CHAPTER 70 – MAGGIE’S MEMENTO
JOHNNY WOLVESBANE
The ground trembled under my feet as I surged forward, each step echoing my determination. Across from me, Anoushka matched my pace, her feet leaving behind a trail of eerie black flames that licked the ground. As my fingers extended into sharp, claw-like shapes, I noticed Anoushka mimicking the gesture, her nails shimmering with the same deadly flame.
The air crackled with anticipation. My instinctual mastery over tachyon magic pulsed within me, promising an edge in speed. The outcome hinged on a single, decisive strike.
We closed the distance in a blur. Our eyes locked, and with a surge of energy, I swung my arm powered by vibrant orange tachyons, aiming for her vulnerable throat. Simultaneously, Anoushka lunged at me, her flaming nails poised to end the duel.
Just as I felt the thrill of anticipation, my claws seemed to pass through empty air. Anoushka's form wavered, evading my strike as if she were a mere mirage.
A chilling incantation escaped her lips, "Black Flame Burst." In an instant, her body ignited, black flames spiraling around her figure before erupting into a violent explosion. The force sent me crashing onto the unforgiving asphalt, searing pain engulfing my right side.
Gasping for breath, I struggled to rise, eyes locking onto the epicenter of the devastation. Through the smoke and ash, Anoushka emerged, her smile chillingly confident, marking her certain triumph.
Anoushka's mastery of phasing was undeniable. With this skill, she effortlessly minimized air resistance, matching my speed fueled by tachyon magic. Her ability allowed my most precise strikes to pass through her, as if confronting a mere shadow.
Yet, beneath her flawless technique, a vulnerability emerged. Every time she sought to unleash an attack, she had to solidify, making herself susceptible, even with her deadly black flame magic. Her timing was impeccable, her phasing seamlessly integrated into her combat style, becoming an almost instinctual shield.
To overcome an Erudite of her prowess, a strategic shift was imperative. I needed to lure her into striking first, capitalizing on that fleeting moment when she materialized. A fraction of a second would be my window to turn the tide.
Pushing past the searing pain of my injuries, I launched forward, a streak of orange tachyon lightning trailing behind. Anoushka, undeterred, mirrored my advance, her flaming claws ready to clash once more.
Replaying our initial encounter in my mind, I charged my right arm with vibrant orange tachyons, amplifying my attack speed. Yet this time, I shifted my strategy, initiating my swipe a crucial second earlier. Predictably, Anoushka effortlessly phased through my anticipated strike.
Her voice dripped with confidence as she hissed, "I...win..." Her smile, adorned with python-like fangs, sent a chill down my spine. Without warning, she solidified behind me, aiming her lethal nails straight for my jugular.
Harnessing the stored tachyon energy in my right foot, I executed a lightning-fast backflip. Seizing the moment, I lunged with my left werewolf claw, slamming her visage into the ground with such force that an explosive impact resonated, leaving a distinct crater.
"Gah!"
A guttural cry escaped Anoushka's lips, echoing both physical and emotional pain. Swiftly, she activated her phasing magic, allowing my subsequent strikes to pass harmlessly through her. Retreating a few steps, she eyed me with a mixture of respect and cunning.
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Blood, as dark as her intentions, trickled from her lips as she managed a sly grin. "Well... done," she remarked, her python-like teeth glistening menacingly in the dim light.
With a lightning-like reflex, I surged forward, moving at a velocity that defied comprehension. My right claw pierced through the air, gripping Anoushka's heart with deadly precision, a spray of crimson painting the scene.
Anoushka's voice trembled in disbelief, "How...?" Her words trailed off, disbelief evident in her eyes. "I... activated my phasing magic..."
In response, I revealed the green feather, once treasured by Maggie. "Are you familiar with Anti-Mage Arrows?" I questioned, allowing the significance of my revelation to sink in.
Recalling our earlier skirmish, I had managed a critical strike, embedding the tip of the green feather, a fragment of an Anti-Mage Arrow, into Anoushka's nape. This artifact disrupted her magical essence, rendering her abilities useless. The telltale black blood that escaped her lips confirmed my victory.
The unexpected power of Maggie's keepsake had become my unexpected ally in this fierce battle, a testament to her enduring spirit even beyond the grave.
Grimacing, Anoushka convulsed, blood oozing from every orifice. Her once formidable presence crumbled, her life force ebbing away. As she collapsed, the void where her heart once beat spilled its crimson contents, forming a haunting puddle beneath her lifeless form.
With a cold detachment, I cast aside Anoushka's heart, watching as it landed beside her lifeless form, its final bounce coming to rest near her cheek. Turning my gaze to the distant southern skies, my attention shifted to the aerial ballet unfolding.
High above, my Tachyon Dragon, Meike, danced gracefully, effortlessly evading the anti-air Lightning Arrows launched by the artillery mages below. Despite her non-combatant nature and her reluctance to harm, Meike's incredible speed rendered her a near-impenetrable target, dodging every projectile thrown her way.
Reaching inward, I sought a mental connection with Meike. "Meike, it's time to return," I communicated silently. "I'll take it from here."
Acknowledging my directive, Meike's response resonated in my mind, "Understood, Johnny." With a powerful beat of her wings, she streaked across the sky, rejoining me in a blur that mimicked teleportation.
As she touched down, I whispered, "Cancelling Vesryn Pulse." In an instant, the majestic Tachyon Dragon transformed, revealing Meike in her humanoid form. She glanced at her hands and feet, a hint of confusion clouding her features.
"That was quite the experience," Meike exhaled, her voice tinged with relief. "But that dragon... it's still me, isn't it?"
I responded with a hint of amusement, "Indeed."
Her eyes searching mine, she inquired, "Has the battle concluded?"
I met her gaze, determination burning fiercely. "Not yet. But it soon will be," I declared with conviction.
In the vast expanse of the southern skies, ominous black clouds unfurled like a foreboding tapestry. Streaks of emerald lightning zigzagged across the heavens, revealing the looming silhouette of a colossal dragon. This monstrous entity bore crimson eyes that burned with an insatiable hunger, while vibrant green circuits pulsed rhythmically throughout its alien form.
"Could it be...?" Meike whispered, her voice tinged with both awe and dread.
From a distant vantage point, Captain Kevin's voice echoed with exhilaration, "It's the Supreme Leader!"
Suddenly, the monstrous Alientech Dragon unleashed its wrath. Hundreds of luminous green meteors hurtled toward the earth, each one a harbinger of destruction. They descended upon the fleet of human aircraft, bombers, and fighter jets that dominated the skies, obliterating them in explosive displays of chaos.
Simultaneously, a barrage of green meteors targeted the mountainous terrain below, where the human anti-air mages had positioned themselves. The catastrophic impacts left nothing but devastation in their wake, transforming the once-formidable landscape into a desolate wasteland. A haunting green mist rose from the craters, a grim testament to the power and ruthlessness of the Alientech Dragon's onslaught.
The Alientech Dragon persisted in its assault, green meteors cascading like a torrent around the walls of Scrap Town where the imperial soldiers are situated. The stench of death hung heavily in the air, accompanied by the haunting echoes of human cries. Amidst the chaos, Gazelle Lockwood, the one-dragon-army, descended with an ominous presence, taking on his humanoid form upon landing.
Gazelle's metal plates clanged with each deliberate step, and his crimson tattered cape billowed in the aftermath of his draconic display. Black sclera framed his piercing crimson eyes as he surveyed the desolation that now defined Scrap Town. Finally, his gaze settled on me.
"Everyone is safe now. I have come to bring you to salvation," Gazelle declared, his voice carrying an eerie reassurance amidst the wreckage and despair.