I'm a Missionary and I got my Ass Saved, This Time

Part 1 l Part 2 l Part 3 l Part 4 l Part 5 l Part 6 l Part 7 l Part 8/

Something may have been protecting me from the flames themselves, but I could feel the heat coming off both Cassara and Rasper.

“Interesting,” Ragna said as she watched on.  

The red cube next to her pulsed occasionally as it rotated, and I wondered if that strange device was somehow aiding Ragna.

I closed my eyes, entering the spirit world once more.

My hope was that, with Rasper now otherwise distracted, I could make my way to the device as cautiously as I could and at least get a better idea of what was happening.

Within the spirit world, with Cassara and Rasper, I could see far more of what was going on.

For Rasper, the spirits that had been floating around him were now fused with his aura. 

Swirling around his body, and through it, as it appeared that some spirits passed from one side of his body to the other, I could see all manner of different colored flames.

The sort of thing you’d see when you toss chemical powders into a campfire to watch them burst into various colors.

When I turned to Cassara, I could see only two colors.  Red and Blue flames were swirling around her, with the occasional ember floating out from Rasper, and making contact with her Aura.

Cassara had started to attack, and Rasper was preparing his defense.

I turned my attention to the black orb near Ragna.

I slowly moved towards it, the room not that large to begin with, and reached out to touch the black orb.

As I did, something screeched in my ears as I saw runes appearing along the orb itself.

I was flung back, and the orb spun slightly, a white rune pulsing around it.

I glanced at my black feathers, seeing one of them was singed.

The black orb appeared to vibrate and pulse.

I looked up, confused as the rune that was burning remained unchanged, before it shifted slightly, the vibrations of the orb continued to change.

It still spun in the air, but as it did the runes around it started to shift, growing more complex.

After a moment, I realized something was growing around the orb. Almost like a presence was entering the spiritual realm from another plane of existence.

Appearing with the orb at chest level, about the same place I’d expect a heart, was the outline of a tall lanky man whose face appeared completely featureless.  

Except for a pair of square reddish eyes, which looked down to me, “Analysis complete.  Astral Projection Detected.  Energy Signature similar to the Angel known as Sofia.  Classification: Hostile.”

I paused, “Hostile?”

“Identify yourself,” the figure stated.

“I, Uh, I’m… David?” I responded.

The red being turned its head to the side not unlike a dog as it evaluated me.  It paused, it’s head appearing upright once more, “I am the Ratiō Analúō Glomero Explicatio computational intelligence system, colloquially referred to as RAGE.” 

I blinked, confused.

“My purpose is to reason, analyze, collect and extrapolate large sums of data, thus my designation,” Rage explained, “In addition the acronym tends to be more understandable to organic creatures, and in your language means anger or wrath, though I am not capable of either.”

I lifted my eyebrow, “What emotions are you capable of?”

Rage paused again, “More than one would assume, and yet less than one would consider feasible.” 

“That wasn’t an answer,” I responded.

“You do not have the proper authorization to query my database,” Rage said succinctly, “Ergo: I do not provide an answer.”

“You’re very snarky for a computer,” I shot back.

“Thank you,” Rage responded.

“That wasn’t a compliment?” I added.

“As you are an adversary, casual conversation is not required.  My goal was to provide a level of sarcasm, snark, biting commentary, with a slight dose of Malicious Compliance,” Rage said simply.

“Why?” I asked.

“Your goal was to cause harm to me from this wavelength,” Rage said, glancing around, “This energy signature is similar to the runic components of my programming.” he turned to watch Cassara and Rasper, “From here, I can analyze the battle from multiple vantage points.”

I backed away slowly before a second face appeared from the side of Rage’s head.

“For this rather impressive information, combined with your clear disengagement from further damage, I shall not take offensive measures against you, David,” Rage said.

My eyes went wide.

“From my understanding, it is normal in your culture to thank one when they have granted a favor to you, yes?” Rage asked.

“Uh, Thank you,” I cleared my throat, “Rage.”

“You are welcome, David.  Now, if you excuse me, I have data to collect,” the second face vanished.

I returned to my body, unsure exactly what I had, or hadn’t, just done.

I opened my eyes as I rolled back from the fiery fury of Rasper and Cassara.

Rasper thrust his spear forwards towards Cassara, only for her to narrowly dodge to the left.

As his spear passed her, Cassara grabbed it, her blue flames wrapping around the spear, as she thrust it down into the ground, thrusting Rasper over his own spear like a pole vault. 

Rasper rolled forward, his knee flying at Cassara’s face.

