Game? Pt1: Chapter 5-6
CHAPTER 5
"Close your eyes, they need to adjust. There is not much light down here"
"What happened? Where are we?"
Elena tried to move her body but quickly found that her arms and legs were bound by bone chilling metallic shackles. On closer inspection, they were actually made with an unfamiliar grey and black stone.
"Am I in a dungeon?"
She adjusted her eyes to the darkness within seconds, her other senses followed. She was assaulted by an acrid scent that made her gag, for about a minute, until she could build up a modicum of tolerance. That did not stop her from tearing up in disgust.
"Deep breaths, you will get used to it"
"Ew... this place is nasty"
She desperately scanned the room a few times and used a few rays of light that were somehow shining to look for Adam. To her left, she spotted another set of chains but they were empty, to her right, she spotted the source of rot that assaulted her nose; A dried out husk of indeterminate gender.
She pushed both sights out of her mind when she saw him calmly sitting on a decrepit wooden chair outside of the metal bars that made, at least what she assumed to be, her cell.
"Can you get me out of here and why do you look like a ghost?", she said while rattling her chains.
The cell walls were jagged and unpolished. Enough to leave full scratches on the stone chains binding her. The wall would have cut into her clothing and delicate skin if not for the amazing quality. Since she did not feel the pain of the wall, she started to swing side to side like a pendulum.
"And Is this your idea of fun?". She said with a suggestive tone.
She could faintly make out a tiny and uncharacteristic grin on Adam's face, it was like the moon at night, reflecting the few rays of light it received.
"..."
"She's down there?"---"Yes"
"Are you going down?"--- "Its orders"
"Do you want me...?"--- "Yes. Please, yes..."
"But I don't really want to"--- "PLEASE?!?"
"But shes a witch..."--- "..."
"..." --- "Fine"
Elena squinted a bit when she saw a soft white light pour down the hall. She quickly adjusted herself and saw a 20-30 year old man in a light blue and silver officers uniform. There was an adorable little crystal producing the light that almost blinded her. It rested inside of a finger length, circular, lantern cage and was held in place by three chains. Another lantern box was fixed to the mans waist, much larger but not glowing like the one on the front of his uniform. The man wore a slightly curved short sword on his waist, jewels littered his scarab like stars and a similar spherical crystal found itself embedded In the sword's pommel.
He looked like a blue nutcracker in his decorative outfit, tan (wooden like) skin, rosey cheeks, tall stature, and bushy lamb chops.
"Prisoner...", the man managed to say after clearing his throat a dozen times or so while walking to the prison cell.
"Th. The. Ki. Ki...King. D. D. D. Demands. Yo...Your...", the man walked up and planted himself at the gate with utmost confidence but failed to assert himself when he saw Elena's face.
She had just so happened to be looking up at the soldier when she batted her long and curly eyelashes.
"Hello. My name Is Elena. I like your sword it looks pretty cool", she said with a smile that brightened the room. Actually, it was the soldier who lost control of himself and increased the light that the crystal produced. The room fell dark as the crystal lost its power.
"TUUUUUDMMMMMMMM aaaarrrre youuuuuu oooooookaaaay?"
Another young-ish man with a handlebar mustache and the same uniform barreled down the hall with a glittering blade drawn like a righteous archangel. The only hiccup in his holy appearance was his equally pale and elongated face that made him a ghoulish entity.
The blinding white light and the bloody red cheeks that the man emanated and wore from the cold, only startled and frightened Tud'm. Afterall, the charging man looked utterly ghastly...
"AAAAHHHHHH....", was Tudm's only response as he also drew his blade to meet the evil spirit.
Elena was amazed by the blades of glass each man wielded. They cut through the iron bars like a heated knife through butter. She did not spare the time to be worried about Adam and focused completely on the beautiful and chilling sparks that danced about.
It also helps that she noticed how Adam somehow managed to get through the bars before they were cut open and stand next to her.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TED'E?"
