Chapter 557

 

Master Masahor also known as the Petir Malaysia – the Thunderbolt of Malaysia – was one of the more famous Climbers. Not just an Intermediate Climber, but an Advanced one. The fact that he was here was surprising, since the last thing that Arthur knew, the man had been in a Tower. A Climber that had joined a Western guild but came back, regularly, to Malaysia to stay in-between the runs. He was in one of the highest ranked parties and had even a line of locally made comics and merch. He even had a small, decent if a little expensive restaurant chain making traditional Malaysian food.

“Master Masahor.” Arthur put his hands together in greeting, bowing just a little as he did so. “I understand you wish to join our little gathering?”

“Not join.” He sniffed. “There’s nothing you’re selling that is worth my time. However, you know my sister’s children?” Arthur grunted, not wanting to explain that no, he did not. The smile that ghosted through Masahor’s face said that he probably understood that, but was kind enough to keep talking. “They just cleared another Tower and are on their way to join an Intermediate one. In the meantime, they need to sell certain things.”

“Their gear?” Arthur tilted his head to the side. “Do they not wish to keep it for the future? Maybe for others in your family?”

“What others?” Masahor sniffed. “We are the last of my line. We’re all Climbers now, and there won’t be others after us.”

Arthur grimaced. That was the other problem, of course. Climbers couldn’t have children. Perhaps the Towers were nothing but a giant sterlisation program, a voluntary one. Not that it was a bad thing, at least for now, when there were no jobs, too little land, too much free time. At least the Towers gave an option, a way to do something with ones life when the edges of exploration, of the wilds of the world had been worn away.

“Master Masahor… I understand you’d like to sell their goods, but we do have a certain standard. And everything we’ve put up, it’s been verified before…” Arthur trailed off, only for the man to walk over to a table and gesture over it. The movement was so smooth, Arthur barely noticed how the air rippled when the items – a pair of metal armour, some underarmour, shoes and bracers and even a pendant appeared by the side. He moved to another table, when it was clear the place was too small to make a book and a small, repeating crossbow appear.

Together, Arthur and Mel took a look at the armour, noting the sigils embossed into the material, sensing the flow of power. Arthur ran his fingers down the locations where stones – fading in power – had been embedded within and hesitated as he moved to play with it.

“May I?”

“Go ahead.”

Arthur smiled, disengaged the stone. Watched the energy running through the armour fade, and then, as he fished in his own storage ring, replaced it with a full powered stone. He nodded as the enchantments flared fully to life, not a trace of flicker or damage in it. He repeated the motion on the other set, then looked at Masahor.

“Replacable enchantments of…”

“Defense and Durability for one. Cushioning and Lightening for the other,” Masahor said. “More powerful than your average, because they can be replaced.”

“Also more expensive to use,” Mel said.

“Not a concern for your clients, I would think. If you have the right people here.”

“Why come to us?” Arthur said, turning to the man. “Why not set up a proper auction or sell it privately?”

“I don’t have the contacts for the private sales. The Guild does most of my sales, and they’d take too much of a percentage.” He smiled a little thinly. “That’s assuming you get the price that I expect.”

“So you’d want a reserve price?” Mel said, curiously.

“Of course.”

“If we had known about this beforehand, we could have drummed up more excitement,” she said. “As it stands…”

“I only returned recently. It wasn’t something I expected to need to do, but if we can sell these and take payment immediately, I can trade them for Intermediate Stones for my nephew and niece.” He sighed. “I do not have any remaining, not anymore.”

Arthur nodded slowly, beginning to grasp part of it.

“The armor and bracers all look fine. We could probably sell them with a little leaning on your reputation,” Arthur said, glancing at Mel who nodded in confirmation. “As for the weapons…” He walked over, touched the repeating crossbow. Realised that there were no bolts, and upon closer inspection, might not need them. When asked, Masahor actually picked it up, showing how to use the weapon with swift motions, drawing back the string while infusing a touch of energy into the weapon. It caused the beast cores that were attached to light up, creating a ghostly weapon behind.