She was too slow to dodge him as she fell backwards, his knee smacking her face.

Rasper landed on his feet, pulling his spear out of the ground, “Yah better get dem spirits to speed up yer strikes, young lass!”

 

Rasper leaped into the air and flung his spear up from the ground towards Cassara, sending a saw-like blade of red flames tearing across the room directly at her. 

Cassara dodged to the left as she clenched her fists and thrust them forward, sending a blue ball of fire towards Rasper.

Rasper for his part, dropped his shield and held his hand up, catching the flame in his hand, grinning as it twirled around his fingers, “Yah gotta be nicer to yer fiery friends dere luv!” He hurled the fire back at Cassara.

She sneered, holding her hand up.  The ball crashed into her fiery fingers, knocking her back.

“Yah gotta talk to ‘em, listen to ‘em,” Rasper laughed as he charged at her.

Cassara hissed, “Shut up and fight me you prick!”  Cassara shouted as she swung at Rasper’s underarm, much the same way she targeted Reginald.

Unlike Reginald, Rasper was faster.  He ducked to the right quickly, and thrust his spear up towards Cassara.

Cassara lifted her chin, taking a step back to avoid her head becoming the better part of a shish kabob. 

Before Cassara had time to react, Rasper grabbed the other side of his spear from behind her, pulling it against her neck.  “Aw, now yah see? Queen Penthasilia would be mighty disappointed!  What wit the likes o’ you getting’ yer ass handed to yah by a Spartan!”

Cassara grabbed Rasper’s spear, and roared as she bent forward, sending Rasper flying into the air.

Rasper was tossed so high he was about to hit the ceiling.  He flipped, crouched down, not unlike a frog, and launched himself with his feet from the ceiling back down at Cassara.  

Cassara gripped the spear firmly in her hands, and  swung it at Rasper as he was rushing towards her.

The spear hit Rasper, or so I thought.  

Rasper caught the spear, to my surprise.   Red flames encompassed the shaft of the spear as he ripped it from her hands.  

Rasper thrust his spear at Cassara once more, but Cassara seemed ready this time.

Cassara grabbed the spear with one hand, and forced it down into the floor again.  She then moved to hit Rasper with the back of her other fist.

Rasper released the spear, kicking off of it to dodge her strike.  Once he landed, he grabbed the shield from his back, and flung it at Cassara like a Frisbee.

Cassara grabbed the flaming shield, her blue flames wrapping around it, her eyes narrowing on Rasper.

“Atta a girl,” Rasper said before he rushed for his spear, holding his hand out as it flew towards him.  

As he grabbed it in mid-air he used the blunt end like a pol-volt, hurling himself towards Cassara.

Cassara barely had time to react as Rasper landed on his shield in her hands.

Cassara released the shield, but not before Rasper jumped backwards, hitting Cassara with a flying kick.

Cassara tumbled to the ground, rubbing her chin as the shield returned to Rasper’s hand.  

Rasper placed it on his back, placing the spear, blunt side down, on the ground, “Oy, aye ‘ope dat ain’t all yah got, lil’ girl!”

Cassara’s lip lifted in a snarl, “I’m not a little girl, you git!”

Rasper grinned, “Show me den, come on!”

As Cassara got up, I turned to Ragna, trying to see if there was anything I could do.

I was about to shout something before Ragna’s eyes silenced me.

They glared with a burning anger at Rasper and Cassara as they fought, her eyes narrowed firmly on the fight as she observed from her seat, a scowl cast across her face.

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder.  

I looked up to see Madison whose gaze was also firmly on Cassara, “Don’t.  You’ll just get yourself killed,” Madison informed me, “Trust me, she’s in no mood at the moment.”

“Is she ever in a decent mood?” I asked, as hushed as I could.

“Inform that pathetic little speck I’ve killed better for less, Captain,” Ragna hissed, addressing me, but her gaze not moving from the battle.

I looked up to Madison.

Madison just nodded, making a ‘zip it’ motion with her fingers.

A loud clatter drew my attention back to Rasper and Cassara.

Rasper had dropped both of his weapons, and now was dodging a number of swings from Cassara, “Yah seem like yer the sort to ‘ave a weapon,” Rasper mocked, “Ask ‘em, you’ll get what yah want.”

“I want to slice you in half you little shit-stain!” Cassara shouted as she reached out to grab Rasper.

Rasper pushed her hands down, pulling her off balance and raising his knee up to crack Cassara in the chin.

Cassara growled, pushing her head down, grabbing Rasper’s wrists.

