Preparation |A TBATE What-If?|

Chapter 10 - Battle of Etistin

? Pov

Arthur Leywin fights Scythe Cadell amidst the ruins of what was once the city of Etistin. I've no clue who will win. Should I have sent backup to assist? Probably, but it matters not. The war is pointless at this stage regardless of who wins.

Though, it would be a lie to say that I am not curious as to who will emerge victorious, perhaps I shall find a way to watch their bout. It is bound to be amusing at the very least.

~~~

Arthur Leywin Pov

Hoisting the entire bay of Etistin would have been a herculean feat even with the help of spatium. Right now, however, only the sheer power of will fueled Arthur as he hurled the growing mass of water at the Scythe. Regis should be here any moment, he had done well stalling.

Arthur suppressed a grin as the towering tsunami crashed down on Cadell, who hadn't been able to avoid such a colossal attack. Water swirled and thrashed violently. All of Etistin had been caught in the attack, but it seemed that below Arthur and Cadell, Varay was hard at work stopping the flood from reaching the evacuees.

Arthur had forgotten.

As the chaos dispelled, Arthur found Cadell simply floating up to him, carrying the same haughty sneer he had been wearing earlier. The soulfire that had shrouded him dimmed and then disappeared entirely.

"You are powerful for a mere boy," he said, hovering at eye level with Arthur. "It is such a shame you are so eager to reunite with Sylvia. Alacrya could have used your talents."

"He's trying to get in your head, Arthur," Regis said. "That's probably why Nico was here earlier."

Heeding Regis's warning, Arthur did not respond. But this only seemed to fuel the Scythe.

"I only wish Lady Sylvie were here to witness this. But do not worry, she will join you in death soon enough."

Arthur's hands were together instantly. Water on the left, fire, and wind on the right. The result was a massive cloud of mist that enshrouded both combatants.

"Pitiful!" Cadell shouted, but before he could dispel it, Arthur released a barrage of lightning. Its black arcs leapt from water droplet to water droplet, dancing amidst the cloud of vapor, highlighting the entire area in a dreadful light.

Cadell hadn't time to escape and so he was struck, twitching as he fell. Arthur was upon him without hesitation. He drove his fist into the Scythe's chest, shattering his breastplate and sending him straight into the ice that lay beneath.

Because Varay had frozen the remnants of what remained of the flood Cadell found himself crashing straight through thick layers of compacted ice before hitting the true ground of Etistin.

Instantly, Arthur followed, but Cadell had made it to his feet in time, plowing his own fist into Arthur as soon as he crossed his line of sight.

It was now Arthur's turn to be sent through multiple layers of ice, and as his momentum ceased, Cadell was at his side, another strike poised. Arthur slipped it. A decay mana-infused fist shattered the ice that had stopped Arthur moments before.

Reaching out, Arthur attempted to grapple the Scythe, but a pulse of soulfire forced him back away. Utilizing a blast of wind, he created some distance and got to work creating his second natural disaster.

"Your mana arts are powerful for a human," Cadell said, pursuing Arthur into the air where he had just fled. Below them, the thick sheet of ice that covered what used to be Etistin was littered with cracks. A single hole ran through it, and spiderwebs of discolored ice ran like a labyrinth across the surface. Cadell reached him. "But they are nothing to that of the Vritra."