User blog:Thrycius/Latios and Demon Blade Lico: The First Clash

WARNING: THIS IS EXTREMELY LONG. IF YOU DISLIKE LONG FIGHT SCENES, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.
Also, please read the entire Author's note first please.

A/N: Well, this was a really, really long trial. Anyway, this is a story based off a battle within RP that Latios and I did. It lasted 3 full hours.

If you're wondering, the title was created by Latios, not me.

I wanted to experiment and see what would happen if I converted it into a story, and this is the result. Since I was trying to copy pretty much exactly everything that occurred in the battle as part of the experiment, it grew rather tedious.

All I got in the end was a ridiculously long fight scene. From a writer's point of view (or at least mine,) this is not very good writing. It may bore the readers, there's not much plot, or anything, really. Just a long, simple fight scene. If you like fight scenes, you might like this 'story.' This kind of thing is not my taste, though, so you might be able to imagine how boring this was for me.

Well, writing it was less boring. Reading it would probably bore even me. At least I could throw in some things here in there while trying to follow the source material as closely as possible. If you read carefully, you might notice I started trying new things here and there, as well as the more lackluster writing towards the end.

Anyway, comments are appreciated.

And the terrible grammar in a certain fool's speech at the beginning was done on purpose. Not going to name any names, but feel free to replace the fool with the name of someone you don't like, lol

Anyway, I've gone on long enough. If you were unable to even read the entire A/N, I doubt you could last through the entire story. xD So, without further ado, let's get this story started, shall we?

= Latios and Demon Blade Lico: The First Clash =

This is a story of a duel between the dragon Latios and the dark Battle Maiden, Demon Blade Lico. A clash between two great warriors who fought to test each others' strength, a battle that nearly shook the foundations of the world.

Nah, just kidding.

But it certainly was an intense battle, that this simple bard found worth recording.

So! All who come and are willing to lend me their ears, feel free to listen to my rendition of this tale!

Latios, having assisted the famed Battle Maidens in battle, had decided to greet them individually. Everything went fine, until he met the last one known as Lico.

Having been warned of her personality beforehand, he cloaked himself with his magic, and made his way behind Lico. Closer and closer he he approached, when Lico suddenly looked up.

“Who goes there?” Lico asked, for an unfortunate fool had shown up before her.

“hi” Said the fool.

Having suddenly shown up and startled Lico, Lico immediately stabbed him in retaliation. “Bah. Too weak.”

“hey. watch it. almost hit me.” The fool said.

Lico eyed the fool, who somehow survived getting run through with her demonic blade. “Well, that's what you get when you surprise me like that.”

“so, did you know that there is somebody behind you?” the foolish idiot asked.

Lico didn't reply, shredding the fool to pieces instead with her demonic blade that sought out blood.

“....Good riddance,” Lico eventually said, staring at the maimed corpse before her. “That was one annoying little bugger.... Just like a cockroach.”

Having finally found out what happens to those who approach her foolishly, Latios was prepared to reveal himself when Lico turned around to face him.

“Well?” The dark Battle Maiden asked. “What do you want? You didn't have to help us in battle, you know, they were no match for us.”

Latios decided not to beat around the bush and tell her directly. “Let's get this over with, I'd rather have things done faster. I heard you are looking for the strongest, right?”

“Oh?” Lico replied, a small but dangerous looking grin forming on her face. “Then are you saying that you're even stronger? Shall we have this demon blade of mine try you out? I've always wanted a strong opponent to fight.”

“I'll have a go,” Latios instantly replied in anticipation. He had already prepared himself before his approach, shrouding himself with magic that resisted dark attacks. He felt more than ready to take her on.

“You ready, then? It won't do if you come claiming that you weren't ready when I beat you.” Lico warned, readying her demonic gunblade.

Before either of them could get started though, the cool-headed Battle Maiden Serin stepped in.

“Lico,” Serin called out. “What have I said about fighting our allies?”

“Serin, it's fine. I can handle myself.” Latios interrupted.

This was a battle he was actually looking forward to. Nothing would get in the way.

Perhaps it was the sheer determination that could be seen in his eyes, or perhaps the tone of voice he had used when he had objected. Nevertheless, after a short pause, Serin relented. “If you say so. Don't get yourself killed.”

And thus, the duel began.

When it comes to fighting, there were many ways of approaching an enemy. Some preferred to wait and see, observing how their opponent would act before attempting anything. Others would test their opponent with feints and light attacks, seeing how they would respond, trying to gauge their opponent.

Lico, she was the type who started with an overwhelming initial attack.

The second the duel began, with the help of her gun blade she moved so fast she practically flew towards Latios, and within seconds was smashing into him with her gunblade.

