Ruel and I stood across from each other, our eyes locked in a silent but intense exchange. He took his stance, the posture of a swift swordsman—a style known for its reliance on speed and agility. His legs were slightly bent, like a coiled spring ready to release at any mont, much like a track runner preparing to launch into a sprint. The difference here was the way he held his sword with a firm, unwavering grip. His fingers curled around the hilt, the blade angled low but ready to strike upward with lethal precision.
I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my ears, a steady rhythm that matched the tension between us. He was waiting for the perfect mont to strike, the right timing to close the distance and finish this duel quickly. I knew that I couldn’t just wait passively; I had to find a way to counterattack. But what worried the most was his speed. Swift swordsn were known for their ability to overwhelm opponents with a barrage of quick, precise attacks. One wrong move, one mont of hesitation, and I would be done for.
As we faced off, I noticed sothing—a subtle limp in his stance, a slight hesitation in the way he shifted his weight. His left leg wasn’t quite as steady as it should be. An injury. My eyes widened as I realized that Chris must have managed to wound him before he ca after us. A surge of gratitude filled . Without that injury, I might not have stood a chance against him.
After what felt like an eternity of tense silence, Ruel finally made his move. He surged forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. Despite the injury, he moved with terrifying speed, his body a blur as he charged. But I had been waiting for this, watching for the slightest hint of his attack.
"Water shield!" I shouted, thrusting my hands forward. The air around shimred as a wall of water burst into existence, flowing upwards in a protective barrier just in ti to intercept his assault.
"Vertical slash!" His voice was a roar of power and anger as he brought his sword down in a vicious arc. The blade cleaved through the water with ease, slicing my shield cleanly in half. Droplets scattered through the air, catching the light for just a mont before disappearing into nothing.
"No matter how many shields you make, I’ll cut them down until I reach you," he said, his voice filled with a chilling confidence. His eyes were cold, predatory, as if he was already envisioning his sword slicing through next.
He was right. He could destroy my water shields as quickly as I could cast them. It was only a matter of ti before he would break through my defenses entirely. I had to make a choice, and I had to make it fast. Would I keep playing it safe, trying to fend him off with more shields, or would I take a risk? I had no intention of dying without a fight. I clenched my fists, feeling the magic pulse beneath my skin, ready to be unleashed.
As he continued to close in on , I made my decision. I lunged forward, running straight toward him. For a split second, surprise flickered across his face, but it was quickly replaced by a wide, cruel smile.
"It seems like you are a gutsy brat," he sneered, amusent lacing his words. His grip tightened on his sword, readying himself for my attack.
"Yeah, because I won’t let you just kill easily," I shot back, my voice steady even though every nerve in my body was screaming at to be careful. As I approached the range of his sword, I could see his eyes light up with anticipation. He was preparing to activate another skill, a move that would surely end this fight if I didn’t do sothing now.
"Sharp nail!" he bellowed, his body becoming a blur of motion as his speed suddenly doubled. His blade arced toward in a lethal strike aid directly at my chest.
"Wind repel!" I shouted, summoning every ounce of magic I had. A sudden gust of wind exploded outward from my body, forming an invisible barrier. His sword struck the shield with a resounding clang, the impact reverberating through the air. For a split second, he was frozen in place, his blade held back by the force of the wind.
He quickly leaped back, trying to create distance between us, but I wasn’t about to let him get away. I jumped forward, matching his retreat with my own advance. If I could just keep the pressure on him, maybe I could find a way to break through his defenses.
"Sonic boom!" I shouted, gathering the air around into a concentrated blade of slicing wind. With a thrust of my hand, I sent it hurtling toward him, the air whistling as it tore through the space between us.
"Spinning shield!" Ruel shouted, his arm and sword becoming a blur as he spun in place. His sword moved so fast it created a near-impenetrable vortex around him. The sonic boom collided with his spinning shield and dissipated on impact, the force scattering harmlessly around him.
