The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 83: Our Choices. (Part 2)

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Veranvanter:

"You have got to be kidding me," I stared at the man mountain that stood proudly on the other end of the training hall. "I knew things were going too well." It was fucking Callus. Together with the ISPA and Violet Oath we had cleaved through the demons in the ISPA headquarters. The fact that it had been easy so far proved that we were right and putting the Witches together was the right decision. They'd be taking the brunt of their forces. So why the hell was he here now?

"Vanter wasn't it?" Callus grinned towards me. It was a vile expression even more so than how I had seen him previously. It was filled not just with confidence but the expression to defile. "What's Zen's little disciple doing here? You couldn't even send Ardent? I'd love to get my hands on him. He can be my appetiser before Zen."

"Gross," I scowled genuinely.

Ana gripped my shoulder, "Vanter, we should retreat."

"I know," I grit my teeth. As much as he disgusted me, I couldn't feel an ounce of an opening on him. It was like he could kill us at any moment, and he was just biding his time. "I'll keep him here. You go get back up."

"You really expect me to do that?" she shook her head, muscles tensing to fight. "You're not the only one who has trained till the they bled for this day. I owe him a debt."

"Ana please," I let out the desperation I was holding back. This was way worse than I expected. With how I was, I was confident I could give Callus a run for his money, but the Callus now? Holy fucking shit.

"I refuse. If you fight, I'm fighting with you," she didn't back down. The same lingering tone in my words was in hers as well.

Callus cackled, "Then why don't you both at me. I'll make sure to hang your corpses on the wall after. I'm sure it'll make my fight with Zen all the more spicey. You can try to run if you'd like." "We'll see," I snapped into action, pulling my bow from my inventory and firing it immediately. The air snapped from the power, shaking the space around me. My aim was perfect, straight for his right eye. Callus didn't even flinch, the arrow broke through his head, sticking out from both sides.

He stood up, placed his hand on the arrow and tore it from his head, "How surprising. I didn't expect you to be able to do that." Red crystal structures poured from the wound leaking to the floor. A moment later, his eye had returned, the wound gone. Callus slammed his chest, laughing, "This is the power of the Faceless King. I'll give you one chance. Swear to me your allegiance and I won't tear your body piece by piece."

"Yeah no, I'm just getting started," I readied another arrow.

"Then let us fight!" Callus expression became vicious. The ground cracked beneath his feet, and he launched towards us. Now was the moment to prove everything we'd been through. Both my hearts began to thump, pumping Aura, mana and blood exactly where they needed to be. I entered the realm of what it meant to be superhuman. Our actions that could happen in the blink of an eye slowed as each movement became a precise dance.

Ana moved in front of me. Thick armour formed across her body and head as she drew a sword and shield, standing strong in front of Callus and catching his fist against the enchanted steel she held. The impact sent cracks through the training ground. I fired my arrow, stronger even than before. It flashed past Ana's shoulder and into Callus', pushing him back and allowing Ana to dance her sword across his body. Fragments of blood that turned to fine red crystals sprayed into the air. I fired again, backing up Ana who refused to let Callus a step closer.