On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Forty-Six

My body and chakra network screamed as I forced the wind pinning the wyrm down to one side, turning its head. White light flared past me, detonating spectacularly, the force throwing me over, where I landed painfully. My grip on the wind energy was fading, air starting to escape, but I held on for dear life, blinking away the silvery notification that my defensive barrier had been destroyed.

Shaeula hurried over and dragged me to my feet, her amber eyes radiating concern.

“I’m all right…” I groaned, spitting more silver blood, feeling it running down the side of my face as well. Retrieving my fallen spear I looked over at the wyrm, who was being jumped on by the trolls, their fists pounding. Grulgor had ripped up a mangled lamp-post and was using it as a club, shattering scales wherever he struck.

At least they are following my plan, even if I doubt it was because I said so… glancing behind me I saw the smoking crater where several apartment buildings were before. My Territory had suffered damage. Lucky that none of my constructed buildings were hit, otherwise my Territory would have taken a real beating. Still, with the barrier currently inactive the wyrm could do untold ruin…

I forced the wind I had remaining, which was probably just over half of what we had called down, to turn the head of the wyrm away, keeping it pinned down. More searing light was unleashed, dissolving half of a troll that foolishly got too near the head, but the blast went wide of my Territory, back towards the river, blasting steaming water skywards, forming pretty rainbows in the air momentarily.

“I can only hold the wind for a short while longer.” I said. “We need to keep it focused away from us and kill it then. I’m going in. You look pretty tired, wait and recover a bit, then back me up okay?”

“I do want to fight by your side… but I admit I am feeling rather exhausted.” Shaeula said wearily. “I shall remain here for now, gathering wind energy. Do nothing foolish, and I shall re-join your side for the end of this battle-battle.”

Gripping my spear I rushed in, taking care to attack the side away from where the wyrm’s head was pointing. My spear struck off the wyrm scales, doing little damage, merely gouging the rock-hard armour a little. Levering all my weight behind my next blow I thrust again, this time the spear penetrating a few inches, drawing blood, yet it was a mere pinprick to the large wyrm.

This isn’t going to do. My grip on the wind keeping it pinned down is fading, and it’d take forever to kill it like this. I need to attack somewhere more vulnerable… There were several options, the scar where I had attacked it last time was a good idea, but it was close to several trolls. There was also the injury where this wind attack had gouged it. Then there was… damn, I don’t like this.

Gripping my spear I raced around to the front of the wyrm, my spear aiming for his face where the scales were weaker. My blade pierced six inches deep, sending blood spraying. The wyrm reared and tried to shake me off, fighting against the wind that was oppressing it, but it failed, as I clung on for dear life, my arms screaming. Wrenching the spear free I thrust again and again, gouging open its cheek to the bone.

The wyrm finally managed to turn its head back against the force of our dwindling wind, mouth gaping open towards me, when a precise blade of air struck, ripping into its eye with a hideous squelch. Blood and vitreous fluid splashed everywhere and the wyrm thrashed, damaging itself against the remaining wind holding it down, shedding scales and blood everywhere.

I turned around to see the Kamaitachi grinning at me, the glow of elemental wind fading around him. Damn, that’s a good shot. Looks like I’ll have to step up my game. Grulgor had inflicted quite some damage on the wyrm as well, scales shattered by the frenzied blows he was dealing with the now unrecognisable lump of metal. The other trolls were doing their best too, holding down the struggling wyrm as much as they could. One had even managed to clamber on top of it, but as it moved towards the head it was thrown off by the wind that was holding the wyrm down.

White light was building in the throat of the wyrm again, prompting me to hurry. If the wyrm’s blast hits the wrong part of my Territory now the barrier is down… using the blind spot created by the Kamaitachi’s well timed attack I began to draw in ether from the surrounding area, converting it to aether. I supplemented this with what was in the Silo, overflowing with energy. My chakra network was throbbing, pain spiking from my lunar node as it quaked under the rapid load. No time to be frugal here. Winning is what matters. If I hit the wyrm with an attack like the last time we drove it off, then we might even finish it in the state it is in.

