Garuda arc

Horus: Tenjin's Republic Flag Ship

Roof

A few minutes before Ryoka had saved Emilia from Albatross, Ziera and her team were dealing with the huge waves of garuda and giant warriors attacking their warship.

Julia had formed a large ice wall around the entire ship to keep the giants at bay. But the ice wouldn't hold for long and the garuda were raining down thousands of lighting arrows onto the ship. The ship's shield's were holding as best it could but they were still not fully charged ever since they escaped from the dragons at the border so the amount of damage it was taking from the onslaught of attacks dropped the shield's output to 5%.

Ziera received a call from her men within the command center.

"Lieutenant Ziera! The mana shields won't last much longer!"

Ziera finished reconfiguring one of the ship's cannons. More garuda warriors flew down at her to attack. She flew up and around the sky to avoid incoming lightning arrows directed at her. She reconfigured her arm into a mini rocket turret. She fired 4 missiles at the 10 garuda. The garuda avoided the missiles but the missiles exploded.

They were actually a combination of missiles and flash bombs so when they exploded they unleashed four huge blinding lights that blinded the garuda. Ziera then reconfigured her arm into an omni-grenade launcher. She fired a huge omni grenade and it exploded, taking down ten of the garuda.

"Just hang on tight! The preparations are almost complete! Julia! Can you form a massive dome over the entire flagship!?" Ziera shouted through the coms. She gave Julia a communicator when she had returned to the ship.

Republic flagships are the size of a small island. Ziera realized she might be asking the impossible here so she wouldn't blame Julia if she couldn't do it.

Julia easily cut down 20 garuda soldiers with one strike and sheathed her blade. She landed on the roof of the ship and answered her communicator.

"Not a problem." Julia said casually.

"YOU SAY THAT LIKE IT'S EASY!" Ziera shouted in a silly cartoonish fashion.

"Not at all. This will take an immense amount of mana for me to perform. I will need 15 seconds to cover the entire ship. Can you cover me until then?" Julia asked. Ziera grinned. Julia smiled back at her.

"Who do you think you are talking to? I may not be a dragon-kin but that's child's play to me." Ziera said. Julia lightly grinned back at her.

"I already liked you. But I can see why Ryoka admires your spirit. If given the chance I'd like to face you in battle as wel-."

"No thanks! I'm good!" Ziera shouted while sweat dropping.

Emilia told me what she did to Jayden during their fight. Ryoka is one thing but I'd never want to face Julia in a serious fight. Ziera thought nervously.

While in thought, Ziera had just remembered that Jayden wasn't on the ship anymore. He had flown off to fight that Sef guy. From what Ziera saw he was way more experienced in battle than Jayden and was on par with Emilia's speed.

So she knew that Jayden would have a lot of difficulty in facing him. But she couldn't stay worried. She had to have faith in him like before.

Jayden. You've got this. Show him the results of your training. Ziera thought.

***

Miles away from Tenjin's flag ship.

Jayden fell from the sky and fell onto the ground. He groaned as he slowly picked himself up.

"Ow. Well that could have gone better." Jayden said as he shook his head.

Jayden began to stand but then he quickly realized something was off. He stood up fully and realized that his head was completely backwards.

"WHAT THE FUCK!? How did he knock my head that hard!?" Jayden shouted as he freaked out.

Jayden quickly grabbed onto his head with both his hands and twisted it back in place so that it was back in place facing the direction of his chest.

"Phew. That's better. I hope Ziera didn't see that." Jayden said to himself.

"Should you really be worried about the princess at this moment?"

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Jayden looked up and saw Sef descending a few feet in front of him. Jayden got into the attack position.

"I hope you are done with your childish games. This has yet to feel like a real challenge, Jayden Cortez." Sef said as he pointed his black blade at Jayden.

He's right. He's been knocking me around throughout this whole fight. And I haven't landed a single blow on him. I have to slow him down somehow. Jayden thought.

Sef began channeling his mana again. Jayden stood at the ready to face him again. Sef's green mana glowed so brightly from his body that it almost felt blinding.

Damn! He's way stronger than that draugr I fought back at the Azalea Forest. Jayden thought.

"You shouldn't space out. It may cost you your head." Sef said from behind Jayden.

Jayden's eyes behind his helmet opened wide. Sef was even faster now than before. But Jayden managed to turn around in time and managed to block the sword strike with his right arm. His arm received a large cut but it was still attached to him.

That was close! Thank the guardians I've gotten better at strengthening my defense with my mana. Jayden thought.

Jayden then reconfigured his left arm into an Omni-Cannon and fired at Sef. Sef dodged instantly and kicked Jayden back.

"Garuda Style: Wind Slash!" Sef swung his blade and released a huge wind slash attack at Jayden.

The attack was too fast for Jayden to dodge so all he could do was block it with his arms. The cuts were digging deeper into his mechanical arms.

