Ch 26: The Spirit Chimera

Gathering to face the full power of the Lamia, everyone is overwhelmed. Left alone in the dark, Mana's loneliness brings her pixies to her, and she and Bella learn their true powers from them.

            As more and more cracks ran through the ice, Mythra turned to the others and said, “Bella and Mutzy can keep him busy while me and Gibolu hit him hard with magic!” Struggling up, Bella raised her scythe and said, “Soul Eater.” Healing as her aura was absorbed into Mors Aurata, golden foxfire shrouded the scythe’s blade as Bella said, “Won’t be enough…” Poking a hole in the plan as well, Mai said, “He’s a powerful shade that won’t be stopped by anything but a spirit based attack. Bella’s the only one that poses a real threat to him. A high class energy attack or a good slash from Mors Aurata should do, so try and make it count this time sunshine! Everyone else, back her up!” 

The strategy meeting was cut short as Loth’nex let out a monstrous growl and shouted, “De… Exilio… Umbra!” The ice was blown away by a shockwave of forbidden magical power, and rising into the air on his wings, Loth’nex chanted, “Nec Spes Omnis In Abyssum, Ne Involutum!” Dark magic radiating from his black wings, it spread through the air and covered the skies like a shroud of darkness, blocking out all light. Unable to see even two inches in front of his face, Mutzy said, “It’s dark, you know?” With a frustrated sigh, Andy muttered, “Really? You don’t say…” Pouring magic into a card in an attempt to make it emit light, as Gibolu found his efforts were in vain, he put away the card and said, “Not just dark, it seems light itself is being nullified. One can only hope he is also unable to see.” 

With an evil laugh, Loth’nex’s voice called out, “No such luck mortals. Globo Libo!” Using her Ghostly Eye, Bella saw the curse coming and jumped away, but the others were not so fortunate. Bound with chains of forbidden magic, they fell to the ground, their strength being drained. Struggling feebly, Mythra muttered, “Damn it! Again?!” Looking around at the others lying there trapped, Bella thought, “In just one blow…?” Suddenly Loth’nex vanished from her sight, and as Bella began scanning the battlefield with her Ghostly Eye, Mai muttered, “Where’d the b*****d go?” A chill ran up Bella’s spine as she heard Loth’nex whisper, “Behind you…”

            Fumbling through the dark, Mana called out, “Everyone?! What’s going on?! Where are you?!” Catching her foot on a rock, Mana fell forward onto her face. Propping herself up with her arms, she moaned, “Ouch…” Suddenly she heard Bella cry out from the direction of where the others had been when Mana had last seen them, and quickly struggling up, Mana fearfully called out, “Bella?! Are you ok?!” Only silence hung in the air. Beginning to shake in fear, Mana dropped to her knees and whispered, “No… Ringmaster… Mythra… Bella… Andy and Mutzy… Mom too… Don’t take them from me! I… I don’t want… to be alone…” 

As she began to cry, a faint sound of fluttering of wings slowly filled the air. Growing and growing, as Mana finally noticed it, she stopped crying and looked up. Glowing with a magical light that seemed impervious to Loth’nex’s spell, dozens and dozens of butterfly pixies had gathered around Mana. Circling around her, the fluttering of their wings was like a melody to Mana. With a look of awe, Mana said, “Beautiful…” Suddenly out of the darkness, Loth’nex appeared in the sky above her, a transparent magical sphere covered with runes floating beside him. Staring down at Mana, he quietly said, “Shiema? No, that’s impossible…” Noticing Bella floating unconscious within the glowing sphere, Mana cried out, “Bella!” Turning his head to look at Bella floating next to him, Loth’nex said, “This one’s power must be investigated. She is no ordinary sprite.” 

Getting to her feet once more, Mana thought, “If I am the heir to Shiema’s power, there must be some way!” Listening to the fluttering wings, a melody building within her, Mana suddenly closed her eyes and sang. Without knowing the words at all, they flowed from within her, an elegant and magical melody that resonated across the mountainside. Watching as magical lights surrounded Mana, Loth’nex felt his power weakening, and in disbelief he exclaimed, “This is…! NO!” Quickly raising his hand at Mana, he screamed, “Mors Scintilla!”

