Chapter 18:
"A clever plan...but all it did was buy yourself some time." Verruckt said losing his victorious attitude and replacing it with an angered and annoyed one.
"Hmph...think you have what it take to defeat me in a fair fight?" Krad asked sword held tight in his right hand.
"Who said I was going to play fair? A fight is determined by who wins...not how." Verruckt replied raising his sword, "And I've never lost a fight."
"First for everything!" Krad yelled and blasted a large energy blast at Verruckt. However, all the blast really did was create a nice breeze in the room, for through the smoke caused by the impact Verruckt, unscathed, had charged at Krad who raised his blade in a block as Verruckt had aimed his strike at Krad's head.
"Heh, so you know how to use a sword." Verruckt said and jumped backwards as Krad pushed the blades apart with a strong right downward cross, "I wonder, is a sword used often in your world?"
"They haven't been used in centuries...in fact I haven't used a sword in years..." Krad said stepping in with his right foot and holding the sword vertically to his left, "But then again...old habits die hard."
"Heh, let's see how rusty you've become..." Verruckt said with a laugh and vanished.
"What?" Krad asked looking around for Verruckt.
"Behind you!" Dark yelled.
Verruckt had used magic to come up behind Krad and used a forward thrust to go straight into Krad's back. But thanks to Dark's warning, Krad spun around to his right and was able to divert the sword's directory to the left with his blade.
"Cheap shot!" Krad growled at the dirty tactic of stabbing your opponent in the back.
"Heh! Like I said, as long as you win..." Verruckt smirked and raised his left hand and shot a ball of energy into Krad's chest knocking him backwards. "It doesn't matter how you go about it!"
"Grrr, you cheating bastard!" Dark shouted, angered at Verruckt's 'rules of engagement'.
Krad was lying on the ground rather far away from Verruckt and was barely able to return to his feet and raise the sword.
"...Damn it!" Krad growled to himself, "He's a dirty fighter..."
'Does that mean you'll have to fight with similar tactics?' Satoshi asked from within.
'Hell no! That would just put me on the same level as him...' Krad replied annoyed that Satoshi would even think he would resort to something that low, 'I'll just have to be faster...'
"Giving up?" Verruckt asked with a disappointed expression.
"Just shut up!" Krad yelled and held the sharpest edge of the sword to his opponent, "Just the fact you're breathing the same air as me is making me sick! And then you have to go and talk? I might just vomit..."
"Hmph. Bold words...I wonder..." Verruckt said charging at Krad then slammed the two swords together with a low vertical to high slash. Bringing the sword up from the ground to be blocked from hitting his face by the blade. "Can you back them up?" He asked as his and Krad's sword came up in an "X" block.
Krad was done talking; talking would only drag on this fight, a fight he wanted to finish as quickly as possible. Krad pressed as far as he could on the blade knocking Verruckt backwards. After finishing this attack, he quickly came out with a right cross, but missed Verruckt because he had jumped backwards.
'Damn! How the hell can I hit this guy?' Krad yelled to himself internally.
"Hahaha!" Verruckt laughed at Krad's frustration, "You'll never hit me no matter how desperate you are! It's pointless."
Krad quickly charged back at Verruckt and slashed the sword with a right cross, but Verruckt was gone! He was going to try and come up behind him again! Krad quickly turned around with the intent to meet with a sword...and met with nothing.
"What?" Krad asked confused.
Then he felt a sharp slash cross his back and flung him forward falling to the ground, magic was infused with this attack because he was thrown quite a distance. He barely caught himself and rolled forward and spun around to see Verruckt standing there with his sword now dripping with Krad's blood.
"An invisibility spell...Heh, I knew you would think that I'd try to get behind you again...you're so predictable..." Verruckt laughed, "And by the way..." Verruckt said and slowly licked some of the blood off of his blade with his tongue, "In a fair fight or not...using magic through ones weapon is allowed..."
Krad glared at him, his back hurt like hell. But the wound couldn't have been to deep...because from what he could tell, the blood loss was minimal.
The backs of his wings were covered in some blood, and his coat was torn, but his back stung and burned like hell. The cold air on an open wound wasn't a pleasant feeling, and the magic used on his skin left a burning sensation.
'Krad! Are you okay?' Satoshi asked from inside.
"That...last attack...knocked the wind out of me..." Krad said catching his breath, "But I'll live..."
'Use your magic! His swordsmanship is better then yours!' Satoshi protested.
