Chapter 7 - Dawn of Two Souls Part 2
I don't own Rising of the Shield Hero or Live a Live…
After a moment, the knight finally calmed himself, and he turned towards the others. "hehe, sorry about, um, I'm going for a walk," he said sheepishly before leaving. The group exchanged puzzled glances. "OK, WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM. " Mein shouted. Naofumi quickly tries to calm her down before noticing something amiss… someone.
"Hey where's Bekta?" He asked, the others turned to see the hunter was missing.
"I think he went to relieve himself" Teresa said
Mein sighed "I'm sure he's fine," she said, disregarding their worries, much to their annoyance. "But before, What's that blonde maniac's trouble?" he said, Naofumi immediately defended the knight. "Hey, Oersted is a good person; he's just–" But he cut off when the woman snapped at the shield hero. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I HAD DEAL WITH IT"
Then she stood up, removed her armor, and lifted her dress, much to Shield party's shock… and showed them a light bruise on her rib to their relief.. and to Welt's disappointment. "See? And this is nothing, in these two days, he forced me to do what that maniac called 'training,' almost a whole day, all this without eating lunch!" she said, while Welt and Teresa gave sympathetic looks, Farrie gave her a narrowed look. "Maybe you should have thought about that, when you become an adventurer." He said.
"WHAT? how you say–" Mein got interrupted by the mage dismissing the red-head. "Pfff, Oh please, while i do i agree that swordsman is insane, you–"
"ENOUGH!"
Everyone jumped at the Shielder outburst. "LOOK, I you guys don't trust him, but if you knew, what he has been a rough…" trailed off, realizing what he just said…
The Group stared at the shield. "Wait, you know something?" Mein asked; she had been waiting to know anything about the knight since he refused to answer anything about his past… if the Shield Devil knows something then. "Tell me" she plead,
Naofumi was about to speak when…
–
*Thud*
—
Music: Final Fantasy XV Brotherhood - Suspense
Suddenly, a deep and resounding thud echoed through the woods,
They turned swiftly, their eyes darting to and fro, scanning the shadows that danced between the trees, desperately trying to locate the source of the sound.
Naofumi quickly swapped Shields, catching Mein off guard, as the shield resembled a trophy carved in the shape of a two-headed dog; Dogs' Eyes started glowing, and Shield Party began to alert to any danger, eyes scanning the surrounding woods. Then Welt spotted a robbed figure perched atop a towering tree hidden in the branches; he warms them.
Before anyone can react, the assassin, with deadly precision, throws a glowing bottle that bursts into a fireball creature hurtling toward them before exploding. Luckily they managed to dodge the impending disaster just in time.
Then Two more figures sprang from trees toward them with startling speed, weapons raised, heading towards the Shield Hero, Mein, and Ferrie; they barely managed to dodge the initial assault. One of the assailants lunged at the outworlder, but fortunately, they were struck by a thunder spell cast by Ferrie just in time. Meanwhile, the other figure aimed to stab Naofumi, only to be halted by Teresa's swift punch on head,
Naofumi prepares a stance; then Welt tells them they need to run before noticing the 1st figure has thrown more bottles "BOMBS!" Teresa said as she grabbed the Hero to flee into the woods.
Music: Final Fantasy XIII - Desperate Struggle
After running, Mein, Teresa, and Naofumi hid behind a tree, losing sight of Welt and Ferrie. Naofumi, breathing heavily, placed his hand on the tree and murmured, "Really Bombs?" Mein nodded in agreement. He never thought he would dread those annoying fireballs…
Suddenly, a loud rustling sound broke the tense silence nearby. "Shhhh," Teresa hissed, her eyes wide with caution. Naofumi asks if they have any idea who they are. After a moment, Teresa whispered, "Shadows," she murmured before Naofumi could ask, a Bomb suddenly appeared and saw them. And soared toward them.
Without hesitation, Naofumi swiftly swapped to his Bullfinch Shield and positioned himself in front of the girls just as the fiery Bomb struck the shield, detonating. They were thrown to the ground, but thankfully, they emerged unharmed.
