The Battle of Geffenia
Episode Four
Fimbulvetr
"Mercy has been shown…"
Gabriel returned with bad news; a gang of monsters have appeared magically at the southern gate.
"Unbelievable…"-said Cecil.
"Let me take care of them…"-said Mirage with a smile.
"Take Blue and the wanderer with you… just in case"-added Zel agreeing to his determination.
The three man crew moved towards the target point silently. Meanwhile, Lenan shook the hand of his friend who was beginning to regain consciousness.
"You are getting old, Chass"-said sarcastically.
Chass smiled lightly and looked at Lenan's sabers.
"You still carry those, what happened to the keen killer I knew?"-He said- "I have a present for you; it is inside the first house in the southwest part of this city. However, you may need to dig it out."
"Before I get going, how is that guest of yours doing?"-asked Lenan.
The Colonel laughed gently. The cold winds began to blow harder. Plushe healed most of his wounds.
"Snow… here in Geffenia… this is impossible"-said Levitas.
"It looks more like a blizzard to me…"-added Cecil.
Back at the southern gate…
The crew remained hidden behind the rocks. A pack of huge hairy beasts closed in slowly. Their sense of smell jeopardized their lives. Behind the pack, two frozen demon heads floated in the air. Blue became nervous, while the assassins stayed concentrated, waiting for the best moment to strike.
"Where do these monsters come from?"-asked Mirage.
"They are not from this region… "-responded Mist-"They can smell us… if we continue here they will attack us."
Mist suddenly jumped from his hideout while being invisible. He chose a point in the middle of the pack and away from the Gazetis. His smell got the Snowiers' attention immediately; confusion filled their minds. Mist extended his arms, making a cross with his body.
"No time to play"-he said-"Meteor Assault!!"
The impact caused the beasts to fly to all directions. That attack alerted the Gazetis who hastily charged towards the silent fighter. Mirage drew his Haedonggum and picked his first victim.
"This will be fun"-he said with confidence-"Soul…Destroyer!!"
His bloodlust began to dominate him, he could not quench it. He stabbed and slashed every single being in an almost frenzy-like manner.
"Stay out of my way, they are mine!!"-he told Mist.
Mist ignored his request and continued defending himself. He became the main target for the floating heads. Countless cold bolts flew towards Mist, failing their mission.
Mist revealed three knives in each hand while doing a back flip.
"Throw Venom Knife!!"-He whispered while eliminating the demons-"Their numbers do not decrease…"
"Great, the fun will be everlasting!"-Said Mirage laughing maniacally .
Mirage grew insane rapidly; it was unclear which side was deadlier: the monsters or him.
"He seemed quiet… somehow this moment is revealing his real self"-thought Mist-"Oh, the high priest…"
Mist quickly fell back leaving Mirage surrounded. In the way, he was constrained to dispose of several Ice Titans. He noticed Blue was running away from another Titan; her fear spellbound the Titan. He knew it was too late for him to stop the frozen giant.
"USE YOUR POWERS!!"-he yelled.
"Assumptio!!"-she said almost crying.
The Ice Titan delivered a Bowling Bash that only caused a small injury; that was the first and last attack it did.
"I am sorry… it is my first time outside the church… there is so much killing, and blood, and pain…"-she expressed-"I want to go back!"
"That's nonsense; you will not get out of this area alive! Fight! Fight for those you love! Fight for this band of people who are trying to survive this nightmare….fight for your existence."-replied Mist.
She looked at him confused; how can an assassin, a dark soul, be so righteous? But she knew he was right; it was time to stand up and fight.
Meanwhile, at the northern gate…
"Dad, what is that thing?"-said Plushe looking across the field.
Levitas stood up with the help of his staff. He stood unsmiling, glancing at the four-legged reptile. A blue magical flame was igniting in its back. Its diamond scales chilled the arriving wind. The icicle fangs, the crystal claws, and the hailstorm bringer tail absorbed the gray sunrays. The massive stomps made the land vibrate.
"Tell me your name, pigeon…"-said the reptile hissing.
"Pigeon…"-repeated the old man-"Do you think I fear you?"
"I am Ktullanux, the Ice Sssalamander… you should be frozzzen in fear right now."-said arrogantly.
"Plushe, come, we are fighting now."
