Jules looked left to the Monks and right to the Druids. THUMP-THUMP. Guardian Sages helped heal their brethren beside the Alter. THUMP-THUMP. The Arcanians advanced through the smoke and ashen wastelands of the Enclave's gates. THUMP. THUMP. The Painter smiled at Jules and Cyrus, as if he welcomed them in with open arms. THUMP.
"Is this another fucking test!?" Cyrus shouted. THUMP…
"I have no idea what you're talking about," The Painter replied. Thump.
"He wants to see our Vessels in action, Jules. And some Inked Arts, too, I bet. See how far we've come." Thump…
Jules drew out the Sound of Fury and shrugged his shoulders. The painted-on Ink shifted against his skin. "Then it's a good thing we came prepared."
? Fire ?
Jules ran his hand along the shaft of the Sound and ignited it into flames, and the battle resumed with reinforcements. Jules immediately struck the Berserker Druid first, as he found him to be the biggest threat. He avoided Jules' fire as much as he could, dodging and bending his body however he could, but the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. The Werebear clawed Jules' back from his shoulder blade down, and Jules spun around to brand him with the tip of the Sound, and the stench of burnt fur overrode even searing flesh. A moose and elk joined in the fight and stampeded toward Jules. Damn fox is off chasing squirrels and let a few in.
A stream of fire halted the animals' approach. More trees erupted from the ground, and the Berserker grabbed Jules' free arm; he smacked the Druid on the side of the face with his blazing sword, and a tree stabbed Jules in the side with a dagger. What the—
The Werebear crashed in on him from on high, both hands clenched together in one fist. Jules slammed into the ground, and when the Werebear got off of him, a boulder fell from the sky. Jules rolled out of the way, leaving the Sound behind to get smashed underneath the rock. No impact? The Berserker wrenched Jules up over his head and smashed him back down into the dirt. The rock is gone already…?
Cyrus front-kicked the Werebear in the chest and pushed him back. Katarina judo-threw the Berserker off to the side. Whiskers and Rukia ran up to Jules' side and they formed a tight circle around him.
"Thanks guys. I had them, but nice to have some help." Off in the distance, Cyrus fought off some Thundercallers. Wait, Kat!? Jules glanced, slowly, at the shields he'd made for her, then back to their group. The animals, trees, and rock were all gone.
? ? Flames of Hell ? ?
Just as they drew their weapons on him, Jules slammed his fist into the ground and blew his friends away. "Watch out, Cy," Jules called out. "Some of the Arcanians are Shifters!" Not sure if that really was Rukia and Whiskers…but they'll survive if it was.
"Kinda busy over here!" Cyrus—at least Jules thought it was the real Cyrus—shouted back.
Rukia chased a raven over to Jules. Sorry, Ruke. Can't risk it, if you're real or not.
? Activate ?
[Inked Art Consumed: Summon Gravel]
The raven exploded upon impact with the pebbles, right in Rukia's face. Jules snuck a look at The Painter. Two birds with one stone. Nice touch. When he turned back, Rukia was in his face, with a crazed look on hers.
"That wasn't very nice, Julesie."
"Wasn't sure if that was you or not, but now I'm feeling pretty confident. Now goooo—" Jules scooped her up. Her eyes went wide and her ears pinned back.
"No no no no no!"
"Fetch!" Jules hurtled her straight into the mix of advancing Monks and let her do her thing while he ran to join Cyrus.
? ? Sonic Boom ? ?
The blast knocked Jules off balance and stalled him. The Arcanian Thundercaller shot another few more blasts at him, and Jules leapt to the side and advanced until he lunged at the man, fist cocked back to knock his lights out.
? Thunder ?
The Arcanian head butt Jules' fist and sent him reeling backward.
"Alright!" Jules shouted. "That's it. Gloves are off."
? ? Sonic Boom ? ?
? Silence ? ? Fire ?
Jules Script negated the sonic blast, and it fizzled out, while his fists erupted in orange flames. Jules jabbed and crossed the man to a bloody pulp, and he collapsed to the ground.
? Lightning ?
A bolt of electricity struck Jules from the sky, and his vision turned bright white. He convulsed on the ground, and footsteps approached him from the man who'd invoked the Rune.
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"OW!" Jules yelled blindly, in the Arcanian's general direction. His vision slowly began to return. "What the hell are you!?"
"A Stormrider. You are the Sin?" Three Thundercallers merged into one as the remnants of his vision finally focused again.
"And if I am?" Jules rose to his feet and stomped out the smoldering flames of the Thundercaller's armor. The Stormrider swiped his hand across his blade, just as Jules had done earlier.
? ? Electric Blade ? ?
"Nothing. I just expected more." Arcing sparks jumped and danced off the man's blade. Damn Painter. I'm sure he remembers lightning was my least favorite way to die during training. The Stormrider slashed at Jules, and even though he dodged it by a safe enough distance for the blade, the flickering jolts scorched his chest. Steam rose off immediately. Good Salvos, I love fighting someone without Holy Damage.
? ? Get Over Here! ? ?
The Sound rushed over to Jules' hand. "Sorry to disappoint, but you can let me know if you've changed your mind when you wake up." Jules blocked the next strike with his wooden sword, and it deadened the electric current from reaching his hands. The Stormrider pulled back, then swept in with a spinning power attack. Jules parried the strike, but when he advanced to immediately counter, a gust of wind shoved him back.
Hmm. Like thunder and lightning. Cyrus never learned that move, and Kat hated lightning. Maybe if I—
? ? Magnetic Pull ? ?
Jules' body levitated in the air, then rushed to the Arcanian, who smashed his electric claymore down into Jules' sword arm. He shrieked and convulsed from electrocution.