Unfortunately, one of the assassins emerged from the trees and lunging with a sword at them… However, before the blade could find its mark, they were struck by the blunt side of a thrown axe, sending them to the ground with a resounding thud.
They turned to see Bakta embracing from the bushes, a look of determination on his face.
The assassin, undeterred by the blow, rose to their feet to see the figure; they were wearing a grey-colored cloak with a white domino mask, "You will regret crossing my path," they spoke in a feminine voice, much to Naofumi's shock.
Music: Trial of Mana remake - Obsession
She quickly swiftly reached for her dagger and Bakta's Axe, lunging forward just as the man pulled out a knife. Both he and Teresa engaged the assassin directly, the man thrusting his blade forward while Teresa maneuvered around, poised to flank the foe. In a swift, calculated move, Teresa darted to the side, setting the stage for a two-pronged attack.
In a chaotic rhythm of combat, Assassin pivoted and spun, launching strikes from unexpected angles. The dagger jabbed and the axe swung, creating a whirlwind of motion between the two fighters.
The assassin dodged the girl's strike with agility but was caught off guard by the hunter's hit, followed by Teresa's barrage of jabs. A spinning kick landed solidly against the assassin's sending flying
However, the assassin swiftly regained composure, springing ahead with a fluid, ballet-like spin to avoid their attacks. In an instant, she responded with a quick upward slice of her dagger, driving the bigger man backward. Before, she twirled her dagger that casting [Haste], causing the Bakta to be enveloped in a blue glow, which he didn't notice.
Teresa and Naofumi tried to warn him, but Bakta dashed towards the woman… and began to move slowly, surprising everyone. She seized the chance and swung the axe in a sweeping motion, swiftly knocking him down to the ground with the flat side of the axe.
Naofumi's eyes widened in realization. "AH CRAP! She is a Time Mage!", He thought
This was an FF job that specialized in increasing speed (Haste) or decreasing speed (Slow), but the way she moved indicated that she also was some type of a Dance.
He tried to warn Teresa, but she was already darting towards the assassin. Delivering swift jabs and kicks, they strive to divert the assassin while ensuring their partner remains unharmed. With a precisely aimed blow, they strike the assassin's side, eliciting a momentary grunt of pain However, the assassin, unfazed, recovers swiftly. She murmurs "haste" before being wrapped in a blue glow, increasing her speed. Performing a pirouette motion to dodge the approaching strikes, and then initiate their own counter-offensive,
With precision, she delivers a swift kick to the martial artist, sending them sprawling away, allowing her to dash with a dagger in hand toward her target.
Mein got behind the Hero, much to his annoyance, as the assassin attempted to strike. Fortunately, he managed to block her attack and countered with a Bull Slam, sending her staggering back and momentarily stunning her. Seizing the opportunity, Teresa grabbed her from behind and executed a suplex, bringing the assassin crashing to the ground.
"Show off," Bakta remarked with a smirk, as grabs his Axe. Teresa pats the Hero on the back.
But, Just when they thought they had the upper hand, another assassin embraced from the shadows. "Well, well," she teased, glancing at her sister before tossing her a potion. The downed assassin groaned in pain as she drank the potion, feeling the course of its effects through her before she struggled to her feet.
With a shared nod, the two sisters snapped their fingers in unison. Suddenly, three more bombs erupted from the trees, hurtling toward the group of four.
However, the creatures were struck down by ice spells by Farrie, who had arrived alongside Welt, who gripped his short blades. "Sorry that we are late for the party," he said with a grin.
The Hero and his allies stared down the two Assassins who groaned in frustration, but one of them grabbed a glowing bottle and hurled it to the ground. The bottle shattered, releasing a trio of floating orbs of electricity, the mage called them Electro Lanterns. The Assassin pointed toward Farrie and Welt, and the electric spheres darted towards them. Before casting thunder attacks them. With swift movements, the Assassins charged forward. The dual sword wielder lunged at Bakta and blocked the swords, their swords clashing and locking.
