\Tides Of Protomis XXXVII

The Eagle's Wingbeat

It didn’t take Alarick and Gihren long to make their first strikes, dashing at each other within a moment, and entering melee range just as fast. Gihren was the first to attack, swiping downward with his scythe. Only for Alarick to weave backward, moving out of the way. But his opponent was quick enough to react, reversing the course of his blade, which slashed Alarick’s armor as it came back toward its wielder, chipping his armor. Alarick took notice, and quickly skidded away from his opponent, slamming his foot onto the ground. Something followed by a rod formed from stone rising out of the ground, longer than the blonde’s body. As he grasped it, a sharpened edge appeared. Now, Alarick pointed the blade upward, as he jumped back. Taking note of Gihren bounding through the sky, attacking him from his right. He adjusted his aim. Moving his arm and the point of the blade alike, before he launched it like a javelin, now, the weapon began to close into the spot where Gihren stopped, his previous one.

However, the scythe-wielder moved around, using his scythe to go under the rather unwieldy large spearhead. He rotated around the rod, using it as leverage to fly forward, and, as Alarick prepared by putting his hands up in his defense, he changed his trajectory, moving to Alarick’s left, as he sent a kick to his ribs. Alarick, showcasing his reflexes, sent a kick toward him shortly after, intercepting the strike. Alarick readied yet another attack, as he clenched his fist. But, Gihren was quick to take note, moving away as the blonde’s fist shot out... But he took notice of something, even with the fact that he’d hit air, this guy looked confident, suspiciously so. Alarick jumped forward, yet another lance in his hand, he began to launch rapid thrusts at Gihren’s torso, but the man was just as quick managing to avoid the strikes and the bursts of air that followed. He returned with his own strike once more, putting his scythe under the head of the spear, stopping it in its tracks… He then pulled it away, though, something irked him... Why would he let him take his blade that easily? And just as he questioned this, did a left punch fly toward his body. Gihren put his hands up, as he planted his feet into the ground. Even so, he was sent flying back, going across the city, and destroying whatever lay in his path. A smirk found its way onto Alarick’s face as he watched this.

“If I survive, huh…”

Now, he was prepared to press the attack, not willing to give his opponent any time to recover. He began to fly through the city, approaching his landing area, or, where he believed it was. But, he soon found himself slowing down, as he heard the distinct blow of gale-force winds. His gaze flew around, as he tried to find the source. He began to focus on the sound, as he prepared to set up a defense. The right move, given what flew toward him. As he looked over his shoulder, an arm resembling GIhren’s flew at him, a scythe in hand! His eyes widened like dinner plates in his surprise. He swiftly sidestepped the arm, avoiding the blade.

“What, How?!”

Though Alarick jumped out of the way, the arm simply followed him, as if it homed in on him. The scythe slashed across his armor, across the same spot gihren attacked before, as it was already chipped, the blade cut clean through. Leaving a small cut on Alarick… While all this took place, Gihren rose to his feet. Easily pushing off the debris from the ruined building off of him, as a snide smirk made its way onto his face. He grasped his scythe once more. Before he threw himself at Alarick, Bringing the blade of the Scythe behind his head. All the while, his opponent was occupied trying to avoid the disembodied arm.

“... I Just need to keep the pressure on… If I do that, it’s over, Just like that…”

Alarick’s eyes darted to the right, as Gihren took a swing at him. He leaped out of the way once more, only for the limb to come in from the opposite direction. Slashing through his armor once more, as the blade engraved itself into his shoulder, leaving a gash across his skin as it moved past. Alarick tsked as he attempted to move away. Even so, Gihren swiped at him once more, leaving yet another crack in his armor. Alarick was not content to let himself go down that easily. He landed on the ground, stamping his foot onto the ground, displacing the pavement, and revealing the brown earth underneath.

Dagger-shaped stones soon followed. Alarick grasped them between his fingers, before throwing them out, and creating more distance between the fighters. One hit gihren’s shoulder, and the rest were deflected by a swipe of his scythe. And, just like that, Gihren continued his charge, unlike

last time, however, he did not charge straight out, rapidly changing his angling, his path forward.

