Viper doesn't get up.

Richard kicks against the ground, sending him flying towards the intruder, drawing and swinging a crystal sword as he does so.

The figure brings a metal greatsword up to block-

-which is promptly cleaved in half by the crystal sword-

- only for the figure's knee to connect with their attacker -

- disorienting him as he's flung back.

A moment's pause in the fighting, as the two empowered face each other. Metcalfe's unempowered compatriots stand back, not even bothering to string arrows till the fight is decided.

The figure breaks the moment first, opening their arms as if to embrace there opponent.

Well, let it not be said he let an opportunity that obvious go to waste.

Metcalfe pushes himself forward, moving faster than before - crystal sword darting out to stab rather than slash.

The figure's armor bends strangely a moment before they bring their hands together into a thunderous clap, with a shockwave strong enough to blast their opponent back, rocking the carriage and nearly knocking the unempowered compatriots off their feat. 

Metcalfe's back, hurling towards the armored foe without a moment's pause.

Except this time the figure drifts back and up about a foot, dodging the initial thrust and buying them enough time for their next clap, less potent then the first but originating slightly above the Lord Metaclafe and so pushing him into the ground as well as away, carving a shallow furrow in the dirt.

... Honestly this isn't worthy of his time anyways.

"You'll live to regret this," the duke's son says, his form falling into shadow. And then into further shadow, his figure curling up into a ball of utter darkness that begins to pull everything in its sphere of influence towards it - hero, villain, victim, and esper alike.

...Haru grabs for the nearest firmly rooted plant.

The armored figure digs their feet into the ground, taking several steps in defiance of the black hole's gravity, positioning themself in the path of the carriage as it is pulled off the ground. The figure has just enough time to brace themself before the carriage collides with them, nearly but not quite knocking them off their feet. 

Viper, noticing an opportunity, shoots his tongue out at the armored figure, grabbing onto their right hand and attempting to drag them with him into the black hole.

Caught between the weight of the carriage and Viper's tight hold on their gauntleted hand, something has to give. The gauntlet shakes, warps, and is torn bodily off their hand - flying along with Viper into the darkness.

The black hole seems almost to boil, the space around it turning red hot, before collapsing in on itself and vanishing, freeing all those remaining from its gravity.

Haru sits up.

The carriage can get gently placed down.

"Is anyone injured?" asks the figure in a strangely resonating voice. The driver volunteers that he can't feel his arm, but the carriage occupants are evidently without anything significant.

"Might have bruises, nothing worse."

A nod.

"We'll wait for another carriage to pass then."

"Those clowns arrived in one, we got out of it a ways away and then they clearly didn't leave in it, though I confess I don't know how to drive the thing."

The driver isn't confident about his ability to drive it with his arm broken, but as it turns out an elderly man in fine clothing who was in the wrecked carriage has some experience and the driver can instruct him if necessary. 

Haru leads them back to the abandoned carriage that Those Clowns left behind.