บท 122: Prince vs Columbina
"Are you the prince of Khaenri'ah?" Allen asked with a mysterious smile.
Aether tensed and glared at Allen, sensing something from her. "You are one of the Tsaritsa's dogs, a Harbinger," he said, discovering her identity and sensing the strength and power behind Allen's Delusions.
"If that's the case, then there's no reason to talk," Aether said, lifting his sword and kicking the ground to dash towards Allen. "I'll silence you!"
*Clank!* Allen drew her Flute, and both swords clashed with each other.
'The outcome of this battle will determine how I act towards you. But with this strength...' Allen grinned playfully. 'I can keep it up. Let's see if he can.'
*Clank! Clank!* The sound of clashing swords echoed throughout the area as Allen and Aether exchanged strikes. The fight was intense and fast-paced, leaving no time to catch their breaths.
Aether's style was quick and fierce, trying to overpower Allen with greater strength and speed. At first, it seemed like the style of someone who had never had a rival, but Aether quickly showed otherwise.
*Fus! Clank!* Just as Allen found an opening to strike, it was instantly closed, and Aether counterattacked, forcing Allen into a bad position with his next strike targeting her heart.
*Tch!* "♪" Allen clicked her tongue and her Flute sounded, and the air vibrated as her sword left a trail of Hydro that slowed Aether's strike enough for her to dodge it. She twisted her body and launched a kick at Aether's left side.
*Pa!* Aether was pushed back several meters but did not receive any damage, having blocked the kick with his left arm.
"You're better than I first thought," Aether said, as a black aura started surging within him.
"The same goes for me. You're quite strong," Allen said, maintaining her smile. 'His experience is higher than mine, showing false openings and reading my style, advancing to my movements. But that's good. I'll devour you to become stronger!' "♪" Allen's Flute sounded as water manifested around her sword.
Aether charged towards Allen once more, his sword enveloped in dark energy. Allen stood her ground, waiting for the right moment to strike. As Aether swung his sword, Allen sidestepped, dodging the attack. She followed up with a quick thrust, aiming for Aether's chest, but he parried the attack with ease.
*Clank! Clank!* They were again locking swords, continuously clashing. Aether was now stronger and quicker with the aura around him, but Allen became quite tricky, her swordsmanship like a dance, protecting and attacking Aether at the same time with trails of water, closing any opening within him. Aether was able to cope with it with his greater experience and power, but he was unable to break through Allen, only causing some small cuts.
"I've got you!" Allen licked her lips as she sidestepped, Aether's sword barely grazing her.
*Clank!* Allen, for the first time in the fight, started pushing Aether, closing all her openings and forcing him into a defensive position.
Aether had greater experience, speed, and strength, but it was all overshadowed by Allen's talents. His sword, his style, his breath, his heartbeat, and his blood cursing through his veins, now Allen was able to sense it all, being able to completely read him.
"Hg!" Seeing the sword approaching him, Aether clenched his teeth, gripping his sword while condensing the aura on it.
*Boom!* Both swords clashed, their auras exploding and pushing both away, both perfectly landing on the ground.
Aether lifted his sword, black-blue aura exploding from it "Take this!" Aether swung his sword, shooting a pillar of dark matter toward Allen.
"♪" On the other hand, Allen's sword vibrated, making a beautiful melody, swinging it laterally, creating a water wall around him.
*Boom!* Both attacks canceled each other, exploding and covering the hall with that black-blue aura.
'Now, it's my opportunity' Aether's eyes became sharp as he stepped forward, preparing to kick the ground.
"Not bad, you are quite strong" Allen surged from the smoke, dispersing the aura around with a light slash of her Flute. That caused, Aether's eyes to go wide with shock.
"Truly, who are you?!" Aether tensed while keeping his sword clenched.
"I am Columbina. A pleasure" Allen smiled brightly making a little curtsy.
'She is dangerous' Aether thought as he looked attentively at Allen, waiting for her next movement 'I've still not recovered my power, but it seems there's no other way. It's a pity but I should abandon the Defiled Statue, stopping my recovery for now. I'll need to find another way to recover, taking more time, but is better than risking my life here.' Aether clenched his sword, accumulating black aura on it.
'That heartbeat, that flow... He is nervous' Allen quickly discovered 'He is trying to escape.'
Aether waited for Allen's next move, preparing to unleash his power to create an opening for his escape when suddenly Allen sheathed her sword.
"You can feel it, no? I am stronger than you now" Allen smiled "But I am well aware that I cannot stop you once you decide to escape. So rather than fighting uselessly here for some time, why don't we make it as a drawn."
"In the end, I did not come here to fight you. It was for my own personal reasons. So rather than fighting between both, wouldn't a cooperation be better?" Allen proposed "I can keep your little secret, even helping you recover."
"So you are aware of my weakened state?" Aether asked without lowering his guard.
"Yes, your sword style shows some fails due to the lack of strength, making it seem as you are used to be stronger. So that's the most probable reason, you using the statue to heal yourself." Allen explained.
"What do you want?" Aether glared at her.
"As I said, a little cooperation. A favor for a favor" Allen stated.
"And that favor would be?"
"I want a distraction" Allen smiled "An event that forces Mondstadt's main power to leave the city to defend the region. And I think that you are the best to accomplish it."
'Once I recover, I need to start again with the Abyss Order. So I could easy force such a thing, even becoming an unavoidable collateral for my plans. But she seems fishy' "What can you win from it?"
"This is for me to keep. It's not of your incumbency" Allen purred "We aren't close enough yet to share my secrets."
'As I thought. But it truly doesn't give me any downfall, the opposite in truth, only being good for me' "One last thing? Aren't you afraid that once I recover I go against my word and try to kill you? I will be stronger then."
Allen grinned "I don't think of you as someone that will go against his words without any important reason behind. And I am quite confident that it won't cause any negative result for you." Allen explained "And as security. There's no need to directly meet again, keeping contact using other means in the future. Let's not let our fiery passion unleash between us" Allen giggled, throwing at him a communicator of one use that she obtained from Pantalone.
"Okay. Let's cooperate" Aether's sword disappeared as he caught the communicator "But I'll move the statue of place, so you won't be able to find me."
"Your doubts hurt me" Allen made a sad face "But I do not mind, it was within my expectations."
"Sure." Aether nodded 'She is fishy and in the end, we will need to fight between each other. But she seems someone with whom I can cooperate for the time being, being a great help for my plans.'
"For a fruitful cooperation!" Allen smiled.
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