Chapter 47: Five Vs One Conclusion

Elise: “Fire Shot!”

No sooner did the words leave her mouth, several fire balls flew toward Nathan.

Nathan: “Ha!”

Did they really believe Nathan would allow that spell to hit him? Nathan jumped out of the way of the attack, only to have the fire balls turn in his direction.

Nathan: “Ooooh.”

Nathan cut down several fire balls, several more still chasing him.

*swoosh**Cling*

While Nathan move to dodge the attack, flaming arrows and knives struck his blade as he knock them away. Nathan plants, a lot more than his initial patch, popped out of the ground while he smacked the way the arrows and knives, the remainder of the fire balls were shredded by bullet seed fire.

Beatrice: “Elise get ready.”

Elise: “Right, “Roaring spirits of flame, heed my words.”

Nathan turned it towards Elise and fired. Tin Man quickly stepped in front of them, the bullets colliding with his armor. It had the same green aura as before. Beatrice and Cerin Backed off, while Shane continued firing arrows.

Nathan volley of bullets increased, now targeting Shane as well. He quickly jumped behind Tin Man kept taking the attack.

Nathan: “You overestimate that armor.”

There was no way he wasn’t being hurt, if not for that green aura, compared to the Gorgons armor, it might as well be aluminum. Tin Man checked his hp, slowly but surely, it was depleting. Nathan looked around, Beatrice, Shane and Cerin had ceased attacking.

Beatrice: “Elise.

Elsie: “Right, “Searing Shroud”!”

A red light shot out all around, encircling the five and expanding towards Nathan. Nathan put his hands up to avoid it, but the light simply passed right through him. Elise collapsed, the spell had taking a lot of mana, more then she could recover from quickly. He looked around, nothing had change or, so he thought. No sooner did he think that, did he begin to burst into flame.

Nathan: “Ah, shit.”

Nathan quickly begin to heal himself, clearing the burns from his body. He waited a moment, but nothing happened.

Nathan: “(Was that it?)”

Nathan looked over to everyone, their expression said that something else was up. Beatrice suddenly ran towards Nathan, her sword drawn. Nathan reached for his sword, only to have his sleeve ignite. He swatted away the flames, but doing so made more flames. All the time Beatrice had closed the distance. She swung her sword at him, which Nathan quickly blocked. His hands begin to burn as the hilt of his sword had become hot to the touch.

Beatrice: “I’m surprised, yours clothes didn’t burn away yet.”

Nathan: “Yeah, I tweaked them a bit. The question is, why aren’t you burning and please don’t say something like her spells don’t affect her party members.”

Beatrice punched Nathan and his side, breaking his stance and causing him to gain some distance. His clothes bursting into flames as he did. He patted ou the flames and healed himself.

Beatrice: “Nothing as convenient as that.”

Beatrice held up her arm, showing off her bracelet.”

Beatrice: “Ember stone, makes us fire resistant, all I feel is a heat wave, we only have four, but Elise can just stay away.”

Shane: “Surprised?”

Shane, walked up next to Beatrice, the fire not bothering him either.”

Nathan: “Not really, I kinda figure you would do this.”

Shane: “What?”

Nathan: “Well, you obviously wanted to come up with counter measure for my plants. Let me guess, it was an area effect spell, that will set anything made of wood or plants ablaze, make water and ice spells less effective, make fire spells more effective along with fire weaponry, yada, yada, yada?”

Shane and everyone looked a little shock, he had pretty much guess everything.

Nathan: “I can tell from your faces, I’m completely right. Only thing I can’t figure out is why I’m not on fire right now? At first, I thought it was because I was going for my weapon and reacted to my intent. But, I caught fire while I was making some distance between Beatrice and myself. Why was that?

*Swish*Swish*

Shane fired some arrows at Nathan who dodge them easily, it was like he was trying to shut him up. Though it did cause his clothes to set fire again. This time he figured it out.”

Nathan: “Movement, it reacts to large movements. So, the more I jump around, the more I catch fire. Wait, you based this off of how I moved in the Bath. You thought I was gonna be leaping around like a madman, trying to escape. Was this your trump card?

Beatrice: “So what if you know, it won’t matter.”

