Happy Blog Day Everyone!
Let's start things off with a bang as Chapter 17 of Avalon Tales is here and live! Scroll down if you must know what happens right now! If you're still here, than that means you want to hear about how things are progressing elsewhere, and I can confirm...
They're not, well, they are but not at a speed that actually helps anyone! My latest short story had hit a wall till a few days ago when I was anle to get a bit down but to my horror I discovered two things. 1) That this was likely to be a lot longer than I envisioned as I originally thought it was going to be a couple of pages at most but turns out that it's a ravenous beast for words. 2) That my burst of writing enthusiasm was short lived, something not helped at all by the fact that I had an encroaching deadline for this blog (Chapter 17 of course!). This had all but brought my progress to a screeching halt. Now while there is an outside chance of getting it complete in time, I think its better to say its not meeting the deadline. However, this means I can shop it around next Halloween when it's been fully completed and edited. I'm also going to stop giving myself such little time to do these (especially when I'm doing a Chapter a fortnight for this blog!). The place where I was thinking of submitting to helpfully lists their themes in advance, so fingers crossed I can plan better next time.
With that negativity out of the way, let's focus on something positive... Well positive for Brennan or Riz!
The Comic Tales of Brennan and Riz
Brennan is quietly, well, loudly wishing away spooky season. I think he's got his wish mind as this month has flown by, as you can tell by looking at the strip numbers! Speaking of numbers, that title is a nod to that figure rapidly approaching, the 200th issue of this strip! Apparently I missed the 200th Blog post some months ago as this very post is number 230...Though I regard the comic strip starting as a reboot and re-numbering of the blogs which quickly lost their cohesion.
Next week will see the end of the spooky season loose themeing which means that the 200th issue coincides with bonfire night here in the UK, quite apt really!
Short Diversions: Avalon Tales Chapter 17
The traitor has been silenced but with the Blood Brothers take to the battlefield, the lines are quickly drawn.
Isabelle, Cade and Robyn vs the demon Mardoc. Can the trio overcome this powerful threat, or will the Blood Brothers get their revenge?
It's all decided in the fight...
Avalon Tales Chapter Index
Chapter 17
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Chapter 17: United We Stand
Mardoc wasn’t wasting any time, he rushed straight in the midst of Isabelle and Cade, swinging both his arms out, smashing into the pair. Cade was quick to right himself but he couldn’t find an opening. Isabelle wasn’t faring any better, as even with her prototype saviour blade on full strength, its neon blue blade burning brightly, Mardoc’s skin had started healing faster than she was cutting it. The beast was more than able to tank her attacks, before kicking her to the ground. Robyn was providing what support she could, but against the transformed demon, there was little she could do.
“What’s wrong? You can’t be giving up already? And after everything you just said? I’m disappointed! Looks like my brother got the best fight afterall,” Mardoc commented, turning enviously to Malagant who was fighting Leo, the pair locked in deadly combat where neither side looked like they were taking the upper hand. “Oh well.” Mardoc grabbed at his own skin, and ripped it off in a painful display, causing black blood to pour out. With a devilish grin, the demon swung his arm around, spreading the blood everywhere, before the wound healed. Isabelle knew what was going to come next, and true to her predictions, she watched as each drop of blood that Mardoc had purposefully spilt hardened and then rose into the air.
“Three of you, and an awful lot of sharp pointy things here…” Mardoc gestured to a mass of blood spikes that all pointed at Isabelle, Cade and Robyn. “...Let’s see how well you can dodge then, shall we?” Mardoc slammed his hands down, the blood spikes followed the general direction.
With little time to spare, Isabelle and Cade took position next to Robyn and swung their swords in an attempt to weather the attack the best they could. A few however got through their defences, but luckily missed anything vital, but it was damage all the same. Once the dust had settled, Isabelle and Cade were still standing, but both were trying to catch their breath, blood trickling down their uniforms, cuts abound on bare skin.
“I thought I told you to dodge all that?” Mardoc taunted. “If you’re gunna just stand there, then I might as well finish you off now! This is supposed to be fun for me!” He roared as he barrelled down on them again, smashing into the three before they could react, scattering them. Isabelle raised her head, but looking past Mardoc, she saw her father, and the wounds he was inflicting on Malagant, wounds that were quickly healing as they were with the demon’s brother. Feeling confused, she pushed herself to her feet, and readied herself again, looking at Mardoc’s now unblemished skin, despite all the damage he’d suffered.
Isabelle ran at him, wanting to concentrate on hitting his more vital points instead of aiming whatever she could. She slashed at joints, she slashed at bulging veins. Every cut made Mardoc wince with a mix of pain and pleasure, but it was healed a mere moment later.. She was stopped when the demon grabbed her sword and hoisted her up to the air.
“What are you doing? You’re never going to get anyway trying to cut me like that…” The demon laughed as he gripped the sword hard, allowing his blood to trickle down it. As Isabelle watched, spikes started to rise out of it. She had to let go of the weapon and throw herself backwards to avoid the attack, landing on the uneven ground with a crunch.
Mardoc tossed the sword aside, and watched as the wound sewed itself closed.
“Fantastic isn’t it? I can cut myself up all I want, and I’ll be good as new again in seconds! My brother really is the best here!”
“How?” Isabelle started to say.
“How? Wouldn’t you like to know, stupid girl. Well, I’m not going to tell you! This will be my little secret, well, mine and my brothers. He made it after all, based off your shit,” Mardoc rubbed his chin, as if thinking of something. “Maybe I should have said that last part, but it doesn’t matter! ‘Cause who are you going to tell? I’m gunna splatter you across this place!”
