SOULTALE | By ShadowNTS

(Chapter 99) Future.

You pick your blades back up and stand before Loyd. He looks serious, but his eyes are unfocused.

RHT: (What's up with this guy..? Now that I think about it... he never once looked focused. What does he see..? Some kind of ocular power maybe?)
LYD: Yo, harbinger! You done thinking yet?
RHT: Heh, yeah. You're not winning this fight.

You ignite your blades and dash towards him, relentlessly swinging. He swiftly dodges each swing. You attack in an unorthodox matter. It's not working.

LYD: So that's your plan...

Loyd dodges and gets behind you, planting the barrel of his revolver on your back and firing.
*CORRECT*

RHT: *pant* How the hell are you keeping up?
LYD: I applaud your quick thinking but you couldn't be more wrong. You can't defeat me the same you defeated Jess Kalm.
RHT: What..? But y-you're powers are so alike!
LYD: I'll give you time to figure it out.
RHT: Don't tell me... you can see the future.
LYD: Good job! Seems like your small fry brain can actually think.

Despair fills your soul, fueling your power even more.

RHT: I'll still defeat you... no matter what.

You grip your blades and lunge towards Loyd, attacking as fast as you can, but Loyd is too fast for you. He dodges each of your strikes and delivers a quick chop to your neck, temporarily knocking you out. You regain consciousness and swing at him. He blocks it with the hilt of his revolver and punches you in the face, pushing you back. You clean the blood dripping from your nose and slash projectiles at Loyd. He blasts them out of the air and dashes through the smoke. You lose your sight of him. Loyd appears behind you and fires a number of bullets. You turn around in time and slice the bullets. Loyd takes advantage of you focusing on the bullets to move closer and grab your arm, throwing you through the walls of the remaining buildings. You get back up. Through the windows you see Loyd aiming his revolver. He starts firing. You run through the buildings to try and lose him. After a bit, you stop and take a breather, thinking you lost him.

RHT: *pant* Just how strong is this guy?!
*STEP*
LYD: Rest enough?

Loyd appears behind you and rests his gun barrel on the back of your head. Before he can fire, you use your ability to switch positions with him and swing your blade. He anticipated this and kicked your blade away in a split second. Left weaponless, you use your soularia to create some distance by crashing through the building and encompassing you in tentacles. Loyd fires but the bullets just sink right into your goo. You manage to get outside and summon your blades. Loyd walks out of the building. At that moment, you hear the sound of a bird. You turn around to see an eagle flying towards Loyd. It lands on his shoulder and gives him a letter it was holding on its' beak. Loyd opens the letter and reads it slowly, before throwing it away and giving the eagle a treat. The eagle then flies away. Loyd stares you down menacingly.

LYD: I just got word from the evacuation group. They're now far enough.
RHT: Why would I care?
LYD: Now I don't need to hold back.

You stare in shock at the words Loyd just said. Your legs are shaking and you're filled with despair.

End of Chapter 99
"Future"

[ Loyd has been holding back all this time?! What does this mean for Rhett?! ]