Eris had put on a brave face ever since she arrived to save the day.
Even now, she never allowed the smirk to leave her face despite clearly being pushed back by the sheer speed and power of the Walpurgisknight. That smirk was almost like a Crest of her own creation, something that would allow her to carry on fighting and defending her lady regardless of her body’s actual condition.
In truth, she was in no state to continue fighting. It took all her focus and willpower to even continue tracking the Walpurgisknight’s movements, barely managing to bring Carnwennan into position for a haphazard parry that sent a jarring shock through her arm and body every time her opponent’s mountainous black blade crashed into her dagger.
She thought back to her first bout against the black-clad knight who towered over her. Back then, she had been fresh and raring to go, blitzing the Walpurgisknight with ease and stepping into the man’s guard as if his defenses hadn’t even existed. Had the Walpurgisknight not possessed some sort of weird immortality that surpassed the normal regeneration of the Sworn, Eris would have taken his head right then and there.
Now, the Walpurgisknight was back with a vengeance, and Eris certainly felt like her armored opponent was taking his sweet time to gradually exhaust her before dealing the finishing blow, just to crush her pride and confidence. That was why she couldn’t let the smirk drop from her face no matter how badly she was being pushed back.
Even if she allowed her blade to fall from her hands, even if she collapsed onto the ground without the strength to stand, she simply couldn’t allow her smirk to disappear. To abandon it now would be to abandon the fight and admit defeat. It was tantamount to giving up her life and that of her lady’s, and that was something Eris would never allow herself to do.
Instead, she widened the smirk on her lips, forcing her fingers to tighten around the hilt of her dagger as she received the Walpurgisknight’s next attack, a crushing overhead blow that sought to divide her body in half.
Normally, Eris would’ve just stepped to the side before darting in quickly to exploit the plethora of openings that such a wide movement provided, but as it stood, she could barely feel her legs. The only thing that allowed her to continue moving was pure muscle memory and willpower.
I guess those ‘suicidal’ training sessions really did help out, huh, Belita? Eris thought as she leaned to the side, parrying the Walpurgisknight’s attack with both Carnwennan and another dagger.
With her blades and body at an angle, the massive hunk of black steel screeched against Eris’ weapons and slid off to the side, burying its considerable weight in the ground. It would’ve been the perfect moment for Eris to strike, but all she could do was back away and hope that she could recover at least a sliver of stamina while the Walpurgisknight wrenched his blade free of the earth.
But there would be no such luck.
The Walpurgisknight advanced without pause, stepping forward and dragging his blade through the dirt with his monstrous strength, heaving the titanic sword through the air in a vicious upward swing that sent a spray of earthen debris through the air.
Again, all Eris could do was evade and defend, the attack throwing her backwards as she desperately blocked it. Her head swam and her limbs felt like jelly, but somehow, she managed to land on her feet. Her well-trained ears picked up the sharp intake of breath from Scarlet as the noblewoman gasped, worried that the Walpurgisknight’s latest blow had taken her knight’s life.
“Eris!” Scarlet cried helplessly, her voice stricken with distress.
In response, Eris simply shook her head, clearing it and steadying her senses as she drew strength and power from her lady’s worry. Again, she readied her twin daggers, Carnwennan glowing brightly in one hand while her other dagger remained dull and lightless. She felt strength flow into her arms again, her desire to drive away Scarlet’s worries allowing her to tap into a previously unknown well of stamina within herself.
But even so, she knew it would not be enough. Had she not exhausted herself with the cannonspawn and then Captain Vale’s sudden treachery, she would’ve had more than a chance against a large and bulky opponent like the Walpurgisknight, but she knew more than anyone that she wasn’t really here to save the day. She wasn’t the hero.
That was Medrauta. Eris was just here to stall for time, and she knew that.
...But that doesn’t make me any less important, does it? Eris’ smirk widened once more, provoking the Walpurgisknight like an injured matador goading a bull to charge again. If my lady wishes for me to become a hero, I shall become a hero. If my lady wishes for me to become a shield, then I shall become a shield.
“...Just make sure you pay me back after this, Medrauta.” Eris muttered under her breath as the Walpurgisknight approached. She settled comfortably into a familiar defensive stance, controlling her breathing to conserve the newfound stamina she’d acquired.
Although fighting so defensively hurt her pride, she would gladly sacrifice something as insignificant as pride to stall even for one more second. She had sworn to use her life for Scarlet, and now was as good a time as ever to see that oath through.
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The Walpurgisknight raised his sword, preparing for a powerful thrust as he sensed his opponent’s fighting spirit continue to rise. He lunged forward, driving his weight toward Eris before his heavy blade shot out.
“That’s it, you bastard...” Eris leaned to the side casually, entering a state of complete focus as she allowed the massive hunk of steel to pass her by casually. She locked eyes with the Walpurgisknight, darting forward and aiming Carnwennan at her armored foe’s neck. “I won’t fall until Medrauta rises. That’s a promise.”