"YOUR LIGHT WENT OUT SO I THOUGHT THE WITCH GOT YOU"
Tudm's face turned into a tomato when he whispered something into his friends ear.
Ted'e, the shorter man of the two, turned to look at Elena and said, "H...Hi. M.Miss...I..M. M. Mean...Prisoner. Eye....I'm...", he was hit on the back of his head before his light could get overloaded and plunge all of them into darkness.
"What's happening?", she directed her question to the silent Adam. "Beauty. They are not used to someone like you..."
"Someone like me? Does that mean you are used to me?", she tilted her head in innocent wonder while whispering her words.
"..."
"Fine, don't tell me", she said with a smile as Adam looked away in silence.
"Miss prisoner...", Ted'e was elbowed in his side, "witch...", then he was elbowed again.
Tud'm then said, in a whisper that was not a whisper, "Her name is Elena".
Ted'e nodded and said "...Elena," with a smile, "the king has requested your presence in the royal halll."
"King? Really? Let's go then"
Tud'm then opened the gates despite the gaping hole in the bars. He opened the lantern box on his waist and pulled out a pair of crystalline handcuffs. He promptly placed them on Elena before unshakleing her from the chains on the wall.
"Are these made of glass?"
She said as she banged them against the wall. Every impact actually produced a small but unbearable flash of light. The wall was chipped away every hit.
"No...", said Ted'e with a smug and manly curl to his top lip, "...It's made in a special process that the grandmaster invented while studying the northern continents alchemy"
"Alchemy? Oh, then what is it made out of?"
His expression fell into the frozen depths of hell when he could not answer her question. Tud'm smirked at his friends folly and said, "Its made out of living stone and spiritual essence." He recieved a blow to his side, a punishment for revealing a secret.
"What are those and what can they do?"
Both men watched her expression for anything vile or evil, but how could they not help someone as innocent looking and adorable as Elena? They could only react positively and answer all of her questions.
The men guided Elena out of the morbid dungeons and onto the land above by the time they answered her questions. What she saw amazed her.
A land of ice and snow as far as the eye could see, a bright and clear sky that housed a blazing golden sun and a smaller orange red one, and a castle that pierced the heavens. She could only see a small portion of the castle but even that created an involuntary response, "Beautiful...", she said under her breathe.
Ted'e and Tud'm, stunned by something just as amazing, went on to, jointly, explain all of the best parts of their nation and job.
They had lost any inhibitions around Elena and treated her as part of the duo despite her "prisoner" status.
"Would you like to see the city? And don't speak"
*"What? It's not like you can you read my mind?"
"I can- sort of- but not really. It's more like we are talking on a different frequency"
Elena stared at Adam wide eyed since he heard her thoughts
*"Can you do this outside as well?"
"Not yet, but I'm working on it"
*"Okay...I want to see the castle"
"You are taking this rather nicely"
*"Yeah?"
"Yeah…"
*"Start it already"
It was a weird feeling for Elena, almost like a dream. She could see and feel her body moving into a second person perspective. Like she was a goddess controlling everything from a bird eyes view but her flesh resided with the mortals.
Her vision extended into a realm of pseudo omniscience. She could see the entire castle, which then expanded until she could see the entire city that surrounded the castle.
The entire city resembled a snowflake inside of another snowflake, glittering and reflecting the gold and red colors of the twin suns.
*"Gorgeous..."
"Yes"
*"How did you code something like this in?"
"I didn't"
*"Yeah right! Anyway, I'm pretty sure that if you painted this landscape it could be remembered forever"
"Maybe..."
*"You're not even going to deny it? That's pretty confident of you."
"..."
*"Its really pretty"
"..."
*"right?"
"..."
"You should return to your body, someone interesting has just shown up"
*"..."
"Whats wrong?"
*"How?"
"Just stare at yourself for a while"
*"Thank, you..."
She slipped on a patch of ice because of the dizzying speed and mental reorganizing she had to do. Almost expectantly, Adam stood there to catch her, except now he was covered in a thin layer of white smoke, like steam.
