All eyes are on Hrist and Bolt as they square off on a lone floating island full of snow. It’s a bright sunny day and a strong cold wind blows through the region. Many of the citizens of Tep-Tep City watch the action intently.

Hrist: Your move bird man.

Bolt charges at Hrist with gray electricity surging around his body. He shouts as he thrusts an electrified gauntlet at her.

Hrist blocks the attack with her sheathed Ruby Sword. She quickly bashes him in the stomach with the pommel of the hilt, sending him tumbling away several yards. Meters of snow is kicked up as Bolt rolls to a kneeling position while holding his stomach with one hand. Hrist yawns.

Bolt: (Damn. She’s putting more vyrkra into her attacks now. )

Rivna: Did you see that?

Loc: This Veguhl has some impressive fighting ability, but he’s no match for a princess. Knowing Hrist this is going to turn ugly soon.

Smoke: I wouldn’t count him out just yet. I think he’s got a few aces up his sleeve.

Startled, everyone turns to Smoke. He’s leaning on the railing of the ship yawning.

Lightning: Who are you?

Loc: I thought you were taking a nap.

Smoke: How can I with all this commotion going on?

Lightning: (I didn’t even sense his approach. Just who is this Tahlyan? And how much of his vyrkra is he suppressing?)

Hrist notices Smoke. She glances at Tep-Tep City in the distance. More people are watching.

Hrist: Ah, I’m drawing a bigger crowd by the minute. Perhaps I’ll prolong your death to give them a real good show.

Bolt winces from the pain. He rises and charges at Hrist again. He launches a flurry of punches and kicks. Hrist effortlessly blocks each attack with her sword. During the flurry, she steps forward, inching Bolt towards the edge of the floating island.

Rivna: I thought the Veguhl had the speed advantage but Princess Hrist appears to be able to match it.

Loc: Like I said, he won’t fare long.

Hrist kicks, Bolt narrowly dodges but leaping backwards and taking to the air. Hrist’s eyes flash and steam expels from her Ruby Sword. Three spheres of fire form from the steam and she quickly directs them at Bolt. Bolt dodges but two red glyphs appear behind him and launch a total of six fireballs. Bolt deflects two with his arms but the other four strike him, causing him to crash onto the island like a meteor. Everyone but Smoke looks surprised. Hannah smirks.

Hannah: Hmm. My big sister’s Celestial attacks are keeping him from flying away. He’s no better off than a caged bird at this point. I say this is checkmate.

Hrist: Had enough, Veguhl?

Bolt: (I have to do something about those Celestial Arts. I can’t take another blow like that. She’s just too damn strong.)

Bolt smirks as he rises. His attire is quite tattered as heat is still simmering from it.

Bolt: You aren’t nearly as strong as you think you are, Your Majesty.

Hrist: You fool, the only reason you still draw breath is because I’ve been holding back a lion’s share of my true strength. You couldn’t even begin to fathom the true depths of my power.

Bolt dash to her at blinding speeds, Hrist reacts by quickly side stepping and elbowing him in the stomach. She then punts him in the face with her boot, which launches him yards into the air. He lands on his back with a bloody face.

Lightning: Bolt!

Rivna grunts and puts her foot on the railing, ready to leap off and join the fray. Loc grabs her arm.

Rivna: Let me go! I’m not going to sit here and watch her toy with his life any longer.

Loc: Stay out of it Rivna. He brought this upon himself for challenging her.

Rivna gives Loc an incredulous look.

Rivna: How can you say that? His endeavors are no less worthy than ours.

Loc: The Will has already appointed a soul for this task. Until then we have no choice but to let these demons fulfill their evil.

Rivna reluctantly steps away from the railing.

Rivna: Such a soul would not let this mayhem continue.

Loc looks displeased with her words.

Three Veguhl men each wearing karategi fly from the city and hover over the island. They’re names are Zephyr, Squall, and Gust, and they’re all bigger and burlier than Bolt. Bolt looks displeased to see them.

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Hrist: More birds for me to roast?

Bolt: What are you doing here?! Protect the city!

Gust: And watch our leader die at the hands of this strumpet?

Zephyr: This is the age of recompense and retaliation. The Will is beginning to raise his hand against the injustice of this world.

Squall, who appears to be middle aged and the oldest of the three gets into a wide stance. Wind swells around him as his eyes glow gray.

Lightning: (No, not yet. You’re here too early.)

Hannah: Who are those three?

The Rose Palyths aboard the Rose Hornet watch the three Veguhl men anxiously.

Rose Palyth: Captain…

Captain Eldrich: At ease men. Compared to our princess they all have pitiful fighting power.

Hrist approaches Bolt, who is still lying on the ground. She raises her sheathed sword up in preparation to impale him. Bolt’s eyes flash as he quickly dashes out of the way. Hrist strikes the ground. The impact causes the island to split apart. Hrist looks back to see Bolt on his feet panting.

Hrist: So you still have some fight left in you.

Bolt materializes the Aeon Rod and sticks it into the ground, standing it upright. He gets into a wide focused stance and takes a deep breath. Everyone looks intrigued by his actions. Lightning smirks.

Bolt materializes a headband and karategi. His eyes glow and gray mist spirals around his body. His wings stretch out and gray electricity surges around them.

Bolt: Yhol-Oiudyn!

Hrist raises an eyebrow. Loc looks flabbergasted.

Loc: What?! Since when could an Innokian perform that technique?!

Rivna: Isn’t that the same technique Master Gideon taught you, Loc?

Loc grunts in response. Smoke smiles.

Smoke: This Veguhl is truly one of a kind.

Lightning chuckles.

Lightning: Let’s just see how immortal this royal wench is now.

Hannah: What’s going on?

The Veguhl men smile at the sight.

Gust: Perhaps we came all this way for nothing.

Squall: (That’s it, Bolt. All of those endless nights of training weren’t for nothing. Your father would be proud.)

Bolt: (Good. My heart took the sudden stress perfectly. Now I can utilize this technique to its full extent. This isn’t just another sparring session, but the real thing. I hope I can end this within three minutes.)

Bolt takes another deep breath.

Bolt: (First things first. I have to do something about those Celestial attacks of hers.)

Hrist: I’ll admit I’ve only witnessed that technique of yours once before, but it matters not. Your wings will be clipped all the same--

Bolt strikes at her in a flash and Hrist narrowly sidesteps.

Hrist: (Did his speed just double?!)

Bolt quickly follows up with a kick and Hrist dodges by leaping several yards away while performing a backflip. Bolt produces steam from one of his gauntlets.

Bolt: Chyn-Uutmyrr!

Silver vyrkra begins to continuously pulsate from Bolt’s hand.

Hrist: Gyn-Avaega!

Twelve spheres of fire launch at Bolt from multiple different directions through glyphs. Bolt takes flight and quickly navigates through the barrage. He closes in on his target and launches a series of six spinning kicks with his electrically imbued feet. Hrist struggles to block each kick as they crack the sheath of her Ruby Sword. Bolt follows up with an island rattling punch from his pulsating hand. Hrist receives the rumbling blow to her stomach, completely knocking the wind out of her. A silver glyph appears on her stomach and immediately shatters upon the impact, signifying that she is temporarily stymied from performing Celestial Arts.

Hrist slides back several feet but remains standing. She tries to catch her breath. Everyone watching is completely wowed. The Veguhl men cheer.

Loc: (I don’t believe it. How can a non-Massadan master that technique? How can a non-Massadan be giving a princess this much of a hard time? Even if she isn’t using her full strength this is incredible. He actually managed to weaken her. I must find out who he is.)

Hannah: I don’t understand. He only landed one measly blow. Why is everyone in uproar about it?

Smoke: For the time being the princess is completely unable to cast Celestial Arts. Meaning she’s actually at a disadvantage.

Hannah: My sister is at a disadvantage? Ha! That’s nonsense! My big sister is invincible. She could never be at a disadvantage to anybody.

Lightning: Let’s just see how invincible your sister is, because this battle is all but forfeit to her.

Hrist grunts in frustration but Bolt doesn’t give her a moment of respite. He charges in attacking with a another series of spinning kicks.

Hrist: I still have my speed you arrogant little--

Bolt feints his kick just before it lands, causes his opponent to flinch. Bolt turns and strikes with his palm as the gauntlet on it spews steam.

Bolt: Chyn-Slogmyrr!

A black glyph appears over Hrist’s chest where she’s struck. The Veguhl men cheer even louder.

Zephyr: He managed to hit her with a technique that will slow her down!

Lightning: He’s got her right where he wants her now.

Hrist looks infuriated.

Hrist: (I can’t believe this Innokian is actually holding his own! He’s nothing but a damn worm with wings!)

Bolt smiles. A minuscule amount of blood leaves his mouth.

Bolt: (I only have a few techniques left that I can perform before my heart gives out. I have to make this all count.)

Bolt: Having fun, Your Highness?

Hrist grunts and lunges at Bolt with her sword. He dodges with little effort. He fans his wings, causing her to slide back several feet. She’s standing in between him and the stationed Aeon Rod. Hrist has completely lost her cool.

Hrist: Don’t think you’ve won because of this! I’ve slayed countless mortals far stronger than you! I am a god! These pathetic blows you landed are nothing but a fluke!

Bolt: A fluke huh?

The Aeon Rod spews steam, alerting Hrist. Bolt turns to lightning and hits it. He rips through Hrist’s right arm, severing it. Hrist looks stunned.

Hrist: (Damn it. Has my speed been impaired that much?)

Hrist produces steam from her sword’s sheathe.

Bolt: Oizarga!

Bolt’s eye flash and he briefly turns to lighting and strikes Hrist’s arm, severing it. Hrist shrieks in shock.

Hrist: (He used my own steam?! How can he use such powerful techniques consecutively?! Just who is this damn Veguhl?!)

Everyone watches in shock and awe. Bolt doesn’t relent as he immediately follows up with a punch to Hrist’s stomach with his left hand, stunning her and launching her high into the air. Gray mist swells around his right hand as steam emits from his gauntlet.

Bolt: Iarlo-Chynkrugen!

Bolt’s body briefly turns to electricity as he performs a rising uppercut, striking Hrist under her jaw. The attack is so fast and fierce it completely chars her face in a near blinding, violent flash. Hrist’s body lands onto the snow. It periodically twitches from sporadic surges of electricity.

No cheering can be heard as every witness has been silenced with astonishment. Bolt lands on his feet and clenches his chest while panting. He gives his handy work a smug look.

Bolt: Still call this a fluke?

Chapter End