Latios reacted quickly. Having prepared before the duel even started, he had a short time immunity to dark-based attacks, allowing him to shrug off the attack as he countered with a sword of his own that was imbued with light, trying to take advantage of his immunity to land a hit on her.

Lico responded by clashing her gunblade against his sword, locking their weapons.

“Immunity to dark attacks?” Lico asked.

“Temporary immunity. Jut one of my tricks.” Latios replied.

A moment passed, as Lico's wild grin grew wider. Without a word, Latios suddenly found his blade being knocked back, breaking the deadlock— Lico had fired off the gunblade for a quick burst off power. She was clearly aiming to get another strike in.

Despite his immunity, Latios reacted on instinct. Drawing forth his power, he teleported to a distance far behind Lico, before launching a barrage of icicles at her.

It was clear that Lico fought at close combat. Thus, he would attack from a distance.

“Hahahaha! Not bad, not bad at all!” Lico laughed madly, despite her surprise at the sudden disappearance of her opponent. She was far more excited at the fact that Latios had been able to survive her initial strike.

With the propulsion from triggering her gunblade still active, she spun around, quickly locating Latios—and a barrage of icicles being fired her way.

Without a thought, she charged.

Weaving in and out between the icicles, she quickly closed the distance between them yet again, occasionally cutting some of the icicles that got too close for her comfort out of the air.

“Impressive reflexes. You're definitely a trained expert.” Latios commented as he held back, launching a continuous stream of icicles at her.

Lico only grinned ferally in response as she ran towards him.

Seeing that the icicles weren't very effective, Latios changed tactics, changing his spells to saturate Lico's position with dark laser bolts.

It was at that moment that Lico choose to trigger her gunblade again.

Before the laser bolts even gotten close to where she was, Lico repeated the same maneuver she had at the beginning of the duel. Using the gunblade to propel herself forward, she smashed into Latios like a meteor as the Latios' bolts missed her entirely.

It was almost as if the gunblade was a missile and she was just clinging onto it as it propelled itself forward instead.

The attack caused Latios to stagger backwards as he drew his blade to block the attack, but he wasn't fast enough; Lico had managed to inflict some minor wounds even as he blocked. Lico took the chance to get another attack in as he staggered, but Latios managed to fully block that one, locking swords with Lico yet again.

Lico, however, wasn't one for waiting. Triggering her blade, she broke the deadlock, overpowering Latios as he tried to counter by freezing his sword to trap her gunblade.

“Targeting my weapon, huh?” Lico asked. In response, she accumulated her dark power, infusing her gunblade. The vibration and the sheer power emanating from the weapon instantly shattered the ice. “Is that all you can do?”

“I'm only showing the smaller extents.” Latios replied.

“Come, show me more, then!” Lico taunted, grinning wildly as she did so.

In response Latios teleported away again, breaking the deadlock as he began a new barrage of ice and dark magic at Lico, his injuries slowly healing through passive regeneration.

Lico retaliated by slipping past the barrage of attacks as she runs at Latios yet again. However, this time Latios choose to change their surroundings.

Freezing the area around Lico, he began circling the area as he endlessly launches a barrage of dark energy bolts. The sudden change in the terrain causes Lico to slip, losing her balance for only a moment as she cries out in surprise, “Woah!”

Quick reflexes allowed her to aim the gunblade at Latios as she triggers it, propelling herself forward towards him. The frozen surface didn't even deter her as she shot forward, leaving behind small explosions as the ice shattered from the dark energy bolts that had been aimed where she had been moments before.

Latios met her charge with one of his own, a frozen sword in hand. Despite being able to react in time, he was too slow; his sword was not able to block Lico's attack as she smashed into him...or rather, an illusion of him.

Before she knew it, she was pinned down by the real Latios, who had been hidden above the illusion.

Mentally, Latios was thrilled when he saw that Lico had fallen for his trap. Smashing into the illusion he had prepared, Lico's eyes had widened in surprise at the unexpected maneuver. Taking advantage of her surprise, Latios proceeded to pin her down.

“Gah!” Lico cried out as the force of his attack struck her from above.

Latios smiled in triumph... but before he could complete his attack, Lico agilely twisted her body around, slashing at him with her gunblade.

The unexpected attack caused Latios to drop back away from the attack, leaving him with only a scratch; unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Lico was no longer pinned down.

“An illusion, huh? I should have known.” Lico spat out between pants.

Latios responded with a barrage of dark bolts. “My illusions hit as hard as myself, and definitely real.”

Dodging his attacks, Lico smirked as she began her approach yet again. “Hmph. I see. You certainly have a lot of tricks up your sleeve, huh?”

“You can put it that way,” Latios replied with a frown. They weren't just tricks...“More like one of the old arts of deceptive combat I've used before,” he said, voicing the rest of his thoughts out loud.

At that, Lico laughed madly again. “Hahahaha! That's fine with me!” Her charge sped up as she approached yet again.

