The One Amongst Me

Page 12 - Believe In Me

As Renei kept stepping forward, she found herself in the middle of the arena, waiting, trying to hide her excited smile as she roughly took her sword out of her sword holder on her back, holding it with both her hands.

"Ah, so we're beginning with the lady, are we? Wonderful!" said Shil through his microphone as he clapped with his hands in happiness. "Quiet, you! Who do I have to fight now?" asked Renei with impatience.

"Quite a feisty one, is she? Well, if you insist rushing the show..." said Shil with disappointment as he raised his left hand, snapping his fingers as Renei and Alec watched a small gate begin to open.

"He just used magic..." thought Alec as he watched the gate fully open, the two of them beginning to hear loud and heavy steps, coming one after the other, filling Alec with worry and fear as Renei remained calm, smiling as the steps got closer.

As they all watched, Chinia pulled Alec back a little, surprising him. "I recommend you remain at a slight distance." she said, confusing him as the three of them watch a large figure enter the arena, a black mask over his face, covering two big, long horns.

"What even IS that thing...? It looks like a giant!" said Alec as he began breathing heavily at the sight of the creature. "It is a demi-human, Alec." declared Chinia, shocking him. "In my time, demi-humans were unbelievably rare..." she added.

"I've never heart of demi-humans..." thought Alec as he watched it step forward slowly, standing a fair distance away from Renei. "Hey, Shrill or whatever your name is, your little slave here is lacking a weapon!" yelled Renei in disappointment, getting a smile from Shil.

"You're quite right, there! Let's even the tables a little, why don't we..." said Shil in a sinister tone as Alec, Renei and Chinia watched him snap his fingers, causing clouds roll in, confusing them.

"Let's make this entertaining! Come, Gramotevica!!" he yelled as the clouds began to part, leaving a hole in the sky, Renei staring up at it with confusion in her eyes. "Alec, step back right now." requested Chinia, forcefully pulling him back, causing him to fall to the ground a little further back, confusing him.

As Alec watched Chinia step back with him, his eyes turned back towards the arena as they watched thunder strike from the hole in the clouds, hitting the ground a meter away from the horned beast, creating a wave around the arena, widening Alec's eyes as the light blinded everyone.

As Alec looked back at the demi-human after the light went away, his eyes immediately focused on a blade, stabbed into the ground next to the the creature, Renei's eyes wide with excitement, unable to hide her smile at this point.

"There, young lady! Now my little friend has his own weapon." said Shil as he panted heavily, sweat going down his face as he smiled. "You just made my day, Shrill!" said Renei as she gripped her sword, more excited than before.

As they all watched, the demi-human stretched its hand in a twisted manner, taking the sword's handle, pulling it out of the ground in a slow manner as it grunted in frustration. "That thing...is going to use the sword to fight?!" thought Alec as he eyes became glued to Renei and the horned beast.

"Just as a quick tip: Grogaden, the big fellow, doesn't care what or who you are. Take that with a grain of sugar." said Shil, chuckling as they all watched Grogaden take a step forward, creating a hole in the ground with his pressure as he began slowly running forward, his steps loud as he began approaching Renei in a roar.

"Renei...!!" let out Alec as he watched her step aside from Grogaden gently as he swung the sword, landing it into the ground, electricity flying everywhere as Renei began laughing happily, watching as Grogaden's blade became stuck in the ground from the force he was applying.

"What's with this one? Does he even have common sense, Shrill?! Why make me fight a mindless puppet?!" yelled Renei in pure anger. "Now, now, little last, be careful with you words..." replied Shil through the microphone as Renei turned around, finding Grogaden swinging at her again, faster than before, raising her sword.

As the two of them made contact, Grogaden pushed his sword down, causing Ranei to get pushed down, creating a hole with her legs as electricity began surging through the sword, widening Renei's eyes as she began getting electrocuted, yelling pain as her grip began shaking.

"She's going to die! We need to stop this!" yelled Alec as he stepped onto the arena, immediately getting stopped by Chinia by his shoulder. "What are you doing?!" he asked with anger in his voice. "Do you not see it?" asked Chinia as she pointed towards Renei, showing him her excited smile as she yelled in pain.

"That's no excuse! She will *DIE*!" yelled Alec as he pushed Chinia's hand off as he started running onto the arena. "Don't you dare, Alec!!" yelled Renei, stopping him in shock. "This is *my* fight! I wanna fix my mistake from last time, so please..." she began as she pushed her leg strong onto the ground, pushing herself and sending Grogaden skidding back a few meters.

"Believe in me!!!"

she yelled in a happy smile as she gripped her sword again. "I'm not gonna lose while he's watching... I can't allow myself to die while he's watching me!" she thought to herself as she watched Grogaden charge in once again.

"She's...abnormal..." thought Alec as he stepped back, terrified of Renei more than Grogaden at that point. "Do you see, Alec?" asked Chinia as she walked up to him. "Look carefully. That girl is nothing close to a coward. Do not underestimate her." she added, pointing towards Renei and Grogaden exchanging swings quickly.

"I see... Her battle addiction just doesn't let her submit to losing." mumbled Alec as he reluctantly stepped back, clenching his fist in frustration. As he raised his head quickly, he looked straight at Renei.

"Don't you dare lose, moron!"

he yelled at the top of his lungs, widening her eyes as her smile got wider as she swung her sword immensely fast, pushing Grogaden back, overwhelming him. "That's all I need! Ready to die?!" asked Renei as she swiftly and aggressively stepped forward again, slashing his leg easily, causing blood to come out and Grogaden to growl in pain.

"Oho! How peculiar! Grogaden's flesh is three times as tough as a human's..." yelled Shil in the microphone as he began laughing in excitement. "She's overwhelming a demi-human?!" thought Alec in confusion.

"It would appear Renei is more than she seems." said Chinia, surprising Alec as they both watched Renei swing her sword faster than Grogaden could comprehend, landing it in his shoulder, beginning to ram it down his arm with him continuing to growl in pain as he swung his sword mindlessly as Renei extracted her sword from his arm, quickly turning it around and causing their swords to meet again.

"She's a complete monster!" yelled Alex in fear as he found himself shaking. "Hey, Alec! This guy's technique is worse than yours!" yelled Renei as she ignored the electric shock going through her body as she ran her sword along Gragaden's, turning it the other way, and stabbing him in the chest with a smile as blood began to gush our furiously, covering Renei's face.

"Wait, Renei, sto--" tried to say Alec in realization as Renei jumped up, pushing the sword further in with both her legs, causing it to come out of Grogaden's back, widening Alec's eyes in shock as he watched the blood continued to come out.

As Renei tool her sword out of Grogaden's chest, they all watched him fall to the ground as Renei turned towards Alec, smiling with happiness, confused at the sight of Alec breathing heavily, his eyes wide open in complete fear.

"Hey, what's wrong? You okay there?" asked Renei as she took a step towards him, causing him to shiver. "H-Hey..." mumbled Renei as she looked around, sighing. "Alec, I'm sorry about this. I guess I let my excitement get the best of me..." she said in shame as she go rid of her smile.

"Y-You... What even was that?! That wasn't human strength, Renei!" yelled Alec as he got up, his legs shaking as Chinia looked at them both. "Yeah, it wasn't..." she replied nervously.

"Because I'm not exactly human."