Kamen Rider Tarock, Re-Dealt - Reading Three: Faces of Foes
Disclaimer: I don't own or make any claim of ownership of the Kamen Rider series. Kamen Rider Tarock and its characters belong to me, and may not be used without express permission. But don't be afraid to ask. I also don't necessarily share the beliefs of any character in my stories, and in the case of the ones in this story, don't necessarily endorse anything they do.
One last powerful leap carried Liss to the empty lot behind the garage. After she was sure no one else was around, she slipped up to the back door and—carefully—knocked.
"Deliveries come in through the front!" Paige called, just audible through the opened back window.
"Paige…it's me," Liss called back.
"Liss?"
"You better open the door, Paige. I'd probably break it."
"Damn, Liss. You wrecking my stuff now too?" Paige sighed in disgust, but when she spotted the armored figure standing behind the building she gasped. "What the—what the hell are you doing?"
Liss picked up a fallen brick from the ground and crushed it between the fingers of one hand. "You're not going to believe it, but you're the only person I can tell."
Paige stared for a few seconds before she said anything. "That sword looks real."
"It is real."
"Get in here," Paige commanded, and locked the door and closed every blind as soon as Liss had. "Did this have anything to do with all that smashing and the sirens a little while ago." It wasn't surprising she'd asked. Generally when the police bothered to show up in this part of town, it was best to just lock oneself in and hope things passed by without incident.
Liss nodded. "I'll tell you all about it after I…," she started to say then realized she had no idea how to get the suit off. She waited a second for that weird voice that had told her how her new powers had worked before to tell her what to do now, but nothing happened.
It had to come off, didn't it? She was supposed to spend the rest of her life…
Then there was a grinding sound and the red card ejected from her belt buckle. She snatched it out of the air and saw the suit had disappeared back to wherever it had come from. Paige gaped, then sighed, walked into the front room and poured herself a coffee.
She took a long, bracing sip and sat down. "What happened, Liss?"
Ten minutes later they stood outside the theater where Liss had nearly been trapped between the giant spider and its strange ally who could disguise himself as a human. A pair of squad cars were parked out front and one officer angrily motioned for them to leave, but there was no missing the large mass of white fibers three other officers were trying to pull a machete out again with no success.
They started to walk away, looking as unobtrusive as they could. "All right," Paige said once she was sure the cops couldn't hear them, "Say I believe you got attacked by some kind of bat-guy and a giant spider. Where did they come from, and that suit of yours too?"
"I have no idea, but somehow I think I'm gonna find out soon," Liss replied. "Maybe they're like those monsters out in Rittersburg a while ago…"
Paige shook her head. "Liss, you should go give that thing of yours to the cops. Let them worry about this."
"No way," Liss said more firmly than Paige had ever heard her. "This is mine."
They didn't talk the rest of the way back to the garage. As soon as they got there Paige unlocked the door and went straight back to the old truck she'd been fixing up. Liss let her work, figuring it was for the best to let things sink in. Instead she went over to another vehicle sitting in the corner, a dirty racing bike whose previous owner had left it in Paige's care before skipping town.
"Hands off," Paige interrupted her.
"When are we gonna finish fixing this up?" Liss asked.
"You're in enough trouble after today already, don't go digging yourself in deeper. Bringing the forces of evil into town…," Paige warned.
"Hey, I'm the one who got rid of 'em!" said Liss, indignantly. "Seriously, when are we gonna fix it up?"
Paige looked up for a second, her stomach growled, and then she returned to her work. "Not on an empty stomach, that's for sure. And you got attacked by monsters today and that crappy old bike's all you can think about?"
That got a smirk from Liss. "It won't be crappy anymore after we fix it. Besides, it'd be cool as all hell to ride up to a monster right before I kicked its butt."
Paige sighed and shook her head. "Liss, you're enjoying this too much, I'm too hungry to listen, and it's getting late. Go home. If you really want to, we'll talk about it later."
