34
KRAANNNG!
Riu's vicious blade slammed against Cyrus' pistol, the edge whirled around and around, carving so many paths in the air it seemed as if the two were fighting in a cage of shimmering light. With every slash, Riu carved, and set, yet another razor-sharp arc that would linger there, trapping and limiting every movement that Cyrus could make.
He was just barely able to block each of Riu's slashes; each time she swung, and he blocked, his limbs trembled with strain, and he was a closer and closer to losing his life with every move he made.
Cyrus grit his teeth, and took a chance, and lashed out with his foot. Riu either anticipated this, or twisted away with incredible speed, for Cyrus struck nothing but thin air.
She was behind him, bringing the Ag saber down in a heavy slam.
He turned, and just managed to block the blade; the metal of his pistol was a hair from his face, as it bore the burnt of Riu's blow. There was a tremendous clang of metal on-metal that filled the dark complex.
She smirked, and slipped under his guard, striking him across the temple with the hilt of her blade.
Cyrus fell, and tumbled across the stone ground.
Behind him, Riu's Wrath LOS, Ravenna, struck a crushing blow onto Cyrus' hulk of a machine, Ulkhanns.
Cyrus rolled up, clutching his face in pain.
"Yeta!"
He raised his gun and fired it. But it was a different shot than the one that struck Argus. It was filled with an icy wind, and arced and twisted with Riu's movements.
"The same, boring tactics as before, huh, Cyrus?"
Riu took a small step to the left, and stared down the bullet of ice racing towards her.
She tilted her head, and the bullet overshot, soaring past her ear.
Riu took a step forwards and slashed at the air in front of her, carving a shimmering blade that flew towards Cyrus. He had to lunge to the side, and he only managed a wild shot towards Riu as he rolled.
KAAM!
Riu had thrown herself in front of the bullet, and blocked it with the shimmering wall. Ice was crawling across the shimmering wall, slowly, through it, closer and closer to Riu.
"What-?" Cyrus muttered, "What are you-?"
Riu said nothing, and stared straight back at Cyrus.
He looked past her, and saw… Rhiem was tied up behind her.
"Heh…"
His confidence flooded back, and he spread his arms, laughing.
"Yeta! You still give a damn about that boy!" His laughing turned downwards, and he closed his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair. "Shit! I didn't think you had it in you! You, the coldest bitch of us all!"
Riu stayed silent.
"Well," Cyrus, said, still chuckling, "Works for me." He raised his gun again-
Riu turned to Jade.
"Jade, could you do me a favor?"
Jade nodded, and then shut Cyrus completely in over a dozen different locks. He screamed, and yelled his indignation until Jade locked his head.
Riu lowered the wall, and turned back to Rhiem, avoiding his eyes.
She silently cut the bindings fixed on him, and then started patting his chest and waist, straightening his armor.
"Acolyte Htu!"
Htu, still confused, merely looked at Riu in a frightened manner.
"Escort every hostage in this complex to a safe location. And take my dear brother," She nodded to the stunned form of Argus. "Take him to a resting area. He will not require anything comfortable. Understood?"
"I'm sorry for having interrupted your conversion session, but please do as I say, now."
Htu stood there, for a long time, and then nodded. He motioned to his Knights and Shadows to start transporting all of the hostages out.
As his men worked around him, he looked from Riu, to Jade, and then risking a wayward glance at Cyrus, who was still struggling against his locks, and then left with his men, most of which were hefting two or three people on their backs.
Within seconds, the complex was cleared of everyone except Jade, Cyrus, and Riu.
Jade shared a meaningful look with Riu, and then she left, unlocking her locks one by one until Cyrus was free.
Cyrus was tired, humiliated, and scared. He shot a hateful look at Riu, who was rolling her neck.
"Well?" Riu gave her neck a solid crack. "Come on, then. I don't have all day."
Cyrus roared at Riu, and charged at her, firing bullets.
"Fool," She muttered, and swung her blade.
Behind them, Ravenna and Ulkhanns clashed once again.
Rhiem ended up walking right at the behind Htu. There was something more than an awkward silence between them. It was an uncertainty, of being thrust into a situation never anticipated or occurred before.
