Chapter 5: What's next? Another World?

The sixteenth century was not a kind place, but Shane was not as forgiving either.

After leaving Edge Master's hermitage Shane was constantly hunted by the same assassin who first attacked him when he arrived 2 years ago.

But its different this time.

This time he had a weapon, this time he didn't have to show fear or mercy to his opponents.

Somewhere in Northern Europe...

"Hmmm..." Shane sighed, walking through the grasslands. "I need a real fighter, than all these worthless assassins and pickpockets." He said to himself. These thieves were not fighters at all. They were merely humans wielding knives and daggers. Shane wanted a better fighter to challenge him, his new skills although made him stronger although it also made him a bit arrogant.

After walking for a few more minutes, Shane stumbled on an old clock tower. It was abandoned but the gears were still in movement. Apparently even time doesn't stop for clocks. Shane shrugged, he needed a break anyways so he entered the ruined clock tower. He had just sat down when he heard a clang of metal on old wood.

It wasn't the clock tower. Shane knew that. It sounded almost like a walking stick, but walking sticks don't have metal vibrations when hitting the floor. He picked up his blade a carefully entered deeper into the tower. Someone or something was here with him.

Old gears and giant wheels turned as Shane walked around many twists and turns, until he was at the balcony of the clock tower facing the clock itself, although behind the clock and it's dusty stained glass. The metal clangs stopped for a moment. For a brief time only the sound of the wind and ancient gears were going through Shane's head when suddenly a giant old metal wheel gear popped out of it's rusted socket and rolled right towards him.

It wasn't hard to dodge Shane thought. He merely side-stepped as the giant metal wheel rolled off the balcony and fell down to the ground, but he turned around and saw what had been making the noise earlier.

It was tall man, he had dark ebony skin, was covered in gray robes and he held a white and silver scythe. Shane then realized who exactly he was looking at when he noticed the man's golden left eye: Zasalamel.

"Crap..." Shane thought "I asked for a fighter not a freaking soul character...! I'm going to get my butt handed to me..."

"Unusual..." Zasalamel said in his regular emotionless tone. "It is odd to find a wandering young soul out and alone. Tell me child, what do you fear?"

Did Shane want to answer that question? Hell no! Zasalamel plays with people's memories, so first and better thing to do: Attack him first!!!

With that thought in mind, Shane drew his blade from it's sheathe and charged forward. Zasalamel repelled the incoming charge by merely pole-vaulting with his scythe, nailing Shane into the floor with Zasalamel landing behind him.

"Damn..." Shane said under his breath, getting up and regaining his posture. "Do you fear death?" Zasalamel asked before lunging himself towards Shane sending a razor sharp scythe towards his neck.

It was a high blow, and much more easily dodged than blocked. So he ducked but Zasalamel wasn't finished. In sequence of the lunging scythe he raised his right leg and landed a kick on Shane's thighs. It wasn't a wound, but the blow was enough to throw him off balance. Shane stumbled on his knees before leaning backwards to try and regain his posture without provoking another attack.

"Do you fear the cursed sword?" Zasalamel said, once again lunging forward. Shane did not have time to get up, the scythe was rearing to cut his head open. In desperation, he plunged his katana downwards into the floor board stopping the second lunge. Zasalamel was stopped in somewhat utter amazement. It was Shane's turn to take the offense.

Using both his legs he pushed away the scythe and Zasalamel. Rolling backwards he grabbed his katana, pulled it from the floor and ignited a series of short horizontal blows. Zasalamel however handled the blows quite well for his scythe was long enough to parry the small openings Shane tried to pierce. It was useless. Against a foe like this, at this time, in this condition. He was not match for a soul like Zasalamel. But he was stuck in this position. He either gets out of this fight or dies trying.

After a series of blows and parries he manages to get out of the storm of attacks. "Okay then." Shane said "Lets do this a different way..." sheathing his katana. Using the arts that Edge Master taught him, Shane summoned a long rod: Kilik's weapon. "Who ever said that I could only fight with katana?" he said before getting into ready position.

"Impressive..." Zasalamel said "I did not expect such power... But I did not come all this way to play with you boy..."

Shane looked at him puzzled. Was this fight with him just a test. He's done it before. It wouldn't be new to do it again.

Zasalamel then raised his scythe up and said "Our time is not here, not yet. We shall both arrive when the time is nigh... and you shall do your part."

"Excuse me?" Shane asked but he felt a strong wind pulling him away. Turning around, he saw that Zasalamel had created some sort of portal behind him.

But Shane was not paying attention to what was Zasalamel doing in front of him. By the time he looked back, Zasalamel had already completed his incantation and Shane was stuck inside a sphere of magic.

"Let me out!" Shane demanded but it was far to late to demand anything.

"Farewell child... We shall meet again." Zasalamel said, knocking the sphere and Shane into the portal... and he vanished into the void.