Archie ran away from several lightning strikes, trying not to get hit, dropping to the floor as a bolt of electricity hit the wall just above where his head was. The electricity surrounding Ann turned purple, showcasing that she had finally started using her powers to their full power. Archie ran over to his Silence Sword, provoking Ann. "I knew you'd go grab that!" Ann yelled, even without the M-Port connection. Archie picked it up, using the flat side of the blade to deflect a piece of oncoming since it wasn't made of metal. Archie began rapidly swinging his sword, activating Silence Strikes LV1. The slashes of his sword were a very pale blue, and four were stacked on top of each other. They almost resembled the points of an octagon. "Hah, what is slashing the air going to do to help you?" Ann asked as she kept flinging lightning.
The slashes sped forward as Archie ran forwards, directly facing Ann. Ann quickly moved to the side to not get hit, but she didn't expect Archie to be following so close behind. Archie had a determined look in his eyes as if he was determined to end this. 'System, put my one SPE into speed.'
[Total Of Stats: 12 (0 Status Point Enhancers (SPEs) Ready For Use)]
[Strength: 2 (+1)]
[Endurance: 2]
[Agility (Reaction Time): 2]
[Speed: 3]
[Stamina: 2]
Archie quickly swung his sword at Ann, barely missing her arm as she used a beam made of electricity to propel herself backwards. Archie received the full brunt force of that attack, the electricity hitting him with such strength that he was flung into the wall. Electricity ran rampant through his body as he couldn't move. He had been paralysed by the electricity. Ann descended to the ground, lightning still surrounding her tiny body as she walked towards Archie. "You are like all of them. You just wanted to kill me, didn't you?" She accused Archie, who couldn't move or speak. "Well, it doesn't matter anymore, does it?" Ann asked Archie. "Goodbye, you liar."
Ann rose into the air again, her eyes changing colours so that her sclera was red while her irises were black. A ball of purple electricity rose into the air above Archie, stray bolts of lightning spewing off it. Archie could only stare at Ann as his body had fallen that way.
[Paralysis cured.]
Archie rolled out of the way, barely avoiding the sphere of death that descended upon him. Where Archie was before was suddenly destroyed by the ball of electricity, leaving a giant hole in the floor, revealing a dark void beneath his room. "What?! How did you move out of the way?" She yelled at him in shock before shaking her head, her electricity flaring up again. "It doesn't matter, liar. You're going to die regardless!" She shouted at the top of her non-existent lungs, sending bolts of lightning at Archie. The Silence Sword flung towards Archie's hand, Archie using his new speed to barely dodge these bolts. Archie rolled out of the way of a lightning bolt that was aimed towards his crown jewels. 'Foul play, Ann. Foul play.' Archie muttered in his mind, sprinting towards Ann with his sword. Ann used this opportunity to attack him since he'd have less time to dodge when he was closer.
Archie, however, knew this. He jumped into the air before Ann could attack, avoiding her soon-following attack by a hair's breadth. Archie descended upon Ann, grabbing her by the head and getting electrocuted simultaneously. However, as Archie did so, he stabbed her in the side of the head, noticing that it did nothing. He needed to find her weakness, but he couldn't.
Archie fell to the ground as he became paralysed once again. However, it wasn't nearly as severe as the last shock. Archie quickly sprung back into action, trying to not get hit by lightning again. He noticed the wind-up key on her back and realised what he had to do. He had to pull out that key.
Archie ran up to Ann, barely dodging various electrical attacks as he sprinted, trying to divert her attention. He threw his sword at her, which she deflected with ease. Archie extended his hand to the side, the blade flying to his hand, the handle perfectly landing in his palm. He swung his sword at Ann rapidly, and she dodged the attacks, not noticing the pale blue slashes left behind by his strikes. Archie watched as a circle of attacks surrounded him, moving up and down in height as he attacked Ann. Archie stood in the centre and then let the strikes fly out. One single attack hit Ann, striking her in the head, which caused her to drop to the ground, back exposed. Archie ran over to her, swapping his sword to his left hand as he grabbed onto the key. He tried to pull it out, but it kept rotating as he did so.
"You really think I wouldn't protect my only weakness?! I learned my lesson after the last time someone tried to do that! You're not going to pull it out that easily!" Ann yelled at the top of her non-existent clockwork lungs. Archie kept pulling as Ann tried to channel electricity through her key to electrocute Archie. Archie saw the lightning and had a genius idea. He jammed his sword into the same area that the key was inhabiting. Archie was trying to destroy whatever locking mechanism was in place. He heard a distinct snapping sound as Ann screamed in unholy pain.
"What are you doing, you fool?! You're going to kill me!" Ann yelled as her electricity faded away. She turned her head to face Archie, who was staring at her with sadness. It told her all that she needed to know. Her mental barrier was dropped as her eyes shrunk in fear, turning back to their original colours. White sclera with red irises.
{M-Port Opened}
'I'm sorry, Ann. Forgive me for what I'm about to do.' Archie told her, pulling the key alongside some of the surrounding material out of her back. The sound of crunching gears rang through the air. An ear-piercing scream followed the sound of clockwork slowing. "...why...would you do this to me...?" Ann asked him as he dropped the key on the ground, realising what he had just done. 'I'm sorry, Ann. You kept attacking me, and I couldn't stop...I didn't want to hurt you. I'm so sorry...' Archie told her as he dropped to the ground, tears dripping down his face. 'We could have been allies, Ann...'
"I know...I'm so sorry that I didn't believe you..." Ann told him. "Before...my gears stop...which will...kill me...what's your...name...?" Ann asked him. 'Archie...it's Archie...' Archie responded, watching as Ann slowed her movements. "Archie...huh? That's...a...nice...na...me..." Ann replied, her final words slowing down before the clockwork stopped, silence filling Archie's ears.
[Congratulations, Wordless Warrior! You Have Completed The "Defeat Ann, The Slayer Of Wordless Warriors!" Quest!]
[Reward: +9 SPEs]
Ann's body disintegrated, the wind-up key on the ground fading away as Archie stared at it. He couldn't do anything else. After all, Archie couldn't say a word of goodbye. One more tear slid down Archie's face, knowing he had killed a being with consciousness. One with sentience. They had fears and feelings too.