The girls walked through the second story door. The room was just as big as the room below but instead was divided by two small catwalks that went across the huge gap in the floor. On the other side of the room stood Warlock leaning against a strange machine. He stood smiling as if he had already won.
“Congratulations on making it this far,” Warlock said in a very polite tone, ”Too bad that your friend was knocked out, so he will not be competing in this round.”
“So if you could please put him on the other side of the door you just came through please” Warlock continued in his very overly polite tone.
The girls looked at each other and exchanged looks of uncertainty until Tsukiko said “I don't think so, we took him up here to insure his safety and we intend to keep it like that”
Warlock paused before responding with a shrug, “Miss Maxwell I'm known by many things but being a liar is not one of them. Even your great father can testify to that.”
“And just what insurance do we have of that?” Summer asked.
“I must admit he is telling the truth. He might be evil, twisted, and corrupt but he has always done what he claimed to do” Tsukiko answered with a slight growl. “However, just in case jam the first floor door. If anything that will buy us time if necessary.”
Summer nodded her head and opened the door and went through the opening, but before it shut she spun around and jammed a tonfa in the door frame to keep the door from fully shutting. She then put Matt down and started her walk downstairs.
Warlock’s grin was wide, before turning into a fake forced frown as Summer turned, “I’m wounded that you two really have no trust in me. Seriously, do you think that simply locking a door would keep a Amazon from breaking the door down or finding an alternative way back here? Please you both earned your spots here. I don't want the Princess to miss any of the fun.”
“Ok cut the condescending bullshit. Of course we won't trust you! Geez you are the bad guy. You have killed and tortured many people, and even though we aren't our dads we still plan on taking ya down” Tsukiko calmly replied.
“You know my dear I saw you used some blood magic a few minutes ago.” Warlock said changing the subject, “Seriously, you are growing so strong, and looking like your mother all the while. Speaking of which how is she?”
“MY mother is doing rather fine,” Tsukiko emphasizes the word, “Helps dad out all the time.”
“No dear, your real mother”
Tsukiko’s eyes narrowed, “Ah know who you mean. If ya mean Scarlett then Ah have no idea nor do Ah care. Since you have Sean why not ask him. He was closer to the bitch.”
“Ahhh yes Sean. He is a wonderful addition. However, my dear you have so much going for you. Your power and intelligence grows every day. I almost dare to say you may surpass your father one day”
“Didn't realize you had such an interest in my family. Jealous much suga’?” Tsukiko asked as Summer returned to the scene.
“And done. I have the door secure for him. If he does wake up he should be able to join us, but if not we will have time to get him if something dumb happens.” Summer said taking back her tonfa, “What did I miss, it wasn’t the beatdown was it?”
“Nothing much,” Tsukiko groaned, “He doesn't seem to shut up.”
Summer rolls her eyes before joining in, “Ung, I get enough of that at home.”
Tsukiko looked at Summer with a raised eyebrow, “What’s that mean?”
“Razor,” Summer said with a sigh, “Razor is very much into banter.”
“Two deadly beauties against me, can you blame me if I want to delay?” Warlock chuckled, pulling both the girls attention, “Well I'm game if you want to get things started”
Tsukiko and Summer both looked at each other and nodded their head once and took off towards Warlock. Each using a different catwalk just incase. Summer obviously was faster than Tsukiko, but the mage tried to keep the widening gap as small as possible. About three quarters across the catwalk one of the grates gave way causing Tsukiko to drop. Instinctively she put her staff across the hole and it stopped her from falling through. She then pulled herself up.
Summer tried to help but was too slow as, when she crossed onto the other platform a barrier sprung up separating the two women. Summer took her tonfa and hit the barrier but nothing happened. She then swung around to face her opponent.
“Hahaha, like lambs to the-” Warlock tried to get out but summer wasted no time and charged forward with her tonfas spinning. The first strike she attempted was a wide horizontal strike to the head. Warlock pushed himself back and out of range of the swing, but she continued to press her charge with horizontal swings at his body. For every foot she pressed forward he floated back two.
Then Warlock literally hit a wall, and Summer took the side grip of the tonfa, released some of her will into the tonfa making it glow dark purple, and thrust the tip at him ready to stab him. Warlock sidestepped the attack just in time to have the tonfa break into wall which caused impact cracks all around the impact zone. Warlock them quickly floated up into the air. Summer continued to keep focus on her opponent and pulled the tonfa out of the wall.
