Post scriptum - 1. Act One

Chapter 9.1 - In which I reveal a new side of mine

Alessandro laughs, but his laughter is demonic, the laughter of the executioner gazing upon his victims. The unknown girl had stopped by his side and her hand wrapped itself like a snake around her golden bow, which glows like the sun.

"Fate has been mercyfull this time," Alessandro says as soon as his brothers in arms were by his side. "But you'll need more than a Darcy to win."

"The number doesn't count." Erik Darcy smiles. "Only the strategy."

"Would you look at that!" The black-haired boy laughs mockingly as he ties his long hair. "Against the son of Achilles and Patroclus, the daughter of Prince Paris and Helen of Troy and the son of Don Quixote de la Mancha?! You have been declared dead as soon as you've first stepped on the training grounds."

"Bla. Bla. Bla!"

Castro mocks the boy back with astonishing courage. In his brown eyes flickers a glimmer of tenacity.

"Empty words, Leonidas!" The son of Romeo says as he takes his sword out. "We'll wash that scornful grin off your face!"

It's a tension among us so dreading that one can cut it with the knife. The tense atmosphere made even the leaves of the trees around us curb from the stress and now, on the soft emerald grass, we had to sort this the hard way. I had to get my honour back.

It's now or never.

"I'll take Leonidas," Castro announces. "I have to cut off that boasting tongue of his once and for all!"

"No."

Erik Darcy pushes his glasses up his nose and smiled.

"Let me do it. I am an easy prey for, so easy he doesn't want to miss the occasion. In the meantime, you can handle Parisa. And Logan can settle his things with de la Mancha."

"H-Hang on, who did-"

Before I can finish my sentence, Castro charges towards Parisa with all his might. The girl begins to run in the opposite direction and her white and delicate fingers start stringing her golden bow. The arrows rip through the air with furious speed and are close to hitting the son of Romeo. Castro runs through the bushes and trees to avoid getting hit.

"Stop moving!" The girl says with false gentleness. "It's not going to hurt."

After a couple of moments, silence falls. Either Castro got tired or he fell by Parisa's rain of arrows under the terrified gazes of the trees. But not long after, Castro re-emerges from a bush and knocks the daughter of Helen of Troy to the ground as he leaps from hiding. He knocks her down with a loud thud and the girl begins to struggle. Parisa is hitting him with her legs and knees, but Castro is "calming" her with a nice hit in the face from time to time.

Yup, this is still Castro.

Meanwhile, Leonidas lunges towards Erik. The opponent's hits are furious, strikes coming down like a storm, but my friend doesn't back down not even for a second. Erik moves with agility and his silver sword was moving with such grace that it seems like he is actually dancing. His calculated and precise steps, his firm but brave movements made Erik Darcy look like he was actually engaged in a ballroom waltz.

"Stop fooling around!" Leonidas yells. "You're just a pathetic show-off. I'll punish the hell out of you, hypocrite!"

This is all that Darcy has been waiting. With a swift move, like lightning in the dark cloudy sky, Erik strikes the son of Achilles and rips the sleeve of his hoodie slightly. The warrior seems shocked for a minute and begins evaluating the damage for a short while.

"You're so lucky I missed, Leo!" Erik Darcy begins to laugh and Leonidas begins attacking him again, this time with more force.

Now, it is just me and Alessandro, looking at eachother with deep concentration. My knees shake like leaves in the wind. My opponent looks at me with visible delight.

"Come on, Petite Prince!" He laughs. "I know you want it. Come and get it!"

I don't have Erik Darcy's reason, nor Castro Montague's spontaneity. But I have a hatred in me for the son of Don Quixote, a hatred so deep I haven't felt before. As soon as Alessandro brought up the matter with my honour, I immediately lunge towards him, wanting to stick my spear in his throat so he would stop chirping.

Although I haven't held a weapon before and I don't know how to use a spear, I wield it with such precision that one would tell that I was born with it in hand. Alessandro dodges my furious attacks quickly and taunts me in a way that reminds me of how I used to tease my little brother, albeit with more malice. This makes me lose my temper with every minute that passes.

I am not that athletic like the rest of the boys here, I have no idea how to use a spear or a sword and my body yelds after five minutes or so of effort. So my attempt to hit him blinded by anger affected me more than him. Being exhausted, my spear seems suddenly very heavy, slowing me down. Alessandro takes the opportunity to hit me in my arm.

It hurts badly, horribly! At first it was a small pinch, like one would cut themselves in a piece of paper, but then it became something awful, but bearable at the very least. Blood begins to lose from my arm and I squeeze the wound in an attempt to cover it and stop the bleeding. I fall to my knees and look at my wound in an attempt to grasp what happened. My eyes flinch from the stinging pain.

"You cheated, de la Mancha!" Erik shouts as he dodges Leonidas' attacks. "You are not allowed to hurt other players!"

But Alessandro doesn't listen to him. He seems to enjoy every minute of my weakness, of my suffering. I look at him exhausted, powerless and hurt as a devilish grin creeps up his face.

"You failed, de Chagny!" He said. "I told you, you've got no chance against me!"

I looked at Alessandro breathing heavily, panting even, with a shocked expression on my face. Then, something happened inside of me that I couldn't explain, like someone just lit a fire inside my soul. I couldn't hold back anymore. I jump to attack him furiously, pure rage burning in my eyes, a superhuman strength taking over. I strike him with my spear mercilessly as he was trying to defend himself. Then, seeing that Alessandro cannot hold his ground any longer, I make a huge mistake.

I hit Alessandro in his chest and I strike as hard as I can.