”TEANA!” Nanoha screamed as her partner flew across to a wall by round shadows. She swore she heard something crack.
”Nice plan.” Same praised the woman slowly walking to her.
-Axel Shooter- Nanoha shot at the man while running from the blades following her.
Without even looking where the blasts came from, black shields came to block them all.
”Damn! She is going to die!” Nanoha cursed herself. Teana's plan would have been good, despite it's rashness, if they had known what this man could do. If Nanoha had known it, she would have never accepted it.
”I try to make it quickly.” The boy waved his hand and black strings pierced Teana's hands.
”Aaaaarg...” Teana screamed from agony as her hands turned black.
”Damn these blades!” Nanoha cursed and shot at them but they absorbed everything.
”Damn!”
Teana was now facing the man and made a final attempt to save her life. ”Yo-you don't have to do this!”
”Screw this!” Nanoha stopped moving and aimed Raising Heart at the man. ”Raising Heart lets blast that man to bits. Full power, no change for recovery.”
[Yes, Master.] The staff replied happily and began loading masses of cartridges
-Round Shield- Nanoha casted at the black items flying towards her and started the countdown.
”Please last...” She pleaded while reinforcing the shield, which was constantly being drained by the illogically monstrous shadows, with every bit of mana she had to spare.
A pink magic insignia, almost half the size of the room appeared in the front of Nanoha.
”You don't deserve to die here.” The man raised his arm.
Pink lights gathered at a point aimed towards the man.
”But some things in life don't go like you wanted.”
The lights continued to gather until a giant globe of energy was formed in the center of the insignia.
Nanoha dispelled her shield to gain another hand for steadying her staff, but at the same time the blades gained an easy path to her arm.
-STARLIGHT BREAKER!-
He lowered his hand and sent the items towards Teana.
”Eh...?” Same turned his head first at the pink rings around his limbs and then towards the pink ray coming at him.
-Soul Infused Formation: Devouring Chrysanthemum- Every object around him formed four layers, resembling an air-conditioner, that faced the ray. They started to spin around at quick speed and changed their positions in the four layers, creating a constantly reforming unpenetrable wall. No human would be able to make the path for each one of them.
”You survived.” He smiled at the woman next to him as the shadows started to break.
Eventually the shadow barrier was devoured by the beam and Same was enculfed inside it. A loud thump came from the other end as if he had flown there by the power.
The blades on Nanoha's right arm dissapeared and Teana fell painfully on her knees.
”There was something seriously wrong with those shadows...” Nanoha panted strongly. ”You okay?.” She asked from the girl shivering on the ground, while walking to her.
”I-I-I... am alive...?” Teana shaked on the ground and wrapped her hands around her knees. ”I survived...” Her terror turned slowly into hysterical laughter.
”It's over now.” Nanoha comforted with her left hand, as her right didn't work well.
”Ooohohohoo~ You got me there.” A voice from the dust cloud praised.
Nanoha and Teana were shocked as the man without any real barriers exhaled smoke and stood from a direct hit of Starlight Breaker.
”You really got me there.” Same staggered back and forth, trying to keep his balance. His thin robe had been shredded almost complitely and his left arm seemed to be bent unhumanely. ”But... not fatal enough.” His shoulders jumped up and down maliciously. The red fire aura appeared around him again, coloring the foggy area ominously in hellish red.
”No, no, no...” Teana crawled away from the man.
-I call the army of dead. Goddess Lucine, grant me, your acolyte, loyal troops from the fields of Aralest, the golden land of the dead. Gate of Aralest!- He lifted his right arm and a golden gate appeared behind him, opening slowly.
”Damn magical damage... Get up Teana, the battle isn't over.” Nanoha readied her staff.
”I'm going to die!” Teana sobbed.
”We're both going to die, if you don't!” Nanoha screamed turning towards the girl.
-Come, servants of Lucine and serve me as your master!- From the gate six gold armored soldiers appeared. The gate was like vertical water and flickered like if stones were thrown to a mellow lake whenever a warrior step out from it.
”But...”
”Get a hold of yourself!” Nanoha snapped the shivering girl's head. ”There will be much worse situations. Did you think this job would always be just training or beating mindless drones!?”
