Long live the Villainess

#11- Arlette of Kaida (second part)

Without leaving any chance to riposte, I aim for Vidarr first. He dodges my first hit but the sharpness of my blade leaves him a thin red cut on his cheek.

But he quickly regains his mind and gets out a short sword hidden in his pants. The blade is unlike anyone I saw. It looks like hundreds of needles assembled to make a deadly pointed sword.

"So did we," he responds with well-deserved arrogance.

Around him the students, whose faces are hidden behind leather masks get out their swords like they were waiting for his signal. Their blades are regular ones, but still very long.

Two of them jump simultaneously on me while Vidarr and three others circle around us.

'The priority is to not accidentally kill them or dismember them.'

Or else I can say goodbye to become a Royal Knight. I can say goodbye to my plan.

I block their hits biting my tongue to not grunt under their strength. We stay like this for a few seconds before I drop on my knees. Surprise they lose their balances for a second. I swipe the legs of the students with the shorter mask. Before making him roll over his partner.

I feel a sharp pain sting near my rib cage. I put my hand on the wound already feeling the thick blood running down my fingers. I only have the time to let out a surprise scream before the attack starts again, but this time the three apprentices are attacking me at the same time.

My swords slashes against theirs with a progressive rapidity. Every time I dodge I don't have the time to counter-attack that another hit threatens to pierce my body.

'They are each one stronger than the mercenaries I encountered!' I realize in disbelief.

Vidarr's sword scratches my cheek at the exact same place where I cut him. But the needles wound me at the same time and I feel dozens of grazes marking the left part of my face.

Another sword manage to hit my leg. Seeing the weapon of Vidarr getting dangerously close to my face, I feel a rush of adrenaline diffusing in my body.

I gather my remaining strength and jump on his blade. I read the astonishment in his eyes when I take an impulse on it. With the flat part of my swords, I knock the forehead of his two sbires and I hit his chin with my knee. He falls on the ground and I seize him.

"When I said I wanted a cordial relationship, it didn't mean I would be passive if you tried to kill me," I shout furiously.

"Why did you have to cross the road of Lord Eiran?!" he spits grabbing my wrists. "Why didn't you stay in your shabby little town?!"

"I am staying here no matter what you and the others will try so swallow your ridiculous pride and get over with it!"

I release him and get up feeling the world slightly spin. I look around and discover a long trail of blood. My blood.

When I turned back around, Vidarr disappeared and his friends too.

'How in the world do they manage to walk without making any noise in their current state?'

I walk painfully back to the palace and drag myself up the stairs. I knock brutally on the door number thirteen. After a minute of incessant knocking, I hear heavy footsteps coming towards the door.