Ella charged first towards the hulking beast, she had to leap into the air to get to eye level before punching the monster.
The phantom was not moved by her attack, it stared her in the eyes a deafening roar escaping its jaws just as it slapped her away.
She slammed into a building, her armor taking most of the damage while she emerged unscathed.
The phantom used this opportunity to charge towards her ready to pounce when Luck intercepted it, putting the full weight of his pure steel staff into the swing, knocking it to the side.
"I don't need your help."
"I'm trying to get home early."
She smiled at his response. "Try to keep up."
The phantom charged straight at the both of them missing them but completely destroying the building behind them.
Ella leaped to the back of the phantom just as it was dislodging its head from the building and punched down on its neck sending the creature down to one knee. But that wasn't enough to bring the beast down.
"There is something strange about this phantom."
"Like what?" Luck asked, dodging a paw swipe from the phantom.
"Although phantoms aren't innately animals they do tend to have behavioral patterns similar to the animals they look like."
"So this phantom isn't acting very cat-like, how will that help us in this fight?"
"Just stay alert." She sneered, angry that her point didn't get across well. "I don't need any loose weight."
She charged forward, knocking back an attack from the phantom and driving her elbow into its head.
The phantom clawed at her but she grabbed onto its fur using it as a rope to launch herself into the air evading its attack and using the force of her descent to slam her heel into its head.
Luck moved forward twirling his staff to give it momentum and then bashing it against the tendons on the leg of the beast but it merely pushed its leg a step backwards, his staff bouncing back.
The phantom was not very fast but it made up for that with its build, it was built like a tank, absorbing every blow they threw at it. Ella seemed to be doing better than him because the energy from her armor poured into every punch she threw.
According to what he heard, some phantoms could hardly be defeated without using enigmas or an enchanted weapon and right now Luck was using neither of those things.
He would have to use his enigma if he wanted to have any chance at defeating it but he was still reluctant.
After all, if they got exhausted they would simply retreat and let Arlder take care of it.
He moved towards the beast skillfully dodging every blow it threw sliding underneath it and jabbing his staff with as much force as he could muster into the beast's lungs, it gasped letting out a wheezing cough and stepped back.
"Your staff isn't even doing anything to it, stop wasting time and pour your energy into that stick."
"This is not a stick! It was a highly refined one of a kind bo staff with intricately designed patterns, not some stick!"
"Oh so it's a glorified sti-." She paused as if she was hit by a sudden burst of inspiration. "Pass it to me."
"Huh?? No."
She walked over to Luck grabbing it with both hands and they both wrestled for the staff, the phantom momentarily confused by their outburst.
"Hey, let go!"
"You were calling it a stick just a moment ago and now you want to steal it?"
"I'm trying to help you! Why am I even wasting time." Suddenly the translucent substance that made up her armor spread across his staff. The sharp spike that popped up at the end made him let go of it on impulse.
"Here," she said tossing the staff to Luck. He twirled the staff, getting a feel of it. The additions were basically weightless.
"This should work," Luck said to himself, with this he should finally be able to do some real damage.
"Be greatful." Two sharp blades emerged from her fists. "I guess I'm going to have to improvise for this fight."
"Shall we?"
The fight was far different from how it was moments ago, they cut right through the monster's skin with ease dancing along its huge body and easily avoiding its blows.
Luck went straight for its legs cutting through the tendons, bringing the beast down to two legs.
Giving the beast no time to adapt to the new turn of events Ella leaped straight for its face and the phantom opened its jaws wide ready to receive her.
Meanwhile Luck was was already running across its back towards its head.
BOOOOOM!!
He landed a blow straight on its head shutting it's jaw and sending its head down a few inches.
"Gotcha," Ella screamed just as she plunged her blade straight into its eyes.
The phantom let out a screech and collapsed to the ground.
Luck slung the staff back on his back, immediately the yellow energy dissipated . "You should have done that from the beginning."
"That is funny coming from you."
"Hmmm, how so?" He asked, staring at the body of the phantom and then turning away.
"You expect me to fight at full strength while you hold back."
"Do you know where Arlder is?" Luck asked, trying to change the topic. He needed a bath and food.
There was a hint of redness on her face before she spoke next. "You got me excited just for a short time and left, I have never enjoyed a fight as much as the one I had with you."
"I choose not to let that side of me out for a reason." Luck began to walk away.
It was getting dark and a soft mist was beginning to spread across the neighborhood making the corpse of the phantom look even more eerie than it already did.
"You are really ungrateful you know, you don't value the gift you have been given."
"Ungrateful?" he laughed. "What does someone like you know about me?"
"Someone like me?" Her eyes boiled with rage.
This conversation was going to get heated if Luck continued and he would probably say things he didn't want to say.
He knew this but he couldn't help himself.
"You've lived your whole life under the protection of the earth clan. What could you possibly know about the things I've faced or the things I've had to do?!"
"So that is what this is about? Why does it alway have to boil down to my clan!"
As she screamed the phantom suddenly rose up behind her stream pouring out of its maws as the fog around us thickened.
'Something is wrong.'
The phantom appeared in front of him in a blur slamming him into the air, Ella gasped as she watched him go up.
Something was definitely off, It was moving far faster than before and its movements were completely different. Almost…
"Cat like, the phantom has awakened."
Ella's armor took place covering her chest and her arms, she braced herself peering into the fog, a futile attempt to try and locate the beast.
'She was still not going to go all out?'
Luck landed hard, rolling on the pavement to reduce the impact, and before he could properly gain footing the phantom appeared behind her, its jaws wide open.
She noticed it far too late, its jaws were nearly around her and Luck who just managed to get on his feet was sprinting towards her.
Her armor could definitely take the force of the bite, the problem was that her head and legs were completely exposed.
Luck was not fast enough to reach her on time and she would not be able to evade it in time.
'Damn it, where is Arlder?'
At this point had no choice, if he did nothing Ella would be seriously injured, that is if she managed to make it out alive. His enigma was the only thing that could save her now.
'I have to use it!'
"Number 2."
The smoky aura began to emerge from his body, that old familiar feeling strangely bringing both comfort and discomfort as cold hands embraced him from behind.
'My old friend, how have you been?' Luck thought to himself.
He traced my hand in the air a white blade forming through the paths he artistically drew until it ended at a purple hilt.
Luck swung the sword in her direction as she stared at him, her eyes wide at the sight.
WHOOOOOOM!!
The jaws of the beast tore open the slash cutting through its mouth and body, splitting the entire thing in half and bathing them both in blood and gore.
He flexed the sword in his hand, it had been a long time since he last felt this sensation, a smile was creeping on his face as he let the sword dance along his fingertips before sheathing the blade.
'Ahh it feels good to let it all out once in a while.'
–
"Luck?" Came a familiar voice from beside him.
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[A/N]
Expect Two chapters each day starting from tomorrow!
You guys have finally gotten to see a glimpse of Luck's Enigma, what do you think his enigma really is?
Ohh and by the way I am contesting for the WSA2024 your votes and support is highly appreciated!
Send the Power stones Send the comments pleaseeee!