Can't Handle
"Come at me!" Pyta's voice echoed through the clearing, a challenge thrown boldly into the fray.
With a swift determination, Dorothy charged towards Pyta, her movements fluid and graceful. Pyta's blade met her kick with a resounding clash, but the force of the impact sent his sword flying from his grasp, leaving him momentarily defenseless.
Before he could react, a powerful blow landed squarely on his back, driving him forward with a force that left him reeling. The Tin Man seized the opportunity, his axe slashing across Pyta's chest with a brutal efficiency that sent waves of pain coursing through his body.
Dorothy's relentless assault continued, her swift kicks driving Pyta back until he collided forcefully with a sturdy tree trunk.
"I need to get some hits in..." Pyta gritted his teeth against the pain, his determination burning bright even in the face of overwhelming odds.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Pyta's sword doubled in size as he launched himself at Dorothy, his blade swinging in a deadly arc. Yet, despite his best efforts, Dorothy's agility proved too much to overcome, her nimble dodges leaving Pyta's strikes to meet nothing but empty air.
A sudden kick to his chin sent Pyta soaring through the air, his trajectory interrupted by the Scarecrow's unexpected intervention. With a swift and decisive motion, the Scarecrow seized Pyta in a vice-like grip, slamming him mercilessly into the unforgiving earth below.
"Looks like you've given up quickly!" the Lion's voice boomed with a mixture of amusement and disdain as he delivered a powerful uppercut, sending Pyta hurtling back into the sky.
The relentless assault continued, each blow delivered with a precision and ferocity that left Pyta struggling to keep pace. Yet, even as his strength waned and his body cried out in protest, Pyta refused to yield, his determination unyielding in the face of adversity.
"I'll give you credit!" the Lion's voice rang out above the din of battle, his words laced with grudging admiration. "I thought you'd be weaker! Anybody else would be broken in half after the first time around!"
As Dorothy and her companions exchanged words of surprise and disbelief, Pyta seized the opportunity to break free from the Scarecrow's grasp, his resolve burning brighter than ever.
With a swift flourish, Pyta ignited his sword with fiery energy, his determination fueling the flames of his defiance. "Who would he take me for if I was just some weakling!" he declared boldly, his voice ringing out with unwavering conviction.
As Pyta descended upon Dorothy with a renewed sense of purpose, his movements became a blur of speed and agility. With each strike, he sought out weaknesses in his opponent's defenses, his blade cutting through the air with deadly precision.
"Was he just hiding his strength the whole time?" Dorothy's voice rang out with a note of disbelief as Pyta's onslaught intensified.
"I was just looking for weak points!" Pyta retorted with a defiant grin, his determination unyielding despite the odds stacked against him.
With a sudden explosion of fire, Pyta's blade struck true, sending Dorothy reeling into the Lion's arms with a force that left them both stunned.
"Enhancement Magic..." Pyta's voice rang out with a note of triumph as he surged forward, his fist wreathed in crackling energy. With a powerful blow, he sent the Lion crashing through the underbrush, his determination unyielding in the face of his opponent's formidable strength.
But even as Pyta reveled in his victory, a new threat emerged from the shadows, the Tin Man's axe descending with deadly intent. With lightning-fast reflexes, Pyta turned to meet the blow head-on, his sword intercepting the attack with a resounding clash.
"I was built for chopping," the Tin Man's voice rang out with a note of grim determination.
"But you weren't built to beat me," Pyta retorted with a steely resolve, his blade flashing in the dappled sunlight as he prepared to face his opponent head-on.
With a swift and decisive strike, Pyta unleashed a barrage of blows upon the Tin Man, his determination unyielding in the face of adversity. And as the echoes of their clash resounded through the forest, Pyta knew that no matter the outcome, he would fight until his last breath, his spirit unbroken in the face of overwhelming odds.
"You forgot about somebody..." The Scarecrow's voice cut through the chaos, a reminder of yet another adversary poised to strike.