For a mont, we stood still again, the air between us charged with the intensity of our clash. I could feel the strain in my muscles, the burning in my lungs as I struggled to keep up with his relentless pace. But I couldn’t back down now. He had managed to block my attack, but I had seen a glimpse of sothing—a mont of hesitation, a split-second where his movents weren’t as fluid as they should be. His injury was slowing him down, even if just slightly. I had to find a way to exploit that weakness before he could exploit mine.
"You’re not bad for a brat, but this is the end," Ruel said, his voice carrying a strange mix of respect and cold determination. His eyes narrowed as he stared at , assessing every detail of my stance, every twitch of my muscles. "I will be honest—you’re a good opponent." There was a dangerous glint in his eyes, a flicker of sothing that told he was about to make his final move. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to do. Then, he began to activate his skill.
"Snake Bite!" he shouted, his voice echoing with power. His sword, which had been spinning just a mont ago in his Spinning Shield, suddenly shifted direction with alarming speed. The blade thrusted toward my side like a striking serpent, fast and lethal. It was ant for my heart, a precise and deadly blow that would have ended the fight right then and there.
But instinct took over. Ti seed to slow down as I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, warning of imminent danger. Without fully understanding why, I shifted my body sideways just in ti, the blade missing my heart by re inches. I felt the sharp sting of tal tearing through flesh as it grazed my side, a searing pain that erupted through my body.
Snake Bite was an interdiate swordsmanship skill, one that took the principles of Sharp Nail and pushed them to their limits. It was faster, stronger, a move designed to finish an opponent in one swift strike. The only drawback was its inherent risk. In exchange for the speed, the user’s body beca entirely focused on the attack, neglecting defense entirely. If the attack missed, it left the user wide open, vulnerable to a counterstrike. It was a move that was ant to be used only when certain of victory, when the opponent was already too beaten or too slow to evade it.
"AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHH!" The scream tore from my throat before I could stop it. I clutched my side, feeling the warm, sticky wetness of blood seeping through my fingers. The pain was excruciating, a white-hot agony that made it hard to think, hard to breathe. I stumbled back, trying to put so distance between us. My vision blurred for a mont, but I forced myself to focus on Ruel. I couldn’t afford to lose concentration, not now.
Ruel’s eyes widened in surprise as he realized his attack hadn’t hit its mark. "Huh?" He stared at with a mix of disbelief and annoyance.
"It didn’t hit you in the heart? You’re one lucky bastard," he muttered, his expression twisting into a scowl. His grip on the sword tightened, and his lips curled into a grim smile. "But don’t worry, I’ll surely end you with this next skill." There was an unmistakable confidence in his voice, the kind of confidence that ca from a lifeti of battle experience.
He tried to yank his sword free, but before he could pull it out, I acted. My hand shot out, grasping his wrist in a vice-like grip, holding the sword in place. I wasn’t going to let him escape that easily, not when I still had a chance to turn this around.
"Wind Slice!" I shouted, summoning my magic. A sharp gust of cutting wind materialized, slicing through the air towards the arm I was holding. It moved with the ferocity of a storm, aid to sever his limb before he could retaliate.
Ruel’s eyes widened as he realized the danger he was in. With a swift, almost instinctive motion, he leaped backward, abandoning his sword still embedded in my side. The gust of wind whistled through the space where his arm had been just monts before, narrowly missing him.
"This is your biggest mistake," I said through gritted teeth, each word laced with the pain coursing through my body. My voice was low, strained, but filled with a resolve I hadn’t known I possessed. I reached down and wrenched the sword from my side, the blade sliding out with a sickening squelch. The pain nearly made black out, but I forced myself to remain conscious. I couldn’t afford to show weakness now, not when I had his weapon.
"Oh, you can use a sword too?" Ruel mocked, a sneer playing on his lips. "What a great kid you are, but do you think I would believe it? Do you think I’m a fool to believe a magician can use a sword too?" His tone was derisive, but there was an edge to it, a sliver of uncertainty that he was trying to mask with bravado.
