Zach and the elegant lady stood opposite each other.
"So... I've always wondered, how does life in the highest realm feel like.. are there clouds there"
"You can still talk trash huh.." she let out a forced smile.
"Honestly, living in the slums all my life I've learned quite a few things..." he continued, totally ignoring her words.
Her lifted her spear in the air.
"Wait wait wait!!!'. Zach had his hand out.
"Isn't it pointless..." Zach gestured around.
"My magic power is all depleted. Is that what you want?, Fighting someone who's powerless. Where's the honour in that".
"In this world, honour leaves you in the grave, it's die or survive. No in-between".
The spear came down.
A red hot beam shot out of it's tip shooting towards Zach.
"Whoa!"
He moved to side dodging it completely.
"Can I still use the fragment?". Zach thought.
He hasn't tried to used the fragment while having no energy at all.
But would it still work.
Zach positioned himself, with his sword pouting directly at her.
"Sorry princess your going to have to forgive me for this".
"Death, become my blade once more"
His shadow curled like a snake, jumping from underneath him wrapping it's dark shadowy body around his, the atmosphere shifted around them as Zach stood opposite the stunned princess.
[All abilities has returned]
[Timer 4:56]
....
[Timer 4:55]
...
Zach looked at the timer.
His form was anything but human, his facial features was faceless, no eyes, nothing but pure darkness.
Zach tachi caught fire, all over, and a flaming halo appeared, floating just above his head.
The princess smirked.
"I get it now".
She stepped forward.
"Renegade Immortal"
Her body shined like a bright fairy, burning brighter and brighter like a star.
Then the mini sun dimmed.
What stood in front of Zach something that looked like liquid silver in the shape of a a woman, intricate engravings carved on her skin like scars.
Her face was left out, the liquid hugged her body like armor, above her haed was a tiara that shimmered like a mirror.
Her goldend spear glowed even brighter.
This all happened in a split second.
"Don't hold back" he spear glowed.
"Because I won't"
The world exploded into motion as aurora danced around like a torrent of blades, he footing precise, her strikes as unpredictable as a a hidden snake.
Zach was astonished, he had never seen anyone move like this.
'Tch... more of this swordsmanship thing..'. Zach gritted his teeth in annoyance.
But it was with a spear.
It looked beautiful. Until you're the one it's being used against.
Aurora weaved through Zach's attack delivering precise strikes at him.
Zach was visibly struggling, only managing block attacks that aimed at his vital organs.
Aurora spear blurred, tracing arcs of light in the air, leaving after images.
Zach raised his burning blade, barely managing to block each strike, sparks of flame and silver filled the ruined ground.
Aurora's movement were precise, pulling off feint to allow cach to strikes at certain areas then dodging and striking a completely different area.
'Dammit... she's controlli.g every move I make'
And the worst part.
Zach couldn't stop.
Of he does he dies.
He was never thought anything about a sword in theytic art university, so he doesn't know a thing when it comes to the art of swing a blade.
But he's seen people do it.
The police officer, Iris, the mysterious ally, Eli, And now... Her.
The princess.
He now understood, swordmanship is a whole new thing on it's own, it isn't aquired, it isn't a skill.
It's made with training and effort.
And that's what separate the strong and the weak.
Aurora fainted a misstep, making Zach blindly take the bait instantly, trying to deliver a strike to her side but she moved instantly, almost unnaturally, slashing at his face.
The cut was too fast, and Zach was in a disadvantageous position.
*Slash*
Blood Didn't flow, but Zach felt it, but instead of grimace he smiled.
'This is my chance'.
The slash travelled from his chest all the way to just beneath his eye.
In that split second Zach moved back a bit allowing aurora to lean forward.
It was his chance he reached to grab her wrist, which caused him to be sliced across the face.
[Astra - Cosmic ring]
His flaming blade burned brighter.
[Crimson overdrive version 3]
Blood burst out of his eyes, trickled down his nose, seeped through his gums and finger nails as he activated his current highest form of the Crimson overdrive.
His body felt like it had lost all it's weight in an instant.
His eyes burned with deep crimson as his entire body turned into a burst of flames.
Aurora's eyes widened in surprise.
She gritted her teeth and her abilty activated almost instantly.
***BOOOOOMMM*
The sound was deafening, shattering the ice underneath them, in a wide radius.
Zach limp body was sent flying through the ice battle field.
Ramming his back into the carapace of a dead crab with a sickening crack.
Aurora flew into the water, herlimp body almost sinking.
"Wait....*coughs"
The area became blurry.
His fragment had already receded, although the blessing gave him extraordinary strength and speed, with another pool of magic power, It didn't increase his healing speed.
He wasn't sure if he would survive in that split second.
It was a leap of faith.
Through his hazy vison, he spotted a figur dive into the the water.
A few moments later the figure emerged, holding the limp body of aurora in his hands.
Zach looked at this.
"Did.....Eli ....Lose?...Arrrgh"
His throat was sore.
He wasn't sure if he had damaged his cord.
Did this mean Eli lost.
"Is she dead?"
Zach was sure their clash lasted for a few seconds.
"You know, for someone who hasn't trained with the sword you're pretty skill not gonna lie"
A hand touched his shoulder.
"What".
He looked to the side.
It was Eli.
"What was she doing here..?, that scary brute guy was just a few meters away"
He looked to the side.
"Don't worry about him.." she spoke.
"What..?"
"I'll explain later, but now we have to get to fissure anchor Right now" her voice urgent.
"Or else we're all going to die.."