”I-I...” Teana stuttered trying to say something but couldn't.
”If you can't do anything, stay home.” Nanoha raised her staff ready for battle.
”I-I...” She continued to stutter.
Was she ready to risk her life for those she wouldn't know?
Was she prepeared to sacrifice others for those she didn't know?
”I...”
”Oh, stop sniveling already!” Nanoha ordered loudly. ”Think it some other time, now we FIGHT!”
”Ye-yes!” Something in Nanoha's voice made Teana rise from the ground despite all her pain. Her knees wouldn't stop shaking and holding weapons seemed impossible as she could barely feel her arms. But as long as she was standing, there was something she could do.
”5 attack, 1 protect!” The man ordered before falling on the ground unconscious.
”See? This isn't even a proplem.” Nanoha encouraged Teana.
____________________
”How long has it been?” I asked my superior, Vita.
”How should I know?!” She answered running away from the blinding fast green blade.
”How do you bother?” The still unharmed man appeared in front of us. His grimson red gown fluttered like it was being pulled as if it wanted to continue moving.
”Run!” Vita screamed and swung her hammer at the man who easily blocked the blow and swung his other blade at Vita. ”Aaaagh!” The real blade stop at Vita's weapon but the green beam attached to it twisted to hit her. I was surprised it didn't leave a stream like before.
”I got you.” I catched the falling warrior before another blinding fast slice came flying. It was definetly the longest 7 minutes in my life.
But... why am I so calm?
This is easily the most grim situation I've ever faced, but still... I am calm as ever.
I know that it is normal for experienced people to be calm in situations like this. But I'm not that experienced...
-Abyss Move: Ambidextrous- Linque casted slowing his arms and the beautiful green lights followed in slow motion. I don't know how I even had the time to look this but I guess the light show was just too mesmerizing.
I knew how fast the hits would come. The blades would unintentionally twist from the speed, making it possible to see them coming. I don't even know why he used those two moves together, there was little he gained from it.
Showing unintented acrobatics I moved in the deadly waves of green light. ”Where did I get this good in this?” I pondered jumping over some blades and spinning away from other, amazingly still keeping Vita on my shoulder.
”Ugh...” I cursed when I failed in a dodge and a green stream attached to my leg. I couldn't really feel it but something in the back of my head told that there was something wrong with my left leg. A green light pulsed like a blood vein, waiting to pierce my skin.
”This is very bothersome.” Linque appeared in front of us again.
But I was ready for this and kicked him to his groin. If that doesn't make him lose his consentration, nothing will.
The man gasped and dropped his blades to the floor. The stream in my leg lost it's keeper and I felt a striking pain from it, like if a knife was thrown to it. Still... the red spot in his head stayed even that his green blades dissapeared with a blast of wind.
Wait a second... Wasn't he suppose to be unharmable?
”Women...” He raised with feminine vigor and picked his weapons up.
Without much consideration I threw Vita to the side and readied myself against the man before he could recreate those blades.
Linque tilted his head. ”You seem like a rookie, but you don't act like one.” He complimented.
”Thank you.” I ran towards the man. [Acceleration] My device aided me in the trip.
Why was I this calm?
He had taken out Vita and was still uninjured, excluding the fatal wound in his head, yet I decided to face him in a duel where could only be one loser.
I was destined to lose this duel.
For a moment I was winning but he quickly made me stay on defensive. My one armed hand wasn't enough to block everything, so I casted small barriers with my other. I was surprised that he didn't ignore it like before. Even with my rollerblades I couldn't gain any distance from the man. He ran as fast as I could, not to mention his teleportations.
I really think that I have some concentration issues. His movement was kinda girly. Like a ballet dancer he spun from side to side so gracefully that dying to it would have been disgracing it.
I was no match for him; I knew it from the beginning. His dual wield swordmanship was superior to anything I had seen. In a class of it's own.
He finished me with a strong kick and I stumbled on my butt, letting out an unexpected moan.
How could I have ever been this calm?
”You don't seem to fear death?” He walked mercilessly towards me, who despite all was rubbing my bottom from the tiny pain. To me it was like a reflex. He kept his blades to his sides just for the look, which, to me, was very cool and menacing pose.
