54. Twin Lightning Bolts (Patreon)

Loup leaped into the air and dropped down on the rooster’s head. She opened her mouth. Bright white light shone in her throat. She lowered her head, and thunder boomed as white light slammed into the rooster.

The rooster stumbled. Ike sliced at its throat again, but his sword stuck once more. This time, he expected it. The blow hurt less, and he yanked the sword out easily. The rooster screeched in pain, twisting its neck, and exposed his earlier, deeper cut. Muscle glistened in the sun, but not bone. Ike wrinkled his nose. I can’t behead it. I can’t even cut through its deep muscles. I need another plan.

With a vicious scream, the rooster tossed its head. Ike and Loup both flew into the air. Ike tumbled over a fallen tree and out of the rooster’s sight. The branches snapped under his body. He gritted his teeth against the ache.

Across the span of fallen trees, more wood cracked as Loup hit the ground. She yelped in pain.

Lying in the wreckage of the tree, splayed over the trunk, Ike’s heart jolted. “Loup!”

She yipped, her voice upbeat.

Still alive. Doing okay. Thank goodness. Ike turned back to the rooster.

Two tree-trunk-like legs stood before him. Black claws bit into the earth. Huge spurs lifted high at the back of the rooster’s foot. It hefted its head back.

Ike jumped up and dashed away, silver chasing his steps. The rooster slammed its beak down seconds later, piercing deep into the trunk. Ike glanced back, ready to round about and punish it for getting stuck, but the rooster easily drew its beak out. It stalked after him, beady eyes locked on his.

Loup climbed out of the trees. She growled. The rooster turned. Its eyes locked onto her instead.

Ike instantly whipped around and raced at the rooster’s feet. He hefted his sword and unleashed a slash at the rooster’s nearest ankle. Instead of trying to slice through the joint, Ike aimed for the back of the foot to sever the tendon. Scaly skin resisted the blade. He forced his way through, only to strike the stiff tendon. His sword cut halfway through, then stopped. He jerked it out.

The rooster screeched. It lifted its foot and delivered a powerful kick toward Ike.

Ike threw himself to the side. The foot swooshed by, ruffling his hair.

As it kicked, Loup darted in. She angled toward the rooster’s other ankle and slammed her teeth down. Lightning flickered around her jaw. She shook her head back and forth, wrenching the tendon with all her might.

Swapping to stand on its sliced leg, the rooster shook the leg Loup held onto. She dug in for a few seconds, then flew off. She rolled into a tree and vanished behind the leaves.

Before it could swap back, Ike drew back his sword. Lightning shone on his forearms. With all his strength, he sliced through the remaining tendon.

The rooster retracted its injured leg, swapping to stand on the one Loup gnawed. It drove its beak at Ike. Ike dashed, leaving only a buzz of electricity behind him. But this time, he didn’t dash away. He dashed in, toward the rooster’s remaining leg. His eyes locked onto the gnawed tendon. He slammed his foot down, securing his stance, and let forth the horizontal slash of the River-Splitting Sword at the rooster’s remaining ankle.

The mantis blade cut through easily. The gnawed skin couldn’t hold his sword back any longer. With a snap, he severed the tendon. The rooster fell, dropping onto its underbelly.

Ike charged in. The rooster reared back and struck at Ike. Ike deflected its blow and continued toward its neck. “Loup!”

On the other side of the rooster, Loup rose out of the dark of night. She leaped at the rooster, her mouth wide. Lightning flashed in her mouth.

Ike lowered the sword. He lifted his hand instead. White bolts crackled at his fingertips. At the same time that Loup bit it, he grasped the rooster’s neck.

Lightning shot from Loup’s mouth to his hand, straight through the rooster’s neck. The rooster jolted, spasming wildly. It tensed, whole body rigid.

Ike dropped back. On the other side, Loup landed. They both backed away, eyeing the rooster.  

Its eyes rolled back in its head. Its tongue lolled out. It remained tense for another few seconds, then went totally limp, falling to the ground.

Ike let out a sigh. He grinned, the grin slowly growing wider. He looked at Loup. “We did it. We did it, girl!”

Loup walked over to his side, her tail wagging. She leaned against him.

Ike hesitated, then patted her side. She paused, considering, then wagged her tail. He smiled, running a hand over her fluff. Getting to pet Loup is almost better than killing the rooster. Almost.

Stepping away from Loup, he walked over to the rooster and crouched. “This thing has to have a skill orb somewhere,” he muttered aloud to himself.