P70 - Reflective Inferno

The announcer's voice echoed through the massive coliseum, each syllable brimming with excitement.

"Next up--God Division Four versus NovaTerra Group Three!"

The crowd erupted as LuLu, Abstra, Rez, Tyrant, and Beau stepped into the arena from the east gate. LuLu's ArchAngel form already cloaked her in Divine-Darkness, her eyes glowing crimson as her Nightfall's Fury Scythe, hummed with Dark-Energy. Rez walked calmly, adjusting the glowing shards of crystal orbiting him. Abstra, her starry hair flowing behind her, conjured sparks from her fingertips. Tyrant slung his Tesla-gun over his shoulder, nodding once to the crowd. And Beau, staff in hand, had an odd serenity about him--calm, yet quietly resolved, with him pushing up his glasses.

From the west gate emerged Sol, Somnus, Plouton, Salus, and Momos. Sol's footsteps scorched the ground; she needed no weapon--just her hands and the furnace of her soul. Somnus, half-asleep, floated lazily with his feathered wings barely flapping. Plouton wielded a shimmering black staff, encased in spectral chains. Salus, with her hands glowing, kept close behind, radiating radiant support. Momos, giggling maniacally, spun in place, his shadowy aura pulsing.

In the NTG lounge, Rikushi sat forward, arms crossed, eyes glued to the screen. He knew something was coming--something catastrophic.

LuLu led her team, barking orders. "I'm the frontline. Rez, Abstra, stay behind me. Tyrant, stay back and support from the ranged area, Beau... do what you do best, K?."

As the bell rang, LuLu vanished into shadows. 'Umbral Barrage'. She blinked behind Plouton and slashed once, disappearing before he turned around. Her voice echoed as 'Driving Spirit' activated. Plouton's armor was shredded in moments, forcing him to his knees.

Sol raised her hand. A massive fireball formed mid-air. Before it could detonate, Rez mirrored it away with a shout. The redirected explosion lit up the edge of the arena. "Fighting fire with fire, huh?" Rez quipped to Abstra.

Abstra rolled her eyes and unleashed an arc of fire that met Sol's second blast, neutralizing it. LuLu activated 'Darkened Shroud'--black wings expanded behind her, her scythe lengthened with a second blade, and her speed and strength doubled. She blurred toward Salus and unleashed 'Shadeburnt Mend', slicing three times before vanishing.

Tyrant smirked in the back. "Crazy to think I was her target when she was a hitman" he muttered.

Beau laughed faintly while pushing up his glasses. "Now, you're cheering her on."

Suddenly, an enormous explosion lit up the middle of the arena. Rez shouted, "I CAN'T BLOCK OR MIRROR HER MAGIC, IT'S TOO POWERFUL!" Smoke filled the sky. LuLu's body flew out of the fireball's heart, smoke trailing her. Moments later, Abstra followed, crashing beside her.

Tyrant stepped forward, raising his Tesla-Gun. "TESLA ARMORPENETRATION!" A massive beam lanced through the smoke, blasting Plouton off his feet. But Somnus dashed from above and drove Tyrant into the wall with supersonic force.

Beau gasped and raised his staff. 'Cosmic Divine'. Healing magic rained down, restoring LuLu and Rez's wounds. He collapsed, with his mana depleted.
((Writer's Note: Beau has very low Mana))

LuLu stood, glowing and furious. Her wings spread wide, and she chanted:

"For every scream in the dark, I command you to echo it back tenfold... Nocturne Requiem."

Ten scythes of shadow materialized, circling her. She soared into the air, striking Salus and killing them with all 10 scythes.

Rez fired mirrored crystal beams at the smoke. Momos's laughter cut through the chaos as he returned fire. Somnus zipped across the battlefield, slamming into LuLu mid-flight. Momos joined, dark magic cracking her ribs and shredding her wings.

Only Sol, Momos, Somnus, Rez, and LuLu remained.

Rez gathered every crystal he had. Sol's final fireball formed--massive, glowing like a sun. Rez mirrored it once... then again... and again, and kept at it--for over thirty times, each bounce adding unstable energy.

"LU-LU! GET DOWN!" he screamed, pointing at the ground.

In the moment of stillness, a flashback appeared--Rikushi telling him:

"If you're gonna lose, make damn sure they lose too. Mirror their Magic until unstable levels, even if it kills you too."

Rez shouted, eyes glowing:

"IF WE CAN'T WIN--THEN NO ONE CAN!"

The final mirrored fireball struck the ground. The explosion shattered the arena shield--again. The audience gasped as light and fire devoured the battlefield.

Silence.

Then the smoke cleared...

Both teams lay still.

LuLu, Momos, Sol, Somnus, and Rez... all laying down, burnt, and motionless.

The announcer's voice cracked with disbelief. "Both teams have been eliminated. Nova Terra Gang Three... and God Division Four... are defeated. A double loss! Petra moves up by default."

Rikushi sits there while he whispers "you did good Rez. You. Did. Good."

((Writer's Note: The Series will take a small break until 'Round 2' of the 781 Arena Games, on July 18th.))