“Arte - Stone Barrage!”
“Arte - Volcanic Force!”
The duration of a fight between Pathseekers varied greatly.
There was the short one, like what Ciel did against the six Level 4 cultists. By soul searching the dead cultists, Viers got the picture of what happened and much more.
Some fights ended swiftly because of an overwhelming difference in strength, or if it didn’t, both sides fought with their all. High-Level Pathseekers could move very fast, trading powerful offense and defense in a blink. Their capability of inflicting damage or destruction was very high at Level 4. Even if one side didn't want to, if the other was fully committed, they had to step up their game or die.
Ciel was victorious but not without paying a price on her part. Her damage was serious.
At least she didn't use the Divine Sword. There’s heavy damage and there’s shaving away your life. Better not doing it since there are repercussions. Well, unless you’re someone with special something like me.
“Arte - Soil Liquefaction! Groundslider!”
“Arte - Rage of the Deep Earth! Mercean Swiftwind!”
The opposite of short fights were long fights. This could still happen no matter how strong the combatants were. There were two examples going on right now: Farley’s dragon slaying party and the fisticuff between Ciel’s dad and the Empire’s Level 5 above the sky of this flying fortress.
Farley was holding back a tide of monsters and holding was her aim in the first place, but Duke Valentine was either fighting someone so closely matched in strength that the fight dragged on, or both sides were not willing to fight with their lives on the line. It might not be to the level of blatantly holding their punches but they might fight more cautiously, take fewer risks, and not use their high-end Artes.
Perhaps they were simply chipping away at each other's Victa reserves for now, perhaps they were waiting for the battlefield’s situation to change, or for any other reason.
Some fights could last for hours, days, or even longer as long as they had enough Victa to burn. Viers had examples of this in his Fables and there were actual records from the magical world he got himself into.
“Arte - Geo Monolith! Rockboa Create!”
“Arte - Earth Tear! Magma Tyrant!”
Boram and Theus’ fight was somewhere in the middle. Not a speedrun but not a marathon either, but Viers could see they were nearing an end.
It wasn't about their affinity, not about Boram’s basic earth being inferior to Theus’ magma or vice versa. As it always had been, it was about the people themselves.
The fight itself was something that he’d seen thousands of times. The half-blood commoner protagonist had the upper hand at first, then the duke’s son antagonist pulled something to turn it around. Then Boram showed another card up his sleeves to one up Theus. It worked for a time until Theus pulled something from his ass to gain the advantage once again.
And round and round they went.
It was the skeletal frame of every fiction action scene, from mangas, novels, games, and even movies. The seesaw between protagonist and antagonist was there so the real-life consumers found the story gripping, exciting, and intense.
That said, despite Viers seeing it coming from a mile away, he didn't find Boram’s fight dull or repetitive.
Even with the same formula, John Wick's gun-fu scenes weren't boring to Viers’ eyes. The chapters against Muzan in Kimetsu no Yaiba, Viers enjoyed those greatly.
It wasn't limited to battles. Sports stories made the back-and-forth element a must, the chief offenders, but even then... Soccer matches in Blue Lock could make him read at the edge of his seat and Slam Dunk was a masterpiece.
At the end of their bitter-turned-fatal rivalry, Boram came out slightly ahead. Viers wasn't sure how it would actually end up. To his eyes, the two were almost even. Their bases were almost the same.
Theus had the backing of the duchy, and Boram had Viers. They both had learned in the same academy albeit in different courses. The environment and opportunities to grow were not too distinct.
After witnessing their match, Viers could place three reasons for Boram's victory.
The first was Boram’s ambush. Because of circumstances, Theus had eaten a couple of clean blows from Boram, suffering damage before the battle between them started.
The second was the unlike Theus who looked down on Boram, Viers’ disciple had been sharpening his killing blade throughout the Grand Prix, waiting for the one chance to end the scion of Mercea Duchy. The difference was the focus.
The third was because Viers made Boram study the hell out of Theus. With his info-gathering skills, he was able to create a virtual Theus. Viers made it as close as the original with the intel he had and had Boram fight it.
In short, Viers made Theus a Dark Souls boss that Boram could repeatedly pummel and master.
And no, Viers didn't think it was cheating. It was the same case as a student studying before a school test. Viers’ logic was flawless!
But credit where credit was due, Boram had to use a few of his trump cards such as his gigantification and using the power of his arcana card but, in the end, Viers witnessed the fruit of Boram’s labor: Theus kneeling before Boram because of his wounds.
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“This...cannot be. How?” Theus said in disbelief. More to himself rather than to Boram.
Seeing his disciple do well in an important fight in his life, a surge of pride welled up from inside Viers and his lips curled up into a smile.
Should Boram lose, Viers had no objections to stepping in and killing Theus himself. He had no moral baggage preventing such actions, he played GTA, KCD, and a lot of other games as a renegade and criminal. In fact, he’d ended dynasties and uncountable lives for his Domination Victories in Civs. Why would he be squeamish about one guy?
Since that face-slapping at the Emerith Grand Ball, Viers wanted Theus dead as much as Boram.
With the lesson that Viers repeatedly knocked into Boram’s head. He didn't gloat before his enemy was utterly and completely dead. With only icy stares to give, Boram raised his hammer.
***
Ugh... So strong...
Croix knew he had been defeated but didn't know how it happened. His whole body ached and his right leg was probably broken. His head was also bleeding, the blood loss made him feel lightheaded.
Without a 100% clear mind, he saw the current state of the battle.
