The Flames of War

The black blade gleamed in the dark like obsidian, red markings shaped like Chinese dragons etched into the side of the blade. Crimson flames engulfed the massive sword, flickering and casting shadows across the ground.

"What's this? You are using an attack that's actually your own instead of copying me?" Notus asked. "Im so pressed."

Notus was cocky, he didn't find the enemy standing before him to be a threat, but that changed in an instant. Tetsuno shifted his flame engulfed shoulder forward, slowly twisting his body, and as he did an immense wave of pressure burst from his body, the sheer force of the pressure eroding the ground and sending rocks flying up into the air. Notus suddenly shifted to a defensive stance, drawing his katana and his sickle, holding them up as he created a wall of wind.

Tetsuno then began to gain speed, spinning his body, the massive sword arcing downward at an angle before sending out a gargantuan wave of flames and cutting a deep gash into the ground, splitting open the earth as the flames rushed at Notus, engulfing him. When the crimson flames reached the god, they suddenly hissed, expanding rapidly and exploding outwards, causing the ground to rupture, sending molten rock flying through the air as the earth shook violently.

When the flames faded, there was a huge, scorched crater in the earth, with no sign of Notus.

Tetsuno threw the sword back over his shoulder, looking up. His head tilted to the left. He had figured it out now, the god didn't have the ability to go invisible, he was able to become wind itself. That was also why the flames suddenly expanded when they hit him, because he transformed into a gaseous state before impact, and wind only increases the flames, which is what made them have such a large explosion.

The air began to warp as a hand appeared out of mid air, followed by a head, a torso, and then a full body, though his entire left side was scorched, his skin blackened and smoke trailing up from the burns.

Notus tenderly held his arm. "I see.." he growled through clenched teeth. "Those flames.. not even immortality can heal the wounds they inflict. The damage is permanent."

Tetsuno's head tilted to the opposite side.

"Heh." Notus scowled. "That mask... the ability to copy my powers... those flames... you are the Archdemon Tetsuno, the Incarnation of War."

Tetsuno gave no response, only standing still as he waited for his opponent's move. The flames engulfing his arm and his sword had died down after his previous attack, he would have to wait before he could repeat another of the same caliber. But, he still had another trick up his sleeve.

Notus scowled down at Tetsuno with disgust. "I pitty your existence. A demon of all things, what a sorry sight you are. Those flames that burn your body are proof of the worthlessness your existence holds." The god shook his head. "Though I cannot doubt your strength, you are deserving of the title Incarnation of War. You are told of in tales, considered to be one of the most legendary of the Archdemons, the very mention of your name struck fear in the hearts of the gods during the Fifth War. Now look at you. Serving a weak, pathetic, worthless Deity. Pathetic."

His eyes narrowed. "Since attacks with aura don't work against one such as you..." he said, then exploded through the air towards Tetsuno, "I'll have to use physical attacks and cut you into ribbons!"

Notus crashed to the ground, the earth shattering at his feet as he swung his katana in a wide arc, the blade just barely missing Tetsuno's throat as he bent back. He could sense an aura from the blade. It was a divine weapon. He could also sense a darker aura from the sickle. It was most likely cursed, meaning if it struck him he would be bound by whatever curse the blade invokes. He needed to avoid being struck by the weapons, it was better to not find out their effects until he was certain he could survive them.

Tetsuno jumped back, creating distance between him and Notus. He then held his sword with both hands, a red marking giving off a faint light as a click came from the blade. Cracks appeared in the weapon, the blade splitting into multiple parts that folded and shrank down until the weapon shrank in size, becoming a katana similar to Notus's, the only difference being that its blade was a sleek pitch black.

Notus stood in a stance, his knees bent and his katana held forward in one hand while he held the sickle close to his side in the other hand.

"So you can copy my weapon as well..." Notus spoke. "No matter. Just because you use the same weapon as me doesn't mean you can use it to the same amount of skill as I.."

Tetsuno put his left foot forward while he put his weight on his right foot, holding the katana out at the side with one hand, his arm long and lanky, while his other hand, the one that was not engulfed in flames, hung limp, his head lulling to the side.

Notus scoffed. "What kind of stance is that? Pah! You will achieve nothing with that, you fool!"

Tetsuno dashed at Notus at an unmatchable speed, bolting into kill range in an instant, leaving behind a trail of flames. Sparks flew through the air like fireworks as their blades clashed together, a metallic ring echoing through the air. Tetsuno let go of his katana, letting the blade spin end over end as he spun to the side, Notus falling forwards, his weapon flying past Tetsuno as he spun, catching his blade above Notus's back before plunging it downward, flames erupting from the weapon as it pierced the god's body and pinned him to the ground, red flames spreading over his back.

