Tides Of Protomis LVI
Celestina continued to watch her two opponents, hoping to catch any other further movements from either. As the two had just shown, they weren’t pushovers. Especially if she made the mistake of letting them stick together. Her eyes narrowed, gaze focused entirely on the two of them. As if prepared for the other side’s attacks, none of the three moved, aside from the occasional twitch. For minutes on end, nobody made a move. Before, Miyamoto resumed her attack, leaping forward once more. She launched a left straight forward, with Celestina moving to block, attempting to intercept with her elbow. Only for her to retract that fist. The Imperial guard soon found herself on the receiving end of a powerful right, which staggered her. Leaving her open for long enough that another attack fell. A kick that smashed into her ribs, and an uppercut smashing into her chin.
The woman found that another attack was approaching, and knew she would have to break her rhythm of attack. She let the attack hit, but returned with her own, a strike to the girl's stomach. Though it did very little in the way of damage, due to her weaving out of the way, it worked for her goal nonetheless. Celestina Retreated from her melee range, and prepared to go further, to get a better view of the battlefield. But, Valeire did not let her do so, sending a barrage of beam fire at celestina, throwing the woman to the ground. Soon enough, two of Valerie’s orbs flew across the sky, looming above her, before they launched a barrage of beams into the woman’s back, keeping her down, and creating a larger, and larger crater around her. All the while, a smirk came onto Miyamoto’s visage.
“Nice, Val!” Miyamoto yelled.
As the firing stopped, Valerie looked at her, giving her a thumbs up in response… All the while, however, their opponent was strangely quiet, not having made a move.
“It took a minute, but I feel it… My perception has sped up, and it would seem those beams are losing their effect… My body has begun to adapt to them… You may have had some luck at the start, but I hope you weren’t so sure about your victory.”
Soon enough, Celestina jumped from the crater that had formed around her, before rushing toward Miyamoto. With the woman releasing this almost instantly, leaping forth to meet her charge, as she reeled her left fist back, and launched a fist, ready to resume her attack. But the woman swiftly took hold of her fist, stopping her strike there. Followed by her releasing her grip, shoving the arm out of the way, before delivering a strike of her own that folded Miyamoto over her fist… Much to Miyamoto’s surprise. As she began to fly backward, the girl took note of a building behind her… Her body was cascaded in red light once more, as she stopped herself upon touching the walls. Now, her gaze moved back to her opponent, as she pondered what just happened.
“That was a good punch, much stronger and faster than before… Was she holding back?”
Valerie fired another volley, only for her opponent to simply weave around the blasts.Valerie increased the amount, but the woman simply seemed to get faster.r A smirk made its way onto the guard's face, as Valerie stopped firing her beams.
“I won't be beat that easily.”
Valerie tsked, Soon finding that Miyamoto landed at her side.
“Not good---” Miyamoto began, cut off as Celestina made her move, flashing toward them. And launching a flurry of strikes with no hesitation. Ending her combination by kicking Miyamoto to the west, And Valerie to the east. With the two separated, as she planned, she decidedly rushed toward the redhead, seeing as she hadn’t fought her in hand to hand, she only assumed that she wasn’t proficient. Valerie was not willing to let her find out, waving her hands and causing the violet orb to return to her, five in total. They began weaving around the woman, changing their angle as soon as they fired. The beams closed in on her, but, even so, she flew through the onslaught, as if the beams simply dissipated on her skin…
Miyamoto watched this from afar, as she went to rejoin the battle. She was being hit from all angles, and didn’t even bother to put up a defense? As she continued too watch, she took note of something. The woman was heading directly toward her! Did she mean to try again? If that was the case...
“There's no mistake about it. She's gotten stronger… Devil Slicer!!!”
“I’ll use one of those… Hopefully Miyamoto can hold her off for now.”
With a swipe of her right hand, a burst of demonic energy, the length of the street below them, flew forth. Valerie would soon ascend, getting out of the attack’s path. And, it was only then that Miyamoto increased the energy she fed to it, the speed increasing as a result. However, Celestina avoided it regardless, Miyamoto simply launched multiple, but her attacks remained ineffective, with the surrounding area being more damaged than the opponent herself was, the buildings around them cut into chunks by the stray attacks.
Though, there was some method to this, discovering the top speed their opponent could fight at would be essential to any victory, especially with the amount of strength she seemed to have. While she continued gauging her opponent’s speed, Valerie floated above them, her eyes closed. As the orbs returned to her once more, she slowly opened her eyes, as she put her hands out. Letting the orbs coagulate between her hands. With the newly formed one growing larger.