When they were in an empty section of the complex, a mere quad of flat concrete marked only by an Olympic-sized swimming pool, Htu nodded at his men, who started dumping the unconscious bodies into a disorderly heap off the side.
Rhiem spotted KJ being thrown onto the side, his arm lolling of by his side. A slight movement of his arm, almost too much of a coincidence, fell next to his powder packs.
Coincidence?
Htu turned to Rhiem, with his icy glare. The two stared each other down for a while.
"I don't know who you are… What you have to do with my masters… but it doesn't matter."
Rhiem said nothing, and being unarmed, didn't do anything.
"I do not answer any random slut who claims to have lordship over me! We shall return after your death, and assist Master Cyrus, killing the false mistress for all the worth she is!"
He drew his pistol, and pressed it against Rhiem's head.
"My master's troubles end with you, vermin!"
Rhiem stared into the barrel, fearless.
"Don't count on it."
At this, KJ, who was pretending to be asleep, sprang up, hands already digging into his packs for powder.
Htu couldn't resist twirling around, pale hair flying in the air, to face his attacker.
KJ sprinted towards Htu, only a couple of yards away. He flinched as a bullet whizzed by his feet, and a Guild Knight yelled at him and charged; he leaped up as Rhiem stepped out of the way.
He blew, mixing the powders together and flaring a huge fireball that engulfed Htu. The Guild chief screamed as a mini-inferno raged around him.
Behind him, Guild Knights and Shadows roared, charging at Rhiem, drawing their weapons.
Rhiem charged into the dying inferno, and grabbed the burnt form of Htu just as the last wisps of flame clung to his form.
It was horrific. Htu's flesh was charred and blackened, and his pale hair was crisped into a dark black. His lips were burned back, and his eyes, frozen open without eyelids, were now streaked with black, his pale scar that ran across his face was now a bright pink against his blackened and oozing skin.
Rhiem grabbed Htu's arm, on it, Htu's charred pistol, and turned to his attackers.
He twisted the heavy pistol sideways to face the right-most man, a short Guild Shadow who was raising his rifle, held his breath, and fired. The extra stopping power of the heavy pistol slammed into the Shadow's gut, and the recoil of the gun swept Rhiem's hand to the left. The recoil swept further, until it was almost at the next target, and he pulled the trigger again, knocking a Guild Knight to the ground, head smashed, and sword clattering to the ground.
The recoil swept the gun even faster, and he swiftly pulled the trigger again.
With each shot, the gun moved faster and faster, until he was at the very left of his side, and there were no more enemies.
It took less than a second.
Rhiem let go of Htu, who collapsed at his feet, oozing blood onto the ground. Black blood stained his Anacholite suit, and the gun felt gritty and warm.
KJ blew the dust off his hands, one hand at a time, and then wiped them on his shirt.
"Nice move. Saved our asses there."
Rhiem smirked.
"Nice acting."
KJ smiled grimly, looking at the crumbled black form of him of Htu.
Rhiem glanced at the heavy pistol.
"It's called bandit shooting. Turn a handgun with heavy recoil sideways, and sweep across from the right, to the left, and let the recoil do all the work."
He was silent for a moment.
"Captain Auder taught me it."
"…"
"So what are we going to do, Rhiem?" KJ said, searching one of the knights for a gun.
Rhiem looked at KJ.
"What are you talking about?"
"About that girl. With the silver hair. You like her, don't you?"
"You didn't tell me that you knew someone like that. An Archeries Illuminate."
"But it looked like they were having an argument or something. She's fighting. What about you?"
Rhiem couldn't answer. Riu… what she was… she obviously wasn't popular back where she was from.
But she can handle herself… Rhiem thought, look at her. She's outgrown my protection.
Is that cowardice? a little voice in his head told him. Is it?
I'm not a coward if there's no reason to be a hero-!
Not cowardice from danger. Cowardice from her. Riu. Can you face her after this ordeal ends?
Can you, Rhiem?
Can you?
"YOU!"
KJ and Rhiem spun around, facing the huge pool behind them. Drops of blood mixed with black pieces of skin trailed away from them, down into the murky water that had sat for decades.
Htu stood, burned flesh and all, somehow in the center of the pool.
