Rapl versus Dyrin

The fist and the knife met in flames, their clash causing the surrounding droplets of water to dissipate. But the spell of the skies continued their cast, as Rapl and Dyrin stared at each other; one, with a face that of a scowl, and the other, with a bright smile.

"Well then, shall we end this rivalry," Dyrin remarked confidently.

"I was planning that to begin with." But to his horror, Rapl's figure dissipated, as the pirate's Perception caught a cluster of mana to the side of his face. Dyrin turned, only to see Rapl's foot, as the lesser Lich threw a kick.

The power on it was threatening, so Dyrin had to use a fair amount of mana into Channeling. But as the kick landed, it caused the pirate leader to be thrown back. Rapl thought he had the advantage, but as Dyrin's body was sent flying, Rapl's followed, for Dyrin grabbed his leg before being sent off.

Due to his actual body being grabbed, Rapl could not use his Illusion to get away, so as Dyrin got his balance back, he slammed the body of Rapl onto the ground. There Rapl foresaw himself being hit by a Flame Shot.

So as Dyrin cast the spell, Rapl cast Aegis. The golden shield blocked the shot, but Dyrin had semi-expected it. With his free foot, he kicked Rapl's head, sending the lesser Lich tumbling, the kick had some mana in it so Rapl was still recoiling. Seeing his open opponent, Dyrin's knife was set ablaze as he grinned, "FLAME DANCE!!!"

Hearing the spell, Rapl's eyes began to pulse as he fully activated them. Still dazed, Rapl couldn't dodge well, but due to his eyes, he knew when to use Channeling at the right time, and at the right place. He still got a few scars, but due to this, he wasn't cut wide open.

As Dyrin finished his combo, a fully powered punch met his face, as Rapl recovered just when Dyrin finished. The pirate recoiled a bit, but was not dismayed, with a bright burning knife filled with mana, he began to duel Rapl's fists.

The two showed their skills as warriors, with Dyrin's attack speed and expertise with knives, with sudden bursts of power, Rapl was being pushed back. But due to the lesser Lich's all-seeing eyes, he was keeping up, even realizing he was faster than Dyrin in terms of pure attack speed.

But as Dyrin threw an attack with all his might, Rapl, slipping back ever so slightly, realized Dyrin was open for any attack. So as Rapl focused all his mana on his fist, he knew Igni would be too slow to immediately counter, so instead he responded with fire, "FLASH!!"

Rapl's hands burst into a bright crackling flame, as he drove it into Dyrin's chin. The pirate felt the entire world slow down as he looked upon the blinding flame, a raindrop turning into steam as it fell into it. Dyrin was sent tumbling a considerable distance, as Rapl prepared to go in.

But his eyes saw something, so he Channeled mana into his left arm as the tumbling Dyrin reached out his hand, grabbing the dirt with a smile, he drove his knife to the ground, "Dragon's Claw."

He slashed towards Rapl, sending a flaming wave on the ground, exploding in Rapl's direction. But due to Rapl's earlier Channeling, his hand met the burning wave, clashing with it before redirecting all its force to the side. Staring at Dyrin, Rapl thought of a plan, "Alright Sevi, let's do something of yours."

Dyrin stood ready to battle, but as he saw Rapl was about fifty feet away, he began casting Flame Dance, hoping to meet him. But the second he was about to cast it, Rapl's figure disappeared, as the real Rapl, who blasted himself with a fire spell, was only about five feet away from Dyrin.

The pirate didn't even have the time to realize as Rapl's hands glowed a bright red, as the air began to swirl around it, "IGNI!!" Yet again, Dyrin was hit by a massive attack, one that caused him to be sent tumbling again. Rapl knew if he kept this momentum, he would win, so yet again he prepared to attack.

But as he was about to pounce on Dyrin again, the pirate somehow recovered faster than before. Rapl foresaw what was going to happen as he gritted his teeth and focused all his mana on his arms. Dyrin's knife sparked a bright red flame, and with a wide swing, he cast, "PULRUM!!"

