At an intersection in the heart of downtown Liberty City, not a sound can be heard. Normally, during an evening such as this, the honk of car horns, low humming chatter of pedestrians, and even the occasional flash of music from within the storefronts would bounce across the pavement. Tonight, however, all is silent.
It is not for a lack of interest from the local population, on the contrary the attention of the whole city falls on the meeting of these two streets. It is as though the city itself hovers over the intersection, one where two mighty rivers of pavement and construction race headlong into one another and collide before moving on into the night.
But unlike the orderly grid of the streets, this meeting will leave only one survivor. Hovering atop a low rising building is none other than the protector of Liberty City, Eldritch Maiden! Standing defiantly in the street below is the drowned god, Roman!
Only moments ago, Roman hurled his challenge at Eldritch, leaving her stunned and uncertain. For Roman spoke of knowledge beyond his ken. He knew of the secret bond between Belinda, mystic teacher to Eldritch, and Hailey!
His pronouncement leaves little doubt as to his intent, Roman will strive his utmost to drive that monstrous spear he carries with such ease through her and thereby claim her dagger for himself. However, Hailey has no idea what she might do to stop him, for she has never faced such a foe before!
This foul specter appears intangible, and according to reports gleaned from her following of the police radio, objects pass through him as though he were water incarnate. The only place he bore the bullets they buffeted him with was his armor, but so powerfully enchanted is the metals that the strikes had no impact!
Her mind races, frantically digging for some spell that Roman might be employing to achieve this invulnerability. Her education in this field does not avail her, nor does the comparatively much greater wisdom of her companion spirit, Belinda.
Together they decide that Roman must belong to that same classification as Belinda, a spirit without a body. Obviously, this particular poltergeist has gone beyond such limitations. Yet for all that he is beyond them, Eldritch must assume that one limit still applies. The destruction of his arms will enact the destruction of the spirit itself! So settling on this straightforward plan, she utilizes her range and perch atop a building to send forth the opening strike!
A series of light blasts fly down to the intersection, but Roman remains undaunted! The mask that is his face cannot change expression, but the body language is enough to convey his utter contempt for such an attack.
With a flourish of his shield, he does not merely brace for the attack, but sends it careening to the side. In amazement, Eldritch pauses before her next string of strikes were set to buffet the area. Her first line of attack foiled, she remains on the offensive.
Next, a string of wires made of pure, blinding, light cocoon the area. Then, after a moment, they collapse! The wires slice through all that they touch, leaving devastation in the street below as cars, sidewalks, and pavement all bear the scars of her web.
Yet even as the lights bisect Roman, they only pass through his form. Those few that do encounter his armor snap, allowing the net to dissipate into nothingness.
Eldritch begins to prepare another offense. Roman, however, will have none of this. It is apparent that he has grown tired of simply enduring her strikes. Now he intends to send out a few blows of his own!
Jumping with preternatural ability, he soars up towards the corner of the low-rise atop which Eldritch has been bombarding him. Surprising the girl, he gains the upper hand and sends the blade of his spear directly at her sternum! Spinning out of the way just in time Eldritch can only barely avoid his attack, and must halt her chant to do so.
With a roar, Roman continues to overwhelm the girl with a series of stabs, each aimed at her vitals. Eldritch contorts, spins, twists, and whirls her way away from each. She tries desperately to gain some distance that will allow her comparatively diminutive form a chance to escape the reach of this towering beast.
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On and on they go above the city. But as Eldritch tries to avoid the final strike, she finds herself walking on air! Her rooftop has run out and along with it her ability to continue to avoid the enemy. As she begins to tumble towards the alley below, the fist of Roman reaches out and provides salvation. Still, with his metal fingers wrapped around her throat such a salvation is suspect indeed!
Roman does not bring her back to the roof, at least not yet. First, he reaffirms his grasp about her neck, affording Eldritch the chance to glance about, realizing that he has cast his shield aside to free up the hand he used to collar her.
Then he brings his spear up, making his intentions clear, he will not be bringing Eldritch back to the ground alive! Scarcely able to breathe, her pupils dilate in fear and panic. But, dear reader, this story does not end here tonight!
No spell in the world can save her from the spear of Roman. Still, one particular spell can save her from his grasp. Sending a searing shock through the metallic hand, Roman curses in a dead language and drops Eldritch.
