Astrid swings down her ax, cleaving the air as the blade approaches Apollo's head.
Apollo raised his blade blocking the attack, causing them to enter a quick stalemate before Apollo kicked Astrid in the stomach. Instantly pumping his body with mana to reinforce himself.
Astrid decided to go for another frontal attack, thus dashing forward. However while staying outside of Apollo's range, she stomped the ground.
A crack formed before spreading out weakening the foundation of the ground. Feeling every fiber in her leg built in kinetic energy, she pushed off her leg.
Cocking her arm back, Astrid threw her ax. The whistling of the air being cut by the ax rang throughout the room as it rushed towards Apollo.
Focusing on the ax, Apollo raises his sword. He parried the ax as the hot sparks from the collision flew out of his vision.
To his surprise Astrid wasn't there, his eyes quickly narrowed as he searched for the woman. As the hair on his neck stood up, he looked up to see the bottom of a shoe dyed in dark red.
Apollo stepped back, dodging the attack. Causing Astrid to miss leaving her wide open to attack.
Apollo swung making contact with Astrid's shoulder.
Apollo's eyes narrowed as something unexpected happened.
Apollo could only question as he didn't feel the tearing of flesh. Rather it felt hard and the temperature of his hand dropped.
Apollo fixed his gaze to see what happened. It's rocky texture and blue-whitish color clued him in instantly, it was ice. A white mist flowed from it.
Before giving Apollo time to fully understand what happened, Astrid gripped the back of Apollo's head and drove her knee into his face.
Most people would recoil back from the impact, feeling the blood, mucus and other bodily fluids smashed together from a knee to the face. However Apollo stood his ground, dropping his sword giving him free range of his hands.
He wraps his arms around Astrid, feeling the warmth of her body on his chest. Astrid tried to get out of his grip to no avail, then she felt the force of gravity pull down on her.
Apollo jumped backwards, an ark so perfect that it would be considered a mathematical impossibility. The ground cracked under the force of the suplex, it spread throughout the ground like a spiderweb.
He quickly releases Astrid before dashing for his sword. As he tried to look for Astrid again his vision was obstructed by more smoke, no it was a type of mist. It was like the mist that came from the ice on Astrid's neck.
Before he could complete his thoughts a fly blue object shot from the mist. Apollo's effortless slice destroyed the projectile in a single swing.
Apollo felt the temperature drop rapidly as the sound of cracking was heard, although he couldn't find the exact source of it.
A missile strike of ice shards dissipated the smoke, gunning for aim from all directions. Apollo quickly widened his stance as he managed to either dodge or shatter whatever shards he needed.
Astrid maintained her distance as she observed the way Apollo fought, as she continued to form more ice shards to launch at Apollo, constantly keeping him on the defensive.
As the shard rained on Apollo, Astrid noticed how little he moved. Normally people when they are getting rained on by her shards either hold up their shield to weather the attack or rush her down.
However he did neither per say. He didn't rush in even though his physical ability would easily allow him, nor does he have a shield yet is perfectly parrying each shard as not a single one is landing on him.
Seeing as how this wasn't working she recovered her ax as she made her way towards Apollo while maintaining the ice shards but leaving an opening for her to enter.
Apollo noticing the change in the attack patterns of the ice shards clued him to Astrid line of attack. However the situation he was in was difficult since it felt as if the shard only got faster the closer Astrid got.
Deciding that knocking down Astrid was the way to go, he rushed towards Astrid himself.
A slight chill rushed up Apollo's spine as he saw a sly smile creep ever so slowly onto Astrid's face, a face of silent confidence. Once Astrid took another step Apollo felt another chill, this time he felt it on the soles of his feet.
He glanced downward to see ice slowly creep up his feet as it quickly made its way up his achilles; he tried to brute force himself out the ice but it wasn't budgind. He mentally grasped his current situation.
Multiple projectiles speeding towards his back.
His mobility hindered with no quick way to get rid of it.
His opponent, rushing towards them, weapon in hand ready to strike him down.
Fear and desperation would rise in any person in any amount, no matter how experienced the warrior is. Fear is something that drives people to get better.
The fear of death.
The fear of wasting time.
The fear of losing.
Fear is a motivator not only for humans, but all animals.
Apollo didn't think at this moment as the reaction that formed from his gut caused him to stare down Astrid. He was so focused on Astrid that she managed to get past his sword and strike him in the eye, blind that side of his vision.
Astrid raised her ax, the runes on the ax glowed as its silver blade turned the same color. She brings her ax down expecting the need for a second attack for when Apollo finds a way to dodge like he has before. Putting her weight into the swing trying to make this the final attack.
The tearing of flesh, the ripping of arteries, the parting of blood. As the ax cleaved Apollo's shoulder down to his hip on the opposite side, an attack that could kill, but will bring down any fighter even for a moment connected.