Both Ted'e and Tud'm, stopped talking about whatever it was they were on about and stared at Elena in fear and worry. They moved away from her by at least two meters in the time it took to blink and rested a hands on their swords.
Both men covered the small lantern boxs over their heart with their right hands, then they kneeled down on one knee.
Adam helped Elena to her feet and stood in front of her, blocking her view from whoever was there, the smoke surrounding him made sure that neither party could see through
A gallant voice spoke out from in front of Adam's wall of mist, "The demon witch Elena, it is a pleasure to meet your 'familiar' and yourself on this day"
Elena peeked around the pillar of smoke-that was Adam- and saw a stunningly beautiful man with flowing silver- white hair and ice blue eyes. Gold and light blue crystal's adorned his snow white officers uniform. A black scarab and golden sword rested upon his hip. If not for the splatter of blood on his lips, the slivers of ice on his clothing, and the thin curls of smoke coming from his chest, he would look like a heavenly ice prince.
The path below his feet was destroyed like it had been dug into by two metal rods and in a sense, it had.
"Hello...?", Elena said.
*" Wait, did you hit that guy?", she whispered to Adam.
"..."
"Forgive my lack of manners. Phillip Averle, Captain of the guard"
"Captain Phillip, that has a nice ring to it and if this idiot did anything to harm you, I ask for forgiveness on his behalf", she said.
The captain chuckled to himself and said, "Demon Witch Elena, I have simply forgotten an important piece of information and paid an appropriate price. And, though I appreciate your thoughtfulness, there is no one to blame but myself for assuming that could or even should try to catch you"
"Oookaay?...".
"Demon Witch Elena, I have been ordered to bring you to the king in the most presentable state. As such..."
The captain bowed like a gentleman without any change in his expression. He reached into a lantern box at his waist and pulled out a key that was sculpted out of the same glass or ice like substance as the duo's swords and said, "...May I?".
"Oh, yes you may. Captain Phillip...", she said while doing a lady like courtesy.
Phillip moved his hand towards Elena but retracted it even faster than when he reached out. There was a deep gash in the ground, underneath where the captain's arm was going to be, white smoke rising like steam from the scarred path.
The move was so quick that Elena only saw a flash of white. Phillip however, saw an invisible blade pop out of the cloud of smoke, which was only visible because of a thin layer that clung to the blade like an outline.
Adam grabbed the chains on Elena's wrists and broke them into fragments, the entire time he avoided her eyes. Soon after, the smoke around him died down so she could see his back clearly as he faced Phillip.
Adam still flickered between translucent and solid when the captain spoke out.
"It seems, Demon, that you dislike me. I would like to inquire as to why"
Phillip's hand gripped the handle of his blade as he preped his body to pounce like a deadly hunter.
"..."
"..."
Elena grabbed the bridge of her nose and sighed heavily. Before either man could make a move she knocked Adam on the back of his head, forcing him to bow in apology. Unfortunately, she didn't know that no one else could actually see him.
"We are sorry Captain Phillip, he is a fool who can be way too direct with the people he respects and likes. If he didn't like you, you would have died without knowing how."
The statement would have felt like a boast if spoken by any other person. He could feel the sincerity and absolute confidence in her statement, which frightened and excited him even more. Sadly, his face was an ice cold block.
"I understand Demon Witch Elena. Thank you for providing clarity to my misunderstanding. I would like to formally apologize for my brutish behavior and request that your familiar duels with me half a fortnight from now."
*"Adam?"
"Why not?"
"He has agreed to your request but I have one of my own..."
"Anything that I can accomplish with my power Demon Witch Elena"
"Can you just call me by my name. It's kind of embarrassing to hear that."
"I shall Miss Elena. Your capture was rather abrupt and full of complications, truthfully, you should not have been bound as you were. I am glad to see that you are not angered by imprisonment. As others with much less cause may have been..."
His icy visage actually broke a little bit when he reminisced.