Although all Lico had done so far was charge at him, he couldn't deny the quick, ruthless power behind them and their effectiveness. It was all she needed to do to nearly instantly close the distance between them, while easily evading many of the attacks he sent at her.

This time, Latios attempted to halt her charge by extending his magic blade towards her. The longer the weapon, the easier it would be to hit something closing in on him...

“You're not the only one with tricks!” Lico shouted. Suddenly, without warning, she halted her charge, ducking under the extended blade... and fires her gunblade for the first time in this duel at Latios.

Latios was caught off guard. He didn't expect the gunblade to also be able to shoot projectiles. Canceling the extension magic on his sword, he was barely able to deflect the attack with his weapon, only to find Lico up in his face.

There was no time to think. Latios threw up his other hand, a new blade in within it, to block Lico's attack with her gunblade.

But would there be enough time?

“Hahahaha!” Lico was laughing. She couldn't help it. All this time, she had been traveling with the Battle Maidens, hoping that she would be able to fight someone strong, to have a battle that she could enjoy.

Yet, she never expected to find the battle she sought from an ally, even if only temporary. Her body shook with bloodlust and ecstasy at the prospect of being able to finally go all out.

She had intended to catch Latios off guard with that attack, and strike him down, a two-hit combo. Before her, under her weapon, Latios stood, having brought up a second sword to block her own in a desperate attempt to block the second hit of her combo.

Lico grinned wickedly. If her opponent could do this much, then surely her opponent would not be a disappointment!

“Ahahaha! This is so much fun! Give me more!” She shouted.

With her weapon locked against Latios' sword, she triggered her gunblade yet again, using the force of her weapon's power to give her an edge, attempting to force Latios back. In retaliation, Latios brought both of his swords to bear the attack, attempting to be the one to push Lico back instead.

Instead of trying to win the clash like she usually did, she simply tilted her gunblade.

Suddenly, she was flipping in the air above Latios as the gunblade propelled her up and over Latios' weapons. Without a moment's hesitation she strikes where he stands.

Latios reacted on instinct. Narrowly evading the attack, he countered with his own barrage of ice. Although they were crudely formed and ill-suited for battle compared to the icicles he made beforehand, it was enough to give him the time to recover and protect himself as Lico launched a continuous stream of attacks, trying to pressure him to prevent him from recovering.

Latios ended up being the one to create distance between the two again, but this time he took the initiative, charging at hyperspeed with a sword and spear, both made of light.

Lico's grin curled even more at the sight. “Oh? A head on charge? I'll meet it with one of my own!” She exclaimed. Triggering her gunblade, she fearlessly launched herself forward.

The two forces smashed into each other with such force that a shockwave so vast was created and blew everything around them away.

The surroundings weren't the only things that were blown away, however. Although neither of them were able to land a clean hit on the other, both Latios and Lico were sent stumbling back due to the sheer force behind both of their attacks. Lico, however, took the advantage, triggering her gunblade to force her body forward yet again, trying to take advantage of the opening both of them had created, laughing madly all the while. Latios himself tried to take advantage of that same opening to pin her down again. In the end, both of them failed.

“Hahahaha! So you can do that too!” Lico shouted with glee.

Latios said nothing as he continued zooming at hyperspeed around the battlefield. It wasn't that he had nothing to say, but rather it was difficult to speak while moving so fast. It was a speed that was even faster than that of Lico's charges.

But even if it was faster than Lico could move, Lico didn't appeared worried at all. Predicting the trajectory of his movement, she counters with a charge of her own.

“Another charge?” Latios forces out, despite the difficulty in speaking. He attempted to evade, but was too slow.

Her prediction was spot on as she slammed into Latios, causing him to stagger backward from the impact.

“If you move too fast, turning will be difficult, you know~” Lico taunted. Even while taunting, however, Lico's mind never left battle. When Latios was sent staggering back, she triggered her gunblade again, using the propulsion that followed to close the distance and attack. “I can't even imagine that it was easy to speak while moving so fast.”

Latios instantly cloaks himself and evades the attack. Unable to see her target after she missed, Lico started scanning her surroundings.

“Training, Lico. I've been training aerially for a long time.” Latios' voice sounded through the battlefield.

Lico glances in the direction where the voice came from, but otherwise makes no attempt to attack.

“And I suppose this is another skill of yours? How many tricks do you have up your sleeve?” She asks, before spinning in a circular movement, slashing with her gunblade behind her.

Her guess was right on the dot. Latios had just decloaked behind her, but despite all that she missed.

“I lost count of them. You're a strong enough opponent that I can show you what I'm capable of.” Latios replied.

A moment passed as the stared at each other, but it didn't last long as Lico broke into a mad laughter yet again.

