Chapter 9: Lord Knight
Part III: From the Giving Flames, Arise
"It will not end this way!"
Necron grabbed zweihander's hilt with both his hands and whirled it at Salendriel behind him. Salendriel leapt backwards but the black blade's tip managed to reach his chest and tore through it.
"Your auto-berserk is nearly…impressive and you managed to perform a counterattack as well. Normally, knights or swordsmen would get blinded by rage and the fear of falling in battle but you seem to use it to keep yourself moving. But the real fight has just begun."
The lord knight inhaled deeply and strange red energies started to coalesce around him. Necron got up and held the zweihander protectively over his head. The knight knew that his teacher was going to trash him further any moment now.
"I'm giving you a chance to withdraw and return to your normal knight duties. What do you think?"
Necron stared at Salendriel. Was he actually allowing him to surrender? The knight changed his grip and pointed the zweihander at the lord knight in answer.
Without the slightest signs, Salendriel charged and swung his sword at his student's torso. Once again, it met the zweihander's flat side. Before the lord knight could react, Necron pressed the heavy black sword into his teacher then staggered backward.
Necron held his heavy sword solemnly in a vertical position. The sword was almost just as tall as he was and was half his thickness as could be seen from this angle. Faint golden light surrounded the knight as he moved into attacking stance.
Salendriel slashed in the air to clean his broad sword's bloody edge and held it in a defensive stance.
'This boy's Two-hand quicken has yet to be used in this fight earlier. Let's just see what he can do…'
The lord knight reversed his grip on his sword and waited for Necron to perform a high-speed attack. He had seen his student do this before. The knight prepared to charge.
"Like you said, I must make an example of knights…and withdrawing is a great example of bringing disgrace!"
Necron let out another warcry and leapt with his heavy sword raised for a bashing move. The zweihander hit something hard but the knight didn't mind looking at his targets and kept on slashing instead. He swung his sword upward then thrust it forward before he spun, making his sword gash everything it could have hit. The knight was attacking so fast that his sword became a slight blur. After mustering the last energies of his skill, Necron turned then utilized every muscle in his legs and arms and swung his zweihander from behind, aiming at Salendriel's head. The heavy blade crashed into the ground with a loud thud.
'I've lost most of my energy in that…I just hope he was…'
The knight withdrew his heavy sword from the floor, leaving a shallow crater. He was panting out of exhaustion. Surely, the lord knight was hit somehow.
"Something you imitated from me? You managed to combine three skills, Two-hand quicken, bash, and bowling bash. But you just can't imitate the skills to fully use them and understand what you're doing."
"What the-"
Salendriel appeared in front of him. The lord knight wasn't even gashed from a single blow after his attack. The broad sword was swung from below, hitting Necron on his torso and flung him a few meters off the ground.
The lord knight jumped to the same height and brought his sword down on the knight. A direct hit would cleave him in two halves.
There was loud clanging sound when Salendriel's sword hit its target; not Necron but the blade of the zweihander.
Faint yellow energies suddenly covered the knight while he somersaulted in the air and at the same time whirled the heavy black sword at his teacher. Salendriel who was a few feet above him stretched his leg and kicked him on the chest.
Necron seemed to careen back into the arena's wall. The audience wasn't looking at the fighting square now. The combatants were, after all, fighting in the air.
Before the knight could crash into the wall, he thrust his zweihander into the concrete then pointed the handle at the nearby rafters at the same time using the wall as a jumping board to get on top of his sword.
'Another one of your skills I observed and managed to follow…'
"You're letting out more tricks. Any normal man would have given up and died more of their own loss of will than the hurt of the fall."
Salendriel was also standing on one of the thick rafters. His sword that was glowing in golden energies shone further. The lord knight raised his sword.
"This is Khatzbalger, your zweihander's opponent. It has found an enemy that requires a lot of effort to defeat. Let's just see who the enemy is, you or zweihander."
The lord knight suddenly leapt from his rafter and raised his broad sword known as Khatzbalger for a killing stroke.
Salendriel brought it down in Necron who jumped to the next rafter just in time to avoid the strike.
Necron turned to face Salendriel and his sword began to glow in searing heat.
'Magnum Break is essential for this. If I damage the rafters, he might fall off unexpectedly and leave his guard vulnerable. That way, he'll be wounded from a direct bash…but then…'
The knight looked at the people below.
'Magnum Break will start a fire and these rafters are fragile. Glastheim already lost so much when Seithal Jupitel went on a rampage and when the lower races rebelled. I certainly don't want to kill everyone and create uproar again. I'll severely injure Lord Knight and unanimously be knighted but I can't risk these people's lives just for my own purpose…'
The heat that began to gather up in the zweihander dissipated. To the knight's surprise, Khatzbalger fell on the rafter he was standing on. Salendriel inhaled deeply and red energies surrounded him. The lord knight withdrew Khatzbalger from the wooden beam and raised it for an overhead slash.
"You were going to have an advantage if you proceeded with your Magnum Break, Necron! But you put the people's safety above your chances, the very selflessness that a Lord Knight should have. Not that you're already one though…"
Khatzbalger met the thick edge of the zweihander which shuddered violently from the effects of the golden energies.
