Astral's Rise Part 20: Round 12

Jaimie and Astrid try to cut it to let Astal go on his own will but the vine pulls back too fast. Looking at the vine that it pulled him in, it was from the jungle he sliced through earlier. His wings turned to blades as they sliced the vine apart. 

Freeing Astral as he would hover in the air. Pulling out his Murasama before seeing a wall of snow being thrown at him. "Pierce." He was focused, stabbing into the snowstorm and clearing a hole, which was immediately filled by another vine, Astral would grab ahold of it and pull on it. 

Once he felt the tug back he would slide down it cutting it into chunks. Seeing the man he floated through down at the base, seeing the large bubble ahead of him he would poke it with his sword, and it worked. He looked down from the sky seeing a mess of vines and the man behind it.

 "Say kid, you really think you have the toolkit to harm both of us?" The man would look at Astral hovering motionless in the air. He just wanted to think for a second. 

"Nope.'' He summoned his magnum and fired a couple of rounds at the man, who would deflect them with a shield of light. "But I bet you do." being behind the man and resting a hand on his shoulder. Being kicked away from him with the perfect timing.

"Ah, this is new, usually people just try to beat me into submission, not try to play mind games." He spoke as he summoned a volley of swords at Astral, who would deflect each one individually. Astrals hands move faster as each blade comes at him. "Beating my creation however will be more difficult."

"Hey, I have one of those two.'' After he sliced the last sword in two he held his hand up as a flash of light was seen. Zeta had been called to action. "Protocol Trailblaze." Once the command was given , rocket turrets appeared and launched eight missiles into the dense vines encircling them. The man looked impressed.

"Not good enough to mess with Magic Mike though." He looked at the two and snapped. Freezing the area that Zeta and Astral were in. the ice would crack and shatter as the two of them couldn't be seen by Mike. On the other side of the vines they reappeared. Another volley of rockets were fired and connected this time, slowly setting the vines ablaze.

 "You aren't the only one who is special." Astral spoke the tone being sharp. He needed to take it more tactically and slower to win this fight, slicing through the vines to reach Mike holding the blade to his throat. "Besides, I want to read those books at your waist." Mike would swing a right hook at Astral connecting the punch and sending him into the vines. Landing on them his wings would chop the ones trying to hold him down. Smiling his armor would fire to life. The first fight where he has actually needed it, but what perfect timing. Mike looked annoyed more than anything.

 "Slow your roll there, it's not gonna be easy for you." Mike would look at him and waive his hand counterclockwise, slowing down Astral. Looking at his feet he would turn his hand clockwise and twist. The speed gap had been closed with the dilation of their personal clocks. 

Astral's wings would keep him safe from the vines lashing out at him as Mike started to throw hands at Astral. "Sometimes we have to do this ourselves." Astral was still plenty fast enough to keep Mike at bay, Mike would turn his fist into a giant wooden hammer. Slamming it into Astral sending him through the vines.

Zeta would be holding his rifle in one arm and his sword in the other. Trying to carve a path to the core of the jungle. The vines would be relentless, launching attacks from all angles, Zeta's rocket system would be clearing the forward path while he defended himself. Major progress was happening quickly. 

The napalm burnt through the fresh vines as Zeta kept the close vines away as they tried to engulf him. The maneuverability was difficult as it became more dense. Zeta's sensors were going crazy as Astral had his hands full.

Then vines wrapped up Zeta's legs from the ground, and he stalled out. And so close to the center, he aimed his railgun and unloaded. Making it to the core where he would see a large flytrap in the center, Zeta would free himself before merging into his smaller form. Merging down he rushed Bloom and would capture Bloom's flower, sealing it in his pod while merging into his standard size. Starting Operation Smog, Bloom would still have full control of all of his vines and try to rip through the armor of Zeta. who would be using a second sword to be more defensive as he has missile and machine gun turrets going at once, as well as Nyan sneaking in through the pocket dimension.

 Astral would be separated by the massive vines. Looking at it he would let his rage fill him and punch the air, sending a small spark in the air. He saw this and put it together. Yelling "Ignite!" As he punched the air with his left hand, he would send a massive fireball through the vines, to be countered by a tidal wave from the core of the fight where Mike stood impressed. "You used a spell? I thought earthly humans had no capacity to do such things." he looked to himself and his books, they were still there. How did he do that?

"Ah yes, any ordinary human couldn't do it. But I am far beyond ordinary." Grasping his sword by the handle he closed the gap and would slice at Magic Mike, deflecting it by redirecting Astral's trajectory using spikes that he summons from the ground before repositioning. 

Astral sheathed his blade and closed the gap once again. Laying into Mike with everything he has got. Firing off many kicks and punches to try and break the forcefield that he put up. Nyan climbed on Astral's back as the wings kept them afloat.

"I admire your resilience, but you realize you are still outmatched." He spoke while looking at Astral. "Detonate." Astral would look down to his suit and see red blips start going off. Astral would launch a hard right to shatter the shield when exploding. Magic Mike activated a personal bubble spell to avoid the explosion as it leveled the area showing the core of the jungle where the battle between Zeta and Bloom was coming to a close. 

The vines had no more movement to them as Bloom is released from the cockpit of Zeta, lifeless and not moving. It worked, having it inhale harmful gasses was able to kill it. "This ends now." Astral's armor was untouched by the explosion. He looked at Magic Mike and sent the vines at him. Mike countered by using an overheat spell, sending flames in every direction, scorching the vines to a crisp. Astral mimicked the bubble charm for himself while dropping Zeta back into the pocket dimension. "If you live, these books may become yours." He held up the tomes from his belt.