Hesitant to act, the two grasp at the ground as their weapons are raised. Looking at one another, they aim for the left hand and scythe. A swing from Tredot keeps the monsters' head at bay while Deigus swings at the hand holding the scythe.
"Now! Extended Fury!"
Deigus' attack grows in length as the beast tries to keep the scythe out of reach. Small cuts appear on its arm as the wounds slowly burn and open. Roaring in pain, the beast abandons its campaign and glows dark. It's eyes are icy blue as it tries to enchant Deigus. "Eh-wha-what am I doing?"
Deigus eyes slowly start to turn blue. The cold icy stare becomes a faint memory as Tredot remedies the situation.
Whack!
Tredot strikes him across the back of the head.
"Focus! It's hand, Deigus!!"
Deigus shutters a bit before wincing from the smack on his head.
They study the creatures' movements and form a plausible strategy.
Given time, this monstrosity can cause anxiety and confusion with its glare. Tredot notices its subtle but dangerous movements and shouts to be heard over the rising clatter.
"You can't turn your head…" he points out, "and you can't look at it!" Tredot whirls and dodges the incoming scythe attack once more. "Try something else!" Tredot demands.
"Something else?" Deigus, recovering from the confusion, notices the being lacks any noticeable defenses. "Ok, let's try this!" He exclaims.
"Armor 1, synchronize!" The armor has been increasing its abilities during the first attacks and is learning weaknesses. It flails and forms a tinted visor over Deigus' eyes. In the core of the visor is a heat signature analysis system. It analyzes temperature changes in whichever beings he faces. He notices the eyes are hotter than the rest of its body. A clear contrast to its freezing demeanor. "Was this a weakness to be exploited?" He wondered. Through the tinted visor, he can see two deep reddish hues beneath the blue glare.
"There! It's eyes!! Aim for it's eyes!!"
Deigus shouts.
Tredot raises his other weapon that has been above the ground just beyond the beasts' peripheral.
"Incendiary BELUGE!" The cloaked blade emerges and glows a white hot color.
Heat emits from its core as the blade begins to spin.
Alert to its movement, the beast screams out in anticipated agony.
"Noooooooooooo!"
The blade finds its mark and stops spinning.
Tredot ends its assault as the beast begins to speak.
"Welllll doneeeee!" Its voice is deep and raspy as if it is gargling water.
"But…I am NOT amused, beast…I will KILL you…eVENtuall-"
Shirkkkt!
His speech is abruptly interrupted as the blade continues its journey and slices through the left eye. The blue-eyed gaze flickers as the blade continues its journey to the right.
Before the pain sets in the rogue spirit clasps at his other eye to attempt to protect it.
"Arghhhhhhhh!!!!! The beast expelled its toxic dark energy and tries to cloak itself once more.
"Not with MY armor!"
Deigus can see it has moved towards the door.
"Tredot! Send the blades toward THAT door!!! Don't let it escape!!"
The room grows cold and the lights flicker for a moment. A small buzzing noise slowly fills the air. It sounds as if a bumblebee is flying by. The two search the room and notice a breeze rush towards the door. A dark image emerges and takes a swipe at them as its body is still concealed.
"Dark…mmirageeee…", the beast commands. His voice, now like a whisper, calls out a clone. It seems to be just like his puppet master except it moves a bit slower. The Knightmare slinks back into the darkness and sends his scythe and clone towards the two.
"Well, it looks like teleportation is off the checklist!" Deigus exclaimed.
"I can still see it but it grows faint. Just don't move away from that door!"
The scythe twirls as it makes its way towards them. The cloned Knightmare raises its hideous legs and charges.
"Feellll my wrathhhh!" The Knightmare clones closes in as the blades from Tredot turn and spin towards the new threat.
"Now! While I have its attention!"
Tredot guides the blades towards the clone. Just as he does, Deigus runs the opposite direction towards the door. As he does, a strange cold breeze is felt following him.
"Deigus!!! Nooooo!!!"
The Knightmare bears down upon Deigus and swipes at him furiously.
Galloping alongside him, the Knightmare strikes his left arm and causes it to swell.
"Arghhh!"Deigus winces.
"Cmon, beast! I'll give you all the fight you can handle!"
Deigus can feel the rage boiling inside. His anger has triggered his crest to rise…
He gains the lead while running towards the door. Stopping suddenly, he turns to face the creature's might.
"Noooo!" He states abruptly.
"Noooooo!
Nooooooooooo!!"
He digs his heels into the ground and begins his chant!
"Medium!
Rocgdum
Purget
Jorslin
Edoct
Mehmehk
Quarlium
Bosheth
Norlorth
Pansina!!!!!"
Beeoooooooookmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!
His body heats up. Radiating thousands of degrees Kelvin, he emits one of his ultimate moves:
Hellion's Rage!!!
His body, now growing in size and mass, meets the strength of several astral beings.
He clenches his fist and juts his arm forward.
A huge shockwave of energy forms and incinerates everything in its path.
"Whoaaaaa!!!" Tredot ducks and places a heat barrier that is being destroyed faster than he can generate it.
He buries himself behind debris and what's left of his shields.
"Increase! Increase!!!"
"Stats waning. Integrity: 29%
45%
13%
56%
Holding steady…shield integrity breached…
Enable safe guard protocol?
Enable safe guard protocol?
Enable safe guard protocol?
Enable."
He slaps the button and the field encases him in a bright green cube.
"Absorption increased…
Energy waning…
Energy output: 2,967,467,892 K
Dissipation engaged…
97%
92%
86%.."
"Argghhhhhhhj! Too hot! Tooo hottt!" Tredot is burning up inside the cube.
"Analyzing temperature inside host…
Temperature rising…temperature steady…
Temperature leveling…would you like to store energy for later or exchange for stat increase?"
"Not now! Just-just get this under control!!"
"Priority one: engaged.
Maintaining structural integrity.
Cube is stabilizing.
Opening one exhaust port.
Transmuting energy into cooled steam.
Recycle energy particles and administering heal various heal potions.
Ingredients are included in data bank.
Sampling air molecules.
O2 levels are stabilizing.
Acidic levels are stabilizing."
Deigus collapses. His crest is spent as it retreats to stationary mode and begins to cool.
The Knightmare fades away as the scythe disappears and the clone.
But, where's Kerelia?
Has she too been defeated?
The "hidden door" no longer hides as its' hinges are now exposed.
A strange, mystic energy surrounds it as it comes into view.
An odd figurine encompasses its many levers. Adorned with magic and crossing patterns, the door glows an eerie orangish hue.
Tredot slowly knocks away the debris and allows his shield to finish the transmutation.
His body is severely burned and exhausted.
He screams out in agony as his skin falls to the ground. The pain causes him to pass out. His shield continues to protect him as it follows its protocols to heal the critically-damaged being.
Strange popping sounds are heard as his body is being restored by the various healing potions made from Deigus' attack.
"Aeeew, we gotta stop meeting like this." Deigus joked.
His body, too broken to laugh, lies nearly lifeless. His shields broke from his attack. But how did he survive?
Upon the door are greenish glowing eyes and a orange hue outlining a humanistic contour.
"Ke-Kerelia?!" Tredot wondered aloud.
"Is that you?"
Kerelia was there all along.
"Wait! Was that you that passed me by towards the door?! If so, how?! I saw that thing eat you?!!"
Deigus lifts his head.
"Mind transit allows me to make a decoy of energy. Afterwards, I cloaked myself and ran to the door. I was going to join the fight but Mind Transit was still active INSIDE the beast. I can't end the incantation until I can view the energy and reclaim it. Thus the orange hue. Deigus' attack freed the energy and allowed me to stay cloaked with a mimic spell: Soldering soldier."
"Soldering soldier? How does it work?"
"The spell allows me to duplicate the strongest magic within 1000 feet. Since Deigus' rage attack is too powerful and too short to duplicate, I duplicated your energy shield. Unfortunately, it's short lived but did allow enough protection to stay healed. So, a bit of thanks is in order. Thanks, my friend…"
Tredot nods.
"Just good to know you're safe. We thought we lost you…"
"Not yet, anyways. That beast, the Knightmare, you have that from where you originate?"
"No. Anything that brazen would've been extinct by now." Tredot quipped.
"Then, how did it know to be here? Someone have the answers?"
The two, weakened from battle, slowly begin to stand.
"You, Kerelia? Have you seen anything like it before?"
"Only in my dreams…we referred to them as 'dark burdens' as they would hunt our people for food or resources…"
"That why you ran to the door? You were afraid?"
She lowers her head.
"I see…" Tredot acknowledges.
"What else can you remember about them? Might help us fight them in the future."
"They are near one of our satellites. Well, at least that's how the old tale went. Been watching the skies for years, never saw a thing. One night, Creator Alpha, lies me down to rest. I ask her what makes up the sky? She tells me of huge celestial beings that shall return one day to claim these lands. She told me to be ready to fight…always. Everything else is a bit muddled.
One night, there was a loud thud sound in the darkness. I jumped up and saw a weird, eerie black orb gravitate from the wreckage. Couldn't see much …but those legs…"
Deigus begins to heal as a loud clang erupts behind him. The door is beginning to open as the hinges fall to the ground.