Late... so late... It's been a week (possibly two) and I apologize for the lack of update. Last week... haaa... last week and me... we had some problems. I got a really annoying-won't-go-away cold and fever, then the family drama turned into family funeral (let's just leave it at that), and then Texas decided to up and freeze on me. I'm finally done with the fever and done with the new update!
Once again, I post this and hurry to the next one. I really hope you like it. Dryden is...
Well, read and see for yourself!
The orange arrow slammed brutally in her right shoulder, bounced off her golden armor with a dazzlingly lurid clank, and burst into flames before sizzling to ash on the sandy ground. She staggered painfully from the brute strength of the projectile, but thankfully remained on her feet. Her shoulder smarted with pain. Sliding ungracefully back to her stance, the scent of metallic ozone washed wildly over her nostrils. She heard the crowd gasp in surprise. Flashes of white-hot light danced sporadically all around her shoulders and head, spreading from where the arrow had hit her. The bright static crackled and chafed the air, completely harmless, but terribly distracting. Watching Dryden's orange eyes widen in alarm, her own piercing golden zeroed in as he drew the bow's string back once more. An orange arrow appeared in his fingers. Like Millerna, he could generate an infinite amount of ammunition as long as his stamina held up. He took numerous steps away, backing quickly to create some space between them.
Fine by her.
Flipping her vox to the front of her body, she poured a portion into the palm of her right hand just as Dryden fired another shot. The arrow smashed into her vox shield and burst into flames just like the first one. Meanwhile, the air's water began to solidify in her fingers tips.
Her armor still cracking from the painful hit in her shoulder, she braced herself just as Dryden drew the bow back again, running to the side quickly.
He fired.
Thrusting her right hand forward, her newly formed trident hissed urgently as it spun briskly in her fingers and the pole of the weapon smacked the flying arrow. She gasped as it was sent speeding like a fiery meteor, bursting into flames. It smashed into the sandy ground, the flames sputtering out as flashes of static shock erupted to snake the ground and lick the air. A loud roar of astonishing cries exploded from the audience. She continued to rapidly flip the shimmering weapon in her fingers and over her hand. She was surprised when she felt another projectile hit one of the long spokes of her trident and go sailing through the air. It streamed with fire and collapsed near the back stands in a crash of flames and stone. The people sitting there shrieked in response as the twisting voltage followed the missile.
His ghost shot arrow. She didn't even see him fire it. Narrowing her golden eyes, she raced to the side just as a wave of arrows whistled past her body. Thankfully none pierced her. The shoulder of her swirling armor glinted with static energy. She felt her hair standing on her head.
"Would you mind holding still?" The man's calm voice vibrated in her ears from far away. She dove just as another arrow flashed by and knocked it back to him with her whispering trident. It sailed like a flaming torch, thudded on the heavy sand, and smarted with electrical sparks. "I'm not a fan of collateral damage."
"Why don't you just stop firing?" Hitomi called back. Stopping with a quick step, she slammed the traveling arrow down to the sand once more. It sizzled and popped, bellowing into fiery dust and shaky static. "The offer is tempting though since you asked so nicely." She frowned hearing her voice fizzle in and out over the stands. She smacked another projectile and felt more than heard it crackle with lightning as it crashed into the ground a bit a ways.
Well, that's different… She thought running swiftly around the long-haired man and bashing yet another arrow – and ghost arrow - back. Something was terribly wrong with whatever projected their voices over the crowd. A sudden insight enveloped her. Remembering the heavy, thick feeling of the sand in her fingers, she allowed a millisecond to flick her golden eyes down to the mysterious granules under her feet. It looked like normal white sand, and yet, as she ran swiftly on top of it, she noticed the subtle differences. Her feet didn't dig into the ground as deep as she would in regular sand. She also couldn't help watching the large static sparks left behind by the flying flaming arrows. Each arrow hit by her weapon landed with pocket of fire, but as the flames flickered out, a swivel of static energy burst out. The charge lasted roughly ten seconds. Like the sand was - in its own way - electrified…
She glanced back at her opponent. Maybe Dryden knew…
"Seems like your sound system is having issues." She started simply, swinging another projectile away. It sailed closer to the east stands and she winced as it collided with the wall again. Many people from the front three rows shrieked in fright as the arrow exploded into a ball of shattered energy just below them.
"Something seems to be disturbing the ground electrically." He tiptoed over a smoldering hole and smirked sarcastically. "I wonder what it could be…"
"I'm just didn't want your arrows to hit my armor. It's distracting enough with the swirls."
"Say what you will, but that is a lovely look. Quite the flashy swirly trend setter."
She quirked an eyebrow and dodged an arrow instead of hit it. I have to get the conversation off my stupid armor… oh, bother with it!
"What's wrong with the sound? Why is it going in and out like that?" She asked bluntly, returning a shot.
"Sorry, you'll have to come a little closer. I'm having trouble hearing you over the ruin of our greatest creation."
