. Rayen sprinted ahead of its sweeping path for a few moments, then ducked beneath it, kicked off the ground, flying underneath the beam. His shoulder blade slammed into the other man's stomach, and the beam was directed upwards as the man's arms flew above his head after the blow.
Rayen made a wild dive for his sword, but by this time his opponent had righted the beam. Rayen had no time to dodge. He was hit full force, and the ice bonded his lower body to the wall of the warehouse. Rayen attempted to push off the wall, but the ice held him fast. He couldn't melt it; it would just open himself for a killing stroke. He threw an orb of fire at the Sea Dragoon, knocking him backwards. That would give him time. He magically reached out to his sword, calling it to him.
The blade freed itself, and soared gracefully into Rayen's waiting hand. Focusing magic into the tip, he struck the earth, sending a wave of flame surging beneath the ground. It collected beneath his opponent, then exploded in a pillar of fire. The magical armor now became more of a hindrance than help, the metal trapped the heat inside, making his body a literal furnace. Flesh was incinerated, and bones were bleached. All that remained now of the ill-fated Sea Dragoon was a pile of blue armor and a grotesque skeleton.
The ice shattered; Rayen was free. But he did not waste time relishing his victory. He bounded over to the bones, thrusting his sword upward to the exact point Kyra appeared that precise moment. The tip quivered at the Wingly's throat.
"You realize, I could probably take the Spirit and warp away before you could react."
"Probably is the key word there. Are you willing to risk your life on that chance?"
The Wingly glared malevolently at Rayen, but he was right. She disappeared. Rayen let out a sigh, picked up the sapphire Spirit, and deactivated his Spirit. He turned to Sean, who had sat in the sidecar dumbstruck since the opening transformation, and smirked. He lobbed the Spirit at the fifteen- year-old orphan, who caught it; eyes growing wide as it emitted a radiant blue glow. Rayen sighed again.
"I'm beginning to notice a pattern here..."
He awoke the Sea Spirit, and Sean transformed. He stared at his own body, now covered in glimmering blue armor, and at the ranseur that formed in his hands. Rayen laughed, and motioned for Sean to deactivate the sapphire. He did so, and the stone dropped into his hands.
Then came the explosion.
Sean was knocked forwards from the blow, the gem tumbling from his grasp. Kyra floated behind them, wisps of smoke trailing from her fingers after she hurled the fireball. She quickly darted to the ground, snatched the Spirit, and teleported away before Rayen could react.
Rayen would have raged at the retreating Wingly, but he could discharge that anger later. He rushed to his fallen comrade. Sean propped himself up with his hands. Miraculously, he wasn't dead. The magical protection of the armor must have lingered after the transformation.
"Rayen... I can't move my legs."
At first, Rayen couldn't tell what he meant, but then he deduced the truth. The fireball must have exploded on contact with his spinal cord. His lower section of nerves must now be singed beyond repair.
Sean was paralyzed.
Author's Note: Yet another obscure medieval weapon, a ranseur is basically a trident, except that as well as the normal three points, it also has two additional smaller points that are curved backwards, which, for you math geniuses, equals five in all. Although it doesn't look like Sean is actually going to USE the weapon.
Chapter 23
Rayen watched in interest as the Sea Dragoon transformed. Water flowed from his sapphire Spirit to all parts of his body, then froze, forming the sky- blue armor and wings. From the palm of his hand, water surged forth, then froze into the form of a huge two-handed sword. It was not as long as the 'metal toothpick' used by the ill-fated Violet Dragoon Boleras, but it was a good four and a half feet long, and much wider. It dwarfed Rayen's sword by an entire foot, and it was double-edged and wicked looking. The transformation ended in a wave of ice bursting forth, coating the ground and Rayen in a layer of frost.
Rayen would not be outdone, however. The white-hot inferno seeped from his ruby, turning the frost on his body to steam so quickly it didn't even pass through the liquid stage. The wings sprouted from his back, with a vivid azure base to crackling yellow flames at the tips. He drew his sword, and flames intertwined around it, and it metamorphosed into the more powerful blade. A wave of fire that melted the ice on the ground signaled the completion of Rayen's transformation.
Rayen stood his ground, waiting for his opponent to make the first move, giving him the advantage. Eventually, the Sea Dragoon kicked off the ground, lunging forward with the double-edged sword held high above his head. Rayen was prepared for this, however. He bent his knees, and launched himself into the air. Then, he flared his wings, propelling himself back downwards, while focusing heat energy into the soles of his feet. His feet connected with the armored plate between the wings, slamming the Water Dragoon's stomach into the pavement.
He jumped off of his adversary, pivoted in the air, and slashed downward. By some miracle, his opponent not only managed to prop his body up with one hand, but he also twisted his body and brought his heavy sword upwards, thwarting Rayen's blow. Flipping backwards, the Sea Dragoon swung his blade once more, the previous momentum making the one-handed strike less difficult. Rayen blocked it easily, but he soon learned that it had been no more than a ploy. A mailed fist connected with the side of his face. The Red-Eye Dragoon stumbled backwards, gently kneading his cheek.
