Last update before Christmas! Thanks so much for the support on the week of updates guys. And hey, this might be the last one before the New Year, so enjoy it.
Enjoy!
Steph made a face at Quinn, who was watching the distance with a smirk.
"What's up with you?" She asked. Quinn chuckled and looked back at her.
"See that dome of light?" He asked. Steph followed his gaze and saw a dome of light in the distance, just as he had described.
"What about it?" Terra asked. Quinn smirked.
"It means Tristan's fed up."
Simon looked around at the dome, stomach knotting up. What did Tristan mean when he said he controlled the laws of the world?
"Fancy spell." Nami said, flicking her blade back and forth. "Does it actually do as you claim, though?" Tristan smiled darkly.
"Try me." He replied. Nami glowered. Soon, the ground beneath Tristan began to glow.
"I'll take great pleasure in that, asshole. Nami muttered. Tristan laughed.
"Gravity magic no longer affects me." He spoke. At this, the glow beneath him brightened, but nothing happened. Nami grunted and the light intensified, but still nothing happened.
"What the hell?" She demanded. "You should be fifty feet in the air by now..." Tristan smirked.
"I already said how Divine Territory works," he said. "I'm not going to be affected by such tactics here."
"He's got to be bluffing," Juno said from Simon's left. "There's no way a spell this simple looking makes him God in here."
"Guess we'll have to test that." Simon said, raising a hand. He fired off blasts of heavenly light, and Tristan rolled his eyes.
"Heavenly Body Magic blasts now consistently miss their target," he said. Simon watched as his blasts reached Tristan before veering off course and hitting the ground. Nami tried once again to use her gravity magic, but he didn't budge at all. Tristan smirked.
"I can use my magic to boost myself forward at lightning speeds." Simon barely had time to react before holy light erupted from Tristan's feet, sending him flying right for them.
"Look out!" Juno shouted.
"My holy magic explodes when I punch a foe with it around my fist," Tristan said. The lightning quick strike hit Simon in the gut, and the following explosion sent him flying with a gasp of pain. Nami swung at him with her blade, but he dodged it and punched her in the arm holding her blade, causing the blade to fly from her arm and embedded itself in the ground farther away. Nami backed up and raised a hand towards the blade, causing it to glow and fly towards her. She caught it just in time to parry another explosive strike from Tristan, but it was clear the blast had still done damage to her. Juno's hands glowed a multitude of colors, and Tristan disappeared and then slammed into the ground farther away from them.
"You okay?" Juno asked Nami. Nami grunted and rubbed the wounded shoulder.
"Peachy." She hissed. "This magic isn't a joke."
"Agreed." Simon replied. "Stay on your toes." Tristan climbed to his feet and laughed.
"I forget about you, wallflower." he said in Juno's direction. "Don't be shy to fight too. I'm sure you've got fangs like your friends." Juno didn't reply to this, so he chuckled. "Territory magic no longer teleports me." He said. Juno made a face and her hands glowed once more, but nothing happened. She made a surprised face at this and tried harder, but still nothing happened.
"What is it, Juno?" Nami asked. Juno looked stunned.
"I can't move him anywhere." She said. "It's like he's locked my magic." Simon made a face and looked at Tristan, who still seemed calm.
"What are you doing, hunter?" He demanded. Tristan smiled and shrugged.
"I told you," he said. "Divine Territory gives me control over the laws of the world within the dome."
"Within the dome, huh?" Simon asked. "And if we leave?"
"Not possible." He replied. "This is my domain here. You'll leave once you stop getting up from my attacks." Simon clicked his teeth at this. If Divine Territory really did as he said, then it was an infallible magic.
But no, that couldn't be possible. No magic was infallible, not even Lost Magic. All Lost Magics, one way or another, had a downside. either becoming a dragon, or turning into a tree upon defeat, something was always going to happen.
So how was it that a man claimed to have magic that made him God within a certain area? It seemed ridiculous, but Simon had watched the man prove it several times just now.
"Anyone got any ideas as to what we're supposed to do?" He asked.
