Ch 50: The Puppet Master

Following the energy strings that Conwell uses to control his puppet army, Grey and Mythra face off against the Puppet Master himself. Grey still has yet to summon a complete weapon. Can he do it?

            Rushing through the now unlit halls of the palace following Mythra’s senses, Grey and Mythra followed the mysterious strings until they at last came upon the door to the hall leading out to the terrace. Seeing it was now open again, Mythra muttered, “Figures…” Noticing her apparent frustration, Grey said, “What’s wrong? You look irritated about something.” Heaving a sigh, Mythra said, “Scott and I got trapped in there after you guys left. I only hope he made it out of there too… It’s open now though, and even though it’s probably a trap, this is where the strings are leading us.” As they stepped into the dark hall, the sunlight coming from the doorway to the terrace was the only light available. Moving in cautiously, Grey said, “I hope Richter isn’t in too much trouble. For the power to go out like this, something must have happened in the reactor room.” Looking around the room just as carefully, Mythra replied, “He’s come a long way, he should be fine. I’m honestly more worried about us…” Concentrating on her senses, she added, “It would appear the terrace is our destination. Stay on guard, that damn army of trash cans could still be in here somewhere.” They both made a break for the terrace, rushing down the hall at high speed. Both were surprised to reach the terrace unchallenged, but quickly prepared themselves for a fight as they laid eyes on Conwell sitting in Felix’s chair at the Council’s table. Applauding them with a grin on his face, Conwell said, “Splendid, splendid! You truly never disappoint Grey!” Rising from the chair, Conwell raised his hands and said, “Well then, at last the main character in my little show has arrived!” Gathering EDE, he added, “Shall we begin the final act?”

            From Conwell’s hands came two masses of EDE. Gathering on both sides of him, they formed into what appeared to be two large, free-floating mechanical hands. Forming an arcane rune circle, Mythra retrieved her broom and jumped onto it as she said, “He’s a cursed doll made by the Dollmaker of Urachresh, so we’ll need everything we’ve got to take him down Grey! I don’t know if you’ve made any more progress in honing your abilities, but if you can use your Anima Weapon or your Void Energy, now’s the time!” Feeling put on the spot, Grey grimaced as he thought, “Ever since the fight with the Professor I haven’t managed to use Void Energy again, and I don’t really know how to use my Anima Weapon yet either…” Seeing the frustration on his face, Mythra said, “Don’t worry too much about it, I’ll figure something out…” Clearing his throat, Conwell flashed a twisted grin and said, “Any time you’re ready to begin. I’m a busy man you know…” Glaring at Conwell, Grey said, “We’ll figure something out together!” Shooting Mythra a grin, he added, “Let’s shut him up!” Grinning as well, Mythra replied, “Right!” As Mythra floated up into the air on her broom, Grey charged at Conwell. Forming her Elementum Orbis, Mythra fired her elemental beams at the villain. Leaping out of harms way with ease, as the beams exploded Conwell sent his floating hands to strike out at Grey. As they came through the smoke at him, Grey leapt up onto one of them and with another quick jump he leaped over both of them, continuing through the aftermath after Conwell. Grey struck out with his swords, but moving in a strange manner, Conwell ducked and dodged his attacks. Jumping up onto one of Grey’s swords, Conwell bounced off it and sent Grey reeling with a spinning kick. Up in the air, Mythra gathered her Elementum Orbis into a circle, and as the crystals all turned red, she shouted, “Ultimate Element: Flame Orb!” Breaking off his attack, Grey back flipped over the two floating hands as they came at him from behind, and quickly put distance between him and Conwell as he chanted, “Cesso, Pluvia Eversio, Vultus Lux!” 