After a couple of seconds and calculating that he was out of range Warlock said “what the hell woman? You didn't allow me time to get my line out! You could of waited”
“I just told you that I don't like banter! I don't usually let my brother ramble on so why would I let you?” Summer said then looked towards Tsukiko who was working on bringing down the barrier “That's another reason I like your brother. He keeps his words short and to the point”
“then obviously you don't notice his mumbling then” Tsukiko answered
Summer rolled her eyes, “Mumbling is better than rambling on and on. Creating super move this or naming extra special move that. Ugh...it gets old, fast”
“Ladies please focus! Do you not realize the danger you are in?” Warlock said diverting the attention back to him.
“I'm perfectly aware that you are a coward.” Summer responded
Warlock said a couple of magic words and focused his will into his hands. A black sphere appeared in it. Then he said “try not to get hit dear.” then fired the ball.
Summer easily dodged it, but when it hit the ground it expanded to twice it's size then exploded. Summer may have missed the explosion area, but the shockwave part threw her back a few feet. Summer hit the ground and rolled up to see a second black ball coming at her. She concentrated her will into her legs and took off. To the untrained eye it looked like she disappeared then reappeared a few yards away. The ball exploded but the shockwave didn't hurt as bad as the last one.
However, when summer looked up Warlock now was firing them one after the other. Summer again put her will into her legs and concentrated. As the first ball was about to hit the ground she disappeared and reappeared just out of range. A second ball came right at her as she appeared, so she disappeared again and got out of range. This process continued over and over again. The tiny space started becoming a problem as more and more explosions happened around summer. As Warlock kept her busy he charged up a bigger one and threw it where he lured summer to, and she saw it just before it landed so with all the speed she could muster she blinked away from it, but it's shockwave tore into her and smashed her into the wall. Summer’s clothes were damaged and she was bleeding now.
Warlock still in the air clapped in a mocking manner. He then turned towards Tsukiko who desperately was trying to break the barrier and said “don't be so impatient dear your turn is next”
Then Warlock felt a static charge in the air. He looked around, and then as his eyes came to rest on Summer whose eyes were red and a battle aura surrounded her. She glanced up towards Warlock then disappeared. Her take off created a burst of wind. She appeared half way up the wall behind Warlock in a crouching stance, and blinked again. The wall violently cracked apart. Warlock figured she would strike from behind so he whirled around readying a magic attack, but nothing was behind him. Then he heard her push off again, but this time it was above him. She came down like a missile and he barely had time to dodge the strike to the head, but she managed to hit him on the collarbone. A loud crunch reverberated in his ears. The second tonfa came down on the shoulder breaking the bones in that area making the arm useless.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Summer made eye contact with him as they dropped to the floor. Her red eyes piercing into his and said “how dare you ruin Summer’s clothes and damage Summer!” her voice full of hate.
Before they hit the floor Warlock teleported away to the other side of the platform. He started looking over his injuries. However, that distraction weakened his hold on the barrier allowing Tsukiko to break it. Summer hit the floor in a crouching position breathing heavily. Tsukiko ran to her side.
“Summer I'm here. Are you ok?” Tsukiko asked
Summer tried to answer while catching her breath. “ summer….may...need to...tag out...for a minute”
“those bursts of speed was amazing!”
“its...called flash step...advance Amazons are taught this technique….basically every one step in quick step is...ten running steps. It's both deadly and taxing.” summer responded.
“well you rest up. I got part two” Tsukiko said looking at the injured Warlock and taking a fighting stance.
Warlock’s left arm was completely useless, and even hung a few inches lower than the other arm. At first Tsukiko wondered how he wasn't in pain until she opened her magical senses and saw it was only a corpse being manipulated.
“that's totally dirty. I see you rather hide in the shadows than actually fight coward!”
Warlock just smirked and replied “the danger is still the same young one. I was waiting for you to notice. Though I will admit I had a fresher specimen to work with over what I had at my disposal for your brother.”
Tsukiko thrusted her staff out uttered an arcane word, and as she did so poured her will into the staff. Two balls of fire erupted from the tips and fired at Warlock. He looked rather bored at the attack. He put his good arm up and the fireballs slammed into a invisible shield.