'He's using Aura Blade? But I thought…damn!'
Salendriel twisted Khatzbalger and shifted it will all his might to the left; pushing the zweihander down. The lord knight sensed the heat well up in Necron's sword again.
'This boy's attempting his "brilliant" plan but it's too late. Hm, the things that get into a desperate kid's mind…'
Both Khatzbalger and zweihander struck the wooden rafter, causing flames to explode from Necron's sword due to the sudden release of force. Damaged from the might of the two swords, the rafter caught fire and suddenly broke.
'Blasted kid!'
Salendriel managed to leap to the nearest wooden beam but Necron lost his balance and fell off.
'Nowhere to thrust zweihander…no walking plank then…'
The knight yelled and waved his zweihander wildly in the air, creating a violent arc of flames that suddenly turned the ceiling into a makeshift blast furnace.
'What the heck was I thinking? I just forgot everything I reconsidered doing a second ago!'
From the flames, the figure of Salendriel jumped down with Khatzbalger poised for a bash. The lord knight was using Necron's technique.
……………………………….
"Not good!"
Osiris turned to the swordsman beside him. Isis had named him Joe Buck some time ago before the war.
"Everyone must get off the bleachers! The rafters will get everyone singed."
The blonde swordsman turned around and faced the people behind them. Everyone had the look of panic on their faces while others simply covered their eyes.
"Look, get into the fighting square at once! We'll all get fried if we stay on high ground! Do you hear! Get down, now! Just make sure you don't get too close to those guys, they're still having fun!"
…………………………………..
Zweihander shook violently again as Khatzbalger fell on it. Necron slashed from below, his heavy sword swinging freely in midair.
Suddenly, he felt Khatzbalger rend his chest. Salendriel was covered in faint golden energies like a Two-hand quicken. Necron concentrated quickly and was soon covered with the same energies.
Khatzbalger fell on Necron, this time, ignoring zweihander's guard. Necron retaliated by trying to smash his fist into Salendriel his armored hand felt nothing. Khatzbalger's blade cut up his right arm then slashed all the way to his left leg. The still-intact full plate Necron wore protected his organs from being ripped by the lord knight's sword, leaving only deep flesh wounds.
Salendriel was attacking so fast. Even Necron's Two-hand quicken was rendered useless. The knight seemed to have been rocked by almost a dozen slashes already.
"Strike! Show me what you have learned as my student, Necron Lorthiras, knight of Glastheim!"
The lord knight's words seemed to course through Necron's body like a blessing spell.
The knight tightened his grip on his zweihander and swung it upwards, making flames erupt from it multiple times. Necron felt something hit his waist but he ignored it and thrust zweihander forward.
The knight felt a dozen more blows but kept on whirling his sword at Salendriel. Khatzbalger was waved in the air and sprayed blood. Necron somersaulted again and swung his zweihander around, creating blast furnace midair.
'I swore to be a sword for Glastheim…'
Necron felt Khatzbalger's edge gash his shoulder. Salendriel was attacking so fast. The lord knight was getting faster every single moment.
'To be a shield for Glastheim…'
The knight was just attacking blindly. He knew that Salendriel had the advantage. It was almost over…
'And to be the armor…'
Salendriel struck his torso, Khatzbalger punched through the armor. More blood was sprayed in the air. Necron tasted blood as some of them splashed on his face. The knight felt more and more gashes from Khatzbalger's edge.
"And I will live to make sure!"
As soon as the zweihander was raised, a bright blinding light covered the two knights as they throttled to the ground. Necron felt something extremely painful in his right hand, which was downed by the severe numbness that followed, allowing zweihander to slip from his grasp.
………………………………………….
"They reached ground?"
Osiris stared at the center of the fighting square. The arena wasn't damaged but some of the rafters that caught flames fell on the ground below. The effect of Necron's combination of attacks as well as Salendriel's continuous Lord Knight moves set their "crash-site" on fire.
'That boy's Magnum Break, Two-hand Quicken and his skills with fire…As for Salendriel…Aura Blade, Berserk, Magnum Break, Bowling Bash, and Two-hand Quicken. Those two…'
"Osiris!"
The champion turned to Joe Buck. The swordsman was trudging through the blazing area. There were almost fifty rafters that fell and ignited the floor around the two knights.
"Found them. Salendriel's alright but the guy who did this is messed up…a lot."
Osiris ran towards the blazing pile of debris. A figure was standing on the middle. A broad sword was on his left hand while he was helping another stand up.
"Osiris!"
Salendriel emerged from the burning debris. Necron was with him but the knight's right arm looked a lot shorter…
"It's over. And this one, right here…" The lord knight nudged Necron. "He used up too much. Too much to get himself nearly killed and cut off his arm…but he managed to hit me."
"He managed to? That's unusual. But a Lord Knight is never one without his sword arm."
The champion smiled and turned to Joe Buck.
"Go get the priests. Hurry!"
The blonde swordsman brushed away some ash from his hair before running towards the priests who were watching.
