Samurai Karasu
02-08-2005, 08:40 PM
Chapter 4: Scorching Battle! Alchemist VS. Rido!
Raide slowly looks over his team. Vyse is standing confidently with his hands in his pockets, Rido is glaring at the Alchemist who has a cocky grin on his face, Rena is barely standing as she has an exhausted look on her face , and Jordos looks tired but still willing to fight.
Raide (thinking): I dont want to trust Rido with this fight....and Rena and Jordos seem to exhausted to fight with this guy now. No matter how he may look we need to conserve our energy for now, we have no idea what may come up later on.
Alchemist's big grin suddenly tuns to a frown as he looks at the group.
Alchemist: You're not getting second thoughts about fighting me are you? Just because i'm elderly you think you can defeat me? Kids today...have no respect for anybody that's above their own age....
Jordos: Look old man, if you want to get in our way then we'll defeat you no matter who you are!
Alchemist (chuckling): Sorry young man but I don't believe you have the right to backsass me so just be...
Alchemist dissappears from where he's standing and appears below Jordos's jaw.
Alchemist:....QUIET!!
Alchemist jams his fist into Jordos's jaw, flinging Jordos back with blood streaming from his mouth. Jordos hits the ground with a thud.
Vyse: Jordos.....Wait a minute...RENA!?
Rena looks over at Vyse slowly.
Vyse: Do you still have enough energy to go check and see if your healing powers could help Jordos out?
Rena: Definitly! I'm not letting you guys down!
Rena hobbles over to Jordos, but the Alchemist quickly darts in front of her.
Alchemist: Sorry little lady but you have no business with him now. So BACK OFF!
Alchemist throws another punch however as soon as Alchemist's punch has been thrown, Rena is no longer there. Alchemist looks around shocked until he sees Rido with Rena in his arms standing a few feet behind him standing over Jordos.
Rido: You allright kiddo?
Rena: Yes, thanks a lot Rido.
Rido: It was nuthin, you just check him now. Got it?
Rena: Right!
Rena kneels over and feels Jordos's pulse as Rido leaps back over in front of Alchemist.
Rido: Sorry old man but those two no longer concearn you...
Rido lowers his body a few feet and stares Alchemist straight in the face.
Rido: Your fight is now with me old man.
Alchemist: Even after seeing my magnificent speed you still haven't ran off in a fright?
Rido: Oh please...Black Knight was stronger then you in every way imaginable. The only thing you've got going for you is your stupid agility tricks and they aren't gonna do anything to me!
Alchemist (thinking): You think I lack tact then eh? We shall soon see who gets the last laugh!
Alchemist squints through his tiny coke-bottle glasses and leaps over Rido. Alchemist rapidly follows up with a nearly endless barrage of punches to Rido's back.....none of which seem to have any effect....
Rido: Good try old man....the only way you were able to harm Rena and Jordos is by surprise and them being EXTREMELY worn out. You're an old has-been who wants to squeeze every last bit of his usefullness out of the tube. And trust me....you ran out of usefullness a LONG time ago!
Rido holds out his palm as his staff quickly emerges in blue electrical energy.
Rido: Solar Staff!
Alchemist shivers and stumbles backwards slightly.
Rido: You're a coward...how you got up farther in the ranks then Black Knight is far beyond me.
Rido presses his staff to Alchemist's throat, knocking him to the ground where Rido's staff presses even harder against Alchemist's throat.
Rido: But now it ends....
Alchemist: Heh....you really think im that pitiful of a fighter? You think it's REALLY going to be that easy to defeat me?
Alchemist snickers as he opens one side of his trenchcoat, revealing countless viles and bottles with random odd colored liquids.
Alchemist: Did you know I invented the liquid bomb?
Alchemist takes out an oblong tube with green liquid in it and chucks it a few feet behind Rido, the explosion knocks Rido off his feet as Alchemist hops to his feet and scuttles backwards away from Rido,Raide,and Vyse.
Rido: Clever little bastard..
Vyse: This is a mockery...I'll finish this fight!
Vyse leaps VERY high into the air and stares at Alchemist with his right eye, and closing his left eye tight.
Slowly in Vyse's palm, green energy surges and forms into a small blue grenade with tiny black stars etched into it.
Vyse: Ultimate precision, and power within....ECLIPSE BOMB!!
Vyse pulls his arm back and chucks his grenade at the Alchemist as he appears to be caught in a large explosion just barely missing Raide,Rido,Jordos, and Rena.
Vyse carefully lands as the explosion begins to clear, nothing appears to be left except an empty vile with a few droplets of liquid still in it.
Vyse: Wait a minute.....where did this come from?
A HUGE fist comes from behind Vyse and starts strangling him. Raide and Rido look over and see a very tall muscular man with blonde hair and some small brown shorts, a white headband, and what appears to be filled up pockets strangling Vyse.
Man: You're dead you little brat!
The man tightens his grip mercilessly as Vyse gargles up spit and some blood.
Raide: YOU'RE DEAD PAL!!
Raide charges at the man and instantly creates his lance with red energy. He impales the man in the arm with his lance causing him to drop Vyse, and gush blood from his massive arm.
Man: No one does that to the Alchemist you little punk! NO ONE!!
Everyone looks at him with shocked looks on their faces as he chuckles slightly while nursing his wound.
Alchemist (a much deeper voice then his usual high pitched whine): You really thought that blast could kill me? I'm an inventor of so many things. Including a youth formula!
Raide: Then why the hell did you lead us to the Black Knight? I thought he was part of YOUR team!
Alchemist: Black Knight was a little gnat who would never learn his place. I wasn't lieing to you when I told you he was the one who cut my neck....that stupid bastard would always demand he was placed as the second dark artist saying I deserved to be at the bottom of the food chain, clearly I wouldn't have it so we would always combat. The ONE wound he ever gave me was this damned scar under my throat....Im lucky to even be alive thanks to that BASTARD!
Alchemist rams his fist into the ground in a rage.