"Dad, you know I don't like that."
"There is no time for this. Hurry, I need your help."
Plushe stood beside her father and began to speak in Latin.
"Suffragium!! Angelus!! Magnificat!! Blessing!! Kyrie Eleison!!"
"Bring it on, snake."-said the wizard.
"Sssnake?!"-Yelled the lizard angrily-"Feel the power of Icce!! Frossst Diver!!"
"Stand behind me, Fire Wall!!"-Replied Levitas-"Is that all you've got?
"Fire… I loathe fire… Water Ball!!"
The fire wall quickly became overpowered by the water spell, and pushed the wizard and his daughter back into the only standing wall.
"Are you alright?"-asked the High Wizard.
"Yes, dad, don't worry about me… it is coming for us."-she answered trying to ignore the hit.
Ktullanux charged towards the wall taking it down with its weight. Plushe and Levitas dodged it in time, preparing themselves for the next move.
"You are one weak snake."-murmured Levitas.
"You are underestimating me, lousy wizard…"-answered the reptile.
Its mouth opened up forming a light blue sphere with its tongue; the temperature was glacial. Levitas quickly recognized the spell and turned around:
"Do not move!! Fire Pillars!!"-Said the father surrounding his lovely girl with flames-"Do not come out!!"
"WIDE FREEZZZE!!"
An artic shockwave burst out freezing the land immediately. Everything was white. The fire protected Plushe making the icy blast feel like a winter day. The air, at the beginning, was cold; it was impossible to breathe. The effect began to dissipate; the monster's laugh meant victory. Plushe stood face to face with the beast; and the frozen, emotionless statue of a wizard.
"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddd"
. . . .
"Mist…"-said Blue-"Why do you do this?"
"Do what?"-he asked.
"Why do you protect me? You are an Assassin Cross; don't you only care for yourself and the success of your assassinations?
"That's why I decided to leave the ranks…"
Blue understood what he meant. She stood up and followed him where Mirage was slaughtering without mercy. She tried hard to adapt to the killing, and the blood, and the horror. Suddenly, rapid decrease in temperature alerted Mist who grabbed Blue and ran inside a house.
"Is this all you've got?-Said Mirage-"You've got be kidd…"
"He…he is frozen… "-whispered Blue.
Mist walked towards the peaceful-looking assassin. He stood in front of his colleague closing his fist; and in one punch, he broke the ice from his face.
"What was that for?"-yelled Mirage.
The mysterious assassin ignored him while he kept breaking the rest of the ice; and began walking northbound followed by the girl.
. . . .
LenanKuras returned back rushing with his new set of jagged swords on his back. He found Cecil and the rest partially freezing and immediately aided them.
"They look like your previous weapons."-said Cecil admiring the blades.
"So this is what our Colonel was looking for at the Sunken Ship"-added Zelgadis.
"Yes, it seems he eliminated the legendary Drake."-Said Lenan-"How long ago were you caught by this spell?"
"Not more than a couple of minutes; we got indirectly affected by it, but I don't know about Levitas and his daughter…"-answered Winshley.
"Where are they? What are they fighting?"-asked Lenan.
"They are outside fighting some ice lizard."-answered Gabriel while trying to warm up his chest with his arms.
Winshley quickly created a Fire Pillar after taking his wand off the frozen wall.
. . . . .
The salamander approached slowly to finish off its frozen pray. It was convinced of its success.
"Dad, don't die please."-Said Plushe breaking down in tears-"You are the only family I have left. Don't leave me like Mom did, please, don't…"
Plushe closed her eyes; and when she opened them everything was dark. Suddenly, from afar, a strong light closed in slowly. It was pure and soothing. The light took the silhouette of a beautiful maiden. Her hair was long and jade colored. Her ebony robe complimented her silvery wings. Plushe was mesmerized…
"M-mom?"-were the only words that came out of her mouth.
The goddess smiled; she found it amusing to be confused for the girl's mother.
"My name is Mana."-She said in a warmhearted voice-"I am the Guardian of Serenity, the Personification of the Soul."
"You…you are one of the Gods… Am I in Valhalla?-she asked.
"No, child, this is another dimension."-answered the goddess.
"What am I doing here?"-asked Plushe
"I came here to lend you my power."-said Mana smiling.
