Firefly

Chapter 8

The two paladins stuck to the shadows as they raced through the streets of Cirrus. "Hold on a tick." Keith said ducking into the shadow of a building with Pidge right beside him. "What is it?" Pidge asked looking up at the red paladin, who looked out across the dark landscape. "It just seems too easy." Keith said. "It does." Pidge agreed. "But maybe they really only sent two." "Only one way to find out. Are you ready?" Keith asked glancing down at the smaller paladin who nodded. "Lets go." He said as they took off into the tall grass. Unfortunately the grass wasn't high enough to shield them at all. They were almost to the gorge when something heavy slammed into Keith's back causing him to fall forward. "Easy catch." Azar growled as the pinned the red paladin down with his foot. "Keith!" Pidge yelled as she stopped running, activating her bayard ready to confront the bounty hunter. "Go!" Keith roared twisting himself free, activating his own bayard as Azar stumbled backward eyeing his bayard warily. "Pidge, go!" Keith repeated as Azar unsheathed a great sword with glowing purple veins running through the blade. "Not without you!" Pidge yelled back darting toward them. Suddenly another bountyhunter landed in front of the green paladin lashing out with her twin battle axes causing the small paladin to dodge. "Fierce aren't you." Alvia hissed. "If you want to help your friend. You'll have to go through me first, little paladin." The bountyhunter taunted walking slowly toward Pidge.
Keith parried Azar's blows as their weapons crossed. "I've heard rumors. I'm glad they weren't bullshit." Azar hissed with a sick smile. "You'll wish they were!" The red paladin growled as he forced the bountyhunter to back off with a swift kick to the chest. Azar stumbled back obviously winded so Keith followed up with a quick slash to the bounty hunters right arm. Azar groaned in agony as he cradled his wounded arm while Keith stood his ground. "It's over. You're done." The red paladin said as Azar started laughing maniacally. "We're not done yet." He hissed swiping at the red paladin with his injured arm, as Keith jumped back. What the hell! He shouldn't be able to use that arm. Not without some serious blood loss. I know I hit a main artery. Shit!  Keith thought as Azar got to his feet. The bountyhunter extended his right arm so his wound was clearly visible and bleeding horribly. Suddenly the wound quit bleeding and the skin started mending itself until there was no trace that the skin had ever been damaged. "Neat trick huh." Azar said as he started walking toward him. With a low growl Keith kicked a wave of fire at Azar. The bountyhunter jumped over the flames easily. "You'll have to to do better than that." Azar laughed. "Don't worry. I'm just getting started." Keith said as they engaged again.
Pidge rolled to the side as Alvia swiped at her. She's taller than me, no doubt stronger too! She'll drag me if I try using my grappling hook.  Pidge thought letting her bayard disappear.  "You put away your weapon! You're not as clever as the rumors say you are!" Alvia crowed as she charged at the small paladin. Suddenly a huge rectangular mass of rock shot out of the ground causing the bountyhunter to slam into it face first. "Am I?" Pidge said as she stood her ground. Alvia backed up dazed. What the hell! Where did this come from? It wasn't  here a second ago. The bountyhunter thought as she caught the green paladins mischevious grin. Don't tell me this brat has some hidden power! No matter I won't fail! She thought as she lunged at the paladin again. Once more Pidge bended a huge rectangular rock out of the ground which Alvia sliced in half easily, without breaking her stride. "I've got you now!" Alvia yelled as she reached for the green paladin who suddenly disappearred into the ground as her hand grasped empty air. "What! Where did you go!" The bountyhunter shrieked turning in circles wildly. Suddenly a huge sharp mass of rock hit her in back. The impact was hard enough to lift the bountyhunter off her feet and send her flying a couple of feet before landing with a thud.
This is bad! Every attack I land he just heals from! Keith thought as he parried another blow before slipping away as Azar tried to counterattack. Is he even beatable? He has to be! Everyone has a weakness! I just have to hold out long enough to find it! The red paladin thought as their blades crossed again as Azar laughed manically as his side healed. "At this rate, you'll tire before long! Then I'll have to go help Alvia with your friend!" Azar taunted as he tried to overwhelm the red paladin with his strength. "He seems easy to crush!" The bountyhunter taunted trying to get a rise out of his opponent. "Shut up!" Keith growled slipping under the bounty hunters defenses and bending fire with his left arm, blasting Azar back. Damn it! That had a lot more power than I intented. He has to be lying on the ground unconscious now. Keith thought lowering his arms. As the smoke started to clear the bountyhunter started laughing causing the red paladin to ready himself again as the smoke revealed Azar, who's skin was steaming but undamaged.  No way! He shouldn't be standing! Keith thought alarmed as the bountyhunter continued to laugh. "Did you really think your trick was going to work? No more games. Now it gets real!" Azar said as he lunged at the red paladin again.
Ow! That ability really packs a punch. Alvia thought as she picked herself up and got to her feet, before she ran back to where she was hit. Where did you go? The bountyhunter thought as she slowly walked in between the uprooted rock formations. All the sudden the ground started rumbling as it raced toward her. "Do you really think I'll fall for that again!" Alvia yelled as she sliced the formation in half as it shot out of the ground before smashing the one to her left. Pidge let out a small yelp as the formation beneath her was smashed.  So the green paladin bended the smashed rock into sharp spikes and launched them at the bounty hunter, who squeaked in alarm before jumping back out of the way. "I'm getting tired of this!" Alvia hissed frustrated. "This ends now!" She yelled as she charged at the small paladin who kept bending the earth around her to block the bountyhunters blows. With a cry of anger Alvia spun around and drove her axe into a rock formation, certain that the blade had pierced the other side. There, it's over. Alvia thought as she breathed heavily and lowered her head in exhaustion. Wait! The ground is moving! She thought a split second before the ground beneath shot out from underneath her feet, forcing her to do the splits while rock formations shot out of the ground around her. That should hold her for awhile. Pidge thought as Alvia released a frustrated growl, while she looked over in the direction where Keith and Azar were fighting. Flames roared in large swaths in the field illuminating the two eerily as they fought.
Keith parried Azar's blow before slipping under his defenses and prepared to strike the bounty hunters back in an attempt to stun him. But Azar twisted around quickly and parried the red paladins blow. "I'm over this!" Azar growled as his huge hand slammed into his side, causing the red paladin to firebend flames at his feet and scoring the bountyhunter across his right eye with his bayard.  Keith rolled before finally landing on his back near the edge of the gorge. "KEITH!" Pidge yelled as Alvia broke free. "I don't have time for you!" The green paladin growled as she made Alvia sink into the ground, trapping the bountyhunter for good before racing toward the other paladin. Azar stumbled backward screaming in agony, covering his eye. So it does have a limit. Keith thought as he rolled onto his side. "You'll pay for that half-breed!" Azar snarled lunging at the red paladin, hoping to crush the life out of him. "In your dreams!" Keith hissed rolling out of the way a split second before Azar landed. He shot around the bounty hunters newly blind side and kicked him in the back. Causing Azar to stumble forward and teeter on the edge of the gorge. "It's over." Keith said as he prepared to bend. "HIYA!" Pidge yelled as she came flying out of nowhere and kicked Azar off the cliff. "Pidge?" Keith said surprised. "That's what you get!" The green paladin yelled as the bountyhunter fell. "Are you okay!" She demanded turning her attention to Keith. "I'm fine. Just winded." The red paladin answered as Pidge hurried over. "Are you sure nothing's broken?" Pidge asked as she tried to touch his side. "I'm fine!" Keith snapped jumping back as their lions landed purring.