December 1, 2152
Explosions went off in the distance as Soren bunkered down behind a bush. He pulled a syringe full of red liquid from his belt and jabbed it into the leg of a trembling Elandrian. The person on the ground was covered in deep gashes and bruises. Within moments of injecting the liquid, color returned to their face, and they opened their eyes.
"Lord Soren, you saved me! Thank you!" the man gasped as air replaced the blood in his lungs.
"No time to delay," Soren gritted his teeth, "We've got to finish retreating to the next checkpoint."
The man gasped, "But, sir, there's a Laxtros in the area. We'll never make it there."
"You let me worry about the Laxtros," Soren smirked as sweat beaded up on his brow, "You'll break from here towards the front line while I cause a distraction. Don't worry, my title as one of the Five isn't just for show."
"As you wish, Lord Soren. May the Dragon Queen protect you," the man whispered as he bowed his head. Soren stepped out of the bush and fired a large bolt of magik into the sky. The soldier scurried away towards the front line while a Laxtros stepped into view on a far hilltop. She fired a black bolt towards the fleeing soldier, but Soren countered with his own bolt, causing an explosion overhead. Her long, obsidian hair hung over her shoulders as she meandered down the hill. A black and gold breastplate covered her chest, reflecting glints of starlight back to Soren. His aura flared for a moment as a cloak of magik coalesced around his body in the form of a large crow while his eyes turned completely blue. When they were about two hundred feet away, they stopped moving and sized up each other.
Soren clenched his fists as he spoke, "This is as far as you go, Laxtros."
"Well, aren't you a fiery one?" she cackled, "Either you're incredibly brave or pathetically stupid. Perhaps both? Still, if you wanted to defeat me, you shouldn't have sent your little friend away."
"Don't worry about him. I promise I'm already more than enough for you to handle," Soren confidently replied as the wings of his cloak fluttered slightly.
"You certainly look a little stronger than the rest I've seen," she smiled, revealing her razor-sharp teeth, "Too bad you're on the wrong side; strong men make me weak, and they are such a rarity among the Uthid."
Soren sneered, "You'll see just how strong I am, just before I slit your throat. Enough words, let's dance." He flicked his wrist and flung twenty bolts of magik at the Laxtros. She snickered slightly before pointing a finger back at him and countering with twenty bolts of her own. The Arcane and Necromancy bolts pushed back against the Void bolts but only slightly before they exploded in midair. Making a finger gun gesture with both of his hands, Soren fired a hundred bolts in rapid succession towards the Laxtros. Yet as they streaked towards her, she stood her ground and collected black magik around her four fists. Once the bolts were in range, she used a single punch to destroy them one by one. Her arms moved so fast that they were a blur, even with Soren's improved eyesight. The last one she plucked out of the air and held it in her hand before crushing it completely.
Seeing that he wouldn't have the edge in a ranged battle, Soren pulled his rapier from his side and pointed it at the Laxtros. The next moment, he was a blur as he charged her and slashed across her chest. Unfortunately, she caught it with all four hands, but he tried to kick one of her legs with his foot. When the two collided, it seemed like he had kicked a brick wall. She spun him around while they were still both holding the blade. Then she let go with two hands and slammed them into his stomach. He groaned but used the opportunity to wrestle his blade from her hands, slicing the palms as he stumbled back. She hissed as her hands sizzled from the poison in his blade.
"Naughty boy," she clenched her jaw, "You shouldn't be playing around with poison."
Soren grinned, "It's only poison to you. Perhaps you want another taste." He feinted a slash to her side, but when she went to block it, he kicked her hard in the side with his spiked boot. Crackling could be heard from the injury since Mentha plants had been infused in his gear as well as his weapon. She winced for a moment which left an opening for Soren to swing his blade at her side. In a single, swift motion, she punched the sword off course and delivered a heavy blow to his open chest, sending him back twenty feet. He rolled back onto his feet, but she was too fast and slammed her fist into his chest a second time. This time, he coughed up blood as he rose to his feet again.
When she charged in again, he dropped to the ground and swung out his leg, knocking her off balance. He bounced up with a high knee, slamming it right into her chin and sending her flying back five feet as well. Even the knee plates on his greaves had spikes, leaving a poison-laced mark on her chin. As green blood dripped from her various puncture wounds, she stood up and pulled two daggers from her waist. She flung one at Soren, which he easily avoided, but as he turned back, she was already within striking distance. He ducked under a pair of haymakers, yet this too was part of her trap. Before he could even react, she fired the second dagger into one of his feet and pierced a spider leg foot through the other foot, pinning him in place.
"Now, you're trapped," she cackled, "This spider has caught a fly in her web!"
"You haven't won yet," Soren hissed as he attempted to slice her side with his sword. Unfortunately, she grabbed his wrist first and squeezed hard, causing the blade to fall from his hand onto the ground.
She laughed, "It's such a shame you're on the wrong side. You're quite a handsome specimen. But this is the end for you."
She formed a vortex of black magik around one of her fists and pulled it back. Soren closed his eyes as he prepared for death. As her fist flew through the air, it created a sonic boom, but then a clank resounded through the air, as if her fist hit a metal wall. Upon hearing the crash, Soren slowly opened his eyes to see a shimmering barrier a few inches in front of his chest.
"Get your filthy hands off him!" Emory screamed before she punched the Laxtros square on the chin and sent her flying back twenty feet, "You will not take another friend from me!"