I breathed in and out as I tried not to focus on the growing pain in my legs. I didn’t know how far I dropped or how fast my descent ended up being, but the rising burn in my muscles did not do much for my mood. Ever since I pulled myself out of that grave, I’ve sat on a razor’s edge, a balancing act on keeping my temper in control. I suppose a decade worth of resentment from being trapped on that island explained some of it, but I always had a reason to not just go off on a tear. Maggie still saw the positive in whatever situation presented towards us, and for her sake, I never let my frustrations get the better of me.

Ever since coming here, though, I lost that reason. I forgot what made it worth hiding my anger. Yeah, coming to Verum allowed me to experience a sense of freedom that I only saw in stories, but without my sister, it doesn’t feel…complete. I suppose that’s why I find myself enjoying a fight more than I rightly should. The exertion, the burn that I can finally revel in without worrying about my asthma crippling me. That cathartic feeling of forcing my will upon others, hurting my opponent before they could do the same to me.

What does that say about me?

That I like hurting people?

Of course, when I sparred with my classmates, I felt a sense of accomplishment from seeing our growth. I felt joy in that, but…it seemed incomplete, and I expected more. Perhaps, the reason I accepted Penemue’s request to become the next Demon Lord was that I needed this validation. That I needed to show the world that I wouldn’t let it cage me again. That even if it made me into its villain, I would embrace that role, so long as it gave me what I yearned for the most.

I suppose it’s because of that, despite the fear I held of becoming something monstrous, I’m happier as I am now than I ever was on Earth. The fact that I could take my future into my hands and shape it; however, I wished proved to be more exhilarating than I could have ever imagined. I could do so much more on Verum than I ever could on Earth, and that makes this happiness I feel so bittersweet because the one person I’d want to share it with is still trapped in our old prison.

So, even as I heard the desperate cries of joy and relief from the wounded adventurers and formerly fleeing knights, I couldn’t feel anything from it. I don’t know these people. I don’t know their lives or struggles or pain. But if this continued, if the raging fires, clashing of steel, loosened arrows, and inexplicable explosions continued, then innocent lives would be lost. Homes demolished; families torn apart; livelihoods ruined. As someone who lived in a world torn asunder by the aftermath of the Emergence, selfish people fighting without care or knowledge of the consequences of their actions, I couldn’t in good conscience stand by and let it happen again.

The scope and timeliness are vastly different, but if I let something like this slide, without even attempting to act against it, would I be any different from those who selfishly chose to force their will and beliefs on others all those years ago?

No. I don’t believe I would. If chaos is all someone wants, with no rhyme or reason, then I’ll put myself in the way. Again and again.

Even if it hurt. Even if the burning pain in my legs reminded me of the tightness in my lungs.

Even if it forced me to face the brother I once had, the brother I once trusted as much as my sister. Even if I have to face the one who killed me.

Luke Wirth hadn’t changed much over the year. Broader in the shoulders; hair a little darker from the sun and longer, tied into a short ponytail. His formerly light complexion appeared darker, no doubt from working outside. He wore a set of scuffed and freshly dented silver armor, a shoulder cape resting over his left hand. Green eyes as wide as saucers stared at me with disbelief, relief, and shock warring in them.

I ignored the burning fury in my chest as I grinned towards him, though it felt more like I bared my teeth. “Surprised to see me? It’ll take more than a horde of monsters to put me down for good.” Now is not the right time to vent. I kept telling myself that as I clenched my left fist around the hilt of my sheathed sword. “You look beat to shit, Luke. You’ve been slacking in my absence, haven’t you?” I fought the sneer that wanted to appear, instead rolling my eyes to turning towards where I had kicked the giant Monster. “You always get complacent without someone to measure yourself against.”

“Joey…” He must’ve not heard me over his shock, simply breathing out my name. The familiarity in his tone stoked my fury even more as bile rose in my throat, the edges of my vision flickering an angry red. “How are you alive?” His voice rasped as I heard a shaky footstep approach me.

“Spite and resentment do wonders when you wake up buried alive.” A growl colored my tone as I grit my teeth, turning a side-eyed glare in his direction. “If you have enough of it, you’ll find that even Death has trouble holding onto people drowning in it.” I didn’t speak loud enough to be heard by anyone but him, and I felt my grin widen at his flinch before he narrowed his eyes.

