The fight between Prince Olivert, Sharon and Toval against the Zephyr jaegers and the Phantom Thief raged from and from behind the rubble that blocked the exit, Class VII could hear the muffled sounds of guns being fired, Arts being cast and the bashing of Leonidas' gauntlet against stone. As they took a moment to compose themselves from the fight, Laura was running her fingers across Rean's cheek, making sure that the black scars that had appeared on his face back in the Nord Highland had not returned despite the use of his power at the moment.
Those had been a consequence of Rean overextending himself back then, with their previous battle being a mere scuffle in comparison. Rean's first instinct was to tell Laura to not worry before realizing she had every right to worry, so instead he just took her hand and thanked her.
Meanwhile, Sara and Emma comforted a somewhat distraught Fie. "What did they mean by bringing back the boss? He died, I saw him die, everyone did. You saw him, right, Sara?"
"Yeah, I went back to check the same day I found you." It was the first, and only, time Sara had ever seen Fie cry. "That's one hell of a bomb for them to drop on us right now. Emma, you don't think Vita could actually bring back someone from the dead, right?"
The witch shook her head. "There is no spell that could resurrect someone, that is something far beyond our powers. As far as the Society goes though I can't really say."
"Hmph, whatever they meant, once this is over I better get some answers from those two," Fie shook her head as dispelling her earlier turmoil. "Alright, sorry about that. I'm good."
"Are you sure, Fie?" Emma asked.
"Yep. Besides, what else am I going to do? Sit down here while you guys go on ahead?" She shrugged. "Everyone else okay to keep going?"
They were and Class VII started on their way ahead, following the hallway they were in until they reached what was obviously an elevator shaft, extending up high from a platform that would take them to the next stratum of the castle. As they went up, the tension hanging in the air increased as they expected to find their next opponents waiting for them and it didn't dissipate when they arrived and found none. Instead, the way ahead was free for them to follow, or at least as free as it could be with the monsters prowling the area but Class VII still went ahead, with no hesitation of whom they'd expect to eventually meet.
They fought through floors that became more twisted and oppressive the farther in they got, with roots that cracked the stone, creating gaps on the ground that were too wide for them to jump over and forced them to climb down then back up, and passages that opened in the walls seemingly at random. It would be disorienting for anyone to try to find their way there and although they had to backtrack a couple of times, Rean seemed to know the way to follow.
He was being called to the top because of course he was, with the Azure and Vermillion Knights up there along with Crow, pure instinct led him as the Ashen Awakener towards those he was destined to fight.
Is this how Emperor Dreichels and Saint Lianne felt back then?
He looked at Laura walking next to him and although her exterior presented a brave face, he knew she was apprehensive as well. Memories that were not his tried to sneak back into his mind, images of a spear through the chest of a pale knight with a crimson castle watching from the background, so Rean caught her hand and she squeezed his tightly.
Nobody dies today. Not this time.
Eventually they reached a wide open space not too different from where they had fought the Zephyr jaegers and Bleublanc but sharing the same features of the rest of that stratum, with faults on the floor and openings all over the wall and ceiling, along with stone arcs and pillars, some of which crumbled and provided many hiding spots. It practically screamed ambush and Class VII proceeded with caution, with the unmistakable feeling of being watched the farther in they got.
They were halfway through the room when the fleeting presences watching them became more prominent and finally revealed themselves in the form of an arrow hitting the ground right in front of Rean, exactly one rege away from his right foot.
"That is far enough for the moment," said a female voice coming from up high. Looking up, standing up in a stone arc, they saw a woman wielding a bow and clad in a set of armor that was familiar to them.
"What the-"
"Hah!"
Before any of them could get their bearings, another attacker came, shouting from up high and diving at them with a powerful swing of her halberd. Class VII's tight formation was broken as they were forced to jump away lest they be crushed under the powerful impact, and another armor clad woman stood between them.
Followng that, Rean and Laura, who had been standing together, had to jump away from each other as a blur dashed past them, harassing them with shallow cuts that they knew, if their attacker wanted to kill them then they would have. Suddenly, standing next to the halberd wielding one, there was another woman wearing armor but this one was someone they already knew.
"You," Laura growled at Duvalie.
The woman responded emphatically, raising a hand to her puffed out chest as she filled herself with pride in her voice. "Yes, it is I, Duvalie the Swift, head knight of the Stahlritter, and today I am joined by my comrades, Ines the Stout and Ennea the Sharp, under the orders of our glorious, magnificient lord," she said, pointing at the knight next to her and the archer respectively.