“Unlimited ammunition. It’s something I acquired from the Guild. They’re quite popular in the West,” Masahor said.

“Not as much here,” Arthur pointed out, frowned. “We might not be able to get the price you want for this one.”

“Understood.”

Then, lastly, that most intriguing of items. The book. A single hand placed on it was enough for Arthur to understand what it might be, even if the Tower could not provide the trigger necessary.

“This is a skill technique work,” Arthur said, with wonder. “A spell book. Why would they…?”

“It isn’t my family’s.” Masahor lips thinned. “They acquired it while fighting in the Tower.”

“How…?”

The flat look given to them made Arthur reconsider finishing that sentence. Deaths in the Tower were common after all, and loot was loot. However, it was possible that such getting rid of the item, in a semi-private auction, was for the best. Just in case whoever had owned such a valuable weapon might come for it.

After all, the book basically allowed the holder to activate a series of techniques. So long as they chanelled their energy into the book, they could tap into techniques they had never studied. Everything from Fireball to Energy Bolt to Wind Cutter or even a defensive Barrier were available in the book itself. There was even a single buff technique too, ‘All Purpose Boost’.

Powerful, since it would make any user into a powerful magic user immediately – but also a crutch. Once it was taken away, the user had no other techniques to utilize, other than what they had studied. And all too often, such magic users based the techniques they learnt on making such tools even more powerful, leaving them as nothing more than glass cannons.

Very, very powerful glass cannons.

“This could sell for a lot, or not.” Arthur sighed. “I can’t guarantee anything.”

“Do your best.” He looked at Arthur and then Mel. “I’ll be watching, if you don’t mind. From somewhere private?”

Arthur grimaced, looked at Mel who stepped forward. “We have a private viewing room, though we had reserved it for another. If you don’t mind sharing the space with Manager Kong…?”

“She’s acceptable.”

“Then we can accommodate you.”

“Good.” A sharp smile then. “Then we only need speak percentages.”

Arthur stifled the mental groan, grateful that Mel was here to take over. He hated negotiations.

 

Chapter 558

The sudden change and addition sent a ripple through the crowd. Many crowded around the new addition, more security was drawn to watch over the goods since they had no glass cases or any other methods to stop simple thievery.

Well, beyond the fact that they were multiple floors above sea level and descent was either via a lot of stairs or the elevators. Something that Arthur knew would make escape difficult. Still, there were enough Climbers in the group that other forms of egress, the utilization of techniques that allowed them to fly or climb made the extra security necessary.

That thinned the numbers on the elevators and doors though, and more importantly, the roving patrols. That they were doing not just the ground floor, but also riding the lift up and down and checking floors above and below the party meant that near all the security personnel for the Clan were here. At least, those not needed for the headquarters itself.

And even then, it felt insufficient.

“Yao Jing. Can you follow up on the patrols?” Arthur said, touching his ear where he was half-listening to the constant chatter. Getting set-up with the radios had been expensive, if necessary. There was talk of using them inside the Towers, and they’d already sent a bunch into the Tower. Problem was keeping them powered, though solar power chargers were quite useful for that. Some people were talking of even moving full solar panels into the building, though Arthur left those discussions for others.

“You sure, boss?” A significant glance took in the surroundings and the numerous Climbers.

“I’ll be fine. And Jan is here,” Arthur said. “Looking very nice in her pant suit too.”

The aforementioned woman grunted. “Dresses are terrible to fight in.”

“Didn’t stop Mel. Or Casey.” Arthur nodded to the women who were in long, evening gowns that showed off their figures. Casey even had a deep scooping neckline that she was using to good effect on the various guests, getting them to drink more. Of course, Arthur knew she was sipping or downing sparkling apple juice, while everyone else got champagne.

Evil woman.

