The 3rd Day

Blood dripped from Diana's forehead, her left eye was seal shut as the bruise consumed its sight.

The blood moon shone red in the night, visible from between the black storm clouds that shot a monsoon of icy rain from above; the smell of burning and blood was fresh in the air.

Grunting in pain, her body tired and broken, she dug her nails into the dirt, trying to pick herself up as her bloody hand wrapped around the shaft of her hammer: Ymir.

She clutched at her belly, heaving, barely able to breathe as she shakily got to her feet "It's okay Billy, Mama's got you." She Whispered, "We'll get through this..."

She gasped, her leg broken, she tore one of the vials from her belt; a Longswallow Potion, flicking out the cork and sinking it down her throat.

Sparks flew from her skin as her leg painfully cracked back in place, though the rest of her wounds refused to heal... it had got her real good.

Diana reeled as an explosion boomed in the field, and she looks to the sky as the One in Pharoah mask streaked through the air, smashing into some trees to the west, dirt raining from the sky from the massive impact.

Not even the Superiors were a dent in that thing, it was too big, too fast, the Noxium couldn't stand a chance...

That is when the silence came, the booming blows of the Undead battle came to a silence, and Diana wondered where the moonlight had gone.

She froze, turning around amongst this space of craters and trees ripped from their stumps, and looked up into the starless sky, only to realise that it was not the sky at all.

Red burning eyes as big as houses peered from above, it's spiralling body black as midnight and vibrating with power whirled up into the sky and pierced through the clouds, She saw it then, its huge head that gazed down from 70 meters above, it's hiss booming like thunder as the raindrops were blocked by its titanous form.

Diana drew her gun, tensing hard as she faces the colossus above, putting on her family's wide smile, ready for the Monsters deadly attack, muttered a single word as the sparks and her baby filled her with courage and life.

"OVERDRIVE!!"

Five Days Earlier

Now it was time to see what you were really made of. You, Diana and Pops had taken to the garden, where the dripping of the fountain sounded next to the open space by the back fence. I was a large clear field, over there, plenty of space to train while Rose sat in the gardens, reading through some of the books Artorias gave her from the library.

But you and Diana were stood on one side of the field, side by side, ready for battle, drenched by the rain that fell from the grey sky

Across from you, was the old man, He stood, hands in his trouser pockets, his shiny shoes stood on the grass, waiting in anticipation.

Hilde called, she was off to the side "Charlie, Do not underestimate him. Diana, watch your footing in this rain" She warned as He cracked his knuckles, smiling darkly.

It was time for the real training to begin, to see if you were truly worthy of the Hunt.

"If you even think about holding back, you're gonna get hurt." He growled like a wolf.

The sound of the rain filled the silence, and for a moment, you were at peace... until.

"Begin!!" Hilde cried.

Your feet dug into the grass as you sprung into a sprint, Diana matching your speed next to you, as the two of you dashed towards the Old man who was still, calm and smiling.

Diana shot you a quick glance and you knew what to do.

The two of you shot your fists at your Pop's smiling face, ready to land the blow right up into the last second, before you both swivelled like a tornado, flipping into two Warhammer kicks that could break a bone.

But neither you nor Diana landed your blows, instead, your legs were caught in Pop's hands, him looking curiously at you both and smiling "Good form.... but too slow-" Pops arm tensed as he threw Diana aside like she nothing, her rolling along the ground before hopping back up on her feet.

"You're not paying attention..." You jolted as Pop's appeared beside you, sweeping out your legs from under you as you grunted in shock.

TIME TO GET FUNKY!

His fist followed you downward, promising to sink into your chest, but you twisted mid-air, landing on your hands and shooting backwards as He pressed his attack, struggling to hold off the aggressive attack pattern.

You deflected and parried, deflected and parried, dodging and weaving as His blows (heavy and strong enough to do serious damage) shot at you nearly faster than you can track. But you saw the pattern, He had an opening on his left, and so you caught his left arm, swinging to sink your foot into his ribs "Tut-Tut, To predictable."

"AAAAH!" You cried as the hand on the arm you grabbed snatched back, swinging you around and tossing you into oblivion, leaving you to face plant into the dirt as Diana flew towards him.