“Alright….”
Now, a much larger beam dropped downward, akin to an orbital strike, something that did not go unnoticed. Celestina’s features were painted in surprise, as she adjusted her positioning, crossing both of her arms over her body, in an attempt to stop the attack. However, she found herself struggling against it. Though stable at first, inch by inch, she loses her ground, as she begins to be pushed down to the ground.
“Is this all a member of the imperial guard has? There's no way she could even be stronger than Honda… All she’s done is dodge, I only see weakness here.”
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… I only see weakness here.
The words continued to reverberate within the woman’s head as she heard them. Her eyes narrowed, as she clenched her fists, and a scowl appeared on her face. A feeling of rage burning within her.
“Weaknesses…? Celestina Acconio… WEAK?!”
PART B
The house of Acconio, one of the four great houses of the Kaemerge, its ancestors being some of the first to arrive as the Emperor expanded his influence. As such, their status roughly equals that of the Lavarits, their family having a history of high governmental and Military positions. It went without saying that they had a high standard for their children. Such was especially the case for the main branch of the family. On March 3rd, 1989- In the Sardinian City of Sassari, Celestina Acconio was Born. Her father being the Acconio family head, Vicenzo Acconio. And her mother, being a woman known as Marzia Acconio. Two proto-humans that had high ranks in the Kaemerge military, known for their high strength, and their synergy in battle… The young girl was meant to be a heir, but there was an issue. Her abilities were vaguely defined, and even after activating her latent Protomis, she didn't display any heightened physical strength… And even so, she hadn’t seemed to be the best at that either. She was ridiculed by her parents, and the nobility in the courts, as subtle as the latter would be.
Like many of the children who were considered failures by their houses, she found herself engaging in a brutal training regiment, an attempt to change this fact. After all, they didn’t want a weakling associated with their clan… When Celestina reached 14, she began training with the Kaemerge army officially, within a military academy. This is where she first meets a man known as Rinmon Oeruna. The two would spend a good amount of time together, creating a friendship, even if one refused to admit it. But, the two eventually would split up, as Celestina went to support the Amerikanisches Reich. Where she would build up her reputation and power alike.
It was only years after that the two would meet. Celestina and Oeruna both arrived in the capital, the capital as they prepared to take the Imperial Guard Selection Exam. A battle Royale with over 100 selected. In the end, only 9 were alive, or still capable of fighting. They would become the new members… Though, even since her childhood, those who would dispute her strength, would always bring out her anger.
“You'll regret those words!!!”
Celestina speeds upward, reaching Miyamoto in a matter of moments, before beginning to pepper her torso with strikes, quick, and unrelenting. Unable to do anything, Miyamoto continues to take the hits for quite a while. Until she is launched away by a left hook. Crashing into the ground, and skidding as she goes along. Celestina turns, looking directly at Valerie, she speeds over, as the latter prepares to make a defense. Celestina throws a punch, which Valerie manages to narrowly dodge. However, she would then throw a second punch that sends out ripples of force- sending her back upon impact. As well as parting the buildings behind her.
From afar, Miyamoto and Valerie moved around… It seemed that they were finally beginning to get a correct read on the situation. She was growing in power, yes, but it always seemed to be some kind of reaction toward their change in strategies…
“Then, if I’m reading this right…” Valerie mumbled.
“Her body is changing to defend against our attacks. If that’s the case, then I have just the strategy in mind.”
Miyamoto sped toward Valerie, and vice versa. The two began speaking soon after they got close enough, as to not be interrupted.
“Alright, if my theory is right, we need to move quickly and keep our strategies different as we strike her…” Miyamoto explained.
“If all else fails, we use THAT.” Valerie responded.
A wild red aura flares around Miyamoto, as she clenches her fist. as she builds up demonic energy within herself once again. Soon, morphing within her hands, her hard-light Tachi appeared in her hand once more. She flew forward, as did Valerie, something their opponent took note of. A melee began between them, as Miyamoto moved around her, taking small, but quick swipes of her blade as she did so. The attacks mostly hit air, until the redhead entered the fray, using her energy spheres to use her omni-directional attack once more. While she herself charged in, her hands cloaked in light. While it did very little in the way of damage, it gave Miyamoto enough leeway to land attacks in areas the woman had, quite annoyingly, kept protected. The first strike left a small cut on her side, the next, her shoulder. The last, even getting dangerously close to her chest.
