Chapter 14A: Topple The Guardian - Alicia And Elizabeth Vs Priscilla IV (Perspective: Alicia)
Swoosh!! - Elizabeth and I jump back a moment before the giant's arm smashes us. Give me a break. I dive to the left as another arm punches towards me. The intense power creates a hole where it struck. I'm surprised the Crusader hasn't been destroyed with her wielding such a power within it.
I dive again as the head breathes a huge fire stream. I feel the intense heat that I only narrowly escaped. I'll die if I take a single hit. Elizabeth creates a fire barrier to guard against the flame bullets that the monster's shooting from one of its hands. We're both tied up here, but we can't stay on the defensive forever.
I create and throw a lightning ball that is about the same size as me at the Guardian, but it intercepts the attack with a fireball from its mouth.
The Guardian suddenly moves one of its legs and stomps at the ground where I stand, I quickly jump back. But several burning arms sprout out from the leg that shoot towards me. I forcefully contract my silver scythe on a molecular level to harden its heat resistance and I run an ice technique through the handle to prevent the heat conduction reaching me. I slash the approaching arms that splatter onto the ground.
I reform my scythe into a long thin sword and charge at the Guardian's leg and slice it across the ankle. The Guardian roars as its foot separates from its leg. The Guardian staggers backwards before several hands shoot out from the leg and stabilise it. The hands then quickly take the shape of a new foot and the Guardian is whole again. As I thought, it's not going to be as easy as that. As long as Priscilla is inside, this Guardian can just regenerate. Well, it is just a huge flame.
Suddenly, a huge web like dome of fire surrounds the Guardian. That looks bad.
“Stay behind me!!” Elizabeth quickly runs in front of me and covers her body and scythe in her flames.
“CREMATION ZONE!!” Priscilla shouted from within the Guardian. The dome flame web expands and is heading in all directions with the Guardian at its centre. Elizabeth slices at the flames creating a hole in the flame net allowing us both to escape the technique. I never thought I would think this, but thank god Elizabeth was here. That attack would have been the end of me.
Several huge familiar looking flaming orbs sprout out of the Guardian and scatter around the battlefield. Those are the things that reflect fire attacks.
The Guardian unleashes several fire streams, I quickly dodge to the left, before jumping back to the right as the orbs reflect the attacks back at us. The orbs continuously chase the fire streams like they're tennis rackets and that hitting us with the flames will win them the match point.
Whilst dodging yet another reflected attack I conjure another lightning ball on the ready. Gotta do this just right. I watch the rebounds play out whilst taking evasive action until a stream of fire is reflected towards the Guardian. I launch the lightning ball at the orb that is ready to reflect the attack, dispersing it and the Guardian roars as the huge flame stream smashes into it causing it to stumble backwards. Didn't she learn from the last time she used this move?
“Alicia get away from there!!” Elizabeth shouts as she dives and pushes me to one side before a huge flame cylinder surrounds her.
Priscilla, she took that attack purposely to lower my guard.
“Elizabeth!!” I shout to the girl who had just saved me.
The flame Cylinder suddenly constricts with Elizabeth still inside, but the top cuts off and Elizabeth coated with her own flames escapes the prison. Being a fire specialist she is highly adept at dealing with such techniques. I've lost count how many times she's saved me in this fight. Even though she's usually so annoying. She definitely has earned the right to be the Cerberus family's heir.
I quickly shoot multiple streams of lightning and knock all the orbs out of the sky. The many flame stream attacks fly into the walls, floor, or ceiling. We no longer have to fear that technique.
“Alicia,” Elizabeth calls, “I have an idea.” The Guardian suddenly shoots millions of flame bullets from one of its hands.
We both dodge by flanking to one side as the bullet storm chases us. “There's no point in fighting this thing, we simply need to defeat Priscilla.” Elizabeth states as we run side by side.
“That's easier said than done, she's hiding within that Infernal Guardian.” The Guardian is acting as both her sword and shield.
“Then we defeat her from within.” Elizabeth replies.
From within?
“By coating myself with my flames I can protect myself from other heat sources.”
“Wait, you don't mean?” I stutter.
“I'll defeat her one on one.” Elizabeth replies confidently.
“Do you realise just how dangerous what you're planning is!?” I shout as we each dive to opposite sides as the Guardian unleashes a fire breath.
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“We don't have any other choice, if we don't do something we'll be killed.”
She's right, I've got no better ideas, and this Guardian doesn't look like it's going to let up any time soon.
“Okay, I got it.” I charge towards the Guardian along with Elizabeth.
The Guardian unleashes another fire breathe we each take opposing sides of the attack whilst still closing ground. Several fire swords manifest overhead and shoots down at us, we both skid left and right, dodging the attack with minimal breathing space.
We each jump into the air as the Guardian gets ready to use another fire breath. I grab Elizabeth's hand. “Here we go!!” Elizabeth nods. I spin around and throw Elizabeth towards the Guardian's colossal body a fraction of a second before the fire breath is unleashed. I have the silver wrap around my wrist and pull me to safety as Elizabeth covers her body with her flames and enters the Guardian's body.
“Okay, it's all up to you.” I state as I dodge a new group of flying flame swords.
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Chapter 14B: Topple The Guardian – Alicia And Elizabeth Vs Priscilla V (Perspective: Elizabeth)
I've entered the Infernal Guardian's body. As I float among the flames whilst covered in my own I notice the enemy's glare.
“I never thought that you would use such a method.” Priscilla states as she readies her scythe with the only hand she has left.
