37.

To say that Ivo was confident would be truly and utterly false. He had no idea how this was going to play out. He had spent every waking moment thinking about how to fight this fight. His ‘eyes’ made casts useless against him. His master will be forced to fight him physically. Despite years of training, he was certain that Jerial had still been better than him at sword fighting. Ivo brought his dao blade, it was his favourite weapon and got one custom made from Arstutia. There was another problem with fighting his master. He did not want to hurt Alaric. He would be forced to hold back. You just have to stall. Ivo walked alongside Cressela, Drustan and Orvyn. The journey to the castle gates had been a silent one. At the castle gate stood Jerial, to his sides were Commander Gregory and Commander Hughes. Ivo stopped causing the rest of his group to stop.

“Have you made your decision, Ivo?” Jerial asked.

“Yes, I have. However, I am not sure you will like it.” Ivo retorted.

“I am certain I would enjoy whatever you decided on.”

“Is that so?”

“You have always been intriguing, Ivo. You ever wondered why I took you in all those years ago?”

Ivo shrugged.

“You had the potential to become even stronger than me. A frightening concept to most but to me…it had excited me. Alas, you have wasted my time. You could not get rid of your guilt. That can change if you choose to stand once again by my side.”

Ivo was about to respond when he sensed the stria build up close to Commander Gregory. Too soon Drustan. He did not have time to scold him as Jerial already attacked. Ivo saw Cressela’s aura block the attack. Commander Hughes’ aura flared but he was intercepted as Commander Orvyn attacked. Ivo gave up his natural eyesight for something he had thought was much better. The ability to sense stria was useful. It allowed him to avoid casts that were meant to harm him. Everyone’s stria had a different feel, Ivo called it aura. It was also how he could tell people apart. This ability granted Ivo the nickname ‘The Eyes’. Due to him seemingly having the ability to see while being blind. Ivo unsheathed his blade and rushed Jerial. He could tell the moment Jerial was about to cast by the flare of his aura. Ivo’s boots went green as he cast step, an ilium cast that allowed the user to make platforms out of air. He hopped into the air and changed direction, narrowly avoiding Jerial’s cast. Ivo used the chance to aim a strike at his master. Auras were shaped like a silhouette therefore he could accurately aim his strikes. He aimed to strike the knee however his blade was stopped by something he couldn’t sense. Ivo predicted it was Jerial’s sword by the way his aura’s hand was positioned. Once Jerial’s hand began flaring, Ivo immediately backed away.

“I understand how your new eyes work now, Ivo. It seems fighting you would be more of a pain than a challenge.” Jerial said.

“Have you lost your touch, master? You reacted a little late to my strike.”

Jerial scoffed. “Still growing accustomed to my new set of bones, you see."

Ivo watched as Jerial's aura flared and he jumped to the side. No cast was made, instead, his master turned to Cressela. He tricked me. Jerial accelerated towards Cressela, who could only manage to block. One attack went through her guard and caught her above the eye. The cut had been shallow due to her dodging at the last moment. Ivo held out a hand and a green roped emerged from his palm. It moved towards Jerial but he had been too fast. Jerial was on Commander Drucker in no time. The commander's armour could not withstand the heat that emanated from Jerial's palm. Ivo could just watch as his commander and friend screamed in pain. Drustan was tossed to the floor. His aura faded slowly.

"Have I lost my touch? Certainly not," His master said.

Jerial had not looked as exhausted as Ivo hoped. Jerial accelerated towards him, instead of dodging he relied on his reflexes to parry the attack away with his blade. He parried a few more attacks when Cressela interrupted their duel. She swung her mace towards Jerial who could not get away in time. His master fell to one knee clutching his side. Cressela was going for another blow, she aimed for his head. Can't allow that. Ivo blocked her mace with his blade. Jerial's aura flared and he disappeared. A scream to his left. Jerial held Orvyn by the neck, with a sudden flare the usually stoic commander had been screaming. Another comrade fell.

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"He is too strong, Ivo. We need to kill him." Cressela pleaded. We can't. I can't.

"Just focus on defending me." Ivo retorted.

