by R J Triveri
It took him a moment before he could speak as he took in her new appearance. “Are you sure?”
She hesitated for a moment as she brought up her screens. A moment later, her voice quivered. “No, I’m not okay. Everything’s gone. My items, my equipment, my skills! I’m rank one again, and what the hell is a factotum?”
Torrent had gotten Trina to her feet by this point. Athos was not the only one to notice that none of them had changed in the way that Sally had. Despite her injury, the woman couldn’t help but focus for a moment on the younger woman. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head as she looked to the floating corpse of Ioh in the sky. “As I can be.”
In the distance, Wrath waited as a new message flashed to life.
-Attention! World modification complete! Combat will be re-engaged in ten...-
“Sally get behind me until you can figure yourself out,” Athos ordered as the other two came to his sides. Injured as she was and as worried as Torrent seemed to be, there were no arguments out of them. Rain joined them a moment later. The armor’s arm was missing now, but it held its spear in the other hand as if nothing had happened.
-Nine-
“The hell I will!”
-Eight-
“I’m not having this argument with you, Sally. I have to keep you safe.”
-Seven-
She looked at him with disdain as another second passed. “I don’t need to be kept safe!”
-Six-
“He’s right, Sally. Get behind us and get your shit together,” Torrent eloquently added as his sword danced to life. From blue, to red, to orange, before finally settling on yellow.
-Five-
She looked from Athos to Torrent before looking to Trina who simply shook her head. “I’m not going to just stand by and be helpless!”
-Four-
“And I’m not going to let you die.”
-Three-
“You don’t have to let me! Just trust me!”
-Two-
“Will you two quit your bickering! He’s coming!” Trina screamed as she took her stance.
-One-
Without an attack to use, Wrath began charging towards the group heedless of the number. His hands were outstretched like a tank’s barrel, but his speed was significantly slower than when Rain had fought him before. In the same instant, Athos drew Magus forward, Torrent positioned himself with his blade drawn, and Trina steadied herself. With a knowing, but sour expression, Sally got behind the three and began fumbling with her screens as the slowly decaying body of Ioh hovered high above.
-Combat engaged!-
Gladiator
The crowd cheered as the group narrowly avoided the charge of Wrath, not that there was much to cheer about for the four. Athos and Torrent jumped out of the way while Trina took a rather graceful roll for the state she was in. Sally had put enough distance between her and the rest of the group not to be in its way as Wrath skidded to a stop and turned to face the other three.
The voice dripped with malice as it echoed with twinges of metallic wretchedness. “Suffer!”
Its arm cannons rose and aimed towards where the pair of men rolled. Wrath roared out an inhuman cry as the pair of gunned arms cocked. His eyes glowed as the sound of an explosion rang out into the air. The pair only had a moment of notice to escape before a familiar voice approached at a breakneck pace.
“Master Athos!” Rain cried before it threw Torrent out of harm’s way to come between Athos and the ground bursting into a shower of sand, smoke, and fire.
Damage Received - 93% integrity remaining
The shot hadn’t even collided with him, and almost a tenth of his health was gone. Less could be said for Rain. Damaged as it had been, the spiritual armor was now degrading before him in pixelated light.
“Rain!” Athos coughed as the air continued flutter with dust and sand.
Her body shielded them from the worst of the blast. Crouched over him, Rain said no words and made no gestures as it fell to the ground, relinquishing its claim to Athos. In a moment more, Rain shattered as if it had been made from glass. Individual layers could be made out as he watched its form vanish over him. Anger welled in his heart as he got back to his feet, but he did his best to let it go. Athos knew what would happen if it got the better of him again.
Rain isn’t dead, he told himself. It was a pact beast, it could come back whenever he needed it to. Rain was only doing her job…
Taking a deep breath that he knew was a luxury at this point, he examined the situation. Torrent was better off than he was with much more of his bar remaining, but the damage was still damage. Sally was still fine at the edge of the arena, and Trina was stable despite her earlier hit. Things could have been a lot worse. He took another breath, and his mind focused further as Magus took to the offensive with him. The trigger pulled, and his careful aim was rewarded when the trigger let loose a satisfying whoosh of compressed air. To his disappointment, it was answered by a much less desirable ping as it collided with Wrath’s metal flesh. With no health bar to watch, he had no idea whether or not it had done any damage.
To his disappointment, it had at least done something. The dual glowing eyes turned on him exclusively now as the dust settled.
“Shit,” he mumbled under his breath as the ammo recital appeared in his vision again.
(Party) Sally Queen: Get out of the way, dumb ass!
A sharper roar broke the generic cries of the crowd as Wrath approached him intently, aimed at him, and let loose another volley of shots. A handful of shot filled the air and whizzed towards him, something Athos recognized as a move of his own. At that range, the best he could do was put his hands up and cover his face as the impact came.
Damage Received - 82% integrity remaining
Scattershot wasn’t meant to deal a lot of damage, but it could hit a large area.
(Party) Torrent Lase: Why didn’t you dodge?!
