116. Storm And Shadows

[Sorry folks. I've been down with a super high fever. Spent most of the last few days delirious and in bed. I'll make up for it with chapters throughout the weekend.]

It was no fun being a Stalker with Alter Metal Mass. El-Prime shoved clones like him into one of two roles. 

Primarily, they functioned as scouts, reconnaissance, or infiltrators. Low mass gave them the ability to move at incredible speeds, which not even the obsolete speedster or rogue clones could match. Only Stormtroopers with lightning-enhanced Haste could keep up with them. El-Prime didn’t use the specialty with Alter Metal Mass, but the Stalker suspected that would change once Thunderstorm’s Eye ascended. A tier one ability’s power didn’t compare to one at tier two. Thanks to Steel Weave and Cover Weaknesses, they weren’t as fragile as they were at tier one, considerably increasing the clones’ survival rates. 

It was on rare occasions that they got to play the role of mage tanks. El-Prime didn’t like it when the Stalkers called themselves so, but it was precisely what they were. Shadowsteel and their natural affinity with shadow magic made them perfect for defense, close-range combat, and casting. Shadow Illusion added another layer to the specialization, but the Stalker didn’t think about that as he prepared for the fight to begin. It was far from an easy ability and better left to the Spellweavers.

If it weren’t for Morph, we’d get to kick butt more often. I can’t tell if Flukas favors me because he understands the value of Shadowsteel with Alter Metal Mass or because he’ll never be put in charge of Morph.

The gauntlet on the Stalker’s left arm gained mass, becoming disproportionately large. He fed it a powerful electric charge while circulating a lesser current through the rest of his solid black armor. It did the job. Their opponents’ opening volley flew off course, ineffectively striking him. None made it to Flukas, who stood behind him, silently preparing a spell.

“This feels rigged,” he grumbled, extending a long black blade from his right arm. It was as long as his arm, wide, and thick, more like a cleaver than a sword. He left it blunt since the organizers had strictly warned against lethal blows. Shadowsteel was already significantly lighter than ordinary steel, and the Stalker made it all even lighter with Alter Metal Mass, making it all feel weightless.

Meanwhile, not one, not two, but three pairs approached from the arena’s other corners. A giant chunk of stone came flying from one. The Stalker raised a wall from the ample shadows around them and solidified it, protecting Flukas once again. The enemies’ strategy was clear: take out the mage first. The Stalker found it curious that none of them targeted each other; it was supposed to be a battle royale of duos, but all of the other teams had their eyes set on the Phoenix Glaive. 

What’s their plan? Team up and defeat us, and then the last pair standing takes the weapon? Or do they intend to steal and sell it, and divide the proceeds?

It didn’t matter. The Stalker and Flukas intended to take them all out.

“What are you waiting for?” he bellowed, using sound magic to deepen his voice and increase his volume. “A written invitation? Bring it, you cowards!”

A warhammer-wielding woman from the closest team and the twin-blade users from the opposite corner dashed at them. The latter pair reached them first. One came at the Stalker while the other attempted to rush past him. A rush of hot air, followed by a crescent flame blast, knocked the man backward. The Stalker didn’t bother moving from where he stood. Instead, he held out his right arm straight next to him while increasing his mass and that of all the metal attached to him. 

Twin blades bounced off the Shadowsteel gauntlet while the man knocked back by the Phoenix Glaive’s fire blast folded in half against the blunt cleaver. Cracks followed. The Stalker didn’t wait to check the damage or entertain the duo for long. He used the bursts of inhuman strength that came with high mass to spin on his heel, swinging his weapon, and the man slumped over it in a wide arc. The plan was to throw him into his companion, but the other twin blade wielder was fast and wary. She retreated just in time to avoid the strike and having her companion thrown into her.

The Stalker didn’t enjoy his breathing room for long since the woman with the warhammer was on him a second later. Her weapon vibrated in her hand, glowing with arcane lights. The strike carried far more power than he expected, suggesting an ability or magic at play. It dented the gauntlet and pushed the clone back a couple of steps. Even though he didn’t strike back, the attacker didn’t escape unharmed. The lightning coursing through the gauntlet discharged in a blinding blue flash. It didn’t just strike the woman but found all metal in the vicinity, showering the downed swordsman in tendrils of energy. 

Two gongs sounded from above, and the stony ground shifted, covering the pair in protective domes. They moved away from the Stalker, taking the injured fighters to the edge of the arena.

“Two fighters down, but their teams remain!” The announcer’s voice boomed above. “It’s still anyone’s fight, but something tells me this is going to go fast. Keep your eyes peeled. Will the mysterious newcomers prevail? Or will our familiar champions’ temporary alliance pay off?”

The remaining fighters practised more caution. The hammer-woman’s companion launched rough, rocky projectiles at Flukas and the Stalker while stone slowly crept up his body, solidifying as an awkward armor of geometric shapes with sharp angles.

It wasn’t a fair match. To begin with, the clones had lied. Deceptive Facade falsified their shard abilities and tiers before the appraiser’s analysis. Their opponents were supposedly all tier two at most. According to Penelope, Shade’s Mantle alone didn’t have tier-three levels of power. Technically, putting them on the same level. However, individuals of lower ranks frequently didn’t have all their pillars awakened. 

The clones enjoyed the passive effects of their Heart and Mind Pillars and two conjunction abilities. Still, their tier-three Soul Pillars gave them substantially larger magic and energy stores, and also came with several unquantifiable intangible benefits. Only the superior numbers made it a fair fight.

The Stalker let the damaged Shadowsteel Gauntlet fall after pushing its mass to its maximum. He hoped the loud clang of its landing and the cracking of stone would intimidate their opponents. The strategy worked. None approached. 