Although the Walpurgisknight had taken care to modify his armor and include heavy neck protection after the results of his previous encounter with Eris, the enchanted blade simply sheared through his armor, nearly divorcing his head from his body had he not managed to throw himself to the side at the last second.
“A valiant counterattack.” The Walpurgisknight spat, the shallow wound that Eris had managed to inflict quickly closing up within seconds. “But futile.”
Eris ignored the Walpurgisknight’s remark, holding her position reluctantly. Although she wished for nothing more than to speed forward and show her opponent just how wrong he was, she knew the importance of conserving her energy for the sake of defense. After all, she understood her role perfectly.
So long as Scarlet maintained her command to defend Viviane and Medrauta, she would do her utmost to fulfill that wish even if she had to crawl out of the grave.
The Walpurgisknight circled Eris a little more cautiously now, no longer incessantly pressing the attack against the smaller knight. Though his blade remained poised and ready to strike, he gave himself a rather substantial buffer of distance from Eris, his glowing crimson eyes locked onto the bright blade of Carnwennan.
Eris narrowed her eyes, noting her opponent’s sudden wariness. It would seem that the Walpurgisknight had not been prepared to face a weapon like Carnwennan. Though Eris knew it had been enchanted with ancient magic far beyond what she or even Scarlet could understand, she did not think it actually posed a threat to the Walpurgisknight.
It was impossibly sharp and could cleave through nearly anything, but that was all it had in its regular form. Based on the events of their first duel, Eris had no incentive to believe that decapitating the Walpurgisknight again would result in a different outcome, but judging from her opponent’s caution, it seemed as though Carnwennan proved a real danger to the Walpurgisknight.
Maybe with this, I could... No. Eris shook her head, casting away any thoughts of daring heroism. Don’t get cocky. Not yet.
It was at that infinitesimal moment of distraction that the Walpurgisknight chose to strike. His armored boots crushed the ground beneath, creating a tremendous explosion of dirt and grass as he launched himself forward, hurtling toward Eris at a breakneck pace.
The Walpurgisknight streaked through the air like a bolt of black lighting, the sound of thunder exploding in his wake. The tip of his titanic blade was pointed at the center of Eris’ chest, prepared to skewer her with a single strike. Placing his trust in the black armor that adorned his body, the Walpurgisknight abandoned all defense for the sake of ending his opponent’s life within a single blow.
Eris faced it head on, unperturbed by the Walpurgisknight’s sudden charge. Her feet were planted firmly on the ground, for she needed to borrow its stability. Her hands were tight around the hilt of her weapons, for she needed to borrow their strength.
The Walpurgisknight’s expeditious advance had signaled that this was to be the end of the duel, but Eris would not allow that. She crossed her daggers before her, preparing to receive the thrust and turn it aside. So long as she managed to deflect this blow, the battle would continue, and her lady would be safe.
Here it comes! Eris’ eyes narrowed as she focused completely on the black blade that would spell her doom. Faced with the prospect of success or death, her body kicked into overdrive, all of her senses sharpening to the utmost degree.
CLANG!
The sound of their collision thundered through the air. The residual force of the Walpurgisknight’s strike tore apart the earth around them, sending blades of grass flying through the air before they rained down from the sky like falling petals.
Eris spat out a globule of blood, dyeing the now-naked dirt beneath her feet. She had succeeded at deflecting the Walpurgisknight’s strike, but the effort of doing so had been too much. Even now, she could feel her insides burning up, her body feeling as though it were about to burst.
In stark contrast, the Walpurgisknight showed no signs of fatigue. Rather, the black-clad knight appeared to be incredibly incensed at Eris’ attempts to prolong their duel.
His blade had buried itself in the ground after Eris deflected it, and he now lifted the weapon in an almost contemptuous manner as Eris struggled to remain standing and conscious. Convulsions were beginning to wrack the entirety of her body, an obvious sign of the internal damage she had sustained.
Walking forward slowly and deliberately, the Walpurgisknight parried a clumsy attempt at an attack, knocking Carnwennan out of Eris’ failing grip.
The still-glowing blade spun as it flew through the air, landing onto the soft ground without a sound.
With one weapon still in hand, Eris staggered forward, spitting out yet another glob of blood as she did so. Desperately, she swung the tiny blade at the Walpurgisknight, only to have it torn from her hands as well. She lifted her arms to barely resemble a bare-handed fighting stance as the Walpurgisknight hefted his heavy blade onto his shoulder, preparing to deal the final blow.
“...You have spirit.” The Walpurgisknight said. “It is a shame you are fated to die here.”
“...Go to hell.” Eris managed weakly, though the volume of her voice failed to give her retort any impact.
As Eris stared at the pitch-black sword and prepared for the cold grasp of death to take her, she could hear the sound of rustling grass from behind her.
Ah... That must be Lady Scarlet. I’m sorry... I couldn’t protect you, my lady. Perhaps in our next lives, I’ll—
“Clarent.”
Thwack!
Eris stood stunned as the falling blade before her had been stopped. A gleaming gauntlet of resplendent silver held it in place.
A genuine smile of relief blossomed on Eris’ face, replacing her smirk at last.
She had kept her promise.