            As a mighty beam of forbidden magic shot from Loth’nex’s hand and tore through the sky at Mana, her butterfly pixies gathered before her, and their glowing light intensified. Reaching the wall of shining butterflies, the beam’s advance was halted by the magical energies emanating from them. Struggling to force through the barrier as Mana continued to sing, Loth’nex thought, “The same power that defeated me before! I thought for certain that the passing of over three thousand years would have crushed it to dust! I must stop that song!” In his desperation to stop Mana’s song, Loth’nex did not notice as butterfly pixies began to gather around the sphere floating beside him. Glowing with a cleansing power, they dissolved the sphere and used magic to carry Bella down to the ground, setting her down gently. 

Coming around, Bella sat up and clutched her head a moment, and then she noticed the beautiful singing coming from a short distance away. Looking over in its direction, as she saw the scene unfolding, she exclaimed in disbelief, “Mana?!” As Bella lay there staring, Mai brought her to her senses, shouting, “Get up sunshine! Those pixies can’t keep that up forever!” Picking up Mors Aurata, Bella rushed to Mana’s aid just as Loth’nex poured all his power into his Death Spark and shouted, “BEGONE!” Jumping in front of Mana, Bella prepared to swing her scythe just as the beam broke through. Swinging with all her strength, Bella shouted, “Release! Yugure Wave!” The golden foxfire shroud around the scythe blade intensified and shot out as a great wave, consuming Loth’nex’s Death Spark and sending it sailing back at Loth’nex as a swirling torrent of golden foxfire and forbidden magic. 

Unable to believe his own attack had been turned against him, Loth’nex raised his arms in defense as the energy impacted his barrier and exploded. The blast was so powerful that the barriers began to crack, and Loth’nex angrily growled, “I should have killed her when I had the chance!” Then bursting through the smoke of the aftermath, her Spirit Falcon Aura ablaze, Bella readied her scythe to strike as Mai smugly said, “Damn right you shoulda!” Loth’nex could not evade in time as Bella swung her scythe and shouted, “SUNDER!” Striking the villain dead on, power crackled in the air as Loth’nex went sailing once more, his barriers no longer protecting him.

            Tumbling towards the ground as the shroud of darkness lifted, Loth’nex was in disbelief as he thought, “I sacrificed my body and life for power… I tarnished my very essence beyond redemption… and now I’m being defeated by a ragtag group of mortals?!” His eyes burning with rage, dark magic beginning to crackle around him once more, Loth’nex spread his wings and brought himself to a halt in the air as he roared, “I WON’T ALLOW IT!” Breaking off her pursuit as waves of forbidden magic overflowing from Loth’nex’s body rippled through the air, Bella landed back where Mana stood singing. Able to feel strange energy in the air, Bella murmured, “Scary…” Informed as always, Mai replied, “It’s the lamia’s ability to infect others with doubt! The idiot isn’t even doing it intentionally though, he’s beginning to lose control over the lamia’s power!” 

Ceasing to sing, Mana said, “Bella! Use your full power!” Turning to look back at her, Bella dejectedly said, “I’m doing my best…” Shaking her head frantically, Mana exclaimed, “You have power you don’t know about! My friends told me, you have to use your Spirit Beasts all at once!” Quickly, Mai retorted, “Are you nuts?! Her Spirit Beast ability is pretty unique, but just using one requires a great amount of control over her aura! Using more than one at the same time is just impossible! Right now we oughta grab your friends and get the hell outta here!” Suddenly Loth’nex channeled magical power into his wings and a storm of bats made of blood red flames began pouring out of them, gathering around him in the air. As Bella and Mana stared up at their ever growing numbers, Mai said, “Did I mention get the hell outta here?!” Insistently, Mana said, “Please! Trust me! If we don’t stop him, the curse will destroy all the sprites on the island!” 