Liss pouted, but knew better than to argue once Paige had said something so final. Besides, she had to admit this had been a way more eventful day than she'd been expecting. The door clicked shut behind her and she walked out onto the streets, where the sky was already starting to turn orange as the sun completed its daily journey. Before, even Liss would've hurried to someplace bright and relatively safe. That night, she found she was in no hurry to get out of the fading daylight. Men with knives were no longer as scary after what she'd achieved that day.
She waited silently for the evening bus to come by, knowing full well what to expect when she got off, and not minding so much this time.
The door to Liss's apartment wasn't locked by the time she got home, but she'd been expecting that for the entire ride. There was just one light on, in the living room, and she couldn't hear the chatter of the TV. That was the last check on her list of expectations.
"Felicity, come here," a woman said quietly but sternly from the next room. Liss ignored the command until after she'd poured herself some water, then walked over and stood in the doorway. Her mother, a woman who'd been packing on a few pounds thanks to the stress of the last few years and who'd stopped caring for the lustrous black hair she'd once been so proud of, looked up at Liss with weary exasperation. "You skipped school again. You even got the security guard to chase you."
"Yeah," was all Liss had to say for herself.
"This is the third time," Liss's mother added.
"I don't know what they told you, but I can count that high, mom."
Liss's mother buried her face in her hands. "Why do you do this to me? Why do you do this to yourself? Do you know what happens to people who live in places like this, and don't bother to get an education?"
Liss nodded. "Yeah, I do. But you don't want anyone saying that name in this family, isn't that right?"
"Don't you turn this on me, young lady! This family was doing fine until she went and…and…!" Liss's mother wailed, so disgusted she couldn't even finish the sentence.
"You found out she was kissing her roommate?" Liss supplied. Her mother quivered with barely suppressed rage, then sighed heavily and looked away.
"Do whatever you want then, I suppose. We'll see what your father thinks."
"If he decides to wake up and get involved at all," Liss said, but she was sick and tired of this same song and dance anyway. She went down the hall to the tiny bedroom that was hers to call home. After locking the door she went to the niche in one wall that served as her closet and pulled back the cheap carpeting in one corner, revealing a small hollow where a lockbox was hidden. She took her keys out and opened it up, then hid the buckle and card inside on top of the other junk she hadn't looked at in years.
What point was there to brooding on the past, thought Liss as she climbed into bed. Finally something interesting, something exciting had finally happened to help her forget…this. And she was going to find out what it was.
Inwardly, Empress Maeve of Mazones sighed. Her throne room was full, but the occupants were all familiar. Her envoy—trusted and powerful though she was—had obviously not succeeded in persuading those others of their kind who could still be found of the severity of their situation.
"These are all I could gather," her lieutenant said, almost apologetically.
"I know, Thena. You have my thanks for reaching out to the others regardless," the Empress said and drew herself up to her full height before approaching them.
She was quite a sight, with the absolute blackness of her gown and flowing hair contrasted by the ivory white skin of her face and hands. Her features were beautiful, but hard and strong at the same time. Even having forgone her fullest finery to put her visitors more at ease, she exuded a palpable power that grew to fill the room as she held up her arms for the others' attention.
"Fellow Arcana, you have all been told why we have gathered, and thank you for having the courage to come forward and help devise a course of action," she said. "Certainly this is a troubled time for us…"
"Are we so sure our peril has increased with a new Tarock, though, Maeve?" asked a woman seated on a white marble bench. Her hair was a wavy brown and flowed well with the green gown she wore. Crouched at her feet was a great brown-furred beast that resembled a lion, except for having a second row of eyes above the first and a slight glow to the tips of its sheathed claws. "From what you've said, this new Tarock has done nothing so far but slay a single Mythos. For all we know, she has neither the ability nor the desire to reach the Sphere. To say nothing of Mazones itself."
The empress scowled inwardly. Always this kind of thing from Leone. Certainly she was grateful to have such a powerful Arcanum offering to assist Mazones when needed—the closest thing to loyalty most Arcana seemed capable of anymore-but more and more it seemed as if it would take the end of the Sphere itself to motivate her to fight. "Do you not see what's happening? Shardak's assassin has come back, and poses a threat to us all! Remember what became of Knight Duric!" the empress cried.