"There she goes with the bombastic speeches," Ennea shook her head.
"I see you have chosen to do this the hard way, Class VII," Duvalie continued, completely ignoring her companion's comment. "It would be commendable were it not a foolish endeavor. Only the Ashen Awakener may be allowed to continue past this point, the rest of you have no part to take in our plans."
"The only fools here are you who believe we would let Rean go into this fight alone!" Laura retorted, her voice level and controlled as she didn't allow her emotions get the better of her. Her eyes fixed on the members of the Stahlritter and although their armor seemed pristine, she could see the damage they had accrued. "I see you bear the scars of your fights against my father. He did say you're formidable warriors, although you've failed to provide him with any answers for your use of our family's legacy and I very much doubt he didn't meet your standards in combat. Despite my desire to seek answers from you, whatever quarrel the Stahlrriter might have with my family doesn't matter at the moment, what matters is putting an end to this madness and you will not stand in our way."
"Ah, so that's the Arseid girl. She's a spirited one alright, I can see why our Duvalie doesn't like her," Ennea chuckled and Ines nodded in assent, which caused Laura and the rest of Class VII to raise an eyebrow. Had they misjudged thing and it was only Duvalie the one with a chip on her shoulder about the Arseid family?
"The reasoning behind our name is something only the Steel Maiden may answer as we are sworn to secrecy, nonetheless know that we mean no offense, Arseid," Ines said, her voice cool and controlled. "You will have to ask our lord yourself if you wish to find the answers that you seek."
Visibly frustrated, Duvalie stomped her foot on the ground. "Ugh, it's not like she deserves an answer to begin with when her family took the Sandlot name as a ridiculous attempt at paying homage to her. Enough talk. You already know the stakes here, only Rean Schwarzer may pass, so use your heads for once and turn back. I won't warn you a second time."
Could their lord be the current Argent Awakener, Rean thought. The pieces seemed to fit somewhat but if so, where was she and when did she take Argeion from Lohengrin Castle? By the looks of the situation, if they wanted some answers they would have to beat them out of the Stahlritter which could be a problem, Duvalie was a known quantity and despite her attitude, she was a dangerous opponent, while the other two were just as powerful from what Viscount Arseid had told them. The connection between the Steel Maiden, the Divine Knights and the War of the Lions nagged in his mind but Laura was right, answers would have to wait and if she was okay with that, he could only follow her.
The way their current positions were made it difficult to make the first move, charging Duvalie head on was impossible with her guarded the way she was.
If I could just create an opening… Oh right.
Rean scoffed. "We didn't listen when an actual Enforcer told us the same thing, so I don't think we'll be listening to someone without a number like you."
"Y-you brat! Again with this!? I told you the number doesn't mat-"
Without the need to say anything, Rean burst forward and Laura moved alongside him in complete sync and both clashed against Duvalie, caught off guard mid rant. The knight still managed to defend herself, blocking the couple's blades with her sword and shield but they didn't relent, assaulting her with coordinated attacks that barely gave her time to think.
That couldn't last, of course, Sara knew it and attempted to go around Ines to join her students but the Stout quickly intercepted her with a swing of her halberd, forcing the bracer to dodge and step back. Sara fired three shots at her and Ines managed to deflect one with her weapon while the others barely grazed her armor.
"I shall be your opponent, Purple Lightning."
Sara did not like the way the woman said her alias, the weird inflection on her voice that signaled a deeper meaning to her challenge. "Oh boy, do I know you? Did I somehow ruin your day without realizing it?"
"You did not nor have we ever met. I simply wish to test my skills against one of the Bracer Guild's most talented members."
Fie and Gaius quickly joined the fray, hoping her speed and the reach of his spear would keep the Stahlritter in check so Sara could get a leg up on her, but Ines proved herself very skillful and managed to keep with her three opponents. Meanwhile, soon after Rean and Laura had charged against Duvalie, Alisa fired an arrow at the last member of the Stahlritter, but Ennea countered it with an arrow of her own, shooting the first out of the air and immediately firing a second arrow that lodged itself perfectly inside the barrel of Machias' shotgun.
"What the hell?"
"I wouldn't pull that trigger if I were you, it might explode and blow your arms off," the Sharp chuckled darkly.
"Can people please stop trying to blow my limbs off!"
"Get that thing off your gun and quit your crying, Regnitz," Jusis said as he fired off a blast of lightning at the Stahlritter.
Ennea nimbly jumped out of the stone arc she was to another one, keeping herself at higher ground as the rest of Class VII fired off their Arts while taking cover to avoid her arrows.
