In Fairness

Shisa cast another spells lobbing dozens of icicles at the king. Most missed, but a few activated Attack Anticipation forcing him to respond, blocking them with his sword.

“My lady!” Shisa yelled at the cowering girl behind the king. “This way!”

Natalia didn’t move. The words didn’t even register.

“Dammit!” Kagan leapt past Shisa, moving at blinding speed, fist at the ready. His iron fist clashed against the king’s sword, the sword’s steel ringing from the force of the clash.

“Ah,” The Forsaken King chuckled. “The Lion God’s chosen.”

“Always nice to meet a fan,” Kagan quipped. “Roaring Fang!”

With the swing of his right hand, Kagan shot up an enormous shockwave of air that blasted the king backwards towards the ocean. The king landed softly, standing atop the water.

“That skill is Water Walking, huh?" Kagan readied his fists. “Wonder what else he got up his sleeve to make the princess cry like this.”

“My lady!” Shisa rushed towards Natalia. “Are you all right?”

Natalia embraced Shisa, tears flowing down her face.

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,” she cried.

“It’s okay,” Shisa patted her head. “I’m here now.”

“Natalia!” Liandra called out, rushing to her friend as well.

“Her injuries are minor,” Shisa pointed out. “But she’s shaken. I don’t think she can fight anymore.”

“We’ll have to handle this then,” Markus said, appearing over the sand dune, bow at the ready. Zena followed closely behind him. She was already chanting a spell.

“How convenient,” The king said. “I needed to crush all you S ranks for my plan, so nice of you to come forth.”

“It talks!” Zena gasped in astonishment.

“That’s an adventurer,” Markus replied. “Though he doesn’t look like it, be careful, my skill tells me he’s very powerful.” he readied his bow.

Markus’s ranger bow was made of ancient Elwood. It had a beautiful ivory color to it, with an elaborate carving along the wood itself. The string was made of dragon gut, making it virtually unbreakable. He knotted a single arrow, pulling back the string, and releasing. One of the skills contained in the S rank skill Mark of the Wilds is Hunter’s Mark. For one selected target, all attacks will hit, they cannot be avoided, only blocked or parried. This arrow negated the Forsaken’s King’s Missile Evasion, activating Attack Anticipation. He parried, knocking the arrow aside. Markus clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Why don’t you come over here on dry land,” Kagan taunted. “Unless you’re scared.”

The Forsaken King slowly walked forward, a sinister look on his face.

“Liandra,” Markus directed. “He’s far stronger than my skill indicates.”

“I don’t understand him,” Liandra shook her head in disbelief, one of her abilities, Skill Discernment reacting. “He has too many skills.”

“Can you hit him with Divine Intervention?” Zena asked, still casting her spell as she spoke.

“I could,” Liandra nodded. “But it would nullify all your skills as well.”

“Save it as a last resort,” Markus said, notching another arrow.

The Forsaken King rushed forward, aiming at the collapsed Natalia, closing the distance in a short burst.

“Don’t forget about me!” Kagan leapt after him.

Despite Attack Anticipation, the king barely had time to react, the blow of Kagan’s punch slamming him into the ground.

“The Lion God is truly troublesome,” The king remarked.

“Nah,” Kagan landed near him. “Think its just me.”

“Arrogant,” The king sighed, before flashing forward, clashing against Kagan’s claws. “How typical.”

The king broke away, parrying another arrow right before it hit him, only for Kagan to follow up with another strike, landing a hard blow into the king’s stomach, forcing him to his knees.

“He has Attack Anticipation!” Liandra yelled from afar.

“Cursed High Priestess,” the king bellowed.

“In that case,” Markus readied his ability. “Arrow Storm!”

Markus fired an arrow above the king. It exploded, forming several magical circles. The king looked up at it with a curious look. Suddenly, arrows erupted from the circles, hundreds of them. The king dodged, Missile Evasion activating for most of the projectiles, but he was forced to move to avoid the rest.