When she finally calmed down enough to speak, a grin that appeared on her face showed signs of insanity. “Hahahahahaha! I could say the same to you! I don't think I've ever had so much fun before!” Lico exclaims. “My demon blade is already singing for your blood~ but if you put up a good fight, I might let you go instead~”

Upon hearing her challenge, Latios decided to change their surroundings for the second time. Shrouding the entire battlefield with a dark cloud that drastically reduced light's entry, the battlefield was plunged into a pitch, black darkness.

Somewhere, Latios' voice echoed out among the clouds. “I'll keep the tricks coming for you, if it's what you're looking for.”

“Fine by me!” Lico declares. “Show me more! More, I say!”

Lico intended to say more when she heard a faint hiss as energy bolts flew through the air. With only her hearing to assist her, she evaded them all, before suddenly flipping up and backwards, using her gunblade to spin and slash as she moved through the air.

Although she hit nothing, she kept her guard up as she listened for movement.

Impressive, Latio thought as he saw Lico flip through the air as she evaded his attacks.

Naturally, as the darkness was of his own making, he had his own way of seeing through it. He had intended on striking her from behind, but her instincts were far beyond what he had expected. When she had suddenly flipped backwards, spinning and slicing through the air, he had been forced to abort his attack to evade her.

If only I could pin down that gunblade... Latios thought. With that in mind, since Lico's vision was drastically reduced he silently made to pin it down.

That, however, proved to be a mistake. The second he made contact with her blade, she was able to pin his location down, and attempted to turn the tables back on him. If it weren't for his own reflexes, he would have found himself the one to be pinned down instead of her weapon.

“Ah, almost got you~” Lico sang in a singsong voice, somehow sounding both childish and insane.

“One close one for each of us,” Latios replied as he slowly circled his opponent. “Pretty much equal.”

“Mhmm~”

Despite his change of position, Lico seemed to know where he was, charging in his direction. In response, Latios launched a hailstorm as he began to retreat backwards- but that was ignored by Lico as she persisted in her charge.

Latios didn't have to wonder long how she could locate his position; she ended up telling him herself.

“I can see through your cloaking now! You've been using it too much!” She shouted, lashing out with her gunblade as she got close.

Latios easily evades the attack, however, creating as much distance as he can between the two of them as he prepares one of his strongest skills, one he calls Icicle Blitz-Crash.

“You've survived, and saw through each of my tricks,” Latios declared. “But I still have more to come. Need more?”

Lico didn't even have to hesitate to give her answer. “Of course. Show me all you've got!”

The spell was complete. There Latios stood, surrounded by 18 icicles, none of which Lico could see within the darkness that had covered her eyes. But that didn't matter—she didn't need to see to fight.

“Got another trick for you,” Latios said.

“Let's see it! Whatever it is, I'll be ready for it!” Lico declared.

Latios was delighted by her response. “I like that confidence! Mark of a true opponent!” He exclaimed, charging in as he did, surrounded by his icicles, unveiling the cloud of darkness as he did so.

Lico saw it coming. However, she didn't bother to prepare first; instead, she simply laughed off his praise. “Haha! I could say the same to you!”

Lowering her gunblade, she advanced, ready to meet his charge.

Lico's blood sang as she approached, fervor burning within her body in anticipation. It was clear that the two of them were no longer holding anything back by this point. Her opponent was bearing every trick that he could think of down upon her, and she was smashing through every one of them.

Latios brought all 18 icicles down upon her in a barrage as he flew past her. Lico shot towards him to met it. With all the speed and skill she had in her body, she darted in between them as she deflected the icicles with her gunblade, trying to get close enough to slash at him. However, by the time she got past the attack, Latios had long gone past.

“You'll like this trick.” Latios said. “Should be to your liking. How about a fight in the dark?”

“Sounds like fun!” Lico replied, her grin growing wider as she said so. “I welcome the dark!”

As she charge, Latios brought darkness once more to the battlefield.

There were slightly differences nuances between the first and the second time darkness covered the battlefield. The first time, dark clouds covered the area, blocking the light from entering in and clouding their vision. Cloaking was at its most effective here.

This time, darkness was literally brought to the field.

A time where creatures attuned to the dark were at their strongest, combined with the added bonus of those unprepared for it, such as Lico, being unable to see.

Under the cover of darkness, Latios circled his opponent once more, launching a barrage of dark energy bolts.

In response... Lico simply giggled. A creepy giggle, the last kind of giggle you want to hear in the middle of the night, as his bolts of darkness slammed into the ground around her.

“Ready~? Here I come~!” Lico sang, weaving her body between bolts as she avoided them, closing in on Latios' position.

And suddenly, the darkness was dropped as Latios appeared behind his opponent.

That's right. The darkness was nothing more than a feint. Latios knew that she too was attuned to darkness. However, he felt that he would benefit more than she would, especially when she wouldn't know when he would bring it up or drop it again.

