Struggle brings one's true self, it opens the parts of people they wish to never see or do things they never thought possible. Call it passion or desperation, they are the same in my eyes.
The Hiker looked at everyone, taking in everything that was happening. People they considered friends, people they considered allies and those they considered temporary enemies.
Knowing that the casters in the back were going to be too annoying to deal with, Apollo brought his leg back, as he did a small craving appeared on his shoe. A nordic rune. With some degree of force he kicked a small pile of snow not much taller than a foot.
While something of that size wouldn't create much, barely making a snow cloud. Somehow that small pile of snow turned into a blizzard, blocking everyone's vision.
Apollo remembered where everyone was roughly made a b-line past everyone at blazing speeds. When fighting many people, breaking them into groups makes everything easier. Jumping out of the mini blizzard, he was a few meters away from one of the caster positions.
The caster was nearly done preparing another ice sphere. Apollo flinged his hand like he was throwing a baseball sending his blood towards the caster.
The blood flowed through the air connecting with their face, landing their mark on them by getting in the caster's eyes. Trying to go for a hail mary, the caster launched his freshly made sphere.
Apollo didn't dodge, instead bringing up his arms to tank the hit. Upon reaching the caster it didn't take much to knock him out, however what slipped Apollo's mind were the other casters.
A cold feeling could be felt in Apollo's leg and chest. Upon looking down he saw small shards of ice coated in blood. The heat of his body caused the shards to melt but what those now sharp pieces of ice meant only one thing. They intended to kill him now.
'Ah, how long has it been since I was injured like this?' Apollo wondered as he felt something burning in his heart, an old feeling.
As the cloud of snow began to dissipate, everyone who ran forward got together.
"Is anyone injured?" Courier asked.
Everyone shook their heads. Clearing that everyone was safe and uninjured everyone began looking around and saw nothing but heard something.
"What's the new plan of attack?" Sharp asked.
"Their physical strength and durability is something we can't ignore. We took all of our takes and came out swinging still. We need some way to kneecap him." Courier said.
"Perhaps art that affects the mind would be our best bet. Marth do you have anything that Apollo taught you?" Matterhorn asked.
"I'm sorry but I don't know anything that can do that. Everything I can do is physical." Marth replied, shame in the forefront of her voice.
"I don't know any arts so I'm useless too." Cliffheart said.
"I do have something that could work but it depends on how strong mentally they are. I just need you all to protect me." Alice said.
Clearing that everyone was safe and with a plan in mind everyone began looking around and saw nothing but heard something.
As they all looked towards the sound they saw Apollo walk his way.
Sharp noticed how rugged they looked. Blood dripped from his body, small holes littered in their arms, chest and legs. While some of these holes and injuries were covered by a seemingly thin sheet of ice, many weren't. The only things that weren't damaged were goggles and the mask keeping Apollo's identity secret.
On his shoulders were the unconscious bodies of two of the casters. Surprising to everyone except Marth who failed to notice was the lack of blood coming from the casters, all the blood they saw came from Apollo.
Like a weight, Apollo drops both of them, freeing his hands. As every stood still gauging the ability of the other Apollo felt something, something gnawing at his mind. It was like rust eroding water. Someone was affecting his mind, he wanted to rub his head but he resisted the urge.
Apollo looked around, his eyes dashing from person to person. From Sharp, to Courier, to even Marth hoping that perhaps she learned mental magecraft on her own. Much to his disappointment and relief it was none of them. Soon his eyes landed on one woman, her navy blue hair and pale skin.
Alice Frostworth, someone who had arguably had the most skin in the game. Children she helped, helping them figure out various parts of growing up. Parents that loved and cared for her. All of them in the hut waiting to be saved. Her eyes filled with determination and hate yet possessed a calmness befitting of someone trained in combat.
That was the source of the mental rusting. While Apollo around learned of arts that can affect the mind, this would be his first time actually going against it. The rusting of his mind felt similar, similar to the kinds found back on Earth.
Seeing her as the main threat, Apollo was planning to move but he then noticed the way everyone was positioned. All of them in the way of him to Alice, Apollo thinks of ways to attack.
Black and white blurs its way towards Apollo. Killing intent and animosity radiating off them.
No words were said as a pair of blades closed in on Apollo, the sun reflected the radiant light of the clean blades.
