Stretching its arms shaped into blades to strike me, and I quickly use my tail and my sword to block its arms before kicking it in the gut, sending it flying downwards.
"My body feels so light, even all the pain from my wounds feels like it's faded?"
"That's thanks to me. Right now, I am experiencing all of your pain, so it isn't hitting your brain, but be careful, your body is still just as injured as before."
"PAY ATTENTION!" Angra shouts as he appears at my side.
I quickly extend and spiral my tail, forming a shield as he strikes some right into one of Balaur's bones. Hearing is an approach; I move from the crater I land in and strike my tail into Balaur, allowing me to gain footing despite being vertical.
His body crashes into where I once was, then he pops out, and in front of me, I see his body become more vicious; the cute bunny that he once looked like becomes crossed with that of a vicious three-tailed fox. Standing upright, he opens his mouth, revealing a series of fangs, and lets out a blood-curdling roar as he shouts, "I WILL KILL YOU, I WILL KILL YOU!!!"
In a single lunge, he comes towards me, and I jump out of the way, preparing to strike him on his head, yet one of his tails blocks me as another comes for my stomach. I extend my tail and deflect his, yet the final tail strikes me in my kidney, sending me flying backwards.
I plunge my tail into Balaur's bones, yet I quickly remove it again as another strike from Angra heads my way, which I jump back to avoid, yet his tails still hit me. Continuing down Balaur bones, I am struck by his attacks again, and again as I try to regain some of my footing. Yet it all is to no avail, as its blows continue to weaken me one after another, breaking my body and mind down.
He is reading my mind and anticipating where I am moving next. As long as he has this ability, I won't be able to beat him.
Yet through it all, I hear, "Question Cyrus!"
My king, I am a bit busy trying not to die!
"Was that some sass I hear? I am proud of you, Cyrus. But now think! How was I able to resist someone who controls souls earlier?"
Isn't it because you're also a being made out of pure spirit energy, given you're just a soul in my body?
"Smart answer but incorrect, in that domain I am no match for an entity that has willingly turned itself into a spiritual form for the sake of its goals. It could easily dominate me, so I ask you again, Cyrus, how was I able to resist Angra?"
My mind goes blank at the fear of the situation, combined with the stress of his question falls upon me, but as my legacy spews out darkness from my blade to fend off Angra, it dawns on me.
It's because of your Regalia, right? I was only able to break free of him when covered in darkness.
"CORRECT! My Regalia Dark Night allows me to summon a tangible form of darkness that has mass equal to the amount of spirit energy I pour in. But more than that, it can absorb both physical and spiritual mass equal to what I pour in. Now what do you think I can do with that?"
With a smile appearing on my face, I say, "LIGHTLESS CLOAK!" I activate my legacy on my tail, and from it surges darkness covering my body like a cloak. Then, as his fist strikes me, my body is able to take the force without going backwards.
"AS IF THAT WOULD STOP ME!" Angra yells while swinging his tails at me.
Quickly with my blade I cut all three of them, then smash his face with my fist, knocking him backwards, and as he soars, Zahhak says, "Not only is the force and spirit energy that make up his body being absorbed into your darkness, the stray thoughts from you head also are captured by it negating his ability to read your mind. And as you can see-."
In front of me, I see Angra's body breaking and reforming at a faster rate than before. "It's cracking my friend's fragile ego more, bit by bit. Right now, he is weak, so all you have to do is keep swinging. You can win this, Cyrus."
Gripping my sword tightly, I say, "RIGHT!"
Location: Soarele Blestemat; Front Entrance
Φ Lying in the rubble of the front entrance of the Queen Castle, Orlok breathes in and out heavily and says, "I guess my brain accepts death so steadily that my life doesn't even flash before my eyes. I guess I will only get to see you in another life, Master Alucard."
Standing up, he lunges out of the castle where he sees Balaur bones coming to attack it, and with a blade full of blood, he swings it towards the bone, sending flying slashes that knock them back. Then holds his sword up towards the sky as Dragoste smashes down from above and strikes, pushing them down. Orlok kicks him away, then swings his sword at him, yet in that instant, Dragoste manifests a giant mass of bones far quicker than anything he has ever formed before and blocks the strike. Dragoste then moves in to attack Orlock, this time in tandem with two of Balaur's bones, which move towards the castle.
Φ I need to use Blestadrac battle arts to strike all three of them at once, but the level of damage it causes will only increase Dragoste's strength, and if the Queen doesn't awaken soon, Stelara will not be able to hold him off along with Balaur. I need to make a decision, or else, everything will be lost. Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!