A slash of fire resembling that of a phoenix came towards Rapl, its size was massive, about fifty feet of pure powered mana. But as the Pulrum was approaching Rapl, the Lich apprentice's arms started to surge with electricity. Pulling both arms back, Rapl cast, "RITRI HAROM!!!" Both arms roared with lightning as Rapl sent his own mana to battle Dyrin's.

The two mana entities clashed in a display of tremendous strength, one that made the skies rage even more. But as quickly as the dust clouds came in, it was swept away as a blade and a fist met. Dyrin and Rapl continued their duel.

But unbeknownst to the pirate, their battle was being broadcasted all throughout Zeroth itself. With Projection Portals appearing in Angelica, the capital of Kendro, Tenmashi, the capital of Mizumi, Bozoe, the capital of Grutil, Gashkape, the capital of Palisor, Heongnam, the capital of Daomus, Pelsor, the capital of Ushoup, and many more cities. The eyes of the normal civilians stare in awe at the battle.

Yet even the veterans of war, who were far stronger than the two beings battling in the projection, stared in absolute fear; not due to the strength of the two beings, but due to the words of the voice accompanying it.

"Creatures of Zeroth, gaze upon the future of Zan," a proud, yet terrifying voice exclaimed, causing normal civilians to be paralyzed in fear, whilst the strong champions listened cautiously. The voice belonged to the Emperor of Zan, the Great Lich, Artefus, "For what you see in front of your eyes, is the future Lich of Zan, Ashkin."

The hearts of millions of people dropped at the Great Lich's proclamation. A Great Lich, a Lesser Lich, and a Grand General; It was doom, if the man currently fighting grew ever stronger, it would spell the end for Zeroth as a whole.

One man in Angelica, stood with confidence even when everyone around him were shaking. A hurt expression came over his face as he saw the Lesser Lich, "Irene… Kenjiro… I'm sorry, for when I see your son again, I will kill him," stated Fegeko, king of Kendro.

But next to him was his daughter, whose pain rivaled that of her father's, "Rapl… why?"

But to other rulers, whose relation to Rapl Tsukumo wasn't strong, instead looked into the implications of having an apprentice. Plenty thought of it as the Lich's warning to the world of his coming conquest, causing kings and queens to start preparing.

But one man instantly solved the puzzle Artefus unknowingly made. For in the city of Tenmashi, standing on a balcony looking at the projection, a man with slicked back blue hair stared, his hands scratching at his chin full of stubble.

"It seems you've figured something out Kiryu," a voice called from behind the man. Kiryu Xiao, Emperor of the Empire of Mizumi, and the man to strategically beat Artefus during the battle of Tenmashi.

At the voice's remark, Kiryu nodded, a slight smile on his face, "I have," the voice from behind the Emperor then grinned.

"Wanna tell it to me?" It asked.

Kiryu didn't respond immediately, as his mind was still double-checking, but as he connected all the pieces yet again, he remarked, "Tell me? Why is Artefus, a man who would not let anyone bear the burden of being a Lich, suddenly get an apprentice after almost six hundred years of not having one?" The question was one the voice knew the answer to.

"Because his death is close."

"Correct," Kiryu immediately responded, "The Lich grows in strength the more he ages, yet, at almost six hundred years old, he was defeated for the first time in centuries, meaning the champions currently have caught up in strength. And as the Lightborne returns soon, I'm sure we are the generation to finally slay the One Foe of All." The Emperor then turned away from the projection, to the voice, a voice of a man a few years younger than him, "So prepare yourself, sharpen your scythe, and hone your skills again, for though you are the Reaper, he is still the Great Lich."

A chuckle exited from the mouth, of the Golden Reaper, Wilbur Hataro, the man who defeated the Lich Artefus.

But as time went by, the two warriors on the projection began to tire, while the spectators around the world watched on with terror, as the Lesser Lich was clearly winning. Rapl was pummeling Dyrin, and even with the pirate still battling on, he couldn't do much compared to the unending blows of the Lesser Lich.

So with one last Igni, the pirate leader known as Dyrin fell onto the ground, his body bloody and beaten, still his smile still shining. With a tired voice, he exclaimed, "Lesser Lich… remember me."

