Chapter 99 - Tag team pt.1

Akai and Asher clashed at the centre of the room. The crimson flames surrounding his torso shrunk once he had been sent flying back. Before he could hit the ground, Mister Ed charged ahead and in a flash of light, appeared in front of the flame-covered warrior.

“Do you believe you can beat me without a weapon?”

“I don’t have to. I’m only the defence.”

Mister Ed’s shield held strong against the powerful punch sent at him. The white glow illuminated the surface of his shield and pulsed across it like beating waves.

Another strike to the shield–and another–another–another. Blow after blow, Mister Ed did not falter, he continued to stand firm as if unfazed.

Asher’s expression ran wild with anger as he bared his teeth and let the red glow of his eyes burn bright. Flames surrounded his fists until the entirety of his body was consumed.

“Weak–weak–weak!! If none of you can offer a battle, I’ll just destroy you all!”

Asher screamed angrily behind every punch but before he could continue, a flash of crimson hit him from behind. Steam rolled off his back and brought his attention over his shoulder and to the figure behind him.

Akai held his hands together and launched a powerful vortex of red flames. The massive blast of fire consumed the ground beneath it and left a crumbled mess.

“Hellfire Star–burn!” He shouted.

Akai’s powerful skill forced Asher off of Mister Ed and ruined his attacking spree. The massive beam of fire carried him into the wall of the room and covered him behind the wall of burnt stone.

“He actually hit him…he managed to deal damage to him?!” I repeated back in disbelief.

Alice got her bearings back and sat beside her brother, Zephier. The two’s expressions lit up behind every action that Akai took, every kick and punch he sent. They were completely enthralled.

Asher didn't take long to jump back into things. After a couple of seconds, he broke away from the wall he crashed into and raced back to Akai.

Afraid or not, Akai didn't move. His legs moved into a wide stance that brought his whole body lower to the ground. It was a fighting position and what looked to be martial arts. Almost as if he was preparing to grapple him, Akai extended his hands out with an open grip.

Asher rushed in, fuelled with screams and heavy strides. He opened his mouth and released a powerful breath attack. A laser beam of black light set forth from his mouth and towards Akai.

Suddenly a flash of white light hit the floor between them and from it, a wall of white and gold emerged. A shield blocked the beam and triggered waves of light to flash over its surface once more. The pulses ran rampant across his shield and spread throughout his armour until the white glow stayed constant and Mister Ed was left glowing.

Brimming with a powerful white aura, he looked even closer to a guardian angel than before.

Asher's gawked mouth was quickly knocked to the side as Akai launched a powerful kick to his face. He shook it off and immediately turned back and grabbed Akai’s leg.

“You’re not going any–”

Akai directed his open palm to Asher’s face. “Hellfire Star, BURN!”

An explosion of fireworks and scarlet flames collided with his face and Asher's grip was released. He tumbled back a few times, blown away. Through the air, he planted his feet down and caught himself in the mess of things.

Asher shook his head in a slight daze. His eyes flickered open and closed frantically and grabbed the side of his head.

Mister Ed knocked into him and forced the beast back with the surface of his brimming shield. Asher’s expression worsened as the light against the shield grew to a blinding amount.

I had to cover my eyes–it was too bright even for me.

The air sizzled over the ground in front of me that had been obliterated into chunks of wreckage and loose gravel. I opened my eyes to half the room missing–Mister Ed stood at the cusp of the wreckage–everything beyond his shield had been blown away. Hot steam rushed off the surface of his shield as the glowing white glare vanished.

The ceiling was left in pieces and we stood under what little of the room remained. Above us was the regular plane stone, covered in cracks and missing pieces. The walls beside me weren’t in the best condition either, but the other end of the room–if it could be called that–was nothing but vacant spaces of air between the collapsed rooms and tunnels.

The bottom halves of walls and empty rooms were scattered across the grass, outside of the room we stood in.

The dark sky outside covered the missing sections of the room as a cold evening air filled the room. That attack of his had taken away half of the stone labyrinth in its blast.

Asher fell from the air in a motionless drop, surrounded by the few scraps of dirt that hadn't been destroyed along with him.

“That dragon he’s facing must be the real thing if the Master is already using it,” Veldor muttered.

He had still been looking out at Mister Ed. His tone was bitter and his eyes, even more so. “For him to be using the Leviathan skill now, he must want to end this fast.” Veldor finished.

I think Veldor might be onto something. Mister Ed looked pretty spooked when the fight started. He’s been going all out since the moment they arrived. I knew he was crazy strong but I thought with Akai and Mister Ed together there was no chance we could lose…we can’t, right?