Specterveil vs. The Psywyrm

Kaito opened his eyes, a gasp escaping his lips. Sunlight pierced his vision as he raised a hand, some of it slipping between his fingers in little blades.

His hand. It was no longer the cybernetic mess he had moments ago. It was bigger, gauntleted in grey and dark-orange metal. His ears rang with silence, the sunlight warming his skin.

We’re in.

His heart jumped as something smashed into the ground, dirt and grass showering over him, clanging and bouncing off his armour. He grit his teeth, forcing himself to sit up as more sounds flooded his ears.

Soldiers streamed past him on either side. Their footsteps were like the rumbling of thunder against the grassy plane, their voices a storm of shouts and screams.

The scent of blood and smoke filled his nose as he scanned the terrain—trees, tall grasses, bush and boulders scattered around—until his gaze settled on a creature that towered over the landscape. Its shadow engulfed the hills and trees around it, turning them to play things on a green carpet.

It had the head of a cobra, its open hood swirling and dancing like water currents. Where a mouth should’ve been were a series of holes in the blue-green flesh, each one periodically radiating a yellow luminescent glow; the same colour as its four eyes.

Psywyrm.

Theorized by the scientists of Cypher Corp to be the largest inhibitions to the cognitive evolution of mankind. The only issue with the theory is no one had killed one to prove it.

Not yet, anyway, Kaito thought.

It hadn’t escaped from Shun’s snare since the previous day. That was only an hour from its perspective, but a good sign nonetheless.

Kaito started walking towards it, his bulky armour rattling. The soldiers from Velin were still charging towards it in a steady stream on either side of him, swords, spears and glaives raised to attack.

His steps were firmer, stronger, his heart no longer racing as he gazed up at the monster.

It reared its head back as soldiers started meeting it, hacking at its body with their weapons.

You need a real sword to hurt that thing, he thought.

He held out his hand to the side, and his sword materialized in his hand like it was reassembling from ash. Sunlight slid down the blade’s length as he raised it, the shine running over the fire-opal centering its cross guard.

The Psywyrm slung its head forward, launching a string of yellow crystal shards that arched and fell like giant arrows. They crashed behind Kaito, soldiers screaming as some were crushed, others vaporized as the crystals burst into yellow liquid.

Soldiers began backing away, their hesitation spreading. Why wouldn’t they? They were nothing more than a distraction for the beast, anyway. But they were Summons, not real people. And they quickly got back to charging forward.

Kaito pointed his sword at the Psywyrm, a frown creasing his face. “May I take more from you this day than you have from me.”

He paused as something dark moved in the tall grass on his left, eyes flickering to it. It moved. But the grass didn’t.

Fears.

He blinked, focusing his eyes forward. There was no time for that now. If they could just…

Two of the Psywyrm’s dragon-like wings spread from either side of its body, the blue patterns on its skin swirling. It flapped twice, the sound of its wings dragging through the air loud as cannon fire.

Kaito raised his sword as the gusts of wind rippled over the earth in a shockwave of dust and grass. A couple of light-weight Summons yelped as they flew past him.

His hair whipped back in the gust, sand whipping his cheeks and forehead as he narrowed his eyes.

The Psywyrm climbed a little farther out of the pit it was trapped in, raising its head to the sky with a pulsing sound that was supposed to be some kind of a roar. Sounded more like giant magnets springing together.

It was tiring. Without any real minds to feed on for days in the Ethergeist, its energy levels had to be depleted.

One of the soldiers stopped beside Kaito, turning to him. His eyes were white, void of consciousness but still alive. Nothing for the Psywyrm to feed on, just enough to keep it distracted.

Kaito nodded at the soldier, and the man nodded back.

“Keep an eye on my flank, soldier,” Kaito said. “There are Fears around.”

Kaito crouched, holding his sword straight out behind himself, his free hand bracing against the ground.

Break.

He launched himself forward with his legs and arm, careening toward the Psywyrm as it lowered its wings.

He landed in a cloud of sand, knees bending to launch himself again when something cold wrapped around his arm. He pulled at it, jumping with both legs to try and break free from the marbled white tentacle that wrapped around his vambrace. But it tightened, pulling his shoulder with the force of his jump.

“What in the hell!” he barked.

As if summoned, a fire-javelin pitched into the ground beside him, severing the tentacle before both dissipated into a plume of white smoke. Kaito pulled his arm back, turning to see where the tentacle had come from. But the creature ran away, retreating silently into the tall grass.

He rubbed his wrist as Dario landed beside him in a crouch. He glanced up at Kaito with a wide grin, his face much older now that they were back in the Ethergeist. A sharp beard reached down to his chest, twisted and braided at the top and bottom.

“Y’know Kait, I thought you’d be used to that thing bothering you by now,” Dario laughed, placing a hand over his face.

Kaito crouched beside him. “It's learning,” he grumbled.

“That’s what the rookies say, big guy,” Dario chuckled, crouching a little lower as he held out his arms.

Another fire-javelin materialized in his hand, the tongues of flame dancing across the shaft and blade.

“Is Malena in place?” Kaito asked.

“As always, captain my captain.”

“And Shun?”

“Busy sorting out a new snare in case it escapes this one,” Dario said.

“Is he going to have enough-”

Dario grinned as he flicked Kaito’s cheek. “Bah, you worry too much. Let’s just kill this thing and get the hell out of here.”

Kaito sighed. It was hard not to worry after all the ones they’d lost. But now wasn’t time for that either.

He nodded. “You said it.”

Dario rolled his shoulders back. “On three.”

“Three!”