The Ark

Expectations

Struggle brings one's true self, it opens the parts of people they wish to never see or do things they never thought possible. Call it passion or desperation, they are the same in my eyes.

The Hiker looked at everyone, taking in everything that was happening. People they considered friends, people they considered allies and those they considered temporary enemies.

Knowing that the casters in the back were going to be too annoying to deal with, Apollo brought his leg back, as he did a small craving appeared on his shoe. A Nordic rune. With some degree of force he kicked a small pile of snow not much taller than a foot.

While something of that size wouldn't create much, barely making a snow cloud. Somehow that small pile of snow turned into a blizzard, blocking everyone's vision.

Apollo remembered where everyone was roughly made a b-line past everyone at blazing speeds. When fighting many people, breaking them into groups makes everything easier. Jumping out of the mini blizzard, he was a few meters away from one of the caster positions.

The caster was nearly done preparing another ice sphere. Apollo flinged his hand like he was throwing a baseball sending his blood towards the caster.

The blood flowed through the air connecting with their face, landing their mark on them by getting in the caster's eyes. Trying to go for a hail mary, the caster launched his freshly made sphere.

Apollo didn't dodge, instead bringing up his arms to tank the hit. Upon reaching the caster it didn't take much to knock him out, however what slipped Apollo's mind were the other casters.

A cold feeling could be felt in Apollo's leg and chest. Upon looking down he saw small shards of ice coated in blood. The heat of his body caused the shards to melt but what those now sharp pieces of ice meant only one thing. They intended to kill him now.

'Ah, how long has it been since I was injured like this?' Apollo wondered as he felt something burning in his heart, an old feeling.

As the cloud of snow began to dissipate, everyone who ran forward got together.

"Is anyone injured?" Courier asked.

Everyone shook their heads. Clearing that everyone was safe and uninjured everyone began looking around and saw nothing but heard something.

"What's the new plan of attack?" Sharp asked.

"Their physical strength and durability is something we can't ignore. We took all of our takes and came out swinging still. We need some way to kneecap him." Courier said.

"Perhaps art that affects the mind would be our best bet. Marth do you have anything that Apollo taught you?" Matterhorn asked.

"I'm sorry but I don't know anything that can do that. Everything I can do is physical." Marth replied, shame in the forefront of her voice.

"I don't know any arts so I'm useless too." Cliffheart said.

"I do have something that could work but it depends on how strong mentally they are. I just need you all to protect me." Alice said.

Clearing that everyone was safe and with a plan in mind everyone began looking around and saw nothing but heard something.

As they all looked towards the sound they saw Apollo walk his way.

Sharp noticed how rugged they looked. Blood dripped from his body, small holes littered in their arms, chest and legs. While some of these holes and injuries were covered by a seemingly thin sheet of ice, many weren't. The only things that weren't damaged were goggles and the mask keeping Apollo's identity secret.