In an instant, Pyta found himself ensnared by the Scarecrow's straw, his limbs bound tightly as if held in a vice grip. "This is... Stronger than last time!" Pyta grunted, his struggles futile against the Scarecrow's supernatural strength.
Just as Dorothy prepared to deliver the finishing blow, a sudden intervention halted her attack. "Impulse Shock," a voice echoed through the clearing, and Enerida materialized before Dorothy in a blaze of electric energy, his presence a jolt of unexpected assistance.
"What are you doing here?" Pyta questioned, surprise evident in his voice as he watched Enerida's display of power.
"Times 2 charge," Enerida declared, a faint crackle of electricity dancing across his form. With a swift motion, he unleashed his Impulse Shock, overpowering Dorothy's attack and sending her reeling backward.
"Times 5 charge," Enerida announced, his aura intensifying as he vanished from sight in a burst of brilliant blue energy.
"We're being flanked!" the Scarecrow exclaimed, his attention diverted by Enerida's sudden appearance.
With a swift and decisive action, Enerida liberated Pyta from his bonds, his touch igniting the straw with searing heat. "HOT HOT HOT!!!" the Scarecrow cried out in agony as Pyta was freed from his grasp.
"I could have beaten them myself," Pyta asserted, his pride wounded by Enerida's intervention.
"From what I saw, you were about to lose your torso to a kick!" Enerida retorted, his tone laced with a mixture of amusement and concern.
As the tension in the clearing began to ease, Pyta's thoughts turned to his missing companion. "Where is Shimisu?" he inquired, his gaze scanning the surroundings for any sign of his absent ally.
"He stayed back at the cabin, but I followed you. What's going on here?" Enerida questioned, his curiosity piqued by the unfolding events.
"Dorothy: "King Midas hired us to kill him," Dorothy interjected, her voice carrying a weight of uncertainty.
"Really?" Enerida's tone was skeptical, his suspicion evident as he considered the implications of Midas's involvement.
"He would never do something like that!" Pyta protested vehemently, his loyalty to his king unwavering despite the accusations.
"He might. Who knows. Midas isn't called the king of greed for no reason... Maybe he's trying to get something out of this," Enerida speculated, his words tinged with doubt.
"Blasphemy! I'll make you a deal, mercenaries! I'll let you kill me if I see if King Midas actually wanted me dead. I'll even pay you," Pyta offered, his desperation evident as he sought to prove Midas's innocence.
"How much will you pay us?" Dorothy inquired, her interest piqued by the prospect of a lucrative deal.
"My life savings!" Pyta declared, his resolve firm despite the gravity of his offer.
"Whoa, that's... A lot... I think... Do you really trust King Midas like that?" Enerida questioned, his skepticism apparent as he considered the implications of Pyta's offer.
"Yes! Of course! He is my king, my savior!" Pyta affirmed, his loyalty unyielding in the face of doubt.
"That sounds like easy cash! You have a deal," Dorothy agreed, her decision made as she vanished from sight, her companions following suit in a silent departure.
As the clearing fell silent once more, Pyta's thoughts lingered on the unsettling revelation, his determination burning bright as he sought to uncover the truth behind Midas's involvement. With his fate now bound to the whims of fate, Pyta braced himself for the trials that lay ahead, his spirit unbroken in the face of uncertainty.
"Head back to Shimisu. This time I need to actually be alone," Pyta commanded, his voice resolute as he turned away from Enerida's departing form.
"Don't die," Enerida's parting words echoed through the clearing, a silent plea tinged with concern as he made his way back to the cabin.
Meanwhile, twelve minutes later, Enerida found himself standing before the deserted cabin, a sense of unease settling in the pit of his stomach. "Shimisu! Pyta might be in trouble!" he called out, his voice echoing through the silent woods.
Yet, there was no response, no sign of his elusive companion. "Shimisu?" Enerida called out once more, his worry growing with each passing moment as he searched the empty confines of the cabin.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows near Midas's castle, Shimisu lay in wait, his mind racing with uncertainty. "This can't be right..." he muttered to himself, his doubts gnawing at the edges of his resolve.