He watched as Cressela's aura changed, her silhouette gaining a shield on her left arm.

Jerial did not accelerate towards them, he walked slowly. He is affected by the overuse of stria.

Thus began the dance of blades. Ivo did not need to parry or block attacks, Cressela blocked any attacks Jerial threw at them. Ivo could not hit Jerial who was dodging and parrying his blows masterfully. It was a stalemate. Ivo knew his time was running out, Cressela did not have an infinite supply of stamina to keep up. Ivo was given a reprieve when a boy approached the scene.

"Jerial the Merciless! You will die by my hands!" The boy yelled out. Ivo felt as if he had seen the boy's aura before but he could not quite place it. In the boy's hand had been a whip-like aura that seemed to be moving wildly. Ivo could not stop Jerial as he accelerated towards the boy. He stopped in front of the boy. The boy raised his hand to attack with the whip but nothing occurred. The whip would not touch Jerial. His master laughed as he grabbed the boy by the throat. He couldn't hear the words Jerial whispered to the boy. The boy dropped the whip and it began squirming on the ground. A familiar aura could be sensed but he did not pay it any mind. Jerial turned around suddenly. A spear shot past Ivo's vision and pierced the boy through the chest. The boy's aura was flaring instead of fading. Jerial tossed the boy to the ground. Ivo turned to see the auras of Ashe and Florian. Jerial's aura flared and Ivo acted immediately as he yanked Jerial away with his rope.

After Florian fell, despair hit Ivo. He had been the only one left. After Jerial's latest attack Cressela could barely stand. She would be useless in the fight. All the possible options Ivo could take had been going through his mind. He only had one option. Survive, hope for a miracle. He stood face to face with his master, both had their blades drawn. The rain seemed to have become heavier as the battle continued.

"Just like old times," Jerial said.

"Just like old times." Ivo echoed.

Sword fights had become more difficult with the loss of his eyesight. He had to predict his opponents moves by their subtle movements. It was how he kept himself alive against Jerial. His master attacked continuously and vigorously. Each blow more powerful than the next. He caught Ivo on the cheek and on his arm. Ivo did not hold back as well between parries; he reciprocated the intense energy. Still he could not land a definite blow on his master. The fight continued as their blades met each other between the falling drops of rain.

Ivo was exhausted, he could tell his master was too. Jerial aimed his blade at Ivo's chest. Ivo moved his blade to intercept. Jerial's aura suddenly flared. A sword had been attached to his silhouette. He could not react in time. His blade broke and a blade pierced his chest. It was over. He felt Jerial's aura changed.

Alaric felt empty. He could no longer struggle anymore. He watched as his body dispatched everyone who opposed him. He saw the terror in Ashe's eyes as he used Everard to shield himself against the attack. It broke his heart. He watched himself pound Florian's head into the ground repeatedly. Blood pooled around his brother's broken face. At the end it had only been him and Ivo. He could feel his father's emotions. He had been elated. Ivo fought gallantly but it had not been enough. Wind wrapped around the crimson blade as it shattered Ivo's blade and pierced his chest.

Jerial relinquished control.

Blood poured from Ivo's mouth. There had been blood on his own hands. Ivo smiled softly at him. Alaric heard someone screaming, it sounded like Cressela. Ivo pushed the blade further into his chest until his body had reached the base. Alaric had been sobbing. He could not formulate any words. Ivo placed his arms around him in an attempt at a hug.

"I…am…sorry…I…couldn't save…you…Al." Was Ivo's final words as his body went limp.

Alaric felt his father trying to regain control, he knew he couldn't stop it. In his torment he never heard the figure that approached him. He felt a sudden tightness around his wrist.

He had been drowning one again. It was a familiar scene but this time there had been two of them. He had been alongside his father. His father smiled at him. A deep growl turned Alaric's attention away from Jerial. Three large red eyes stared at them. Its pupils had been shaped like slits. Alaric could faintly see black tendrils through the dark water coming towards him. Alaric did not try to get away. He was going to allow the tendrils to take him away. Instead, he got pushed away, Jerial intercepted the black tendrils and got pulled towards the large eyes. Alaric's last sight had been his father smiling at him.