"... I will inform you on our journey to the court. As for you two, follow silently and await further orders"
The captain then led the group through halls and catwalks that would put Versailles to shame it terms of grandeur. Everything was made of a diamond like substances and were accented with metal and wood that were silver- blue and dark brown in color. A uniformed guard stood every few dozen meters, and aside from them, no one else roamed the halls.
Luckily, natural pale golden light illuminated the entire building with warmth, giving the illusion of more people. Light naturally bounced around the ceiling, creating a natural heat and lightsource that defied understanding.
*"That's so pretty, it's like an Aurora floating above us"
"Its just millions of miniature shards of that 'Ice essence crystal' arranged in a way that reflects the suns light. They work like prisms, splitting the light almost perfectly"
*"Almost?"
"It can't be used at night, the planets moon's don't provide enough light to hit the entire castle. The crystal's themselves, produce a pale light instead, just enough to see. It makes them smaller over time though, like dissipate without direct enough sunlight"
*"Oh..."
The Captain broke Elena out of her dazed stare and told her his understanding of the crystal's since he noticed her captivated stare. It was similar to Adam's explanation but it was filled with a more mystical and mysterious flare since he didn't quite understand what he talked about.
She had started to walk backwards so she could see more of the beautiful lights overhead.
Moment later, they entered a giant hall, most likely a ballroom, and she saw a giant sphere of glowing rock.
The Inside of the transparent rock had a small white flame that sparked with blue embers. It was surrounded by tight rings of light and the mist like aurora of color. Involuntarily, she let out a gasp.
"That is a complex formation array that harvests the suns natural ray's of and keeps the lights on at night"
"How was it made?"
"The royal advisor created this after returning from his trip of enlightenment to the north. You would have to ask him"
"This advisor?"
"Do not worry Miss Elena, the royal advisor is a 'good' man. He is also the kingdoms alchemical grandmaster so he is just as if not wiser than an entire court of royal advisors. He would most likely answer you inquiries happily."
*"He does not sound happy"
"How did you know?"
*"He's alot like you, he can hide the changes in his face and voice but his eyes give him away"
"..."
*"What?"
"Is it a smart thing to tell someone their weaknesses?"
*"Only if they let it become a weakness on purpose..."
Elena spun around and said, "So I guess I'm responsible for something bad to get locked up."
"No, it is merely the preemptive action to a future that the king and grandmaster wanted to avoid."
"What?"
"Hmm. Let me clarify. Every kingdom has an Imperial Seer, Witch, or Grandmaster. They use their connections and superior intelligence to help a King or Queen rule in the most effective way possible. It usually involves dealing with issues that cannot be immeadiately attended to. Meeting with foreign leaders as emissaries or solving an internal dispute between the nobles. Other times, it can involve dealing with troubling events that could destroy the peace like.."
"A witch like myself? I would be seen as a danger since I'm not affiliated with anyone huh?"
"Not only that. There are the matters of your existence in general. A newborn witch loses their memories and can easily be influenced by whatever being they contract with"
"I can see why that's dangerous. But what exactly can a witch do? I haven't been able to do anything, witchy"
"I do not know Miss Elena, you would have to speak with your 'familiar'. I was informed to tell you that harmony is the key"
*"Harmony?...", she looked at Adam, who looked directly into her eyes, and smiled a little bit. The smile made him look away without a change in expression.
"So why am I called a Demon witch? I assume it's kind of special because I was locked up"
The Captain softly sighed and said, "Ah yes. Newborn witches are dangerous, but none have contracted a demon before. Usually, the familiar is a magical creature or one a sentient collection of spiritual essences"
"So how are Demons dangerous? Why does that extend to me?"
"I have no idea. In all honesty, No one know how dangerous one of these creature are because it has never existed in our world before"
*"Interesting change"
"It is..."
"So how long have all of you known about me?"
"Nine summers ago, Osterosa, the strongest witch in recorded history, used the vestiges of her ending life to peer into the future. She recorded a prophecy that forced all of humanity to work together", the young captain said.
