F.E III (A Cold Cue In The Moonlight)

Rakuyō: F.E 3𓇢

Arizona lll

A Cold Cue In the Moonlight

The hue of the room turns blue as moonlight reflects off the shards floating in the air. Lucy stands across from Soluna, he lifts a finger as the tip glows an ice blue.

He chuckles, “So tell me Demon, how would you like to croak today by the hand of Lucy? Freeze to death? Implode your organs? Maybe chop your head off like you did poor James?”

Soluna sucks her teeth, flicking her wrist as vines grow from her skin, wrapping around her arm. “You sure like to talk a lot, don’t you?”

Lucy cackles, “Oh yes, the sound of Lucy’s own voice does delight him so!” he exclaims. “Say, if you’re tired of hearing it, let him put you to rest so you’ll be free!”

Smokey flies in front of Soluna. “I won’t let you speak to Soluna like that! Who do you think you’re talking to?!” He yells.

Lucy’s eyebrows raise as his face contorts into disgust. “Now what is this thing Lucy’s looking at?”

“A ghost of sorts?” he says to himself.

“Ugh, nevermind! Just get it out of his sight.” He points his finger at Smokey as an ice-blue glow surrounds the tip, forming into a sphere; it shoots and stretches into a beam of ice, aiming for Smokey.

“Smokey!” Soluna shouts, leaping forward to grab him.

At that moment black energy bursts around Smokey, the force of it blowing Soluna back onto the ground. “Erk,” she hisses, looking up at Smokey as black energy encases him.

“What are you-” she stutters.

“I’m tired of you always protecting me! It’s my turn!” Smokey spreads his arms, creating a black barrier around him and Soluna. The beam of ice breaks apart on impact, vapor and particles of ice scattering across the air.

“Wha-” Soluna stutters, seeing a cocoon of darkness around Smokey. The barrier quickly lowers as Smokey floats above Soluna.

“You’ve almost died countless times tonight because of me! I refuse to keep being a burden to you!”

Smokey’s claws grow and sharpen. “I’ll take this guy down!” he thrusts his arms in front of him.

Lucy chuckles, “Oh please, what will a creature like you do to Lucy!?

“Look how small you are, it reminds me of a child in a way.”

He shakes his head. “Let Lucy handle the real demon here-” before he could finish his sentence, a pulse of darkness shoots from Smokey’s palms.

“EUGH!” Lucy grunts as the pulse engulfs him, blasting him backward, crashing through the walls. He flies back out of the saloon, rolling in the dirt road.

Nya, floating behind the counter, whistles, placing her hand on her forehead as if she’s sightseeing. “Wooo, nice shot there, little guy. Really got him there!”

Soluna’s expression softens, looking up at Smokey. ‘He’s actually fighting…’

Smokey rushes, flying outside to where Lucy lies.

“Wait!” Soluna shouts, running after him. In the corner of her eye she spots her gun on the ground, half broken.

She reaches her arm out, flicking it as a branch flies towards it; the branch wraps around the handle, flying back to Soluna. She looks down at the gun as the barrel is filled with crack as it falls apart.

‘One more shot is all this has left, I have to make it count…’ She places it in the side of her skirt as she runs outside.

Shards of ice surround Lucy as he lies on the ground. He clenches his fist, slamming it onto the ground. “Dirty…”

“Filthy…”

“Cretin!” he roars, sitting up, the shards of ice around him growing larger and chiming louder. Blood leaks from his mouth. He spits on the ground, gritting his teeth.

Smokey aims his palms towards Lucy once more, another dark pulse beginning to form.

Lucy snaps his head upwards, his hair and cape beginning to flutter as the ice shards around him begin to shine from the moonlight. “LET THE MOON BE OUR SPOTLIGHT, SHALL WE!”

The sound of ice chiming grows louder as it echoes through the air. “ICEMAN!” Lucy shouts, raising his arm towards the sky.