Terese quickly stepped in front of Naofumi as the Dagger Wielder lunged at him. The two engaged in a fierce battle. The Martial Artist managed to block the strikes, but the assassin was too swift, using her dagger to slice through the air and create a feint. Seizing the moment, the assassin threw a bottle at the Martial Artist, who instinctively covered herself in ice. To her shock, the permafrost reanimated itself; as eyes appeared, Teresa yelled, "Firn fiend!" before a large hand embraced, trying to suffocate her.
The assassin turned to see Naofumi in a defensive stance, with Mein positioned behind him. The Hero and the Assassin exchanged exhausted glances before launching a series of blade attacks. Naofumi skillfully blocked the onslaught and executed a powerful Bull Slam. However, to his dismay, it did not stun the assassin; instead, she quickly jumped onto the Hero's torso, forcefully pushing him away. In an unfortunate twist, his leg became stuck, causing him to trip and stumble.
At that moment, the assassin seized the opportunity to strike... but was hit by a fireball from Mein.
"Aaaaah" she screamed in agony, her robes ablaze; she swiftly dropped and rolled. Naofumi expresses gratitude to Mein while noticing his leg ensnared by vines. The shock from the dual wielder as she shifts its focus to the redhead. "You betrayer," she screamed before being struck by the hunter, stumbling back and reeling from pain, growling, before a faint red mist enveloped her and she lunged to unleash a flurry of attacks
Naofumi, seeing this, was desperate to free himself; he asked Mein to help him; however, Redhead was hesitant, suddenly the sword-wielding assassin kicked towards a tree; before heading towards them, Mein rushed over and cutting the vines, freeing the hero. Naofumi grabs the vine and inserts it on the shield, changing it into a mass of vines with bulbs.
The assassin closes in on them But is smacked to the ground by an ice fist from Teresa, who frees herself from the ice elemental. Naofumi feels a surge of relief to see her but notices that Mein is missing. In a swift motion, the warrior woman drops one of her swords, seizes the green-haired figure, and hurls the Shielder to the ground just as the assassin lunges toward them, as Naofumi activates…
…
The Outworlder opens his eyes to see he was surrounded in vines, turns Teresa next to him, confused, just then, a scream of frustration pierced the air; they turn to see a hand coming out from the vines holding a sword.
Outside the assassin was struggling to free herself from the tangled mess as stuck on a ball of vines. The Rogue and Mage exchanged bewildered glances, Before the lanterns unleashing a barrage of thunder spells
The Dagger Assassin managed to extinguish the flames. She raced towards her sister… only received a punch that sent her crashing to the ground. As she glared up to see Bakta, who had also regained her footing.
Back with the duo, they exchanged glances, he brought up the menu which showed: Vine Shield
Special equip Skill: Vine Bomb
- When you throw a bulb onto a shield aimed at a single enemy, it will unleash a series of vines that ensnare the target. If the bulb misses its intended target, it can still create a trapping effect within a 1-meter radius. Please note: If the user runs out of bulbs, the skill is unable to for a full hour.-
Equip bonus skill: Shield Prison Locked
- It creates a cage of shields anywhere within a radius of 5 or 6 meters, which lasts for a duration of 15 seconds and can be used to protect the user or others, as well as trap enemies.-
Meanwhile, Teresa grasped the assassin's hand and twisted it, causing him to scream in pain as he released his hold on her sword. Without a moment's pause, Teresa grabbed the weapon and securely lodged it in the shield. Furious, the assassin swore she was going to kill them. Then Naofumi got an idea, looking at his companion, "Hey, I have a question … how long can you carry me?"...
The assassin frantically clawed at the enormous ball of vines trapping her. Suddenly, it rolled forward, pulling her along. Panic surged as she struggled to escape, but with a crunch, the vine globe crashed into the wall, tightening its grip. The unyielding ball gained velocity, slamming into trees as it zigzagged uncontrollably, rocking back and forth with frenzied energy, leaving everyone completely bewildered.
