CHAPTER 00021
As the fragments of steel clattered to the ground, Akar and his hilt dropped with them, astonished that Kitzimo had outdone him yet again. His opponent took his place, rising over him and placing his foot upon his heaving chest.
"I am far more powerful than you could ever imagine," he said, pressing his heel down harder towards Akar's lungs. "Destroying your weapon was easy. Destroying you will be easier."
With that, he reached into his belt to grab something that Akar hadn't seen before. From each side, he retrieved two identical, old-fashioned looking flintlocks. Spinning them around his fingers, he stared down at the young swordsman pinned beneath him.
Finally, he stopped, aiming the weapons at Akar's face, his own expression converting to pure vengefulness. "Why did you even come here?" Where did you come from? Since you arrived, you've done nothing but cause a path of chaos to follow you as you tramp through my village."
Akar, barely breathing under Kitzimo's foot, turned his head. "Your village?" he said. "Who said that this village belonged to you?" He leaned up a bit, fighting Kitzimo's shoe. "You may be rich and powerful, but that doesn't mean that you have the right to commandeer a village of innocent people and force them into your stupid games!"
As his tone climaxed, Akar used all of his remaining strength to swing the intact sword upward, knocking Kitzimo's guns out of his hands and slashing his face. As he toppled to the ground, Akar rolled over to grab one of the pistols and rose above his enemy.
Remembering his bout with Vax, Akar alligned his aim with Kitzimo's chest and pulled the trigger, finally bringing closure to the long winded battle he'd fought.
Akar was the victor at last.
He fell backward beside the corpse of his enemy, feeling completely defeated from a physical standpoint. He smiled, though, knowing not only that he'd won, but that he'd enjoyed it just as well.
In the silence and settling dust, Akar began to hear a distant ticking sound. Forcing himself to rise and investigate once more, he walked towards the source of the sound. It seemed to be coming from the body of the blade-man, Jonjimo.
As he got closer, he realized that there was a bomb strapped to his vest.
And the clock read 0:15.