A few minutes before the surprise appearance of Ahab and his new airship in front of Helgi.

Splinters of wood rained from the sky.

Loose pieces of torn balloon fluttered in the wind, stuck to the red balloon of a shiny metallic airship.

The airship flew in circles around a small floating island. The rain of splinters making  it look like it was flying through brown leaves at the end of autumn.

And as typical of the autumn season. It also meant easy sighting of small fluffy rodents climbing said shedding trees.

Climbing on the back of the quick metal airship was a similar rodent. Although this one..wasn’t nearly as fluffy or cute. In fact it looked quite gnarly.

Ahab was holding onto the back of the airship as tightly as his old hands allowed him.

He slowly climbed up, until he could peek over the edge of airship.

Piloting the airship was that same peculiarly dressed guard. His long scarf and goggles being adjusted every so often as they seemed to slip.

“...Crazeh lad..i coulda died if i hadn’t jumped out at the last second..” Ahab muttered under his breath, With whatever strength he had left after being tired out by climbing.

Ahab slowly pulled himself onto the airship, throwing his exhausted old body over the edge, and finally resting.

The guard piloting the airship didn’t seem to notice Ahab. Being too preoccupied with frantically circling the tiny island, looking for something. The strong winds generated by his speed concealed all sounds.

“He must be lookin for this..” Patting the pocket where the relic piece was resting, Ahab decided he needed to get away before it could be taken from him.

Looking around, he could not find any extra escape airships. Why would there be, this airship was essentially the same size as a small escape ship.

“...Aye have to take his ship..but how would aye..”

He had no confidence in his physical strength. Along with being of advanced age, Ahab had also never been one to stress his body too much during his life, making it grow weaker than normal.

His eyes caught the movement of a rope dangling off the bottom of the balloon. The balloon was attached so sloppily to the airship, it almost seemed like it was an afterthought. Purely for appearances sake.

He didn’t let that bother him for long and decided he had to do it now rather than when he was noticed. Grabbing the loose rope, Ahab tied it into a knot while carefully creeping closer to the airships pilot.

Now close enough that he could smell the unwashed nature of this guards long scarf dangling behind him. Ahab threw the rope around the pilot, immediately pulling on it and tightening it around the arms of the guard.

“What the!?”

The guard yelled out in surprise, unable to move his arms which were now stuck to his sides.

“Hah! The race ain’t over till aye’’m either dead or flyin over the finishin line, the ship don’t specifically got to be mine”

Ahab leered at the now tied up pilot.

“You fool. You think you have beaten me. It is i who will still fly out of here victorious, while you end as a splatter across my airship- mnnnf!”

Having tired of the guards haughty tone, Ahab tied the guards scarf around his face, gagging him.

“You mean MY ship”

Ahab rested his hands on the steering wheel and turned it sharply sideways.

“Now let’s be gettin this back to our base”

The airship continued flying on the same path as before.

“Hm..”

Ahab turned the wheel even more, yet now the airship moved into the opposite direction of where he turned the wheel.

“Huh..?”

He continued trying to control the airship which seemed to only fly in ways unrelated to his steering.

Muffled laughing came from behind him. The still gagged guard was laughing at him.

“What are ye laughin bout yah bastard!”

The guard rolled his eyes.

As he did so, the airship twisted, rolling over on it’s back in mid flight like an obedient dog.

“What’s goin on!?”

The guard held onto the airship with the tip of his foot, using his foot as a hook, which he jammed into some metal plating.

While the airship rolled over, the guard seemed to continue sitting down, when he infact was holding onto the airship.

Ahab on the other hand, who was not holding onto anything, began to drop down. Now that the ship was upside down, there was nothing to stop gravity from taking effect.

“Woah what’s this lad, this your doin!?”

His drop was stopped by the balloon which was now situated towards the bottom. Ahab’s light weight allowed him to stand on the thin surface of the balloon without problems.

“Turn this ship the right side up! However it is yuh are doin it!”

Ahab yelled at the guard who was sitting upside down, above him.

The guard shrugged, with the airship shaking slightly, making Ahab lose his footing.

“I’m warning yah! That’s it..!”

Ahab jumped up from the balloon, reaching up and grabbing onto the clothes of the guard above him.

“Mhmm!?”

The still gagged guard exclaimed in panic.

Still holding onto the guards clothes, Ahab began to swing slightly.

“Yuh better turn this ship right side up, or aye will make yuh fall down with me!”

