Dark Crow Rising

Putting my claws out, I vault over the thrusting blade. Making my way for the fuller, I slide not a moment longer and leap half the distance. Rolling back into a sprint, I mind the magic viciously detonating in this godless world. If I stop, all this leaking power will blind me. I need to keep ahead of it.

Atarifuge tracks me, its free hand locking around the blunt base of the blade. Its skeletal grip accelerates, coming right for me with shards of its own hand sparking off. Leaping over the obstacle, I clamour off of the sword and crawl my way up its arm. Jumping once again, I aim my feet and throw my grip out.

The magic almost surrounds me, and I burst right out of it. Crouching against the giant's head, it stumbles back with a mechanical groan, and I jump away. It's quick to look my way and roars. Blocking the shockwaves, I spiral out of control and fall to the earth with deorbiting fury.

Spotting a perfect ledge, I throw my grip out again and swing with rockets behind. Going up, I release. My cloak flaps open to catch the air and my bombardment begins. Magic blasts across the giant and my final one sends me to it.

Striking it again with another ferocious punch, a hand comes to swat me. Snarling, I jump for the gap in its skeletal form and glide out into the air. I drop to the lifeless land below, a grand crater erupting around. Kneeling further and further into it, the weight of this magic becomes more apparent.

Though I have all this power now, infused with the might of Exceptional House's greatest and the spares of soldiers... I am on a limited timer. I can feel it. Were it not for Atarifuge's aura, this power would be tearing me apart. But that's just it. It's eating through this magic quicker than I can use it to rip that thing to pieces!

Life wants me to cling on, it's begging me to cling on with the greatest philosophy survival instincts can give. Yet, I am a stubborn one. I know what life has to offer and I forsake it. Death is where I can find peace. It's where I can find the woman I love...

"Gods and goddesses, all of you, hear me now and well: Let this fight set my future in stone!" I roar with all I have as pale light consumes the last of my vision. Sprinting out into the open, I break my way out of the prison and make my way for the in-motion stomp. With a lethal spring in my step, I land on the foot. My claws clasp Atarifuge's shin and I rush with an exploding heart.

Though I am travelling faster than I ever thought I could, the horizon is not moving. The foot crashes into the splitting earth and debris races up to me. Holding the lead for now, I gallop out of the way of what is catching up. My eyes lock onto the damage Segaansallis managed to deal.

Finding even greater speeds to reach, the magic strings behind me. My shoulders bear absurd g-forces and I head straight down and up with clawing mania. What looks like a weak spot reaches my fists and I strike endlessly. Yet, even in my fury, I can see how little is being done.

Darkness covers my exit, and I snap around, growling. Atarifuge seeks to trap me in its own wound!? Oh, I do not think so, you damn skeleton. You will not trap me!

Jumping away to the gap in its palm, I roll around the bone and lodge myself in the gap. Before it can realise, I create a spell of unrivalled power and let it loose on the world. All that indestructible rock traps it, bouncing it endlessly until the arm swings away. It sends me flying and I crash.

Sand washes past with blurring speed and I break out!

Finding my senses, I face the giant as it strides towards me. The speed that can cross a continent like I would normally a street. Putting magic back into my hands, I launch myself down into the ground and dig in deep. Waiting for the giant's shadow, I throw myself out there the moment I see its descending drop stab.

I elbow the blade at the first chance and put myself on a direct course for the skull. Focusing all this magic I have left, I strike deep into its blocked nose, roaring with every bit of fury I have. Taking shelter, I secure myself in the out-of-control behemoth and jump away before it crashes. I land on the body, hoping for victory, but it stirs and I collapse.

Hissing at the lack of a fireball to be engulfed in, Atarifuge gets up with the laziness of a bed parasite. He brushes his face, sending me away into the desert towards Segaansallis. Crashing up against the unbreakable rock, I pant my focus towards it. Only here can I find the means to hurt Atarifuge. I'm wasting my time otherwise.

"You've always wanted me, haven't you...?" I question, staring at the thing as rage seems to overcome it. That professional composure it duelled me with is gone. Only an animal remains. A disoriented one, one that will give me time to think. My solution is behind me, but how-

I watch Atarifuge's sword swing with barbaric might. The winds it's able to generate, they almost flatten me. With every second that aura can take away from my power, it grows fiercer. It will see me blowing off into the distance, it will see it!

Flipping around so the leg is on my front, I climb Segaansallis. Running across the leg and then the canyons of its abs and pectorals, my cavern awaits. Magic latches onto the edge of the shadows, and I reel myself against the light of Iderim-Ovi. Liada stares back at me, her eyes more crimson than her skin.

So clearly rimmed in despair...

The magic flashes away and I fall in, the raw magic vanishing with the daylight. For a moment, I collapse on the ground and Liada struggles to hold me. She whimpers down at me and I am forced to watch her. She loves me; she said... She's not the first and probably not the last to say so if I live.

Finding the strength in me to push her away, I get back up while she's at a loss for words. The ground shakes ever more violently, each one the mark of lost time. Following the trails of apple-sweet light, the damage becomes clear. Only a bit remains to be broken and I can weaponise our last blade against Atarifuge.

"Wh-Whatever you are planning... Don't do it. I am telling you now... DON'T DO IT!" Liada begs, her god's power glowing bright. Shaking my head, I walk up to her and hold her close. She breaks down into more tears and returns the hug.

"I'm so very sorry." I whisper, not brave enough to say anything more nor anything louder. With a push, I put her down into the torso of our giant. As she races to get back to her feet, I make a quick prayer to her deity. He answers me and lashes his power out to seal all ways into the head.

Not even sound can make it through now, yet my imagination still hears her. Liada is begging me to stop. She's saying all she can, doing all she can. This once, however, her god will take heed of my prayer. Not for my safety, but for hers. We jump up at Atarifuge's final step and my fists clench.

"Come on, you shitty black stone bastard..." I hiss, flesh popping out and carapace cracking. I position myself under the immense weight, ready to life it at the first chance.