Lloyd walked into his lab, his eyes scanning the room as he made his way to his workbench. Heira was sitting in a corner surrounded by stacks of books and scrolls. She looked up as Lloyd entered, but he barely acknowledged her presence, too engrossed in his own thoughts.
Heira returned to her reading, her eyes scanning the pages with interest. Lloyd, meanwhile, began to make changes to the blueprints laid out before him. He muttered to himself, making notes and calculations as he worked. The sound of scratching quills and rustling paper filled the air, accompanied by the faint scent of ink and parchment.
As he worked, Heira got up and walked over to Lloyd's workbench with a book in hand. She peered over his shoulder, her eyes scanning the blueprints with interest.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice curious.
Lloyd didn't respond, too engrossed in his work. He looked up and began muttering phrases and contradictions to his thoughts.Heira whacked him on the head, bringing him out of his reverie.
"Ow!" Lloyd exclaimed, rubbing his sore spot. "What was that for?"
"You didn't answer me," Heira replied.
"I asked what you were doing."
" And am I obligated to answer? You are a prisoner of war if I recall correctly."
She raised the book and put her hand under it,igniting a small flame.
" And you think that's supposed to scare me? I can always rewrite-" but she turned to the stack of books and sneezed releasing a flare of fire that barely touched the books.
" Ok,ok ,ok!" Lloyd said quickly pulling her away from that direction.
Hiera smiled triumphantly.
Lloyd sighed, returning to his work.
"If you must know, I'm making changes to the inner workings of the train I was about to build. Since they blew up the mine, there's no source of fuel to power it. Kojo did mention that water vapor and sunlight could be used as a power source, but he didn't say how and I would have to wait for the end of the battle to get his thoughts. So, I'm working on it myself."
"A train? What's that,sounds like an interesting invetion" she said curiously. Lloyd glared at her.
"It's your fault that I have to work this hard," he said, his voice gruff. "If you and your people hadn't blown up the mine, I wouldn't have to waste my time trying to find alternative power sources."
Heira looked away as he narrowed his eyes.
" Well think of it this way. If we didn't blow up the mine you wouldn't get the chance to try out this new idea" she said sitting down on the table beside Lloyd, her eyes scanning the blueprints with interest. Lloyd glanced at her, his eyes narrowing. "You're acting awfully familiar for a prisoner," he said, his voice dry.
Heira shrugged, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "There's no use sulking over my capture," she said. "Besides, I'm not going anywhere." She said raising her bangs to show the brand of submission Sharone had placed on her.
" This and there are guards outside, keeping watch in case I try anything funny. Besides it here I get to read all these books ,way better than being on some battlefield risking my ass."
Lloyd raised an eyebrow, his eyes skeptical.
" Acting as if you're not a member of Decorum and since when did Ogres pursue knowledge anyway?"
" There are a lotta things about us you don't know." she replied,her eyes fixed on the blueprints. She carefully studied the sketches, her brow furrowed in concentration. Lloyd watched her, his eyes narrowing. He wasn't a fighter, and if Heira tried to escape, he wouldn't be able to stop her. She could easily overpower him and make a break for it.
But instead of trying to escape, Heira pointed to a problem in the blueprint.
" There's a mistake here.You're letting the steam escape," she said. "Why not redirect it to the back of the train, where it can condense back into water to be used?"
Lloyd's eyes widened in surprise, his mind racing with the implications. "That's...that'....." his voice trailer off as he put his hand on his chin and thought about it.He pulled out a sheet of paper and began to do calculations, muttering to himself as he worked.
Heira watched him, a small smile playing on her lips. She sensed something and raised her head to look out the window as she listened intently. An explosion rocked the distance, causing the room to tremble slightly.
"Sister," she whispered. She clutched her chest, her face going pale.
Lloyd noticed that Heira seemed lost in thought.
"What is it?Dont tell me you're scared. Or perhaps your brain has overheated from making that contribution ?" he asked.
Heira's eyes snapped back into focus, and she punched his shoulder. " It's nothing." she said, then remembering she reached over to take the book she was holding and opened it Infront of him
"I actually came over to ask you a question." She pointed to a diagram.
