”Why? WHY!?” The fiery beast yelled at Fate. ”Why won't you burn!?” It cursed before shooting another blast of fire at her.
Fate sliced the blow with Bardiche and let the pieces hit her chest to create more despair in the beast.
”WHY!?” The beast roared in desperation.
Silently Fate jumped towards the giant beast who easily blocked the blow and kicked her away from her sending a breath of fire following her.
The fire again disapeared when it struck her.
”THIS CAN'T BE!” It roared in denial. ”Then I'll take you with my own hands.” It roared and ran towards Fate.
”Better not use barriers against Selshins...” Fate reminded herself, watching closely as the beast ran at her. The dark werelion seemed to use similar temperature control that Aren had. Only that this created heat to blur the surroundings.
Regardless, Fate managed to dodge the swift swipe and launched the hidden volley on the beast.
The werelion looked shocked of the multiple lancers flying towards it and attempted to desperately counter them with its hands.
Fate smirked how easily the beast had forgotten her and sliced its stomach open with her scythe.
Red blood glushed out and the beast jumped away with a big arc as to gain space for it's master. The illusionary flames appeared in the middle of the jump and the black haired girl appeared to it's place. She seemed to be slightly surprised to find herself flying in air but she quickly curled to a ball and exploded with a echoing blast. A giant ball of ice landed on the stone floor, rolling on it for a while before stopping.
"'Caro, turn protection to cold."'
"'Okay."' The fullback answered, channeling secretly from hiding.
The ball opened revealing a strange shelled creature, whose arms were small but protected by gigantic round shields, making them look much bigger in reality and it's legs were even smaller and not even shielded. Over half of it's body was in those giant shields. The uneven and purple tinted surface of the creature reflected Lanlai curled inside it.
-Shards of Ice- The ball casted the moment it found it's enemy, summoning multiple icy knives to the air.
-Photon Lancer- Fate countered the blows and made the left overs fly towards Lanlai.
It was that magical cold again.
The lancers froze in mid-air and dropped on the floor. Lanlai walked slowly, leaving a frozen patch on the floor with each step, to the frozen lancers and lifted them with her ridiculous arms.
-Lancers of Ice- She multiplied the frozen lancers and shot them at Fate.
-Photon Lancer- Fate countered again, but this time Lanlai's shots won and flew towards Fate.
-Sonic Move- Bardiche casted and Fate moved in blinding speed at the creature.
The ball easily blocked Fate's blow, which didn't even splinter her shield. Despite that the shield shattered to countless shards and extreme cold.
Fate was thrown back by the sneak attack and, even to her surprise, had managed to protect herself against most of the shards.
”What are you?” The creature asked with unearthly commanding voice and if it wasn't for Caro's protection, even the voice itself could have frozen her. Even that voice was heard, it's strange bird like head didn't move at all.
Without a word Fate leaped to abuse this despair in Lanlai
-Sonic Move-
A pillar of ice grew from the ground on Fate's way and she hit it painfully in her speeded mode. The pillar broke, despite being thick and strong, causing Fate to roll on the frozen ground coughing for air.
”Can you not speak?” The mortifying voice asked and the sound of something falling made Fate to ignore the pain.
A ball of ice, almost identical to the creature itself, came falling down on Fate, but she managed to dodge it even if only by inches.
As she attempted to stand up, another pillar of ice grew from under her. The pillar was like an ice berg just more pointy. With little help from her auto-barrier, she managed to avoid it unharmed.
While attempting to regain her balance, she slipped on the mirror ice the entire hall was covered in and multiple ice bergs attempted to impale her as she rolled on the ground.
”I'm stupid...” Fate sighed and flew up from the ground. The instant she rose up, the giant ball of ice flew towards her and hit her in the face painfully.
"'Caro turn the protection to physical! All this guy uses is physical ice!"'
"'O-okay."' Caro stuttered propably thinking she had done something wrong.
”It's just ice damnit.” Fate shook her head and regained her senses.
-Haken Slash- She threw her scythe's blade towards the boulder flying towards her.
The ball was easily sliced in two neat pieces and the real ball's emotionless face seemed slightly shocked behind it. The creature was unable to dodge the blade and it sliced its unprotected arm away.
A bone chilling scream was heard and the globe melted with every bit of ice in the room, revealing the small girl on it's place
"'Now, bind!"'
-What I seek is that with which admonich, with which to seize. Answer my call Alchemic Chain!-
”Wha-?” Lanlai stuttered, surprised of the chains that appeared from the ground. ”You were not alone?!” She asked barely able to lift her head with her voice muffled by the ground and chains. Unwarnigly dark blue flames covered the girl but they were just as magical as the cold and heat.
”Maybe I was not.” Fate brought her hand to her mouth. ”Lip ripped?” She inspected the blood in her fingers.
”Pyyyy~ That explains much.” Lanlai pouted calmly. ”I just need to deal with him first.” She stated before turning into water and releasing herself from the chains.
Fate had no change to even react before Caro's scream filled the hall.
”Caro!” Fate screamed in fear and ran to her hideout.
Something snapped. Caro was leaning to a cratered wall covered in easily leathal wounds without her barrier jacket. A giant serpent was closing to her licking it's non-existant lips. The wurm's body was long and scaled like a snake but had unmatching limbs that resembled lion's and two dragon-like wings. The scales were jade colored and flickered beautifully with otherwordly glamour, playing with the light the many torches emited.
”CARO!” Fate shouted at the sight.
”There were more?” It asked itself and swung its giant paw at Fate, who sliced it in two. The serpent hissed in agony and backed away from Fate. ”What power.” It complimented before it's arm regenerated. ”No wonder I wasssh called.”