Alchemist: However....when I saw you little ones I could feel your energy. Possibly enough to beat him, but not even NEAR enough to beat me. He and I were fairly similar in power but if I were to kill him I would definitly be killed by my superiors. All I had to do was find a bunch of stupid warriors to go fight him. Thankfully the old fool's finnaly dead...
Vyse (exhausted): Not that it matters.....
Alchemist turns around and sees Vyse turning his head slightly to the left, then to the right to get the cricks out of his neck. Vyse is standing completely fine with no apparent damage.
Alchemist: Perhaps I've made a miscalculation and under-estimated you all... I'm actually slightly impressed with how you've done.
Alchemist instantly raises his fists and stops Rena's whip and Jordos's axe in mid air. Jordos and Rena become clearly visible and fall to the ground.
Alchemist: A sneak attack? On me? You underestimate me children...
Jordos (in pain): How the hell did you know....
Alchemist: You're too slow child...it was all but nothing to defeat you in mid-air.
Rena quickly whips at the Alchemist, knicking his arm, and leaving a slight bloody cut.
Alchemist:....Hm.....how clever of you little girl...
Alchemist swiftly kicks Rena in the gut. Her body flies backwards onto her back as she groans in pain.
Raide: KNOCK IT OFF YOU BASTARD!!
Raide charges at Alchemist who quickly elbows Raide in the back of the head, knocking him to the dirt.
Alchemist: Ha...the only one not stupid enough to charge at me blindly was that one over there (indicates Rido with his movements.) However....considering your weapon is a silly little stick I have no reason to really fear for my own life during this supposed "battle".
Rido: Shut the hell up...you're going to lose no matter how badly we get botched up in this battle. You just gained the element of surprise with this stupid trick is all. Trust me when I say we are NOT going to lose to you old man...
Alchemist: Really...is that quite right?
Alchemist slams his fist into Rido's ribs causing a loud and obvious crunch. Rido's eyes bulge as he clutches his chest. Rido then falls to the ground as his staff rolls out of his hands.
Vyse looks over at all of his friends laying on the ground nearly dead and begins to shiver and back up as he looks at the Alchemist.
Alchemist: Come on, why are you trying to run away? Am I really that scary?
Vyse shakes off his fear and instantly summons a bomb into his right hand with yellow energy. Alchemist loses his grin and opens his eyes wide.
Vyse charges forward and leaps into the air. Alchemist quickly looks backward however, Vyse quickly kicks Alchemist's face and rebounds into the air.
Vyse: Bye-bye...
Vyse holds his arm up high into the air as the bomb glistens in the sunlight. Alchemist scowls furiously.
Vyse chucks the bomb at the Alchemist full force, hitting him square in his left arm. The explosion covers the field as Vyse quickly moves Rido, Jordos, Rena, and Raide away from the blast dropping them a few yards back.
Vyse: Tsk, Im losing my touch....I meant to make it a helluva lot bigger...bastard musta been stronger then I thought.
Vyse walks over to where Jordos is lieing.
Vyse: Hey pal come on....I know you can get up. You just gotta tough it out man.
Jordos coughs up a wad of blood to the ground and flashes a grin to Vyse as he sits up and holds his chest in pain.
Vyse: Thatta way man!
Jordos: Vyse....would you take me over to Rena?
Vyse: Sure thing!
A foot stomps down behind Vyse as tiny droplets of blood land on top of his head. A big booming laugh is heard above him as he slowly turns around....and see Rido smiling at Vyse's success!
Vyse:....RIDO! YOU'RE OK!
Rido: Heheh what'd you expect? A couple blows to the ribs aren't actually gonna kill me.
Vyse: We should try and wake up Rena and see if she can heal Jordos, you, and Raide. I'll be fine for now, but the wounds you guys have look pretty bad. I just hope he didn't beat her up too badly...
BAM A large fist comes from the side and smashes Vyse and Rido to the ground.
Alchemist stands panting above Jordos's body as his left arm is balled into a fist and his right hand and forearm have been completely blown off while blood pours from the wound. Alchemist's face is nearly beet-red and he has the look of pure utter fury on his face.
Alchemist: You little brats think you've won huh? Well these potions are assuredly good for something. Allow me to show you the two most deadly uses out of ALL of these formulas!
Using his left arm, Alchemist fishes a small blue potion out of his right pocket and pours the liquid onto his stump of a right arm. Slowly, blue ooze begins to form into a right arm and hand. The ooze arm cracks knuckles with the other arm as Alchemist shatters the remains of the formula vile.
Vyse and Rido slowly roll over onto their stomachs and look in shock at the new and improved Alchemist.
Alchemist leans over and puts Jordos in a headlock with his regular arm and begins to strangle him.
Alchemist: Still underestimate me boy? HM!?!
Alchemist tightens his grip and punches Jordos in the stomach with his ooze arm, causing Jordos to spit up a good deal of blood.
Jordos (stuggled): Go....to....hell...
Alchemist sneers at Jordos and forms his oozed arm into a straight cylinderic object which he holds up to Jordos's mouth. Jordos turns his head away in anger, however Alchemist jams his left forearm into Jordos's throat causing him to open his mouth wide as he hacks up saliva.
Vyse: STOP IT YOU MONSTER!!
Rido: PLEASE JORDOS CLOSE YOUR MOUTH!!
Jordos's eyes widen and he tries to shut his mouth, however, Alchemist shoves his oozed arm down Jordos's throat.
Vyse and Rido get horrified looks on their faces as Alchemist begins drowning Jordos in the fluid his arm is made of.
Alchemist: Just keep your mouth open....and close your eyes...
Blue ooze begins to drip out of Jordos's nose as his cheeks fill up with the odd blue gunk. Alchemist keeps on smiling as Jordos gurgles with small traces of blue liquid dripping out of his mouth.
Alchemist: Your friend can watch you die...slowly I'll torture each one of you. Ending with that bomb chucking little twerp. LET HIM KNOW HE CAUSED THIS!!
