Sol felt that one.
Ky's fury has become as merciless as the blue blade that danced before Sol's eyes. Anger builds upon the momentum of its own destruction, and Sol has come to realize such a lesson first hand as he parried the knight's blows, feeling his opponent's strength gaining, instead of waning, as the battle continued.
"YOU…"
Ky's shout as he charged over a pile of broken chairs was as much a condemnation as it was a battle cry.
"…will NOT…"
Thunderseal traced a glorious arc of lightening as Ky vaulted himself into a somersault, using the great sword as the weight to his rotation and brining it upon Sol with the full force of his fall.
Windows shattered as Fireseal roared its retort. The raging blades met as they halted, almost instantaneously, each other's intended path. The energy that had accelerated in their wake, having no option forward after meeting immediate and undeniable resistance, stormed chaotically around the deadlocked pair, flinging, with a hurricane's mercy, the debris of battle.
Sol left no opportunity to waste as he trialed his flaming right fist upwards, intending to catch the airborne knight, who has yet to land, in his moment of recovery. The knight's maneuver, however, came as swift and surprising as the words that he uttered.
"be FORGIVEN!"
With the final word of his judgment delivered, Ky exploded into his last assault. Tucking his feet to his stomach, the knight evaded Sol's uppercut and landed sliding into Sol's legs.
"!"
The combined force of his uppercut and Ky's slide robbed Sol of his footing and launched him boot-first into the air. To an inexperienced warrior, Ky's follow-up slash would have meant a severance of life. Sol, however, was more than a seasoned veteran, and had his eyes fixed upon Thunderseal the moment it slipped away from Fireseal's edge.
The clash confirmed Sol's prediction. Thunderseal hissed against the familiar red blade as it was stopped inches before Sol's head. In the brilliant spark of the clash, Ky shot an angry glare at Sol, and was met with Sol's usual gaze of boredom.
The battle was over. Even with the best of his efforts, Ky could not engage Sol for more than mere moments. The impossible man had already wondered outside the realm of battle, pitting his thoughts to concerns that lie miles beyond the wastelands.
As Sol brought his feet high above his head, he rejected Thunderseal's engagement with barely a twist of his blade. The wildly compromised bandit revolver was more of a mid-air cartwheel than an attack. With a slight thud, Sol landed solidly on his feet, Fireseal by his side. Barely pausing, he turned around and began walking away.
Ky's sinking feeling of disappointment turned into incredulity. Anger over the futility of his attack and disbelief toward Sol's actions culminated in a throaty shout.
"Wait!"
Tch
Sol did not slow down. He knew that the knight had overextended himself and was exhausted with his own efforts.
Thud.
Ky's legs betrayed his will to continue the fight. As the knight tried to stand up, he found himself immediately seated back on the floor.
"Dammit…"
"It appears that he will not kill you."
The shadow man had been able to hide himself with ease during the intense conflict. Now that the resolution was clear, the quiet spectator emerged from the shadows.
"Stay where you are!"
Ky shot back with a glare.
However, Zato had little concern for wishes that were not his own. Occupied with their strife, neither of the dueling pair had so far pressed him for his objectives, and, in the current state, both seemed bent on their own pursuits. As easily as he had avoided becoming the center of attention, the dark assassin was again left to his own designs.
That suited him just fine.
Tilting his head slightly in what may be the definitive expression of sightless curiosity, the shadow man slowly melted away into the somber obscurity of the empty building. As a final farewell, Zato turned up the corners of his mouth in a mischievous smirk; and then, there was silence.
Ky let out a long sigh. It seemed that everyone but himself had accomplished what they came here to do. Frustration, anger, hatred, and confusion stormed his mind as he stared at the blade in his hand. But the steel, flawlessly crafted, reflected only the questioning eyes of the knight, and offered no answers.
Gently, Ky set the blade down, and leaned back to surrender himself to the exhaustion that he had fought to control. Like a wave, the stress of battle washed over his frame, sending pockets of pain exploding within his tense muscles.
"Gah!"
The knight winced as he tried to shift his weight. It was clear that he needed treatment. Holding Thunderseal upright, Ky plunged it into the ground. Using the grounded sword as a make-shift staff, he slowly pulled himself up and surveyed his surroundings.
That's when he noticed it.
Not all the computers have been destroyed in the battle, and, in a corner near where the dead man lay, a monitor was blinking an urgent message. As fast as he could, Ky hobbled over to the station. Wiping the grime of dust and blood off parts of the screen, the knight was able to clearly make out what he suspected he saw.
