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[size=+1]Chapter Four: Roar of a Thousand Lions
Part II[/size]
Part II[/size]
Riku had brought them into a small opening into the woods that a creek ran through. Mizutoki quickly dismounted Sleipnir and tied him to tree, while making sure the rope was long enough to give the horse access to the water.
Riku took the longest of tending to his steed, and Mizutoki noticed that he had not set a rope upon his mount, but guessed that Riku had done so purposefully.
Riku: We have to walk from this point on. It?s a little under a mile, and by then it should be to dark for them to be able to see us.
The hike didn?t take long. They had maneuvered effortlessly throughout the forest and were now on a ridge overlooking the basin that the army slept in. This gave the trio and advantage ? albeit a small one due to their small numbers.
The wind did not blow in their favor so they all spoke in a whisper to keep their voices from carrying.
Lawliet:It?s dark, and I doubt I could discern them anyways, but it seems that there is more than one thousand soldiers in this basin.
Riku: I?d have to agree with you, on all accounts of that statement.
They slowly worked their way down the ridge, making sure to stay in the shadows of the areas that the giant fires did not illuminate. Mizutoki?s sword and shield were in hand, and he could see Riku summon his Way to Dawn in its strange cloud.
Lawliet?s blade, Luna, was interesting. The blade was a glimmering silver, reflecting the moonlight about, and it seemed to glow with a faint light of its own. The blade was somewhat thinner than regular longswords, but its blade was longer. What couldn?t be seen, though, were the millions of almost microscopic serrations on its edge. On the surface, the wounds it dealt would be devastating, as was any blow from the strange weapons of Mercury. The real damaged, though, lay where the eye couldn?t perceive it, as the serrations shredded muscle tissue. But, the real power of the blade was released when the Moon was full.
As it drew its power from the moon, it released a pulse of magical energy with each blow that landed. This power was simply a default, not one of the many abilities having a Mercury weapon granted the wielder.
The hilt of the blade was a deep shade of violet with a twisting silver design etched into the hilt. The cross guard of the blade was shaped like a gibbous moon, although it was a deep purple with golden designs of stars and constellations, while the guard that extended over her hand was that of a crescent moon.
Mizutoki decided to hang back, not being well versed in the art of Assassination. Riku was holding Way to Dawn so that the blade went up his arm. He grabbed the closest soldier to him, cupped his hand over his mouth, pulled him close, and slit his throat with the blade, all before the soldier could figure out what was going on, much less form the thought to alert the others.
This continued onward for about twenty minutes, and Riku made about seven kills ? he had to be discreet and lay the bodies so the looked like they were sleeping, while also making sure the light didn?t catch the pool of blood.
Shortly after, he returned.
Riku: I suggest you ready your weapons?.
Lion?s Brigade Soldier (LBS) 1: Sweet merciful! Raise the alarm, we have casualties! Take up arms!
Riku: Now!
Riku swiftly cut down the unarmored man.
The trio stayed close together; at least they would for now.
LBS 2: ?ey! It?s only three!
LBS 3: Must be might confident if they think they can take the ?ole Lion?s Brigade.
LBS 2: Give up now, and maybe we?ll make it swift ?n ?
This was all the man got out, before Lawliet sliced the man?s throat open.
Lawliet: Shut up and fight.
The Lion?s Brigade was slightly shocked by this, but the trio wasted no time in attacking. They cut down those unfortunate enough to be caught without armor or weapons, which was pretty much everyone close to them.
The bloodshed had begun.
Soldiers quickly dawned weapons and armor, and charged towards the trio. That?s when they broke apart, effectively leaving three hundred and thirty three soldiers to each person.
Mizutoki shut Riku and Lawliet out from his head. They were much stronger than he was and if they got in a pinch they could remove their Limiters ? they could handle themselves. He needed to watch his own back.
They started to pour in quickly. One came from his left and struck at Mizu with a large sword, but the sword deflected off of Mizu?s raised shield and he wasted no time turning and stabbing his blade up the man?s chin, and into his brain.
With that single kill, he was engulfed. He was surrounded on all sides by soldiers, but they were to close together to strike out against him without hurting one of their own comrades.
Those who were hesitant were those unlucky enough to feel the stinging slash of Mizu?s blade across their flesh.
A sword came down from his right, and he parried it with the flat of the blade, and swung his shield downward, collapsing the man?s helmet, and his skull, inward.
