.The Shadow Knight.

-26-

The calm before the storm.

That's what people call this almost surreal moment of silence before all goes down, a silence so heavy it was suffocating and waiting for it to be cut to pieces.

People might not know but it is in this moment many things come into play, many things click into place.

Heartbeat jumping up.

Breathing slowing down.

Sweat beading.

Muscles tensing.

And all this in the few seconds before the moment is broken, filling with the racket of metal.

A hiding away person knocked over a potted plant that came crashing down.

I flicked my wrist upwards to block away the blade swinging down at me, usually revers grips aren't recommended as it requires more strength to block with but I am the seventh of a seventh for gods sake.

"I will have your head on a pike." I said, glaring through my mask as the hidden face, so close to each other, blades straining against each other.

"I'd lie to see you try."

I shoved her away and kicked her in the stomach to push her away from me while holding the blade the right away up and stabbing at her.

I take great annoyance that she stopped my strike by swatting my blade to the side and forcing me to duck  the returning blade.

"We know all about you... I know all about you, you think you can win?"

"I don't know what master spy works for your but even they don't know all!"

I pulled a hole open in my hand and let the icicles Rain had shot at me once shoot out at her at the same speed they had entered the pocket realm, one stabbing into her shoulder deeply.

"You call that magic? This is magic!" She threw opaque red gems at me, my eyes widened as this was the type of crystal used for the crystal torches with magical fire burning in them, it was hard to work and cost a lot to own such a torch as one miss placed hit can shatter the crystal and cause it to explode!

I saw lightning spark in her hand and shoot the crystals, passed the buzzing of the lightning several cracks were heard.

Crossing my arms before me as I turned to be sideways just minimized the damage as it was a huge explosion, sending slabs of the stone road flying in the air.

I was thrown far and rolled on the ground until I finally stopped, laying on my side.

My right forearm and side, those nearest to the explosion burnt... I smell burnt flesh so I think I was indeed burnt.

I gasp and rolled to my back to avoid the executioner's katana stabbing where my head was, having lost mine in the blast, how is she not hurt?! I threw my legs out to pull me in a backwards roll while kicking her face with the tip of my boot, already said long ago the toes and heel had a metal layer in it so it hurt her and kept my toes from being broken.

I fell on my stomach from the momentum and rolled closer to them to avoid being stabbed and this time I threw myself up in a crouch and then a roll to get further towards my katana.

"Stop moving already!!" She yelled, swinging and being blocked as I picked up the weapon just in time.

"In your dreams!" I pushed the blade upwards and slid mine along it.

Hers cutting open the skin on the side of my neck and mine through her stomach.

She jumped back and pulled herself free.

"This is over--"

"Oh no you are not gong anywh--" I blocked a straight down strike but it knocked my hands down it was so strong and cut down right next to my next.

"--over for you." I heard the grin.

With a grunt I swung my blade into her side full force, I am taking her with me!

I tried a second time but I was kicked in the head, the ground hitting it the other side from the strength of the kick.

"You escape this time! we'll meet again." She said, walking away.

I got to my knees, stumbling to my feet, a sloppy swing at her back she easily blocked before stabbing the blade through my stomach.

"Until next time realm knight." A chuckle accompanied her goodbye before pushing me off her blade and vanishing in a puff of white smoke bomb.

I remained standing there, eyes looking where she went  as I felt warm blood soak my outfit, grip on my blade shaking.

"Until next time.... Executioner." I muttered, stumbling and leaning against a wall before siding down into a sitting position while leaning my okay shoulder against it, panting a bit from the fight and probably blood loss by now as it was fast flowing.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the wall, ignoring the people made racket as I sat there.

I took a deep breath and pushed whoever helped me to my feet away before even opening my eyes, putting my blade away.

"Elise." I whispered, walking past all that tried to stop me and they quickly understood I wouldn't let them, how could they even help? dabbing up the blood will not stop the wound from bleeding more.

My legs felt more and more heavy as I walked and I started lacking balance, light headed.

"Look who's bac--" I kicked the one man I used as a stepping stone where the sun doesn't shine and grabbed the dagger he let go out of the air and slammed it through the back of his head before stabbing it through the remaining eye of the other guard still alive.

I kept a tight hold on it as I walked down the hallway again, killing another by blocking a sword before stabbing through his wrist and using my other hand to grab the sword and through the mouth it went.

This executioner is strong... Really strong... She was there when my mother died after all and has her katana so she must have been the one to kill the best of the shadow knights.... I had no chance against her...

I stumbled into the domed room, panting from the effort this trip back and the edge of my vision tunneling.

"Akito!!" I was surprised I wasn't greeted by 'little miss knight' from Elise, taking a step forwards but my knee buckled under my weight.

I felt arms wrap around me and the shock of something hitting the ground but I felt no additional pain.

"I'm sorry.... I couldn't stop her.... I couldn't stop the executioner." I said to Elise softly while looking up at her worried eyes.

"Ssh don't talk, I know you fought bravely, you did good." I sighed softly, grinning a bit while pulling my mask off and putting it away in my pocket realm, the one thing I wouldn't even let Elise touch.

"But I couldn't stop her."

"But you didn't let them walk free."

"I hurt her."

"Good.... Now relax, all will be fine." I nodded softly, deep inside believing her even if death was more probable as I closed my eyes with another sigh.

Executioner.... You will pay.