Tides Of Protomis CXII

Clash Of The Generals

In the sky, Xiliv and Bui faced each other, ready for their opponents to begin their attempts at an attack. At first, Xiliv believed his victory was assured, but at this point, he wasn’t sure that was the case anymore… Could he possibly meet his end in this battle? No, Perish the thought, he would go forth, kill this Human, and go for the rest of those he came with. There was no way he was letting it end here, before he’d attained his goal of becoming the strongest creature in this land. Bui himself had a similar amount of determination within him. He was quick to continue his assault, launching multiple Chakrams into the air. Though their paths differed, they all ultimately made their way to the same target. Xiliv took action swiftly, weaving around one from his left and right respectively. Just barely getting out of the way of one from above, which threatened to bisect him. The weapons themselves were extremely sharp, and his hardened spines were the key to keeping him alive in this battle.

Aside from that, there was his other strategy of getting to the human himself, and defeating him in melee combat. But whether he would be able to achieve this was put into question, as the speed of the sharpened rings increased. s Xiliv bent his left arm, as spines shot out, resulting in a few of the Chakrams being thrown off course. However, he found that another cut into the opposing side of his body. As this took place, thoughts began to run through Bui’s head.

“Alright… Here's my plan. It’s simple, but it should do some damage at the least”

One of the Chakrams rebounded, returning to Bui. He focused upon the Demon Xiliv, who he noted was trying to get closer, but he seemed to be occupied trying to guard against the others. He sent this one forward at a much slower speed, hoping to keep it unnoticed. And for the time being, it seemed that was a success.

“Good.”

Bui moved on to stage two, manipulating the Chakram in front of him, and increasing its size, until it was larger than the both of them. He sent this forth at high speeds. Something that resulted in Xiliv ascending, moving out of the way. But the apparition found itself followed by the weapon.

“Tch.”

The creature tried to escape from the attack once more, bounding from the right to the left, ascending, and descending, his eyes flying around as he searched for a path of escape. But at some point, he began to believe that a change in his strategy would be required. He eyed the source of the attack, his focus continuing to increase by the second. He would have to eliminate the source himself. With no more words, Xiliv changed his direction, rushing toward the slayer himself. But this much only resulted in a smirk appearing on the man’s face. He was nonplussed at thsi development,knowing very well what was going to take place. The previously undetected chakram that flew behind Xiliv was still there, and by now, it had split into multiple.

“It's much too late for that... Checkmate, Demon.”

The many weapons swiftly closed in on the demon, and, though he took notice, it was much too late, as the slayer had noted. First, his back was cut up, and he attempted to stop the rest by firing off his spines. But , this time, that wouldn’t work. As well placed cuts carved through the base of the spines. By now, Xiliv seemed to be falling into pieces, only made worse by the large Chakram Xiliv was running from, which now cut his body down the middle, ending the demon’s life there. The slayer did not dwell on this for long, moving to land next to Masurus.

“We’ve taken care of things here..Mostly, atleast. There’s still that one called a General… And another one, While weaker- They don’t look to be a pushover.”

“Then I’m guessing whatever Volker is fighting must be this general of theirs.” Bui reasoned.

“:Should we go support him?”

“He specifically told us not to… Besides, If more demons like those two show up, the troops won’t stand a chance, especially not in this state.” Solid reasoning, as Masurus saw it. He nodded in agreement.

“Well then, let's hope he knows what he’s doing.”

While other battles continued elsewhere, the slayer known as Volker found himself alone, in the skies of the demon realm, with his watchful gaze moving around constantly. At the moment, he found himself fighting an unseen enemy, who’d not only eluded his sight, but all of his other senses. This situation he found himself in wasn’t exactly one which he was fond of. And, as such, he began to analyze the situation at hand.

“Given the fact that I can't see or sense him… It must be making use of some sort of cloaking technique. While that’s unheard of for demons, we don’t exactly have a large sample size… But that’s besides the point, if i’m not careful, It’ll take me out. That’s the very last thing I need.”

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the slayer found himself in the path of yet another pulse of demonic energy. If he’d been a moment later in dodging, he would have doubtlessly been alot worse off than a damaged arm. Another was soon to come, striking that very same arm.Volker grunted as he gritted his teeth, and began to shift his position, causing the accuracy of the attacks to wane. On the other side of the battle, Muso watched the change in action with precision, and adjusted his aim in a reactionary fashion.

