Zero No Tsukaima Fan Fiction ❯ Zero no Tsukaima: Descension ❯ Chapter 16

The Power of Pride After a lot of debated over how the group should take care of this new and very disturbing situation, Colbert decides for the group what the best option will be. “You have a lot of allies in this room. There are only seven of these people you said right?” Stephan shakes his head, “Yes there are only seven but it only took two of them to almost completely take down the forces at the Tristain Castle.” Saito chimes in, “Yea I fought one of them and she beat me pretty quickly.” The Headmaster gets up from his chair and walks over to the book cabinet by the door to the room and pulls out an old book and blows the dust off of it as best as he can at his advanced age, “I don't think you really need to worry very much about being at an disadvantage. This is a book that Colbert had brought me from the underground library before the passages collapsed again. This book contains information on where the original four elemental spirits are, or were located.” Seth is noticeably confused, “Why would that help us, I thought the spirits where all dead.” The Headmaster puts his hand up to stop Seth's bewildered questioning, “The original spirits where trusted with the pieces of the armor of the fallen angel.” Seth's eyes grow large, “What! So these guys already have a head start on us because you are just telling us now!?” The Headmaster scratches at his face through his beard, “Well we had to explain the situation so that you guys know you can't screw this up, you need to succeed of the world WILL end.” Colbert tries to calm the situation down, “We don't need to stop them at every location all we need to do is get one piece and destroy it.” A simular plot from a movie popped up in Seth's head and unfortunately he couldn't help but say, “Like lord of the rings?” The room is silent and all he can do shakes his head and wave his hand, “Never mind.” With the information on where the four original spirits are the group minus Zion, Tabitha, Louise, Hina, and Rain head to the nearest location. A lake that one of Saito's old friends from the Magic Academy actually held a pact with. Two men are standing on the bank of the lake. Stephan stops the group, “That is Sloth and Envy we should be very careful, I don't know how powerful they are.” As they slowly approach the two men another person emerges from the water, at first she isn't recognizable but the guns at her side give her away, “Pride, did you get it?” The woman pulls two gauntlets out of a back pack and hands them to the young boy, “Envy, takes these to Wrath and be quick about it.” The boy looks over at Seth and the group, “Don't bother yourself with them I'll handle them.” The man with the long braid, Sloth walks in front of Envy and Pride, “No, you won't.” Seth steps in front of his son, “how do you plan on taking us on when you don't hand any magic, you are powerless.” Sloth tears the sleeves off his shirt revealing two metal braces around his biceps and two around his wrists. He grunts and a blast of wind emanates from his body. “Oh...” Sloth charges forward and drives his fist into Seth's gut and in what seems like slow motion Seth's body turns limp against the strike and then time returns and Seth is launched high into the air and comes crashing down against the hill behind the group and bounces and rolls down. Saito pulls out his sword and suddenly a weak almost wimper like sound comes from behind the group as Seth slowly, gingerly pulls himself back to his feet. He stays slightly hunched over as it hurts for him to stand up straight, “Come on!” Sloth's eyes at first grow wide but the shocked look is quickly replaced with a strange happiness. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breathe, “Do you know why they call me Sloth?” He opens his eyes and sprints past everyone in the group and stops right in front of Seth, “Because normally I'm very lazy and uninterested!” Sloth slams his fist into Seth gut lift him off the ground again but this time Seth clasps his hands together and brings them down on top of Sloth's head nearly making him fall forward. Sloth spins around Seth as he is landing and slams another fist into his back sending him forward. Seth quickly rolls forward on the ground and gets back on his feet just in time to land a back kick to Sloth's chin. Seth jumps and spins trying to connect with another kick but this time Sloth hops back out of range and changes at Seth. Sloth jumps and slams both of his knees into Seth's chest as he is still spinning and launches his into the lake. Sloth waits as Seth slowly emerges from the water even though he is soaked blood is still clearly visible running down the front of his chin. “Coughing up some blood?” Seth scowls, “No just had some red wine.” Seth charges forward and dodges a straight jab and slams his elbow into Sloth's throat causing him to nearly puke out blood. Sloth looks down at the ground and sees his blood and his eyes grow almost ferrel. He feints a punch and connects with a chop to the side of Seth's neck. He lands another knee into Seth's gut and brings both his fists down on the back of Seth's head planting him firmly into the sand face down. Stephan begins to run to help his dad when a bullet flies just past his face, Pride shakes her finger at him and then points