"We'll speak again," the Stormrider said, "when you wake up." He raised his sword high in the air—
? ? Stoned Flesh ? ?
Dirt and rocks surrounded Jules before the strike connected. Sparks still arced their way to his flesh. Jules placed a palm on the man's leg, wherever was closest to him.
? Incinerate ?
Jules saw the fear in the man's eyes—he could practically taste it, even over the smell of burnt skin. Jules dropped the Sound and aimed his other hand at The Painter, and massive jet stream of fire scorched everything in its path toward the Alter, who stopped it all in a singular point in front of him. His grin never even faltered.
Everyone stopped to stare at either Jules or The Painter, even Cyrus. In their hesitation, Jules noticed some Shamans had advanced on Katarina's position and searched for her. Even though they're pissing me off…I wonder what I could learn from those guys? I don't exactly have the best teacher when it comes to Shaman—
Hey, I heard that! Kaizen yelled in Jules' mind.
Jules' right arm was mostly useless now from the last attack, so he yanked it off completely with his left hand, slung it over his shoulder—just in case someone tried to steal it—then grabbed the Sound.
"I'll take you all on at once. With my off-hand, and the other tied behind my back."
Whoahhh Jules—That was so cool!
Thanks, Ruke.
? Integrate ?
Two Rukias chased each other in tight circles, but one slipped away to ash that flooded into the Sound, which ignited into white flames.
"How fearsome!" The Painter fanned his face again. "Better watch out, boys. I feel like he's still holding something back." Fuck you.
? Integrate ?
Jules pulled Kaizen into his body.
ENVY
Kat walked through the scattered village. Healers ran around from group to group, tending to the sick and dying. Nomads. Arcanians. Guardians… These damn Etherealists have their hands full.
"So this is the famous Whispering Pines," Kat's body spoke.
"Quiet." The man in the brown cloak put a finger to his lips. "Do not disturb the dead." The dead? They're still alive…
He led Kat, Chael, and Gunner to a trailhead. And this is the Ephemeral Trail? I thought it terrified everyone away from it.
They hiked the well-worn path for some time, until the path became clearly less traveled, and Kat glanced at everyone else. It's taking just as much a toll on them as it is me—except that guy. Guess I shouldn't be surprised; he's obviously the leader of this group.
She heard ghoulish noises off to the sides and was certain some beast or goblins followed them in the thick brush.
"You look like you could keel over…Chael…" Gunner said. Chael let out a stifled laugh that transitioned to a grunt.
"Judging by your…voice…seems same of you."
Vertigo struck Kat, and she thought she'd strike the ground, but the man in the brown cloak gripped her forearm. "Hold strong, Gish. We are nearly there." So my name is Gish?
"It's…rejecting me," she said. "We need to…turn back."
Chael hoisted her up on his back. "Afraid not. You need…see this." He slowed their pace down with each step, and they all finally stopped when they came up to a Shrine.
"This…it?"
"I'm afraid not, Gunner. But Edmund should be nearby."
By the time they reached the hut, Chael had Gunner slung over his other shoulder, and they'd all but crawled the last hundred yards. I wonder why Brown Cloak doesn't carry us all, if he's so unaffected?
A man wearing simple Etherealist robes stormed from the hut's curtains. "What are you doing here?" He doesn't seem affected, either…
"Greetings, High Priest Edmund," Brown Cloak said. "We come seeking knowledge."
"You were not permitted to cross the Ephemeral Trail."
"I was unaware I needed permission."
Edmund looked Brown Cloak up and down, then clicked his tongue. "I didn't get your name."
"You know my name." Brown Cloak glanced over at Kat, then back to Edmund.
"I don't give a flying fuck who you are. You're a Nomad, not an Etherealist, so no access without permission."
"I do not require permission to do anything in The Verdant Domain." Brown Cloak stepped forward, and Edmund let him pass without interference, though he looked like he wished he could kill the man. Brown Cloak lifted up the curtains and peered inside the hut, then dropped the flaps. "Elementalists, Edmund?"
"You'd help those demons!?" Gunner wriggled himself off Chael's shoulder. "After their war crimes?"
"Genocide." Chael practically spat the word. Kat clambered down and drew a dagger, but Brown Cloak lifted a hand to halt them. He looked at Kat.
"Are you watching? Pay. Attention."
He swiped a hand across in a diagonal line, and the hut splintered apart and slid off to the side, revealing the wounded Soldiers inside. Brown Cloak walked up to one of the lying men, grabbed him by the throat, and lifted him high into the air, as if he weighed as much as a snake.
"What are you doing?" Edmund cried out.
"Where's the Unlock Rune?" Brown Cloak shook the man when he didn't receive a response. The Elementalist howled to the sky in laughter. "Where is it!?" The prisoner lowered his gaze to Brown Cloak. His face came into focus in Kat's eyes. Her heart dropped—this was worse than even the Ephemeral Trail. The man's disguise fell away as his Elementalist clothing shifted into a blue kimono.
"It seems I've beaten you to the punch, yet again, my old friend," The Painter said.
"AAAAHHHH!!!!"
Kat sat up and gripped her own throat as she gasped for air. She stumbled around the earthen wall barriers until she came to the open plain in front of a destroyed gate. Kat looked around at the fire and brimstone, at Jules fully Integrated, facing what looked like an entire army. She felt like she was still on the Ephemeral Trail, like she was cornered prey to some unknown, unseen predator.
Her gaze swept across the scene until it halted on The Painter.
"YOU FUCKING MOTHERFUCKER!!!" Primal instinct possessed her—flight, or fight. "I wish I had his Vessel!"
The fan disappeared from The Painter's hand and rematerialized in her own, thanks to her eye Vessel's ability.
"On second thought," The Painter said to his allies, "I think I do remember you all, now. Stand down, boys. We have guests."