Headed by a Snake

The mana Tanamar expended shaped his volatile 'arrow' into something aerodynamic.

First word. Second word.

The ground he stood on lit up like a holiday tree. He felt his silver hair stand up like he was some sort of legendary Tyrion hero.

Tanamar grimaced upon realizing how upset Tycon would be if he were around to sense his mana output. Even without Apollonius' assistance, he was obviously and unapologetically Gold-Rank.

Third word... fourth word-- Tancred looked over, probably having figured out that he wasn't actually winning.

"[What the-- why are you OVER THERE?!]" The oversized set of scuffed armor bellowed.

"I ejected out of Apollonius like five minutes ago, guy."

The mana flowing through Tanamar's body and through the surroundings echoed his words... but he didn't particularly care if Tancred heard him.

"[Your ⌈Oath⌋ shot ain't SHITE, Athanasius!]" Tancred shouted, uncertainty clear in his cracking voice, "[It can't get through my ⌈Earth Shield⌋!!]"

Tanamar sighed... That was obvious. He wouldn't be so stupid to use the exact same attack twice.

Furrowing his brows, he mentally went through his list of Skills...

"⌈Aspect of the Vengeful Archon,⌋" He began. It was the most powerful aspect of his Holy Lancer class.

"⌈Divine Weapon,⌋" It was a basic enchantment that Harkus put on everything.

"⌈Frost Enchantment,⌋" He had Athena's frost mana coursing through his veins. Using it was a given.

"⌈Sharpened Steel,⌋" That'd add a bit of piercing power to get through Tancred's ⌈Earth Shield.⌋

"[EY!! QUITE THAT SHITE!!!!!]" Tancred roared. The massive suit of armor began charging towards his position-- fast, too. That ⌈Charging Bull⌋ Skill was no joke.

"⌈Pinning Strike⌋ ⌈Murderous Aim⌋ ⌈Biting Volley...⌋ What else..." Tanamar mused.

His head was feeling light. If he was only operating on logic, he was dangerously low on mana... but it felt like he had so much more to give.

"⌈Split Arrow⌋... ⌈Triple Arrow⌋..."

He drew back his bow, a gargantuan, crackling mana-arrow nocked and ready to fire.

Blood was streaming down his nose, his head was filled with clouds, and his entire body felt numb. That probably meant he should stop.

Nah. He couldn't hold back... Athena was still in danger. He couldn't afford to fail.

"⌈Sudden Shot.⌋ ⌈Maximize Shot⌋..." Blood welled up into his mouth and he coughed it out.

Damn. He wanted to cast ⌈Vorpal Shot⌋ too, but that was definitely too much.

He aimed down his weapon, his arrow pointed directly at Divine Armor Orcus' center of mass, "This is my ⌈Oath⌋: Eat shite and die, Tancred."

...

⟬ Flashback: Twenty minutes prior, Market District. ⟭

"[You feel that, Brother-Tycon?]" The armored Librarian, Zenon Skyreaper looked up into the sky... at a very lost-looking troll mounted on a large gryphon, struggling to remain airborne.

"I do," Tycondrius followed his gaze and nodded. "If our troll friend were to fall on the three of us, we would sustain severe injuries."

"[No, not that,]" Zenon shook his head. "[I mean the mana... something Gold-Rank-- maybe Adamantine... and it's headed towards the Administration District."

Tycon rolled his eyes, "The enemy seeks to intercept Athena and her footman, then."

"[Yeah, feels strong,]" Zenon tilted his head downward... "[Maybe it's that Exarch guy we keep hearing about?]"

Korr nodded eagerly, gripping her two-handed blackblade, "[HOW DARE HE.]"

Tycon pursed his lips underneath his helmet. 'How dare he' what? He wanted to ask the young lady to explain herself, but... he surmised the resulting story wouldn't come close to answering the question.

"[Whoa! Hold on!]" Zenon raised his voice, "[I just felt Athena use a huge attack... the incantation ⌈Ice Beam⌋, I think.]"

"[THE ENEMY IS LIKELY ALREADY DEAD,]" Korr declared.

Tycon grimaced and shook his head, "Nonetheless, we should hurry... I'd rather not underestimate a Gold-Rank power. Brother-Zenon, if you could cast your--"

"HARR HARR HARR HARR!!!!! HARRRRRR!!!!" A chilling voice echoed in Tycon's mind...

"Seven hells, what is it, now?" He sighed.

The ghost of an armored Cleric rose out of the roadstones, translucent and glowing green, "YaAAaRRrr!! I hAve aRiSen from BeYoonNdd the GrAaaaAve ta PaY ye BACK for my UnJuSt DeaAaaAthhHhh!!!"

"...Who are you again?" Tycon crossed his arms.

The levitating ghost summoned an oversized, wicked-looking warscythe, and held it out menacingly.

"GHOST OCCAM!!!!"

"Of all the people you could choose to haunt," Tycon groaned, "you chose the three of us? Really?"

"ReAAAaaAaLLLyYYyyY!!! ooOoOooOooOoh!!!" Occam moaned, "Harr harr HARR!!!"

Tycon took another deep breath before turning to the dark-armored woman at his side, "Korr."

Korr stepped forward, clinking a metal fist against her palm, "[YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD.]"

Occam's jaw dropped, "Ah. F*ck."

Korr grabbed Ghost-Occam by the ghost-collar and began to beat him, "[I SHALL RELEASE THEE FROM THY MORTAL COIL!!!]"

Zenon tilted his head, "[I've always found it weird that Korr could literally punch apparitions.]"

"It's a useful ability," Tycon shrugged. "I try not to think about it."

Taking a deep breath, he reached up to pat his Librarian-friend on the shoulder, "Zenon, I'll be moving ahead. Cast your movement spell on me, if you would."

"[Sure thing, Optio.]"

...

⟬ Current time. ⟭

Tanamar dragged himself back to the front of the Head Magistrate's estate. He was tired... beyond tired.

He'd vomited until the contents of his stomach were empty, and his insides still rumbled... but he was alive.

"We did it..." Tanamar tossed his helmet to the ground and collapsed at his girlfriend's feet, "Athena, we did it."

With Apollonius' help... he saved her. Athena lived. He had changed her future. Their future.

Athena lied with her back against the stone steps, wearing a defeated smile. Her frosty blue hair was strewn over her face like she'd just woken up from a gentle summer nap.

"Tanamar... I knew you could do it."

Her armor was still on, but she'd placed her helmet on the steps beside her. On her left arm and shoulder, she'd made a makeshift cast out of ice with her gloved hand sticking out.

Besides that, her Arcanite swords were scattered on the ground beside her. She didn't have the mana left to control them.

She wouldn't be fighting anytime soon-- not without both rest and magical healing.