Putting Out Fires
Rivers Between Us coughed and spat a stream of blood, then leaned back against the canyon wall, laughing. "I think you scared them off with all that singing."
Open Skies Above tore a strip from her sleeve and wrapped it around her crushed knee. "No, they're just regrouping. I can still smell them. I told you to wear your armor."
"You said it was a few hungry ghosts and a shadowland the size of a barn!" With one shaking hand he began to weave a mystic pattern in the air before him. "I guess the Mask still has it in for us. So peevish!"
"Ha! Do you really think this is him trying?"
"Shh! I'm casting a spell. I can't take another beating from that nemissary."
Skies glanced at the line of ghosts as they slowly began pressing forward, more warily this time. "Listen, this is nothing to him. A little trap to test us, to keep us occupied and make us feel like we can handle him. He's hiding something, something big..."
Rivers finished the spell, and his skin glowed like bronze, his anima flaring indigo threaded with gold. "Well, this 'little trap' might distract us into the grave. Hey, do you have any essence left? For that combo?"
She smiled and stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder. "You should learn one yourself."
"Oh, I just like listening to you sing." He gritted his teeth and watched nervously as their leader, The Headless, spurred them forward once again with strikes from his mount's lance. "We should have burned him last time. Do you think we'll make it out of here?"
"No." She glanced at him. "You're tapped, and I can barely walk. Even if we break free, we'll never escape the pursuit."
"Ah. Then let's try to die together, okay?"
"I'll see you the next time around, then."
"Mmm... hot reincarnation loving." Rivers struck his stance. "All right! Striking Serpent Speed!"
Skies drew her wedding presents, a tuned pair, baneclaw and daiklave. Striking them together, she shouted, "Valkyrie Ascending in Glory!"
The battle was rejoined in earnest.