Shane: “It doesn’t make it any less effective, it’s over, the areas to wide for you to escape, like we let you in the first place.”

Nathan: “So this is your trump card.”

Shane: “That’s right, this is the end, you’re coming with us.”

Nathan: “Oh thank goodness.”

Elise: “What?”

Anais: “Negative Pulse!”

Between Beatrice and Nathan, a black orb appeared. Everyone turn to find a therian girl, who seemingly appeared from nowhere.

Shane: “Who the fuck!?”

Elise: “What is this?”

Beatrice: “Elise, what’s wrong?”

Elise: “That thing, my spell!?”

The Black orb pulsated and begin to dispel the area effect. Slowly the intense heat surrounding Nathan, faded.”

Elsie: “W-What was that spell?”

Nathan: “Don’t ask me, try asking the one who cast it.”

Anais: “I told you, doing that cost too much mana.”

Nathan: “Well, it did the job, right?”

Shane: “Bitch, who the hell are you?”

Tin Man: “How is she even here!?”

Beatrice had paid off some of the guards, making sure no one was able to travel the road.

Nathan: “This is Anais, she is one of my party members.”

Elise: “You have a party member; how did you do that and so quickly?”

Nathan: “Not quickly, she been traveling with us since the beginning.”

Elise: “Don’t lie, I felt no one else with you since we met.”

Anais: “Hey, don’t blame your lack of skill on other people. You just wasn’t strong enough to sense me.”

Elise felt a twinge, from her words, did she really not notice her or were they messing with them?”

Beatrice: “So, this is why, you didn’t join us?”

Nathan: “Not the main reason, but one of them.

Anais: “Not that he would join, such a weak team anyway.”

Beatrice: “………..What?”

*Bonk*

Anais: “Ow, what was that for?”

Nathan: “That wasn’t nice.”

Shane: “YOU LITTLE BITCH, WHO DO YOU THINK YOUR TALKING TO!?”

They didn’t like Anais’s insult and were ready to attack to defend they’re honor.”

Nathan: “Look, now they’re upset.”

Anais: “Who cares, they already in your trap anyway, what can they do?”

Beatrice: “Trap!?”

Beatrice took a quick look around, she didn’t notice anything wrong.

Shane: “Your bluffing, he’s just trying to by time.”

Nathan faced palmed and shook his head.

Anais: “What’s wrong?”

Nathan said something to her that the rest could not hear. Elise’s spell had left the ground in a sorry state and it was taking Nathan’s plants a little longer to grow. The trap hadn’t been sprung just yet and she revealed it to them haphazardly. Once they were done, Anais began sweating nervously, an expression on her face that told everyone there, she messed up.

Tin Man: “Beatrice!”

Beatrice: “Right.”

They ready themselves to attack, something was wrong, and they weren’t going to waste the chance.

Nathan: “They’re coming, get back.”

Shane and Cerin begin they’re assault on Nathan. Cerin closed the distance between him and Nathan fairly quickly. They clashed for moment, before Nathan was forced back by the arrows being shot at him. Surprisingly enough, Tin Man had joined the fray, Cerin and Shane pushed Nathan right toward him. Tin Man swung down his slab of metal he called a club, Nathan blocked with his sword, but immediately regretted. The wait of the club was heavier than anything he felt so far and he arms were going numb.

Tin Man: “Cerin!”

While Nathan was pinned under the weight of the attack, Cerin, moved in to finish him off. Nathan did the only thing he do and let go of his weapon and jumping away. Nathan avoided Cerin’s strike, but in the process lost his weapon. Nathan, breathe a sigh of release, having the off his arms. Their method of fighting seemed to have change a bit. They were actively trying to hurt him now, it seems they gave up on trying to capture him unharmed.

Shane picked up Nathan’s sword and looked it over.

Shane: “This is a really nice sword, I think I’ll keep it.”

Tin Man: “Draw your other sword, we won’t attack you disarmed.

Nathan: “Oh, how noble.”

Nathan waved his hand and another sword appeared in his hand. The three-looked stunned once again, seeing another sword appear in his hand from nowhere.

Nathan: “The one on my back is for special occasions.

Tin Man: “Who are you?”