"What's this?" she asked, her eyes looking up at Lloyd expectantly. Lloyd's eyes followed her finger, and he nodded. "Ah, that..." he began, launching into a detailed explanation of the concept.
***
The battlefield was ablaze with the clash of steel and flames as Hagar and Sasha exchanged blows. Hagar's gauntlets glowed with an inner fire, unleashing waves of flames that threatened to engulf Sasha. But the succubus was no stranger to combat, and with a swift motion, she summoned a portal that absorbed the flames redirecting them to Hagar who dispelled the blast with a wave.
Sasha retaliated with a spatial slash, her sword Durandel slicing through the air with a deadly precision. Hagar leapt back to evade. The slashes were invisible folded space blades. However one who could sense the fluctuations in ambient arcana could pinpoint them. Still that didn't mean anything if you couldn't evade and the attacks themselves traveled at a speed that exceeded sound. Hagar barely managed to dodge but Sasha was relentless, unleashing a flurry of slashes that sent Hagar stumbling backward.
" Is that really the best you can do?" Hagar asked throwing a fire spear.
"Say the one so quick to give yourself over to a weak man." Sasha replied dispelling the attack.
Hagar looked confused. Her eyes flashed with amusement, and she retorted.
" Oh I see. As a succubus, you can sense the subtle energies of desire and lust that emanated from people . I bet my passion for Krone is driving you crazy right now. At least my man is strong enough to satisfy me. You, on the other hand, seem to be missing out."
" Shut up." Sasha teleported behind her. Hagar expected this and from below delivered a kick to the jaw before placing her palm on Sasha's stomach to send her flying back with an explosion.
"It's absurd that you're a succubus but have no experience. You should come over to big sister Hagar," she said straightening and touching her breasts,a smile on her face,
" I'll teach you a thing or two if you beg like a good little girl."
A portal opened under her and she fell through.
"I only procreate with the strong, and I've found the strong one." Sasha said pinching her to the ground. Hagar caught herself and ran towards her.
"I bet your only making excuses." She said jumping up to exchange blows with Sasha in midair. She blocked a horizontal slash and the two dropped to the ground, trying to overpower each other.
" Your man isn't man enough to satisfy you. Maybe you should come over to our side, and we'll show you what a real man looks like." Hagar whispered in Sasha's ear.
Sasha's eyes flashed with anger, and she punched Hagar away. Hagar spun, kicking the sword out of Sasha's hands and raising her fist to follow up with a punch.
Sasha angrily waved her hand unleashed a diagonal slash inches from Hagar that bisected the landscape , sending rocks and debris flying everywhere.
Sasha's voice was cold and deadly as she warned Hagar, "You are in no position to talk about my darling like that, whore."
Hagar's face twisted with rage, and she lunged at Sasha, Sasha called her blade back into her hand while a blade extended from the wrist of her right gauntlet and the elbow of her left.
They clashes causing a tremor that shook the battlefield, their blades clashing in a flurry of steel and flames. The battle raged on, the two warriors exchanging blows in a deadly dance that seemed to have no end.
" Looks like things are getting pretty heated up over there." Kojo said observing Sasha's fight from the distance. Krone's beaten body hanging limply from his left hand.
" Alright,you've watched enough. Come out." Kojo said facing aa point to his left. Someone clapped and slowly materialized.
" Your perception is quite unique. I'm sure I made myself Unseen. I guess I need to work on my Redifinition." Faust's said clapping his hands.
" Hmm" he glanced at Krone's form in Kojo's hand.
" I didn't expect anything yet still I got disappointed." Faust said.
Kojo threw the limp body away and put his hand in his pockets. They stood in silence for a moment, staring at each other.
" Well,then shall we begin." Faust said.
" You sound awfully confident for a plague doctor." Kojo said.
" Well,these are your last few moments to life."
Kojo vanished and appeared at Faust's blindsided claws extended and launched a jab at his temple. It hit an invisible field , sending sparks.
" Hmm,not a bad attempt." Kojo smiled and jumped back pulling out Dragonfang and lunging at him.
" Your better be prepared to back that attitude of yours." Kojo taunted.
" Naturally." Faust replied, raising his hand and shooting blasts of energy from the magic circles behind him.
Kojo jumped over the attacks.
" Ready or not here I come." He yelled slashing him from above.