The gauntlet had been dropped, and a challenge had been issued to Shiishii as everyone was sitting back and relaxing. Aiyama wished to join STRIFE as a captain rather than a general for Amiyama. Shiishii, being the fighter that he is, was quick to agree to this. Gaia agreed to be the referee.
Shiishii: "So when did you want this to happen exactly? Cause I'm drunk right now, and that may lead to an unfair advantage…"
Aiyama: "Ah, I wouldn't dare fight you in that condition. It's not fair to you -"
Shiishii: "For me."
Aiyama: "Huh?!" *his left eye began to twitch and a vein bulges out of the center of his forehead*
Shiishii: "I don't hold back when I'm drunk. And if that were to transpire, it wouldn't be much of a spar."
Kitiro: "That is true, mahn." *Gulp* *gulp*
Gaia: "I wouldn't advise doing it, Aiyama."
Aiyama: "Mhm…. Guess that makes sense in the end. Alright, how about we spar before you guys go back to Luminaria?"
Shiishii: "Hmmm… that sounds like a plan, actually. Let's do it!"
The two of them shake hands and seal the deal for their scheduled sparring match within two days from now. Whilst they all begin to relax again, a major battle ensues between Royal Guard, Mathis, and Jabreeze.
Jabreeze: (The gauntlets actually fused to the armor given to me by Slith. A snake robe type armor, I damn near look like a fucking Serpent Saint. But these gauntlets are what's getting me. Just what did Jollister hand us?)
Jollister: "Heh, alright then, mayne. Let's see what you got, Jabreeze."
Mathis: "I fail to see your need for resistance. But telling from this spike in power, you're bent on making this harder for me. I shall make swift, clean work of you two and turn you in to our fair queen."
Jabreeze looks down at his hand and squeezes it twice. He seemed as though he was trying to adapt to the new leap in power. His eyes gleamed and glistened for a quick second, and then the light returned to them as he was normally emotionless in the face. His borrowed suit of arm flared up, and his cloth-style, white fauld danced. His jester class gleaves, and gauntlets lit up with blackened, blood-red essence. The eyes of the snake found in the center of his chestplate glowed with this same color. His hair stood up and flowed with the influence of the essence.
"I'm ready when you are, High-Knight Mathis." Jabreeze said while getting into his stance. Mathis acknowledged this and got into his stance as well, drawing his rapier as he settled. "On GUARD!"yelled Mathis as he stared at Jabreeze.
Slith: "Make this quick."
*PEW* Both warriors dash at each other at full speed. Mathis puts forth his rapier and aims straight ahead for Jabreeze. Jabreeze himself simply throws an average haymaker to counter and test the waters. *kaBLOOOOOM*
A crater with a 100-foot diameter had been formed in a near instant. The blades of grass below them were all disintegrated while the bits of grass to the outside of the crater were cut by the wave of force. The two warriors seemed to be even in power as neither would budge for the other. Lightning and static form from the friction of the gauntlet and rapier rubbing each other. Both men hop back on instinct and instantly feint back towards one another.
"HRMNH!!" Mathis grunted while thrusting his rapier forward with his right hand, directly at Jabreeze's face. Jabreeze dodges it just barely as it brushes across his shoulder and right side of his face. Slightly slicing his Phoenix robe as he goes. Jabreeze counters with an overhead right, but it's received by Mathis and caught with an open palm. Mathis then swings his rapier to his right in an attempt to behead Jabreeze.
(That was close) Jabreeze thought to himself as he rose back up and landed a heavy left elbow to Mathis' stomach. Mathis is stunned and releases Jabreeze's fist, causing Jabreeze to gain more freedom in his approach. He hits Mathis head-on with a heavy hook kick from his right leg. Mathis is forced a few feet back, and his feet dug into the floor while trying to stop himself from flying back even further.
Mathis: "What heavy strikes! Hrmn!" *He looks up to see Jabreeze inches away from landing a powerful, straight right.*
Jabreeze: "Die."
