AGNOMAKHOS
by Ulquiorra9000
Chapter 14
"On three. One..."
Jaina gripped her duals swords tight as she and her men got into position around a certain warehouse in the town Lexethes. The townsfolk sat huddled in their houses, unwilling to cross dozens of armed hoplites and mages. The warehouse sat innocently, but Jaina knew better - inside, the council's enemies gathered. Chari was certain of it, and that was good enough for Jaina.
"Two..."
Elias had kindly loaned a platoon of blue mana mages, experts in illusions and controlling water. They carried bulging waterskins, ready for battle. They'd make fine support for Jaina's platoon.
"Three!"
As one, the Second Battalion mages performed complex motions and summoned the water from their skins. The water globs floated in midair, then raged forth and blasted the warehouse's doors inward. Soaked shards of wood sprayed everywhere.
Jaina invoked Heliod's favor and smiled grimly as star-studded mana armor coated her body, and similar enchantments flared to life on her swords. With a cry, she led the hoplites into the warehouse, swords raised.
Silence greeted her.
"Fan out. They're in here somewhere," Jaina told her hoplites, heart racing. She quickly scanned the large room, but except for wooden boxes and burlap sacks, it was empty. Obediently, Jaina's men swept the room and the upstairs level, checking each side room and behind each stack of crates. The water mages hung back for now.
Jaina felt her excitement bleed away, and confusion replaced it. Where was everyone? No way could the rebels have known she was coming! But her hoplites formed up and delivered the news: the place was abandoned. No sign that anyone had been here recently.
"This can't be right," Jaina muttered, lowering her swords.
"Beg your pardon, sir?" a hoplite asked.
Jaina stomped a foot. "They should be here! The oracles foresaw it! The rebel leaders... where did they go?"
"We'll cover the whole town," the same hoplite promised. "They won't escape us."
"Yes. Do that. You lot, help them out." Jaina motioned to the water mages, and they joined the hoplites in sweeping the streets.
Jaina folded her arms and watched her platoon scour the place. Either she had been outmaneuvered... or this was a trick. Did the Agnomakhos rebels have an oracle or mage who could cloud the future?
This did not bode well at all.
*o*o*o*o*
Kulla knew that he didn't have much time. His right shoulder's wound, though shallow, poured foul blue and black mana into his system at an alarming rate. All the archer had to do was fight defensively and let her arrow do the work.
I won't allow it. My honor as a colonel demands her life!
The woman's mocking laughter filled the street as Kulla sprinted toward her, careful to stay behind buildings and under roof eaves. Not much closer now... two blocks... one and a half...
Kulla blinked when another arrow shot through the air. It impaled a tavern's wooden wall, its mana corroding the wood like a disease. Was it a warning shot? Another taunt? Or frustration that Kulla wasn't presenting a clear shot?
She is insane! She must be rid from this city. Scowling, Kulla made a mad dash across the open street at an intersection. The woman's temple was close now, just up ahead...
Another arrow raged through the air and Kulla somersaulted to evade it. He could actually feel the air ripple as the projectile flew past him. So close!
But now, Kulla had an edge. Before the woman could reload, he reached a house's wall and drove his blades into its side. He heaved himself up the wall and withdrew his left blade, then jammed it further up the wall and hoisted himself further up. Then he repeated this for the right blade, and back again, not unlike a mountain climber.
Kulla reached the roof and scrambled up, now staring the woman down face-to-face. She stood exposed on the temple's rooftop, only three buildings away. For a second, a look of surprise covered her face. Then she sneered and drew another arrow.
I've got to put all my mana into this! With his dwindling strength, Kulla knew that he could only use his high-speed movement once before exhausting himself. If he missed, or the woman landed another blow...
No more time to think. Kulla tensed as he drew up the last of his white mana, a massive chunk of energy that he poured into his legs. His muscles tensed and burned with pent-up energy, screaming for release.
The cityscape became a blur as Kulla flashed across the rooftops, the wind howling past his ears. Finely-honed reflexes allowed him to bring his blades into position as he ran, prepared to slice the woman's head off. She'd never see it coming!
Sheer agony blasted across Kulla's chest, followed an instant later by a deathly cold that surged through him. The cityscape came back into focus as Kulla staggered to a halt, stunned. What? No!
