Hello everyone! How're you? Are you alright and safe?
Thanks a lot to TwilightUniverse018, Guest, Ezabella, Cutetyhil, Scarlet Witch of Terra, LadyPeach07, Bahubali, Sehun is hottttt, Rock the road, Justafan, KaiHil and TLP for reviewing in the last chapter.
Justafan: Hey, don't be so busy...just hold your horses. Let me grow their love a bit xD Thanks for the review :)
Sehun is hottttt: The second song was "Kehna hi kya" from the movie "Bombay" and the last song was "Kya mujhe pyaar hain" from the movie "Woh Lamhe". Thanks for reviewing :D
Bahubali: Hahaha...I know about the movie. I've watched it. In fact, a scene of this chapter resembles a scene from the movie. Thank you so much for the review :D
Lady Amaterasu is the sun Goddess of Japan. Whereas, Lord Dazbog is the sun God of Slavic religion.
Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
The spherical fireball was still yawning in the arctic blue bed, lazily rolling down in the east and lingering to rise like an idle baby. Yet, his cherry beams were widening throughout the world bit by bit. The linear flames of the daylight caressed the cotton-balls of clouds. Instead of burning, those vapors turned golden, gleaming by fits and starts. Beneath the blue, the green and brown knolls were scattered like the waves of the mighty Pacific. The farthest hills were seeming to have only two dimensions, much like the paintings of the great painters across the world. Keeping her feet in the niches of one of them, the brunette was carefully climbing it. One of her hands was seizing a bamboo-made basket occupied with camellias, morning glories and lavenders. Gradually, her last footstep fell on the acme of the mound. However, her eyes weren't ready for the scene before her.
Facing the east and backing her, the dual-haired Russian was standing there. The white scarf which used to waver in the breezes was wrapped around his body. The flurries of the dawn passed across his backside hair, pulsating it a bit. His eyes were eagerly waiting for the sunrise. However, he decided to give them a break as he heard the appeasing footsteps of someone familiar. Exhaling, he turned back.
For the second time in their lives, their rubies and amethysts collided with each other. Before spreading all over the sky properly, the crimson glories of the sun played all over the serene face of the brunette. Beads of blood fell in the honey-turmeric complexion of the phoenix-prince too. Both their hearts jolted, the throbs streamed through their spinal cords. Curving her eyes down, the chocolate-haired princess opened her mouth first.
"You're...here?" Her jaw dropped but she managed herself smartly, "You must have come here to watch the famous sunrise of the land where the sun rises first, mustn't you?"
"Hn," He replied and asked the questioner at the same time, "You?"
"Guess the bag of my sins is lighter," The brunette sheepishly responded, "Once in a week, I come here with a view to worshipping lady Amaterasu, the sun Goddess of our motherland."
The Russian kept quiet, crossing his arms on his chest and moving away from the place only for leaving some space for the princess. Nodding in gratitude, the Japanese approached the place where the sun still was fluttering his eyes. Keeping the basket on the ground, she took a few flowers in her palms. Stretching her arms forward, she closed her eyes. Her coral lips wobbled. Kai could easily say that she was uttering some holy chants. Standing beside her, he also joined his hands together, remembering lord Dazbog.
Completing prayer, she tossed the flowers down. The phoenix-prince watched them fall down in the creek which was flowing by the hummock. The streams of the brook pulled the florets gently, they enthusiastically flowed. Soon, the ruby orbs of the brunette got illuminated as she saw something by its shore. A bright smile rose all over her face. Pointing at what she had seen, the chocolate-haired princess spoke, "Look there!"
Curious, the slate-haired guy looked at the place indicated by the princess. A herd of deer arrived there for drinking water. They had white dots scattering all over their auburn skin. Their horns were like the leafless branches of wild trees. Deep eyes were holding a blameless expression as if they had descended from heaven just at that moment. From different areas, aquatic birds had also come there. They were peacefully swimming in the brook, jerking their feathery tails in a cute manner and trailed by the baby ones. A flock of white bunnies appeared too, hopping cheerfully. The stern Russian saw the sparkling garnet eyes of the Japanese girl. Never had he seen someone being so happy having the sight of animals and birds. In his learning center, he'd often been taunted by his cousins for fondling the kitten and rabbits a lot. Frequently, the Russian princes used to tell him that he would get such a life-partner who would despise animals. Recalling the events, he slightly grinned.