"Does that have anything to do with 'essence' crystals?"
*"Summers?"
"I guess you should know that a snowless summer only happens once every hundred years in this frozen land.", Adam explained.
The captain paused on Elena with wide eyes. He calmed himself and looked at the two decorated officers following them. They both looked away and whistled.
"Yes…", he tapped the light blue, cyan, crystal on his chest.
"In preparation for an uncertain future, our ancestors used the prophecies guiding words to seek safeguards. In the process, alchemists invented a tool that can harness the power of nature to fight against a new and possibly dangerous threat. Now, those who are disciplined enough can use powers that only one person out of billions could use."
"How do you know that demons are dangerous if you don't have a reference?"
"The Prophecy tell us all we need to know about the potential dangers posed by these creatures. You are simply the catalyst for something more and it is up to the king to decide whether you are a threat"
"What is the prophecy and why would I just be the start of whatever changes your world will have?"
"Another time miss Elena, we are here"
CHAPTER 6
The little group stood in front of a dragons gaping maw... um... door.
Icicles of monstrous size bared themselves like fangs as they covered opaque and glassy doors. The majesty of the entrance radiated off the intricately sculpted structure and mesmerized Elena to no end.
Her eyes, wide like saucers, before she caught the passing figure of Captain Phillip.
She turned her head towards icy blue flames that danced within the frozen pillars like running water. She was then drawn to the fairy like fluttering of tiny shards of ice. They were glittering with white, blue, and gold from the crystaline flames and the sun
"It's normal to be speechless. This kind of beauty can only be simulated and never achieved in a man made structure. Not yet at least."
*"Crazy. Absolutely insane. How did you think of something like this? Every single crystal would have had to have been individually modeled. Every ray of light, not just the world's ambient sunlight, but every single reflective surface would have to be adjusted. That doesn't take into account the millions of other things that would have to go into creating this one area. How did you do it?"
She looked at Adam with an intense look in her eyes and an interesting expression on her face.
"I have already told you. I didn't. It was all here already"
*"Yeah? And what does that mean?"
"Miss Elena, there's no need to make that face. The king is an intelligent and just man, he will not condemn anyone without all of the facts", Ted'e said from at least three meters away.
He studied Elena's face when she turned around to see more of the entryway from a different angle.
Neither man (Ted'e or Tud'm) had the courage to get any closer to her because of the wisps of smoke that periodically emanated from the area in between. It was like a reminder, warning the three men to stay away, without being obvious.
"What...?"
"Yes Miss Elena. The king will not treat you harshly. He treats everyone as a loyal subject until proven otherwise. I am sure that his treatment will extend your familliar", Tud'm followed. He wore a similar fanatical expression as Ted'e.
"Wait..."
Captain Phillip returned from a small crystalline door and said, "Enter". Completely taking Elena by surprise.
*You bastard. Did you do this on purpose?"
Adam walked past Elena and said, "I have no idea what you are talking about".
Adam whistled casually since he avoided having to talk about a real life problem.
*"My question ass hat. Answer it"
Phillip stretched his hand to the small crystalline opening and opened his fingers; The wall melted away like a receding tide in all directions. An apparition of a misty golden key floated above his palm and vanished when the frozen wall reached the pillars on either side of the entrance.
Elena was flanked by Ted'e and Tud'm while Phillip closed the opening behind them.
She walked along a blue royal carpet that was embroidered with silver, crystalline, snowflakes.
Dark sconces littered the ice blue and white pillars set beside the long rug. Soldiers, in groups of three and in similar uniforms to Ted'e and Tud'm, stood beside each pillar in a triangle, exactly enough for 12 rows of pillars.
Her vision followed the path and fell upon an unsettling smiling face: It reminded her of Adam's smile, so fake that it felt real.
The man with the fake smile wore a simple black robe with silver ornaments and several leather pouches attached to his waist. His hair was salt and pepper and receded past his hairline. If not for that marker of age, he would resemble a young man because of his supple skin. If anything, he looked like an awkward monk.
