Chapter 88: The Leader, Part 3

The area grew quiet within a few seconds. It was almost deafening. The two fighters still stood, despite their injuries, staring down at each other, ready to react at the slightest movement. Despite Stolas being downed with one arm, and despite Meso's body being charred, their breath was still clean. They dared not to raise their voice, not wanting to trigger the equivalent of a bullet and cause a chain of events that they themselves cannot control. Tension was high, and the two of them knew it. Stolas would try to alleviate the arm by having stars around him hold such a limp limb steady as if it was a cast, tightening the cluster to ensure stability. Despite being seen, Meso dared not to move another inch. Instead, the man would do the same, having the dust and debris act as a layer around his own body, the minerals being evident in the form of a greyish color, almost appearing like an aura around the Reaper, as his own wounds would be fixed by compressing the scars, stitching them even. 

Tension was High.

They both never bothered to speak another word, for there was no need to speak it. They both have made up their mind on their next course of action. Without warning, such actions would be taken. Stolas rushed forward, having the cluster tighten and strike at his own arm, fixing it and cauterizing any open wounds he took from the shot, effectively repairing the arm like the damage was non-existent. The Stellar Child knew that his own attacks were being manipulated by the very debris, yet he also knew that the Minerals were damaged heavily after his previous attack. With this knowledge in mind, the Boy would create Sagittarius once more, his hand being a makeshift gun again and fired in a strong cluster, shooting wildly without any rhyme or reason, all in an aggressive manner as if he was more animal than human. Despite some of the bullets missing, Meso did not let his guard down, having his layer be prepared in advance to maneuver the shots back towards Stolas and bring him down again.

Tension was getting Higher.

A glint of an expression was seen from Meso's face. It was of Joy, Joy that he had not felt in a long time. Such joy came when he realized he was countered, as the Stars grew brighter and brighter, almost as if it were to explode. Such size also meant its heat was also expanding, burning away the minerals and having them be directed from the Stellar Child towards Meso. One cannot simply control them if the very thing being controlled was burned away. Recognizing this, Meso would have his Draconic skeleton-like armor defend, the remaining minerals piling up and condensed, acting as a shield against the attacks, whilst Meso used the sand within Salvandi's territory to act as a counter-attack, having the sand covered by his shadow be manipulated, taking aim and ready to strike at the child with no mercy.

Tension has achieved its Highest.

Stolas was expecting such a move, and Meso couldn't help but smile at such an opponent being just as animalistic as he was.

When he had his shadow cover the child, that was when he was able to strike. Stolas takes advantage almost immediately, having his gun fire right towards the man's center. The minerals weaved across the debris that acts as his defense, meaning if he wishes to survive, he must cancel his attack and heat up the stars once more to provide a defense that, while slightly burning him, would result in him surviving. Stolas, however, doesn't choose to conduct such an action. He'd carry on his attack, despite numerous stab wounds being received afterwards, all aiming across the child's body and even his very head, skewering him alive whilst firing his bullet, taking a clean hit across the man's body, a sizeable crater made across, forcing Meso to cease his magic and be bombarded with more stars that came his way, an explosion being its end result, with the cloak and skeletal structure now completely destroyed, while Stolas was bleeding out of his wounds, struggling to breathe, coughing up blood and splattering it all over the sand and his own beak. Meso would assume that the child would die as a result, allowing himself to cease fighting further, knowing his job was done. When he looked at the very living corpse, he wasn't expecting Stolas to aim the gun at himself, blasting a cluster of stars once more, scattering them all over his body, sealing the wounds in intense heat and allowing him to stay alive, before trying to fire another set of shots at Meso.

The man, for the first time in his life, had to dodge by rolling across the sand, using his wounded state as a means to escape easily. The two panted hard, with the Stellar Magician struggling to get up, whilst the Sand Reaper did the same without any weight. Despite the heavy wounds they took, they still smiled. They were enjoying themselves to the fullest. They couldn't help but laugh a bit, realizing they were having fun, fighting in such a manner. Such laughter quelled down as Stolas asked a question. "That whistling.....That style.....You most likely learned it from your father...right?" The man merely nodded to answer his question, having the boy ask a second one. "Then...You know that your father was a Monster....right? The Whistler...? He's the one that raised you, right...?"

The man grew silent, taking a deep breath, wiping the blood off of his own mouth, as he'd nod once more. "Based on your voice.....something's happened to him, hasn't it?"

Stolas would nod back, being disappointed in himself. "I'm...We're sorry....He was being a thre-"

"Don't be." The boy's words were cut by the Sand Reaper, still giving a smile. He wasn't disappointed by this message. Moreover, he seems to be somewhat proud of him. "...That's what he wanted anyway. Nobody should've lived a life like his....That's how he raised me, after all.."