Touji dropped the folded parcel, his hands shaking as the human appendage rolled across the floor. He placed his hands into his hair and fell to his knees.
-Ah, I was too late again. Nothing can go right, can it? I'm cursed.
He felt his elbow gripped by Fairial's heavy leather gloves as she bolted past him.
"Follow me. Exia, gather backup. We are going to need it."
"Yes ma'am."
"Also... burn this place down."
Fairial led Touji out the front door of the church, her hold firm and determined. The boy didn't resist, he had no plan, no drive to continue this aimless evasion of an unknown enemy. He knew nothing and therefore could not make any choices on how to move forward. To make matters worse, people were suffering because of this lack of knowledge.
He was dragged along by the black knight, feeling tired and empty a cloud overshadowing his judgment. What was the point in running? Whoever it was had a way of tracking his every movement. What would leaving the city even do?
As they reached the horse, Fairial released her grip. She leaped onto the steed; her hand now extended out towards Touji.
"Quick, get on."
"..."
"TOUJI, GET ON."
"..." He didn't move.
"TOUJI." Fairial's voice grew more agitated and impatient.
"We can find her. But I pledged your safe passage, and I will fulfill that promise. So, get on. It is imperative that we leave now."
"..."
Fairial's frustration could clearly be heard in her tone. He obeyed reluctantly, no longer wanting to be the one to make a choice of his own for fear of the consequences.
She whipped the reins with a loud crack as the horse screeched from the pain.
"Let's go."
Fairial's cloak billowed behind them, Touji's hands wrapped around her waist. They galloped down the road, the houses and shops passing them by at a terrifying speed. The horse sped onwards, its hooves slamming against the cobble stone, the clanking of metal and rock filling the air.
People stared at the hooded figures as they zoomed by, failing to notice the tenseness of the situation. The animal dodged and swerved the pedestrians at the commands of its rider, its pace steady as it dashed through each street.
"It will take us a quarter of an hourglass to reach the outermost ring. Hang on tight-"
Suddenly time began to slow. Every movement and action drawn out. Fairial’s words, the horse's legs, the people in the street, everything became delayed, all except for Touji's thoughts.
-Ah, I've felt this before. The feeling you get before you die.
He started to wonder if he would respawn again, or would this life be his last. He noticed the black knight drawing her sword. The action was slow and deliberate, the blade inching out of its sheath.
-Is my world going to end?
Time stood still. Touji felt the breeze become calm. Not a sound was made. The world had truly become a quiet place, as if the world had wound up to its absolute limit. Then, without warning, the gears of time began to move once again, and everything leapt back into motion.
Fairial's sword sprang out to her side as it intercepted a green slash mark that had been flung at them at an alarming speed. Her sword was torn from her hands and while it was able to successfully deflect the attack, it instead took the poor beast's head along with it. In response the knight twisted around in her seat embracing Touji as they were tossed from the horse’s back and slammed into the surrounding cobble stone.
The horse's body slid several meters into the intersection, before coming to a halt. Fairial slowly let go of her embrace.
Touji opened his eyes. Fairial's body was draped over his, her hands on either side of his head.
"Are you ok?"
Touji nodded. Her black ghostly strands of hair had loosened themselves, dangling loosely before his face. The dark pearl eyes seemed to captivate the light, like the marbles he had played with as a kid.
Fairial lifted herself off, the ends of her coat scraping against Touji's face.
"Stay low and remain behind me." She reached out and helped him back onto his feet.
Touji glanced up and down the road. Screams and shouts were heard coming from all directions as the civilians scrambled for cover.
Three guards clad in white robes appeared from an alleyway; their polished weapons drawn and glimmering in the light of the setting sun.
Fairial peered over her shoulder. Her sword lay vertically in the ground, wedged between the street plaques several meters away between them and their assailents.
Fairial sprinted ahead, her body low as she dashed towards the sword. The guards smirked, swinging their weapons over top of her. To their suprise instead of reaching for the sword like her dash had suggested up until this point, her right leg shot out, sweeping one guard clean off his feet.
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Catching him and using his body as a shield the two other soldiers' weapons embedded themselves into his back.
She then threw the corpse aside and proceeded to knock the remaining officers to the ground before stabbing them repeatedly with their own weapons.
After the punctures had reached the number of fourteen, she stood up and retrieved her own sword out of the ground.
She then tossed one of the three swords to Touji as she began wiping the splotches off blood from her face. The boy was estranged by the sight. She was strong, very strong.
Another green slash sped down the street as Fairial managed once again to evade it, a crashing sound resulting from it's faillier to hit it's target.
"Touji, are you unharmed?" Fairial called out.
Our main character in question was standing with his back against a shop wall, staring blankly at the horse while pondering at what point were they going to say screw this and book it for their lives. For Touji as per the usual he was entirely pointless in this situation, with the only technique he possessed courtly named 'run for your dear life', it was unlikely for him to contribute anything of value. He just stood stationary, emersed in the battles in front of him which seemed to end as quickly as they began.
Another seventeen guards quickly appeared, blocking off any and all possible escape routes. Fairial moved in front of Touji, her body tense and ready. Although she had absolutely dominated against the trio of soldiers, this had apparently taken a toll on her endurance. She then appeared to be whispering under her breath a long string of words Touji could barely make out. As she did, thin lines began to surface over her armor, glowing faintly with a white light.
Fairial's eyes narrowed.
"Touji, get down."
Touji ducked as a green slash tore through the air, slicing the wall behind him where frighteningly his head had once been.