"Good, keep pressing, a Blooded isn't going to stop and take a breather!" He said as his Grandaughter smashed into him, tackling him back, though his heels dug into the ground, pushing back the soil, his arms wrapping around her midsection and throwing the two of them back, Diana groaned as she smashed into the ground with a painful thump.

"Ow." she wheezed

"He's twice your weight, you moron!" Remhilde cried as Diana coughed in pain.

"You two are very impressive, thanks for letting me win-" He said happily and without malice. that was until he felt a presence by his side. Your fist sunk into his ribs as you twisted around sinking your knee into the other side.

Artorias grunted, coughing as blood flew from his lips. Damn that was the hardest you've ever hit anyone, and he didn't even fall, just stumble back a bit. "Now that... is how you attack... ugh hehe." He chuckled through grunts.

You held up your fists "You weren't paying attention" You smiled.

"Cheeky little Fucker-oop!"

Diana flew at him, throwing her fist which was caught with ease, the old man wagging his finger and clicking his tongue "Fool me once." He grinned.

You burst forward to Diana's side, Artorias pulling back as the two of you began to wail on him, masterfully punching and kicking in wide arcs, your minds and bodies almost in perfect sync. But the Mad-Dog dodged and deflected with ease, his fist stopping on different parts of your body just before they landed:

Your face "Dead."

Her ribs "Very dead."

He swivelled behind you like a shadow, leaning over your shoulder "Dead and Stupid." He taunted.

You growled, feeling the fire's burn as your fingers locked in his white hair and with all of your strength pulled him over your shoulders, sending him flying towards Diana. You cried "HEY BATTER BATTER BATTER!"

Diana answered the call, lifting her foot above her head in a feat of pure flexibility, and bringing it down like a hammer.

The Impact clapped against the rain, and You grimace as He lay on the ground, Diana's foot caught between his hands "Excellent. Time to get serious."

"Serious?" Diana grimaced.

His pupils shrunk "OVERDRIVE."

Artorias Drake was not like Hilde, not when it came to Overdrive, he was not graceful in the way that he attacked her, He bore his teeth and growled, pulling Diana downwards and smashing his fist in her--

"tssssssssss." Hilde hissed, grimacing, touching her thigh in surrogate pain as she cringed.

Diana screamed, waddling back as something cracked, tears mixing with the rain that drenched her face "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, FUCK, SHIT!" She cried, falling down and holding her crotch.

"Jesus Pops!" You cried. What kinda guy punches a girl in the pussy!?

He flipped but didn't land on his feet, he instead knelt, on hand on the ground as He stared at you, his body wrought with muscle, his face flooded with animalistic Joy "If I was a Vampire, she'd have been impaled. I warned you, hold back, and you'll get hurt." He growled as he vibrated with power.

You narrowed your eyes "You alright, Didi!?" You called.

She wheezed, holding her garden as she slowly began to regenerate "No." She squeaked "Give me... a minute, or t-ten." She muttered weakly as her hip cracked back in place with a spark "Ow... why..."

You looked at Artorias, his expression hungry for bloodshed "Looks like it's just you and me, Boy. As we agreed, the last man standing wins"

Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and relaxed, closing your fists as you called into the rainy sky "OVERDRIVE!"

You felt your body course with power, muscles tensing, adrenaline pumping, skin burning. The Rain sizzled on your skin, vapour rising from your form as you opened your eyes "Time to put down the dog." You growled at Artorias smiled.

Still and silent, the two of you faced off, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The two of you boomed, Artorias launching off on all four towards you, while you shot toward him the air whipping in protest to your matching inhuman speed as the clash began.

It was a blur of instinct and pain, you landed blows, he landed blows, Your afterimages fading in and out of perception as you roared, smashing against the Old-Young man's shin, blowing out his left leg and twisting around into a flying spin, kicked him so hard that even despite blocking in, you heard the bones within the crack. Artorias bounced back, flipping on his good arm as the other hung uselessly by his side.

He crouched like a hound, baying for blood, Uncaring of his injury and smiling manically "That's it, now you're getting it, ferocity and tact are the keys to battling the undead, fight fire with fire!"

