The force of their attacks rippled through the cavern, a gust of wind blowing as the two struggled against each other. I watched from a distance with Amelia and Claire, slowly getting to my feet as Amelia's healing was slowly working.
As the battle began, Lilith made the first move. She quickly pulled away from Mandy, Moving back slightly as her shortsword arcing as she went with an uppercut slash. It was a blur of blackness that only ended in sparks as Mandy deflected the slash, Mandy reeling from the force of it. As he stumbled back, Lilith charged again. But Mandy saw that coming, spinning around and twirling his Bo staff as he swung at her.
Much to Mandy's surprise, Lilith caught his Bo staff with her left hand. Her left hand gripped the Bo staff with determination as she used her momentum to headbutt the pink haired boy in the face.
"Grrk!" Mandy let out audible noise. The force of the head butt forced him to reel back, his nose bleeding from the blow. Yet he still managed to eye Lilith with an angered look. "Getting a lil too close aren't you?"
Lilith only looked at him with a cold stare, her hand still gripping his Bo staff as she raised her right hand to strike down at Mandy with her shortsword. But suddenly, Mandy gripped his Bo staff with both his hands and pulled Lilith in. That caught Lilith by surprise, she lost her balance as Mandy headbutted her as well. As He did that, Lilith winced in pain and found herself vulnerable to another attack as she tried to recover from it. Mandy took the chance and swung his Bo staff, hitting Lilith's right arm with so much force that it sent her flying towards a large fallen blue crystal.
Lilith crashed into the Blue crystal, pieces of it shattering and falling to the floor. The silver haired girl laid in the crevice that was made within the crystal, she looked unconscious?
I immediately got to my feet, only to wince at the pain that still lingered on my side. "Agh, Lilith!" I called out to her.
Mandy twirled his Bo staff as he let out a chuckle. "Haha…come on, I can't expect a girl like her to beat me. She's not like me and you, Kota. Just a girl from this world who doesn't know when to quit!" Mandy's eyes darted to me as his Left blackened arm slammed to the floor. Tendrils suddenly erupted in front of me, forming a short wall that poked out towards me. "Now stay put! You're gonna love seeing me k-" He then stopped mid-sentence, hearing something stir from the Blue crystal that Lilith laid on.
"Oh?" His eyes trailed to the crystal. As my own eyes gazed at it, I saw Lilith climbing her way out of it. Scratches covered her, alongside her leather chest piece that looked more damaged and ripped. But besides that…Lilith had a look of rage in her eyes. Her left eye flaring a red glow as she stared at Mandy. She spat out a bit of blood from her mouth before speaking in a cold manner.
"You hit weaker than the metal dude…" Lilith said, referring to Victor….Actually what happened with that guy? I haven't seen him since the house…I guess Lilith or kale have dealt with him.
Mandy gave her an irritating look, clicking his tongue as he focused on her once more. The black tendrils in front of me stayed where they were as his hands moved away from the floor. "Tsk, Is that so?" Mandy flicked his Bo staff around. "Looks like you can handle a good hit. The hell are you?"
Lilith didn't respond, her gaze burning with an unwavering rage as steam flared from her nose. Her left hand emanated a fiery aura, the intense heat even reaching to me. She then dropped from the blue crystal, landing on the stone floor with a crack.
A Blur of movement caught me off guard as I saw Lilith lunge at Mandy. It even caught the pink haired boy by surprise by her speed, The pink haired boy only barely managed to raise his Bo staff as Lilith Slashed downward with a ferocious speed. The impact caused the floor under Mandy to crack. Sparks flew in the air as the two struggled against each other, Lilith looking like she was about to snarl.
"What's with that eye of yours, girl?" Mandy grunted, looking at Lilith's glowing red eye. His feet sliding back as Lilith grunted with anger. "I've never seen it this close…" The boy stared into her Left eyes. "What do you have hiding from me?"
Mandy then raised his right arm, reaching to Lilith. I realized what he was trying to do. He wanted to siphon her mana.
"Lilith, don't let him touch you!" I yelled across the opening. Lilith's eyes widened at my warning, she reeled back from Mandy, backing away from him. Mandy smiled maniacally as his hand reached out to her, just inches from her chest.
I silently casted Tremor, My staff glowing as the floor in front of me cracked and moved towards Mandy. The black substance that had formed a wall crumbled under my tremor, dissipating slowly. My tremor spell trailed its way to Mandy, the large bubble trailed underneath the floor, cracking the stone floor behind it as it did. Mandy saw my spell, his hand retreating as The tremor spell erupted between the two, bursting from the ground. The jagged looking sphere hovered in the air for a moment before bursting, rocks shooting out in the direction of Mandy.
His Bo staff twirled around, deflecting the rocks that had shot out at him as a grin held onto his face. As he was deflecting rocks, Lilith charged at him. She ran low to the ground, her black shortsword screeching against the stone floor as geared up for a Fire king style technique.
