The True Battle

Previous Chapter | <A Fracture in the Balance

The challenge begins
During the battle that was developing between Percy and Jude. However Wall who was unconsious a golden aura appears around him. Wall begins to rise and fractures of his armor begin to disappear. "These very mistaken if you think the battle is over with me!" Wall raises his head showing his eyes showing all his anger.

The ground shook one more time, but this time it was so strong that Percy, Jude and Wall fell on the ground. "Seven Layers Remainig!" said Arthur as he changed the page on the book he found in the library earlier. He then realised that he'll get cought up in a fight  if he doesn't hurry. After thirty seconds Arthur broke the seventh seal and said with a serious look. "Six Layers Remaining. This was a child game, but the last six are the most difficult ones. So please don't disturb me if you want to get out!". He tried to re-write the rune, but a lightning bolt came from the barrier and struck him, pushing him 10 meters back. "I'm okay." he said as he approached the barrier carefully and started to re-write. After five minutes, a giant storm appeared beneath the four mages. "Five Layers Remaining!" he yelled, hoping that they'll hear him. The storm shot a giant bold between Wall, Jude and Percy, pushing them few inches back. Afterwards, the storm stopped and Arthur continiued re-writing the runes.

"I will admit that I myself have flaws," Percy said as he was summoning a Mars Inferno, one of his most powerful attacks, "but I believe your flaws are UNFORGIVABLE!!!" Percy began to muster all the anger inside of him, his anger reaching to the point of which his flames were crimson red. "The reason my brothers aren't dead is because I have control," he said, "and now you're gonna see first hand what happens when you piss me off, and I decide not to control it." Percy's magic aura was literally exploding as he focused his attack.

"Sure, i've made some pretty bad mistakes," Jude replied angrily. "But my mistakes were with good intentions. You're not going to attack me and get away with it ever!"

The blade of Jude's sword is called the Blade of Azul and it was a deep sapphire blue, only the purest of Sapphire was crafted into the shape of his incredibly sharp sword. Jude rarely ever draws his sword againts a foe as it was created by the Sapphire Phoneix herself and it is extremely powerful. The sword can easliy break through most swords and materials at 75% power and it can even change length. Jude wasn't pulliing any punches, he knew Percy was deadly serious and this time he was playing for keeps.

Wall starts reciting "The last wish will be shown to all of you. Greatest challenge you guys appear on. Great Destruction appears Demon God. Suddenly a giant shock wave arises from Wall and he ends up opening a big hole in the cave and the other three mages are fallen on the floor.

"KYAAAA!" said Arthur who was wtill re-writing the runes. He grabbed one of his silver keys and recited ''"Open up, Gate of the Heavenly Bird! Apus!". ''A tall slim man with silver spiky hair and giant blue bird-like wings appeared above Arthur. He rushed towards Arthur and grabbed him. He then spreaded his wings and flew towards the place where Arthur was re-writing runes. "Leave me here, go help them!" said Arthur as he stepped on a cliff. The spirit rushed down and created a large landing pad made of dark blue feathers. As the two mages landes safely, the spirit got to Arthur. "Now, we have to find that book." said the celestial spirit mage. Apus nodded as he grabbed Arthur. The two of them went down the hole in hope they would find the book. Apus spotted the book and he created a hand out of feathers which grabbed the book and brought it to him. He than took the book and flew towards the cliff, leaving Arthur there, alongside the book he took. Arthur tried to focus and re-write the remaining runes, but the fact that he was in danger didn't help him. After ten seconds, he managed to re-write the fourth rune, which unleashed a large ammount of wind, creating a tornado in the space they were trapped in. The wind was so strong it pulled him and Apus towards the center of it. As he got pulled, he took a purple key and recited ''"Open up, Gate of the Wind! Ao!". ''A young man with pale skind and white hair appeared. He moved his hands in a circular pattern and stopped the wind. Apus returned Arthur to the cliff where he continiued with re-writing runes.

Since Percy had been knocked off guard by Wall and Jude, he then decided to change tactics. He be began by running at a pace fast enough that every time Jude and Wall attacked him, they wound up attacking each other. Then when the two were weak enough, he would hit him with the Mars Inferno. Percy knew this was a dirty tactic, but it was the only chance he had; so he started to run in a circle. Jude attempted to strike Percy with his Blade of Azul again, but it wound up striking Wall. Wall was urked by this and struck Jude before Jude could lay another strike on Percy. Tension between Jude and Wall began to rise.

"Wall, this is not working we're just getting in each other's way," Jude complained. "Ok, how about you strike first then i do, we'll do this in rapid succession and keep the heat on him.

"Ok" Wall says as he calms "Let's do this" Wall requip his armor of Sagittarius and prepares to fight. Wall begins to show its true aura the aura of a guild master.

Arthur had a really bad feeling that if he doesn't hurry, he'll get involved in the fight too, but he didn't have much 'raw' power likw those three, so without his spirits, he would de down in less then 30 seconds. As he was thinking, he made a mistake while decoding the runes, the mistake that almost costed him his life. The runic shield fired multiple fire spheres at him, but he dodged them easily. However, the spheres kept going, and it looked like their target were Jude and Wall. "Sorry 'bout that."he said as he catched his breath. He then continiued to work on the runes, nut with more caution this time.

Percy his nerves steady; he knew that the aura of a guild master couldn't intimidate him, not now. He pressed onward, dodging the blows of Jude and Wall left and right; once and a while, Jude and Wall would hits themselves even though they had switched tatics. Mars Assault!!! and a multitude of Mars Waves and Bullets flew around in all directions. Jude hadn't layed a single hit on Percy since the fight began and now the situation was escalating to the point where Percy could unleash his full fury and Jude could be a sitting duck.

As the bullets hurled towards Jude, the latter pulled up his sword and blocked every bullet that came at him. Jude then had a good idea. "Wall, i'm gonna hang back quickyl, unleash every thing you have at him," Jude suggested, What the others didn;t know was that Jude's Sapphire's has a secondary effect of absorbing magical energy that it cam into contact with. Sapphire Phoenix's Perch, Jude placed his hands on the ground and a tall outcrop of Sapphire came up out of the ground. The tower of Sapphire then fired a constant beam of magical energy at Wall that should constantly replenish him with extra magical energy.

"Sagittarius lightning fly" Wall focus your magical energy around and in an instant is on the verge of Percy and begins to attack it at an astounding rate. "Jude keeps you behind me I can deal with them".

Arthur was ignoring the fight that was happening behind him, but he felt presences of strong auras. He turned the page on the book, but it was empty. "Guys, I think we have a problem... Some of the pages are missing, but I think I figured out the pattern. Still, be careful, 'couse some weird things may happen." said the celestial spirit mage as he moved the paintbursh in V motion. As he did it, the runes began to absorb the magical energy within. All of Percys Mars Bullets dissapeared, alongside Walls tower, Walls armor and Arthurs spirits. Since he was thirty centimeters away from the runes, they absorbed most of his magical energy. "Another one down, four to go." said Arthur as he began to collapse. Percy tried to catch him, but he was too slow. Arthur has hit the ground and lost his conscience. The book he was holding opened on a page. There was something writen on it. It sounded like a prophecy.

''Four shall be trapped in the deaths cage, but only one shall get out. The winner shall withstand the runes rage and will awaken the spirit mage with his shout. But despair for his life entombed within stone, shall fail without friends and for his sins shall atone. ''

Percy picked up the now unconscious Arthur. He slapped Arthur across the face to see if he could awaken him, but it failed. He put his ear to Arthur's chest; his heart was beating and he was breathing, but Percy was still furious about what Jude did. "Now look what you did Jude," Percy said to Jude angrily, "because of you, we're stuck here. And because of it one of you us gonna die." Percy then set Arthur down, and walked away from the group. He set his head against a wall and thought about what he'd failed to do. "Mother, father," he said to himself, "once again, I have failed to protect anyone, I'm so ashamed!" A tear came to his eye and he fell to his knees.

Jude got up just in time to hear what Percy said and was about to punch him when he saw that Arthur was unconscious. As Percy set Arthru to the floor, Jude nelt beside him and placed his hands on the ground. '''Sapphire Phoneix's Nest. '''As small bed of crystals formed around Arthur's silhouette anfd they glowed a bright blue. A magical vapour soon  seeps out of the sapphires and they flow into Arthur's body where they are healing him and replenishing his magical energy.

"Enough!" Wall yells launching a wave of golden energy that shakes everyone stopping the battle and all were amazed "Enough of this nonsense, we must aranjar way out here and then we can fight we are just wasting time"

Arthur was still unconcious, but he was aware of everything that was happening. He was hoping that at least one of them would notice the prophecy. The Sapphire Nest Wall made was slowly replenishing his energy. Then one of his keys began to glow. A young girl dressed in a long whhite summer dress with angelic wings appeared next to him. She didn't say anything, she just sat next to him and began to focus. She created a large white sphere and the light enveloped Arthur. After two minutes, nothing happened. She took his hand and put it on the green stone on his necklace and recited ''"Release: Spirit Style!". ''The gem began to glow green and it created a large greenish aura around Arthur. After ten seconds, he opened his eyes. The girl dissadeared, leaving a trail of white feathers in the air. First he patted Percys shoulder and said "It's ok...". He then pointed at the book that was on the ground and said "Read!" he said as he looked at Percy. "I don't have any time to lose! I'll get us out of here, I promise! And a Celestial Spirit Mage NEVER breaks his promises!" said Arthur determinatedly. He stood up, went to the place where he was decoding the runes earlier. "Don't use any magic! Got it? This is like a bomb, and you trigger it with magic." he said as he looked at Wall seriously. After writing something in an ancient launguage, water bursted out of the ground and it lifted Wall in the air. It grabbed him and began to spin him around. "Three to go!" he said as he sat on the ground.