Then the pace started to quicken. Mizu had made maybe three kills, but it had angered the soldiers, and they were coming at him in fours.
A sword came downward from his left, and raised his shield to block it. Once the blade bounced off, he kicked the man in the chest, tilting him over. Mizutoki slashed across the man?s chest, and then continued to swing his blade in an arc, catching the man behind him in the hip, who was mid-swing. Taking advantage of the injured man, Mizutoki grabbed him and pulled him in front of him. The man took a blow to the heart from the fourth soldier that was intended for Mizutoki.
Discarding the dead body, Mizutoki closed in on the man and clipped his head with his shield, snapping the man?s neck.
Already, those four where replaced with four more.
Mizutoki raised his blade to strike the man in front of him, as it felt like he had been punched in the chest. He looked down to see an arrow bounce off his stomach ? the Steel Silk had stopped it from penetrating, but the arrow had still had enough force to knock the wind from him.
He quickly regained composure, though, and cleaved the arm of the man he had been attacking before the arrow hit him clean off. The man fell to the ground clutching the stump, but was trampled and killed by his own brigades, who were eager at a chance at Mizutoki.
Another blade deflected off of Mizutoki?s shield as he swung his sword, catching one soldier across the chest, and slitting another?s neck. Using his shield, he smashed the face in of a soldier that was getting to close for Mizutoki?s comfort.
He heard a whistling noise, and brought his shield up just in time to stop an arrow from hitting his head.
It was hard to get in a good swing; the soldiers were bunched so closely that any movement at all was difficult. After a few minutes of stabbing through those who were to close, Mizutoki finally ended up with a circle about five feet in every direction around him.
The soldiers moved in by themselves now, not planning on outright slaughtering him, but wearing him down so they could finish him. Maybe thirteen dead bodies lay at Mizutoki?s feet, but already the ground was sodden with blood.
The soldier in front of him was being cautious, parrying Mizutoki?s lunges with his shield, and deflecting them when he could to try and stab, only to have that guarded by Mizutoki?s own shield.
The man made the first mistake, though, as Mizutoki feinted with his sword to trick the man into raising his sword ? only to have the point of a shield collapse his skull in. Mizu kicked the body away before it ever hit the ground, trying to clear a bit of area.
Spinning to slash and kill a small trio of advancing soldier, Mizutoki stole a look at his comrades. A large swath of enemies lay dead around both Riku and Lawliet.
Turning back, Mizutoki had just enough time to bring his shield up to stop a blow. He raised his shield, also causing the man?s arm to come up, and then thrust his blade through the man?s exposed stomach.
Wasting no time, he pivoted on his foot, letting the blade simply cut its way out in a wave of blood, and slashed across the chest of another man rearing for a blow. The man fell backwards into some of the soldiers, giving Mizutoki enough time to regain his bearings, and retake his stance.
For the next few minutes, the ring of scraping metal and the smell of flowing blood filled the air. Many more lay dead around Mizutoki?s feet; so many, that it became hard for him to move without trotting on a body. Sometimes they were not wholly dead ? it took only a quick stab of his blade to change that.
Mizutoki had an idea, but it was a little insane. Then again, so was the situation he was in.
With a yell, Mizutoki raised his blade and charge into the crowd. He cut left and right, clearing out a path between the chunks of enemy he cleaved from their body. He was throwing his shield around as well, as much to block stray sword strikes as to use it as a weapon.
Within a few seconds, he had reached his destination. He was standing in front of one of the large fires. He quickly pierced a large barrel of oil, and allowed it to coat his blade. Then, sticking his blade into the fire, he with drew it, now holding the flaming blade in front of him.
One soldier charged forward, just as Mizu had planned. He tipped the barrel on its side and pushed it towards the man, but not before he slashed at it with his flaming blade. The burning barrel tripped the man, and continued rolling into the crowd of soldiers where the flames ultimately caused it to explode, taking out a large group of soldiers in the process.
As for the man, the oil that had splashed on him had ignited from the flames, and he was now writing in pain.
With the flames at his back, acting as both a shield from behind, and a place where he could get the bodies into, and possibly trick the soldiers in to running into, Mizutoki smiled, his confidence restored, and a new wave of vitality over taking him.
None of the soldiers were willing to approach the flaming blade that Mizu held in his hand. He took the moment to listen?