It wasn't enough, though. Although Lico had just as suddenly lost the boost in power, she was still prepared for him. Spinning and slashing in a circular manner, she quickly brought her blade to bear upon Latios, which he evaded.

Following his movement, Lico pressed forward, trying to apply pressure upon him to force him to stumble. But Latios managed to break out, once again increasing the distance between the two.

“I've gone through all of my tricks already. To survive all of them, you're impressive!”

“Haha!” Lico laughed. “You're impressive too, for keeping up with me this long!”

That was when Latios conjured up twin pistols, one of ice and the other shrouded.

“You keep surviving, I keep the tricks coming.” He declared.

It was simple. If he was out of tricks, he only had to make more.

“Ready for more?” He asked.

“Always!”

“Here we go!”

With a shout, Lico charged once more at Latios. In response, Latio fired his pistols, barraging her with bolts of ice and darkness, while preparing his sword to meet her charge.

Lico, swerves from side to side, deflecting some of the shots back at Latios as she closed the distance. Latios' attack never even slowed her down.

More accurately, she refused to slow down. For her, if an attack caused her to even slow down a bit, her charge was as good as having been broken. Thus, she refused to allow it to be an option.

Latios was forced to evade some of the shots deflected back at him, drawing his sword at the last instant with a blinding sword slash while the pistols faded into nothingness.

However, it meant nothing to Lico. With another shout, the slash was easily evaded with a flip as she drove her gunblade towards her opponent.

Latios slipped off to the side, evading the attack himself as he extended his magic sword. Lico could see it. He was preparing yet another attack.

It's not like she could not avoid it. She had already avoided every one of his attacks before, after all—

Lico's instincts suddenly screamed at her. Trusting her instincts, Lico interrupted her own attack, throwing herself to the side. She didn't know what Latios had done, only that it was dangerous.

She rolls away as if fleeing. She doesn't even try to soften her landing. She frantically spins her body and rolls away without hesitation.

Eventually, she stops and rolls to her feet, she quickly took in her surroundings. Although the attack was one that she could not see, its effects were as clear as day.

“An invisible slash?” Lico asked, an eyebrow raised. “You just keep pulling more of these tricks out of your sleeve, don't you? Fine, bring it on!”

“You won't slow down, and I like that. You're one that I can show what I can really do, a compliment I don't give many.” Latios praised. He himself was surprised. After all, it was an attack even he himself could not see.

“Haha, I could give you the same compliment for lasting this long!” Lico laughed fearlessly.

“Some of these tricks came through while in battle. Running out of tricks... and a worthy opponent!” Latios replied.

“Yes, a worthy opponent indeed.”

A moment passed as they smiled each each other( although in Lico's case, it was more of smirk) before Latios took action. Gathering all the magic within his body, he unleashed it, creating illusion after illusion.

Lico looked around, her grin growing wider as the number of illusions increased until she was surrounded on all sides, the illusions peppering the battlefield with illusions. Some stood before her, some off to the side, still more behind her, and even the sky above her flew illusions of Latios.

She knew, only one of them was the real one. And to smash this trick aside, she would have to find the real one.

“More illusions?” Lico asked, not really waiting for a reply. The number of enemies only made her blood boil even further, her grin baring more and more teeth. “Fine, let's do this!”

And then all the illusions descended upon her.

If Latios and his illusions were an unstoppable avalanche, endlessly smashing into the enemy, Lico would be a bolt of lightning, a single blur that evaded all attacks as it leaped from target to target.

With an incredible burst of speed, the fastest she's ever gone yet, she leaps from illusion to illusion, expertly dealing a lethal slash to each one. No longer using the powerful strikes she had consistently used before, her now quick and accurate strikes caused the illusions to drop like flies as she draws closer and closer to the where she believed the real one to be.

“Not the real one yet.” Latios' voice sounded out from a different direction. “But you're not going to stop... and that's a good thing!”

At that, every Latios present began charging up Icicle Blitz-Crash once again.

Lico never paused, not once changing direction, despite where she heard where his voice came from. “Well, it would be easier to get rid of the illusions in the way, right?” She said casually during a moment while she was moving between illusions.

“Definitely, If I were to fight any with those skills.” Latios replied.

And then every Latios present unleashed their rain of icicles.

Thousands and thousands of icicles descended upon Lico, who simply smirked in response.

“Too slow!” Lico shouted. At once, her course of direction changed as she triggered her gunblade. Narrowly avoiding many of the icicles, she strikes at one Latios with her gunblade. “Surprise!”

That one immediately drew back to avoid the attack. Although her attack missed, all the illusions were dropped.

Latios was honestly impressed. Lico had been able to locate his position easily despite the number of illusions present, even going as far as to pretend she didn't know to make catch him off-guard.

