Ch 8: United We Stand

Ch 8: United We Stand

A Chapter by KeithKVH
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Just as Angelorum Lux arrives to save the day, Alastor makes his entrance, ready to spread despair. Banding together, the group now must face him and his vessel without Grey.

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            Suddenly Amy’s eyes went wide as she sensed danger. Whirling around and swinging upwards with Reaper’s blade, she knocked Shadow back up into the air as he came down with his foot in the form of a spike. Leaping after him, Amy used a burst of psychic force to launch herself at Shadow and rammed him with her elbow. Knocked sailing through the air by her strike, Shadow flipped in the air and floated back over to the entrance to the main school building, coming to hover above the ground next to his master, who stepped out of the building dragging Elizabeth by the collar. Fixing his empty eyes on them all, Alastor called out, “You’ve become quite dangerous Ms. Grant. I’d best not underestimate you again.” Seeing Elizabeth hanging by her collar, unconscious, Marcyl’s eyes went wide and she shouted, “Elizabeth no!” Alexander also noticed him holding Vas Initio in his other hand, and with a sour look he muttered, “We’re too late.” 


Holding Vas Initio up, Alastor said, “Yes and no, dear brother. I have obtained part of Vas Initio, enough that I could begin the Merge with. However, it seems that someone, most likely one of her students, somehow stumbled into the containment room and stole a fragment of its power. It truly complicates things, especially since she either would not or could not tell me who. At any rate, she’s useless to me now.” Alastor flung Elizabeth through the air like a rag doll, and as she fell back onto the ground she rolled towards Marcyl and the others, coming to a halt face down, still unconscious. Rushing over to where she laid, in tears Marcyl knelt down before her and cried out, “Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Hold on, I’ll heal you!” Not far behind her, Marcyl had barely started healing as Johnny and Pyro approached. Pyro could see Elizabeth had been brutally beaten, and starting to tear up as well, Pyro whispered, “No…” Staring at Elizabeth in disbelief for a moment, with a sudden look of building rage, Johnny muttered, “You dirty…” Quickly he pulled out his yoyo and charged at Alastor, shouting, “You’re gonna PAY!” Trying to call him back, Pyro shouted, “No, stop you idiot!” Raising a hand at Johnny as he continued to charge at him, Alastor muttered, “This one just doesn’t learn…” Rushing forward to stop him, the others right behind her, Amy shouted, “Look out!” It was too late. Forming from Alastor’s hand, a sword of Corrupted EDE shot out and impaled Johnny.


            Catching Johnny as he fell back, feeling his blood run through her clothes and seeing it trailing from his mouth, Amy stood there in horror. Alexander hurried over to Johnny as the other’s quickly moved in front of Amy and Johnny to defend them. The moment he saw the extent of his injury, Alexander’s face became solemn and he thought, “That’s a mortal wound. He won’t make it…” As he glanced at Mythra, hoping she might see a chance where he did not, his fears were confirmed as she looked back at him with a look that said all that needed to be said. Rushing up with Marcyl to where Amy stood holding Johnny, Pyro burst into tears as she shouted, “No! You damned loser, I told you to stop!” Desperately, Marcyl said, “I’ll heal him! I’ll heal him!” Handing Johnny over to Marcyl and Pyro, Amy asked, “You can heal him?” Taking Johnny, tears running down her face, Marcyl replied, “I… I have to!” Relinquishing hold of Johnny, Amy turned away and said to Alexander through telepathy, “You didn’t try to heal him. He won’t live, will he?” As Alexander shook his head, she heard him respond in her mind, “It was a serrated blade charged with an aura of Corrupted EDE. The location is fatal and the damage is more extensive than Richter’s wound was after Grey stabbed him in Castrum. I don’t know how he’s still alive. The Corrupted EDE will also linger, interfering with our healing abilities. I don’t like it any more than you do, but it’s really a waste of energy trying to save him now…”


            Clenching the handle of Reaper’s blade, Amy walked up to stand beside the others and leveled her weapon at Alastor as she shouted at him, “MONSTER!” With a faint smile, Alastor said, “He reminded you of Mr. Greyson there, didn’t he? Call me whatever you like Ms. Grant. It won’t change the fact that you failed to save him, just as you failed to save your father.” Jumping into the air with a cry of rage, Amy propelled herself at Alastor with a blast of psychic force. Avoiding her strike by leaping up onto a small edge jutting out of the side of the main school building, as Richter rained prism bullets after Alastor, the villain leaped up higher onto the roof. Just as Amy was about to go after him, Shadow reminded her of his presence and sparks flew as Amy turned to block his buzzing chainsaw-like arms with Reaper’s blade. 


