“No,” Vivian said the moment she saw Joan.
Joan ignored her entirely and just ran past her.
“Joan? Joan! Get back here! What do you think you’re--”
“You know exactly what I’m doing, where I’m going and why I need to do it!” Joan yelled back at her. “If the Chosen contact you, tell Korgron I need her help!”
“Joan! JOAN! STOP!” Vivian yelled after her.
Joan didn’t stop, though. She wondered if anyone really expected her to actually stop when they yelled at her to stop. Yes, she knew stopping was the smart thing to do, but if she was going to do the smart thing she wouldn’t be here.
If the Demon Lord was attacking she had to do everything she could to try and delay it as long as possible. She could very well be the only one who could.
She gave a silent prayer to the gods that the Chosen would check up on her soon.
------
Joan stared at the massive creature and felt like her heart might pound out of her chest. That was definitely a titanslayer. Six massive wings, giant lion-like body, sense of dread, streets now empty as everyone who could had run away because their lives depended on it.
Or did it?
There was no army, no mass of demons walking the streets. The titanslayer had demolished one of the city’s main piers, but for now it just seemed to be pacing up and down the beach, occasionally roaring with such ferocity the ground would shake. She wondered what it was--
A moment later the beast roared once more and then rushed forward, its massive frame destroying one of the buildings on the beach with the same ease she might have kicked over a sandcastle. Joan gave a small whimper and moved back behind a wall, peering out nervously.
It was toying with them. Taking its time. Allowing the people to run and hide. Spread more fear, more panic. But she supposed that was good. It wasn’t a direct, calculated strike. Did that mean the Demon Lord wasn’t controlling it directly? When she’d been the Hero he’d had them assault locations on a few occasions when he couldn’t be involved directly. She’d have a much better chance if that was the case, it--
Oh no.
Her heart nearly fell into her stomach.
Joan could see them racing towards the beast. Hearth’s defenders. Guards, mercenaries, who knew what else. What in the world were they thinking, they couldn’t just fight that thing. They needed to be running the other way, not TOWARDS it. She realized a moment later the irony in her thinking that, but it was different when she did it. She kind of knew what she was doing somewhat.
Joan could do nothing more but watch helplessly as a spear of stone lanced through the air from the defenders, sailing through the air and shattering against the demon’s thick scales. It turned to look at the ones who attacked it before letting out another roar, so loud it made them stop short. Not that it would save them. The titanslayer took a step forward and readied itself to pounce.
Joan was halfway to activating the belt before she even realized she was doing it. “Come on, Searle,” Joan said softly. The elemental of light appeared in front of her, its light blinding her for a moment. A massive, powerful being of light and magic. Based on Searle’s magic, shaped by Korgron’s. The ultimate defender. Joan gave a silent prayer that it would make it in time. Searle had managed to get to her when she needed it most, could this elemental get to them when they needed it?
Joan peered out from behind the wall once more and squinted, though she once more felt unease washing over her. The elemental had managed to get there in time, its massive light form between the titanslayer and the city’s defenders. But not because it had been fast enough. The titanslayer hadn’t moved aside from its head which was now turned directly towards her.
Great. Did it see her as a threat? Well, not like it mattered. It wasn’t like it could get to her through the elemental. Hopefully. Maybe. She really, really hoped.
Yet it was just staring at her, not moving. It was as if everything else in the world had stopped for a moment and the two massive behemoths stood opposite each other, even the city’s defenders unwilling to move, for fear of disturbing what momentary peace had been brought.
What was it waiting for? Was it going to lunge at her? Try to stop her? Go at the elemental? What?
Joan stared back at it, waiting for it to do something. Was it unsure? Confused? Was it waiting for something?
Waiting for something. Joan turned around just in time to see the back of Penthe’s gauntlet right before it connected with her face. She was knocked off her feet, crashing to the ground and rolling a few times. Her brain felt like it was bouncing around in her skull, the world spinning when she tried to right herself.
She heard another roar followed by a crash from the beach. At least now she knew what the demon was waiting for. Ow.