“Ah, I knew you were around here,” Lico said, smirk at him.

“Impressive to find me. None before were able to do so.” Latios gave his honest thoughts.

It really was impressive. Dodging each and every one of those icicles, and locating him at the same time in a counter-attack, it was an insane feat.

“Well, to be honest I only knew your general location~” Lico admitted. If it weren't for the crazy grin on her face, it would have been easy to mistake her for a child playing hide-and-seek.

Latios again prepared his magic. This time, it was a variant of his favored move, Icicle Blitz-Crash ,one he made on the spot.

Lances of ice and dark formed around him, each of them pointed at Lico. “More tricks, and another from now. Ready?” he asked politely.

“Always! Show me all you've got, I'll take them all!”

A fine answer, as expected of his opponent. Let's see if she can continue to meet his expectations!

Charging forth, Latios for once began the charge, launching the lances at his opponent with deadly accuracy. His opponent in turn charges at him, narrowly avoiding each attack.

The bombardment from Latios only grows more intense as they get closer and closer. Lico begins deflecting any of the lances with her gunblade as she draws closer and closer, but the last wave of lances managed to corner her in such way that she was forced to slow down.

It was the first time her charge was halted. Latios didn't hesitate. Calling forth his sword, he struck at her blindspot.

And yet, despite all that, Lico twists her body out of the way, throwing herself of to the side as she counters with an attack of her own.

''Impressive! ''Latios thought to himself. She never ceases to disappoint me!

Latios extended his blade, having it follow the path that Lico took as she evaded the first strike to hit her from afar. Lico triggers her gunblade midair, causing her to change direction as his follow-up attack misses her once again.

“You just like doing that, huh?” Lico said. If anyone else were to say that, one probably would have found a fond smile on their face. Lico, however, never stopped grinning that creepy smile of hers, one filled with bloodlust and hints of insanity.

None of that bothered Latios, however. “I'll keep them coming if you keep staying up,” he replies.

After all, it didn't change the fact that he found himself immensely enjoying this duel as well. It was clear to him that his opponent thought the same.

“Well, keep'em coming! I'll take them all!”

Not needing anymore encouragement, Latios lashes out again with his sword, another invisible slash like one he had performed once before in this battle.

The eyes of his opponent widened as she flings herself to the side from sheer instinct.

Again, those instincts of hers are amazing. Latios thought. Not just once, but twice, she had managed to avoid an attack that could not be seen, not even by him.

While he was admiring his opponent, however, Lico begins another charge.

In an attempt to stop it, Latios attacks again without a thought in response. Lico slipped beneath it like it was nothing, continuing her charge.

“Another charge? Let's go, then!” Latios shouts. Cloaking himself and his weapons in light, he meets her charge, sword and lance in hand.

Latios noticed something was different. Lico didn't trigger her gunblade at all yet to propel herself forward like she usually did.

“Slowing down a little?” Latios called out. “Not like you, Lico! We're not likely to stop until one gets pinned!”

“Of course!”

When they were finally close enough for him to lunge with his lance, Latios finally realizes why.

Her techniques have changed. Deflecting his initial strike, she counters with quick and accurate blade techniques, not unlike the one she utilized against his army of illusions.

However, he had not cloaked himself in light without reason. Absorbing the energy from Lico's dark attacks, he gathers it all before releasing a dark torrent of energy in an attempt to hit Lico.

It wasn't the best of choices, however. Lico, being a being of darkness herself, easily absorbs the dark torrent of energy within her demon blade, which hungrily eats it up. The boost of power allows Lico to strike at Latios with blinding speed, ripping him in twain... if it weren't yet another illusion.

The real Latios strikes Lico down from behind.

The second her gunblade did not meet the resistance she expected when striking flesh, she immediately flipped forward, firing her gunblade behind her where she guessed Latios would be.

Her guess, like always, was right on the money. Her opponent aborted his attack from behind to deflect the shot.

“Another illusion?” Lico asks, not really waiting for an answer. Trigger her gunblade yet again, she tries to pull in another attack while Latios recovers from deflecting her shot.

Her opponent simply flew out of range to avoid her attack.

“I'll explain how the illusions come in... once this ends.” Latios declared.

Lico simply leaped at her opponent, using her gunblade to approach him... before stopping.

Her instincts screamed at her once again. But it was different from the invisible attacks. No, instead they just told her that the entire area was dangerous.

A disturbance in the air.

There was something she could not see, but it was there. Not knowing how to proceed safely, she ended up unable to move.

Her opponent disappears. Lico spins in response, cutting in circular manner around her, hitting nothing.

Her opponent reappears again, in the same spot he was before.

Lico could have sword he was trying to get another strike on her from behind, but she wasn't sure.

