VII - Marksman of Wind

The party quickly huddled while Dosigma and the two royalmechs were disoriented after tumbling onto each other.

"I-if we can find the weakness of those walkers, Enshiron can shoot it," Mivangeline suggested as Phoenicia checked that everyone's HP bars were healed up to the green zone.

"Well, if there is one," Enshiron blinked. "My dear eyes haven't spotted anything worth shooting."

Mivangeline fidgeted with her hands, but did her best to calculate a new strategy. Shien calmed her by patting her shoulder.

"O-okay. Phoenicia, you and the androids can see better than humans, right?" The commander asked.

"Generally, a correct statement," Phoenicia nodded. "We androids can detect certain objects that most human eyes cannot see."

"C-can you and the androids help Enshiron find the weakness?"

"We could, but we didn't initially locate any openings to exploit."

"Uh, can you try again? M-maybe the opening is small and easy to miss. The game won't make something players can't beat. You know what I'm saying?"

"I comprehend your logic, Commander. Also, we're androids, but it doesn't mean we're without flaws. An extra glance is always beneficial."

"I can help, dear Phoenicia," Enshiron nodded.

"We'd better hurry!" Shien saw Dosigma kick the two royalmechs, angry at their clumsiness.

Mivangeline snapped her finger, formulating her strategy into a clear vision.

"I-I want Shien to hold one walker off, and Elysia to hold off the other. I can hold the boss while the androids assist Enshiron in examining the walkers. I'll make sure Dosigma doesn't make more of them. Does that sound good?"

"Yes, Commander!" The party saluted.

"Avian Form: Kingfisher's Axe!" Shien got a walker's attention with a downswing kick on its head. "Mivange! You're getting better! Good job!"

Elysia sliced her machete at the other royalmech to distract it. The walkers concentrated their flamethrowers and grenade launchers on Shien and Elysia. Dosigma breathed fire at the others, but Mivangeline cut the minotaur's legs with her katana.

The boss roared angrily, hurling fire punches back at the commander. Phoenicia and the androids surrounded each walker, analyzing their armor while Mivangeline occupied Dosigma. Whenever the boss picked a cube to summon another royalmech, Mivangeline would cut Dosigma to interrupt the process.

"Armor has no visible crevices."

"Nothing particular about the head."

"Legs have no opening as well."

Enshiron readied his violin bow. "Any dear chance we checked the weapons? Perhaps, the grenade launcher and flamethrower have hidden secrets."

Phoenicia watched Shien attack a walker's head with rolling punches. "Currently analyzing the grenade launcher component."

She observed the royalmech launch grenades at Shien. As Shien dodged the explosions, Phoenicia shook her head.

"Armament is unremarkable," Phoenicia huffed.

"Hold it!" An android called. "We may have found something within the flamethrower!"

Phoenicia and Enshiron met with the android NPC, who watched Elysia fight the other walker.

"Where, good sir?" Enshiron raised an eyebrow.

The android pointed at the royalmech's flamethrower. "The flamethrower has an exhaust vent you may exploit."

Phoenicia watched Elysia slice her machete at the walker's head. "I did infer the flamethrower would have an exhaust vent, but I failed to find one."

"That's because it only opens when it activates!"

Elysia rolled away when the walker fired its flamethrower. Phoenicia gasped, noticing a small, nearly undetectable panel opening to release steam.

"Goodness!" Enshiron squinted his eyes. "No wonder it was hard to spot!"

"Enshiron, I assume you know what to do, correct?" Phoenicia elbowed him.

"Indeed, I do. It will be challenging, but I think I can do it! Master Oreic always said to have faith."

"Phoenicia! Can you heal us?" Shien called.

The android healed Shien, Elysia, and Mivangeline. Enshiron locked his eyes on the royalmech chasing Elysia. When the flamethrower fired, he drew his violin bow and arrow with one eye open. After a deep breath, the Vulpi marksman released the wind arrow, targeting the small panel that released steam. Everyone gasped when the royalmech exploded.

"That one HP hit zero!" Elysia gasped. "You're awesome, Enshiron!"

"Aren't I always?" Enshiron winked, making Elysia blush.

