Nova Myst

Kite was hesitant, and Nova had no patients for that today. His chest seemed to ache more since Eden had pushed him and he was getting tired. Had he really lost all his stamina since he stopped training? No, because he was fine when he took on the Behemoth.

Bloody Behemoths.

Nova dragged Kite along behind him; if Alex said help this woman, then help her he would. Alex was ahead of them, running past the other woman and following a man she was apparently associated with. Problem was, she also picked up a gorgon tailing her...

“Bloody fiends!” Nova grumbled, letting go of Kite and sprinting off after the monster. With one swift motion, he pulled his blade from its sheath, locked it into position and leapt forward, stabbing the gorgon right between its shoulder blades and bringing it to the ground.

Eden would be proud if she saw that. He mused, standing up and heading back towards the others.

“When did you get that sword?” Kite narrowed his eyes as he fended off a goblin; if it was possible to behead them he probably would’ve with that swing.

“I’ve always had it.” Nova replied simply, helping the woman with some pesky goblins. “I’m Nova.”

“Odile.” She thwacked a gorgon that Nova hadn’t spotted.

“Where did you get it from?” Kite asked, ignoring their new companion.

He sighed. It was always best to be as honest as possible with Kite when he was like this. “It was a graduation gift when I finished my training at the Alexandrian Command.”

“The military?!” Nova flinched, both at his surprise and the fact that Kite’s sledgehammer came a little too close for comfort. “But you hate the military!”

“Hence why I quit.”

“Are you two done with your little lovers tiff?” Odile gave them both a knowing look. It confused Nova, but seemed to make Kite all flustered.

“W-we’re not l-lovers!”

Nova sighed, fighting off another couple of gorgons before speaking again. “Are these fiends ever gonna stop coming?”

The Behemoth roared, instantly getting Nova’s attention. Whatever they were doing to it, it seemed unhappy. Bellaevis, however, seemed thrilled, singing at the top of her lungs a song that he vaguely remembered, whilst taunting and teasing the beast.

Nova gripped his sword tighter. The fiends’ numbers were dwindling; some were just plain ignoring them and heading into the city. There wasn’t much more for them to do, other than head to the city and hope for the best...

Or help take down the Behemoth.

A pair of goblins went flying past his line of vision before Kite scalded him. “I know that look. Don’t even think about it.”

“But-”

“Need I remind you that you’ve met a Behemoth before? What happened last time, Nova?”

“You’ve fought a Behemoth before?” For a brief moment, Odile looked vaguely impressed. That was until she spotted the sheepish grin that plastered itself on Nova.

“It was little, but vicious. I ran away before it could kill me.”

“Kill you, Nova. Kill. You could die if you go over there.” Kite emphasised his friend’s potential death by taking swings at passing fiends.

It’s like everyone in my life are angels on my shoulder, he glanced from Kite to Eden, then to Bellaevis, maybe not Bellaevis... He even glanced at Markus, his former trainer, before focusing on the gorgon that had decided Nova was his dinner. But my heart is the devil, forcing my brain into only listening to it.

There was one thing that even his devilish heart was telling his brain: he was tired. Then don’t attack, his heart told his brain, just stall it. Slow it down. Surely they can’t fault you for trying to help?

“Sorry, Kite, I can’t stand here and watch from the sidelines.” He shrugged.

“It’s suicide!”

Nova rolled his eyes. “You coming, Odile?”

“I don’t seem have much choice...” She smirked, out of sight of Kite, her expression going deadpan as she walked past the man.

The two of them jogged back towards the shoreline, where the Behemoth loomed over his friends.

“Wait!” Kite called. Nova chuckled.

“You’re manipulative.” Odile commented.

“You’re observant.”

“You’d better have a plan, Nova!” Kite jogged alongside him, sledgehammer over his shoulder. “Or this ain’t gonna be pretty.”

“We take out the tail.” He began to pick up the pace. “Cut it off, break its bones, pin it to the ground, I don’t care. Other than the giant sword and the teeth, the tail is gonna cause us most harm. The more it flails, the more likely it will hit us.”

----

Om nom nom, Behemoth snacks~