Chapter 34: Team Strength and Skills: Jack and James

Rook stands a few feet ahead of Iricryo and Sarah, hand clutching his sword still in his sheath.

Rook: We really don’t want to fight now; we’ve been through enough already. Now I’m asking you nicely, let us go without a struggle.

James: You’re far too soft. The purpose of this game is to eliminate all the other players. You let far too many live.

He turns suddenly to the right and fires four arrows from his giant crossbow. They catch a hatless Iricryo on the outskirts of his robes without hitting his body but pinning him against the wall.

Sarah: Where you going to run and abandon us?!

Rook (In-Thought): He’s obviously a master of fighting at a range. But like other range-fighters, he’s likely to be weak in close quarters. If I can get close enough to him, I may stand a chance.

James: Might as well finish this one off first, while he’s incapacitated.

Rook suddenly draws his sword and charges at James. He slashes his sword forward aggressively. James turns calmly and blocks the sword with his crossbow. They clash, and Rook’s attack is repelled. He attacks again immediately, and is once again blocked by the crossbow.

Rook (In-Thought): As long as I keep up this assault, he can’t possibly fire his weapon. At some point he has to slip up and I’ll get an attack in.

James: I’m not so weak at a close range, I’m afraid to disappoint you.

He strikes Rook hard to his side with the side of his crossbow. Rook is forced back a few steps, dazed. James strikes him again, this one landing under his chin. Rook is lifted off his feet momentarily from the impact, forced back a little more. He tries to respond with sword, but he is far too slow and is hit again. James mercilessly strikes him twice more in rapid succession, before leaping back from the confrontation, fire exploding at the area he had once been standing. Rook falls onto his back from his beating.

James: Shut up. It wasn’t even close. I saw it coming far before, just choose to dodge later so I could get one more hit on her friend.

Sarah: I mean, such a handsome, strong man. He probably saw it far before I even started casting it. I mean, I’m sure he’s got such sharp, sexy eyes under those sunglasses.

She tries to throw her arms around him, but he butts her with his crossbow, knocking her to the ground. He aims his crossbow at her.

James goes to fire his crossbow again, but Jack is quickly in front of him before he gets a chance to fire, facing Sarah’s direction.

Sarah: I said you’re a lot cuter then him.

Jack: What’s wrong, James? The truth hurting you so much you want to silence it?

James: Your ego is always getting us into trouble! Now get out of the way.

Jack: Hey, I have an ego about a lot of things, but not usually about my looks. I like to be complimented.

Sarah: Well it’s understandable for someone like you to have an ego. I mean, you’ve certainly got the looks to back it up.

Jack: Well, I guess I am pretty good looking, aren’t I?

Jack: Well, if I’m so good looking, I obviously can get any woman and don’t need you. Best of luck in your fight, though.

James: See, that’s why you don’t compliment him. You give him a little compliment and his ego goes out of control. Now I’m going to be hearing about this for at least the next few days.

Iricryo finally manages to pull himself from the wall. He lets out a sigh of accomplishment, but then is immediately pinned back to the wall by a volley of arrows. James looks over at him.

Sarah takes James’s moment of distraction to her advantage and lobs a fireball directly at her feet. In an explosion of smoke, she is able to hide herself and get some distance from James.

James: You think a little smoke is going to keep me from hitting you?

Rook grabs onto James from behind unexpectedly. He keeps James in a hold around his neck using his newly formed black arm, holding one of James’s arms back with his real arm.

Jack: Oh, you do have two arms. Well, I feel less guilty now.

James kicks the ground hard, lowering himself considerably into the ground, then flips Rook over his head. Rook hits the ground hard. He aims quickly at the ground, firing an arrow. A rook block with his black arm, the arrow pierces it, cracking the arm around the impact. Rook rolls out of the way, desperate to get out of the way of James’s arrows. James aims at Rook, ready to fire another arrow.

Just then, the smoke starts to clear, revealing a shining light centering on Sarah, her hands raised high in the air. Electricity and fire surround her hands.

Sarah: Illumination: Flaming Tempest!

She lowers her arms in front of her and the energy bursts forward in a blazing pattern, light energy surrounded in circles by fire.

There is a massive explosion that can be seen all around the mountain. Oscar notices it from where he is standing.

Bel: Wow, looks like there’s quite some action going on up there.

Oscar: I have a feeling Sarah’s in a lot of trouble. She barely resorts to that technique.

Melanie: All the more reason we need to finish up here quickly. Oscar, you know the right thing to do.

Oscar: I’ll make you a deal. You come with us to our friends and if they’re in trouble, help us save them. If you do, I’ll give you my gloves.

Sarah looks ahead of her through the dust raised by the attack, panting.

James is seen, his crossbow in front of him like a shield, him crouching behind it. He grimaces in Sarah’s direction. One of the lenses of his sunglasses crack and fall apart.

James: I’ve been sloppy. I suppose even I’m vulnerable to overconfidence when I’m so much stronger than my opponents. I should finish this quicker.

James aims his crossbow at her again and fires several shots in rapid succession, the shots blending from their speed so it seems that streams of white light are coming at Sarah. Sarah puts her hands in front of her magic shield appears, reflecting the arrows back at James. James steps to the side and allows the arrows to pass by him. One arrow still comes at him, and he catches it midair and tosses it aside.

He aims his crossbow again, and the tip where the arrow sticks out glows red.

A red beam fires from his crossbow. Sarah puts up her shield again but this time it is completely shattered. The beam catches her in her right shoulder. She goes flying back, the beam fading revealing an arrow that has pierced her shoulder, coming out the other side. She falls back from the pure force of the impact.

Rook is right behind him, trying to get a surprise blow on him with his sword. James catches Rook’s arm, stopping him mid-swing. Rook is completely caught in James’s powerful grasp. James aims the crossbow at Rook’s face with his other hand, prepared to fire at him pointblank.

As he is about to fire, he is kicked free of Rook by Bel, who jumps in from behind him. James slides back, but keeps his balance. He sees who kicked him.

Bel: Oh, hey. You’re that High Council guy I was supposed to meet.

James: What the hell, Jack. Why didn’t you warn me, she ran right past you!

Jack: Like I was paying attention.

Oscar frees Iricryo from the wall while Melanie aids Sarah on the ground. James scowls and turns his attention them, but Bel blocks his way.

Bel: I can’t let you kill these guys, sorry.

James: You just cause one source of frustration after another, don’t you?

Jack: Now this one seems strong. I’ve been itching to fight a strong opponent forever!

Jack: Look who is telling who to leave their opponent alive. Don’t worry, I usually do.

Bel: Damn, I was kind of hoping he wouldn’t participate in this fight.

She is forced to face off with Jack, and James is once again free to aim at the others. Oscar runs immediately in front of him.

Oscar: I’m not going to let you hurt my friends anymore!

Jack: Bel, the Black Seeker. Let’s see how much good your reputation does you in a real fight.