Before he could retort, though, Kacee stepped in between us, walking over a fallen stall. Her armor didn’t appear as bad as his, but still sported torn links and pierced holes, blood dripping from her right hand. “You’re back early. I thought you and yours wouldn’t return until tomorrow.” She spoke casually, but the intensity in her gaze belied her silent demand.

“Briar told me what was happening. Couldn’t ignore it. Others are one their way back.” I answered curtly, facing the direction of the one I kicked. “What’s the situation?” The wind had long since died down as I idly watched bedraggled knights and adventures guiding civilians away from the open-air market.

Kacee frowned but didn’t answer immediately, then she nodded. “It happened out of nowhere. The Guildhall, the Knight’s Garrison, several company headquarters, and the noble quarter were all bombed.” I blinked at her quick explanation, but couldn’t cut in as continued. “Almost immediately after, individuals in hooded cloaks descended upon the common folk and unaware knights, adventurers, and mercenaries.” Her lip twitched, lifting upwards as she bared her teeth in an angry snarl. Now that I have a closer look, I can tell that she’s livid. Tensed shoulders, clenched fists, a set jaw, and narrowed eyes all said to me that Kacee cried out for blood. “Recovery and defense are slacking due to low numbers.” At that moment, the stillness of the air and eerie silence of the open-air market set the mood for my deteriorating mood.

“How many?” I asked her, my voice tight as I spoke through clenched teeth.

“Too many.” She dug her heel into a fallen canvas, before stopping when she realized where she stood, her expression stricken.

I turned to face the path I kicked the monster, feeling like I didn’t hit him hard enough. “They got us good.” The sight of crumbling walls and broken homes brought forth so many memories, memories I’ve tried to forget.

“Yes,” Kacee whispered. “How’s Briar?” Raw emotion thickened her voice.

“Safe. Worried for Ash. Told her I’d keep an eye out.” In the distance, I caught a flicker of movement as debris began to shift. I cut my sentences short, staring forward to wait for Variak to return. “How is he?”

“Shaken but unharmed, the last I saw him. He’s leading the civilians to safety.”

I nodded to that, relief like cold water slipped into my chest. “We’ll have to trust him, then. To stay unharmed.”

Kacee grunted, not happy with my answer, but reluctantly agreeing with me. “I want him dead, Joseph.” She hissed through clenched teeth. “The one who did this. I want his head to roll. Of all the times to not have a blade, I’m starting to regret picking the standard.”

With a hiss of steel, I drew my sword and let my arm hang to the side. “No worries there. I’ll paint the streets with his blood.” A sense of primal satisfaction surged through me at those callous words, when at any other time, I’d cringe from how edgy it sounded. It seems Verum has changed me faster than I assumed.

“Not without help, you’re not.” Kacee snarled as she slammed the end of her standard onto the ground, cracking the earth at our feet.

A hand on my shoulder caught my attention, pulling me to face the source. Luke glared down at me, his green eyes alight with frustration as he frowned. “Stop ignoring me, dammit. How are you alive?!” The strength of his grip gave me pause, as I felt the pressure of his grasp even through the thick leather of my jacket.

I jerked my shoulder out of his grasp, keeping my expression stoic even as my heart pounded, and fire seared my veins. “Is now the time ask that? Or are you selfish enough to ignore the lives lost to this monster?” My lips rose as I bared my teeth into a sneer that came far too quickly. “Some Knight you are, ignoring the cries of the innocent and debilitated. How many lies have you told to hide that part of you?”

Luke gritted his teeth, looming over me as his paled stare tried to bore holes into me.

“Really, boys? I don’t know what dick-measuring contest you two decided to have, but now isn’t the time.” A nostalgic, lackadaisical tone of voice pulled my attention. Footsteps rapidly approached us, and I felt a small yet firm hand press against my chest and force me to take a step back. Between Luke and me, Colette LeBlanc wore a chainmail dress with a flowing skirt of segmented plates and a formfitting chest plate. In her hands, she held a circular shield and a longsword, the standard sword-and-board, though the shield seemed meant for parries and deflections, rather than blocking. Her platinum blonde hair, a tint darker from the sun, rested in a pixie cut style, framing her face cutely. Strangely, though, I furrowed my brow at the silver mask that covered the left side of her face.

