The Demon Lord & The Hero(ine)

Chapter XII - The First Dance of Seven Swords (Part I)

As Asuka, Harmonia, and Griffith walk on the brick road to the arena, Griffith was reminded of a fond memory back in his world.

Much like the path they were walking, Griffith had walked beside Charlotte. Each side of the road was lined with elm trees with flower beds.

Charlotte... Griffith thought, she must be somewhere in this world... all I can do is hope that she is safe...

"Are you okay, Artem?" Harmonia inquires as she gazed at Griffith with a concerned countenance.

"Huh? Of course, milady," Griffith responded with his normal tone, "is there something wrong with me?"

"You looked as if someone took your lover away from you," Asuka chimed in.

"Ah... anyway, I just melancholy for a bit," he responds as he conceals his surprise at the accuracy of Asuka's words.

Entering a rather luxurious and wonderfully built arena, Griffith was quite interested in the difference between arenas in his old world and this new world's. Asuka explained to him that arenas also function as shelters from natural disasters and as a fortress in the event of a significant enemy force. Thus, the building was constructed with the idea of both comfort and strong defensive capabilities.

Going into one of the box seats, the three witness the class that is going on, as their class begins after the current one ends.

"Among the students in the arena, many of them are elites or talented in combat," Harmonia says, "as a capable combatant like yourself, what do you think of them, Artem?"

"Haiz... from where I stand, it'd be unlikely any would pose an actual threat to my life," Griffith responds as he scratches his head, "but what they need is actual combat experience. Some may already think the monsters they will face in the future will die by their hands."

"That is... certainly true," Asuka says, "facing an enemy in real life is vastly different from just training. Though I heard a new class is going to be added soon."

"Oh? Could it be the live combat training class that the headmaster was talking about?" inquired Harmonia.

"Yes. Currently, the most the knowledge of the class is mostly kept as a rumor for now," Asuka replies.

Observing the class some more, it was finally time for class. The first pairing to go is Harmonia and Asuka - the student council president versus the student council vice-president.

While the others cheered, Griffith was rather quiet, for he was rather enamored with Harmonia and Asuka's skill with the rapier and techniques. Unlike the many supposed elites he had seen in the previous class, Harmonia and Asuka's movements were dangerously efficient, not a single movement or technique was in vain.

Due to the existence of magic, certain magic conducting materials was used when making rapier, which meant the rapier could be on equal terms with other swords - the difference being the skill of the user to correctly manipulate and circulate magic. What this meant was the rapier is among the most preferred choice of weaponry for magic users and very dangerous in the hands of someone who has advanced control over his/her magic along with being able to manipulate the magic to manipulate the blade's properties.

Frankly, both of their forms did not reveal any weakness and skills were clearly honed to a frightening degree. If advanced fencers in the old world were fast, then people who lived in this world was on an entire level of speed with the rapier - in fact, it would be extremely difficult to even see the rapier's movement.

However, it seems that Harmonia and Asuka are equally matched, often ending in a draw rather than someone actually winning.

"... They are not here yet?" the teacher says.

"Who is not here yet?" Griffith inquired.

"You've probably not seen them, but their names are Eirwen and Sable Klein. Those two are considered to be the very best of this academy. Usually they won't really attend due to being excellent enough to even be an instructor, but I had notified them that since you were now attending, they could at least introduce themselves."

Those two... Griffith thought, well, it is not like I would die... right?

After the class quiets down once the excitement of Harmonia and Asuka's match ends, it is interrupted by the footsteps of two people approaching the teacher.

"Hey... those are them, right?" a student says.

"One with white hair and white eyes, one with black hair and black eyes... there is no mistaking it - especially with those rose hairpins..." says another.

"You two finally showed up," the teacher says with a slight hint of annoyance.

"Apologies, teacher. We just needed to make some preparations if we were to greet sir Artem Lockwood," Eirwen says kindly.

However, the other students - including Harmonia and Asuka - seemed a bit startled from Eirwen's words. Whatever would it mean, Griffith would later know.

"Nice to meet you two. As you have said, my name is Artem Lockwood. I assume this is our first meeting?" Griffith says. Naturally, this was to confirm whether or not they had taken notice of his presence before.

"I am Sable Klein, and beside me is my sister, Eirwen Klein," Sable says and Eirwen responds to Griffith's question by saying, "of course, this is not quite the first time we have met."

"Although this may be quite abrupt, may you spar with my sister and I?" Sable asks with what seems to be a knowing smile, "I certainly believe your skills are above the rest in this class."

Tch. Did the two of them also see my status? Griffith thought as he felt a chill run down his back, Sable is correct in saying that I am above the rest when it comes to sheer power...

"If it would please both of you, I shall spar with the two of you," Griffith says with a kind smile.

Although it was against the protest of the teacher, they convinced (or more like intimidated) the teacher to permit the sparring match, with magic being involved.

Once the others sit in the stands, it is only Eirwen Klein, Sable Klein, and Griffith Mallory on the ground of the arena.

"Come forth, god killing sword," Eirwen chanted as pure white light concentrated into what appears to be the shape of a blade, "Mistilteinn."

The light flashes once and reveals a pristine, snowy-white longsword that only gleamed brighter in the sunlight.

"From the house of Hel," Sable chanted as ominous tendrils also concentrated into the shape of a sword, "Lævateinn."

In a few moments, darkness clouded the vision of all like a plume of ashes. As the darkness vanished, the blade is revealed to be a longsword the opposite color of Eirwen, the black blade seeming to be a rift within space and time itself.

"Looks like I need not hold back," Griffith says. As he raises his right hand to the skies above, he calls forth his blades.

From the skies, 7 lights had shone as bright as stars in the night sky. From those seven lights, revealed to be swords as each struck the ground, except for one, to which Griffith caught.

"The answerer, forged by the gods, Fragarach. The blade of a ruler betrayed, Crocea Mors. The sword of strength, Caladbolg. The paladin's sword, Durendal. The sword of the dragonslayer, Gram. The dwarven blade, Tyrfing," Griffith says as he points to each with a blade that glowed with holy energy. As he readies his stance, he announces the name of the sword he is holding, "the sword of the legendary king, Excalibur."

[Author's Note]

Sorry to leave it at a cliffhanger, but you all certainly did not expect that, right? I might fuse part II of this later.

Furthermore, the work on part II will be delayed until the completion of a school project