Chapter 101: Julia vs Lluvi
{Narrative Flashback}
Lluvi: Directly after the Tartarus attack, everyone went their own way. To train, to return home even better than before...to evolve. I wanted to be one of those people who stood out when it came to the evolution. The day we all separated, the aura could be felt in the air. Everyone wanted to become stronger. Everyone wanted to gain a strength, so that the events that happened on that day, would never occur again. I felt the exact same way, but I also knew that simple logic wasn't enough to gain the momentum I wanted to pass my peers. It was a selfish goal, but I wanted to be better than them. I wanted to no longer be classified as a rookie, and I wanted to stand next to the likes of Jaxon, Selene, Luke..of Reve... so I wanted to make sure I got the proper training over that year to do so! To not only improve, but to rise higher than anyone else.
So, I joined the military training program set up by the magic council. It was grueling, but there's was nothing there that was helping me excel. I was growing, but not exponentially. Reiss and the others, they were gone, but I just knew...I could feel them growing just like I was, getting stronger around the same pace, and it was eating me inside. That's when I went to the drill instructor, asking him if there was anything I could partake in that would put me ahead of the others... and he gave me just that...
{End Flashback}
Lucius Kaiser: The Roulette sisters. Compulsive gamblers and notorious criminals known for their crimes of assault and murder. Though the latter usually came from not knowing when to let up on their opponent. It was really hard to trace their crimes because of their magic. Not because it was well covered or anything, but their magic, Random Select, never allows them to choose the same weapon or magic twice in a row, no matter how long it's been. Julia, the younger sister, and Nina the older, love picking fights no matter who they're up against, and even though a lot of their crimes went unpunished due to lack of evidence, they had no problem starting fights with council members without hesitation! And there's no getting away with that. With a record of two hundred and forty two arrests evenly combined, the Roulette sisters were deemed the most notorious pain in the Council's side.
"I remember very clearly." Correll said, rolling his eyes before turning a glare to other sister standing next to her teammates, Nina Roulette. "In fact, the blonde one was released from her latest stint not even a month ago. That time was with me. She walked up to me just because I was in uniform, and challenged me to a fight. Before I could even decipher if she was joking or not...next thing I knew, I was in a heated brawl for what felt like for my life. The entire time, she was smiling, having a great time like it was some sort of party. It was brutal..."
"Did she kick your ass, Correll? What a lame." Exene slid in and commented, causing the playboy captain to shout comically. "As if!"
"Alright. It's no Flaming Claws, but let's get this show...on the road!" Julia shouted, swinging her Ogre Club once in a horizontal manner. As Lluvi awaited in a defensive stance, a large tornado appeared from Julia's swing, rushing towards her violently. "A tornado? I can dispel that." She could feel her feet skidding, Lluvi being pulled toward the funnel as her hands began to glow a bright white light. "Dispel: Wave!" She shouted, jutting her hands forward to fire off a wave of white magic known as Dispel. It collided with the tornado, dispersing it completely, but the second it did, Julia was seen lunging right through, swinging down her Ogre Club to aim for the crown of Lluvi's head. She quickly had to transition from her dispelling magic to her barrier magic, her hands aura turning from white to blue as Lluvi suddenly raised her hands in defense of the incoming club. A powerful collision occurred, Julia's club stopping just inches short of her target as a bluish square of a decent size halted her goal.
At first her eyes widened, but then Julia gained a smile, and a glint in her eyes appeared as she then flipped to the side, remaining close to Lluvi as she lunged forth again, club held by the waist-side before swinging it once more her way. "That's it. Stay close!" Lluvi hummer to herself in her own mind, and Julia did just that — only to be countered this time by not just a hard standing defense, but as Lluvi shielded herself from the clubbing blow with another small barrier, the blue haired female quickly shifted her entire body underneath Julia, catching her off guard by grabbing her left arm and using her own momentum to flip Julia upside down and into the air.
"In my journey to become exponentially stronger than my peers, there are a couple of things that I've learned to change my physical and mental prowess. One of them being..."
Drill Insructor: Find any means necessary to defeat your opponent without wasting a second! It's better to absolutely defeat your opponent, and worry about if they're still awake or even alive, than to hold back and risk them being able to counterattack. You fight each person as if they're not only stronger than you, but they plan on taking your life! It's you or them, so whose it gonna be, you maggots!?
