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A New Frontier - Arrival Part Five

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Chapter Five- Maiden of Fire





           The sound of ringing steel echoed through the forest as Liatris’s and Euccoma’s blades met. The two stood for a moment, taking the measure of each other’s strength. A few sparks danced along the blades as they grated against each other. Then with a quick back step Liatris disengaged her blade which caused Euccoma to stagger forward unbalanced. Quickly taking advantage of the moment Liatris leapt up into the air and moved her sword into a position to strike, but Euccoma saw the blow coming and leaned back ward so the blow that would have removed her head passed harmlessly in front of her while at the same time up swinging her pole arm so that the blade rushed up toward were Liatris hovered. But the blow missed when the fairy twisted to the side and landed on her feet. The two then backed away from each other and both dropped into a defensive stances.

          “Not too shabby for an over grown and muscle bound succubus. You are stronger than you look. You might make a decent challenge after all. I do need a work out to get all of the rust of off my moves. To make it even more challenging I won’t even enlarge myself to match your size and mass. I will fight you at my current size just to make it more interesting. Besides… I do like killing succubi!” Liatris said with a smirk as she looked Eucomma up and down.

          “You are somewhat weaker than I expected… for a Crimson Maiden. Yes I now know what you are. I have studied your kind. You are no threat to me.” Euccoma said as she stared at Liatris with an emotionlessly look on her sharp featured face. “I am Euccoma, fourth ranked among the elite guards of Mistress Scilla. You should know who killed you. And you are?”  

          “Well if you want an introduction I am Liatris, also known as “The Burning Edge” formally a captain in the Crimson Wood border guards. Now with introductions out of the way if you think you are so tough then all means give it a try. Kill me if you can.” Liatris said, here smirk becoming a sneer of contempt as she raised her sword above her head in a position to block at any blow coming from her opponent.

          “As you wish.” Euccoma said and then muttered a spell which shrank the length pole arm’s shaft until it was only a meter long. “I will kill you with one strike. Are you ready?”

          “Bring it-Wha?!” Liatris started to say but before she could finish Euccoma drew back her weapon and vanished. Damn! She is fast! Where did she-?! Liatris barely had time to think as time seemed to slow down as she spun around to face Euccoma who had appeared behind her, sword swinging toward her head. A quick burst from her wings sent her flying backwards just in time and the blade passed harmlessly where she had been a fraction of a second earlier. She landed and stumbled backwards a few feet, caught her balance and stared wide eyed at Euccoma for a moment and then smiled. “My, my, you’re fast! You almost had me. Close but not close enough.”

          “Tch. And you are faster than you let on. You are hiding your true speed and power are you not? You are insulting me if you are. I want to see the extent of your powers. Hold Nothing back when you attack.” Euccoma said as she twirled her weapon and pointed it backward, allowing the tip of the blade to stick into the ground.

          “Well I guess that play time is over. Time for us to get serious.” Liatris said as she stuck her sword out in front of her and began to pour her magic into the blade. There was a pulse of magic and a wave of intense heat caused the grass and ferns surrounding her to wither, smoke and carbonize before they could burst into flame. The cutting edge of the sword started to glow a deep dull red and Liatris smiled. “This is a very good blade. Well made and full of magic so let’s push it even further.”

          Euccoma watched but did not act. She was curious to learn what type of magic Liatris using. When the pulse of heat hit her she paid it no mind due the fact that fire was her element and she was immune to heat up to a certain point and the heat Liatris was radiating was well below it. As she watched the blade’s edge went from dull red to orange to yellow and finally to incandescent white. Euccoma raised an eyebrow but then snorted. “An impressive but futile attempt to empower your weapon. It will take more than a heated blade to beat me.”

          “I am well aware of that.” Liatris said and launched herself at Euccoma who also leapt forward, swinging her sword upward in such a powerful blow that it caused dust and dirt to be flung in Liatris’s direction. A quick blast of heat from Liatris caused the air to expand and blow the distraction away. Their swords then met in a shower of sparks as the plasma hot edge of Liatris’s blade cut a deep notch into Euccoma’s sword. Euccoma immediately noticed this and tried to disengage, but Liatris saw what she was doing and pressed her attack with swift and short slashes forcing the larger succubus backwards and onto the defensive. Liatris increased the speed of her strikes and entered her favorite fighting form and easily overwhelmed Euccoma’s defensives with her speed and began to land blows all over her armor, leaving deep, glowing gashes where ever her blade made contact. Liatris smiled and pressed her attack even harder, her blade leaving more and more cuts in Euccoma’s armor.

