I ignored her and kept my eyes locked on Anansi, at first glance Anansi didn't seem that impressive. He cuts a commanding figure to be sure in his military uniform but compared to his soldiers who were all muscular and rugged looking he was rather frail albeit taller than me.
"Well, well that was quiet an entrance, like something out a fantasy novel." Anansi said then gave me a slow clap. He looked around the square and sighed. "How long are your comrades going to keep hiding? The ones hiding behind the building over there, and the large group over there."
Anansi pointed to the building that Astrid and Iris were hiding in and in the general direction of Baset and the others.
"No point in hiding then!" Iris exclaimed, her voice seeming to come out of nowhere. Anansi snapped his finger and a round shield of light appeared on his right side blocking a invisible attack and sending the attacker flying. They landed and skidded along the ground before crashing into a building.
The spell surrounding her shattered and Iris became visible. She was a little beaten up but quickly jumped to her feet.
"You okay Tri-clops?" I asked.
"I'm fine, worry about that spell! It might look like a shield but it isn't, it's one of Anansi's signature axiom spells! It absorbs damage and shoots it back in the form of elemental blasts!" Iris warned me.
"Impressive young lady, to be able to not only use such a advanced utility spell but knowledgeable as well. You are truly gifted" Anansi said with a wicked smile. "Why don't I give you a demonstration!"
Anansi snapped his finger again and the shield fired a blast of blazing energy at Iris. Bone-lasher leapt from the shadows and snatched Iris up, leaping out of danger before the blast hit them.
I charged Anansi and popped my claws taking a wild swing. That shield blocked the attack and sent me flying like it had Iris. I channeled shock attribute mana into my left hand and focused it between my claws. Taking quick aim I fired the bolt of lightning bolt as of it was from a crossbow then crashed into a building and fell to the ground.
Anansi's shield blocked that attack too, this time firing back a lightning bolt at me when Anansi snapped his fingers.
'Shit!' I thought as I clambered to my feet. There was wasn't enough time to dodge but just before the bolt struck me a wall of ice materialized in front of me and blocked the bolt. Not without shattering the wall and off course the Shockwave sent me flying back into the wall.
[Sssssstar Ssssssshaper I'm coming!] Alpa'nagia exclaimed.
A loud boom echoed in the distance and Alpa'nagia's form blackened the sky. He let out a deafening screech that sent shockwaves reverberating through the air and crashing into Anansi's shield. It wasn't able to fully block Alpa'nagia's attack and made Anansi skid back a few feet. Bone-lasher and Iris took the opportunity to attack in unison. Bone-lasher attacking head on while Iris attacked his flank.
Anansi snapped his fingers twice and the shield split into two smaller pieces, each blocking Bone-lasher's and Iris' respective attacks and sending them flying back.
Before Anansi could snap his fingers and attack again I drew my Skazzas and fired three more shot. The twin shields moved reflectivity to block the attacks. Alpa'nagia screeched again commanding the attention of the shields though this time they weren't big enough to block most of the attack. Anansi was knocked back a few yards before his shields caught him.
I darted around the edge of the square, reloading my Skazzas and making myself look like a easy target. Anansi took the bait and snapped his fingers and his twin shields fired fire four fire blasts at me. Once his did three walls of ice erupted from the ground and boxed him in.
I just barely dodged the fire blast by jumping onto the roof of a nearby house, the shockwaves from the blast sent me hurtling into the air, luckily Alpa'nagia was quick enough to swoop down to catch me.
[Thanks.] I said and smiled at the evo.
[Anytime Ssssstar Ssssshaper.] Alpa'nagia replied.
Janes's ice prison suddenly shattered into millions of pieces as dozens of plate sized shields burst freeze from the rubble. The flew around Anansi kicking any rubble away that could land on him then returned to their at rest position and floated around him.
"Impressive, very impressive! It's been a while since I was knocked back by a enemy's attack. I applaud you." Anansi said then gave us another slow clap. "But my now you all have to realize that this is going nowhere. As you are, you can't hope to defeat me."
"There you go with that clichéd villain shtick again!" I growled. "Honestly it's more fucking annoying than those shields!"
"Seriously! Am I in some lame soap opera?!" Iris groaned.
"Ah, feigning annoying to hide your fear. I love it when they do this." Anansi said tjen snapped hos fingers. The shields split into two groups. Half aimed at Alpa'nagia and I while the others aimed At Bone-lasher and Iris. The shields fired dozens of smaller bolts at the four of us, Which Alpa'nagia dodged effortlessly in the air. Bone-lasher grabbed Iris again and ran, just barely dodging the attacks.