"How beautiful they are!" The Japanese laughed in happiness, "They're together, yet they're independent, aren't they?"
"Togetherness and independence?" Her sentences pushed him towards confusions, "I didn't understand, princess Tachibana."
"Hilary," She uttered, "My name is Hilary. In Japan, the people are loved to be called by their own names."
"But...the recognitions of family and clan are important too." The phoenix-prince gently objected.
"You're right," Hilary acknowledged, "That's why we put the surnames before our original names. But the identity of a person becomes lifeless if he or she is always called by the surname. For the good deeds, it is okay. However, for the sins, the whole clan is considered to be guilty even though most of the members of the lineage are completely innocent. Isn't it injustice?"
"Hn."
"That's why, children should be called by their actual names," The brunette stated, "It helps them be self-reliant. In future, depending on none, they can live their lives. Believe me, it doesn't break their bonds with their family members."
"You're speaking the truth, princess Tachi..." His words got cut off as he realized what he had been about to say, "I mean, princess Hilary."
As her name sprang from the vocal cord of the slate-haired guy, the blushes on her face turned deeper. Having a sharp intake of breath, she closed her eyes in comfort. Before it, she had listened to a lot of songs. She'd been called by many persons close and dear to her. But her name from his voice became the best sound to her at that period.
All of sudden, a little magpie flew at the direction of the brunette. Its dorsal surface was blacker than the hair of oriental girls. On the other hand, its ventral surface was silvery like the moon. Its long, fluffy tail was bouncing. Smirking, the auburn-haired girl expanded her right hand. The tiny bird sat on her palm. Hilary leaned her face forward and kissed gently on its top. The magpie nuzzled its petite beak against her nose.
"The prince of Russia," She stated, "It's not the time of these birds to roam around us. Yet, she has come to me from the farthest hill of the country. She's got to know that I have come here only by hearing my footsteps. Yet, I'm not putting her into a cage. She believes me in this case. She's independent. Then again, we love each other."
"You're right, princess Hilary," Kai finally agreed, "Maybe, in this way, togetherness can be found in independence."
Flushing, the princess nodded. They both looked above. The sun had woken up from his siesta before a long time. His golden glows had covered the entire blue sky, coloring it with the color of melted gold. Kites, falcons and eagles were floating there, staring at the creek with their keen eyes for their preys.
'The people who can love and believe in the freedom of individuals,' The Hiwatarian pondered, 'Are very rare in the world. Therefore, I'm fortunate enough to meet one of them.'
"The prince of Russia," She cleared her throat, "May I ask you something?"
"Hn."
"Since my childhood, I've been hearing the glorious stories of Hiwatari clan," Hilary conversed, "Schirio Hiwatari, your ancestor, left his crown and throne in order to take care of the people who were struggling to pasture their animals. Will you follow his footsteps? I mean...will you sacrifice in order to perform your royal duties?"
"He did it for humanity, not for royalism, princess," Kai responded, "To me, nothing is more important than humanity."
"You think it also?" The chocolate-haired princess seemed eager and restless. After all, she got to know a trait of him which belonged to her too.
"Hn," The slate-haired Russian nodded, "Princess, do you want to ask me something else?"
"How...how have you known?" Hilary frowned.
"Heard your eyes," Kai coughed, "Something is surely lurking in your mind."
"Yes..." Sheepishly, the brunette agreed, "But I'm feeling afraid. What if you get angry?"
"I promise, I won't." The phoenix-prince assured the Japanese princess.
"In royal clans, polygamy is a common thing," Hilary's cheeks flushed, "Regal men marry more than once. Will you follow the steps of your ancestors and get married to more than one woman in your life?"
Hearing her, invisible fire caught the face of the phoenix-prince. He could literally feel the heat growing inside his cheeks. He didn't know whether it belonged to embarrassment or frustration. His teeth got clenched, he gritted his fists. Bit by bit, his eyes were turning bloodshot.
Polygamy...he hated the word to be mentioned.
Yes, this is the ritual, the malpractice which snatched my father from me. It left my mother widowed and my grandfather depressed. Losing all his wives, he started spending his time behind alcohol and courtesans...ah! I don't want my family members and progenies to get involved in this problem. Yes, it is also true that I couldn't get such caring and good-hearted cousins like Tala, Bryan, Spencer and Ian if my grandpa didn't marry more than once. But...which side is heavier? The positive? Or the negative?