Astrid looked up to see Apollo staring her down as just over his shoulder was his sword. Astrid understood something, while something was still missing, something was replaced with it.
His eyes burning with determination, she understood what it was. Mixed in with the bloodlust was another desire. It felt as if she was being glared at by the sun itself. Ignore the pain of the many small ice shards piercing his back relentlessly.
'The want to win.'
Apollo's swords cut through the air as a whistling sound resonated through the room. Astrid knowing it's her best option, lets go of her ax once again to dodge. Feeling the cold blade upon her skin. A warm treacle of blood appeared as Apollo's thrust leaves a deep gash on her check.
The impact of the sword reaching the ground kicked up some dust. Apollo could do nothing but see Astrid gaze on him.
Feeling the pain on his back and chest along with losing half his vision. His arm followed suit by going limp allowing the metallic sound to hit the room as the sword reached the floor.
Apollo could only take a deep breath in and out as he allowed the pain he felt to sink in.
"You win."
He said those words as his adrenaline started to falter. The pain that was suppressed was now coming ten fold, but he kept himself standing.
Astrid, like Apollo, felt the adrenaline leave her. It took a moment before she gave Apollo her casual smile again. "If that's the case then let me heal you. I don't really wish to explain to Ensia why you are so badly injured."
"Nah, it's fine. I'll be fine." Apollo said as he picked up his sword and returned it back into his chest.
Astrid's eyes narrowed deeply at this. "But Apollo, it's very possible you could die from those injuries. I mean just look around you,"
Apollo did as she said and saw the sheer amount of blood that was dripping onto the floor, all of it from him alone. He simply shrugged in response unbothered by what happened. "I said I'll be fine, so leave it at that."
Astrid, already knowing that Apollo wasn't going to budge, gave up. "Fine go ahead, don't blame me if you die.
"Don't worry, I won't. I will take a lot more than this to put me down." Apollo said as he made his way to the door. "Oh, and thanks for the fight."
Astrid could only sigh. "So you also weren't going all out, that's good to know. I'll have something to look forward to when you come back to visit me again."
Apollo could only laugh wholeheartedly as he left the room and then the temple. It was somehow still night out but it was clear that the sun would be coming up anytime soon.
Taking his first step he walked into the forest. Allowing himself to pounder on the rather pressing matters he was forced to accept.
"I'm getting weaker, oh so much weaker."
Since coming to this world he has felt as if he was getting weaker and weaker, but that fight proved it. His mana output has gotten worse, his senses feel worse and at times his physical ability feels worse. Like his parameters each has gone down many letter grades.
The injuries are a good example. While the wounds on his back are healing, they are healing at a piss poor rate.
"I wonder why that is? Could it be that I'm a foreign entity? No that can't be the only reason, or else this would have happened more often than not. Perhaps it could be that the mystery is different here? That could be it but, if that was the case then his magecraft should work beyond the super basics. "
Apollo continued to think about it but no matter how he chomped it up the pieces weren't lining up. "If only Holmes was here, he would already have the answer and give me some turnabout explanation like he always does. I can already hear him saying 'Ah, perhaps you are right Kotemine. I have my own theories on why you are weaker but I think I shall wait till a more appropriate time.'"
Apollo mulls over that fact, he may have to explain to Marth and the others as to why his stomach is nearly cut open along with the bandages he will need. Maybe not Marth but I'm sure Lappland would be able to sniff the smell of blood on him.
Astrid finds herself on the roof of the temple, gazing up at the stars. She could only sigh as this fight accomplished two things.
"There you go again, being as selfish as ever."
Astrid turned towards the source of the familiar voice. A woman dressed similar to here, although unlike Astrid who gives off the aura of a diamond with their edges sanded off slightly.
The woman in front of her was a diamond from the get go. An aura that belongs to a saintess. Her fiery red hair and sharp eyes often make her the center of attention.
"What can I do for you old lady?" Astrid asked as she continued to look at the stars.
"Just checking in on you, after all you don't often fight anymore." The redhead said.
"I never knew you cared so much about me, but yes I had a good time fighting and I learned something." Astrid said as she looked towards the redhead.
"What might that be?' She replied.
"We might get some answers about those cubes that fell from the sky." Astrid said.
The redhead narrowed her eyes. "How are you so sure?"
"I have a hunch after fighting someone, the feeling they gave me, their aura was similar. I'll tell Frida about it later, I'm sure she will have a field day looking at it." Astrid reached for him and grabbed a bag. "Also give this to her."
Astrid threw the bag to the redhead. "I'm going to bed, so good night."
"I swear you are bothersome to work with." The redhead said.
"I love you too." Astrid replied as she went back into the temple.
As Astrid made her way to bed a thought passed her mind as she touched the wound on her cheek. "There is no desire to kill, and no sense of fear in those eyes. That was what was missing."