Balance Break

Having closed the distance on Fergus I went straight for his neck.

But the legendary warrior simply brought up his blade and stopped my strike cold.

Even though I am putting a considerable amount of power into it.

'So this is the strength of one who is spoke about in legends.' I thought. It's not joke, even if this isn't the real Fergus Mac Roich, this shadow is the going to be the toughest opponent I've ever faced.

And although the situation is serious, I am finding myself smiling a bit.

I think I might be a bit of a battle maniac.

Anyway, Fergus flicked me back with just a twitch of his arm.

I landed and put up my guard. That's when Dominque and Gin appeared at my side, Gin with his bandages at the ready, and Dominque with her first-class weapon in one hand, and demonic wind sword made from Sword Birth in the other.

"How is Lancelot?" I asked.

"Some broken ribs but he'll be just fine." Gin told me. "Jeanne and Chess are looking after him."

"That's the best course of action given the situation after all." I said.

Jeanne is in no ready to fight an opponent like this, and Chess would be useless if she got any closer to the immense holy aura Caladbolg is emitting, so it means the fight is on the three of us.

Fergus jumped off the alter and landed on the ground, a small rumble taking place right after he landed. "I see you thieves have chosen not to run. At least you have some honor. For that I will give you a swift death, as a grace to your courage for facing me head on. At the ready!" He shouted.

He then charged straight at us and swung his blade.

We all moved to dodge, and successfully did so.

But when Fergus swung his blade a slash attack launched from it and struck the chamber wall, causing the entire thing to shake.

'If we let him run wild then he'll bring the entire place down.' I thought. "Gin!" I cried.

"On it." He said. He then sent several bandages towards Fergus and restrained his limbs and his blade.

Fergus simply snorted. He then started to try and break free of Gin's bandages.

It looks like he's underestimating us.

That won't do.

Dominque rushed Fergus from his left and swung at him with her demonic wind blade. Which landed a direct hit.

Blood flew through the air as a few cuts opened up on Fergus's skin, but as soon as the blood left his body it vanished into particles of light.

Proving our theory right.

This Fergus is just a guardian spirit for the blade. I have no idea how it works, but I do know unless we beat him Caladbolg will never be ours.

So it's a good thing we don't plan on leaving without it.

Fergus turned in Dominque's direction. He then stomped his left foot and created a shockwave. But Dominque was able to turn into bats and dodge it.

As for me I used my ice powers to create ice spikes all around Fergus and impale him. However the wounds were only superficial. His fucking body is built like a thousand-year old tree trunk. To cause him any real damage we'll need to pour it on.

"A valiant effort, but futile." Fergus spoke.

Caladbolg then released a burst of holy energy which threw us all back. Even so Gin still used his bandages to hold on Fergus's limbs.

Though that only lasted for a few more seconds. Straining his muscles Fergus used them to tear Gin's bandages to pieces. He then rushed at him and delivered a punch to his gut, sending him flying back into the wall.

Seeing this I charged at Fergus dragging my blade along the ground. Reaching him I swung upwards diagonally, my ice power lacing my blade.

Fergus moved Caladbolg to block my attack, and our two blades clashed once more, coldness and holy energy clashing against each other.

Dominque seeing a chance appeared behind Fergus and did a cross slash with her two blades along his back, but this time she didn't draw any blood.

"Foolish girl. The same trick will not work twice." Fergus spoke.

He then stood his ground and managed to push me back.

Once he did he lashed out with a kick, striking me on the left side of my body, causing me to lose my breath.

For a big guy he's incredibly fast.

Falling to my knee Fergus aimed Caladbolg at my head and thrust it forward. That's when Dominque created a barrier to protect me, only for Caladbolg to destroy it like it was nothing at all.

Still that gave me the few precious seconds I needed to avoid the attack, moving to the side. Even so I still got clipped on my left arm.

"What, but why didn't it work?" Dominque asked.

"Caladbolg is the sword that can shake the heavens and the earth. But in some legends its talked of as a spear that can pierce through anything." I explained to her. "By creating distortions in space that weapon can break through practically any defense, so long as its user know what its doing."

It truly is a legendary weapon.

Dominque nodded at my explanation.

Meanwhile Fergus turned to us, and then raised Caladbolg into the air. I then felt him charging up an immense amount of power.

'Shit!" I thought.

Not giving it a second thought I formed ice pillars in the air and fire them at Fergus.

He dodged them all with grace, and then when he was ready he slammed the tip of his sword into the ground, which created a massive shockwave, striking everyone not behind Jeanne's barrier.

Dominque, Gin, and I were flung into the chamber walls, blood coming from wounds that opened up on our bodies.

Pulling myself out of the wall I raised my blade and changed into my vampire form. I then charged at Fergus once more imbuing my blade with a cold aura, and began slashing at him.

He met he head on and parried a lot of my blows, but he also took damage, cuts all across his body. The same wounds becoming filled with ice crystals the moment I cut him.

