Book 5. Chapter 18: Blood / Ophelia - Clash of Champions Pt. 3

Book 5. Chapter 18: Blood / Ophelia - Clash of Champions Pt. 3

Blood continued facing the swarm of reptiles, and it was like it never ended. They had torn off hundreds of parasites at this point, and landed many blows against the disgusting flea.

It was difficult because it healed from the parasites it controlled. The living dinosaurs with their auril energy made the monster nearly invulnerable.

They ended up having the saved dinosaurs flee, convincing them to not aid them in the battle. The dinosaurs became a detriment in facing the Loviatar Champion, and many of the parasites switched to an undead version.

It drained the life force from its allies as it filled them with pestilence, releasing even more of its terrible blight.

While they would have their own force of dinosaurs, it appeared the flea simply used even more of the creatures to meet with good dinosaurs in combat when Berri started countering with her censer.

Bree and The Garuda helped her keep the area somewhat clear of encroaching dinosaurs, but even they couldnt get too close to the flea without being harmed by its disease aura.

Jake could invest more mana into the summon to push it through that area on the offensive, but with his focus split like this, the Garuda fought much more defensively.

Blood and Berri had both dumped their best abilities on the boss in the beginning, only to find that this was more of a marathon fight. It now ran from her with large jumps, and all she could do was to prevent it from heading toward one of her allies.

Where did that boar go, anyway? Checking their bond, it looked like it may have gone to help Fhesiah instead.

Berri was livid. Grrr, leaving us with this gross bug! Ill make them both pay!

How will you make them pay, dear sister?

O-Of course, theyll play baseball with me!

So you finally admit that playing it is more or less punishment?

They fought through the dinosaurs, swiping through parasites once more. She managed to blitz through the disease aura and smash into the stupid flea several more times. She tried to capture it with her tail, but each time she did, it would leap away and escape.

Bloodberri was able to follow thanks to her own leap and glide, but she was always playing catch up with the creature.

Blood shook her head. Its clearly baiting us or delaying us, sister. I just dont see what we can do unless we can catch it.

It had shrunk and weakened significantly now, but she was running low on Mana. Despite her technique being highly efficient and her attack highly effective, she had used too much of it.

Something shifted, and the runes on Bloodberris body lit up. They sensed that Fhesiah had won her battle, as a result of Bree aiding her.

Berri made a pleased sound. Oh! Theyre removing the stakes. Thatll help.

Bree entered the clearing, and joined the fray with the Garuda once more. The flea was again on the retreat, but it appeared it was running out of parasites to draw from.

The sisters did their best to make the flea take damage before it escaped, but it felt like they were running on fumes at this point.

It was then that various powerful entities entered the clearing.

There were five undead beastkin filled with negative life energy, that they recently learned was called nethril. Then, there were several large dinosaurs using the same.

Berri groaned. Why did they wait to bring those guys out? Now I have no energy left!

Blood sighed. I think you just illustrated why, dear sister. That, or maybe it requires more effort to drive or control these creatures.

The final stake was destroyed, the runes on their armor lighting up to their normal level.nove(l)bi(n.)com

The Garuda and Bree both rushed the dinosaurs, leaving the beastkin for Bloodberri.

Thanks to the practice throughout this fight, Berri and Bloods coordination was fantastic. The runes on their body left light and dark behind in their movements, weakening the nethril warriors.

Her snake body swayed and danced, as she cut into the creatures. The disease aura from the flea was released, which seemed to empower the nethril monsters. Her slashes and smashes knocked the undead beastkin back, but their energy prevented them from taking serious wounds.

It even protected the parasites on their backs, allowing the unliving creatures to heal themselves.

Despite ones rib cage being crushed, it was like its body kept going. It didnt require its organs as it was not alive, and it countered Berris smash with a thrust of its spear into her side.

The attack held a fair amount of power, but only bruised Bloodberris skin beneath her empowered armor.

The undead beastkin were at the auril hero level. They must have been seeped in the nethril area, raised from the dead and controlled by the parasite.

Individually, Blood didnt think they were that strong. But enhanced by its disease aura, and since they were low on resources, she didnt think this would be easy.

Berri was pissed. This fucker! Ill make this guy pay. Line them up for me, sis!

