Chaos: Genesis

Spero is racing with all his might,

This whole time they've been hiding in our territory, how did we not notice them?!

It takes Spero two days instead of the expected four to reach Cyrus's camp. He eventually arrives, panting for breath but not daring to take a pause. He arrives amid battle - the clashing and clanging of weapons and war cries ringing through the air. The Wood Elves and Divinans are locked in an intense battle, their spells of magic intermingling with the loud clang of metal-on-metal.

Spero charges forward, expertly parrying a flurry of arrows that threaten to strike his comrades. His sword gleams in the light as it carves through the air, blocking every incoming projectile before it can find its mark.

He bellows out a mighty cry as he moves with agility to protect his allies from harm, "CYRUS!"

Cyrus strikes down an elf with a powerful blow, then whips his head to the left, "BROTHER! Assist the calvary!"

Spero's eyes frantically scan the battlefield as he weaves through slashing blades from all sides. His gaze snaps 100 meters to his right and he spots the carriages, their soldiers battling to keep their horses and cargo secure. He propels himself towards them, soaring over a group and kicking elves out of his way. Finally, Spero reaches the cavalry just in time as most of them are unmounted.

"Spero!" a soldier shouts with relief, "They have us pinned, they took down six of our horses and burned two of our carriages"

Spero uses a wind spell to repel the advancing group of elves, quickly assessing the situation.

Fifteen wood elves surround the ten of us, and half of our men are injured, we need to keep the radius of their magic attacks to a minimum to prevent our cargo from being damaged. We can't let one elf slip past our defenses.

An elven mage flings a fireball at them, and a Divinian mage retaliates by conjuring an insulating water shield to stop it. A cloud of steam engulfs them, masking their sight with its dense mist.

"Spray water in front of us on the sand now!"

The mage channels another water spell, a light blue magic circle appears, and water sprays out of it dampening the sand. Five elves dash into the steamy cloud. Their feet sink deep into the wet grains, but they are undeterred. The soldiers thrust their spears at them and strike them down. Arrows soar through the fog of steam and skewers three of the Divinian allies. As the cloud starts to dissipate, Spero lunges forward and slams into the elven mage. He yanks the staff from their grip, smacking them in the head with it as he spins around and disarms two of them in one swift motion. With a wave of his hands, he unleashes a zapping electric shock spell that leaves all three of them stunned. He thrusts the staff through the mage and slices through the other two. With only twelve elves remaining, Divinian soldiers rush into attack. The Divinian mage sends ice spikes flying towards them, diverting their attention and weakening their defenses. The other soldiers strike them with spears and swords, ensuring victory as the cargo is kept safe.

Cyrus clenches his shield tightly and thrusts the forces back. He blocks a few arrows flying toward him, and an elf lunges a spear dangerously close to his waist. With admirable speed, he whacks the hilt with the edge of his shield before fending it off with his sword. He then charges forward, using the arrows stuck in his shield to pierce an elf coming toward him and kicks them down to the ground. In the distance, Cyrus spots the Tetradian, Dalu, cutting down a group of Divinian soldiers with his four short swords. With a powerful whirl, a pile of bodies falls to the ground below. Cyrus rushes towards the Champion of Maka. Dalu catches sight of Cyrus advancing and readies himself, anticipation humming through his veins. He strikes forward with both arms, only to have them blocked by Cyrus. His back arms come arcing from above, but Cyrus intervenes with his sword, the clash of their weapons ringing out in the air. They push away from each other and take a few steps back, circling clockwise as Cyrus keeps his shield held firmly in front of him at an angle, while Dalu rotates his wrists on his front arms and holds his back arms up high in the style of a praying mantis.

He's keeping his back arms as piercers while his front arms keep me occupied.