"No one's forgetting what became of Duric," an echoing voice replied. It came from a floating shape that looked to be made of some kind of metal, but as it hung in the air its color shifted from dull gold to bright silver and then to shimmering red. Electricity arced across its surface, then a small burst of flame, and then a sheet of ice formed around its surface. It was a sphere, then a cube, then a ring…
"However," it went on, "Leone has a point. Tarock's power is not to be taken lightly, but have we not enemies at the gates already? Should we not determine which is more deserving of our attention?"
"Why did you even answer the summons if this is how you react to the empress's plea for assistance?" asked another strange being. At first glance it was two people, man and woman dressed in red tunics and kilts, with the man being the one who'd spoken. Upon closer inspection, however, the legs on both figures tapered to a single joining just below the knees, and their interlaced hands actually melded together at the point of contact.
"Felco speaks true," said the woman. "Have the mighty Arcana fallen this far, that they prefer to completely turn a blind eye when a known danger resurfaces?"
"Thank you, Mila," Maeve said quietly, looking at the others reprovingly. "We know full well what Tarock's capable of! That it's a danger even to us!"
Leone spoke up next. "Do not confuse a wish to assess a danger with cowardice," she said coolly. "And do not confuse a desire to aid for blind fealty."
Maeve eyed Leone and the shifting being coldly. "I cannot believe I'm hearing this. Our fortifications are nearly nonexistent and our people are vulnerable. And now an outsider of all people has a power in their hands that we well know is a lethal danger to us."
"Must force be met with force?" the formless being asked, simply. "We are not undermining your authority, Maeve, we know the power of the Mythos AND of Tarock. But what use is provoking a threat that may not exist?"
"Master Segic speaks with the proper restraint," Leone said. "Seeking troubles where none exist can only serve to deepen the problems that concern you so, Maeve. Let us observe-"
"An outsider has become Tarock!" Mila cried. "Is there more you need to know? That sort of power, in that sort of creature's hands?! The entire Sphere could be wiped out!"
Leone's pet growled menacingly but fell silent when she placed her hand on the back of its head. "Because Tarock can kill an Arcanum? Whatever you've heard about Duric-"
"If I may interrupt," Segic did indeed interrupt with his disembodied voice. "Maeve, was your attendant excused on some vital business?"
"Thena? No, she had no other duties, what are you…," the empress began, but the words died in her throat as she cast her eyes around the room and realized Thena was nowhere to be seen.
But the empress had an idea where she'd gone.
The room itself trembled. For the briefest of moments Segic's form froze in the shape of a silvery Mobius strip, and Leone's pet growled defensively and splayed its claws even as she stroked its head and whispered soothingly to it.
How did Thena dare to strike out against Tarcok on her own, without so much as seeking approval, simply slinking away when her Empress's back was turned?
There would be hell to pay for this…
For a while the next morning, Liss thought the school might have actually turned a blind eye to her playing hooky the day before. She sat through the first four classes of the day, paying slightly less attention than usual as her thoughts traveled back to the strange encounter with Frank, and the giant spider, and her transformation into that strange, powerful being.
Where had something that could give someone that kind of power come from, the future? Some other world? With the strange distortion she'd felt just before encountering the buckle's previous owner and the monsters, just about any answer seemed plausible.
When the bell rang to end fourth period, she was trying to come up with some idea of what to do next. The monsters and the buckle's previous owner hadn't given her any clues about where they came from or what they were. Maybe if there was some way to get that voice that had told her how to use her attacks to talk again, and maybe come up with some specifics…
"Hey," someone pushed her on the back of the head. Liss turned, angrily staring at whoever had dared to interrupt her planning. And she nearly slammed him against the nearest bank of lockers by the throat.
The shaggy blond hair, the stubble on his chin, the ripped denim jacket that he still thought made him look so tough…
It was Ben Corland.
"What the hell do YOU want?" Liss demanded.
"Where were you yesterday?" he asked with a smug smile, acting unaffected by her display of anger.