Bakta sees this and smirks as his opponent casts haste; just as she launches an attack, he expertly grabs her and throws her aside, causing her to collide with the ball rolling toward them. With a swift gesture, he directs the Mage and Rogue, who adeptly maneuver around the lantern, and also directs the ball to hurtle towards the electric spheres.
Welt, wanting to show off, pushes the ball back with impressive force, distracting it to the dagger-wielding assassin as she struggles to regain her footing, crushing her again. The Mage just looked at his bodyguard.
The ball stopped before dissolving, revealing Teresa… holding Naofumi bridal style. She gently put the Hero down. Welt just chuckled, teasing the two before being smacked by the mage. The Group laughed before Naofumi asked about Mein.
Suddenly they heard her voice, turning to her hiding behind a tree, giving a nervous chuckle. The Party gave her an annoyed look, however Farrie glared at her. "Course off you decide to hide…" he said, and she glared at him.
"Everyone, calm down," Welt said, placing his hand on the Mage's shoulder. Naofumi turned towards the downed shadow. "Why did they attack us?" he asked. Bakta replied, "Oersted believes they were after Mein," which left Naofumi shocked and confused. "Huh?" Mein became visibly nervous.
Before Naofumi could ask, Farrie spoke. "Because she's a royal," he revealed, much to the shock of the Hero, the martial artist, and the rogue. "WHAT?" Welt exclaimed. The Mage narrowed his eyes at them. "Oh come on guys! She's wearing freaking purple!" he pointed at the nervous redhead.
After a short while, dagger Wielder started to regain consciousness; everyone exhausted glances before nodding.
Bakta before grabbing the dagger assassin and throwing her towards her colleague. The two struggled to get up as they glared towards the group, as they stared at them while keeping a distance. Naofumi spoke to them. "OK, now you're working for and why are you after Mein?" He said; the two exchanged looks before Swordwielder responded, "Is -huffa- was our second objective 'huffa luffa'..." she in between breaths
This shocked Mein "WHAT? YOU DO–" She was stopped by the Hunter. "What do you mean?" he said.
Swordwielder didn't say… but Dagger Assassin just laughed, much to everyone's confusion. "Ahahaha Sorry… But YOU GET OUT OF HERE!" She exchanged as she grabbed another glowing bottle; before the Shield Party reacted, Mein cast a Fireball at the bottle… detonating it.
Luckily, they were unaffected, and after the smoke cleared, they saw the two assassins lying on the ground… unmoving. Teresa knelt towards burned assassins, checking their pulse… before gently closing their eyes.
She turned to the others with a sober look. "...they're dead." This shocks others, and Farrie shot a fierce glare at the Redhead. "Great job, dumbass!" she snapped, frustration evident in her voice.
Mein turned sharply at the Mage. "HEY! THAT BITCH WAS ABOUT TO THROW A BOMB AT US!" she yelled, her hands clenched into fists.
But Farrie dismissed her worries with a scoff. "Please, I bet one of your relatives sent them to us—"
"ENOUGH!"
The two reeled by the Shielder's outburst, he turned towards Farrie. "LOOK I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE FARRIE COMING FROM, BUT YOU NEED CALM DOWN!." he exclaimed, prompting Farrie to look away.
Naofumi then shifted his gaze towards the 'noble'. "And you… Look while I impressed you saving us… I…" he trailed off, clearly shaken.
At that moment, Bakta stepped in, trying to diffuse the tension. "Alright, you kids are just worn out. Let's—"
-SCAREMING-
Suddenly, they heard screams erupting, concerned for the knight, they rushed over… Mein just gazed at the fallen shadows, with a conceit but ate a satisfied look. "tch it seems those training sessions were good for something… " she smirked, before leaving the area.
When they arrived, they were met with a…
Earlier
Music: FFXIV - Fallen Angel
….Then the Knight slams the downed Assassin onto the ground, before standing up and pointing the crimson blade facing the group of Assassins, a wicked grin stretching across his face. "You didn't want to kill anybody... I really didn't," he said, laughing. "But oh well, all you forced my hand."