"Gotcha!"
Suddenly, Millium and Airgetlam popped from behind Ennea with a heavy swing of the combat shell's heavy arm aimed at her, but the archer continued to show off her prowess and did a backwards flip then kicked the white doll's back, sending it and its master barreling down to the ground.
It didn't take long until Duvalie got her bearings back and begin trading blows with Rean and Laura, and she could easily keep up with the two as she used her sword and shield both offensively and defensively. After deflecting one of Laura's attacks, she closed in the distance and the sharp, pointed edge of her shield zipped less than a rege past the Arseid's skull, a blow that would have certainly incapacitated Laura had she not moved her head at the last second. Meanwhile, Duvalie's sword parried Rean's attacks perfectly, quickly adapting to his swordplay as they fought even as Rean tried to mix up his moves, pulling from the entirety of his Eight Leaves arsenal. Duvalie was a truly fearsome opponent, she took the sword and her mission seriously and even Rean and Laura's teamwork wasn't enough to beat her. If only he was fighting like they had fought McBurn at the watchtower…
Stupid. Fight smarter, not harder.
Both tachi and greatsword came crashing down at Duvalie and the Stahlritter blocked both perfectly with her own weapons, not showing any outward reaction to how the force of the impact flowed through her body and cracked the ground under her feet.
"Are you going to use that power of yours or is it just good for running away, Schwarzer?" She quipped with a cocky smirk on her face.
"Have you ever fought a Taito practitioner before?"
The random question threw Duvalie off, not that it was enough for her to lose her balance in any way, and Rean pulled his sword back, sheathing it, and seemed to be preparing himself for an attack of the Morning Moon form. Instead, Rean surged forward with his bare hands, a maneuver unexpected enough to actually catch her off guard, and he took a hold of Duvalie's sword arm.
"What are you-"
At the same moment, Rean had sent the mental signal to Laura through their combat-link and their enemy's brief moment of distraction was enough for her to deliver a sweeping kick to Duvalie's legs that knocked her down on the floor.
Duvalie could barely understand what was going on at first, the next thing she knew was that she had hit the floor and Rean's legs were putting pressure down her throat while he held a tight grip on her arm, pulling at her limb as he tried to snap it.
"You little- Get of-"
Before she could try to pry Rean away, Laura's sword descended with all of her might at her and Duvalie had to quickly raise her shield to block it before she was cut in half. Laura's second attack came immediately followed by another then another and Duvalie had to scramble to defend herself either with her shield or by moving her legs out of the way when the Arseid tried for those. Laura wailed at the Stahlritter's shield and despite the seemingly frenzied way she attacked, each strike a precise move that combined her strength with the sword's weight that showcased her domain over her skills.
Each time her shield was hit, it was like Duvalie had been pummeled by a truck with an infernal bang, bang, bang that rattled her skull while her right arm was completely immobilized and started to painfully bend in a way it shouldn't. Bad enough that she had been bested in Crossbell, bad enough that she hadn't been able to land a single hit on the Radiant Blademaster and that the Stahlritter had only survived the encounter by his mercy, now this? The idea that two brats, one of them an Arseid no less, could actually get the upper hand against her was the last straw.
"I said… GET OFF!"
Summoning all of her strength, Duvalie twisted her body and moved her right arm, swinging it wildly to her left and pulling Rean along with it. Unfortunately his arm bar wasn't perfect, it was just a pale imitation to the one Angelica had put him in back in Thors, and as such he wasn't incapable to fully imobilizing Duvalie and lost his hold when he collided against Laura, who had to stop mid mid swing lest she struck him. Both fell and had to quickly scramble to get up but by then Duvalie was already on top of them, running literal circles around the pair and delivering blows they could barely defend from.
"Now look at what you've done," Ennea said with amusement. "It's rare to see her get this worked up."
The decisive blow came from Duvalie when she gripped her sword with both and delivered a powerful spinning attack. Laura blocked it with her own weapon but the force was enough to send her flying towards Rean and both were knocked down on the ground.
"Hah… Hah… Did you honestly think that cheap trick would be enough to beat me? My lord entrusted me with this task. It is my duty and privilege and I will not fail!" The leader of the Stahlritter seemed a little winded but otherwise was no worse for wear, unlike her opponents.
"Rean! Laura!" Just as Sara had managed to get past Ines and join her students, a hail of arrows from Ennea forced her to take cover.
Rean and Laura panted heavily, their bodies hurting from the bruises and cuts they had received. But still, despite the damage they had suffered and the pain they felt, the two swordsmen stood up and defiantly raised their weapons against Duvalie once again.