Dodging a punch form his right fist I swung my blade upward and slashed him across his right cheek. I then punched him straight in the gut, sending him flying back a few centimeters. Not letting up, I moved forward.

'More, more, more!' I thought. I can't stop until I bring this guy down.

Raising my hand I sent a volley of wind blades in his direction.

But this time he dodged.

He then sent several flying slashes at me, but I parried them with my own.

Having made it out of their craters in the wall Dominque and Gin went to Fergus's left and right respectively. They both then launched attacks.

While Gin sent several bandages to pierce Fergus, Dominque had changed her blade to a fire one, and sent a wave of flames to burn Fergus alive.

Seeing this Fergus slammed his weapon into the ground and created a miniature shockwave, blowing the attacks way.

As soon as he did I dragged my blade across the ground and sent an ice wave attack in his direction.

The attack making contact, Fergus was flung into the air and back into the chamber wall. But as soon as he was he jumped out of it. He then went straight for Gin and slammed his head into the ground.

Afterwards he tossed him at Dominque, but she managed to dodge.

That's when I closed in and went to slash him again.

But before I could he ignited Caldbolg's holy aura and it stopped me in my tracks. The aura was so dense I couldn't advance.

That momentary stop allowed Fergus to grab hold of my left arm. He then started tossing me around, slamming me into the ground from all angles Hulk-style.

I coughed up blood as a result.

Then I heard a snap a few moments later.

He broke my left arm.

Slamming me once more into the ground, he moved to slam his foot into my chest. But before he could I summoned forth an ice shield to protect it, and it held. But just barely.

"Get away from him!" Dominque shouted.

She then charged at Fergus, sending out a slashing flame attack as she did.

That fucker literally stopped it with his hand, like it was nothing at all. He then jumped off me and charged at Dominque, managing to close the distance.

Once he did he swung Caladbolg at her from the left side. She brought up her flame sword to parry, but as she did the aura around Caladbolg flared.

'No.' I thought. "Dominque, move!" I shouted.

But it was too late.

Blood sprayed into the air, as Caladbolg easily shattered through Dominque demonic sword, and sliced right into her side.

She coughed up blood as she fell to the ground.

Seeing that I started to hear my heart beating in my ears.

Time slowed to a crawl as Dominque hit the ground.

Then something inside me snapped. I can't explain it, and I really don't want too. All I know is, seeing a girl I love near death because of some asshole, made by blood boil. It is something I don't ever want to see again.

When I realized that something clicked inside me.

And then I shouted the words.

"Balance Break!"

Right after my power exploded outward and time stasis field formed. But now that I achieved Balance Break it is completely different, even though it looks the same.

And this imaginary asshole is about to find that out the hard way.

Jumping to my feet I instantly coated my left arm in chrono energy and it healed immediately.

Or rather I made it so the injury never existed in the first place.

Immediately after that I accelerated myself over to Dominque and moved her away from Fergus. I then placed my hand over her wound and reversed it, healing her instantly.

As soon as I did she looked at me with a shocked expression on her face. She moved to speak but I put a finger over her lips.

"I will explain later. Right now I need to take that thing down." I told her. "So just stay out of the way, alright?"

Dominque nodded.

"Thank you." I told her. I then leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, before I stood up and accelerated over to Fergus.

Once I did I accelerated pasted his strike, and used my sword to cut into his left arm, before jumping back.

"Running away. Is that all you can do?" Fergus asked me.

"Get bent asshole." I told him. I then put a sinister smile on my face as I held my up left hand and aimed it at his left arm. As soon as I did chrono energy enveloped it and the wound I gave him became bigger, almost completely taking his arm off.

As this happened I fell to my left knee.

'Shit.' I thought. I'm still not used to this power, which means I need to finish this quickly.

Fergus looked at his left arm in utter shock. But then he quickly stopped and looked at me. "It seems I need to kill you before the rest."

"Like I'd let that happen!" I shouted. I then froze him in place. But I could see the aura from his holy sword breaking him free.

Not wasting another second I moved toward him and completely severed his left arm. I then coated my blade in ice aura and moved to chop his neck, drawing blood. Just as he broke free of being frozen in time.

Once that happened I accelerated the wound with everything I had, causing Fergus to lose blood from neck like there was no tomorrow.

He tried to stop it.

But just as he did Gin used his bandages to restrain him. I gave him a thumbs up and he shot me one back.

Afterwards I looked Fergus in the eye. "You lose." I told him.

"Yes, but what a glorious battle it was." Fergus managed to say, even though he was coughing up blood.

At that, I ended him by using my blade to sever his head from his body.

As soon as I did he vanished into particles of light, and Caldbolg fell to the ground.

Once a few moments passed and I was sure he wasn't coming back I canceled my balance break, and returned to my human form.

I then promptly passed out.

But with a smile on my face.

I had not only achieved what I had been longing for, but I knew how I did it.

I wanted a power to save my loved ones dying in front of me.

And it looks like I got exactly what I wanted.