Apollo saw the crazed eyes of Lappland, the wild wolf that was kept in check but now she is able to act out as much as she wants. Apollo raised his hands and caught the blades, feeling the blade cutting into his upper layers of skin as a small cloud of snow came from the blow.
Apollo quickly pulled the blades down and headbutted Lappland causing a small trail of blood to flow from her nose, sending her some meters back although she maintained the grip on her swords in the process.
Feeling the sense of combat in the air the wolf quickly gets up, gripping onto her swords tight enough to make her already pale skin whiter. The crazed look in her eye only gets worse.
"Lappland, stay back and regroup." Sharp ordered.
Lappland tilted her head slightly. "But that's boring, I handle this nobody." Lappland kicked tons of snow with a dash, closing the distance. Her smile is akin to a psychopath going from ear to ear.
Her blades glow in a soft purple light as she strikes down Apollo. Thrusting one of them, aiming for Apollo's neck going for the kill.
Apollo dodges the attack, leaning in like a boxing with his hand clenched into a fist. His right hand fully prepared to send Lappland straight to the ground.
Before Apollo could land the attack, Lappland's second blade in a similar style to how Sharp and Courier attacked Apollo earlier by going for two spots of his body.
Apollo placed his other hand so he could catch the blade again, but much to his surprises the blade never connected. Instead of feeling the cold blade in his hand, he felt something warm trail down his knee.
The feeling of skin and cartilage tearing was what Lappland was looking for.
Apollo lost his balance as he started to fall on his right side.
Lappland, seeing the opportunity, brings back one of her blades to finish the job. Part of her was sad, she hoped that after hearing Axel's guard lost so quickly that this fight would be enjoyable.
"Bye." Lappland said coldly as she brought the blade down.
Apollo seeing the blade coming down decided on his counter attack. It would be nearly impossible to dodge the blade so riding it out would be smarter for him, with his healing abilities reduced since coming to this world attacks had more weight to him.
Apollo placed both his hands on the ground, feeling the blade stab in his shoulder. He crunched his body to be as small as possible, feeling all the potential energy building inside him.
One moment Lappland was standing above Apollo, ready to strike him down.
The next moment the shape of a foot appeared mere centimeters from her face.
The next moment the world was upside down as she felt all the force Apollo being rammed into her, seeing and feeling the blood coming for her nose swirl as well.
The last moment, Lappland found herself face first in the snow. Blood trickled down her face as she felt her conciseness slipping as she saw Apollo looking down on her as he held the wound on his shoulder. The last thing she remembered was a familiar smell to someone she met before.
Alice could do nothing but look at Apollo. His body is still fully covered, with dark blood stains along him. While he looked injured, in Alice's mind it felt as if he was laughing at her, like he was mocking her.
She could feel her blood boil that much more. Like her emotions the strength of her arts increased, focusing more into rusting Apollo's mind that much more. She wanted to see him break, no one messes with her family.
Apollo was in pain. His body being handicapped by the lack of strengthening of his body. His healing ability is getting worse since coming to this world along with him making it slower on top of that. Like a bullet his head started to hurt, a slight ringing went off in his ears.
The feeling of mental rusting only got stronger, he looked at Alice and somehow he knew that she increased the power behind it. It takes a long time for Apollo to stare into her eyes. It felt like he was in a drunken state.
Fire. There was so much fire in her eyes. Hate and determination pulsed in them.
'Wait, Alice? Where are the others?' Apollo thought as he looked around.
Behind Alice, Apollo was able to see the door to the hut open making where the others went very clear.
'I see them, it will take some time for them to find the hostages even with Marth with them.' He thought as he bright his attention back to Alice.
Apollo made his way towards Alice, not running, not jogging. He simply walked with Lappland's blade in hand.
Although she wasn't included in his plan, he knew that he had a lot of time to play around with. This will be Marth and the others first time dealing with the space inside of the hut.
As he walked towards Alice there was one idea, one thought that passed through his mind.
How far will Alice go?
What is she willing to sacrifice?
How brightly will she glow?
How far will she fall?
How far will she surpass those limits?
Alice unsheathed her blade as well. Her desire to make Apollo a lovely decoration on her wall only grew the more she looked at him. Damn to the legal system, for today and today alone she will be judge, jury and executioner.