The Nightrose Chronicles I: Broader Horizons

The Pizza Boy

The four, plus Sir Percival rushed out the door and onto the mountain pass below. "What's going on?" Marcus ran forward to see a human-like creature stumble it's way out from in front of the cable car. It convulsed as it hobbled towards them, muttering something unintelligible.

"Black Waltz!" Kailynn drew out her blades.

"Mission... Retrieve... Princess... Alive... Mission... Retrieve... Princess... Alive..."

Kailynn studied the Waltz's movements closely before slipping into the shadow of the cable car. Her mind was focused on the battle now, she sidestepped around it, keeping her target locked on. "Kill... All...!"

When Percival propelled himself into the mage with his sword drawn she took her chance and shot past him, slicing off his belt strap and swiping his pouches.

Meanwhile Percy knocked him back, slicing into his chest in the process, leaving the Waltz staggering backwards.

The noises around her grew into a frenzy as she heard Steiner release a battle cry as he swung at the Black Waltz, cutting into him with the full force of the Captain of the Knights of Pluto.

A strange wave of energy surged through her with an odd tingle; Garnet was channeling her strength into a protect spell. It activated just before the Waltz smacked into Kailynn with his staff deflecting a majority of the damage.

After Kailynn jumped away, righting herself, Marcus bum-rushed into his enemy, knocking him off balance as Sir Percy tagged in and unleashed an attack which reminded her of Beatrix's Shock.

The black mage staggered before casting blizzard onto Marcus as the man shot around and swiped another pouch of off him, knocking him onto the ground.

Marcus laid there with a groan before standing up and dropping to his knee, clutching his arm.

The waltz waved his arms in a flourish before blue wisps appeared around his hands, Kailynn saw his gaze focused on her, and dodge-rolled out of the vicinity.

She cried out as her foot stayed behind her, cracking her ankle in the process.

She blinked out the dark spots in her eyes to see Percival shield her with his body, taking a blizzard spell in stride.

"Thanks," she grimaced as she felt the bones in her ankle crackle and swell.

"Keep your ankle straight and set it before you take a potion." She blinked, His voice is different...

Before she could, Percy had rounded on the waltz, cutting through his armor, his eyes fixed on the dark air that escaped from his wound.

Kailynn frantically searched for a solution but the freezing spell was taking its time and until then she'd have to be a sitting duck. She growled, trying to think of a weakness they could exploit. When it hit her, she could do something! She had black magic and though Vivi was more diversified she was more advanced with fire.

She looked to Percival, "Can you use lightning?"

He shook his head as Marcus collapsed to the ground beside him, covered in blood and bruises.

Silver cast a spell on him while Percival covered him, unsure of who the next target may be.

Kailynn unleashed her most powerful fire spell knocking the black waltz away from Steiner and interrupting his spell casting.

Steiner continued to make headway with the waltz as he cried out, "For Alexandria!!!"

The waltz staggered back, falling on one knee, taking this opportunity; Percy plunged his sword into the mages chest and watched as he dropped to the ground. The dark wisp-like air escaped from his fallen body like a deflating balloon leaving him an empty skin of cloth and wings. "What...?" Silver asked confused, "It looks like mist."