Her easy-going smile, the one I remembered being confident and proud, seemed bitter and fragile, widened as she looked up to me. She hadn’t grown taller, and I couldn’t tell if she’d grown in any other way. Still, I could see the disbelief and wary joy in her blue eyes as she studied me.

“How was your nap, Joey? You overslept by a few months. It’s a new record for you.” Her voice cracked as she greeted me.

I opened my mouth to reply but froze as a chill raced down my spine. I turned to face where I had kicked Variak once more. Ice water poured down my spine as my vision colored a vivid red, a rage, not my own, dropping onto my shoulders like a lead weight. Falling rock from a stone wall of the remnants of a building caught my attention, eyes honing in on it. My lungs clenched, and my heart pounded; it felt like I stood beneath a microscope, no different from a frog prepped for incision or ants beneath a magnifying glass. A sudden breeze tickled my face, sending my bangs flapping before my face. A whistling sound reached my ears.

An explosive curse escaped me as I tensed my still sore legs. “Move!” I leaped away from my position; sword held defensively in front of me. The others responded to warning favorably in the nick of time as a meteorite struck the earth where we once stood. Stone, dirt, dust, and debris filled my vision, but I didn’t blink. That proved to be the best choice as the cloud erupted sideways, followed by a slab of sharpened steel whistled through the air, aiming for my neck. I ducked just in time, losing a few strands of hair from the speed of the slash. Not wasting any time, I lunged forward and stabbed towards his loosely armored stomach.

“Too slow!” Variak’s gravely voice shook me to my core as his sword practically teleported upwards, before slashing downwards. Forced to abandon to my attack, I sidestepped the slash and jumped to the side. Upon striking the ground, another loud explosion rocked the open-air market. The sheer force of the displaced air sent a wave of nausea through me, shaking my whole world. I bit back the bile that rose in the back of my throat as my still shaky legs buckled. “Weak.” He snarled as his sword once again moved too fast to anticipate, soaring sideways to cut through my waist.

I gritted my teeth and managed to put the flat of my sword in the path of his swing. Once again, upon impact, an explosion shook my entire world. Forced onto an impromptu flight, I soared backward and flipped uncontrollably. Everything around me spun, upside-down, right-side up, I completely lost track of my surroundings as my stomach flipped. Closing my eyes, I flipped my sword in my grip and caught it, only to stab downwards. My blade tore into the earth as my arm jerked painfully, and my bearings righted themselves.

The sound of grunts, clashing steel, and explosions echoed in the back of my mind, drowned out by the pounding sensation in my skull. I breathed in my nose and out my mouth, trying to put myself back to an equilibrium. After a few moments, agonizingly long moments, I gritted my teeth and tasted iron as I opened my eyes and glared towards the fight. Luke and Colette clashed with Variak in the center of the rubble; they evaded and kited around him, attacking and dodging, clearly trying not to be touched by his sword. Kacee didn’t try to block him with her barriers, just creating them as midair platforms for her to attack from above, while still avoiding his painfully fast and wide-sweeping slashes.

My heart pounded deep in my chest, and I breathed deeply, chest rising and falling. I growled as I slowly loosed my hold on my growing temper. Variak beat me. He had the overwhelming advantage in that first engagement, and it frustrated me, incensed me. My nostrils flared as I growled, red coloring my vision. “Kato. Get ready. A frontal assault is suicidal, so we’re going to hit him from all sides.” She didn’t respond or appear, but I knew she heard me.

As if driven by my pulsating fury, Ki began to gather along my body. It started in my chest, expanding outwards and inwards. The pain in my legs slowly dispersed, replaced by a steady thrum of life that energized me. My arms flexed as power filled them; my body loosened even as I tensed my legs. Crouching down, I fell into a sprinter start, sword arm held to the side. The ground beneath me cracked and buckled from the build-up of energy in my body. My left hand cracked the earth with my grip, finger digging into the ground. I lifted my body at the legs and leaned forward, the toes of my greaves digging into the earth.