Water began to crack the ground where Percy was standing as well. Percy tried to keep his footing, but the water had already made the ground so unstable that Percy couldn't stand. "Hey Arthur," Percy asked, "is this supposed to happen? Because if this continues, we'll all be underwater before you finish." Percy began leaping onto broken pieces of rock the water was spouting up. Percy then saw a large, rock hand coming out of the water. "Uh, Arthur," Percy said, "I think you'd better hurry." Soon, Percy could see the entire arm. It was covered in moss, and water was pouring off of it like a waterfall.

''Damn it, Jude thought to himself. I could easily use the Talisman on Gills in order to not drown but i can't use magic..'' Jude looked at Percy and walked towards him, avoiding the odd bursts of water sprouting up from near his positions. As he got towards Percy he offered his hand for the latter to take it. "Let's put a little more faith in the mage shall we? What he thinks he lacks in brawn is definitely made up for in brains."

"Be very careful all. Arthur, it will take much longer?" says Wall as he begins to swim.

Arthur took another book from his backpack. He opened it and began to read. "The last layers represent the elements. We had Lightning, Earth, Air and I suppose this is Water. That means Fire and Ice are left. I'm afraid of the last one though. If I re-write this one, I'm pretty sure something will burn. Are we ready to take the risk?". Percy nodded and told him to hurry. "Okay then, let's go!" said the celestial spirit mage as he began to write something on the runes. After six minutes, the water was very high. Luckily, Arthur was just about to finish the rune, but something grabbed his right leg and began to pull him down. The same  thing happened to Percy, then Jude and finally Wall. Arthur tried not to panic and was rewriting the runes underwater. The runic shield looked so thin and fragile After thirty seconds, a large whirpool created and it began to suck in all the water. The four mages were on the ground. Arthur stood up, stepped away from the center and told the other three "Move to the edges. and try to cooperate.". As he said it, the center of the runes erupted. Lava slowly began to fill the runes. The temperature was rising slowly. After two minutes, the lava was two inches higher. Arthur tried to hurry, but the whole lava thing didn't help him.

The ground shook as another arm shot out of the ground, charred from the burning lava. "Guys," Percy said, "I think this thing may be alive." The ground shook some more as both arms pounded towards the ground. Percy could see the ruins tilting downwards, signifying something was definately under the parties' feet. The ruins began to crumble and a large ice pillar shot out of the middle. "A giant?" Percy asked himself. Percy could see a purple crystal in the center of the ice pillar. "A lacrima?" Percy asked once again.

"I think so,"Jude said anxiously. Suddenly, a ice coated hand rose out of the ground and clawed it's way upwards. The top half of the figure was out in mere seconds. The figure was a ice blue humanoid being with no distinct features whatsoever. it's eyes were purple lacrima crystals that started to glow as it's head turned in Arthurs direction. He hastened it's attempt to get out and withint a few more seconds it was slowly moving closer to Arthur.

Wall begins to compose preparing its strength and begins to attack the giant ice showing an extraordinary physical strength having tied the giant enough for the other three time if they joined and have time to make a plan.

Arthur stood up and noticed a strange circular pattern on the beasts head. "Hey, could you distract him? I have an idea." said the young celestial spirit mage as he rushed towards the beast, ignoring the lava that was ruining his shoes. He then jumped on the beasts back and began to observe the pattern. The beast noticed him and tried to shake him off, but failed. Then it grew large purple wings and began to fly. "GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Arthur shouted. The giant was now eighty meters in the air. He then got the most stupid idea ever, but it was his only chance. "Catch!" he yelled as he jumped down, hoping that at least one of them would catch him.

Percy caught Arthur just in the nick of time. "You said we can't use magic against it right?" Percy asked. Arthur nodded. "Well, since I'm from Giant Hunter, I've had experiences with giants," Percy said, "I know their weak spots, especially the ones made with magic." "You want a distraction, you got one." Percy ran towards the giant's head. He lept into the air, landed on the beast's forehead and punched it in the eye. Percy caught himself on the giant's nose.