"Are you two stupid? This fight is pointless to begin with," she said, staring at them with complete bewilderment. "Schwarzer, if you want any hope of actually beating Armbrust you should conserve your strength, don't you get it? You're just wasting your time and energy trying to drag them along for something they have nothing to do with, the smart choice would be to just go on ahead."
"They have everything to do with this!" Rean shot back, unwavering. "The only reason I got this far is because I had everyone with me and they're the only way I know I can win this. I'm not leaving anyone behind."
"Well said, Rean. What kind of warriors would we be if we were to accept your terms?" Laura said, matching his resolve. "As a bearer of the Arseid legacy, a member of Class VII and your partner, I will not shy away from a challenge. Besides, it wouldn't befit me, someone who wishes to reach the Steel Maiden and get the answers I seek, to give up besting her underlings in combat."
Briefly stunned silent, Duvalie had to begrudgingly accept her opponent's resolve. But she still had her orders and nothing would deter her.
"What do you even hope to accomplish here? Granted, had you brought the Radiant Blademaster or the Thunder God then things would have been different but-"
"If that is the case then my apologies for the delay," a deep voice called out and suddenly one of the pillars Ennea was resting on top off exploded, forcing the archer to skip away. From the cloud of dust then surged a powerful form that headed straight at Ines, with her barely managing to evade the incoming attack and join Ennea along with Duvalie so they could assess the new threat.
"Wha- wha- WHAT!?" Duvalie sputtered in disbelief while Ennea berated her for jinxing it.
Standing there sporting the intense and gravely expression the man was known for was none other than Matteus Vander, the Thunder God, master of the Vander style of swordsmanship and one of the most powerful men in the Empire.
"Class VII, it is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, albeit in less than ideal circumstances," he then turned to Rean and Laura, who stared at him in awe. "Especially you two, you have my thanks for speaking with Kurt. You all fought valiantly up until this moment but you can leave this to us."
"Us?"
"Yeah, us." Mueller Vander walked up from behind Class VII, emerging from one of the openings along the walls and looking as severe and ready to fight as his father. "Sorry for being late but this place is one hell of a maze to navigate. Lady Laura, we came along with Viscount Arseid but we got separated somewhere along the way while getting rid of some monsters. Like I said, it's a damn maze over here. I'm sure if you guys keep going you'll meet with him sooner or later."
The news that her father was not only there but would be fighting alongside them brought Laura immense relief. It told her that everything would be alright.
"It is only fitting that we take on this battle, after all, you are the ones who stained the honor of the Vander name when you captured His Highness," Matteus brandished his massive sword, twirling it in his hand as if it was as light as a feather. "Victor spoke highly of your abilities. Do not disappoint me."
Duvalie and her companions visibly shuddered at the glare the Thunder God aimed at them.
"Ooooh, you guys pissed off both the Arseid and Vander families. Kinda impressive but I don't think I'd ever be able to sleep at night again."
"Shut up, White Rabbit!"
"General Vander, are you-" Rean started but one look at the Vander master told him everything he needed to know. That man could not be dissuaded from this. "Alright, Class VII, let's move out!"
While Class VII advanced through the Infernal Castle, Neithardt led the other set of Thors' students through the streets of Heimdallr. They were on their way to the second location where they would set the magical lures Beryl concocted, an open space that would serve as an ideal kill box for the army tanks that been moved in place.
"That was crazy!" Kenneth breathed out, leaning over with his hands over his knees. "Sheesh, the second Beryl combined her ingredients, three of those magic knights showed up from thin air."
"I said it would be effective," she responded proudly before stroking her chin. "Maybe it's too effective, actually. I think I may have used more powdered vulture bones than necessary."
"You think!?" Patrick yelled in between taking in gulps of air.
Kenneth's description of the events had not been an exaggeration as the magic knights had phased in on their location instantly, throwing the Imperial army squad they were with into disarray, and it didn't take long for cryptids to appear as well. In between evading the monsters and friendly fire to make to the second location then fighting stray creatures on the way, the Thors students had no time to rest, only finding some respite now at a deserted street.
"Oh quit your whining, Patrick. Come on, straighten yourself." Vivi slapped the noble in the back and he almost toppled over, much to his indigination. "Let's go everybody, we still got a bunch of lures to set!"
"You're awfully excited for someone who was crying about wanting to go home just a few weeks ago," Loggins said with a grin, already knowing the reason for the girl's newfound courage.