It stung like about twenty wasps having free reign on his arms, but it really wasn’t as bad as it must have looked. Shaking it off, Athos got back to his feet in time to see Wrath lowering his head again with those red, soulless eyes still fixed on him.
(Party) Athos Aramis: It was a Scattershot. I wouldn’t have been able to get out of the way without you getting in the crossfire, Torrent.
The legs of the vanguard began crashing into the ground, building up steam, and sending sand and soil into the air as Wrath began his charge once more. The range created a problem as he could just barely get out of the way of the bullet train of a creature.
From out of nowhere, another Scattershot rang out and collided with the sand sending a cloud of it back into the air near Wrath. In the thrown dust, the red lines that spewed from the creature’s eyes were easily visible unlike the source of the shot.
(Party) Sally Queen: Holy shit!
(Party) Trina Rorna: Heads up! There’s something around!
All the while, the crowd was eating it up.
****
Data Extraction: 88% complete
Ferris was forced to watch as her people were forced into a fight that could only have a single outcome. Win hinged squarely on their speed and cunning, and the chance for that success dwindled the longer that Paul, no… Wrath was allowed to get used to his new form and class.
-Isn’t this exciting?-
The Auxi sighed as she looked back at the floating mass of code that was the Unum. She wasn’t nearly as old as some of the AIs that still existed on Incipere, so she hadn’t first hand experienced the events that had led to the Great Hunt. All she knew was the second-hand talk about their split, and how the Unum had ended up banishing Ella from Incipere.
-Are you even watching?-
“I am,” She relented as the numbers continued to tick up on the data extraction while the fight continued to play out down below in the video window.
-Things are about to get more interesting, I imagine.”
The words felt ominous and took her
attention immediately back to examine the massive swell of coding changes.
Data Extraction: 91% complete
****
Athos glanced around from where the shot had to have come from, but all he saw was Sally watching Wrath with an intent glare painting her face.
(Party) Athos Aramis: Keep your eyes open, I don’t see anything.
He shook it off and turned his attention back as the dust cleared.
(Party) Torrent Lase: Same.
The three were now face to face with Wrath, but all the more wary of a secondary attack from behind. Backed into a wall now, the creature seemed to care no more than it did a moment ago. Its hands raised again, its eyes focused again on Athos, and another shot rang out. Another Scattershot filled the air, but the distance was more than enough to disperse the majority of the shot as only a piece or two collided with each body.
Damage Received - 79% integrity remaining
The sting was easily ignored as the three pressed in against the enemy. Gun drawn, Athos switched his ammo. The black ink of Obscurus Arum flew from the barrel with an urgent rush of air. With his skills on cooldown, there wasn’t much other choice than to just rely on good old-fashioned accuracy and passive skills. True to gunner form, the brew shattered against Wrath’s chest, and his eyes went dark with a bellowing roar.
“Torrent, go!” Trina yelled as she saw the red vanish and Wrath start trying to rub the status effect away.
The yellow danced across the runes encrusted into his blade as he picked up speed. “Don’t have to tell me twice.” The words were loud and fast as only a moment later, he brought the sword down on Wrath’s right arm with a cry of, “Elemental Discharge!”
Athos had never seen Torrent use one of his skills in combat. In all honesty, he had thought that it was limited to just a damage boost from the elemental changes and maybe the ability to block attacks with that blade somehow. However, the light that came off his blade when it collided was like watching a lightning strike. Sparks danced across his body as the metal let it flow like water. His scream was like music to Athos’s ear, until the sound of another gun going off shattered it. In the corner of his vision, Athos watched for the moment it took for Torrent’s health took a dive, and the crowd went wild.
“Torrent!” rang out the voices of the party as his armor shattered from the direct impact.
There was no scream as he collided with the ground, no cry of pain as his health continued to drop, down past fifty... Thirty... Stopping just under the twenty percent mark. A Critical Shot maybe? A critical hit, surely. Athos couldn’t begin to imagine what else that monster could be hiding. The alchemical arm didn’t even consider the fact that he had no idea about the rest of the gunner’s abilities. Paul was more or less as high as he could get Athos imagined. What else would he be hiding? He only had time for another thought before he rushed towards his fallen friend.
Trina joined Athos almost as soon as he reached the body, and the eyes of the gunmetal vanguard began to glow red once more.
“Come on, Torrent! Wake up,” Athos pleaded as he roughly smacked his friend’s cheek.
Torrent’s body never stirred.
“He’s been knocked out. Too much damage at one time can do that,” Trina said quickly putting his motionless form into her arms and looking back at the beast. “We can’t keep going like this for much longer.”
The inhuman roar of Wrath was answer enough for Athos. As his cool down ended, another volley of Critical Shot enhanced Pyrothium leapt from the barrel of his pistol and shattered into a familiar ball of molten air around the metal flesh of Wrath.
Each step brought it closer, passing slowly through the flames as the damaged ticked by on it. At least, that’s what Athos hoped had happened as it emerged from the flames.
The cries of the crowd only grew louder as they cheered the beast’s approach to victory.
