The Second Hand of Time

CHAPTER THIRTY

CLIFFORD AND ATHENA VANISTELLA PLAYED HIDE AND SEEK TO THE DEATH

I almost laughed out loud when I saw Vladimir's face in panic.

We just crossed weapons when I pushed him back. The entire landscape around us suddenly changed and I closed my eyes, so that I won't be disoriented.

From being a hallway, the entire place changed. On my right is a cliff, with the sea at the bottom. A forest surrounded us, which made the place the perfect place to fight him. He can't run away.

And hey, those seas are real. The forest is real. We are inside Miss Eupraxia's magic world. She transported us here with our friend Vladimir.

Anyway, after drinking my own blood, which is pretty disgusting, I learned how to summon the sword. It's only a memory but the familiar feeling of holding the katana improved my mood.

I've got the awesome ability of regenerating tissues too. Well, gramps told me I can do more. I've tried to stop time again, but I couldn't. The time rune doesn't work that way anymore after the sword broke.

Vladimir examined the surroundings and masked his panic with a poker face.

"What did you do?" He demanded. "This is an illusion, right?"

"I don't have to answer that question." I replied.

He spat out in the dirt. "I'll have to kill you then."

Oh, hey. I forgot to mention, I can read enemy attacks now. Well, it's more like seeing the future. I could see an orangey field where he will attack. This time, that orangey field was passed straight through my heart.

Sure enough, Vladimir jumped in that direction. He unsheathed his swordstick and tried to jab at me. I leaned to the right and slashed down with the sword as soon as he was within reach.

He's still fast, but I think I can keep up. He blocked my downward slash with the ironwood scabbard.

He pushed my blade upwards. Then I knew what he was planning to do. After pushing my blade upwards, he will thrust straight at my body, using that chance of opening.

I simply leaned to the left as he thrust straight on a millisecond later.

He jumped back and recovered his breath. Then he fixed his gaze at me, and examined my stance.

"We have fought before." He said. "Right?"

I was surprised when I heard him say that. "What do you mean?"

"You look like you've fought me before." He said. "Have we fought?"

"We have." I replied coldly. "In a different time."

"What do you mean by, a different time?" He asked.

"I'm not obligated to answer you." I reminded him, and pointed the sword at him.

He gritted his teeth. "I'll have to kill you, then."

He kicked the ground and sliced at my right. I parried with the katana. He tried to jab his wooden scabbard at my gut, but I jumped away.

Then he raised his swordstick in the air. The blade glowed.

Somewhere behind me, Laelia shouted, "RUN!"

I didn't. Hehe. I'm feeling stubborn today.

Vladimir managed to smile. "Burn away."

He pointed the sword at me and a harsh beam of light sailed towards me.