FATE\Deus Decipit

Chapter 112: The Crow Black With Mourning

....

Embers formed in the air, taking the shape of six obsidian arrows tied with orange ribbons, and whose feathers were replaced by tridents. Lancer placed his other hand on the shaft of his rake. As he had planned, Archer's pride was against him, and Pigsy's arguments and banter had bought Chrysaor and Athena enough time to get to safety.

No more holding back.

Each of the arrows flew one by one with a shrill whistle and a trail of orange flame, making their way across various trajectories towards the gargantuan form of Zhu Bajie, looking to skewer him from all side as they moved at impossible angles through the air. Lancer didn't move to dodge, instead seeming to dance with his rake, spinning with gentle steps that betrayed his mountainous body. He stuck the head of his rake into the ground, as if sowing, and, with a massive heave that broke the elegance of his movements, rose a mountain of dirt and rock and flung it towards Archer. Boulders and rocks broke off from the massive clump in a crashing wave of earth that intercepted each of the arrows and buried the Theater of Dionysus, leaving a massive, craterous wake behind it.

Leaping above, like an angel with flaming wings, was Archer, nimbly dodging the wave with his bow drawn and another two obsidian arrows floating on either side of him.

"You think that bulbous body will help you!? All you've done is give me a bigger target!"

The two bolts fired off, and another three avian shadows flew from the bow. Each took a strange and impossible angle, gliding, zigging and zagging towards Lancer in unpredictable motions. He only planted his feet firmly, readying his rake and waiting for the precise moment to strike.

One.

Two.

-Now!

He spun his rake, making a halo of orange-gold energy as he juggled it between his meaty hands. The two obsidian arrows and one of the crows were intercepted, exploding against the makeshift shield, while another burst at his feet and the final one closed in from the side, landing a direct hit on his ribs with a blast of fire and smoke. When it cleared, it became obvious that the brunt of it had been taken by his armor, but red and black burns still peeked out from within.

-Not that he let that stop him.

In his left hand, he pointed his rake upwards like a spear as the head spun, creating a whirlwind around it. Deep within his belly, a grumble rose to a growl which transformed into a mighty roar- a roar deafened by the tearing of a fierce wind, a tornado that blasted forth from the Nine-Tooth rake towards the airborne Archer. The shadow braced himself, covering his body with his arms, the vacuum dragging him helplessly into the eye of the storm before assailing him with winds so powerful that the rocks and grit caught within ravaged him with bloody lashes. The typhoon spat him back out into the open air with its final breath.

A flash erupted in his Mind's Eye, but it was already too late. Still caught in the updraft, Archer couldn't do anything against the head of the rake that shot out on its chain towards him- not to him, but past him, twisting in the air to wrap around his body and bind him fast. Back on the ground, Pigsy hoisted his rake with both hands, casting it downwards and flinging Archer into the dirt with enough force to kill a man ten times over. A plume of dust and smoke rose up from the point of impact- to the West of the theater- as the head of the rake snaked its way back to the shaft with a firm -CLACK-.

Lancer was no genius, but he was no fool either. Though he was always the last man to kick a gift horse in the mouth, especially when that horse was a dragon in disguise, he had planned to test out his different elemental attacks to see which could break through Hou Yi's Solar Mantle. His success, in other words, was unexpected, and made him pause.