The fighting had stopped all around. He sized up the remaining army, and estimated there to be about eight hundred left. He looked up at the moon, and to his surprise, it seemed that only half an hour had passed.
From behind, he noticed a path being cleared within the enemy ranks. Out from the crowd, stepped a single soldier. On his shield was a yellow music staff ? a Weaver of Thunder.
The man pointed his sword at Mizutoki, and Mizu immediately swung his sword. The fire on his blade had protected him, stopping the lightening bolt. But, now the fire was gone.
Mizutoki knew enough about magic to know that an element can stop a magic, but that fire would only stop it one time. And, he had to take into account the amplifying abilities of the Steel Silk. This would not be an easy fight.
Mizutoki couldn?t afford to try and play it safe here; if this soldier wasn?t killed immediately, Mizutoki would be.
He charged at the man, sword held high. As he approached, he swung his blade downward, and the man parried with his own shield. Hearing the crackle of electricity cover the Weaver?s sword, Mizutoki slammed his own shield onto the Weaver?s, throwing him backwards, while Mizutoki used the time to back away.
He stayed his distance from the man ? the electricity was visible on his sword - , the man?s movements were not that of an amateur, and he knew how to handle a blade.
The Weaver lunged at Mizutoki, but Mizutoki sidestepped at the last moment, allowing the blade to come dangerously close to him. He smashed his shield into the man?s hand, sending the blade into the ground, discharging the electricity.
Mizutoki slashed at the Weaver?s chest, but it had little effect on the plate mail. The man stood up, and grabbed his sword. He quickly spun, sending a small arc of lightning at Mizutoki.
He couldn?t get out of the path of the bolt fast enough and it struck him in the chest. He felt the powerful blast strike him, passing through the plate mail, scorching it as it went, and then its power amplified as it connected with the Steel Silk. If felt like he was stricken from every direction by an incredible force as he was lifted off the ground and hurled several feet, his body not responding to his commands.
He tried his best to pull himself up, but he couldn?t get his arms to obey. He did, however, manage to lift his head. The Weaver?s sword was pointed at Mizutoki, crackling with electricity, and the man had a wicked smile upon his face.
What seemed to be a Door of Darkness opened up in front of him, and out stepped Riku and a soldier with the same shield as the man Mizutoki had been fighting. Moving with incredible speed, Riku struck with Way to Dawn, sending Mizutoki?s Weaver?s sword out wide as it discharged its powerful bolt into the group of on looking enemies.
Riku leaned down, and helped Mizutoki to his feet.
Riku: Nasty Thunder Weavers?If I?d known, I?d have properly trained you on how to take them down?
Barely in control of his senses, Mizutoki could see a strange gold line connecting Mizutoki?s Weaver to Riku?s, and then lines form both of them stretched into the crowd, no doubt to a Weaver that Lawliet was fighting.
Riku seemed to know though, and slashed at the line with his Way to Dawn: the men recoiled with pain.
Riku: No wonder.. A Share Spell! They each have the combined strength of the other two. Taking a bolt like that, it?s a feat in itself that you?re even alive.
Riku slashed again at the line, this time severing it.
Mizutoki stood up.
Mizutoki: Sonofa?.
Riku: Took a nasty hit, huh? Can you fight?
Mizutoki quickly cut down a soldier that had strayed to close.
Riku: Fair enough.
The soldiers were confused at the sudden appearance of this man. Riku took advantage of the confusion, and quickly dealt away with his own weakened Weaver, and then turned to the crowd of soldiers.
Riku: Take out the Weaver, and then let?s get back to this thing.
Riku moved with unmatched agility and grace, as his blade pierced armor and flesh, and swaths of enemies fell dead before him as he worked his way back into the crowd, no single movement wasted ? Riku was solely moving in a dance of death.
He would admire the swordsmanship of his comrades later - right now, he had an enemy to take care of.
The Weaver had a terrified look on his face, and it was justified. He was suddenly cut off from both of the other Weavers, and now had only his own meager strength to rely on against a single soldier that had sliced through nearly fifty soldiers on his own.
Mizutoki charged at the man, his full strength back at his disposal after the powerful shock. His blade pounded against the Weaver?s shield, whose sole intention was to simply fend off the attacks.
Weaver: Oy! Someone give me a hand here!
But Mizutoki had moved him into the perfect position. To intent on stopping Mizutoki?s onslaught, he hadn?t noticed that he now had his back to the flames.