Alchemist cackles maniacly as Jordos seems to be at the brink of being drowned in the blue ooze. Vyse cries solemly as Rido struggles to get up.
Alchemist: Just a little more!
Rena: MERCURY WHIP!!
Alchemist shrieks like a little girly man as his ooze arm splatters across the ground. His grip on Jordos is let go as Jordos falls to the ground vomitting up blue ooze.
Rena: Don't gloat your power just yet bud....your fight won't end until we're all six feet under....
Rena falls over and nearly passes out with her whip still clenched tightly into her hand.
Alchemist: Dear sweetheart....don't think you're out of the woods just yet.
Alchemist swiftly fetches another vile of ooze (this time it's yellow) out of his pocket using his left arm as his right arm, begins to reform itself as the ooze recollects onto his arm.He chuckles to himself as he pours the entire contents of the vile to the right of Rena. The puddle of yellow goo begins to steam and hiss violently.
Rido: DAMMIT NO! IM NOT LETTING THIS HAPPEN!!
Rido leaps up to his feet and charges towards Alchemist.
Alchemist: It's already too late for all of you little one...
As Rido charges he quickly dissappears in mid run as Alchemist looks around in stunned silence.
Alchemist: Come out you coward! Face me or I'll crush the girls puny little skull!
Quicker then lightning, a weapon strikes through Alchemist's upper chest, forming a small hole and causing a fair amount of blood to flow outwards. Said weapon hits the ground covered in blood and guts and it's revealed as Rido's staff and a large hearty laugh can be heard from behind Alchemist.
Rido (off screen): You can't defeat us Alchemist. Your attacks are pitifully counterable and I'm easily able to break through your defenses. We won't lose to you...not now or ever.
Alchemist grits his teeth and swings around to look behind himself but Rido is not there.
Alchemist: What the hell?!
Rido leaps down from above with his staff held in his left hand as he lands onto Alchemst's head.
Rido: Peek-A-Boo..
Rido brings his staff down HARD into Alchemist's face, as the Alchemist stumbles backwards and Rido jumps off of his head, Alchemist crashes to the ground.
Rido: I think I recall a cliche expression about how big you are being quite similar to how hard you fall.
Alchemist: You're quite smart for someone who overlooks small details so often...
Rido: Come again?
Alchemist: You think I was pouring that little vile to fertilize the plants? Look again you simp...
Rido looks over at the glowing yellow liquid and sees it form into a large spotted ameoba about 5 feet wide and 2 feet tall. The creature begins to hiss and quickly latches itself onto Rena.
Rido: What the hell is that thing doing?
Alchemist: Now my absorbtion beast give me her youth!
Rido: WHAT?!
The creature begins to slurp noisily as it sucks black energy out of Rena's stomach and transfers it inside his body. Rena's body begins to wrinkle and progressivly turn older as the beast takes more and more youth from her.
Alchemist: That should do. Now come to me my pet!
The little beast wiggles over towards Alchemist and settles itself down to his left. Alchemist jams his fist down into the monster and transfers the black youth energy into his own body. A large energy tornado swirls around Alchemist as his muscles increase and his entire body grows a few inches.
Alchemist: I may not look much different...but trust me when I say you're all about to face a side of me you haven't seen before.
Rido sweats profusely as he scans over the battlefield.
Rido (thinking): There's no way I can take him on...not like this. I need some help here. Obviously Rena's not gonna be much help if she's as geriatric as Alchemist was.
Rido's eyes dart over to Jordos.
Rido (thinking): Jordos is still too weak after beating the Black Knight. So I guess my only choices are Raide and Vyse. I can't take any chances I better try and wake both of them up.
Rido: Well Alchemist it appears i'm outmatched by quite a bit...LATER!
Rido runs away from Alchemist towards Raide's knocked out body.
Alchemist: You're not getting away from me that easily you little twerp! Absorbtion beast attack him now!
The tiny yellow monster gurgles in agreement and hops quickly in Rido's direction.
Rido: Lucky for me that things so damn slow...
Rido screeches to a halt as he approaches Raide and Vyse's bodies, he quickly picks both of them up as the tiny monster sits at his feet growling.
Rido: ....Hm when it's up close it's not as scary as I thought it would be.
Rido chuckles quietly and steps on the tiny monster with his left foot. As he tries to pull his foot off of it, the monster latches itself onto his foot and Rido gets a pissed off look on his face.
Rido: Come on you little bastard get off my foot...
The monster begins to produce the same slurping sound it did when it absorbed Rena's youth. Rido's eyes bug out and he runs around consistently with Raide and Vyse still in tow.
Rido: GET IT OFF OF ME!!
Alchemist: Even more power will soon come to me...
Rido drops Vyse and Raide to the ground and starts kicking Raide in the gut franticly with his free right foot.
Rido: WAKE UP YOU DUMBASS! YOUR TEAM IS IN TROUBLE AND IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE TOO BUSY TALKING ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY HAD IT UNDER KENNEDY AND PLAYING BINGO INSTEAD OF HELPING TO SAVE THE WORLD!!!!!
Rido nervously stabs at the creature with his staff trying to peel it off.
Raide yawns and slowly stands up and sees Rido trying to shake the creature off his foot.
Raide: Let me guess....you screwed up big time.
Rido: JUST GET THIS DAMN THING OFF OF ME!!!
Rido's face begins to wrinkle slightly as the creature gets a few pints of liquidy black energy inside himself.
Raide: Alright fine I'll help this stupid thing off of you.
Raide summons his lance in red energy and pokes the tiny monster with it. The creature slowly munches on the lance and crawls onto it instead. Raide instantly drops his lance as the monster begins to devour it.
Raide: You still able to fight old man?
Rido's only aged by about 6 years from what can be told. Just a few wrinkles on his face but nothing that makes him seem drasticly old.
Rido: I'll be fine. We just have to wake up Vyse and finish off Alchemist before we worry about this little beast here.
