金瓶梅第2部

Ariadne willed her Gold-Rank ⌈Mana Ward⌋ to thicken around her ears-- she knew the thing in her hands was louder than all git-out.

She clicked off the safety.

She pulled the trigger.

The loud bang reverberated throughout her entire body. Her shoulder hurt. Even her ears hurt! The shotgun packed a bigger punch than she'd remembered.

There wasn't much left of the angel's head... just a bottom jaw and some teeth. Everything else of her was splattered onto the stones, a mess of crimson red and a patch of sopping wet hair.

She turned to the other angels, sweeping a blonde bang out of her eye, "Only reason ah'm here's ta keep mah idjit husband breathin'-- even if I hafta pull him outta the depths of the seven hells with mah BARE HANDS!!"

The metal feet of the bronze-angel began to quickly clunk towards her. The hands at the ends of her muscular arms had transformed into long metal spikes.

[You are making a GRAVE--]

Ariadne rolled her eyes. Turning the barrel of her shotgun at the soon-to-be carriage wreck.

"Go back to yer maker, b*tch," She pulled the trigger once more. "An' tell 'em Ari sent ya."

The angel collapsed onto her knees, her chest thudding against the ground. A hole the size of her head had opened up in her chest, bent in like metal and bleeding a dark, oily substance instead of blood.

Bannok had finally reached her... walking quietly and keeping a weird amount of distance away, "Hey... Ari...?"

"WHAT?" Ariadne growled.

She kept her attention on the third, silver-haired angel with the flowy scarf. The b*tch had just turned to fly away.

"Oh, no, you don't! ⌈Bind!⌋"

Grasping her fist, silver chains sped up from the road, coiled around the angel's ankles, and pulled her down to the ground where mortals tread.

"I uh... I'm here, now," Bannok grinned sheepishly. "You uh... you look like you got it, though."

"No shite," Ariadne rolled her eyes as she popped her shotgun open, ejecting the two spent shells. "You change your Class to Investigator, hon?"

She loaded two fresh ones with practiced hands, closed the chamber, and cocked the weapon back.

Aiming down the sight of her barrel, the flighty strumpet had made it near 50 feet in a matter of seconds.

Close enough.

Ariadne pulled the trigger, pink-misting her target. The angel flopped to the ground, part of her head and shoulder having up and disappeared.

"Flame take me, that's loud," Bannok cursed, "Where uh... where'd you learn to shoot like that, wife?"

"Turkey huntin' with pa," Ariadne gave her husband a grin, "Why'd you come back in such a fuss, hon?"

"Well, I uh... I was worried about you's..." Bannok averted his gaze.

"Of all the..." Aria sighed, "Ah'm fine, darlin'. It's you who I gotta worry about."

Suddenly, Bannok grabbed hold of her and kissed her deeply. While surprised, Aria returned the passionate kiss... parting only reluctantly.

She smirked, shoving him playfully. "We're in a Flame-taken combat zone, bub. Yer not exactly pridin' professionalism, are ya?"

Bannok turned away, "I just... this life isn't worth living without you, Ari."

He turned back, meeting her gaze, "Thanks for dealin' with my selfishness, alright?"

Ariadne chuckled at her husband's sudden shyness, "Oh, Bannok... I ain't never been surprised by you. I've always loved you despite yer stubbornness."

"You're kinda makin' me sound like the bad guy, wife," Bannok grimaced.

"Well..." She chuckled derisively, "we're offin' angels, darlin'. It sure don't feel make me feel like a hero."

Bannok grinned, his spirits returned. He walked a bit away, readying his sword as another half-dozen angels began to descend around them.

"Hey, Ari," He called out. "How 'bout we work for the snake after this? Who knows? He might be the next demon king!"

Ariadne glared in response as she aimed her weapon at her next target, "You'd best be joking, husband."

...

« System, analysis: Class and rank of those two... »

⟬ Ariadne, Gold-Rank Elven Priestess; Bannok, Gold-Rank Human Avenger. ⟭

From where Tycondrius was observing them, they seemed to be holding out well enough. Bannok had Class-changed from Weaponmaster to Avenger, his offensive power growing exponentially.

It suited him, considering the circumstances.

However... the enemy's swelling number did not bode well for them.

Tycon wrapped his enchanted blade whip on one of the guard tower's crenellations. Leaping off, he focused his mana-control on his weapon to steady his descent, allowing him to safely land on the ground.

"We're being overrun," He muttered. "Brother-Zenon, contact Pale and tell him to support Bannok and Ariadne."

Librarian Zenon Skyreaper nodded, "[Flame take these bastards... the stream of 'em's neverending...]"

He then turned away and walked off to send his ⌈Wind Whisper.⌋

Tycon crossed his arms, staring expectantly at an adjacent building.

A generous section of the wall burst open... and a huge, four-legged, two-armed creature emerged. It was a gorgon... a metal-skinned, bull-bodied, humanoid-torso'd, bull-headed, fish-brained Idiot.

⟬ Stephanos, Gold-Rank Gorgon Idiot. ⟭

He was also blissfully unaware of an armored adventurer still gored on his horn.

Tycon gestured at his own head.

"Oh, thanks," Stephanos tilted his head, jostling the dangling corpse... and wiped off the opposite, corpse-less horn.

Tycon glanced at the building the gorgon had emerged from. It was one of the Church temples he hadn't gone through. It seemed that Stephanos, though generally unreliable at everything, was somewhat diligent in slaughtering humans.

"GOT 'EM!!" Stephanos guffawed, "Got all the Paladins! Left the women and children, jus' like you said, Commander!!"

Tycon placed his palm on his face. He had ordered *all* of the humans killed.

"...Very well," He sighed. "Good job, you."

There was no point in berating him... or alerting him to his head-ornament a second time. At least praising him would keep his spirits up.

"Good job?!" Stephanos allowed his hafted axe to rest against his shoulder as he placed his hands on his torso's hips, "GREAT JOB, I'D SAY!! AHAHA HAAA!!! So what say you and me, Commander, we get on to that HONORABLE DUEL!!"

Tycon pointed skyward, "After we deal with that."

"Aha! Hahaha!" Stephanos laughed. "HAHAHA!! HAHA!"

He looked up, "Ha... haa..."

He stopped laughing... "Hmm..."