"Not a clue," Juno replied. "If he really is God here, then there's not much we can do."
"He calls this Divine Territory." Nami spoke up, looking at Juno. "Any relation to what your powers do?" Juno shook her head.
"My Territory involves the use of a different plane of existence." She replied. "To move things, cause explosions, you name it. But creating a plane in which I'm supreme ruler? Not possible, at least not for me." Nami looked agitated by this.
"Damn it, Juju." She hissed. At this, Juno frowned.
"Don't call me Juju." She said. "I thought I left that nickname behind after I dropped Michael and Keita from a hundred feet in the air and only promised to save them if they never called me that again..."
"Yeah well, I made no such deal," Nami replied. "Sorry." After this, she looked at Simon. "You got any ideas?" She asked. Simon shook his head.
"No," he replied. "It seems like no matter how we use our magic, he can just make it explode in our face."
"...What did you say?" Juno asked. Simon made a face.
"I said no matter how we attack with our magic he makes it so we can't hit him." Simon could almost see the gears turning in Juno's head through her eyes. Finally, her face brightened up.
"Alright you two, here's my master plan." She said. "It's gonna be difficult, and we'll definitely get hurt."
"Just speak up, would you?" Nami demanded. Juno nodded.
"Just go at him for a while." Juno said. "I have a theory I want proved. Got it?"
"That's really it?" Simon asked. "Attack him?"
"I'll tell you the rest later. Now, go after him!" Simon nodded, and quickly turned back to Tristan, who looked as though he'd zoned out.
"Alright, let's get our asses kicked." He muttered. He flew towards Tristan, who took notice of this.
"You fly three times slower." He spoke. Simon growled as he slowed right down, Meteor no longer sending him at the speed of light. Much slower. Simon watched and blocked with his arms as Tristan boosted at him and punched at him, causing another explosion. Simon backed up as Nami ran forwards and swung at him with her blade, forcing him to dodge backwards and away from her. She boosted upwards with gravity magic, but Tristan smirked.
"You can't boost with Gravity magic." He said. He spoke the words, but Nami was already high above him. She brought the blade down, but Tristan dodged. Simon watched as a gigantic crevice appeared in the ground glowing white, but Tristan avoided it as best he could.
"Damn, missed." Nami muttered. Tristan laughed.
"I told you kids, you're nothing in here!" He shouted. "If I control this space, then you're not winni-!"
Tristan was too busy yelling to notice the Territory hole open up behind him, which Juno sprung from and sucker punched him in the back of the head, causing him to fly forwards with a cry of surprise. Juno stood up straight, massaging her fist but smiling.
"I knew it." She said. "His Divine Territory is a joke."
"How do you figure?" Simon asked. Juno smirked at Tristan as he stood up.
"Our friend here is full of shit." She said. "He doesn't control the laws of the world. If he did, we'd have already died."
"Huh?" Nami asked, sounding just as confused as Simon felt. "Explain Juju." Juno ignored the nickname and gestured to Tristan, who was still recovering.
"Our 'God' over here said he controls the laws of the world within Divine Territory. But if he did, he'd had opened up a crevice to swallow us or lower the air levels around us and suffocate us to death. But he didn't, because he can't."
"Why not? Simon asked. Juno smiled.
"Because he doesn't control the laws of the world in here." She said. "He just controls the laws of magic." Simon made a face, but Juno didn't waste time before elaborating. "I first had a suspicion from not immediately killing us, but earlier when Nami swung at him with her blade, he made an effort to dodge. But if we attacked with magic, he just made our attacks ineffective within Divine Territory." The gears slowly turned in Simon's head as well.
"That makes sense..." Nami muttered.
"And, after I said to attack him, he did it again." Juno continued. "He stopped Simon by making him fly slower and leaving him open, but he again avoided Nami's blade himself. If he really is a God in here, why not break the blade? Why not explode her head? Why'd he go out of his way to disarm Nami earlier if he's so Godly?"
"...Heheh." Simon turned as Tristan got to his feet, chuckling. "You're a clever girl. Generally speaking my opponents are too scared of their lack of control, or too mindless to notice that the laws of the world is a bluff."