He shifted into his battle stance, his eyes glinting. "I hope you're all ready to say YOUR PRAYERS!" Before rushing at the quartet, the two sword-wielders gripping their swords blocked the knight strike, allowing both Bauta and short-sword Assassins to leap away, the former being summoning her magic circles.
Oersted took a closed look at two swordswomen; both had straightforward fighting styles, but one was more aggressive, as their clash continued, one of the wielders of the sword cast Paralyzing Thunder launched a purple bolt at the knight, who unexpectedly grabbed the aggressive sword wielder, using her as a human shield After assassin was struck and left paralyzed, the, the knight stared her, before deciding to test something he's been practicing for a few days, he clenches his fists, directing the mana, produce a green glow, before yelling Wind Fist. Before striking the assassin, blowing her into a tree with a powerful gale of wind.
The 2nd Assassin, enraged, unleashed an [Aqua Slash], sending a blade of water hurtling towards the knight. Meanwhile, the Bauta Assassin conjured three bombs that darted toward the knight. With agility, the knight evaded the Aqua Slash, but as the bombs closed in, he retaliated with a powerful Wave Slash, striking one of the bombs and triggering a massive explosion that engulfed all three.
The Sword Hero cast a sharp glance at the other swordswomen, who were being tended to by a short sword wielder. "A healer." he mused, before shifting towards the swordswomen in front of him who seemed like a caster… A sword caster.
He rushed towards her, who quickly cast [Dualcast: Thunder]. Two Bolts of electricity shot toward the knight, who adeptly dodged one strike and parried the other. But before she could catch her breath, the knight unleashed a powerful Wave Slash aimed directly at her. In a split second, she conjured a [FireWall], creating a blazing barrier that successfully thwarted the incoming attack.
However, the Sword Caster noticed the knight's sudden absence. The Bauta assassin tried to shout a warning, but it was too late. The knight had landed silently behind her and executed his Heavenly Strike, slashing into her back. A piercing scream erupted from her lips as she collapsed, pain radiating through her body.
Suddenly the other sword-wielding assassins launched an attack, but the knight swiftly countered by delivering a powerful kick to one of their stomachs. The assassin let out a frustrated scream, her grip tightening around her sword as she began to chant, enveloping her sword in a dark, ominous aura.
Bauta's eyes widened in horror. "Macalania! What are you doing? Are you trying to kill him?" she exclaimed, the swordswoman simply shot back, "This bastard killed Besaid. He's no hero!" As she spoke, she locked blades with the knight, who could feel a sinister miasma radiating from the black aura surrounding the blade.
The knight stared at her, his expression shifting to a deranged grin. In a quick move, he grabbed her hand, before he severed her arm, and she reeled back in agony. Seizing the opportunity, he grabbed the detached limb and inserted the sword embedded in the jewel, triggering a sword unlocked: Mage Fencer Sword II.
He sheathed his blade and unleashed a rapid series of strikes, forcefully bringing her down and shattering her mask in the process. As he stood over her, a healer suddenly cast wind spells in his direction. He deftly dodged them, only to find himself dashing towards her.
The Bauta Assassin quickly invoked the Dancing Flame, summoning a … oddly smiling fire elemental dancing spirit that lunged at the knight. This distraction allowed the healer to rush to her fallen sister's side.
Oersted quickly dispatched the elemental spirit, but an ice spell hurtled towards him. He parried just in time and saw the Sword Caster rising. She raised her sword, invoking a casting [Dualcast: Fira-Ice Dragons], summoning two dragons—one of fire and one of ice. They surged at him, but he gripped his sword, channeled his energy, and slashed downwards. A fiery dragon erupted from his blade, consuming the others before it struck the assassin, resulting in a catastrophic explosion that echoed across the battlefield.
As the smoke cleared, the remaining assassins were horrified to behold the ashen body of their sister.
