swinging his enormous blade.
Before it could slice her in half, Harruq flung himself in the way, both his blades blocking the swing. The hit jarred his arms, and he let out a growl as he dug in his feet.
“You would fight me?” Shoa asked as he pushed forward, knocking Harruq back a step. “Even after all we’ve done?”
“Your choice,” Harruq said, ducking an attempted elbow to the face and then crossing both swords into an X to block a downward chop. “Fly away, damn it, before it’s too late!”
Veliana spun around to Shoa’s back, and the angel had to retreat to protect himself. His sword looped about in wide circles to keep the two of them at bay. Veliana twisted and ducked, narrowly avoiding every swing. Harruq kept his distance, waiting for the right moment to attack. He wouldn’t win a match of pure strength, but if he could utilize their numbers advantage to find an opening...
Veliana dropped into a roll beneath the angel’s blade, then came up striking. Shoa retreated, and that’s when Harruq rushed him. Salvation and Condemnation hammered into the angel’s weapon, every bit of his strength poured into each blow. No chance for the angel to recover. No way to retaliate. Veliana saw the opening and went for it, but she wasn’t fast enough. With a gust of air, the angel beat his wings and soaring into the air.
“Vel!” Harruq heard Deathmask scream, and immediately the woman pulled away to race to her guildmaster’s aid. Harruq spared a glance, saw the disgraced mage frantically dodging Syric’s spear. The angel was bleeding from multiple wounds but still fought on unimpeded. Harruq’s brought his attention back to Shoa and braced for an even harder fight. With Veliana out of the picture, the angel could face Harruq without distraction. A flap of his wings and he swooped down, crashing into Harruq. The half-orc skidded across the walkway, refusing to back down, and once the angel landed to his feet, Harruq stole the offensive.
“Is this it?” Shoa asked as his enormous blade shifted and danced to block each and every hit. “Is this the strength of the fabled Godslayer? How could Thulos have fallen to one such as you?”
“I’m not trying to kill you, you bastard,” Harruq said. “Now fly away before someone gets hurt.”
Shoa swung in a wide arc, and it would have cleaved Harruq in half if he’d leapt backwards a half-second later.
“Then try harder!” the angel screamed. Harruq couldn’t believe the fury he saw in Shoa’s emerald eyes, the rage revealed in his sneer. Why such hatred? Did they care so deeply for Avlimar’s fall, or was it merely that someone had dared challenged their authority?
The angel demanded he try harder, and so Harruq did. When the enormous sword came arcing down, Harruq met it with his own. The sound of steel hitting steel was like an explosion, but this time it was the angel who found himself overpowered. Step by step he retreated as Harruq tore into him, matching the angel’s savagery. Every shred of frustration, he released. Every fear, every worry, he let fuel his swords. Godslayer, they had called him. As Harruq roared, he let himself become the furious monster that had accomplished the deed. The red light around his black blades flared with power. Shoa lifted his sword to block, but the heaven-forged blade shattered against the twin strikes.
“Surrender,” Harruq said, pulling back his rage. It was a struggle, and he felt every muscle in his body trembling, but he fought down the impulse to kill. Behind him, he heard Deathmask and Veliana continue to battle Syric, and he knew if he didn’t end the fight soon, they would.
“I will tell the others,” Shoa said. “You drew your swords in defense of criminals. No matter your position of power, you will stand trial for such a crime.”
“I have a thousand sins on my shoulders, and you would condemn me for this?” Harruq asked. Out of all the angel had done, this betrayal stung the
Before it could slice her in half, Harruq flung himself in the way, both his blades blocking the swing. The hit jarred his arms, and he let out a growl as he dug in his feet.
“You would fight me?” Shoa asked as he pushed forward, knocking Harruq back a step. “Even after all we’ve done?”
“Your choice,” Harruq said, ducking an attempted elbow to the face and then crossing both swords into an X to block a downward chop. “Fly away, damn it, before it’s too late!”
Veliana spun around to Shoa’s back, and the angel had to retreat to protect himself. His sword looped about in wide circles to keep the two of them at bay. Veliana twisted and ducked, narrowly avoiding every swing. Harruq kept his distance, waiting for the right moment to attack. He wouldn’t win a match of pure strength, but if he could utilize their numbers advantage to find an opening...
Veliana dropped into a roll beneath the angel’s blade, then came up striking. Shoa retreated, and that’s when Harruq rushed him. Salvation and Condemnation hammered into the angel’s weapon, every bit of his strength poured into each blow. No chance for the angel to recover. No way to retaliate. Veliana saw the opening and went for it, but she wasn’t fast enough. With a gust of air, the angel beat his wings and soaring into the air.
“Vel!” Harruq heard Deathmask scream, and immediately the woman pulled away to race to her guildmaster’s aid. Harruq spared a glance, saw the disgraced mage frantically dodging Syric’s spear. The angel was bleeding from multiple wounds but still fought on unimpeded. Harruq’s brought his attention back to Shoa and braced for an even harder fight. With Veliana out of the picture, the angel could face Harruq without distraction. A flap of his wings and he swooped down, crashing into Harruq. The half-orc skidded across the walkway, refusing to back down, and once the angel landed to his feet, Harruq stole the offensive.
“Is this it?” Shoa asked as his enormous blade shifted and danced to block each and every hit. “Is this the strength of the fabled Godslayer? How could Thulos have fallen to one such as you?”
“I’m not trying to kill you, you bastard,” Harruq said. “Now fly away before someone gets hurt.”
Shoa swung in a wide arc, and it would have cleaved Harruq in half if he’d leapt backwards a half-second later.
“Then try harder!” the angel screamed. Harruq couldn’t believe the fury he saw in Shoa’s emerald eyes, the rage revealed in his sneer. Why such hatred? Did they care so deeply for Avlimar’s fall, or was it merely that someone had dared challenged their authority?
The angel demanded he try harder, and so Harruq did. When the enormous sword came arcing down, Harruq met it with his own. The sound of steel hitting steel was like an explosion, but this time it was the angel who found himself overpowered. Step by step he retreated as Harruq tore into him, matching the angel’s savagery. Every shred of frustration, he released. Every fear, every worry, he let fuel his swords. Godslayer, they had called him. As Harruq roared, he let himself become the furious monster that had accomplished the deed. The red light around his black blades flared with power. Shoa lifted his sword to block, but the heaven-forged blade shattered against the twin strikes.
“Surrender,” Harruq said, pulling back his rage. It was a struggle, and he felt every muscle in his body trembling, but he fought down the impulse to kill. Behind him, he heard Deathmask and Veliana continue to battle Syric, and he knew if he didn’t end the fight soon, they would.
“I will tell the others,” Shoa said. “You drew your swords in defense of criminals. No matter your position of power, you will stand trial for such a crime.”
“I have a thousand sins on my shoulders, and you would condemn me for this?” Harruq asked. Out of all the angel had done, this betrayal stung the
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