"So you aren't a God." Simon mused. "Figures. The enemy always tries to look scarier than they really are."
"That so, kid?" Tristan asked. "You think just because I can't erupt your skull or rapture your spleen I'm not a threat?"
"Not as big of one." Simon replied. Thinking quickly, Simon requipped into his Purgatory Armor. "We'll just attack without magic."
"So you're effectively neutering your own chances." Tristan said. "That's cute. Good luck requipping again, kid. Your inventories locked now." Simon gritted hs teeth. He was so used to using magic to fight he'd requipped without thinking. Tristan brandished a finger at Juno. "And you, no more using Territory to appear where ever you want."
"Shit..." Juno growled. Tristan smirked.
"You kids want to go like that? Then come fucking get me."
Silly, silly Tristan" Quinn said as he dodged more of Terra and Steph's attacks. "No need to go all out. You're the only one who has so far."
"That so?" Terra asked. "Join him, and stop fucking around." Quinn shrugged.
"I don't want to." he replied. "Joining him second would be foolish. I'll wait for Lizzie or Abby to unleash the full extent of their magic." Steph clicked her teeth. So the others weren't even trying? This fight was getting more dangerous by the second.
"Why not?" Terra asked. "It's a bad idea, especially if Steph and I decide to go all out."
"Why's that? I figured this was your best." Quinn fired back. "Not only that, but each Member of the Cross' full power is a bit overwhelming."
"So far I'm not impressed." Steph said. "And quite frankly, I don't see myself getting much more impressed than this." Quinn rolled his eyes.
"I'm far more capable than you two." he replied. "Don't push it."
"I'd very much like too." Terra growled, boosting forwards with rock. She coated her arms in stone and punched at Quinn repeatedly, but he dodged most of it. Steph flew towards him as well and threw electrical punches, and together the pair pushed him backwards with as much force as they could. Quinn flew back and blades once again protruded from his hands, which he used to fend off the assault from both of them. Despite how good he was, he wasn't good enough, as Terra landed a good hit and sent him flying backwards. Quinn stumbled and raised a hand to his nose. Steph watched as he wiped blood from it, and stared at his hand. After a few seconds, he chuckled.
"Looks like you ladies are more pissed than I thought." He said, sniffing hard to make sure his nose stopped bleeding. "You want me to fight? Fine. But don't get pissy when your licking your wounds like dogs."
"God damn it Winter, I'm fine!" Bella shouted. "let me fight!" Winter rolled her eyes at this.
"Yeah okay, and I'm as strong as Natsu." She replied. "Stay down, I'll let you go once I'm done healing you." Bella looked pretty upset at this news, but she nodded and stopped struggling, allowing Winter to focus on the still oozing wounds on her body. Winter had to admit, the wounds were bad. Not only that, but she could sense their was some kind of holy residue in them as well. Those definitely needed to get out.
"How is it?" Bella asked.
"Bad." Winter replied. "What the hell were you thinking, come out here? We told you these guys were dangerous."
"I refuse to sit and watch." Bella hissed. "I don't want to be that lonely lady watching the horizon, praying those she loves make it. I'll help any way that I can."
"Ugh, you're so fucking stubborn." Winter hissed. "But I suppose that sentence really applies to all of us in a way, doesn't it?"
"I guess..." Bella muttered. As no more questions were asked, Winter refocused on the wounds. They could close just fine, it was the residue that she worried about. She couldn't just leave it in there, that would be bad.
"Fuck, I don't know what to do." She said. "You've got holy magic inside f your wounds, but I don't know how to get it out."
"Don't you have a healing spell for purging impurities or something?" Bella demanded, still sounding irritated. Winter rolled her eyes.
"Holy magic is pretty much as pure as you can get." She replied snarkily. "I'm not sure any of those spells would be any use here."
"Worth a shot, no?" Bella asked. Winter bit her lower lip before nodding.
"Yes, it is."
