A cool breeze blew on my face as I swung from my grapple hook latched around a neighboring branch, my feet nearly gliding over the water rushing back toward the sea at my back. Retracting my hook and digging my blade into the next tree's bark, I scrambled atop a long, thick branch. My back pressed against the trunk as I opened the live feed, hoping to get a count on the carnage the earthquake and tsunami combination must've reaped on all of us.
[ KILL & BE KILLED ] - Final Event (LIVE)
Remaining Participants: 3,267,014
Titan's Path: Northeast (41,702.8m)
Eliminations: 118
Time Until Catastrophic Tectonic Shift: 4:57:42
Holy shit, over 400,000 people?!
It'd been less than 15 minutes since I last checked the feed, and I distinctly recalled at least 3,685,000 participants remaining. I supposed the 'Catastrophic' part of that timer was no joke. Though, as I sat clung to the bark listening to the oddly soothing crashing of the recessing tsunami's remnant water, I noticed an extra prompt just below the timer.
*WARNING*
Large-Scale hydromantric displacement recorded. Ongoing terrain instability detected.
'Hydromantric', huh. Seems fancy.
Slowly, I removed my blade from the bark and slid down to the ground. Water was still rushing back toward the ocean at about ankle height as I landed, though it carried little pulling force. Peering back, I decided there's no reason to remain on this beach side any longer than I had. Quite frankly, I don't intend on being anywhere near the water when the next tectonic shift happens. As I began jogging inland and deeper into the badly thrashed forest, a figure dashed into view just a few meters out. Their silhouette faintly stretched as they practically teleported in, resembling a semi-transparent speedline sketch given flesh.
"Hey, hey you?!" The wiry man called out, jogging to meet me as I started slowly walking toward him. While I'm not particularly against throwing around bolts of lightning, the tonality of his call sounded more curious than confrontational. The man's physical features came into better focus quickly as he drew nearer, mainly the grey, incredibly thin woven fibers weaved into a sleeveless chainmail that fit the majority of his upper body. I think Korbin once described the design as a 'Hauberk' during a simpler, blissfully nerdier period of our youth. Greying, tattered wraps covered his midsection, fraying and perpetually billowing in a wind I certainly can't feel. What really caught my eye was those silver-white gauntlets that ran up to his mid-forearm, with open channels running from the knuckles upward. His palms remained exposed, though that was about it from the knuckles to around his elbow.
"Is there a problem?" I hesitantly questioned once the man was within earshot without needing to yell too loudly. The man slowed into a walk, accentuating his hunched posture, glaring at me with his ice-blue eyes. His hair was a white-blonde that was perpetually blown back, as if he'd just stuck his head out of a car window the whole ride here. His completion was a medium-Olive, glistening ever so slightly under certain sun exposure.
"Well no it's just…did, did you-?" He said, gesturing to the water rushing around his boots back toward the ocean.
"…ohh um, I mean maybe?" I said after taking a couple seconds to figure out what he was even asking. The notion that I could've caused a tsunami is kind of crazy, but I also was very clearly the only survivor so, I could understand the confusion.
"No, no that-, that's not really a 'maybe' kind of question. You do know you're the only living thing within a 3 kilometer radius, right?" The man asked, raising a questioning brow.
"Yeah, I kind of noticed that too. I sort of came in on that thing, wasn't even on this island like, 5 minutes ago." I clarified, still trying to piece that whole rollercoaster together myself. First I'm in some secret grotto-lair getting the scoop on some Usurper who held his dying god in his arms like a brother. Then the tectonic shift absolutely destroys the entire grotto, ripping it in two and creating a damn tsunami that dragged me across the ocean, only for me to watch as it crushed countless unsuspecting people from atop a tree. Slowly, the man's analytic glare morphed into an affable grin.
"Oh you got to tell me your secret. How in the hells are you still breathing right now?!" The man asked through a charismatic chuckle of disbelief. My eyes narrowed, though I saw no reason to hide too much.
"Well, I got stuck in some grotto when the earthquake triggered, then that tsunami swooped me up. Next thing I knew, I was clinging to a tree." I replied, intentionally keeping all the fun parts out.
"Damn?! That's absolutely brutal, man! How did you not like, get totally ripped up or even drown being all wrapped up in a tsunami?!" He asked, revealing he apparently still needed to breathe enough for drowning to even be a problem.