The stone-ground behind me erupted up and outwards as I shot forward. Winds raced passed my body as I took off after the group in front of me. Moments before I reached them, Luke spared a glance over his shoulder, struggling beneath the weight of Variak’s attack. His eyes widened subtly before he braced a shoulder and shoved forward. As I reached them, Variak stumbled from Luke’s shoulder check, and I punched the ground with my free hand, digging into the ground and twisting around with the momentum of my charge. Now at Variak’s back, I ripped my hand out of the earth and swung at his knees, treating him like a tree to be felled from below.

With a grunt, Variak dodged my swing by forcing himself forward with the downswing of his sword. Debris erupted from the impact, blinding me and causing Luke to grunt from the meaty smack. I continued the momentum of my swing, twisting my body around until my back was parallel to the ground. I looked upwards to see a translucent platform manifest before my eyes. I threw my free hand towards it as Variak turned his attention towards me, his giant sword already aiming to carve my head open like a pumpkin.

Time seemed to slow down as everything happened at once. I reached for the platform as the sword raced for my skull. Every nanosecond that passed, my hand neared the barrier at the same pace as the sword aimed for my head. I narrowed my eyes as Variak’s gaze met mine, his crinkling in a cruel amusement, lips twisting into a smirk. Of course, his expression twisted, eyes widening, and lips parting as frustration flashed in his gaze. A hand clasped onto mine and yanked my body upwards, avoiding the slash by another hairs-breadth. Kato crouched upon the platform, knife in hand, and stabbing forward as she pulled my body into the air. She released my hand as I twisted around and watched another platform manifest within reach.

I grabbed it like a handhold and pulled my body forward, slashing downwards with all of my strength behind it. Standing atop one of Kacee’s barrier platform, Kato hovered over Variak’s horizontal sword, mid-swing, and stabbed her knife form at his chest; simultaneously, I used what leverage I could muster from the platform created for me to slash down at his head. He growled and attempted to move his weapon to block us, but Colette appeared from nowhere, slamming her shield against the flat of his sword to force it down. At the same time, she stabbed at his open side.

My instincts screamed for me to move seconds before I saw the back of his sword begin to glow. Flexing my left arm, I pulled on the barrier and abandoned my slash to throw my body behind Variak. I landed on the ground, my feet slamming onto the ground and cracking it as I twisted around to face the monster’s back. Kato flickered out of existence, the dagger falling into my free hand. Seconds after her disappearance, a concussive explosion detonated, forcing Colette to stagger away with a cry. Before that end, I lobbed the knife into the air and lunged at his back.

As Kato reappeared in the air, Luke swung his greatsword at Variak’s flank, his massive sword cutting a swathe through the air. The hooded monster dexterously twisted around and aimed towards Luke, though he also met my gaze with his milky white eyes. His sword gained another vibrant glow, but as he swung, a wall appeared in the path of his attack. The explosion that erupted from the sword rebounded from the barrier, forcing him to stagger backward. The three of us descended upon him like a pack of wild dogs.

Kato landed on his broad shoulders, her knife sliding into his neck as he moved his head to avoid getting stabbed in the skull.

Luke’s sword tore into his waist, carving to his spine.

I reached him with a ground-cracking stomp, thrusting forward and tearing into his chest with a sword. He staggered back and wheezed out a hacking cough, blood painting his chin. He quivered and coughed, lifting his sword despite all of our weapons sheathed into his body. A gurgling chuckle escaped him as the sword began to glow again. My eyes widened, and I ripped my sword free, trying to jump away before his explosion knocked me away. Kato ripped her knife free and vanished from sight again, her knife soaring through the air and into my waiting hand.

Luke followed suit, but both of us were too slow as the vibrancy in his sword reached a crescendo-

Variak swiftly raised his sword, blocking a silver lance that drilled into it. He staggered from the impact but remained standing. However, when the woman quickly followed it, I remember seeing in the air kicking the flat of the sword with both feet. Variak flew back from the impact, bouncing along the ground, and suddenly trapped in a circular barrier. A concussive blast exploded outwards, trapped within the boundary with a shuddering detonation.

The woman flipped midair and landed next to me, silver lance in hand. Standing tall, the same height as me, she stared at Variak with a frown. “We need to coordinate; otherwise, we’re just wasting time.”