??? (V/O): I have a suggestion.
Raide and Rido freak out as they see Vyse standing up behind them.
Vyse: I couldnt help but wake up when Rido was screaming about how his foot was being devoured by a mutant....
Raide: Well what's your brilliant idea. All I know is this thing likes the taste of my weapon.
Vyse looks down and sees the tiny beast happily chewing on Raide's lance.
Vyse: Simple. We combine our weapons again. When Jordos and Rena did it, the Black Knight had absolutely no chance of defeating us at that point.
Raide: Are you asking for this geezers weapon or mine?
Vyse: Well thats what I wanted to test. You see Jordos and Rena's weapons combined into a weapon that....
Alchemist: ENOUGH YOU BRATS!!
All three look over at Alchemist. He furiously begins charging at them.
Vyse: We'll talk later...
Vyse and Raide jump out of the way. However Rido finds himself too weak to do so and it is rammed, HARD by Alchemist. Rido slides back across the ground several yards as the Alchemist looks down at his creature.
Alchemist: Im dissapointed in you my pet. You can do better then that....but still you got some and that always helps.
Alchemist punches his meaty arm down into the beast and absorbs all of the youth it obtained from Rido. Slowly but surely the arm that was made out of the blue ooze transforms back into a human arm as Alchemist cackles at his new power.
Vyse: Well fantastic...I guess now it dosent matter what I think because unless we can wake Jordos or Rena up I HAVE to combine with your weapon.
Raide scans over the field and sees Rena's aged body.
Raide: Ugh sick....well forget Rena she dosent look in much mood to be helping us out now.
Raide quickly looks over at Jordos
Raide: And he's DEFINITLY down for the count until we beat this guy. Alright then fine...if you really think this is gonna work just take my lance. But you'd better make good use of it otherwise I never would have agreed to this.
Raide creates a new lance from red energy and places it into Vyse's hands.
Vyse: Alright Im just gonna get a far distance away from him so I have some good chucking range.
Raide: Got it Vyse.
Alchemist (V/O) MIGHT WANNA CANCEL THAT ORDER!
Raide is smashed from behind into the ground as Vyse and the POV shot can clearly see that Raide is beggining to have his youth drained by the absorbtion beast.
Vyse: DAMMIT NO!
Vyse charges backwards rapidly out of pure fear if anything as Alchemist cackles as Raide's youth is drained furiously and swiftly.
Alchemist (shouting): You don't really think you can run from me do you boy?
Vyse skids to a halt.
Vyse: Alright...this should be enough of a distance....please God let this work...
Vyse performs a little cross across his chest movement with his fingers as he raises Raide's lance above his head with his left hand.
Vyse: NOW! ECLIPSE BOMB!!
Vyse creates a bomb in his right hand out of swirling green energy.
Alchemist: Two weapons...is that all you have to offer before you die?
Vyse: Not quite you ass-hole....
Vyse shoves his hands together and screams as an explosive aura is cast forward and red energy specks flicker around brightly. The shockwave knocks Alchemist off of his feet and blasts the Absorbtion monster off of Raide who now appears to be aged about 10 or 11 years.
Vyse stands upright after the effects of the weapon combo and now holds a MASSIVE red bomb that he can barely fit in only one palm.
Vyse: I like the feel of this new one....something tells me this fight is over already.
Alchemist: You...YOU HAVENT BEATEN ME YOU LITTLE TWERP!! GET HIM MY CREATURE!!
The beast gurgles in agreement and leaps about 30 yards in front of Alchemist and prepares to charge. Following this, Vyse smirks a clever little grin.
Vyse: Perfect...
Vyse leaps high into the air and stretches his right arm back as the bomb begins to gather energy.
Vyse: Say goodbye old man.....SWIRLING BOMB OBLITIRATION FORCE!!!
Vyse hurls the bomb about a foot in front of the beast and the massive explosion blows it back VERY far and causes it to land on Alchemists chest.
Alchemist: WHA...WHAT THE HELL!? GET OFF ME YOU LITTLE TWERP! RIGHT NOW!!!
The tiny monster gurgles in apology but keeps suckling off Alchemist's youth.
Vyse: Heh..it looks like it can't resist a good treat no matter what can it Alchemist?
Alchemist cringes in pure fear as his muscles begin to shrink and his body as well, his face gets progressivly younger as the monster ferociously sucks away his life force.
Vyse: You brought this on yourself you bastard....and now you pay for it.
Soon enough Alchemist is shrieking as he returns back into his elderly state....however the beast CONTINUES eating as Alchemist's very skin begins to melt away.
Alchemist (warped spooky voice): BUT I WAS....I WAS....I WAS SO CLOSSSSEEE!!!
Eventually the creature's slurping noises are loud and slow as the beast simply falls off Alchemist's body due to exhaustion, all that's left of Alchemist is nothing but a pile of distorted bones. The ameoba creature soon explodes and black energy balls flow into Rena, Rido, and Raide as their youth is slowly thus returned to them.
Vyse: Alright I did it! Wait...Jordos!
Vyse rushes over and picks Jordos up and gives him a piggyback ride as Jordos slowly awakes.
Jordos: Wha....what happened?
Vyse: Let's just say we all had a bit of a long day...
Narrarator: Now two Dark Artists have fallen prey to our heroes....their next task is sure to be great but with a little time to rest will they be able to conquer whatever menace they face next? I can promise you it wont take as long as it did to find this one out as it will to find out the next chapter....
Preview (Rena): You're kidding me....FOR GOD'S SAKES IT'S A GIANT GIRL IN A FLOWER SUIT! WHAT WERE THESE PEOPLE THINKING WHEN THEY RECRUITED FIGHTERS?! Wait a minute...whats it doing with it's arms...HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!
Next Time: Sprouting the Seeds of Evil: The Deadly Botanist!
