Garden Of The Abyss

Returning to the compromised home of the Outlanders, the heat of battle nestled its way into the quiet Valley of Grandeuve during the darkness of the night. 

Dashing towards his enemy, Fai unleashed a volley of blows that quickly pierced the winds, missing his target each and every time. He hadn't even got a good look at his face yet, devolving into full, cold-blooded brutality as he sought to kill then ask questions. 

Though, that initial plan was coming harder than he had wished or expected. The Argonaut he found himself attacking possessed a finesse of his own, elegantly evading each attack, deflecting blows before they could reach. 

He's good. Fast as hell! Fai thought. 

There wasn't much time for an exchange of introductions, the two quickly began fighting the moment they were within sight of one another. It seemed they both knew who the other was as the exchange of blows continued. Fai found his fists returned by a hit from his enemy, blocking it only to be sent flying back several meters. 

Strong! Really, really strong! So, this is "Avdima", huh? Beatrice warned us all about this Argonaut. There's no mistaking it. Those hollow eyes, pale skin, and spiky hair--not to mention the aura of dark mana around him, Fai thought. 

The outfit Avdima wore differed from the standard, almost business-like attire most wore. His sable robes sat baggily over his torso; akin to that a cleric would wear, the lavish fabric intertwined to create an intricate design that helped to tighten the loose robes over his chest. 

Though, his choice of trousers was just the same--baggy enough that he looked like a kid trying his father's clothes on. 

"If you're going to attack me, you'd better stop holding back. It's a real bore." 

The pale Argonaut spoke calmly, exhibiting such boredom that it looked as if he was one step away from yawning as he caught the incoming fist thrown at him, squeezing it tightly. Fai let out a sharp gasp from the pressure enclosing around his fist, feeling it compromise the very integrity of his bones. 

"If that's what you want, I'll be happy to oblige, bastard!"

With a pained smile, Fai manifested his magical energy in the form of a coat of flames, causing Avdima to relinquish his hold on the man's fist. 

"I'll show it to you then...The Tales From My World: Jörmungandr." 

Following Fai's words as he shook his fist, a puddle of pure darkness manifested from his feet, consuming the soil around him rapidly as it expanded forth, pushing Avdima further back from his position as the Argonaut watched with eyes of caution. 

As soon as the sea of shadows made contact with the evergreen, the blades of grass dissolved and crumbled into a state of death before being swallowed. 

"Fai Meng...Threat Priority: SS-Class. Show me why you were given such honor."

"With pleasure. Wake up, you big, lazy serpent! Dinner is waiting!"

Clapping his hands together, Fai smiled from ear-to-ear as the abyssal puddle began to ripple, a tremor whispering through the ground before an entity rose from the depths of the black sea around the otherworlder. 

A body clad in stone-like scales; it continued to propel itself up and unearth its gargantuan form from the bowels of the darkness. Avdima watched curiously, looking to the sky as it seemed the awakened serpent sought the moon hanging near the clouds. 

While the summoned serpent unraveled itself into the world, another shock wave coming from the ship floating in the sky resounded, crashing against the barrier harshly. 

I almost forgot about that. I doubt the others are free to handle that if the Argonauts came this prepared...I'll leave this one to you, Fai thought. 

"Sun Wukong, arise."

This one's a bit troublesome, but I can't deny his strength...Especially in a situation like this, he's worth his weight in gold, Fai thought. 

Quietly uttering its name, he kept it away from Avdima's ears as another entity rose from the sable sea, a monkey possessing human features with lavish, crimson garments. It stood no higher than Fai's waist but possessed a muscular build all the same as its golden fur was brushed by the passing winds. 

"Take care of that ship in the sky."

"Mm. Looks fun. I guess I'll play along, boss-man."

Spinning the exuberant pole between his hand, Sun Wukong held a frivolous smile as he set his fiery gaze on the airborne boat. 

With a single leap, the tiger-kilt-wearing monkey set off into the sky, taking Avdima's attention a moment too late. 

"You've got your own problems to handle; I wouldn't worry about that ship."

"Summoner-types are a real drag. Always hiding behind other creatures to do their own bidding...It's not much fun." 

"..Is that right?"

That last comment stung Fai, having him hold a bothered smile as he ran his fist against his palm while the serpent behind him seemed to finally finish its birth into the world, hovering high above the surrounding trees as its breath ran across the forest like a storm. 