Disloging a rock from the ground, she kicks it in the air. It sails through the air... before something explodes, freezing the rock in place as it it hangs in the air.

A minefield.

“Hoh? So is that what it is? An invisible minefield of some sort?” Lico asked, somewhat impressed.

When did he even get the time to set this up?

“You found the trick. I thought you would, Lico.” Latios replied fondly.

Lico simply laughed him off. “Hahaha! I'll just smash my way through this one like I have all the others! Prepare yourself, Latios!”

Once she knew the situation, there was nothing else to do but attack.

Lico unleashed a powerful torrent of dark energy from her blade, setting off many of the mines around her, simultaneously melting the ice that formed and scorching the land black around her with its immense power, before launching herself at Latios.

“Even you've got tricks up your sleeve. Some I haven't seen yet.” Latios observes, as he unleashes a Light spell of his own to counter her torrent of energy.

“But that's what makes it fun, right!?” Lico shouted.

When the opposing elements clash, a massive explosion occurred. Lico, charging through the explosion as wisps of smoke clung to her, triggered her gunblade once more, aiming to surprise Latios.

Her strike was deflect, as expected of her opponent. Her follow-up strike was also entirely avoided as Latios teleported away to give himself time to charge yet another spell.

“...time to use a trick I haven't used in some time. Ready?” Latios asks.

“I'm ready for anything! Bring it on!”

Lico never really cared what trick he used. All that mattered was smashing through whatever trick he could pull out of nowhere and seizing victory.

Her opponent surrounds himself with balls of flame. She could tell they were hot, but they weren't as hot as the flames her ally Cayena wielded.

10 fireballs shot out, converging onto her position, homing in onto her from different directions, all timed to strike her at once.

This would be easy.

A short jump, 10 slashes.

Each and every ball of fire were neutralized in nearly an instant, and her charge never slowed down.

“Impressive, Lico! Keeping up with every trick I've got!”

“I could say the same at you, for keeping up this long! Here I come! Prepare yourself!”

“Survival's always been my game. Let's go!”

And the two charge at each other once more.

The battle had been going on for hours.

At this point, Latios' mind had more or less shut down, his movement becoming mechanical and his thoughts short and concise.

Perhaps it was the body's instinct to conserve energy because he was growing tired, perhaps not. But he wouldn't give up.

Their weapons clashed once more with a loud clang.

Latios attempts to freeze Lico's gunblade on contact, attempting to pin her down with his lance. The first time he tried to freeze her weapon, she had taken a few seconds to disperse it. He would take her down during that opening.

Instead, a torrent of dark energy is unleashed from the gunblade she wielded, completely destroying the freezing magic as she tilts her body just enough to evade the thrust from his lance. Latios himself evades the counter-attack Lico launches, attempting to get a strike in from another blind spot.

“Not so fast!” Lico shouts.

Too slow. He was unable to get that attack into the blind spot in the first place, finding his weapon deflected as he himself parries Lico's attack.

If there was no blind spot, he would create one instead.

A third invisible slash is launched.

By this point, Latios expected her to react on time, which she did. Throwing herself out of the way with her amazing sense of instinct, she lands on her two feet.

“Again? It's not enough to stop me!” Lico shouted, charging back at him.

Latios himself was surprised. He hadn't even expected that attack to be invisible.

“I didn't even know I had this sword here. A trick I didn't even know about... I guess that's how I'll keep going!” he shouts, in an attempt to hide his true mental state.

“So it was an invisible sword, huh? Well, that's nice to know.”

She didn't know beforehand?

Oh.

Right.

She had never learned just what it was he was slashing at her with when he performed those invisible slashes.

Latios thrusts his lance, extending it long enough to strike at Lico's gunblade. His attack is easily deflected off to the side as she closes in.

Latios concentrated. He would go all out here. Drawing his magical power from every corner of his body that he could pull from, he unleashed his magic, and darkness was brought to the world.

Lico panted lightly from where she stood surrounded by darkness.

This was the third time her opponent had removed the light from the battlefield. This one was closer to the second time he had done so, but she also felt that something was off.

There were distortions in the air that could barely be felt, reminding her of the minefield her opponent had made before.

A minefield in the darkness, when she couldn't see. Fantastic.

Latios' voice sounded out. “Back to the darkness, Lico.”

“Like I said, I welcome the dark!” Lico shouted. Although she was tired, she never had this much fun in her life.

“I'll keep these tricks coming, just for you, Lico!”

Lico laughed in response. “Hahaha! Keep 'em coming, I'll smash through them all and defeat you!”

A moment of silence pass.

For some reason, Latios wasn't attacking this time. That was fine by her, she could experiment a bit.

Dislodging another rock from the ground, Lico kicks into the air, towards one of the distortions.

Nothing happens.