Elena's eyes then moved on to the platform a few steps above where the black robed man stood.
An empty and slender throne of diamond-like material emanated warmth and compassion, like it carried the spirit of the person who sat upon it. Beside it was a 'fluffier' and even more unorthodox seat.
In the middle of the platform, there was a polar bear shaped beanbag chair. It looked like a regular polar bear except it was almost two times bigger, its eyes were humanlike, and its fur resembled silk. The bear was infinately more adorable because of its unnaturally big and...moist eyes?
*"Is that alive?"
As if to answer her question, the 'seat' whimpered in a low growl and turned its head to the right. Towards the second throne.
The man, no...The King sitting on the throne of diamonds softly touched the bear's obsidian muzzle and said, "I know. We'll find her"
The King stood up and the temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. He was like a giant in human skin because an oppressive sense of gravity spread throughout the room; the rows of soldiers fell to a knee while looking at their king.
"Demon witch Elena forgive our subordinates and us for your treatment. We must be prudent with anything that is even remotely linked to the the great prophecy and treat it as a serious potential threat." The king stood at the same level as the black robed man. The two exchanged a glance and the black robed man bowed and walked down onto the same level as everyone else.
He looked at Elena and said, "I am the grandmaster or the royal advisor but for his majesty and allies, I am simply Enzo. Demon witch Elena, I bow myself now in his majesty's stead and ask you, Can your demon reveal itself before this court."
*"I guess they want a show of faith before we get to the real stuff, right?"
"Exactly"--- "Your majesty, before I reveal myself your gaurd must leave. Those three may stay". Tud'm, Ted'e, and Phillip were givin a halo of white smoke.
The King simply waved his hand while looking at Enzo.
The grandmaster then said, "Dismissed until further notice". Like a singular entity, the men and women organized themselves and strolled out of the courtroom with immense speed.
Slowly, Adam's body solidified into view, like a ghost that chose to show itself.
Ezno's body however, shook in absolute fear. His hands were inside the sleeves of his robes and his fingers were doing dozens of symbols every few seconds. Sweat threatened to pour down his face every passing second.
The King collected himself and focused his oppressive, without being threatening, glare on Adam's piercing silver eyes. Exactly five seconds passed before the King let out a breathe, one that he did not know he was holding.
Heavily, he said, "We understand. Thank you".
His back was drenched with sweat and his knuckles were white from his unconscious grip.
He took another step and walked off of the platform that showed his superior status. He walked up to Adam and bowed his head a few degrees.
"I know when I'm beat. Damn, your eyes are scary as fuck mister demon."
The solemnity that permeated the hall underwent a tangible shift. Phillip sighed and said, "Sire, your language", while Ted'e and Tud'm smiled at their king. Enzo took a deep breathe and grabbed the bridge of his nose, he said, "At least your majesty beat your previous record for being serious"
"What is happening?" Elena said while tilting her head innocently. The king laughed like a rowdy child and said, "I thought I could kill you both and put an end to the whole prophecy business....", He pointed to the bluish flames that were now, smokey whisps.
"...You are in the middle of the strongest killing formation I could afford but your demon neutralized the key components and destroyed the activation circuit before we could even start it up."
"Oh, ok", she just look at Adam with a smile that resembled a blooming flower.
"You are really taking all of this rather well…"
*"Why would I worry when you will take care of everything"
"Oh yeah. Sorry I called you demon witch, Phillip has already informed me of your dislike of the title. Speaking of, I am Reginald Vivian Winterset the third...". He reached out to greet Elena by holding her hand but...
"I should have told his majesty...", Phillip said to himself
A snow white bear pulled a large man out of the fur of its stomach.
"Ahaha. Great. What power? I haven't felt that since I was a young man. Elena, you can call me Reggie or Reg or whatever you feel is fine. Enzo get my sword, I must bear witness to a bout with this demon"
"Sire... we have more important things..." Ezno tried to say but was cut off by the King who looked at him with sharp eyes. "Our sword"
"Yes my King," he said with a small bow.