“Don’t think You’ll be able to get away that easily…” Even though the two fighters hadn’t even so much as seen each other, they were trying to build upon their knowledge base, figuring out what their opponents repertoire was, and changing their own actions in response. It was as much a battle of wits, and a departure from the battles Volker was used too. While all of his battles required strategizing, this one was something else entirely. He found himself being chipped down by the grazing strikes that hit his body.

“The corners are already gone. And most of us are directed to the defense of Earth…”

From here, Volker began to outright dodge the oncoming pulses, as his eyes darted around.

“On top of that… My legacy is yet to equate my fathers… As such, I can not lose here.”

Muso himself continued firing, now, adjusting the rate of beams that went toward his opponent, as he found that his assault was beginning to fail. Apparently, his own will to reach victory came to the front of his mind, just as it did to Volker.

“I must not fail... That much is clear.” Muso began to recall his younger days. After his father had just sent him to eliminate a local demon who’d gotten much too big for his britches, he was beaten to the brink of death. After his loss, he found himself within the keep he’d inhabited his entire life. In a darkened room filled with uncut stone, and a single pod. One filled with green liquid, made to speed up one’s healing. Through the viscous substance, the demonling saw the disappointed expression his father gave to him. The words to which he’d heard, the demon would recall for most of his life.

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“You’ve failed me once again... If you can not do what I created you for, I have no use for you... An offspring who can’t defeat his enemies.”

And as it stood now, it looked as if it would happen once more…

“NoI will not fail, I will not fail!” He shouted. Volker himself continued his previous routine. By now, growing tired of his more than apparent lack of progress.

“I need to find the origin of the attacks. If I find him, and switch our positions as he fires, that may very well surprise him, enough for me to make an attack.Though, that’s easier said than done. The best I can do is find a lapse in his...Anti-Detection field.” Though the naming was impromptu, and decent at best, it worked for him. He didn’t have much time to think of another name, as he took note of another attack flying toward him. Volker Masterfully dodged this, ascending, as he began to fly down what he believed was the beam’s flight path. But, as he expected, his opponent had moved, firing off another shot, from his left.

Which hit him, dead on. He bit back on his pain, and dodged a shot from the other side, and began flying toward the latest shot. While Muso watched this with a frown on his face.

“You’re a stubborn one, Human.. But make no mistake, I will win…”

Part B

Volker remained on the very same path he was on before, rapidly changing his angle of approach as soon as the attacks came. The two were locked into a sort of dance, one might say. BUt it seemed that one of them was ready to end this deadlock, given how his eyes moved around. Muso himself began to reconsider his odds.

“If I keep going like I am, He has a chance of pinning my location down, regardless of if I keep moving. Especially now that he’s able to dodge. I’ll need to take him out long before he gets close to me.”

Muso paused his assault, beginning to create more distance between himself, and his opponent… But, he was quickly surprised by his opponent stopping where he was, and closing his eyes.

“This is risky… Risky indeed, But if I divert all my senses toward detecting demonic energy. I’ll get nowhere by just dodging and chasing after him. I may be able to place a marker on him. Once that happens, I can finally end this.”

His opponent watched this with suspicion, his eyes narrowed.Though he did not stop immediately, slowing down.

“The fool’s stopped moving… Hell, his eyes are closed. What is he planning to do?”

Whatever it was, he wasn’t eager to allow it to take place either way, he increased his speed once more, as he prepared to fire once more. A red luminance grew around him as he did so.

“I'll increase the power of the next shot and take him out with this….”

No sooner did a burst significantly larger than all others barrel toward Volker. But even so, the man didn’t move, he could not afford to. He found himself being consumed by the beam, though he was in the rushing stream of demonic energy for no more than a minute, it felt like hours to him. Red hot pain rippled through his body, but he simply made the decision to grit his teeth and bear with it. Eventually, his eye shot open, and he moved out of the beam’s way, though, significantly worse for the wear… But that mattered not. His goal had been achieved, he began a quick rush toward Muso, who himself looked upon this with widened eyes. He’d managed to survive that blast?!

“What?!”

Muso began to shift his posiiton, attempting to continue their game of cat and mouse, but to his surprise, Volker changed how he moved as well. Now, finally summoning his holy arm, Astaroth. Gripping the hilt between the two blades with both hands, as he ajused the weapon, aiming for Center mass, before thrusting at Muso as soon as he was in range.

“It can't be… Nobody should be able to detect me like this!”

Muso moves to the left, swiftly dodging his opponent’s attack. Thankfully, his agility had saved him. Even if the human could now see him, he was going to finish the job with this, a shot fired from point blank… Volker’s body began to glow, as he said but one word.

“Switch!!”