"Sure but now that I got a super awesome girlfriend I can't just slack off, I gotta be strong like Fie," the pink haired girl said with confidence and her twin giggled.
"Well, isn't that adorable," Patrick groused but he did straighten himself up, adjusting his grip on his sword. "But you are right, we must not tarry any longer. Instructors, I believe everyone is good to proceed."
Along with Neithardt were also Makarov and Thomas, both using orbal staves and demonstrating more combat proficiency than anyone had expected from simple teachers like them.
"Can't even finish my smoke in peace," the engineer mumbled, putting out his cigarette and throwing it on a nearby trash can as they started to move for their next destination.
Instructors and students kept their pace, moving as fast as they could while keeping an eye for threats as well as any citizens that required their help. Most people had barricaded themselves inside their homes or any other buildings that were willing to let people inside once the Infernal Castle appeared, with few venturing outside, and thankfully they had come across no casualties.
"What was that?" Ferris said with a start, stopping on her tracks. She looked for the source of the noise and saw that a house from the street they had just passed by had its front door thrown off its hinges. "Everyone, wait! I heard a scream coming from there!"
Neithardt didn't take long to order Lambert, Theresia and Emily to investigate while the rest of them kept an eye outside. Ideally, the army major himself would have been a better fit to check what most likely was a monster that got inside the house in question, however the seasoned military man had already felt a bigger threat approaching and an armored quadruped came rushing from a few blocks away, overturning a trolley on its way like it was nothing.
"Thomas, Makarov, watch the students while I-"
Suddenly, a burst of energy came from behind them and a magic knight appeared out of nowhere, surrounding their group. Their situation had swiftly turned south and it seemed they would have to retreat somewhere but then, to everyone's shock, Thomas had already run towards the magic knight, firing off bursts of Time Arts to get the monster's attention.
"Over here, you oversized hunk of armor!"
"Lysander, what in the- Get back in here you fool!"
"Worry not, my friends, I shall-" The historian missed a step on a pothole, fell and rolled on the ground then quickly picked himself up, adjusting his glasses. "I shall keep this ruffian busy in the meantime!"
Wordlessly, Neithardt watched how Thomas continued to run, losing sight of him as he went around a street corner and, by some miracle, the magic knight actually followed him. He sighed and turned back to the approaching cryptid, ready to engage it. "Makarov, watch that he doesn't get himself killed, would you?"
"Yeah, yeah. Loggins, Alan, with me."
With the two fencing club members in tow, Makarov towards the same direction Thomas had run off to, although once they turned on the same corner they came up empty. Following the heavy steps of the magic knight following the history teacher as well as the sounds of Arts being fired, they went around another street corner just in time to watch the gigantic monster dissolve into nothing.
"Huh, what?"
"I-instructor, are you okay?"
"Aha! Worry not my dear students, I am absolutely fine," Thomas wiped off the non-existent sweat off his brow and pretended to be out of breath. "That creature was nothing but a pushover. All bark and no bite as they say. Now let us regroup, I'm sure Neithardt would like some help with that other creature."
Slightly confused but relieved that their instructor, the two students shrugged and decided to go on ahead.
"You know I'm just more suspicious of you now, right?" Makarov said through half-lidded eyes, to which Thomas simply shrugged to further his annoyance. Whatever, he thought, they still had a mission to fulfill and there were more important things to worry about at the moment.
With General Vander and his son left to handle the Stahlritter, Class VII reached the elevator and continued on their ascension through the Infernal Castle, cutting through the third stratum with little difficulty, despite the wounds accrued in the last battle. Rean and Laura had taken the brunt of the damage in their fight against Duvalie and as such, under Sara's orders, took on a support role for the time being.
Climbing a spiral staircase, the Eight Leaves practitioner fiddled with a hole in his jacket, a hole which matched the damage on his shirt as well as a cut on his right side. That wound, as well as the others he and Laura received were quickly treated with the use of Arts and Emma's healing ointment.
"She could've killed us if she wanted to."
With a sigh, Laura's fingers brushed against her forehead, where she had been hit by Duvalie's shield, which no doubt would be swollen the next day. "Yes, the gap between us is much greater than I previously thought. Her loyalty to her lord is commendable if nothing else as well, I'm sure it fuels her strength as much as our desire to end this. But it matters not, she is just another obstacle to be surpassed and once that happens, we will be one step closer to the answers we seek. Speaking of which, I assume you've reached the same conclusion as I did."