         “You are not so tough after all, are you? You haven’t even landed a blow on me.” Liatris said haughtily as continued to press her attack. Then she noticed that Euccoma’s sword had quit taking damage from her strikes. “Oh ho! I see you have extended your fire element aura to protect your sword from damage. Impressive! But you can’t focus on your sword and armor at the same time, can you?” Liatris continued her unrelenting attack. Finally Liatris saw an opening and thrust her sword forward and pierced the left pauldron on Euccoma’s shoulder and cut a deep groove through her flesh. ”Got you!”

         “You wretched fairy!” Euccoma snarled in pain as she jerked backward before the blade could do anymore damage to her shoulder and continued to be on the defensive and tried desperately to block Liatris’s blows. “I will kill you!”

         “Oh I think not. You may be strong but you are slow. I have gauged your speed and can dodge you all day. Leave and I will spare your life. Stay and you will die.” Liatris said as she disengaged to give Euccoma a chance to flee.

         “NEVER! I would never run from the enemy! I am no coward! I would rather die!” Euccoma shouted and swung her sword up and pointed at Liatris.

         Liatris snorted as she started to power up her magic again. “I gave you a chance to flee demon. That was your only chance. Time to turn up the HEAT!” Liatris said and began to radiate all the heat she could summon. All the plants around her burst in fire and were reduced to ash until only sterilized dirt remained for many meters around her and Euccoma but the demon stood her ground and made no effort to get away.

         “So this is how you plan to kill me? I am a fire based succubus. This heat is well within my limits.”

          Euccoma had no sooner said that when her clothes and the leather parts of her armor including the straps holding her armor on her and together burst into flames and quickly burned away in the intense heat and all of her armor fell to the ground around her leaving her naked save for the mail shirt she wore under her breastplate and it too started to glow and soon fell off of her in a shower of sparks.

          “There. That evens things up. That armor of yours was making it hard me to kill you. Now I can cut you up with ease. It is time to die.” Liatris said to the stunned demon that stood starring at her.

          Euccoma started to tremble in rage. In all of her long life she had never been so humiliated. To be out match by a fairy and be stripped of her armor was unacceptable. “No. No. NOOOO!!!! I will not allow this! I will not be defeated by the likes of you! I am an elite! I am number four of the ten! And I will not be bested by the likes of you!” Euccoma shrieked in rage and charged a Liatris and swung her sword down at her with such force that it created a huge geyser of dirt and dust. Turning she saw that she had missed and Liatris was standing behind with her sword pointing to the ground and a satisfied look on her face.

          “There all done. You were such a letdown. A pity really. I had looked forward to a descent work out.” Liatris said smugly. She then looked over to where Jace was fighting and saw that he was about to die and dashed toward him.

           Euccoma turned and started to pursue her but when she took her first step numerous cuts and stab wounds opened all over her body and she was drenched by geysers of her own blood. She dropped to her knees onto the hard baked ground and her dark blood pooled around her.

           “I-I’m n-not finished with you yet….” Euccoma said as her eyes glazed over and she fell forward with a soft thump and lay still.

           

           

 
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            Jace was losing. He had barely started to fight this thing called a succubus and had found out quite quickly that he was barely able block Accorria’s attacks and parry her blows. She was insanely strong and fast. Faster than Leona and stronger he thought. I don’t think I can keep this up much longer. She is just too strong and fast. If this keeps up I- What the?! Jace’s thoughts were interrupted by a powerful pulse magic energy that caused both him and Accorria to pause in the middle of their fight.

          “By all the Hells! What was that?” Accorria said as she stared in the direction that Eucomma had went. “Who is that fairy? Where did she come from?”

           Jace stood transfixed with shock. What is this power? It feels like Liatris but much stronger. Could it be her? Was she hiding her true powers? Jace thought as looked at who the source of the energy was radiating. Wait! Who is that redheaded fairy? Where did she come from and where are Liatris and Marisae? Damn! Did that other- Shit! Jace’s thought were interrupted by Accorria launching another attack on him. He barely managed to deflect a swipe that would have decapitated him if he had been a moment slower.

           “You should pay attention to your own fight. If you don’t it could cost you your life. Well, you are going to die anyway so even if you do pay attention it doesn’t really matter. The Mistress will have your head.” Accorria said as she drew her blade back into position from the strike she had just made. “I am starting to get tired of your constant dodging and defending. When are you going to attack? Is boring me to death your strategy, hmmm?”