Mathis: *GASP*
Mathis places his left foot back ever so slightly and weaves in that same direction as he leans back to avoid the blow. *SWOOSH* The wind could be heard as the punch barely misses its mark. But to Mathis' surprise, Jabreeze was able to flash into a new stance that had him facing Mathis. The transition was so fast that he had no time to think. *Tink* *tink* *taTink* *TIINNG* Mathis instinctively uses the base of his blade to block all four jabs Jabreeze had thrown.
Mathis took his blade and twirled it downwards as his right arm went up and extended out at Jabreeze. He could feel seven strikes come his way in an instant. He stepped back while doing rapid feints to the side in order to avoid a direct hit. Mathis ends his twirl when his arm begins to fall from its offensive position. Jabreeze sees this as a moment to attack and two heavy, yet swift roundhouse kicks. First the right then the left, Mathis sees this and lowers his body and center of gravity to where the kicks were being aimed, his sides. He got his face to eye level with Jabreeze's right leg by doing a perfect squat. He blocks the first leg, *thud* then the right. *boof*
Jabreeze: (This guy's defensive skill is quite the annoyance.)
Mathis uses the time it takes Jabreeze to lower his leg as an opportunity to strike! And with an almighty thrust of his golden, White Knight class rapier, Mathis puts Jabreeze on edge as he has nearly hit Jabreeze's eye yet again. He doesn't stop there and lets out a pressuring barrage of straight thrusts. The force from each, along with the timing and speed, causes his white robe and cape to dance as if the wind was bustling and howling. His long white hair with purple highlights flashes across Jabreeze's eye just after he raises his speed for an unexpected flash strike. Jabreeze was left with a small cut on his face, showing that he barely had time to react. Note that this all happened in a matter of 5 seconds.
Jabreeze: (Damn… he got me) *frustration be the vibe while he stares at his new flesh wound*
Mathis: "Ha! Next, it'll be your head. Your treasonous actions can not be overlooked."
Jabreeze: "Nrrrgh! You won't be getting another chance." *pooSHEARRHHHhhhh* *His essence levels skyrocket*
Towards the outskirts of Gahwardia's southern region…
Jollister sits out in the open as he's been doing since Jabreeze and Slith entered the empire a week ago. In his time of observation… he felt a small scuff hit the right side of his face on the cheek.
Jollister: "What in the… oh yeah. I forgot that sharing my essence with him in this kind of bulk would link us together. With my durability and endurance being at the levels they're at, I'll only suffer .010% of what hits Jabreeze. There's nothing more than scratches, but… still. *He starts to rub his cheek* I'd prefer it if you…"
Jabreeze: "Time to kick it up a notch-
(Jollister: "Didn't allow anymore hits to land.")
Hrn!?"
Mathis: "Got you!!"
Mathis surprises Jabreeze while his guard is down and lands a clean blow on Jabreeze's chest. The rapier's tip has a great enough density and fine-tuned form that it can pierce most material it comes in contact with. And seeing as Jabreeze with the help of Jollister is only equal to Mathis in stats, the armor of Slith was no exception. Jabreeze had no advantage to stop the cracks from appearing as he slid back for half a mile. The grassy plains found behind the woman's house were all but shaved down to bitter rubbish from their clashes.
Speaking of said woman, she was unknown to all that were present but seemed to be fairly outgoing and mysterious. She watched from the shadows near her home with a look on her face that screamed enjoyment. She watched as Jabreeze summoned a flaming sword in the shape of a paladin's choice of bladed weapon. With a hilt and handle that acted as one and were in the shape of a cross. Mathis brought forth flames of his own upon his rapier. The cross with phoenix wings at the top of the intersection and talons at the bottom matched the glow of the flames as it lit up on his rounded chestplate.
Jabreeze: "Hmph!" *PEW*
Mathis: "Bleh! *PEW*
The two clash head on once more, but this time… the magnitude was on a whole other level. The plains were lit up in flames as a gigantic cross of flames formed. Both had their blades and arms shaking as they tried their best to overpower the other. 5 seconds go by, and they've lowered their blades from eye level to chest level while still trying their best to break through. This resulted in another burst of their essence as the spatial plain around them gave out, and a burst of force came forth. The plains were dug into even deeper, and the ground started to flip up from under itself as they sank further into the ground.
Jabreeze: "Tch!"
Mathis: "Ckh!"