I would not be able to muster quite the same force, but even so with the ether I could convert I could still manage something powerful. The aether began to form a shape in the air, a shimmering white shaft that ended in a sharp point. I continued to pull in more, the falling rainbow snow being sucked into my body, breaking down into aether at a rapid rate. As I worked the wyrm breathed out once more, though due to the battling trolls it barely skimmed my Territory before exploding in the distance. Pulling in more ether I tried to work faster, as the last of my wind energy was evaporating and the wyrm was pulling free, rising off the ground, one eye staring balefully at us who were hurting it.

One troll landed a fierce blow and was rewarded by being decapitated by closing jaws. It swallowed the head and let out a cry of triumph, rising further, great droplets of blood flowing from its many wounds, striking the ground like a putrid cascade of gemstone rain. Grulgor threw his mangled metal, striking it in the skull, causing it to stagger, and I knew my one chance had arrived.

There are two spots to aim for, the old wound I caused last time, and the new one the wind has gouged in its neck. There are also areas where Grulgor has battered, but they are on the wrong side… Thinking quickly I raced behind Grulgor and his trolls, the aether spear following me. Once I was behind Grulgor and lined up with the wounds I concentrated, the spear beginning to rotate, drawing in the etheric snow and growing larger and sharper. Sorry about this Grulgor, this is a pretty crappy move, but this is a battle, and I have to look out for Shaeula and everyone else under my care. A lot of Weaselkin were dead again, having served as distractions or being caught in various blasts from the wyrm, so we could ill afford to play fair…

With a great shout I willed the rotating spear of aether to fly forwards, and it pierced through the back of Grulgor, shattering through his tough stony flesh, shredding one of his legs and severing one of his arms. A huge crater was formed in his stomach, exposing his innards, and a great fountain of dark blood gushed forth. Grulgor toppled over with a strangled howl, striking the ground hard, causing all the nearby trolls to turn in dull surprise.

Ignoring the chaos I focussed my will on the spinning lance as it ploughed forwards, feeling both my mind and my network smouldering with effort. The blade of the aetheric spear slammed into the rising wyrm where I had wounded it before, shearing through the scaleless scar with a horrid squeal of tearing flesh and grinding bone. The wyrm reared and tossed in agony, jaws agape. It’s not enough though…

If the spear continued it would pass through the wyrm, doing heavy damage, but by no means a fatal wound. That wyrm was tough. Still, I had considered this. Releasing a breath I focused the last dregs of my willpower and aether and spoke a name I had just invented. “Blossom, Aether Sakura!”

Man that is embarrassing, but you have to yell out your special moves. The spear drilling through the wyrm shuddered and then with a whisper detonated, converting its remaining aetheric energy into a shockwave, which propelled glittering petal-shaped blades of aether outwards, dyed pink with the blood of the wyrm. Just like cherry blossoms, sakura petals.

The force of the internal shockwave striking at the wyrm’s unprotected innards drove blood and tissue out from the massive neck wound, as well as showering gore from its throat and ruined eye. The wyrm coughed once, bloody petal-blades of aether fading away to dust as they were ejected, and then it fell, smashing into the ground with an audible thud, scales and teeth flying off in all directions.

For a long moment there was silence, and then the wyrm began to dissolve into ether, faint silver orbs rising into the air, like upwards-falling silver snow. I slumped to the ground, exhausted and aching, slowly drawing in what ether I could take from it to banish my bone-weariness.

You have gained in strength. Your level has increased from twelve to fourteen.

Well that attack was a success. My previous one had much more power, but it used far more ether and even a large amount of wind energy. Still, power wasn’t everything. This attack was designed to work from the inside, and no matter how strong ones defences were, being shredded from the inside would do serious, most likely fatal, damage. Two levels at once. I think that’s fair. Killing that wyrm was far harder than any other thing I’ve battled up to now.

My racing thoughts were interrupted by the angry growls of Grulgor, who was lying on his back, squirming towards me, remaining arm outstretched.  The massive crater in his body was bubbling, new flesh forming even as I watched. A handful of undamaged trolls were charging my way too, faces twisted with rage. “Little man-thing struck hard, Grul says.” He growled, coughing inky blood. “But Grul says he stronger.”