"Pardon me, prince," Hilary lowered her head, "I'm extremely sorry if this question has hurt you."
"No problem, princess," Kai shook his head, loosening his grips and inhaling deeply, "Actually, for maintaining happiness in one's family, this practice is bound to be stopped one day."
"But your answer..."
"Keeping the sun before us as the witness," He started, "I'm taking an oath, honorable princess. I'm vowing that throughout my entire life, I'll always have only one woman as my lawfully wedded wife."
Again, heaven sang as the tunes chimed into her ears. Her reddened face turned golden in euphoria. She felt as if someone had removed a great amount of weight from her heart. Never had she felt so relieved in her 19-year long life. Blobs of tears started gathering in her garnet orbs. Seeing the blissful smile spreading all over her face, a honeyed leer rose in the corners of the lips of the phoenix-prince too.
He was loving her smiles. He was loving her happiness.
The roads of Japan still didn't wake up. Sakura trees were showering pink flowers on them, coloring the streets with their own pigments. Other flower trees were tilting their heads like attentive audiences in the concert of the airstream. With fishing-rods and nets, fishermen were going to catch fishes in order to earn their livelihoods. Women were heading towards the river for bathing and washing clothes. New buds could be seen in the mango trees. Their intoxicating aroma was enrapturing the hearts of the innocent children. They couldn't wait anymore. Hiding behind the leaves, cuckoos were singing. Across the flower-covered lane, the duo was sluggishly walking.
"Do you like our country?" Looking at the prince, the princess asked. In return, he only waggled his head up and down.
"Thank you," She smiled, "But you can tell me if you're feeling uncomfortable. I mean...Russia is a cold country. The temperature of Japan is higher than that of your kingdom. If you are feeling uneasy..."
"It's okay," He replied, "A warrior should know how to cope with every situation."
"It's true," Hilary nodded, "It cannot be told when, where and how fate comes to us. By the way, what's your favorite weapon?"
"Huh?"
"I mean..." The brunette coughed, "Which weapon do you feel comfortable to operate?"
No sooner had the phoenix-prince been about to reply than the eyes of the princess went widened. Her jaw dropped as she looked somewhere. Pointing at the shrine, she gasped, "Oh no!"
Frowning, the slate-haired prince looked at the shrine. The pyramid pinnacle of the pagoda was made of white-stone. Ribbons were drooping from the entrance, keeping the silver bell at the center. Dried flower petals were laid on the floors. Flames of the oil lamps were swinging recklessly. But it was empty. Not a single person could be seen inside the holy place. Kai saw her face streaked with disappointment and worries. It was displeasing his eyes. Though they didn't have an age-old relation, he couldn't bear her pain, be it light or heavy.
A random Japanese man was passing by them. Seeing the duo and recognizing the female, he bowed.
"Greetings, Sir," Hilary respectfully returned the bow, "Pardon us for interrupting you. Can you say why the temple is empty today?"
"Princess, the man who rings the bell is absent today due to his illness," The man answered, "As you know, nobody is permitted to touch it without the fixed person. People only can enter the temple when the bell rings. That's why, nobody has come to the shrine today."
"Oh okay..." The princess murmured, lowering her eyes, "You may go now."
Bowing once again, the man left the place. The phoenix-prince could see the repressed pain inside the wine-colored pools of the princess, staring at her mien.
"Princess?"
"Huh?" Gulping, the brunette looked at him.
"Hold on," From his shoulders, the boy removed the scarf that was covering his torso. Gently, he tossed it to the brunette. The white cloth fell on her head and draped it like a veil. The coco-haired princess saw the quiver and the bow attached to his back. Unhooking them, he adjusted an arrow with the bow-cord. Deeply gazing at her stagnant eyes, he pointed the weapon at the temple bell. Taking a deep breath, he left the barb.
"Ding!"
The missile clashed against the metal buzzer as it started swaying here and there. The ribbons also joined it. The mellifluous melody of the bell jingled inside her ears. People roaming around the shrine hurriedly entered it. The head priest also followed them, realizing that he had to start his work. She was left awestruck by the phoenix-prince.
"Hope you've seen my favorite weapons."
Backing to the reality, the girl dropped her jaw. Somehow, she inquired, "But...but how could you do it without seeing the target?"
"I've seen it in your eyes."
Again, she reddened herself with the holy vermillion. Lowering her eyes, she grinned. Noticing her, he cleared his throat, "We're getting late."
"Yes, let's go..." The princess pulled her feet forward. Sighing in beautiful mesmerisms, he also followed her. They stopped in front of the backdoor of the palace.
"Thanks for accompanying me, prince," The princess spoke, "Now I have to go and you have to return to sage Dickenson. See you."
The brunette was about to head to her castle but before it, she felt someone's hand on her left shoulder. That touch raised a tiny storm inside her heart.
"You're forgetting something, princess."
"What?" She didn't turn back, feeling confused.
"My scarf."
"Oh..." Red-faced, she tried to remove the shawl from her head. Unexpectedly, she found it stuck with one of her hairpins. She attempted again but failed to detach it from her hair. Rather, she felt painful at the time of pulling the garment.
"Let me try."
Stunned, the girl stood still as the phoenix-holder came to her. While separating the white scarf, his fingers caressed her soft brown tresses which made her convulse almost. On the other hand, the heavenly aroma of her locks trudged through his nostrils, soothing his heart and oculomotor nerves. Taking it back, he re-wrapped it around his neck.
"Thanks for helping." Bending her head somehow, she started running across the lobby, not looking back for a single moment. Grinning, the slate-haired boy left the place.
Nobody saw the lovely moments except a navy-haired guy. For practicing warfare, he used to come here always. Seeing the couple, he had hidden behind a bush. When they disappeared, he came out from it. His face was also flushed like them but not in shyness, but in growing wrath. His heart was pounding heavily. Fangs were clenched, so were his grips.
'I've to admit that he's handsome...' The dragoon-wielder pondered, 'But winning the heart of my best friend isn't easy. He has to prove his worth in front of me. Ironically, he will never be able to do that. Sooner or later, in front of the whole world, I'll prove that I'm better than he. Even if I have to get married to my best friend for that, I won't retreat. This is the promise of Tyson Granger!'
"What the hell were you doing?"
The crimson-haired Russian snapped, placing his palms on his waist, "Do you know for how long I've been searching for you? How can you get lost in an unknown kingdom? It isn't Russia, okay? You've to rectify your bad habits of disappearing now and then."
"Quit being a mother-hen, Tala," Reluctantly, the slate-haired Russian spoke, "I'm not a child, you know."
"Will his Majesty of Kai Alexander Hiwatari show his mercy by informing him where he was?" The wolborg-wielder grimaced, "Or should I offer my heart at his feet?"
"Aren't you being dramatic now?" Kai narrowed his eyes, "I just went out for a walk."
"And got a hole in your scarf?" Tala cocked an eyebrow, "You're not that careless."
Frowning, the dual-haired Russian looked at the tiny fleapit on his shawl. Immediately, blushes appeared all over his face. Quickly, he put off the scarf and placed it on the bed.
"By the way, you know..." The wolf-prince started, "The scene is very beautiful when sunlight falls on the ice and it starts melting. I've seen it today."
"What?" Kai screwed his eyebrows. He couldn't understand the meaning of the words of his cousin. How had he seen the melting ice under the sunlight in such a tropical kingdom like Japan?
"Strangely, the ice cube and the sun were walking today on the streets between Sakura trees," Tala continued, making dreamy eyes, "Oh...how beautiful the scene was!"
"Hey!" Kai snapped.
"Okay, okay, I think I don't need to inform you that I secretly followed you," The wolf-prince stretched his palms to calm his cousin down, "But I cannot disagree with you on the point that princess Hilary Tachibana is such a gorgeous and good-hearted girl. Such women are rare in this world."
"Hn."
"Still that 'hn'?" The redhead swallowed, "C'mon Kai, you're a melted ice cube now. Why to act cold?"
"Leave me alone, Tala," Kai threw his bow at him. Effortlessly, his cousin caught it in his grips.
"Geez...some things will never change," Tala let out a flashy grin, "If you're in so much love with her..."
"Who told you?"
"Your expressions," His ocean-blue eyes danced playfully, "Man, you cannot hide yourself from me. You're an open book and I'm an attentive reader, got it?"
"Hn."
"Again?" Tala slapped on his forehead, "I think I should lock you with princess Tachibana in a room so that..."
"Get lost before I chop you into pieces with my bare hands, Valkov!"
"Where?" Tala gulped.
"Wherever you wish, but not before my eyes!"
"Before going, let me declare something important," The redhead cleared his throat, "The groom-choosing ceremony of princess Hilary Tachibana is going to take place on the day after tomorrow."
Kai froze. He felt as though someone had planted him somewhere like a tree. Swallowing the words of his cousin, he turned to him and voiced, "What?"
"Tala Valkov doesn't utter his words more than once, Kai," Proudly, the crimson-haired Russian blurted, "Princes from different countries have already started arriving here. Would you like to participate?"
"Why?" Indifferently, Kai rejoined, "Princess Hilary didn't tell me about that."
"Why would she tell you, Kai?" The redhead kept a hand on his shoulder, "If your marriage were about to take place, would you beat drums everywhere in Russia?"
"Ugh!" Kai facepalmed, unable to decide what he should speak to his cousin in return. Sniggering, the redhead did his job, "Hiwatari, she did give you some hints, didn't she?"
The amethysts of the phoenix-prince became amplified as he remembered something.
"The prince of Russia," She stated, "It's not the time of these birds to roam around us. Yet, she has come to me from the farthest hill of the country. She's got to know that I have come here only by hearing my footsteps. Yet, I'm not putting her into a cage. She believes me in this case. She's independent. Then again, we love each other."
Hurriedly, he turned over the pages of his memory book. Some lines were written there too.
"In royal clans, polygamy is a common thing," Hilary's cheeks flushed, "Regal men marry more than once. Will you follow the steps of your ancestors and get married to more than one woman in your life?"
"You're so naïve, Kai!" Tala blurted, "Couldn't you guess it from her simple words? She wants you to be present in the contest. What are you waiting for? Go and start practicing!"
"I cannot, Tala," The phoenix-prince shook his head, "Sage Dickenson has brought us here for a special reason, not for marriage. Without his permission, I cannot attend the ceremony. It'll be a grave sin."
"No problem, Kai," The redhead assured his cousin, "Let me go there and talk to him. See you!"
Not letting his cousin speak, the wolf-prince swiftly strode out of the room, leaving a flustered phoenix-prince alone there. He slowly sat on the bed, sighing. One of his hands slid inside the pocket of his kimono pants and reached the silver box in which there was a ring. He recalled the words of his mother spoken to him before his journey to Japan.
Flashback:
"Just remember, she should be righteous, truthful and brave," The queen continued, "She doesn't need to be very talented but should have the ability of understanding the thoughts of people and her surroundings. Be her a princess or any other ordinary girl, be her beautiful or not, she should have the inner daintiness. Her heart should be fair, not her skin. If you fall in love with such a girl, don't hesitate to present the ring before her. You've my blessings with you, my son."
"What if she rejects?" Kai questioned, examining his sword.
"Who'll reject the mighty prince of Russia?" His mother laughed, "Just kidding, son. Before offering the ring, you'll offer her your love, okay?"
Flash forward:
She has all the qualities mentioned by my mother. Yesterday, the devotional song sung by her was sounding so real. Today, for worshipping the sun Goddess, she climbed the hillock. How candidly she let out her thoughts in front of me! Though her face was turning red, she wasn't feeling embarrassed to talk to me. She's both righteous and truthful. About her bravery? Which girl on the earth can ask a royal man about his decision regarding his marriage?
It's true...it's true that I'm falling in love with her. But...offering love to her right at this moment? For a moment, let's assume that she won't reject me. But...her groom-choosing ceremony will take place. If the participants find out that we love each other, what will they think? Forget me, won't they have sick thoughts about princess Hilary? Won't they try to sprinkle ink on her white canvas-like character? No, I won't let it happen to my love. At any cost, I'll protect her honor. Even if I need to wage a war for it, I'll do that without protesting. However, I have to prove my worth before her in her groom-choosing ceremony. Falling in love is like joining a battle. I cannot step back now.
But...what about sage Dickenson? He has brought us here for saving Japan, not for falling in love and getting married. If I take part in the contest without his consent, what will his reaction be? Won't he be hurt a bit? No no...I need to talk to him at first. But how? Arrgh!
He was trying to get out of the web of thoughts but failing. After scuffling a lot against his emotions, he accepted his defeat and leaned his head on the soft pillow, losing in the world of slumber bit by bit.
"May I come in, great sage?"