'You saw, magic does nothing to him...it's got to be that armor...it's magic proof. And as far as his swordsmanship...he's got skill...but he's using dirty tactics...and therefore I can't call it swordsmanship...' Krad growled glaring at his opponent.
'Then how do you plan to hit him?' Satoshi asked.
Krad glanced around the room for some kind of strategy. Anything he could use to his advantage...then another idea struck him.
'We free Dark!' Krad said with a smirk.
'How...your magic isn't strong enough to disarm the restraints...' Satoshi reminded him.
'Right now at least...but if we can get Verruckt to use up a load of magic, then the spell for the restraints will weaken...and then I might be able to break them...or at least Dark might be able to.' Krad said glaring back at Verruckt.
'And how do we provoke him to use magic?'
'Leave that to me...' Krad said taking a running charge at Verruckt.
"Decided to take the offensive I see?" Verruckt asked coming forward to meet the charge and raising his blade. Verruckt came back with a charge; much like last time, but this time...Krad had a surprise.
This time, Krad had transferred some of his energy into the blade and when he swung high and vertically across Verruckt had jumped back like last time...but the energy released from the blade cut straight across Verruckt's chest slicing through the armor! And even if his armor was Magic proof, when magic is channeled through the holy blade, it is transferred into a highly effective and powerful physical attack.
"Arg!" Verruckt grunted and stumbled backwards catching himself before he lost his balance. The gash across his chest had drawn blood, the wound was about a half an inch deep and seemed to hurt Verruckt's pride more so then his chest. "Damn you! You charged your blade with your magic!"
"If you can..." Krad said with a smirk, "Why can't I?"
Verruckt was angry, not only had he been hit, but then mocked by his attacker!
"Fine then!" Verruckt growled and charged his blade with an enormous amount of magical energy. "I'll make sure this time it kills you!"
Verruckt's madness was almost completely out of control! He had forgotten that he needed Krad and Dark alive to sacrifice; it seemed now that he had forgotten that completely!
Well, Krad didn't anticipate that on happening, but by using a large amount of magical energy, the magic used to create the restraints should be weakening. He just hoped Dark could figure it out before this fight got in way over his head.
Dark was looking on with complete attention. He could see that Krad would survive the slash to his back, but he knew that in a magic fight against Verruckt, Krad stood little of a chance. He wished there was something he could do! Wait...when had his strength returned so much? Earlier he was barely able to scream, and his body hurt so much worse...but now...he felt so much better?
"Daisuke..." Dark said and looked down at the red haired boy still unconscious beneath him. That's it! He may still be bonded with Verruckt, but Daisuke was still a part of him! Just by Daisuke being there his strength was returning! Hmm...maybe even enough to...
Suddenly, there was a huge explosion! Verruckt's and Krad's magic's had clashed and caused an eruption! Krad was thrown backwards into a wall, and Verruckt was only thrown back a few feet, and still standing. Things were not looking good at all for the golden haired Seraph.
Krad slowly managed to return to his feet and remarkably still holding the sword. He was losing energy pretty fast. That last attack did a number on him, but he still intended to fight, even though Satoshi stood a better chance at this point. One more attack like that and he was done for, he may have had some strength left, but little magical energy.
"Give it up Krad..." Verruckt said glaring at him, "Xilef was a stubborn fool too...and look what happened to him." He said raising the blade again.
"Grrr...Stop comparing me to him!" Krad said getting annoyed of hearing that name. "I'm nothing like him! As far as I'm concerned, he should have been the light half not me, he didn't deserve to live in this hellish world! So just shut up!"
Krad had never even met Xilef, and for some reason he was defending him?
"Hmph, you're more like him then you know..." Verruckt said and charged his sword with magic again, "And that's why...YOU HAVE TO DIE!"
Suddenly Verruckt had released a larger amount of energy then last time! Krad couldn't out run or defend against this one...there was no way out of this!
The attack hit head on! The wall behind where Krad had stood had crumbled and blown apart! Looking at the blast after the attack was devastating, nothing could have survived that!
Verruckt smiled to himself, he knew that there was no way in hell the golden haired angel could have survived that...WHAT!
The dust and smoke from the attack had cleared, revealing two large black wings, undamaged and unharmed by the attack, wrapped tightly around a figure. Verruckt couldn't believe his eyes...Krad was alive...and Dark was free!
The large wings flared apart and Dark stood tall over Krad, who was on one knee on the ground.
"...Hitting an opponent when they can't fight back is an unforgivable offence..." Dark said firmly and was holding Krad's sword, "So now...you'll have to deal with me."