That must hurt like a bitch, Rhiem thought, as he saw the water eat away at Htu's exposed flesh, depositing pieces of Htu in a ring all around him.
"I'll slaughter you!" He screamed, "I'll feed your corpses to the crows, and then scatter their shit to the winds! I'll destroy everyone, everything you ever loved! I'll grind your bones down to-Gaak!"
Htu choked on something in his seared throat. He fell to his knees, gasping.
Impressively, he regained his composure, despite being covered in surface burns.
"Leviathan Lord."
He grasped a soul gear, with one disproportionably sized-tooth at one end.
And from behind him, rose It. It was hugely decorated with two impossibly sized horns. One horn was swelling, like a tumor, and covered half of It's face. It had a small, evil face that grinned humorously; perched on a body that folded and twisted in an enormous, eel-like form that writhed to move.
It almost completely took up the entire pool, with barely enough room to move. Rhiem hoped it couldn't move onto land.
One thrash of its colossal, oar-shaped tail crushed the concrete floor as it did Rhiem's hopes.
Inside It's mouth, Htu maneuvered the controls of It. He was not an Archeries, so he depended on manual controls and visuals to move It. A pity, he thought, as he winced over and over as me danced his seared fingers over the controls.
It's mouth hung open, so he could see clearly the two vermin who had done this to him. They were like irritant flies to be swept away by the power of his masters and Archeria.
Rhiem pulled KJ back, trying to bring him back, away from the fearsome sight of It. KJ just stood there, transfixed with horror.
"KJ! We have to go!"
"Don't count on it," Said Htu from It's loudspeakers, mocking the words that precluded his fiery torture.
At his voice, five Guild Knight came marching out of the nearby showers, clutching a prisoner.
Rhiem saw.
He was Kilo, the logistic driver. He was violently beaten, by the looks of it. His left half of his dark face was puffed up and swollen, and both his ankles looked broken. Blood seeped from under his shirt, where Guild Proper must have done horrific damage.
"Recognize him, vermin?" Shouted Htu. "Unless you'd rather see him die like the dog he is, both of you are going to stand right there!"
Rhiem glanced first at Kilo, who was barely breathing, then Htu.
"KJ, take Tiana from that pile of people, and get out of here."
"HEY!" yelled Htu, "Didn't you hear me?—"
"I did." Rhiem said.
He was very still, looking only at the ground.
"Now you listen. Release Kilo. Get your men to carry the rest of these people out of here. Let my friends pass."
Htu could hardly believe his ears.
"What?" He said, laughing "You're not in any position to bargain, vermin! You—"
"I am." Rhiem pulled Htu's pistol out of his holster. "If not, I'll kill myself. KJ could, too, if he wants. Seems like an easy way out compared to what you have planned for us."
"And so what? You're right, I do have plans for that asian there, and I'm itching to carry them out! You just think I'm going to let you all just walk free?"
"You're wrong." Rhiem stared at Htu. "I'll stay here."
Htu was very quiet as he contemplated this.
"Fine." He nodded at his men, who started to carry out his orders. There was a meaningful look in Htu's eyes that was not missed by Rhiem. They were going to double-cross them as soon as they were out of sight.
But, he thought, they were underestimating KJ. That's fine. Anything better than this.
In a couple of minutes, the whole area was cleared.
"I'm going to enjoy this, vermin." Htu flexed his burned fingers, sending jolts of pain through them. "This is not going to be quick. You are not going to like it."
"Nah." Rhiem said. "Let's make it quick, I have business to take care of."
"Hah! What business would you have, dead?"
"I need to see someone… for the first time."
Riu.
Rhiem stared into Htu's eyes. A shiver went down Htu's spine as he could see the fire in Rhiem's eyes. Behind him, the shadow of someone, clad in black armor, and holding a humongous great sword, stood over him.
"Let's do this."
35
It moved slower than he thought, Rhiem mused. The forked tail of It moved almost painfully slow, furling and uncurling over where he was almost three seconds ago, albeit completely obliterating everything beneath it. The tail flipped to the side, and started sweeping after him, moving at speeds that Rhiem related to a medium-speed bicycle.
