Legends of Orlea

Chapter 20

Thank you for following this story through to this chapter. As a bonus, I'm making this one twice as long! ("-") Yayayayayay! 

Zirem felt dread rise up through his throat, blocking it. Haclaw charged, both swords ready. He'd be devastating with two weapons. Alicia parried one blow, then thrust her rapier forward, but both were deflected. Zirem followed her into the fight, breath getting more and more ragged. Akil waited for an opportunity with bated breath, hardly daring to blink; it could spell their doom.

Finally, Zirem jumped back and Akil took his place, blocking Haclaw's blade, and giving Alicia a moment to recover. The fight was dragging on, and none of them had the stamina to keep going, even though Zirem's stat was pretty high.

While Zirem replenished his HP, Haclaw moved right, dodging Akil's downward blow, and then running toward Zirem. Alicia blocked him, but Haclaw shoved her out of the way, until Zirem stuck the point of his sword out, stopping him. Then, he swung, but his blade was stopped. Akil used his axe to deliver a tremendous blow, but at the last moment, Haclaw dodged.

The man spun around, his swords preventing anyone from getting close. However, Zirem jumped over them, and stuck both of his blades in the ground, stopping Haclaw's. Then, Alicia and Akil both rushed in, Akil first, with a massive blow, and Alicia striking five times in rapid succession.

Haclaw fell to the ground, one blade cracked, and stayed there. His HP was just entering the yellow zone. Zirem swung downward, shattering his second blade, and felt something inside his shift. A shard of metal flew outward, but it wasn't grey, like Haclaw's. It was red, like his. Both of the swords had been broken. Both of them were left with one sword. And Haclaw was better at that; Zirem hadn't practiced for a while.

He was pushed back as an onslaught started, but Akil helped him, attacking and defending where he couldn't. Alicia waited, both rapiers grasped tightly, but didn't have an opportunity to attack; if Haclaw was at a disadvantage, they were at one too, Zirem didn't have many skills in one-handed swordplay, and they had barely gotten him to use two swords even when Zirem had had two weapons.

Still, the moment Zirem backed out, she rushed in, swords gleaming, both ready for a skill to be used. Alicia parried one blow, then started her offensive streak. She could barely see her swords, let alone force them to move forward. It seemed, like before, that she wasn't in control, that the system or whatever was operating her movements. She just had to rely on instincts. 

The moment Haclaw felt the rain of blows coming, he twisted his body to minimise the amount of strikes that would hit him. In the end, he barely lost any HP. His tanker build was coming in useful. 

Zirem swung with both hands, blade at the ready, but Haclaw parried, then countered. However, Akil delivered a massive blow, that Haclaw jumped over, but that stopped him from further attacking Zirem. The two traded blows for a bit, until Alicia joined in, rapiers flying left right, back and forth. 

Every time a blow was launched, Haclaw would parry and counter, forcing them back. Zirem ran in, barely avoiding the blade of Akil, who hadn't seen him. Haclaw stumbled as the blade he held was shoved back by Alicia. Zirem took the chance and attacked fiercely, delivering three blows before Haclaw even got his balance back. The man grunted, then charged again, blade at the ready.

Akil replaced Alicia, and took the blow Zirem couldn't dodge. He grunted, then jumped back nimbly, drinking a second healing potion. Alicia noticed the pause and rushed in, attacking wildly. However, Haclaw went low, and before she realised what he was going to do, the man had already cut one of her tendons. She gritted her teeth, but stood straight. "Don't even try... You can't fight in that condition," he said, impassive.