Verruckt backed up a bit, now this was a problem. He needed to kill Dark while he was strapped to that rock...for it held certain magical properties, which would bind Daisuke and him back together, leaving the bond between the Dark king and the Thief demolished. He had to be careful not to kill Dark and defend himself as best as possible, for though Dark wasn't as powerful as Krad...he was a hell of a lot faster. This could prove to be difficult...Hmph, no matter, he thought, he would make Dark beg for death, then put him back on the rock and grant it.
"Very well. Just don't bore me..." Verruckt replied and glared at Dark.
"Don't worry. I promise not to be to much of a disappointment." Dark said with a smirk, "Oh and one more thing...because you dared to hurt Krad and Daisuke in front of me...I plan to keep my original promise to tear your head off. Ready?" Dark asked and raised his blade.
Immediately, Dark and Verruckt charged at each other and the battle began! Each matching blow for blow, counters and thrust that went without piercing flesh only to be knocked back by a cross or a slash! It was a truly impressive sight. It seemed like they both knew and could predict each other's moves to the second. Magic blasts were exchanged now and then, and whatever missed blade, or mortal, flew out of control into a wall, the floor, or ceiling.
Krad was left trying to catch his breath kneeling on one knee on the floor. He didn't realize how powerful Verruckt really was! And he bet this wasn't even one hundred percent of his strength...Dark's shadow seemed to be near invincible. Krad hated the fact that there was an opponent out there he could defeat on his own, but he could accept it. Unlike Dark, Krad could maintain his emotions and his pride to keep himself from becoming blind in a fight...well, most of the time.
Dark seemed to be doing very well in this fight, he had taken a few minor blows, as had Verruckt. But Dark's speed was able to keep up with Verruckt's easily, even catching the black armored king off guard a few times. Verruckt was mostly on the defensive it seemed and very few times was able to gain the upper hand on Dark. Truly Krad was impressed.
Suddenly, another energy blast veered towards him and out of control.
'Krad!' Satoshi screamed in his head.
Krad jumped to his feet and jumped out of the blasts path. "DAMN IT DARK! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE SHOOTING THOES THINGS!" Krad yelled to the thief who was pretty busy at the moment.
"Sorry!" Dark called back casually as he dodged another jab at his stomach.
'Wait...DAISUKE!' Satoshi exclaimed, 'Where's Daisuke?'
Krad looked back over to the rock Dark was once strapped to and saw Daisuke still unconscious on the ground. Krad looked back at the battle and then back to Daisuke. 'He's fine...' Krad replied internally.
'Please Krad; we should get him out of harms way! He'll be killed if an attack gets near him!' Satoshi pleaded.
Krad sighed at the nuisance and wondered to himself why he asked Satoshi to reconnect the bond between them...but regardless he was right...Daisuke was helpless. He did owe Satoshi for letting him at least have one crack at Verruckt...he quickly ran over to the downed red haired boy. He was still breathing, a good sign, he didn't appear to be terribly injured...only the large bruises around his neck...signs that he was nearly strangled. Krad knelt down beside him on one knee keeping the battle in his peripheral vision.
"Daisuke...Daisuke Niwa?" Krad said shaking Daisuke gently trying to wake him.
Daisuke made a groaning sound and slowly opened his large soft crimson eyes, but didn't move.
"Daisuke...listen don't be alarmed, I just need to relocate you to a safer place...do you understand?" Krad asked trying to make sure Daisuke wasn't going to freak out at the sight of being picked up by the golden haired angel of death.
Gently, Krad lifted Daisuke off the ground, he moaned a bit at being picked up...but Krad was surprisingly warm, and he settled down completely. The cold floor left his body semi numb...but Krad was so warm...for an ice demon, he didn't show it. And for some reason...he felt no evil or darkness emanating from him that he had felt the very first time they met...back when Krad had tried to kill him...it was just...warm, and he felt safe.
Krad couldn't find a safe place to hide Daisuke while he recovered, and decided the best thing would be to hold onto him until the fighting had ceased from either exhaustion or someone falling from the other's sword...he just hoped that someone who was to fall...wasn't Dark.
"Grrr...Damn you!" Verruckt growled and backed off as Dark had made another slice in his side. Verruckt's blood was running from the several, all-non-fatal, wounds on his body.
Dark was also banged up pretty good, but showed little fatigue where as Verruckt looked exhausted. "Giving up so soon?" Dark asked mockingly, "And I was just getting started!"
"Grrr..." Verruckt growled insulted and annoyed, "I can still sacrifice you without the tongue!" Raises his blade and charges at Dark, who stood unmoving!
