Damned Desire

Chapter 9: Beatdown

"Luca, charge ahead with your shield! I'll be right behind you!"

Vox's order seeped into Luca as an overwhelming might coursed within him. He focused his entire being on the energy rampaging inside him while raising his shield in front of him. Then, Luca responded confidently, "Yes, Milord!"

Boom!

Luca charged ahead like a boar, his head barely peeking over the shield to see where he was going. Dark spikes began shooting towards him, with the shield in his hand being the only thing that separated him from certain death. Luca confidently pushed on, fully trusting Shu's curse that had been placed on his shield.

Crash! Clang!

The dark spikes attempted to skewer Luca through the shield, but they were either crushed by the strength of Luca's charge or deflected away by the shield. Realizing the futility of attacking him head-on, the dark spikes began circling around to attack him from the back.

Swish! Slash!

However, Vox sliced apart any dark spikes that attempted to get behind Luca. Without having to focus his mind on the hail of dark spikes that had been blocked by Luca, Vox was able to make sure that nothing got past him. The pair's mad charge continued on through the storm of dark spikes.

"Tsk! Fine then, how about this!?" Novus clicked his tongue before raising his hand. Dark spikes began rising from the ground in front of Luca, threatening to tear his legs apart if he kept rushing forward.

"Hup!" Luca put more strength into his legs and leapt over the dark spikes in front of him.

The dark spikes' tips began following Luca, who's still soaring in the air, before they shot towards him. Luca's expression turned into shock, not expecting the dark spikes planted on the ground to follow him. He attempted to shield himself from the spike, but he found it difficult to defend himself in the air.

"Not so fast!"

Schwing!

Vox sliced apart the dark spikes in a single strike, his eyes vigilantly following Luca while his sword tore apart any dark spikes that attempted to harm Luca.

"Thanks for the save!" Luca thanked Vox as he landed back on the ground.

"No problem, just keep going!" remarked Vox as he kept swinging his sword against the dark spikes that still threatened them.

The pair were finally close enough to reach Novus. His expression contorted in annoyance; his attacks that had rendered them immobile before had been swiftly crushed.

"Don't get conceited, trash!"

Novus conjured a wall of dark spikes overlaid over each other, akin to scale armor. Luca's charge finally stopped as he collided with it, locking down the dark spikes. Vox dashed past Luca and aimed his sword towards Novus.

Novus shot another dark spike towards Vox in close range. Vox avoided it by turning his head slightly as he prepared to swing his sword. Novus clenched his hand, and the dark spike suddenly stopped right next to Vox's head. His senses tingled, telling him to avoid it at all cost. However, he could tell that his body wouldn't be able to move in time.

"HALT!" Vox yelled out in a hurry.

The dark spike only paused momentarily, as Vox hadn't been able to gather his powers. But it was enough time for him to move aside. The dark spike wrestled free from Vox's influence and split apart into scythes, threatening to slice Vox apart. He carefully deflected them and sliced them apart, giving Novus time to back away into safety. If Vox hadn't stopped the dark spike for a moment, the scythes would've sliced his head off instantly.