"But, why?"
"Do you want to save your father? Do you want to protect him? Do you want your friends to stop fighting"-asked Mana with a serious face.
"Yes, I want to…"-answered Plushe while lowering her head.
"Then, accept my gift. End this nightmare, end this bloodshed! Accept…my…gift."-said Mana fading away.
A white orb passed into her body teleporting her back to her father. She seemed disquiet. She looked at the reptile with a killing desire.
"Well, kid. You are about to sssee how I horribly ssslay your daddy."-said Ktullanux laughing evilly.
"I will not allow that…"-replied Plushe-"Lex Aeterna!!"
Her hands began to glow white, she pointed at the enemy and a circle with a white cross appeared in the ground, imprisoning the lizard.
"What isss thisss? I can not move. What have you done, ssstupid girl?"
"Augustus Addiction!!"
A rain of white beams rained down on the frozen lizard dealing an immense amount of damage and releasing light everywhere.
"Whoa! What is that?"-asked Aqua standing slowly.
"That's Plushe…"-said Zel-"I never thought she had such an amazing power…"
"That is one of the Angelic Skills."-said Lenan.
"Angelic Skills?"-asked Gabriel.
"They are the four holy based attacks only learnable by Paladins and High Priests."-Explained Lenan-"Just like Chass' Righteous Elimination, they are very hard to perfect; and only a few achieve it."
The light's strength slowly melted the ice covering Levitas's body. He fell on his knees grasping for air. Plushe hugged her father sobbing. Suddenly, a roar full of pain dominated the ears of the survivors. Ktullanux was furious. Levitas and Plushe faced the weakened monster without fear.
"You filthy priessstessss… prepare to die!!-Roared Ktullanux-"Power Up!! Agility Up!!"
The beast charged in with an incredible speed sweeping Plushe with its tail. Plushe rolled in the air several times hitting her head. Zel quickly ran towards her; he held her in his arms preventing her from crushing into a rock. She was unconscious…
"PLUSHE!! Oh my poor little girl…-Screamed Levitas-"This can not be!!"
(Battle theme: J-E-N-O-V-A AC Version)
Levitas was never so determined to kill. He opened his arm and electricity began to take shape.
"Are you ssstill underessstimating me, mage?"-said Ktullanux with a low growl.
"No, I am analyzing you. Feel the power of Wind… Thunder…BOLT!!"
"You think you can hit me with that? How naïve… Frossst Nova!!"
The two spells clashed nullifying each other. Ktullanux hissed mocking its opponent.
"Lousssy…"
"It is time for you to suffer for what you just did. Jupitel…THUNDER!!"
"Frossst Nova!!"
The thunder beam coming out of Levitas' hand pierced the ice wave electrocuting Ktullanux. The beast stood up confused searching for the wizard.
"Mystical Amplification!!"-Whispered the High Wizard-"Thunder…STORM!!"
"NOOOoooo… Cursssed wind magic!! Cursssed wizzzards!!"
Levitas moved around the giant lizard, using its confusion to his advantage. It was now or never.
"Gravitational Field!!"
"You can ssstop me but you can not defeat me!! Ssstorm G…"
"Lord of Vermilion!! I will…defeat you… you will pay for what you did to my Plushe…"
"Hehehehehe… I am ssstill alive, weakling… You are nothing…"
Levitas looked straight into Ktullanux's eyes while removing his manteau. He could feel the beast's fear; it was intimidated….by the lousy mage.
"This garment… it prevents me from using unnecessary power. It is the barrier to my limit. I really hate using my full power… but I've got no other choice…"
Ktullanux was paralyzed… frozen in place before its menace. Levitas raised his palm while looking at the sky. Two words came out of the High Wizard's mouth:
"Aeolus' Breeze!!"-and he walked away while a pleasant wind embraced the field.
"A breezzze? Ahahahaha…is thisss your full power? Jussst wait until your hex disssappearsss!"
Suddenly the wind intensified itself… creating wind gusts. The gusts cut the lizard's tail off like a new axe on wood. The head and body was cut in half… the pieces were cut again…and again…and again… in millions… a pile of artic dust was the only remain of the Ice Salamander….which melted… marking the moment as the end of the winter.