06-16-2017, 03:08 PM
“You fought well, boy,” Odin admitted, plunging his spear through the wizard’s chest. He felt the blade split the outer layer of flesh, but suddenly all resistance disappeared. The All-Father stumbled forward through the cloud of violent energy that replaced his foe. His skin crackled and smoked as the smell of burning human flesh filled his nose.
He dropped to one knee, the pain and exhaustion making his head spin. Strazio wrapped one arm around Odin’s blackened neck, choking him. Then he placed his free hand on the god’s chest, and terrible cold pierced his heart. “It’s almost over, old man.”
Animal panic threatened to overtake the god as he felt his life slipping away. The young wizard outclassed Odin in speed, strength, and powers. There was only one advantage he maintained. Countless lifetimes of battle experience kicked in. Odin grabbed the arm around his neck, stood, lifting Strazio’s hips on his own, and rolled forward. He landed on top of the boy, knocking the wind out of him and loosening his grip.
Scrambling, he managed to straddle the boy’s body and began raining blows down on his face. When he felt Strazio’s nose break, he reached over to Gungnir to finish the job. He brought the spear down for what should have been the second killing blow of the fight, but Strazio gave zero shits about pain and sanity. He blocked the attack with the ruined remains of his forearm and drove it to the side. The blade bit deep into both the bone and the dirt. He put his other hand on Odin’s chest and shouted, “Get off!”
Odin tried to roll out of the way, but the shot still caught his shoulder, burning it badly. He managed to roll up to a low crouch and to get his spear up to ward off any oncoming attacks. Strazio had regained his feet as well and recovered his rifle with a few shots remaining. He took aim but Odin managed to knock the barrel away just as he pulled the trigger. The bolt of energy landed near the god’s foot, and Strazio backed away continuing to try to get a shot off. With each shot, though, Odin managed to knock the barrel to the side just in time.
Finally, the last bit of energy drained out, and he chucked the hunk of metal at his foe. Odin instinctively stepped back and knocked it away.
“Why won’t you die?” they yelled in unison. It might have made them laugh if they hadn’t been so frustrated.
Strazio shot another blast of white energy at his foe, but Odin stepped back out of range. When the attack dissipated, his real attack was almost done charging. He punched forward, and Odin was forced to dive to the side to avoid the tightly bound bolt of power. By the time he returned to his feet, another shot was coming. The scene played out again and again, driving the god further away until he found cover behind a giant, old tree.
Odin leaned against the trunk, catching his breath, but wasn’t given long. A blast rocked the ancient sentinel and sent wood chips flying. The second threatened its integrity, and Odin started to move again. The third brought the entire thing down with a crash that shook them to their bones.
The old tree now provided a 4-foot-tall barrier, and Odin immediately dove behind it. Patience would have been the better option for Strazio, but that just wasn’t who he was. He stalked closer, still taking pot shots. “Get out here and fucking die old man,” he yelled in his foe’s general direction.
It was do or die time. The old god had nothing left after this. He got a short running start, leaped onto the log, and launched himself toward Strazio, spear held high. With a grin, the mad wizard raised his hands. One of them wasn’t walking away from this one.
He dropped to one knee, the pain and exhaustion making his head spin. Strazio wrapped one arm around Odin’s blackened neck, choking him. Then he placed his free hand on the god’s chest, and terrible cold pierced his heart. “It’s almost over, old man.”
Animal panic threatened to overtake the god as he felt his life slipping away. The young wizard outclassed Odin in speed, strength, and powers. There was only one advantage he maintained. Countless lifetimes of battle experience kicked in. Odin grabbed the arm around his neck, stood, lifting Strazio’s hips on his own, and rolled forward. He landed on top of the boy, knocking the wind out of him and loosening his grip.
Scrambling, he managed to straddle the boy’s body and began raining blows down on his face. When he felt Strazio’s nose break, he reached over to Gungnir to finish the job. He brought the spear down for what should have been the second killing blow of the fight, but Strazio gave zero shits about pain and sanity. He blocked the attack with the ruined remains of his forearm and drove it to the side. The blade bit deep into both the bone and the dirt. He put his other hand on Odin’s chest and shouted, “Get off!”
Odin tried to roll out of the way, but the shot still caught his shoulder, burning it badly. He managed to roll up to a low crouch and to get his spear up to ward off any oncoming attacks. Strazio had regained his feet as well and recovered his rifle with a few shots remaining. He took aim but Odin managed to knock the barrel away just as he pulled the trigger. The bolt of energy landed near the god’s foot, and Strazio backed away continuing to try to get a shot off. With each shot, though, Odin managed to knock the barrel to the side just in time.
Finally, the last bit of energy drained out, and he chucked the hunk of metal at his foe. Odin instinctively stepped back and knocked it away.
“Why won’t you die?” they yelled in unison. It might have made them laugh if they hadn’t been so frustrated.
Strazio shot another blast of white energy at his foe, but Odin stepped back out of range. When the attack dissipated, his real attack was almost done charging. He punched forward, and Odin was forced to dive to the side to avoid the tightly bound bolt of power. By the time he returned to his feet, another shot was coming. The scene played out again and again, driving the god further away until he found cover behind a giant, old tree.
Odin leaned against the trunk, catching his breath, but wasn’t given long. A blast rocked the ancient sentinel and sent wood chips flying. The second threatened its integrity, and Odin started to move again. The third brought the entire thing down with a crash that shook them to their bones.
The old tree now provided a 4-foot-tall barrier, and Odin immediately dove behind it. Patience would have been the better option for Strazio, but that just wasn’t who he was. He stalked closer, still taking pot shots. “Get out here and fucking die old man,” he yelled in his foe’s general direction.
It was do or die time. The old god had nothing left after this. He got a short running start, leaped onto the log, and launched himself toward Strazio, spear held high. With a grin, the mad wizard raised his hands. One of them wasn’t walking away from this one.