"Water is one of my affinities so, I suppose I got access to holding my breath longer as a form of resistance'? I'm kind of guessing to be honest." I replied noncommittally, hoping to be less 'open' to giving out personal information to strangers nowadays. Which is why my stomach sank seeing the man's eyes light up with vigorous interest as I spoke.
"Wait, did you say one of your affinities? Dude, how did you get a second one?!" He asked, sounding far more casual than any stranger I've run into since the integration. So much so I can't help but be wary of his thin, upturned shoes slowly inching closer and closer toward me.
"Came as a package deal when the weird guy that helped everyone pick their class showed up and ruined my snack." I replied, sliding my fingers over my blades sheaths. The man's eyes didn't even move, yet he paused the moment I grazed over the releases.
"Shit, Sorry, I don't mean to spook you. I'm just…can I ask you something kind of personal? You have my word, I'll answer one question back." He said, placing one hand on his chest and raising the other solely. Though I wanted to be annoyed at his pestering, I have to admit he's not exactly throwing any 'threatening' vibes.
"Sure, why not? I got some time." I replied, shrugging casually without taking my eyes off his hands, waiting for him to brandish a weapon.
"That's what I'm saying?! Everyone here's so aggressive all the time, when this is our last shot at a real conversation without any real threat or repercussions before the tutorial resumes, you know?" He replied excitedly, raising his hands up revealing the white streaks embedded alongside his protruding veins.
"Yeah, that's true. I suppose it's hard to meet new people when everything and everyone wants to kill you." I said, earning a chuckle and shake of the head from the stranger.
"Tshh, no kidding. Well, I appreciate you being so cool, because well, word gets around a lot where I stay, and I was curious…what faction are you aligned with?" He finally asked in nearly a hush, leaning within spitting distance of me. I tilted my head curiously at the question, which instantly put him on the defensive.
"You're right, that's a big second question to ask-"
"No, it's alright, that's no secret either. I'm from Elysium, my name is T-" I began, preparing to explain as little as humanly possible about my reputation.
"Tom-fucking-Murphy? Gah, I knew it!" He vigorously interrupted, snapping his fingers and wagging his pointer finger excitedly at me.
"Sorry, do I know you from somewhere?" I asked, growing concerned that this man at arms length just guessed my full name.
"No, jeez where are my damned manors today? The names Corren, Corren Ophair." He replied, admonishing himself with a shake of the head before smiling and extending an open hand.
"Nice to meet you, Corren. Why do you know me?" I replied, not touching his hand.
"How wouldn't I?! Your faction-..well, that leader of yours to be more accurate, has been announcing your rapid expansion loud and proud for over half of earth to hear! With all the messenger birds carrying peace treaties ending countless petty feuds between smaller factions, it'd be difficult not to have heard of their most famous warrior, the Savior Of Elysium. And here you are, in the flesh!" He said, his admittedly contagious enthusiasm slowly tempering into a knowing grin.
"Right, I forgot about that." I said, recalling the lie I promised to uphold for Korbin to keep Elysium's morale high. The same one that spiraled into a legacy I can literally never live down, forever reminding me of how horribly I failed on day one of being here.
"Ah, yeah with all that conquesting and forcing every society you come in contact with to surrender or perish, I'm sure those kinds of things slip through the cracks after a while." He replied, still wearing that warm smirk of his.
"Something like that, sure. You got an issue with how we do things?" I asked, noticing the not so subtle resentment in that last statement.
"Well, far be it from me to care too much about a winner talking his talk after successfully walking it. To be totally honest, I'd be a hypocrite if I did. And the way your army marches through entire civilizations like nothing has been incredible to hear about from afar. It's like whoever's at the wheel has been preparing for this for quite some time, if you ask me." Corren answered with another chuckle, waving his hands and taking one step back, creating a rear-foot.
"And, look, I love a little competition…but what I don't like-" he began, his face suddenly contorting into a snarl.
"-is that you never leave. You take what you want, I get that. But then you tell them to bend the knee and swear allegiance, or leave their homes. Some at the cost of being abandoned by their patrons." Corren passionately accused, sounding almost pleading in his rage.
"Hardly. And you act as if every god is to be treated with the same respect as the next. I assure you, there are terrible, terrible deities fucking about across the multiverse." I replied, recalling having watched the terrible death Vashi and his abominations had wrought on Phanthu's home planet. Sure, a few mortals tried to free themselves of the gods watchful eye out of greed, doesn't mean you exterminate every living thing on the planet for it.
"And who the hell are you to decide which ones are right or wrong? Clearly the system permits their existence, you don't think whatever hijacked our worlds and gave our spirits stats couldn't kill one of those things in a blink of an eye? Come on man, be honest with yourself, you're just the strongest gang in town who somehow convinced themselves they're the 'good ones'. There aren't any, I've checked." Corren replied, sounding a bit less angry and more pointed in his stance. I wanted to bring up those cannibals we ran into at what would eventually become my very own ocean-side settlement. On the other hand, I never could get the sound of that little giant dryadic girl asking for her grandmother after Korbin had to..
"…you said I got one personal question back, so before we do this since clearly you want to get this over with as much as I do, I want to ask mine." I replied, settling into my Fluidic Fighters Stance. Corren grinned only with his lips as he glared back.
"Of course, deal's a deal, shoot." Corren replied, taking a deep breath that made his veins subtly illuminate a pale-white.
"Why the fuck do you care what we do? It's a real big world, and you don't really strike me as the 'noble', or 'loyal' type. You already told me you're not local, so why does our success even affect you?" I asked, genuinely curious. Corren hesitated for a second, his eyes falling to his feet before finding an answer.
"Principle. And, I just really don't like that Korbin dude." He replied, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
"Wait, what?" I asked, swearing I just heard him singing his praises before switching his tune.
"The guy's way too controlling, has no clue what a good scheme is all about." Corren replied, finally putting his hands up and revealing his own fighter's stance.
"Fff, wow. You should try telling him that to his face. I'd pay a pretty price to see that shit." I replied, splitting my blades channeling a surge of lightning mana through the chains connecting the hilts.
"That, and I'm getting real tired of hearing how 'fast' Elysium's mighty savior is. I want to see what all the hype is about." Corren added in response, hunching forward even further.
"Okay LOOK I think that nickname sucks just as m-" before I could defend myself verbally, the outline of Corren's body stretched and spiraled a moment after I felt a gust press against my chest. My arms instinctively slapped toward whatever threat was buzzing off my fight response, finding purchase on seemingly air until my eyes tracked down to find Corren, ducked down with his fist whistling delayed behind his punch. I barely managed to parry his following uppercut, dodging only due to catching a glimpse of the blindingly quick transfer of Flow across his shoulders. The punch itself sent up a massive pressure that nearly knocked my cowl off my head, whipping against the sky like an invisible chain slapping steel.
Corren's feet silently shuffled across my center line, his eyes locked onto my chest as his hands continued a 4-piece barrage of strikes. One up the middle, his strikes brass-song humming by my leaning face. The next strike was another uppercut attempt, one I managed to slap away having recognized the Flow firing across arms I couldn't otherwise track with my eyes, as every movement looked concealed by a half seconds delay. Or worse, he's…nah.
Corren leaned forward showing another uppercut attempt from under my blades, prompting me to immediately throw my knee into his chin. In the next instant, his body suddenly wasn't where it should be, instead 4 steps further along his path. Two opposing winds softly pressed against both shoulders consecutively, followed immediately by a hooking punch flying around my guard like the end of a flail, my elbow barely jamming into his wrist to knock the strike offline as I fell back on two feet.
*crack*
A crushing burst of pressure ripped into my ribs, rocking my midsection back behind my head and legs and nearly throwing me on my ass. My eyes couldn't locate Corren's full form before I had to duck under another straight punch, this time backing my evasion with an uncharged Lightning Strike for his ribcage. The moment before I felt my blade pierce his exposed olive skin, Corren punched the air with an open palm, practically disappearing behind his stretching afterimages. He didn't move too far however, only a couple feet back to avoid my strike, allowing me to follow up with another slashing strike toward his leg catching him off balance. Instead, water splashed across my face as he sped away, the doubling afterimages of his arms firing like pistons being the only details I could discern.
"Come on, where you goin', jitterbug? I almost felt that one!" I confidently provoked, though internally still unsure if he only hit me once, or ten times at one. Then, like a damned bullet train, his path arched without diminishing his speed. With another massive burst of water and mud from the ground, his blurry figure cut hard, beelining straight toward me. My eyes narrowed Ripple Striding backwards, trying desperately to focus on his chest. My water mana kicked up in front of me, the splash smacking against Corren's arm I hadn't seen rise from behind his waist. It must've caused some disruption, because he slowed down just a little to look at his gauntlet. The deceleration put his entire figure into perfect focus as I let loose a barrage of Lightning Strikes while constantly pressing forward, sending him on his back foot.