My apologies....I was just on a bad hiatus and may not be getting my chapters up as quickly but I promise you the next one isn't going to take nearly MONTHS to get up. Again I apologize for that :(
Raide slowly looks over his team. Vyse is standing confidently with his hands in his pockets, Rido is glaring at the Alchemist who has a cocky grin on his face, Rena is barely standing as she has an exhausted look on her face , and Jordos looks tired but still willing to fight.
Raide (thinking): I dont want to trust Rido with this fight....and Rena and Jordos seem to exhausted to fight with this guy now. No matter how he may look we need to conserve our energy for now, we have no idea what may come up later on.
Alchemist's big grin suddenly tuns to a frown as he looks at the group.
Alchemist: You're not getting second thoughts about fighting me are you? Just because i'm elderly you think you can defeat me? Kids today...have no respect for anybody that's above their own age....
Jordos: Look old man, if you want to get in our way then we'll defeat you no matter who you are!
Alchemist (chuckling): Sorry young man but I don't believe you have the right to backsass me so just be...
Alchemist dissappears from where he's standing and appears below Jordos's jaw.
Alchemist:....QUIET!!
Alchemist jams his fist into Jordos's jaw, flinging Jordos back with blood streaming from his mouth. Jordos hits the ground with a thud.
Vyse: Jordos.....Wait a minute...RENA!?
Rena looks over at Vyse slowly.
Vyse: Do you still have enough energy to go check and see if your healing powers could help Jordos out?
Rena: Definitly! I'm not letting you guys down!
Rena hobbles over to Jordos, but the Alchemist quickly darts in front of her.
Alchemist: Sorry little lady but you have no business with him now. So BACK OFF!
Alchemist throws another punch however as soon as Alchemist's punch has been thrown, Rena is no longer there. Alchemist looks around shocked until he sees Rido with Rena in his arms standing a few feet behind him standing over Jordos.
Rido: You allright kiddo?
Rena: Yes, thanks a lot Rido.
Rido: It was nuthin, you just check him now. Got it?
Rena: Right!
Rena kneels over and feels Jordos's pulse as Rido leaps back over in front of Alchemist.
Rido: Sorry old man but those two no longer concearn you...
Rido lowers his body a few feet and stares Alchemist straight in the face.
Rido: Your fight is now with me old man.
Alchemist: Even after seeing my magnificent speed you still haven't ran off in a fright?
Rido: Oh please...Black Knight was stronger then you in every way imaginable. The only thing you've got going for you is your stupid agility tricks and they aren't gonna do anything to me!
Alchemist (thinking): You think I lack tact then eh? We shall soon see who gets the last laugh!
Alchemist squints through his tiny coke-bottle glasses and leaps over Rido. Alchemist rapidly follows up with a nearly endless barrage of punches to Rido's back.....none of which seem to have any effect....
Rido: Good try old man....the only way you were able to harm Rena and Jordos is by surprise and them being EXTREMELY worn out. You're an old has-been who wants to squeeze every last bit of his usefullness out of the tube. And trust me....you ran out of usefullness a LONG time ago!
Rido holds out his palm as his staff quickly emerges in blue electrical energy.
Rido: Solar Staff!
Alchemist shivers and stumbles backwards slightly.
Rido: You're a coward...how you got up farther in the ranks then Black Knight is far beyond me.
Rido presses his staff to Alchemist's throat, knocking him to the ground where Rido's staff presses even harder against Alchemist's throat.
Rido: But now it ends....
Alchemist: Heh....you really think im that pitiful of a fighter? You think it's REALLY going to be that easy to defeat me?
Alchemist snickers as he opens one side of his trenchcoat, revealing countless viles and bottles with random odd colored liquids.
Alchemist: Did you know I invented the liquid bomb?
Alchemist takes out an oblong tube with green liquid in it and chucks it a few feet behind Rido, the explosion knocks Rido off his feet as Alchemist hops to his feet and scuttles backwards away from Rido,Raide,and Vyse.
Rido: Clever little bastard..
Vyse: This is a mockery...I'll finish this fight!
Vyse leaps VERY high into the air and stares at Alchemist with his right eye, and closing his left eye tight.
Slowly in Vyse's palm, green energy surges and forms into a small blue grenade with tiny black stars etched into it.
Vyse: Ultimate precision, and power within....ECLIPSE BOMB!!
Vyse pulls his arm back and chucks his grenade at the Alchemist as he appears to be caught in a large explosion just barely missing Raide,Rido,Jordos, and Rena.
Vyse carefully lands as the explosion begins to clear, nothing appears to be left except an empty vile with a few droplets of liquid still in it.
Vyse: Wait a minute.....where did this come from?
A HUGE fist comes from behind Vyse and starts strangling him. Raide and Rido look over and see a very tall muscular man with blonde hair and some small brown shorts, a white headband, and what appears to be filled up pockets strangling Vyse.
Man: You're dead you little brat!
The man tightens his grip mercilessly as Vyse gargles up spit and some blood.
Raide: YOU'RE DEAD PAL!!
Raide charges at the man and instantly creates his lance with red energy. He impales the man in the arm with his lance causing him to drop Vyse, and gush blood from his massive arm.
Man: No one does that to the Alchemist you little punk! NO ONE!!
Everyone looks at him with shocked looks on their faces as he chuckles slightly while nursing his wound.
Alchemist (a much deeper voice then his usual high pitched whine): You really thought that blast could kill me? I'm an inventor of so many things. Including a youth formula!
Raide: Then why the hell did you lead us to the Black Knight? I thought he was part of YOUR team!
Alchemist: Black Knight was a little gnat who would never learn his place. I wasn't lieing to you when I told you he was the one who cut my neck....that stupid bastard would always demand he was placed as the second dark artist saying I deserved to be at the bottom of the food chain, clearly I wouldn't have it so we would always combat. The ONE wound he ever gave me was this damned scar under my throat....Im lucky to even be alive thanks to that BASTARD!
Alchemist rams his fist into the ground in a rage.