Salendriel tapped his helm. There was a large crack that divided the headgear in two halves.
"Lord….knight….?"
Osiris and the lord knight both stared at Necron.
"Don't speak. I know what exactly happened."
Salendriel tried to recall everything he saw.
"You have the element of surprise in your side. How many times I attempted to strike you down but the only thing I hit was zweihander. Your deployment with a weapon as heavy as that is astounding. You fell prey to my counterattack several times and was severely battered when you took our fight in the air. That fire you made was quite small yet could have caused severe damage but you reconsidered beforehand. That was an accident, I presume? Lastly, the way you moved when you knew that I had the upper hand when we were falling was made of pure will as well as trying to defeat me to the very end. The only way was to render ourselves vulnerable to self-destruction and you knew that well. Our two swords finally got their fill."
Osiris looked at the approaching priests.
"Talk about your battles later. This boy needs his rest."
"Zweihander? Where is it?"
The champion bent down and picked up the heavy black sword. He checked it and the sword was still hot. The oridecon blade however, wasn't damaged but was full of blood.
"You wield your mentor's sword just as you earned it. And so another Lord Knight is made."
…………………………………………
"Seriously, tell me what happened while I was hanging on to life?"
Necron, along with Kael, went out of the infirmary after some time.
"You never knew? Figures. You nearly took the place down by flinging arcs of fire everywhere."
"So that's why Kathris nearly fainted? By the way, where is she?"
Kael sniggered and looked at the arena's roof.
"She's already growing on you. Probably ran off wishing you're still alive."
Necron nodded and can't help but smile.
"So, did she faint or something?"
"No. She's a lot harder. We all thought you were dead by the time you fell. From where I was, I saw that you were on fire while Salendriel was waving his sword about."
The both of them looked at each other after Kael said that.
"Was I capable enough? Did I look foolish in front of everybody?"
"Sir Lorthiras!"
Necron stopped in his tracks. A swordsman approached him and delivered his message.
"Lord Knight Salendriel wishes to see you in the castle chambers."
Necron sighed then turned to Kael.
"Guess it's time."
The raydric-knight nodded.
"I'll call some of the other fellows who were looking forward to your knighting."
………………………………….
"You requested my presence, Lord Knight?"
Salendriel looked at Necron while holding Khatzbalger.
"You're quite early this time. Is your arm working well?"
"Yes, it's quite alright but somewhat different since professor Zamarfin began working on it."
Necron flexed his right arm. The priests did really well in putting it back. In fact, it wasn't just as good as before. A professor called Aedilus Zamarfin had noticed that his dismembered arm's skin were burnt and bones were shattered in the way the professor's project was used to be performed on. Though the hand was unharmed, the professor proceeded with his project. Along with a number of blacksmiths, Aedilus filled the crevasses in the bones with melted elunium and the lost parts of flesh were replaced with diluted star crumbs and a few elunium, making his arm a light and efficient shield. After the "upgraded" limb was correctly healed by an acolyte, it was submerged in a jug of fresh green potion then a bowl of neutralized karvodailnirol to make the metals blend with the skin. Necron was asleep by that time so he couldn't make out more than what Aedilus told him.
Salendriel stared at the knight's arm. Necron's armor still covered it but the knight placed black leather covering around it.
"I'm sorry for making them…decorate your hand like that. I should have picked it up sooner before it got burnt. Anyway, it was I who tried to disarm you and swung Khatzbalger too fiercely."
Necron kept on flexing his fingers.
"There was no need to. I had an extra shield because of it. It's nothing, really. Did you ask professor Zamarfin to do this or it's just coincidental?"
The lord knight turned away from the metallic hand and made his way into the double doors nearby.
"No. Nevertheless, it is time we forgot about teacher and student. Now is the time for us to be colleagues and brothers…"
Necron followed the lord knight. Both of them entered a dimly lit room full of portraits and obsidian statues. The knight knelt on one leg in front of Salendriel.
"Sir Necron Lorthiras, I hereby bestow you the title Lord Knight of Glastheim."
…………………………………..
A few minutes later, Necron went out of the room and was greeted by people from his former divisions, 3rd and 4th raydric. Amidst the cheers, the lord knight couldn't help but smile.
He was now wearing the same brilliant silver mail lord knights wore but Salendriel had a lot more honorifics and medals.
"Way to go, sir!"
"Keep it up and maybe next time, you'll end up being Salendriel's partner!"
"Great arm, Necron!"
He had earned his title didn't he? For some reason, Necron felt awkward. He didn't know why and simply let it go. After all, being another of Salendriel's elite knights was something a knight could only dream of and he ended up being one…
(Notes from Zero)
Blast Furnace: Not a skill. It's just a form of Magnum Break done in high altitudes. It allows the wielder to create fire-storms at a small area; therefore it is called Blast Furnace. Necron called it that based on what his friends told him it looked like…
Necron's Hand: A somewhat weird yet useful tool given to Necron after his right arm was severely trashed. It provides more defense, improved reflexes and produces more strength. Slightly heavier but versatile nonetheless.