        So she wants me to attack. I can’t match her speed or strength but maybe I can out smart her. I have to get by her and over to where Liatris and Marisae are. I have to help them. I have to save Marisae…    “So you want me to attack you, eh? Well here I come!” Jace said and as he attacked with his fastest moves, causing Accorria to back up a few steps. I have to keep her off balance and on the defensive until I can find an opening…

           “So you can fight back! And you are quite good for a human. But……. Not good enough!” Accorria said with a big grin as she launched her counter attack and forced Jace back on the defensive. “Don’t tell me that little burst of speed is all you have. If it is you’re nothing but a big letdown. I am so disappointed.”

           “No, this isn’t all I have!” Jace shouted back as he struggled to counter her new offensive. Her hard downward blows and thrust attacks were almost impossible to block and parry. He knew he had to end this as quickly as he could. As he was forced backwards he glanced at the other succubus who was sitting on a stub of a branch looking rather bored. Even if I get by this on what about her? She must be even more powerful than this one. I can barely hold on against this one so I wouldn’t stand a chance against her. What to do? I could dive into the river and try and get away… No! I won’t leave Liatris and Marisae to die.

            It was then that Accorria slipped on a piece of wet moss and staggered backwards with a curse. Now is my chance! Jace thought as he leaped backward and poured his life energy into the blade of his sword and swung it toward the falling succubus. The blazing blue energy left the blade and closed the distance between the two in a blink of an eye. I got her! What?! Jace watched as Accorria sprouted a black tail which stopped her from falling by propping her up which allowed her to bring her sword down on the arc of energy, shattering it into thousands of pieces. She then used her tail to push herself upright and looked straight at Jace and smiled as she started walking toward him.

           “So that was your trump card, huh? Pouring your life energy into your sword and concentrating it and using it to form a sort of energy blade. Impressive for a human, but not good enough to beat me I’m afraid.” Accorria said as came to a stop in front of him, still smiling. She began to caress his face gently with her tail as stood in front of him. “Your death doesn’t have to be unpleasant…. Just submit and I will make it quick and painless. The Mistress didn’t say she wanted you to suffer, she just wanted you dead. Your choice.”  

            Jace knew he was defeated. Feeling Accorria’s tail touching his face disgusted him and he grabbed it and drew back his sword to cut it but suddenly felt a crushing grip on his right hand as Accorria grabbed it and held it in a vice like grip. Then she squeezed hard enough that it forced him to drop his sword which fell and stuck upright in the log.

            “It’s not nice to grab a lady’s tail without her permission.” Accorria purred as she moved in closer and licked her lips, and then turned to Scilla who was still sitting on the stump. “May I have some fun with him before I kill him Mistress?”

            Scilla looked up at Accorria with a bored expression and waved her hand dismissively. “No. Finish him off now. I must return to New Home to meet with Tyron. I am beginning suspect treachery from him.”

            “Yes Mistress. Looks like your time is up human.” Accorria said and jerked her tail free from Jace’s grip and wrapped it around his free hand. She then drew back her sword and prepared to take his head.
            “I am sorry Marisae… Forgive me.” Jace whispered as he heard the sword cutting the air.  



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            From above in the canopy a young fairy with long purple hair watched, concealed in the shadows. Her name was Exona. Her butterfly-like, crystalline wings were folded together and almost invisible in the eternal twilight of the tree tops save for when an occasional beam of sunlight struck them through the rustling leaves and the dark stripes on her arms and legs aided in her camouflage among the shadows of the canopy where she crouched.

            New to the area and bored she had started trailing the human and his neko companion right before the other fairy had showed up and caught the neko by the stream and almost made a meal of her. Exona had almost sworn off eating sentient beings and had thought about saving the neko before the human arrived and defeated the fairy in a game of bluff which had impressed her greatly. She had continued following the pair along with the other fairy, who she had learned was named Liatris, and had observed how she had approached the human those two times and was nearby when Liatris had ignored his pleas and shrank him. She had followed them to the cave and watched as the neko rushed out and tackle Liatris and tried to kill her. But what intrigued and amazed Exona at the same time was when the human, whom she had learned was named Jace, had stopped the neko from killing Liatris.