”I was just wondering that too.” I answered from the ground. There was plenty of time to rise but I couldn't. His pose was so commanding that I could easily feel invisible straps bind me to the ground.
”Ever wondered why?” The red clothed man stopped in front of me. There was barely any range between us and any second two well aimed strikes would kill me.
I don't think I have... I had always thought my life was filled with joy and happiness. Was I really missing something that much?
But I didn't want to die; that's for certain. But I couldn't bring myself to counter this man.
Why? There are much more at stake then just my life. He was obviously going to kill me. Yet I just watched his arms rising for a strike.
”You might get lucky. I'm running out of time.” He smiled, keeping the blades behind his red head. Gradually the blades and arms turned bright red, possibly storing strike force. ”I'll never get a change to use this move again; so, how about we gamble? Which comes first: 7 minutes elapse or I am happy with strike force.” He could do that in the pact, yet he fought to kill? Somebody really messed up here, but I guess the bond is effect by their own personalities. I think he really is merciful. Nobody would live even for a second after a slice like that. Unless it hit a leg or such, which would have been pretty nasty.
Accepting the bet, I closed my eyes.
But why? I could try to escape as he had little time left. But I actually wait for him to kill me?
”You really are careless today.” I heard Vita's voice in front of me.
”Hum?” I opened my eyes to see what was going on and Linque turned his head at the little girl behind him. With a little tilt in my head I could see a small girl behind the man. The two had similarly colored outfits and it was surprisingly hard to see which was which.
[Raketenform] Graf Eisen transformed into a rocket.
-Raketen Hammer- Vita yelled and struck the man to his side.
But nothing happened. The missile kept spinning in Linque's stomach only shredding his clothes. ”Um...” Linque looked at the the weapon in his guts, dissapointed. ”I thought you knew I was invulrenable now.” He turned around still loading his hands with power. The next blow would utterly annihilate anything it hit.
Vita's eyes widened from her stupidity. Nothing could hurt the man. Not until he lost his consentration or 7 minutes had elapsed. Was 7 minutes really this long?
”Good bye Vita-chan.” He smirked and kicked the weakened warrior against a pillar, pinning her there by holding his shoe on her throat. He would cut his leg with the hit but he was dead already, so I guess he didn't care.
But this won't do. Vita might care for her life; I had never asked anything about people's life, not that Vita would ever answer.
Before I even noticed I am on my feet and sneaking towards the man's unprotected back.
But he is invulrenable. What can I even do?
Even a kick to a groin didn't make him lose his focus.
After a second's planning I press myself against his back, avoiding the swords and blew air to his ear.
”Ah.” Linque swung his arms and threw his blades through the sturdy stone pillar. He himself flew to a my right leaving a stream of blood behind him. All this was harmonized by two loud cracks; one from the force from his head travelling through his spine, crushing every bone that came to it's way, and another from his hands hitting his extended leg shattering not only the leg but the arms hitting it as well. Nobody could have imagined the pain he felt in those few seconds.
But I only laughed at this.
”Aaahahahhaha~!” I held my stomach from the event. Not about Linque facing unimagineable pain, that was horrible. But about the fact that his resolve of steel was shattered by a simple breath to his ear.
”I never knew you were such a sadist, Subaru.” Vita smirked, holding her throat and gasping for air.
”Aahaha... But he lost to a woman's breath.” I calmed myself with a light slap.
”Well, I am a healthy man after all.” Linque searched his blades and found them stuck in the ceiling. ”And I've been stuck here for quite a while.” He crouched for a jump for a long time but I guess it was worth it. With an inhuman jump he lept to the air and grabbed the hilts, that were atleast five meters up in the air.
Effortlessly he pulled the two saber stuck in stone and it looked like he floated back down. After landing his weapons vanished with strange light and he jumped to a handstand. Second later he bounced up from it and was on his feet again. Huh?
Vita laughed while leaning to a pillar. ”Healthy man? That made me remember something disturbting about you.”
”Please let the people find that out by themselves.” He smiled, offering a hand to Vita.
”I guess I did get lucky.” I slapped the man's back and helped Vita stand up.