Chapter 149: Danse Macabre, Part 5

The boy, empowered further, would go on the initiative once more, taking advantage of the blind Hat Man for foolishly staring towards the Eclipse. As he'd try to cast a simple spell, Flames, he would see the fire being not only larger, but hotter. He could see its color change from a striking red to a high, concentrated blue. The damage dealt was even more than what he could imagined, as when the abomination tried to swoop at the child, he'd simply melt it into ash, watching its skin boil itself and burn across its slender, snake-like body. Harvard was being more and more confused as he tested more spells: Blizzard being temperatures even below its usual state, the Knives being made into different weapons scimitars and longswords, and even Illusion was being coated across the arena itself. He tried to look at his group to see what was going on, watching as his friends' energy was being prevalent, with Stolas' nebulae expanding further and further, even glowing in an assortment of colors and taking in a larger shape. Man-made stars the size of a fingernail, made merely with a thought. He could also see Zazel immediately get up, his body empowered and healed to near perfection, though the Nebulae clouded his eyes to ensure he wouldn't be blind at the Eclipse. Solomon, meanwhile, was furious beyond belief, running up to the barrier and scolding the Card Magician. "YOU IDIOT!! YOU JUST KILLED YOURSELF IN THERE!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID!?"

Harvard, being somewhat nervous, would laugh and try to question back. "D'ah.....I 'unno-"

"WERE YOU NOT TAUGHT THIS IN SCHOOL, DUDE!? WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

"What school?" Solomon, upon hearing Harvard's answer, would Facepalm himself and groan loudly, yet before he was able to respond, Publiq would try to issue his own attack; a flurry of spiked tendrils that swung wildly at the area, with Harvard using the Knives to cut or parry them away, even wielding one of such weapons to defend himself while he would get his answer, as well as trying to focus on where such tendrils would go across this sealed battle. "So ah....LITTLE BIT OF INFO'LL HELP RIGHT NOW!! WHAT DID I DO!?" He'd yell, to which Solomon would try to answer back.

"I'll put this in simpler terms: You caused an ECLIPSE! More specifically, a Solar Eclipse. Anytime a Solar Eclipse happens, All hell breaks loose for every Magi in....BASICALLY EXISTENCE!! Everyone's magic is mega-amped up to an insane level, as well as halving any cost needed to cast said magic. This applies....to EVERYONE, HARVARD!!! INCLUDING MR. WHACK JOB OVER THERE!!! You're LITERALLY Stuck there unless you somehow kill him, so ah....GOOD LUCK, MORON!" Solomon's reprimands were annoying, yet Harvard knew such words were absolutely deserved. His face said it all. He was genuinely unsure how such a thing was made, and was just as confused how such knowledge was common in everyone. Before the boy was able to respond, more of such tendrils breached through and even created more Shadow People to flank the boy, their shapes being greatly exaggerated now, as well as possessing extra rows of sharp teeth, exactly like what he saw when they're fed sufficiently in such negative emotions in the Shadow House. The Boy would set up another Flames spell to push them away, scorching the land further and further, before focusing his attention towards the Hat Man, casting Knives once more to barrage him in such a metallic wave.

SHIKK!! SHIKK!! SHIKK!!

The blades stabbed deep within the Hat Man, blood trickling down his trench coat, yet he still stood. He'd physically rip one of them out, a Scimitar around his leg, forcing him to kneel down due to the pain, yet quickly heals it by having his memory patch up such a wound. He'd get within a riposte stance, before charging forward and trying to slash at the child, whilst Harvard would match such strength with his own speed and trickery, casting spells upon spells to move him in a position where the boy can strike. Lightning as large as the clouds. Hands that doubled their size and strength. Even winds comparable to a Typhoon would be used as an offense, all to corner the man and allow the child a prime target to stab. The Hat Man, keeping his footwork on top, maneuvered across the battlefield with no hesitation, constantly dodging and weaving at every strike, even ones that were super close to his heart. He would also maneuver in a way where he'd be in the boy's blind spot, allowing him a direct strike across his shoulders to remove the weapon he wielded. If one didn't knew any better, they would look as if they were dancing with their very weapons beneath the black Eclipse upon them.

SHIKK!!

Out came the slash, a direct hit on the Card Magician, with his arm somewhat split down the middle, the child wincing in pain as he'd try to move his wounded limb, forcing him to wield the blade with his other hand. Harvard would be pushed to a corner, forced to dodge such movements himself, whilst trying to repair such an attack to be back on even footing. He'd reciprocate by creating a separate appendage to act as a makeshift arm so it would block the slashes for him, whilst the Card Magician took the potion and healed his arm up once more. The harsh sting of metal rings true, and the harsh sparks that ignited the land began to stir once more, creating another fire-like ring around the area, merging with the first and being enough to engulf the very barrier itself, hiding away both Harvard and A. N. Noh from prying eyes. 

The two stood there, panting, starting to get low on energy. The boy would almost try to get back to such a vial so he can rejuvenate himself, yet he chose not to. To regain one's strength at this point would be cowardice. He'd notice through such a scuffle between blades, though, that his hat was finally removed, letting loose his short, wave-like hair, as well as damages across his skin, showcasing more and more red, indicating further his epidermis was merely there to be a thin blanket rather than an actual defense. Despite being blind, Publiq still looked towards the boy's direction, both of their hair flowing softly in the dry breeze. Their gaze was locked in, and they steeled themselves once more. They both unanimously took a deep breath, and prepared for the next attack.