Chapter 54 - Tempest
Continued

Nemo gripped his sword, preparing for a gruelling fight. His chest was heaving from previously fighting Fantômas's men but he was fortunately unscathed. He made his way over to Robur, making sure that his footfalls emitted no noise. Robur was at the very back of his ship, looking at the cliffs.

Nemo stopped and stood straight, taking a deep breath to deliberately get Robur's attention. He wanted him dead, but he wanted Robur to know fear as he plunged his blade into him. "Are you still cowardly enough to deny your actions, Jean Robur?" Nemo watched the man in front of him. He didn't turn around, he just remained still, looking at the view.

"I retain my plea of not guilty but it won't matter what I say, will it? Either way, you intend to kill me. Unfortunately, Captain, I cannot permit that." Robur turned around to face him.
"For your son, I imagine. I expect he will do much better without you in his life."
"I have raised my son alone from the day he was born and he is more of a man than you'll ever be!" Robur defended.

Nemo would not allow himself to be distracted by sharp comments; to be consumed by anger. He ignored him and said, "Even if you are as you say, guiltless, you still took my family and so many others from their homes." Nemo drew his sword, which hissed as it left its sheath. It looked molten in the glow of the red lamps of the ship. "We lived in fear for years, my daughter knew nothing but the cold confines of her stone prison."

As Nemo continued, he felt the anger trying to well up inside of him. It was difficult for him to continue and remain physically calm. He had to stay steady; in control. "Has your son touched the grass? Walked freely down the street? To be able to see the sky without a great sheet of rotten glass standing in his way?! My daughter did not! She knew nothing before she was murdered and for that, you will always be to blame."

"So that is why you shot my son and left him to die? Revenge… or was it out of spite; out of jealousy?" Robur snarled.
"None of the League shot your son! Look at the flaws within your own team before you throw such disgusting accusations at my own. They have their honour, much more so than you."

Nemo stepped forwards, encouraging Robur to make his move. He knew what to expect. Robur produced a gun, but Nemo swung his sword, hitting the gun and Robur's finger. The weapon fell from his hands, and the blade at his chest stopped him from picking it up. There was a dangerous glint in Robur's eye, a silent threat radiating from his face. Nemo glared back.
"I knew you wouldn't fight with so much as a shred of honour."
"I much prefer the term coming prepared," Robur answered. "So do you plan for us to stand here all day? Kill me on the spot and get your revenge?"

"I suggest you pick up a blade and fight me with courage instead of trying to tremble behind a gun like the coward you are," Nemo ground out.
Robur gritted his teeth and made no sign of moving.
"Pick up a blade," Nemo demanded.

Still, Robur did not move. He weighed his chances. Nemo was patient, it gave him more time to catch his breath from his last fight, but time was pressing. He stood unmoving; his chest heaving; his determination flaring. It was Robur's move. He walked towards the helm, which was encased in glass. A sword was leaning against it- so he was willing to fight after all.

As Robur took up the sword and withdrew the blade. He swung for Nemo quickly, hoping to catch him unawares. Nemo was on his guard, he deflected the strike with ease. Robur was incredibly strong, but Nemo had agility on his side, that and far greater skill in sword fighting. So long as he was observant, Nemo had confidence in his victory. Nemo expected Robur thought the same, but Nemo had old injuries, and he was tired from his other fights only minutes earlier. Nemo wondered if they'd been there for that sole purpose of wearing him down.

Nemo continued to allow Robur to try to hit him, it would tire him out and allow Nemo to read any patterns. The captain focused, reading Robur's body language, assessing his weaknesses whilst still deflecting and dodging his strikes. Nemo decided to send a wave of his own strikes. He moved quickly; Robur could barely keep up. A well-aimed kick amongst the duel caused Robur to almost fall over, he had to lay a hand on the floor to steady himself.

Nemo waited, letting Robur get back up. He wanted to savour this somewhat. The two stared at each other, each waiting for the other to strike. Nemo held onto his sword in one hand. Robur stood up straight, sticking his chest out as he positioned himself sideways. His face was branded with ferocity, but it did not intimidate his opponent anymore. Nemo did not fear him anymore, not now he had the League. He only wanted him dead.

It was Robur who cracked first, swinging for Nemo's head with both hands on his weapon. Nemo swept to the side, barely grabbing Robur's sleeve with his sword hand as it fell downwards. He punched him hard in the shoulder blade, which sent him staggering forward. Nemo spun in a full circle, slashing at his back with the momentum it brought. Robur shouted in pain but turned to face him, gritting his teeth.

With Robur weakened with a bad wound, Nemo began to change the ratio. He did most of the attacking. Strike after strike, Nemo did not stop, but somehow Robur managed to keep up- someone had been teaching him, perhaps Zenith, though his skill amounted to very little in comparison. Being so relentless meant it burnt through Nemo's stamina. He couldn't keep it up, moving so quickly, with so much merciless force was just as hard on his own body as it was Robur's. Fury drove Nemo onwards until he was able to mark Robur again, this time his side. Nemo stabbed at him but only made a gash.

Robur backed away, trying to catch his breath. The cold realisation that he was going to lose was dawning on him. With a roar, Robur tried again, lunging forward. Nemo took that as his chance. He struck the inside of Robur's sword, as though to parry it away, as he did so he wrapped his sword around until it was on the outside. With a quick and powerful jerk of the arm, Robur's sword flew out of his hands. It landed on the roof of one of the cabins.