Luke landed onto the ground next to her, sliding backward upon impact. “He’s adapting to everything we throw at him. I used to be faster than him.” He said as he adjusted his grip.

Colette stepped up to my flank, hefting her sword and shield. “I’m all for some teamwork.” She said, breathing deeply through her mouth.

Kacee fell into place on Colette’s opposite, spinning her standard in a single hand. “I think I’ll join the fray this time.”

Kato manifested in my shadow once more, taking the knife I handed back to her. “What do you have in mind, Milord?”

I didn’t reply, merely staring ahead. No one offered any words, no potential plans, though I did notice Luke’s tensed shoulders and pronounced frown. Frustratingly enough, though no one looked away from the recovering Variak, they did glance at me in their periphery.

Great. I’m the go-to guy for plans now. Fucking fantastic.

Keeping my rising irritation close to chest, I rolled my shoulders. “If he’s adapting to us and the damage we deal, then we’ll have to keep up the pressure. We have no casters, right?” I spared a glance at the Valkyrie, getting a nod. “Then, we’ll have to strike in sequence and without cease. Nonstop offense while covering one another’s openings. Frontline and harrier. Then break away in teams. Keep up the pressure until we can end it in one decisive blow.” I then glanced over to Kacee. “Kacee…” I turned towards the newcomer.

“Hilda.” She said, not taking her eyes off Variak.

“Kacee, Hilda. Find ideal moments to act. You’re both more able to independently on your own. I’ll leave it to you.” My body stiffened as I considered my next actions, my following words. My mouth dried as it opened, jaw clenching and shoulders stiffening. Shaking hands tightened around my sword’s hilt and forced my body forward. “Try not to get me killed this time, Luke.”

He hissed out a breath, before grunting and followed after me. “Don’t keel over.” His thudding steps reached my ears as I snorted, grinning, and facing Variak. Power flooded through my legs as I crouched and shot forward. The ground cratered with every step I took, speeding up my charge.

Variak growled, sending chills of instinctual terror through my body. The part of me that was still human shook and quivered, drying out my mouth and causing the muscles in my arms to clench. That fear, that primal terror, enraged me. It pushed me forward; it drove me. A growl bubbled up from the deepest pit of my gut as red fully bled into my vision. Strength filled me like water poured into basin, a vast bottomless receptacle. It continued to flow, to surface rising and soaring until it hit a glass ceiling. The moment that contact was made, I reached Variak, and my perception stalled. I raised my head, agonizingly slow, and we locked gazes. For a moment, I did not see white but a smoldering yellow. My red locked with his yellow and saw the challenge. I saw a demand and a burning desire to conquer and destroy.

Our swords clashed, and my perceptions returned to normal. Variak swung from the side, and I jumped upwards, blocking with the flat edge of my sword. Sparks erupted from the impact as I used his strength to ascend above him, a glint of silver flickering in my sight. I pushed off the clash, up and over my opponent. Variak attempted to counter my evasion, but Luke’s sudden attack stalled his attempts. I landed on the ground, my back to his, in a crouch. Bringing my sword to bear, I twisted around and tore into his muscled back with my sword. Blood painted the ground in an arc; however, as soon as my blade left his flesh, though, his skin sealed itself back together, bubbling beneath the surface.

Variak roared and pushed Luke away, twisting around to bring his sword onto me like a guillotine. I slid to the side to avoid his attack, using the flat of my blade to arc his slash so that it grazed the ground rather than a direct impact. I stepped forward and kicked him into the knee, forcefully hyperextending it with an echoing crack. He grunted and slammed the flat of his sword against me; I blocked it and felt my body rise from the ground and soar away. He followed up by twisting around and parrying Luke’s attack, kicking him away with an instantaneously healed leg.

While airborne, I watched as Colette and Kato descended upon Variak the moment Luke and I were pushed back. They didn’t last any longer than we did; as he smacked Colette’s sword away and dented her shield with a punch, it felt like something clicked into place. He didn’t attack us when we gathered together. Variak could’ve healed faster if the injury I gave his knee didn’t last long enough to help Luke. He waited for us to plan, though not a good one; he let us set the pace, then reacted with overwhelming strength. Variak’s toying with us, allowing us to plan and plot, only to treat with as much care as a fox would offer in a henhouse.