"Yeah, it feels like these things are way more entangled than we imagined. Emma…"
"Don't worry, once I'm back in the village I'll be sure to grill grandmother on what she knows about Argreion, Lianne Sandlot and the Steel Maiden," a frown formed on her face and she sighed. "Honestly, I'm beginning to understand why Vita left the way she did. I always trusted that grandmother kept information from us for our own good but now I'm just thinking about how much could've been avoided if she was more upfront."
Celine grumbled but didn't disagree with Emma, even she was starting to get fed up with Roselia's secrecy.
"Hmm… Have you guys noticed we haven't found any monsters in a while?" Gaius called their attention to the fact that, yes, although Class VII had fought their fair share of creatures once they arrived at the third stratum, their amount diminished as they climbed up until completely vanishing.
"Perhaps even monsters have enough sense to not approach this section of the castle, unlike us. Considering our previous adversaries, I believe we are all aware of who is waiting for us."
Jusis words caused Alisa to shiver, putting her arms around her. "Is it too much to hope that Laura's father got ahead of us and dealt with him for us?"
Looking up to the rest of the way, they were just a few steps away from reaching the top of the staircase. Rean and Laura looked at each other, with apprehension at first before it morphed into determination then they proceeded to join Sara at the front.
"Just remember, you two aren't alone in this," she said to them.
"Thank you, instructor."
With the spiral staircase behind them, Class VII walked in on a large and expansive hall, clear with no obstructions in contrast to everything they had seen before. Nothing but the Infernal Castle's crimson marble from the floor to the ceiling, making it the perfect place to fight the single figure standing at the center of the room with his hands on the pockets of his coat and looking more bored than a Thors student during economy class.
"Took you all long enough," McBurn said, removing his hands from his pockets and adjusting his glasses, a very slight edge to his voice.
"Maybe if I deliver the Blademaster his daughter burned to a crisp I'll get his attention. What do you think?"
The Enforcer's words crept up to Rean's mind, terror attempting to grip his heart once again, but a quick glance at Laura standing next to him and the sound of her heartbeat brought him back to reality. That wasn't going to happen, not again. McBurn didn't immediately attack but he was restless, spoiling for a fight, and for the first time Rean could see the downright maniacal desire for violence that hid behind his aloof demeanor and how similar it was to his own ogre state.
"Before we fight, can you answer a question?"
McBurn looked annoyed and sighed. "Fine, go ahead."
"What happened back at the highlands? Why did you vanish in the middle of the fight?"
"That? Got bored," he said with a shrug.
"Are you serious right now?" Rean had given his all on that day as they fought in a building on fire while Valimar provided assistance and McBurn was bored?
"You completely lost it back there, Schwarzer. At some point you were just swinging your sword and hoping you hit anything in front of you, you weren't fighting just throwing a tantrum. Tsk, what else can I say, I guess you were right back at the Pantagruel, you do need to control your power otherwise you're no better than an ape waving a stick and it's just no fun fighting someone like that. Now, with that out of the way," his fists suddenly came ablaze as McBurn took on a fighting stance. "Class VII, are you ready to show me a good time or not?"
In response, Rean raised his hand. "No, we are not."
Above them, mana manifested in the telltale signs of spatial translocation and Valimar materialized with his sword raised above his head and when Rean lowered his arm, so did the Divine Knight and in one fell swoop the zemurian ore tachi crushed McBurn, throwing the entire hall into a deafening silence.
"D-did you just-" Machias stuttered. They had discussed this beforehand, that if they came across that monster once again they couldn't take any chances, he understood that, but the sheer brutality was-
"It's not over yet," Laura said, adjusting the grip on her sword.
"What!?"
"Everyone, get back!" Rean called out and transported himself inside Valimar, pulling back the sword from the ground just as a pillar of flames surged from the crater where McBurn was. The fire raged brightly, red and white and unnatural, heating up the entire hall and forcing the rest of Class VII to take cover behind Valimar to escape it.
Once the fire subsided, McBurn slowly pulled himself back up, accompanied by the sickly sounds of his bones snapping back together, and emerged from the smoking crater of molten rocks with his appearance changed. His hair had turned to an incandescent white, much like his fire, and all over his body his tattoos glowed brightly while his eyes sunk into a deep black, but the most terrifying aspect of all was that, besides some damage to his clothes, he was completely fine.
"Hehe…" The Blazing Demon chuckled darkly, rolling his shoulders. "Good one, Schwarzer. Caught me off guard, maybe you could've even killed me but you just had to hold back even now, didn't you? Don't cry when you realize you can't take the heat."