Rayen twisted flames into the shape of a hand axe with a back hook, which he grasped with his free hand. He reached back and threw the fiery projectile at his opponent. The Sea Dragoon merely reached out his own hand, and in a flash of magic, the axe clattered to the ground, now cast in ice instead of fire. So, he really could use magic, Rayen thought to himself. Then this would be a lot more difficult.
His rival launched himself at Rayen yet again, and the Fire Dragoon leapt over him, landing behind the blue-clad warrior. Stooping low, he scooped up the axe once more. As his opponent turned around, Rayen swung with the chill weapon. The two-edged sword came up once again to block, but at the last possible moment, Rayen reversed the weapon, sliding the rear spike through a crack in the sky-blue armor. With a flick of his wrist, Rayen snapped the rest of the axe away from the sharp icicle, which remained wedged between two of the plates of the Sea Dragoon's armor. Rayen renewed the attack, but this time it was blocked, and the clash of the two weapons shattered the frozen hatchet, scattering slivers of ice onto the sidewalk. Rayen flew backwards to avoid leaving himself open, and the older man took this opportunity to wrench the hook from his armor. Rayen smirked; knowing his opponent had made a serious mistake. With nothing clogging it, blood exited freely from the wound. Soon, the blood loss would take its toll.
The opposing Dragon Knight was not out yet, however, and Rayen soon felt a vicious kick collide with his chest, flinging him backwards. Rayen propelled himself upwards, wreathed his blade in crackling flames, and then hurled it at his adversary. The man dodged it, however, and the sword embedded itself in the pavement, the flames dying. Rayen landed on the ground just as the Sea Dragoon launched a huge beam of icy magic. Rayen sprinted ahead of its sweeping path for a few moments, then ducked beneath it, kicked off the ground, flying underneath the beam. His shoulder blade slammed into the other man's stomach, and the beam was directed upwards as the man's arms flew above his head after the blow.
Rayen made a wild dive for his sword, but by this time his opponent had righted the beam. Rayen had no time to dodge. He was hit full force, and the ice bonded his lower body to the wall of the warehouse. Rayen attempted to push off the wall, but the ice held him fast. He couldn't melt it; it would just open himself for a killing stroke. He threw an orb of fire at the Sea Dragoon, knocking him backwards. That would give him time. He magically reached out to his sword, calling it to him.
The blade freed itself, and soared gracefully into Rayen's waiting hand. Focusing magic into the tip, he struck the earth, sending a wave of flame surging beneath the ground. It collected beneath his opponent, then exploded in a pillar of fire. The magical armor now became more of a hindrance than help, the metal trapped the heat inside, making his body a literal furnace. Flesh was incinerated, and bones were bleached. All that remained now of the ill-fated Sea Dragoon was a pile of blue armor and a grotesque skeleton.
The ice shattered; Rayen was free. But he did not waste time relishing his victory. He bounded over to the bones, thrusting his sword upward to the exact point Kyra appeared that precise moment. The tip quivered at the Wingly's throat.
"You realize, I could probably take the Spirit and warp away before you could react."
"Probably is the key word there. Are you willing to risk your life on that chance?"
The Wingly glared malevolently at Rayen, but he was right. She disappeared. Rayen let out a sigh, picked up the sapphire Spirit, and deactivated his Spirit. He turned to Sean, who had sat in the sidecar dumbstruck since the opening transformation, and smirked. He lobbed the Spirit at the fifteen- year-old orphan, who caught it; eyes growing wide as it emitted a radiant blue glow. Rayen sighed again.
"I'm beginning to notice a pattern here..."
He awoke the Sea Spirit, and Sean transformed. He stared at his own body, now covered in glimmering blue armor, and at the ranseur that formed in his hands. Rayen laughed, and motioned for Sean to deactivate the sapphire. He did so, and the stone dropped into his hands.
Then came the explosion.
Sean was knocked forwards from the blow, the gem tumbling from his grasp. Kyra floated behind them, wisps of smoke trailing from her fingers after she hurled the fireball. She quickly darted to the ground, snatched the Spirit, and teleported away before Rayen could react.
Rayen would have raged at the retreating Wingly, but he could discharge that anger later. He rushed to his fallen comrade. Sean propped himself up with his hands. Miraculously, he wasn't dead. The magical protection of the armor must have lingered after the transformation.
"Rayen... I can't move my legs."
At first, Rayen couldn't tell what he meant, but then he deduced the truth. The fireball must have exploded on contact with his spinal cord. His lower section of nerves must now be singed beyond repair.
Sean was paralyzed.
Author's Note: Yet another obscure medieval weapon, a ranseur is basically a trident, except that as well as the normal three points, it also has two additional smaller points that are curved backwards, which, for you math geniuses, equals five in all. Although it doesn't look like Sean is actually going to USE the weapon.