"They're waiting for us." Zale said, reading the text message on Claudia's cellphone for her to hear. She was occupied, driving, so she had asked him to read and text for her. The text was from William, who had taken a ride with Hendrick and the others after deciding to rendezvous at Imperial Square. They all were all together there before the assault on Imperium.
"Tell him we'll be there in twenty minutes, give or take." Claudia told Zale. He was sitting next to her on the passage seat. She made a turn on a street, entering the High Tier district. Soon, they will either fail or succeed, but regardless, today will be Spectre's last day as a rebel group.
"Hey, is it just me, or does this street look abandoned." Jake said. He was in the backseat with Maya. Claudia took a look around after stopping at a STOP sign. She did notice it, not a single person was to be seen anywhere. It was almost as if they were hiding, but why? She drove on, slowly, cautiously. Now that she thought about it, ever since entering High Tier, they had yet to encounter another vehicle either. The streets were devoid of movement, which was strange at this hour, especially in High Tier. Something was up.
"Claudia, something's up." Zale said, as if reading her very thoughts.
"I know, but-"
"Watch out!" It was Maya who had yelled, pointing ahead. Claudia kicked the car's break instinctively, trying to figure out what-
BOOM!
Something landed in front of them, the street breaking, cracking, from the impact, sending a small shock-wave that shook the ground. Claudia looked ahead to see someone standing where the object had fallen. Not an object, she realized. A Royal. Zale said; "Is that-?"
"Beodulf." Claudia nodded, igniting her Aura. The energy surged through her body, enhancing her senses. What was that bastard doing here? Beodulf was smiling. He raised a hand forward and a large ball of fire began to manifest in front of it. "Shit, everyone, get out of the car. Now!"
The car exploded seconds after Claudia rushed out, the shock-wave sending her flying forward a few feets. She recovered quickly, thanks to the Aura burning within her. She looked around, worried for her friends. Zale, Maya, and Jake had made it out just in time, thank Lunam. Zale looked a bit bruised with a slight burn on his back, his shirt gone, likely removed right after catching fire. Maya was unscathed, thanks to Jake covering her with his body, soaking most of the damage. The car had been completely destroyed, burning in the middle of the street. Beodulf was laughing through it all. An ugly laugh. The laugh of a maniac. An ugly laugh. The laugh of a maniac. "Good reflexes." He said. "I'd hope to burn at least one of you." He shrugged, looking at Claudia. "But truth be told, I'm here specifically for you, my dear."
Claudia straightened herself, nodding at Zale, Jake, and Maya. "I'll handle him, you guys go warn the others."
Beodulf let out his manic laugh again. "Warn?" He said. "Oh there won't be a need for warnings. We already know of your little plan. How'd you think I managed to set up this ambush? I had everyone around this block evacuated so that we have an arena just for our fight. I intend to go all out." He spread his hands to his sides, palms up. A ball of fire materialized on each. "I'll burn you to dust, Time Witch. Payback for what you did to me."
Claudia was too busy worrying about what Beodulf had said a moment ago to feel intimidated. 'We already know of your little plan' is what he said, but how much of it. That was worrisome. Claudia knew that the Lord Ruler was aware of Spectre's plan to assault Imperium, that shouldn't have come as a surprise, but the fact that Beodulf knew that it was today, that didn't bode well at all.
"I can help." Jake said, coming up beside her.
"No, I can take him by myself. I have the serum." Claudia said. She had a single dose, but that'll be enough to deal with that bastard. "Besides, you need to get Maya and Zale out of here."
"You use that now and it'll be wasted and you won't be able to help the others in Imperial Square." Jake looked over his shoulders, Claudia following his gaze, at Zale and Maya. They were hiding behind a house a good distance away. "They will be fine." Jake said.
"You should listen to your friend, Witch." Baodulf said, the two fireballs ready to be fired. "That amp serum won't be enough to stop me this time. Besides, I care not for those Commoners. It's you I'm here for. Now, shall we get to business." The fireballs shot forward, flying through the air leaving behind a trail of fire.
Claudia rolled to one side, Jake to the other, dodging. The fireballs hit the street behind them and exploded. A small explosion, sure, but Claudia couldn't afford to waste her Aura healing her wounds.
"So," Jake got up, dusting himself off. He looked at Claudia. "Together then?"
She nodded, getting up herself and facing Beodulf. "Together."
Jake wasn't much of a fighter, but Claudia had taught him how to fight as a support. To follow her lead. She used her ability to accelerate her movements through time, now enough to burn through her Aura too rapidly, but enough to dodge Beodulf's blows with ease. Jake was beside her, not as fast, and not as strong, his blows barely damaging Beodulf. But it was Claudia who was supposed to deliver the damage. She wanted to punch the smug off that bastard's face. She aimed her punches and kicks at the parts of the body with most fragile bones, knees, shoulders, ribs in particular. Beodulf tried to block and dodge, but she was just too fast. She felt the bones break under the weight of her blows. They would heal, of course, but healing required Aura, and Aura burned faster when healing injuries, the more fatal, the more it required. Fights between awakened usually worked that way, at least in parts where abilities weren't really being used. Each fighter would try to deliver as much damage as possible, forcing their Aura to heal until depletion.