Hesitant, her hands trembling as the aura of doubt seemed to only grow stronger, Bella stared at them and wondered aloud, “Why? Everyone’s counting on me, but I…” As Mana placed a hand on her shoulder, Bella’s train of thought trailed off as she felt her doubts beginning to fade, and as she looked up at her, Mana smiled and said, “You’re strong Bella! If it weren’t for you, all of us would never have lasted this long! I know you can do it!” Turning red in embarrassment, Bella actually smiled to herself for a moment. Then mustering her determination and raising Mors Aurata before her, Bella said, “Soul Eater!” As Bella’s spirit aura was absorbed into the scythe, coating it with ectoplasm again, Mai exclaimed, “Didn’t you hear me?! Seriously sunshine, it ain’t gonna work!” But Bella swung her scythe challengingly in Loth’nex’s direction and said, “It’s worth a try!” Preparing to activate both her Spirit Beasts, Bella thought, “Just watch, Instructor Patch, Grey, Amy. I have the spirit to become strong!”

            Unleashing both spirit beasts, her aura churned and its form shifted back and forth as Bella struggled to control them. Desperately, Mai shouted, “Don’t do this! Trying to activate two at once is just going to drain all the strength you have left!” Her teeth clenched, her body shaking, as the golden aura churned around her, Bella whispered, “Spirit…” Then as her spirit aura suddenly flared with power and took on the shape of a shining beast with wings and a fox’s tail, Bella roared, “…CHIMERA!” In utter disbelief, Mai exclaimed, “No effing way!” Floating in the skies amongst his legion of bats, seeming to struggle to contain the lamia’s overflowing power, as Loth’nex sensed Bella’s spirit aura, he focused his attention on her and muttered, “So that’s your secret…” Gathering forbidden magic in both hands, Loth’nex said, “No matter! I will continue to exist, I refuse to disappear…” Then the storm of bats descended through the skies towards Mana and Bella as Loth’nex shouted, “IT IS YOU WHO SHALL BE ERASED!” 

Waving her hand up at the oncoming bats, Mana called out, “Friends! Protect everyone!” Streaming in from across the mountainside in answer to her call, even more butterfly pixies joined the fight. Like two armies charging at one another, the bats and pixies collided and began to clash. Glancing at Mana as she prepared to head into battle, Bella said, “Nice Mana! Take care of the others!” Soaring into the air, Bella dove into the battle and sped towards Loth’nex. Raising his hands in the air, Loth’nex chanted, “Descendi In Ira Belli Abstinuit Mortali Mundo, Caelestis Vindictae!” Dark rune circles forming in the skies above, dark meteors began shooting out of them and raining down. Cleaving meteors in half with single swings of her scythe, Bella formed around the fingers of her free hand her Chimera Claws, razor sharp claws made of spirit energy, and used them to slash apart all the ghost bats that dove at her. Pausing to look down in concern for the others, Bella saw that Mana had directed her pixies to create magic barriers around everyone and was trying to free them herself. Then Mai cried out, “Look out!” Quickly Bella dodged as Loth’nex descended on her and struck out with his hands lined with black talons.

            Evading as Loth’nex struck out again and again with his claws in twirling, reckless strikes, Bella took a few shallow scrapes and grazes before finally striking back with some attacks of her own, knocking Loth’nex away from her as he blocked with his talons. Putting distance between them, Loth’nex raised his arms at his sides and chanted, “Celeri Mortem, Cruenta Mors Scintilla!” Flying from out of his sleeves, bats of black spirit flame took aim at Bella and formed dark rune circles, each firing a mighty beam of blood red forbidden magic. Flying at high speed, Bella weaved through their fire, chasing after Loth’nex. Loth’nex raised his hand and took aim, but quickly Bella raised her free hand and said, “Kin No Hoshi!” The flaming throwing star appeared just in time for Bella to raise it like a shield, a blood red beam forbidden magical power shooting out at her from Loth’nex’s hand as he said, “Cruenta Mors Scintilla!” As Bella disappeared in the exploson, Loth’nex and his bats gathered around to wait for the smoke to clear. 

