The time for words is over. I need to take down Castiel before he interferes with the Perfecta. My sword lashes out at him in a flash and Castiel sways to the side and backtracks, opening up some space between the two of us. I pounce forward, holding my blade in a double handed grip and swing down hard before Castiel can get back into a firm stance.

Castiel's eyes widen in alarm as my speed takes him by surprise and he does not have the opportunity to dodge. The edge of my blade strikes him squarely in the forehead, but the crimson mesh that protects his form blocks my weapon once again, saving him from injury. The sudden resistance to my attack throws me off balance and as I attempt to pull my arms back into the guard position, Castiel's saber darts forward like a metal snake, striking my side to no effect. Both of us separate again after this exchange, our eyes narrowed wholly focused on each other, while the Hero shouts his heroic nonsense at the Perfecta in the background.

Concentrating, I draw a bead at the gaps between the red thread forming the protective mesh around Castiel's body. Castiel on his part drops to a low stance, his legs tensed, ready to burst into action at a moment's notice. His free left hand makes a taunting gesture at me, beckoning me to take my best shot at him. I crouch, and rocket forward at Castiel, the edge of my sword a missile aimed at one of the gaps between the red threads overlaying his body.

Castiel's eyes widen and his core flares with an explosion of pressure, pumping new strength into the spiritual body. His right arm swings upwards in a broad powerful stroke, but he is a moment too late. My blade passes over the rising saber and thrusts straight towards the vulnerable unprotected area over Castiel's chest. I lean into the blow, adding my weight to the momentum of the attack, seeking to end this entire exchange in a single blow.

The red threads that cover Castiel's body however shift and contort on their own accord, intercepting my sword just as the blade makes contact with his chest. Castiel's face is wholly expressionless, as if he knew that my sword would do absolutely squat against him. The saber continues its rise and delivers a painful slash against my outstretched arms. My own flesh holds firm though despite the discomfort and I pull in closer to Castiel with a headbutt aimed right at his chin. My blow strikes home and knocks Castiel backwards, without causing any obvious injury.

I make an annoyed noise in my throat and attempt to locate any weaknesses in the shifting crimson mesh squirming against Castiel's body. He kicks off the ground and charges me with the saber, and our weapons clash furiously, but to little effect. Castiel's clearly an experienced fighter. Not as fast or strong as me, but he's not making any mistakes that I can exploit. I've been able to hit him so far through abruptly changing the speed I move at, but Castiel has gotten wise to that tactic, and fights conservatively, always ready to reenter guard stance at a moment's notice.

More worryingly, I haven't found a way to actually hurt Castiel. I have the sinking feeling that he has a similar power set to what I have, a kind of immunity to damage. Which would mesh nicely with why he is hiding his actual body away. The spiritual body before me simply cannot be harmed, at least not through conventional means. There must be some kind of limit to the power though, otherwise Castiel would not bother with defending himself.

So that means this fight will be determined by who overdraws their power first. Unfortunately that's not a bet I am willing to make. I have no idea about how long Castiel can endure and I'm not willing to put my own life on the line to find out. If I can't hurt Castiel, then I'll have to settle for the next best thing. Making sure the Incarnate cannot move about to make a nuisance of himself.

I juke to the side, dropping the sword as Castiel's saber whizzes past me and grab on to one of the abandoned cars lining the road. Surging my core, I summon my strength and swing the car like an oversized bat into Castiel's face. Caught totally off guard, Castiel takes the car slamming into him poorly and is knocked flat on to his back. Holding the car high in the air with both arms, I flare my core again and liquid fire flows through my veins. As Castiel's eyes regain their focus, I drop the car as hard as I can on to his prone form with a sickening crunch.

I feel the Incarnate struggling under the metal I have buried him under as his fist shoots up through the wreck like a piston. Castiel's outstretched arm begins to move about, opening a rent in the frame of the totaled car for him to emerge from. I quickly jump on to the top of the wreck itself and just as Castiel begins to pull himself out of the wreckage, I clamp both hands securely on to his head and begin to channel Damavand.

