TaticalGod's POV
Things have been going downhill over the past few weeks. Everyone seems to be on edge due to the incident with Mew and arguments are occurring more and more frequently, sometimes even getting physical in nature.
Deciding to take a walk around the guild hall to clear my head, I came across Nite looking up at the moon. It's odd really, he says it's one of the few things that can keep him somewhat sane these days.
"It's getting worse isn't it Nite", I ask him after a while, "the voices I mean."
Laughing bitterly, he replies "Yeah... the way the guild has been acting is causing them to flare up again..."
Sighing I try and think of ways to keep his mind off of it. After a while I thought of a question I have been meaning to ask him but haven't had the time. "Have you heard from those two at all recently?"
Not needing to ask who I meant, "No, haven't heard a word though I am not concerned. Those two have each other's back no matter what." Laughing slightly as he says it.
Smirking slightly, I remember the meeting we had so long ago, with the people who changed are lives...
Flashback
It's almost been a year since we got trapped in this game and still almost no program has been made. While our guild has slowly been heading up the ranks as one of the better and cleaner guilds, we were still relatively low leveled, almost everyone being in the high 20's low 30's. Only Nite and I were the highest tier being 34, almost enough to get our final class change.
After a while I have begun focusing more and more on PvP and dungeons then the others. I know that eventually, we are going to have to fight Glave, and there is no way in hell that he is going to fight fair so every skill and bit of experience I can get may be the difference from us getting out of here, and not one of us leaving that boss room alive.
One day, I decided that maybe I should try a 2v2 match in the arena. The bosses seem to getting better and a few even had multiple opponents that we need to beat at the same time. So I entered the guild hall looking for someone to come with, seeing as how I don't trust someone I don't know watching my back.
As I was looking around I came across Nite sitting around looking bored so I came up to him. When he noticed I was there, he smirked before asking "What's up? Got your ass handed to you again by some random player?" before busting out laughing.
Smirking, I just let him laugh it out, we had been friends for almost three years before this incident and we knew it was all in good fun when we picked on each other.
"No," I said after he calmed down, "I came to ask if you were up for some 2v2 matches in the arena, the bosses are getting tougher and any experience we can get will help out in the long run." I explained.
He stood there for a little while thinking about it before saying, "Sure why not, while I am sure I can handle anything that happens by myself can't deny the experience will be could. Let me get my gear and we can head out."
~Time Skip~
We stepped into the arena looking to figure out what our next opponents were going to be. We looked around carefully due to the fact that both of us were high ranking PvPer's so that forces us to have to go up against either people our rank or even higher in order to make it more fair. When we saw our opponents coming in from the other side, I could tell this was going to be an intense and almost futile fight.
One was an Elsword, who normally would have been a tough fight to begin with. But this one held himself high with both strength and nobility. He was a Lord Knight, a class built for the sole purpose of being able to take a massive beating and still be able to stand strong and deal massive damage. His armor showed heavy signs of battle, dents and scratches littered the chest plate, but his eyes truly scared me. The friendly yet stern eyes that I had gotten accustomed from seeing in Mew and Maux did not exist in his. They showed eyes of a hardened veteran who probably has seen more combat that the entire guild combined. Already he was looking around the field, memorizing its landscape in order to determine the best way use it to his advantage.
The other was a Raven, another opponent I usually try to avoid when fighting simply because of their power and mobility in combat. This one however showed an elegance and grace that I immediately knew that this was a Blade Master, a class built for quick and repetitive strikes, all but preventing his opponent from even getting a chance to attack. He stood beside the Lord Knight, swinging his sword in an almost bored manor, yet if one looked at his eyes, they could see an intelligent individual, one who was already figuring out what we were and how best to prevent us from using our abilities to their best effectiveness. Before the fight began the two came over to speak with us.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Blasdemaster, hope we have a good fight," the Lord Knight, now known as Blasdemaster stated in a surprisingly friendly voice, "though I have to say that I hope you can give us a decent battle, many people still in their first class change don't put up much of a fight."
"I would not put too much hope on this battle Blasde, they are far lower than us," the Blade Master said, sounding as bored as he looked, "Although..." he said as he looked closer at us, "this may be interesting because of this fact..." he says with a slight smirk, "Name is Shadowf1f, don't forget it."
Trying to appear confident Nite stated "Hopefully your talk is not because of level but skill. Many who were the first had ended up with my Dynamos in their face because of such an insult" he stated with slight sadistic glee.