Kato threw her knife form to the side as Variak swung his sword at her, vanishing to avoid the blow. She reappeared in the path of the knife, catching it and dropping to the ground, only to leap back into the battle.

When Colette was thrown away from an explosive impact from the ground, I landed on the ground and crouched. Just as I crouched to charge forward, I couldn’t help but notice Hilda casually step before Variak. As if walking on air itself, she held her spear aimed downwards and perpendicular to the ground. Like flowing water, she twisted to the side and avoided a sweeping slash. Her expression serene, she flipped her spear mid-grip, opening a wound from hip to shoulder and following up with a crack on his jaw. For the first time in the fight, Variak gave ground as he stumbled back. Surprise flickered in his expression before he narrowed his eyes and focused solely on the seemingly tranquil Valkyrie. Then he vanished.

Instantly after, a ground-shaking explosion stole my footing, forcing me to kneel. All around us, the buildings that barely held up, if only by the barest of foundations, finally collapsed. Dust debris engulfed the battlefield; the ground lost in the opaque hazard — all except around the crouched Variak, sword lodged into the ground. High above him, Hilda slowly descended, having reached the peak of her jump. Her silver-grey hair flowed around her head like a river, waving in the calm winds; she kept her wide eyes focused on Variak, slowly beginning to spin her spear in a single hand. As she descended, the speed of the rotations increased until all I could perceive was a blur of motion.

Variak paid no mind any of us, the other four distracted and shaken from the force of the explosion. I couldn’t move, my eyes focused intently on Hilda. In the back of my mind, it felt like something tried to slot into place. A nebulous sensation that rooted my feet to the ground, indecision freezing my thoughts. Ragged breaths escaped me as I witnessed poetry in motion upon the battlefield.

Variak slammed into the ground as Hilda reached him, the blunt end of her spear planted onto the back of his skull. With a flip of her pike and twist of her body, she knocked upwards and slashed into his face, sending an arc of blood skyward. The hooded monster quickly planted his feet and growled, expressing frustration for the first time in this fight. Then, with speed, unlike any he’d shown before, he assailed Hilda with impunity.

Like the wind, Hilda virtually danced between the expertly swung attacks. She twisted, turned, ducked, and pirouetted with alien grace, never ceasing her calm retaliations. Her spear sang a duet with her graceful evasions, striking and parrying in equal measure, never wasting a single movement. With an eye I had no idea I had, I could see that every move she made, every breath she took, all rolled to the next step, the subsequent retaliation. Wound after wound opened up on Variak’s body with every flick of her spear; grunts of pain and frustration punctuated all the blunt strikes from her weapon. A river of silver flowed with her every move, following her grace with breathtaking beauty. Bit by bit, second by second, Variak gave ground, and Hilda took and held every step of it.

I felt a chill race through my body as I studied her every move.

At that moment, I could see why Kato begged me never to face a Valkyrie. I could see why people feared Eir so much. In a world where martial arts, unarmed, and with weapons, ruled the battlefield, I understood why Valkyries were noted to be ‘born’ for battle. Hilda appeared no older than me, yet she moved as if she trained from birth. She treated Variak, who had toyed with all of us, like a child throwing his toys. Perhaps, with her, this could fina-

All of a sudden, Variak threw his left hand forward, reaching for something. With an almost contemptuous flick, Hilda removed his arm from the elbow. The limb flew to the side, and she stiffened, shock filling her as she squinted her now uncovered eyes. I followed the arm and watched as a reflection of light flash across my vision.

Hilda recoiled from a kick to her stomach, saliva, and blood shooting from her parted lips. “Just a cripple.” Variak snarled with a bloody grin as he pulled his foot back. He lifted his sword above his head, and it began to glow bright enough to force me to squint. The Valkyrie dropped to her knees, gasping out a breath.

Once again, my perception slowed as I watched Hilda hold her stomach. Her hair pooled around her, over her hunched shoulders as she leaned forward, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. I watched Variak hefted his sword upwards with a single hand, light erupting from the massive blade. My body refused to move. I wanted to rush over if only to get her out of there. But what could I do? I can’t beat him; every time we meet, he overwhelms me with both his skill and his sword. Is this my limit? Master-class ability that meant nothing against someone with superior experience and a different weapon?

