Strength Arcana 1

Even before felt my counterpart ready himself, I was moving, rushing towards Malkuth with all the strength I could muster. While the effects of my obscenely enhanced Strength differed from my other’s improved Dexterity, there was always a certain amount of overlap between strength and speed. With every step I took, the ground seemed to ripple beneath my feet, hardly even feeling solid—like I was running over water instead of earth. My feet sank into the ground with each step, breaking through some kind of wall, and each time the ripples expanded far enough, the ground shattered yet again, strained far beyond its limits. As I rushed for Malkuth, anything that could break, broke, but each step pushed me what seemed like leagues forward.

Malkuth lifted a hand to block as I came near—but it was too late for that, now. Just before I reached him, I activated Bai Hu’s Lunge and close the last meter in an instant. The moment my fist struck his guard, a shockwave expanded from the point of connection and flashed outwards at an astonishing speed, destroying everything it touched. The now utterly shattered ground was forced down by the pressure, reducing everything near us to fine powder, and whatever smoke and dust still lingered on the battlefield was promptly swept away.

Though Gilgamesh’s mask reveal no expression, I liked to think Malkuth widened his eyes in surprise. Instead of stopping me like he probably intended, I drove Malkuth back, forcing his feet to drag long trenches in the ground. We went fifty meters, a hundred, two hundred, and then even further, hardly seeming to slow as we passed through the almost frictionless sand. A touch belatedly, Malkuth lifted his other hand in reaction, reaching for me.

I lifted my eyes to his mask and smiled.