"Calm yourself," I stated exhausted, "we may be fighting here but that does not mean we can't be at least civilized about it. The name Is TaticalGod and this is my friend NiteTwister." I said calmly, though if one looked closely they could see some excitement in my eyes, "Let's have an excellent fight."
"The round will begin in 1 minute, fighters get ready!" was heard on the announcement. Looking at each other we nod before heading to our side of the arena.
"So going to call one or are we going to work together on this?" I ask, although I already knew the answer.
"I'll take the Raven, been awhile sense I have fought one though I would be lying if I what he said didn't piss me off", Nite said, slightly growling at the end.
Sighing, knowing that this would leave me with Blasdemaster, I begin prepping myself for what I knew would be the hardest fight I would have to date.
"FIGHTERS! THE MATCH WILL BEGIN IN 3! 2! 1! FIGHT!"
Already rushing towards the Lord Knight, I quickly point my cannon at him before shooting rounds both at him and the ground in front of him to try and slow him down.
Seeing what was coming, Blasde dodged the ones I aimed at him before jumping completely over the field before appearing right before me.
Shocked I moved my destroyer in an attempt to block his strikes, but only was able to block a few of his strikes, though the rest where easily able to hit me.
"I do hope that's not all you have there Tactical," he said tauntingly, "after all that talk earlier, I was hoping you were actually skilled."
Smirking as he stood over me, "Oh I am skilled, after all who would want to get close to a Shelling Guardian?" Quickly getting close I yelled out "Big Bang Stream" before throwing 8 grenades straight into his face.
After quickly getting over his shock, he smirked before saying "So that was your strategy... I'll give you that but you must remember... We Lord Knights are masters of the blade. Sonic Blade!" Using the wind and momentum of his movement to spread the grenades into different directions.
Trying to ignore my anger as my plan went to shit I decided to go with a different approach. Trying to put some distance between the two of us before turning around and yelling out "Scare Chase", sending a homing missile at him in an attempt to by myself some time.
"What are you planning now Tactical?" Blasde called out with interest as he watched the missile coming at him "I do hope that this wasn't you plan to finish me because that would just be insulting. Sandstorm!" forcing a small storm to appear in front of him causing the rocket to go off course and hit the side of the arena.
"No, it was just to distract you" I yelled back from across the stadium "because I don't want to be near you when this goes off. CARPET BOMBING!" Launching a flare into the air, I watched with fascination as row after row of explosives landed on top of Blasde. Hoping that it would finish him, but not being careless in case it didn't, I slowly moved through the smoke in order to try and finish this.
I was just about to decide he was dead and go and try helping Nite, before I found a blade at the edge of my throat.
"Bravo Tactical, excellent strategy.
Distract me from a distant before calling in massive explosives to try and finish me off." Blasde congratulated me as the smoke cleared in front of me, showing him damaged but not as much as I had hoped. "Had I not used Iron Body right before the first impact, I probably would have been defeated."
"But a lass, I did though for such a successful attempt at finishing me off, the least I could do is show you my full strength. Do try and stay alive will you?" he said with a slight sadistic smirk on his face.
"Armageddon Blade" was all I heard before I was suddenly send flying from a massive energy blade suddenly appearing at the edge of his sword.
Knowing I was about to lose, but choosing the defeat of a warrior then a coward, I began shooting my destroyer at him in an attempt to at least slow him down.
"Even when faced with defeat you fight? Excellent!" he exclaimed with joy as he got closer, dodging the cannon balls he could while deflecting others. While a few hit, none where enough to slow him down.
"This is the end TaticalGod!" he yelled "WINDMILL!" and just as the named entailed, he became a spinning whirlwind of death and havoc, only empowered further by the Armageddon Blade.
As the last of my health began to drain away, I couldn't help but ask through the pain "How? How are you so strong?"
"Because young one," he said as he looked down at me, techniques having already gone through their limit, " I have something I want to protect."
"Protect?" I ask weakly as my health in the red.
"Yes protect. You are strong Tactical, but I see the look in your eyes. You fight for yourself, even if you do not realize it. Find something to protect, because without something that you are willing to die to defend, than you will never grow stronger. This is my advice to you." Blasde said as he walked away.
Find something to protect... For so long I watched my guild from a distance, watching them throw themselves in the front lines as I did nothing but support. "Have... have I become weak?" I though.
Thinking on it I realize that I have. I sit back and watch as those I care for fight and nearly die, time and time again, as I merely support them from a distance. "No more, I will fight beside them, or die in front of them protecting them! This I vow!"
