"Alright Big 'n' Red, let's make one thing clear..." I began to say as I flexed my arms about. Only to interrupt myself so I could shoot up straight into its face. A fistful of potent wind magic ready to go off in its face.
"Unknown Danger!" it blurted as jets seemingly appeared from its upper chest to push it back. Causing me to go overboard with the punch before I saw what it had for me. It had moved just far back enough to avoid my attack! Yet, I was just in range for its own!
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" I let out as something heavy and strong suddenly struck my chest. Both a clear sense of pain and numbness filled me. I even found hard to breathe for a moment as I recovered from the sudden blow. Though, as I got up, I couldn't help but smirk.
Yeah, this was it, this was the feeling I used to love when we went adventuring. The uncertainty of if I would make it back alive. And although I have long since tempered this sensation with sympathy for other's strength of heart. I could not prevent it from at least filling me up somewhat.
"Do you know how long this will take to hammer out?" I asked the crimson armoured machine as it stiffly arranged itself into some kind of posture. Yet, it was with a smile that I asked that question as those jets of its began to light up. In a way as well. It reminded me of a Valkinvar.
"You will fall. Lightning shall die." the machine hissed with a harsh breath of steam.
And, with that said, I looked back at Einervaene as she tried her hardest, "I think the opposite."
Then, suddenly, vibration shook through my armour and down to my bone! For our fists had just met in a sudden clash! And they did it again and again and drum-like bangs and sharp screeches! It pushed me back as much as I did it.
Yet, one of us had to give way and because of my prior wounds, it had to be me. So I fought a fighting retreat against this machine as I sent magic up into the air above us. I would keep it focused on me entirely before I struck it from behind on a hopefully thinner back!
"GOTCHA!" I let out excitedly as I suddenly knocked aside its arms as it was cranking them back. And as I forced apart a wider target, blast after blast of wind magic blew up against it! My cockiness was quick to disappear, however, when its arms began to consistently and steadily bring my arms down. No matter how much I struggled or how much the earth below started to compact!
One of its gemstone-like eyes then flashed brightly. And a mighty blow suddenly struck my side and sent me demolishing through the village. But all I gave it was a wipe of my lips. A disgusted glint in my eye as I spat out whatever blood that blow forced to spill inside of me.
Then after bending down, I launched straight at it. Shooting past it and then leaping over it with a lance of magic which I then forced down on the hand it rose up against me. However, I would not roar with triumph. And, instead, I was shocked to find myself suddenly slammed into the ground.
A tight grip on my hand that easily punched into the metal of my armour. It was my armour's turn to respond now, though. And it did so with hyper-heated blades of raw magic that suddenly vented out at the machine's fingers. It didn't do much other than make it let go, though.
"Cmon... Lightning right here." I reminded it as I tried to see if this thing was in fact after the gold stuck on my foot.
"Calling for assistance." it suddenly let out as its fingers curled up once again.
"What's that racket!?" I asked myself as I moved on to making a point of avoiding its armour-crunching blows. It was caving in the thickest parts of my armour and were it not for my magic providing additional protection... These gauntlets would have broken long ago...
But a sudden blast from behind me knocked me to my feet. And with panicked movements, I rolled over to avoid a downward strike. Only briefly catching a glimpse of the fight happening above our heads. Whatever it was, though, it was marked by the roar of thunder each time some kind of pressure blast came out!
I could not afford to be distracted by this, though! Just one moment of lapsed judgement nearly saw a giant fist go through me! And while I couldn't help but occasionally look up at whatever it was that was up there. I needed to focus and I needed to remember the experience that was taking its time in coming back to me.
Left, right, under and over! Blast it while it is facing the other way and allow it to shamble about! Let its clumsiness become apparent however I could and there it was! The perfect chance to strike back!
"HAAAAA!" I roared as I made a sudden swing for its lower left side. And as my fist firmly planted itself on it. I smirked a little and repeated the process. With every opening the machine had given me more than enough time to let out a few more blows.
Loud bangs signified and distinguished each blow. Yet, behind the soft glint of its eye I could see it learning. So I made a point of covering my attacks with various spells. Bombs I made a short distance away would suddenly blow up in its face alongside its back and top!
And when it was particularly distracted, I flung myself overhead. Spinning above it with a dangerous spell in my hands. A loud scream then roared out of me as I plunged downwards. Forcing all that magic against its shiny dome of a head...
"Tough, aren't you?" I asked it as I stumbled away from it. The weight around my trapped foot became all the more apparent as the machine's elbows lit up. Two, separate blasts of similarly coloured magic then sent it forwards. Those tusks that it had built in then easily punctured my armour as I was suddenly thrown upwards.
"OUT OF MY WAY!" Thunder cried angrily after he had suddenly collided with me out of nowhere.
"Not now..." was all I had to say to him as another machine suddenly popped into existence. A pair of grand, emerald wings distinguishing it from the bulkier one on the ground.
"You can't handle that Fortress, get out of here..." Thunder spat as his body crackled with golden sparks.
"And you can't handle that oversized bird!" I snap back to him as I pushed the pain out of my mind. Yet, it was only now that I noticed a third machine off in the distance. One that marked itself with a pair of lengthy crimson barreled cannons...
And they were...
"EINERVAENE!" I cried as I used all the power I could to barge past this 'Fortress' so I could intercept the gunner. But I wasn't going to make it! I wasn't! Those guns were loaded and their barrels were glowing!
I had only one option!