Quickly, it dawned on me there's no relaxing on this guy, seeing his eyes locked onto my chest while not only evading my Lightning Strikes, but redirecting some of them away with his hands. Realizing he was clearly well trained, I threw a feigned leg kick that his knee blinked up to his hip to check. My hand clasped around his wrist as I popped my leg back up, aiming to land a grappled heel kick. Instead, Corren ripped his hand out from mine and kicked himself off my hip, creating enough separation for him to take another blurry lap.
Come ON, that always works for Korbin?!
For a moment I thought Corren's entire body shrank and expanded in a matter of seconds as he ricocheted back onto the offensive, his wavering wraps' afterimages trailing behind him like a long tail flailing in the wind. Unwilling to be forced onto a defensive I don't possess, I twisted my hips and Ripple Strided to the side, swiping two slashes at where Corren ought to attack from. Instead, his body contorted like a propeller as his punches ripped through the air, twisting and launching his trajectory alongside me. Finally, before he landed, another delayed crack of his fist rupturing air followed his downward punch, one that nearly took my damn head off if I hadn't already expected the angle to be utilized. The pressure released launched Corren back into an opposite sideways spiral, forcing me to chase him with my slashes like a damned piñata. And like one controlled by nefarious parents, his punches sent him just outside each of my blades' reach.
Seeing the futility after my 4th strike, Ripple Stride pulled me past Corren's twisting form before he landed with a wet slap onto the still-flooded soil, managing to charge a Lightning Strike for just half a second.
*CRACK*
Two separate bursts sonically erupted in tandem as both of our respective skills triggered. The issue is, the audio feedback from his ability was delayed to his motion, sending his twisting figure firing over my head just before my Lightning Strike went off. The momentum pulled me even further away from his drifting figure, forcing me into a tuck and roll to change directions and get back on offense. Corren sprung across the temporary wetlands like a bullet to meet me halfway, faking with one fist and smashing his second one into my fingers clutching around one of my hilts.
The massive surge of pressure launched the blade from my hand, twisting and swinging like a pendulum from the chain attached to my second blade. Ignoring the pulsating pain shooting through my fingers, I parried away his next punch at the forearm with my free hand while spinning the chain around the same arm he attacked with. Right as I yanked the chain taught and twisted to toss him over my back, my chains instead slapped together, sending my blade whipping back nearly taking my eye out. Looking over my shoulder, Corren stood several meters away breathing heavily wearing a big grin.
Sonuvabitch, how the fuck is he-
"Come on, Tommy?! I know you're quicker than that!" He mocked, putting his hands on his hips disapprovingly. Growing exceedingly annoyed at his speed, my blades slapped together releasing a jagged streak of Lightning screaming towards Corren's chest. His fist slammed against the air beside him, releasing a powerful gust almost instantly twisting his body into a bladed stance and letting the bolt screech past him.
"What are you, some lazy ass mage now?! I thought more highly of you." He jeered with a chuckle, shaking his head and leaning into his combative, predatory hunch. While his grin was warm, I recognized the genuine rage that leaked through his intense, unblinking gaze. Seeing his approach coming this time, I readied my feet and took a single deep breath. Before I could finish my inhale however, a pungent, oddly familiar sour iron stench wafted by that sent my mind and energy levels into an absolute frenzy, yet somehow sharpening my focus even further on Corren's Flow. His frame was still a mere blur filled with several illuminating white channels of Flow, each connecting creating a stick figure. Realizing the first blow he threw was too entirely fast to deflect, I instead stomped down hard toward Corren's landing zone.
*slap*
*thunk*
My head jerked back as Corren landed two consecutive blows, momentarily dimming my vision. Without a second thought, my elbow jolted up before even noticing my foot pressing down on Corren's toes.
*CRACK*
Corren's head ricocheted off my elbow like a bat to a rubber ball, apparently possessing some elasticity among his crumbled nose cartilage. A burst of air ripped into my thigh as Corren landed a quick but desperate punch to my knee, allowing him to slip his foot free. His fists flew through the air several times, each blow launching him away. Rather than chasing him down, my boots slid across the forest soggy soil allowing him room. My jaw crackled as I moved it around, blissfully releasing a knot.