“If I move like this… You won’t be able to predict where I’ll attack from. Not as easily, at the least... Any proto-human knows that even a moment in a battle like this can end up being deadly.”

Gihren continued flashing around the street watching as Alarick’s eyes flew toward him, and around himself searching for his flying appendage. As soon as his gaze moved toward him once more, Gihren’s arm shot out from its hiding place, one of the many buildings around them. Now, the arm came once more, cutting through his armor like butter. Alarick swiftly rolled to his left, getting away from the arm. However, the Scythe user was not finished yet, especially given that he appeared in front of him, the blade of his weapon overhead. Alarick, in a split second, crossed his arms over his skull in his defense. Instead, Letting the tip of Gihren’s scythe clash into his gauntlets. Sparks flew as Alarick’s muscles tightened, attempting to hold his opponent's blade back. Gihren relentlessly continued his attack, taking swipe after swipe in an attempt to end the Von Zaisen, as a smirk made its way onto his face.

“It’s a good thing they cleared me to fight you, Now we can see who’s family is truly the strongest!”

As the attacks continued, Alarick focused on his opponent once more, ignoring his words. He began to analyze him more closely, his movements, his timing, his patterns.

“...I’ve begun to create a profile... He seems fond of faster swings. Diagonal and Vertical strikes mostly. While he changes the pattern quite a bit, there’s something else I can analyze…”

He focused on the Scythe-wielder's body, the twitches of his muscle, and the minute movements, down to even that of a finger. He took note of something, the hand holding the scythe beginning to elevate.

“Vertical strike, the opening’s here!”

Alarick lifted his feet off of the ground, as he sidestepped the downward strike from Gihren. Letting the blade cleave through the concrete, rather than himself. Gihren’s gaze quickly shot over to the blonde, as he began to lift his blade once more. But, before he did, Alarick thrust his fist into his torso. Something his opponent wasn’t expecting. His frame shook as the fist made a visible impact, soon followed by him being sent flying back. Only stopping as he planted his feet into the ground, creating two distinct lines of broken pavement. Gihren glanced down at the trickle of blood dripping down his lips.

“He’s better than I thought… But that just means I'll have to fight harder!”

All the while, Alarick prepared to make his next move, as he stamped his foot onto the ground, letting the stones on the ground under him wash over his armor, beginning to repair the numerous cracks and chinks.

“So this is his ability…” He mumbled.

“And that's not all…” Gihren responded. Something that was soon followed by him leaping back. Before, he began to yell out, his voice echoing through the streets once more. More than aware of what happened beforehand, Alarick jumped forward, not willing to let him finish whatever he was planning, it already seemed to be much too late. As another pair of arms, much smaller than his normal ones, sprouted from further down on his torso. And, it was only a small bit after that, that his arm flew by once again, dropping smaller, scythe-like blades that fell into the miniature limbs palms. With the grip tightened soon after. Alarick put his hand on his chin as he thought.

“This is an issue... That's Two new Variables added to the battle. And there are still more unanswered questions. what's the upper limit of what he can create, how quickly can he do so? If I don’t get those questions answered, any strategy I make will be use-”

His thoughts were interrupted, as Gihren began to zip toward him once more. Alairck swiftly stomped the ground once again, as he yelled out.

“Earth Palisade!!”

With his words invoked, the ground began to rumble. Though it was light at first, it was notable nonetheless, Gihren’s gaze flew around, as he decided to make a retreat, backing away from Alarick.

“Is he the source?” The tremors began to intensify, as the roads around Gihren began to crack, splitting up into smaller sections, as thick walls of earth, rivaling the height of the buildings around them shot out of the ground, demolishing much of the area around him. Boxing the fighter in, He glanced around at the walls. Before he looked to the sky, taking the opportunity, he began ascending. But Alarick was not finished yet… As stone panels rose from the walls, covering the roof, and forming a makeshift dome over the walls. Leaving Gihren floating unmoving within the pitch-black space.

“Tch, I'd rather not wear down my blades trying to break through that. It's much thicker than that armor of his… I'll have to punch my way through. “

Gihren landed, walking across the destroyed asphalt under his feet, trying to gain his bearings. It was only when he felt the cold stone of the wall on his palm, that he began carrying out his attack. Hitting the stone wall with a flurry of punches, and punching a hole into it. But he found that he wasn’t done yet, as no light made its way in.