*"So fluffy..."
"Elena?"
She looked at Adam with watery eyes and a pouting lip, *"...I want one. Make one for me"
"That's. Not how this works", he said while trying to avoid her eyes.
"Please?"
"I can't just change the world how I please, at most, I can...."
*"I want one, it's so cute and fluffy"
"Since when do you like cute and fluffy things?"
*"Ever since you wont let me cuddle with you..."
"..."
*"Is that a yes then?"
"I'll see what I can do"
*"Yay"
In the time that the two conversed, Phillip approached the King and kneeled on the ground.
"Sire, may I..."
"Phillip...", The King put a hand on his young captain's shoulder, "...I need you here. You know that right?..."
"Yes "
"...Also, I doubt that you will be in any condition to move after...", Enzo stood beside the king with a small box in his hands.
"I couldn't..."
"You will and you will do your best. The stronger the demon is, the faster they will find her. For your own peace of mind, make sure it is capable"
"I understand"
The king opened the box and pulled out a dark silver curved handle with a white leather grip. A snow white diamond rested in the pommel and another oval diamond laid embedded in the guard of the sword handle. There was no blade to be seen but that didn't stop the frigid sharpness of the blade from cutting Phillip's face when it was revealed.
"Take care to not cut yourself, he is rather temperamental"
"Thank you Sire"
Phillip grabbed the handle and winced, but he held on nonetheless.
"Now go and prove not only yourself but the power of this demon"
*"Wait, you actually have to fight? I thought we already passed their trial"
"Yes. And I proved that we are intelligent enough to avoid conflict. Now I have to show that I have the power to back you up if there is any. Besides, this will be useful for the captain..."
*"Alright?"
"Just sit back and watch. Think of this as a cutscene before you get your HUD and main story mission"
*"Whatever. Just make sure I get to hear the prophecy later. I know that you are stopping me from hearing it"
"..."
"Where is your blade from earlier demon?" Phillip stood in a standard military stance, feet-shoulder width apart and firmly planted on the group for stability.
"It was not a blade that attacked you young captain"
Phillip unhooked his own sword and sheath and tossed it to Adam, who caught with one hand.
"Much appreciated," he wrapped the strap to his wrist and adopted a casual and open stance. The length of the entire sheath followed his forearm with a slight curve.
*"When did you learn how to use swords, I thought you used knives and guns"
"I'm basically immortal in this room. I picked it up a while back"
*"Then how long will pass outside then by the time we are done?"
"4, 5 hours if you are slow"
*"Oohh, that stings. Insulting the intelligence and physical capability of a lady is no way to gain her fair hand"
"..."
"Are you prepared, demon"
Adam sighed and rubbed the back of his head, he spoke loud enough for all of people in the all to hear him, "My name is Adam. The term Demon is more of a fancy title, and yes I am."
Like a human sized rocket, Phillip sprinted over and stabbed at Adam's chest. The handle glittered mid thrust, which generated particles of ice and snow that turned into a semi-translucent one handed longsword.
The outline of a misty blade materialized in front of Adam in response to Philip's outburts. Upon contact, the mist blade mostly dissipated. Whatever didn't, turned into shards of ice that trialed behind each Phillip's relentless attacks.
The 20th mist blade, by extension, drowned underneath the blizzard that Phillip created. Luckily, that blade hit Phillips sword just hard enough to alter the tips trajectory before it vanished.
At the same time, Adam moved his body in a snake like twist, bringing the handle of his physical sword to his side. He simply flicked his wrist to deflect Phillip's fatal thrusting attack.
Phillip, not wasting the momentum, spun the sword around his hand to rid himself of any shock and turned his outward motion into a deadly cleave as he grabbed the handle with his other hand. One again, the attack was deflected in another direction due to Adam's positioning.
The two were forced to separate this time .
*"What do you call that move?"
"Not a move"
The two re-engaged, the entire time Adam either dodged or redirected Phillip's attacks so he would lose his balance and disengage.