In a flash of memory, Shimisu found himself reliving the events that had unfolded mere minutes ago. "Maybe we should have stayed behind Enerida..." he mused, his thoughts drifting back to the moment he had witnessed Pyta's perilous encounter with Dorothy and her comrades.
As Dorothy's words echoed in his mind, Shimisu's suspicions grew. "Midas? I know he totally has enough money to do that but, why? I'll just need to figure that out myself!" he resolved, his determination unwavering as he made his decision to uncover the truth.
With a silent leap, Shimisu vanished into the night, his movements swift and sure as he approached the imposing walls of Midas's castle. "Explosion Magic: Silent Bomb," he whispered, his magic coalescing into a powerful orb of orange energy that obliterated a section of the castle wall with eerie silence.
"Alright, I'm in!" Shimisu declared, his voice filled with a newfound sense of purpose as he slipped inside the castle's halls, his senses alert for any sign of danger.
His path led him deeper into the heart of the castle, where a pair of imposing knights stood guard before a set of descending stairs. "That could be SOMETHING!" Shimisu thought, his curiosity piqued as he approached the guards with cautious determination.
"Hey you! Stop right there!" the knights called out, their voices filled with authority.
In a swift and decisive motion, Shimisu dispatched the guards with a flurry of blows, his movements a blur of speed and precision. "Ok, what's down here?" he questioned aloud, his heart racing with anticipation as he descended into the depths of the castle.
Meanwhile, within the confines of Midas's throne room, Pyta found himself escorted before the imposing figure of the king, his senses alert for any sign of danger as he faced his adversary head-on.
"King Midas!" Pyta's voice rang out with a mixture of surprise and respect as he entered the throne room, his posture rigid with military discipline as he saluted his sovereign.
"Ah yes, Pyta. I have ordered assassins to kill you. I did expect them to fail but, you are severely damaged so they might have gotten you good," Midas acknowledged, his voice carrying a tone of casual indifference as he addressed his loyal subject.
"Sorry... Sir," Dorothy interjected, her voice tinged with remorse as she and the other three mercenaries entered the room.
"He made a deal to see you again," Dorothy explained, her words a tacit admission of their failed mission.
"Very well..." Midas replied, his gaze shifting to Pyta with an air of solemnity.
"But... Why, King Midas?!" Pyta's voice quivered with confusion, his loyalty to his king warring with his disbelief at the revelation.
"You've served this kingdom ever since you were young, and ever since saving you as a child, you've been an amazing asset to our kingdom. But today, to honor such a brilliant era, I will collect your dead body and turn it into a gold statue," Midas declared, his words carrying the weight of a solemn decree.
"Why would you do that to your greatest warrior?!" Pyta's voice rose with incredulity, his disbelief palpable as he struggled to comprehend Midas's motives.
"Pyta... The last time you saw the doctor, the doctor kept a secret from you. You have a deadly sickness that kills you on your birthday," Midas revealed, his words a stark reminder of Pyta's mortality.
"I don't understand," Pyta murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he grappled with the sudden revelation.
"Your heart will explode! Now Pyta, come to me. I will behead you, and you will be remembered as the greatest hero to ever live in this kingdom," Midas proclaimed, his tone resolute as he prepared to carry out his grim task.
"That's... an honor, sir. I'll gladly take that death," Pyta replied, his voice steady with resolve as he accepted his fate with a solemn nod.
As Pyta knelt before his king, preparing to meet his end with dignity, a sudden interruption shattered the tense silence of the throne room.
"Stop!" Shimisu's voice echoed through the chamber, his presence a welcome intrusion in the midst of impending tragedy.
"Shimisu?" Pyta's eyes widened with surprise as his companion burst into the room, his sudden appearance a beacon of hope in the darkness.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Midas demanded, his gaze shifting to Shimisu with a mixture of anger and confusion.
"I'm here to tell you all that... Midas is a fraud!" Shimisu declared, his voice ringing out with a note of defiance as he confronted the king with his startling revelation.