"Not bad, though your form is shotty at best." I hollered to Corren, forcing a grin while biting through the sharp pain shooting through my jaw. While his speed is undeniably impressive, that two piece followed by that free slug to my leg should've all hurt WAY more than it did. Any fighter with some experience would've taken my head off with that two piece, so long as they didn't get too excited at the opportunity. Corren's nose twitched through a confused grimace. Without a word, Corren replied by firing his wrist diagonally behind him, propelling himself forward. The afterimages of both fists pumping behind him like pistons launched Corren from side to side at inhuman speeds, my eyes nearly crossing trying to track his movements. Wet soil sprayed a brown mist in his wake, only further distorting his figure as his pugilistic dashes drew closer and closer.
Uh…fuck.
My legs staggered before reeling back, desperately searching for an article of clothing or skin I can lock my eyes on. Even Corren's Flow was moving like I'd never seen before, firing across every limb nonstop in a constant circuit of Flow. With one small twitch, Corren angled his dashing punches, closing the distance in a blink.
*WHOOSH*
A massive whipping pop ripped over my ducking head, my eyes catching only the tail end of Corren's heel flying by. Without breaking rhythm, Corren's kicking foot planted off the soil a single pace away, swiping his heel back up towards my chin. Hunched over and unprepared to Ripple Stride away, my elbows tucked up under my face as his shin cracked right into my funny bone. The nerve must've been considerably numbed between leveling up, as the excruciating burning I'd expected to reverberate along my forearm never arrived.
The overall surprise delivered by his kick did distract me from Corren's leg that hovered by my chest for just a moment, robbing me of a chance at a grapple to take his speed away. Corren's distorted face came into full focus as he slammed his leg back down to the ground, landing directly into a corner whistling follow up punch. My eyes remained trained at his chest level as I ducked to the side, slipping the straight punch that grazed against my cowl, whipping the fabric against my ear and retreating several steps. My blade swiped forward, hoping to interrupt another blinding quick chain of strikes. Corren's armored gauntlet hummed across the face of my blade, deflecting it over his head as he punched the air launching himself backwards several steps. Noticing the clear discomfort with my counterplay, I pressed forward with a quick Ripple Stride.
As I shuffled across the forest's ocean drenched soil however, a dull grey ball of light illuminated above his thin white Flow circulating throughout Corren's body. The light spiraled horizontally across his back as if a window across his chest had opened for me to see a natural process unfold. Within less than a second, my eyes tracked the grey orbs path before the light intensified and grew exponentially larger, like a colorless comet rising over the horizon. A burst of air pressed against the back of my neck as I leaned forward, accidentally slamming my forehead into Corren.
I didn't realize he'd already closed the distance again, let alone aimed my skull at the battered bridge of his nose. Corren's head recoiled back, queueing me to ready a swift follow up Lightning Strike. That was until another grey light ignited, this time at Corren's hips twisting up his torso and into his motion-blurred fist. Flow Inverse rolled my thrusting arm up, allowing my forearm to find purchase against Corren's wrist. His punch whirled straight past my face, apparently throwing his whole weight behind it as his entire body went whizzing by. Corren's insane speed only afforded me enough time to land a stiff swiping elbow to his chin as he passed.
Feeling an odd familiarity with this strange new grey light, I slowly strolled after Corren who'd already blasted his momentum backwards diagonally more times than I care to count, quickly putting a decent amount of space between us. My focus didn't waiver, especially at noting this guy was clearly moving quicker than me, something I've yet to truly encounter since that giant wolf Lonni and I dealt with back on day 1. It'd be one thing if Corren was just reacting sooner than me, as I could plan around that quickness with lies and feigns. Instead, Corren's insanely fast movement skill seemed to also obscure his figure almost entirely, often giving his outline that distorted, almost cloud-like exterior to him that reminded me of peering over my fathers hot engine exhaust with his overstuffed toolbag nearly pulling my little arm out of its socket.
"…something the matter? Do I smell?" Corren said after a stiff parry created significant space between us, arching his brow confusedly and sniffing under his arm.
"Not at all." I replied, though the bloodied grin that stretched across his face told me I wasn't using a very convincing tone.