Flashback end
NiteTwist's POV
As soon as the signal to start came up I rush at the Blade Master. I saw him as I sent my Dynamos to attack. I grunted in annoying as he just swatted them away like they were nothing until he saw me grin.
"Spatial Pull." I yelled as the Blade Master was pulled in to me. The look on his face, the look of shit I got careless, was clear on his face. "Not so tough now huh?" I said as I kept hitting him with my Dynamos.
I jumped up and slammed my hand into the ground summoning lighting as he went flying. "It's not over yet, Void Impact" I yelled as I opened up a rift in time and space. I had the biggest shit eating grin on my face as I got him, or so I thought. "Ha. So close" I heard shadow say as he used his Shadow Step to get out of the hit and behind me. I turned but say a sword coming at my fast as I wrapped behind him and jumped away.
"Please tell me this is not all you have Nite. Cause if it is then I am really going to have a boring fight. Also it seems I was right. You are a weak fight. He He." I stopped mid-air and hovered on my Dynamos as I stood there, thinking on what he said. 'I'm boring? Me?! Ha. HAHAHAHAHA!!' something in me snapped. I lost control. They came out.
"HAHAHAHA! You have no idea what you did Shadow." I yelled from above him as I hold my head. "They are loss, and they want you. ARGH." I fall to the ground, landing on my legs and dash at Shadow.
"Space Creak" I yelled as a creak in time and space opened up and started to hit him. "HAI YA BASTERD. NAMES LEO HAHA. TIME TO DIE." Leo yelled as I kicked two explosions at him then ran and summoned lighting from the sky. He ended up jumping back before the lighting hit and jumped at me with his nasod arm out.
"Wolf Fang" He yelled as he hit me and then used both his arm and sword and cut me. "AH SHIT DAM" I yelled as I fell back. Shadow walked up to me but held his sword up ready to strike. "HEHE LET'S PLAY MOTHER FUCKER" Discord yelled as I spin kicked him away. I held my head as my eyes were going crazy.
"HAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAA. LET'S PLAY FOR A BIT MHM? OH I GOT A GAME. THE 'LET'S NOT DIE GAME'. YOUR IT" I yelled as I rush him and jump yelling "EMP SHOCK". I sent a pulse of energy out and knocks him away. I land on the floor as my eyes start to focus back. "Ah shit. Dam it not again." I held my head looking around for Shadow.
"May I ask what happen?" I heard him say from the dust that was made. "I'll tell you if you can beat me ya ass hat hehe." I said back but could feel my legs giving out. 'Dam that Wolf Fang hurts. Need to push him back a little.' I thought as I dashed jumped in the air and spun as energy kicked him back a little as I hit the same energy and charged up a shot.
"TAKE THIS!" I yelled as I launched it at him as he as he was blown back more. "Now. NEUTRON BOMB!" I yelled as my Dynamos spun and opened a black hole like bomb sucking Shadow in as it blow up with him inside. "Got to get to Tact, he can win without me hehe." I said as I turned and started to air dash to my friend but a voice stopped me dead in my tracks.
"I must admit. That came out of nowhere. Even for me. I can read anyone. It looks like I will get you to tell me what happen then." I heard from behind me as I turn to see Shadow holding his sword like its stealth. "NO. DAM IT" I yelled as I try to jump out of the way of the move I knew that was coming. Time seemed to stop for me witch was funny as I CONTROLLED time. "HYPER SONIC STAB!!" Shadow yelled as he took a step and was on the other side of me as I was sliced to hell and back. I fell to the floor as the buzzer was heard showing that we lost.
"GRRRR FUCK DAM SHIT." I yelled at the sky. I looked over and saw Shadow come up to me. "So, what was that back there? You looked like you changed." I heard him say as he sat next to me. "Oh that? I have people in my head. They come out at times. I can't control it. Like in the real world. It's not from the game. I'm just a freak." I tell him as he gives me a look of shock.
"Nite. Get them under control and you will become stronger. I know this. I have the same problem. You almost won and it was their help. If you can change by will, then even you could defeat Glave. I know it." He said as he reached his hand out to shake. I took his hand and squeezed it.
"Deal, my friend" I left his hand as he got up. I saw Blasde coming over talking to Shadow as I thought of what he said, not knowing the two were talking about me.
"So Shadow, how he do?" "Fine really. I like the kid. Hope he takes my advice."
"Oh and what would that be mhm?" "get out of my face or do you want me to BLOODY ACCEL your ass?" Shadow said with a smile, a deadly smile. 'Become strong NiteTwister. Become strong.'