Notus suddenly became transparent his body turning into air, the flames expanding from the wind and blasting back into Tetsuno, engulfing him, turning his body black as he was burned. He stumbled backwards, the flames burning away his cloak and turning his chains bright orange-white.

Notus reappeared behind Tetsuno, smoke rising from his back, the cut in his body and the burns unable to heal. He dashed at Tetsuno, swinging his sickle and his katana in a cross slash attack, but he was caught off guard when Tetsuno suddenly spun to face him, lifting up his mask fully to reveal a demonic face of black, scorched skin and hollow red pits where his eyes should be and his mouth was tied shut by metal wires. From his face erupted a stream of intense flames that exploded forward, melting the earth and eroding the ground away, carving a deep impression into the field.

Notus had drilled forward, barely out of the range of the flames, but he was not safe as Tetsuno spun, directing the red fire towards the god, who dashed to the side until the constant stream of flames stopped, the fire that had engulfed Tetsuno's body fading out and dying down until only his arm and the sword burned. He lowered his mask back into place, his head lulling to the side again.

Notus looked about, astonished as he saw that the ground anywhere the flames had reached had been melted away into magma, creating deep pits into the earth.

A hiss echoed across the field, returning Notus back to reality. He looked up just in time to see Tetsuno dashing at him, his katana flying for his throat. He rose his blade up into the air, blocking the attack, sparks flying as the two exchanged attacks back and forth, the sound of metal on metal resounding across the field. Then Tetsuno's katana's markings gave off a red glow and he ducked one of Notus's swings, thrusting his weapon for the God's chest. The blade skimmed his body, cutting a shallow gash across Notu's chest.

Notus backed away, breathing heavily. His wound healed over this time, the flames not having had enough time to have an effect on him.

'He is just as strong as the legends say... what a monster...' Notus thought. 'I have to stay on my toes, or-' the god's eyes went wide as he choked. He hunched over, barfing up blood. His chest began to expand, air pockets growing inside his body around where he'd been cut, expanding until they blew up, his body bursting, blood, organs and bone being flung through the air as he fell to the ground, his chest strewn open.

"How did you..." Notus groaned, but then he looked up at Tetsuno's sword, recalling how the marks had begun to glow when it changed form, and how it had done the same when they exchanged attacks previously. He glanced down at his own katana. 'His weapon can also copy the effects of my divine weapon!?'

Tetsuno stood as his opponent's wounds began to heal. He was the ultimate incarnation of war, anything that could kill or draw blood was his to use, powers, weapons, curses, all of it. He was not a copy cat, he was the owner of everything involved with conflict, it was all his to use as he saw fit. Nothing could stand in the way of his lord.

"So.. I admit it, you are strong." Notus spoke. "But, I will not lose. I still have a piece in this game."

Tetsuno tilted his head, the flames about his arm slowly becoming larger. A click sounded from his sword. He took note of the fact that Notus never uses his sickle. That meant it was saved for killing blows.

"Observe, the ultimate power of the wind!" Notus called, and then the air around him warped and his body disappeared, reappearing a moment later behind Tetsuno, although he had already seen that coming, his opponent's movements were predictable.

Notus swung his katana downwards with both hands, wind swirling around the blade. Tetsuno rolled aside, spinning on his heel and swirling his weapon through the air towards Notus, the blade clashing against the sickle tied to his waist, the weapon blocking a direct hit.

"You missed!" Notus roared, shifting his feet and swinging his katana to the side. Tetsuno dashed back out of the attack's range, skidding to a stop. His katana made a soft *click* sound and the flames flickered around it.

Again, the air shifted and Notus vanished, this time he reappeared directly point blank in front of Tetsuno, who bent back, holding up his weapon to block, but then the god vanished again, a blade piercing through Tetsuno's back and out his chest. Notus then reached to his waist with his other hand.

"You're done!"

Tetsuno lurched forward, his foot skidding beneath Notus's heel before his spun, wrenching the katana from his chest as he knocked the god off of his feet before swinging his sword downward, but Notus vanished yet again. Air pockets formed in Tetsuno's torso, exploding and completely blowing off his top.

Notus reappeared, dashing at Tetsuno, aiming to strike with his sickle before he could regenerate, but red flames engulfed Tetsuno in a large range, making it impossible for Notus to reach him.

"Damn!" The god cursed. Then his eyes widened in shock.

Tetsuno's cloak had completely burnt away, reveling a black, thin scorched body that was so thin it might as well of been a skeleton. Red marks were carved into his skin, and flames burned around his body, making him look like an inferno demon, a monster straight out of one's nightmares, the flames making his black body flicker menacingly, the ground turning into molten rock at his feet as he walked towards Notus. His katana clicked, growing and folding outwards into the giant blade that it was before.

'How...' Notus thought. 'Do I beat this!?'