Chasing after Alastor on broom and crystal wall, as Mythra and Richter lifted off, Alexander rushed to Amy’s aid with his frostfire enchantment upon his blade. Quickly knocking Amy away with a powerful strike, Shadow drew his sword, Blood King, from his body to block Alexander’s blade, and the two began to clash again and again. Struggling up after being knocked away by Shadow’s demonic strength, Amy channeled EDE into Reaper’s blade and began swinging it to unleash waves of dark energy at Shadow. Breaking away from Alexander, as Shadow floated across the ground avoiding dark waves he channeled darkness of his own into his eyes and returned fire with a mighty beam of Corrupted EDE from them. Amy was caught by surprise by this, but jumping through a dark vortex, Alexander appeared in front of Amy and chanted, “Magistri Obex!” Forming from his outstretched, rune covered hand, a barrier made of layers of red and blue rune circles stopped the mighty energy beam. As the dust cleared and Shadow saw them unharmed, Shadow called out, “A soul? Let’s eat it together…” Suddenly Shadow seemed to blur, as though he was slowly splitting into two Shadows. It soon became apparent that this was no optical illusion, as both Shadows came into focus and sped towards them.


            Hopping backwards across the roof as Mythra and Richter unloaded energy beams and crystal bullets at him, as Alastor finally ran out of roof, he flipped backwards up into the air, rising on the wind itself. Holding tight to Vas Initio, Alastor raised his free hand and began forming spirals of Corrupted EDE swords as he called out, “You seek to compare firepower? Very well…” Dark vortexes opening all around him, as he poured his swords into them, Mythra and Richter found themselves besieged by swords of Corrupted EDE as dark vortexes opened in the air around them. Adding to the attack, Alastor aimed one of the fingers of the hand with which he held Vas Initio and began firing beams of darkness from it. Weaving through the beams and the hail of swords on her broom, Mythra willed her light green crystal before her and had it generate wind to deflect the swords coming from the front as she gathered her other crystals into groups to form triangle formations. Taking out and opening the Grimoire of the Spellweaver, as Mythra read a combination spell from it, her violet eye glowed and she shouted, “Try this! Rapid fire, Magic Mix Barrage!” From the combined rune circles that formed from her crystal groups, Mythra unloaded bursts of mixed elemental powers at Alastor in quick succession. Watching the energies raining out at him, Alastor looked unconcerned as he disappeared in a barrage of explosions. 


As Mythra flew past, a beam of darkness shot out of the aftermath at her, as Alastor called out, “Does anyone ever remember that I have a barrier?” Yet striking upon an invisible force, Alastor’s beam exploded harmlessly before reaching her, to which Alastor thought, “What?” Then from high in the skies above Alastor, Richter dove down at him headfirst without so much as a crystal wall, firing explosive crystal rounds as he shouted, “Blast Fragment!” Ignoring the prismatic energy bullets as they exploded against his barrier, Alastor opened more dark vortexes around Richter and more corrupted swords rained out of them, yet some invisible force deflected them. Then Mythra came around and began to unload more of her Magic Mix Barrage, as well as arcane stars from her wand. Just as Alastor turned his attention back to her, Richter broke out of his dive and began air jumping back and forth around him firing Blast Fragments. Struggling to maintain his air pressure barrier, Alastor muttered, “My patience grows thin…”


            Powerful winds began to gather around Alastor, and seeing this Mythra quickly broke off her attack and shouted, “Richter, out!” Richter and Mythra barely moved to safety in time as a mighty cyclone erupted around Alastor, wind blades dancing within it that destroyed all of Richter’s hidden crystal walls. As the wind finally faded, Alastor floated there in the air, Acerbitas Desiderium formed in his free hand. Hefting the wicked scythe, he said, “Haste.” Shooting across the skies as a blur of speed, as Alastor came at her, Mythra quickly formed an arcane rune circle at the tip of her wand. Just as Alastor was upon her, Mythra’s Arcane Spellblade formed around her wand, its purple crystal blade shining with magical energy. As their blades clashed, Mythra could not keep up with Alastor’s hastened speed, and finally Alastor knocked her off her broom with a powerful strike. 