Alchemist: However....when I saw you little ones I could feel your energy. Possibly enough to beat him, but not even NEAR enough to beat me. He and I were fairly similar in power but if I were to kill him I would definitly be killed by my superiors. All I had to do was find a bunch of stupid warriors to go fight him. Thankfully the old fool's finnaly dead...
Vyse (exhausted): Not that it matters.....
Alchemist turns around and sees Vyse turning his head slightly to the left, then to the right to get the cricks out of his neck. Vyse is standing completely fine with no apparent damage.
Alchemist: Perhaps I've made a miscalculation and under-estimated you all... I'm actually slightly impressed with how you've done.
Alchemist instantly raises his fists and stops Rena's whip and Jordos's axe in mid air. Jordos and Rena become clearly visible and fall to the ground.
Alchemist: A sneak attack? On me? You underestimate me children...
Jordos (in pain): How the hell did you know....
Alchemist: You're too slow child...it was all but nothing to defeat you in mid-air.
Rena quickly whips at the Alchemist, knicking his arm, and leaving a slight bloody cut.
Alchemist:....Hm.....how clever of you little girl...
Alchemist swiftly kicks Rena in the gut. Her body flies backwards onto her back as she groans in pain.
Raide: KNOCK IT OFF YOU BASTARD!!
Raide charges at Alchemist who quickly elbows Raide in the back of the head, knocking him to the dirt.
Alchemist: Ha...the only one not stupid enough to charge at me blindly was that one over there (indicates Rido with his movements.) However....considering your weapon is a silly little stick I have no reason to really fear for my own life during this supposed "battle".
Rido: Shut the hell up...you're going to lose no matter how badly we get botched up in this battle. You just gained the element of surprise with this stupid trick is all. Trust me when I say we are NOT going to lose to you old man...
Alchemist: Really...is that quite right?
Alchemist slams his fist into Rido's ribs causing a loud and obvious crunch. Rido's eyes bulge as he clutches his chest. Rido then falls to the ground as his staff rolls out of his hands.
Vyse looks over at all of his friends laying on the ground nearly dead and begins to shiver and back up as he looks at the Alchemist.
Alchemist: Come on, why are you trying to run away? Am I really that scary?
Vyse shakes off his fear and instantly summons a bomb into his right hand with yellow energy. Alchemist loses his grin and opens his eyes wide.
Vyse charges forward and leaps into the air. Alchemist quickly looks backward however, Vyse quickly kicks Alchemist's face and rebounds into the air.
Vyse: Bye-bye...
Vyse holds his arm up high into the air as the bomb glistens in the sunlight. Alchemist scowls furiously.
Vyse chucks the bomb at the Alchemist full force, hitting him square in his left arm. The explosion covers the field as Vyse quickly moves Rido, Jordos, Rena, and Raide away from the blast dropping them a few yards back.
Vyse: Tsk, Im losing my touch....I meant to make it a helluva lot bigger...bastard musta been stronger then I thought.
Vyse walks over to where Jordos is lieing.
Vyse: Hey pal come on....I know you can get up. You just gotta tough it out man.
Jordos coughs up a wad of blood to the ground and flashes a grin to Vyse as he sits up and holds his chest in pain.
Vyse: Thatta way man!
Jordos: Vyse....would you take me over to Rena?
Vyse: Sure thing!
A foot stomps down behind Vyse as tiny droplets of blood land on top of his head. A big booming laugh is heard above him as he slowly turns around....and see Rido smiling at Vyse's success!
Vyse:....RIDO! YOU'RE OK!
Rido: Heheh what'd you expect? A couple blows to the ribs aren't actually gonna kill me.
Vyse: We should try and wake up Rena and see if she can heal Jordos, you, and Raide. I'll be fine for now, but the wounds you guys have look pretty bad. I just hope he didn't beat her up too badly...
BAM A large fist comes from the side and smashes Vyse and Rido to the ground.
Alchemist stands panting above Jordos's body as his left arm is balled into a fist and his right hand and forearm have been completely blown off while blood pours from the wound. Alchemist's face is nearly beet-red and he has the look of pure utter fury on his face.
Alchemist: You little brats think you've won huh? Well these potions are assuredly good for something. Allow me to show you the two most deadly uses out of ALL of these formulas!
Using his left arm, Alchemist fishes a small blue potion out of his right pocket and pours the liquid onto his stump of a right arm. Slowly, blue ooze begins to form into a right arm and hand. The ooze arm cracks knuckles with the other arm as Alchemist shatters the remains of the formula vile.
Vyse and Rido slowly roll over onto their stomachs and look in shock at the new and improved Alchemist.
Alchemist leans over and puts Jordos in a headlock with his regular arm and begins to strangle him.
Alchemist: Still underestimate me boy? HM!?!
Alchemist tightens his grip and punches Jordos in the stomach with his ooze arm, causing Jordos to spit up a good deal of blood.
Jordos (stuggled): Go....to....hell...
Alchemist sneers at Jordos and forms his oozed arm into a straight cylinderic object which he holds up to Jordos's mouth. Jordos turns his head away in anger, however Alchemist jams his left forearm into Jordos's throat causing him to open his mouth wide as he hacks up saliva.
Vyse: STOP IT YOU MONSTER!!
Rido: PLEASE JORDOS CLOSE YOUR MOUTH!!
Jordos's eyes widen and he tries to shut his mouth, however, Alchemist shoves his oozed arm down Jordos's throat.
Vyse and Rido get horrified looks on their faces as Alchemist begins drowning Jordos in the fluid his arm is made of.
Alchemist: Just keep your mouth open....and close your eyes...
Blue ooze begins to drip out of Jordos's nose as his cheeks fill up with the odd blue gunk. Alchemist keeps on smiling as Jordos gurgles with small traces of blue liquid dripping out of his mouth.
Alchemist: Your friend can watch you die...slowly I'll torture each one of you. Ending with that bomb chucking little twerp. LET HIM KNOW HE CAUSED THIS!!