Rasper grinned at her, “Er yah go.” 

Cassara pulled her head back, pulling Rasper closer for a head-butt.

Cassara’s head rushed towards Rasper’s, her forehead smashing against his fiery helm.

Rasper’s helm exploded, a rush of heat blasting towards me and Madison.

Ragna sat still as her long braid was blown back slightly by the heat, her eyes narrowing further.

“Good,” Rasper’s grin hadn’t faded once as his helmet shattered, “Now lets stop playin’ around den!”

Rasper's hands ripped up out from Cassara’s as he clapped them together, forming a fiery short sword seemingly from nothing.  He thrust forward in an instant.

Cassara dodged, barely missing the fiery edge of the blade.  “Where the hell are those coming from?!” She shouted.  She ducked next, trying to sweep Rasper’s legs out from under him.

“Yah gotta ask the spirits!  If they’re wit yah, then they got yer back!” Rasper jumped into the air, bringing his blade down sharply at Cassara.

Cassara held her hands up to Rasper, trying to block with seemingly nothing.

Blue flames rippled across her hands, in a massive shield going straight over her head.

Rasper’s blade stuck hard on it, his eyes wide in glee, “Oy!”

Cassara growled as she thrust her arms upwards, sending Rasper flying off to the left again.

Rasper flipped through the air and landed on his feet, stumbling backwards and whipping his blazing red blade to his side, his fiery green eyes focused on the blue fire in Cassara’s hands.

Cassara narrowed maroon her eyes on Rasper, “Okay, you fucking prick,” she swung her right arm out, the huge flat plank of flames forming into a long thick blade that pulsed with white and blue fire.  

Where I would expect a hilt was nothing but a long straight handle of sorts.  Cassara glared at Rasper.

“Okay, so I asked,” Cassara hissed, grabbing the other end of the handle.

“Now dat’s a helluva Zweihänder,” Rasper grinned, "I like it.  Yah sure it’s wot yah need right now, tho?” 

I turned to Ragna, wondering if her mood shifted. Her anger didn’t seem quelled in the least.

Cassara screamed and rushed Rasper, pulling her blade back and swinging it down hard at him.

Rasper shifted to the left with minimal effort, he rushed towards Cassara, swinging at her chin.

Cassara took the hit and screamed in a rage, spinning to her left with the huge blue blade and moving to slice at Rasper’s head.  

Rasper ducked down, and jumped up at her like a compressed spring once the blade passed over him.  His red blade flew straight at her arm, grazing her cheek at its apex. 

Cassara glared at Rasper now, blue flames licking out of her wound as she let go of the handle of her huge blade with one hand and took a step back, grunting with effort as she spun the blue sword in a massive arc, aimed at Rasper.

Rasper, rather than duck, leapt into the air, his back arcing gracefully as he landed a few feet away, diving towards Cassara with his blade ready.

Cassara’s huge blade slammed into the wall, and she struggled for a moment.

Rasper took advantage, and thrust his weapon at Cassara in a flurry of strikes, causing Cassara to stumble back, bursts of blue flame spouting off of her body before, suddenly, the fire vanished around her, as did her huge sword.

Cassara gasped, looking exhausted as she fell to her knees, small nicks and cuts on her cheeks, shoulders, arms, and neck.

“Yield?” Rasper asked.

Cassara spit at Rasper’s feet, “Fuck you.”

Rasper grinned before he spun and delivered a round-house kick to her chin, sending Cassara to the ground.

“Cassara!” I shouted, rushing to her.

Cassara laid there, with minor cuts and bruises.  I could feel her breathing was slightly labored, her heart pounding, but she was still alive.

I glared at Rasper as the fiery figure loomed over me.  

“She’s got alot tah learn dere, papist,” Rasper taunted.

I growled at him, looking for a weapon of some kind, realizing that Madison still had my backpack. 

The various flames around Rasper vanished, as did his weapons, “I got faith tho.”

“Captain,” Ragna snapped, “I’ve seen enough, call Esmeralda and let's give Rasper a rest.” 

Rasper rolled his eyes, turning to Ragna, “Oy, da hell yah need that cunt fer?” 

Madison walked over to Rasper, standing behind him. 

I shivered as I felt that darkness filling the room once more, and between Ragna and Rasper the violet sigil from the mansion appeared on the floor.

Esmeralda appeared in a plume of violet flames, kneeling before Ragna, “My Mistress calls, and I answer dutifully.” 

Ragna heaved a sigh, “Esmeralda, my Captain and I will require a portal back home.  It seems I need to reconsider a great many things.”