            She had continued to follow them the rest of the day and had rather enjoyed the comedy of constant back and forth between the neko known as Marisae and Liatris. She had wondered why Marisae would not listen to Liatris when she had begged the neko to choose a different route to the river. Exona could sense a faint, strange and unpleasant energy up ahead, one she had never felt before. When the neko returned and convinced Jace that everything was safe Exona was tempted to walk right out from hiding and tell Marisae how foolish she was and tell Jace that danger lay ahead but she decided to let things play out and see how they handled it.

           Seeing those three beings jump down from the trees hadn’t been a complete surprise but what kind of beings they were caused her to have a chill of fear down her spine. Succubi. She had heard of these creatures during her time living on the frozen tundra with her former pack. Her mother had told her stories about how wicked, cruel and cunning they could be. And yet the worst part was those that they feasted on died two deaths as both body and soul perished after being consumed. To be eaten by one of those creatures was a one way trip to true oblivion. She had hoped never to meet one and yet right below her was three of them and they were very powerful beings. She could sense their strength even though they were suppressing the vast majority of it.

            When they attacked the three she had been following she had considered helping them but she wasn’t a skilled fighter even though her magic was very strong. She could hold her on against most fairies and human and neko fighters and mages were generally no match even for her rudimentary hand to hand fighting skills and ice magic. But the succubi below were far stronger than any opponent she had ever faced. This could be a good chance for her to test her powers she thought as she stood up. She was about to fly down to the forest floor and join in the fight when something unexpected happened.

            As she watched Liatris seemed to explode with power. Exona watched as her hair turned from purple to orange and her body became more toned and muscled. What is she Exona wondered as she watched Liatris pick up the sword Marisae had dropped and then cut her hair off. Then a battle began the likes of which Exona had never seen. She watched in awe at the graceful moves Liatris used against the heavy blows and swings of the muscled succubus she was fighting. She was amazed that a fairy could be that skilled with a sword. The pack she had been part of mostly ate, slept and played silly games with each other and prey day after day. So very childish she had thought. She had longed for something more in life and that longing had lead her to leave her cold and ice bound home in the far north and head south to warmer and more populated climates.

           “I wonder if I could learn to fight like that…” Exona whispered quietly to herself.

           “I am sure you could. Learning to fight is not hard. You just have to have the heart for it.” The voice of a young girl said behind her.

           “Gah!” Exona yelped and quickly turned to face the voice. How did see sneak up on me?! Why didn’t I sense her? She quickly created an ice covering to protect her wings and incased her hands in ice to form sharp claws over her fingers and hands. Then she crouched down low in a defensive position, one of the few moves she had learned from a warrior she had met in the far north before she departed.

           “Don’t be so alarmed. I just saw you watching the show and thought I would join you. Theater is best enjoyed in the company of others.” The girl said smiling as she sat down on the edge of the limb and patted the branch beside her. “Sit! I won’t bite!”

           “I would rather stand if it all the same to you.” Exona said, not letting her guard down in the slightest. Who is this girl? She smells human but there is a darker, foul scent about her and she radiates a strange energy about her, almost like…. “You’re one of them! You are a succubus!”

           “Well not quite, but almost. I am Blight. Like I said you have nothing to fear from me. So you don’t need that ice.” Blight said as she snapped her fingers which caused the ice on Exona’s hands and wings to shatter and fall away. “That’s better. Sprites shouldn’t show off like that. It is un-lady like. ”

           Exona jumped back and stared at Blight in shock. Her magic had been over powered and forcible turned off. How could she do that! How?! Exona thought and backed up a few steps. She wanted to flee but for some reason she couldn’t make herself move.

           “Oh quit gaping. That is also a rude thing for a lady to do. Oh how I do hate repeating myself but I will say it again; Have a seat.” Blight said and patted the branch again.

            Exona found that she could move again. All of her instincts screamed get away from this girl but for some reason she felt compelled to join her sitting on the branch, which she did.

            “Nice view, huh? I didn’t expect the human to last as long as he did. The one he was fighting is the ranking third of the elite guards of the house of Metus-Umbrae. She is quite powerful, but not that intelligent and has a smart mouth. I like her body, though. It is well built and balanced in its magic and strength. She just doesn’t know how to use it. It is wasted on her…” Blight said with a sigh. “I really could put it to good use if I had it.”

            “What are you? Some sort of a body snatcher? I find that.” Exona spat in disgust.

            “You could say that I am… But soon that will all be in the past…” Blight said with an almost a wistful look on her face. “Yes… Very soon.”