Alchemist cackles maniacly as Jordos seems to be at the brink of being drowned in the blue ooze. Vyse cries solemly as Rido struggles to get up.
Alchemist: Just a little more!
Rena: MERCURY WHIP!!
Alchemist shrieks like a little girly man as his ooze arm splatters across the ground. His grip on Jordos is let go as Jordos falls to the ground vomitting up blue ooze.
Rena: Don't gloat your power just yet bud....your fight won't end until we're all six feet under....
Rena falls over and nearly passes out with her whip still clenched tightly into her hand.
Alchemist: Dear sweetheart....don't think you're out of the woods just yet.
Alchemist swiftly fetches another vile of ooze (this time it's yellow) out of his pocket using his left arm as his right arm, begins to reform itself as the ooze recollects onto his arm.He chuckles to himself as he pours the entire contents of the vile to the right of Rena. The puddle of yellow goo begins to steam and hiss violently.
Rido: DAMMIT NO! IM NOT LETTING THIS HAPPEN!!
Rido leaps up to his feet and charges towards Alchemist.
Alchemist: It's already too late for all of you little one...
As Rido charges he quickly dissappears in mid run as Alchemist looks around in stunned silence.
Alchemist: Come out you coward! Face me or I'll crush the girls puny little skull!
Quicker then lightning, a weapon strikes through Alchemist's upper chest, forming a small hole and causing a fair amount of blood to flow outwards. Said weapon hits the ground covered in blood and guts and it's revealed as Rido's staff and a large hearty laugh can be heard from behind Alchemist.
Rido (off screen): You can't defeat us Alchemist. Your attacks are pitifully counterable and I'm easily able to break through your defenses. We won't lose to you...not now or ever.
Alchemist grits his teeth and swings around to look behind himself but Rido is not there.
Alchemist: What the hell?!
Rido leaps down from above with his staff held in his left hand as he lands onto Alchemst's head.
Rido: Peek-A-Boo..
Rido brings his staff down HARD into Alchemist's face, as the Alchemist stumbles backwards and Rido jumps off of his head, Alchemist crashes to the ground.
Rido: I think I recall a cliche expression about how big you are being quite similar to how hard you fall.
Alchemist: You're quite smart for someone who overlooks small details so often...
Rido: Come again?
Alchemist: You think I was pouring that little vile to fertilize the plants? Look again you simp...
Rido looks over at the glowing yellow liquid and sees it form into a large spotted ameoba about 5 feet wide and 2 feet tall. The creature begins to hiss and quickly latches itself onto Rena.
Rido: What the hell is that thing doing?
Alchemist: Now my absorbtion beast give me her youth!
Rido: WHAT?!
The creature begins to slurp noisily as it sucks black energy out of Rena's stomach and transfers it inside his body. Rena's body begins to wrinkle and progressivly turn older as the beast takes more and more youth from her.
Alchemist: That should do. Now come to me my pet!
The little beast wiggles over towards Alchemist and settles itself down to his left. Alchemist jams his fist down into the monster and transfers the black youth energy into his own body. A large energy tornado swirls around Alchemist as his muscles increase and his entire body grows a few inches.
Alchemist: I may not look much different...but trust me when I say you're all about to face a side of me you haven't seen before.
Rido sweats profusely as he scans over the battlefield.
Rido (thinking): There's no way I can take him on...not like this. I need some help here. Obviously Rena's not gonna be much help if she's as geriatric as Alchemist was.
Rido's eyes dart over to Jordos.
Rido (thinking): Jordos is still too weak after beating the Black Knight. So I guess my only choices are Raide and Vyse. I can't take any chances I better try and wake both of them up.
Rido: Well Alchemist it appears i'm outmatched by quite a bit...LATER!
Rido runs away from Alchemist towards Raide's knocked out body.
Alchemist: You're not getting away from me that easily you little twerp! Absorbtion beast attack him now!
The tiny yellow monster gurgles in agreement and hops quickly in Rido's direction.
Rido: Lucky for me that things so damn slow...
Rido screeches to a halt as he approaches Raide and Vyse's bodies, he quickly picks both of them up as the tiny monster sits at his feet growling.
Rido: ....Hm when it's up close it's not as scary as I thought it would be.
Rido chuckles quietly and steps on the tiny monster with his left foot. As he tries to pull his foot off of it, the monster latches itself onto his foot and Rido gets a pissed off look on his face.
Rido: Come on you little bastard get off my foot...
The monster begins to produce the same slurping sound it did when it absorbed Rena's youth. Rido's eyes bug out and he runs around consistently with Raide and Vyse still in tow.
Rido: GET IT OFF OF ME!!
Alchemist: Even more power will soon come to me...
Rido drops Vyse and Raide to the ground and starts kicking Raide in the gut franticly with his free right foot.
Rido: WAKE UP YOU DUMBASS! YOUR TEAM IS IN TROUBLE AND IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE TOO BUSY TALKING ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY HAD IT UNDER KENNEDY AND PLAYING BINGO INSTEAD OF HELPING TO SAVE THE WORLD!!!!!
Rido nervously stabs at the creature with his staff trying to peel it off.
Raide yawns and slowly stands up and sees Rido trying to shake the creature off his foot.
Raide: Let me guess....you screwed up big time.
Rido: JUST GET THIS DAMN THING OFF OF ME!!!
Rido's face begins to wrinkle slightly as the creature gets a few pints of liquidy black energy inside himself.
Raide: Alright fine I'll help this stupid thing off of you.
Raide summons his lance in red energy and pokes the tiny monster with it. The creature slowly munches on the lance and crawls onto it instead. Raide instantly drops his lance as the monster begins to devour it.
Raide: You still able to fight old man?
Rido's only aged by about 6 years from what can be told. Just a few wrinkles on his face but nothing that makes him seem drasticly old.
Rido: I'll be fine. We just have to wake up Vyse and finish off Alchemist before we worry about this little beast here.
??? (V/O): I have a suggestion.
