Suikoden VII

Chapter Seven: Part Two

Chapter Seven: Part Two

"Pesmerga?"

The name left Astraea's mouth involuntarily. She knew that the intruder standing in the middle of her bedroom wasn't Pesmerga. But the black armor and black helmet...she knew that the intruder was a Black Knight.

But this wasn't Pesmerga. Pesmerga didn't have long blonde hair.

Behind Astraea, David's breathing suddenly quickened and became shaky as the intruder turned to face them. His long hair fell into his face; Astraea couldn't see his eyes. But she saw his mouth move. "Astraea Reiser?" the voice was low. Cold.

Astraea didn't respond. Suddenly the man was a blur. She didn't see him draw twin swords. She didn't even realize that she was under attack. Her only warning was the glint of light catching the duel blades as they stabbed towards her chest—

Her right hand suddenly shot up and a blast of wind erupted from the True Wind Rune. The wind struck the Black Knight head-on and he flew backwards, his feet skidding across the floor.

His frown deepened. "A True Rune."

"What are you doing?! He almost killed you! FIGHT!"

The voice of the True Wind Rune rattled in Astraea's ears, causing them to ring. She unwound her knout and lunged forward, swinging it over her head and towards his face. The tip met its mark; striking him square in the middle of the face. Astraea worked quickly, swinging her arm rapidly and striking three more times in succession.

But the Black Knight did not flinch under the strikes. He stood there, unmoving, as the tip of her knout landed four blows on his nose, cheeks, and mouth. The strikes did not break skin or create welts. They appeared to be as effective as if she were wielding a paper fan.

"Your Majesty—!" David shouted from the door.

"Stay back, David!" Astraea snapped. She glanced at him for just a moment, but when she turned back to the stranger he was no longer standing in front of her. She suddenly felt a presence directly behind her and she summersaulted forward, feeling the 'whoosh' of air as he nearly stabbed her again. Astraea rolled onto her back, but had to roll away when the swords came down upon her slicing through her carpet. She raised her hand towards him. "FUNERAL WIND!"

The powerful spell struck the Black Knight and laid destruction to her bedroom. Furniture splintered and turned over, loose paper ripped and flew everywhere, and her window cracked and shattered.

But the Black Knight was still unmoved. His hair whooshed with the violent wind, and his body recoiled from the blows of the spell, but he did not appear hurt at hurt. Instead his frown became more pronounced, as though he was annoyed.

Astraea's breathing quickened as she scrambled to her feet. For a moment panic overtook her senses and she picked up her overturned broken chair and hurled it at the Knight with a, "HAAAA!"

The Black Knight made no move to dodge the chair. It slammed into his upper body; his sternum absorbing the blow. But he did not move a hair. When the chair crumbled to the floor in a heap, he was unfazed, uninjured, but exceptionally angrier than he'd been just seconds before.

He then lunged again—"THE SHREDDING!" Astraea shrieked the spell—and the spell stuck him. But he did not falter. Did not stop. Astraea screamed as she dove out of the way, and the twin blades became embedded in her headboard.

I can't hurt him! I CAN'T HURT HIM! What do I do, what do I do?!

The Black Knight yanked the swords free, but then suddenly David threw himself onto the Knight's back, pushing down on his helmet to obstruct his face. "RUN, YOUR MAJESTY!" he shrieked. "Raise the alarm for the intruder, GO!"