            Exona was about to say something nasty when her predator senses began blaring. Her head snapped around in alarm as three shapes emerged from the canopy and dropped down onto the branch behind where she and Blight were sitting. One was a fairy with long blonde hair that was tied up in a knot on top of her head and dragonfly wings that were covered in blue rune-like makings as was the left side of her face which held intense green eyes. She lacked any visible antennae. She was wearing very advanced light weight tactical armor that seemed to blend in with the surrounding forest. She was armed with a pair of single edged swords, two tactical tomahawks and two pistols. The second was a harpy with  curly black hair and glossy black feathers. She was dressed in the same type of clothing and armor as the fairy and had black, steel blades on her toes ready to slide over her talons with a flick of her ankles. But the one that made Exona’s eyes widen was the third one, which was a neko with skin the color of twilight. Her shoulder length black hair was matted with a white material as was her tail and the fur on her ears. Her face was painted like a skull with a chalky white paint and the rest of her body was painted like a skeleton. Her eyes were a golden color that almost glowed with a strange light. She was naked save for a leather breechcloth and numerous necklaces, bracelets and anklets that were made of gold, silver, various trinkets, bones and skulls of small creatures such as birds, neeras and tom thumbs. She was armed two slender daggers that were fastened to her breechcloth belt and a wooden staff topped with the skull of a neko and leather thongs adorned with black feathers and beads. Exona started to jump up but Blight reached out and put her hand on her shoulder.

           “Do not be concerned. They are working for me at the moment. The fairy is Oksana the Hunter and the harpy is her partner Daeva. The neko is Eridani….She is a dark neko and even gives me the shivers and I’m a demon. Do you have my package Oksana?” Blight asked looking up at the stern-faced fairy.

           “Of course I have it.” Oksana said as she and reached behind her back and pulled out a small package that appeared to be bundle of papers and handed it to Blight. “All the info as requested. And your “guests” we rounded up are at the lab as ordered.” Turning she looked at Exona with cold eyes. “What is this sprite doing here with you? Is she one of your agents?”

           “No. We just happened be watching the same show and I invited her to join me.” Blight said as she motioned toward the fight going on below. “It is a pretty good one. A Crimson Maiden and a human verses two succubi.”

           Oksana looked down at the fight and then back at Exona. “Daeva are you thinking what I am thinking?”

           “Yes Oksana I am…” Daeva said as she did some calculations in her head. “The bounty for a Crimson Maiden and a sprite brought in alive is very great.”

            At those words Exona’s head snapped away from the neko and toward Oksana and she scowled at the blonde fairy. “What do you mean by bounty? I am no criminal.”

            Oksana looked down at Exona and smirked. “With the proper “conditioning” fairies make good pets for the wealthy or weapons and body guards.”

            Exona leapt to her feet and glared at Oksana. “Try and take me if you can! I will die before you make a slave out of me!”

            “Oh I think not.” Oksana said and reached in to a pouch and pulled out a big pinch of fine yellow dust and blew it into Exona’s face, causing her to cough and wheeze.

            “What was that?” Exona gasped between coughs.

            “A little something to persuade you to come along with me without a fight. Damaged goods are worth less.” Oksana said as she reached for a small coil of rope.

            Exona felt strange. Her thoughts became clouded and for some reason she began to feel very happy.”No… This is wrong.” She whispered as a feeling of euphoria overwhelmed her.

           “Will you come with me now?” Oksana asked kindly.

           “Yes!” Exona said happily and jumped up ready to go with Oksana.

           “Well played Oksana. Your enhanced Faeweed pollen works every time.” Daeva said as Oksana approached and started to tie Exon’s hands together. Exona didn’t resist in the slightest.

           “Where are we going? Do they have food? I sure am hungry.” Exona asked as Oksana bound her wings together.

           “You will see…”
Sorry for the long delay. I am a very slow writer.

Exona belongs to :icongreyman101:

Blight belongs to:icon3phantoms:

Felarya belongs to:iconkarbo:
© 2014 - 2024 TheLordTaxus
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Dark-Raven42's avatar
I do have to say I love this chapter, I can see you been practicing in your writing very impressive good sir, I especially liked  the fight scene and you got  Blight twisted personality right, and I just love those settle and yet creepy little  clue that you left for us to figure out in Blight dialogue to as well.

Though I do have one question for you about the chapter itself, your character named Liatris is it ever going to be revealed how she got her split personality?