ALL NOVEL Chapter 105: To Honorable Ash
For some reason, as his wound leaked, he found himself recalling those memories precious to him; those that made him who he was. As blood dripped down his glossy eye, Jasper kept his shield raised without blinking. Each strike against was felt, ringing through his bones like a mallet to a chime.
He was forced to move, using quick steps to move around as fleeting light, though the knight relentlessly pursued him as a bolt of lightning, continuously nipping at his heels.
"...I can't let this world fade. I won't let our people be erased–it can't…!" Alexander earnestly promised as his raspy voice howled from beneath the helmet, continuing his relentless swings.
Just as the axe was cocked back, Jasper pushed forward, smacking his shield right against the chest of the towering knight in front of him.
["Light Joust"]
The echo of radiance served to knock the electric-infused knight back, bringing Alexander to groan before his limbs twitched again with erratic power.
"I'm not going to let mine fade either, mate. There's some people I can't let have their memory die out–that's my responsibility as a big brother," Jasper claimed as blood continued to leak over his eye.
"I have an oath…Until my body turns to dust," Alexander repeated his resolve, swaying as his arm twitched with coiling electricity. "Can't let our record be…forgotten…"
"Don't worry about that," Jasper assured the figure, though knew his words wouldn't reach the knight who moved off of instinct. "I'll remember this world fine enough for you."
As his hair swayed in the winds that came off the storm-driven knight, Jasper straightened himself out, holding his shield-bearing arm out as he let the protective equipment vanish for the moment. He instead wielded his radiant sword with both hands, not shying away from a direct confrontation.
A different stance was taken, raising the bright-white blade up at shoulder height, pointing it forward, foregoing defense and placing everything on one strike.
'There's no predicting this guy when he's twitching like a laggy game. Even when he can move like lightning, in terms of sheer speed, I have the advantage–it's just hard to steer. My best bet is to put everything into being faster, all on one move,' Jasper considered.
A crackle of electricity came with a spark of brilliant magenta, sending the Storm Knight forth like a bolt through a thunderous cloud. For a moment, corporeal form was abandoned as Jasper moved as a flash of light, intercepting Alexander at the same moment he came at him.
He brought his heavenly blade up in a curved slash, passing right by the lightning-blessed knight before sliding his boots across the disheveled stone.
"--Haah," Jasper exhaled as he turned himself around, setting his blade at his side.
As the flash of light came to an end, the Storm Knight stood in the same spot with his axe only having fallen upon an unoccupied space.
"...You have commendable strength…A fair outcome,' Alexander's voice exhaled from his helmet before collapsing. "Don't forget this world…My name…"
"It'll be hard to forget it when you almost took my head off. Rest easy, Alexander, I'll remember," Jasper promised.
As the Storm Knight fell to his knees, his entire form dissipated into ash, leaving the pieces of armor simply to roll over onto the courtyard.
In the very moment the Storm Knight fell, the pint-sized soldiers turned to ash as well, leaving behind their small bits of armor.
"Ah?--" Charlotte reacted as she watched one of the gnome knights fade away with its blade dropping down. "They're gone?"
"Good timing," Magnus remarked, holding his bleeding soldier as a sigh of relief was left out.
Finn looked at the remnants of the gnome that he was faced with before setting his sights on the courtyard itself, seeing the unhelmed knight standing before the ashes of Alexander.
["Storm Knight, Alexander defeated."] ["Anarch Coin x1500 obtained."]
[Experience Points: +65000]
[Level thirty-two reached!] [505/60000]
[Assimilated ability from [Storm Knight, Alexander]: "Wind Upheaval"]
[New Skill(s) Obtained: "Art of Combat: Taekwondo"]
He took note of the peculiar skill he obtained before walking over to the knight, checking on him, "Nice one. Are you alright?"
It was his first time getting a look at the face of his friend, though all he felt was that he looked exactly as he imagined: a kind face that could still smile.
Jasper stood there for a moment before wiping the blood from his eye, tapping his own brow as if checking if there was a wound, "Peachy. Nothing to worry about, mate…just a bit tired."
The earnest aussie nearly fell over as Finn grabbed him, lending a shoulder as Magnus helped with his other arm.
"Sorry, mates…Doing that sorta thing really tuckers me out," Jasper apologized with a halfhearted chuckle.
"Nothing to be sorry for," Magnus assured him, helping set the knight onto the grass, "You kicked that guy's ass–I'm not sure any of us could've done the same."
Nova chipped in while following from behind with a playful march, "You're a real cutie, y'know that? Were you a model before all of this?" She asked, taking an all-too-close look at the aussie.
As Finn sat his friend up against a tree that overlooked the edge of the floating region, he could tell the remarks from the eccentric woman flushed his cheeks.
Jasper played it off, "Not a chance."
"Aw, really?" Nova persisted, sitting beside him. "Would've worked out well, I think."
"Saying stuff like that…You remind me of somebody–nevermind," Jasper brushed off while catching his breath.
While there was no way to tell if it was safe now on the outside of the vast castle-land, a moment was taken to compose themselves after an all-too-stressful encounter.
"That knight...He was fighting for this world still," Charlotte remarked, sitting on the grass.
Finn stayed on his feet, brushing his boot against the ashes that laid on the battle-torn courtyard, "Yeah, that's the first person I've seen in this place that was still resisting."
"I'm guessing he's not the only one that won't take kindly to our objective up here. Inside that castle, there's undoubtedly more like him," Magnus remarked.
"I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case. Either way, we still can't get through that gate—gotta find the sewer entrance," Finn reminded them, looking towards the magic-protected gates.
Charlotte spoke up while brushing the grass from her skirt, "Oh, I found it."
"You did?" Finn asked.
"Mhm, right before that knight jumped in," Charlotte said, pointing across the courtyard towards another set of bushes. "Over there."
While it was good news, the woman of white-and-pink hair let out a displeased reaction, "Blegh…I don't want to go into any sewers—that's gross, totally gross." Nova protested.
"You don't have to. You're perfectly free to not follow us," Magnus reminded her.
"Hey, hey, mister! What's with that tone when I certainly saved you from becoming Swiss cheese earlier?!" Nova said, jabbing her finger right against the cannoneer's nose.
"I admit you helped out, but that's only calling it even," Magnus clarified while standing back up. "Like I said, come along if you want."