Rhiem could literally grab onto it, and climb over the 20ft tall tail; it was moving so slow.
What was it's deal-
..
It's other end, the head and body, no doubt the more lethal half, was flopping about in an Olympic pool that was nearly empty now.
A distraction.
Shit.
Rhiem turned, trying to flee it's evil face. That face opened slowly, allowing a small glimpse of a burnt person inside operating it, and below it, an enormous cannon, wide enough for Rhiem to stand in.
He was almost there-
just a few more feet-
the grate-
The maw of the thing opened to it's fullest, and churning could be heard within it.
Rhiem lunged at the metal railings-
A tidal wave. It was a tidal wave trapped in a jet. The murky water was concentrated in more than a jet, more than a torrent, it was a continuous, liquid bomb. The storm shot out in a continuous barrage of water; it tore up the concrete showers that Rhiem was running in.
The barrage swept from side-to side, tearing up every bit of surface there was.
The body of a Guild Knight, killed by Rhiem, was caught in the stream. For an instant, the stream flashed red, and then there was absolutely nothing left of the poor man. He had been vaporized by the pressure. There was nothing of the body left; just the ruins of concrete where the man laid.
Then, the stream ended, and there was only the ruins of concrete and water, now harmless, dripping off the cracked sides and snapped rebar wires.
Htu managed a grim smile, despite his burns. Was the boy truly dead? A pity, he had not programmed It to directly attack the boy, but accidents happen. He savored this power. It was times like this that he knew why he joined Archeria. Power. Power overwhelming. Beautiful, luscious power that was better than sex, better than drugs. Bliss.
Kam!
A single bullet whizzed off of It's huge horn.
Htu smiled.
"How'd you do it, vermin? Better men than you have perished to the Leviathan Lord's current storm."
Rhiem didn't answer. He was hiding, under the ruins of concrete, under dripping water and crumbling stone. Breathing hard, too, for a ricochet of water had caught him in the elbow. Even his anacholite suit couldn't prevent the serious bruise that he felt in his arm. Swelling was already stiffening his arm.
"Ah." Htu said, "The drainage sewers. Clever."
Htu punched in the controls for greater piercing power. The next current storm would carve through the ten-foot thick concrete, and into the sewers. Already, the very sewers Rhiem was hiding in were dumping water back into Olympic pool, filling It back up again.
"Ready or not..." He gunned the trigger. "Here we come!" The jet, thinner now, cut through the sewers like a knife through hot butter. The performance was less combat, and more excavation. water shot out from the mining, bit of stone, parts of what Htu hoped to be a limb or two, and then-
Rhiem burst through the wreckage. He wasn't hiding, he was charging towards Htu! Insanity!
Htu turned the controls to face Rhiem. Already, the stream of water was carving it's was to Rhiem, gaining on him steadily as they both raced-
Rhiem grabbed onto It's tail and jumped onto it, while. Htu's eyes widened.
"No!" The stream cut across It's tail, running a deep, deep cut into itself, it tore into the thick armor of It, and exposed metal muscles glistened before they were crushed by the jet of water.
Htu slammed onto the abort button, and the jet stopped. Rhiem was running the length of It, towards the head.
Htu grit his teeth.
"Nice try." Htu set the current storm to a wider angle, and then had the machine to aim at Rhiem.
"Die!"
Rhiem jumped, on the spring loaded-foot this time, and dodged the cone of water that now erupted from It's mouth. He raised the Heavy Pistol, at the open jaw, past the cannon-
At Htu.
It was a shot in-a million. Flying through the air, a cone of water sweeping up towards him, his target a hundred yards away, and growing smaller by the second.
He lined up his sights. The iron was charred- but it would be hard enough with a scope.
He aimed-
But his target was gone.
The entire head of It had moved-
With an awkward twist motion, It slammed Rhiem in the air, with it's little horn, and swept him off to the side. He tumbled through the air, and struck the water with a tremendous splash, the murky water frothed and hissed, until it cleared, and Rhiem floated to the surface, face up. He was barely conscious. There was no more fight in him.
Htu gripped the controls in anticipation. This was it. His skin, still raw and black and pink, was literally itching for revenge.
"Good-bye!"
