Chapter 21 – Train Heist

"One more time can't do any harm," Silk said rubbing his hands in anticipation.

"You've died one hundred and twenty times with no success," Phoenix snorted.

"I have a good feeling this time," Silk forced a smile but dying over one hundred times has a tendency to get under one's skin. He had improved his suit a great amount. The lining of the jacket had the amplification circuits enhanced a great amount so he could now withstand a great amount of damage from a demon. Two new gloves were added which inversed the colour of its side of the jacket.

"Alright, everyone ready. One each again." Crusher still gave these same orders.

Phoenix disappeared into the shadows and Crusher, wielding a viscous mace, ran forward to attack a blood red demon. The third demon could not be seen but Silk had a solution for this, wait.

He stood eyes closed listening for the slightest sound. The grass swaying at his feet was peaceful until he heard a sound, it was heavy and the way the sound was the creature was decidedly on four feet.

A creature pounced at Silk but he jumped out the way. He turned to see his attacker, it was made from pure crystal and gleamed in the sun.

The beast snarled and attacked again with blinding speed but only knocked into Silk. It was heavily cushioned by air and a new friction enchantment had been used to increase the friction on his shoes which stopped him from moving. The impact would still usually break his bones but learning from one of his many past experiences he had added an enchantment that would momentarily strengthen Silk's defence.

Using this opportunity, he used the friction enchantment to increase the friction on his gloves and clicking his fingers a spark was formed, using the spark he let flames dance in the air attacking the demon.

The demon was momentarily deterred which Silk used to create a gap between them.

Silk activated another new enchantment and water condensed in front of him creating a shield of water. The air became very dry. The water in the shield was condensed quite a bit, beyond normal anyway.

The crystal beast looked at Silk curiously and roared. The magic maintaining the magic shield fluctuated and disappeared, there was a new puddle on the ground.

"That's completely cheating," he moaned. Turning tail, he started running.

The demon ponced cutting through Silk's air defence and managing to land a cut on his cheek.

Silk was dazed before regaining his bearings and checking his cheek. There was no blood but instead a hard-smooth surface like a crystal. He grimaced and got up, this fight was getting dangerous.

The demon pounced once again, Silk dived out the way.

Reaching into the pocket universe that held his equipment Silk took out a key with an engraving of a spider on it and started running. The crystal beast was much faster than him but he had not been doing nothing for the past one hundred and twenty battles so he did have ways to dodge his opponents.

Silk held the key in his hands tightly pouring magical energy into it until he was drenched with sweat but the energy was still not enough. He turned an eyed the demon viscously.

Surprising the demon Silk struck hitting it with the key. The key was extremely hard and penetrated into the beast and sucking its magical energy out. The beast feeling its energy draining lasted one second before it was nothing more than colourless crystal on the ground.

The key still demanded more energy so he lumbered through the forest as fast as he could to where Phoenix and Crusher were located.

It wasn't long before he found Phoenix from all the wonderful fireworks that resulted from her magic. She was only over a small hill, it was very small, almost a mound but big enough to impair his view of her.

His body had mostly healed from the fight with the demon but when he felt the area he had been scratched it was still smooth and hard, it seemed to have spread. It didn't take that long for him to reach her.

Phoenix spread her arms and the demon in front of her was engulfed into the earth.

"That's viscous," Silk called.

Phoenix turned surprised, "You're alive. Well done." She was clapping sarcastically.

Silk ignored it. "Do you know where Crusher is?" he asked seriously.

"No, why?" Phoenix answered with another question.

"I can finally put my plan into motion," he replied.

"Are you confident with this?" She asked to confirm with him. She did not want to be in a bad position because of one reckless plan.

"Yes."

"This way then." Phoenix glided effortlessly while Silk trudged along the newly muddy ground of the battlefield. Once Silk got out of the mud he activated the very first enchantment on his clothes and the mud vanished from his clothes.

They reached Crusher in the middle of suppressing his enemy who was twice his height with a stony skin.

"You are finally here," Crusher remarked after spying them from the corner of his eye. He looked at the demon in front of him and casually punching it the demon turned into rubble.

"The demons are really nothing to you, huh." Silk sated.

"You were the only thing holding us back," Crusher said. "After a few battles we were wondering how someone like you had become a legend befitting this place."

"I think that I have an answer for that." Silk's magic had recovered somewhat and putting all the rest into his key he felt the enchantments on it starting to react but he could tell that it wasn't going to last long.

"I am going to create a distraction for about fifteen seconds and we will need to run to get out of here," Silk laid out his plan.

"Will the three champions of their round please go to the gathering point to be escorted back to your room," the announcer's voice called throughout the stadium.

"You are going to have to carry me." Silk said to Crusher.

"Why?" He asked with a horrified expression.

"I used all my magical energy for this," Silk answered.

Crusher had a grim look on his face but picked Silk up anyway. After being picked up he released the energy in the key, it rippled through the arena. After a while nothing seemed to have happened.

"That is anti-climactic," Phoenix said.

"Look up." Silk said pointing.

In the sky, there seemed to be a new object. It looked as big as a moon but you could tell it was closer because the details were visible showing the wooden and rustic exterior with bronze metal working all over it like pipes.

"Now run," Silk commanded. The surprise led the two to do as he said.

While running Crusher remarked, "you have a few tricks of your own."

"I do," Silk confirmed. He stroked the injury to see the crystal spot had become larger. They passed some security golems who ignored them as they passed working out how they should del with the new bigger threat.

Silk looked back to see the foreign object disappear. The golems that usually kept guard weren't doing a wonderful job from the confusion and while some did try to stop them Crusher, with Silk in hand, with phoenix dodged easily enough. Golems may be highly powerful and intelligent but their creativity was their down side, in a one on one fight no one here could beat them but escaping wasn't a particular problem.

It didn't take long before they reached a train station in the arena. Everything was inside and the escape didn't include going into the hub of gods as that was suicided. The door closed behind them revealing a open space with rails through the middle and tunnels at each side.

Silk crawled out the arms of Crusher and haphazardly made it to the door and took out a hidden knife. The knife was not for fighting but engraving, he had nicked it from the preparation area. He quickly engraved some symbols, after a while the door seemed to melt into the wall.

"That should buy us some time but I need you to help me get on the train," Silk said pointing at Crusher.

"Why?" he questioned.

"I'm not very strong." Silk answered honestly.

Phoenix was at the side gobsmacked at where they were. "We made it after so long," she laughed while bumping the air.

"We aren't there yet," Silk said gravely.

"You aren't there at all," A voice called from above. A man in a blue suit descended and bowed theatrically before the group of them.

"What do you want," Crusher shouted.

"To give Silk some help," the mysterious man replied. "That crystal wound is spreading after all."

Silk stroked that area to find it had indeed spread. "You can help?" Silk asked with a hint of suspicion.

"No but if you just shed that skin you would be fine." The man in blue had a vicious smile while saying this.

This was beyond Silk's suspicions, he angrily glared at the man but before he could do anything he heard the clattering of a train coming across the tracks.

"Do you trust me?" Silk asked Phoenix and Crusher completely ignoring the man in blue.

"Enough to help," Crusher answered.

"Likewise," Phoenix copied Crusher's monotone voice.

"Please would you help me on to the train then," He pled.

"Of course, you have helped us." Crusher grabbed Silk and as the train started rushing past, he pounced. Crusher used his body to shield as he crashed breaking into the metal of the train, it didn't take long before the metal crumpled and Crusher rolled into the luxurious carriage.