****
Data Extraction: 95% complete
-Your representatives are losing.-
The Auxi didn’t need to be told twice as she watched the elemental blade go into shock. The five minute stabilization period would be far too long for him to survive what was about to happen. None of them had any smelling salts in their inventories, and her lifeline of assistance was gone with the destruction of Rain.
All she could do is wait and watch.
-If only they knew what they had.-
Data Extraction: 96% complete
****
Shit.
It was a word Athos was starting to get used to more and more as Wrath aimed his eyes towards Trina and launched another strike. Wrath roared as the invisible shot connected with her and Torrent and made them go limp. The sound of the shot was like the rushing air of his pistol, and his friends were thrown to the wind. Trina flew backward with Torrent in her arms, protecting the elemental blade as the pair collided with the wall on the other side of the arena. Wrath turned to him and his metal flecked face grinned dangerously. To Athos’s horror, Wrath was doing nothing more now than playing. His face contorted in pure glee at making Athos’s suffering all the greater. Now, it was his turn.
A few more shots flew from Magus resulted in a few more shots flecked off of Wrath’s metal hide with a soft ping, and the monster kept coming closer.
“Athos!” The voice was metallic, demanding, warped. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to do this to you?”
More shots.
More pings.
“Do you?”
Quickly switching his ammo to whatever came first, Athos let loose a battle cry of defiance. “Scattershot!”
The cheers from the crowd rose as the Pluvias Noxia spread in front of him just as the shot from Wrath had, but the effect was still the same. Gnats to an elephant as he took another step. Standing above Athos, there was little left for him to do as his foot collided with Athos’s chest and knocked him to the floor.
Damage Received - 77% integrity remaining
The red eyes lowered to his chest as his foot held Athos down. The pressure growing by the moment as his hand cannons drew in, close enough for Athos to see his own reflection in the polished black metal. The crowd grew silent for a moment as they watched with programmed, bated breath as the metallic voice demanded their attention.
Damage Received - 75% integrity remaining
“I worried about you. Did you know that, Athos?” Athos could smell the smoke still on the barrel as Trina cried to him in the distance, but it wasn’t enough to stop Wrath’s foot from pounding down on him to punctuate every sentence. “Ever since the day you got out of the dungeon after attacking Lucas, I worried.”
Damage Received - 73% integrity remaining
“I worried about having been so sloppy.”
Damage Received - 70% integrity remaining
“I worried about my superiors would think.”
Damage Received - 66% integrity remaining
“Then there was the public trial…”
Damage Received - 62% integrity remaining
“All because I worried too much!”
Damage Received - 58% integrity remaining
“I’m done worrying now, Athos. This world, this is mine now thanks to an old friend!”
The barrels pressed forward into his chest, and the crowd cheered.
The sound of the guns cocking should have been enough to send Athos plummeting off the deep end into unknowable fear, but it wasn’t. Taking a deep breath, Athos looked down the barrel of the gun pointed at his chest and made a decision. He could only run from fate for so long. He caught a glimpse of Trina, Torrent, and Sally’s status. They were all still alive. He had done all he could this time. There had been no mugging, no knife, no being cheated out of his chance. Athos had taken it and failed.
There was a comfort in that.
What comfort there was to be had didn’t last long though as the barrel began to warm, and a voice broke through the noise of the crowd.
“Get away from him, Bast
ard!”
Sally, rank one Sally, his Sally, was standing behind Wrath with no weapons, no armor, and nothing to her name but a serious chip on her shoulder.
A single thought ran through Athos’s mind, but his voice found it a moment later. “Get away! He’ll kill you!”
Her smile said it all as his attention shifted, but the message that came a moment later was more of a surprise as she held up her hands in front of her. How could he have not noticed she had both again?
(Party) Sally Queen: I’ve got this.
Factotum
Despite the attitude the crowd had only a moment before, a hush fell over the arena as Wrath turned to face the challenging woman. His eyes grew to a deeper red as what sounded like a laugh echoed from within his flesh-iron gullet. “And what are you going to do to make me?”
(Party) Athos Aramis: You’re serious?
As the message hit home, a smile fought across Sally’s face as she watched the monster that was Wrath take another step towards her.
(Party) Sally Queen: I’ve got this. Get back to Trina and help Torrent.
Athos wanted to disagree, but he knew better than to argue or ask as he wormed out from behind Wrath’s attention. Though, he only listened enough not to have her argue. He couldn’t leave her alone with this thing. Paul or Wrath, he was still merciless.
As if following an unspoken cue, Wrath looked from Athos and the others to Sally and made his decision. Athos cared about her, and he could easily wipe them all out. His metal face contorted into a sinister, dark sneer as he raised his barrel arms. Given the chance, Wrath would make Athos suffer. His voice was cold as the metallic laugh echoed through his mouth before the words took form. “What can you do, girl, that they couldn’t?”
Her hands were still raised in front of her as that smile soured into a scowl. “Nothing you haven’t already seen.”
If it confused Wrath as much as it did Athos, it was hard to tell. His hands raised, the bullets clicked in the chamber, and a moment later a gun echoed to the roar of the crowd.