216 Attack on Titan (1/2)

If we were in an MMORPG, three on one would be a respectable situation considering we were up against a boss who was probably ten to twenty levels too high for us to challenge right now. And yet I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at this ganging up we were about to do.

This feeling lasted only about as long as it took Garm to laugh in our faces while yelling out to his troops, ”No one interferes… these three fools are my prey.”

That certainly washed away any mixed feelings I might have had about honor and stuff.

”Triangle formation,” I said quickly. ”Azuma will tank him, I'll back him up, and Ty attacks with long-range spells.”

An instant was all it took for the three of us to get in formation with Azuma in front of me and Ty.

Now, although I wanted to keep track of the larger battle, I would have to trust in Aura and Arah to keep the unit together for any less than my full attention would put me, Ty, and Azuma in a really tough spot, the kind you don't come back from.

”Here we go, here we go,” Ty said to psyche himself up.

”Come at me, fools!” Garm growled.

That's when Azuma launched a combination of attacks with his spear that even I found hard to follow. However, for each thrust or slash he sent at Garm, each one was deflected or blocked by Garm's greatsword.

”More!” Garm roared at Azuma. ”Come on, human, they told me you were a true warrior!”

Garm's taunts only fuelled Azuma to try harder. He increased his speed and spun his spear around and around, and then used the momentum he'd created with the rotations to deliver blow after blow at Garm.

The great general managed to block one, two, and three, but wasn't fast enough to block spinning attack number four whose shadowblade raked across his cheek and drew blood.

Garm spat at Azuma's face, and although Azuma dodged the disgusting projectile, Garm capitalized on the moment and sent his greatsword on a side sweep arc toward Azuma's outstretched neck.

That's when I slipped in and blocked deflected the attack by sending my falchion crashing down on the flat of Garm's shadowblade.

At the same time, Ty screamed, ”Frost Ray!”

A beam of white energy launched from his outstretched hand and smacked Azuma on the right shoulder. Ice formed around the target area and caused Azuma's sword arm to waver just as he attempted to block Azuma's spear thrust.

Azuma's spear tip grazed Garm's armor but didn't penetrate through the thick metal.

”Aim for the chinks in the armor… the rest of it is just too hard,” I explained just as I ducked to avoid the left hook that I thought had been aimed at me.

Garm's left fist smashed the ice that clung to his right shoulder, breaking it into pieces and freeing his sword arm once more.

”His armor must be adamantine grade then,” Azuma spat. ”Ty, keep trying to immobilize him!”

So as I gazed back at the dark blue chest plate emblazoned with Garm's symbol and its silver filigree, I found a new appreciation for what we were attempting to achieve. We were three soldiers of flesh and bone against a titan, and if we succeeded, we'd be the stuff of legends.

With this thought in my head, I renewed my attacks on Garm's unprotected sides while Azuma kept his attention like a proper tank should.

I reopened the cut I'd made earlier on his right leg and then proceeded to run around his back and repeat the process on his left head.

Why go through all that trouble, you ask? Why not just attack his head while he was distracted? Like I said, Garm might as well have been a titan and everyone knows you bring a titan down by forcing it to its knees first.

”Frost Ray! Frost Ray! Frost Ray!” Ty yelled repeatedly.

With each spell cast, a ray of white energy would smash again and again into Garm's armored form. And although these attacks would barely hurt him and proved no more than inconveniences to Garm, the constant need to break off the ice that grew on his body was starting to show on his face in the form of annoyance.

Quick as a viper, Garm slammed his shoulder and pushed Azuma aside so could hurl his greatsword toward Ty who'd been hiding in the rear.

It was obvious from his panic expression that Ty wouldn't be able to duck or create an arcane shield in time, but I was too far away to assist him.

Luckily, Azuma, despite losing his balance, managed to throw his spear and deflect Garm's greatsword from reaching Ty.