But in contrast to Dyrin's content face, Rapl's bore one with mixed emotion. From far off, Artefus, who was focused on telling the world about his apprentice, saw Rapl's hand move in a gesture he recognized. His mouth produced a small grin as he removed all sound emanating from the Projection while causing it to be blurred; as if Artefus' Projection was cutting off.

"Alright Rapl, give it to him," Artefus remarked in his mind, as he followed what Rapl had asked for him to do. The rain continued to fall, as Dyrin's eyes began to close.

"You do not deserve to close your eyes," Rapl exclaimed, his voice stern and full of anger. Dyrin wondered what this all meant.

"Do you wish to brutalize me more Lich?" He asked, his tone joking. But Rapl was serious, his aura burning with something Dyrin knew all too well, passion.

Rapl tightened his fists as he yelled, "YOU WANT YOUR NAME TO BE REMEMBERED DON'T YOU DYRIN!! THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU FIGHT LIKE IT!!" He exclaimed, with emotion running through his body even he didn't know he had, "I HAVE FOUGHT YOU THREE TIMES NOW!! THIS ONE BEING YOUR MOST PITIFUL DISPLAY!! IS THIS THE MEMORY YOU WANT ME TO HAVE OF DYRIN OF HULDA!! THE UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT!! IS THIS THE MAN WHO LED AN ARMY WHO LOVED HIM!?"

Dyrin was stunned at the Lesser Lich's passionate speech, yet, it was the mention of his army that got to him. Tears began to swell from his eyes as Dyrin's heart finally showed itself, "I AM BEFITTING OF THAT PITIFUL MEMORY!!" He stated, his voice shaking with so much emotion, "I LED AN ARMY THAT LOVED AND CARED FOR ME TO DESTRUCTION!! ALL BECAUSE OF MY CHILDISH AMBITION!! I AM NO HERO!! NOR CHAMPION!! I AM NO MORE THAN A SLAVE WHO DESERVED TO BE SOLD OFF!!"

"Is that how you treat your soldiers?" Rapl bluntly responded, stopping Dyrin in his tracks, "You think, they followed a pitiful slave who would give up in the first sign of trouble!?" Rapl's tone had lessened, but what he was saying spoke louder than before, "Do you insult their intelligence, do you doubt their faith?"

"What are you saying?" Dyrin asked, but Rapl paid it no mind as his tone increased again.

"THE DYRIN I FOUGHT WAS A MAN WHO COMMANDED RESPECT!! ATTENTION!! BUT MOST OF ALL!! AWE!! HE WAS A MAN SET ON A DREAM!! A DREAM TO SHOW THE HOPELESS AROUND THE WORLD THE BEAUTY OF A BLUE HORIZON!!" Rapl declared, as Dyrin's watery eyes widened, "THAT WAS THE DYRIN THAT INSPIRED THOUSANDS TO JOIN HIM!! AN UNSHAKABLE WILL!! AN UNDYING DETERMINATION!! AND NOW IN HIS FINAL BATTLE!! WHAT IS HE!!"

The burning words of the lesser Lich lit something in Dyrin that he thought gone. Standing up, even with his bruised body, Dyrin, yet again, smiled, "WHAT AM I!?!" Dyrin stated, as he Channeled mana into his legs as he jumped. Rapl smiled, making a hand symbol again, as Artefus fixed his projection.

As Dyrin soared, a wind mage, missing an arm and bleeding from overuse of mana, looked up to see him. A warrior, covered in arrows with an eye missing, used her only remaining eye to gaze up on him. A halfling, impaled by sharp ice, used all of her remaining life energy to focus on him. And an orc, disarmed and nearing death, glanced at the boy who changed his life. Though he did not think much of himself, it was their, and many more's belief in him that made Dyrin who he truly was.

In front of the whole world, a burning knife split the dark clouds, revealing a bright blue sky. Men, women, and children gazed upon it with awe, as the star, burns it's brightest at it's end. Dyrin, with blood pouring from his eyes and nose, looked down on Rapl, with the widest smile he ever made, "I AM DYRIN!!" He exclaimed, his voice shaking all who heard it to their core, "THE UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT!!"