"Rggh." Beodulf grunted, and powering through Cludia's relentless blows, shot out an arm, seizing Jake by the neck, hands squeezing shut. There was an audible crack as he broke the young boy's neck. It would heal, but the amount of Aura will surely leave Jake exhausted. Claudia yelled and broke Beodulf's arm, hitting it by the elbow. The large man whelped and released hit grip. Jake dropped on his knees, grabbing his throat and coughing.
Claudia continued her assault; A kick to his knees, breaking it, a knee to his ribs, and punch to the shoulder and neck. Crack. Crack. Crack. Until finally she tackled him, both falling on the street, she on top, hands around his neck. She raised a fist to- wait. Was he smiling?
"I have to admit," He said, smiling. "I didn't know you had this… savagery in you."
Claudia noticed that one of his arms was raised, palm open towards the sky. And wasn't it getting hot? She looked up over her shoulders and gasped. The ball of fire was large, and growing, the heat shimmering in the air. It was like back then, at Imperial Square. She looked back at Beodulf, an evil smile on his ugly face.
"You wouldn't." She said, but he just kept smiling like a madman. Eyes wild with delight. He can't be stupid enough to drop that fireball, that'll damage them both. She couldn't believe this man to be that mad.
"I told you before, you'll pay for what you did to me."
"You'll get hit too." They would probably survive, but then they'll both be out of Aura. She noticed movement to her side. His hand dropped something, a syringe. It rolled on the street, it's content gone. An amp serum. He'd injected himself with it. "You know I can outrun this." She told him.
Beodulf laughed, then looked to the side. "Yes, but can he?" Claudia followed his gaze. Jake was still on his knees, looking up, paralyzed with fear. Shit. "And last time's trick won't work." Beodulf said and brought his hand down. The ball of fire dropped. Shit. Shit. Claudia flared her Aura, boosting her ability. She pulled out the amplifying serum from her pocket and injected herself with it while vastly accelerating her movements through time. The world around her slowed to a snail's pace, her Aura burning like a bonfire. She could feel it draining rapidly as she maintained the effect of her ability. Time to move.
She did so quickly, running to grab Jake. To him, Claudia must be like an invisible blur of movement as she put his arms around her, half carrying him, and pulled him out of the blast range. She could extend the effects of her ability to him, but that would exhaust her Aura faster. She knew Beodulf was going to survive the blast, and she needed to stop him. "That damned, crazy bastard." She cursed, running as fast as she could while carrying Jake. The fireball was large indeed, covering almost the entire block. When it lands, it'll probably leave nothing but dust. Luckily, Zale and Maya were already far enough away, they had the good sense to run the moment they noticed the ball of fire forming. Claudia just focused on getting as far away herself.
BOOM!!
The explosion happened the moment she released her ability. The shockwave sent her and Jake flying forward, rolling through the streets. The heat washing over Claudia like a wave. For a brief moment she felt the pain, until her Aura healed her. She got up first, helping Jake to his feet.
"Maybe you were right." He said, coughing. From the looks of it, his Aura must be nearly exhausted. Aura was like stamina, some had more than others and it could be improved with training and exercise. Jake wasn't one for exercise, focusing only on developing his ability, so his Aura reserves were weak. "I'm getting in your way." He added, "Sorry boss."
"Don't need to apologize." Claudia told him, then she looked over to where the fireball had landed. The area was on fire, a section of the street was replaced by a creator. The nearby houses were blown to pieces, the cars were nothing more than a pile of metals. And at the center of the creator, surrounded by fire, stood Beodulf, laughing. Claudia turned back to Jake. "Go with Zale and Maya, get to to Imperial Square and warn the others."
"What about you?"
Claudia looked back at Beodulf. The man was a monster, and no that he was fighting unabated, stopping him will require all the power she could muster. "I'll deal with him." She was fully aware that this fight will be her only fight today. There's no way she'll be able to help Spectre with the assault on Imperium after this, even if she were to beat Beodulf. Unless she could get more serum. "Go, Jake. Now."
"Right. Sorry." Jake took one last look at Beodulf, a bit of worry in his eyes, then dashed off.
Claudia walked the opposite direction, towards the burning crater. Towards her opponent. Beodulf threw his hands to the sides when he saw her. "So you've decided to continue. Bravo, Time Witch." More fireballs, smaller ones, began to form above him. Claudia activated her ability, the world slowing down around her. Again, she was careful not to over use it. Just enough to dodge effortlessly, and land blows without trouble. "Come then." Beodulf challenged. "Let's finish this."