Dawn- An Age Of Darkness

"Too slow!" Dick glowed in a fiery light and made a massive ball of fire in an instant. 

I also took out the stone of Damsel and as three distinct mana flew through me, I fired my light- wet- slightly cold ball at his fiery hot ball. Probably not the best description but there were loads of steam.

I had my senses sharpened thanks to Imbuition, so I could tell where who was even in this misty weather- but- slash!

I cut through air. I could have sworn I'd heard him there.

Dick could apparently, let out faints. 

And the steam wasn't going away. 'So, he could produce steam?' It seemed most probable otherwise, how come the steam didn't disappear and how could he move freely and create dummy presences?

I guess just relying on Imbuition wasn't working and the fact that I didn't know how to beat the guy still stood firm.

"That's odd you're not running out of strength. I guess you've found a way then." Dick's voice reverberated across the place. It was like he was everywhere- yet nowhere. 

"Who knows."

Judging by Dick's tone of voice, bluffing wasn't going to work anymore. 

I took in slow breaths to calm myself. 

"You okay Ve?"

"Fine."

It wasn't that I was announcing my location- but just the opposite. I knew Dick would strike at the precise time when he thought I'd be the most defenseless. 

From the left!

Smash!

Though I knew where he was coming from, though I knew where our swords would meet, I failed. Our swords did meet but my left arm met his shield and the spikes kind of broke off as it easily pierced through my armor and body. 

"Damn it!" I groaned and backstepped. These things were big like my finger but sharp as needles. They stung- they really did. I pulled out four of the spikes. My wounds started to heal but I kept my composure. 

Painful didn't even begin to describe the feeling: I literally wanted to cry. And that wasn't even all!

'Poison?' I felt drowsy and I kind of wanted to roll on the ground, but I had to look sharp- even if I had to pretend. 

So far, I was losing. 

"I knew you were resistant but to think you're good even when it comes to a poison of this caliber. I have to hand it to you Daarc, you truly are the protagonist." Dick smiled, sweats forming. 

"Again, with that shit." I chuckled, focused, and released another set of light blast. This one had a much smaller radius and I didn't yell anything before firing, catching him off-guard. 'Got you!'

I didn't care if he was going to use that shield of his or not but I sliced at him and he sliced at me. I took a cut on my neck and he took one on his right arm. He didn't forget to slam the shield at me again but this time I countered with the mystic spear and pierced through his left shoulder. The guy probably never thought I'd be pulling out weapons from my ring- after all, he wasn't used to seeing me use two weapons. More like he wasn't used to me having a left arm.

He threw up blood and backstepped. 

I held both the sword and the spear. To think the guy had made me use this much of my strength and he still wasn't done: I was more or less exhausted though. So, a high potion it was. 

"That's criminal you know. Not only do you have op healing, you're also using elixirs." He chuckled, spitting out some blood.

"This is a high potion, you moron." 

And why the hell was I even bothering with him?

I didn't know why but, somehow this didn't feel like a fight to the death. And the emperor above wasn't doing anything either. 'Seriously. What is going on here?'

"You done yet Ve?"

But there was no response from Ve. I guess that wasn't good.

"I heard they fought once before too." Dick smiled as he drank something. "You can guess who won."

"Sorry but- I trust her."

I slipped both of my weapons back in the ring and solely focused on a spell, definitely big enough to envelop half of this city. 

Dick clicked his tongue and dashed straight for me. 

It was a multilevel holy attack- I'd cast it just once before in my life. I sure hoped it worked. 

'Here goes!'

Dick came charging in but- before he could reach me the spell activated and a white ball of shining light slowly flew up and spread everywhere- the grand spell. The very same spell that had saved Moire. But there was just one problem- it only worked on the undead- and perhaps vampires. 

I knew it wouldn't work on Dick and he took the chance to pierce me through my heart. "I know this won't kill you but- bear with me," he whispered faintly. 

This pain was different. It was a sharp pain but- it was much, much stronger than anything else. Just staying conscious was a pain. But-

There was a good reason behind that spell and there was another good reason why I didn't bother dodging or even trying to guard. That being- now Dick was stuck with me. Which meant- 

"HUH!!" Ve pierced Dick through his chest. Her spear almost reached me, scratching a bit of my armor. 

Dick had blood leaking from his mouth as he slowly fell on the ground. 

Ve breathed very rapidly. "I thought I told you it was my fight." She pulled out Dick's sword from my chest.

I immediately pulled out another high potion but the pain was just too strong. 

"My hearing's been acting weird lately." And I couldn't even speak clearly now. 

Dick bled on the ground. He was alive- probably. 

"The vampire isn't dead yet. It retreated thanks to your magic but it's out there: though I hate to leave but, we have to get out of here now, before that thing comes down." Ve was out of breath. 

But that thing hadn't noticed us even though we were being this flashy. Though after using that last spell, I had a feeling it'd come down any second now.

"Right!"

Ve lent me her shoulder. Even with the curse, getting pierced through the heart was not something I could just brush over. It was really painful, even after drinking the potion. If it weren't for my hyper tensed state, I'd have probably passed out a long while ago. 

Dick grabbed my feet. "It's pointless. Get Alisa and-" He threw up some more blood and passed out.

What the hell was up with this dude?

I looked over at his wound and gave him just the right amount of healing so he wouldn't die of suffocation from his own blood.

All this time he was fighting me but- he never once had any intention to kill me, probably. I really wanted to believe there was a good reason for this type of his behavior but- we didn't have time. 

But just when we finally tried to run- 

Crash!

Something had descended on the ground- shattering everything. 

Something dark.

Something deadly.

The emperor had descended. "Times up!"

I guess 'that something' had finally come down.