Lluvi then wrapped a barrier structure around her right fist, cocked by her side with spring loaded momentum as she then swung it forward, not only slamming that fist covered by an unbreakable barrier into the bridge of Julia's nose while she remained upside down in midair, but using that momentous fist to slam the Empyrean into the arena floor head first, breaking apart a small radius of the ground violently with her skull; truly leaving her between a rock and a hard place. "...Was to make sure each attack is with the intention that your opponent doesn't get up!"
Gasps were heard all around the arena as the stadium hushed at what happened. Direct contact from Lluvi's Barrier Fist and the marble flooring of the arena spelled disaster for anyone, and the audience was well aware as Julia laid there, lifeless. Lluvi stood up, looking on for a second before walking off. Even Reiss and the others were taken aback by Lluvi's new temperament as she walked off, almost leaving the arena prematurely before she was stopped in her tracks.
"Hey." Her voice rung so calmly, yet it sent a chill down her opponent's spine. The blue haired girl then turned with disbelief and utmost shock as Julia sat up with a bloody nose, and determined eyes — that glint never leaving them. Those blue eyes met Lluvi's own green pair and they never separated as she spoke again. "It's been a while since I've been in a good fight with just one person. Sorry I underestimated you, but from here on out, I'll be trying to cripple you, okay? Only because killing is against the rules."
"Don't you mean killing is illegal?" Lluvi asked.
"I'm a criminal." Julia clapped back. "Illegal things are my hobbies."
Just then, something inside Lluvi ticked as both femme fatales stared each other down with wide, hostile eyes. Like prey, like their next meal that had to be hunted first.
Drill Instructor: Hm? My greatest fight? What kind of question is that? Well...to answer it, Lluvi. I'd have to say it was against this one person I'll never forget. It scarred me for life in the best way possible, because he wanted my life at any cost. That fight changed me, groomed me, and if you remain a fighter, a soldier, a councilmen, you'll soon encounter that fight as well.
"Is this it?" She asked herself as a steady wind blew between the two standing females.
Drill Instructor: So to answer your question...my greatest fight would have to be...the one where I could feel that my life was truly on the line. And I just don't mean that it was life or death, I mean for the first time in that moment, I knew that if I didn't put my opponent down, I would never be the same again. Dead or alive.
"Is this the fight that my council drill instructor spoke of? She wants to kill me, but since it's against the rules, she wants the closest thing to it. She wants to cripple me... that was enough to put fear in me, knowing that I could lose my entire lifeline in this moment, but at the same time..."
"It's enticing, isn't it? Makes you anxious and willing, right? I see it in your eyes." It's as if Julia was reading Lluvi's mind. "I feel the same way right after you hit me with that punch with no remorse. I felt your entire strength, and at that moment, Lluvi Palmero...I felt fear. But I wasn't afraid of dying...no..I was afraid that if you would have knocked me out, I wouldn't have the chance to feel exactly what I'm feeling right now! The want to pummel you into the ground until your body no longer works. The need to handicap you! That's what makes a Roulette! It's not just the fight...!"
"It's the unpredictableness of the fight, and how anything can happen! It's putting your body, your life on the line for the sheer goal of an untouched adrenaline rush! You feel most alive..." Nina, the older of the two siblings exclaimed, to which she and Julia finished their exclamation together at the top of their lungs. "...when rapidly approaching your death!"
Kaiser and the rest of Empyrean Dawn smiled through the silence, Nina heaved with infatuation as if she had just fallen in love with something — imagining the feeling she just exclaimed to the world. The audience didn't know what to make of such philosophy, and Lluvi, she simply stared with empty green eyes.
"Sick, twisted and psychotic." She murmured just loud enough for Julia to hear. "But if that's what makes you tick..." Lluvi then covered both of her hands with her Barrier Magic, ready to go toe to toe with the Random Select Mage. "...then lets see how much you really believe in that philosophy."
"Lets!" Julia shouted, rushing in once mode with club in hand. She swung, but so did Lluvi, causing barrier coated fist and ogre club to collide repeatedly. Shockwave inducing blows echoed the arena, stalemate after stalemate until finally Julia broke through. She swung again, and this time Lluvi elected to avoid the blow altogether in order to get an advantageous position on her. As she leapt over the swinging club however, a revelation came — one that she wasn't prepared for. The full swing from the ogre club allowed Julia to create another tornado; one that formed directly beneath Lluvi and immediately swept her off her feet as it traveled to the opposite end of the arena before dispersing. Prior, it violently swung Lluvi around while keeping her in its eye, literally dragging her across the arena until it ended, and the conclusion was Lluvi Palmero crashing into the ground.