Nathan: “I’m Nathan, I thought I already established that.”

Tin Man was beginning to believe they had chosen the wrong person to cross, but it was too late for that. Anais’s words must have hurt they’re pride, he was glad that Beatrice had stupidly went after Anais. If she was with them, they might have caught him just then.

Anais: “Jagged Edge!”

Stone spikes, shot up from the ground, the moment Beatrice got within striking distance of Anais. She quickly backed off, jumping away to avoid the attack

Beatrice: “(It would take here a moment to cast another spell after this. As soon as she finished, I’ll put her down, I have you respect us.)”

Anais: “Cold Snap!”

Beatrice: “What!?”

Before Beatrice realized what was going on, ice formed around her feet and was advancing up her body rapidly.

Beatrice: “How, there was no incantation?”

Anais: “I don’t need something like that.”

The ice Beatrice quickly smashed the ice her legs, in that short time they had gone numb. She had messed up, she had never heard anyone who could cast a spell without incantations. Even if Elise was up to fighting, she would be no match for someone who could cast spells in such quick succession. Too bad for her, Anais wasn’t letting up, casting her spell again.

Anais: “Flare Royale!”

A rune appeared up above, raining fire down on Beatrice.

Beatrice: “Aaagghhh!”

Elise: “Beatrice!?”

Shane: “Shit!”

Shane turned to fire on Anais, who was distracted by Beatrice.

*Smash**Smash*

Anais: “Huh?”

Anais was surprised by the sudden impact on her barrier, she glared at Nathan.

Anais: “Hey mind your own fight?”

Nathan: “Excuse me, it’s not so easy fighting three people.”

Nathan continued clashing with Cerin And Tin Man. He had momentarily gotten distracted. He Glanced down at the ground, any minute it would start taking effect. Swatting at Tin Man’s leg, he was able to knock him off balance, giving him a chance to get away.

As the dust cleared around Beatrice, she was on her knees. Gritting teeth, she smashed her fist into the ground in anger. That attack, completely missed, not one fire ball hit her.

Beatrice: “Why………..Why did you miss?”

Nathan: “Don’t look at me, Mr. pacifist didn’t want to hurt you. He made go easy on you.”

Beatrice: “What, why!?”

Nathan sheathe his sword.

Nathan: “I’m not a killer.”

Beatrice: “DON’T FUCK WITH ME, YOU THINK WE’RE SO WEAK YOU NEED TO GO EASY ON US!?”

Nathan gave Anais a look, she just shrugged her shoulders. Her earlier remarks about them being weak, cut deeper then he first thought. He didn’t think they were weak, he was impressed how fluent their attacks were. None one of their attacks got in the way of the others. It was just that after fighting the Gorgon, they didn’t feel as life threating. Though, he was sure, that excuse wouldn’t fly with them. They’re plan revolved completely around Nathan, stopping him from using plants, but it was easily thwarted by Anais.

Nathan: “I’m not going easy on you, but you probably won’t believe that huh? It’s over, I’m not going with you.”

Shane: “It’s not over. You think you’re just going to walk away?”

Nathan: “In about five seconds or so, you won’t even notice.”

Shane went to draw his bow, suddenly his eyes felt heavy. He felt he couldn’t fight closing them and it wasn’t just him, Tin Man and Cerin felt the same.

Shane: “What did you do to us?”

Nathan: “Don’t worry, you’re not in danger, your all just going to take a little nap.”

Shane: “Elise, what’s he doing to us, Elise?”

It was no use, Elise was laid out on the ground, having already lost consciousness. Soon after Shane, Cerin and Tin Man all collapsed as well.

Beatrice was the last to fall, watching her party lose consciousness, one after another. As she fought to keep he eyes open, Nathan stooped down next to her.

Nathan: “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you while your asleep, though I’ll be long gone by the time you wake up.”

He picked one of the Lillaby he had been growing and waved it in Beatrice’s face.

Nathan: “Don’t come after me, I somewhat forgiving, but the two I’m traveling with are not. If they see you again, there will be nothing I can do to stop them and trust when I say, they will end you. You have been warned.”

Beatrice cursed to herself, as she fell into unconsciousness.