I'm really proud of this fighting scene. I hope you'll enjoy it!
Chapter 27, Endgame
Janus forced himself not to flinch and recoil as the whip lashed at him, despite the screaming of his instinct which wanted to cover for the remembered pain. He threw up the staff in both hands to let it take the hit, holding it forcefully as the whip wrapped itself several laps around the wood. He couldn't risk Flea ripping his weapon away and threw out the staff in a wide swing to unarm the Mystic instead.
But the whip stretched like gluey toffee and slipped off from its coiling. Flea caught it with his free hand as it returned to him, his eyebrows twitching with a sneer.
Janus' lips moved a little by the edges, nothing more.
The two combatants circled each other, which was a complicated matter since none of them were prepared to trust the friends of the other one, thereby unwilling to turn his back at the other party.
'This isn't working,' Janus experimentally sent towards the magician's mind after trying to keep an eye on the Mystics and Flea at the same time for a few moments.
It took a second before the reply came. Obviously the pink skinned one hadn't expected that.
And if it hadn't been for Janus' strange relationship with his versions, Flea wouldn't have had to be surprised either since the wizard probably never would have considered talking telepathically with him.
'Point there, cutie.'
'Anywhere else we could take this?'
'This is the fight of the century, sweeth…'
'Don't even say it.'
'Sweetheart,' Flea smirked and sent the whip towards the wizard again, forcing him to parry.
Janus snarled both in his thoughts and aloud but caught the lash again.
'You know my point,' the Mystic continued less mocking than before, 'they'll want to watch. Slash and Ozzie are too.'
'You don't happen to have an underground coliseum or something, I presume?' Janus dryly said.
'Our funds are limited right now.'
'Ah yes, of course. But then maybe…'
The only thing the watchers saw was that Flea took the whip back and raised his free hand, at the same time as Janus held up the staff as he did when preparing to finish a spell.
"Powers of the world, lend me pure power! Samea twandor!"
As they finished their spells the ground sprouted softly green, transparent petals which rose around the fighters like a closing flower. It forced the spectators backwards since it took up almost all space there was in the courtyard.
"You're freaking me out these days, Flea!" came Slash's irritated voice as the purple Mystic emerged from the gate with a massive frown.
"We need the space, hon," the magician replied, cracking the whip to signal that the battle was on again.
No more treaties.
Janus had used the magic using to free the blades of his staff and now he slashed at his opponent's weapon to cut it. But it just got thrown aside a little by the sharp edge, too tough to sever. The wizard didn't let it get to him and charged at Flea before the monster could prepare another lash.
Flea danced aside and grabbed the whip in his free hand, holding up and stretching it quicker than a snake bites as Janus aimed the staff straight at his foe again. The blade hit the stretched, red material and the rebound almost sent the harder weapon flying out of the owner's hand. Janus nearly lost his balance, stumbling aside as Flea let go and instead of using the whip clawed at the man's face with fingers dangerously bent. Long nails flashed like metal in the sun.
'I'm not up for a catfight,' Janus sent over in a mildly humorous tone.
'You've got long enough hair to be a woman, cutie,' Flea smirked back with a small, amused sparkle in his eyes.
He leaped backwards as Janus regained control and lashed out his staff.
'You're awfully friendly today,' the magician commented.
The right part of Janus' lips moved upwards a little in a joyless smile.
'I've had a different relationship with the Mystics for a few days,' he admitted.
'Now let's not get softhearted even if I don't have a clue what you're talking about.'
'True that.'
'What, we're agreeing again? This can't be good.'
'No,' Janus agreed and ducked another lash, 'we better stop this or this battle…'
'Won't be half as fun. Don't tell me you were gonna say anything else. What's so funny?'
'Oh nothing.'
Flea flashed his teeth again as the whip snapped into a curl in his hand and disappeared under his shrouding cloak together with his fists. The wizard's eyes went verily thin and he changed the grip of his staff.
'What's he planning now?' he thought.
'Don't give him time to finish it!' the Prince shouted as Flea's lips moved soundlessly.
Janus dashed forwards to end the silent chanting but the whip lashed out and a searing pain cracked his right shoulder, arm and cheek, almost tearing up a bit of his lips.
"Argh!"
Unable to hold back a flow of curses in the agony he stumbled backwards again, distantly hearing Crono and Frog's shouts of worry. Their anguish of being unable to help due to the barrier was nearly overpowered by the sounds of glee from the Mystics.
'Heal yourself!' the Pawn roared, seeing his pupil momentarily confused by the twisting memories the pain brought back.
'I'm trying!'
"Crybaby," Flea smirked, and his cloak flowed around him in a magic wind that began to lift him from the ground.
"… Power of Water… na matala sela!" Janus snarled through tightly clenched teeth.
