Chapter 5
For a long time, Adam contemplates the case placed over the table, while playing the conversation with Xiang on his head over and over. Trying to find any hidden meaning or ill intentions in her words, but the more he thought it became clear to him he couldn't find anything.
Giving a sigh of frustration he decides to inspect the case she brought him. When he opens it, he gasps in shock and surprise, not expecting its contents at all. Inside there's a brand-new metal arm to replace his old one.
However, this is not the item that shocked him the most, the case also contains his weapons Wilt and Blush, they look clean and polished. He grabs them with his remaining hand and with a quick flick of his left thumb in a shift movement Wilt comes free from Blush, before the rifle could fall into the ground he grabs it with his hand and places it on the table, catching Wilt in mind air and holding it looking at the edge.
A quick look at the blade and he could see no cracks or dents on it, what's more the edge looks even sharper and has a darker crimson hue than before. Setting the blade down besides the rifle he stares at them in disbelief that he had been given his weapons back.
Inspecting the case once more he notices that there are more items. A box containing all the items necessary to give maintenance to his weapons and another bigger box that is full of different dust ammunition for Blush. The final item is a folded piece of paper, he opens it and reads it's contents which is are written in neat cursive, "Put the arm on, don't use your weapons to kill yourself or cause issues, I will come see you later", at the bottom of the note it was Vicious signature.
Adam stares at the message for a few more seconds before he bursts out laughing. The note of the letter had been so Vicious like, so emotionless and dry. He stops before giving a sad smile, shaking his head. Remembering what Xiang had told him about the king. It makes him wonder if there is still hope left for him and if he should let these people help him out.
Sighing again he decides to obey the orders he was given on the note this time. He gets his shirt off exposing all the scars on his torso before picking up the metal arm from the case and attaching it to his stump, almost immediately the arm begins to work. He tests it by picking up several items off the table and making other complex movements.
Satisfied with the dexterity the arm has he picks up Blush and Wilt from the table. Walking to an area with a bit more space he sheaths Wilt inside Blush, before suddenly sheathing and unsheathing his sword several times in a matter of seconds, very hard for the eye to follow. Nodding to himself he begins to practice several Iaido katas to warm up.
He practices for an hour or so when he feels being watched. Looking behind him he is not surprised to see Vicious leaning against a wall watching him. They stare at each other for a few seconds before Vicious nods and signals for him to follow opening the door.
He doesn't wait for Adam to respond as he makes his way down the hallway. Adam signs for what feels the hundredth time and complies, he picks up the belt and some ammunition but doesn't bother picking his shirt up, knowing that he probably doesn't need it and dashes behind the taller man.
His intuition proves to be true when they end up in an indoor arena after walking several empty hallways and stairs. The arena's floor is the size of a football field at least and made out of earth and grass, it has several stone walls of different heights, pillars, holes and other obstacles.
However, they are not alone in this place, he could see Xiang along with other people in the stands. Two of them he recognized as having been responsible for catching him when Vicious wasn't around to do it.
He looks back at Vicious that has moved to the center of the arena waiting for him, he can see the man place his right hand at back of his neck before a ripping sound reaches his ears, he stares dumbfound as Vicious take out his spine out of his body and right before his eye since the other doesn't work, the vertebra morph and form a scythe.
Adam looks at the scythe then looks at Vicious in disbelief. "Ready?", Vicious asks him, snapping Adam back to reality. Nodding Adam takes his stance placing a hand over Wilt's hilt, taking a deep breath, he suddenly burst into motion dashing directly to Vicious, when he is a few meters, he changes directly moving to the left and quickly unsheathing his sword and slashing at Vicious side, the scythe meet Wilt in a parry, before quickly changing direction aiming to the faunus abdomen, parrying Adam immediately regrets doing so, the strength of the blow almost tears Wilt out of his hands and pushes him back several feet, the sword glows red as he absorbs the energy from the hit.
With shaking arms he has no choice but to jump to the side dodging a blow and quickly being forced to participate in a quick dance of dodging swipes quickly from different angles, he is starting to feel overwhelmed. In first place due to the lack of use of his weapon had made him a bit rusty and second Vicious is moving with such speed and grace nobody his size and weight should be able to.
Cursing at his predicament Adam demands more from his body, focusing his aura and muscles he begins to show his skills. Like he did in the battle with Yang and Blake three black and red colored clones appear attacking Vicious from different directions. The king spins his scythe slashing the first clone, the second one he parries before kicking it with both feet and the third one he jumps into the air to avoid it and swings his scythe vertically slashing it.