You went at each other again, battled for what felt like an hour, though perhaps that was just Forevermore? You'd been using it to track his movements a little better, countering and attacking.

Diana had crawled over the garden, sitting at the lawn table under the umbrella as Rose read quietly "T-That... really hurt."

"I'm thinking one on one Combat isn't your forte." You heard Rose say as you dodged your Grandfather's kick.

"Focus, Boy!" He commanded as You smacked away his coming fists and began to throw a torrent of wicked face blows at him, you attacked and attacked and attacked, and he deflected and deflected and deleted, the raindrops being cut in the air as you picked up speed, pushing him back as you cried, pushing harder, fighting faster.

He might have only had one arm to fight with but He twisted and turned, blocking and deflecting with all three of his remaining limbs.

WOOOOOOO THIS IS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!

"THIS IS FUCKING INCREDIBLE!"

Rose peeked over the cover of her book, Diana stared in awe and Hilde smiled as the two of you danced in ****'s waltz, moving in arcs of one another in a beautiful show of call and response, limbs flying in every direction so that a dry bubbled formed where you coth cut through the air.

"Alright... Game... OVER!"

Smashing Artorias' arm free, you stamped your heel into his, making him grunt as you faked left but spun right, Artorias rushing to meet you though you weren't there.

Artorias looked around in confusion, turning and looking wide-eyed as the shadow of your form appeared, golden eyes blazing as You fist coiled back, bulging with power beyond Overdrive, beyond anything you'd ever felt, this was a killing blow.

The Old man could do nothing but watch the colossal form of your fists came flying towards him. Threatening to blow right through his head. His eyes widened as you suddenly came to a screeching halt, knuckles, millimetres from his face as He raised an eyebrow, leaning to look at you as He grimaced.

Chip? Chip? You there?

"....."

Your eyes rolled into the back of your head... you couldn't... you couldn't breathe, your body was locked in place, and wheezing, you fell face-first down to the floor.

Artorias caught you in his good arm, "There you go, easy does it."

You gasped, unable breathe, going cold as Overdrive burned out, your heart hammering in your chest as you clutched your throat.

"Relax relax relax, it's alright, just let it fade, don't let it stop abruptly." He instructed warmly and calmly.

Hilde rushed to your side, reaching into her coat pocket and brandishing a White Vial, "Longswallow Potion, it will help fix the internal damage, open up, Kid." She urged, carefully opening your locked jaws and pouring the solution between your lips, rubbing your throat so that you swallowed.

"Just relax, think about something happy, something that will trigger Anchor," Artorias said.

You clenched your eyes shut, feeling yourself fading as you tried to make Anchor work.

"He's suffocating," Hilde said urgently, going to help, but Pop's stopped her.

"Come on, Charlie, You can do it." He urged.

You tried to clear your head and relax... and allowed thoughts of Diana and Rose to fill your mind, of your child and Rose's children, how they'd look when they were finally born... and you gasped, taking in air as you lay there in Artorias' arm.

"Good lad." He smiled as Hilde tapped your shoulder.

"You would have beaten him if you had paced yourself." She said casually.

"Experience vs Talent. Experience always wins. But you two... You two are easily twice as powerful as Romulus and Remus were at your age, truly extraordinary." Artorias said.

"I'd... like to... drink... an extraordinary amount... of Vodka... right now..." You said, feeling the strange mixture inside fill you with a regenerative warmth.

Artorias chuckled, casting his eyes over to his Grandaughter, who continued to was recuperating face down on the table with her hands still guarding her mound. "You alright, Didi!?" He called.

Diana did not lift her head, but she did lift her arm, flipping him the bird.

"Yep. she's fine." Hilde nodded.

You grunted, standing up as you clutched your chest "I could really use a rest after that."

Artorias smiled, clicking his fingers. Hilde tossed him a Black Vile this time, which he uncorked and swallowed. You watched in horror as the bones in his arm cracked back into place, his face still lighthearted and casual "You have an hour until nightfall, after that, we're setting back off."

"Ugh, to what exactly?" You asked.

Hilde smiled "Something fun."