ARC ONE: The Loot House

Chapter 4: Melee

Elsa stood before the group of six and posed herself in an animalistic, yet seductive pose.

"Ahhhh..So many dance partners, it's so exciting!"

She then took a quick glance at Puck and then at Batman.

"Especially you two…"

Felt stepped a bit forward looking flustered by Elsa.

"Hey! What's the big idea didn't you hire me to begin with?"

"Yes. But you failed. So what would I want with something that has no purpose any longer? I have to sever ties with it."

Felt looked hurt by her comments, but it was Subaru who answered back.

"You Bitch! Is it that fun to pick on a kid, you bowel-obsessed psycho?! Just because thing's didn't go your way you decide to lash out?! Who's the real kid here, huh?! And do you have any idea how painful getting your stomach sliced open feels? WELL I DO!"

Subaru pointed at himself after his long rant. Everyone could only stare at Subaru, but Elsa interjected.

"…What in the world are you talking about?"

Subaru smiled as he pointed back at her.

"It's called a distraction, you dumb jerk. GET HER PUCK!"

"That was an awkward rant you went on, but I'll remember it well. I'll write it down for future generations to pick up on!"

Elsa realized too late that several spears of ice had surrounded her.

"My name is Puck. Remember it well, even into the afterlife."

Puck said this playfully, as the spears fired into the spot Elsa stood. Everyone was shocked by the speed and ferocity. Batman observed this especially well. Batman could only figure this was Cyrokinesis, but figured that the small creature named Puck was mainly responsible for this. Rom looked at the dust and rubble and could only say one thing that annoyed Subaru.

"Did it really get her?'

"Do you really have to jinx us like that?!"

From the dust, emerged Elsa who had no visible wounds. The silver haired girl could only be suprised by this.

"But how?"

"Ahhh…the cloak I was wearing had special incantations woven into to it to bypass magic. But it has its limits."

She then moved in a pouncing position as Puck interjected.

"Hey, if we keep fighting like this, you'll die you know? I won't go easy on someone who tries to harm my child."

"Fufufu. Well, let's see if you can kill me."

Elsa dashed to where Puck was only to be met with a torrent of ice spears. She quickly dodged them bouncing from wall to wall as she tried to get closer. The distance never closed as the spears kept her at bay. She dodged them effortlessly. More and more spears attacked her but she either maneuvered away from them or sliced them away with her kukri blades.

At one point, ice trapped her foot and unable to move, a gigantic icicle assaulted her. It left a huge hole in the wall. However she walked away with several cuts on her foot. But as she tried to move again, more icicles formed around her. Subaru got ecstatic from this.

"We'll get her in no time!"

But Rom interjected.

"But she's a spirit user. Most of them usually have a time limit don't they?"

"Oh crap!"

Subaru remembered that Puck could only be summoned from the morning to before the evening. And that time limit had passed. Puck started to become transparent before their eyes. Puck looked down at his partner.

"Sorry Lia, but I think I over exhausted myself there. "

"It's okay Puck. I think I can handle things here."

"If you're in trouble, call me again. I will obey the contract, even if you have to use your od."

The girl gave a nod as the spirit turned into light and disappeared as mist. Elsa could only voice her disappoint.

"Aw, over already? We were having such a lovely dance too."

The silver haired girl summoned an ice shield and more pillars of ice formed around her as the battle continued. Elsa sliced away the ice spears that came towards her as she tried making her way to the young lady. Rom grabbed a large nail embedded club from behind his counter.

"Looks like we just got an opening!"

Batman nodded as he charged along side with Rom.

Rom began swinging his club at Elsa, who merely slid away from every hit.

"Ah, I've never had a dance with a giant before! Please tell me you'll entertain me with a worthwhile dance."

"If you want a dance, I'll give you the best dance of your damn life!"

Her kukri blade and his club collided several times, creating sparks from the vicious blows. She began to smile from the situation…however.

"Wuh?!"

A hand gripped her shoulder and arm. Using the momentum in her previous strike, she was sent flying to a nearby wall. As she got up she saw several objects flying towards her, she sliced them away effortlessly. But they then exploded, releasing bright blinding lights. She became blind for only a few seconds.

In those few seconds she was punched in the face several times before being kicked to the other side of the house.

Elsa licked her lips as she picked up her blade from the ground.