"Fire king style:Flash strike!" Lilith yelled, Her black sword blowing a white aura as she readied it. She then swung her sword up, Slicing the stone floor beneath her.
Yet, Mandy saw this coming. He gripped his Bo staff and guarded her move, Holding his Bobstaff in his two hands. Her shortsword colliding with his Bo staff, A loud ringing echoed in the cave. The impact of her attack lifting Mandy into the air, that's how much force she put into it. The pink hair cackled as he flew into the air, practically open to any hit.
He's in the air, I can hit him with stone bullet! I began to run, Silently casting Stone bullet as I did. Pain still lingering on my left side as I ran, stumbling over the blue crystals underneath my feet. But I ignored it, This was a chance to end Mandy!
"Kota?!" I heard Amelia exclaim as I ran. I turned back to her, My eyes looking at her with determination. The blue haired girl had gotten to her feet, also looking ready to fight. But there's no way I'd let that happen, Mandy is the one who wants to kill both her and her sister.
"Amelia, stay back! Let me and Lilith handle this!" I yelled back, running across the opening. The stone cannon that I had formed began to change, growing sharper and smaller.
Jesus, why the hell am I doing this? Not a moment ago, I was about to be killed by this guy and now I'm back on my feet to probably almost die again. The hell is wrong with me?
"D-don't die, please!" I heard Amelia yell. A surge of determination filled me as I heard that.
Ah…I get it. It's just like before I came to this world, before I died. I wanted to help someone, even if everyone else was against me. I couldn't leave this mess since I was so deep into it…Amelia and Claire need my help, and I'm not letting Arael or Mandy get them!
I gripped my staff harder as I aimed my Stone bullet at Mandy, who was falling from the sky. "Stone bullet!" I casted my spell. The stone shot from my staff at a lightning speed, the bullet aiming right at Mandy's heart.
"Hmph, I knew you'd join this fight, Lover boy!" Mandy smirked, twirling in the air as he then deflected my stone bullet. Its trajectory changed to a nearby wall, a loud crack noise came from the wall as my stone bullet hit it. Mandy then gracefully landed on the ground, looking at Me. "Don't think I'll give you another sh-."
Mandy was then interrupted by Lilith, who punched him right in the stomach with her left hand. She was already running for him when he was falling, but he was too focused on me to notice. The punch causes Mandy to slide back, Gasping from the punch.
"Haaah!" Lilith yelled, sending Mandy flying across the opening. "Kota, hit them with your magic!" She turned to me.
I silently cast dry ice, a large white ball formed in front of my staff as I aimed it. Mandy looked up at me with a glare before I shot the dry ice. From this range we were at, there's no way he'd be able to deflect it…
Lilith didn't let off in her onslaught, running right at Mandy as I shot my dry ice spell. The dry ice spell hit Mandy first, hitting him right at his chest as it dispersed. A large white mist formed around him and Lilith ran into it.
I watch with concern as I heard clashing and Lilith Grunting alongside Mandy laughing in the mist.
"You fight differently, girl. Of all the Fire king styler
user I've fought, you…You have a uniqueness to you." Mandy's voice came from the mist as suddenly, the mist dispersed from what seemed to be a literal cut. The mist was cut in half as it was visible that Lilith had made a large swing with her sword. Mandy's chest area is covered in my spell, but seemingly unaffected by it.
Mandy dodge the slash, Ducking it as he grinned. "You fight with the aggression of them, But they mainly use their swords. Yet You use hand to hand combat as well, those jabs, those punches…I've seen them before!" Putting his hands on the ground, he kicked up and disarmed Lilith of her shortsword.
As the mist dispersed and her shortsword flew in the air, Lilith clenched her fist. "Shut up!" Lilith ran up to him, straight up brawling with Mandy now. Her hands went in for a left jab at Mandy, her flaming arm leaving a burnt mark on him.
Mandy grinned. "Caught a nerve, didn't I?" Black liquid began to harden on his burnt mark. Readying his own attack, His bo-staff lunges at Lilith with lightning speed. "What, Am I wrong?! Who are you, girl?!"
Lilith, caught his Bo staff with both hands. Pulling him in as she began to quickly throw punches, A left jab and a right jab before disarming him. Mandy caught by surprise as the hits landed, his Bo staff skidding across the ground. Lilith then went for another swing, but Mandy held his blackened left arm up. Black tendrils shot from his arm, catching her by surprise. She flings to the found and the tendrils end are her.
"Ghrrk…" Lilith grunted in anger, the black tendrils holding her down as Mandy eyed her. As his attention was still on her, I casted Stone cannon again. The spell shooting a piece of stone from my staff. However, Mandy heard the spell. His right arm planted itself on the ground as well, another set of tendrils shooting out of him as it weaved and moved its way towards me.
The black tendrils grabbed me, slamming me to the ground as it began to ensnare me. Mandy let out a laugh as he stood up, looking at us. "Even with your teamwork, you both couldn't even take me out. Now…Let me get a feel of you…" He walked toward Lilith, his arm outstretched to siphon her mana.