“Layered… That’s more work for me. But that’ll just make my victory sweeter. You’re a good opponent, Alarick Von Zaisen.”

Now, he began advancing, punching through the layers one by one. Outside, Alarick could feel the vibrations, he could hear his approach. He stomped the ground once more, as pillars of stone rose out of the ground, they stayed suspended in the air, as he pointed them toward the dome. Squinting his eyes as the sound and the vibrations became clearer, and clearer, until, about a minute later, Gihren smashed through the final layer, ready to continue his attack. However, he did not get to, as the storm of stone flew toward him.

‘He doesn't let up…” Gihren mumbled.

As he closed his mouth, he leaped into the sky, avoiding being hit. the two extra arms from his torso splitting off. Something Alairck took note of, changing the direction of the pillars, putting them into the arms path, and stopping them in their place. With those occupied, more pillars rose from the ground, splitting up as they went toward Gihren. He kicked the first one to arrive, destroying it with his strength. But another came from behind. Hitting his back. Breaking his rhythm. Followed by another from the left, and right. Before another smashed into his stomach, making his torso fold, as his mouth was forced open, the wind knocked out of him. His eyes widened as he remained stunned, long enough for more pillars to smash into him, further increasing the damage on his body. Blood dripped down his chin. By now, he was losing much more than beforehand. However, before he was able to take notice of that fact, another pillar came from above, smashing the youth into the ground, and creating a crater around him…

Gihren sat there, as he arched his brows, a frown made its way onto his face. They hadn’t even been fighting that line, and he was already this close to defeat? His thoughts began rushing, quicker, and quicker until a string of words began to repeat within his head.

“I can’t let it end this easily, I WON’T let this end this easily… I AM AN ALFON!!!”

Finally, Gihren shot out of the crater, destroying the pillar above him, and taking him to the skies. And no sooner, did alarick send more pillars at him. This time, however, Gihren was ready, dashed toward his opponent, descending, and gliding across the ground as he weaved the stone, with his three separated arms following closely behind him, revolving around him like a cyclone. around the pillars. As he came close, he took a swing at Alarick with his scythe and caught him across the chest, leaving a cut in his armor. He tsked, as he attempted to jump back, but his arms would come to support his assault. The larger of the three cleaving through the front of his armor, leaving a diagonal cut. The smaller two appeared behind him, doing the very same. And it was only then, that Gihren took a swipe, ripping apart the uniform just under the armor, and leaving a bloody gash on Alarick’s chest.

“Damn... This isn’t gonna be easy.”

Alarick stepped back, moving out of melee range. But, he found that the smaller arms began to pester him once more, throwing small bladed projectiles at him, which only missed by a hair. Chinking the armor that remained on his legs and arms.

“I need to regain my footing… It doesn't matter how many there are if they can’t advance.”

“Multi-Earth Cutter!!”

Alarick slammed his foot into the ground again, and, out came blades of stone, as he flew back, he grabbed them between his fingers, flinging them at his opponent, and, as he tapped his foot, he did the same once again, again, and again. And though the arms continued, regardless of the blades stabbed into them, given Alarick’s unchanged expression, he was not finished yet. He tapped his foot once more.

“Stone Pillars!”

Now, the earth flew from the ground once more, moving directly above the arms, before slamming them into the ground, driving the knives deeper within. Something Gihren took note of… Even so, no matter how he tried, and how much the arms writhed on the ground, they did not move, with the knives stabbed into them embedded into the dirt. For good measure, Alarick stomped once again. As a globe of rock grew to cover the limbs... Gihren watched this with widened eyes, While Alarick looked at this with a snide smirk on his face.

“I think we all know Whose family is the strongest now... And I'll tell you one thing, It ain’t yours.”

Gihren frowned at this, as he tightened his grip on his face… He’d dare to say something like that?!

“That's the limit… it's time to do this--ARMS, COME!!! HECATONCHEIRES FORMATION!!”

