Chatper 18
Picard dashed forward, his thin boots slapping against the dusty earth. He brought up Agatio's sword and brought it down. Garet held up his own sword, glowing a sullen red with heat. The blades met with a clash like bells in a storm, sparks flying upon contact. Picard retreated a step, his feet sliding in ashes that rose in black clouds around his ankles, then attacked at Garet's side. The Mars Adept blocked his attack with ease, knocking his sword back and jabbing forward when Picard stumbled. He jerked to the side, but the edge still caught him along the ribs, burning and cutting all at once. A gasp escaped him, and he stumbled backwards, eyes still locked on his opponent.
The Marst Adept lunged at him, and Picard ducked under the swing, jabbing upwards and passing the hilt to his left hand, cutting outwards. Garet didn't register the fact that Picard had just cut deep into his abdomen. He changed direction, heat surrounding his blade, burning Picard hands and shorning his sword off at the hand guard. He turned the sword and hit Picard with the pommel on the shoulder, sending him onto his back, rendering his left arm useless.
The Mercury Adept cursed and froze the hilt of his sword with a quick frost attack before throwing it. Garet blocked it with his bare hand and brought up his sword again.
Picard scrambled backwards, grabbing a shield as he went. The heated sword cut through the metal like butter, and sliced vertically down his chest. He bit back a scream, staring at the Mars Adept, searching desperately for anything to defend himself with his good hand.
Garet held up one hand, fire gathering around his fingers. Picard cast Mega Cool, hoping the ice spearing up from the ground would keep his opponent occupied for at least a moment. Not bothering to see if his ploy had worked, he cast Pure Ply on himself and got to his feet, taking a rapier in his hand as he did so.
The Mega Cool had melted, and Garet didn't seem to be slowing down despite his wounds. Picard rose one hand, and a colossul chunk of ice formed above the Mars Adept, smashing down before it could melt. Azure light gathering at his sword tip, Picard hit the ice with lightening fast jabs. He got to the center where Garet had melted a hollow for himself, and was met by a swing of the broadsword. He brought up the lighter sword he had found on the ground. The sound of metal at two extreme temperatures meeting was nearly unbearable. Garet's sword cut through his once again, and the tip shattered. The Mars Adept appeared to take no notice, changing his technique to suit the shorter blade. He hit Picard in the chest with the flat of it. Picard screamed that time, the hot metal burning clothing and flesh. He was thrown into the sharp remains of his own attack, the razor edges slicing through the thing material of his shirt and into the skin. He fell to his knees, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.
"Ply," he muttered, seeing blue light through his eyelids. The pain in his chest and back eased enough that he could stand. He held up the half of his sword that remained, forming the other half from pure ice. He looked around hesitantly, the water from the ice had evaporated, and he was blinded in the steam cloud. He felt panic fora moment, then calmly closed his eyes, knees slightly bent, sword held at the ready.
After an eternity, he felt something hotter than the steam to his left. He turned quickly and stabbed with his ice sword. The Mars Adept didn't bring his own sword up fast enough, and the ice pierced through his shoulder. The ice melted, and Picard drove the metal into the cut. Garet cast some sort of Fire Psynergy right in his face.
Picard cast Deluge, hoping against hope for a miracle. Some of the fire sputtered and died in midair, but more still hit him. He collapsed backwards, unable to breath through the heat burned his throat and lungs. He cast a feeble ply, feeling some of the burns healing. He could dimly see Garet over him, sword held to stab downwards.
Death was a strange thought for Picard. The thought of Death embracing him had never even crossed his mind when he had lived in Lemuria.
And now he had seen enough Death to last a lifetime.
With the last dredges of his energy, he made another sword of ice, his palm sliding on the cold hilt. He thrust it upwards, feeling the blade melt even as he did.
For a moment he couldn't think where he was. Then something heavy collapsed on top of him, and he drifted into darkness.
****
"GARET!" Jenna screamed. "GARET!"
She broke free of Felix's gentle restraint and ran forward. She kneeled next to the prone form of the Mars Adept, and quickly cast Cool Aura. She watched the wound that ran through his chest began to close slowly, and cast it again. The area affect was healing the angry red burns on Picard's face, her own bruises and aches eased, and the other Adepts seemed to snap out of the stupor they had fallen into.
"Well done," an amused sounding voice told her. She looked up to see Kyle standing behind her. "Who knew a Mars Adept would be able to heal."
"I am pretty unique," she smiled tiredly at him.
"Wh-who are you?"
Kyle turned to face Isaac, who was giving him a look Jenna had never seen on anyone's face.
****
And...that's all! Mwahahahahahahahaha! ^_^ I hope that didn't suck as much as I think it did...