Both: "BURST!"
A huge tornado of flames comes forth and engulfs the 100 miles worth of the plains' 400-mile territory. Dead at its center were Jabreeze and Mathis, but they had flashed out. And from the peak of the flaming pillar, two flutters of light burst out in opposite directions, almost acting like shooting stars. They make quick u-turns and… *BOOM* they clash head on and repel each other. They use that as their momentum to gain speed and come back for another clash. *kaBLOOOM* And another… *POOOOUUGH* Then another. *BOOOOM* And one just knows they have to do one more clash as they rise into the atmosphere. It was like looking at a garden of mini supernovas dancing across the skies. All this takes place within 2 seconds, which would tell you that the real fight has finally begun.
Slith: "Seems… thisss won't last long at all. Heh!" *a sinister smile creeps across his face*
Vashjai: "Yo Ebon."
Ebon: "Bleh… hate hearing you say that, but yeah. I felt that."
Vashjai: "Tch… I highly doubt he's actually here, but still."
Ebon: "Yeah, I know, man. Let's just keep going with Shii and the gang."
Vashjai: "Yeah…" Alright."
The two of them continue to walk with Shiishii, Gaia, and the rest. Beeso walked up from ahead and asked about the situation. "Was that Slith?"he asked in a low voice. Both look him in the eye and nod their heads. Beeso shutters a bit and walks at their side as they all try and grasp if what they sensed… was true. Meanwhile…
Jabreeze and Mathis heat up their battle as Mathis himself brings down a massive meteor shower from the deep cosmos. He adds his own fire to the mix to up their potency and resistance to attacks. Jabreeze takes notice of this and immediately brings forth a barrage of flaming fissure slashes. Each was hot enough to be compared to the heat of a giant, blue star. Their sharpness could cut the space before them as they moved forward.
The meteors were about to meet them head-on, but just then. They all went off course and smashed into neighboring planets, destroying 8 planets in a flash. Jabreeze was left distraught as the meteors all closed in on him.
Jabreeze: "What the hell happened!? How could they all go off course like that without me commanding it?! Damn!!! VIRIDIAN SHIELD!!!"
A grand supernova was summoned around Jabreeze, which ended up colliding with the full force of the meteors. Each was thoroughly disintegrated as they pressed harshly and violently into the great sphere of highly potent fire. Dust burst forth along with debris as the last bits of meteor were destroyed. Jabreeze dropped and shielded and was bonerushed in an instant by Mathis, who used the aftermath as a smokescreen while masking his presence.
Jabreeze: (Damn! He got me in the heat of the moment.) *he turns to hus right in an attempt to block*
Mathis: "You just keep falling pray to my Study, huh? Just. My. Luck!"
Slith: "What?!"
Planet Owner: "Well then. This is quite a surprise. (Luck, huh?) "
Mathis thrusts his rapier in an attempt to pierce the armor where the crack was. Jabreeze realizes this and tries to dodge, but to his luck, the rapier followed like a heat seeker. Luck was truly on Mathis' side. But Jabreeze is no slouch and summons forth yet another, "SPHERE! Shield me!" And just like that, a sphere was summoned out of thin air, made of condensed heat and high pressure force. *BOOM* Jabreeze was struck into the atmosphere as he descended into the planet.
"Darn, he was actually able to block that in time."he says as he flies after Jabreeze at full speed. He brings his rapier to the front while charging in and becomes something similar to a falling comet. Easily cutting through the layers of atmosphere found around the planet. He catches up to Jabreeze almost instantly, and yet again, he aims for the chest where the crack was made.
Jabreeze: "Hm… it's better to wait until the last second to dodge the attack. Or…. To counterattack!"
Jabreeze waits for Mathis to get a little too close for comfort. Upon Mathis getting into range where most would start to dodge, Jabreeze waits longer and makes eye contact with Mathis. And at that moment he… "You're in range of my technique, and I'm out of range for yours."he said as Mathis noticed his mistake. He tried to vanish and avoid getting caught, but it was far too late. Jabreeze yelled out, "Presence Zenchi!" and caught Mathis with great accuracy. Mathis began to fall limp from the wave of Zenchi.
