Chapter 20: Control

Zack

The burst of wind staggered Zack. He dropped his knees to hold his position and avoid being blown off his feet by the wind. The smoke completely vanished as the violent green winds blew it away. Revealing Nalory, standing upon him. Her sleek black dress accentuated her curves with a brown belt sat loosely around her hips. The wind eventually stopped, the howling dissipating with it.

“An Atlus assassin? Hmm, I was hoping for a different guest.” Nalory said. Her voice sounded naturally sultry. “Is that how you greet all the women you meet?” Zack furrowed his brow and held his sword to point at the tall woman.

“I’m not here for you Nalory!” He snapped at her “What do you know of The Dark Slayer?” He demanded from her. She scoffed at his question and laughed a little, covering her mouth with her slender hand.

“The Dark Slayer? You came for him did you? Well, he’s probably out somewhere licking Oprhzus’s boots” She replied snidely as she began to saunter around the room. Zack became increasingly agitated at her attitude. “I don't know what that fool sees in him. Certainly not a man worth serving.”

“Don’t ignore me Nalory, tell me everything you know about him!” Zack said taking a few steps forward, holding his sword up diligently in her direction. Nalory only tutted at him.

“Give yourself a rest. As much as I can’t stand the man, I certainly won't go spilling my secrets to an Atlus rat,” she said with disdain in her voice.

“I do not serve Atlus, this is not Atlas asking you questions Nalory. It is me asking you.” Nalory turned and cocked her eyebrow towards Zack

“Oh, so you're a deserter? And here I thought you couldn't get any more pathetic than groveling to me for answers.” Zack held his hand out and fired a bolt of lightning, it passed by her ear and hit the wall behind, scoring the metal and leaving burn marks behind. The residual sparks of lighting danced on his palm as they began to fade.

“Last chance Nalory. Yami has no qualms about killing you and neither will I” Nalory’s interest was piqued, and a smile came across her face

“Yami? Oh now that changes things. You're one of his soldiers then?” She said with a smirk

“I do not work for him” snapped Zack.

“Still, you two are working together, aren’t you. Oh, how I imagine Gheptiza will reward me when I bring him the head of a Red Wings soldier.” Gheptiza? What has she got to do with the Ashians Zack thought to himself with a confused expression across his face.

“What does Gheptiza have against the Red Wings,” Zack asked

“Oh, and I thought you weren't working for them?” It's not that he has nothing against you. It's that he wants to put Vholeria back in its place. Making Vholeria know that we have broken you first will certainly break their ego”

“So you've betrayed your own kind? All just to serve another homicidal man.”

“Not just to serve boy, but to serve as his queen that will lead Ash to rule over Elden,” she said with infatuation in her voice.

“This is getting us nowhere. I’ll take your head and let The Dark Slayer aware of me that way.” Zack readied his blade in his right hand. He lunged towards Nalory in a frustrated state. Nalory threw the back of her hand towards Zack before he could reach her. A burst of pale green wind blew in an arc towards Zack. This forced him to stop and hold his poise, Zack held his arms in front of his face to avoid his eyes being disturbed by the winds but to no avail with the winds being so strong. They blew ornaments and smaller objects all over the luxurious space that clattered to the floor. As the wind raged, Nalory drew the short silver sword held around her waist, Zack was unable to hear the metal sliding out of the sheath nor see her actions due to being blinded by the gales. The wind calmed. Zack stood hunched over with her sleek sword pierced through the side of his abdomen. Blood began to pool and drip from the sword and fell to the floor. Zack ground his teeth as he felt the cold steel in his stomach.

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“What did you hope to accomplish here hmm? Filthy Atlusian, you dare make demands of me,” she said with disgust in her voice. She drove the sword deeper into Zack, he grunted through the pain but didn't retreat. He grabbed the blade of the sword swiftly with his free hand, his palm protected by his leather glove. It began to emanate purple mana and soon burst full of electricity. Potent sparks ran all around his hand violently. In an instant, they traveled through Nalorys blade and into her own body. Her body began to freeze up and her face shifted from a disgusted anger to a surprised pain as the lighting seized her bones. Zack retreated from the thin blade, He wasn't impaled and the blade was thin - almost like a fencing sword - it wasn't lethal. As the blade left his body he struck Nalory with the sole of his boot, sending her flying back and landing on her side as she skidded across the soft velvet ground. Before she could get back up to retaliate, Zack stormed over to where she lay and grabbed her by the throat. The woman may have been a commander but she was still smaller than Zack. Picking her up by the neck was no challenge. As he held her neck in his hand, Nalory began to panic and spasmed in his grasp. She then raised her arm. Green specs of light began to rise from her hand and a faint whistling was heard from her. Before any spell could be cast, however, she was soon thrown with great force into the window that overlooked the front of the ship. The glass shattered as her body impacted the frame and her body plummeted several stories out of the bridge. Zack didn't waste time and followed her in his frustrated state, dropping from the bridge and sliding down the metal wall. Using his sword to let him grind down the wall at a uneven pace. He landed on the large open board of the ship to find Nalory had not fallen to her death but had instead saved herself with her wind magic, as she hovered gently above the steel sheet floor trying to catch her breath. Green wind could be seen gently holding her below her feet. Zack strode towards her slowly, the smell of the salty sea returned to him as blood dripped from his wound, but it was nothing more than a scratch to him.

“I warned you” He growled under his breath. Nalory’s face became more disgusted and angry.

“You do not make demands of me you vile rat. I will see to it your head is hung on Gheptiza’s wall!” The tall woman began to rise and soar with her magic. The magic beneath her began to become more potent and whistled louder as she lifted high and zipped in the air like a feather. Zack raised his head to track her, she flew like a bird in the air and began to become a small spec in the sky to Zack Our magics don't counter each other thankfully but that mobility is a problem. Zack thought to himself. As he finished his thought, he began to hear howling, and then a blade of green wind flew downward to him at blistering speed. It was long and shaped like an arc. Zack was only just able to pivot out of the way in time. The blade of wind cut into the sheet of metal below him like an axe would to a tree. Before he had time to think a hail of wind blades rained upon him, one after another, with Nalory in an untraceable state as soared high in the sky. Zack pivoted and used his thunder to zip in between the blades. As he did, some began to knick his skin as he barely dodged. They had no sign of stopping. Zack gambled on a plan, he knew Nalory was flying wildly in the air to cast these blades out. Zack quickly found a moment of respite in between the blades. He threw his free hand into the air. Levin traveled from his torso to his hand and began to rage within his palm. With a battle cry, Zack threw his arm down, once done he quickly attempted to dodge the next blade of wind but he was too slow. The blade ran down his arm and severed a piece of his tricep. A small chunk, Nothing that would kill him but he was wounded. Zack’s breath hitched as he felt his arm severed and wondered if he had been too risky. Zack’s gamble came into effect. Thunderous strikes began to rain down from the clouds, one after another above until eventually, one of them hit something, Nalory. She plummeted to the ground. She attempted to save herself with her magic but was only able to soften her blow. Zack heard an audible crack as she fell to the ground. Zack smiled slightly as he winced in pain knowing she had broken a bone. Nalory screamed in pain, She tried to stand up but part of her leg was broken and would fail when she placed weight on it. Zack wasn't sure which part of the leg but it didn't matter, she was immobilized. Zack strode over to her slowly, Like a child walking to a present, he was ready to get the information from her. He held his hand against his wound, blood spurted and poured from the gash. Need to make this quick Zack held his sword to her throat as he attempted to get up. She looked even more like a mess up this close, her body was scared by the bolt of lightning and her leg was a mangled mess, bone was visibly sticking out of it and it was bent completely the wrong way. Nalory growled at him.

“You disgusting Outlander! How?! How have you bested me?! Bested by a fucking Atlus assassin! How is this possible?!” The woman began to go into a mad ramble as she slowly realized she was stuck. Her body was in too much pain to focus on outputting a spell. Zack snapped at her.

“Enough! Tell me what you know about-” The Dark Slayer strode out from his signature howling portal.