Mosaic City, located along China's coast, is quite large city sometimes called the Crossroads Between Nations due to its diverse population. While it was once a large tourist spot, the city was placed under a blockade as the military appeared claiming there was a radiation leak. The true hazard, however, is much more sinister.
Onwards with his dedication to see things through, find out more stuff about what they were fighting, blow off some steam, and just generally lay waste to some of the things that have always pissed him off one way or another, Vice once more found himself scaling up the steps of the floating castle. He swore, the steps up to the floating thing might as well have been a cardio work out for the average joe and just climbing it would have probably taken out the fight from someone who wasn't used to this.
The biker was also feeling pretty good about things today and was probably getting his hopes up just for it to be dashed as per usual but until then, there was little to no reason as to be pessimistic. Hopefully the next few test subjects wouldn't be such a chore like last time but alas, beggars can't be choosers.
Everything was turning into a haze again, and Vice didn't bloody know why. He knew his body was moving, that his spiritual energy was being depleted somehow and someway but for whatever the hell was happening exactly, Vice couldn't put a number on it. There was probably a fight, against a strong opponent at that with how tired he was feeling. His eyelids cracked open just a bit and the young man found himself hiding behind a rather tight passage to avoid an incoming golden fist that would probably turn him into paste if it had gotten lucky.
His mind was else where but his body was moving nonetheless. It felt surreal, like an out of body experience. He saw himself ducking under a lightning bolt that would have fried his ear off had his body moved a second slower. A glow then began to envelop him, probably a new skill that his Persona had managed to pick up not too long ago. Abruptly, his vision swam back as he found himself face to face with the ugliest colour scheme he's laid eyes on.
Gold. Really. Paint me a bullseye why don't you.
Unfortunately, as he felt his body lock up the moment his senses returned, Vice had found out that he was having trouble breathing and moving his right leg enough to get any proper leverage for running. The thing was a whole lot stronger than the usual shadows he'd come across for it to have done this kind of damage on his person. It wasn't quite on the level of those Human Shadows but it still hurt like a bitch multiplied by said bitch's mother in law.
He was getting creative with the explicits wasn't he? Nonetheless, he felt the well of power that barely ever reached half way of its entirety except in dire situations begin to deplete itself more and gathering what remained was becoming harder for the biker. Still, what he had been able to scrounge up was enough to cast an amplified Black Viper that tore off half of the shadow's body. Unlike most of its brethren though, it didn't just simply die out…and instead sent a whirling mass of something right on his left side. Vice felt his bones rattle from the pressure, his vision swimming in and out of darkness before managing to stay open. Stomping his functioning leg in order to hype up his body into standing upright again, Vice was damn right determined to win this fight even if he had to exhaust what little remained of his reserves.
When no incoming attack came, or even the presence of any other shadow brought itself to his senses, the biker allowed a small sigh to escape his lips before forcing himself to limp towards the wall. As tempting as it was to just face plant directly to the floor, that'd just make his shit worse than it already was. That, however, wasn't his biggest problem. The symptoms were coming back.
A world half filled with clear vision, the other with creeping darkness. Half of his body limping like a cripple, the other dragging the human body with as much force of will as it could. It came to the point though that Vice was already losing it that the only possible way he was getting anywhere was if he could have Arondight at least carry him to a less treacherous area while he rested.
Which the fallen king did, his mighty wings and strong arms carrying the injured fighter into a less worrisome height before gently putting him down on what seemed to be some kind of ledge.The young man thanked his inner self before spitting out a glob of blood and spit that had been in his mouth for a bit. Despite it all, Vice couldn't help the satisfied smile on his face as he spent some time trying to recover. This was a pretty fun expedition, even with the all the pain it caused him.