Well, that was easier than expected. Hitomi thought triumphantly as she smacked another arrow and watched it crash into the heavy sand. Taking a few dancing steps forward; she twirled her weapon till it was a blur in her strong fingers.
"No way! I'd rather yell."
"Suit yourself. I'm fine with you were you are as well."
"Tell me about this greatest creation."
The long-haired man's face lifted briefly in pride. "Sound waves that are infused with the sand particles. They magnify our voices."
"Sound waves," she repeated quietly, tilting her head in thought as her golden eyes brushed to the ground once more. She had knocked three more arrows while they were talking and they splintered into the ground several yards from her feet and burst into static energy.
It made sense.
The missiles turned into balls of energy because the charge was already there. With her powers, she was surprised all of the sand hadn't turned into a sea of lightning bolts. "I see… our voices are carried by sound waves in the electrically charged sand. Since the sand is all over the arena, our voices fill the entire stadium." She explained more to herself than to the orange man in front of her. Nodding slowly in agreement to her thoughts, she gave a whistle of admiration."I wondered how our voices were so loud. This is genius!"
Dryden clicked his tongue and launched another arrow. "I'd like to take the credit since it was my idea initially, but for safety sake I'll give Gadeth the complete compliment. He set up the mechanics."
Now, that is interesting… Her brain flipped from idea to idea excitedly. Sound waves… electrically charged sand right at my feet… She glanced at his lumbering leather shoes. He was not Gadeth or Millerna when it came to moving fast. Dryden used the strength of his arms and speed of his arrows.
He'd never see it coming.
I've got it!
Keeping a quick eye on his bow, she knew she needed to concentrate for this to work. Slipping her vox down her right arm, she let it pool thickly in the palm of her hand; turning the skin of her fingers a golden hue. The shoulder joint of her armor burst into a ferocious, crackling bolt that started firing into the sky sporadically. She didn't notice the crowd collectively covering their ears with the thundering explosions that ripped into the sunny blue atmosphere. Even Dryden was stilled for a moment, his eyes closing briefly at the sharp pain in his eardrums. She fed more vox, feeling the electricity swivel through her like a peaceful surge of strength. Resembling a gentle caress, she eased her hand down the pole of her weapon and tenderly released the gathering magic out of her fingertips. It snapped with violent sparks. The golden vox shivered into her trident and swirled inside with snaps of power all the way down; enveloping every crevice.
Holding the weapon in her power-filled arm, her armor crashed with lightning as she braced herself on the ground. She watched Dryden blink as though awakening from a daze and focus his bow back on her body. It was like slow motion for her. Hitomi flicked up the weapon, allowing the projectile to collide with the charged trident and she watched it rebound quickly with a burst of energy. It traveled with a fiery streak and landed with a definite thud on the thick sand.
No electrical sparks came when the arrow's fire simmered down. The heavy charge of the sand- intermixing with her own vox- kept the bursting energy pacified; balancing each other out. Once he stepped on it and disturbed the sand however...
She smiled.
Perfect trap.
"Is this all you can do?" Dryden shouted suddenly. She noticed a small frown was starting to appear between his usually stoic eyebrows. "You give a power up like that and still all you do is return my arrows and ruin the sound system? Where's the part where you take me out and I don't see it coming?"
Hitomi kept her face completely devoid of emotion. She spun her trident over her hand and instantly returned three shots from him. She took note of where they silently landed. Two southwest near the stands and one directly south. Nowhere near where he was.
She had to work on her aim.
He was working himself into frustration. "You're not even moving to dodge me!" He stretched the bow back and all she saw were the quick snaps of his string.
She raised her trident again. Ready.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Hitomi returned his arrows, the electric weapon flying in a spinning dance. She once again took note of where they landed.
Three closer to the center – still too southwest, one further back to the east – perfect, one even further east to his left – perfect, one directly behind him – even better! And the last two… She sighed in disappointment. Way too far south.
"Where's the strategist that took out Gadeth by tripping him? Where's the wild fighter that knocked out Millerna with her own weapon? Is this really it? Is this really all you've got for me?" Despite his obvious anger, his aim hadn't changed in the slightest. Hitomi silently acknowledged is talent. He was very proficient with that darn bow.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
She dodged three more shots and watched the four she'd hit soar in the air and land with copious plunges in the sand. He never even noticed the shots landing all around him. He was surrounded. Her gold eyes narrowed.
Bingo.
"Change your weapon then! Let's see you get a little closer this time!" She taunted, raising her energy-snapping weapon in a charging position. Her heart beat hard in her chest with anticipation. Her golden swirling armor sent another powerful clack of lightning to the sky.
"You'll regret that." Dryden's orange bow slipped from his fingers like vapor and instantly lengthened. He grabbed the broad support hilt that had materialized and lowered the solidifying point to her chest. She exhaled slowly. It was about six foot long, smooth and strong. Smaller than most lances, bigger than her trident.
