Requiem Online: Synergy

Chapter Ten: The Duel

"I hereby call this meeting of the Raven Hawk Guild to order. First order of business: Determining where our base shall be set up. Any suggestions?" Sophie spoke.

"The Red Hills would be a nice location. It's in the middle of Nova so it would provide protection in the mountains but also allow us to set up trade routes to every major city in Nova without having to travel all the way across the world." Suggested Sarah

"The Red Hills? All for say 'aye', all opposed say 'Nay'."

"Aye"

"It's unanimous. Red Hills now the home of the Raven Hawk Guild. Second order of business: our first operation as a Guild. Any ideas?"

"Sarah and Jonas should establish a network of trade systems that will allow the Guild to acquire skole so we can build our Guildhall and make upgrades as soon as possible. What say you, Sarah?"

"Jonas and I second that."

"Alright. As soon as we get settled in the Red Hills, the operation will begin. Is there any new business?"

"My contacts have received word on Johnathan's challenge to the leader of the Freedom Kings. He accepts the challenge, with the stipulation of to the death to be added, and has called off the contract. He wants the challenge to take place in two weeks time at the Cliffs of Heaven. I say we go and support Johnathan."

"Johnathan, do you accept us going with you as support only."

"I do."

"Very well. Is there anymore business to take care of? No? Then I call the first meeting of the Raven Hawk Guild to be finished. Meeting adjourned."

"Sophie, I won't be able to join you in the Red Hills, not until I take care of my business with the leader of the Freedom Kings. I haven't been to the Cliffs of Heaven, but I have been to an area a few days away from there. I want to take the week and a half I have in spare time to train and perfect my swordsmanship. I hope you understand."

"Of course. Sarah, Jonas, and I can handle setting up the Guildhall. Once we finish there, we will join you at the Cliffs. Farewell and good luck."

‐------------------- 11 Days Later ------------------

"I guess It's time to head that way. Even with eleven days to train and strengthen my abilities, this fight will be a challenge. Even with all the things I've defeated, I might not win this one." Johnathan thought to himself as he ported to Anakin, the city near the Cliffs of Heaven.

Anakin is a small village that houses the essentials for traveling parties: blacksmith, armorsmith, general store, taverns, motels, and a farrier station for those with horses. The Cliffs of Heaven was 2 days due East from Anakin, so that gave Johnathan a day to get everything he needed together for the trip and the duel.

After stopping by the general store to pick up some food and health items, Johnathan headed out. The road to the Cliffs was pretty straight minus a few hills, so Johnathan made good time.

He arrived 1 hour before the duel was to take place, he was met by Sophie, Sarah, and Jonas who have been waiting for him for a few hours. Apparently, Jonas came into possession of a Port Disc after he traded a rare gem for it in Helen, this allowed the party to travel to the Cliffs instantly instead of walking the whole way.

Soon after Johnathan arrived, the Freedom Kings showed up.

"Johnathan King! For the crimes of betrayal, desertion, and escaping custody, I, Jack, the leader of the Freedom Kings hereby challenge you to a duel to the death." Spoke a very large man clad in spiked armor with 2 large swords on his back.

"I didn't betray anyone. Your sister died protecting me from Dire-wolves. When they heard the war party, they took off, leaving me alone with her body for the war party to find. I know how it looked and I know that I had no evidence that the Dire-wolves were everywhere, but I promise I didn't hurt her."

"Even if you didn't, you still have the crimes of desertion and escaping custody to answer to."

"That may be, but is a fight to the death the right choice? If you die in the game, you die in real life. Killing each other is no way to honor your sister's memory. There's no reason for senseless deaths."

"Senseless? My sister was the only thing I had in this world. She was my right hand, she was my bestfriend! If you dying by my hands brings me some sort of peace, then so be it. If me dying by your hand means I get to see my sister in the afterlife, then that's fine with me too. Either way, one of us is dying here. I told my men that if you win, they are to let you pass unharmed and to never go after you again. I'm done talking, let's get this over with." He said unsheathing his sword.

With the duel challenge accepted, Johnathan drew Neptune.

"Your spear? Why not Mars?" Asked Sarah.

"Neptune has what I need to win, trust me."

Jack swung his blade, but Johnathan used the shaft of Neptune to block the blade. The weight of Jack's sword pushed Johnathan to one knee. With a war cry, Jack pulled out his second sword and swung at Johnathan's exposed head. Narrowly dodging it, Johnathan pushed back against Jack's sword that was on his spear and used the force to back roll out of danger. 

With a safe distance between Johnathan and Jack, Johnathan's spear gave him the advantage for the time being. Jack swung both swords in a heated flurry of slashes.. Using its reach, Johnathan was able to parry the swords with Neptune while staying out of harms way.

Once the flurry was finished, Johnathan began his own barrage of swings and stabs. Jack, with his skills, managed to parry all of Johnathan's attacks as well.

With their defense and strength pretty equal, Johnathan had an ability to increase his stats: Flames. Johnathan began to envelop the spear from tip to pommel in Flames, adding more power to it.

"Impressive technique. Draconian, I take it? I have a similar ability, but mine is ice instead of fire. Let me show you!" Jack roared as he covered both swords in an ice-blue aura.

With the powers of fire and ice clashing in a battle to the death, the challenge rose to one of legendary status.