Quickly channeling EDE into his scythe’s blade and swinging it at her as she sailed through the air, Alastor unleashed a wave of Corrupted EDE after her. Mythra raised her spellblade and formed an arcane barrier around herself, but as the dark wave struck it and exploded, the barrier shattered and Mythra was knocked unconscious by the blast. She plummeted towards the ground, Richter speeding after her on his crystal wall, shouting, “Hang on Mythra, I’m coming!” Holstering his pistols in his pockets and grabbing her out of the air, Richter could see the damage from Alastor’s attack. Battered, burned, and bruised, she was bleeding from her head and likely had suffered a concussion. Holding Mythra in his arms, Richter looked up to see Alastor floating above them, gathering EDE. Staring back at Richter with empty eyes, Alastor said, “I show my enemies no mercy…”


            Swinging his frostfire sword at Shadow, Alexander’s blade missed its mark as Shadow leaped into the air above him and formed his free hand into a massive hammer. Quickly Alexander leaped far back as Shadow came back down and slammed his hammer arm into the ground, its impact creating a large crater right where he had stood. Then Shadow raised and extended the arm holding Blood King, stretching it out at Alexander to impale him with the dark sword. Deflecting the blade of Blood King with his own sword, as Shadow retracted his arm, Alexander chanted, “Pluvia Eversio, Vultus Ignis Gelu!” Shooting from the tip of his blade, arrows of frostfire shot out at Shadow, but releasing Blood King and willing it to hover before him, Shadow said, “Repel.” The red lines upon Blood King glowed and the arrows changed course and streamed past Shadow harmlessly. Then Shadow’s eyes glowed, and Alexander moved aside as Shadow fired a powerful beam of Corrupted EDE at him. Ducking into a dark vortex, Alexander came out behind Shadow and swung with his sword as he chanted, “Signum Vulnus!” Yet sinking into the ground as he took shadow form, Shadow slipped behind Alexander and rose back up to strike with Blood King.


            Clashing with the other Shadow, Amy broke away from the ancient Lord and leaped back, landing just next to the main school building. She barely had time for a breather as Shadow extended a buzzing arm and swung it horizontally at her. Using bursts of psychic force, Amy leaped high into the air as Shadow’s sweeping strike carved a path of destruction through the wall that had been behind her. As Amy sailed through the air above Shadow, he retracted his arm and flew into the air after her as he formed sharp spikes all along both arms, raising his arms and firing the spikes up at her. Aiming her hand at the spikes, Amy used a blast of telekinetic force to deflect them away from her, then quickly blocked with Reaper’s blade as Shadow flew up level with her and lashed out with his buzzing arms. Yet unable to stand against his demonic strength, his powerful strike sent her tumbling down through the air. Shadow quickly channeled Corrupted EDE into his eyes and fired a corrupted beam after her, but recovering in the air Amy used a burst of psychic force to launch herself out of the beam’s path just in time, and it continued on to strike the ground and exploded. 


Landing back on the ground, Amy summoned the golem’s memory shard and removed Reaper’s shard from Insigne Memoriae. Reaper’s blade disappeared, and she placed the golem’s shard in the socket. As Shadow came down with his buzzing bladed arms, with no room for error Amy ducked and dodged again and again. Gathering all the strength she had, as she found an opening she used a burst of psychic force to propel herself at Shadow. Using the momentum of her movement, she plowed her fist into Shadow’s gut with all the golem’s strength behind her punch, and the ancient demonfolk went flying through the air to smash through the side of the main school building with massive force, the whole side of the wall collapsing down on top of him. As Amy panted, she suddenly noticed a shining light out of the corner of her eye.


            Having been gathering EDE to use in an attack to finish off Richter and Mythra, Alastor turned as he noticed a blue light shining somewhere and said, “What?” Having also been about to deal a killing blow, the Shadow fighting Alexander paused in his attack to look at the light, and barely leaped back in time as Alexander spun around with his frostfire sword. As Shadow backed off, Alexander turned to look at the light as well and muttered, “Is this… Vas Initio?!” Blue light radiating from her as she held her mysterious scepter before her while kneeling before Johnny, who was on the brink of death, Marcyl had tears running down her face as she poured all her strength into healing him. The light faded, and as Pyro stood there in disbelief, Johnny opened his eyes and muttered, “Just a… scratch…” Beaming at him, Marcyl said, “Johnny!” Kneeling down next to him as well, with an ecstatic smile Pyro exclaimed, “You did it!” 