Damn! If only I could summon that Omni Barrier like before! Jayden thought.

Jayden reconfigured both his arms into Omni-Rocket turrets and fired multiple missiles at Sef.

Sef channeled his mana into his green blade and swung it.

"Garuda Style: Wind Barrage!" Sef unleashed multiple wind slashes and destroyed all the missiles.

As the explosions went off Jayden reconfigured his arms back to normal and flew up.

Sef flew out of the smoke with sword in hand. Jayden reconfigured his arm into an Omni-Blade. Sef flew up close towards Jayden but then suddenly turned around and slashed his sword at a nearby pillar.

Behind that pillar was the real Jayden. And the slash attack hit him point blank in the chest.

"GAH!" Jayden shouted in pain.

SHIT! He saw through the hologram that quickly!? I made sure to match the amount of mana it carries with my own to trick him. So how!? Jayden thought.

Sef easily got rid of the hologram and then began flying towards Jayden.

"You thought a parlor trick like this would save you? You underestimate the Garuda's eye Jayden Cortez. With it I instantly saw you switch places with your hologram before I showed myself from the smoke. It would have worked on someone from another race. But it won't work on mine." Sef said.

Sef flew above Jayden and raised his sword. Wind and lightning flowed around the blade as he charged more mana into his blade for a big attack.

"Garuda Style: Lightning Slash!" Sef slashed Jayden from the right side of his shoulder down to his left waist.

"GAAAAAH!!!" Jayden screamed at the top of his lungs in pain. He felt both the cut and lightning electrocuting him.

Jayden was unconscious from the attack and began to fall from the sky. Sef caught him by his left arm which held Ragnarok.

"You fought bravely. But it was not enough. Sleep well, Jayden Cortez." Sef said.

***

Flashback

Earlier that day

Earlier in the day during the team bonding exercises, Jayden had trained with Julia for hours on end so that they may be more compatible in battle together in the near future.

Julia had been sparring and teaching Jayden how to properly fight, defend and think on his feet for hours. But unfortunately, Jayden still struggled throughout most of it. So Julia tried a different approach.

Jayden had fallen flat on his back once again. Injured, exhausted and unable to stand he deactivated Ragnarok to recover his energy.

"You failed. Again." Ziera said.

"No......kidding." Jayden said while out of breath.

Julia sheathed her blade and raised her hand toward him. Jayden grabbed onto it and rose himself up.

"Thanks Julia." Jayden said sincerely. While he was frustrated with himself, Jayden was thankful to both Julia and Ziera for taking the time to even help him get stronger. He couldn't ask for better friends.

"Don't mention it. But Jayden I told you that you need to work on your footwork. And you lose your composure too quickly when the battle escalates. You must learn to control your emotions as best as you can. Otherwise your enemies will use them against you." Julia instructed.

"Yeah. I know. Sorry." Jayden felt bad. He thought he was finally getting the hang of using his powers but Julia was right. He has yet to win a real fight on his own and when he does face a tough opponent he loses his composure and doesn't strategize enough.

And according to Ziera, Jayden's armor should be near invincible. It was made from the armor of Zenith, the goddess of machines herself. But Ziera through scanning and various tests determined that the armor is only as strong as it's user otherwise it'll cut like paper. Just like when Jayden fought Julia.

I have to get stronger. Otherwise what's the point of all this? I can't always rely on others to save me or help me win. And I can't always count on luck either. I have to live up to their expectations. Otherwise...

Ziera snapped her fingers in Jayden's face to snap him out of his thoughts.

"Hey! Snap out of it. You're doing it again." Ziera said sternly.

"Huh? Doing what?" Jayden asked. Ziera got up close to his face which made him blush.

"Spacing out and doubting yourself. You don't think I recognize that pitiful face you've got on right now. Get a grip will ya? Julia is here to help you get stronger. I'm here to help you. You haven't forgotten that have you?" Ziera asked with a sharp tone.

"Uh no! No ma'am! Sorry. It won't happen again!" Jayden said nervously. Julia lightly laughed at the display in front of her.

"Oh my. If you two need some alone time I'd be happy to oblige." Julia said jokingly. Ziera blushed as red as a tomato. She turned her head to Julia and shouted.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Ziera shouted frantically.

"Yes of course." Julia said. Julia didn't make it sound obvious she was subtly being sarcastic. Both Jayden and Ziera blushed immensely. Ziera coughed to break the conversation.

"Anyways! It's time we switched things up. Jayden why don't we dial back to the basics for a second? About using your emotions to strengthen your mana. Julia brings up a good point about you getting overwhelmed so I think it would be better if you got better control of your emotions. It might even help you find a way to bring out your Omni-Barrier again." Ziera said.

"Alright. Let's do it!" Jayden said.

"If I may offer a suggestion. I think I might have what Jayden needs to succeed." Julia said.

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