The Wavering Hawk [ENGLISH]

P24. Resolve

Uriel didn't give me any mercy.

The battle was too one-sided since the beginning. He launched the attack, while the only thing I've ever done was dodged, crouched, ran, and hide. The best thing I could do was shielding myself against every time Longinus tried to pierce against my defense.

"Evade and dodge. It isn't like a Mikhail at all," Uriel sneered behind his black helmet. And I could already see his image laughed at me, right inside my head.

I looked at his back and realized someone was missing amidst the chaos. Gleipnir no longer chased out after me.

"And you let someone slipped," The answer came cold and steady, something that couldn't possibly come out of my mouth five minutes ago. "That wasn't like The Wisdom of God should do."

But at the same time, I couldn't ignore his remarks. I couldn't bring myself attack or landed a finishing blow against him.

Why am I fighting him? The deepest part of my mind shook, strangled by the very fact that happened right now. He's one of my kind.

Here and there, I used the rifle instead of Lohengrin every time my eyes saw an opening, every time Uriel accidentally showed it to me. But every time also, the bullets repelled by Longinus hard fangs. The metal-spear repelled all of the attacks with the same speed as Gleipnir, but with strength worse than those chains. To make things worse, the reflexes Uriel showed me were above expectations. His fighting skills showed an unexpected improvement, while I was slacked off like a dummy.

Dust blasted through my eyes. While I have no problem with sand, but the one second of letting my guard down should be paid when all of my paths closed with double fags of Longinus.

"It truly a surprise to see you again after your dramatic report, Mikhail," Uriel said. He must be smirked inside that helmet. "But you moved like a turtle."

"And you moved differently," I remarked. "You didn't slack off all this time."

Uriel laughed. "Of course. We are against a new chemical weapon that puts our nano agent into an inactive state. No one would doze off at a time like this."

There was something in his voice. Something that felt bitter and colder, even more than Dimitri's answer.

"You experienced that too."

"Most of us had experienced it, once in their battle now." Uriel pulled Longinus once again, let the thing dance in the air. "Humans depend on a weapon they thought of the most effective, so within three days, we've foreseen most of their strategy."

The battle continued as Uriel launched another attack. Longinus whipped the soil, spread it all over our faces. Blinded our sight. I used the chance to turn away at the refugee camps.

Barely any movements could be seen. Not much left. Reana had successfully done her job. And I couldn't see her anywhere either. My job is done. She should be safe by now.

The roar of atmospheric beasts upward shook the ground. The electric light of The thunderpulse lite a dimming light between us. The thunder that shot and shook the land send another light shock and by that time, Uriel was already stood before me.

"Big mistake." One fang of Longinus embraced my arms in its deadly grip. Broke it and tried to slice my arms into pieces. "Never turn your back against me, Mikhail."

I lift Lohengrin, readied for the worst possible to lose one arm. But right when Lohengrin was ready to cut the bones, someone shot.

***

Uriel backed off when that shot has proven to be hurt him physically. The bullet made him bleed. I quickly swung Lohengrin on Longinus. The echo made by our weapons went against each other ringing inside my skull, but even so, the alterium cracked opened. On both of our weapons. The whip of Longinus separated, shattered into pieces while my sword was almost broken from the suicide strike. Uriel was about to strike again, but the raining bullet didn't allow him to do so. He backed off when someone walked in between us.