Conflict between Generals

Lunan stared at Vulisk mockingly, blood still dripping down to his feet. He had already dismounted the horse and stood on the soft, mushy soil, slightly damp but not damp enough to be considered mud.

He couldn't see anything at all. No way. The blood seeped into his eye sockets, blinding him for the moment.

Vulisk's warhorse pushed through even his own forces, as he charged forward toward Lunan.

"Damn it!" 

Throughout their entire encounter, Lunan was aware of exactly how he would break through. He was just waiting for the right moment.

He jumped off the horse, holding his halberd out, reading to slice Lunan clean in half.

Lunan reached into his pocket, throwing a rock at Vulisk. 

Of course, he dodged it with ease.

[Spirit Cast: Replacement]

The rock vanished in a cloud of smoke, Merlyn Detsk taking stead of it.

Gripping her war hammer tightly, she slammed it into Vulisk.

"Keuk!"

The heavy strike sent him into the dirt.

With Merlyn moving in the reverse direction of the rock, she carried Lunan by the waist, catching him off the horse he rode.

"I thought that you telling me there was a mole would mean you would switch up the plan. But you ended up doing the same thing, and still being successful!" Merlyn smiled.

"Ha... yea- eughhhh!"

He threw up.

[Spirit Cast: Replacement] was a technique that required a lot of focus and mana. Moving that many people, while having to replace them with the smallest particles in the air was extremely draining.

"Ew....."

Merlyn leaped from area to area, until she found a spot where she could place him. Even while being clad in such a heavy armor set, she was nimble and quick.

"You stay here, General Lunan. This victory is ours. I'll make sure of that."

"Yeah.... thanks. That would be perfect.."

She darted away, a gust of wind following behind her, sending Lunan's hair into disarray.

"Let's see...."

Her eyes scanned the battlefield, searching. Everyone was holding their own pretty well. 

"..."

Vulisk raised his halberd to the air, standing behind Merlyn.

Swsh!

"Seriously, did you think an attack like that would-"

[Cast: Crimson Beam]

Shooting out from the sharp tip of the silver-lined halberd, a beam of thick red mana shot out.

Byeonk!

The strike shattered Merlyn's helmet, bruising her forehead in the meantime.

"Aish.... I wasn't expecting that at all."

She rubbed her forehead.

[Cast: Flashstep]

Vulisk dashed at her, his fingers spread out, his palm reaching for her face.

"Thrilling..." she panted.

Showing her back to him, she spun quickly, hitting his side with the hammer.

Crack!

A bone or two had definitely broken in the arm he was struck in.

"Gyaaa!"

He let out a short, painful yell. But, he didn't let the overwhelming feeling of pain deter him. With his broken arm, he could still grip.

[Cast: Blood Carmine Cascade]

Dark red, festering energy, formed at the tip of his halberd, coursing through the weapon like an infestation of worms, the wood of the handle bulging.

He began to thrust, the tip of the halberd shooting out particles of that red mana at every jut.

Merlyn weaved, dodged, bobbed, avoiding the strikes with relative ease. Even in the heavy armor, she moved as if there was none on her.

Once the attacking mana fizzled out, Merlyn began her assault.

[Cast: Earth-Shattering Pulse]

To gather momentum, she spun, quickly.

Mana began to collect at the end of her hammer. 

"!"

Of course, Vulisk was not gonna just sit there and just watch the hammer reach him.

Fyeom!

The hammer moved quickly.

He ducked, dodging the strike. With his halberd ready in hand, he charged at her.

But, her momentum continued!

Bang!

Vulisk reacted quickly, blocking the strike with the wooden staff of his halberd. 

The wood splintered into pieces, leaving him with an axe-dagger mutant.

"Haah...."

He slid backward, holding the splintered end of the halberd, wielding it as a dagger.

⏤ I've already been outsmarted. I can't be outpowered as well...!

[Cast: Blood-leap]

He soared into the air, the volts of red energy surging through his feet, propelling him into the air. He blocked the sun in Merlyn's vision, casting a shadow on her body.

She stood, waiting for him to descend close enough, holding her hammer tightly. Ready to swing it, like a batter waiting for the pitcher to through the ball.

[Cast: Vermillion Afterimage]

As soon as he got close, Merlyn swung.

He was there, and then he wasn't. In a red flash, he disappeared.

Slsh!

He slashed at Merlyn's armor. 

There wasn't even a dent left.

"..."

⏤ From the beginning, I wasn't going to win. It was a lost cause. Lunan probably knew that too. That's why he was laughing at me, huh?

Merlyn lifted her hammer up into the air.

In a single swing, she crushed him.

Red mist and bone dust rose into the air.

"Jeez... he really didn't put up much of a fight at all."