Event 28.5: Unexpected Duel

Returning to Ciaran, who waited in the coliseum, Jinta, Seiko, and Sif left behind the Abyss and their struggles therein. Sif, recognizing Ciaran, approached her, circling slowly around her to acknowledge her presence. He quickly went to lay near his fallen partner's sword, however, content with being left alone. Ciaran thanked them for finishing what Artorias had started, but seemed to force herself to change the subject.

"Tell me, as I failed to ask, what are you two?" said Ciaran.

"Pardon?" said Jinta, perplexed by her question.

"Are you married? Can you not be, as Artorias and I found ourselves because of the lives we led?"

"Oh! I... No, nothing like that... We're just..." Jinta struggled, not exactly knowing the answer himself.

"Then the next question, not from me, but as you should ask yourself, what do you want to be?"

Jinta turned to see Seiko staring at him. With his helmet on he was able to hide his surprise.

"I want to fight," said Seiko, matter-of-factly.

Ciaran remained quiet.

"I... Don't think that's what she meant," said Jinta, trying to avoid that subject.

"Did you fight, Mother?" asked Seiko.

"With Artorias? Of course. All of Gwyn's knights have crossed blades in sparring matches. Have you two never fought?"

Seiko just looked back at Jinta.

"Why are you so set on dueling me?! We just got out of fighting the father of the Abyss himself! Can't we rest!?" retorted Jinta.

"Rest now, fight later?" asked Seiko, leaning forward.

Ciaran and Seiko both stared at Jinta while he looked from one of them to the other and back. There didn't seem to be a way out of it this time, unlike in Ash Lake.

Jinta sighed. "Rest now, fight later..." he agreed, pulling off his helmet and squeezing his temples with his left thumb and small finger. He was either going to die or be humiliated...

A few hours past, the three talking to pass the time. Seiko and Jinta asked as much as they could about Gwyn's knights, the war with the everlasting dragons, and so on. Ciaran didn't ask much of anything herself, doing most of the talking. She knew that Jinta and Seiko wouldn't be too happy to reveal the future to her, which she understood because of the dangers. Seiko and Jinta even slept for a while, Seiko using Jinta's stomach as a pillow, Jinta using her balled up coat as one. When both were awake Ciaran took them to a series of bonfires inside the coliseum walls. She directed them to a particular one, telling them to reach into the flames. As they did so the fires swallowed them up, depositing them above a flat arena. It appeared to be a turret just off the coliseum. Most of the top had been blown off long ago, but the two elevators down to the arena were still operational. Ciaran appeared a moment later, coming up some stairs to be a spectator.

Jinta sighed, adjusting his helmet and checking his weapons. After Seiko had scratched his Crest Shield, Jinta had opted to bring Leeroy's Sanctus shield instead. Blessed like his weapons, it would be harder to break with physical damage. He had his falchion sheathed on his left hip, his talisman on his right hip, and the long scabbard for his bastard sword on his back.

Seiko seemed cheerful but serious. She'd left her overcoat behind. No use for it in this duel, since Jinta had seen her blind-strike tactic before. In her cloth brassier, short shorts, and boots, Seiko walked her slender body to the elevator opposite Jinta. She held only her black katana and her hair hung flowing behind her. Even in the bright sunlight her piercing blue eyes seemed to glow with ever-present certainty. She wasn't in this duel to win or lose. She was in it to better understand Jinta. Whether he would realize or not was yet to be seen...

When both were in their places, cages closed over the elevators' entrances. The "elevators" made loud clacking noises... Once... Twice... And on the third time simply dropped out their bottoms. Seiko and Jinta suddenly fell to the arena, both taken off guard. As soon as they hit and recovered, both realized that it was time to strike, rushing forward. Seiko slashed, her katana in her right hand, hammering Jinta's shield. From the first blow Jinta knew she wouldn't be holding a thing back. He could feel his entire body shiver from absorbing the huge force of her slash. But unlike him, Seiko had no shield to block his counter-attack. Jinta slashed for Seiko's ribs, missing as she jumped back just out of range. Jinta, experienced with his weapon, stopped the slash and stepped forward as if stabbing with a rapier.