The remaining bladesman stalked around him, likely trying to find a path to Flukas. Stone projectiles continued to fly. Only the final duo hadn’t made a move besides firing arrows pulled from thin air. The team’s second member concerned the Stalker. Magic swelled around them. There were no visual cues, but it was clear that they, too, were preparing a powerful spell.

“You almost ready?”

“Go for it,” Flukas said, spawning eyeball-sized Lightningfire spheres in quick succession.

“It’s been a while since we’ve witnessed a clash of combat casters!” The announcer exclaimed. “It’s a race to the finish line. Ol’ Stone Catapult isn’t going to get anywhere flinging rocks from far. The lady blade dancer will need to risk it all for a full-commitment strike if she wants a chance at the prize. If you want to put your money on any of the regulars, I’d look to the sniper duo.”

“Don’t die, fake boss,” the Stalker said before racing forward. The blade dancer attempted to strike him as he passed, but he ignored her. One of her weapons flew out of her grip, unable to cope with the momentum. She and the stone mage would now undoubtedly target Flukas, but the Stalker didn’t care. The defences were ready, and he didn’t need to worry.

Panic flashed across the remaining duo’s faces. They likely weren’t expecting a frontal assault, let alone the Stalker’s low mass speed. Arrows flew at him, packing significant power. He relied on the agility of enhanced Haste and the high-mass Steel Weave to shrug them off. 

“Fire it!” the archer hissed.

“It’s not ready,” the mage replied.

“Doesn’t matter. Just do something.”

A wall of solid light manifested in the Stalker’s path. He pushed the mass slider to its highest point and electrified his armor before throwing himself into the barrier. It shattered like a glass screen, but the shards didn’t just fall. Instead, they chased the Stalker. When one reached him, it exploded on contact and disintegrated a patch of Shadowsteel. 

Fuck! What is this shit?

It wasn’t just the pieces of the wall that he had to worry about. Shards of light-glass floated around the enemy mage, ready to fly at him. The Stalker didn’t know if it was going to work, but he left a Shadow Illusion of himself behind before changing course, dashing to the side. The pursuing glass exploded on contact with the fake him, but now he had to worry about the mage’s conjured projectiles. They still hung in place, but their points changed direction, following the Stalker’s movements. 

Why isn’t she firing them?

Then, the Stalker’s eyes locked with the archer’s bow. Her arrowtips shone with a similar light. He followed his intuition and dissolved the armor before flaring Shade’s Mantle, creating a monstrous cloud of darkness around himself. Only enough clung to the clone to conceal his appearance and shape. The Stalker reoriented himself and charged at the mage and archer. Shadow Sight helped him see the arrow shoot through the darkness. The light-glass shards chased it a moment later as he had predicted.

The clone increased his mass to maximum just as he emerged from the darkness and threw himself into the archer with a shoulder charge. He grabbed the woman by her collar and belt before she could fall or go flying, spun her around, and threw her into the mage. After a minor weight adjustment, he followed up with more direct strikes, using enough force to fracture limbs but not cave in skulls and rib cages. A shard of light-glass found the clone’s right arm. When it exploded, it didn’t just dissolve what remained of Shade’s Mantle but also destabilized the arcane shell around the impact point, destroying the forearm. 

A stone dome formed around the mage and carried her away to the wall, but the archer slipped away. Her bones fixed themselves with stomach-churning clicks, cracks, and crunches. She moved much faster than the Stalker could at his maximum speed and made a beeline for Flukas.

“Are any of the home teams going to make it?” the announcer asked. “They’re here to protect their pride against the daring strangers, but only one member from each remains. They’re all after the mage, but even one-armed, the shadowman looks more threatening.”

The Stalker spun around, creating a dense Shadowsteel javelin and lowering its mass to the lowest point. He clenched his jaw, granting it a high rate of rotation, and resisted pumping it with lightning. Then, he launched it, aiming low. 

One moment, the archer was speeding at Flukas, the next, she was facedown on the floor. It took her a moment to regain her composure. She tried to rise but failed. Then, screams burst from her bloodied lips as she realized her right leg was gone. The javelin had reverted to its original mass after the Stalker released it, and didn’t just punch through the limb but severed it. 

That’s a nasty tactic. We need to use it more often.

Meanwhile, the blade dancer and the stone mage tried to double-team Flukas, attacking him from opposing directions. They got within ten feet of him before the defensive wards triggered. Pure storm energy exploded around the clone. Sound magic blew the blade dancer away, and lightning danced off her armor and weapons. The wall opened, catching her with surprising gentleness. It closed around her.

The announcer made announcements about the downed archer and blade dancer, but the Stalker wasn’t listening. He raced toward the stone mage. The sonic explosion had blown away the rocky armor’s outer layer. Unfortunately, neither the lightning that accompanied it nor the lightningfire spheres managed to do any harm.

Flukas exploded them, creating flashes, but the stone mage’s face was completely covered. He wasn’t using sight but a sixth sense or sensory spell. He rushed Flukas again. This time, black flames burst from the ground. They didn’t seem to inflict any damage, but the Stalker recognized the effects of the fear infusion. He had infused the Shadow Illusions with them, but they proved useless. Shadowfire demanded too much magic and focus. As a result, he had stuck to Shadowsteel for combat and didn’t regret it.

A focused sonic beam burst from Flukas just as the stone mage landed a blow, striking the clone’s shoulder. It struck the rocky armor around the right breast and shattered the stone protection. The man within froze, and the Stalker also slowed his pursuit. It seemed unnecessary. The layers of protection fell away, and the mage collapsed. Flukas also fell to his knees, left arm hanging limp and bloody.

“Our residing champions have failed, ladies and gentlemen! Storm and Shadows have won the bout!”