Chapter 58 - Instinct vs. Intellect

<p>"That sure is one hell of an explosion! Not sure how anyone could have survived that… But of course, we have our readings here, and Liwuukay is still in the game! Don't ask me how, though."<br/><br/> Shielding my eyes from the smoke, I cough quietly as I slowly make my way back up to my feet. I brush myself off, deciding to check the messages that had just saved me from experiencing a Cockroach's Life.<br/><br/>[Cooldown complete!]<br/>[Activating Klum's Reincarnation…]<br/>[DEX increased by 200%.]<br/><br/> I shook off the nagging nausea that came with sudden increases and decreases of my Dexterity as I stood, looking for where Eniyala.<br/><br/> belowleftright<br/><br/> "Huh? What—"<br/><br/> … BELOWLEFTRIGHTMOVEGO.<br/><br/> Five bladed chains burst from below the ground and behind the walls. I leap backwards, but four of them stab into me. Two through my left arm, one to the back of my right thigh, and one through my left foot. As all but one of the chains that had missed disappeared, Eniyala steps through a small patch of smoke, wisps curving passively around her.<br/><br/> "Looks like you're falling behind, dumbass," she says playfully, and I laugh in a hoarse voice.<br/><br/> "Nah, just had to give you a handicap, duh," I groan, whipping Raze around to cut through all the chains clinging to me. "Should get that nosebleed checked out soon, though, hothead."<br/><br/> Two thick streams of blood drip from her nose, but she has the same smile. 'Am I becoming a bad influence or something?'<br/><br/> "Yeah, well, Mr. Handicapped, I'm going to go all out now, okay? Keep up."<br/><br/> She holds both hands up, and rings appear on each finger, chains attached to them. She points all ten fingers at me, and several chains sprout from each of the rings, glowing blue in contrast to her brightly shining crimson red eyes.<br/><br/> "Ignios Smithing. Upgrade: Chains of Ignios. Sigil form chosen… Hellfire Chain Storm!"<br/><br/> Numerous blades flew towards me, more than I could ever hope to count.<br/><br/> "Incredible, you damn bully," I shudder in amazement, holding my blade at the ready. "I'm not throwing the towel in just yet, though. Time for some sacrifices."<br/><br/>[Skill Critical Sight activated.]<br/>[Skill Critical Sight activated.]<br/>[Skill Critical Sight activated.]<br/>[Warning! Limit was surpassed!]<br/>[Skill Critical Sight…<br/>[Warning! Limit…<br/>[Skill Critical…<br/>[Warning!…<br/><br/> My right eye burns intensely as tears fall from it. Red tears.<br/><br/> It's not tears.<br/><br/> Still, every chain has a Critical Mark on it now. Without another second to lose, I swing as hard and as fast as I can, cutting through the blades in loud explosions of fire and force. It's not enough, as I feel myself begin to get overpowered by the constant attacks. 'Fine then.'<br/><br/>[Skill Lightning Blade was activated.]<br/>[Skill Sprint+ was activated.]<br/>[Elemental Infusion: Lightning]<br/><br/> "Full Moon Deflect!"<br/><br/> Bzzzt!<br/><br/> In several explosions of fire and lightning, the surrounding walls of the canyon crumble, becoming large mounds that slide towards us.<br/><br/> "Woah! Not sure what's happening here, but enough damage has been sustained to the stadium, so now the stage will switch!" Zwelli cries out quickly, and Eniyala and I freeze unwillingly. Gray Mana covers us, holding us (and her magic) in place as the canyon walls melt, revealing a frenzied crowd that was cheering and chanting furiously as they watched two large screens that showed us. The dirt reverts back to normal, before shifting once again. It turns a deep shade of blue, and the soles of my feet pass through it until I land on a silver panel. 'A platform on water?'<br/><br/> Zwelli laughs. "The tables have turned, folks! I lovingly call this setting 'Raft!'"<br/><br/> "What a dumb name," I say, and I can feel Zwelli's stare all the way at the top of the gigantic stadium.<br/><br/> This potentially could be beneficial for me, though.<br/><br/> Several panels were placed securely just below the water's surface, and there seemed to be no bottom below us. The panels were arranged in what looked like a square in the middle of the arena, with a couple of them missing. Still, each square platform was about 9 feet long, giving us plenty of space to maneuver.<br/><br/> "Annnd… Resume!"