"Didn't expect you to like playing defense." He replied, this time letting genuine disgust creep into his tone before leaping and twisting his body into a sideways ball, concealing both his hands behind him. Several powerful bursts of air rippled in his wake, each pop sounding more delayed to his violent change of directions. I felt a tinge of anxiety pinging in my chest at seeing his incredible display of speed, narrowing my eyes in hopes to detect whatever secondary light channel that'd made Corren's movements perceivable.
Defense?
The anxiety quickly intensified however, evolving into a surge of fear that sent adrenaline firing through my veins. A terribly sour, plastic stench wafted up through my cloak as Corren's flashing figure dashed just outside of striking distance, bending the air around his contorting mess of an outline. In an instant, I get a cold plunge of awareness compound up my spine, sending the sensation through the nerves behind my eyes. Immediately, Corren's untraceable outline suddenly illuminated a bright grey on one side, revealing a spiraling path that twisted across Corren's torso and out of his lead shoulder blade.
Fucking defense?!
My instincts screamed at me to dodge to the side, but my eyes told me all I needed to watch what had to be some form of motion or Flow tracing reversing its path back across Corren's chest from fist to fist. Instead of trying to duck or deflect the impending strike, I simply raised my knee and snap-kicked straight ahead. Corren's fist erupted against air itself just short of its original path at my side, throwing his momentum back on a center line with me. His body flew to the side, falling chest first into my front-kick with his clenched gauntlet raised up at the ready. With his feet fully off the ground, my boot pressing into one side of his chest sending Corren flying back through the air. He frantically punched at the air to gather himself, though the unplanned evasive blast must've been aimed poorly, as he landed down hard and crookedly on the side of his foot.
*ding*
"Motherf-" Corren grunted angrily under his breath before punching behind himself, firing back at me like he'd been shot out of a railgun. Once again my mind went blank with focus, only this time feeling bolstered by a rush of unbridled rage at witnessing his exhibition of superior speed. Twisting my hips, I took a single step back and watched as his closed fist flew past my face, wafting a distinct ashy odor that pierced the static-like pressure barrier subtly thrumming between us. The uncomfortably familiar stench was foul enough to inspire throwing a stiff Flow Strike uppercut that ripped into Corren's partially exposed ribcage, internally cursing myself for not having gambled on a wider windup to pierce my blade through his side instead. Corren grunted once as he took a single step back, his shoulder flashing the same grey orb projecting the path of his next panicked retaliatory punch. Spinning on one foot, my raised heel spun around Corren as his fist blasted into the sky on the opposite side, launching his face directly into my boot. Stomping down and thrusting my blade toward his throat as his balance faltered, Corren somehow managed to shoot his arm up and parry my attack at the wrist, then used the momentum to slide directly under me.
"'Defense', that's what this is to you, huh?!" I hollered angrily without fully realizing I was speaking aloud, Ripple Striding in pursuit of Corren as he took off deeper into the forest. His speed settled for half a second until I caught a glimpse of his eye peeking over his shoulder, right before somehow doubling his already incredible movement speed with two simultaneous punches. One bright burst of grey Flow-pathing rifled from his shoulder, connecting at the opposite side of Corren's body.
My blades slapped together in front of me, launching a Lightning Bolt right over Corren's ear as he changed directions mid-retreat. Air whistled around his fist extending toward the ground, his gauntlets blast launching him somersaulting high through the air. My boots slid across the mud under his flipping figure in response, unwilling to give him another inch to escape. Corren's outline shifted yet again as he let off a flurry of punches that slingshotted his entire body at an angle back toward the ground. The sheer quantity of grey and white flashes from this new glowing path dancing around his Flow-light stirred a shocking amount of pressure that welled up behind my eye sockets, though I had little time to even address how to turn…this off. Unfortunately Corren continued rapidly gaining ground on me, even with my Ripple Stride activating consecutively. Just as I'd finally forced myself save the mana and let him escape for now, Corren's shrinking outline suddenly expanded as he suddenly changed directions. I didn't even see his fist hidden behind his back, enabling him to sneak a stiff punch to my cheek that nearly knocked me completely off my feet. I managed to lean away from the hit a little as it landed however, in turn mitigating some of the impact. Of course, a delayed concussive pulse of air threw my head back a second time a moment after the first hit even registered mentally, almost knocking my cowl off my head.