He yelled at the panicked guard, who could barely hold on with his leg which was now supporting the weight of the swinging Ahab.

Nodding furiously, the guard closed his eyes while the airship slowly began to turn right side up. Ahab was once again standing on firm wood and metal.

“No respect for yah elders i say..

Ahab walked up to the tied up guard and looked at him.

“So yer controllin this airship with magic or sumthin right?”” He asked, to which the guard nodded.

“Then yah better follow my instructions or i’ll throw yuh off this ship, now make the airship head northwards!”

The guard sighed into his gag and made the airship turn around by controlling the metal of the airship with his mind.

“Alright, now increase the speed, we’re needin to deliver this relic thing to the lad Helgi”

The guard paused while increasing the speed of the airship's flight.

Ahab took out the small white relic piece from his pocket and observed it casually.

Now having forgotten about controlling the airship, the guard left the airship slowly accelerating automatically in his mind, while he stood up, his hands still tied, and creeped closer to Ahab.

The goal of the guard was right there. The relic piece he was tasked to acquire. If he didn’t manage to get it, he would greatly dishonour himself. He had to get it.

“Aye wonder what’s so special bout this lil thing..doesn’t even look like much.”

Shrugging, Ahab put the relic back in his pocket and turned around towards the guard again.

The guard lunged at Ahab when he began to turn around. Throwing his entire body, head first at Ahab, in an attempt at a body slam, which was the best he could do with tied up hands.

“Could yah accelerate the ship faster, aye ain’t got all day”

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While turning around, Ahab felt a sharp pain in one of his knees. The jumping and slamming himself onto hard surfaces earlier had taken it’s toll on his old body, and his knee gave out for a moment.

“Ugh! Damn knee, i hate getting old!”

He cried out while falling sideways, clutching his knee in pain.

Falling right out of the path of the guard who had already lunged at him.

The guard's eyes widened. His body moving just past Ahabs and flying headfirst into the steering wheel.

A sharp cracking sound followed a heavy thump of the guards body collapsing.

His head colliding roughly with the center of the steering wheel and making him lose his conscious.

“Ow ow..” Ahab slowly stood up unsteadily, trying not to put pressure on his weak knee.

“Huh?”

He noticed the guard had shifted position and was now laying sprawled on the floor of the airship in front of the steering wheel.

“What are yah doin, yah can’t nap, i need you to steer the ship, or i’ll throw yah off!”

Ahab poked him with his foot.

“Oi, wake up!”

He kicked him lightly.

“Wake up, yah lazy bastard. Can’t believe lads like yuh protected this country!”

Ahab stopped when he realised the guard was going to be out cold for a while.

“Oi..how am i going to steer this damn airship then!?”

Yelling out of the ariship which was still flying north, it’s speed still slowly increasing.

In fact it had increased so much, that the balloon was slowly being torn off of it because of the air resistance.

A ship flying with magic did not need a floatation device such as a balloon. But it nonetheless made Ahab even more panicked.

“Oi! Someone! Help meh! Stop this damn airship! What am aye supposed to do!?!?”

--

Sparks appeared at random points on a grassy flat island, seemingly created by nothing.

The sparks were so intense and so plentiful it made the entire island look covered in never ending sparkling fireworks.

The origins of these visually ensnaring fireworks was the clash of two knights.

“Seems moving mineself to such an extent hath shaken all of the dust off mine armour. This hath never occurred before.”

A dull yet slightly excited voice came from one end of the island. The flashes of light accompanied by sparks stopped for a moment.

Two figures appeared out of seemingly thin air, each on their own side.

A knight in brilliant shinning metal armour. So polished one could see the reflection of the swaying grass in it.

At the other end stood a different knight. His armour was as black as the darkest of shadows. Reflecting only the dark abyss.

Likewise, his sword was covered in deep black, as opposed to the knights brilliant mirror like blade.

“Guess i gave your equipment some much needed cleanup.You will have to forgive me, as i will make sure they are no longer clean when our fight is done.”

Hikaru breathed heavily, the black ribbon covering his body tightening around him, increasing his protection by draining his mana at a faster rate.

“Whether tis mine blood or thine, remains to be seen. Mineself hath never been pushed this far.”

The knight commented and lifted his sword again.

“You’re going to be pushed even further. I’ve never met someone with speed and skill surpassing my own.”

Likewise lifting his sword, Hikaru breathed out into the ribbon covering his mouth and nose in black bandages.