"I had a feeling you'd be something special."

She looked to the other side of the room to see Batman standing tall with a scowling demeanor. Rom could only rub his eyes at this. In the literal blink of an eye, this strange man had bested the highly skilled assassin sent to kill them all.

And he made it look easy.

Elsa smiled with a sense of ecstasy.

"Fufufufu. This will be very fun."

Batman and Rom gave each other a look as they charged again. Elsa seemingly danced around Rom as he tried his best to get in a hit on her. As she got close to him, Batman rushed her and released a flurry of jabs. She attempted to slice him several times, but each and every time he effortlessly dodged them. She attempted to spear him, but only passed by him.

He then reached out and grabbed her long ponytail and wrapped it around his hand. He pulled her head back and gave her nasty hit to the face with his elbow. He then let go of her hair and did a flip in the air, dodging a counter attack by Elsa. He then unleashed an axe kick to her already hurt face. She then summersaulted away from him and back to Rom. He then swung his club once again. But as he swung it he noticed Elsa had disappeared. He looked around the room.

"ROM! Look out!"

Batman screamed as he prepared to throw several batarangs. Rom then realized that Elsa was standing on top of his large club.

"What the hell?"

"Sorry. But I have to cut off our little dance, that other man has piqued my interest."

She blushed as she said this, raising her blade. Felt then grabbed a small blade she had been carrying with her. She then dashed forward, Subaru unable to stop her.

"I ain't gonna let you do that!"

She tossed the blade at Elsa. But instead of hitting her, she hit her kukri blade. It lost its trajectory, only to strike Rom in the side of his head. He let out a cough before falling over.

"ROM-JIIIIII!"

"NO! ROM-JII!"

"ROM!"

Felt on the verge of tears screamed, her screams being joined by Subaru and Batman. Felt froze in place looking over at Rom, who became motionless.

"What an eyesore. A weak insect."

Elsa had turned her attention to Felt and rushed forward. Batman threw his Batarangs at her but she dodged them as she continued to rush at Felt.

"A weak insect should stand in the corner and mind it's own business!"

Batman grabbed his grappling gun, he fired it and attempted to reach Felt. He tried to make it in time…

"HAIDARA!"

Subaru had leapt to Felt pushing her out of the way in time from being sliced open. Batman changed his trajectory and tackled Elsa to a nearby wall. He let go of her as he back-flipped away from her strike. The Silver haired girl saw her chance as she began firing icicles at her.

"I hope you still remember that I'm still over here!"

Subaru and Felt saw the icicles hit the wall Elsa was leaning against, utterly destroying it. Elsa still escaped however, as she dodged more incoming projectiles. But as she dodged a certain icicle, she soon realized she came face to face with Batman.

She tried once again to slice him but he jumped in the air and kicked her hand away. She pulled out another blade and tried to stab him, only for her right arm to be caught mid-air. Batman twisted her entire arm, until a loud snapping sound was heard.

Her arm was dislocated.

As he landed on the ground he grabbed her other arm and held in the air. She attempted to kick him; he saw this and used his knee to block it. He then used his freed hand to karate chop her neck, making her lose her balance. Batman then let go of her hand and let out a textbook combo of punches to her face. He then pulled a small device out and latched it onto to her chest.

It was a Taser.

Countless volts of electricity surged through her body. Elsa tried to take it off, but every time she did, Batman hit her with an attack.

She finally got it off, but was only rewarded for her efforts with a fast kick to the abdomen, sending her flying. She then saw that more icicles were flying towards her. She barley dodged them and saw Batman running towards her. She also saw Subaru picking up Rom's club and charging alongside Batman. In the corner of her eyes she saw Felt making a run for it.

"I'm not letting any of you get away."

She pulled out small little throwing knives and tossed them as she landed back on her feet. They flew towards Felt's direction. Subaru saw this and kicked up a table near him, causing all the small little blades to become stuck on it. Felt had managed to escape. Elsa saw this and narrowed her eyes at Subaru.

"I'm starting to think you have become quite annoying."

"Serves you right you bitch!"