Seiko was forced back again, but this time she threw a small fireball at Jinta to stop him from chasing again. Jinta waited for the fireball to explode on the ground, then raised his shield and ran right through the fire, ready to tackle Seiko. The flames parted and Seiko was caught off guard, not expecting Jinta to behave in such a way. Both hands on her katana, Seiko blocked Jinta's overhead slash, only to nearly have her arm broken as he swiped with his shield, hitting her upper right arm. Seiko hopped back again, stabbing her sword into the arena's brick floor, then leapt much further back. Close range wasn't working out very well...

"Why are you running?!" demanded Jinta, sounding almost angry.

Seiko didn't offer an answer besides hurling a few larger fireballs. Jinta dodged one, ducked behind his shield as the second exploded on it, then rushed through the fire again. The heat was already making him sweat, and his lungs burned for the next few breaths, but he was intent on closing the distance now that Seiko didn't have a weapon with which to block. Why would she retreat from him?!

As Jinta closed in he spun, slashing for Seiko's legs as he came around. Seiko jumped, trapping herself in the air. Jinta shifted his feet, stopping his sword, and slashed to bat her out of the air with a perfect swing. Seiko swung her arms down, crossing over each other and her body, wings of black fire spreading from her arms. With the physical presence of the fire, Jinta's slash was deadened, but still managed to cut into both of her arms enough to draw blood. The force of their attacks meeting pushed Seiko back as she fell, forcing her to stumble as she landed. Putting her right hand back to stop from falling on her butt, Seiko spewed Flame Surge from her left hand. Jinta dodged to her right, trying to get around the gout of blue flame for another strike. He was pressuring her into a corner, always pushing through her attacks.

"Force!" yelled Jinta, just close enough for the miracle to reach. Seiko was bowled over by the concussion, rolling to her feet in time to see Jinta ready to stab right through her. She jumped forward, flipping off of him and running for her sword.

"Why?!" Jinta demanded again. She was the daughter of legends! A legend herself! Trained by another! Why was she on the run?!

Jinta put his shield on his back, drawing his talisman and flattening it into his sword's grip as he put both hands on the blessed bastard sword. Seiko reached her sword, but it was in the perfect range for the miracle Jinta was reciting.

"Emit Force!" he finished, thrusting his sword forward like a battle standard. The dazzling white ball arced from his fists right at Seiko. Seiko dove to the side, avoiding the initial hit, but getting rolled all the way to the arena's edge by the resulting blast of force. She hopped up, shaking out her limbs, and hurled a Chaos Fireball at Jinta, a technique she hadn't used in ages. Of course, Jinta moved back to dodge, and he couldn't charge through the flames because of the molten rock that formed as the fireball struck. Leaving smoking napalm in the way, Jinta instead began reciting another miracle.

"Great Magic Barrier!" he said to himself with purpose, running right over the glowing crater. His barrier flared bright as it blocked the heat caused by Seiko's Pyromancy. To an onlooker, he became a glowing figure for a moment, almost blinding to see. Then he was through and Seiko was in the middle of activating Power Within. Jinta slashed left to right, shifting his feet for a second attack as soon as his first connected. Only it didn't connect. Seiko swayed under the slash, even saving her long hair from being cut. Steam rising from her body, Seiko slashed up, aiming for Jinta's left hip up to his right shoulder. With Chaos fire behind him, Jinta could only hold his ground as Seiko slashed into him. The cloth of his armor parted, but his gold-colored chain-mail held. He'd be bruised horribly, but the armor did its job. That didn't stop Jinta from flying back from the force of the slash, rolling over the floor and losing his bastard sword before he could stop himself. Popping up, Jinta held his talisman in his right hand and reequipped his shield in his left hand. Miracles would serve better than a blade for his plan. Seiko was far away but moving fast. Jinta didn't have time to recite a miracle for full power, so he cast one outright.

"Tranquil Walk Of Peace!" he shouted, thrusting his talisman up. Seiko closed in and suddenly had to struggle to lift her legs. She felt as if massive weights had latched onto her limbs, but the miracle wasn't at full power. She could still power through it, still at a speed faster than walking. She raised her sword to use the extra weight in her attack, ready to split Jinta down the middle. She would learn to appreciate his skill with a shield. Too late she heard him calmly reciting his miracle, one she recognized. Too late she saw him reposition his shield. Jinta parried perfectly, deflecting Seiko's overhead slash, kicking her in the chest, and finishing his miracle. He dropped to one knee, right over Seiko as she fell on her back.

"...by the Wrath Of The Gods," finished Jinta, still calm.

With Jinta standing right over her, the force and overpressure of the miracle only had one way to push her. As if an Iron Golem had stomped on her full force, Seiko was slammed into the stone brick floor, forming a perfectly round crater. Seiko couldn't hear and couldn't suck in a breath. She felt completely winded and disoriented. Jinta dashed for his bastard sword, putting away his talisman. He could feel his miracles starting to pull from his own energy, and he needed everything he had to stay in this fight. As Jinta approached with his reclaimed weapon, Seiko managed to roll over and stand.

"What's the matter with you?! You've fought worse than me! Much worse! Do you think I can't take it?! A win's a win! This is a duel! I knew what would happen before it even started! Fight me!"

In the face of Jinta's displeasure, Seiko seemed to shrink. Couldn't he see she was trying? Was this what it was like to be on the other side of his blade? She'd seen him with his dual swords as he'd shredded enemies with quick and exact attacks. His strength wasn't above average, but he didn't swing unless it was to cripple or kill. Even her brief use of Power Within hadn't been enough to get through his armor. Pyromancy hadn't worked either. It was almost as if he was her perfect counter. Was he always?
"I am..." she finally answered. "But you're different..."

Jinta rose out of his stance a bit. Different? "What do you mean by that? Of course I am. Did you think I could move the same with a heavy sword and shield?"

Seiko shook her head. "The wielder makes the weapon..."

What? "Of course it does. Even if you say that I still don't..."

The past two fights Jinta had been drastically reversing. He'd retaken self confidence he'd lost long ago. He'd abandoned the fighting style pushed on him from critics. He had accepted that he was Seiko's strength and let her become his. She didn't mean his fighting style, she meant as a person he'd changed. Jinta clenched his fists for a moment, squeezing his weapons.

"So I have..." he said at last. "But do you expect me to believe that means I can match you?"

His tone was calmer now. Jinta continued. "I can't understand how you aren't winning. I can't tell if you're holding back or going all out. Usually I can. Usually I can read an opponent as easily as I memorized my miracles. But this time I feel blind. Are you letting me win?!"

Seiko shook her head again.

"Then how is it you're not tearing me apart?! Like you've done to everyone and everything else that's gotten in our way?" said Jinta. He was done talking. He made that clear in his tone.

"It wasn't just me... I had support... Soothing Sunlight. Force. Wrath... You. I didn't do much alone. Siegmeyer helped at Sen's Fortress. And Anor Londo. Abyss saved me in New Londo. You every other time. Legends birthed me. Legends trained me. But my strength isn't from them. The wielder makes the weapon. My sword. My Pyromancy. They are me. How much more useful were they than your swords? Your faith...?"

It was probably the most he'd ever heard Seiko talk.

"You saved me from Hollowing. Twice. You avenged me in Chaos. You drove me to victory there. You saved me in Seath's prison. You beat Gwyn. You beat my father. You can't understand because you were blind. Now you see."

Jinta's arms went slack. His feet held him in his battle stance, but they did not move. He watched as Seiko absorbed his realization. She'd known. All along she'd seen right through him. From the moment they'd met she'd known him. Still he barely knew her. She'd cut right into his heart with her words. Of course she was right. No wonder he'd felt so dependent. Without Seiko he'd have remained as blind as when they'd met. Her hands had guided him from his doubt back to confidence. He'd said so himself!

Jinta tightened his grip, flexed his arms and raised his weapons again. His feet shuffled into their proper place.

"You're so quiet... But when you speak you light even the darkest corners. I keep thinking of how I need to repay you for all you've given me, but at this rate it's a debt I'll never escape. Not that I dislike that. It's certainly an odd feeling. I've never appreciated someone like I appreciate you. Nor have I loved someone like I love you. I can see you feel the same. Your actions have always spoken louder than your words. So let me show you what this means to me. I'll show you how you've strengthened me. I expect no less from you."