Berris plan was strange, but Blood complied. The several nethril beastkin swarmed around her, but she swayed and swirled her tail around, knocking them back.

Blood floated their cannonball-like baseball with her [Telekinesis], and the runes on their body lit brightly.

Berri smacked it with her maul with all her strengthat the ugly flea.

With a giant crack, the ball smashed into the flea, the creature giving off a pained scream as it was knocked off its strange leaping legs and into a tree.

One after another, each ball joined the first, ignoring the annoying nethril warriors. Bloodberris body swayed in a dizzying array of spirals as they shifted around their holy light and dark mana, empowering their movements and restricting their enemys.

Floating the balls to the appropriate points, she was able to swing in between their movements.

The flea tried to leap away, but Berri continued to hit them with fervor, knocking the creature over as quickly as it could get up. Meanwhile, they moved ever closer, while dodging and restricting the enemies that tried to stop them just the same.

They had wanted to use this strategy before, but there were simply too many dinosaurs and trees in the area. Now that they were down to just a handful of enemies that they could manage, it was enough for them to go for the kill.

Blood and Berri surged for the flea, the two scrounging a little of their remaining mana for one more spell. Together, the two cast Jakes Runic Shackles spell, tinted with Bloods Holy Dark mana.

It sprung from beneath the creature, wrapping around its body.

The lightning struck him in the back, and this one was empowered by Hestias flames. The integrity of his bodys markings shifted, and his power decreased as his body shrunk slightly to repair the damage done.

But he roared, sending Ophelia through the air with a wave of malicious energy. Catching herself with her Technique, she easily righted herself and blurred back into the melee with the Enforcer.

The fight went on, the back and forth continuing. Ophelia and Hestia working together to fight against the Enforcer, barely able to chip away at the enemy.

Ophelia had difficulty protecting against the Enforcer, but where she was put into trouble, Hestia covered her shortcoming with a well-timed block. She was starting to get used to the powerful combatant, and Hestias aid.

The enforcer backed off slightly, and shook his head. One down, and the other will fall soon. Useless allies. He looked over Ophelia. You are a powerful warrior. You would be strong and stand above many others, should you continue to grow. But millions of warriors like you are born every day, only to be slain for food for Tartarus. You will be no different.

Ophelia smiled. But youre here, arent you? Youre proof that youre worried; that we will be more.

The warrior charged once more, and Ophelia met him with her Hearthblade. The powerful resonance with [Retribution] appeared to enhance its effectiveness, increasing her reach and power she could bring about.

Even though the warrior had powered up, she felt like she could now keep up with him. He was fast and powerful, but Ophelia kept her movements minimal, Hestia covering for her.

Bursting forward at inopportune moments, she was able to score a few more cuts along his body.

It was like scraping a metal wall, but Hestia and her Hearth within her shield aided in her protection. Using [Vajra Strike] when it was available, the effect of the spell was far greater in the Avenger state.

Despite facing the terrible foe, Ophelia felt at peace. She felt a calm reassurance that Jake would win each battle and join them. That if she continued to defend against this enemy, he would never let her down.

She counted on her sister-wives strengths as well. Ophelia had confidence that Bloodberri, Tanda, and Fhesiah would win their battles too.

Jake and Tandas battle came to its conclusion, and the Enforcer roared. The scripts on his body lit up further, and he surged at Ophelia with terrible purpose. He swung his axes with fury, and she could tell that this time, it would not stop just after two attacks.

She pushed more flames into Hestia and fought back. The axes were deflected by Hestia or Ophelia one after the other, his assault frenzied. Despite the attacks malicious and driven by rage and fury, the skill in seeking a deadly blow was difficult to contain.

Ophelia shifted the trajectories with each attack, biding her time as she countered with her thrusts and slashes of her halberd, Hestia doing the same with her spear of golden flames and lightning.

The dark warrior was strong and fast for his size, but Ophelia was finding where she was faster. The problem was that he was speeding up, getting stronger.

A fiery golden arrow slammed into the warriors arm, a giant wolfs bite taking a chunk of stone out of him. Tanda flew into the clearing, releasing shot after shot at the dark warrior. Ophelia pressed her attack, cutting into his body as Tanda released her arrows into him.

From behind the Enforcer, came a beam of fiery light from Jakea [Scorching Ray]. It slammed and burned into the warrior, carving off many scripts at once. The warrior turned, and leaped at Jake.

