Kingdom of the Nine: Hail (I)

Chapter 4

"Mia just leave it, we have to go!"

"Wait, no hold on! I..."

"Mia!"

The rumbling continues as the roof opens and reveals Vermidia. She holds onto the sides of the hole she's created, like a spider in her web.

"I got it!" Mia shouts as she then turns and sees Vermidia lowering down into the room. Mia stumbles and staggers back towards me, clinging the book to her chest.

"You know I came here looking for that ages ago. The only problem is that I could never get in this building. Must have been some sort of barrier your dear Zen had placed."

"Well too bad, beat you to it!" Mia taunts as I grab her hand and run down the steps behind us towards the door.

"Hmph." I hear echo through the halls behind us.

We reach the door and burst out it into the woods. Mia trips and falls to the ground. The book slides across the grass and into a bush. I run to it to pick it up but Vermidia lunges towards me with her blade drawn. I pull mine out and in a second, her blade strikes mine mear inches from my face.

"Quick timing, maybe dear Zen did some good after all when he trained you."

"How dare you keep saying his name." I pull my blade to the right and out of the lock she had me in. I then move back to my left, bringing the blade back at her.

She dashes back and cackles. "Why? Bad memories I presume?" She laughs and taunts.

I feel the hum of tension, she's playing games but she's about to switch it up. The air thick as the shadows of the night coil around Vermidia. Her eyes flash with malice as she stands poised, her blade gleaming like it's cut from the void itself.

The book, lies in the dust between us, untouched but within arm's reach. I grip the hilt of my sword tightly, feeling the cold metal press against my palm. We both know that book holds the key to the Crux. Vermidia's smile is sharp, venomous.

"Do you really think you can stop me, Hail?" she sneers, stepping forward, her sword flickering with dark energy. "You can't even control your own power."

I don't respond, focusing instead on her every movement, her every shift. The tip of my sword angles toward her as I circle to the right, eyes locked on hers. Suddenly, she strikes.

Her blade moves like lightning, slashing toward my chest. I block just in time, metal clashing with a deafening clang.

The force sends shockwaves through my arms, but I grit my teeth and shove back, forcing her a step away.

"I don't need to control my power," I growl, stepping forward to swing at her side. "I just need to stop you."

She parries effortlessly, her sword spinning in a blur, and I barely dodge a counterstrike aimed at my neck.
Vermidia's grin widens.

"Such fire," she taunts, her voice smooth, mocking. "But you're still a child playing at being a god."

She feints left, and I fall for it, too slow to react as she lunges right. Her blade grazes my side, cutting through my shirt. I hiss in pain but don't falter. Instead, I press forward, swinging in a wide arc aimed at her legs.

I manage to graze her thigh, and she snarls, but the satisfaction is short-lived as she slams her boot into my chest, knocking me back.

I stumble, but before I can fully regain my footing, she's on me again, striking with a furious flurry of blows. Our swords clash again and again, sparks flying in the dim night. Each time I block, her strength nearly overwhelms me. She's faster, more experienced, but I refuse to let her win.