“FREEZE THE WORLD!”

Ice erupts from the ground in front of Lucy, forming together, creating the silhouette of a figure of a man the same height and build as him.

Lucy chuckles to himself, spreading his arms apart as if he’s ready to embrace the statue. “Come to me!” he yells as the statue slides back, crashing into him.

The sound of ice breaking apart radiates through the air as shards and frost vapor burst from him once more.

Smokey stops charging his burst as the vapor engulfs him. He crosses his arms as frost spreads across them. “Eugh!” he grunts as the pressure pushes him back.

The vapor disperses around Lucy as he steps forward, spreading his arms and crossing his legs, his body glistening, reflecting moonlight, mirroring his shards, icicles covering his cape, sticking out like jagged spikes.

He grins, “How splendid this is!”

“Lucy shines like the star he was always meant to be!” He then looks upwards to Smokey, regaining himself, shaking the frost off his body.

He reaches out his palm. “And now for the closing curtains for our little friend here.”

His grin widens. “PEH-PA-PA-PAA” he screams as a blue aura shines from his coat of ice.

“FREEZE AWAY!” He roars, as a beam forms in his palm, he thrusts his arm towards Smokey.

“Eugh!” Smokey grunts, clapping his hands together once more, charging a dark pulse.

At that moment, before Lucy can fire his blast, a vine whips across his face.

“AHHG!” He shrieks as the air cracks from the whiplash. Particles of ice fly off him.

He stumbles to the side, holding the side of his face as his cheek turns red, the coat of ice around the wound falling apart.

“ERRRG!” He growls, whirling to Soluna. “HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT LUCY’S PERFORMANCE!”

Soluna scoffs, holding her arm out as the vine retracts, wrapping around it. “Oh shut your mouth, get over yourself…”

“All truth be told, you’re nothing but some arrogant loud mouth! A terrible performer who needs to be put down!” Soluna shouts as vines wave around her.

“You said what?” Lucy scowls as his eye twitches, the ice around his body beginning to crack.

He clenches his fist, gritting his teeth. “How dare you…” he stutters, stepping forward as ice freezes over the dirt with each step. “What do you know about performing arts!”

“Filthy saloon bitch!”

The particles around him start to gleam bright. “FINE! SINCE YOU WANT TO BE SO RUDE!” Frost vapor starts to spiral around him like a twister.

He slouches forward, baring his teeth, the shards of ice around him gleaming a white light.

He thrusts his arms forward. “BEGONE!” he screams as the shards shoot at Soluna.

“Erg!” Soluna grunts as vines and branches sprout from her arms, wrapping around her body like an extra layer of skin.

Before they could finish, one of the shards lodges into the middle of her chest. “AUGH!” She shrieks, blood erupting from her mouth.

She stumbles back gasping, the other shards still firing at her.

She pushes through the pain, bringing her arms up before her, slamming them together, the vines and branches expanding, combining into a wall.

The shards crash against the wall, breaking into pieces on impact.

Soluna huffs as the wall falls apart, blood spraying from her wound as a violet cold radiates through her body.

“Ugh…” She grunts, falling to the ground, her limbs stiffening as her chest tightens.

‘What is going-’ before she could finish her thought, the sound of ice creaking radiates in her ear, crystals spreading from her wound, mixing with her blood.

Lucy watches from where he stands. “HAHA, DON’T YOU FEEL IT!?

“DO YOU FEEL THE CHILLS OF LUCY’S GRAND ACT? IT GIVES YOU GOOSEBUMPS, DOESN’T IT?!”

Soluna pants on the ground, her body twitching as the crystals spread across her chest. The taste of iron fills her mouth as blood leaks out of it.

“NO!” Smokey screams, rushing towards Lucy.

“I’LL KILL YOU!” he bellows, aiming his claws towards Lucy.

Lucy scoffs, jumping back. He flicks his cape. “LET’S DANCE THEN, CRETIN!”