Ophelia activated [Intervene], blitzing through the air in a near blur of light. She speared the dark warrior from behind with great momentum, shoving and causing him to sail past Jake and slam into a tree. The tree shattered as the warrior careened through the air, but two waves of axe blades were sent at Jake.

More arrows struck him before he even hit the ground, and Hestia blocked the axe waves heading for Jake with her shield.

The fight was looking good, though Ophelia was getting relatively low on energy. She had expended much to maintain her Valkyrie Champion ability, as it was the minimum requirement to face the enemy.

The enemy was looking a little smaller. When they carved off stone, it shrunk his body. However, there was a foreboding feeling that wouldnt go away. This fight was not going as well as she thought.

Hestias spoke from within the shield. [Thats right. He hasnt used his Divine Energy yet.]

The Enforcer chuckled darkly. Figure it out yet? I wonder, have you noticed something else? Why didnt you get any Divine Sparks when you slayed those Champions?

Ophelia, Jake, and Tanda all blanched.

He continued, his voice beginning to twist in malevolence, Defeating those weakling doesnt matter, it was within the plan from the beginning. Because when there is an Enforcer present: Winner. Takes. All.

A wrongness pervaded the clearing, the powerful malevolence wafting off the terrible Enforcer in waves. It twisted Ophelias stomach and even slammed into her mind, a mounting terror far above the Champions they had faced.

The Enforcer morphed and twisted, drawing upon his Divine Energy. He didnt call on Tartarus, he became it. Where his body was made out of obsidian stone, he grew flesh of a darkened color. Arms grew out, making him have a total of six.

The axes grew in size, along with him. A terrifying face, with a large mouth with countless teeth opened within his chest, and his body was filled with a black energy. The same terrifying energy he would charge and attack with his arms filled his entire body, the scripts and runes covering him lighting up.

Hestia exited the shield, to float next to Jake. Raising his Champions staff, he sent his remaining Divine Energy to her, along with much of the girls overall reserves.

Hestia even drew some Divine Energy from them over [Energy Sharing]. They had been gathering the energy for a time, but were unable to call upon their Divine as they had not completed their Trial.

She noted that Hestia was still being conservative about this, likely saving enough for them to call on themor, she was otherwise limited.

Tanda landed near, her [Cyclic Resonance] reaching its maximum. She prepared her final attack, ready to punish the wicked once more.

The runes on their armors all brightened, a result from Fhesiah finding more of the stakes.

Ophelia dumped as much mana, health, and stamina into generating another Hearth of Hestia and dropping it into her shield. Jake joined his copy along with hers.

The Enforcers mouth opened, charging a powerful attack. Evil energy surged through his body, as Hestia prepared a flame in her hand. The beam from the terrible monsters mouth was released first.

Ophelias shield slammed into the beam first, filled with righteous flames. It formed a powerful sacrificial barrier, and Ophelia added as much to the construct as she could. Weakened, the barrier eventually gave way.

As the beam continued, Hestia blazed her own Scorching Ray. It met the beam and burned into it, sending waves of heat into the forest. Tanda pierced forward, her spear of golden light piercing through the flame and the beam in kind.

The two attacks coalesced together, piercing through the evil beam of energy. When the golden beam got close, the two axes wielded by six arms slammed into it. The massive monster was blasted back through the air, the beam of golden light only cutting into what would be his shoulder, removing two of his arms on one side.

Hestia looked over at Jake, Tanda and Ophelia with pride and confidence. This is as far as I can continue. The Enforcer is alone, but you are together. Stay strong and you shall win.

She turned into a flame and entered Jakes Champion staff. Fhesiah or Dave removed the final stake, their runes finally brightening to their maximum.

Bloodberri now fought her final battle with the Garuda and Bree helping, and Jakes party was now low on everything.

Thankfully, now that Tanda was stronger and raised her mastery with the ability, her attack did not completely weaken her. She could still fight, though she was definitely not at her maximum.

Jake called Fhesiah to their side using [Call Summon], making it four against one. She was absorbing some Qi energy crystals and even some which contained her bloodline energies.

The creature stood, and Ophelia thought it had become smaller. It had regrown its arms, but this had a cost. The Enforcer roared.

It was time for the final battle.