The One Amongst Me

Page 13 - Even now

As Alec processed those words, he stepped back with worry. "W-What are you talking about...?" he asked in confusion. "That's the usual reaction of people..." she said, ignoring Alec's question as she took a few short steps towards him.

"Hey, stay back an explain from there!" he yelled in fear, causing her to stop abruptly. "I understand." she let out as she sat down, crossing her legs nonchalantly. "I'm just gonna say... I'll leave after I explain. You won't want me around, anyway.' she said in a fake happy tone as she looked at him, causing him to look down.

"Then...explain it to me." he demanded as Chinia stood next him, watching carefully. "I'm not entirely human, to start off straight." she began. "When I was born, approximately 74% of my organs were...unusable, and my heart was close to stopping." she explained, widening Alec's eyes.

"So, the best thing the Flahinshi family thought to do was use a demi-human's organs and heart to keep my alive..." she continued, smiling shamefully. "Said organs got me this strength, I think..." she finished as she looked straight at him with a smile.

   "You can hate me or fear me."

she added, petrifying him. "That's the short version of the story... You can speak up now. Be honest." she requested in a sad, pathetic tone, clearly putting herself in a sea of embarrassment and shame.

As she watched, Alec stood up, reluctantly pushing himself off the ground, beginning to walk towards Renei slowly as she watched in confusion. Passing her by, he patted her head. "After my battle... Is that okay?" he muttered to her, shocking her. "What do you mean by that?!" she asked in confusion.

"I'll choose if I want to hate you."

he replied, swallowing every worry in his mind, every trouble that could emerge, every piece of common sense, shocking her completely as he walked forward into the arena, his gaze pinned to the ground as he walked.

"Oh, how wonderful! We have a demi-human killing another demi-human! Simply amazing!" Shil yelled into the microphone with joy as Alec looked up at him with a dumbfounded and confused look on his face.

"Who am I fighting? I want to finish this quickly!" yelled Alec as Chinia quietly watched him. "You're impatient, but I guess the Blue Eye chooses whoever it wants, doesn't it..." replied Shil, shocking Alec. "So you know I'm a master?" asked Alec as he watched Shil put his foot on the edge of the balcony. "Indeed I do!" he replied as he jumped off the balcony, shocking Alec and Renei as they watched him land on his feet flawlessly.

"I, too, am one of the seven master, Alec Khrom!" yelled Shil, smiling widely in excitement. As Alec stepped back slightly, he gritted his teeth. "So, what now?" he asked, getting a confused look from Shil. "We fight, what else?" replied Shil as he scratched his forefinger with his thumb, swirling up a small whirlpool out of thin air, surprising everyone.

As they all watched, Shil placed his right hand forward I to the whirlpool, a sword beginning to materialize in his hand as he smiled and panted slightly. "I call upon you, Vioda!" he yelled as the sword filly materialized in his hand, shocking Alec.

"Is that one of your Maiden's three abilities?" asked Alec in a weary manner. "Quite perceptive, aren't you? Yes, this is the second one!" replied Shil. "This guy... He was already connected with his Maiden before we even entered the arena!" thought Alec as Renei and Chinia watched the two of them carefully.

"Shrill's power is seeping from that sword; it's obvious he's been training with his Holy Maiden..." mumbled Renei. "I agree. It would appear Alec is at a disadvantage." added Chinia, startling Renei.

"H-Hey... Why isn't Alec calling for you? He's...not gonna last without a blade attached to that handle." pointed out Renei as Chinia's eyes narrowed. "He is choosing not to. I do not understand why, however." answered Chinia, widening Renei's eyes.

"I'm quite confused as to why you haven't connected with your Maiden..." let out Shil in confusion. "Keep being confused! I don't need to use my Maiden to defeat you!" responded Alec, gripping the empty handle in desperation.

"Even if I say that, his sword is clearly too much for me without Chinia's powers. I'll have to find another way to cut his thread..." thought Alec as he focused on Shil. "Then I suppose it's safe to assume this battle has started?" asked Shil in an excited tone, getting a shaky nod from Alec.

As less than a second passed, Alec's eyes widened at the sight of Shil appearing right in front of him, swinging his sword at Alec as he pulled himself back, Shil on slashing at his clothed, ripping them as Alec barely escaped his attack.

"I couldn't even see that guy's swing!" yelled Renei as she watched Alec continuously step away from Shil's swings in desperation. "Chinia, he-- Alec's gonna die! You need to connect with him!" yelled Renei, not getting a response out of Chinia as they both continued to watch with worry.

"A death game isn't fun when one of the participants acts like a scared child!" yelled Shil as he managed to slash Alec's arm, causing him to let out a grunt as he pushed himself away with his feet, creating a distance between them.

"He's right to an extent; I'm just running from conflict, but that's better than causing my partner pain!" he thought as he charged in towards Shil, ducking right in front of him, swinging the handle in an attempt to break Ship's balance, getting quickly kicked off balance himself by Shil, surprising him as he fell down on the ground.

"That was a good one, but not *that* good..." said Shil as he quickly raised his sword, immediately swinging it down on Alec, widening his eyes as he rolled out of the way, jumping back on his feet in a pant.

"Your reflexes and reaction time are amazing!" yelled Shil as he swung the sword from the right, getting Alec's attention as he, faster than Alec could see, turned the blade the other way, pointing it to the left, filling Alec with fear and desperation as he found himself unable to react.

"Alec!!!" yelled Renei as she watched Shil land his sword straight into Alec's side, widening her eyes. As they all watched, Alec began falling to the ground, Shil smiling as he lowered his sword.

As he fell, Alec stopped his fall with his right hand, struggling with the pain as he panted desperately. "I tried to finish it quickly, Alec, but you don't seem to want to give up..." said Shil as he raised his sword again.

"No, stop!!" yelled Renei as she stood up, beginning to run into the arena. "I...m..." mumbled Alec, getting Shil's attention as he watched Alec raise the handle. "Chinia, connect!" he yelled as loud as he could, Chinia beginning to form into the sword's handle, shocking Shil, causing him to jump back.

"Renei, you stop there!" yelled Alec, stopping Renei in her tracks as he slowly got up off the ground, shaking as he covered his wound with one hand, holding the fully materialized sword with the other, worrying Renei.

"I promised I would give you my answer after this, right...?" asked Alec, causing her to reluctantly step back in shock. "And you, I'm sorry if you for the impression I didn't think you were useful, Chinia." be added as he began holding sword with both his hands.

"That was not what I thought." replied Chinia from within the sword, putting a smile on Alec's face. "That's good..." mumbled Alec as he focused on the smiling Shil. "You're ready to fight with all you've got?" asked Shil with excitement.

         "No need to even ask!"