Smokey whips his arms towards Lucy’s chest as Lucy is still in motion from leaping back.

Icicles grow outward from his chest, as if his body reacts on its own as Smokey’s strike approaches.

Smokey’s claws then rip through the icicles, leaving an arc of black energy in their wake.

“What?!” Lucy shouts, watching his icicles break to pieces, particles and debris scattering across the air.

“Impossible! How strong is this thing!?” Lucy says to himself, landing on the ground and sliding backward. He swipes his cape as the icicles on it start to shoot towards Smokey.

Smokey swings his claws frantically at the incoming icicles.

“DIE, DIE, DIE!” he roars, slashing through them, the sound of ice crunching rippling through the air.

Lucy’s eyes widen as his pupils tremble. “What is this!?”

Smokey presses his claws together, aiming them at Lucy, another pulse of darkness forming from their tips.

The pulse bursts, shooting at Lucy. “DAMN IT!” he shouts, still sliding back. He whips his arm forward, charging a beam of blue light.

He blasts it toward the pulse just before it can engulf him.

An explosion of vapor and dark energy spreads through the area, the windows of the surrounding houses bursting open, screaming and shouting coming from inside.

“NRGG!” Lucy shrieks, launching into the air, his body flipping over.

At that moment a blur of black smoke appears above him as Smokey emerges from it.

He rakes his claws downward at Lucy’s torso as Lucy continues to flip upside down.

Lucy’s eyes burst open. “ICEMAN: BE SO COLD!” he screams as a statue of ice instantly sprouts from Lucy’s body, his glow disappearing as the coat of ice he was covering himself with returns to humanoid form.

The statue moves on its own, firing its fist up at Smokey.

Smokey dives down, his claws colliding with it as both of them clash, the force of the blows pushing Lucy downward.

“UGH!” He grunts, crashing to the ground.

Debris of dirt surrounds him as he lies face-first with his hair sticking to his face. He claws the ground, dragging himself forward. “Lucy… Ducy will not be defeated here!”

“He will be the Host, he’ll kill her!” He forces himself to face forward. (Remember why you fight Lucius.) The Voice returns in his head.

Lucy looks up at his Iceman fighting Smokey mid-air. “Why Lucy fights…” he mutters to himself.

“Yes, my desire for the world to know the splendor of Lucy Ducy!”

He forces himself to stand. ‘Grandmother, watch me from the Heavens! Watch this final performance! I’ll make our dream real! I’ll win the wish!’

Shards of ice start to grow around him as the chiming returns.

Back in the air the Iceman statue twists as it launches a roundhouse kick at Smokey, striking his entire body.

“Erk!” Smokey shrieks, launching towards the ground; on impact he bounces, skidding across the dirt.

He plants his claws into the dirt, looking up at Lucy, who stands with shards around him. “Wha-” Smokey mutters to himself.

“ICEMAN, RETURN TO YOUR MASTER!” Lucy bellows as the statue lands on the ground, sliding backward. Lucy spreads his arms out, and in that moment, the two crash into each other once more.

Vapor bursts from him as he steps out, wearing his coat of ice.

He slowly opens his eyes as they gleam a bright blue. “This is the Closing Act…” he says in a low tone.

And then, “You two die now!” he shouts.

Smokey brings himself to float. “I won’t let you touch Soley.

“Not even lay one finger on her! You’re the one dying tonight, you hear!”

Back at where Soluna lies, the ice continues to spread across her upper body, her eyes starting to lose color, her breathing slowing.

Footsteps appear next to her. Soluna tilts her head up a bit to see Nya standing above her. Nya sighs, “So this is it? This is how you’re dying? I expected more out of you, to be honest.”

She rubs the back of her head. “But what can I expect from mortals? You all die the same way anyway. But I do have a warning for you before you croak.”

“Eh?...” Soluna hums weakly.

Nya huffs, crossing her arms. “If your little friend there dies, he won’t exist anymore, since he’s technically already dead.”