But, the strike was not fast enough. And the woman ducked out of the way, kicking Miyamoto’s side, and breaking her rhythm. Before striking her hand next, knocking the Tachi away, as it was implanted into the rubble of a building behind them. But she did not get to take advantage, instead, finding herself hit by a point blank beam from Valerie, a sneak attack from behind her. One that sent her opponent into the ground, only for her to land on her feet. The two nodded at each other, as they rushed toward her once more, Miyamoto creating another Tachi in her hand, as the first dissipated into red particles… However, as she got closer to the woman, she took note of something. Her skin had slightly changed in appearance, seemingly becoming thicker. A fact that was confirmed as she found her blade did not cut through the arm she put up in her defense… Before a beam smacked into her side, courtesy of Valerie… At that moment, they’d confirmed it, the woman’s body changed to survive against different attacks, yes, but there was a flaw. The resistance to other types weakened, if gradually… Meaning, it was time. Miyamoto let go of the tachi, letting it disperse, letting the demonic energy in her body flow toward her palms, condensing, and the light growing brighter.
Soon enough, the spheres Valerie used as a vehicle of attack disappeared, appearing around Valerie’s hands. And, as she stopped in place, she shoved both of her hands out, her palms aiming at the guard, and, in the same way, so did Miyamoto… As the woman detected the rapidly building Permits, she could only remember how she worked to get to this level… What these people were fighting to do, and how she would look falling here.
“I won't let you!!!!”
Within moments, Celestina speeds toward the two. Soon clenching her fist, and preparing to make a strike. Regardless, both invoked two words.
“AKUMA RAY!!!!” Yelled Miyamoto
“Enigma WAVE!!!”
With their words, two large beams, one crimson, and the other purple, flew from their hands. Though separate at first, as they continued forth, the beams grew closer, and closer, before eventually merging. Becoming overwhelmingly large, the color of the merged beam becoming more akin to white. The bright lights, and loudness of the attack made Celestina’s eyes widen, as it slammed into her, overtaking her vision… And, though it pushed her back, it was clear to them both that she wasn’t destroyed so easily. Even attempting to push the beam back itself.
“This ain’t enough, We need to use our full power!” Valerie yelled.
“Right!!!”
With this, the two let out a resounding yell as the intensity of the sound, the brightness of the beam, and the force all increased in tandem. Celestina found that her guard was broken, as her advance stopped… In her rage, she had but one thing to say.
“Damn You!!!” She yelled
No sooner did she begin to fly backward… She could almost feel her body beginning to break down as time went on. The injuries were quickly piling on, faster than her body could evolve to compensate. And yet, she managed to choke out her last words.
“Damn…. You.”
She went silent, as she was carried away in the stream of energy, her speed increasing as she made impact with the side of the canyon. The rock buckled with her impact, sending an avalanche of debris and dust downward, as Shelves of rock broke off. The woman continued to go deeper, and deeper into the rock, while the city itself found itself destroyed underneath. With the inhabitants looking up to the sky, almost accepting what would happen… Had that not been for the Kaemerge and Coalition alike beginning to usher them out. Troops rushing onto the streets, with land vehicles, and airships alike following them. Though the area was saturated with Sigma Particles, there was no doubt they knew of each other's existence. Perhaps, they’d decided on a temporary armiristance. Either way, they did not battle as they did so.
Elsewhere, within the cavern created by the attack, Celestina sat lifeless, Her body limp, and eyes empty. Another member of the Imperial guard had been eliminated. Observing the effects, as they let the beam in front of them disperse, were Miyamoto and Valerie.
“Huh. I guess we hit a nerve…” Valerie noted.
Miyamoto waved the statement off.
“Never mind that… I wonder how the others are doing. They could be having as much trouble as we are, if not more.”
“If that heat from earlier is anything to go by, I'd say Taius already fought somebody…” Valeire responded, earning a nod from Miyamoto.
“If he won, then he's likely on his way to Rizian if no other imperial guard members get in the way.We won't fall behind…”
The two turn toward Rizian, as they begin flying toward it. All the while, the combat raged on around them, with no end in sight. The buildings reduced to rubble, and troops from both sides moved along it. Plumes of smoke rising from the destroyed buildings, and husks of sunken ships in areas across it.. And even so, things looked like they’d only get worse from here.
To Be Continued