Mathis: "Darn it! (He caught me at the time my zenchi was turned off. Did he figure out I couldn't use Zenchi with that technique yet?!) *SMASH* DOH!!!"
Jabreeze: "Hmph! Got you, Mathis."
Jabreeze lands a heavy right knee to Mathis' gut, which causes the body and mind to flash back awake, but he is stunned entirely from the blow. Jabreeze flashes behind him with great speed and plants a palm on his back. "Heated Force!" Jabreeze yelled as his palm became a bright red with a yellow-ish orange center. It looked almost like pure heat in the shape of a hand. The attack had enough force to send Mathis into the planet's crust within an instant.
Mathis: (His palm strike just directly affected my eternal organs. The bastard tried to cook me!) *PEW*
*SMAAASH* Mathis was thrown into the floor harshly, causing a huge explosion of dust, gravel, and debris to go flying about. Mathis doesn't stop being pushed back, though. He comes hurling out of the dust as his feet drag and break through the ground. He ends up stopping right next to Slith, healing his wounds and eternal injuries using a flame whose heat could burn damage and the concept of injury itself. The healing process took no more than five seconds as Mathis rose from his kneeling position.
"Seems you're being pushed back now, Mathis." Slith says as he takes a few steps back. Mathis turns to face him in a fitted rage, yelling out that Slith could die right here and now. Slith gives off a sinister smile, and just then… Mathis could feel the killing intent. *FWIP* And in came Jabreeze in a flash. He had just blitzed their location from within the outer atmosphere.
Mathis: (Crap! I let my anger get the better of me!) *he thinks to himself while staring at Jabreeze with his blade cocked back*
Jabreeze: "What's wrong? You look startled, my boy!"
Mathis "Tch! Damn you!"
Jabreeze swings his sword forward with his right arm, attempting to sever and slice Mathis in half. Mathis relies on pure instincts once more and performs a burst of autonomous movement while using Mental Zenchi. He predicted the line of travel and instantly stepped out the way just far enough. As the tip of the blade extended out to hit and puncture his solar plexus, he flashed out the way and avoided the blow. Dashing back about 25 yards away from Jabreeze.
Mathis: "Seems you've missed yet again, Jabreeze."
Jabreeze: "So you've decoded my info as well? It's just wonderful. But don't get cocky. You're the one being pressured."
Mathis: "That may be true, but… Luck is still on my side."
Jabreeze: (The area just shifted again.)
Slith: "He really has that Luck-Study!? (Jabreeze needs to end this)
Planet Owner: "Hmmm… Luck, huh? Interesting, very interesting."
Mathis brings his rapier to eye level and points it directly at Jabreeze. A pause had occurred… Then a great amount of fire was wrapped around the blade. "Lucky Pyrokinetic Point!" yelled Mathis as he thrust his rapier forward at Jabreeze, who just so happened to be looking at the "point" of the blade, the tip. The technique casts a false sense of luck within a physical illusion casted on all senses when facing the tip. A fire of great proportion is always the illusion, and Mathis uses that as a smokescreen to land a blow with the real fire on it, the tip of his rapier.
*SHIINNNNG* "When did you?"stuttered Jabreeze as his chest armor was finally pierced by his blade. Both Slith and the owner of the planet were affected by the illusion as well and never saw the blow coming. Below them had them confused due to there being actual burnt grass at their feet. It would seem all living things were affected, and most of the plant life for two miles had been burned by their own minds. A mental toll is so great that the cells rapidly shook and vibrated against each other, which caused micro friction fires to transpire all at once. Cremating them on the spot. Jabreeze and the others are too resistant to fire to be nothing more than distracted by this.
Slith: "That Luck-Study truly is trouble."
Planet Owner: "Even more… interesting!"
Mathis: "Now then…"
Jabreeze: "Psch!" *Jabreeze makes an attempt to step back but… he somehow found himself unable to move*
Mathis: "Face the Point!!"
Jabreeze: "Son of a bitch! Star BURST!"
