Chapter 140: Chapter 5: The Finale
Is this where it ends....?
As Andere the giant Rocky dropped onto his knees as blood flooded out through his throat and burst past his hands as he tried to cover it up, he found himself struggling to move and breath. The image of the one he was hunting became blurry and soon dark as he rolled onto his back and waited for the impending death that's knocking on his doors.
He was asked by his dying brother to come to this planet for a potential cure for his condition, and no one but him was suitable for this task. He was and has been the strongest Rocky in the clan, as his enormous height, strength and the speed and power that comes with it is unrivaled on the planet! However, his birth does not come naturally and without a cost.
His conception was planned and purposed. The family was a family of fighters, and they wanted the strongest fighter of them all. The Rockies are tough and resilience, but they lack in size and reach, and their striking power are akin to a normal human due to their leverages. However, if they could combine the height of the Aquarians, the smoothness of humans and the strength and endurance of themselves, they will become the ultimate fighter, and they will win millions of credit in fight tournaments all across the galaxy. The respect earned by the family will keep them afloat both financially and politically.
And with that desire came the generation that Andere was a part of.
He was the one blessed with the success of the 'genetic tempering experiments', or simply inbreeding, but his eight brothers were the ones that were not so lucky. Three died before the age of three, another four died before they are a teenagers. The only one living on were nothing more than a living corpse, but he still lived on.
He lived on with the sole purpose of being the proof of the family's wrong doings. He lived off the anger towards his parents for what they did to him, and the universe for letting it all happen.
He will live on and expose everything. That was his purpose, and Andere's purpose was to be the one to help make that reality.
However, that doesn't appear to be possible anymore.
Andere released his grip on the open wound on his throat and simply let his hand dropped onto the ground.
'Brother...I am sorry.' Andere cried, 'I am not strong enough for your dreams...I am not worthy of this power....There are bigger monsters in this galaxy, bigger than me, bigger than our parents...bigger than any of us can imagine....'
Then, his thought lingered on for all eternity as Claws ripped his head off.
The rising waters carried Rydel and Alrith's crates easily towards the tallest mountain slowly. They have seen plenty of dead bodies of the contestants floating around. To their surprise, they saw no one actively making a move towards the top of the mountain as they reached its bottom. Most of the island has already been covered, so they were expected some sort of a skirmish to already be happening. However, it looked like whatever they thought was going to happen has already happened.
Ripped limbs and torn bodies bloodied the lands with pure red and green, as motionless bodies of Aquarians and humans decorated the battlefield and the now destroyed defensive structures. There were arrows and stones being fired, but that did nothing to stop those who were trying to get through.
No....not those, him.
Rydel and Alrith got out of the crates and looked onward towards the tip of the quiet mountain. Then, they turned their attention towards one of the Aquarians laying motionless on the ground, as a giant wound were in the middle of her chest, ripping through her armor like an nail through the peel of an orange. The cut was deep and rough, as the edges of the armor's hole form sharp tips and edges from where they were torn.
The size of the cut was about four centimeters across, just like the size of one of Claw's fingers.
So he has already been here, as a sieger not a defender. Alrith and Rydel shared a look before they began to scale the mountain. The plains are barren, and the incline is constant, with few ups and downs along the way. They higher they went, the few signs of combat they saw, but all of the victims shared a similar trait in their way of death: through a gigantic cut to their torso.
Then, they saw Claws.
He sat alone at the tip of the mountain as he looked at the wave in the horizon. He was waiting for the end of the game, for the arrival of the wave that will swallow them all, for them.
As Rydel and Alrtih approaches, Claws turned to look down towards them.
'The strategy for cowards.' Claws declared, 'suitable for a disabled human.'
'Well I would have fought you fair and square if you didn't use the underhanded tactics of ambushing and betraying your ally.' Rydel said, pointing a finger towards Claws as Alrith moved to right behind Rydel and prepared the Lightning Knife to be activated.
'There is only win and loss in the Life Springer's game.' Claws said, before he grabbed a rock from the ground and launched it towards a target behind him. The rocky flew like a bullet and was parried by what sounded like a shield. Rydel and Alrith turned to see another pair of fully equipped Aquarians also slowly approaching Claws. They are also covered in blood, but that doesn't cover the proud symbol of a white cross they wore on their light armor.
To Rydel, they kind of looked like the knights from the mythic ages of the old earth apart from their Aquarian heights and the fact that they have six arms.