So, either she missed, or the condition for triggering the mine has been changed... if they were mines.

But, did that really matter?

“Well, no matter! Something like this won't stop me!” Lico shouts. It was a shout more to convince herself however, then anything else.

“Lico... watch yourself now.” Latios says. “But that won't matter. Another charge is ready!”

Lico charges, careful to avoid the disturbances in the air. But she miscalculated.

A single misstep, and an explosion of light engulfs the area.

Latios watches with a bit of concern, but then notices that Lico had managed to leap out of the way, surviving the attack by blocking the rest of it with her gunblade.

“Light-based minefields?” his opponent asked.

“Concealed by the darkness. I made the dark heavier this time. Can't you feel it?”

A bark of laughter came as her reply. “Hahaha, this just keeps getting better!”

“The deeper the darkness, the better you'd like it, I thought! Let's go!”

His opponent charges in response. She doesn't even bother trying to avoid the mines as she continuously triggers her gunblade.

And then Lico becomes nothing more than a blur.

Amazing! Latios thought.

This was the fastest he has seen her move yet. In fact, it was a speed that was beyond ridiculous. She was moving so fast that despite triggering the mines, she was able to leave behind the explosions of light that followed afterwards without a scratch! What an audacious way to approach his trick!

Latios quickly weaves in and out between his own mines, trying to position himself behind Lico. Unfortunately, that meant that he himself was the one who was now hindered by his own minefield, however, while her opponent could simply ignore them.

“Take this!”

A shout causes Latios to look up as a meteor called Lico smashed into him, projectiles flying past him as they missed.

Latios responded by deflecting Lico into one of the Light Mines in the area, causing it to explode.

Lico avoids it by simply increasing her speed in the same direction.

Without a doubt, it was clear. Although he hadn't intended it, he was the one who hindered himself.

Well, if the mines were in the way, all he had to do was remove them.

Thus, he triggered the minefield, and the resulting explosion bathed everything in its light.

Lico blinked rapidly to get her eyes used to the sudden burst of light. Before they even cleared, however, she had already located Latios' position and had already begun her charge. She would not let him recover.

Latios himself was similarly blinded by the light, but had recovered in time to see Lico approaching him. He too charges at her, preparing projectiles of Light, Dark, and Ice.

“More charges? Let's do it, then! Got another one for you!” Latios shouts, launching his projectiles.

“I'm ready for anything!” Lico shouts in response.

Both of them knew that they were tired. The end was clearly approaching. Their shouts were more of a method to encourage themselves, as well as each other, to continue going strong until the end.

And so, they did, shouting all the while.

“Great tactics, Lico! A truly well-trained master of battle!”

“Haha!” Lico laughs, weaving in and out between the projectiles Latios had fired. "I try! But I could say the same of you!”

Latios conjures his twin pistols once more, this time aligned with light and water, taking aim at his opponent.

“This is fun, Lico! Just not going to stop!” He shouts.

“I agree!” Lico shouts in response. “This is the most fun I've ever had! My demonic blade is just singing with for your blood!”

Lico triggers her gunblade, causing her to speed up as she quickly closes in on Latios.

“We'll see if it gets some, then!” Latios taunts, firing his pistols at his opponent.

Lico again weaves in and out between attacks, often using her gunblade to deflect shots as she gets closer and closer.

The shots deflected towards Latios are avoided, and an invisible sword is swung.

Lico rolls to the side, avoiding the attack with ease, never halting her charge.

“Not stopping, huh? I like this!” Latios shouts some more encouragement, breathing hard as he does.

“Of course not!” Lico utters between pants. “This is the most fun I've ever had! Here I come!”

Latios drops his pistols, and meets Lico's charge with swords in hand.

The end is nigh, both of the combatants can feel it.

This was the final charge.

The two forces meet with a crash.

Blows are exchanged.

Latios' attempts to lock Lico's gunblade with one sword.

It is deflected by said gunblade.

The sword in Latios' other hand moves to strike her down.

Lico twists her body in midair to avoid that strike... and kicks Latios, landing a solid strike upon him, causing him to stumble back as he loses his balance.

Lico drives her gunblade towards his throat, before visibly struggling to hold her gunblade back to suppres her weapon's thirst.

A moment of silence pass as they stare at each other, when Latios finally gives a tired, defeated smile.

“First real hit on either of us... I reward the win to you, Lico. A very good fight.”

He admits his defeat. The victor has been declared.

“It was a good fight indeed.” Lico replies with a tired smile, as she finally lowers her gunblade. “The best I've ever had; we must do this again someday. Get stronger until then!”

Latios nods. However, there was one thing that caught his eye the most—

This was the first time he had ever seen Lico with a normal smile throughout the entire battle.

Despite how tired they were, it was such a bright, beautiful smile.

It was a smile he would never, ever, forget.