Suddenly the throwing star shot out of the aftermath at Loth’nex, who narrowly avoided. His bats were about to escape though, as it arced through the air and sliced through them. Speeding in to attack, as Bella came at him, Loth’nex raised his arms and dozens of red spirit bats flowed out of his sleeves, obstructing Bella as Loth’nex retreated down through the skies. Slashing bats apart with her scythe and Chimera Claws, Bella left the rest to the butterfly sprites that arrived to aid her and dove after Loth’nex, Mai shouting, “Turning chicken on us?!” Ignoring her, Loth’nex headed after Mana, who was still struggling to free the others. Realizing his objective, Bella shouted, “Mana!” Looking up to see Loth’nex bearing down on her, Mana quickly got up from where she’d been trying to free Mythra and ran. 

Chasing her down, just as Loth’nex slashed at her, Mana stumbled, luckily avoiding harm. As Loth’nex screeched to a halt and turned to go back after her, Bella swooped down into his path, shouting, “Slipstream!” Her arms and legs tucked in as she spun vertically at unbelievable speed, her attack unhindered by air friction, Mors Aurata’s EDE charged blade was blurred to the point where it looked as though Bella had become a buzzsaw blade. Sparks flew as Loth’nex blocked with his talons, Bella continuing to spin and spin as her scythe struck again and again, but an undeterred Loth’nex spread his wings and fired energy bolts around Bella, all targeted at Mana. Flying to Mana’s aid, butterfly pixies defended her with magic, to which Loth’nex muttered, “Pests…” Then he shoved Bella away from him with monstrous strength, and she gracefully landed between him and Mana.

            Staring at Bella as she glared back at him, Loth’nex called out, “To think after more than three millennia, I awake to find not only the heir of Shiema, but a being that is no doubt the end result of my failed research.” Still captured in Loth’nex’s cursed chains, as Andy overheard this, he thought, “Research? Does he mean to say he’s the one who established the theory?!” Raising a hand and forming a dark rune circle, Loth’nex added, “Now that you’ve realized your true nature, your strength and speed have increased, and your body heals rapidly. It’s hard to believe how quickly the cuts from my talons disappeared. I’d go so far as to say you’re almost a perfect creation, but I know your weakness! The very magic used to create you… can also destroy you!” 

Charging at him at breakneck speed, Bella shouted, “I’m not some creation! I’m Bella of Angelorum Lux!” Smirking as she watched from where she laid chained to the ground, Mythra thought to herself, “You tell him!” Loth’nex merely replied, “Dissolutio Fluctus!” As the dark rune circle glowed and waves of magical power radiated across the battlefield, Bella stopped just short of Loth’nex and dropped to her hands and knees as she suddenly felt extremely unwell. Staring at the ground in distress, Bella choked, “What… is…?” Red ghost bats appearing from his sleeve, they gathered at Loth’nex’s free hand to become a strange, blood red spear, which he raised to strike as he laughed triumphantly.

            Suddenly Mana’s song resounded across the mountainside again, and faltering in his attack, Loth’nex clutched his head and stepped back as he exclaimed, “No! Stop, you accursed witch!” The magic waves fading, Bella grasped her scythe and rose with great speed, lunging forth and severing Loth’nex’s free arm with an upwards strike. Blocking with his spear as Bella continued to lash out furiously, Loth’nex finally dissipated into a cloud of red ghost bats and escaped her, flying past Bella and heading for Mana. Mana did not move and continued to sing, and reforming before her, Loth’nex prepared to strike. Leaping in the way and blocking Loth’nex’s spear with his arm formed into a blade, having managed to use his shape shifting to escape the chains, Andy said, “While I still live and breathe, you’ll not lay a hand on Lady Mana!” Loth’nex’s eyes glowed with rage, but he broke away and floated aside on his wings as Bella came up behind him. 

