BXBX NOVEL Chapter 131: A Bolt from the Blue
Chapter 131: A Bolt from the Blue
*Actually system* thought Kat as she tried to maintain her balance *How much blood loss would kill me. That seems like important information*
The amount of blood loss to kill User Kat would depend on a multitude of factors, but the lowest reasonable amount would be about 800L of blood while not summoned.
*Wait what? Litres? As in the bigger unit, not millilitres? Do I even have that much blood in my entire body?*
User Kat has approximately 8L of blood at any given time, however User Kat can regenerate blood using demonic energy.
*Right… and what about this whole not summoned part?*
In the event of a fatal attack or experiences one dealing crippling damage User Kat will be banished and returned to User Kat's Home
*Oh, that's a relief.* Thought Kat as she stared down at the Barbarashi eyeing her from a distance. It didn't seem to be preparing to charge either physically or its beam, but its eyes were still clearly locked with her own.
Kat noticed in this stand off that her balance wasn't what it should be. Trying to move her wings and tail a bit to correct she instantly found the problem. Her tail and left wing responded well, shifting as ordered, but throwing her balance of even more. Kat's right wing seemed to be damaged. She could still feel it resting against her back, and when she brought her right hand back just a bit she could still feel it attached.
However Kat's moment of distraction was enough of a signal to the Barbarashi to take of charging. However just as it was about to step through its sigils and charge an arrow shot towards its eye.
The Barbarashi reacted quickly throwing it's head up and to the side allowing the arrow to bounce harmlessly against its beak but at least managed to stop the charge. While the Barbarashi was recovering from it's rapid momentum shift Kat pushed more energy towards her back.
As Kat did so she could feel the muscles knitting themselves back together… it was less then pleasant, but as it continued the aching pain and dripping blood starting to slow, and she started considering it a net positive
This time though she made sure not to take her eyes off the Barbarashi leaving her balance solely to her tails instincts as her wing was pulled back into place. "Grace what the hell do we do about this thing"
"I don't know" shouted Grace "We just wanted it to fly away but not it's wing is frozen and it's stuck here with us I really don't know"
As Grace shouted the Barbarashi turned to face her instead. Kat felt it much safer to keep it's attention on her. Kat used her tail to reach down and scoop up some snow and deposit it in her hand.
Winding up a pitch Kat hurled the snow towards the giant bird… and thoroughly missed. The snowball going far wind of the Barbarashi. This didn't seem to matter though as it instantly turned its gaze back to Kat
*Well at least it's easily distracted. Maybe we can work with this.* Kat got ready for another charge, just as her wing snapped back into place. Flexing them just a little Kat found that there was no lingering pain, nor did it feel uncomfortable to use.
*Hang on, system why are my wings fully operation unlike that time with Minor*
Dodge
*What?*
Kat then realised that asking questions while a one tonne bird barrelled at her was probably not the best of ideas. Jumping straight into the air and flaring her wings to slow her descent the Barbarashi travelled underneath.
As it finished it's charge it glared menacingly at Kat as she floated back down to earth. *Looks like it takes great offence at the fact I can still fly and it can't *
The Barbarashi summoned its sigils and opened its mouth trying to blast Kat out of the air with its beam but Kat just closed her wings and let gravity carry her out of its path. Kat did however fail to land properly, with her wings still retracted and Kat unwilling to roll and risk taking her eyes off the Barbarashi she had to take the impact with her knees.
Legs shaking she faced off against the bird and stared it down. *Ok, we really need a new plan. I can dodge this all day if I just stopped freaking out, but we also can't exactly deal any damage to it.*
Kat let her eyes drift towards the Barbarashi's frozen wing. It was still iced over but her flames had died out and no longer supported the ice. *Maybe…* Kat could feel the start of a plan forming.
Dodging another charge of the bird with her wings Kat made sure to land once again to keep its attention. "Grace, just nod if you understand. I need you to hit it somewhere just as it passes under me" yelled Kat
Once Kat saw Grace nod in the corner of her eyes she started preparing. The Barbarashi was weary though. It seemed it was realising its constant charging wasn't working and started to circle Kat.
She mirrored its steps, having to jog slightly to keep up with the Barbarashi's significantly larger steps. Grace too backed further off and made sure that she wasn't ever inline with Kat and the bird keeping to the fringes but with eyes locked on the right.
One full rotation the Barbarashi seemed to lose patience and charged once again. Kat jumped low this time, rather than aiming to clear the bird's charge safely she wanted to be as close as possible. As the Barbarashi charge reached Kat, Grace let fly an overcharged arrow right in front of the Barbarashi.
Rearing its head back and slowly significantly Kat used this chance to slam both feet down onto the frozen wing. Cracks ran along the ice as they spiderwebbed out from the impact. As the Barbarashi trudged forward with the last remains of its momentum the ice fell from its wing.
*Yes.* Thought Kat as she saw the coating of ice fall away and free the birds wing again. This however was turned to disappointment when she noticed something else. The feathers around where her tail had originally struck, and the area around where her feet had just landed were bent out of shape.
*Ah shit.* Hopefully it can still fly away. Kat watched as the Barbarashi examined its newly freed wing. After looking its wing over the Barbarashi's gaze returned to Kat but she could see it experimenting with its wing. Ruffling it out and moving it just slightly, though from Kat's limited knowledge on bird expressions it didn't seem pleased.
"Grace any ideas? Looks like the wings still damaged" said Kat
"I don't have any way to heal it, but I'm not sure we can fight it properly either" said Grace in return.
Just as the pair were contemplating what they should do a bright bolt of white light lanced towards the Barbarashi's wing coating it in a brilliant white glow. The bird seemed startled and looked around with a panicked expression before trying its wing again and settling down.
It took one last menacing glare at Kat before turning its back to her and activating its three sigils and charging back towards the desert. After its second step the Barbarashi took flight and shot off back towards the horizon.
As the Barbarashi left Kat let herself slide to the ground the adrenaline leaving her body. *Wait do I even have adrenaline anymore?*
No. User Kat has demonic energy as a substitute. Now that you have stopped intentionally cycling it User Kat body will need a moment to adjust.
Grace however stood firm to attention scanning the tree line bow raised. "What's wrong Grace" said Kat
Grace didn't immediately respond but after glancing over and seeing Kat's relaxed state decided to speak up "Well Kat, we still don't know who or what shot that bolt out towards the Barbarashi. We don't know that its friendly"
Realising that Grace was right Kat sprung to her feet once again and started scanning the nearby area for any sign of movement. This was complicated by the fact that during the recent fight, whatever was left of the pristine covering of snow had now been thrown about haphazardly in piles with dirt and debris mixed in.
On top of this, just because Kat could see far, didn't stop the issue of height being a problem. It was hard to see footprints in the snow from far away just because she wasn't looking down at them, but with the recent experience with the Barbarashi and the high winds above the icy plains she wasn't willing to risk getting an aerial view either.
Kat tried to keep her vision steady as she led her gaze roam for wherever the new thing might possibly be. Grace for her part kept her eyes locked firmly in the direction the bolt had come from, as she'd been focused there since she had seen the light and was sure whatever it was couldn't have gotten too far.