Subaru swung the club at Elsa, she dodged it, but was met with palm thrust to the neck by Batman. She tried to get her balance back. However, Subaru swung again at her, making her use her blade to block it. Batman saw an opportunity and kneed her on the side. Her body flew up a bit in the air and was hit by Rom's club. As she began to fall back down, Batman kicked her forward back at Subaru, who responded with a club swing to her side. Elsa used her blade to take some of the damage but Subaru only smiled at this.

"SPECIAL DELIVERY!"

He gripped the club as he used his entire body to send Elsa flying back to Batman, who roundhouse kicked her to a yet unbroken wall. She flew back a few feet, only to pounce at Subaru in a mad spinning barrage. Batman threw small pellets at her, releasing smoke. He grabbed Subaru and they leapt to the ground. Batman looked up at the young girl.

"NOW!"

She nodded as she fired a massive array of icicles at the direction of the smoke. Elsa emerged from the smoke and ran across tan adjacent wall to dodge the icicles. But she noticed too late that a batarang was imbedded on the wall she was on. Batman pushed a button on his sleeve, as he did the batarang self-destructed. Elsa was sent flying back down to the ground and was hit in the back by Subaru. She spun around in an attempt to stab Subaru but was tossed away by Batman. She flipped in the air and used her blade to slice away incoming icicles.

As she landed back down in a crouched position, she looked up to see three people lined up in front of her. One was a half-elf with silver hair and amethyst colored eyes, icicles floating around her. The other was a boy with sharp unfriendly looking eyes, holding a large nail-embedded club. And lastly, was a large stoic man in a strange costume, one she had never seen before. She looked at them and began to smile.

"Fufufufufufu."

Her laughter created a sense of caution for the three. She got back up as she painfully fixed her right arm by popping it back to place. She rotated her arm to prove of its now perfect condition. She then took a step forward.

"I've never had so much fun before. Ahhh…to think I could finally enjoy a dance as good as this. And you the costumed one, may you tell me your name?"

Batman only tensed his fists at this.

"They call me Batman."

She smiled at this as her face began to blush. She slowly walked towards them.

"Ahhh..Batman. Lovely. I am Elsa Grainhiert. I will remember you well. Maybe I'll even keep your bowels to better remember you by."

She then licked her blade while asking one last thing.

"But I don't understand. You are incredibly powerful. So tell me…"

She was now only a few feet away from the group of three, as she narrowed her eyes at Batman.

"Why is there no killing intent in your attacks?"

Batman merely stared back at her having no intention to explain his reasoning. But someone else did.

"Because he doesn't need to stoop down to your level to beat you. Got that, you crazy bitch?!"

Batman was surprised by Subaru's declaration. Subaru pointed at her with the large club using only one hand, as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"All three of us here are going to beat you here. We're going to finish this, and finally…HAVE A HAPPY ENDING!"

"Well, let's see if this dance doesn't grow stale shall we?"

Elsa then got into a pouncing position, as the other three each took a fighting stance. The melee in the Loot House would be reaching it's final round.

Earlier, Felt had escaped from the Loot House with the help of Subaru, the half elf girl and Batman. Subaru had given her the opportunity, while he and the others blocked Elsa from chasing after her.

As Felt thought of Rom, she kept hoping that he would be all right. The wound he received frightened her, even if Rom was strong, the wound looked serious.

She also thought of the two men, Subaru and Batman. She felt guilty about the way she treated them. She yelled and insulted them in the Loot House, only for the both of them to risk their lives to protect her.

She thought about Subaru patting her head and smiling at her. And also of Batman, who made a sad, caring face for her. Not because he was mocking her, but because he was legitimately worried for her.

The guilt had built up inside her. She couldn't abandon them, not Rom, not the half-elf girl, not Subaru or Batman. She'd save all of them.

"SOMEONE ANYONE! PLEASE! HELP! HELP ME!"

She ran through the slums screaming for help. All the residents either ignored her or ran back into their homes. Felt began to cry. No one was coming to help.

She then tripped and landed hard on the floor. She couldn't get up. Not because she was physically hurt, but emotionally she was at her limit. She began to cry.

"Please help me…"

"Understood. I'll help you."

She looked up at the voice that had suddenly appeared. She saw a man with red hair, like a blazing fire. He kneeled down to her level and reached out his hand to her, letting out a bright noble smile.

"I, Reinhard Van Astrea, will help you. Now show me the way."

And so, a new hero would enter the melee, as the sun faded away and the moon took to the sky.