The Second Piece: Eternal Storm Part IV

The Hugrema Pirates face Cortland Pace. There's considerable tension in the air after Pace delivered his declaration. It's incredibly difficult to see anyone at night, but a flash of lightning lights up Pace's face, grinning like it was Christmas.

Hugeo: A Marine Captain?!

Issac: So you're forfeiting your promise so quickly? I should have expected it from a Marine!

Pace: I made another promise, Issac D. Tremau. An oath to myself and to my fellow Marines that I'd capture you at any cost! Nothing comes before that!

Issac: Very well then. Next time I won't be so lenient.

Hugeo: Issac, that's a Captain! Are you sure you can take him on?

Issac: Well, I don't have much choice, do I?

Pace: Single-combat, 3-on-1...I personally don't have a preference.

Pace takes his weapon out of his sheath, and it's a peculiar thing to behold. On his right side is a large black blade with no hilt, just a built-in handle near the back. On his left side is a small blade, larger than a dagger but smaller than a sword. Connecting the two is a thick rope.

Drew: I'll give you points for creativity!

Pace: No matter how you attack me, the result will be the same.

Issac: Yeah. We'll beat you!

Pulling out his swords, Issac barrels toward Pace. Pace counters his blow using the small blade.

Hugeo: Cajin! Get to a safe place!

Issac and Pace continue dueling, and the two seem even despite Pace only using his small blade. Both of them are struggling to stay balanced on the slippery slope.

Issac: Kufuku Kenjutsu: Udon Undercut!

Spinning his swords at breakneck speed, Issac momentarily goes limp, then rushes in to strike at Pace's waist. Pace barely manages to read the maneuver and counter it, and the two become locked.

Suddenly, Issac whips around, aiming his legs toward Pace's abdomen. Pace counters it with his big blade, throwing Issac off balance. He barely manages to right himself before tumbling off a cliff.

Pace: Not bad, pirate. You forced me to use my big blade.

Issac: Too bad my blade's bigger.

Drew: ISSAC! NOT THE PLACE FOR THIS!

Issac: Sorry, but-

Taking advantage of his opponent's momentary lapse in attention, Pace strikes. With the big blade behind him, he whips it toward Issac at full force. Issac tries to counter, but it's not enough. His swords are blasted out of his hands and Issac is sent tumbling down the hill.

Drew: Issac!

Pace: I'll collect him later. Which one of you is up next?

Hugeo: There's no time for games now. Drew, let's finish this.

Hugeo covers his right arm in rock, while Drew pulls out her Pulseblade.

Pace: Tremau woefully underutilized the powers he stole...looks like I have more of a challenge now!

Hugeo and Drew rush in, and Pace meets Hugeo's arm with his large blade and Drew's Pulseblade with his small blade.

Drew: Keep pressing close, Hugeo!

Surveying his surroundings as the three duel, Pace begins going backward, moving higher up the mountain.

Meanwhile, Issac is hanging from a tree branch by his monkey tail.

Issac: That damned Marine! Imma go back there and kick his ass! Of course, I have to go down to get back up...

Issac looks down below. He can barely see anything, but he knows that the ground is not a safe distance below.

Issac: Well, guess there's only one way to go...

Issac climbs across the branch, hoping he doesn't slip off.

Meanwhile, Hugeo attacks Pace furiously. Drew, however, is hanging back a bit.

Drew: Perfect positioning!

Drew aims the Pulseblade straight towards Pace, and a swordbeam of energy flies toward him. Pace notices the projectile just in time and moves his large blade to block it. However, this poses a problem, as Hugeo's giant rock fist is gearing up for another attack and his small blade is not fit for the task. Panicked, Pace attempts to dodge, but Hugeo's punch manages to clip him on the right side.

Pace: Oomph!

Drew: Yes!

Drew aims her recharged Pulseblade at Pace, but he manages to regain his swagger and blocks the shot, quickly turning to block Hugeo's punch as well. The two trade blows, but Pace knows something...

Hugeo: Huff...huff...

Pace: Are you getting weary, Hugeo? I'm not surprised. You and Drew Grenza made the fatal flaw of giving me the high ground!

As he blocks another shot from Drew, Pace leaps a considerable distance, landing on the mountain's summit.

Pace: You are still babes, untrained in the ways of combat! I have been taught to use everything around me to my advantage...and that is why I will win!

Pace begins spinning his large blade around at breakneck speed. Drew fires more shots at him, but he blocks him with ease.

Pace: You have no way to reach me! I am the king of the hill!

Right as he says this, Pace leaps down toward Hugeo, who reaches his rock arm out to block his strike. However, Pace's strike cleaves right through his arm.

Hugeo: Gah! Magma-

As Pace rears up to deliver a blow, Hugeo attempts to turn himself into lava. However, he can't.

Pace: Your breakdown is muddling your transformation!

Drew: Hugeo!

Pace grabs his small blade as he prepares to stab Hugeo with it. Suddenly, a mass comes flying into Pace.

Hugeo: Issac?

Cajin: Get away from them, loony man!

Perching on Pace's shoulders, Cajin delivers repeated blows to his face. Pace struggles to keep his balance, but finally rights himself and throws Cajin off.

Pace: I don't know who you are, and I don't want to hurt innocents! But helping these pirates will make you have the same crimes!

Hugeo: He's got nothing to do with us! We are your opponents!

Hugeo managed to regain his composure and grow his arm back. Drew has also ascended the mountain, and the two prepare to face Pace once again.

Meanwhile, Issac bounds through the trees in full monkey form.

Issac: How far did I fall? Gotta-whoa!

Issac very nearly slips on the wet branch, but he picks himself up and prepares to continue. Suddenly, he hears heavy breathing, the same as last night. He feels a momentary stab of irrational fear, but due to practice manages to get over it and listens.

Hunt, maim, kill....DESTROY!

It was the same noise, and it was very close to him, it could even be below him for all he knew. And by the sound of things, it was moving. Up the mountain. So Issac decides to follow it, knowing Pace would also be in that direction.

Hunt, maim, kill....DESTROY!

Hunt, maim, kill....DESTROY!

Issac wonders if the others had heard it. He was approaching the end of the treeline, so he decides to leap down onto the ground, now a safe distance below. He still hears the voice coming from ahead, so he decides to examine a little further.

Issac: AHEY! WHO'S THERE?

The voice suddenly stops in mid-sentence, and Issac hears the sound of scurrying followed by silence. He climbs up the mountain, looking around as to see where any creature could possibly be. However, after a few minutes Issac has had no luck. Suddenly, he hears the sound of people grunting and fighting, and realizes that helping defeat Pace should be his number one priority. Issac races up to the summit, right to where Pace is fighting Drew and Hugeo.

Issac: Hey, Pace!

Pace turns around and looks shocked to see Issac unharmed.

Pace: This is starting to irk-

Suddenly, a deep voice, loud and clear, rings out into the distance.

I HAVE FOUND THE PREY.

Pace: Wha-

Issac: Who-

Drew and Hugeo begin trembling.

Drew: Issac...look behind you...

Issac and Pace turn in the direction Drew points. Behind them is a huge man, easily twice Issac's size. He is very rugged, as though he lived his entire life in the wilderness. And a sword nearly as wide as Issac is sheathed across his back.

The man's very presence and charisma is enough to inspire fear in Drew and Hugeo, who have never seen the man before. But Issac and Pace look at him very differently. Their fearful and shocked expressions belie a deeper connection with the man.

Issac: YOU!

Pace: YAJU?!