An arrow poked out of Kulla's chest, flooding him with life-consuming mana. The wound itself was nothing compared to the mana that coursed through him, and his vision flickered. His legs felt like jelly.
"Too bad, Mr. colonel!" the woman jeered. She nocked another arrow to finish him off. "You think you're so special because of that cape and armor? You're just a man. And all men die."
Kulla saw the woman raise her bow and draw the arrow back. He knew that it was meant for his head.
No. No way would he, the paragon of justice and honor, die like that!
With a yell, Kulla seized the arrow and wrenched it free. The cold mana's flow cut off, limiting its effects on Kulla's body. I bought myself just a few seconds. Make them count!
The last of Kulla's white mana raced through his body and gave him a final burst of strength. He took vague satisfaction in the look of horror on the woman's face as he charged her, blades raised for the kill.
In a blast of white mana, Kulla placed himself before the woman and he gouged his right blade right into her chest. Blood soaked her leather jacket and she staggered back, gasping. "Bastard!" she hissed.
Kulla drew back his right blade to finish it, but his arm screamed with pain and he lowered it, trembling. His white mana drained from his body as the woman's foul mana took over, and he fought just to stay on his feet. But he didn't let his weakness show.
The woman clearly had had enough, too. Panting, and clutching a hand to her chest, she lowered her bow and staggered off. "My name is Estello," she grunted. "You should at least know the name of your killer when I find you and kill you! This isn't over; you're already marked for death."
Kulla could only watch silently as Estello hopped down to the street and sprinted into a side alley and out of sight. He sank to his knees, reaching for his flare gun with a shaking hand. No doubt that the rebels were targeting the Reverent Army commanders for destruction, and he had only narrowly escaped termination. How many Army officers and hoplites had been killed already?
Kulla sent up his flare and hopped down to the street, wincing as his legs absorbed the impact. He sank to a sitting position to conserve energy, waiting for help to arrrive. He would survive this day... and make sure that those responsible would pay.
*o*o*o*o*
What the hell kind of fighting style is this?
Olivia fought down a wave of panic as Argyros advanced on her, weaving his hafted weapon in a complex pattern. Over and over, the old man jabbed and swung his weapon, faster and faster, and Olivia could see no pattern to predict the blows. Argyros struck at random, smiling as his curved blade sliced Olivia all over.
Growling, Olivia brought up her broadsword to block another blow, then wrenched Argryos' weapon aside and sprang into the air. The old man was a tough one, but no way could he move faster than Olivia! I've got to outmaneuver him before it's too late!
Argyros backed up and swept his weapon through the air, and the long shaft gave him impressive reach. Still, Olivia managed to deflect the blow, and she arced clear over Argyros' head and jabbed at his neck. From this vantage point in the air, Olivia's strike could be difficult to block.
"You wench!" Argryos snarled as he tried to parry Olivia's sword, but his long weapon couldn't get into position fast enough. Olivia's broadsword carved through Argyros' breastplate and drew blood, and Olivia landed lightly on her bare feet behind her opponent.
He avoided the worst of it, but I'll take what I can get. Olivia smiled and twirled her broadsword as though it weighed nothing. "What's the matter, tough guy? You seem upset."
"I've never seen anyone move like that," Argryos commented, bleeding freely. "An aerial attack? Looks like the Reverent Army has some good fighters after all. Unlike that last weakling."
Olivia frowned and glanced at the other dead captain. No doubt that the Agnomakhos rebels were targeting the Army's leaders, and she hoped that the other captains and colonels could hold out. If the rebellion had many more warriors like Argyros, they were in serious trouble.
"Your wounds are still closing. Looks like you won't go down easily," Argryos said. He sheathed his three-bladed knife and placed his hafted blade on his back, fastening it with a strap. "Green mana... the power of the wild. I know just the thing."
What now? Although Olivia felt her wounds sealing shut, her heart raced with fear. She hadn't liked Argryos' earlier tricks, and she doubted that things would get any better.
