Bab 62: Messmer the Impaler

PJO World

The Winter Realm, The Winter Fort

Messmer, a polarizing figure within the Unseelie Court. Equal parts beloved for his cunning and power, and equal parts despised for his fanatical loyalty to Queen Mab. Even amongst Queen Mab's ardent supporters, many found his blind support of her worrying at best and a danger to the Court at worst. Others found him to be the physical embodiment of Court's values, cunning, powerful, brave and not lacking in ambition. Were it up to them he would be Queen Mab's heir.

Aemon, however, cares not one whit for those opinions. He fought his way through the Winter Fort, he defeated Malenia, he ascended the throne, and he was chosen as the new ruler of the Court. This realm, this kingdom, this throne, they are all his and no momma's boy is going to assault him in his domain seeking to usurp him and escape unscathed.

"Messmer, why return now?" asks Aemon as his grip tightens around Longclaw's handle.

Ignoring him, Messmer looks up at the night, his figure emanating deep sorrow and anguish

"Oh mother, would thou truly sanction lordship in an outsider such as him?" asks Messmer with a heavy sigh.

"She did not have much of a choice. After all, she was cursed with incompetent wastrels for children." replies Aemon, drawing Messmer's attention to him.

Despite the weight of that gaze, Aemon cannot help the grin that grows on his face as he discards Lord Trénmhoir's decapitated head. From the shadows Aemon can feel his Black Knives arrive, ready to divest Trénmhoir's knights of their heads.

"It matters not, my duty remains the same." Messmer says as he slowly hefts his spear up and crouches into a fighting stance. "Come, outsider, face your end with dignity."

Without a word Aemon launches himself at Messmer, a silent snarl on his lips; while, unseen by Lord Trénmhoir's knights, the Black Knives slowly rise out of the shadows and wordlessly slit their throats.

The first clash between them tells Aemon much of what he can expect from this battle. Neither he nor Messmer were able to even land a glancing strike upon the other; both flowing seamlessly and gracefully away from the other's attacks or expertly parrying what could not be dodged. Receiving no advantage over the other, both warriors disengage.

"It seems the rumors are true, had you stayed in the Unseelie Court Malenia would not have been considered the Court's greatest warrior." says Aemon, and despite his honesty he feels that he is understating it in truth, for in that first clash he would have maimed Malenia thrice had she been the one facing him.

Unlike his battle with Malenia Aemon had begun the encounter with his recently created swordsmanship form and still he had not even scratched his opponent's armor, much less injured him.

"And it seems that your victory against her was not unearned, outsider." replies Messmer as he lifts his spear into a different stance, "Unfortunately for you that will not be enough." he adds before launching himself at Aemon with much greater speed.

Once more they clash in a deadly dance of steel, the sound of valyrian steel upon enchanted elvish steel creating a beautiful symphony reminiscent of valyrian steel clashing with valyrian steel.

For the first time since his death at the Night's King's hands Aemon finds himself at a disadvantage. Though rather than being a disadvantage of skill it is one of weapons. Unlike all spearmen that Aemon has ever faced, Messmer is the first who can be considered truly skilled in the weapon for he is able to keep Aemon within his own range while denying Aemon the range for his sword to pose any threat. Worse yet, despite being made of metal Messmer spear moves as if it were a serpent, slithering around Aemon's defenses to aim at his vitals. It is only due to the deceptive and cunning nature of swordsmanship is Aemon able to keep him at bay; though it will most likely not last too long for Messmer is slowly but surely acclimating himself to it.

Snarling as he lightly dodges Messmer's stab, Aemon grabs hold of the spear's shaft and with all his strength pulls, dragging it and Messmer towards. Lunging forward, Aemon slashes Longclaw towards his opponent's neck. Unfortunately Messmer recovers quickly enough to relinquish his spear and roll under the attack, escaping with a small scratch on his helm.

As Messmer rolls to his feet, Aemon twirls the spear in his hand before hurling it with all his might, barely missing his opponent as he dodges and leaving him with a lightly bleeding cut on neck. Any deeper and Messmer would be bleeding out.

"First blood goes to me." remarks Aemon as he and Messmer circle each other.

"It will not happen again." replies Messmer, and Aemon cannot help but agree.

He had drawn Messmer into a false sense of security through his swordsmanship, making him believe that he is a swordsman alone when in truth Aemon is a warrior competent in most forms of combat, the sword is merely his preferred weapon. The concept of using his sword alone in battle is a laughable one to him, for what reason should he handicap himself so. For honor? What honor? They are at war, and this is a battle between the commanders of the warring factions. Messmer is a traitor who questions his Kingship, the only honor that should expect from Aemon is that his corpse will not be desecrated and his soldiers will not be judged unfairly upon his death.

Without speaking another word, Aemon lunges at Messmer, his sword briefly glowing before being engulfed in a roaring flame.

"You dare to use fire before me!" screams Messmer slashes his spear through the air, sending a crescent flame colored red and black flying at Aemon "Experience the Flames of Finality." he says.

Without slowing down Aemon slashes Longclaw through the crescent and opens a path for himself.

Before he can reach Messmer however, his opponent stabs his spear into the ground and it is only Aemon's honed instincts that allows him to evade when a pillar of fire rises where he once stood.

Stepping back once more Aemon is barely able to avoid when dozens of spears stab up through the ground where he would have been had he continued to attack.

Dismissing the flame around Longclaw, Aemon returns his sword to its sheath before summoning the Epirus bow from his inventory and with fluid motion draws the string to its limit before releasing it. He repeats the act five more times in quick succession, sending six golden arrows flying at Messmer.

Despite being caught off guard Messmer is able to parry the first arrow before being forced to dodge upon realizing that the power being would be too much to bear six times.

Bow in hand, Aemon races towards Messmer while launching arrow after arrow behind his opponent, forcing him to advance rather than retreat.

The Epirus Bow is no mere magical bow. In the Immortals universe it was forged by the gods for the sole purpose of killing gods and other immortal beings. As such its arrows are no mere arrows also. Powered by the divinity imbued within the bow, the arrows can be both piercing as well as explosive with the capability of slaying immortals. However, there is one more feature that the bow possesses that was never shown in the movie. If imbued with more energy by the wielder, they will have more control over the effects of the arrow.

Imbuing the power with his magic, Aemon sends a volley of explosive ice arrows behind Messmer, freezing his path of retreat. With piercing arrows of fire he forces Messmer to defend and dodge instead of attack, should Messmer falter even once in his defense the result could be fatal.

It is like this that Aemon advances upon him, blocking his retreat with arrows of ice and forcing him to defend with arrows of fire. As he nears his opponent's range, Aemon turns his focus on more precise attacks as opposed to volleys of arrows. Firing eight more arrows into the air, Aemon returns his bow to his inventory and draws his sword.

Once within range of Messmer's spear, Aemon does not bother to try and dodge when the spear stabs towards him, for the first arrow sent into the air lands before him, forming a large icicle that blocks Messmer's spear.

Stepping onto the ice, Aemon uses it as a foothold to vault high into the air towards Messmer, his path unimpeded as Messmer is forced to defend him against the remaining arrows. As the last arrow smashes onto Messmer's spear, staggering him, Aemon's plants his feet on Messmer's shoulder and proceeds to drive Longclaw through his left eye while his hidden blade on his right bracer stabs through his right eye.

As the right eye is stabbed, the sound of shattering glass echoes through the air along with a heavy sigh from Messmer.

"You have brought this upon yourself." says Messmer. "I will not suffer an interloper upon my mother's throne." he adds as a massive flame bursts from his very being and sends Aemon flying.

Quickly catching himself, Aemon gracefully lands on the ground with a wince. Looking at his right hand he finds the appendage heavily burned and the bracer unsalvageable. At best his hand will be heavily scarred from henceforth, and at worst… well the prosthetics in Anakin's universe are sufficiently advanced; for he does not think that any magic healing beyond the very best will be able to undo the damage caused by this cursed flame.

"Soon, outsider…" comes Messmer's voice from the fire. "…, wilt thou be taken in the jaws of the abyssal serpent." he says as a massive white serpent as large as Vortigern rises into the air.

…

Their king had planned for this, Malenia tells herself as she feels the Winter Fort shake once more.

Their king had foreseen the war to be a diversion for an assault on the Winter Fort and had planned accordingly, she reminds herself as Vortigern's roar resounds through the air as if to mock her reassurances; for in truth how does one prepare for a dragon. It is nigh impossible when one anticipates the dragon, but to not have expected one? All plans crumble before absolute power, and what are dragons if not absolute power.

With scales impervious to physical and magical attacks, wisdom on par with or at times surpassing other sapient beings, and flames that burn hotter than any other even the youngest dragon is a force to be reckoned, not to mention one as old and cunning as Vortigern. They may win this war, but in the end the Winter Fort shall be lost as a result.

Still, Vortigern is not her concern. Rather it is the vault behind her and the approaching knight attempting to enter it that is her concern.

"Lady Rellana." greets Malenia as she draws her longsword.

Rellana, a former Lady of the Carian family. She is the younger sister of Rennala, Lady of the Full Moon. Wielding her signature Twin Blades that she can infuse with glintstone magic and Messmer's Flame respectively. As per her engagement with Messmer she should be addressed as Princess, however to do so would be acknowledging Messmer's claims and as King Aemon's sword Malenia cannot do so.

"You must be Malenia." replies Rellana, her voice muffled through her knightly helm. "You are not my target, retreat and you may keep your life. Stay…" says Rellana as she draws her sword and activates the magic within them.

"I have been commanded by our King to protect the treasury at all cost." replies Malenia as she falls into her stance.

"Then so be it, I have always wondered which of us is the greater warrior." answers Rellana.

"I am Malenia, Princess of the Unseelie Court, Heir to the Throne of Autumn, blade to King Aemon, the rightful King to the throne, and none but my King have defeated me." Malenia says.

"Rellana, Princess of the Unseelie Court, Commander of King Messmer's Carian Knights, and I have never known defeat." replies Rellana as she launches herself at Malenia.

As she makes battle with Rellana, Malenia is unaware of a certain Court Mage appearing within the vault she is to protect in a rain of flower petals before disappearing as quickly as he appeared with various weapons of legend.

Author's Note: Here's the latest chapter. Sorry for not updating last week guys. Irl is kicking my ass and it doesn't help that my brain is full of these awesome moments and ideas that I can't write yet because they need to be properly setup. If you want to support me or read ahead, you can do so at my patreon: patreon.com/servantambrosius