Mizutoki brought his shield upward with a powerful swing, knocking the man off balance. He slashed across the man?s chest and the proceeded to kick him into the fire pit. He was dead before he hit the ground.
Mizutoki turned back to the crowd, his resolve high, and though the numbers weren?t, with the battle going in his favor.
Mizutoki: Come on!
Riku was tired, but he wasn?t going to remove his Limiter. The only way for him to get stronger, was for him to get stronger with it on. Way to Dawn?s blade was nearly invisible in the night save for its blood red edge, and the light of the flames that danced across it.
The magical blade easily sliced through plate mail, as the sword couldn?t break, and had enough force to pierce the protective shell. Men fell dead with every step Riku took. He took measure to slap some soldiers across the head with the flat of his blade, as much to daze them, as to make them stumble and give him room. Unlike with Mizutoki, the soldiers came at Riku in massive waves, wanting his destructive force gone.
A man tripped in front of Riku, so he stepped on his back, stabbed the man, and then flipped backwards into a crowd of enemies, clearing a small area of land with a spinning strike.
But the amount of blades coming at him was proving difficult. Attacks often turned into counters as he was forced to use a swing at one soldier to parry the blow of another. He knew that if he lost momentum that he would be struck, and that eventually the soldier?s blows would batter his body to death long before they pierced the Steel Silk.
As Riku spun around to parry another blow, he smiled at the sight he saw.
A black horse was charging through the ranks of warriors, coming straight towards Riku. The enemy knights swarmed around the horse, only to recoil in screams of terror as a black form leaped over them.
A large black form landed beside Riku. It was his horse. Now it was a panther.
Riku: Much appreciated, Guenhwyvar. Let?s take them down, shall we? It?s time I use my own magic.
Riku struck a nearby enemy with Way to Dawn. The man brought up his blade to parry?only to be incased in a pillar of ice. Dropping to one knee, Riku rotated quickly, and formed a massive wave of ice, incasing several soldiers. Guenhwyvar bounded off the wave of ice, and slammed at high speeds into one soldier, its powerful claws shredding the iron like cloth.
The man beside that soldier was impaled with a massive spike of ice, which Guenhwyvar used to rebound into another soldier.
Riku was thoroughly at home with Guen at his side, and he was now in his element, forming massive amounts of ice everywhere, clearing masses of soldiers.
A soldier dared to approach Riku, but was quickly cut down. The soldiers, rightfully fearful for their lives, approached Riku and Guenhwyvar in groups. One man on the edge of the group lifted his sword to strike at Guen, only to have Way to Dawn pierce his chest, and quickly freeze his flesh that was around the blade.
Guenhwyvar flew in a black flash onto another man, raking its powerful claws across the man?s face, and then the cat sunk its powerful fangs into the man?s neck, killing him.
Despite Riku and Guen?s combined strength, the soldiers continued to pour in. Riku took Way to Dawn, and twirled it about him, keeping soldiers away from him, all the while, filling the air with frost.
Then, Riku reared back and plunged Way to Dawn into the earth. A massive sheet of ice engulfed a large portion of the area around Riku and pillars of ice jutted from that field, skewering many soldiers.
The ice was forming a jungle that was difficult to navigate though for the enemies. But Guenhwyvar was a jungle cat, and even in a jungle of ice, its predator instincts where at their fullest, and it was surrounded by prey.
So perfect was their teamwork, their deadly dance of ice, blade, claws, and tooth, that blood rose in waves of near equal amounts of the ice.
Even so, with their increased speed and power and skills, the duo where too hard pressed to slow the rolling waves of warriors. Nearly a hundred lay dead at his feet now, and he was running out of room.
Guenhwyvar looked at Riku, its eyes questioning him.
Riku: Go for it.
The black cat halted its attack, and was engulfed in a cloud of darkness. The cloud grew to a size more than four times what it had been, and then solidified.
Men screamed in terror at Riku?s magical companion. It had gone from a war horse, to a panther that had spilled much blood in a short time.
But, now their bane sat before them.
Guenhwyvar towered next to Riku, in the form of a massive black dragon. The men tried to flee, but they could not escape the powerful black flames that Guenhwyvar breathed into the crowd, burning their very beings at the spot. Now, with Guenhwyvar at his side, Riku knew the battle was won.