Now falling once again to the street below, she pulls out the apple of Roman's eye, her dagger, and digs it into the side of the building. Slowing herself, she then uses her ability to float as a means of completely arresting her motion.
Comfortably standing in the alley, she races back to the intersection as a means of drawing the fight to a favorable location. The sliced and diced arena offers her a rare chance. Here she can lay a set of traps designed to halt Roman in his tracks.
Pausing for a moment as she watches Roman move to collect his shield and saunter over to the corner of the building where she once stood, she calls out to Belinda.
"Bel, any chance you know a way to stop him that I don't?" Her telepathic communication is clipped and swift.
The reply, in contrast, carries a measure of uncertainty. Clearly, the prospect of an enemy so intimately familiar with her situation causes a degree of trepanation in Belinda. "I am... unsure. His form seems impervious to our attacks, yet he suffered the electricity. The metal he seems to be made of must be conducting, but why one would harm him when the other would not is not clear."
Hailey pauses to think about the conundrum for an instant, and then she continues. "Think it will continue to work on him?"
"I would assume so, but child..." Belinda’s mental voice tapers off into nothingness.
Eagar to hear what she has to say, Eldritch asks, "Yes Bel?"
"He shows no signs of damage from your charge. I fear that you merely surprised him and did not harm him seriously." The regret in Belinda’s tone comes as a stark warning and tells Hailey far more than what words alone could convey. They are running out of options.
"We don't have a better plan, do we?" Hailey sends the thought quietly, with a hint of frustration shining through.
For a few seconds, no further communication passes between the pair. Each simply sits, frustrated, gazing at the rooftop Roman sits on. No time passes as they commune, but Roman seems in no hurry to press his advantage or finish this fight. His arrogance and confidence seeps through every movement he makes.
Suddenly, the conversation resumes. Belinda’s next thought comes with a measure of urgency and excitement. "If we had access to a spell circle, we might try to banish him. But for a spirit strong enough to possess a suit of armor I fear this banishing would be only temporary. I cannot say how long it might hold. Perhaps minutes, perhaps centuries. But the cost of such a spell, it is great enough that if we are wrong you will be wholly at his mercy."
Eldritch smiles wickedly and begins plotting. "We could create a spell circle. All I have to do is get him to stand in it right?"
"Yes, but child the circle requires precise lines. Even if you did create one, how do you propose to confine a spirit like this in it?" Belinda is often surprised at the ingenuity of her partner. She asks this question not out of hopelessness, but rather with a certainty that Hailey will find a way.
Confident, Eldritch’s reply seems to convey the same sense of swagger that Roman exhibits as he marches the length of the roof. "Oh I don't intend to confine him, I expect him to walk right in."
Belinda’s tone is incredulous and wary, "You are planning on creating one here in the street? Careful child, a stray civilian inside the circle could be disastrous. Worse, if any of them disturb your creation the spell will fail and you will be weakened still."
Hailey nods and considers her comment. Their time together runs short, for as quickly as thoughts pass from one to the other time still flows and Roman still moves. "I think I'll keep that one in my back pocket, just in case the electricity thing fails then. Can you scan the area for civilians?"
The subtle hum of a spell beginning starts to envelop the dagger. Belinda is confident now, assured of a victory. "I will need a few moments. If this brute can be manipulated into pontificating again it would help."
With the same tone, Eldritch cracks a joke, "Gotcha, chat up the boy in uniform and draw the circle if electricity doesn't work, seems like a plan."
An instant later, the connection severs. The pair turns upwards to face Roman, who gazes down upon them like an emperor to his subjects. Though the faceplate remains unchanging, his demeanor conveys his supreme authority.
Marching to the edge of the building where Eldritch once admonished him, he leans over and plants his spear into the roof. Roman buffets his shield with his now free hand to grab her attention, and then he gestures down at Hailey. He points one monstrous finger straight at her dagger.
Atop the building, Roman roars out, "SO! Our positions are reversed. It is over, Maiden; I have the high ground now. You cannot hope to defeat me. Even your sparking tricks do nothing. Such things hurt my pride more than my body. But I am generous! If you hand over the dagger, I promise to slay you painlessly. If you do not, I can only offer you a warrior's death."
With such a bold statement, Roman marks a parley in the middle of the fight. Armed with a plan Eldritch will certainly avoid taking up the Roman’s offer. Or so the citizens of Liberty City must hope! Join us next week as Eldritch gives her answer to Roman’s offer in… “The Decline and Fall!”