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Sylanwood, Diremaw: The Frozen Slopes: Training room, Time: 1:00 PM
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Amid the struggle with the thunderbird's grasp, James couldn't help but voice his frustration. "Ah! Why did you try to grab me even more when I just transformed?" he exclaimed, attempting to wriggle free.
The thunderbird continued its pecking attempts, causing James to comically shield himself.
Cefie observed the situation with a condescending tone. "You are nothing but a lower species compared to me. You should have undergone enchantment surgery for your body," Cefie remarked, his robotic expression unchanging.
James shot a glare at Cefie, his frustration evident. "I don't take advice from a tin can!" he retorted, his determination unwavering as he continued to struggle against the thunderbird's hold.
James finally managed to break free from Thunderbird's grasp, using his halberd to fend it off. "Ah, finally!" he exclaimed with exhaustion evident in his voice. This whole situation felt like a relentless game of cat and mouse.
Cefie decided to intervene, declaring, "Then I shall demonstrate the power of C.E.F.I.E." Smoke began to emanate from all the pipes on Cefie, the same smoke that had previously separated them. James squinted, struggling to see through the thick smoke.
Before James could react, Cefie slashed away his armor with a sharp claw, creating a spark. Cefie then darted back into the smoke, leaving James disoriented and in pain as he tumbled to the ground.
As he tried to figure out his next move, James muttered to himself, "What can I do?" After a moment's reflection, he made a decision.
"Wetland defense!" James exclaimed, raising a protective barrier of vines around himself to shield against incoming attacks.
Cefie scoffed, "It's useless to fight back," as he darted through the smoke once more, slashing at James. The vines attempted to retaliate, but Cefie's metallic body proved too resilient. He sliced through the vines while attacking James again.
James couldn't help but think, 'Okay, maybe that wasn't my brightest idea,' as he struggled to get back on his feet, all while Thunderbird swooped down to pick him up once more. "Oh my god, not again!" James shouted in frustration.
James found himself once again ensnared by Thunderbird's grip, but this time, he was determined to turn the tables.
As the enormous bird lifted him into the air, James clenched his halberd tightly and aimed its pointed end directly at Thunderbird's eye.
"I won't be your helpless prey any longer!" James shouted defiantly as he drove the halberd into the bird's eye.
Thunderbird screeched in agony, releasing its hold on him. James plummeted to the ground with a heavy thud, but he maintained his grip on the halberd.
"No, you let that thing go, you worthless consumer." Cefie watched in disbelief as their prized creation howled in pain.
Thunderbird recoiled and flapped its wings erratically, trying to shake off the pain from the eye injury.
James didn't waste a moment. With his resolve hardened, he dashed forward and struck Thunderbird repeatedly with his halberd.
"Time for a taste of your own medicine!" James declared as he relentlessly attacked Thunderbird's wings and body. The metallic bird screeched and faltered, unable to withstand the barrage of blows from James.
Cefie realized the situation was quickly deteriorating and couldn't afford to lose their prized Thunderbird.
"Enough of this," Cefie exclaimed, and with a final command, Thunderbird erupted in a burst of electricity, attempting to shock James into submission.
"Oh god!" James realized the impending attack just as the blast covered him, the electric shock coursing through him.
After the attack, James was singed and smoldering as he clung onto Thunderbird, blinking through the smoke.
"Sorry, birdie, for this!" James muttered as he wrapped Thunderbird in vines, the creature struggling to break free.
James began to exert control over the vines, making them slam Thunderbird into a nearby wall repeatedly.
"Get... down!" James grunted with each forceful slam, Cefie could only watch in shock as they witnessed their prized creation getting destroyed.
"Down!" James shouted one last time as he made the vines slam Thunderbird into the wall with a final, bone-crushing impact.
James then jumped into the air and took off the rune, detransforming back to his normal self.
"Solar!" he yelled out as his halberd became enveloped in flames. With a powerful strike, he slashed Thunderbird in half.
Thunderbird let out a loud cry of defeat before the remnants of its body slammed into the ground, twitching and sparking before finally going still.
Cefie quickly rushed to the metallic remains of Thunderbird and retrieved the cartridge, which seemed to be their objective. They inserted it into their metallic body.
"Objective one complete. Onward to complete objective two," Cefie said with determination as they continued their mission.
On the other hand, James found something in his hand after the battle—a new rune from defeating Thunderbird. This rune was different from the others, with a metallic and fluffy appearance, but it still shared the same shape as SwampPurger.
"Ah, Birdie power!" James smiled to himself, recognizing the potential of this new rune.
However, he suddenly realized that he was still airborne and began to fall toward the ground. Panic set in as he desperately searched for a way to land safely without injuring himself.
Thinking quickly, James looked at a nearby wall and dug his halberd into it, using it as a makeshift anchor to slow his descent. With a bit of effort, he managed to touch down safely on the ground.
"Phew, that was close..." James said with relief, but his attention quickly shifted to his halberd, which was now in a sorry state. It was severely damaged and had become quite dull, a consequence of his daring descent.
"You will be terminated, James Woodheart," Cefie declared ominously as they began to transform, their muscles expanding and smoke emitting from their pipes.
"Time for a flight, tin can!" James retorted as he inserted the Thunderbird rune into his halberd.
"T-T-T-THUNDER BIRD." However, as he prepared to transform, he looked at his arm and realized that his leg was transforming instead, a surprising twist in this already chaotic battle.
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???, Jame's Mindscape, Time: None.
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In James's mind, SwampPurger was resting on a meeting chair, basking in the tranquility of the moment. He sipped on his green tea, relishing the quietness and solitude.
"Ah, this is life..." SP muttered to himself, thoroughly enjoying the serenity of the scene. He even imagined the pleasant sound of birds chirping nearby, although the castle's meeting room was devoid of any actual birds.
SP wished he could transform the room into his own personal garden oasis, as he continued to absorb the peaceful ambiance.
However, his reverie was abruptly interrupted by the sensation that someone was approaching.
Suddenly, an overwhelmingly loud voice echoed through the room, assaulting SP's sensitive ears.
"HEY HEY HEY!" The voice boomed, causing SP to clutch his ears in distress.
"Make. It. Stop," he muttered through gritted teeth, unable to bear the deafening noise.
"The new servant arrives to assist the young hero!" The figure responsible for the commotion finally entered the meeting room.
He had a mane of flowing blonde hair with short sides and sported a sleeveless yellow jacket, baggy blue trousers, and purple sunglasses.
"THAT'S ME! THUNDERBIRD!" he declared to the room, although it was just SwampPurger present.
Thunderbird, or TB as he introduced himself, took a moment to survey the rather barren room.
"Wow, this is very hollow, I thought there were gonna be more people," he commented, genuinely surprised. But SwampPurger had had enough of the noise and the intrusion.
"Woah, man! Chill!" TB protested as SP forcefully began shoving him back towards the door.
"I will if your damn loud voice doesn't get out of here in a second!" SwampPurger retorted, pushing TB out of the meeting room.
The wooden door closed behind TB as he was sent outside to assist James.
SP sighed with a sense of relief, having successfully ejected the disruptive visitor. "I have to share the place with someone else..." he mumbled, resigned to the fact that his moment of peace had come to an end.
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