[center][h2][color=#008b8b]Fionn MacKerracher[/color][/h2][/center]
[hr]

[i]"Make sure, if you use this, you're ready to take whatever comes your way. You certainly won't be avoiding it."[/i]

[i][color=#008b8b]"Eh? Why's that?"[/color][/i]

[i]"When you're pulling that much of your mana, focusing as hard as you will be to keep it from flying out of control...you might find it hard to get your legs to move."[/i]

As he was bathed in the green glow of the snake-construct's attack, Fionn couldn't help but think back to when Erich Cazt had taught him the spell he now held. The man was right, of course—a legendary demon-slaying knight was bound to know exactly what he was talking about when it came to such things. If [i]he[/i] struggled to get himself moving when he was relying on this spell, there was no chance that his centuries-removed protégé would have an easier time of it.

It wasn't such an issue if he had to take another few steps forward to ensure he connected; as much as he'd been expecting the beast to keep charging at him, he'd been prepared for it to stop in place. Evading other attacks, however, was a different matter entirely.

This was no strike from the head that he'd be able to just cleave through. This was something he had no effective counter for, even after all he'd been taught. He couldn't run without entirely releasing the spell, something he didn't wish to do; he couldn't block it all, even if he [i]hadn't[/i] been so committed. The only option seemed to be stepping into it and seeing if he could still get his own strike off quickly enough, or force through whatever damage one of those orbs may do.

[i][color=#008b8b]Well, captain, I hope one of the ones we've got is good at healing.[/color][/i]

He strained, heaving with all his well to force his left foot forward. His right next, left again, inexorably onward into the path of fire at a pace barely more than a walk. [color=#008b8b][i]"Ēnsis—"[/i][/color] he growled, his grip tightening against the hilt. Some of the orbs the snake had launched came closer, the air itself almost seeming to distort around them, a fundamental element of the world around them shaking apart from the barely-contained energies of the fairy watchdog's attack. He grit his teeth, stepping forward once more, shutting his mind against the pain he knew he'd have to push beyond...

And the earth split around him, roots shooting up to arch over and around him. No few of them instantly blackened and crumbled away, intercepting the spell he'd been prepared to suffer. The ground shook as the energy dumped into the makeshift shield drained away into the forest floor below, sending painful shocks up through his feet.

Thanks to Fiadh's intervention, [i]only[/i] painful. Leaving him free to visit something altogether more debilitating upon the target of his ire.

[color=#008b8b][i]"Secā!"[/i][/color]

The final part of the command came out as barely more than a grunt, easily drowned out by the sudden shockwave as he swung downwards, carried forward with a final step where he quickly collapsed down to his knee. The hazy nimbus that had grown around his blade followed it down, flying forward as a suddenly [i]solid[/i] arc of emerald light. The arch of roots that Fiadh had formed over him split apart without resistance as the arc flew straight for the snake, aimed to split it and its heart right down the middle.