Picard dashed forward, his thin boots slapping against the dusty earth. He brought up Agatio's sword and brought it down. Garet held up his own sword, glowing a sullen red with heat. The blades met with a clash like bells in a storm, sparks flying upon contact. Picard retreated a step, his feet sliding in ashes that rose in black clouds around his ankles, then attacked at Garet's side. The Mars Adept blocked his attack with ease, knocking his sword back and jabbing forward when Picard stumbled. He jerked to the side, but the edge still caught him along the ribs, burning and cutting all at once. A gasp escaped him, and he stumbled backwards, eyes still locked on his opponent.
The Marst Adept lunged at him, and Picard ducked under the swing, jabbing upwards and passing the hilt to his left hand, cutting outwards. Garet didn't register the fact that Picard had just cut deep into his abdomen. He changed direction, heat surrounding his blade, burning Picard hands and shorning his sword off at the hand guard. He turned the sword and hit Picard with the pommel on the shoulder, sending him onto his back, rendering his left arm useless.
The Mercury Adept cursed and froze the hilt of his sword with a quick frost attack before throwing it. Garet blocked it with his bare hand and brought up his sword again.
Picard scrambled backwards, grabbing a shield as he went. The heated sword cut through the metal like butter, and sliced vertically down his chest. He bit back a scream, staring at the Mars Adept, searching desperately for anything to defend himself with his good hand.
Garet held up one hand, fire gathering around his fingers. Picard cast Mega Cool, hoping the ice spearing up from the ground would keep his opponent occupied for at least a moment. Not bothering to see if his ploy had worked, he cast Pure Ply on himself and got to his feet, taking a rapier in his hand as he did so.
The Mega Cool had melted, and Garet didn't seem to be slowing down despite his wounds. Picard rose one hand, and a colossul chunk of ice formed above the Mars Adept, smashing down before it could melt. Azure light gathering at his sword tip, Picard hit the ice with lightening fast jabs. He got to the center where Garet had melted a hollow for himself, and was met by a swing of the broadsword. He brought up the lighter sword he had found on the ground. The sound of metal at two extreme temperatures meeting was nearly unbearable. Garet's sword cut through his once again, and the tip shattered. The Mars Adept appeared to take no notice, changing his technique to suit the shorter blade. He hit Picard in the chest with the flat of it. Picard screamed that time, the hot metal burning clothing and flesh. He was thrown into the sharp remains of his own attack, the razor edges slicing through the thing material of his shirt and into the skin. He fell to his knees, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.
"Ply," he muttered, seeing blue light through his eyelids. The pain in his chest and back eased enough that he could stand. He held up the half of his sword that remained, forming the other half from pure ice. He looked around hesitantly, the water from the ice had evaporated, and he was blinded in the steam cloud. He felt panic fora moment, then calmly closed his eyes, knees slightly bent, sword held at the ready.
After an eternity, he felt something hotter than the steam to his left. He turned quickly and stabbed with his ice sword. The Mars Adept didn't bring his own sword up fast enough, and the ice pierced through his shoulder. The ice melted, and Picard drove the metal into the cut. Garet cast some sort of Fire Psynergy right in his face.
Picard cast Deluge, hoping against hope for a miracle. Some of the fire sputtered and died in midair, but more still hit him. He collapsed backwards, unable to breath through the heat burned his throat and lungs. He cast a feeble ply, feeling some of the burns healing. He could dimly see Garet over him, sword held to stab downwards.
Death was a strange thought for Picard. The thought of Death embracing him had never even crossed his mind when he had lived in Lemuria.
And now he had seen enough Death to last a lifetime.
With the last dredges of his energy, he made another sword of ice, his palm sliding on the cold hilt. He thrust it upwards, feeling the blade melt even as he did.
For a moment he couldn't think where he was. Then something heavy collapsed on top of him, and he drifted into darkness.
****
"GARET!" Jenna screamed. "GARET!"
She broke free of Felix's gentle restraint and ran forward. She kneeled next to the prone form of the Mars Adept, and quickly cast Cool Aura. She watched the wound that ran through his chest began to close slowly, and cast it again. The area affect was healing the angry red burns on Picard's face, her own bruises and aches eased, and the other Adepts seemed to snap out of the stupor they had fallen into.
"Well done," an amused sounding voice told her. She looked up to see Kyle standing behind her. "Who knew a Mars Adept would be able to heal."
"I am pretty unique," she smiled tiredly at him.
"Wh-who are you?"
Kyle turned to face Isaac, who was giving him a look Jenna had never seen on anyone's face.
****
And...that's all! Mwahahahahahahahaha! ^_^ I hope that didn't suck as much as I think it did...