Chain Melody 21

“GUH!”

Grunting in surprise as much as in effort to resist the strike from Finch’s eight meter tall steel biped, Roc could not hold his footing. The blow from Uprooter took the Bandit King from his feet and launched him nearly a quarter of a kilometer through the air. His unplanned flight was brought to an abrupt end as a larger stone brick building caught him and collapsed on top of him. The damage to the structure would not end there though as a barrage of blue energy shots from both Finch and Uprooter’s guns smashed into the collapsed building like a concentrated hailstorm. Each shot sparked a blue explosion which the embers of drifted through the air igniting the shadowy tendrils of Corvina’s city encompassing web and burning it away. The sparks did not just find their way to Corvina’s web but also the people of bright rift who found themselves bewildered by the situation as much as their suddenly returned freedom. Bewildered as they were though, the raging blue flames born of Finch’s desperate assault drew the eyes of the people of Aperture. To all who could hear the Builders’ Song a verse rose up from those flames as they raced through the city washing away the shadowy trappings.

♪~ Like azure flame burned child’s eyes ~♪
♪~ Called by that fury a flame to cleanse ~♪
♪~ Washed clean our song, all made mortal free ~♪

“What is this?!”

Staring bewildered as her web of control was burned away in azure flame Corvina screamed out her disbelief as the throne of shadows she had made for herself above the city disappeared. Finding her footing gone Corvina’s bewildered screams became those of rage and disbelief as she found herself suddenly falling. The chasm of Aperture would not become her grave however as her power had settled into a number of Bright Rift’s three meter tall Sentinels and a number of them heeded her call. Not one would reach her before the sound of large feathered wing beats and a familiar voice though.

“I don’t think so! I won’t let you get away after everything you’ve done!”

With indignant fury Melody snatched the falling Corvina by her remaining arm and hurled her away from the coming Sentinels. With wild malice filled eyes Corvina turned her anger onto the harpy as she drew her hidden blade from her parasol, the parasol falling into the chasm below.

“I should have just killed you, you damned beast!”

“You should have never gotten involved with Link and me in the first place!”

Charging after Corvina through the airspace of Aperture, Melody danced through the air dodging the shoulder mounted cannon fire of the Sentinels that had answered Corvina’s call. In the open air the clockwork bipeds were not safe from the blue flames of Finch’s verse and they quickly fell from the skies leaving Corvina to face the harpy alone. In the air though Corvina had no advantage against Melody and her sword work was lacking allowing the harpy to easily dance around her tugging and pulling at her course through the air as she landed a number of brutal racking and driving kicks. Though Melody drew blood and tattered the princess of Highroot’s black bustle dress, the livid and animalistic look in the Hero’s eyes bespoke that all she was really managing to accomplish was driving up her rage. Corvina’s rage blinded her to all but Melody however and she was completely blindsided by the ribbon like spears of light that suddenly slammed into her in rapid succession.

“Who would dare attack me?! ME?!”

Corvina’s wild screams did not give her the means to right herself and the spears of light that smashed into her forced her tumbling form through the air towards a suspended train rail. Violently tumbling about as she was Corvina still spotted the train that was racing towards her eminent destination on the rail and her eyes widened with a visceral frenzy.

“Do you really think that I’m so easy to kill?! Eh, he, he, he, he… EH~ HE, HE, HE, HE!”

With a giggle turned wild laugh Corvina suddenly righted herself in the air and deflected the next few spears of light that chased her. More impressive than simply deflecting the spell, Corvina used the impact of each deflection to right her course and kept herself airborne long enough for the train to begin passing beneath her. Watching the train for a place to land Corvina spotted an individual standing atop it defiantly with sword in hand and black cape and long brown hair blowing out around them. Dstracted by the sight of the glistening chainmail that they wore as though it were their own flesh, Corvina failed to notice that Melody was still in pursuit of her. Again Corvina was caught unaware as the harpy scored a clean kick that sent the Hero careening to the passing train below. Smashing into the train car with astounding force Corvina near began the derailment of the train but the final verse of a spell stopped that short as it was spoken with chilling calm.

“~ Dar Lat ~”

A dark light bolted across the top of the train, racing to where Corvina had crashed into one of the further back train cars. As it reached the cataclysmic car a ring of light pulsed out that encompassed the entire train car before a powerful explosion destroyed it an instant later and saved the rest of the racing train as a result. Watching her handiwork Chain slowly rose to her feet from where she touched the train underfoot keeping an eye out for any sign that the Hero had survived. A familiar voice calling out to her from above demanded her attention though and she turned her eyes to the sky.

“Link~♪! Thank goodness~♪! You’re alright~♪! You’re alright Link~♪!”

“Of course I’m alright Melody. Just who do you think I am?”

Chain donned her typical cocky smile as she watched Melody descend to join her on the train. Melody’s own joyous laughter gave way to concern as she realized that Chain’s eyes were green in color and Chain frowned in kind seeing the harpy’s concern. Corvina’s own laughter rising up from the end of what remained of the train stopped Chain and Melody both from saying anything.

“Eh, he, he, he, he. Finally. Finally, finally, finally! We finally meet southern maid. Oh~ how I’ve longed for this moment. Eh, he, he, he, he…”

As Melody landed beside her and they listened to Corvina’s mad giggling Chain could not stop herself from clicking her tongue.

“Why do Heroes have to be so hard to kill?”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater