Chapter 20

Plunging himself forward, he crashed into their ranks, his antlers cutting and goring his way through. His forelegs rose into the air as he gave a tremendous roar, unleashing that wave of condensed flames which engulfed the entire ship in its massive jaws.

Arising from the wreakage, he landed upon another battlecarpet and this he caught sight of a very familiar face. The person turned around to confront him and growled, his countenance charging the air.

Norgus was taken aback seeing Trident before him, but wasn't this what he had wanted all along ? He couldn't get Thorace, but here was his pet, now his to do as he wish. Recomposing himself Norgus brandished his sword, charging at Trident, the duo clashed, the core of their collision exhuming sparks of lightning.

Trident was unshaken by Norgus'fierce fighting skills, wielding a sword, Norgus was supposed to have the upper hand, but only a fool would think that way. Didn't Norgus know that he wasn't battling just any beast, what he was fighting against was a true cosmic beast.

Trident blocked the blow from Norgus' sword with his antlers, with which he sent the blade cutting its way into the battlecarpet's armour. Spinning around, Trident lunged a kick with his hindlegs, which landed on Norgus' chest, sending him flying backwards Norgus crashed at the railess edge of the battlecarpet.

Trident calmly watched the kneeling Norgus breath hard from the battle, rising to his feet, Trident waited patiently to see his next move.

"Aren't you scared of running out your master's sight ?" Norgus chuckled.

"Long before Thorace became my master", Trident replied, "I was already a fierce warrior - a matured cosmic beast."

"You are just like Thorace, pompous and arrogant," Norgus seethed.

"Yes I am", Trident replied calmly, "you are his enemy and just like him, I'll take you as an enemy."

"You know every word to match mine ?" Norgus sneered. "And you think you're so good at combat", the atmosphere condensed into two blades within the grip of his palms, "let's see how you can handle fighting against two swords."

The atmosphere condensed itself at the sides of Trident's neck, merging with his being, two heads bearing antlers took form at the sides of his neck.

"And let's see how you can handle fighting against three heads," Trident challenged.

"I'm not bothered !" Norgus fired, charging at Trident.

They clashed, antlers and blades, goring and slashing at each other. A burning orb tore out of Norgus' palm which Trident gored out of his way with his horns, lunging forward, he blocked Norgus' blow with his middle head and parrying the second with his left, then goring him fiercely with the third from the right. Norgus stumbled sideways but Trident was fierce and stellar and in his motion, not giving the foe any chance to recompose himself, he charged forward goring Norgus, lifting him into the air, they plummeted downwards, falling from the battlecarpet, they crashed upon the surface of a plateau.

Rising like titanic waves, they clashed once again, horns and blades interlocking as both struck and parried themselves, neither allowing the other to have an edge, but Trident was desperate to have the upper hand, he couldn't fail his master, he couldn't fail Thorace. They had come a long way in their bond as master and cosmic beast and they had become deeply connected to the extent that their strength and will now flowed through each other and Hime could feel Thorace's fire raging within him. Thorace would never give in to this crap of a cosmic pirate who only served himself, Thorace fought for honour not for the vanity of pride and glory which those serving the Feudal Order upheld as the foremost principle of being a battler, and he was going to crush such belief here and now, he had been raised as a colt to fight for justice and had been taught that justice would always overcome tyranny, so he would never give in to these minions serving the cause of tyrants.

Trident's forelegs rose into the air as he rammed his three heads upon Norgus'lifted sword while smashing the second lunging for his right rib with his left hoof. His antlers crashing upon the blade, the impact sent Thorace kneeling.

"Yes kneel !" Trident proclaimed.

Spinning around he struck Norgus with his antlers sending him flying into the air, Norgus crashed on the rocky surface of the plateau, the dust rising high above them.

"Norgus !" Trident yelled, his voice booming across the distance. "Our request is simple, hand over the Trail Disector and we'll let you and your fleet go."

Laughing, Norgus rose from the ground, his face bruised and nose bleeding, he shook with amusement at Trident's statement. Thorace had come babbling about surrendering the Trail Disector to him, now his ram was doing the same, typical ! Did he even want the Trail Disector ? It was the Feudal Order who needed it not him. All he wanted was to teach Thorace and this goat of his a lesson and he knew just how. He had been so foolish, he should have done so at the start, who did he think he was that he could fight a cosmic beast and win. Only a monster could kill a monster and he had the right match for this babbling pit of an antelope.

A geometric configuration took form before him, changing the positions of the shapes, Norgus created another configuration. Staring at Trident once again, his eyes digging into the other, Norgus quaked again in another fit of laughter.

The astral heavens above shook as those massive pillars of lightning trailed down their waves and those blackholes erecting themselves, their charged cores exhuming flames and their centripetal waves rising high. Those screeches arose like thunderbolts making the mountains quiver and the astral expanse ripple in mighty waves, heralding the coming of that army of cosmic beasts.

"This will be a fight to death Trident !" Norgus exploded.