"What are you -" Castiel blurts but quickly cuts himself off as the power that can subdue a dragon pounds remorselessly into him. The red mesh crackles angrily with power as it resists the damage caused by my spell, but I have achieved what I intended to do. The road begins to sag from the weight exerted by Damavand, as cracks appear across the asphalt. I feel a growing force coming from Castiel pushing against me and lock eyes with him.

"You can't hurt me." Castiel hisses as his own core releases a whirlwind of spiritual energy, fighting against the influence of Damavand, "Milady's protection is absolute."

"Not trying to." I grunt with exertion and unleash another wave of magic from the artificial core. This time the wreck of the car sinks several meters into the ground and the entire area around us begins to shake. The road can't take much more of this. Its going have to give way soon.

"Like you said," I whisper, blinking the sweat from my eyes, "Let Tensei have his moment, yes?"

"Idiot. You're really an idiot." Castiel curses while grabbing at my hands to try pulling me off him, "You'll doom us both. Release me now before its too late!"

I give a low chuckle and ramp up core output for the final push. "Its too late to beg you mean." I remark smugly as the wreckage of the car continues to sink into the ground. The spiderweb of cracks has now spread to cover almost the entire road. Once the road collapses, The Voice can bury both of us in the rubble. I'll be fine, after all this is not a new experience for me. I doubt The Voice is going to be quite so gentle with Castiel though. He might be able to survive the drop, but there's no telling when he will be dug out by rescuers.

Castiel shouts in panic and frustration, "The Perfecta is attracted to magic you fool!"

Yes. Duh. I roll my eyes at Castiel's outburst. Tell me something I don't know.

"Transmigrator," The Voice rasps, "you might want to look up."

What? I glance upwards as advised by The Voice while keeping my hands firmly on Castiel's head. And see the multiple faces of the Perfecta leering unpleasantly at both of us, licking their chops hungrily. The Perfecta is completely ignoring the Hero and Heroines slashing and blasting away at its side, its arms idly fending the trio off, in favor of staring at Castiel and I.

"Break your spell now." Castiel whispers urgently, "And don't move. With luck its attention will return to Tensei and his friends."

Shit. Before I can say anything, the Perfecta slams its limbs into the ground and lopes towards Castiel and I. I quickly release my grip on him and try to sprint as far away as I can while Castiel desperately tears his way out of the car I had trapped him in, cursing me for trying to leave him behind as a distraction.

But the pounding footsteps of the Perfecta is too much for the abused road to bear and its surface begins to give way, opening up into a massive yawning abyss. As Castiel emerges to waist from the wrecked car, the entire vehicle tips to the side and falls into the gaping void with the Incarnate still trapped within it.

The Perfecta screeches furiously as the damaged road crumbles beneath its weight. Its arms and legs dig impotently into the rubble for some kind of purchase but the Perfecta begins to slowly slide into the widening pit.

"Rose! Hang on!" the Hero shouts.

Turning around, I see that Brocon had gotten herself entangled within the thrashing limbs of the Perfecta is being dragged into the pit along with it. She flares her core and conjured a creeping wave of acidic rime against the Perfecta's limbs in an effort to free herself, but the regeneration of the beast easily overcomes her spell. As a last resort, Brocon extends her hands to grab on to the Hero, but its too late. She falls out of sight, leaving the Hero dumbly grasping at air.

Better get to slaying the beast Hero. The life of your lady depends on it. Well, not really, but nobody needs to actually know that right? Looks like I managed to outrun the opening abyss at least. I cautiously peer over the edge and see Castiel finally managing to free himself from the car after plummeting to the bottom of the pit. Just as I am considering how to deal with him, I feel someone tapping me on the shoulder.

Who could it be?

As I turn around, a wave of fists slam into my face, knocking me forwards and into the yawning abyss. My legs struggle to retain their balance, but the ground betrays me, crumbling into dust. Everything is in slow motion as my body falls, while I turn to see who had sucker punched me.

And I see Naiberg standing above me at the edge of the pit, cheerfully sending me off with several thumbs up.