It seemed that his agility had not saved him as he thought it did. Their positions had changed within a moment, with Muso now on the receiving end of the blast he fired, with Volker in his previous place. Looking upon the slayer with a stunned expression.

“What the?!”

Muso moved out of the way of this blast, which narrowly grazed him. While Volker charges forward, and let out a lateral swing, which carved through Muso’s arm. But, he was not done just yet, firing yet another point-blank shot, which struck his chest, and sent him flying back, with an audible crack ringing outward. But Volker swiftly stopped himself, rushing back toward Muso. Attempting to fend him off, the son of Mu made and effort to overpower him, with a rush of beams. Volker’s right arm was hit, and the left next.. Regardless, he continued to go forward. A grimace made its way onto Muso’s face

“That wasn’t enough to discourage him?! Ill need to make more distance.”

“Make no mistake, human, I won’t let you achieve victory! I would never disgrace my father, not again! I will not lose to some no-name being!” Disgrace his father? Some surprise rose in Volker’s mind. Did such relations truly exist among demons? Did this creature truly have similar aspirations to his own, similar reasons for surviving? Regardless, he would push these thoughts aside. Regardless of why the creature fought, the fact remained that he was in his way. And for that reason, he would be dispatched. Muso flapped his wings, before flying backwards, as he attempted to escape his opponent. But Volker sped forth, ready to continue his onslaught, though Muso fired off another volley, his enemy was not planning on letting this drag on any longer.

“Switch!”

Their positions changed once more, as Muso found himself in the direct path of his blast, his arm was soon removed from his body.

“An arm? I can always just regrow it, it’s no problem at all.”

Before long, though, Volker charged him, opening his mouth wide, and letting forth a resounding war cry. Resulting in Muso beginning a quick attempt to move out of the way, but he was not quick enough, and found a wing severed, which made the creature struggle to stay afloat, high flight path becoming more erratic, less refined. Volker launched his blade forward soon after, Astaroth’s blade spinning as it flew through the air, until it cut Muso down the middle… It all ended here, and this quickly at that? How could he let this happen? How could he disappoint his father yet again? Similar questions ran through the demon’s head, as he found himself beginning to disintegrate, and his vision beginning to darken. Until naught remained, but rapidly dissipating red particles.

As for the slayer himself, despite his victory, it wasn’t as if he’d gotten out uninjured. Labored breaths made it through gritted teeth, but he would try to suppress it for the time being, as he turned in the direction he came from.

“You were a good opponent, demon. I’ll have to give you that much.”

No sooner, he was blasting off, back into the direction of his allies. They, themselves, were currently licking their wounds. Tents, Inflatable and cloth alike, were set up in rows. With some of the slayers hard at work sculpting the earth around them, forming walls, ditches, as well as observation towers. A lot of which was frankensteined from the surprisingly durable ground, and the pieces of Mu's castle. A makeshift Field hospital was set up as well, where those designated as medics were hard at work. The forward base had been established, and the numerous commanders now stood in a group, including Mazurus, and Bui.

“Now then. It looks as if Volker has eliminated the demonic general. I’d say that it is about time that we go after that other power. We can not let the foot troops support us, given the present situation.” Goda decidedly stepped forward, making her own comment on the situation. Stepping forward now, was the man who led the long range troops, known as Saka Ademola.

“It’s a point indeed… I could suggest a few of our healthy long range troops provide support, but the mid-ranged ones are a no go. At the very least, that one is bereft of allies at this point.” Saka conferred.

“We could do that, but what of Volker? We don’t know of his current state, and we don’t know if he can handle the demon within that keep if they attack-” No more words came from Goda’s mouth, as she found herself sent flying away by the appearance of a flash, which landed behind her previous spot. This much was met by surprise by the commanders there, as well as the surrounding troops. Maleggan’s general Mu had appeared.

“If… I believe you mean, When... And make no mistake, that boy was Muso, and he was not the one in the head of this operation. Rather, I am Maleggan’s General… The Great Mu” He boasted.

No sooner did the general begin to push his influence outward, as a flame-like luminance grew to encompass the area around him. The ground under him began to crack and crumble, moving as well. His wings became longer, and took on a straighter shape. Changing as well, was his build. His shoulders grew larger, and more muscular, to support these larger wings.

“Despite what power he had, he was bound to fail from the start… I should’ve taken care of this myself from the start. Doesn't matter, If the one who defeated Muso is not here, then it is clear that you all stand no chance.”

Fearful expressions began to appear on the faces of the troops around them, as they all took note of the significant growth of his demonic energy. The burst of demon power seems to take the troops by surprise, with chatter happening between them. As this surprise turns into fear.

To Be Continued