The agony and memories began to subside, but not fast enough. He reared backwards as Flea swept up before him, the thin red-brown eyes shining dangerously.
"Care to dance?" the Mystic smirked, slamming his foot down on the staff that Janus held in both hands.
He couldn't retain his grip and the weapon hit the ground.
"Janus!" Frog helplessly yelled from the other side of the wall.
'Focus on something!' the Prince shouted, 'he'll try to confuse you!'
The two calls came simultaneously, and at the same time Flea grabbed Janus' crag. The wind that kept the white cloak flying rose to roar in the wizard's ears as he tried to get a hold of his opponent's crag. Flea's heavy foot in his stomach stopped that attempt. Out of air Janus fought to breathe and stop himself from bending over. He had to retain balance to be able to keep up with the Mystic…
The wizard's head spun as he tried to clutch oxygen for his aching lungs, and Flea was more than willing to add to the problems. The storm rose further and the Mystic melted into it.
Growling Janus forced himself to straighten up, only to be rewarded by a slap straight at the eyes. With a groan and protecting his face with both hands he stumbled backwards and finally lost his balance to the fullest. The wind still managed to whip sand and dust into his eyes and mouth even as he tried to shield himself.
He got up on one knee, coughing and wildly rubbing his eyes trying to get his sight back. A pull at his hair made him send his free fist backhanding as far over his shoulder as he could reach, but all he hit was cloth that melted aside.
He could hear Flea giggle gleefully somewhere behind him but was too disoriented to go after the monster yet. The Mystics roared with laughter and cheers now while Crono and Frog sounded more desperate second by second.
'Focus!' the Pawn and Prince roared in his mind, trying to help but for the moment almost adding to their host's frustration.
Look out! Crono hollered.
Janus desperately rolled aside and heard the whip crack against the ground. He sure was in trouble now…
"Squeak, you little rat!" Flea smirked as the wizard blindly avoided another lash.
He was apparently not really trying to hit yet, Janus fully knew that he would have been bleeding already if the Mystic hadn't been playing.
Bless those predator instincts…
His mouth and eyes burned and made it hard to focus, but he grasped the little he could get from the calls trying to encourage him. And did what he always did when he was in a real jam.
'Lai!'
For a second his heart almost stopped when there was no reply. Then:
'What the hell are you doing!? The gem almost set my shirt on fire!'
Fire… opposite… the spell is…
'I just needed help to think!' he called back.
'You figured out you need that already? What are you doing?'
'Just washing my face…'
"Crancha na lishoro!" Janus wheezed as he rolled aside again.
"Hey! Cheater!" Flea shouted and floated up above the magic flood that erupted from the ground.
It wasn't strong enough to harm anyone with its torrent, but Janus hadn't meant for it to be dangerous. He let the cold flow sweep over him, flooding his dry mouth and searing eyes. With a grunt of relief he stood and the water dissolved, leaving him dry but freed from his afflictions.
Now the Mystics were snarling but Crono and Frog cheering.
'You're completely out of the doghouse, sweetheart,' Lai sent, dryly through her confusion.
'I'm fighting Flea one on one,' Janus grimly thought as the staff leaped to his hand.
'You're bloody what?!'
'It looked rather bad for a while but I'm alright now. Let the king and queen know.'
'Fine, but if you die you'll never be welcome at the castle again for all I care.'
'Got it.'
He could almost hear the whole castle shout "What is he doing?!" on the other side of the ocean.
'You like giving them headaches, don't you?' the Pawn mildly commented.
'Me, torment my liege? Blasphemy.'
'Of course.'
All three of them let the fact slide that Janus just could have asked his guardians to remind him about the spell he needed. His confusion at that moment was a good excuse.
"Cheater what?" Janus smirked at the fuming Flea, "you blinded me!"
"And I like you best that way!" the Mystic snapped and sent out his palm.
'Shield your eyes!' the Prince called.
Janus quickly threw up his arm over the upper half of his face and avoided getting his sight blurred by the intense, bright prism of colors slamming at him. It burnt a bit, but he stepped back to get out of the way for the magical attack.
'Thanks,' he thought.
'Just beat him already.'
'Fine, fine.'
"My turn," Janus growled as the rainbow helplessly faded, "powers of the world, lend me the power of Fire!"
"Ack!" Flea snarled and tried to get as far away as possible.
"Farey shamera na kohn tey ra!"
Flames exploded from thin air, the heat filling the cupola. Flea screamed in anger and pain as a bright red circle flared out from Janus' body and caught the Mystic in midair.
The magician crashed on the ground, the flames fading but his clothes marked with black burns.
"Get up you idiot!" Ozzie snarled, accompanied by growls from the monsters.
Stumbling a bit Flea managed to stand, wobbling aside to avoid Janus' staff. The wizard aimed for him again but the magician was tougher than he looked and sprung further away, albeit a little clumsily.
'Stand still, damn you, I'm trying to make this swift and painless!' the wizard snarled, more to himself than to Flea or anyone in his head.
'I doubt he'll believe you,' the Prince commented though.
'Typical.'
Clutching at his chest while trying to avoid getting cut Flea growled something and softly blue stars crawled over his body, erasing the burn marks.
'Well damn.'
'Only fair, cutie,' Flea grimly sent over with a tiny smirk.
'Point I suppose,' Janus allowed but charged at the same time.
The Mystic had to duck again as the wizard was too close to hit with the whip, but Flea used the momentum of escaping and lashed his weapon at Janus' unguarded back at the first opportunity. The wizard caught most of the hit by swinging his staff over his shoulder, but the tip of the whip cracked at his shirt. It wasn't a very big wound but it still hurt quite a bit. Growling Janus forced it off his mind, not finding the time to chant a healing spell as he continued the brute force attack.
He was met by a storm of lightning bolts and was thrown backwards, crashing into the magic wall several yards away. The Mystics cheered again.
Janus blinked to get rid of the jumping stars before his eyes, through them seeing Frog staring down at him mere inches away but unable to lend a hand.
That was all the wizard had time to register before a second wave of lightning set him arching from the ground in agony. He could vaguely hear his guardians shout at him but couldn't make anything out in the roaring of magical electricity. His every nerve was on fire and he slumped to the dusty soil as it finally ended.
"JANUS!" Frog and Crono screamed.
"Stop cheering," Flea snarled to his fellow monster and raised the warily whip, "if that was enough to kill him then he would have been dead years ago."
The wizard's nails dug into the ground as he rose on his arms, panting but still moving. Sluggishly he worked his ways to his knees, his head hanging.
With a snarl from the user the whip cut the air in half.
Janus' arm flew up and caught the lash, his eyes glistening dangerously as he looked up.
"You know me well after all," he said with a light smirk, grabbing the glowing coil around his wrist, "farey!"
"Hey!" Flea snarled, but the magical fire slithered over the whip and consumed it within two seconds.
Throwing the worthless remain aside the magician turned his palms against Janus, snarling.
Lightning bolts flared towards the wizard, who narrowly got out of the way. He was alive, but obviously not exactly left untouched by the last hits. He groaned as a few of the final bolts caught his left leg straight on.
Flea was panting as he cut the last wave and raised his hands again, trying to get another one started. Too late he saw the tiny flask of metal in Janus' hand. The wizard spit the cork out and downed the shining liquid within the same heartbeat.
"That's not fair!" Flea hollered, sending lightning bolts flying.
"It's payback for you teaming up with Dalton!" Janus snarled back and dove to safety, getting to his feet.
Growling in outrage Flea raised his hands again, but he couldn't focus properly in the rising horror.
'I'll make this quick,' Janus sent out as his hands began to paint runes in the air.
"Dark powers of the world…!"
Flea threw himself at the ground, trying to duck the attack. But the complete dark pressure filled the cupola entirely and erased everything except Janus and his staff, even the walls disappeared after a moment.
The wizard stumbled backwards, tumbling into the safe grips of Crono and Frog. They helped him get his balance back though his head burned, leaving him to himself to recover from the dark force. Somebody had to take care of the raging wave of monsters.
'That with the elixir was evil,' the spirit Flea commented.
'I thought you weren't going to watch…' Janus tiredly thought, trying to remember how to heal again.
His head was pounding, as always after Dark Matter.
And he couldn't really feel triumph either, even if he made a half-hearted attempt.
'I'm too curious by nature. And don't feel so bad about it, cutie. You know me, I'm not complaining.'
Unknown for both the wizard and his teacher, the Mystic's spirit and the Prince had a little chat.
'Did you manage to block him?' Flea whispered.
'Yes, he didn't notice,' the Prince nodded.
For even the Pawn shouldn't yet know that the magician was still alive, as that was for all the blue-hairs to find out on their own.
Finally Janus managed to get himself together and sent a healing wave at himself to get some energy back. Slash and Ozzie were still left to fight, but he wouldn't be alone with them at least.
'Oh yeah…'
As he called for his staff he sent out his mind again.
'He's dead, Lai.'
'Good work, sweetheart.'
'Yeah…'
'You don't sound as happy as one would expect?' she said, surprisingly careful.
Janus tried to muster something innocent and believable.
'Nostalgia I suppose… things will get kinda boring without him around.'
'You're completely nuts.'
'I know. I'll get back to you later, still have to kill Ozzie and Slash now.'
He cut the link before she could start cursing him.