1.15 Brimstone Part 2

Gears leaps forward from the back of Lion, drawing his halberd in the process. As Star and Heart engage the guards at the back, Gears swings at the closest. His halberd connects with the creature, tearing into its back.

Gears wrenches it out, knocking the guard towards the charging Lion. As Lion pounces on the first guard, Gears raises his halberd to block an incoming spear stab from the second.

As his Gardium halberd blocks the hissing spear. The spearhead is a devouring black while the pole is a glistening gold.

The guard screeches at Gears in unholy tones as it draws its spear back for another strike. Before it can attack and while it is still expose, Gears boosts forward with his KEPs, stabbing the spike of his halberd into the chest of the guard.

The guard yowls in pain and Gears twists his halberd, causing the guard to cry out even louder.

Gears takes a brief moment to look around. The battle is going in their favour with half of the guards having already gone down and half of the survivors are wounded to various degrees.

Overcoming its pain, the guard Gears is fighting stabs forward with its spear even as black ichor leaks from its wound. Gears spots it coming and catches the shaft with his right hand.

He and the guard compete for control of the spear, the creature trying to stab forward while Gears tries to hold it steady. After a couple of seconds, the vigilante eventually wins, jerking the spearhead away from him.

The guard growls as it steps back and Gears does the same, removing his halberd from the creature’s body. Before either of them can make their next move, a blast of fiery red energy slams into the shoulder of the guard, ripping through the armour and whatever lies beneath.

Gears swings his halberd at the thick neck of the guard, chopping off the head with the blade. As the headless corpse topples over backwards, Gears takes another moment to look around.

All, but two of the guards are dead with Lion pinning one to the ground as he tears him apart while the other dies a moment later as Heart and Star finish him off.

“Good work guys,” says Gears with a hint of pride in his voice.

“I’ll fix you up,” says Tea and Gears feels a wave of calmness and rest wash over him.

Following a hunch, Gears looks over his armour and halberd. All have been fully restored to optimal status and then some.

“Thanks Tea,” replies Gears as he looks at the massive gates leading into the first tower, “So we enter the tower now?”

“Yes,” answers Iron as he floats next to Gears.

“Alright,” says Gears, “If you would please Star and Heart?”

Obliging him, dual beams of energy, one red and other blue, smash into the pair of large gates. The energy attacks burn through it, melting the metal down.

Once enough of a hole has been burned, Gears and the rest of his companions enter tower. A large spiral hall awaits them along with six Drenora, all dual-wielding large broadswords.

So this is where Demonica gets them from.

So it would seem.

Enough talk! Let us slay these monsters now!

Gears, his companions and the Drenora all leap into action. Trusting his companions to deal with the rest, Gears focuses on the closest, mentally alerting his companions to which one he is going after.

With a mighty roar, the Drenora swings both swords at him. Gears dodges the first and blocks the second with his halberd.

This would be a good time to have some inbuilt weaponry to my armour. Perhaps some lasers or sonic weaponry in the wrists. Or a few missiles onto the shoulders or something.

We can do that once we’re out of this dimension.

Gears jumps back and readies his halberd as the Drenora makes another pair of attacks. He lets both miss before boosting forward with his KEPs and aiming his halberd so the spike stabs into the Drenora.

He gets a direct hit and the Drenora grunts with pain. As Gears wrenches his halberd out, the Drenora lets go of one of its swords and punches Gears. The fist slams into the side of Gears’ head, but it barely affects him through the armour.

Acting on instinct, Gears headbutts the Drenora and jumps backwards, putting distance between himself and his foe using his KEPs. Using the brief moment he has in the air, Gears checks the damage to his armour from the punch.

Only minor denting to the outer plating. Once again, I am very thankful for the strength and toughness of thick Gardium armour plating.

Picking up its dropped sword, the Drenora charges at Gears, who readies himself to counter. But as the Drenora closes the distance, a glistening blue energy blast hits it in the back, sending him flying forward.

Seizing the opportunity, Gears stabs forward with his halberd at the oncoming Drenora. The spike pierces the head and Drenora’s body goes limp. As the two broadswords clatter to the ground, Gears casually pulls his halberd out of his fallen opponent.

A quick glance confirms that his foe was the last Drenora to fall and Gears thinks about the next move. There is no clear way further into the tower.

“Tea?” says Gears.

“On it,” replies the companion and Gears feels the wave of calmness and rest wash over him again, also fixing his armour and halberd again.

“Look at this,” says Star, causing Gears and the others to look up.

At the top of ceiling, another portal of blood red swirls is open.