Mathis brings forth a storm of fire similar to the one found in the illusion, and brings it all down on Jabreeze. It bursts forth from the point of his blade which had a similar force fending it off. It was a blue fire with an extreme light source shooting out from where the rapier would have pierced Jabreeze. The two fires were so equal in force and quantity, that they both went spiraling up into the sky. The resulting repulsion sent both Jabreeze, and Mathis flying in opposite directions. Jabreeze's snake armor chestplate was completely shattered.
"Well ain't that just something!" , he says as he rises to his feet. Mathis was doing the same, but it would seem a cocky smile had come across his face. He had seen enough to believe a long battle would only lead to his victory. One could just feel the overconfidence oozing off the young Knight. Jabreeze eased his mind and calmed himself from the building aggravation.
Mathis: "It seems you tricks are going to run thin before mine, eh?"
Jabreeze: "Mhm… I wouldn't say that, Mathis."
Mathis: "Oh yeah… then why don't you waste more time and show another meaningless trick."
Jabreeze: "Ah… then I'll show you my Study."
Mathis: "What!?"
Slith: "Mhm… seems he was only using that after all. I've yet to see his Study though, it should be quite the show."
Jabreeze: *Inhale* "Domain Plains: Aquarium Blue."
Planet Owner: "A domain class? That's quite rare considering all domain classes are ultra-rare and up."
Mathis: "What the-" *buTSHEEHHh*
A huge amount of water in the form of a bubble began to expand from Jabreeze's chest, where one's heart usually lies. The bubble managed to go from its starting point, to expanding around the entirety of the planet within half a second. The domain had its own dimensional properties and separated everything in it from the outside world. It was a huge sea world that seemed to be far larger than just some Saturn sized bubble. All the plant life, mountains, volcanoes, islands and the lands themselves went from fire based to water based in an instant. And one could easily tell that Jabreeze controlled it all.
Mathis just couldn't believe his eyes, a perfect transmutational takeover was just performed. And a Phoenix god that could control water perfectly… "How could it be!?" , he thought. And then… *THUD*
Mathis: "Huh?..." *he had fallen to his knees all of a sudden*
Planet Owner: "What just happened?"
Slith: "He never even made a move…"
Mathis had never even needed to make a move and was perfectly capable of holding his breath. Which he so happens to be doing. Slith and the Planet Owner were both able to breathe which told us that Jabreeze's control was dangerously high. But there was still something else at work.
Jollister: "He's using absorption. But where did he get that ability from? Did he store it in his domain? Eh, either way. While he's absorbing Mathis' essence, it's replacing mine and sending it back to me." *he squeezes his hand as he can just feel it all returning*
Jabreeze begun to walk over towards Mathis, who was busy trying his best to absorb heat from outside the bubble. He was successful in doing so, but half of every amount gets snagged by Jabreeze as it enters. Mathis was now at a complete disadvantage.
Mathis: "Just what… kind of domain… has water that absorbs essence?"
Jabreeze: "Mine does. The domain part is just the class, the concept this Study holds within itself is that of Manifestation. Which just so happens to be my- no, our Birthright as well. I can manifest concepts freely and the potency is only doubled in my case. This absorption… is one hundred percent… REAL."
Slith: "That's insane."
Planet Owner: "Ohh?"
Mathis: "Nrrgh!!! *He began gritting his teeth as his anger has finally gotten to him* So goddamn what! *fwishinnng* This rapier shall slay you both regardless!"
Jabreeze: "You ok there pal?"
Mathis: "You forget my tier, Jabreeze. I'm a near multiversal threat and can absorb FAR more fire than this! *INHALE* AUUUUGGHHH!!!!"
Mathis ignited a huge sequence of absorption that surpassed even Jabreeze's domain. His power had returned to normal in a matter of seconds and then burst forth to new levels. He got in his stance from earlier and brought his rapier to eye level while aiming for Jabreeze. The water and space around him began to burn while one could see a great flaming spiral. It was nearly equal to the planet in size and had enough essence behind it to burn 15 universes for an hour straight.
"So, that's how we're going to be? Fine." said Jabreeze when lifting his left hand into the air. He gripped the air like it was a sword and a huge front of water began to build at a high level pace. He cut a whole through his own domain so the sword could be flaunted and shown off. Mathis looked to only feel a sudden chill, the sword had twice the size on his spiral. Plus nearly double the essence. Jabreeze gripped harder and the sword flattened at the edge to create a perfect sharpness. Then it was frozen over so the cutting potential was nearly inescapable.