Raide and Rido freak out as they see Vyse standing up behind them.
Vyse: I couldnt help but wake up when Rido was screaming about how his foot was being devoured by a mutant....
Raide: Well what's your brilliant idea. All I know is this thing likes the taste of my weapon.
Vyse looks down and sees the tiny beast happily chewing on Raide's lance.
Vyse: Simple. We combine our weapons again. When Jordos and Rena did it, the Black Knight had absolutely no chance of defeating us at that point.
Raide: Are you asking for this geezers weapon or mine?
Vyse: Well thats what I wanted to test. You see Jordos and Rena's weapons combined into a weapon that....
Alchemist: ENOUGH YOU BRATS!!
All three look over at Alchemist. He furiously begins charging at them.
Vyse: We'll talk later...
Vyse and Raide jump out of the way. However Rido finds himself too weak to do so and it is rammed, HARD by Alchemist. Rido slides back across the ground several yards as the Alchemist looks down at his creature.
Alchemist: Im dissapointed in you my pet. You can do better then that....but still you got some and that always helps.
Alchemist punches his meaty arm down into the beast and absorbs all of the youth it obtained from Rido. Slowly but surely the arm that was made out of the blue ooze transforms back into a human arm as Alchemist cackles at his new power.
Vyse: Well fantastic...I guess now it dosent matter what I think because unless we can wake Jordos or Rena up I HAVE to combine with your weapon.
Raide scans over the field and sees Rena's aged body.
Raide: Ugh sick....well forget Rena she dosent look in much mood to be helping us out now.
Raide quickly looks over at Jordos
Raide: And he's DEFINITLY down for the count until we beat this guy. Alright then fine...if you really think this is gonna work just take my lance. But you'd better make good use of it otherwise I never would have agreed to this.
Raide creates a new lance from red energy and places it into Vyse's hands.
Vyse: Alright Im just gonna get a far distance away from him so I have some good chucking range.
Raide: Got it Vyse.
Alchemist (V/O) MIGHT WANNA CANCEL THAT ORDER!
Raide is smashed from behind into the ground as Vyse and the POV shot can clearly see that Raide is beggining to have his youth drained by the absorbtion beast.
Vyse: DAMMIT NO!
Vyse charges backwards rapidly out of pure fear if anything as Alchemist cackles as Raide's youth is drained furiously and swiftly.
Alchemist (shouting): You don't really think you can run from me do you boy?
Vyse skids to a halt.
Vyse: Alright...this should be enough of a distance....please God let this work...
Vyse performs a little cross across his chest movement with his fingers as he raises Raide's lance above his head with his left hand.
Vyse: NOW! ECLIPSE BOMB!!
Vyse creates a bomb in his right hand out of swirling green energy.
Alchemist: Two weapons...is that all you have to offer before you die?
Vyse: Not quite you ass-hole....
Vyse shoves his hands together and screams as an explosive aura is cast forward and red energy specks flicker around brightly. The shockwave knocks Alchemist off of his feet and blasts the Absorbtion monster off of Raide who now appears to be aged about 10 or 11 years.
Vyse stands upright after the effects of the weapon combo and now holds a MASSIVE red bomb that he can barely fit in only one palm.
Vyse: I like the feel of this new one....something tells me this fight is over already.
Alchemist: You...YOU HAVENT BEATEN ME YOU LITTLE TWERP!! GET HIM MY CREATURE!!
The beast gurgles in agreement and leaps about 30 yards in front of Alchemist and prepares to charge. Following this, Vyse smirks a clever little grin.
Vyse: Perfect...
Vyse leaps high into the air and stretches his right arm back as the bomb begins to gather energy.
Vyse: Say goodbye old man.....SWIRLING BOMB OBLITIRATION FORCE!!!
Vyse hurls the bomb about a foot in front of the beast and the massive explosion blows it back VERY far and causes it to land on Alchemists chest.
Alchemist: WHA...WHAT THE HELL!? GET OFF ME YOU LITTLE TWERP! RIGHT NOW!!!
The tiny monster gurgles in apology but keeps suckling off Alchemist's youth.
Vyse: Heh..it looks like it can't resist a good treat no matter what can it Alchemist?
Alchemist cringes in pure fear as his muscles begin to shrink and his body as well, his face gets progressivly younger as the monster ferociously sucks away his life force.
Vyse: You brought this on yourself you bastard....and now you pay for it.
Soon enough Alchemist is shrieking as he returns back into his elderly state....however the beast CONTINUES eating as Alchemist's very skin begins to melt away.
Alchemist (warped spooky voice): BUT I WAS....I WAS....I WAS SO CLOSSSSEEE!!!
Eventually the creature's slurping noises are loud and slow as the beast simply falls off Alchemist's body due to exhaustion, all that's left of Alchemist is nothing but a pile of distorted bones. The ameoba creature soon explodes and black energy balls flow into Rena, Rido, and Raide as their youth is slowly thus returned to them.
Vyse: Alright I did it! Wait...Jordos!
Vyse rushes over and picks Jordos up and gives him a piggyback ride as Jordos slowly awakes.
Jordos: Wha....what happened?
Vyse: Let's just say we all had a bit of a long day...
Narrarator: Now two Dark Artists have fallen prey to our heroes....their next task is sure to be great but with a little time to rest will they be able to conquer whatever menace they face next? I can promise you it wont take as long as it did to find this one out as it will to find out the next chapter....
Preview (Rena): You're kidding me....FOR GOD'S SAKES IT'S A GIANT GIRL IN A FLOWER SUIT! WHAT WERE THESE PEOPLE THINKING WHEN THEY RECRUITED FIGHTERS?! Wait a minute...whats it doing with it's arms...HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!
Next Time: Sprouting the Seeds of Evil: The Deadly Botanist!
My apologies....I was just on a bad hiatus and may not be getting my chapters up as quickly but I promise you the next one isn't going to take nearly MONTHS to get up. Again I apologize for that :(