<br/><br/> My body jolts around as I finish my halted counter, and more loud bursts of sound fill the stadium. The spectators cover their ears as lightning and fire lick at the protective cover dome over the arena, threatening to burn them if it could reach. The force is enough to shove the water away from us for several panels worth. As it slowly seeps back and the steam and smoke clears, I find Eniyala with only two chains remaining, as the Critical Marks are near her fingers. She looks like she's barely able to stand, her pale face even paler than usual.<br/><br/> I'm not doing too hot either. All of the injuries I've received from her fire weapons have split open through the cauterization, and my right eye finally can't stay open anymore. My purple Mana still rushes out through it, forming a thick mist that rises slowly over my eyelid. The most interesting part is the message that appears as soon as my right eye shuts.<br/><br/>[Sight lost. Critical Marks will be removed.]<br/><br/> I watch as the two Marks on the remaining weapons fizzle away. 'But I can still see?'<br/><br/> I don't have time to think about it, as Eniyala snaps the chains into the water to forcefully dispel them. Then, she holds her hands up, clearly intending to finish it here.<br/><br/> "Ignios Familiar! Ignios Arrows!"<br/><br/> I plant my feet as rows of flaming arrows appear with a giant snake, who hisses before leaping at me, followed by the line of arrows. The effort drops Eniyala to one knee, but she holds her now-gaunt face up to make sure her attacks land.<br/><br/> BAM!<br/><br/> I push forward with as much force as I can muster, willing my body to keep moving as the snake closes in on me. I plant my foot and leap, barely landing on its snout before pushing off of it and past. Smoke trails from the bottom of my shoes; they won't hold out much longer.<br/><br/> I land on the snake's back, hopping a few times until I can jump to the ground and avoiding as many arrows as I can. It doesn't work well. There's too many.<br/><br/> RUN.<br/><br/> No.<br/><br/> MOVE BACK.<br/><br/> She's right there.<br/><br/> FIGHT.<br/><br/> I'm trying to.<br/><br/> Neither my thoughts nor my instincts matter to me anymore.<br/><br/>* * *<br/><br/> Eniyala pants heavily as she looks at Klum's hunched figure. The arrows have already vanished, but the damage was done. "I won," she whispers, unable to move from her kneeling position. It's a wonder she's still conscious, with how little Mana and Stamina she has left. The whole stadium is dead silent as the smoke furls around the two; her familiar causes large clouds of steam to rise up from the short water it's in.<br/><br/> 'That was too close,' she wonders with a sigh. 'If he held out for not even half a minute longer…'<br/><br/> The exhausted woman's blood immediately runs cold as she jolts, her body freezing in place as if to feign being dead or asleep. Her eyes remained locked on Klum, who's Mana is pouring more rapidly out of his eye. Lightning continues fizzing and popping rapidly from his blade and partially his body, arcing around the floor and air. The darkness emanating from him is so powerful Eniyala swore there was an evil grin upon his face. 'He's clearly knocked out… so how…'<br/><br/> The sheer willpower of the boy was so strong that he was emitting an aggressive aura so potent people in the lower rows of the stadium tried to make themselves less noticeable. It felt as if a shadowy hand had casually wrapped itself around all of their throats, ready to squeeze at any moment.<br/><br/> Eniyala, who was closest to it, opens her mouth to speak, but finds she is so filled with fear that her vocal chords refuse to cooperate. As it can feel her emotions, the snake lunges at Klum with a loud hiss, teeth exposed to impale the motionless body. 'It's a demon…'<br/><br/> "Wait!" Zwelli calls, and gray Mana shoots around Eniyala once again, freezing her and everything she controls in place. "Liwuukay can no longer continue! Don't know how he's still standing," he says before lowering his voice. "What a wild beast…" before continuing, "but Eniyala is the victor!"<br/><br/> Cheers roar out at the top of the stadium, and those who had felt the now fading presence Klum had emitted slowly joined in, clapping politely. Eniyala can no longer see the Mana coming from his injured eye, and a second later his body finally crumples to the ground limply.<br/><br/> 'Please, don't let it consume you, Klum,' she thinks as she feels herself slipping out of consciousness as well. "You can't…"</p>