Fate didn't have time nor humanity to check on Caro. Only thing in her mind was to kill that beast.
-Plasma Smasher- Bardiche loaded multiple cartridges. ”DIE!” A humongous blast shot from the weapon.
”I'll passsh.” The beast dissapeared to the stone below.
____________________
Clashesh of blades. Moans of women. A battle between master and an apprentice.
Erio could only watch it. He was told to.
Neither of them had landed even one blow but Signum looked more tired.
”Signum, I am going to win if we continue like this.” Miachell took distance again. Her giant paws were like reinforced with metal and even gave a sound like one when they blocked Signum's hits.
”Wishful thinking.” Signum corrected her stance and the two woman began circling each other.
”Yes, I think so too.” Miachell nodded before leaping towards Signum who did the same. The two woman exchanged blows and returned again to their circle. ”But seriously, this fight is going nowhere. If you aren't going to do something, I will.”
”You're impatient, Miachell.” Signum ran towards her and the two woman traded hits again in the pitch black room. Erio only saw whenever they were close enough to the light in the center.
”Just bored.” The two woman backed again.
[Explosion!] Leavantein loaded cartridges.
-Shiden Issen- Signum casted and her sword lit in fire, illuminating the room for Erio to actually see something.
Miachell backed from instinct but managed to stop after first step. She was much bigger now as her legs were now strong and furry instead of smooth and slender.
”I had complitely forgotten your weakness.” Signum laughed. ”Beasts fear fire.”
”I'm a knight!” She ran at Signum now more quickly then before.
”You FAILED!” Signum shouted at the woman.
”NO!” Miachell backed and behind her body a light green etherly figure of a giant bear flashed. ”Supress!” She commanded herself.
Signum loaded more cartridges to keep her flame alive. ”See?” She taunted the woman holding herself.
”SHUT UP!” She shouted still holding her shaking self. ”I am a knight.” Miachell rose standing now supressed her urges.
”You actually managed that? I am astonished.” Signum clapped uninpressed.
”When did your tongue become so sharp?” Miachell's piercing look turned into something inhumanely frightening.
”I am just disciplining an unruly apprentice.” Signum answered calmly, yet harshly.
”Unruly?” Miachell blinked. ”This is something I cannot stop. The bond keeps yelling at me to 'stop them' with a voice of something so painful and controlling that I'm surprised I can even talk to you like this.” She explained and jumped to change few blows in her boredom.
”A voice is controlling you?” Signum smirked and blocked the almost desperate blows with her burning sword. ”I never thought you'd be that weak.”
”You have no idea what this feels.” Miachell said with tearful voice while mercilessly battering Signum with her hands. ”A voice that can make anybody turn against her own friends, comrades, loved ones, cared ones. Uncontrollable body movement while your mind plans for a kill without your own acception.” The two continue their almost friendly sparring.
”Weak, I say.” Signum swings her sword with all her might and Miachell is forced to back away. ”You said that you can control yourself, but look at yourself now.” She says with despiting voice, yet so kind. These two might be the only ones to talk with words and tone that managed to cancel each other away. There was no sign of loath in the hateful words and the tone that showed love lacked acception. ”
YOU said that
YOU would be able to control yourself as a human. But
YOU failed in it despite the faith you were given.” The words were not meant to hurt, but to guide. But she didn't show this nor did she have any sings of meaning it. Both of them knew this, but neither of them accepted it.
A friendship of denial.
”I haven't lost control once since you left.” Miachell yelled and jumped with her mind complitely outside the battle. Even that she had no need to fight against the ones who would bring her salvation, there was nothing she could do. Her mind and body were fighting at their best capability but she, herself, didn't fight. She wasn't alone inside her. She had never been.
”That doesn't matter! Failing even once is unforgiveable to my apprentice.” Signum replied easily and repelled Miachell's attacks.
”I never failed...!” She states firmly and feels her mind being wiped away by her other side.
”Then why are you losing to a simple voice?” Signum inquired. Both of them were complitely equal when it came to close range. Both of them were as experienced anybody could wish for.
A battle where the winner is the one who doesn't lose. The simplest fight there is.
”I CANNOT HELP IT!” Miachell yelled and lost control, turning complitely into a giant bear.
Signum hops away instantly to avoid the monstrous king of forests.
Her black and gold runed cape was unclasped from the body's sudden growft and was now tiny compared that before it covered her entire body. The beast inspected its surroundings and sniffed the air, noticing a scent of fear. After a quick glance, she ran for the boy watching this all in aghast and fear.
”I told you!” A burning snake formed Leavantein pierced Miachell's back from where heart was.
The beast roared in agony and a pink flash came from the wound. Signum was stunned to find her sword back in her hand, like the killing blow never happened. Despite that the pact being broken, Miachell slammed her gigantic paw on Erio, staggering in front of her.
”Erio!” Signum screamed at her plan's failure. The pact was already broken but Miachell still continued.
Erio flew in air and hit the stone wall, crumbling it slightly. His barrier broke as he hit the wall to save his life and he fell down, coughing painfully and gasping for air.
Right behind him, Miachell ran to claim her prey.
”Back away beast!” Signum swung her fiery blade at Miachell, who ran away now complitely under her instincts control. ”Erio, you okay?” She asked from the boy on the ground.
”Not really.” He smiled and tried to get up, falling back on the ground.
”Sorry that I used you as a bait.” Signum apologized for her failure.
Miachell roared again, causing the whole room to shake. There was nothing to fight for anymore but she couldn't surrender. She didn't have the humanity for it. The bond had been changed into something so different but so similar.
”When you can get up, do so.” Signum ordered rising from Erio's side. ”We have to exhaust that beast until it turns back into Miachell.”
”Right, boss.” Erio coughed from the ground.