The tail fell, this time helped by gravity, shook the air and swept the water in waves, as it bore down on Rhiem.
He could only register the shadow, and the rumbling of the air around him.
"Not yet," whispered a hoarse voice. "It's not time for you yet."
The tail fell, smashing through the water, through the concrete floor of the pool, leaving a meteor-like hole on the bottom.
...
"You alright, son?" Rhiem opened his eyes. They were on the side of the pool this time, but who was they?
The masked face of the Wandering Merchant bore over him. "You alright?"
"...-why?"
He heard a small chuckle, and then a footstep.
"Let's just I owe yer dad one."
Rhiem looked down, feeling something claw at his back. He started at the sight of a completely mechanical cat, black-gray, with red eyes, carrying his entire weight, and his metal suit.
"N-Nya?"
"Scott here swam in, and pulled ya out just in time."
"Nya."
"He's damn stupid fer a feline comrade, but he's enough."
Rhiem was, at this point, too tired to be surprised.
Htu was silent, drumming the controls. Was he frustrated, or happy that his prey managed to stay alive again? Htu did enjoy causing him pain, but too long and he would start to wonder himself whether his pride could take being bested by vermin for so long.
There was another one, a friend of that vermin's, perhaps, but there was no difference to him. One vermin or two, the Leviathan Lord would crush them all.
"Die!" He swung the enormous tail down on the two of them.
The Merchant sighed.
"Not yet."
He causally pulled a black and gray gear, etched in a digital camouflage design, with a single yellow lion etched on one side, and tossed the gear up in the air, above Scott. The mechanical cat leaped into the air, and grabbed the gear in mid-spin, yowling. The cat spun faster, and the grew while spinning. He fell back to the ground with a much heavier thud.
Scott was fully grown, with arms thick and large, black scales coated every inch of Scott. He had a prominent beak now, and fiery red eyes. Huge, over-sized arms with wings dwarfed it's relatively small legs; a long, elastic black tail swished impatiently. He had turned into a CUNarga.
"Scott..." The Merchant said, "let's play."
Scott swung upwards, and smacked the tail like it was a toy. Not all of it was knocked upwards, only a huge section of the tail bulged upwards, and the Lord of the Seas shook from the impact.
Scott yowled, and then raced up the body of It with frenzied movements.
Down below, the Merchant turned to Rhiem.
"Rhiem... your gun's gone, right?" The Merchant dug for something inside his coat. He pulled out a huge, beautiful handgun. It was nickled-plated, but with generous amounts of black metal mixed in the slide and grip. A silver eagle shone on one side of the gun, engraved in silver on one side, and what looked like a compass that was inverted on the other.
"Rhiem... this belongs to you."
Rhiem gripped the gun slowly, deliberately.
...
He felt its heartbeat.
...
"This gun, Rhiem was your father's. Lt. Gramais modified the Desert Eagle that he first used to become a hero in Rubina, ending the Crooksman creek massacre with it."
"It's called the Southern Eagle."
"Rhiem?"
The merchant saw a single tear drop on the concrete. Or maybe it was sweat. But when Rhiem resurfaced, there was a new look in his eyes.
Rhiem pulled back the slide of the enormous, .845 caliber magnum, feeling the satisfying clack of the slide worm through his body. He felt what his father felt.
CLACK!
"...good answer." The Merchant then turned to the fighting machines. "Now," his cockney accent flooding back with alarming quickness. "Let's see what the Archies put in their toys here."
Scott flew, tumbling in the air, and landing at a heap off to the side of the two. The Leviathan Lord roared with triumph, and swished it's tail about the air like a whip.
Scott got up, gears whirring, and looking at the Merchant intently.
The Merchant held the Faux gear up to his ear, and nodded.
"Is that so? Really?" The Merchant turned to Rhiem. "Kid, you can handle that hunk of junk alright?"
Rhiem nodded.
"Good. Now trust me on this one: aim for the bighorn."
"Is that it?" Inquired Rhiem.
"That's it."
Rhiem glanced down at the beautiful gun he had, his father's Southern Eagle, and then at the big horn of It.
"Well, how could I miss...?"
Hoo-rah, muttered the Merchant.