Near the base of the towering tree itself, Donatien took notice of the rising world serpent, letting out a disgruntled sigh before adjusting the sleeves of his jacket. 

No doubt, that is Fai's Jormungandr, he thought. 

Taking off in a sprint towards the location of the newly summoned serpent in an effort to rendezvous with his comrades, something in his body suddenly urged him to dodge. Following the instructions of his instincts, he twisted his body into a circular leap, avoiding a beam of blood that would've likely carved right through him. 

"Strong...You're a strong one…"

This bastard is still alive?! 

Before he could confirm as such with his own eyes, he was forced to evade a whip of flesh that violently flung itself around the field, slamming into the ground multiple times and shattering the ice that sat over the soil. 

"I should've known it wouldn't have been that easy with an Argonaut…"

Huffing as he adjusted his glasses with a knuckle, Donatien readied himself for combat once more as he watched the man wrapped in an armor of flesh unveil himself from the obscurity of the trees, each step he took shaking the ground beneath. 

He managed to disable my Ice Age with that barrage just now. I wonder if it's even worth it to cast with such a brute flailing around, he speculated. 

"Skadi: Wild Frost Shower!"

Greeting the returned Argonaut with a spell of his own making the moment his eyes met with his repugnant form once more, Donatien manifested an array of minuscule, sharp bullets of ice into the frosty air. 

Sending the weaponized snowflakes towards the lumbering juggernaut of flesh, he watched as the man didn't so much as flinch as they crashed against his thick hide of pure muscle, instead letting out satisfied moans as his flesh was stimulated. 

The only damage done was superficial at best; only small cuts left over the fleshy hide before being completely undone by the armor simply rebuilding itself. 

"I see...You do live up to your title as an Argonaut. This won't be easy." 

Ripping his tie away from his collar, Donatien's coat immediately opened itself before he tore that away as well. Beneath the garments that rested over his torso was a body chiseled by battle, unfitting of the calculating, slender person he seemed to be prior to. 

Rolling his shoulders and moving his neck side-to-side, satisfying cracks reverberated through the secluded battlefield before the man followed through by cracking his knuckles. 

"Show me! Show me!"

"Don't worry; I plan to." 

As soon as the utterance left his lips in a frosty breath, he was already in front of the flesh goliath, wrapping his arms around the waist of the Argonaut into a tight hold. Feeling the radiant heat emanate against his skin from the texture of the raw flesh that protected Fleisch, he expedited his hold on the being, bringing the much larger being into the air temporarily. 

"Huh?"

Fleisch for the first time seemed to be brought out of his stupor of violence, left puzzled as the smaller figure lifted him up. Leaning back, Donatien sent the maddened opponent of his directly into the ground behind his back, finishing into a suplex. 

Standing himself back up, fixing the position of his glasses, he looked back at the man who was now planted into the soil behind him with an indifferent look. 

"Freeze and be silent; Skadi: Benevolence of the Queen." 

Casting the spell without so much as an urgency to his tone, Donatien unleashed a frosty aura that wrapped itself around the compromised being, quickly forming a layer of thick, magical ice around his enormous form. 

The formed frost spread itself across the field, rising from Fleisch's position into the shape of a tree of translucent ice, glistening with fallen snowflakes. 

Watching carefully, his suspicions were met as despite being enveloped in dense ice, Fleisch began vigorously contorting his body, kicking his legs about as the heat radiating from his flesh armor made it easy to flick the ice from his body. A rumble resounded from the ground as the monstrous Argonaut unearthed himself, resurfacing his torso as only a smile showed itself past his helmet of muscle. 

"Ah! Fun! Fun!"

I thought this might happen, Donatien thought. 

"Skadi: Malevolence of the Queen."

With a snap of his fingers, the mist of the frost that surrounded Fleisch began to radiate with a pristine, azure glow as the cold grew thicker and suffocating, replacing the air itself with the essence of the cold. 

"...Oh? Oh?"

Looking around, Fleisch was ignorant to the rising danger before being swallowed by the subsequent detonation of the ice all around him, unleashing into a cobalt radiance. 

Removing his glasses for a moment, he let out a frosted breath before wiping the buildup of ice on the lenses. 

When was it...that I began to take joy in battle? Even now, I purposefully held back just a bit just out of curiosity to see my opponent's strength. How vexing; maybe I am becoming too much like you, Sora.