As I stood with my sword drawn against an enemy quite clearly superior to me, I declared to myself that regardless of whatever was to come from here on, I will give it my all. Even if I was to die there and then, I would've died brilliantly.

I did think that and I felt like a hero as Emir cowered behind me. But now that I think about it, it was foolish.

"Are you expecting to deflect my arrow with a sword?", the white haired man mocked me, "And also those of all my other companions aiming at you?"

Of course, I hadn't considered any of that. I had nothing to say in reply. He noticed my uncertainty.

"Very well. As a respectable warrior, I will give you the chance to a fair duel. Pardon me for I have only this dagger against your sword", he put away his bow and took out a small dagger. That lifted my spirit, if only just a bit.

I actually wanted to thank him but he didn't give me a chance for that. He leapt on to me like a leopard. I couldn't keep up with his speed at all. I barely managed to move my body and when I thought I had dodged him, he continued towards me with his relentless ferocious attacks. That small dagger became his claws and he fully intended to rip me apart. I received cuts and bruises all over my arm and face but every time, I was able to just barely get out of his range. Even with my sword, I couldn't find a chance to swing it at all.

"You have the scent of him sticking to you...", he stood straight as I groveled a little way off on the ground. I turned my head to look at him.

He was beaming, like a beast when it sees its prey. I felt I had seen that look somewhere. His excitement was quite literally boiling over and I knew in that moment, that there was no escape for me anymore.

"No matter how hard you struggle, human scent isn't something so easy to get rid of", he grinned viciously, "Ah how I've waited, I knew I wasn't mistaken. That stench on you is him! I knew it!"

Well, to be honest, I was listening to his words without actually understanding any of it. He was surely saying something important but I wasn't in my right mind anymore. So, as I struggled to balance myself on my feet, he was already making his way to rip me to shreds.

I put my sword between him and me, but it was rather blunt. I couldn't cut him but it was enough to resist his dagger. All I could rely on was the strength of my arms. That man was inhumanly strong and couldn't stand my ground, despite the best of my efforts. A part of me just wanted to buy time for Emir to run but I don't think he ever managed to do that.

And thus, for years and years we fought. Centuries must have gone by. I was always trying to push him back, my sword wasn't quite good enough to make a fruitful attack. He was enjoying this torture in all those million centuries that passed by on us.

In the end, I was down in the mud, with his dagger pointed between my eyes. I was already out of most all my blood, even if he had left me, I would have reached whatever god was waiting for me, on my own.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Perhaps at this time, I should have been thinking of my family. But all that came to mind was Lady and that made me utterly sad. And as such I was left wishing ever so strongly that I had never met this man with long white hair.

I impulsively began counting my breaths which seemed to have slowed down remarkably all of a sudden, yet I didn't especially struggle. My ears felt like they were beginning to melt and I imagined a strong light ejected from my brain and spread all around. I wasn't able to see anymore. Death was near.

"Who...", I heard a clear voice through the haze, "Who are you?"

I suppose my killer deemed it fit to know the name of the person he was about to kill. Sadly, I had lost my energy to speak.

Its fine...this isn't all that bad. I thought to myself. An endless stream of possibilities and scenarios ran through my head, about everyone and about no one in particular.

I was waiting for that last pain to be inflicted upon my head and end it when I heard the worst clanging of steel imaginable. It almost cut through my ear drums but if nothing else, I was rejuvenated. I had broken out of the sleep I was in but I was still immobilized.

I rolled my head to my side where I saw Emir in the distance, hiding away, his cart at his side. I closed my eyes slightly and looked towards my feet.

I realized the white haired man wasn't near me. I had to struggle with my eyes to see clearly. Was it a goddess? A saint sent by the heavens themselves to save me in this time of despair? No, this ashen head and broad back...Chopper!

"Its you...in the flesh!", I heard the excited scream of the white haired man.

"Long time no see", Chopper said before taking a brief glance behind him, at my miserable state who was still struggling to believe that this wasn't a dream.

"So much for you being dead...I knew you wouldn't die so easily", the white haired man was indeed ecstatic.

"Of course. I'll die when I intend to, didn't I tell you? You on the other hand, sure returned to your natural occupation, didn't you Wolfe?'"

"Why pretend to be ignorant? You know the whole truth. What are you stalling the inevitable for?", the man named Wolfe, had regained his composure, or more like he was putting up a guard.

"Chop...per-san...", I reached my hand out to him.

"Seraph, shut up and die a little longer please", he showed no mercy as always.

"I see you've stooped so far down. Who is that boy you are trying to protect? Someone from Halen?", those were the last lines I heard before the sound of clanging hit me again. I wanted to see Chopper but I was really running short on strength. I couldn't keep my eyes open, though I couldn't quite sleep in peace either.

Well I say that but I believe in about five seconds that part of the forest became extremely deteriorated. One after another the trees went down, the ground began to cave in, I think a part of sky fell too. Anyways, it could have been an earthquake or perhaps apocalypse.

"Oi boy!", Wolfe's voice came from so near me, I opened my eyes wide, "You are in the way!".

With that he grabbed my arm and swung me towards Emir's cart. Something broke. Perhaps a lot of things broke. The cart was toppled over and I was in excruciating pain, unsure if I was even alive.

"Seraph!", Chopper lifted the cart with ease as he reached me and touched it with the strangely shaped blade in his hand.

It was probably less than half a second but the cart was turned to rubble along with its components. I can't be sure as I passed out before I could take a good enough look but I saw shells and the hilt of a gun among the rubble.

When I woke up, I was bandaged head to toe. I had been transported back to Eso's home and I was tucked in bed.

I sat up with some difficulty. It was quite late at night and I noticed Chopper's bed was empty. I was famished but I felt if I moved right now, the world would fall from right under me and time would start moving too fast, it would erase me. So I stayed there until I fell asleep again.