'So you are the monster who's committing such unnecessary acts of brutality in the game.' The leader of the Aquarian pair declared as he pointed his sword towards Claws, 'I know you. And I, the Knight of the Crushing Waves, am here to hunt you.'
'Give me a minute.' Claws gestured towards Rydel and Alrith, 'I will deal with the punks first.'
Then, he kicked a rock towards the Aquarian knight and followed up with him charging towards him. The rock he kicked like a football travelled even faster than the one he just threw and flied across the distance between the two in the blink of an eye. The knight spun in a vertical circle and diced the rock in half with a top down slash. Then, he continued his momentum and carried it forward with two more blades chopping down on Clows.
The blades moved fast, though not as fast as some of the other monsters Rydel and Alrith have seen on the island. Claws raised one arm over his head to parry before he prepared a counter attack towards the torso of the knight, but the power and momentum carried in that strike took him by surprise. The one arm wasn't enough, and he was pressed downwards as the counterattack hit nothing but the dirt.
The knight followed on with three more attacks that targeted the shoulders of Claws, as the blade tips found their target in the gaps of the Aquarian armor and pierced into the flesh. However, before further damage can be done, Claws roared and threw his arms upwards, throwing the knight off balance and forcing him backwards.
The knight gathered himself before facing the wounded Claws once more.
'Watch me closely, my apprentice.' The knight declared, and the much smaller Aquarian that's behind him nodded firmly as he clenched his fists around the blade handles.
Then, the knight was the one who attacked. The style of Aquarian blade martial arts looked incredibly familiar to Rydel, as the continuous streams of attacks clearly showed the roots in the Flurry of the Chaotic Waves, which emphasizes the use and preservation of momentum to attack continuous without giving the opponents a chance to breath. However, the use of jabs and stabs is different from what Rydel typically expects, and the sounds of his organization hinted at perhaps a branch of the practice from the traditional teachings.
And that traditional teaching appeared to have worked. Rydel wasn't expecting Claws to have to fight in such a passive state, and yet the skills of the knight far surpasses the expectations of the both of them. With each spin and slice and extension and jab, the knight is always finding a hit or two on Claw's body. Claws may have a lot of raw power and speed, but in the face of a master swordsman, his weaknesses are exposed clearer than ever.
He tried to tackle the knight, but he simple uses his forward charge to the advantage, as the distance of the two is closed regardless and the tips of the blade found yet another wound on Claw's leg.
Soon, Rydel found himself wincing at the amount of damage Claws is taking as the armor he is wearing is being torn apart piece by piece by the precise strikes of the knight. Then suddenly, the breast plate was taken apart as it dropped onto the ground.
'Huh.' Claws grunted, 'that ain't the flurry. You snake in the grass.'
The knight's motion haulted for a split second before he rushed to continue his attacks, but in that split second, Claws has closed in and finally landed a hit onto his body with a wack to his core. The knight was sent flying backwards as he crashed into his apprentice who hurried to help him up.
'That's why the counters aren't working. You are a mixer.' Claws declared, pointing a finger towards the knight who's a little shaken after taking some damage from the strike, 'You implant the idea of a particular style of combat by declaring your origin, and yet your style of martial arts is a mix of both the waves and the grass. Impressive, and a trickery nonetheless.'
'If you have figured out, then why are you still losing?' The knight countered.
'Cause I was bored.'
Then, Claws appeared in front of him at a blinding speed much faster than before. He knocked the knight hard on the helmet before he can react and slammed him onto the ground.
'You are not like us, Mr knight.' Claws said as he raised his fist and slammed it on top of the helmet of the knight with every word he is speaking, 'you are not an animal, you rely on trickery and skill. We are animals on this island. The more wounded we are, the more power we are. But you....you! You only get weaker...'
'MASTER!' The apprentice screamed in place, but his legs were not moving even a single inch. Claws glanced over at her and stood up. Then, he approached slowly and raised a fist over his hand, preparing to strike down this weak lineage.
Aquarian martial arts are strong and unique, and it stands on its own without the need for trickery! The knight is a disgrace!
'Now!' Rydel said, reaching out with his glove and warping Claws into his fist. As he disappeared into mid-air right in front of the apprentice, she dropped onto the ground and started crying and shaking.
There should be no way Claws can do anything in the bubble of space within the glove, and yet Rydel still felt some light scratches from Claws as he frantically tried to escape whatever realm he is suddenly sent to. However, there is nothing he could do.