“They look good lah. Also, I hate high heels,” Jan sniffed. “Torture devices.”

“Can’t say I know the feeling, but I get it,” Arthur murmured. Smiled and turned, as he greeted the next person to come over. The COO of Petronas – the national oil producer – had a lot of power, even if the importance of gas had dropped. Fuel was still needed, as was plastics. It might be, one day, they might go out of fashion, but it wouldn’t be in anytime soon. “Datin Latipah.”

The conversation went through the usual rigamarole, before Arthur managed to ask the question that had been of interest to him. “I understand Petronas is sponsoring some Climbers. Going to… Sri Lanka was it?”

“Yes, we have a program there. They have an interesting series of quests that give Beginner Climbers a chance to learn new earth based techniques. One, we believe, could be adapted to break down plastic.”

“Break down into…?” Arthur asked, curiously.

“Component chemicals, including some slurry that is quite useful for making more plastics. Carbon that can be stored, and trapped in more trees and moss.” Her smile widened, a little gleam in her eyes. “It’s actually going very well. The ability to force growth of plants or mold is quite useful, when we can provide the basic nutrients. Then, we roll it up, sell what’s made for feed.”

“Feed?” Arthur said, surprised.

“Yes.” A firm nod. “Right into animals, which also process it further. Mostly pigs right now, but we’re hoping that we can continue to create a full 360 program.”

“Very forward thinking,” Arthur said.

“With all the new legislation about byproducts, we have to.” She made a face. “Better to do it before Malaysia also has those rules, you know? Bad enough Europe and Africa have been complaining.”

“Not expensive, ah?” Jan said, frowning. “Hard to keep energy out here.”

“We’ve actually found that you can trap some of the energy exhausted from a Climber, if you have the right enchantments. Same with the cores brought out. It isn’t enough, by itself, but with the right environment, we can even create a Tower energy rich environment outside.” There was a shrug. “The biggest concern is keeping Climbers. Our earliest hires often had to leave.”

“The pull of the Tower?” Arthur murmured.

“Exactly.” A deep sigh and then a gesture at where a small pile of beast cores sat. “It’s why having a constant supply of cores would be good.” A long, considering look from the COO.

“Well, we are not against setting up a new contract,” Arthur bobbed his head. “Though you’d best speak with my vice-Clan head. I will be leaving soon.”

“We are already talking,” she smiled, thinly. “Though, of course, your trip will be a big change. If we can get the right assurances…”

Arthur raised a hand, forestalling further discussion. Dark eyes flashed, the colourful tudung she wore turning. “That’s a Mel thing, I have to admit. I’m more focused on the Climb.”

“Of course…” Thwarted, it did not take long for her to drift away, leaving Arthur and Jan alone. Only briefly, before another arrived. At least, this time, not a corporate stooge.

“So, you going Intermediate Tower soon ah?” The man who looked Arthur up and down was built like a swimmer with broad shoulders and a highly tapered body, with legs that were – amusingly for Arthur – rather thin.

“I am,” Arthur said with a smile. Curious to see what he had to say.

“I also lah, maybe in a year or so,” he grunted. “Looked at Penang, but a lot of hantu there. Where you thinking?”

“I’m not sure. We’re still looking. Hong Kong, Indonesia, maybe Australia?” Arthur grunted. “There’s a few in Australia.”

“Lots of poison ah, Australia. They also don’t like us much…” The man said.

“So I’ve heard. Lots of Climbers get hurt there, in the Beginner Tower.” As much as Aussies liked to act as though they were pretty ‘good chaps’ with a ‘fun and piss taking culture’, there was a definite undercurrent of racism in large chunks of their population. That become a problem as the refugee crisis increased and the Towers arrived. The fact that more of the refugees – those not white – had gone into the Tower and managed to exit, no matter the trials, had begun to tilt the balance of power a little. At least in the Tower.

Till, of course, a major campaign had started and the fighting had spilled into the Tower and outside. A single Tower clearance made a Climber powerful, but not to the extent that a mob could not kill them. Especially when they were trying to protect family.

The lynching, beatings and killings in public were bad enough. What happened in the Tower was still being cataloged and likely would never truly be fully revealed, but the darker side of human nature had certainly taken over. It did not help, of course, that they had fought back quite hard; but numbers had told – especially when the government had stopped the refugees from joining the Tower to help their brethren but reinforcements from ‘proper Australians’ kept streaming in.

The pictures of military police, holding off refugees as jeering white Australians walked in, some visibly telling how they intended to kill and torture the Climbers within had been inedibly etched into the 21^st century psyche.

Things had gotten better after nearly a year of international pressure, but at that point, the face of the Tower within had changed inedibly. Even now, entrance into Towers were strictly controlled which left Australia far behind in rankings.

“The Intermediate Towers aren’t that bad,” Arthur said. “Especially the one in Darwin. Single person entrance, very few interactions with others.”

“Can also, but somewhere else better.”

“Where?”

“I like Laos. Also, Kazakstan!”

“Oh? Tell me about Kazakstan?” Arthur said, leaning forward curiously. That conversation drew other Climbers in, everyone of those here having their own thoughts about the best place to Climb. Either solo or in groups, and how best to break it up. Few were as dedicated as Arthur, he could tell, but it was a constant topic for them all.

After all, if there was one thing that was true, it was that Climbers climbed.

 

Chapter 559

 

Arthur was hanging in the back of the auction hall, listening to the professional auctioneer work the crowd. The man was good, with the right degree of patter and a feel for the room, so that he knew when to rush through a bidding and when to make them wait, to draw out a higher bid.

The first lots of armour and weapons and beast cores had gone, mostly for a slightly higher price than they had internally expected. Nothing too surprising, as yet; but projections were overall good. It helped that they were selling not just the beast cores but also contracts for delivery over the next year.

Even with the sheer volume of Ringgit and stones being bid – depending on what was being sold – it was still rather boring for Arthur. He knew he should be more invested in the process. It had been his idea after all.

He just could not get excited by the shouted out words. It felt a little too abstract for his tastes. Not like the armour or weapons that he had purchased beforehand, that waited for the next climb. He’d tested them, of course, but it was hard to make full use till he was in a Tower.

Once more, his gaze tracked over the crowd. Noted the major players, including a few that they were certain were proxies for various underworld groups. They had debated what to do when the information had come in, and finally landed on the obvious.

Which was why Inspector Ivy and Inspector Azzam were here, hovering in the distance and undercover. Not that he expected those two to be that inconspicuous but he figured their presence might see off future issues.

When the buzz in his ears resounded, Arthur found himself lurching forwards. Turning his head to the side a little, as he waited for the voices to clear.

“Sir, our team in the other tower have grown quiet. They were checking the upper floors,” Yao Jing muttered. “I’m going to look into it.”

“Problem?” Jan asked.

“Maybe. Maybe tech issues. We had another team drop out, because they lost connection.”

Arthur grunted, looked at the doors. Smiled at Jan and the others, edged himself over. Jan caught up with him first, managed to keep her mouth shut long enough for the pair to exit and enter the lounge area that connected to the bridge.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Walking over,” Arthur pointed to the bridge, heading over immediately. She hurried after him, nodding to the waiters who were busy cleaning things up, the bartenders waiting and the couple of Climbers.

“This isn’t your job.”

“I’m bored. There’s nothing for me to do in there,” Arthur said. “I might as well be useful somewhere else.”

“Still, boss…” Jan began and then tilted her head to the side. Her mouth opened, to warn him; her flame aura exploding at the same moment. Warm for Arthur, hot for others.

He was moving too, though what he had spotted were different. Her sudden movement and the jerking motion of the pair before him had Arthur dashing towards them, their hands dipped under the table and searching for something. He managed to get his own hand on the kris, half-drawn when he reached the pair, their own weapons only coming out – still in sheaths – when he struck the table.