I didn’t have the luxury of a witty retort. Blood was pouring from the wound in my side, soaking into my clothes, and I could feel my strength waning with each passing second. My vision swam, but I forced myself to stay upright, to keep my grip steady on the sword. I had to end this quickly. There was no telling how much longer I could remain on my feet.
Ruel, noticing my deteriorating state, let out a short, cruel laugh. "Do you think you can beat because my sword was taken from ?" He asked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Then you’re mistaken. I have a spare here." With that, he reached into his coat and pulled out a short sword, the blade gleaming wickedly in the dim light.
"You’ve lost too much blood," he continued, his voice almost sympathetic, though the malice in his eyes betrayed his true intent. "Can you really still fight in that condition? Let just kill you. I promise I will not make it hurt."
"I’m sorry," I said, my voice hoarse but defiant. "But I’ll pass." Without another word, I began to run toward him, every step sending a jolt of pain through my body. But I couldn’t stop now. Not when I had co this far.
Ruel’s eyes narrowed as he watched approach. "You still pretend that you can use a sword?" he scoffed, readying himself. "I already saw through your lies." He tightened his grip on his short sword and rushed to et head-on, his movents swift and deadly.
As we closed the distance between us, I knew this would be the final clash. There was no room for hesitation, no margin for error. This was it—the mont that would decide everything.
I could only do this move once. Right now, Ruel didn’t believe I could use a sword skill, so I had to succeed in defeating him with it. My entire strategy hinged on catching him off guard, on making him underestimate just long enough for to land a decisive blow. If I failed, I wouldn’t get another chance.
"Water Arrow!" I shouted, channeling my magic. Three waves of shimring, watery arrows materialized in the air before , glistening like ice in the dim light. They shot forward, slicing through the air toward Ruel with deadly precision.
Ruel’s eyes narrowed as he saw the incoming attack. "Spinning Shield!" he yelled, and his arm blurred into motion. His short sword spun at a rapid speed, creating a shield-like barrier of steel and wind that blocked my arrows with ease. Each arrow shattered against the spinning blade, droplets of water splashing onto the ground, useless.
"Water Arrow!" I cast again, refusing to let up. This ti, the arrows were larger, faster, a more desperate push for an opening.
"Spinning Shield!" he shouted again, his voice almost bored now. His arm moved in a blur, deflecting the arrows effortlessly. They shattered upon impact, breaking into droplets that sprayed harmlessly around him.
We continued that exchange, a rapid back-and-forth of attacks and blocks, a deadly dance of magic and steel. My arrows flew towards him in quick succession, and each ti, he t them with his spinning shield, deflecting them just in ti. It was like trying to pierce through a wall of wind and tal, an impenetrable barrier that I couldn’t seem to break. But with each exchange, I took a step closer, slowly closing the distance between us.
My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing in my ears. I was getting closer, inch by inch, and with every step, I felt the air around us grow more tense. Ruel’s confidence remained unshaken, but I could see a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. He was starting to get impatient. Good. Let him think this was just a ga of endurance.
"Sonic Boom!" I shouted, releasing a blade of slicing wind. It hurtled toward him with a high-pitched shriek, a crescent of destruction that could slice through stone.
"Spinning Shield!" Ruel shouted, raising his arm again. His blade spun, deflecting the Sonic Boom with a flourish. The wind blade shattered upon impact, dissipating into a harmless breeze. He lowered his guard, staring at with a mixture of irritation and mockery. "How many tis do you want to do this?" he sneered, his voice laced with derision. "I’m already getting bored."
I clenched my teeth, refusing to let his words shake . I was so close now, close enough to make my move. I couldn’t afford to lose focus, not now. "Don’t worry," I said, my voice steady despite the pain radiating from my wound. "I’ll end it here."
Without giving him a chance to respond, I leaped toward him, putting all my remaining strength into the jump. My body scread in protest, pain shooting through my side where his blade had cut , but I ignored it. This was my only chance.