"Classified File #143-Download Complete."
Fumbling over a mess of wires and equipment, Ky yanked open the Portable Memory Port, only to find the PMP disc missing.
"!"
Tapping on the keys, Ky found, to his relief, that the control panel was still responsive. Working with the deftness of an intelligence officer, he quickly traced through layers of digital archive bureaucracy and was awarded finally with the message:
"Classified File #143 Access Authorized-View?"
Looking down at the keyboard, Ky made sure his finger rested on the letter "Y," and made the single tap.
"Wha…"
It was all he could utter upon seeing the screen that stretched beyond the bounds of his imagination.
It appears that nothing is spared from Sol's strength. Even the moon light, the silent serenade of peaceful nights and still waters, becomes a chilling reminder of unassailable might as it reflected off the chiseled lines of Sol's body, giving the features an even sharper definition against the dark of night.
It had occurred to Sol that his nights had not always been spent alone.
Tentatively, Sol loosened the buckles behind his head, and let his headpiece slip into his hands. Holding the battered plate against the light, his eyes traced slowly over the dented and chipped surface, taking the time to remember how he had obtained each one. When he reached the rough letters, he stopped.
Feeling every ridge and valley, Sol let his finger slowly slide across the letters. The words that they spell out he knows all too well, and the memories they bring back were all too familiar.
"What is that?"
She always looked cute with a frown. It had often occurred to Sol that she would look very nice in a breezy summer dress, but the simple tank top and baggy military pants she sported on a daily basis gave her an undeniable aura of confident attractiveness. She tried to impress no one, but it is exactly her simplicity that was so addictive. A woman independent of others' judgment and at ease with her own decisions was exactly the captivator of many a longing heart. As usual was how she dressed that day, standing before Sol, hands planted firmly upon her hips, her head cocked slightly to the side, eyes gazing the object of question.
"My headband."
She did not smile back.
"It's just a chunk of metal."
Sol always loved her habit of pointing out the obvious.
"That's the point. It'll protect my head."
"And what is that…Rock You?"
Her frown deepened.
"You carved that yourself."
"How can you tell?"
"It's so ugly."
Sol chuckled.
"So I guess you don't like it."
"Nope."
Taking a deep breath, Sol turned his head away.
"Well, that's too bad."
Her disapproving eyes shot back a definite glare.
"It's not like it matters. You're too short to kiss my forehead anyways."
"Hey!"
She landed a solid kick on Sol's shin.
"Just kidding!"
"Hmph! You know I like your forehead."
Sol admitted with a grin.
"Exactly, that's why I'm protecting it. You don't want to see scars on my forehead, right?"
"Pffffff"
She looked even cuter with a pout.
"Come here you pretty thing."
Sol leaned forward to wrap his arms around her.
"Ai..."
She gave a slight yelp as one of his hands landed a few inches south of her waistline.
"Hey…!"
Not giving her a chance, Sol had already pressed his lips against hers.
She'd resist, Sol knew. She always has. Who wouldn't? But if there's one thing Sol had learned, it's that love is not a shy guess; it's an obligation for both to acknowledge their feelings, first to themselves, then to each other. Whether such feelings are accepted is not the question; the question has been and always will be whether he has the courage to tell her:
I love you. And I have no regrets.
Perhaps she did not know the depths of his feelings, and perhaps she did not know the faith in his promises. But she did know enough to give him a chance, and, slowly, she embraced the heart that Sol laid bare, just as she slowly circled her arms around Sol's broad back, and nestled herself deeper within his arms.
The pitch that shrieked across the barren land jolted Sol's eyes wide open.
Snapping his back straight, Sol lifted his head just in time to catch the opening riff of a chaotic solo.
The guitar had awakened a beastly instinct within him. The notes had shattered his doldrums and roiled his heart to a furious beat. Every muscle within his body throbbed with anticipation. To the seasoned veteran, the acidic burning throughout his frame was the familiar taste of anxiety.
It was even more exciting to think that his opponent felt no less eager.
Against the full moon, I-no's silhouette was the epitome of fatal attraction. The guitar that never leaves her side was securely leveled in her left hand. With her right, she wagged a finger.
"Well, well, as rude as ever. Where's the applause?"
Sol reached for Fireseal.
"Hmm, guess I'll have to beat it out of you."
Almost effortlessly, I-no sailed into the air, and accelerated with surprising speed toward the waiting man.
