Alasla: The New Age

Chapter Forty- Ling

Slicing open a boulder in their way with his sword, Paulie signaling him to move on, Ralph found himself standing still. Frozen by a familiar voice behind.

Cecilia's expression went dead as she caught a glimpse of the person behind Ralph. An ice spike was already forming around Paulie's arm before Ralph shook his head.

"I'll do this on my own," he muttered. Cecilia and Paulie exchanged a worried glance with him before finally moving on.

After they were gone, Ralph sheathed his sword.

"I don't want to do this," he whispered without turning around.

"Nor do I," Forrest sighed. "But you're really getting into Madame Lucy's way now. Would you answer me one last time- Is the boy standing before me Ralph or Ling of the Five Descendants?"

Ralph bit his lips to stop the tears swirling in his eyes to come out. His hands again gripped the hilt of his sword, not knowing if this would be the last battle he'll fight for.

"Ling of the Five Descendants," he declared, turning around as he brandishes Rain. After saluting with his sword, he turns to his on-guard position. Forrest knew this. They learned these moves together.

Flame blazed upon Forrest's arms and fists as they slowly circles each other. His gold, amber eyes stared right into Ralph's dark, fathomless ones. One illuminated with sparks of light whilst the other surrounded in a dark, thick fog of plague.

He felt his hand shaking. Excitement, fear, or anger he can't tell. When Forrest strikes, Ralph dodges it with a mere tilt of his head. It was the same for many of his attack that was to follow. And Forrest has already darted away before Ralph brought his sword slicing down for his chest. As much as they try to pretend otherwise, they still can't defy the frozen truth that resurfaces every time they strike. They've been fighting like they've been training for many moons, they knew each other's moves by heart. Ralph does not know what he can do about it, because even though his brain tries to persuade him the boy standing in front of him is a stranger, his body refuses to lie. Forrest is his friend. The only friend he had throughout his whole childhood. The only thing that was still bright when everything else was dark. He physically can't neglect that truth.

Forrest rolls to the ground after clashing with Ralph once more, panting, panic already present in his eyes when he stood back up.

"Fight me!" He roars. "You aren't doing it!"

"...I can't," Ralph uttered, slicing apart the ball of flame that Forrest sent plummeting for him.

"You aren't the boy I knew," he huffed, burning out the flames around his arms, he stood up, studying Ralph with his reptilian-like eyes. "Where's the murderer that I used to see? Where's the killer who licks his sword clean after a battle? Where's the Prince Ling that's made his father once so proud?"

"Don't call me that," Ralph hisses, pressing a hand onto his head, trying to block out the pain of the oncoming memories. "The Ling Dynasty is long gone, and so is my father. Further discussions of them would be nothing but a waste of time."

"Oh, really?" Forrest sneers, sending a fiery kick up towards Ralph's chin, one which he again ducked away from. "Why hide from the truth, then? Why not accept the fact as it is? Who are you?"

Ralph did not hide away from Forrest as he raises his arm, letting him land the fiery punch squarely onto his face.

The scent of burnt hair and skin fills his nose as he thumped down onto the rocks beneath. Tasting the blood along with volcanic dust, he pushes himself off the ground, his vision flooded in red.

"I used to be a sword," he begins. "Then I was a fool. Now I am a friend."

Lying his sword away, he dashed towards Forrest bare-handed. They fought with mere strength, no mind, no memories, no powers. Ralph felt the sweat slipping between their skin as they made contact, the apparent, thudding pain of each blow that Forrest lands on him which he is sure to return. But in comparison to Forrest's size and strength, Ralph's attacks are doing almost no damage. One shift of focus made him fail to avoid Forrest's strike which landed firmly on his shoulder. The bone-shattering pain consequence of the punch distracted him from Forrest's second attack that quickly followed up, this time blowing Ralph off his feet.