Forming more within my sword, I shoot it off towards Balaur bones, and in the same moment, Dragoste bones pierce my skin, pushing me down. The strength of his bones starts to pierce into my skin, ripping through my body. I quickly send the blood inside my body to attack the bones inside me, but they start to reproduce again, and again, pushing deeper inside slowly.
I am using all I have to stop his bones from ripping me apart inside and out. I made a mistake, I won't be able to stop Balaur bones as long as I am locked in this struggle. I need to break free.
I swipe with my sword to destroy the bones, yet in the same moment, another swarm of them quickly approaches my body before I can even blink.
Yet they all freeze for a moment, and looking past them all towards Dragoste's body, I see him reel as I here a unknown voice say, "ENOUGH WITH THIS!"
Using this moment of reprieve, I destroy all the bones against me and jump from behind Dragoste to the front of my body. A young boy with green and silver hair lands and says, "You really thought you could escape me, Dragoste."
The boy's hair starts to turn black, before turning white, causing me to say, "Young man, are you the one they call Orb?"
Turning, he takes a bow and says, "The one and only. I have slept, eaten, and feel better than ever, so let me have another run at Dragoste, while you handle Balaur bones from attacking the Queen."
"Young man, are you sure about that? He has long since surpassed the strength of a normal combatant. I doubt a 3rd or 4th seat of the Blestadrac would have an easy time defeating him at such a state."
"Don't worry, my path to victory was revealed to me in a dream I just had. My chance of victory is 100%, just you watch. Now go make sure all my friends in the castle are safe, please."
Looking at the determination in the boy's eyes, I say, "Your light shines bright, young man, make sure it doesn't go out today."
Φ Orlok turning jumps away towards Sorelle Blestemat, and Orb in the face of Dragoste reveals his dog ear along with his normal ones, and says, "Let's go."
A swarm of bones rush towards Orb; they move at speeds nearly incomparable to any strike Orb has seen from Dragoste with force to match. Yet Orb's eyes could watch them, the eyes that were deprived of all sight when he was trapped in Fimbulwinter, which had to remember all the little details of the mansion to keep itself entertained. The eyes that never miss a single movement in anyone's body to tell what is bothering them, the eyes that capture people's actions perfectly, so he can better understand. Those eyes, which are now fully rested and are joined with Setanta senses, allow him to see the blow, and with his Legacy activated on his leg, he lunges forward and swerves through the mass of bones sent towards him, effortlessly dancing past them all, and freezing them when they leave no area to move.
Yet just like before, Dragoste's curses grow every single second of his battle, leading the rate to explode, trapping Orb, yet while surrounded by bones, Orb smashes his fist right in front of his body, and says, "Helix battle arts; Spiral."
Breaking the bones in front of him, and for a moment freezing Dragoste's body still, then in that moment Orb uses a giant mass of ice to shatter the bones in front of him, jumps to the side, then Snowboosts forward to strike Dragoste in the face. Dragoste bends his head to face Orb at the side and yells, causing Orb to say, "The more you act like that, the more embarrassing it will be when I kick your ass back to normal."
Dragoste swipes at Orb, causing the boy to jump back, then he points his fingers at Orb, but at no bones extend, Orb smiles and says, "Looks like my gamble was correct, the crystallised spirit energy in your body is far bigger than before. The spiral energy my body produces now strikes it, slowing down your curse. Now I wonder how many more volleys you need to take before I put you down." Dragoste lets out a bone-shaking yell, yet through it Orb smiles and says, "I am going to take you home, Dragoste, no matter how angry you get."
Φ Taking a deep breath, I lunge forward, yet in that same moment, electricity bursts out of Dragoste's body and strikes my body. Feeling the shocks move through my body, I quickly activate my Legacy on my coat and generate snow, softening the shocks.
Dragoste's curse shouldn't allow him to make electricity? Wait, there are nerves in his bones which require electrical impulses to move. Has he generated so many bones that the electrical impulses have grown that strong?
Using my moment of weakness, he charges and grabs my body, sending shocks through it. He continues to hold me and jumps off of Balaur's bones. This is bad. My body can't regenerate when struck by lightning. Right now, I am vulnerable.
I quickly try to manifest as much ice and snow as I can, yet the lightning and the bones continue to grow fighting back against me, as the both of us fall, I smash my forehead against his own as the burns that to build up on my body.
"TRY HOWEVER YOU WANT, DRAGOSTE, I AM NOT GOING TO ABANDON YOU!"
In an instant, a thought flows through my head, and I hear the voice, "Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, just everyone crack, bleed and die!!"
Is this Dragoste's voice? Are the electrical impulses sending his thoughts to me? No, it's more than that, it's like I can feel them send his very memories into my brain.