to her gun with a smug grin on her face. Sloth grabs Seth by the foot and drags him back towards the water. Seth starts struggling as the sand is replaced by mud and water until he gets his leg free. He stands up as fast as he can but it isn't quick enough as Sloth slams him back to the ground with a punch to the top of his forehead. Even the the blow only grazed him his head almost immediately begins to bleed. Once again Sloth takes his foot but this time he spins around and around. Seth thinking quickly kicks Sloth in the face with his free foot but then Sloth lets go. Seth is launched like a skipping stone across the water until his body finally slows down and he sinks. “Well that is the end of him, Pride, where is Envy?” “He already took off when everyone was watching the fight.” Sloth crosses his arms, “So just one more piece than right.” The group can't believe what Sloth had just said. Only one more piece to go. That means that somehow they have already gotten all the other pieces of the armor. Tayo steps forward and Pride takes another shot but the distraction allows Airo to get behind her and he wrestles the guns away from her and throws them both out into the water. While this is happening Stephan has jumped into the water and is trying to find Seth before he drowns. Pride in an unexpected move spins and hits Airo with a upward thrust kick to his chin knocking him off his feet. “Just because I use those weapons doesn't mean I have no actual fighting skills you know.” Airo gets back to his feet and wipes the blood from his lip, “I didn't think that, I just don't need you shooting any of my friends.” Airo slams his fist into her gut and then connects with a rising elbow knocking Pride off her feet. “Bitch.” Stephan emerges from the water with Seth who is barely breathing. He puts his body back by the hill and walks back to the others. “Hey Sloth!” Sloth turns to the teenager with an amused grin, hey aren't you the kid from the cave?” “I bet I can beat you, without even breaking a sweat.” “You had better use that brain, look at what I did to that other guy.” Stephan cracks his knuckles, “Maybe you should use your brain, you ass hole.” Sloth quickly goes from cool and collected to very angry and charges at Stephan. Sloth swings trying to connect with a straight punch but Stephan dodges just barely and connects with an uppercut to Sloth's elbow. Sloth spins barely missing a back hand and Stephan connects with a thrust kick to Sloth's left knee making him fall to a knee. Stephan flips over Sloth and hits him with a powerful spinning kick to the side of Sloth's head. Everyone watches in almost a stupor as the teenager begins to just take Sloth apart with his smart fighting. Unlike his fathers straight forward and powerful style Stephan has inherited his fathers strength but also during his captivity he must have gain support strategy from his captor Edoa. Stephan flips backward avoiding Sloth's slow punch. Sloth is now bleeding from both sides of his head and his elbows and neck are covered in bruises and welts. Sloth mustering up one last burst of energy speeds towards Stephan but in an act of simple weight displacing Stephan flips Sloth over his body and in a quick twisting motion breaks his right arm at the shoulder and elbow. Stephan jumps away form Sloth as he writhes in agony over his arm. Before he notices he is kicked square in the face by Pride who stands protectingly in front of Sloth. Stephan almost charges at her but Airo grabs his shoulder, “I got her.” Before the fight can begin she spins towards the struggling Sloth and jams a blade into his throat. A disgusting gurgling sound is the last sound Sloth could muster before dying, “What good are you if you can't beat up a little boy?” “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!” Pride quickly reaches into her pocket and pulls out what looks like a jar with a candle wick sticking out of it. She strikes a match and lights the wick. The wick begins to hiss and burn away quickly. Pride throws it into the air and runs in the opposite towards the group. The jar explodes and a blinding light covers the entire area. As the light dies Pride is gone. Stephan goes back to Seth to see if he's okay. As he helps him sit up Seth smiles a big toothy smile, “So you are a pretty good fighter huh. I don't think your mom would approve of your language though....” Stephan's face turns slightly red at his fathers warning and compliment. He helps Seth to his feet and they rejoin the others. Airo looks at Seth, “You look terrible.” “Thanks, so what now?” Saito takes Seth's other arm and puts it around his shoulder to help stabilize him, “Well apparently there is only one piece left. When you where taking your swim Sloth said they only needed one more piece.” Seth wipes some blood away from his eye, “Well that is great where is the last piece than?” Griffen shrugs, “How should we know. We need to visit those other places as fast as we can. Seth maybe you should take your boy and go back to the Academy.” Seth doesn't look happy with the idea of it but he accepts, “Three places left, Saito, Airo, and Griffen, you guys be careful okay?” The three “healthy” members of the group head off in different directions as Seth and Stephan make their way back to the Magic Academy, “I wish we would have brought a horse and a carriage.”