"Someplace a lot better than wasting my time talking to a little smartass." Liss stalked off, but Ben followed after her, laughing softly.
"Oh come on, Liss. I'm over you telling you the principal about me being in on our little tar prank. Let's go do something after school, it'll be fun!"
"I'm already doing something after school," Liss replied tersely.
"Oh yeah? Like what?"
"Like the same thing I was doing yesterday," Liss replied and started walking faster, but turned a corner and ran right into a guard coming the other way. A big guy with a bowl cut and icy gray eyes she'd never seen before. He immediately grabbed her by the shoulders.
"The VP wants to see you, little missy," he stated as a matter of fact
Guess they'd noticed after all.
The guard led Liss away, and Ben started to follow before the guard stopped him in his tracks with a glare. "Not you, tough guy, just her."
Ben shrugged. "Sure man, sure." Then he vanished into the pass period crowd. Students turned to watch briefly as Liss passed by, then their attention settled back on their own business. Nothing new involving Liss.
A minute later Liss stumbled into the vice principal's office from a spiteful shove against her back from her escort. Looking at her from across his desk, left eye twitching in that familiar way, was Vice Principal Sanchez. His black buzzcut was immaculate as always, and his smooth features, free of any hints of stubble or other blemishes, made him look even more like a poorly-disguised robot than usual.
Suddenly a feeling of cold rushed up Liss's arm and into her spine, but was gone as quickly as she'd felt it.
"How nice of you to join us today, Miss Decker," he said, hands clenched in front of him. "Maybe you'd care to explain what pressing business drew you away from school with no notice yesterday."
"I could, but you wouldn't believe me even if I did."
Sanchez laughed out loud and leaned back in his chair after hearing that. "A little honesty, I see! I have to admit, Miss Decker, I never thought you'd be the one to see how limp your own excuses are!"
Inwardly, Liss tensed. VP Sanchez didn't like her after the stunts she'd pulled before, but he'd never flat out insulted her before. Or anyone else. Wasn't that the kind of thing that got people who worked for schools sued?
"But!" he exclaimed suddenly. "Since you evidently see the error of your ways, you won't mind making some of the time you missed out on yesterday after school today. And frankly young lady, that's getting off light."
Liss just nodded. It'd be easier to figure out what to do next with fewer people breathing down her neck. Sanchez squinted at her for a second as if he couldn't believe she was accepting her punishment so easily, but then waved her out of his office. "Well then, since you're turning your academic career around, get to class. See you after school, Miss Decker."
She did, but took her time getting to her destination since for her, fifth period was lunch. Making a baloney and cheese sandwich was about as far as her culinary skills extended, and her mind had been on other things all day. So she fished into the pocket of her jacket for a few crumpled bills and got a tray of lunch sludge, not bothering to see what they were calling the different colors that day.
A table near the corner was unoccupied, so Liss took a seat. She unzipped her backpack just far enough to glimpse the buckle inside. "Can you hear me?" she whispered. "You, the one who talked me through the fight yesterday. Who are you?"
No answer came, maybe because she could only hear it while she had the suit on, and that wasn't a secret she had any intention of sharing yet. Maybe she'd be better off skipping detention after all…
"Anyone sitting here, beautiful?" someone asked, and Liss kicked her backpack under the table to keep it out of sight. Looking over at her were Ben Corland and two of his friends. Liss sighed in annoyance, which they evidently took as acceptance as they filled the seats beside her, Ben taking the one on her right. "So, you thought about my invitation yet?" he asked.
"I'm busy after school," Liss answered curtly.
Ben frowned. "Oh yeah? Doing what?"
"Detention."
One of the other boys scoffed. "Detention? Since when do you go to detention?"
"Yeah, Liss," Ben joined in. "What's Sanchez got on you?"
"None of your damn business," Liss growled. That elicited a chorus of amused "oooooh"'s from the boys.
"Looks like your girlfriend's getting soft, Ben," the second boy warned. "You sure she can still hang with us?"
"I am NOT his girlfriend anymore," Liss said, the disgust at admitting she ever was almost tangible.
Ben looked her in the eye, and even though Liss immediately looked away, he asked, "Seriously, Liss. You spending this afternoon in detention? Just like that?" He gave her a look he never had even when they had been going out, after she'd won her first fistfight with another student. It was masked by annoyance, but there was a glint of concern in his eyes.
She'd still been getting used to her current lifestyle then, and a boyfriend who was into defying authority and didn't think a girl couldn't be tough too was an appealing idea. And it had gone well for a few dates, but it was then when Liss noticed Ben was taking her places, but only to brag about how he was there with the girl who'd left so-and-so black and blue. Eventually something else would command his attention, and Liss would be on her own for the next few hours until Ben finally decided to come find her and take her home.
She'd, understandably she thought, told him she wasn't interested in putting up with that, and Ben proposed they prank Vice Principal Sanchez. Something for the two of them to bond over. They'd been caught in the act, but Ben had gotten away. Liss, however, hadn't seen any reason not to tell them who put her up to it. Neither had spoken to the other since.
Why the hell would he suddenly be taking an interest?
Her continued silence was the only answer he got. Finally Ben shrugged and looked away, unwrapping his sandwich and taking a bite.
The first boy asked, "So what ARE we doing tonight, man, if we're not hanging out with your chick?"
Liss grabbed her tray and stalked off to another empty table. Ben didn't answer. He spotted a science teacher whose class he had coming up passing the cafeteria, and all of a sudden he grabbed the bottle of soda from his lunch and ran outside, shaking it hard as he went.
Ben ran up behind the teacher, then when he was right behind her uncapped the bottle and let it spray all over her. She screamed as the sticky beverage covered her hair and blouse, and angrily whirled to see a smiling Ben Corland behind her, holding the fizzing bottle that gave his guilt away.
"WHAT do you think you're doing?" she screamed.
He smirked back at her. "Well…"
Liss took a seat in the empty classroom. Sanchez had shown up after her last class of the day and personally escorted her to detention; seemed he wasn't taking any chances on her that day. Weirdly, she'd felt that sensation of cold race up her arm again when he'd shown up. She got out a book to look like she was getting ready to do some homework, hoping to try to get some results from the buckle instead, but then a second student was shown into the room.
"Hey Liss, looks like we're hanging out after school after all," Ben smirked at her.
"Like hell you are," Sanchez snapped. "You're going to make good use of your time after school to prove we don't need to be more severe. I'll be back to check in a little while." Then he closed the door behind him, glared at the two of them for a minute through the window in it and strode off.
"He seem even crazier than usual today, or is that just me?" Ben asked. He took the desk next to Liss's, glanced at the book she hadn't opened, and then leaned over to look into the top of her backpack. "What's that?"
Liss snatched it away. "What the hell's with you today?" she asked, irritated. She fastened the zipper again and pretended to read through a chapter of textbook, even though she didn't think for a second Ben was fooled. She just hoped the thought of a punch in the face was enough to get him off her case.
It wasn't. Ben returned to his seat and got out his algebra notebook, and read through it for most of ten minutes before lunging over and grabbing Liss's backpack and opening the zipper. "What the hell is THIS?" he laughed as he pulled the buckle out. "One of those real life role-playing things?"
"Give that back, right now," Liss said, which made Ben's grin of amusement even wider.
"Oh my god, it is! Looks like the tough girl's got a few dark secrets!"
"Let me put it another way," Liss said. "Give that back, right now, and I won't break your nose."
That got Ben to stop laughing, but still he didn't give it back. "So what's this supposed to be, huh? The Magic Amulet of Zendoforvink…itz or whatever? What's this thing made out of, anyway? Feels like metal, but it should be heavier-"
Liss lunged and grabbed the buckle, but Ben held onto it hard. All of a sudden the door flew open and standing in the door was the guard Liss had never seen before. "What's all the yellin' about?" he demanded, then his eyes zeroed in on the buckle they were fighting over. "Ah, I see! Guess I'll just take that, and we can all be buddies again."
"No way," Liss said and shoved Ben, grabbing the buckle back.
"Just hand it over," the guard warned. "Nobody has to get hurt." He grabbed for the buckle, and again Liss could feel that cold sensation on her arm again, but weaker, shorter than before. All the same she kicked him in the side and he staggered into the wall.
"Whoa, Liss!" Ben cried out. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"Playing a hunch," she answered. The guard didn't move from where he'd ended up, but suddenly his body was surrounded by some kind of blue smoke. It took only a second to clear but when it did the guard was something totally different. He was the same size and shape of a human being, but instead of skin he seemed to be covered in something that looked like white stone. Black lines traveled up and down his arms, legs and torso, but his face was completely smooth and featureless. Again he reached out for the buckle and again Liss kicked him, this time against the chest and with all her strength, but he only staggered back a single step before grabbing for her leg.
Liss dodged back and grabbed the sword card from her backpack. She was about to slap on the buckle when the windows behind her shattered, and two more of those white fake-people somersaulted into the room. Between them, landing almost elegantly on his feet, was Vice Principal Sanchez. Again she felt cold shoot up her arm.
"Give me the buckle, Liss," Sanchez warned. "I might still be persuaded to let you walk away from this."
"Liss, huh?" she asked.
"Isn't that what you said your name was the first time we met?" he said with a sinister smile, right before the skin split down the middle of his head and peeled back. It was the monster Frank had become the day before. His suit tore to shreds as his frame expanded to the size it had been when she'd had her first fight with these things.
She slapped the buckle into place, and one of the white things ran to stop her, knocking Ben into a row of desks. It was too late, as the black under-suit had already formed, and Liss slammed the sword card in.
"Swords Suit!" the buckle said just before the three faceless monsters were flung away by the power of her change, but the Frank-Sanchez monster managed to hold its ground, staring at her angrily as her red armor finished forming itself.
Ben looked up and froze as he spotted the black and red armored figure where Liss had been standing. He started to say something but the sound died in his throat. Liss threw herself at the monster and they crashed through the wall behind it, out onto the grounds.
She rolled onto her feet and her sword appeared in her hand. The three faceless monsters rushed toward her, weaving back and forth as they came. The first one landed a punch on her chest, staggering her back, but as he came up to attack again she sweep-kicked his legs out from under him and impaled him through the chest with her sword. He contorted before simply bursting into white powder.
Just as she looked up the second one attacked, kicking at her and hooking his leg around her neck, then leaning back and pulling Liss down with him. As they fell the last one darted around and threw himself at Liss's side with a jump kick. She gasped and tumbled across the lawn.
Again they came at her, weaving back and forth. Liss jumped to her feet and went into a fighting stance, and in another second they were close enough to renew their attack. Before they could, Liss punched them in their blank faces at the same time, stunning them. She somersaulted over their heads, then untucked her body and kicked each of them in the back, sending them flying toward the other monster. It opened its fanged mouth and shrieked, the sound issuing out as a visible cone of force that shattered its lesser comrades into a cloud of ivory-colored dest.
Liss and the monster faced each other alone, circling and looking for an opening. Suddenly he threw his arms up high and the membranes he used to fly expanded outward. He took a few running steps and launched himself into the air, flying like a missile straight at Liss.
The sword sang as it cut through the air toward the monster's side, but he swooped upward and out of the way of her attack. Liss ran after him as he came around for another pass and jumped at him, aiming her sword at his neck. He turned to face her and then opened his mouth, giving out his cry again. It was deafening, and Liss felt herself flying backward. Another second and she felt dirt and grass being torn up around her as she dug a trench across the school lawn with her shoulders from the force of the monster's attack. There was a crunch and her vision blurred for a few seconds as her helmet punched through the wall of the school.
The monster hovered over where she'd come to rest and then grabbed her shoulders with the talons on his feet before pumping his wings and lifting Liss into the air with him. She grasped the hilt of the sword and thrust the tip at his stomach as they ascended, but the monster hissed and swung his legs forward to bash her head against the side of the building again. Liss was only dazed for a second, but in that second her sword tumbled from her hand and fell two stories to the ground.
Higher and higher the monster continued to fly. He looked down at Liss, fangs bared, but she wasn't sure if it was a smile or a snarl. She karate-chopped his ankle and that foot released her, only for him to shift his grip and grab her around the neck with both feet instead. He flew toward the side of the school and bashed her head against the wall. Her vision stayed blurred longer that time, and Liss felt a warm trickle down the back of her head she was sure was blood.
Then he pumped his wings, pushing them away from the building. And dropped her.
Liss failed for something to grab and arrest her fall, as pointless as she already knew that would be. A feeling of cold helplessness clutched at her stomach as she fell. Liss found herself asking for the first time just how much her armor protected her, how strong it made her. She shouldn't have waited until after school, she should've experimented as soon as she could. Could she beat this monster? Would she even survive the fall? Was Paige right telling her to—
Then her thoughts were cut off by a bone-jarring impact that knocked the wind out of her lungs and all feeling from her body. Then as if he'd appeared from nowhere, the monster was over her. He lifted her by the shoulders, then sank his fangs into her neck, going right through her armor.
Of course. A fanged monster with big leathery wings. Had to be a vampire, didn't it?
Liss screamed as he drank her blood. The feeling was returning and nothing seemed broken, but the strength drained from her body with every second the vampire sucked at her neck. She tried to shove him off but it was like trying to budge a skyscraper.
All right, she thought, if you're there, if you've got any advice for me, now's the—
THUNDER LASH.
She focused on those words in her head as she had before. "Calamity! Thunder Lash!" said her belt. The bracelet with the blade on it jumped onto her wrist and immediately sizzled with arcs of blue electricity. She jabbed it into the vampire's stomach and he shrieked. Right in her ear, but he released her neck and staggered away, body spasming horribly.
A long coil of electricity, like a whip, stretched from the tip of her bracelet until it was almost ten feet long. By then the vampire had recovered, and stared at her with his burning eyes. He dove forward to tackle her, and Liss brought the Thunder Lash back over her shoulder to swing it at the monster, the electricity sizzling a centimeter away from her head in the process. She cracked it forward, catching the vampire across the shoulder.
He screamed at the pain and landed well short, but tried to aim the force of his scream at Liss. She brought back the Thunder Lash for another strike, caught herself on the back with it for a second and yelped, but struck again and the energy sliced down the vampire's face. She cracked it again, watching her back that time, and left a deep red gash in the vampire's side.
STRATO KICK. HIGH.
The vampire scrambled away from Liss, spread his wings and flapped feverishly to get out of Liss's range. She crouched, then jumped upward and at his retreating back as hard as she could. "Dire Fate! Strato Kick!" shouted the belt. Then it exploded behind her, shaping the winds into a tornado pushing her toward the vampire. She aimed one foot at him and almost gasped in surprise as she sheared right through, flying onward to meet the ground again as his body disintegrated in blue flames before they could even fall from the air.
"Hey," Liss panted. "You, the one who told me what those were called…you there? Who are you? What's going on?"
"I think I can furnish an answer to that, if you're worthy of it," a cold female voice said. Appearing out of nowhere was another strange figure. It was a woman in ornate black armor with golden epaulets, boots, gauntlets and a design of old-fashioned scales across the chest. A winged helmet completely covered her face above the nose. Her skin was the absolute pale of those three lesser monsters. She already had a pair of short swords in hand, and gripped them tightly as if waiting for the chance to use them.
And the feeling of cold raced up Liss's arm once again as the woman approached. What was that?
"Who the hell are you?" Liss emanded.
"I am Thena, warrior of Mazones. You are Tarcok, and you are a risk I cannot tolerate."
Next time on Kamen Rider Tarock. Re-Dealt…
(Liss's armor is cracked and erupts in sparks)
Thena: You were never a match for me, outsider.
(She cradles the buckle in her hands, the crystal ball cracked down the middle)
Liss: I can't believe it's over already.
(A man in flamboyant medieval garb holds out a new green card)
Male Voice: And who says it has to be over, little one? There's a whole world waiting to be discovered!
(A bearded face made of green smoke gestures to approach)
Narrator: Your fate is in your hands.