Simon flew back from an explosive punch, but he didn't got far thanks to his Purgatory Armor protecting him. he swung his spiked club at Tristan, who dodged it, only to flew right into Nami swing, which cut his cloak and made him stumbled backwards.
"Go get him, guys!" Simon heard Juno all from behind him. "You're, uh, doing great!"
"We don't need a cheerleader, Juju!" Nami said, flicking her blade around. "We could use some help!" Juno laughed feebly.
"I'm not much of a physical fighter." She replied. "So I think leaving this to you guys is a pretty good idea." Simon knew this was true. Without being able to use Territory to get close, Juno wasn't much help in the fast paced fight he and Nami were fighting.
"Try to come up with more ideas!" he told her. "We'll handle this guy!" Juno nodded.
"You're the boss." She replied. Simon turned and launched himself at Tristan, boosting only slightly with Meteor. Tristan smirked.
"Speed up." He said. Simon's eyes widened as Meteor's full force returned, and he flew right past Tristan and into the dirt. "Slow down again." As Simon recovered from being launched by his own magic, Nami went after him with her own blade, but the explosive attacks from Tristan more than kept her at bay. "Back up already," Tristan hissed, punching her so hard she slid away.
Simon used this opening and attacked from behind, but Tristan boosted away from him.
"My holy blasts are fifty percent more explosive," He spoke, before launching a flurry of blasts. Simon took this new law to heart and did his best to avoid these powered up blasts, but he still got hit and flew to the ground. He recovered before another volley hit him and stumbled away, watching Tristan closely. Nami attacked him again, but he simply swatted her away and towards Simon.
"You okay?" He asked. She nodded, once again rubbing her sword arm. He figured that being disarmed so violently before must have hurt, but he could tell she was seriously injured.
"I'm fine." She said. "But this guys right. At this rate, we're going to lose."
"We can't." Simon replied. Nami forced a laugh.
"Well at this rate we don't exactly a choice." She said as Juno ran to join them. "Because according to this guy, neither can he."
"Guys!" Juno shouted. "I have an idea."
"What is it?" Simon asked. Juno smiled.
"You don't worry about that just yet." She said. "All you guys need to do is keep our friend distracted. Think you can do that for me?" Simon took a deep breath before he looked at Nami. The girl nodded before she shed her jacket, leaving herself in a sleeveless black top.
"Yeah, we'll manage." She replied. "Don't disappoint." Juno nodded and ran off, leaving Simon and Nami to deal with Tristan.
"She's running off, huh?" Tristan asked. "That's okay. She'll only make it to the edge of the dome anyway. You two gonna keep this up?" Simon didn't reply, he just lifted his club.
"Ready?" he asked. Nami took a deep breath as she flicked her blade around as she always did.
"Let's kick his ass."
"Bolt Fist!" Steph shouted, driving her fist into Quinn's sword, shattering them and sending him flying backwards. Terra laughed.
"Nice hit!" She shouted. "This guys not talking shit now."
"Perhaps that's because I'm focused on fighting." Quinn said, struggling to his feet. "Is it your turn to talk shit?"
"I'd rather kick your shit in." Terra replied. "Ready Steph?" Steph nodded.
"As I'll ever." She replied. As she prepared to charge Quinn again, the man laughed.
"Ah man, it looks like I'll have to join Tristy." He said. "You girls have gone and riled me up."
"What a surprise." Terra muttered. The blade's disappeared from Quinn's hands, and he brought his hands together as if he was praying. After a few seconds, he started to glow to bright Steph had to shield her eyes.
"What is this?" She asked.
"Watch out!" Terra called. "He's taking us seriously now!"
"I'd love to watch out if I could see!" Steph replied. She could hear Quinn laughing.
"You've gone and done it now." He said. "It didn't need to get to this point, but look what you've done." After he said this, the ground began to shake as well. Steph gulped.
"This is definitely more serious..." She muttered. As the shaking increased, the light did as well. Finally, Steph heard Quinn speaking over the shaking and light.
"Ignite, Dyrnwyn."
Yes I love to leave it hanging until January. Any who, I hope you guys enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try to get five!
Chapter 255: Dyrnwyn