Cyrus scrutinizes Dalu's stance. The Champion takes an aggressive lunge forward, his blades slicing through the air in a crisscross pattern. Cyrus darts to the right, raising his shield as a barrier between them as he anticipates the upward strikes. As soon as the clanging of metal-on-metal rings out, he presses forward with a purposeful step. He yearns to close the gap, his arms ready to reposition. Cyrus lunges forward with his blade, but Dalu quickly springs to the left and forces him back. In one quick movement, Dalu sheathes two of his swords and grabs Cyrus's shield, bringing both blades dangerously close to cutting through his neck. Cyrus ducks and quickly discards his shield as he slides back in an attempt to escape death's grasp. Dalu clutches the shield and surges forward, Cyrus tries to step away, but Dalu moves in too fast. Cyrus swings his sword but encounters only a blocked defense. He thrusts forward, yet finds his wrist seized by Dalu who then brings the shield down with force. Cyrus retaliates with an unleashed shoulder tackle that redirects Dalu's sword which manages to scratch a shallow cut across his side. Dalu throws a powerful punch at Cyrus' cheek and slams him in the chest with his shield. The force of the impact causes Cyrus to stumble backward, his body trembling from the force of the attack. Dalu continues pressing forward, throwing another punch that connects squarely on Cyrus' jaw. The sheer strength of his blows sends ripples of pain through Cyrus' body as he desperately tries to counterattack. Cyrus is knocked down, and Dalu stabs the ground with his shield and then strikes down with both swords. Cyrus quickly rolls away to safety. Dalu stands menacingly over him, but Cyrus hooks his legs around Dalu's right thigh and clasps tightly onto his ankles. With a deft move, he brings The Champion crashing to the ground. Dalu catches himself with his back arms and Cyrus tries to clamber up but is kicked back down. Dalu springs up and slices Cyrus in the leg. He takes all four swords at once and swings them rapidly. Cyrus quickly becomes overwhelmed by the barrage of attacks, taking one step after another backward in retreat. Cyrus lunges forward and drives his knee into Dalu's stomach, followed by an elbow cutting the side of his temple. Dalu whips around and pushes Cyrus away with a kick to the ankle. Cyrus quickly recovers, tumbling back onto his feet as he hears Spero charging closer.

"Took you long enough!", Cyrus pushes himself up with the scant breath left in him and wipes the blood away from his brow.

Spero gives him a fiendish grin, "Let's see if you can keep up."

Spero and Cyrus press forward, their swords clashing with Dalu's. He valiantly fends them both off as they close in around him. Spero grabs tightly onto one of Dalu's arms while Cyrus propels a punch straight into his face. In retaliation, Dalu elbows Cyrus and strikes a ferocious blow to Spero's body. Spero cuts him on his leg and cheek, while Cyrus sends a slash to his forearm. But Dalu parries the next strike and lands a deep gash in Cyrus' chest. They all take a step back, watching each other warily as their blood drips on the ground.

"You might have to continue this alone", Cyrus declares, clasping his chest.

Spero nods, allowing Cyrus to ease back and take a moment of rest.

"Spero of the Red Sand, I've been wanting to face you for so long", Dalu says as he lowers his swords, and Spero lowers his weapon in response.

Their blades come to rest gently, a peaceful reprieve from their fierce battle. The air is heavy with tension and anticipation as they stand.

"The Champion of Maka, ever since your victory I've also been curious."

Dalu stares, "They say you're the best swordsman in the Median Empire....let's see if your reputation precedes you."

Spero's eyes gleam with excitement as he readies himself in a southpaw stance, his sword held lightly in his left hand and feet planted firmly shoulder-width apart. His right hand is raised slightly, poised and ready for attack. Dalu responds, raising both of his front arms and back arms in a piercing stance.

Mantis form mixed with a standard right-handed sword stance, four blades, attack and defend at the same time. I've never fought against a Tetradian, so this will be interesting.

Spero rushes forward with two swift stabs, Dalu raises his sword to block and executes a mantis attack. Spero quickly slides to the left, leaps into the air, and unleashes a powerful kick with his back leg toward Dalu's head. The sharp crack of impact echoes through his ears, and Dalu topples forward. Dalu stunned, Spero slashes at his adversary but he manages to parry and knees Spero in the forearm. Dalu lunges for Spero's exposed chest, but he quickly catches his wrist and twists it back. Desperate, Dalu launches a mantis strike, but Spero parries each one with ease by pulling on Dalu's wrist and manipulating his direction. Every attack misses its mark as Spero continues to dodge and evade. Spero sidekicks Dalu in the knee, delivering two swift jabs to his jaw. Dalu shoves him back, giving himself a small reprieve. Dalu's frustration builds, and his form transitions. His front hands now grip the blades in a reverse grip, and his mantis stance shifts to a defensive posture. He uses his back arms to shield the front of his body from any incoming attacks. Dalu drives forward with relentless force, his strikes growing in speed and ferocity. Spero defends stoutly, parrying and blocking every attack, but he can feel the toll of battle weigh him down - his reaction time slowing. Each retaliatory strike is nullified by Dalu's guard, pushing Spero further back on the defensive with each passing moment. Dalu jabs Spero in the arm and severs a shallow cut down the side of his neck. Spero delivers a powerful front kick, pushing Dalu back. Spero brushes his fingertips against the wound on his neck and takes a split-second to peek at his bloodied hand before flicking it away.