"Gch!?" The incoherent sound that left her mouth was all she could muster the following second, but despite being drug through the entire arena, the gears were turning in Lluvi's head. "So that magic club of hers can create tornados with a full swing. My defensive prowess stopped me from ever finding out until it was too late, but now I know, and now I can counter it!"
"You're thinking too much. Don't tell me that I'll have to take back what I said about you." Julia mocked as she dropped her club. As it hit the ground, the ogre club disappeared, only to be replaced by another weapon of hers. "I could see it in your eyes. You gather information about your opponents, and then use it against them. That's why you continuously wait for me to attack, huh? How dull of you. Basing your attacks off of your opponent's mistakes? Maybe you're not the fighter I'm looking for. Regardless, I'm attempting to keep my promise in crippling you."
She slammed her fists together, revealing her latest weapon. Lightning surged around her person, shaking the arena just slightly. "We're exact opposites. When I really get into a fight, I have no time to think nor gather information, because I don't know what I'm going into battle with. Hell, I don't even know what I'll finish a battle with, so I have to wing it. So seeing you before me, really revs me up, get it?"
"Enough." Lluvi scolded in a tone as if she was her superior. "This is the last time I want to hear an explanation from you. Come forth, and show me what you and your magic are made of."
"Condescending little..." Julia smirked angrily, but then took off directly for Lluvi. The two met in the midst of the arena again, two right fists colliding with one another for a shockwave of lightning and barrier magic. Julia didn't hesitate to continue however, ducking underneath to get under Lluvi for a powerful shot to her left rib cage. It connected, causing the barrier mage to hunch over upon reaction. Julia followed with another to the opposite side, and Lluvi folded again. The powerful surge of lightning wasn't doing her any justice either, but she was well aware that she had to counter this balance of speed and power quickly, or succumb to Julia's fists. So as the Roulette sibling swing for her ribs again, Lluvi managed to swat her right fist away, using that opening to swing a barrier coated left fist of her own straight for her nose with nothing stopping her course. The hook landed, but then phased right through?
"Huh..!?" Confusion struck instantly as Julia's entire face turned to lightning dispersing before reforming back to normal. Lightning Body came equipped with the gloves she now wore, and Lluvi was now backed into a corner as Julia stayed on the attack, able to ignore any punch or physical contact her opponent had planned since they would do nothing but phase through her. Lluvi had to counter quickly, or even the blows she quelled would son take a toll on her. The added lightning gave Julia the boost she needed to make every punch count and Lluvi could definitely feel the difference.
"Come on Lluvi..." Ilaria and the others cheered on in concern, but it didn't like she was about to make a move any time soon until finally, Lluvi slid out the way of another blow to the ribs, following up with a straight aimed for Julia's abdomen. The Roulette sister didn't bother dodging, expecting the same result as the other whiffs from her opponent, but instead the exact opposite came. Just before impact, Lluvi changed from her barrier magic back to her dispelling, shouting aloud as she placed an open hand upon Julia's abdomen.
"Dispel: Wave!"
The point blank attack caused a pulsing strike against Julia, causing her to release a scream of pain as the shockwave blew her backwards. Her gloves disappeared in the process, along with her lightning body as she crashed into the ground repeatedly. Once she finally halted her unwanted progress, the brunette attempted to make her way back to her feet, only to have to roll out of the way as Lluvi lunged towards her once again with a left fist aimed for her. Julia tried to scramble away for distance, something she wasn't used to doing, but suddenly something stopped her. Her back slammed against a barrier wall that Lluvi erected without her noticing — the result of the fist she swung with prior hitting the ground — allowing her to switch from an offensive strike to a defensive wall which she would ironically use to continue to go on the offensive with.
Lluvi charged forth, barreling her shoulder directly into Julia's sternum. The impact between Lluvi and the wall sandwiching her caused the criminal to let out a breathless yell, knocking the wind from her lungs. "Now! Stay on her!" Reiss yelled unnecessarily, because Lluvi was well aware of what had to be done at this point.
"This is pretty brutal." Tyson said, watching on with the others. "I agree..." Micaiah added. "But as long as it's Lluvi that comes out okay in this, then I'll stomach it."