What did I come here for? To watch as an ally dies in the face of a heartless monster? To flail and moan before the ones I wanted to protect? To fail and die in front of the person that betrayed me? To fail? To cry in futility?! To be weak?!

… our ambition to stand above all…

It slotted into place. That nebulous sensation locked into place, a key slotting into a lock, tumblers clicking and releasing their hold. Tension bled out of my body as a numbness settled in my stomach, cooling that burning pinion holding me in place. I loosened the grip on my sword, pulled back my arm and crouched.

“I can’t take away his skill…” I felt my lips pull back, baring my teeth as a calming chill settled on my shoulders. “But, his sword is another matter entirely,” I remembered her movements, Hilda’s flowing steps, and graceful evasion. I don’t have the build for pure, raw brute strength, and I’ll never get it.

Speed.

I’m slender and wiry. I need to stop fighting head-on and meeting Variak blow to blow.

Momentum.

When I first came here, I couldn’t take advantage of my build because of my asthma. Every movement, every breath, pushed me closer to an attack. I was forced to adapt to a more direct combat style out of necessity.

But now?

I don’t have that worry.

Teach them our might.

That voice, that painfully familiar tickled the edge of my consciousness. Why was it so familiar?

No. I’ll think about it later. I have a more pressing situation.

I focused on Variak as he swung downward, aiming to cleave the blinded and kneeling Hilda. Crouching, I focused Ki into my legs and feet. Strength gathered and concentrated until they gained an almost luminous aura. With a calming exhale, I kicked forward. A deafening eruption propelled me forward, and I heard several more buildings crumble and collapse. Almost instantly, I reached the space between Variak and Hilda, slamming my right foot into the ground to stop. The earth crumbled and broke from the sudden shift of energy, a deep and throbbing ache settled in my legs, nearly buckling beneath my weight. Bringing my sword to bear, I held it to the side and met Variak’s sword once again. Angling downwards, I parried his sword so that it slid away from Hilda and me.

I grimaced as my legs quivered and nearly collapsed, but I held firm. Sparks and glistening silver shards erupted from contact, the glow of the sword reaching a blinding crescendo. With a grunt and shift of my body weight, I forced our clashing blades to the left. I closed my right eye as our swords exploded. Shards of steel bit into my side and nicked my cheek and nose, though they failed to pierce my jacket. He grunted as he staggered back, head flinching back as he grimaced and closed his eyes beneath his hood. Blinded in my left eye to only see spots of light, I closed it and opened my right. He had lifted his right arm; sword lifted in his defense.

Good.

I spared a glance down at the remnants of my sword, seeing an inch and a half of ragged steel, chipped and broken. “It’ll have to do.” My legs still burned a bone-deep ache that refused to abate even as Ki slowly began to fix the damage done to them. I panted out a pained gasp, but gritted my teeth and raced ahead. Heavy footsteps caused Variak to realize I charged him again. He scoffed and slashed down at me; the sword started to glow once more. I did not lift my broken sword.

I ducked to the side and jumped up, extending my left hand. My fingertips caught hold of the sleeve of Variak’s cloak, allowing me to reaffirm my grip with a tug. Wrapping my left hand around his thick wrist, I yanked my body towards him. I latched onto his arm, idly remembering a jungle gym from my childhood. “What!?” He said as he felt my weight on his arm. My legs screamed in agony as I gritted my teeth. I spared a glance over my shoulder as I lifted my right arm, reversing the grip on my sword. Wide eyes, raised eyebrows, and parted lips greeted me, forcing a strained smile from me. His expression twisted to gritted teeth and pulled back lips, but before he could retaliate, I stabbed downwards.

Blood painted the ground, followed the clanging sound of his dropped sword as I slashed through his wrist, severing tendons and breaking through bone. I let go and fell to the ground. A whine escaped me as a jolt rocketed through my legs, nearly causing them to buckle. I’m going to pay for this later. With a hiss, I hooked my foot beneath the hilt of Variak’s fallen sword and kicked it upwards. Its weight fought me every step of the way, a heft that sent another wave of agony through my legs, but I managed it regardless. I grabbed the hilt and felt a surge of information that forced to stagger back.

