Deus Ex Loutiel

"My sincerest apologies, but would you do me and my assistant there a favour?..." Loutiel asks with a small, smug grin.

...

Charlie glares at the intruder, unable to comprehend whether he was serious or not... "You..."

Loutiel nods, "I know, I am incredibly handsome, but my request still stands... Please die. Heavy Water." he chants, blasting a large wave of strangely viscous water at Charlie.

Charlie quickly reacts, despite not completely recovering his composure. "S-split!" he screams, not using a specific spell, but relying on his elemental mastery of water to command it. An invisible force cuts towards the wave, dissipating any raindrops it passes, but as soon as it collides with the wave, it does almost nothing...

A small ripple against the surface of the wave is the only indication that Charlie had done anything at all... The wave continues its path, completely soaking Charlie from head to toe, while also massively decreasing his movement due to the water's viscous properties.

Charlie's knee's buckle slightly under the sudden surprising weight now suppressing him. Not only was the enemy's spell weighing him down, but the water acted similarly to snot, binding his slimes together and making it difficult to free them. "What is this!?" he shouts, having never observed this spell before.

Loutiel lets out a seemingly light-hearted chuckle, "My, I thought you were a competent water mage... It seems I was mistaken." he points at Charlie with a bored upside-down index finger, "Line, to Triangle." he states, before then resting his hand on his chest, "Square."

To most from Earth, this would seem like gibberish. But to Charlie, it was like hearing that a tactical missile had just targeted his position. Charlie was barely a Triangle mage, an accomplishment for sure, but still nothing in comparison to a Square mage.

The ranks of Mage's in Halkeginia were based on how many elements you could channel into your spells. Charlie, was a pure water mage, meaning he could channel three instances of the water element. He didn't have much variety, but it meant he was more adept than a jack-of-all-trades mage who dabbled in all elements.

Loutiel however, was a Square mage. Someone who completely and utterly outclassed him. It was light sending a house cat to fight a tiger. Indeed, this is how Charlie felt at this moment.

Cold sweat dripped heavily down his back, so much so that he could feel it even while under the effect of the Heavy Water spell. This feeling only intensified however as Loutiel casually flicks his wand, which causes crackling blue lighting to form at the tip of it. "W-who are you!?"

Loutiel bows at his hip slightly with his crackling wand still outstretched, "Loutiel of the Storm, at your service. Now, how would you like it? Boiled, or Fried?" he asks as his face distorts into a sadistic grin.

"N-no! I-if you interfere then you won't get away!" Charlie exclaims, sending a glare at Michael who's still lying on his back in the alleyway. Charlie knew he wouldn't be able to escape alive at this point, so, avenging his lost friends would be the best outcome he could hope for.

He takes a deep breath before swinging his staff over his head, his muscles struggling to maintain his movements under the Heavy Water spell. "ABYSSAL SWA-AARGH!* he starts but is interrupted as a small blade of wind passes by his raised hand... After a second, his dismembered hand drops to the floor, his wrist spurting out a profuse amount of blood that matches the beats of his heart.

Charlie tucks his injured arm to his chest, as he watches Loutiel starts gracefully skipping towards him, the wind formed platforms that boosted each stride, allowing him to easily hop over the alleyway and reach the injured water mage. "Wrong choice." he almost gleefully states as he pushing his wand to Charlie's soaked chest.

Without even a whispered chant, lightning covers Charlie's form and starts utterly decimating him. His flesh quickly starts blackening as his hair falls out, his blood boiling and his more fragile organs exploding in an incredibly painful manner.

Charlie screams in agony as his eyes literally pop out of his head before exploding into bloody gore, his screams, however, are cut off as blood starts bubbling in and out of his throat.

While all of this happens, Loutiel backs away and allows the spell to continue affecting Charlie as he goes to attend Michael. Again easily hopping through the air to reach the ground floor.

Michael was still barely conscious, though, his vision only allowed him to pick out bits and pieces of the fight between Charlie and Loutiel. "Y-you?"

Loutiel nods, "Of course. You didn't think I'd allow you to go unsupervised with such incriminating information. Did you?" he asks as he kneels beside Michael and shields him from the rain as he begins applying a few healing spells.

Michael was incredibly confused by Loutiel's actions, as he thought their relationship was merely one of exchange... Though, now that Loutiel had saved him, he owed the man his life... Was this perhaps his plan? He tries to ask why he'd helped, but he just spits out blood instead, apparently, the injury to his stomach was far worse than he'd thought.

"Don't speak. As much as I hate to admit it, I am not all that well versed on healing spells... I focus more on dealing damage, than healing it." he smiles, "In that, we are similar, no?... Now, be quiet and go to sleep like a good child. When you wake up, you may or may not be dead." he explains as he waves his glowing green wand over Michael's stomach.

Michael wants to retort at the man's shitty bedside manners, but isn't able to as his eye's flutter closed. His consciousness leaving just as he hears Loutiel mutter, "Poison as well? My, you are a challenge aren't you?"

Loutiel quickly stabilises Michael's condition before levitating his body, he releases a huff and adjusts his glasses, "Youngsters are so reckless nowadays."