Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 4] Ch. 4 Minerva Unleashed

Minerva

The Rankers formation was totally destroyed by the [Dragons Breath] I cast in the center of them. Malcom had tried to block it with a water barrier because he was still steaming as he pulled himself up, only to find his foot cemented to the ground as he was greeted by a volley of arrows from Rowan. The twins each created a ramp-like wedge and kept low to the ground behind them to avoid being blasted away. Before Daskis could fly away two Hyde clones tackled him and turned into heavy blocks of ice that weighed him down. The big brunt Jakis had been knocked back a little but had shrugged off the attack pretty easily as he tossed around the real Hyde with a shield bash. And it didn't take long for Hade to find himself at the wrong end of the twins' blades who were able to reach him before he fully recovered.

I guess I will have to land eventually and the prone Daskis looked like a good target. I sheathed my sword and cast a simple [exploding palm] to shoot me toward him. He began to panic as he realized what I was doing. He cursed as he chipped at the Hyde sculptures pinning him down and then he tried to throw wind magic at me, but the Skull bone powder and the panic caused his spell to back fire and he grabbed his head in pain.

I cast [exploding palm] on my shield and aimed it at him as I fell from the sky. Right before I hit him the spell caused an explosion between my shield and his face.

That wasn't smart.

I was sent flying away from him until I was awkwardly caught by one of Hyde's clones that took most of the impact by turning into snow when I slammed into the ground the first time, but it didn't help as I continued to roll into the barrier.

I had a moment to catch my breath, but it was then that the Real Hyde slammed into me since he was thrown across the arena.

"Nice Catch." He groaned as he rolled off me and dragged himself to his knees. He had a trail of blood running down his face, and his left arm was hanging limply by his side.

"You too." I groaned as I watched the last flakes of light disappear into the air where Daskis had been only a second before, revealing that he had been claimed by the magic circle that sent students in critical condition to a time locked stasis field in the medical section of the colosseum for treatment. Hade's remnants were also gone and there was no sign Lancaster, but I remember the sight of one of Hyde's clones with him right before dragon breath explosion. He had Lancaster by the collar and was punching him repeatedly in the face so that neither of them could brace for the explosion and they were ultimately lost in it.

Poor Malcom found a sword through the side of his head that Macsen had thrown from across the arena and he disappeared in a shattering of light like a mirror breaking and evaporating. Unfortunately, Gareth and Macsen were focused on the wrong opponent as Jakis' meaty fist back handed Gareth's face which sent him tumbling end over end. Macsen's reaction was a fraction too late as the corner of Jakis's shield met his side. The blow lifted Macsen ten feet off the ground and he was sent rolling when his face ate the dirt.

Seriously, what was Jakis made of!

"Well this is troublesome." Rowan said as he looked around the broken field. He bounced the flat of the sword on his shoulder, but he wasn't unscathed. He had burns everywhere from the fire attacks and three arrows in his left forearm. I guess that's what happens when you don't bring a shield.

Jakis's sword was discarded since the blade had snapped off near the hilt by Hyde's magic. Rowan's bow had been tossed aside since a wind slash had cut up his bowstring. Gareth laid motionless on the ground while Macsen coughed up blood while holding his gut.

"Hmm. I will give you all the chance to surrender. None of you can win against me in the states you're in. I commend you for fighting well." Jakis said, nearly unscathed from everything we'd thrown at him.

We looked at each other for a brief moment. Hyde began laughing as he pulled himself to his feet. Macsen was next as he laughed through the coughing fit and rolled himself to a sitting position. Rowan giggled as he chopped the shafts of the ethereal arrows off his arm, he then coughed up blood and wiped it as he continued to laugh. Even Gareth laughed as he rolled onto his back. There was even a laugh I didn't recognize as Jakis looked at all of us in bewilderment. Then when I touched my face, I realized that it was me.

I think I'm turning into one of these crazy battle nerds... and I don't think I hate it. I rolled to my feet when I realized why we were all laughing.

It was because we all had plenty of fight left in us and it was simply absurd to consider the idea of surrender. Why would we when we could still draw breath?

"Who still has a sword!" Gareth called as reached around the ground. "I dropped mine! Hahahahaha!"

"Not me, I threw mine! How about another shield to prop your head on? A lot of good it did me. Hahahaha!" Macsen called.

"It was a beautiful throw, but what kind of idiot throws a sword?" Hyde chided as he laughed.

"You can't talk when you were thrown like an idiot, idiot." I teased good naturedly.

Rowan checked his sword. "Guys, I figured out my problem. This is a left-handed sword! Who wants to trade?!"

That cracked us all up and Jakis just continued to look at us like we were crazy.

I don't know whether my sides hurt because of how much I was laughing or because my ribs were broken. I did a mental check and luckily my limbs were all fine, but I would fight either way.

"Here, you can borrow mine. I'm going to take a swing at him with my fists." I called as I undid the latch on the belt holding my sword with one motion. It clattered to the ground and my shield was next.

"Thank the stars, because I'm pretty sure I pulled something after I chucked my sword." Macsen chuckled as he painfully rolled his shoulder.

"Be my guest, princess!" Rowan landed on his butt, "I'm going to practice not bleeding out in the meantime."

"Just holler and I'll bite his ankles! Until then, I'll be here until I can feel my brain again." Gareth held up a thumbs up.

"You can't feel what you don't have, so you're probably fine already!" Hyde teased as he leaned against the wall while cradling his limp arm.

I couldn't help but smile and shake my head as I chuckled at their antics. I cracked my knuckles as I approached the brute.

"I'll respect your challenge, Princess." Jakis said as he tossed away his shield. "But you should know that you're at a disadvantage as a battlemage against me."

"Ha! Maybe if that was the only trick up my sleeve. But my father also taught me how to fight. As a Berserker, he held his own against the Sage King of Teagon just fine." I smirked and activated my circulated strengthening, I unlocked that corner of my mind that held my strongest conviction, and unleashed my emotional well of power fueled by my self-loathing and regret. It snapped harshly as I unleashed the floodgates of magic through my body. A magical pulse rippled from where I stood, kicking up dust and cracking the ground under my feet. I could even feel the familiar flicking of my ponytail as the power coursed through me with a euphoric fury as I entered the Berserker Rage.

I think he flinched as I punched my hand and created another mini shockwave. I breathe out to center myself, allowing small amounts of excess magic to manifest as flames leaping from my mouth and steam washing around my muscles where I have focused my magical lines. 

Oh my, Jakis... is that sweat? 

Hee hee heee...

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...I think I smell fear.