McBurn pulled back his fist, his flames swirling around him, and Rean took a defensive stance, ready to respond to the Enforcer's actions, be they either his fiery projectiles or McBurn throwing himself at Valimar. Rean did not expect the man to punch a hole in thin air.
"What the-"
The Enforcer's arm had disappeared into a black void sizzling with dark energy that became more intense as he started to pull his limb back, dragging along an object covered in darkness that slowly took the form of a sword, its blade twisted and jagged.
"Ah!" Emma gasped and her hands trembled as she tightened her grip on her staff.
"Emma, what's wrong?" Elliot asked her.
"That blade, it's… It's wrong. It's not something that should exist in our world. It was made on the outside, wasn't it? Where did you get that?"
"You like it, witchy girl? This is the Demon Sword Angbar," McBurn brandished the weapon as it glowed with the same markings as his tattoos. "Sister sword to the Kervinter, given to me and the Bladelord by the Grandmaster herself. And as you can see, it took a liking to me."
"The Bladelord? You mean Loewe Leonhardt?"
"That right, Purple Lightning. And since that idiot kicked the bucket I haven't had many chances to bring it back up but you, Ashen Awakener, might just be what I've been looking for. I don't care about the Abyss or Steel's orders, there is no way I'm letting you off the hook. Here and now Rean Schwarzer, with your power and your Divine Knight, it's finally my chance to turn up the heat!"
It seemed there was no other way. Considering how much punishment McBurn could take and the confidence he exuded, it was hardly unfair.
He's just another obstacle in our way. Just have to get past him and we'll get to Crow. Just one more fight.
"Bring it on!"
Valimar and McBurn surged forward and their blades clashed in a deafening boom before the Enforcer was pushed back, rolling on their ground before quickly picking himself up and sprinting back to the fight, cackling all the while.
"That's what I'm talking about!"
McBurn hurled balls of flames at Valimar and due to the Divine Knight's connection, Rean could feel the searing heat but didn't get burned himself, and although the impact itself shook him, he didn't falter from his stance. The Enforcer was a small and agile target, a difficult thing to hit with the massive tachi Valimar wielded, so Rean took advantage of the fact he was safe within Valimar's cockpit, although he wasn't sure he wouldn't eventually be cooked alive inside given enough time, and took on the fiery attacks, biding his time for one decisive blow that would end this.
Another blast of fire came at him and Valimar boosters lit up in a quick burst of energy that propelled him into the air and the Divine Knight delivered a devastating blow of the Helix form that carved the floor and which McBurn just narrowly evaded. Hitting the ground again, Rean guarded himself once again as McBurn released a stream of flames that obscured his vision.
The Enforcer ran circles around Valimar while keeping his barrier of flames up until Valimar's tachi swung straight in his direction and dissipated his fire, at which moment McBurn leapt up in the air, boosting himself forward with a fiery explosion at his back, moving past Valimar's sword even faster than Rean could anticipate. Instinctively, the pilot raised Valimar's arm to block the incoming blow from the Angbar. Realistically, that was pointless, even if it hurt like hell, that wouldn't be enough to damage Valimar, nevermind physically hurting Rean himself.
"AH!"
Or so he thought.
Rean's scream of pain was piercing and alarmed the rest of Class VII, with Laura rushing towards Valimar as the Divine Knight backed away from the fight. Rean left the cockpit and to the swordswoman's shock, his left arm was bleeding, blood flowing down from the sleeve of his jacket.
"Rean, what happened?" She attempted to pull the sleeve up to check the damage but stopped when he hissed, opting instead to tear it out from the shoulder. There was a cut along his left forearm, exactly where Valimar had been struck by McBurn's sword.
"The damage… somehow it passed to me."
"It should not be possible," Valimar said. Not even when he had his armor plating pierced by Ordine back when the civil war started had the blow physically affected his Awakener.
Away from the commotion, the Enforcer watched with curiosity, his battle mania subsided somewhat. "Figures. Just like with the Kervinter and Weissmann," he said to himself.
The rest of Class VII quickly joined the couple and Laura applied the healing ointment to Rean's wound and bandaged it while Emma and Celine used healing magic to accelerate the process. Meanwhile, the others stood guard and watched out for what McBurn would do.
"If I hadn't blocked that…" Rean brushed his fingers over his neck. "This is bad. Valimar retreat."
Following the Awakener's command, the Divine Knight transported himself back to the castle's entrance.
The situation had taken a turn for the worst. Valimar was a much bigger, easier to hit target and if he getting struck by the demon sword meant that the damage would be passed down to Rean, fighting within him would be even more dangerous, any miniscule opening that McBurn got could be downright fatal to Rean.