His long brown curls danced with his swirling orange power. "Trident versus lance: let's do it."
Hitomi's golden eyes zeroed in on his feet. Twenty steps… just twenty simple steps… he's bound to hit one of them…
Pushing off on the ground, she raced forward. And with a clench of determination, she watched Dryden do the same.
It all happened too slowly. And yet it was too fast as well. Dryden's legs stretched. Racing towards her. His weapon straight and true on her chest.
He stepped over and over.
Her eyes watched and waited.
Nothing.
He didn't step on any of the arrows.
Apparently her dumb luck had run out.
He was gathering speed. Blowing out her disappointingly anticipated breath, she tightened her grip on the glowing weapon and it hissed to her. "Give me strength." She whispered back to it.
Driving the point forward, her muscles jolted in surprise and pain as she met his lance with her spokes. He twitched his hands and the end of his weapon twisted around the pole of hers; getting caught in the small, jagged shafts of her spikes. He lifted up and she felt the trident jerking out of her hands. Grabbing hold tightly, her feet practically lifted off the ground as he roared loudly, braced the end of his weapon on the sandy ground, and pulled it towards himself. With a rush of irritation, Hitomi released more of the vox into her trident and it began to sizzle with glimmering heat. She willed the magic up her weapon and it traveled like a golden tidal wave over his lance.
BOOM!
The tip of their weapons exploded into blinding sparks. His weapon was blasted off of hers and he slid and staggered away, obviously rocked by the unexpected detonation. Hitomi had caught herself before he had time to recover and was instantly ready for another charge. Her trident pointed towards him, she braced herself as he straightened swiftly with an orange wide-eyed gasp. Dryden flipped his lance just in time to catch her trident. This time, she twisted his lance into the spokes and he gritted his teeth; trying to pull it free. Again, she let the vox swirl out of her hands.
Another explosion hit only moments later. He took several more large steps backward, panting and blinking in a slight daze. Narrowing her golden eyes, she glanced at the ground.
Just a little more… push him back a little more...
With a snarling leap, Dryden swung his long orange weapon and grabbed the other side of the lance like a fighting stick. Though the weapon was long-ranged, she now saw his short-ranged attack. Letting a confident smirk glide on her lips at his obvious frustration, she mirrored him; grasping her weapon on both ends. Hitomi took in his offensive stance and she watched him take in hers. They stared at each other; their glowing hands outstretched on the long poles of their weapons.
Waiting.
"You sure you want to fight me this way?" the long-haired man panted softly. She noticed his knuckles were white.
"Change back to the bow if you're too afraid to take me."
To her surprise, Dryden's mouth curved into a small smile. "
"I just want to see what surprises you have planned."
She tilted her head, her smile growing bigger.
"Who says I have anything planned?"
He let out a bark of a laugh. "I do!"
The sand tossed up as they immediately sprinted and their weapons clapped together in a rush of attacks. The pain from the shoulder arrow gave a throbbing twist as she caught his metal with hers and a rapid rhythm of CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! echoed briskly in the entire arena. He thrust forward and she blocked. She served a driving hit to his chest and he met her. Much like Millerna, they fell into a dance; locked in a fluid motion of attack and shield. He drove to her leg and she blocked with the tip of a spoke. She pushed to his shoulder and he swung to block her.
I have to lead him.
Taking a solid breath through her growing pants, she gritted her teeth and pushed harder.
CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!
Her arms were getting jarred from the wildness of his attacks. She tightened her grip on the trident, afraid she might accidentally weaken her grasp and get it knocked away.
But he was sweating, his curly hair sticking to his forehead and neck. His breath was becoming unsteady.
Further… further… take another step back…
Still he met her hit for hit, but she felt him weakening. His stamina dropping slower and slower.
CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!
And then he took a step back. And another. And another.
Her golden eyes couldn't see how exactly far he was, but she sensed a small electric pulse radiating several steps to his right. Driving the pole with all her strength to his left arm, he blocked her and skidded on the sand several feet.
Right towards the trap...
She waited, holding her breath.
Nothing again.
This is getting ridiculous! She growled and waited for him to stand straight and take her on once more. Dryden, however, was panting heavily, his weapon hanging loosely in his hands.
"I… I can't go on."
Golden eyes wide, she stared at him in disbelief and her weapon dropped a couple of degrees. "Wait. What?"
"I… I… give up… I'm… too tired…"
"B-b-but, you can't!"
His orange-brown eyes danced at her and he gave a small shake of his head. "Your stamina… there's no way I… can keep up with you…"
Hitomi couldn't believe it. This wasn't right! Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"You're trying to trick me, right?"
"I wish there was... an easy way out of this... Too bad if I bow out now, everyone would just call me lazy."
Still gasping for breath, he winked and mouthed, "Save it for Allen".
Then he took a step backward.
Next update already started.
Getting back into the groove.
Hope you guys liked the fight!
Allen's next...
blue...