A feeling began to run through Alarick, just between his shoulders, as he detected a certain change around him… Something that was accompanied by something else, Alarick heard the sound of gale force wind calling from all directions, as he took note of this, he also took note of the numerous shadows appearing on the ground, and as he looked to the sky, he saw it, arms, identical to Gihren’s own, flew overhead, scythes in their hands. Rapidly closing in on their origin, Gihren himself.

“Oh great. What is it now?! His protomis is growing by the second!”

Across the city, Arctaius floated, with fists held in front of his chin, ready to engage in battle with the redhead he found himself up against. Valerie held her palm toward Arctaius, ready to attack as well. However, neither of the two did so, as they glanced in the direction of the two fighters, though they made sure to keep some of their attention on the other.

‘That burst I just felt… It's not Alarick, Kazimir, or Zhao…”

Valerie smirked as she took note of who it was coming from.

“That's Gihren... That friend of yours is in some trouble… We’re a lot stronger than we look, You know.”

Arctaius turned his full attention back to her as that word came out of her mouth.

“I don't think that "Friend" is the right word… I'd say "Associate" is better…”

Elsewhere, Zhao looked behind him, Tetsuya did nothing, simply keeping his gaze on his opponent. After all, why would he care about what happened to either of them?

Zhao:... Things must be getting even worse over there.

The arms began to organize themselves, beginning to float in layered Half-circles behind Gihren. The wielder of the arms said nothing, simply watching Alarick, and then, pointing. On command, the arms rushed Alarick, beginning to swarm him like angry hornets. Before he was able to make a move, Gashes began to appear across his body in a matter of seconds, he gritted his teeth as the onslaught continued.

“I won't be able to hold off this amount… I'll need to pull out my own trump card”.

Part B

Heinzburg, Capital of Delmenforde, 2009 CE.

Though the war raged on in delmenford’s eastern border regions, with their longtime enemy, penzenheim, it looked to most like the war would end no time soon. With, as of that point, nobody able to break through the front lines. Even with the Penzen forces pushed out of Delmenford territory. It came as a surprise to most when an unknown fleet appeared over the city, the ships unrecognized in any state’s armory, and the troops that descended down, wearing uniforms and armors, that, similar to the ships, were unrecognized. Their target, the estate of House Von Zaisen. A long line of Delmenford generals that led the kingdom’s ground forces since its founding. Their house was the only one in the country that survived in its original form… However, on this day, that line was threatened.

In the center of the courtyard, Stood a man with short blonde hair, and a beard, Wearing regal black clothes. Adorned with gold markings, Symbols of his status. As well as medals, Awards from his actions on various fronts of the war. His blue eyes were filled with rage, as electricity flowed around him... Alarick von Zaisen, the VII. The smell of the smoke and the burning around him filled his nose. The bitter cold that he’d normally expect from the winter, was instead replaced by the heat of flames. While the constant sound of particle beams reverberated through his ears. The man clenched his fist, as he glanced around at the ones who’d apparently been sent to eliminate him, a mass of proto-humans, about 50, donning gray cloaks, their faces obscured by white masks. Soon the arcs around him grew, as they began to flow around him, and even began to morph. Those around him covered their eyes. Left unaware of the electricity morphing into what resembled an eagle… Before it burst outward, the arcs knocked the troops away with the force. The effects did not stop there, however, with the warships that formerly loomed above, ripped into pieces as the bolts crashed into them. All the while, a younger Alarick watched this from the entrance to the castle’s underground layers, his body covered in the snow that descended upon the manor. It was then, and only then, that Alarick opened his eyes… He would end this, and he would do so with that.

“The technique passed down through my family, though we may have changed it based on our individual abilities. There is a similarity between them all. Grandfather, Father’s, and Mine… We make use of the symbol of our family, the proud eagle… “

Soon after, the ground began to rumble lightly. For some moments, it was slight, nearly unnoticeable. However, it was but a few moments before it began to intensify. Something that did not go unnoticed by the evacuees. Within the back of a long, armored truck. Harshly lit by white lights. Students sat on opposite ends on benches within, with murmuring beginning soon after, as the shaking began to become more, and more noticeable.

“Could it just be an earthquake?”

“It could be, but after what we just saw earlier… I have to doubt that.”

