Chapter 36: The Broken Lord

A boom echoed as Kurgren fired at Bryan. Only to bounce of his wind shield, and quickly reloads, struggling with its right-handed design.

The clash of iron then sounded as Ardent blocks, and staggered back, before Bryan drew symbols with his off hand, aimed towards Kurgren. Then push his fingers through.

"Eradius igneel!"

Red beams, thin as an arrow, flew from four of his fingers towards Kurgren.

Kurgren dodge, moving when Bryan finished the symbol, causing the beam to fly past before they hit the wall.

A dull thud boomed as it struck, each expanding into a sphere and vaporized the area, leaving four holes in the wall.

A keen ringing then echoes as Bryan parried Ardent strike, sending sparks as Ardent blade chipped, before casting another spell and charge towards Kurgren in a blur, like he teleported.

Kurgren fires again, only for Bryan to smack the bullet away with his silver hand, before throwing his musket towards him and rolls away. Then unsheathes his staff and pistol and fires an explosive round as Bryan cuts the gun in half.

A boom echoed as the force pushed Bryan, his shield spell stopping the damage, and Ardent charged behind.

A keen rings echoes as Bryan parries Ardent strike, cracking the knight's blade, then punched. A ringing echoes in Ardent ears as the strap broke and sent the helmet flying. Then jets forward, with a spell, into Ardent and slams him into one of the beams holding the the above platform. Causing him to faint.

Kurgren finished reloading his pistol with another explosive round then noticed something.

Bryan is now far away from the exit. And with a distraction he can escape.

The grip on his pistol tightened when he looked to Ardent, the unconscious knight. And heard his conscious.

Run away.

Save him.

Run away.

Save him.

RUN AWAY!

Kurgren's breath quickened, feeling a diverging path. He should save him, as how he did. Yet it was foolish to save a stranger, especially against a monster such as Bryan.

Kurgren grip on his pistol faltered as he sees Bryan turning towards him. And he made his choice. And threw a flash disc. And with the distraction he runs.

Only to hear a click as he neared the exit and look down. An arcane trap.

Light and wind blasted from the rune, covering his eyes as it pushed him back. Then he heard a movement before a flash of steel descends upon him.

A crack echoes through the hall as Kurgren blocked, his breathing erratic with Bryan sword inches away from his eyes and pushed him back. Before Bryan laughed.

"So, the half-blooded bastard is a coward after all!"

Kurgren gritted his teeth, trying in vain to calm his breathing, and shift to a defensive stance. And Bryan charged.

A loud crack then echoed as Kurgren blocks Bryan strike. And briefly staggered back by the force before Bryan swung again.

This time Kurgren saw a small cut on the staff upon the second strike.

His hands briefly shook as he blocked the third and fourth. Each strike pushed him back.

Soon sweat began beading down into his eyes and grits his teeth as he tries to keep them open despite the sting, as he saw his staff being slowly chipped away, the runes beginning to fade. Each strike pushed him back feet by feet, until he was in the centre of the room.

Then came a loud snap as Bryan final strike came. Smashing Kurgren staff to pieces and slashing his forehead, knocking him back, and Bryan charge.

Kurgren dodged the strike, slamming his flash disc to Bryan face, and runs.

Only for a missile to fly past him then explode. Kurgren yelled as the blast knocked him down and looked around.

And realized he was surrounded by a thick smoke. That he couldn't even see the exit. Only to hear footsteps behind him and unholster his pistol. Then an iron sword descends upon him.

A loud ringing echoes in Kurgren's ears Bryan sword bounced off his vambrace, and began punching back, only to hit air each time. His breath quickened as sweat drenched him.

"BEHIND YOU!" He heard Ardent shout.

Kurgren looked back and saw a brief flashing of iron. Then the sickening sound of ripping flesh and snapping bones.

Pain surged through his back and collapsed with a gutteral yell, nearly falling unconscious.

Then the smoke cleared, and he saw Bryan beside him, sword coated in blood, and tries to get up.

Only nothing happened. No matter how hard or fast he told himself to get up his legs refused to move. But he realized he couldn't even feel anything from his bottom half, only numbness. Then saw his pistol within reach and tried to grab it.

Only for Bryan to kick it away and stomp his hand and laughed.

"In the end I really shouldn't have expected much of a half-breed." And aimed his hand over Kurgren head and large, visible, threads of red chi coalescing on his palm into a jet of fire.

"Pray that heaven allows your kind."

Kurgren tried to keep moving when he heard an explosion.