“So since he’s essentially a ghost walking, his soul will be destroyed if Theater Kid manages to kill him.”

Soluna’s eyes burst wide. ‘No!’ She uses every bit of strength she can muster to move her arm and grabs the gun she stuffed in her waistband.

“N-Nya…” she calls out weakly. “Hm?” Nya hums, looking down at Soluna. “What is it?”

“Throw me… Throw me towards them,” Soluna musters.

Nya snorts. “Throw you? Are you sure you want that? You seem to already be in pretty bad shape. But hey, if you wish. I’m not really helping anyone win by doing this.”

“Do it! Please hurry!” Soluna says louder. Nya rolls her eyes. She plants her foot under Soluna’s back, flicking her upward. “Erg!” Soluna grunts as she falls over Nya’s shoulder.

“You ready?” Nya asks, tightening her grip on Soluna’s back. “Yes! Do it now!” Soluna says back.

Nya twirls around, gaining momentum. “Ciaooo!” she sings, launching Soluna with a smile.

Back at the battle the chimes grow louder as Smokey flies towards Lucy. Lucy points his finger towards Smokey. “This’ll riddle you like a block of cheese, go to hell!” Lucy bellows.

“SMOKEY!” Soluna screams from behind Smokey. Smokey freezes midair, turning to face the sight of Soluna flying towards him.

“MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!” she roars, holding her gun out, aiming it at Lucy. “OK!” Smokey shouts, panicking; he quickly sinks himself into the darkness.

“What is this!?” Lucy screams, watching Soluna launch towards him. Soluna squeezes the trigger as a pink aura coats the gun.

BANG! A flash of pink and white light covers the area. Lucy covers his eyes. “AUGH!” he screams.

The force of the shot breaks the gun into pieces, scraps of metal digging into Soluna’s hands and arms as she gets blown back by the force.

A wooden bullet rockets towards Lucy; by the time he covers his vision, it has already struck him in the torso. “AUGH!” he screams, as the bullet spins, digging into the surface of his coat.

The pain of the heat sears through his body. Soluna, still mid-air, looks at Lucy. She reaches her arm out as her eyes start to glow pink.

‘Arrivederci! Whatever afterlife there is, I’ll see you there!’ She crushes her palm into a fist, and the bullet on Lucy’s coat starts to grow as thorns sprout on the surface.

It then instantly grows into a wooden trunk, impaling Lucy through the chest. “EUGH!” Lucy screams as a gushing sound radiates from him.

Blood leaks through his mouth as the coat of ice breaks apart. “G-grandmother…” he mutters.

“Forgive m-me…” his final words before everything around him loses color and freezes. He no longer feels any pain. “What?” he whispers, stumbling forward. His silver hair turns back to brown, his pale skin returning to ivory.

Nya appears in front of him, her notebook already open. “Lucius Darrien? That was your name?” she says, looking at the page.

“You!?” Lucius shouts. “Who are you? I’ve just been watching you stand there, watching my performance!”

Nya scoffs. “Cut the theatrics, pal, you already lost. Your play is O-V-E-R, done.”

“What are you talking about?!” Lucius says, clenching his fist. “It’s not done until I become host! Look at her behind you, she’s frozen in place!”

“That means… I’ve gained the ability to freeze time itself, right!?” He chuckles to himself.

“Yes! This is the only way to explain this! Iceman has reached a new level!”

Nya pinches her forehead. “How about you look behind you.” Lucius grunts, turning his head. He gasps at the sight of his own body impaled by a trunk. “No… no….”

“NO! THIS CAN’T BE! I’M- I’M.”

“Dead? Yes, yes you are. Oh, Mi Stelle…” Nya says, shaking her head. Lucius starts to tremble as a tear falls down his cheek. “This can’t be real! I was supposed to make my grandmother’s dream a reality! I promised her before she died!”

He whirls back to Nya. “I can’t bear to face her again, knowing I failed her! I need to get the wish!”

“So you chose a shortcut to reach your dreams instead of actually working on it?” Nya asks. “You knew the risk of entering this game, didn’t you? If you were prepared to kill, don’t you think others would be prepared to kill you as well?”

“I-” Lucius stutters.

Nya smirks. “I’ve seen countless like you over my eons, some better, some worse, but you all share the same trait.”

“Thinking the world revolved around you.”

Lucius sniffles. “Shut up… Shut up! I refuse to go to hell!” Nya hums, looking at her notebook. “Hell?”

“Yeah, it seems you got it right, that is your destination. Hey, how did you know?”

“Wha-” Lucius stutters. “No, I didn’t actually mean Hell!” Nya shrugs. “Sorry, I don’t make the rules, amico.” She raises her palm as her eyes and hair flicker with a crimson light, and a red portal opens behind her.

The color leaves Lucius’s face as black arms reach out from the portal. “STOP! STOP PLEASE!”

“GRANDMOTHER! HELP! HELP ME PLEASE!” he screams, running back. The arms latch onto him, chills running through his soul. “AHHHUG!” he screams in terror as the arms drag him into the portal.

Nya closes her eyes, grinning. “Addio performer, your act was excellent, give ‘em a show down there!”

Lucy’s scream echoes through the portal before it closes. Nya stretches her arms up as time resumes once more.

Lucy’s corpse grows limp as blood spills across the tree trunk. Nya turns to Soluna, who’s skidding across the ground. She flips her notebook to another page. “Shocking, she’s not dead yet? She’s a tough one.”

Smokey rises from the shadows. “SOLEY!” he shouts, rushing towards her. She lies on the ground unconscious as the ice around her body breaks apart.

Smokey places his head on her chest; a small, faint beat pulses. “She’s still alive! Oh, thank God!”

The sound of horse hooves slapping across the ground approaches them. Smokey and Nya both turn to the east, to where the sound comes from.

Nya whistles. “You guys can’t get a break, can you? Haha!” Smokey grabs Soluna’s body. “It’s the sheriff’s! We have to go!”

“Sheriff’s?” Nya repeats, narrowing her eyes. “So these are people who enforce the law in your world?”

Smokey drags Soluna into the shadows, ignoring Nya’s question. “I guess that’s a yes? Rude…” She turns into red mist, following Smokey.

Moments pass as the sheriff and deputies arrive, looking around at the ice shards, the pool of blood, and the tree trunk impaling Lucy.

“Now what in all hell happened here…”

Two of them check the saloon. “Hey, there’s another body in here, he’s missing his head, damn, it looks like a massacre.”

One last horse appears; he wears an all-red cowboy suit with orange streaks adorned across it, his hair long and ginger, covering his back. His red cowboy hat has a ruby gleaming in the center, overlaying a black strap.

“Deputy Blaze, what are your thoughts on this?” one of the officers asks.

Blaze looks over at Lucy’s body. ‘So this guy was another contestant, hm? Must have been, look how he’s dressed.’

‘So the Demon of the West is a contestant, that’s the only person I can think of that can do this much damage in such a short time. First the four murders near the meteorite, now this.’

“All y’all listen here.” Blaze calls out. “You better get your rest tonight, ‘cuz at dawn we’re going head-hunting!”

“And once we find her, attack her without mercy! Only I will land the killing shot, understand!?”

My instincts are telling me she’s the host, and my gut is telling me it’s exactly the daughter of the missionary who’s the Demon of the West.

When he returns, we’ll just have to tell him why his saloon and daughter are both destroyed.

He tilts his head up. Ash steams from his mouth as he blows it into the air. “I need to cool down now, I’m getting excited! Heh!”

The Hunt starts at the crack of dawn. Smokey and Soluna will need to find a way to recover before they’re caught by this new contestant. The Games continue.

Rakuyō: Frontier Escapade 3 END (X)

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