Moments Earlier.
Fire swarmed throughout the forest like wretched flies, the beatings of Gabe's heart growing louder and louder.
Run.
Run.
The only thing that circled his mind was this singular word, as though it was an incarnation to exude a powerful magic.
However, in the face of the trailing Grav — whose fire was scorching through the land — all he could do was cower.
"For that is who you are!" Grav grinned, a manic hum exiting his lips, and reaching Gabe's ears.
Grav stepped on the grass one last time, focusing his mana to his legs, then leaping forward. The tome spewed fire, the hellish orange-red coiling in the air, entrancing the wood and leaves.
"A beastly thing!" Grav roared with a mighty grin, his leap closing the gap between them within seconds. "Whose strength is only acknowledged by the weak!" It was a claim that Gabe could not muster the courage to dispute.
The two of them neared the shrine center, their eyes able to see the vast clearing. However, before Gabe could reach the vast land, he felt it—the blistering hot fire.
"AGHHHHHH!!"
His scream—painful, sorrowful, was drowned by the blaze.
His arm…
It was gone.
Reduced into the pitiful pits of oblivion.
His movements came to a shattering halt, his body dropping to the ground. Grav came from behind, his fingers grabbing hold of his upper garments.
"Shall we see the end?"
Grav dashed forward to the clearing with Gabe in hand. His eyes caught sight of the unsightly clown standing atop the shrine, towering over two individuals like a king.
Again, the tome spewed another barrage of fire. It spiraled forward, quickly reaching where the clown stood.
Then it was blocked by the cards that dangled in the air; the clown formed a massive shield of cards that protected his body from the oncoming danger.
"How unsightly," Grab uttered to himself with venom.
As he got closer — dragging Gabe's bleeding figure alongside him — he saw the cards unveil the clown.
"Oh," the clown spoke, his voice magnified by mana. "Another challenger for the artifact?" His face maintained that same wretched smile, which was exaggerated by the red paint, making it look accursed.
The clown looked back at David and Miller.
He frowned once he saw that they had turned around, retreating into the woods. A shake of the head followed, then he leapt off of the stone staircase. Shattering the stone beneath him, he quickly closed the gap between him and the two retreaters.
FWOOOOM!
That was until a column of fire interrupted his advancement. He shielded himself with another layer of cards, immediately skittering away as Grav flew in like a heroic savior.
Though his heart was hardly in a heroic state.
"Killing you... means what exactly?" Their eyes met, faces close enough to the point where they could kiss.
The clown grinned as he jumped in the air, twirling as he dodged an upwards drill of fire. His cards danced around him like the tome that Grav had.
"Wanna find out?"
The cards collected together; they folded, bent, and morphed into a spear. Then he ushered his hand forth, allowing it to drill in its mighty descent. Grav pressed his hand on the ground, the tome floating right in front of him.
"Fire beats paper," Grav spoke plainly, allowing for another column of fire to rise from the pages of the tome. As their eyes reflected off the hellish orange-red, the spear of playing cards were scorched alive.
The clown landed softly, then dashed to the left. He jumped over a few dead bodies before pressing firmly on the ground and launching himself towards Grav.
"You're foolish," the clown told him blatantly. "Allowing those two to live—laughable, really." In front of Grav, he stomped his left foot on the ground, willing the cards to him. As he swung his hand, a sword made of cards was created.
Grav stepped back a few inches before curling his fingertips into fists.
Fwoosh!
A trail of fire followed as Grav sent dozens of fiery fists towards the clown. Still, the grin remained fierce on the clown's face, his arms swinging the card sword faster and faster.
There was hardly any missed beats, their attacks relentlessly pursuing one another.
Every time the clown's card sword was disintegrated — becoming complete ash — the clown would materialize another almost instantly.
What is this casting speed?! Grav thought internally. Every time he did disintegrate the card sword, he attempted to take advantage of the time between to slay the clown.
But the clown was always a beat faster.
"Is... that all?" The clown asked, his tongue sliding over his lips in a lick. He backed away then spun, sending out projectile playing cards. Grav slammed the ground, manifesting a wall of fire.
Whirrr!
However, some of the cards curved around the wall of fire, spinning violently before being pulled in towards Grav.
Clicking his tongue, Grav pressed off of the ground to dodge, the wind pressing on his spine. Before he could land, however, playing cards begun gathering from behind. Grav widened his eyes once he looked back, a massive spike created.
Gritting his teeth, Grav twisted his body in a violent jerk, splitting his focus between his hands and his tome.
FWWWOOOOSH!
Fire coiled out from his hands and tome, colliding with the spike of playing cards that would have pierced his body.
From the behind the wall of fire, the clown emerged. He progressed forward, his quiet steps becoming thunderous once his walk turned into a run. The bells that hung on his ridiculous hat rang loudly as he spread his arms to the side, gathering the cards that were still on the ground.
Grav tossed himself away, his body strained.
This clown... his endurance is crazy. Grav was able to clearly see the difference between them. While their fire-power may be similar, the clown was demonstrating a higher level of endurance and mana control.
"Impressed?" The clown asked as he continued his onslaught.
Grav scoffed.
He couldn't deny it, though—the clown's mana control was the most impressive that he has seen in a long time. It was not just how fast he was casting his playing cards, but Grav could clearly see the amount of mana that the clown was using to keep the cards afloat.
So very little.
"As I told the two that came here before you," the clown began. "If you want the artifact, you'll have to go through me. That is the only way you can hope to obtain what you desire on that shrine."
"Are you a guardian?"
Grav planted his hand on the ground. Fire erupted, burning the grass and desecrating the bodies that were beneath them. The clown dodged, flipping to the side.
"Precisely," the clown responded. "The manifestation of the Goddess' will. That is me."
Grav said nothing.
The clown grinned almost wildly.
"So, how about it?" The clown asked vaguely before his eyes sharpened, the bells jingling. "Do you think you can beat me?" He finished haughtily.
Grav sneered, the fire erupting even stronger than before.
"I'll incinerate you until all that is left is your ash."
"Then come at me then, worthless noble."
Before they could resume, the clock had struck.
12 AM.
VVVWWWWWOOOOOOOMMMMM!
A bright light, one so beautiful that it could be referred as a cosmic thing. It pierced from the skies above, entering from the heavens, appearing atop the shrine.
The two became distracted, their eyes drawing to the beautiful scenery. As the light quickly disappeared, dispersing into the air and becoming one with the ambient mana, a golden eye was left on the shrine top.
Then...
The clown saw it.
"NO!"
David and Miller.
They emerged from the other side of the shrine.
BBBBOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!
The clown disappeared. His launch shattered sound, his body becoming but a blur. Something had stirred deep within him. Something primal, something that made him discard every single bit of thought he had allocated towards Grav, and thrusted it towards the two who were at the center of the shrine.
His duty.
His obligation.
All of it—it was in their hands to decide.
Miller and David reached out, the former taking the golden eye.
The clown phased right through Miller.
Above all Devotees, a large black scroll unraveled.
[Dungeon: The Guardian Clowngel, Complete]
[Ending: Basic]
[Grade: B-]