As a great red rune circle formed, Mythra fired a large orb of furious flames downward at Conwell, but with a grin Conwell quickly had one of his floating hands move to defend him. From the floating hand’s palm, an energy beam of dark power shot out and struck Mythra’s attack. Yet as the flame orb detonated in a fiery blast, it became a rain of fireballs that sped down at Conwell, and at the same time Grey kicked away Conwell’s other floating hand as it flew at him again and took aim, shouting, “Iacio!” Firing from the tip of his blade, a barrage of light arrows rained out at Conwell, joining Mythra’s fireballs in the attack. Nonchalantly, Conwell loosed streams of dark strings from his hand, willing them around himself to create a spherical shell of strings that protected him from their attacks. As the dust settled and Conwell’s strings retracted to reveal him unharmed, Grey grit his teeth and thought, “It’s not gonna be easy to land a hit…” Then he heard Mythra’s voice cry out, “Shooting Star!” With her Elementum Orbis trailing streaks of magical energy from where they gathered at the tail of her broom, Mythra soared around in the air at high speed as she raised her hand and formed an arcane rune circle that became her arcane spellblade, and then came down to skim the surface of the terrace at breakneck speed, charging at Conwell. Mythra fired a beam of arcane magic from her spellblade at the villain, but Conwell simply stood there calmly as at his command one of his floating hands moved into the arcane beam’s path and blocked it. The beam exploded against the palm of Conwell’s floating hand, but bursting through the aftermath, Mythra slashed at Conwell. Leaning back with the flexibility of a professional limbo dancer, Conwell avoided her swing, and as she sailed past him, his other floating hand quickly took hold of her broom and halted it in the air. Mythra was sent flying forward from her broom by her own momentum, and as he pulled his upper body back up to stand normally, Conwell turned with a grin on his face and fired numerous dark strings after her. As they caught hold of Mythra, she was quickly wrapped in a cocoon of strings. Rushing to assist Mythra, as Grey charged Conwell from behind, Conwell detached the strings that held Mythra from his hand. As Mythra fell to the ground, bound from head to toe, Conwell placed his hand behind his back and summoned up more strings. The strings formed a shield shaped barrier in the path of Grey’s blades, stopping his attack as though they were titanium. Grey started to unleash his EDE Dissipation, but then one of the floating hands fired a powerful punch to the side of his face, sending him reeling. Turning his head back to look at Grey with his twisted grin, Conwell said, “Child’s play…”

            Managing to slice through the strings that bound her with her spellblade, Mythra thought, “D****t, I’ve really lost my touch after all these years. If only I had my grimoire…” Staggering back as the floating hands continued to bombard him, Grey recovered and started to chant, “Ego Voco Vos-” Quickly Grey was interrupted by another powerful punch from one of Conwell’s floating hands, and with a laugh Conwell said, “Come now Grey, who needs Rune Swordsmanship? Certainly not an energist of your calibur! Where’s that power you unleashed upon me in Castrum?!” Raising her spellblade at Conwell, Mythra shouted, “Leave him alone!” From her spellblade, Mythra fired another beam of arcane magic, but raising his hand in the air, Conwell unleashed a torrent of strings which formed a shield shaped wall and blocked her attack. After Mythra’s attack exploded harmlessly against it, the strings returned to Conwell’s hand as he said, “I would think you’d realize that’s pointless by now…” Turning his hand on her again, Conwell unleashed his strings at Mythra. Backing away as they came at her, Mythra struggled to fight back the strings with her spellblade, but soon they wrapped themselves around her wrists, ankles, and neck. Grey lunged forth and attacked, but once again Conwell bobbed and weaved away from his blades, and then Conwell knocked him back with a spinning roundhouse kick. Regaining his balance, Grey grit his teeth as Conwell hoisted Mythra into the air. With an evil grin, Conwell said, “Let’s see if I can’t motivate you to fight with your all!” Tightening his strings around Mythra’s neck, Conwell said, “I want to take you down at your very best Grey, so riddle me this! Will you let your dear friend suffocate?! Or will you finally step up to the plate and give it everything you have?!” Watching Mythra struggling frantically to free herself, Grey thought, “I may not have the confidence, but I still have the courage to try!”

            Letting his swords become masses of EDE again, Grey’s aura swirled around him for a moment. A grin on his face and a determined look in his eyes, Grey formed his swords again, but this time they looked different. The hilts of the swords were now colored gold and gray, and there were green gems in the center and sides of the guards and at the base of the handles that seemed to almost glow with energy. The blades were also different, a golden cover extending from the guards and out along part of the dull back of the blades. Also along the back of the blades were small, sharp protrusions like the teeth of a chainsaw. Both swords’ designs had a futuristic feel, giving the feeling they contained some form of secret technology. Seeing his new swords, Conwell muttered to himself, “Well well, is this a Grand Anima Weapon? No… His one before was an incomplete Anima Weapon?!” Leaping into the air, shining wings of light energy appeared on Grey’s heels, granting him the power of flight, and quickly he soared up to where Mythra hung suspended in the air, slicing apart the strings binding her in a flash. Casting one of his swords aside and letting it evaporate, he grabbed Mythra and floated to the ground with her. Setting her down, Grey raised his remaining sword as the floating hands came at him and quickly deflected them. The floating hands returned to their master’s side, and Conwell laughed as he said, “Marvelous! So you’ve finally decided to get serious have you?” Reforming his other sword, Grey faced Conwell. Behind him Mythra, clutching her throat, hoarsely said, “Be careful…” Glancing back at her, Grey simply nodded. 

Crouching as though he were about to start a race, Grey muttered, “Accelerate!” As his blades seemed to generate a faint hum, seeming to indicate a device within had sprung to life, Grey burst towards Conwell, his movement speed enhanced to superhuman level. Conwell raised his hand and formed an interwoven shield shaped barrier of strings, barely in time as Grey struck with his swords, and quickly he called his floating hands to strike at Grey from both sides, but they simply slammed into each other as Grey moved around Conwell in a blur of speed. Standing behind Conwell, Grey began chanting, “Ego Voco Vos…” Conwell spun around with a spinning kick, but Grey jumped up and leaped over Conwell’s head, flipping in the air as he finished, “…Lux Acies!” Landing behind Conwell once again, Grey’s swords became blades of light, and as he ducked to avoid a floating fist he swiped horizontally at Conwell’s legs. Leaping aside to avoid Grey’s attack, Conwell sent his floating fists on the attack again, but once more Grey said, “Accelerate!” Becoming a blur of speed, Grey sped past the floating fists and lunged at Conwell. Twisting his body in all sorts of strange, seemingly unnatural motions, Conwell ducked and dodged Grey’s blades. Then as the floating fists struck out at him yet again, Grey backflipped into the air and started to chant, “Septimo-” Raising his hand at Grey, Conwell said, “What did I say about Rune Swordsmanship?!” Strings fired out after Grey, but rising on his wings of light, Grey stopped his chant and flew through the air bobbing and weaving away from them. Unseen by Conwell, who was too focused on Grey, Mythra placed a hand on the ground and focused. A giant dark green rune circle covered the ground of the entire terrace, and seeing this Grey grinned and chanted, “Septimo Spiritus Lux!” Aiming his blade at the ground around Conwell as he avoided the strings, from the tip of Grey’s blade appeared a thin ray of light that he used to trace a circle around Conwell. Conwell looked down to stare at the ground around him, and realized the stone ground of the terrace had wrapped itself up around his feet. As Conwell struggled against his binds, the ground upon which Grey had traced a circle glowed and then exploded in a flash of light. As the smoke cleared Conwell laid in pieces.

            Despite being blown to pieces, Conwell simply laughed maniacally. Ceasing to laugh at last, with a twisted grin Conwell said, “Did you really think it would be that easy?! You think I didn’t expect you to follow the strings?! I only arranged the strings in the palace to look like they gathered here! You’ve fallen right into my trap!” Laughing even more, Conwell continued, “Now, what was our deal if you couldn’t find me in time? Let’s see…” Landing a short ways away from him, with a swing of his blade Grey unleashed a wave of light energy that obliterated the remains of the Conwell puppet. Gripping his blades in anger, Grey stared at the smoldering spot where they had laid and shouted, “Damn it all!” Suddenly Grey heard foot steps coming from the hall, and looking up he saw Scott and Alexander coming through the doorway to the terrace. Looking around, Scott said, “Is it over?” Hanging his head, Grey said, “It was just another fake.” Still grasping her injured throat, Mythra walked over to stand beside Grey, and with a slight cough she weakly said, “Alexander, have you seen Amy?!” Shaking his head, Alexander replied, “No, the Audentia has already taken off. She and the others must be onboard.” Turning to Grey, Mythra said, “That’s where he’ll be! We have to find the Audentia!” Frowning, Scott said, “But how? Who knows how far it could have gotten by now!” Mythra smirked as she said with certainty, “Conwell has taken over the entire city with his strings. There’s no way he would have let them out of the city limits. All this time he’s been stalling us, and I’m betting he’s still trying to find a way around Amy’s barrier so he can capture her!” Remembering something, as he turned to look out into the sky, Alexander muttered, “I noticed something unusual in my fight with Scathe out on the landing spine. Doesn’t that cloud formation look a little unusual?” Following his gaze, Scott said, “Yeah, now that you mention it…” Grinning smugly, Mythra said, “It wouldn’t be too hard to hide the Audentia in there either!” Quickly Grey formed his wings of light again as he said, “Don’t worry Amy, I’m on my way!”

            As Scott and Grey flew through the sky towards the strange cloud formation, lightning wheels and wings of light at their heels, Grey said, “Ok Scott, you know the plan! I’m gonna face Conwell and get his attention. You stay hidden, and once I’ve got him on me, sneak around and find the others.” With a nod, Scott said, “Right! Let’s do this!” Reaching the clouds, they flew straight through them. As Grey came out of the dense clouds, he laid eyes on the Audentia hovering in the sky, and looking around a little bit he spied a floating chair in which Conwell sat looking down at the airship. Scott poked his head out of the clouds and whispered, “You see them?” Nodding, Grey pointed over to the Audentia. Up upon the deck of the airship, Amy and the others stood within her psychic barrier, surrounded by a legion of manikins. Looking over at Conwell, Scott said, “He looks pretty focused on them. Do think we should both just jump him?” Shaking his head, Grey said, “There’s no way he’d make it that easy…” Ducking back into the clouds, Scott began making his way through them and over to the Audentia. Deciding he’d better prepare for battle, Grey racked his mind for a plan. Then with a smirk, he thought, “Guess it’s time to use that new trick Alexander taught me!” Quickly he began a string of incantations, chanting, “Ego Voco Vos, Lux Acies!” His blades becoming shining blades of light once more, Grey continued with his next chant, “Geminus, Cesso, Susicivus Pluvia Eversio, Vultus Lux Quod Ventus! Geminus, Secundus Cesso, Susicivus Pluvia Eversio, Vultus Lux Quod Fulmen!” His delayed spells ready, Grey sped off to face Conwell. As Grey drew near, Conwell still seemed absolutely focused on Amy and the others. Yet just as he struck out with his swords, the floating chair swiveled around in the air and Conwell held up a small doll version of himself, which in turn held a large lance in its hands. Moving seemingly of its own accord, sparks flew as the doll blocked Grey’s blades with its lance, and with a grin on his face, Conwell said in a sarcastic tone, “Grey?! When did you get here?”

Reviews

[Ryan Henderson]

Great chapter! As always the flow and the dialogue are very nice. There wasn't a WHOLE lot of humor in this chapter, but that's alright! It compensated for that with the action. Plenty of that in this chapter. Although at the end where Conwell said “Grey?! When did you get here?” It cracked me up. It was unexpected and it is pure Conwell. Very, very well done.

The grammar looks good, nothing I caught by way of that here. I also liked how there were multiple things at once going on in this chapter. I also liked Conwell's "You've fallen right into my trap" line. That's the ultimate line for a villain to say, and it is just like Conwell's character. I loved this chapter and am looking forward to the next one. :D

[KeithKVH]

Thanks man! Do look forward to the next one!