“honestly Tsukiko such a basic spell and while I was ready for it. I know you can do better. Hell I just saw you do better!”
Tsukiko then took a deep breath and went into a dead sprint towards Warlock. She spun her staff so the bottom of the staff touched her back and the top pointed towards the ground. She poured will into the staff with every step she took. Then as she reached the shield she trusted her staff out and as it touched the shield she said a word, and the shield shattered.
Warlock’s eyes went wide for a second in shock. Tsukiko then spun the staff to have the base strike at his head. Warlock ducked the initial attack, but after the base passed over his head she completed the arc then thrusted the staff into Warlock hitting him hard in the chest and throwing him back a few feet. Tsukiko then spun the staff around as he was still off balance and from the tips of the staff released a wave of cold air. Only having a second to react Warlock turned slightly and allowed the cold air to hit his bad arm. Ice formed all over it. Wasting no time he blinked across the room then taking one finger pushed it into the arm and shattered it.
“i suppose you were going for that effect. I must say you’re rush in attack caught me off guard. I took you as a far away fighter. Probably had to thank....your “mother” for that” Warlock said doing finger quotes.
“i learned quite a bit truthfully” Tsukiko said as she spun her staff around then took a stance and took off again in a dead run.
Warlock however was ready for it. The tips of his fingers began to glow, and as Tsukiko got into range to swing her staff she all of a sudden stopped. Warlock began to laugh then said “what's wrong my dear are you stuck?”
Tsukiko then put will into her eyes which allowed her to have magical sight. She immediately noticed the trap around her. From Warlock’s finger tips string like energy was emitted and wrapped around her arms and legs. The magic string attached to her aura, and now was a marionette.
“this sadly ends here” as he raised his arm Tsukiko raised into the air. He then swung her towards the wall and she slammed into it. He then swung his arm back then swung it towards the wall again. He repeated the process a few more times. Every time she hit the wall she cried out in pain. Then he beckoned her forward and she flew towards Warlock. She stopped just in front of his face. Even with Tsukiko’s blood dripping down her face and body her eyes still had anger and defiance in them.
“done so soon? You have the upper hand yet you continue to lecture. Are you so arrogant or just weak?” Tsukiko asked as Warlock ran his hand over her bloody face. Then he removed his hand and pushed her away. Her body went faster and faster into the air as she went across the room. Then just before impact a purple blur appeared behind her and helped cushion the impact. Both woman dropped to the floor.
I suppose this is the end for you two. Both tired your best, but I'm still very disappointed in you Tsukiko. Honestly you were barely a challenge.” Warlock said as the two women slowly got back up. They were bloody and beaten. Their clothes were ripped and in tatters. Even there battle stance showed fatigue in it. Then he stated “but I will give you credit for getting back up”
Then the door opened on the other side of the floor. Matt came walking in rubbing his head and with a look of slight confusion. He stopped just before the catwalks and looked at both at Warlock and the girls. His eyes more importantly focusing on his injured princess
“princess! You are injured! Give me just a moment and I will take care of you!” Matt then took off across the catwalk full speed.
“Summer knows Summer is injured! Summer doesn't need your help”
“sorry but you failed round one I won't allow you to interfere in this exam” Warlock said as he raised his arm out. The catwalks instantly started to shake violently. Matt stopped his advance and help on. Both catwalks violently flung up into the air then dove down towards the first floor. The hard impact shook the whole factory. The girls ran to the edge expecting the worst. However, Matt must have thrown some of his enchanted chains towards the rafters just before impact because he was swinging about ten feet above a mess of twisted metal and broken concrete.
“give me just a moment my princess. I will figure something out” Matt said as he swung around. Looking for a place to drop.
“well that's a relief. I honestly didn't expect him to awaken.” Tsukiko said in surprise. “lucky he didn't die”
Summer stood in silence for a couple of moments then responded “sure...luck. we better hurry”
“ah! Don't worry actually you may want to die.” Warlock then placed his arm outward and a hologram of a bloody and tired Herro was shown. Then a equally bloody and beaten Razor was shown panting heavily. Warlock then continued “they are on the verge of death as well”
“i can believe Herro but Razor?” Tsukiko then used her sight and said “it's true! We need to act fast!”
