Summoning Woes

Ch 3 - Red Axe Michele

Klavier’s power surged so much that the earth around them trembled. Glass apparatuses came crashing down under the dominating force as KLavier burst into a sprint. Despite the phenomenal speed, Ryuuga raised his sword in full anticipation, bringing his charge to a full halt with a clash. Klavier forced his sword upwards, breaking the balance of his opponent. With his torso open for a direct hit, he lunged his blade forward. Ryuuga swerved to the side, counter-attacking with a series of frenzied strikes. Klavier evaded the first hit, his eyes focused on the deadly edge coming closer at a perceived slow speed. He raised the black blade, blocking the strike that would have otherwise sliced his chest into two. Their swords stubbornly stuck one another, shaking the air violently that destroyed the immediate area around them.

“You fight well to be this battered,” Ryuuga said.

“What do you know?” Klavier replied. “I never heard my opponents compliment me like that before.”

The flattery seemed to work; His enemy was letting down his guard. Klavier grabbed hold of his head, slamming him down to the ground with all his might. Klavier slammed his sword down. But the blade missed an inch as Ryuuga jerked away from the incoming attack. Klavier escaped his grasp, bouncing back to create a small distance between them.

Fatigue weighed down on him. He should have known better, there was no way he would have enough stamina to last three duels back-to-back like that. But that wouldn’t be a problem if could deal the finishing blow first. Klavier charged forward, channelling all the anger and bitterness lingering in his heart into that single attack.

He swung the sword with all his might yet Ryuuga countered with an effortless clash that blew away even more of the lightweight materials around them. The parry did more than just block the otherwise lethal attack; the blade snapped. A wicked smile masked Ryuuga’s formerly serious look. He thrust the sword straight towards Klavier’s heart. He wasn’t about to let himself get hurt just like that. He forced himself to the side as the blade sunk into his body that was just an inch away from the vital area.

“Damn,” Klavier grabbed the blade, pulling it out with all his might. Ryuuga twisted it before he could, overloading his body with the torment. The strength he needed dried up on him as Ryuuga pulled it out, breaking into a triumphant laugh as Klavier fell to his knees. Ryuuga raised his sword right above him, no doubt boasting the hard-earned victory over Klavier’s defeat. He pushed his sword down towards Klavier’s back only to be stopped by an unknown force just before the blade could sink in.

Right before Klavier was the orange haired dual ponytailed girl that held her jewelled staff steady with both her hands. An image throbbed in his head. It felt as though he went through the exact same moment somewhere down his lifetime though he had no instance of such interventions in his most immediate memories.

“Are you alright, Klavier?” she asked.

“Themis! How did you…?”

“Long story. I’ll tell you later once I’m done with him,” she levelled her weapon parallel to the ground. She let go of it, allowing it to levitate without the support required as she chanted a set of incantations under her breath.

Ryuuga leapt forward, thrusting his sword towards her. Klavier could hear his mind scream the order to get up but like a stubborn child, his body refused to move even in the increasingly dire situation he found her in. He wasn’t about to lose Themis the same way how he lost will, at least that was what he hoped so. But Themis was starting right back at Ryuuga, continuing her chants as though she paid no mind to his meddling. She somersaulted backwards, narrowly evading the strike as she formed a “V” shape with her fingers on the tips of her lips. She squeezed her lips with the fingers, breathing out a set of flames that roared at Ryuuga’s direction.