The Virtues' Magecraft

Page 47: I'll Kill You

The next words that spilled from his mouth came from so deep within his gut that it nearly made everything he had said before seem like a lie.

"You... I'll fucking kill you."

Arnold's smile flashed again. "Oh? Is that so, Demon-Born?"

Alexander grit his teeth and dropped the sword. Before it even fell to the ground, before it clattered on the bloodied gravel, Alexander launched himself at Arnold.

Arnold was not an average magician. He was a titan under the Golden Dawn. The Titan of the Skies, at that. Now all he could do is smile to himself as he took in a sharp breath and began to think.

'Alexander Lane constantly disregards his own life. I can do anything I want to him until he reaches that. He's a child of Furcas so he must be capable of it. I believe "hatred" will be enough to bring it out. If killing the two in front of him didn't trigger it... then I'll just have to kill more. After all... his friends must be trying to find him by now.'

Arnold's teeth once again flashed in his twisted grin as he pushed his hands together. As soon as they separated, pale yellow light began to glow from his palms.

Alexander's thoughts ran rampant even as he ran towards his enemy. His accelerated mind focused on the opaque energy on Arnold's hands. It was light, he realized.

But Arnold had just used lightning magic, hadn't he?

This only served as confirmation to Alexander. The Titan could use both lightning and light. Two of the trickiest forms of magic happened to be the ones in Arnold's power.

Alexander had thought and considered this in the time it took for him to take another step.

But the truth was... Arnold's magic didn't lie in a multitude of affinities. The Titan only bore a single affinity. That magic of his... was the magic of the sky. Wind and water, light and lightning, the clouds themselves, the very sky- It was all in his palm.

That's why Arnold Norr was bestowed with the title of Titan. The Titan of the Skies.

The golden magic was wrapped around his very fingers. And the light in his hands shifted, molded itself into a thin whip.

Alexander had no time to reflect upon his battle with Arnhild, and what he witnessed with the same attack. The whip extended for meters, sliding past and through entire trees as Arnold swung it, lashing it at Alexander.

The Demon-Born slid on the ground to evade it, launching himself back up as soon as Arnold was in his range. His fists were already clenched as his swift movements were brought to a halt, launching a punch at Arnold Norr.

The Titan practically slithered in the air, dodging each of Alexander's rapid punches and palm strikes and kicks by stepping back and weaving his body to each side.

Alexander Lane fought like a beast, each strike being dealt with the singular intention to kill. No, maybe a demon would be a better descriptor. It was taking everything he had to dodge Arnold's lethal attacks, to keep up with Arnold's rapid movements, and to create his own attacks in the process.

But to Arnold Norr... This was nothing more than a dance.

The Titan grinned and snapped his fingers. In an instant, the shining light that illuminated the inside of the woods disappeared. He had only stopped moving for a second and Alexander pummelled his fist into the Titan's chest.

The impact reverberated into his chest, vibrating into his ribcage and forcing out the air from his lungs.

Arnold's boots skidded against bloodied mud and gravel. He turned to the ground.