Speeding away from them, feeling his strength draining slowly as Mana continued to sing, Loth’nex finally stopped and stabbed his spear into the ground. Leaning against it like a cane, he thought, “These meddlesome fools! It may drain the target’s strength, but the song will not dampen the stone’s energy! If she continues… to sing, I won’t be able… to hold lamia…” Reforming his arm with forbidden magic, as Bella came speeding after him, Loth’nex turned and spread his wings to unleash more ghost bats as he said, “I’ve had enough of you!” Charging into the stream of bats as they burst forth, Bella swung her scythe and cried out in rage as she unleashed a mighty Chimera Strike, blowing a great number of them away with a blast of the destructive energy of her fused spirit beasts’ power. As she charged through the hole in their numbers, Loth’nex stood ready with his hand raised and wings spread, firing dark magic bolts from his wingtips at her as he chanted, “Cruenta Mors Scintilla!” As a monstrous beam of blood red forbidden magic raced with the energy bolts straight at Bella.

            Passing straight through the attacks, having uttered the release under her breath before charging in, Bella used her scythe’s ectoplasm to take spirit form and become temporarily invincible. She sped at Loth’nex, who quickly ripped his spear from the ground as her spirit form faded and she struck out with the high speed swings of her Fox Flurry. Blocking her strikes, Loth’nex raised a hand and started to chant, “Obscuro-” Suddenly throwing her body forward, Bella rammed him with her elbow to interrupt, and he stopped and staggered back. Bella moved in to attack, but suddenly erupting from Loth’nex’s body, a pillar of blood red spirit flames forced her back. Dodging and deflecting the bolts of blood red spirit energy that began to rain down across the area, Bella saw Loth’nex’s spear suddenly come flying out of the pillar at her and quickly knocked it away with her Chimera Claws. 

Appearing from thin air, as his spear sailed into reach, Loth’nex took hold of it and came down on Bella with a downwards stab. Bella leaped back and into the air as the spear stabbed into the ground, but then smaller pillars made of blood red spirit flames began bursting out of the ground, rising into the skies across the battlefield from where Loth’nex had stabbed his weapon into the ground. Weaving through the pillars of deadly spirit energy, Bella quickly lost sight of Loth’nex. She and the others fortunately protected by the butterfly pixies, Mana continued to sing despite the danger. 

Continuing to navigate through the pillars, which unlike the ones generated from Loth’nex’s body did not seem to run out of energy and fade, Bella muttered, “Can’t see him.” Also keeping an eye out, Mai replied, “That’s the point. He’s blinding our Ghostly Eye by creating this ridiculous amount of spirit energy.” Suddenly a blood red beam of spirit energy and forbidden magic shot out at Bella, and as she quickly avoided, she looked to where it had came from and saw bats of black spirit flame coming after her. Speeding through the pillars with bats raining beams after her, Bella said, “Doesn’t this seem like a distraction?” Then as they both realized it, they said in unison, “Mana!” As Bella started to make her way through the pillars and bats back towards Mana, Mai ranted on, “Ever since she sang her song, he’s been going after her! It’s like his biggest weakness, so he’s gotta be trying to get rid of her first!”

            Mana still continued to sing as Andy and her butterfly pixies defended her and the others, and watching her sing with a smile, Andy thought, “So this is the true form of Shiema’s power. Such a soothing melody…” Suddenly hearing the flutter of wings, Andy turned to see Loth’nex take form from a cloud of spirit bats. Quickly Andy raised his bladed arm and stood between him and Mana, but raising his hand Loth’nex said, “Obscuro Imperium!” Unable to avoid, as an orb of forbidden magic entered Andy’s body, Loth’nex waved his hand to the side and Andy went flying out of his way. Butterfly pixies quickly raised a barrier around Mana, who did not stop singing, but gathering blood red magical and spiritual energies in his hand, Loth’nex slashed through the barrier with his talons and destroyed it. Mana kept on singing, and in irritation, Loth’nex approached her and kicked her in the stomach as he growled, “Silence!” Knocked back onto her behind, Mana at last stopped singing. 