"Kilika!" the healer cried out in despair, while the one from Macalania snarled, her expression shifting to horror as the knight began to approach them slowly…
The Bauta Assassin swiftly summoned Pyros and Gnoma, two horned elemental spirits of fire and earth, respectively, to defend the two sisters.
Oersted tilted his head slightly, letting out a dark chuckle before sheathing his sword and preparing to take a stance. Before yelling [Shardfall] and drawing and swinging the blade again in an instant, unleashing a flurry of shining slashes that tore through the two assassins and their elemental protectors. The air was filled with screams of pain as their blood was drained, leaving behind nothing but near-dry husks.
The assassin's eyes widened at the sight. "Kilika, Macalania, Djose," she whispered under her breath, her gaze now fixed with a fierce glare on the so-called Hero."You're not Human. What are You!" she exclaimed, fear lacing her voice. The knight faced her, silent, but the assassin stumbled back, startled by his eyes… They were yellow. A wave of dread washed over her as she questioned of type of a hero is he… if she even called him that,
In a moment of desperation, the assassin gathered her remaining mana and summoned the Boreal Hound. In a brilliant flash, a large, canid-like creature materialized beside her. Its striking rainbow mane shimmered in the light, and it let out a low, menacing snarl directed at the knight.
The Sword Hero stared at the monstrous beast before him, then turned his attention to the woman beside him. "...really? Is this your last gambit?" he asked in a bored tone. The woman shot him a fierce glare. "Don't get cocky! The hound is level 50! It will be more than enough to take you down, false hero!" she exclaimed with hate in her voice.
The knight let out a chuckle that quickly morphed into deranged laughter, leaving the assassin bewildered. "Ahahaha! TELL ME! Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight!" he queried, a malicious grin on his lips.
Grinning the knight tightened his grip on his sword, the blood-red aura enveloping him intensifying with an ominous glow. The woman's horror mounted as it morphed into a towering, blazing horned figure clad in armor, its glare piercing to her soul.
For the first time she would remember, she felt fear washed over her. "Wh... What are you?" she stammered, terror evident in her voice.
Oersted raised his blade toward the sky before answering, "Me? I am the Devil!" He then swung downward with decisive force, unleashing a torrent of darkness. With that, the woman's scream echoed through the forest... reminding the knight of how he…
Music: Live a Live - The Archon's Roost
At the peak of the Archon's roost, known as Virtue's Reward, the Knight stood over…
Streibough, his best friend and someone he considered a brother is on his knees, blood on his lips. Concern etched on the Knight's face as he approached, convinced that the Lord of the dark had somehow taken hold of his friend. "Streibough, are you alright?" he asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.
However, the mage simply glared at him, malice across his face. "You triumph... to the last... TIME!" he spat, conjuring a swirling dark orb of energy that raced toward Oersted, propelling him through the air before crashing violently to the ground.
The Knight spat out blood; he trembled, weakened after fighting Streibough; he tried to stand, but fell again. The mage advanced slowly, gripping both his staff and Brion, with a sinister glee. "Such greed…" he taunted.
Oersted, his heart heavy with concern, turned towards Streibough, his face marked by sorrow. "Streibough, for goodness' sake, don't let the devil control you," he pleaded, desperation lacing his voice. But the mage erupted into laughter, a cruel sound that echoed through the air. "Oh Oersted, just a fool as always," he sneered, his disdain palpable. "You believe yourself the hero, yet all your actions are driven by your own pride!"
"What are you referring to?" The Knight inquired, clenching his teeth, fighting to rise as the mage talked. "Oh come on, you're just a fame seeker." the mage scoffed, his tone heavy with contempt. "You disguise yourself with a thin veneer of heroism, but we both know the truth. It is merely a masquerade, a hollow act for the enthusiastic audience! You have little regard for those below you; rather, you depend on them to support you like a delicate statue. His voice heightened, resonating with passion. "You simply desire to prevent your name from slipping into obscurity." He concluded with a disdainful look, hovering over the Knight like an ominous shadow.
