Rivna leaps backwards away from Armolos and lands next to Bolt, too stunned from Armolos’ statement to ask about his well being. Loc and Hannah rush into the area from the mine’s tunnels.

Loc runs and kneels down next to Bolt, revealing concern in his face. Hannah appears to be completely indifferent.

Gust: His Majesty…

Zephyr: And the Witch Tier…

Bolt: Your Majesty…

Loc: Are you alright?

Bolt: I almost wish you hadn’t come. That Veguhl there is the grand master of Yhol Arts. He taught me everything I know about the occupation of a Yhol-Yin.

Loc takes a good look at Armolos.

Loc: All I see is an ugly old pirate.

Armolos chuckles at Loc’s statement.

Rivna: Daughter of Roh? What did you mean by that?

Armolos smirks.

Armolos: It’s precisely as it sounds. I know all about your true origins, Witch Tier.

Loc and Hannah look amused. Rivna grunts.

Rivna: (Is this some sort of trick done by the Queen of Queens? Or is he genuine?)

Rivna points her sword at Armolos.

Rivna: How is it that you know my father’s name?

Armolos gets into a wide martial arts stance and spreads his wings.

Armolos: How about the great and honorable Witch Tier force this so called pirate to reveal his secrets.

Bolt chuckles.

Bolt: You’d be hard-pressed to survive a bout with the likes of her, Armolos.

Loc: Don’t let him provoke you Rivna. You’ll just play right into his hands--

Rivna dashes to Armolos swinging her sword with a desperate look. Armolos quickly squats into a low profile and fans his wings, blowing Rivna back.

Rivna lands on her feet, but upon looking back at her opponent she finds Armolos right in front of her face. He decks her straight in the face with an electrically imbued palm. The electricity immobilizes her, forcing her to stand in place. Armolos shakes his head with a deviant smile.

Armolos: Didn’t your father ever tell you to think before you act in battle?

Armolos gets into a wide stance and thrusts his palm into Rivna’s stomach with perfect form, launching her yards away into a wall. The impact creates a debris of snow and ice which hides Rivna from sight. Most of the room looks shocked.

Loc: Rivna!

Armolos stands upright, perfectly poised and full of confidence.

Hannah: His Gaiiamancy isn’t bad. He hasn’t used a lick of steam yet and he’s already embarrassing the Witch Tier.

Armolos: Is this the great power you have placed your faith in Bolt? Is this what you have committed your life to honoring and protecting? What was all that constant training for?

Bolt looks back at Rivna with a flabbergasted look.

Bolt: (How can the great and mighty Witch Tier fall so easily to an Innokian?)

Armolos: You foolish pupil. Can’t you see that the Witch Tier is nothing but a confused Innokian girl that was plucked from an age long lost? She carries not the hope of our kind but the burden that will lead to our demise.

The debris clears and Rivna appears to be embedded into the wall, unconscious. Armolos turns to Loc.

Armolos: And you. The supposed modern day Sagi, savior of the Innokians. You spiritual Arcane truly sicken me. What is it with you and your kind digging up what should always remain buried? Are you that eager to meet the same fate as your father?

Loc grunts in frustration.

Loc: (How does this Innokian supposedly know about Rivna’s past? Even I don’t know anything about her true origins.)

Armolos gets into a wide martial arts stance as electricity and small gusts of wind surround his arms.

High up in a deep dark alcove in a corner of the area is Smoke, who is leaning against the wall viewing the action intently.

Armolos: Fortunately for you it is not my place to see you to your destiny, however, I will take great delight in proving how ill-placed my young-wing pupil’s faith is.

Loc: (Shit. I don’t have enough vyrkra to go toe-to-toe with this crook.)

Lady Agatha: (Who said vyrkra was all you needed to succeed?)

Loc looks surprised by Agatha’s words suddenly echoing within his head. Hannah clears her throat.

Hannah: Just give the word whenever you want me to step in and roast this overgrown bird for you, Big Brother. It’s clear he’s a lot more capable than his fledgling peers.

Loc: You are to remain nothing more than a bystander in this bout Hannah.

Hannah pouts and steps away from Loc.

Hannah: You’re no fun. Fine then! Don’t blame me for whatever comes next.

Lady Agatha: (Remember, you are not alone, Young King.)

Loc: (Of course I’m not alone. I have The Will governing my destiny after all.)

Armolos charges at Loc. Loc produces a Steam Gauntlet.

Bolt: Look out, Your Majesty!

Loc smirks and throws a steam spewing Steam Spear into the ground before him. Armolos quickly swerves off course and fans his wings to blow Loc off his feet. A trail of steam follows Loc from his gauntlet.

Armolos: Don’t think you can outsmart me boy! I’m fully aware of your cunning little tricks.

Armolos closes in on Loc. Loc smirks and his eyes flash black. A fiery explosion occurs at the location of Loc’s implanted Steam Spear. The fire travels along the trail of steam left behind from his gauntlet and singes the corner of Armolos’ wing, forcing him to back away.

He lets out a subtle grunt as he examines his minor injury.

Armolos: (That minuscule attack actually managed to damage me. I’ve never seen such vyrkrial potency.)