“Happy to see you too, Penthe,” Joan said before reaching up to grab her cheek. “Why are you-- oh.”
Penthe held Dynasty Devourer in her hand.
“I see you’ve got it fixed,” Joan said.
“You’re different,” Penthe said. “What did you do?”
“I took a vacation,” Joan said before slowly climbing to her feet, her hands gripping the wall. She almost lost her footing when the rumbling from the titanslayer’s attacks made the ground shake. “Also, lots of working out.”
“Funny,” Penthe said. “Beyond Recollection.”
The sword hummed to life once more, except this time it was different. A violent, almost wounded hissing came from the blade and dark bolts of magic sparked off it.
“That doesn’t look good,” Joan said before taking a step back. “Are you sure you fixed it? That doesn’t sound fixed.”
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“It certainly doesn’t sound good,” Dixon said from behind Joan. “I thought you said it should be working?”
Joan’s eyes went wide and she turned around and stared at the demon. What was he doing here? Why was the Demon Lord’s brother here of all places?
“It’s fixed enough,” Penthe said. “Joan, accept your end. There’s nowhere for you to run, nowhere for you to hide. This ends now.”
“Do you really expect me to accept that?” Joan asked. She held out her right hand and Guardian Nova appeared in her grasp. She looked between the two of them and backed away, wondering who would strike first. Dixon, though, didn’t seem very hostile. In fact, he seemed incredibly relaxed and almost amused by all of this.
She found that incredibly unlikely.
“Must you make this so difficult?” Penthe asked.
“Everyone asks me that,” Joan said. “So, you know. Yes. Also, I think your sword is leaking.”
“Oh just shut up and DIE!” Penthe yelled before charging at her.
Joan readied herself, keeping Dixon in the corner of her eyes. He wasn’t moving, though. Why? Penthe brought him, so didn’t that mean he was important? She didn’t have long to consider it, though, as Penthe was on her a moment later. Her sword came down and Joan moved to parry it aside with her own, striking out with her blade and enhancing her own body as best she could. Rather than being sent flying back, she managed to deflect the sword away and cause a loud, grinding shrieking sound from the blade. She quickly took a few steps back and stared at it. “That really doesn’t sound good.”
“Just stand still and let me finish this,” Penthe said. “Can you begin to understand the steps I’ve gone through to get here?”
“Can you?” Joan asked. Penthe came at her again, slashing ferociously. But things were different now. Her training had paid off. Penthe was still faster and stronger than her, but not enough. Her movements were predictable, as if she’d seen them a thousand times. Just like she had done so many times before, she let her instincts take over and allowed her body to move in the way only it could. Countering strikes before she was even fully aware they were coming.
Compared to fighting Hardwin, Penthe almost felt like a novice. Joan knocked the sword aside once more and managed to slash across Penthe’s hip, though the blade only managed to clang against the armor.
“Damn it!” Penthe yelled. “Well? Aren’t you going to help?”
“I think you’re doing fine,” Dixon said with a light chuckle.
“Joan, what did you do?” Penthe asked. “How are you like this?”
“I told you, I’ve been training a lot,” Joan said before narrowly deflecting another strike. There had to be some way around her armor, didn’t there? “We don’t need to fight!”
“Yes we do!” Penthe yelled before trying to cleave through her once more. Joan managed to move away from the blow, knocking it aside and maneuvering around Penthe before kicking her forward against the wall. She barely managed to pull back in time to avoid another slash from the woman.
“Why do you have to be so stubborn?” Joan asked. “If you’d just talk with me, we could work all this out. We can fix this!”
“There’s nothing you need to FIX!” Penthe yelled. “Damn it, Arta, why won’t you just die?” She then turned and, rather than striking with her sword, she instead lashed out with her left hand. Jagged rocks formed for a moment before flying at her.
