The man whom he studied so vividly, analyzed every little attack he’s been recorded to use, was stood before him. Axel knew of his almost supernatural ability to foresee attacks from Thorne, like he had done two years before. Instead of studying General Julian, or General Argos, Schneider chose to dig through every file he could find on the missing general, believing that the vanishing act he had pulled was all a part of his master plan. Axel believed Alpinus to be one of the smartest minds in Ravenna, or even the War Seas. He stood, almost paralyzed, in the presence of Asher, watching every movement he made.
He’s got the scorch curse? When? How? Thorne’s been after it for years! Dammit, this old sword won’t hold up to another hit… maybe I should—
Before Axel could complete his thought, he felt a quick burst of heat.
Am I dead? He thought. His life flashed before his eyes, he couldn’t even comprehend the attack just launched at him. Was it a blast of scorch? Did Alpinus figure out imbuement on the spot? As he came to his senses, he learned he was standing just outside of a whirlwind that dwarfed the very ship they both stood on. His opponent managed to launch himself backwards with his own attack. Ha! He thought. This idiot! Did his mentors teach him nothing of magic control? His inner mockery lasted no more than a moment, though, as the general sent himself a hundred—no—two hundred meters into the air, before coming down at incredible speeds. Is he trying to split the ship in half? He’ll kill us both!
Alpinus was only a dozen or so meters above the deck as Axel brought up a barrier of frostmetal around himself, thwarting the general’s plans. He waited for a few seconds, before dropping his defenses.
“Are you stupid, Alpinus?” He shouted. “This will only end poorly for the both of us!”
“Silence, Thorne scum!” Replied Alpinus, his voice filled with rage. “I will defend Ravenna to the end!”
Axel sighed, attempting to hide his fear, and launched a blast of frostmetal as fast as he could. Alpinus, however, dodged the attack with grace, as though he knew the attack was coming before even Axel thought to fire it. Axel even questioned if the general began moving before he had raised his magical energy to manifest the attack.
In response to the attack, Alpinus sent a pillar of scorch magic crashing down upon Axel, knocking him back a few meters. The attack broke one of his ribs off the initial impact, and he winced from the pain. How the hell is he this strong already? Has he always had the curse? How long has he been practicing?
“You fight with the tactics of a mage, yet you’ve never used pure magic in your life! What the Hades were you taught?” Axel awaited a response which would never come. Cocky bastard… though his confidence is justified. I doubt I’ll walk away from this alive. Oh, well, at least Angelica will be paid for my passing. Wait, no the hell she won’t! I’m not even insured!
It took a moment for Axel to recover from the hit in any way other than his shouting, and his attack was made instinctively. He lunged forward, stumbling over his own feet, and put what little strength he could build up into a swing at Alpinus’ chest. His sword bounced off the general’s breastplate. Alpinus, in retaliation, caught his arm and pushed a magic circle to his head, fully intending to execute Axel right then and there.
It’s over. Thought Axel. No way to bullshit my way out of this. Now would be a great time to be Keraxi… at least I’d be headed to Valhalla. In a last-ditch effort to keep himself alive to see his wife and daughter again, Axel screamed.
“Wait!” Sweat was pouring from his face, the booming magic circle eating at his skin. “I’m not from Thorne!”
“And that’s why you’re a soldier on their galleon?” Asked Alpinus, mockingly.
“I’m from Frosthelm, General Alpinus. I was forced into this war. I-I hate the Prince as much as you!” He added a touch of extra fear to his voice, trying to really sell the performance.
“How should I know you’re telling the truth, then?”
“You can’t, but as a noble general of Ravenna, you can’t possibly kill somebody like me!” He pondered what to say next, uncertainty on his face. “I was… er… drafted, I suppose, into this; I have no gripe with the Land of Bronze!”
A small grin appeared on Alpinus’ face, it seemed the flattery had worked. The general dropped his poised spell, and released Axel’s wrist.
“I shall spare you. Cherish my mercy, for it’s not something General Julian or General Argos would have given you.” The general turned his back to Axel. “What is your name, Soldier?”
Axel let out a labored, yet relieved sigh. If I kill him here, and take his head to the King, I’ll be a war hero. I’ll be revered, I’ll be able to retire! He thought.
“Axel Schneider, Sir.” He responded, readying his weapon to split Alpinus’ skull.
“And your occupation?”
“Blacksmith, Sir.” He swung down with all his might, hoping that the blade would kill him immediately so that he wouldn’t have the time to release any attacks in retaliation.
“Dumbass,” said Asher, “I’m not as egotistical as Thorne taught you.” His hand was raised behind him, one finger steadily on the sharpened arcanium edge of Axel’s weapon. “Now,” he said, “would you rather be cremated or buried? That is, if Thorne can recover your rotting corpse—or what’s left—from the shipwreck.” Alpinus spun around with haste, and slashed his greataxe at Axel using one hand, and with enough force to split a mountain in half. Axel crudely parried the attack, the power of it sending him rolling, nearly off the ship. Asher, like he had seen the recoil a second ahead, lept forward, his axe poised to bisect Axel, the ship, and the sea all in one strike.
“Crushing…” he shouted, his axe brimming with aura and scorch magic. Axel barely had any time to react. He thought back to his training in Thorne, then to his training in the Syndicate, then to his training in Frosthelm as a young soldier. Throughout everything, he had never seen an attack vaguely adjacent to what he was facing now.
Is this really the end for me? He wondered. It can’t be… I have to fight for Thorne, I have to fight for valor… His heart raced, the General inching closer and closer every millisecond, seemingly accelerating. No. What the hell am I on about? I have a family. I have a daughter, and I’m concerned about Thorne? Fuck all of that, to Hades with it! Angelica told me to be safe, dammit! I’m not letting Andrea grow up an orphan, no! I have to kill this bastard before he can kill me! Quickly, Axel bored a hole through the ship, and covered himself with frostmetal to block the attack should it hit him.
“Judgment!” Shouted Alpinus, tearing a chunk out of the galleon, sending green flame hundreds of meters in all directions, as steam poured out of the water. He fell to the deck, and stood upon the charred wood with pride.
Axel stayed under the water for a few moments, taking in a mouthful of it, before lifting himself back above deck on a pillar of frostmetal. Asher looked at him, astounded, as a spray of seawater splashed on his left arm, liberating the bone from its flesh prison. Asher screamed in pain, taking flight northward to Ravenna.