The Battle of Euangelion: Reborn

Chapter 20: Sword and Saber

The setting red sun had begun to pull dusk over Nullius Terram. After the griffons were out of sight, Phoebus started jogging Eastward along Mount Timor in hopes of seeing... well, he wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to see. But he reckoned he would know when he saw it.

Did Angelo sacrifice himself just as Seraphus had?

The sound of clanking metal and incessant grunting roused Phoebus' ears from an approaching turn. He slowed down to a stop, pulled two daggers from his satchel, and slowly peeked his head around the corner. He had found what he was looking for, but it definitely didn't look anything like the sight he was beginning to envisage on the way.

Six Turpis enjoying the same size as Riders trying to overpower Angelo and his griffon Draco. Several lifeless versions lay scattered around them. The Turpis were even more hideous up close. Their skin looked like old leather, their faces devoid of any agreeable feature; and their eyes - those yellow eyes! It was very difficult to see how they could ever have been anything resembling the inhabitants of Euangelion, all of whom carry a special spark of old magic in their eyes. Turpis must not have had that spark for eons past. They were using long black sabers and fought fiercely, the initial display was quite distressing; but they seemed to be struggling more than anything else.

Angelo had his luminous sword unsheathed. It successfully blocked each of the blows coming from their sabers. He tussled with four of them for striking space, carving twice into each of them for every one of their scrapes. Their sabers were no match for his Euangelion Steele, but their skin had become so hardened that they had an extremely high tolerance for pain; they also didn't seem to tire, and Angelo was visibly exhausted. Who knows how long he's been here holding them off.

Another Turpi jumped him from behind, wrapped his forearm around his thick neck, and started strangling him. This created an opportunity for his sword to be wrestled away. But an enraged Draco zoomed in and clawed at the Turpi's eyes. The sixth Turpi violently pulled the griffon off and stabbed his side underneath his wing. Draco gave a loud screech, swung around, and grabbed the Turpi's jugular, ripping into it. Something similar to blood but a lot darker and thicker started gushing out.

Angelo was freed from the strangling grip but he had dropped his sword in the process. He pulled out a dagger from a smaller scabbard on his side, got into a stance that enabled him to use his hands, and moved back a few paces with the four remaining Turpis fixed in his sight. He gave an audible exhale. A weakened but even more ferocious Draco perched himself on a small slab of rock annexing the mountain behind his Rider and arched his wings, ready to dive in if need be.

Phoebus was getting ready to join in but was stopped in his tracks. Angelo gave a small smirk that seemed to dare each Turpi to attack him. They looked hesitant, but finally, the first Turpi charged. Angelo blocked the saber with the flesh on his vacant arm and stabbed him in the face with his dagger. The Turpi fell lifelessly.

The following two Turpis charged at the same time. Angelo grabbed the one on his left by the neck, his arm dripping with blood, and headbutted the second one with a hard knock; after which he was free to pierce the heart of the Turpi who was still trying to free his neck from Angelo's tight grip through his side.

The headbutted Turpi was still rubbing his head and made eye contact with the fourth Turpi who had unwittingly moved further and further away. "Coward," he growled and repositioned himself to charge Angelo who had retrieved his sword. Seeing this, he reached for a second saber from one of his fallen comrades. The Rider General allowed this. The two of them proceeded to collide their weapons. The Turpi, moving slightly quicker, cut his opponent across his side causing Draco to flinch. Angelo momentarily lunged away before turning and throwing his entire weight at the befuddled Turpi who slowly looked down to see the luminous sword piercing into his chest.