Disclaimer: See previous chapters

chero666- Well someone sure getting into the spirit of things.

Aki Kitsune- You noticed that, huh?

Chap. 24

How I waited for this. For our disputes to finally be settled in battle. Yet even before our blades clashed, I felt a great disturbance. Something that was definitely amiss. But I would worry about it later. Now I had to focus on the main problem. Anubis.

"Yaaahhhhhhh!!!!"

Our blades clashed in a surge of power and energy that crackled in the air. The blow was strong enough to cause us to rotate and switch positions. I pulled my arm back and swung forward as he reeled his own arm back and swung his lance. Again, sparks filled the air and again our positions switched. He spun his lance in his hand and stabbed it forward. I quickly flicked my arm, batting it away with my blade while raising my other arm and firing a tri-bolt. But my crimson rival quickly raised his arms and the bolts hit his energy shield. I dashed in with a stab of my own, but Anubis suddenly vanished from my sight.

-"Not this time, you don't."-

Just as Dingo suggested, I twisted my head and caught Anubis reappearing a good distance away. My eyes narrowed a second before I concentrated on the Zero Shift and warped toward him. I reappeared just on his left and my blade was raised high in the air.

'Surprise.'

I dropped the blade down hard, only for it to be deflected by his shield. I would have to add more power to my attacks. But now, it was his turn to attack as he slashed out at me in a wide arch. I ducked, but Anubis pulled back and the lance flashed back in another deadly arch. I raised my shield just in time to block and was nearly knocked aside. Recovering, I saw Anubis's hands glow and her fired bolt of his own; red in color. I dodged off to the side and Zero Shifted again, this time to the right. Seeing that I had to actually cause him damage, I summoned an aura of Metatron and let it guide my blade in my famed Crescent Slash. But Anubis had seen it coming and disappeared, warping away again. I looked at him from my attack, but he didn't do anything. He was just waiting.

'That's strange.'

I shook my head. 'He must be trying to trick me.' I summoned the Metatron Sphere and hurled it at him. Anubis warped again, but that was the intention. In addition to the Zero Shift, I was actually able to trace Anubis's own warps. I waited for the energy to cease before I warped toward him. The result was I appeared a split second after he did. Our blades clashed once more and I decided to go all out, attacking in a fury of blade slashes. Anubis countered with his own attacks, occasionally warping away with me tracing after him. After the fourth exchange, I shot back and Anubis warped away. Something was definitely wrong here. This battle is not what I expected. Anubis's strikes, although powerful, were not doing any real damage. I could have thanked the power obtained from the Zero Shift technique, but that should have only made me match power with him. It didn't feel that way. Also, he was acting differently. Throughout out fighting, he gave no taunts, no arrogant remarks, nothing. He just fought in silence. That in itself made me wonder.

'Who...are you?'

Shhhhhrrreeeeeaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A shrill cry shattered my ears and caught my attention. A blur shot by my right shoulder and straight at Anubis. 'Vic Viper?'

"Vic, wait!"

But the armored falcon continued to shriek and his eyes flared with beams of energy. Anubis didn't move and the beams were deflected by his shield. Vic soared past Anubis and circled around, his glowing feathers following behind him. Vic turned and fired more beams, but the beams were deflected by the shield. Again, this confused me. Anubis wasn't fighting back. With his power, he could do far more than simply defend. Hell, he's fast enough to avoid the beams altogether. Vic swooped up and circled down. Spinning, he transformed into his warrior form and arched his arm back.

"Haaahhhhh!!!!!"

He shot his arm forward, releasing a powerful Gauntlet burst. Since he had mastered the technique, the blast moved swiftly and more forcefully than mine. Anubis turned to him, shield still raised, but the blast shattered it and sent him reeling back. I gasped in surprise. 'Whoa. Incredible.' Vic fired more Gauntlet bursts, each one smashing into Anubis and knocking him back with concessive force. Vic finally arched his arms out, revealing a set of talon-like claws. His wings opened and he charged right at Anubis.

"Now it ends, Anubis!"

Anubis recovered just in time to see the falcon warrior bear down right on him. Vic's claws connected with Anubis's midsection and Anubis staggered back in the air, Metatron filtering out into the air. I didn't believe it. Vic defeated Anubis. But something was still wrong. So much so that even Vic finally took notice.

"Wait. What is...?"

But that question was soon followed with an even bigger shock. A warp field materialized right behind Vic Viper. Red wings...bladed staff...evil smirk...Anubis!

Vic didn't even have time to react as Anubis grabbed one of Vic Viper's wings and flung him away. Moving with equal speed, Anubis dashed forward and caught up with Vic's still flying body and slammed his lance against him. Vic cried in pain, but Anubis was only getting started and pummeled Vic several times with his lance, each hit damaging Vic massively and injuring him. Anubis paused briefly to see his handiwork, but that was only until he gave Vic a straight blow, causing him to fly again. A demonic grin formed over his face and Anubis warped again, reappearing just opposite of Vic's flight path. Arching his arm back, Anubis waited for his approach and gave him one final smash, sending him upward.

"Vic! Leo!"

Vic didn't answer. His body was wracked with injuries and damage. His wings had been torn off and his body was scarred deeply across the chest. Anubis will pay...wait a minute? If that was Anubis, then who had I been fighting? I turned back to the one that was scarred from Vic Viper's attack. His body was floating backward with Metatron still etching out of his body.

"Who are you?"

"A dummy."

Anubis warped back into view beside me, "This creature is nothing more that a copy of me. And a very poor one at."

I turned to look back and forth between the two. Despite the lack of wings, they looked exactly alike. Even the Metatron was in synch together. A spurious. But who would be crazy enough to fight me as a distraction? Even if it is a copy, the powers were still unique only to the runner, Nohman.

-"Ken is in the frame?"-

"WHAT?!"

Anubis smirked, "Ah, I see that you found out. What's the matter? Don't you like surprises, Jehuty? Hahahahahaha!!!!"

Now he had gone too far. Vic, Leo, Ken, even his own clone; he just discards them like they're nothing. My rage fueled my power and I flared in a bright blue aura.

"Damn you!!!!!!!"

I charged, ready to vent my anger and rage right up Anubis's face. He was going to pay for this! He was going to pay for all of it!!!!

And that when all hell broke loose...