Oersted's hands tighten into fists as he struggles with the meaning behind those words, a whirlwind of feelings churning inside him… Was he correct?
Seeing the once-proud knight brought low by despair, Streibough let out a mocking chuckle. "What, has your delusion finally been shattered? Don't be ashamed. It's simply nature," he taunted, raising Brion. "You can die with a clear conscience." With that, he brought it down
…
Streibough's eyes widened in shock as the knight seized the descending blade with his bare hand. The sharp, cold steel bit into his flesh, blood trickling down his palm. "…Hm... hm hm," he chuckled. He turned towards the mage, who was taken aback upon seeing the Knight… smiling… a deranged smile.
Music: Live a Live Remake - Illusion
Then, without warning, he… just laughed. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" With a mad laugh, as he rose up, the mage began to tremble, taken aback by the knight's unsettling demeanor. Suddenly, Oersted lunged forward and headbutted the mage squarely in the face. Streibough staggered back from the blow,
At that instant, he saw Oersted's fist, glowing with a flickering flame-like aura, rush towards him. The knight's attack landed squarely in the mage's stomach, sending him flying backward. He crashed onto the demonic statue, before collapsing to the ground.
The knight continued to chuckle, a low and eerie sound. "Hehehe, you know, is funny, you might be right, me seeking power and attention.. but you're just a shallow hypocrite who hides behind on a facade of bravado, hehe, is pathetic really"
Streibough glared at the knight, fury igniting in his eyes. "WHY YOU!" he shouted, rising to his feet and rushing toward Oersted. In a frenzy, he unleashed a barrage of elemental spells, but Oersted simply activated Flourish, surrounding himself with a protective gale of wind that effortlessly blocked the onslaught. The mage snarled in frustration.
Oersted, unfazed, mocked him in return. "You twist the truth to justify your failures. You're nothing more than an entitled brat throwing a tantrum when things don't go your way. You possess the potential to become the greatest hero in all the land, yet you choose to squander because you're too much of a petty coward." He paused to dust himself off. "...And I bet you only tolerated my presence because no one else would willingly associate with a spineless worm like you," he added, leaving the mage utterly speechless.
"Petty? spineless WORM?!" Streibough roared, his fury as the knight was now toying with him. Oersted chuckled, which started to enrage the mage.
"AHAHAHAHA And now, you think we are at an equal level? AHAHAHAHA, DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!" he bellowed, his eyes glowing a menacing blood red, leaving the mage utterly stunned.
"I… You…. HOW DARE YOU" Streibough snapped.
"But you want me to go all out…" He replied calmly as he sheathed Brion, gripping it tightly. A radiant crimson aura began to envelop his entire being. "THEN LET'S SEE WHICH IS STRONGER: YOUR CHILDISH FIT OR MY RAGE!" He Roared, as he got onto a stance
Two former brothers-in-arms prepared themselves, two glared at each other.
The Mage's staff glowed an eerie purple, and then he shouted. "Black Abyss" And unleashed three spheres of darkness surged toward Oersted.
In response, Oersted lifted Brion high and proclaimed, "Archon's Mark!" With a powerful swing, a wave of demonic energy surged forth.
The two attacks collided with a deafening crash… And Black Abyss was swiftly consumed by the wave of demonic energy, which surged forward toward the mage, leaving him in a state of horror as he realized the true extent of his mistake…
…
Streibough opened his eyes and was astonished to find himself unharmed. He let out a mocking laugh, taunting the knight for his terrible aim. But Oersted just smirked, the mage snarled, preparing another spell…, but he wouldn't feel his left arm; he turned to see…
Music: Chrono Trigger - Strains of Insanity
His eyes widened in horror as he discovered it was missing. He would badly panic, as suddenly Oersted seized him by the mouth and lifted the mage off the ground. Streibough attempted to cast a spell, but the knight slammed him down with tremendous force, causing his staff to clatter away.