Joan squeaked and tumbled backwards, narrowly avoiding the rocks and causing them to fly overhead. She landed on her back, barely having a moment to collect herself before suddenly Penthe was there, sword raised high and brought crashing down. Fortunately, she still had one trick up her sleeve. Well, probably a dozen tricks but this was a very effective trick. She activated her shielding bracer and a barrier of light formed around her. The sword hit it, stopping in midair.
Joan didn’t hesitate, though. Gripping her own sword in both hands she swung as hard as she could, the barrier falling away after a few moments and her sword striking Penthe’s sword just above the hilt.
To Joan’s amazement, the strike was hard enough to knock the blade from Penthe’s grip. It flew only a few feet before embedding itself in the ground. Penthe pulled her hand back, letting out a flurry of curse words and words that Joan was pretty sure were curse words.
Joan didn’t hesitate, though. Amplifying her body as much as she could, she kicked off the ground and raced towards the sword, her left hand reaching out to grab Destiny Devourer first. Her fingers wrapped around the hilt and she kept going, pulling it behind her. Yes! Now she just--
“GAH!” Joan yelled before dropping the blade. “What the hell IS that?!” she asked, her eyes locking on the sword. She stared at her hand, the black veins of the key now growing thick and practically pulsing in her hand. Just the few moments of touching the blade made her feel as if her hand had grabbed some sick, toxic, writhing worm. It made her feel tainted and corrupted, like she should cut off her hand.
“The dead need not know,” Penthe said.
“Well, isn’t that extra ominous?” Joan asked before rubbing her hand on her tunic. “Ugh, I can still feel it. How can you even touch that thing? Is this what your armor is made of? Or is that why you have the armor? Ew ew e--” Joan’s words were cut off by an arm wrapping around her neck from behind. Her eyes went wide and she looked up to see Dixon. Before she could even try and swing, his right hand reached down and gripped her wrist, holding it still. He wasn’t choking her, though. Wait, something about this felt familiar. “What?” Joan asked. Her left hand reached up to grip his arm, clasping the sleeve.
“Finally decided to help?” Penthe asked. “Took your time, didn’t you?”
“You had it handled,” Dixon said.
Joan tried to tug her wrist free, but it felt like it was being held in a vice. She tried crashing her head back into his chest, but it felt like she headbutted Searle and that only made it hurt more. She gave a soft whimper when she saw Penthe walking towards them, clutching her right hand with her left.
“Why are you helping her?” Joan asked. “If you think you’re going to be able to send me to the Demon Lord, you won’t. She won’t let you.”
“Oh, that’s not the plan here,” Dixon said.
Joan whimpered when she saw Penthe lean down for her sword. She gave a light grunt and kicked as hard as she could, hitting the sword and sending it skidding along the road.
“Really?” Penthe asked.
“She’s a fighter, you can’t deny it,” Dixon said.
“Please, Penthe,” Joan said softly, tugging with her left hand on the arm. “You don’t need to do this.”
“Be silent, Arta,” Penthe said before finally letting her hand go.
“I’m not Arta!” Joan yelled. “My name is Joan! If you’d just listen to me for once you’d understand that you don’t understand anything that’s going on! I don’t either! It’s why I’m trying so hard to fix it!”
“Shut UP!” Penthe yelled before lashing out with her right hand. To her surprise, Dixon pulled her back, just out of reach.
“Hey now, if you want to fight her I’ll let her go, but that’s hardly fair,” Dixon said.
Joan’s eyes went wide.
She knew why this was familiar. She looked up at Dixon. No, he was definitely different from when she saw him last. Before he had been very calm, very quiet. But his presence had been so heavy and almost overwhelming. What she felt now was so familiar. It couldn’t be possible, though. Why would he be here? Why would he be helping Penthe? Why would he be her enemy?
Could it really be him?
“Chase?” Joan asked.
Both Penthe and Dixon went entirely still.
The silence only broken a moment later when a boulder the size of a carriage crashed down behind Penthe, making all three of them jump.
“Put the annoying brat DOWN!” Korgron yelled from the end of the street, her body glowing from the purple magic that radiated off her.
Joan squeaked. Still, yay, reinforcements!