The bald man was meditating in his room, sitting in lotus pose and closing his eyes. As his ears twitched sensing the tap on the door, he opened his orbs. Seeing the red-haired Russian, he stood up and allowed, "Come in."
Entering the chamber, the wolf-prince bowed before him. Raising his head, he spoke, "Pardon me, Sir. I broke your meditation."
"No problem, prince Tala," Dickenson smiled, "Do you need something from me? Any special reason behind visiting me all of a sudden?"
"Sir, we have got to know that the groom-choosing ceremony of princess Hilary Tachibana is going to be held on the day after tomorrow," Without hesitating, he answered, "Kai wants to participate there. He wants your permission."
Pronouncing the last sentence, he bit his tongue sheepishly. All his words weren't fully true. His cousin hadn't confessed the fact about his ardent wishes to take part in the competition. Then again, truly, the redhead could read the face of the phoenix-prince very easily.
"I know it," Stanley affirmed, "But I cannot permit him before getting the reply of the invitation letter that has been sent to Russia."
"What?" Tala's eyes went widened, "An invitation letter has been sent to Russia?"
"Yes," The bald sage nodded, "Before doing anything else, I need to be informed of the opinions of your guardians regarding Kai's participation in the groom-choosing ceremony. Without their consent, we shouldn't take any decision hastily."
"Oh okay..." Tala seemed disappointed a bit, "Great sage, try your best to be aware of the reply. If it reaches your hands, please call me once."
"Sure," Dickenson spoke, "Prince Tala, you may go now. I've to meditate."
"As your wish." Bowing again, the redhead was about to leave the room. Hardly had his last footstep fallen beyond the territory of the compartment when he could listen to some sentences pronounced by the sagacious man. Curious, he placed his left ear against the wall.
"The auspicious moment is about to arrive!" The great sage blurted, "Soon, both an unbreakable friendship and a renowned rivalry are going to be formed between two opposite personalities. One of them is like the stormy gusts of wind, vibrant and cheerful. Another is like the flames of volcanoes, silent and disparaging. Today, they'll face each other. Their weapons will roar, so will their owners. Red will encounter blue today. This bond will last for lives after lives till the doomsday of the earth."
Not able to unearth the hidden meaning of those paradoxical words despite hundreds of attempts, Tala sighed. He came out of the chamber. Watching the daylight-rimmed sky, he was returning to the guesthouse. Suddenly, his eyebrows became wrinkled as the sounds of someone's screams reached his ears. Rushing to his area as fast as possible, he discovered a navy-haired guy quarrelling with the guards. One of his hands was holding a bow. A bunch of arrows in a quiver were attached to his waist. He was wearing a metal breastplate. Cuffs were encompassing his wrists.
"Sorry, Granger-kun," One of the watchmen shook his head, "But prince Hiwatari is resting. You cannot meet him now."
"What?" The dragoon-wielder frowned, "Why? Is he so scared of me that he cannot meet me now? After all, it's not the thing that I heard about him."
That hurt the ego of the redhead. Certain it was, he could tolerate everything in the world save the humiliation of his cousin. Rage started storming in his brain. Not able to brace himself anymore, the wolf-prince bellowed:
"Hold your tongue, archer!"
Puckering his brows, the navy-haired guy turned to the redhead. Confused, he asked, "Who're you?"
"I'm Tala Valkov," Tala replied, "One of the princes of Russia. You?"
"Tyson Granger," The Japanese guy rejoined, "The grandson of the prime minister of this kingdom and a soldier."
"So, you don't belong to royal clan, do you?" The redhead rolled his eyes, "Being a mere soldier, you have come here to battle against the mighty prince of Russia? Do you have two hearts inside your chest?"
"Warriors are above all the castes and creeds, prince Valkov," Tyson retorted confidently, "Only our weapons introduce us to one another. I thought you might know it. Let it be, where's prince Hiwatari? Call him and tell him to battle me!"
"Huh!" Tala grimaced, "You cannot face the best archer of the world so easily, Granger-kun. Before reaching him, you have to cross me."
Without delaying, he pulled out his sword from the sheath enclosed to his waist. The beams of the sun seeped on it, making it glimmer. Whereas, his opponent turned red in ire, hearing the definition of Kai.
Best archer, huh? No! No one can easily snatch this title from me. I'm the best archer of the world, not he. Soon, he has to prove his worth against me. I know...he'll lose it. He'll definitely lose it!