Coughing, the mage crawled desperately toward his staff, but Oersted grabbed his leg, pulling him back with relentless force. The knight then seized Streibough by the hair, slamming his so-called friend's face repeatedly against the unforgiving ground, pausing only to let the mage gasp for breath, blood pooling around him.
Streibough coughed violently, losing a tooth, and begged the knight to stop. "Please... stop," Streibough begged, his voice trembling as he looked up at his once comrade.
With a twisted smile, Oersted grasped the mage's face, his grip unyielding. Streibough's pleas grew more frantic, a mix of dread and sorrow spilling from his trembling lips. "Please, I can fix this! Just take me to the castle, and I will confess to my crimes. Just ple–" But his words were abruptly silenced as Oersted's head collided viciously with the mage's face, shattering the remnants of his already broken nose.
The knight leaned closer and spoke, sending a chilling shiver down the mage's spine: "Sorry, I am out of mercy." He pressed his thumbs against Streibough's eyes, and at that moment, realization dawned upon the mage.
"NO WAIT! STOP! NOOOOOO! PLEASE!"
Naofumi and the group arrive at the scene… And found the Sword Hero, standing over the lifeless bodies of the assassins. He knelt beside the Bauta Assassin, her mask shattered, revealing the terrified expression of a young woman beneath. He notices a rosary adorned with some type of a sword symbol, he gently removes it and stores it on the sword.
Naofumi surveyed the grim site, a wave of nausea washing over him; others also were shocked, especially Teresa, who began to vomit. Turning towards the Knight, he spoke, "Oersted?" he said, who stood up and turned with a flat expression with a faint smile. "Ah, you Alright," he replied as he approached the shield hero, who instinctively recoiled in evident terror.
Oersted widened, he noticed that the others had simpler expressions, reflecting the gravity of the situation. "So…" he tried to speak, but his words hung in the air, Bekta nervously broke the silence, "There were two assassins who attacked the kids, but we… managed to deal with them," he said, his voice trembling slightly.
Mein looked at the slayed Shadows, while she was impressed by the Insane Knight's power… she now worried he could be a very, very dangerous threat…
Noticing the sun was setting down, he urged everyone to make their way back before nightfall. Despite their reluctance, Oersted pressed onward, his determination unwavering. He had questions that demanded answers, and he was resolved to find them, no matter the cost…
Unbeknownst to them, the Sword Castle still drew breath. She had used the last of her strength to heal her wounds, but her body remained immobilized, paralyzed by the fear that gripped her after their harrowing battle against… that…
"I must warn his holiness…" She thought she needed to tell everyone about that…
That DEVIL
SOOOO Streibough's death was basically taken from Poseidon's Death from GoW3…
but in all seriousness, I believe that Oersted would refuse Streibough's betrayal. Instead of thinking he was being possessed by the True Lord of Dark... Until realizing, no, he really betrayed.
In this story, I am interpreting the 'Red Aura of Odio' as the power of the previous lord, who placed it in the statue, awaiting a worthy successor.
So when Streibough discovered it and claimed it for himself, sure he found himself endowed with great strength… but wasn't corrupted. Although he did let the power to his head, which caused the events of the latter half of the chapter, So Oersted when anger and despair took over him, the power fraction itself and jumped into him, which he proved to be the superior successor and the rest of history… Even after his death, Oersted retained that power, so things are going to be interesting
And as for the Vine Shield, it is basically a replacement for the Pipe Shield…
As Assassin, they are named after the temples of FFX (minus 'Bauta') and each them had a job:
- Besaid (mage) - Black Mage
- Kilika (Sword Caster) - Red Mage
- Macalania (Magic Sword) - Spell Fencer
- Djose (Short sword) - While Mage
- Baaj (Dagger) - Time Mage/Dancer
- Remiem (Dual Sword) - Dark Knight
- 'Bauta Assassin' - Summoner
As for Monster that were summon
- From FF: Bombs. Pyros and Gnoma
- Electro Lanterns from Bravely Default
- The Boreal Hound from Legend of Mana
Next time… Things are not going to get better…