Astral's Rise Part 24: Round 13

The gods would speak. "It is time Astral, report to the arena." The gods looked down to them. The great test would be now. Astral's wings waved goodbye for him as he prepared for the one fight he truly feared. Looking at the stage he saw it. The man in the armor he couldn't cut through, turning to face him he would speak. 

"Hello there, it's a shame we had to face terrible under circumstances. Maybe next time we can be friends." Lone spoke as he smiled at Astral.

"Sadly I don't think there will be a next time. At least, not this go around." Astral would put his guard up.

"Oh so you also live through the universe resetting." He got into his ready stance.

Astral was taken aback by this, looking at him in a state of wonder. 'Does Titan survive or is it just us.' Unsheathing his katana he slowly approached Lone.

Lone made the first move. A broad swing with his claymore that Astral blocks with a lightshield. Astral would counter with a piercing stab with Murasama. Lone let it touch his armor as it slid upwards and off.

Lone used the momentum from Astral's balance, launching a punch directly into his gut. Sliding him backwards several feet. Astral became furious, pointing at Lone a bunch of light and dark whips at him. Lone entangled his sword before snapping it away and back into his hand.

Astral charged forward using this moment launching a punch directly into Lone's hand. Lone directed his hand down like a beautiful composer. Blocking the punch with the blade's edge, slicing Astral's knuckle open.

Astral took a half a pace back. Taking a glancing look at his hand he licked it as he snapped his wrist and it healed right off of the bat. Astral quickly drew his magnum and fired all twelve rounds as Lone blocked each one. 

Lone launched a spear at Astral out of nowhere. He moved to the side avoiding it as Lone snapped and it vanished. Astral had a little giggle to him as he rushed Lone. He threw a barrage of punches at the man as he blocked each punch with his blade. Whipping it around so fast it caused a whirlpool of wind to keep all the blood on Astral.

Lone backpedaled a bit. This man was crazy, he needed to deescalate the situation. Not cause the two of them to turn to chaos. He would drop an anvil of massive proportions onto Astral.

Looking up he saw it in time. Catching it with one hand as he made an indent in the ground with his feet. Tossing the anvil to the side it would vanish like vapor into air. Astral figured out that he was a legendary forger and all of his magic had relation to the item's he used. Astral brewed an ice storm in his hand and chucked it at Lone's feet.

Lone waved his blade once and dispersed the ice across the stage. Astral snapped and sent a lightning bolt at Lone as he lifted a hammer that absorbed it. Slamming it in the ground he discharged it and made it vanish once more.

Astral was tired of all the mixed variety bag of weapons. Astral's bones cracked as he extended his arms and clapped. The boom sent a shockwave as Lone slid back, holding his claymore he would try to summon a shield but it felt sealed off for a weird reason.

Astral launched a shockwave of punches while smiling. Lone would absorb every blow without issue. His armor was otherworldly for a reason. Astral didn't like this, closing the gap, swinging Muramasa down directly where he stood.

Hopping back, Lone took off his helmet, revealing his smooth but wrinkled skin, his mostly brown hair with gray spots and the bright blue eyes. "So that crazy bastard finally made you his apprentice." Lone cracked his neck. "Good. One half of our deal is done. My turn to fulfill this half."

 "What the fuck was this deal about? Is it about Titan losing or something larger at play?" Astral asked as Lone laughed.

"Even if you knew how powerful Titan can be, the gods still are stronger. Even then both of our plans were to escape this tournament for good." Lone spoke as the gods boiled with fury. "May you try to get away with the same fate." 

Astral would be confused as the gods were fuming. None of these humans could surpass them. They all had no chance even if they all pulled together and teamed up.

Astral put Murasama away and held out light discs. "If either of us figure out anything, we tell the other right?" Astral threw the discs at Lone who deflected them with the claymore before it vanished in a blip. "Just don't die too quickly on me. I may have an idea."

Lone got a soft chuckle. "I should tell you that instead, but you feel like you have twice the fight as you did in the slaughter round." He paused then rambled on. "Winners of the tournament that died were always used in the next one. The glove was a get out of jail free card and a one time use." Lone looked up and wondered how many times Titan won and if they could ever get rid of all of them. 

"I need to see this from a different lens. All you are spouting is crazy nonsense." Astral was now determined on a singular goal, this fight didn't matter. The knowledge did.

Astral would flash brightly warping behind Lone who would let it happen. Astrals hand would be holding himself up on Lone's skull. There was no helmet and Astral got hit by a mental flashbang. Falling over Astral's armor and wings would fire up. Alexa who was over with the others flashed over in a blip. Drawing his sword Alexa looked at Lone and would giggle. "I haven't fought in a long time."

Lone would unsheath his greatsword while holding a knife in his offhand. "So it will be."