"Stop flirting and help me, too!" Shien complained as a grenade shell exploded in his face.

"Will do, shortie!"

Shien pouted. "Avian Form: Cardinal's Talon!"

After Shien pushed the last walker back with a helicopter kick, the royalmech fired its flamethrower. Enshiron aimed his violin bow, focusing on the small panel. The Vulpi marksman fired a wind arrow into the opening, obliterating the royalmech.

"Nice one!" Shien high-fived his Vulpi friend.

"You know me. I'm always here to the rescue," Enshiron grinned. "Fellow dragonslayers don't call me the Marksman of Wind for nothing, you know."

"Great work!" Mivangeline commented until Dosigma picked another cube. "No, you don't!"

The commander aimed her katana to cut Dosigma's hand, but the boss kicked her back. Dosigma breathed fire at the cube, but Enshiron shot the cube off the minotaur's hand. The boss stomped with fury.

"Thanks, Enshiron!" Mivangeline nodded to the Vulpi archer. "I got Dosigma's HP into the red zone! Let's finish this!"

Enshiron gave her a thumbs up. "That's a huge help, Commander!"

"Let's go!" Shien charged at Dosigma. "Avian Form: Woodpecker Beak Strikes!"

Shien's beak-shaped palms parried Dosigma's furious fists while Elysia and Mivangeline cut the minotaur's legs with blades. Dosigma breathed fire back as Enshiron and the androids fired everything they got.

Dosigma's HP was less than a thousand within the red zone. The boss stomped its foot to summon ten cubes to jump in the air. Dosigma breathed fire into them, commanding ten royalmechs to deploy.

"I can't handle that many!" Enshiron sweated.

"Don't panic! We're so close! We'll win!" Mivangeline declared as she climbed onto the boss.

Dosigma growled in pain as Mivangeline sliced the chest with many strikes. The commander jumped onto the minotaur's head, lunging one final stab at the red cycloptic eyes. With a loud shriek, Dosigma's HP dropped to zero. The boss lay dead as the ten royalmechs powered down. A message tab appeared before the party, writing congratulations to them.

"Hooray!" Shien hugged his crush. "We did it!"

Mivangeline blushed as the party celebrated and jumped with joy. With one boss down, two remained.

***

"Dear citizens of Altair! As your Empress, I'm happy to announce that we've found a cure for your loved ones within Cyanic Odyssey! Although the UICA's virus was very advanced from the outside, we can program agents into the game to manually free players."

"Please send your loved ones to our reformation centers. We'll monitor their unconscious bodies for their safety and our ability to locate them within Cyanic Odyssey. Thank you all for your cooperation!"

Empress Maika twirled her rose and pulled her fuchsia hair back to charm the cheering crowd.

"Supreme Leader Fanghui isn't here right now, but he's happy to announce the destruction of the Waxing Sickle! Nobody has to fear the treachery of the Vulpi! But remember your duty as citizens to report any findings of the UICA and Vulpi. They will be hunted down and put to justice!"

After Maika returned to Altair's palace, she monitored the players of Cyanic Odyssey through multiple computer screens. Her cat-green eyes witnessed Mivangeline's party beat Dosigma.

"So, Saitori installed an antivirus to counter my precious Code Fuchsia. My former sister-in-arms is up to no good. How cute, but Saitori's mistake was putting her faith in an insignificant Christian singer with communication issues."

Maika paced within the conference room.

"Nonetheless, if Mivangeline's party escapes too soon, the players will be free. Then, Altair's people won't need Federation control for their security. Mivangeline's ragtag team will shorten my rule as Empress and disappoint Fanghui. This I cannot allow."

The Empress then remembered Shien as part of Mivangeline's party. Maika was aware that Isrina and Shien were the last two Niangs on Earth who wielded the Avian Form.

"Ah, yes. Mivangeline would be simple to dispose of, but the Niang would be a challenge. Luckily, I have just the person for the job. One who also specializes in the Avian Form!"

Maika then typed into a monitor to contact an agent she sent into the game.

"Thalamoid! I have a special assignment you'll enjoy. Shien is inside Cyanic Odyssey. Kill him and Mivangeline, and make Fanghui proud!"