The strange tower-like being named Ordu, that the man summoned, reacted in time, intercepting the disciples' long, red spear with both hands tightly grasping onto the metal bar, inches away from piercing its head, in between its eyes.
"Despite for having fought me for two days straight, you seem to still have energy to spare," her smile made him grimace in frustration as his summoned spirit was barely holding her back, his burly arms trembling under the might she exerted with her small frame, in contrast to the large spirit's arms.
"Now, search for an exit!" he yelled out to them in urgency, forcing the two to move as quickly as possible, scouring the wide chamber.
"Where do you think you're going? Nothing you do will help you escape from me," she quickly retracted her blade, leaping backwards and in front of the two, ready to thrust her spear through one of them.
"Irlais, remember our pact and emerge! Lend me your power and unleash it upon my enemies!" he chanted, making another spirit emerge before the disciple. A normal-sized, slender, and tall being whose long white hair was tied back as she wore a helmet that showed her face.
The spirit intercepted the piercing spear with her own weapon, forcing it to hit the ground instead, creating a sizable hole on the ground that Zafra and Larrus stood upon.
"This is getting bad. I'll help him out, you try and find what you need to find," Zafra said, quickly turning his attention to the man, who was desperately fighting the disciple back despite his valiant show of skill and variations with magic.
He skillfully commanded his two spirits, fighting alongside them in an attempt to at least wound or damage their enemy, as he has been unable to, ever since their fight began three days ago, according to Roy.
Yet the disciple fought without showing any type of difficulty on her face as she looked to be enjoying it instead, toying with him easily.
If one of his spirits came close to even landing a single, lucky blow, she would use her palm to stop the attack, casting them aside like nothing, assaulting him again with her monstrous strength, not letting him fight back at all.
"Alright, go! Be careful, Zafra. Fighting a disciple is unlike anything you could ever imagine. Just stay on the defensive and hold her off for as long as you can. I'll try and make this quick," Larrus said, quickly parting ways with Zafra, who joined in, building up momentum as he ran towards them, then leaping high up for a ferocious attack.
"What exactly am I looking for?" Larrus looked around him frantically, feeling the walls for some mechanism, inspecting the various etchings on the wall, which might have had meaning on them, but one that could not be understood as of now.
Just then, touching a certain part of the chamber's wall, another door took form, slowly opening as it made a loud craggy sound, producing dust and smoke from the inside of it.
"What is this?!" what emerged from inside a small inner chamber was an altar, one that had shattered, blue shards, seemingly containing power as it beckoned to Larrus strangely.
But, what took his attention was the loud sounds of explosions and impacts coming from behind him, a scene where flashing lights produced from magic filled the view, along with a sight of three people battling, with one side nearly losing despite their advantage in numbers.
Just before he could move, he felt a tap on his shoulder, making him freeze in place, not due to anything but from a surging amount of fear welling up from inside him, nearly petrifying.
"It seems that you found what I was looking for. Congratulations. Now, for your prize," a cold breeze washed over him as he felt a sense of dread after hearing her voice while she looked at her from afar, still fighting with Zafra and the mysterious man they came to rescue.
Fearing death, his mind sensed a sharp sensation coming up from behind, forcing him to move his body accordingly, then drawing his sword as to take a defensive stance.
"There's two of you?" he asked her, looking over the altar with a downcast face.
"Yes. But, I am the real one. That one over there is an exact copy of mine. Quite amazing isn't it? But what's more amazing is that you noticed my intent, and were fooled by it. It doesn't seem like you're a normal person. Some would have already dropped dead if I were to exert my intent onto them," she held her spear closely as she walked towards Larrus, smiling deviously.
"What do you want from me then?"
"I have nothing else to do but hunt down the culprit of an old demon's treasure. But that can wait. I want to 'test' you for a while. Make sure to enjoy it to the fullest for it may be your last," without delay she rushed in, barraging him with vicious strikes relentlessly, like a viper hunting its prey.
Larrus leapt backwards, parrying as many strikes as he could discern with his eyes, barely protecting himself as she gave him various scars and scratches on his body.
He then stopped, aiming for one open spot he had seen in her defense.
The disciple then noticed this without surprise, parrying Larrus's blade away from her opening, then backing away with a renewed smile, a much more awakened one.
"Interesting. You saw an opening that I had deliberately made for myself. You have keen eyes, but not sharp enough as that man's over there," she glanced at the blindfolded man.
"I think this is enough testing. I've had my share of fun and amusement. Now I will dispose of you. Farewell," her scarlet hair fluttered seductively with her alluring guise, making Larrus doubt her malicious aura for a split second, almost costing him his life as she came close towards him, nearly piercing his neck, only scratching the surface.
"Fine. Don't think I'll back down. We'll be getting out of here no matter what you say," he confidently held his blade with his stance after backing away, looking at her sharply, as if he was now a different person entirely.
"Oh, is that so? You have a lot of confidence after having survived a few of my attacks, weak human. I'll make sure to remove my leniency from now on."
The two of them began clashing blades, creating small sparks with every encounter, making the battle look surprisingly even.
Larrus kept up with most of the Disciple's moves, pushing his limits even further as his life would be in danger if he ever gave in for even a second during their fierce clashes.
"Yes, struggle, just like the pitiful humans you are! Squirm for my amusement, for you are beneath me!" she yelled out, looking entertained and ecstatic as she continued attacking Larrus, who did his best to avoid much of what she threw at him, astonished as he showed great promise with the blade unlike any she had ever seen in her entire existence, save for the chosen heroes.
During the duration of their battle, Larrus breathed heavily whenever he had the chance, replenishing most of the energy that he had lost, feeling an itching pain on both of his hands, which trembled when they were not being used to wield his sword.
(How do I land an attack one her? I won't last any longer at this rate since it feels like she's getting stronger and stronger by the second. I have to give it more, otherwise...), he though inside his head, begrudgingly weighing his options, becoming less and less as time passes.
From afar, the two fought as best they could, but were now on the brink of collapse, having lost their energy, but not the will to fight.
"Tch, damn this! If I just had a bit more energy, then I could keep going," Zafra clenched his fists, his knuckles bleeding, along with his body, covered in scratches and painful-looking wounds.
"Do not push yourself. I don't want to admit this myself, but I too seem to be at my wit's end. At this rate, It'll only be a matter of time before my mana and remaining energy runs out. I suggest that you brace yourself for the worst," the man said, kneeling on one leg as he was being guarded by his two summoned spirits, which have been long pushed to their limits, now broken and staggering.
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But the disciple in front of them stopped moving, looking at their absentmindedly.
She turned around to face behind her, seeing an amazing battle between two equal fighters.
Zafra and the man followed her eyes, surprised to see another copy of her in the distance, but what's more is that the one fighting her seems to be holding his own alone.
"A-Amazing, he is matching her every move with his own despite being alone," the man looked at him in awe, grasping their full attentions.
As both their paces quickened, his time was running out, his energy close to being depleted.
He took a breath in, then exhaled, forcing his body to move faster than ever, moving fluidly for one last attack that might decide their fates.
Her spear came towards him, precisely pointed at his heart.
"This it!" he said to himself, using his body to lunge forward, then parrying her spear with the flat edge of his blade, forcing it up to miss its target, surprising the disciple as she had not anticipated the sudden burst of energy from the man, unable to control her momentum as she continued forward.
Without the threat of her weapon, he now had the chance as he raised his blade up, bringing it down quickly with prejudice and great strength.
But just before he could cut her down, the disciple in front of Zafra and the man disappeared, reappearing in front of Larrus, then punching his chest with her fist, sending him back rolling on the ground, hitting the walls of the chamber loudly.
"Larrus!" Zafra dashed towards him, assuring his safety while keeping the disciple, one who was down on the ground, and the other standing guard, in check.
She was dazed, unable to believe the mistake she had made, and the fact that she had almost lost her life in the hands of a mortal.
She stood up, clearly angry and agitated by what had happened, staring at Larrus, who looked at her fiercely with one eye open as his forehead bled.
"Aren't you something else. I shall acknowledge you for now. You are lucky that I spared your life, otherwise I wouldn't have seen such potential," she stood up, dusting herself off, acting with what little dignity she had left in her.
"Listen closely for I will only say this once. I offer you the honor to form a pact with me and become my slave and servant. You have potential, that much I will admit," she held her hand out to him from a distance, haughtily looking at him with a princess-like demeanor.
"... I-Is that a joke? Sorry, but I'll have to decline," despite being injured, and his body slightly broken from the impact, he responded outright, not caring whether she becomes antagonized by her words, laughing a bit afterwards.
"A joke?! Is that what you think or me, you low-life mortal? I offered to you the honor of becoming my servant and you decline. What a fool," she then came up to him, where Zafra stood guard nervously, fearing for his life while trying to look strong.
"Stand aside, weakling, I have no business with you," the disciple's copy came up and pointed her spear at Zafra with an uncontent and disgusted face.
"You're strong, and I want you. So take this and think hard about my offer. You should be grateful that I'm paying you special attention," she threw Larrus a small, dark crystal shard, one that emitted a cold aura. "Use that and I will come and get you. If not, then throw it away. That means that I can kill you since you denied my offer, understand?"
They then proceeded towards the door, pushing it only slightly to make it open with ease, as is it weighed as much as a feather.
The sound of her footsteps became smaller and smaller until it disappeared, indicating the she had gone away.
"Heh, just what have I gotten myself into?" Larrus tightly grasped the crystal, closing his eyes and taking a rest from the exhaustion of fighting.
"I thought I was gonna die. You really are something else, Larrus," Zafra said beside him, leaning his back on the wall and taking a rest as well.
"Commander, everything's good here. Nothing out of the ordinary."
"Very well. Keep moving then, we still have a lot to cover if we want to find those damned pirates and bring them to justice. I'll show that man what happens when you call me a coward!" she stood on the deck of the ship, valiantly commandeering her troops as many other ships followed them, sailing into waters considered hostile due to it being inhabited by notorious pirates.
"Morgan, where else have we not gone to?" a man wearing his regal uniform with a sword on his waist appeared, holding a map, a compass, and some papers.
"Here and here, Commander. These parts are uncharted, oddly enough. We may find our culprits there and finally bring an end to this whole threat of piracy," the man spoke distinguishably, standing firm and vigilant beside her.
"Good. Set the course for here, and prepare the cannons and have the troops ready in the case of an attack. Relay that to the other ships as well."
"Then by your leave, I shall go," the man left with speed, leaving the shining, cold morning splendor for his duties.
After having sent permission to sail and find the ones causing the citizens distress, Providence, the newly appointed regional Commander of Helia, took to the seas with a small fleet of the Farronian navy.
It was the middle of the morning, and the sun shone brightly above with little to no clouds to obscure the zenith. A rejuvenating air passed by, those of which who live at sea love feeling, along with the waving waters, and the sound of gulls flying here and there.
The fleet had reached far enough that the city could barely be seen, and that they were near the border of the Orient, those of which was strictly guarded by the nation's fleet.
Just then, a thin fog started to appear, slowly becoming denser and denser until it became hard to see the other ships beside them.
"Commander, this might be it. The indications of attacks are fog and silence. Shall I rally the troops and prepare the cannons?" her subordinate, Felix Morgan asked, distressed as his hand stayed near his blade, ready to unsheathe it the moment it is needed.
"Yes, quickly. Ring the bells as well. It doesn't matter if they hear us. This fog probably means that they have chosen us as their targets. They know that we are here," she walked nonchalantly to the deck of the ship, unsheathing her rapier and looking around, making sure to know her bearings and boundaries of the ship.
"Prepare yourselves, men! Organize yourselves. I want ten of you here to form a straight rank in front of me, then another here. Those with shields are to be the first line," the soldiers began moving as they heard her commands, orderly forming ranks without complain.
Then the silence was broken by the loud clanging of the bell, serving as the signal for an attack.
From the fog emerged three ships with the same flags, all surrounding her ship at a great speed, surpassing those of their own, which was supposedly faster through engineering.
Their ship started to shake, as if being pushed side to side by the waters in an act to send them overboard.
"Brace, everyone! Be steadfast and ready, the enemy nears," she said, standing firm despite the rigorous rocking of the ship, acting as the main pillar of which the men drew their strength from.
As the ships of the mysterious pirates aligned vertically, the sides of their bodies facing the ship, several cannons emerged from the wooden windows.
"Morgan, fire at will when ready! If they move in to your line of sight, then attack them!" she shouted, seeing everything slowly, knowing what comes next after this.
Cannons then boomed loudly, filling the area with more smoke coming from the cannons, crashing onto the hard wood on both ships, sending debris flying everywhere.
The large ship that she commanded got hit with most of the projectiles, whereas it returned fire equally, devastating the enemy ships.
"Here they come, they're boarding!" one of the soldiers shouted as numerous pirates began boarding the ship through jumping and swinging on ropes.
More cannons barraged them, but despite that, she once again organized her troops on the deck, joining them in battle against the pirates as they skirmished, clashing blades furiously.
"Stand firm and smite these pirate! Show them the might of the Farronian Navy!" she flew through the deck, cutting and striking down enemies quickly, creating a rather beautiful and picturesque looking waltz with her blade, only needing one attack to subdue her opponent, then moving onto the next one.
Seeing their commander, the men were filled with vigor, but not enough to give them the edge against numbers that were strangely growing despite having defeated many of them.
Her continuous string of attacks was cut off by a stronger explosion, one that caused her lose her momentum and balance, thus forcing her to fall on the ship's deck.
"They're breaching the ship! Over there, Gah!"
Her men were steadily falling one by one, and her ship was slowly being occupied with pirates.
"Commander! You fiends! Stay away from the Commander!" Morgan, who came up from the lower deck rushed in, slicing skillfully with his sword, cutting down the pirates that were closing in on the female Commander down on the ship's floor.
"Are you safe, Commander? Here, take my hand. We will try to fight them back and retreat while we still have the men and the ship to do so," he reported formally trying his best to be composed.
"What of the others in the fleet? any word from them, or sight even."
"I'm afraid there are none. It seems that they are either gone, separated from us, or have been attacked and sunk by the enemy. Please, give us orders," he beckoned for her, looking sternly as to pressure the young Commander, creating indecisiveness in her mind.
"... Fine! Rally the remaining men from below and have them abandon the cannons. Focus on eradicating the pirates on the deck. I will lead that force. I want you to take charge of the remaining ones and have the ship up and sailing quickly. We will go through the enemy's ship since we don't have any other choices," she regained her footing, looking at the chaos around her.
"Leave it to me, Commander. Men! Form up around the Commander and prepare to retreat. Hold them back!" he yelled out, giving the soldiers a bit of hope after hearing of their plans to retreat, resulting in them to quickly form around their Commander.
A few moments more, Morgan emerged from the lower deck with all the men he could take, assigning them to different tasks as they held off the enemy from attacking them.
"We're a few men short, Commander. The mast is being scaled by the pirates," said one of the soldier, gravely adding all of their problems up.
"I will compensate for that. Divide the work and prioritize on fixing the ship as soon as possible!" she went towards the forming group of pirates, joining the ranks of soldiers barely holding up the defense.
"Ah, the struggle. It is what makes us feel the thrill of living. I like your tenacity, but I shan't delay the inevitable," a voice spoke out from the dense fog, taking the attention of everyone except the pirates, who continued the onslaught.
"What was that?" she asked herself, losing focus on the most important thing in the present, costing her largely.
After the voice became silent, the enemy's cannons roared in unison, firing upon the immobile ship, wrecking it and finally forcing it to sink below the effervescent sea.