Planet Owner: "This is…"
Slith: "A done battle. Jabreeze finally stacked his own essence on top of the borrowed essence. Mathis can't compete."
Back towards the outskirts of Gahwardia's southern region…
Jollister: "That battle is over with. Kill him."
Jabreeze: "Kheh heh! Yessir! *SWOOSH* nnrrrRAAARGH!!!"
The gigantic, super colossal blade started to descend into the spiral and Mathis himself. Mathis launches the spiral at the blade in a desperate attempt to lower the blade's attack potency. He had hoped it would slow it down and break its solid structure. The spiral meets with the edge of the ice blade but it was to no prevail. The sword was sped up in its descent and severed the spiral with ease. Then its cut back into the sphere as it quickly vanishes from a spatial point of view. Mathis still had his rapier held out in front of himself, unfortunately for him. It ended up breaking from the pressure around the blade, and this wound up being the final factor, the icing on the cake.
Planet Owner: "Mhm… Lucky me."
The blade and the force around Mathis from his previous technique collided and caused a sparking explosion. The light flashed like lightning and silhouettes of both the blade and Mathis came forth. Just after, a massive explosion takes place and the blade, along with the domain get shattered and Mathis. Pounded into the dirt… or so one would think!
Jabreeze: *fwiTINNGGGG* "Wh-WHAT the hell!?!?"
Slith: "This level of essence has me crumbling under the pressure. Who could it be!?"
Jabreeze: "I… don't know but they're stronger than Jollister when he's at full power!"
Jollister: "Just… who is that, that's with them. Their power is off the charts and… the son of bitch knight is still alive due to them."
The dust finally settled and they could clearly see the silhouette of a long haired woman with a tone, hour-glass body. She was wearing trendy plastic frame glasses and a festival dress. She had the knight on her shoulder and… was planet owner herself. Seems she had her own interests from the gate. She stepped forward in her golden sandals to address the situation.
Planet Owner: "Apologies for keeping my power a secret, being a 60 can frighten some when they meet me. Seeing as your true Power Scale levels are just 23 each, I didn't want to startle you. Or your partner in the outskirts."
Slith: (She knows about Jollister!?)
Jabreeze: "Mhm… ok, but why did you stop my attack? I could clearly see a sudden slash had severed the edge from my sword. Making it so Mathis over there only received blunt for damage."
Planet Owner: "Indeed I did do that and it was mainly so you wouldn't put yourselves in further danger. I'll patch 'em up so no one suspects a thing. But my main purpose was my interest in his study and he is a highly regarded knight who is a high hope for Head Knight. I couldn't allow you to remove such an important piece to the queen."
Slith: "I guessss that makess some sense, lady. So you're helpin' us in a way."
Jabreeze: "And I'm more interested in your name before you just step away like this."
Planet Owner: "Oh me? That's simple darling, they call me Clareice. Make sure you boys wait a while and get some rest before making a move. You'd have been sensed if you weren't in MY universe. Oh! And tell Jollister I said hello. *FWIP* Taa taa now."
Jabreeze: "Who… is she?"
Slith: "See if Jollister knows. Cause I can't stop shaking."
Jabreeze: "Tch! Me neither… what the Fuck!!!"
An image of pure malice had swept across their vision that completely engulfed even Slith's evil intention. A figure of an absolute monster was behind that of Clareice, a monster so horrifying and potent in essence that even Jollister could see it from as far as he was.
Jollister: "It's… her! Clareice my ass."
And that of Gaia could feel it as well. So potent in fact, she had to grab Shiishii's shoulder to calm herself.
Shiishii: "You alright Gaia?"
Gaia: "Yeah… just thought I sensed something off putting."
Shiishii: "Mhm… so I wasn't tripping. My revival really has stirred quite the pieces to begin moving again."
Gaia: "Yeah…"
Upon being discovered by a single knight, Jabreeze and Mathis ended up fighting. And upon Mathis' defeat, raises a potential new threat. As the key retrieval mission continues…
Next Chapter: A New Strife Challenge?! First Blow Wins!!