My blade swiped down wildly at his legs, having already committed to the attack before the second gust hit. Corren leapt up over the blade entirely, planting his foot onto my shoulder. Spotting the grey Flow-pathing generated in his hips before he could kick off however, I simply relaxed my shoulder. Corren shoved his boot off me, finding no firm purchase as I twisted with the pressure rather than brace. Corren began to fall flat on his ass until both gauntlets activated, launching him parallel with the forest soil like he'd suddenly gained the power of flight. Firing my grappling hook up around a branch and rapidly summoning it to reel back in, I pulled hard and launched myself high in the air knowing full and well he was moving too fast to chase directly. Looking down, Corren's twisting body was now fully in perfect view, his back turned to me as he visibly braced his arms for impact. I felt a small tick of satisfaction fill my chest preparing a final Lightning Bolt, knowing the end of our rather enjoyable dual had arr-
*THUNK*
The world spiraled out of control as an immense pressure squeezed against wrist holding the grapple hook for several seconds before I felt my shoulder and ear crash into bark. My hand grasped around instinctively as my vision temporarily wavered, gripping around something moist and metallic. Looking up, a dark, chalky trident sat pierced into the bark pinning my wrist against the tree between its prongs. A cloud of mist suddenly began pouring out from the trident before I could locate its owner, one that quickly engulfed my vision. It took hearing my skin boiling to realize the mist itself was burning hot, causing me to rip my hand free in a panic and sending my hurtling down to the forest floor with heavy thud.
"Argh, what the f-" I groaned sitting up, before slamming my head back down to evade the trident spiraling out from the tree. Following its path, a pale blue hand grasped around its dark teiting grip. Deep black and blue striped leather spiraled around their arms and torso, creating wavy patterns across her midsection. Long red hair fell out of a silver curved helm that twisted around her face and eyes, revealing a face I hadn't seen since I'd last met Perunious.
"You're an easier fly to swat than what she's advertised you as, Thomas. Long time no see." She replied, malice lacing her familiarly sarcastic voice. Kipping up, I glanced over the metal plated shoulder armor connected to her leather getup, cursing internally at not finding any signs of Corren sticking around.
"Listen, it's great to see you, whoever the fuck you are, but I was kind of in the middle of so-" before I could finish my angry reply, her face contorted into pure rage as her palms flicked open toward me at her hips. Several streams of steam glided together in front of her, twisting and merging into a hand that shot toward me with impressive speed. Nothing close to the quickness Corren and I put on display, though the massive wingspan of her misty palm construct made it difficult to fully shuffle away from. I barely managed to relocate the raging redhead before having to slap away her Trident spiraling for my forehead with a blade.
"She sends me here not for my glory, but to…for YOU, and you don't even REMEMBER MY FUCKING NAME?!" She angrily bellowed, her eyes burning with a level of disdain that brought on a rush of memories from Perunious and Anutir's domain.
"Oh yeah I do know you! Fucking what was it uh…Vanessa, right?" I asked, quickly snapping my fingers trying to pinpoint her name from the recesses of my memories, buried behind thousands of hours spent fighting, many actually dying. The redheaded woman's eyes stretched even wider, gleaming with ferocity as she raised her trident.
"…fuck it, I'll find one with a little self respect next time. It's Veronica, you fucking imbecile." She replied after a pause, glaring angrily up into the clouds as she spoke.
"Veronica…right uh, well it's good to see you again, I like the outfit." I replied, spinning my blade in hand and walking toward the battle mage. Her voice certainly sounded familiar, though it felt like a distant memory my brain may very well just be making up on the spot. The trident looked familiar, and her grating tone certainly felt distinct but, nothing rang a bell. I suppose all that time spent with the colony must've taught my mind what to value, and names fell short of that priority list. She glared back at me, her eyes wide in a look of fury mixed with utter disbelief.
"Would you mind waiting just a second then, I was almost finished dealing with the first problem." I added with an annoyed sigh. Before she could reply however, a high pitched wooden crunch pulled my attention into the forest at our side. Another bright grey Flow-pathing shot across my vision as Corren's fist blasted into my shoulder blade, barely managing to lift it in front of my face before the strike landed. His hands flew from seemingly every possible angle, putting on a proper display of speed and fury wrapped into an unending combo. A sharp pain quickly tingled behind my eyes from tracking the countless Flow-light phenomenon flashes to parry his strikes, feeling whatever skill I unlocked beginning to reach its limits.
…why can't I meet any new friends around here?