Without hesitation, Robur ran to collect it. Nemo pursued relentlessly. Robur jumped up, using his sheer strength to pull himself up, though his injuries evidently caused him to struggle. Finding his feet, Robur snatched his sword up. He took a moment to catch his breath; to settle his wounds.

Nemo used the window ledge as a boost to spring up. Robur tried to go for him whilst he was partially unprepared, but Nemo moved. He used a dive roll to get out of the way, moving forward past Robur; giving him time to stand up.

Turning around to face each other, Nemo could see Robur was getting irritable. It showed through the tired, sharp expression on his face. Breathing deeply, Nemo simply relaxed, getting into position. He didn't gloat, or remark at Robur's weakness like some might. No words needed to be exchanged. Nothing else mattered. It was all down to this, Nemo intended to finish him shortly. He was going to avenge those who he had lost. They had been forced to wait for justice for far too long.

Blood was spreading around Robur's shirt and Robur struggled to ignore it. Nemo hadn't hit him as hard as what he could have. He only wanted him weakened.
"This is why I'd rather shoot you," Robur muttered, putting one hand on his side.
"But you did not try to retrieve it. You were too proud to let my challenge go uncontested," Nemo answered coldly. "You aren't the only one who 'came prepared' as you put it."

Robur gritted his teeth and the grip on his sword increased. He glanced behind him as if judging whether or not he could jump down. Nemo wasn't going to let him- he'd probably go for the gun. Nemo stepped forward, forcing him into one more round of deadly conflict. Nemo could see that his injuries were limiting his fighting. He was growing more desperate to win and yet more unsure of himself. The combination would seal his fate.

Nemo drove Robur to the other side of the cabin roof. Robur knew that he had to start regaining the ground he was losing. He slashed upwards, Nemo stepped back to avoid the blade. But when Robur's blade was travelling up in the air, he kicked Robur in the chest with all his strength.

The captain fell from the roof and off the Albatross itself. He only just managed to grab the bottom of the railing to stop himself falling to his death. His sword fell into the sea far below. He groaned at the pain but held on with all the strength he could muster. Nemo climbed down from the cabin and towards Robur, carrying himself with all of the dignity he possessed. He was Captain Nemo of the Nautilus, an exiled royal, a survivor, and finally in control of this hellish situation he had been forced to endure. He stared at Robur with focused, unblinking eye contact. He walked towards him slowly, with shoulders back; his movements firm and precise.

Robur knew he wouldn't have time to climb back up, but he began to try. Even with all of the strength he had, the wound on his side made pulling himself up almost unbearable. He wrapped his arms around the fence post; he kicked his legs, trying to find a foothold. There was nothing. It did not matter, Nemo was already at the fence. Robur clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes, he knew what came next.

"Get on with it," he snapped "But once you finish me, you leave my men and ship alone."
"I have nothing against anyone else but you. I'm not like you- I won't kill others who are not to blame," Nemo answered.
Robur laughed but he didn't smile. "Tell that to Navies of the world. After all you've done, what gives you the right to revenge?"
"I have the only right to attain justice."

Nemo wasn't going to let Robur affect him further. He had played the card of his past mistakes too many times. He wouldn't let it plague his mind. That pain had been numbed for this conflict.

Nemo prepared to deliver the final blow. He could finally avenge all those who had perished because of this man. For the first time in his life, Robur was powerless, the darker side of Nemo couldn't help but savour the sight. He raised his sword, the metal glowing in the lamplight, glinting in the moonlight. It was a frightful sight, but Robur maintained his courage. A single movement from Nemo and it would be over.

But he never did.

He hadn't the time to. Something wrapped around his neck with formidable strength.
"Fantômas!" Robur exclaimed in surprise.
The assassin had a rope, driving it hard into Nemo's throat. Nemo immediately tried to hit him with his sword, but in a swift movement, Fantômas snatched it away and tossed it behind him. He must have been holding onto the rope with one hand.

Nemo began to struggle for his life, he walked backwards, before throwing himself against the wall, hoping he could loosen Fantômas' grip. Fantômas dragged him away from the cabin and towards Robur, who was trying to climb back up the railing, that was, until the assassin kicked his hand. Robur had to drop down to where he started.
"What are you doing?!" Robur roared.
Fantômas wrestled Nemo down to the ground. Nemo kicked desperately, gasping for air, he reached for his sword but it was much too far for him to get. He gave up, trying to instead prise his fingers in between his neck and the rope that was squeezing the life out of him.

"Ha, you really think that I'm here to save you, Robur?"
Robur's eyes grew wide… He understood.
"Yes, you idiot. Nyctalope is as innocent as they come. I was the one trying to kill you. I tried to kill you and your son."
Nemo was beginning to struggle less and less, his movements were getting weaker.

Fantômas crouched down near Nemo's ear. "Robur never killed anyone, Captain," he whispered. With a powerful jerk, he yanked Nemo's head up closer to him. Fantômas stared at Robur as he continued. "It was me."

"No," Nemo gasped feebly. He tried to use one last burst of energy to free himself, but it was too late. His world sank away into nothing.