The pain from the kick showing on her face, Mana looked up at him as he leveled his spear at her throat and said, “You won’t be singing ever again!” Struggling to break his bonds, Gibolu desperately shouted, “MANA!” Flying down to Mana’s aid as fast as she could, as Bella landed behind Loth’nex, the villain looked back at her and shouted, “Not another move!” Seeing his spear at her throat, Bells muttered, “Cowardly extortionist…” Raising his free hand, Loth’nex laughed sinisterly and said, “Cowardly or not, I’ve won! Prepare to feel your body and soul slowly dissolve, Bella of Angelorum Lux! Dissolutio Fluctus!” As the dark rune circle formed around his hand again, the waves of magical power radiated from it and Bella felt as though her legs were about to give out. Powerless to help, Mai could only shout, “Let her go you damn, narcissistic, worthless bag of ectoplasmic s**t! If this is the only way you can win, you’re nothing but a loser who can’t control the real power of the lamia stone!” Glaring at the blue gem on Bella’s chest, Loth’nex muttered, “What was that?! Just what are you anyways?” Defiantly, Mai said, “Mai Kitsune, Yugure of Death and Bella’s partner! You may think you’ve won, but you’ll never beat the two of us!”

            Raising his spear to strike at Mana, Loth’nex said, “Is that so? Then let’s see you stop me!” Suddenly an arm stretched out from nowhere and grabbed hold of the spear, and turning to look in the direction it came from, Loth’nex exclaimed, “What?!” Having stretched his arm across the distance to stop the spear, Andy held fast to it as he called out, “Quickly! I will hold him, just save our beloved Mana!” As blood red flames erupted around Loth’nex’s spear, Andy struggled to hold on, but at last he relinquished it with a stifled cry of pain as his hand was badly burned. Spurred on by how everyone had believed in her, knowing what would happen if she didn’t act now, as righteous anger coursed through her, Bella growled, “Don’t dare…” Mana had started to struggle up in the confusion, but Loth’nex quickly returned his attention to her. Yet as he sensed a foreboding power behind him, he turned just as an enraged Bella surrounded by a raging aura of black spirit energy swung the shining blade of her Mors Aurata and roared, “I’LL KILL YOU!” 

Loth’nex blocked with his spear, but was blown flying away by the power of her Chimera Strike. Sailing across the battlefield and finally landing hard, as Loth’nex slid to a stop and struggled up, he looked over at Bella to see the beastly form of her powerful aura gathered around her. A chill of fear running through him, Loth’nex thought, “She’s in Enrage Mode! A near perfect creation with no experience controlling her power… She could destroy us all!” Just as Loth’nex moved to flee, Gibolu’s cards and the crystals of Mythra’s Elementum Orbis surrounded him, the cards stabbing into the ground and forming a heart shape around Loth’nex while the crystals encircled him in the air. Freed by the efforts of the butterfly pixies just in time to join the final attack, Gibolu and Mythra quickly stopped him in place, Gibolu activating his Cage of Hearts as Mythra cried out, “Ultimate Element: Dark Binding!” Stabbing his spear in the ground as their magics hindered his movements, Loth’nex called out, “You think your pitiful magic will hold me?!” 

Suddenly Mana’s song began once more, and leaning against his spear, his strength all but gone, Loth’nex gasped, “No!” Smirking triumphantly, Mythra shouted, “Too bad you don’t have any friends of your own now, isn’t it Loth’nex?! Finish him Bella!” Raising her hand at Loth’nex, destructive black spirit energy crackled around Bella’s hand as she cried out, “HOWLING DESTRUCTION!” A large, swirling sphere of black spirit energy formed and shot across the distance, descending upon its target. Reaching him and expanding over a large area, the sphere became a zone of destructive spirit waves, and trapped at the center of it, Loth’nex began letting out bloodcurdling screams as the destruction waves began to tear him apart. As the destruction zone finally faded, the purple lamia stone fell to the ground. Not a trace of Loth’nex remained.

Reviews

[Arrinae]

Wonderful. Simply wonderful. I really enjoyed the end of this fight. Bella, Mana, Gibolu, and Mythra were amazing. I also loved seeing Andy and Mutzy in action, I use the word seeing because I could picture everything in my head clear as day.

[KeithKVH]

I'm relieved, I was always critical of this fight for some reason. I suppose there is one reason I can think of, and that's probably because originally Mythra was going to play a larger role in it. I needed to debut Bella though, and Mana would be somewhat overshadowed with both in a large role. Mythra really is one of my favorite characters, I think she'll surprise you with what goes on with her later on.