At the last second, Dark jumped up and using his wings, took flight above Verruckt and landed behind him. Before Verruckt knew what hit him, Dark's sword had sliced through the top of his armor over his shoulder.
Verruckt stopped quickly, turning and sliding to a stop. The top of his left shoulder had been hit, and was bleeding out through the new gash in his armor. "Grrr...damn you..." Verruckt growled.
Dark was standing proudly, sword in hand with Verruckt's blood on it. The wound was only about an inch deep, due to the fact he only had a fraction of a second to strike to blow. "Guess I have gotten a little rusty." He shrugged with a smile, "I was aiming for your head."
Krad couldn't help but smirk and laugh at Verruckt's face. He'd never seen him so angry! It was extremely amusing to him, "How could you miss that Dark? Are you going blind?" Krad asked.
"I dunno, maybe. I guess at about two or three centuries of age...one's eyesight starts to go." Dark replied with another shrug.
Verruckt's anger had reached a boiling point. First this dark haired thief dared to strike him, then this demon dared to mock him! They would pay...they would both pay...
"I swear..." Verruckt began and then the already cold air in the room began to freeze even more, "I SWEAR YOU'LL REGRET THE DAY YOU WERE BORN!" Verruckt screamed and the black aura of magic surrounded him began to electrify and cause Dark to step backwards in the defensive.
"...Uh...I think we made him mad Krad!" Dark said as a harsh wind began to pick up heavily in the room and the walls around them began to shake and almost crumble.
"Damn...I didn't realize he was this powerful..." Krad growled to himself still holding Daisuke in his arms. He shielded himself and Daisuke by stretching out one wing in front of him.
Verruckt's rage and anger was releasing mass amounts of energy and beginning to bring the castle down around them. The walls began to blow apart and the ceiling was swept up in the vortex of energy that formed like a tornado around the castle.
Dark's thoughts quickly went to Daisuke! Krad and he could withstand this energy, but Daisuke was unconscious! He quickly looked over to where Daisuke was and when he didn't see hi started to panic. He quickly ran over to Krad and was about to ask where Daisuke was, then looked down and saw him in Krad's arms. He smiled at Krad and nearly started to giggle.
"What?" Krad demanded, "This is no time to be laughing!"
"It's just...SO CUTE!" Dark finally broke and started laugh amidst the swirl vortex of death around them.
Krad's eye was twitching and he was blushing red, "Sh-Shut up!" Krad said trying to keep his composure, "Satoshi asked me too! Don't get any ideas!"
"Krad-sama, the great Hikari Guardian Angel of death has a soft spot for little boys!" Dark laughed.
"What the..." Krad started then growled, "Grrr...SHUT UP! I SAID I WAS ONLY DOING THIS FOR SATOSHI!" Krad yelled.
But before Dark could comment on that, a large slab of the wall came hurling towards them.
"GET DOWN!" Dark shouted and tackled Krad and Daisuke to the ground as the wall piece flew over them.
Everything in this area became a flying weapon! Verruckt's madness was way out of control!
Krad had shut his eyes after being tackled, and opened them to Dark on top of him, "...Dark...what are you doing on top of me?" He asked trying to contain his anger.
"Ugh..." Dark said his face showing pain, "Sorry...you're right, neither time nor place huh...ah..." Dark groaned.
Krad pushed his anger aside and noticed that something wasn't quite right, he quickly slide himself out from under Dark and placed Daisuke on the ground, Dark's left wing was damaged...and not just damaged, a sharp part of the rock had gone right through it! Krad had damaged his wings before, and it hurts like hell when they're hit...he was used to it...but Dark...Dark had never had to endure that before.
"Dark..." Krad said holding him from falling down.
If they were attacked directly, there was no way for Dark to fly away...not only that, but Daisuke was still pretty out of it and immobile. Verruckt was still far away from them and bringing the castle down around them! Pretty soon they'd be able to see the sky if this kept up.
"Damn it...Damn it all to hell!"
Notes From the Author:
HURRAY! Super long and it only took me what...3 days? sweat drop Sorry guys...and nope, I don't plan to end this just yet! I still have 2 more chapters to go so fear not! (Sorry Jenishi-chan...but my goal is to make this twice as long as Distance 1 so there! .... EEEP! DON'T HIT ME! Cries) Okay to the less violent fans, please enjoy the rest of the story and continue to comment! I enjoy reading your comments good or bad please leave em! Smiles Till next time! waves and huggles you all
P.S. To all of you taking the SAT's...I PRAY FOR YOU! cries