The red-eyed guy who defeated him was now toying with Celestine. He didn't defeat her outright like he did to him. How long he lasted, Croix had a spontaneous small thought. Three seconds? Five? Whatever the case, the guy with red eyes didn't finish off Celestine right off the bat.
Whether he was playing with his food or Celestine being a rare Space Pathseeker piqued his interest, Croix had no idea. Celestine put all she’d got against the stranger but he fended all of her Artes with ease.
The spatial rent that cut a man in half? Missed. The spatial barrier? Broken. Forceful teleportation? Ineffective.
Solany Lucan, Celestine’s teammate and Duke Lucan’s daughter, was also defeated. Since she kept interrupting the stranger when fighting Celestine, he sent a fireblast at her. Croix didn't know if Solany was alive or dead.
Falmerion, even after Croix used the Dragon Evolution Arte on him, was kept busy. The red eyes guy conjured a similar-sized monster of darkness. Through the broken ceilings and walls, Croix could see how the two duked it out, their steps and powers created terrible tremors and ear-shattering sounds.
Before the coming of the red eyes guy, the main power source room was a heated battlefield between the strike team of Latias Kingdom and the Empire’s defenders. Now, most of the fighting had stopped. The stranger was ruthless and killed many, on both sides!
Commander Birsk was among the dead.
At first, the red-eyed stranger only fought Croix and his allies. After defeating them with ease, Commander Birsk who seemed to know him started giving orders. The stranger refused and there were arguments between the two before falling out.
The battle happened in the Imaginary Domain, but many Harkelan soldiers died before the Domain battle began. It didn't take long, less than five minutes after, the Domain’s black boundary came down and spat out a dying Commander Birsk. Croix could only imagine what happened inside.
Before Birsk died, he used the last of his strength, including the dead ice dragon’s soul, to cover the main power source with the strongest barrier he could, showing his loyalty to the Empire’s cause as a soldier. The stranger only gave the icy white barrier with a dragon’s shadow a passing glance before shifting his attention to Celestine.
Croix told her to run away earlier when she had the chance, but she used the time to heal her dragon instead and most likely saved the black dragon’s life. Croix might have done the same in her shoes but the situation remained bleak. All their lives were like a candle before a hurricane.
“Hmmm... I think I’ve seen enough,” the stranger said. “Last test.”
He packed in more force in his latest Arte than any before. A blade of pitch black with an ominous aura was swung at Celestine. Croix’s half-sister faced it with grim determination. She was at the end of her rope.
“Princess!”
Croix heard Solany’s voice. He feared for Celestine’s life.
“Wait! Fight me instead!”
Croix’s voice fell on deaf ears.
But the stranger’s killing stroke failed to meet its mark. Celestine was gone.
“Oho, not bad,” the red-eyed stranger smiled and turned his head to the side.
Croix never saw the man enter the room. What he knew was that the man moved so fast, scooped Celestine into his arms, and moved her out of harm’s way.
“Sir Stratos...” Celestine said weakly to her savior.
“My Lady, Words cannot express my regret of taking this long to find you,” Stratos said with gentle concern. “It’s all right now. You’re safe. I swear it.”
“I’ll... be counting on you then.”
“Aye. On my life.”
Celestine was well enough to stand so Stratos put her down before facing his foe.
“...The sin of injuring Lady Celestine is grave,” Stratos said with a threatening voice. His Victa was like a volcano about to erupt. His anger was genuine and unbridled.
“Now you, you seem to be the main dish. Good. I've had enough appetizers. I knew coming to Latias was the right choice. My name is Red Eyes. You’ve earned it with your strength. Name yourself, Latias knight.”
Stratos’ sword of lightning clashed with a blade of darkness.
“Stratos Gaelos! The name of your last foe on this earth!”
“Kakaka! We shall see.”
They were fighting with their Level 4 might. Croix and the rest were trusted into a storm before Stratos forced Red Eyes somewhere else. The sounds of their battle continued.
The room turned silent as if the storm had passed.
“Princess, are you okay?”
“I’m okay, Solany. I’m so glad you’re alive. Serena, oh you poor girl. Thank you for protecting me. You’re a brave, brave girl.”
Celestine, Solany, and Serena joined together.
“Grururu...”
Someone visited Croix too. Falmerion lowered his head through the destroyed roof, showing concern for his Croix. He was being careful with his big size.
“I’m okay. Good job against the shadow monster,” Croix touched Falmerion’s snout.
While Red Eyes was busy with everything else, Croix had recovered enough to be able to stand. “Urgh. There’s still work to be done.”
Limping, he walked to Celestine.
“Brother,” Celestine said.
“Sister,” Croix greeted back. We have to finish this. I need your help.
“The power source,” Celestine knew what he meant immediately. Even though Red Eyes defeated Croix and the rest of the strike team, he’d done so by the defending Empire’s forces too.
Now only the barrier that Commander Birsk cast with his last breath stood between them and the glowing pillar.
“But the barrier,” Solany tied bandages over Celestine’s wound. “It's so strong. Perhaps the dragon was Rank 5 before its death.”
“The barrier is made and powered by a dragon. The commander only put it in place. What dragons create, dragons can destroy,” Croix said with a firm voice. “But Falmerion and I can't do it alone. I need your help and Serena’s.”
Celestine looked at his eyes and then at the white-icy barrier. There was a moving shadow of a dragon on the barrier’s surface.
“Perhaps Sword Saint Fleur has foreseen this. What dragons create, dragons can destroy... Very well, brother. Let us put an end to this.”
Wounded and exhausted, the dragon prince and the dragon princess walked towards the barrier side by side.