*"Why don't you attack?"
"You already know why"
*"Yeah, you're horrible at fighting"
"..."
*"Hey..."
"What?"
*"Why don't you just date me. I know you like me"
"..."
*"Is it because of Evelyn? If it is, you should know that she is determined to get Li to say it first. They do love each other so you don't have to wait for her"
"That's not it..."
*"Then is it because of what you are? We all have things that make us different. You are more different. That's it"
"That's...not..."
Adam's movements had gotten visibly sluggish. Phillip had even managed to remove a strand of hair before it proofed into a whisp of smoke and returned to Adam's head.
The knight captian, for some reason, knew he lost this duel because Adam didn't even looking at him while dodging. Frustrated despite his neutral expression, he decided to attack at full power, even though he would be severely harmed by the foreign blade in his hands.
Adam gave him the time to adjust himself to the new blade while he continued talking with Elena.
"...I just can't Lea, we have been over this. Please don't bring it up again"
He met Elena's eyes with tears on the verge of breaking out in his own. He could control it so they only appeared moist and alive to her, full of the most emotion she had seen in years.
*"Fine. This is the last time I will bring it up. Just know that when I die an old and lonely virgin two to three hundred years from now, it will be your fault"
"And I will be the two to three hundred year old virgin standing next to your bed calling you my grandmother"
*"Bastard. Why don't you make some with me? I can at least look forward to having grandkids on my deathbed"
"You know I can't"
*"I know and watch out, I wasn't really paying attention to those two earlier earlier so I don't know what he's capable of"
She was referring to when Ted'e and Tud'm were explaining their job and all of the best parts about their country. They happened upon the topic of their captain and all his impressive skills.
"I already know so don't worry I'll be fine"
"Thank you, Adam, for waiting for me". The blade in Phillip's grip completely disappeared. Instead, There was a self contained blizzard that wrapped around his body. Adam could see minuscule impacts on the surface of Phillip's armor.
Adam said to himself and Elena, "Looks like he can barely control it. Pay attention, this is the good part", before speaking out loud.
"No problem"
"Here I come..."
Instead of barreling out like he did before, Phillip took a deep breath and chopped downward. He was still standing a few meters away from his opponent when an -icy- blue crescent moon flew across the room and bit at Adam's skin. The cold wind cut at him before the blade of flying ice did. The wind served a second purpose, to slow his movements so he couldn't dodge as nimbly.
He waved his hand and dispersed the wind with his white smoke and met the eight foot blade of ice and snow with his own.
He unsheathed his sword with such speed and such force that flames burst out of the sheath for a full second after he clashed with the block of ice.
In a trail, white flames surrounded and thinned out to follow the blade's edge, like a funnel. The flame actually bore a remarkable similarity with the icy flames that glittered in the various sconces around the hall. They were both very celestial in appearance.
Soundlessly and without a flash, the ice melted and the flame extinguished just in front of Phillip.
Adam's weapon was the only thing, other than phillip himself, that got hurt. The sheathe, other than the few burn markings, received the least amount of damage from the move.
The sword in Adam's left just the handle but it repaired itself from the particles of ice and snow that floated around as debris.
"Do you know why you lost Phillip?", The King said from his throne.
The King was expecting no response. Phillip could barely move as hypothermia set in, but he still turned his head towards his King.
"You should not have used my sword so early..." he said in disappointment
"...you did not take your time to familiarize yourself and failed to control not only the sword, but your heart. We could see how calm you were on the surface but inside..."
The King shook his head and flicked his palm, the sword that still raged with a frozen storm around Phillip became calm, like a coaxed child. It miraculously flew into his hand and was placed inside of the black box it came out of.
The box was then taken by Ezno who, somehow, placed it inside of one of his small leather pouches.
"I should probably tell you the truth now. Before that, lieutenants Ted'e and Tud'm, bring your Captain to the infirmary and make sure he does not come out until he is fully healed"
"Yes your Majesty"- "Will do sire"
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