Standing, Marcyl turned to where Elizabeth lay a short distance away and said, “I still have to finish healing Elizabeth too!” As she moved to head over to Elizabeth’s side though, Alastor appeared before her in a blur of speed and said, “Well, well… It seems I’ve found the culprit already. What a curious form it’s taken though.” Marcyl backed away in terror, stammering, “W-what…?” Suddenly, Alastor heard Alexander chant, “Septimo Spiritus Ventus!” Turning, Alastor saw Alexander unleash a wave of wind from his blade. As Marcyl leaped away, the wind struck Alastor’s pressure barrier and broke through, sending him flying. Landing sprawled out on his back and dropping Vas Initio, Alastor muttered, “I’d forgotten that spell…” As Alastor struggled up, Amy rushed at him and leaped into the air, clasping her hands together above her and bringing them down as she shouted, “Stone Hammer!” Yet Amy’s strike simply struck the restored air pressure barrier, and as she bounced off and landed on her behind, Alastor muttered, “Even so, it does not mean my barrier is no longer valid.” 


Rolling back to her feet and out of the way as he fired wind blades at her from his hand, Amy fell back to where Alexander stood in defense of Marcyl and the others. Richter came down beside them on his crystal wall, and laying Mythra out on the ground, he drew his pistols once again. Turning to Alexander, Richter said, “She has a concussion, aside from being roughed up.” Glancing back at Marcyl, who was healing Elizabeth, Alexander said, “Can you handle healing our friend as well? I have a feeling I will be needed here.” Looking up at him with a surprised expression for a moment, Marcyl flashed a big smile and said, “Sure, sure!”


            Kneeling down and picking up Vas Initio, as Alastor stood back up, both Shadows appeared by his side and merged together back into a single Shadow. Then Shadow melded himself around Alastor, both becoming a writhing mass of darkness. After a moment the dark mass molded itself into the form which Alastor takes when merging with his vessel. Clothed in his demonic looking white suit, his hair was slightly longer than before, still white but with a streak of black through the front. Twirling Acerbitas Desiderium in his hand, Alastor said, “You’ve put up a good fight, but without your benevolent leader, you don’t stand much of a chance against me.” Channeling Corrupted EDE into his scythe, Alastor touched the scythe blade to the ground and dark power went tearing across the ground at Alexander and the others. 


Splitting into two streams it began to trace a circle around them all, Marcyl’s group included, and realizing what was happening, Alexander shouted, “Move!” It was too late though. As the streams of darkness finished tracing the rune circle, it glowed with dark light and everyone struggled to remain standing as the gravity within the rune circle was amplified exponentially. Gathering more EDE as he walked towards them, Alastor started muttering, “Now, just how do I go about reclaiming the fragment of Vas Initio’s power?” Seeing Alastor staring at her, Marcyl glanced at the scepter in her hand and thought, “It’s this he wants, isn’t it? If I give him the scepter, maybe he’ll just go away!” Then Alastor raised his scythe and channeled EDE into it as he said, “I suppose my only option is to destroy her, not that that’s a problem.” In desperation, Marcyl shouted, “Wait, wait!”


            Just as Marcyl was about to surrender the scepter, a loud bang in the skies drew Alastor’s attention. A lone bolt of fire had shot up from the east into the air and exploded into hundreds of small fireballs, and staring up at them in confusion, Alastor said, “Fireworks?” Suddenly all the fire began to shoot down at him, and he quickly leaped away as the first of the fireballs came down on him, muttering in realization, “Fox Marcellus…” The initial fireballs exploding as they struck the ground, the rest changed their trajectory like homing missiles to swerve after him. Charging his scythe blade with EDE, Alastor stood his ground and began deflecting them, knowing that even his air pressure barrier might not be able to stop such an onslaught. Fireballs ricocheting off his scythe in every direction, Alastor became surrounded by fiery explosions, his vision obscured as smoke and dust filled the area. 


Just as he’d deflected the last of the fireballs, Alastor’s eyes went wide as the smoke parted, blown away as a gigantic sonic shockwave shot through it. Caught by surprise, Alastor failed to generate his barrier and was struck hard by the shockwave’s force, dropping his scythe and Vas Initio as he was blown sailing across the campus to crash into the art studio to the west. Clattering to the ground, Acerbitas Desiderium evaporated. Having come to everyone’s aid after getting any straggling civilians they could find to the athletics field over on the east side of the campus, Fox and Serius now stood a short ways from Alexander and the others, Serius in his full Basilisk Armor. Amused by the outcome of their surprise attack, Fox had a big grin on his face as he gleefully announced, “It’s a home run!”



© 2014 KeithKVH


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Added on October 28, 2014
Last Updated on October 28, 2014
Tags: Volume 3, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Adventure, Original

Legend of Mautau: A Dream Reborn


Author

KeithKVH
KeithKVH

Pasadena, CA



About
I've been writing a novel series as a hobby for several years. I hope to write other stories, but for now just hoping to continue improving this one. **Just a note to keep in mind, everything here .. more..

Writing