Somehow managing to get to his feet after the countless amount of damage done to his body, Nathanial grips his spear and braces himself for the battle to come.
"Y-you... won't beat me! I'm too strong for you...you'll suffer the same fate as that boy did... You watch!"
He lifts his spear high above his head and stabs it into the ground. For a moment, nothing happens until the ground splits open, and flames shoot up into the air, engulfing his entire body once more.
"HA HA HA HA HA!...YOU BLUNDERING FOOL! WITH MY FIRE ARMOR I AM INVINCIBLE!"
Even from several yards away, Himora could feel the heat of the supernatural ability.
It bothered him not.
Fire was the last thing on Crayosia that could inspire fear in him.
"I beg to differ!"
The swordsman countered with just as much confidence as his flaming opponent.
"Let me show you what real power is! HEEAAA!"
The sun disappears as massive black clouds gather above the duo. Once again, raindrops the size of watermelons began to fall from the sky. Nathanial stumbles back and forth as the large, powerful projectiles pummeled him relentlessly, yet still, he stood.
"You fool, that pathetic attack won't work this time! Hellfire is far too strong to be banished by water from this plain! HA! What were you thinking!?"
Himora took a step forward.
"My plan worked just fine then. That water isn't here to put your flames out, just to dampen them!"
He grips his sword, bends at the knee, and flies at Nathanial just as the man lunges toward him with his spear cocked back and ready to deliver a deadly blow. The two collide, and their lethal blades ricochet off one another faster than the average eye can track. The two warriors flip and bounce over and under one another, neither one managing to land a single scratch on the other.
"Finally...a good challenge."
Himora thinks to himself.
Nathanial notices that his opponent is smiling, and it angers him profoundly.
"WHAT ARE YOU SMILING FOR YOU STUPID BAFOON!?"
Himora smiles on as he presses his attack, his plan working just fine. Nathanial's attacks, counters, and parries began to get sloppy as his nerves began to get the best of him.
"You bastard! GIVE UP ALREADY!"
In the blink of an eye, Nathanial ducks under a vicious slash that would have taken his head from his shoulders and swiftly kicks Himora's feet from under him, then follows the attack up with a quick kick aimed at the swordsman's stomach.
Himora brought his sword up in a snap, blocking the blow and using the absorbed energy to flip several times and land gracefully on his feet.
"I knew you would eventually try that, but as I said earlier, that won't work on me. Do you think so lowly of me?"
Himora runs at Nathanial, who rushes forward again in turn.
They meet in a shower of dancing sparks, searing flames, and frigid water.
The fight continues for just under half an hour.
As Himora holds his own, he notices that his opponent is growing wary of the battle.
"Now's my chance."
He thinks to himself as he moves to end the fight.
"HIMORA, DUCK!"
Athena -who had been watching the entire fight- grows bored and decides to join with a bit of help from me, as I had just woken from being knocked unconscious for the past 10 minutes at least.
Himora blocks one final attack from the now nearly exhausted Nathanial, and drops to one knee just as a giant wave of dazzling light flies over him and into the eyes of the villain.
As that takes place, I launch my spear like a javelin, and in that moment, everything seems to be moving in slow motion.
Athena stands several yards away from the rogue spearman, her palms wide and pointed outward, Aetheral light pouring from her hands, blinding him effectively.
Himora -seeing my spear incoming- kicks off with one leg and flips forward and over the stunned combatant just as my spear slams into his chest.
He lands nimbly behind him and swings fast and hard, swiftly slicing the man in half.
The man slowly lowers his hands from his eyes and gently grips the shaft of my spear as it protrudes from his chest.
"Impo...ssible..."
Nathanial stumbles forward, but his upper half falls backwards and hits the ground with a muted thud.
"Oooooh, that's disgusting."
Athena says as she grabs her stomach and runs off into the woods.
Himora and I just look at each other and laugh.
"Strong fighter, weak stomach."
I say between chuckles.
Himora cleans his sword in the grass at our feet and returns it to its sheath.
He eyes the body as he silently nods in agreement.