"I admit, you're pretty good"

"I didn't expect the King's Assassin to struggle so much." Dalu smirks.

"Let's try something, a bit more fun then," Spero states firmly as he switches his sword to his right hand, shifting into a battle-ready stance.

Dalu's eyes widen in surprise, and he takes a moment to size up the situation. Spero inhales deeply, steeling himself before launching forward with blinding speed. He is now standing right next to Dalu in a split second, sword at the ready. Dalu tries to spin around, but he's clobbered with a mighty blow from Spero. Just in time, he manages to brace himself and ward off the impact. His body shakes as Spero launches an onslaught of assaults on Dalu and his defenses are overwhelmed; cuts and punches slip by him with ease. Spero leverages Dalu's blades to ricochet his attacks each time he blocks or parries. Dalu retreats, yet Spero relentlessly presses forward. He hacks and jabs with quick motions, unleashing a flurry of strikes and knees when they move nearby. Grabbing Dalu with one hand, he manipulates him masterfully, keeping the upper hand in the fight. Dalu stands in a defensive stance, then wildly spins with his whirlwind attack causing Spero to stumble back. He immediately shifts the balance of power by focusing his stance on full-on aggression. His muscles tighten as he readies to make the next move. As Spero dodges, weaves, and kips out of the way, he is met with a flurry of jabs from all four of his opponent's blades. They move at different paces, keeping Spero from getting closer.

Damn, I could end this with my abilities, but where's the fun in that...I can't always rely on them. Plus, I haven't fought a swordsman this skilled in years.

Spero hurtles past Dalu, delivering a swift kick to his side.

Dalu staggers, "I thought I'd be in trouble once you switched hands, but I still feel your talent...a bit lacking."

Spero annoyingly comments back, "The Champion of Maka huh? You're good, but that's all you are."

Dalu raises his voice, "Time to end this!"

Spero relaxes his body, and the air around them falls into a stillness so deep that Dalu notices it and stops in his tracks.

"Sword technique, Forbidden Style...Randomize"

A freezing sensation runs through Dalu's spine as Spero strides confidently towards him. He lunges forward to attack, but Spero's blades beat him to it. Dalu retracts his arms and hastily positions them in a defensive guard, peripherally aware of the enemy swords plunging closer to his vulnerable body. Spero swings his sword with lightning speed, thrusting it up before quickly shifting it diagonally and cutting Dalu. He effortlessly repeats the move, deftly moving the blade to the left before darting it downward. Dalu desperately fights to keep up.

Is he changing the direction of his attacks midway? How is he able to keep his speed and power? I can't read his movements.

Dalu attempts to guard himself from the relentless assault, but Spero accelerates his pace and accuracy. With a sharp slash to the right, Spero quickly veers left and ends up cutting off Dalu's left hand at the wrist. Dalu screams in agony as Spero delivers a forward strike with his sword, slicing into Dalu's back right arm and cleaving it off in one clean motion. The terror within him is palpable as Dalu lets out a quivering yell. Spero swipes to the right and then down the left diagonally, slicing past Dalu's body. His eyes are blank and stares at Spero, a trickle of blood streaming out from his mouth as he emits a few soft coughs. He watches as the world begins to tilt. The Champion's torso collapses to the ground, followed by his lower half. The Elves who had been watching in horror witnessed their best fighter slain and quickly spread the news. The Divinian soldiers surge forward, driving back the elves. Spero sheaths his sword but is met with a pulsating pain in his skull. His energy depletes as he falls to one knee.

I haven't used this technique in so long... I forgot how terrible it felt afterward.

The Elves quickly retreat in disarray.