“Cursed ark,” clicking her tongue in disapproval.
"Take her alive?" The a man shouted, revealing himself as the senior officer in the group.
"Try me." Fairial hissed back. Her eyes locked on the enemies, counting their number before sprinting forward.
The guards charged, their blades aiming for her vitals. Fairial spun, her blade connecting with theirs. Her ankle long hair whipped wildly about her, blinding the nearby soldiers for split seconds before she landed an unsuspecting blow.
She then performed a backflip, her body spinning mid-air and decapitating the surrounding soldiers with ease. Touji watched in horror as the men's heads rolled.
The guards quickly began to regroup, their numbers continuing to grow. They charged again but this time they approached her in a V shape, a deadly tactic if done correctly.
The black knight parried their blows, while in the same movement she raised her foot landing it against a guard's chest aimed to try and break one arm of the V formation. Her sword circled around her, switching from side to side, knocking one sword after another out of their owners' hands before brutally impaling them in the throat or heart.
The guards seemed shocked and unprepared for this; their actions frantic as the formation disbanded.
Fairial retreated, jumping behind the horse's corpse. The white lines engraved into her armor becoming brighter and more apparent. With one hand she lifted the beast's body and threw it towards the guards. It smashed into the officers' ranks, the majority avoiding it, some not so lucky. Fairial was right behind it as her sword made a b line for the Sargent's neck.
Suddenly a feeling of dread overcame her as voice whispered into her ear. "Not today."
A hand was placed over her face with an immense amount of pressure applied, resulting in her body being aggressively tossed across the street; the impact causing her to crash through a building's walls.
A heavy shockwave followed, as wind bellowed in every direction, followed by a clap of thunder that whisked through the air deafening anyone who stood nearby.
She didn't get up. The body lay still between the rubble. The inhabitants scurried out of the homes, screaming and yelling in panic. The soldiers backed away.
Touji lay, his ears ringing from the shock, his eyes struggling to identify the figure standing before him.
He had no clue what had just transpired, just that Fairial was possibly fatally injured and that the Sargent was now approaching him.
He tried to run, but all his exits had be blocked off with guards.
"Fairial!" Touji screamed.
The sergeant slipped his hands off of his ears. "I told you we wanted her alive!"
"My apologies. Sometimes I underestimate myself." Oberon dusted off his blood stained glove.
The sergeant scowled. "Tsk. I take it I can count on you to turn up unannounced whenever your brother is involved. Yes, I will put in a good word for you, but do realize that I doubt it will change anything.”
This sentence was returned with a flat unnatural smile. Oberon's head turned towards Touji.
-No, not this guy.
"What in heaven's name do we have here?"
Oberon's hand slipped from under his cape, wiggling his fingers in a deranged manor.
"Sargent. Can I have the young boy? I want to play with him."
The officer sighed. "No. You know I can't do that."
"Sargent, please. Just this once. Pretty pleassssssseeee." Oberon pleaded.
"Don't make me repeat myself."
"..."
"Go back to your post. I'll take care of this."
He saluted the officer and proceeded to leave the premises at an astonishing speed.
"Men, search the perimeter for any suspicious activity. Provide the terrorist with sedatives as per protocol." The sergeant ordered.
"Yes sir!"
He then turned to two of the soldiers standing on either side of him. "Officers Armisi and Delimor, incapacitate the boy. He won't be needed."
A voice was heard hollering along with the sound of metal clashing. The voice of Fairial was heard gasping and shaky.
"Don't you dare touch him..."
"Huh?" The Sargent turned in the direction of the speaker.
Fairial was kneeling with two soldiers headless bodies on either side. Her body was beaten and bruised so badly, Touji couldn't recognize her.
Blood poured out of her mouth and forehead, her cloak ripped and tattered.
He sighed, "How tedious. This is why you lost your position Oberon."
"DON'T YOU DARE LAY A HAND ON HIM!" The black knight stood up, dragging her sword weakly behind her, blood dripping off of her chin.
"Nock her out-" The sergeant ordered almost in a bored fashion. A glint of light flashed below his neck as a trickle of blood materialized over his throat. The Sargent fell silent, his body collapsing to the floor as a small metal string slipped quietly away.
"My, my,” he whispered. “How tedious."
Two figures appeared on the roof above. Both descending in unison, their landing sending a curtain of sand and dust into the air. As the smoke cleared a man with a bulky physic and green outer garments came into view. His green hair was tied into a thin ponytail and his eyes were a deep hazel.
The other was dressed in a dark blue cloak made of thin fabric and a grey sports bra and shorts; her sky blue hair standing out like a sore thumb.
The man tore off his cloak revealing a metal arm on his right side, a feature that appeared oddly futuristic.
"Draken, you take care of them- Selkia, take the boy to the outer gate 4." Fairial’s voice became weak.
"Understood." They replied.
Selkia turned her attention towards Touji.
"Don't worry, I'm here to rescue you." She gave a grin, one that felt oddly genuine coming from someone with such an outrageous getup. She scooped him up in one arm and leaped into the air, being pulled by some invisible force.
The green haired man watched as the boy and his partner disappeared around the corner, his gaze than returned to the problems at hand.
"That's the Draken, right?” One guard asked cowering behind his shield. “We can't face him, can we? Not without the Sargent."
"Face me?" Draken replied. "Who ever said you had a choice?" He clenched his fist as the joint of the mechanical arm lit up with a light blue glow.
"Ready yourselves."