Inside the building Herro felt the dark presence he’d been feeling all over this damnable carnival.

“Hey can you feel this?” Herro asks Razor.

Not getting a response Herro sighed, “Just because I could sense it before you is no reason to give me the silent treatment.” Herro finished and turned.

Seeing the empty air behind him, “Oh. Of course the one time I can gloat I have no one to gloat to.”

A deep voice echoed around him, “Oh I wouldn’t say No One”

Herro spun back around to look for the speaker, but there was no one there. He squinted his eyes as a dark shape across the warehouse floor seemed to coalesce into existence.

A man steps out and spreads his arms. The man’s eyes glowed a deep dark purple as he spoke, his voice deep and a mixture of two voices at once, “Welcome to the grand finale of our play, whelp.”

Herro scowls, says a few magic words, reached out into a portal and pulls his sword out. The blade was single edged that was similar looking to a knife but a lot bigger. The top of the blade was rounded off with a hole at the tip. Attached to the blade was a stock, firing, and loading part of a rifle. The concept of a gun blade seems odd, but it had a flow and balance of a sword. “This was all your doing?”

“Yes the Carnival is mine.” A smile cut across his face, “It’s easy to get new souls when you have an attraction luring the people in. Rumors of missing guests only adds to the mystique.”

“Well I’m going to be the one to stop you.” Herro pulls the trigger and a pulse of energy shoots towards the smiling figure. Warlock barely had time to dodge the enchanted bullet that turned into a fireball.

“What a interesting weapon. Very rare anyone wields a gunblade. Generally all of them were unsuccessful” Warlock said looking the blade up and down. Then said “ however, your’s is very skillfully crafted. The blade has such beauty. Where did you get it?”

Herro nearly scoffed at the question, “My dad got it for me. You know the master of magical metal forging? He made mine and sean’s sword. However, mine he didn't like so he wanted to scrap it, but dad bought it instead.”

“master Mays made the sword? Wonder what's wrong with it”

“not sure but it works just fine. Here let me show you” herro said as he took off at full speed towards Warlock. He spun the blade and with a overhead swing came down on a shield Warlock had up.

“seriously a frontal attack? After a long discussion about your blade that's the best you could do? Geez no wonder why Sean is the genius”

Herro simply smiled and the runes on the blade started to glow red. Then it simply cut through the shield. Warlock’s eyes went wide as he dodged the first cut, but herro continued to push forward. He followed with an upward strike that sliced into Warlock’s chest and as he went in for a downward strike Warlock floated back a few feet which worked fine for Herro since about half way through the strike he fired a round the went right through Warlock’s chest. Warlock then put up his arm and sent an invisible force of power towards herro throwing him back.

“what a interesting po--” Warlock started but was cut short as bullets came at him forcing to put up a shield to block them. Then he continued “as I said before. Your sword has a interesting power. I can't tell if it can cut through shields or absorb it”

“i guess we'll find out” herro said as his gun part of the blade started to click signalling the end of the bullets. Then he continued to say “huh I thought I put more in this”

“your bullets won't do you any good anyways!”

Herro reached into a portal that appeared near him and pulled out a handful of bullets. Then started loading the gun. Then he responded by saying “why that bullet that went through you was a magic piercing one. Had there been more your shield would be useless. I just needed to test the waters. See if there was more, but I guess not”

“i suppose I needs to be more offensive.” Warlock grinned pulling his will and energy into the palms of his hands. Then two black spheres began to appear in the palms and continued to grow. Herro wasn't going to wait he rushed in towards his foe. Warlock threw the first sphere at herro who took his gunblade and cut the attack in two. It caused the spell to become unstable and instantly exploded around herro. Luckily he threw up a shield once he felt the stability shift.

“oh wow guess I better not do that again” herro said rubbing the back of his head. He had a dumb grin on his face and it made Warlock wonder. Even though it was a slight break in the action Herro raised his blade up level at Warlock and fired a couple rounds off, which Warlock dodged. It provided a little window for Herro to clear the gap between them. He raised the sword up to strike his foe, but Warlock threw his seconds spell at Herro whom.blinked away at the last second. Herro then reappeared across the warehouse.

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“damn I thought for certain I was going to get close again” Herro said pondering

Warlock stood confused then said “are you even taking this serious?”

“kinda. I mean I am trying to figure you out. Isn't the easiest thing” Herro said rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

“see this is your problem. Why not use your blood magic. Surely you know some of that”

“i prefer not to use it thank you. That style of magic is frowned on for a reason”

“so you rather just die then? I'm barely taking this fight seriously. You do realise even your father did not beat me”

Herro stopped what he was doing and started paying attention. He then flatly responded with “it's true and false. Father can not beat you because he hasn't faced you. Your statement doesn't count if all you do is hide in the shadows. Seems to me like the master in curses and black magic is scared”

Warlock’s face twisted into a hateful smile. Herro obviously hit some kind of nerve, but Warlock also didn't feel like defending himself to such a weak wizard. Rage started building up into his fists as he created another two black spheres. Warlock then responded “if you suggest I'm scared you better think otherwise. You know I have killed people for less? I do believe you should pay young one. Besides i know my new recruit will be helping me spread terror. You know him correct?”