Motion. Stillness. Rejection. Detonation.

My mind filled with knowledge that slotted effortlessly into place.

Stillness, followed by contact; contact, triggering an instantaneous reaction of motion. Sudden shift in momentum is rejected, shocking the matter into action despite nature. Leading to a detonation of energy.

A name shot to the forefront of my thoughts. A title that told me everything I needed to know. The words felt incomprehensible, but I understood them. I realized it. I’m holding a magic weapon.

“Inertia Denial.” I declared as I hefted the weighty sword, resting it on my shoulder. My legs quivered beneath its weight, forcing me into a crouch. “A rejection of Potential energy, but refusing its shift to Kinetic energy. A paradoxical application of physics, causing a violent chain reaction. Hence, the explosions.” I allowed a grin to appear on my face as I watched Variak glare at me, his wrist healing with the bubbling beneath the skin. “It makes no sense; a nonsensical combination of words.” My grin widened as a laugh rose from deep in my diaphragm. “In my world, something like this? Physicists would pull out their hair, trying to explain it. But this isn’t my world. No. Different rules, different guidelines.”

In my periphery, I caught sight of Kato flickering into existence next to Hilda, holding out a pair of bent glasses.

“You have my sword, boy,” Variak said, the ground rumbling in the face of his tone. “Return it, or I’ll take it.”

My grin widened as I laughed at his statement, watching as he narrowed his eyes. “You broke mine, so it’s fair play that I get to keep this.” I flexed my arm, augmenting my strength, to lift it from the ground. It still felt heavy, but I could feel my body adapting, my strength adjusting to the weight in my hands. “You’re free to try, though. I’ll answer in kind.” Then I blinked.

When my eyes opened, Variak’s freshly regenerated hand was barely inches from my face. Almost instinctual, I bent backward to avoid his lunge, then threw my body to the side. With a thought, a small explosion erupted from the sword, giving me more distance. Spinning along the ground, I twisted around to face Variak as he straightened and glared at me. I grinned and held the sword with both hands. I spared a glance behind him to see Hilda stand, straightening the glasses that rested on her face. Off to the side, Luke and Colette approached us, a group of Knights at their backs.

Kacee strode forward, mercenaries and adventurers, each taking up a spot to overlook the battle. She planted her standard onto the ground, expression stern as she waited for her moment.

Kato paced around Variak until she, Hilda, and I surrounded him.

He looked around; teeth gritted as he glared at us before his gaze fell onto me. “It seems my mission didn’t meet all of my objectives. I had hoped for more.” His gaze fell onto the sword in my hand, brows furrowing as his lips curled downwards, fists opening and closing. His eyes focused on me once more, narrowing. “There are many expectations on your shoulders, boy. You failed to meet mine.”

A laugh escaped me as I lifted my stolen sword, pointing it towards him. “Keep your expectations to yourself. You’ve been fighting how long? How many years are under your belt? Yet, look at us. Look at where we stand. I’m still learning, still growing. But you? You’ve reached your peak.” I bared my teeth in a laughing grin. “Go ahead. Run away. I’ll be waiting. Because when we next meet?” I slashed to the side, carving a trench into the ground. “I’m going to pound you into the ground.”

Variak stiffened, milky white eyes widening. His jaw dropped as he took an involuntary step back. He then gritted his teeth and furrowed his brow, glaring at me. “Your arrogance will be the end of you, boy.” A sudden flash of light encompassed us, blinded me as I stepped back and lifted my stolen sword in defense. Light pierced my vision, and I grimaced, waiting for an attack. The whiteness died just as quickly as it appeared, and I maintained my guard. Moments of heavy silence passed until I lowered my new sword.

Variak vanished, leaving behind the broken rubble of the open-air market. My comrades, new and old, also seemed wary and tense as they too waited for the other shoe to drop. After several moments of silence once again passed, I huffed out a breath and stabbed into the ground. Falling down, I sat on the ground and leaned against the flat of the blade to allow my legs to rest.

“Kato,” I spoke lowly, but she heard me if her sudden jerk in my direction meant anything. “I’m going to take a nap. Kick the ass of anyone who tries to wake me.”