Body checking the table sent it spinning through the air into one of his opponents. The other had stepped back, far enough that the hatchet he held was half-cleared of its protective covering when he swung it at Arthur. A quick grab of the man’s wrist and then a twist and turn popped a shoulder as Arthur stretched the other and dropped them to the ground.

Violence was fast, when you knew what you were doing.

The bark of guns – why so many damn guns! – caught Arthur by surprise. Jan let out a cry of pain, as she slammed into the ground beside the woman she had charged. A lucky shot, since the full auto sub-machinegun kept spitting out bullets, raking the other side of the tower bridge and shattering windows before it ran out of bullets moments later.

Full auto weapons really were not meant to be fired indiscriminately. Even as the waitress tried to finish extracting her own weapon from under the table, the pulsing fire aura caught her clothing on fire. She screamed, thrashing around, hair and skin crisping in seconds.

Thankfully, Jan ended her with a strike to the neck soon after as she scrambled into cover beside the overturned table.

In the meantime, Arthur popped up, released the Energy Bolts he had formed. They slammed into the pair of waiters that had been pushing the dolly around, the weapons hidden within. It caught them in their chest, threw them backwards and away and allowed the last of the guards to capture them.

Well trained guards, because they threw the idiots over and utilized zip ties to hold them still, rather than kill them. Arthur was grateful for their good sense, but distracted. His own Shadow Sense sprawled outwards, as Jan barked orders and updates into the radio she had extracted. The feedback – of multiple people talking – was so distracting Arthur tore the earbud out of his ears.

There was something, at the edges of his senses. A flickering motion, something that grew and faded. It was not here, not inside the skybridge itself, but originating…

Eyes flashed open, wide. Arthur stared at the window, the wind that was ever present at these heights howling through the dozens of holes that the submachinegun had punched through. He came to a decision in fractions of a second, and ran right at it.

Glass shattered around him, as he exploded through the window, tearing himself free of the skybridge to fly into the air, nothing but the distant ground beneath his feet and flitting shadows above.

 

Chapter 560

 

Arthur was no fool. He had not thrown himself through the window, his skin hardened with Steel Skin such that he did not tear himself to shreds without a plan. Cloud Step formed beneath his feet in moments, and he kicked upwards, climbing through the air as he reached for the top of the skybridge.

There, the shadows he had sensed, Climbers who had hidden themselves utilizing their own techniques were visible to his eyes. Five of them, running across the skybridge at varying speeds, their bodies highlighted by the moon and stars and the lights of the buildings.

Oh, and the Energy Bolts he let fly, the moment he had sight of the lead.

He understood their destination, even grasped the basics of their plan. Use the distraction from below to cross, enter the main auction hall and cause havoc. Whether they were here to steal the goods, kill the Climbers and VIPs within or the Clan itself, the disruption itself would be a major embarrassment for the Benevolent Durians.

Which was why he intended to kill them now.

He was aided by the heights they fought upon, the constant howling wind. The shattering of the window had been lost in the noise of the battlefield by most, such that only two noticed his presence before he began firing. The Energy Darts he loosed on their leader took them in the back, four impacting one after the other and the fifth blocked.

All that he had stored and created, utilized in moments. He began to form another set, even as he threw himself off the cloud for the solid ground of the bridge, only to find the metal struts on the top rearing upwards and striking him in the chest.

Thankfully, perhaps, it was targeted like a spear. Meant to pierce his body, blocked by the protective skin of the suit such that it only pierced partway through. Arthur had to drop Steel Skin, in his quest to build more Energy Darts and utilize Cloud Steps, so he was left bleeding as he was thrust back into the air.

A cloud formed beneath his feet, and he kicked. Upwards, flipping himself through the air, dodging the writhing metal snake-struts, even as beams of empowered Tower energy cut through the space that he had been. He landed, finally, on solid ground, only for another of the Climbers to charge him.