“Thou flatters me, thine abilities are nothing to scoff at either. Never has anyone reduced mineself to using mine last set of techniques. Be prepared, mineself would not wish for you to lose your head.”

“Indeed..then myself as well..” Hikaru breathed in and let the ribbon suck as much of his black mana as possible, strengthening his blade and armour to their limits.

The knight did something incredibly peculiar. Instead of moving at such an incredible speed that made him difficult to observe. He instead began to slowly walk towards Hikaru. Each step heavy on the ground, leaving an impression of just how weighty his armour was.

Hikaru did not wait for the knight to reach him, and sprinted towards him using every muscle to it’s limit, helping him accelerate, and releasing a single strike with all of that accumulated power towards the knight’s neck.

The knight moved slowly, a strange contrast compared to his previous speed. Yet despite being slow, all his movements were incredibly solid. The heavens themselves wouldn’t be able to stop his movement.

The knight raised his sword and deflected Hikaru’s sword to the side. His powerful blow completely negated.

Hikaru pulled back his sword and thrusted at his opponent, who pushed the blade to the side with his own. Another strike followed his deflected aiming for Hikaru, who in turn avoided it by striking at the knight’s hand, thus changing the course of his blade. While striking at the knight with his sword.

(His movement’s are so slow..yet it feels if i let down even for a moment, it might be my last..)

Hikaru continued to strike at his opponent who could somehow always predict his attacks and block them with unquestionable certainty, despite him now moving much slower than Hikaru.

(Now i have to do it..how did it go again..it’s been so long.)

Hikaru changed his pattern.

He stopped and twisted his foot mid motion, making his body move in a circular fashion, around the knight.

The twisting movement of his body reached his shoulders, which naturally moved, creating a fluid movement that went from a dodge, to an attack coming from an unpredictable direction.

The knight finally used his old speed that surpassed Hikaru, twisting his upper body and shoulder in order to block Hikaru’s sword in time.

But Hikaru wasn’t done. That first movement was simply him testing out an old technique he hadn’t used for years. Now he was going to use it with all of his strength.

Hikaru twisted his feet beneath him again, making his body into a whirlwind that turned and moved past the knight,moving behind him.

The knight had no time to react.

Hikaru’s blade struck at his armour, creating a deep gash in the metal.

His sword was pushed off by the knight who retreated a few steps in an instant.

“Thou..uses such developed techniques..unlike the basic movements thou portrayed before.”

The knight sounded both impressed and surprised.

“..It’s an old technique. I had no use for such techniques when all my enemies could not keep up with my simple attacks. Now it is different. Now let me ask you a question.Why did you suddenly cast away your speed.”

“..Tis due to the same reasoning as thineself hath. Thou might have noticed by now.”

The knight pointed at the gash that was easily created in his armour.

“Mineself doth not wear this armour for protection. Grant mineself much defence it doth not.”

“Then what is the point of wearing such a hindrance in battle?”

“Thou may have noticed..mine armour is quite shiny. Tis metal. Tis soft to grant mineself flexibility. But the fact that it is metal..grants mineself control over its movements. Allowing me to move mineself at great speed surpassing thine.”

The knights voice was dull while explaining his superiority. He found no joy in bragging.

“...You used magic to control the metal and by extension your body..”

Hikaru realised.

“Tis so. However that limits mineself to using only simple techniques for fear of damaging mineself.”

He swung his sword sharply and so quickly it was invisible, and once more but this time it was slow and not nearly as predictable of a swing.

“To use mine more complex techniques, mineself am forced to using mine own muscles.”

“Is that so..” Hikaru felt his body starting to run dry on mana.

“Then let us decide whose techniques are more powerful. Mine, or yours.”

“Let’s.”

Their swords clashed once more. Yet now there were no sparks. There were no fireworks appearing over the entire floating island.

It was simply two men, attempting to stab one another with swords. There was no excessive show of power.

Whenever their blades touched they would move them away before they could apply any weight on them. Both knew that once their blades actually touched, it would develop into a pushing war. They wanted to avoid such waste of strength. Instead their blades quickly retracted and were flung once again at their opponent, gliding through any small opening possible.

Their bodies were moving in uncertain ways, twisting and turning,moving in way they could so they only barely avoided the opponent's blade.

They both were beginning to bleed. Not due to their opponents strikes. But due to them clutching their own swords with too much strength. The skin on their fingers ripping in the pressure and letting drops of blood coat the green grass beneath them.