"My pride and joy," Argyros grinned as he unsheathed the black-handled sword on his back. Its blade had a graceful curve to it, and the circular hilt had intricate carvings etched into it. "This is Lepida Akyrosi, a rare weapon I got off an Akroan mercenary I killed. It's far too fine a weapon for some Akroan grunt to use. Want to see why?"
Olivia snarled and gripped her broadsword tightly, her knuckles going numb. Argryos' sword paled in size compared to hers, but there was bound to be a nasty surprise in store.
In a flash of motion, Argyros sprang on Olivia and brought down Lepida Akyrosi upon her head. Alarmed, Olivia crouched and parried with her broadsword, but she felt Argyros' massive strength bearing down on her. Lepida Akyrosi's cruel edge creeped closer...
"Yah!" Squirming out of the way, Olivia snapped out a kick and buckled Argyros' left knee. Stunned, Argyros stumbled back, lowering his guard for just a split-second. Olivia bared her teeth and swiped her heavy blade across Argyros' chest, shattering layers of his gold armor.
Quickly, Olivia whirled around Argyros and placed herself in his blind spot. She jabbed her blade right at his spine, and Argyros only narrowly spun around to block it. Again, Olivia moved, and this time she sprang to the side and slashed through Agryros' open guard. She grinned as her broadsword cut into Argryos' right shoulder.
"You're a quick one," Argryos grated. He twirled Lepida Akyrosi in a blinding pattern. "But now it's my turn."
Whoa! Olivia's eyes widened as Argryos unleashed a furious assault. Lepida Akyrosi jabbed and slashed everywhere, and every time Olivia blocked, she felt the edge getting closer. If that thing touched her...
For a second, Olivia broke through Argyros' guard. She pushed past Lepida Akyrosi and scored a glancing blow on Argryos' ribs, drawing even more blood.
Then Lepida Akyrosi bit into Olivia's thigh.
Olivia shrieked as minds-splitting pain surged through her spine. She stumbled back, swaying on the spot. Shaking, she looked down and saw a deep cut in her thigh. But the wound didn't seal shut; her leg felt weak and limp, its green mana suddenly gone. Olivia fet the strength draining from her leg by the second.
"See? It's a nullification blade," Argryos taunted her. He ran a finger down the sword's curved length. He fixed Olivia with a cruel glare. "Now you're powerless."
"No... I'm not!" Blood thundered in Olivia's ears as she pounced and slashed her broadsword at Argyros' smug face.
Lepida Akyrosi rose to defend its master. Steel clanged loudly as the two warriors traded blows, but as they went, Olivia felt herself being pushed back. Her thigh wound bled openly and the bad leg slowed her down.
Olivia's broadsword scored another blow across Argyros' chest and broke off another piece of his armor. The blade cut deeper and slashed into the flesh, and Olivia felt the steel tip strike a rib. Yes!
"That hurt!" Argyros snarled, then he knocked aside Olivia's sword and swept Lepida Akyrosi right at his exposed captain.
Olivia saw the blade coming as though in slow motion. Sheer fatigue clung to her muscles, numbing her and slowing her down. She couldn't dodge Argyros' sword in time, not entirely... and as she moved to dodge, Lepida Akyrosi sliced right through her right arm.
Olivia could only make a choking sound as the sword's edge cleaved right through her arm, bone and all. For a second, she felt a flash of monstrous pain in her brain... and then, her vision dimmed and she crumpled to the ground. Her broadsword clattered away, useless. She saw her severed arm lying there on the brick street, shrinking as its green mana bled out.
My arm... I... Lepida Akyrosi's cruel mana fogged Olivia's brain, and she could only clasp a hand to her bleeding shoulder. Normally, she could seal the wound and regrow her arm within a day, but not this time. She had lost. And now her neck was next. She watched Argyros draw closer...
Arrows hissed through the air and Argyros backed away, a snarl on his face. Suddenly, blinding white mana barriers popped up and shielded Olivia from Argryos, and Olivia faintly heard the shouts and footfalls of hoplites and mages rushing down the street to defend her. Reinforcements! Just in time.
Through the white mana barriers, Olivia watched Argryos sheath Lepida Akyrosi and sprint down the street. He vanished in a side alley.
"H-help me..." Olivia had never felt so vulnerable. She fought to stay conscious as the hoplites surrounded her, and she felt herself faint a second later.