Alpa'nagia screeched again only the shields formed back into one larger one and blocked the attack. I took aim and fired my Skazzas, emptying the clip. The smiled reacted and split into smaller shields, blocking each bullet then with another snap the shields aimed at Bone-lasher and Iris and fired more blasts. A wall of ice appeared and blocked most of the attacks but a few got through, luckily they missed by a mile.
[I know this is rich coming from me: BUT HIS POWERS ARE BULLSHIT!] I snapped.
"My, my, that expression looks fierce. Is you little mask starting to crack star keeper!?" Anansi asked.
"Gods above are you sure they didn't kick you out of the village for being such a annoying asshole!" I snapped while I reloaded my Skazzas.
"How dare you! I clawed my way from this village! Fought tooth and nail to be free!" Anansi snapped.
"Now who's mask is cracking?" Iris said mockingly.
"Shut up!" He yelled and snapped his fingers again.
[NOW!] I ordered. Alpa'nagia screeched just as the shields started to fire blasts at Iris and Bone-lasher. Anansi's shields weren't able to react in time and while the blast was off a bit the resulting shockwaves from when the sonic blast hit the ground sent Anansi flying.
I took aim and fired at Anansi while he was still in mid-air, Iris cast a offensive spell sigil and fired two fireballs at Anansi as well. A large spear of ice flew out from a side street aimed directly at Anansi's heart.
'Got him!' I thought as our combined attacks pierced and flambéed him. His corpse fell to the ground with a sickening wet thud then tumbled along until it skidded to a stop at the mouth of the main street to the front gate.
"Yes!" Iris exclaimed.
[Something is wrong…] Bone-lasher said softly.
[Yessssss! Doesssssn't feel right!] Alpa'nagia agreed.
Alpa'nagia flew down to the corpse and I jumped out of his arms and quickly looked it over. My eyes widened as saw a unfamiliar face, dressed in a basic soldiers uniform.
"It's not Anansi!" I yelled and turned to the others. As I turned around I saw a wall of spears of ice heading towards me.
"SSSSSTAR SSSSSHAPER!" Alpa'nagia roared as he dove and coiled around me. Everything went dark as the sound of flesh being punctured filled my ears along with Alpa'nagia's pained screams.
"ALPA!" I cried out. "My crystal, now!"
"P-p-protect…" Alpa'nagia stuttered weakly.
"NOW!" I roared the order, my mana surged and forced his compliance. The moment he was safe in my crystal the little mana I had left went to work healing his wounds.
"CHASE!!!" Jane's panicked screams my blood run cold.
I turned and saw Anansi walking out of a side alley, holding Jane up by her neck. She struggled to break free of his grip but it looked futile. As scrawny as he was Anansi must have used a utility spell to increase his strength.
"Lady Jane!" Iris yelled and started toward Anansi.
"Stop right there! Or I'll snap her pretty little neck!" Anansi ordered. Iris froze on the spot and thankfully Bone-lasher didn't make any sudden moves.
"You second rate comic book joke! If you hurt her i'll…"
"What?" Anansi interrupted Iris. "Attack me and risk getting your precious friend killed? Honestly, you should have all seen your faces when you thought you actually killed me! The looks of joy and pride, I honestly can't believe you all deluded yourselves into thinking you could kill me!"
Anansi threw his head back and laughed loudly, like a stereotypical villain. I felt my blood boil at the sound but it was instantly cooled by another sound. A second person's laughter, Jane's. It was horse and stained but no less audible.
"What are you laughing about?" Anansi laughing.
"You talk about us being deluded for taking you on but you never asked yourself why." Jane chuckled. "Everyone else was smiling because they thought they killed you, I was smiling because you were so busy fighting us you didn't notice the rest of our friends heading into the tower."
Anansi's eyes widened then quickly jerked his head to look towards the tower. The doors were wide open.
"Stop it! DON'T LAUGH AT ME! DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH AT ME!" Anansi roared. He pulled tactical knife from his belt and stabbed Jane in the stomach.
"JANE!" Iris and I roared. We rushed Anansi, no longer caring about his warning. Anansi pulled the blood soaked knife free and poised to strike again, this time a more vital area.
Iris and I weren't going to make it, even enhanced with volt attribute mana I was still moving too slow.
'He's going to stab her! He'll kill her! NO! NOOOOOO!' I panicked as I willed my legs to run faster.
Just as the tip of Anansi's knife touched Jane's throat a torrent of water crashed into Anansi and sent both him and Jane hurtling into the air. Iris and I both zeroed in on Jane, I was just a little fast and managed to catch her in mid-air and skid to a stop. I glanced down the side street and saw the last person I expected to see running towards us.
"ALBERTO!" I cred out, feeling relief was over me.
"You assholes fucking left me! AGAIN!"