“Eyes front!” Kagan roared, appearing next to the king and slamming him with a heavy punch.

“Are you ready yet?” Markus asked Zena.

“Almost,” Zena answered in between incantations.

Kagan landed a few more strikes on the Forsaken King’s body, following up with a choke slam, smashing the king into the sand.

“Not so tough,” Kagan bellowed.

“Annoying,” The king stood up, dusting his cloak off.

“Another skill, I'm guessing,” Kagan said.

“Two, actually,” the king replied, holding up two fingers. “Physical Damage Reduction, and Combat Recovery.”

“You’re definitely cheating,” Kagan clicked his tongue, readying another strike.

“As if you aren’t?” The king smirked, blocking another arrow casually with his blade. “Skills by their very nature defy fairness.”

“Save the lectures,” Kagan retorted, slashing at the king with his claws.

“You’re a bit different from the little girl,” the king noted. “Yes. Unlike her, you’ve tasted defeat at the hands of someone more powerful than yourself.”

“You talk a lot, you know that?” Kagan growled, before landing a right hook on the king’s fast. The king just smiled, shrugging off the blow. “Just like that bastard…”

“Struck a nerve, did I?” The king grinned.

“I’m ready,” Zena told Markus.

“Kagan!” Markus yelled, letting loose three arrows in rapid succession.

The king leapt backwards, parrying each arrow with his sword. Kagan roared, slamming into the king and throwing him to the ground before leaping away. Dark, ominous magical circles swirled around Zena as she stepped forward, her wand at the ready.

“Compel Death!” She cast, sending out a beam of dark magical energy.

The beam danced through the air in an erratic pattern, before piercing straight through the king’s heart. He coughed violently, spitting up blood, before tumbling onto his back, dropping his sword beside him.

“Hmph.” Zena smirked. “No blessing can block that spell. Even Anti-Magic couldn’t stop it.”

“Liandra?” Markus turned to the high priestess, keeping a cautious arrow pointed towards the dead king.

“He’s dead,” Liandra confirmed. “His soul has departed his body.”

“Is it over?” Natalia asked, looking up from behind Shisa. She was still kneeling on the ground, hugging her maid’s skirt.

“Boring,” Kagan yawned, plopping down to sit on the sand. “Not even worth the sweat.”

The dark hair elven woman, satisfied with her defeat of the powerful foe, strolled forward, her cloak flowing behind her. She approached the body, ready to observe her work.

“Blade Princess!” Kagan yelled, causing Natalia to perk up. “You were useless! First you get beaten by some nobody, then you pee your skirts facing off against this guy. I’m ashamed to call you an S rank!”

Natalia choked, unable to say anything.

“In fact,” Kagan got up, striding over towards the others, eyes scowling in anger. “I’m going to motion to have you removed from our ranks. I can’t trust someone to the vanguard when the moment they get hurt they start crying!”

“I…” Natalia shivered.

“That’s enough, Lord Kagan,” Shisa stepped between the two of them.

“Yes, quite enough,” Liandra joined in, stepping beside Shisa.

“Doesn’t matter if you defend her,” Kagan spat. “She’s still trash.”

“How dare!” Shisa flared with anger.

“No,” Natalia grabbed her by the arm. “No, Shisa. He’s right. I… I can’t do this anymore. I’m not suited to be an adventurer.”

“My Lady?” Shisa turned towards her in shock.

“Natalia…” Liandra gasped.

“I don’t understand how that guy does this, even though he’s so weak…” Natalia whimpered. “I just don’t have the heart for this. I’m sorry.”

Zena screamed. They all turned, finding her impaled by the blade of the Forsaken King. He grinned, pulling the sword from her back, before slicing her head clean off before her body hit the ground.

“That was indeed troublesome,” He chuckled. “At least she’s been dealt with. Don’t think I could survive another strike like that.”

Kagan roared, leaping towards the king. With a simple sideswipe he slashed off Kagan’s left arm, sending it flying towards the water.

“Now, I stop going easy on you all,” The Forsaken King smiled.