Mardoc reached out for Isabelle but she rolled out of the way, causing him to reach out again, barely missing her leg. Despite trying to stay alive, she was already thinking about what the demon had said, and what it meant. Beating this regeneration was key to winning this fight, and she felt that he’d given enough clues to work out what was going on, which was the first step in winning the fight. The enhanced regeneration wasn’t natural, it wasn’t part of their demonic powers. That much as clear, this meant it had been added by an artificial means. As Isabelle rolled away again, she cast her eyes over the demon, looking for anything out of the ordinary, or anything that looked like it didn’t belong. Cade took this moment to attack as well, and it was then that she spotted it, when the demon turned around, showing his back to her. In the centre, was a brown box that looked like it was painfully implanted, with sore spots around it. The demon’s veins glowed in its vicinity as the damage from Cade’s attacks were quickly healed, proving Isabelle’s theory. Finding it harder to get to her feet, she looked around for her sword, finding it stocking out the ground from where the demon had tossed it.
“Izzy!” Robyn shouted, and Isabelle reacted too slowly as she turned and saw Cade being thrown at her, having suffered the same fate as she did. The impact hurt, but Isabelle could see that Cade’s pride was hurt more.
“We need a plan!” Robyn said, while she hadn’t had much direct contact with Mardoc, she’d been trying to help out the other soldiers dealing with the chittering demon horde. She’d swapped to her sniper rifle for this, and had proved effective in thinning out the herd, but Mardoc was still her focus, and none of her weapons could pierce his hide.
“I have a plan, it’s just…” Isabelel trailed off, a mixture of trying to catch her breath, and knowledge of what she was suggesting.
“Just what?”
“It's just pulling it off,” Isabelle gave an avoiding answer, but hoped that Robyn was too busy to pay much attention.
“What is the plan?” Cade had picked himself up and had uttered a small sigh over the state of his uniform, and of his poor performance.
“We have to destroy whatever it is on his back. That’s the source of his regenerative capabilities,” Isabelle spied her sword again, as well as Mardoc coming at them again, trying not to give them any time to plan.
“Robyn! Same as before, we get you that shot, you take it, and this time, bring the fireworks,” Isabelle winked.
“You’re being a diversion again? Izzy!!” Robyn shouted out, but it was downed out by the sound of fighting.
“That and being bait, it’s what I do best,” Isabelle murmured to herself as she ran at Mardoc, catching the demon by surprise slightly, as he wasn’t expecting her to throw herself at him. He attacked with his fist, but Isabelle hopped on it, and then jumped off again from his shoulder, landing on the other side of him, where her sword was waiting for her. With a flick of her wrist, it was active once more and ready for the task at hand. She was concerned by the sparks that seemed to shoot off it now and again.
Rei is going to kill me…Let’s see if she’ll have the chance first. She thought to herself, as Mardoc skidded round to face her, letting out an animalistic roar. He charged her again, but was stopped by Cade, who put himself in the middle of the pair, blade held out in front of him. With both hands on the handle, he swung with all the force he could bear and almost succeeded in chopping the demon’s arms off, but they helped fast by scraps of flesh, and then, it was almost like they weren’t cut at all.
“You’re just a pest now!” Mardoc slammed his fist into the ground at Cade’s feet, causing the ground to collapse in that little section. Cade dropped out of sight, and Isabelle didn’t have any time to check in on him as the demon refocused on her. She blocked his strikes, but each blow forced her back, and away from Robyn, who kept alternating between taking shots at the other demons, and trying to keep Mardoc distracted. Her ammunition was dwindling, so she had to make each shot count. This was a first for her, normally she had bullets and arrows to spare. She slowed her breathing down, calmed her mind, and then did what came naturally, she put a fresh bullet in the chamber, and pulled the trigger.
Isabelle her sword flat against the demon’s fist, watching as the metal started to strain against the force.
“What’s wrong? Your toy sword is about to break? Don’t worry, one last attack should finish this!” Mardoc laughed.
Isabelle looked up at him, a serious look in her eyes.
“You’re right, one last attack should finish this, but…” She put everything she had to alter the direction of his fist, pushing it into the floor. “It won’t be you making it!” With Mardoc left wide open, Isabelle made her move, and swinging her sword for what she feared would be the final time, she cut deep across the demon’s chest and arm, creating a large wound.
“You expect to win with that? Are you forgetting something!” Mardoc laughed hysterically.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Cade leapt up from his hiding place, coming right behind the demon. Mardoc didn’t have time to react as Cade’s sword destroyed the object that had been implanted in the demon’s back, causing a neon yellow substance to ooze out before evaporating.
“What? NO! How dare-” Mardoc raged before spotting Robyn, her last arrow already ready to fire from her bow.
“Smile!” She said as she let it go. The arrow flew quickly and implanted itself in the demon’s wound.
“You’re going to pay for this! I’ll rip you apart…” Mardoc’s voice trailed off when he quickly heard a ticking sound, looking back at the arrow that was stuck firmly in place.
Isabelle saw the fear in his eyes, and the way he clumsily went to grab at the arrow, but it detonated before his claw-like fingers were even close to it.
The explosion was enough to stop even Leo and Maligant’s fight, with the demon watching as his brother was blown into pieces, leaving nothing left but charred flesh which started to dissolve, like all dead demons did.
Malagant seemed to stare at the remains, but instead of a cry of rage, all he did was laugh instead…
Peter James Martin
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