“As the oldest daughters of the Cerberus and Orthrus families, lets settle this once and for all.” I ready my own scythe.
“Ha, make sure you don't let up on your flames then Elizabeth. The moment you do, you'll be cremated alive.”
“Don't think that you hold all the cards, Priscilla. I can tell full well you're using all your power to conjure this Guardian, the only thing you can use is your scythe.”
“Infernal Guardian follow pattern number two hundred and sixteen.” Priscilla orders.
“What did you do?” I ask.
“Simply turned the Infernal Guardian to auto pilot to deal with Alicia. Now I can give you my full undivided attention.” Priscilla smiles briefly before we both charge at one another like jet planes.
I need to defeat Priscilla before Alicia falls to the Infernal Guardian. She won't be able to hold out too long on her own, nor will my flames last forever. I can't draw this battle out.
Ching! Ching! Ching! - Our high speed battle within the flames has no tactics, there is no time to think of any. We collide our scythes and counter on pure impulse.
Priscilla tries to kick me, I dodge to the side and try to slice off her leg with a vertical slash, but she somersaults her body within the flames and tries to slice me,
Ching!! - I deflect her scythe to one side and try to slice her body, but she quickly floats back.
I give chase and slice horizontally, but Priscilla hovers further down into the body dodging my attack. I alter my body's trajectory and swing again.
Ching! - Priscilla deflects the attack and then...
“URGHHH!!” She quickly spins and slams her scythe's stick into my abdomen. I am forced back several metres up.
I quickly ready my scythe and charge again. Priscilla slashes her scythe horizontally, I follow the trajectory of her scythe and flank her side where she's missing a limb. My scythe's blade follows towards her neck as I orbit around her body. Priscilla quickly ascends escaping my deadly slash which was aiming for her neck.
I follow her up, - Ching! - Our scythe's collide again and Priscilla creates some distance.
“Ha ha, suddenly having to fight with only one arm is truly an annoying handicap.” Priscilla says in a self loathing voice, but her eyes are filled with pure malice. Her skills have been greatly inhibited thanks to losing her arm. “But it looks like I only have to hold on for a little longer.” She smiles widely as my flames become thinner.
I can't keep this up. It's time for an all or nothing gamble.
Priscilla and I charge at each other with our top speeds. I spin my scythe around and inject more of my flames into it. I create a wheel of fire using my scythe and throw it at Priscilla who shows a shocked expression. We're moving too fast to suddenly stop or change direction, she can't dodge this without creating a huge opening. Priscilla swings her scythe with her one hand.
Ching!! - As I thought, she deflected it, now is my chance. I'm going to make full use of your handicap, Priscilla! I continue onwards as fast as I can before she can recover.
I clench my fist as Priscilla tries to adjust her scythe for a second slash, something that can't be done quickly with only one hand.
Priscilla's blade and my fist roar through the Guardian's body. “URRRGGHHHHHH!!!” My fist slams into her face before her scythe can cut me. The impact of my blow with the momentum of my speed and body weight force Priscilla outside the Infernal Guardian's body, which slowly disperses with Priscilla no longer channelling it power.
I land safely on the ground as the flames covering my body disappear, I stumble from the sudden loss in power and fatigue. Two hands support me from behind. “You did it, Elizabeth.” Alicia smiles as she points to Priscilla's unmoving body.
At last she's fallen. I sigh in relief as Alicia slowly lowers me to the ground, my legs have lost all their strength.
“Rest up, I'll deal with the finishing touches.” Alicia states, I nod.
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Chapter 14C: Topple The Guardian – Weight Of The Past (Perspective: Alicia)
I walk to Priscilla's paralysed body with the black collar in my hand, she literally fought to absolute exhaustion.
“I never thought I would lose to you two,” She states, “How could an Orthrus lose to a Cerberus!?” Even though her body can't move, her voice is as strong as ever.
“You truly are pitiful to worry about such things, Priscilla.” I reply, “You have so much power, yet all you think about is what you don't have and throw a tantrum because you can't have your way. If you had concentrated on what you already have, you could have easily lived a very fulfilling life.”
“I only desired the restoration of my family back to its rightful place. Orthrus slipped out of the top three families before I was born. We've had to carry our ancestor's sins our entire lives. For you, who only leeches off the wealth and fame of her family, you have no idea how difficult it is to erase the past. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH PRESSURE AND WEIGHT I CARRY THAT ONLY INCREASES WITH EVERY PASSING GENERATION!!”
“And? You becoming a terrorist fixed this how? You've dragged Orthrus' name even further through the mud because you couldn't handle that weight and simply threw it away. Hoping a quick scheme like joining Disturb and Cocytus' foolish plot would grant your wish. There is no easy way of going up in this world, Priscilla.”
I attach the collar around her neck and secure it. A shadow covers her body and she begins to fade. “HA HA HA HA!!! Your foolish naive words mean nothing. When you realise what you're up against, maybe then you'll know true despair.” Priscilla's body turns transparent, “You're no match for those two Thanatos!!” Priscilla disappears completely.
“Know despair? What do you think I felt when Yuichi was stabbed by Vincent, or when he was beaten to death by Disturb, or when Lilicia was taken from right in front of me?” I ask the now hollow space, “I've had more than my fair share of despair. Unlike you however, I don't give in to it.”
A few minutes after we transported Priscilla, Kuro-san returned victorious from his fight with the numerous Lycans. He's covered in minor scratch wounds but was otherwise okay.
I feel bad that I forgot about him until just now.