So, not accepting the fact I killed the wyrm then. Not that it surprises me, it was just a way to get him to help with the battle. Now what do I do? I accelerated the pull of ether from the dissolving corpse of the wyrm, turning it to aether as fast as I could. There were also several wounded trolls who were recovering, if this dragged out any longer the situation would get even worse…

A voice suddenly rang out from behind me, proclaiming loudly “Emerald Wind Prison!” The trolls in front were swallowed up by a verdant wall of circling swirling winds, leaving only Grulgor and I free from the barrier. I turned and saw Shaeula standing proudly on top of a ruined building, drawing in wind energy not just from the surroundings and the etheric snow, but her Kamaitachi, who was releasing his wind energy into the air for Shaeula to absorb, giving me a toothy grin.

“Now is the time to defeat Grulgor and put an end to this. I believe you can do it, Akio-Akio.” Shaeula said, pointing at me imperiously. Though I do note her ears and cheeks seem a little pink. I guess she ripped off that name from the magical girl anime she was watching, and it embarrassed her. Damn that’s cute. Giving her a thumbs up I turned back to Grulgor, who was still closing in fast, despite the fact he had not yet managed to climb back to his feet. Though he wouldn’t be down for long, as his wounded leg which was only held on by slivers of bone and muscle was regenerating before my eyes.

Shit, this isn’t going to be easy. Still, if I can beat Grulgor here there will just be the trolls to worry about, and we can always wear them down with hit and run attacks… it would be better if he admits defeat and joins us, but that might be asking too much… even as I was thinking Grulgor was dragging himself along. He suddenly leapt, heedless of the way his regenerating leg tore, more blood spurting. Reflexively I moved my head, the huge fist narrowly missing me, but even the shockwave from the punch bit into my cheek, drawing lines of blood.

As a counter I lashed out with my spear, but it merely chipped some rocky flesh from him, dealing little damage. I sprang backwards as he snapped at me with his slab-like teeth, nearly taking a chunk out of my leg. No time to think. I have to do this…

Using what aether I could gather I imagined the blade of my trusty spear sharp and vibrating, fixing the image firmly in my mind. I also imagined myself as fast and agile, meeting no air resistance, my movements crisp and clean. Keeping all those facts and images fresh in my mind at all times was proving extremely fatiguing, my head hurting and back screaming, but I was just about managing. Darting forwards I went low and slashed at where Grulgor’s leg was barely connected, severing it. I used the momentum to kick it away from him, ignoring the pain in my toes.

“Grul says you should die, little man-thing!” the troll howled. His brethren were howling too as they slammed and punched at the wind barrier, which was now turning brown with spilled blood, but they could not break through to come to his aid. Nice job Shaeula.

“Sorry, not dying today. I killed the wyrm, but I guess you still aren’t satisfied. To be fair, I did sneak attack you so I understand. But strength is about winning, right?”

I punctuated my words with a fierce attack, my blade aiming for his good arm from above. It bit deep, blood scattering, and Grulgor roared again. His leg came flying at me from behind but I expected that so leapt over it, striking down and inflicting another wound. I followed this up by aiming for the arm again. Blow after blow fell, surpassing the rate of regeneration. I struck blows at the stump of his other leg and arm too, slicing through hideous bubbling flesh as it tried to restore itself.

Damn, his endurance and recovery is amazing. If he wasn’t unable to walk he’d have killed me for sure. With that thought I struck a final blow, severing the arm I had been attacking constantly. My spear was covered in gore up to the shaft, and was smoking lightly from the acid in his blood. More had splattered on me and I had been forced to use aether to flick it off, as it burned fiercely. Still, it’s over now.

Panting heavily I dodged the flailing leg and snapping jaws, pushing my spear towards his eye. I doubt even Grulgor can survive being impaled in the brain…

As the blade descended there was a moment of silence, and then Grul spoke a few words, stopping my spear mid-descent…

“You win, little man. Grul yields.”

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