Those who possess the artifacts simply possess a higher power.
'You ready?' Rydel asked, as Alrith manifested the Lighting Knife from inside his palm and nodded, 'I am gonna drop him from a height not enough to kill him, but enough to injure him, and you just knock him out!'
'Just do it already!'
Rydel then turned towards the apprentice who's sat on the ground shaking in fear, 'take your master and get out of here! Quickly!'
She nodded and started moving. As they began to move away, Rydel threw his hand up and released the grasp of the glove on Claws.
He appeared ten meters into the air before entering free fall and slamming back down onto the surface. The armor his wearing instantly crumbled underneath the weight upon landing as a loud crash puts a hole in the ground. He tried to absorb the impact the best he can, but still suffered great injuries in his lower limbs.
'What the hell was that....?' Claws asked, his voice shaking and cracking as the pain started to become overwhelming, 'magic? Trickery?'
'Call it a higher power.' Alrith said, giving him a wink and sending a blast of electricity throughout Claw's body. The white light emitted by the electricity bathed Claws before it went away, and all that's left was an unconscious Aquarian on the ground.
There was the sound of a drum from the distance, and a ship exited invisibility from right above them. The ship has an distinct Aquarian bioship design, and from the speaker from within, a high pitch voice declared to the entire island, 'AND YOUR WINNER FOR THE LIFE SPRINGER'S GAME...RYDEL AND ALRITH!'
Then, the bottom of the ship opened up as two ropes were dropped down. Rydel and Alrith shared a glance and reached out to grab the rope, but instead the ropes came to life and wrapped the ends around their body like a tentacle. Then, it tugged gently and started to bring them up to the ship. As they were raised higher and higher into the air, they began to get a better view of the island, and the waters that will soon rise and swallow it all.
The ship rose in the air after they were brought into the main area. There were only the pilot from within, and he simply gestured for the two to help themselves to a platter of food and drinks that's been set up on the table as he will take them to see Life Springer right now for a post game interview.
'Interview?' Rydel raised his eyebrow at the sound of being forced into a conversation he has no interest in.
'That's part of the agreement for winning...' Alrith reminded from under her breath, and Rydel scratched his head in frustration. Well, Elmyra has already waited for all of this time. Can't hurt that much to wait a little bit longer.
The ship left the island behind almost immediately as it rises up into the upper atmosphere of Poseidon 5 towards the base of Life Springer in low orbit. All of her most pristine research is performed there with supplies of resources and energy directly taken from either the planet below or the space above. Looking from afar, the space station is designed to shape like a gigantic seed, which is actually kind of fitting for what Life Springer is about.
Speaking of which, Rydel wouldn't really be surprised if she is a reproductive expert.
As the ship docks into the station, Rydel and Alrith were immediately rushed towards the production studio when they were briefly interviewed about the host. Unsurprisingly, the audiences have grown an incredible amount of curiosity about their artifacts. However, Rydel and Alrith has both corresponded so that her front as a biohacker can be used to justify the use of some experimental enhancement and augmentation technology.
The interview was brief and sweet, merely to give the audience something to ponder over while supposedly giving the winners a time to breath, but Rydel and Alrith came here with a purpose, so they simply cut to the chase.
As the cameras were turned off, Rydel rose from his seat and asked, 'where is Life Springer?'
'You have been speaking to her.' The host said, her voice smooth and her tone playful, 'you have done well, Rydel and Alrith.'
'Especially you, Alrith, I didn't think I would see you in this fashion, but you have changed.'
'No way.' Alrith shook her head, 'Life Springer was an Aquarian, but you are human.'
'Well, I just felt like changing things up.' Life Springer said before she grabbed her chest with her fingers as she closes her eyes, 'I love the human body, so simple, so smooth, so elegant.'
'Prove it,' Alrith said, crossing her arms and leaning back on her chair, 'what's your real name, and what's my nick name.'
'My name is Anozee, the best biohacker in the galaxy. And your nick name is the Butcher. Am I correct?' Anozee, Life Springer, and the best in the galaxy also leaned back in her chair and copied the posture of denial that Alrith is doing.
The butcher? What kind of a nick name was that? Rydel wondered as he looked towards Alrith, who's face has turned red all of a sudden. He knew what that means.
'Now, the killer of my entire party, what do you wish to gain out of this appointment?' Anozee asked, as she twirled a strand of her human hair around her finger.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone