Each encounter was a maelstrom of seric on steel. Attacks, blocks, counterattacks, dodges. All within the blink of an eye. And yet, Cirayus’ shield was there to meet Vir every time. No matter the angle, no matter how fast Vir moved, the demon stopped every offensive he launched in its tracks.
Mobility was Vir’s greatest strength. A point of pride he’d honed and perfected, and with Maiya’s Enhance Speed, he was faster than ever before. He stood at the very apex of his strength and speed… and it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t even close to enough.
Worse, the tattoos that snaked around the demon’s body had yet to light up. He was doing all this unaided by magic.
I’m being toyed with.
“Is this all you have, boy? Weak. Pathetically weak! Show me what you can do!”
Vir wasn’t about to be swayed by his taunts. He tuned out the giant, searching for a way to deal damage.
Such a heavy opponent shouldn’t be able to move like Cirayus did. Yet, after a half dozen exchanges, Vir was forced to conclude the demon was simply that skilled, relying on preternatural intuition and unfathomable amounts of experience to predict and counter Vir’s every move.
How many hundreds of battles has he fought?
“Your form is… passable,” the demon said. “Though even aided by magic as you are, you lack strength. And you lack the experience to make up for it. Your movements are far too predictable.”
Can he read minds, too!
“I am no mind reader. I leave that mystic art to our seers. Though, after centuries of fighting, experience becomes its own form of prescience, I suppose.”
“You’re centuries old?” Vir asked, allowing his shock to overcome him for a split-second.
The opening earned him a shield bash to the face.
Acting instinctively, Vir crossed his arms in an X and sent prana to his limbs, absorbing the impact with Toughen. Further augmented by Prana Channeling, he could now tank strikes that would’ve broken bones just days ago.
He went flying nonetheless.
“Vir!” Maiya shouted, sending a barrage of Wind and Ice magic at Cirayus, who allowed them all to hit. A tattoo flared to life, and Maiya’s spells died out without so much as grazing his skin.
“Four hundred fifty-three, I think,” the demon said as Vir impacted a nearby tree with a sickening crack. “Though I could be off by a decade or two. The years tend to blur together when you get to my age, I’m afraid.”
Vir Leaped beside Maiya. “I’m alright.”
“This was well before my time, but there was one who could fight above his weight class, so to speak,” the demon said. “Parai the Ancient. Heard the name?”
Vir’s eyes widened. “How do you—”
Once again, the distraction earned him another blow.
“Vir! Get your head in the fight!” Maiya berated, firing a Wind Blade to counter Cirayus’ attack. Her orbs, while ineffective at hurting him, served as a useful distraction.
“You should listen to your pretty friend. You are far too easily distracted.”
Vir got back to his feet, more confused than angry. Why was the demon toying with him to this extent? Why hadn’t he simply gone in for a lethal strike?
And why hasn’t he attacked Maiya?
“Can’t even use my ice orbs,” Maiya grumbled. Ice magic moved too slowly to accurately target fast-moving foes. To an outside observer, their battle must’ve looked like a blur. “Wait, Vir, look out!”
An Ember spell launched out of nowhere, forcing Vir to break off and dive for safety. Cirayus allowed it, casting his scornful gaze on the newcomers.
Mercenaries poured out from the forest, and not just one or two. Vir counted a dozen prana signatures, with more likely on the way.
“It would seem we have some unwanted company,” Cirayus said, dissatisfaction practically oozing off him.
“Why don’t we take a break, then? As you said, they’re a nuisance. You won’t be able to enjoy our fight this way.”
Kill my enemies for me.
“Aye, you speak the truth, lad.”
Good. It’ll give us a chance to regroup and strategize, too.
“However,” the giant said with a knowing smile, “warriors rarely have the luxury of picking the time and circumstance of their battles. Consider it an added challenge!”
There was no warning. Cirayus thrust his polearm with unbelievable speed. Vir called upon Toughen and Empower, Leaping at the ground to throw himself out of harm’s way.
“Maiya! Take out the mercenaries! And time your magic to my attacks if you can!”
“Already on it!”
Vir’s world was consumed with Cirayus. A single moment of distraction meant his end. He couldn’t spare any time to check on the mercenaries. Maiya would have to keep them off him on her own. There wasn’t a shred of doubt in his heart that she would.
Confident in Maiya’s backup, he launched a flurry of attacks at the giant, but it wasn’t just more of the same. He’d learned something from their prior exchange. Just a few times, he’d attacked without Prana Blade, lacking the time and coordination needed to activate it in his flurry of attacks.
The demon hadn’t blocked those strikes. For good reason—they did no damage—but he did block all of Vir’s Prana Bladed attacks.
Can he see prana like I can? Or is it his incredible intuition again?
Either way, it meant the demon feared Vir’s attacks. Enough to block them.
“Lass, it takes grit to defend your friend to the death. I respect that. I’ve no intention of harming you. But if you come in our way, I’m afraid I’ll have to end you, too. Spare me the guilt of robbing this world of a fine warrior like yourself, will you?”
“I appreciate the flattery, but if you really feel that way, end this fight. I’m here until the end. So why don’t you just get grakked, you Ash-damned chal!”
Just as Vir was about to admonish Maiya for riling up an enemy who could end them whenever he wanted, Cirayus roared with laughter. “That is indeed the correct response. I apologize for questioning your resolve, human. May I have your name?”
“Maiya,” she replied while launching a pair of Icicles at a mercenary drawing his bow for a shot at Vir.
The man didn’t even see the attack coming. Her darts impaled him, and he screamed out in agony. The mercenary’s mejai healer went to work, but Maiya took that one out the moment he’d started to administer care.
Brutal, Vir thought with a shiver. Badass.
“Maiya…” Cirayaus said, nodding. “A good name. I shall remember it.”
“And I’ll remember yours, Cirayus, when my friend and I are standing over your cold corpse.”
“She’s a good one.” Cirayus flashed a grin at Vir. “Too bad you’ll both die here today.”
“Will we?” Vir said, Leaping at Cirayus. It was a feint. Using his momentum, he disappeared into the giant’s large shadow, freezing time.
He’d refrained from using the ability until now, hoping to save it for an opportune moment, but he’d been mistaken. He didn’t have the luxury of holding anything back against an enemy like this.
The daylight restricted his exit options, but luckily, the forest’s trees compensated.
With time frozen, Vir saw a nearby mercenary’s C Grade Wind Blade spell ripping at Cirayus.
He’ll ignore that. The demon shrugged off A Grade magic. A Wind Blade would be as lethal as a kiss. There was only one gambit that had a shot of working.