Ramman then spat. "This is nothing. Wait until it's my turn." Ominous, but it gained no response. Instead the fight continued on as Lluvi coated her fists in barriers once more, landing blow after blow to the rib cage just as Julia did to her before. As each passing blow struck, Julia seemed to become more and more limp, seemingly on her last legs as Lluvi revved back her right fist behind her ear to prepare for an ending haymaker. "Finish her while she's dazed!" She shouted in her mind, but as she swung, Julia ducked, catching Lluvi off guard as her hands began glowing once more. Julia then slammed an upward kick to Lluvi's chin, snapping her head back and causing the blue haired girl to leave her feet — catching herself just to began teetering backwards from such a powerful shot to the head.
The second Lluvi regained her bearings, everything turned grim for the White Eclipse rookie. She could just hear her teammates shouting her name, the ringing in her ears deafening. But as blurry visage came to once more, those green eyes widened to a flaming spiral crash coursing right for her. "Luck's on my side now, and that's the fun of gambling for what you want!" Julia shouted, soaring and searing right into Lluvi's abdomen. She stopped directly underneath her, and the sight was apparent; frightening at an angle. Julia's claws stabbed directly into Lluvi's abdomen, and instantly, they began emitting flames. With a decisive grin, the brunette would launch both herself and Lluvi into the air, the rookie in immense pain as she desperately tried to pry herself from Julia's claws, only to find herself high in the air with nowhere to go.
"I said I was going to cripple you." She reminded her in a dark, low tone to where only she could hear. Julia then removed her claws from Lluvi's stomach, only to grab the back of her head, flipping over to make sure she was above Lluvi as her free hand stabbed into her back. She let out a scream of pain, and suddenly, she and Julia began falling back towards the ground from the fearful height.
"And I meant it." Once more, flames emitted from Julia's claws, causing not only more pain to the rookie, but a boost in speed towards the ground that would amplify the ended impact that was still pending. "Barriers, Dispelling, we've reached the extent of your skill set! Then my fighting style goaded you into ditching your counters, making you attack me head on! I appreciate the fight, Lluvi Palmero, but in the end, you weren't exactly who I was looking for!"
"Lluvi!" Reiss and the others shouted, but no response. They could only watch in horror as they neared the ground. Reve and the veterans watched as well, no one saying a word, but the growing anger of their rookie about to be destroyed was more than visible. "Come on, Lluvi!" Tyson shouted. "You have to move! You have to! Move! Move, move, move, move!"
Everyone on her team were screaming at the top of her lungs, but she just couldn't muster anything after the decimating attacks she went through thanks to Julia's Flame Claws.
"I'm...sorry..." Her mind could only speak the words her mouth couldn't. "I wanted so much to be better than my peers...for this reason exactly. Not just to say I was stronger, but to let them know..."
{Flashback}
"So you really want something to heighten your abilities? Sounds like you're asking for a shortcut, maggot." Her drill instructor instigated. Lluvi quickly bowed. "Not at all, sir! I...I want to protect my friends, sir!"
"Your Magic already does this, maggot Palmero. What more do you need besides hardening your skills? You're the literal blueprint for defense and protection. You've even honed a fighting style to compliment it all. You know exactly what you're doing."
As he began walking off, Lluvi trembled in uncertainty, wanting to speak up, but before she could, he spoke again. "But...there is one thing we might be able to do. Kemuri, the Council Chairman, and his team have been working on a small project and they're looking for test dummies. It's a man made magic that might be what you're looking for."
Lluvi was intrigued. She was almost desperate, so of course she inquired. "I'll try it. I'm willing to risk anything to gain a new height in strength, sir!"
Her drill instructor then turned back to her with a serious visage. "Between me and you, my best maggot. This project isn't anything normal, nor is it safe. You'll be stuck with it for the rest of your life. But someone like you can perfect it. You sure you want to, though?"
Lluvi nodded without hesitation, and as he escorted her through the council halls, down an empty hallway, thats when she was introduced to a team of scientists, one very familiar.
"Aiden." Lluvi remained on guard. Aiden merely fixed his glasses. "So this is the one?" He asked, not needing an answer. Her instructor then placed a hand on her shoulder, calming her down. "He's been pardoned. For now. And in short months, he's done brilliant work for the council. Now, he has something you want. After the battle of Tartarus, two things remained. The rubble aftermath that the battle caused, and more importantly, the scales of plenty of dragons. Once the scales fell from the dragons themselves, they were no longer part of the dragons, meaning they never disappeared. Aiden has this throwaway project, simply experimenting with these scales by combining them and creating an armor fit for man, with the power-boost of a dragon. It's called..."