Summer stood motionless at the news. Tears started flowing from her red eyes and her body started to shake. Tsukiko attempted to reach out but then a purple aura started coming off her body. “you...hurt my brother..” the aura became darker purple and more intense. “...and my mate...Summer will never forgive you!” Summer took four long slow steps forward. Then as the last one touched the ground she did a flash step technique. The push off was so strong she left a pot hole in the floor.
As fast as Warlock could he dropped his marionette spell on Tsukiko. He went to put up a shield but Summer was initially too fast. A purple streak went through Warlocks knee. The tonfa was so fast it actually went through the leg like a sword Warlock dropped down to his knee. However, since his puppet body felt no pain he could think clearly, so he threw up his shield. The second tonfa strike slammed so hard into the shield it pushed Warlock back a couple feet. Then Summer took off again flash stepping then hitting the shield, flash stepping to another area and hitting the shield again. To a outsider it looked like a purple streak was zipping all around Warlock. The shield started cracking as Summer continued her offense.
Then the Amazon princess appeared inches from Warlock’s face. Her face was full of rage and hate. Warlock backed his face away just a few inches. Then Summer screamed “you will pay for everything you have done to Summer’s brother and mate!!” as she said mate the red eyes faded to white and her aura ripped off of her like a shockwave. Warlock’s shield broke apart, flew into the air, and he hit the wall hard. Summer flew to the ground.
Warlock’s vision came too. Whatever she did he obviously didn't expect. He looked up to see the Amazon out cold. Tsukiko stood on the far side of the room concentrating. Her word came out of her mouth incredibly quickly. A scarlet circle now surrounded her wIth a star in the center. Tsukiko then opened her eyes the tips of her staff both emitting lightning.
“ok ok darling the test is over. The Amazon did her best, but whatever you do I can just counter.” Warlock said smug
Tsukiko developed a scarlet aura around her body and her eyes went black. Tsukiko then said in a deep voice “you must have not noticed, but your magic has been greatly taken away from you” then she leveled the staff at Warlock.
Warlock threw up his arm and concentrated his will trying to bring up a shield however nothing happened. His eyes went wide. Tsukiko only smiled as she released a bolt of red lightning at him.
The bolt of lighting was as large as Warlock and as the bolt engulfed him it continued forward and punched a hole into the wall behind him. The attack only lasted a couple seconds by once it went away it revealed that the only thing left of Warlock his burning bones. The wall behind him was also on fire.
Tsukiko felt drained but with the building on fire she had to think quickly. She dragged Summer to the edge of the floor and look down to see Matt going to the door to head up to their floor.
“hold on a second. I need you to catch Summer she is out cold and I can't carry her” Tsukiko said
Matt’s eyes lit up disturbingly and Tsukiko couldn't tell if it was to help Summer or that she was out cold. He quickly dodged around the twisted metal around him and put his arms up as he got close to the edge.
Then with a smile said “Toss her down and I will catch my princess!”
“Alright, but no funny business!” Tsukiko then pushed Summer off the ledge and Matt caught her. Tsukiko then looked back and could see the fire getting intense. They needed to get out fast. She then jumped off the ledge and using the last of her power slowed herself down. The landing was harder than she would have liked, but there were no injuries.
The group pushed through the twisted metal and ran out of the factory. When they reached the car they looked back. The entire factory was now in flames.
“Wow, I guess that is mission accomplished” Matt said out loud
Tsukiko muttered while looking back to the car and walking towards it, “Yeah, but we still need to get to the guys. Warlock showed us a scene where they weren't looking so good”
“Andhat good would you do?” Matt questioned, “Both of you are spent”
Tsukiko stopped at his words and looked back towards Matt and said “i can charge up in the car ride. Even if I don't have much power I can at least try. Besides you can still fight!”
Then Tsukiko continued towards the car. Matt looked down at the princess and noticed how bad her clothes were. He could see a good portion of Summer’s one breast. He looked up to see Tsukiko getting into the car.
“I should get a little reward” Matt then took his finger and rubbed some of the bare flesh on her exposed breast. He was actually giggled. Then he look at Summer’s face. Her red eyes wet opened and face angry. Then it went black very quickly with the exception of the bright stars in his eyes. The pain was overwhelming. Then nothing.