Now it was herro’s turn so grit his teeth in anger. “yep I know the prick. Trust me after I get through with you he is next”

“from what I hear he did away with you in the prison unarmed”

The hair covering herro’s eye attracted together into three long strands revealing the long scar over his eye. Herro now was done playing around. He took a stance and prepared to strike. “well then I will show both of you not to mess with me. I even has a technique nobody knows about”

Herro took off in a run. His sword dropping to his side to make it easier to run. Warlock calculated and released a shockwave out from his body. It didn't do any damage but herro could feel that magic now was attached to his body. Then Warlock threw the two spheres. Then he said “better take some time to dispel the targeting spell on you, but if you waste the time you will get hit. Your list option is cut them again but...can you get both without getting hit? Also, don't worry about teleportation as long as my curse is on you producing magic is very hard. It's a multiple curse on your aura. ”

“better than never to show off my skill” herro muttered. Just as the spheres came close to him he disappeared.

“how could he blink? He didn't break my curse!” Warlock said out loud. Herro appeared above him. Sword raised and had a downward slash. Warlock barely moved making herro hit the ground. The spheres quickly came back towards Herro and he disappeared again.

“what kind of trickery is this?” the spheres continued to follow an target Herro causing him to appear then quickly go away. Then the spheres would stop and go in another direction. “can't be an illusion since the spell is still targeting you”

Herro then appeared next to Warlock and slashed at him, but quickly Warlock dodged. Herro just smiled and said “let me show you what I can do using this technique” then he quickly disappeared and appeared on the wall and only took a second to fire a round off and quickly vanished. He did this five more times from various angles and around Warlock. Warlock put up a shield just as the bullets about reached him and exploded and expanded outward. Then he pushed himself and slashed away the shield.

“ready?” herro asked then swung the sword back ready to strike

“that seemed over the top just to get rid of my shield. You never actually--”

Herro disappeared and Warlock then saw why the black sphere was inches from him. He quickly blew it away causing it to explode. It threw him back and tore his cloths, but he swore he felt a hand touch his back. He turned around to see the second sphere closing in. It quickly engulfed him.

Herro then reappeared away from the black sphere. He concentrated and broke the curse on him. For it being so advanced it was brittle. Must be because of the lack of focus or will put into it. Even though Herro was fighting a virtual proxy of Warlock seemed strange how easy it was to beat him. He took a step forward and his muscles shook with fatigue.

“thanks mom for showing me flash step. Sorry I had to use it. Still haven't fully mastered it.” herro then stood against the wall to keep him up. Then the black sphere dissipated away revealing a scorched almost skeleton of a man standing there. His eyes glowing purple. With one hand he swiped outward and Herro felt his shirt and skin cut open. Four long bleeding cuts went across him. Then Warlock swiped his other arm and Herro’s left leg received four more cuts. He tried to start running but his legs felt like jello with every step. Then a hiss of pain shot across his back. He knew he was cut again.

“where are you going?” Warlock boomed. “you think you can do this to me and run away? Seems you are having some trouble” Warlock continued to cut away at Herro.

“shit! I need some more time to get over the effects of using flash step.” Herro thought looking around hoping he might get another edge on Warlock.

“stay still!” Warlock commanded and instantly Herro felt stuck.

Herro could feel his arms and legs being controlled. So he opened his wizard sight and saw that from every finger on Warlock was a thin string. It reminded him of puppet or fishing string, but obviously it was magical. The string wrapped around Herro which included his arms, legs, torso, and neck. When Warlock increased the tension he could feel the strings cutting into him. However, he did notice that he still had his magic.

“I'm going to make you bleed to death!”

“you know I really hate big talkers. I know I may seem dumb but I can promise you I'm very competent” Herro then focused and released his will away from him releasing his trap. then he said “remember how I kept going everywhere? Well this is why” a circle then appeared at Warlock’s feet trapping him.

“it isn't much but it will give me the time I need!” herro said with his eyes burning. His aura began to glow around his body as he summoned more power. The aura began to glow bright red. Herro then said a word and his aura became fire.

“if only I had more time and could use a foci this could be more effective, but i have no choice. I could use the strings of his spell to guide mine” Herro thought

Herro then forced his will into the strings. He could tell Warlock could feel it, but for the next couple seconds couldn't stop it. He then shot the fire spell down the strings burning them away as they got closer to Warlock. Just then the wall blew open in between herro and Warlock. It was like time slowed down. Herro instantly recognized noticed the long purple hair, and his blood went cold.