The Abyssal Oceanside

Chapter 9: His Swords: Their Blade Works Part 1

When the two had come across the fog gate leading to the giant, Emiya stopped Skadi by raising his hand. "Before we continue though, I have to make no mistake in our pursuit forward."

"...?" She only glanced at him, her left eye hidden by the tilt of her hat. "Wouldn't you mean 'we'?"

Emiya knew- Felt, she was strong and at least a bit perspective. Her wording just now solidified his thoughts on the matter and he glanced over to the white-haired swordswoman. "Not in this context no Skadi, our first obstacle isn't much a weakening figure. I've been killed several times now already and have yet to gain any sort of ground when on confrontation."

"Then explain what's on your mind."

He nodded to her somewhat in demand. The configuration of the mighty worrier prevailed in speed for his hulking size, obvious strength, skill with some severe advanced pyromancy, and the way he handled that Axe. The whole picture of the Red Knight was wrong. Wrong in the way any weakness that provided useful for exploiting was far too out of his reach. In such a way he was too weak to get close and stay there, too slow to handle a clean hit, as simple nicks would kill him of taken far from left-field, and too cunning with his pride like stature.

"Emiya?" The sound of his partner roused him from his thoughts and he straightened his back. He could practicality feel her red-eyed stare at his back.

"I'm not much of a planner," he began with a hasten speech. "But I can… attack from both ranged and close. I'm not sure how," his left hand formed into a fist and he instinctively grabbed the same shoulder.

The act caught the red visible eye of the Abyssal Hunter and she wondered silently about that. Did he lose that arm before his recent death at the hands of this being? A question for another time. "If you're implying that I'll take on our enemy head on I was planning to do such from the beginning."

"You were?" She nodded her head and took in a breath of air. Skadi tilted her head at that, must've been a reflex he couldn't let go of. "But you'll-"

It was then that he was pushed to the side, his back, from being forcibly turned, made contact with the wall. The back of his head was grabbed in a powerful vice grip and his head flew forward, landing into the soft breasts of the woman who quite literally manhandled him.

Coming to him like a cow hopping over a wooden fence to get to it's young, bad example but it'll serve it's purpose, a red tint crossed his face immediately.

As for Skadi, the woman had her eyes closed during the act. "Hmm. Do you heart it? The beating of life in my chest? If you can, then know from the beginning, it would be taken from me only when I allow it." Silver-gold eyes widened and the feeling of embarrassment faded. "So, it will be up to me to continue on words with you. If I die, if I can die, then I'll be like you, Emiya. Undead and tempted to hollow." Letting go of his head, and taking several steps back to give him the breath needed, the Hunter glanced at the fog acting as a pseudo barrier. "Do what you must," she continued after the slight pause. "That feeling will be answered. And if I take the steps to stay near you, and if you must go toward the Kiln, I'll be there until the end if I hadn't gotten the answer I need."

"..." He didn't know what to say.

No, he did, but as he looked on at her, as he faced her with… he didn't know what feeling he felt now, but it was something similar, and better shock and understanding. Dropping his head, Emiya would smile to himself and reach up to grab his head.

In one move, he slicked his white-red hair back.

Then faced her once again.

"Very well." He pushed himself off the wall.

Red-eyed shifted back to focus at him, only to widen at his expression alone. The way he seemed now, was more like the shine off a newly sharpened blade.

Her lips parted. Her eyes followed him.

His gold-silver eyes hardened like steel and turned to face the fog wall. He lifted his right hand, the tips of the black iron touched the fog and parted sending ripples of wind in all directions. Before them both, at the center of the arena, waiting patiently for the return of his opponent was the Golden Lion Knight. Kneeling with hand on the Crescent Gold Axe, and then its head shifted towards their direction.

The distance between them was wide, but suddenly the intensity of them locking eyes sent a feeling of dread down the Red Knight and his companion's spines.

"Divine Axe…" Emiya whispered to himself, his eyes locking with the weapon once more and information flooding his mind in an instant.

The first echo came from his left, where Skadi was once at. Now in front of him, her greatsword, out and in full display, for both men to see.

"Do what you need to aid me. I will take his head."

The steps echoed out as if it was the only sound in the whole world.

"...!" The Lion Knight only groaned loudly without roaring. His body, the joints creaking to life as he began to move to stand.

All he could do at that moment was watch…

As the two began their clash.

A clash of blades.

End