- VANDAL -463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXsxSi4pWr
He headed down the steps. The first floor seemed to be a shop of some sort: packages of food and drink lined the rusty metal shelves. He was thirsty and hungry, so he opened one of the bottles of water and drank it all. He eyed some of the food wrapped in plastic. He tore open one bag and sniffed the contents. Dried beef, he concluded. The pieces were small so he upended the bag and let the cuts pour into his mouth.
"You might want to slow down," an unfamiliar voice lectured, "you'll choke, gunner."
Vandal whirled and saw a man with dark blue hair and black eyes.
"Who're you?" Van said, his mouth half-full.
Van didn't sense a threat from this stranger, but he was quite amazed.; he thought he had met everyone in this nearly empty realm. However, the way he called him gunner suggested he knew more about him than he did him.
"Call me Moryuu," said the stranger.
"Well, Moryuu," said Van, "I'd like to stay and get acquainted but—"
An Umbra's tongue wrapped around Van's arm.
"Damn it," muttered Van as he pulled out a throwing knife.
Moryuu had some of his own. He let a few fly, planting themselves into his attacker.
The tongue loosened and Van turned to face the dead Umbra.
"Thanks for that, Moryuu," he said as the man collected his knives.
"Don't thank me yet," said his savior.
Moryuu pointed outside. Umbras had gathered and they all looked at the duo within the shop, thirsty for their blood.
"That cut deep?" Moryuu eyed the injury on his shoulder Navi had given him with her throwing knife. "That arm still good?"
"Just a scratch," Van said laconically.
Moryuu smiled at him and drew his weapon: two tonfas.
"Let us get to work, then," said his new companion.
- LADNAVIA -
"Well then ... " said Ladnavia.
If the bastard wants to fight, she thought, then we'll fight. Ladnavia knew this would be no easy battle, but she felt the stars were in her favor, now more than ever.463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8ZtOvJgJ0
She fired the second loaded bolt at Cordis, who, quick as lightning, blocked it with his scythe. Grinning, he flew at her. She tugged at the Simurgh's neck, and it faced the blonde demon. He thinks he's got me, smiling like an idiot.
The Simurgh let out its roar, a chorus of trumpets. The little wings before its eyes flapped open. The bright white light that shot from the angelic creature made Cordis snap his head away as he grunted in pain. Seizing the opportunity, Ladnavia flung a knife at the blinded man. She aimed for his hand, but one of Cordis's remaining senses had him jerk to one side. The throwing knife sprouted from his lower side.
Cordis muttered a curse as he tried to see out of his eyes.
"The Simurgh's gaze is known to kill a normal man," said Navi, "unfortunately, you are no normal man, so you'll have to ... " She flung another knife, this one meant for the blonde's throat. "... suffer more before you die!"
The loud threat seemed to aid him. He swung his head in her direction and dodged the blade. He stepped closer to the Simurgh and swung where he believed its legs would be.
The great bird hopped back, buffeting the blonde with its wings. One of its talons slashed at his face. Blood seeped from a cut on his cheek. Ladnavia kicked the beast, and it flew slightly above him, delivering heavy gusts that almost knocked him off his feet.
"Yield," Ladnavia called down to the blonde, "I've been trying to make it quick."
She launched two throwing knives at the same time, one out of each hand. Each one caught a thigh, making the demon kneel before her. She bid the Simurgh calm itself as she loaded her bolts, the gusts ceasing. Cordis gripped the handles of the knives.
"This could have been simple, Cordis." Ladnavia aimed the crossbow at her bleeding opponent. "Farewell."463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFfHW3boxw
The Simurgh glowed and some of its feathers fell. It became unruly, its departure drawing near. Damn beast, Ladnavia cursed silently, damn impatient beast.
"Yes, indeed," said Cordis as his grin returned. 463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuuVe2tToB
Cordis tore the knives out of his legs and sprang away towards a building.
Ladnavia fired her bolts, but the Simurgh's rocking and Cordis's demonic celerity only made them hit the sidewalk.
Cordis ran up the side of the building, fresh blood squeezing out of his wounds, pain meaning nothing to the fiend. Above her and the Simurgh, he bounced off the wall, the point of the scythe on her. She cursed and swung off her mount.
The scythe's blade caught the Simurgh between the eyes. To prevent himself from being temporarily blinded again, he kept his eyes tightly shut and his head slightly turned away as he struck. Still holding onto the scythe he swung himself onto the feathered beast's backside.
He pulled his blade free, gripped the weapon with both hands, and swung sideways to separate the head from the body. Cordis leaped off and watched as the Simurgh's golden locks became dust. Its body and feathers turned into millions of little lights that floated around the air like fireflies. A black portal opened above them and the swarm made its way out of this realm.463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xx0oYoqWr
It's all over, thought Ladnavia. She would not give Cordis the sport of running her down. The explosion from Vandal's bullet made it difficult to run anyway. Cordis began to laugh maniacally.463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxFubyLwNc
"I'll admit," he said when his joy died down, "you had me for a second." He began to limp towards her, the pain of walking making him grin even wider. "But all fun things must come to an end."463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5le7FLhltl
He snapped his fingers and the Umbras carried the healer to the winner and loser.
"I ask you again, my dear," the blonde said to Nu, offering her one of the throwing knives he picked off the floor that was still stained with his own blood, "would you kill for love?"
She doesn't have the courage, thought Ladnavia as she saw her hands tremble at the sight of blood on the tip.
"Did you think I was kidding? Go ahead, do it." Cordis cocked his head at her when she averted her gaze from him. "No one will stand between you and Vandal if you do, my dear."
"Cordis," said Nu shakily, "please ... don't make me do this."
"A weak girl," Ladnavia spat, "weak and useless."
Her words made the mistress cry, a pathetic sight in the rain.
"Well, I won't force her," sighed Cordis, "but you know how it is, Ladnavia. I do hope you know I cherish the time we had and—"
"Get on with it," Ladnavia said flatly.
Cordis shrugged. 463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oKtws03iQ
"Goodnight, princess," he said lightly as he gripped his scythe with both hands.463Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2fLV3YR0B
The sharp edge opened her throat and she fell to the ground, the wings of death fluttering to shut her eyes once more.
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