“So nice of you to come to us.” An American accent, though Arthur was hard put to guess which region. North American at least, which was clue enough.

They charged, weapon held before them, a thrusting, single-handed sword meant to skewer him. A stiff rapier that cut through the air, that Arthur blocked with his forearm and felt his suit tear; as empowered Tower techniques made the weapon sharper and more deadly.

Arthur closed the gap further, swung his other arm – the one holding the kris – into the man’s body. It skittered off armour, failing to find purchase and Arthur cursed. He felt a little woozy, up near the man, his sense of balance thrown off as a stifling feeling wrapped around him. Keeping his feet was hard, but he transitioned the block to a grip on the complex guard of the sword as the pair struggled, swaying on the bridge as others rushed and tried to attack him.

Kris stabbed and stabbed again, targeting underarm, armpit and body in an attempt to bleed and curse. At the same time, Yin Aura burst into being in pure defense, pushing back the other aura that threw his balance off. Hard to tell what it was, exactly, but some form of debuff that threw balance off.

Dangerous to the extreme, but not something that he wasted time considering. A half-dozen strikes and his own Yin Aura left his current opponent woozy too, sluggish. The rapier was ripped free, leaving Arthur holding it by the guard even as he threw himself back, a spear nearly catching him straight in the face. The spearhead was strange, long and wavy like a kris, not your usual point.

Pretty.

“I had him…” Coughed the talkative one, as they sank to one knee. Blood dripped from under the arm, down the arm as they scrambled for a healing potion.

Arthur was too busy to finish the fight, flipping the rapier around as he wielded both to block and parry the spear that came at him. Head down, he skidded across the slick flooring of the wet concrete roof the skybridge.

“Not talking?” Arthur grunted, caught the spear with both of his spears down low and shifted to the side. Put it in a cross and then released one of his Energy Bolts, causing his opponent to jump to the side. Off the roof itself.

Another Energy Bolt chased after his opponent, as a third came for him. Different weapon this time, a massive mace swinging at him. Growing in size as it swung such that it became a maul and then, larger. Arthur blocked it, failed to stop the knockback effect that ran inside the enchantment and was thrown off the bridge too.

“Got him!” Crowed his opponent.

Arthur twisted in mid-air, formed another Cloud Step, rushed back. Dodged the writhing steel, cutting one apart, blocked the blast of energy that targeted him now that he was clear from the others. Let himself drop, a little, falling down past the windows before he dropped the rapier, grabbing at the edge to hang, suspended by his arm.

He waited, a beat. Two, looking up.

His opponent poked their head over, the mace wielder the first. He took the barrage of Energy Bolts to his face, even as Arthur dropped and threw himself to the other side, grabbing hold of a support beam underneath to flip and throw himself upward.

On the way, he noted the spear wielder, already jetting back upward too. Surprise etched on the spear wielder’s face, before Arthur released the Refined Energy Dart held in his Pocket Simpanan, letting the attack burrow into his opponent’s side.

In turn, he was speared; the sped up thrust of Focused Strike by his opponent punching through the poor armour in his torso. Pain filled his body, but he tore himself free, kept kicking upward as he ascended on another cloud. Knowing he was running out of time before he missed a conjuration, before his technique failed him.

After all, he didn’t have actual flight.

 

Chapter 561

 

Buttons in his suit were torn, the first to go. One side flapped in the wind, the vest that he wore beneath also scored and cut through, stained red with the blood that leaked forth from the wound. Arthur wondered if it was droplets or just a spray that fell on those far below, if anyone beneath even noticed the desperate battle being conducted in the air high above them.

One opponent, falling away. Maybe he would rise again – he seemed to have some form of flight technique. Arthur wondered if it was something like Rick’s Gunslinger Slide that created magical tracks that moved the opponent around. Or something even better, something that gave actual flight.

If so, Arthur was incredibly jealous.