"I don't have much time to fight with you, prince Valkov," Tyson spoke, detaching the arc from his back, "Yet, if you're willing to obstruct me, I'll surely retort back."
"Try once, Granger-kun," The redhead rotated his eyes, "Your bow and arrows won't be able to survive longer."
"Only time will say that!" Heaving out several arrows from the quiver, he attached them against the cord. Taking a deep breath, he released them all.
Putting his bare hand behind his waist, Tala twisted his wrist anticlockwise at first. Only crossing the angular distance of ninety degrees, his hand turned opposite. Then, he kept the blade in front of his face. Some arrows broke and dropped, colliding with the weapon. His confident ocean-blue orbs gleamed. His sword-enclosed hand was zigzagging circularly, almost painting the trajectories of a snake on the invisible opus of the airstream. He kept cutting the projectiles into pieces with the hits of his rapier. His ankles revolved as he wheeled in the air, leaping. Running a bit, he broke a pair of arrows. Another one was rushing to his feet. He knelt down and chopped it off just like sacrificing a ram in the temple.
"You're better than my thoughts, prince Valkov," Tyson smirked, "No wonder that you're the worthy cousin of prince Hiwatari. But escape this attack of me if you can!"
The navy-haired guy pulled the string of his bow and uttered some chants. Then, pointing it above, he left the cord. Immediately, a bunches of arrows started dashing towards the wolf-prince, diagonally with the skyline just like the droplets of rain.
"Arctic defense!"
Tala yelled, keeping the sword perpendicularly to the direction of the missiles. Soon, encircling the wolf-prince, a semi-globe made of ice appeared to guard him. Clashing against the sphere, the weapons littered here and there around him. Unleashing himself from the half-ball, with sheer force, he penetrated the sword inside the ground.
"Fissure of chills!"
A narrow crack appeared on the surface. Through it, a blue light hurried to the navy-haired warrior. No sooner had it been about to go through the feet of the dragoon-wielder than he leaped above. He noticed that the trajectory of the blue light had turned into ice. Not delaying, he released a few arrows towards the straight icy line. The frost got shattered into pieces, so did the attack cease.
Tumbling, the navy-haired boy aimed his bow at the feet of the redhead and discharged several barbs. For dodging them, the wolf-prince jumped. Utilizing the chance, Tyson threw another arrow at his sword-held hand. The arrow hit the center of gravity of the weapon, making the wolborg-wielder drop the blade and kneel down on the ground. Landing on the surface, the dragoon-wielder ran towards the defeated one. Stretching his hand to him, he worriedly asked, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I guess..." Holding his hand, Tala stood up. Still he couldn't believe that he had lost the duel.
How can it be possible? Swords are always better than arrows, aren't they? Then how have I lost the battle? Something is surely special in this boy.
"That means...I've won it!" Victoriously outstretching his bow, Tyson exclaimed in joy. Moving it 90 degree left, he attached another arrow to it and released it. The projectile hit the stem of a tree.
"Shoosh!"
In front of the shocked eyes of the dragoon-wielder, another arrow penetrated the tree, horizontally passing across his released one and splitting it into two equal halves. The bottom of the new dart had a red feather. Baffled, he turned back. There was the slate-haired phoenix-prince, holding his recurve bow and the cylindrical basket of arrows with the help of a strap. He was also wearing a breastplate and a helmet, taking the preparations for the upcoming duel. Seeing him, the redhead smirked, rolling his eyes at Tyson.
"Prince Kai Hiwatari," The navy-haired boy simpered, "I was waiting for you."
"Why?" The dual-haired Russian raised an eyebrow, "Did you want to consider yourself lucky seeing my face?"
"No...but this Tyson Granger wanted to make you consider yourself fortunate having the attacks of his arrows!" Tyson showed the arc to him, "What are you waiting for? Let's get started!"
"Be careful, Kai," Tala warned, "He's an excellent archer."
"Only worry about yourself, Tala!" Kai snapped. Putting the quiver behind his back, he took an arrow and placed it along the bow. The redhead started countdown:
"Three...two...one...zero!"
Hehehe! What's gonna happen, my dearies? Can you guess? Who'll win? Who'll lose?
Do read and review. Pardon the grammatical mistakes, spelling errors and OOCness of the characters in this chapter. Please help me fulfilling my first quadruple century. I wanna be like Brian Lara xDxDxD
-Misty ^_^ ^_^