Siren's Elegy Volume 1: Orphans of Ashen Earth

Chapter 44: Chain of Thorns

September 20, 4021 10:40 [Matriarch 04- Sun Rock]

Thorned roots emerged from below the arena, chasing after Kaluza as he jumped back. "Cursed Thorn Release," Indra recalled Emil explaining to him. Their match had started an hour later than planned on account of the damage Prasanna had caused to the arena. Kuvira had been taken away on a stretcher, surrounded by Vultures and Crows attempting to stem the bleeding as they transported her to the emergency room. It was hard to believe just moments before, Prasanna was trying to kill her opponent given the concern on her face now.

She bit her nail, her mind far from the match. The animosity she felt for Kuvira and by extension, Garou, had dissipated. The fires of her anger had been quenched and their feud had concluded in the wake of the match.

Indra observed her with intrigue. The reason behind her disdain for Kuvira was now known to all. She had refrained from disclosing the details to Indra prior, yet she was fine revealing it to everyone in the arena somehow. Prasanna must have known that Indra would come to an apt conclusion given the details of her life that she had already revealed to him. There must have been something else that she opted to keep hidden from him. Indra thought it better not to pry further, however. He had his own secrets to keep. His attention was brought back to the arena when he heard a loud crash.

Blood ran down one side of Kaluza's face as he panted heavily. An array of flora, consisting of trees, thorns, and exotic plants swayed behind Emil. The combination of attacks he possessed seemed limitless. Some plants were carnivorous, containing acid reserves that could dissolve organic matter, while others carried poisons that could be extracted and laced into deadly needle-thin projectiles or other plant extremities. Indra didn't see a way Kaluza could overpower his current opponent. He had no avenue of entry in order to get in close; every opening was quickly closed off by thorned walls, dripping with poison. A few pricks and the match would be over.

Even the immune systems of Homunculi weren't invulnerable to the effects of poison, but Indra knew firsthand how much alcohol one needed to consume in order to feel the onset of intoxication. For Kaluza to be feeling the effects of partial paralysis so soon meant the poison from Emil's plants was particularly potent.

The current outcome was expected. Emil had consistently proven himself a top contender for the spot of Hyena, scoring well above the other candidates in marksmanship, Shakti control, and combat prowess. Kaluza was just another stepping stone for him. Indra watched Emil carefully, taking note of his demeanor and mannerisms; these would help him prepare a competent strategy to counter his thorns.

The problem that Emil's Trait posed for Kaluza was telling. He needed open space in order to cultivate Shakti before releasing his explosive attacks. Emil's 'Overgrowth' made that sort of movement almost impossible, covering a vast amount of the arena. This also came with the unintended side effect of crippling the stadium's speaker system, much to Grisha's dismay.

In addition, even using the energy he had stored prior to the match, Kaluza's Impact was only effective if the attack came into physical contact with its target. With no way to reach Emil, Kaluza's best bet was to punch through the barrier of thorns that protected him. This, however, would be an inadvisable approach since he would be afflicted by poison upon contact.

Kaluza flipped through fast-approaching tendrils, moving from side to side in hopes of tripping up the relentless greenery. His efforts seemed futile, however, as the thorns continued to follow him without hesitation.

The efficiency with which Emil commanded each extension of flora was admirable. Each part worked in tandem to cut off his opponent's routes, forcing Kaluza to make abrupt and awkward evasive maneuvers. At this point in the fight, Kaluza was operating purely on instinct, doing everything in his power to keep his distance.