His own technique allowed him to leap upward one last time, the twisting strands of energy that conjured Cloud Steps failing. He felt the technique break, backlash filling his meridians and disrupting his other techniques, but he was more focused on actually landing on the ceiling.

Arthur foot buckled a little as he landed, causing him to kneel on the ground as his injured side sent a shot of pain through him. He struggled to stand, only to feel the metal wrap around his leg, holding him still. An attacker came dashing forwards, a parang held high, dark skinned and slavering as he swung the weapon down.

Arthur brought his kris up, anticipating the swing down. He would have to shed the attack, pull himself free but he worried that his defense would be disrupted. Steel Skin started pouring through him, even as he sought the Heavenly Sage’s Mischief as well. Multiple threads of techniques, a necessity when fighting so many, including the hovering Exploding Energy Bolts.

Dangerous to use them here, but he had no choice.

Seconds, for his opponent to arrive, to form and block Arthur’s Exploding Energy Bolt that targeted his face with a glimmering hex defense that just appeared in mid-air. The explosion rocked Arthur back, but before he could recover his opponent on him. Good thing too, because the beams of light that were meant for Arthur with his body.

The strangled scream, the blasts of energy that twisted and boiled the body and punched outwards, slowed just enough of a fraction that Arthur was able to dodge aside in time was loud. Eyes wide, Arthur sought the beam attacker, tracking the attack back to a splotch of shimmering darkness.

Energy Bolts flew in an array formation to the body, for the Climber knew his opponent was going to flee. No one utilized stealth techniques and stayed still, not to take an attack that easily. Then, shoving the dying parang wielding Climber aside, Arthur idly noting it had been the leader he’d struck with his Energy Darts to begin with, he wrenched his foot.

Found it caught, the metal refusing to yield. In fact, more of the living metal had formed and torn itself free and Arthur found himself fighting desperately to block the vines. His only advantage being that there was not that much metal up here, and to reach him, his opponent had to thin and extend the grasping metal poles. It made it possible for Arthur break them as he defended, to wrench his foot free at last, even if it left long strips of flesh and part of his shoe behind.

“Where are you…” Arthur hissed, searching for the vine creator.

Found him, staying far away. Exploding Energy Bolts flew only to be intercepted by the vines, but Arthur cared little for that. He ran forward, one eye kept out for the last opponent left – the other ranged attacker.

No beams appeared, even as he ran forward. A part of him wondered at how easily he’d dealt with the sword wielder, but then he ignored it. Shadow Sense was spilled outward as far as it could go, Yin Aura dropped along the way as he switched between the necesseties of the battle.

Too many techniques, too many things; and he knew it would only get worse. As metal struts rose up and shot forwards, as steel wire thrown from a bag of holding erupted and sought to block his way, Arthur dodged and fought his way through, wishing for a spear of his own.

No good luck there, but his time through the Towers meant that he was used to dodging, to dancing through the exploding metal. Until, of course, they pulled out their own tricks. The metal wires, mothing like snakes froze and then constricted, portions of them exploding outwards like giant thorns. Connections to the ground that seemed necessary disappeared, as the ball itself formed around Arthur.

Trapping him within, as sharpened steel thorns raced inwards to pierce his body.

Steel Skin kept some of the thorns from breaking through immediately, his suit helped slow others. It helped – somewhat, as he twisted and protected his face, breaking the thin strands going for his face and head.

Missed some, steel failed at blocking others. It left him as a pincushion, one particular thorn going right through one cheek to lodge in his mouth. Foot, thigh, torso and arms skewered by the thorns, even as the whole ball fell to the ground.

Thankfully, the steel had thinned enough that it sank into the earth rather than roll off. Leaving Arthur trapped within, his Exploding Energy Darts hovering over his head and outside, connected by the fraying energies of his own aura.

Trapped, with the thorns beginning to twist, burrow deeper.

Perhaps chasing after five Climbers by himself had been just a little reckless.