"Dragoon." Aiden finished. "To be frank, I'm a little hesitant to give anything of mine to that of a White Eclipse Mage, but we've kept tabs on you, Lluvi, and if anyone can draw out its potential, if it has any, its someone like you. Here.."
Opening his hands, he handed Lluvi two small wristlets that secured around her wrists. Each one had a small blue gem looking piece on them. "If you can awaken this strength, it may do wonders for you. And when it does, you must report to us and tell us of your progress, understood?"
{End}
"Lluvi!" They continued to shout, readying themselves for the inevitable; some even looking away as they braced for impact.
"If you can awaken this strength, it may do wonders for you."
"Now would be a good time." Lluvi said to herself. "With my life on the line — no, with my pride as a mage, as a warrior on the line... now would be a good time to wake up! You useless Dragon! I know you have a mind of your own, an awaken! Barrier Dragoon!"
Suddenly, the two gemstone pieces on her wrist gained a black slit on each one, as if they were now eyes. Following a bright blue light shined brightly, blinding Julia and taking her off guard in the process. An expelling force caused her to let go, and as that light diminished, Lluvi was no longer in her normal attire, but a shining blue armor that covered her breast plate, feet to knees and the entirety of her forearms.
"Requip?" Julia asked, but it was no ordinary armored attire. It illuminated in the sunlight, showing its true texture — dragon scales, aligned perfectly, as if she was a Slayer in a much more eloquent Dragon Force mode. Even Lluvi had to take a second to exam herself. "So this is Dragoon. I did it! I unlocked it!" She then winced, remembering the wounds she's acquired from her fight so far. "That's right. This is amazing, but I have a fight to finish. I'm still hurt, but this armor is giving me the ability to stand."
"Oh? This power your emitting." Julia stated, gaining that glint in her eyes once again. "It looks like I counted you out prematurely. Then don't keep me waiting with that transformation of yours! Fight me, Lluvi Palmero! Let me break you at your strongest!"
"Here I come!"
Just as she took off, the horn blared, stopping them dead in their tracks. "Time! Unfortunately, this heated battle will come to a halt, for the time limit has passed. It is a draw! Both Empyrean Dawn and White Eclipse B will receive five points for the fight!"
"Tch..." Julia was pissed off, but one look at Kaiser and she walked off, back to the rest of her team as Lluvi did the same...before losing both her armor and her balance. The injuries she sustained were pretty serious, and as Reiss and Tyson caught her, she smiled weakly. "Sorry. I lost track of time..." She admitted.
"We all did!" Reiss exclaimed. "That was awesome! So that's what you've been working on over the past year, huh!?"
"It was definitely scary." Tyson added. "I've never felt such a surge in magic power, even after all of the damage you've taken. Lluvi, you might be the strongest of us all."
Those words caused her to slowly smile, limping over with Tyson and Reiss as her crutch.
"Lluvi Palmero..." Julia looked back once more, the shine in her eyes from all the excitement never leaving. "Make sure to be here on the final day. Because I never leave a fight unfinished. That's not what Roulettes do."
With Dobengal and Jaeger taking the arena to begin their fight, the next two could be seen warming up. It was Fairy Tail's Elfman Strauss vs. Black Phoenix's Ethan Star.
"That was some new magic there." Takeru chimes in through the quiet, speaking upon the rookie. Reve's eyes never left the arena as Dobengal and Jaeger fought it out, but even he agreed. "I don't know where she got it from, but she obviously made a deal with someone. She needs our protection now more than ever, and doesn't even know it, because that magic isn't natural. But that's for a later time."
Takeru nodded in agreement as the horn blared.
"Well that was a much faster bout than the first one! The winner here is Dobengal from Sabertooth! That's ten points for a former champion guild!"
"Nice job Dobengal!" Sting shouted as he walked back. The others cheered him on as well, and as they did, in came the next two competitors.
"Alright everyone! Our next bout belongs to Elfman of Fairy Tail!"
"Man!" Elfman shouted high into the air with cheers of excitement being returned to him, especially by his sisters.
"And he's up against Black Phoenix's Ethan Star!"
As the kid walked in, he gave a nervous wave. "Lets go Ethaaaaan!" Asuka shouted, waving frantically with Chiara and Alexander. Diamond watched on stoically. Ethan waved to them before turning back to Elfman with a bow.
"It's a pleasure to have a match against the defending champions!"
Elfman grinned. "What a manly greeting! If that's how you feel, then don't let this opportunity pass you by, kid! Show me what you're made of! Make this fight a man!"