They continued clashing, moving, avoiding, always looking for the opportune moment. That single instant which would eventually show up once their opponent was tired enough, once their opponent lost his will, once their opponent lost his cool.

Yet that instant never came, and their clash continued, wordless. There were no pauses anymore. No time to rest. Their battle was reaching its end. They were both running out of strength. Whoever ran out of stamina first would inevitably lose.

They were fighting quite evenly. Their techniques were at the same level of complexity where one could not overtake and counter the other without getting countered themselves.

However, Hikaru had another thing working against him other than his stamina.

His stamina was near endless, usually that is. Once he used his old knightly techniques, his body, unused to the movements, began to demand rest.

(This body..this useless body..! The only good thing about this body was its endurance and strength..Yet whenever i use complex human techniques..! It’s like my body rejects me doing these movements..!)

He was getting tired.

Yet that was not what eventually made him lose. After many minutes, which felt like hours, and after almost an entire hour that felt like an endless eternity.

Hikaru fell to his knees.

His mana had reached zero.The ribbon which had done it’s best to stretch all the mana he had left for as long as it could, lost it’s vivid black colour and slowly retracted back around the sword's hilt with a pathetic movement.

The wounds his body had sustained opened up again. Having used his body to it’s limits before had caused his skin to tear, and now that there was no ribbon to hold his wounds closed.

They began seeping out his red blood.

The grassy ground which had been painted red by the blood dripping from both of their hands was consumed exclusively by Hikaru’s blood.

“Damn it..”

Hikaru felt his strength seeping away. Even if he could stand back up now, he had lost. He had lost focus for much longer than a single moment. His enemy could have killed him several times by now.

The question was. Why hadn’t he.

Hikaru looked up from his position at his knees, at the knight standing in front of him, looking down at him.

“Why didn’t you finish me? I lost our duel.”

“Thou have lost nothing. As thou can see. I no longer hold strength to even hold mine own sword.”

The knight looked at his empty hand, which had dropped the sword onto the ground, sticking it deep into the dirt.

“How..? Your movements were filled with strength only mere moments ago.”

“...You see. There was a reason mineself wanted to have one last worthy fight.”

The knight slowly removed his helmet, revealing his true face.

That of a withered old man.

“....How?”

“Mineself received this armour with a spell to control it. With it, mineself could return to being a knight despite the corruption of time. Mineself accepted it, for mine wish was to die while in the middle of a duel. T’was the honourable thing to do when mineself was young.”

“You have many years of experience as a knight under your belt. You must have been close to a demi-god in strength when you were young.”

Hikaru was impressed beyond belief at the strength a single old human could have.

“Thou flatters me. Thou have granted mineself the defeat mineself wished for. Mine body is nearing it’s end after being pushed this far. Mine heart is growing slower. As thanks for granting mineself mine wish, let me grant you this, naturally the prize of the duel is also yours..”

The old knight's voice was getting hoarse as he took off his gauntlet and threw it to Hikaru.

“Mineself am sure thou will find use for this..now mineself..wishes to see mine old comrades, whom mineself can now..meet..”

The old knight slowly walked off towards the edge of the floating island, giving Hikaru one last look.

Without any other words, the old knight looked up, as if looking at someone, and his body slowly fell down off the cliff and deep into the darkness below.

“It was my defeat. You will meet your comrades with more honour than you think. A shame i couldn’t have met you in your youth..we might have been comrades as well.”

Hikaru could only mutter this while grabbing the gauntlet the old knight left behind. Slowly standing up, he saw something approaching in the distance.

“HELP MEH LAD! AYE CAN’T STOP THIS THING!”

Ahab’s yelled was audible even before Hikaru could see him. Although he certainly saw a strange metallic ship approaching fast in the sky.

“...Indeed.” Hikaru grabbed the floating relic piece and quickly patched up his wounds. With a deep breath, Hikaru jumped up into the sky just as the strange ship passed by. Grabbing Ahab by the collar, he jumped back down again and landed safely on the island along with Ahab.

“...Th--thank yeh lad..”

Falling face first onto the grass, Ahab fainted while Hikaru curiously observed the strange ship flying away into the distance.

--

-A scene from many days later-

A strange metallic ship was stuck deep in the middle of the empty desert, covered almost completely by sand. Inside it sat a single tied up and gagged figure, who sighed heavily at his situation.