"Looks like we will have to go through him the old fashioned way," Millium said, wishing she had more confidence in their task.
"No other way by the looks of it," Rean said as Laura finished with his bandages. Thanks to that and Emma's magic, the bleeding quickly stopped and the wound wouldn't open again. It hadn't been a debilitating wound, his reaction being due to the shock that it had even happened in the first place. He was still capable of fighting, not like he had much of a choice anyway, especially with McBurn seeming to grow even more restless by the second.
"Alright you lot, I've been awfully patient because honestly even I didn't know I could do that. Now you had your little break and nobody is leaving this place until someone gives me a fight worth remembering!"
The Enforcer assumed a combat stance once again, the tip of his sword pointed at Class VII as they got into formation, ready to fight him. He had to admit, they had guts for a bunch of kids. He could see their game plan clear as day, the Purple Lightning would lead the charge, with Schwarzer and Arseid right behind her, the Sylphid would rely on hit and run tactics and the rest would fall into place giving support, and he'd had to watch out for those combat-links that allowed them to change tactics in an instant. So this could still be fun in its own way. Of course, he could incinerate the whole place with a snap of his fingers but where was the fun in that?
But before the fighting could begin something, or rather someone, crashed on the ground between them and from the dust rose up the figure of the Radiant Blademaster, Victor S. Arseid, with the legendary sword Galland-Sharl in his hand.
"Father!" Laura rejoiced upon seeing him finally joining them but then her attention was drawn to their family's sword, its blade glowing brightly. "The Galland-Sharl, what is-"
"Zemurian ore is a truly fascinating material, isn't it? You'd have eventually learned about it and how to harness its power upon reaching mastery of the Arseid school, Laura, but I suppose this is as good a time as any to show you some of it."
With a simple swing of the sword, the viscount released a devastating blade of energy at McBurn's direction that carved the ground, though the Enforcer easily batted it away with his own sword.
"Haha! That's what I'm talking about!"
"Allow me to handle things here, Class VII, while you forge on ahead. End this war once and for all and bring eace back to the people of Erebonia. And Rean," the viscount's eyes turned to the younger swordsman, a kind smile on his face as he gave a small nod of approval. "You've grown a lot since that day at the Courageous. Show us you have what it takes to face what comes next this head on."
"Yes, sir! Everyone, move out!"
Class VII started to rush on their way out, going past McBurn, who didn't as much as lift a finger to stop them, his complete attention directed to his new opponent.
"Victor Arseid, how could I forget there was someone in this place worth my time. You, the Golden Rakshasa, the Thunder God, all the best of the best of Erebonia out there busting heads while I have to stay put, fighting kids and monsters to pass the time, itching for a real fight."
Victor remained unfazed by the Enforcer's threatening aura, if anything, he seemed to look down on him. "I've heard you've made rather uncouth threats towards my daughter, demon, as a way to get my attention. Well, now that you have it, allow me to show you the real meaning of power, one made of strength of will and spirit, capable of surpassing even your unnatural power. Have at you!"
"I'm gonna burn you and your spirit to cinders, Arseid!"
As Class VII left the hall and passed through the corridors towards the next elevator, they could still hear the clashing of blades between the two titans.
"You sure your dad's going to be okay, Laura?" Fie asked.
"I can't help but worry, however if there is one person who can match McBurn, he is the one to do it."
"The viscount is strong, I'm sure he will be okay," Rean added with a comforting hand on Laura's shoulder.
Soon enough they reached the next, and final elevator, that would take them to the top of the castle. They made one last check on their gear and stepped on it, beginning their ascension towards the final battle.
With his anticipation rising up, Rean caught Laura's hand and their fingers intertwined tightly. She was holding him up as much as he was holding her, each seeking strength on the other. And it was not just her, Rean could feel that same sensation extending to the rest of his friends as well.
All of them there, together.
Just one last fight.
Author's notes: Back when I decided I'd be doing this whole thing, one of the elements that crossed my mind was how I'd do the boss rush to the final battle. Leaving it as it was from the game or completely skipping it would be boring either way, so instead I brought in people who weren't in the game but maybe should've been to spice things up. The Vander family is said to be the protectors of the Arnor family but Matteus was nowhere to be seen throughout Cold Steel like Falcom almost forgot he exists and he only shows up in Reverie for something that almost feels like filler. Meanwhile, I wanted to bring in the rest of the Stahlritter as well to add a little more to the connection between them and the Arseid family.