Armolos: It appears you’re not as pathetic of a fighter as I initially took you for. However--

Armolos aims his electrically imbued arm at Loc and snaps his fingers, launching a direct bolt of electricity at Loc. Loc his hit and brought to his knees, stunned.

Armolos: So this is him? This is the prophesied savior of Irikihl? This is what our people have risked life and death over the centuries for?

Bolt: (Defeated again. And at the hands of a power smaller than the Queen of Queens no less. How can the outcome of this bout unfold in such a manner? Is this a sign of what’s to come?)

Armolos: I believe this sad excuse for a warrior is clear proof that we need not depend on The Will in our efforts. He is not even worthy of wielding the Witch Slayer.

Loc: (Damn, this old pirate. I can’t move.)

Hannah: Loc!

Armolos: The queens are invincible boy! No mortal ever has nor ever will change this fact. The Will has abandoned the plight of Irikihl. We must take matters into out own hands to make the best out of this situation for our people.

Armolos chuckles.

Armolos: Yes, you certainly possess power, but you lack proper training. Perhaps if you spent more time pursuing your own potential than useless lost relics you’d have a real chance at achieving your goals.

Armolos turns to Bolt.

Armolos: Take a gander Bolt. This is what happens when you value myths and the gods of fables over the fruits of self discipline.

Hannah: Hey bird man, I think you’ve picked on my big brother enough.

Loc: Stay out of this Hannah.

Hannah: But he was trying to kill you.

Loc: Great Spirit willing, I will never taste death.

Loc: (Damn. All I know is a few Blavyk Arts and the Yhol-Oiudyn technique. Avalo and Avaega. Neither of those techniques are swift enough to catch him, and Yhol-Oiudyn is too risky to attempt right in front of him. He hasn’t even used any of his steam yet, so a surprise attack by usurping his steam output is too unlikely. I don’t have many options here.)

Lady Agatha: (Remember what I told you, Young King. You are not alone.)

Loc: (But what can anyone do against this Veguhl? He’s too well trained for any of my crew members to take on by themselves.)

Rivna: (How about if I freeze him for you?)

Loc looks alerted. He glances at Rivna, who still appears to be unconscious.

Loc: (I thought you closed off your mind to me.)

Rivna: (While it’s true that I never wish to experience that berserk state I felt during the siege, the vision from beyond time we just experienced was far worse.)

Loc: (Wait, you were in my dream as well?)

Rivna: (Loc, I experience all of your dreams.)

Loc looks taken aback.

Rivna: (We are truly one Loc. And the more time passes the more I understand that my purpose in this life is to be your sword. Never forget that you are never alone.)

Loc smiles.

Loc: (Then how about we roast this old bird. If you can find a way to immobilize him, if only for just a moment, I can hit him with an Avaega art.)

Rivna: (That’s not all Loc. I know the Blavyk Arts Qualo, Quaega, and even the devastating third tier technique Quagigos. These water arts can also be used by you as long as we stay linked. I learned these vyrkra arts naturally from when I used to spar with my father and brother.)

Loc: (Wait, you’re right. Somehow I know how to perform those techniques right now. And there are two more Blavyk Arts that I can perform through you as well I believe.)

Rivna: (Frelo, and Fregigos. These vyrkra arts are much more difficult to perform but they can momentarily freeze him in place. However they’ll require a lot more steam to pull off than the Qualo tree of techniques, so we have to make sure we make this count. So shall I buffer our main attack by using Qualo?)

Loc: (No. If we use too many Celestial Arts he’ll use an Uutmyrr technique to seal us from using them. We’ll focus on fighting on his terms until we find an opening.)

Loc fights the electricity by standing upright. Armolos shakes his head.

Armolos: It’s futile boy.

Lightning bursts onto the scene by kicking Armolos. He turns and blocks with an arm.

Armolos: Ah, another stubborn pupil of mine that has abandoned all reason.

Lightning: You abandoned us when you abandoned your faith in The Will and his Sagi!

Electricity surges around Lightning and she grunts from being shocked. Armolos leaps high and kicks her away. As he lands he dodges a gunshot that was aimed at his feet. Alerted Armolos quickly looks up in the direction Smoke is, but he’s nowhere to be seen.

Rivna rushes to him from the wall swinging her sword. Armolos is caught off guard as Rivna pulls the trigger of her Steam Sword.

Loc: Frelo!

A giant mound of ice encases Armolos, locking him in place. Loc slides on his goggles, produces his Steam Buster, and aims it at Armolos--

Loc: Avaega!

Alerted, Rivna turns to Loc holding up her hand.

Rivna: No wait!

The Steam Buster spews steam and a barrage of bullet shaped fire is shot at Armolos. Each round creates a mini fiery explosion that blasts Armolos out of the cave. The intense attack completely disintegrating his body with ease, resulting in the sound of a train whistle being heard.

Everyone looks at the carnage in complete shock. There is a long pause.

Lady Agatha: (Well done, Young King. You’re on your way to mastering the Soul Pact.)

Bolt gazes at the fiery cloud that was once his old master with great displeasure.

Chapter End