Adam moves in quickly and in a bold moment he closes the distance between them instead of aiming high as he normally would, he drops in a crouch and once he close to Vicious he goes for his legs. Thinking that someone as tall as him would be more preoccupied with protecting his torso than legs. A hard clang is heard, a bone whip like structure has blocked Wilt's strike to Vicious right kneecap. Not that surprised seeing already how Vicious produced his scythe, Adam watches twin tail bones protruding from Vicious tails.
He dives into a roll dodging the whips strikes, the king moves in pursuit. Adam thinks on how he can use the arena to his advantage. He let's Vicious to get close and uses one of the holes on the ground falling into it allowing Vicious to pass before attacking from behind he uses the strength of blush firing wilt out of it scabbard to deflect the tailbone coming at him before grabbing his sword and swiping it at his opponents back, another clang is heard, Adam's sword and hair glowing red.
He stares at Vicious back feeling annoyed for a few seconds before jumping backwards moving out of the way, Vicious had manipulated his spine out of his body and morphed it like a piece of armor, thickening it enough to stop Adam's blade. Before reabsorbing it back into his body.
Cursing he gets out of his hiding place before Vicious can trap him in there. Concentrating his aura on his legs, it gives him an extra boost as he jumps into the air, twisting he fires blush to change of direction using the recoil from the rifle.
Using a pillar as a pivot he keeps on putting distance between himself and his pursuer. While thinking on his next strategy.
Suddenly the similarity of this situation hits him as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over him. He misses his next foothold and if it wasn't that Vicious was on the lookout, diving forward to catch him, Adam would have probably ended up with several nasty bruises, he was gaining altitude with each jump.
But Adam doesn't notice anything due to currently suffering from a panic attack, being haunted by memories of his last fight with Blake. How he was forced to chase after her in the forest, how she had used the trees to try and get away from him, how he called her a coward and almost cutting her down, by sheer luck he was able to take control of his body enough to make a swallow cut, just damaging her trench coat. And how no long after that, when he had managed to corner her by the waterfall, after breaking Gambol Shroud he attempted to stab her, like he did in Beacon.
He gets pulled back to reality when a large hand hits his back a couple of times and someone calling his name. He blinks a couple of times adjusting his blurry sight. That's when he notices that he's sitting down on the ground, being propped up by Vicious' knee. He can feel the king's hand over his shoulders. Xiang is also there taking his hands in hers, she tells him something but he can't quite understand her, until she repeats her words a couple of times.
"Adam! Adam please you need to breathe! Come on breathe!", and he suddenly lets out loud gasps, his lungs feel like they are burning up… it's so similar to when he was dying, drowning in the river, getting pulled further from the surface… the water is tinted red with his blood… and he lets water in, he didn't want that witch to use him to hurt Blake anymore… no he has to drown and die… no matter how much it hurt...how cold and alone he feels… he has to... A stinging pain in his cheek grounds him again, pulling him away from unsavory memories.
Xiang apologizes for slapping him, before she places his left hand over her chest. "Look at me, we need to get your breathing back to normal. Breathe with me, okay.", she says and she takes a breath, he does the same, copying her actions several times. Until his breathing is back to normal, he then takes his hands away from hers, embarrassed at how he lost control and how she the queen had to intervene to help him. He is also aware now that Vicious has been quietly propping him up. And the way his clothing is drenched in sweat, clinging to him.
Unsure on how to respond he thinks of making his way to his room and disappearing, preferably if the ground opens up and swallows him forever. He places a shaking hand on the ground and pushes himself up. He struggles to get up, his legs are shaking badly and he feels dizzy, there's a dull pain on his chest and back, a reminder of the twin stab wounds he received that fateful day. His vision blurs for a second time, his head throbbing, an arm wrapped around his midsection stops him and everything goes black.
"I will take him to his room… could you fetch Rozen?", says Vicious as he gently moves Adam's body to carry him bridal style. "Poor dear, I wonder what exactly triggered this attack, he was doing fine", a frown is placed on Xiang's face as she speaks, not wasting a single moment she goes to find Rozen, while Vicious carries Adam to his room. Hopefully the familiar setting will help to calm him down when he wakes up.
/ Note
I didn't noticed that when I uploaded the document it was filled with some weird coding. I want to thank Denial96 for letting me know.
Also I would like to know what you guys think of the story so far.