Everything between them fell away. Jinta wasn't a Paladin. Nor a former Chosen Undead. Seiko wasn't the daughter of Artorias and Ciaran. She wasn't trained by Quelaana. Jinta was Jinta. Seiko was Seiko. One self to another. No complications. No curses. No disparity. Seiko drew her flame into her chest for Power Within. Jinta waited until he could see the air shimmer around her from the heat. One more clash. One more to leave it all in the arena. One more to know each other.

Jinta charged first, his sword low, his shield up. Seiko put both hands on her katana and pulled back, ready to stab. Her eyes danced like her own flames lay within. Jinta slashed down and to the left, aiming for Seiko's shoulder. Seiko ducked, swayed, and slashed. Jinta crossed his shield over to block, his gold boots scraping over the stone floor from the force. Jinta slashed backhanded, up and to the right now. Seiko couldn't block, but was far enough away that the cut only drew blood. From her hip over her Darksign, blood began to flow from her wound. As soon as she hit the floor from her dodge, Seiko jumped forward, close to the ground. Jinta pulled his sword back, blocking her slash with it. White sparks flew from the clash and Jinta slid back again. Seiko saw his shield bash coming this time, flinging a hand aside to catch it and rip it from his grasp. Rearing back, Seiko slashed again, only for Jinta to block with his sword again. Jinta's boots hit the lip of the arena, just behind which was a support pillar. One more push and he'd fall, and in such a way that he'd never make it to block the fourth attack. Now or never. Jinta put both hands on his sword. With a shove as Seiko pulled back, Jinta took a step forward. Turning his sword down to slash up, Jinta let Emit Force fly. The white energy rushed from his sword in a crescent and flew forward. Seiko blocked only to have her katana fly from her hands, spinning into the air and crashing to the stones far behind her. Jinta slashed down, again with Emit Force. Seiko sidestepped, her hair fluttering in the wind of Jinta's attack. Seiko moved to punch, opening her guard. Jinta kicked her in the ribs, his leg being longer than her arm. As she crumpled, Jinta slashed from his left to right, his blade cutting clean through Seiko's stomach, bisecting her Darksign. The slash left a white boundary on her where it had passed through, as if it hadn't cut her flesh at all. Still together, Seiko fell to her knees, then at Jinta's feet...

The two glowed orange and vanished, reappearing above the arena. Seiko saw her katana laying by her side. She picked herself up, feeling for the death blow on her stomach and finding nothing. She looked up at Jinta. His armor's cloth was intact again. Jinta plopped down on his butt, his sword falling from his hands. Sanctus lay next to him. Both had to catch their breath. A few seconds after, Ciaran appeared on the stairs. Something much bigger rose behind her. A giant in well worn armor stepped up next to Ciaran, calmly clapping his callused hands. When he spoke his voice sounded like the thundering of deep war drums.

"A fight like that I've not heard for many moons... Thou must be the one who freed Artorias. An old friend he was, and thanks to thee, he left this world with honour intact. With thine skills I may have a test. Something for thy newfound mettle. A black dragon has't thou seen? Surely, for Kalameet draws the eye of many. I daresay you two may match him, however. If it be of interest, or not, come and speak with me. I should enjoy conversation with such warriors as thyselves, and may offer a hand in grounding the last of our enemies, the dragons..."

Seiko and Jinta looked at each other. That wasn't part of Artorias' legend. But then, it also was common knowledge that the dragons were all gone... One last fight seemed to have found them... And just as they both reached new heights as well.

Jinta pulled of his helmet and looked at Seiko, both exhausted.

"What do you think...? Wanna slay a dragon before we go home...?" said Jinta.

Seiko laughed once or twice, quietly.

"Yeah..." said Jinta, getting the hint. "Might as well..."

Event 29: Dragonslayer coming soon...

Author Note: Fully aware it was a BS excuse to get them to fight. Fully aware some people might skip this because it's in between two major events... Not caring face! I wanted a duel between them! No one could stop me! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!