The Sword Master

Chapter 17: Faint

Ian lays in bed thinking when he senses a presence in the city he swiftly sits up as a lightning bolt strikes awakening Crystia and Xenovia.

"Ian, dear go back to bed the children aren't crying yet." Crystia groans barely awake.

Ian however sits in shock, muttering to himself. "Excalibur..."

Xenovia seems to become a bit more alerts but is still mostly asleep. "What?"

"I'll be back." He says quietly, jumping out of the bed he grabs Truth and Dare before teleporting away, he suddenly appears in front of Freed standing over Kiba about to go for the killing blow he blocks the blade from hitting Kiba.

"I'm not done yet!" Kiba growls, but before he can do anything Ian kicks Freed to the floor.

"That's cheating!" Freed yells to the pair of boys.

"That's what devils do!" Before he can kill Freed another blade blocks his and he's kicked back and a girl stands next Freed holding a blade of her own.

"Good job, Charlotte."

"Anything for you, father."

Ian raises an eyebrow lowering Dare slightly. "Father?" He questions.

"Charlotte, you are?" She curtly introduces herself.

"Ian Star, former student of Freed and Lint Selzen and wielder of the Blade Master Sacred Gear. One could say... I'm your superior."

"If it isn't my boy. How's your search?"

Ian grins. "Doin good. Just found her actually." Ian's grin vanishes and he raises dare back up, ready to fight. "How's you sanity?"

Just then a glyph appears by his ears. Kiba goes to attack he jumps over while Charlotte and Ian lock blades.

"I hate to cut things short but someone more important is calling it's been fun! That's all folks!" He throws a flash bang as Charlotte disengages from the lock with Ian they vanish leaving Ian and Kiba alone. Ian then looks at Kiba who begins to walk away.

"You know, you don't have to do this alone."

"I want to."

"Kiba."

Kiba glances back towards his mentor. "Yeah?"

"Give them hell. I've got your back."

"I know and as long as my goal is achieved I won't die."

"Humph, fuckin' better not." Ian teleports back to his house to find its five thirty and everyone else is already training except for Ember who's asleep as well as Xenovia who's watching everyone train.

"You really make them do our old routine?"

"Yeah. It ensures they never get rusty I even trained two devils in this way."

Xenovia scoffs slightly rolling her eyes. "Always so nice to everyone."

"Hm. Honestly I wonder where that come from."

"Ian..." Xenovia mutters his name, he barely reacts staring out to the others. "I want to say, I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"No, Crystia and Lily told me."

Ian eyes her wearily. "Told you what exactly?"

"That after I left it drove Freed mad, it drove you away from the orphanage to rebel against the adults there who stopped looking for me. And nearly costed you a chance with any other girl."

He scoffs. "Oh, they told you about that."

"I have to say you've got quite a lot of girls fighting over you."