Under Alarick, pillars swiftly rose, removing him from the swarm of blades, and raising him into the sky. It was only after the pillar deformed, that armor began to re-forge around his body, the plates becoming thicker and thicker as time went on. As a small tinge of blue light began to flow around the armor’s surface. Gihren’s eyes widened at this.

“What?! His Protomis is equal to mine??!”

Elsewhere, Valerie’s eyes darted in their direction, as she turned her head.

“What, When did he-”

Arctaius said nothing, instead opting to keep his gaze on Valerie. After all, he wasn’t worried, knowing full well who the source was.

“That's the Half-Pint… without a doubt.”

Elsewhere, Kazimir sat on the sidewalk, his back against the brick wall of one of the many buildings, Miyamoto Unconscious, head leaned onto his shoulder. Though he didn’t take note of this, rather, his focus was elsewhere.

“We never did see his full power, I guess we get to see what he's capable of…” Thought Kazimir.

Soon, the armor continued to grow, until its shape began to Morph, the stones had sculpted themselves into what looked like wings. The top of the creation turned into a head and a distinct beak.

“It's over now-- VON ZAISEN ART: ALDER HAUTSCHINDER!!! (Eagle Skinflayer)”

The armor spread its wings, as a wave of air pressure flew outward, demolishing much of the city around them with a single wing flap, and, accompanying it, were sharpened spears of stone, barreling toward Gihren’s arms, and stabbing into them, before crashing into the ground like javelins. Their heads breaking through the earth. And, just like that, leaving the arms pinned behind Gihren he looked over his shoulder, at the arms removed from his formation, before returning his gaze to the Blonde.

“Tch… I'm not done yet!!!”

The arms began to weave around the sky, to avoid being pierced. However, despite this, the number only seemed to grow, and grow, and grow once again. Soon, the construct had even grown legs, and claws at the very edge of its wings. And, there it was, an eagle formed entirely of the gray and black stone around them. Soon, it began moving. With a flap of its wings, gale force winds came afterward, the devastation spreading even further, as the buildings were ripped apart within moments, a giant cloud of dust formed over the city, as debris cascaded through the sky. . Gihren’s arms were soon torn apart by the winds, and some cuts were even left on his body.

“It’s time to end this. WINGBEAT BARRAGE!!!”

Soon, a Barrage of strikes begins, Gihren is struck from all over by the giant hands as well as the Talons, his body is punctured as well. The gales flew outward again, and again, and again. And once again, what surrounded them, was flattened. However, after some strikes. Alarick noticed it, he no longer felt the Man’s protomis. He looked down onto the scythe-wielder's body. Which, to the end, never fell. Even as the blood from his wounds stained the area below him, he stood there unmoving, his eyes devoid of color. Alarick sighed, as he looked upon this. It wasn’t so much the fact that he was dead, rather-

“Here I was saying I'd let house Von Zaisen die with me… Then I turn around and get excited to fight on the behalf of men that have been dead for centuries?”

He shook his head, as he began to walk away from the body. The wounds were bad enough, hopefully, nobody else would pop up… Just like that, the battle was over, and the Reaper, the final Alfon, met his end. Arctaius and Valerie watched this from afar, and, though Arctaius’ face remained neutral, the same could not be said for Valerie. A rage began to simmer under the surface, as an enraged expression began to appear on her visage. She balled her fists, as she turned her focus back to the recipient of her anger.

“With that stone eagle there, and your friend seemingly getting caught in the middle of that attack, I'd say that he was the one in trouble there… His Protomis seems to have disappeared.”

Arctaius finally turned his gaze toward her, taking note of narrowed eyes, as she glared at him. Her gaze almost looked like one that could pierce through a man.

“You… YOU!!” She yelled,a deadly edge in her voice.

Just like that, a friend she’d known for years had been taken from her… It happened, it always did happen again, didn’t it...

“You bastards killed Gihren! I’ll make you pay for that!”

This statement put a grimace on the man’s face. Such Hypocrisy, there’s no way he’d let that pass.

“Somebody working for the Kaemerge has no right to complain- with what you all participated in… You’d best be ready, You’re next.” Arctaius responded.

“As if- I won't let myself die before I get revenge for Gihren…”

To Be Continued