"Are you insane?" Ruel’s eyes widened in shock as he saw flying through the air toward him. He hadn’t expected such a reckless move. For a split second, he hesitated, caught off guard by my sudden aggression. But then his expression hardened, and he began to activate another skill, ready to strike down before I could land.
"Sharp Nail!" he shouted, his speed doubling in an instant. His blade glead wickedly as he aid for my heart, a precise and deadly strike that would end in one blow.
"Wind Repel!" I shouted, summoning a gust of wind around . The air around swirled violently, creating a buffer that deflected his attack. His blade glanced off the gust, missing its mark by a hair’s breadth. I landed on the ground in front of him, my feet skidding slightly on the dirt, but I held my ground.
Ruel staggered back, surprise flickering across his face. He hadn’t expected to block his attack in mid-air, not when I was so close to death. I couldn’t help but let a small, grim smile tug at the corner of my lips. I had him right where I wanted.
"I will end it here now," I said, my voice low and resolute. My grip tightened on the sword in my hand, and I took a deep breath, gathering every ounce of strength I had left.
"Horizontal Arc!" I shouted, swinging the blade in a wide, horizontal slash. It moved with the speed and precision of a scythe, carving a perfect arc through the air.
Ruel’s eyes widened as he realized what was happening, but it was too late. My blade t flesh, slicing cleanly through his arm. The force of the strike sent his severed hand flying through the air, blood spraying from the stump.
"AAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGH!" Ruel scread, the sound echoing through the battlefield. He staggered back, clutching the bleeding stump where his hand used to be. "My hand!" he howled in agony. "MY HAAAAAAAAAND!"
I watched him with cold eyes, my chest heaving with the effort of the attack. I couldn’t afford to let up, not now when he was at his most vulnerable. I needed to finish this while he was still panicking, before he could recover and retaliate. Summoning the last of my magic, I began to cast a spell.
"I can’t bring myself to killing you," I said, my voice calm, almost detached. "That’s why I’ll just do it." I lifted my hand, gathering the swirling water into a sphere. It condensed, swirling faster and faster, turning into a solid mass.
"Water Ball!" I shouted, and the sphere of water shot forward, a cannonball of liquid force. It slamd into Ruel’s face with the force of a boulder, hitting him squarely. He didn’t even have ti to react as the impact sent him crashing to the ground, his body going limp. My Water Ball wasn’t like the one I used in the past; it had been honed, perfected. Now, it was as hard as a rock when it hit, and it had done its job.
Ruel lay on the ground, unconscious, his chest rising and falling shallowly. Blood pooled around him from his severed arm, the red staining the earth like a dark, ominous warning. I stood over him, my own breath ragged, my body swaying from the blood loss and the sheer exhaustion of the fight.
I needed to move. I needed to find Father and Chris. They were counting on . I turned, taking a step toward the exit, but the world tilted dangerously around . My vision blurred, dark spots dancing in the corners of my eyes. I was losing too much blood; I had to hurry, or I might die before I even got treated.
I stumbled forward, my feet dragging against the floor as I made my way toward the staircase. Each step was a battle against my failing body, but I refused to stop. I couldn’t stop. Not when I was so close. I climbed the stairs, each step a struggle, until I finally reached the first floor. I glanced around, searching for Father, for any sign of him, but he wasn’t here.
Instead, there were eight n guarding the door that led outside. They turned, their eyes widening in surprise as they saw standing there, bloodied but still alive. They began to move toward , swords drawn, their expressions a mix of shock and anger.
More n ca rushing from the second floor, their footsteps echoing through the hall as they ran toward . They saw and smiled, the kind of smile that sent a chill down my spine. They were ready to finish what Ruel had started.
I tried to raise my sword, to prepare for another fight, but my body had reached its limit. The ground rushed up to et , and the world went black as I fell, unconsciousness claiming at last.
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