I looked, struggling against the tendrils that held me down. I glared at Mandy with rage. "Get away from her!" But the tendrils held me down. Damn it, come on Kota! Do something!
Lilith looked on as Mandy planted his right hand onto her chest. His right hand glowed a rainbow color as he began to siphon some mana from her. Lilith glared and thrashed beneath the black tendrils, her breaths frantically increasing in pace as Mandy looked down at her.
"Let's see…You got some spice to you…" Mandy laughed." Lot of heat coming from you an-" suddenly, Mandy lurched. He immediately let go of Lilith as he stumbled back, away from her. "Gah! What the hell…the hell is in you?!" Mandy looked at Lilith with horror as he lifted his right hand.
I looked with surprise as I noticed the burnt marks appearing. Mandy held his hand with a disgusted look before kneeling in pain. It was like Lilith's mana was burning him from the inside…
The black tendrils that held us spell dissipated, Mandy's focus in the spell crumbling as he focused on the right hand that continued to char with each moment passing. I slowly stumbled to my feet as I watched him kneel. Lilith looked in confusion as well, Touching her chest as she looked at him.
"Aargh…The hell!? What the hell?!! " Mandy screamed, her right hand charring. With utter madness in his eyes, Mandy pulled himself up from the ground. "No…No, it's not supposed to be like this. I'm supposed to be strong, Arael told me! She told me, she told me!" Mandy held his head with his hands, shaking. "How the hell is a brat and some fucking deadbeat guy in a kids body beating me?! Arael?!? WHAT IS THIS?!" The pink haired boy yelled into the air, looking for answers from this so-called death goddess. But nothing replied, only the sound of the rushing water around us answered.
With no answer, Mandy just looked at the ceiling of the cave with a maddening smile. "Hah…haha…It's just like before." Lilith and I watched Mandy with a cautious look, moving closer together as he manically laughed. "When I was about to die before, I felt this similar notion of dread. And I called out…and nothing happened. The same thing Is happening here."
"Mandy!" I yelled at him. "I said it before, she isn't guiding you! She's just using you! Right now, she probably thinks you aren't worth it anymore…" I eyed him. "You can still detach yourself from her! Be your own person for once!"
The pink haired boy finally looked down from the ceiling, His gaze piercing me with coldness as he chuckled. "Be myself? Hah…Haha! We are long past that now, lover boy! No…I'm going to complete this task of mine before offing myself. I'm taking you all with me." he outstretched his arms, his blackened left arm twisting and morphing. "Haha…This child's body won't last. I better go out with a ban-"
"Gale ball!" Someone shouted, a gust of wind came flying towards Mandy. The wind ball hit his head, causing him to reel back for a moment. I turned to see who even did that.
Amelia. The blue haired girl had her staff in hand as she looked at Mandy with a determined look, Claire looking at her with surprise. The figure next to her almost shifts to move, only to stop in its tracks. Its body language expresses distress.
Amelia shook her head. Her hands trembling as she let out a voice cracking yell. "Y-you killed my father, r-ruined me and my sisters lives, Just die!"
Mandy's eyes went crazy, he looked across the opening towards Amelia. "What's that? After all you heard, you still cling to your sister and father. Your own father didn't want you and your own sister wouldn't even let you know of your own mothers death! You've been neglected and hurt by them! If I were you, I would've been furious!" Mandy's crazy eyes stared at Amelia.
"I…I still care for them! I'm not like you, whatever you are!" Amelia yelled, her voice cracking. "I'll do what I can to stop you from killing Claire…"
Mandy gritted his teeth. "You fucking brat…" but then a smile crept on his face as he looked at her. "Well…Then I suppose you'll kill yourself for her !" His left hand then shot up to aim at Amelia.
Upon seeing this, I instantly moved my staff up to cast a spell, Earth wall. Lilith moved as well, her left eye gleaming red as she ran towards Mandy at full speed. But even with both of our reactions, I could see a black tendril forming on Mandy's left arm. As soon as Lilith got close to tackle Mandy, he fired it. The black tendril shooting towards Amelia as my Earth wall spell began to appear in front of her. The blue haired girl looked in fear, holding her hands up to protect herself.
My earth wall spell wouldn't finish in time, barely erupting from the floor. I looked back at Lilith, Lilith was able to grab Mandy, her left hand clenching the pink haired boy's face as she slammed him to the floor. But we weren't fast enough. Mandy had a bloody smile on his face.
A sudden thud echoed through the cave. Someone was pierced by the tendril. I turned my head back, almost frightened to see. My earth wall spell had barely reached above Amelia's waist. My eyes continued to look up, seeing Mandy's Bo staff plunged into someone. Someone who had moved in front of Amelia, their arms outstretched and their breathing heavy and shaking. Mandy's Bo staff piercing their stomach….
It was Claire.