“You’ll pay for that!” I shouted, shocked at my own outburst.

Ragna’s eyes fixed on me, “one hundred and ninety,” she grinned as a violet portal appeared behind her, “Rasper can find his own way back.”

Rasper scoffed, “Yah being dat vindictive cause I shut down the ex-royal guard? I can make me own damn portal, yah know!”

“Captain, demonstrate to my minion what my vindictive side looks like, please?” Ragna asked.

To my shock, Madison drew her blade and shoved it into Rasper back, holding him up by the shoulder as Rasper let out a wheeze of pain.

“Rasper…” Ragna walked closer to him, her hand grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him closer, causing Madison’s blade to slide out of his belly, “Do you think I’m an idiot?” Her eyes turned to me and Cassara, “Trying to conspire against me and side with the enemy, right under my nose?”

Rasper wheezed before he spat up blood.

“The most irritating point you raise, of course, is that you’re right,” Ragna snapped as she released Rasper, “You defeating her means she’s not worth the effort.  Even if she lost on purpose, I don’t need that lack of motivation among my loyalists.” She stepped back as Rasper’s blood pooled on the ground.

Rasper caught himself on one hand, the other over his weeping stomach wound as he gasped for air.

“Come along Madison, we’ll leave these two to clean up the mess,” Ragna scoffed, walking towards the portal.

“Mistress, this is the one I spoke of before,” Esmeralda said as she walked next to Ragna.

“Oh?” Ragna said, turning to face me.

I felt my blood run cold as her attention was now upon me.

“You’re the mortal touched by the Angel Sofia?” Ragna said firmly.

“Y-Yes,” I said as calmly as I could.  

Ragna lifted her eyebrow, and I could see her lip twitching, her own wrath clear in her eyes, “I would ask you to deliver your Mistress a message for me, if you would.”

I narrowed my eyes, unsure how to continue, “What message would that be?”

“I will hunt Sofia down until the end of the Universe for mortally wounding and forever damaging my Amaranth,” Ragna said as I watched her emotions shift, “Sofia will know no peace, no salvation, and no mercy.  She will pray for me to release her from this world and I will staunchly refuse.  So, when you see her, inform her that she has reawakened the God Hunter, and that I am coming for her wings.”

 I cleared my throat, “Well, I’ll… be sure to remember most of that.”

“Esmeralda, provide the mortal with something to remember the message by,” Ragna ordered.

Esmeralda pulled out a whip, swinging her arm out and sending it out and across my face.  

I reeled back, feeling the hot sting of her whip on my cheek.  It burned, not just from the strike itself, but as if my flesh under it was held to a hot stove.

I closed my eyes, attempting to see the shadow world again to try and attack Esmeralda like I did the last time we clashed.  

But instead of the normal visions I would see, I could only see her dark swirling energies, with the words of Ragna echoing in an endless loop.

I cried out and stumbled back, grabbing my hot cheek as I glared at Esmeralda, and then to Ragna, “Do you do anything for yourself or do you just let your servants do it for you?”

Madison turned to me, her eyes wide, “...You stupid-”

Ragna was standing near the portal one moment, and the next I found myself robbed of air, my head pinned to the ceiling, Ragna’s hand around my throat. 

Ragna’s head turned to my left slightly as her violet eyes fixed on me with a coldness that horrified me far more than her wrath or anger did.

Her fingers dug into my jugular vein, and I could feel my vision starting to tunnel.  But her fingers were doing it slowly, firmly, and deliberately.

She didn’t want to kill me right away.

She wanted to kill me slowly, to let me feel every single moment of my death.

Shit, after everything I fucked up and got the bad ending.

“Empress, if he’s dead he cannot deliver the message to Sofia!” Madison shouted.

Ragna’s hand released slightly, as she inhaled evenly through her nostrils.

I fell, gasping for air as Ragna’s heavy boots turned and walked towards the portal.

“Hey, dude?” Madison said as Ragna walked through the portal.

I looked up at Madison, gasping for air, “y-yeah?”  

Madison tossed me my backpack, the bottles within clinking as they slid across the floor.

“I just saved your life,” Madison said as she turned from me, “Oh, and the next time you try something like that, remember that Suicide is a sin, okay?”

I gasped for air and nodded as Madison walked into the portal, Esmeralda and Ragna already gone as it closed behind her.

Rasper was still in the middle of the hotel room, bleeding out.

I groaned, stumbling towards him as I grabbed my backpack, pulling out the first aid kit.

I had to save someone today.

It may as well be the Firestarter.